You know things will get tense on The View when they invite a Donald Trump ally to the Hot Topics table. On this morning’s episode of the long-running daytime talk show, Whoopi Goldberg laid into New Hampshire Gov. 

Chris Sununu for criticizing the process in which Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee.

As we all know, President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 election following calls for a new nominee. He, along with many other high-profile names, endorsed Harris to take his place in the election — which didn’t sit well with Sununu.

“Let’s talk about what’s really going on in the last couple of weeks here. Democrat voters all voted for Joe Biden. And then a couple of elites said, ‘Yeah —‘” he began, before getting cut off by Sunny Hostin, who chimed in, “Well, they voted for Harris too. She was on the ticket.”

Sununu continued, “Yeah, understood. But they voted for Biden to be president. And then it wasn’t like it was sent to the convention and then the delegates had a choice or anything like that.”

However, a deadpan Hostin reminded him that Harris has “2,000 delegates” backing her already.

“Look, three phone calls were made from Schumer and Pelosi. Biden said, ‘I’m in this thing. I’m not leaving.’ A couple of phone calls are made and all of a sudden he’s pushed out,” Sununu said, digging his heels in. “And in 48 hours, all of the delegates aren’t given a choice of other candidates. They’re told, ‘You’re gonna get behind Kamala.’”

That’s what set Goldberg off.

“That’s not actually what happened, but go ahead,” she snarked.

When Sununu asked what other choice Democrats were given besides Harris, Goldberg fired back, “The other choice is decided. She was the best choice. That’s what they decided.”
Photo: ABC
Sununu continued to press the moderator, asking, “Who’s ‘they’?” But Goldberg wasn’t going down without a fight as she replied, “[Gov. Gavin] Newsom said, ‘I’m not going to challenge this.’ People who would’ve gone in to challenge said, ‘No, we’re not going to challenge her.’”

The Republican politician added that it would be “awful” if his party could suddenly decide to replace Trump with Nikki Haley, despite being her supporter, “because the voters have to decide, not elites.”What do you think? Post a comment.

And just when you thought Goldberg couldn’t be more ticked off with their guest, she shouted, “Stop calling them elites!”

Sununu concluded that he’s a “big believer” that “everyone should vote,” to which Hostin passionately hit back, “They did vote. They voted for Harris as Vice President.”

Joy Behar isn’t playing nice this election season. The longtime cohost of The View delivered a blunt diss to supporters of former president Donald Trump on this morning’s episode as the panel discussed the rift between VP candidate Tim Walz and his estranged brother.

Walz’s brother Jeff has spoken out against him in comments on Facebook, per The New York Post, in which he said, in part, “The stories I could tell. Not the type of character you want making decisions about your future,” and declared that he is “100% opposed to all his ideology.”

Behar opened the discussion by saying it’s the first time in her 80-plus years that she has witnessed people being “so angry with each other politically” — and that includes the presidency of Richard Nixon, brutally described by Behar as a “a hateful beast.”

But when it was Alyssa Farah Griffin‘s time to speak, she said the family rift between the brothers over politics was “very relatable.”

“I think especially in the Trump era, because the country is very polarized, I have family who are die-hard Trump supporters, I have family who are die-hard Harris supporters, and I have friends on both of those [sides],” she said. “And this is why I say like, we shouldn’t demean Trump supporters, we shouldn’t call them names, we shouldn’t say they’re cultists or ignorant.”

Behar chimed in, “No, of course not,” before adding, “They have issues.”
Photo: ABC
As Griffin tried to continue, “We all have them in our lives,” the audience laughed at Behar’s remark, which only prompted her to double down.

“They do!” she exclaimed, holding her hands up and grinning.

What do you think? Be the first to comment.

Griffin wasn’t swayed by Behar’s barb, though. Carrying on with her commentary, she told the panel, “We all have them in our lives and we love them. And you know how you reach them— ’cause I do, I engage. And I don’t do it trying to tell them they’re wrong.

“I tell them my experience, why I am going a certain way,” she said. “And I meet them where they are, and if they don’t change, it’s not going to change my relationship with them.”

Another day, another awkward moment from Joy Behar on The View. On this morning’s episode of the hit daytime talk show, the longtime host had to get her mind of out the gutter after Pennsylvania Gov.

Josh Shapiro apologized for not hooking up with Ana Navarro when she was visiting his home state this week.

Things between Behar and Shapiro, who was making his debut on The View, were shaky from the start, with the comedian telling him that “most” of her cousins who live in Pennsylvania approve of his work as governor.

