Sports are in a strange place right now. There are none! There was no March Madness, no opening day, no Masters. We have no idea if the NBA will be back in time to hold their playoffs, and we don’t even know if the NFL, which is in the midst of holding an all-virtual draft, will be back in the fall. Sports are up in the air.

But not e-sports! Or video games of any kind. Including Madden, the long-running NFL game from EA Sports which, aside from watching old games on YouTube, is about your best bet for football action these days. Video games are the one thing sports fans can count on these days. Well, that and the Madden curse. So I hope you’re not a Ravens fan!

Reigning league MVP and two-time playoffs flame-out Lamar Jackson recently announced that he will be appearing on the cover of Madden 21, the 2021 edition of the premiere NFL-based video game. And if you’re superstitious, you know what that means! And so does Lamar. But he’s not sweating it.

In a video on Twitter, he says “I’m not worried about the curse. Patrick Mahomes, he was on the cover and he won MVP, I hope that’s the curse!”

Lamar Jackson confirms he’ll be on the cover of Madden 21 🎮 @brgridiron

(@Ravens) pic.twitter.com/ovKbcRMd78

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 21, 2020

If you’re unfamiliar, the Madden Curse refers to the idea that whoever appears on the cover of the game inevitably ends up getting hurt that season. It dates back to the 1999 edition of the game, which featured 49er Garrison Hearst, who broke his ankle shortly after being the cover boy. And after that, the hits just kept on coming.

Digital Trends has the whole history, including this insane fact: “Of the 22 players who have been selected to grace the cover of Madden games through this season, 16 have had troubling or abruptly shortened seasons following their cover debut — including several who suffered season-ending injuries shortly after their game hit shelves.”

I am not a superstitious man, and I like Lamar Jackson (especially after drafting him in fantasy last year), but this is not good news. I’m glad to see that he’s taking it in stride because curse or not, it’s an honor to be on the cover of the game. Let’s just hope he manages to stay on the field!

Lest we forget:

“Madden curse” lol 😂 pic.twitter.com/qWgen4KAPK

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 3, 2020

If you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan, you have a lot to celebrate these days.

Not only is your team the reigning champs, but they may also be the reigning champs for the foreseeable future, both because the status of the next season is very much up in the air, thanks to COVID-19 and because the team just resigned 24-year-old Super Bowl MVP and all-around phenom Patrick Mahomes to a new contract, keeping him in Arrowhead for the rest of the decade. And beyond.

When the news broke most of us heard about it thanks to ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter, as usual. But there was actually another person who had the scoop first, an unlikely news source who isn’t connected to the NFL at all.

Almost two hours before Schefter broke the news, KC liquor store employee deduced the signing when a front office employee popped in to buy some champagne. Her tweet has since been deleted, but it was screen-capped for posterity.

pic.twitter.com/Q5RH2oP70X

— Gentleman Chief (@gentlemanchief) July 6, 2020

She’s a regular Sherlock Holmes!

After she was proven correct, she dunked on ESPN’s inside man with two delightful posts:

Holy shit I beat Schefter hahaha

— Katie Camlin (@katie_cammm) July 6, 2020

Me rn https://t.co/zjFIL2eIsm pic.twitter.com/btkQadzeOi

— Katie Camlin (@katie_cammm) July 6, 2020

Turns out you don’t have to have incredible connections to get the jump on some top-notch NFL news. You just have to pay attention and put the pieces together. Nice work, Katie! hopefully, Mahomes will give the Chiefs more reason to buy champagne over the next few years!

The word ‘hero’ gets thrown around a lot these days, sometimes carelessly. This is not one of those times. A six-year-old from Wyoming pulled some straight-up hero moves when he selflessly protected his little sister from a charging dog. His aunt shared the story in an Instagram post, and apparently six-year-old Bridger stepped in front of his sister and was bitten several times in the face and head. He then grabbed her hand and ran with her to safety.

