If you’re a fan of baseball and the history of the minor leagues then you may be familiar with the historic Chattanooga Lookouts. The Tennessee Double-A team dates back to the early 1900s and is sometimes known for baseball trivia relating to Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig.

Back in 1931, the New York Yankees played the Lookouts at Chattanooga’s Historic Engel Stadium. The Lookouts roster included a 17-year-old girl named Jackie Mitchell who struck out both Gehrig and Ruth. The Lookouts have since moved to a new stadium but Engel Stadium is still in use and has become a filming location.

In the movie 42, the True Story of an American Legend Engel Stadium was used as the setting for much of the live baseball scenes filmed for the movie. It doubled for historic ballparks such as Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn which was torn down in 1960.

Lookout for Looie!

At the end of March 2021, the Lookouts front office reported to police that the offices at the new home of the lookouts since 2000, AT&T Field, were broken into. Among the items listed as stolen was the head for the mascot costume for Looie the Lookout. It is valued at $3,000 by the team.

Rich Mozingo, President for the Lookouts, stated that Looie was not just sitting around for somebody to pick up.

“He was behind locked doors,” Mozingo said during an interview. “And, they beat those doors in.”

BREAKING: Looie Found Safe and Sound!

After being mascot-napped, Looie the Lookout has been returned home safe. The Lovable Lookout would like to thank the Chattanooga community and his friends @ChattanoogaPD for their support and assistance.

https://t.co/yfHvboaCKd pic.twitter.com/QRRDHJMjaw

— Chattanooga Lookouts (@ChattLookouts) March 31, 2021

Other items stolen included team sports memorabilia and equipment. But Looie is what captured the attention of area residents and sports fans from across the nation. Social media posts from the Chattanooga Police department and the Lookouts started a small “Lookout for Looie” neighborhood watch campaign.

It didn’t take long for the effort to knock one out of the park! Pun intended.

Looie Returns

Enter Brian Hunter who is an electrician for the nearby Tennessee Aquarium. Both AT&T Field and the Aquarium are located in downtown Chattanooga.

“I saw something red on the side of the road back there on Powerhouse Alley,” Hunter said about his drive on the road that home run and foul balls often land on. “I heard the story yesterday and I knew to stop,” said the electrician for the Aquarium. “I looked at it and I kind of knew what it was… it was Looie.”

Mozingo said that he and others in the office were worried about the outcome.. but at the same time hoping for the best. Here’s the reason – there’s not much a thief can do with a stolen professional sports team mascot! Post one selfie on social media with a big stolen mascot head and the police will soon be paying a visit.

“Once you’ve stolen Looie’s head… what do you do with him?” Mozingo stated in an interview with local NBC news affiliate WRCB Channel 3. “There’s not a real great market for it.”

As with any good crime story, pictures of the soggy Looie head laying on the side of the road were taken. But, the Lookouts front office didn’t want to release them out of respect for Looie’s many young fans.

Looie is back in the hands of Mozingo and his staff and getting ready for home games. The question now is who took him? According to police the dollar amount of the theft could lead to felony charges. Hopefully, that mystery will be solved. And, hopefully, Lookout fans will get to see Mr. Hunter throw out the first pitch during a game this upcoming season!

The post Stolen Mascot Returns to Historic Minor League Baseball Team appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

During a recent podcast, a former NFL player commented that he remembers a teammate showing up drunk for a game. You would expect the rest of the story to mention that said player would have had a terrible day, but that’s not what happened!

Jon Kitna, a former QB for the Bengals, recently appeared on the Ryen Russillo Podcast and chatted up old times. During the interview, Kitna talked about an unnamed player showing up late before the game and then going on to have a pretty good day!

“There was a time that I played a game with a guy that was drunk in the huddle. There was a time that a guy showed up late to a game. In the NFL, you need to be there two hours, two hours, and 15 minutes ahead of time. And he showed up under an hour before the game’s start. Those are weird things, now. That’s tough. I’m not sure if the staff knew. But I think the guy was like — that was kind of his normal. I mean he was drunk and had close to 200 yards receiving now. So it was crazy.”

