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Archer Prathamesh Jawkar banned for two years for whereabouts failure, admits ‘sheer negligence’ on his part Asian Games gold medallist compound archer Prathamesh Jawkar will be banned from the sport for two years, starting Sunday, April 19, after he accepted the punishment for a whereabouts failure.According to Article 2.4 of the World Anti-Doping Code, three filing failures regarding the athlete’s whereabouts within a 12-month period culminates into an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Jawkar missed the deadline for three filings last year, which means he will not only be able to defend his gold at this year’s Asian Games but also most likely miss out on the 2028 Olympics.“The notice that I received from ITA (International Testing Agency) was on January 14 this year. They gave me a week to explain myself and they were going to reassess my case if I had some evidence in my favour. I gave my explanations about why I failed to fill in the whereabouts, but the reasons were clearly not valid enough. On March 31, I received the final notice of charge,” Jawkar told Sportstar.“In January only I got to know like there’s no way I’m getting out of this. I was just hoping that they would reduce the period of the ban to maybe a year. I talked with the lawyers and in my case, I don’t think I can get away with these mistakes. I just have to accept it,” he added when asked whether he could appeal this decision.Jawkar has been part of the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) since 2023 and he had been duly filling the whereabouts up until 2025. He conceded that a lack of education on his part played a role in these failures, especially when he temporarily changed his discipline to recurve.Also read | AFI to start DNA testing of athletes, SRY tests during next month’s Fed Cup“I didn’t have enough knowledge regarding this. I was not briefed when I got introduced to the testing tool. It all happened online. Even if I had received a call or something to explain the importance of it, I would have made sure I did. I thought my shift to recurve was quite public, World Archery (first posted about it on March 20) had interviewed me as well. So I thought they must know that I no longer compete at the world level. So why would they test me? At the time I thought I didn’t need to fill it,” Jawkar explained.According to the Athletics Integrity Unit, an athlete has to follow four deadlines in a year: March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15.Jawkar’s second offence came when his whereabouts were under doubt. “In July, there was a period of 10 or 15 days when I didn’t know whether I would be in India or Italy because the visa procedure was delayed. I was going to Europe for training. I filled the majority of my variables but I explained my case, saying how I was unsure about these dates. That’s why I’d kept that bit blank. But I didn’t fill it by the deadline. When I got the chance to plead my case, I had a letter from Sports Authority of India my visa actually got delayed. Those were circumstances out of my hands.”The third offence, Jawkar said, occurred during a period when he had switched off all notifications on his phone, which meant he missed any and all alerts or emails which may have come his way.This ban means he won’t be able to get into coaching if he wanted to. “I don’t do anything else other than this (archery). I’m going to continue training, study a bit. And then I’m going to try to bounce back because this is my dream,” Jawkar, who’s completing a B.Sc in Zoology, said dejectedly.“I hope that if someone is a medal prospect for the Olympics or Asiad, they learn from this mistake because it’s just like sheer negligence on my part. I should have taken an effort to educate myself on this,” the 22-year-old concluded.Published on Apr 19, 2026 #Archer #Prathamesh #Jawkar #banned #years #whereabouts #failure #admits #sheer #negligence #part

Archer Prathamesh Jawkar banned for two years for whereabouts failure, admits ‘sheer negligence’ on his part

Asian Games gold medallist compound archer Prathamesh Jawkar will be banned from the sport for two years, starting Sunday, April 19, after he accepted the punishment for a whereabouts failure.

According to Article 2.4 of the World Anti-Doping Code, three filing failures regarding the athlete’s whereabouts within a 12-month period culminates into an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Jawkar missed the deadline for three filings last year, which means he will not only be able to defend his gold at this year’s Asian Games but also most likely miss out on the 2028 Olympics.

“The notice that I received from ITA (International Testing Agency) was on January 14 this year. They gave me a week to explain myself and they were going to reassess my case if I had some evidence in my favour. I gave my explanations about why I failed to fill in the whereabouts, but the reasons were clearly not valid enough. On March 31, I received the final notice of charge,” Jawkar told Sportstar.

“In January only I got to know like there’s no way I’m getting out of this. I was just hoping that they would reduce the period of the ban to maybe a year. I talked with the lawyers and in my case, I don’t think I can get away with these mistakes. I just have to accept it,” he added when asked whether he could appeal this decision.

Jawkar has been part of the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) since 2023 and he had been duly filling the whereabouts up until 2025. He conceded that a lack of education on his part played a role in these failures, especially when he temporarily changed his discipline to recurve.

Also read | AFI to start DNA testing of athletes, SRY tests during next month’s Fed Cup

“I didn’t have enough knowledge regarding this. I was not briefed when I got introduced to the testing tool. It all happened online. Even if I had received a call or something to explain the importance of it, I would have made sure I did. I thought my shift to recurve was quite public, World Archery (first posted about it on March 20) had interviewed me as well. So I thought they must know that I no longer compete at the world level. So why would they test me? At the time I thought I didn’t need to fill it,” Jawkar explained.

According to the Athletics Integrity Unit, an athlete has to follow four deadlines in a year: March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15.

Jawkar’s second offence came when his whereabouts were under doubt. “In July, there was a period of 10 or 15 days when I didn’t know whether I would be in India or Italy because the visa procedure was delayed. I was going to Europe for training. I filled the majority of my variables but I explained my case, saying how I was unsure about these dates. That’s why I’d kept that bit blank. But I didn’t fill it by the deadline. When I got the chance to plead my case, I had a letter from Sports Authority of India my visa actually got delayed. Those were circumstances out of my hands.”

The third offence, Jawkar said, occurred during a period when he had switched off all notifications on his phone, which meant he missed any and all alerts or emails which may have come his way.