 

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Hey, all. Please, share my nephew’s story so that it gets as much exposure as it can. We know that our little hero would love some words of encouragement from his favorite heroes. On July 9th, my six year old nephew Bridger saved his little sister’s life by standing between her and a charging dog. After getting bit several times on the face and head, he grabbed his sister’s hand and ran with her to keep her safe. He later said, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” After receiving 90 stitches (give or take) from a skilled plastic surgeon, he’s finally resting at home. We love our brave boy and want all the other superheroes to know about this latest hero who joined their ranks. @tomholland2013 @chrishemsworth @robertdowneyjr @markruffalo @prattprattpratt @twhiddleston @chadwickboseman @vindiesel @chrisevans EDIT: I just finished visiting with Bridger at his home. His wounds are looking so much better! He’s in great spirits, and his awesome personality is intact. He can’t smile too widely yet, but he was grinning as I read some of your comments to him. I’d also like to mention here that the dog’s owners are really great people who have been nothing but kind to Bridger and his family. We feel no resentment toward them at all, and—if anything—there’s only been an increase of love between our families as a result of this incident. EDIT 2: Once again we’re blown away by the amazing comments and messages that Bridger’s receiving. I’ve had lots of inquiries about a GoFundMe. Bridger’s family has asked that any one wishing to help out financially can, instead, donate to @mission_22 or @wwp. Bridger is also a huge fan of Science, especially Geology. So I’m going to start a post where people can share with him pictures of cool rocks that they see. EDIT 3: Once again, everyone’s kindness has meant so much to us. I’m trying to get to all of the messages that I can, but it may take some time. For those who have inquired about sending Bridger some rocks, here’s the address to use: Bridger Walker P.O. Box 22141 Cheyenne, WY 82003 #BridgerStrong

A post shared by Nikki Walker (@nicolenoelwalker) on Jul 12, 2020 at 8:53am PDT

He later told his aunt “if someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” I mean, that’s some serious hero calculus that a child should never have to consider. But in a moment of crisis, the little man stepped up in a way even some grown men may not and helped save his sister’s life. And he didn’t escape unscathed in his sacrifice, either, as he required more than 90 stitches on his face and head for his wounds.

“We love our brave boy and want all the other superheroes to know about the latest hero who joined their ranks,” said his aunt, tagging some of his favorite “superhero” actors.

In an update, his aunt said his wounds are looking better and he’s in great spirits. She also said he’s loving some of the comments people have left on her IG post, which has since gone viral. And she said the family has ‘no resentment’ to the family that owns the dog, and that they had been nothing but kind. She also mentioned that Bridger loves rocks, so she encouraged people who wanted to send good wishes to send in cool pictures of rocks they’ve found.

Thousands of comments have poured in with well wishes for the little hero, including several from celebrities. The Hulk himself, actor Mark Ruffalo, sent along his good wishes and praise, writing in his comment:

“People who put the well beings of others in front of themselves are the most heroic and thoughtful people I know. I truly respect and admire your courage and your heart. Real courage isn’t dominating people or fighting against people or walking around like a tough guy. Real courage is knowing what is right to do and doing it even when it might end up hurting you somehow. You are more of man than many, many I have seen or known.”

Less than a month ago, a return to live games seemed to be coming into place for most pro sports leagues. Even the NFL and college football, the clear cut ratings favorites for sports fans in the U.S., looked like they were going to be firing up their summer conditioning and training camps to be ready in the fall. Now, things look a lot shakier.

The first pro sports leagues planning to come back were the NBA and the NHL, and things aren’t looking great with their initial plans (the NHL has had a rash of positive cases and the NBA’s Bubble is in one of the world’s hotspots for COVID-19). Major League Baseball has seen a handful of major stars opt-out of the 60-game shortened season and the league’s testing has been a nightmare. And the newly shaky ground team sports find themselves on has officially put the fall football season into question.

Potentially BIG college football news..

Just spoke to a Power 5 Athletic Director who told me there have been conversations with the major television networks about moving college football to the spring.

He’s said there’s a very good chance of this happening.

— Eric Goodman (@EricGoodman) July 6, 2020

More and more, college coaches and athletic directors seem to be talking about moving the college football season to spring 2021, when things are (hopefully) a lot smoother in regards to the risk of contracting the coronavirus. The Ivy League was the first to cancel its fall sports season, announcing they won’t have any games until 2021. The league was also the first to suspend their basketball conference tournament in March. The Ivy League’s move of all fall sports to the spring is the first expected domino in a shift that could affect the entire slate.

A spring season for college football could become “a very big conversation” in a few weeks. @finebaum explains what that could look like: pic.twitter.com/TfCZmWvCB5

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 6, 2020

Some coaches are pushing back on that idea, such as Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, who said “COVID is part of our society. It wasn’t caused by football or caused by sports. There’s no expert view right now that I’m aware of that sports is going to make that worse.”

Despite that being an epically bad take, willfully ignorant of all basic science surrounding the spread of any virus, it’s even worse when you consider the current landscape of college sports. He’s a coach making $9 million a year, risking the lives (and possible futures) of athletes making nothing.

