Highlights from Week 1 of Baltimore Ravens OTAs
Highlights from Week 1 of Baltimore Ravens OTAs Baltimore took the field at the Under Armour Performance Center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and we're looking at Ravens' highlights from the first week of OTAs
OTAs aren't mandatory, and after Baltimore's MVP candidate was absent for Day 1, he made his debut in front of the media for the start of Day 2 and wowed fans on Day 3. Lamar Jackson was back at the Under Armour Performance Center on Wednesday, and the place was buzzing as the MVP candidate looked sharp and in elite shape during his first practice.
The training programs are divided into three phases: one mandatory minicamp for the entire roster and one rookie minicamp for each group.
No live contact is permitted, but 7-on-7, 9-on-7, and 11-on-11 drills are allowed.
Baltimore will hold seven more OTA sessions on June 3, June 5-6, June 9-12, before a Mandatory Minicamp on June 17-19.
With the team off until Tuesday, here are the top highlights from Week 1.
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New York Times
39 minutes ago
- New York Times
Football shirt restoration: The next frontier in the vintage kit market?
This article is part of our Kitted Out series, an exploration of the impact of soccer kits on culture and fashion. Last year, Ian Jefferson wrote an email to Bill Henderson, the founder and owner of The Dream Shop. In the message, Jefferson told Henderson about his father, Jesse Jefferson, an MLB pitcher for eight years between 1973 and 1981. In memory of his dad, who died in 2011, Jefferson asked Henderson, a professional shirt restorer, if he could send a blank, store-bought Baltimore Orioles replica for Henderson to build a copy of the shirt his dad wore when he played for them in 1973. Advertisement Henderson did him one better, finding an old match-worn Orioles jersey from his stash, one tattered by years of wear in the pros and minor leagues — and then restoring it with Jefferson's name and number. After Jefferson returned photos of him posing in a room full of memorabilia from his dad's career wearing the shirt, Henderson posted about it to his thousands of followers on Facebook. A couple of weeks later, Henderson received an email from a shirt collector named Rick Taylor. Taylor had noticed Henderson's Facebook post and dug out an actual match-worn 1975 Orioles Jesse Jefferson jersey from his collection, which he wanted to gift to the former baseball player's son. Taylor sent the jersey to Henderson, who restored it and sent it on to Jefferson — another item to add to the room decorated in his father's memory. That's just one of many heartwarming tales Henderson has to tell since retiring as a marketing executive in 2018 to lean into his collection obsession and begin restoring jerseys full-time. 'I've become the go-to guy for restoration work,' says Henderson, 63. 'I work more hours a day than I used to, but I don't feel like I work at all.' The world of commercialised sports shirt restorations is relatively new but it's a growing and increasingly common way to bring old shirts back to life. 'Restoration broadly encompasses a variety of things related to kits,' says Phil Delves, a community partnerships lead and content creator at Cult Kits. 'On one side, you have people or companies who will restore kits to their original state, or try as best as possible to do things like replace sponsors or even just practical construction restoration, such as stitching. 'It can also come from more of a creative angle, where shirts are customised, perhaps in a historical ways or ways which aren't true to the actual history of the shirt. Maybe they'll introduce things like a customised sponsor, which is one of the most popular methods. So, for example, taking a current shirt and adding a sponsor logo that was never associated with a team but has some sort of connection. 'That kind of restoration can go as far as completely changing the look of a kit to the point where you could argue that maybe 'restoration' isn't the best word, but I think many people would still consider it restoration. That takes more creative license.' A post shared by Maker | Restauracion | Personalizacion (@ For many of the same reasons that retro jerseys have become one of football's most popular subcultures, the shirt restoration market is experiencing a surge. Whether attached to success or pure aesthetics, most sports fans have jerseys they resonate with — and they're often unavailable to buy new, very expensive on the second-hand market, or in poor condition. Shirt restorers provide an alternative to spending hundreds by taking old jerseys, replacing names, numbers or sponsors, and repairing material damage. Advertisement 'After sending my own shirts to be restored, I noticed only one person was doing it and I just thought: 'I want a bit of that,'' says Oliver James Howitt, founder of OJ's Football Shirt Restorations. 