Weekend Preview - The Brady Bunch, Ryan Reynolds Is Out + XFL Championships

We're about to get wild with the weekend's lineup.

XFL

First up, the XFL Championship is on Saturday! We've got the Arlington Renegades taking on the DC Defenders, and we can't wait to see who comes out on top.

Let's start with the XFL Championship game happening on Saturday between the Arlington Renegades and the DC Defenders. This is the first season of the XFL under the new ownership of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and his ex-wife, Dany Garcia. The Renegades may have a losing record, but they've made it to the postseason, with former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops leading them on the sidelines. Meanwhile, DC has been dominating the XFL this season, losing only one game in the regular season and continuing their reign in the postseason. It's sure to be an exciting game.

NFL (National Football League)

Next up, the NFL released its 2023-24 season schedule, and it's taking over your holidays. This season includes three games on Thanksgiving, a game on Black Friday, a full slate on Christmas Eve, three on Christmas Day and even a game on New Year's Eve. Plus, games are happening internationally as well.

NBA (National Basketball Association)

Moving on to the NBA playoffs, the Warriors and the Lakers will face off in game six on Friday night. This is a highly anticipated match-up between two basketball greats, Steph Curry and LeBron James. Finally, on Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics will meet for game seven, with the winner advancing to the next round. This will surely be an intense and exciting game between two historic NBA franchises.

The bid for the Ottawa Senators

The Stanley Cup playoffs are also happening, and while Ryan Reynolds' has withdrawn his bid for the Ottawa Senators, Snoop Dogg and The Weeknd are still in the running for team ownership. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development.

The multi-sport Brady family

Finally, college softball fans should mark their calendars for Selection Sunday, which is happening this weekend. Watch for Maya Brady, who won the Pac-12 Softball Player of the Year award while playing for the No. 2 ranked UCLA Bruins. As Tom Brady's niece, she certainly has some athletic genes in her family.

For more information on these events and updates throughout the weekend, head over to lastnightsgame.com or tune into the Sports Curious podcast every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We hope you have a fantastic weekend filled with all your favorite sports.

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Photo: Instagram/kentuckyderby

Tailgate treat

What's a derby party without a mint julep? Enjoy toasting the ponies with this week's Tailgate Treat, mint juleps. CHEERS

Photo: Unsplash

GAME CHANGER

Did you know that you can catch our podcast on YouTube now? Check out this week's podcast about the Kentucky Derby. THE MORE YOU KNOW

Moms Who Are Changing The Face Of Sports

Photo: Allyson Felix

Motherhood is an extraordinary journey filled with joys and challenges that profoundly shape a woman's life. This Mother's Day, we bring you a tribute to women who dared to balance the demands of motherhood and professional sports. These kickass women have broken down barriers and paved the way for future generations of female athletes to excel in their respective fields.

The road to motherhood is not always an easy one, and for athletes, the challenge is significant. Athletes must maintain peak physical condition to compete at the highest levels, which can be difficult during pregnancy. Even more challenging is the fact that many female athletes often hide their pregnancies to keep their careers on track.

One such athlete is Skylar Diggins-Smith, a WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) player who kept her pregnancy a secret for an entire season while continuing to perform at an all-star level. When she returned after giving birth, she faced criticism for taking time off to deal with postpartum depression. Her story sparked a conversation about female athletes starting and raising a family, leading to changes in the WNBA's family leave policies.

A decorated Olympic track and field athlete, Allyson Felix challenged Nike's policies. The previously Nike-sponsored athlete took on the company, saying she would be financially penalized for having a child per her contract. (Her daughter was born via emergency c-section in 2018). She was so fed up with their lack of support for female athletes that she left Nike for Athleta. Felix isn't the only athlete worried about being dropped for having a child – it's a far too common practice. NIKE has since changed its policies, and it will not apply any performance-related reductions for 18 months if an athlete becomes pregnant.

Taking our conversation to college hoops, former WNBA player and Arizona Wildcats head women's basketball coach Adia Barnes inspired women everywhere in her quest for her dream job. She coaches alongside her husband and is a mom to two children. During her team's March Madness run in 2020-21, she was giving a pep talk to her team at halftime and pumping as she was still nursing her six-month-old daughter. Barnes shed light on the NCAA's rules that have stifled working moms. Coaches' children, such as Barnes' six-month-old daughter, counted against a team's limited traveling party numbers, so she had to choose between her children and a staff member.

Here's to all the moms and maternal caregivers who are killing it in every aspect of their lives, whether on the court or at home. We see you, and we appreciate you.  

PS: We dive further into badass moms in sports in this week's Sports Curious Podcast, which you can listen to here.

Wednesday Wisdom

Your charisma + sports tidbits to get a conversation started = unstoppable

Today's going to be an amazing day, 
The Last Night's Game


PS: We know you're busy, so we've added a short 1-3 minute podcast on Monday and Friday so you can catch us on the go. Make sure you keep up with us in between episodes on all your favorite social media platforms.

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Photo: Instagram/skylardigginssmith

Incredibly sporty moms

Moms in sports have to deal with the everyday struggles of parenting and maintain peak physical performance for their job. We're exhausted just thinking about it. But these moms are not to be underestimated, as they're changing the landscape for all women.

One such athlete is Skylar Diggins-Smith, a WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) player who kept her pregnancy a secret for an entire season while continuing to perform at an all-star level. When she returned after giving birth, she faced criticism for taking time off to deal with postpartum depression. Her story sparked a conversation about pregnancy and maternity leave policies, leading to WNBA's maternity policy changes.

Tune into the only podcast that talks about sports while also wondering why sweatpants aren't acceptable office attire. MOTHER'S DAY EPISODE

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Short and Sweet

• The Weeknd has joined the bidding war, including Ryan Reynolds and Snoop Dogg, to buy the Ottowa Senators (NHL - National Hockey League). 

• Tomorrow is a big day for NFL (National Football League) fans, with the 2023-24 season released at 8 PM ET. Today, the league gives us a sneak peek at the international schedule and the first-ever Black Friday game.

• Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB - Major League Baseball) star Mookie Betts opts out of the team hotel in Milwaukee because it's haunted. 

• The Los Angeles Lakers (NBA - National Basketball Association) are up 3-1 in the series against the defending champion Golden State Warriors. If you need convincing, a viral video, a corgi named Lilo "Air Corg" thinks LeBron James can send Steph Curry and his team packing if they win tonight.

• A petit basset griffon Vendéen named Buddy Holly became the first of its breed to win the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last night. 

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Photo by Mieke Campbell on Unsplash

Up Your Game

Want to listen to the podcast but prefer seeing our smiling faces? Well, you're in luck as the podcast is now on YouTube. WATCH

game on

Dinner is served thanks to this viral vodka pasta recipe from model Gigi Hadid. TAILGATE TREAT