Deadspin | Scuffling Mariners hitters hope to turn tide vs. banged-up Astros Apr 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) throws to an Athletics batter during the second inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images The Seattle Mariners hoped a trip to Southern California and Texas might heat up their bats. It didn’t happen. The Mariners, considered the favorites in the American League West by most preseason prognosticators, return home Friday for a four-game series with the Houston Astros in the division cellar with a 4-9 record and sporting a five-game losing streak. The reason? The Mariners are batting .184, the worst mark in Major League Baseball (the Los Angeles Angels are 29th at .201). They’re also last in on-base percentage (.280) and slugging percentage (.301). “Just not much going on offensively,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said after a 3-0 loss Wednesday at Texas. “We were able to get a little bit of traffic, but we were not able to move it along. Not enough consistency on the offensive side. “We’ve got some work to do, there’s no doubt about it,” Wilson said. The Mariners (.581) are the only team with an on-base-plus-slugging percentage below .600. “You’re going to go through lulls like this,” said third baseman Brendan Donovan, who has a team-leading .316 batting average. “Unfortunately, we’re just getting hit with some adversity at the beginning. … Personally, I’d rather us go through it now, see what we’re made of, establish our identity, and then go from there.” The Mariners scored 13 runs on their just-concluded trip, with seven of those coming in an extra-inning loss to the Angels, and were shut out twice. They scored two or fewer runs in four of those games. Seattle is wasting an outstanding start to the season by its pitching staff, which has a 2.62 ERA, third-best in MLB behind Atlanta (2.03) and the New York Yankees (2.35). The Astros aren’t faring much better, though for different reasons. They’ve lost four in a row after being swept in a three-game series at Colorado and have allowed 35 runs in that span. Houston’s 6.05 team ERA ranks ahead of only Washington (6.06). Ace Hunter Brown was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a right-shoulder strain and fellow right-hander Cristian Javier left Wednesday’s 9-1 loss to the Rockies with shoulder tightness. Javier exited shortly after center fielder Jake Meyers came out of the game midway through a plate appearance with lower back tightness. “It’s not what I want to see, man,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “It’s just hard. “We’ve just got to flush this and you’ve got to get ready to play ball. I trust these guys. They know how to do it. The injuries (have) piled on, and it’s not a good feeling. But if there’s a team that knows how to bounce back, it’s this group in here.” Friday’s series opener is scheduled to feature a matchup of right-handers in Houston’s Tatsuya Imai (1-0, 4.32) and Seattle’s Emerson Hancock (1-1, 0.71). Imai, signed as a free agent in the offseason from Japan, will be facing the Mariners for the first time. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in an 11-0 victory Saturday against the Athletics, when he allowed three hits and struck out nine. Hancock is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two career starts against the Astros. He suffered a 1-0 loss Saturday to the Angels when the only run he allowed in 6 2/3 innings was a leadoff homer in the first. Hancock gave up six hits, didn’t walk a batter and fanned five. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Scuffling #Mariners #hitters #hope #turn #tide #bangedup #Astros

Deadspin | Scuffling Mariners hitters hope to turn tide vs. banged-up Astros
Apr 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) throws to an Athletics batter during the second inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners hoped a trip to Southern California and Texas might heat up their bats.

It didn’t happen.

The Mariners, considered the favorites in the American League West by most preseason prognosticators, return home Friday for a four-game series with the Houston Astros in the division cellar with a 4-9 record and sporting a five-game losing streak.

The reason?

The Mariners are batting .184, the worst mark in Major League Baseball (the Los Angeles Angels are 29th at .201). They’re also last in on-base percentage (.280) and slugging percentage (.301).

“Just not much going on offensively,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said after a 3-0 loss Wednesday at Texas. “We were able to get a little bit of traffic, but we were not able to move it along. Not enough consistency on the offensive side.

“We’ve got some work to do, there’s no doubt about it,” Wilson said.

The Mariners (.581) are the only team with an on-base-plus-slugging percentage below .600.

“You’re going to go through lulls like this,” said third baseman Brendan Donovan, who has a team-leading .316 batting average. “Unfortunately, we’re just getting hit with some adversity at the beginning. … Personally, I’d rather us go through it now, see what we’re made of, establish our identity, and then go from there.”

The Mariners scored 13 runs on their just-concluded trip, with seven of those coming in an extra-inning loss to the Angels, and were shut out twice. They scored two or fewer runs in four of those games.

Seattle is wasting an outstanding start to the season by its pitching staff, which has a 2.62 ERA, third-best in MLB behind Atlanta (2.03) and the New York Yankees (2.35).

The Astros aren’t faring much better, though for different reasons. They’ve lost four in a row after being swept in a three-game series at Colorado and have allowed 35 runs in that span.

Houston’s 6.05 team ERA ranks ahead of only Washington (6.06).

Ace Hunter Brown was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a right-shoulder strain and fellow right-hander Cristian Javier left Wednesday’s 9-1 loss to the Rockies with shoulder tightness.

Javier exited shortly after center fielder Jake Meyers came out of the game midway through a plate appearance with lower back tightness.

“It’s not what I want to see, man,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “It’s just hard.

