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Sanju Samson scores second century of IPL 2026 Sanju Samson on Thursday scored his second century of the IPL 2026 season during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.ALSO READ: Most hundreds in IPL: Sanju Samson enters top 5 five with fifth century during MI vs CSKThe 31-year-old completed his ton in 54 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes. Samson’s innings helped his team post 207 for six in 20 overs.His first hundred in the season came against Delhi Capitals, when he scored an unbeaten 115 off just 56 balls. Samson now has five centuries in the tournament. Only three other batters have scored more hundreds than him.Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Sanju #Samson #scores #century #IPL

Sanju Samson scores second century of IPL 2026

Sanju Samson on Thursday scored his second century of the IPL 2026 season during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

ALSO READ: Most hundreds in IPL: Sanju Samson enters top 5 five with fifth century during MI vs CSK

The 31-year-old completed his ton in 54 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes. Samson’s innings helped his team post 207 for six in 20 overs.

His first hundred in the season came against Delhi Capitals, when he scored an unbeaten 115 off just 56 balls. Samson now has five centuries in the tournament. Only three other batters have scored more hundreds than him.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Sanju #Samson #scores #century #IPL

Sports news , , , , , , , ,

Sanju Samson on Thursday scored his second century of the IPL 2026 season during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.

ALSO READ: Most hundreds in IPL: Sanju Samson enters top 5 five with fifth century during MI vs CSK

The 31-year-old completed his ton in 54 balls with the help of 10 fours and six sixes. Samson’s innings helped his team post 207 for six in 20 overs.

His first hundred in the season came against Delhi Capitals, when he scored an unbeaten 115 off just 56 balls. Samson now has five centuries in the tournament. Only three other batters have scored more hundreds than him.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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#Sanju #Samson #scores #century #IPL

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Deadspin | Spotlight shines on D-backs’ Michael Soroka, White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28754473.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28754473.jpg" alt="MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Arizona Diamondbacks" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka (34) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka is putting up numbers reminiscent of his 2019 All-Star season.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The only thing that has changed is everything else.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Using a new “drop and drive” style that generates power from his lower half, plus featuring a slurve he developed in 2025 and has refined this year, Soroka has remade himself into one of the best pitchers — and best comeback stories — in the majors this season.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Soroka (4-0, 2.78 ERA) is scheduled to oppose White Sox right-hander Davis Martin (3-1, 2.16) in the rubber game of a three-game series in Phoenix on Thursday afternoon.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Soroka is not the only headliner in the finale. </p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Munetaka Murakami will bring a five-game homer streak into the game after hitting a two-run shot in the White Sox’s 11-7 loss Wednesday. He is tied with Shohei Ohtani for the most consecutive games with a homer by a Japanese-born player. Ohtani had a five-game streak last July for the Los Angeles Dodgers.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Murakami has 10 homers this season, one fewer than major league leader Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros and one more than the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Washington’s James Wood.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>“I’m not the caliber of player who should be compared to Aaron Judge,” Murakami said through an interpreter. “I have to stay humble and keep doing what I am doing right now.”</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas had his second career two-homer game Wednesday and has hit safely in all of his 17 games this season, a franchise record. He has a 20-game hitting streak dating to last year, the longest active streak in the majors. </p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Soroka is tied with Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Landen Roupp of the San Francisco Giants for the National League lead in victories by a starting pitcher, but the bottom line is health. </p> </section><br/><section id="section-11"> <p>After posting a 13-4 record and 2.68 ERA for Atlanta in 2019, Soroka pitched in just three games in the 2020-22 seasons because of two torn Achilles. He played for four different organizations after that before signing a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Diamondbacks in the offseason. One of those teams was the 2024 White Sox; he was 0-10 with a 4.74 ERA.</p> </section> <section id="section-12"> <p>“I think I’m better than I have ever been,” Soroka, 28, said recently. “Everybody goes through some sort of injury at some point in their career or struggles with performance.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>“For myself it has always been there. I’ve always been able to give my teams a reason to believe in me. I’m very thankful to be in an organization that does that as much as anyone. It’s so easy to go there and want to prove them right. I’ve always seen it in myself, and it means a lot when an organization sees that </p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>in me, too.”</p> </section><section id="section-16"> <p>Soroka has given up more than two runs in only one start this season and has struck out 28 with a pair of 10-strikeout games in 22 2/3 innings, a rate of 11.1 per nine innings. </p> </section><section id="section-17"> <p>He has faced the White Sox once, pitching three innings in relief against them while with Atlanta in 2023. He allowed two runs but didn’t figure into the decision of an 8-1 loss.</p> </section><section id="section-18"> <p>Martin has been as sharp as Soroka in his four starts. He has given three or fewer runs in each, and in April, he has allowed three runs in 20 innings while going 2-1 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals and Athletics.</p> </section><section id="section-19"> <p>He gave up three hits and one run in a 9-2 road victory against the A’s last Friday in his most recent start.</p> </section><section id="section-20"> <p>“He goes out there with a plan,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “He has a different mix and just really attacks hitters and isn’t scared. He’s a guy who continues to improve. He has a game plan, and he’s able to execute it.”</p> </section><section id="section-21"> <p>Martin has faced the Diamondbacks once in his career, giving up five runs and four hits over three innings in a loss to them in 2022.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-22"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Spotlight #shines #Dbacks #Michael #Soroka #White #Soxs #Munetaka #Murakami

