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Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images Xavier Legette knows his meats. The Carolina Panthers’ wide receiver has made headlines for his favorite foods, particularly his affinity for raccoon and squirrel, which he grew up hunting in Mullins, South Carolina. As we enter fully into grilling season, one of his favorite times of year (that and the start of […]


Xavier Legette knows his meats. The Carolina Panthers’ wide receiver has made headlines for his favorite foods, particularly his affinity for raccoon and squirrel, which he grew up hunting in Mullins, South Carolina. As we enter fully into grilling season, one of his favorite times of year (that and the start of the NFL season of course), Legette is partnering with food retailer Lidl US (known for their affordable, quality groceries), to get the word out about their new private label line of meat called Butcher’s Specialty, options the rest of us are a bit more familiar with cooking. The meat is hand-selected, and he has already been featured in content for the brand on social media, promoting their beef patties, antibiotic-free chicken, and more.
“High protein. I need that, so all that, it’s good for me,” Legette tells us in a charming, molasses-thick South Carolina drawl. “It’s good for me, for my protein, good for my body and all that.”
Also good for Legette is taking to the grill with his family in Mullins, whom he loves to visit with when he’s not busy practicing running routes with the Panthers in Charlotte. Being home helps him feel connected to his favorite people and keeps him fed, of course. We caught up with the athlete, who has gone viral for his palate, his accent, and his striking good looks (with “Typa,” it’s clear Glorilla‘s a fan), to chat about the off-season, his new Internet admirers, Mullins living, fun on the grill, and what raccoon really tastes like.
ESSENCE: How are you liking Charlotte? I mean, it’s not completely far off from Mullins, South Carolina. You’re neighbors.
Xavier Legette: I mean, I been coming around this way since I’ve been little. I went to the University of South Carolina. Charlotte was right up the road from there as well, so I’ve been coming up here a little bit. But I mean, it’s smooth, though. I don’t really do too much.
Do you spend your downtime grilling and cooking? I know we’ve heard all kinds of things about what you like to eat, but as you get into this warm weather grilling season, what are you throwing down with and how is Lidl helping you?
Well, I just got done with practice and all that, so I mean, I’m probably going to go back home Tuesday or Wednesday. We’re going to do a little something. My cousin and them, they got it right on the grill yesterday while I was riding around on the four-wheelers. But I mean, I do a little something, too.
Speaking of protein, I have to ask you, what did you think of the reaction to your love of raccoon and squirrel that you received when you shared it during the press days, and people were like, “What?!”
I already knew them folks were going to react like that. Nobody would’ve never really knew that if it wasn’t for [Panthers teammate] Adam Thielen. He started telling folks that I had the raccoon in my locker. They were like, “No, not really, man. I know you ain’t got that for real.” I let them try it and I knew they was going to act like that because they think raccoons are the dirtiest animals alive. I just tell folks, “I don’t know why y’all say it’s dirty. They eat the same stuff we eat. They just eat it out the trash can.”
That’s true! [laughs] Like you said, you don’t think that raccoons are dirty and you obviously have a love for the taste. If people are interested, what does it taste like?
I mean, it has its own taste, for real, for real. Everybody likes to say stuff tastes like chicken. It don’t taste like no chicken. It got its own taste.
I saw the texture. It almost looked like shredded beef?
Yeah, a little bit. A little like pulled pork, but it’s just dark.
In addition to the reaction you received about the food, did you also notice the reaction you get from the ladies online for being handsome and so wonderfully country?
Well, to tell you the truth, I never really seen any of that, for real, for real unless my people bring it to my attention, because I never had the TikTok app. They say that’s really where they be talking about it online. I really only see it once they bring it to my attention.
Got you. For those who may want to know, what is it like when you’re not training and you’re not on the four-wheelers and hanging out with your cousins and stuff like that? How do you enjoy spending your free time?
Oh man, I just be in the house cooling, man. If I ain’t back home, I’m trying to really get my body right. If I ain’t home, then that means I’m practicing or training or resting for the next day.
You mentioned you’re getting ready for the next season. What are you looking forward to and how are you preparing? I know you mentioned high protein, Lidl’s helping you get the right meats for that, but how else are you preparing yourself mentally and physically for the next NFL season?
I’m really trying to take care of my body and do anything that can help me. Trying to stay on top with the IVs and getting the massages, trying to keep my muscles loose, not all the way tensed up. And man, just staying up on my hydration as well.