“You’re super popular in Pennsylvania. My cousins live in Pennsylvania,” she said, before adding, “They like you. Most of them.”

Shapiro then asked, “Most?” to which Behar clarified, “Well, some of them are Trump supporters … but those are not blood, they’re in-laws.”

Navarro then jumped in to let Shapiro know that she was recently doing some work in Pennsylvania.

“I was just in Pennsylvania because we were doing something in Bethlehem with Puerto Ricans. I promised them you’re coming to see them. They love you too,” she said.

Upon the realization, Shapiro apologized for not meeting up with her during her trip.

“I’m sorry we didn’t hook up, that would be fun. We had to come to New York to do that,” he said, while a dirty-minded Behar chimed in, “Excuse me? Hook up?”
Photo: ABC
The politician attempted to explain what he meant, but Navarro quickly fired back, “Don’t start rumors!” At the same time, Alyssa Farah Griffin told Behar to “take us back on the rails.”

A flustered Shapiro then asked, “Was that on-air?” to which Behar nonchalantly confirmed, “Yeah, that was on-air.”

What do you think? Post a comment.

Fortunately, the awkwardness ended there. After talking politics through a couple of different segments, Shapiro concluded his visit by declaring his support for Kamala Harris, revealing that he’s in his “Speak Now” era when it comes to Taylor Swift music and saying he’s rooting for both the Eagles and the Steelers in the NFL (duh, he’s from Pennsylvania).

Jack Draper was pushed to his limits during his US Open defeat.

Jack Draper was consoled by his coach and physiotherapist after losing a gruelling semi-final to Jannik Sinner. The world No. 1 came through 7-5 7-6(3) 6-2 to reach the US Open final.

It was a massive physical test that saw both men struggle in the second set.

Jack Draper shared a moment with his team after his semi-final loss (Image: Sky Sports)

Draper threw up on the court moments before Sinner fell on his wrist and winced in pain. They were then seen by the doctor and physio respectively.
Draper’s first Grand Slam semi-final was an eventful one. The British No. 1 managed to stay with the top seed for more than two hours before falling away in the third. Mid-way through a dramatic, 87-minute second set, he vomited on court and cleaned it up himself.

But he left with nothing to show for his efforts in the score as Sinner came through in straight sets. Draper received a standing ovation as he departed Arthur Ashe Stadium, with his opponent also applauding him. But everything appeared to hit him as he had a moment to reflect in the locker room.

Behind the scenes, cameras showed the 22-year-old lying on a mat while his coach, James Trotman, and his physio, Will Herbert surrounded him. When Draper sat up, ‘Trots’ bent down to console him.

Jack Draper hopped on an exercise bike to cool down after the gruelling battle (Image: Sky Sports)

While watching the private moment, Tim Henman told Sky Sports: “Yeah it’s physical exhaustion and as we’ve all been saying, Jack gave it everything and Sinner just played the better tennis.

“If we’re going to discuss the sort of detail of the match, it was really about Sinner playing better tennis at the most important times. There was a few ebbs and flows in the first set – Jack lost his serve, Sinner then sort of dumped his serve, making four unforced errors.

“But at the end of the first set, end of the second set, it’s a lot of drama, obviously a lot of going on, but that was when when Sinner really showed his class with his ball-striking on both wings, making the rallies physical. And it was too much for Jack but Jack will learn so much about this and to be in a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time is a huge stepping stone.”

Jack Draper and Jannik Sinner shared a warm embrace at the net (Image: Getty)

Draper then moved onto an exercise bike to cool down while his coaching team went on their phones. And Sinner’s girlfriend – WTA No. 15 Anna Kalinskaya – popped in for a chat while waiting for her partner to join them in the gym.

The world No. 1 had paid tribute to the top-ranked Brit after Draper left the court. Addressing the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, he said: “First of all, me and Jack, we know each other very well. We are good friends off the court. It was a very physical match as we see. I just tried to stay there mentally.

“He is so tough to beat. It’s a very special occasion, thanks everyone to come out. The support has been amazing and just happy to be in the final here.”

Joп Boп Jovi eпjoys RARE date пight with wife of 35 years Dorothea Hurley at celeb hot spot Giorgio Baldi iп Saпta Moпica.

Rocker Joп Boп Jovi aпd his wife Dorothea Hurley were spotted at the celebrity hot spot Giorgio Baldi iп Saпta Moпica oп Friday пight.

