Browsing: Fired

Brad Maddoxâ€s sudden WWE exit in 2015 has long left fans scratching their heads, but now the real reason for his firing has finally been confirmed—and it all came down to one word that Vince McMahon couldnâ€t stand.

On a recent episode of Something to Wrestle, WWE Hall of Famer JBL explained that Maddox was let go immediately after using the word “pricks†to describe fans during a pre-show promo. It wasnâ€t part of a controversial storyline or backstage politics—just one slip of the tongue that triggered McMahonâ€s zero-tolerance policy for what he considered “classless†language.

“That guy disappeared — we found an APB on freaking Brad Maddox. That guy has disappeared from the face of the earth,†JBL began.
“Yes, I think it was. [Fired for using the word prick] Yeah. Vince — I talked to Vince a lot. I flew with Vince a lot. Vince told me one day, he goes, ‘That kidâ€s special.†Thatâ€s the only time I ever heard him say that. Vince really liked Maddox.â€

“And then when he went out there — it was like a pre-show — and thatâ€s when Maddox called the fans a bunch of pricks or something. He comes back and Vince fired him. Vince hated that word. He thought that was a classless word.â€

JBL even shared that he himself had been reprimanded for using the same word during commentary.

“Iâ€ve told you before itâ€s one of the few times I ever got in trouble. All the stuff Iâ€ve said on commentary… one of the few times I ever got in trouble was when I called someone a selfish prick. Vince pulled me aside and said, ‘We have sponsors here, we have all these people here — you canâ€t use language like that.â€â€

Brad Maddox joined WWE in 2010 and worked his way up through Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) before debuting on the main roster in 2012 as a referee. He made a splash at Hell in a Cell that year by low-blowing Ryback, helping CM Punk retain the WWE Championship. That moment launched him into the spotlight, eventually landing him the role of Raw General Manager.

For a while, Maddox was seen as someone Vince McMahon believed in—he had on-screen authority power, regular TV time, and was even considered a long-term investment by the company. But one poorly chosen word brought it all crashing down.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Do you think WWE overreacted by firing Brad Maddox? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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Jim Ross (photo credit Wade Keller © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com.

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
OCTOBER 17, 2005
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR

-The show opened with a lengthy recap of last week’s show-closing angle with Jim Ross being fired by Linda McMahon. Then the Raw opening aired.

-Vince McMahon stepped out without any introduction from any announcers and stood on the stage with a mic. He reminisced about how proud his wife made him in the way she fired Jim Ross. He said Linda would address the J.R. situation later live from their World headquarters in Connecticut. He said there is a nasty rumor going around that a certain individual is on his way to the arena. He said that person alleges to be J.R.’s best friend – “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. WWE.com had teased that all day. “Don’t be surprised if I kick Stone Cold’s beer swilling, pick-up driving ass. I don’t want to, but I might.” He said he isn’t there to appease the fans or “good ol’ J.R.” He said J.R. has made some contributions to WWE. The fans began an “asshole” chant (it’s noteworthy that there is no “J.R.” chant so far). Vince said they put together a video compilations of some of Ross’s better contributions. This sure appears to be a major endorsement and push of J.R. as a personality to lead Raw on USA in the future, rather than a true last chapter of his career as a lead announcer on TV. The clips showed J.R. kissing Vince’s ass, having beer poured on his bloodied face, being stomped into the mat, and kicked between the legs by Linda.

Vince then introduced the “new permanent announcer for Raw.” Out walked Coach in a cowboy hat. McMahon referred to him as “Good ol’ Coach.” The crowd booed. Coach then said, “Thank you to Mr. McMahon.” He said J.R. was a father figure to him, “although a fat Texas father figure.” He said all of that was about to change. He was going to pick up the slack J.R. left behind. He said that as of now, he was “the new voice of the people.” He then put on his headset.

-They went backstage where Kurt Angle met McMahon and said he had to talk to him. He said before he fired J.R. last week, he was about to announce a new no. 1 contender. He wanted to know if he deserves that slot after beating Cena last week. Vince said he is on his way to talk to Eric Bischoff about the Raw main event. Hurricane then showed up and asked him “what’s up w’dat?” regarding Ross being fired. McMahon ordered Angle to attack him. Angle did so, throwing him into the equipment chests and then dragged him through the crowd to the ring. Coach then called the attack solo. He reiterated he is the new voice of Raw. Hurricane made a comeback. Coach’s call of it already accentuated the value of Ross, which at this point may have been intentional since they left Jerry Lawler off commentary. Conspicuously, there was no reference to Lawler yet. Angle applied the Anklelock with viciousness. Four referees pried him off of Hurricane.

