five things to know LAST NIGHT'S GAME five things to know LAST NIGHT'S GAME

The Rundown: 5 Things to Know About the NYC Marathon

Hold on to your hats – today’s Rundown is going to blow you away. Tonight we have game seven of the World Series - something we’ve been training for all year. In the category of things we haven’t been training for, the (in)famous New York City Marathon is this weekend. It’s much easier to read about it than run it.  

We’re tired just thinking about it,

The Last Night’s Game Team

Five things to know about New York City Marathon

  1. The Marathon is this Sunday, November 5th at 9 am EST on ESPN2. Like all marathons it’s 26.2 miles of pure joy. The race boasts 50,000 runners.
  2. Runners have to qualify to participate in the race. The times are no joke with 3:15 (3 hours, 15 minutes) for women ages 35-39 and 2:55 for men of the same age. (See how fast would you have to run to qualify). Runners are also admitted through a lottery. Either way you’re paying $255 (for U.S. runners) to run in the race.
  3. The first New York City Marathon took place in 1970 with 55 runners. In 1972, women ran in it for the first time. The AAU, the then-governing body of marathons, had squashed the idea of women running in marathons previously. They went as far as publishing baseless “scientific” research stating that “women who ran more than a few miles risked infertility” to keep women from lining up at the start line. 
  4. Celebrities running in this year’s race include: Jeanette Jenkins (celebrity trainer), Tiki Barber (Former NY Giants running back and TV personality), Sean Astin (actor who starred in Rudy, Goonies and Lord of the Rings), Jacqueline Laurita (Real Housewives of New Jersey) and Richard Blais (Restaurateur and winner of Top Chef: All-Stars).
  5. In case you’re wondering: the fastest times are Geoffrey Mutai 2:05.06 (2011) in the men’s category and Margaret Okayo 2:22.31 (2003) for the women. For a point of reference, the average race time is 4:43.45.

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • Like a kid at Christmas. The Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians at home last night in a World Series elimination game. Tonight the Cubs and Indians are giving America an early Christmas gift by playing a winner-takes-all game in Cleveland for the title. Game Seven of the World Series is as exciting as it’s going to get, even if you don’t like baseball. Every at bat and every pitch counts; you can cut the tension with a knife. Tune in tonight at 8:08 pm EST on FOX.

NCAA Football (College)

  • Your office will be buzzing about it. The first official rankings for the College Football Playoffs were released Tuesday night (and will be released every Tuesday for the rest of the season). Three undefeated teams round out the top three, but the one-loss Texas A&M team topped the undefeated Washington Huskies in the rankings.
  1. Alabama Crimson Tide
  2. Michigan Wolverines
  3. Clemson Tigers
  4. Texas A&M Aggies

Overtime

  • Joe Buck has done a great job announcing the World Series on FOX, but he will always have his haters. One Cleveland fan took Buck’s admiration for Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber and turned it into an online wedding registry at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Clever.   

Sideline stat

  • Only six teams in MLB history have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series. (The Cubs were down 3-1 going into yesterday’s game, which they won).

Coaches’ corner

Read More
weekend wrap up LAST NIGHT'S GAME weekend wrap up LAST NIGHT'S GAME

The Rundown: Weekend Wrap Up - Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! We hope you’re enjoying candy for breakfast to kick off the day. We’re not judging because in our book M&M’s make a nutritious breakfast.


Trick or Treat,

The Last Night’s Game Team

 

PS - Give your friends the treat of Last Night's Game. Share us! 

MLB (MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL)

  • Not so fast. Going into last night’s game the Chicago Cubs were on the verge of losing the World Series. They kept their season alive by winning game five at Wrigley Field.

  • Down with the DH. The series shifts back to Cleveland Tuesday night, where the DH (designated hitter) will again be a factor because they’re playing by American League rules. Cubs' red hot hitter Kyle Schwarber will be in the lineup as a DH. 

NCAA FOOTBALL (COLLEGE)

  • Upsets. The undefeated Baylor Bears (#8), West Virginia Mountaineers (#10), Boise State Broncos (#13) and Tennessee Volunteers (#18) all lost to unranked teams this weekend and that is not good for those ranking numbers behind their names.

  • Let us judge you. The first official weekly “college football rankings” will be released Tuesday. The rankings you’ve seen before this are based on a poll put forth by the AP (Associated Press). These new rankings will be determined by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. These rankings matter because they determine playoff eligibility. 

