Police in the Dominican Republic have arrested disgraced Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco today (November 11) after an altercation that involved firearms being drawn.
A report from ESPN confirmed that authorities in the DR were questioning the 23-year-old baseball player and an unnamed woman in the parking lot of an apartment complex about a altercation the day prior “in which guns were drawn”. Meregirdo Espinosa, A DR police spokesperson, said one of the guns presumably belonged to Franco, who was allegedly fighting with another man over the woman’s attention.
MLB placed Franco on indefinite administrative leave in August 2023 following an arrest connected to the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl. According to his bail agreement, Franco is not allowed to leave the Dominican Republic but is free to travel within the country as he awaits trial in December. Franco faces up to 20 years in prison for charges of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation against a minor and human trafficking.
Franco, who signed an 11-year, $182m contract extension with the Rays in November 2021, was just 70 games into his major league career and selected for the All-Star Game when he was arrested for the sexual abuse allegations. He boasted a .282 BA with 30 HRs, 130 RBIs and 40 swiped bags in 265 games in just two seasons. He was placed on Major League baseball’s restricted list back in July. He is also under an MLB investigation under its domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy until the case is resolved.
The Memphis Grizzlies took down the Los Angeles Lakers 131-114 at the FedExForum on Wednesday night, in a game that saw LeBron James and Ja Morant back on the court together for the first time in a while. While fans were thrilled to see the two stars face off, some extra drama added to the excitement.
ICYMI, during the game, Morant and James exchanged “too small” gestures after scoring against each other. Morant started it off after scoring in the paint against Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, bending down and holding his hand just above the floor—holding the taunt longer than usual for added emphasis.
James responded on the next possession, banking a shot off the glass while guarded by Morant. He mimicked Morant’s gesture, lowering his hand to the floor but with a quicker motion.
That part.
On the following play, Morant answered with another shot over James and went right up to bump him, earning himself a technical foul in the process.
It went there.
This was Morant’s first matchup against the Lakers in a while, but he still harbors some lingering tension from their intense postseason rivalry a couple of years back. “I don’t like them,” Morant admitted. “They knocked me out of the playoffs. And then last year, they came here and popped it on our home floor while I was in street clothes. I wasn’t tonight.”
Tension for real. Is it playoffs already?
Lakers coach JJ Redick chose not to comment on the interaction, cutting his media availability short.
To be honest, coach has more important things to worry about. Like winning.
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Fanatics Collectibles have announced a partnership to produce limited-edition trading cards for MVP’s star-studded roster of fighters. This includes Jake Paul, Amanda Serrano, H20 Sylve, Shadasia Green, Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton, and Neeraj Goyat.
This collaboration marks a major moment in collectible sports history, especially as Jake continues to bridge the gap between entertainment, sports, and fandom. This is the first-ever opportunity for fans to collect MVP fighter trading cards and an exclusive way to own a piece of the Paul vs. Tyson bout with Paul signing exclusive Topps “relic cards” featuring pieces of his shoes, socks, and handwraps from the historic Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. Also, each fighter will be signing a limited number of their trading cards. Jake Paul will be featured in multiple Topps products in 2025, joining an elite group of athletes signed by Fanatics Collectibles.
“This partnership with Fanatics Collectibles is a huge moment for MVP and our fighters,” says MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. “It allows us to celebrate their achievements while giving fans an exclusive chance to own a piece of history. We’re always looking for new ways to elevate our athletes and engage with fans, and these limited-edition cards will be the first of many exciting collectibles to come.”
“I’m pumped to team up with Fanatics to bring these cards to life”, says Paul about the historic collaboration. “Not only is this the first time fans can get their hands on MVP fighter collectibles, but these relic cards from my fight with Tyson are gonna be crazy. It’s a chance for fans to literally own a part of one of the biggest fights in history. Thank you Fanatics for making this all possible and helping us take MVP to the next level.”
Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé has entered the Drake-Kendrick, chat? Huh? Okay, the NBA team owner apparently has taken a side in the now dated beef between the Hip Hop titans. It all went down during the Kings’ 122-107 home victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. The 67-year-old billionaire was spotted wearing a shirt emblazoned with “Not Like Us.” First off, when it comes to the “Us” part, who’s going to tell Mr. Ranadivé, what that means? Oh hum …
Anyways this appropriation of Dot’s hit diss record probably has more to do with his new star guard, DeMar DeRozan, a Compton native than Kendrick.
DeRozan dropped 27 points in that game and was once close with Drake during his nine-year tenure with the Raptors. As you may know, they saw their relationship deteriorate when DeRozan aligned himself with fellow Comptonite Lamar. The Kings guard even appeared in the “Not Like Us” music video. Which may have lit a match in the faltering relationship with Drizzy. DeRozan wasn’t alone and was one of several West Coast figures who joined Lamar on stage to perform the song during a concert at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, over the summer.
The tension between DeRozan and Drake was underscored last Saturday when, during the Raptors’ 131-128 home win over the Kings, Drake was seen staring at DeRozan from his courtside seat. In a TSN broadcast, Drake commented he would personally “pull down” any DeRozan banner if the Raptors were ever to retire his jersey.
