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  • Eagles fan and WWE star Nikki Bella responds to Cooper DeJean chants on Raw amid dating rumors

    Eagles fan and WWE star Nikki Bella responds to Cooper DeJean chants on Raw amid dating rumors

    Nikki Bella thought fans at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday night were booing her, but the Philly crowd was actually cheering “Coop” at the WWE Hall of Famer.

    Bella, who was in the ring for WWE’s Monday Night Raw, reportedly began casually dating Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean in January, according to TMZ. Neither Bella, 42, nor DeJean, 22, has publicly confirmed they are dating, but Bella’s reaction to the crowd indicates there is some connection between the two.

    While the “Coop” cheer has become common at Lincoln Financial Field since the Eagles drafted DeJean out of Iowa in 2024, it caught Bella, an Eagles fan, off guard during Monday night’s show.

    “Is that for the Eagles not getting in the Super Bowl, or for us?” Bella quipped while in the ring with her twin sister and tag team partner, Brie Bella.

    Brie corrected her sister on what exactly the Philly crowd was shouting.

    “I actually think they were saying ‘Coop,’” Brie Bella said.

    “Oh,” Nikki Bella replied. “Can you blame a girl for having good taste? I mean, Pro Bowl, baby.”

    Rumors emerged that Bella, whose real name is Nikki Garcia, was dating DeJean in December after Bella posted a video of herself at the Linc wearing an Eagles baseball jersey with DeJean’s name on the back.

    Bella was also spotted at Eagles training camp in August when Raw made a previous stop in Philly, and posted multiple pictures with DeJean on social media. TMZ reported in January that DeJean and Bella had gone on dates but that Bella still considered herself to be single.

    “It was so magical just to see all the players, to meet everyone,” Bella said on her podcast, The Nikki and Brie Show, in an episode titled “Big Ring Energy” after her visit. “For them, they talked with us like we were family. Everyone wanted to know the story of why we were here.”

    Brie interjected, “Well, hopefully one day they are family” with a laugh, before Nikki quickly changed the subject.

    @adamglyn @Brie Garcia and @Nikki Garcia discuss their return at Royal Rumble and more!! #wwe #royalrumble ♬ original sound – Adam Glyn

    Bella divorced former Dancing With the Stars coach Artem Chigvintsev in 2024, shortly after Chigvintsev was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence in California. The Napa County District Attorney declined to charge Chigvintsev. Chigvintsev and Bella share joint custody of their son, Matteo.

    DeJean was named a first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2025. He finished his second NFL season with two interceptions and 93 tackles.

    Bella stepped into the ring at Xfinity Mobile Arena to announce that she would join Brie to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, which is held by Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky.

    Nikki and Brie — with the latter coming out of retirement for Sunday’s Royal Rumble after a four-year absence — have not wrestled as a tag team since October 2018.

  • Hats, gloves, and a hot dog launcher: Countdown to baseball begins as Phillies load spring training truck

    Hats, gloves, and a hot dog launcher: Countdown to baseball begins as Phillies load spring training truck

    It may not look like it outside, but spring was in the air Tuesday in South Philly.

    After a long morning of packing, members of the Phillies front office staff surrounded the first-base gate at Citizens Bank Park and waved their 2026 All-Star Game rally towels as the team truck pulled out and began its journey to spring training in Clearwater, Fla.

    The truck — decorated for this year’s All-Star Game, which is July 14 at Citizens Bank Park,— will travel 1,054 miles, passing through eight states before arriving at BayCare Ballpark. Spring training begins in just over a week, on Feb. 11, for pitchers and catchers; the full squad will report on Feb. 16.

    Throughout the Phillies’ six weeks in Florida, they’ll need to have all the necessities — from 600 pairs of pants to a single stroller and one very important hot dog launcher — and that’s where the Phillies staff comes in to help.

    “Today, we’re packing up the truck,” said Tim Schmidt, a clubhouse attendant for the Phillies. “It’s a pretty long process. I mean, there’s a lot of inventory that goes into it. We have to label everything, we have to put it in bins, and then there’s thousands of items. So, it’s not like it’s just a couple of Nike orders. It’s a lot. It’s time consuming.”

    ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: Whit Merrifield on Nick Castellanos’ falling out, why Rob Thomson was his favorite manager

    For a job this big, the team has to get an early start. The packing process began two weeks after the end of the season and officially concluded on Tuesday morning. Workers from Old Dominion Freight Line and members of the Phillies staff began loading up the truck’s three 28-foot trailers at about 8 a.m. and didn’t wrap up until 11:40 a.m.

