The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up Edition
Recovery is the word of the day after a wild weekend of college basketball. Luckily we have until Thursday to lower our blood pressure and mourn our destroyed brackets.
No use crying over spilled milk,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NCAA Basketball (College)
Underdogs reign supreme. In the first two rounds of tournament there were 10 wins by double-digit seeded teams, the most in NCAA tournament history.
- Back to normal. The second round saw fewer upsets with the big win going to Gonzaga (#11) beating Utah (#3).
- The games everyone will be talking about.
- Texas A&M (#3) came back from 12 points down with 30 seconds left to tie game against Northern Iowa (#11), eventually winning in double overtime
- Wisconsin (#7) and Xavier (#2) were tied 63-63 with two seconds left. Coming out of a time out Wisconsin hit a three-pointer to win 66-63.
- Notre Dame (#6) won 76-75 on last second tip in to beat Stephen F. Austin (#14)
F1 Racing (Formula One)
From the land down under. Nico Rosberg edged out teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the first race of year in Melbourne, Australia. There was a major accident in the race (luckily no one was injured) and the red flag came out. This was the first time since 2007 that a red flag made an appearance. (A red flag means the race has to stop).
MLB (Major League Baseball)
Buena Vista Social Club. The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Cuban National Team in Cuba on Tuesday (1:30 pm EST on ESPN). They are the first team to do so since the Baltimore Orioles in 1999. Also in attendance will be President Barak Obama, Rachel and Sharon Robinson (wife and daughter of the late great Jackie Robinson) and retired New York Yankees star Derek Jeter.
- Returning home. The Rays have added Dayron Varona (who has never played on a Major League team) to their roster for the trip. Varona defected from Cuba three years ago to pursue his baseball dreams.
- Thanks but no thanks. ESPN radio/TV host Dan Le Betard offered a heartbreaking but passionate perspective on the upcoming game in Cuba and why he and his parents will not be attending. Le Betard’s parents left Cuba for Miami.
Overtime
- The Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) signed Tautvydas Kieras, a track and field standout from Mississippi State. Normally this wouldn’t be that notable but Kieras has never played football. Kieras trained for Mississippi State’s pro day where he wowed the team with his abilities.
Sideline Stat
- Jimmie Johnson (#48) won the Auto Club 400 in Fontana, California. This is 77th career win and he surpassed legendary driver Dale Earnhardt in wins.
Coaches’ Corner
- For the first time since 2012, all #1 seed teams in the NCAA tournament have advanced to the Sweet 16 (i.e. the next round where there are only 16 teams left in the tournament).
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up
What has bling, brackets and balloons? This weekend did. Don’t worry your future looks bright, as the inaugural Last Night’s Game Tournament Challenge is here.
The week is off to a great start,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NCAA Basketball (College)
- The bracket for the NCAA tournament (i.e. March Madness) are set and the number one seeds (top ranked teams in the tournament) are:
- East - North Carolina Tar Heels
- South - Kansas Jayhawks
- Midwest - Virginia Cavaliers
- West - Oregon Ducks
The first games start with the play-in games on Tuesday with the actual first round starting on Thursday. Click here for the entire schedule of games.
- Bracket fun. The inaugural Last Night’s Game Tournament Challenge is here! Winners (and losers) will receive prizes, bragging rights and a chance to actually enjoy March Madness without the stress of the office pool. It’s free to participate. (More about picking your bracket in the ‘Five Things to Know’ on Wednesday). Email us if you have any questions.
- A different party. The NIT (National Invitational Tournament) is for 32 teams that did not make the big dance of the NCAA tournament (hence why it is also referred to as the “not invited tournament.”) Games start Tuesday.
- Oops. CBS held their official two-hour bracket release show on Sunday, dramatically releasing the teams one by one. Oh the suspense. Apparently someone had had enough because halfway through the show the complete bracket was leaked online. CBS currently investigating to find the leak of this very valuable information.
NFL (National Football League)
- Buh-bye. Cleveland Browns released quarterback and notable party boy, Johnny Manziel, after two years with the team. During his time with the Browns, former Heisman Trophy winner “Johnny Football” put partying before football which lead to his release. Like any good breakup, Manziel took it in stride by partying in L.A.
- He put a ring on it. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson popped the question to singer Ciara over the weekend. Judging by the engagement ring, their future looks bright. The couple is known for their devastatingly good looks and their vow of abstinence until marriage. (Ciara has a son, Future, with former fiancée, rapper Future).
NASCAR (National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Quick delivery. In the #4 Jimmy John’s car, Kevin Harvick won his first race of the season by the narrowest finish in Phoenix International Raceway history.
