Sports

OHIO STATE ABUSE ALLEGATIONS DOCUSERIES

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Docuseries will be the first of its kind to extensively examine the decades-long scandal uncovered in the Sports Illustrated digital cover story by Executive Editor Jon Wertheim

Smokehouse Pictures and Sports Illustrated Studios announced today that they will produce a docuseries based on Wertheim’s groundbreaking digital cover story detailing prolific alleged abuse at Ohio State University (OSU). The series will further detail the scandal that lasted three decades and left many questioning how this victimization went largely unreported.

Sports Illustrated executive editor and senior writer Jon Wertheim – one of the most accomplished sports journalists in America – broke the story on the October 5, 2020 digital cover: “Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal?” The in-depth expose revealed the extent of Ohio State’s sports doctor Richard Strauss’ alleged sexual assaults and manipulation of over 350 (reported) student athletes.

Jon Wertheim explained: “This article uncovers the most widespread sexual abuse scandal in the history of American higher education. It is a story about power, abuse, enabling and the hierarchy of college sports that had been concealed for far too long. Because these courageous men made the decision to remain silent no longer, we can finally begin to hold the abuser, and those who were complicit in their silence, accountable for their actions–and inactions. With the help of 101 Studios, Authentic Brands Group and Smokehouse Pictures, their voices and stories–harrowing as they are–will be amplified.”

For the first time ever – UFC Heavyweight Champion and OSU alum, Mark Coleman, provided Wertheim with his detailed account and disclosed Strauss’ administration of anabolic steroids. In addition, Coleman (among others) has alleged that Congressman Jim Jordan knowingly ignored Strauss’ alleged abuse to the athletes as he served as the OSU Assistant Wrestling Coach from 1986-1994. No one believed that the alphas of campus, the star wrestlers and NFL-bound football players, could be sexually abused by a man.

Even after the school identified merit behind Strauss’ alleged abuse claims, he was simply and quietly let go. No formal reports were ever filed, and he remained on the university’s payroll as a tenured professor. Strauss’ behavior continued unchecked when he was able to open a private men’s clinic in Columbus, just down the street from campus. He continued to operate this clinic until his death by suicide in 2005.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov from Smokehouse Pictures emphasized: “We’re very pleased to partner with 101 Studios and Sports Illustrated in bringing this devastating and tragic story to light.”

“It’s enormously important that we continue to shine a light on this ongoing, painful story and further explore its wide-ranging effects” said Marc Rosen, President, Entertainment at Authentic Brands Group, who in partnership with 101 Studios formed Sports Illustrated Studios in 2020. Rosen continued: “We are lucky to be able to tap into the exceptional journalism of Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim, and we are incredibly proud and humbled to bring even more awareness to his investigation.”

Strauss’ hundreds of victims continue to seek justice. Only 162 have reached a settlement of $250,000 each and there are over 250 claims still pending.

George Clooney and Grant Heslov of Smokehouse Pictures will serve as Executive Producers along with Jon Wertheim, Jamie Salter, Corey Salter and Marc Rosen of Sports Illustrated Studios, and David Glasser, Ron Burkle and Bob Yari of 101 Studios.

Andrew Kramer of Loeb & Loeb negotiated the deal on behalf of Sports Illustrated Studios.

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About Smokehouse Pictures:

Smokehouse Pictures is a motion picture and television company founded in 2006 by George Clooney and Grant Heslov. Smokehouse’s film Good Night and Good Luck, garnered a total of six Academy nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. The company also produced the Academy Award-winning Best Picture Argo, the Academy Award nominated The Ides of March and August: Osage County as well as: Suburbicon, Money Monster, Our Brand is Crisis, The Monuments Men, The American, Leatherheads and The Men Who Stare at Goats. Clooney and Heslov also directed and served as Executive Producers on the Golden Globe and Emmy nominated Catch-22, a six-part limited series for Hulu based on the Joseph Heller novel. Their most recent project was The Midnight Sky for Netflix which Clooney starred in and directed. Smokehouse is currently in production on the Clooney directed The Tender Bar for Amazon.

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About Sports Illustrated Studios

Established in 2020, Sports Illustrated Studios is a media production company that develops, produces, and distributes long-form film, television, and audio content based on the stories of world-class Sports Illustrated journalists from today, tomorrow, and the past 65 years of the brand’s history. Sports Illustrated Studios seeks to reimagine and recreate the most memorable moments in sports history in cutting edge and unexpected ways for audiences worldwide. Upcoming projects include Paradise Found based on the true story of high school football coach Rick Prinz; the feature film Red Rose Crew based on the riveting true story of the US international women’s crew team and the docuseries Covers, a behind-the-scenes look at Sports Illustrated’s top cover stories of all time.

