Episode 2: Open New Doors

 

 In this episode, Navarro and Andrew talk about some free agency issues in the NFL, their current athletic situations, and so much more.

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Feature Release: OnlyVarro

 I had the pleasure of sitting down and having a conversation with Division III Athlete and Social Media star Navarro Blakes, screen name OnlyVarro. Navarro has had a very interesting journey through the years and has developed into a high-quality Lacrosse player. I asked him about his upbringing, his motivations, and his future: here’s what he had to say.

Navarro’s lacrosse journey started late in his high school career. “I wanted to play in my junior year, but my mom wouldn't let me. She said that it was too late and that I should try out next year. It wasn’t because the game was too physical, or I was undersized. I missed the timeline and had to wait another year.” 

Navarro graduated high school in 2020, and we all remember how this year went. Being a student athlete was not easy at the time, and this is what he had to say  about his high school experience through Covid-19. “ I got my highest GPA ever during Covid. The circumstances were complicated and completely different than anything I’ve ever gone through. I played a lot of Fortnite and video games in quarantine, I'm sorry mom. Having a goal in my backyard helped a lot too because of how close it was, I never had to leave the house to get some work in.”

I asked Varro if he could play any sport besides lacrosse at a college level, what would it be?

“Football. You’ve seen me run in the field, I’m quick. I used to play receiver in high school, and I ran track and field. I would dust fools.”

Onlyvarro has accumulated over 60k followers on TikTok for his lacrosse content, so I asked him about his journey through social media. Navarro started taking videos of himself before he even thought about producing content. These were just videos for him to correct his form, and to improve as a player. The first year that he created content, he was met with so much negative backlash, making it mentally difficult for him to continue. Yet, the love and support from those who left positive comments and responses meant the world, and he continued through the hardship to support those who help him. “The first year was rough man, there was so much hate in my comments that would demotivate me, but the ones who would stay positive in my comments and show love are the ones that drive me to be better, to continue creating content.” 

Navarro became dedicated to the mission of helping others in the way he knew how. Lacrosse. He started by making tutorials on how to do the moves he likes, taking inspiration from his idols in the lacrosse world.

His hard work on social media solidified him as a significant force in Division III Lacrosse, as he signed deals and partnerships with brands and organizations, collaborations with other creators, attending significant lacrosse events and meeting some of the sport's legends. His love for the game is ever-growing, and he has nothing but high hopes and dreams for his future.

On The Grey Podcast Episode 1: Expectations meet Experience.

In Episode 1, Navarro and Andrew talk about the purpose of the podcast, sharing their experiences within the sports they play, while digging into who they will become in the future.

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Are the Giants Setting Themselves Up for failure?

 

The New York Giants have made many changes within the last 3 years in order to create a winning program, and with new Head Coach Brian Doball, results may finally generate positively in the next couple seasons. The Giants are a historically winning team, winning 4 Super Bowls, yet finding themselves under strange circumstances throughout the last decade.

Giants Quarterback, Daniel Jones, rushed for 114 yards and threw for 436 yards in 17 games. The average in game passing yards for this season was 259 yards for winning teams, and 264 in losing situations (Bleacherreport.com). Daniel Jones has underperformed in his latest season as a Quarterback, but this is one of the few plot holes that the Giants will have to fix in the near future. Daniel Jones is seeking a revised contract with the Giants, asking for $45 million dollars. Is Daniel Jones worth more than what he is getting paid now? He has spent 4 seasons in the league, and has remained average at best, with his best season being his first. 

Running Back, Saquan Barkley, rushed for 295 yards this season; which isn’t terrible, but given circumstances (injury/ missed games) he fulfilled his position and played his best. Saquan is injury prone, and has missed games due to multiple injuries. Saquan is a staple in the G-men community, but how much longer will he be able to play at the level he is at now? Is he worth signing to a 5-10 year deal if he is continually injured and missing games?

Justin Herbert: A Man of the People

 Justin Herbert is a Professional Quarterback in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, racking up over 600,000 followers after 2 years in the League. His social media presence is relatively smaller than other Professional athletes, but he is verified on Instagram and Twitter. Most if not all of his content is related to football: Pictures taken during games, pictures with fans, and advertisements that are paid partnerships with large companies. His first advertisement post was for his personal NFT Project,” Autograph.io” which he launched with multiple professional athletes like Devin Booker, Sabrina Ionesco, and Collin Morikawa, which was posted on May 4th of 2022.

