Munich is known for its famous beer and October celebrations. Now people can say it is the site of Germany’s first real NFL game.
From 1990-1994, there were preseason games in Berlin – but nothing quite like what is expected on Sunday afternoon.
“We are overwhelmed by the demand for tickets for our first-ever regular-season game in Germany… Tom Brady and the Bucs facing the Seahawks in November will be the biggest sporting event in Germany in 2022. Our fans can’t wait for the NFL to finally touch down in Germany,”
Sunday’s game will be the second-to-last international NFL game – the final being in Mexico City, Mexico, on Nov. 21 (The previous three were all played in London, U.K.). The NFL has made it its mission to expand its fanbase; five international games this year is just the start.
Commissioner Roger Goodell hopes to create a Europe-only division, which is excellent news for European football fans who have not had NFL Europe since it was dismantled in 2007.
Harrison is known for his insane off-season workouts, but did you know he was a member of the Rhein Fire in the NFL European league?
Adam Vinatieri: K, Amsterdam Admirals (1995)
Vinatieri is the first kicker to win four Super Bowls, producing game-winning field goals in two. Vinatieri is regarded as one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history.
Perry, also nicknamed “The Refrigerator,” was a part of one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history in 1985 when he played for the Chicago Bears. Aside from making highlight plays on both sides of the ball, the refrigerator spent some time playing for the Monarchs.
Germany will watch seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady take snaps this Sunday. The Los Angeles Rams were the victims in Brady’s patented come-from-behind victory yesterday evening.
After trailing 13-9 with 0:44 remaining, Brady would get the ball back with a chance to win the game. From that point, he had four straight completions before finding tight end Cade Otton for the game-winning touchdown.
Brady makes history
Not only did Brady keep the Buccaneers’ playoff hopes alive, but he also reached 100,000 career passing yards – something that seemed to be an unachievable milestone.
“It’s all about the win man; it’s all about the win. I never cared about the [records]. It’s all about the win,”
Brady told the media when asked about his accomplishment.
Looking ahead to Sunday
Brady was incredibly humble in the postgame interview by doubling down on his achievement. For the 45-year-old quarterback, nothing means more to him than winning – earning an eighth Super Bowl ring this year only adds to the list of triumphs we will likely never witness again.
Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles shared his thoughts on the hall of fame quarterback:
“We always have a chance with [Brady], we’re are grateful to have him. He got over a hundred thousand yards; that’s a long-playing career for anybody. He still plays at a high level; we love the guy to death.”
Brady will look to build on this momentum Sunday in front of eager fans at the Allianz Arena.
It is time the NY Giants (5-1) earn some respect as one of the top contenders in the Empire State.
In yesterday’s Sunday afternoon, “Big Blue” had to battle back in impressive fashion to earn their third straight victory. The Giants outscored the traveling Baltimore Ravens (3-3) by 14 points in the remaining six minutes to complete the comeback.
The Giants are no strangers to second-half comebacks, having completed one last Sunday in London against the Green Bay Packers (3-2). The “G-Men,” although down 10-20 at halftime, kept the four-time MVP out of the endzone in the remaining two quarters to win the game 27-22.
What happened?
Safety Jordan Love got it started for the Giants, intercepting the former MVP and returning it for 27 yards, putting his team in perfect scoring position with 3:04 left to play.
Superstar running back Saquon Barkley, on 1st and goal from the Ravens’ 1-yard line, went airborne to give the G-Men their first lead of the day with 1:43 remaining.
Fifth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, sealed the game for the Giants after a strip-sack on quarterback Lamar Jackson with 1:40 left on the clock.
It was Thibodeaux’s first sack of the season, an emotional one for him that could not have come at a more crucial time.
Kayvon Thibodeaux was crying tears of joy after the Giants beat the Ravens. 🥲
“I’m just proud of the way they compete. You know, we talked about trying to play fast, trying to play physical, being resilient, and finishing. And, you know, throughout the game, I thought those showed up, obviously not perfect – there’s certainly a lot of things we can fix, that’s why we will be in tomorrow and try to fix them. I am just proud of the way the guys competed,”
Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll to reporters after the win.
What were the predictions?
