Follow Us

visit our friends at

×

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers To Guest-Host Jeopardy After Playoffs

By Mike Julianelle
Rodgers to Guest Host Jeopardy!
(Twitter/PatMcAfeeShow)

For 36 years, Alex Trebek and his famous mustache were the face of Jeopardy. In November, the beloved game show host passed away after a valiant battle with cancer, and now the producers of the show are scrambling to find a replacement. But whoever takes over for Trebek will have big shoes to fill, and the people behind the decision are not taking it lightly.

Many names have been tossed around, and several celebrities will appear as guest hosts over the next few weeks before a final decision is made. Ken Jennings, the popular former champion with a large Twitter following and quick wit, went first, Katie Couric is coming soon, and now a football player with a history of competing may be next. But potentially not until after the Super Bowl.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a longtime fan of the show and even won the Celebrity Tournament in $50,000 (and donated his winnings to the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer).

The QB, currently prepping for his team’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in this Saturday’s divisional round of the NFL playoffs, appeared on the Pat McAfee show and spilled the beans.

“I’m really excited about it. We’ve been talking about it for a little bit,” Rodgers said. “I think I may have jumped the gun a little bit so I apologize to ‘Jeopardy’ if they wanted to announce it, I just got so excited on the show earlier. It just went down the last couple of days, us figuring it out. It is very exciting, it’s for the offseason, we’ll be even more excited when that opportunity gets a little closer.”

The former MVP and Super Bowl champion told McAfee how much the opportunity means to him, as a huge fan of the show.

“The show has been so special to me over the years,” Rodgers said. “It’s been a staple at my house here in Green Bay for the last 16 years – 6 o’clock watching Alex and trying to get as many questions as I can. When the opportunity came up in 2015 I mean that was a dream come true, it really was, to be on there, to get to meet Alex was just such a special moment, and we’re all obviously sad about his passing. I’ve said it before I think when he passed, but there’s this nostalgic connection to certain figures in our life based on our childhood and where we were at and the times we had those memories, it almost makes these people feel like family, like you know them.”

The odds of Rodgers hanging up his cleats and taking over for Alex Trebek anytime soon are probably pretty low. The show’s producers are considering a slew of other potential hosts, including LeVar Burton and Jane Lynch, but Rodgers has proven himself to be more than capable of handling the show’s material, so never say never.

Daughter Defeats Dad in Historic College Basketball Coaching Matchup

By Andrea Kramer
Head coach Dave Magarity of the Army Black Knights women's basketball team
(Getty/Mitchell Layton)

There are few things more special than sharing a passion with your child — until the kid grows up and schools you in public.

At least, that’s what happened with the Magarity family this weekend, when daughter Maureen faced off against her father Dave as rival coaches of the Holy Cross and Army women’s basketball teams, respectively.

On Saturday, Maureen’s Holy Cross Crusaders topped Army 80-46, in what’s thought to be the first-ever dad-daughter coaching matchup in Division-1 history. She turned around and did it again on Sunday, leading Holy Cross to a 70-61 win.

However, Dave will have a chance to settle the score next month, with two more matchups against his daughter lined up. And, even if Army loses again the next go-round, perhaps the senior Magarity can take comfort in knowing his daughter learned from the best: him.

“In fifth or sixth grade, people would ask me what I want to do when I grow up,” Maureen told the Telegram & Gazette. “I would say, ‘I want to coach. I want to coach like my dad.’”

She grew up around the game, watching film and attending her dad’s team practices, and it doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination to picture lots of “Father of the Bride”-type driveway shootouts at the Magarity house.

Father of the Bride – Touchstone Pictures

Maureen went on to play a year at Boston College, then transferred to Marist, where she was ultimately a captain and helped usher the Red Foxes to their first March Madness dance in 2004. After working as an assistant coach under her dad at Army, she spent 10 years coaching at New Hampshire before taking over the Crusaders’ program earlier this year.

Dave has been coaching basketball for more than 40 years, and has been heading the Army women’s team since 2006.

Before the weekend Daddy-Daughter duel, he had to fight back some big-league emotions, stating, “It’s hard to put into words — it really hit me like a ton of bricks.”

As far as the next round of matchups on Feb. 6-7, he’s not the only one hoping to settle the score; his wife told Maureen’s kids, with typical Grandma diplomacy, “I want Pop-Pop to win two and Mommy to win two.”

But hey, even if he takes another set of Ls on the court, Mr. Magarity gets a big, fat DUB in fatherhood, from where we sit.

