Deadspin | White Sox break long losing streak in K.C., pursue repeat win vs. Royals Apr 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) slides headfirst to score a run in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images It’s been nearly four years since the Chicago White Sox won back-to-back games in Kansas City. After ending their lengthy road skid to the Royals on Thursday, the White Sox will get the chance to accomplish that feat again on Friday night. Chicago entered Thursday’s opener of a four-game set with the Royals as a loser of 22 of the previous 24 games at Kansas City, where the White Sox were mired in a 14-game losing streak that dated to a victory there on Sept. 6, 2023. However, Anthony Kay threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Colson Montgomery delivered an RBI double during a 2-0 White Sox victory Thursday. The last time Chicago won consecutive games at Kansas City was May 16-17, 2022. And White Sox players appear to have heard it from Kansas City’s lineup in the opener. “(The Royals) like to chirp a little bit, it seems like. I don’t think we’re going to take that anymore,” Kay told the White Sox’s official website. “We are going to go right at them.” Montgomery is just 9-for-45 on the young season but is tied for the team lead with seven RBIs. Friday’s scheduled Chicago starter, Davis Martin (2-0, 2.45 ERA), has a 2.67 ERA while going 1-2 in five career starts against the Royals. In his most recent start at Kauffman Stadium on Aug. 17 of last season, the right-hander allowed one hit and three walks over six scoreless innings, but the White Sox bullpen couldn’t hold a 2-0 lead in a 6-2 defeat. Martin yielded four hits and two walks Sunday against Toronto over six solid innings of Chicago’s 3-0 victory. “Just relaxing,” Martin said. “Just always me to go out there and compete to the best of my ability.” Martin will face a Kansas City club that’s totaled only three runs and gone 0-for-21 with runners in scoring position during a three-game losing streak. The Royals managed just five hits and stranded 11 runners on Thursday. Kansas City star Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits Thursday and is batting .472 during a 22-game hitting streak against the White Sox. However, he struck out with a man on base for the final out of the game in the series opener. Fellow All-Star Maikel Garcia also had two hits Thursday and is batting .320 for the Royals, but he, too, struck in the ninth against closer Seranthony Dominguez. Scheduled Kansas City starter Kris Bubic (1-1, 4.09 ERA) is 1-4 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 career games (eight starts) vs. the White Sox. During Kansas City’s 10-0 victory over them on May 8 last season, the left-hander yielded six hits and a walk while striking out seven over seven innings. Bubic opened this season by yielding a solo homer and one other hit over six innings in a 3-1 win over Minnesota on March 30. However, he was charged with four runs while walking three in his five innings of an 8-5 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday. “It wasn’t necessarily a loss of focus, it was just a lack of execution getting ahead in the count, because the stuff felt normal (against the Brewers),” he said. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #White #Sox #break #long #losing #streak #K.C #pursue #repeat #win #Royals

Deadspin | White Sox break long losing streak in K.C., pursue repeat win vs. Royals
Apr 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) slides headfirst to score a run in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

It’s been nearly four years since the Chicago White Sox won back-to-back games in Kansas City.

After ending their lengthy road skid to the Royals on Thursday, the White Sox will get the chance to accomplish that feat again on Friday night.

Chicago entered Thursday’s opener of a four-game set with the Royals as a loser of 22 of the previous 24 games at Kansas City, where the White Sox were mired in a 14-game losing streak that dated to a victory there on Sept. 6, 2023.

However, Anthony Kay threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Colson Montgomery delivered an RBI double during a 2-0 White Sox victory Thursday.

The last time Chicago won consecutive games at Kansas City was May 16-17, 2022. And White Sox players appear to have heard it from Kansas City’s lineup in the opener.

“(The Royals) like to chirp a little bit, it seems like. I don’t think we’re going to take that anymore,” Kay told the White Sox’s official website. “We are going to go right at them.”

Montgomery is just 9-for-45 on the young season but is tied for the team lead with seven RBIs.

Friday’s scheduled Chicago starter, Davis Martin (2-0, 2.45 ERA), has a 2.67 ERA while going 1-2 in five career starts against the Royals. In his most recent start at Kauffman Stadium on Aug. 17 of last season, the right-hander allowed one hit and three walks over six scoreless innings, but the White Sox bullpen couldn’t hold a 2-0 lead in a 6-2 defeat.

Martin yielded four hits and two walks Sunday against Toronto over six solid innings of Chicago’s 3-0 victory.

“Just relaxing,” Martin said. “Just always me to go out there and compete to the best of my ability.”

Martin will face a Kansas City club that’s totaled only three runs and gone 0-for-21 with runners in scoring position during a three-game losing streak. The Royals managed just five hits and stranded 11 runners on Thursday.

Kansas City star Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits Thursday and is batting .472 during a 22-game hitting streak against the White Sox. However, he struck out with a man on base for the final out of the game in the series opener.

Fellow All-Star Maikel Garcia also had two hits Thursday and is batting .320 for the Royals, but he, too, struck in the ninth against closer Seranthony Dominguez.

Scheduled Kansas City starter Kris Bubic (1-1, 4.09 ERA) is 1-4 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 career games (eight starts) vs. the White Sox. During Kansas City’s 10-0 victory over them on May 8 last season, the left-hander yielded six hits and a walk while striking out seven over seven innings.

Bubic opened this season by yielding a solo homer and one other hit over six innings in a 3-1 win over Minnesota on March 30. However, he was charged with four runs while walking three in his five innings of an 8-5 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday.

