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Tennis Star Nick Kyrgios’ Mom Has Car Stolen At Gunpoint In Australia | Kyrgios’ Green Tesla Saves The Day, Leads To Gunman Being Tased

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is thanking a higher power and the Tesla app today. Why? Because on Monday a masked man named “Chris” pointed a firearm at his mom and demanded that she hand over the keys to Kyrgios’ Tesla Model X. 

Per The Guardian, the robber forced Kyrgios mom outside in an attempt to have her show him how to operate the vehicle. 

“She was escorted outside toward the Tesla at gunpoint, and observed the defendant get into the driver seat of the car, police allege in court documents. “She felt at this time she had an opportunity while the firearm was not pointed at her to run back inside the house and screamed for help from the other occupants of the house.”

As the robber took off in the vehicle, Kyrgios used the Tesla app to not only track where the car was, but to also control the speed of the vehicle. He was able to get the speed down to 50 mph. That allowed police to track and find the robber about 16 minutes later, but he sped off, leading to another chase that led them into a school zone, which forced the cops to call off the chase. 

They eventually cornered the robber and tasered him after he resisted arrest. 

Kyrgios Green Tesla Has Been In The News Often

Kyrgios’ lime green Tesla made the news last year when a neighbor complained about him parking it in a car share zone nightly, not allowing others the opportunity to use the designated parking spaces. The resident called Kyrgios “entitled” because he’s an elite athlete. 

The resident’s rant on Facebook never mentioned Kyrgios by name, but he did let it be known that the car belonged to a famous athlete. 

“Recently a very well known… tennis player has decided that he is somehow entitled to park in it with his own vehicle. 

“I don’t want to name and shame the guy but he’s very famous and parks in this car share space almost nightly, meaning that anybody that has a Go Go or Car Next Door vehicle has no option to park there.”

Kyrgios Recovering From Knee Surgery

Known for his very over-the-top and sometimes controversial disposition, Kyrgios is an elite talent. The big Aussie was forced to miss his home nation Grand Slam (Aussie Open) while recovering from knee surgery. 

He expects to be ready to go this month in the French Open as he looks to get that elusive Grand Slam title. 

Antonio Brown Bringing Chaos As Albany Empire Owner? | AB Reportedly Led “Hostile Takeover,” Refusing To Pay Players And Threatening Arena League Coach

Ex-NFL WR Antonio Brown is making headlines again for the wrong reasons. According to reports, he has allegedly locked out specific players of the Albany Empire from their hotel rooms, and made “violent threats’ to them. AB is a part owner of the National Arena League team.

Empire head coach Damon Ware and quarterback Sam Castronova have both alleged that they’ve been ostracized from other members of the organization after speaking out against the mercurial former NFL wide receiver. It has also been alleged that AB has not paid his players since April 21.

Tom Menas  — who previously served as head coach and led the Empire to two championships — will return to his former position of head coach. But he was fired days before the season began.

What A Mess. What Is AB Doing?

Ware classifies AB’s ownership of the Empire as a “hostile takeover.” When the former All-Pro WR joined the ownership group in March he allegedly threw money at the team’s other owners to move them out of the way and exert more influence and control.

AB has a 95 percent ownership stake and according to reports has been mismanaging the team.

While Ware was head coach he said AB was difficult to deal with and that the Super Bowl champ has been unwilling to help improve the squad.

AB Has Albany Ties Through His AFL Legend Dad

It should be noted that AB’s father, “Touchdown” Eddie Brown, was an Arena football legend. He played football for the Albany Firebirds, won the ArenaBowl XIII in 1999, was ArenaBowl MVP, and was named the AFL’s Most Valuable Player.

Ware said when he would try to connect with AB about paying the players their salaries, AB would get angry and make threats.

Players expect to receive their game checks after each game played and once it had been a couple weeks with no checks, they considered sitting out in protest.

The players eventually decided to suit up and play when they were shown an apparent payment confirmation. But Castronova said players were still without their money following last Sunday’s game.

Several players confronted team officials on their bus ride back from North Carolina. When they arrived back at their team hotel, Ware, the team captains, and several other players discovered their room keys no longer worked. They were told by hotel staffers it was AB’s doing.

The players had to plead with housekeeping to let them into their rooms to collect their belongings.

“It became all about him, not the football team,” Ware said. “We built a wonderful organization over three years — he came in and killed it.”

This is manic and childish behavior by a team owner. The National Arena League leadership has to be aware of what’s going on and if this continues they might have to step in.

AB has been spiraling out of control with negative behavior for years now. What he’s doing with this Arena League team isn’t surprising. But not paying people their salaries is wrong. Players in these leagues aren’t playing for multimillion dollar NFL contracts. They likely work other jobs as well to keep their football dreams alive.

Take Your Son To Work Day | Dallas Cowboys Scout Chris Vaughn Is Surprised When Team Takes His Son In Sixth Round of NFL Draft

Chris Vaughn and his son Deuce shared one of the best moments of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Cowboys took Deuce in the sixth round of the draft with the 212th overall pick. Chris is the assistant director of college scouting for the team and got the honor of calling his son with the great news.

The best surprise of it all is that the team didn’t let Chris know until it was time to actually make the pick. They kept him in the dark, and that made the moment even more special for everyone involved.

Deuce Got The Call

The moment between the father and son was shared all over social media on Saturday, April 29. Chris made the call and asked him a simple question.

“Look here, man, do you want to come to work with me next week?” Vaughn, his voice cracking, asked his son on video from the team’s draft room.

Deuce answered, “I wouldn’t mind that at all.”

Chris has reportedly been with the team since 2017 and refused to write a report or talk about his son leading up to the draft because he didn’t want to have any influence on the draft decision.

“I’m not thinking we’re taking Deuce, because when I come in, we’re talking about a couple other players as options,” Vaughn told Sports Illustrated after the draft.

He continued, “I commented on the guys we’re talking about, the positives, the negatives of taking him there. I’m completely team first, but yeah, there’s that inner struggle. Once we finished that conversation, we as a group decided on a player. We went on the clock; I thought we were taking that player.”

Then, to his surprise owner Jerry Jones looked at him with a grin and handed him the draft card with Deuce’s name on it. Chris started crying but then got up to give out hugs and high fives to his colleagues before calling Deuce.

“Over the past 21 years of my life and to see him react the way that he did, I’m not going to lie,” Deuce said to ESPN. “It was a tearjerker.”

“I wanted it to happen organically,” Chris said to ESPN. “I wanted everything to fall into place as if it would. And over the past two weeks, the biggest thing we kind of echoed to each other is that I just needed a chance. It didn’t matter what round. It didn’t matter exactly what pick. I just needed a chance, a foot in the door. For it to be Dallas, oh man, it’s unbelievable.”

Deuce Can Ball

Deuce played his college ball at Kansas State. In his three-year career he ran for 3,604 yards, 34 touchdowns and had 1,280 receiving yards. Last season, he led the FBS in all-purpose yards with 1,936.

He fell late in the draft because of his 4.6 seconds he ran in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in March and his small size. Deuce is only 5-foot-5 and weighs 179 pounds. His size and speed scared teams away, but his performance against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl kept him on many draft boards.

