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Football

“Every player should be angry about the way we performed” : BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl furious after disastrous performance at MHP Arena

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“Every player should be angry about the way we performed” : BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl furious after disastrous performance at MHP Arena Borussia Dortmund have not had the brightest of starts to their season, but their recent game against VfB Stuttgart have put an early dagger across their hearts, as the game ended 5-1 in the hosts’ favor. BVB coach Nuri Sahin was not the happiest man in the world, as he was taught a rather painful lesson away at home. The Turkish-German was very critical of the team’s performance, and reflected some harsh words on it post-match. “The basics were missing, then something like today happens. It was bad from the first to the last minute. We were sharp before the match. The way we performed, it can’t have anything to do with physical tiredness. You can find a million excuses, but none of them are valid, that was a poor performance. You can’t play like that as Borussia Dortmund. I never want to see a game like that again. We’ll analyse the game rigorously,” said a frustrated Sahin (via DAZN). Last season’s runners-up looked like they were from a different league altogether, as they put on a star show for their home fans. Deniz Undav ran riot in the final third, accumulating a brace along the way, while Ermedin Demirovic, Enzo Millot, and El Bilal Toure all scored important goals as well. Former Stuttgart player Serhou Giurassy also scored for the visitors, but it was too late by then. Apart from Nuri Sahin’s obvious concerns, this all-out 90-minute thrashing did not sit well with the Black and Yellow’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl as well. “I hardly saw anyone who was anywhere near their usual form” : Sebastian Kehl puts all the blame on the players after an embarrassing showcase Sebastian Kehl was not at all sympathetic towards the team’s lacklustre performance, and firmly held this loss’s responsibility to the players itself, who he believed were not at their usual level, while only a handful actually tried to make things happen. “What we delivered, what we did on the pitch for the most part, is inexplicable and must not happen to us,” Kehl said (via Ruhr Nachrichten). “Every player should be angry about the way we performed. Everyone should take a good look at themselves and think about how such a performance can come about. Apart from a small number of players, I hardly saw anyone who was anywhere near their usual form and gave the impression that they wanted to win this game,” the 44-year-old added. When asked about the Black and Yellow fans coming away to support the club but leaving in discontent, the German said that he ‘understood’ the fans’ feelings and would not blame their behaviour in any case. “Understandable, and right. During the game supported us right up until the last moment. But it is completely understandable that they did not move at the end after such a performance and showed what the team what they thought of the performance. There will not be a single player in the dressing room who would in any way blame the fans for their behaviour today,” explained Kehl. This was Dortmund’s fourth defeat in a row against VfB Stuttgart, and are now sitting at eighth in the league table. Arch rivals Bayern Munich have already gone five points clear, as the Bavarians are yet to lose in their season so far. Life in Dortmund for Nuri Sahin and co. has not gone the perfect way so far, and while drastic measures are not required just yet, they would need to make some strict changes in order to compete for the title, or worse, fight for the Champions League spots if things keep on going the same. Also Read: “This year Declan has to change that” : Yaya Toure provides key difference between Rodri and Declan Rice

Pep Guardiola
Football

“Michael Oliver is doing everything he can to make this race for everyone” : Peter Schmeichel criticizes English referee for ‘ruining’ Manchester City vs Arsenal

