Deadspin | Dodgers’ dominance adding to Blue Jays’ woes Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) reacts after hitting a double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Los Angeles will try for a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, and a win would complete an undefeated road trip for the Dodgers. They defeated the Blue Jays 4-1 Tuesday night to clinch the series against the team they defeated in a classic 2025 World Series that took seven games. Los Angeles is 5-0 on its six-game trip, while the Blue Jays have dropped six straight games overall. The Blue Jays have 11 runs over the losing streak. Indicative of their troubles was the seventh inning Tuesday when they loaded the bases with no outs and did not score. Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia replaced Yoshinobu Yamamoto with two on and worked out of the jam with two shallow flyouts and a strikeout after walking his first batter. “Well, you’ve got to walk the first guy, 3-2, and then make it really hard for yourself,” Vesia quipped. “It’s just one pitch at a time. Will (catcher Smith) and I, we’ve got a really, really good relationship. And just trusting him. I know where to go and my strengths. It doesn’t happen overnight. This is a long process that started back in 2021 when I first got here.” Toronto manager John Schneider said his team must capitalize on such chances. The Blue Jays had six hits and walked three times on Tuesday, stranding eight runners. “The way we will work out of it is someone getting a big hit,” Schneider said. “The opportunities are out there. And we can’t be shooting ourselves in the foot by giving up extra outs.” Toronto also has been sloppy in the field during its streak. Start with the pitchers, who have 11 errors in 11 games. Schneider provided Toronto’s highlight of the game with a demonstrative ejection in the fifth inning after starter Kevin Gausman was called for a balk. Toronto’s scheduled starter Wednesday is right-hander Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.79 ERA), who was signed as a free agent in the offseason and has two no-decisions to start the season. Cease is 2-3 with a 3.75 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers. In 2025, he was 1-2 with a 5.28 ERA in three starts against them while a member of the San Diego Padres. Right-hander Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 0.00) is slated to start for the Dodgers. In three regular-season starts against the Blue Jays, he is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA. He started twice last fall in the World Series. In Game 4, he allowed four runs in six innings, and in Game 7 he allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings. He didn’t get a decision in either game. Ohtani the hitter had two walks (one intentional) and an RBI single on Tuesday and has reached base in 42 consecutive games dating to Aug. 24. He is one away from tying Ichiro Suzuki’s 43-game on-base streak (2009), the longest in the majors by a Japanese-born player. The franchise record is 58 set by Duke Snider in 1954, when the team was in Brooklyn. Toronto’s problems have been compounded by injuries. Right fielder Addison Barger was put on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a sprained left ankle. Tyler Fitzgerald was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo. “Hopefully this is a minimal stint for Addy,” Schneider said. Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk had surgery Tuesday on his left thumb to insert a screw and is expected to be out for about six weeks. Pitcher Cody Ponce is scheduled to have knee surgery for a torn ACL that will keep him out for about six months. Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas was a late scratch Tuesday to deal with a family matter. Hyeseong Kim started at shortstop and had a double and a walk. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Dodgers #dominance #adding #Blue #Jays #woes

Deadspin | Dodgers’ dominance adding to Blue Jays’ woes
Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) reacts after hitting a double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Los Angeles will try for a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, and a win would complete an undefeated road trip for the Dodgers.

They defeated the Blue Jays 4-1 Tuesday night to clinch the series against the team they defeated in a classic 2025 World Series that took seven games.

Los Angeles is 5-0 on its six-game trip, while the Blue Jays have dropped six straight games overall.

The Blue Jays have 11 runs over the losing streak. Indicative of their troubles was the seventh inning Tuesday when they loaded the bases with no outs and did not score. Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia replaced Yoshinobu Yamamoto with two on and worked out of the jam with two shallow flyouts and a strikeout after walking his first batter.

“Well, you’ve got to walk the first guy, 3-2, and then make it really hard for yourself,” Vesia quipped. “It’s just one pitch at a time. Will (catcher Smith) and I, we’ve got a really, really good relationship. And just trusting him. I know where to go and my strengths. It doesn’t happen overnight. This is a long process that started back in 2021 when I first got here.”

Toronto manager John Schneider said his team must capitalize on such chances. The Blue Jays had six hits and walked three times on Tuesday, stranding eight runners.

“The way we will work out of it is someone getting a big hit,” Schneider said. “The opportunities are out there. And we can’t be shooting ourselves in the foot by giving up extra outs.”

Toronto also has been sloppy in the field during its streak. Start with the pitchers, who have 11 errors in 11 games.

Schneider provided Toronto’s highlight of the game with a demonstrative ejection in the fifth inning after starter Kevin Gausman was called for a balk.

Toronto’s scheduled starter Wednesday is right-hander Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.79 ERA), who was signed as a free agent in the offseason and has two no-decisions to start the season.

Cease is 2-3 with a 3.75 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers. In 2025, he was 1-2 with a 5.28 ERA in three starts against them while a member of the San Diego Padres.

Right-hander Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 0.00) is slated to start for the Dodgers. In three regular-season starts against the Blue Jays, he is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA. He started twice last fall in the World Series. In Game 4, he allowed four runs in six innings, and in Game 7 he allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings. He didn’t get a decision in either game.

Ohtani the hitter had two walks (one intentional) and an RBI single on Tuesday and has reached base in 42 consecutive games dating to Aug. 24. He is one away from tying Ichiro Suzuki’s 43-game on-base streak (2009), the longest in the majors by a Japanese-born player.

