Win, Place, Show
The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, the empowering way 3 German gymnasts are stirring up the sport and the Buschy McBusch Race.
Congratulations, you’ve made it to Friday.
Now for the fun part,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Kentucky Derby
Break out your bonnets - tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby. Keep an eye on the favorite in the Derby, Essential Quality. Don’t count out Hot Rod Charlie, owned by former Brown football players who named their horse after a drinking game they played in college. Then there’s Midnight Bourbon, which hopefully, unlike choosing a bourbon as the clock strikes twelve, is a good choice. COCKTAILS ANYONE?
To get ready for the “fastest two minutes in sports'‘ make sure to check out our six reasons the Derby is our favorite event, the best mint julep recipe, what to wear and of course, how to place your bets.
Overtime
At the European Gymnastics Championships, three German Olympic hopefuls took to wearing a full bodysuit vs. the traditional leotard to take a stand against the sexualization of their sport. Gymnast Sarah Voss started the trend with her teammates following. The abuse of girls and women in the sport has made headlines over the past few years – we’re looking at you, Larry Nassar. The German gymnasts received accolades from many worldwide for their fashion choice, so don’t be surprised if you see this look on the world’s stage during the Tokyo Summer Olympics. EMPOWHER
Sideline stat
Last night’s NFL (National Football League) Draft had a few surprises, but most of them had nothing to do with the actual draft picks.
Before the draft, there was the shocking tweet about Aaron Rodgers no longer wanting to play with the Green Bay Packers. That was followed by lots of “Jeopardy!” jokes on Twitter.
The Los Angeles Rams weren’t able to enjoy their highly promoted beach house draft headquarters because their general manager tested positive for COVID.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawerence went No. 1, as everyone predicted.
Lastly, there was the red carpet fashion, where custom PlayStation 2 shoes and embroidered suits made an appearance.
Coaches’ corner
The name of this weekend’s NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) Cup Series race is the Buschy McBusch Race 400, which is a result of Busch’s challenge to fans to name the race. If fans donated at least $1 to the nonprofit Farm Rescue, they could submit a race-name nomination. It came down to the Busch Latte 400, the Nectar of the Cobs 400, the For the Farmers 400 and the Buschy McBusch Race 400. BOATY MCBOATFACE MUST BE SO PROUD
What to watch
…or, in this case, read. TIME Magazine released its annual list of the top 100 most influential companies and the NBA (National Basketball Association) is on that list due to their global growth and management of everything 2020 threw at them. FULL COURT PRESS
Moving On Up
NFL jersey changes, a massive sporting event sans masks and why golfers are going to be $40k richer because of their TikTok dancing.
The weekend is here so here’s to the journey from your office chair to the couch.
Cheers,
The Last Night’s Game
NFL (National Football League)
Let’s start this newsletter off with a little fashion—kind of. The NFL is implementing new rules this season, but one obvious one you might not notice is the change in jersey numbers. Previously there were strict rules about who can wear which jersey numbers. Single-digit numbers were reserved for quarterbacks, kickers and punters. Now five other offensive positions can wear a single-digit number if they want to. But there’s a catch. If a player wants to change their uniform number for the upcoming season this fall, they have to buy out the existing allotment of jerseys with their current number. CLEARANCE SALE
Overtime
The first league to host a sporting event after the world shut down last year was UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). Now they’re setting another milestone that is just as controversial. They’re hosting UFC 261 this weekend in Florida with three title fights, but none of the 15,000 fans are required to wear a mask. SO THERE’S THAT
Sideline stat
The New York Knicks (NBA – National Basketball Association) have been bad for a very long time but have maintained a passionate fan base. Because they set the bar so low, fans are amped about the prospect that they’ll make the playoffs this season. The team has the NBA’s longest active winning streak right now at eight games. The fans are clearly enjoying it and even LeBron James has taken notice, saying the NBA is better when the Knicks are winning. A BITE OF THE BIG APPLE
Coaches’ corner
The PGA (Professional Golfers Association) realized that their players’ social media accounts are valuable. So much so that they’re willing to support the cause with a $40 million bonus pool. The pool will reward players who boost publicity and engagement. This is good news for golfers like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who have over 2 million followers. COST PER CLICK
Can't Hardly Wait
Matthew McConaughey’s MLS team makes its debut, how Prince Phillip’s funeral is impacting sports and why everyone in baseball is wearing #42.
Fill the downtime until the end of the workday with tantalizing news to up your social cache.
Give ‘em something to talk about,
The Last Night’s Game Team
MLS (Major League Soccer)
Before you skip to the next section because you might not be into soccer, let us tell you a few super interesting things about the MLS season that starts today.
DC United may not be the best team in the league, but they hired Lucy Rushton as their general manager. Rushton is only the second female GM in league history.
The newest team on the block is Austin FC, bringing the league total to a record 27 teams. Keep an eye out for Mr. Austin himself, the team’s minister of culture and co-owner Matthew McConaughey. (Don’t forget about David Beckham’s Inter Miami FC and their fab pink unis).
It’s an action-packed schedule with each team playing 34(!) games – 17 away games and 17 home games. Oh, and three new stadiums are opening.
Overtime
In case you missed the news yesterday, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez have officially called it quits. The couple, who were engaged in March 2019 and delayed their wedding twice, was on the rocks in March but said they were working things out. Yesterday, they made a joint statement that they were better off as friends. THE MOST/LEAST SURPRISING NEWS EVER
Sideline stat
Tomorrow is the funeral for Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s other half for 73 years, who lived a long, storied life before passing away on April 9 at 99-year-old. Out of respect for HRH of Edinburgh, F1 (Formula One Racing) has moved back its qualifying race for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Italy on Saturday to not conflict with his funeral. The actual Grand Prix is on Sunday and it is sure to be beautiful scenery and fast cars. It's worth noting that seven-time F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton is British and received a knighthood from the Queen. ARRIVEDERCI
Coaches’ corner
MLB (Major League Baseball) will continue the celebration of Jackie Robinson, the first Black player to play in Major League Baseball, well into Friday’s games. As part of the annual celebration, all players across the league will wear his #42 (the only number to be retired across the league). Over 100 players are donating their gameday salaries to The Players Alliance to improve representation for Black Americans in baseball. TIP OF THE CAP