BIG SEAN × DETROIT PISTONS

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The Detroit Pistons announced hip-hop icon and Detroit-native Big Sean will become the organization’s Creative Director of Innovation. In this role, Big Sean will provide creative counsel and strategic guidance on a variety of Pistons off-the-court initiatives, including team merchandise design, in-game experience, co-branded community, and social responsibility activation, and more.

To kick off the partnership, Big Sean has added his Don Life logo to the Pistons practice jersey. Photos of the jerseys are attached.

“Sean is an accomplished artist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. Having spent time with him and his family I know how deeply he cares about the city of Detroit,” said Pistons Owner Tom Gores. “We share a common desire to use the power of sports and entertainment to improve our community and make a positive impact on people’s lives. I’m excited to see what we can do working together.”

Central to the partnership, the Pistons and the Sean Anderson Foundation will work together and engage Detroiters through future community initiatives and programming. The six-time Grammy nominee will also curate music for Pistons in-game entertainment, including halftime performances and DJ playlists. Additionally, Big Sean will participate in creative sessions and spearhead collaborations with the Pistons design team to launch custom merchandise line extensions.

“It’s a dream come true and a real honor to get to work with the iconic Detroit Pistons,” said Big Sean. “I grew up in the city, which naturally made me a fan of the Bad Boys. I would later have a Grant Hill poster on my wall and then, against all odds, would watch the ’04 Pistons go on to win the Championship, inspiring the whole city of Detroit. I look forward to creatively finding new ways to contribute to their legacy and continue their dedication to the community through sports, art, and, of course, music.”

Detroit Pistons Chief Business Officer Mike Zavodsky lauded the addition of Big Sean and sees the partnership as a natural fit for the Pistons and their newly launched D-Up brand campaign.

“Big Sean embodies everything the Pistons organization and our D-Up campaign is about – creativity, hard work, and the people of Detroit,” said Zavodsky. “Big Sean and the Pistons are both a part of the fabric of Detroit, and we look forward to this partnership reflecting the culture of the city we both call home.”

FOLLOW BIG SEAN:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | SPOTIFY

Michael Phelps – Seeing a life through the prism of success

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Phelps is one of the biggest Olympians ever born. Arguably he is the best swimmer from the United States. His life is a modern-tale, but many hours are invested in self-development. Michael Phelps looks at life through the prism of success. With the desire to win and passion in swimming, he wrote his name in the Olympics books. What’s the actual process of Michael’s training? Is it a myth that Michael swims for hours every single day without a ‘rest’? With this post, we will dig deeper and find the actual process that took Michael from an average swimmer to a world-champion.

Clean water in the swimming pool

Michael’s training consists of two parts every day. He will go swimming in the morning. The second part of the daily routine starts in the evening to finish the day on a high note. There were many trainers in Michael’s career, and all of them know that crystal clear water is the basic need for every swimmer. Training gets easier for a swimmer if the water is clean. If you own a swimming pool, you’ll need swimming pool services to control water quality. When the water in the swimming pool is not controlled, it may lead to serious injuries. As a swimmer, you’ll need help from experienced people to clean water with various flirtations systems. So, Michael’s first rule was the clean water in the swimming pool.

“People underestimate the power of sleep.”

In one of the interviews with CNBC, Michael Phelps admitted that sleeping schedule helps him get better. Michael has won races in the swimming pool with just a few millimetres and milliseconds. Michael realised that he learned the power of sleep at an early age, and it was a big secret to his success. Phelps noted that he couldn’t express the importance of sleep with the words. People always underestimate and overlook the power of sleep when it comes to a proper training regime. For Michael, sleep is a time when his body can recover from daily work.

Michael Phelps was training from 3 to 5 hours a day, every day without a rest. His body required a good recovery regime, so sleep was the only option. Phelps added that the sleep regime was different. Getting 8 hours of night sleep is essential for every athlete, but if you want to go extra-mile in the marathons or swimming races, you’ll need to take 1-2 hours nap in the early afternoon.

Put pressure on him.

