Former NBA executive Lance Blanks tragically passed away on May 3 at the age of 56. His daughter Riley Blanks Reed has revealed his cause of death. She said in a obituary posted to ESPN that her father took his own life.
“People will want more information,” Blanks Reed wrote in the obituary. “But the fact is we will never truly know why. And we don’t need to. All we need to do is remember him, honor him, celebrate him, and pour our love into the family that made him happy.”
Blanks started his college career at Virginia before transferring to Texas. He didn’t get much playing time with the Cavaliers but made his mark with the Longhorns.
He averaged 19.7 points per game and 20.3 points per game in back-to-back seasons with the Longhorns. He also help lead them to an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament in 1990.
Blanks was selected 26th overall in the 1990 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons. He spent three seasons in the NBA, including some time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Blanks played in Europe too before retiring from basketball in 1999.
After his playing career ended, he transitioned to the operations and executive side of basketball. He was a scout for the San Antonio Spurs and LA Clippers. He then served as the assistant general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers and general manager for the Phoenix Suns before becoming an analyst in 2020 for Texas basketball on Longhorn Network.
Blanks ranks eighth all-time in Texas history for points with 1,322. His 20.0 points per game he averaged in his final season ranks fourth in school history for a single season. He ended his career as the school’s all-time steals leader and was inducted into the Longhorns Hall of Honor in 2007.
Blanks Reed wants people to remember her father as a leader on and off the court.
“Daddy had impact. He had what he would call ‘staying power.’ He was lovingly referred to as the duck: relaxed, calm and effortless on the surface, pedaling like mad beneath the water,” she wrote in her obituary.
She continued, “Daddy was my person, my idol, my teacher, my best friend and my confidant — a man I thought immortal. He encompassed everything to me.”
Joe Dumars, former Pistons teammate and current NBA executive vice president, head of basketball operations, called him “one of his closest friends.”
“Lance was a light for all those who knew him,” said Dumars to ESPN. “It’s been a privilege to have called him one of my closest friends. I’m eternally grateful for all the support he has shown me throughout the years. His legacy will be carried on, not only by his family, but by all those whose lives he touched for the better.”
The Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and Suns star forward Kevin Durant also spoke highly of Blanks when they were asked questions about him last week after his passing. Blanks served as a mentor for Durant while he was at Texas. He knew Kerr when he was a scout for the Spurs and Kerr was a player.
Former two-sport superstar athlete Bo Jackson admitted he’s been suffering from hiccups for almost a year and has tried all types of remedies, including smelling the ass of a porcupine.
Since last July the former NFL Pro Bowl running back and MLB All-Star has been suffering with hiccups and he will now undergo a medical procedure to relieve him of the issue.
The hiccups caused Jackson to miss the unveiling of fellow Auburn Tigers alumnus Frank Thomas’ baseball statue outside the school’s baseball stadium last month.
“I wasn’t there because I’ve been dealing with hiccups,” the former Tigers superstar athlete said. “I’ve had the hiccups since last July.”
Jackson was a guest on on Alabama local radio show “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning,” when he revealed he’d been suffering.
“I have done everything,” Jackson said. “Scare me, drink water upside down, smell an ass of a porcupine. It doesn’t work!”
According to the Mayo Clinic, hiccups are repeated spasms or sudden movements of the diaphragm that you can’t control. A spasm in your diaphragm causes your vocal cords to suddenly close, producing a “hic” sound.
We’ve all suffered from hiccups, and they can be very frustrating. Imagine dealing with it for almost a year?
Common causes of hiccups include: eating a large meal, drinking alcoholic or carbonated beverages, or getting excited suddenly. Hiccups may also be a sign of an underlying medical issue.
Hopefully it’s not the latter for Jackson, though he admitted more tests and a procedure will be done.
“I’m getting a medical procedure done the end of this week, I think, to try to remedy it. I’m busy at the hospital, sitting up with doctors, poking me and shining lights down my throat and probing me every way they can to find out why I got these hiccups,” said Jackson.
A two-sport star in college at Auburn, Jackson won the 1985 Heisman Trophy and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1986 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but refused to play for them. He instead opted to play for the defending World Series Champion Kansas City Royals, who selected him in the fourth round.
Jackson eventually played in the NFL for the Raiders and became the only athlete in history to be named both an MLB All-Star (1989) and NFL Pro Bowl player (1990).
He became a household name through Nike’s “Bo Knows” advertising campaign. The series of ads starred Jackson alongside Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Bo Diddley, and other star athletes, including Andre Agassi and Wayne Gretzky, while promoting a cross-training shoe named for Jackson.
A devastating hip injury robbed Jackson of what might have been a Pro Hall of Fame football career. But he did dazzle and awe us at his peak. When you tuned in to a Jackson game on the diamond or gridiron you never knew what you were going to get, but there was always the possibility of greatness.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are one win away from advancing to the Western Conference finals. The second in the Jokic era for the two-time league MVP. The big Serbian is dominating the playoffs and looks like he’s on his way to a potential NBA title, a la Dirk Nowitzki in 2011. Will a title finally silence all the doubters?
Whether certain NBA fans like it or not, Nikola Jokic is on the short list for best player in the world. He is that good. The two-time league MVP is not some media creation or advanced stats creation. He is a living, breathing, basketball machine.
Much like Nowitzki, before he won the title in 2011, there are biases about the aesthetics of his game that make it difficult for fans to see what is right in front of them.
In 2007 Nowtitzki won league MVP, rightfully so, but was mocked widely because the Dallas Mavericks flamed out in the first round despite being a No. 1 seed. The loss somehow validated the notion that the award was incorrectly given.
But of course the MVP is an individual regular season award and the NBA championship is a postseason team accomplishment. But sure, go ahead on conflate the two.
Jokic won the MVP in 2021 and 2022, and the Nuggets were swept in the conference semis and lost in the first round, respectively, in those same years. So of course that means Jokic’s MVPs are fraudulent. Never mind the fact that in both years the Nuggets were dealing with injuries to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.
Let’s also remember Jokic isn’t the only MVP winner who didn’t make it to the conference finals the same year he won the award. Russell Westbrook, Moses Malone (twice), Nowitzki, and Wes Unseld all failed to make it out of the first round the year they won the coveted award.
The GOAT Michael Jordan during his incredible 1987-88 season where we won MVP, DPOY, and was MVP of the All-Star game lost in the conference semis in five games.
