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Insanely Brutal Stat Correction Costs Fantasy Football Player $1 Million

By Mark Chalifoux
Stat Correction Costs Player a Million
(Getty/Joe Scarnici Twitter/ActionNetworkHQ)

The NFL isn’t the most fun sport to watch, but it is one of the most fun to follow, and we have gambling to thank for that. Fantasy Football started as a cottage industry and is BOOMING now, and has been a boost to the sport’s bottom line for years. So much to the point that players now hate getting bothered on social media about their fantasy football output. And with most states approving online sports gambling, daily games have made the NFL even more appealing.

But with the rise of games like that, you see some truly heart-breaking, crushing bad beats, and boy did Monday Night Football include perhaps the worst in sports and gambling history. A DraftKings player had participated in a contest with a lineup that included, among others, Jared Goff and the Chicago Bears defense.

At the end of the game, it appeared that player had won the contest and won the $1 million prize that goes with it. As epic of a fantasy football win as you can have in a lifetime. And then
the dreaded, brutal stat correction.

First, stat corrections are the bane of fantasy football. Like an ump that makes a mistake, they should be left untouched, allowing for a smidge of human error to influence our games, for worse or in this case for much, much better.

The way it played out was a sack previously credited to the Bears defense was taken away, and instead turned into a negative rushing attempt for Goff, so it slightly hurt both players. And it hurt the fantasy football player the most, taking his $1 million prize away, and moving him to sixth place, for a paltry $3,000 winnings.


When it comes to fantasy football, you will not find a crueler break than that. No pain, no game, or something like that, sure. But dang, dude, that is a hard way to lose a million dollars.

UFC GOAT Retires After Victory Citing The Loss of His Father

By Mark Chalifoux
khabib nurmagomedov retires
(Twitter/UFC/ Instagram/khabib_nurmagomedov)

One of the greatest mixed martial artists in UFC history is stepping away from the sport at his pinnacle, and he’s citing the loss of his dad and coach earlier this year as the reason for his retirement. Make no mistake, unbeaten UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and he retires unbeaten with a perfect 29-0 record. He announced his retirement immediately after defeating Justin Gaethje in a title match on Saturday. A match he won despite BREAKING HIS FOOT before the fight.

“This is my last fight. There’s no way I’m going to be back without my father,” he said. “ I spoke to my mother. She don’t know how I fight without father, but I promised it’s going to be my last fight, and if I give my word, I have to follow it.”

His dad, Abdulmanap, passed away in July from COVID-related complications. His dad was his longtime trainer and coach, and Khabib will walk away from the Octagon rather than continuing to defend the title without a key member of his team.


As word of his retirement spread, UFC stars poured in tributes to Khabib, who will go down in history as one of the greatest ever. Dana White was quick to call him the best pound-for-pound fighter in the game right now. He went even further, calling him the GOAT in the sport’s history.


Any mention of the word “GOAT” and of course, there’s going to be a debate, but no one can really challenge that he was the greatest lightweight champion the sport has ever seen. And he was the best fighter his dad worked with, but not the only, as the UFC now has a number of fighters that got their start in Russia thanks to him.


He was emotional in the Octagon after his win, and while it may seem crazy to some to walk away in your prime, it doesn’t to those who how close the two were.

Khabib learned the sport from his dad, and even his trainers acknowledge the major presence he had on his son. In fact, Khabib’s relationship with his dad seemed stronger than most, as he even called his dad his best friend and once told a reporter after a win that his advice for youngsters would be “respect your parents.”

Michael Jordan Opens a Second Health Clinic for People Without Health Insurance

By Mark Chalifoux
Jordan 2nd Health Clinic
(YouTube/Novant Health)

The times, they are unprecedented. But we’ve also seen certain people rise to meet the moment, and give what they can to make their corner of the world a little bit better place. Michael Jordan is one of those people, who donated millions of dollars to help open a health clinic in the city of his basketball team in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Now, Jordan, the philanthropist, has helped open a second clinic developed to serve underprivileged communities in the Charlotte area. The clinics are for the uninsured and underinsured people in the area, to provide access to physical, dental, and behavioral health services. Obviously, when our world is enduring an unprecedented health crisis, uniquely affecting those populations, there’s never been a time when this is more needed.

