Latest news with #FanaticsFestNYC
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former Yankees Hitting Coach Destroys A-Rod's Critique of Anthony Volpe
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. After winning a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2023, then taking a step forward at the plate in 2024, New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe is having his worst season in the big leagues at age 24. Through Wednesday, Volpe was hitting .214 with a .286 on-base percentage and .400 slugging percentage. That adds up to a .686 OPS (90 OPS+). Both Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman have publicly defended him, but there have been no shortage of suggestions about how to "fix" Volpe. More news: Veteran Pitcher Announces Sudden Retirement From Baseball One of the more interesting suggestions came from former Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. "With his great legs, my job would be, 'I don't want to hit home runs, I want to hit low line drives, hit ground balls all over the place, force the defense to make errors, become an incredible bunter'," Rodriguez told Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay. "I make the argument, if he hit 30 home runs, it could be bad for him because he might hit .160." ICYMI on The Michael Kay Show:@RealMichaelKay gives his thoughts on the Anthony Volpe criticism. — ESPN New York (@ESPNNewYork) June 20, 2025 Rodriguez hit 696 home runs in his career, but rarely bunted in 22 seasons with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, and Yankees from 1994-2016. Alex Rodriguez bunted once in 330 postseason plate appearances — Baseball Reference (@baseball_ref) September 30, 2020 Although that does not necessarily disqualify him from offering his oft-repeated (and oft-mocked) thoughts about laying down a bunt, Rodriguez has never spent a day in a formal capacity as a major league hitting coach. Alex Rodriguez walks the blue carpet at JAY-Z's Iconic The 40/40 Club in partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook at the center of Fanatics Fest NYC at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. Alex Rodriguez walks the blue carpet at JAY-Z's Iconic The 40/40 Club in partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook at the center of Fanatics Fest NYC at Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York Fanatics Sean Casey has; he was brought in as a midseason replacement two years ago by the Yankees and finished the 2023 season as their hitting coach. And, based on what he's seen from Volpe, he recommended the opposite of a drastic adjustment. More news: Mets Acquire Veteran Pitcher Recently Cut By Yankees "If you go watch the two home runs he hit (Saturday in Atlanta), he was really flat," Casey said of Volpe on his podcast, The Mayor's Office. "Sometimes he loads on his legs, and when he loads he loads down. When you load down, you have nothing to do but come up. What are these guys in the big leagues trying to do? They're trying to hit upper-rail. So if I'm loading down, I'm coming up and out. As opposed to staying into that hip." "I think Volpe's going to be fine," Casey continued. "I think Volpe's going to get hot, to tell you the truth. And he's on pace for 18 bombs, 80 RBIs. He has (54) RBIs. Isn't the job in baseball to score more runs than the other team. You want guys that drive in runs. I've got a shortstop that's got (54) RBIs, and we still have a second half to play? And he's on pace for 18 to 20 homers, and he's going to play Gold Glove shortstop? I'm going to take that." Rather than becoming a slap-hitting bunter, Casey is recommending that Volpe maintain his identity as a shortstop with some pop. If nothing else, it's sound advice for Volpe if he wants to prolong his career in MLB. Few "incredible bunters" maintain long employment in the league anymore. The patient approach isn't always the easy one — for players or for fans — but Casey is someone who ought to know what works best. The Yankees actually paid him do it not long ago, when Volpe was still breaking into the league. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
WWE star couple Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch's house burglarized, robbed of $10K during ‘Raw'