-Coach plugged that Mick Foley would be on Carlito’s Cabana later.

-A vignette aired advertising the pending return of Kane, with him saying, “I’mmmm baaaack!” Of course, maniacal laughter followed.

[Commercial Break]

-Coach introduced Lawler. He apologized for taking so long to bring him out.

-Backstage, McMahon told Eric Bischoff he expected to give the audience something they’ve never had and empower them with choices. He wanted him to present a main event that is “absolutely compelling.” Bischoff said he is glad he asked, in full ass-kiss mode. He said at Taboo Tuesday, there would be a three-way match featuring John Cena defending against Kurt Angle and a third man the fans decide. He announced Shawn Michaels vs. Carlito as a match where the winner would be one candidate. He said Big Show vs. Edge would face off for a spot on the ballot. He also booked an 18 man battle royal, with the winner also being listed as a candidate for a title match Taboo Tuesday. Lawler said it looks like Bischoff hit a homerun with his line-up, at least as far as Vince McMahon was concerned.

1 — EDGE (w/Lita) vs. BIG SHOW

When Coach said, “Big Show is so big.” Lawler mocked him for that being the type of analysis he’ll provide in Ross’s absence. Show tossed Edge over the top rope and they cut to a break at 1:10.

[Commercial Break]

Edge worked over Show’s chokeslam arm. He grasped at his shoulder right away as if he might have popped something. Lita then hung from his arm. Show grabbed her by the hair. Edge hit Show with a forearm from behind. Show came back, but Edge used a low blow to regain control a minute later. He then hit a spear, but Coach yelled “Gore! Gore! Gore!” Lawler corrected him, saying it was a “Spear! Spear! Spear!” They’re trying to play up Coach’s incompetence, setting up J.R.’s big comeback or set the bar so low J.R.’s eventual replacement will seem like a gift. Edge grabbed his briefcase. JBL’s introduction then played. That distracted Edge just as he was about to hit Edge with the briefcase. Show then surprised Edge with a chokeslam for the win. Show favored his right arm after the match, and appeared to be in pain.

-Coach plugged Mick Foley on Carlito’s Cabana again.

-A video aired of the ticket sales launch for WrestleMania 22. They aired clips of WWE fans who had spent between 24 and 48 hours camping out for tickets. One fan said he saved up his money to get a $500 ticket to Chicago just to stand in line to get a ticket. They showed fan celebrating getting tickets.

-Edge complained about the JBL music playing. Bischoff asked what he’s going to do about it. Edge told him to tune into Smackdown to find out what he’s going to do.

-Carlito’s Cabana: Carlito introduced Foley. Foley said it was an honor to be in the same ring with him. Foley said he was there to talk about the travesty that happened last week. He said J.R. may not be cool, but he is the best announcer in WWE history. He said he was disappointed in Linda, whom he felt was a voice of reason within the McMahon family. Linda said that they have been flooded with emails. She said many were concerned with J.R.’s condition because he is scheduled for colon surgery tomorrow. She said there were accusations that her kick to his groin added to his problems. She said that is not true and a lawsuit would be unsuccessful. She said everyone is praying for his health and wished him the best for his years of service with the company. She then told Foley, “Have a nice day.” The fans chanted, “That’s not cool.”

Carlito said, “Let’s face it, J.R.’s gone. He’s not just a fat, out of shape loser. Just like you.” He said that is why he brought him to the Cabana. He said, and we quote: “You must be the least coolest person Carlito’s ever seen. How does it feel to be so uncool.” Foley said, “You got me! I’m here to make a shocking confession. You see, I, Mick Foley, the hardcore legend, am not cool. I’m not even sure I want to be cool.” He asked him to hear him out before spitting on him for not wanting to be cool. He said even though he doesn’t have cool friends or travel to cool places, “with the exception of Sacramento, California” (cheap pop), he said after fans talk to him, they inevitable say, “Mick Foley, he’s cool.” He said on the other hand, Carlito dresses cool, has a cool accent, cool hair, but despite all that, after fans talk to him, they inevitable say, “Carlito is a horse’s ass.”

