Lonzo Ball shows he has skills; Boucek joins Hammon in NBA ranks; Katie Smith has Liberty; Brooklyn Nets lose Lin for season; and; Knicks not winning yet

POPPIN'

Colin Kaepernick Files Grievance Against NFL

As we know, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL citing that NFL owners colluded to keep him out of the NFL for kneeling during the National Anthem.

However, some are saying that this case could be bigger than people realized. Various sources seem to think that not only could he end up getting his job back, but he could end up terminating the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement ahead of its scheduled 2021 expiration date:

Article 69, Section 2 of the CBA allows for the agreement to be terminated prematurely in the event of proof of collusion.

Under Article 17, Section 16(c) of the CBA, termination can arise from only one incident of collusion involving only one player if there is clear and convincing evidence of a violation.

Jerry Jones Didn’t Stand for National Anthem

It turns out Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did not stand for the National Anthem during his first Cowboys game as an owner. Jones sat during the anthem with Liz Taylor, which prompted a fan to write this note:

“JEERS: To Jerry Jones and Liz Taylor, who were the only two people at last Sunday’s Cowboys-Redskins game not standing when the national anthem was played.

Riding out in a cart just before the anthem began was bad enough, but sitting while it was played was more than many of us could handle.

Jerry, please note that in Texas, we stand for the national anthem.

P.S.: Tom [Landry] always took off his hat.”

Lonzo Ball Gives Better Show with Game 2

Lonzo Ball had a terrible regular season NBA debut against the L.A. Clippers, but he redeemed himself in his second regular-season NBA game against the Phoenix Suns.

Ball flirted with a triple-double, scoring 29 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists while drilling four or more 3-pointers in the process.

QUICK HITS

• Chris Long of the Philadelphia Eagles is donating entire salary to boost racial equality in education
• ESPN sportscaster Jemele Hill is back from suspension and she’s not mad at ESPN.
• Kevin Durant admits: “A couple years ago, I didn't really know how to play team defense that well. More and more, I'm learning about team defense and making multiple efforts.”
• In separate incidents, Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins and Celtics’ Kyrie Irving were both fined $25,000 for coarse language aimed at a fan
• The Sacramento Kings hired Jenny Boucek as assistant player development coach. Boucek is now the second active female assistant coach in the NBA, along with Becky Hammon of the San Antonio Spurs.
• And, the NY Liberty hired Katie Smith to be its new head coach

Shahid “Shan” Khan Goes off on Donald Trump, Again

Speaking to USA Today, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan doubles down on his recent critique of Donald Trump overall, Trump’s attacks on people of color, and finally the league. Khan said:

“Let’s get real. The attacks on Muslims, the attacks on minorities, the attacks on Jews.

I think the NFL doesn’t even come close to that on the level of being offensive.

Here, it’s about money, or messing with — trying to soil a league or a brand that he’s jealous of.”

Khan goes on to respond to whether or not he regrets contributing to Trump’s inauguration fund.

“I have no regrets in life. This ugly, toxic side sours the whole experience.”

 NIKE Connect Jerseys Didn’t Hold Up to Rigors of NBA

Nike is in its first year of a jersey deal with the NBA, and on opening night, arguably their biggest endorser — LeBron James — had his Nike jersey split down the middle of his back.

It might be taken as a fluke if it had only happened to LeBron.

However, in a preseason game, half the back of Lakers’ Tyler Ennis’ jersey had come apart.

Photo of the Week

Our Photo of the Week is a photo of LaVar Ball giving his son, Lonzo, some fatherly advice.

NY SPORTS REPORT

Yankees Fans Disappointed In ALCS Outcome

The NY Yankees could not get past the Houston Astros, so no trip to the World Series this season.

The Astros go on to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB World Series. The first game is in Los Angeles tonight.

The New York Mets Get a New Manager

In the wake of Terry Collins exiting as NY Mets manager to work in the front office, the Mets signed Mickey Calloway as its new manager.

Calloway was a pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians and he received a warm welcome from Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

Calloway comes from a family that reveres baseball, he is named after Mickey Mantle and his brother Casey is named after Casey Stengel.

Brooklyn Nets Guard Jeremy Lin Out for Season

The Brooklyn Nets received another wake-up call during Game 1 of the regular NBA season when team leader Jeremy Lin went down with a ruptured tendon in his right knee. Lin had surgery to repair his ruptured patella tendon and will be out for the rest of the season.

 New York Knicks on a Losing Skid

Last week, we talked about how most NY Knicks fans were trying to reconcile in their minds that the Knicks are in rebuild mode and nothing says rebuild more when your team has yet to win a game.

Thus far, Kristaps Porzingas is performing well as the leader of the team, but the true measurement of leadership is how well Kristaps will be able to hold up under pressure from game losses.