WWE stars Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch had their Playa del Rey home burglarized while they appeared Monday on 'Raw' in Providence, R.I., according to NBCLA. The break-in at their Southern California abode reportedly happened around 2:30 a.m. PT. 3 Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 41 in April. Getty Images 3 Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 41 in April. Getty Images Law enforcement said the suspect — or suspects — broke into the home by smashing through a sliding back door in the back of the house and stole around $10,000 in cash, per the outlet. There was reportedly no one in the house at the time of the break-in. Neither Rollins or Lynch have commented on the burglary, and the investigation reportedly is ongoing as no arrests have been made as of Tuesday afternoon. Rollins and Lynch have been together as a couple since 2019, welcomed their daughter, Roux, in 2020 and got married in 2021. 3 Seth Rollins and wife Becky Lynch at Fanatics Fest NYC in June. Getty Images for Fanatics The pair are constants in the WWE main-event scene. Rollins and his new crew featuring Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed are a top heel stable, and Rollins capped off 'Raw' with a win against Penta in the main event before LA Knight swooped in and put a stop to any further beatdown from Rollins' teammates on Penta. As for Lynch, she found herself in a scrum with Lyra Valkyria and Bayley. The three are set for a triple-threat match at the WWE Evolution 2 premium live event Sunday, where Lynch will defend her women's intercontinental championship.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tracy McGrady stands by belief he'd win with Shaquille O'Neal, regrets using the word 'replace' for Kobe
Tracy McGrady at the 40/40 Club popup inside Fanatics Fest NYC held at Jacob Javits Convention Center (Image source via Getty Images) Tracy McGrady stirred the pot with a bold 'what-if' about teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal—and now he's walking it back, just a little. After claiming he could've won titles with Shaq in Kobe Bryant's place, McGrady faced backlash for what many saw as a diss. But T-Mac insists it wasn't disrespect—it was about missed opportunity and misunderstood phrasing, not knocking his 'brother' Kobe. McGrady doubles down on Shaquille O'Neal 'what-if' but apologizes to Kobe Bryant On June 20, during his First Take appearance, Tracy McGrady confidently declared — 'Replace me with Kobe with Shaq, I don't win a championship? You don't think I can carry the Lakers to a championship? I've never had the opportunity.' Naturally, there was some backlash. A lot of listeners took the comment as a direct jab at Kobe Bryant—something McGrady never meant to imply. During a follow-up interview with Timeless Sports, the Hall of Famer admitted he regretted the way he expressed himself. He reflected on his phrasing and felt it could have been better. — 'I never should have said 'replace.' … people know Kobe's my brother. There's no way in hell I would ever disrespect my brother like that.' Tracy McGrady on Kobe and Shaq Comment, LeBron James Matchup, Ring Culture and More | FULL INTERVIEW Even though he backed off from the controversial phrasing, McGrady is still firm on his stance: his playoff-ready offense, combined with Shaq's raw power, would have made them contenders for the championship during the 2000–2008 dynasty period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo McGrady highlighted the context of his hypothetical remark, focusing on the intersection of two powerful dynasties. From 2000 to 2002, Shaquille O'Neal recorded Finals averages of 38 points and 16 rebounds, guiding the Los Angeles Lakers to a three-peat. During that same period, McGrady was scoring 30 PPG as a 21-year-old sensation for the Orlando Magic. He clearly pointed out: 'Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan were the only ones winning championships' during that era. He didn't mean to compare entire careers. Instead, he pointed out a specific timeframe: combine T-Mac's prime with Shaq's peak during the Finals, and you've got a top-notch title contender. McGrady's clarification was more than just semantics—he highlighted his great respect for Kobe Bryant. He reiterated — 'I never said I was better than Kobe. Never.' Also Read: 'You saw that championship coming' — Aries Spears calls Oklahoma City Thunder's win over Pacers predictable In the EssentiallySports write‑up, he blasted clickbait and 'ring culture' narratives, highlighting that media distortions frequently warp athlete intentions into confrontations. He argued the timing wasn't accidental—he was framing a strategic 'what‑if' scenario, not declaring superiority. With both Kobe and Shaq carved into NBA folklore, McGrady wanted to contextualize his own career trajectory—situations matter just as much as skill. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Report: Odell Beckham Jr. returning to New York Giants 'unlikely to happen'