Olympian was an excellent swimmer from early childhood. His childhood trainer says that Michael was always the best in the school. Even the adults could not beat his time, and he was proud of any achievements. Bob Bowman admitted that Michael was a very tough guy to break; he was training a few hours a day. Once Bob asked Michael to stop swimming and go home. The trainer told Michael that his body could be tired after three hours of training. Michael looked straight into Bob’s eyes and reminded him that his body is never exhausted. At that moment, Bob knew that Michael could become the world’s first swimmer without any doubt. The trainer increased the pressure on Michael, and the swimmer was performing better and better. It’s believed that people show true potential under pressure.

Vocabulary without “CAN’T”

Bob Bowman said that Michael Phelps knew nothing about the word “CAN’T”. Trainer asked Michael to forget about that word in early childhood. Phelps knows that he can achieve everything, and he needs to focus his energy on particular tasks. Phelps admitted that he has broad thinking and knows that nothing is impossible in this world. Michael says that to achieve success in a specific space, you need to focus only on possibilities.

Give up good for a best

In the first sentence of the article, we wrote that Michael’s life is like a tale. At the same time, his life is full of rewarded risks. In the interview, Michael said that he risked his personal life, and everything worked perfectly in the end. He gave up good for the best achievements. Michael gave up late-night parties, hookups and friend reunions for the best – Olympic medals and legacy.

Phelps noted that not everyone is ready to give up on social life. Not everyone has to give up their social life because they want to live with a different perspective. Michael wanted to have a significant legacy, and swimming was his success tool. The Olympian admitted that training every day could be boring and tiring on most days, but that’s the life of a champion. If you are willing to take a risk, go all in just like Michael.

Watch video HERE.

Trash talk as a fuel

The Gold medalist knows that he has to be very silent in the pool. Michael admitted that he is getting silent when he enters the training. He noted that trash talking about others is not his cup of tea. At the same time, Michael admitted that he loves hearing people talking trash about him. Phelps loves stories when people trash talk and drag him down with absurd reasons. Swimmer said that he could use trash talk as a fuel to work harder and get better results.

Focused only on himself

Michael Phelps is focused only on himself. When it comes to achieving goals, the swimmer knows that he has to fight against his weaknesses. Michael said that he is trying to improve his weaknesses every day in the swimming pool. “I’m always staying in my lane,” said Michael, who believes that working on improvement is way better than focusing on the weaknesses of an opponent.

The Olympic winner says that he loves focusing on himself. If he wants to achieve something, it depends on his work ethic. There is one way to success – focus on you and create a better self. Michael Phelps said that he can’t control how other people act in different situations – he can control his actions and path. So, that’s why he worried about his actions and daily habits – it worked well in the end.

THE ECONOMIC SUPER BOWL

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In midst of a pandemic that devastated society, including sports, the total wealth of 64 billionaire sports barons shot up by $98.5 billion, or over 30 percent. Taxpayer subsidies for stadiums of 26 billionaire team owners have totaled $9 billion since 1990, with most in last decade.

We won’t know the winner of this year’s Super Bowl till Sunday, but we already know the big winners in our COVID-ravaged economy include dozens of billionaire sports barons.

On the eve of the big game, and after 10 plus months of the pandemic, 64 billionaire owners of major league sports franchises—including the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs’ Hunt family and the NFC champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Glazer family—have enjoyed a $98.5 billion rise in their collective net worth, a 30 percent increase, as millions of fans have fallen ill, lost jobs, neared eviction, gone hungry and died due to the coronavirus.

The 64 billionaires, who together own or co-own 68 professional sports franchises, had a combined wealth of $426 billion on January 29, 2021. This number is up from $326 billion on March 18, 2020, roughly since the start of the pandemic lockdowns, according to a new analysis by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF), and data analysis from Forbes and Wealth-X. (Note: The increase in total billionaire wealth from March to January was $100 billion, but has been adjusted to $98.5 billion because an additional billionaire reached that status in January 2021.)

The sports billionaires’ private gain in the midst of so much public pain is particularly galling since many of their franchises have been the beneficiaries of taxpayer handouts. Over the past several decades, according to data maintained by Field of Schemes, 28 pro sports teams owned by 26 billionaires have received $9 billion in taxpayer subsidies (see Table here) to help build or update stadiums and arenas and make other investments that billionaires could presumably afford on their own. These publicly subsidized team owners have seen their wealth increase $45 billion since mid-March.

For the full report go to Pandemic Super Bowl 2021: Billionaires Win, We Lose.

Over the past five years—when a lot of sweetheart tax deals were cut—the collective wealth of sports billionaires shot up $165 billion, or 67 percent. Their combined wealth of $247 billion in March 2016 had grown to $426 billion by January 29 of this year. (Nine billionaires on the list in 2021 were not billionaires in 2016, accounting for the $14 billion discrepancy.)

