Sports
Lions Finally Giving Fans, Including Eminem, Chance To Cheer For A Winner After Decades Of Futility
DETROIT — Eminem stood beside Pro Football Hall of Famers Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson before the Detroit Lions played a playoff game for the first time in three decades, taking in the tremendous atmosphere at Ford Field.
“The energy in the building was amazing,” Johnson said in a phone interview while on break from snowboarding in Utah. “You could feel it.” I wish we could have had that type of experience.
He is not alone.
Detroit was an NFL powerhouse long ago, winning three league titles from 1952 to 1957 in the pre-Super Bowl era. The franchise had only one postseason win, which came 32 years ago with Sanders in the backfield, and it had no success after the regular season with Johnson until last Sunday’s win.
The Lions defeated the Stafford-led Los Angeles Rams 24–23 in a wild-card game that whipped the crowd into such a frenzy that the decibels were almost as high as a jet engine.
Lions Finally Giving Fans, Including Eminem, Chance To Cheer For
Detroit’s party may get turned up a notch.
The Lions will host Tampa Bay on Sunday, their second home playoff game in a single postseason for the first time in team history.
Singer Bob Seger, actor Jeff Daniels, actor, writer, and producer Keegan-Michael Key, all from Michigan, are anticipated to attend the divisional game, along with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and one of the team’s biggest supporters, Eminem.
The rapper recently asserted himself and revealed his love on Instagram, claiming his New Year resolved to see the Lions win the Super Bowl and asking Stafford for a favour.
“Can you just let us have this one?” Eminem inquired in a post last week.
Eminem is jokingly begging coach Dan Campbell to put him in the game.
“I’m going to be there that night,” Eminem announced. “I will suit up, and I will score us the winning touchdown in the third quarter.”
If Detroit, favoured by nearly a touchdown on FanDuel Sportsbook, defeats the Buccaneers, it will move one step closer to potentially reaching the Super Bowl for the first time.
While there are many long-time fans in the Motor City, it has also attracted new ones and engaged them in the digital age.
Lions Finally Giving Fans, Including Eminem, Chance To Cheer For
Sweta Patel, born in India and now lives in suburban Detroit, had no idea what a first down was approximately ten years ago. The 41-year-old Patel’s understanding of the game and passion for the organisation has grown due to exchanges on social media and in person as a season ticket holder.
When she announced on social media that she was having knee surgery, Lions players wished her a quick recovery. When Patel revealed that she suffered a miscarriage in 2021, Campbell contacted her immediately after he was recruited.
“He’s just a man of the people,” she remarked. “His voice was almost cracking in that video, and it just really brought some comfort to me.”
Mike McCord and millions of others in Michigan have long waited for their favourite club to bring them joy.
McCord, 68, was a kid when his late father, Darris, a Pro Bowl defensive lineman, helped Detroit win the NFL championship in 1957 at Briggs Stadium, later known as Tiger Stadium, over Cleveland.
McCord began attending games over six decades ago, and his family has had season tickets for more than a half-century, passing on their love of the Honolulu Blue and Silver to their 36-year-old daughter, Riley.
“It’s been a long 50 years,” he explained. “We’ve been through thick and thin — mostly thin.”
The Lions struck rock bottom in 2008, becoming the NFL’s first 0-16 team and suffering the league’s worst nine-season skid since World War II. During a particularly dreadful period of failure, football historians had to look back to the Dayton Triangles of the 1920s to locate a team that lost so frequently.
When coach Matt Patricia was fired during the 2020 season, Mike McCord was willing to give up his seat on the 40-yard line in the 22nd row behind Detroit’s bench.
Lions Finally Giving Fans, Including Eminem, Chance To Cheer For
Trying to cement the deal on renewing the family’s four tickets, McCord’s daughter ordered a bespoke coffee cup with the words “One More Year” underneath the team’s logo.
“We didn’t know what the next season was going to be like,” Riley McCord explained. “So, I got that cup.”
Sheila Ford Hamp, the team’s owner, began to turn the team around three years ago when she finally found a winning mix in the front office and on the sidelines by hiring general manager Brad Holmes and Campbell.
The Lions gained momentum by finishing the previous season with eight victories in the last ten games, and they lived up to exceptionally high expectations in 2023, tying a franchise record with 12 regular-season wins and winning the division title for the first time in three decades.
