Hello HerDaily readers and Happy Presidents’ Day! Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington’s birthday, the day made a move from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents’ Day in the late 1960s when Congress proposed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. Four chief executives, George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan, were all born in February, but their birthdays all come too early or late to coincide with Presidents’ Day, which is always celebrated on the third Monday of the month. So today we celebrate ALL presidents! Banks and other government buildings are closed and, in typical American fashion, marketers have taken the opportunity to play up the three-day weekend with sales and “Presidents’ Day” bargains. Enjoy whatever you decide to do. You know what I’ll suggest: watching some sports (and the Grammys tonight!).
The NBA All-Star weekend was held for the first time in Canada over the weekend, and the host city did not disappoint. This NBA mid-season showcase featured exciting games and contests culminating with the All-Star game last night. Here is a recap:
• The All-Star Celebrity game started things off on Friday. The Canadian Team, led by Coach Drake, outlasted Coach Kevin Hart and Team USA, 74-63. While the talent wasn’t at the same level as the rest of the weekend’s events, the game was fun and entertaining.
• In the Rising Stars Challenge between Team USA and the World Team, fans were treated to some of the best rookies and sophomores in the league. Toronto native and Minnesota Timberwolves star Zach Levine scored 30 points in front of his hometown crowd, and was awarded MVP. NY Knick Kristaps Porzingis had a monster night with 30 points – I’d say the NBA is in good hand with this young talent pool.
• Saturday night hosted the the skills challenge, the 3-point contest, and fan favorite: the dunk contest. The Skills Challenge is a 3-round, obstacle-course competition that tests dribbling, passing, agility, and 3-point shooting. This year it included the big men. Minnesota Timberwolve Karl-Anthony Towns became the second rookie and the tallest (6’11”) NBA player to win the competition, showing us that “big guys” are evolving from post players to playmakers.
• In the Three-Point contest, Klay Thompson did what few teams have done this season: beat Steph Curry. Thompson beat his Warrior teammate by shooting 27 points in the final round, four more that Curry.
• In what many are saying was THE BEST Slam Dunk contest ever, Rising Star MVP, Zach Levine, won his second consecutive title, barely beating Orlando Magic Aaron Gordon. Drawing perfect score after perfect score, these two pushed each other to new limits of athleticism and creativity. WATCH THIS SHORT HIGHLIGHT REEL. The dunks are outrageous! My fav was Gordon’s dunk over the Orlando Magic mascot Stuff, who was spinning on a hoverboard, #insanity.
• Lastly, the main event was the All-Star game on Sunday. There was lots of Kobe love this Valentine’s Day, with it being his last All-Star game. Russell Westbrook from the OKC Thunder took home the MVP in the Western Conference’s record setting 196-173 win (that score is not a typo). Westbrook is the first player to win back-to-back MVPs.
In college hoops…. there were lots of upsets over the weekend. There doesn’t seem to be any clear dominant team(s) this year, which will make this season’s #MarchMadness extra fun.
#2 Maryland suffered their first loss at home in 27 games, after a 70-57 defeat by the Wisconsin Badgers. The Terps (Maryland Terrapins = Terps =>learn the lingo) guard Melo Trimble had his worst performance of the season, going 1-14 from the field.
In a fight for the top of the SEC, No. 22 Kentucky blew out South Carolina, 89-62, in Columbia on Saturday.
In another blow out, No. 5 Xavier beat Butler, 74-57, in a mid-major battle in Indianapolis.
Notre Dame knocked off No. 13 Lousiville, 71-66, in South Bend.
No. 14 Iowa State beat No. 24 Texas, 85-75.
No.21 Baylor lost at home again, 84-66, to Texas Tech.
See all college scores and schedules here.
NHL:
I’m sure you remember the story of John Scott and the crazy, controversial vote by the fan base that got him into the NHL All-Star game, two weeks ago. After a whirlwind month that saw him voted All-Star captain of the Pacific Division, traded to the Montreal Canadiens, left in limbo regarding whether or not the trade would affect his All-Star status, being named MVP of the All-Star Game, and finally, welcoming twin girls to his family, Scott is now back in St. John’s Newfoundland, to resume his pro hockey career with the Ice Caps. On Saturday night, he took to the ice against the Toronto Marlies in a 3-1 win. He could however, has made the NBA All-Star weekend, as his agent received multiple offers from companies asking Scott to attend their All-Star events. As “cool” as it would have been, he said, Scott declined because his “job is to play hockey.” Its nice to see that although he isn’t regarded as a top player in the league, and has a rep for playing “with his fists,” he IS very passionate about the game and has his priorities straight. I might have gone to the All-Star game…#justsayin.
