Sports
‘He’s Like Family’: Rivalry Strengthens Strong Bond Between Former NFL Teammates
Chris Dishman called a handful of individuals shortly after Texas Southern’s vp of intercollegiate athletics Kevin Granger he informed him in January that he can be named the brand new head football coach of the Tigers.
Prairie View A&M football coach is on the short list of people that must be told immediately Bubba McDowellDishman’s former NFL teammate.
“He (McDowell) was very instrumental in me getting this job,” Dishman said. “We’re not blood brothers, but he’s like family.”
Once close teammates, they became enemies with the Southwestern Athletic Conference West at Texas Southern 27-9 After defeating Prairie View A&M on Saturday within the Labor Day Classic, Dishman picked up his first win as Tigers football coach — and his first against McDowell.
Texas Southern (1-0) broke a series of nine defeats to Prairie View A&M (0-1), bringing the Durley-Nicks Trophy to Houston for the primary time since 2014. Dishman became the second TSU head coach in 12 seasons to win the annual classic in his coaching debut.
He also won the old fraternal “hit the beach” contest, he said. The long-standing Oilers tradition was began by former Houston defensive coordinator and head coach Jerry Glanville, who awarded players green military helmets during practices for the perfect special play of the week during matches.
“One of my first touchdowns in the NFL was when Bubba blocked a kick and I picked it up and scored,” Dishman said. “I can keep my helmet here.”
Dishman, an elite cornerback, and McDowell, a pointy safety and excellent special teams player, were teammates from 1988 to 1994 on the previous Houston Oilers, a unit defined by its physicality. Houston chosen Dishman, a former Purdue star, within the fifth round. 1988 NFL Draft and McDowell, a Miami standout, within the third round 1989 NFL Draft.
Although neither Dishman, 59, nor McDowell, 57, wore the uniforms they wore together in Houston, their coaching philosophies of brotherhood and shared experiences, attention to detail and football sense were on full display Saturday.
“Coach McDowell told me there’s no rivalry until we win one game,” Dishman told reporters after the sport. “So we won one game, now the rivalry starts.”
Even after TSU clinched the victory over its division rival, Glanville called the meeting the true definition of brotherhood.
Dishman and McDowell’s friendship originally began over Glanville. When he watched film of then-Purdue linebacker Fred Strickland before the 1988 draft, he noticed “this cornerback who kept making plays,” he said.
After seeing quite a few flashes of Dishman’s ability on defense, Glanville had had enough.
“I turned off the film and said, ‘I don’t want a linebacker, I want a cornerback,'” he said.
The Oilers were also known for his or her kick blocking on special teams, and Glanville desired to bolster that effort. He selected McDowell.
“When I first met Bubba, he was a teenager,” Glanville said. “He was a young pup, but he was the best kick blocker in the country.”
Dishman agreed. “He could slide under big offensive linemen and make plays. I always wanted to line up next to him. He was such a terror on special teams, blocking kicks.”
Although McDowell fancied himself a special teams superpower, he also desired to be a starter on the Oilers’ defense. But before he got his likelihood, the 6-foot-1 safety, who played more zone under then-coach Jimmy Johnson on the University of Miami, needed to learn every thing he could about playing defense in Houston. Dishman became his teacher.
In 1989, McDowell fought for a starting spot. McDowell often sat over Dishman, who “crouched on almost every play” in Cover 2 defenses, he said.
“Cris would always tell me, ‘Make sure you’re deep,’ and he’d ask, ‘Are you supporting me?’” McDowell said.
While pure athletic ability helped McDowell execute plays based on advice he received from other veterans on the team, he quickly learned the importance of watching more footage of coverages and his opponents.
“I tried to do things my way,” McDowell said. “(Dishman) reminded me of three things: This isn’t Miami, the NFL will humiliate you and everyone is either at my level or better. How I decided to handle it was up to me.”
A young Nick Saban, who was the Oilers’ defensive backs coach within the Nineteen Nineties 1988 to 1989i felt the identical way.
