Sports
Las Vegas Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce Is Trying to Bring Back Glory to Raider Nation
COSTA MESA, Calif. – For someone who supposedly finds himself in such a difficult situation, Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce definitely doesn’t seem burdened.
The Raiders have had a winning record in only two of the last 21 seasons, and their last postseason victory got here during former President George W. Bush’s first term. Given the franchise’s long-standing struggles, it seems the Raiders’ iconic motto needs an update: Just Win, Baby?
But if Pierce, who’s entering his first full season because the Raiders’ running back, is worried in regards to the team’s alleged major shortcomings, he has hidden it well.
As Pierce recently milled about monitoring training camp drills, he wore a broad smile. He was clearly energetic during transient meetings with assistant coaches and support staff between practice periods. And in his interactions with the ardent Raiders fans and reporters who cover the team, Pierce was an enticing ambassador for the franchise.
He’s not burying his head within the sand, Pierce said. He knows the Raiders are on a roll. It’s just that Pierce has shocked doubters throughout his playing profession, so he isn’t changing course now. Let others give attention to the Raiders’ apparent shortcomings. Pierce has a job to do. And make no mistake, he said, it’ll get done.
“My whole life (I’ve had) a back-to-the-wall mentality,” Pierce told Andscape. “I’ve always been told what I can’t do. And when you have the opportunity to go out and do it, and you’ve shown (before) that you can do it, why wouldn’t you believe you can do it again? And why wouldn’t you talk about doing it from now on?”
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Pierce is respected inside the Raiders organization for not mincing words but taking motion.
In November 2023, Pierce was in just his second yr because the team’s linebackers coach when owner Mark Davis tapped him as interim coach. In the midst of a significant organizational shakeup, Davis ousted then-coach Josh McDaniels, who had failed to connect with players as Las Vegas descended into 3-5 chaos.
The ineffective Daniels seemed stuck in his glory days as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots, which meant about as much to the Raiders because the brand of lightbulbs utilized in their headquarters in Henderson, Nevada. Pierce immediately set about rebuilding the bridges within the locker room, as is normal for him.
Throughout his NFL playing days with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants, the previous middle linebacker was an excellent teammate and leader, former NFL players said. Pierce emphasized labor, trust and responsibility, telling Raiders players and coaches that he would expect no less of himself than he demanded of them. For grown men bored with the mini-dictator approach, Pierce’s style was refreshing.
The change in management philosophy translated into improved results on the pitch.
The Raiders went 5-4 under Pierce. The victories included a 20-14 victory over the archrival Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City on Christmas Day, which delighted Davis and played a task in rewarding Pierce with a multi-year contract that allowed him to stay on. Confident in himself as the proper man to lead the Raiders, Pierce proved it to Davis as well.
“It’s not always perfect. Sometimes things don’t go the way you think they’re going to, and some things are just out of your control,” Pierce said. “The only thing I could control was my effort. That’s something you’ll be able to do day-after-day.
“The good thing about it is that everyone sees the effort. They see what you expect of yourself and what (standard) you set for yourself. Our players, coaching staff and Raider Nation saw that and supported me to be a head coach in the future. Mr. Davis saw that, too.”
As star wide receiver Davante Adams said, from what players saw each day, Pierce had loads of upside.
“AP is the right coach for any team,” the three-time first-team All-Pro said. “He’s real. He’s understanding. He’s very realistic (about the difficulty of the game), but he also upholds and maintains the standard of play that he believes in and that we all believe in. It’s just very, very easy to follow a guy (who) understands the bigger picture and has the same mindset that we do as players. It’s easy to get behind that.”
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Born and raised in Southern California, Pierce, 45, fell in love with football and the Raiders as a baby. In 1982, the franchise moved from Oakland, California, where it was founded in 1960, to Los Angeles, where it played its home games at the large Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Although Pierce developed right into a standout linebacker and fullback at Paramount High in Paramount, California, he was not considered an elite college prospect. After two years at Mount San Antonio College, a community college in Walnut, California, Pierce transferred to the University of Arizona. Despite solid performances for the Wildcats, Pierce was not chosen within the 2001 NFL Draft.
In 2001, Washington signed Pierce as an undrafted rookie free agent. Undeterred by the way in which he arrived within the NFL, Pierce was determined to prove he was in the proper place.
By his fourth season, the determined Pierce had gone from a special teams player and little-used defensive linebacker to the team’s starting middle linebacker. He was rewarded for his perseverance when the Giants signed him as a free agent after the 2005 season.
Pierce finished his playing profession with the Giants by becoming a team captain, being named to the Pro Bowl and helping the Giants win Super Bowl XLII over favored New England, which was vying to change into the second undefeated team in league history. Before joining the Raiders, Pierce was an ESPN analyst and spent five seasons because the coach at Arizona State.