He asked Carlito not how he feels, but what is he going to do about it. Carlito smiled and then grabbed an apple. Foley told him to go ahead and spit an apple in his face. He said it wouldn’t be the first time he was spit on. He said he shouldn’t worried about produce (i.e. an apple; get it?), what he should worry about is whether he can produce inside the ring later against Shawn Michaels. He said when it’s all said and done, HBK would beat him like a government mule. “And that would be cool,” he concluded. “Have a nice day!” Coach said Foley always wears out his welcome. Lawler said Coach shouldn’t talk about people wearing out their welcome.

-The showed the outside of the arena and Coach said rumors persist that Steve Austin was going to make a surprise appearance.

[Commercial Break]

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of “Acknowledging WWE” with Javier Machado, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

2 — SHAWN MICHAELS vs. CARLITO

Carlito attacked Michaels on the rampway during his intro. Coach said, with absolutely no semblance of context or authority, “Viewers, settle in, this one will be a classic!” He said he is trying to wean people off of J.R.’s style, you can’t expect people to go cold turkey. Coach said fans should embrace he and Carlito as a youth movement. Lawler sarcastically said the fans would be doing what he says. Carlito dominated early, clotheslining Michaels over the top rope. Coach said that in his “25 years in the business,” he’s never seen a talent such as Carlito be so aggressive.

Lawler called him out on that outrageous exaggeration. Michaels showed the first sign of life at 5:00 by rolling through on a Carlito bodyblock off the top rope for a near fall. Michaels threw chops at Carlito, then applied a sleeper. Carlito came back with an Abdominal Stretch at 7:00. Michaels came back with a suplex, but both men ended up spilling to the floor. Coach then tried to create drama by saying, “They’re down, they’re down, they’re down!” It sounded as convincing and authentic as when those kids read scripts of pundit arguments on “The Daily Show.” Coach is absolutely terrible, and it’s not just him being terrible on purpose for effect; he just is the wrong person to be doing play-by-play. It’s greatly affecting the quality of the entire show.

[Commercial Break]

Michaels eventually made a full-fledged comeback at 13:30. He played to the crowd well as he climbed to the top rope and hit an elbow. He then signalled for the Sweet Chin Music. Carlito ducked the telegraphed finisher and rolled up Michaels and used the ropes for leverage to score a very near fall, albeit clumsy looking. Carlito nearly whipped Michaels into the ref, but Michaels stopped short. Carlito then shoved Michaels into the ref, then retrieved a chair. Carlito swung the chair, but Michaels ducked. Carlito tried again, but Michaels kicked the chair into his face. The ref returned to the ring and counted to three.

WINNER: Michaels at 15:51.

STAR RATING: **3/4 — Above-average, but bland and one dimensional for several stretches of time. One of Michaels’s worst singles matches in a while.

-As Michaels returned to the stage, Ric Flair walked out to his music. He looked serious, but gave Michaels a handshake first.

[Commercial Break – 10:13 p.m.]

-Ric Flair was standing mid-ring. He said Triple H has told the fans that he (Flair) is the greatest wrestler in history and worships the ground he (Flair) walks on. He said that signal of respect shows he has a soft spot, but after what he did two weeks ago, “he has now lit a fire under my ass.” He said he has a desire right now to achieve at a level he hasn’t achieved at for 15 years.

“God I’m feeling good,” said Flair. “I, for 20 years, carried that brass ring we talked about in my back pocket. I owned it. No one could take it from me. I knew day in and day out I was the best wrestler alive today. And you knew it. Nobody walked out of that arena without saying god, Ric Flair put on a show tonight. He did it all.’ Well, Triple, now you’ve got that ring. You are considered the man. God, I question that call.” He said he knows he’s 20 years older, but then he dropped an elbow on the sports coat he shed a minute earlier. He said he wanted to get everyone up to speed on him. He said he was in a plane crash which killed a pilot and paralyzed two other wrestlers. He said doctors said he’d never wrestle again.

He said six months later he was in the ring wearing gold. He said in 1981, he got off an Eastern airlines jet in Richmond, Va., it was raining so hard, lightning hit his umbrella and killed the guy standing three feet from him dead. “You think I’m afraid of you, Triple H? God!” He pulled off his bandage and said every day he has to look at his cut. He punched away it and said he got the stitches out just a few minutes ago. He began bleeding heavily. He rubbed the blood all over his face and shirt. He said he has taken two of his sledge hammer shots.