Deuce ran for 133 rushing yards and one touchdown against the Crimson Tide. He rushed for at least 130 yards in the last three games of the season last year to close out his college career. He eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in 9 of the team’s 14 games last season.

Fox Sports Analyst and longtime Cowboys fan Skip Bayless loved the pick.

Cowboys executive and owner’s son Stephen Jones also loved the pick.

“You watch him run through Alabama’s defense, breaking ankles and doing things that he did, he’ll make a believer out of you in a hurry,” Jones said to ESPN.

Deuce fills a huge hole in the Cowboys’ running back after the release of Ezekiel Elliott.

LSU Star Flau’Jae Johnson Channels Her Inner Lamar Jackson | The Rapping Hoop Star’s Mom Has Helped Her Earn $2 Million In NIL Deals As A Freshman

The LSU Women’s Basketball team have made the most of their opportunities after winning the 2023 National Championship in April.

Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson have benefited the most from the Tigers’ recent coverage. The women’s national title game between the lady Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes was the most watched ever in NCAA women’s basketball history with 9.9 million viewers.

The on-court trash talk between Reese and Caitlin Clark was one of the most talked about sports topics the week following the game.

Now, Johnson and her teammates found a way to turn all that publicity into NIL money. It was reported that Johnson’s NIL deals has surpassed a reputed $2 million and she has a feature in the works with Louisiana rap legend Lil Wayne.

The 5-foot-10 rapping hoops star hasn’t been able to manage the success and new money by herself. So she called on a trusted family member who knows her best, her mom. Kia Brooks has been the mastermind behind superstar freshman daughter.

The Momanager

Since Johnson arrived on LSU campus, she’s secured NIL deals from brands like Puma, Raising Cane’s, Campus Ink, Taco Bell, Meta and Roc Nation. Brooks helped her daughter facilitate all of those deals.

Her mom even helped Johnson land on the cover of “Slam” magazine.

It was reported that when Roc Nation reached out to Brooks to possibly represent her for the sports management side of things, but she told them her daughter also was a rapper. The company called back a few days later and offered new terms to the deal.

The reps called back with a new deal to distribute Johnson’s music on all streaming platforms while she still owns all the masters.

In addition, Roc Nation represents her in a marketing capacity while helping her get NIL deals, alongside her mother of course.

Moms Know Best

The things that Johnson and her mom are doing is nothing new in the world sports. Lamar Jackson’s mom just recently help him become the highest paid player in the NFL.

He was criticized for months by several media members for not having an agent. It was reported he saved a 3% fee of his $185 million guaranteed in his new deal by representing himself alongside his mother.

Donovan McNabb is another athlete that has a business partnership with his mother. The two appeared in several Campbell’s Chunky soup commercials. She was able to land a permanent spot on soup commercials with her son for six years.

She reportedly approached the company and asked them to use real mothers instead of actors when they first pitched the idea of a mother-son commercial to McNabb in 2001.

Michael Jordan‘s mother gave the world the greatest gift of all in 1984 when she convinced her son to take a meeting with Nike. The meeting jump-started a 30-plus year partnership and gave sneakerheads the greatest line of basketball shoes ever.

“I’m Gonna Disagree With Prime On This One” | Shannon Sharpe Shuts Down Deion Sanders’ NFL HBCU Bias Claim

Former Jackson State head football coach Deion “Prime Time” Sanders tweeted Saturday that he is “ashamed” of 31 NFL teams after Isaiah Bolden was the only HBCU player drafted this year. Fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer and television talking head Shannon Sharpe disagrees with Prime’s stance on any kind of HBCU bias in the NFL.

“I’m ashamed of the 31 other @nfl teams that couldn’t find draft value in ALL of the talented HBCU players & we had 3 more draft worthy players at JSU,” tweeted Prime.

One HBCU Player Drafted In 2023

Bolden, a cornerback and returner for Jackson State, was selected by the New England Patriots in the seventh round. Prime, now the head football coach at Colorado, congratulated Bolden via Twitter and said there were three more draft-worthy players at Jackson State.

On his sports debate show “Undisputed,” Sharpe was asked Monday about Prime’s comments and he disagreed, stating the NFL is a bottom line business, and where a player played in college is immaterial to the the bottom line of contributing to winning.

“The NFL is a business. The NFL doesn’t give a damn what color you are,” Sharpe told co-host Skip Bayless. “They don’t care. They want to win. Pro sports is a bottom line business. The only things that are on the menu, wins and losses. Now, how many guys can we get who can help us win? I don’t give a damn of their color.”

History Of Racism In The NFL

Once upon a time in the early days of professional football (1934-1946) NFL owners banned Black players from being on rosters. It was only when the integrated All-America Football Conference emerged to compete with the NFL that the owners relented on their racist policy.

By 1950 most NFL rosters had Black players signed.

This isn’t to say the NFL is devoid of racism today. There are still negative assumptions and beliefs about people of color and their ability to serve as head coaches, general managers, and QBs.

But most organizations want to win and don’t particularly care how they do it.

“What am I missing?” Sharpe continued. “There was once upon a time that was the case. Not just at HBCUs, there were Black quarterbacks that were good enough to play in the NFL that got overlooked … I’m gonna disagree with Prime on this one. I believe if the guys were talented enough to get drafted, I believe they would have gotten drafted.”

Sharpe is correct. If you can play and a team believes you can contribute to winning, a player will get drafted regardless of where they played collegiately.

The best rationale for Sharpe’s argument is that the league’s teams draft players with questionable character all the time, in the name of winning.

Between the scouting combine, pro days, individual workouts, and game film there are so many ways to assess a player’s potential. If a player grades out well according to a team’s criteria that player will get drafted.

Maybe the HBCU talent pool wasn’t as deep this year. Maybe Prime is just caping for one of his former players.

Yes, the history of racism and racial bias in the NFL are very real. There is plenty of evidence that it still exists today. But not in the case of undrafted HBCU players.

Blessed By The Basketball Gods | One More LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry Playoff Matchup

They are two of the defining players of the era. LeBron James and Stephen Curry will meet in the playoffs for the fifth time, when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Golden State Warriors in a best-of-seven western conference semifinals matchup. Hoops fans rejoice as we get to witness two of the all-time greats, still playing elite basketball, going head to head.

Bron And Steph Have The Hardware

Between them they have: 28 All-Star appearances, 26 All-NBA selections, eight NBA titles, six MVPs, six All-Defense (all Bron) and five Finals MVPs. There are countless other accolades but we don’t have time to get into all that.

Simply put, they are incredible. Bron is arguably the greatest player of all time and Steph is top-10?

Where you choose to rank them is actually pointless. If you were to start a team and take either of these players in their primes you are winning a lot of basketball games.

What makes this series special is that it’s the fifth and likely final time we’ll see these players go head to head.

Steph Owns The Head-To-Head Matchup

Steph owns the head-to-head series matchup 4-1 and the games played 15-7. But during those 22 games Bron has been the superior player even as he unfortunately ran into a superior team.

“Just two of the most competitive players that have ever played this game,” James said of the dynamic between him and Curry at Lakers practice on Monday. “And we want to etch our names in the history books as much as we can. But playing and doing it our own way.”

The Warriors have been a particular thorn in LeBron’s side, particularly in the postseason.

