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Ex-Race Strategist Believes George Russell Is Ready to Lead the Team – “He Doesn’t Need to Be the Best Point Scorer”


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George Russell has had a bit of a roller coaster time since his Brazilian GP win in 2022. Last season, Lewis Hamilton comfortably beat him in the championship, while 2024 has already seen a massive crash from the 26-year-old in Australia. Many deem Russell as a driver prone to mistakes like Singapore 2023 or Australia 2024, as opposed to what Mercedes want from him as a team leader. However, ex-Aston Martin strategist Bernie Collins feels that the young Briton is ready to lead the Silver Arrows as he “has been driving for a long time” now.

Speaking on The Fast and the Curious podcast, the hosts asked Collins what she feels about Russell as a team leader, with his mistakes in context. To this, she replied, “That doesn’t necessarily stop him [from] leading the team in terms of what an F1 car wants”.

Collins reasoned that a lead driver in F1 needs to be able to provide “good setup, good direction, good car development” for the team to progress ahead in the pecking order. She added, “He doesn’t need to be the best points scorer or the best qualifier.”

Russell is the de facto choice for Mercedes to bank on a lead driver after Hamilton’s departure to Ferrari. While there are talks about who will partner with him for 2025, Collins feels the Brackley team should choose a driver who can learn from the Briton. This will groom that driver to hit the ground running for the 2026 regulations.

The #63 driver has been in F1 for five years now. His performance is still very contingent on the kind of car he gets. So, if and when Mercedes develops a race-winning car, that would be the true litmus test of Russell as a leader.

George Russell’s big test in 2025

George Russell has more or less been on equal terms with Lewis Hamilton on almost all fronts. Their head-to-head qualifying and race record has been one of the closest on the current grid. Still, Russell struggled badly against the seven-time champion in 2023, finishing about 59 points behind his tally of 234 points.

So, this season would be his last test against Hamilton and a decisive one after Russell finished ahead in 2022. However, the 26-year-old’s big test will come in Hamilton’s absence, as Mercedes will start 2025 without the #44 driver for the first time in 12 years.

Russell needs to become the leader of the Silver Arrows and build the team around himself if he wishes to challenge for wins and championships. The current state of Mercedes is not helping the #63 driver’s job though. Be it aerodynamically or on the engine side, the German team lacks the advantage they had during the turbo hybrid era.

So, Russell has a big task ahead to inspire Mercedes and lead their revival in performance on the track. Toto Wolff trusts the Mercedes prodigy to stand up to this task and deliver as per his expectations, in Hamilton’s absence. Wolff has named Russell the team’s leader, so the 26-year-old has clarity about his role from next season.

The post Ex-Race Strategist Believes George Russell Is Ready to Lead the Team – “He Doesn’t Need to Be the Best Point Scorer” appeared first on The SportsRush.



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Dustin Johnson Says Cannot Wait To Feast On This Year’s Masters Champions Dinner


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Dustin Johnson is excited for the Masters Championship dinner after Jon Rahm gave a glimpse of this year’s menu, curated by the reigning Masters champion himself. Johnson just can not seem to hold back and is looking forward to the meal, which will be served two days before round one of The Masters.

The main chef is Jose Andres who will be serving a six-course meal which would include a salad, two options for the main course and dessert. After Johnson set his eyes on the details of the grand feast, he stated that it would be fantastic. Although the Crushers GC captain didn’t get the most of the menu, he understood that it included ham. So, let’s take a small look at the menu as well and see what all is getting golfers hyped up!

The 2024 Champions Dinner To Be Hosted By Jon Rahm

Rahm talked about an item called Chistorra, which is like Basque Chorizo. Rahm explained that he saw Jose wrapping it in potatoes, and the golfer wasn’t sure about the whole process of preparing this. The item is served in different sizes and Rahm loves it for the element of spice in it. 

Then, he added other items to the menu, which included scrambled eggs and mushrooms.

“Then we have scrambled eggs with what would be some mushrooms. It’s not really mushrooms. I don’t know how to translate, and I don’t even know what he has written here. I can’t even translate it myself. It’s just scrambled eggs with mushrooms but not really mushrooms. It’s a little bit different. From the same family, though.”

Rahm also added that the main course would have salad, followed by two options. There’ll be a fish item with white asparagus. The fish would be locally sourced, like cod or sea bass, and the item can be prepared from either. This will be followed by Chuleton. 

“It would be what in northern Spain is known as chuleton, which is basically a ribeye that is seared on basically a regular grill with a bit of coal, basically smoked and seared. Usually traditionally they will basically serve it to you already cut up and then you have a hot plate that you can cook it up to your temperature. Most people in northern Spain go about as much as medium rare.”

Lastly, the dessert set by Rahm this year is milhojas, which is 1000 leaves. It’s a puff pastry with custard and will have little layers. He also shared how he chose the same flavor for his wedding cake with Kelly. The previous year’s Champions Dinner contained American cuisine as it was organized by Scottie Scheffler. Also, Dustin Johnson, who won the major in 2021, organized the dinner in 2022 and the menu included pigs in a blanket. Thus, it’s to be seen how well the champions enjoy Spanish meals this time. 

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Padraig Harrington Makes A Remarkable Recovery Shot From His Knees At The Houston Open


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Padraig Harrington was already in the spotlight after winning the Hoag Classic, organized by the Champions Tour. Yet, again, the golfer managed to steal the show after taking an incredible recovery shot in the first round of the Houston Open. Harrington took a shot from his knees to save par at the Memorial Park course. 

The former Ryder Cup captain rescued his ball from a situation where any other golfer wouldn’t attempt of making a recovery shot. His shot for the 16th hole took a left turn and landed under a bush. Following that, Harrington bent down on his knees to have a better view and took a shot, which successfully landed on the fairway and made par for that hole. After displaying such a splendid performance, he talked about his approach during the difficult situation.

Padraig Harrington Breaks Down His Remarkable Recovery Shot

The golfer explained on social media how to tackle these tricky situations under pressure.

“Ended up making par. Use a 5 wood if possible for this as you’re less likely to snag the heel and it takes the shank out of play.”

His round ended at 70, which was six shots behind Taylor Moore and Wilson Fur. Although Harrington’s round was stellar to watch, the player stated that he could do better. 

Harrington is one of the celebrated golfers on the PGA Tour, who was on the winning side of the Ryder Cup four times. He also has three majors to his name, which are Open Championship trophies from 2007 and 2008 and a PGA Championship victory in 2008. Harrington was also the captain of the US Ryder Cup team in 2021, when the Americans triumphed over the Europeans. Apart from these, Harrington’s other accolade came in 2022, which was winning the US Senior Open. 

