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Posts published in “Sports”

Kerry Washington Marries Pro Football Player Nnamdi Asomugha

By goodblacknews on July 3, 2013

Nnamdi Asomugha, Kerry Washington
Not exactly a Scandal, but this is certainly a surprise!  Kerry Washington married San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on June 24 in Blaine County, Idaho, E! News exclusively confirms.  According to sports gossip site TerezOwens.com, which was first to get wind of the happy news, Asomugha has been dating Vanity Fair‘s August 2013 cover girl since last summer. 

The 31-year-old three-time Pro Bowl star played with the Oakland Raiders, who drafted him following his graduation from UC Berkeley in 2003, for eight seasons and the Philadelphia Eagles for two before signing with the 49ers in April. The bookish athlete is no stranger to showbiz, either, having scored acting gigs on The Game, Friday Night Lights and Leverage in recent years.

Like his bride, Asomugha is also a dedicated activist and philanthropist and  he has participated in the Clinton Global Initiative every year since 2009. This is the first marriage for Washington, 36, who went from generally lovely actress to mega-star over the past year thanks to her breakout roles playing not-to-be-messed-with political fixer Olivia Pope on ABC’s Scandal and Jamie Foxx‘s enslaved wife Broomhilda von Shaft in Django Unchained.

NBA Champ Dwayne Wade Releases Fitness App "Dwyane Wade Driven"

By goodblacknews on July 3, 2013
The Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade released a fitness app called “Dwyane Wade Driven” while his team was simultaneously celebrating its third NBA championship with a parade and rally. The app offers customized training programs and videos for basketball players and other athletes. 
“It shows people ways to work out, a lot of different ways to work out, whether it’s basketball drills or not,” Wade told The Associated Press. “A lot of people work out at home. A lot of people don’t have access to a gym. A lot of people don’t have trainers. So it’s kind of like I’m the personal trainer for basketball and fitness and I’ll show them a lot of things I do with my body and for my body.”
The app was available for download starting Monday. It includes basketball drills and a fitness routine, along with ways for users to track their progress. Driven Apps, the publisher, plans to release additional bundles for users to download once they have mastered or completed the initial Wade program.

Brittney Griner to Break Ground Modeling Men’s Clothing for Nike

By goodblacknews on June 23, 2013

Brittney Griner (NBA Photos/Getty Images)
Brittney Griner (NBA Photos/Getty Images)

From Clutch Magazine: Nike is appealing to its consumer base of who wear mens clothing through its newest spokesperson, Brittney Griner. Griner, the 22 year-old number one draft pick for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, will model menswear for the brand.
ESPN reports: ”Griner’s deal is within this range; what makes it groundbreaking is the freedom. She will wear apparel branded as menswear, including the skateboarding line Nike SB, and she is allowed to pursue nontraditional marketing deals with outside companies.”
Wearing mens clothing is a natural fit for the 6’8″ basketball player, who is the first openly-gay athlete to sign with Nike. She says: “I used to do the whole baggy, hard-core, I’m-a-boy look. Then I went through a preppy phase. Now I have the athletic, bow-tie look. I found my style.”
ESPN writer Kate Fagan recognizes the significance of Nike and Griner’s decision, saying: “Androgynous models are coveted in high-end fashion, but the trend toward gender-neutral clothing has only just begun to reach the sports world, with NBA stars Russell Westbrook and Dwyane Wade blurring the lines in their tight jeans and fitted sweaters.”
Read the rest of this story at Clutch Magazine.

Miami Heat top San Antonio Spurs in Game 7, Repeat as NBA Champs, LeBron James Named Finals MVP

By goodblacknews on June 20, 2013

MIAMI — The moment arrived. Players were spent, the emotional and physical toll zapping them of almost everything they had.
LeBron James had the ball at the top of the key. He drove right and with San Antonio Spurs guard Kawhi Leonard guarding him, James pulled up and drilled a 19-foot jump shot with 27.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter. He pumped his fists and the crowd went crazy.
With that shot of adrenalin, James stole the ball on the next possession, made the free throws and secured the victory. These are his kind of moments.
James finished with a game-high 37 points and led the Miami Heat to a 95-88 victory vs. the Spurs in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, giving Miami its second consecutive NBA championship.
James, the four-time MVP, was named Finals MVP for the second consecutive season.
BOX SCORE: Heat 95, Spurs 88
WATCH: Heat guard banks in a three at buzzer
DUNCAN: Watch his slow one-man fast break
The game was back and forth throughout. The Spurs’ biggest lead was seven at 11-4 and the Heat’s was six on a couple of occasions until the final seconds. This was the kind of game you expect in a Game 7, and the third competitive game of the series.

Soledad O’Brien Joining HBO’s ‘Real Sports’

By goodblacknews on June 14, 2013
Broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien attends Chaka Khan's Birthday Party on March 26, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien attends Chaka Khan’s Birthday Party on March 26, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (AP) — Soledad O’Brien is joining her former “Today” show colleague Bryant Gumbel at HBO’s “Real Sports.” HBO said Wednesday that O’Brien will be a reporter on the monthly magazine show. Her first story, due later this month, is about war veterans who use martial arts to help them cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.

