by Julian Spivey, Preston Tolliver & Eric Fulton I asked Eric Fulton and Preston Tolliver who often collaborate with me on sports pieces for this website to jot down a bit about their “first favorite athlete” or the athlete who initially got them interested in sports. With “The Last Dance,” the documentary about Michael Jordan and the last hurrah of the 1998 Chicago Bulls, airing on ESPN now I felt this was a good time for such a piece. I just knew that one of those guys would pick M.J. as their first favorite athlete. It turns out both of them chose Jordan and left me standing out alone with my weirdo pick. That’s alright, I suspect most folks who grew up in the ‘90s as we did would’ve picked Jordan as the athlete who truly got them into sports. Eric: Michael Jordan Growing up as a kid, basketball was not my favorite sport. However, the biggest reason why I liked it was because of Michael Jordan. What made Jordan incredibly great was he transcended the game as a guard. Most guards before his time was known for just passing the ball. With Jordan, it was his ability to score baskets whether it was by dunking or scoring a mid-range jumper. Jordan alongside teammate Scottie Pippen were the two biggest reasons I started liking basketball. He’s the first athlete I can ever remember truly calling a favorite when it came to my love of sports. Preston: Michael Jordan Like many people, I suspect, I didn’t come to my first favorite athlete by choice, but by influence. Sports were a rarity in my household; outside of professional wrestling and the occasional NASCAR race my stepdad would turn on to sleep through, we didn’t watch a whole lot. However, as I suspect was also commonplace across mid-‘90s America - a certain fascination of the Chicago Bulls and His Airness loomed large over our household. Family members loved basketball and tuned in to watch Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen make mincemeat of Karl Malone and John Stockton. As for myself, I mostly just played with my toys when the games were on, but I knew who Jordan was; that he was the greatest basketball player in the world, so good that he transcended basketball and was a household name, as recognizable as grandma and grandpa, and that he helped Bugs Bunny avoid eternal servitude for an alien theme park owner. My interest in basketball, along with the rest of the household’s, waned after Jordan won his sixth ring and entered what I’ll always consider his true retirement (Wizards? Wizards who?). When I got older - arguably old enough to gain agency of my own interests, rather than leeching off those around me - my eyes turned to Larry Bird, a player who left the league decades before my love of the sport really blossomed. I read stories and bought DVDs and watched documentaries to learn all I could about the “Hick from French Lick,” finding inspiration not just in how hard he worked to become Larry Legend, but in all the trash he talked on his way there. Michael Jordan may have been my first love, but Larry Bird was my true one. Julian: Horace Grant
I lived the first almost eight years of my life in Deltona, Fla., about half an hour from Orlando. At the time of my birth in 1987 there was no such thing as an NBA team in Orlando, actually there wasn’t even an NBA team in the state of Florida at that time. The Orlando Magic franchise began in 1989 almost two months after my second birthday and just a little more than a half decade later they were the talk of the league thanks to a duo of young superstars in Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. But, neither of those stars – a future hall of fame big man and a lanky point guard who likely would have joined him in enshrinement had it not been for injuries – were my first favorite athlete. Nah, I liked the hard-working, blue collar-like power forward Horace Grant, who wore those goofy blue goggles. Ok, so Grant’s work ethic is something I probably grew to love as I aged, but those goggles made him the star of my first grade class with class projects of coloring paper goggles and strapping them around are eyes to imitate the big man. The Magic being the talk of the town didn’t last too long, as they were swept in the 1995 NBA Finals by the more mature, veteran Houston Rockets led by two future hall of famers in Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Within two weeks of the Magic losing in those Finals I’d be arriving at my new home in rural Arkansas – a state I still call home 25 years later. But, for many years after moving to Arkansas the Magic were still my team (it likely helps that the closest team at the time was the then bad Dallas Mavericks – now the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder are both local-ish). I had this Horace Grant poster hanging on my bedroom wall for years (and wish I still owned it) but could buy it if I’d like off eBay for $14.99. I grew to be inspired by Grant’s previously mentioned work ethic as I got older and saw him as more than goggles guy. When I played school yard basketball with my friends, I prided myself on going after rebounds more