Novant Health opened the second clinic Monday, one year after the first was opened. Jordan told the Charlotte Observer that it gave his family “great pride to know that we are making a difference in Charlotte.”

The Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic is going to be life-changing for the people it helps. During the COVID crisis, the first clinic has been a huge resource to the community, providing accessible COVID screening, treatment, and testing. The first clinic has helped thousands of patients who may not have been able to get care elsewhere, and many of them have called it “life-saving.”

“To see how it’s evolved is so gratifying, it makes me want to do more so we can keep answering the bell,” Jordan said in a dedication interview. “We are put on this earth in some ways to make a difference in whatever way we can.”

There’s no questioning that his latest efforts are making real, tangible changes to people that need it more than most. And for that, Jordan proves once again why he’s one of the GOATs of the sports world.

Space Jam 2 “Plot Leak” Takes LeBron on a Looney Trip Into the WB Vaults

By Mark Chalifoux
Space Jam 2
(Warner Brothers)

The plot from Space Jam 2 has leaked online and it sounds pretty bonkers. Details from the LeBron James led sequel have been pretty sparse, but the plot synopsis was (insert requisite allegedly and supposedly here) leaked online by a screenwriter. And this is not going to be your father’s Space Jam and it’s even wilder than Tony Hawk’s Skate Jam.

We do know a little about the upcoming movie, like the name and accompanying merch, so helpfully modeled by Mr. James himself (a 4-time NBA champion, if you aren’t aware). And now we have a little bit of the plot, and it’s about LeBron as a dad. Here’s the synopsis that was shared on Twitter from Ben Mekler:

“During a trip to the Warner Bros. studio, NBA Superstar LeBron James and his son accidentally get trapped within a world that contains all of Warner Bros.’ stories and characters, under the control of a malfunctioning, all-powerful force named Al G (played by Don Cheadle).

“With the help of Bugs Bunny, LeBron must navigate through a never-before-imagined world filled with iconic movie scenes and characters as they re-assemble the Looney Tunes to rescue his lost son.

“Now to get back home, LeBron and the Loony Tunes must unravel AI G’s mysterious plan and win an epic basketball game against a team of digital gamified super-versions of NBA and WNBA superstars while the whole world watches.”

So
pretty wild, right? There’s a lot of fun potential if you throw in a bunch of random WB universe characters. But the whole “rescue his lost son” thing has a bit of a “Taken” vibe to it. Although just replace angry Liam Neeson doing bad-ass fighting scenes with LeBron James throwing down some alley-oops off passes by Bugs Bunny.

The iconic movie scenes and characters WB-world does seem pretty cool and also hard to imagine. When I first read it, I was kind of hoping the synopsis was fake, since, on the whole, it seems pretty out there. Then again, here’s the synopsis for the original:

“Michael Jordan gets sucked through a golf hole into another world where he teams up with Looney Tunes to beat aliens who stole NBA talent in a basketball game.”

So, in light of that, this is the perfect sequel. And while LeBron is world’s better at acting than Michael Jordan, I’m not sure there’s anyone in this movie who can fill the Bill Murray-sized void, but I guess we’ll find out for sure in 2021.

Decorated Olympian, Dedicated Dad, Michael Phelps Opens up About Mental Health

By The Dad
Michael Phelps Mental Health
(Getty/Ian MacNicol)

As we trudge onward into this nightmarish exercise in time dilation we’ve collectively assigned the number 2020, it’s more necessary than ever to take initiative with keeping our mental health in check. After all, taking care of yourself is the first step in taking care of anyone else.

We thought it’d be a good time to spotlight this piece on mental health by Michael Phelps. The fact that even human marlin Michael Phelps, winner of 28 gold medals, 23 of which were gold, like other Olympians, isn’t exempt from the occasional bout with depression, just goes to show that mental illness does not discriminate. Anxiety attacks don’t care how fast you can swim.