“We’ve just got to flush this and you’ve got to get ready to play ball. I trust these guys. They know how to do it. The injuries (have) piled on, and it’s not a good feeling. But if there’s a team that knows how to bounce back, it’s this group in here.”

Friday’s series opener is scheduled to feature a matchup of right-handers in Houston’s Tatsuya Imai (1-0, 4.32) and Seattle’s Emerson Hancock (1-1, 0.71).

Imai, signed as a free agent in the offseason from Japan, will be facing the Mariners for the first time. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in an 11-0 victory Saturday against the Athletics, when he allowed three hits and struck out nine.

Hancock is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two career starts against the Astros. He suffered a 1-0 loss Saturday to the Angels when the only run he allowed in 6 2/3 innings was a leadoff homer in the first. Hancock gave up six hits, didn’t walk a batter and fanned five.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Scuffling #Mariners #hitters #hope #turn #tide #bangedup #Astros

Sports news April 10, 2026

Apr 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) throws to an Athletics batter during the second inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners hoped a trip to Southern California and Texas might heat up their bats.

It didn’t happen.

The Mariners, considered the favorites in the American League West by most preseason prognosticators, return home Friday for a four-game series with the Houston Astros in the division cellar with a 4-9 record and sporting a five-game losing streak.

The reason?

The Mariners are batting .184, the worst mark in Major League Baseball (the Los Angeles Angels are 29th at .201). They’re also last in on-base percentage (.280) and slugging percentage (.301).

“Just not much going on offensively,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said after a 3-0 loss Wednesday at Texas. “We were able to get a little bit of traffic, but we were not able to move it along. Not enough consistency on the offensive side.

“We’ve got some work to do, there’s no doubt about it,” Wilson said.

The Mariners (.581) are the only team with an on-base-plus-slugging percentage below .600.

“You’re going to go through lulls like this,” said third baseman Brendan Donovan, who has a team-leading .316 batting average. “Unfortunately, we’re just getting hit with some adversity at the beginning. … Personally, I’d rather us go through it now, see what we’re made of, establish our identity, and then go from there.”

The Mariners scored 13 runs on their just-concluded trip, with seven of those coming in an extra-inning loss to the Angels, and were shut out twice. They scored two or fewer runs in four of those games.

Seattle is wasting an outstanding start to the season by its pitching staff, which has a 2.62 ERA, third-best in MLB behind Atlanta (2.03) and the New York Yankees (2.35).

The Astros aren’t faring much better, though for different reasons. They’ve lost four in a row after being swept in a three-game series at Colorado and have allowed 35 runs in that span.

Houston’s 6.05 team ERA ranks ahead of only Washington (6.06).

Ace Hunter Brown was placed on the injured list Tuesday with a right-shoulder strain and fellow right-hander Cristian Javier left Wednesday’s 9-1 loss to the Rockies with shoulder tightness.

Javier exited shortly after center fielder Jake Meyers came out of the game midway through a plate appearance with lower back tightness.

“It’s not what I want to see, man,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “It’s just hard.

“We’ve just got to flush this and you’ve got to get ready to play ball. I trust these guys. They know how to do it. The injuries (have) piled on, and it’s not a good feeling. But if there’s a team that knows how to bounce back, it’s this group in here.”

Friday’s series opener is scheduled to feature a matchup of right-handers in Houston’s Tatsuya Imai (1-0, 4.32) and Seattle’s Emerson Hancock (1-1, 0.71).

Imai, signed as a free agent in the offseason from Japan, will be facing the Mariners for the first time. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in an 11-0 victory Saturday against the Athletics, when he allowed three hits and struck out nine.

Hancock is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two career starts against the Astros. He suffered a 1-0 loss Saturday to the Angels when the only run he allowed in 6 2/3 innings was a leadoff homer in the first. Hancock gave up six hits, didn’t walk a batter and fanned five.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Scuffling #Mariners #hitters #hope #turn #tide #bangedup #Astros

Indian women’s 3×3 wheelchair basketball team qualifies for CWG <div id="content-body-70846131" itemprop="articleBody">India’s 3×3 women’s wheelchair basketball team has qualified for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.The Games will run from July 23 to August 2, with the 3×3 wheelchair basketball competition taking place from July 24 to 29.India has qualified through the Asia-Oceania qualifiers alongside Australia. They were the only two participating teams and secured qualification, representing Asia and Oceania, respectively.The men’s team, however, could not make the cut after finishing fourth in the same competition.READ: <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/basketball/wnba-expansion-cleveland-detroit-philadelphia-2028-2030/article70845981.ece" target="_blank">WNBA is getting bigger than ever: 3 new teams, 5-year expansion plan revealed</a>“The final two places in both the men’s and women’s competitions will be allocated through wildcard selections, based on factors such as regional representation, previous performance, and participation in development programmes,” stated the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF).Australia topped the men’s standings with an unbeaten record, securing the Oceania qualification spot, while Malaysia claimed the Asia position with a strong second-place finish.So far, the confirmed qualified women’s teams include host Scotland, Nigeria from Africa, India from Asia, Australia from Oceania, Canada from the Americas, and England from Europe.The 3×3 wheelchair basketball matches will be held at the Scottish Event Campus from July 24 to 29.Published on Apr 10, 2026</div> #Indian #womens #3×3 #wheelchair #basketball #team #qualifies #CWG

#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">