Tag: sports-trending

  • Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe land on the latest cover of SLAM Magazine

    Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe land on the latest cover of SLAM Magazine

    Sixers guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have landed on the latest cover of SLAM Magazine, marking the second time both players have been featured on the cover page, but the first time together.

    Maxey was first featured on the cover of SLAM’s February/March 2024 issue. Meanwhile, Edgecombe made his cover debut as part of SLAM’s 2024 high school all-American team. Now, the young guards share the stage as members of the Sixers.

    The Sixers “box office” backcourt has ignited a new hope within the Philadelphia fan base, with the team already surpassing its win total from all of last season. Edgecombe, the team’s third-overall pick, made a historic debut — finishing the night with 34 points, the most in a Sixers rookie’s first game in franchise history, and the most scored in any NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain.

    Since then, Edgecombe has been one of the league’s top rookies, averaging 15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. The rookie’s breakout season has earned himself a selection in this year’s Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend — and a shoutout from the Prime Minister of the Bahamas.

    Maxey will also be at All-Star Weekend. The sixth-year pro was named a starter for the NBA All-Star game, making him the first Sixers guard to be named a starter since Allen Iverson in 2010. Maxey’s second All-Star nod comes after averaging 29.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists.

    Maxey and Edgecombe, who have been having fun together on and off the court, are part of a long list of current and former Sixers who have graced the cover, including Allen Iverson, Joel Embiid, Jerry Stackhouse, James Harden, and Ben Simmons.

  • Allen Iverson criticized for ‘disgusting’ behavior at children’s cancer charity meet-and-greet in Australia

    Allen Iverson criticized for ‘disgusting’ behavior at children’s cancer charity meet-and-greet in Australia

    Allen Iverson is being criticized for an allegedly disrespectful visit with a children’s cancer charity in Australia, after a viral Reddit post called out the former Sixer for “absolutely disgusting” conduct at the hospital.

    Challenge, a Melbourne-based charity supporting children with cancer, has hosted NBA players such as Shaquille O’Neal, Cameron Johnson, Josh Giddey, Seth Curry, and Carmelo Anthony for visits in the past.

    Challenge chief executive officer David Rogers told The Inquirer in a statement on Tuesday that Iverson spent almost two hours engaging with media, executives, and high-profile sports figures, but “in stark contrast,” described the Hall of Famer’s conduct with the children and families as “unacceptable.”

    Iverson was set to do a 45-minute meet-and-greet with children and families supported by Challenge. Iverson was more than 90 minutes late, and according to the Reddit post, decided not to sign anything or speak to anyone, adding that his security said he was “having a bad day.”

    “My little brother who is 12 years old and is currently receiving chemotherapy for ALCL lymphoma, was so excited to meet one of his idols,” the Reddit post reads. “He came out to be extremely disgusted and disappointed in Allen Iversons[’] [behavior], and so were the other [families].”

    Iverson took one group photo and then ended the visit. The poster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    “Challenge was deeply disappointed with the meet and greet involving Allen Iverson,” Rogers said in the statement. “There was nothing further we could have done as an organization to improve the experience and, despite working diligently on the day to manage a challenging and at times disrespectful approach from his management team, we believe Allen Iverson ultimately let down the children and families who came to meet him.”

    Iverson and his management team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The incident was one of a number of reportedly bad events on Iverson’s recent tour of Australia. Former NBL player Chris Anstey posted on Instagram that Iverson skipped a scheduled free guest-speaking experience with CreativeCubes.Co in Melbourne, canceling two hours after the event was set to begin.

    Another former NBL player, Jason Cadee, said on a podcast that Iverson was invited to HoopsFest in Perth, and he spoke for just a few minutes on stage before skipping his scheduled meet-and-greet.

    “Iverson comes across and he speaks,” Cadee said. “He walks in the room and he speaks, he spoke pretty well for about seven minutes or eight minutes, gives the mic up and just leaves, that’s it. Apparently there was supposed to be photos, supposed to be some time to mingle, [but he was] out. That was it.”