The current betting favorite of the Houston Open is Scottie Scheffler, who’s one shot behind the first-place holder with 5-under. Scheffler is in great form having back-toback wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship. Thus, a third victory is quite expected from the player. 

After his Thursday round, he said,

“I had a solid round. Kept the card clean. Bogey free is always nice, especially around a golf course like this. It’s nice to be able to keep the card clean, like I said.”

Thus, it is to see who the ultimate winner of Memorial Park on Sunday turns out to be after a fierce match takes place over the weekend. 

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“LeBron James was Pathetic”: Skip Bayless Boldly Lists Down Why Michael Jordan is the GOAT


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The GOAT debate might be the longest-standing argument in the league. Every other week, a new point is added to it, still, there doesn’t seem to be an end anytime soon. Recently, Skip Bayless, on the ‘UNDISPUTED‘ show, doubled down on his take on Michael Jordan being the GOAT and listed out reasons why LeBron James could never overtake the Bulls legend.

Bayless said,

“I saw it against Denver matchup last year and have four straight chances to win four close games. By the way, just for the record, in those four games, LeBron [James] was just pathetic in the four 4th quarters.”

The media veteran dubbed himself the ‘truth teller’ and decided to roll out some more receipts of LeBron failing miserably on the court. He added that in 2015, against the Warriors, LBJ had a great three games at the beginning of the series. However, when it was time for him to close the series, he ghosted in the next three.

In the first three games of the series, LBJ had 44, 39, and 40 points while going triple-double in the second game. Even though LeBron’s scoring wasn’t impacted in the next three games, the Cavs lost those games and the series. Bayless also has an issue with him for the way he lost to the Mavs in the 2011 NBA Finals.

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

In six games, he averaged 17.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists and among all the forgettable outings, he had eight points in 46 minutes in Game 4. Even though the list is endless for Bayless, one of his biggest problems with LeBron is that his legacy largely rides on the longevity factor.

He said, “Just because you play longer at a higher level does not make you better.” To emphasize his point, he quoted the clip from his show and wrote, “It’s hard to compete with a 6-0 Finals record, 6 MVPs and 10 scoring titles. It’s hard to compete with a Michael Jordan who had no epic failures in his playoff runs.” With all these arguments highlighting LeBron’s landmark failures, it’s tough to argue against Bayless.

Is LeBron James only great because of his longevity?

Bayless has claimed on many occasions that LeBron’s longevity is the only valuable factor on his resume that allows him a spot in these conversations. In 2022 when the NBA renamed several awards in honor of some of the all-time greats, Bayless posted,

“LeBron’s name should be permanently attached to the Longevity Award given annually to the player who has the best late-career season.”

When LBJ broke the 40k-point barrier and became the first athlete to do so, Bayless acknowledged that this record was astonishing as no other athlete even dreamt of reaching there. However, he added that all this record proves is that LeBron has been an active player in the league for 21 seasons.

He also said that Jordan couldn’t get to that mark because he was taking long breaks in his career and falling out of love with the sport. There’s really no convincing argument that one can make for LeBron against Bayless, but it is understandable why he would rank MJ above the Lakers superstar.

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Brandon Aiyuk Opens Up on Why There’s So Much Fuss Around His Contract Situation


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After turning 26 earlier this month, Brandon Aiyuk has already begun training for the upcoming season. He had a standout run in 2023, even leading the yard per catch until Steelers wideout George Pickens caught up in Week 18. Aiyuk, however, feels that he would have led the league for good; if his QB, Brock Purdy, didn’t sit out the season finale. The season before that was no exception either, with a career-high of 78 receptions and eight touchdowns. The 49ers have already exercised their fifth-year option for Aiyuk for $14.1 million, which didn’t come as much of a surprise since it’s evident how valuable Aiyuk has proven to be. But Aiyuk, who got a Second-Team All-Pro nod last year, isn’t at all content with the contract, and it has been evident for a while now.

On NightCap, the Arizona State alum delved into the impending contract situation with his team, which led to his cryptic posts on social media. Yes, we’re talking about the 5-emoji banter session. Host Shannon Sharpe brought this up and also highlighted the swirling speculations about Aiyuk getting traded if a lucrative extension failed to materialize. He also mentioned GM John Lynch dismissing these trade rumors — which led to Aiyuk’s cryptic post. The post, in Sharpe’s words, goes something like, “Then, you had the IG story with the emojis — the money, the talking, the BS, and the walking.

Sharpe then asked the former Sun Devils star what had been relayed to him through his representative, who has been handling the contract talks with the 49ers. “They trying to get work done; that’s all I can say,” Aiyuk said. He further expressed,

Ya’ll know how it gets. I don’t even want to get too far into that,” followed by, “But you know, I’m just trying to get like Ocho (Chad Johnson) just said — I’m trying to get what I deserve. I felt like this season playing football, I figured who I was as a person, as a player, what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization, and just the value I hold when I walk into that building.

Aiyuk also emphasized why his teammates would follow him into the battle since he had been doing everything the right way from the moment he stepped into his team’s facility to the same day he appeared in the interview. He also indirectly asserted that the team must value his leadership on and off the field, and if they fail to do so, he’d likely look for a team that does. He did so by making a walking motion with his two fingers, indicating that he wouldn’t mind walking away if his demands weren’t met.

What Would Brandon Aiyuk’s Contract Look Like?

There has been no shortage of speculation about Brandon Aiyuk’s future in the Bay Area. While Dan Graziano of ESPN claimed that Brandon Aiyuk is a possible candidate for trade, as per an article by Bleacher Report, Ian Rappoport reported that the 49ers “firmly believe he is in their plans.” The outlet also reported that the 49ers GM labeled Aiyuk’s extension a challenge, but at the same time, stated that they’d want to keep the star receiver in San Francisco for a very long time.

I think we’ve got a nice track record of extending the players that are important to us, and Brandon’s the guy we want to keep around for a long time,” John Lynch said, as per Bleacher Report.

So, it’s safe to say that the contract talks will prevail for the foreseeable future. According to Spotrac, Aiyuk currently has an annual market value of a little over $24 million. If the club were to agree to this humongous deal, Aiyuk would make as much as the 9-year veteran Steffon Diggs. This 4-year, $96 million deal, however, seems highly unlikely, considering the 49ers’ cap situation.

