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The first time the American national anthem was played during a sporting event came in the seventh-inning stretch of Game One in the 1918 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Babe Ruth's Boston Red Sox. More than 100,000 U.S. soldiers were already dead in World War I. A bomb exploded in the game's host city of Chicago, Illinois, the day prior. A sparse crowd was on hand, and it didn't seem like playing baseball was the right thing to do. But as the U.S. Navy band began to play, players on both the Red Sox and Cubs stood and faced the flag. Fans in the stands erupted with excitement after the show of patriotism. The national anthem became a standing appointment (pun intended) before Major League Baseball games. Beginning with the MLB, leagues from the NBA, NHL, NFL, and all the way down to collegiate and high school athletics adopted "The Star-Spangled Banner" as a reminder that, no matter what jersey you're wearing, we're here as Americans and "our flag was still there." Yet, ignorance prevails. Many spend their time talking, texting, using the bathroom, grabbing a hot dog, flirting with the girl behind them, or grabbing a selfie for social media. Playing the national anthem has become less about American ideals and more of a symbolic starting gun to the day's events. I empathize with the "let's get to business" crowd who think removing the anthem isn't a big deal. After all, why waste the time if no one's paying attention? Why should we even afford NFL players like former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick the opportunity to "disgrace" America by kneeling during the song? Why? Because these are the United States of America, that's why. Sports are a beautiful microcosm of our society where anyone — no matter your race, religion, gender or sexual orientation — can take the field and compete as equals. It's the anthem that brings us together for a brief moment honoring those freedoms. Need proof of the anthem's power? Listen to an emotional TD Garden crowd sing in unison after the deadly Boston Marathon bombing. "The Star-Spangled Banner" is about perseverance. Francis Scott Key's four-stanza poem came in the shadows of Fort McHenry, which survived a night-long onslaught by the British during the War of 1812 — The first stanza is what we recognize as the national anthem of the United States. Yes, it was written over 200 years ago during a very different time in our history. But at its core, the anthem is about standing side by side, weathering the storm, and remembering that our country is fucking awesome when we work together. Anyone who thinks it should be removed from pregame festivities, or reserved for "special occasions" like the Olympics or Super Bowl, is entitled to their opinion. Quite frankly, it's a naive one, but you know what, that's fine. This is America after all. In truth, we don't give thanks often enough for the freedoms we have. I think you can spare two minutes before eating your nachos. The national anthem isn't going anywhere. Forr more, check out Fanbuzz.com!

Barry Bonds deserves to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Keeping baseball's greatest player ever out is like no Michael Jordan in the Basketball Hall of Fame. However, Bonds is part of a group of Major League Baseball greats on the outside looking in. It’s silly to pretend Bonds isn’t the greatest power hitter in the modern era. He owns the Major League's career home run record, finishing his final year with 762 dingers. He earned more walks than anyone in history, because he's the most feared hitter ever. It’s just as silly to pretend Bonds didn’t evolve from a point guard's physique into an NFL linebacker. The Bay Area Hulk's head even changed shape during his career. Before the California native was the size of a WWE wrestler hitting bombs at AT&T Park, he was on track for a Hall-of-Fame career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The sixth pick in the 1985 MLB Draft won the 1990 and 1992 National League Most Valuable Player award with the Pirates. Bonds hit at least 30 home runs, stole 30 bases, and hit higher than .300 in each of those seasons. What Bonds did with the San Francisco Giants was unfathomable — He hit 586 home runs from his first until his last year at 42 years old. In 2001, he broke Mark McGwire's single-season home run record. Bonds' team made the playoffs four times, and he walloped eight homers in the 2002 postseason before losing the World Series. Explain to how these honors are kept out of Cooperstown; Seven-time MVP, 14-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove, 12-time Silver Slugger, and three-time Major League Player of the Year Maybe you cried , "Steroid Use!" That's fine. It's the same opinion held by a majority of fans and members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), who vote on potential inductees. The U.S. government reportedly found a positive drug test of Bonds in a 2007 raid of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), a supplements lab in California whose clients allegedly consisted of many MLB players. Bonds did nothing but deny performance-enhancing drug use until 2011, saying he was misled by his personal trainer; He says he never tested positive by the MLB. Still, many players tied to steroids may never get in. Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Manny Ramirez all fell short of the required 75 percent of the vote. Others like Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro were never close and fell off the Hall of Fame ballot. Longtime New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was a lock among first-time candidates in 2020, joining five-time All-Star Larry Walker, whose 383 career home runs are barely half Bonds' total. Five players, including Mariano Rivera, were inducted in 2019. Bonds fell short of the 75 percent needed, as did Clemens, who won an incredible seven Cy Young awards. The San Francisco Giants legend deserves a spot in Cooperstown, even if that means an asterisk on his plaque. It's time for Barry to become immortalized. See more at anbuzz.com/mlb/barry-bonds-belongs-in-the-hall-of-fame-no-question

After taking down the Clemson Tigers to win the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, the LSU Tigers are officially the kings of NCAA college football. The goal now is to do it again. The Tigers will have a different football team next season. Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, along with several other stars, are gone to the NFL, but head coach Ed Orgeron has a plan in place for the upcoming football season. From home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to four true SEC road games, the regular season schedule sets up nicely for LSU to get back to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta once again. It's time for the champs to get back to business. 2020 LSU Football Schedule September 5 -- UT-San Antonio Roadrunners September 12 -- Texas Longhorns September 19 -- Rice Owls (NRG Stadium, Houston) September 26 -- Ole Miss Rebels October 3 -- Nicholls Colonels October 10 -- AT Florida Gators (Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville) October 17 -- AT Arkansas Razorbacks (Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville) October 24 -- Mississippi State Bulldogs November 7 -- Alabama Crimson Tide November 14 -- South Carolina Gamecocks November 21 -- AT Auburn Tigers (Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn) November 28 -- AT Texas A&M Aggies (Kyle Field, College Station)

In 1982, Ronnie Rogers wrote “Dixieland Delight,” which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard’s Hot Country Songs list after the band Alabama released it on their 1983 album “The Closer You Get..." When the University of Alabama began playing that song during the fourth quarter of Crimson Tide football games, it became an instant Southern classic and crowd favorite. That is, until Alabama students created some, well, let’s call them “colorful” lyrics to make the song their own. In 2015, Dixieland Delight was removed from the game day experience and hadn’t returned to Bryant-Denny Stadium for several years. In 2018, the wait finally ended, and the hit song is got a second chance. Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne, joined by Terry Saban, the wife of the school’s iconic head coach, preseason All-American running back Damien Harris, and the university’s student body president Price McGiffert, announced that the college football game day tradition would finally be returning. The song would come back for good as long as Alabama students, already in hot water for Nick Saban for not showing up to blowout games, didn’t sing the old lyrics laced with profanity. The Alabama student section whipped up some lyrics of their own in the past, which led to the song being banned. Those new lyrics are in all capital letters: Spend my dollar, (ON BEER) parked in a holler, ‘Neath the mountain moonlight. (ROLL TIDE) Hold her up tight, (AGAINST THE WALL) Make a little lovin’, (ALL NIGHT) A little turtle dovin’ On a Mason-Dixon night. (F*** AUBURN) Fits my life, (LSU) oh so right, (AND TENNESSEE TOO) My Dixieland Delight. While they’re meant in good fun, older fans don't like hearing them during home games in Tuscaloosa like they have at numerous games, including the 2014 Iron Bowl when No. 1 Alabama knocked off No. 15 Auburn, 55-44. When the Alabama Crimson Tide hosted the Missouri Tigers back in 2018, you better believe all attention turned towards the Alabama fans in anticipation for what they belted out. Break out your Alabama band shirts because “Dixieland Delight” is here to stay. See more at fanbuzz.com

The LSU Tigers are on top of the college football world, and head coach Ed Orgeron is basking in the glory. Not only did he receive a $500,000 bonus for winning the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, but he also got paid in a big-time way when it was over. Before the season, Orgeron wasn’t even one of the 25 highest-paid NCAA coaches in the country. His bonus checks certainly elevated his status, and now he can yell “GEAUX TIGERS!” all the way to the bank. According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic and Fox Sports, LSU and Orgeron, the consensus Coach of the Year, agreed to a six-year contract extension worth over $42 million in January 2020. It’s the second year in a row the 58-year-old has earned a new contract, and this news likely means he will stay home in Louisiana until the end of his career. This should surprise absolutely nobody, especially considering what Orgeron has helped build in Baton Rouge. Since taking over as