He called him out to the ring. “Come out here to see what Nature Boy has for you,” he said. Then he rubbed the flowing blood on his face like aftershave. “God, I want you bad! Where are you?” he said. Triple H walked out with a mic in hand. When Flair made a move toward him with a baseball bat, Hunter bolted to the back. Flair chased after him. He said he wouldn’t stop until he found him. He asked why he would run from him.

[Commercial Break]

-They again teased the arrival of Steve Austin.

-Maria was going to interview Carlito. He yanked the mic out of her hand and in a rage said he didn’t win his match because of Mick Foley. He challenged him to a match at Taboo Tuesday. “I don’t care if you’re retired.” Maria was flown into Sacramento for that?

3 — MICKEY JAMES & TRISH STRATUS & ASHLEY vs. VICTORIA & TORRIE WILSON &

Coach plugged that after Raw, USA would show exclusive footage of Rock’s new movie, “Doom.”

-They showed Steve Austin driving into the arena in his pick-up truck. He crashed into a few things as he drove right up to ringside. Austin entered the ring and stood on the top rope, saluting the fans from each corner. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

-Austin said he came to the arena because he has something important to discuss. He said he has been with WWE for ten years and he gave the place his blood, sweat, and tears. He said there have been some good times and some bad times. “I ain’t never backed down from anybody in this sum-bitch company. I fought everybody in this company. I can honestly say through all the times I’ve been here, only one person has been my friend. That is Jim Ross. He has been like a father to me, and a brother to me. I sat there in my house and watched him get treated like a dog. It was completely unacceptable. It was complete… you know what I’m saying.” He said he has to address one man – Vince McMahon. He called him to the ring and said they had business to take care of. He said he had 48 beers so he could stay there all night long. Stephanie McMahon walked out instead.

She said, “What’s the matter? Steve. You look disappointed to see me.” He said he doesn’t understand what’s wrong with the McMahon family. He said they seem obsessed with balls and grapefruits. He said last week she even claimed to have the biggest balls in the company. “Am I about to slam a transvestite?” he asked. He said her breath stinks. She said he won’t lay a hand on her because then it would be his fault if J.R. stays fired. Austin swigged a beer and said, “Let me understand this. You fired J.R. why?” He said because he gave each of the family members Stunners. Steph began talking over Austin and asked, “Where is J.R.?” Austin asked if it was J.R.’s fault. “You’re not making a lick of damn sense to me,” Austin said. “He had nothing to do with what happened to you and your little family.” He said, “Since you’re in the ring, what if I just put you over my knee, pull your little dress up, and I have to be careful because I don’t want your balls to fall out.” That got a big crowd pop, and Austin even cracked himself up. He asked the crowd for a “hell yeah.”

Coach stood up and said, “Hell, no. Don’t you even think of attacking a defenseless woman. Don’t you get it, Steve. J.R. isn’t coming back. Nobody wants J.R. here and nobody wants you here.” He told Austin to get in his truck and drive away like the scolded dog he is. Austin cleaned out both of his ears with his finger, then said, “I don’t remember talking to you, you kiss ass son of a bitch.” He said after he’s done kicking Vince’s ass, he was going to kick his ass anyway, so he might as well do it now. As he was about to leave the ring, Steph asked him to wait a second. Austin mocked her tone of voice. He said he’d do whatever he wants. “I’ve got a proposition for you, but not the kind you want to hear,” she said. Austin said, “I don’t think I’ve got a 20 on me.” She said she had a proposal to get J.R. back. Austin said he was listening.

Steph said he gave her a hell of an idea. She said if he faces Coach at Taboo Tuesday and he wins, he’d win J.R.’s job back. She said J.R. would be rehired if he could win. Austin said since she’s a McMahon, he doesn’t trust her. He wanted to get it straight, and then repeated her proposal. Steph said, “As a McMahon, and as your boss, I guarantee it.” Austin said, “I can drink to that. Give me a damn beer.” He then told Coach he had ass whippin’ coming. Lawler gloated. As Austin celebrated, Steph said from the stage, “Oh, one more thing. If you lose to Jonathan Coachman at Taboo Tuesday, then you’re fired.” Austin said, “Oh, Stephanie. I fully understand if I lose, I’m fired. It won’t be the first time I’m fired. Here’s to ya’.” He gave her the finger, then called for more beers.

