Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs - 1st Half Highlights | Game 5 | April 25 2017 | NBA Playoffs
A spurs superfan shows off his "Spurs Man Cave."
Alicia Neaves, KENS 8:40 PM. CDT April 25, 2017
SAN ANTONIO - What if we told you one of the biggest Spurs fans in the world isn"t from San Antonio? Tyrone Henderson"s man cave is like a Spurs museum. It even has a replica of the AT&T Center scoreboard.
KENS5 got a tour.
"The way basketball is supposed to be played is the way the spurs play it, and that"s the thing that I love most about the Spurs," superfan Tyrone Henderson said.
A walk through Henderson"s basement shows that every inch of space is covered with Spurs memorabilia.
"I wanted my man cave to actually look like the AT&T Center with the video boards, the retirednumbersand the championship banners," Henderson noted.
He"s asdie-hardas Spurs fans get. The collection started in 2012.
"I started with a little poster on the wall and, as it grew, I just started buying more and more stuff," he said. "It became really addictive."
He has replica trophies,bobbleheads, jerseys, and a tabletop mirroring the AT&T Center basketball court.
"If there was something that I couldn"t buy, I decided I was just going to make it myself; like the scoreboard," said Henderson of his replica of the AT&T Centerjumbotronhanging from the ceiling of his basement.
He put it together using poster board, glue, tape, and digital picture frames.
"Anything I can find that"s Spurs, I have to have it. At all costs. Money is not an issue when it comes to the Spurs, he bragged.
The man cave is pretty impressive, especially since Henderson, 45, has never been to a Spurs game.
In fact, he"s never even been to San Antonio.
"I actually live in St. Louis Missouri," he said over aFaceTimeinterview from his basement in St. Louis.
"This is a baseball town. This is all Cardinals. There aren"t really any Spurs fans in St. Louis. My daughter probably is the only other Spurs fan I know of," said Henderson, who fell in love with the Spurs when they drafted David Robinson.
Hes tried planning trips to the Alamo City, but work always got in the way.
"Since I can"t go to the AT&T Center, I decided I"mgonnabring it to me!"
So even though St. Louis is a bit short on Spurs swag, online shopping does the trick for a dedicated fan in love with a team nearly a thousand miles away.
"When we won in 2014, I"m pretty sure the whole neighborhood heard me because I was screaming and hollering," Henderson recalled. "I was in tears!"
Henderson says that he also tries tokeepup with the AT&T Center renovations.
He"s a bit behind, but he plans to redo the jumbotron to match the current model.
"Once we won the championship in "99, that was the greatest moment ever there. I"ve probably had one sad moment back in 2013. Game 6 against Miami, Henderson lamented.
To take a full tour of Hendersons man cave, hes posted a detailed video on Facebook, which you can watch here: (For mobile users, click here.)
Chris Paul vs Gordon Hayward NASTY Duel 2017 WCR1 Game 3 - Hayward With 40, CP With 32, 10 Ast!
All-Star Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward is close to full strength and said he is ready to play when the Jazz visit the Los Angeles Clippers in Tuesday night"s playoff game in Los Angeles.
Hayward came down with food poisoning prior to Sunday"s Game 4 of the series and was limited to nine minutes before he was sent home at halftime. Utah won the contest 105-98 to even the series at two games apiece.
Now Hayward is aiming to help the Jazz take the lead in the series.
"I feel a lot better," Hayward told reporters on Tuesday. "I was definitely down for the count. I haven"t been that sick in years."
Hayward said that both he and his wife suddenly got sick after eating at a sandwich shop.
Asked if he will return to the sandwich shop, Hayward shot back, "absolutely not."
Memphis Grizzlies vs San Antonio Spurs - Full Highlights | Game 5 | April 25, 2017 | NBA Playoffs
Backed against a wall in front of reporters jammed into a tight hallway at Portland"s Moda Center, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich waited for questions following an April 10 loss to the Trail Blazers.