Former New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. sparked speculation about a potential reunion during Fanatics Fest NYC in June following an intriguing reply to a fan. After being told to return to the Giants, Beckham responded simply, "I got you." That exchange came not long after Beckham reflected on his time with the Giants, acknowledging he never wanted to leave the organization and lamenting that he never won a Super Bowl title in East Rutherford. "I never, ever wanted to leave the New York Giants," Beckham Jr. said in May. "The reason you heard me talking about what was going on was because I was pissed because, where I come from in college, if we lost one game, our season was over. "This was the organization I got drafted to. They believed in me. So if the Giants went and won a Super Bowl, I would be happy. But deep down inside, I wanted to be the one. No question. So it's definitely you'll always hold that. But then someone like me, I went to the LA Rams, won a Super Bowl. But still, you just want that." Beckham later shared a series of photos with his son, Zydn, outside of MetLife Stadium with a caption that stirred even further speculation. "Man, (your) daddy did some (c)razy (expletive) here," he wrote. "We changed the game (and) inspired a generation who came behind us. We still got more to do." The Instagram post caught the attention of several current Giants players, including Malik Nabers and Brian Burns. But it's all much ado about nothing, says ESPN insider Jordan Raanan. "Odell Beckham Jr. made comments at Fanatics Fest about maybe coming back to the Giants. I've talked to people (and) there's nothing brewing. It's unlikely to happen," Raanan said on the Breaking Big Blue podcast. "I would not expect Odell Beckham Jr. to be a Giant again. "Maybe somewhere along the line, he signs a one-day contract and retires as a Giant, if that's a thing. Some players have done that. Fine, that could happen. I don't see, based on talking to people, that Odell Beckham coming back to the Giants this year is something that's realistic and makes a ton of sense." Raanan says the situation is similar to two seasons ago when the Giants had Beckham in for a workout but were never seriously involved in signing him.
New York Post
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Joey Chestnut gives behind-the-scenes look at ‘hungry' prep for Nathan's return
Competitive eater Joey Chesnut eats up the chance for some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby ahead of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on Sunday, which Chesnut has won 16 times. Q: What is so great about a Nathan's hot dog? A: Oh my gosh, it's a 100-year-old recipe — more than that now — it's good from the start. There's no reason to change something that isn't broken. It really is a unique taste, an all-beef hot dog, natural tasting … it's simple, but it's delicious. Advertisement Q: How would you describe your mentality on game day? A: I'm hungry. That's all it is. I'm staying hungry no matter what. I'm expecting to eat uncomfortable and bloated and I'm ignoring whatever feelings it takes to get there. Q: Right before the first at bite, what is going through your gut? A: I think the hardest part of the contest is the first one. Stay calm, don't try to swallow the hot dogs whole. My first instinct is to try to swallow whole, which is not a good thing, your muscles are not stretched out yet, I don't want to cough, right? Stay calm, take a normal bite and work into the rhythm, which is hard. Sometimes I over-attack the food, my muscles aren't ready to work for me right away. Stay calm, and don't shove too much in at once. Advertisement 11 Joey Chestnut competes in Raising Canes Chicken Finger Eating Contest during Fanatics Fest NYC at the Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. Q: Who is your biggest threat? A: My biggest threat is myself if I get in my own head, if I let something bother me, that's when I can make mistakes. … There's a guy from Montreal [James Webb], I think he is amazing, he's young, he's fit. This guy likes to work out so he's gonna be pushing himself really hard. If I let myself mess up, he's the only one that could really catch