Deadspin | Trail Blazers can clinch No. 8 seed with win vs. Kings Apr 10, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) high-fives forward Toumani Camara (33) as guard Jrue Holiday (5) heads to the bench during a timeout in the first half against the LA Clippers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images The Portland Trail Blazers look to secure the No. 8 position in the Western Conference when they host the woeful Sacramento Kings on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both clubs. The Trail Blazers put themselves in position to nab a spot in the key 7 vs. 8 play-in contest by routing the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 116-97 on Friday night. Portland (41-40) and Los Angeles share the same record but the Trail Blazers hold the tiebreaker edge due to having a better record in Western Conference games. The big deal between being No. 8 or No. 9 is this: Teams in the 7-8 game earn a playoff berth with one win with the loser receiving a second chance. The teams in the 9 vs. 10 pairing need two wins to get in. Portland is well aware of what’s at stake against the Kings. “We’ve got one game left in the regular season,” Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said after Friday’s contest. “We‘ve got to finish the job here.” Portland certainly played with more urgency than the Clippers. The Trail Blazers outscored Los Angeles 30-13 in the final quarter. The Trail Blazers racked up 12 steals, four by reserve Matisse Thybulle. “We had an outstanding performance defensively,” Splitter said. “A lot of guys did a good job.” All-Star forward Deni Avdija led the offensive surge with 35 points. It marked his 14th game of 30 or more points this season. “He was aggressive, he was getting to the paint, he was finding teammates and getting to the free-throw line,” Splitter said of Avdija. “Nothing new I can say about him.” Shaedon Sharpe returned from a 28-game absence due to calf and fibula injuries to play 15 minutes off the bench against the Clippers. The guard, who last played on Feb. 6, had eight points and four rebounds. The Trail Blazers are 3-0 against the Kings this season but the Dec. 18 contest in Portland was a wild battle. Portland pulled out a 134-133 overtime win behind two free throws from Avdija with 1.5 seconds left to cap his 35-point outing. Sacramento forced the OT with an electric 17-2 burst to end regulation. The Kings’ DeMar DeRozan had 33 points, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds left. On Sunday, the Kings (22-59) will be looking to avoid the second 60-loss campaign in franchise history. Sacramento went 17-65 in the 2008-09 campaign. The Kings have performed well this month with three wins in five games. Sacramento just split a home-and-home with the Golden State Warriors, losing 110-105 on the road Tuesday and following up with a 124-118 home win on Friday. Devin Carter scored a career-high 29 points while Maxime Raynaud added 23 for the Kings in their home finale. “Couldn’t get any better, and the way we did it was also awesome,” Raynaud said afterward. “I mean, it was a very physical game. Obviously people were talking on both sides the whole time. It was pretty well fought, pretty close till the end, so the best way to go out.” DeRozan sat out the past two games due to right hamstring soreness and will sit out Sunday as well. He turns 37 in August and is under contract for next season. “I’ve been doing this for 17 years, it’s beyond a blessing,” DeRozan said of his career. “… But it’s been a tough year for us.” Carter also established career bests of six 3-pointers and nine rebounds on Friday. The first-round pick (No. 13 overall) in 2024 has played in 73 games (11 starts) over his two NBA seasons. “It’s just the confidence,” Carter said of his big outing. “I put the work in. At the end of the day, I just imagine being in the gym working by myself. That’s all it is.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Trail #Blazers #clinch #seed #win #Kings

Deadspin | Trail Blazers can clinch No. 8 seed with win vs. Kings
Apr 10, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) high-fives forward Toumani Camara (33) as guard Jrue Holiday (5) heads to the bench during a timeout in the first half against the LA Clippers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers look to secure the No. 8 position in the Western Conference when they host the woeful Sacramento Kings on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both clubs.

The Trail Blazers put themselves in position to nab a spot in the key 7 vs. 8 play-in contest by routing the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 116-97 on Friday night.

Portland (41-40) and Los Angeles share the same record but the Trail Blazers hold the tiebreaker edge due to having a better record in Western Conference games.

The big deal between being No. 8 or No. 9 is this: Teams in the 7-8 game earn a playoff berth with one win with the loser receiving a second chance. The teams in the 9 vs. 10 pairing need two wins to get in.

Portland is well aware of what’s at stake against the Kings.

“We’ve got one game left in the regular season,” Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said after Friday’s contest. “We‘ve got to finish the job here.”

Portland certainly played with more urgency than the Clippers. The Trail Blazers outscored Los Angeles 30-13 in the final quarter.

The Trail Blazers racked up 12 steals, four by reserve Matisse Thybulle.

“We had an outstanding performance defensively,” Splitter said. “A lot of guys did a good job.”

All-Star forward Deni Avdija led the offensive surge with 35 points. It marked his 14th game of 30 or more points this season.

“He was aggressive, he was getting to the paint, he was finding teammates and getting to the free-throw line,” Splitter said of Avdija. “Nothing new I can say about him.”

Shaedon Sharpe returned from a 28-game absence due to calf and fibula injuries to play 15 minutes off the bench against the Clippers. The guard, who last played on Feb. 6, had eight points and four rebounds.

The Trail Blazers are 3-0 against the Kings this season but the Dec. 18 contest in Portland was a wild battle.