“Detroit’s a great sports town,” McCord explained. “We have seen the Tigers win it. We’ve seen the Pistons win. We have seen the Red Wings win it. We’ve seen many positive things, but never from our Lions.
“We hope that 2018 is the year to finally relieve that anguish, and I believe they can do so. That is a nice thing. We’re still in it, and we may go the distance.”
Matthew Stafford delivers ching passes.
SOURCE – (AP)
Sports
The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting
Santa Clara, California – Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers’ rookie receiver who was shot during an attempted robbery last weekend, is expected to recover fully, according to general manager John Lynch.
Pearsall was shot in the chest and hospitalised overnight following the shooting in central San Francisco on Saturday. He was released from the hospital on Sunday and was back at the team’s facility Monday.
The Niners placed Pearsall on the non-football injury list, which will keep him out for at least four weeks to recover from the gunshot and a shoulder injury that had hindered him all summer.
The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting
“Ultimately, we decided that the best thing for Ricky was to have a little bit of time,” Lynch told reporters Tuesday. “He’ll need that time physically. He’ll need that time, both emotionally and mentally. We made the decision. When we drafted Ricky, we planned for the long term. Ricky is going to be an excellent player here. He’s eager. He was disappointed, but he knew why we had put him on that list and what that entailed.
Lynch stated that Pearsall was extremely fortunate not to have suffered more serious injuries as a result of the gunshot. Pearsall was walking alone to his car soon after 3:30 p.m. Saturday when a juvenile suspect tried to rob him with a gun in the Union Square neighborhood, according to police.
Officers in the area responded quickly, providing emergency medical help and arresting the culprit. A witness captured video of Pearsall with a massive chest wound as he was put into an ambulance.
Lynch hailed the San Francisco police, particularly Sgt. Joelle Harrell, the first on the scene, ate Pearsall immediately. He also complimented the doctors at San Francisco General Hospital and the team doctors, trainers, and support staff for their collaboration in assisting Pearsall during a difficult period.
Lynch stated there was no damage to organs, nerves, or ribs, describing it as “through and through.”
“Multiple people down there said this is about as good an outcome as you could have in this situation,” he told me.
That good news was far from clear when Lynch discovered Pearsall had been shot Saturday while shopping for bags after an autograph session.
“The earliest calls that I received were extremely scary: ‘We believe Ricky’s been shot in the chest,'” Lynch admitted. “That’s not usually a favourable result. So that was a rough Saturday. It was a difficult ride down to San Francisco General. I’m really grateful that things worked out as it did.”
The news hit his comrades hard, and they described it as a sobering moment because they didn’t know what had happened to one of their friends.
“It wasn’t great at all,” receiver Jauan Jennings admitted. “I did not want to do anything. I did not want to go anywhere. I was just hoping Rick was okay. Just hearing the excellent news made my day brighter and happier, as did knowing that he’s fine and among us.”
Pearsall could FaceTime his teammates at a team party Saturday night and then see them in person when he returned to the facility on Monday.
“He’s in high spirits,” offensive guard Aaron Banks said. “You can tell something like that shakes you up, and you can see he’s still processing it. But it was fantastic to see him and have him around.
The 49ers Expect Rookie Ricky Pearsall To Make A Full Recovery Following Shooting
Pearsall was draughted in the first round by the 49ers in April with the 31st overall pick, but his progress has been hampered by injuries since joining the team.
He missed time during training camp due to hamstring and shoulder concerns, but he returned to practice last week wearing a noncontact blue jersey while his shoulder healed.
Pearsall began his undergraduate career at Arizona State before transferring to Florida for the final two seasons. Last season, he recorded 65 catches for 965 yards and four scores for the Gators, and his college career had 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 touchdowns.
SOURCE | AP
Sports
Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns
More condolences are coming in from the hockey community following the murders of NHL star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, who were slain last week by a suspected intoxicated driver while riding their bikes in their home state of New Jersey.
Jaromir Jagr shared a video on social media Tuesday showing Gaudreau assisting on his 766th and last goal in the league while they were teammates with the Calgary Flames in 2018.