    Of course, they did have a little help from the Phanatic, who made some brief appearances — directing traffic and attempting to ride the forklift.

    Despite the distraction, workers packed plenty of essential items for any baseball team into the truck, including …

    • 5,000 paper cups
    • 2,400 baseballs
    • 2,000 short- and long-sleeved shirts
    • 1,200 bats
    • 900 pairs of socks
    • 600 pairs of pants
    • 600 batting practice hats
    • 350 pairs of shorts
    • 300 batting gloves
    • 250 batting practice tops
    • 200 fleeces
    • 200 light jackets
    • 200 pairs of assorted shoes
    • 140 batting helmets
    • 125 leather and elastic belts
    • 40 heavy jackets
    • 20 coolers
    • Several children’s bikes
    • and one stroller

    “I’ve been doing this for nine years,” Schmidt said. “My boss has been doing it for close to, I think, 40 years. So I’m sure there were a couple of hiccups along the way, but now we kind of have it down pat. We know what to do. We know what to bring. We know how much to bring.”

    Of course they couldn’t forget the most important item of all — the Phanatic’s high-powered hot dog launcher.

    “I’ve been asked a couple times today, ‘What’s the unique item?’” Schmidt said. “It’s the hot dog launcher. That’s the last thing to get loaded onto the truck. Once that’s loaded, everyone gets excited because you kind of know you’re done.”

    The Phillies will open their Grapefruit League schedule on Feb. 21 against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. Spring training ends March 23 with a game in Clearwater against the Tampa Bay Rays.

    Opening day for the Phillies is March 26 at home against the Texas Rangers.

  • Jason Kelce, Beau Allen, and a miniature horse named Doug star in Garage Beer’s stinky new Super Bowl ad

    Jason Kelce, Beau Allen, and a miniature horse named Doug star in Garage Beer’s stinky new Super Bowl ad

    Lincoln the bald eagle won’t be the only hometown favorite appearing on Philly area TV screens during Super Bowl LX.

    Former Eagles players Jason Kelce and Beau Allen will star in a Super Bowl commercial for Garage Beer that will air locally on Sunday.

    Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end who co-owns the beer brand with his brother, isn’t in the ad. But it won’t be lacking star power. The pair of Super Bowl champions are joined by a new partner in crime, Doug the miniature horse.

    Beau Allen sips some Garage Beer while holding a carrot for Doug during shooting of the brand’s new Super Bowl commercial, which will are locally on Sunday.

    The ad, which was filmed on a farm near Conshohocken and is properly titled “Brotherly Shovel,” features the Budweiser Clydesdales pulling a beer wagon to reveal Doug — and a large pile of manure.

    “We make a promise to do things the right way,” the narrator says. “To respect the tradition. And to shovel what tradition leaves behind.”

    This isn’t the first time Allen and Kelce have partnered on projects for Garage Beer. They also worked together on other commercials for brand, as well as longer projects like Brewmite and Thermal Buzz that pay tribute to some of Kelce’s favorite childhood movies.

    You can watch the full one-minute Super Bowl spot below …

  • Flyers Carnival: Dunking radio hosts, competing against players, and Cam York’s message to cat people

    Flyers Carnival: Dunking radio hosts, competing against players, and Cam York’s message to cat people

    Xfinity Mobile Arena’s busy weekend ended with a bang as it hosted the annual Flyers Charities Carnival on Sunday. Less than 24 hours after the 76ers’ 2001 reunion night, the throwback hardwood floor was replaced with a mini hockey rink, a carousel, and a large Ferris wheel that served as the centerpiece of the event.

    “When you think about it, we had a hockey game, Unrivaled, and we had an NBA basketball game,” said Comcast Spectacor Chairman and CEO Dan Hilferty. “Here we are the next day, celebrating a carnival with everything from a Ferris wheel and a dunk tank to all that goes along with a carnival.

    “It’s a great thing. Flyers Carnival is all about the community and it’s all about our fans having the opportunity to meet players and do fun carnival things.”

    Rachel Brown of Langhorne wears a Gritty headband as she pauses for a snack at the Flyers Charities Carnival at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Fans had the opportunity to play a number of favorite carnival games, including some water gun fun, Skee-Ball, ax throwing, and a dunk tank that featured WIP’s Hunter Brody. And for 12-year-old Ryan Reagoso, despite a cast on his left foot, the dunk tank was the perfect opportunity to show off his pitching arm.

    “It was fun and I want to do it again,” Reagoso said.

