Deadspin | Golden Knights feeling good vibes heading into G2 vs. Mammoth Apr 19, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) celebrates with center Colton Sissons (10) and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (5) after the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images After scoring three consecutive goals in the third period to pull out a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series with Utah on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights had good reason to feel positive. After all, the Pacific Division champions still have yet to lose in regulation in nine games (8-0-1) under head coach John Tortorella. And another win Tuesday in Las Vegas would put the Golden Knights in a strong position to move forward in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But despite the loss, there was still plenty of optimism in the Mammoth’s locker room, too. Utah, with seven players making their NHL playoff debut on the road against a veteran Vegas team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023, more than held its own on hockey’s biggest stage. The Mammoth led 2-1 after two periods, outshot the Golden Knights 33-31 and were in a one-goal game until Ivan Barbashev sealed the win with an empty-netter. And even though Vegas finished with a 51-31 advantage in hits, Utah showed it wouldn’t be pushed around, more than standing its ground in scrums against the bigger and older Golden Knights. Defenseman Sean Durzi, in fact, picked up a $5,000 fine on Monday for head-butting Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and 21-year-old forward Logan Cooley drew the ire of Golden Knights center Nic Dowd, who, with blood pooling by his right eye, was shown at the end of the game pointing and saying, “I’m going to (bleeping) kill you.” “It’s the playoffs,” Cooley, who scored a goal, had four hits and was plus-one in 19:59 time on ice in his playoff debut, said. “You’re playing for the Cup. You’re doing whatever you can to help your team win, and if that is physical or scoring, playing good defensively, (you’ll do) whatever the team needs, and I think that’s our mindset in the locker room too. It’s all about the team focus and trying to win games here.” “A lot of us, it’s our first playoff game,” Cooley added. “To get that under your belt, get settled in, it feels good. Obviously, we’d like to win, but just to get your feet wet a little bit and know how it is and what we need to do to beat them and get Game 2, I’m excited for that part, and it’s going to be exciting to get ready to get back at it.” Forward Lawson Crouse said the Mammoth remain upbeat despite the opening loss. “There’s a lot of positivity,” Crouse said. “Obviously, we’ve got to clean up a little bit of things defensively. They got a couple goals crashing our net, but that’s playoff hockey. (But), there’s no reason for us to be down on ourselves right now.” Barbashev finished with eight hits to go with his game-clinching empty-netter. He expects another physical battle in Game 2. “I think our team is best when we play physical, and I think we showed that today,” Barbashev said. “Just got to get the legs going early on, and that’s what we did.” “We played physical. We have some things to work on, but it was good to see us bang around a little bit,” Tortorella said. “Long series, you just keep doing the things you think you need to do to grind away.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Golden #Knights #feeling #good #vibes #heading #Mammoth

Deadspin | Golden Knights feeling good vibes heading into G2 vs. Mammoth
Apr 19, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) celebrates with center Colton Sissons (10) and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (5) after the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

After scoring three consecutive goals in the third period to pull out a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series with Utah on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights had good reason to feel positive.

After all, the Pacific Division champions still have yet to lose in regulation in nine games (8-0-1) under head coach John Tortorella. And another win Tuesday in Las Vegas would put the Golden Knights in a strong position to move forward in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

But despite the loss, there was still plenty of optimism in the Mammoth’s locker room, too.

Utah, with seven players making their NHL playoff debut on the road against a veteran Vegas team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023, more than held its own on hockey’s biggest stage. The Mammoth led 2-1 after two periods, outshot the Golden Knights 33-31 and were in a one-goal game until Ivan Barbashev sealed the win with an empty-netter.

And even though Vegas finished with a 51-31 advantage in hits, Utah showed it wouldn’t be pushed around, more than standing its ground in scrums against the bigger and older Golden Knights.

Defenseman Sean Durzi, in fact, picked up a $5,000 fine on Monday for head-butting Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and 21-year-old forward Logan Cooley drew the ire of Golden Knights center Nic Dowd, who, with blood pooling by his right eye, was shown at the end of the game pointing and saying, “I’m going to (bleeping) kill you.”

“It’s the playoffs,” Cooley, who scored a goal, had four hits and was plus-one in 19:59 time on ice in his playoff debut, said. “You’re playing for the Cup. You’re doing whatever you can to help your team win, and if that is physical or scoring, playing good defensively, (you’ll do) whatever the team needs, and I think that’s our mindset in the locker room too. It’s all about the team focus and trying to win games here.”

“A lot of us, it’s our first playoff game,” Cooley added. “To get that under your belt, get settled in, it feels good. Obviously, we’d like to win, but just to get your feet wet a little bit and know how it is and what we need to do to beat them and get Game 2, I’m excited for that part, and it’s going to be exciting to get ready to get back at it.”

