The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up

While some we’re braving the -3° temps in Minnesota, we braved the sweltering heat of our fireplace to bring you with today's updates. We breakdown the NFL playoff games as well as preview tonight’s big game, the College Football National Championship Game.

Don’t fight the inevitable like Sepp Blatter and seize the day.

We’d prefer to stay in bed,

The LNG Team

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NCAA Football (College)  

• Tonight’s the night! It's the National Championship Game in Glendale, AZ where the Crimson Tide of Alabama will take on the Tigers of the University of Clemson. You can catch the game at 8:30 pm (EST) on ESPN
  • Crimson Tide beat Michigan State and are the SEC (Southeastern Conference) Champions.
  • Tigers beat Oklahoma University to become the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) Champions.
  • Key players
    • Alabama Running Back Derrick Henry who won the Heisman Trophy this season.
    • Clemson Quarterback Deshaun Watson who finished third in the Heisman voting.
  • Alabama is looking for the fourth National Championship in seven years.  Head Coach Nick Saban has four national titles under his belt.  
• Z winners. North Dakota State Bison (pronounced bizon) won its fourth straight National Championship beating Jacksonville State 37-10. These teams play in the FCS division, which is one level lower then division one college football like Alabama or Clemson.  Quarterback Carson Wentz may have played himself into the top quarterback position in the NFL Draft.

NFL (National Football League)

• Your playoff breakdown awaits

Kansas City Chiefs 30 vs Houston Texans 0

• Chiefs continued their 11-game winning streak.
• Chiefs Knile Davis set the tone for this thrashing by taking the opening kickoff back for a 106-yard touchdown.
• Chiefs defense forced Texans Quarterback into five turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble).
• Stand out Texans Defensive Lineman, JJ Watt, left in the third quarter with groin injury and did not return.
• Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots play on Saturday at 4:35 pm (EST) on CBS.

 Pittsburgh Steelers 18 vs Cincinnati Bengals 16

• Steelers lead 15-0 heading into final (fourth) quarter.
• Cincinnati scored 16 unanswered points in fourth quarter and that’s when things went crumpled for Cincinnati.
• Here’s how things went down from there. Cincinnati had the ball with under two minutes left and simply needed to run out the clock to win. Then Bengals fumbled the ball and Steelers recovered.
• Long story short, the Steelers Kicker Chris Boswell kicked a field goal with 14 seconds left in the game to give the Steelers the lead and eventually the win.
• Pittsburgh Steelers play Denver Broncos on Sunday at 4:40 pm (EST) on CBS.

Seattle Seahawks 10 vs Minnesota Vikings 9

• Dedicated fans braved the weather and watched the third coldest game in NFL history (-6° F).
• Vikings lead 9-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
• Minnesota Kicker Blair Walsh was responsible for all of the points the Vikings scored through the third quarter.
• Vikings had a chance to take the lead with 22 seconds left on a seemingly automatic field goal. In a ‘laces out’ debate that would make Ray Finkle cringe, Walsh missed the easiest field goal of the year to give Seattle the win. Walsh led NFL kickers with 34 made field goals on the year. 
• According to ESPN, the Seahawks 10 points were the fewest by a winning playoff team since 1997.
• Seattle Seahawks will play Carolina Panthers on Sunday at 1:05 pm (EST) on FOX.

Green Bay Packers 35 vs Washington Redskins 18

• To say Packers weren't playing well going into game is understatement.
• Washington had the early momentum when they tackled Green Bay Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, in the end zone for a safety in the first quarter.
• Redskins then hit a field goal and then scored a touchdown where the kicker, Dustin Hopkins, missed extra point to make it 11-0.
• The momentum swung in favor of the Packers who led 17-11 going into halftime.
• The Redskins came out of halftime strong by scoring in the third quarter but the Packers then scored 18 unanswered points to win 35-18.
• Green Bay Packers will play Arizona Cardinals on Saturday at 8:15 pm (EST) on NBC.

• Young and hungry. Miami Dolphins hire Chicago Bears Offensive Coordinator, Adam Gase, as their new Head Coach. At 37 years old Gase takes the title of youngest NFL Head Coach.

NCAA Basketball (College)  

• What are the odds? University of Nevada-Las Vegas fires Head Coach Dave Rice after five seasons. Assistant Coach Todd Simon will take over on interim basis. It's rumored that former Cleveland Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown will eventually fill position.
• For the buzzer. In possibly game of the season thus far, University of Southern California beat University of Arizona 103-101 in four overtimes.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

• In the rafters. Seattle Mariners announced they will retire the second number in team history- #24. The number belonged to newly selected Hall of Famer and former Mariner Ken Griffey, Jr. (All MLB teams have retired #42 which is the number of Jackie Robinson who was the first African American to play in the modern era of the Major Leagues.) 

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association or french for INternational association football federation)

• Naughty naughty. Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, will appeal his eight-year ban from the sport. His ban stems from a long list of corruption charges for bribery. 

