The Rundown: Look What You Made Me Do

This weekend’s fight was hotter than the new Taylor Swift song combined with J.Lo and A-Rod sitting ringside.

 

Muy caliente,

The Last Night’s Game Team


Mayweather vs. McGregor Fight

  • You gotta fight for your right. The spectacle of the matchup between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor took place on Saturday. In a fight that lasted longer than most people expected, McGregor came out strong and stayed tough but Mayweather’s experience took over and he won with a knockout in the 10th round.

  • It’s going down. There was such a demand for the fight on Pay-Per-View that the servers couldn’t keep up. The fight was slightly delayed because of this. The official numbers will be in later this week, but it’s expected that the Pay-Per-View earnings will be around $1 billion.

  • I believe in you. Floyd Mayweather was so confident in his abilities that he tried (and was denied) placing a $400,000 bet on himself to win the fight.

  • All the pretty people. A plethora of celebrities flocked to the fight and strutted their stuff down the red carpet. See who was there.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • It was the first time the league celebrated Players Weekend and it was an overwhelming success. The designated weekend gave players a chance to express themselves (such as having their nicknames on the back of their jerseys) and it gave us some interesting matchups like “Sheriff” vs. “Outlaw” and “Cookie” vs. “Mr. Smile.”

Overtime

  • Hurricane Harvey has devastated the lives of millions. Players from Houston area professional sports teams, many whose families live in Houston, are no exception. Both the Houston Astros (MLB) and the Houston Texans (NFL – National Football League) have been diverted to Dallas after playing in away games and are waiting there to see when they can return to Houston.

Sideline stat

  • Houston Texans star player, JJ Watt, started a flood relief fund with a goal of raising $500,000 to help Houstonians affected by the storm. He pledged a match of $100,000 and as of this morning the fund has already raised $312,000.

Coaches’ corner

  • Japan won the Little League World Series yesterday, beating Texas by the 10-run rule. What is the 10-run rule aka the mercy rule? The rule is in place in little league so a lopsided game doesn’t get out of hand. If a team is ahead by 10 runs, the game is called.

 

Stay tuned: The U.S. Open (Tennis) starts this week as does the big kickoff to the college football season.

Total Eclipse Of The Heart

In case you missed it, there’s a solar eclipse today. Since you can’t look directly at it, save your retinas and read The Rundown.

 

It’s just as mind blowing,

The Last Night’s Game Team

 

PS – When is the best time to watch the eclipse in your neck of the woods? Punch your zip code into this interactive map to find out.


LPGA (Ladies Professional Golfers Association)

  • Happy hour. Team U.S.A. took advantage of home field advantage, dominating Team Europe to win the Solheim Cup for the second time in a row. Twitter lost it when Team U.S.A. captain Juli Inkster celebrated the victory not with champagne, but with a Styrofoam cup labeled “vodka tonic.” Hey, a girl has needs.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • You’ve got to fight for your right. MLB umpires wore white wristbands as a sign of solidarity in protest against “abusive player behavior,” after one of their own was verbally assaulted by a player last week. The protest lasted about a day and was ended because MLB’s commissioner agreed to meet with them. In other news, your boss called and said don't get any ideas.

Overtime

  • Football scholarship reveals have become the new prom or marriage proposal. These are presented to “walk ons” (players who weren’t recruited for the team, but tried out anyway) who not only receive a spot on the team but a full-ride scholarship. So far this season we’ve seen a field goal for a scholarship, a t-shirt cannon and an Easter Egg hunt. (Click on the links to watch. Trust us, they’ll make you smile this morning).

Sideline stat

  • For the first time, MLB teams played in Williamsport, PA, home of the Little League Baseball World Series. The big leaguers spent time with the little leaguers but St. Louis Cardinals players Tommy Pham and Carlos Martinez went a step further and bought snow cones for 200 kids during an especially hot game. Now that’s cool.

Coaches’ corner

  • It’s been reported that today’s eclipse will cost over $700 million in lost productivity and with football season around the corner, coaches don’t have time to stop and stare. Among the great reactions, Alabama’s head coach Nick Saban said he watches the Weather Channel every day and they’ve told him what it’s going to look like so that’s good enough. Baltimore Ravens head coach said they strive for perfection so having an 80% eclipse doesn’t interest him.

So Easy A Caveman Could Do It

It may be Monday, but you’re one step closer to the start of football season. If you’re not into football, that means the stores will be less crowded on Sundays and all you have to do is read The Rundown to stay in the loop.

 

Easy peasy,

The Last Night’s Game Team


Soccer

  • Took it a step too far. It was quite the day for Cristiano Ronaldo. In Sunday’s El Clasico game between Real Madrid and Barcelona, he scored a goal and celebrated by removing his shirt to mock rival player Lionel Messi. Then it all went downhill. Ronaldo shoved a referee and was subsequently ejected. He could receive a 12-game suspension for the shove. He should’ve stopped at the shirtless celebration.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • A first. For the first time ever, a graduate from West Point played in an MLB game. Chris Rowley was the starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday and he not only brought home a win for his team but paved the way for other Army grads to take the field.
  • Slippery little suckers. Baseball’s most recognized current player, Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper, slipped on a wet base in a game this weekend and suffered a knee bone bruise. He’s out of the game until it heals.   

Overtime

  • In the final major of the season, 24-year-old Justin Thomas pulled off a win at the PGA (Professional Golfers Association) Championship. Thomas is a third-generation PGA member. Justin’s grandfather and father are longtime PGA professionals. (A PGA membership is one that you have to qualify for by being a great golfer). 

Sideline stat

  • Gavin and Joe Maloof know sports. The wealthy entrepreneurs owned the Sacramento Kings (NBA – National Basketball Association) but now they’re jumping into the ring. The Las Vegas based brothers bet a whopping $880,000 on their neighbor Floyd Mayweather in the upcoming fight between Mayweather and Conor McGregor. If they win, they’ll give their $160,000 in profits to charity.

Coaches’ corner

  • The last race in runner Usain Bolt’s career did not have a Disney-style ending. In the relay at the World Championships, he pulled a hamstring and did not finish. It may have not been the ending he wanted but he had a stellar career that speaks for itself.