(Getty / Ian MacNicol)

Phelps has been outspoken about his struggles with ADHD and depression. Recently, he did an interview with SportsCenter in which he referred to life under quarantine as the “toughest stretch” of it he’s ever dealt with it, but grateful to have loved ones there to help him through it.

Michael also wrote about his mental wellness for ESPN, stating that he wants people struggling to know they’re not alone. “So many of us are fighting our mental health demons now more than ever,” he says.

He spoke about the importance of taking it one day at a time, conceding to the fact that while there’s no real cure for depression, there are certainly ways of managing it.

The thing is — and people who live with mental health issues all know this — it never goes away. You have good days and bad. But there’s never a finish line.

He also wrote about the importance of taking care of your body, as it’s directly linked to how your brain feels. It’s important in these tumultuous times to maintain routines, especially ones that nurture your physical well-being.

I just escape to the gym. And look, there are days that I don’t want to be there. But I force myself to do it. I know it’s for my mental health as much as my physical health.

(Getty / Fotonoticias MDB)

Michael goes on to talk about negative thinking patterns, and how important it is to identify them. One minute you’re burning toast, the next you’re drudging up memories of rejection from sixth-grade crushes. Before you know it, it’s Friday.

One of the best things you can do for your mental health is to be open about it. There is immense power in vulnerability, and if the most decorated Olympian of all time can do it, so can you. The first step is, naturally, being real with yourself. Michael finds writing things down helps.

I try to write notes on my mirror with a dry-erase marker. There are motivational quotes throughout my office I use to help me. And I journal. I have 20 to 30 pieces of scrap paper all over where I write things down that pop into my head or I want to remember to help me later.

Earlier this year, Phelps donated 500 months of free Talkspace therapy to medical workers, harkening back to the notion that we’re best equipped to care for others when we first care for ourselves. Remember: empathy comes from within.

Michael is a dad to three young boys, and he says he learns a lot from them.

I have to give myself more love and more compassion. I just don’t. I look at our boys. They fall down, hit their head, cry a bit and 30 seconds later they are back on their feet chasing their brothers and laughing. They’ve moved on. They’re resilient. They live in the moment so well. That’s what we all need to do.

(Instagram / Michael Phelps)

Michael wants everyone to know that they’re not alone in their emotional hardships and thinks we’re finally reaching a point in society where troubles with mental wellness are being validated. We commend Michael for speaking so openly about his struggles and hope his message of resilience resonates with anyone who might need to hear it. Please love yourselves, so that we may more effectively love one another.

2020 Gets Summed up by a Flaming Zamboni

By Mark Chalifoux
Zamboni Fire
(Twitter/RussBites)

Hockey people are different. That’s just something you need to know before you watch this video. A Zamboni driver at a rink in New York was going about his business, resurfacing the ice, when all hell broke loose. Literally, in fact, as his Zamboni became ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

Hockey is a sport that is never talked about, because the people who enjoy it really like it, and don’t feel insecure about its standing in the sports world enough to harp about it constantly (hi baseball fans!). And hockey has given us great dad moments too, like when one mic’d up his 4-year-old on the ice. But as far as crazy fire stories go, this one is right up there.

I mean, this guy just calmly stays the course after the thing catches on fire. He doesn’t bail out immediately (I would’ve left a cartoonish outline of my body through the boards if that happened to me), or freak out and drive it into the wall. He doesn’t even start screaming expletives, which many of us would do just for a barely-malfunctioning lawnmower. Dude just stays the course, like this happens all the time.

Thankfully, no one was harmed in the incident. Crazy when you watch the video, but great news for all involved.

Maybe the funniest part is the voice in the video saying “how is he still on it?” Hockey. People. Are. Different.

Viral Fleetwood Mac Skater Celebrates Lakers Win, Looks to Buy House

By Mike Julianelle
Nathan Apodaca celebrating Lakers
(Twitter/FollowThroughLA)

Nathan Apodaca is having a heck of a month.