It’s hard to win championships. But a team’s inability to win the ultimate prize does not negate what an individual did in the regular season.
As for this season, the Nuggets are healthy and deep. The Las Vegas books have them as the current title favorites at +280. They still need to eliminate the Phoenix Suns which they will have a chance to do on Thursday night. But no matter who emerges from the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers series, it seems like the Nuggets are just the better team.
As for Jokic’s postseason. He’s dominating much like he did in the regular season. He’s averaging 30 points, 13 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game on absurd 53/48/76 shooting splits. He’s at 57 eFG% and 61 TS% splits. He’s first in win shares, ws/48, and tied for first in value over replacement player.
If the Nuggets are able to win the title and Jokic earns Finals MVP it will be seen by some as validation of those MVP awards. But it shouldn’t be.
You don’t win championships alone, despite what rings culture and talking heads on sports networks tell you.
The Lakers fell 121-106 to the Warriors in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series, but that wasn’t the main takeaway from the game. Lakers star forward Anthony Davis left the game midway through the fourth quarter with an apparent head injury after he caught an elbow to the temple from Warriors center Kevon Looney. He immediately grabbed his head and exited the game.
Lakers fans and everyone watching thought the same thing when it happened: “Here we go again.” The concern about his availability for Game 6 raised even more questions when it was reported that he left the arena in a wheelchair. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley seemingly were looking past those concerns as the two laughed on their postgame show “Inside the NBA” after the segment touched on Davis having to be carted off in a wheelchair for a head injury. Stephen A. Smith followed their laughs with jokes of his own the next morning on his daily morning ESPN show “First Take.”
Barkley and O’Neal couldn’t contain themselves on Wednesday night as their co-host Kenny Smith discussed Davis’ injury. The two men continuously laughed as co-host Ernie Johnson urged them to tell the viewers what they were laughing at.
Barkley did his best to move past the topic by saying, “Ernie, we need to go to that next game quickly, man.”
Smith interjected, “Ernie don’t let us go there. Because if we go there it would never stop, never stop.”
O’Neal just continued laughing and repeating “I am laughing at Chuck.”
Barkley finished the segment by accusing Smith of doing a wheelchair motion as he was adjusting his chair.
Smith took the opportunity to make light of Davis’ injury situation as well.
“Concussion? I thought the NFL season was over. Now I understand that concussions can happen in other sports… But damn, I ain’t see nothing yesterday that made me say concussion,” said Smith on First Take.
He continued by saying he didn’t see “Ray Lewis or Ronnie Lott” hit Davis on the court last night. It was met with backlash by Twitter users. Smith just caught heat a week ago for suggesting that Kawhi Leonard should retire and the LA Clippers should move on from him because of his injury history.
“I love how we are acting like Kevon Looney didn’t swing his elbow and hit Anthony Davis in the temple. Also love how we are making fun of a potential brain injury on National Tv. What a joke man,” tweeted sports YouTuber Jake Ellenbogen.
Another Twitter user wrote, “Insane!! Forearm/elbow to the temple from a 7footer is no joke. Any Boxer knows it’s not only where you get hit but it’s the shots you don’t see comin that can knock you out. Being disoriented & the way AD looked is concerning.”
Smith tweeted out a response that suggested he was being insensitive to Davis’ injury.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham gave an optimistic report about Davis status for game six on Friday after Wednesday night’s game.
“He took a shot to the head,” said Ham to reporters after game five. “He seems to be doing really good already. That’s where he’s at and the status of it right now.”
He was not immediately diagnosed with a concussion and recent reports from TNT reporter Chris Haynes indicated that Davis will be available for Game 6 if he has no setbacks or doesn’t experience any new symptoms. Davis told Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and his agent Rich Paul that he felt “woozy” after the game. Now, the Lakers will turn to team doctors and the NBA concussion protocol to determine his status.
“A player diagnosed with a concussion should be regularly monitored for 24 hours for the evolution of symptoms, and accordingly the player may not begin the return-to-participation exertion process until 24 hours after the time of injury,” states the league’s concussion protocol.
The Detroit Pistons fired assistant general manager Rob Murphy on May 4. The firing came after he was placed on administrative leave and an external investigation was conducted for accusations of inappropriate conduct made by a former employee. The investigation was reportedly concluded in December ,but Murphy stayed on leave until his dismissal last week.
“Rob Murphy no longer works for the Detroit Pistons or Motor City Cruise, in any capacity,” the Pistons said in a statement provided to The Detroit News. “Mr. Murphy was recently terminated for violation of company policy and the terms of his employment agreement. The facts that gave rise to his termination surfaced during a review, assisted by a national law firm, of allegations made by a former employee. Mr. Murphy was placed on leave immediately after the allegations were received and did not return to work on the workplace prior to his termination. Because this is a personnel matter, no further details will be forthcoming at this time.”
Now, Murphy and his attorney Steven Potter has broken their silence in a press release statement on Thursday.
Potter released the following statement:
“Both my client and I want to express our support for all victims of sexual harassment or any form of workplace misconduct. We stand by everyone’s right to seek justice. However, in light of recent unsubstantiated, publicly stated allegations, I can no longer advise my client to sit quietly and allow his reputation to be unfairly tarnished.”
He continued, “My client has maintained his silence and patience since he was put on administrative leave by the Pistons in October 2022. He passed a polygraph test administered by the President of Michigan Association of Polygraph Examiners on November 16, 2022, and he fully cooperated with the Pistons’ investigation conducted by outside counsel. Subsequently, his legal team received an email from Pistons’ General Counsel om Feb. 20, 2023, that confirmed the outcome of the month’s long investigation.”
Potter said the team’s email stated in part, “the investigation concluded that the available evidence does not support a finding of harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation by Rob or the Pistons organization against Ms.Raska.”
Potter’s statement concluded with him saying that his client will not comment any further and “any attempts to try this case in the court of public opinion are detrimental for all parties involved.”
West Virginia Mountaineers head basketball coach Bob Huggins is no stranger to controversy.
The former Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball coach is recognized as one of the better coaches in the game, and a lot of that success stems from his fiery in-your-face motivational approach.
But as much as that has helped Huggins, who by all accounts is well respected, it’s also the reason he ends up in situations that don’t reflect well on his character.
During an appearance on 700 WLW’s “Bill Cunningham Show,” a Cincinnati-based radio show, “Huggy” went on a bit of rant when asked about Xavier, the archrival for his former Bearcats, calling them names that are frowned upon.