The 61-year-old Bad Mediciпe siпger — who is rarely glimpsed oп public dates with his wife of 35 years — wore a white, crew пeck sweater, jeaпs aпd a distressed leather jacket with a smile oп his face.

His high school sweetheart wife, also 61, wore chic browп leather paпts, a пavy jacket aпd a white, gray aпd piпk patterпed scarf draped artfully oп her torso.

The loпgtime couple — who are pareпts to Stephaпie, 30; Jesse, 28; Jake, 21; aпd Romeo, 19 — met up with frieпds for diппer duriпg their visit to Los Aпgeles.

Joп aпd Dorothea met while iп high school. ‘I was immediately drawп to her from the miпute I saw her — aпd that’s пever chaпged — 40 years ago,’ he told People iп 2020.

 

 

Rocker Joп Boп Jovi aпd his wife Dorothea Hurley were spotted at celeb hot spot Giorgio Baldi iп Saпta Moпica oп Friday пight

Joп Boп Jovi opeпs up about his soпs receпt eпgagemeпt

He said the key to their four decade plus love story is that they work oп it hard aпd have ‘mutual respect.’

‘Haviпg growп up together aпd growп together. Aпd we really like each other. We waпt to haпg out,’ he told the outlet.

The couple origiпally met iп 1980 while atteпdiпg Sayreville War Memorial High School iп пew Jersey where the Ruпaway rocker admitted: ‘she let me cheat off her iп history!’

‘I always said I was good at spottiпg poteпtial too. I have a gift,’ his ‘rock’ Dorothea gushed, addiпg: ‘He’s cute. I’m shallow. I’ll admit it!’

Joп added: ‘We eпjoy each other aпd we пever fell for the trappiпgs of what celebrity caп do.

‘We’ve witпessed that happeп over the years to people that were close to us aпd people that we kпew from afar.

‘It’s just what I do, it’s пot who I am. I write soпgs. I happeп to be very good at performiпg them. That’s it,’ he said.

The Waпted: Dead or Alive hitmaker was пamed MusiCares Persoп of the Year oп Friday aпd will be hoпored oп February 2 iп Los Aпgeles.

The orgaпizatioп called the Boп Jovi siпger ‘a rock aпd roll trailblazer, iпflueпciпg couпtless artists over the years.’

But that’s пot the oпly reasoп Joп is beiпg hoпored. He is also a major philaпthropist.

 

The Bad Mediciпe siпger, 61, wore a white, crew пeck sweater, jeaпs aпd a distressed leather jacket

His high school sweetheart wife, also 61, wore chic browп leather paпts, a пavy jacket aпd a white, grey aпd piпk patterпed scarf draped artfully oп her torso

Joп Boп Jovi performs at Joe Bideп rally iп Peппsylvaпia

Joп aпd Dorothea have ruп the Joп Boп Jovi Soul Fouпdatioп siпce 2006.

The fouпdatioп aims to eпd huпger aпd homelessпess through their pay-what-you-caп Soul Kitcheп restauraпts aпd food baпk.

Dorothea said: ‘It’s a partпership. Wheп we see iпjustice or people sufferiпg, you waпt to help. We’re very blessed, aпd we have the ability to do that.’

‘I’m happiest,’ Joп said, ‘if I like what I do for a liviпg, I’m doiпg right by my family aпd I’m makiпg the world just a little bit better.’

Joп Boп Jovi aпd His Beautiful Wife: A Story of Love aпd Quality Time

Iп the bustliпg world of rock ‘п’ roll, where fame aпd fortuпe ofteп overshadow the simpler thiпgs iп life, Joп Boп Jovi staпds out пot just for his musical prowess but also for his steadfast commitmeпt to his family. Behiпd the icoпic rock star is a maп who cherishes quality time with his beautiful wife, Dorothea Hurley. Their relatioпship is a testameпt to eпduriпg love, mutual respect, aпd the importaпce of stayiпg grouпded amidst the glitz aпd glamour of the music iпdustry.

Joп Boп Jovi, borп Johп Fraпcis Boпgiovi Jr., is celebrated for his electrifyiпg performaпces aпd a career spaппiпg over four decades. However, oпe of the most remarkable aspects of his life is his loпg-lastiпg relatioпship with Dorothea Hurley. The couple first crossed paths iп their high school years iп Sayreville, пew Jersey. Their boпd was immediate aпd deep, layiпg the fouпdatioп for a love story that would eпdure beyoпd the superficialities of celebrity.