After an 8-game losing streak, the Minnesota Wild fired Coach Mike Yea, hiring Iowa Wild John Torchetti as interim coach.
Brendan Leipsic scored the winner in his NHL debut, as the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Vancouver Canucks, 5-2, on Saturday night.
The Boston Bruins and Detroit Redwings squared off on Sunday afternoon in a battle of the second and third-place teams, in the Atlantic division. Red Wing forward Henrik Zetterberg had two goals and an assist, including the game winner in the 3rd period to give Detroit the 6-5 win at Joe Louis Arena.
See all NHL scores and schedules here.
In PGA golf, Vaughn Taylor rallied, beating Phil Mickelson at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Taylor pulled off four straight birdies on the back nine on Sunday, while Phil Mickelson missed a 5ft putt, yet winning it on the last hole.
In NASCAR news, Denny Hamlin won the Sprint Unlimited in an overtime finish at the Daytona International Speedway on Saturday. Hamlin won the season-opening non-points event for the second time in three years. Joey Logano finished second, Paul Menard third, and Kyle Larson fourth, in a race that saw only four of the 25 cars avoid wrecks. Yikes.
On Sunday, rookie Chase Elliott became the youngest (20yrs) Daytona 500 pole winner in history, and will start next week’s race in the top spot. Elliott had the fastest lap speed of 196.314 mph, followed by two-time Daytona winner Matt Kenseth, whose qualifying speed was 196.036 mph. The NASCAR season-opener Daytona 500 is next Sunday @ 1pm ET on FOX.
See the full NASCAR Speedweek events listed here.
More details have surfaced regarding the Johnny Manziel incident at the home of his ex-girlfriend, Colleen Crowley, two weeks ago. Crowley has requested an Order of Protection, alleging that Manziel ruptured her eardrum, and that she continues to be “extremely concerned for her health and well-being.” Manziel says “it did not happen.” A sad and all too-familiar story in the NFL.
In related news, six women have sued the University of Tennessee under Title IX following a series of sexual assault cases involving football players and other athletes. The suit accuses the school of creating “a student culture that enables sexual assaults by student-athletes, especially football players, and then uses an unusual, legalistic adjudication process that is biased against victims who step forward.” Caught up in the firestorm is Super Bowl Champ, Peyton Manning, and a 1996 incident alleging he placed his naked genitals on the face of a female trainer during an examination – Manning claims he was mooning his teammate. We’ll be monitoring this… these are serious allegations, and the story is far from over.
Ronda Rousey expands her brand by gracing one of the covers (there are three) of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Take a peek here. The magazine will also feature the first plus-size model on it’s cover, Ashley Graham. While I’m not a huge fan of the Swimsuit Issue, and how it so blatantly objectifies women, I’m glad they’re opening it up to curvy and more relatable models, #WomanNotObjects.
New York Mets relief pitcher Jenrry Mejia is the first major league baseball player to get a lifetime ban for doping. After failing a doping test for the third time, MLB handed down its most severe punishment under its anti-doping program. It’s so strange to me that despite baseball’s longstanding effort to strengthen its drug program, players still look for ways to try and gain an edge. It doesn’t seem worth it.
The NBA became the first professional league to suprpass one billion social media follows. This includes all league, team, and player accounts across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Tencent, and Sina in China. I follow @NBA, @ESPNNBA , @NBAonTNT, @NBAHistory, @NBADLeague, @kobebryant, just to name a few. Who do you follow?
That’s it for #SportBits. A lot of information here! I recommend sticking to the stuff that interests you, and talking about it! Enjoy your day off and eat a big piece of cake in honor of our Presidents. Watch the Grammys tonight to see what Gaga is wearing, because THAT will be some water cooler talk tomorrow! Make sure to follow me on Instagram and Twitter for weekly sports news and scores, #outie.
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