    Flyers players interacted with fans throughout the event — signing memorabilia, posing for photos, and competing in a number of games set up within the arena, including a challenge that gave fans a chance to shoot on the goalie. Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae participated in ax throwing and defenseman Cam York had a good day on the ping-pong tables.

    “I think I went undefeated,” York said. “So, I don’t think I struggled much. But it’s super fun to interact with the fans. It’s something that’s a little bit different.”

    The Flyers’ charity event has been going on since 1977. Flyers coach Rick Tocchet was able to experience the carnival in its earlier years when he was a player for the team. Now he has a good time experiencing it as a coach.

    Flyers claw back before falling in overtime to Kings, drop fourth straight loss

    “It’s funny because I’ve seen some fans from back in the day when I played,” Tocchet said. “I’m just impressed with how much money they have raised throughout the years. It’s incredible how it started and where it’s gotten to.”

    Fans wait for the doors to open for the Flyers Charities Carnival at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday.

    For 13-year-old Michael Chaic, this has become a tradition started by his father, who grew up attending the carnivals. Sunday was the third carnival Chaic attended and he came prepared, bringing a Tyson Foerster game-used stick to get signed. But he did have his eyes set on another item up for auction.

    “That signed [Matvei] Michkov helmet was pretty eye-catching,” Chaic said. “So, we’re probably going to have to put some raffle tickets in there.”

    There were plenty of other items up for auction, including a team-signed decorative board, a Sam Ersson-signed set of goalie pads, and a Trevor Zegras-autographed replica stick. Fans could also get gift baskets full of the players’ favorite things. Some of the items featured in York’s favorite things basket were drink coasters, gummy worms, Uno cards, a signed hat, and a cat towel.

    “I feel like I’m known as the cat guy now,” York said. “But, I have three cats of my own right now. [The towel] is something I use around the house all the time. To all my cat people out there, stay strong. I love you guys and keep catting along.”

    The event raises money for Flyers Charities’ efforts to support local families impacted by cancer and to grow hockey in communities that may not have it.

    And with next year being the carnival’s 50th anniversary, fans can expect something special.

    “We’re going to have some really special activities next year that we can’t share yet,” said Blair Listino, the board chair of Flyers Charities. “But, we’re going to make that a really special event because that is the 50th-year anniversary. And every year we get feedback from our fans. We get feedback from our players. We’re just going to try to make it more interactive and more special for all of them.”

    Antoine Williams (right) poses for a photo with Flyers goalie Sam Ersson at the Flyers Charities Carnival.

    Kolosov joining Phantoms

    The Flyers loaned goalie Aleksei Kolosov to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Sunday. The move could hint that Ersson, who left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury, is healthy enough to return.

  • Unrivaled stars experience Philly’s passion for basketball at record-breaking doubleheader: ‘We felt that tonight’

    Unrivaled stars experience Philly’s passion for basketball at record-breaking doubleheader: ‘We felt that tonight’

    The crowd inside Xfinity Mobile Arena for Philly is Unrivaled already was high-energy. Then Marina Mabrey brought the house down with an Unrivaled-record 47 points in the second game of the doubleheader.

    The Belmar, N.J., native plays in Connecticut and has no real connection to Philadelphia, but the crowd went crazy for every three-pointer like she was one of their own.

    “I brought my Jersey to Philly, and I hope that you guys enjoyed it,” Mabrey said. “Thank you for welcoming me with open arms.”

    Fans kept the energy high for Friday’s Unrivaled doubleheader

    Friday’s Unrivaled doubleheader at Xfinity Mobile Arena was the first time the three-on-three league had left its Miami-area home. Unlike the WNBA or NBA, the teams are not tied to a specific city or region. That makes the league a fascinating “social experiment,” TV analyst Renee Montgomery said.

    Unrivaled is driven by fans’ love for players and for the game, Rose BC’s Lexie Hull said. A number of the 21,490 fans in the building came in repping their favorite players across the women’s basketball world, with plenty of love for superstar Paige Bueckers and Philly locals Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper, or in T-shirts declaring that “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” or that “Philly is a Women’s Sports Town.”

    “Philly is a basketball city,” Montgomery said. “… I think there’s certain cities that lean in and they don’t just halfway do anything, and I feel like Philly is that type of city. They see that Unrivaled chose this place to be the first one, and Philly’s like, ‘Bet, let’s show out.’ That’s what it felt like to me.”

    The neutral crowds make Unrivaled a different environment in the pro sports landscape, but neutral didn’t mean there was any less passion.

    “One thing I know about Philly is, it’s really passionate about its sports, good and bad, through and through, the City of Brotherly Love,” Bueckers said. “You feel that, and we felt that tonight, just how passionate they were and are about women’s basketball.”