Slime Time: Saints vs Bears Wildcard Game to Air On Nickelodeon

By Mike Julianelle
Nick NFL Wild Card Game

As we enjoy the first round of the NFL playoffs this weekend, I think we can all admit that this season has been pretty unique, if not outright strange.

Thanks to the pandemic, there was no preseason, multiple games were played on Tuesdays, there were limited, and usually, zero, fans at stadiums, and often teams were forced to play without key players and coaches. On top of that, the league added a 7th playoff team in each conference, a welcome development that made the #1 seed (with a bye) more important than ever and gave us a total of 6 games on wildcard weekend, with an extra game to watch yesterday and today.

In perhaps the strangest twist of all, one of those games is being televised on Nickelodeon!

This afternoon’s game between the 7th-seeded Chicago Bears and 2nd-seeded New Orleans Saints, which will be played at 4:30PM ET, will be broadcast on both CBS and Nickelodeon, the kids’ channel most known for cartoons, You Can’t Do That On Television, and slime.

Noah Eagle, the son of longtime broadcaster Ian Eagle, will be calling the game, alongside former NFL player Nate Burleson and Nick stars Gabrielle Nevaeh Green and Lex Lumpkin, and he explained some of the tweaks fans can expect.

“This is a perfect opportunity to captivate a new audience of sports fans and football fans, while being a family friendly broadcast, so that the family can watch it all as a single unit, and have fun,” Eagle told CBS Sports. “It’s going to be a blend of sports, entertainment, laughs, joy, all of the above, and we’re expecting a good game as well, which doesn’t hurt.”

The idea is to focus on the “fun” and “light” aspects of the game to appeal to younger generations, and get kids interested in the so-called “no fun league.” The broadcast team is going to shy away from hardcore-football facts and instead share kid-friendly news, like players’ favorite ice-cream flavors.

There may even be a little slime!

“I fully expect to get slimed in a sense that I’m going to be like a coach where you just don’t see it coming … But I’ve told some other people that I may need to bring a shower cap, because I take my hair very seriously.”

Professional Surfer Rescues Swimmer Struggling in Turbulent Waters

By Mark Chalifoux
Surfer Saves Woman in Water
(IG/mikeywright69)

From time to time, it’s important to cleanse your news palate with something truly inspiring and badass. It reminds you that good things happen in the world and that ordinary people can do heroic things. So, in that vein, I present this footage of professional surfer Mikey Wright diving into the ocean to heroically rescue a swimmer struggling in the current.

The footage was captured in a pair of videos, one of which Wright himself started. While filming with some friends near the beach, the friendly gathering took a serious tone when someone noticed a swimmer struggling to stay above water and getting pulled further out by the current.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mikey Wright (@mikeywright69)

“That swimmer is going to need to get saved,” he said. He then hands the phone to someone else, while someone else protests, saying “you can’t save them.” And then, readers, he proves that person completely wrong.

In a scene that may have been directly out of a Baywatch reboot, Wright springs down the beach and dives into the water, grabbing hold of the woman and wrestling her through the waves back to the safety of the shore.

And, to cap it off, he posted the video on Instagram with the text: “Hold my beer.” His sister, also a professional surfer, was actually the one who took most of the video and posted it first. The duo was in Hawaii for a surfing competition. Others chimed in on the video, calling Wright a “living legend” and another pro surfer who commented: “Who needs a cape when you have a mullet.”

“I didn’t question if I was in danger,” Wright, told ABC. “I just knew that she needed help. This lady was in a very tricky situation. Even for a confident person in the water, that’s not somewhere you want to be.”

I’m all for mullet-based superheroes, so huge props to the pro surfer.

ESPN Trolls Belichick and Brady via Love Actually

By Mike Julianelle
Belichick and Brady in Love Actually
(Twitter/ESPN)

I think we can all agree that we’re tired of hearing about the Patriots. With the exception of their fans, no one likes the most dominant NFL franchise of the last 20 years.

Similarly, I think we can all agree that Love Actually is an incredibly problematic Christmas film that gets worse with every viewing.

Nearly every one of the nine storylines features something questionable but perhaps the most troubling storyline, aside from the one in which a small child sprints past airport security and through various gates in a post-9/11 world, is the one in which a guy actively tries to ruin the life of his best friend.

This is the one where the Sheriff from The Walking Dead is in love with Keira Knightley but can’t pursue her because she’s married to his best friend. In the movie’s most famous scene, the Sheriff knocks on her door and declares his love via a collection of signs.

