Tag: Instagram

Former Chiefs starter shares emotional reflection on tenure in Kansas City

Former #Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend penned an emotional reflection on his time in Kansas City in a post to his Instagram account. | @EdEastonJr

The start of the new football year includes old faces in new places as the offseason decisions become a reality for the Kansas City Chiefs and the other 31 teams in the league.

Tommy Townsend signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Houston Texans during the offseason, leaving the Chiefs after four seasons. In a recent Instagram post, he shared one last goodbye to Kansas City’s fans and the Chiefs organization.

“Going into this NFL season, I can’t help but look back on these past few years I have been fortunate enough to experience in Kansas City,” Townsend said in his statement. “I couldn’t have been surrounded by better coaches, staff, teammates, and fans to start my career, and I’m happy I was able to end my stint in Kansas City on such a high note. A 1st team All-Pro, a Pro Bowl selection, a few franchise records, and winning back-to-back Super Bowl Championships is almost beyond belief. On top of that, some lifelong friendships and an endless amount of memories.”

Townsend’s best year was 2022, when he earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors in September and AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 15. He also ended the year as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro with 53 punts for 2,672 net yards and a 50.42 average, while the Chiefs went on to win their first of two consecutive titles in Super Bowl LVII.

https://www.instagram.com/tommy_townsend/p/C-G6CjrsAE_/?img_index=1

“Thank you to the Chiefs organization as a whole for these past 4 years.” Townsend’s statement continued. “My time in KC may have been short, but I am forever a Chief. Eyes on the future… #chiefskingdom”

Townsend and the Texans opened the preseason against the Chicago Bears last night during the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Watch: Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein swishes 3-pointers in offseason workout

Watch: Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein swishes 3-pointers in offseason workout.

When the Oklahoma City Thunder added Isaiah Hartenstein, the immediate thought was how the 26-year-old would help the rebounding and size problems.

His rebound rate would’ve easily ranked best in OKC last season. At 7-foot, 250 pounds, he provides the Thunder some serious size at center that they previously didn’t have.

After that though, there are some other secondary benefits with Hartenstein. One might include bringing back an outside shot he abandoned with the New York Knicks.

Hartenstein is a career 27-of-87 (31%) from 3 in his six seasons but only attempted three outside shots last year. He didn’t rule out expanding his game beyond the arc.

“That was something that I felt like I can really bring, expand my game as I was talking about before, just getting back to the shooting aspect,” Hartenstein said. “Because before I was shooting it, so it’s really just getting back to that and being more versatile because that’s kinda what the team needs.”

This is a case where someone must see it first to believe it. Hartenstein had yet to register a season where he attempted one 3-point per game. But the good news is he won’t be asked to do that with the Thunder.

If anything, Hartenstein can return to a similar volume of outside looks he had in previous seasons. It won’t be a high priority but it’s a nice option in case the shot clock is close to expiring or opposing defenses sag off him.

Hartenstein has put in the work from deep in the offseason. He was recently featured in a social media video where he swished in outside attempts.

Attempting outside looks in an open gym compared to an NBA game are two different atmospheres, but it’s productive to see Hartenstein take this endeavor seriously.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Lindy Waters III pens farewell letter to OKC Thunder after trade to Warriors

Lindy Waters III pens farewell letter to OKC Thunder after trade to Warriors.

After spending his entire life in Oklahoma, Lindy Waters III heads out west to start a new chapter.

The 26-year-old was shipped to the Golden State Warriors for the No. 52 pick of the 2024 NBA draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder used the draft asset to eventually move up to the No. 38 selection to draft Ajay Mitchell.

The Warriors have picked up Waters III’s $2.2 million team option for next. He provides Golden State with cheap depth it desperately needs considering how expensive the roster is.

This marks the end of Waters III’s time playing basketball in Oklahoma. He attended Norman North High School before he played four college seasons at Oklahoma State.

After he went undrafted in 2020, Waters III signed with the local Enid Outlaws of a semi-pro league. He then tried out for the G League’s OKC Blue in 2021 and the rest was history.

The sharpshooter worked from the G League squad to a two-way deal. He spent the next three seasons with the Thunder in some capacity. He signed a pair of standard deals with OKC over this tenure.

This past season was a career low for Waters III for playing time. He was buried on the depth chart. The Thunder likely would’ve declined his team option. Instead, they flipped him to a squad where he’ll get rotation minutes for a two-way flyer in Mitchell.

Despite it making basketball sense, there has to be some sense of emotional sting from leaving the Thunder. Waters III grew up a Thunder fan and has played locally his entire life. That now changes.

The 26-year-old took to Instagram to pen his goodbye letter to the Thunder.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C85Ocg3h5v1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

It’s a sudden change of lifestyle, but the Thunder and Waters III should be proud of the work they did for each other. An undrafted rookie was a hidden gem for OKC and has turned into an actual NBA player.