"Let"s go," he barked five seconds in. "I"m ready to go get dinner."
Anybody who spends significant amount of time around Popovich knows he"s prone to bouts of impatience. Especially when good food and wine are on the line. But anyone who has witnessed Pop build a perennial contender in the NBA over the past 20 years -- alongside general manager R.C. Buford and the Spurs ownership -- also knows he likes to plan ahead.
The result? Sixty-one more wins this season for San Antonio on the heels of losing franchise cornerstone Tim Duncan.
Think about it: The Spurs win so regularly, their future Hall of Famer has become an afterthought.
We"ve got you covered all the way to the Finals with the latest news, schedules, analysis and more. 2017 NBA Playoffs
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But let"s not lose sight of the significance here: This year marked the first time in NBA history a team has won 60-plus games the season after losing a former MVP who spent his entire career with the same team. And it"s just the second time in league annals a team captured 50-plus wins in the same scenario. The other time? You guessed it: The spurs did it the season after david robinson"s departure.
"We realize this is not something common," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili told ESPN. "The truth is that we as a team, and me personally, we"re lucky enough and good enough to be able to sign a guy like Kawhi [Leonard] at No. 15 in the draft. Then because of our history, whatever, we were able to sign a guy like LaMarcus [Aldridge] too, and convince him this is a place where he should play, and to play with T.D. and see what this is about. So I guess there"s a lure in coming to play for this team.
"Adding those two guys makes you instantaneously a contender. Then, you always know that the front office is going to be good enough to add key pieces in different areas. It was a combination of things."
Luck has obviously served as a contributing factor in San Antonio"s current run of 20 straight postseason appearances. Not a soul in the organization denies it.
"Certainly, the 1997 lottery ... it"s not only the opportunity in the lottery, but also having a generational star like Tim," Buford told ESPN. "That changed the course of our organization for almost 20 years. So our best skill has been being really lucky. Again, pretty damned lucky. Then, hopefully, we"re not s******g it up."
Popovich offered his take to ESPN.
"We"re not full of ourselves thinking we invented the wheel or did some amazing thing," Popovich said.
Duncan was the ace in the hole for San Antonio shortly after his arrival in 1997.Anacleto Rapping/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The arrival of Duncan bought Popovich and Buford more time from ownership to build the team"s culture. In that time, they unearthed stars such as Tony Parker and Ginobili, who fit their program, and later brought in Leonard, Aldridge and Pau Gasol.
Remember, back during San Antonio"s first championship season in 1998-99, Popovich came under fire when the Spurs started off with a 6-8 record. On Feb. 28 of that lockout-shortened season, the Spurs were blown out at the Alamodome by the Utah Jazz, and Popovich was tossed after receiving a pair of technical fouls in the third quarter.
Fans booed. There was talk Popovich would be fired. But ownership stayed the course.
"Well, we know full well how fortunate we are to have the ownership we"ve had that allows us to do long-term planning," Popovich said. "It"s pretty dependent on the vision of ownership -- how much patience they have, how much trust they have in you and how willing they are to look ahead. You never go in knowing what you"re going to have, and I guess if you have success initially, it helps that trust build and grow."
"I feel like they"re always thinking about the next step here. They"ve been grooming Kawhi to be in the light and kind of take over. I think that"s what has made them so good."
Spurs F LaMarcus Aldridge
Buford calls Popovich"s vision "one of the great gifts" the coach has bestowed upon the organization.
"I think we"ve always tried to be thoughtful in planning for the future," Buford said. "But I think the other thing that has been helpful is the way that Pop has managed people"s careers -- allowed Tim to play longer than maybe we would have expected, allowed Manu to play longer. As those generational players play longer, that helps you to sustain it.
"Pop has never focused our organization solely on, "We"ve got to come up with the perfect team tonight." He"s always allowed us to plan. He"s always been like, "This is what"s best for our team now. But let"s not compromise what"s best for the organization in the future." So we live in that state all the time."