Kitna played with the Bengals from 2001-2005 so there’s a good chance a bunch of internet detectives is already crunching game stats during that period looking for players that had near 200 yard days.

If you thought drinking before a game was unheard of, guess again!

Several NFL players have admitted to drinking before games. Clinton Portis, former back for the Washington and Denver Clinton Portis, said that he and some other teammates would regularly have a quick swallow “of Hennessy” before the start of a game.

The admission came during an interview with the Washington Post in 2017. Portis stated that he, Santana Moss, and the late Sean Taylor would boost their “adrenaline” before games.

“Not like going out and getting sloppy wasted. Just adrenaline,” Portis said in the interview. “You know, you take a shot and you were done with it. Me, Santana, and Sean, we did this for a year and a half before anybody knew. We never told anybody. It was just, hey, here’s a little sip, bam, that was it.”

It just stands to reason that Babe Ruth couldn’t be the only professional sports figure in history that would have a swallow, or several, before hitting the field.

The post Former Bengals QB Jon Kitna recalls Player Drunk during a Game appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Then the reformed XFL started to play with good results before the start of the 2020 COVID pandemic. The resulting shutdown caused the league to close soon after their season started. Now it’s time for the latest league named Fan Controlled Football which is beginning to get some exposure as the season progresses.

So… what the heck is Fan Controlled Football?

Fan Controlled Football is an indoor football league with roots dating back to 2008 when comedian Steve Hofstetter floated a satirical business concept of a fan-controlled baseball team. The idea went through several generations and eventually moved from satire to a working business model.

According to the official site, FCF.io, this incarnation started in 2015 when the group purchased an indoor team in Salt Lake City and applied the fan control idea to the team. Fans helped pick the name – Screaming Eagles – as well as the uniforms and other aspects of running a team. That included everything from coaching hires to recruiting players and “what beer we had on tap” during games.

It also created a chance to test out how fans could sit at home, or from anywhere, and watch games on devices while interacting with their team. Now, the term “armchair quarterback” may be real.

The FCF is a four-team league that is playing a short season in a bubble environment outside of Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia. Games are 7 on 7 and played on a 50-yard field with no goalposts inside Infinite Energy Arena. Games are televised live on Twitch and VENN.

What Makes FCF Different

Will the FCF survive or will it hit the same fate as other leagues in the past? Going up against the NFL is a tough thing to do. That’s why the FCF may stick around for more than one season – they are not trying to be another version of the NFL.

COSTS: First, payroll is not as expensive as a normal football team as there are not as many players. There are no kickers and no special teams. Players make somewhere around $750 bucks a week plus room and board.

TIME: games are shorter averaging about an hour which is perfectly geared towards a modern society with changing TV viewing patterns.

SEASON: Other leagues have tried to mimic the NFL with full schedules of sixteen games, playoff games, and a Championship. The FCF has a short season and a Championship game. Granted, if there are more seasons to follow that schedule will probably increase. This year the format is being tested – expect rule and other modifications – something the NFL is not good at doing in a timely matter.

FANS: The biggest difference between the NFL and the FCF is the role that fans play in the league. With the NFL, and leagues that have tried to compete with them using the NFL format, the idea is to have fans as spectators and consumers. That may be the same for the FCF but the fans can now take an active role in how the game is played while the game is in progress!

It looks like the FCF will complete its inaugural season of four games with two post-season games. That’s something both the Alliance of American Football and the XFL failed to do. Hopefully, an expanded version will kick off in 2022… wait… scratch that. As mentioned above – there are no kickoffs.

The post What is the Fan Controlled Football League? appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Ahmed Mujtaba, aka ‘Wolverine’, from Pakistan, defeated Rahul Raju, aka ‘The Kerala Krusher’ from India in a lightning-fast round through well-aimed kicks and a solid game strategy.

