Latest news with #KennySmith
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"He fights me every day and right after he brings his son" - Kenny Smith explains how Vernon Maxwell's demeanor confused Michael Jordan
"He fights me every day and right after he brings his son" - Kenny Smith explains how Vernon Maxwell's demeanor confused Michael Jordan originally appeared on Basketball Network. Vernon Maxwell was a popular name during the 90s, making headlines both on and off the court. He was instrumental in the Houston Rockets winning back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 and his encounters with Michael Jordan earned him significant limelight. Advertisement Maxwell made things pretty difficult for the opposition, especially on the defensive end. His fierce competitiveness and tenacity created an atmosphere of intimidation. An aspect that the Rockets benefited from, especially Kenny Smith, who had the ultimate protective cover. "I had the guy that everyone was fearful of and playing with me, Mad Max, Vernon Maxwell…I was his new surrogate brother, so anytime that anybody did anything to me, I would be behind him," said Smith about his former Rockets teammate. Maxwell was a pivotal reason why the Rockets enjoyed regular-season success against the Bulls. This was largely due to his competitive urge to go after Jordan every time they met. Oddly enough, he would often get his son to meet MJ postgame. "Every game he (Mad Max) tried to fight Michael and Michael, you know, the tough-minded that he is." started Kenny. "Until one day, after every fight, he would bring his son in, and afterwards, to get his (MJ's) autograph." Advertisement "So Michael said, 'Something's wrong with this guy, Kenny, he fights me every day, and then right after brings his son in, wearing all Air Jordan apparel. He's bringing him to autograph, like he's not right," narrated Smith, who played five seasons alongside Maxwell. Mad Max thrived during battles against MJ Maxwell had the matchups against Jordan marked on his calendar. Unlike many of his peers, he looked forward to facing the Bulls legend. Tasked to mark MJ, the two were involved in several altercations, with their respective teammates having to separate them. While Maxwell certainly respected Jordan's talent and skill set, he made him work on the offensive end. MJ, who had a reputation for messing with the psyche of his opponents, could not do so in the case of the Rockets guard. Advertisement Regarding their regular-season battles, Maxwell while in H-Town had a 5-1 record against the MJ-led Bulls. Interestingly, there has been a lot of conjecture regarding Houston going back-to-back in 1994 and 1995, had Jordan not retired in 1993. Something that never bothered Mad Max, who was confident nothing was stopping Hakeem Olajuwon and Co. Related: "I was with them" - Damon Stoudamire refutes John Salley's claim the 72-10 Bulls lost to the Raptors because of a hangover A mutual respect What fueled the friction between Maxwell and Jordan was exactly what made them so alike — an unshakable competitive fire. Neither man backed down. Advertisement While most players approached Jordan with fear, Mad Max leaned into the challenge. He relished the chance to go at the best. And despite their battles, the respect was always there. This was evident when Maxwell gave his take on the GOAT case, asking kids to sit down and watch Jordan play the entire 48 minutes. "But Michael Jordan was just on another level. Young kids today? They didn't see Michael play," claimed Maxwell about his former arch-rival. On the flip side, MJ clearly felt that intensity, too. According to Calvin Murphy, Jordan once admitted that Maxwell was the only player who made him take naps — a subtle nod to the mental energy it took just to prepare for him. Advertisement They never met on the Finals stage, but the idea of Jordan vs. Mad Max with everything on the line? That would've been one for the ages. Related: Vernon Maxwell destroyed Kobe Bryant one-on-one after a night out clubbing: "You can't stop me, young boy" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Scotsman
27-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
A dramatic revival in shipbuilding in Glasgow is under way
BAE Systems Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... As NATO leaders met in The Hague on Wednesday to make their historic re-armament pledge, about a hundred shipyard workers and managers at BAE Systems were gathering on Glasgow's Upper Clyde for the official opening of a vast new shipbuilding facility in Govan. The Janet Harvey Hall, named after the first woman to work in the yard in the second world war, is one of the largest industrial buildings in Scotland. It has to be big to accommodate the side-by-side construction – sheltered from Glasgow's notorious weather - of two Type 26 frigates that the UK's biggest defence contractor is building for the Royal Navy. In all, eight were ordered under a £7.9 billion contract with the Ministry of Defence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad To a piped soundtrack of 1940s music including wartime crooner Vera Lynn, staff heard how the new facility was built on land once owned by Fairfields, the former Govan business that blazed a global trail for Scottish shipbuilding in the 19 th century. But as GMB union convener Kenny Smith told them: 'It also stands as a monument to the future.' PA That future can be seen in why the Type 26 is being built in Glasgow. It was in front of the same hall that Keir Starmer last month unveiled the government's Strategic Defence Review, warning the threats Britain now faces are 'more serious and less predictable than at any time since the end of the Cold War'. One of those is a marked increase in Russian submarine activity in the North Atlantic, particularly under the icy waters of the Norwegian Sea. This is where the Type 26 comes in. Described by BAE Systems as a 'frontline warfighting frigate' with 'high survivability characteristics', the vessel has been built for stealth, including an alternative electric motor to reduce noise. BAE Systems has invested £300 million in modernising its facilities in Glasgow to build the Type 26, including docks across the Clyde at Scotstoun where hulls are fully fitted out, including with a computerised 'combat management system'. A 'mission bay' towards the stern allows the deployment of drones and anti-hypersonic missiles. 