Epic Finals

In 2015 the Warriors won their first title defeating Bron and the Cleveland Cavaliers who were missing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

When they faced off again in 2016 the Warriors won 73 regular season games and held a 3-1 Finals lead, looking to become the greatest team of all time. Bron and the Cavs staged the greatest comeback in Finals history. A series that still haunts the Warriors to this day.

In 2017 and 2018 the other top player of the era, Kevin Durant, joined the Warriors and they defeated Bron and the Cavaliers in five games both times.

Curry won his fourth title last season to pull even with Bron, though he likely won’t match Bron’s 10 Finals appearances. The winner of this series has a chance to one-up the other and win his fifth title, alhough it’s unlikely either flawed team will be able to win the West and defeat the Eastern Conference champion.

Bron has been the league’s standard-bearer of excellence for nearly 15 years. Curry redefined the geometry of the court with his elite shooting on volume and how to be the leader of a dynasty. Their names and accomplishments are already immortalized.

Both Bron and Steph are the ultimate competitors and will desperately want to win this series. But what will it ultimately do for the either?

Given their track records and impressive accomplishments, what more could they do to change your opinion of them?

These are two of the all-time greats to ever pick up a basketball. GOAT, top-5, top-10, what does it matter?

Enjoy greatness, because it will be gone before too long.

“The Days Of The Pure Pocket Passer Are Dead In The NFL” | RGIII Says It’s A New Era, Is He Right?

Former NFL QB and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III says there is a new era of QBs in the NFL and it’s no longer only about being a pure pocket passer. Is Griffin III right? Have NFL talent evaluators finally seen the light?

“The days of the pure pocket passer are dead in the NFL,” Griffin III said last week. “The new prototypical QB is mobile and creative.

Three Black QBs Taken In First Four Picks

In the recently concluded NFL draft, three of the top four picks were QBs. That in and of itself is not that surprising. It is the most important position on the field. If you don’t have a top QB your team has no shot at winning a title.

But what made this crop of QBs taken early so unique is that they are all Black, a fact Griffin III says deserves its own discussion, and they don’t fit the mold we’ve been conditioned tp believe is necessary for elite QB play.

Bryce Young was taken first overall by the Carolina Panthers. At 5 feet 10, 204 pounds the concern is his size. He’s an excellent passer who has the ability to go through his progressions and escape the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield.

The Houston Texans drafted C.J. Stroud second overall and a large part of his ascension is his passing ability and the belief that he can weaponize his legs more than he did at the collegiate level.

The Indianapolis Colts drafted Anthony Richardson fourth overall, and while he has accuracy concerns, he has arm talent and is a dynamic runner. Clearly, the Colts feel like they can work on the accuracy.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP is Patrick Mahomes. Yes he can deliver from the pocket, but it’s what he can do when the pocket breaks down and the defense gets him off schedule that makes him elite.

What Kind Of QB Wins In The NFL Today?

Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert, and Dak Prescott are all mobile QBs that can improvise when things go haywire.

Todays NFL edge rushers are more athletic than ever. They are physical freaks. You need to be able to move and be creative to succeed, especially in the postseason.

Progress is often slow. But it looks like the people doing the evaluating have come around to the realization that what was once seen as a liability is now essential if you want a fully weaponized QB for modern football.

“It says to me that mindsets and mentalities have changed,” former QB Doug Williams, the first Black QB to win a Super Bowl said to the Athletic just ahead of the draft. “It’s not that ability has changed, because we’ve always had guys with the ability for years. But it’s the mindset of the guys picking the quarterbacks that has changed. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s heartwarming for me, really.”

Evolution is part of life. Sports are no different.

What once worked 10, 15, 20 years ago no longer holds true in many regards. The games have changed. Players are not only super athletic but they’re skilled.

Just because it looks different than what you’re used to doesn’t mean it’s not good.

Second Round Draft Story Of Former Walk-On Cody Mauch By The Buccaneers Might Have Confirmed Coach Prime’s Words On HBCU Players Left Undrafted

What has been described as a “feel good” NFL draft story is beginning to be very uncomfortable in light of Deion Sanders’s recent call out of only one HBCU student drafted late? Cody Mauch, a North Dakota State walk-on tight end from the small town of Mantador, North Dakota, is now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, a quick perusal of his collegiate career record shows no prospect stars or college offers, even from North Dakota State. When he enrolled, he was not offered by the football program.

So how does a player who doesn’t even have a headshot on the 247Sports recruitment page get drafted in the second round as the 48th pick and not even have to go to the free agent market? One critical item is left out there: He’s white, from a predominately white collegiate institution.

Underdog Or Undeserving?

To look at Mauch, you wouldn’t immediately see that he is considered an all-around athlete. With two front teeth missing and a collegiate career record that does not suggest it. However, at Hankinson High School, he played tight end, quarterback, and defensive end, becoming a two-time all-region and all-state selection. He even had 13 receiving touchdowns in the 2016 championship season, which set a school record, per the NDSU website.

He started 39 consecutive games over his final three seasons at NDSU, two at right tackle and the last 37 at left tackle. Mauch also appeared in every NDSU game from 2019 through 2022. The program went 78-8 with four NCAA Division I FCS national championships and four Missouri Valley Football Conference titles over his six years.

Mauch is a two-time All-American and three-time All-MVFC honoree, including first-team in 2021 and 2022. Also, the collegiate universe had a lot of underground praise for Mauch, and the Bucs listened to the word on the street.

“The amount of D-Linemen who brought up Cody Mauch from the Senior Bowl after not knowing anything about him was astounding, and is something we always pay attention to,” Buccaneers Vice President of Player Personnel John Spytek said per the Bucs website.

“They think about it for a minute and they put some thought into it and they say, ‘That lineman from North Dakota State, he was really good. He was hard. He made me work.'”

Word of mouth alone does not make an NFL draftee, and Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, recognizes the hypocrisy regarding the NFL draft system.

The former Jackson State coach tweeted his displeasure at the 31 NFL teams for drafting only former JSU cornerback and four-star recruit Isaiah Bolden. On Saturday, the New England Patriots selected the defensive back in the seventh round with the 245th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Pats used their 12th and final draft selection to acquire the defensive back.

Prime Point

“So proud is you @isaiahbolden23,” tweeted Sanders. “You deserved to be drafted much higher but I’m truly proud of u. I know how much u want this. I’m ashamed of the 31 other @nfl teams that couldn’t find draft value in ALL of the talented HBCU players & we had 3 more draft worthy players at JSU.”

Bolden started his career at Florida State and transferred to Jackson State to play for Sanders. In his first year playing for the Tigers in 2021 under Coach Prime, Bolden had 30 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, and seven pass breakups.

He was electric on special teams as a kickoff returner and, in his junior season, led the nation in both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision in kickoff return average at 36.9 per return. He also tied for the FCS lead with kickoff returns.

Bolden also helped Jackson State to win two more of their 18 SWAC Conference Championship titles in 2021 and 2022.

Left For Free-Agency Uncertainty

Many other “draft-worthy” HBCU players entered the undrafted free-agent market to keep their dreams of playing in the NFL alive, 16 of which were signed by NFL teams, including three from Jackson State University, the most from the HBCU system.