The $98.5 billion wealth gain by 64 sports franchise billionaires since March 2020 could pay for:

A stimulus check of $1,400 for over 70 million Americans—almost half of the 153 million people who likely will be eligible under the pandemic relief plan proposed by President Biden based on the 2020 stimulus payments.
More than one-third of the $290 billion cost of providing $400-a-week supplements to existing unemployment benefits through September, as proposed by President Biden in his COVID rescue plan.

March 18 is used as the unofficial beginning of the pandemic because by then most federal and state economic restrictions responding to the virus were in place. Moreover, March 18 was also the date on which Forbes estimated billionaire wealth for the 2020 version of its annual report. That report provided a detailed baseline that ATF and IPS have been comparing periodically with real-time data from the Forbes website. [See past reports here] This methodology has been favorably reviewed by PolitiFact.

Last March is when the nation’s emergency response to the deadly virus threw professional sports, along with the rest of society, into turmoil. Thousands of low-paid stadium and arena workers lost their jobs as sports seasons were cancelled and curtailed.

The long winning streak of America’s billionaire sports owners is just part of the dominance of a national dynasty of 661 U.S. billionaires whose wealth has grown by $1.2 trillion, or 40%, during the pandemic. The number has climbed from $2.9 trillion on March 18 to $4.13 trillion, as of January 29, 2021 (see link here for all data).

Though only one of their teams will lift the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champs this year, both the Chiefs’ Hunt family—specifically, Ray Lee Hunt and W. Herbert Hunt—and the Bucs’ Glazer family will continue their long reigns among the nation’s biggest economic winners. The Hunts’ net worth is estimated by Forbes at $6.3 billion, up $482 million during the COVID crisis. The Chiefs received $250 million in taxpayer subsidies for stadium renovations in 2006.

The Buc’s Glazer family is worth an estimated $1.7 billion, according to Wealth-X. Taxpayers provided a total of $218 million in subsidies for construction and renovation of the Buccaneer stadium in 1998 and 2015.

Sixty U.S. billionaires—roughly one in ten of the country’s 661 total billionaires—own one or more major league professional sports teams in the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), Major League Baseball (MBL), and National Hockey League (NHL). Four other billionaires—three from Canada and one from Germany—own four additional teams.

“These billionaire sports barons have seen their wealth rise as their fans lose their lives, livelihoods, health and wealth,” said Chuck Collins, director of the Institute for Policy Studies, Program on Inequality. “As a country, we should be investigating pandemic profiteering and taxing windfall gains during these extraordinary times.”

“The Super Bowl brings the whole nation together, but we have not come together as a country to beat the pandemic,” said Americans for Tax Fairness executive director Frank Clemente. “Billionaire sports owners have continued their long winning streak of ever-growing fortunes while fans at home are losing their lives and livelihoods. Real team work would require billionaires to pay their fair share of taxes so we can get the whole U.S. back to its winning ways.”

“Every year, wealthy sports team owners rake in more than two billion dollars in taxpayer subsidies for new stadiums and arenas that, according to innumerable economic studies, provide zero measurable economic benefit to the public,” said Neil DeMause, co-author of Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money Into Private Profit, and editor of the stadium news site. “Letting billionaire owners socialize their costs and privatize their profits has allowed the rich to get richer, while starving local governments of revenue to pay for schools and other genuine public needs.”

Tax reform that ensures the wealthy pay their fair share—the principle President Biden’s tax plan is built on—would transform a good chunk of those huge billionaire gains into public revenue to help heal a hurting nation. But getting at that big boost in billionaire fortunes is not as simple as raising tax rates: tax rules let the rich delay, diminish and even ultimately avoid any tax on the growth in their wealth. What’s needed is structural change to how wealth is taxed.

The most direct approach is an annual wealth tax on the biggest fortunes, proposed by Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, among others. Another option is the annual taxation of investment gains on stocks and other tradable assets, an idea advanced by the new Senate Finance Committee chair, Ron Wyden. Even under the current discounted tax rates for investment income, if Wyden’s plan had been in effect in 2020 America’s billionaire sports owners would be paying billions of dollars in extra taxes this spring thanks to their gargantuan pandemic profits last year. Another reform is needed to significantly strengthen the estate tax so that the riches accumulated by these ultra-wealthy sports franchise owners pay their fair share of taxes when these dynasties get passed onto their heirs.