the interim coach in 2016, the Tigers are 40-9 and 11-1 in the last 12 games against top-10 foes. That’s incredible, and to say Orgeron deserves the pay increase is a massive understatement. Playing in the SEC West during the regular season is no joke. Taking over for Les Miles, who was fired, was no easy task, either. Yet, Orgeron has exceeded any expectation, and then some. Capping it off with a 15-0 record and a convincing CFP national title win over Clemson on ESPN just adds more icing on the cake. Orgeron originally signed a five-year deal when he took over as the full-time LSU football coach. He then received a two-year extension before the 2019 season, which included a big salary increase. Now, he can officially say he’s among the top-paid college coaches in the country. In 2019, Orgeron’s annual base salary was $4 million before any bonus incentives. He likely made around $5 million when it was all said and done. That’s definitely changed. With the reported six-year deal worth more than $42 million — an average of at least $7 million per year — Orgeron has definitely been elevated to a new tax bracket, and rightfully so. Even Kentucky’s Mark Stoops made more than him last season. With a big annual salary, Orgeron now belongs in the conversation with Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Alabama’s Nick Saban, Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley and Florida’s Dan Mullen, according to USA Today Sports’ salary database. Winning certainly comes with a price, though. Orgeron will have to move forward without Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow, defensive coordinator Dave Aranda (now the head coach at Baylor) and passing game coordinator Joe Brady, who took the offensive coordinator position with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. Even the Southeastern Conference is seeing turnover in 2020, including new head coaches at Missouri (Eliah Drinkwitz), Ole Miss (Lane Kiffin), Mississippi State (Mike Leach), and Arkansas (Sam Pittman). From a graduate assistant at Northwestern State to Miami to Syracuse to the NFL to Tennessee to USC to LSU, and anywhere else in-between, It’s been a long, windy road for Orgeron in his career. Ed Orgeron is back home now. He’s happy. He’s damn good at his job, and he’s not going anywhere. LSU athletic director Scott Woodward made sure of it. See more at fanbuzz.com

College football fans love to debate each other until they’re blue in the face about anything and everything. Naturally, one of the hottest debates every year is about the best quarterback to ever play. In the NFL, that debate is ends with Tom Brady. But in college, greatness is defined numerous ways depending on when and where each football player starred. Welp, get ready to pull your hair out if you’re not a fan of former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. He’s been named the best college quarterback ever. SportingNews compiled a list of the 10 greatest signal callers in college football history, a list that begins with the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner from Florida. Tebow is one of two college quarterbacks with at least 80 touchdown passes and 50 rushing touchdowns in his career. Tebow also holds NCAA records for most career games scoring a touchdown (38), most consecutive games with a passing and rushing touchdown (14), and ranks fourth all-time in passing efficiency (170.8). Plus, the dual-threat whiz owned every major SEC record for total offense when he left Florida. Today, he still owns the career mark in the conference for total touchdowns with 145. His single-season record of 55 was broken in 2019 by LSU’s Joe Burrow. Spoiler alert: Some heavy-hitting passers were left off this list. College football’s all-time leader in passing yards, Houston’s Case Keenum, didn’t make the cut. A two-time national championship game winner and All-American like Alabama’s A.J. McCarron wasn’t mentioned. Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett and his Big Ten record 147 touchdowns weren’t a factor. Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield? Nah. Even small school guys like Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron, whose NCAA record 444 consecutive passing attempts — that’s 12 games — without an interception, couldn’t get a nibble. Other Honorable Mentions include Keenan Reynolds, Navy; Kellen Moore, Boise State; Ty Detmer, BYU; Michael Vick, Virginia Tech; Jameis Winston, Florida State; Robert Griffin III, Baylor; Danny Wuerffel, Florida; Andrew Luck, Stanford; Drew Brees, Purdue; Colt McCoy, Texas; Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M; Cam Newton, Auburn; Sam Bradford, Oklahoma. That’s how prolific this list of college football quarterbacks is. Here is the‘ list of the greatest to ever do it: Best College Quarterbacks of All Time 1. Tim Tebow, Florida 2. Peyton Manning, Tennessee 3. Matt Leinart, USC 4. Tommie Frazier, Nebraska 5. Vince Young, Texas 6. Deshaun Watson, Clemson 7. Roger Staubach, Navy 8. Doug Flutie, Boston College 9. John Elway, Stanford 10. Sammy Baugh, TCU See more at fanbuzz.com

