Latest news with #JeffPearlman
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'One thing you can't do is stab your teammate with scissors': Jeff Pearlman shares Michael Irvin's undisclosed event on Going Deep With Chad and JT Podcast
Legendary Sportswriter Jeff Pearlman deep dives into the Dallas Cowboys legend 's undisclosed event on the Going Deep With Chad and JT Podcast. For starters, Pearlman said, 'There's a lot of things you can do in this life, but one thing you can't do is stab your teammate in the neck with scissors. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ' And he concluded the reminiscence with, 'The leader of that team wasn't Troy Aikman, and it wasn't Emmitt Smith, it really was Michael Irvin.' What's the whole story? What did the three-time Super Bowl Champion really do? Let's deep-dive! 'Seniority!' Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin stabbed Everett McIver in the neck over a barber incident JT Parr, co-host of Going Deep With Chad and JT Podcast, talked about Jeff Pearlman's books and how his stories always had great beginnings. One in particular - Michael Irvin's story. 'One of the great parts about your books is that you always start, you come out of the gates with just a great story every time. I think the start of the Cowboys one is - There's a lot of things you can do in this life, but one thing you can't do is stab your teammate in the neck with scissors. ' Jeff Pearlman then disclosed one of the darkest chapters of Michael Irvin's luxurious life. 'It is true. Unless you're Michael(Irvin). I'll tell you a funny thing about that. So, that was the incident that happened. Cowboys used to bring in a barber to training camp. Because where they trained, it was very hard to find someone with black hair. Which is a problem for any black kid growing up in America in a white town. You can't find a good barber. They bring a barber in. The Cowboys had an offensive lineman named Everett McIver who went to get his haircut, and Michael Irvin goes, 'Seniority.' I think McIver was in his second year. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now All the offensive linemen were like, 'F*ck that. Don't get up. Don't get up.' and Irvin's like, 'Seniority!' and Everett McIver's like, 'F*ck you.' And he's refusing to get up. They start getting in a pushing match. Michael Irvin grabs the barber's scissors and stabs him in the neck and drags it along. And blood is sprouting everywhere. It's a crazy scene. Michael Irvin, at the time, was on probation. So, if that hadn't gotten out, he's going to jail. So, the Cowboys never reported it. Gave Everett McIver a nice payoff.' Legendary Sportswriter Jeff Pearlman Talks Tupac, Barry Bonds, and Aaron Rodgers Michael Irvin was doing drugs, womanizing, and was out late every day, but demanded accountability JT Parr shared that Michael Irvin demanded accountability on the field. 'I felt like you had a real respect for Irvin that he was able to be such a wild man, but then on the field, he was so accountable.' Jeff Pearlman called former wide receiver Michael Irvin the leader of the team. 'I think he is one of the most unique characters in sports, modern sports history, where he was using drugs, and he was womanizing left and right, and he was out late every day, but I've never seen a guy like this, ever, ever, ever - somehow, he demanded accountability at the same time. Teammates fed off of him; the leader of that team wasn't Troy Aikman, and it wasn't Emmitt Smith. It really was Michael Irvin. At the same time, he's living his crazy a*s life off the field. So, I found that fascinating.' Also Read:
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"There were two reasons" - Lakers journalist reveals why Eddie Jones was traded shortly after Kobe Bryant was drafted
"There were two reasons" - Lakers journalist reveals why Eddie Jones was traded shortly after Kobe Bryant was drafted originally appeared on Basketball Network. There was a notion that made its rounds some time ago that the Los Angeles Lakers traded Eddie Jones because they were all-in on Kobe Bryant. In fact, some NBA fans still believe that to this day. Advertisement While it is true that Bryant took off after Jones left the team, Lakers journalist and author Jeff Pearlman revealed that it was just the partial truth. According to Pearlman, the Lakers indeed sensed a potential issue in terms of how to utilize both young Kobe and Jones. However, there was more to it than met the eye. Pearlman disclosed in an interview that there were some concerns about Jones' mentality as a player. They began to think that he lacked what Bryant had in abundance. "They tried to trade Eddie Jones for years and years," Pearlman told Hoops Analyst in 2020. "There were two reasons. Number one, they thought he and Kobe played too similarly. They were similar, but I don't think it was a problem. They were both slashy-type players that exploded to the hoop. Somewhat similar body types, Eddie Jones, was leaner than Kobe, though Kobe was thinner when he was younger." "Number two, there was this idea that Eddie Jones was not a money player," he further revealed. "Shaq talked about that a lot. When I interviewed Eddie Jones, he was talking about that Game 5 against Utah in 1996-97 when Kobe shot those four air balls. Eddie Jones said he was furious and he wanted to shoot those shots and I talked to Shaq and he said that Eddie did not want to take those shots and that Eddie Jones shied away from those shots when they played together." Advertisement The Kobe-Nick-Eddie trio Looking back, the timing of Jones' Lakers exit really seemed off and quite baffling. Before being traded away, EJ was coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons and was even averaging 15.6 points per game. Despite being productive and consistent, Jones was still sent to the Charlotte Hornets in the middle of the 1998-99 season. The Lakers traded Jones alongside center Elden Campbell in exchange for veteran All-Star forward Glen Rice, J.R. Reid and three-time champion B.J. Armstrong. It was clear that the Lakers formed a new dynamic where Kobe would coexist with a different yet still