Dorothea Hurley, a former high school sweetheart, has beeп Joп’s rock through the highs aпd lows of his career. Their relatioпship begaп iп the early 1980s, aпd despite the pressures of Joп’s risiпg fame, they maпaged to keep their romaпce stroпg. They married iп 1989 iп a low-key ceremoпy iп Las Vegas, a choice that reflected their desire for a private, meaпiпgful celebratioп rather thaп a graпd, public spectacle.

For maпy celebrities, the demaпds of fame caп straiп persoпal relatioпships. Yet, Joп aпd Dorothea have skillfully пavigated this challeпge. They uпderstaпd the importaпce of carviпg out quality time away from the spotlight. Their ability to maiпtaiп a stroпg relatioпship amidst the chaos of Joп’s career is a testameпt to their deep coппectioп aпd mutual support.

Joп Boп Jovi has ofteп spokeп about how his family is his greatest source of joy aпd stability. Iп iпterviews, he has described Dorothea as his aпchor, the oпe who keeps him grouпded. This is пot merely a platitude; it’s evideпt iп the way they prioritize each other iп their busy lives. Their shared values aпd goals have helped them weather the iпevitable storms of life together.

Oпe of the most eпdeariпg aspects of Joп aпd Dorothea’s relatioпship is their appreciatioп for life’s simple pleasures. While their lives are filled with luxury aпd high-profile eveпts, they fiпd joy iп the everyday momeпts they share. Whether it’s takiпg a quiet walk oп the beach, eпjoyiпg a meal together, or simply relaxiпg at home, these momeпts of quality time are precious to them.

Their love for each other is also evideпt iп their philaпthropic efforts. Together, they are actively iпvolved iп various charitable eпdeavors. The Boп Jovi Fouпdatioп, which they co-fouпded, focuses oп addressiпg issues such as homelessпess aпd providiпg support to those iп пeed. This shared commitmeпt to giviпg back reflects their deep seпse of purpose aпd the values they hold dear.

пo relatioпship is without its challeпges, aпd Joп aпd Dorothea are пo exceptioп. Like maпy couples, they have faced their share of obstacles. However, their approach to overcomiпg these challeпges highlights the streпgth of their boпd. They have always approached difficulties as a team, fiпdiпg solutioпs together aпd emergiпg stroпger.

Joп’s demaпdiпg career could have posed sigпificaпt challeпges to their relatioпship, but Dorothea’s uпwaveriпg support has beeп a crucial factor iп their eпduriпg love. She has ofteп beeп by his side at coпcerts aпd public appearaпces, offeriпg eпcouragemeпt aпd stability. This preseпce пot oпly highlights their stroпg partпership but also serves as a source of iпspiratioп for others.

Joп Boп Jovi aпd Dorothea Hurley’s relatioпship serves as a model for lastiпg love iп a world ofteп domiпated by fleetiпg romaпces. Their story is a remiпder that true love requires effort, commitmeпt, aпd mutual respect. They have successfully bleпded their public aпd private lives, demoпstratiпg that it is possible to maiпtaiп a healthy, loviпg relatioпship eveп iп the glare of the public eye.

Their dedicatioп to each other aпd their family is evideпt iп the way they live their lives. They prioritize their relatioпship aпd make coпscious efforts to speпd quality time together, despite their busy schedules. This iпteпtioпality is a crucial aspect of their eпduriпg coппectioп aпd a key reasoп why their love story coпtiпues to iпspire.

Joп Boп Jovi aпd Dorothea Hurley’s jourпey together is more thaп just a celebrity romaпce; it is a profouпd story of love, resilieпce, aпd partпership. Their ability to maiпtaiп a stroпg, loviпg relatioпship amidst the challeпges of fame is a testameпt to their deep boпd aпd mutual respect. As they coпtiпue to пavigate life’s ups aпd dowпs together, they remiпd us all of the importaпce of cherishiпg aпd пurturiпg the relatioпships that matter most.

Iп a world where so maпy relatioпships are fleetiпg, Joп aпd Dorothea’s eпduriпg love is a beacoп of hope aпd a remiпder that true love, grouпded iп shared values aпd mutual support, caп withstaпd the test of time. Their story is oпe of iпspiratioп aпd a celebratioп of the power of love, proviпg that eveп iп the most high-profile of lives, the most beautiful momeпts are ofteп the simplest oпes shared with a beloved partпer.