With three consecutive losses so far, many Knicks fans are expressing their sorrow that Carmelo Anthony is no longer with the team. Anthony currently plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OFF TOPIC

D.L. Hughley Names the Three Most Hated Black Men in America

In a TMZ interview at LAX, comedian D.L. HUGHLEY said:

“The three most hated Black men in America are Barack Obama, Colin Kaepernick, and O.J.

And two of them never were accused of murder.

They hate Colin Kaepernick right now more than they hate O.J.”

LeBron James Give his Children a Lesson in Racism

In an interview with GQ magazine, Lebron James said he told his kids about the n-Word incident on their home in Brentwood, California. He used it as a teachable moment telling them:

“When y’all go out in public and y’all start driving or y’all start moving around, be respectful to cops, as much as you can.

When you get pulled over, call your mom or dad, put it on speakerphone, and put your phone underneath the seat. But be respectful the whole time.”

VIDEO: Kym Hampton reminisces about the very first WNBA game, her life leading up to the WNBA and after

The legendary FIRST center of the New York Liberty basketball team (WNBA), Kym Hampton, stopped by the What’s The 411TV studio and gave us a wide-ranging interview. Kym Hampton, talked to the What’s The 411Sports team of Keisha Wilson and Mike McDonald about how she got interested in basketball, why she chose Arizona State University, how she was able to excel at basketball even though there were virtually no women basketball players as role models when she was in high school, the WNBA, and at the end of the day, life.

After college, with no real professional basketball options in the United States, Kym like other women collegiate basketball players at the time, traveled overseas to play basketball professionally. Eager to leave her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky and explore the world with wanderlust in her heart, Kym did not allow oceans and different languages and cultures get in the way of her love of the sport of basketball. While playing in Spain and Italy, she learned to speak Spanish and Italian, which she demonstrates during the interview.

The Road to the WNBA

Kym Hampton’s road to the WNBA came as a surprise, she knew eventually there would be a women’s professional basketball league in the U.S., but she didn’t expect it to come before she hung up her sneakers. Kym gives an honest inside look into what it was like the first day of the first WNBA season. She even talks about how she wasn’t exactly happy to be on a team in New York City because her friends and other players she knew were playing in Cleveland for the Cleveland Rockers. Good thing, it didn’t work out, because the Rockers were dissolved in 2003. As time went on, Kym understood quickly what playing in New York City could do for one’s career.

UCONN Women’s Basketball

Mike McDonald asked Kym if she thought the UCONN women’s basketball team losing in the Final Four round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament would be a good thing for women’s basketball going forward.

“I don’t think it should be dependent upon whether UCONN wins or loses, or that they’re dominant,” Kym Hampton said. “I really think that every program, every individual that plays should really put effort into and focus on what they can do to get better to compete against a UCONN. Guess what, Geno (Geno Auriemma, UCONN women’s basketball head coach)has the opportunity to get the best players in the world…Don’t forget that he pushes those players mentally and physically harder than probably most programs. I heard that if you want the cushy feeling, you’re doing a great job, Mike, I’m proud of you (with her arm around Mike’s shoulders demonstrating what Geno and many coaches would probably do), you’re not getting that from Geno from what they say. But, he’s building character, he’s building strength, just so you can be prepared in these situations.”

“But there going to be like anyone else,” Hampton continued. “They are going to have some great recruiting seasons and then they are going to have some lulls where they’re not and that’s what it was.”

And, then Kym Hampton put on her general manager hat.

“I think our focus is wrong…I think players should challenge themselves to want to go to other programs, to build other programs up, Hampton stated. “I think coaches should challenge themselves to really learn to utilize the talent that they have and to improve on decision-making, improve on people skills…UCONN is going to be UCONN…they are like everyone else, they can be beat.”

Life After Basketball

Keisha Wilson asked Kym Hampton what has she been doing since retiring as a professional basketball player?

Kym likes to sing and wanted to be a professional model, but because she is shy, she didn’t push herself. It seems ironic, but Kym loves public speaking.  When Kym is on the speaking circuit and particularly at high schools, the one thing that she sees that is so striking is that so many high school girls are very shy.

“We weren’t created to fit in and belong,” Kym tells the girls. “We were created to shine as an individual. We each have our own individual DNA." I love motivating and inspiring girls and women.”

"I love motivating and inspiring girls and women," Kym continued.

With a bit of self-reflection that highly motivated people do, Kym added, “I’m not quite where I want to be, so it’s still a transition. But it’s partly me, understanding and knowing how to ask, make the ask, and who to ask, and just being diligent. My thing is I don’t want to be a pest to people. Sometimes, in order to make things happen, I can’t do the things that I was created to do if I don’t make the ask to make it happen.”

No truer words were spoken; I hear you loud and clear. Note to self!