Category: Worldwide

The Ohio State Buckeyes fell behind early against the Akron Zips on Saturday night in Columbus, but then, things went more or less how you’d expect. Ohio State, despite playing without starting quarterback C.J. Stroud, started pouring it on, taking a 38-7 lead into a locker room at the half against their foes from the MAC.

There was, however, one pretty big way in which this game was unusual. According to reports from the stadium, senior Buckeyes linebacker K’Vaughn Pope appeared to end his tenure with the program in the middle of the game.

Apparently, Pope was unhappy with a decision made by Ohio State’s coaching staff, which led to him getting into it with people on the sideline and, eventually, being escorted to the locker room.

Perhaps this was simply a player wanting to cool off after a fracas on the sideline, but apparently, Pope went to the locker room, grabbed his phone, and started tweeting. In one post, he wished the rest of his teammates luck, and in a tweet that has since been deleted, he had a pretty stern message for his school.

Pope was a four-star recruit in the class of 2018, and had recored 19 tackles during his career as a Buckeye.

We already know when we’ll see the second season of The Witcher at this point, as the Netflix series based on a video game and book series officially returns in December. The official trailer arrived at WitcherCon earlier in the year, too, and fans of the series know a lot is on the horizon in Season 2.

The latest trailer came Saturday, served up as a “road” to Season 2 that features a quick recap of the first season’s events as well as some considerable training montage moments for Ciri. But Netflix also gave fans another taste on Saturday as part of its Tudum event — you know, the sound the app makes when you first log in — with a slew of announcements and another sneak peek of what we’ll see from Geralt and Ciri in a few months.

The clip is extremely brief, but shows Geralt waking a sleeping Ciri to tell her to prepare for trouble. She seems startled to say the least, as Geralt drinks in preparation for attackers while the young girl leaves him for whatever fight is ahead. The rest of the clip is mostly silent, with Geralt creeping slowly around a castle prepared for a fight.

While we didn’t learn much from it, the clip is certainly a tease of some big action. Another scene shared on Saturday offered a look at some of the big tensions that Geralt will have to navigate in Season 2 as he tries to protect Ciri from danger, as is his oath.

All that news also came alongside some revelations about other Witcher spinoff shows. Not only was The Witcher already given a third season by Netflix, that news came with a behind-the-scenes video that the streaming service dropped on Saturday of The Witcher: Blood Origin.

It’s a lot of small morsels of Witcher content on a day where Netflix went all-out with announcements, but we’re still a few months away from figuring out exactly what’s waiting for Geralt in those darkened hallways when Season 2 drops on December 17.

A picture City Girls rapper JT posted earlier this month led to fans believe that she was pregnant but she strongly pushed back on that assumption on Saturday. The rumors started when some of her supporters matched a bracelet she wore in the picture to one that pregnant women wear to combat morning sickness.

As a result, many jumped to the conclusion that JT and her boyfriend Lil Uzi Vert have a baby on the way, with some building excitement toward a potential “Lil Lil Uzi.” Furthermore, Lil Uzi recently posted a picture of JT with her belly covered with a heart-eyes emoji. Despite all of this, JT adamantly denies that she’s pregnant.

“It’s getting weird!!!!” JT wrote in a comment on Instagram. “I told [Uzi] put an emoji there because my pants were dirty but I still liked the video I shouldn’t even have to constantly tell a bunch of strangers I’m not hiding shit!!!! I’m not pregnant now leave me the hell alone!”

She also spoke about the rumors in a pair of now-deleted tweets.

“B*tch can’t even use emojis no more!” JT wrote in the first tweet. “I let y’all rock cause on some serious sh*t if I was pregnant what y’all gone do? Nothing! As a women half y’all h*es need to go educate y’all self nausea not only caused by pregnancy! & the way I control my nausea shouldn’t be y’all business.”

In the second tweet, she continued, “Females & n****s who don’t have a p*ssy really lost they marbles I was like okay once they see no stomach they’ll stop but now y’all just getting weirder! & weirder! y’all blogs & y’all b*tches LEAVE ME ALONE.”

You can view the posts from JT above.

Lil Uzi Vert is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Britney Spears’ new fiancee Sam Asghari has been an advocate for her freedom for a very long time. Asghari, who has dated the singer for four years, has also defended her on numerous occasions and the latest example of it came recently when he criticized past documentaries that focused on Britney Spears’ conservatorship battle.

“Apparently my opinion has increased in value over [the] last few days,” he wrote on his Instagram Story, referencing a past comment he made about Netflix’s upcoming film, Britney Vs. Spears. “Past docs left bad aftertaste. I’m hopeful this one will be respectful.”

