The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition - It's Finals Time
Congratulations – you’ve made it to Friday. For that achievement we give you permission to spend your Sunday in the air conditioning, on the couch (or in the nearest sports bar) watching Formula One, the Wimbledon finals and Euro 2016 finals.
A mimosa please,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Tennis
- One match away. Serena Williams has advanced to the Wimbledon Final on Saturday but she won't get a chance to face her sister, Venus, who lost in the semifinals. Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber have met in a final match before. Williams lost to Kerber in the Australian Open. If she wins on Saturday, Williams will tie the record for 22 major wins. (Match begins on Saturday at 9 am on ESPN).
- Playing with the boys. The men’s semifinals take place this morning and Roger Federer and Andy Murray are still vying for a place in the finals, which takes place on Sunday (9 am EST on ESPN). For a complete men’s schedule click here.
Soccer
- The finals for Euro 2016 are set. Host nation France will take on Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal on Sunday in the finals to see who is the top team in European soccer. (Game time is Sunday at 3 pm EST on ESPN).
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
- Party pooper. UFC 200 was scheduled to be the biggest event in UFC history (Saturday on pay-per-view). On Wednesday, UFC announced that one of the fighters in the main event, former champion Jon Jones, had failed a drug test. Jones was immediately removed from the fight card, leaving champion Daniel Cormier without an opponent.
- Today’s your lucky day. UFC scrambled to find a replacement fighter on two days’ notice. Former middleweight champion and arguably the best second option ever, Anderson Silva has agreed to step up and fight Cormier. That’s like receiving a call to play in the Super Bowl on two days’ notice. Something tells us he wasn’t just sitting around eating donuts ala Homer Simpson.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Bulls bound. Fresh off his co-hosting duties on "Live with Kelly," the face of the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, has decided to leave the team for his hometown Chicago Bulls. Wade spent 13 years with the Heat where he won three NBA championships. Many felt the Heat didn’t treat him as a priority (Wade notably took pay cuts to help the team) and they didn’t offer him the most money when it came down to it. Let’s hope Wade’s wife, actress Gabrielle Union, is ready to trade in swimsuits for winter coats.
F1 (Formula One Racing)
- Race on. As if there isn’t already enough excitement happening in Europe, the next stop on the F1 schedule is the British Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton looks to close the gap in the overall standings on Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. After last week's controversial finish, both drivers have received a 'final warning' from the Mercedes team ahead of this Sunday's race. You can catch all the racing excitement on Sunday at 8 am on CNBC.
Overtime
- In case his Super Bowl ring needed company, Seattle Seahawks’ Quarterback Russell Wilson added another ring to his jewelry collection. Wilson married bombshell pop star and Grammy Winner, Ciara, on Wednesday in a small wedding in England. The couple were engaged in March in the Seychelles. See their wedding photo here.
Sideline stat
- Football powerhouses, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and Michigan Wolverines have agreed to renew their 100-year college football rivalry that ended in 2014. In 2018, the teams will meet in the season opener and then again in 2019. This schedule change comes with a price as the Wolverines were already scheduled to play the Arkansas Razorbacks in 2018. The Wolverines will pay the Razorbacks $2 million for cancelling their originally scheduled games.
Coaches’ Corner
- We're all about planning ahead but Notre Dame and Michigan announcing their plans to meet up in 2019 seems a little far away. How many years out do college football teams plan their schedules? Athletic directors have been known to get a little ahead of themselves; there are some teams that have games on the schedule for 2028. The players who will play on those teams are still playing tetherball in elementary school. There’s big money in a strong schedule (aka great football schools) therefore many schools plan years out to secure one.
The Rundown: 5 Things to Know About Wimbledon
Let’s celebrate Wednesday of a short work week with some tea, champagne and Wimbledon.
Now playing on centre court,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five things to know about Wimbledon
- Held in London, Wimbledon is one of the four majors (big tennis tournaments) and is the only one played on grass. It is also the oldest tournament on the schedule, born in 1877.
- There is a strict dress code for fans and players. All athletes must wear white. This year’s controversial Nike dress is the talk of the tournament. Fans also have a strict dress code. Famous British F1 driver Lewis Hamilton was barred from attending last year’s men’s championship for not honoring the dress code of blazer and tie.
- Only 250 teens have the chance to serve in the highly sought after position of ball person. Over 750 people try out for the privilege of playing retriever and hobnobbing with the best tennis players the world has to offer.
- Pete Sampras was the last American man to win Wimbledon in 2000. (Sampras’ wife is actress Bridgette Wilson, who you may remember as the bride in the flick “The Wedding Planner” alongside J-Lo). This year American Sam Querrey is on a quest to claim that title for the U.S. after beating defending champion Novak Djokovic. Querrey plays this morning at 8 am EST (ESPN/ESPN2) in the quarterfinals.
- Serena Williams won Wimbledon last year for the ladies and both she and her sister, Venus, are still in it to win it this year. If they keep it up, they could face each other in the finals.