    Philadelphia has never been home to a WNBA franchise, and was home to an American Basketball League franchise for just two years before the team folded in 1998. But with an expansion franchise set to come to Philadelphia in 2030, Unrivaled’s sold-out crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena was just a taste of Philly’s appetite for women’s professional basketball.

    Diane Richardson is an advocate for the WNBA. She says Unrivaled will get Philly ready for its franchise.

    Hull said she hoped to see Unrivaled continue to thrive in that niche, serving markets like Philadelphia that don’t have WNBA franchises yet. Unrivaled’s Philly tour stop set the record for most fans at a regular-season professional women’s basketball game, and a building record for Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    “With the growth of the sport, there’s just so many people that want to see it live and don’t have the opportunity to fly to a [WNBA] city and watch a game during the season,” Hull said. “This gives them the opportunity to get to watch and grow the game, so it’s awesome.”

    Sixers Kyle Lowry, Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Dominick Barlow, and New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu were among the basketball stars in the building.

    But of course, one of the most excited fans in the building was South Carolina head coach and local basketball legend Dawn Staley. For Phantom BC’s Aliyah Boston, who played for Staley in college, it was an amazing surprise to see Staley courtside again.

    “I was shocked, when I came out, one of our assistants was like, ‘See Coach Staley?’” And I was like, ‘What? What?’ Saw her right over there, gave her a hug.”

    Boston said that the two still have a “special relationship,” and she had to go up to Staley at halftime to ask for feedback on her game.

    After playing for Staley, Boston said she had an idea of what to expect of playing in Philly, and the intensity and toughness needed for the tight game matched her expectations.

    “The biggest thing for her was just that mindset,” Boston said. “She talked about her upbringing and that grind in Philly, and that’s the approach that she wants us to take on the court. Just have that dog mentality. Being able to hear that for four years just continued to shape me into who I am as a player today.”

    Friday’s event was a huge head start in showing the players just how good of a women’s basketball market Philly can be. With the record-setting, energetic crowd, the conversation now turns to how to keep the momentum going until the WNBA franchise establishes itself in 2030.

    Unrivaled’s Philadelphia spectacle delivers not just a big crowd, but a profitable one

    Unrivaled players were excited about the prospect of adding new tour stops and continuing to travel in the seasons to come, and Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell confirmed Friday that the league plans to do more road trips next year.

    Could Philly be on that list a second time?

    Breeze BC’s Kate Martin, who played for the Golden State Valkyries in their inaugural season last year, shared the advice she’d give to anyone playing for a Philly expansion franchise, after the Valkyries quickly became the most-attended team in the WNBA in their first year.

    “When you start to build that sense of community, that people feel more like they have a relationship with you, they want to come, they want to support,” Martin said. “Making the atmosphere fun, making people feel welcome, making people feel excited about basketball.”

    Kate Martin, who plays for the Breeze and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries, knows a thing or two about building a fan base.
  • What the national media is saying about Eagles hiring Sean Mannion as OC: ‘You’ll know by Thanksgiving’

    What the national media is saying about Eagles hiring Sean Mannion as OC: ‘You’ll know by Thanksgiving’

    The Eagles concluded their two-week offensive coordinator search Thursday, hiring former Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Sean Mannion to replace Kevin Patullo.

    After a nine-year NFL career as a backup quarterback, Mannion was hired as a coach by the Packers in 2023. Mannion was promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2025 after first serving as an offensive assistant under head coach Matt LaFleur. This past year, he was credited for further developing Packers starter Jordan Love and backup Malik Willis.

    A former Oregon State standout, Mannion will be taking over the Eagles’ play-calling duties, a responsibility he did not have with the Packers.

    What the Sean Mannion hire as Eagles offensive coordinator says about Nick Sirianni’s future

    Mannion was not widely seen as a contender for the position when the Eagles first launched their search. With the Eagles losing out on more experienced choices like Brian Daboll, Mike McDaniel, and Philadelphia native Kevin Stefanski, Mannion was a part of the second crop of possible candidates.

    After Thursday’s surprise hiring, former players and national media members have made their positions clear on Mannion joining the Eagles staff. Reactions to Mannion taking over as the team’s play-caller have been varied, but one theme seems to be consistent through them all: it is a job that comes with a lot of pressure.

    Here’s what they’re saying …

    ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith rips hiring, citing struggles of other past ‘inexperienced’ coordinators

    On First Take, Stephen A. Smith congratulated Mannion on his new job before ripping into the Eagles’ decision to hire him. Smith likened Mannion to recent failed Eagles coordinators Brian Johnson and Patullo, who also lacked national recognition (and play-calling experience) when hired.

