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British and Irish Lions dominate Force in the opening game of their Australian tour

British and Irish Lions dominate Force in the opening game of their Australian tour

Washington Post4 hours ago

PERTH, Australia — Dan Sheehan made the perfect start on debut for the British and Irish Lions.
The Ireland hooker led the Lions for the first game of their Australian tour , scored in the second minute and steered the team to a commanding 54-7 win over the Perth-based Western Force on Saturday.

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"You don't belong in this league, Homes" - Dominique Wilkins recalls when a trash-talking Larry Bird broke his confidence before a game
"You don't belong in this league, Homes" - Dominique Wilkins recalls when a trash-talking Larry Bird broke his confidence before a game

Yahoo

time19 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

"You don't belong in this league, Homes" - Dominique Wilkins recalls when a trash-talking Larry Bird broke his confidence before a game

"You don't belong in this league, Homes" - Dominique Wilkins recalls when a trash-talking Larry Bird broke his confidence before a game originally appeared on Basketball Network. Some moments stick like splinters. For Dominique Wilkins, one of those came early in his NBA career — a face-off with Larry Bird that left him stunned before the ball had even touched the floor. The Boston Celtics dynasty ran through Bird's hands, his mind and his mouth. The 6-foot-9 forward's game was good — a deadeye shooter, a brilliant passer and a basketball I.Q. that cut through defenses before they even set. However, he played with a quiet arrogance that only a man backing it up with three MVP awards could afford. Wilkins had been brimming with confidence when he came up against the Celtics icon. A rising star with explosive athleticism and a talent for scoring in bunches, he believed he belonged. But Bird didn't see it that way — and he let Wilkins know before the game even began. "I went out for the opening tip, and I went to shake his hand," Wilkins recalled. "He just stood there and looked at me stone-faced with his hands behind his back. I was like, 'Whoa. Then we were getting ready for the tip, and he says to me, 'You don't belong in this league, Homes." Like many others, Wilkins had heard about Bird's trash talk before, but this was something else. The way Bird combined his words was different. He had a way of dissecting his opponent, piece by piece, basket by basket. Drafted third overall in 1982 by the Utah Jazz, the Atlanta icon was quickly rerouted to the Hawks in a deal that changed the course of his career — and the organization's future. From the jump, he was a force. Explosive. Unstoppable in the open court. By his fourth season, he had already claimed a scoring title, pouring in 30.3 points per game in 1985-86. Buckets came easy for Wilkins. Baseline spins, gravity-defying dunks, pull-up jumpers from the wing — he made it all look effortless. But scoring titles weren't enough in the Eastern Conference of the 1980s. Because Bird ruled the East. He had the attitude. Bird talked. Constantly. Not the hollow noise of a player trying to psych himself up. Bird's words were sharp, pointed and devastatingly accurate. He'd call his shots before they left his hands. He'd tell defenders exactly how he planned to score, and then he'd go do it. And the worst part was that he was usually right. "Then they had the ball, and I was on him," Wilkins said. "And he said, 'I don't know why they got you guarding me, Homes. You can't guard me.' Then, whap, he hit a 3. Then he came down again and said, 'They made a mistake putting you on me, Homes,' and he took another 3." The high-flying forward was just one of many who found themselves on the receiving end. In 1987, a skinny rookie out of UCLA named Reggie Miller thought he could go toe-to-toe with him during a matchup. Miller had hit a couple of shots early and figured he'd earned the right to chirp. He started talking to Bird, feeling himself a little too much. The Boston star let it slide for a moment. Then he decided to put the rookie in his place during a free throw attempt. He coldly asked the Pacers sharpshooter who he was before proceeding to tell him that he was the "best shooter" in the league before proceeding to make both shots from the charity stripe. He humiliated Miller. Trash talk in the NBA has always been part of the game, but few mastered it the way Bird did. He wasn't just a loudmouth. He was a three-time MVP, a three-time NBA champion and one of the league's most lethal shooters. "I knew Larry Bird was good," Wilkins said. "But man, that was different. He had this way of making you question yourself." Wilkins would go on to forge his own Hall of Fame career — a nine-time All-Star, a scoring champion, and one of the most scintillating dunkers in NBA history. But Bird's cold stare and sharp words left a mark. You don't belong in this league, Homes.'" - Dominique Wilkins recalls when a trash-talking Larry Bird broke his confidence before a gameThis story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.

Maya Joint beats Alex Eala in stunning Eastbourne final, saving four championship points
Maya Joint beats Alex Eala in stunning Eastbourne final, saving four championship points

New York Times

time25 minutes ago

  • New York Times

Maya Joint beats Alex Eala in stunning Eastbourne final, saving four championship points

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Kevin Nunis, Olympian and hockey coach, passes away
Kevin Nunis, Olympian and hockey coach, passes away

Yahoo

time40 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Kevin Nunis, Olympian and hockey coach, passes away

Former Malaysian hockey player, Kevin Christopher Nunis @ Muhammad Khairy Nunis died today at Hospital Kuala Lumpur after a long illness. Nunis, who would have turned 66 on Sept 18, was a member of the national juniors team who finished fourth at the 1979 Junior World Cup in Paris, France. He went on to play in the 1982 World Cup and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, several Southeast Asia Games and the Asian Games. He retired from the international scene in 1989 after earning over 100 caps for Malaysia. Domestically, he represented his home state, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in the Tun Razak Cup, and for several clubs in the Malaysia Hockey League. He later went into coaching and guided Pahang to the 1996 Malaysia Games gold medal – the only time the East coast claimed top spot. Nunis also coached various clubs in the Malaysia Hockey League and had stints in Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, and Singapore. In February 2021, he was appointed coach of the National Hockey Development Programme, a position he held until his death. Kevin is survived by his wife Rahimah Awang, daughter, Yasmin Natasha, two sons Mohd Daniel and Mohd Karl Iskandar, son-in-law Mohamad Yashar Yatim, daughter-in-law Nurul Nadia Kudus and three grandchildren – Aariz Iman, Ayra Arissa, Nayla Dahlia. Aariz Iman, Ayra Arissa are following in Nunis' footsteps and are members of their school's hockey team. Aariz Iman said he hopes to become a national player 'just like my tokpa (grandfather).'

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