“He (Saban) kept telling me that if I studied and watched more film, I could make a lot more plays and potentially get selected to the Pro Bowl,” McDowell said. “I took it with a grain of salt at first because I wasn’t used to it.”
Taking Saban’s advice and heeding the recommendation of veterans like defensive end Sean Jones, defensive back Richard Johnson and linebacker Robert Lyles, McDowell, despite never making the Pro Bowl in his seven-year NFL profession, became the Oilers’ starting defensive end.
“They (Dishman and McDowell) played so well, a lot of people thought I could be a coach,” Glanville said with amusing. “But they were more than just players. Now that they’re coaches, I’d bet all the money I’ve ever made that those two are changing players’ lives every day.”
While Dishman and McDowell became true stars on the Oilers’ defense, their success wasn’t just a mirrored image of their individual skills; it was a testament to their commitment to remaining students of the sport. Dishman recalled how he and McDowell spent a few years in San Diego training for upcoming seasons, hoping to get one step closer to winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Although Dishman and McDowell never won a Super Bowl, the Oilers’ postseason resurgence has been well-documented. They have played in five of Houston makes seven consecutive postseason appearances — 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 — including two AFC Central division titles. However, their tenure also included “Return” within the 1993 postseason, when the Oilers surrendered a 35-3 result in the Buffalo Bills, leading to Houston pulling off the best comeback in NFL history.
While no football team is without flaws, Lyles knew each Dishman and McDowell can be special. Lyles, who played for Houston from 1984 to 1990 and was a captain, said each were “classic doers” and “real men” in life.
“When I came in, we were a couple years away from getting Houston back on track,” Lyles said. “Cris and Bubba took it to the next level and carried the torch. … They locked guys in there. They were teachable and passed on the lessons they learned from watching us to the younger players.”
Eddie GeorgeThe 1995 Heisman Trophy winner from Ohio State, chosen by the Oilers in the primary round of the 1996 draft, finished his first season because the NFL’s offensive rookie of the 12 months. George, now the Tennessee State football coach, said his success as a professional wouldn’t have been possible without veterans like Dishman.
“He’s one of my best friends,” George said. “He’d invite me to meet his buddies at this place in Houston and show me what to look out for, who to talk to, what to stay away from.”
Dishman, who has nearly 20 years of coaching experience, instills that very same sense of brotherhood in his players at Texas Southern.
“Besides being better players, we go to church every Sunday and have team dinners where we get to hang out with our teammates,” the senior linebacker from Texas Southern said. Javius Williams, who finished second on the Tigers defense in tackles (six) and intercepted one pass in Saturday’s victory“They are mandatory. They have helped us build bonds that help us in the trenches.”
McDowell, who initially didn’t see himself as a coach because he didn’t consider he had the patience, is pursuing the identical team-building program at Prairie View A&M.
“Trying to pour into players like Nick Saban did with me, I know what he went through with me,” McDowell said. “That’s the job.”
The last time Texas Southern had a winning season was It was in 2000in the identical season as Dishman retired from the NFL. But after TSU beat Prairie View A&M, the SWAC last 12 months vice-championshipUnder Dishman, a brand new chapter could begin in Houston.
Dishman and McDowell said that regardless of what the long run holds, they may all the time be close.
“We both want to win,” Dishman said with amusing. “The team that wins the red-zone battle, converts the most third downs, wins special teams and stays calm when the pressure is on is going to win the game. … But through it all and in the future, he will always be my brother.”
Sports
Robert Griffin III couldn’t be happier for Jayden Daniels in Washington: ‘He brought the city to life’
Star Black quarterbacks aren’t any longer the exception – they’re the rule. Throughout the football season, the series will explore the importance and impact of Black quarterbacks, from the grassroots level to the NFL.
The buzz in Washington grew stronger each week as a talented young quarterback revitalized a team that had been stagnant. He led the team’s unlikely rise to the top of the NFC East standings and, in the process, inspired something that many Washington supporters had lost: hope.
