Deadspin | Derrick Lewis fight added to UFC’s White House card at Trump’s urging Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Derrick Lewis (blue gloves) before the fight against Waldo Cortes Acosta (red gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images The UFC has added Derrick Lewis versus Josh Hokit to the UFC Freedom 250 card set for this summer at the White House, a move which UFC CEO Dana White says came at the request of President Donald Trump. The heavyweight fight between Lewis (29-13 MMA), who holds the UFC knockout record with 16, and Hokit (9-0 MMA), who beat Curtis Blaydes at Saturday’s UFC 327 event in Miami, becomes the seventh fight at the June 14 event, which is commemorating the United States’ 250th birthday. White said at his press conference Saturday that Trump, who was in attendance Saturday, asked him why Lewis was not on the card for the White House event. “I’m sure you guys just saw the Hokit fight,” White said. “About an hour ago, the president leans over to me and says, ‘Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?’ and I said, ‘Hold on, Mr. President.’ I stepped away and called Derrick Lewis and said, ‘Derrick, the president just asked why you’re not on the card. Do you want to fight on the White House card?’ He said, ‘Of course.’” White said the match was confirmed shortly after that when he talked to Hokit after his unanimous-decision win, which improved his UFC record to 3-0. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Derrick #Lewis #fight #added #UFCs #White #House #card #Trumps #urging

Deadspin | Derrick Lewis fight added to UFC’s White House card at Trump’s urging
Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Derrick Lewis (blue gloves) before the fight against Waldo Cortes Acosta (red gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The UFC has added Derrick Lewis versus Josh Hokit to the UFC Freedom 250 card set for this summer at the White House, a move which UFC CEO Dana White says came at the request of President Donald Trump.

The heavyweight fight between Lewis (29-13 MMA), who holds the UFC knockout record with 16, and Hokit (9-0 MMA), who beat Curtis Blaydes at Saturday’s UFC 327 event in Miami, becomes the seventh fight at the June 14 event, which is commemorating the United States’ 250th birthday.

White said at his press conference Saturday that Trump, who was in attendance Saturday, asked him why Lewis was not on the card for the White House event.

“I’m sure you guys just saw the Hokit fight,” White said. “About an hour ago, the president leans over to me and says, ‘Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?’ and I said, ‘Hold on, Mr. President.’ I stepped away and called Derrick Lewis and said, ‘Derrick, the president just asked why you’re not on the card. Do you want to fight on the White House card?’ He said, ‘Of course.'”

White said the match was confirmed shortly after that when he talked to Hokit after his unanimous-decision win, which improved his UFC record to 3-0.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Derrick #Lewis #fight #added #UFCs #White #House #card #Trumps #urging

Sports news April 12, 2026

Jan 24, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Derrick Lewis (blue gloves) before the fight against Waldo Cortes Acosta (red gloves) during UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The UFC has added Derrick Lewis versus Josh Hokit to the UFC Freedom 250 card set for this summer at the White House, a move which UFC CEO Dana White says came at the request of President Donald Trump.

The heavyweight fight between Lewis (29-13 MMA), who holds the UFC knockout record with 16, and Hokit (9-0 MMA), who beat Curtis Blaydes at Saturday’s UFC 327 event in Miami, becomes the seventh fight at the June 14 event, which is commemorating the United States’ 250th birthday.

White said at his press conference Saturday that Trump, who was in attendance Saturday, asked him why Lewis was not on the card for the White House event.

“I’m sure you guys just saw the Hokit fight,” White said. “About an hour ago, the president leans over to me and says, ‘Why is Derrick Lewis not on the White House card?’ and I said, ‘Hold on, Mr. President.’ I stepped away and called Derrick Lewis and said, ‘Derrick, the president just asked why you’re not on the card. Do you want to fight on the White House card?’ He said, ‘Of course.'”

White said the match was confirmed shortly after that when he talked to Hokit after his unanimous-decision win, which improved his UFC record to 3-0.

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Derrick #Lewis #fight #added #UFCs #White #House #card #Trumps #urging