Maybe you haven’t seen this movie because you hate romantic comedies and prefer to watch football, in which case you’re in luck! On Monday night, ESPN used the occasion of the post-Christmas weekend Patriots/Bills game to spoof the aforementioned scene from Love Actually.

In the brief animation that aired during the game, Belichick plays the part of the heartbroken guy who just wants his quarterback back, because his life is trash without him.

And it is, as the Patriots are missing the playoffs, and aren’t division champs, for the first time in 11 seasons.

As a Dolphins fan, I much prefer this version of the movie. Check out the funny little clip:

Tiger Teamed With His Son in a Tournament and Their Swings Look Identical

By Mark Chalifoux
Tiger and Son Play Golf
(Twitter/SportsCenter/BleacherReport)

Take your kid to work day is one of those weird made-up traditions that some workplaces endorse wholeheartedly, while others ignore it completely. Tiger Woods gets to take it to another level though when take your kid to work day becomes make your kid workday, as Tiger and his 11-year-old Charlie got to team up for their first tournament together.

Woods father and son competed in the PNC Championship, which is an event that matches a major championship-winning player with a family member in a scramble. Charlie is one of the youngest to compete in the event, but it’s crazy how much his swing already looks like his dad’s. This kid has got some game.

It’s a scramble, which is a perfect format for a father-son outing. That way when one falls, the other is there to pick up the slack. And just because his dad is one of the greatest golfers in the history of the sport doesn’t mean Charlie isn’t bringing anything to the table, as he had more than one shot that was better than his dad’s and used by Team Woods. Just look at this eagle he picks up for the squad.

I don’t care who you are, nothing beats fathers and sons playing together. Sports is full of special relationships and special bonds, but come on, playing with your dad, whether it’s on a golf course, an ice hockey rink (in my case), or even having a catch…that time is some of the most treasured.

Tiger told ESPN how much he enjoyed not only playing with his son but watching his son have fun as well.

“It’s so much fun to see him enjoying the game,” he said. “That’s the whole idea. Enjoy hitting shots and creating those shots. It’s so cool for me to see him enjoy the sport and feeling the shots and hitting it as solid as he hitting it.”

With Tiger on the back-end of his career (still a force at major tournaments, mind you, just much less a dominating figure than he used to be) it’s only a matter of time before Charlie overtakes Tiger for good on the course.

Drones Are Delivering Beer at Michael Jordan’s Golf Course

By Mark Chalifoux
Jordan Drones
(Twitter/GolfDigest)

It goes without saying the pandemic has changed the way we live our lives, and some of the changes will echo long past 2020. The way we eat, shop and work has been changed forever. The movie industry is changing forever, and there’s no doubt we’ll be Zooming in some fashion for years to come. And some technological innovation born from social distancing SHOULD carry on. And by that, I am specifically talking about robots delivering booze from the sky.

We have Michael Jordan to thank because it’s his golf course The Grove XXIII that delivers snacks and drinks via drones. And it’s quite a sight to behold.

This is what robots are made for, to deliver on the whimsy and wishes of the humans that control them (for now). When you think “the future” some people might think of flying cars, but other, more sensible people think “flying robots delivering beer.” And my friends, the future is here.

Jordan has had a strong impact on society in 2020. When COVID hit, he helped open two life-changing health clinics serving people without insurance. A truly impactful action. As the virus continued to rage, he helped the food insecure by donating millions to food banks. And as we begin to look at life beyond COVID, he’s given us another great innovation.

Obviously, this solves a key component of social distancing, and golf is already a very safe recreational activity in the time of COVID (you’re pretty much alone the entire time, with no one around for hundreds of yards). The only interaction you might need to have on the course is ordering some beers and maybe a hot dog, so now you can do that and have it freaking airlifted down to you.

The future is here, and we have the GOAT to thank.

The Mighty Duck Man Is Back as Gordon Bombay in Trailer For Disney+ Series

By Mark Chalifoux
Mighty Ducks are Back
(Twitter/Disney)

Ducks, Fly, Together. Even decades later. The Mighty Ducks franchise is finally picking up again, with star Emilio Estevez back in his role as coach Gordon Bombay. It was buried in the Star Wars and Marvel news, but Disney+ unveiled our first look at The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.

I’m not quite sure how you can pick up “right where the films left off” when it’s 25 years later, but I am interested to find out! Maybe Charlie Conway comes back to help his now aged coach? Maybe Bombay gets another DUI and former player Adam Banks is his attorney? Do the Bash Brothers make a return? Bash Dads now?