After a miserable 4-13 record last season, coming into the start of this year, Vegas sports bookmakers had the Giants winning seven games – two shy of their current total. The lines were over 6.5 (-125) and under 6.5 (+105).
The odds indicate you would have had to bet $125 to make $100 if you bet over the number of wins, or you could make $105 if you bet $100 under 6.5 wins.
Additionally, oddsmakers have the Giants currently at a +5000 to win the Super Bowl – whereas the Buffalo Bills (5-1) are at +290 right now.
What does history say?
The Giants play best when counted out, despite what the lines may say.
In 2012, the Giants finished the season 9-7, and even though everyone looked past them, they were able to get past the wild-card game and make it to the Super Bowl – where they beat Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady.
Yes, the Bills are known for their dedicated fan base known as the “Bills Mafia,” but it is important to note they have not made a Super Bowl appearance since 1991, and they have a record of 0-4 in the big game.
Biggest takeaway
New York fans should remember the Giants are dangerous when able to make the postseason, having a 58.8% playoff winning percentage since 1997.
This young, poised, and talented group of men seems to be what it takes to make a run late in the season.
With eleven regular-season games left to play, it is still not too late for New Yorkers to swap their jerseys before next Sunday.
Trust, that there are levels to this glow up. Growing up in the violent parts of the East Bay Area of Northern California, Coogler’s future wasn’t very hopeful.
Born in Oakland and raised in Richmond during a time where an African-American was more inclined to become a statistic than a star, the now 31-year-old director with only three feature films stands on the edge of glory.
Put yourself in Coogler’s shoes. You’re in the trenches where everyone around you is warring over street turf, selling or shooting up drugs, and getting shot while most of your peers end up either dead or in jail. You happen to be different because unlike most around, you have two loving, educated, and supportive parents.
Neighborhood kids tease you because your life seems better and your only escape is the house after the front door closes behind you. Coogler mentioned the tough times he dealt with while growing up in Oakland in an interview with The Undefeated. He said,
“Where we were living … there were kids that were on Section 8… There were housing projects … right behind us. I would play with those kids, but I would get teased because I went to a nicer school. I had both parents in the house. So, I didn’t really fit in.”
Shutting out a dangerous world, Coogler escaped to a fictional one by turning on the TV, popping tapes into the VCR, and watching multiple movies with his father. Little did Coogler know watching Rocky II with his dad would have a huge impact on his creativity and where he is today.
Still, even with an unknown deep interest in film, no one told Coogler that he could be a director and screenwriter at a young age. So, he took the route most looked to in order to get out of his situation and at the age of 7 picked up football.
In his interview with The Undefeated, he said,
“A lot of kids struggle. Somebody asks you who you are, man, you got to be something, ‘Are you in the streets? Are you an athlete? What are you?‘ Growing up, it was always one of those two things…”
Football changed Coogler’s life and he knew that when he stepped onto the field it provided him the balance he needed to progress. His grades were always great, but he ended up sticking to the sport, became captain of Saint Mary’s College High School Panthers and snagged a football scholarship to Saint Mary’s College of California.
Finally, Coogler made it out the hood, but this would only be a small step in his life. He still had obstacles to face. During his freshman year, he would major in chemistry in order to become a doctor, but little did he know that a creative writing class would change his life.
His creative writing teacher at the time, Rosemary Graham, gave them an assignment where students had to write about the most emotional experience they have ever faced. Coogler then submitted a story about his father almost bleeding to death in his arms.
Coogler thought nothing of it after he submitted his assignment but Graham was touched by the story and requested his presence immediately. She wanted to tell him that he had a rare talent, a talent rarer than having the brain of a doctor. Coogler had the visionary mind of a screenwriter. Peep what he told the East Bay Times,
“She looked at my essays and told me I had a creative eye, that I should go to Hollywood and write screenplays… I thought, ‘Where is she getting this?’ Then I thought ‘Why not?’ I went on the Internet, learned how to write a screenplay and fell in love with it.
However, after Coogler’s freshman year, Saint Mary’s College of California cut their football program and he lost his scholarship. Yet, that didn’t stop the future Black Panther director from obtaining a college degree, but let him know how little power you have as a student-athlete.
He could’ve quit and gone home but he stayed strong and carried on. That same year, because of his good football season at his previous university, New Mexico State, Brigham Young University, and Sacramento State all recruited the young wide receiver. Once again Coogler was able to use football as a platform to launch him to an education.