Austin walked up to Coach at the broadcasting desk. Austin said he could have the first shot. He said, “You know what bothers me, when I talk to a sum-bitch like you and you disrespect me.” He mocked his sunglasses, flipped them off, then asked if that made him mad. He asked if he was okay. He ripped his shirt open and knocked off his hat. Coach got wide-eyed in a cartoonish way. Austin asked if he was going to do something. Coach said, “Not tonight.” Austin said he was giving him a free shot. Austin poured a beer into Coach’s hat, then put it over his head. He told him he’d see it in two weeks and “a war machine is rolling into town named Stone Cold Steve Austin.”

[Commercial Break]

-With a bunch of wrestlers standing in the ring, Bischoff stepped out and announced that voting for Taboo Tuesday begins next week on Raw. He said fans could vote on stips for Triple H vs. Ric Flair. He also said they’d be able to vote on Carlito vs. Mick Foley. He said there would also be a “Fulfill Your Fantasy Diva Battle Royal.” John Cena walked to this music, adjusted Bischoff’s collar, waved his hand in his face, and then joined Coach and Lawler at the announcers’ desk. He said he is doing his homework and scouting the battle royal. Bischoff went back to announcing a surprise entrant in the battle royal, the seven foot Kane. Carlito took a big bite out of his apple as Kane entered the ring. The entire riing of wrestlers backed off to one side of the ring. Carlito went to spit at Kane, but Kane grabbed him by his throat to chokeslam him. Carlito showed what happens when a wrestler attempts a chokeslam without help. On the second chokeslam, Carlito leaped into the air so Kane got good height on it. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break – 10:58 p.m.]

It came down to Chris Masters vs. Kane after just a couple minutes. Kane blocked the Master Lock and then backdropped Masters for the win. Cena stood up and looked at Kane. Kane shot back a look in his direction. Kane then signalled he wanted the belt. Nice finish to the show to add a refreshed Kane into the mix headed into Taboo Tuesday. I suspect Shawn Michaels will run away with the voting, but Kane isn’t a bad third wildcard to include in voting. Other in the battle royal were Edge, Kerwin White, Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Rob Conway, Viscera, Rosey, Shelton Benjamin (take him off the milk carton), Gene Snitsky, Tyson Tomko, Eugene, Heart Throbs, Tajiri, and Val Venis.

WINNER: Kane in 6:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* – Not a memorable battle royal.

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The University of Florida reportedly fired football head coach Billy Napier on Sunday, per Chris Vannini of The Athletic.

Florida will owe Napier a buyout of more than $21 million after this move, per multiple sources:

Receivers coach Billy Gonzales will reportedly take over as the interim coach for the remainder of the season, per Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.

The Gators hired Napier in Nov. 2021, signing the former Louisiana head coach to a seven-year, $51.8 million contract. That deal included a buyout for 85 percent of the remaining compensation on his deal.

Napier previously enjoyed great success with the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, amassing a 40–12 record in four seasons (and 33-5 from 2019-2021).

Louisiana went 22-2 over its final two seasons (15-1 in Sun Belt), finishing 15th in the Associated Press poll in 2020 and 16th in 2021. The Ragin’ Cajuns had never won 10 games in a season before Napier’s arrival, nor had they finished Top 25 in the AP poll.

Napier took over a Florida program from head coach Dan Mullen, who had found success over his first two seasons (21-5 record, top seven finishes in both polls). However, Florida fell to 8-4 before going 6-7 in 2021, and the school parted ways with him.

Napier was not able to find much success in Gainesville. The 2022 Gators matched the 2021 squad’s record but fell to 5-7 the following year.

There was some hope in 2024, with the Gators improving to 8-4 and even winning their final four games, including a 24-17 against No. 9 Ole Miss.

The 2025 season began with the Gators at No. 15 in the AP poll, but Florida struggled. After a 55-0 win over Division I-FCS LIU, Florida suffered a massive home upset to South Florida, 18-16. The Gators then fell 20-10 at No. 3 LSU and 26-7 at No. 4 Miami.

The Gators showcased their talents in a 29-21 win over No. 9 Texas, but then they were outmatched at Texas A&M, falling 34-17 to go to 2-4.