What did your first season kind of show you that made you realize, “Okay, as I get into this next season, I have to hydrate, I have to do things differently.” What did you learn from the first go-around of being in the NFL?
Man, the season gets long. It ain’t 12 games no more like college [laughs]. The way we practice, the intense level, it don’t really stop. Also, man, I just really got to take care of my body more. For real.
I know you love Mullins. I know you’re in Charlotte training. If there’s anywhere you could go when you have downtime, somewhere maybe you haven’t been, where would you like to go?
The only place I want to travel to is Dubai. I want to see what it’s like out there. They tell me it looks good out there, but they also tell me they strict out there as well so I’m a little nervous about that.
When you are home, what is it that you love about it? We all have our attachments to home. Obviously, our families are there, but what is it about being back in Mullins with your cousins, with your loved ones, you guys eating whatever you eat, from raccoon to Lidl’s Butcher’s Specialty, that just brings you so much joy?
Man, really the folks in Mullins are great people, even the ones that’s really not my family. You know, Mullins is only but so big. Folks I grew up with, I mean, I don’t really get to see every day no more. Last night, we was up late, last night just outside, just cooling. It just be good times and good vibes when I go back home, man.
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Trump signs order to clarify college athletes' employment status
By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for — attempting to create clearer national standards for the NCAA’s name image and likeness program. The move comes amid a […]


By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for — attempting to create clearer national standards for the NCAA’s name image and likeness program.
The move comes amid a dramatic increase in the money flowing into and around college athletics. It also follows key court victories won by current and former athletes angry that they were barred for decades, both from earning income based on their celebrity and from sharing in the billions of revenue they helped generate.
Facing a growing number of state laws undercutting its authority, the NCAA in July 2021 cleared the way for athletes to cash in with name, image and likeness deals with brands and sponsors.
That came mere days after a 9-0 decision from the Supreme Court that found the NCAA cannot impose caps on education-related benefits schools provide to their athletes because such limits violate antitrust law.
Trump’s action directs the secretary of labor and the National Labor Relations Board to clarify the status of collegiate athletes through guidance or rules “that will maximize the educational benefits and opportunities provided by higher education institutions through athletics.”
The NCAA’s embrace of NIL deals set the stage for another massive change that took effect July 1: The ability of schools to begin paying millions of dollars to their own athletes, up to $20.5 million per school over the next year. The $2.8 billion House settlement shifts even more power to college athletes, who have also won the ability to transfer from school to school without waiting to play.
The NCAA has been lobbying for several years for limited antitrust protection to keep some kind of control over this new landscape — and avoid more crippling lawsuits — but a handful of bills have gone nowhere in Congress.
The 1,100 universities that comprise the NCAA have insisted for decades that athletes are students who cannot be considered anything like a school employee.
This stance has long been a part of the amateur model at the heart of college athletics, but that model is rapidly being replaced by a more professional structure fed by money that is coming from donors, brands and now the schools themselves.
Some coaches have even suggested collective bargaining is a potential solution to the chaos they see.
It is a complicated topic: Universities would become responsible for paying wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation and schools and conferences have insisted they will fight any such move in court (some already have).
While private institutions fall under the National Labor Relations Board, public universities must follow labor laws that vary from state to state and it’s worth noting that virtually every state in the South has “right to work” laws that present challenges for unions.
Originally Published:
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Oregon girls who went viral for refusing to stand on podium with trans athlete file lawsuit
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Oregon is facing its second lawsuit in a month over the issue of biologically male trans athletes competing in girls’ high school sports. Two of the state’s girls’ track and field stars, Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard, filed a lawsuit against the Oregon School Athletics Association (OSAA) […]


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Oregon is facing its second lawsuit in a month over the issue of biologically male trans athletes competing in girls’ high school sports.
Two of the state’s girls’ track and field stars, Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard, filed a lawsuit against the Oregon School Athletics Association (OSAA) after an incident on May 31 when they refused to stand on a medal podium with a transgender competitor at a state title meet.
Footage of the stunt went viral, as Anderson later told Fox News that officials instructed them to step away from the podium and get out of the shots of photos.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Their lawsuit alleges that the OSAA not only excluded them from official photos, but also withheld their medals. The suit argues that the girls’ First Amendment rights were infringed upon by the officials.
