Monday Mania

Rolling out of bed may have hurt a little this morning, but what doesn’t have to be painful today is the small talk.

Who’s ready for a nap?

The Last Night’s Game Team  

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masters - (PGA - Professional Golfers Association)

If you’ve ever been green with envy. Patrick Reed, 27, won the Masters and took home the iconic green jacket yesterday. The Masters’ win was the first major win for Reed. He is a polarizing player, some love him some hate him, but it doesn’t matter because he’s laughing all the way to the bank with his $1.98 million winner’s check. WHY FANS HATE REED

When you realize you should just stop betting. Tiger Woods was the favorite to win the Masters according to the sports books but he didn’t quite get there. On the other hand, he did achieve a small victory. He finished the tournament for the first time since 2015 (he tied for 32nd place) and that equaled big numbers for TV and for sponsors. Always a silver lining.

Overtime

The spectacle in spandex and the Super Bowl of wrestling, WrestleMania 34, was last night. In her WWE (Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment) debut, Ronda Rousey beat the boss’s daughter and WWE exec, Stephanie McMahon. The best moment of the night? Wrestler Braun Strowman needed a tag team partner and in a made for TV moment, he plucked a boy named Nicholas from the crowd. Nicholas and Strowman then proceeded to win the tag team championship belt. Someone is going to have an awesome show and tell in school this week. BEST MOMENTS

Sideline stat

Minnesota Duluth won the college national championship in hockey this weekend, beating Notre Dame. The victory is bittersweet as the hockey world is mourning the bus crash of a Canadian junior hockey team that killed 15. Tributes poured in for the Humboldt Broncos and so did the money. The GoFundMe page has raised over $4 million so far to help the families with medical and expenses. MORE

Coaches’ corner

“Japan’s Babe Ruth,” Shohei Ohtani, was the most sought after player in the off-season and last night he showed why. He took a perfect game into the 7th inning for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (MLB – Major League Baseball). What is a perfect game? It’s when no member of the opposing team gets on base during the entire game.

Like Fight Club, we don’t talk about the perfect game…ever. Baseball fans are very superstitious so never mention a player is going for a perfect game until it’s over. That’s probably something Martha Stewart wished she knew before she tweeted this last season. And there you have it – you’re smarter than Martha Stewart. 

Bring It On

Woo your clients, carry on a great conversation with your happy hour date and make heads turn in a board meeting when you show off your sports know how.

Take that Monday,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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College basketball

When Sunday Funday has a whole new meaning. The luck of the Irish continued last night as Notre Dame’s women’s basketball team won the national championship on a shot, literally made at the last second. Their win over Mississippi State came 17 years to the day after their last national championship.

When nothing good happens after midnight. The clock struck midnight for the Cinderella story Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team. Sister Jean and her Ramblers lost to Michigan in the final four, setting up tonight’s big national championship game between Michigan and Villanova (9:19 pm EST). Remember how we told you to pick a team that sports the color blue to win your bracket? Once again, regardless of which team wins, the national champion will be blue.

Overtime

The “Babe Ruth of Japan,” Shohei Ohtani, made his MLB (Major League Baseball) pitching debut yesterday for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, picking up his first win. Even more impressive? The dad who was holding his child and caught a foul ball with his free hand. Sign him up. WATCH 

 

Sideline stat

The Vegas Golden Knights may have made history, clinching their spot in the NHL (National Hockey League) playoffs in their inaugural year as a team, but that wasn’t what was important to them on Saturday night. The team retired the #58, forever honoring the 58 victims that died in the October 1, 2017 shooting, which happened just days before the team started their season. (When a number is retired, no one on that team can ever wear that jersey number again).

Coaches’ corner

The most anticipated player to take the field in MLS (Major League Soccer) since David Beckham, scored two goals in his debut with the L.A. Galaxy (also Beckham’s former team). The 36-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic signed with the Galaxy from Manchester United and upon his arrival in the U.S., placed a rather ego driven newspaper ad. SEE IT

 

Stay Tuned

The greatest game on grass, the Master’s golf tournament, begins this week. Stay tuned for all the interesting and quirky traditions in our Five Things You Need To Know on Wednesday. Not into golf? It’s always a great sport to “watch” during your Sunday nap.

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Caffeinated Conversations

It’s Monday and we’re serving up the hot topics to talk about around a cup of coffee so you don’t even have to think.

Your Monday Motivation to make it happen,

The Last Night’s Game Team

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College Basketball

You’ll never forget your sweet sixteen. To say it’s been a wild weekend of upsets and bracket busting last second victories is an understatement. We saw two number one teams get bounced from the tournament, the underdog Nevada coach become so excited after their big win that he ripped off his shirt (awkward) and 98-year-old Sister Jean’s Loyola-Chicago team is still playing, thanks to her extra prayers and motivation. Her encouragement might end here as she has her team losing next weekend in the sweet sixteen in her own bracket.

Check your dumpster fire of a bracket here. (Ours is a hot mess too).

PGA (Professional Golfers Association)

When you wish the haters would just fade away. Rory McIlroy agrees with you. After winning this weekend’s tournament named after golf legend (and creator of the iconic non-alcoholic drink), Arnold Palmer, McIlroy spoke out saying he’d like to see a limit on alcohol sales to combat the hecklers on the course. He said it’s getting out of hand. Unlike Happy Gilmore, he’s trying to hit the haters where it hurts, in their livers.

Overtime

The movie “The Sandlot” turns 25 this year and the Milwaukee Brewers (MLB – Major League Baseball) decided to reenact their favorite scene of the movie, costumes and all. Besides the acting, the best part is the reveal of “The Beast.” You’re killing me smalls.

Sideline stat

Zero – the number of perfect brackets left after Friday night. UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) shocked the world as the first #16 seeded team to ever beat a #1 team, hence the lack of perfect brackets. Your bracket may not be a winner but because of the upset, everyone will receive free pizza for lunch at Little Caesars on April 2nd. If that’s not enough you can get your morning laugh catching up with the sassy UMBC twitter account that has fought off cynics all weekend. (For the record, UMBC lost last night in the second round).

Coaches’ corner

The Paralympics have come to a close but the last day was highlighted by a big win by the U.S. Sled Hockey Team that took home their third consecutive gold. Overall, it was the best performance for Team U.S.A. in 16 years, winning 36 medals, with 9 of those medals going to military veterans.