That"s one of the first qualities Aldridge noticed after his first season with the Spurs last year.
"I feel like they"re always thinking about the next step here," Aldridge told ESPN. "They"ve been grooming Kawhi to be in the light and kind of take over. I think that"s what has made them so good. They"ve had guys that have been here for a long time, and I think that gives them time to groom the next guys up. And I think guys understand that playing here and playing for this organization is just about winning. I think that"s why they always are able to keep it going."
Kawhi Leonard has given coach Gregg Popovich an MVP-worthy performer like the Spurs once had in Tim Duncan.Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
For most teams, a 61-win season a year after losing a franchise icon wouldn"t trigger trepidation about the future. But it"s there. You can hear it in Buford"s voice when he ponders what"s next.
In addition to losing Duncan, the Spurs are in the midst of a succession in ownership. Julianna Hawn Holt replaced her husband, Peter Holt, as chairman and CEO of the franchise last March in what was considered somewhat of a bombshell of an announcement. Several within the organization say the new chairman and CEO has operated similarly to her predecessor in that she has given Buford and Popovich the same basketball autonomy granted by her now-retired husband.
Still, it"s significant change.
Let"s also not forget that Ginobili and Parker are in the twilight of their careers. Popovich won"t be around forever, either.
That"s a subject Buford won"t even broach at this point.
"Yeah, there"s a great deal of unknowns," Buford said. "We"re not done with this transition just because Tim stepped away. It would be presumptuous to say that things are going to go the same way they have this year [in the future]. That would not be wise.
"But to have the influence of Tim for that long, for Manu, and their leadership, their mentorship, all that, has paid dividends for the development of younger players."
"I think our culture has been important to this group," Buford continued, "and my belief is that the next generation isn"t going to adapt the past generation"s culture just because. I think they"re going to have to take ownership of their own culture. Whoever that next generation is -- Kawhi, LaMarcus -- I don"t know how all that shakes out. But hopefully with good people, they"ll take ownership of our culture; and with the leadership of our coaches, hopefully it"ll resemble the culture of the past."
LaMarcus Aldridge is one big reason the Spurs have kept up their winning ways after Duncan"s departure.AP
Parker -- who has played through San Antonio"s various manifestations, having spent two seasons with Robinson, his entire career with Duncan and now the past six years with Leonard -- hopes so too.
"It"s all about the team, the franchise," Parker said. "It started with George Gervin and 5-0 [Robinson"s jersey number]. I played two years with 5-0. So I had a great example to follow. Then we got Timmy, then Manu. Now we"re trying to show some of those same things to all the young guys coming up. With Kawhi and LaMarcus coming in, it"s my job with Manu to show them all about how the Spurs" mentality is."
Duncan, meanwhile, continues to be a presence within the organization. He has attended Spurs workouts periodically since retiring, plays pickup with former teammates and is often seen working one-on-one against Gasol or talking to one of the club"s younger players, such as Dejounte Murray. During San Antonio"s opening-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies, Duncan showed up at the team"s shootaround just before Game 2 and then after Game 4 -- when the team got back to San Antonio -- to work with Aldridge. The Big Fundamental even has a locker inside the coaches" room at the Spurs facility, right next to the stall of Monty Williams, executive vice president of operations.
Danny Green, from left, Pau Gasol, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are looking for a first post-Duncan title.Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports
The truth of the matter is that many of the Spurs" former stars remain firmly entrenched in the San Antonio community, and that plays a role in the franchise"s continuity.
"I think you build your franchise not around just one player, no matter how exceptional that player is," Gasol told ESPN. "That"s what gives you the continuity. You build a culture that other great players want to be a part of, understanding that they"re probably going to have to give up a part of themselves in their success and recognition. But the ultimate recognition, I think, is to win championships. That"s what speaks over any individual accomplishment, especially in sports. So as long as you have that perspective, you can come here and be a part of this team."
Zach Lowe breaks down and looks ahead for the three series in action on Tuesday: Spurs-Grizzlies, Clippers-Jazz and Rockets-Thunder.
