Eddie Murphy confessed his courtside anxiety and viral meme paranoia during a recent sit-down, revealing that while he enjoys front-row seats at Los Angeles Lakers games, he’s constantly worried about becoming internet fodder.

“My biggest fear is to be sitting there and one of the guys go dive for some ball and knock me out and turn into some meme,” Eddie Murphy said. “You could be on TV and be on the news and Shaq(uille O’Neal) is stepping on your face.”

The Beverly Hills Cop legend, known for keeping a low profile outside of work, said he’s not concerned about getting hit with the ball—because that’s already happened.

What rattles him most is the sheer size of the players and the possibility of a 7-footer barreling into his lap.

“You don’t realise how big these guys are until you sit on the floor and they run by. It’s like a f**king herd. A 7-foot dude diving into you,” he said.

Despite being a Hollywood icon, Murphy said he doesn’t often mingle in celebrity circles. He recalled meeting LeBron James outside a nightclub in the mid-2000s during his divorce from Nicole Mitchell, but said such encounters are rare.

“I never met Michael Jordan before. I haven’t met a lot of people. I met a bunch of people in the early days. When I first got into business, I would meet people. But I don’t do a lot of show business stuff,” Murphy said.

In today’s sports landscape, talent alone doesn’t guarantee opportunity. For young athletes aiming to get recruited, earn scholarships, or simply stand out in a crowded space, digital visibility is essential. Just like content creators and influencers, modern athletes need a personal brand—and a platform to showcase it. That’s where the Player ID App is changing the game.

Built for mobile-first athletes, Player ID is helping players build a professional digital presence that reflects not only their skills, but also their journey. In an era where highlight reels and stats are no longer enough, this app is empowering the next generation to act as creators, marketers, and entrepreneurs of their own sports careers.

From Athlete to Creator

Gone are the days when performance on the field was the only thing that mattered. Social media has redefined what it means to be seen. A player who posts a standout video can go viral overnight, attract attention from recruiters, or even land local sponsorships. But most athletes don’t have access to professional media tools—or the know-how to use them.

That’s why Player ID was designed with simplicity and power in mind. Using built-in AI tools, athletes can:

• Auto-tag themselves in game footage
• Apply real-time player spotlighting
• Use plug-and-play graphic templates
• Automatically generate stat cards and custom branding

The result? Highlight reels and media assets that look professionally edited—without the need for expensive gear or editing software.

Owning the Full Journey

What sets Player ID apart is that it’s more than just a highlight reel generator. It’s a full platform for managing an athlete’s digital presence. Users can log their team history, track personal milestones, display verified credentials, and even showcase academic info for recruitment purposes.

Athletes today are expected to move between clubs, schools, and leagues throughout their careers. Instead of leaving behind fragmented bios or relying on outdated recruiting databases, Player ID gives them a single, centralized identity they can carry with them—wherever their career goes.

This level of continuity also benefits coaches and scouts. With all relevant data, media, and performance records in one place, Player ID helps streamline recruitment decisions and player evaluations.

A Platform Built for the Future

The app is currently in active development, with early users providing valuable feedback across multiple sports, including hockey, soccer, football, and lacrosse. Future features include:

• AI-powered video enhancement (to clean up low-quality stream footage)
• Shareable player cards for social media
• Team and league integrations
• Gamified progress tracking

While many tools focus on the elite tier of sports, Player ID is aiming to serve athletes of all levels—especially those who don’t have access to major media coverage or traditional recruiting channels.

Why This Matters

The NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era has opened doors for athletes to benefit from their personal brand—even before turning pro. But visibility is still the biggest barrier. Without content, exposure is limited. Without branding, opportunities are missed.

Player ID helps fill this gap. It empowers users to control their narrative, build trust, and connect directly with fans, recruiters, and sponsors.

More than anything, the platform reflects a growing trend: the athlete as creator.

Just as musicians distribute albums without record labels, and influencers reach millions without media companies, athletes now have tools to grow their careers independently. Player ID is a reflection of that shift—giving players the tools, voice, and platform to succeed in the digital age.