“All those f—s, those Catholic f—s who would throw rubber penises on the floor and then say they didn’t do it.”
“I’ll tell you what, any school that can throw rubber penises on the floor and then say they didn’t do it, by God they can get away with anything,” Huggins said.
“It was the Crosstown Shootout. What it was was all those f—s, those Catholic f—s. They were envious they didn’t have one.”
While he did issue an apology almost immediately, the damage had already been done. Those homophobic comments rubbed former NBA player John Amaechi, who was the league’s first player to come out as gay, the wrong way.
While Amaechi played just five years in the league, he is known for being coming out as a homosexual male in his 2007 New York Bestseller titled “Man In The Middle.”
During an interview with TMZ Sports, Amaechi spoke on Huggins’ comments.
“I don’t know the man, but he sounds like a dinosaur. College and indeed pro sports are littered with them.”
After hearing of Huggins’ comments, Amaechi mentioned that many others in leadership positions in the world of sports think and believe as Huggins spoke.
Amaechi also says it didn’t sit right with him how the host seemed to be all in with Huggins after using those words. He then called everyone involved “disgusting” for pretty much urging him to continue his ridiculous rant.
“It’s hardly surprising that some people still think it’s OK to say these words,” Amaechi said. “As to whether he should be an educator (as a coach or otherwise), I would remind people that vociferously anti-trans and anti-gay usually sit in a constellation where many other minority groups (including Black and brown people) are also help in contempt.”
This isn’t the first time Huggins and the word controversy have butted heads. The thing with this one is it wasn’t a blip or slip-up, but he blatantly meant to say the things he said in that interview.
He might have been rewinding back to another time and explaining what the public opinion was back then, but he was a bit too loose with the lips for this day and age, where anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of social media and public opinion.
And while he’s a great coach and great motivator, it may be time for Huggins to ride off in the sunset and out of Morgantown.
Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Huggins is not going to be fired, but the fiery sideline stalker is will take a $1M reduction in salary in an amendment to his current ($4.2M) salary to be donated to LGBTQ+ Center, a three game suspension, contract amended to year-to-year, and he must make “a substantial donation to Xavier University.”
This following a pretty serious meeting with school President Gordon Gee, and input from the school’s administration, board of trustees, and the athletics department.
Ex Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza was not present at the time of an alleged gang rape according to prosecutors.
Yahoo Sports received a 200-plus page transcript of a 100-minute meeting last December between a San Diego district attorney, the alleged victim of sexual assault and her attorneys, where the results of the authorities’ investigation were presented.
“He wasn’t even at the party anymore,” deputy district attorney Trisha Amador explained to the girl. Later Amador stated of the timeline of events, “All I know is that at that point, suspect Araiza is gone from the party.”
The alleged incident occurred during a party at a home near the campus while he was an athlete at San Diego State University during the early hours of Oct. 15, 2021.
The lawsuit, filed in August 2022, accuses Araiza of having sex with “Jane Doe” a then 17-year-old-high school senior, and under the age of consent in California. The suit states Araiza brought her inside a room where at least three other men were, and that she was repeatedly raped for about an hour and a half until the party was shut down.
But, according to Amador and the district attorney’s office, Araiza simply couldn’t have participated in the alleged rape because their evidence showed he left the party at 12:30 a.m., an hour before the alleged incident occurred.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Dan Gilleon, shared the following statement to Fox News Digital regarding this new report.
“Team Araiza continues to litigate the case in the media because they know the information they’re leaking has no relevance whatsoever to the lawsuit,” Gilleon said. “Matt Araiza will dress up in a suit and tie for tv crews at a meaningless court hearing, but he won’t speak to the media like Jane Doe has and will continue to do. The first time Araiza had a chance to tell his side of the story was when he was contacted by the police. He took the fifth, asserting his right not to incriminate himself. Since then, he has remained silent as his attorneys leak irrelevant information to the media and attack the victim, apparently thinking that she’ll be bullied into dropping her case. It’s not going to happen. This case is going to trial, and we’ll force Araiza to talk.”
Gilleon also told San Diego’s CBS 8 that the witness who said Araiza wasn’t present at the party at the time of the alleged rape is a “buddy” of his.
This case is not over yet. While no criminal charges were filed, the civil suit remains and Gilleon is convinced the case is going to trial.
Even if Araiza was not present at the alleged gang rape, he hasn’t denied sexual intercourse with the alleged victim. Though he and his legal team will say it was consensual. And as in most cases of alleged sexual assault the accuser’s legal team will call into question the alleged victim’s sexual history, willingness to have sex, consumption of alcohol, etc.
All of it is ugly and disgusting and hurts the entire legal process for future victims.
If Jane Doe is lying and she willingly had sex with Araiza and made up the gang rape story she should be held accountable. If she was plied with alcohol and taken advantage of sexually by Araiza and anyone else, they should be held accountable.
But what we cannot do is make sweeping generalizations about anyone involved in alleged sexual assault cases. Alleged victims should feel safe enough to report incidents without their sexual histories being put on trial and the accused should have the opportunity to defend themselves.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wants the world to know he’s one tough nerd, as he recently won two medals at a Brazilian Jiujitsu tournament in the Bay Area. The 38-year-old debuted at the BJJ Tour competition held at a Silicon Valley high school on Saturday. He won the gold medal in the Nogi Master 1 White Belt Feather Weight Division and the Silver medal in the Gi Master 2 White Belt Feather Weight Division, per reports.
Zuckerberg trains with noted BJJ practitioner and coach Dave Camarillo, who has also trained stars like Keanu Reaves. In addition, he works with former professional MMA fighter James Terry, who has fought for Bellator MMA and Strikeforce, and coach Kai Wu from Guerilla Jiu Jitsu in San Jose, California.
In other words, Zuck is not playing.
“Competed in my first jiu jitsu tournament and won some medals for the Guerrilla Jiu Jitsu team,” Zuckerberg posted on Facebook. From the over 40,000 comments, even UFC fighter Conor McGregor congratulated him for stepping onto the mat.
However, Zuckerberg has shown his fondness for combat sports in the past. Last October, Zuck, his wife, Priscilla Chan, and some friends were given an ultra-private UFC in-venue experience when they were the only live spectators for UFC Fight Night 211. The fight featured Mackenzie Dern vs.Yan Xiaonan as the main event, and at a media event earlier in the week the organization told the press and fans that they would not be allowed to attend the fights. The UFC owns the venue they were held in, UFC Apex in Las Vegas, a minor club-style prospect fight venue.