    Sean Mannion needs to be a Jalen Hurts whisperer. Play-calling is only part of that. | David Murphy

    “It’s not that [Mannion] doesn’t deserve this opportunity. The issue is not him, it’s the Eagles,” said Smith. “They have fired the last two people they plucked from nowhere to be first-year offensive coordinators. You’re looking at Brian Johnson in 2023, fired after his first season. … Kevin Patullo is fired in his first season.

    “Two of your three coordinators [were] guys you plucked from relative obscurity that didn’t really have that much experience … I’m like, if you’re the Philadelphia Eagles, why would you do that? Why is that the way to go?”

    Smith also felt that Mannion’s inexperience could lead him to be the first person blamed if team tensions start to flare.

    “A guy comes in there, and he’s relatively inexperienced, the second things go awry, especially if you keep A.J. Brown there, it’s going to be an immediate reason to be skeptical about how this season is going to go,” said Smith. “That’s the kind of thing that caused the Eagles problems in the past, and I don’t know why they would put themselves in a position for that to be a problem again.”

    Five things to know about new Eagles OC Sean Mannion, from his playing career to his Andy Reid connection

    Chris Long rooting for his ‘old teammate,’ even if he’s playing ‘Russian Roulette’

    Former Eagles defensive end and Super Bowl LII champion Chris Long was recording his Green Light podcast when the news of Mannion’s hiring became public.

    “Sean Mannion — my old teammate?” Long said, sharing his instant reaction. “Great dude. [Expletive] great teammate”

    Mannion was drafted to the St. Louis Rams in 2015, where he shared a lone season with Long before the defensive end signed with the New England Patriots. That same year, Mannion was the third-string quarterback behind Case Keenum and Eagles legend Nick Foles.

    Sean Mannion, 33, will be the Eagles’ youngest offensive coordinator since 31-year-old Jon Gruden in 1995.

    Long will root for Mannion, but he is still not convinced being the offensive coordinator in Philadelphia is a safe bet. If he was in Mannion’s position, he would have been gunning for the Denver Broncos’ vacant offensive coordinator job instead.

    “In Philly, it feels like the trend is that you either get a great job [after], or it’s like a career suicide type [of] deal to be an OC. It’s Russian Roulette being an OC in Philly over the last five years,” said Long. “Denver seems safer, but if you’re 33 and you have a chance to be an OC in the NFL, I’m not going to stop you from taking the [expletive] job.”

    What the stats say about new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion

    FS1’s Colin Cowherd says Birds fan will know if the Eagles ‘whiffed’ again by Thanksgiving

    FS1 host Colin Cowherd, who is no stranger to making analogies, likened Mannion’s hiring to that of any young person getting their first job out of college. Like any new hire, according to Cowherd’s comparison, one factor will determine if Mannion will succeed.

    “I am always rooting for people that go into jobs where you’re like, I’m not sure they’re ready,” Cowherd said. “It’ll all come down to this: How smart is he? Smart people learn stuff faster. … Philadelphia’s whiffed on some coordinator hires. They’ve hit on some coordinator hires. You’ll know by Thanksgiving.”

    Although Mannion never coached under Rams head coach Sean McVay, he did play under the offensive guru for two seasons in 2017 and 2018. At the time, Mannion was the backup to quarterback Jared Goff. Because of this, Cowherd sees Mannion as an extension of McVay’s prominent coaching tree.

    Source: Eagles hire former Bucs OC Josh Grizzard as pass game coordinator

    Cowherd is not ready to call him the next McVay yet, though.

    “I don’t expect him to be great in, you know, he’s not Sean McVay. He worked next to Sean McVay. He is not Sean McVay. We just don’t know. … He could be brilliant. Sean McVay — he’s really become one of the coaching tree guys of note in this league, and some of them have worked, and Raheem Morris in Atlanta didn’t work. So who knows?”

    Cowherd went on to echo similar comments to Long, calling Philadelphia “the toughest coordinator job in the entire league” due to the high level of scrutiny around it.

  • These elementary school cheerleaders will make Philly public school history: ‘It’s going to leave me starstruck’

    These elementary school cheerleaders will make Philly public school history: ‘It’s going to leave me starstruck’

    If you would’ve told Solange Mota two years ago that her cheerleading squad would go on to make history on the national level … she would believe it.

    “Honestly, we knew we were going two years ago,” said Mota, 29. “We kept saying, ‘We’re going to Disney; we’re going to Disney.’ I think the biggest obstacle about it was financials. It takes a lot of money to get them there because you have to go to camp. After camp, you have to make it to regionals.

