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Two held for IPL betting in UP’s Jhansi; Rs 8 crore digital transactions detected Two people were arrested for allegedly running an online betting racket during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, with digital transactions worth over Rs 8 crore detected on their mobile phones, police said on Thursday.Acting on a tip-off, a team from Sipri Bazar police station raided a house in Mahendrapuri Colony and arrested Anshuman (40) and Abhishek Pathak (31), SP City Preeti Singh said.The accused were operating the betting racket from the premises, taking bets on various aspects of IPL matches such as wickets, runs and overs, she said.Four mobile phones recovered from them showed online transactions involving digital coins exceeding Rs 8.05 crore, police said, adding that cash of over Rs 5,000 was also seized.Police have also frozen around Rs 1.80 lakh lying in nine bank accounts linked to the accused, Singh said.During questioning, the duo revealed that they were working in association with a man identified as Ravi Kushwaha, a resident of Pathoriya, who is believed to be the main accused and is currently absconding, police added.A case has been registered under relevant sections of law, and efforts are underway to trace the main accused, they said.Published on Apr 30, 2026 #held #IPL #betting #UPs #Jhansi #crore #digital #transactions #detected

Two held for IPL betting in UP’s Jhansi; Rs 8 crore digital transactions detected

Two people were arrested for allegedly running an online betting racket during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, with digital transactions worth over Rs 8 crore detected on their mobile phones, police said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from Sipri Bazar police station raided a house in Mahendrapuri Colony and arrested Anshuman (40) and Abhishek Pathak (31), SP City Preeti Singh said.

The accused were operating the betting racket from the premises, taking bets on various aspects of IPL matches such as wickets, runs and overs, she said.

Four mobile phones recovered from them showed online transactions involving digital coins exceeding Rs 8.05 crore, police said, adding that cash of over Rs 5,000 was also seized.

Police have also frozen around Rs 1.80 lakh lying in nine bank accounts linked to the accused, Singh said.

During questioning, the duo revealed that they were working in association with a man identified as Ravi Kushwaha, a resident of Pathoriya, who is believed to be the main accused and is currently absconding, police added.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of law, and efforts are underway to trace the main accused, they said.

Published on Apr 30, 2026

#held #IPL #betting #UPs #Jhansi #crore #digital #transactions #detected

Sports news , , ,

Two people were arrested for allegedly running an online betting racket during Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, with digital transactions worth over Rs 8 crore detected on their mobile phones, police said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, a team from Sipri Bazar police station raided a house in Mahendrapuri Colony and arrested Anshuman (40) and Abhishek Pathak (31), SP City Preeti Singh said.

The accused were operating the betting racket from the premises, taking bets on various aspects of IPL matches such as wickets, runs and overs, she said.

Four mobile phones recovered from them showed online transactions involving digital coins exceeding Rs 8.05 crore, police said, adding that cash of over Rs 5,000 was also seized.

Police have also frozen around Rs 1.80 lakh lying in nine bank accounts linked to the accused, Singh said.

During questioning, the duo revealed that they were working in association with a man identified as Ravi Kushwaha, a resident of Pathoriya, who is believed to be the main accused and is currently absconding, police added.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of law, and efforts are underway to trace the main accused, they said.

Published on Apr 30, 2026

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#held #IPL #betting #UPs #Jhansi #crore #digital #transactions #detected

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Deadspin | Timberwolves G Ayo Dosunmu questionable vs. Nuggets <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28798254.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28798254.jpg" alt="NBA: Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) talks with a reporter after the game with the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu is listed as questionable with a sore right calf for Thursday’s Game 6 of the Western Conference first-round series versus the Denver Nuggets in Minneapolis.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Dosunmu is a late addition to the injury report for the Timberwolves, who hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 7, if necessary, is Saturday in Denver.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-3"> <p>A late-season acquisition via trade from Chicago, Dosunmu emerged as the hero in Game 4 after star Anthony Edwards (knee) and backcourt mate Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) exited due to injury. Dosunmu scored 43 points, bookended by performances of 25 and 18 points, respectively, in Games 3 and 5. </p> </section> <section id="section-4"> <p>Edwards and DiVincenzo are ruled out for Thursday’s game for Minnesota, however guard Bones Hyland was made available for the contest despite dealing with left knee soreness.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Timberwolves #Ayo #Dosunmu #questionable #Nuggets