He added, “I don’t blame CNN, BBC or Netflix (which got me thru lockdowns) for airing them because as an actor I tell other peoples stories too. I question producers who made them ‘just to shed light’ without input or approval from subject. Any credit for light being she should go to #freebritney.”

Just two days ago, Asghari shared his concerns with Netflix’s Britney Vs. Spears, specifically in regards to where the film’s profits would go.

“I hope the profit from these docs go towards fighting [against] injustice #freebritney,” he wrote under Netflix’s Instagram post promoting the upcoming documentary. Lady Gaga’s manager, Bobby Campbell, also chimed in with comments of his own, thoughts that Asghari agreed with as he endorsed it with a 100 emoji.

“There needs to be transparency about how or whether the filmmakers are profiting from this doc, or if they are donating their fees to Britney’s legal defense, or to legal defense funds to aide those who do not have the financial resources to fight against undue conservatorships,” Campbell wrote in part. “Even if it is in support of freeing Britney, this appears that it could be exploitative.”

You can view a screenshot of his message in the photo above.

Oleksandr Usyk maintained his unblemished professional record on Saturday en route to winning the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles. Usyk entered Saturday’s bout against Anthony Joshua as a heavy underdog, but by the time the judges announced their decisions following 12 rounds of action, the Ukranian found himself the winner by unanimous decision.

Usyk — who was previously recognized as the world champion at the cruiserweight division by WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring — handed Joshua his first defeat on British soil in front of the crowd at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The judges scored the fight 117-112, 116-112, and 115-113 in favor of the new champion.

While the cards showed a one-sided fight, Usyk nonetheless tried to send the fans home with a knockout in the bout’s final moments.

On the whole, Usyk landed 148 punches to Joshua’s 123, something that was mixed with being far more accurate — the Ukranian landed 28 percent of all punches he threw, while the Englishman landed 19 percent. That was particularly the case with power punches, as Usyk landed 96-of-220 (44 percent) and Joshua landed 71-of-214 (33 percent). Usyk entered the evening a +220 underdog, while Joshua was viewed as a -270 favorite.

Now, the eyes of the boxing world turn to Las Vegas, where Tyson Fury will put his WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles on the line in his third fight against Deontay Wilder. Fury was slated to take on Joshua in a pair of bouts to unify the world heavyweight titles, but those plans were postponed when an arbiter determined Fury was contractually obligated to fight Wilder once again.

The Weeknd has earned himself another unique award to add to his growing trophy case. The singer recently received the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award which is an honor given through the Black Music Action Coalition. The Weeknd received the award during the Music In Action Awards in Los Angeles on Friday and organizers labeled the Canadian singer as someone who used their status to “call attention to racial and social injustice and raise awareness globally.”

In his acceptance speech for the award, The Weeknd was pushed to tears as he reflected on the first time he met the legendary Quincy Jones.

“I actually first met Quincy Jones in Vegas a long time ago,” The Weeknd said after watching a video from Jones himself. “He pulled up to one of my club shows, and when I got off stage, he was waiting on the side. I was so excited to meet him, and there were fans on the other side screaming and trying to get my attention, but I was so focused on him.”

It was here that Jones taught The Weeknd a lesson that he’d forever carry with him.

“[Quincy] said, ‘Go take pictures, sign autographs, and I’ll still be here waiting. They’re just more important,’” The Weeknd added. “And it stuck with me until this day. He was teaching me a lesson in that moment that nothing is more important than the people, and giving back is always better than receiving.”

To conclude his speech, The Weeknd labeled the honor as the “best award I’ve ever gotten in my life” as he wiped away tears.

You can watch his acceptance speech in the video above.

Despite a breakout season that saw Jerami Grant average 22.3 points per game as the team’s focal point, the Detroit Pistons struggled to an unsightly 20-52 record during the 2020-21 NBA season. Detroit underachieve when compared to its point differential, meaning they were probably a bit better than their record indicated, but the losses helped to pave the way to a lottery win and Cade Cunningham coming to the Pistons in the 2021 NBA Draft. Elsewhere, the Pistons churned through their roster a bit, but they will now build around Cunningham, with intriguing veterans like Grant and Kelly Olynyk to go along with youngsters in Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey, and Killian Hayes.

