Latest news with #gameday
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Celtics' Amari Williams Discusses Protective Nature, Rare Skills, & Message From Mentor
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - MARCH 01: Amari Williams #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats celebrates in the first ... More half against the Auburn Tigers at Rupp Arena on March 01, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by) If Amari Williams is on the court, there's a good chance he started the day with his version of the breakfast of champions: Weetabix. It's a light, crispy, whole-grain cereal that's popular in the UK. The Nottingham, England native can't always get his hands on it in the U.S., but to his surprise, it was an option at Summer League in Las Vegas. "Surprisingly, I've seen it at the breakfast table [on] the first day we got here, which caught me off guard," a delighted Williams told Forbes after the Boston Celtics wrapped up practice near the end of their stay in Sin City. "But I only have Weetabix on game days, so that's when I've been having it." When he does, his preference is to do so with warm milk and sugar. However, the countless combinations to enhance this pregame staple are part of its appeal. "I actually poured honey in it the other day. That was nice, too," shared Williams. In his final collegiate season, a campaign spent with the Kentucky Wildcats, the seven-foot center would often settle for a few pieces of toast for breakfast before road games. It was at the NCAA Tournament when his head coach, Mark Pope, realized this. He knew that had to change. He encouraged Williams to add more fuel before tip-off. As luck would have it, the team was able to find it in stock in Lexington, Kentucky, as well as at an international store in Milwaukee. As Williams helped lead the Wildcats on a run to the Sweet 16, Big Blue Nation elevated Weetabix to the top-selling cereal on Amazon, per Tyler Thompson of That led to Williams getting on the cover of the cereal his parents used to force him to eat as a kid. "After the NCAA tournament, I got two personalized boxes with my face on it," he told Forbes. Coach Pope and teammate Brandon Garrison also indulged in Weetabix as Kentucky made its mark on March Madness. It was an example of the bond Williams cultivated with those he shared a locker room with. "He is unbelievable," Coach Pope conveyed to Forbes in an exclusive interview where he raved about the person the Celtics' center is off the court. "You talk about a guy who cares about all the right things. He's incredibly protective of his teammates. He loves his teammates. He would take a bullet for his guys, and that's not a cliche. That's actually deep in his heart. Like, it matters. His locker room matters to him. His guys, his staff, they matter to him. And so he's going to be a welcome addition in the locker room." That's quite the role to take on after arriving in "The Blue Grass State" following four years at Drexel. While discussing the roots of that protective nature, Williams shared, "I just knew that all of us were new last year, and just trying to meet new guys. It was different than a lot of teams, which we've all been on in the past. But I feel like in the summer, living together in the lodge, we all gelled well, and those relationships will last a lifetime." Amari Williams has a unique offensive arsenal The No. 46 selection in this year's NBA Draft grew up as a guard. From age 14 to 15, he shot up from about five-foot-11 to roughly six-foot-four, he recalls. Luckily, Williams retained his passing prowess and comfort level handling the ball. It also helps that even after his height took him from floor general to patrolling the pivot, "My high school team was positionless basketball. So, anyone could push it in transition." That's a part of the appeal the Celtics saw when deciding to draft Williams, who is expected to join Boston on a two-way deal. It's a talent that feels more valuable than ever, given the NASCAR-like pace of today's NBA. "It's an incredible luxury," Coach Pope expressed to Forbes. "It also allows you to take elite-level scorers -- it allows you to take them, and instead of them being on the ball to start a possession, you could get them away from the ball and let them use some actions coming back to the ball early in a possession, early in the clock. So, the point guard doesn't have to give up the ball and get it back. He can start with it out of his hands, or a two guard, or a shooting guard, or a scoring guard can start with it out of his hands. "Amari can do that work of getting the ball down the floor, and then they can be the first one to come back to it in a scoring position. I think it affords coaches an incredible luxury, with how to rethink the game." Williams's standout trait also comes from growing up with the ball in his hands. He's an impressive facilitator, frequently delivering dimes to teammates cutting to the basket. "I didn't even know he was a good passer, like such a good passer," Celtics teammate Jordan Walsh told Forbes at Summer League. "Eventually, I just started cutting, all the handoffs he was coming at me with, I just started back-cutting them, and he'd find it, and I was like, 'Oh, my goodness.' "I didn't know he was such a good passer. He's a really good passer. And he's bringing the ball up the court, too, and facilitating, it's nice." "It's been a lot of fun," voiced Baylor Scheierman about playing off a center with Williams's passing proficiency. "His vision and his passing ability is something that is unique." As he works to sharpen his strongest suit, Williams is modeling that part of his game after three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, an offensive hub with elite court vision and a Patrick Mahomes-like ability to deliver perfect passes from any angle. Specifically, he's studying Jokic's "Passing and being patient. I feel like it's easy to throw passes right away, but we [have] got to see the game out," stated Williams. "Take your time with a lot of things. So, I'll say patience and deciding when to