'I've been restoring since around 2021 but after leaving my hospitality career in 2023, football shirts and restorations became my full-time job and I haven't looked back. It hasn't come without obstacles but the business has grown quickly, and I'm extremely proud of it.' Last January, Howitt described the state of his company's profile as 'relatively small', with a few thousand followers. However, after signing deals with several companies, including Korean textile firm Dae Ha, and around £3,000 in internal investment, OJ's Football Shirts now has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and more than 540,000 likes on TikTok. 'I first came across (shirt restorations) through Oliver — I spotted him on Twitter about two years ago,' former Wrexham captain Ben Tozer, who retired in May, tells The Athletic. 'It's a little bit geeky, I guess, but it was just interesting to see all the retro shirts and watch how they were being restored. I thought it was amazing. Funnily enough, my mum then texted me a picture of an old Swindon (Town) shirt of mine — it was white but it had red marks all over it. She asked if she should bin it, so I said: 'No, I'll just contact this guy.'' At first glance, it's not difficult to see why Tozer's mother's first instinct was to throw it in the bin. The jersey, from Tozer's first season as a professional, was covered in stains, a consequence of the red dye on the numbers and sponsors running in the years since he wore the shirt in the 2006-07 season. The name and number set were also in poor condition and the front sponsor was smudged. Described as 'one of (his) trickiest restorations to date', Howitt repaired the jersey completely and Tozer posted it on his social media, one of the first professional football players to publicise their use of a shirt-restorer to bring an old and battered jersey back to life. A post shared by Oliver James – OJ's Football Shirt Restorations (@ojsfootballshirtrestorations) In addition to the restoration process, heat press machines allow shirt restorers to overhaul the design of modern shirts. Howitt, for example, has replaced the Standard Chartered sponsor on last season's Liverpool away jersey with the Carlsberg logo, Liverpool's shirt sponsor from 1992-2010. He has made similar amendments to Boca Juniors, Manchester City and Inter Milan shirts, among others. Advertisement So how do restorers do it? 'Let's use a 'modern-to-retro' sponsor swap as an example,' says Howitt. 'First, I'll turn the shirt inside out and dab the sponsor sparingly with a VLR (vinyl lift-off remover) on a cotton pad. After letting it sit for 30 seconds, I'll stretch the garment, peel the sponsor, and rub any excess glue residue with a VLR cotton pad until traces are minimal or vanish. If it doesn't work initially, I repeat until the desired result is achieved.' Shirt restoration has particularly strong growth potential in the United Kingdom, where the retro shirt market is primarily a second-hand industry. Clubs and jersey manufacturers have woken up to the attachment to old shirts in the past decade, with retro jerseys with similar materials and almost identical designs becoming more readily available in club shops. Still, it remains a more fragmented industry than in the United States, where primary jersey design changes are less frequent, and retailers such as Lids and Fanatics provide comprehensive 'throwback' collections. Typically, Howitt charges between £15 and £25 for sponsor amendments and up to £35 for name set repairs. With the retro jersey market developing from niche to mainstream, second-hand stores and online vintage retailers are flooded with jerseys from the 1980s onwards, making your dream (or 'grail') jersey more accessible than ever. A post shared by Oliver James – OJ's Football Shirt Restorations (@ojsfootballshirtrestorations) Given that some of the most coveted jerseys in pristine condition from the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s regularly demand prices north of £500, there is a danger that some independent sellers could be exploiting the blurred the line between a truly authentic 'retro' jersey, featuring its original printing, and the restored market. The Athletic visited an area of London known for vintage clothes and retro football jersey shopping to test whether this trend had spread from the online market to physical stores. After filtering through hundreds of unaltered jerseys at various stores, we stumbled upon a retro shirt retailer displaying a 2002-04 Manchester United home jersey priced at £150 with a freshly printed 'Ronaldo 