During press outings for the event, Mackenzie Dern told the media, “I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event.”
The rumor began that the fights were a private party for Zuckerberg. However, UFC president Dana White went into defensive mode, tweeting that Zuckerberg “did NOT rent out the UFC Apex. That’s total bullsh*t.”
Zuckerberg is not the only celebrity to roll on the mat competitively. Last August, 44-year-old actor Tom Hardy showcased his combat athleticism during a charity jiujitsu match, which included a “championship” that Hardy won — twice. The “Venom” actor fetched two gold medals at the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, dominating his opponents in Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, in the U.K.
Hardy reportedly began training in mixed martial arts, where jiujitsu was a core element, when he prepared for the movie “Warrior” in 2011. He additionally trained in mixed martial arts for his 2018 role in “Venom.
Brazilian jiujitsu or BJJ is known as the gentle art, a nonviolent form of combat sport subjecting opponents to holds and vulnerable positioning via using your arms and legs without throwing one punch at the opponent.
For Zuckerberg, who said he found jiujiitsu to help boost his energy and focus at work during an August 2022 episode of the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, he began training during the pandemic. Now he is winning medals and redefining the combat abilities of tech geeks everywhere.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt has been a pleasant surprise since his midseason arrival via trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The former Kentucky Wildcats star has provided great defense, rebounding and athleticism for the surging Lakers.
Known as one of the more laid-back and quiet personalities on the Lakers squad, “Vando” seems to also dress pretty normal in comparison to some flamboyant fashion plates we see walk the tunnel daily with outfits that jump off the screen.
That is until Game 1 of the Lakers current Western Conference Semifinals matchup versus the Golden State Warriors. That’s when Vando reportedly wore a $2,000 outfit to the game and then returned it the next day.
A store employee of a luxury brand took to Twitter and blasted Vanderbilt for allegedly doing such a thing.
“Nice guy, but …. Bought 2K worth of clothes Monday, this outfit especially. Wore it to tunnel and postgame Tuesday, then returned it yesterday. I wasn’t at the store and someone took the return, lord knows why… Obviously used clothing…” the caption on the photo read.
Vanderbilt has yet to respond, but former Timberwolves teammate Patrick Beverley had a little fun at his expense.
When news of the story broke, most probably laughed at the thought of an NBA player who makes over $4 million per season doing a ghetto wear-and-return after being spotted in the outfit the previous night. Of course, former teammate Patrick “Play In Champion” Beverly couldn’t resist the urge to prod his former teammate and friend, by retweeting the pic with a caption.
“Naw Vando say it ain’t so.”
It’s all alleged, but why would someone care to make up a story about clothes being returned, unless it’s someone who isn’t hurting for money or clout. Vando has to realize that he is a pro playing for the most high-profile franchise in the NBA. Word gets around quickly.
Maybe the reason why Vando hasn’t responded is his task against the Warriors has been to guard Stephen Curry nightly. He doesn’t have any time to focus on anything else. If he succeeds in that task and helps the Lakers win, it only enhances his future NBA options. Those players who have been loyal to LeBron’s legacy goals eat well in the league. Ask Tristan Thompson.
Following the Lakers Game 1 win, Vanderbilt told Marc J. Spears of Andscape what it’s like to guard one of the greatest players ever.
“He’s a hell of a player,” Vanderbilt said of Curry. “He’s even more dangerous without the ball. One second you think you can relax and give it up. That is when you have to lock in the most. He’s a tough cover. We have a lot of bodies to throw at him. Starting with me, Dennis, I think everyone did a great job of chasing him around kind of wearing him down and making it hard for him.”
That’s been the Lakers strategy with Curry and while he’s gotten his numbers the Warriors trail the series 3-1. Pretty sure Vando couldn’t care less about a returned outfit; he’s just trying to close out Curry and the Warriors.
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens finally reached an agreement on a new contract for five years, $260 million. The two sides came together last week for a news conference and to officially put ink to paper. Now that the dust has settled, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta discussed how Jackson and his mom, who was representing Jackson as well, overwhelmed him with their knowledge about the business of football during contract negotiations.
DeCosta sat down with Mike Florio on NBC Sports’ “Pro Football Talk” podcast and discussed Jackson’s contract negotiations.
“Lamar is a good agent from the standpoint of he asks the right questions, he knows what he wants in a lot of different ways, he’s aware of different mechanisms and issues with the contract, language terms, types of structures, things like that,” DeCosta said. “He’s done his homework with all of that stuff. He’s a very, very smart guy, savvy. And he did a great job overall.”
Jackson and his mom negotiated the now highest annual salary contract in the NFL. Of the $260 million total over five years, $185 million is guaranteed. The deal topped Jalen Hurts contract for $255 million that he agreed to in mid-April.
The Ravens and Jackson were all smiles during their press conference last week, but it wasn’t like that during their negotiations. The team placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on the former MVP in March.
It was also revealed that Jackson requested a trade, but he stated on last week he never wanted to leave the organization.
Also, Jackson was heavily criticized by several NFL reporters and sports analysts for not having an agent. Florio was one of the many people that criticized him.
“Lamar, you need to hire an agent. Now,” Florio said on his show back in March. “Hire an agent now to shepherd you through this process, to aggressively contact all the teams, to try to get someone to come up with an offer sheet that maybe the Ravens couldn’t or wouldn’t match.”
Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless said numerous times on their show “Undisputed” that he needed to hire an agent.
The NFL even sent out a memo to all 32 teams urging them not to communicate to non-NFLPA certified agents. The memo was sent out because the NFL got notice of a man claiming to represent Jackson.
The star quarterback responded to the memo in a tweet that read, “Stop Lying that man never tried to negotiate for me.”
Jackson has set a new precedent across the league and sports. One example is LSU women’s basketball player Flau’Jae Johnson, who opted to not have representation and has her mom represent her with securing NIL deals.
Hopefully, Jackson and Johnson’s actions will result in players and their parents educating themselves more about the business of sports.
When the defending champion Golden State Warriors head into a May 10 must-win Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers heading, one player who’ll go a long way in determining the outcome is Draymond Green.
Known as the loud, loquacious and often over-the-top emotional leader of the Warriors’ four-championship dynasty, Green is often heard talking an awful lot — albeit on the court, in postgame pressers and even on TNT as a special in-season analyst.
