Deadspin | Giants’ bullpen prepares to size up Phillies in doubleheader Apr 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images The San Francisco Giants have one of the top bullpens in the majors. And that group likely will be put to the test on Thursday when the Giants play a doubleheader against the host Philadelphia Phillies. The middle contest of a scheduled three-game series was rained out Wednesday, leading to a day/night doubleheader on get-away day for both teams. Even after the starting time of Wednesday’s game was pushed up in hopes of beating the rain, the postponement was made well in advance of warm-ups. Therefore, scheduled starters Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA) of the Giants and Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94) of the Phillies now are scheduled to start Game 1 on Thursday. The Giants would not commit to their regularly scheduled starter, right-hander Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.36), in the nightcap, however, given the possibility of a doubleheader roster addition. The Phillies made no announcement on their starter for the second game, but it likely will be rookie right-hander Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25 ERA). Wednesday’s rainout gave Don Mattingly an extra day to celebrate his first win as Phillies manager, a 7-0 romp over the Giants in Tuesday’s series opener. He wasn’t surprised at the brand of baseball his players displayed in the immediate aftermath of a 1-11 stretch that cost Rob Thomson his job. “When you have this type of talent, it’s there and it’s coming,” Mattingly said after Tuesday’s win. “You could feel this coming.” Because of the rain, both teams got a full-bullpen break Wednesday. The Giants are, statistically, one of the top bullpens in baseball. They rank third in ERA (3.06) and fourth in batting average allowed (.212). One of the two bullpen losses came April 6 when the Phillies put up four runs in the seventh inning of the clubs’ series opener in San Francisco, flipping a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead. Philadelphia went on to win the game by that score. Houser and Painter were the starting pitchers in that game. Houser was in line to record his first win as a member of the Giants when he left the earlier home game against the Phillies with a 4-2 lead. This will be his fifth career start and 10th career appearance against the Phillies, having gone 1-2 with a 4.28 ERA. Facing the Giants for the first time, Painter did not get a decision in the win, pulled after four innings, having surrendered four runs on nine hits. Sanchez was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped the left-hander to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants. Webb, a right-hander, has never beaten the Phillies in three lifetime starts, going 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA. Giants slugger Rafael Devers homered as San Francisco closed a series win over the Phillies in the earlier head-to-head with a 5-0 win. But he hasn’t homered in 16 games since, hitting .203 with 22 strikeouts in 64 at-bats. “I know the kind of player I am,” Devers assured reporters after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the series opener Tuesday. “I have said it before: I am going to get out of this. I know what I can bring to the table.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Giants #bullpen #prepares #size #Phillies #doubleheader

Deadspin | Giants’ bullpen prepares to size up Phillies in doubleheader
Apr 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants have one of the top bullpens in the majors. And that group likely will be put to the test on Thursday when the Giants play a doubleheader against the host Philadelphia Phillies.

The middle contest of a scheduled three-game series was rained out Wednesday, leading to a day/night doubleheader on get-away day for both teams.

Even after the starting time of Wednesday’s game was pushed up in hopes of beating the rain, the postponement was made well in advance of warm-ups. Therefore, scheduled starters Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA) of the Giants and Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94) of the Phillies now are scheduled to start Game 1 on Thursday.

The Giants would not commit to their regularly scheduled starter, right-hander Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.36), in the nightcap, however, given the possibility of a doubleheader roster addition.

The Phillies made no announcement on their starter for the second game, but it likely will be rookie right-hander Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25 ERA).

Wednesday’s rainout gave Don Mattingly an extra day to celebrate his first win as Phillies manager, a 7-0 romp over the Giants in Tuesday’s series opener. He wasn’t surprised at the brand of baseball his players displayed in the immediate aftermath of a 1-11 stretch that cost Rob Thomson his job.

“When you have this type of talent, it’s there and it’s coming,” Mattingly said after Tuesday’s win. “You could feel this coming.”

Because of the rain, both teams got a full-bullpen break Wednesday.

The Giants are, statistically, one of the top bullpens in baseball. They rank third in ERA (3.06) and fourth in batting average allowed (.212).

One of the two bullpen losses came April 6 when the Phillies put up four runs in the seventh inning of the clubs’ series opener in San Francisco, flipping a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead. Philadelphia went on to win the game by that score.

Houser and Painter were the starting pitchers in that game.

Houser was in line to record his first win as a member of the Giants when he left the earlier home game against the Phillies with a 4-2 lead. This will be his fifth career start and 10th career appearance against the Phillies, having gone 1-2 with a 4.28 ERA.

Facing the Giants for the first time, Painter did not get a decision in the win, pulled after four innings, having surrendered four runs on nine hits.

Sanchez was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped the left-hander to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants.

Webb, a right-hander, has never beaten the Phillies in three lifetime starts, going 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA.

Giants slugger Rafael Devers homered as San Francisco closed a series win over the Phillies in the earlier head-to-head with a 5-0 win. But he hasn’t homered in 16 games since, hitting .203 with 22 strikeouts in 64 at-bats.

