Aug 14, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette (7) warms up before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Leonard Fournette is facing some questions about his conditioning heading into training camp, but the veteran running back seems to think those will all be forgotten when the 2022 season begins.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers reporter Rick Stroud said on his podcast last week that Bucs coaches were unhappy that Fournette showed up to minicamp so out of shape. The former first-round pick supposedly weighs around 260 pounds now, which would be massive for a back.
Fournette sent a cryptic tweet after the report circulated.
Fournette was listed at 228 pounds last season. It seems unlikely that he gained more than 30 pounds in a single offseason. However, it is worth noting that Fournette did not exactly deny that he weighs 260 in a tweet he has since deleted.
The Bucs decided to bring Fournette back on a three-year, $21 million deal. They obviously expect him to be in great shape after making that type of financial commitment. If he’s not, it will probably show in the early part of the season.
Nov 25, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown on the sideline against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the first half at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Georgia coach Kirby Smart guided his team to a national championship last season, but by his own admission, he was ready to check out before the campaign even started.
In a recent chat with Texas high school football coaches, Smart admitted he was “ready to step down and resign” prior to the start of last season. According to Smart, after the COVID recruiting dead period was lifted last June, Georgia hosted recruits every day for the entire month, leaving the coach feeling very burned out.
“I was ready to step down and resign. I was done,” Smart revealed.
Smart added that this year, Georgia scheduled days off for coaches on Mondays to prevent the same level of burnout from happening.
Obviously, Smart did not step down. He was rewarded with a national title, though it is easy to see how such a taxing schedule could be exhausting for the 46-year-old. When you see how intense he can get, that becomes even more clear. Still, it’s a good signal of how much time and effort it takes in the sport to succeed at the very top, and what a toll it can take. It makes the long-term success of guys like Smart even more remarkable.
Lane Kiffin is one of the highest-paid coaches in college football, but that does not mean he wants his children showing total disregard for the value of a dollar.
Kiffin’s daughter, Landry, shared a hilarious TikTok video this week in which she informed her father that her sister, Pressley, spent a large sum of money at the ZARA retail store. The Ole Miss coach, who seemed legitimately rattled, turned to Presley to ask her what the total bill came to. He was not pleased to hear that it was $721.
Check out the awesome reaction:
Kiffin had to check his pulse after that one. His disgust seemed genuine, too.
With a 2022 salary of $7.25 million, Kiffin is one of the 10 highest-paid coaches in the country. He can certainly afford the bill, but many dads can relate to the pain he felt when he found out how much his daughter spent.
Kiffin is known for cracking well-timed jokes, but a $721 spending spree from his daughter was clearly no laughing matter.
Oct 7, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) looks on during pre game batting practice before game three of the 2019 ALDS playoff baseball series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Giancarlo Stanton shook off his poor MLB All-Star Game track record with one big swing on Tuesday night, and an incredible photo from the game made it look like the baseball he launched into orbit was made of foam.
With the American League down 2-0 in the fourth, Stanton took Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin deep for a monstrous 2-run home run to tie the game. The New York Yankees star literally crushed the ball, sending it 457 feet. Here’s a remarkable still shot of the moment Stanton made contact:
There are few people in baseball who can hit a ball harder than Stanton, and that photo is a perfect illustration of his power. You can see a video of the homer here.
The AL won 3-2, and Stanton was named All-Star Game MVP. He had gone 0-for-6 combined in his previous four All-Star Games. Stanton had a great reaction after the win when asked about his big night.
Sep 18, 2021; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Ainias Smith (0) returns a punt against the New Mexico Lobos during the first half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Texas A&M wide receiver Ainias Smith is facing multiple charges after he was arrested early Wednesday morning.
Smith was pulled over by Texas A&M police shortly after 2 a.m. on Wednesday for speeding. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence. Officers then found marijuana and a gun in his car. Smith was charged with driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying of a weapon and possessing fewer than two ounces of marijuana, according to Brazos County police records that were reviewed by Brent Zwerneman of the Houston Chronicle.
Officers said Smith had a “rolled joint of marijuana” and a handgun with a “full magazine and a round chambered” in the center console of his car. He denied owning both. A passenger who was with the senior also denied owning the marijuana or handgun.
Smith had not been released on bond as of Wednesday morning.
Smith is expected to play a huge role for the Aggies this season. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound receiver had 47 catches for 509 yards and six touchdowns last year. He was one of three Texas A&M players who were scheduled to represent the team at SEC Media Days in Atlanta on Thursday.
February 23, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andrew Wiggins (22) warms up before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Andrew Wiggins had his first All-Star season this year and helped the Golden State Warriors win a championship, but he still has one major regret — getting vaccinated.
Wiggins did not want to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He chose to do so to avoid a situation like the one we saw with Kyrie Irving, where the Brooklyn Nets star was unable to play for much of the season. Wiggins applied for a religious exemption but was denied by the NBA, so he finally got the vaccine in early October.
