The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up
This weekend a NFL Combine prospect had one of the most embarrassing job interviews of all time that you don’t want to see.
Also something you don’t want to see, remember the gold/white vs blue/black dress controversy? Yes, there’s another one. Is the Adidas jacket white/blue or black/brown? Tell us in the comments.
'Leap' into The Daily Report,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PGA (Professional Golfers' Association)
- Belly be gone. Adam Scott won the Honda Classic yesterday. Scott’s win is significant because this is his first win since the PGA banned belly putters. The PGA claimed the belly putter gave the golfers who used them an unfair advantage.
- No pants dance. Golfer Gary Woodland's tee shot landed near the water. As opposed to getting his white pants dirty, he stripped down to his skivvies for the shot. Four!
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 car, won the second race of the NASCAR season in Atlanta. This was more than just another victory; it tied him with legendary driver Dale Earnhardt with 76 career wins.
NFL (National Football League)
In NFL Combine news:
- Bet is off. Remember when Adidas offered $1 million to any prospect who could beat 40-yard dash record of 4.24 seconds while wearing Adidas shoes? Surprise, surprise, Adidas holds on to their $1 million. (For the record, no one broke that time while not wearing Adidas either).
- Wardrobe malfunction. During the job interview of a lifetime (the Combine), Mississippi State lineman Chris Jones left it all out there on the field. Jones ran the 40-yard dash and then at the end his pants fell off. He flashed everyone and then he fell down. Ego (and more) bruised.
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
- Down but not out. Michael Bisping beat Anderson Silva with a unanimous decision on Saturday night. (Unanimous decision is when the three judges score the fight for the same winner). In a bizarre turn of events, during the fight Bisping’s mouthpiece fell out. The ref can stop the fight and return the mouthpiece. Bisping thought that was happening. Well guess again. He received a knee that knocked him out but not out of the fight. Bisping came back to win.
Overtime
- New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes signed a huge contract in the off-season. It appears he is spending that money on variety of vehicles. Cespedes showed up to Mets spring training in a different car each day last week. Some of the cars included a Lamborghini (that’s been customized to shoot flames out of the tailpipe) and an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (valued at an estimated $250,000). According to Mets beat writer, Anthony DiComo, Cespedes said he rode a bike in Cuba and walked. "After I got here I saw the possibilities that I can have I want, so I worked hard for it." He sure did. Check out the car show here.
Sideline Stat
- Saturday night’s game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors was a classic. Warriors beat the Thunder in overtime. Warriors’ Stephen Curry broke his own record of three-point shots made in a season and scored the game winning shot from 38 feet away (essentially half court).
Coaches’ Corner
- What the heck is a belly putter? A belly putter has a longer than normal shaft/handle allowing the golfer to anchor the club against his belly (hence the name belly putter). These putters give the golfers an advantage because they allow the golfer to stabilize their wrists during the putt.
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up
This weekend tight end Rob Gronkowski showed us just that on a party cruise and the Daytona 500 was one for the record books.
Something for everyone,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NASCAR
- Too close for comfort. Denny Hamlin won the 58th Daytona 500 by the closest margin in the race history (.01 seconds). Hamlin showed them who’s the boss with an impressive maneuver to overtake Martin Truex, Jr. on the last lap to bring home the checkered flag.
Notable finishes include:
- Pole-sitter, 20-year-old Chase Elliott, crashed in the 20th lap and did not finish.
- Dale Earnhardt, Jr. crashed in 169th lap and finished 36th place. (There are 200 laps in the race).
- Danica Patrick finished in 35th place.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
- Reporting for duty. All MLB players will report to their respective team’s spring training facilities today. Spring training allows teams to evaluate young prospects and give veterans a chance to get ready for the start of the season which begins in April.
- Sunshine here we come. Team's spring training facilities are located in two states, with teams either report to Florida (Grapefruit League) or to Arizona (Cactus League).