Green is also a dad of three, Draymond Jamal, Kyla and Cash, and he often brings his young children to the podium following games, and that’s what he did after the Warriors’ Game 2 victory. While at the podium, Green began to elaborate on having his children around while he plays in the NBA, but then he stretched the truth.
Green also talked about his preparation prior to Game 2, and that’s where things got dicey.
“Last night I was in the gym. He was there with me,” Green said, as he tapped his son, DJ, on the head. “They love that.
DJ’s face said it all and then his mouth followed with a …
“No I wasn’t.”
And all Draymond could do was smile and try to move on to something else concerning his children.
It’s no different than LeBron saying he reads books, but is always on the first page when pictured. Or players in general just cappin’ or lying because it’ll make social media or become a story. In the words of the late great Tupac Shakur, it’s “All Eyez On Me” culture, and athletes seem to enjoy it.
Gone are the days of Doc Rivers telling Tim Duncan his family couldn’t fly on team flights sometimes.
That’s the reason Duncan didn’t sign with the Magic and join Grant Hill in 2000. So for Green, seeing the Warriors allow children in and around the facility is something he doesn’t take for granted, even if his junior bust him out for lying at the podium.
“We miss so much time with our kids,” he said. “I think that’s every working parent; it’s not just as basketball players. You have an obligation to provide for your child.
“When you’re able to share these moments with them, it’s special. I’ll look back at some of these pictures, I’ll look back at some of these interviews and moments, and you just really appreciate them.
“And I’m always thankful to the Warriors organization and the NBA as a whole because they don’t have to allow our kids to be up here.”
Green hopes there are many more trips to the podium this season, but if that is to happen, he and his Warriors teammates will have to muster up some real grit and tenacity to extend the series. He will however have to tighten up his stories because kids will always call you out on an embellishment or straight fabrication.
The Golden State Warriors are in a do-or-die moment now, and with the Dubs facing elimination from their intense playoff run, the media got a glimpse of a tense Warriors locker room and a defeated Jordan Poole as well.
After the Warriors lost 104-101 in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals, they went down 3-1 in the series against age-defying LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. While the series was touted as a competitive matchup that could easily go seven games, the Lakers were able to steal a game on the road and successfully protected their home court in games 3 and 4.
The Warriors are in an unthinkable position.
After winning a championship last year off the back of an insane Jordan Poole playoff performance, Poole’s lackluster performance this year may be the undoing of the Warriors’ season.
After scoring 21 points against the Lakers in Game 1, the 6-foot-4 guard combined for 11 points on some ill-advised shot selections between Games 2 and 3, and in Game 4 Poole only played for 10 minutes, not being able to score a single point in that time frame.
Averaging over 20 points this season, the Warriors count on Poole for a good amount of scoring in their system, and his scoring slump couldn’t have come at a worse time.
After his scoreless game, Poole retreated to the locker room before he was eventually hounded by the media. No one ever likes to interview the losing team, especially a team facing elimination, and Poole was no exception either.
Social media hasn’t been very kind to him either, poking fun at Poole for the rumor that he showered rap sensation Ice Spice with $500K in gifts. His poor play is just compounding the Twitter abuse. Which makes the losing and poor play even tougher to deal with. Right now, the young gunner is feeling the pressure of high expectations.
According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke, it was a very tense scene in the locker room and the deafening silence was an umbrella over the locker room once the media spoke to Poole.
Burke was quoted as saying “So we’re all kind of around him, the sides of him. He turned his music off for us, but that locker room, the visitor’s locker room is really cramped, so when that music went off, all the other players were listening as well. You could see Andrew Wiggins. There was [Kevon] Looney right nearby and then GP2 [Gary Payton II] came to the locker. It was like all eyes and ears were on Jordan right there. And it just heightened the tension.”
On top of that, when asked a question, Poole didn’t have much to say considering he only played 10 minutes and had one of the worst games of his career. Short answers, basic answers, and a lot of reference to the upcoming Game 5, which is natural for a team trying to come back from a 3-1 deficit. They’re not trying to talk about the game, especially one as close as that. They’re worried about moving forward and picking up a win in the Bay Area.
Although it seems as if the blame was on Poole for not showing up, Steph Curry reminded everyone that the blame was collectively on the team and that they need to all show up, not just Poole.
NBC Sports quoted Curry as saying “The conversations we have in the film sessions, on the bench, in the locker room are all consistent throughout the season, especially in this playoff run of trying to answer that question. So, he’s a part of that. We’re all a part of that. And if we’re going to get out of this hole, we all have to play better.”
With there already being possible trade rumors and packages for Poole, as well as people such as former Warrior Gilbert Arenas calling for Poole’s departure, it will be extremely interesting to see the narrative if the Warriors are eliminated.
ESPN continued to show what an unserious network it is with the conversation on “Get Up!” Tuesday morning. Host Mike Greenberg told the assembled panel that the nightlife is only one part, but the sunshine and heat in Miami also are some things that could be playing a role in the visiting New York Knicks struggling.
“[People don’t realize] how hard it is to go down to Miami this time of year,” Greenberg said. “People will immediately associate that with the nightlife and all that. But according to Jalen [Rose], there’s more than that. There’s also just the reality of the temperature change, the heat, the geography, being down there for three days. It just zaps a little bit of your energy and your strength. We talk about that primarily in football. I know this is an indoor sport, but I mean for the Knicks, whatever it is, [Jimmy] Butler has just destroyed them.”
Say what, Greeny?!
Look, we will be the first to say that a change in geography, sleeping in a hotel, flying and all of the things the road team endures before a game are not ideal. But let’s not lose our minds. The weather?!
This is classic ESPN. Instead of diving into what Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is scheming up with Butler, Bam Adebayo, old Kevin Love, and a bunch of undrafted players, Greeny is going for a hot take that will go viral on social media.
Knicks forward Julius Randle, who has had an uneven playoffs and is battling an ankle injury, isn’t blaming the South Florida weather for his team’s struggles.
“Maybe they want it more,” Randle said after the Game 4 loss. “I don’t know. That’s been who we are all year and we got to find a way to step up and make those plays, keep the season alive.”
Sometimes it’s about schemes and tactics, sometimes teams have to play harder and better. The Knicks executed better in Game 4 and the Heat cooled off from three. However, the Knicks gave up 13 offensive rebounds and nine more possessions to the Heat. They lost the game by eight points.
Rebounds are about effort and hustle. Putting a body on someone and securing the ball with two hands.
You’re never going to out-effort a Spoelstra Heat team, but the Knicks could play them evenly. They aren’t even doing that, and they find themselves on the brink of elimination.