Of course, the starting quarterback of the Washington Commanders Jayden Daniels is a rising star. But long before Daniels took the nation’s capital by storm along with his signature moves and late game heroismRobert Griffin III was the talk of the town.
Like Daniels, Griffin was a Heisman Trophy winner who was chosen second overall in the NFL draft by the Washington franchise. In some ways, Griffin’s rookie season was much more magical than Daniels’ current thrill ride. With Griffin at the helm, Washington won the NFC East title in 2012-13 – the franchise’s first title in 13 seasons. He had a strong passing arm, a sprinter’s speed and a megawatt smile that endeared him to fans. In Washington, the next big thing was RG3.
However, after suffering a severe knee injury in his debut season, Griffin never repeated the success he achieved in his first yr in Washington. Today, Griffin, 34, enjoys watching Daniels from afar while reveling in Washington’s exciting recent path.
During a lengthy phone interview with Andscape on Wednesday, Griffin looked back and forward, expressing his happiness for the club and its fans.
“As far as Washington heading into the season, there is just not an analyst in the world that thinks (the Commanders) will be 6-2 without delay. Not one, right? Not based on the schedule, not based on the lineup or anything. I’ve heard some people say that one guy modified the whole lot. And whenever you say that… you have got no idea what you are talking about. In DC it is often about multiple guy. In 2012, there have been 3-6 of us at the end of the week. Then we began a seven-game streak (winning streak). We finished 10-6, won the league and made the playoffs. Everyone else knows the remainder of this story.
“But it isn’t nearly Jayden Daniels in Washington without delay. He is the one who revived the city and took it over. I’ll say this and I even have said this before: “When you win in DC, there isn’t any higher city to be in. And whenever you win in DC, the quarterback is more essential than the president of the United States.’ That’s what Jayden Daniels achieved. … But it isn’t nearly Jayden Daniels. This is Josh Harris, the recent owner. This is Adam Peters, the recent CEO. This is the recent head coach, Dan Quinn. This is the recent offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury. It’s about bringing in a vet like (tight end) Zach Ertz. It’s about bringing in a vet like (running back) Austin Ekeler.
“It’s about (running back) Brian Robinson. It’s about (wide receiver) Terry McLaurin. They have done so many things to get the fresh smell of Febreze from the top of the organization down. Peters has done an incredible job of putting his team along with guys who understand how to win. … Daniels was the most explosive passer and most explosive runner in all of school football last yr. The statistics back it up and that is why he won the Heisman Trophy. He was absolutely amazing. But whenever you take a look at his stats (NFL), he ranks (tied) twenty second in the league in passing touchdowns with seven. He is in the top five in yards per attempt (fifth, 8.4 yards per attempt). In terms of meters, he ranks twelfth in the league.
“But the way you’re feeling when he’s on the field, you’d think he led the league in touchdown passes, he led the league in passing yards and all that. That’s because Washington wins and doesn’t ask the world about Jayden Daniels. So after they need the world from Him, like during the Hail Mary, He delivers. This is an attractive recipe for success. As he grows and develops, he doesn’t try to do an excessive amount of. He doesn’t try to put the team on his back. It’s just natural for him. And that is what makes it so exciting. I’m very joyful for him.
I have already got an old head, which is sort of crazy. I do not think it’s right for old heads to take a look at the younger generation and never want them to succeed. Today you hear analysts all the time taking the approach: “Well, I was this and that.” I used to be an expert bowler. I used to be an expert. I used to be a Hall of Famer. Let me inform you why these guys stink. I do not think that is the right approach. I believe the approach is that you just take a look at the younger generation and speak about what makes them great. You tell them a story about who they’re so people can really get to know them. And in the event that they screw up, you tell them why they made a mistake and the way they’ll improve. For me, that is how you progress things forward.