Jackson State Linebacker Aubrey Miller, a three-star recruit, who went to the Miami Dolphins, is the reigning SWAC Defensive Player of the Year and is widely considered the trigger for Jackson State’s undefeated regular season for the first time in school history. He finished his collegiate career with 117 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups, five forced fumbles, four quarterback hurries, and two fumble recoveries.

A four-star recruit, Jackson State Defensive Back Dejahn Warren went to the Chicago Bears. The former Lackawanna Community College student had 51 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and an interception in 28 games with the Tigers.

Even without the recruitment stars and accolades of others in your draft peer group, there is no shame in not being drafted. It is an eyebrow-raising moment that Coach Prime was not afraid to point out and the drafting of Cody Mauch just might have confirmed.

Snoop Dogg Part Of Black Businessman Neko Sparks’ Historic Ownership Team Bidding On Ottawa Senators NHL Franchise | And He’s Starting His Own Youth Hockey League

Hip-Hop artist and business mogul Snoop Dogg is trying to make history as part of a new financial collaborative bidding to purchase the NHL’s Ottawa Senators franchise. The California rap legend and entrepreneurial wiz is joining businessman Neko Sparks’ bid to buy the franchise, which would make Smart the first Black majority owner in NHL history, according to ESPN.

Snoop joined Stephen A. Smith live on “First Take” to talk some NBA playoffs, but more importantly, “The Chronic” album star’s new business venture that could have a profound historical impact on the future of sports in this country and the lukewarm relationship between Black people and the sport of hockey.

“Amazing what [Neko Sparks] is trying to do in Ottawa,” Snoop wrote to his 80 million IG followers. “I’m looking forward to being apart of that ownership team. I WANNA BRING HOCKEY BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.”

“I been watching hockey for about 25 years now and I’m watching more and more kids who look like me play the game, but I’m not seeing it being offered to the kids over here in America,” Snoop, rocking a gold hoodie with Death Row Records (another recent purchase) emblazoned upon the front, some Black shades to hide his eyes and a Black skully, told SAS.

“I know how big it is over in Canada, and I’ve been down with the NHL for a long time going to games, announcing games and being a part of the society. So, this opportunity came in order for me to be a part of the ownership for the Ottawa Senators and I jumped on it.

“The plan that we have is to also go and built a Snoop Youth Hockey League outside of Canada so that kids in urban communities can learn about hockey and can play the sport and find ways to get into this great thing that’s called hockey. Because right now the NBA and NHL are having some great playoff games and the kids need to know that there is an option to play hockey if you look like me.”

There’s Only One Black Majority Owner In Pro Sports

Michael Jordan is the only Black majority owner of a major professional sports franchise in this country. There’s billionaire businessman David Steward, a minority owner of the St. Lois Blues hockey team, who has vowed to help increase diversity in the sport.

Sheila Johnson, ex-wife of Bob Johnson, the first Black American billionaire, has a principal ownership in the NBA’s Washington Wizards. And of course, Magic Johnson, who has a minority stake in three sports teams: the L.A. Dodgers (MLB), L.A. Sparks (WNBA) and he has an ownership stake in pro soccer franchise LAFD.

Magic has also reportedly been trying to maneuver his way into an ownership team bidding on the NFL’s Washington Commanders franchise that is up for sale.

Who Is Neko Sparks?

Neko Sparks is an experienced CEO and tech entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in cutting-edge tech, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, augmented reality, and interactive media, according to various reports.

In addition, Sparks is a filmmaker, producer, director and credited screenwriter based in Los Angeles. There was no mention of specific works.

The group that Snoop is a part of, is led by Sparks, who’s got some stiff competition for the purchase from other major bidding groups, including a reported $1 billion offer from actor Ryan Reynolds and the Remington Group, who have also agreed to absorb the costs for a new state-of-the-art arena for the hockey team if awarded the bid.

The Senators currently play games in a rink that’s located outside city limits. The goal is to move to a new arena downtown, in the center of the city, easily accessible for fans. Maximizing profit and expanding the fan base is a top priority for new ownership.

Other reported powerhouse financial groups of interest include Vivek Ranadivé, owner of the Sacramento Kings.

Neko Sparks’ Net Worth 

Neko Sparks’ net worth is estimated to be somewhere between $500,000 to $1.5 million USD, which wouldn’t seem like enough green to lead a sale of a pro franchise, but net worth is also an ever-changing dynamic for people who work around money.

Also, that’s why he’s bringing in players like Snoop, who has a net worth of $150 million according to Forbes. Also, Snoop’s presence alone will attract more celebrities to the event and could help increase the popularity within the Black community and increase accessibility to the league to people from diverse and underprivileged backgrounds.

The NHL has a very small percentage of players who are people of color.

According to an October 2022 report by ESPN, the NHL’s first diversity report revealed 83.6 percent of its employees across the league are white. Just 3.74 percent are Black.

Regardless of how it plays out, Snoop’s grand intentions are clear and potentially influential.

“When I started the Snoop Youth Football League in 2005, moving the clock up to today, we’ve sent over 20,000 kids to Division 1 programs. We have so many graduates working outside of football too. And just recently, Ohio State QB CJ Stroud, who was just drafted into the NFL is a kid out of our football league.

“So just watching the great work that it’s done in these communities that are gang-riddled and poverty stricken, through football and sports we find ways to become more family orientated and organized.

‘So, if we were to bring another sport such as hockey, that they can also watch on TV and see it, now they can learn how to play the sport and understand it and this is another way out. You don’t have to play football, basketball or baseball. Here’s another option,” Snoop told Smith.

Snoop has big plans, but it won’t be easy, and the moment of truth is quickly approaching. The deadline for final bids on the team is May 15, and will be overseen by Galatioto Sports Partners.

Richard Jefferson Feels Stephen A. Smith Crossed A Professional Line By Saying Kawhi Should Retire Because He’s “The Worst Superstar” …”You Can’t Rely On Him.”

Los Angeles Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard was forced to miss the final four games of the Clippers’ 4-1 series loss to the Phoenix Suns due to a torn meniscus.

The injury is just the latest in medical setbacks that have hindered Leonard and the Clippers from reaching their potential. Leonard returned this season after missing the entire 2021-22 season after tearing his ACL in the Western Conference semifinals versus the Utah Jazz. 

In all no matter how you spin it, Leonard who was signed in the summer of 2019, after leading the Toronto Raptors to the 2019 NBA championship just hasn’t been available much.  Following his latest setback, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith had some harsh criticism for the former San Diego State legend. 

Stephen A. Smith Says Kawhi Leaonard Has Failed As A Superstar

During an episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith who’s known to not mince his words, said this. 

“The man is a two-time champion. He’s a two-time Finals MVP. … But he is the absolute worst superstar you could possibly have on your team,” said Smith. “He’s barely ever there, and on top of it all, he does nothing to market or promote your franchise.”

Pretty strong statement from SAS, and he was taken to task by a fellow ESPN NBA analyst for those reckless comments.

Richard Jefferson Defends Leonard While Calling Out Smith 

It didn’t take long for Smith’s comments to circulate and for others to come to the Leonard’s defense. ESPN NBA analyst and one-time NBA champion Richard Jefferson didn’t waste much time firing back at Smith. 

During an “NBA Today” segment, RJ was pretty thorough in his approach and what he was trying to get across. 

