Fresh Start
Let’s talk Canadians, a Death Valley marriage proposal and the partnership that gives athletes a voice.
No doubt after the weekend you’re energized and ready to take on the week, and those awkward silences.
A force to be reckoned with,
The Last Night’s Game Team
MLB (Major League Baseball) / NBA (National Basketball Association)
The season is set to begin this week and the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) have been denied access to the stadium they call home. The Canadian Government won’t allow the team to play at home because they don’t want players to fly back and forth from the COVID hot spot that is the U.S. Now they are scrambling to find a new stadium for their home games. WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME (PS- we’ll have more about unprecedented season that is ahead for MLB on Wednesday).
Speaking of Canada, sending his love to the players of his favorite team, rapper Drake sent care packages featuring custom made candles to players on the Toronto Raptors (NBA). The longtime superfan wanted the players to feel at home (and of course win). AT LEAST IT’LL SMELL GOOD INSIDE THE NBA BUBBLE
Overtime
The undisputed top NFL (National Football League) prospect is off the market, the dating market that is. The college junior proposed to his girlfriend at the place where he’s spent so much of his college career, on the Clemson football field, which is also known as Death Valley…but let’s not read too much into that... The two have been dating since 2016. CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER
Sideline stat
We talked last week about how veteran PGA (Professional Golfers Association) golfer Jack Nicklaus wasn’t going to let COVID stop him. He was determined to shake the hand of the winner of the Memorial Tournament (which ended yesterday) like he always does. The legend lived up to his word, fist bumping the winner Jon Rahm, but not before revealing that he (Nicklaus) and his wife, both 80 years old, had COVID back in April. UNSTOPPABLE
Coaches’ corner
Houston Rockets’ (NBA) Russell Westbrook may have missed out on the first few weeks of training camp after testing positive for COVID, but he’s contributing to the season in other ways. His clothing company reached a deal with the NBAPA (NBA Players’ Association) to produce clothing with social justice messages. This season the NBA is allowing players to replace their name on the back of their jerseys with predetermined social messages. Some players felt the options were too corporate, and that’s where this deal fits in. The new line will feature messages like Systemic Racism, Break the Cycle, Equality or Am I Next? ATHLETES AND THEIR SIDE HUSTLES
What to watch
NFL training camps are set to open this week and players are concerned about the safety protocols amidst a global pandemic. Meanwhile, they, along with the rest of the world, are wondering if and how the season will happen. ANYBODY’S GUESS
HAPPENING THIS WEEK
July 21 - NFL Training Camps Open
July 23 - MLB Opening Day
July 25 - Start of the Premier Lacrosse League Season
July 26 - NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) Championship Game
Good To Great
The NBA bubble looks like a frat party, the football team who said never is making a change and you can be a part of the hockey playoffs.
Sports news you can use.
Like a boss,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
In case you’re wondering, life inside the NBA “bubble” at Disney World looks a bit like a millionaire sleepover. Teams are hunkered down as they prepare for the season to restart. Life on the inside includes golf, fishing, video games, regular COVID tests and shotgunning beers for retweets. Other big news in the basketball world is the suspension of ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski after he responded to a senator via email with “F-You.” Players are speaking out on his behalf so maybe that’ll help him get reinstated sooner. BLAME AUTOCORRECT?
Overtime
After decades of a lot of talk, the Washington Redskins have decided that now is the time for action. The team, who previously said they’ll never change their name, announced that they will be changing the team’s name in the next few days. This change comes after big sponsors like FedEx (the dollars behind their home stadium – FedExField), PepsiCo and Nike asked them to change their name. NEVER SAY NEVER
Sideline stat
You might remember that Wimbledon had an insurance policy that paid them out $141M when they cancelled the tournament for COVID reasons – the first time they cancelled the tournament since WWII. Well they’re using that money to pay out over $12.7M to the 620 players who would’ve qualified for the famed tennis tournament but never had a chance to compete for the prize money. PAYING IT FORWARD
Coaches’ corner
The NHL (National Hockey League) will return to the ice on August 1 but without fans. To combat the sounds of playing in an empty arena, the NHL has enlisted the teams’ season ticket holders. They’ve asked them to submit a 30-second audio recording of them cheering their team along. Those clips will then be played in the arena and on the broadcast to fill the crowd-free silence. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
A glance at the week ahead
July 15 - NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) All-Star Race
July 16 - The Memorial Tournament (A BFD because it's Tiger's return to golf)
July 18 - Start of the Major League Lacrosse Season
You've Got What I Need
The sweetest surprise, a massive sportsbook screw up and jet lag is totally overrated according to UFC.
Today's Weekend Wrap-Up includes a heartwarming story, a costly mistake, international travel with a side of fast cars and a case of a hit and run.
Everything you need to make a conversational connection today,
The Last Night’s Game Team
KOREAN & CHINESE BASEBALL
User error may have equated the largest sportsbook loss in Las Vegas history on bets made after an event has started. Someone incorrectly inputted the start time for some Korean and Chinese baseball games, so the sportsbook kept accepting bets (a no-no for certain bets). Well those bets that should’ve never been taken ended up costing the Bellagio nearly quarter-million dollars. BIG MISTAKE…HUGE
OVERTIME
Who doesn’t love an uplifting story to start your week? (If you don’t then you should probably skip this one). Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL - National Football League) player and cancer survivor James Conner managed to surprise his mom with a new house. He posted the sweet surprise video on Instagram and said "Welcome HOME Ma! You’ve sacrificed so much and we can’t thank you enough! You’re the reason I go to work day in and day out, to finally give you a place you can call Home. I Love you.” GRATEFUL HEART
SIDELINE STAT
UFC’s (Ultimate Fighting Championship) President Dana White has been working hard piecing together Fight Island off of Abu Dhabi so the scheduled fights can continue during the month of July. And then his prized fighter who was set to headline the fight this weekend tested positive for COVID. Don’t worry he has a plan B, but that fighter Jorge Masvidal – who stepped in to fight with six days notice - has been publicly feuding with UFC over his pay. Keep in mind that Masvidal and his opponent Kamaru Usman are still in the U.S. and they’re scheduled to fight on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. WHAT JET LAG?
COACHES' CORNER
It was a big weekend in the racing world with back-to-back-to-back races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for IndyCar racing and NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). On a different continent, F1 (Formula One) kicked off their season in Austria with drivers wearing "Black Lives Matter" and "End Racism" shirts. Out of all of that excitement, the story everyone is talking about is the NASCAR crew member who was run over during a pit stop. Zach Price, the rear tire changer for Ryan Blaney's No. 12 Team was hit during a pile up. Luckily, he was wearing a helmet but he he was still sent to the hospital to evaluate his injured leg but gave a thumbs up as he was sent off in the ambulance. IN GOOD SPIRITS