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7 Strange Golf Club Preferences Golfers Have That Will Leave You Baffled


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The highest level of professional golf fetches a lot of money for the players. Interestingly, a single stroke can make a huge difference in the amount of paycheck the golfer receives. Henceforth, these pro golfers try to ensure that everything is perfect before each and every tournament that they play.

However, sometimes these golfers prefer some strange preferences which certainly confuses the fans and players alike. So, here are the top seven strange golf club preferences of golfers that might blow your mind:

1) Phil Mickelson’s Drivers Set

The 53-year-old American is a typical player. It is quite unbelievable that he has won major championships with one driver, two drivers, and also without even a driver in his bag. When Phil Mickelson won the 2006 Masters Tournament, he just had two drivers in his bag. Later, he won the 2013 Open Championship with just 3 woods as a part of his strategy. Certainly, his tactics paid off both times.

2) Rickie Fowler’s Driver Face

Ever since the fan-favorite golfer returned to golf in 2023 after a short hiatus, his Cobra Darkspeed LS driver had strange lines on its face. The Darkspeed family driver is one of the most popular drivers in the consumer market. Rickie Fowler opted for this strange set of lines on his driver’s face because it made it look uniform and gave him a less lofty illusion.

3) Bernhard Langer’s Set Of Irons

The German legend is a two-time Masters Tournament winner. He is said to have one of the most strangest and interesting golf bags. There was a time when Langer had nine different brands of Irons in his golf bag. Back in 2020, he had 4 and 5 Irons from the Hogan Apex, 6 irons from Adams Idea Pro MB, and 7 to 9 Irons from Artisan MB.

4) Billy Horschel’s Dislike For Offset

The seven-time PGA Tour champion has a strong dislike for the offsets. His bag in every tournament does not have the slickest golf equipment. However, this proved to be because without offset slicing the balls at the toughest launch condition get really hard. So, after multiple experiments, he found an alternative in the 7-iron which does a similar job.

5) Bubba Watson’s Golf Club Grips

LIV Golf’s RangeGoats GC captain has one of the thickest grips in his golf clubs. It is said that he has 12 layers of grips on the bottom hand and 10 layers of grips on the upper hand. As per Bubba Watson, the thicker grips give him less face rotation. Apart from thick grips, he also has a strange preference for the colors of his club grips.

6) Dustin Johnson’s Topline Of Driver

The former World No. 1 has a typical square sitting head of his driver. Although the golfers historically preferred a slightly open look, he does have a strange preference. According to the golfer, this gives him better accuracy and power fade.

7) Collin Morikawa Has Strange Lie Angle

When a golfer reaches the highest professional level, he would naturally prefer custom fitting in his clubs. Mostly, the lie angle for the Irons is set at 2 degrees. However, Collin Morikawa has a different approach to this. Before every Iron shot, he will look down at his club and get it tweaked until he likes the lie angle. He does not really care about the degree of turn and values perfect visuals over the technicality.

There are other players like Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker who also have strange golf club preferences. While the Irishman wants the thinnest grips on his club, the American would prefer grips set a little open.

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Greg Norman’s Former Agent Says The LIV CEO Conceived Idea Of LIV Golf Six Decades Ago


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Ever since LIV Golf emerged into the golf scene, there have been talks in the town that the mastermind behind it was the former PGA Tour pro Greg Norman. Recently, his former agent, Hughes Norton, who has also been associated with the 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, stated that the idea of the league came to its CEO’s mind six decades ago.

Norton was on the Five Clubs podcast (On YouTube) to promote his upcoming book Rainmaker. He revealed that the concept of having a smaller Tour with a limited field and a higher prize purse was conceived way back in the 60s, even before the league’s inception in 2022.

“LIV, the concept of a smaller tour with a handful of top stars, not 150 people in the field, with higher prize money, with benefits for players, with a limited schedule so players have more time at home and to focus on the Majors, was not invented by these guys in Britain or by Greg Norman,” Norton said.

Hughes Norton revealed that Mark McCormack, who also masterminded the world’s first golf ranking system, was the one behind the idea of a smaller tour way back in 1964.

“Mark McCormack, once again two steps ahead of everybody else, wrote about this in his book called Arnie: Evolution of a Legend. Mark came up with this idea in 1964 and we spell it all out in the book.”

Greg Norman’s Former Agent Reveals How PGA Tour Membership Initially Rejected His Idea For A Smaller Tour

Norman has been the biggest spokesperson for a World Golf Tour for almost three or more decades. He advocated the development of a 40-player circuit competing in eight cash-rich events. Although he successfully laid out the plan for QBE Shootout (formerly Shark Shootout), he failed to convince the top players of that time to join the Tour.

Norton recalled a conversation between the LIV CEO and Arnold Palmer and how the latter rejected his plea for making a new tour.

“Greg made this big pitch to the players. Arnold stood up and said: ‘Guys, you do whatever you want but I’ve been through this before,’ and he looked up at Greg and he said: ‘Greg, how many times do you think Jack [Nicklaus] and Gary [Player] and I were approached about an idea like this? We would never do it for the good of the game and, more important, the good of the Tour,” Norton said.

Hughes Norton also revealed the reaction of Greg Norman and said,

“Then he looked around the room and said again: ‘I don’t care what the rest of you guys do, make up your mind, it’s up to you. I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I’m out,’ and he turned and walked out of the room.”

Norton’s book will focus on his working experience with both Greg Norman and Tiger Woods. He has also highlighted how ‘the Shark’ succeeded in forming the Saudi-funded league. It remains to be seen if the Norman reacts to these revelations or not.

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Is It Really A Good Thing For Golf For All Its Best Players To Play Against Each Other All The Time?


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Men’s golf has suffered a significant amount since LIV Golf’s inception, as it segregated the golf fraternity into two halves. But will bringing the best players to play every week fix this problem? It certainly won’t and only thoughtful actions to reach a deal between the PGA Tour and the Saudi PIF can heal the situation. While, the PGA Tour events have Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, and other top-tier PGA Tour names, they have been missing out on names like Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Sergio Garcia, who have an immense fan following in the golf community.

To help this situation, the PGA Tour has jam-packed the world’s best golfers into limited fields of their signature events. But while doing that, it misses out on giving opportunities to the lower-ranking PGA Tour golfers. A chance for these ordinary golfers will not only hook the audience but also end the monotony of the game. Therefore, will the big field of the Masters Tournament help the situation?

Will the Masters Tournament Become The Redemption For Men’s Golf?

