Deadspin | Tigers’ Casey Mize hopes sunny skies signal success vs. Marlins Apr 6, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Casey Mize made his most recent start in brutal weather conditions, and the Detroit Tigers right-hander hopes better weather will lead to better results on Saturday when he pitches the middle game of a three-game home series against the Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon. Mize’s season debut was stellar. He held the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run and four hits while striking out nine in six innings, but didn’t figure into the decision in the 7-5 defeat. But in his second start, played with wind chills in the 20s in Minneapolis on Monday, Mize allowed five runs and seven hits while walking three in 4 1/3 innings and was charged with the 7-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins. “It was a tough night to pitch, which made it hard on me,” Mize (0-1, 5.23 ERA) said. “But I didn’t pitch well. The splitter, I could tell, was going to be tough to command from the get-go, just it being so cold and dry.” Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning. “Four-seamer at 91,” Mize said. “I’m not normally throwing 91-mph fastballs. When you miss your spot with it, that’s what happens. Frustrating, for sure.” Sunny skies and temperatures in the low 50s are expected Saturday in Detroit. Mize, who will be making his first home start this season, lost his lone career outing against the Marlins on May 15, 2024. He gave up two runs in six innings and took the 2-0 loss. He’ll be opposed by right-hander Janson Junk (0-1, 3.09 ERA). He delivered one of the best outings of his career on Monday, limiting the Cincinnati Reds to two runs and seven hits in a career-best 7 1/3 innings. The Marlins didn’t provide any offensive support in the 2-0 loss. Junk, who has pitched for four major league clubs, is trying to establish himself as a starter. “I just want to go out there and do the best I can,” he said. “Whatever’s best for the team, that’s what I’m willing to do. I’m starting right now. I started last year. I want to get out there with the ball, and do everything I can to put up zeros and give us a chance to win.” Junk won a spring training battle to earn the final spot in the rotation. He solidified his role with his latest performance. “I’ve said it a number of times. Janson’s a good pitcher,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “We still feel very good about the group that we have here right now, and Janson certainly is proven to be a really high-quality major league pitcher.” Junk’s one career appearance came Sept. 13, 2025, in a start Junk made one start against Detroit last season, giving up three runs in six innings while getting a no-decision in Miami’s 6-4 win. Detroit won the series opener on Friday, 2-0, to snap a five-game losing streak. Keider Montero and three relievers combined on the shutout. It wasn’t all good for the Tigers on Friday. It was revealed that center fielder Parker Meadows suffered a broken forearm as well as a concussion when he collided with left fielder Riley Greene in Minnesota on Thursday. Wenceel Perez was called up from Triple-A Toledo and started Friday, going 0-for-3. “Tough blow for him, tough blow for us, and significant injuries,” manager A.J. Hinch said of Meadows. “We don’t know if anything more is going to be required, surgery or anything like that. I think he needs multiple appointments to figure out what’s next for him, and he’s got a long road to recovery.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Tigers #Casey #Mize #hopes #sunny #skies #signal #success #Marlins

Deadspin | Tigers’ Casey Mize hopes sunny skies signal success vs. Marlins
Apr 6, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Casey Mize made his most recent start in brutal weather conditions, and the Detroit Tigers right-hander hopes better weather will lead to better results on Saturday when he pitches the middle game of a three-game home series against the Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon.

Mize’s season debut was stellar. He held the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run and four hits while striking out nine in six innings, but didn’t figure into the decision in the 7-5 defeat. But in his second start, played with wind chills in the 20s in Minneapolis on Monday, Mize allowed five runs and seven hits while walking three in 4 1/3 innings and was charged with the 7-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

“It was a tough night to pitch, which made it hard on me,” Mize (0-1, 5.23 ERA) said. “But I didn’t pitch well. The splitter, I could tell, was going to be tough to command from the get-go, just it being so cold and dry.”

Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

“Four-seamer at 91,” Mize said. “I’m not normally throwing 91-mph fastballs. When you miss your spot with it, that’s what happens. Frustrating, for sure.”

Sunny skies and temperatures in the low 50s are expected Saturday in Detroit.

Mize, who will be making his first home start this season, lost his lone career outing against the Marlins on May 15, 2024. He gave up two runs in six innings and took the 2-0 loss.

He’ll be opposed by right-hander Janson Junk (0-1, 3.09 ERA). He delivered one of the best outings of his career on Monday, limiting the Cincinnati Reds to two runs and seven hits in a career-best 7 1/3 innings. The Marlins didn’t provide any offensive support in the 2-0 loss.