Waters III is one of the Thunder’s better success stories in recent years.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Pic of Steelers legend Maurkice Pouncey makes internet go crazy

Maurkice Pouncey’s dramatic weight loss has shocked the internet.

Many NFL offensive linemen go through a dramatic transformation after their careers are over. But perhaps none have been as dramatic as the weight loss by former Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey. Pouncey posted a pic of himself on his Instagram which was saved and reposted as people were shocked at just how smaller Pouncey is post-football.

If you just scroll through the comments of the tweet below, you get a sample of how shocked people are. Many tried to say it was because of the weight-loss drug Ozempic but if you followed Pouncey on social media, you know he lost his playing weight well before any of that hit the market.

People fail to realize just how much work it takes to maintain the type of body weight NFL offensive linemen carry. This isn’t the case for all but in many cases, once they are no longer training as an NFL athlete and eating massive amounts of food to keep all that mass, their bodies are happy to let it all go.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

LOOK: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels out with 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

Jayden Daniels spending some of his off time with Brandon Aiyuk.

It’s no secret that rookie Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels is close with 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The duo became close in 2019 when Daniels was a true freshman quarterback at Arizona State, and Aiyuk was his top wideout. Aiyuk went over 1,000 yards receiving while catching passes from Daniels.

From there, Aiyuk would be selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft and Daniels played two more seasons at ASU before finishing his college career at LSU and winning the Heisman Trophy.

Five years later, Daniels and Aiyuk are closer than ever. Daniels said this spring that Aiyuk would be his “dream teammate.” Most recently, it was Daniels on the receiving end of a FaceTime call from Aiyuk, who told Daniels that the 49ers no longer wanted him.

On Saturday, Daniels took to social media to share a photo of him and Aiyuk out shopping. This usually would not be a big deal if not for the recent news Aiyuk created when he said the Niners didn’t want to keep him.

What does this mean? Absolutely nothing.

Daniels and Aiyuk are close friends. Every NFL player has friends on other teams who they hang out with in the offseason. This is interesting because of Aiyuk’s current status and connections to Washington. Not only his relationship with Daniels, but Commanders GM Adam Peters spent four years in San Francisco with Aiyuk and played a role in drafting him.

There’s no reason to believe Aiyuk will be in Washington. The 49ers do want to keep Aiyuk and are currently attempting to negotiate a new contract that would make him among the NFL’s highest-paid receivers.

For now, Daniels and Aiyuk are having some fun while the NFL is on break until training camps open next month.

Josh Giddey writes heartfelt goodbye to Thunder after trade to Bulls

Josh Giddey writes heartfelt goodbye to Thunder after trade to Bulls.

Sometimes the right decisions can be the most difficult ones. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Josh Giddey can attest to that.

Both parties came to a clean divorce on Thursday when the Thunder shipped Giddey to the Chicago Bulls for Alex Caruso in a rare player-for-player swap.

The 21-year-old yearned for a fresh start after he refused to agree to come off the bench next season. Giddey instead gets a chance to return to a primary ball-handler role after struggling to fit in an off-ball role in OKC this past season.

Meanwhile, the Thunder find a cleaner fit with Caruso. The 30-year-old is one of the best 3-and-D players in the league. He’s had back-to-back seasons of All-Defensive honors.

Even though it was the best move for Giddey’s career, emotions were likely raw. He’s been open about his fondness for OKC and has called it a home away from home. He was on the verge of tears in his exit interview and claimed he wanted to be with the Thunder for the long-term future.

After the trade became official, Giddey wrote a heartfelt goodbye letter to the Thunder. He posted a lengthy message on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fxLH9Rerx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The comments were filled with Giddey’s former teammates reciprocating the emotional farewell. It’s fair to say they will be massive supporters of the 21-year-old as he starts his stint in Chicago.

This is part of the business in the NBA. Giddey was drafted to OKC with the vision of being a long-term backcourt starter. Instead, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren knocked him down the totem pole.

Giddey tried to make his off-ball role work, but he needed the ball in his hands to reach his potential, which wasn’t going to happen in OKC.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

 

Gordon Hayward’s wife, Robyn Hayward, criticizes Thunder for husband’s subpar stint

Gordon Hayward’s wife Robyn Hayward criticizes Thunder for husband’s subpar stint.

The initial excitement associated with the Gordon Hayward trade slowly fizzled to nothing by the time the Oklahoma City Thunder’s season ended.

The Thunder acquired Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets at the trade deadline with the hopes of him being an immediate contributor. Instead, his stint was uneventful.

The 34-year-old averaged just 5.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 17 minutes. He shot 51.7% from 3 but on 1.1 attempts. He was scoreless in the playoffs and totaled three minutes in the final three games.

Hayward labeled his time in OKC as disappointing and frustrating, citing a lack of consistent minutes and touches for his subpar play. In his end-of-season press conference, Sam Presti expressed a similar sentiment.