    “It’s kind of their way of filtering out teams before you get to nationals, and that was our biggest problem. We know the girls can do it. But how are we going to make this happen?”

    Now, thanks to a whole lot of resilience — and a $30,000 grant from Mastery Schools — Mastery Charter School at Smedley, which serves predominantly Black and Latino students, will be the first inner-city public school to compete at the Universal Cheerleaders Association nationals in Orlando, it says. (A Philadelphia public high school, George Washington High School, competed in the 2023 NCA finals in Dallas, finishing 10th and starring in a documentary about their journey.)

    “There’s privilege in that,” Mota said. “But there’s also a weight. When you’re the first of anything and when you have a privilege to do something, there’s always a sense of responsibility.

    “You’re seeing that it’s Catholic schools, it’s private schools, but the demographic is all the same. So, the biggest thing that we talk about with the girls is that we’re going out there, not only as an all-Black and brown team, but also as the first Philadelphia inner-city elementary school. I think the girls feel a sense of pride in that.”

    The team, known as Bulldog Blitz, will compete in the junior high intermediate division of UCA’s National School Spirit Championship.

    Mota, a former competitive cheerleader and first grade teacher at Mastery Smedley, started the squad with Ana Rosario, 29, in 2021. It started as an after-school program, but a year later, it became an official competitive cheerleading team consisting of 22 girls ranging from first to sixth grade.

    The school educates 737 kindergarten through sixth grade students in the city’s Frankford section.

    Some of the girls on the team have been with the program throughout its five years, including 11-year-old Malayah Bell. In her final year with the team, she’ll finally be competing on the national stage.

    “Since it started, I never really thought that it was going to be something big,” Bell said. “I thought it was just going to be an after-school program where we just had fun. Until I noticed that the cheer team can really do big things.”

    Former Eagles cheerleaders reflect upon 75 years | from 2023

    The age gap between some of the girls could be seen as a challenge. However, Mota says it works perfectly with their big sister, little sister program — pairing a sixth grader with a first grader as a mentor.

    “People are like, ‘How does a first grader get along with a sixth grader?’ Mota said. “But I’m like, ‘If you see it, it just works out.’ Our sixth graders are so loving and kind to our babies.”

    That sisterhood has deepened through their practices. They typically train Tuesdays through Saturdays from 3:15 to 4:45 p.m. However, that schedule changed as they prepared for nationals, and their practice hours were extended to 6 p.m.

    With a busy schedule ahead of them, the team took a 19-hour bus to Florida on Tuesday and arrived on Wednesday morning. Bell said they had one activity to help them pass the time: rapping.

    “Honestly, I thought it was going to be a very long drive,” Bell said. “But it just felt really quick with us just playing and then going to sleep. It was fun. I liked the whole experience with my team just being with them for basically a day. We did a lot of rapping.”

    Once they arrived, they had a day of fun with their families at the Disney parks before training for the next two days.

    “It’s so heartwarming,” Rosario said. “As a former cheerleader, I’ve come as a spectator with my cousins that competed. But I’ve never got the chance to compete. So, just watching them live out a dream and be a part of this opportunity just makes me super emotional.”

    The Smedley team first had to advance out of the regional competition before clinching its spot in nationals.

    Mastery Smedley will take the stage on Saturday for the first round of nationals. If they score high enough, they’ll make it into the finals on Sunday. Although winning is one of the goals entering the competition, Mota is focused on only one thing.

    “My biggest thing is just watching them come out on that stage,” Mota said. “You know, watching their smiles. Like, this is everything that they worked for. So just watching it all piece together, this is why we’ve done everything that we have done. Watching the girls, seeing our school name and it saying Mastery Charter Smedley Elementary, Philadelphia, Pa. That’s a first. It’s going to leave me starstruck.”

    However, Bell has her eye set on something else.

    “I’m looking forward to the white jackets when we win,” Bell said.

  • ESPN to air documentary on the Philly Special, featuring Doug Pederson, Nick Foles, and more

    ESPN to air documentary on the Philly Special, featuring Doug Pederson, Nick Foles, and more

    It’s finally happening, Eagles fans. It took eight years, but ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary series is set to relive one of the most memorable moments in Eagles history: the Philly Special.

    ESPN released the official trailer for the documentary, which is appropriately set to Boyz II Men’s “Motownphilly.” The film, titled The Philly Special, was produced by NFL Films and directed by Angela Zender and Shannon Furman. It will debut on Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN app.

