Hot Summer Nights
College football is this close to being cancelled, your worst nightmare gone viral and women’s tennis is back.
Feeling hot, hot, hot.
Let’s spice up the conversation.
Last Night’s Game Team
College Football
The college football season as we know it is in serious jeopardy. The heads of the power five conferences (ACC – Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12, PAC-12 – Pacific Athletic Conference, Big 10 and SEC – Southeastern Conference) had an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss whether or not to move forward with the football season amidst COVID. Sources say that we should have a decision on the season, which is slated to start at the end of August, soon. BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE
Overtime
UFC’s (Ultimate Fighting Championship) Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis is known for his knockouts and his memorable interviews and Saturday night, he gave us both. After knocking out Aleksei Oleinik, Lewis put on a headset for a post-fight interview. As the interview began on live TV he tells someone off-screen that he has to go “take a s%#t.” The broadcaster doing the interview laughed it off but that doesn’t mean the video didn’t go viral. THE JOHN IS CALLING
Sideline stat
After a five-month hiatus in women’s tennis, big names Serena and Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, and Coco Gauff will hit the courts in Lexington, Kentucky for the first post-COVID tournament. You can watch these ladies battle it out for the first victory since March in the Top Seed Open from August 10 – 16 without any fans in the stands. GAME, SET, MATCH
Coaches’ corner
It seemed like just yesterday since MLS (Major League Soccer) started their “MLS is Back” tournament that, when finished, will give us a new champion. Tuesday night the Portland Timbers and Orlando City Soccer Club will take the field for all the marbles. Orlando City is certainly the underdog as the Timbers have extensive postseason experience but just like 2020, anything can happen.
Speaking of anything can happen, the league announced they're starting their regular season on Wednesday. All teams will play in their home cities as opposed to the bubble where the tournament was played. GAME ON
What to watch
Steph and Aeysha Curry’s (NBA - National Basketball Association) girls broke the internet with their impressive dance moves to Beyonce’s “Black is King.” WE WISH WE COULD DANCE LIKE THAT
Talk Sporty To Me
How players are opting out of the football season, busy weekend at the maternity ward and a crappy day of golf.
Talking about something other than politics has never been so easy.
And way less controversial,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NFL (National Football League)
It may seem like NFL players are dropping like ahead of the 2020-2021 season, even though the season doesn’t start until September, but why? Players have until Thursday, August 6 to make a decision if they’re going to stay or go for the upcoming season. If they opt out of the season for a COVID-related medical reason, they will receive a salary advance of $350,000. If it’s a non-medical reason, they’ll receive $150,000. A PERSONAL DECISION
Overtime
We’ve all had those days where your job simply stinks. Enter in European golfer Joel Sjöholm who was forced to take a boat to get to his poorly hit ball. He hit his ball onto an island covered with metal signs, trees and debris but he opted to jump in a little boat to get there and forage through the obstacles to get to his ball. Luckily for us, a camera captured the whole thing. THAT'S COMMITMENT
Sideline stat
It was a busy weekend at the maternity ward for your favorite sports figures. Former wrestlers (WWE – World Wrestling Entertainment) the Bella Twins, each welcomed a baby boy one day apart. Then MLB’s (Major League Baseball’s) MVP Mike Trout and his wife also welcomed a baby boy, Beckham Aaron Trout. Is it a coincidence that the baby’s initials spell BAT? Probably not. WELCOME TO THE WORLD
Coaches’ corner
LSU (Louisiana State University) players had a chance to try out the new “splash shields” that college football players will wear on their helmets to help prevent the spread of COVID. Needless to say, they were not fans with one player describing it as “playing in a Ziplock bag.” Regardless, it seems as these shields will be an integral part the sport this fall. ALTHOUGH BREATHING ALSO SEEMS ESSENTIAL
What to watch
A group of PAC-12 (a college athletic conference) football players are threatening to boycott the season if their concerns around player safety and racial injustice are addressed. Key points include eligibility if they opt out due to COVID concerns, a social justice task force and keeping existing sports by cutting pay to coaches and administrators. STAY TUNED
Happening this week
August 5-6: MLS (Major League Soccer) Semifinals
August 6-9: PGA Championship - the first of three majors this season for the PGA (Professional Golfers Association)
August 7: Deadline for NFL players to opt out of upcoming season.
Born This Way
The noteworthy from the first weekend of baseball, we have our first COVID-era champions and how the NFL is trying to keep COVID free.
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The Last Night's Game Team
MLB (Major League Baseball)
Opening weekend of the MLB season brought us decapitated cardboard cutouts, an awkward but socially distanced fight between a head coach and an umpire and sad photos of mascots watching baseball in an empty stadium. MLB is not playing its season in a "bubble" and that might be coming back to bite them. The Miami Marlins postponed today’s game after 14 players and staff tested positive for COVID while they were in Philadelphia for an away game. NO FLY ZONE
Overtime
Lou Williamson of the Los Angeles Clippers (NBA - National Basketball Association) is on a mandatory 10-day quarantine after violating the league's COVID rules. He said he stopped to pick up some food but was actually photographed inside a gentlemen's club. (This particular club named its chicken wings after Williamson, so you can make your own conclusions on whether or not he's been there before). Visits like this are clearly a big COVID no-no, so now he'll miss the start of the season. COME ON MAN
Sideline stat
Congratulations to the Houston Dash on their NWSL (National Women's Soccer League) Championship win yesterday. They are the first team sport champions of the COVID era. The team and their MVP and captain Rachel Daly celebrated by double fisting Budweiser in the locker room. BOTTOMS UP
Coaches’ corner
We're slowly learning the rules surrounding the NFL (National Football League) season as it relates to COVID protocol. Players will not be in a bubble like so many other leagues that are in play. If a player contracts COVID from a deemed high-risk event, they'll face a fine and possibly loss of play time. Events include indoor house parties, indoor bars and indoor nightclubs with 15 or more people. PARTY POOPER