“I recently competed against a biological male at my state track and field meet, another girl and I decided to step down from the podium in protest to the unfair competition environment,” Anderson told Fox News Digital. “I am fighting to keep women’s sports XX and prevent biological males in women’s sports from becoming normalized. By doing this, I hope that all future generations of female athletes will have a safe and fair opportunity to excel within their sports.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the OSAA for a response.
The girls are being represented by the America First Policy Institute (AFPI).
“These young women earned their place on the podium – and the right to express themselves,” said Jessica Hart Steinmann, executive general counsel at AFPI. “Instead of respecting their viewpoint that girls’ sports should be for girls only, Oregon officials sidelined them. The First Amendment protects the right to dissent – school officials don’t get to reprimand students who refuse to agree with their beliefs.”
TRACKING THE TRANS ATHLETE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS CONTROVERSIES SHAKING THE NATION OVER THE LAST YEAR
AFPI is also representing fellow Oregon girls’ track and field athletes Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter in a separate lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Education for its policies that allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports.
Carpenter and Eischen cited their experience in withdrawing from a meet that featured a trans competitor on April 18.
“For [Carpenter] the psychological and emotional weight of that moment became overwhelming—she felt helpless, demoralized, and betrayed by the institutions and adults charged with protecting her equal opportunity for fair play. Ultimately, she realized that she was unable to participate in the high jump that day and withdrew from the event,” that lawsuit alleges.
Both Carpenter and Eischen previously told Fox News Digital the experience was “traumatic.”
“My experience at the Chehalem track meet and scratching myself from the meet was traumatic, something I never imagined ever having to do,” Eischen said.
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Carpenter added, “It was emotionally traumatic trying to know what I should do and how I should respond to competing with [the trans athlete].”
Carpenter said she found herself so overwhelmed with emotion from the experience, that she cried on the ride home after the meet. Now, despite being faced with “fear” of potential retaliation for filing a lawsuit, the two girls are officially in it and charging ahead with a legal battle that could garner plenty of national attention.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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When the Internet Breaks
Big plays and buzzer-beaters used to define legacy. Now? One perfectly timed tweet or sideline meme can cement you as a cultural icon. This article will go through some of the most memorable athlete moments that the internet will never forget. You know the moment. You’re scrolling through your phone, half-distracted, when suddenly the internet […]

Big plays and buzzer-beaters used to define legacy. Now? One perfectly timed tweet or sideline meme can cement you as a cultural icon. This article will go through some of the most memorable athlete moments that the internet will never forget.
You know the moment. You’re scrolling through your phone, half-distracted, when suddenly the internet erupts. Your timeline floods with the same clip on repeat, an NFL wide receiver dancing mid-game or a WNBA star shutting down a heckler with one line. Within hours, it’s everywhere, from SportsCenter to group chats. Just like that, another athlete has gone viral.
It’s not new, exactly. But the way athletes are breaking the internet now has shifted. It’s no longer just about what happens during the game. These moments are deliberate, candid and fully part of how sports culture works today.
Sneakers Laced, Phone Ready: The New Game Prep
The days of media training focusing only on interviews are long gone. Athletes today are their own brand managers, curating their image in real time and speaking to audiences sometimes larger than the leagues themselves. They’ve become masters at getting attention and know how much a viral post is worth.
Look at Ja Morant. Every time he flies for a dunk, it’s not just two points, it’s a content event. Or Angel Reese, who took a simple hand gesture and turned it into a cultural conversation. These aren’t coincidences. They’re modern-day highlight reels, built for timelines.
Fans don’t want just stats. They want personality. That’s where platforms like Bally Bet come in, meeting fans where they live, in that space between performance and identity. The world of sports is more interactive now and fans want to be part of it on their own terms.
Mic’d Up Moments and Unscripted Gold
You ever see one of those mic’d-up sideline clips that says more in ten seconds than a full postgame interview? Those moments stick because they feel unscripted and honest.
Marshawn Lynch’s “just here so I won’t get fined” isn’t just an NFL soundbite, it’s internet canon. Same with Nick Kyrgios’s unpredictable, sometimes hilarious on-court comments. These quick clips give fans something polished interviews don’t: real reactions in real time.