me. Advertisement Q: Do you feel any pressure? A: I wouldn't say pressure, it's more of support. Every once in a while you get a little bit of pressure from people who are betting. Like, 'Oh, you need to get this Over.' I'm like, 'Oh my god, the Over's really high this year (laugh).' Q: What is the Over? Advertisement A: I think some people are putting the Over at 74, or 72. That's high. Even though the record's 76, it's gonna be hard for me to push myself. I know like minute six if I have a chance at the record. I have a tendency to get lazy if I don't think I can get the record. I would love to get the Over. I'm gonna really try hard. Q: Which one has been your sweetest victory? A: The first one was really, really amazing. Beating [Takeru] Kobayashi for the first time was awesome. I go back three years ago, I had a broken leg, I had a cast on, and like 2 ¹/₂ weeks before my mom passed away, and less than a week later my dog died. And during the contest there was like a protestor who got in front of me — everything was going wrong that year. It was like **** the ***** worst year, I was still able to get it done. Q: After the competition, do you actually have dinner that night? A: No, no, usually I'm in bed. Sometimes I'm going for a walk if I get up from sleeping. If I can, maybe some yogurt, maybe a little salad. I don't really have much until the next day. Even if I'm not hungry, I'm trying to eat salad, just trying to keep things moving. 11 Joey Chestnut competes in Raising Canes Chicken Finger Eating Contest during Fanatics Fest NYC at the Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. 11 Joey Chestnut, winner of the 2021 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest. AP Q: How about the sickest you ever got? Advertisement A: Oh my god, there's been a couple of times. When I talk about heat, it's because of those hot days. If I'm devastated before the contest, I can tell like right after if the food's not settling and if my body's gonna reject it. The only way you get better is by getting your body to accept it. That's something I don't necessarily practice for is to be dehydrated. I want to say 2006 was probably my worst time getting sick. But it's been a while. Q: What would you say about the New York sports crowd at Coney Island and you being a fan favorite? A: The audience at Coney Island, you feel like you're at the center of the world. It really feels amazing. There's energy, electricity like no other place. Q: What is your mindset the night before the competition? Advertisement A: Stay calm. I usually watch some old practices, almost kind of simulated contests just swallowing air, go through the motions. Usually I'm in bed before 9 p.m., wake up about 5 a.m. and start doing stretches and yoga and burping exercises to get my stomach loose and stretched after sleeping. 11 Joey Chestnut eats an Impossible hotdog after he ate 57 hotdogs in five minutes at the Pop Goes the Fort eating contest on Fort Bliss, Texas on July 4, 2024. Justin Hamel for the NY Post Q: What do you mean by swallowing air? A: I do burping exercises where I swallow air and burp it up just to get those muscles used to being stretched. Advertisement Q: You drink a concoction of liquids the night before? A: There's aloe vera juice and things to make sure that I'm hydrated, and also empty, I'm finishing up my cleanse. Q: I read that you drink milk to stretch out your stomach. A: I do drink milk like a big baby. I'm a believer that if your body can digest milk, it's great for you. Every now and then I'll drink half a gallon of milk in the morning with some water. That's a nice healthy stretch. Advertisement Q: What is the last food you eat the night before? A: The day before I usually have to eat a hot dog at the weigh-in. Before that, I usually have some eggs for breakfast. Maybe a little bit of protein, like protein shake that day. I go in really, really empty the day of the contest. 