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blackkudos · 8 years ago

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Tracy Morgan

Tracy Jamal Morgan (born November 10, 1968) is an American actor and comedian best known for his eight seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (1996–2003), 30 Rock(2006–2013) and his 2010 buddy cop film Cop Out. He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2009 for his work on 30 Rock. He has appeared in numerous films as an actor and voice actor.

Early life

Morgan was born in the Bronx and raised in a housing project in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. His father named him Tracy in honor of a platoon mate and friend who shipped off to Vietnam with him and was killed in action days later. He is the second of five children of homemaker Alicia (née Warden), and Jimmy Morgan, a musician who returned from military duty in the Vietnam War as a recovering heroin addict, causing him to leave the family when Morgan was six years old.

The target of bullies as a child, Morgan attended DeWitt Clinton High School. In 1985, at age 17 in his second year, he learned his father had contracted AIDS from hypodermic needle use. His father died in November 1987, at age 39. Morgan married his girlfriend Sabina that year and dropped out of high school just four credits short of his diploma to care for his ailing father. Already raising their first son and living on welfare, Morgan sold crack cocaine with limited success, but began earning money performing comedy on the streets after his best friend was murdered. He said in 2009: "He would say to me, 'Yo, Tracy, man, you should be doing comedy.' A week later, he was murdered. And that for me, that was like my Vietnam. I had my survival guilt when I started to achieve success. Why I made it out and some guys didn't."

Morgan embarked on a stand-up comedy career, successfully enough that he "finally moved to a nice community in [the Bronx neighborhood of] Riverdale, from a run-down apartment next to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx".

Career

Morgan made his screen debut playing Hustle Man on the television show Martin. The character sold various items from the "hood," always greeting people with his trademark "What's happ'n, chief?" and had a pet dog that he dressed as a rapper. In the 2003 Chris Rock film Head of State, Morgan appeared as a man watching television, often questioning why they are not watching Martin.

Morgan was also a regular cast member on Uptown Comedy Club, a sketch-comedy show filmed in Harlem that aired for two seasons, from 1992 to 1994. He was on the HBO series Snaps in 1995.

He appeared twice on HBO's Def Comedy Jam.

Saturday Night Live

Morgan joined the cast of the comedy series Saturday Night Live in 1996 and performed as a regular until 2003. He returned to host on March 14, 2009 and reprised his roles as Brian Fellow and Astronaut Jones. He also made a guest appearance on the Saturday Night Live Christmas show in December 2011, hosted by Jimmy Fallon. He hosted an episode on October 17, 2015.

30 Rock

From 2006 to 2013, Morgan was a cast member of the television series 30 Rock, playing the character Tracy Jordan, a caricature of himself. His work on 30 Rock was well-received, and he was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series at the 2009 Emmy Awards.

Other work

Morgan had his own sitcom, The Tracy Morgan Show, in 2003, which was canceled after one season.

Morgan appeared in a stand-up special, One Mic, on Comedy Central. He also hosted the first Spike Guys' Choice Awards, which aired on June 13, 2007. In 2003, he was on an episode of Punk'd in which his car was towed from the valet parking. He can be heard as Spoonie Luv on the Comedy Central program Crank Yankers and as Woof in the animated series Where My Dogs At?.

Morgan acted in commercials for ESPN NFL 2K, ESPN NBA 2K, and ESPN NHL 2K, co-starring with Warren Sapp, Ben Wallace and Jeremy Roenick. He appeared in Adam Sandler's film The Longest Yard as a transvestite inmate.

Morgan has hosted the VH1 Hip Hop Honors for two consecutive years, and hosted the 2013 Billboard Music Awards.

Morgan appeared in two episodes of the Animal Planet series Tanked, first having a Jaws-themed shark tank built in the basement of his house, then having a replacement tank built for his giant Pacific octopus.

In December 2015 he starred in a comedic Beats by Dre commercial.

He is slated to portray comedian Redd Foxx in an upcoming Richard Pryor biopic starring comedian Mike Epps.

Influences

Morgan has given Carol Burnett, Jackie Gleason, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, and Richard Pryor as among his primary comedic influences.

Autobiography

On October 20, 2009, Morgan's autobiography, I Am the New Black, was released. The book includes stories about living in Tompkins Projects in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, to becoming a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Morgan appeared on National Public Radio's Fresh Air hosted by Terry Gross, at times becoming very emotional about his former life in a New York ghetto.

Personal life

Family

While in high school, Morgan married his girlfriend Sabina in 1987. They have three sons together: Gitrid, Malcolm, and Tracy, Jr. Morgan filed for divorce in August 2009, after having been separated for approximately eight years. Morgan credits one of his sons with having saved him from his alcoholism. Morgan said in 2009, "I'm estranged from my own mother and most of my family, and I'm not sure that's going to change much."

In September 2011, on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards, Morgan announced he and model Megan Wollover had become engaged six months earlier in San Francisco. In January 2013, he announced they were expecting their first child, daughter Maven, born in New York City on July 2, 2013. Morgan and Wollover married on August 23, 2015.