Here’s what we do know. The Mighty Ducks program has become dominant, and not the ragtag bunch we fell in love with decades ago (seriously, they made AN ENTIRE SPORTS FRANCHISE happen, you can’t say that about ANY other Disney movie). And “Gilmore Girls” star Lauren Graham is the mom of a young player that helps coax Bombay back to the sport he (presumably) loves.

The focus is largely on the backlash to the current hyper-competitive atmosphere surrounding kid’s sports, so expect the series to go deep in that.

“Once a Duck, always a Duck! And after 25 years, I am delighted to lace up my skates, put on Coach Bombay’s jacket and return to play the iconic character for this new chapter in The Mighty Ducks franchise,” Estevez said previously.

Get a look at the new show before it hits the streamer sometime next year. For old time’s sake, here are some of the highlights of the original.

Breakdancing and Skateboarding Now Official Olympic Sports

By Mike Julianelle
Breakdancing in Olympics
(Getty/Handout)

For years, I’ve dreamed of making the Olympics. Unfortunately, I’m not good at any of the events. I can’t run fast, I can’t swim fast, I’m too short for basketball, I can’t even go near a pommel horse without hurting myself, and I’ve never been able to master a decent toe-pick.

Now, in 2024, with breakdancing and skateboarding finally becoming official Olympic events… I still don’t have a prayer at representing my country in the Olympics because I’ve never been any good at those either. But if they ever add Movie Pong, look out!

On Monday, Reuters reported that breakdancing had officially made the cut for the Olympic games in Paris four years from now. A report had shown that there were approximately one million participants in the sport in 2019, and a competition in Mumbai had generated enormous interest on YouTube, racking up 50 million views. Apparently, that was enough!

“It can resonate with a lot of people because hip-hop culture resonates with a lot of people, hip-hop music resonates with a lot of people,” said 17-year-old American breakdancer Logistx, who has performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Skateboarding will also be making its Olympic debut at the Paris Games, as will sport climbing and surfing.

Is this the Olympics or the X-Games? I kid, I kid!

If nothing else, these new events should be exciting to watch, and exciting to argue over! Especially breakdancing, which will require judges – as opposed to something like basketball, which simply relies on the score.

Obviously, this isn’t the first Olympic sport to leave itself up to subjective opinions – it’s one of the things that makes the Olympics interactive, as we are able to guess alongside the official arbiters.

I just hope the judges include the breakdancers’ names in their tally. How many points would you give “Logistx”?

Thor Is Becoming Hulk for Biopic, Hulkster Approves

By Mike Julianelle
Hemsworth becoming Hulk
(Instagram/chrishemsworth)

The last time we saw Chris Hemsworth in a flick,  he was looking ripped while attempting to rescue a kid on Netflix. The time before that, however, he was playing Fat Thor in Avengers Endgame, and it was a riot. The affable action star proved he was game for anything, not just flexing his muscles and wielding enormous weapons.

He’s gonna need all those chops and all of his charisma for his next big role, as wrestling icon Hulk Hogan.

Hemsworth seems more than up to the task, especially when it comes to putting on the extra muscles necessary to run all over you.

The once and future Thor shared a photo of himself training to play Hogan in the forthcoming biopic, and it looks like he’s well on his way to having the 24″ pythons the WWE star was famous for.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)

Hemsworth spoke to Total Film about his preparation for the movie.

“This movie is going to be a really fun project,” Hemsworth said. “As you can imagine, the preparation for the role will be insanely physical. I will have to put on more size than I ever have before, even more than I put on for Thor. There is the accent as well as the physicality and the attitude.”

Hogan himself seems impressed, posting on Instagram that Hemsworth is both buff enough – and good-looking enough – to step into his enormous shoes.

Not much is known about the project, aside from Hemsworth’s involvement. Hopefully, it will be as fun and outrageous as the Hulkster’s antics in the 80s. And they’d better include Thunderlips!

Snoop Dogg Was the MVP of Mike Tyson’s Comeback Match

By Mark Chalifoux
Snoop Dogg Boxing Commentary
(Getty/Joe Scarnici)

We finally got the much-awaited return to the boxing ring of Mike Tyson, who had his anticipated bout with Roy Jones Jr. over the weekend. And it was fun! The fight? Oh, no, not that. The rules took a lot of the heat out of the bout, and it ended as a draw (the worst possible outcome for a fight). Tyson definitely looked better and probably won, but the reason it was a fun show? Snoop Dogg, who KILLED IT on the commentary.