Super Bowl STEM Activities

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With millions of families tuning into Super Bowl LV to see if Tom Brady will win another championship, there is also a great opportunity to introduce some fun activities that will keep kids learning and active.

Youth sports and learning experts at Skyhawks Sports Academy and STEM Sports® recommend two fun activities to get children learning and active for Super Bowl weekend. The activities are easy to learn and use objects found in most households. Bonus–there may or may not be a STEM education hidden in these activities, so it is a win-win.

Farthest Football Throw: We all know a key skill for a quarterback is to throw the football accurately and for distance, but even the pros fall short or overthrow the ball. So, grab a football and measuring tape and start a fun competition to see which family member can throw the ball the farthest. Have each person try it 3 times and record the results. This activity will also teach your children math skills as they calculate the distance between the farthest and the shortest throws.
Glove Grip Test: Notice how many football players wear gloves during the game? It’s not because they’re cold, it’s because the gloves give them a better grip while catching and passing the ball. To test it out, gather different types of gloves you may find around the house – sports gloves, boxing gloves, leather gloves, mittens, dish cleaning gloves, or even disposable gloves. Try passing the football and catching it from different distances and with different gloves to notice the difference in grip and accuracy when throwing and catching.

With football being such a popular sport, these easy and fun activities provide the perfect opportunity to introduce kids to science and math concepts, as well as get them away from their screens and moving around. Consider spending a commercial break doing one of these activities, or pivoting to any of these activities if things aren’t going well for your team.

For children interested in taking STEM learning to the next level, Skyhawks and STEM Sports® offer in-person and virtual programs using sports as the real-life application to teach science, technology, engineering, and math skills. Skyhawks also offers Flag Football camps for children between the ages of 5 and 12 and in a variety of formats in communities across the country. Current program offerings continue to follow proven COVID-19 protocols per state and local guidelines. Winter programming is currently underway, and more information, schedules, and registration are available on the Skyhawks’ website.

About Skyhawks Sports Academy

Skyhawks Sports Academy is a youth sports camp organization based in Spokane, Washington. Skyhawks was founded in Spokane in 1979 as a soccer program for children to learn sports in a fun, safe and non-competitive environment. Skyhawks currently offers programs in more than 11 different sports including Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, Baseball, Multi-Sport, Tennis, Mini-Hawk, Lacrosse, Golf, Volleyball, Cheerleading, and Track & Field for children ages 4-14 across North America. The format of our programs includes traditional weeklong summer day camps, year-round after-school programs, sports leagues, and clinics. For more information, visit their website.

About STEM Sports®

STEM Sports® provides turnkey K-8 supplemental curricula that use various sports as the real-life application to teach science, technology, engineering, and math skills in classrooms, after-school programs, and camps. Our double-play combination of physical activity and cognitive thinking provides a comprehensive, inquiry-based educational experience and a solution for crucial STEM literacy for students. As a result, students develop critical thinking, collaboration, creative problem-solving, and leadership skills that can be applied throughout their education and future careers.

Aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and National Standards for K-12 Physical Education, our curricula will cultivate and promote participants’ STEM engagement and retention. STEM Sports® provides all of the necessary and relevant sports equipment along with the entire list of supplies called for in the teacher/administer manual and all of the items have a long-lasting shelf life. Learn more on their website.

Q×A with Jamaine Ortiz

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Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz, an up and coming, 23-year-old boxer, is making his name in the world of boxing. After growing up in Worcester, Massachusetts, the young boxer turned pro in 2016. His amateur record is 100-14 and he has already won many awards for his skill.

During the recent Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. fight that was shown on pay-per-view, Ortiz was victorious over Sulaiman Segawa of Silver Spring, Maryland. After scoring a technical knockout in the last 10 seconds of the seventh round, Ortiz gained the WBC USNBC Silver lightweight title. This was his first fight outside of New England and he certainly made himself known in the fighting community. After winning this fight, Ortiz jumped from 76th to 44th in the world for the lightweight division. If he keeps winning, Ortiz is predicted to fight for a major world title by late 2021.

360 Magazine sat down with Ortiz to ask him questions about his professional career, personal life and future.

What was your upbringing like? Was there always a focus on athletics?

I started boxing at seven years old, and I was always an athletic kid, playing sports and outside.

Where did you learn to box?

I learned how to box at the Boys & Girls Club of Ionic Ave.

Why boxing?

I use to get into fights as a kid, I like that its a one on one sport I don’t have to rely on anyone. Over time, I noticed I was winning a lot and kept it going.

Who are your role models, boxing or otherwise?

My role model was my coach Carlos Garcia.