“The man has a torn meniscus, and there’s nothing you can do. I don’t like hearing people say that the Clippers should make him retire. I don’t like hearing people say that Kawhi should retire because it’s nobody’s place to tell a player when to retire. That is not our job, that is not our place,” Jefferson said.

The former Arizona Wildcats star wasn’t done. 

“When I look at guys like Derrick Rose, who went through horrific injury, after injury, and all he did was keep battling back — put up a 50-point game with tears in his eyes. When I look at guys that are battling back all the time, I think about Isiah Thomas battling back … we can’t sit up here in this position and ever tell a player when it’s done. That’s not our place,” RJ concluded.

Smith’s Words Fell On Deaf Ears, Clippers Sticking With Leonard 

While Leonard has only played in 161 games in four seasons with the Clippers, the franchise is still committed to him for the long term. He’s due over $48 million next season, and from the sounds of it owner Steve Ballmer is OK with keeping his franchise player in a Clippers uniform. 

Paul George, Leonard’s running mate, hasn’t fared much better on the health front, as he’s played just 189 games in the same amount of time. But the team is sticking by him as well and his also over $48 million due next season. 

Both are still fairly young with Leonard 32 and George 31, but one has to wonder if they’ll ever be healthy enough for the Clippers to contend for an NBA title, which is why they teamed up. 

Rookie Blues | Connecticut Sun Newbie Alexis Morris Questions Her College Preparation And Playing Style After Rough First Day On WNBA Job

WNBA training camps opened up league-wide on April 30 and it was like the first day of school for many rookies. Alex Morris is one of those rookies who had a life-changing experience at her first WNBA practice.

Most rookies, even the ones destined to be great, have to adjust to the speed and size of the professional game. Morris went to her TikTok and said if college programs ran professional style systems than it would help rookies tremendously when they transitioned into the pros.

Help Or Hurt

Morris was drafted 16th overall in the second round by the Sun. The 5-foot-6 guard finished her college career at LSU. She averaged 15.4 points and 4.1 assists per game in her senior season. She also helped the Tigers win the 2023 women’s national championship over a Caitlin Clark-led Iowa team.

“I don’t know if many of you know but I am currently trying out for the Connecticut Sun to become a professional athlete. And today was my first day of group workouts, training camp kinda sorta type deal,” said Morris on her TikTok.

She continued, “This is for the colleges and institutions. In order to grow the league you have to like prep the players for what’s to come. In order to do that you have watch the league, you have to see the style of play, and the systems that they are running so that the adjustments and transition for college, for women college players to the WNBA won’t be so difficult.”

She finished by video by stating that the the style of play you play in college can help or hurt you when you are transitioning to the next level.

Before Morris arrived with the Tigers, she spent three seasons at three different college programs. She played for Baylor, Texas A&M, and Rutgers University. Her best two seasons of her five-year college career were with the Tigers. Morris averaged at least 15 points per game in back-to-back seasons with the Tigers.

‘She Getting Cooked’

Morris had valid points about the transition process to the pros, but fans suggested that she just couldn’t handle better competition.

“Definitely getting cooked (laughing emoji). She gone figure it out,” one user wrote.

Another user wrote, “Got her in there rethinking life lol.”

Regardless of Morris’ early struggles in camp, she has yet to play in a WNBA game, and she is experiencing a normal learning curve that every rookie has to go through.

‘Some Type Of Altercation’ | Texas Baseball Player Shot During Game

One would think a college baseball game would be one of the less violent sports.

But that wasn’t the case in Texarkana, Texas, recently during a game between the Texas A&M Texarkana Eagles and the Houston-Victoria Jaguars. As the two teams battled it out Saturday on the diamond, a scary situation occurred. 

Stray Bullet Strikes Baseball Player Standing Near Bullpen

According to the school and local police, a bullet struck an 18-year-old player for the Eagles. The player, whose name hasn’t been revealed, was reportedly standing near the bullpen when the stray shot hit him. Police said the bullet seemed to have come from somewhere nearby, and in their statement they mentioned that. 

“Some type of altercation in a nearby neighborhood to the west of the park,” police said. 

The player is reportedly in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries. 

One Alleged Shooter Turns Himself In, Other One Still At-Large

It is believed that 20-year-old DeMarco Banks and 17-year-old Kamauri Banks were shooting at one another. Texarkana Police spokesperson Shawn Vaughn, says Banks turned himself in but is facing charges stemming from the incident, the heftiest being a felony deadly conduct charge. Butler has a warrant out for his arrest for aggravated assault. 

If convicted Banks could face as many as 10 years behind bars. And the aggravated assault charge could net the 17-year-old Butler as many as 20 years in the slammer. 

Vaughn says the incident started at a nearby home, and then turned into a shootout between the two alleged shooters. 

“You got two people in a neighborhood that are acting stupid, shooting at each other, and the person that paid the price for it is a young man over here trying to play a ballgame for the university.” 

School Providing Counseling To Players

In an effort to restore some sense of normalcy, the school is providing counselors to help players cope with the situation. One could be just seeing a teammate shot while playing a game they love. The other to give them that support to even feel comfortable on campus again.

That’s what’s most important for the student-athletes, not returning to the field, but to feel protected in and around the schools campus at all times. 

The Philadelphia Eagles Won The 2023 NFL Draft | GM Howie Roseman Has Officially Won The City

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.

While the loss probably still stings a bit, it hasn’t slowed down the team’s efforts to get better. Already equipped with one of the more talented rosters in the league, the Eagles kept their foot on the gas and upgraded through the draft.  

NFC Champions Win 2023 Draft

Per most draft analysts, the Eagles easily won the draft by adding elite talent. Not only in positions of need, but they also landed some quality pieces by taking the best player available on the board, which if anything, creates depth at various positions.

For good measure, Eagles brass traded for a starting running back, bringing in former Detroit Lions running back D’Andre Swift in a move consistent with what they did last offseason in acquiring wide receiver A.J. Brown on draft night.

The trade for Brown was the move of the offseason, as the talented receiver provided quarterback Jalen Hurts with another lethal target to complement Devonta Smith and form the best wide receiver tandem in the NFC en route to the Super Bowl. 

Howie Roseman Rises Back To The Top

The architect behind the Eagles’ rise is once-demoted GM Howie Roseman, who withstood having personnel decisions stripped away when the team hired Chip Kelly as head coach in 2013. Ten years, two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl title later and Roseman is the toast of the City of Brotherly Love.

Are Other NFL Executives Upset With Roseman Praise? 

With the draft that Roseman just orchestrated the rest of the league’s GMs and top executives are on notice.

Per reports, Roseman’s masterful execution on draft night has NFL executives low-key hating on the amount of praise Roseman’s received.

Peter Schrager, a senior writer for Fox Sports said that very thing on NFL Network, then Eagles reporter Brandon Lee Gowton tweeted about Shrager’s comments. 

“Speaking on NFL Network, @PSchrags mentioned that some executives around the league are getting annoyed with how much praise Howie Roseman is receiving.”

Eagles Have Built Through Draft/Strong Free Agent Pickups

The past two offseasons have been home runs for Philadelphia. Last year’s draft picks — mammoth tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean of the national champion Georgia Bulldogs — are both slated to be starters this season. 