You may not know his name but you’ve probably seen the viral video of him skateboarding while lip-syncing to Fleetwood Mac and slamming some Ocean Spray. His TikTok video has blown up, garnering over 41 million views and catching the eye of both Mick Fleetwood (who made his own version of the video) and Ocean Spray, who delivered a new truck to Nathan, packed full of the Cran-Raspberry drink he loves.

On top of that, Nathan is apparently a Lakers fan and was caught celebrating his team’s 17th title Sunday night with another skating video on TikTok. This time Nathan is sporting a Lakers jersey, blasting an appropriate Queen song, and sipping something decidedly different from cranberry juice.

Much like Lebron, Nathan’s run is not yet over. On top of the fame, and the truck, and the Ocean Spray, and the championship, Nathan is also taking advantage of some of the donations he’s received from fans, he’s planning on buying a house.

Speaking to Insider he said, “I can pay my phone bill on time, and with the donations I was blessed with, that’s helping me get a down payment for a house and my lady has a savings that she’s been saving for over 20 years, so she’s throwing that in too. Hopefully I’ll be getting into a house pretty soon. It’s just been a little bit better, you know what I mean?”

Pretty amazing what a little lip-syncing can do, eh?

Mark Cuban Helps, Shares Amazing Photo of Delonte West

By Mike Julianelle
delonte west update
(Twitter/mcuban)

When we’re kids, many of us aspire to be professional athletes. Not only do we dream of playing a sport we love as our career, but we know that with such a career often comes wealth and fame. But even those of us who do make it and become rich and famous as athletes or actors or musicians are still human beings, prone to the same challenges as everyone else. And we all need help sometimes.

Recently, former NBA player Delonte West has hit hard times. The former Dallas Maverick (among other teams) played in the league for eight years, but is now homeless and fighting substance abuse. He was recently spotted holding a sign on the street in Dallas.

Shortly after a photo of West holding a sign on the street circulated, TMZ reported that Mark Cuban, the owner of the Mavericks, for whom West played in 2011-12, is lending a hand.

After efforts by West’s family to get him to go to rehab, Cuban picked West up at a Dallas gas station and took to him a hotel.

There, Cuban and West’s mom convinced him to go to a facility. Cuban also offered to pay for his stay.

It appears that West is making progress already, at least based on the amazing photo Cuban shared on Twitter today of West riding a horse.

In his tweet, Cuban acknowledges that his former employee has a long way to go, writing:

“Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you, Delonte West. A long, long, long way to go, but he has taken the first steps and shared these with all of us as a thank you for the love and support.”

Having support like he does, from his family and people like Cuban, is a huge part of getting better. Here’s hoping West is able to make it.

Stefon Diggs Has the Best Cleats in the NFL, Hands Down

By Mark Chalifoux
Custom Cleats
(Twitter/MACHE275)

The Buffalo Bills have been one of the bigger surprises of the young NFL season. The Bills are atop the AFC East, especially with Tom Brady out of New England and Pats QB Cam Newton on the COVID-list. And it’s no fluke, Josh Allen has continued to deliver in a huge way and offseason acquisition Stefon Diggs has been THRIVING. As good as he is on the field, though, he’s even better in the cleats department.

Custom shoes are just fun. You should either go full cheap and full comfort, i.e. a classic dad shoe (Nike Air Monarch guy myself) or go with something cool and fun, like Toy Story sneakers or Chewbacca shoes.

Diggs knows kicks. For instance, how can you not love him rocking the Hangover-inspired cleats for the Bills game against Vegas?

Answer: you cannot hate, because the cleats are beyond reproach. And the shoes worked their magic on the field too, as Diggs had more than 100 yards receiving in the Bills 30-23 win over the Raiders.

And Diggs has set the bar high for the custom cleat game in the past, like when he rocked Toy Story cleats.

He even went the distance and broke out meme cleats. It is hilarious (ok, it was hilarious at the time, before the meme became uncool again), and a trend that more NFL players need to embrace fully, instead of wearing the most boring shoes they can find.

If you’re not gonna be scoring touchdowns in some badass dad shoe-inspired cleats, these are a nice alternative.