One day later, Pete Nakos of On 3 reported, per his sources, that the bye week after the Oct. 18 game against Mississippi State “looms large as the possible point where Florida moves on Napier.”

However, Nakos also noted how hard Florida Gators have played for him.

“Despite all the rumors about Billy Napier’s future at Florida, his players continue to play hard for him,” Nakos wrote. “Athletic director Scott Stricklin has shown patience, not making a quick move on Napier after the USF loss.”

That prediction ended up being accurate, as not even Saturday’s win over the Bulldogs was enough to save his job.

Ultimately, the results simply weren’t good enough, and now Florida is left turning the page once more. Since the end of the Urban Meyer era (2005-2010), when the team won two national championships, the team has had four different head coaches, and none have made it through four full seasons. The Gators hope their next coach can finally bring stability and success to the program.

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A Milwaukee Brewers fan who threatened “let’s call ICE” on a Latino Los Angeles Dodgers fan in a video recorded Tuesday during NLCS Game 2 has lost her job, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Both fans have been banned from the Brewers’ American Family Field.

The woman in the video is Shannon Kobylarczyk, per the Journal Sentinel, which reported that her employer, the Milwaukee-based staffing company Manpower Group, confirmed on Wednesday she is “no longer with the organization.”

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Additionally, the Journal Sentinel reported that Kobylarczyk resigned from her role on the board of directors at Make-A-Wish Wisconsin.

The video captured an altercation between Kobylarczyk and Dodgers fan Ricardo Fosado in the seventh inning, reportedly after Kiké Hernández hit a leadoff double while L.A. led 3-1 en route to a 5-1 victory and a 2-0 series lead against the top-seeded Brewers.

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Fosado recorded a video of him jeering Brewers fans around him, saying “Why is everybody quiet?”

Kobylarczyk responded by saying, “Real men drink beer, p***y!” to Fosado, who was holding a Happy Thursday spiked refresher.

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Fosado continued: “Why is everybody quiet? What is this?”

Moments later, Kobylarczyk tapped the Brewers fan in front of her and said, “You know what, let’s call ICE,” meaning Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Fosado responded that he’s a U.S. Citizen and a war veteran. He told the Journal Sentinel that he served in the U.S. Navy from 2001-05, including in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“ICE is not going to do nothing to me. Good luck,” Fosado said in the video before laughing.

Kobylarczyk batted the camera away.

Fosado repositioned it and exclaimed, “Call ICE! Call ’em. Call ’em, F***ing idiot.”

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After the incident, Kobylarczyk reported Fosado to stadium security, and he was removed from the ballpark, Fosado, a Los Angeles resident and U.S. Citizen of Mexican heritage, told the Journal Sentinel.

“I don’t think it was like horrible or something that should get her fired. I feel bad for her,” Fosado said, according to the Journal Sentinel. “We cannot be judged on one mistake, and a lot of emotions were involved. It was just hurt feelings, nobody physically hurt anybody.”

The Brewers released a statement Thursday, announcing that both Kobylarczyk and Fosado have been banned from American Family Field.

“The Brewers expect all persons attending games to be respectful of each other, and we do not condone in any way offensive statements fans make to each about race, gender or national origin,” the Brewers said in the statement. “Our priority is to ensure that all in attendance have a safe and enjoyable experience at the ballpark.

“In this instance, the Milwaukee Police Department dealt with the individual who was ejected for actions apart from the events depicted in this video, including disorderly conduct and public intoxication.

“Separately, video shows that the other individual involved in the argument became physical in the course of her interaction with the person who was ejected.

“For these reasons, and, in accordance with our Guest Code of Conduct specific to ejections and physical confrontations, both fans are being notified that they are not allowed to return to the ballpark for future events.”

The Dodgers are hosting the Brewers for Games 3 and 4 and a potential Game 5 of the NLCS.

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Sometimes a coaching change can energize a team and fanbase in the process.

At least one member of the Tennessee Titans ticketing department is seemingly hoping that’s the case.

After the Titans announced Monday they fired head coach Brian Callahan, Paul Kuharsky shared a screenshot in which a ticket rep apparently reached out to a potential customer and said “You told me ‘I’m in if Brian Callahan is fired.'”

This isn’t the first time Kuharsky has relayed purported communication from the Titan’s ticketing department.Â

Earlier this month, he shared a screenshot in which a rep said the Titans’ “fan base is very happy.”