The golf community has witnessed enough golf without top-tier LIV names who were barred from the PGA Tour tournaments after they joined the Saudi-backed league. But finally, the audience will get to watch some good golf at Augusta National, which will host a field full of MVP PGAT and LIV names. Around 13 LIV players have been invited to the loaded field of Augusta National and special attractions among them will be Joaquin Niemann, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and a few others.

While we saw that the signature events had a limited field, that wouldn’t be the case at the 88th edition of the Masters Tournament. Also, a cut will take place after two rounds and this will add an extra thrill to Friday night. Thus, the golf community is eagerly awaiting the first major of the year and expects to watch all their favorites on the same field.

As the Masters welcomed LIV golfers with open arms, it isn’t sure whether other majors will give the same treatment. Also, the 2025 Bethpage Ryder Cup authorities have still not assured whether they’d welcome LIV golfers on teams. But Rory McIlroy desperately suggested including Jon Rahm in the European team and revisiting the Ryder Cup rules for the same. After McIlroy’s softened stance on LIV Golf, it is to be seen whether the entire PGA Tour association feels the same and befriends the league by reaching a deal.

A few days back during the Players Championship, Max Homa reflected on what could make the sport more watchable. Homa stated,

“I don’t know. I do feel like we’re stuck in this age where we’re nitpicking absolutely everything. I’m not going to say I haven’t done that as well in my free time, but I’m kind of getting over it. It’s golf. It’s slower. It’s not football, it’s not basketball.”

But Homa said it’s the Fridays that make golf even more thrilling. Because there’s a cut system, it puts the golfers in an uncertain position. But what Homa stated is a temporary fix to keep eyes hooked, otherwise, a permanent resolution to heal this fragmented situation is still the need of the hour.

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“Impressed with the Lakers”: Paul Pierce Praises LeBron James and Co. Days After Hot Take on the Franchise


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A few days ago, Paul Pierce claimed that LeBron James needed to take a “step back” for the “greater good” of the Los Angeles Lakers. His criticism stemmed from the fact that the Lakers were the tenth seed despite LBJ putting up great numbers. However, The Truth has changed his tune after the recent Lakers surge. 

After the Lakes beat the Pacers 150-145, Pierce lauded their efforts in clutch situations. During the game, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Austin Reaves all scored 24+ points. This is the first time since 1971 that a Lakers quartet has achieved such a feat. Appearing on Undisputed with Skip Bayless and Keyshawn Johnson earlier today, Paul Pierce discussed the Lakers’ current form and their upcoming schedule.

Lately, I have been impressed with the Lakers. They have won three in a row. When I look at their up-and-coming schedule, they are going on the road for six games and they could possibly win, they should win four of the next six on the road,” Paul Pierce told Johnson and Bayless


The former NBA Forward then discussed how their next game will be against Milwaukee Bucks, which will be the first one of a back-to-back. Since the Bucks are the favorites to win the game anyway, Anthony Davis and LeBron James should sit it out to have a better chance against the Grizzlies the next day. Then there will be a rematch with the Pacers, which can be a “dogfight”, again as per Pierce. 

However, Pierce expects the Lakeshow to take care of the struggling Nets, Raptors, and Wizards in succession. Therefore, after initially doubting the up-and-down Lakers, The Truth is finally seeing some positive changes within the team.

Are the Lakers sharing the ball better?

On March 18, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Trae Young-less Atlanta Hawks 136-105. Despite the blowout win, Paul Pierce wasn’t convinced about them playing high-quality ball. Before the win against the Hawks, they had lost against the Kings and the Warriors. Thus, a win against a struggling squad wasn’t enough to impress him. Yahoo Sports’ Robert Marvi covered Pierce’s comments on Undisputed.

“This is the game they are supposed to win. This is the way they have to play. The ball distribution was there. You didn’t have LeBron taking 20 shots, AD taking 18 and 20 shots. When you actually give them the ball, they can make shots,” Paul Pierce noted after the Hawks win

However, that didn’t mean that Pierce was convinced that this style would show up against top-tier teams. Therefore, he added, “I need to see them do this consistently against good teams. This means nothing.”

While the Lakers’ scoring balance has indeed been brilliant as of late, they have won three in a row against inconsistent squads. Apart from ball-sharing issues, one huge problem for the squad has been their defense. With the play-in tournament at the cusp, they will need to dial in against elite squads.

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“This Is Actually Crazy”: Fans Zoom Into Jerry Jones’ Notebook to Find Nothing but Random Scribbles


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Jerry Jones is the center of the universe in Dallas, and nothing happens for the Cowboys without his final approval. While most franchises’ front office is run by a GM who has innate knowledge about football affairs and decades of experience in that field, in Dallas, Jones is both the owner and the franchise’s General Manager.

Most fans believe his extreme involvement in football-related matters is a hindrance and feel the Cowboy’s lack of success since 1995 is due to Jerry’s poor decision-making and his lack of knowledge in the realm of football. But that doesn’t stop him from believing and over-hyping his team and especially placing great trust in his chosen Quarterbacks, despite their lack of success in the postseason.

According to Dallas Morning News writer David Moore, Jones recently stated that there are a handful of QBs in the league who are due a Lombardy Trophy and he strongly believes Dak Prescott is one of them. Moore also shared a picture of Jerry in his post, in which the Cowboys’ GM seems to have a notebook right in front of him, which he was definitely using at the time. But eager fans soon took a screenshot of the contents of that notebook, and much to everyone’s surprise, it had nothing on it besides doodles and random sketches.

As soon as the screenshot of his notebook appeared, fans had a field day, with a few playfully quipping that this was just another sign that Jerry actually is crazy, while others joked about how Jerry seems to be trying to make everyone believe that he is a busy man by keeping himself occupied. Some even went far as to compare his thought process to a child with a crayon in his hand. Take a look:

Another chimed in and added,

A fan quipped,

Someone jokingly stated,

A user commented,

Others wrote,

Jokes aside, there are still a lot of changes to be made in the Cowboys roster if the club hopes to overcome their playoff win drought this season.

Jerry Jones Reveals Tyron Smith’s Potential Replacement at LT

In a shocking turn of events this postseason, the Dallas Cowboys decided to part ways with their Left Tackle Tyron Smith, who, after 13 years with the team, moved to the Big Apple. This move came because of their lack of cap space, which prevented America’s Team from making a splash in free agency even though Jones himself promised a proactive offseason for the franchise after their exit from the playoffs last season.