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“Michael Oliver is doing everything he can to make this race for everyone” : Peter Schmeichel criticizes English referee for ‘ruining’ Manchester City vs Arsenal The biggest match of the Premier League season so far has been played, and the Gunners now find themselves on a decade long streak of not being able to win in the Etihad stadium, after John Stones’ late injury time equalizer.  Starting strong, Arsenal was a goal ahead of the Cityzens courtesy of new signing Riccardo Calafiori’s super strike and the ever reliable Gabriel Magalhaes’s bullet header, but that is where things started going the wrong way for the North London club. In an already difficult game, Leandro Trossard was dismissed eight minutes into the first half’s extra time after kicking the ball away from the free kick spot, resulting in a second yellow. The first yellow was already a rather a ‘soft’ challenge, and this sending off disrupted the whole tempo of the Gunners’ attack, leading to heavy criticism around referee Michael Oliver. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola’s side took full advantage of this, and had an enormous 88% possession in the second half, including 28 shots. Ultimately, Arsenal was unable to hold on in the deep end, as they conceded in the game’s final play. “Michael Oliver wants himself in the spotlight!” : Manchester United icon furious over Michael Oliver’s decision Arsenal and City surely played one of their better games in their ongoing rivalry, as everyone was expecting a dull draw. The first half was one for the ages, as the Etihad was lit up on both ends. But one controversial decision by referee Michael Oliver turned this match from a classic to downright chaotic. Out of all the big personalities and analysts that have blamed the English referee for the Belgian winger’s sending off, former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel’s criticism sticks out the most. Schmeichel provided no filter in his words, and directly put the allegation on Oliver that he was trying to sabotage the game. “Michael Oliver is doing everything he can to make this race for everyone. This is the biggest game in the Premier League so far! Soft yellow cards!” said the Danish (via GIVEMESPORT). “Why is Michael Oliver trying to ruin it? It’s a big game, emotions are flying high — understand what you are dealing with here, but no — Michael Oliver wants himself in the spotlight!” the 60-year-old added. The Danish goalkeeper was part of one of the greatest Premier League rivalries, where Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils used to lock horns with Arsene Wenger’s Gunners. Due to this factor, many Arsenal fans were surprised on the 60-year-old siding by them. The Gunners, who were on the brink of reaching the table-top, now find themselves heartbroken on fourth place, just two points behind first place Manchester City. Also Read: “This year Declan has to change that” : Yaya Toure provides key difference between Rodri and Declan Rice

Featured

“That was the year I finally stopped hating him” : Austin Reaves mentions the time when he started admiring LeBron James

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“That was the year I finally stopped hating him” : Austin Reaves mentions the time when he started admiring LeBron James Over his two decade long run in the NBA, LeBron James was surely to make some enemies along the way. The more he got better, the more hate he used to receive. But surprisingly, one player who revealed was not fond of him earlier was his own teammate, Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves. The American, despite being in the King’s team, has been very open about the fact that he was never the biggest fan of him. In addition, NBA Twitter did what they do the best, and found out Reaves’s social media posts back in 2012 last year, where he was actively pursuing an agenda against the Lakers superstar. Reaves, who was only 13 then, used to mock James on social media for not having an NBA Championship to his name. NBA Twitter had hilarious reactions to the 26-year-old’s social media posts, and also suggested that it was ‘okay’ to hate LeBron James, who was part of Miami Heat back then, as it was a trend. But sure enough, the King ended up winning his first title and MVP award that same summer. “Everybody loves LeBron, but he gets so much hate” : Austin Reaves In a recent interview, the 26-year-old revealed the year he finally stopped hating on the 39-year-old, and that since he is now teammates with LeBron James, he asks him a lot of questions, more than he would prefer to answer. But the American cannot help himself, as he said not everyone gets the chance to play with and ‘pick the brain’ of the greatest basketball player of time. “I’ve asked LeBron a lot of questions, more than he probably wants me to, to be honest. But when you’re playing with the greatest of all time, how do you not try to pick his brain? I’ve asked him what he thought his greatest year was, not in terms of championships but in terms of peak athleticism, skill, and knowledge. For me, I think his best year was the year they lost to KD (Kevin Durant) and Steph (Stephen Curry) in the Finals. That was the year I finally stopped hating him,” said Reaves (via BustaJack Golf). The American also defended James’s 2020 NBA Championship victory, who many term as a ‘Mickey Mouse ring’, due to the season happening during the pandemic. He said that if someone else other than the 39-year-old won it that year, nobody would have batted an eye. Reaves has also stated his opinion about this topic in ‘The Draymond Green Show’ previously, and believes it was one of the hardest championship wins ever due to players not knowing if they will even return to play the remainder of the season. “It’s not a Mickey Mouse ring… everybody had an equal playing field, I think it’s the same as every other year. I just think if Bron doesn’t win it, then nobody says anything. Everybody hates Bron. Actually, everybody loves LeBron, but he gets so much hate,” said the 26-year-old. Austin Reaves is probably right, as in the 2019-20 season, James averaged 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game in the playoffs to lead the Lakers to their first championship victory after a decade, and 17th overall. Also Read: “He will probably be the number one candidate for MVP” : Gilbert Arenas makes bold prediction about Luka Doncic ahead of the new NBA season

Cricket

“We lost some wickets in the powerplay and that killed the chase” : Harry Brook addresses what went wrong in the chase as Australia take a 2-0 lead