“I know the kind of player I am,” Devers assured reporters after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the series opener Tuesday. “I have said it before: I am going to get out of this. I know what I can bring to the table.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Giants #bullpen #prepares #size #Phillies #doubleheader

Sports news April 30, 2026

Apr 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants have one of the top bullpens in the majors. And that group likely will be put to the test on Thursday when the Giants play a doubleheader against the host Philadelphia Phillies.

The middle contest of a scheduled three-game series was rained out Wednesday, leading to a day/night doubleheader on get-away day for both teams.

Even after the starting time of Wednesday’s game was pushed up in hopes of beating the rain, the postponement was made well in advance of warm-ups. Therefore, scheduled starters Logan Webb (2-3, 4.86 ERA) of the Giants and Cristopher Sanchez (2-2, 2.94) of the Phillies now are scheduled to start Game 1 on Thursday.

The Giants would not commit to their regularly scheduled starter, right-hander Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.36), in the nightcap, however, given the possibility of a doubleheader roster addition.

The Phillies made no announcement on their starter for the second game, but it likely will be rookie right-hander Andrew Painter (1-2, 5.25 ERA).

Wednesday’s rainout gave Don Mattingly an extra day to celebrate his first win as Phillies manager, a 7-0 romp over the Giants in Tuesday’s series opener. He wasn’t surprised at the brand of baseball his players displayed in the immediate aftermath of a 1-11 stretch that cost Rob Thomson his job.

“When you have this type of talent, it’s there and it’s coming,” Mattingly said after Tuesday’s win. “You could feel this coming.”

Because of the rain, both teams got a full-bullpen break Wednesday.

The Giants are, statistically, one of the top bullpens in baseball. They rank third in ERA (3.06) and fourth in batting average allowed (.212).

One of the two bullpen losses came April 6 when the Phillies put up four runs in the seventh inning of the clubs’ series opener in San Francisco, flipping a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead. Philadelphia went on to win the game by that score.

Houser and Painter were the starting pitchers in that game.

Houser was in line to record his first win as a member of the Giants when he left the earlier home game against the Phillies with a 4-2 lead. This will be his fifth career start and 10th career appearance against the Phillies, having gone 1-2 with a 4.28 ERA.

Facing the Giants for the first time, Painter did not get a decision in the win, pulled after four innings, having surrendered four runs on nine hits.

Sanchez was hit hard by San Francisco on April 7, when the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) and 11 hits in five innings in a 6-0 victory. That loss dropped the left-hander to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in six lifetime games against the Giants.

Webb, a right-hander, has never beaten the Phillies in three lifetime starts, going 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA.

Giants slugger Rafael Devers homered as San Francisco closed a series win over the Phillies in the earlier head-to-head with a 5-0 win. But he hasn’t homered in 16 games since, hitting .203 with 22 strikeouts in 64 at-bats.

“I know the kind of player I am,” Devers assured reporters after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the series opener Tuesday. “I have said it before: I am going to get out of this. I know what I can bring to the table.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Giants #bullpen #prepares #size #Phillies #doubleheader

Two of Iran delegation could have attended FIFA congress but chose not to, source says <div id="content-body-70926157" itemprop="articleBody">The FIFA Congress opened on Thursday without Iran, its delegation’s absence underscoring the geopolitical tensions and logistical fault lines hanging over the ‌upcoming World Cup.Iranian football federation officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were due to attend the ⁠gathering but turned back at Toronto airport after what Tehran described as “unacceptable behaviour” by Canadian immigration authorities, despite travelling with valid ‌visas.A source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters two members of the delegation could ‌have attended the FIFA congress but chose not ‌to ⁠after one of their delegation was denied ⁠entry into Canada.READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/international-football/anita-anand-canada-official-mehdi-taj-iranian-fa-denied-entry-fifa-congress-latest-news/article70924851.ece" target="_blank">Canadian official backs up report that Iranian football chiefs were denied entry for FIFA event</a>No seats were set up for Iran at the Vancouver Convention Centre, a Reuters reporter witnessed, as 210 of the 211 member associations were shown ‌as present.Canadian officials said entry decisions were made on a case-by-case basis and reiterated that individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Ottawa designates as ‌a terrorist organisation, are inadmissible.Taj is a former member of the IRGC.The incident leaves one of the most politically sensitive delegations absent from ⁠FIFA’s annual gathering, depriving the congress of direct representation from a country whose presence at the 2026 World Cup ‌is already shaping behind-the-scenes discussions.The issue is particularly acute given the tournament’s cross-border nature.The expanded 48-team World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, will require teams, officials and support staff to move repeatedly between jurisdictions, raising the prospect that visa restrictions or diplomatic ‌frictions could complicate planning for certain nations.Iran has already qualified for the tournament, but its participation has been fraught, with Tehran requesting alternative venues for matches ⁠on U.S. soil.FIFA has rejected the request, insisting the schedule ⁠would stand.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week Washington had no objections to Iranian ‌players participating in the World Cup but added that the players would not be allowed to bring with them people with ties to the IRGC. Published on Apr 30, 2026</div> #Iran #delegation #attended #FIFA #congress #chose #source

#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">