The NFL’s struggle with COVID-19: Where does the league stand now?

 The NFL’s battle with COVID-19 over the past couple of weeks has led to multiple games being postponed. Several teams have had outbreaks, including notable Patriots players like Cam Newton and Stephon Gilmore. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged that the season will probably have to be extended due to all of the cancellations. He has said that the NFL will be flexible in its scheduling since this is a season like no other. 

First signs of trouble

The Tennessee Titans had the first major outbreak and went two weeks without playing a game. At one point the team had 15 members of the team including staff and players, test positive. That is, in most certain terms, a COVID outbreak among the organization.

There were reports that the Titans had not been wearing masks as protocol had called for. An NFL COVID outbreak loomed large.

But luckily, the team has not had any positive tests since. 

Other teams have also had outbreaks within their team facilities. It has led to cancelled practices and games. 

The Atlanta Falcons also closed their facility after they had someone test positive. The Eagles added Matt Pryor to the COVID-19 list on Friday. The Jacksonville Jaguars placed 75 percent of their practice squad on the COVID-19 list as well. 

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Cases continue

The Baltimore Ravens placed Brandon Williams on the COVID-19 list. A Denver Broncos coach tested positive and didn’t travel with the team for their game on Sunday.  The Patriots have had one of the bigger NFL COVID outbreaks. They have had to cancel multiple practices. 

The Philadelphia Eagles’ Darius Slay said earlier this week that the NFL shouldn’t have had a season. 

Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer, says that there have been about 100 positive cases that included players, coaches and team personnel to this point. 

The NFL has also cancelled their version of an All-Star game, The Pro Bowl, for this season due to COVID-19 concerns. 

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Where does the league stand?

This past Sunday was the first time in weeks where all games on the schedule were played. However, positive tests keep on coming in and the NFL is putting all of its players and team personnel at risk with every game played. 

At least nine teams are allowing fans to come and watch the game in person. It is dangerous for everyone involved, especially when the NFL has struggled to keep the COVID outbreak under control. 

It’s clear at this point that the NFL will continue to put players and personnel at risk if it means that games will be played, and revenue increased. 

How many rings does LeBron James have? Enough to call him a legend

 How many rings does LeBron James have? There’s a question that’ll continue to pop-up in sports arguments all over the world until the NBA season starts up again.

LeBron James won his fourth ring and led the Lakers to their 17th championship. But what exactly does it mean for his legacy?

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How many rings does LeBron James have? Let’s count ’em up.

LeBron’s fourth ring cements him as basketball’s GOAT. He now has 10 finals appearances, including eight in a row from 2011-2018, four Finals MVPs along with four regular-season MVPs, and 16 first-team selections which are the most by any player. 

He has routinely carried historically weak teams like the Cavalier teams in 2007 and 2018 to the NBA Finals. While many like to use his losses as reasons for why he can’t be the GOAT, it’s actually why his case may be stronger than Jordans. 

LeBron is the best floor-raiser in NBA history. This means that with LeBron on your team, the floor of your team is a championship contender. LeBron has never been eliminated in the first round.

In the three seasons he missed the playoffs, two came in his first two seasons and the third came in his first year with the Lakers, when he was hurt. At the time of his injury the Lakers were the 4th seed. 

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Jordan’s case as the GOAT is perfection.

He has six championships in six chances, including two three-peats. However, he played in 15 seasons only managing to make the finals six times, and had the benefit of taking a year and a half off in the prime of his career.

He made the playoffs three times with a record under .500. James lost in the first round three times and missed the playoffs twice. He also played in an era that saw six new expansion teams, which made the talent pool around the league even weaker than it was.

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Is LeBron James a true sports legend, tho?

LeBron has now played in 17 seasons and has 10 finals appearances. An argument many make is that LeBron played in a weak Eastern Conference. While it is partly true, it ignores a couple of facts.

He is the reason for many teams falling apart including the Pistons who had been to six straight conference finals, the big 3 Celtics, the Derrick Rose Bulls, and the Paul George Pacers. 

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LeBron has faced off against better teams in the Finals than Jordan as well. Jordan’s best competitor is between an old Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and Clyde Drexler.

