Tag: Instagram

Former Notre Dame guard Pat Connaughton becomes father

Beautiful baby.

The season might be over for Milwaukee Bucks guard and Notre Dame legend [autotag]Pat Connaghton[/autotag], but he still is winning at life. Ryan Gareis, Connaughton’s fiancee and a player for the NWSL’s Houston Dash, has announced on Instagram that the two have become parents after the birth of their son Crew Leo. Look at this post and say these two aren’t thrilled to have a baby:

https://www.instagram.com/ryangareis/p/C6o9_YdPYHI/?img_index=1

Not only is this kid is going to have some serious athletic genes, but he will have some loving parents to bring him up. While they will continue to be professional athletes for as long as they are able, he will be their top priority from now on. You can see the love in their eyes.

So congratulations to the happy couple as they embark on this next stage of life’s journey. Some things are more important than sports, and this is a perfect demonstration of that.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Zach Wilson’s family was pumped up after his trade to Broncos

Zach Wilson’s mom said she’s excited for the QB to have a “fresh new start” with the Broncos.

After the Denver Broncos agreed to trade a sixth-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick on Monday, the quarterback’s family quickly took to social media to celebrate.

Wilson’s mom, Lisa, shared videos on her Instagram story showing multiple Broncos flags in their front yard alongside orange and blue balloons. The family likely knew about the possibility of the trade and had time to prepare — they also live in Utah so they might already be fans, and it’s likely easy to find Broncos gear at their local stores.

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“Excited for a fresh new start,” Lisa captioned one of her Instagram stories. “Let’s go!”

In another post: “Surround yourself with People the love you, cheer for you and want you to succeed.”

Later in the day, Lisa posted a video showing friends and family celebrating the trade with Broncos gear and flags at what appears to be a frozen yogurt shop.

Welcome to Denver, Zach Wilson. Judging from the social media posts, the QB’s family seems to be fired up about his new opportunity with the Broncos.

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Driver to wear Notre Dame-type helmet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Irish inspire an Irish driver.

Notre Dame football and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are two of the most beloved sports institutions in Indiana. It’s surprising that the two don’t come together more often. However, that will come to pass May 10 and 11 during the two races for the Sonsio Grand Prix for the Indy NXT series. James Roe, who appropriately hails from Ireland, will drive in a helmet that might as well have come direct from the Notre Dame campus:

https://www.instagram.com/jamesroe_ie/p/C56nNQdPI3x/?img_index=1

For the uninitiated, Indy NXT is the level directly below IndyCar, the governing body that puts on the Indianapolis 500 every year. Hopefully, Roe will get to be part of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing in the distant future and put this helmet in the real spotlight. For now though, this representation will do.

In Indy NXT’s lone race so far this season, the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 10, Roe, who drives for Andretti Global, finished 16th. He next will run in the Grand Prix of Alabama on April 28.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Chiefs WR Rashee Rice issues personal apology after car accident in Dallas

Kansas City #Chiefs WR Rashee Rice issued a personal apology on Instagram after being involved in a serious car accident in Dallas, Texas.

An investigation is underway after a car accident last weekend that involved Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice. The crash injured four people and led to the young receiver being sought by Dallas police for questioning after it was reported that one of the vehicles was registered in his name.

Rice had a statement released on his behalf earlier this week from his lawyer but decided to speak personally via his Instagram Stories.

“Today, I met with Dallas PD investigators regarding Saturday’s incident,” Rice wrote. “I take full responsibility for my part in this matter and will continue to cooperate with the necessary authorities. I sincerely apologize to everyone impacted in Saturday’s accident.”

According to league spokesman Brian McCarthy, the NFL is monitoring the situation. Chiefs president Mark Donovan took a similar approach when speaking on KCMO this week: “We’ll get to the bottom of it, we’ll gather the facts, and we’ll react accordingly.”

The Chiefs are moving like business as usual until more details are released during the investigation. The 2023 rookie standout is working with authorities but faces an uncertain future until rulings are made.

Notre Dame’s Carey Booth enters transfer portal but could return

Hopefully, he comes back.

When a player enters the transfer portal, they generally don’t go back to where they came from. Not so fast in the case of Notre Dame forward [autotag]Carey Booth[/autotag]. In an Instagram story and in speaking to On3’s Joe Tipton, Booth announced his that he’s entering the transfer portal. However, he has not ruled out coming back to the Irish as indicated in the following statement:

“I’m beyond thankful for getting to wear the blue and gold this year. I’m especially thankful to Coach Shrewsberry and his staff for believing in me and bringing me to South Bend. With that being said, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal to keep all of my options open – including a return to Notre Dame.”

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Booth, the highest-rated player in Notre Dame’s 2023 recruiting class on 247Sports, played all 33 games for the Irish this past season, starting 19 of them. In his first collegiate season, he averaged 6.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.6 blocks a game.

