Category: Viral

The Orlando Magic have been busy on this contract extension deadline Monday, first inking Markelle Fultz to a three-year, $50 million extension to keep the former top-overall pick in Orlando through 2024 as their starting point guard. They followed that up by knocking out an extension for their budding defensive star, Jonathan Isaac, who will likely miss all of the 2020-21 season with a torn ACL, but has shown flashes of being one of the league’s elite defenders.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Isaac agreed to a four-year, $80 million extension that will keep him in Orlando through the 2025 season.

If Isaac returns to his pre-injury form next season and continues developing as a two-way player this contract could very well become a steal for the Magic. As for Isaac, he gets some long-term financial security despite his torn ACL, and if he can play above value on this deal he figures to be in for a major payday in 2025 as he’s entering his prime years.

Isaac averaged 11.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 2019-20 over 34 games, but his impact defensively is where he shines best. He put up 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals per game last season and his length and versatility makes him exceptionally valuable in the modern NBA — and in an Eastern Conference where Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the top dog for the foreseeable future, it’s even more important.

Markelle Fultz has taken quite the journey over his first three seasons in the NBA, as the former first overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers suffered a bizarre shoulder injury that derailed his career before it started and he’s spent the last two-plus seasons working his way back to gaining both the form and confidence that made him such a highly touted prospect.

Fultz was dealt to Orlando two summers ago in a deal for Jonathan Simmons that was, effectively, just Philly trying to get rid of him, and with the Magic he’s rehabbed his shoulder back to full strength and last season emerged as one of the league’s best stories. He’s now firmly the starter in Orlando after averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game last season, and his progress has been good enough for the Magic to work out a new three-year, $50 million extension with him that will keep him in Orlando through 2024, as first broken by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The final year of the deal will be a team option, per The Athletic’s Josh Robbins.

It’s pretty tremendous that Fultz has been able to recoup that much value in such a short time and for the Magic it represents a strong investment in their belief that he can continue improving. Should he become the player Philly thought he could be when they drafted him first overall, this deal could be an absolute steal, but even if not, he seems on his way to being a solid starter in the league and at the point guard position, that’s worth this money.

Back in October, Timberwolves swingman Malik Beasley was arrested on a variety of charges including making threats of violence and fifth-degree drug possession. Beasley, who has had an interesting offseason to say the least, recently inked a four-year, $60 million deal with the Wolves this summer as a restricted free agent, as they were apparently comfortable with his situation.

Beasley was released from jail shortly after his arrest and, at the time, it was indicated that there were not charges, but the investigation was ongoing. Charges were eventually filed and on Monday, Beasley’s attorneys informed Shams Charania of The Athletic that he had pled guilty to the threats of violence charge, but all drug charges had been dropped and any jail or house arrest time he could face would not take place until after the NBA season.

This seems to put an end to this saga for Beasley, who hopefully can put it behind him once he serves any time deemed necessary by a judge and move on with his career in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have high hopes for what he can bring to the team and paid him as such this summer, and he appears to be cleared to play all season without any concern for a situation like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had where he was unable to leave the state for a brief period during the season.

2020 has been a challenging year for sports, but an arguably more challenging year for students pursuing higher education. Pandemic or not, getting into college is a lofty goal for many people due to a broad spectrum of limiting circumstances. Some are up against greater obstacles than others and could benefit from an extra boost.

Single mother and full-time nursing student from Fairburn, Georgia, Chemari Reeves, is a prime example. Her dream is to become a neonatal nurse, but that dream seemed out of reach financially because it requires more schooling.

Chemari Reeves. All photos courtesy of Dr Pepper

So Chemari applied to Dr Pepper’s Tuition Giveaway Program, using that goal as her inspiration. The giveaway program has been around for 12 years, but this year, Dr Pepper decided to double their tuition offering to $2 million, the largest offering in the program’s history. It is being awarded to deserving students throughout the 2020/21 college football season.

The program accepted video submissions at DrPepperTuition.com through October 18, 2020. Applicants were encouraged to explain how the tuition would be instrumental in their lives to help them achieve their goals.

“Soon after my son’s birth, both my son and I experienced serious complications,” Chemari said in her video submission. The medical care they received made her want to be that “beacon of hope and light for someone else.”