As reported by NBC Sports, Jerry Jones stated that their inability to keep Smith stemmed from his $6.5 million base salary, which could have further risen to nearly $12 million because of all the incentives attached to his contract. Nonetheless, the Cowboys aren’t sitting around and might have found someone to fill the void at left tackle. When Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News suggested this idea, Jerry said,

I’d say that’s a good, viable thing… Keep the idea there. Don’t dismiss that idea… Certainly, he’s potentially — I want to say a great player at left tackle.

Tyler was drafted 24th overall in 2022 as a successor to Tyron Smith for the position of LT and has previously played the position in the absence of Tyron.

Jerry Jones will probably go for another offensive tackle in the draft. As per PFF, the top 10 offensive tackles of this year’s draft are — Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, Oregon’s Taliese Fuaga, Washington’s Troy Fautanu, Penn State’s Olu Fashanu, Alabama’s JC Latham, Georgia’s Amarius Mims, Duke’s Graham Barton, Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, Arizona’s Jordan Morgan, and BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia.

Nine of them are predicted as first-round picks. The Cowboys hold the 24th draft pick in the first round, so the most realistic options for them without giving up additional draft capital are Mims and Barton, both predicted as the 24th and 26th picks, respectively.

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“Could Have Got These Hands”: Shaquille O’Neal’s Oldest Daughter Confesses Hating on the Lakers for Trading Father to Miami


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In an otherwise stellar career, Shaquille O’Neal‘s trade from LA to Miami remains one of the blemishes in his resume. A lot has been said about the trade, about how Shaq felt about being shown the door after what he did for the Lakers. However, an overlooked perspective on the matter is how his kids felt about moving places at the time. Shaq’s first-born child Taahirah O’Neal recently talked about her experience of the trade, during an episode of Do I Know You? podcast with Jordie Rae.

After spending four years with the Orlando Magic, the Diesel moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and stayed there till 2004. Then he went to the Miami Heat and after a successful tenure there, a flurry of trades followed between 2008 and 2011. While all of this happens in any player’s life, their families also suffer the brunt of it. Taahirah revealed that when her dad got traded, she used to stay with her siblings in Houston. Despite that, the process of moving was painful for the entire O’Neal clan.


Taahirah recalled sitting at the breakfast table with her family when ESPN broke the news that Shaq would be going to Miami. She told Jordie Rae, “I was so mad at the Lakers. The whole organization could have got these hands. I was eight years old, like, whatever, who cares.”

She was angry at the Lakers management because Shaq moving cities meant that the entire family would also have to uproot their lives and follow him. Thankfully, she had the support of her siblings, who brought some sort of stability to an otherwise busy and disrupted lifestyle.

Shaquille O’Neal reflects on his mistakes

We often hear that in order to reach the pinnacle, a lot of sacrifices need to be made. Shaq is a living example of the kind of sacrifice it takes for someone to become great. Having been through all of that, the big fella has learnt a lot of lessons and now passes his wisdom as advice to those who still have time to right the wrongs. On an episode of The Big Podcast, Shaq had a lot to say to Jason Kelce, who was a guest on the episode. Drawing inspiration from his own life, the NBA veteran advised Kelce to not hold onto ‘the athlete’s dream’ for a long time.

He said, “My advice to you is you are going to retire, accept it. Enjoy your family brother. I made a lot of dumb a** mistakes to where I lost my family, and I didn’t have anybody. Enjoy your beautiful wife, enjoy your beautiful kids, and never dwell on what we had.” Shaq’s words must’ve had a lot of impact on Kelce because earlier this month, the Super Bowl winner announced his retirement.

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“I Take That Responsibility”: Alex Albon Vows to “Payback” Logan Sargeant for Ultimate Sacrifice


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Alex Albon had a massive shunt during the FP1 of the Australian Grand Prix. This destroyed his car to a great extent and made his FW46 useless for the rest of the weekend. Therefore, Williams decided to withdraw Logan Sargeant from the 2024 Australian Grand Prix after allowing his teammate Albon to use his car for the remainder of the GP. Amid this, Albon revealed that he would not let Sargeant‘s sacrifice go in vain and vowed a payback.

According to Albon, the perfect way to pay Sargeant back would be to score some points at Albert Park. Notably, this is the sole reason why James Vowles took the bold decision to drop the American for the Thai driver. To add to this, Albon claimed 27 out of a total of 28 points and single-handedly helped his team finish in P7 in the Constructors’ Championship last year.

Speaking about the payback, Albon said in a report published by Autosport, “The only thing you can really do is focus on your job and put it all behind you and treat the weekend like the normal weekend… I think so far, we’ve done a good job, just to keep it going. And the ultimate kind of payback to Logan would be some points.”

The former Red Bull driver started qualifying on a decent note. He took P7 in Q1, and finally P12 in Q2. As he got eliminated from Q2, he was two-tenths slower than Mercedes’ George Russell. Therefore, Albon will start the race on Sunday from P12, behind Lewis Hamilton in P11 and ahead of his former teammate Valtteri Bottas in P13.

Interestingly, the point-scoring window is very tight at the Albert Park circuit. The top ten places are already taken by drivers of the top 5 teams except Yuki Tsunoda. Therefore, Albon has chances to claim points if Tsunoda and either of the Aston Martin drivers drops back or any driver from P1 to P11 has a DNF.

Can Alex Albon pay Williams back with points for Logan Sargeant’s sacrifice?

The Australian Grand Prix race on Sunday is going to be a different one for Alex Albon. The Thai-British driver would be under immense pressure to deliver and be the only Williams driver on the track to have all eyes on him.

The FP1 crash on Friday must have drained his confidence to quite an extent, and on top of that he would have to meet the expectations set by Vowles, and the entire team to come home with points. Therefore, Albon needs to bring out his best performance if he wants to give a payback.

While Albon’s charge for points on Sunday will not be a surprise, he needs to be cautious, nonetheless. He has to compete with Hamilton and the former has been unlucky on more than one occasion [Brazil 2019, Austria 2020] while he was having the wheel-to-wheel tussle against the latter.

All in all, Alex Albon with all his experiences from Toro Rosso, Red Bull, and Williams can hope to pull it off, finish the race in points, and have the payback to his teammate Logan Sargeant for his unreal sacrifice.

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“I Was Terrified”: Paul Pierce Recalls Facing Allen Iverson in Playoff Debut


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Allen Iverson took the entire NBA by storm when he was at the peak of his career, in the early 2000s. AI’s shriveling moves and skills scared his opponents, especially during playoff games. Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce used to feel the same way and shared the sentiment in an appearance on the ‘Forgotten Seasons’ podcast. The Truth admitted to being ‘terrified’ of Allen Iverson, especially when facing him during the first playoff series of his career in 2002.