Overtime

• Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney was a walk-on wide receiver for Alabama where he won the National Championship in 1992. Swinney roomed together with his mom for three years during college because that was all they could afford. It’s a touching story if you need a little break from work. 

 Sideline Stat

• In NHL (National Hockey League) news, Washington Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin became first Russian born player to score 500 career goals. 

Coaches’ Corner

• If the field at a NFL stadium is only 100 yards long, how does a player have a 106-yard punt return for a touchdown? While the field only shows 100 yards, the field is actually 120 yards long (10 yards for each end zone.) Therefore, Knile Davis caught the kick six yards into the end zone and ran it all the way down the field for a 106-yard touchdown. 

The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition

Yay it’s Friday! We know you’ve been eagerly anticipating the breakdown of this weekend’s NFL playoffs. 

In other sports highlights, there’s a new sportsman on the block. You’ll never guess who. You’ll be “Kicking and Screaming” when you find out.   

Enjoy the weekend. We’ll be laid up on the couch with football fever.

Snuggle up,

The LNG Team

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NFL (National Football League) 

• The NFL playoff game breakdown for your reading pleasure.  

Saturday

Kansas City Chiefs vs Houston Texans, 4:20 pm (EST) on ABC

It’s been a good year in sports for Kansas City with the Kansas City Royals (baseball) winning the World Series and the Chiefs landing a spot in the playoffs. 

Game notes

• The Chiefs, led by QB Adam Smith, are on a 10-game winning streak.
• In week one of the regular season the Chiefs beat Texans 27-20
• The game is a match up of two top 10 defensive teams.
• Texans are lead by two-time Defensive Player of the Year, JJ Watt. You might recognize Watt from TV commercials including Papa John’s and Verizon or the cover of Men’s Health Magazine.  

The winner of this game will play Denver Broncos next week in Denver. Brr! 

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Cincinnati Bengals, 8:15 pm (EST) on CBS

Look out for a game filled with emotion and dare we say a little hatred as these two extreme division rivals clash on the road to the Super Bowl. 

Game notes

• Steelers and Bengals played each other twice this season and have split the season series 1-1.
• Things tend to get a little heated between the teams. Their last game resulted in $140,000 in fines.
• Bengals Starting QB AJ McCarron is married to former Miss Alabama, Katherine Webb. She notably stole the show and Brent Musburger’s attention during the 2013 NCAA National Championship Game.

The winner plays New England Patriots at home in Foxborough, MA. Double brr!

Sunday

Seattle Seahawks vs Minnesota Vikings, 1:05 pm (EST) on NBC

The weather will be a factor as it’s going to be cold and the team plays in an outdoor stadium. It’s predicted to be a high of 1°, low of -1° on Sunday in Minnesota. Surely Vikings fans are looking forward to new indoor stadium which will be ready for the 2016 season.

Game notes

• Seahawks are the hottest team in NFC (one of the two conferences within the NFL). They are on a seven game winning streak. 
• Seahawks beat Vikings 38 - 7 earlier in the season.
•  Stud Running Back Marshawn Lynch is set to return after sports hernia surgery that has kept him on the bench. Lynch regularly enjoys a sideline sugar rush by indulging in Skittles throughout game.
• The Vikings line-up includes NFL rushing champ Adrian Peterson. Peterson’s nickname is "AD" which stands for All Day as he has the ability to never stop running.
• Seattle Quarterback Russell Wilson is dating singer Ciara.

 The winner plays Arizona Cardinals at home in Arizona. Break out that t-shirt.

Green Bay Packers vs Washington Redskins, 4:40 pm (EST) on FOX

These two teams roll into the playoffs from opposite directions. The Redskins are hot (four game winning streak) and the Packers are not (losing six of last 10 games).

Game notes

• Redskins QB Kirk Cousins was the highest rated QB in the second half of season.
• Redskins have not beat a team with a winning record all season.
• The two teams did not face each other during the regular season.
• Packers starting Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is dating actress Olivia Mann. You may also recognize him from the State Farm ‘Discount Double Check’ commercials.

The winner plays Carolina Panthers at home in Charlotte. Bring a sweater.

• Oh the suspense. 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees have been announced. Two notable names on the list are Brett Favre and Terrell Owens. For a complete list of nominees, click here. The Selection Committee Meeting will be held on Saturday, February 6, 2016, when the 46-person Selection Committee meets to elect the Class of 2016.

MLB (Major League Baseball) 

• Standing in the hall of fame. The 2016 MLB Hall of Fame inductees are Centerfielder, Ken Griffey, Jr. and Catcher, Mike Piazza. Inductees must receive 75% of the vote from baseball writers to get into the esteemed club.

Ken Griffey, Jr.

• Griffey revolutionized the center fielder position with his defensive ability.
• He received 99.3% of the vote, which is the highest percentage of the votes ever received.
• He played for the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox during his career.