Roster:

Saddiq Bey
Cade Cunningham
Hamidou Diallo
Luka Garza
Jerami Grant
Killian Hayes
Frank Jackson
Josh Jackson
Cory Joseph
Saben Lee
Isaiah Livers
Trey Lyles
Rodney McGruder
Kelly Olynyk
Chris Smith
Isaiah Stewart
Derrick Walton

Projected Vegas Win Total: 25.5 wins

Biggest Addition: Cade Cunningham

When a team adds the No. 1 overall pick, this answer becomes easy. The Pistons aren’t in “win-now” mode for the 2021-22 season, and they didn’t break the bank elsewhere, so there isn’t much competition for Cunningham in this space other than from Kelly Olynyk. Beyond that, the Pistons are hoping beyond hope that Cunningham is the franchise player that can lead the next generation in Detroit, and he profiles as a top pick that should translate relatively quickly given his shooting, high-end feel and defensive aptitude.

Biggest Loss: Miles Plumlee

No player started more games (56) for the Pistons last season than Plumlee. While it would be fair to point out that he isn’t a dominant starting center by any stretch, Plumlee is easily the best player that left Detroit in the offseason, and it isn’t a lock that they will fully replace his production. Isaiah Stewart is clearly the center of the future for the Pistons and Kelly Olynyk provides valuable offensive versatility, both of which should help to soften the blow.

Biggest Question: What’s happening with Killian Hayes?

Before Cunningham arrived, the Pistons used a 2020 lottery pick on a lead guard prospect in Hayes. His rookie season didn’t go according to plan, both with on-court performance and injury, and Hayes struggled during the Las Vegas Summer League in August. That isn’t a death sentence for his prospect status by any means, but he isn’t the most natural fit with Cunningham, and it could be a big year for Hayes. If he doesn’t show something, the Pistons could find themselves asking questions about his future.

What Makes This Season A Success

Cunningham looking the part would be the single biggest thing that could happen in Detroit this season. In keeping with that theme, the Pistons could also benefit from Stewart, Bey, Hayes and others flashing intrigue for the future. Because they already have Cunningham, ping-pong balls aren’t quite as necessary as for some other rebuilding teams, but progress is more important than wins.

What Makes This Season A Failure

This is a learning year for Detroit, so the downside isn’t terribly low outside of injury or enormous struggles from Cunningham. Aside from that, the Pistons could be worried if their other young pieces scuffle, or if Grant cools off from his explosive statistical showing last season. Patience is a virtue in Detroit, but there are still a few things that could go wrong, particularly with the non-Cunningham prospects.

The downside to the late college football slate this week is that there isn’t one particularly exceptional game. The good news, though, is that these sorts of Saturday nights mean you should bust out the laptop and the iPad, as there are a handful of games between conference foes that have the potential to pop off.

Here’s everything you can watch later in the day, all times EST:

#24 UCLA vs. Stanford, 6:00 PM, Pac-12 Network

Buffalo vs. Old Dominion, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

Charleston Southern vs. East Carolina, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

Louisiana vs. Georgia Southern, 6:00 PM, ESPN+

Texas Southern vs. Rice, 6:30 PM, ESPN3

Tennessee vs. #11 Florida, 7:00 PM, ESPN

Nebraska vs. #20 Michigan State, 7:00 PM, FS1

#25 Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State, 7:00 PM, Big 12 Network/ESPN+

Kentucky vs. South Carolina, 7:00 PM, ESPN2

North Texas vs. Louisiana Tech, 7:00 PM, Stadium

Navy vs. Houston, 7:00 PM, ESPNU

Southern Miss vs. #1 Alabama, 7:30 PM, SEC Network

West Virginia vs. #4 Oklahoma, 7:30 PM, ABC

Akron vs. #10 Ohio State, 7:30 PM, Big Ten Network

#21 North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech, 7:30 PM, ACC Network

Florida Atlantic vs. Air Force, 8:00 PM, FS2

UAB vs. Tulane, 8:00 PM, ESPN+

Indiana vs. Western Kentucky, 8:00 PM, CBS Sports Network

Troy vs. UL Monroe, 8:00 PM, ESPN+

Hawai’i vs. New Mexico State, 8:00 PM, Flo Football

New Mexico vs. UTEP, 9:00 PM, ESPN+

California vs. Washington, 9:30 PM, Pac-12 Network

South Florida vs. #15 BYU, 10:15 PM, ESPN2

Arizona vs. #3 Oregon, 10:30 PM, ESPN

Oregon State vs. USC, 10:30 PM, FS1

Colorado vs. Arizona State, 10:30 PM, ESPNU

Nas has had a great year. The rapper kicked things off by winning his first-ever Grammy Award in the Best Rap Album category thanks to last year’s King’s Disease. Months later, he reconnected with producer Hit-Boy to release King’s Disease II, which boasted 15 songs and guest appearances from Eminem, EPMD, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, YG, Lauryn Hill, Charlie Wilson, and Blxst. Now Nas has become the recipient of a unique honor thanks to leaders in his hometown of Queens, New York.

