Hope everyone had a good weekend and a great Mother's Day. There's more sun than rain in the forecast this week. Live sports are trying to find a way back. All about the small victories over here, folks. Let's catch you up and get you ready for the week ahead.
BROADCAST HIGHLIGHT
"NFL Classic Games" - New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins (09/04/94), NFL Network, 8 p.m.
An oft-forgotten shootout between Dan Marino and Drew Bledsoe, with each rocket armed QB throwing for over 400 yards.
KNOCKOUT EFFORT
UFC made good on their promise to get back in the octagon as quickly as possible and give the fans what they want with a
bloody intense return Saturday night. The event, showcased on ESPN+, featured eleven matches, with kncokouts, TKOs, submissions, surprises - the works! Whether it was a well-assembled card, a chance for the fighters to take out their quarantine frustrations on each other, or both it was a wild watch. Yes, for the action, and also due to the fact that these MMA gladiators went toe-to-toe in front of no live fans. An element that didn't seem to faze the fighters, but lead to awkward laughter at times, too (Joe Rogan did a bang-up job on the interviews and comentary).
Who did it better though? --...@JoeRogan or @Bisping? #UFC249 pic.twitter.com/0DR5lSZDY3
— UFC (@ufc)
May 9, 2020 Fans were thrilled that Dana White, who sported a Tampa Bay 12 shirt, brought live fights back. Even the President congratulated Dana for staging the first live sports in the US in two months.
ICYMI - Here's President Trump congratulating Dana White and the UFC for last night's card #UFC249 pic.twitter.com/6Ay315DSLC
— Niall McGrath (@niallmcgrath4)
May 10, 2020 Obviously no other sport is like UFC, which I imagine most athletes who don't want a knee to the face are OK with. But the one-on-one combat gives the ultimate contact sport the ability to monitor athletes, test, prepare and treat differently than other team sports. That element is not likely to affect the return of major team sports. But as to staging a major athletic event in front of no fans within the contiguous 48? It happened. And it was intense, and it was surreal (hot mics!) But the fans loved it. Only question is...who's next? Our money is on baseball.
BECAUSE YOU NEED THIS
The worst of times, in the most obvious and unexpected ways, can bring out the best of humanity. Like Bruce. We all need to be more like Bruce (and I could pull a Randy Jackson I'd say, "You're goin to Hollywood, dog!")
These young ladies were outside taking pictures for their 2020 graduation when this sanitation-worker named Bruce stopped and sang to them.Also, Bruce lost two daughters to car-accidents. He tells the story.I’m crying. I have 3 girls.BE A BRUCE.--❤️pic.twitter.com/V1ykgFE1bH
— Rex Chapman---- (@RexChapman)
May 9, 2020 QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Would not say I'm Mona Lisa Vito of the football world as she was in the car expertise area." -- An all-time classic Belichick quote, from his impromptu DeflateGate press conference, Jan. 24, 2015, remembered humorously today on the five year anniversary of Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension.