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The Jets’ NFL Draft process has been chaotic even by their dysfunctional standards <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The New York Jets have effectively been on the clock for two months, and it’s unclear if they know what they’re doing on Thursday night. Everyone has known that the Raiders are taking QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick since the NFL Scouting Combine in February, which meant the draft effectively starts at No. 2. The issue is that the lead-up to making the pick has been so peppered with so much chaos that it’s impossible to get a bead on what they’re doing.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It might be easy to shrug this off as “smokescreen,” which fans tend to do during a nonsensical draft lead up — but there’s public information showing that the Jets might do something very weird with the No. 2 pick. To being with: A trade seems very unlikely. There is one guy seemingly worth making the jump for and that’s Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, who is the No. 1 player on our big board — and also an <em>ideal</em> player for the Jets.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Head coach Aaron Glenn is moving the Jets to a 3-4 base defense in his sophomore season, which precipitated the team’s trade with the Titans for T’Vondre Sweat. It’s assumed that the Jets will be using a hybrid front, which has become commonplace in the NFL — and nobody is better equipped in this draft for defensive variability than Reese. The ultimate toolbox player, you can throw him on the edge and get pressure, but also move him inside where he’s a reliable enough box linebacker to play Mike or Will in a different alignment.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">So what’s the problem? Throughout the process there have been reports out of New York that the Jets were lukewarm on Reese. The organization has no reason to lie about any interest, because they’re in the driver’s seat. In addition, the only way you potentially bait a trade if you <em>aren’t</em> interested in Reese is by feigning interest and getting an offer you can’t refuse, not the other way around. It’s semi-understandable why the Jets have cold feet when it comes to the Ohio State prospect, because he’s not a finished product. There’s work to be done, and his true position isn’t set in stone. That’s worrisome for an organization wanting to compete <em>right now</em>, and doesn’t necessarily have the luxury to spend time developing a player.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The lack of interest in Reese caused people to turn their attention to Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who is the next-most obvious pick for the Jets. His position is set as a 3-4 EDGE, he will come in and get pressures immediately, Bailey will help the Jets right now — but give it three years, and he might end up simply being a Top 10 pass rusher, not a transcendent player the way Reese can. Still, that might be good enough to land a reliable building block that Glenn and Co. can count on.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Okay, so the pick is going to be David Bailey,” you might say — except for the fact <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/2026-nfl-draft-buzz-tuesday">that the Jets cancelled their Top 30 visit with him</a>. It’s definitely not unheard of to see teams take players without Top 30 visits, but not typically in the Top 5. At the very least, an organization is happy to bring in an intended target just to show them the facilities, have them get used to the culture, get a sense of the player away from the distractions of the Pro Day or the Combine.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Now we have two guys who are in play at No. 2, with the Jets giving signals they’re interested in both, and disinterested in equal measure.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">If you hope to glean information from their Top 30 visits, good luck. <a href="https://forums.jetnation.com/topic/192814-jets-top-30-visits-pff-big-board/">A total of 14 visits were spent on players grading from the 5th round, to UDFAs</a> — including five players who weren’t even ranked on Top 500 prospect boards. The team literally cancelled a visit with David Bailey to accommodate a player who won’t be drafted, resting on their laurels of seeing him at the combine and pro day.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">In the simplest terms: The Jets aren’t operating like any other team in the NFL. That could be a sign of genius as they pull something out of this class we didn’t expect, but being different isn’t always a good thing when it comes to the draft. You might think you’re playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, but it winds up you were playing Hungry, Hungry Hippos all along.</p></div></div> #Jets #NFL #Draft #process #chaotic #dysfunctional #standards

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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 #homePro 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

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">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8 Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai 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 BhaskerTiruppur 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 NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026 #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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