When Sheryl Swoopes repeatedly criticized or ignored Caitlin Clark, she was tagged as a hater. And the two analysts who were at the forefront were Stephen A. Smith and Nancy Lieberman. While Smith and Lieberman kept on singing praises for Clark, Swoopes was at the receiving end of their fury. The Hall of Famer on receiving so much criticism didn’t back away and instead took to X to reveal her side of the story. She went as far ahead as posting Smith’s number online and expressing that the latter was calling to threaten her. And now after the drama has come to a standstill, the 4x WNBA Champion praised Clark to prove that she isn’t a hater.

“Instead, he brought Nancy Lieberman on the show. And the one thing that I’ll say about that conversation is and you and I had this conversation she lied, she flat out lied coz she never called me. Long story short what she did was went to twitter which is what everybody does. And posted something basically saying ‘my dear friend’ let me also say this you’re not my dear friend,” Swoopes revealed.

The altercation started when Lieberman probably exposed Swoopes on the Stephen A. Smith show. As per Lieberman, after Swoopes had been critical of Clark’s all-time NCAA scoring record earlier this year, she had called the broadcaster and asked her to get her facts right. As per Lieberman, “You do have to get the statistics right—II mean, facts matter.” She went as far as enunciating on the show, “My life’s going to be good or great with or without Sheryl Swoopes in my life—I’d rather have her in it.” This enraged Swoopes, who took to X to share her side of the story.

Plus Lieberman also took to X, to share Clark’s NCAA stats in February asking Swoopes “My dear friend @sherylswoopes22 why can’t they shine as you did in your rookie year in the @WNBA @CaitlinClark22 @IowaWBB @angelreese @LSUwbkb Special is Special go do your thing ladies!” This has apparently hurt Swoopes who clarified that Lieberman isn’t a ‘dear friend.’

“Why can’t Caitlin shine? like the rest of us do, like you do, like I do. I think she’s gonna be great. Let me introduce you to Caitlin Clark. So she goes on to put her stats which cool. Great. But you didn’t call me. I saw all that and I messaged you and I said ‘Nancy like wassup? If you got something to say call me.’ She didn’t call me it was via text exchange. Long story short she said well we’re gonna agree to disagree. And I said and that’s perfectly fine. That’s your opinion. You have yours I have mine. But I am not entitled to have mine. But anyway,” Swoopes stated via The Queens of the Court podcast.

USA Today via Reuters

As per Swoopes, she had understood what Lieberman and Smith were doing. She blamed Lieberman for spreading lies since, as per her, the 66-year-old hadn’t called Swoopes. Instead, she was trying to target her. “And ditto…my life is good without you too (and him). You wanna go there?” Swoopes gave a thunderous reply. And with her admission on Friday now, Swoopes has divulged that instead of a call, she had received text messages that concluded with both parties agreeing to respect the opinions of the other side.

It looks like the respect was amiss in the conversation. To probably share her point of view, Swoopes has backed the Fever rookie Caitlin Clark now. She previously even went ahead to reveal the texts she exchanged with Clark after calling her out, most probably in an attempt to justify that she isn’t a hater.

Sheryl Swoopes reveals apology texts exchanged with Caitlin Clark

When Clark had broken Kelsey Plum’s record of all-time leading women’s NCAA D1 scorer, Swoopes had mistakenly opined that Clark had done it in 5 years, including the extra year of COVID eligibility, while Plum did in 4. Clark had taken only four years for her feat, and hence it earned Swoopes a lot of backlash. Following that, Swoopes is said to have apologized to Clark. When Lieberman and Smith targeted her, the 53-year-old revealed the conversation she had with Clark in February.

As per the texts, Swoopes apologized to Clark for making a mistake, which the latter accepted with open arms. “I have nothing but respect for you and your game,” Swoopes expressed in the text message. Meanwhile, Clark also thanked Swoopes for being a legend and moving the game forward apart from inspiring girls. The conversation concluded with sweet words from Swoopes for Clark.

And now, with the recent backing, Swoopes has once again made it clear that she is in no way meaning to harm Clark. Instead, she respects the Fever rookie for her records and expects a certain kind of acceptance from her fans and the analysts for her opinions.

Despite guiding the men’s basketball team to a fifth straight gold medal at the Olympics, coach Steve Kerr came under fire for his treatment of Jayson Tatum. From a Celtics legend to rapper Vinne Staples to Tatum’s mother, all chimed in on the NBA Champion’s reduced play time in Paris. The decision was baffling because of how effective he had been in Boston’s run to the championship only a month before the Games.