The franchise record is 58 set by Duke Snider in 1954, when the team was in Brooklyn.

Toronto’s problems have been compounded by injuries. Right fielder Addison Barger was put on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a sprained left ankle. Tyler Fitzgerald was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo.

“Hopefully this is a minimal stint for Addy,” Schneider said.

Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk had surgery Tuesday on his left thumb to insert a screw and is expected to be out for about six weeks. Pitcher Cody Ponce is scheduled to have knee surgery for a torn ACL that will keep him out for about six months.

Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas was a late scratch Tuesday to deal with a family matter. Hyeseong Kim started at shortstop and had a double and a walk.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Dodgers #dominance #adding #Blue #Jays #woes

Sports news April 8, 2026

Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) reacts after hitting a double against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Los Angeles will try for a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday afternoon, and a win would complete an undefeated road trip for the Dodgers.

They defeated the Blue Jays 4-1 Tuesday night to clinch the series against the team they defeated in a classic 2025 World Series that took seven games.

Los Angeles is 5-0 on its six-game trip, while the Blue Jays have dropped six straight games overall.

The Blue Jays have 11 runs over the losing streak. Indicative of their troubles was the seventh inning Tuesday when they loaded the bases with no outs and did not score. Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia replaced Yoshinobu Yamamoto with two on and worked out of the jam with two shallow flyouts and a strikeout after walking his first batter.

“Well, you’ve got to walk the first guy, 3-2, and then make it really hard for yourself,” Vesia quipped. “It’s just one pitch at a time. Will (catcher Smith) and I, we’ve got a really, really good relationship. And just trusting him. I know where to go and my strengths. It doesn’t happen overnight. This is a long process that started back in 2021 when I first got here.”

Toronto manager John Schneider said his team must capitalize on such chances. The Blue Jays had six hits and walked three times on Tuesday, stranding eight runners.

“The way we will work out of it is someone getting a big hit,” Schneider said. “The opportunities are out there. And we can’t be shooting ourselves in the foot by giving up extra outs.”

Toronto also has been sloppy in the field during its streak. Start with the pitchers, who have 11 errors in 11 games.

Schneider provided Toronto’s highlight of the game with a demonstrative ejection in the fifth inning after starter Kevin Gausman was called for a balk.

Toronto’s scheduled starter Wednesday is right-hander Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.79 ERA), who was signed as a free agent in the offseason and has two no-decisions to start the season.

Cease is 2-3 with a 3.75 ERA in seven career starts against the Dodgers. In 2025, he was 1-2 with a 5.28 ERA in three starts against them while a member of the San Diego Padres.

Right-hander Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 0.00) is slated to start for the Dodgers. In three regular-season starts against the Blue Jays, he is 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA. He started twice last fall in the World Series. In Game 4, he allowed four runs in six innings, and in Game 7 he allowed three runs in 2 1/3 innings. He didn’t get a decision in either game.

Ohtani the hitter had two walks (one intentional) and an RBI single on Tuesday and has reached base in 42 consecutive games dating to Aug. 24. He is one away from tying Ichiro Suzuki’s 43-game on-base streak (2009), the longest in the majors by a Japanese-born player.

The franchise record is 58 set by Duke Snider in 1954, when the team was in Brooklyn.

Toronto’s problems have been compounded by injuries. Right fielder Addison Barger was put on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a sprained left ankle. Tyler Fitzgerald was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo.

“Hopefully this is a minimal stint for Addy,” Schneider said.

Toronto catcher Alejandro Kirk had surgery Tuesday on his left thumb to insert a screw and is expected to be out for about six weeks. Pitcher Cody Ponce is scheduled to have knee surgery for a torn ACL that will keep him out for about six months.

Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas was a late scratch Tuesday to deal with a family matter. Hyeseong Kim started at shortstop and had a double and a walk.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Dodgers #dominance #adding #Blue #Jays #woes

Doha Diamond League postponed until June because of West Asia tensions <div id="content-body-70838516" itemprop="articleBody">The opening round of the Diamond League season, scheduled to take place in the ‌Qatari capital of Doha on May 8, has been ⁠postponed until June 19 because of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, ‌organisers said on Wednesday.The track and field meeting is ‌the latest top sporting ‌event ⁠to be disrupted in the ⁠country since the U.S. and Israel launched air attacks on Iran, and the Islamic Republic ‌responded by firing missiles at neighbouring states.“In the interests of athlete and spectator safety, a decision ‌has now been taken to postpone the meeting. Should conditions allow, it will now ⁠be held on June 19,” the event’s organisers said in ‌a statement. “As temperatures are expected to be higher in Doha in June, the meeting will also be moved from the Qatar Sports Club to the ‌Khalifa International Stadium. The stadium… is temperature-regulated.”The Qatar MotoGP race and the opening leg of the ⁠sports car World Endurance Championship have ⁠been postponed, and the “Finalissima” football match between Spain and ‌Argentina scheduled for Doha was cancelled.Published on Apr 08, 2026</div> #Doha #Diamond #League #postponed #June #West #Asia #tensions

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

mwasimuddin125 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a thank-you letter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

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

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

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

Thank you, Arizona.

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

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

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

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

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a thank-you letter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

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

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

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

Thank you, Arizona.

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

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

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

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

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

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

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

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

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

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

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

mwasimuddin125 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

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

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

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

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

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

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

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

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

Published on Aug 09, 2026

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