  • Lincoln the bald eagle — who soars into the Linc on Sundays — befriends a Clydesdale in Budweiser Super Bowl ad

    Lincoln the bald eagle — who soars into the Linc on Sundays — befriends a Clydesdale in Budweiser Super Bowl ad

    Although the Eagles’ season came to an early end, Philadelphia fans can still see a hometown favorite on their television screens during Super Bowl LX.

    Lincoln, the 28-year-old bald eagle that soars over the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field before Birds games, will star alongside a Clydesdale in this year’s Budweiser’s Super Bowl LX spot titled “American Icons.”

    The ad follows Lincoln’s friendship with the iconic horse playing under the appropriate sounds of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.” The 60-second in-game spot will air during the Super Bowl.

    “It was really like these two icons of America coming together,” said Jessica Hall, the chief executive officer of the American Eagle Foundation, a nonprofit focused on the protection and conservation of bald eagles and other birds of prey. “The Clydesdales have been icons for over 100 years and the bald eagle has been on the great seal for over 200 years. So, seeing those two elements come together and be represented in this really moving commercial was spectacular.”

    The American Eagle Foundation got the call from Budweiser over the summer and started filming the project in October, making the trip from Kodak, Tenn., where the American Eagle Foundation is based, to California for Lincoln to star in his first-ever commercial. Lincoln, however, is no stranger to long trips and hotel rooms, thanks to his time serving as the Eagles’ pregame living mascot.

    Lincoln doesn’t get his own hotel room on the road, but he does get his own space — and has a darkening crate if the room gets too bright.

    “Seeing Lincoln soaring through the skies with his wings spread out, just doing what he does best, it never gets old,” Hall said. “Watching him fly, it sends chills down our backs every time. And meeting the Clydesdale was also incredible. The Clydesdale team were fascinated by the eagle, and the eagle team were fascinated by the Clydesdale.”

    The ad, directed by Emmy Award-winning commercial director Henry-Alex Rubin, is the latest addition to Budweiser’s “Made of America” campaign.

    “As we celebrate Budweiser’s 150th anniversary and America’s 250th birthday, we knew we had to rise to the occasion in a way only Budweiser can,” Todd Allen, senior vice president of marketing for Budweiser at Anheuser-Busch, said in a news release. ”‘American Icons’ brings our heritage to life through powerful storytelling with the Budweiser Clydesdales and an American Bald Eagle. This year’s spot will leave fans awe-struck and proud to enjoy a Budweiser as they celebrate our shared milestone moments.”

    Lincoln first flew into Lincoln Financial Field during the 2024 season, taking over for his predecessor, Challenger.

    Lincoln has been performing free-flight events since 2001, but his first NFL season, flying in bigger outdoor spaces, was in 2024. To prepare, he flew at Carson-Newman University and at Tucker Stadium, the home of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.

    Of course, training came with a few minor hiccups, including when it came to dealing with other animals. In December 2024, Katelyn Jennings, the operations manager of the American Eagle Foundation, told The Inquirer about a close call with an osprey, another type of bird of prey.

    “We had a couple of situations that we encountered during training,” Jennings said. “We learned that Lincoln does not mind dogs or osprey … At our Carson-Newman game, they have an osprey nest near the field and the osprey would dive down to try and get him. And he says this is my territory and not yours and he just kind of looked at them like, ‘Hey, what are you doing here?’ and continued to fly onto the trainer.”

    Now, a Clydesdale can be added onto Lincoln’s short list of animal interactions.

    Ashley Frye, an avian care specialist with the American Eagles Foundation, catches Lincoln during a November 2024 test flight at the Linc.
  • A.J. Brown buys candy from a kid on a Miami street, then gives him money to buy a PlayStation 5

    A.J. Brown buys candy from a kid on a Miami street, then gives him money to buy a PlayStation 5

    While Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown made headlines during the season for his behavior, his attitude made headlines for a different reason this week. After the Eagles’ 23-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 11, Brown has remained relatively mum, especially following him jawing back and forth with coach Nick Sirianni.