At every level of basketball, Shaquille O’Neal dominated. With the LSU Tigers, he was a two-time Consensus First-Team All-American selection. The No. 1 overall pick of the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic won four NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, earned three NBA Finals MVP awards, was a 15-time NBA All-Star, and was the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2000 alongside the late, great Kobe Bryant. Shaq finished his career playing stints with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. One of the greatest players in NBA history carried his monumental legacy on the floor into a massive impact off of it. He and ex-wife Shaunie O’Neal, an executive producer of the reality TV show Basketball Wives, had four children together, plus share two others from past relationships. The oldest is Shareef O’Neal, a prized college basketball recruit who currently plays for the LSU Tigers, his father’s alma mater. Shareef is 6-foot-10 and was rated as a four-star prospect during his high school career in California. He transferred to LSU from UCLA in February 2020. Amirah O’Neal was also a standout high school basketball player at Crossroads School in Santa Monica. “Mimi” was an honorable mention to MaxPreps‘ 2019 California All-State Girls Basketball Team as a junior. She’s undecided about where she plans to play college basketball as the coronavirus pandemic cut her senior season short in 2020. Shaqir O’Neal is rated as the 14th-best player in Georgia for the Class of 2021. O’Neal plays for Union Grove High School and was dunking in games at 15 years old. Me’arah O’Neal? She’s not even in high school and is already close to throwing down a dunk. Her highlights are already popping up on social media, and she very easily could end up being the best of the bunch. Shaq shares another daughter from a previous relationship with Arnetta Yardbourgh. Taahirah O’Neal was born in July 1996 and works with charities and philanthropic causes in Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her Sociology degree from Oglethorpe University. Myles O’Neal is not Shaq’s biological son, but was born to Shaunie Nelson from a previous relationship. Regardless, Myles maintains a close relationship with Shaq and is building a growing following on social media as a fashion influencer and photographer. There's never a dull moment at Shaq's house. See more at fanbuzz.com

Even though he was a little early to the party for Major League Baseball players earning insane salaries, Derek Jeter sure made a ton of money during his career with the New York Yankees and built a gigantic net worth. One of the most famous and popular players in MLB history, Jeter played his entire career in pinstripes before moving on to a career in a front office. His popularity allowed him to also make stacks of cash with endorsements, so it should be no surprise that the legendary shortstop is loaded. Derek Sanderson Jeter was grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, but was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey in 1974. He began playing little league baseball while growing up in Michigan, making a name for himself while at Kalamazoo Central High School and winning multiple awards such the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the Year Award and USA Today‘s High School Player of the Year. Because he was such a talented prospect, Jeter was taken with the sixth-overall pick during the 1992 MLB Amateur Draft of his favorite childhood baseball team, the New York Yankees. Instead of accepting a scholarship offer from the Michigan Wolverines baseball team, Jeter decided to join the Yankees. Although he was a top prospect, Jeter played in the minor leagues until 1995, when he was finally called up to the majors due to some injuries. The following season, Jeter would start at shortstop for the Yankees on Opening Day and hit his first career home run. Jeter would go on to win the Rookie of the Year award that season as well as a World Series trophy — the first of five in his professional baseball career. Jeter spent 20 seasons as a baseball player in New York, being selected to 14 All-Star games, winning the 2000 All-Star Most Valuable Player, 2000 World Series MVP, five Gold Glove award, and five Silver Sluggers. Jeter is also one of just 32 players to have 3000 careers hits. He finished his career sixth all-time in hits with 3,465. In 2020, Jeter was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, missing out on a unanimous selection by just one vote. Jeter was joined by Larry Walker, the only other selection of the 2020 class. As one of the best players in Major League Baseball history, it should come as no surprise that Jeter made a lot of money over the course of his 20-year career. In 1999, Jeter began making millions from the Yankees and did so until he retired. By the time he called it quits in 2014, he had $266.2 million in salary earnings. The only baseball players to have higher career earnings in league are Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Miguel Cabrera. Rodriguez was by far the highest-paid in league history with $450.2 million earned throughout his career. He has always been one of the top faces of Nike. He also had endorsement deals with Gatorade, Discover Card, VISA, and Ford, among others during his career. In 2014, Jeter also started the website ThePlayersTribune.com. What he is now known for is his work for the Miami Marlins. He became a part owner of the team in 2017 and has overseen the day-to-day operations of the team. Jeter has a long dating