Health problemsDiabetes, kidney transplant and alcohol abuse

In 1996, Morgan was diagnosed with diabetes and for years has struggled with alcohol abuse. With his consent, many of his own troubles were incorporated within 30 Rock episodes. In early December 2010, Morgan received a kidney transplant necessitated by his diabetes and alcohol abuse. Morgan admitted that he initially did not take his diabetes seriously.

Traffic collision

On June 7, 2014, Morgan was a passenger in a Mercedes Sprinter minibus involved in a six-vehicle crash in New Jersey. Just after 1:00 am EDT Saturday morning, the vehicle was traveling northbound on the New Jersey Turnpike near Cranbury, when it was struck from behind by a tractor-trailer operated by Walmart, causing a chain reaction crash. Morgan and three other comedians, including Harris Stanton, along with Morgan's assistant and two limousine company employees, had been returning from an engagement at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, Delaware, as part of Morgan's "Turn it Funny" stand-up comedy tour. The crash killed Morgan's friend and collaborator, 62-year-old comedian James McNair.

Morgan was taken by helicopter to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, with a broken leg and femur, broken nose, and several broken ribs, and underwent surgery on his leg on June 8. On June 20, 2014, Morgan was released from the hospital and was transferred to a rehabilitation facility to continue recovering from the injuries sustained during the crash. He was released from the rehab center on July 12, 2014.

The driver of the Walmart transport-truck, Kevin Roper of Jonesboro, Georgia, pleaded not guilty to one count of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto. The complaint alleges Roper dozed off and hit Morgan's limousine after swerving to avoid slowed traffic ahead of him. It also argues that Roper had been awake for more than 24 hours before the crash. A preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that Roper had been on the clock since 11:20 Friday morning and was very close to the federal limits of 14 hours per day and 11 hours behind the wheel.

On July 10, 2014, Morgan sued Walmart for negligence. The suit alleged that Walmart either knew or should have known that Roper hadn't slept for more than 24 hours. The complaint alleged that before his shift, Walmart forced Roper to drive from his home in Jonesboro to a Walmart distribution center in Smyrna, Delaware—a distance of some 750 miles (1,210 km) over 11 hours—even though there were several other distribution centers within a much more reasonable driving distance. Morgan filed the suit on behalf of himself, Fuqua, Millea, and Millea's wife Krista. At the time of the crash, Krista Millea was eight months pregnant, and the suit charges that she suffered loss of consortium due to the injuries suffered by her husband. In September 2014, Walmart in court papers cast partial blame on Morgan and the other victims for not wearing seat belts, a claim both Morgan and his counsel denied, noting that the driver who caused the crash had been charged with vehicular homicide and that the police report stated that seat belts were not an issue in the case.

In October 2014, Morgan's representative said the actor was still undergoing rehab and required a wheelchair when taking more than "some steps". Newspaper photos showed him walking with the assistance of a cane outside his Cresskill, New Jersey home. In November 2014, it was revealed during court proceedings that Morgan was still undergoing treatment for traumatic brain injury, including daily speech, cognitive, occupational and physical therapies. On May 27, 2015, Walmart settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount.

On June 1, 2015, Morgan made his first public appearance since the crash, in an interview with Matt Lauer on Today. In that interview, he appeared lucid but said that "I have my good days and my bad days, where I forgot things", and that he also gets recurring headaches. He also stated that he had no memory of the crash. Morgan made a surprise appearance at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20, and was greeted with a standing ovation. He then hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live on October 17, 2015. "People are wondering, can he speak? Does he have 100% mental capacity?" he quipped, during his opening monologue. "But the truth is, I never did! I might actually be a few points higher now!" On November 3, 2016 on Conan, he said that he was no longer angry and has forgiven the driver who made the collision.

Controversies

On January 27, 2011, Morgan appeared on the NBA on TNT pregame coverage of the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks nationally-televised live basketball game. During the appearance, commentators Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith asked Morgan to choose between Sarah Palin and Tina Fey regarding who was better looking (Fey, Morgan's 30 Rock co-star, portrays Palin on Saturday Night Live). Morgan said Palin was "good masturbation material", for which TNT apologized on live camera.

During a performance in Nashville, Tennessee, on June 3, 2011, Morgan made remarks about homosexuals, reportedly stating that if his son were gay, his son better speak to him like a man or he would "pull out a knife and stab him". Morgan apologized, saying that he had "gone too far." NBC Entertainment head Bob Greenblatt stated, "I speak for NBC and myself personally when I say we do not condone hate or violence of any kind, and I am pleased to see Tracy Morgan apologizing for recent homophobic remarks in his standup appearance... Unfortunately, Tracy's comments reflect negatively on both 30 Rock and NBC – two very all-inclusive and diverse organizations – and we have made it clear to him that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated." Tina Fey, Morgan's boss both in fiction and in real life, said, "I'm glad to hear that Tracy apologized .... but the violent imagery of Tracy's rant was disturbing to me at a time when homophobic hate crimes continue to be a life-threatening issue for the LGBT community...the Tracy Morgan I know, ...is not a hateful man and [would never] hurt another person. I hope for his sake that Tracy's apology will be accepted as sincere by his gay and lesbian co-workers at 30 Rock, without whom Tracy would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket."