You’re currently the Undefeated World Boxing Youth World lightweight champion. What does this accomplishment mean to you?

I’m actually the former Youth World lightweight champion due to my age since I turned 24 last April, currently, I hold the WBC USNBC Silver lightweight title. The accomplishment is just a stepping stone, I have far more to go and I understand its a process and this is part of the process.

Your nickname is ‘The Technician’ where does this come from?

A technician is a person skilled in an art or craft by dictionary standards and when it comes to boxing, and me being a carpenter, I’m now an active trader. It was a perfect fit since everything I do, including things in my personal life, I’m technical about it. So it’s a name that reflects more than just boxing.

You’ve been boxing competitively for more than a decade. How have you evolved during that time, technique-wise and also personally?

Time is the mother of greatness, practicing repeatedly overtime is only natural; I’m going to get better.

How has your career been impacted by COVID-19 and 2020?

Luckily I was able to get a fight right before the impact of covid came I didn’t get to fight as much as I normally would. I probably would have had about 4 fights in a year but I had two with the last one being a great exposure bout.

Tell us about your interests outside of boxing.

I enjoy nature and I spend most of my time with family. Always working on self-development, a lot of stocks, and trying to find real estate deals.

Do you still have Olympic aspirations? What are your future boxing goals?

Olympics of boxing is an amateur sport but recently I think in 2016, they allowed pros to compete but it is heavily dominated by amateurs. In the next year, I see myself becoming World Champion at the lightweight Division and reaching for that pound for pound list.

What is your go-to move in a fight?

Not sure, probably switching from orthodox to southpaw.

What makes you unique as a boxer?

My ability to switch stances easily and my technique.

NHL All-Star Dylan Larkin Joins BODYARMOUR

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BODYARMOR Sports Drink, the fastest-growing sports drink in the category, today announced a new partnership with Detroit Red Wings Centerman and NHL All-Star Dylan Larkin as the brand’s newest athlete partner.

Larkin’s partnership with BODYARMOR makes him the latest addition to BODYARMOR’s impressive athlete roster, including Kyler Murray, Mookie Betts, Christian McCaffrey, James Harden, Naomi Osaka, Mike Trout, Ja Morant, and Megan Rapinoe. In addition to its robust athlete partner roster, BODYARMOR is the Official Sports Drink of the UFC, Major League Soccer, and the US Open.

Larkin joins the BODYARMOR team at a pivotal time for the brand as its growth continues to accelerate and challenge competitors in the category. Now the No. 2 sports drink sold in convenience stores nationwide, BODYARMOR has incredible momentum and is on track for nearly $1 billion in retail sales by the end of 2020.

Chadwick Boseman

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Although Chadwick Boseman passed earlier this year, his 44th birthday would be coming up on November 29. To commemorate Boseman, National Today has created Chadwick Boseman Day in his honor.

Boseman accomplished many things over his 44 years of life and has inspired people everywhere. He always encompassed black excellence and this shines through in each role he portrayed throughout his career.

As T’CHalla in Black Panther, Boseman gave young people of color a hero to look up to in the Marvel universe. This was a monumental role as the first black superhero for Marvel. He also represented the first African American Supreme Court Justice in the movie Marshall. In the famous film 42, Boseman took on the lead as Jackie Robinson, the first black MLB player. These roles only highlight Boseman’s wildly successful career. He took on powerful roles that gave representation to the African American community and will be remembered for these roles and many others.

Chadwick Boseman passed after a four year battle with colon cancer on Friday, August 28, 2020. In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with stage three cancer which had progressed to stage four. Boseman was able to pass at home surrounded by family.

Boseman’s passing, whose struggle with cancer was not often in the public eye, came as a shock to a majority. Even Sarah Halley Finn, who casted Boseman for the role of King T’Challa in “Black Panther” did not know he was battling cancer.
According to Vulture, “Finn had no idea the actor had been diagnosed with stage three cancer when cameras rolled on Black Panther in 2017.”

Chadwick Boseman not only was an actor, but a pillar in the black community often playing roles of historical black men, such as Jackie Robinison in “42”. His latest role as King T’Challa in “Black Panther” and the Avengers series was a historical role itself.

The black community had never seen a super hero represent them before and Chadwick Boseman’s adaptation of T’Challa provided many young boys and girls a super hero that looked just like them.

Boseman’s humble spirit was always felt throughout Hollywood. CNN entertainment shared the story of Boseman praising fellow actor, Denzel Washington, for his charity that allowed Boseman to pursue acting.

