Deadspin | Pete Alonso, Orioles determined to heat up vs. Astros Apr 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Pete Alonso (25) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles would like for first baseman Pete Alonso to get untracked. They hope to see more signs of that Wednesday night against the visiting Houston Astros after the slugger unleashed an opposite-field home run in a 5-3 Baltimore victory Tuesday in the series opener. Alonso, a big free-agent prize for the Orioles in the offseason, is batting only .198 with four homers and 12 RBIs this season. “I think my swing feels good,” he said. “Just need to get a ball or two to find some grass or maybe a seat.” Alonso put one in the seats over the right-field fence in the fifth inning Tuesday. Every time he homers, it’s a signal that he could be on the verge of a breakout. “His defense right now has been better than advertised,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “It’s been elite for us at first base. So it’s just on the offensive side of the ball, and he’s close. You can see it in the box, you can see it in his work. So I think once he kind of gets in that groove, it’s going to be dangerous.” Alonso said it’s clear that the best is still to come from the Orioles, who halted a two-game skid on Tuesday. “I think from the group largely, there’s been a lot of great individual performances, but I think from a lineup perspective, not everyone’s got going,” Alonso said. “I think once everyone kind of gets going, we start getting on the same page clicking, we’re going to put some runs up, which is going to alleviate some of the stress for the pitching staff.” Right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-2, 6.75 ERA) will be Baltimore’s starting pitcher for the middle game of the three-game series with the Astros. He gained his first victory of the season last Wednesday despite giving up five runs in 5 1/3 innings in an 8-6 win at Kansas City. The Orioles have won in his past three starts. Bassitt has made 16 career starts vs. Houston, recording a 5-6 record and 4.32 ERA in 89 2/3 innings. That marks the most innings he has logged against any opponent in his 12-year big-league career. The Astros have the worst record in the American League and are dealing with injuries that have altered the available roster. “It’s unfortunate that we have to go through this again,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But we find ourselves in a spot that we know we have been here before. … We have a roster now that I feel good about. Putting these guys in the best position to have some success is the most important thing while we get the rest of the guys back.” Houston’s starting pitcher on Wednesday will be right-hander Peter Lambert (1-1, 3.27 ERA), who’s coming off last Wednesday’s six shutout innings in a 2-0 victory at Cleveland. He’ll face the Orioles for the first time. Espada said the Astros will have infielder Jeremy Pena back with the team Wednesday, but he won’t be activated to play. Instead, he’ll continue rehab work for a hamstring strain. Outfielder Colton Cowser hasn’t been in Baltimore’s lineup for four straight games, but Albernaz said part of that is because of Leody Taveras’ production. “It’s nothing about Cowser,” Albernaz said. Taveras is batting .286 this season, with two homers and 15 RBIs. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Pete #Alonso #Orioles #determined #heat #Astros

Deadspin | Pete Alonso, Orioles determined to heat up vs. Astros
Apr 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Pete Alonso (25) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles would like for first baseman Pete Alonso to get untracked.

They hope to see more signs of that Wednesday night against the visiting Houston Astros after the slugger unleashed an opposite-field home run in a 5-3 Baltimore victory Tuesday in the series opener.

Alonso, a big free-agent prize for the Orioles in the offseason, is batting only .198 with four homers and 12 RBIs this season.

“I think my swing feels good,” he said. “Just need to get a ball or two to find some grass or maybe a seat.”

Alonso put one in the seats over the right-field fence in the fifth inning Tuesday. Every time he homers, it’s a signal that he could be on the verge of a breakout.

“His defense right now has been better than advertised,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “It’s been elite for us at first base. So it’s just on the offensive side of the ball, and he’s close. You can see it in the box, you can see it in his work. So I think once he kind of gets in that groove, it’s going to be dangerous.”

Alonso said it’s clear that the best is still to come from the Orioles, who halted a two-game skid on Tuesday.

“I think from the group largely, there’s been a lot of great individual performances, but I think from a lineup perspective, not everyone’s got going,” Alonso said. “I think once everyone kind of gets going, we start getting on the same page clicking, we’re going to put some runs up, which is going to alleviate some of the stress for the pitching staff.”

Right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-2, 6.75 ERA) will be Baltimore’s starting pitcher for the middle game of the three-game series with the Astros. He gained his first victory of the season last Wednesday despite giving up five runs in 5 1/3 innings in an 8-6 win at Kansas City. The Orioles have won in his past three starts.

Bassitt has made 16 career starts vs. Houston, recording a 5-6 record and 4.32 ERA in 89 2/3 innings. That marks the most innings he has logged against any opponent in his 12-year big-league career.

The Astros have the worst record in the American League and are dealing with injuries that have altered the available roster.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to go through this again,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But we find ourselves in a spot that we know we have been here before. … We have a roster now that I feel good about. Putting these guys in the best position to have some success is the most important thing while we get the rest of the guys back.”

Houston’s starting pitcher on Wednesday will be right-hander Peter Lambert (1-1, 3.27 ERA), who’s coming off last Wednesday’s six shutout innings in a 2-0 victory at Cleveland. He’ll face the Orioles for the first time.

Espada said the Astros will have infielder Jeremy Pena back with the team Wednesday, but he won’t be activated to play. Instead, he’ll continue rehab work for a hamstring strain.

Outfielder Colton Cowser hasn’t been in Baltimore’s lineup for four straight games, but Albernaz said part of that is because of Leody Taveras’ production.

“It’s nothing about Cowser,” Albernaz said.