Iditarod
- Can you spell D.U.I? A man was arrested for deliberately driving his snowmobile into two sleds competing in the Iditarod race on Saturday, killing one dog and injuring two others. The suspect admitted to drinking hard alcohol and blacking out before driving his snowmobile into the sleds. There is still no motive of why he intentionally targeted the sled dog teams.
Overtime
- VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) lost to St. Joseph’s in the Atlantic 10 Championship game, hurting their chance to make the NCAA tournament. One cheerleader took the loss very hard and took her frustration out on the St. Joseph’s balloons. (VCU made tournament anyways). She gave a whole new meaning to the cheer be aggressive. Be be aggressive.
Sideline Stat
- Lee McCoy, who is a senior at the University of Georgia and an amateur golfer, finished fourth in the The Valspar Championship. Since he is an amateur he cannot collect the $292,800 prize money associated with his finish. When asked about the money, "It was a lot of money. I think I've got like $350 in my bank account right now, so that's mostly gas money. It hurt, but there’s so much going great for me right now. I’m just trying to take it all in. Just really grateful to be standing here.” Talk about a good sport. McCoy now has to turn around and play in a 36-hole tournament today for the University of Georgia.
Coaches’ Corner
- In the NCAA tournament, what is a play-in game? A play-in game is played by four teams in two games to determine whether or not they will make the tournament. The winning teams will then play a higher seated team in the first round and the losers go home.
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up
It was an action packed weekend in sports but the big thing to know for your water cooler chat this morning is that Super Bowl Champion Peyton Manning will announce his retirement this afternoon. Yes, the delightful hum of the Nationwide jingle and the face of Papa John’s Pizza will call it a day.
Thanks Peyton it’s been fun (to the tune of the Nationwide jingle…of course).
The Last Night’s Game Team
NFL (National Football League)
- Denver Broncos' Quarterback Peyton Manning will announce his retirement after 18 seasons today at 1 pm (EST). A few notable career highlights:
- Two Super Bowl appearances
- Five-time NFL MVP
- Leader in touchdown passes (539), passing yards (71,940) and wins (186)
- 14-time Pro Bowl selection (Pro Bowl is the NFL’s all-star game)
- Still possibly one of the funniest Saturday Night Live skits ever
NASCAR (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING)
- A windy win. From Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski won the Kobalt 400, a race that saw rain and sand storm delays and wind gusts up to 40 MPH.
PGA (Professional Golfers' Association)
- Keep on keeping on. Adam Scott won the WGC Cadillac Tournament in Florida for his second straight win. A win seemed impossible as he trailed by six shots with just 13 holes to go. No withdrawals from belly putter here.
RUGBY SEVENS
- 7-7-7. From Las Vegas, the HSBC Sevens World Series tournament took place this weekend. Las Vegas is the fifth stop in the series of 10 stops around the world in 10 different countries. (In case you were wondering, Team Fiji won, with Team USA finishing in fourth place). Rugby Sevens is set to make its debut in the Summer Olympics in Brazil.
UFC (ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP)
- The odds were against them. The underdog Miesha Tate beat champion Holly Holm by submission (i.e. Holm said no more, I’m done) to win the championship. Tate’s win spoils the anticipated rematch between Holm and Ronda Rousey later this year. (Holm beat Rousey previously).
- Also an underdog, Nate Diaz took down arguably the biggest name in the UFC, Conor McGregor, in the second round to upset the previously undefeated fighter. McGregor’s original opponent dropped out two weeks before the fight due to injury and Diaz stepped in. When asked if he was surprised he won Diaz had to say this.
Overtime
- In 2014 a malnourished, stray dog showed up at the Milwaukee Brewers spring training facility in Phoenix. The team took the dog in and named him Hank. Hank became a fan favorite. Recent photos of Hank surfaced, showing him looking very different then when he arrived. On Friday, the Brewers had a veterinarian release a statement saying dental records and microchip confirm it is the same dog, not an imposter.
sideline stat
- The Iditarod dog-sled race began on Sunday. This year is a little different as Alaska has had a mild winter and race organizers had to bring in snow via train. The 85 teams will race the 1,000 miles to claim the title of the next Champion. The winner is expected to cross the finish line in eight days from now.
Coaches’ Corner
- What is Rugby Sevens? In short, a Rugby Sevens game has only seven players on the field, instead of 15 in normal rugby. They also play seven-minute halves with a one-minute halftime break. So this is the sport for those who have no attention span and like lots of action and excitement.