What do our experts expect from San Antonio-Memphis? The 5-on-5 crew breaks down the series and predicts the winner.
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Buford certainly hopes that continues to be the case, but he understands the future is still uncertain. So for now, Buford and everyone else in the organization will lean on the foundation they"ve built in San Antonio.
"Hopefully, we"ve planned for all this," Buford said. "We"ll try to execute as well as we can, then we"ll see. Tim carried us for a long time. Now, we"re going to find out whether we can do it for real or not."
Jaye De Black REACTS To ESPN Losing Subscribers & Firing Employees
ESPN
Ed Werder
In a message sent Wednesday to ESPN employees, network president John Skipper announced the company was beginning its next round of layoffs, a long-anticipated move that is expected to thin the ranks of ESPNs on-air and online talent.
A necessary component of managing change involves constantly evaluating how we best utilize all of our resources, and that sometimes involves difficult decisions, Skipper wrote. Our content strategy - primarily illustrated in recent months by melding distinct, personality-driven SportsCenter TV editions and digital-only efforts with our biggest sub-brand - still needs to go further, faster . . . and as always, must be efficient and nimble. Dynamic change demands an increased focus on versatility and value, and as a result, we have been engaged in the challenging process of determining the talent - anchors, analysts, reporters, writers and those who handle play-by-play - necessary to meet those demands. We will implement changes in our talent lineup this week. A limited number of other positions will also be affected and a handful of new jobs will be posted to fill various needs.
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According to Sports Illustrateds Richard Deitsch, the layoffs could affect close to 100 employees, a larger number than originally expected. Jim Miller, who co-wrote a book on ESPNs history, said Wednesday that around 50 names you will recognize; another 50 you may not will be losing their jobs. He tweeted:
hearing now from several @espn employees who, despite advanced word, are in shock and frozen. This is an awful day for all in Bristol.
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Longtime NFL reporter Ed Werder was among the first to announce he had been laid off, on the eve of the NFL draft, no less (he had been assigned to cover the New Orleans Saints at the leagues annual selection meeting). If there was proof Wednesday that no one was safe, this was it. Werder was among the networks most respected NFL voices. Werder tweeted:
After 17 years reporting on #NFL, Ive been informed that Im being laid off by ESPN effective immediately. I have no plans to retire
NHL columnist Scott Burnside also announced he had been let go, tweeting:
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After 13 years of sticks and pucks can share that as of today my tenure at ESPN is at a close. I look forward to the next adventure.
Paul Kuharsky, who covered the Tennessee Titans for ESPN.com, also announced via Twitter he had been laid off earlier in the week:
Knew cuts were coming. Sad to say nine great years at ESPN end for me in July. Please stay tuned to @Midday180.
The layoffs are an attempt by ESPN to evolve in the wake of a two-headed challenge: a declining subscriber base and skyrocketing rights fees. Over the past five years, the network has lost somewhere around 12 million subscribers as the viewing public looks for cheaper avenues for home entertainment. At the same time, the money ESPN has paid to the professional sports leagues to acquire their live events steadily climbed. Last year, the networks new nine-year agreement with the NBA to televise pro basketball games took effect. The reported cost to ESPN: somewhere around $1.5 billion per year, a massive increase over the previous deal. Thats on top of deals the network already had with the NFL ($1.9 billion annually), various NCAA conferences and the College Football Playoff (well over $1 billion), and Major League Baseball ($700 million). Some of those deals will be up for renewal in the not-so-distant future.
Its the second round of layoffs at ESPN in less than two years. In October 2015, ESPN laid off around 300 people who worked behind the scenes. The network employs around 8,000 people in total.
"I was expecting it to go either way. I was just happy to be there," Morris said on "Good Morning America." "When it happened, I was just like, "You know, it is what it is. Things will happen as they may.""
Morris and Chmerkovskiy were the fifth couple to be eliminated this season, a move that came to the surprise of viewers in the audience and at home.
