The sporting world, both athletes and fans, are giving U.S. track and field star Noah Lyles grief over the sprinter’s comments in which he took issue with NBA players referring to themselves as “world champions” after winning an NBA title.
Here is what America’s latest track star had to say.
“You know what hurts me the most is that I have to watch the NBA Finals and they have ‘world champion’ on their head,” Lyles said during a press conference at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest this past weekend.
Noah Lyles
“World champion of what? The United States? Don’t get me wrong, I love the U.S., at times. But that ain’t the world … there ain’t no flags in the NBA.”
What Lyles is trying to say is that an NBA title is not a World Championship. He is saying that all it is a USA title. Lyles is quick to point out that when he wins a championship, he is beating sprinters, the best sprinters across the entire planet.
Again, he has a valid point.
NBA players including Phoenix Suns standouts Kevin Durant and Devin Booker and Denver Nuggets’ reigning NBA champion Aaron Gordon took homage to Lyles’s beliefs. Both feel the NBA is the best professional league in the world which means whoever wins the NBA championship are world champions.
Gordon went a step farther and challenged Lyles to a race. Gordon must not know that Lyles is a six-time world champion sprinter.
Lyles, who claimed the 200-meter sprint double on his way to three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, has yet to respond to the challenge or the pushback from NBA players.
Where Are They Now?
It has been awhile since I did a ‘Where Are They Now? blurb.
This one is on former Carolina Panthers Head Coach, Matt Rhule.
In case you forgot, Rhule, after being fired by the Panthers, quickly found work back in the college game. Rhule will make his debut this week against Big Ten rival, Minnesota.
After rebuilding programs at Temple and Baylor, Rhule failed in the NFL, let go by the Panthers five games into his third season with an ugly 11-27 record.
Nebraska, which last won double-digit games in 2012 and hasn’t finished above .500 in conference play since 2016, is hoping he hasn’t lost his touch at the college level.