    Then Brown popped up Thursday, but for different reasons — gifting a PlayStation 5 to a stranger.

    The receiver was seen in Florida making a kid’s day. While with his fiancé, Kelsey Riley, and his son, A.J. Brown Jr., he pulled his car to the side of the road, where a kid was selling candy. Riley rummaged through the assortment of candy, which included Nerd Gummy Clusters, Sour Patch Kids, and M&M’s before picking a bag of Gummy Bears.

    Brown, on the other hand, pulled out a wad of cash before asking Riley a question.

    “How much is a PS5 these days?” Brown said.

    Riley responded that they typically are in the $500-600 range, prompting Brown to hand the kids several hundred dollars so that he could buy one for himself. Although Brown Jr., was less than impressed, pleading for an apple in the video .

    But before departing back into Brown’s car, Brown and the kid took a picture together.

  • WIP host worries bad fans are hurting Eagles’ OC search, but national reporter says there’s more to it

    WIP host worries bad fans are hurting Eagles’ OC search, but national reporter says there’s more to it

    It has been nine days since the Eagles removed first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. Since then, some of the team’s prime candidates have fallen off the board.

    The Athletic’s Dianna Russini first reported that former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who the Eagles interviewed on Tuesday, is focused on the Bills’ head coaching job. If Daboll does not land in Buffalo, where he served as Josh Allen’s offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2022, he is “expected” to take over as the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, per Russini.

    Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, another one of the Eagles’ prospective candidates, is now expected to be hired as the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator, per ESPN. Meanwhile, former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, a Philadelphia-area native and Penn graduate, has been hired to take over head coaching responsibilities for the Atlanta Falcons.

    The Eagles have recently requested to interview 29-year-old Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Doyle joins former Chiefs offensive coordinator and Bears head coach Matt Nagy, who the Eagles interviewed on Wednesday, as a prospective candidate. Additionally, former Commanders offensive coordinator and Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is still available.

    With some fans growing impatient over the Eagles search and candidates falling off the board every day, local and national media members have been looking to answer: Is the job as valuable as Eagles fans believe? Why have the Eagles not hired a candidate yet? What type of coordinator should they bring in?

    Local talk radio blames bad fan behavior

    In late November, following the Eagles’ 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears, Patullo’s South Jersey home was vandalized.

    A video of vandals throwing eggs at Patullo’s home went viral on social media, sparking an investigation by the Moorestown Police Department. At the time, Patullo explained that he knew that “part of [his] job is to handle criticism,” but the egging of his home “obviously cross[ed] a line.”

    Now, 94 WIP host Joe DeCamara is wondering if the that has turned likely candidates away from the Eagles job.

    “Every coordinator in football knows it. Every one. And you know who also knows it? The wives of the candidates,” DeCamara said. “Because when the wives talk to the candidates, the men who are their husbands, it’s ‘OK we’ve got seven openings, maybe there’s four we’re interested in, honey let’s put together pros and cons, let’s put the ledger on a piece of paper.’

    “There’s pros here. Three guys in the last three years have gotten a head coaching job here. Two on offense, one on defense. There’s a lot of success here. A lot on the pro side of the ledger. But don’t kid yourself. Those kids that egged the house, that is a [expletive] setback in hiring a coordinator. The wives know the last guy’s house got egged. That’s tough, man. That’s tough for the dude who’s going to be OC, tough for the wife.”

    ‘Hard decisions’ loom, making job less attractive

    Russini argued on WIP earlier this week that the Eagles’ job may come with too many “hard decisions,” leading to candidates not ranking it first among their available options.