throw the right pass." Williams's defensive upside stems from being a multi-sport athlete When he wasn't on the hardwood, the Nottingham, England, native was honing his craft on the pitch. His soccer background has helped him prove more nimble than your typical, plodding seven-foot center. "I feel like it helped a lot, just being able to move quicker than the average big," Williams told Forbes. Celtics assistant coach and Summer League bench boss Matt Reynolds conveyed, "Traditional centers, where they don't switch, I think he can. He can do some switching. He's got long arms, got good instincts, [and] active hands. So when you know he's in position to guard the ball one-on-one, I think he can do that, whether it's against speed or size. "I think he's able to give the game what it needs with respect to whoever his matchup is. And so whether it happens in Summer League or down the line, I'm sure he'll get plenty of opportunities to mix up coverages and matchups and all that kind of stuff. And I think he's going to do pretty well." Mark Pope agrees. He's already seen Williams come through for Kentucky because of his mobility on defense. "I think he's got the potential to be an elite-level defensive player switching one through five. And he certainly showed a lot of signs for that and did that well for us in important moments." It also helps that he has a seven-foot-five wingspan, allowing him to reject, alter, and deter shots at the rim. It's all part of a package that could one day elevate him from a two-way contract to a rotation fixture in Boston. Amari Williams is hard at work at a selfless trait The seven-foot, 262-pound center can impose his will as a screener. He did so with a punishing pick in the backcourt on Jaylen Wells during the Celtics' 92-78 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. But it's one of the areas where the rookie has appreciable room for growth. It's something he's hard at work at with Boston's coaching staff. "I try to do it anytime I can," said Williams of his bone-crunching screen on Wells. "Just to get the pressure off the guards most of the time, but that's something that Boston emphasized a lot. So, I was told a lot by the coaches, Coach Ross [McMains] and everyone here, [in] the first few weeks of training camp. So, that's something I'm taking pride in, and I'm definitely trying to get better at." As he does, he's applying a message from Tosan Evbuomwan, an NBA veteran from Newcastle, England. The former was with Williams when the Celtics drafted him. Suiting up for Brooklyn at Summer League, Evbuomwan has been able to watch Williams and the other British players in Las Vegas play, offering counsel along the way. His message to Williams? "Go out there and be aggressive. A lot of the games, I came out timid, but I learned as the game went on, I [have] got to be aggressive and trying to go get it myself sometimes." Williams has the potential to be a defensive force, a punishing screen-setter, and an offensive hub his team can trust as a facilitator that can make passes many players at his position can't. As he acclimates to the NBA, heeding Evbuomwan's advice and embracing an assertive mentality is essential to maximizing his talent and carving out his place in the league.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Packers offering fans tickets with artistic contest
The post Packers offering fans tickets with artistic contest appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Green Bay Packers are getting creative with their fans to build up excitement for the upcoming season. Literally. Advertisement The team has announced its 'Give Us A Sign' contest, which looks for 'clever captions' and 'savvy sign ideas' that will be used on gamedays. A panel of judges will pick the top 16 entries as finalists. Fans will then vote for their favorites. The winner will have their slogan printed on official signs, game tickets, a trip to Lambeau Field, and hotel accommodations in Green Bay. Overall, the approximate value of the prizes is $3,000, according to the team's website. The contest will accept submissions until July 23. The voting runs from July 29 to August 25, and the announcement of the winners is on August 29. New Chapter for Pacers The Packers are hoping that all signs point to a better campaign after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last season. Advertisement Green Bay hasn't found much success with young quarterback Jordan Love, who has been hampered by injuries, after the departure of longtime star Aaron Rodgers. Entering his sixth season, fans are praying that the 26-year-old Love will finally make the leap and join the other elite signal-callers in the NFL. The Packers are also going through a transitional period with new incoming president and CEO Ed Policy. He will officially take the helm of the squad on July 25, replacing Mark Murphy, who reached his mandatory retirement age of 70. Policy recently said coach Matt LaFleur and general manager Brian Gutekunst won't be given contract extensions before the season, saying it would 'create a lot of issues.' LaFleur and Gutekunst each have two years left in their deals. Still, Policy said he has faith in LaFleur, Gutenkunst, and director of football operations Russ Ball. Advertisement 'You've got three exceptional people doing an exceptional job right now and working well together,' said Policy in a report from NBC Sports' Charean Williams. 'I feel very good about all three of those individuals. I love them. I trust them. I respect them.' Talk about giving the Packers a good sign. Related: Davante Adams reveals how missed Aaron Rodgers connection 'changed my life' Related: 2 sneaky Packers trade candidates entering 2025 training camp
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
LA Sparks slammed by WNBA fans for 'thirst trap' promo: 'Women used to fight so hard to avoid exactly this'
