Latest news with #ColdasBalls
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I'm not the motivational speech guy': Lamar Jackson opens up about leadership struggle
Lamar Jackson says he's stepping up vocally in the locker room: 'You gotta talk to the guys" (Baltimore Ravens) Lamar Jackson 's always been the quiet storm, the guy who breaks ankles on the field but barely says a word off it. But now, in a new interview with Kevin Hart, the Ravens superstar is getting real about what leadership really means as he enters his seventh NFL season. Spoiler: it's not just touchdowns anymore. It's talking. It's stepping up. It's using his voice, even when that's not his style. And for Ravens fans? That might be the most powerful move Lamar's made yet. Lamar Jackson admits he's not naturally vocal and never has been During his sit-down on Cold as Balls , Jackson got brutally honest when Hart asked what he's working on this offseason. His answer? 'Just being a leader. I'm really not outspoken… I pretty much lead by example. I'm going to go out there, I'm going to work hard, and I expect that out of you.' Lamar Jackson vs. Kevin Hart in the Ice Tubs (Spoiler: It Gets Deep) | Cold as Balls Translation? Lamar's always let his grind do the talking. Practice hard. Play harder. No need for pregame speeches or fire-up huddles, that's never been him. But now, as he grows into a veteran face of the league, that mindset is shifting. 'You gotta talk to the guys' — Lamar says he's stepping out of his comfort zone Jackson revealed that coaches and teammates have encouraged him to step up vocally, not just physically. Not with cheesy speeches or yelling matches but with intentional communication. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Искате да научите повече за новото BMW 2 Gran Coupe? BMW Научете повече Undo 'As I've been growing in the league, it's like 'No, you got to talk to the guys,'' Lamar said. 'Now I talk to them one-on-one. I've got to voice my opinion more.' That might sound simple, but for someone who's always kept it internal, it's a huge leap. And it shows he's not just trying to win games, he's building culture. And it's true, we've seen the quiet QBs before. Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, even Mahomes early on. But the greats always evolve. Lamar's clearly doing just that. This could be the missing piece in Baltimore's Super Bowl puzzle The Ravens have a stacked roster. Lamar is still one of the most dynamic QBs in the league. But sometimes, it's those intangibles that get you past the AFC Championship wall, leadership, vocal clarity, real connection in pressure moments. And with Lamar stepping into that space now? Baltimore might finally have everything they need to finish the job. Lamar Jackson doesn't need to be the loudest guy in the locker room. He just needs to be heard, when it counts. And this offseason, he's learning to make every word count. He's not chasing MVPs anymore. He's chasing a ring. And this quiet shift in leadership? It might be louder than anything he's ever said. Also read - Travis Kelce can't stop smiling talking about Taylor Swift's surprise at TEU Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Victor Wembanyama keeps a secret notebook for wisdom from NBA legends like Kevin Durant and LeBron James
The San Antonio Spurs' centerpiece for the future, the 21-year-old French phenom Victor Wembanyama, has turned heads for how he approaches greatness. What's not often seen is his personal notebook, where he stores advice from legends. The Spuers superstar recently shared that he is willing to note wisdom from active NBA legends, including Kevin Durant and . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Victor Wembanyama quietly records advice from NBA greats like LeBron and Kevin Durant in a notebook During a live taping of The Shop: Uninterrupted at Fanatics Fest in New York, Victor Wembanyama peeled back the curtain on a unique part of his process. 'I have a note on my phone with questions to ask the guys, KD [Kevin Durant], 'Bron [LeBron James],' he shared, sitting alongside LeBron James and NFL icon Tom Brady. 'I had the chance to talk to [Nikola] Jokić for 45 minutes at All-Star [weekend]. And I'm taking notes.' That moment gave fans a glimpse into how seriously the Spurs star studies the game and its greatest minds. Wembanyama's hunger to learn doesn't end with casual conversation. 'When I'm told something, I don't forget it. It's super precious, for sure,' he added. That philosophy, combined with his freakish 7-foot-3 frame and raw talent, is what makes his ceiling so terrifyingly high. Before a blood clot in his right shoulder ended his season prematurely, Wembanyama was averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and a league-leading 3.8 blocks per game. The setback raised concerns, but the support from peers like Durant has been heartfelt. 'I'm glad they caught this early,' Durant said after a Spurs win over his Suns. 'That can affect your overall health… I'm thinking about Vic… he's gonna put his best foot forward every day. ' That mutual respect isn't one-sided. On Kevin Hart's Cold as Balls podcast, when asked if he's a big Durant fan, Wembanyama didn't hesitate: 'That's right.' Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He later doubled down in an interview with M6 Info after the Paris Olympics, calling Durant his 'favorite childhood player.' Laughing, he added, 'I made it clear that I wanted to learn from him, perhaps only steal one or two of his secret techniques.' Also Read: If trade rumors surrounding Durant pan out, and the Spurs do become a landing spot, the student might soon train daily with the teacher. But regardless of what happens, Wembanyama's notebook will continue to grow, filled with hard-earned wisdom from legends who've already left their mark, and one who's just getting started.