history, and has been linked to Mariah Carey, Jessica Biel and Minka Kelly over the years. He is currently married to model Hannah Davis. Right now, Derek Jeter’s net worth is an estimated $200 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.Even though he was a little early to the party for Major League Baseball players earning insane salaries, Derek Jeter sure made a ton of money during his career with the New York Yankees and built a gigantic net worth. One of the most famous and popular players in MLB history, Jeter played his entire career in pinstripes before moving on to a career in a front office. His popularity allowed him to also make stacks of cash with endorsements, so it should be no surprise that the legendary shortstop is loaded. Derek Sanderson Jeter was grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, but was born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey in 1974. He began playing little league baseball while growing up in Michigan, making a name for himself while at Kalamazoo Central High School and winning multiple awards such the 1992 Gatorade High School Player of the Year Award and USA Today‘s High School Player of the Year. Because he was such a talented prospect, Jeter was taken with the sixth-overall pick during the 1992 MLB Amateur Draft of his favorite childhood baseball team, the New York Yankees. Instead of accepting a scholarship offer from the Michigan Wolverines baseball team, Jeter decided to join the Yankees. Although he was a top prospect, Jeter played in the minor leagues until 1995, when he was finally called up to the majors due to some injuries. The following season, Jeter would start at shortstop for the Yankees on Opening Day and hit his first career home run. Jeter would go on to win the Rookie of the Year award that season as well as a World Series trophy — the first of five in his professional baseball career. Jeter spent 20 seasons as a baseball player in New York, being selected to 14 All-Star games, winning the 2000 All-Star Most Valuable Player, 2000 World Series MVP, five Gold Glove award, and five Silver Sluggers. Jeter is also one of just 32 players to have 3000 careers hits. He finished his career sixth all-time in hits with 3,465. In 2020, Jeter was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, missing out on a unanimous selection by just one vote. Jeter was joined by Larry Walker, the only other selection of the 2020 class. As one of the best players in Major League Baseball history, it should come as no surprise that Jeter made a lot of money over the course of his 20-year career. In 1999, Jeter began making millions from the Yankees and did so until he retired. By the time he called it quits in 2014, he had $266.2 million in salary earnings. The only baseball players to have higher career earnings in league are Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Miguel Cabrera. Rodriguez was by far the highest-paid in league history with $450.2 million earned throughout his career. He has always been one of the top faces of Nike. He also had endorsement deals with Gatorade, Discover Card, VISA, and Ford, among others during his career. In 2014, Jeter also started the website ThePlayersTribune.com. What he is now known for is his work for the Miami Marlins. He became a part owner of the team in 2017 and has overseen the day-to-day operations of the team. Jeter has a long dating history, and has been linked to Mariah Carey, Jessica Biel and Minka Kelly over the years. He is currently married to model Hannah Davis. Right now, Derek Jeter’s net worth is an estimated $200 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Texas A&M University is one of the most historic and tradition-laden schools in the SEC. From the yell leaders orchestrating the Midnight Yell to the gathering of students for the Silver Taps, the Aggie traditions are endless and equally awesome. The school’s military roots trace back to 1876, when TAMU opened near Bryan, Texas, as an all-male establishment known as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, or Texas A.M.C. Enrollment in the school’s Corps of Cadets was mandatory until 1965, and the school didn’t accept women until the year prior in 1964. Texas A&M in College Station, Texas features a ton of campus landmarks, historic sites, buildings, memorials, sculptures and statues that the student body and visitors from all over the United States can enjoy. These are the eight coolest of those landmarks. But first, a few honorable mentions found on the TAMU campus map and around town: Academic Building, Rudder Theatre Complex, Memorial Student Center, Cushing Memorial Library, Sbisa Dining Hall, Administration Building, Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center, Reed Arena, Olsen Field, and the Museum of the American GI. Kyle Field “Home of the 12th man,” Kyle Field is a must-see and must-attend stadium on Aggie game days. Built in 1904, the venue is not only the oldest stadium in college football but also the third-largest by capacity (102,733) and largest in the state of Texas. George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum Easily one of the coolest attractions, the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum has a full day’s worth of things to see and read — 44 million pages of papers and documents, to be exact. “Pennies for