than I did on trying to score. Grant was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics before the ’99-’00 season, but I was happy for him when he won the title in 2001 after joining his former teammate Shaq in Los Angeles with the Lakers. He had won three previous titles with Michael Jordan’s Bulls in the early ‘90s, but that was before I’d gotten into the game. I was elated when Grant returned to Orlando for the ’01-’02 season, but he was past his prime and didn’t get along with coach Doc Rivers or star Tracy McGrady and was cut. I realize now in my 30s that Grant was an unusual player to become a first favorite as he’s not exactly a legend of the game, but I’ll never forget how he and his bad eyesight got a young kid into basketball and sports in general.
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by Julian Spivey 32. Drew Brees (San Diego Chargers – 2001) San Diego had one helluva 2001 NFL Draft. The team originally had the no. 1 overall pick that year but traded it to the Atlanta Falcons (who selected quarterback Michael Vick) for the fifth pick. The Chargers selected future hall of fame running back LaDanian Tomlinson with that pick. Then with the first pick of the second round they drafted quarterback Drew Brees out of Purdue. Brees was expected to go mid-to-late first round, but some thought his six foot height was a bit small for an NFL QB. Rather idiotically the Chargers acquired Philip Rivers in a 2004 NFL Draft day trade and Brees would leave for New Orleans after the 2005 season as a free agent. Brees would become a legend with the Saints leading them to the first ever Super Bowl title in franchise history and he’s become the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, passing yardage and completions. 31. Curley Culp (Denver Broncos – 1968) Curley Culp would become one of the most feared defensive tackles of the late ‘60s and ‘70s, mostly for the Kansas City Chiefs, but never played a single NFL game for the Denver Broncos, who selected him 31st overall (the fourth pick of the second round) in the 1968 draft. Their loss. Culp would win Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs, while making six Pro Bowl teams and winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1975. Culp was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. 30. Sam Huff (New York Giants – 1956) When Sam Huff was drafted by the New York Giants out of West Virginia in 1956 as the 30th overall selection it was already the third round of the draft. Huff would become one of football’s most fearsome linebackers of the late ‘50s and ‘60s with the Giants and Washington and is a member of both team’s Rings of Honor. Huff was a five-time Pro Bowler, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. 29. Fran Tarkenton (Minnesota Vikings – 1961) Fran Tarkenton was drafted by both the NFL and AFL in 1961. The Minnesota Vikings selected him 29th overall in the third round of the draft in the NFL draft. The Boston Patriots selected him in the fifth round of the AFL Draft. He signed with the Vikings and would go on to become the greatest quarterback in franchise history leading the team to three Super Bowls, unfortunately losing all three. The nine-time Pro Bowler was named league MVP in 1975. 28. Darrell Green (Washington Redskins – 1983) Cornerback Darrell Green would be the final first round selection of the 1983 NFL Draft by Washington. He would go on to be one of the franchise’s greatest defensive players of all-time and one of the most feared defensive backs of his era. Green would win two Super Bowls with Washington and was named to seven Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008. 27. Dan Marino (Miami Dolphins – 1983) Dan Marino was part of the famous quarterback club of the 1983 NFL Draft and the lowest selected future hall of famer of the three to be inducted from the first round of that draft. The Miami Dolphins took Marino out of the University of Pittsburgh with the 27th pick. He would go on to become the best player in the history of the franchise, but notably also likely the greatest player in NFL history to never win a Super Bowl. 26. Ray Lewis (Baltimore Ravens – 1996) Ray Lewis is arguably the second greatest linebacker in NFL history behind Lawrence Taylor, who you’ll see a little bit later on this list. The Baltimore Ravens selected Lewis out of the University of Miami with the 26th pick in the 1996 draft. Lewis would lead a terrifying Ravens defense to its two franchise Super Bowl titles, the first in 2001 and the final in his farewell season in 2012. The 13-time Pro Bowler was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner in 2000 and 2003. 25. Stanley Morgan (New England Patriots – 1977) In a list filled with Pro Football Hall of Famers and some of the most legendary names to ever set foot on a gridiron here we have Stanley Morgan, a name many hardcore football fans may not even recognize. It seems crazy that in the long history of the league that a position this high in the draft wouldn’t have a greater name than Stanley Morgan, but let’s stop ragging on the poor guy. Morgan was selected with the 25th overall pick in the 1977 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots and would go on to make four Pro Bowls for the franchise. Here’s a Stanley Morgan tidbit – he’s the NFL record holder for most yards per catch for a career at 19.2. 