Chemari’s moving story led to her being named one of six finalists who competed for tuition dollars up to $125,000 in a head to head Throw Competition hosted at Dude Perfect headquarters in Frisco, Texas.

Chemari and another finalist, Tate Lewis holding their tuition checks

The competition, pre-recorded and held under the guidance of health authorities, aired during the ACC, BIG12, and SEC championship games on December 19th. Chemari was a second-place winner, and earned $75,000 towards her nursing school tuition.

“Because of Dr Pepper, I am receiving a $75,000 scholarship, which will not only allow me to officially graduate from nursing school with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree DEBT FREE, but it will also put me closer towards obtaining my Master’s Degree. I am determined to become the best neonatal nurse practitioner for my future tiny patients. Life is beautiful, I am so incredibly blessed and I will NEVER forget the graciousness I was shown and the life-changing experiences I have had as a finalist in the 12th annual Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway” exclaimed Chemari.

Chemari was in good company among the other finalists — they’ve all worked to overcome hardship and have dreams of helping others do the same.

Tate Lewis from Paris, Texas, for example, lives with a rare heart defect called HLHS, and was told at an early age that he’d never be able to play sports — his “number one love.” But after surviving five open-heart surgeries, a stroke, and a paralyzed vocal cord, he realized he could overcome the odds. By the time he hit high school, Tate was playing in the Texas High School State Golf Championship.

Tate Lewis upon winning $125,000 in tuition during the throw competition

His next goal was to finish business school and start a company that accommodates people with special needs, but his extensive medical debt was making that difficult. After landing first place in the throw competition and earning $125,000, he’ll be much closer to achieving that dream.

Finalist Preston Barnett from Baytown, Texas is no stranger to tragedy. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded his house and devastated his community. But rather than let the experience defeat him, he turned to his computer science skills to create a drone capable of delivering life-saving supplies to those impacted by natural disasters. He’s honing his idea at Texas A&M, and also working 25 hours a week to offset the financial strain of the tuition.

Preston Barnett in the throw competition

He entered Dr Pepper’s Tuition Giveaway Program so that he could dedicate more time to improving his autonomous drone technology knowhow, and managed to win a grand prize in the throw competition equating to $125,000 in tuition dollars.

Not every finalist had to throw a football to win money for tuition. Mario Porras from El Paso, Texas, for example, thought he’d be answering trivia questions to win funds, but was instead surprised by singer/songwriter Kane Brown and Brown’s manager Nikki Boon, a previous winner in the Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway program, with $50,000. Kane shared the news and video capturing the moment on his official Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Mario Porras learning he won

Mario’s getting his bachelor’s degree in vocal performance at the University of North Texas, and hopes to receive his masters in musical performance, but as a Latinx son of a single parent, the road to becoming a professional singer hasn’t always been easy. With the tuition boost, Mario hopes he can reach his dream of inspiring other Latinx and LGBTQIA members to follow their own.

Kale Corbett from Lakemont, Georgia also received a surprise call telling him he’d won $50,000 for tuition, but his surprise was twofold. He also got to meet the woman who saved his life, and help her get $50,000 for her children’s tuition.

At 10-years-old, Kale was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. He only had a 15% chance of survival, but thanks to a transplant from a single mother in New Mexico, he’s now a three-sport athlete and excelling in school. In his competition submission, he asked for tuition to help him become a pediatric oncology nurse, but he also asked Dr Pepper to help him meet and thank his bone marrow donor by giving her half of whatever they could offer him for her children’s education. Dr Pepper delivered on both counts.

Kale (right) meeting his bone marrow donor Barbara (left)

Dr Pepper has a longstanding commitment to bolster young people’s education through their unique tuition giveaway program. Even though the contest looked different this year, the goal was the same. This year’s unprecedented offering, however, allowed the company to give more young people the opportunity to achieve their ultimate professional and personal aspirations.

In 2016, Illumination/Universal Studios released the animated film Sing featuring an all-star cast of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, and more. Following the success of the musical comedy-drama, Illumination is working on the film’s 2021 sequel — and this time they’ve asked actual musicians to join in.