Shortly after the two athletes touched gloves, signalling the start of the match, Mujtaba delivered a kick to Raju’s leg which temporarily disoriented the latter, but he recovered quickly enough to deflect a quick follow-up punch from Mujtaba.

Raju attempted to return the move with a punch of his own but was halted by Mujtaba’s quick movements as the Pakistani athlete landed another kick. Attempting to break free from this barrage, Raju delivered a pawing jab and an overhand right only to have it blocked by Mujtaba, forcing the former to temporarily retreat. 

The two men then circled each other for a few seconds, each attempting to probe for weaknesses in the other’s defence. This was soon interrupted by a wave of roundhouse kicks that each athlete attempted to deliver upon the other, although with limited effectiveness for both sides.

Eventually, Mujtaba attempted to wear down Raju’s defence by using a three-piece boxing combo, only to have it skilfully deflected by Raju whose defence remained resolute to this point. Raju displayed a very impressive defensive capability during this portion of the match.

Raju then adopted an offensive stance while Mujtaba attempted to rest himself by opting for a strong uppercut with the hopes of causing the Pakistani athlete some serious damage. This attempt failed as Mujtaba’s quick reflexes allowed him to immediately jump back.

Not wishing to allow his offensive to go to waste, Raju decided to place all his hopes into a wild overhand right to knock out his opponent. Mujtaba’s fast reflexes were one of his biggest assets during the match as he consistently managed to evade or block Raju’s attacks by reacting quickly.

Unfortunately for Raju, his opponent’s great reflexes and quick reaction time not only allowed him to avoid the powerful shot but also to figure out how to counter it immediately. Mujtaba surged forward with his overhand right which landed squarely on Raju’s chin, unblocked, undeflected and unhindered.

This blow carried such force that it caused Raju to become visibly disoriented for a moment.  Taking full advantage of his opponent’s moment of confusion, Mujtaba delivered one final shorthand which ended the match and placed victory firmly within his hands.

The referee soon announced the end of this match and declared that it had lasted only an astonishing 56 seconds. In this impressive display of martial prowess, it can be seen just how much effort and skill these athletes invest into their sport.

Both Wolverine and the Kerala Krusher performed brilliantly as trained athletes and demonstrated true sportsmanship in their conduct.

The post Pakistani Fighter Won MMA Fight in just 56 Seconds! appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

That was thirty years ago, and now Cope is set to make his return to the site of his first Cup victory at the age of 62. He’ll be piloting the No. 15 Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing complete with a NASCAR Charter.

A NASCAR Charter means the car is automatically in the field and does not have to race in during the Dual Qualifying races or rely on qualifying day speed. For Cope, the return is one he’s been looking for even though he still works as Team Manager for StarCom Racing.

“After you win it, you feel you can go back and win it again,” Cope said during a Zoom interview with reporters. “Every time you go there, you feel that way. I still feel that way.”

Cope noted that he’s aged, but that’s not going to be a factor for him. He says his job is to go out on February 14^th and have fun and race hard for the team.

“I don’t have to prove anything,” Cope said. “I don’t have to go down there and worry about anything. I will just go down there and have fun and race the car and hopefully get to 180 laps (of the 200-lap race) before I have to go to battle.”

Final NASCAR Cup Series Start

Cope has not been away from NASCAR since he stopped racing full-time. He raced part-time, owned a team, worked with driver development, and more. But following the 2021 Daytona 500, his last start in the 500 came in 2004, he says this may be the time to hang up his Cup Series helmet permanently.

But, he’s still going to race as hard as he can.

“I will go to Daytona and if I do make it to the end … and be in a position to race hard, they’ll know I’m there. The one thing I have always done is I’m not afraid of anything. I’m not afraid of mixing it up. I’m not afraid of pushing and shoving. I’m not afraid of wrecking.”

Too Old?

Don’t bring up his age. Cope says he’s ready and aware of the skills needed to race. In classic NASCAR driver form, Cope ran down the things a driver looks at when preparing a race.