Roseman added more talent from Athens when he got the supremely talented Jalen Carter, who dropped in the draft because of off-the-field situations that thrust him into the national spotlight in a negative light. The freakishly-talented defensive tackle from UGA was snatched up by Roseman with the No. 9 pick. The city of Philadelphia doesn’t mind having rebels or controversial superstars in town.

Carter is arguably the best player in the draft. Roseman tapped back in and drafted edge rusher Nolan Smith later in the first round giving the Eagles, defense, which is aging in the front seven, a real shot in the arm. 

A final key steal for Roseman and his executive team was adding cornerback Kelee Ringo, another UGA product and first-round talent who slipped to the fourth round after a subpar pro day and unimpressive combine. 

All that, plus the team re-signed QB Jalen Hurts, the 2022 NFL MVP runner-up, to a lucrative long-term contract that made him the highest-paid player in the league for about 10 days until Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson topped him. 

Now you can see why executives around the league are a bit peeved and under added pressure entering the season.

Did Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford Really Save Aston Villa’s Alisha Lehmann From A Mob Of Men At A Nightclub And Maybe Shoot His Shot?

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Aston Villa’s Alisha Lehmann shared a special moment in April at a nightclub in Manchester. It is no secret that Lehmann is one of the most popular women’s soccer players in the world, especially among men. So, it is expected that men will flock to her everywhere she goes.

It was reported that Rashford had to step in and save the day after men wouldn’t stop lusting over the soccer sensation.

Marcus The ‘Gent

Lehmann and Rashford both reportedly enjoyed a night out on the town with their friends and somehow ended up at the same club in Manchester.

According to The Sun, Lehmann was crowded by a group of men at the club and Rashford intervened to save her and her friends. He invited her to a private area of the club away from the crowd. The two reportedly never met before the encounter, but he did know of Lehmann.

“Marcus cleared a table and invited her and her friends to join them,” a source said to The Sun about the incident. “It was the first time they’d met, but he knew who Alisha was. They exchanged a few words and she thanked him then they carried on partying with their separate sets of friends. She thought he was a gent.”

Well Known

Lehmann’s Instagram has over 13 million followers, which has helped her secure endorsement deals from companies like Adidas, Playstation and EA Sports. She was recently featured in a new ad to promote the FIFA ’23 soccer game on Playstation 5. Her Instagram following has surpassed one of the best women’s soccer players in the world, Alex Morgan.

In March, the vice president of a adult subscription based-site reportedly offered Lehmann a $100,000 to sign with the company and do some cam modeling. The 24-year-old is popular on social media but is still trying to build her legacy on the pitch. She will suit up for Switzerland national team in 2023 FIFA World Cup in August.

Lehmann opened up about her growing popularity in February.

“Some people just see Instagram and social media and don’t even know I actually play football,” she told talkSPORT in an interview. “I think sometimes it’s a bit hard because, obviously, I play like I train every day, like everyone else. I play every weekend and sometimes it’s hard because they [the public] make a picture of you.”

As for Rashford, he has gained over 15.5 million followers on Instagram. His stardom rose quickly playing for the popular English club Manchester United. He has scored 16 goals and five assists this season in 31 appearances in the English Premier League.

Hey, Ladies, “After Gisele [Bündchen], Tom [Brady] Is Done With Models,” Because His Ex-Wife Knows Everybody In The Game

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer and seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady reportedly is done with dating models.

Per reports, he’s changed his tune on dating models following his 13-year marriage to and subsequent divorce from supermodel Gisele Bündchen in October 2022. 

The two cited irreconcilable differences in their divorce filing, but things really seemed to hit the fan when Brady retired following the 2021-22 NFL season, only to return to the gridiron just 44 days later, a move that seemed to for all intents and purposes be the final straw in their union. 

Tom Brady Is Done Dating Models

Now single, Brady who’s been seen on numerous occasions enjoying retirement with his children, reportedly is done with models. In report released by Radar Online, a supposed insider claims Brady wants his next mate to be a “conservative, traditional woman.” 

“After Gisele, Tom is done with models,” the site’s purported source claimed.

“Gisele still knows everyone in the modeling industry, and the last thing he needs is his ex-wife involved in his future love life,” the insider added. 

Bündchen and Brady are now co-parenting their two young children.

Rumors Had Brady Dating Reese Witherspoon

In early April, rumors swirled that Brady and “Legally Blonde” actress Reese Witherspoon were dating. While that was completely false, as the two stars have never even met, the story gained traction because both are now single following Brady’s divorce and Witherspoon’ soon-to-be divorce. 

Brady’s reps told “Entertainment Tonight” this about the false rumors. 

“Brady’s main priority is spending time with his children. He’s not going to rush back into dating.”

The same can be said for Witherspoon, who’s also focused on her 12-year-old son with her soon to be ex-husband. 

Will Brady Attempt To Keep Personal Life Under Wraps?  

With the announcement of Brady now looking somewhere other than the modeling world for his next companion, one has to wonder is this an attempt to live his life out of the spotlight?

While it won’t be easy, because he’s Tom Brady, the former Michigan Wolverines star is hoping to have some sense of normalcy after having his personal and professional life play out in front of us for the past 23 years. 

Going conservative in his dating habits seems to be another step towards that type of life.

Domonique Foxworth Thinks White NFL Fans Will Have A Problem With All These Black QBs … And Next Comes The League Shenanigans

Three of the top four recruits in the first round during this year’s NFL draft were Black quarterbacks. Coupled with current NFL quarterbacks, Jalen Hurts and then Lamar Jackson smashing payday records and becoming the highest earners in the NFL, you have what looks like a Black QB revolution.

Will White Fans Have A Problem With All These Black Quarterbacks?

That might be a problem for the powers that be, according to former player-turned ESPN sports talking head Domonique Foxworth, who broke down a unique reactionary theory he feels is coming shortly to fellow sports broadcaster Bomani Jones.

“Before we get to the (Philadelphia) Eagles and how scary that is, something just hit me – there’s gonna be some rule changes in the NFL,” Foxworth began on the latest episode of ‘The Right Time with Bomani Jones.’ “They ‘gon do something. And you may be looking at me like I’m crazy, but wait ’til I explain something to you, then you’re gonna be like, ‘yup, they about to fix this.’

“Who’s the best quarterback in football? Patrick Mahomes? Who’s the two highest-paid players in all the league? Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts. Who are the first three quarterbacks drafted in this draft? Black dudes. Oh, we got a rule change coming down the pike.”

Enter Will Levis, a white quarterback expected to go fourth in the first round but did not hear his name called on Day 1; Instead, that slot went to Anthony Richardson, a Black QB the Indianapolis Colts selected. When Levis returned home to Connecticut the next day from his anticipated first-round draft party, the University of Kentucky prospect walked into a call from the Tennessee Titans that they had selected him in the second round, 33rd overall.

Where The White Men At?

For Bomani Jones, the Levis second-round drop has everything to do with the evolution of the QB position under Black leadership. The hybrid rushing QB is now the standard, and even though players like Mahomes are judged as playground-tactic gunslingers, having that attribute is proven, and it seems to predominantly come attached with melanin.