7' name and number set. Advertisement Though it was apparent that, at minimum, the name, number, and sponsor had been altered, a sign reading 'all original items' was visible above the shirt rack. When The Athletic asked for confirmation, the customer service representative stated that this was an original without any restorations. After asking for further assurance, the representative messaged the owner, who said the shirt was original, but the names and sponsors had been 'reproduced'. Considering that we spent around an hour visiting several retro shirt sellers to no avail, it might indicate that this is not yet a widespread problem in the industry. While there is no issue with the restoration process, failing to clarify when a shirt has been restored could be viewed as deceiving customers into purchasing altered jerseys at 'true' vintage prices. The art of shirt restoration is still in its relative infancy in the United Kingdom. But with restorers providing an avenue to refresh an item's details at an affordable price, it has exciting potential as a sustainable way to spruce up the tattered jersey at the bottom of your drawer. Kitted Out is part of a partnership with VW Tiguan. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NBA Makes Historical Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Announcement on Sunday
NBA Makes Historical Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Announcement on Sunday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander captured his first Most Valuable Player trophy this past season, averaging 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. Advertisement The Kentucky product didn't just prove that he's a superstar, but that he's among the best players in the entire league right now. The Thunder, behind the play of Gilgeous-Alexander, won 68 games and has been just as successful throughout the playoffs. Oklahoma City is headed to its first NBA Finals since 2012 -- which was a 4-1 loss to the Miami Heat. Now, they're taking on the Indiana Pacers as they aim to raise their first banner in franchise history. Of course, the superstar guard had a remarkable supporting cast, led by Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, as they are the most connected team in the NBA. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) with the Michael Jordan Trophy for winning the most valuable player award for the 2024-25 season.© Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Ahead of the NBA Finals tipping off later this week, the league made a historical announcement regarding Gilgeous-Alexander and his incredible season. Advertisement Gilgeous-Alexander is the eighth player in NBA history to win his first MVP and make his first NBA Finals appearance in the same season. "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 8th player in NBA history to achieve both for the first time in the same season!" the NBA announced on Sunday. The feat was most recently achieved by Stephen Curry in 2015, with Allen Iverson being the third most recent in 2001, showing just how rare Gilgeous-Alexander's feat is. The Thunder's emergence as a contender has been rapid and loud -- led by Gilgeous-Alexander -- as they aim to cap off their arrival with a championship. Advertisement Oklahoma City opens as a significant favorite over the Pacers in the Finals, as they should be able to play as the more talented and deeper team, also owning home court advantage to start the series. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Thanks to a freshman, Ava Kiley, Reading survive Division 2 first-round scare in extras
'All cylinders are firing for her right now,' said Reading coach Dom Gasdia. 'She always comes through. It's absolutely amazing to watch as a coach, how many times she's come through clutch in high pressure situations.' Kiley went 3 for 4 and scored all four runs, propelling the Rockets (19-2) past the Highlanders (9-9). Advertisement 'Hands down MVP material in the conference,' said Gasdia of his star senior. 'She's just clutch. She's always been good, but now she's always on fire. She's really locked in on every aspect of the game.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The Rockets, who won the Middlesex League outright, have earned wins in every fashion, including several late game comebacks. From Gasdia's standpoint, it's a whole team effort. 'Everything just keeps on falling into place,' said Gasdia. 