He ended up choosing Sacramento State where he majored in finance and ended his football career grabbing 112 receptions for 1,213 yards and six touchdowns. Don’t think Coogler forgot about a possible career in screenwriting. He lowkey chose Sacremento State because of their interesting film production programs.
At Sacremento State Coogler would get the creative film experience he needed. According to the East Bay Times, it was there he made “Story of a Dollar,” which was about a $20 bill that circulates around the Bay Area and the lives of the people it reaches. Plus, a 12-minute movie named “Eyes Like Mine,” which was about a young man in college who struggles with the loss of his girlfriend.
After graduation, Coogler had a decision to make — to go pro football or pro in screenwriting. He told Film Magazine about his decision to attend USC film school. He said,
“It was either go there or play wide receiver. I was short, my prospects weren’t the highest, so I jumped off that cliff and drove to L.A.”
In L.A. he honed his craft at USC creating a grip of short films like Fig. Actually, during his first semester, Coogler had to live out the whip, couch hop, and post up with Jesuits, before finding an apartment in LA.
“When I first went to film school, however, because it was such a sporadic thing, I went down to Los Angeles and I didn’t have anywhere to stay yet. So I kind of had to jump-start in classes and things like that. So, for a few—I would say, for about a week and a half, you know what I mean, I was getting dressed in my car, spending most of my time in school, you know, until I found a place. But I bumped around quite a bit. I stayed with some Jesuits, you know what I mean, with a group of Jesuits that were in training, basically. I stayed with like a distant relative for a day or two.”
He never let the pressure get to his head which is something he can thank football for. As an ex-athlete myself I know that times when you’re under stress you have a chance at performing your best.
This mentality is probably what led him to win big at the Sundance Festival for Fruitvale Station back in 2013. Lowkey this jump started Coogler’s career and gave him the confidence to talk to Sylvester Stallone, make Creed, and continue the Rocky legacy.Coogler explained the feeling when he first tried to pitch Creed to Sly. He told Deadline,
“The filmmaker inside of me…well, I’ll never forget the feeling I had when Sly was telling me stories. He would become so animated, he’d go across to the side of the desk and pretend to be this person or that person. I thought, this dude is an off-the-charts actor. I felt a little bit like a coach gets when he sees a greatly talented player, and I thought, if I ever had the chance to work with this dude, I’ll have to jump at it because this is nuts…”
Take Coogler’s story into consideration. The odds were against him. Yet, he managed to maneuver to space where he can now call himself a legendary director. Homie never expected that his three feature films would rank award-winning.
Nor did he expect to create Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther, but mission accomplished. Now, I bet that young boys from the East Bay Area when they see Coogler winning an award on TV it’ll change their lives for the better.
Listen, don’t be afraid to jump and use the tools provided for you to get out of a shitty situation or into an even better one. You never know where you’ll land if you take a leap of faith.
College football season is officially underway and for those looking to own the aux at their next tailgate or watch party, TIDAL released HBCU Homecoming, a centralized hub dedicated to the music, culture, and collegiate experiences at HBCU colleges across the country.
The playlists range by category to embrace the different aspects of HBCU life.
From Stroll and Step Songs with beats that get the intensity going, to Black Excellence which salutes the pioneers of past, present, and future, and Music Videos that are based on the energetic campus life of HBCUs, listeners will hear and feel the authenticity of these carefully curated playlists.
Y’all remember Drumline. Yeah, it’s all that energy but IRL.
HBCU Homecoming is one example of TIDAL showcasing its commitment to celebrating the different cultures that make us by highlighting their significance, influence, and contributions to the music we love.
The HBCU Anthems playlist
Including songs from the late DMX to songs that have become HBCU anthems by Wacka Flocka, these playlists do more than just set the scene for a perfect homecoming or tailgate party.
The Marching Band playlist
Bring the halftime heat to your dorm with this playlist compiled and curated to bring that drumline and HBCU marching band energy every time.
The Music Video playlist
Want more of a visual experience? TIDAL got chu. Bring HBCU throwback videos straight to the crib with this video playlist.
The Black Excellence playlist
Historically Black institutions of higher learning have always been known to breed and cultivate the brightest, most ambitious minds of the students who walk through their campuses.
