NFL Star Larry Fitzgerald Buys Minority Stake in NBA’s Phoenix Suns

Arizona Cardinals football player Larry Fitzgerald has added team owner to his name as the wide receiver officially joins the Phoenix Suns Ownership Group. Fitzgerald has purchased a minority stake in the Phoenix Suns, as announced by Phoenix Suns managing partner Robert Sarver.

“Larry has been a great ambassador for our organization for years. He is an Arizona icon and a businessman, passionate philanthropist, and leader,” said Sarver in a written statement. “He brings a unique perspective from outside basketball but still grounded in sport, and we welcome him as a valued partner and investor.”

Two years ago, managing partner Robert Sarver suggested that Fitzgerald join the NBA team as he got to become friends with the Suns executive. Sarver and Fitzgerald first met in 2005, a year after Fitzgerald was drafted third overall by the Cardinals.

“It’s an investment in something I have supported since I’ve been in Arizona,” Fitzgerald tells NFL.com. “It gives me another connection in the community I love and always will live in. It’s a long-term commitment I wanted to make for life after football.”

“I’ve been friends with Robert for a very long time,” Fitzgerald continues. “We first met when I started coming to the games in 2005 and struck up a good friendship. He started helping me with things about business, like real estate. I’ve learned a great deal from him. We’ve gotten really close and our families have gotten really close, as well. I’m looking forward to working together in the future.”

Fitzgerald had this to say on his Twitter account, “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to invest in the @Suns, a historic franchise with a very bright future. I’m blessed to call the PHX community and the state of Arizona my home and I’m excited to make a long-term commitment as an owner, but more importantly as a fan! #Suns“

Fitzgerald becomes only the second active NFL player to own a stake in an NBA team, joining Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018. “Larry will serve as an advisor and resource to our business and basketball staff as well as Suns and Mercury players,” Sarver says.

Fitzgerald has just recently completed his 16th season and has signed a one-year extension with the Cardinals, with which he has been to a franchise-record 11 Pro Bowls and is the team’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, total touchdowns, 100-yard receiving games, and consecutive games with a reception. He is presently ranked No. 2 in NFL history in career receiving yards and is No. 6 in NFL history with 120 career TD receptions. He was recently named to the NFL’s 100 All-Time Team.

“I have a special place in my heart for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, and I have a great deal of respect for Robert,” Fitzgerald said. “He has become a dear friend and a trusted confidante. He is a big part of why I am making this commitment.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2TPDkGg

NFL Star Larry Fitzgerald Buys Minority Stake in NBA’s Phoenix Suns

Arizona Cardinals football player Larry Fitzgerald has added team owner to his name as the wide receiver officially joins the Phoenix Suns Ownership Group. Fitzgerald has purchased a minority stake in the Phoenix Suns, as announced by Phoenix Suns managing partner Robert Sarver.

“Larry has been a great ambassador for our organization for years. He is an Arizona icon and a businessman, passionate philanthropist, and leader,” said Sarver in a written statement. “He brings a unique perspective from outside basketball but still grounded in sport, and we welcome him as a valued partner and investor.”

Two years ago, managing partner Robert Sarver suggested that Fitzgerald join the NBA team as he got to become friends with the Suns executive. Sarver and Fitzgerald first met in 2005, a year after Fitzgerald was drafted third overall by the Cardinals.

“It’s an investment in something I have supported since I’ve been in Arizona,” Fitzgerald tells NFL.com. “It gives me another connection in the community I love and always will live in. It’s a long-term commitment I wanted to make for life after football.”

“I’ve been friends with Robert for a very long time,” Fitzgerald continues. “We first met when I started coming to the games in 2005 and struck up a good friendship. He started helping me with things about business, like real estate. I’ve learned a great deal from him. We’ve gotten really close and our families have gotten really close, as well. I’m looking forward to working together in the future.”