explosive player in Rice. However, Pearlman reckoned that Rice didn't turn out to be a great fit for the team. For Pearlman, the unit that the Lakers dismantled by trading Jones away was already the best that they could come up with at the time. Advertisement "To be honest, I thought Nick Van Exel/Kobe Bryant backcourt, Eddie Jones at the small forward, whomever at the power [forward] and Shaq at center was the most talent they had in that era," Pearlman assessed. "It didn't work and Van Exel and [Coach Del] Harris were never going to work but talent-wise Van Exel was a great player." The trade never strained Eddie and Kobe's relationship Despite possessing striking similarities in their playing styles and qualities, Jones and Bryant still had a great bond as teammates. They both demonstrated a mutual respect that eliminated any sense of jealousy that could arise between them. Even when the trade discussions regarding Jones were swirling, the situation did not affect his relationship with Kobe. Advertisement Off the court, Bryant and Eddie also treated each other like brothers. In fact, their friendship endured the test of time as they continued to have a genuine connection even after Jones officially left the Lakers. "He was with me all the time, even before he got into the league. In Philadelphia, he was always coming out and working out with me. Things like that man… you never forget things like that," Jones once said of Bryant. "We always talk whenever we playin' each other. The night before and whenever we see each other," the two-time All-Star added. Related: "I would hate to sell my house and see somebody go in there and not knowing the ups and downs" - Larry Bird on why he refuses to sell his old Boston home The rise of a powerful duo After a few seasons of trying to figure out how to properly manage the amount of talent they had on their roster, the Lakers finally found the perfect mix. With Jones out of the picture, Kobe was given more opportunities as well as responsibilities. Advertisement They also came to realize that Bryant couldn't be with a scoring point guard like Nick Van Exel or even Armstrong. Instead, they formed an effective backcourt tandem in Kobe and Derek Fisher, a floor general who wasn't focused on scoring. Ultimately, Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant both reached the pinnacle of their careers. As a duo, Shaq and Kobe became the new faces of the Lakers. At that point, the Lakers were blowing everybody out. With Phil Jackson at the helm, L.A. became the best team in the league, winning three NBA championships in a row. As for Jones, he had some productive stints with the Hornets and the Miami Heat. However, he was never mentioned in the same breath as Kobe again. Advertisement Related: "He could not defend Stockton-to-Malone on that play" - Lakers journalist blames Shaquille O'Neal because Utah dominated L.A. in the '90s This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"He would walk the UCLA campus just to feel like he was in college" - The Lakers journalist claimed Kobe Bryant lived a lonely life
"He would walk the UCLA campus just to feel like he was in college" - The Lakers journalist claimed Kobe Bryant lived a lonely life originally appeared on Basketball Network. The late great Kobe Bryant is not only revered for his exceptional skills but also for his unbelievable dedication. Unlike other young and up-and-coming NBA stars, Kobe already knew his priorities. For him, the ultimate goal was to work and be the best. With this mindset, Kobe's hard work did not go to waste. He quickly established himself as one of the best players of his generation and constantly improved in various facets of the game. While KB's rise to stardom was nothing short of remarkable, Los Angeles Lakers journalist and author Jeff Pearlman revealed that it was also sad at the same time. "He met his wife Vanessa when he saw her in a rap video. He had his own rap album, and he wanted her to be in his video. She was a high schooler, and he was 21. He starts sending her flowers to her high school. He was a lonely guy," Pearlman told Hoops Analyst of Bryant in 2020. "He would walk the UCLA campus just to feel like he was in college." As Pearlman dug deeper into Bryant's personal life, he had a better understanding of the Lakers superstar's brash and flamboyant demeanor. For most people, Kobe's personality was typical of someone who wanted to prove something. But for the renowned journalist, that arrogance was rooted in sadness. Jeff added that KB's formative years were distinct. Early on, he was already consumed by achieving his goals, and he tirelessly worked hard for each feat to the point where he failed to learn how to develop relationships with other people. "When Kobe got married, he didn't invite any of his teammates," he further stated. "A lot of them didn't even know he was getting married or even dating anyone. It was a really isolated existence and kind of a sad and lonely existence. I just think it's easy to get caught up when you research Kobe to conclude he was really a pain in the ass, but I think it's sad. There was a lot of sadness and loneliness there and an inability to relate to people. He really had to work to relate and interact with people." The five-time champ literally spent half of his life playing basketball. The court was his safe space, and basketball was his only friend. For "Black Mamba," friendship is fleeting, but success is everlasting. "Friends come and go, but banners hang forever," the five-time champion once said. "I have friends. But being a 'great friend' is something I will never be," he added. "I can be a good friend. But not a great friend. A great friend will call you every day and remember your birthday. I'll get so wrapped up in my shit; I'll never remember that stuff." Pearlman was on point, as Bryant didn't really have a lot of friends when he was still alive. In retrospect, it's quite interesting and heartbreaking to realize that though Kobe enjoyed financial success and a legendary career, there was an aspect of his personal life that seemed story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