11 The annual Nathan's Famous 4th of July Hot Dogs and Buns eating contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Paul Martinka Q: Why eat one hot dog at the weigh in? A: [Co-founder of Major League Eating] George Shea likes to make the eaters do a faceoff and eat one hot dog (laugh). He's kind of the boss, and I kind of do what I'm told. Q: What's the purpose of the weigh-in? A: Competitive eaters, we're sizing each other up. Q: When you say sizing each other up, what do you mean? A: We're friends, but we also talk trash … we're posturing (laugh). I like the weigh-in because it's my last chance to really get in the other eater's heads a little bit. Q: What makes you so good about psyching the other opponents out? A: I don't know … I convince myself that there's only one outcome this contest. Once I think they can see that I'm convinced, and the audience is convinced, it's really hard for them to overcome. If I convince myself, then everybody else falls in line. 11 Fans arrive to Coney Island Nathanâs Hot Dog eating contest on July 4th, 2024. Paul Martinka for NY Post Q: What are the strengths of your game? A: I love to eat. I'm a natural eater. It's one of the hardest things for me to control. I need to make sure that I control my eating so that I'm not heavy. I'm competitive, that's another strength. I'm really good at problem solving. Where a lot of athletes, they have coaches, competitive eaters don't have coaches. It's all kind of self-taught. I had to figure things out trial and error. It's been a really good combination being able to push myself. Q: Any area you need to improve that you consider a weakness? A: I wish I liked to work out (laugh). My cardiovascular, I've noticed it more and more as I'm getting older, where I'm slowing down not because I'm full, it's because I haven't been hitting the gym like I should. If I'm running more, if I'm cycling more, if I'm lifting weights more, I can push my body harder. I'm so jealous of people that love to get up early and work every day. That's life. Some people don't like the feeling of being bloated after eating, and I don't mind that. I hate running, even though I have great respect for it. Q: Do you like it hot on July Fourth? A: No, I don't like it hot, Jesus! Oh my god, I'm nervous, I've been seeing the weather you guys are having over there, and I'm like, 'Dang it.' The last time I made a record it was 75 degrees, and it was like a perfect day. When it's warmer, my body just runs out of steam towards the end. I'm really hoping a cold front comes in. And you know whatever happens, I'm gonna eat like a beast. Q: When do you get to New York? A: I get in [July 1]. 11 Joey Chestnut and Livvy Dunne compete in Raising Canes Chicken Finger Eating Contest during Fanatics Fest NYC at the Javits Center on June 20, 2025 in New York City. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock Q: Who are you coming in with? A: My fiancée, two sisters are coming out, one of my buddies. Q: Does your fiancée, Brie, cook for you? A: Of course (laugh). She loves to cook, and she's great. I'm super, super lucky. It worked out perfect. Q: How did you meet her? A: I was at a bar drinking in San Francisco and this guy sees me from outside as he's walking by, and he comes in and starts talking to me. And we were talking for like 20 minutes and then all of a sudden the girl and a dog come in — 'Hey, you left me outside.' So I was like, 'You left her outside?' The guy was an idiot. So then I went out and took a picture with her, and met the dog, Zeus, and a year later we matched on Tinder. Q: How does she feel about your career? A: She knows I love it a lot (laugh). She knows it's me. When I'm in training, we do all these little low-carb meals. … She has all these homemade salad dressings. She's awesome. She works with my crazy diet so that I can keep doing it. Q: Any marriage plans? A: It'll happen. We're both in our 40s. No children, we just got dogs, and a garden. Eventually just get a little courthouse wedding and have a party maybe. Q: Did you watch the event last year, when you were banned because of a sponsorship conflict? A: Yeah, I watched it. I told people I didn't, but I watched it (laugh). It was hard, but it was good practice 'cause I know one of these days I'm gonna be either older or somebody's gonna be beating me, and I'm gonna have to retire. It was good practice for when that day comes. It made me appreciate that … if I can do it, I want to be there. Q: As you've gotten older, have you made any changes to your training? A: Definitely, I train a little bit less. It takes me a little more time to get back to my normal weight. When I was younger, I could just be a beast, like practicing every third day. Now it's like every five or six days, maybe even a week between them. It takes a little more time to recover. You gotta find a way to do it. There's no other option. Q: Do you eat hot dogs when you're not competing? A: Yeah! Baseball games, and at home. If I'm going on my diet, I actually have a lot of willpower not to get a hot dog 11 Joey Chestnut on his way to eating 57 hotdogs in