“With Jayden, I approached it this way. I am honored to have the opportunity to connect with him and his family and be a mentor when he needs it. Jayden Daniels is top notch in terms of how he thinks and how intellectual and smart he is. You can see it in his game. It doesn’t force many things. He has a natural ability to carry out important actions at the right moment. So yes, I’m really happy for him. And I’m even more happy for the city.”
Sports
The NBA is investigating Joel Embiid’s altercation with a journalist
The NBA is investigating whether Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid allegedly pushed Marcus Hayes, a columnist for ” “, into the locker room after a game on November 2. Embiid reportedly felt offended that his son and late brother were used against him within the column Hayes wrote.
According to , Keith Pompney with a report that Embiid attacked a reporter within the locker room. After initial confusion over whether Embiid punched the reporter, ESPN insider Shams Charania confirmed it was a shove, not a punch.
Kyle Neubeck, who later wrote his own column on Embiid’s humanity, evident in his response to the reporter Embiid shoved, said on the postgame show that the reporter was Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“The moment Joel realized he (Hayes) was there, a verbal exchange occurred. Of course, we cannot repeat lots of the words that were said on this program. The basic rule was: “You can say I suck, you can say whatever you want about me as a player.” Never put my dead brother’s name in your mouth. Don’t speak about my family. Leave them out of this. “You want to talk to me like a man and talk to me about basketball, that’s one thing, but if you ever talk about my family again, we’re going to have serious problems,” Neubeck said.
Hayes’ article was partly a response to the 76ers being fined $100,000 for making misleading public statements about Embiid’s health after he claimed he was struggling with a left knee injury.
The starting of Hayes’ column sounds quite harsh, and plenty of people expressed solidarity with Embiid on social media.
“Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son Arthur as a major turning point in his basketball profession. He often says he desires to be great, leaving a legacy for a boy named after his younger brother, who tragically died in a automobile accident when Embiid was in the primary 12 months of his 76er profession,” Hayes began his column.
Hayes continued, “Well, to be good at your job, you first have to point out up for it. Embiid was great at the exact opposite. Now in its eleventh season, it commonly finds itself in poor condition. Apparently, this poor condition delayed his debut this season.
Hayes later had that first paragraph removed, admitting he understood why people objected to it in a post on his Twitter account.
Embiid clearly didn’t accept the apology from Hayes, who continued to publish columns critical of Embiid after he mentioned Embiid’s son, who was named after Embiid’s brother, Arthur, who died in a automobile accident in Cameroon in 2014.
In his comments to reporters on Nov. 1, Embiid mentioned that he had played through injury or injury several times, and was particularly vocal in attacking Hayes.
“If your body doesn’t respond well and if it tells you one thing – I did it. As far as I do know, I broke my face twice, I got here back earlier with the danger of losing my sight, my fingers were broken, but I got here back anyway. So I’m not going to take a seat here and think that folks are saying, “He doesn’t want to play.” I’ve done way an excessive amount of for this city at the danger of individuals saying so. I believe it’s bullshit,” Embiid said.
Embiid continued: “Like this guy, he is not here, Marcus, whatever his name is, I’ve done way an excessive amount of for this f***ing city to be treated like this. Far an excessive amount of has been done. I wish I might be as lucky as others, but that doesn’t suggest I’m not trying and doing every part in my power to be there soon.
Sports
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope brings a championship pedigree to the rising Orlando Magic
ORLANDO, Fla. – Veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope showed leadership amongst his young and rising Orlando Magic teammates for the first time, offering words of wisdom about the importance of competition in training camp. The two-time NBA champion believed his advice would make everyone higher.
With ambitions to do what Caldwell-Pope, nicknamed KCP, had already done, Magic players gave him their undivided attention.
“He made himself known early on with his vocals,” Magic forward Paolo Banchero told Andscape. “And then he’s physically in the right places and he’s a link for us on each ends of the floor. It’s something we’re obviously pleased with as a team and he matches in perfectly. I’m just really enthusiastic about what he’ll bring to our team, the leadership he’ll bring and his perspective.