Nas was awarded the key to Queens as well as his own official day in the city, namely September 23. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and his Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor Franck D. Joseph both used social media to share the news and celebrate the rapper.

“Nothing but love for this son of #Queens who never forgot where he came from. September 23, 2021 is forever @nas Day in this borough — now that’s A Queens Story,” Richards wrote in his post. Joseph added, “September 23, 2021 is now officially Nas Day in Queens, New York. Nasir Jones is not only God’s son, but he’s Queens’ son. That’s why @drichardsqns presented him with not just a proclamation, but also the Key to Queens borough tonight…”

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Dallas Mavericks, for the second year in a row, lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs to the Los Angeles Clippers. In the aftermath, the team went through a bit of a shakeup, adding some players to its roster (although most of them are rotation guys and not the kinds of superstars that can change a team overnight) while making changes in its front office and with its head coach. The good news for Dallas is that might be enough — Luka Doncic is so good that any sort of progress he makes could catapult him directly into the best player in the world discussion. The bad news is if it things don’t work out and they find themselves wondering why they can’t move on in the postseason, perhaps the Mavs will find themselves needing to make even bigger changes next summer.

Roster:

Moses Brown
Sterling Brown
Jalen Brunson
Reggie Bullock
Trey Burke
Willie Cauley-Stein
Luka Doncic
Dorian Finney-Smith
Josh Green
Feron Hunt
Carlik Jones
Maxi Kleber
Boban Marjanovic
JaQuori McLaughlin (two-way)
Frank Ntilikina
Eugene Omoruyi (two-way)
Kristaps Porzingis
Dwight Powell
Tyrell Terry

Projected Vegas Win Total: 47.5 wins

Biggest Addition: Reggie Bullock

Bullock comes to Dallas after a strong stint with the New York Knicks. The team places a premium on the guys they put around Luka Doncic, and Bullock is the kind of three-and-D threat who should be able to thrive next to the All-NBA playmaker. If he can meet the shooting benchmarks he hit with the Knicks last season — 44.2 percent of his field goals, 41 percent of his threes, 90.9 percent of his free throws — he’s going to fit like a glove in his new digs.

Biggest Loss: Rick Carlisle

While the biggest loss to the roster is probably Josh Richardson, he never seemed to quite fit. As such, the biggest loss is probably Carlisle, who left the team on his own accord and before deciding to return to the Indiana Pacers as head coach. There had been plenty of rumors about Carlisle butting heads with Luka Doncic, but the dude knows how to coach up a team and win games. In his place is Jason Kidd, whose head coaching career has been less-than-stellar. Has he grown enough as a coach during his time as an assistant with the Lakers that he can make this work? Or will the Mavs find themselves wishing they were able to make things work with Carlisle?

Biggest Question: Can Kristaps Porzingis be the No. 2 the Mavs imagined when they got him?

A whole lot of people got jokes off last postseason about Kristaps Porzingis being a throw-in in the trade that brought Tim Hardaway Jr. to Dallas. This is absolutely not a knock on Hardaway, who is a very good basketball player, but considering Porzingis got a hefty payday after the trade and was viewed as the guy who would take over games alongside Doncic, it’s a bit eyebrow-raising.

In fairness, Porzingis spent last year working his way back from knee surgery, but he has a way to go to look like the kind of second banana who can help take Dallas to the promised land in the postseason. The Clippers, so eager to go small and switch like crazy, were the worst matchup for him in round one and it showed — Porzingis averaged 13.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while hitting 29.6 percent of his threes in the series. He needs to be better, particularly when the postseason rolls around. Can he be the kind of rim protecting big and floor spacer that he looked like he was going to be in New York? If not, can the Mavs get to where they want to go with so much riding on his shoulders?

What Makes This Season A Success: Getting past the first round of the playoffs. It’s not exactly Dallas’ fault that it ran into Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers in back-to-back postseasons, and they deserve credit for giving them really good, competitive series both times despite being led by a player as young as Doncic. But it’s now time for them to take that next step, and they very much have the chance to do that with Doncic and the cast of players surrounding him.

What Makes This Season A Failure: Barely making the playoffs and getting bounced in the first round again. The Western Conference is going to be a grind, and while this Dallas team is going to be good, missing the playoffs is possible if only because it’s possible for just about everyone in the conference. Doncic is so good and there is enough talent here that they should be able to make it in, but the Mavs would not be content with making it and having a short playoff stint again. It’s been a decade since they last made it out of the first round, the expectation is that changes this year.