The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition – Pool Party Prep
We’re helping you to become the hit of the weekend pool party one sports fact at a time.
Cocktails on us,
The Last Night’s Game Team
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Moving on. The NBA announced that the 2017 All-Star game which was originally scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina will be relocated due to the “bathroom bill,” a bill that discriminates against the LBGT community. The NBA and Charlotte Hornets said they have been working to foster discussions and change stating that this bill violates their “long-standing core values that include diversity, inclusion, and respect for others.” The NBA is expected to announce a new host city within a week. All signs are pointing to New Orleans as the new location. NBA has said it will look to reschedule the game in Charlotte for 2019 should necessary changes be made.
- Let's practice. Team U.S.A men’s basketball will begin its five game exhibition series against Argentina on Friday in Las Vegas. The team is made up of NBA players.
Golf
- Now teeing off. The American Century Championship celebrity tournament takes place this weekend in Lake Tahoe. The tournament participants, who play to raise money for charity, include celebrities and athletes. Former MLB pitcher Mark Mulder is the favorite to win the tournament with Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry given the fifth best odds to win and former NBA and TNT commentator Charles Barkley is at 6000-1 odds to win. The field also includes music man and part owner of the Memphis Grizzlies (NBA), Justin Timberlake.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Switch-a-roo. This weekend NASCAR heads to the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Brickyard 400. The all-time win leader at the track is Jeff Gordon, who coincidentally will be coming out of retirement to drive in place of Dale Earnhardt Jr. who is suffering from concussion symptoms. Gordon announced his retirement from racing eight months ago and took a commentator job with FOX. Gordon will be filling in for Earnhardt for the next two weeks while he recovers.
F1 (Formula One Racing)
- Hungry eyes. The drivers head to Hungary this weekend where Lewis Hamilton looks to overtake Nico Rosberg in the overall points lead. Hamilton is just one point back in the standings after winning four of the last five races. Track limits, such as drivers going off the track, are going to be policed electronically which is causing a bit of controversy.
Tour de France
- Yellow jersey. Going into the final weekend, Chris Froome holds the overall lead in Le Tour by almost four minutes. Froome, who has won the race two times before, raced for Kenya until 2008 when he switched his allegiance to Britain.
NFL (National Football League)
- Houston Texans player, CMT awards host and fitness magazine cover model J.J. Watt has undergone back surgery and is expected to miss training camp but he will be ready for the start of the season. Watt has not missed a game in his five-year career. Last year Watt underwent groin surgery and played with a broken hand.
Overtime
- NBA Hall of Famer and TNT Analyst Shaq will be breaking down the beats tonight as his remixing alter ego, “DJ Diesel” in Belgium at the Tomorrowland music festival. If you want a preview of his off-court turntable skills, check out highlights from his set at Tomorrow World last summer. He could quit his day job.
Sideline stat
- Miami Marlins’ Ichiro Suzuki is nearing the exclusive 3,000 hit club and hopes to accomplish that feat at home. The Marlins are looking to combat their low season attendance by starting tickets to witness this accomplishment at $29.90 (for 2,900 hits) and increasing the price by one cent with each hit. After their last ticket promo disaster with the home run derby let’s hope this works for them.
Coaches’ corner
- For more about how to up your game and join the sports conversation at work, read Beyond the Lycra – Three Things to Know About the Tour de France for the Office.
The Rundown: 5 Things To Know About The Tour de France
The Tour de France is in its final week of the three-week competition. You may not be a super fan but many people watch the race for the scenic routes around castles and the fields of flowers with views of the Alps. Think Travel Channel interrupted by men in lycra and fans cheering with air horns.
Who doesn't love lycra?
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS - If you want to relive your college days or simply need some entertainment, check out the Tour de Franzia - a college drinking game that pays homage to the race with boxed wine.
Five things to know about the Tour de France
- By the numbers - The Tour is over 2,100 miles long and features 200 teams made up of nine riders each. There are 21 stages (i.e. mountain or flat) that make up the race. Out of the 21 days of the Tour, the riders only have two days of rest. And you thought your weekend went by fast.
- More than 3.5 billion biking enthusiasts (or people simply watching for the scenery) will view the race on television with an expected 12 million in the crowd.
- Let’s talk about the white elephant in the room. The doping scandal. Lance Armstrong won seven years in a row but was stripped of his titles after it was revealed that he was “doping.” After he was stripped of his titles the Tour director recommended that none of the runners-up be elevated in the standings because doping was so prevalent in the sport at that time.
- Until the 1960s it was common for participants to drink alcohol to numb the pain. But it was later banned as alcohol is viewed as a stimulant.
- The average cyclist will burn 4,000 – 5,000 calories in each stage. By the end of the race they’ve burned the equivalent of 252 McDonald’s double cheeseburgers.
- Keep an eye on the race standings here.