Portland pulled out a 134-133 overtime win behind two free throws from Avdija with 1.5 seconds left to cap his 35-point outing. Sacramento forced the OT with an electric 17-2 burst to end regulation. The Kings’ DeMar DeRozan had 33 points, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds left.

On Sunday, the Kings (22-59) will be looking to avoid the second 60-loss campaign in franchise history. Sacramento went 17-65 in the 2008-09 campaign.

The Kings have performed well this month with three wins in five games. Sacramento just split a home-and-home with the Golden State Warriors, losing 110-105 on the road Tuesday and following up with a 124-118 home win on Friday.

Devin Carter scored a career-high 29 points while Maxime Raynaud added 23 for the Kings in their home finale.

“Couldn’t get any better, and the way we did it was also awesome,” Raynaud said afterward. “I mean, it was a very physical game. Obviously people were talking on both sides the whole time. It was pretty well fought, pretty close till the end, so the best way to go out.”

DeRozan sat out the past two games due to right hamstring soreness and will sit out Sunday as well. He turns 37 in August and is under contract for next season.

“I’ve been doing this for 17 years, it’s beyond a blessing,” DeRozan said of his career. “… But it’s been a tough year for us.”

Carter also established career bests of six 3-pointers and nine rebounds on Friday. The first-round pick (No. 13 overall) in 2024 has played in 73 games (11 starts) over his two NBA seasons.

“It’s just the confidence,” Carter said of his big outing. “I put the work in. At the end of the day, I just imagine being in the gym working by myself. That’s all it is.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Trail #Blazers #clinch #seed #win #Kings

Sports news April 12, 2026

Apr 10, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) high-fives forward Toumani Camara (33) as guard Jrue Holiday (5) heads to the bench during a timeout in the first half against the LA Clippers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers look to secure the No. 8 position in the Western Conference when they host the woeful Sacramento Kings on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both clubs.

The Trail Blazers put themselves in position to nab a spot in the key 7 vs. 8 play-in contest by routing the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 116-97 on Friday night.

Portland (41-40) and Los Angeles share the same record but the Trail Blazers hold the tiebreaker edge due to having a better record in Western Conference games.

The big deal between being No. 8 or No. 9 is this: Teams in the 7-8 game earn a playoff berth with one win with the loser receiving a second chance. The teams in the 9 vs. 10 pairing need two wins to get in.

Portland is well aware of what’s at stake against the Kings.

“We’ve got one game left in the regular season,” Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said after Friday’s contest. “We‘ve got to finish the job here.”

Portland certainly played with more urgency than the Clippers. The Trail Blazers outscored Los Angeles 30-13 in the final quarter.

The Trail Blazers racked up 12 steals, four by reserve Matisse Thybulle.

“We had an outstanding performance defensively,” Splitter said. “A lot of guys did a good job.”

All-Star forward Deni Avdija led the offensive surge with 35 points. It marked his 14th game of 30 or more points this season.

“He was aggressive, he was getting to the paint, he was finding teammates and getting to the free-throw line,” Splitter said of Avdija. “Nothing new I can say about him.”

Shaedon Sharpe returned from a 28-game absence due to calf and fibula injuries to play 15 minutes off the bench against the Clippers. The guard, who last played on Feb. 6, had eight points and four rebounds.

The Trail Blazers are 3-0 against the Kings this season but the Dec. 18 contest in Portland was a wild battle.

Portland pulled out a 134-133 overtime win behind two free throws from Avdija with 1.5 seconds left to cap his 35-point outing. Sacramento forced the OT with an electric 17-2 burst to end regulation. The Kings’ DeMar DeRozan had 33 points, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds left.

On Sunday, the Kings (22-59) will be looking to avoid the second 60-loss campaign in franchise history. Sacramento went 17-65 in the 2008-09 campaign.

The Kings have performed well this month with three wins in five games. Sacramento just split a home-and-home with the Golden State Warriors, losing 110-105 on the road Tuesday and following up with a 124-118 home win on Friday.

Devin Carter scored a career-high 29 points while Maxime Raynaud added 23 for the Kings in their home finale.

“Couldn’t get any better, and the way we did it was also awesome,” Raynaud said afterward. “I mean, it was a very physical game. Obviously people were talking on both sides the whole time. It was pretty well fought, pretty close till the end, so the best way to go out.”

DeRozan sat out the past two games due to right hamstring soreness and will sit out Sunday as well. He turns 37 in August and is under contract for next season.

“I’ve been doing this for 17 years, it’s beyond a blessing,” DeRozan said of his career. “… But it’s been a tough year for us.”

Carter also established career bests of six 3-pointers and nine rebounds on Friday. The first-round pick (No. 13 overall) in 2024 has played in 73 games (11 starts) over his two NBA seasons.

“It’s just the confidence,” Carter said of his big outing. “I put the work in. At the end of the day, I just imagine being in the gym working by myself. That’s all it is.”

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Trail #Blazers #clinch #seed #win #Kings

कृषि क्षेत्र में मध्यप्रदेश का ‘स्वर्ण युग’: खाद्यान्न और दलहन उत्पादन में रचा इतिहास; मुख्यमंत्री डॉ. यादव ने वर्ष 2026 को घोषित किया ‘किसान कल्याण वर्ष’ – Vindhya Bhaskar

#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">