Deadspin | Astros, Rockies kick off series searching for reversal of fortune Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images On Monday, the Houston Astros completed a 10-game road trip so nightmarish that a starting pitcher allowing six earned runs over laborious six innings essentially represented a high point. The Astros dropped the finale of a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games, the longest for the club since 2013. Houston, which will host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series, placed five players on the injured list during the road trip, including three members of its starting rotation. With ace Hunter Brown and fellow right-handers Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai on the IL, the Astros’ rotation is in flux. Only Mike Burrows, who worked six innings on Monday, and Lance McCullers Jr., who didn’t escape the fifth inning on Saturday, remain in the rotation. Despite being in an early stage of the season, the Astros are in desperate need of a reset. “This is a road trip that’s one to forget,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to go home and start all over again.” Left-hander Colton Gordon, recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. Gordon finished 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts) as a rookie last season. He made his big league debut on May 14, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals, but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 4-3 victory after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. In three starts with Sugar Land this season, Gordon is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings. In his lone career appearance against the Rockies, Gordon allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 6-5 road win on July 1, 2025. Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 8.36 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rockies on Tuesday. He worked a scoreless inning of relief against the San Diego Padres on Saturday in his first appearance out of the bullpen after three turns through the rotation. Lorenzen is in his first season with the Rockies after pitching for the Royals last season and splitting time between Kansas City and the Texas Rangers in 2024. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has pitched for six organizations since 2022. Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA across seven career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. He earned the win against Houston on April 8 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Rockies’ 9-1 home victory. The Rockies followed their three-game sweep of the Astros last week by dropping all four games of a weekend series with the San Diego Padres. With their bullpen already taxed after the Padres scored 21 runs in the first three games of the series, the Rockies scratched left-hander Kyle Freeland before the series finale. Valente Bellozo salvaged things by working 4 1/3 innings of relief, but Colorado was looking forward to the off day in Houston on Monday. “The off day will help big time,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. According to Schaeffer, left-hander Jose Quintana should be available during the series against the Astros after a recent bullpen session. Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain on March 30. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Astros #Rockies #kick #series #searching #reversal #fortune

Deadspin | Astros, Rockies kick off series searching for reversal of fortune
Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

On Monday, the Houston Astros completed a 10-game road trip so nightmarish that a starting pitcher allowing six earned runs over laborious six innings essentially represented a high point.

The Astros dropped the finale of a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games, the longest for the club since 2013. Houston, which will host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series, placed five players on the injured list during the road trip, including three members of its starting rotation.

With ace Hunter Brown and fellow right-handers Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai on the IL, the Astros’ rotation is in flux. Only Mike Burrows, who worked six innings on Monday, and Lance McCullers Jr., who didn’t escape the fifth inning on Saturday, remain in the rotation. Despite being in an early stage of the season, the Astros are in desperate need of a reset.

“This is a road trip that’s one to forget,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to go home and start all over again.”

Left-hander Colton Gordon, recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. Gordon finished 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts) as a rookie last season. He made his big league debut on May 14, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals, but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 4-3 victory after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. In three starts with Sugar Land this season, Gordon is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings.

In his lone career appearance against the Rockies, Gordon allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 6-5 road win on July 1, 2025.

Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 8.36 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rockies on Tuesday. He worked a scoreless inning of relief against the San Diego Padres on Saturday in his first appearance out of the bullpen after three turns through the rotation. Lorenzen is in his first season with the Rockies after pitching for the Royals last season and splitting time between Kansas City and the Texas Rangers in 2024. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has pitched for six organizations since 2022.

Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA across seven career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. He earned the win against Houston on April 8 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Rockies’ 9-1 home victory.

The Rockies followed their three-game sweep of the Astros last week by dropping all four games of a weekend series with the San Diego Padres. With their bullpen already taxed after the Padres scored 21 runs in the first three games of the series, the Rockies scratched left-hander Kyle Freeland before the series finale. Valente Bellozo salvaged things by working 4 1/3 innings of relief, but Colorado was looking forward to the off day in Houston on Monday.

“The off day will help big time,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.

According to Schaeffer, left-hander Jose Quintana should be available during the series against the Astros after a recent bullpen session. Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain on March 30.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Astros #Rockies #kick #series #searching #reversal #fortune

Sports news April 14, 2026

Apr 13, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) hits an RBI-single against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

On Monday, the Houston Astros completed a 10-game road trip so nightmarish that a starting pitcher allowing six earned runs over laborious six innings essentially represented a high point.

