It’s the first weekend of NFL football. Whether you’re cheering for the Bears or Eagles or simply here for the beer, we have everything you need to know to show them who’s boss. Oh and don’t forget to set your fantasy football team.
I’ll take a cold one,
The Last Night’s Game Team
PS – It’s our new football Friday tradition and today’s tailgate treat is courtesy of super fan Lindsay. Here's her recipe for slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches with slaw.
NFL (National Football League)
- Rematch. Last night marked the first game of the NFL season and it happened to be a rematch of last season's Super Bowl. The Denver Broncos and their new quarterback Trevor Siemian proved they still have what it takes to win without Peyton Manning, taking home a win against the Carolina Panthers.
- You asked and we delivered the answers to those stubborn football questions that stump you. Click here for our football FAQ.
NCAA Football (College)
- He’s got wheels. ESPN’s College GameDay is heading to Bristol Motor Speedway for Saturday’s broadcast…of a NASCAR race? No, the NASCAR track has been transformed into a football field to host Tennessee vs Virginia Tech. Crews had 19 days to turn the track infield into a quality football field. At the game they’re expecting to host the biggest college football crowd ever - 150,000 people.
- When is your team playing? Find out here.
Soccer
- On Saturday, two crosstown rivals battle in the English Premier League - Manchester City vs Manchester United. This is slated to be the most expensive game in soccer history with player values topping £685 million ($912 million USD).
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Welcome. 2016 NBA Hall of Fame class will be inducted today. This year’s class is led by Shaquille O’Neal, Yao Ming and Allen Iverson.
Olympics
- The sentencing. The penalties for the swimmers involved in the infamous gas station incident in Rio have been decided. Ryan Lochte has been suspended for 10 months and the other three swimmers have been suspended for four months. It may not sound like a long time considering the Summer Olympics are four years away but here is what they won’t be able to do:
- Not allowed to attend the White House visit with Team U.S.A.
- They will not receive their monthly stipend
- No access to Olympic training centers
- Lochte will forfeit his $100,000 bonus money from winning gold
Tennis
- So long Serena. Serena Williams was hoping to win her 23rd career Grand Slam Championship at the U.S. Open. Those dreams were crushed when Williams was defeated by Karolina Pliskova in the semifinals. Pliskova also knocked out Serena’s sister Venus, becoming just the fourth person to defeat both sisters in the same Grand Slam event. Pliskova will face Angelique Kerber in the finals.
Overtime
- Many said it was a long shot when former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow tried out in front of MLB (Major League Baseball) scouts, but it seems that his hard work has paid off. Tebow signed a minor league deal to play for the New York Mets. Don’t expect him on the Mets roster yet, he’ll start his career off in their instructional league in September.
Sideline stat
- This will be the first time since 1997 that the NFL has a kickoff weekend without Tom Brady or Peyton Manning playing. Manning retired after last season and Brady is suspended for four games for “deflategate.”
Coaches’ corner
- There’s a lot of talk about quarterbacks and wide receivers but there are many players who make up a football team. Today’s unsung hero goes to the long snapper. You may only hear about this position when something goes wrong on a field goal, extra point or punt. This is a specialized player comes in to hike the ball for any kind of kick that requires longer distance snaps. Check out all the backward action here.