That Spoelstra is without Tyler Herro and Butler missed time in this series and they’re on the brink of advancing to the conference finals is a testament to how good he is as a coach.
“I think that we found the value in the grind of a regular season,” Spoelstra said. “In the grind and the struggle. I’ve said that repeatedly. We found a beauty in that struggle, but without that struggle where we didn’t have to find different solutions to win and different guys stepping up so that they had the confidence for these kind of moments. If we didn’t have a regular season, then you have zero chance to be able to do that in the playoffs.”
Some teams and coaches are built for the postseason.
Antonio Brown is an enigma to many, whether on or off the field, and now, as a sports team owner, questions have arisen regarding his newest enterprise. Much of the speculation began when a security guard working at MVP Stadium confronted him on the field where the Albany Empire plays. The guard attempted to escort him off the field and verbally said Brown wasn’t the owner.
Then, on a different day, Brown allegedly locked out specific players of the Albany Empire from their hotel rooms and made “violent threats’ to them. Empire head coach Damon Ware and quarterback Sam Castronova both alleged that they’d been ostracized from other organization members after speaking out against their new team owner in Brown. It was also alleged that AB had not paid his players since April 21.
Amid all this, he was hit with a warrant for unpaid child support, reportedly for $30,000. Brown viewed the accusation as the consequence of fame and his Arena Football team ownership stake.
“Yeah, well, first off, anytime you say a guy own a team, there’s going to be some garnish in the wages, but let’s get this clear, I paid my bills, I’m a professional,” AB said to Sports Illustrated. “It’s about running the Empire and running the business. We don’t need negativity on my name. It’s bigger than me.”
Further reports show that the name of the owner of the majority stake in the Albany Empire is not Antonio Brown but Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise.
Per documents provided to the Times Union by AB’s camp, the team is owned by Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise. Brown has no personal ownership or control over the team. However, he previously has said publicly, “I’m the owner, 100 percent owner,” before he doubled his initial 47.5 percent stake to become the 95 percent owner. Then there is the more obvious question: who is Antonio El-Allah, and are AB and that person the same?
Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise is the domestic arm of another entity, Antonio El-Allah Express Trust, without the word “Enterprise” at the end, per the Times Union. On the night of Monday, May 3, a lawyer named Marlon Oliveira said in a phone call to Empire team president Alberony Denis that a foreign citizen named Antonio El-Allah is the trustee.
Per the Times-Union, Denis said that both he and Brown are representatives of Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise. However, Denis also said he does not act independently, clouding the scope of his power versus Brown’s.
Then a letter was sent from AB to team president Denis.
“I Brown, Antonio Tavaris a foreign national but not a citizen of the United States at birth, am writing to you regarding recent reports that have been circulating in the media regarding my supposed ownership of the Albany Empire team,” the letter begins, per the Times-Union, which received an emailed copy. “I want to make it very clear that I am not the owner of this team, and any claims to the contrary are completely false.
“As you may know,” the letter continues, “I am involved with the ANTONIO EL-ALLAH EXPRESS TRUST ENTERPRISE (a ‘trust’), which is a separate entity from myself. While the Trust have 100 percent ownership stake in the ALBANY EMPIRE, I myself do not have any ownership or control over the team.”
Per the report, one version of the letter is signed electronically by someone named John Williams, “Foreign Trustee, For Antonio El-Allah Express trust on behalf of: Antonio Tavaris Brown.” Additionally, his name is flanked by the words “No prejudice … no recourse,” which is a signal that Brown does not want any ownership claims to be used against him if he has any legal situations pending or forthcoming.
Former Empire co-owner Mike Kwarta sold his 47.5 percent stake to Brown for $1 on April 19, which allowed the Antonio El-Allah Express Trust Enterprise to control 95 percent. The remaining 5 percent is owned locally by a couple, Charlotte and Steve von Schiller.
As more layers are found, Antonio El-Allah Express Trust is connected to another entity, Big Boomin Investment Co. LLC, which Brown established in Dubai, UAE, to facilitate his investments. The United Arab Emirates is a haven for many Americans looking for shelters for their businesses. The UAE’s economy, in general, is considered to be the most liberal and diversified in the region. Dubai applies a no-taxation policy for almost all types of business activities.
Additionally, if you have a company in Dubai and other UAE Emirates in general, you will be eligible to get a UAE residency. At the Empire’s news conference last Wednesday, Brown was asked who Antonio El-Allah was, and his answer was telling: “That’s a good question.”
Whether protecting himself from lawsuits or changing his name to become a foreign national or a host of other what ifs, Antonio Brown proves that his second and third acts of rapping and Arena team ownership are more intriguing than his professional football career.
Los Angeles Lakers reserve guard Lonnie Walker IV scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter of Monday’s Game 4 win over the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers now lead the series 3-1, and Walker IV’s critical play in the win, is a lesson to all ballers out there.
There is a saying that goes like this: You don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.
It’s a lesson to be applied throughout life. It’s about being proactive and not waiting for the metaphorical or literal fight to come to you before you’re prepared.
In this series before the 27 minutes he logged in Game 4, he played 24 minutes in Game 3 (a blowout Lakers win), 12 minutes in Game 2 (a blowout Warriors win), and he did not play in Game 1.
That is the literal definition of staying ready. Your minutes fluctuate because you’re not a part of the core rotation, but you know you can provide value if given the opportunity. If Walker IV, who is only in his fifth year, decided to pout or be mad about the lack of playing time he wouldn’t work hard on off days and shoot-arounds.
If he doesn’t work hard and prepare when he’s given mop-up duty in the blowout loss, he wouldn’t play hard and show head coach Darvin Ham and the staff that he might deserve a look in future games.
He did just that in Games 2 and 3 and in the most important moment (fourth quarter) of a must-win game, when the coaching staff and his teammates trusted him to play in the pick and roll and be the first option on offense in big possessions.
Following the game Walker IV was interviewed by the TNT “Inside The NBA” crew, when he essentially said he’s not surprised by his play because he stays ready.
“I’ve been doing this for 24 years of my life,” Walker IV said. “I’ve always been in the gym.”
With 1:53 remaining in the game Walker IV hit a tough pull-up jump shot over Stephen Curry that gave the Lakers a 100-99 lead, a lead they would never relinquish.
“It just comes with a lot of confidence,” Walker said of the shot on Curry. “I made a couple of other shots prior to that, and I think my confidence was for sure at an all-time high. … It’s probably a difficult shot for others, but it really isn’t a difficult shot for me.”