“It wasn’t necessarily a loss of focus, it was just a lack of execution getting ahead in the count, because the stuff felt normal (against the Brewers),” he said.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #White #Sox #break #long #losing #streak #K.C #pursue #repeat #win #Royals

Sports news April 10, 2026

Apr 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) slides headfirst to score a run in the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

It’s been nearly four years since the Chicago White Sox won back-to-back games in Kansas City.

After ending their lengthy road skid to the Royals on Thursday, the White Sox will get the chance to accomplish that feat again on Friday night.

Chicago entered Thursday’s opener of a four-game set with the Royals as a loser of 22 of the previous 24 games at Kansas City, where the White Sox were mired in a 14-game losing streak that dated to a victory there on Sept. 6, 2023.

However, Anthony Kay threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Colson Montgomery delivered an RBI double during a 2-0 White Sox victory Thursday.

The last time Chicago won consecutive games at Kansas City was May 16-17, 2022. And White Sox players appear to have heard it from Kansas City’s lineup in the opener.

“(The Royals) like to chirp a little bit, it seems like. I don’t think we’re going to take that anymore,” Kay told the White Sox’s official website. “We are going to go right at them.”

Montgomery is just 9-for-45 on the young season but is tied for the team lead with seven RBIs.

Friday’s scheduled Chicago starter, Davis Martin (2-0, 2.45 ERA), has a 2.67 ERA while going 1-2 in five career starts against the Royals. In his most recent start at Kauffman Stadium on Aug. 17 of last season, the right-hander allowed one hit and three walks over six scoreless innings, but the White Sox bullpen couldn’t hold a 2-0 lead in a 6-2 defeat.

Martin yielded four hits and two walks Sunday against Toronto over six solid innings of Chicago’s 3-0 victory.

“Just relaxing,” Martin said. “Just always me to go out there and compete to the best of my ability.”

Martin will face a Kansas City club that’s totaled only three runs and gone 0-for-21 with runners in scoring position during a three-game losing streak. The Royals managed just five hits and stranded 11 runners on Thursday.

Kansas City star Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits Thursday and is batting .472 during a 22-game hitting streak against the White Sox. However, he struck out with a man on base for the final out of the game in the series opener.

Fellow All-Star Maikel Garcia also had two hits Thursday and is batting .320 for the Royals, but he, too, struck in the ninth against closer Seranthony Dominguez.

Scheduled Kansas City starter Kris Bubic (1-1, 4.09 ERA) is 1-4 with a 2.30 ERA in 11 career games (eight starts) vs. the White Sox. During Kansas City’s 10-0 victory over them on May 8 last season, the left-hander yielded six hits and a walk while striking out seven over seven innings.

Bubic opened this season by yielding a solo homer and one other hit over six innings in a 3-1 win over Minnesota on March 30. However, he was charged with four runs while walking three in his five innings of an 8-5 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday.

“It wasn’t necessarily a loss of focus, it was just a lack of execution getting ahead in the count, because the stuff felt normal (against the Brewers),” he said.

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #White #Sox #break #long #losing #streak #K.C #pursue #repeat #win #Royals

CSK vs DC, IPL 2026: ‘Criticism is fair when you’re not doing well,’ says Chennai Super Kings coach Fleming <div id="content-body-70848014" itemprop="articleBody">Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming acknowledged that the criticism directed towards him following the side’s dismal start to the IPL 2026 season was ‘fair’.CSK has been winless in its last three encounters and is currently rooted to the bottom of the table, the same position where the side finished last term. It is not a situation fans of the five-time champion have been familiar with. A section of them have questioned if the Kiwi coach, who has been in charge since 2009, deserves to continue in the hot seat.The coach, however, was quick to respond to suggestions that he hadn’t been up to speed with the exponential changes in the shortest format over the last half-decade.“Criticism is fair when you’re not doing well; that’s part of the position, and the results dictate that. I’m coaching through the year in two other competitions, so it’s not that I just turn off and then come to the IPL without an idea of where the game is going. I have probably not spent more time studying T20 cricket and players around the world [as much as now],” the head coach said on the eve of the encounter against the Delhi Capitals.“Yes, we were off the pace last year. [Mine will be] the first hand up. We pivoted quickly. Now, we’ve got some younger players, and I’m very confident about this group. We haven’t shown that as yet [this season]. One of the challenges is the number of players we have changed [from last year]. That means there is a bit of a settling-in process which we are trying to accelerate,” he added.MATCH PREVIEW | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/ipl/csk-vs-dc-ipl-2026-chennai-super-kings-delhi-capitals-brevis-dhoni-axar-miller-preview-latest-news/article70847643.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Wounded Delhi Capitals faces floundering Chennai Super Kings in search of momentum</a>Fleming cheekily attributed his long-term association with the team, an aspect that has been dwindling across both franchise and national teams in this era, to the five IPL and two Champions League titles won under his reign.“It is unusual, and I’m very grateful. But we have been able to operate at a consistent level that I guess has allowed the franchise to put faith in the coaching group. We’re proud of what we achieved, but not satisfied. There is a desire to keep adding,” the 53-year-old said.The head coach swayed away from the suggestion that he has not been given his due credit despite winning countless championships. “It’s purely the players for me. The coaching off the field is important, but it’s the performances that win titles and eventually what coaches are judged by. I’ve worked with one of the greatest captains of all time, and I’ve been incredibly lucky to do that as a coach,” he said, paying an ode to former skipper M.S. Dhoni, who continues to miss out on action through a calf injury.Fleming added that Dhoni was ‘working hard to get back’ from a calf strain without giving a timeline for his return.Published on Apr 10, 2026</div> #CSK #IPL #Criticism #fair #youre #Chennai #Super #Kings #coach #Fleming

#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">