During that time, the Celtics had finally assembled a playoff-contending team since Larry Bird and Co. in the ’80s and the ’90s. However, drawing against Allen Iverson and the Sixers in the First Round was one of Pierce’s worst nightmares come true.

When Dylan Dreyfuss asked Pierce how intimidating it was to face AI, the Truth replied,

“Man, Allen Iverson, I’m telling you this is how intimidating Allen Iverson was. If somebody said, if your man, if you’re not guarding Allen Iverson, and your man goes sets a screen on who’s guarding Allen Iverson, and he comes off, and you switch on him, you just pray to god you don’t make it on Sports Center.” 

The Sixers used to run elaborate plays as such around Iverson, which helped them become the Eastern Conference champions in the 2001 playoffs. Pierce added,

“He was one of the few guys I was terrified of, honestly. Because, as much as I love to guard other players, he was just way too fast for me.”

During that season, Iverson won his second scoring title after averaging 31.4 points in the regular season and was looking to give the Celtics a good competition. But Paul Pierce was ready to conquer his fears of facing ‘The Answer,’ playing one of his best playoff games in the series against the Sixers.

The Boston Celtics won 3-2 against the 76ers in the series, with Pierce finishing the series with a 45-point game in Game 5. The Celtics ran deep in the playoffs till the Western Conference Finals, only to lose the series 4-2 against the New Jersey Nets. Perhaps not a bad start for Pierce, given it was the first postseason of his career.

How does Paul Pierce compare to Allen Iverson?

Paul Pierce and Allen Iverson have faced each other in 32 NBA games. According to Stat Muse, Iverson averaged 26.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 41.5% from the floor per game. On the other hand, Paul Pierce has averaged 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, per game, shooting 42.5% from the field. However, regarding regular season wins, Iverson holds an edge over Pierce, with a 19-13 record.

Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

In the postseason, Pierce and Iverson have played in 5 playoff games versus each other, with Iverson averaging 30 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. On the other hand, Pierce averaged 30.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists versus AI in these five games. Paul Pierce has significantly edged over Iverson in the playoffs, having a 2-3 record against him in the postseason.

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JuJu Watkins Draws Spectacular Praise from Cheryl Miller for Picking USC Over South Carolina


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JuJu Watkins recently sat down with Cheryl Miller on ‘Andscape‘. While the moment alone could have been a memory of a lifetime for the USC fans, the two-time NCAA champion showered praise on the youngster for picking USC. Miller said that with talents and opportunities on JuJu’s side, she could have picked any other team and would have become the star that she is.

Since Miller is a bonafide USC legend, she is proud to know that JuJu will represent her team. She said,

“You could’ve gone anywhere you wanted to, but to come in, with this type of attention and spotlight that you were bringing in. A lot of people, a lot of players would’ve shied away from that.”

Miller added that she respects the courage shown by JuJu in making this decision and she is confident that there will be a lot of good things that she will achieve for the Trojans.


Speaking about their comparison, Miller said there are no shoes that she needs to fill in. As great a legacy as she has left behind, it’s all a thing of the past and JuJu is the future. The USC legend also took a dig at South Carolina while praising the 18-year-old. She said,

“In a young career, it took incredible guts for you to come here. You could’ve gone anywhere you wanted. I mean, you could’ve gone to the foreign SC.” Miller immediately clarified that it was only supposed to be a joke and nothing serious against SC and Dawn Staley.

JuJu Watkins is leading the charge for the USC Trojans

Juju started with the Trojans in 2023 and in a very short time, she has made her mark in a team that deserves to be called overachievers. After already winning the Pac-12 Tournament and earning the top seed, their eyes are now set on the main goal, to register JuJu’s name in the history books. She is averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 40.5% from the field this season.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With her at the helm of things, and the star power that she brings, all eyes are on the Trojans to see how far they can go in this tournament. As for their hopes, that’s at an all-time high and they’re full of confidence. In addition to bringing her A-game on the court, JuJu Watkins is attracting eyeballs to the women’s basketball. Undoubtedly, she will soon be a star along with the likes of Caitlin Clark.

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Deion Sanders Exposes Daughter Shelomi’s Tactics To Extract Money From Him: “I Know My Kids Like the back Of My Hand”


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In the world of football, Deion Sanders‘ role as a father has stood out like none other. Even though he is a man of many endeavors, he keeps track of his children’s progress, even publicly through efforts like power rankings. Talking about his children, Sanders recently claimed how despite their excellence, they never shy away from exploiting him. One such incident about Shelomi Sanders made it to the recent press conferences on Buffaloes’ Spring Ball Media Day event.

During his latest press conference uploaded by BuffStampedeDotCom amidst spring practice, Coach Prime candidly revealed his daughter’s attempt to derive money from him. He recounted his latest interaction with daughter Shelomi Sanders with a pinch of salt while revealing her subtle tactics. Starting with his story, Coach Prime said,

“I pretty much know my kids like the back of my hand. My daughter, she just came to meet me right after practice with a big smile and a hug and that meant she needed some money for the trip.”

 

Despite making a casual conversation, Sanders quickly decoded his daughter’s intentions especially as she rushed to dress for a party. However, jokes apart, Deion Sanders has been a pillar of support for all his children. This includes Deiondra Sanders, who was going through a strained relationship with Jacquees per reports. However, she has been committed to making the most of her time as a pregnant mother, while inspiring aspiring mothers.

Shelomi Sanders Plays Coy While Asking Money From Dad Deion

Not only did Deion Sanders expose Shelomi on his press conference but he also released the video of their conversation on Instagram. Just like a typical daughter, Shelomi was seen in that video playfully approaching her dad with the intention of extracting money from him, but Deion clearly saw it coming.

“She ain’t got no lashes on so guess what?” Deion said. “She wants some money.”

 

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A post shared by @COACHPRIME (@deionsanders)

However, falling for the trap, Deion couldn’t help but ask how much money she needed. This led to his eldest daughter Deiondra Sanders reacting as she commented, “If that’s all it take. Imma taking mine off tonight lol.”

Coach Prime also mentioned in the caption of the post about how hard it is for fathers to deny their daughters some cash when they ask for it by setting up a cute trap. There is no doubt that Deion Sanders embodies a perfect father figure who despite ranking his own kids, never fails to take care of each of them.