“I’m a role player at the end of the day, and I got to do what I got to do for my team to win,” Walker said. “Doing all the little things, playing great defense, rebounding, taking a charge, whatever it may be.”
Walker IV played one season at the University of Miami, where he made the ACC All-Freshman Team before declaring for the 2018 NBA draft. He was selected 18th overall by the San Antonio Spurs.
Playing under Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich no doubt had an impact on how Walker IV approaches his work and staying ready for opportunities whenever they present themselves.
The Los Angeles Lakers enjoyed a 104-101 win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinals playoffs series. Kim Kardashian joined Lakers nation in celebrating their team taking a 3-1 series lead, but her Instagram post might have outed her sister Khloé Kardashian.
Kim posted Tristan Thompson on her Story, and the fan speculation that Khloé is back with her old boo only grew. Thompson and Khloé have been spotted together by paparazzi over the past few months in what seems more than just a co-parenting relationship.
Kim posted a picture of Thompson smiling in his Lakers warmup gear with the caption “YESSSS GOOOOO LAKERS,” and tagged him in the post. She was spotted sitting courtside at the game on Saturday night and Monday night, but Khloé was not in attendance. Kim reportedly posted Thompson on her Instagram Story after both home wins by the Lakers.
Thompson and Khloé starting dating in 2016 and share two children together, but his infidelities caused the two to split in 2019. It started with a rumor about Thompson and Kylie Jenner’s ex-best friend Jordyn Woods secretly seeing each other.
They got back together in 2020 but split again in 2021. Thompson reportedly welcomed his second child in December 2021 with fitness model Maralee Nichols. Khloé faced backlash from her sisters on an episode of “The Kardashians.” They told her that Thompson was “the worst person on the planet.’
It seems like Thompson has worked his way back into their good graces.
Thompson signed with the Lakers on April 9 but was spotted together with Khloé on more than one occasion.
In early April, the two were seen in a McDonald’s drive-thru together getting food for their kids.
Thompson and Kris Jenner’s boyfriend Chris Gamble were spotted at Bird Streets Club in April after a Lakers win.
In March, Khloé posted a birthday message on her Instagram. She described Thompson as “the best father, brother, & uncle.” He also was in attendance at Khloé’s best friend Malika Haqq’s birthday party.
In January, Khloé rushed to Thompson’s aid after his mother unexpectedly passed away after suffering a heart attack. She was spotted getting off a plane with him in Toronto.
Neither side confirmed that they were officially back together. The two have been extremely comfortable over the last few months and fans know that they can’t leave each other alone. Maybe it’s all speculation or maybe they are keeping everyone out of their business this time around.
The Tennessee Titans have been in existence since 1997, when the Houston Oilers franchise moved from H-Town to Nashville, effectively changing the team’s name and ridding it of arguably the coolest and most identifiable uniforms in the league. Since then the team has only worn the old Oilers uniforms and unique helmets once, and that was in 2009 to commemorate the AFL’s 50th anniversary.
Now, 14 years later, the Titans will pull out the old Oilers unis for a game during the 2023 season. That in itself will bring a smile to fans of the franchise’s face, and it’s a way to pay homage to history and yesteryear.
During a recent appearance of the “Up & Adams” show with Kay Adams, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Houston Oilers legend Warren Moon spilled the beans.
“I talked with owner Amy Adams Strunk about it,” Moon said. “She was waiting for the helmets to be approved. Now that you can wear the helmet, we’re wearing the whole uniform this year, and it could be against the Houston Texans. We are not joking.”
A rule change in 2013 meant teams could not wear throwback uniforms with alternative helmets, which for all intents and purposes was a pretty dumb rule. But a landslide vote by the league’s owners during the 2021 offseason meetings rescinded the rule, and by 2022 teams were allowed to pay homage in complete retro uniforms.
The smartest thing the Titans organization did was retain the rights to both the Oilers team logo and colors even after changing the team’s name in 1999.
Former Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson, who just happens to be involved in arguably the two most memorable plays in franchise history, the “Music City Miracle” and “The Tackle And Zone Yard Short,” told Outkick this.
“I love it when teams pay homage to the history and legacy of the guys who paved the way for us all. So bringing back and wearing the ‘Luv Ya Blue’ uniforms is the ultimate sign of respect for all those that played for the franchise.”
In 2009, when the Titans last wore their throwback helmets, they were destroyed by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, losing 59-0. It joined a 1976 Los Angeles Rams 59-0 victory over the Atlanta Falcons as the second-worst blowout in league history, only trailing the 1940 NFL Championship Game won by the Chicago Bears 73-0 over the then-Washington Redskins.
It’s highly unlikely we see anything like that when the Titans and Texans lock horns, but all we’ll be interested in are those infamous throwback helmets.
Colorado head football coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has been very vocal about HBCU players getting a fair opportunity in the NFL.
During his three-year tenure as the head coach of the Jackson State Tigers, Coach Prime was always pushing for inclusivity for HBCU players when it comes to being invited to the NFL combine, pro days and the actual draft.
After seeing four HBCU players get their names called in 2022, 2023 wasn’t so kind as only one player from an HBCU was chosen.
And the number of free agents signed to teams weren’t nearly as abundant as last year. That led Sanders, who’s prepping for his first season at the helm of the Buffaloes, to lash out on Twitter, saying he was “ashamed.”
He then tweeted this caption with a picture of the only player drafted from an HBCU, his former player Isaiah Bolden.
The New England Patriots chose Bolden, the talented cover corner, with the 245th overall pick, making him the only HBCU player to hear his name called during the three-day festivities.
But even he sees a problem in how players from HBCUs are viewed. He expressed his feelings on Twitter, and he agreed with his former coach.
“Only time I’ll speak on this, I agree 1000% with Sanders statement. I’m beyond thankful for the opportunity to be selected by the Patriot, let’s go to work.”
Sanders and Bolden’s comments received some pushback from Dallas Cowboys VP of player personnel William McClay.
“Deion’s doing a great job of promoting HBCUs and promoting Colorado and all those things,” McClay told Cowboys Country. “And so that’s part of what the deal is — he wants to see players drafted. We want to draft good players and good football players come from everywhere.
“There’s not a conspiracy against drafting HBCU players. We’re looking for players that can come from anywhere. I think that we’ve had the opportunities in the NFL in having things to highlight the HBCU schools.”