Whether it’s a breakthrough in medicine, business, cinema, or every other discipline imagined; innovation and success are not foreign to HBCU alumni.
The Stroll and Step playlist
There’s nothing quite like a good Stroll and Step song to get the vibes going.
The House Party classics playlist
From Juvenile to Gucci Mane this HBCU homecoming playlist ensures to keep bodies moving.
The Essentials playlist pays homage to the perfect HBCU Homecoming
TIDAL has gone above and beyond to put together a complete curation of playlists focused on the musical contributions from some of the most notable HBCU alumni. (click here to access)
We all know why scoring is up this year in the NFL: dynamic quarterbacks, innovative schemes, and a lack of cohesion among defenses due to reduced practice time in the offseason.
But when analyzing a few of the top 10 defenses in the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Pittsburgh Steelers, a common theme, one that’s really quite obvious, emerges. Good modern defenses are developed by experimental coaches and powered by the NFL’s best players.
There are a handful of players who pass both the analytical and eye test. Players like Aaron Donald, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Shaq Barrett who dominate the opponent almost every weekend.
Having a player like this, an anchor of sorts, that has the ability to single handily change the outcome of a game, either by rushing the quarterback or making plays in the secondary, is a necessity.
Donald, who has already won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice in his career, currently has the best odds to win the award this year, according to Sports Betting Dime.
When it comes to good defense in the NFL, the Pittsburgh University product is once again playing on another level in 2020, having already recorded nine sacks and three forced fumbles.
When opposing offensive coordinators devise a game plan to beat the Rams, the first thing they must think about is containing Donald. He’s able to play on different spots on the line and effect the passing and running equally.
Last season, the Rams traded significant draft capital to land another blue-chip player in Jalen Ramsey, a defensive back who has the ability to lock down an entire side of the field.
This move was ridiculed because the Rams, a team with little salary cap room, was trading for a player who would need a massive new contract in the near future.
They clearly thought that pairing Donald and Ramsey would solve two of the biggest questions facing defenses every week: pressuring the pocket and locking down the NFL’s top receivers.
So far the Rams defense has stayed healthy and appears to ready for a long playoff run, due in large part to the contributions of their two stars.
Dwayne, “The Rock,” Johnson might have a grand trick up his sleeve.
According to a news release on Monday, the former WWE star and his group have agreed to purchase the XFL for $15 million.
With my trail blazing partner @DanyGarciaCo & Red Bird Capital, we have acquired the XFL. With gratitude & passion I’ve built a career with my own two hands and will apply these callouses to our @xfl2020 brand. Excited to create something special for the fans! #XFL#fullcirclepic.twitter.com/LprJ6HjglD
“The acquisition of the XFL with my talented partners, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale, is an investment for me that’s rooted deeply in two things,” Johnson said in a statement. “My passion for the game, and my desire to always take care of the fans.”
“With pride and gratitude for all that I’ve built with my own two hands, I plan to apply these callouses to the XFL and look forward to creating something special for the players, fans and everyone involved for the love of football.”
With all of the current safety concerns, Johnson and his group are still hopefully planning for play next season.
“We’re doing all the steps that need to happen for the execution of that,” Dany Garcia, the first female owner of a major American sports league, told ESPN.
“But we’re also being mindful of what has actually been successful. It has been really interesting to see that when you create a bubble, your players are safe. When you don’t, it’s chaos. We are a league, because of the number of teams we have, that actually can create a bubble environment. Those discussions are active.”
The XFL’s short run is considered by many to be a failure. The league filed for bankruptcy in April of 2020, after previously having a short-lived run in 2001. While the schedule was halted because of the pandemic, it announced that all operations had been suspended during the April staff meeting.
Owner Vince McMahon had invested $200 million into the league’s restart, hoping to generate a return on his cash. The eight-team league, however, couldn’t even make it past the halfway point.
XFL has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy listing both assets and liabilities in the range of $10-50 million.
There is a breakdown of ownership with WWE listed in control of 23.5% of Class B shares with the rest held by Vince McMahon.
Fortunately for the league, Johnson has more than enough social and business capital to jump-start the league for a third time. Operating under an estimated net worth of $320 million, Johnson’s films alone have grossed more than $10.5 billion worldwide.