On June 25, 2011, during a show at Caroline's in New York City, Morgan made comments about disabled children, saying, "Don't ever mess with women who have retarded kids," and referred to a woman as "a cripple." Peter Bernes, CEO of The Arc, an organization supporting people with disabilities stated, "Tracy Morgan should apologize immediately. This quote is far too offensive to be excused as comedy, and it is very hurtful to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Mr. Morgan has an incredibly powerful platform from which to fix this, and if he's learned anything in the last few weeks, he can't bomb this apology." He never apologized.

In 2012, Morgan's mother, Alicia Warden, said her Youngstown, Ohio, home was on the verge of foreclosure as a result of being laid off from her job the previous year. Her home value at the time was estimated to be $28,000, and her request for help from Morgan resulted in an offer of a one-time gift of $2,000, which she refused. Morgan responded in a statement, "I am saddened that these untrue stories about me have people questioning my commitment to my family. For reasons that are between us, I have not seen my mother in 11 years...." Warden also reportedly attempted to visit Morgan in the hospital shortly after his 2014 traffic accident, but was turned away by hospital security and Wollover. She said she returned the following day and was allowed five minutes with Morgan, who was still comatose at the time.

Awards and nominations

Emmy Awards

Image Awards

2009, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, 30 Rock, nominated

2016, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Saturday Night Live, nominated

2007, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, 30 Rock, nominated

2008, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, 30 Rock, nominated

Wikipedia

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junker-town · 7 years ago

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NBA scores 2017: Paul George reluctantly plays villain in Indiana return & 10 more things from Wednesday

Maybe George just wanted Indiana to love him in his return, but the former state hero was booed for the entire game.

Paul George struggled for damn near 48 minutes, as booed crashed down all around him. Oklahoma City fans know all about hostile environments, and this game wasn’t quite Kevin Durant’s homecoming. But right or wrong, George spent several hours in front of a Pacers crowd that used to lift him up no matter what. And they made themselves loud and clear: they don’t anymore.

The Pacers even picked this game to honor franchise legends, and George was nowhere to be seen.

George only scored two points in the fourth quarter, and a steal. It all happened, of course, with 10 seconds left on the game clock as the Thunder put the game away for good. The two points were two free throws at the line. For someone who scored 12 points on 3-of-14 shooting, it was an anticlimactic finish. But it was enough for George to make his own gesture to the crowd.

“Give it up already,” his shushing finger seemed to indicate.

George had worn bright yellow-gold kicks during the game, strobe lights that could be seen from anywhere on the screen. And he certainly seemed to play up the villain role — in all black, mind you — after the game.

Paul George on defending #Pacers Oladipo on the last play---> 'Ballgame!' <slams the table> http://pic.twitter.com/vO0GRt3vnO

�� Clark Wade (@ClarkWade34) December 14, 2017

But George also said he “didn’t remember” the shushing motion headed back to the Thunder bench. His villain part about Oladipo ... kind of didn’t make sense? It was actually just a very normal basketball player answer, disguised between a rhetorical question, a tiny little fist pound on the table, and George abruptly cutting short the press conference afterwards.

Indiana was always going to boo and heckle George in his first game back, even as George tried to apologize for the way he left town.

"I think both sides, myself and the front office, would definitely like to have handled things better,” George admitted earlier on Wednesday. “I for sure will take ownership on that. But I have no regrets on the outcome."

Given all that, George’s villain role felt half-hearted. He did it because he had to, because Indiana’s fanbase wants him to be one. George still loves Indiana, even if he didn’t want to play there. It’s hard to hate a place where you spent seven years and accumulated so many good memories. But the Pacers forgot, and they expected George to act the part. He tried, and yet everything he did still subtly indicated that he wasn’t cut out for this.

The George kicks mentioned above

Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

They’re great shoes, but they also don’t match with a single color of Oklahoma City’s uniform. This has to be on purpose ... and to me, it seems more of an olive branch than an insult. “Hey, I still remember all the good times,” not, “Screw y’all, don’t you miss me?’ But it’s impossible to read tea leaves this vague with any certainty.

George also only had love for his Indiana teammates afterwards, for what it’s worth.

Respect! #ThisIsWhyWePlay http://pic.twitter.com/uDbgmWbS2u

— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2017

More coverage of George’s return

How Indiana fans fell in and our of love with Paul George

Pacers fans have almost forgotten George due to Oladipo and Sabonis

PODCAST: The Pacers are neither bad nor boring. Shoutout Kevin Pritchard!

Wednesday was an ugly, necessary win for Oklahoma City

We really should be calling this the Victor Oladipo trade

How do you stop the Rockets?

Houston is 11-0 since Chris Paul returned (and 12-0 with him in a Rockets uniform, mind you).

Eleven Straight Wins! #StrangerThings http://pic.twitter.com/WzpTJh6bos

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) December 14, 2017

How they won their 11th straight game, in the ESPN nightcap after George’s return, was just as impressive. With 4:43 left in the first quarter, Charlotte actually led 19-13. By the 10 minute mark in the second quarter, Houston had taken the lead ... by a score of 49-25.

Houston outscored Charlotte by 32 points in seven minutes. They went on a 25-point unanswered run! They outscored the Hornets 36-4 over that entire duration, until Jeremy Lamb free throws finally broke that stretch. They even had Paul hitting shots like this.

