It doesn’t appear to be almost three years have passed since one of Philadelphia’s favorite sons knocked the taste out of Chris Rock’s mouth. I remember the initial outrage and how people insisted this is able to be the top of Will Smith’s profession. In a fun twist of irony, a series of movies called “Bad Boys” brought Smith back to prominence and reminded people of his greatness.

I could not help but think of The Slap because the Philadelphia 76ers play center Joel Embiid – pushed columnist Marcus Hayes after the columnist made a cheesy shot in a single of his comments. It was a banner week for Philadelphia sports icons like former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce barbed a rowdy call on Penn State’s campus after a “fan” used a homophobic slur against his brother. Kelce apologized, saying he was met with “hate hate.” But is not that the American way?

These incidents were a reminder of how comfortable society is with crossing boundaries to attack athletes, but most individuals only discover with these conflicts when they turn into physical, resembling Kelce’s encounter or Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts versus several bandits in Yankees apparel through the World Series. But what happens when the media gets involved in these attacks?

The NBA’s investigation into the incident led to: suspension for 3 matches for Embiid. “Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and the media in the NBA,” Joe Dumars, NBA executive vp of basketball operations, said in an announcement. “While we understand that Joel was offended by the personal nature of the reporter’s original version of the column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and must never become physical.”

Dumars lacked professionalism and mutual appreciation long before Embiid lost his cool. From my perspective, the Push was not as damaging as this excerpt from Hayes’ short-sighted and insensitive column:

These lines have since been faraway from Hayes’ column, however the damage was done not only by these specific words, but in a general sense. Russell Westbrook’s response to a racist fan needs to be met not only with a swift reprimand, but additionally with actionable steps taken to stop such incidents from happening again. Because we treat athletes as in the event that they are part of the entertainment and not people, we allow incidents to occur because we consider they’re simply part of the circus.

This sense of politics amongst skilled leagues may be more common if some members of the media didn’t fan the flames with their very own antics. People go so far as to call it “journalism,” regardless that our industry will not be nearly reporting or the top product. It’s about how we engage with the community, whether we use words to construct or tear down.

It was hard for me to get mad at “The Slap” or “The Shove” because I understand America. Violence is irrevocably woven into our DNA, each in terms of poverty and politics. The nastiness we allow in our divisive and hyperpolarized politics – which has little room for decency, let alone democracy – has driven this country mad. What does a single punch or stabbing mean in a world where police brutality continues? When will violence against women, each within the family and in health care, proceed?

This generally is a challenge for individuals who need to separate politics from sports, but there has all the time been reciprocity between the 2. This is why LeBron James has to shut up and dribble while the San Francisco 49ers defense finalizes Nick Bosa’s headgear selections and Harrison Butker’s political kicks, regardless of how right-wing, are celebrated. Moreover, the old saying about “sticks and stones” when it involves words has all the time been intellectually dishonest. Words hurt, and what’s more, words are the start of the narrative that drives this particular industry, for higher or for worse. , you say?

When media corporations and their underlings, regardless of race and gender, step out of line in a distorted sense of holding athletes accountable, it’s a race to the underside and we’re all losing. Our industry is full of fast food hot takes that not only perpetuate the “fake news” narrative, but additionally devalue each the athlete and what people perceive as journalism.

When – says Embiid that he has done too much for this city for people to say he doesn’t need to play is a comment that goes beyond the court. Contrary to the narrative of individuals who don’t care, athletes put money into their communities in ways in which transcend superficiality or, for cynics, viewing charity as tax write-off. Less than a month ago, I went to Memphis and was impressed by how town has embraced fellow South Carolinian Ja Morant, flaws and all. His teammate, Jaren Jackson Jr., spoke persuasively about players’ conscientiousness when it involves their civil rights legacy on the Freedom Award, the National Civil Rights Museum’s premier event.

Embiid demonstrates this commitment to town in two ways, naming his charitable gestures “In Memory of Arthur.” The faces these initiatives serve are just like mine. And him. They are necessary to those of us who care about greater than just workload management and titles.

The prospect of a championship is really the ironic element of all this. Do you must see Embiid in November or through the playoffs? The Games definitely left their mark on him, but his presence was crucial for this country to win the gold medal. A person needs time to regain his full strength. It’s part of the Process, whether you prefer it or not.

Our industry needs a cultural reset. Our criticism of athletes and celebrities shouldn’t dehumanize them. When celebrities or athletes reply to terrible behavior in a fit of rage, it doesn’t make them any less human. This makes them more human because they repel darkness. Our industry should attempt to do the identical.

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) – Deion Sanders imitated the high-pitched sound of a four-wheeled vehicle revving at top speed.

His noise was a reference to standout Travis Hunter hanging around Colorado coach’s Texas mansion over the weekend. In reality, nevertheless, it could have represented the sound of his buffaloes buzzing.

From four-wheelers to rankings and tortilla throwing, Sanders had a lot on his mind as his team returned fresh from a bye week. Buffaloes in twenty first place (6-2, 4-1 Big 12) were so smart and effective in Tuesday’s practice that Sanders rallied the team mid-game to praise them. They thought they were in trouble.