That’s what makes them hit different. They’re flawed, human and funny. That rawness is why people connect with them. In a world of controlled messaging and PR statements, athletes dropping gems mid-game is the thing to authenticity fans could hope for.
From Timeline to Trendsetter
When a player goes viral, it doesn’t stop at the highlight. These moments ripple through culture.
Take Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. What started as off-field speculation turned into a spectacle. Ticket sales jumped, jerseys sold out, broadcasts changed tone. It was more than gossip, it was good business.
Then come the memes. Sometimes it’s a reaction shot, other times it’s a sideline stare. But if the internet likes it, it goes everywhere. These moments turn athletes into characters in a story everyone’s watching.
College players have even more on the line. With NIL deals up for grabs, going viral isn’t just clout. It’s opportunity. One clip can boost a personal brand and open doors faster than a stat sheet.
It’s Not Luck, It’s a Skill
Let’s not kid ourselves, going viral isn’t all random. The same athletes hit timelines over and over. That’s because they know what works.
They’ve got teams behind them, media savvy friends, sometimes full digital departments helping pick the right moment, the right song, the right caption. From a postgame tunnel walk to a split-second GIF, every frame is a chance to make noise.
And here’s the kicker: you don’t need a monster game to win the day. Go 0-for-5 but drop the right postgame quote and you’re still trending. The spotlight’s not just for the best performers anymore. It’s for the best storytellers.
The Viral Game Isn’t a Sideshow, It’s the Show
I used to think viral clips were just fluff. Nice distractions from the real game. But now I see it differently. They are the game. And these athletes are rewriting the rules.
They’re not waiting for legacy to find them. They’re building it in real time, one clip at a time. Every post, stare, sideline quote is a step closer to something bigger than the box score.
That’s the reality now impact isn’t limited to stat sheets or trophy rooms. It’s measured in follows, reposts, soundbites and the cultural heat a moment can generate. The modern athlete doesn’t just compete… they connect. And connection? That’s where legacy lives today.
So the next time a viral moment starts bouncing around your feed, lean in. You’re not just watching a funny clip. You’re watching how sports legends get made now in real time, across platforms, through personality, precision and timing that speaks louder than stats ever could. This is the new arena.
The post When the Internet Breaks: Athletes Who’ve Mastered the Art of Going Viral appeared first on BlackSportsOnline.
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Big Brother 27
Everything to know about Jimmy and Ava. Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl on Big Brother season 27. CBS Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl are the two out LGBTQ+ houseguests competing on Big Brother 27 at the moment — and fans have now learned enough about the contestants to break down a list of fun facts […]

Everything to know about Jimmy and Ava.
Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl on Big Brother season 27.
CBS
Jimmy Heagerty and Ava Pearl are the two out LGBTQ+ houseguests competing on Big Brother 27 at the moment — and fans have now learned enough about the contestants to break down a list of fun facts about them.
Only time will tell if Ava and Jimmy will become iconic competitors who’ll enter the pantheon of notable LGBTQ+ houseguests from Big Brother. While we wait and keep “expecting the unexpected” from this cast of BB27 players, here are a few basics for anyone trying to catch up to the queer representatives of the season.
Big Brother 27 contestant Ava Pearl is an aura painter from NYC.
Ava Pearl on Big Brother season 27.
CBS
Originally from Long Island — but a resident of New York City — Ava Pearl is 24 years old and has “aura painter” as her official job description.
“I started doing aura portraits about two years ago,” Ava said in her intro segment on Big Brother season 27. “I was seeing auras around them already, [so] I started drawing people in the park for some extra money.”
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for Ava to start going viral within the BB27 fandom.
Ava has also discussed being bisexual ever since she entered the BB27 home and the Big Brother live feeds went up for the fans to watch. So far, one of the most viral X posts (formerly tweets) associated with her reads:
“I didn’t wanna say it in front of everyone, but this house radiates a chaotic bisexual aura.”
Ava added during her intro segment on Big Brother 27:
“I would say I’m the black sheep of my Long Island family. They are all teachers in the school system. I did get that from them, but I became an art teacher: I love everything 60s, everything flower power, everything go-go and amazing.”
Is she athletic? “No,” Ava explained, “but you have to be competitive to be an artist living in this city, and I’m ready to take those skills into the Big Brother house. As a starving artist, I need this money.”
Here’s where to follow BB27’s Ava on Instagram.