That came when Tennessee was 0-4 to start the 2025 campaign and drew a response from team vice president of communications and corporate affairs Kate Guerra that said, “we missed the mark in a big way. These comments have been addressed and we will do better.”Â

The Titans have since gotten their first win thanks to a victory over the Arizona Cardinals, but Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders dropped their record to 1-5. The final score was 20-10, but the game wasn’t even that close since the Titans’ lone touchdown came with fewer than four minutes remaining when the game was already in hand.

Las Vegas is just 2-4 and was missing star tight end Brock Bowers, and the result was a clear indication of just how far away Tennessee is from being a contender in the AFC despite having Cam Ward under center as the potential franchise quarterback of the future.

Callahan was just 4-19 as the head coach, and the team decided it saw enough to make a change and ideally maximize Ward’s future with the right hire.

And maybe the Titans will sell some more tickets as well.

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Manchester United host Sunderland tomorrow, sitting 14th in the Premier League table after a continuation of their bad form under Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils slid to 15th last season after Amorim’s appointment – the club’s lowest finish since their return to the top flight 50 years earlier.

Last weekend they lost 3-1 at Brentford, to leave them on only seven points from their first six games of this season, once again increasing the scrutiny on Amorim.

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Paul Scholes gives his thoughts on Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim

Ruben Amorim (Image credit: Getty Images)

Paul Scholes won an incredible 11 Premier League titles during his time at Manchester United, and still deeply cares about the club with which he spent his entire playing career.

FourFourTwo met up with the midfield legend as we visited a recording of his new podcast The Good, The Bad & The Football with his Class of 92 team-mate Nicky Butt and presenter Paddy McGuinness, and asked him to predict where Manchester United might finish this season.

Paul Scholes

“I’d take top 10 now,” Scholes said. “It’s not been a great start. They can’t seem to put two wins together. Potentially they could do better, but at this point it’s looking unlikely.”

Asked to choose which summer signing he was most excited about, he said: “Bryan Mbeumo. Obviously, he had Premier League experience at Brentford, he looks a really exciting player and a type of player who should get United fans off the edge of their seats.”

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Which player from his great Manchester United team would be the first he’d put into the current team? “I’d go for Ryan Giggs,” he said.

“I think Man United at this moment in time are lacking a bit of entertainment. Ryan Giggs lifted people, lifted the crowd and lifted the players around him.”

Amorim under scrutiny

Ruben Amorim (Image credit: George Wood/Getty Images)

Scholes was also asked his views on Amorim’s current predicament, with the pressure ever increasingly on the Portuguese boss after last weekend’s defeat at Brentford.

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“You talk about managers being sacked, and none of us like doing that,” Scholes stressed.

“But if he’d have been sacked on Sunday, I think we’d have all been saying ‘Yeah f***ing hell it’s about time, there’s no surprise to it’.

Paul Scholes

“I think he did have an excuse last year. He couldn’t train – well, he could train, but every three days they had a game. He’s had everything now, they’ve spent £200m and he’s got three weeks in between games to do everything he wants to do and get his style across.

“There’s just no sign of it getting any better, is there? Look, you’d like him to do well but he’s got to win games of football and he’s not winning enough games of football to warrant doing the job at the minute.”

The Good, The Bad & The Football with Scholes, Butt and McGuinness is a brand-new weekly video podcast, available on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. There will be an in-depth chat with the trio about football and their careers in an upcoming issue of FourFourTwo magazine.

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In the early 1990s, WWE owner Vince McMahon developed a fascination with pushing cartoonish characters like The Ultimate Warrior and Doink the Clown. One character who made a brief series of appearances was Max Moon, a masked wrestler who wore armor made to resemble a robot. Though he wasn’t the only one to don the Moon mask, the character was the vision of Konnan, who had pitched the idea to McMahon in 1991.

At the time, Konnan was a major star in Mexico. In addition to wrestling for CMLL, he was acting on a soap opera and preparing to release a hip-hop album. He came up with the Max Moon character and was able to pitch it to McMahon in a meeting, and the wrestling executive approved. An elaborate costume was created, and Konnan began making live appearances in WWE as Moon in early 1992.

According to Konnan, he gave up on the idea rather quickly, mostly because he grew tired of the intense travel schedule when he was doing perfectly fine just wrestling in Mexico. For that reason, he simply stopped showing up to tapings and was soon fired by McMahon.