Mike Piazza

• Piazza is the lowest draft pick ever to be selected for the Hall of Fame. He was chosen in the 62nd round which means 1,390 players were selected before him. 
• He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins (formerly Florida Marlins), New York Mets, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics.

Overtime

• Will Ferrell joined the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) as one of the 26 stake owners in the new Major League Soccer (MLS) team.  Ferrell said, "I've never been part-owner of anything." Then he corrected himself, "Though I'm still part-owner of an '84 Toyota Camry with my brother.” Other notable owners include former MLB player, Nomar Garciaparra; Women’s Soccer Legend, Mia Hamm Garciaparra; NBA great, Magic Johnson; and author and life coach Tony Robbins. The team will begin playing in 2018. 

Sideline Stat

• The Seahawks vs Vikings game on Sunday could be one of the coldest NFL games on record. According to USA Today, the coldest game on record was in 1967 when Dallas played Green Bay in Green Bay where the outside (yes they play outside) temp at kickoff registered -19°. This game is affectionately known as the ‘Ice Bowl.’ You think?  

Coaches’ Corner

• Tell us more about MLS. You might have heard of a soccer player called David Beckham? Remember the hoopla that ensued when he and his beautiful bride, Victoria, moved to America? Well he moved to play for the LA Galaxy, one of the 20 current teams in MLS. These teams call cities in the US and Canada home. An expansion team in Atlanta will play their first game in 2017 with the LAFC following in their footsteps in 2018. The league was founded in 1993. For more on MLS, click here. 

The Rundown: Wednesday Edition

Looking for a midweek pick-me-up? Don’t worry we have that and more for you with the highlights of the wide world of sports with a triple-double for lunch, the reason a cricket star is shelling out cash for opening his mouth and a hair-raising situation in the NFL.

Make this Wednesday as exciting as a 1,000-point inning.

Shattering records,

The LNG Team

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MLB (Major League Baseball)

• Class time. On Wednesday afternoon MLB will announce the 2016 Hall of Fame Class. Friday we will break down the newly elected players and see how the steroid era is represented.

NBA (National basketball association)

• For the three! Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors has recorded a triple-double for the third consecutive game. According to ESPN.com he is just the 15th player to accomplish this in the NBA's history.  

NFL (National Football League)

• Breaking it down. Friday we’ll breakdown the NFL playoffs so you’re in the know for the weekend.
• Home run to hail mary. In a puzzling move, Cleveland Browns (football) hire New York Mets' (baseball) Paul DePodesta. DePodesta’s new role will be the Chief Strategy Officer and is known for his role with the Oakland A's for his use of analytics. He is portrayed by Jonah Hill in the movie “Moneyball.”
• Moving on up. Three NFL teams have filed to relocate to Los Angeles – San Diego Chargers, Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams. The NFL has said it will support two teams moving to one market. The two stadium deals include one backed by the Rams and a Chargers - Raiders jointly backed project that would have two teams sharing one stadium. NFL owners will vote next week at league meetings if one or any of the teams will move.
• Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Retired Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher made an appearance on Chicago morning TV Tuesday morning. His appearance made barbers everywhere drool because Urlacher had hair; something he hasn’t had since 2000. Notice the very subtle the difference in the photo from the LA Times. Urlacher has been previously linked to Jenny McCarthy. (Hair courtesy of RESTORE by Katona).

Soccer

• Head coach. Former Real Madrid player, Zinedine Zidane is set to become next head coach for Real Madrid. He is the 14th manager in past 13 years. Zidane’s playing career was filled with greatness but flawed by the infamous head-butt in the 2006 World Cup where Zidane blatantly rammed an Italian defender. He was thrown out of the World Cup as a result and France went on to lose the final game of the World Cup to Italy.

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)

• Live from New York. Former UFC Woman Bantamweight Champion, Ronda Rousey, is set to host Saturday Night Live on January 23. She is the first mixed martial arts fighter to ever host the show. Rousey was undefeated with a record of 12-0 before stunning the world by losing her championship belt on November 15 to Holly Holm. Rousey isn’t new to showbiz as she had a cameo in the movie “Entourage” as Turtle’s love interest.  

Overtime

• You thought your last first date was filled with awkward moments. That’s nothing compared to West Indies cricketer, Chris Gayle, who was fined $7,100 (USD) for asking a female TV reporter out for a drink during their interview. He probably knew the answer to his question when he filled an awkward silence with “don’t blush baby.” The bosses didn’t find it funny stating that it bordered on harassment and was inappropriate in the workplace.  

Sideline Stat

• In more cricket news, a Mumbai teenager, Pranav Dhanawade, shattered a 115-year-old cricket record by scoring 1,009 runs in an inning. Bombs away! (We’ll dive more into cricket another day but as it relates to today, the batsman can hit until he gets out, essentially like a home run derby).

COACHES’ CORNER

• What is a triple–double? In basketball, a triple-double is when during one game a player has double digit stats in three of five different categories. (Five categories are points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots.) Draymond Green had 13 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in Monday night’s game.