Alex Trebek Makes Surprise Appearance at NHL Draft to Select Ottawa’s Pick

By Mike Julianelle
Trebek Makes Draft Pick
(Twitter/PeteBlackburn)

Everyone loves Alex Trebek.

One of the most stalwart television presences of our lifetimes, Trebek has been standing center stage on Jeopardy, asking questions, verifying answers, introducing contestants, and subtly shading those same contestants for 30+ years. Recently, the beloved quiz show host has been in the spotlight for his cancer diagnosis and the dignity and resolve he’s shown as he fights stage 4 pancreatic cancer and makes his way back to the show that made him a household name.

Everybody loves Trebek, but you know who loves him the most? Canada! Because Trebek, like so many of our favorite celebrities, from Michael J. Fox to Jim Carrey, from Justin Bieber to Gordon Lightfoot, is a Canuck. Last night, during the National Hockey League draft, Trebek showed up to support his country’s favorite sport, and add some spice to the proceedings.

When it came time for the Ottawa Senators to make their first draft pick, viewers were treated to the Jeopardy host himself, standing at a podium to make the announcement. Trebek graduated from the University of Ottawa, so while he may have been a “surprise guest”, as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman put it when introducing him, Trebek has ties to the Senators’ home town, which made his appearance all the more special.

As did the clever way the pick was presented, Jeopardy-style.

Trebek framed the announcement of Ottawa’s selection of German center Tim Stutzle with the third overall pick as a question from his show, in the NHL category. “The correct answer is: ‘Who is Tim Stutzle?'”, as the “Jeopardy!” theme music played in the background.

It was a fun way to add some flavor to the NHL’s all-virtual draft, and surely a treat for hockey fans to see beloved Canadian Alex Trebek doing what he does best in the service of their national pastime.

Here’s hoping he continues to stand at that podium for years to come.

Grandpa Who Left Viral Note at Batting Cages Reunites With Grandson

By Yael Meshulam
Viral Note Grandpa Reunites With Grandson
(Twitter/TheBigE_21)

Watching kids transform into their own people with their own hopes, dreams, and motivations, is one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent. On the flip-side, kids growing up means – well, that they’re grown up. You may not always be the first person they run to for comfort as they get older, and games you used to play will one day be deemed “babyish” and “lame”. In the moment though, you may be more concerned with whether you’ll get them to bed on time, or the fact that you haven’t so much as gone to the bathroom without someone sitting directly outside the door in as long as you can remember. Before we know it, kids are putting themselves to sleep, and our bathroom time is never interrupted again. And boy, we’ll miss it.

Randy Long, a 72-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama was recently hit with nostalgia for the time he used to spend with his son and grandson. While cleaning his garage, he stumbled upon some old baseballs and was immediately taken back to the days his family used to spend in the batting cages together.

Instead of throwing the balls out, Long had another plan. He wanted to leave the baseballs for another family, one that was just now living the days that Long was so deeply missing.

Long’s grandson, Ethan Anderson, shared a photo of the baseballs along with the note his grandpa left on Twitter after his grandma shared the photos with him. With over 200,000 likes in just over a week, it’s evident that Long’s message struck a chord.

The note read, “Hope someone can use some of these baseballs in the batting cages. I found them cleaning my garage. I pitched them to my son and grandson for countless rounds. My son is now 46 y/o and my grandson is 23 y/o. I am 72 and what I won’t give to pitch a couple of buckets to them. They have both moved away. If you are a father cherish these times. You won’t believe how quickly they will be gone. God bless.”

Long concluded, “P.S. Give them a hug and tell them you love them every chance you get.”

Life moves quickly, more quickly than we realize. We’re often so busy getting from one point to the next, we forget to stop and appreciate just how amazing each moment is. The things we don’t think twice about will one day become the things we’d give anything to do just one more time.

Anderson didn’t expect his post to gain so much traction, nor did he expect Twitter to band together to push the now 23-year-old to go visit his grandpa.

Fortunately, Twitter didn’t have to wait long. Anderson made the trip back so that he and his grandpa could spend some quality time together. Oh yeah, and they went to the batting cages.