Sully” Sculpture Texas A&M students are well-acquainted with the sculpture of Lawrence Sullivan Ross, the president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas from 1891-1898, who embodied the Texas Aggie spirit. The Dixie Chicken Serving up barbecue and beer to the College Station community since 1974, The Dixie Chicken is an absolute staple of a watering hole to Aggies and Texans. Bonfire Memorial Twelve people died and 27 were injured in the tragic collapse of the annual Aggie Bonfire in 1999. Every year, the Texas A&M students would build and light a stack of 5,000 or so logs sometimes as high as 105 feet high before TAMU’s game against the University of Texas until tragedy struck that year. One week later, Texas A&M upset the heavily favored Longhorns, 20-16, in a highly emotional game. Five years later, the Bonfire Memorial was dedicated in the same spot to honor the lives lost in 1999 and serve as a reminder of the Aggies’ core values. Century Tree Century Tree is an absolutely massive low-hanging live oak tree on campus that was planted over 100 years ago. It’s more than just an ancient, beautiful work of Mother Nature, though. 12th Man Statue A statue commemorating E. King Gill, known as the 12th Man Statue, now sits outside of Kyle Field. “Welcome to Aggieland” Water Tower It’s not as old as Old Main, the very first building constructed on campus, but the large “Welcome to Aggieland” water tower that currently welcomes high school graduates heading for TAMU and visitors to campus has a bit of history behind it.

LeBron James is the greatest basketball player on the planet. Debate all you want about Michael Jordan being the greatest of all time, but even at 35 years old, King James continues to show the rest of the NBA why he’s still a superstar. Three NBA Championships, four NBA MVP awards and two Olympic gold medals are only part of why James is the king of basketball still. The 6-foot-9 power forward has been a threat to other NBA players since the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him No. 1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School of Akron, Ohio. He's a three-time NBA champion and three-time NBA Finals MVP. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player award four times, made the NBA All-Star game every season since 2005, and that's only part of his incredible list of accomplishments. At 19, James won the NBA Rookie of the Year. Ever since, his production has been off the charts, and he’s been compensated well for his work in re-writing NBA history. James has made about $307 million to date in career earnings playing basketball across 11 seasons with the Cavaliers, four with the Miami Heat and two with the Los Angeles Lakers. In 2018, James traded in Cleveland for Hollywood and joined the Lakers on a four-year, $153-million contract. James signed his first major shoe deal as an 18-year-old in 2003, opting for $87 million from Nike rather than a much larger amount Reebok was willing to offer him. That decision has paid off for James, who in 2015 signed a billion-dollar lifetime deal with Nike. The lifetime endorsement deal is expected to pay him $1 billion by the time he turns 64. LeBron has done endorsement deals with companies like McDonalds, Microsoft, State Farm, Beats by Dre, Coca-Cola, Dunkin Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Samsung, KIA Motors, 2K Sports and others. When Beats Electronics was sold to Apple for $3 billion, James cashed on his one percent stake in the company and took home $30 million from the sale. He owns stake in English Premier League soccer club Liverpool F.C. He and his partners own numerous Blaze Pizza franchises scattered around Chicago and in Florida. His production company, SpringHill Entertainment, has launched shows like The Wall and has movies like Space Jam 2 in the works. James also launched a media company, Uninterrupted, that received a $15.8 million dollar investment from Time Warner in 2015. According to Forbes, James is one of the rare basketball players to earn more each year from endorsement deals than his NBA salary. He earned $36 million on the basketball court and another $53 million from endorsements in 2019. LeBron James’ net worth is an estimated $450 million in 2020. He checked in at No. 8 on the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes in 2019. See more at fanbuzz.com

A bunch of college football teams claim to be “Defensive Back University,” but what program is the real DBU? The Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, Tennessee Volunteers and Miami Hurricanes have a deep history, but a few other schools are outpacing them these days. The Florida State Seminoles have Jalen Ramsey and Derwin James as two of the top players at their position. They also have a few others like Xavier Rhodes and Ronald Darby that have been extremely good players, too. The Ohio State Buckeyes make a strong claim as well. Guys like Malcolm Jenkins, Malik Hooker, Eli Apple Denzel Ward and Jeffrey Okudah were high draft picks after starring at OSU. These LSU players may give Baton Rouge the best with All-Americans like Morris Claiborne, Patrick Peterson, Eric Reid, Jamal Adams, Tyrann Mathieu and Grant Delpit. Today, the NFL and college football is dominated by only one DBU. LSU sent more than a few star talents in the NFL Draft in recent years. They produced