James Harden is out there having the time of his life. http://pic.twitter.com/jU2KQs0BMP

— ESPN (@espn) December 14, 2017

It appeared the Luc Richard Mbah a Moute could miss some time with a shoulder injury suffered in the first half, but Houston can survive that. They are a scary team that features more defense, twice as many elite ball-handers as last season, and the same amount of shooting and rim running. They create offense from 30 feet away from the basket, and then burn you by getting within three feet. It’s a mesmerizing show, and there’s a reason that Houston has the best record in the league so far.

Gary Harris went off! (But sadly to not avail.)

Gary Harris sets a new career-high with 36 points for @nuggets! http://pic.twitter.com/4Bqndd93Ul

— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2017

Some of these moves are just sensational. Harris finished with 36 points on 16-of-25 shooting and six assists. Of course, Denver still fell to Boston by six points. But the Nuggets remain without Nikola Jokic, Paul Millsap, and Will Barton, players they badly need back.

2 more things from Wednesday

Joel Embiid roasted Karl-Anthony Towns on Instagram. They’re friends, so we’re assuming this was all fun and games!

Jameer Nelson passed out of a wide-open layup because Giannis Antetokounmpo spooked him, and it was amazingly the right play.

Wednesday’s final scores

Clippers 106, Magic 95 (Clips Nation recap | Orlando Pinstriped Post recap)

Wizards 93, Grizzlies 87 (Bullets Forever recap | Grizzly Bear Blues recap)

Thunder 100, Pacers 95 (Welcome to Loud City recap | Indy Cornrows recap)

Celtics 124, Nuggets 118 (Celtics Blog recap | Denver Stiffs recap)

Trail Blazers 102, Heat 95 (Blazer’s Edge recap | Hot Hot Hoops recap)

Pelicans 115, Bucks 108 (The Bird Writes recap | Brew Hoop recap)

Bulls 103, Jazz 100 (Blog a Bull recap | SLC Dunk recap)

Raptors 115, Suns 109 (Raptors HQ recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)

Rockets 108, Hornets 96 (The Dream Shake recap | At the Hive recap)

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footballleague0 · 8 years ago

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Watson and Hunt steal the show in Week 2 with electrifying TD runs – NFL Nation

Here’s a closer look at how some of the top rookies fared in Week 2:

THURSDAY

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson

Draft round: 1

Statistics: 15-of-24, 125 yards; five carries, 67 yards, one TD

Analysis: Watson provided the most exciting play, and the only touchdown, of the Texans’ 13-9 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals — on a scramble up the middle and then down the right sideline for a 49-yard touchdown. Watson showed some improvement from his Week 1 performance but acknowledged after the game that he still has a lot to learn before he is a complete quarterback. Watson didn’t turn the ball over but did have two passes that were almost intercepted. Head coach Bill O’Brien said he liked the poise Watson showed, especially on the Texans’ last drive, which ate up a lot of clock and ended with a field goal. On that drive, Watson got the Texans into the right play almost every time, which O’Brien called “a really good sign.” — Sarah Barshop

SUNDAY

Indianapolis Colts S Malik Hooker

Draft round: 1

Statistics: Two tackles, interception

Analysis: Hooker didn’t waste any time showing why he was projected as a top-10 pick in last spring’s NFL draft and that the Colts made a wise decision in selecting him after he slid to pick No. 15. Hooker put an end to a drive that likely would have resulted in at least three points when he intercepted a Carson Palmer pass at the Colts’ 3-yard line with just 1:34 remaining in the first half and the Colts holding on to a 10-3 lead. Hooker’s ball instincts allowed him to intercept seven passes and return three of them for touchdowns last season at Ohio State. Hooker, who missed all offseason workouts and part of training camp while working his way back from several injuries, started only because Darius Butler missed the game with a hamstring injury. “I thought our young guys in the back end played some really good football,” coach Chuck Pagano said. — Mike Wells

Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku

Draft round: 1

Statistics: Three receptions, 27 yards, including 23-yard TD

Analysis: Njoku seems to be growing up. He struggled early in camp, came on the second part of camp and now is playing with more confidence. His TD catch was a leaping grab toward the corner of the end zone. “I ran the route that was called, Kevin [Hogan] threw a great ball and I executed,” Njoku said. Njoku admitted the game is slowing down for him. As it does, he should play better. He had a drop late in the game, but his size and skills are evident. Learning the NFL game is a new experience. “It’s a very special moment catching your first professional touchdown, and hopefully by God’s grace there will be many more to come,” he said. — Pat McManamon

Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette had a tougher time in Week 2, as the Titans clearly based their game plan on stopping the rookie. AP Photo/John Raoux

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette

Draft round: 1 (fourth overall)

Statistics: 14 carries, 40 yards, one TD; two catches, 21 yards

Analysis: Week 2 was much tougher than Week 1 for Fournette, who ran for 100 yards and a touchdown in the Jaguars’ victory over Houston in the season opener. Tennessee’s defensive game plan was evident from the beginning: Stop Fournette. The Titans put eight players in the box, and Fournette had little room to maneuver all day. His longest run was only 7 yards, and he had five carries that went for zero yards or 1 yard, though one was a 1-yard touchdown run. Fournette had only four carries in the second half, mainly because the Jaguars fell behind by double digits and were forced to abandon the run. — Michael DiRocco

Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook

Draft round: 2

Statistics: 12 carries, 64 yards; two receptions, 0 yards

Analysis: He continued to shoulder the load for the Vikings running backs and came within a yard of scoring his first touchdown. Out of 65 total plays, Cook was in on 37 snaps and turned 12 carries into 64 yards. The Vikings ran Cook out of the shotgun on a 25-yard outside rush he took all the way inside the 1-yard line. That play set up fullback C.J. Ham for a score on the next drive, the only time Minnesota made it into the end zone in Week 2. Minnesota found itself behind the chains often on Sunday, so Cook wasn’t utilized all that much in the passing game. He caught a 1-yard pass on the Vikings’ first offensive series, but that gain was negated on another reception. For a second consecutive week, Cook picked up his run-blocking assignments and was the best thing going for the Vikings offense as it struggled in the absence of Sam Bradford. — Courtney Cronin

JuJu Smith-Schuster had three catches for 16 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown reception, on Sunday and showed a toughness that the Steelers are looking for. AP Photo/Don Wright

Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

Draft round: 2

Statistics: Three catches, 16 yards, one TD

Analysis: The Steelers’ top draft choice, linebacker T.J. Watt, will make this list plenty of times and came up with a pass deflection Sunday. But Smith-Schuster showed he’s ready for physical football, too. The Steelers trusted him with a goal line shovel pass, and Smith-Schuster secured the ball and absorbed contact as he pushed into the end zone for a 4-yard TD. Smith-Schuster also delivered a vicious block on a running play for Le’Veon Bell. Miscues have been a problem for Smith-Schuster, who has three penalties through his first two games. But that hasn’t swayed the team’s confidence in him. As the fourth receiver in a good offense, Smith-Schuster’s stock should continue to rise. — Jeremy Fowler

Cleveland Browns QB DeShone Kizer

Draft round: 2

Statistics: 15-for-31, 182 yards, two sacks, three interceptions, one lost fumble

Analysis: Kizer’s day was as tough as his numbers indicate. Not only did he struggle on the field, he also missed a quarter with a migraine headache. Kizer said he had migraine issues in high school and his problem is hereditary. He also said he has a series of medications that clear things up quickly. On the field, he never looked in rhythm. The fumble was a result of holding the ball too long. His first interception was a pass he did not throw accurately that tipped off Duke Johnson to Ravens safety Eric Weddle. The second interception was a poor throw in the end zone, and the third was a forced throw. Attribute the game to going through rookie struggles. Coach Hue Jackson stood by him and will turn to him again Sunday in Indianapolis. But these are the kinds of days the Browns knew were coming when they went with Kizer as the starter this season. — Pat McManamon

Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt

Draft round: 3

Statistics: 13 carries, 81 yards, two TDs; three receptions, 28 yards

Analysis: The Philadelphia Eagles held Hunt down for almost three quarters but couldn’t finish the job. That’s difficult to do against Hunt, who is tough to knock off his feet and seems to get stronger as the game goes on. Hunt busted loose for a 53-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for Kansas City’s first touchdown and later finished the Chiefs’ scoring with a 2-yard run. Afterward, Hunt used the ball as a pillow in the end zone. His message: “Stop sleeping on me. I want everyone to know that.” — Adam Teicher

Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Kendell Beckwith

Draft round: 3

Statistics: Five solo tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass breakup

Analysis: Beckwith was one of two rookies to start for the Bucs, along with tight end O.J. Howard, with Beckwith getting the nod at strongside linebacker. Then when middle linebacker Kwon Alexander left the game with a hamstring injury early in the second quarter, Beckwith shifted over to Alexander’s MIKE spot. He played a huge role in limiting Tarik Cohen to just 13 rushing yards and the Bears’ offense to 20 total rushing yards. Beckwith is just 10 months removed from suffering a torn ACL. “He’s been doing that since he got here, since he was able to practice,” defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said. “He is just one of those guys. You don’t have to worry about him being a rookie. Obviously, he will have some rookie moments this year, but he just loves to play the game. He came from LSU. He kind of reminds me of somebody else that came from LSU [Alexander].” — Jenna Laine

Bears running back Tarik Cohen had an uncharacteristic muffed punt but handled the mistake like a professional. Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears RB Tarik Cohen

Draft round: 4

Statistics: seven carries, 13 yards; eight catches, 55 yards; two punt returns, 10 yards

Analysis: For the first time since he arrived in Chicago, Cohen actually looked like a rookie on Sunday when he tried to pick up a live punt return only to fumble it to the Bucs. It was an uncharacteristic lapse in judgment for a player who acts like a seasoned vet — even though he’s just a first-year player out of North Carolina A&T. But to Cohen’s credit, he answered all the tough questions about the incident after the game, vowing to put the episode behind him. Cohen also didn’t have much luck running the football, but the turnover was by far the worst part of his day. Besides, the Bears were in their two-minute offense almost the entire second half. The positives: Cohen still led the Bears in receptions and continues to make guys miss in the open field. Cohen handled the muffed-punt fiasco like a professional, which bodes well moving forward. — Jeff Dickerson