Snoop did color commentary the way it should be done for ALL sports broadcasts, but he did it in a way only he can. One of the most publicized fights on the undercard, and the one that riveted social media, was YouTube guy Jake Paul knocking out tiny former NBA player Nate Robinson (former dunk contest champion!). After Robinson was put to sleep, Snoop yelled “Oh my God, lord have mercy! Oh Jesus!” and then hilariously broke out into a gospel hymn.

Truly one of the best sports moments of the year. But that’s not all he brought to the table, he was hilarious all night. During the main event between Tyson and Jones Jr., he joked that it was like “two of my uncles fighting at the family BBQ”

“My uncles is getting it in! Hey grandma! They fightin’ again!”

Social media crowned him the clear winner of the night.

Lebron summed it up better than anyone, calling Snoop a ‘swiss army knife’ who is simply the greatest at whatever he does.

He’s sat in for a bit of an NHL broadcast and it’s clearer than ever that what the sports world needs is more Snoop behind the mic for every big game. Super Bowl, World Series, all of it. Put it on an alternate channel if you have to, like they do for different language broadcasts, and have the Snoop Cast of the big games, and it will be a guaranteed hit.

Women’s Soccer Star Makes History as First Female to Play Power 5 Football

By Mark Chalifoux
Sarah Fuller
(Twitter/ESPNStatsInfo//VandyFootball)

It’s extremely rare to get a standing ovation from the opposing team’s fanbase, and it’s even rarer to get that applause for a KICKOFF. But that was the scene at Missouri when Vanderbilt’s Sarah Fuller made college football history by becoming the first female to play in a Power 5 game, handling the kick-off to start the second half.

Vanderbilt isn’t very good at football this year (and to their credit, the SEC IS one of the toughest conferences), but their women’s soccer team won the league championship. So when the football team’s kickers and specialists were sidelined by COVID-19, the Commodores turned to the senior goalkeeper on that championship soccer team to handle their place-kicking duties.

Vanderbilt only got to kick-off once, to start the second half, but Fuller placed a squib kick exactly where it needed to be to prevent a return. Because it was such a historic moment, she even got a standing ovation from the Missouri fans.

“Honestly, it’s just so exciting,” Fuller said after the game (Vanderbilt did not win). “The fact I can represent all the girls out there who have wanted to do this or thought about playing football, it encourages them to be able to step out and do something big like this, it’s awesome.”

“I want to tell all the girls out there that you can do anything you set your mind to,” she said. “Like, you really can. If you have that mentality all the way through, you can do big things.”

Former NFL Pro Bowl punter Pat McAfee said her kick was great.

The sports world was quick to show their love to Fuller, and not just other football players. Media personalities, baseball stars, NFL Pro Bowlers, and everyone in between was loving the kick and what it meant.

Sports are at their best for moments like this, when you’re seeing history made. Fuller is an outstanding soccer player, but she’ll be remembered forever for her play on the gridiron.

Michael Jordan Donates $2 Million To Food Banks in Chicago and Carolina

By Mark Chalifoux
Jordan Donation
(Twitter/FeedingAmerica)

It’s the season of giving, and Michael Jordan once again proved why he’s a GOAT by making a huge donation to Feeding America to help the nearly 80 million food-insecure Americans during the holidays. During Thanksgiving week, Jordan donated $2 million to the organization supporting food banks around the country.

Jordan has proven his charitable side during the pandemic, as he helped fund two health care centers for uninsured people in his current hometown in North Carolina. It’s a huge gift from the sports legend that made a tremendous impact on those at-risk communities. And now, Jordan is helping feed the hungry in Chicago and North Carolina by gifting the proceeds of the recent “Last Dance” documentary on his final season.

Feeding America announced the gift and described it as ‘an incredible gift to be thankful for’ and said it would help feed their neighbors. Jordan, for his part, released a statement acknowledging the donation.

“In these challenging times and in a year of unimaginable difficulty due to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to pause and give thanks,” he said. “I am proud to be donating additional proceeds from The Last Dance to Feeding America and its member food banks in the Carolinas and Chicago to help feed America’s hungry.”

The NBA Hall of Famer is certainly trying to rewrite his next chapter, as he’s been on a major philanthropic phase in the last year, with this gift, opening two health care centers for the uninsured, and with a $100 million gift over 10 years to fight racial inequality.

Jordan continues to cement his legacy as the GOAT.