How a simple exchange with Sheetal Devi put Payal Nag on course to become world’s first limbless archer <div id="content-body-70852085" itemprop="articleBody">“ Didi, mujhe bhi archery karni hai (Sister, I too want to do archery),” the girl said. “ Theek hai. Aa jao (Okay. Please, come here),” replied Sheetal Devi, the Asian Games gold medallist.It was a simple exchange between two teenaged girls over a video call in 2023. Last week, <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/archery/payal-nag-quadruple-amputee-archer-beats-sheetal-devi-world-para-archery-series-2026-bangkok-indian-medallists/article70823056.ece" target="_blank">that girl, competing in only her second international event, beat World Champion Sheetal</a> in the compound women’s open final of the World Archery Para Series event in Bangkok.Her name—Payal Nag.But Payal’s story doesn’t start from that quick conversation with Sheetal. In 2015, while Payal’s parents were busy working at a brick kiln in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, she was wandering around like any other seven-year-old when tragedy struck. She came into contact with a live wire. Consequently, the kid lost all four of her limbs.ALSO READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/archery/world-archery-olympics-qualification-procedure-los-angeles-2028-quota-distribution-competitions/article70586821.ece" target="_blank">World Archery announces LA 2028 qualification process for recurve, compound events</a>The parents, despite societal taunts about the young daughter’s future, took care of her in their hometown of Balangir in Odisha. Barsha, her elder sister, became a major support. Gradually, Payal took a liking to the world of painting and would draw sketches with her mouth. In 2022, for a better overall development, she was taken to Parbati Giri Bal Niketan—a government institute for childcare.“Our District Collector Sir took me to the Ashram. I used to draw even when I was at home and had even participated in one or two competitions. I used to sing as well. At the institute, competitions amongst the kids were held on a regular basis. There, a teacher named Prachi guided me,” recalls Payal. “Then came a big drawing competition—Surbhi. I won the first prize. I even went on to compete at the State level. This is where someone tweeted about me.”Call it the power of social media or pure destiny—Kuldeep Vedwan, Sheetal’s coach, saw Payal. Vedwan, who Payal addresses as Guru Ji, contacted the institute, got in touch with the District Collector, and made arrangements to bring Payal, along with her elder sister Barsha as her caretaker, to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Academy in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir.Payal, who was also willing to learn archery during a video call with Vedwan and Sheetal, now had the chance to train.The world had never witnessed a quadruple amputee in para archery. It was a journey into the unknown. But Vedwan had been here before with Sheetal. Sheetal was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital condition due to which she had no arms. But Vedwan made a special equipment and trained her. Sheetal’s hard work bore fruit and her achievements turned her into an inspirational icon. For Payal, Vedwan did the unthinkable again. By integrating a specialised mechanism into her prosthetic and securing it to her shoulder, he allowed her to anchor the bow via her mouth and trigger the release through a sharp shoulder movement.Watching Sheetal practise in front of her gave Payal the necessary confidence to train, but she had to do so differently.“In the initial stages, Payal used both prosthetic legs to shoot the arrows but it is against the international rules. Slowly, we switched to a single prosthetic limb,” says Abhilasha Chaudhary, who has also been coaching Payal at the academy and travels with the Indian para archery team.“Once she became capable enough to shoot and hit 10s on a consistent basis, we had to customise the equipment so that she could perform using a single prosthetic leg. We also had to change the grip of her foot. Finally, we got the equipment approved by World Archery.”After training for a year and a half, Payal took part in her first-ever event—the Para Archery Nationals in Jaipur in January. There, she grabbed two medals and also beat Sheetal for the first time. That confidence of having beaten Sheetal earlier held Payal in good stead in Bangkok.“ Itna bhi darr nahin lag raha tha. Ma’am pichhe se samjha bhi rahe the. (I wasn’t that scared. Ma’am was also guiding me from behind,” says the 18-year-old on facing her idol in the final at a global stage.)After winning the women’s team gold together, it was time for an individual battle. Payal led Sheetal 27-25 after the first end of three arrows in the summit clash. But Sheetal, a year senior to Payal and much more experienced, equalised the score at 54-54. Another set of three arrows later, Payal was in front again at 82-80. With three more arrows to go, Payal led Sheetal by three—110-107.Sheetal shot first and started the final end with a 10. Payal’s lead was down to two as she shot a 9. Then, Sheetal hit a 9 and shook her head slightly, realising that she had missed an opportunity. Payal responded with a 10. Sheetal came up with a 10 in her final shot. Payal needed only an 8 to secure the win but she matched Sheetal’s effort to put the icing on the cake. Once the competition was over, Payal received a warm embrace from her senior. In a heartwarming gesture, Sheetal also helped in turning Payal’s wheelchair so that she could face the tricolour as the national anthem was to be played during the medal ceremony. <div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 🎖️Kudos to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha</a>‘s Payal Nag and Paralympian Sheetal Devi for etching history at the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok, securing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gold?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Gold</a> 🥇 and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Silver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Silver</a> 🥈 with a remarkable performance! 👏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OdishaForSports?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OdishaForSports</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ParaArchery?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ParaArchery</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PadiaToPodium?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PadiaToPodium</a><a href="https://t.co/PNnafB4mNc">pic.twitter.com/PNnafB4mNc</a>— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/sports_odisha/status/2041168404791664869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote></div>Payal’s success means a lot to her family. “My parents are really happy because earlier, people used to say, ‘ Kuchh nahin kar payegi’ (She won’t be able to do anything) about me. I have proved myself to those who didn’t have faith in me,” says the teenager. Her parents, along with her two younger siblings, also visit her in Katra sometimes and watch her train in person.Payal’s victory is significant for Sheetal as well. “It was tough for her to do archery. I was worried about her. I could use my feet, but she had no limbs. How will she manage the grip? But Kuldeep Sir made a special device for her. Then, I felt that she could do it. Mujhe boht khushi huyi thi jab usne pehla teer chalaya tha (I was really happy when she shot her first arrow) . I felt she would have to work harder, but she will manage,” recalls Sheetal, a Paralympic medallist, on watching Payal train at the academy.In Payal, Sheetal has also found a strong teammate, “Winning and losing is part of the game. It’s good that she is here. I felt like I was alone, winning medals. With her, India will win more medals. The mixed team and women’s team have become better,” she says.Payal is back to her daily routine at the academy, a place Sheetal left last year and shifted to Patiala to train under Gaurav Sharma to reinvent her technique after a major World Archery rule change made it illegal for the heel to touch the bow.Payal, who is amongst the 10 per cent differently abled students at the academy, trains from 7:30 a.m. along with other able-bodied kids. The post-lunch training session begins at 2:30 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m. “Training with able-bodied archers does have a positive effect on para archers’ performance,” says Abhilasha.She believes that Payal can follow Sheetal, who made history last year by making it to the national able-bodied squad for the Asia Cup in Jeddah after finishing third among more than 60 compound women archers in the selection trials.For now, Payal’s goal is to prepare for this year’s Asian Para Games and later, win gold at the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028. But what about drawing—the thing which started it all? “I still paint whenever I get time. My last painting was of Kanha Ji (Lord Krishna) on my room’s wall,” she answers.And singing? “ Kabhi Kabhi (sometimes),” she says with a huge smile on her face.Published on Apr 12, 2026</div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #simple #exchange #Sheetal #Devi #put #Payal #Nag #worlds #limbless #archer

#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

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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

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