Despite all of his success, Wiggins told Fansided’s Mark Carman this week that he regrets the difficult decision he made.
“I still wish I didn’t get [vaccinated], to be honest with you,” Wiggins said, via ESPN.com. “I did it, and I was an All-Star this year and champion, so that was the good part, just not missing out on the year, the best year of my career. But for my body, I just don’t like putting all that stuff in my body, so I didn’t like that and I didn’t like that it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t like that it was either get this or don’t play.”
Wiggins started 73 games for the Warriors during the regular season. He averaged 17.2 points per game. He then played a huge role in the playoffs, and you could make the argument that Golden State would not have won a title without him. Most notably, the former No. 1 overall pick carried the Warriors to a win over the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals with 26 points and 13 rebounds. That performance came after he had 17 points and 16 rebounds in a Game 4 win to help the Warriors even the series at 2-2.
The Warriors are obviously happy Wiggins got vaccinated, but it says a lot that the 27-year-old still regrets it even after how well things went for him this year.
Feb 17, 2019; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addresses representatives from the grapefruit league during the annual spring training media day at Hilton in West Palm Beach. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Many MLB fans were once again upset over the uniforms at the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, but commissioner Rob Manfred remains quite pleased with the change.
For the second consecutive year, players wore uniforms that were specific to the All-Star Game rather than wearing the appropriate home or away uniform of the team they play for. The National League, which was the home team, wore white jerseys with their team’s name in gold letters on the front and their last name on the back. The American League wore charcoal grey.
Manfred was asked about the uniforms prior to the game. He said he personally did not like when players wore all different uniforms during the All-Star Game.
The uniforms are all about the money, of course. Manfred can pretend he likes the new look better, but all that matters is revenue. Many fans were quick to bash the commissioner over his comment.
Individual team jerseys are not coming back anytime soon. Manfred added that sponsorship logo patches will also be added next year, calling it a revenue source that is “impossible for the sport to ignore over the long haul.”
Nike took over as MLB’s official jersey provider in 2020. That has led to several unique new looks, many of which have been shredded by fans. It seems like the majority want individual team jerseys to return to the All-Star Game, but Manfred will likely continue to ignore that.
Albert Pujols wasn’t the only person who proved at the MLB All-Star Game festivities this week that he can still soak up the spotlight. Kate Upton made one heck of a statement, too.
Upton, who is married to Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, absolutely dominated the “Red Carpet Show” on MLB.TV prior to the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. She wore a white dress and strutted down the runway with Verlander and the couple’s young daughter.
It would be an understatement to say the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was upstaged. Though, the Astros did try to give their guy some love.
Upton, of course, is one of the most famous SI Swimsuit models of all time. She has also appeared in several movies. We have grown more used to seeing her in a supporting role for Verlander in recent years, but she was the star of the show on Tuesday.
A video of a 10-year-old boy meeting Clayton Kershaw during Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game went viral.
The boy, Blake Grice, received a media credential for the game as he pursues a career in media. He approached Kershaw during a media session after the Los Angeles Dodgers ace pitched the first inning of the game.
Grice explained how his late grandfather was a huge Kershaw fan and wanted to meet the pitcher and legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully as part of bucket list items. Grice’s grandfather died of brain cancer before being able to experience either event. So Blake tried to meet Kershaw to fulfill the bucket list item.
Take a look at this exchange:
Kershaw sure handled that well. He ensured the boy got a photo with him too.
Next up, it sounds like Grice will be trying to meet Scully.
Giancarlo Stanton on Tuesday played in his fifth career All-Star Game. But it wasn’t until this year’s game that he finally found success in the Midsummer Classic.
Stanton entered Tuesday’s game 0-for-6 with three strikeouts in All-Star Games. He struck out in his first at-bat against the National League Tuesday too. But then things changed.
With the American League down 2-0 in the fourth, Stanton took Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tony Gonsolin deep for a monstrous 2-run home run to tie the game.
Byron Buxton followed with a homer to break the tie, and that was it for the scoring in the game. The AL won 3-2, and Stanton was named All-Star Game MVP.
Stanton was asked after the game how it felt to win All-Star Game MVP at Dodger Stadium, which is nearby where he grew up. The New York Yankees star had trouble finding the words to express his feelings.
“Can’t really explain how special this is. It’s hard to put into words that this is reality right now. It’s really cool; I’m soaking it all in,” Stanton said.
The Los Angeles native was the only player with multiple RBIs in the game. After starter Shane McClanahan struggled in the first, the AL pitching staff shut things down and did not allow any runs the rest of the game. In fact, after McClanahan allowed four hits in the first, the entire staff allowed just one more hit thereafter.
If it wasn’t Stanton to win MVP, then the rest of the AL pitching staff deserved it.
