Tiger King 🐅

Week in Review 1/11/24

Happy Thursday!

What an exciting week. Aliens were allegedly spotted walking around Miami, an underground tunnel system was found in New York, the Golden Globes had the worst host ever, and NFL playoffs have finally begun. Keep reading for…

🦡 A newly crowned champion
🌓 NBA halfway point check-in
🦸 Super duper extra special wild card weekend
👑 Odds of becoming a pro athlete

And more! Let’s get into it ⬇️

THIS PAST WEEK

Who wins in a fight - a Wolverine or a Husky? 🏈

Before talking about the on-field matchup, let’s look at the “in-the-field” matchup between a Wolverine and a Husky.

Wolverine 🦡

Weight: 20-50 lbs
Height: 13-17 inches
Characteristics: Aggressive, tenacious, and territorial. They make their living by being very efficient scavengers.

Husky 🐺

Weight: 40-60 lbs
Height: 21-23.5 inches
Characteristics: Resilient, loyal, independent, fluffy, and warm. Huskies make their living being cute and cuddly while pulling sleds.

We finally got the answer to this age-old question on Monday as Michigan and Washington squared off for the College Football national championship.

They clock in at similar sizes but the tenacity of the Wolverines is what pulled them through to victory. They won 34-13 and simply ruined our UW watch party in San Francisco. 😔

Data on the most watched telecasts of 2023 was released this week and you may not be surprised to see who came out on top.

While we were all watching Saltburn and Barbie, the rest of the nation was tuning into the NFL. Some insights from the numbers:

  • 📈 NFL games accounted for 93 of the top 100 telecasts in 2023, up from 82 in 2022.

  • 🇺🇸 115 million people watched the Super Bowl, around a third of the nation.

  • 🏈 Of the remaining 7 broadcasts not the NFL, 3 were college football and the rest were non-sports-related.

The score at halftime… 🏀

Moving on from NHL general updates last week, we’re checking in on their sister league, the NBA. Here are the top stories so far this year.

 🤩 Unexpectedly good teams

  • Minnesota Timberwolves

  • OKC Thunder

  • Orlando Magic

😡 Unexpectedly bad teams

  • Golden State Warriors

  • Phoenix Suns

  • Memphis Grizzlies

Unprecedented Losing

Unfortunately, the biggest story so far is the Detroit Pistons losing 28 games in a row, a new single-season record in the NBA.

Sure, they were expected to be the worst team this season… but losing 28 games is a bit ridiculous. Even their sponsors were embarrassed. 🙈 Wingstop was caught moving their logo further and further from the final scores posted on Instagram every game.

We’re not done just yet 🏈

The NFL regular season has concluded, and it seems like only yesterday that we were previewing the season.

Since then, Taylor Swift's fame has eclipsed that of football, Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles tear, and aliens were seen walking around Miami. A lot has transpired, and now the playoffs are upon us.

Last week, we discussed the teams 'on the bubble,' vying for the final playoff spots. Let's review who made it and who missed out.

  • Houston Texans ✅

  • Pittsburgh Steelers ✅

  • Seattle Seahawks ❌ 

  • New Orleans Saints ❌ 

  • Minnesota Vikings ❌ 

  • Atlanta Falcons ❌ 

Next up, we have 'Super Wildcard Weekend' – yes that's the official name – featuring the first round of playoff games on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Some aficionados consider this the most thrilling week of the entire year, so good luck trying to get a football enthusiast off the couch. 🛋️

LEARNING MODULE 💡 

Making the big leagues

If you’re like me, you grew up thinking there were only 4 jobs in the world: firefighter, doctor, construction worker, or professional athlete. 🏋️

Additionally, you might have thought that becoming a professional athlete was the most achievable of these options. But what are the real chances for a high schooler to make it to the big leagues in America? 🤔

Let's explore this infographic and assess if little Riley truly stood a chance.

Insights 💡

NFL 🏈
1 million high schoolers play football, more than doubling any other sport. However, it's important to note the difference in team sizes: a football team typically has 53 roster spots, significantly more than the 12 spots available in a basketball team.

MLB ⚾️
Baseball is often considered the easiest sport to turn professional in. This is due to the fact that there are over 600 draft picks annually and a substantial minor league system. Consequently, many players who achieve 'pro' status in baseball do not reach the superstar level common in other sports leagues.

NBA 🏀
Basketball is considered the most difficult sport to turn professional in. This is largely because a vast number of children play basketball, but the available roster spots are extremely limited. With only 60 draft picks annually in the NBA, as opposed to over 600 in MLB, it ensures that only the elite players make it through.

NHL 🏒
Hockey is quite regional in its popularity. While it is a major sport in America, its reach is not extensive nationwide, particularly in the West. This regional popularity results in fewer high school participants, which statistically makes it easier to advance to the major leagues.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 🏆

Tiger Woods ⛳️ 🐅

The most dominant golfer in history made headlines this week. Not for his athletic prowess, but for the expiration of his famous endorsement deal with Nike.

Starting in 1996 when Tiger was the hottest athlete in town, Nike latched on with ever-growing sponsorship deals. Over 27 years, the two parties inked 4 contracts worth north of $500M total 💰, making it one of the most lucrative sponsorships behind Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The parting of ways was very amicable. 🤝

While debatably still the face of golf, Tiger is no longer the king of the jungle athletically. He plays on tour only a handful of times a year and rarely gets close to winning.

We’ll eagerly await Tiger’s next move but in the meantime, he has a pile of cash to sit on.

Here’s a link to the best Nike x Tiger commercials over the years. Beware, they may make you want to take up golfing…

THIS NEXT WEEK

Some say this next month is the best time to be a sports fan. NFL playoffs and the midpoint of the NBA and NHL seasons ensure action almost every night.

Don’t worry though, SportsBall has you covered. 👍

Super Wild Card Weekend 🏈

The first round of the NFL playoffs is here with games Saturday, Sunday, AND Monday. That means we’re officially 4 weeks away from the Super Bowl. 🎉 

Saturday

Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans - 1:30 PM PST
Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs - 5 PM PST (Alix Earle vs. Taylor Swift in the battle of NFL girlfriends)

Sunday

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Buffalo Bills - 1 PM PST
Green Bay Packers vs Dallas Cowboys - 4:30 PM PST
Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions - 5 PM PST

Monday

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 5:15 PM PST

Thanks again to all of you, don’t forget to share if you haven’t already!

Best,
Riley and Claire

Keywords: Aliens in Miami, underground tunnel system New York, Golden Globes host, NFL playoffs, Wolverine vs Husky, College Football national championship, most watched telecasts, NFL regular season, Super Wildcard Weekend, NBA halfway point, MLB draft, NBA draft, NHL popularity, chances of becoming a pro athlete, Tiger Woods Nike deal, NFL playoffs schedule

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