24. Ed Reed (Baltimore Ravens – 2002) The Baltimore Ravens sure knew how to draft excellent defensive talent in the first round in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. In the 2002 they took safety Ed Reed from the University of Miami and he went on to be the best and most feared safety in the league for the majority of his career. Reed would win a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2012, was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and was a nine-time Pro Bowler. 23. Ozzie Newsome (Cleveland Browns – 1978) The Cleveland Browns selected Ozzie Newsome 23rd overall in the 1978 NFL Draft out of the University of Alabama. Newsome would go on to be one of the league’s most dominant, if not the most dominant, tight end of the 1980s. The three-time Pro Bowler finished his career with the most receiving yards and receptions in Browns franchise history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. 22. Ernie Stautner (Pittsburgh Steelers – 1950) Ernie Stautner might not be a household name today among NFL fans, but he was one of the game’s best defensive tackles in the 1950s. Selected 22nd overall in the second round of the 1950 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Stautner would go on to make nine Pro Bowl teams and was named the league’s best lineman in 1957. Stautner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1969. 21. Randy Moss (Minnesota Vikings – 1998) It’s somewhat crazy that Randy Moss, often considered the second greatest receiver in NFL history behind only Jerry Rice, could go as late as 21st overall in the first round. The stand-out from Marshall was taken by the Minnesota Vikings and would go on to excite the league with his circus catches with the team for seven seasons. Moss would also notably team up with quarterback Tom Brady for a few season stint with the New England Patriots. Moss would be named to six Pro Bowl teams, lead the league in receiving touchdowns five times and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018. 20. Jack Youngblood (Los Angeles Rams – 1971) Jack Youngblood was one tough sonuvabitch. One of my all-time favorite NFL stories was how Youngblood broke his leg in 1979 and still played the entire postseason and in Super Bowl XIV. Youngblood was taken with the 20th pick by the L.A. Rams in 1971 and would play his entire 14-season career with the franchise. Youngblood was named to seven Pro Bowls, was the NFC Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (’75 & ’76) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. 19. Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis Colts – 1996) The Indianapolis Colts selected wide receiver Marvin Harrison with the 19th selection in the 1996 NFL Draft out of Syracuse and he would reward the franchise by playing his entire 13-season career with them and becoming the greatest receive in franchise history. Every great quarterback had a great receiver catching passes for them and for Peyton Manning it was Harrison. Harrison won Super Bowl XLI with the Colts, was named to eight Pro Bowls, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. 18. Paul Krause (Washington Redskins – 1964) Paul Krause played the bulk of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, but he was drafted 18th overall (in the second round) by Washington in 1964 out of the University of Iowa. Krause would become one of the greatest defensive backs in NFL history and to this day his 81 career interceptions are an NFL record. Krause would make eight Pro Bowls during his career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. 17. Emmitt Smith (Dallas Cowboys – 1990) Emmitt Smith would go on to rush for more yards than any running back in the history of the NFL and would certainly appear on a Mount Rushmore of running backs, but he wasn’t originally the Dallas Cowboys first option. The Cowboys wanted to draft Baylor linebacker James Francis, but he was selected before them by the Cincinnati Bengals. After Francis was taken the Cowboys decided to focus on their running game and Smith was falling in the draft due to some GMs believing he was too small for the NFL despite collegiate success at the University of Florida. The Cowboys moved up four positions, giving the Pittsburgh Steelers a third round pick, to take Smith overall. It obviously became one of the all-time draft steals. 16. Jerry Rice (San Francisco 49ers – 1985) Jerry Rice seems to top more “greatest NFL players of all-time” lists than any other in NFL history, thus making his selection at the 16th pick a genuinely great draft steal when the San Francisco 49ers took him there out of Mississippi Valley State. If the 49ers hadn’t scooped him up with that pick, the Dallas Cowboys were set to take him with the very next selection. Rice was more highly sought after by the NFL’s then competition, the United States Football League with the Birmingham Stallions selecting him first overall in that draft. Rice decided on the NFL and the USFL would fold the next year. Rice would go on to win three Super Bowls with the 49ers, while making 13 Pro Bowls and setting virtually every important record for the wide receiver position. 