According to NBA.com, the Magic are the fifth youngest team in the NBA in the 2024 season (average age 24.7 years). Caldwell-Pope, 32, is the second-oldest player to veteran defenseman Cory Joseph, 33. Caldwell-Pope can be the most decorated veteran on the team, having won two NBA titles with the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers and 62 playoff appearances in 11 seasons. Additionally, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the 5-foot-7, 204-pounder has played a league-high 835 games since arriving in the NBA in 2013.
With Banchero, a 2024 NBA All-Star, at the helm, the Magic qualified for the postseason last season for the first time since 2020. Caldwell-Pope and Magic will face the Cleveland Cavaliers in a playoff rematch on Friday night (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET). ).
Orlando believes the addition of Caldwell-Pope has added essential perimeter defense, three-point shooting and leadership. Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said Caldwell-Pope is already providing advice on “the small details,” including talking to defenseman Jalen Suggs about making more of an impact defensively and with Banchero about maintaining distance on offense when he has the ball.
“He means so much to this team,” Mosley told Andscape about Caldwell-Pope. “He brings leadership, experience and a winning mentality, playing defense and doing all the little things that often go unnoticed.”
“He has a really extraordinary perspective on how he may help us as a team and has a championship pedigree. That’s what we’re striving for and he’s a good guy who may help us get there,” Banchero said of Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope said he teaches a lot on the Magic every single day, showing his young teammates simpler ways of doing things while also offering insight from what he’s seen on film and in practice. Caldwell-Pope said he received the same support from former teammates LeBron James, Nikola Jokić, Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo and Jamal Murray.
“I’m pretty vocal, but I learned it on the last two teams I played for: Denver and then a little bit in DC (Washington Wizards). But mostly from my two championship teams and just being around guys who were leaders, a lot of guys in the locker room who were loud enough. Just learning from these guys and knowing what I’m talking about makes it easier,” Caldwell-Pope said.
It wasn’t easy for Caldwell-Pope to leave the Nuggets.
Caldwell-Pope was the starting scorer as the Nuggets won their first NBA Championship in 2023. He continued to be a key player for the Nuggets last season, averaging 10.1 points and 1.2 steals and shooting 40.6% on three-pointers. However, the Nuggets decided to turn to junior shooting guard Christian Braun for the future. So as a substitute of returning to the Mile High City, Caldwell-Pope signed a three-year, $66 million contract with the Magic.
“It was difficult. We gave them a chance, but things happen,” Caldwell-Pope said. “I let my agent, Rich Paul, handle all of it. But my agent at all times told me, “At the end of the day, it’s a business.” I want to discover what is going to make me glad, what will probably be best for me and my family…
“I used to be a a part of the first (Nuggets title) in almost 40-something years. Of course, everyone who was on that team that yr will probably be a part of this championship that can go down in history. It’s at all times a blessing and I’m grateful to be a a part of things like this and play a major role in it.
They’re not talking about the first NBA championship in Orlando, but expectations of being an Eastern Conference powerhouse are growing. Last season, Magic led the Cleveland Cavaliers to Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs and commenced the regular season well (3-2). Banchero’s rising star, who’s sidelined indefinitely with a torn diagonalalso stepped into the highlight after scoring a career-high 50 points in Monday’s victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Caldwell-Pope believes he made a solid long-term decision in coming to Orlando.
“What made it a good fit was the young corps they have and the returning players they brought in,” Caldwell-Pope said. “The core group continues to be together. The way they played last season (season), the growth of the organization that I saw, and them reaching the playoffs showed me that they were in fine condition. I just sat down and thought of it with my family and what could be best for them. Orlando seems pretty good to me.
Orlando is about an hour and 45 minutes by plane from Atlanta, Caldwell-Pope’s off-season home. Another plus is Greenville, Georgia, a Florida resident doesn’t have to worry about snow.
“All the snow jackets are gone. We left them at home in Atlanta,” Caldwell-Pope said with a smile. “The weather here is sort of good. We’re on this golf course.
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