Johnson played football collegiately for the University of Miami, winning a National Championship in 1991. After going undrafted in the 1995 NFL Draft, he turned to the world of professional wrestling.
Going by the ring name “The Rock,’ Johnson won 8 WWE Championships and garnered countless other league and press awards. His film career started in 2001 with The Mummy Returns and has since seen him take the Fast and Furious franchise, Disney’s Moana, the rebooted Jumanji series, and countless others.
Without a doubt, Dwayne Johnson is one of the world’s largest international stars. To breathe new life into a twice-deceased league such as the XFL, a leader of substantial social capital is required.
To gain a strong following for the new league, Johnson has several options that he can take. First and foremost, it might be wise to introduce the league into cities without major sports teams. Portland is a prime example, and other cities with lost NFL teams such as Oakland and San Diego might be in play as well.
Along with this, Johnson could explore the option of offering salaries to college athletes seeking pay. This would take a page out of the NBA’s book with the G-League, but it would be the first alternative medium between the NCAA and pros.
Remember when The Rock cut a promo before a game in the original XFL? Now he’s a part-owner of the rebooted league. pic.twitter.com/0EajcG4vtS
Regardless of what direction Johnson elects to take, even if he chooses not to make any major innovations, his presence alone will assuredly make a difference. As his popularity continues to grow across the world, his side-endeavors such as the XFL will most definitely benefit from the much-needed buzz.
We look forward to seeing how the future of the XFL will shape up. One thing is for certain, though: they now have breathing super start at their helm.
In the 1990’s, the former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons Jerry Glanville coined the phrase ‘Not For Long’, referring to the National Football League.
Glanville spewed this statement as he was berating a first-year NFL official who was recently promoted from the college ranks. Now, with the NFL’s next man up mentality, the ‘Not For Long’ phrase has taken on a new life of its own.
Unless you are sure-fire Hall of Fame talent like quarterback Tom Brady, or kicker Sebastian Janikowski who are both in their 19th seasons, a player’s longevity is short-lived.
The Statistics Portal shows that an average NFL career lasts only a little over three years. Even though the NFL reached $14 billion in league-wide revenue, The Statistics Portal also reported that the average player salary was around $2.5 million.
Even though the NFL known as being the cash cow, they are also well-known for being cheap when it comes to paying players. NFL contracts do not come fully guaranteed. This is the reason why some players hold out.
Players want to be paid what they are worth. Le’Veon Bell, the versatile playmaker for the Pittsburgh Steelers, received heavy backlash from fans and teammates alike when he initially decided to hold out this season.
Bell is doing so in hopes of a more lucrative deal. Seattle Seahawks defensive back Earl Thomas initially was going to hold out this season as well. After deliberating, he decided to rejoin the team, hoping to drive up his market value on the field.
Unfortunately, in the Seahawks’ fourth week of NFL action, Thomas suffered a season-ending injury. After breaking his left leg, Thomas’ was carted off the field, giving the middle finger toward the Seahawks’ sideline.
The future Hall of Famer’s chances for a huge payday is now looking bleak. Bell spoke out in favor of his decision and in Earl Thomas’ defense.
Instagram
The business acumen of the NFL player is changing. Players entering the league understand that their time in the NFL can be short. If they get injured, it is nothing for an organization to find a replacement.
Also, players also know that the NFL has alligator arms when it comes to reaching in their deep pockets to pay them. Now NFL players are stepping up their hustle and finding different ways to generate revenue. Besides endorsement deals, athlete’s are using their own likeness to bring in the green. Over the last decade, we have seen a rise in athlete driven media.
There has been a growing distrust between athletes and media outlets. This is due in large part to athlete’s believing that the media doesn’t tell the full story, wanting to add their own spin for more views.
Nevertheless, we are starting to see more NFL players who are entering the league more focused on their brand. Athletes like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Derrius Guice, Tyreek Hill, Jamal Adams, and more have created YouTube channels so fans can view them as people first instead of just football players.
Brand awareness is the key to making your money stretch in the NFL. Athletes having their own platforms in place will allow fans to be exposed to a different side of their favorite players.
