Was your weekend as wild as the Ryder Cup? Fans gone wild was the name of the game on the course in Minnesota. Did Team U.S.A. channel their inner Simone Biles or Michael Phelps to bring home a United States win? We have that and so much more in today’s Rundown.
But first - coffee,
The Last Night’s Game Team
Ryder Cup
- Big. Huge. Team U.S.A. defeated Team Europe for the first time since 2008 to win the Ryder Cup. The home-field advantage proved to be just that with U.S.A. fans draped in stars and stripes, taunting Team Europe like it was a high school basketball game. Team U.S.A.’s win was by the largest margin since 1981.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
- Every game counts. It took all 162 games to determine the two wild card spots in both leagues. The Toronto Blue Jays will host Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday in a one-game playoff for a spot in the postseason. The New York Mets will host the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday in the playoff game for the National League spot. If you've ever wanted to watch exciting baseball, these games are some of the best you’ll see with so much on the line.
- It’s time. See the post season schedule here. Stay tuned for Wednesday's five things to know about the MLB playoffs which are guaranteed to make you sports savvy.
NCAA Football (College)
- As good as advertised. Clemson (#3) vs Louisville (#5) had the potential to be one of the best games of the season and it lived up to the hype. The energy of the fans helped propel Clemson to a halftime lead, but Louisville took the lead over in the fourth quarter. Then Clemson scored the game winning touchdown with seconds left in the game. How’d Heisman front-runner, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson play? Click here.
- Did your team win? See here.
NFL (National Football League)
- Can’t hold us. Coming into the weekend there were five undefeated teams in the NFL. Two teams no longer hold that title with Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots both suffering their first loss. The Minnesota Vikings play tonight and they’ll try to hold off New York Giants to remain undefeated.
- Was your team victorious? Check here.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing)
- It’s mine…all mine! Going into the final race with the field of 16 in the Chase for the Cup (elimination-style NASCAR playoffs), Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick were the only drivers guaranteed to advance due to previous wins. Truex Jr. was showing off on Sunday when he won again. The field now shrinks to 12 drivers for the next race. Check here to see if your favorite driver made the cut.
F1 Racing (Formula One)
- Can I get you something to drink? Red Bull’s Daniel Riccardo won the Malaysian Grand Prix - his first win since 2014. Riccardo celebrated by drinking champagne out of his shoe after he had been wearing it for a few hours in the hot and humid Malaysian climate. Ew. We could think of better ways to celebrate.
Overtime
- Arguably the best Boston Red Sox player to ever wear the jersey, David Ortiz played in his last regular season game at Fenway Park on Sunday. The Red Sox pulled out all the stops - naming a street and a bridge after him and they will retire his number next season. Ortiz had such a big impact on baseball that Saturday Night Live spoofed him on “Weekend Update.”
Sideline stat
- Pittsburgh Steelers’ (NFL) quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had as many touchdowns as incomplete passes (five) in last night’s blowout of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Coaches’ corner
- What does it mean to retire a number in sports? Unlike the mourning period you go through when retiring a cell phone number, this is a positive thing. When a team retires a player’s number, such as Ortiz’s #34, no member of the team (in his case the Red Sox) will ever be able to wear that number again. Teams do this to honor the outstanding career of that player.