Mint
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
LeBron James, Jay-Z and Tom Brady to feature in fest celebrating sports and culture; check details
LeBron James, Jay-Z, and Tom Brady are set to feature in the Fanatics Fest at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. The fest scheduled on June 20 to June 22, is aimed at redefining fan engagement and will be a significant occasion for sports enthusiasts across the world. 'This is really about creating a sports festival that only we can create. It's a great give back to fans,' Michael Rubin expressed to NYNext. He also gave insights about the vision of the fest, which is about prioritizing fan experience over immediate financial gains. Rubin expects around 150,000 attendees in the upcoming festival. The event will feature an expanded list of partners, including Formula 1, the Premier League, USTA, FIFA, Nike, and Dick's Sporting Goods. It will also include NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC, and WWE, covering major sports disciplines. Fanatics Fest has a list of famous people to feature in the event. While Jay-Z is set to invest millions to recreate his renowned 40/40 Club as a pop-up venue. Tom Brady, on the other hand, will participate in panel discussions and interactive fan activities. NBA star player Victor Wembanyama will join Kevin Hart for a live taping of 'Cold as Balls,' featuring a cold-plunge segment. Other famous personalities from sports and entertainment include LeBron James, Travis Scott, Derek Jeter, Livvy Dunne, Kevin Costner, and John Cena. They will engage fans through special autograph sessions. The inaugural 2024 event was attended by 72,000 fans. However, it incurred a loss of $15 million loss. Notably, the company is expected to achieve $12 billion in revenue by 2026. 'We're still in investment mode,' Rubin stated. 'It sucked, it was terrible,' Rubin said about the previous year's failure. 'You can't be afraid to go out and do things and make mistakes, but then you've got to be a great listener.'
New York Post
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
LeBron, Jay-Z, and Tom Brady are headlining the most ambitious event in sports — and no, it's not about the money
Fanatics Fest is expected to lose millions — again. Michael Rubin's not worried. 'We're still in investment mode,' the 52-year-old Fanatics CEO said of the celebrity-packed sports and culture convention, set to take place June 20 to 22 at the Javits Center. 6 Rubin speaks with NYNext's Lydia Moynihan in his office, telling her that he's unfazed by losing $15 million on last year's Fest. 'In the grand scheme of our business, we're not worried,' Rubin said. EMMY PARK Advertisement Last year, 72,000 fans attended the inaugural festival. It was a massive success. Sure, the company lost $15 million on the three-day celebration, but that's a little more than a rounding error for Fanatics, which is projected to generate $12 billion in revenue in 2026. 6 Fanatics Fest is a three-day sports and entertainment convention that blends athlete appearances, live content, fan competitions, brand activations and surprise stunts — all designed to bring fans closer to the culture of sports. Michelle Farsi/New York Post Advertisement Fanatics Fest isn't designed to generate revenue on par with Fanatics commerce or collectible verticals, or its betting platform — it's designed to bolster them. 'This is really about creating a sports festival that only we can create. It's a great give back to fans,' Rubin told NYNext. 6 Last year's event drew 70,000 fans. This year, Rubin expects more than double that — up to 150,000 over three days at the Javits Center. Michelle Farsi/New York Post Rubin is expecting 150,000 attendees at this year's fest. And the number of participating leagues and organizations will more than double, too. FIFA, Formula 1, the Premier League, USTA, Nike, and Dick's Sporting Goods are joining returning partners including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, UFC and WWE. Advertisement Then there's the surfeit of talent who will be there. Jay-Z is spending millions on a pop-up 40/40 Club. Tom Brady is sitting on panels and tossing footballs to fans. And Victor Wembanyama, currently traveling in China, is coming in for a cold-plunge with Kevin Hart on a live-taping of 'Cold as Balls.' 6 Tom Brady, a longtime Fanatics partner, will appear at this year's Fest for panels, fan meet-and-greets, and on-stage moments — part of Rubin's strategy to anchor the event with the biggest names in sports. Michelle Farsi/New York Post Fun can also expect to see LeBron James, Travis Scott, Henrik Lundqvist, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Livvy Dunne, Kevin Costner, John Cena, Charlotte Flair and hundreds of other beloved athletes and entertainers at various autograph-signings and activations. Advertisement It will be 'organized chaos,' Rubin said. While he's coy on specific event details, he teases 'Crazy stunts, endless stunts … Twenty to 30 that no one knows about.' One bit he will share involves a yet-to-be-named athlete surrounded by 20 identical decoys in matching uniforms, unleashed into the crowd to confuse fans. 