The Los Angeles Sparks social media team is under fire for their choice of image for a gameday graphic that has since gone viral by fans who think it attracts all the wrong attention. Before last night's game against the Seattle Storm, the team put out a graphic with gameday information and where fans could watch the game. Accompanying this information was a picture of Sparks rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker, the ninth overall pick of this year's draft out of the University of Alabama. But rather than an image of Barker in a Sparks jersey, she was seen pointing at the camera while spinning a basketball on her finger. However, fans were upset by the attire Barker was wearing - a simple black tie-off top more akin to a bikini top than anything else. The graphic differentiated from team's last two graphics for their road games - which showed players in their uniforms. But, this does follow a trend that the Sparks have had for their home games - which show players in more casual and stylish clothing rather than jerseys. Fans on social media berated the Sparks front office for their 'thirst trap' promotion Nevertheless, the team's social media account was inundated with abuse over Barker's clothing. 'These gameday posts frying me. No unis or nothing, just thirst traps,' wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter. Another user said, 'Real s**t women used to fight so hard to avoid exactly this.' 'Every time they do a graphic like this they get dragged but they keep doing it???,' a third user posted. 'This s**t needs to go, right now. Not "don't do this again in the future" I mean press the delete button, right now,' another user demanded. 'What kind of chance does women's sports have if this is OFFICIAL team communication??? Are they playing in lingerie? Then put them in the fkn jerseys on gameday.' One user posted, 'I am gonna say this with as much respect as I can. If the WNBA wants to be taken seriously as a professional sports league, teams cannot use photos like this in their marketing. The Lakers aren't sharing shirtless Austin Reaves photos with their game info.' Neither the Sparks or Barker have publicly addressed the backlash, but Barker did re-post the image on her Instagram story.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
No Redblacks shuttle bus from Ottawa City Hall to TD Place this season
Redblacks fans are being warned there will be no shuttle bus from Ottawa City Hall to TD Place this season due to anticipated closures on part of Queen Elizabeth Driveway. The Ottawa Redblacks host their first pre-season game tonight at 7 p.m. The first home game is set for June 13. In a note to fans, the Redblacks say there will be no more 'Park and Shuttle' service from Ottawa City Hall to TD Place on game days. Fans have been able to park at City Hall and then use a shuttle bus to get to games at TD Place. 'The City Hall Park & Shuttle service will no longer be available for Redblacks gamedays due to anticipated Queen Elizabeth Driveway closures,' the Redblacks said. Fans can park for free at Canada Post or park at Carleton University lots (P5, P7, P18) for $6 and there will be a shuttle bus to games. Your game day Redblacks ticket includes a free ride on OC Transpo starting three hours before and 90 minutes after the game.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Green Bay Packers, PMI seek employees for the coming NFL season
The Green Bay Packers and PMI Entertainment Group need workers for the coming NFL season. The Packers are looking to fill gameday roles in guest services and security. Delaware North Sportservice, the Packers' food and beverage service provider, is seeking to fill a variety of part-time and gameday positions, with representatives available to speak with interested parties at June 3 and June 10 job fairs. Advertisement The job fairs are scheduled for: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 3, at the Johnsonville Tailgate Village 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 10, at the Johnsonville Tailgate Village 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 26, at the Verizon Loft in Lambeau Field On-site interviews will be conducted at each job fair. Applicants may park in Lambeau Field Lot 4 on the east side of the stadium, adjacent to Oneida Street. The lot can be entered off Lombardi Avenue. For the June 26 fair in the Verizon Loft, attendees can enter the stadium through the American Family Insurance Gate. Guest services staff members will be on site to direct individuals to the Verizon Loft. Qualifications listed for Packers job applicants Applicants must be at least 16 years old for guest services positions and security positions. Qualifications for the positions include strong verbal communication and conversation skills, trouble-shooting skills, ability to stay focused on job responsibilities, and ability to stand throughout the entire shift. Individuals seeking gameday roles must be available for all home games, any potential playoff games and other Lambeau Field events as needed. Advertisement Anyone interested in a Packers position can apply online at PMI wants to hire ushers, parking attendants PMI Entertainment Group is looking to hire parking attendants and ushers for Lambeau Field events and for all 2025 Packers home games. PMI Entertainment Group manages many of the game-day operations for the Packers and is looking to hire customer service-oriented individuals. Parking attendants will work in parking lots in and around Lambeau Field. Ushers will assist fans once they're inside the stadium. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older. Applications can be completed online. Job-related questions can be emailed to The Packers' home schedule this season is: Preseason: 7 p.m. Aug. 9, New York Jets 3 p.m. Aug. 23, Seattle Seahawks Advertisement Regular season: 3:25 p.m. Sept. 7, Detroit Lions 7:15 p.m. Sept. 11, Washington Commanders 3:25 p.m. Oct. 12, Cincinnati Bengals Noon Nov. 2, Carolina Panthers 7:15 p.m. Nov. 10, Philadelphia Eagles Noon Nov. 23, Minnesota Vikings Noon Dec. 7, Chicago Bears TBD, Dec. 27/28, Baltimore Ravens Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@ Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay Packers, PMI seek employees for the 2025-26 NFL season