“I really don’t care what other people think. If I did, I probably wouldn’t be in this position. So, honestly, it’s really about what I want. – Going to a place like Daytona, certainly, I think is a lot more mental and understanding the air and what type of runs, what type of surges the car will get, assessing your car, making good conscious decisions, driving within yourself,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. I think we obviously have a lot of guys that don’t do that.”

As for older drivers in the Daytona 500, Cope is fifteen years older than any other driver in the field. But he’s not the oldest to run in the Super Bowl of NASCAR racing.

• Mark Thompson was 66 years old when he finished just outside the top-twenty during the 2018 Daytona 500. He crossed the start/finish line in the 22^nd spot.
• Dave Marcis raced in 33 Daytona 500’s His last run in the Great American Race came when he was 60 in 2002 where he finished 42^nd due to his engine going bad.
• At age 72, Morgan Shepherd passed his physical for the 2014 Daytona 500 but failed to qualify. Never count Shepherd out, he raced in two Cup Series races that same season.

A Gift

Cope is set to make NASCAR history if he can pull off the win. But it’s not something he was planning on doing. In fact, the whole thing was a surprise gift after a NASCAR Cup Series career that included two wins and 427 starts beginning in 1982.

According to Cope, racing in the Daytona 500 once more was a surprise from his wife, Elyshia – who is the Marketing Director for StarCom Racing, and the team’s owners.  “I wasn’t privy to. … It was a gift. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve loved Daytona. I felt like that if I was going to end things I’d like to be doing it there.”

The post Derrike Cope Returns to Daytona 500 at Age 62 appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

If you can’t get in front of a television at game time this evening, you may be one of many people searching for how to watch the Super Bowl online. Thankfully it’s not hard.

Watch Super Bowl LV online video stream from CBS

Pre-game coverage of today’s big game between Tampa Bay and Kansas City on CBS and on the NFL network is already several hours underway.

CBS will air Super Bowl LV beginning with the kick-off show at 6pm eastern time. The game itself will begin at 6:30.

When the Buccaneers and Chief take a break at half time, The Weekend will take center stage for the Super Bowl LV Half-Time Show. Pepsi, the primary sponsor of the half-time show has been promoting The Weekend and the upcoming show via commercials for weeks now.

And of course, peppered throughout the game during breaks, millions will be watching for what will later be rated as the best Super Bowl commercials.

The CBS sports app and the CBS All Access apps should provide the needed tech to allow you to watch the Super Bowl online.

The live video streaming apps are free to download and are available for iOS, Android and other mobile device platforms.

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Love has since used his platform to talk about the topic of mental health and depression, saying that he himself struggles with depression. The topic did not really surface again until a recent interview from this past week.

Kevin Love had a much deeper discussion about his personal battles with depression to the point where he began talking about suicide.

He stated that during his time with the Timberwolves he had actually searched for ways to kill himself on the internet. But the interview from this week was about how Love still battles with those thoughts today.

Suicidal thoughts are not something that goes away over time, as he stated “You don’t get to turn it on or turn it off”. This issue certainly is a sensitive one, but it goes to show that even celebrities deal with these issues and they are still normal human beings too.

What Love credited his help to was knowing that there is strength in numbers. He knew that he was not the only one dealing with these issues and there were other people who felt just like him.

Love wanted to survive and thrive to lead the way for others struggling with the issue and show them you can get through the tough times. It is a sad issue, but the causes are mostly out of our control. However, you do have the power to fight back.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

The post NBA Star Kevin Love talks about Suicidal Thoughts appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Gomez suffered the injury on Wednesday in training ahead of England’s international friendly with the Republic of Ireland. The defender damaged a tendon in his knee and was forced to undergo a surgery on Thursday to repair the damage.

“The issue was isolated to Gomez’s tendon, with no damage to any other associated knee ligaments,” Liverpool said in a statement to the media.