Paul Rudd Takes Down Robert Downey Jr. With Next Level Fantasy Football Trash Talk

By Yael Meshulam
Paul Rudd Trash Talks Robert Downey Jr.
(Instagram/agbosuperheroleague)

Being invited into the exclusive world of Marvel superheroes has more than its fair share of perks. Actors who get to play beloved superheroes are few and far between, so oftentimes, they stick together. It’s like an exclusive club that we don’t get to join, but we do get to enjoy some of the benefits. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman met while filming the 2009 movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and theirs is just one of many Marvel friendships that keeps on giving. Now, an exclusive fantasy football league founded by Avengers: Endgame director Joe Russo has become a source of joy for even non-sport lovers.

The AGBO Superhero League’s website explains, “All the drama of football, all the fantasy fun of your favorite superheroes, all the star-studded trash talk you could ask for — and all for a great cause! AGBO has recruited some of the biggest superheroes in the world (i.e., the biggest superstars in the real world) to settle their scores. All season long, they’ll compete in fantasy football for their charities of choice, with donations thanks to FanDuel.”

Trash talk is (the most entertaining) part of the FanDuel game, and competitors both take it and dish it out. You know, for a good cause. The participants are donating $1.25 million to the charities of their choice, and with big money comes big talk. Recently, Robert Downey Jr. unleashed his week four fury on Paul Rudd, posting a video to Instagram where the Iron Man star talked trash to a cartoon of Rudd, dressed in jean shorts straight out of Wet Hot American Summer.

As creative as Robert Downey Jr. was with his smack talk, he was no match for Paul Rudd. Rudd is known for his over-the-top humor, fully committing to every bit, and inexplicably never aging. Paul Rudd’s video response to RDJ was exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Ant-Man star – it was excessive, and perfect in every way.

Paul Rudd recreates Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” music video, only he takes on the role of every single band member. In the hilarious music video, Rudd changes the words to (lovingly) take down his very own Iron Man.


“Has he lost his mind, will his team score more than mine?” Rudd sings. “Can he win at all? No, he can’t, his game sucks balls.”

“Now the time is here for Iron Man to disappear,” Rudd continues. The lyrics start off fairly tame, but progressively escalate until Rudd delivers a solid knockout. “I love you 3,000 but you’re going to lose to an ant.”

Finally, Rudd grabs an Iron Man action figure to show that he really loves and supports- oh, never mind. Yeah, he bites the head off and spits it at the camera.

No matter who wins the actual fantasy football league, it’s pretty clear that Paul Rudd is the grand champion of trash talk. I mean, he squashed Tony Stark like a bug. We’re only on week four of the 13-week competition, so perhaps the best is yet to come.

NFL Coach Battling Cancer Surprised With 400 Cutouts of Friends and Family

By Mark Chalifoux
Rivera Cutouts
(Twitter/WashingtonNFL)

The Washington Football Team’s head coach Ron Rivera got the most 2020 show of support for his ongoing battle with cancer over the weekend. The coach was surprised by an entire section of cardboard cutouts of friends and family members put together as a “Coach’s Corner” to give him a boost after a hard week.

The cardboard cutout thing is fun. I mean yeah, obviously sports is better if fans can be there in person. But when they can’t, thanks to the world’s lamest coronavirus? Then at least have some fun with your cutouts. Or do something meaningful. The Ravens put hundreds of cutouts of a young superfan who lost his battle with cancer. The Denver Broncos filled their stands with the entire town from South Park. There are definitely ways to be unique and take advantage of a bad situation.

For Rivera, it was a classy move as the team filled the section of FedEx Field with hundreds of cutouts of his family and friends. Several NFL colleagues were included along with former players, such as Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly, and Steve Smith Sr.

“When you see things like this and people that support you and the notes I got and the letters I got, the notes I got from friends. Tremendous,” Rivera said to ESPN about the display. “It shows that you’re not doing this by yourself, that there’s a whole bunch of people helping you.”

The Washington players also rocked Rivera Strong t-shirts in a show of support for their coach.

Rivera was diagnosed with skin cancer earlier this year and said his doctors are optimistic about his treatment since they caught it early.