The ESPN Daily: Selfies before victory, the 49ers’ dominant defense, and the rise and fall of the Pump
Monday, Monday Today’s ESPN Daily has some some bizarre happenings from sports this weekend. Know a friend who’s interested in weird sports stuff? You can send them this newsletter right here.
Scarlet and gold wall … Bill Barnwell joins Mina Kimes in our podcast today to chat about the 49ers’ absolutely terrifying defense, and whether it’s enough for them to win a Super Bowl. In the second half, we’ll talk about the challenges the Rams will face trying to stop Lamar Jackson ahead of Monday Night Football .. and if any team can even come close to shutting him down. You can listen to the full ESPN Daily podcast right here.
Missing a snap for a selfie? Redskins QB Dwayne Haskins celebrated his first NFL victory by taking a selfie with a fan in the stands. Just one problem, though: The game wasn’t over yet, and the team had to trot out Case Keenum to lead the victory formation. For his own part, Haskins said he was “so hyped, I broke a water bottle,” but head coach Bill Callahan wasn’t particularly happy with his young QB’s mistake. Read more
No signing for Kaepernick? Colin Kaepernick looked pretty impressive during his 40-minute workout on Nov. 16, but that still hasn’t translated into an NFL job. According to Adam Schefter, no teams have reached out to the former 49ers quarterback, and his chances of making it back to the league are looking relatively bleak. Read More
The rise and fall of the Pump … Anyone of a certain age remembers the iconic image of Dee Brown inflating his Reebok Pumps before winning the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. The story of how the Pump came to be is a fascinating one, and goes way beyond one amazing moment. On the 30th anniversary of its debut, we’ve got the full story of the Pump, from their initial concept to their strange disappearance. Read More
Helmeted in effigy … In case you were wondering how some Browns fans were feeling about Myles Garrett’s suspension for swinging Mason Rudolph’s own helmet at the QB’s unprotected head, well, check out what they did to a Mason Rudolph pinata at their latest tailgate. Spoiler: They did not pay said pinata any degree of respect. Read More
Zaire Wade shakes his defender with a step-back deuce in front of Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, then draws a charge to hype up the crowd.
“Some people have said we’ve lost seven, eight in a row. It’s not true. It’s a hoax. It’s just not true.”
— Gregg Popovich, on the Spurs’ recent eight-game losing streak. Read more
On this date in 1971, No. 1 Nebraska faced off against No. 2 Oklahoma in what ended up being known as “The Game of the Century.” Well, ONE of the Games of the Century. It was a pretty long century. One hundred years, to be exact. Watch
Virginia Tech vs. No. 3 Michigan State (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2): We’ve got some sweet college hoops tournaments coming up this week. Michigan State is kicking off the Maui Jim Invitational with a game against Virginia Tech … and if all goes to plan, the Spartans could meet No. 4 Kansas in the championship.
Ravens at Rams (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Lamar Jackson & Co. travel to Los Angeles tonight to take on Jared Goff and the Rams. Sean McVay’s squad have won three of their past four after a three-game losing streak, but trying to stop the red-hot Ravens will be another test entirely.