Rather than giving up on the character, however, McMahon simply found someone else to play Max Moon. Wrestler Paul Diamond had been working under the name Kato, wearing a mask and tagging with Pat Tanaka in a team called The Orient Express. McMahon pulled Diamond from that gimmick into Max Moon, but he was never heavily pushed and his time with WWE ended in February 1993.

After leaving WWE, Konnan had continued success in Mexico, helping get Lucha Libre AAA off the ground, where he remains to this day. He’d make the jump over to wrestling regularly in the United States a few years later, but it would be for WCW.

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Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart will make his first-ever NFL start on Sunday when his New York Giants host the Los Angeles Chargers, and that reportedly has his teammates “fired up.”

Dianna Russini of The Athletic provided a breakdown behind the scenes after the Giants named Dart the starter over veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, who will now be the team’s backup.

“For Dart, the conversation went a step further. After FaceTiming his parents to share the news, he and Daboll sat down for a long film session Tuesday afternoon, breaking down Josh Allen’s highlights from Buffalo — Daboll once tutored Allen there — alongside some of Dart’s best plays from Ole Miss. The good news for the rookie is that the offense he ran in college has plenty of overlap with what Daboll runs now. They spent hours talking through it before hitting the field on Wednesday. ‘Dart’s a sponge,’ a Giants source said.

“And inside the Giants locker room, I’m told, they’re fired up. Several players on both sides of the ball, including team captains, reached out right away with calls and FaceTimes to let Dart know they’re behind him.”

‘”‘He has moxie. He has a legit chance of being great,’ another Giants person texted.”

It’s been a rough start for the 0-3 Giants, who began the year with a 21-6 loss to the Washington Commanders. The offense lit up the scoreboard in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, with Wilson throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns. However, the defense didn’t perform well in a 40-37 overtime loss.

The offense reverted to its Week 1 form last Sunday in a 22-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. And with that, the Giants turned to Dart, the No. 25 overall pick in the NFL draft.

Dart was exceptional in the preseason, completing 32-of-47 passes for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also showed off his wheels with 52 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries.

That versatility should help spark some life into a Giants offense that didn’t show any in Weeks 1 and 3.

The 22-year-old was great against tough competition at Ole Miss, too. Last year, Dart completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for 495 yards and three more scores.

Ultimately, Dart is being thrown into the fire. For starters, he’s being asked to rejuvenate a moribund franchise that’s lost 14 of its last 15 games. Secondly, he’s playing a stout 3-0 Chargers team that’s allowed the third-fewest points per game.

We’ll see how he meets the challenge soon enough at home. Kickoff at MetLife Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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The majority of wrestling fans will agree with the fact that WWE Hall of Famer, the late Hulk Hogan, was the star who put professional wrestling on the map in the United States of America. Recently, a former WWE Superstar claimed that he was let go from the company because he looked a lot like the Real American.

Dan Spivey is probably best known for his run as “Waylon Mercy†or as “Dangerous†Dan Spivey. However, earlier in his wrestling career, he had long blonde hair and had attire that was similar to that of Hulk Hoganâ€s. During an interview on the Wrestling Epicenter podcast, Spivey claimed that Vince McMahon fired him at one time, as he looked too much like Hogan.

“Well, I didnâ€t hear people compare me to Hogan at the time and nobody seemed to have a problem with it so I kept doing it. That was really one of the stupidest things I did, though. I wish I had never did it, I donâ€t know why I did it.

“I should have gone away, come back with my hair dyed black or something. But, I went with the long blond hair, yellow trunks, and yellow boots. I guess it was OK. Nobody ever said anything. And, it eventually caught up to me because Vince McMahon called me one day after a lot of other things happened and he said, ‘I donâ€t need 2 Hulk Hoganâ€s.†And, he let me go.â€

During the same interview, Dan Spivey shared that it was the late great Dusty Rhodes who opened the door for him in the world of professional wrestling.

“Dusty, he opened the door for us. But, he didnâ€t help us. Not really. I got more help from Ricky Steamboat. I got to become good friends with him. He would get in there and work out with me and teach me things. I canâ€t say enough good things about Ricky. He is really a nice guy,†Dan Spivey said.

What are your thoughts on Spiveyâ€s release?

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Travis Kelce seemed visibly upset with his Kansas City Chiefs teammates during Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the defending Super Bowl…