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara

Draft round: 3

Statistics: 1 carry, 3 yards; three receptions, 51 yards

Analysis: Kamara’s impact was felt early Sunday against the Patriots, with a 38-yard catch on a deep passing route during New Orleans’ first touchdown drive to start the second quarter. Drew Brees dialed him up on another deep ball later, and they just missed a connection even though he had a step. Dating back to the preseason, we have now seen Kamara’s explosiveness as a runner between the tackles, on short passes around the edges and on deep passing routes. And it’s clear they’re excited to continue using him as an unpredictable weapon they can create mismatches with. “Here’s a rookie who obviously is very talented and has the ability to do a lot for our offense,” Brees said. “I think you’ll see from week to week his role continue to expand [with] the more time on task that we have and the more that we game plan and find different opportunities for him. He’s definitely a guy you want the ball in his hands.” — Mike Triplett

Atlanta Falcons DE Takk McKinley

Round: 1

Statistics: Two quarterback hits

Analysis: McKinley, who played 14 snaps in his debut in Week 1, was more of a factor against the Packers because the Falcons played more nickel. He put two punishing hits on Aaron Rodgers that affected plays. It was a case of a pass-rusher making an impact without recording one of the team’s three sacks. McKinley, who rushes off the right edge, told ESPN he’s more than willing to rush off the left, too. And he might have to in the immediate future if top pass-rusher Vic Beasley Jr. is sidelined for any amount of time after leaving Sunday night’s game with a hamstring injury. — Vaughn McClure

The post Watson and Hunt steal the show in Week 2 with electrifying TD runs – NFL Nation appeared first on Daily Star Sports.

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giantsfootball0 · 8 years ago

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Watson and Hunt steal the show in Week 2 with electrifying TD runs – NFL Nation

Here’s a closer look at how some of the top rookies fared in Week 2:

THURSDAY

Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson

Draft round: 1

Statistics: 15-of-24, 125 yards; five carries, 67 yards, one TD

SUNDAY

Indianapolis Colts S Malik Hooker

Draft round: 1

Statistics: Two tackles, interception

Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku

Draft round: 1

Statistics: Three receptions, 27 yards, including 23-yard TD

Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette had a tougher time in Week 2, as the Titans clearly based their game plan on stopping the rookie. AP Photo/John Raoux

Jacksonville Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette

Draft round: 1 (fourth overall)

Statistics: 14 carries, 40 yards, one TD; two catches, 21 yards

Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook

Draft round: 2

Statistics: 12 carries, 64 yards; two receptions, 0 yards

JuJu Smith-Schuster had three catches for 16 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown reception, on Sunday and showed a toughness that the Steelers are looking for. AP Photo/Don Wright

Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

Draft round: 2

Statistics: Three catches, 16 yards, one TD

Cleveland Browns QB DeShone Kizer

Draft round: 2

Statistics: 15-for-31, 182 yards, two sacks, three interceptions, one lost fumble

Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt

Draft round: 3

Statistics: 13 carries, 81 yards, two TDs; three receptions, 28 yards

Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Kendell Beckwith

Draft round: 3

Statistics: Five solo tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass breakup

Bears running back Tarik Cohen had an uncharacteristic muffed punt but handled the mistake like a professional. Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears RB Tarik Cohen

Draft round: 4

Statistics: seven carries, 13 yards; eight catches, 55 yards; two punt returns, 10 yards

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara

Draft round: 3

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How Edinburgh changed British comedy – BBC News

Image caption Lee Evans won the top comedy award in Edinburgh in 1993

Comedy did not feature at all when the Edinburgh Fringe began but over the past three decades it has become the “spiritual home” of Britain’s funny folk.

While London lays claim to being the birthplace of “alternative” comedy in the 1980s, it was the Scottish capital where the new generation of comics received their education before transforming British humour.

Image caption Sarah Millican is one of the many stars to have broken through in the past decade

Comedy talent such as Steve Coogan, Lee Evans, Bill Bailey, Alan Davies, Harry Hill, Jo Brand and Al Murray all got their big breaks in Edinburgh.

According to comedy impresario Nica Burns the “golden year” was 1991 when Frank Skinner won the Perrier Award, beating Eddie Izzard, Jack Dee and Paul O’Grady’s character Lily Savage.

Some found fame quickly while others such as Graham Norton and Michael McIntyre slogged away in Edinburgh for years before getting their big break.

Despite constant claims of its imminent demise, the Edinburgh Fringe has continued to be a unique showcase for comedy talent over more than 30 years.

Image caption Jack Dee was nominated for the Edinburgh comedy award in its “golden year”

In more recent times John Bishop, Sarah Millican, Kevin Bridges, Ross Noble, Russell Kane and many others have seen successful Edinburgh runs springboard them to TV fame and arena tours.

Image caption Bridget Christie won the Edinburgh comedy award in 2013

This year’s Fringe features more than 3,000 shows and more than a third are comedy.

That means more than 1,000 comedy acts from all over the world will be in the city during August.

Nica Burns, who took over the Perrier’s, the awards that became synonymous with Edinburgh comedy, says: “When I started with the awards in 1984 I used to personally go and see all the shows. You could not start to do that now.”