Junk, who has pitched for four major league clubs, is trying to establish himself as a starter.

“I just want to go out there and do the best I can,” he said. “Whatever’s best for the team, that’s what I’m willing to do. I’m starting right now. I started last year. I want to get out there with the ball, and do everything I can to put up zeros and give us a chance to win.”

Junk won a spring training battle to earn the final spot in the rotation. He solidified his role with his latest performance.

“I’ve said it a number of times. Janson’s a good pitcher,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “We still feel very good about the group that we have here right now, and Janson certainly is proven to be a really high-quality major league pitcher.”

Junk’s one career appearance came Sept. 13, 2025, in a start Junk made one start against Detroit last season, giving up three runs in six innings while getting a no-decision in Miami’s 6-4 win.

Detroit won the series opener on Friday, 2-0, to snap a five-game losing streak. Keider Montero and three relievers combined on the shutout.

It wasn’t all good for the Tigers on Friday. It was revealed that center fielder Parker Meadows suffered a broken forearm as well as a concussion when he collided with left fielder Riley Greene in Minnesota on Thursday. Wenceel Perez was called up from Triple-A Toledo and started Friday, going 0-for-3.

“Tough blow for him, tough blow for us, and significant injuries,” manager A.J. Hinch said of Meadows. “We don’t know if anything more is going to be required, surgery or anything like that. I think he needs multiple appointments to figure out what’s next for him, and he’s got a long road to recovery.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Tigers #Casey #Mize #hopes #sunny #skies #signal #success #Marlins

Sports news April 11, 2026

Apr 6, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize (12) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Casey Mize made his most recent start in brutal weather conditions, and the Detroit Tigers right-hander hopes better weather will lead to better results on Saturday when he pitches the middle game of a three-game home series against the Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon.

Mize’s season debut was stellar. He held the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run and four hits while striking out nine in six innings, but didn’t figure into the decision in the 7-5 defeat. But in his second start, played with wind chills in the 20s in Minneapolis on Monday, Mize allowed five runs and seven hits while walking three in 4 1/3 innings and was charged with the 7-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

“It was a tough night to pitch, which made it hard on me,” Mize (0-1, 5.23 ERA) said. “But I didn’t pitch well. The splitter, I could tell, was going to be tough to command from the get-go, just it being so cold and dry.”

Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

“Four-seamer at 91,” Mize said. “I’m not normally throwing 91-mph fastballs. When you miss your spot with it, that’s what happens. Frustrating, for sure.”

Sunny skies and temperatures in the low 50s are expected Saturday in Detroit.

Mize, who will be making his first home start this season, lost his lone career outing against the Marlins on May 15, 2024. He gave up two runs in six innings and took the 2-0 loss.

He’ll be opposed by right-hander Janson Junk (0-1, 3.09 ERA). He delivered one of the best outings of his career on Monday, limiting the Cincinnati Reds to two runs and seven hits in a career-best 7 1/3 innings. The Marlins didn’t provide any offensive support in the 2-0 loss.

Junk, who has pitched for four major league clubs, is trying to establish himself as a starter.

“I just want to go out there and do the best I can,” he said. “Whatever’s best for the team, that’s what I’m willing to do. I’m starting right now. I started last year. I want to get out there with the ball, and do everything I can to put up zeros and give us a chance to win.”

Junk won a spring training battle to earn the final spot in the rotation. He solidified his role with his latest performance.

“I’ve said it a number of times. Janson’s a good pitcher,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “We still feel very good about the group that we have here right now, and Janson certainly is proven to be a really high-quality major league pitcher.”

Junk’s one career appearance came Sept. 13, 2025, in a start Junk made one start against Detroit last season, giving up three runs in six innings while getting a no-decision in Miami’s 6-4 win.

Detroit won the series opener on Friday, 2-0, to snap a five-game losing streak. Keider Montero and three relievers combined on the shutout.

It wasn’t all good for the Tigers on Friday. It was revealed that center fielder Parker Meadows suffered a broken forearm as well as a concussion when he collided with left fielder Riley Greene in Minnesota on Thursday. Wenceel Perez was called up from Triple-A Toledo and started Friday, going 0-for-3.

“Tough blow for him, tough blow for us, and significant injuries,” manager A.J. Hinch said of Meadows. “We don’t know if anything more is going to be required, surgery or anything like that. I think he needs multiple appointments to figure out what’s next for him, and he’s got a long road to recovery.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Tigers #Casey #Mize #hopes #sunny #skies #signal #success #Marlins

3 ABBA Songs That Double as Lyrical Travel Guides Through Europe

#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">