'This is designed to beat the Russian sub at the cat-and-mouse game,' explains Simon Lister, a former Royal Navy vice-admiral and military attaché in Moscow who is now managing director of BAE Systems' naval ships business. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The building of the Type 26 signifies nothing less than a dramatic revival in shipbuilding in Glasgow after decades of post-war decline. Just as sites like Govan and Belfast were vital to wartime efforts in the past, it's a revival driven by geopolitics. And it places Scotland at 'the beating heart of military shipbuilding', as Scottish Secretary Ian Murray put it last month when the first Type 26 was officially named 'HMS Glasgow' by the Princess of Wales. It's a revival that looks sustainable, too, which will matter for jobs. Annual defence spending of £2.1 billion in Scotland currently supports over 11,000 defence industry jobs, of which almost 5,000 are at BAE Systems in Glasgow. In the Netherlands, NATO committed to meet US president Donald Trump's demand to raise defence spending to five per cent of GDP by 2035. The UK has pledged as part of this to raise core defence spending to 3.5 per cent, with an additional 1.5 per cent on security- related infrastructure such as cyber security and border protection. The future cashflow prospects for defence businesses are rosy. Investors have taken notice, powering explosive growth in the share prices of European publicly listed defence companies such as Rheinmetall of Germany, Italy's Leonardo – which has an avionics and radar business in Edinburgh – and Babcock, the UK's second largest defence contractor that's building Type 31 frigates at Rosyth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This week, Babcock's chief executive David Lockwood declared a 'new era for defence' as his company raised its profits target. BAE Systems, whose shares are up 62 per cent so far this year, hopes it will win a contract from Norway this year to deliver five Type 26s. Developing a robust supply chain will be key. Two things announced in this week's UK Industrial Growth Strategy stand out. One is a new £400 million innovation fund to support new defence technology, while another is the creation of 'defence growth deals' for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to create 'regional industrial clusters'. In March, the government said it would launch a new 'support hub' to small and medium enterprises better access to the defence supply chain. PA 'The government has made a very clear link between increased defence spending and the effect on the economy, so this will have an effect not only in Scotland but the supply chain, a lot of which is in Britain,' says Emma Salisbury, a research fellow at the Council on Geostrategy. Notably, about half of the supply chain for the Type 26 is sourced in Britain. One unknown is whether this increase in naval activity will have any spillover effect into civilian shipbuilding. A hearing at the Scottish Parliament this week heard from Brussels-based consultancy ADS Insight that while competition from Asia had hollowed out European shipbuilding over decades, calls have started to come for a European maritime industrial strategy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
The Courier
14-06-2025
- Climate
- The Courier
10 pictures from a very wet Stirling Agricultural Show
Waterproofs and wellies were the order of the day at Stirling Agricultural Show. The elements were certainly unkind, but that didn't keep the event from going ahead at Gogar Mains Farm, Blairlogie. Those hardy souls who ventured out in the rain still had plenty to see and do. Cows, sheep, horses, vintage tractors, trade stands, a craft and lifestyle tent, kids' play corner and amusements defied the bad weather. Trade exhibitors included Gordon Construction,with one member of is 'hard core team' posted on Facebook they were 'here till the end'. The Courier photographer Kenny Smith was there with his camera.
The Courier
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Prom photos: Monifieth High Class of 2025
Monifieth High prom was rite of passage for the Angus school's Class of 2025. Exams over, S6 leavers put on their glad rags to celebrate the end of their school days. Our photographer Kenny Smith was there as they celebrated at Invercarse Hotel on Thursday evening. Monifieth High prom features in our Class of '25 photo gallery series. Look out for more throughout June from secondary school leavers' proms and dances across Tayside and Fife. All photographs by Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.
The Courier
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Prom photos: Perth Academy Class of 2025
Perth Academy prom was a night to remember for the school's Class of 2025. With exams done, S6 pupils dressed to impress to celebrate the end of their school days. Our photographer Kenny Smith was there as they celebrated at Dunkeld House Hotel on Wednesday evening. Perth Academy prom features in our Class of '25 photo gallery series. Look out for more throughout June from secondary school leavers' proms and dances across Tayside and Fife. All photographs by Kenny Smith/DC Thomson.