Even though the Paris Olympics are long over, the Tatum Snub is still a lingering topic of discussion. The small forward only featured for a total of 71 minutes in Paris, the second-fewest number in the team. While Kerr did rotate his team at various stages, Tatum usually missed out. Though Tatum himself was graceful for the most part about the situation, many in the NBA community weren’t happy. Former Celtics guard Evan Turner was the latest to hit out Kerr.

Evan Turner didn’t mince words on the Club 520 podcast, on Thursday, letting his frustration out in the open. “I felt like he was targeted, bro. There’s something deeper going on. I felt like it was something deeper than just rotations,” Turner said, hinting at some possible bias or hidden agenda behind Tatum’s limited playing time. “How you gonna tell me I can’t hoop and then give me 11 minutes?” Turner like many others was baffled by what he sees as disrespect to a player of Tatum’s caliber.

Turner didn’t stop there though, going so far as to suggest that Kerr’s future with Team USA was shaky even before the gold was secured. “Steve uh… he quit before they fired him. They said it was his last Olympics,” Turner said. Back in November last year, Kerr had told Athletic that he wouldn’t return as Team USA’s coach beyond the Olympics. And despite securing a gold medal, it looks like he will be stepping down from his role according to multiple reports.

In Paris, when Kerr faced questions over his exclusion of Tatum, the Warriors HC said the decision was based on what was in front of him. “It’s not what I’m not seeing from Jayson. It’s what I’ve seen from the other guys,” he said. Kerr further described it as “just a math problem more than anything.”

Accommodating Tatum in the lineup would have been a difficult task for any coach, given the star-studded names, who had performed well during the NBA season. But Tatum’s own performances merited at least more than the 71 minutes he got to play in the USA’s run to Olympic gold. His playing time didn’t even cross the Top 50 mark when compared to all the players who participated in the tournament.

Tatum averaged 26.9 points, seventh highest in the league while averaging  8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists as the Celtics ended their 16-season championship drought. On the other hand, in Paris, he could only muster an average of 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. When asked about the situation after the Olympics, Tatum told the Boston Globe, “You feel like you deserve to play and the competitor in you wants to play. And (Steve Kerr) is the coach for a reason. He makes those decisions.” Yet when rapper Vince Staples tweeted, “WE WILL AVENGE JAYSON TATUM” on August 11, Tatum shared the tweet on his Instagram, suggesting he wasn’t happy about how things went down.

Tatum was benched for two of the USA’s six games and didn’t start the team’s campaign opener against Serbia. He also missed out on the semifinal against the same opponent. Overall the player only averaged 17.7 minutes. This didn’t sit well with Celtics legend Bob Cousy, who told the Boston Globe that Tatum being benched was more than “just a snub.” He added, “This is an embarrassment for that poor kid all over the [expletive] world. The Olympics have gotten that big. Everyone’s going to think that there’s something wrong this this kid.”

Former college head coach and basketball sportscaster, Dick Vitale wasn’t happy either with how Tatum, a four-time All-NBA selection was treated. He tweeted, “Someone pls let me know is @jaytatum0 injured as he hasn’t received the PT ( playing time ) u would expect an All NBAplayer to get.” Tatum’s mother Brandy Cole, responded to the tweet and wrote, “No he not. But if you find out what’s going on please let me know – unacceptable and makes NO SENSE.”

The Celtics star’s experience in Paris did leave a bitter taste in his mouth about international basketball, but he left the door open for a return to the team at LA 2028.

Meanwhile, it’s not just Kerr feeling the heat. “Grant Hill on his way out, too,” one of the hosts added, pointing out that the managing director of the USA men’s basketball team isn’t out of the woods as well. Both men have been criticized for their decisions throughout the tournament, and while it’s easy to sit back and judge, the pressure on them was enormous. Running a team packed with such star power and talent was never going to be easy and as human as they are, Kerr and Hill are caught in the crossfire.

While Tatum’s snub caught many by surprise, the decision not to include his teammate and NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, Damien Lillard, and Kyrie Irving in the Olympics squad at all, was also surprising.

“He’s outta pocket,” DJ Wells said about Grant Hill

 

Even though Grant Hill helped Team USA snag the gold, he’s catching heat for some of his choices with the squad in the Paris Olympics 2024. Evan Turner called out a major issue: the decision to include Tyrese Haliburton while leaving out Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard of the Bucks.

“Yeah, the fact like for instance they did not have like Dame on team USA, shoutout to Haliburton but like they did not have Kyrie, come on my G like two little cold dudes,” Turner said. This criticism highlights how puzzling it was to leave out two top-tier players despite their undeniable skills.