Pharrell, Halsey, and Bono are slated to take on leading roles in Sing 2, as confirmed by Deadline. This will be Pharrell’s second time lending his vocals for an animated film as his hit track “Happy” appeared in the 2013 blockbuster Despicable Me 2. Halsey has a handful of acting credits under her belt, but his will be Bono’s first time voicing an animated character in a film.

Speaking in a statement about the film, Illumination founder/CEO Chris Meledandri said Sing 2 is an immersive experience: “Sing 2 transcends the animation genre, immersing audiences in a fully realized world populated by complex characters, each with bold aspirations and relatable challenges. We are thrilled that the Sing franchise attracts such exceptional talent, and we are delighted to announce this extraordinary cast. The film is a musical celebration of the unrelenting pursuit of one’s dreams, no matter how large the challenges that stand in your way. At its core this movie speaks to the power of optimism and belief.”

The three musicians joining the Sing 2 team isn’t the first news of a musician lending their vocals in a voice-acting role this month. Just last week, Kacey Musgraves revealed she landed a starring role in an upcoming Studio Ghibli film. Titled Earwig And The Witch, Musgraves called the opportunity her “all-time biggest heart dream” come true.

Nine months into the pandemic (and after months of fighting), Congress passed a second stimulus bill. The optics of announcing the bill did not go over too well, largely because Nancy Pelosi described $600 per adult as “significant.” Coming from a multi-millionaire, this certainly wasn’t the best look for the legislation, and when people started digging into the bill even further — thousands and thousands of pages into the document — heads started confusedly shaking over the Dalai Lama getting some face time. Yeah, this is an unexpected (and somewhat strange) development on page 5099.

The text of the bill can be read here, and it’s definitely real, as is the portion that seeks to make illegal streaming into a felony. Of course, the streaming portion of the bill fits in pretty seamlessly with other protections outlined in the bill because the pandemic has only accentuated the importance of streaming to the bottom line of studios, labels, and artists. However, it feels like it’s more than a little bit out-of-context to see the U.S. government adding a portion about the Dalai Lama reincarnation process.

It’s for a purpose, yes. The U.S. is basically refusing to acquiesce if China, while in control of Tibet, moves to pinpoint the next reincarnation of His Holiness.

Stranger things have certainly happened in the midst of enormous, much debated funding bills from Congress. That’s only to be expected when two warring sides negotiate into oblivion: “Peak government.”

In closing, one user has pointed out we still don’t know “did the Dalai Lama also get $600 or no.” It’s a fair question.

The Clippers made two significant moves this offseason, as they replaced Montrezl Harrell with Serge Ibaka and traded Landry Shamet for Luke Kennard in a three-team deal on Draft night.

Kennard’s tenure in Detroit saw flashes of brilliance in between bouts with injuries, but it’s clear the Clippers are hoping that a healthy Kennard can stay on the floor and provide them with the shooting (and secondary creation) that makes him a valuable asset off the bench. Their commitment to Kennard was shown on Monday as the league approached the extension deadline for players, as they agreed to a robust four-year, $64 million deal with the former Piston to keep him in L.A. for years to come.

There are some stipulations, with just $56 million guaranteed and the other $8 million being in incentives, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, which likely are to mitigate risk should his injury problems persist.

It’s quite the investment in a player who’s only been in L.A. for four preseason games, but he’s proven in his three years in the league that he is a tremendous three-point shooter and a strong offensive weapon. The problem has been health, as he has played just 164 games in three seasons. He’s a career 40 percent three-point shooter and last season in his 28 games showed some increased on-ball ability, which figures to be helpful for a Clippers team that could use some more of that off the bench.

As for L.A., they’ve now locked themselves in to Paul George long-term with a new max extension, as well as Marcus Morris and Kennard at the same 4/64 price tag. That’s a lot of investment and they’ll expect strong return this season in the form of a deep playoff run.

Industry (HBO, 10:00pm EST) — Two episodes are on tap for the Succession-esque series for the younger crowd, and everything’s coming to a boil with a Reduction in Force Day looming toward the graduates, who are all attempting to prove that they’ve got what it takes to become a permanent asset to Pierpoint. There’s a passive-aggressive dinner party, an unexpected meeting, and all manner of drama. In other words, sit back and enjoy all the resentment and jealousy and be happy that (at least) this stress isn’t your own. It’s the small mercies in 2020 that go a long way.