Fitzgerald had this to say on his Twitter account, “It’s an honor to have the opportunity to invest in the @Suns, a historic franchise with a very bright future. I’m blessed to call the PHX community and the state of Arizona my home and I’m excited to make a long-term commitment as an owner, but more importantly as a fan! #Suns“

Fitzgerald becomes only the second active NFL player to own a stake in an NBA team, joining Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who purchased a stake in the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018. “Larry will serve as an advisor and resource to our business and basketball staff as well as Suns and Mercury players,” Sarver says.

Fitzgerald has just recently completed his 16th season and has signed a one-year extension with the Cardinals, with which he has been to a franchise-record 11 Pro Bowls and is the team’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, total touchdowns, 100-yard receiving games, and consecutive games with a reception. He is presently ranked No. 2 in NFL history in career receiving yards and is No. 6 in NFL history with 120 career TD receptions. He was recently named to the NFL’s 100 All-Time Team.

“I have a special place in my heart for the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, and I have a great deal of respect for Robert,” Fitzgerald said. “He has become a dear friend and a trusted confidante. He is a big part of why I am making this commitment.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2TPDkGg

Dallas Cowboys’ Michael Bennett Doesn’t Deposit His Checks ‘Until the End of the Season’

There are numerous ways professional athletes are making sure they don’t overspend their earnings while they are still playing. Professional football player Michael Bennett doesn’t even cash his paycheck during the course of the NFL season, according to CNBC.

Bennett has been to the Pro Bowl three times and is a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. Yet, despite making millions, Bennett says he still budgets and saves most of his NFL money. On the “Kneading Dough” podcast last year, Bennett tells Uninterrupted‘s Maverick Carter that instead of getting direct deposit of his NFL checks, he prefers to receive his NFL paper checks by hand so that he can manage his money better.

“I keep my checks until the end of the season to make sure I don’t spend any money. And then at the end of the season, I deposit it,” he says on the podcast.

Bennett says that he learned the value of budgeting finances at a very young age growing up in Louisiana when he worked odd jobs as a kid. “I had different jobs, and I used to save my money to buy me and my brother’s school clothes,” he recalls. “I worked at a water park, a grocery store and most of the time I was a lifeguard. I was a lifeguard for four years.”

He said he “had to be tight with my money from the beginning,” because he was an undrafted free agent at the start of his football career. Bennett says he lived out of a hotel room for the first three years in an effort to save money. When he finally decided to settle down and rent a home in Seattle, he got cut from the Seahawks a few days later. “I was losing rent, and I couldn’t get none of my money back,” he says.

Sound financial decisions definitely run in the family as Bennett’s younger brother, Martellus, who is a retired New England Patriot, also keeps a tight grip on his money. “I don’t really buy anything,” says Martellus, who retired from the league in 2018 after winning a Super Bowl. “I’m not a car guy. I own my house. I own everything. So I haven’t really paid for anything in like the last four years. You get to a point in life where you don’t really need much.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2RirD9n

Dallas Cowboys’ Michael Bennett Doesn’t Deposit His Checks ‘Until the End of the Season’

There are numerous ways professional athletes are making sure they don’t overspend their earnings while they are still playing. Professional football player Michael Bennett doesn’t even cash his paycheck during the course of the NFL season, according to CNBC.

Bennett has been to the Pro Bowl three times and is a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys. Yet, despite making millions, Bennett says he still budgets and saves most of his NFL money. On the “Kneading Dough” podcast last year, Bennett tells Uninterrupted‘s Maverick Carter that instead of getting direct deposit of his NFL checks, he prefers to receive his NFL paper checks by hand so that he can manage his money better.

“I keep my checks until the end of the season to make sure I don’t spend any money. And then at the end of the season, I deposit it,” he says on the podcast.

Bennett says that he learned the value of budgeting finances at a very young age growing up in Louisiana when he worked odd jobs as a kid. “I had different jobs, and I used to save my money to buy me and my brother’s school clothes,” he recalls. “I worked at a water park, a grocery store and most of the time I was a lifeguard. I was a lifeguard for four years.”