“Guys, as crazy as you think this is,” Jones said, “i’ll never forget the first time I saw Harry Edwards speak and he was talking about the quarterback position and when [Michae] Vick, [Daunte] Culpepper, you know that run of dudes started coming, what they did was they started making those punitive roughing the passer penalties where if you just touch the guy on the helmet that you got 15 yards ’cause they had to slow up those defensive backs. Guys, it’s turning into a problem where can’t nobody even talk themselves into Will Levis, right? Something has fundamentally changed.”

Foxworth is well aware that his opinion can be seen as an exposition of the racist culture within the NFL. However, he feels it’s more a matter of fan demographics and who is buying tickets and watching games, which he feels is overwhelmingly a white male audience who follow the quarterback mainly.

Follow The Audience. Follow The Money.

“So, you might be listening to this and thinking that Domonique is arguing that the NFL is just flat out ‘I hate Black people racist,'” Foxworth continued. “No, it’s a different type of racism. It’s because they think that you are a ‘I hate Black people’ type of racist. They know that the stars of this entertainment property are the quarterbacks.

“That is who the people who are three degrees removed from you who’s a superfan they don’t know nobody but four or five quarterbacks’ names. And you know what they believe? The same way the NBA is probably concerned about all these international players, they know that the stars that sell consistently, that they have known to sell consistently are tall white dudes.”

Paging Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and more are now being replaced with Lamar, Jalen, and Bryce Young.

But will the NFL institute some subtle measures to ease the White quarterback back to the center? If that fan money dips, Foxworth says to count on it.

The Stories You Never Want To Report | Buccaneers LB Shaq Barrett’s 2-Year-Old Daughter Drowns In Pool At Family’s Tampa Home

Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Shaquil Barrett’s 2-year-old daughter, Arrayah, tragically drowned in the swimming pool at the family’s Tampa home Sunday morning, according to reports.

Tampa police responded to a call around 9:30 a.m. about a child falling into a pool. Arrayah was taken to the hospital, life saving measures were taken but she was pronounced dead.

“Today’s tragic news is heartbreaking for all members of the Buccaneers family,” the Bucs said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Shaq, Jordanna and the entire Barrett family during this unimaginably difficult time. While no words can provide true comfort at a time such as this, we offer our support and love as they begin to process this very profound loss of their beloved Arrayah.”

Tampa police say an investigation into the incident is ongoing, no foul play is suspected.

Shaq Barrett And Family

Barrett and his wife Jordanna, have three older children: Shaquil Jr., Braylon, and Aaliyah. Arrayah was born two months after Barrett and the Bucs beat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. 

In 2021 Barrett signed a four year contract worth up to $72 million with $36 million guaranteed.

Barrett is in his fifth season with the Bucs. His 2022 season was ended when he suffered a torn Achilles in a Week 8 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He finished the season with 31 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble in eight starts.

He was signed as a free agent by the Bucs in 2019, Barrett led the NFL with 19.5 sacks and was named an All-Pro and to his first Pro Bowl.

Barrett met Jordanna at church while he was a prep student at Boys Town in Nebraska. The couple married young and by 22 their first three kids were born.

Barrett A Family Man

In 2019 Jordanna spoke about how loving Shaq is as a husband and father.

“He knew where he came from, and he did not want that for his children,” Jordanna told The Athletic. “He wants to give the kids a life he never had.”

This is a heartbreaking incident for the Barrett family. This will be an extremely difficult situation to grieve and put into perspective. Arrayah was so young and the accident so tragic. They’ve lost a daughter and a sister.

Barrett’s former teammate Leonard Fournette tweeted support.

“In this game all we take away is the Money, Memories, and friendships Shaq I love you brother praying for you one of the best guys I’ve ever met God send your hands over his family at this time.”

Bucs former QB Tom Brady posted a picture of Barrett, Jordanna and the four kids on his Instagram Story with the caption “The Brady’s love you,” with a series of praying emojis.

According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14. There are an estimated 11 deaths per day from drowning in the United States.

“He Just Lost A Brother” | Milwaukee Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer Was Leading His Team With A Heavy Heart In The First Round

As the basketball world is trying to piece together what happened to the Milwaukee Bucks in their epic first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat. Most had no idea the amount of pain Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer was dealing with away from the court. 

Per reports, the NBA championship-winning coach lost a brother prior to his team’s Game 4 loss to the Miami Heat. The team then lost Game 5 in overtime at home after leading by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, losing the series 4-1.

While losing is never a good thing, Coach Bud’s family situation puts the basketball problems into perspective. 

On Friday Los Angeles Lakers head coach, Darvin Ham, a former Bucks assistant under Budenholzer, told reporters, “Coach Bud is going through a lot on a personal level, He just lost a brother, so, my apologies, Bud, if I wasn’t supposed to let anybody know. He and I’ve been texting. I love those guys. They’re a part of my basketball family.” 

Budenholzer Confirms Brother’s Death

After Ham’s comments, Coach Bud did in fact confirm that his brother was killed in a car accident prior to the team’s Game 4 in South Beach. He also told The Athletic that “he loves and respects Ham and was comfortable confirming what Ham had told reporters.”

The fact that Coach Bud continued to lead his team despite a real family crisis ongoing, goes back to what Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue recently discussed.

During a recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, Lue talked about how being a coach affects your personal life.

The Clippers head coach said in March that he’s missed seven funerals in his hometown this season because his team was struggling.

The pressure was definitely on, and that in itself played a role in why he didn’t take some time away from the team, even though he probably should’ve. 

Bucks’ Season Was A Failure

No matter how Giannis Antetokounmpo tries to spin it, the Bucks’ season was a failure. They were the league’s top overall seed after going 58-24, and to lose in five games to a Heat team that was four minutes from losing two play-in games, is unacceptable. 

The Bucks led for the bulk of the final two losses before pretty much choking the leads away. 

Sure, the season didn’t end the way the team would have liked, but there is life beyond basketball and that became very evident when the death of Budenholzer’s brother was revealed.

Deion Sanders Keeps His Colorado Boot On The NFL’s Neck | “Ashamed” NFL Teams Drafted Only One HBCU Student Athlete

Coach Prime might have taken his talents to the PWI Pac-12 division of collegiate football, but he will still use his voice and influence to increase opportunities for HBCU athletes looking for a shot at the NFL.

The former Jackson State coach tweeted his displeasure at the 31 NFL teams for drafting only former JSU cornerback Isaiah Bolden. Ignoring prime HBCU talent is nothing new for the NFL. Before Deion Sanders championed for HBCU players, NFL scouts weren’t even coming out to see these players or inviting them in for workouts.

Just One HBCU Taken In 2023 NFL Draft

On Saturday, the New England Patriots selected the defensive back in the seventh round with the 245th pick of the 2023 NFL draft. The Pats used their 12th and final draft selection to acquire the defensive back.

“So proud is you @isaiahbolden23,” tweeted Sanders. “You deserved to be drafted much higher but I’m truly proud of u. I know how much u want this. I’m ashamed of the 31 other @nfl teams that couldn’t find draft value in ALL of the talented HBCU players & we had 3 more draft worthy players at JSU.”

How The HBCU Combine Is Already Increasing NFL Opportunities For Black College Stars

Change Gon’ Come…

Bolden started his career at Florida State and transferred to Jackson State to play for Sanders.