Unbothered by Drake’s comments, DeRozan responded, “He’s going to have a long way to climb to take it down.”
Ranadivé’s decision to side with DeRozan and Lamar is particularly striking, considering his past association with Drake. In 2019, Drake had extended the use of his private jet, “Air Drake,” to help Ranadivé, the Kings players, and coaches travel to India for preseason games comfortably. So wait, Drizzy lets Ranadivé, borrow the jetliner and this is how he repays him?
Anyways it appears that gesture wasn’t enough to keep Ranadivé from involving himself in one of hip-hop’s biggest rivalries. Maybe he should sit this one out because again, who’s going to tell him about the “Us” part. Insert laughing emojis – everywhere.
The JJ Redick era has begun and he is not rolling over. The rookie head coach delivered a blistering critique of the Los Angeles Lakers roster following a tough loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, taking aim at the team’s effort compared to LeBron James. In his first season as head coach, Redick has already faced a challenging journey with the Lakers, who have played only eight games but are experiencing highs and lows.
Wednesday night’s game concluded a grueling five-game road trip, and the Lakers’ struggles showed, as they lost four of the five games. Despite starting the season strong at 3-0, their recent performance has been shaky. Memphis handed the Lakers a 131-114 loss to cap off the trip.
Redick, known for his honest approach, has consistently supported his players since preseason but doesn’t hesitate to point out hard truths. After the Grizzlies’ game, he offered a pointed remark about James’s effort that highlighted the Lakers’ lackluster performance: “[LeBron] is almost 40 years old and he played the hardest on our team,” Redick said, as reported by Lakers Nation’s Daniel Starkland.
Redick’s comment underscored a disappointing night for the team, especially with Anthony Davis sidelined due to injury. Beyond James, who scored an impressive 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting (including 6-of-11 from three-point range), only Austin Reaves and Cam Reddish provided a spark off the bench. James also contributed seven rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes, but despite his exceptional showing, the Lakers entered the fourth quarter trailing by 14 points.
The team’s collective shooting struggles were evident, as they hit just 31.3% from beyond the arc. Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Dalton Knecht, who filled in for the injured Rui Hachimura, combined to make only 5-of-25 three-point attempts.
Now back in Los Angeles, the Lakers face a crucial stretch at home, starting with a matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night. They’ll continue with games against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday and a rematch against the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today announced that Italy’s Armando Casamonica (14-0, 3 KOs) has joined the preliminary card of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and Serrano vs. Taylor 2 mega-event on Friday, November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Casamonica will go head-to-head in a 10-round lightweight bout with Canada’s Lucas “Prince” Bahdi (17-0, 15 KOs), a top lightweight contender who also boasts Italian heritage.
Casamonica steps in after Corey Marksman was forced to withdraw with an injury. The preliminary card of Paul vs. Tyson begins at 5:30pm ET / 4:30pm CT and will stream live on Most Valuable Promotions’ YouTube and Netflix Sports YouTube. You can also see more on fight night at Tudum. Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 will air live globally on Netflix on Friday, November 15 at 5pm PT / 8pm ET and is anticipated to be the biggest boxing event in modern history. Fans can purchase tickets now at seatgeek.com.
Born into the Casamonica Clan, the most feared family in Rome and throughout the Lazio region, Armando has decided to pursue his family’s legacy of dynasty through violence in the boxing ring. With generations of family history to study, Armando has learned the techniques and methods of the Casamonica Clan and translated that into the art of boxing. Hitting, dodging and dancing are the arts that he has learned but his street smarts and lethal killer instinct are inherited. Armando became the new Italian super lightweight champion in May of 2024, and won his first title defense in October bringing his professional record to 14-0. In Casamonica tradition, it will be the first of many assets he will seek to acquire and control at all costs.
“It’s an immense honor to represent my family and our legacy on the biggest stage in boxing,” said Armando Casamonica. “Boxers dream of nights like this—fighting under the lights at AT&T Stadium, in front of millions of fans around the world, including my fans at home in Italy, on Netflix. Thank you to MVP for this opportunity, I’m bringing everything I’ve got to this fight, and Lucas Bahdi better be ready because history meets destiny on Friday, November 15th.”
Lucas “Prince” Bahdi (17-0, 15 KOs) comes to the ring by way of Niagara Falls, Ontario. The 30-year-old top contender, who is also half Italian, has gone undefeated since making his professional debut in mid-2019, winning his first 11 fights by knockout. Bahdi had unanimous decision wins against Diego Fabian Eligio and Diego Andrade Chavez in 2022 before resuming his knockout streak. In May 2023, Bahdi defeated Jesus Amparan to claim the IBF North American Lightweight title. Bahdi is a top-ranked lightweight by both the IBF and WBA and most recently, proved himself among the best title contenders in the lightweight division when he scored a knockout of the year contender win over H2O Sylve on the main card of Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry in July 2024.
“Undefeated fighters always fight hard to protect their records and I expect that Armando Casamonica will do that, but I’m also undefeated and will fight even harder than him,” said Lucas Bahdi. “I can’t wait to put on a show on Friday, November 15.”