Take a look at Smith-Schuster for example. Earlier this year, Smith-Schuster captured the hearts of the Gen-Z population with his affinity for Fortnite. With his growing popularity of Fortnite content, he was able to partner with FaZe Clan.
Teaming up with one of the best eSports organizations in the world allowed the Steelers receiver to sell his own merchandise.
His infectious personality captured through his YouTube channel, JuJuTV, has positioned Smith-Schuster as one of the most likable athletes of the Gen-Z crowd. He’s been featured in Pizza Hut and Madden 19 commercials trying to find his next touchdown celebration.
His hard work both on and off the field continues to speak for itself. Over the summer Smith-Schuster inked a six-figure sponsorship deal with the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, HyperX. Expect to see Smith-Schuster in HyperX headgear and apparel during live-streams, marketing campaigns and fan events.
While the younger faces of the NFL are continuing to make strides in athlete driven media, the OG’s like Marshawn Lynch and Tom Brady have used their platforms to take their content to another level. With the successes of Marshawn Lynch’s Beast Mode and Tom Brady’s TB12 Sports, they are not just inking endorsement deals. They are growing empires.
Even Tom Brady, who many have crowned as the GOAT, is establishing his brand outside of football. With the recent success of the TB12 Center, a place for nutritional wellness and athlete development, Brady has no worries while he is playing on the field.
He knows he has an identity outside of football that will still keep the checks rolling in. Not to mention, he launched his own content platform, Religion of Sports!
Brady even has a mobile app of TB12 so those who can’t make to the gym can still follow along with specialized workouts. His hustle does not stop there. TB12 even teamed up with The Purple Carrot and developed TB12 Performance Meals for those wanting a change in eating habits. Marshawn Lynch continues to stay relevant with the culture. His pure heart for the game and for humanity is why we love ‘Beast Mode’.
In 2016, during a segment on Ian Rapoport’s The Ian & Puck Show, the NFL Network reporter suggested that Lynch had not spent a dime of the NFL money from his player salary. At the time, Lynch had amassed over $49.7 million in career earnings.
Essentially, one could say he living off his many endorsement deals. Pepsi, NIKE, Progressive… the list goes on. In 2017, Marshawn Lynch teamed up with the Bleacher Report to launch his show No Script, which can be seen on Facebook Watch. The show gives viewers a chance to get to know Lynch beyond the gridiron.
You see him in a more playful light who is tune with his community. He’s captured living out his dreams while still giving back to the community.
To keep the grind going, Beast Mode also has his own clothing line. Coined Beast Mode Apparel, Lynch has his retail stores located in Seattle, WA, Oakland, CA, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Even though the career in the NFL is not a lengthy one, it is still imperative that players position themselves to win on and one the field. But while you’re under the shield that is the NFL, secure your bags while you can.
Life is a journey. You never know which road your passion is going to take you. But if you continuously put the work in, you will realize that all the roads you have traveled are really just lanes on one big highway.
For content creator Flemlo Raps, his competitive drive and passion has him now cruising down the road toward success. However, it did not come easy.
During his senior year of high school, Flemlo put in the work on and off the football field and the basketball court. Flemlo Raps’ hard work garnered him a scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he would go on to play football.
While at Southern, he quickly became popular amongst his teammates for his skill set as a rapper. On the football field, he possessed all the talent in the world, but after being redshirted his freshman year, his work ethic on the field took a drop off.
After having a dispute with his coach, he decided to walk away from Southern University and never looked back. Once he left school, Flemlo took on a commission sales job at Conn’s. While working there for close to six years, Flemlo Raps saw something on YouTube that piqued his interest.
In an interview with Kulture Hub, Flemo explains his life-changing epiphany that would inspire his next move.
“I was doing real good [at commission sales], but I didn’t have any freetime and you know it wasn’t fulfilling for me. So I just started to want to transition into something else. I used to watch YouTube. I used to watch a lot of Call of Duty videos… and one day one of the cats I was watching did like a house tour. ‘I was like house tour? What is this?’ Then I realized cats was like actually making a living doing this.”
Motivated, Flemlo Raps started doing his research. He knew he was on to something once he started to educate himself more explaining,
“I started watching ‘How to grow on YouTube’ videos and boom made me a plan, like a three year plan and I started building while I was working.”
