Deadspin | Pistons, Pacers close regular season in opposite positions Jan 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis with an opportunity to complete a 60-win regular season for the first time in 20 years. The surprising Pistons (59-22) come into Sunday’s regular-season finale winners in five of six games, including a 118-100 rout of Charlotte on Friday. Detroit holds a four-game lead over second-place Boston, guaranteeing the Pistons home-court advantage all the way through the East’s side of the playoff bracket. The Pistons are in pursuit of their first 60-win campaign since going 64-18 in 2005-06, and just the third time the franchise has reached the milestone in its history with the 1988-89 squad finishing 63-19. Detroit’s 1989 team completed a run to the title, while the 2006 team fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals after back-to-back appearances in the Finals in 2004 and 2005, winning the title in 2004. The Pistons look to parlay their regular-season success, and a healthy roster in time for the postseason, to end their 21-year Finals drought. Cade Cunningham returned this week to the lineup from a nearly month-long absence after suffering a collapsed lung. He is on a minutes restriction and will fall short of the 65-game minimum for Most Valuable Player consideration, but Cunningham has been efficient in his two games back. He went for 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in 25:41 played on Wednesday against Milwaukee. Cunningham followed up with 14 points and seven assists against Charlotte on Friday. “It’s good to be back out there with all the guys,” Pistons big man Jalen Duren said after his 20-point, nine-rebound, and four-assist effort on Friday. “Obviously we’ve played together before, but it’s been a little minute. It’s good having everybody in rotation.” In addition to Cunningham, Detroit has welcomed big man Isaiah Stewart back into the mix after a calf injury. While Detroit is aiming for its first Finals appearance in 21 years during the upcoming playoffs, last year’s Eastern Conference representative, Indiana (19-62), is closing the book on a historically down year. The Pacers reached 60 losses for the first time since 1984-85, the result of a rash of injuries plaguing the squad since last summer. All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles, sustained in Game 7 of June’s Finals matchup with Oklahoma City, loomed over Indiana from the outset of the 2025-26 campaign. Underscoring the organization’s roster uncertainty, none of the Pacers Game 7 starters a year ago appeared in Indiana’s 105-94 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Pascal Siakam all sat out against the 76ers with injuries, while Myles Turner left for Milwaukee in the offseason. Additionally, sixth-man Bennedict Mathurin — who scored 24 points off the bench in Game 7 — was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before this season’s deadline. Jarace Walker led the patchwork Pacers lineup on Friday with 17 points. The third-year swingman nears the end of the season averaging career-highs in scoring at 11.6 points per game, rebounding with 5.1 per game, and assists at 2.5 a contest. “It’s hard to evaluate guys just on the numbers and the stat sheet,” Indiana assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “The availability all year of Jarace has been great for us. The amount of minutes he’s played is going to have some long-term impact and effect. He’s going to know what he needs to work on when the offseason comes up.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Pistons #Pacers #close #regular #season #positions

Deadspin | Pistons, Pacers close regular season in opposite positions
Jan 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis with an opportunity to complete a 60-win regular season for the first time in 20 years.

The surprising Pistons (59-22) come into Sunday’s regular-season finale winners in five of six games, including a 118-100 rout of Charlotte on Friday. Detroit holds a four-game lead over second-place Boston, guaranteeing the Pistons home-court advantage all the way through the East’s side of the playoff bracket.

The Pistons are in pursuit of their first 60-win campaign since going 64-18 in 2005-06, and just the third time the franchise has reached the milestone in its history with the 1988-89 squad finishing 63-19.

Detroit’s 1989 team completed a run to the title, while the 2006 team fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals after back-to-back appearances in the Finals in 2004 and 2005, winning the title in 2004. The Pistons look to parlay their regular-season success, and a healthy roster in time for the postseason, to end their 21-year Finals drought.

Cade Cunningham returned this week to the lineup from a nearly month-long absence after suffering a collapsed lung. He is on a minutes restriction and will fall short of the 65-game minimum for Most Valuable Player consideration, but Cunningham has been efficient in his two games back.

He went for 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in 25:41 played on Wednesday against Milwaukee. Cunningham followed up with 14 points and seven assists against Charlotte on Friday.

“It’s good to be back out there with all the guys,” Pistons big man Jalen Duren said after his 20-point, nine-rebound, and four-assist effort on Friday. “Obviously we’ve played together before, but it’s been a little minute. It’s good having everybody in rotation.”

In addition to Cunningham, Detroit has welcomed big man Isaiah Stewart back into the mix after a calf injury.

While Detroit is aiming for its first Finals appearance in 21 years during the upcoming playoffs, last year’s Eastern Conference representative, Indiana (19-62), is closing the book on a historically down year.

The Pacers reached 60 losses for the first time since 1984-85, the result of a rash of injuries plaguing the squad since last summer. All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles, sustained in Game 7 of June’s Finals matchup with Oklahoma City, loomed over Indiana from the outset of the 2025-26 campaign.

Underscoring the organization’s roster uncertainty, none of the Pacers Game 7 starters a year ago appeared in Indiana’s 105-94 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Pascal Siakam all sat out against the 76ers with injuries, while Myles Turner left for Milwaukee in the offseason. Additionally, sixth-man Bennedict Mathurin — who scored 24 points off the bench in Game 7 — was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before this season’s deadline.

Jarace Walker led the patchwork Pacers lineup on Friday with 17 points. The third-year swingman nears the end of the season averaging career-highs in scoring at 11.6 points per game, rebounding with 5.1 per game, and assists at 2.5 a contest.