From pulled quotes from Boseman’s speech at the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019, the story of how Washington paid for Boseman’s tuition at the British American Drama Academy’s Midsummer program after Boseman was accepted but could not attend because he could not afford it. Washington not only helped pay for this program, but helped pay for Boseman to attend Howard University.

Boseman recounted how the sponsorship was “an offering from a sage and a king is more than silver and gold. It is a seed of hope, a bud of faith.”

“There is no Black Panther without Denzel Washington,” Boseman said. “And not just because of me, but my whole cast — that generation — stands on your shoulders.”

Boseman’s role as T’Challa was much more than that, a role. This role became a national symbol of black power and strength. The “Wakanda Forever” gesture of arms crossed over the chest, became a symbol itself of perseverance and pride.

CBS New York spoke to people in New York about how Blank Panther made them feel. “Thirteen-year-old Brehima Gueye says watching Boseman in the 2018 Marvel film “Black Panther” gave him purpose and a sense of pride.”

According to CBS, “Family members say Boseman was a true fighter who continued to work while undergoing surgeries and chemotherapy for colon cancer that progressed to stage four.”

On August 29, 2020 fans in Los Angeles attended a vigil at Leimert Park where they remembered the impact Boseman had within the black community. The Los Angeles Times stated, “Boseman’s death in the midst of so much racial tension in the country serves as reminder to keep fighting for racial justice like he did.”

Fans of the franchise worry about how it will continue on without Boseman but are hopeful that Wakanda and King T’Challa’s legacy will live on.

Boseman’s role in not only Hollywood, but within the black community and as a symbol of black strength will not be forgotten. While his role for the Avengers franchise brought monetary achievements, it brought much more than that. It brought a symbol of power, endurance and hope that will forever be immortalized on screen.

Robinson Cano Suspended for PED

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By Hannah DiPilato

Major League Baseball player Robinson Cano has been suspended after testing positive for stanozolol, a performance-enhancing drug. MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, confirmed on Wednesday in a statement that Cano will be banned for the entire 2021 season.

This is the 38-year-old’s second suspension due to testing positive for PED. In 2018, while Cano played for the Seattle Mariners, he tested positive for using diuretic and missed 80 games according to ESPN.

At the time of his first offense, Cano said the diuretic “was given to me by a licensed doctor in the Dominican Republic to treat a medical ailment.” He said he was unaware the drug was banned in the MLB.

In the MLB, testing positive for a PED a second time will result in an automatic 162 game suspension. This rule is an agreement between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association.

Neither Cano nor the players’ union has made a statement about his second positive test for a PED.

“We were extremely disappointed to be informed about Robinson’s suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,” said Mets president Sandy Alderson in a statement. “The violation is very unfortunate for him, the organization, our fans, and the sport. The Mets fully support MLB’s efforts toward eliminating performance-enhancing substances from the game.”

Cano will have to forfeit his 2021 salary where he was set to make $24 million. According to Fox Business, Cano is still set to make $48 million between 2022 and 2023. The Mets are responsible for $40 million while the Mariners agreed to pay the remaining $8 million.

The news of Cano’s suspension is great news for player DJ LeMaiheu. According to the New York Post, LeMaiheu would be the perfect player for either the New York Mets or the New York Yankees to add to their rosters. After rejecting an $18.9 million qualifying offer from the Yankees, LeMaiheu is a free agent.

After the loss of Cano for the 2021 season, the Mets are now in need of a starting second baseman. This adds to the list of starting positions that the Mets are seeking out since they are already looking for a starting pitcher, catcher and center field. The Mets could also start Jeff McNeil at second base, a position he would be comfortable in.

Cano was traded to the Mets in 2018 sending player Jared Kelenic to the Mariners. Throughout his 16 seasons playing the sport, Cano is a .303 hitter with 334 home runs, 1,302 RBIs and two Gold Gloves according to ESPN.

Cano was on his way to achieving 3,000 career hits and was at 2,624 before his suspension. This suspension will certainly create uncertainty for the future of his baseball career.

Wonderfilm Announces Its Latest Feature, All In, Has Begun Filming in Boston

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Against all odds, the students, faculty, staff and parents of one of the smallest private educational facilitiesin America band together to save their school. How they did it was nothing short of a miracle.

Emmy Award winning producers, Jeff Bowler and Bret Saxon’s Wonderfilm Media just completed the forth of eight weeks of principal photography on the highly anticipated documentary, All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s. The feature-length documentary is based on the incredible true story of how St. Bernard’s, a small private Catholic high school in Fitchburg,

Massachusetts, found itself 100 years after its founding, facing a dramatic shut-down. The film follows the community as they pour their hearts and souls into saving their school from being permanently shuttered. A miracle ensues.