    “I don’t [think the Eagles offensive coordinator job is an attractive job]. I think coordinators that are on this list are aware that navigating Philly is difficult because of the way it’s set up right now — who’s on the team and really what it’s going to look like in the next few months,” Russini said.

    “I think this offseason, of any team right now in the NFL, I think this Eagles group has to probably do the biggest revamp of figuring out what they are. … What is going to come with it are some hard decisions and figuring out who wants to be there and maybe perhaps who they need to bring in.”

    The Eagles have 10 free agents on offense, including tight end Dallas Goedert, wide receiver Jahan Dotson, and tackle Fred Johnson. Additionally, there has been a lot of dialogue around whether the Eagles will bring back star wideout A.J. Brown, who has made his frustration well known throughout the season.

    Chris Long, Brandon Graham want a ‘Vic Fangio’ on offense

    Eagles past and present are also weighing in on the team’s coordinator vacancy.

    On The Rich Eisen Show, former Eagles defensive end and Super Bowl LII champion Chris Long urged his former squad to hire a “cheat code” at offensive coordinator.

    “You need to hire a cheat code offensive coordinator. We talk about this thing a lot — bring somebody out of retirement, or find somebody who’s aged out,” said Long. “Find yourself a [former Saints and Raiders coach] Dennis Allen, because you have one on defense and his name’s Vic Fangio. He’s not getting a head coaching job. He doesn’t want one.”

    Long went on to explain that the Eagles should hire a coordinator who will not leave for a head coaching vacancy to assist Hurts’ further development. Famously, Hurts has had nine offensive coordinators in 10 years, a trend dating to his time at Alabama.

    Meanwhile Eagles legend Brandon Graham, who came out of retirement to play for the team this past season, seems to agree.

    “I feel like you got to have someone that’s experienced,” Graham said on his podcast. “I like what someone said about a Vic Fangio [on offense] … You really do have to have that command. Because if A.J. [Brown], and all the guys that [were], you know, disgruntled last year, we got to get everybody believing it. …

    “I think a veteran person, or someone that got respect in the league will just have everybody kind of [have a] change in belief and get a re-energized feeling.”

  • Travis Kelce helps pay for family of hockey star Laila Edwards to see her play in Olympics

    Travis Kelce helps pay for family of hockey star Laila Edwards to see her play in Olympics

    Laila Edwards, the first Black player to make the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team, could become one of the breakout stars of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy.

    She’s also from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the hometown of Jason and Travis Kelce. The brothers experimented with hockey growing up before committing to football, and they remain fans of the game.

    In November 2023, when Edwards first made the women’s national team, they gave her a shout-out on New Heights.

    “I thought, ‘I’ll just message them thanking them, they’ll never see it,’” Edwards told People. “And then Travis and I had a full conversation over DM, and that was super cool. He was a really down-to-earth, humble guy who was super supportive and had really good things to say. They shouted me out again recently for making the Olympic team.”

    Their support didn’t end there. Edwards told People that Travis made a large donation to her family’s GoFundMe page, which has raised over $50,000 to help her family fly to Milan to support her and the U.S. women’s national team.

    Kylie Kelce will be on-site in Milan, after NBC named her as part of its Creator Collective. Jason and Kylie attended the Paris Olympics, and supported field hockey, volleyball, and women’s rugby. This time, Edwards hopes to see them at some of her games.

    “Travis was saying that Jason and Kylie are big fans of mine, and I’m hoping to meet them all in Italy,” Edwards said.

    Jason and Travis Kelce did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

  • Baker Mayfield rips coach Kevin Stefanski after the QB ‘got shipped off like a piece of garbage’ by Browns

    Baker Mayfield rips coach Kevin Stefanski after the QB ‘got shipped off like a piece of garbage’ by Browns

    While newly hired Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski may have enjoyed portions of his tenure in Cleveland, especially when he was twice named the NFL’s coach of the year, that doesn’t mean everyone remembers his time so fondly.