“It’s hard to evaluate guys just on the numbers and the stat sheet,” Indiana assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “The availability all year of Jarace has been great for us. The amount of minutes he’s played is going to have some long-term impact and effect. He’s going to know what he needs to work on when the offseason comes up.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Pistons #Pacers #close #regular #season #positions

Sports news April 12, 2026

Jan 17, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles defended by Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson (55) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis with an opportunity to complete a 60-win regular season for the first time in 20 years.

The surprising Pistons (59-22) come into Sunday’s regular-season finale winners in five of six games, including a 118-100 rout of Charlotte on Friday. Detroit holds a four-game lead over second-place Boston, guaranteeing the Pistons home-court advantage all the way through the East’s side of the playoff bracket.

The Pistons are in pursuit of their first 60-win campaign since going 64-18 in 2005-06, and just the third time the franchise has reached the milestone in its history with the 1988-89 squad finishing 63-19.

Detroit’s 1989 team completed a run to the title, while the 2006 team fell short in the Eastern Conference Finals after back-to-back appearances in the Finals in 2004 and 2005, winning the title in 2004. The Pistons look to parlay their regular-season success, and a healthy roster in time for the postseason, to end their 21-year Finals drought.

Cade Cunningham returned this week to the lineup from a nearly month-long absence after suffering a collapsed lung. He is on a minutes restriction and will fall short of the 65-game minimum for Most Valuable Player consideration, but Cunningham has been efficient in his two games back.

He went for 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds in 25:41 played on Wednesday against Milwaukee. Cunningham followed up with 14 points and seven assists against Charlotte on Friday.

“It’s good to be back out there with all the guys,” Pistons big man Jalen Duren said after his 20-point, nine-rebound, and four-assist effort on Friday. “Obviously we’ve played together before, but it’s been a little minute. It’s good having everybody in rotation.”

In addition to Cunningham, Detroit has welcomed big man Isaiah Stewart back into the mix after a calf injury.

While Detroit is aiming for its first Finals appearance in 21 years during the upcoming playoffs, last year’s Eastern Conference representative, Indiana (19-62), is closing the book on a historically down year.

The Pacers reached 60 losses for the first time since 1984-85, the result of a rash of injuries plaguing the squad since last summer. All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton’s torn Achilles, sustained in Game 7 of June’s Finals matchup with Oklahoma City, loomed over Indiana from the outset of the 2025-26 campaign.

Underscoring the organization’s roster uncertainty, none of the Pacers Game 7 starters a year ago appeared in Indiana’s 105-94 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard, and Pascal Siakam all sat out against the 76ers with injuries, while Myles Turner left for Milwaukee in the offseason. Additionally, sixth-man Bennedict Mathurin — who scored 24 points off the bench in Game 7 — was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before this season’s deadline.

Jarace Walker led the patchwork Pacers lineup on Friday with 17 points. The third-year swingman nears the end of the season averaging career-highs in scoring at 11.6 points per game, rebounding with 5.1 per game, and assists at 2.5 a contest.

“It’s hard to evaluate guys just on the numbers and the stat sheet,” Indiana assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. “The availability all year of Jarace has been great for us. The amount of minutes he’s played is going to have some long-term impact and effect. He’s going to know what he needs to work on when the offseason comes up.”

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Pistons #Pacers #close #regular #season #positions

Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami gets 2-2 draw with Red Bulls after 17-year-old Mehmeti scores late <div id="content-body-70853326" itemprop="articleBody">Lionel Messi scored two goals in a Champions League match for Barcelona on April 8, 2009, which was two days after Adri Mehmeti was born.Only 17 years later, they both had a say in the outcome for their teams on Saturday night.Messi helped set up Germán Berterame for a second-half goal that gave Inter Miami its first lead in its new stadium, and Mehmeti’s first Major League Soccer (MLS) goal in the 77th minute pulled New York Red Bulls into a 2-2 tie with Messi and the defending MLS Cup champion on Saturday night.Mateo Silvetti also scored for Inter Miami (3-1-3), which is now unbeaten in its last six MLS matches. Jorge Ruvalcaba scored for the Red Bulls (3-2-2), who have one win in their last five matches but rallied to get a point out of this one after wasting an early 1-0 lead.Berterame’s goal looked like it would give Inter Miami some control.There were no fewer than four defenders within a couple of yards of Messi — two of them squarely between him and the net — as he brought the ball toward the box in the 55th minute, and with all those eyeballs on him, nobody seemed to be marking Berterame just to his left.No shot, no problem. In fact, it was a bit of a bad break for the Red Bulls.Messi had the ball knocked away but it simply rolled toward Berterame, who one-timed it with his right foot for a 2-1 lead — with the greatest player ever being the first to wrap him in a celebratory headlock after the goal. It gave Inter Miami its first lead in about 150 minutes of play over two matches in its new stadium, which opened last weekend with a draw against Austin FC.But a pair of kids made sure the lead didn’t last.Julian Hall, 18, set up Mehmeti for the equaliser, finding space near the goal line and putting the ball into the perfect spot.Messi had a chance in the 49th minute from about 12 yards out. He got the ball near the top of the box, stopped on a dime as Red Bulls defender Matthew Dos Santos went sliding past, flicked the ball to his left foot and tried a shot to the near post. It went just wide as he fell to the turf.Both teams had goals waved off by offside calls — New York’s following a review — in the second half. Messi also had a 25-yard free kick stopped by Red Bulls goalie Ethan Horvath in the 94th minute.Published on Apr 12, 2026</div> #Lionel #Messis #Inter #Miami #draw #Red #Bulls #17yearold #Mehmeti #scores #late

#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">