Big Brother 27 fans can follow Ava on Instagram at @childofvenusandmars.
Big Brother 27 star Jimmy Heagerty works in Washington, D.C. and got fired during the Trump administration.
Jimmy Heagerty on Big Brother season 27.
CBS
Jimmy Heagerty is a 25-year-old strategy consultant — more specifically an AI consultant — who’s been living and working in Washington, D.C.
“2025 has been a very stressful year,” Jimmy said during his intro segment on Big Brother. “I used to work for the federal government… And then bam, our contract is terminated. And how do I find out? Twitter!”
In reference to the meme above: Paulie Calafiore came out as bisexual, not as gay. Meanwhile, Hisam Goueli does identify as gay, as does Jimmy. Nonetheless, it is true that all three men won the Head of Household (HOH) competition in week 2 of their respective Big Brother seasons.
Jimmy’s intro segment continued with him explaining that “whether it’s professional or personal, I’ve always had to use strategy to get what I want, and I’m bringing that level of manipulation into the Big Brother house.”
When asked if he’ll lie about his profession while competing on BB27, Jimmy explained that he “can’t tell everybody I have a professional strategy background.” So, what will he say instead? “I was playing competitive tennis for 15, 16 years,” he reasoned. “So, essentially, I’m just going to tell everybody in the Big Brother house that I’m a tennis coach.”
Jimmy — who’s originally from Sarasota, Florida — also revealed that Frankie Grande is one of his biggest LGBTQ+ idols from the Big Brother franchise.
“My mom and I used to watch Big Brother as long as I could really remember,” Jimmy explained. “I got to watch Frankie Grande [as a] loud and proud gay man being successful. He showed me that I had a future and I could be anything I wanted to be.”
Toward the end of his intro segment on Big Brother, Jimmy declared that “The biggest game out there is American government and politics, and I’m ready to bring that energy into the Big Brother house.”
Here’s where to follow BB27’s Jimmy on Instagram.
Big Brother 27 fans can follow Jimmy on Instagram at @jimmyheagerty.
The cast of houseguests competing on Big Brother 27.
CBS
Jimmy and Ava are the only two out LGBTQ+ players competing on Big Brother 27. Unless another contestant comes out in the middle of the season (which would be unusual), these are the queer competitors of the season. So, if you’re an LGBTQ+ fan of the show who enjoys rooting to root for houseguests representing the community, you’ve now found this year’s two out queer BB27 stars!
Big Brother season 27 airs new episodes every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday on CBS, as well as streaming on Paramount+.
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Lancaster City Track Club enters 13th summer of sending athletes to AAU Junior Olympics
Genesis Castro is a proponent for keeping her eyes forward, never revisiting past shortcomings. The recent McCaskey graduate has maintained the approach throughout her throwing career with the Red Tornado track and field team. The mindset helped her strike PIAA Class 3A discus gold in 2024. Additional honors glimmer and sparkle at home. But Castro […]

Genesis Castro is a proponent for keeping her eyes forward, never revisiting past shortcomings.
The recent McCaskey graduate has maintained the approach throughout her throwing career with the Red Tornado track and field team. The mindset helped her strike PIAA Class 3A discus gold in 2024. Additional honors glimmer and sparkle at home.
But Castro admits there’s a fire stoked in her stomach. She’s on her last shot, her final chance. She wants that exclamation point.
Castro is one of 12 Lancaster City Track Club members who are traveling to the AAU Junior Olympics this weekend in Houston, Texas. It’s her swan song in Lancaster — and with many of her former McCaskey teammates — before she sets sail for Monmouth this fall.
“I’ve had a little bit of a rough season,” Castro said, “so I’m just hoping I can at least peak, if not at least get moderately close. … I’m definitely trying to end my high school career, my track and field career, on a good note. Even if things go wrong, I just really want to go out there, give whatever I can, and hopefully come back with something.”
This summer’s edition of the AAU Junior Olympics marks the 13th year of participation for the LCTC. With the help of groups like the Lancaster Police Athletic League, coach Derek Jennings and his staff have been able to provide a competitive avenue, a safe haven for hundreds of kids.
“One of the things I like about the club is it gives kids an outlet over the summer where some of them don’t have a good outlet, and you pick up bad habits,” Jennings said. “But then secondly, I think on trips like nationals, you’re showing kids that when you work hard, good things can happen from that.”