- Mimosa extra credit - Lanson champagne is the official champagne of Wimbledon. Over 150,000 glasses of bubbly are served over the length of the tournament.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
- The fans have spoken. The starters for next week’s MLB All-Star Game have been announced. Don’t see your favorite player on the roster? You have until Friday at 4 pm EST to vote him in. You can catch the MLB All-Star Game live from San Diego on Tuesday, July 12th at 7:30 pm EST on FOX. Stay tuned for a special edition of five things to know about the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby on Monday.
- Free at last. On Monday the Dodgers brought in a bald eagle to fly in their Fourth of July pregame celebration. In the ultimate act of freedom, instead of flying to its trainer the eagle had other ideas and flew out of the stadium. The eagle was reportedly found a few innings later.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- The rich get richer. Kevin Durant was this year’s most coveted free agent (meaning any team can sign him). Durant has decided to leave Oklahoma City Thunder for Golden State Warriors. He joins superstar Steph Curry’s team that won the NBA championship in 2015 and came in second this year, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Overtime
- ESPN The Magazine’s Annual Body Issue hits newsstands this Friday, July 8th. The magazine features athletes in their birthday suits. Seen the movie Old School? You know the part where Will Ferrell streaks through the quads? This is like that but so much more elegant. The issue features retired diver Greg Louganis, who is the oldest athlete to pose at age 56 and is HIV positive; Vince Wilfork, a 325-pound NFL player; and Team USA duathlete Chris Mosier, who is the first transgender athlete to pose.
Sideline stat
- In the 100th anniversary of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut avenged his loss last year by eating 70 hot dogs in 10 minutes to regain his title as champion. He beat last year’s winner Matt Stonie by 17 hot dogs.
Coaches’ Corner
- How are players chosen for the MLB All-Star Game? The pitchers and reserve players for both teams are determined through a combination of fan voting and manager selection. The managers of each team were the coaches for the two teams that played in the World Series last year. World Series Champions, Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost will manage the AL (American League) All-Star team, while New York Mets Mets coach Terry Collins commands the NL (National League) team.
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - The Ultimate BBQ Ice Breaker
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Fourth of July festivities to bring you the one thing you need for today’s BBQ. No it’s not potato chips, burgers or fireworks. It’s the ultimate icebreaker - today’s rundown.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of sports knowledge,
The Last Night’s Game Team
F1 (Formula One Racing)
Stop hitting your brother. Lewis Hamilton won in Austria after passing teammate Nico Rosberg on the last lap. On the final lap, Rosberg ran into Hamilton in an attempt to block him from winning. That’s not going to go over well at the family dinner table.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
Thank you. Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins played the first ever regular season game on a military base yesterday at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Marlins beat Braves in front of over 12,500 military personnel. The stadium, which was constructed for the game, will be converted postgame into a multipurpose recreational facility to be used by servicemen and their families.
No class. Tickets to the Fort Bragg game were awarded through a lottery only to active members of the military and their families. Somehow Zack Hampton, who’s notable for his ability to catch foul balls and home runs, made it into the stadium. “Ball Hawk,” as he’s known, went on to catch 11 balls during the game he wasn’t even supposed to be at. People found out and rightfully so, shamed the heck out of him on social media. Shamers included the 82nd Airborne Division which is headquartered on the base. Just plain wrong Ball Hawk.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
Daytona domination. Brad Keselowski controlled the race at Daytona (Florida) on Saturday night, leading 115 of 161 laps, to take home the victory.
Olympics
Runs in the family. Vashti Cunningham, daughter of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham, will be representing the U.S. in the high jump. Cunningham, who just graduated from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, is foregoing college to turn pro and recognize her dream of competing in the Olympics. At age 18, she is the youngest U.S. track and field Olympian in 36 years.
Soccer
No fairy tale ending here. The Euro 2016 semifinals are set and unfortunately underdog Iceland did not move on. Their historic run in the tournament came to an end this weekend against France when they lost 5-2. Click here for the semifinals schedule.
Wimbledon
Ousted. American Sam Querrey stunned the tennis world by taking down #1 Novak Djokovic on Saturday. Djokovic had won the previous four major tournaments.
Williams win. Looking to keep her title, Wimbledon defending champion Serena Williams won her 300th grand slam match at the tournament this weekend.
Overtime
In a “sport” that’s both painful and nauseating to watch, today marks the 100th anniversary of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. (12 pm EST on ESPN). Joey Chestnut is looking to regain his title after a loss last year to Matt Stonie. On the women’s side, Miki “The Black Widow” Sudo looks to win her third consecutive title.
Sideline stat
The goal of the contest, which is held in Coney Island, is to eat as many hot dogs (buns too) as possible in 10 minutes. Last year’s winner Matt Stonie ate 62 hot dogs. Stonie also holds other eating records including 200 Peeps in five minutes and 14.5 pounds of birthday cake in eight minutes. Don’t try this at home.
Coaches’ Corner
The field of hot dog eaters is comprised of 20 professional eaters. There is one spot in the famed contest called the “Plimpton Seat,” which is designated for a member of the media. This year Dan “Barstool Big Cat” Katz of Bartsool Sports will be filling that spot. He must have drawn the short straw.