NFL (National Football League)
- Join the team. New England Patriots’ Nate Ebner has put his NFL dreams on hold this week as he was chosen to play on the U.S.A Rugby Sevens team in the Summer Olympics. This is Rugby Sevens’ first appearance as a sport in the Olympics.
- A different kind of chip. The NFL has announced that it will begin using data chips inside the footballs during the 2016-17 season. On the heels of “Deflategate” one would think that his would be to measure the psi (inflation) of the ball but it’s not. According to ESPN, the football chip will provide information ranging from its precise location during kicks to the velocity of throws by quarterbacks, but there is no indication that the NFL has plans to use it for psi measurements.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
- Headed to the slammer. Former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correra has been sentenced to four years in prison for hacking into the Houston Astros player database. The database held vital information to the Astros minor league players, the equivalent of discovering your rival’s strategy and growth plan. The Cardinals fired Correra after learning of the breech but MLB is now investigating whether or not the Cardinals had anything to do with the hacking.
Overtime
- Satirical sports site, Barstool Sports made a bold choice and hired Erika Nardini as it’s first CEO. Nardini previously served at the chief marketing officer at AOL. Barstool Sports which started 12 years ago and recently sold for a rumored $10-15 million, is a controversial sports and men’s lifestyle website. You go girl!
Sideline stat
- New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw two pitches at 105 mph, narrowly missing the record for fastest pitch at 105.1 mph.
Coaches’ corner
- Nate Ebner is putting his football career on hold to play Rugby Sevens but what is Rugby Sevens? Rugby Sevens is very similar to rugby union although instead of 15 players this version is played with seven players. It’s a fast paced game with two-seven minute halves (instead of the typical 40 min halves). Players on a Sevens team are quick footed and the goal is to keep the game free flowing and fast moving. It’s a sprint, not a marathon.
The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - Sweet As Pie
Monday is here again. Don’t worry, we’ll provide you with a ray of sunshine and a little something about the world of sports to sweeten your day.
Sweet as pie,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS - Only 18 days until the start of the Olympics! Follow us on Twitter or Facebook for all the Olympic excitement.
Golf
- Age ain’t nothing but a number. The Open wrapped up yesterday in Scotland and age seemed to be the most important factor in a field of youngins. Phil Mickelson (46) and Henrik Stenson (40) went back and forth with the lead in what became a two-man race for the win. Stenson ultimately prevailed as the winner. He is the first Major winner from the country of Sweden. (The Majors are the four big tournaments in golf).
NFL (National Football League)
- Fight over football. After over 500 days of a legal battle concerning deflated footballs, New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady has given up his fight to have his four game suspension overturned by the next step in the legal system, the Supreme Court. Yes, the Supreme Court. Brady will miss the first four games of the season.
But don’t worry ladies, Brady’s backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, will fill the void in your hearts. Although no word on his in-game skills as it’s the first time the Patriots will start a quarterback not named Tom Brady since 2008.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Shootin’ hoops. The NBA summer league final game is set for tonight and the Minnesota Timberwolves team will play the Chicago Bulls team for the championship. The summer league is a launching pad for NBA talent where first and second year players get a chance to show off their skills in hopes of becoming the next LeBron or Michael Jordan.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- Breaking the law. Matt Kenseth won the race in New Hampshire this weekend. The high of victory didn’t last long as Kenseth’s car failed the post-race inspection. The team’s penalty will be announced on Wednesday after further review.
- Don’t call it a comeback. Sunday’s race was missing one of NASCAR’s biggest stars, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who was unable to race due to concussion-like symptoms. If Earnhardt is unable to race next weekend, retired legendary driver and current commentator, Jeff Gordon, will take over the driving responsibility for the Nationwide #88 (Earnhardt’s) team.
Overtime
- Former NFL running back Jahvid Best, who had his football career cut short due to injuries, has reinvented himself and will be the first former NFL player to compete in the Olympics. Best will compete for St. Lucia in the 100-meter race.
Sideline stat
- Tom Brady’s financial team was prepared that Brady may have to serve out his four game suspension. In the offseason they renegotiated his contract adjusting his salary for this year to just $1 million, down from $9 million. This move will save him almost $2 million which would’ve been lost salary. (Players forfeit their prorated game salary if suspended). In case you were wondering, minimum salary for an NFL player with 10+ years experience (like Brady) is $985,000/year.
Coaches’ corner
- What does it mean to fail NASCAR’s post-race inspections? All cars must face a post-race examination to ensure that the cars meet the standards set by NASCAR. Kenseth’s car did not meet the requirements in the laser inspection station. Another example, a team earlier in the year was found to have a rigged 22-gallon fuel tank that read full but only contained five gallons of gas during a qualifying race. NASCAR rules call for a car to have a full tank of gas. Less fuel makes the car lighter (i.e. faster) or allows the crew to put the weight in a more advantageous place for a faster race.