He said he “had to be tight with my money from the beginning,” because he was an undrafted free agent at the start of his football career. Bennett says he lived out of a hotel room for the first three years in an effort to save money. When he finally decided to settle down and rent a home in Seattle, he got cut from the Seahawks a few days later. “I was losing rent, and I couldn’t get none of my money back,” he says.

Sound financial decisions definitely run in the family as Bennett’s younger brother, Martellus, who is a retired New England Patriot, also keeps a tight grip on his money. “I don’t really buy anything,” says Martellus, who retired from the league in 2018 after winning a Super Bowl. “I’m not a car guy. I own my house. I own everything. So I haven’t really paid for anything in like the last four years. You get to a point in life where you don’t really need much.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2RirD9n

Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa suspended 12 games by league for his part in basketball brawl

University of Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa was suspended for 12 games, the harshest punishment of four players, for his part in a fight between his basketball team and Kansas State.

On Tuesday, the Big 12 came down hard on De Sousa, but also penalized the Jayhawks’ David McCormack for two games, Kansas State’s Antonio Gordon for three games and slapped an eight-game penalty on James Love, according to ESPN. De Sousa picked up a chair during the fight, however, he didn’t throw it.

READ MORE: University of Kansas apologizes for Snoop Dogg’s stripper-pole performance

During the waning seconds of the game, De Sousa stood over Kansas State’s DaJuan Gordon and taunted him after he blocked his layup attempt. When tempers flared, Antonio Gordon pushed De Sousa which made him trip over someone on the floor before he grabbed a chair as if to throw it, reported Yahoo.

“This kind of behavior cannot be tolerated and these suspensions reflect the severity of last evening’s events,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement sent to ESPN. “I am appreciative of the cooperation of both institutions in resolving this matter.”

Kansas and Kansas State were also punished by the conference because players left the bench during the melee, a violation of the Big 12’s sportsmanship rules.

But before the conference could announce its suspension on Wednesday, Kansas coach Bill Self had already suspended De Sousa indefinitely from the Kansas program, saying he was “disappointed and embarrassed” by his behavior.

“Like I said last night, I am disappointed and embarrassed by what transpired because there is no place for that type of behavior in any competition,” Self said in a statement to ESPN. “After meeting with my team and discussing the incident in detail, it is evident that everyone fully understands the magnitude of their actions and all are remorseful for what occurred. We represent the University of Kansas and will all learn from this experience moving forward.”

On Twitter, De Sousa said he was deeply remorseful for his behavior.

“I’m sorry for my actions. Please read this:” De Sousa wrote on Twitter and attached a statement further apologizing.

I’m sorry for my actions last night, please read this: pic.twitter.com/cmkEO0I5Ax

— Silvio De Sousa ™ (@SilvioDeSousa5) January 23, 2020

“Yesterday, during the Kansas State game, I displayed highly unacceptable behavior that was a poor representation of my team as well as my own character. There is no excuse for my behavior, and I cannot justify the unreasonable choices that I made yesterday on the court. I not only showed a lack of sportsmanship, but I put myself, my teammates and the fans in danger,” De Sousa wrote in the one-page statement, in which he ended: “I messed up and I am sorry.”

Others had a lot to say about the fracas.

“Expelled from the university? Because that’s what would happen if a student walked into a classroom and tried to hit someone with a chair. Hold every student to the same level of accountability,” tweeted Uncle Luke.

Expelled from the university? Because that’s what would happen if a student walked into a classroom and tried to hit someone with a chair. Hold every student to the same level of accountability.

— Uncle Luke (@luka_duke5) January 22, 2020

READ MORE: Kentucky high school girls basketball coach finds racist slur written on his car

“How can you practically throw everything you worked hard to get you where you are down the drain with a fight and a chair lol esp if your team is winning a heated moment in a game should never cost you your future, I hope things work out for him,” wrote Dedrick Rowson.

How can you practically throw everything you worked hard to get you where you are down the drain with a fight and a chair lol esp if your team is winning a heated moment in a game should never cost you , your future, i hope things work out for him

— Dedrick Rowson (@DedrickRowson) January 22, 2020

The post Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa suspended 12 games by league for his part in basketball brawl appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/38yYfkY