O’Brien most recently was a morning show host on CNN, but the news network has given the program an overhaul that will debut next week. HBO also agreed to a deal with O’Brien’s production company, Starfish Media Group. O’Brien played college rugby, but her experience covering sports is limited.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press

article via thegrio.com

Obama Honors First Time WNBA Champ Indiana Fever

By goodblacknews on June 14, 2013
President Barack Obama (C), listens to coach Lin Dunn (R), speak during an event to honor the reigning WNBA champion Indiana Fever, at the White House, June 14, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama welcomed the team to the White House to celebrate their 2012 title. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
President Barack Obama (C), listens to coach Lin Dunn (R), speak during an event to honor the reigning WNBA champion Indiana Fever, at the White House, June 14, 2013 in Washington, DC. President Obama welcomed the team to the White House to celebrate their 2012 title. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama honored the WNBA champion Indiana Fever on Friday, calling the players role models for young athletes — even those on his daughter Sasha’s basketball team. The team captured its first title last October, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 87-78 and bringing home Indiana’s first basketball title since 1973.
Obama said the Fever’s season was an inspiration for basketball fans everywhere, including his daughter, whose team he sometimes coaches. He pointed out that the Fever came into the playoffs as underdogs and had lost to the Lynx during the regular season, then rallied to take the championship.
“For her to have wonderful role models like this who work hard and know how to play like a team, are incredibly poised, are competitors but also show good sportsmanship, that’s the kind of models you want for your children,” Obama said.

Brooklyn Nets Hire Jason Kidd as Coach

By goodblacknews on June 13, 2013
In this July 12, 2012 file photo, Jason Kidd speaks during a news conference at the New York Knicks training facility in Tarrytown, N.Y. The New York Knicks say Kidd has decided to retire from the NBA after 19 seasons. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
Jason Kidd (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

The Brooklyn Nets have hired Jason Kidd as their coach, bringing the former star back to the franchise. Kidd just retired after his 19th NBA season and the Nets decided to hire him despite his lack of coaching experience.

The move reunites Kidd with the franchise he led to consecutive NBA Finals in 2002-03, when they played in New Jersey. “Welcome home, Jason,” owner Mikhail Prokhorov says Wednesday in a statement.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press; article by Brian Mahoney, AP via thegrio.com

LeBron James Chosen to be Cover Athlete for NBA2K14 Video Game

By goodblacknews on June 9, 2013

LeBron
While LeBron James and the Miami Heat are currently down 0-1 against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, he was awarded another accolade to be another notch added to his belt.
Coming off his fourth MVP season in 5 years, King James has been selected to cover the upcoming NBA2K14 video game.
The multi-platform basketball simulation has been the premier sports experience for over the past decade and it’ll be the first time James has graced the cover.
Included within NBA2k14 will be bonus features inspired by LeBron James’ overall career. 
NBA2K14 will be released October 1st, 2013, right as the NBA season will be resuming its play. Will you buy? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
article by Kyle Harvey via thegrio.com
 

Jason Collins Marches in Boston's Gay Pride Parade

By goodblacknews on June 8, 2013

BOSTON— NBA veteran Jason Collins has marched in Boston’s gay pride parade with Massachusetts Congressman Joe Kennedy III, his onetime roommate at Stanford University.
Collins wore a T-shirt that read (hash)BeTrue when he joined thousands of marchers Saturday.

NBA veteran Jason Collins marched in Boston’s gay pride parade. (AP Photo)

In April, Collins became the first active player in one of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues to come out as gay. He wrote in an article for Sports Illustrated that the decision to go public came when Kennedy marched in last year’s parade and Collins didn’t feel that he could join him.
Deveney: Collins supported by gay-tolerant NBA Stern worked to create
Collins also said the Boston Marathon bombing reinforced the notion that things can change in an instant, so he might as well live truthfully.
Collins played for six teams in 12 seasons and becomes a free agent next month.
article via sportingnews.com

NBA Star Kevin Durant to Join Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports Agency

By goodblacknews on June 8, 2013

kevin durantKevin Durant is the latest superstar athlete to join Jay-Z’s new Roc Nation sports agency, according to reports.
Since selling his shares of ownership of the Brooklyn Nets in order to become a sports agent, the hip-hop mogul has already signed a handful of young superstars.
Durant, one of the three most popular players in the NBA, will join the likes of Robinson Cano, Victor Cruz, Geno Smith and Skylar Diggins as clients of Roc Nation.
While Jay-Z might not be the most seasoned sports agent, his brand development skills are undeniable. In the new age of brand marketing and social media, teaming up with a pop culture icon is one of the best ways for an athlete to increase his or her public image.
“KD doesn’t want a traditional NBA agent anymore,” a league source told Yahoo! Sports. “He wants Jay-Z to handle his branding. …He had a chance to be with his idol and couldn’t say no.” It also helps that Roc Nation is backed by Creative Artists Agency, one of the most powerful sports agencies in the country.
This is the second time in two years that Durant has changed agencies. He was most recently with Rob Pelinka of Landmark Sports, which represents both Kobe Bryant and James Harden. Pelinka had been Durant’s most recent agent. In a year with Pelinka, Durant was the most marketed player in the league, with national TV spots for Nike, Sprint and Degree, to name a few.
But very few agencies can offer what Roc Nation offers. Jay-Z has influence and connections in sports and entertainment that very few people can match. If Durant wants to be surpass LeBron James and Kobe Bryant as the most popular figures in basketball, teaming up with Jay-Z was the right move.
article via sportingnews.com