The Astros dropped the finale of a four-game series with the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games, the longest for the club since 2013. Houston, which will host the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series, placed five players on the injured list during the road trip, including three members of its starting rotation.

With ace Hunter Brown and fellow right-handers Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai on the IL, the Astros’ rotation is in flux. Only Mike Burrows, who worked six innings on Monday, and Lance McCullers Jr., who didn’t escape the fifth inning on Saturday, remain in the rotation. Despite being in an early stage of the season, the Astros are in desperate need of a reset.

“This is a road trip that’s one to forget,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to go home and start all over again.”

Left-hander Colton Gordon, recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. Gordon finished 6-4 with a 5.34 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts) as a rookie last season. He made his big league debut on May 14, 2025, against the Kansas City Royals, but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 4-3 victory after allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. In three starts with Sugar Land this season, Gordon is 1-1 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts across 15 1/3 innings.

In his lone career appearance against the Rockies, Gordon allowed four runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of the Astros’ 6-5 road win on July 1, 2025.

Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 8.36 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rockies on Tuesday. He worked a scoreless inning of relief against the San Diego Padres on Saturday in his first appearance out of the bullpen after three turns through the rotation. Lorenzen is in his first season with the Rockies after pitching for the Royals last season and splitting time between Kansas City and the Texas Rangers in 2024. After spending his first seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Lorenzen has pitched for six organizations since 2022.

Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 5.74 ERA across seven career appearances (five starts) against the Astros. He earned the win against Houston on April 8 after allowing one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Rockies’ 9-1 home victory.

The Rockies followed their three-game sweep of the Astros last week by dropping all four games of a weekend series with the San Diego Padres. With their bullpen already taxed after the Padres scored 21 runs in the first three games of the series, the Rockies scratched left-hander Kyle Freeland before the series finale. Valente Bellozo salvaged things by working 4 1/3 innings of relief, but Colorado was looking forward to the off day in Houston on Monday.

“The off day will help big time,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.

According to Schaeffer, left-hander Jose Quintana should be available during the series against the Astros after a recent bullpen session. Quintana landed on the 15-day injured list with a right hamstring strain on March 30.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Astros #Rockies #kick #series #searching #reversal #fortune

UCL 2025-26 — Bayern in driving seat but wounded Real Madrid could be dangerous, says Manuel Neuer <div id="content-body-70862164" itemprop="articleBody">Treble-chasing Bayern Munich is in control of its Champions League quarterfinal tie against Real Madrid after a 2-1 first-leg win but the Spanish giant, ‌struggling for form, could prove dangerous with its backs to the wall, Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer ⁠said on Tuesday.The Bavarians host Real in the return leg on Wednesday, hoping to book a semifinal spot to go along ‌with their German Cup semifinal place and a 12-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.Real, ‌out of Spain’s Copa del Rey and second ‌in ⁠La Liga, nine points behind Barcelona, has only ⁠one realistic shot at a trophy.“Yes, it is a big chance for Real to improve things,” Neuer told a press conference. “It is a really difficult period for a ‌club like Real at the moment. We have experienced it ourselves in the past. When you are with your back to the wall you can move mountains,” Neuer ‌said.But the Spaniards will be facing a Bayern team in stellar form. On Saturday it set a new Bundesliga all-time goal record, with ⁠its 5-0 demolition of St Pauli, to take its season tally to 105 goals with five games still remaining. The ‌previous best mark was 101 goals in the 1971-72 campaign.“We are in a flow right now. We are still in all competitions and it’s in our own hands,” Neuer said. “We are sitting in the driver’s seat.”Bayern can potentially secure the league title as early as this ‌weekend if Borussia Dortmund slips up on Saturday against Hoffenheim. It also faces Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup semifinal on April 22.“We won the first match but ⁠there is only one goal difference,” the 40-year-old Neuer said. “We ⁠know the fight we have to deliver. But we have that one goal advantage.”“Our motivation is sky ‌high so the starting point is good but we cannot overestimate it. We have experienced how Real can hit back but we are confident,” he said.Published on Apr 14, 2026</div> #UCL #Bayern #driving #seat #wounded #Real #Madrid #dangerous #Manuel #Neuer

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">

mwasimuddin125 0

Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.

When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’

Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.

When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">

Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it. #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

mwasimuddin125 0

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.
The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.
The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.
That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.
On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.
Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.
But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.
I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.
One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.
Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.
In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.
There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.
I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.
Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">