Bridging Gaps in the Sports Ecosystem

Too often, young athletes depend on coaches, parents, or volunteers to manage their exposure. This creates inconsistencies in how players are presented and limits their reach beyond local networks. Player ID helps level the playing field by providing each athlete the ability to control how they are seen.

This is particularly important for players in underserved areas or lower-profile leagues. With Player ID, a standout performance doesn’t have to go unnoticed just because it wasn’t captured by a local newspaper or broadcast team. Instead, the player can tag and share the moment directly.

Built by Coaches, Backed by Tech

One of the advantages of Player ID is its founding team—built by coaches, developers, and athletes who understand the pain points firsthand. The platform’s roadmap isn’t driven by theory; it’s driven by real-world needs and feedback from youth coaches, college recruiters, and parents.

The team’s mission is to deliver a platform that’s:

• Simple enough for youth players
• Powerful enough for elite athletes
• Transparent enough for parents
• Valuable enough for scouts

And it’s not just about fancy features. The core value of Player ID lies in empowerment through access.

What’s Next?

While still in pre-launch, interest is quickly gaining momentum. Coaches are signing up for early access. Parents are eager to move away from cluttered spreadsheets and patchwork highlight reels. Athletes are excited to finally have something built specifically for their goals—not just team operations.

As Player ID continues to evolve, it’s positioning itself as more than just an app. It’s becoming a new standard for how athletes take ownership of their futures.

If you’re an athlete, coach, or parent who believes that performance should be matched with visibility, now’s the time to pay attention.

Explore the future of athlete branding at Player ID

Do You Want to Know More?

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett has gone viral for his pregame outfit ahead of his week two preseason game.

One of the more recent traditions in NFL football history are players pregame outfits ahead of the game. Over the years, numerous players have gone viral on the internet for their unique and stylish looks as they enter the stadium ahead of a game.

A player’s outfit is often viral for its designer clothes and numerous details. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett has garnered attention on social media for a completely different reason.

Recently, ahead of the Rams’ preseason matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. Bennett was seen wearing nothing more than sweatpants and a Georgia Baseball t-shirt. Bennett was a member of the Georgia Bulldogs for multiple seasons, overcoming his walk-on status to eventually lead the Dawgs to back-to-back national championship victories.

Bennett is fresh off a career-high week one preformance, where he turned in an impressive 188 yards on 16/24 completions with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. He completed passes to more than eight Los Angeles wide receivers throughout his preformance.

As one of the most legendary figures in Georgia Football history, Bennett’s choice of attire is not only a strong indicator that the quarterback is down to earth, but it is also a great sign that the former Bulldog is still proud to support his former team.

The Rams will continue their preseason schedule before beginning their regular season on Sunday, September 7th, when they host the Houston Texans. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 1:25 p.m., and coverage for the event will be aired on CBS.

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Angel Reese and Sydney Sweeney (Photo: Instagram/@angelreese5 and @americaneagle)

A headline stating that WNBA player Angel Reese supposedly claimed that she would boycott American Eagle over Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad is going viral on social media.

The headline first appeared on Facebook on August 15, 2025. Although it is uncertain which user or page made the report, it spread on the social media platform.

The headline stated that Angel Reese allegedly said that the American Eagle ad was supposedly “disgusting and disrespectful to black culture,” which is why she reportedly would be boycotting the clothing brand.

“WNBA star Angel Reese has called for a MASSIVE boycott of American Eagle, denouncing the brand’s latest ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney as “disgusting and disrespectful to black culture,”” the post read.

The content creator Gaming Jeen reuploaded the image with the quote,

“American Eagle should remember I have 3 billion fans around the world.”

The Facebook post garnered more than 3,500 reactions and 2,500 shares.

The claim is false as Angel Reese has not made these comments or called for a boycott. The headline seemingly originated from a meme or a satirical post. It also made its way to X, where a tweet by @Sassafrass_84 garnered 4,700 likes.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama shared her thoughts on Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s rivalry

Michelle Obama appeared on the August 14, 2025, episode of the All the Smoke with Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson podcast. She and her brother, Craig Robinson, an American college basketball coach, discussed the viral rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark in the WNBA.

