Former Lakers star Ball wears his heroes on his sleeve
Lonzo Ball has an amazing new tattoo sleeve that could and probably should be used in history lessons across the U.S.
Incredible likenesses of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Barack Obama, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson cover the left arm of the former Lakers point guard, who was traded to New Orleans this summer as part of the deal that brought Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.
Arching above those images across Ball’s shoulder is a catchphrase made famous by slain rapper Nipsey Hussle, “The Marathon Continues.”
“Was an honor to put these influential people on your arm brother,” tattoo artist Steve Butcher wrote on Instagram to go with a video displaying the eyepopping art.
Ball has been revealing glimpses of the sleeve on Instagram during the past week. He didn’t have any tattoos when the Lakers drafted him No. 2 overall in 2017.
It wasn’t until he was sidelined with a sprained knee ligament the following winter that Ball decided to get a couple of small ones on his wrists. One said, “motivated by Jesus, dedicated to the game,” along with an image of a cross. The other reads “born to ball because of him,” along with the date of Ball’s birthday.
“My dad was pretty mad the first time,” Ball told The Times’ Tania Ganguli in 2018.
“I used to have wristbands, but they all snapped off so I figured I’d put them there permanently.” Curt for Congress?
Curt Schilling is “absolutely considering” running for Congress in Arizona, and he appears to have the full support of President Trump.
Schilling, a former Major League Baseball pitcher who is highly outspoken in his conservative views, cited immigration issues in an email to the Arizona Republic in which he stated he’s “in the ‘I’m considering it’ stage” of his political plans.
“The state is not the state I grew up in. Making Arizona citizens of EVERY Race, religion and sexual orientation 2nd class citizens to illegal immigrants is about as anti-American as it gets,” Schilling wrote. “When you have homeless veterans, children, and you’re spending tax dollars on people smuggling drugs and children across our border someone in charge needs their ass kicked.”
Schilling first revealed he had an eye on one of Arizona’s congressional seats — “one of the blue ones,” he said — during an interview Sunday with Armed American Radio’s Mark Walters. Schilling describes himself as a Massachusetts resident but an Arizona native.
“It’s something that my wife and I have talked about, and she’s now becoming more and more pumped at the potential,” the three-time World Series winner said. “Obviously, we’re still quite a few discussions away, but yeah, it’s something we’re absolutely considering.”
In a tweet Tuesday morning, Trump called the news “terrific,” and referred to Schilling as “a great pitcher and patriot.”
Helmetgate continues
The Antonio Brown helmet saga continues.
The day after the Oakland Raiders receiver lost his grievance with the NFL over the use of his outdated helmet, Brown is searching for a version of his beloved Schutt Air Advantage that isn’t quite so outdated.
As NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy made clear Monday in a tweet, players are not allowed to wear helmets that are more than 10 years old. Brown’s specific helmet aged out this year, but Pro Football Talk reports that the NFL agreed to let him wear a newer model of the headgear.
That is, if he can find one in his size. That could be tricky, since Schutt stopped making the Air Advantage in 2011.
Brown, who returned to Raiders camp Tuesday, apparently hasn’t had any luck, but he isn’t giving up. The seven-time Pro Bowl player took his quest to Twitter on Tuesday morning.
“I’m looking for a Schutt Air Advantage Adult Large Helmet that was manufactured in 2010 or after,” Brown tweeted. “In exchange I will trade a signed practice worn @Raiders helmet.”