“No timescale is being placed upon his return, though the issue is likely to rule him out for a significant part of the remainder of 2020-21.”

Liverpool have now lost two of their three senior centre-backs to knee injuries this season. Virgil van Dijk was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign in October after suffering a Grade 3 ACL tear. Centre-back Joel Matip, who has endured his own fitness issues this season, is left as Liverpool’s only senior centre-back.

The club will look to Nat Phillips and teenager Rhys Williams for the foreseeable future. Gomez is set to miss a large portion of the season. The defender won’t return until the spring at the earliest, leaving a void in the Liverpool team as they fight for a second straight league title and Champions League silverware.

Manager Jurgen Klopp had used midfielder Fabinho to shore-up the defense with Van Dijk injured. However, his own hamstring injury has ruled him out of recent matches. Klopp turned to 19-year-old defender Williams for Liverpool’s recent Champions Leaguewins against Midtjylland and Atalanta.

Phillips was Klopp’s preferred centre-back in the Premier League in a victory against West Ham before Matip returned and partnered with Gomez on matchday 8 versus Manchester City. Now, Matip is likely to play next to Phillips when Liverpool return to league play against Leicester City on November 21.

Klopp has the option to play captain Jordan Henderson at centre-back having played the position last December in the FIFA World Club Cup.

Fabinho is likely to return to training in time for the game against Leicester City potentially increasing Klopp’s options.

The post Liverpool defender Joe Gomez out Knee Injury appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

A typical October or November start was simply not possible based on when the season ended this year. As such, the NBA has announced the 2021 season will instead begin on December 22nd 2020.

This may seem like it is coming up quick, and it is, leaving an off-season of only about a month or two. For many, it came as quite a shock that the players would agree to this deal – having such little time off.

Regardless, the deal was agreed upon by the NBA’s Players Association. It is important to note however that the start date is tentative.

League commissioner Adam Silver stated that he realistically does not believe the 2021 NBA season will begin until after the New Year.

Additionally, they expect the season to end before Mid-July to avoid a potential conflict with the previously postponed 2020 Summer Olympics.

The result will be a shorter than usual 72-game season. Ten games short of the regular 82 games.

This does give rise a lot of excitement in the basketball world. But it also has a lot of fans raising questions about how the health of many players will hold up through the 2021 season – having so little time to recover.

Playing a sport for so long requires athletes to take care of themselves and spend adequate time recovering. That recovery time is being reduced for many players by this one month off-season.

As a result, sadly, fans may need to be prepared for a higher amount of injury in the 2021 NBA season. Despite the challenges, it will be exciting to see the NBA return in a month or so. Fingers crossed of course!

The post NBA Players Agree to 2021 Season Start Date appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

A former venue for the San Marino Grand Prix, the most recent race at the track saw constructor Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team crowned as World Constructor Champions for a record-breaking 7th consecutive year.

Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas battled it out during the race to secure 1st and 2nd places respectively at the chequered flag.

“Woo! Seven-time champs. That’s something I’ll be able to tell my grandchildren one day,” said Lewis Hamilton after the race.

Having previously equaled Ferrari’s record of six consecutive titles between 1998 and 2004, Mercedes’ dominance has been pretty much unrivalled since the introduction of the hybrid era in 2014.

The era has propelled the German team to stratospheric levels of success and certifying the team as Formula 1 royalty.

Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, Daniil Kvyat racing for AlphaTauri, and Charles Leclerc driving Ferrari finished out the top 5, finishing in places 3, 4 and 5 respectively.

Imola is famous for being the track where Formula 1 racing driver Ayrton Senna lost his life in 1994 along with Roland Ratzenberger. There hasn’t been an F1 race at the track since 2006.

In commemoration of the racing legend, current trophies awarded to race winners are in the shape of the circuit and feature a diamond in the spot of the fatal crash.

Coming next for F1 is a return to another track that hasn’t been raced for some time. The Istanbul Park circuit will host the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix on November 12-15. The last Formula 1 race there was in 2011.

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