“I missed on that. That’s on me,” Presti said about the Hayward trade. “But I’m learning. I’m trying to learn this team. I’m trying to learn the pace of the team a little bit. I’m just trying to be a great observer of the team as it’s going through these paces, knowing that it’s really going to change on its own.”

Presti said he might’ve underestimated Hayward’s transition from a top-scoring option to a bench piece. It also didn’t help that the 34-year-old missed large chunks of time with a nagging calf strain.

“I think it was a bit of a tough situation,” Presti said. “To go from always starting to coming to a team that was starting to surge quite a bit, that has a different way of playing.

“Just wasn’t able to get going quite to the level that I think he wanted to. He helped us get to the No. 1 seed. He was in the rotation. He had some nights where he had to start. I think he did help our rebounding quite a bit.”

Hayward’s wife, Robyn Hayward, spoke out against Presti’s “I missed on that” comment, which went viral on social media in the aftermath.

“Why trade for someone and not play them?” Robyn commented on an Instagram post about Presti’s remarks. “Missed it by not integrating him. … Before the trade, Gordon told Sam he didn’t think this trade made sense. So how can you miss when the player told you?”

What could’ve been a quiet divorce has turned ugly for the Thunder and Hayward. Even though the veteran wing didn’t work out in OKC, at least the franchise can take solace in the $35 million cap space this offseason it created with the deal.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

NBA fans hilariously have made obscure players look like stars in elaborate TikTok and Instagram videos

Any NBA player can look like a star on TikTok or Instagram.

One of the joys of being an NBA fan is admiring truly obscure players on your team who don’t usually get all the headlines.

That end-of-the-bench guy who mean-mugs after making one solitary play a game? He is your guy. That third-string backup point guard who shimmies his shoulders when he merely makes a couple of good passes? You’ll never forget him! That “enforcer” who is known most for his fake tough guy act and really nothing else? He is flat-out inspiring. Full stop.

A recent new Twitter thread pays proper tribute to these kinds of NBA players. It features various videos of guys like Raymond Felton, Quincy Acy, and so much more.

With careful and creative editing, some of these players actually look like stars. Let’s highlight some of them.

(Warning: NSFW language is present in some of the videos and in the Twitter thread.)

Here’s Darvin Ham, ex-Los Angeles Lakers coach, who scored less than three points per game during his NBA career:

Here’s Jimmer Fredette, most known for having an incredible college jumper that never translated to the NBA:

Here’s Thanasis Antetokounmpo, most known for being Giannis Antetokounmpo’s brother most known for his time on the Milwaukee Bucks:

The list goes on, dearest readers. Check out the thread yourself and prepare to die laughing as you uncover various underappreciated players finally getting their shine.

Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. rips on Commanders: ‘That name is trash’

Joey Porter Jr. rips on the Commanders name on IG Live.

Trash talk is the name of the game for NFL cornerbacks. Other than wide receivers, there’s no positional unit that can talk like cornerbacks can. This was on full display with Pittsburgh Steelers Joey Porter Jr. and Washington Commanders Emmanuel Forbes went on Instagram Live and starting throwing barbs back and forth.

But Porter definitely won the battle.

“That name is trash, Porter said. “Commanders sounds like an XFL name.”

The Washington franchise has been through its share of turmoil over its team name over the past several seasons so this one probably stings a little more. The Steelers and Commanders will square off in Washington in Week 10 so these two continue their banter then.

Forbes and Porter Jr. were both selected in the 2023 NFL draft. Forbes went No. 16 overall and Porter went No. 32. Porter outplayed Forbes all season and ended up one of the best rookies in the NFL. Forbes might not even be in the starting lineup to start the 2024 season while Porter has quickly established himself as one of the better cornerbacks in the AFC.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Notre Dame gets transfer center Nikita Konstantynovskyi from Monmouth

We’ll see how he does for the Irish.

Notre Dame always could use some depth down low as it seems like most of its production comes from the guard position. Concerns about height undoubtedly increased after Carey Booth transferred to Illinois. Now, the Irish seem to have at least attempted to the solve that problem after transfer center and Ukraine native [autotag]Nikita Konstantynovskyi[/autotag] announced he was coming to the program:

https://www.instagram.com/konstyk_n12/p/C69IHoRtGh2/

Konstantynovskyi, the first European player for the Irish since Lithuania native [autotag]Martinas Geben[/autotag] left in 2018, has had a long journey and not only geographically. He began his collegiate career with two seasons at community college Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. That was followed by two seasons at Tulsa before spending last year with Monmouth, where he averaged career highs of 9.3 points and 8.1 rebounds a game.

Konstantynovskyi is the second player the Irish have added via the transfer portal this offseason after [autotag]Matt Allocco[/autotag]. They are allowed to add one more player to the roster, so the question now is how [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] and his staff want to use it. Stay tuned.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89