Latest news with #TheBigLead
USA Today
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The viral (and extremely fake) TCU furry quarterback, explained
BREAKING: TCU QB Josh Hoover is the first ever collegiate athlete to come out as a furry, per were shown of him dressing up in a fursuit at a Fort Worth convention. Two things that go together like bread and butter: college football and the furry community. Surprisingly enough, the nexus of these two things has dominated the college football internet in recent days. Why is that? Well, it all stems from a photoshopped Instagram story. The photo purported to show TCU starting quarterback Josh Hoover attending a furry convention while wearing a fursuit. For the uninitiated, the furry subculture focuses on anthropomorphic animal characters, and its practitioners often dress up in elaborate costumes — or, fursuits. It needs to be said right off the bat that the photo of Hoover in question is very much not real. It's a pretty obvious Photoshop, but that didn't stop some outlets like The Big Lead from covering it as if it were a genuine post from Hoover. Here's the hoax post in question. The Hoover hoax wasn't the only furry-related news that made its rounds on the college football interwebs this week, however. After the fake Hoover photo circulated, fans resurfaced an older (and very much real) photo from former California and current Oklahoma running back Jaydn Ott. Last year, Ott posted a truly iconic photo of himself hanging out with the Berkeley furry chapter. Naturally, it's back in the news this week due to... events. NSFW Warning: Ott uses an obscene gesture in the photo. I'm not sure anyone had furries dominating the college football discourse on their bingo cards as we're now just over two weeks from the start of the 2025 season.
Express Tribune
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
BYU win controversial Tony Padilla call sparks confrontation, Arizona coach blasts defense
BYU secured a dramatic 96–95 win over the Arizona Wildcats in a thrilling Big 12 matchup at McKale Center in Tucson on February 22, 2025. The victory was sealed in the final seconds following a contentious foul call. According to Joe Lago of The Big Lead, junior forward Richie Saunders—who added 23 points to the score—drove to the basket and spun past Arizona's senior forward Trey Townsend. In that critical moment, referee Tony Padilla called a foul, awarding Saunders two free throws with just 3.2 seconds remaining, which ultimately clinched the win for the Cougars. Following the decisive play, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd expressed his displeasure, labeling the decision a 'bad call.' Lloyd, who rarely sees his team lose when they score 90 or more points, pointed to defensive lapses as a significant factor in the loss, noting that Arizona had already surrendered 94 points before the final play. His remarks underscored long-standing defensive issues that plagued the Wildcats throughout the game. Meanwhile, the on-court drama quickly spilled over into off-court incidents. Shortly after the final buzzer, a confrontation erupted between BYU's Mawot Mag and Arizona's Caleb Love amid an already charged atmosphere. Adding further fuel to the fire, some fans resorted to an unacceptable chant targeting the faith of BYU supporters. In response, Arizona's vice president and director of athletics, Desireé Reed-Francois, promptly issued an apology to BYU's community and condemned the behavior as unreflective of the institution's values. Ultimately, despite the controversial call and subsequent incidents, the win marked BYU's fourth consecutive victory and a significant triumph over a ranked opponent. In my opinion, the enhanced transitions now create a smoother narrative, clearly linking the on-court action with the broader fallout, and offering a well-rounded view of one of the season's most debated finishes.