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“We lost some wickets in the powerplay and that killed the chase” : Harry Brook addresses what went wrong in the chase as Australia take a 2-0 lead An experienced Australian team were able to outwit the Three Lions in the second ODI held in Headingley, winning by 68 runs. The world champions were saved by the well marshalled knocks of Alex Carey and Mitchell Marsh who scored 74 and 60 runs respectively, with the former also claiming the man of the match award. Putting up a respectable target of 270 after getting bowled out in 44.4 overs, Mitchell Starc and co. took up the responsibility in bowling. England were already down five wickets inside the powerplay, making it then virtually impossible to hold up in the remainder of the chase. The Three Lions were all out in just 40.2 overs, which showed their incredible dominance and team chemistry in both the innings. Although, English youngsters Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell tried to put up a decent fight, but in the end, were not even close to the required target. “It’s about patience, we’re only two games in” : Harry Brook not concerned after going 2-0 down in the series As the stand-in skipper in the absence of Jos Buttler, Harry Brook has not had the best time captaining this young and inexperienced squad. The 25-year-old himself was able to put up only four runs in the scoresheet, and revealed what went wrong for the side post-match. “I think we bowled nicely to restrict them to 270. Headingley is a tough place to bowl. We lost some wickets in the powerplay and that killed the chase. (On the last-wicket partnership) Set batter, wanted to get the no. 11 on strike, they got early boundaries at the start of the over and it’s tough to restrict the strike. Didn’t think I could have done much different,” said the Englishman. “We have good ball-strikers. We have an inexperience side facing one of the best sides in the world. There are so many positives we can take, we have done everything we said we would do but it’s just that things haven’t gone our way,” Brook added. Australia at one point were 221 runs in with just one wicket left, but Alex Carey firmly held the strike instead of rotating with Josh Hazlewood. The 33-year-old’s knock included eight fours and three sixes which ultimately led the world champions past 250 easily. The England skipper spoke on this, and revealed they planned to keep Hazlewood on strike, but were unable to plan properly. Brook also said that patience is key with this new England side, and that they would require more time to grow and adapt. “We’re a young side, Rash is the highest run-scorer in ODI cricket for us. Inexperienced team playing against one of the best sides in the world – it’s about patience, we’re only two games in,” said the 25-year-old. The Riverside Ground will be hosting the Aussies this coming Tuesday in the third ODI, and Harry Brook’s team has one final chance left to save the series and make it go their way.

Tennis

“I think it’s a bit of a joke, to be honest” : Lewis Hamilton offers support to Max Verstappen amidst FIA row

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“I think it’s a bit of a joke, to be honest” : Lewis Hamilton offers support to Max Verstappen amidst FIA row During the drivers conference at the Singapore GP last week, three-time world champion Max Verstappen was caught swearing while talking about the changes to his car, which led to him receiving a penalty by the FIA. The FIA believes that the Dutchman breached the International Sporting Code as these words cannot be said on live broadcast. Subsequently on Friday, Verstappen was called upon by the stewards where he explained that he believed the word was ‘ordinary’, in his native language at least. “While the Stewards accept that this may be true, it is important for role models to learn to be mindful when speaking in public forums, in particular when not under any particular pressure. The Stewards note that significant fines have been levied for language offensive to or directed at specific groups. This is not the case here. But, as this topic has been raised before, the Stewards determined to order a greater penalty than previously,” in a statement released by the FIA. Max Verstappen is now obliged to work for public interest as a penalty. Following qualification, the 26-year-old also refused to elaborately answer the questions he was asked in Saturday’s FIA press conference, stating that he would ‘get a fine’ again. Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris get in support of the Dutchman The 26-year-old finished second in qualifying, sandwiched between his rival Lando Norris and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. When asked about Verstappen’s punishment, the British duo cited out their thoughts which were in support of the Dutchman. “I think it’s a bit of a joke, to be honest,” stated the seven-time world champion. This is the pinnacle of the sport. Mistakes are made. I certainly wouldn’t be doing it, and I hope Max doesn’t do it,” said the 39-year-old, who wants Verstappen to boycott the penalty (via RacingNews365). “I think it’s pretty unfair, I don’t agree with any of it,” said Norris. The community service will be coordinated by the FIA’s secretary general, with a date yet to be decided. As for the Singapore Grand Prix, the Dutchman finished at second, just behind McLaren’s Lando Norris. Max Verstappen is still the favorite to win this year’s world championship, as he is 52 points clear of the Briton in the rankings. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