15. Alan Page (Minnesota Vikings – 1967) Only two defensive players in the history of the NFL have ever been named Most Valuable Player of the league – Lawrence Taylor (who you’ll see a bit later on this list) and Alan Page. Page, a defensive tackle, was drafted 15th overall by the Minnesota Vikings and would become a key member of their feared Purple People Eaters defense of the ‘70s. Page led the Vikings to four Super Bowls, but unfortunately the team never won one. He would be named to nine Pro Bowls and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. 14. Jim Kelly (Buffalo Bills – 1983) Jim Kelly was the second future Hall of Fame quarterback selected in the famed QB class of the 1983 draft and much like the first overall pick in that draft – John Elway by the Baltimore Colts who forced a trade to the Denver Broncos by refusing to play for the team – his selection proved to be a bit controversial. Kelly was taken by the Buffalo Bills, who he’d play his entire Hall of Fame career with, but he first shunned the Bills to join the NFL’s rival USFL and play for the Houston Gamblers. When the USFL folded in 1986 he moved over to the Bills and would help lead the team to four consecutive Super Bowls, all of which the team lost, from 1990-1993. Kelly would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. 13. Tony Gonzalez (Kansas City Chiefs – 1997) Tony Gonzalez is arguably the greatest tight end in the history of the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs knew he had a world of potential during the 1997 NFL Draft when they traded up five positions to select him out of the University of California. When Gonzalez’s stellar career was said and done, he’d have the second most receptions in NFL history (he’s since been surpassed by Arizona Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald to slip to third). 12. Warren Sapp (Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1995) Warren Sapp was set to be drafted much higher in the 1995 NFL Draft than 12th overall, but the night before the draft reports appeared of multiple failed cocaine and marijuana tests that saw him slip to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defensive tackle would go on to become one of Tampa Bay’s greatest players of all-time and helped to lead the to the only Super Bowl title in franchise history in the 2002 season. Sapp’s 96.5 sacks are the second most in league history for a defensive tackle. He would make seven Pro Bowls and win Defensive Player of the Year in 1999. Sapp was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. 11. Frank Gifford (New York Giants – 1952) This might be the most controversial selection of this list as I’m taking Frank Gifford, who became a standout for the New York Giants as both a halfback and a receiver, over Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Bowl quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Dallas Cowboys hall of fame receiver Michael Irvin. Gifford would score 77 career touchdowns in a 12-year career for the Giants (43 receiving and 34 rushing). He was the league’s MVP in 1956, the same year he led the Giants to the NFL Championship title. 10. Rod Woodson (Pittsburgh Steelers – 1987) The Pittsburgh Steelers selected defensive back Rod Woodson with the 10th overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft out of Purdue and he would go on to become one of the most feared defensive backs in the league for 17 seasons (10 of which he spent in Pittsburgh). Woodson would win Super Bowl XXXV with the Baltimore Ravens and was a part of many greatest defensives in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Oakland. The 11-time Pro Bowler was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 with the Steelers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. 9. Bruce Matthews (Houston Oilers – 1983) Back when The Word did a Greatest Football Players of All-Time tournament during the most recent football season fans voted Bruce Matthews as the greatest offensive lineman of all-time. Matthews was selected ninth overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers and would spend his entire 19-season career with the Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise. Matthews was so versatile that he started at every position on the offensive line throughout his career and incredibly never missed a single game in 19 seasons. The 14-time Pro Bowl was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. 8. Ronnie Lott (San Francisco 49ers – 1981) Ronnie Lott was likely the most feared defensive back in the history of the NFL. He was selected eighth overall in the 1981 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and would lead that defense to four Super Bowl titles in the ‘80s. Lott was such a tough SOB that he once had doctors amputate the top of his left pinky finger just so he wouldn’t miss games. The 10-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000. 7. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings – 2007) Adrian Peterson, the University of Oklahoma standout running back, was taken seventh overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2007 and has been the league’s top running back in the almost decade and a half since that pick. Peterson was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player with the Vikings in 2012 when he became just the fifth player to ever rush for more than 3,000 yards in a season. The seven-time Pro Bowler to date is still going strong as Washington’s running back and rushed for almost 900 yards in 15 games last season. His 14,216 rushing yards are currently the fifth most in NFL history, three of the four guys ahead of him are also on this list. 6. Jim Brown (Cleveland Browns – 1957) Some consider Jim Brown to be the greatest player to ever set foot on the gridiron and perhaps he’d appear at the top of even more lists had he not retired young after just nine seasons. The Cleveland Browns selected Jim Brown out of Syracuse with the sixth pick in the NFL Draft and he’d go on to be the greatest player – by far – that franchise has ever seen. Making the Pro Bowl every season of his career Brown retired as the league’s all-time leading rusher. He led the Browns to the NFL Championship title in 1964, the most recent title in franchise history and was a three-time league Most Valuable Player. 5. Deion Sanders (Atlanta Falcons – 1989)
A two-sport star at both football and baseball Deion Sanders was taken with the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons out of Florida State. Sanders is considered by many to be the greatest cornerback in league history, spending the bulk of his career with the Falcons and the Cowboys. He’d win back-to-back Super Bowls with two different teams (San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys) in the mid-‘90s and was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1994. 4. Walter Payton (Chicago Bears – 1975) The Chicago Bears had experienced some down years after the retirement of their star running back Gale Sayers in 1972 and sought to reenergize its running game by taking Walter Payton out of Jackson State with the fourth overall pick in the 1975 NFL Draft. They certainly wouldn’t regret that decision as Payton went on to become one of the two-to-four greatest running backs in NFL history and retired as the league’s all-time leading rusher (a record since broken by Emmitt Smith). Payton would be named to nine Pro Bowls, win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award in 1977 and lead the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl title in the 1985 season. 3. Barry Sanders (Detroit Lions – 1989) The greatest running backs in the history of the NFL are all on this list (Walter Payton, Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith) and Barry Sanders was taken highest of them all in the draft when the Detroit Lions selected him third overall in 1989. Sanders would spend his entire 10-year career with the Lions before retiring early, something that certainly kept him from surpassing Walter Payton as the league’s all-time leading rusher (which Emmitt Smith ultimately did). Sanders won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award in 1997 and was named a Pro Bowler in all 10 of his seasons (like Jim Brown had done decades before him). 2. Lawrence Taylor (New York Giants – 1981) Lawrence Taylor is almost always considered to be the greatest defensive player in NFL history and it all started at the 1981 NFL Draft when the New York Giants took him with the second overall pick. Taylor would lead the Giants defense to two Super Bowl titles in 1986 and 1990 and was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year three times (1981, 1982 and 1986). In 1986, Taylor became just the second defensive player in league history to win Most Valuable Player (and he still is to this day). Taylor would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. 1. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts – 1998) I could’ve gone with John Elway, who spurned the Colts franchise after being taken first overall in 1983, but I think Peyton Manning, the one who stuck it out with the Colts, is the rightful selection here. Manning is arguably one of the three greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and retired with the most touchdown passes and passing yardage in league history (he’s since been passed by Drew Brees and Tom Brady). Manning quarterbacked two teams to Super Bowl titles, the Colts in the 2006 season and the Denver Broncos in his final season in 2015. The 14-time Pro Bowler won an incredibly five Most Valuable Player awards in his career and holds the record for most passing yards and touchdowns in a single season. by Julian Spivey NASCAR driver Kyle Larson was one of the sport’s shining stars just three