- Swinging for the fences. Texas Rangers fan Byron Anderson hit a home run and won his family free season tickets (value estimated at $8,500). The ”Swing for Your Seats” promotion gave fans three chances to hit a home run to win season tickets.
NFL (National Football League)
- Looking for the next big thing. The NFL Scouting Combine starts tomorrow. If you recall, the NFL Combine is a platform for prospective NFL prospects to participate in various drills and interviews with NFL scouts to improve their visibility and draftability. Prospects can only participate if they’re invited. The NFL Network will be covering the combine workouts live February 26-29th.
Overtime
- New England Patriots’ tight end, Rob Gronkowski, hosted a three-day “Gronkowski Party Cruise" through the Caribbean this weekend. Fans bought tickets to join the zany and unpredictable "Gronk" to sail the seas and party on what some are describing as an NC-17 weekend. On board entertainment included Flo Rida and Rob Gronkowski, who channeled his inner Magic Mike. Oh dear.
Sideline Stat
- Sunday’s Daytona 500 win was team owner Joe Gibbs’ first win at Daytona since 1993. Gibbs is a former coach of the Washington Redskins (NFL) and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, which owns four different NASCAR cars including winner Hamlin.
Coaches’ Corner
- Miami Marlins new manager and former player, Don Mattingly, adopted a no facial hair policy for players this season. Ironic as Mattingly was benched as a player for refusing to cut his hair to adhere to Yankee team policy.
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up Edition
Valentine’s Day weekend brought us Kobe Bryant, Ronda Rousey and painted on swimsuits. Yes, three things we never thought we’d mention in the same sentence.
The No. 24 car raced again and Vaughn Taylor shared that his bags fly free.
We’ve reached our cruising altitude,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Golf
- Defying the odds. Vaughn Taylor beat the Phil Mickelson at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am yesterday. This win surprised everyone including Taylor, who hadn’t brought home a PGA win in a decade and carried on his luggage on his flight to the tournament to save money on baggage fees.
NBA All-Star Game (National Basketball Association)
- In a battle of East vs West, the West reigned supreme in this year’s NBA All-Star Game, winning 196-173 in Toronto.
- This was the first ever All-Star Game outside of the U.S. The game also set a record for the highest scoring All-Star Game in NBA history.
- This was Kobe Bryant’s last All-Star Game since he’s retiring at the end of the season.
- What no Biebs? Canada’s elite came out to catch the game with appearances by rapper Drake and Nelly Furtado, who sung her country’s national anthem.
- Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbrook took home his second game MVP title.
- In a battle of levitation, Orlando Magic’s Aaron Gordon was defeated by two-time slam dunk champ, Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gordon had a killer dunk through his legs and over the head of the Magic’s mascot, Stuff, which was one of the best dunks we’ve seen. Apparently the judges did not agree. (Full disclosure, our LNG team has no game and cannot dunk).
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue
- Yellow polka dot bikini. The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue made history this weekend by revealing not only one but three cover models. The cover models include plus-size model Ashley Graham, rookie Hailey Clauson and UFC fighter Ronda Rousey (in a painted on swimsuit, literally).
Also included in the edition is 56-year-old Nicole Griffin, the oldest model to be featured in the annual publication. Griffin stars in a swimwear ad inside the magazine.
Overtime
- There was big air at the Green Monster. Iconic Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, hosted Big Air at Fenway, a U.S. Grand Prix and part of the International Ski Federation's (FIS) World Cup tour. The athletes saw competitors fly down a 140-foot-tall ramp built on the field.
Sideline Stat
- In NASCAR news, 20-year-old Chase Elliot became the youngest driver to win the pole position for the Daytona 500. Taking over for recently retired driver Jeff Gordon, Chase drives Gordon’s No. 24 car. Chase is also the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer, Bill Elliott. The Daytona 500 is next Sunday. This race is one of the most iconic races in NASCAR.
Coaches’ Corner
- What is pole position in racing? The pole position is the number one position to start the race. Drivers have to qualify beforehand by driving the track. Typically, the driver with the fastest time from qualifying is slotted into the pole position.