    “Everybody loves the Rocky movies, but they were fiction,” Zender said in a release. “The amazing thing about The Philly Special is that it’s a real-life Rocky story. A group of five underdogs went up against the greatest dynasty in NFL history and pulled off an upset worthy of Hollywood. That underdog mentality is something that will resonate with people all over the country.”

    The film features several familiar faces to Philly fans, including former head coach Doug Pederson and the four Eagles players who touched the ball on that play in Super Bowl LII: Jason Kelce, Corey Clement, Trey Burton, and Nick Foles.

    But there are many others: owner Jeffrey Lurie, former safety Malcolm Jenkins, former coach Chip Kelly, and former offensive coordinator Frank Reich. Several local and national media members also appear, including Angelo Cataldi, Ray Didinger, Sal Paolantonio, and Kyle Brandt.

    With all that Philly flavor, it’s no surprise one of the directors is a Birds supporter.

    “I grew up an Eagles fan, so The Philly Special has been a dream project,” Furman said in a release. “It was surreal to stand in front of the statue of Doug Pederson and Nick Foles at the Linc with the five men who made one of the most iconic plays in NFL history happen. There’s no doubt fans will enjoy reliving the Eagles’ first Super Bowl as much as I did.”

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    While it’s been the better part of a decade since the play helped lead the 2017 Eagles past Tom Brady and the New England Patriots dynasty — capping an improbable run for Foles, who took over as the starter less than two months earlier — it’s not hard to find reminders around the Philadelphia area, from the statue outside Lincoln Financial Field to a multistory mural to the name of a holiday band featuring Kelce and a pair of current Eagles players.

    “It’s been everywhere and on everything, transcending football to become part of Philadelphia’s cultural identity,” ESPN said in its release describing the film. “It’s not just a play; it’s a rallying cry for a city used to being overlooked. While Philadelphia might be the birthplace of America, the sixth-most populous city in the country lives and dies with an underdog mentality — one epitomized by the Founding Fathers, Rocky Balboa … and the Philly Special.”

    Two days before Super Bowl LX, there will likely be a few more reminders, as fans across the area tune in to relive the play — and learn the story behind it — one more time.

  • Jordan unveils the Heir Series 2 shoe, which will make its on-court debut at Unrivaled in Philly

    Jordan unveils the Heir Series 2 shoe, which will make its on-court debut at Unrivaled in Philly

    Philadelphia is ready to get its first taste of professional women’s basketball with Unrivaled hosting a doubleheader Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. In front of a sold-out crowd, the three-on-three tournament is set to have plenty of spectators for its first event outside the Miami area — making this the perfect time for Jordan Brand to debut its Heir Series 2 sneaker.

    On Thursday, Jordan Brand unveiled the women’s basketball shoe with Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier as the face. The sneaker will make its on-court debut during Friday’s Unrivaled doubleheader in Philly with Jordan Brand athletes Dana Evans and Dominique Malonga.

    The low silhouette is similar to the Heir Series 1, which is the lowest shoe in Jordan Brand’s basketball lineup. The sneaker was first introduced in 2024 and put emphasis on the running and cutting that’s central to women’s basketball.

    Five-time WNBA All-Star Napheesa Collier wearing Jordan Brand’s Heir Series 2 sneaker.

    While the Heir Series 2 continues to share the same focus as its predecessor, it adds key improvements to enable more quickness in every step.

    “With my footwork being an important part of my game, the Heir Series 2 is a performance shoe that provides the flexibility and stability for me to be a force on both ends of the floor,” said five-time WNBA All-Star Collier in a press release. “Everyone who follows my game knows I was a fan of the Heir Series, but the innovation in the Heir Series 2 has exceeded my expectations.”

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    Some of its new features include a forefoot Air Zoom unit to provide standout responsiveness for speed, a thicker drop-in Cushlon 3.0 midsole that is wrapped in an additional layer of foam cushioning above the outsole for more comfort, a translucent TPU cage, and a rubber herringbone traction pattern for greater quickness and control.

    The sneaker also includes a removable hair tie attached to the heel and features a series of bold colorways — including a pink, yellow, and green colorway, a white, black, and red colorway, and a gray and black colorway that includes speckled pink paint along the midsole.

    The Jordan Heir Series 2 comes in three different colorways.

    “Women’s basketball has a very important place in the sports landscape, and Jordan Brand is committed to helping the next generation of hoopers reach their greatness. We titled this series of footwear ‘Heir’ knowing that these amazing athletes are next up — here to claim the basketball throne as their own,” said Leo Chang, the senior creative director of Jordan Brand basketball and sport, in a press release.