NFL (NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE)

  • What are the chances? The Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Redskins gave the British fans something American fans rarely see. Not Prince Harry but a game that ended in a tie. The game, which was played in London, is the second game to end in a tie this season. There haven’t been two tie games in an NFL season in 19 years.

NBA (NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION)

  • Bring it on. During the off-season Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors. That left the team in the hands of Russell Westbrook, who has killed it so far this season. He’s had two triple-doubles to lead the Thunder to a 3-0 start. What’s a triple–double? Find out in our coaches’ corner.  

NASCAR (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STOCK CAR AUTO RACING)

  • I’ll take that. Jimmie Johnson secured his place in the final four of “The Chase for the Cup” with a win this weekend. Only two races remain for drivers to win to advance to the last and final race that will determine the season’s winner.  

OVERTIME

  • It was a no good, very bad day in Cleveland yesterday. Not only did the Indians lose their World Series game but the Cleveland Browns lost. The Browns are halfway to joining an elite club of teams to go winless during an NFL season, sitting at 0-8. Their fans couldn’t even win when unfurling a banner. They misspelled “Go Dawg Pound” – “GPODAWUND.” Maybe they should all go home and start the day over.

SIDELINE STAT

  • 621,000 – the number of subscribers ESPN lost in one month according to Nielsen. It's the worst month in the company's history and represents a revenue loss of $52 million. It’s not only ESPN, the decline of cable subscribers is hurting every cable network, sports or not.

COACHES’ CORNER

  • How many baseballs are used in a typical MLB game? The average life of a baseball is seven pitches, with over 90 balls used in a game. Unlike your little league game, umpires will take the ball out of the game if it’s scuffed or dirty because it impacts the way the ball functions. Discarded baseballs are often used for batting practice or shipped down to the minor leagues. 

Read More
weekend preview LAST NIGHT'S GAME weekend preview LAST NIGHT'S GAME

The Rundown: Weekend Preview Edition - Ghoulishly Good

Halloween is in the air. Worried what topics to talk about besides favorite candy choices while you’re partying it up with ghosts and goblins this weekend? We have you covered with a ghoulishly good Rundown.

Boo!

The Last Night’s Game Team

PS – As the weather starts to cool down, this Tailgate Treat from Last Night’s Game super fan Barry and the team over at Edible Magazine is just what the doctor ordered. Here’s their recipe for chili-cornbread pie. 

MLB (Major League Baseball)

  • Cubbies fever. The World Series continues in Chicago tonight. The Indians and Cubs will play the next three games (Fri-Sun) at Wrigley Field. The teams are tied in the series at 1-1. Tickets for the games at Wrigley are going for as much as $19,000 each. While watching a game at a bar in Wrigleyville could cost you $250 just to get in. Better hit the ATM.  
  • Hard work pays off. The comeback story of the World Series has been the return of Cubs’ slugger Kyle Schwarber. He had a season ending knee injury in April which prevented him from playing in an MLB game all season. Schwarber trained hard and was placed on the World Series roster primarily as a designated hitter where he brought a much needed offensive spark. You won't be seeing as much of him in the next three games because they will be played by National League rules - no designated hitter. 

NCAA Football (College)

  • Heading west. ESPN College GameDay heads to Salt Lake City ahead of the game between the undefeated Washington Huskies (#4) playing the Utah Utes (#17). Washington features sophomore quarterback Jake Browning who is an early Heisman trophy contender. 

NFL (National Football League)

Overtime

  • Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison announced that she will pursue a career in MMA (mixed martial arts) now that her Olympic career is over. The path from judo to MMA has been paved by Ronda Rousey who is the matriarch of women fighting in the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). 

Sideline stat

  • NASCAR’s “Chase for the Cup” continues with the round of eight drivers this weekend. There are three races in this round. Winners are guaranteed a spot in the next and final round. Jimmie Johnson is the overwhelming favorite to advance, winning 18 times at the three tracks in this round.

Coaches’ Corner

  • Since the 1950’s, the rivalry game between Florida (#14) and Georgia has been dubbed the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” due to the excessive number of people tailgating. This year the organizers are promoting it as the “River City Showdown” to pay homage to Jacksonville, leaving fans from both sides very upset. Hey they earned that title! (Check out the funny Twitter reactions). 

Read More