days ago with the 27-year old six-time winner in the Cup Series being the most sought after free agent at season’s end. It was very likely he’d receive a major contract from Hendrick Motorsports to replace seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson in the No. 48 Chevrolet. Then on Sunday night during a live streaming iRacing event, which many NASCAR drivers have spent their time doing during the season hiatus due to Covid-19, Larson said the “N-word” on a hot microphone unaware he could be heard by everyone both competing in and watching the event on Twitch. Within 24 hours of his use of the racist slur Larson had issued an apology on his social media pages, but the damage to his career was already starting to be felt. Chip Ganassi Racing, his race team in the NASCAR Cup Series, suspended indefinitely without pay. NASCAR then suspended Larson indefinitely from competition with the announcement he would have to complete sensitivity training before a possible reinstatement. Chevrolet, the manufacturer that supplies cars for Chip Ganassi Racing, dropped him. All of his major sponsors – McDonald’s, Credit One Bank and Fiserv – also dropped him. On Tuesday, April 14, less than 36 hours after his use of the racist slur, Chip Ganassi Racing had decided to fire Larson instead of the indefinite suspension. Truthfully, the team’s hand had been forced by Chevrolet and all of Larson’s sponsors dropping him. There was simply no room for him at the race team. And, despite how many of NASCAR’s fans feel about Larson’s suspension, loss of sponsorship and ultimate termination after seeing numerous tweets about how it was an overreaction to Larson’s “mistake,” there’s only one person to blame for all of this – Kyle Larson. Larson used a word that shouldn’t be used by any circumstances and it’s something he’s going to have to deal with. If you think it’s an overreaction to be dropped by his sponsors, I ask you, “would you want your company to back somebody who casually drops a racial slur?” If you would be OK with that, it probably says a good deal about you as a person. For those saying it was an overreaction on the part of Chip Ganassi Racing to terminate him I ask, “have you ever watched the sport of NASCAR?” Because if so, you know it’s nearly impossible for a team to field a driver who’s lost his entire sponsorship and completely impossible to put that driver in your car when the manufacturer of your team has dropped him. There was nothing else that could be done here. Larson used a word that he shouldn’t have and there were consequences to it. No one is at fault but him. The fact that so many fans of the sport – a sport I have loved for two decades (the majority of my life) – are making excuses for Larson or trying to pass this off as if it’s no big deal are making a sport that already has to deal with many negative stereotypes (some that aren’t true and some that we’re now seeing are, in fact, true) look incredibly ignorant. NASCAR and Chip Ganassi Racing did everything right in reacting to Larson’s action, but many are simply going to see that a driver used the “N-word” and many of its fans didn’t seem to view that as an issue. That’s damning for this sport. I don’t know whether or not Larson is a racist. Only he would know that. But I do know he’s an ignorant young man – anybody who would drop that word so casually in conversation is at best ignorant. Should this be a career killer? No. And in any other sport it probably wouldn’t be. I can’t recall anyone using racial slurs recently in any other sport, but homophobic slurs used by players have often resulted in about two game suspensions from sports leagues. In 2013, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeremy Clements used the same slur Larson did and was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR and forced to undergo sensitivity training. He missed two races as the sensitivity training program last roughly two-to-four weeks. But Clements competed for (and still does) his own family owned team without major sponsors. This is likely the same scenario Larson would’ve faced without his sponsors backing out on him. But, again, why would a major company like McDonald’s or Credit One Bank want to stand by a person who casually drops racial slurs? Larson was one of NASCAR’s brightest young talents and had a long career ahead of him if he wanted it. Will he ever compete in the motorsports series again? Maybe. But I don’t really see a major team or sponsor stepping forward to claim him after this. Larson made waves within the NASCAR community earlier this year after winning the coveted dirt track Chili Bowl Nationals when he said, “For me, the Chili Bowl is bigger than the Daytona 500.” It was just one of a few moments in his career where he seemed to show more passion for dirt track racing than competing on motorsports biggest stage. Well, now Larson has all the time in the world for the dirt tracks. He also serves as a great lesson for young athletes everywhere, but particularly in the sport of NASCAR. |
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