“It was a beautiful pass above all,” Jagr stated in Czech. “Unfortunately, life may sometimes be unbearably harsh. Thank you for being here, Johnny Gaudreau, and for giving all those guys faith that they, too, can achieve world-class success in the NHL, as you did. My heartfelt sympathies to your family. R.I.P., you and your brother.
Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns
Donations also kept coming in for Matthew’s widow, Madeline, who is expecting their first child in December. As of 7 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Madeline’s sister, Holland Korbitz, had put up a GoFundMe page that had been confirmed by the online fundraising organization and raised more than $560,000.
Dozens of current and former NHL players, or their significant others, are among the more than 7,800 donors, including $3,000 from the family of New York Rangers forward Artemi Panarin and $2,013 from Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars, for a total of $567,127 — far exceeding the initial $30,000 goal.
Cliff Rucker, owner of the ECHL’s Worcester Railers HC, where Matthew played two seasons from 2017 to 2019, is recognized as the top gift at $10,000.
“Maddy, the entire Railers HC family stands shoulder to shoulder with you during this incomprehensibly difficult time for you and your loved ones,” Rucker told me. “You and Matty will always be part of our Railer family, and I hope you can feel the love and support we are sending your way.”
The Gaudreau brothers were riding on a road in Oldmans Township on Thursday night when a man driving an SUV in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and hit them from behind at 8 p.m., according to New Jersey State Police. They were pronounced dead on the scene.
According to police, Sean M. Higgins, 43, was suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and charged with two charges of death by auto, reckless driving, possession of an open container, and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle. On Tuesday, authorities stated that no other information regarding the case, including Higgin’s blood alcohol level, will be disclosed at this time.
No information was available concerning a funeral or memorial service, either public or private.
“As we embark on the journey of laying John and Matty to rest, we are greatly comforted by all those who have visited these growing memorials and who have left messages of love, prayers, thoughts of kindness as well as jerseys, skates, sticks, pucks, flowers, candles and so many other tokens of remembrance,” Jim Gaudreau, our uncle, wrote on Facebook. “The memorials console us on your doorsteps, yards, and cars. We have heard and seen countless moments of silence and heartfelt messages from so many professional athletes, organizations, and other athletic leagues, as well as every single person in private, as well as extremely heartfelt messages from broadcasts, media, and every one of you, as well as random acts of kindness and compassion by strangers.
On Friday, fans in Columbus created a tribute outside the Blue Jackets’ downtown arena using hockey sticks, flowers, and other keepsakes. Flames fans in Calgary, Alberta, paid tribute with words and Gaudreau’s number 13 scribbled in chalk on the ground outside the Saddledome.
Online Fundraiser For Matthew Gaudreau’s Widow Raises More Than $560K As The Sports World Mourns
The Blue Jackets have invited supporters to a candlelight vigil outside Nationwide Arena on Wednesday night. The event will include brief words from team personnel and 13 minutes and 21 seconds of silent commemoration for Johnny and Matthew’s jersey numbers.
The Blue Jackets’ general manager, Don Waddell, and players will talk with reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
Wayne Gretzky revealed over the weekend that the terrible death had crushed him, his wife Janet, and their family.
“We are sending our love, thoughts, and prayers to the Gaudreau family,” Gretzky wrote on social media. “We lost two great young men who were loved and had a significant presence both on and off the ice.” Johnny and Matthew, you will be remembered and missed.
Their deaths on Friday, the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding in Philadelphia, were more than just hockey-related. During ESPN’s college football broadcast of the game Monday night between Florida State and Boston College, where the Gaudreau brothers attended and played hockey together a decade ago, play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen spoke somberly of Johnny and Matthew.
“The entire National Hockey League, as well as the Boston College community and so many others, were devastated Friday when we learnt of the deaths of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau,” Wischusen told the crowd. “Our hearts are shattered, and we send every good thought and prayer to their wives, Johnny Gaudreau’s young children, Matthew’s child on the way and all of their family and friends.”
SOURCE | AP
Sports
Chase Briscoe holds off Kyle Busch in Southern 500 to advance to NASCAR Cup playoffs
Darlington, South Carolina NASCAR – Chase Briscoe knew he was carrying the entire weight of Stewart-Haas Racing into the final circuits on Sunday night at Darlington Raceway. And he couldn’t be happier.