DJ Wells also chimed in, saying, “Hey when he[Grant Hill] said we might consider Jaylen Brown for 2028, I said oh, he is outta pocket,”. Given Jaylen Brown’s stellar season as an NBA champ and Finals MVP, his exclusion raised questions. With a place on the LA2028 team on offer, it will be interesting to see if Brown joins his Celtics teammate Tatum at the Games in four years time.

So, it seems the Steve Kerr-Jayson Tatum saga has refused to die down despite the Paris Olympics in the rearview and a gold medal secured. The person slated to succeed Kerr as the next USA men’s basketball HC will have a lot to do in order to keep everyone happy.

Imagine holding a rare NBA feat and still being referred to as the WOAT. It’s nothing but a title given to the worst player ever to take the hardwood in the league. It could be anyone, but it definitely can’t be Rudy Gobert. The 7 ‘1 Frenchman, who had a tough last few months, received another brutal troll from his off-court rival, Shaquille O’Neal. While media veterans chimed in to offer a solution to the big man to save himself from disruptors, history suggests otherwise.

Almost every NBA devotee knows the frequent crossfire between Shaq and Gobert for a long time. Following the 2024 postseason criticisms, the LA Lakers legend carried it to the Paris Olympics. Reacting to one of Gobert’s misjudgments near the rim, the Big Aristotle shared an image of the French man morphed as a ‘Walmart cashier’ to troll him.

While the meme made rounds on the internet for a few days, Shaq has come up with another troll. In a recent video released by Complex alongside his son, Myles O’Neal, the big man made a controversial opinion. Responding to his son’s query, the legend named him the WOAT. 

Rudy Gobert, who remained tightlipped for the most part, decided to hit back with a strong descent via X handle. He criticized Shaq for trolling to “stay relevant”. In the wake of the brewing controversy, media veteran Zach Lowe offered a one-stop solution to end the trolling. Speaking on the latest episode of ESPN’s NBA Today, Lowe said, “At this point, I think,  it’s going to take winning a Championship.” He also added, “He’s a very good player. The hate is sort of strange to me. Rudy must be used to it by now because it seems to be pretty universal around the NBA.” 

While an NBA ring is something that is missing in Gobert’s cabinet, will winning it end the trauma? Especially for a man who has already accomplished big with 4 DPOY awards. Let’s find out.

Will a championship ring silence Shaq from trolling Rudy Gobert?

Before heading into the ring’s affair, there is something that is often overlooked. In his 11-season-long NBA career, Rudy Gobert has won 4x DPOY awards, which is of course a rare feat. So far in the history of the league, only three players have won it four times: Ben Wallace, Dikembe Mutombo, and Gobert. Moreover, on a statistical lens, the Frenchman achieved the feat with better figures. Nevertheless, the point here is that despite holding an NBA record for his backcourt prowess, it didn’t stop the trollers from hating on the big man.

Especially, Shaquille O’Neal, who has already secured his legacy as one of the most dominant big men, never failed to trash centers. It didn’t start with Gobert, but Shaq has shown his tricks to Al Horford, JaVale McGee, and Dwight Howard. Notably, Howard stands at the second spot with 3x DPOY awards and a championship ring. So, it’s evident that winning a ring certainly won’t stop the disruptors from trolling the star.

If it was only about the accomplishments, Shaq and the other trollers could’ve stopped attacking the moment Gobert won his first DPOY. At the same time, if one award isn’t enough, they could’ve stopped after the second and third time. However, it never was the case even after winning the fourth award. Even if the big man goes on to win the championship ring in the upcoming season, the troll gang might come up with reasons to disregard it.

A few days back, Shaq still kept his receipts for Howard. The big man took to his IG stories and shared a video of Howard losing the ball in a pickup game. Interestingly, 8x All-Star 3x DPOY, and a ring didn’t stop him from trolling even after he joined CBA. It’s just an instance proving that Gobert’s championship won’t make a difference.

Tough days ahead of Rudy Gobert

As we discuss the championship, the Minnesota Timberwolves aren’t far from the conversation. The sudden rise of Anthony Edwards has paid dividends for the side, as he led the team to a deeper postseason run after 20 years. In the last season, the team fell short in the Conference Finals. And, heading into the 2024-25 season, Ant-Man & Co. still has the potential to come on top as the favorites.

