GRACE'S FIRST SPORTS SEGMENT
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- the nascar cup series was back- this weekend for the coca-cola- 600 - at charlotte motor speedway.- however -- there was something- very different this year about- the traditional, memorial day - weekend, race.- due to the covid-19 pandemic, - the race was held - without fans.
- on the track though -- racing - went on as usual.
Well -- - that is -- until the caution- flag was waved on the 48th lap,- - - - leading to a one-hour plus rain- delay.- later -- with two laps to go in- stage one, clint bowyer brings- out the caution flag after- crashing hard into the wall on- turn one.
Alex bowman goes on t- get the checkered flag- for the stage win.- with just two laps to go, - william byron spins out,- bringing out the caution flag - again -- sending the race into- overtime.
- race leader chase elliott makes- an intersting move- as he pits during the caution,- giving up the lead to brad- keselowski.
- keslowski takes his first coca-- cola 600 victory in what has- become the longest race in- nascar cup series history --- in terms of mileage.- - there's always that one person- in your hometown that - grows up to make it big.- for me, that person is adam - trautman, who was picked in the- third round by the saints just- last month.
- now -- the michigan native and- dayton alum is ready to move- to new orleans, leading into hi- rookie season, on the heels of- the most unique nfl draft in- league history.
- - <nats: "with the 105th pick in- the 2020- nfl draft, the new orleans- saints pick adam trautman, tigh- end, dayton.">- before nfl commissioner roger - goodell announced - trautman's name, the 6-foot-5,- 255- pound tight end was- thinking he - was going to have to wait - another day to find out which - - - - team he'd be playing for come - fall -- that is -- until his- phone - lit up with an unfamiliar area- code.
- adam trautman: "sitting there - and all of a sudden my phone- rings and it has a new- orleans number.
It's a call - coming in from new orleans and - was kinda like 'what?', - so i answered it.
He was like - 'hey, it's mickey loomis the gm- of the new- orleans saints like we're about- to trade up here to 105 to take- you.'
And i was just- like 'what?"- the saints traded the remainder- of their 20-20 draft- - - - picks to grab trautman at the - end of the third round.
New - orleans head coach sean payton- - - - explains why trautman was worth- the trade.- sean payton: "i think he was on- of the better blocking tight- ends we felt in this- draft.
You know, i'd say, - especially for a player that- played at a small school."- 'especially being from a small- school' is no new chip on - - - - trautman's shoulder.
The- eventual dayton a-p fcs all-- american played his high school- football in the small town of - elk rapids, michigan -- where h- quarterbacked a - team of only 21 players his - senior year.
However--- trautman says he's ready for- some big-time competition.- adam trautman: "being able to - compete against, you know, the- best players- in the entire world and do it - day in and day out.
It's- something i obviously didn't ge- a - - - - lot of at dayton.
I didn't get- to go play ohio state, michigan- michigan state, - - - - alabama, all those guys.- fortunately i did have the- opportunity to do that at the - senior bowl.
So, um, you know,- yup, like i said, i'm just- looking forward to going out- and competing against the best- - - - players in the world."
When - asked what trautman knows about- his new hometown, one - major event popped into his hea- first.- adam trautman: "umm.
Mardi gras- mardi gras."- more importantly, though, - trautman- already understands the prestig- of the black and gold.- adam trautman: "like obviously,- like it's one of the best - organizations in the- entire nfl.
You're always in- super bowl contention.
You win- all the time.
All that kind - of stuff, so that's awesome to- be a part of that."
- although the covid-19 pandemic- has forced the nfl to cancel al- off-season camps, including - rookie camp and o-t-a's,- trautman- hasn't let it affect his- preparation to make sure he's - game-day ready.
- adam trautman: "fortunately i - have access to a turf field her- in dayton and my- little brother's with me.
He'll- throw the ball to me obviously- when i run routes.
He'll hold a- pad for me when i need to block- these next couple months is - where a lot of games- - - - are going to be won and lost- this upcoming fall because some- people can use it as- an excuse to this time to just- kind of like chill and take it- out, take it off.
Or some - guys are gonna use it as a way- to gain an edge and obviously - that's what myselfi,- myself am trying to do and our- whole team is trying to do."- - - - - trautman looks to move to new - orleans soon to help get- acclimated to the climate,- before the saints' first- pre-season game --slated for- august 23rd against the - texans.
- - taylor -- it's my favorite part- of the show -- it' s time for - the w-- x-x-v play of the day -- and- today we're throwing it back to- last- year's memorial day weekend whe- the southern miss - golden eagles became c-u-s-a- tournament champions for- the 3rd time in just 4 years.
- they not only had a no-hitter t- beat rice and send them to the- finals -- they ended the- tournament with a 19-inning - shutout streak.
I mean, wow!- it's a bummer they weren't able- to- do it again this year -- for- reasons beyond their control, o- course.
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