Forward Lawson Crouse said the Mammoth remain upbeat despite the opening loss.

“There’s a lot of positivity,” Crouse said. “Obviously, we’ve got to clean up a little bit of things defensively. They got a couple goals crashing our net, but that’s playoff hockey. (But), there’s no reason for us to be down on ourselves right now.”

Barbashev finished with eight hits to go with his game-clinching empty-netter. He expects another physical battle in Game 2.

“I think our team is best when we play physical, and I think we showed that today,” Barbashev said. “Just got to get the legs going early on, and that’s what we did.”

“We played physical. We have some things to work on, but it was good to see us bang around a little bit,” Tortorella said. “Long series, you just keep doing the things you think you need to do to grind away.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Golden #Knights #feeling #good #vibes #heading #Mammoth

Sports news April 21, 2026

Apr 19, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart (79) celebrates with center Colton Sissons (10) and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (5) after the Golden Knights defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-2 in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

After scoring three consecutive goals in the third period to pull out a 4-2 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series with Utah on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights had good reason to feel positive.

After all, the Pacific Division champions still have yet to lose in regulation in nine games (8-0-1) under head coach John Tortorella. And another win Tuesday in Las Vegas would put the Golden Knights in a strong position to move forward in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

But despite the loss, there was still plenty of optimism in the Mammoth’s locker room, too.

Utah, with seven players making their NHL playoff debut on the road against a veteran Vegas team that won the Stanley Cup in 2023, more than held its own on hockey’s biggest stage. The Mammoth led 2-1 after two periods, outshot the Golden Knights 33-31 and were in a one-goal game until Ivan Barbashev sealed the win with an empty-netter.

And even though Vegas finished with a 51-31 advantage in hits, Utah showed it wouldn’t be pushed around, more than standing its ground in scrums against the bigger and older Golden Knights.

Defenseman Sean Durzi, in fact, picked up a $5,000 fine on Monday for head-butting Vegas defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and 21-year-old forward Logan Cooley drew the ire of Golden Knights center Nic Dowd, who, with blood pooling by his right eye, was shown at the end of the game pointing and saying, “I’m going to (bleeping) kill you.”

“It’s the playoffs,” Cooley, who scored a goal, had four hits and was plus-one in 19:59 time on ice in his playoff debut, said. “You’re playing for the Cup. You’re doing whatever you can to help your team win, and if that is physical or scoring, playing good defensively, (you’ll do) whatever the team needs, and I think that’s our mindset in the locker room too. It’s all about the team focus and trying to win games here.”

“A lot of us, it’s our first playoff game,” Cooley added. “To get that under your belt, get settled in, it feels good. Obviously, we’d like to win, but just to get your feet wet a little bit and know how it is and what we need to do to beat them and get Game 2, I’m excited for that part, and it’s going to be exciting to get ready to get back at it.”

Forward Lawson Crouse said the Mammoth remain upbeat despite the opening loss.

“There’s a lot of positivity,” Crouse said. “Obviously, we’ve got to clean up a little bit of things defensively. They got a couple goals crashing our net, but that’s playoff hockey. (But), there’s no reason for us to be down on ourselves right now.”

Barbashev finished with eight hits to go with his game-clinching empty-netter. He expects another physical battle in Game 2.

“I think our team is best when we play physical, and I think we showed that today,” Barbashev said. “Just got to get the legs going early on, and that’s what we did.”

“We played physical. We have some things to work on, but it was good to see us bang around a little bit,” Tortorella said. “Long series, you just keep doing the things you think you need to do to grind away.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Golden #Knights #feeling #good #vibes #heading #Mammoth

Here are all of the past winners in the Chevron Championship field <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It is major championship week for the LPGA Tour as the Chevron Championship gets underway at Memorial Park in Houston. The first major of the year is always exciting, and it is a lot of fun to speculate who will fortify their legacy with a win across the week.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This year’s playing of the Chevron features 11 past winners in the field:</p></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><ul class="duet--article--unordered-list _1nfb3k4i feuejx0 ls9zuh1"><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Mao Saigo (2025)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Nelly Korda (2024)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Lilia Vu (2023)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Jennifer Kupcho (2022)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Patty Tavatanakit (2021)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Jin Young Ko (2019)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Lydia Ko (2016)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Brittany Lincicome (2015, 2009)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Lexi Thompson (2014)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Stacy Lewis (2011)</span></li><li class="feuejx1"><span class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Yani Tseng (2010)</span></li></ul></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">While there are 11 individual players here there are 12 titles represented as Lincicome has won the event twice.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Time will tell whether someone wins it for the first time or if there is another repeat champion. Among this list Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko will be popular picks, but major championship golf has a way of surprising us all.</p></div></div> #winners #Chevron #Championship #field

#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

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