Image caption Steve Coogan returned to Edinburgh to present the Edinburgh comedy award in 2013, two decades after winning it

These days she employs a judging panel to go around the 700 eligible comedy acts and make a shortlist for the award, now sponsored by lastminute.com but still coveted by comedians.

Richard Herring, who has appeared in Edinburgh for most of the past 30 years, does not qualify for the comedy award because it does not include people who have already had a TV series.

He broke into TV in the mid-90s with Stewart Lee in Fist of Fun but even though he is a 50-year-old Fringe veteran he says: “Sometimes I’ll be annoyed I’ve not been nominated – then I remember that no judge has seen my show because I’m not eligible.”

The Edinburgh hour

Image caption Richard Herring, here with Arthur Smith in 2011, says the Edinburgh hour was important leap for comedians

Herring says that the Fringe is still the “best arts festival in the world” but it has changed beyond recognition since he first performed in a student revue in 1987.

He says that sketch shows by Oxbridge students such as him were coming in for a lot of stick from the new wave of comedy stand-ups who were starting to see the Fringe as their domain.

They saw it as a place to come for three weeks, hang out with other performers and hone their material.

Herring says one of the major changes that Edinburgh developed was the one-hour comedy show.

Even in the late 1980s it was rare for stand-up comedians to do a full hour-long show on their own and they would often partner up with other performers to fill the Edinburgh hour.

Image caption Nica Burns, seen here in 1993, has been in charge of the comedy awards for 33 years

Nica Burns says: “The Edinburgh Fringe became the learning ground because in the clubs you could only do part of the show.

“You started with a five-minute guest spot, if you were any good you could do 10 minutes and work up to 20 or 30 minutes for the headline act.

“For that jump to a whole show, to be able to play in a larger theatre, to be able to go on the road, you need to develop your material live.

“Comedians suddenly realised that Edinburgh was a fantastic place to come and book yourself a hall.

“That’s the great thing about the Fringe, it’s not curated, so anybody can do it.”

Image caption Simon Munnery has been appearing at the Fringe for 30 years

Comedian Simon Munnery, who has also been performing in Edinburgh for 30 years, says: “The hour-long slot gives you more space to experiment. For most comedians it’s a big step to go from 20 minutes to an hour.

“When you are doing that sort of time there is more pressure to have some sort of theme or to have something to say.”

Fred MacAulay first appeared at the Fringe in 1989 as part of a collective of Scottish comedians called the Funny Farm.

Image copyright Robert Perry

Image caption Fred MacAulay said the move to doing an hour-long show was a big moment for comedian

For his first four Fringes he was part of a composite show with other comedians, taking a bigger time slot each year.

He says: “It is always there very much on the horizon for you as a new stand-up that the target is to do an Edinburgh hour.”

“I always thought it was very much like a skiier,” he says.

“You are skiing on the blue runs but out of the corner of your eye you can seeing a red or a black run and you know ‘I’m going to have to tackle that one day’.”

MacAulay says that a few festivals around the world, such as Melbourne in Australia, have followed Edinburgh’s comedy model but the Fringe remains unique in its scale and scope.

Political movement

Image caption Karen Koren has been running the Gilded Balloon for more than 30 years

Karen Koren was there at the start of Edinburgh’s comedy boom.

She founded the Gilded Balloon venue in 1986, which along with The Pleasance and The Assembly led the 1980s comedy boom.

“I was certainly there at the beginning of the stand-up comedy surge,” says Koren, who set up her first comedy club because her friends were looking for a place to perform “alternative” comedy.

“I blame Margaret Thatcher myself,” she says.

“It was really satirical and political back then.

“Nowadays anything goes but then it was quite serious comedy, with the likes of Mark Thomas and Mark Steel, Jeremy Hardy and Kevin Day. Although there have always been silly performers as well.”

Image caption Alexei Sayle, one of the originators of alternative comedy, is back at the Fringe this year

Nica Burns agrees that the Edinburgh comedy boom was fuelled by acts who were reacting to the politics of the time and Prime Minister Thatcher.

But she says they were also seeking to overthrow the old comedy establishment.

Burns says: “It was a really exciting time because alternative comedy was a political movement.

“For the original comics, such as Alexi Sayle, it was about changing what comedy stood for – no more homophobic, racist or sexist jokes.

“Within a very short time they had run off all the old comics and TV moved into the new era.”

Burns says that the new comedy movement may have begun in London but Edinburgh was the “school for clowns”, where they learned to how to perform.

Comedy around the clock

Image copyright PA

Image caption Al Murray won the Edinburgh comedy award in 1999

Koren quickly went from running one studio theatre with 150 seats to 14 venues of various sizes dotted around the Cowgate.

To maximise use of her spaces Koren wanted comedians to perform day and night.

She says: “I remember that stand-up was always considered to be for the evening.

“No performers wanted to go on before 7pm and they didn’t want to go against each other.

“I had to push that concept to them all. The more the merrier. Think about your own show and what you are doing.”

As well as getting to perform your own show there was another factor that attracted comedians to Edinburgh – the camaraderie.

Munnery says: “It’s wonderful to be in the same place at the same time as all these other people who are in the same sinking boat.”