2015 marked the beginning of Flemlo Raps’ journey as a YouTube content creator. He would start each day out by making videos before clocking into work. With his real-life experience, being a former athlete himself, he’s able to shed light on stories not a lot of people know about.
Flemo explained the process of building his YouTube channel while working.
“I would get up at like 5[am] everyday. I would get my video done. Then I would have to go to work at 10[am]. Work from 10 to uh, we close about 7[pm] at that store and just do that everyday. I was dropping one video per day.”
NCAA Football 2014 was Flemlo Raps’ main source of content. He explained he started his humble beginnings on YouTube covering the popular game.
“Basically what would happen is, I’m doing NCAA so I just played you know what I mean? I’d play like four games. So I got my content. So now all I’d have to do is just wake up and edit. I’ll send the upload up and then once I’d get to work, I would do my title, my thumbnails and all that stuff on my phone. And then I’d just schedule it to drop at midnight.”
With his job no longer fulfilling his purpose in life, Flemlo Raps knew it was time to leave his job and follow his new passion. Flemlo said,
“After doing that for while [commission sales], it was just hard man. The calling for me was so strong. I didn’t know when I was gonna go full time. I went full time with 5,000 subscribers.”
Loyal to the grind, Flemlo Raps turned himself into a content-creating machine. He quit his sales job and put all his energy toward this craft.
“The variable I knew was gonna be my hard work. So that’s when I started doing three videos a day because it was like I wanted to fill up every second I had because I couldn’t fail. I had a kid at that point and girlfriend you know what I mean?”
After amassing over 70,000 subscribers from his gaming content alone, Flemlo Raps decided to to leave the gaming content alone because of its short shelf-life.
Instead, Flemlo Raps shifted his focus to human interest stories, sparking his most famous series: What Happened To football series.
“I felt like I had a unique perspective I mean, I look at things a little bit different. I just wanted to humanize a lot these guys. Especially the guys who have alcohol issues or drug issues and stuff like that, the way they get talked about in the media, they never look at it from the human side of it. And addiction. that’s a disease. It’s not like they can just decide. So I kinda just wanted to tell their story from a different perspective. You don’t really get to hear the whole story.”
Flemlo Raps has chronicled the real struggles of NFL players like Titus Young, Malcolm Kelly, Josh Gordon, Trent Richardson and players from the NETFLIX Original series Last Chance U.
He even got a shout out in the credits for the third season of Last Chance U giving him even more motivation to continue on creating the content he’s been making.
Now with 254K subscribers on YouTube, Flemolo Raps is becoming a staple in the YouTube world. With how strategic Flemlo Raps is with his approach and how competitive his drive is, Flemlo is not surprised one bit by his success.
“I’m not trying to say this in an arrogant way, but I 100% believe in myself. I would have never quit my job at 5,000 subs if I didn’t think I was going to get to this point. So I expected to get hear, I didn’t know how long it was gon’ take, but I just knew I was gonna do everything in my power to make it happen. You don’t know how good you are objectively until the people decide.”
Flemlo even gives advice for future content creators who seeking to go full-time with their grind. Peep the facts Flemlo spits below:
“Social media and the internet is your best friend. I’m a guy who before I had a YouTube channel, I didn’t even have a Twitter page. I didn’t have an Instagram, none of that. But, today you can reach so many people, especially if you had any notoriety from where you’re coming from, you can make it happen. If you want to do something creative that is, do your research. Think about what you’re good, like what are your strengths, and then find which platform best fits your style. Focus on a niche when you start and then you can branch out.”
There’s something special about high school football that keeps us coming back for more. It’s a chance for the stars of tomorrow to showcase their talents under those Friday night lights. It’s the place where anything could happen. It’s the great game of football in its purest form.
However, for many of these athletes, high school will be their final chance to grace the gridiron. Even though they might possess the talent to play at the collegiate level, the lack of exposure may ultimately lead to never getting scouted.
But now, thanks to Overtime SZN, high school football fanatics can relive the most unbelievable moments while getting to know their new favorite players.
The talent level surrounding high school football continues to become even more litty as the years progress as kids are training like pros these days. Where else are you going to find the best team in Hawaii putting in work?
The game is definitely reaching new heights and Overtime SZN is making sure you do not miss any of the action. Now there are stars you’d never expect making waves.
