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🏈 Mr. Irrelevant

🏈 Mr. Irrelevant

December 12, 2022

Good morning BTP family! We had another action packed weekend of sports that included a fun NFL slate, multiple World Cup upsets, and some controversial judging decisions in the UFC. Not to mention another NBA Western Conference rivalry that sparked back up! In today's rendition of Beyond The Press we break down Brock Purdy's electric first NFL start and what it means for the 49ers, Zion Williamson's electrifying weekend against the Suns, and a touching tribute into the extraordinary life of U.S. soccer journalist Grant Wahl.

Let's have a great week!

MR IRRELEVANT

Brock Purdy Breaks Out in First Career NFL Start Over Tom Brady & the Bucs

When Jimmy Garroppolo went down last week with a severe ankle injury many 49ers fans were distraught. A team that has finally put everything together to make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl loses their starting QB. However before fans could even blink, Brock Purdy aka Mr. Irrelevant had come in to save the day. Throwing for 210 yards and 2 TD, the rookie QB led the 49ers to a huge win over the Dolphins just a week ago. Yesterday, the young QB was able to do it again!

Only attempting 21 passes total, Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers blew out the Tampa Bay Bucs Sunday afternoon 35-7. Purdy went 16/21 for 185 yards and three total touchdowns (1 rushing). Before you knew it, Purdy’s day was just about done after the 49ers were able to jump out to a quick 28-0 lead and they never looked back. Brady on the other hand was 34-55 for 253 yards and one touchdown. Not to mention two second half interceptions as well for the seven-time NFL champion.

For a guy who was the last pick in last year's NFL draft, Purdy has looked extremely impressive so far leading the Super Bowl hungry 49ers to victories over both the Dolphins and Bucs in back to back weeks. Not to mention Purdy became the first QB ever to defeat Tom Brady in their first NFL start. The 49ers seem to have found their guy moving forward until Jimmy G is able to return.

NBA RIVALRY

Zion Williamson's Stellar Play Has Pelicans in First Place

Don’t look now, but the balance of power is shifting out West. After seven consecutive wins, including two against the formerly first-place Suns, the Pelicans are officially at the top of the Western Conference.

The most impressive part of this recent run isn’t just that it’s the Pelicans’ best start through 26 games in franchise history but that they’re doing it without All-Star Brandon Ingram. While the entire roster has stepped up in BI's absence, none are doing it quite like Zion Williamson.

Over these last seven games, Zion has been nothing short of electric. Zion has been averaging 30 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists a night while shooting 66.9 percent from the field. He’s also dropped consecutive 35-point performances and is doing it with swagger.

In case you somehow missed it, in Friday night’s matchup with the Suns, with time expiring and a Pelicans win secured, Williamson broke an unwritten basketball rule when he threw down an incredible 360 windmill dunk to the delight of the hometown crowd. There’s no denying it would have been tacky had Zion made a layup, but a dunk like that is just good theater. Unsurprisingly, it infuriated members of the Suns, who would get their chance at redemption just two nights later, only to once again, come up short.

GRANT WAHL

The Extraordinary Life & Career of Grant Wahl

The sports world continues to mourn the passing of Grant Wahl, one of the most legendary sports writers of all time. Over the weekend, while in Qatar covering the World Cup, Wahl tragically and abruptly passed away at only 49 years old.

Wahl covered soccer with warmth and tenacity and had become the de-facto face of American soccer journalism for over a decade. Wahl helped grow the game immensely in the United States by deftly covering not only the men's and women’s national teams but by conducting interviews with the sport’s biggest and most reclusive stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. At his core though, Wahl was a fighter for equality and fairness. Wahl wasn’t afraid to go after FIFA and its corruption, as evidenced by his getting detained earlier this World Cup for wearing an LGBTQ+ shirt to a match in the famously homophobic Qatar.

While soccer may have been the sport Wahl was most passionate about, he’s actually responsible for perhaps the most famous basketball story of all time — a Sports Illustrated profile on a young basketball player from Akron, Ohio, dubbed “The Chosen One.” In the wake of the news, LeBron James tweeted: “You had a huge impact on me and my family and I’m so appreciative of you. A great person and journalist. Rest In Paradise Grant Wahl.”