Funny women

Image copyright PA

Image caption In 2005, Laura Solon was the second woman in 25 years to win the Perrier

For Herring his early appearances are as memorable for the nights out with fellow comedians as they are for his shows.

Koren says: “I started a show called Late ‘n’ Live. It ran from midnight to four in the morning.

“We had the latest licence on the Fringe. It became a place where people came to see other comics die.

“It was where all the comics got drunk and had a great time together. That type of camaraderie that was around then really enhanced it and pushed it forward.

“There was lots of young kids going ‘I want to be like that guy up on stage’.”

Image caption Jenny Eclair was the first solo female winner of the Perrier Award

And it was usually a guy.

Despite Burns and Koren being a strong female presence on the comedy scene they both agree that it was very much a “boy’s club” in the early days.

Burns says: “The number of women doing shows was so small you could count them on one hand at the beginning.

“When it started it was much harder for women.

“There was a real feeling that when a woman came on there was a collective folding of the arms by the audience, and they were saying ‘OK, show us you are funny’.

“The audiences was very male because it involved smoking and drinking as well and quite a lot were above pubs.

“There was nowhere to get changed back stage, certainly nowhere for women, they had to get changed in the toilet. It was a tough environment and a tough way to learn your craft. They had to overcome a lot of hurdles.”

The first women to win the Perrier Award was Jenny Eclair in 1995 and it was another decade before the next, Laura Solon.

However, Burns feels that recent years have seen a breakthrough and women, who still only make up less than a third of comedy performers, do not have to persuade audiences they can be funny any more.

Adventurous audiences

Image caption Ed Bartlam has been running the Underbelly since 2000

Female comedy performers, just like their male counterparts, are cashing in on a comedy boom that has seen more and more of them touring large venues.

As comedy has become big business, festivals have sprung up all over the UK but Edinburgh has maintained its position as the number one place for comedians.

Ed Bartlam, who founded the Underbelly venues in 2000, says: “Edinburgh has been a platform for alternative comedy and that is still the case.

“The Edinburgh audience and the Edinburgh critics are adventurous and they like to see something different. Edinburgh is a great example of a festival that manages to fit both the mainstream and the alternative very nicely.”

Underbelly runs comedy venues on the South Bank in London but it is Edinburgh that acts as a feeder for new talent.

Bartlam says: “In Edinburgh we have got 17 venues ranging in size from 50 seats to 400 seats, therefore we can show lots of different acts at different levels.

“In London we have got two tents and they have both got 400 seats.

“Inevitably it means we are programming shows we think can sell that amount of tickets.

“In Edinburgh we’ve got this broad range of venues so we can programme interesting new material which might only sell 50 seats.

“Edinburgh is so important because it allows those at the beginning of their career to play in small spaces.”

Constantly evolving

Image caption John Kearns started his career on the Free Fringe

Another factor in Edinburgh’s reinvention has been the rise in the Free Fringe over the past decade.

Free Fringe shows, which are predominantly comedy acts in the spare rooms of pubs, allow the audience to watch for free and they are invited to make a contribution at the end.

It is a cheap way of getting to perform on the Fringe and has led to comedy careers for a number of new comedians such as Imran Yusuf and John Kearns.

Herring says his generation of comedians often wonder if they would have made it if there had been the same amount of competition when he was starting out.

He says the current crop of comedians are much more polished and professional than the acts of the 1980s.

“In 1992 I came up with shows I was still writing,” he says.

“By the end of Edinburgh I hoped to have a good show but now you can’t really behave like that. You need top be good on day one.”

Image caption Imran Yusuf has also progressed from the Free Fringe to larger paid venues

He says many comedians these days keep themselves fit and don’t drink.

“The performers from the 1980s and 90s would find that very strange,” he says.

Another major change has been the costs involved.

“It was bit cheaper for everyone in those days – for the punters and for the acts,” Herring says.

He says he has lost thousands of pounds on Edinburgh shows but always hoped to win enough work to make up for it later.

The gig economy

Image caption Russell Kane won the Edinburgh comedy award in 2010

For Fringe veterans such as Koren, whose Gilded Balloon venues were forced to move to the Teviot after a devastating fire in 2002, the peak was in the late 80s and early 90s.

“Now everybody wants to be a star and not everybody is going to become a star,” she says.

Munnery says some aspiring comedians go to extreme lengths to get noticed.

He says: “There are some ridiculous things like huge twice-human size posters for a show and then venue is some portable cabin.

“They are spending more on advertising than they can possibly make back at the box office.

“I used to be with an agent like that,” he says.

“They tell you that you are investing in your future and at some point you have to ask ‘when is my future going to start?’.

Munnery adds: “You basically go to Edinburgh, lose thousands of pounds, spend a year paying it off and then go and do it again.

“It would probably be illegal to be employed on that basis but because you are employing yourself it’s alright. It’s the gig economy, literally.”

Despite the skyrocketing costs of Edinburgh rents and they increased competition for audiences, performers keep coming back year after year.

Herring says: “Even when I’m negative I’ve never said it’s not amazing.

“It’s the best festival in the world and it is an amazing thing to be a part of.

“I’ve spent two years of my adult life in Edinburgh just by coming to the Fringe.

“It’s a phenomenal festival and it’s breath-taking how good the shows are.”