At 6-foot-10, Booth was tied with [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag] for the tallest player on the team, and it’s possible he felt he couldn’t compete with Njie for a starting spot going forward. Whatever the case, hopefully, he isn’t gone for good.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Jimmy Graham pens heartfelt speech to New Orleans in cryptic Instagram post

Jimmy Graham’s Instagram post to Saints fanns and the city of New Orleans had all the makings of a retirement speech without saying the words:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5HMtzGOH9X/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

This might mean goodbye. Jimmy Graham did everything short of saying he was retiring in a recent Instagram post. The New Orleans Saints legend thanked Saints fans and penned a heartfelt message to the city and the team, which is customary when a player is leaving a team. Seeing that Graham is 37 and already spent a year away from football, this feels like an implied retirement. Graham is also preparing to row across the Arctic in July 2025, so stepping away from the game to prepare for that adventure seems logical.

After a seven-year hiatus, Graham returned to the team that drafted him back in 2010. It took the entire season to learn how to use him, but Graham excelled in his limited role once the Saints called his number. His 6 catches on the year all went for touchdowns or first downs. His impeccable effectiveness feels like a proper send off even though he didn’t even hit 100 yards receiving.

For clarification, Graham never said he was retiring. The message does feel eerily similar to a retirement speech. Maybe he left that out on purpose to keep us on our toes.

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Notre Dame’s Kylee Watson will miss NCAA Tournament with torn ACL

Tough news.

When Notre Dame’s [autotag]Kylee Watson[/autotag] went down with a knee injury during the Irish’s ACC Tournament semifinal win, many feared the worst. Those fears turned out to be true as Watson posted on Instagram that she tore her ACL and will not be able to play in this year’s NCAA Tournament:

https://www.instagram.com/kylee.watsonn/p/C4op-y6sq9G/?hl=en

This obviously casts a shadow over the Irish earning a No. 2 seed in this year’s tournament. There also will be questions moving forward about her availability for next season as All-American guard [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] has missed all of this season with a knee injury. A medical redshirt figures to be a possibility much like it happened with Miles this past season.

Watson has started every game for the Irish since transferring from Oregon before the 2022-23 season. This year, she averaged 6.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game. Needless to say, the Irish will miss her presence down low.

The loss of Watson also stretches the depth of an Irish roster hit hard already by injuries even further. Questions linger about how far they’ll be able to go this March Madness with so few players available. They got through the ACC Tournament all right, but they’ll facing teams now that might not be so forgiving with every game being an elimination game from here on. But they play the games for a reason, and we’ll see if the Irish can make some magic again.

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

Zack Baun says goodbye to Saints fans after ‘unforgettable’ 4 years in New Orleans

Zack Baun said goodbye to Saints fans after an “unforgettable” four years in New Orleans. His departure marks another big swing-and-a-miss:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4iPbaEOnIW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Zack Baun was one of the first losses the New Orleans Saints took in free agency, but their former linebacker didn’t waste any time in thanking the city for supporting him during the first four years of his career.

The Saints traded up to get Baun in the 2020 draft, sending their 2021 third-round pick to move up from No. 88 to 74 where they could pick him. New Orleans also got back a seventh-round pick at No. 244 which they traded the next day to go get tight end Adam Trautman.

But the plan for Baun was questionable from the start. His position coach Michael Hodges explained that the Saints planned on converting Baun from the pass-rush role he played at Wisconsin to more of a traditional off-ball coverage role that he hadn’t played before. He struggled so badly playing out of position that they drafted two more linebackers in the next two draft classes (Pete Werner and D’Marco Jackson) before relenting in 2023. When Baun was finally allowed to get after the quarterback, he generated 11 pressures (with a couple of sacks) in the final six games.

Now he’ll be doing that for another team. The Eagles are actively revamping their own pass-rush unit and Baun figures to get more looks in that role than he found in New Orleans, which would explain why he left so quickly. Still, his time with the Saints was a great learning experience, and he’s eager to embrace a new challenge in a new city. Good luck to him. The Eagles will be visiting the Saints for a home game in 2024, so we’ll see what he can do firsthand.

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Chiefs HC Andy Reid’s text message to Hollywood Brown revealed

#Chiefs head coach Andy Reid’s text message to Hollywood Brown was revealed on social media shortly after the he signed with Kansas City

The Kansas City Chiefs added a game-changing wide receiver late Thursday night with the reported signing of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. The addition had social media buzzing, and many fans wondered how the deal got done.

General Manager Brett Veach and his staff typically handle the negotiations with free agents. The deal to sign Brown had additional help from head coach Andy Reid, according to the receiver himself. Brown allegedly showed Reid’s message in a post to his Instagram account, seemingly welcoming him to the team.

The viral post received many comments and an X mention from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who also alluded to Reid being a possible recruiter.

Brown joins the Chiefs after two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and, before that, the Baltimore Ravens. He is expected to step in and help rebuild the reputation of the wide receivers’ room after a season filled with criticism and dropped passes.