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield fired shots at Stefanski on social media on Tuesday in response to a post that blamed the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL draft for being part of a “dumpster fire” — especially at quarterback — under Stefanski.

    “Failed is quite the reach, pal,” Mayfield wrote in response to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter’s post that said Mayfield and quarterback Deshaun Watson had “failed” in Cleveland. A community note was added to the post highlighting how Mayfield was one of the few successful Browns quarterbacks recently.

    “Still waiting on a text/call from him after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Can’t wait to see you twice a year, Coach,” the rest of Mayfield’s post read.

    Mayfield played under Stefanski during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, including a Browns playoff run in 2020, winning their wild-card game against Pittsburgh, 48-37, but falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 22-17.

    However, the next season, Mayfield struggled with a shoulder injury and went 6-8 in The Games he started. In March 2022, Mayfield publicly requested a trade, saying that the relationship with the Browns was “too far gone to mend.”

    Mayfield was dealt to the Carolina Panthers for a fifth-round pick, before he requested his release and ended up with the Los Angeles Rams for a five-game stint in late 2022. Mayfield then was signed by the Buccaneers in 2023, where he has had newfound success, leading Tampa Bay to two NFC South titles. This year, the Buccaneers narrowly missed the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, finishing with an 8-9 record.

    But now, five seasons later, Stefanski and Mayfield will again find themselves on the same field, just different sidelines. Stefanski’s move to Atlanta also means a move to the NFC South, setting up the two to face off twice a year.

    As for Stefanski’s time with the Browns, the St. Joseph’s Prep graduate won NFL coach of the year honors in 2020 and 2023 after leading Cleveland to two playoff appearances, including its first playoff win in decades. However, his most recent two seasons brought disappointing results with an 8-26 overall record. The Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris after this season, opening a vacancy filled by Stefanski.

  • Jason Kelce says Broncos QB situation is different than ’17 Eagles; Greg Olsen praises Nick Sirianni on ‘New Heights’

    Jason Kelce says Broncos QB situation is different than ’17 Eagles; Greg Olsen praises Nick Sirianni on ‘New Heights’

    On Wednesday’s episode of New Heights, Jason and Travis Kelce offered their takes on the latest NFL news as the conference championships approach this Sunday.

    The brothers brought in Greg Olsen, who reflected on Monday’s College Football Playoff championship as a former University of Miami tight end before his NFL and broadcasting careers. Olsen also joined the conversation about open coaching positions.

    Olsen praises Sirianni

    Although the Eagles season is over, former center Jason Kelce still brought up the Birds in this week’s episode. Olsen had some words of admiration for coach Nick Sirriani.

    “I love Sirianni,” the Fox analyst said. “I actually texted him because I ran into his brother at the Miami game. I know he gets a lot of flack, and people want to come after him, but I love him, his energy, his edge, and I love the way he manages the game. I ended up fighting the entire universe on behalf of him a couple weeks ago. But that was a losing proposition.”

    Olsen also emphasized the opportunity for the Eagles in hiring a new offensive coordinator.

    “If I’m an offensive play-caller, I’m doing everything in my power to get that job,” Olsen said. “I want to call offensive plays in Philadelphia because you can do whatever you want. That’s a great job.”

    Could Jarrett Stidham play his way to his own statue in Denver, like Nick Foles did in Philly?

    Foles in Twitter controversy

    On the topic of the AFC championship game, the brothers discussed the Denver Broncos’ chances against the New England Patriots. With starting quarterback Bo Nix out with an ankle injury, backup Jarrett Stidham is expected to battle against Patriots signal caller Drake Maye. Stidham has not thrown a pass all season.

    Travis Kelce joked about a viral tweet on Sunday from former Eagles backup Nick Foles, which received 17.4 million views. Foles referenced the 2018 Super Bowl, in which he led the Eagles to a 41-33 victory over New England as he subbed for injured starter Carson Wentz.

    However, Jason Kelce wasn’t convinced that the Broncos quarterback predicament is anything similar to what he went through with the Eagles in 2018.