Jannik Sinner- Carlos Alcaraz
Tennis

“I think we are gonna build great rivalry” : Carlos Alcaraz hopes his rivalry with Jannik Sinner becomes as great as the Big Three

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“I think we are gonna build great rivalry” : Carlos Alcaraz hopes his rivalry with Jannik Sinner becomes as great as the Big Three After two decades of dominance portrayed by the ‘Big 3’, it is finally time for the next generation to take over, and this current year of tennis clearly showcased that. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the two outright best players in the world right now, which has reflected in their trophy cabinets as both have swept this year’s Grand Slam titles; the Italian comfortably winning the hardcourt titles while the Spainard showed his class in Wimbledon and French Open. With the world no.1 and world no.3 outperforming the majority of top ranked players, debates have obviously sparked about whether or not they can live up to the hype and this sort of consistency just like the ‘Big 3’ did. “He push me to practicing 100% just to try to beat him” : Carlos Alcaraz on Jannik Sinner motivating him to become a better player Prior to the much-awaited Laver Cup, the Spainard reflected on this topic in a recent press conference and revealed that he liked the idea of sharing this rivalry with the Italian. “Well, a lot of people talk about it, I like hearing it, I’m not gonna lie. I hope so. I hope that we our rivalry is going to be or almost that the Big 3 had during the whole career,” said Alcaraz. “I don’t know. This is the first year that we shared all the Grand Slams. Hopefully gonna keep going like that, sharing great moments, fighting for the great tournaments, the Grand Slams, Masters 1000, Masters,” the 21-year-old added. Much like the ‘Big 3’, the two share a friendly relationship off-court as well, and as time passes and they play more and more against each other, this close rivalry may well bloom into an even better relationship. “So, let’s see how it’s gonna be in the future the next few years. If we’re gonna stay like that at this level, I think we are gonna build great rivalry, relationship off the court, as well,” reflected the four-time Grand Slam champion. The duo has already played against each other in nine occasions, with the Spainard slightly in the lead at 5-4. Already termed as one of the best modern rivalries, fans can surely expect close finishes whenever they tune in, as their matches have ended in straight sets only three out of the nine times. In addition to Alcaraz wanting his rivalry with Sinner same as the ‘Big 3’ he also revealed that the Italian pushes him to become a better player so that he can beat him in their upcoming matches. “He push me to practicing 100% just to try to beat him, you know, in the next matches. So it’s great, hopefully having that great rivalry that the Big 3 had in their career,” said the Spaniard. While the world no.1 has taken time off after a very busy summer which included Cincinnati and US Open victories and controversial doping tests, the Spaniard competed at the Laver Cup this weekend, where Team Europe emerged victorious. Also Read: “He managed to find an explanation within 15 days after testing positive” : Casper Ruud defends Jannik Sinner as the tennis world divides on the Italian’s doping case

Mikel Arteta
Football

“We’ve been preparing for this since pre-season” : Mikel Arteta ahead of clash against Manchester City

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“We’ve been preparing for this since pre-season” : Mikel Arteta ahead of clash against Manchester City After a narrow escape against bitter rivals Spurs and an eventful draw against the Europa League champions Atlanta, the Gunners are about to finish their rare hectic week of playing three matches this Sunday, as Manchester City play hosts to them in the season’s most important match, up until now. Pep Guardiola’s team has been a major thorn in the North London club’s side for the past two seasons, and the Spainard is showing no signs of stopping as City aims for five Premier League titles in a row. Arsenal were just two points short of the ‘Cityzens’ last season, and many fans are wondering if this may well be the year that the student Mikel Arteta dethrones his mentor. The previous meeting of these two clubs in the Etihad was rather uneventful, leading to a goalless draw. The Gunners’ failure to score ultimately led to Guardiola’s side taking the crown, with many critical of Arteta’s coaching. City’s pivot Rodri, who was arguably the best player in the league last season, also revealed that he felt like the Gunners came to the Etihad to play for a draw. The big question now is, how Mikel Arteta will set things up this time around to provide an early sting in their rivals’ season. “We have to go there and prove that we can compete” : Mikel Arteta is ready for the biggest challenge of the season till now At the press conference this Friday leading up to the matchday, Arsenal’s manager revealed how much they are looking forward to this matchup, as they have been preparing for it since the pre-season. Not really surprising, as the Gunners would have been champions twice-in-a-row if not for the sheer dominance portrayed by Guardiola and co. “We’ve been preparing for this since pre-season. Obviously, we knew the schedule and we know that it’s extremely rare to play in these conditions with three massive away games in six days,” said Arteta. “But it was what it was so we have prepared for that, both physically, mentally and tactically. We’re making sure that everyone is ready for it because we’re going to need them, especially with the injuries that we had from the international break,” the 42-year-old added. The Spainard coach did not forget to laud Manchester City, as he mentioned that they have been the most consistent side in the history of the Premier League. He is correct about this statement, as bar Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils, no other team in history has been able to consistently perform at this level for multiple seasons. “We go to the home of the champions, the team that I think in Premier League history has been the most consistent ever, not only in terms of results but in terms of dominance and consistent top performances. This is the challenge. We have to go there and prove that again we’ve made another step and we can compete.” explained Mikel Arteta, who was the former assistant to Pep Guardiola in Manchester City. Mikel Arteta knows the ins and outs of City, being one of them for several years. Time has passed, and he has established himself as one of the top ranked managers in the world. This season might turn out to be the most important ever for the Spaniard, as the Gunners are expected to finally dethrone the most dominant team in the modern era.  Also Read: “This year Declan has to change that” : Yaya Toure provides key difference between Rodri and Declan Rice

Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal
Tennis

“I was really excited to share the locker room with him once again” : Carlos Alcaraz reveals he will miss playing with Rafael Nadal after his withdrawal from the Laver Cup

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“I was really excited to share the locker room with him once again” : Carlos Alcaraz reveals he will miss playing with Rafael Nadal after his withdrawal from the Laver Cup This summer’s tennis at the Paris Olympics saw plenty of memorable moments, including the widely awaited dream scenario of the wonderkid Carlos Alcaraz teaming with the greatest Spanish player of all time in tennis. The duo provided fans many iconic moments together, and were able to reach till the quarterfinals of the men’s doubles as well. The duo was set to play in the highly anticipated Laver Cup as part of Team Europe, with the 38-year-old legend set to play his first match since the Olympics. But after the Spainard’s withdrawal from the US Open, he took to social media to announce his withdrawal from the Laver Cup as well. “I’m really disappointed to share that I won’t be able to compete at the Laver Cup in Berlin next week. This is a team competition and to really support Team Europe, I need to do what’s best for them and at this moment there are other players who can help the team deliver the win. I wish Team Europe the very best of luck and will be cheering them on from afar,” said the Spainard. Grigor Dimitrov has already been announced as the Spaniard’s replacement, and the Bulgarian is set to join Bjorn Borg’s star-studded squad which includes Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud. “It would have been super special to repeat here in Berlin” : Carlos Alcaraz was hoping to play alongside his idol once again Although Team Europe are the favourites this time around to win the Laver Cup, the tournament has certainly lost the fan appeal due to the Spanish legend’s withdrawal. In addition to the increased competition, the cup is also the means for fans to view rivals and friends turned into teammates, all pushing forward for the same goal. The reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz was probably the most disappointed after hearing the news of Nadal’s withdrawal. The youngster has revealed multiple times that Rafael Nadal has been his favourite to watch growing up, and he considers him as his idol. Alcaraz in a recent interview reflected his sadness over the 22-time Grand Slam champion not participating in the Laver Cup. “It would have been super special to repeat here in Berlin. When they gave the team and I saw that Rafa was coming, I was really excited to share the locker room with him once again,” said the Spainard (via Marca). “Here at the Laver Cup we are all much closer together and it would have been a unique experience. I am going to miss him and I hope he returns to the courts soon when he feels well. I hope we meet at some tournament soon.” the 21-year-old added. Alcaraz also revealed that he heard from Spanish captain David Ferrer that Nadal might be returning to play the Davis Cup for his country, chances of that being high since the event is set to be held in December. “I heard David [Ferrer] say that if Rafa was there, he would go all out with him. I hope I’m also physically fit to be able to go to Malaga. It’s something that I’m particularly excited about and I hope Rafa is there too.” Alcaraz said. “Rafa is one of the greatest in the history of our sport. For me, he is my idol, he is the one I watched the matches with when I was a child. I have tried to learn from him as much as I could during the time we were together.  I will miss him in Berlin because it was a unique opportunity to continue learning from him. He has been a unique tennis player,” the four-time Grand Slam winner added. With the 38-year-old participating in less and less tournaments as time passes, it has given fans the hint that not long is left before the Spanish legend’s legendary career ends. Fans worldwide will surely be tuning into every single match of Rafael Nadal from now on, hoping that it is not his last. Also Read: “If we could unite them, we would still have a super champion” : Serb’s former trainer believes that Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal’s skillsets can still make a quality winner