Still, it won’t be up to the coaches, no matter how uninformed their takes. It will be up to the athletic directors and conferences, which is where it gets dicey. There’s huge money on the table to play the games, thanks to the incredibly rich TV contracts.

However, it’s tough to force student-athletes to play football when the rest of the campus has gone remote for the safety of students. If dorms and classrooms are empty, you can’t convincingly say football players should be expected to report to practice every day.

This is why the spring option is the most likely, currently. Conferences can still keep the possibility of big TV paydays alive, without incurring all the risks of trying to make a team sport involving hundreds of athletes and coaches work in this risky climate.

Ivy League moving fall sports to spring may be a sign of things to come for college football https://t.co/iZLDqSsSJY pic.twitter.com/NRUXK74OHB

— The Comeback (@thecomeback) July 7, 2020

Spring football still isn’t ideal and brings a million questions of its own. What happens to players projected to be taken in the NFL draft, which would happen early in the (new) season? They likely would sit out their final college season, throwing more chaos into the situation.

But, as cases rise, and with no sports programs or leagues exhibiting a testing strategy capable of replication, time is running out for a 2020 college football season.

And it could be as soon as later this month that the entire season gets punted to 2021.

A couple of years back, the internet watched in horror – or glee, depending on your personal stance – when the much-ballyhooed Fyre Festival turned out to provide visitors with a lot less than they’d originally bargained for. The island-based festival left attendees with abominable living conditions, a complete and utter lack of musical performances, and limited escape routes.

Among the most ridiculed aspects of the expensive production was the food, which was revealed to be little more than a take-out container with a prepackaged sandwich and not much more. The mess resulted in multiple documentaries, and you’d think the lesson had been learned.

Unfortunately, for the NBA teams heading to the Orlando bubble as the season prepares to resume amid the pandemic, they seem to be stuck in a sequel to the Fyre Fest. At least based on the images of the food that players like the Denver Nuggets’ Troy Daniels are sharing on social media.

It’s not quite Fyre Fest levels of disappointment, but it’s close!

Troy Daniels’ dinner from night one inside the Orlando bubble.

(via @troydaniels) pic.twitter.com/AbuOGNm2ba

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 8, 2020

You’d sort of expect something a bit more elaborate, not only because this is the NBA, one of the biggest sports organizations in the world, but also because these are world-class athletes who need sustenance! They burn more calories on an off-day than most of us do in a week. A package of pita chips probably ain’t getting the job done!

Fans are having fun with the images, joking that teams in bigger markets – like the lucrative Los Angeles Lakers – have far better spreads.

playing for the playing for the
Lakers vs. Nuggets pic.twitter.com/7GUTMN24kN

— 2.8.24 (@haladjianchris) July 8, 2020

And the NBA isn’t alone. But at least MLS players get a banana?

Yummm… #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/nelyLH9YsW

— Omar Gonzalez (@Omar4Gonzalez) June 30, 2020

The good news is that even the Nuggets’ meager spread is better than what was served up at the Fyre Fest. The better news is that the NBA players eating this food didn’t have to pay thousands of dollars for it.

Peter Mutabazi won our hearts in November of 2019 when he adopted 13-year-old Tony, who had been abandoned by his adoptive parents when he was just 11 years old. Before meeting Tony, Mutabazi had been a foster parent for three years. That alone would have been enough to earn him hero-dad status, but Mutabazi was far from done making the world a better place for kids in need. Upon meeting Tony and taking him in as a foster child (Tony was really only supposed to stay with him for two days), Mutabazi decided that this bright, kind, young boy had been through enough. Since the day Tony came into Mutabazi’s life, the two haven’t separated. When Tony was 13, Mutabazi legally became his father.

 

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Of all the joys that parenting has brought to my life a hug from my son is at the top of the list. Never take the blessing of love and affection from your children for granted. To our kids it take a while to get that hang and when it comes, we never want to let it go. Son thank you for taking the step of faith and trust 🤗 love you so much! #blackdad #blackdads #fostermoms #transracialadoption #diversity #dadgoals #fosterparents #fostermomlife #teendad #lookingtoadopt #adoptivemom #adoptionpodcast #handsandfeet #waitingkids #hopingtoadopt #fostercare #singledads #solodad #dadtribe #dadlife #dadofinstagram #instakids #parentsofinstagram #father #adoptionislove #nontraditionalfamily

A post shared by Street Kid To Foster Father (@fosterdadflipper) on May 23, 2019 at 2:23pm PDT

Mutabazi was born in Uganda, and at age 10 he left his abusive home. He was fortunate, to a degree – 10-year-old Mutabazi, scared and alone, met a man who became somewhat of a father figure to him. This allowed him to complete school and, although he grew up extremely poor, he was eventually able to move to America to build a life for himself. Because of his own challenging childhood, Mutabazi is enormously passionate about helping children in need. He knows firsthand just how scary and daunting the world can be when you are completely and utterly alone.