Including interim coaches, the Raiders have had 13 head coaches previously 21 seasons. For Pierce to enjoy longevity on the position, he needs to discover a way at quarterback. Fast. Sophomore Aidan O’Connell, who had some good moments as a rookie in Las Vegas last season, is competing with veteran Gardner Minshew II for the starting job.
The Raiders are, in a way, unlucky to play within the AFC West, which is run by the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs. Kansas City has won three Super Bowls in five seasons, becoming the NFL’s newest dynasty, and has won eight straight division titles.
Pierce is well aware of the Chiefs’ long list of accomplishments, but he won’t accept mediocrity, nor will he allow those under his command to accomplish that.
“You train and play this game to win the Lombardi (Super Bowl trophy). That’s it,” Pierce said. “So that’s what we attempt for.
“But more importantly, it’s something more for this organization, after not having the success we’ve been accustomed to over the last 25 years. It would be great to see, for me and for this team, something back for Raider Nation. To bring back the glory.”
To do this, the Raiders, like the remainder of the AFC, could have to face the Chiefs. Kansas City has appeared in six straight AFC Championship Games, winning 4.
Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, widely considered the league’s best player, has terrorized the Raiders in 12 profession games against them, throwing 30 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. The Chiefs are 10-2 in those games. So Pierce got here up with “The Patrick Mahomes Rules.”
In short, Pierce’s strategy emphasizes using physicality against Mahomes (inside the principles, in fact), hoping to affect the three-time Super Bowl MVP’s psychology. The concept harkens back to “The Jordan Rules,” a successful scheme utilized by the Detroit Pistons within the late Nineteen Eighties to demoralize Chicago Bulls point guard Michael Jordan, then the sport’s best player, within the playoffs.
A coach calling on defensive players to go above and beyond in harassing the league’s most iconic quarterback is something that plays well within the locker room. But not a lot within the league office.
Of course, NFL referees will likely be especially vigilant in monitoring things as teams play this season. The Raiders correctly kept away from commenting on the topic.
Pierce, for his part, said he isn’t holding back on any of the actions he’s taken since becoming Raiders coach, “because at the end of the day, you’ve got to try something different. You’ve got to try to make the change you want. I want to win. I want to win for the coaches, the players, Mr. Davis … everybody in Raider Nation. If we do that, if we can have that success again, that’s what makes me happy.”
And in pursuit of happiness, Pierce will come to work day-after-day with a positive attitude, trying to prove the naysayers flawed. So far, it’s an approach that has served him well.
The 2025 Basketball Africa League season will feature a brand new venue for the finals and playoffs and will also start at a brand new location.
The BAL 2025 Playoffs and Finals, scheduled for June 14, 2025, will happen at the recent home in Pretoria, South Africa. This will be the first time the BAL playoffs and finals haven’t been held in Kigali, Rwanda. The BAL 2025 season will also debut in a brand new location in Rabat, Morocco on April 5, 2025. During the BAL 2025 season, 12 of the best club teams from 12 African countries will play 48 matches in Rabat, Kigali and Dakar, Senegal, before traveling to Pretoria for play- offs.
“Over the first four seasons of BAL, we have seen tremendous growth in on-court competition, attendance and engagement from fans and partners in Africa and around the world,” BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall said in a press release. “Our groundbreaking fifth season will build on this momentum and continue to showcase the level of talent and passion for basketball in Africa, including through the first BAL games in Morocco and the first BAL Finals in South Africa.”
The 12 teams will be divided again into three conferences of 4 teams each. The group stage of the Kalahari Conference will happen from April 5 to 13, 2025 in Rabat. The group stage of the Sahara Conference will be held in Dakar from April 26 to May 4, 2025. The group stage of the Nile Conference will be held in Kigali from May 17 to 25, 2025. Eight teams from the three conferences will qualify for the play-offs in Pretoria, which will start on June 6 and end with the BAL 2025 finals.
“The Kalahari conference marks another expansion of BAL into a new country on our continent and we are more than satisfied,” FIBA Africa president Anibal Manave said in a press release. “The competition continues to grow each year, providing greater exposure for our sport and helping to raise the level of basketball in Africa, making the league increasingly competitive.”
National champions from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia routinely qualify for the BAL. The remaining five teams are from FIBA Africa’s Road to the BAL qualifying tournaments.
In the 2024 BAL season, Petro de Luanda of Angola became the first team from Sub-Saharan Africa to win the championship. According to BAL, the 2024 BAL season reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages, set an attendance record of greater than 120,000 fans in the 4 host countries and generated greater than 1.2 billion views across the NBA and BAL social media channels.
NFL Hall of Fame receiver and podcast host Terrell Owens has signed with a talent agency to further strengthen his claims within the entertainment game.
According to , Owens was signed by SMAC Entertainment, headed by host and NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and his business partner Constance Schwartz-Morini.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz has also joined SMAC Entertainment.