This ban means he won’t be able to get into coaching if he wanted to. “I don’t do anything else other than this (archery). I’m going to continue training, study a bit. And then I’m going to try to bounce back because this is my dream,” Jawkar, who’s completing a B.Sc in Zoology, said dejectedly.

“I hope that if someone is a medal prospect for the Olympics or Asiad, they learn from this mistake because it’s just like sheer negligence on my part. I should have taken an effort to educate myself on this,” the 22-year-old concluded.

Published on Apr 19, 2026

#Archer #Prathamesh #Jawkar #banned #years #whereabouts #failure #admits #sheer #negligence #part

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Asian Games gold medallist compound archer Prathamesh Jawkar will be banned from the sport for two years, starting Sunday, April 19, after he accepted the punishment for a whereabouts failure.

According to Article 2.4 of the World Anti-Doping Code, three filing failures regarding the athlete’s whereabouts within a 12-month period culminates into an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Jawkar missed the deadline for three filings last year, which means he will not only be able to defend his gold at this year’s Asian Games but also most likely miss out on the 2028 Olympics.

“The notice that I received from ITA (International Testing Agency) was on January 14 this year. They gave me a week to explain myself and they were going to reassess my case if I had some evidence in my favour. I gave my explanations about why I failed to fill in the whereabouts, but the reasons were clearly not valid enough. On March 31, I received the final notice of charge,” Jawkar told Sportstar.

“In January only I got to know like there’s no way I’m getting out of this. I was just hoping that they would reduce the period of the ban to maybe a year. I talked with the lawyers and in my case, I don’t think I can get away with these mistakes. I just have to accept it,” he added when asked whether he could appeal this decision.

Jawkar has been part of the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) since 2023 and he had been duly filling the whereabouts up until 2025. He conceded that a lack of education on his part played a role in these failures, especially when he temporarily changed his discipline to recurve.

Also read | AFI to start DNA testing of athletes, SRY tests during next month’s Fed Cup

“I didn’t have enough knowledge regarding this. I was not briefed when I got introduced to the testing tool. It all happened online. Even if I had received a call or something to explain the importance of it, I would have made sure I did. I thought my shift to recurve was quite public, World Archery (first posted about it on March 20) had interviewed me as well. So I thought they must know that I no longer compete at the world level. So why would they test me? At the time I thought I didn’t need to fill it,” Jawkar explained.

According to the Athletics Integrity Unit, an athlete has to follow four deadlines in a year: March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15.

Jawkar’s second offence came when his whereabouts were under doubt. “In July, there was a period of 10 or 15 days when I didn’t know whether I would be in India or Italy because the visa procedure was delayed. I was going to Europe for training. I filled the majority of my variables but I explained my case, saying how I was unsure about these dates. That’s why I’d kept that bit blank. But I didn’t fill it by the deadline. When I got the chance to plead my case, I had a letter from Sports Authority of India my visa actually got delayed. Those were circumstances out of my hands.”

The third offence, Jawkar said, occurred during a period when he had switched off all notifications on his phone, which meant he missed any and all alerts or emails which may have come his way.

This ban means he won’t be able to get into coaching if he wanted to. “I don’t do anything else other than this (archery). I’m going to continue training, study a bit. And then I’m going to try to bounce back because this is my dream,” Jawkar, who’s completing a B.Sc in Zoology, said dejectedly.

“I hope that if someone is a medal prospect for the Olympics or Asiad, they learn from this mistake because it’s just like sheer negligence on my part. I should have taken an effort to educate myself on this,” the 22-year-old concluded.

Published on Apr 19, 2026

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Deadspin | Keller directs Pirates over Rays to clinch series win <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-900/28767056.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28767056.jpg" alt="MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Pittsburgh Pirates" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 19, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (6) tags Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson (14) out at second base on a steal attempt during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Mitch Keller pitched seven strong innings, allowing two runs to help the host Pittsburgh Pirates score a 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Coming off a 13-inning loss on Saturday where Pittsburgh used six relievers, Keller (2-1) preserved some arms for the Pirates bullpen and helped his team take two of three games against the Rays, who entered the series having won six in a row.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Bryan Reynolds backed up the pitching with two hits and three RBI to lead Pittsburgh’s bats, while Spencer Horwitz and Nick Yorke each hit solo home runs.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Nick Gonzales had two hits and an RBI and Jake Mangum also had two hits. The Pirates did it with the long ball and small ball as they recorded three bunt singles in a game for the first time since 1998.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-5"> <p>After picking up his first win in three years in his previous start, Rays starter Shane McClanahan (1-2) was unable to follow up that success, nor spare Tampa Bay’s own taxed bullpen a day after it used seven relievers. He allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out five over 4 1/3 innings on 90 pitches.</p> </section> <section id="section-6"> <p>Keller picked up his second win in his fifth start of the season after not doing so last season until his 17th start. He struck out five and gave up five hits and did not issue a walk on 89 pitches.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>The Rays took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth on a two-run single by Hunter Feduccia off Keller, which was one of Tampa Bay’s six hits overall. Jonny DeLuca followed a Richie Palacios double and then stole second to set up Feduccia’s go-ahead hit.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>The Pirates answered immediately when Joey Bart doubled and Billy Cook followed with a bunt single and stole second. Two batters later, Gonzales singled to drive in Bart, and Reynolds followed with a two-run single to put Pittsburgh ahead 4-2.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Right-hander Wilber Dotel was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis and made his major-league debut in the ninth. He allowed a solo home run to Junior Caminero, but then struck out Jonathan Aranda and retired Yandy Diaz on a ground out, and Cedric Mullins on a fly ball to center. The Pirates optioned reliever Cam Sanders to Triple-A Indianapolis.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-10"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Keller #directs #Pirates #Rays #clinch #series #win

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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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