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A fake playoff series is taking over the NBA world — how did this start? <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">When the NBA playoffs began earlier this month, 19-year-old Zinzy was disappointed that the Memphis Grizzlies, his favorite team, weren’t in the mix.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The Grizzlies were fresh off a 25-game, rebuilding season and were on the outside looking in for the first time in years.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">So, he had a goofy idea — what if he jokingly live-tweeted a fake playoff series, as a gimmick?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">At first, he was planning on doing so with a good friend who was a Phoenix Suns fan, who was worried that his team might miss the playoffs, too.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“We were talking, and I was like, ‘Wouldn’t it be so funny if you got knocked out, if you didn’t qualify for the playoffs, and we just did this fake playoff series in our heads?’” Zinny told SB Nation. “And he was like, ‘Yeah, that would be cool.’ And then, they made the playoffs eventually, and I was just like, that kind of sucks.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But, after thinking about it a little bit more, Zinzy decided to do it anyways. In part, because it’d be funny. And, in part, because it was something to bring together a community that had long meant so much to him.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The rest was history — since his first Warriors-Grizzlies Tweets on April 18th, tens of thousands of NBA fans have posted Tweets and ashared Instagram posts reacting to an NBA playoff series that isn’t actually taking place.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">How the heck did we get here?</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h4 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">The story actually begins six years ago, in Nigeria</h4></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">In 2020, Zinzy was a 13-year-old living in Nigeria who had never even taking a liking to basketball.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I was very ignorant of the sport, right?” he recalled. “I was like, basketball is boring.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Then, one night, a friend of his dragged him to watch a Grizzlies game on television at 2am. Almost immediately, he found himself enthralled, drawn to the Grizzlies’s bright-blue uniforms and captivated by rising superstar, Ja Morant.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">After doing his homework, he learned that the franchise that had never won an NBA title, and had not had a ton of success relative to other teams. And, in a funny way, that made him want to become a Grizzlies fan even more.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I did some research on all the teams. And I was like, ‘The Grizzlies don’t have any championships.’ And I love that. It sounds dumb saying it aloud. But, if I could go support a team, and I feel like I’m part of the bigger of their history when they’re winning, then that would definitely feel good.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Since 2020, there have been plenty of highs and plenty of lows. The Grizzlies made the playoffs four times in five years. They saw Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Desmond Bane all become stars. In that span, Zinzy estimates that he’s watched more than 70% of Grizzlies games.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But, the 2025-2026 season was a tough one. They traded away Bane in the offseason, and Jackson Jr ahead of the midseason trade deadline. Now, it appears like it could be the end of the road for Morant, too, with trade rumors circling the point guard all season.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">So, on the heels of a such a difficult season and the fanbase in flux, Zinzy viewed the gimmick as something silly that could bring the fanbase together.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p><h4 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup"><strong>The 2026 Warriors-Grizzlies playoff series began one night in a dorm room </strong></h4></p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">One night, while studying for his final exams at the University of Manitoba in Canada, where he was studying environmental design, he randomly began to live-tweet a fake series between the Grizzlies and the Warriors.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I just got this idea, like – I can still do this on my own,” Zinzy said. “I can do it on Twitter, right? So I just, I tweeted fake stats of Ja and Steph in a Game 1 battle. Then right after that, a couple of days later, I decided to fake live-tweet Game 2 out of nowhere.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">He didn’t think much of it at first.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But, slowly but surely, other major fan accounts on NBA Twitter decided to get in on the bit. It helped that several Warriors fan accounts with big-time followings, like @WarriorsMuse and @BasketballPerformances, also jumped in and partook in the fictional series joke.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The whole thing <em>really</em> blew up on Monday night, when Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr were actually sitting courtside at an Orlando Magic playoff game to support their old Grizzlies teammate, Desmond Bane.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The broadcast kept panning over to Morant and Jackson Jr each time they celebrated a Bane triple, and eventually, fans flocked to social media to post photos of Morant and Jackson Jr, jokingly writing captions along the lines of: “What are they doing?? They have a game tomorrow!”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I just seen my timeline talking about, ‘Don’t they have a game?’” Zinzy said. “And I was like, ‘This is crazy. Like, why do so many people get the reference?’</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Since that night, even official accounts like Overtime have gotten in on the joke. Zinzy has aligned the schedule of his fake Warriors-Grizzlies series with the ongoing Houston Rockets series against the Los Angeles Lakers series. He’s also gained more than 4,000 followers since the gimmick began almost two weeks ago.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Above all, the joke has brought a joy and a levity after what was a difficult season for diehard Memphis fans.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“I watched every game that I could,” he said. “And it’s crazy, because some of them, we were tanking… And I’ve tried, believe me, I’ve tried to detach myself from this team. I mean, the team is so bad. I say it all the the time I could be doing plenty of other things with my time — and then I would still come home, put up my TV, sit down for two, two and a half hours, and watch us lose by thirty.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">He’s enjoying seeing that the joke he began in his dorm room just a few weeks ago has brought laughter to so many Grizzlies fan. The fanbase has provided him with an immense sense of community as he moved from Nigeria to Canada for college a few years ago. He used to livestream games with several other Grizzlies fan accounts, and today, he’s in several different groupchats with thousands of other fans.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“We don’t just interact on the timeline,” Zinzy said. “We actually join groups, join DMs, we talk about other things outside of sports, talk about life. It’s just a really nice community. They don’t judge.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">He’s never actually made it to Memphis, but that’s a dream he hopes to see realized sooner rather than later.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“The fanbase has been one of the best groups of people I’ve ever met – in real life, Twitter, TikTok, it’s great people everywhere.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Zinzy is preparing for a crucial Game 6 between the Grizzlies and Warriors, which tips off on Friday.</p></div></div> #fake #playoff #series #NBA #world #start

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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 #homePro 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

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">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8 Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai 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 BhaskerTiruppur 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 NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026 #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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