“We are excited to add TO and Jordan to the SMAC family. They are both at the top of their game and set the standard in their industry,” Schwartz-Morini said in a written statement. “TO and Jordan have already brought an infectious energy to our team, and we are excited to help them realize their vision for careers in media, business and branding.”
A five-time first-team All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler, Owens played for the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. In 2018, he was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
A member of the 2000 NFL All-Decade Team, Owens finished his profession with 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards, 14.8 yards per catch and 153 touchdowns, rating third all-time in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Since retiring from skilled soccer in 2012, Owens has already made several moves. He has appeared in several movies and tv shows, including “,” and in addition had his own reality show, “, on VH1.
He currently co-hosts the podcast with former NFL player and sports analyst Shannon Sharpe.
SMAC Entertainment is home to stars similar to rapper and actor Common, Wiz Khalifa, Strahan, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders and current NFL players similar to Stefon Diggs and DK Metcalf.
Sports
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker brings an NBA championship desire with his Olympic experience
The gold medal went to the USA Basketball team. Mission completed on the 2024 Paris Games. U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr just answered his final query during his final news conference on Aug. 10 after his team defeated France within the gold medal game.
However, before leaving the stage of the press conference in Paris, Kerr stopped to deliver an unsolicited message to media around the globe.
“Devin Booker is an amazing basketball player. Nobody asked about him. He was our unsung MVP. I just desired to say that,” Kerr said.
The “underrated MVP” compliment meant so much to the Phoenix Suns guard.
“It meant everything. No one really asked him,” Booker recently told Andscape. “That was probably something that was weighing on his mind throughout the entire process. A 12 months ago I said what I desired to do for this team and what we desired to do for the country.
“It was a lot larger than all of us. Survival was something we’d discuss for the remainder of our lives.
The USA Basketball team was centered around NBA star icons LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. There has also been some discussion amongst media and fans in regards to the lack of playing time for Jayson Tatum and, to a lesser extent, Tyrese Haliburton. Lost within the shuffle was the all-around, unselfish play of sharpshooter Booker wearing the armband.
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Booker was fourth in scoring for the U.S., averaging 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and a couple of.2 three-pointers made early in all six Olympics, and likewise had the perfect plus/minus (plus-130) for an American. Kerr was impressed with Booker’s deal with a difficult defense, regardless that he is thought for his offense, ball movement and the way he has adjusted to not being one in every of the highest options on offense.
“I just understood what was at stake,” Booker said. “I’m proud to be from this country. I’m happy with playing basketball. Even though it wasn’t invented in America, we dominated for a very long time. Obviously the world is incredibly talented and the sport is growing, however it was just one other message to allow them to know who we’re.
Booker said he also learned in regards to the preparations from his all-star team, watching the preparations on and off the court. The 28-year-old added that he gained lifelong friendships.
“It’s cool to see that everyone has their own issues,” Booker said. “In my 10 years in the NBA, I’ve learned that you have to choose what you can use for yourself. But the level of detail, the attention to detail, the intensity – it’s all consistent across the board.”
As for Durant, Booker said the bond between the 2 Sun stars “is close and grows stronger every day.” They live about five minutes from one another within the Phoenix area and commonly spend time at home and on the road. Most recently, Booker had to steer the Suns without Durant, who was sidelined with an injury.
The amazing Durant averaged 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and three.4 assists, which were tops for the Suns. However, the 14-time NBA All-Star has been sidelined since November 8 with a left calf strain. Suns players Bradley Beal (calf) and Jusuf Nurkic (ankle) were also sidelined. The Suns are 1-5 without Durant, which incorporates 4 straight losses.
Booker and Suns sans Durant’s next rivals shall be the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET). Over the last six games, Booker is averaging 24.1 points, shooting 43.2% from the sphere and making 16 of 43 three-pointers. Suns guard Tyus Jones said there was numerous pressure on Booker offensively due to the injury.
“We’re asking a lot of Book,” Jones said after Monday’s 109-99 loss to the visiting Orlando Magic. “It’s numerous pressure for him. We are very focused on it. They are physical with him, holding him and grabbing him, throwing two or three bodies at him all night long. So he’s got so much on his plate and we just need to proceed to seek out ways to get him open within the moments we will and proceed to assist him when other players are taking shots and making plays.
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
Booker currently has two Olympic gold medals, 4 NBA All-Star appearances and one NBA Finals appearance. The only thing missing from the Suns’ second-leading all-time scorer is an NBA championship. Since the Suns joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1968, they’ve yet to win a title.
After experiencing the joys of winning a gold medal, Booker as an NBA champion wants the gold Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy much more.
“Most of the guys that were there did it,” Booker said of his Olympic teammates who were NBA champions. “They were champions. This is standard for them. Anything lower than that, they need nothing to do with it. It’s contagious…
“That’s all I want. That’s all I want.”
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