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Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner Menu Revealed


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The Masters has a very special tradition that is followed before each edition and that is the Champions Dinner. Every year, the reigning champion invites all the previous winners of the prestigious Green Jacket and hosts a dinner party at Augusta National. This year Jon Rahm will have the honor of organizing the longtime culture.

The Spaniard will have the leverage to include whatever he likes in the Champions Dinner. It is scheduled to happen on Tuesday, April 9, and will be attended by all the previous winners and the Chairman of Augusta National, Fred Ridley.

The Masters shared the menu of Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner on X (formerly Twitter). This year’s menu will mark the significant end to last year’s host, Scottie Scheffler, who won the green jacket in 2022.

What Is In The Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner Menu?

Rahm has chosen most of the dishes from his homeland, the Basque Country. It will start with multiple choices of tapas, including Idiazanal con Trufa Negra and Lentejas Estofadas. The menu will also feature a special Mama Rahm’s Classic Lentil Stew. The tapas also include Chistorra Con Patat or Croqueta de Pollo.

This will be followed by Jon Rahm’s selected first course, Ensalada de Txangurro. After that, the main course will have two options between Chuleton a la Parrilla and Rodaballo al Pil-Pil. Finally, the Spaniard will offer his guests a delicious dessert in Miljojas de Crema y Nata.


Jon Rahm’s Champions Dinner is expected to be attended by the likes of previous winners such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Jose Maria Olazabal, Vijay Singh, Gary Player, and many more. His idol and also compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal will also be in attendance. The 2022 edition’s Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler will also make his presence felt.

Since the golf world is now split into two after the inception of LIV Golf, a few of the previous winners of the tournament are not part of the PGA Tour. But that does not mean they will not join for the Champions Dinner. Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia will be a few LIV stars to join Rahm in his honorable party at Augusta National.

The Champions Dinner is a historic tradition for the Masters Tournament. Jon Rahm will surely do everything in his power to host the event successfully.

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By Defending His Players Title And Creating History, Scottie Scheffler Plays Down Any Tiger Woods Comparisons


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Scottie Scheffler has been compared to Tiger Woods quite often and the golfer has managed to play all of those comparisons down successfully after defended his Players Championship title this weekend. Scheffler became the first golfer to defend his Players Championship title. The golfer was one shot ahead of Wyndham Clark and others who tied for the second place. Before this triumph, the world no. 1 also enjoyed victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Scheffler triumphed over Tyrrell Hatton on the same course with a five-shot dominance in the past. But this year, his score ended at 20-under, which was one shot more than Clark’s 19-under. His last round saw an eagle and six birdies landing his score at 64 in a bogey-free round. 

Moreover, this was the 27-year-old golfer’s eighth victory in the last 25 months on the tour. Scheffler has been consistent throughout and had top-ten finishes in more than half of his starts in the past two years. He successfully retained his OWGR rank and is being compared to Woods lately.

Scottie Scheffler Feels Privileged To Be Compared With Tiger Woods

It is quite natural for a golfer to feel happy after being compared with Woods and such was the case with Scheffler.

“Anytime you can be compared to Tiger I think is really special, but, I mean, the guy stands alone I think in our game. He really does.”

Then, he went on to talk about his achievements so far and his upcoming goals on the golf schedule.

“This is my eighth tournament win now out here and I’ve tied him in Players Championships. Outside of that, I got 14 more majors and 70-some PGA Tour events to catch up. I think I’m going to stick to my routine and just continue to plot along, try and stay as even-keeled as I can.” 

Scheffler also reflected upon how he idolizes Tiger Woods and how the legend has motivated him to come this far. He also admitted in the same interview that he has learned a lot from Woods and he’ll try to implement all of that.

Scottie has been very consistent even last year, which is why he received the Player Of The Year Award. Thus, it is to see how well the golfer performs in the upcoming major and if he manages to clinch a second major title. 

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Deion Sanders’ Trusted Business Advisor Reveals How Erin Andrews Played It Smart With the Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift Romance That Led Her To Make a Ton Of Money


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Deion Sanders became the most marketable head coach and personal brand in NCAA football in only his first few games with CU and it happened because of his mastermind business advisor Constance Schwartz-Morini. However, Coach Prime wasn’t the only success story she was a part of in 2023 as her partnership with Erin Andrews also flourished during the same time.

Morini is also partners with Erin Andrews for her clothing line ‘Wear by EA,’ which became insanely popular especially after it was unintentionally marketed by Taylor Swift, during her second appearance at Arrowhead Stadium.

However, in her appearance at ‘The Deal’ podcast, via Bloomberg with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly, she credited Erin for the genius move that resulted in their massive growth.

“Erin is one of the most hands-on entrepreneurs you will ever meet,” Morini said, explaining how despite being prepared for the game, she also hands fans her gear promoting her brand. “When I tell you she busts her a*s at every game.” 

Morini then goes by saying that Erin Andrews, who was consistently demanding Taylor Swift to date Travis Kelce all summer, used the romance to her advantage.

“Taylor’s PR team had reached out to Erin, you know, to come to a show over the summer. And then when it came out that Taylor and Travis were dating, we sent a huge care package to Taylor’s PR team,” she added.

The care package that she and Erin sent to Taylor also included the jacket, that the singer would later wear to a Chiefs game while cheering for Travis Kelce. And considering the fact that it was still one of her early games at the Arrowhead, the trend was as big as one can imagine.

“We had no idea she was gonna wear their jacket,” the business advisor added. “And when that happened on Thursday Night Football, Erin calls me, and she said, ‘I think she’s in our jacket.’ I’m like ‘Oh my God.'”

Taylor Swift wearing the ‘Wear by EA’ jacket to the game turned out to be a game changer for Erin Andrew’s brand as it received overnight success.

Taylor Swift Helped Erin Andrews’ Brand Touch the Sky

With Taylor Swift playing the fashion model for Erin Andrews live during the game, it was clear that what was about to follow would turn ‘Wear by EA’ into a blockbuster brand.

“Our partners at Fanatics were like, ‘Okay, we need to go now,'” Morini said. “Our manufacturer said, ‘If you have to send somebody overseas to go and stand in these factories and make more jackets.’ We sold out that night. The orders kept coming in. Pre-sales kept happening.”

And it all started with a small friendly gesture from Erin Andrews to Taylor Swift, which in turn made her a ton of money.

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Kwame Brown Claims Playoffs Berths are Controlled By Big Market Teams and Stars While Reacting to Charles Barkley and Kendrick Perkins Feud


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Kwame Brown rolled out serious allegations against the NBA for controlling the playoff berths for big markets. On his YouTube channel ‘Kwame Brown Bust Life‘, the former Lakers Center reacted to the ‘feud” between Charles Barkley and Kendrick Perkins. Earlier, Barkley had called the Play-in tournament made-up and was wondering why ESPN and these “idiots” focus on just the Los Angeles Lakers.