Morris, a professionally trained dancer, was considered a frontrunner.
She and Chmerkovskiy received a perfect score for their Rumba to TLC"s "Waterfalls" on Monday night"s episode.
Chmerkovskiy did not appear alongside morris on "gma" tuesday morning due to an incident that took place at the home he shares with fiancee and fellow "DWTS" pro Peta Murgatroyd, according to Morris.
"Peta is okay, that"s the most important thing," she said.
Kourtney Kardashian Humilla en Bikini a Kim Kardashian
Ever scramble out of your office to get the kids before the $12 for every one minute youre late at daycare kicks in and think: I bet Kim Kardashian is doing this very thing right now.
Or grab that minivan to head to the neighborhood mom book club and think: Cocktails on a Wednesday. After 8:30 p.m.! Totally Kardashian.
No?
Well Mary Laura Philpott is comparing her girls-night-out life with the Kardashians. I mean, right?
Totally similar to our lives.
Totally.
Go moms!
This really happened. (The one on the right.)
Yep. This one.
Okay, well, that was fun. Off to get the kids. Go on, enjoy.
LOS ANGELES -- Genius, the television series about Albert Einsteins life is filled with a lot of what actor Geoffrey Rush calls Einstein zingers.
Theyre one-liners that he either said or wrote and, says executive producer Ken Biller, are really perceptive and quite funny.
Based on the biography Einstein: His Life and Universe, the 10-part drama shows what drove the scientists life and how he coped.
The young Einstein played in the series by Johnny Flynn was something of a bohemian artist, according to director Ron Howard. He has a maverick sensibility that sometimes gets him in trouble and creates one of the barriers.
Later, he found himself tilting against a society that didnt want to welcome his thoughts. In retrospect, you look at how close society came to not benefiting from Albert Einstein.
The National Geographic series goal was to show how much more there was to Einstein than math and physics.
Im like most people in that I sort of thought of the brilliant old guy sticking his tongue out and the theory of relativity, Howard says. What the book and series suggest is a complexity not only in the character but in the times in which he was living.
To make sure the younger Einstein meshed with the older one, Flynn and Rush (who plays him in later life) chatted on Skype and did workshops together.
We had the same dialect coach, Flynn says. That was a huge help because Geoffrey had worked with her before. She was a medium for us to communicate and get a sense of this person physically and vocally. We could combine our ideas and work together.
Rush says the two interviewed each other What would it be like to talk to your younger self? That opened up stuff that was not actually in the text but was a good exercise.
To get a sense of the real Einstein, Rush looked for films but didnt find much.
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Instead, he lit on those zingers and realized there was a deep-rooted Yiddish spirit or level of wit that he was obviously very good at. When you see some of the footage of when he first went to America or Britain, he got off the boat and, within seconds, hed have a group of newfound friends or reporters cackling pretty seriously. His optimism is very present in his humanitarian outlook.
Flynn says that humor was present in Einsteins youth, as well, despite the tragedies he went through, two World Wars among them. Thats not what you know of him as a layman. Thats not what I knew of him before embarking on the project. Thats whats been really cool. We find humor in tragic circumstances because thats the human spirit coming through.
Today, Howard adds, similar obstacles exist, threatening to squelch creativity and human possibility.
Failure, producer Brian Grazer says, is a big part of Einsteins journey. The driving mystery of Einsteins life and the failure he encountered kids will find quite relatable. Theyll be able to access that and it will ultimately become kind of an aspirational piece.
Rush, looking at definitions of genius, found a quote from philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer that fit Einstein: Genius hits a target no one else can see.
He had a personality that was very anti-authoritarian, Rush says. Hed given up his German citizenship as a very young man because he didnt believe in a militaristic state. He always saw the better side of humanity but then had to confront the development of atomic weaponry as a way of defeating someone from Germany. If they had it in their hands, it would be devastating to their enemy.
"Genius" airs April 25 on the National Geographic channel.