His Dark Materials (HBO, 9:00pm EST) — The Dust-filled fantasy series picks up with Mrs. Coulter confronting a formidable foe and Lyra and Will growing closer in their search for Will’s dad. (Also, I would not mind a little surprise James McAvoy here, though that’s wishful thinking.)

In case you missed these picks from last Monday:

The Netflix Afterparty: The Best Shows Of The Worst Year (Netflix special) — No can argue that this has been a hellish year for humanity, but it’s still been a pretty great year for TV. We’ve ranked our favorites, and Netflix is now celebrating the most crowd-pleasing shows that the streaming service had to offer. Expect appearances from Anya Taylor-Joy of The Queen’s Gambit, Lily Collins of Emily in Paris, Emma Corrin and Josh O’Connor of The Crown, and more. On tap as hosts? David Spade, Fortune Feimster, and London Hughes. And next year, this shall become a full-fledged weekly comedy panel show with the Cobra Kai cast and Bill Burr hosting the first 2021 episode.

Tiny Pretty Things (Netflix series) — Dance into the world of a Chicago-set elite ballet academy in this series based upon the book by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton. Once inside, this show will introduce an oasis for young adults who adapt to a new world, far away from home, while preparing for the city’s renowned professional dance company. All walks of life will unite through their passion for dance and their desire to fulfill lifelong dreams.

If Rand Paul had any self-respect, he would be stocking up on Neosporin after how badly he got burned by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter. But he (and the rest of the GOP) doesn’t, which is how we got here in the first place. The Republican senator from Kentucky, who recently claimed that “no science” is able to corroborate mask mandates (he also called masks “face diapers,” likely because he’s used to sh*t coming out of his mouth), was “asked about getting vaccinated with others in Congress,” he wrote on Twitter. “It is inappropriate for me – who has already gotten the virus/has immunity – to get in front of elderly/healthcare workers. Same goes for AOC or any young healthy person. They should be among last, not first.” The fact that he referenced Ocasio-Cortez, without actually tagging her, did not go unnoticed by the New York congresswoman.

“Gee, maybe if the GOP hadn’t spent so much time undermining public faith in science, masks, & COVID itself, I wouldn’t have to weigh the potential misinfo consequences of what wld happen if leaders urged ppl to take a new vaccine that we weren’t taking ourselves!” AOC tweeted in response to Paul. Then the knife: “& @ me next time.” Is it too late to get a “& @ me next time” shirt by Christmas? I hope not.

Ocasio-Cortez continued:

Our job is to make sure the vaccine isn’t politicized the way masks were politicized. If you actually listened to your constituents, you’d hear a LOT about viral claims about repro health. Ppl have ?s Leaders shld show we won’t ask others to do something we wouldn’t do ourselves.

Paul has yet to respond. He’s probably too busy not wearing a mask at the gym.

Oh, and AOC’s also putting the GOP on blast for continuing to fund Trump’s wall, rather than a larger stimulus. She’s not letting this go.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard announced in a video message that she will not be getting vaccinated for COVID-19 until seniors are placed at the front of the line head of essential workers. While Gabbard’s congressional colleagues have shown no hesitation in being first to take the vaccine, the Hawaii representative is urging those who have yet to receive the injection to stand with her in solidarity with Americans over the age of 65. However, like many of Gabbard’s position, this one is not without controversy. Her rationale is that “essential workers” should not be prioritized, which has been a contentious topic of debate since the vaccines began rolling out. Via Twitter:

Heartless, arrogant, unelected CDC bureaucrats have decided that the lives of elderly Americans don’t count. They’re recommending 100 million “essential workers” (i.e. healthy people working at liquor stores or phone companies) can get the vaccine before our grandparents.

This is immoral and bad health policy.

I had planned to get the vaccine but will now stand in solidarity with our seniors by not doing so until THEY can. I urge my colleagues who are under 65 and healthy to join me.

You can see Gabbard’s video message below:

While Gabbard has staked out a controversial, yet principled stand on getting injected, Republican senators Joni Ernst and Marco Rubio have been feeling intense blowback after being first in line to get the COVID vaccine despite spending months downplaying the pandemic. Ernst even went so far as to accuse doctors of “faking” COVID cases for financial gain.

(Via Tulsi Gabbard on Twitter)