This big-hearted superdad saved the day once again when he received a call from a social worker in the middle of a pandemic. Mutabazi was asked if he could take in a 7-year-old who urgently needed to be placed in a foster home, which is even more difficult than ever due to so many families being in quarantine.

Mutabazi shared his thoughts in an Instagram post, stating that while Tony’s safety was his priority, he couldn’t let this child slip through the cracks. The Instagram post continued, “We had been in quarantine for 3 weeks at the time the request came in. I was truly torn between keeping my son and I safe and taking in a child that I had no idea the environment he was coming from. At the same time, I could not imagine where this little one would go if we did not step in to help. I trusted my heart and agreed to the placement.”

 

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I choose to risk it all for my family to provide a safe and loving home for a foster kid that had no place to go in the midst of coronavirus and quarantine. Not too long ago, I got a phone call from a social worker asking me if we could take in a placement for a 7 year old. At first, I was taken aback wondering how this child needs a home so urgently in the most critical periods for everyone. We had been in quarantine for 3 weeks at the time the request came in. I was truly torn between keeping my son and I safe and taking in a child that I had no idea the environment he was coming from. At the same time, I could not imagine where this little one would go if we did not step in to help. I trusted my heart and agreed to the placement. We knew we would have little to no emergency help from our friends since everyone had been quarantined, but we also knew all he needed was a safe home and family to love on him. My son is 13 and barely has any toys and games. Taking in a 7 year old has made us all be more creative in ways that we can find fun things to do. It has been a joy to have this little boy with us despite my fears of the unknown. Please join me in welcoming him to our family 🎉🙏🏼❤️ . . #loveisloveislove #covid19 #fosteringsaveslives #fostercareawareness #togetherwerise #lovemakesafamily #dadgoals #singlemom #singledad #fosterparents #singlefostermom #blackdads #gobekind #kindness

A post shared by Street Kid To Foster Father (@fosterdadflipper) on Apr 30, 2020 at 9:24am PDT

The Mutabazi household is fuller than ever, and so is Mutabazi’s heart. “I LOVE being called ‘Dad’ more than I can even put into words,” he shared in another Instagram post, “but hearing it yelled from 2 kids every 10 seconds is a lot to handle.” Mutabazi isn’t complaining though – he’s thrilled that Tony has another kid to play with, and he’s even grateful that he was able to take in his new foster child during a time that they can be together 24/7. This has helped ease the 7-year-old’s transition enormously, and it has allowed the family to bond more quickly.

 

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I LOVE being called “Dad” more than I can even put into words but hearing it yelled from 2 kids every 10 seconds is a lot to handle🙇🏾‍♂️. I’m often being summoned 📣 when I’m in the bathroom 🚽, taking a shower 🚿, on a phone call 📞, or at 6am when I’m catching my last dream of the night 🛌…🤯… ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I don’t know about you, but in my home, it’s rare to find a moment to finish something without interruptions, or even to breathe. So, when these moments happen, it’s 10-20 minutes of sheer tranquility that I’m sure is contributing to my sanity 🙏🏾. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m thinking of starting a kid-free club for parents only 🧞‍♂️ and if the words “Mom” or “Dad” are so much as whispered, your membership is automatically revoked🙅🏾‍♂️! . . . . . #adoption #adoptionislove #adoptionrocks #beautifultogether #bebrave #bettertogether #dogsofinstagram #family #lovemakesafamily #mamalife #momlife #thisisus #singledads #singlemoms #singlefostermama #blackdads #togetherwerise

A post shared by Street Kid To Foster Father (@fosterdadflipper) on May 22, 2020 at 12:02pm PDT

Follow Peter Mutabazi on Instagram to stay up-to-date on their heartwarming story.

Yesterday we got a tantalizing glimpse at LEGO’s exciting new Nintendo set, which is set to work in conjunction with the interactive Super Mario LEGO set we told you about a few months ago.

Well, now we have the official announcement of the LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System Building kit, complete with a collection of photos showing us exactly what we’re in for on August 1, when it hits the market.

The LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System! Now you’re playing with power…and bricks​.https://t.co/rC5mjFfJvo pic.twitter.com/ZGgBll0N4w

— LEGO (@LEGO_Group) July 14, 2020

The kit includes a game controller and a retro TV set and it looks amazing.

“Super Mario has been a cherished figure in the gaming world for over thirty years now,” said Maarten Simons, Creative Lead on LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System, the LEGO Group, as part of today’s announcement. “Many adults still fondly remember that first time they saw Mario leap across the small screen, even if the graphics were a lot simpler than they are today. With the LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System, we’re letting them truly indulge in that nostalgia, recreating one of the most-loved consoles of all time so they can see the Super Mario from their childhoods once again – and even to share the experience of gaming in the 1980s with their own children.”

Check out the video trailer and all the awesome images:

Images:

He was an electric engineer and a roboticist, but the thing Grant Imahara will be remembered most for is as a co-host of the beloved science show “Mythbusters.” Imahara’s life was tragically cut short Monday by a brain aneurism at the age of 49.

Imahara also hosted a “Mythbusters” spin-off show for Netflix called “White Rabbit Project” that ran for 10 episodes. There’s no question he packed a lot into his time, as prior to his TV career he worked for Lucasfilm in the THX and Industrial Light and Magic divisions.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Imahara’s career involved working on some of the ‘most iconic characters in screen history’, ranging from R2D2 (he worked on all three Star Wars prequels) and the Energizer Bunny. On Mythbusters, he did everything from skydiving to driving stunt cars.

Everyone that worked with him was flooding social media with tributes.

Mythbusters co-host Adam Savage said on Twitter working with Grant was so much fun.

“I’m at a loss…Grant was truly a brilliant engineer, artist, and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON.”

I’m at a loss. No words. I’ve been part of two big families with Grant Imahara over the last 22 years. Grant was a truly brilliant engineer, artist and performer, but also just such a generous, easygoing, and gentle PERSON. Working with Grant was so much fun. I’ll miss my friend.

— Adam Savage (@donttrythis) July 14, 2020

His other co-hosts also posted tributes, and other celebrities echoed the gravity of the loss.

I just cannot believe it. I don’t even know what to say. My heart is broken. Goodbye buddy @grantimahara pic.twitter.com/HkLYaBK1dw

— Tory Belleci (@ToryBelleci) July 14, 2020

Somedays I wish I had a time machine. ⁦@ToryBelleci⁩ ⁦@grantimahara⁩ pic.twitter.com/o9FRE2l16W

— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 13, 2020

pic.twitter.com/HVy812BPt6

— Kari Byron (@KariByron) July 14, 2020

Horrible. He was such a light. https://t.co/OBXSGSsR3x

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) July 14, 2020

A spokesperson for Discovery said they were heartbroken about the news.

“He was an important part of our Discovery family and a really wonderful man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

There was a time when toys were just for kids. When studios collaborated with toy companies to promote blockbuster movies with new toys, they revolve around kid’s movies like Disney and Pixar and superheroes.

Nowadays, neither toys nor superheroes are for kids, and adults are better off than ever. A few months ago, Hasbro teamed up with the people behind Back to the Future for a Delorean Transformer named Gigawatt. Now they’ve turned to an upcoming movie. Top Gun: Maverick was supposed to hit theaters this summer, but COVID derailed that. We have yet to see Tom Cruise reprise his role as the daredevil pilot. But we can play with a Transformer based on it!

According to Nerdist, the Transformer turns onto a fighter jet, and comes with a “screen-inspired miniature motorcycle accessory” The toy also features fold-up wings and a helmet designed to look like Maverick’s gear in the new movie. Most importantly though, it’s ready to be your wingman should you find yourself in need of a beach volleyball partner with “two alternate hands that can hold the included volleyball accessory.”

The box is even on-theme, built to look like an aircraft character.

The Transformer will run you $50 if you can get to it. Hasbro says it’s available for a limited time only!

Better get to it before the pattern is full!

“In 2011, my husband he suffered a traumatic brain injury from a fall from a bicycle.

At first I was told he might not survive, then I was told he might be a vegetable the rest of his life, then we were told that he probably wouldn’t return to the career he loves. He was in a coma for 11 days, a rehab hospital for 14 days, and went through months and months of outpatient therapy.

And then he defied all of those predictions.

Through hard work he returned to his career and he found a love of running. This man who proved everyone wrong now competes in Spartan obstacle course races with our oldest daughter.

I am so proud that he found the strength to return to us.”

– Sharon Cullen

Want to share a story about fatherhood? Email [email protected]

Check out the previous editions of Father Figures here.