For the unversed, the feud between the two basketball players dates back to their college days. While some WNBA fans criticize the coverage of the feud, saying it allegedly fueled racism against Angel Reese, others claim the beef helped the sport gain popularity.

Clark and Angel Reese’s rivalry is often compared to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, as their feud helped popularize the NBA in the 1980s.

Speaking of the WNBA, Michelle Obama highlighted the lack of maternity policy, noting that the sport reportedly has not yet figured out how to “recognize” female athletes.

“Politically, you want to say, ‘It’s great, they’re making their way,’ but you know, I say ‘Faster, better, quicker.’ Why do women athletes have to jump through so many hurdles? And it’s not just in basketball… We haven’t figured out how to recognize and pay women for their talent,” Obama said.

In the podcast, Craig Robinson stated that feuds help popularize games, and for the WNBA, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s rivalry was important.

Michelle Obama agreed, saying the hate the two players receive online is something they have to “withstand,” as that’s how they make their living.

“These young kids today, what they have to go through, what they have to be able to withstand, because social media is such a huge part of the world. There’s the hate. But now the hate is in your room, on your phone, with you all the time. And you can’t, for whatever reason, tell these kids to turn it off, because they’re making their living that way,” the former First Lady stated.

In other news, Sydney Sweeney has not addressed the American Eagle controversy. The clothing brand released a public statement on August 1, 2025, saying that their ad was not about “genes,” clarifying that it was about “jeans” in the first place.

In August 2025, Sydney Sweeney’s two films will be released in theatres. Americana, written and directed by Tony Tost, will be released on August 15.

The thriller film Eden, directed by Ron Howard, will be released in theatres on August 22, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.

Friday marked the beginning of Major League Baseball’s annual “Player’s Weekend,” which runs parallel to the first weekend of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.

“Players Weekend” affords players the opportunity to channel their inner-kid and show off some creativity. Part of that creativity comes in the form of custom bats and cleats, which several Seattle Mariners players took full advantage of.

Cal Raleigh

Affectionally known as ‘The Big Dumper,’ Raleigh has leaned into the nickname this season, and his Player’s Weekend bats reflect that. His bats have a section that say “Big butt…. even bigger bombs.” With a league-leading 45 home runs entering play on Friday, the bat certainly seems appropriate. Raleigh also won the Home Run Derby during All-Star week in Atlanta, Georgia.

The top side of the bat features Mariners’ style writing that says “Big Dumper.”

Julio Rodriguez

Rodriguez had multiple bats that he was showing off in the M’s dugout, but his best one was a tribute to M’s legend (and good friend) Ichiro Suzuki. Ichiro was just inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Rodriguez has a bat with his likeness (complete with sunglasses) and accomplishments.

Eugenio Suarez

Straight out of your favorite Little League Game, Suarez has the classic “double bubble” style bat, which says “Maple Flavored,” as in the style of bat he’s swinging.

Other

The Mariners posted more bats from the players, which include a “Garv Sauce” bat and Luke Raley bat that features strands of Christmas lights.

The Mariners and Mets will play at 4:10 p.m. PT and then 10:05 a.m. PT on Saturday.

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

NEW PODCAST IS HERE: Brady is back on a Friday, talking about a disappointing series loss against the Baltimore Orioles and what went wrong, and he has the honest conversations about Dylan Moore and Mitch Garver’s place on the roster. Furthermore, we’re joined by Mariners on SI reporter Teren Kowatsch, who talks Ichiro Weekend, the previous homestand and the looming Little League World Series Classic. CLICK HERE:

RICK ON TV: Longtime Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs made his return to the television booth this week, and M’s fans were pumped. CLICK HERE:

DAN THE MAN: Speaking at Ichiro’s jersey retirement ceremony on Saturday, Dan Wilson delivered an epic line at the podium. CLICK HERE:

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/mariners as Seattle Mariners Stars Go Viral For Incredible Player’s Weekend Bats.