“I feel like I run better under heavy pressure,” Briscoe remarked. “I love the Game 7, pressure-heavy moment.”
He made a stunning three-wide pass late in the race and held on to win the Southern 500 and qualify for the playoffs, giving Stewart-Haas Racing one final chance to add to its championship legacy before the season ends.
Briscoe and his team enter the postseason relishing the pressure in the final days of the program that won NASCAR championships with Tony Stewart in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2014.
nascar
Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Busch In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs
Briscoe received a call from Stewart, his owner, and drivers approached him to congratulate him on his victory.
Briscoe claimed the lead with a three-wide maneuver over Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain before outrunning two-time series champion Kyle Busch at the finish.
Briscoe drew away on the last restart with 17 laps to hold off Busch, who, like Briscoe, needed a win to make the playoffs.
“We just won the Southern 500!” an emotional Briscoe announced over the vehicle radio.
Briscoe is ready to accomplish more with Stewart-Haas.
“Yeah, this group, the day we found out that the team wasn’t going to exist anymore, we went over to the shop board, looked at each other and said, ‘We’re in this to the end,'” Briscoe told me. “All week, I kept saying, ‘We’ve got one bullet left in the chamber.’ “That bullet struck.”
Ty Gibbs and Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing earned the remaining two postseason slots based on points, while Bubba Wallace and Chastain, who were both within 27 points of the cutoff line when the race began, fell short.
Briscoe’s stunning move spoilt Kyle Larson’s great Darlington performance, in which he led 263 laps but could not recover after being passed by the eventual victor. Larson attempted to pass Tyler Reddick for the regular-season points title — and the 15 extra points the leader receives — but fell one point short.
Christopher Bell finished third, followed by Larson, Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Corey LaJoie, and Reddick.
In his final season before retirement, Truex only needed a solid, problem-free run at the “Too Tough To Tame” track to progress. Instead, he placed his fate in the hands of others when he crashed on Lap 3 when his car slipped up and collided with defending NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney.
However, following Larson’s victory in the second stage (he also won the first stage), NASCAR said Truex had secured a position in the 16-driver playoff field.
Bubba Wallace entered the weekend as the first driver out of the playoffs, and he received a boost when he claimed his first Darlington pole Saturday. But, with 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan watching from his pit box, Wallace was involved in a six-car collision 24 laps from the finish line.
Jordan, wearing headphones and watching carefully, threw his hands up and bent his head as he saw Wallace in the wreck.
“I hate that I wasn’t good enough to finish 16th this year,” Wallace remarked. “Stinks saying that, but wasn’t for a lack of effort.”
Busch failed to win for the second week, falling to a fellow winless driver this season. He was defeated by Harrison Burton last week in Daytona.
“Hate it for our guys,” said Busch, who won the championships in 2015 and 2019. “Something to work on and improve for. We just missed a lot early in the year and in the middle of the year by being in this position, on the outside looking in.”
nascar
Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Chase Briscoe Holds Off Kyle Busch In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs In Southern 500 To Advance To NASCAR Cup Playoffs
Reddick’s Race
Tyler Reddick overcame a stomach sickness to defeat Larson in the regular season final. He stated that his son fell ill in Daytona last week, which, as most parents are aware, made Reddick prone to illness.
Reddick felt it coming around midday Friday and assumed it had cleaned up by Sunday. Then, it came in full force as the race started. Reddick thanked his staff for keeping him medicated and hydrated throughout.
“At one point, I was just waiting to puke all over myself,” he told me. “Thankfully, they kept that from happening.”
Playoff field
Reddick earned the regular-season title, while Larson finished second. Chase Elliott leads the remaining playoff drivers, followed by Christopher Bell, William Byron, Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, Briscoe, Gibbs, and Truex.
The first round begins in Atlanta and proceeds to Watkins Glen and Bristol before the pitch is reduced to 12.
Honouring Cale
Cale Yarborough, the Hall of Fame driver who died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 84, was honored at his hometown track by Dale Jarrett, who drove the 1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass that Yarborough used to win his third consecutive Cup Series title in 1978 during pace laps. Yarborough, who grew up a few miles away, won five of the Labour Day weekend crown jewel races at Darlington, behind only Jeff Gordon with six.
SOURCE | AP
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