LeBron faced off against Tim Duncan (3 times), Kevin Durant (3 times), Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry(4 times), and Dirk Nowitzki. The talent is just better than it was in the ’90s. 

LeBron also has some of the most unique championships in NBA history. The 2016 3-1 comeback against the Warriors, who had the best regular-season record of all-time at 73-9, was the only 3-1 comeback in Finals history.

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Why that fourth ring means so much…

LeBron’s fourth ring comes after a pandemic paused the season mid-way, and forced the NBA to play in a bubble for the first time ever. 

The only blemish on LeBron’s career is his 2011 performance and loss to the underdog Dallas Mavericks. He struggled throughout the series and especially in 4th quarters.

However, as he says so himself, the loss was crucial for him to learn how to win. 

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LeBron presence on any roster instantly makes them a title contender, even at age 35. By the time he retires he’ll most likely be the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, with over 10,000 assists and rebounds. He’ll be the only player in NBA history to have those numbers.

LeBron’s fourth ring only strengthens his argument as the best to ever play the sports. Many will still argue he is behind Jordan, but with LeBron at age 35 and still playing like he’s in his prime, he will only continue to add to his resume and continue to make history.

Who is Sprado? The ‘Magic’ rapper ready to take 2021 by storm

Sprado is seemingly establishing himself as an artist to watch out for.

Having already collaborated with Jeremih on his song, “American Dream,” the Chicago-based musician goes to prove that hard work pays off in the long run.

Subsequently, the talent speaks for itself and has gotten a thumbs up by multi-platinum producer Hitmaka and rapper O.T. Genesis, to name a few. 

At a lyrical standpoint, Sprado makes good use of his bragging rights, shedding light on his accomplishments and the work he put in to get to where he is today.

Additionally, Sprado opens up to fans about what he’s seen and heard, all while thanking the man upstairs for everything. Not to mention, he encourages others to be their most authentic selves and to follow their dreams. 

Sprado said during an interview with Hype Off Life, 

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How director Dave Meyers is setting the new standard for visuals in music

 In 2017 “Humble” won the MTV’s best video of the year award. One year later, in 2018, “Havana” by Camila Cabello, won the same price. And, in 2019, Taylor Swift’s “Me!” won the MTV Europe award for best video of the year.

What do all of these have in common?  The legendary director Dave Meyers.

The man behind the camera

If the name does not ring a bell, you might recognize him for his talent.

Director Dave Meyers is the prolific mind behind a record of legendary videos including, “I’m Real” by JLo, “Sicko Mode” by Travis Scott, “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and many other award-winning music videos. 

Dave was born and raised in Berkeley, California, Dave developed a passion for film making at a very young age. He had been watching Star Wars and realized not only that he wanted to tell stories, but he wanted to be part of another universe.

Thus, when the time came, he studied Film Production and Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University.

Seeking to enhance his directing abilities for movies, he started working on music videos. At that time, Gus Van Sant (Director of Good Will Hunting), had encouraged him to explore the music video industry as well. Thus, what started as “practice” for movie making, ended up being his vocation. 

He debuted his music video career with E-40 in 1998. He had an affinity for hip-hop as he had grown with it and cultivated a devotion to making hip-hop accessible to a larger audience. 

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How working with Steven Spielberg led actor JaQwan J. Kelly to produce ‘He, the People’

JaQwan J. Kelly is establishing his name as a compelling force.

The 25-year-old actor recently starred in He, the People, a short film documenting the life of security guard Frank Wills and his experiences after blowing the whistle on the Watergate Scandal.

I had the opportunity to speak with Kelly about his own life and work with this recent project. It was an eye-opening and learning experience that taught me how visions come to fruition, and how a genuine interest in storytelling can change times for the better.

Early Beginnings

As a young kid, Kelly’s introduction to acting came when he was thrown into various drama clubs and after-school programs. It served as his outlet at the time, and when he entered his teenage years, Kelly enrolled at the Harlem School of the Arts.

Kelly met several of his lifelong coaches and mentors at HSA. It was a strong experience for him that allowed him to build a foundation of mentorship and early passion for acting. Here, Kelly also met his manager who later started her own talent company.