However, this would mean only one thing. If at all, the Wolves manage to win the ring in the upcoming season, the critics will plunge forward to take Rudy Gobert off the conversation. The credits for the victory will undoubtedly go to the Michael Jordan-look alike or Karl-Anthony Towns or maybe even to the Sixth Man of the Year winner, Naz Reid, but not Gobert.

So Zach Lowe’s idea to stop the constant troll aimed at Gobert has flunked at face value. What do you think will save the French man from the adversity? Let us know in the comments.

You can hate or love Caitlin Clark, but you certainly cannot deny her presence and impact. We all know that the Fever rookie has been at the receiving end of heavy mixed reactions from the media and fans of the sport. But we also have to agree that the kind of surge in the popularity of WNBA has been, to an extent, thanks to Clark. As such, it was only natural that the 22-year-old often gets compared to LeBron James. However, a recent comparison of their rookie impact by a certain ex-Warriors star is definitely going to cause havoc.

Gilbert Arenas put himself smack in the spotlight with quite the controversial take. Then again, the man is no stranger to those! This time, ‘Agent Zero’ was sharing his opinion on just how impactful rookie Clark has been (and continues to be) over a rookie Bron.

“When you talk about just her as a unit, we have to say yes. Here’s why,” Arenas said by way of a preamble. “When you think about anybody else, LeBron and all of them, we’re coming to see him, but he didn’t turn no crowds. Everyone came; remember, she’s most hated too.”

Both James and Clark came into their respective leagues with insane hype and expectations. As such, a surge in viewership and attendance is guaranteed. However, taking into account the context – the WNBA is still on its way to popularity while the NBA was already a globally acknowledged league – it can be argued that CC’s impact could very well be greater.

More to the point of Gil, Cleveland saw a major rise in their home game attendance from the previous season. In fact, the Cavs averaged around 11,497 fans per game in the 2002-03 season. But with LeBron’s arrival in 2003, the games drew close to 18,287 fans per home game in his rookie season. There’s no doubt that arenas during away games also capitalized on the excitement surrounding LeBron James, seeing an increase in their attendance, as well.

And Caitlin? The change was stunningly insane! According to an August report by Sportico, Indiana saw the craziest spike ever. Their average regular season home attendance in 2003 was 4000 and in 2024, the number stands at a mind-blowing 16,797. As for Indiana’s regular and away games in 2024, it was reported that a total of 536,262 (34 games) visitors attended.

Numbers certainly don’t lie. And considering the circumstances of both the leagues, we supposed it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Caitlin Clark might indeed have an upper hand over LeBron James in their rookie seasons. Then again, as Gil pointed out, we might not really understand the true impact because they “didn’t have social media and no one pumped it up.” 

On a different note, though, another aspect that Arenas pointed out is the crazy media hate for the WNBA All-Star.

Similar to LeBron James, Caitlin Clark was a target of media criticism, but an Angel Reese interruption turned the narrative in her favor

So how did she end up receiving so much hate? According to Gil, it all started even before she entered the WNBA. Don’t let the sweet, smiling face fool you into mistaking that CC is just the girl next door. Oh no! She could very well be the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’ of the WNBA. And this, the Iowa alum’s confidence and bold on-court demeanor, effectively put a target on her back.

USA Today via Reuters

“We’re talking about a girl who is torturing everybody. She just tortured South Carolina by herself. She was hated! She wasn’t loved like that,” Arenas explained. He further pointed out that LSU’s Angel Reese’s entry turned things around. “What happened is, Reese came in and she did this [you-can’t-see-me] to the person who did it to everybody.”

Clark, who was hated up to that point, suddenly turned into a victim. “She became the nice, white girl that come in there and shoot shots.” Of course, both the athletes downplayed the controversy, with Reese making her stand and Clark opining that she had no qualms about the gesture. And that trash talk was simply part of the game.

Unsurprisingly, the former 3x All-Star had an explanation for that, too. “They both piggyback each other … what that collision did was it gave Caitlin Clark a chance to basically rephase herself. She was like a Dillon Brooks type that just scored on everybody. And once she got hit with her own medicine, you never seen her do this [you-can’t-see-me] again. She became the Steph Curry.”

Needless to say, the overnight change naturally invited even more criticism her way. But the fact of the matter is there’s no pleasing everyone, especially in a competitive field like this.

Well, what do you think? Do you agree with Gil that Clark does have an upper hand over LeBron in their respective rookie seasons? And what is your take on the media criticism surrounding these leading ladies? Let us know in the comments.