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Sydney Morning Herald
12-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Welcome to Wrexham was magical TV. This spin-off sucks
Necaxa ★ Imagine taking the ingredients that made Welcome to Wrexham so magical, adding in a bucket of poo, and stirring. That's Necaxa. I'll be absolutely amazed if a more cynical piece of television emerges this year. If Welcome to Wrexham is pure surprise and delight (and in its first two seasons especially, it was), Necaxa is the most nakedly beady-eyed attempt to capture that lightning-in-a-bottle magic, water it down, bulk it up with additives, and pawn it onto an unsuspecting market at double the price. In short, it sucks. Writing about the first season of Welcome to Wrexham a few years back, I described it as 'a gloriously well-rounded portrait of the relationship between a team and a town', and noted that while it never would have been made without Rob McElhenney (as Rob Mac was then still known) and Ryan Reynolds, the club's celebrity owners were 'the least interesting thing' about it. Sadly, the people behind Necaxa didn't get the memo. They think Eva Longoria – a member of a US-based investment group that bought a 50 per cent stake in the Mexican soccer club in 2021 – is the most interesting thing. There are other issues. As a transplant from Mexico City 22 years ago, the team they have chosen to follow simply does not have the emotional connection to the city in which it plays, Aguascalientes, in the same way Wrexham does. And as a fixture in the top flight Liga MX, it's not a struggling club in any meaningful sense, no matter how much drama you might try to wring from its mid-table mediocrity. Former Desperate Housewives star Longoria is given the nickname la Padrona (the boss) and positioned in the series as if she were the key figure in the narrative. But she's not. We're never told what stake she owns, but the consortium has many members (former Arsenal and Germany star Mesut Ozil among them), so it's likely small. Just like the stakes. When the show opens in 2024, Longoria confesses to having almost no knowledge of the game (despite having been a part owner for three years). She grew up with an NFL-loving father. Her connection to the team, the game, and the city feels like it's being crafted on and for the camera, driven purely by the numbers (Mexican soccer has a huge TV audience in the US). It feels utterly inauthentic.
Newsweek
07-08-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Jaguars' Travis Hunter Will Play Defense, Offense in Preseason Debut
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. There are plenty of rookies that the NFL-loving world is waiting to see, with many making their official professional debuts during preaseason Week 1. One of the biggest is Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter. Hunter played defense and offense with the Colorado Buffaloes, leading to his winning the Heisman Trophy, and getting drafted No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, it will be up to the young two-way player to play at a high level on both sides of the ball moving forward. Even more exciting is that the Jaguars have announced that Hunter will make his debut in Week 1 of preseason, and is slated to play on both defense and offense. Jaguars HC Liam Coen says his starters including QB Trevor Lawrence and WR/CB Travis Hunter will play Saturday in preseason opener vs. Steelers. Hunter will play both CB and WR during the game. Unicorn NFL debut. — Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 7, 2025 According to NFL insider Cameron Wolfe: "Jaguars HC Liam Coen says his starters including QB Trevor Lawrence and WR/CB Travis Hunter will play Saturday in preseason opener vs. Steelers. Hunter will play both CB and WR during the game. Unicorn NFL debut." Hunter can make a huge impression and prove why he was sought-after enough for the Jaguars to trade multiple picks to move up to No. 2 to snag him. Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars speaks to the Media during Jacksonville Jaguars Rookie Minicamp at Miller Electric Center on May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. Travis Hunter #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars speaks to the Media during Jacksonville Jaguars Rookie Minicamp at Miller Electric Center on May 10, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo byThis story will be updated...