Taveras is batting .286 this season, with two homers and 15 RBIs.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Pete #Alonso #Orioles #determined #heat #Astros

Sports news April 29, 2026

Apr 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Pete Alonso (25) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles would like for first baseman Pete Alonso to get untracked.

They hope to see more signs of that Wednesday night against the visiting Houston Astros after the slugger unleashed an opposite-field home run in a 5-3 Baltimore victory Tuesday in the series opener.

Alonso, a big free-agent prize for the Orioles in the offseason, is batting only .198 with four homers and 12 RBIs this season.

“I think my swing feels good,” he said. “Just need to get a ball or two to find some grass or maybe a seat.”

Alonso put one in the seats over the right-field fence in the fifth inning Tuesday. Every time he homers, it’s a signal that he could be on the verge of a breakout.

“His defense right now has been better than advertised,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “It’s been elite for us at first base. So it’s just on the offensive side of the ball, and he’s close. You can see it in the box, you can see it in his work. So I think once he kind of gets in that groove, it’s going to be dangerous.”

Alonso said it’s clear that the best is still to come from the Orioles, who halted a two-game skid on Tuesday.

“I think from the group largely, there’s been a lot of great individual performances, but I think from a lineup perspective, not everyone’s got going,” Alonso said. “I think once everyone kind of gets going, we start getting on the same page clicking, we’re going to put some runs up, which is going to alleviate some of the stress for the pitching staff.”

Right-hander Chris Bassitt (1-2, 6.75 ERA) will be Baltimore’s starting pitcher for the middle game of the three-game series with the Astros. He gained his first victory of the season last Wednesday despite giving up five runs in 5 1/3 innings in an 8-6 win at Kansas City. The Orioles have won in his past three starts.

Bassitt has made 16 career starts vs. Houston, recording a 5-6 record and 4.32 ERA in 89 2/3 innings. That marks the most innings he has logged against any opponent in his 12-year big-league career.

The Astros have the worst record in the American League and are dealing with injuries that have altered the available roster.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to go through this again,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But we find ourselves in a spot that we know we have been here before. … We have a roster now that I feel good about. Putting these guys in the best position to have some success is the most important thing while we get the rest of the guys back.”

Houston’s starting pitcher on Wednesday will be right-hander Peter Lambert (1-1, 3.27 ERA), who’s coming off last Wednesday’s six shutout innings in a 2-0 victory at Cleveland. He’ll face the Orioles for the first time.

Espada said the Astros will have infielder Jeremy Pena back with the team Wednesday, but he won’t be activated to play. Instead, he’ll continue rehab work for a hamstring strain.

Outfielder Colton Cowser hasn’t been in Baltimore’s lineup for four straight games, but Albernaz said part of that is because of Leody Taveras’ production.

“It’s nothing about Cowser,” Albernaz said.

Taveras is batting .286 this season, with two homers and 15 RBIs.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Pete #Alonso #Orioles #determined #heat #Astros

NFL Power Rankings: Which team has the best 2027 Super Bowl chances after the draft? <div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The NFL schedule hits one of its only lulls as the wait until training camp begins. The 2026 NFL Draft is in the rear view (<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/1112551/nfl-draft-2026-team-grades-every-franchise-eagles-49ers-bears">read our full team grades here</a>), and with it a chance to look at how all 32 teams changed with their incoming rookies. Naturally everyone got better, that’s just the nature of the beast — but some teams did a lot more work patching their holes than others, including several teams who still have an eye on the future, rather than worrying about competing now.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">We divided the league up into four distinct tiers based on where we think they’ll end up.</p></div><div><p><h3 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Tanking for No. 1, or bust</h3></p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">We start at the bottom with three teams that clearly have no plan to be competitive this season, with 2027 already on the horizon. The shared DNA here is that all three teams are searching for franchise quarterbacks, and we’re going into one of the most stacked QB classes in recent memory. They will be duking it out to see who’s worst in order to control their draft destiny and make their pick between Arch Manning, Dante Moore, and Julian Sayin — who are presumably the best three QBs coming out.</p></div><div><p><h3 class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup">Chance of making the playoffs</h3></p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Like any good bell curve, this is our bulge. All these teams made significant enough improvement through the draft and free agency that they very well <em>could</em> make the playoffs, but there are also good enough reasons to doubt that they’re ready to take the next step. This can be due to some major holes that haven’t been patched, or simply a factor of being locked in a division with teams that are further along in the process. None of these teams making the postseason would be a surprise, nor would it shock us if they’re drafting Top 5.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><strong>20. Washington Commanders</strong></p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">These are the teams we’ve identified as either division winners or highly-rated Wild Card teams. You can see where the split comes in for some of the iffier divisions like the NFC South, which has the Panthers in this tier — but the Buccaneers right behind them. There is an outside chance one of these teams goes on a Cinderella run to the Super Bowl, but it’s highly-unlikely based on other teams higher on this list.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Finally, we reach the seven teams that legitimately feel like they could make it all the way to the Super Bowl in February. These were dominant teams from a year ago who got better this offseason, or are healing from key injuries and now return in 2026 to make a statement. Any combination of these teams in the Super Bowl wouldn’t be surprising to us, and it’s more than likely one of them will end up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the end.</p></div> #NFL #Power #Rankings #team #Super #Bowl #chances #draft

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

mwasimuddin125 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a thank-you letter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

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

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

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

Thank you, Arizona.

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

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

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

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

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s a thank-you letter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

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

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

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

Thank you, Arizona.

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

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

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

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

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

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

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

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

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

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

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

mwasimuddin125 0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

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

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

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

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

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TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

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

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

Published on Aug 09, 2026

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