A Real-Life David and Goliath Story

With enrollment dwindling, by 2018 St. Bernard’s was the smallest school in the commonwealth of Massachusetts, with a total of 99 students. The Catholic Diocese of Worcester made the difficult decision to close the school. Led by the school’s principal, Linda Anderson, students, parents, faculty, alumni and the townspeople of Fitchburg hatched an idea to raise enough money to take the school independent and keep it open. They worked tirelessly to raise the daunting amounts needed. Unfortunately, like the school, the town was struggling, and fundraising proved extremely difficult. With quickly approaching deadlines, extreme pressure from the budget shortfalls, the Diocesan Superintendent of Schools informed all parties of the dire straits they were facing, and that short of a miracle, the school would cease to exist. Then the football team started winning.

It All Came Down to Football

Almost every eligible student at the school joined the football team. With an enrollment so small, that meant the St. Bernard’s football team had 26 boys. Miraculously, despite going up against schools often ten times as big as St. Bernard’s, the team, led by Coach Tom Bingham, was winning, and winning, and winning. And with each win, the media started reporting on this David beating Goliaths. “St. Bernard’s was going up against teams from the top schools in New England, with thousands of students, multi-million-dollar endowments, and players who were much larger physically – and winning,” said All In producer Jeff Bowler. The St. Bernard’s team went on to win the state Super Bowl played in Gillette Stadium. The 26 boys on the team, fighting for every inch of the field that their hero, New England Patriot Quarterback Tom Brady, called home on Sundays, won the State Championship, generating enough national publicity to raise the money needed to save the school, including a huge donation from a still anonymous donor.

Shortly thereafter, with funds in hand, the school officially became independent, with the full support of the Diocese. In the first year following the miraculous football season, admissions are soaring, and an entire town’s spirits have been raised in celebration of saving their historic high school.

“As a St. Bernard’s alum and filmmaker, I was tapped by the school to help tell this truly remarkable story to the world,” said Bowler. “This feel-good, underdog tale is about so much more than football. The story is about a community that rallied together to create their own miracle. Faced with the closing of their beloved high school, students and faculty members stepped up to the plate to save their school, with unwavering perseverance.”

All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s is being produced by Wonderfilm’s Jeff Bowler and Bret Saxon. The Emmy Award-winning duo have enjoyed success in feature documentaries, including the 2017 documentary, UNCHAINED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF FREESTYLE MOTOCROSS, narrated by Oscar nominee Josh Brolin, which won the Emmy for Best Documentary, in the sports category, as well as the 2009 feature-doc, DIRTY OIL aka DOWNSTREAM, directed by Leslie Iwerks, which was short-listed for an Oscar.

All In is being directed by Gregg Backer (Producer/Director HBO Sports, Real Sports). Other producers include Foglight Entertainment’s Gregg Backer and Evan Kanew with Nathan Bilotta serving as Executive Producer. All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s is currently shooting in Fitchburg, Boston and Los Angeles.

Wonderfilm Media recently wrapped supernatural horror LULLABY directed by John Leonetti (Anabelle), with Alcon, in Toronto. Cast and crew adhered to all COVID-19 production guidelines and there were no cases of the virus on set. The film is set for a major release next October. Wonderfilm latest release, Dead Reckoning with K.J. Apa and India Eisley, just premiered November 13.

Upcoming Wonderfilm Media projects include the biopic on Tampa Bay Rays breakout star, Randy Arozarena. The outfielder escaped Cuba on a makeshift boat in 2015, started a new life in Mexico before making his way to the U.S and has become the most talked-about MLB player in baseball. Wonderfilm is also developing the highly coveted Steve McQueen biopic as a limited series based on Marshall Terrill’s book, “A Tribute To The King of Cool”.

About Wonderfilm Media

Wonderfilm is a leading entertainment company with offices in Hollywood, Boston and London. Wonderfilm focuses on the production of high-quality feature films and episodic television that offer international appeal through the Company’s commitment to elevated storytelling. Wonderfilm has seen twelve of its features released over the past twelve months, including the Nic Cage thriller Primal and the Guy Pearce vehicle Disturbing the Peace. Wonderfilm was founded by Jeff Bowler, Bret Saxon, and John Lewis.

*Team pic with trophy × All In tape by George Lugo

**School foliage by Caitlin Reidy