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins countered his points and also took some shots at Barkley. He argued that a small market like the Miami Heat reached the 2023 Finals through the Play-in tournament. Therefore, smaller markets also benefit from the league’s structures. Brown assented to the points made by both former NBA players.

“There is some validity to what Charles is saying and there is some validity in what Kendrick is saying,” Kwame Brown stated.

However, later he largely approved of Charles Barkley’s stance. Brown referred to Barkley’s comments about how he doesn’t consider Lakers “good enough” to be even discussed regularly. The former 76ers Centre agreed with Barkley’s comments about the Lakers being unnecessarily brought up by various media pundits. Then the former 6’11” Center opined that the Lakers have an unfair free-throw advantage so that they can have a better record.

The former Lakers Center also questioned the validity of the Play-in tournament. For the 2001 #1 pick, the Play-in tournament is the league’s scheme to keep teams like the Warriors and Lakers deep into the postseason. He also called the Association greedy for this approach of just focusing on big-name players.

You wouldn’t even get the opportunity to be in the Play-in tournament if it wasn’t for these big markets. If it wasn’t for this thirst and his lust to keep these superstars in the limelight who are the so-called face of the league,” Brown added.

He then alluded to Barkley’s comments about the Play-in tournament being a figment of everyone’s imagination. For the Inside the NBA analyst, the tournament is “not real”, a notion that aligns with Brown’s views. Then the former Wizards Center criticized Perkins for saying “Charles Barkley is not the sharpest knife in the drawer”.

The former teammate of MJ and Kobe wasn’t pleased with the ESPN analyst turning a hooping debate into personal attacks. Brown also didn’t approve of Perk calling Barkley an “idiot”. Brown sarcastically rebuked Perkins as he concluded his video with “Real smart Kendrick Perkins, real classy”.

Is Kwame Brown right?

Brown’s narrative adds to the echoing sentiment that the league overemphasizes the LA Lakers. They have been among the most inconsistent squads in the last four years. Yet the media narratives often revolve around LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The AD-powered squad did nab the 2020 title but since then they have not registered expected results. During the 2020-21 season, they were the seventh seed and lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first round.

Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Then in the 2021-22 season, they finished 11th and missed out on the playoffs. This was despite having the services of Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook. The 2022-23 season was a head spinner as the team qualified in the play-in tournament as a seventh seed and then made it to the Western Conference Finals. They were swept thoroughly during the 2023 WCF.

The same old story is unfolding in the 2023-24 season. With 36 wins and 32 losses, the Lakers may finish as the tenth seed and face elimination in their first postseason game itself. Considering their knack for losing alternate games, their prospects for a deep postseason run look grim.

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Tommy Paul Reveals How Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker Have Been Inspirations During Indian Wells 2024 Campaign


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Tommy Paul is enjoying one of the best runs of his career at the Indian Wells 2024. The American ace has made it to the semifinals of the tournament as he aims for his first title in the Californian desert. Now, Paul is set to face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals on Saturday. Throughout the Indian Wells tournament, Paul has used the net very well and improved on his net play as a new weapon in his arsenal.

The American aggressively rushes to the net and uses the court to win the points. This has been a clear strategy by the American and it has worked well for him so far. Speaking in an interview with Tennis Channel after his match, Paul admitted that he has worked on that.

Tommy Paul dived deep into his new found tactic and admitted that he is still working on it. The American further added that he is watching videos of Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker to improve his net play. While Paul also watches Indian Wells matches, he spends his night watching the old videos of tennis legends to improve his game.

“I have been watching a lot of legends in coming in the net. Last night I watched Boris Becker and watched Stefan Edberg before my second round. It has been a little bit inspirational. I generally see the way the cover the net.”

Tommy Paul set to face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final of the Indian wells

Tommy Paul will be full of confidence going into the match, however Medvedev will be the favorite to win. Over the course of their career, the duo have met twice with Medvedev winning on both occasions. Paul and Medvedev first met at the Roland Garros in 2021, when Medvedev won in four sets. Later in 2023, the duo met again in Beijing with Medvedev winning in straight sets.

Medvedev enjoys a 2-0 head-to-head lead over Tommy Paul. The duo are set to collide again at the Indian Wells semi-final on Saturday 5.50 pm ET. The match will be streamed live on Tennis Channel across the US, and the temperature is expected to be around 20 degrees Celsius.

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NASCAR Drivers Reveal How They Drink Water During a Race Ft. Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr.


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Once buckled up to the seat, a NASCAR driver has to keep driving for hours at a stretch under extreme conditions. Although they do take necessary precautions so that their sodium levels don’t fall or they don’t get dehydrated while driving, it’s abnormal for their throats to dry out as they battle it out on the racetracks. So, how do NASCAR drivers drink water?

Several drivers appeared in a Joe Gibbs Racing video to explain how they drink water during a race. The driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, Ty Gibbs, said, “I have a little bottle that has a little straw and I just grab the thing and stick it up in my helmet.” Right afterward, former Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. revealed that the pipe that connects to his bottle goes back into his helmet through a small opening and he can drink whenever he wants.

However, the bigger question is, do drivers drink water under green flag conditions or do they wait for NASCAR to throw a caution before they can finally take a sip?

“I have drank water under green,” admitted Denny Hamlin. “There’s some tracks where the straightaway are long enough to where I can reach over, grab it out of the cup holder. Most of the tracks, you just don’t have time.”

But some drivers like Christopher Bell prefer to wait for the yellow flags.

Do NASCAR drivers get hungry during a race?

The job of a NASCAR driver is indeed a tough one. One cannot just wake up one day and decide to drive a 600 HP machine at 200 miles per hour over three hours. It requires a totally different lifestyle, that includes proper diet, exercise, and sleep.

Most of the time, the drivers eat small portions of protein-rich food throughout the day, and on race day, they eat fast-digesting carbs like a bowl of oatmeal or bananas and healthy fats like nuts and dry fruits. However, what happens if a driver gets hungry during a race?

At times like such, a crew member will get a small snack like a granola bar, open the wrapper to it so that the driver doesn’t have to mess with it, and put it in the pouch next to the window net next to the driver’s seat.

All of this just further hammers in the fact that while many might think so, to many it might appear so, but being a NASCAR driver is no easy job.

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