'The team never gives up.' Tewksbury 12, Notre Dame (H) 7 — Julianna Cappiello blasted a two-run homer after knocking in a pair of runs with a single, as the sixth-seeded Redmen (18-3) picked up a first-round triumph against No. 27 NDA (11-7). Anya Cranston drove in two, Abby Tower cracked a two-run double, pinch-hitter Jordan Doucette scored two on a bases-loaded single, and Sophie Cappiello provided an RBI as the Redmen overcame a five-run deficit in the first inning. Advertisement Division 1 State Andover 3, Wellesley 1 — Junior Alivia Baldwin had a pair of hits, including a three-run blast for the No. 12 Golden Warriors (16-5) in a first-round win over No. 21 Wellesley (11-9). Attleboro 12, Newton South 2 — Lola Ronayne put on a show, going 3 for 4 with her 16th home run of the season, three runs scored, and a trio of RBIs in a first-round win for the No. 4 Bombardiers (17-4) against No. 29 Newton South (12-8). Madison Moran finished 2 for 3 with three runs scored and four RBIs, clubbing her sixth home run of the campaign. Jenna Callahan hurled a complete game, allowing one earned run and striking out seven with zero walks. Freshman Kaylee Magnan contributed three hits and an RBI. Bishop Feehan 5, Peabody 4 — Bella Silva smacked a walkoff single that plated Mylee Ramer in the bottom of the seventh, propelling the fifth-seeded Shamrocks (17-5) to a dramatic first-round win over No. 28 Peabody (9-12). Bridgewater-Raynham 13, Acton-Boxborough 3 — Sophomore Avery Erlichman had three RBIs, including a two-run double in the second inning for the No. 8 Trojans (15-6) in the first-round win. Sophomore Madison DeLano went the distance, fanning seven, to oust No. 25 Acton-Boxborough (12-9). Wachusett 10, Medford 1 — Addison Scoble went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs as the second-seeded Mountaineers (19-2) defeated No. 31 Medford (19-3) in first-round action. Shayna Bakun fanned 10 and allowed one run on three hits, adding two hits and an RBI at the plate. Giana Johnson crushed a triple and drove in two. Advertisement Weymouth 6, Beverly 2 — Senior captain Paige Sellon connected for a two-out, two-run single in the third inning, leadoff hitter Bella Pires had a solo HR in the fifth inning, and freshman Viv Palazzo had a two-RBI single in the seventh to power the visiting No. 17 Wildcats (12-9) in the first round against No. 16 Beverly (14-6). Junior Jill Ondrick had 13 strikeouts to reach 200 on the season and is just two away from 750 for her career (2 seasons prior at Archbishop Williams). Division 3 State Bishop Fenwick 22, Hanover 14 — Sophomore Alyssa Butler was 4 for 4 with a home run, double, four RBIs, and four runs as the No. 24 Crusaders (8-12) outslugged host No. 9 Hanover (15-6) to a first-round upset. Senior Natasha O'Brien scored a pair of runs and was 4 for 5 with three RBIs, sophomore Sarah Shann had three hits and four RBIs, and senior Lola Amendolare had three RBIs as the Crusaders scored eight runs in the fifth inning. For the Hawks, senior Abby Hanna blasted her 11th home run of the season, had four RBIs, and scored a pair of runs. Senior Noey Giardina ended her career by going 4 for 5 performance with a double, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Gloucester 5, Medfield 3 — Aleena Brown ripped a two-run double down the third base line to highlight a four-run fourth inning in a first-round victory for the No. 8 Fishermen (17-4) over No. 25 Medfield (8-13). Norton 6, Blackstone Valley 0 — Junior righthander Liana Danubio scattered five hits with five strikeouts for the No. 2 Lancers (19-2) in the first-round win. From the leadoff spot, she had a pair of hits and three RBIs to beat the No. 31 Beavers (7-15). Advertisement St. Mary's 10, Dedham 6 — Catherine Newbury tossed 2⅔ scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and fanning four, to vault the No. 11 Spartans (14-7) to a first-round triumph over No. 22 Dedham (8-11). Olivia DiSessa (3-4, 2 runs, RBI) and Ryleigh Williams (2-2, 2 runs, RBI) sparked a 13-hit game for the victors. Division 4 State Tyngsborough 12, Rockland 0 — Junior righty Kiley Hogan fired five hitless innings with 13 strikeouts for the sixth-seeded Tigers (17-4). As part of a nine-run outburst in the fifth, Hogan blasted a three-run homer and sophomore Hailey McMahon had a two-run single in the first-round win against No. 27 Rockland (7-13). Uxbridge 13, West Bridgewater 1 — Junior Erin O'Day fired a 16-strikeout one-hitter for the second-seeded Spartans (20-1) in the first-round win. She also cracked a double, walked four times, and drove in a run. Junior Lola Grube blasted a three-run homer and had seven RBIs against No. 31 West Bridgewater (7-15). Division 5 State Georgetown 12, Springfield International 0 — Maddie Grant did not allow a hit or run in five innings and fanned 11 of 15 batters she faced, dazzling in a first-round win for the fourth-seeded Royals (18-3) over No. 29 Springfield Charter (9-13). Ava Fair drove in two on a pair of hits. The Royals broke the game open with a seven-run fourth inning. Lenny Rowe contributed to this report.