five minutes at the Pop Goes the Fort eating contest on Fort Bliss, Texas on July 4, 2024. Justin Hamel for the NY Post Q: Do you put mustard, relish or ketchup on your hot dog? A: Always mustard. I definitely put raw onions on. Baseball games, I usually want to get mustard. At home, I put everything on it. Q: Growing up, did your parents put hot dogs on the grill? A: My dad was big on hot dogs. He called them tube steaks (laugh). Q: What is the biggest adversity you had to overcome? A: I remember when I had that broken leg. There were infections, it healed crooked, now it's about a half an inch shorter than the other leg, but I'm finally walking without pain. Q: Three dinner guests? A: My mom; Babe Ruth — hot dogs, he had a good time; Winston Churchill. Q: Favorite movie? A: 'Inglorious Basterds.' 11 Druski, DJ Khaled, CEO of Fanatics Michael Rubin, Joey Chestnut, and Livvy Dunne compete in Raising Canes Chicken Finger Eating Contest during Fanatics Fest NYC at the Javits Center on June 20, 2025. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock Q: Favorite actor? A: Leonardo DiCaprio. Q: Favorite actress? A: Nicole Kidman. Q: Favorite singer/entertainer? A: One of my biggest regrets, had a chance to go see Tom Petty live, and I had to go to a burrito contest that day. Q: Favorite meal? A: I get cravings — some days it's prime rib, if I'm at a baseball game, I love hot dogs. I get a lot of cravings for tacos. Q: Do you have a favorite team to watch? A: I live in [Westfield] Indiana, so I go to this minor league team in Indianapolis, and this year I went to Opening Day in Cincinnati. 11 Joey Chestnut walks the blue carpet at JAY-Z's Iconic The 40/40 Club in partnership with Fanatics Sportsbook at the center of Fanatics Fest NYC at Javits Center on June 20, 2025. Getty Images for Fanatics Q: Are you recognized by the hot dog vendors? A: I'm sure they do, but the baseball fans recognize me like crazy. Throughout the game, I'm eating hot dogs and chugging beers with baseball fans, which is not a bad deal. Q: What's your second-favorite competition? A: I haven't done a rib contest in a while. I'm craving a rib contest. A good rib contest, where they're cooked right, I have a really great technique. I lost this one recently, last couple of years in Buffalo, there's wing fest, I really love that contest. Buffalo's a great city. Hopefully, this year I can go to that contest and get the win. That city is an amazing city. It's one of the most underrated cities. It's open till 4 a.m., all the bars have great food. I overdo it a little bit. Q: Boyhood idol? A: Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, the Bash Brothers. Q: You didn't play baseball, did you? A: Just Little League. My dad made me try the marching band in high school. 11 Joey Chestnut Champion hotdog eater attends the Mystics against the Fever game on June 3, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. NBAE via Getty Images Q: What did you play? A: Trumpet. Q: Boyhood dream? A: I remember I was playing with a fire engine, and my mom asked me if I want to be a firefighter when I grew up. I was like, 'No, I want to be the dog on the back of the fire engine (laugh).' Q: What drives you? A: I think I have perspective. I know how lucky I am. I used to have a normal job in construction management, and now I get to travel, eat, make other people happy, meet people. It's a really good gig, and as long as I'm healthy and having fun, I'm gonna keep doing it. Q: How long do you want to do this? A: I think Tom Brady won his last Super Bowl when he was [43], right? Getting older and pushing your body it gets harder, but it's really satisfying if you can still do it. Q: Goals? A: Stay healthy and treat people the way I want to be treated. Q: What are you most proud of about your career? A: Really that first victory. People said it couldn't be done. Q: Why did they think it couldn't be done? A: Kobayashi had such a lock. He had everybody convinced that he was special. I refused to believe it. That's why it's so important for me to convince myself and convince the other people. Once everybody's convinced, it's hard for the other eaters to convince themselves. Q: Broadway Joe Namath guaranteed a Super Bowl. Will you guarantee a victory on July Fourth? A: I can't guarantee it, but I can guarantee it's gonna be really, really hard for somebody to beat me. If somebody beats me, they will have had to earn it. I can guarantee if my body works for me even 80 percent, I'm gonna blow everybody away.