    “I still remember when Wentz went down, and you could hear a pin drop in the locker room because we knew that his ACL was torn after the game,” Kelce said. “We were like, ‘We just lost our starting quarterback, how are we going to overcome this?’ It took a couple games. That’s the one thing that Stidham doesn’t have. We got the rest of the season and [Foles] warmed into that role. … It’ll be interesting to see what [Broncos coach] Sean Payton has [cooked up] this coming week against the Patriots.”

  • Tyrese Maxey is getting his first signature shoe from New Balance later this year

    Tyrese Maxey is getting his first signature shoe from New Balance later this year

    Two months ago, 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey joined Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton in a live group chat during a Thunder-Lakers game. When the 25-year-old was asked about the possibility of getting his own signature shoe, Maxey responded: “One can only hope and pray.”

    Those prayers have been answered.

    Maxey will be getting his own signature shoe, set to debut later in 2026, New Balance confirmed. ESPN was the first to report Maxey’s new shoe.

    The news comes just a day after the six-year pro was named a starter for this year’s NBA All-Star game, earning his second career All-Star selection.

    Getting his own signature shoe from New Balance is the latest example of Maxey’s rising star power — following in the footsteps of teammate Joel Embiid, who debuted his own signature shoe with Skechers in December.

    “We’re so excited that Tyrese was named an All-Star starter and to get to share this moment with him,” said Naveen Lokesh, head of global sports marketing for basketball at New Balance. “He represents everything we value at New Balance — hard work, authenticity, and confidence — so working together to bring his first signature shoe to life is a natural step in celebrating who he is and where his journey is headed.”

    Maxey first signed a shoe deal with New Balance in 2023, joining Kawhi Leonard, Jamal Murray, and Zach LaVine. During the 2023-24 season, which saw him earn the NBA Most Improved Player Award and his first All-Star nod, Maxey appeared on a New Balance billboard in Indianapolis during All-Star Weekend. As the brand’s roster of athletes expands, Maxey has also been involved in New Balance’s “We Got Now” ad campaign alongside stars from other sports including Shohei Ohtani and Coco Gauff.

    Two years after signing with the brand, it took another step forward in its partnership. New Balance presented the Tyrese Maxey Hero Pack — a collection that included a basketball shoe (New Balance Hesi Low v2) and a lifestyle shoe (New Balance 1906R) inspired by Maxey’s love of comic books.

    There hasn’t yet been any information made available on when Maxey’s shoe will release and what it will look like, so stay tuned.

  • Does Tyrese Maxey ‘hate’ VJ Edgecombe? The Sixers stars have a little fun with a heated moment.

    Does Tyrese Maxey ‘hate’ VJ Edgecombe? The Sixers stars have a little fun with a heated moment.

    After the 76ers beat Indiana on Monday night, VJ Edgecombe wanted to get something on the record in his postgame interview with Tyrese Maxey.

    “For the record, man, we do not hate each other,” Edgecombe said.

    “I hate you. Don’t talk to me ever again, and go in the locker room,” Maxey joked in response.

    Online speculation about whether Maxey and Edgecombe liked each other started after a defensive miscommunication in the first quarter of Friday’s loss to Cleveland led to an open Donovan Mitchell three. Maxey and Edgecombe were caught on the bench having what appeared to be a heated conversation after the play.

    But on Monday, after Maxey was named an All-Star starter, Edgecombe was the first person to reach out to him — telling reporters he set a 2 p.m. alarm just to make sure he found out right away whether Maxey had been named a starter so he could congratulate him.

    Edgecombe woke up Maxey from his pregame nap trying to call him.

    “I’m like, why is he calling me?” Maxey said pregame. “And I answer, and he’s screaming and showing me the TV. And I’m like, ‘OK.’ We chopped it up a little bit.”

    And postgame, the two Sixers guards were having fun after the 113-104 win over the Pacers.