'We like chaos,' Rubin added. 6 Rubin launched Fanatics in 2002 with a single e-commerce deal — selling NASCAR merchandise online — and has since turned it into one of the most powerful companies in sports. EMMY PARK While Fanatics Fest 1.0 was largely a hit, it wasn't without friction. VIP badge-holders, who paid extra for their privileges, were allowed to cut lines for autographs and photos — a move Rubin now bluntly admits was a 'disaster.' 'It sucked, it was terrible,' he said. 'You can't be afraid to go out and do things and make mistakes, but then you've got to be a great listener.' Advertisement This year, he promises that the autograph process has been overhauled and improved, as has crowd logistics, stage management and athlete transportation. 6 What started as a business rooted in licensed merchandise has since expanded into sports betting, trading cards, live events and a sprawling e-commerce empire that touches nearly every corner of the fan experience. Michelle Farsi/New York Post Since Rubin founded Fanatics in 2002, the sports-commerce giant has expanded from selling team merchandise to running trading cards, collectibles and its own sportsbook. The company serves more than 10 million customers annually across its stores and venue shops, and ships more than 40 million online orders a year. The global spectator sports industry is worth more than $500 billion, but few companies have built a direct, multi-channel relationship with fans as successfully as Rubin has. Advertisement This story is part of NYNext, an indispensable insider insight into the innovations, moonshots and political chess moves that matter most to NYC's power players (and those who aspire to be). The idea for Fanatics Fest first came to Rubin after he attended SXSW and Comic-Con — flagship experiences that fans were annually traveling across the country and world to attend. 'I thought, 'Why don't we have this for sports?'' he said. 'There wasn't [anybody else] that could convene all of the sports properties and all of the athletes … We [had] to do this.' Send NYNext a tip: nynextlydia@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mike Evans discusses retirement, Baker Mayfield relationship with Kevin Hart
Mike Evans became the second receiver in NFL history to record at least 11 consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2024. Will the 31-year-old continue playing long enough to tie Jerry Rice's record of 14 such seasons? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide-out wouldn't guarantee it in a discussion with Kevin Hart on the comedian's "Cold as Balls" show. "I can't really think that far ahead, because after the season is when I really get an understanding of where I'm at, like physically and mentally," Evans explained after Hart asked him if he had the record in his sights. That said, Evans acknowledged retirement isn't necessarily imminent. He detailed that he isn't experiencing more wear and tear as his career has progressed, which he attributes to year-by-year advancements in his recovery regimen. That's one of the reasons Evans is excited to play his 12th NFL season in 2025. He is also thrilled to be working with Baker Mayfield for a third season and credited the veteran quarterback as having a "huge impact" on the franchise after replacing Tom Brady. "He's a big reason to why I came back," Evans said of Mayfield. "The energy that he's brought to Tampa after Tom, that's some huge shoes to fill – a huge act to follow. I think he's done an unbelievable job winning two division championships and making it to the postseason." NFL DRAFT: Which QBs could be next to rise? These 10 prospects might soar in 2026 Evans and Mayfield forged a strong connection during their first season together in 2023. Evans recorded a career-high 13 touchdowns while adding 79 catches (third-most) and 1,255 yards (also third-most) to his ledger. Evans' success alongside Mayfield prompted the veteran receiver to sign a two-year, $41 million extension with the Buccaneers during the 2024 NFL offseason. That tethered him to the franchise through 2026, which will also be the final year of Mayfield's contract. While Evans has two years remaining on his contract, he is focused on what he can do – alongside Mayfield – to shape the Buccaneers into a contender in 2025. "Tampa's in great hands with Baker," Evans opined. "I'm sure he'll play much longer than I will, but I'm looking forward to a great season this year and competing for a Super Bowl." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Buccaneers' Mike Evans praises Baker Mayfield, discusses retirement