No, only voters. Sanders asked voters not to put his team in the polls, preferring to fly under the radar. Anyway, they’ve.

“Starting is a joke,” Sanders said at his weekly news conference as his team prepares for Saturday’s game at Texas Tech (6-3, 4-2). “Rankings can idiot you. This can get you into a situation where you begin to think that is who you might be – and we do not buy it. We know who we’re.

“If you don’t know who you are yet, something is wrong. If you don’t know who the players are by now, something is wrong. We cannot be fooled by this stupidity.”

For Hunter, his break from football was full of fishing and four-wheeling at night. Sanders heard the roar of an engine in his room and hoped it would not wake his mother or cause something to occur to certainly one of his star players.

“I just hear that and I’m like, ‘I better not fall off the damn thing. The whole country will be at my throat if you fall off that four-wheeler,” Sanders recalled. “But the four-wheeler just makes the sound of going faster than before because it knows better. Then I see a deer flashing on one side of the property and he’s chasing the deer.”

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Hunter is currently chasing the Heisman Trophy, so he barely had time to park his four-wheeler before boarding a plane to University Park, Pennsylvania. There, he competed for faculty football’s top prize, appearing on ESPN’s “GameDay” and Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff.”

Virtually no sleep.

“I get up, see him on TV and just burst out laughing. I’m like, ‘You just left,'” Sanders said. “I didn’t even know he would make his rounds so early. …I believe only Travis has the type of energy that he could walk from town to town all day.

“He is a lovely, likeable young man and I am proud of him.”

The Buffaloes are rolling toward Texas Tech, having won three in a row for the first time since the 2001-02 season. A season ago, they had a record of 2-4 on the road.

When asked if his team learned anything from the defeat, Sanders didn’t take the bait.

“I’m talking to you from the perspective of a winner. “I’m speaking to you as someone who has experienced setbacks, trials and tribulations, but I don’t rest in failure,” Sanders said. “I’m not complacent. I do not rest in such areas because I do know who I’m, what I’m like, where I’m going and the way to get there.

With a month left in the season, the Buffaloes still have every part in front of them – a shot at a conference title and maybe a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Not that this was a surprise to Sanders.

“That’s what we train for. I mean, this is one of the only teams in the country that has been lied to, cheated on, talked about and abused – that’s the song, right?” Sanders snapped. “We have been through a lot and we are prepared for this moment. We are not afraid of what we expect. We expect to be in it. We expect to be where we are.”

Red Raiders win a great victory in Ames, Iowa No. 17 Iowa State. Sanders knows the Buffaloes have a lot of labor ahead of them as they travel to Lubbock, Texas.

“A daunting challenge,” Sanders said. “We like it. We will probably be booed. I heard they were throwing. Are these tacos?

Tortillas, with a tradition of throwing tortillas amongst Texas Tech students during games.

“Is this legal?” Sanders said jokingly. “But yes, we will try to get them to empty these things.”

Atlanta police have officially arrested the controversial “BirdLady” at an Atlanta Falcons game. The superfan was accused of stealing by deception.

By Carolyn Freeman initially denied allegations that she used money donated to her by NFL fans for non-football related expenses. Despite this, she still had an arrest warrant issued on October 30. Police finally caught up with Freeman through the Falcons’ game against the Dallas Cowboys on November 3.

In an interview with ANF, conducted a number of hours before her arrest, Freeman commented on the allegations. She claimed she had her own funds and didn’t use money earmarked for tailgates and Super Bowl parties to cover automotive repairs and driver’s license costs for a private seat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“I don’t need this money,” Freeman said. “I’ve never had a problem with money. I have money; my family has money.”

Freeman gained fame because the “Lady of the Birds”, appearing at games in a flamboyant costume with red wings to match the Falcon’s colours. Before the allegations were made public, her photo appeared on an Equifax billboard on the stadium. It has now been removed as a consequence of the claims.

uncovered Freeman’s alleged fraud. The South Georgia chapter of the Kansas City Chiefs fan club paid $14,500 to Freeman’s nonprofit, BirdLady Cares Inc., to host a tailgate before the Sept. 22 Chiefs-Falcons game. However, when over 300 paid participants showed up on the event stadium, nothing was arrange. Tammy Southwood, the organizer of the event, contacted Freeman, who claimed she was taken to hospital and detained by police.

The event never took place. Instead, Southwood claims he obtained photos of Freeman on the match. Freeman defended herself by claiming that every one participants had left by the point she arrived. She also stated that her handyman was taken to hospital after a fall.

Moreover, the fan club believed that a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales could be donated to her non-profit organization. BirdLady Cares Inc. is registered as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping children affected by violence, domestic violence and bullying.

However, Freeman stated that she used more cash than she was allocated, leaving nothing for her organization. Freeman’s social media pages include past photos of events she organized for children.

As she stays in custody, BirdLady’s trial date has been set for November 5.

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