four defensive backs taken inside the top six picks of the draft since 2007. LaRon Landry was taken with the sixth pick of that draft by the Washington Redskins. Patrick Peterson was taken with the fifth pick in the 2011 draft, then Morris Claiborne was taken at No. 6 the following year. Jamal Adams went sixth overall in 2017. LSU sends a ton of players on to be NFL Draft picks. Since 2010, they have had 14 LSU defensive backs drafted. Five of those players were first-round picks and 10 of them were taken in the first three rounds. LSU consistently put out talented defensive backs, having at least one cornerback or safety be drafted in eight of the last nine drafts. They aren’t a school that struggles to get defensive backs draft year in and year out. If a player goes to LSU and earns playing time, there is a really good chance they will be selected come draft day. Some other schools who have had some talent that may want a claim of the title are USC, Texas, Virginia Tech, Iowa, Clemson, and Georgia, but they don’t have near the talent of the top schools and and are a few years away from even having a chance of being in the conversation. See more at fanbuzz.com

If you’ve ever flipped the channel to ESPN’s College GameDay or NFL Thursday Night Football, you’ve likely seen David Pollack give insightful commentary as a college football analyst or just having fun recreating Odell Beckham catches. Google his name and you’ll find Pollack was more than just a former college football player. He was the best defensive player in University of Georgia Bulldogs history. Herschel Walker is undoubtedly the greatest offensive player to ever don the red and black thanks to an incredible rushing career. Pollack’s name would carry the same weight had he not suffered a broken vertebrae in the second game (against the Cleveland Browns) of his second season with the Cincinnati Bengals that ended his playing career. From the minute Pollack stepped inside UGA's Sanford Stadium for Mark Richt’s squad, the defensive end and linebacker was an instant force to be reckoned with. NCAA quarterbacks feared for their lives when he shoved his way past offensive linemen. A three-time First-Team All-SEC selection and three-time First-Team All-American, Pollack wreaked havoc on opposing SEC quarterbacks. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound defender totaled 36 sacks over his illustrious career in Athens, which still stands as a school record. A play of Pollack stripping South Carolina quarterback Corey Jenkins in the end zone for a fumble and touchdown in 2002 sums up just how athletic and instinctive he was. Defensive end David Pollack’s long list of awards and honors also included two-time SEC Player of the Year, SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2004), Chuck Bednarik Award (2004), Lott Trophy (2004), Rotary Lombardi Award (2004) and two-time Ted Hendricks Award. Only two Georgia Football players have ever earned All-American honors three times: Pollack and Walker. He was announced as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2020 alongside former collegiate stars like Florida’s Lomas Brown, Nebraska’s Eric Crouch, SMU’s Eric Dickerson, LSU’s Glenn Dorsey, Alabama’s E.J. Junior, Alcorn State’s Steve McNair, and several other inductees. Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Pollack became a three-sport star athlete at Shiloh High School in Snellville, Georgia. He was also named a Class 5A All-State selection as a senior. The Bengals selected Pollack in the first round (17th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft and he played in 14 games his rookie season before suffering the aforementioned injury in 2006. Now you can find Pollack all over ESPN, including on SportsCenter. He first began as an analyst with CBS in 2008 but joined the Thursday Night Football team alongside Jesse Palmer, Rece Davis and Samantha Ponder in 2012. You can also find him firing off tweets on his impressive social media account that has hundreds of thousands of followers. But the former Georgia Bulldogs linebacker should forever be remembered for his bone-crushing play and incredible accomplishments as one of the greatest Georgia football players of all time. And now, a College Football Hall of Famer. See more at fanbuzz.com

No matter where you live in the United States, sports are a part of every community, but which sport does your state really love the most? Thanks to try.america, which specializes in different maps on social media, we have our answer. The vast majority of American sports fan bases across the country love football, but some of these states really might surprise you. Here is a full breakdown of the most popular sport in each state: Thanks to SEC Country, college football is the biggest winner here. Although some states such as Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and Oregon all have big professional sports teams, it’s pretty clear sports fan’s allegiances truly lie on Saturday’s in the fall. States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. Although most of these states do not have a NFL team, all of them are close to a major professional franchise. It’s not surprising to see Colorado with the Denver Broncos or Texas on this list, but it is a little surprising Indiana is a big NFL fan with the Indianapolis Colts given the rich