Featured

Bryce James ‘confident’ that he can beat his father LeBron James

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Bryce James ‘confident’ that he can beat his father LeBron James in a 1v1 situation The ‘King’ will be making history as he will be the first player in NBA to have his own son as a teammate, as rookie Bronny James Jr. is set to compete with the Los Angeles Lakers this coming season. But out of the two sons of LeBron, it is the younger one who is usually lauded as a better player and someone who can be one of the top picks in the NBA draft. Bryce James who is only 17, is about to enter his first year in college basketball. His development and progress have been tracked down since many years, and it is believed that he possesses a special ‘flair’ in his game, much like his own father. Being naturally poised in the shooting guard position, Bryce’s game is focused more on shooting, dribbling and technical play. But a recent video gone viral may have pointed out a flaw (or a big mindset) about Bryce. The 17-year-old believes that he can outwit one of the greatest basketball players in a 1v1. Bryce James is not afraid of a challenge In a recent X (formerly known as Twitter) post by NBA Future Stars Now, Bryce was seen getting interviewed, as he revealed the different kinds of advice that LeBron has given him about his game throughout the years, and also how he has inspired Bryce personally, coming from humbling backgrounds. But the main talking point about this post was when the 17-year-old was asked about a question with a rather obvious answer. “Who do you think would win 1 on 1, you or your dad?” Bryce James answered with a straight face that he would be able to best his dad. Although he may well have been talking ironically, but can he really beat the ‘King’ with no one’s help? The short answer is – no, at least not just yet. LeBron James, who recently won the FIBA Olympics MVP award is still not going down at the age of 39, and history has taught us that it never goes well betting against the Lakers superstar. Bryce still has a few years left to unlock his true potential, and if he could play with his dad in the NBA is a matter of luck and time. But seeing how well his progress is going, the 17-year-old may well surprise even his dad in 1v1. Also Read: “He will probably be the number one candidate for MVP” : Gilbert Arenas makes bold prediction about Luka Doncic ahead of the new NBA season

Formula 1

“I don’t like how he’s expressed it” : Lewis Hamilton criticizes FIA President Ben Sulayem’s ‘racial’ comments

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“I don’t like how he’s expressed it” : Lewis Hamilton criticizes FIA President Ben Sulayem’s ‘racial’ comments Ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, FIA President Ben Sulayem pointed out that he needs to make some changes which will lead to the use of less explicit language broadcast by FOM (Formula One Management), as they have the power to control F1 sessions. This change would have been met with no controversies, if not for the way the Emirati described his wish, which has led to many serious criticisms being passed on. “We have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music. We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us],” said the 62-year-old (via Autosport). Although Sulayem’s main concern was already understood, it has been overshadowed by his way of describing this event. Many around the world of F1 have stated their opinions on this matter, including the main stars of the show like Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. “I think those were the wrong choice of words” : Lewis Hamilton stages his concern over the FIA President’s remarks When asked about his point of view in this matter, the Briton first expressed that he understood the concern of Sulayem, but then quickly frowned about the way it was expressed. Hamilton also reflected that the example provided by the FIA President was stereotypical and on the ‘racial’ side. “With what he said, I don’t like how he expressed it,” Hamilton said. “Saying rappers is very stereotypical as most rappers are black. It really kind of points towards ‘we are not like them’, so I think those were the wrong choice of words and there’s a racial element there,” said the Briton. “I agree things need clearing up a bit but it is also good to have some emotion as we are not robots.” the 39-year-old added. Apart from the seven-time world champion, the current frontrunners to win this year’s championship, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have also voted against the Emirati boss’s words, reflecting upon the fact that swearing eventually occurs during races, and that the broadcasters should do a better job in handling them. “I think you will swear anyway. If it’s not in this room maybe somewhere else. Everyone swears, some people a bit more than others.” the three-time world champion said. “They can just not play the radios. We are the guys in the heat of the moment, under stress, under pressure, having big crashe,.” revealed Norris. The team radio is one of the most important aspects during a race, and when the going gets tough, drivers tend to pull out their more explicit side due to the pressure they are dealing with in the circuit. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

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