Since 2010, Kelly has been signed with Innovative Artists, working professionally to achieve his dream. He has always been a charismatic and entertaining individual and has loved imitating people whom he has encountered or viewed on T.V. This is where he realized his love of acting came from.

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NTWRK x BBC ICECREAM Team Up for Three Nostalgic Exoplanet Pop-ups

In the wake of BBC ICECREAM’s new Exoplanet Pop-Up collection, the iconic clothing brand has teamed up with mobile app NTWRK for a collaboration you can’t miss.

Kicking off with a private LA event on Dec. 12, The Exoplanet Pop-up collection draws inspiration from some of pop culture’s greatest cartoons: Batman, The Jetsons, Space Jam, and Rick and Morty.

From Dec. 13 to 22, BBC ICECREAM and NTWRK will showcase the Exoplanet Pop-Up collection at 8020 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA, where customers will be able to shop the new drops.

The Exoplanet Pop-Up collection features standalone statement pieces from both Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM like a Wireframe Diamonds & Dollars Full-Zip Hoodie and a matching sweatpant.

Not to mention the Billionaire Boys Club Snow Globe, Team ICECREAM Basketball Jersey and Short, ICECREAM Running Dog Pillow, Dollar Sign Pillow and ICECREAM ‘Best Coffee’ Incense Chamber, and more.

In addition to the launch, BBC ICECREAM and NTWRK are offering exclusive online access to shop the Exoplanet Pop-Up collection on NTWRK’s mobile app. 

In 2018 NTWRK changed the game. The app is a mobile service that offers “shoppable shows” featuring some of the biggest and best names in streetwear.

Simply put, NTWRK is a one-stop-shop for securing limited kicks, streetwear, collectibles, and more drip.

For those lucky enough to be in LA from Dec. 13 to 22, NTWRK is offering an exclusive inside look into the Exoplanet Pop-Up collection in a three-day installment.

There’s still one more NTWRK x BBC ICECREAM pop-up to catch

Drop 1: Billionaire Boys Club x Rick & Morty, Team Ice Cream Apparel, and Billionaire Boys Club Collectibles
Release Date: Friday, December 13, at 6PM ET / 3PM PT

Drop 2: Billionaire Boys Club x Space Jam & Billionaire Boys Club x The Jetsons
Release Date: Monday, December 16, at 9PM ET / 6PM PT

Drop 3: Billionaire Boys Club x Batman
Release Date: Friday, December 20, 6PM ET / 3PM PT

The Exoplanet collection is exclusive to the LA pop up and NTWRK. Download the NTWRK app to shop.

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Meet the minds behind NYC lifestyle brand The New Blue Collar

The New Blue Collar is a clothing brand redefining the working class. Sports influenced the duo behind it is reworking workwear while staying true to their athletic backgrounds, inherently applying their creative takes to what is known as streetwear.

The casual line is a combination of founders, Alex Ewings and Felix Llanos’ upbringing in their respective hometowns of Queens, NY, and Tulsa, OK.

As former athletes, it’s no wonder why they gravitate toward basketball. Fashion styling is at an all-time high amongst NBA players and it is transcending to the street style level.

Alex and Felix have a unique approach to fashion – measured with a sweat equity sense of style. Minimalism is not only in the design it’s how The New Blue Collar is evolving into a staple.

Recently we had a chance to sit down with the up-and-coming brand. Here’s what they had to say.

Where are you from?

(FL) Felix Llanos: Queens, NY.

(AE) Alex Ewings: Born in TX, Raised in Tulsa, OK.

What’s the connection to sports?

FL x AE: We both played sports growing up and through college.

We always try to find ways to pay homage to influential sports figures that we admired growing up, but we also want people to know that our brand isn’t just sports.

How did the idea for your brand come about?

FL x AE: We knew we wanted to create a brand that was centered around apparel.

We also wanted the freedom to incorporate our ideas, influences, inspirations, and aspirations into content, collaborations, projects, and experiences.

What is the reason behind the name?

FL x AE: We take workwear-like pieces and add refinement to them or a sense of luxury.

We are from two totally different environments. While one’s environment is deemed blue-collar, the other is considered upscale to most—we took our environments’ aesthetics and intertwined them, giving you The New Blue Collar.

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