In the months to follow, Herbert posted sponsored advertisements of Chipotle, Sofi, Dr.Squatch, and Lowe’s Hardware. Since his last promotion on October 7th, 2022, he has not released another paid partnership ad. Most of the advertisements that he has posted are products and services that he claims that he personally uses. For professional athletes, it is important that they stay in shape, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is what makes his partnership with Chipotle recognizable for his audience. Chipotle is a product that many see as a healthier alternative to fast food, which is sustenance and packed with protein. Another partnership he is involved with is Sofi, which makes sense because Sofi is the sponsor of his home field, and the captain of the team should absolutely represent the brand that controls the stadium he plays in.

Besides these ads, there is not too much frequent activity on Herbert’s Instagram. His last post was on January 2nd, following 1-2 postings per month. He is relatively inactive and doesn’t use his Instagram as much as other professional athletes. Herbert’s motives are that he wants to bring people together, and these projects that he partners with have a common goal in mind. Lowes, for example, created an advertisement through cleaning up the streets of Los Angeles with Justin Herbert, with the collective narrative that communities need to help each other and build each other up. These narratives are key in marketing to show audiences that it is possible to contribute to your community, if you use the products sponsored. It feels genuine, but that is exactly how it is supposed to seem. I don't know how often Herbert is out in public trying to make a difference, but his Instagram portrays a Professional Icon doing what he can for his community. Naturally, many people will see this and support Justin, and Lowe’s, for their commitments to inclusion and making a difference within a community.

Lebron James Surpasses the All-Time Scoring Record

 What a time to be alive! On February 7th of 2023, The Los Angeles Lakers faced off against The Oklahoma City Thunder in a home game that would change the course of the NBA. I never had the pleasure to watch MJ play, but watching LeBron, I understand what the viewers of MJ must have felt. To witness something like a 40-year record being broken by the debated greatest basketball player of all time was definitely exciting to see.

Every quarter was close, Leaving the Thunder with a victory (133-130). All stats were similar between teams, such as Rebounds (37-41), Assists (32-27), and Blocks (2-3). Some other statistics showed more of a distance between numbers. The Thunder had made 5% more from the 3 point line which ultimately helped them secure the bag, especially with 90% accuracy on the free throw line. The Lakers folded with 20 turnovers, compared to the Thunder’s 12. Tremendous efforts on behalf of both teams were given, yet there was greater purpose for some on the court.

 

Throughout each quarter, the Lakers put up about 32.5 points per quarter, and Lebron scored 37 throughout the entire game. Although they lost, the Lakers gained something great, a legendary player became the NBA’s leading scorer.  This record has been held since 1984 by Kareem Abdul-Jabar and has lasted decades. Forces on the Thunder like Jalen Williams, Josh Giddey, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prevented a close scoring game.

In a post-game interview, Lebron Said,” I didn’t set this as a goal, so that’s probably why it’s so surreal and so weird to me… I never talked about being the all-time scorer in NBA history … until my numbers started getting closer and closer, and I was like, ‘Oh wow, this is crazy. This is weird, but I guess I’m doing it.’” Although the Lakers have declined since their Championship Victory in 2020, The team is still held in high regard due to their outstanding history, and this record by James will be set in stone for decades to come.

Lebron was accompanied by his family, friends, and the man whose record he just broke. Kareem Abdul-Jabar was present in Crypto Arena on the night the record was broken and showed great sportsmanship and respect throughout. Now where do we go from here? The debate for the greatest of all time has definitely taken a giant step towards Lebron, and I believe that even more people now will call him the greatest basketball player who ever lived, more than before. The Lakers next Matchup will be against the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Thursday, February 9th.

Intro!

 Welcome to The On The Grey Podcast with Navarro Blakes & Andrew Adams. This is a place where our mission is to talk about issues in the sports world, reflect on important events within sports, and share opur thoughts and opinions about the topic at hand. Both hosts are Division III athletes playing lacrosse at Rosemont College.