Body cam footage from this weekend’s Florida Gators-Georgia Bulldogs shows a fight between two cops and a spectator who repeatedly called the Black cop the N-word before being arrested.
Two officers, one white and the other Black approached a man and woman in the bleachers, instructing them that they had to move because they were obviously in the wrong seats. The guy doesn’t move and even says he wants to “kill a cop.”
Even though he insists he didn’t do anything wrong, the white officer contends that he is trespassing and needs to move. The Black officer approaches the man with a taser in hand and puts his hand on him in the first attempt to physically remove him, to which the spectator shouts, “Don’t touch me, n****r!”
The Black officer then tases the man as the white officer attempts to handcuff him.
The taser deosn’t work, which prompts the disturbed fan to call the cop an n-word three more times. Somehow, the officers ultimately get the man in cuffs and hauled off to jail.
Drake is Toronto’s most famous Raptors fan and easily the most influential, not to mention the team’s global ambassador since 2013, and has long-standing relationships with many players, including former Raptors star DeMar DeRozan.
What you’ll probably recall, despite their bond, DeRozan recently appeared in the video for Kendrick Lamar’s diss track against Drake, sparking rumors of tension. DeRozan, however, told The Sacramento Bee in July, “Drake’s still my man… it’s music, entertainment… two of the biggest rappers… battled it out… that’s what you want to see as a fan.”
But when DeRozan returned to Toronto as a Sacramento Kings player on the night of Vince Carter’s jersey retirement, Drake made a playful comment on the Toronto broadcast, saying, “If you ever put a DeRozan banner up, I’ll go up there and pull it down myself.” DeRozan responded with humor, saying, “He’s going to have a long way to climb… so tell him good luck.”
Joking or nah? What ya’ll think?
If you care about Toronto retirement politics, the Raptors have yet to announce any plans to retire DeRozan’s number. Still, he remains a franchise favorite, having played more games and scored more points than Carter. Although he was traded as part of the Raptors’ championship win with Kawhi Leonard, DeRozan has expressed his desire to retire as a Raptor someday. Should the team decide to honor him, they may hope any lingering banter between Drake and DeRozan will be lighthearted.
Well, arguably the most influential athlete in the world just took a side. Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has now officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States. The basketball icon shared his support for the Democratic candidate on social media.
In a post on X (formerly twitter), James wrote:
“What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!!”
What are we even talking about here?? When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!!! pic.twitter.com/tYYlTmQS6e
In his post the 39-year-old future Hall of Famer shared stark clips from the racist MAGA rally at Madison Square Garden his past weekend, clips of the negative press headline that ensued and additional footage of social justice protests. James was making a point and we hear him loud and clear.
As you know, James, who has consistently voiced his opinions on issues important to him, joins NBA star Stephen Curry in supporting VP Harris.
Curry endorsed the Vice President earlier, while James had kept his choice private until now.
Known for his outspokenness on social issues, James’ endorsement signals his belief that Vice President Harris is best suited to lead the country into the future.
Who knew that the fifth inning rally from Los Angeles would end the Yankees chances at Game 6 and be the deciding factor in who won the World Series? Well, the Dodgers, of course. Those L.A. boys took advantage of three critical errors by the Yankees in order to force in five runs, tying the game and ultimately taking the lead in the eighth to clinch the Dodgers’ eighth World Series title.
The Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman continued his hot hitting streak throughout the series, knocking in 2 RBIs with the bases loaded to spark the upturn in the top of the fifth, tying Bobby Richardson (1960) for a World Series record with 12 RBIs and earning his World Series MVP stripes.
The Yankees gave a valiant fight at home in their last battle with the Dodgers, opening up with homers over the right field wall from Aaron Judge, whose been virtually hitless throughout the series, along with Chisholm Jr. in the bottom of the first inning. Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty gave up four hits, including the two HRs from Judge and Chisholm before L.A. bumped him from the mound and employed four more pitchers by the fifth inning.
Gerrit Cole was set for the win, not allowing a single hit in four complete innings. Things changed in the fifth. Center fielder Kiké Hernandez singled to left field, setting off a come up for L.A. Judge dropped a simple line drive for an error. Shortstop Anthony Volpe made an wild throw for an otherwise easy force out at third base. Cole did not cover first base on a grounder to Anthony Rizzo, allowing the first run of the inning to score. Freeman knocked in two, followed by Teoscar Hernandez, who doubled and brought in another two, tying the game.
In this 7-6 win, the Dodgers earned their season ending celebration, becoming the first team in a World Series-clinching win to come back from a five run or more deficit. They also became the first team in MLB postseason history to fall behind by five-plus runs, come back, only to fall behind again and still win the game.
L.A. was led by one of the greatest performances at the plate in World Series history by Freddie Freeman, the World Series MVP, who set a major league record for most consecutive World Series games with a home run. The six-homer streak began with the last two games in the 2021 Series with the Atlanta Braves and continued with the first four games in the 2024 World Series.
The way the Dodgers played in the final game was also proof that they don’t always need a walk-off grand slam like the one Freeman provided in Game 1 or any homers to clinch the series and take the Commissioner’s Trophy back to Los Angeles.