While you mostly know Overtime for their fire high school basketball content, they don’t just stop there. They’re strapping up for the high school football season and the SZN got you covered.
Overtime SZN is for the football culture, and for the future of sports. Their primary goal is to get the youth of today more exposure. What they are doing goes beyond just highlights, they are helping tremendously when it comes to the recruitment process.
They feature all of the biggest football stars of tomorrow with major implications in college football and NFL in the coming years.
Recently, Overtime raised $9.5 million, has partnered with many investors, including Andreessen Horowitz, venture capital firm Greycroft, former NBA commissioner David Stern, and Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors to ensure they fulfill their vision of becoming the “ESPN of Generation Z.”
According to Dan Porter, the CEO of Overtime believe’s a network catering to the younger audience is the company’s best route. Porter expressed his vision during an interview with TechCrunch:
“Through a lot of experimentation, we found these young audiences were really connected to these young kids who might be professionals in 12 to 24 months. No one had ever built a national platform. Some of them, because they’re the first generation of digital-native athletes, have hundreds of thousands of followers — more than professional athletes. There’s a whole kind of interest around them and subculture around them.”
With over 327,000 YouTube Subscribers, close to 200,000 Twitter followers, and over 404,000 likes on Facebook, Overtime is essentially everywhere. Most importantly, they are presenting sports in a way that is directly relatable to the youth.
Overtime is dedicated to the youth and tapped into the culture. They even encourage their fans to submit the sickest highlights they’ve captured to them so they can be featured on their various platforms.
They want to continue to inspire the youth to be the best that can be in school and on the football field. Make sure you peep Overtime SZN page all football season long for the best highlights and docs from the nation’s biggest rising stars.
We’re not accustomed to this much noise or transactions prior to an NFL Draft, but here we are. Some might even say this offseason was better than the entire 2017 NFL season all together. I wouldn’t disagree.
The LA Rams made some beastly moves, adding the likes of Marcus Peters, Aqib Talib, Sam Shields, Ndmukong Suh on defense, plus a draft pick.
The Oakland Raiders ditched Michael Crabtree & added coach John Gruden and Jordy Nelson in the process.
The SB champion Philadelphia Eagles fortified a solid defense, trading for Seattle’s Michael Bennett on their D-Line.
Heck even the Cleveland Browns look better with the additions of Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor & Damarious Randall. Should we mention they have the #1 & #4 first round picks later this month? Insane.
With so many big names moving around the NFL, the elephant in the room remains Odell Beckham Jr. A superstar on the field but a polarizing personality off of it, the rumors around the NFL are that a trade is likely but also unlikely.
Get it? Neither do we and they won’t seem to go away.
OBJ is working back from a season ending ankle surgery that only allowed him to suit up for the first few weeks of the season with Big Blue. Looking for a massive payday as one of the NFL’s standout talents, a viral video dampened those chances recently.
Beckham was posted in bed with a stuffed backwood partying with some IG models. No big deal right? Well, the models were accompanied by some nose candy which set analyst and the social media world ablaze.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6JO9FQ-YAg
Now we ask: do you trade Odell, Big Blue?
While it isn’t wrong to listen to offers for Odell, the answer is no. You don’t trade someone of this caliber away. He shouldn’t even be on the market.
Per Giants GM Dave Gettlemen, “you don’t quit on talent,” BUT this could also be a smoke & mirrors tactic from management as they assess offers.
Let’s rationalize why you don’t trade perhaps the most talented wide receiver in football.
First, he immediately impacts your QB situation. Whether its Eli or whomever they take at #2 overall, his impact is no fluke:
Another key factor to note, Beckham is just 25-years-old and entering the prime of his career. While he may be immature and a bit of a headache, OBJ has yet to find himself in any trouble with the law.
Lastly, Beckham sells a lot of merchandise for the team and the NFL all across the world. Superstars draw money, and that’s the same for every major sports league.
Trading away Beckham will take away a lot of the extra revenue the team sees from all of the merchandise they generally sell through the year with his name on it.
The rumors will continue on a daily basis for OBJ & the NY Giants, but the one thing will remain certain is that addition by subtraction does not work for the Giants here.
You don’t get better by giving up on your superstar at this stage of his career. Pay the man!