    “The Heir Series 2 is the next iteration of the basketball sneaker designed for her, by her. The new forefoot Air Zoom unit enables even more support and responsiveness, tailored to the beautiful playing style of the women’s game.”

    The sneaker will be available globally on Feb. 20 at jordan.com and select retail locations.

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  • What is Unrivaled, which kicks off its tour in Philly Friday night, and how is it different from the WNBA?

    What is Unrivaled, which kicks off its tour in Philly Friday night, and how is it different from the WNBA?

    The WNBA kicks off its 30th season in May, but that doesn’t mean fans have to wait until the spring to see stars take the court.

    Unrivaled, the three-on-three professional women’s basketball league, tipped off its season on Jan. 5. In its second season, the league is hitting the road for Philly is Unrivaled, in which four of the eight teams will head to Xfinity Mobile Arena for a doubleheader.

    Here’s everything you need to know:

    What is Unrivaled?

    Unrivaled is a three-on-three professional women’s basketball league that provides WNBA players with an opportunity to play domestically during the offseason.

    Its inaugural season tipped off on January 17, 2025, with six teams. The league now has eight teams and a total of 54 players.

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    The teams are: Laces, Mist, Rose, Lunar Owls, Phantom, Vinyl, and the two new additions — Hive and Breeze.

    Gameplay features three seven-minute quarters with a game clock, an 18-second shot clock, and six fouls per player.

    The fourth quarter of play uses a “winning score” rule. This means at the end of the third quarter, officials determine a winning score by adding 11 points to the leading team’s score. The first team to get to that winning number wins the game.

    In addition to the two new teams, another change this season is a development pool of six players. None of these athletes are assigned to a specific team at the start of the season but remain on-site and serve as injury-relief players.

    Lunar Owls forward Napheesa Collier (right) and Skylar Diggins are among injured Unrivaled players this season.

    How did Unrivaled start?

    WNBA players Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier founded Unrivaled in 2023 to give players a new option for offseason play.

    Within just one year, the league raised $35 million in capital and attracted sponsors like Miller Lite and Under Armour, while being backed by other professional athletes including U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan.

    Unrivaled began with six teams and 36 total players, with each of the 36 earning more than $220,000 in salary. The league also offers players equity and revenue sharing, which has created an incentive for WNBA players to not head overseas during the offseason.

    In its second season, the league will feature more than a dozen first-time players, including Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, and Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers.

    Diane Richardson is an advocate for the WNBA. She says Unrivaled will get Philly ready for its franchise.

    What is Philly is Unrivaled?

    While Unrivaled games typically are played at Sephora Arena in Medley, Fla., the 2026 season has one scheduled stop in Philadelphia.

    Philly is Unrivaled, a doubleheader announced in October at LOVE Park, is set for Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Game 1 is Breeze against Phantoms (7:30 p.m.), while the second game features last year’s champion, Rose, against the Lunar Owls (8:45 p.m.).

    Breeze guard Paige Bueckers (5) is defended by Phantom guard Tiffany Hayes in their Unrivaled season opener.

    How can I watch Unrivaled?

    For the 2026 season, Unrivaled games can be viewed on traditional TV via TNT and truTV or streamed on HBO Max. Both games of Philly is Unrivaled will air on those channels.

    Stateside Live! has partnered with the league and Miller Lite to offer watch parties for Friday’s doubleheader. The official pregame begins at 4:30 p.m.

    Who should I be on the lookout for?

    Natasha Cloud, a guard for Phantom, is a Broomall native and graduate of Cardinal O’Hara and St. Joseph’s. Cloud, a three-time WNBA All-Defensive team honoree, was traded to New York Liberty ahead of the 2025 WNBA season after stints with the Phoenix Mercury and Washington Mystics.

    This also is a pro hoops homecoming for North Philly native Kahleah Copper, who plays for Rose and the Mercury. She starred at Prep Charter before moving on to Rutgers. Copper, a four-time WNBA All-Star, also won a gold medal with the United States women’s basketball team at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

    While she won’t be competing in Philly is Unrivaled, former Villanova star Maddy Siegrist is playing for Laces in her debut Unrivaled season. Siegrist set Villanova’s all-time scoring record before getting drafted third overall by the Wings.

    Can I still get Unrivaled tickets?

    While Philly is Unrivaled is officially sold out, tickets are still available on the secondary market via websites such as Ticketmaster and StubHub. Prices started at $35 for standing room only, as of Wednesday afternoon.

    Unrivaled tickets for the league’s Florida games can be purchased on their website or resale ticket websites, including Ticketmaster, Vivid Seats, and GoTickets.