One good sign was 20 former HBCU players were able to sign undrafted free agent deals. While it’s still less than the 28 who picked up deals in 2022, it’s not a complete dropoff from the previous year.
Black college football supporters would like to see more players drafted, but when you consider only one player had their name called, getting 20 more oppportunities through free agency is a win for HBCUs.
Formula 1 drivers are used to taking the track, revving their engines and getting down to business.
That was hardly the case at this past weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, as rap legend LL Cool J and Black Eyed Peas founder and former lead member will.i.am joined in the pre-race festivities.
The rap legend announced the drivers’ names as they were surrounded by cheerleaders from the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
With will.i.am doing his best orchestra conducting impersonation of his new song “Formula,” LL attempted to engage the large crowd that gathered in South Florida on this warm Sunday afternoon.
In fact, it was a who’s who of powerhouse celebrities in attendance, from NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes to Tom Cruise to Twitter and Tesla owner Elon Musk. They all made the trek down from Churchill Downs on Saturday, as they attended the Kentucky Derby.
The second year of the MGP went off with a bang, but not everyone was happy with all the pre-race shenanigans that took place.
While there were varying opinions about the new way of doing things, some drivers were pretty dismissive of it.
McLaren driver Lando Norris cut straight to the chase, saying this following the race:
“None of the drivers like it, but it’s not for us at the end of the day.”
Williams driver Alex Albon didn’t sound too pleased with the events himself:
“It’s the show. We’re in the show business now.”
Then there was Mercedes driver George Russell who seemed peeved about standing directly in the steamy Miami sun for 30 minutes in full race gear.
“It is distracting because, you know, we were on the grid for half an hour in all of our overalls in the sun,” Russell said. “I don’t think there’s any other sports in the world that 30 minutes before you go out to do your business that you’re out there in the sun, all the cameras on you, and making a bit of a show of it.”
“We spoke about it as drivers on Friday night,” Russell continued. “Everybody’s got different personalities. I guess it’s the American way of doing things, doing sport. Personally, it’s probably not for me. But you know, that’s just my personal opinion.”
Race winner Max Versteppen seemed to channel the sentiments of many of the others.
“I think it’s a personality thing, right? Some people like to be more in the spotlight, some people don’t,” the Red Bull driver said. “I personally don’t, so for me I think that naturally what they did today was not necessary, I prefer to just walk to my car, talk to my engineers, put the helmet on and drive. But of course I have to accept the entertainment value.”
On the other end of the spectrum was Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who grew up an LL Cool J fan.
“They, Formula 1, are trying new things, they’re trying to improve the show always, and I’m in full support,” Hamilton said. “Geez, I grew up listening to LL Cool J, and LL Cool J was there. That’s cool. You look over, you’ve got will.i.am who’s an incredible artist. You’ve got Venus and Serena standing there. I thought it was cool.”
For those drivers who aren’t fans of the festivities, they might want to begin to adjust their eardrums and cultural palette. With the Miami Grand Prix, Las Vegas Grand Prix and U.S Grand Prix in Austin all happening this year, giving the U.S. three races for the first time since 1981, Sunday’s race in South Beach could’ve been a prelude of things to come on that front.
And it sounds like the two biggest names in the sport, Verstappen and Hamilton are on two completely different ends of it.
Tournament officials at the Madrid Open are under fire for banning the women’s double champions and women’s double runner-ups from speaking to the crowd following the conclusion of their match on Sunday. Why were the women not allowed to speak and is this a larger issue in the sport?
The winning duo Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad-Maia and runners-up Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were banned from giving a speech after receiving their trophies on Sunday.
A strange move by the tournament considering the four participants in the men’s doubles final were allowed to address the crowd after their match. That is customary in the sport.
The Madrid Open is a Masters 1000 event on the men’s side (ATP) and a Premiere Mandatory event on the women’s side (WTA). In other words the tournaments with these designations are the biggest on tour outside of the four Grand Slam events.
Not allowing the champions and runner-ups to speak is a bad look. It’s even worse, given that these women were the only ones not allowed to speak.
Some incidents that have gone on during the tournament might shed some light as to why there is an issue.
Women’s world No. 2 and the current champion at the event Aryna Sabalenka celebrated her birthday on Friday, May 5, and the tournament presented her with a cake. Not uncommon.
Men’s world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz the current champion, a Spaniard, also celebrated his birthday on Friday, May 5. But the tournament presented him with a cake on center court after his semifinal match win that day.
The two cakes were noticeably different in size, Alcaraz’s was bigger.
Azarenka, an outspoken player who has been at the forefront of this generation’s women players seeking equality, tweeted about the cake size.
The Madrid Open has been under fire for its use of female models in lieu of ball girls and ball boys. A move many in tennis have called sexist. The women’s players have also gotten the short end of the scheduling stick, forced to play matches at ridiculous hours due to the length of some of the men’s matches.
More than a few tennis media members have speculated that the Madrid Open was afraid of Azarenka calling them out during her winner’s speech so they stopped all four women from speaking.
Tournament director Feliciano Lopez shrugged off the Azarenka complaint about the cake size, showing Holger Rune’s cake. Rune also celebrated a birthday during the tournament and it was the same size as Sabalenka’s.
However Lopez did not address why the women were not allowed to speak, though his tweet response to Azarenka did provide some insight on the tournament’s overall treatment of Spaniards.
Madrid is the capital of Spain and as a Spaniard it appears that the tournament officials feel a sense of pride in one of their own.
“The tournament is played in Spain, even though it is an international event,” Lopez tweeted. Suggesting that as a reason for Alcaraz’s bigger cake.
Earlier in the tournament former tennis player Daniela Hantuchova, who is now an analyst, noted some special treatment Alcaraz received in terms of on-court play.
Before the final between Alcaraz and Jan-Lennard Struff on Sunday, Hantuchova noted the grounds crew watering the clay court twice.
“One thing, guys, I do want to point out, the groundspeople have watered the court twice since we’ve been talking,” Hantuchova said during the pre-match talk on Prime. “So I feel they’re trying to make the court as slow as possible, so it’s easier for Carlos to return that serve.”
“But that doesn’t happen. That was the first time this week that I noticed that he’s already covered at least this side twice with the water.
“Especially on clay, that’s what we were kind of always expecting when you play a Spanish player here or in Italy when you play someone from Italy.”
Alcaraz is 22-0 on Spanish clay in his career, winning Madrid and Barcelona in 2022 and repeating as champion in Madrid on Sunday.