In his first year playing for the Tigers in 2021 under Coach Prime, Bolden had 30 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles, and seven pass breakups.

He was electric on special teams as a kickoff returner and, in his junior season, led the nation in both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision in kickoff return average at 36.9 per return. He also tied for the FCS lead with kickoff returns.

During his pro day at Jackson State, Bolden wowed the 27 NFL scouts in attendance turning in a 4.31-second 40-yard dash and 1.54-second 10-yard split, registered a 38-inch vertical, and had a 10-foot-9 broad jump. Bolden is versatile and can play the slot receiver and any other defensive back positions.

However, many of the “drafty worthy” JSU players into whom Sanders infused his Coach Prime ethos went undrafted. Many HBCU players are entering the undrafted free-agent market to keep their dreams of playing in the NFL alive, sixteen of which were signed by NFL teams, including three from Jackson State University, the most from the HBCU system.

Undrafted Free Agent Wins

Jackson State came in first with three undrafted free-agent signings, including WR Dallas Daniels, who went to the Denver Broncos. Daniels was the leading receiver for the Jackson State offense this past season, logging 66 receptions for 775 yards and ten touchdowns.

Linebacker Aubrey Miller, who went to the Miami Dolphins, is the reigning SWAC Defensive Player of the Year and is widely considered the trigger for Jackson State’s undefeated regular season for the first time in school history. He finished his collegiate career with 117 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, six pass breakups, five forced fumbles, four quarterback hurries, and two fumble recoveries.

Lastly, defensive back Dejahn Warren went to the Chicago Bears. One of the first players to sign with Jackson State after the announcement of JSU’s hiring of Coach Prime, the former Lackawanna Community College student had 51 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, six pass breakups, and an interception in 28 games with the Tigers.

According to reports, Bowie State University and Florida A&M University each had two student-athletes signed as undrafted free agents, with nine others seeing one player enter the league.

The big moment of hearing your name called from the stage escaped all but one HBCU student-athlete, and Sanders is letting the world know, as he has in the past, that it is a travesty.

LeBron James Trolls Memphis Grizzlies Using Jay-Z And Mystikal Lyrics | Twitter Trolls Him Back Because It’s Just The First Round, But Beating Steph Curry Would Be Worthy Of Prose

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was at his passive-aggressive best over the weekend after his No. 7 seed Lakers upset the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. Bron took to Instagram and Twitter to send a not-so-subtle message to his vanquished foes. This isn’t the first time the four-time Finals MVP has trolled an opponent, who’d he give it to worse?

“If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR 👑,” Bron posted to Instagram.

A direct shot at the Grizzlies, courtesy of a recycled Mystikal verse. He could have just said bear or he could’ve picked any other apex predator animal. But he specifically chose a grizzly bear.

Bron’s Twitter message seemed to be directed at one Grizzlies player in particular. The defensive-minded, trash-talking Dillon Brooks, who called Bron and the Lakers out before and during the series.

How Did We Get Here?

Bron and the Grizzlies have been going back and forth at each other since last season. The four-time league MVP didn’t take to kindly to all the trash talk coming from the young upstart Grizzlies during a blowout, and he warned them to “stop talking sh*t.”

Then there was the regular-season game in Los Angeles this year that involved noted LeBron stan Shannon Sharpe. A whole lot of hootin’ and hollerin’.

Then came the first set of comments from Brooks

“I wouldn’t mind playing LeBron in a seven-game series,” Brooks said at the end of the regular season. “The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, knock him out right away. They’ll test us good. They got good pieces, good players. That’ll be a good first-round matchup for us.”

Strong words from a player on a team that was only making their third playoff appearance and only won one series.

Still, the Grizzlies remained confident even after losing Game 1 of the series at home and after winning Game 2, Brooks doubled down on his trash talk of Bron.

“I don’t care; he’s old,” Brooks said after Game 2 of the Lakers vs. Grizzlies series. “I poke bears. I don’t respect no one until they come and give me 40 [points].”

Well, we all know what happened next.

Bron is not really the type to trash talk during the series itself, though he’ll say his fair share if things really get heated. He prefers to wait until after the series is done and do some subtle and not so subtle trolling.

Bron Trolled The Warriors In 2016

In 2016, then a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bron led a historic comeback against the 73-win Golden State Warriors in the Finals. With the Warriors leading 3-1, Bron, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and the Cavs won three straight to win the title.

The night/early morning after the win while celebrating in Las Vegas, Bron was seen wearing an “Ultimate Warrior” T-shirt. He denied it being a shot at the Warriors, but we all know it was aimed at them.

Later that year at his Halloween party, Bron had tombstone-shaped cookies with Warriors players Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and cookies that read “3-1 lead.”

When you’re on the losing end to arguably the greatest player of all time, it stings. The fact that he won’t let you forget it hurts worse.

Bron has trolled others as well. But given the magnitude of the 2016 Finals, we’d have to say he gave it to the Warriors worse.

As we move to the conference semifinals, old rivalries will be renewed.

The Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in a tough seven-game series. Their opponent in the next round? Bron and the Lakers.

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NBA

‘I’ve Done Alot Of Damage to The Body’: ‘Gladiator II’ Star Denzel Washington’s New Dope Is San Antonio Spurs Unicorn Victor Wembanyama

Featured

“He Hired a Shooting Coach, Camera Man, and Editor”: Mad Dog Russo and Jason Whitlock Clown Audacity and Authenticity Of Stephen A. Smith’s Shooting Video

Culture

It’s All About Snow: Shedeur Sanders Says It’s Basketball Sister Shelomi “Bossy” Sanders But Baby Que Rules Coach Prime’s Rankings

NBA

Male Fans Want WNBA Star A’ja Wilson To Stop “Gaslighting Up This Talk That They Could Compete With NBA Players” After Three-Time MVP Makes Bold 1 v 1 Claim

‘You Playing … I Need You To Sweat That S*** Out’: Doc Rivers Once Had A Great Reason For Making Party Animal Lou Williams Play NBA Game Drunk 

‘I’ve Done Alot Of Damage to The Body’: ‘Gladiator II’ Star Denzel Washington’s New Dope Is San Antonio Spurs Unicorn Victor Wembanyama

NFL

‘I Ain’t Never Seen Him Do That, Bruh’: Marshawn Lynch and Mike Robinson Give Honest Take On Failures of Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback Trevor ‘Sunshine’ Lawrence

“In a Raiders Uniform … A Dream Come True” | Ice Cube Tells Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Candidate Deion Sanders and Son Shedeur To Follow Daddy Ball Formula Of LeBron James

It’s All About Snow: Shedeur Sanders Says It’s Basketball Sister Shelomi “Bossy” Sanders But Baby Que Rules Coach Prime’s Rankings

Opinion

“It’s Angel. Not A Doubt”: JuJu Watkins and Dawn Staley Say Angel Reese Is Pulling Away From Caitlin Clark In ROY Voting

“That’s Not A Basketball Play” | Chennedy Carter’s Cheap Shot Overshadows WNBA’s First Caitlin Clark Versus Angel Reese Showdown

“Hold Up! Hold Up!” | Jaylen Warren Says Pittsburgh Steelers Special Teams Coach Has Suggested Putting Justin Fields On Kick Return Team