tradition and history with basketball. It's Super Bowl or bust for these states. They love American football -- from high school to the NFL -- especially America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys. States: Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., Wisconsin, and Wyoming. In these states, America’s Pastime shines the brightest. Of course, it makes since when these states include Major League Baseball teams the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. It’s pretty amazing the entire New England area is still heavy with the MLB, although there’s no doubt the gap has shrunk over the years. States: llinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and Washington. When you think of the best times in college basketball history, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina all come to mind, so this should be no shock to see these states loving college basketball the most. States: Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, New Mexico, and North Carolina. The NBA is so popular across the world, but it just might not be everyone’s favorite. It’s crazy to see only two states — California and Arizona — preferring the NBA above everything else. California definitely makes sense with one of the game's most popular teams in the Los Angeles Lakers. Chances are this will be a pro-NFL state once the Raiders move there, but, for now, sports bets still rule the day in Nevada This isn't even the NHL, but Alaska just loves their college hockey. Never change.

In 1972, Vincent Kennedy McMahon decided to dive into the pro wrestling world by commentating for his father, an American professional wrestling promoter Vince McMahon, Sr. After attending Fishburne Military School, the Pinehurst, North Carolina native eventually graduated from East Carolina University. To capitalize on his degree in marketing, Vince convinced his father to start assisting him in promoting events for his company, Capitol Wrestling Corporation. After working in a TV role for his father’s World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) as an announcer, Vince bought the company 10 years later. After purchasing the company, Vince changed the name to the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and began the expansion of the company from local to national. His father passed away in 1984, and the following year – just three years after purchasing the company – Vince made a major gamble by starting the WrestleMania series on March 31, 1985, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Thankfully, with the help of major stars like professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, Mr. T., Muhammad Ali, Roddy Piper, and Andre the Giant, the main event was a major success, and spawned the biggest annual event in the company ever since. During the WrestleMania series, Vince McMahon has also worked with President Donald Trump, as both WrestleMania IV and V were held at the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. During this time, McMahon also introduced three other major annual events — Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series. In 1999, McMahon continued his global mission by going public. At this point, as reported by CNN Money, superstars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker propelled WWF to pull in a revenue of $251.5 million with a net income of $56 million. Also at this time, WWF was heavily involved in the Monday Night Wars with World Championship Wrestling (WCW), while also transitioning from pro wrestling into more of a sports entertainment brand. Along with Austin and Undertaker, other WWE champion wrestlers such as The Rock, Mick Foley, and Triple H, as well as the success of Monday Night Raw and advent of WWE SmackDown, were key components to WWF expanding outside the United States and into a global brand. In 2001, Vince changed WWF to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and even further emphasized promoting the company as a sports entertainment brand. Even though Vince has expanded WWE to become a global entity over the past four decades, it is still a family business. When WWE opened its offices in 1983, there were only 13 employees. Now, this number has exponentially expanded to over 800 full-time employees, based out of the corporate office in Stamford, Connecticut. Along with Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and the WWE Network, WWE has a very large digital and social media presence as well. With the return of the XFL football league in 2020, the WWE Chairman is splitting his commitments between both brands. Since becoming the boss in 1982, his wife Linda McMahon, son Shane McMahon, and daughter Stephanie McMahon have all been employees of WWE. Even Shane’s wife, Marissa Mazzola, was involved in the company from 1999-2001, before leaving to focus on her career as a film producer. Currently, Stephanie is the only child with an executive role as the Chief Brand Officer. Stephanie’s husband and Vince’s son-in-law, 14-time world champion Triple H --whose real name is Paul Levesque -- is currently the Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative, and the mastermind behind the NXT brand. Vince McMahon, a man with a massive net worth, according to Forbes, has experienced quite a successful career as the WWE Chairman, even adding reigns with the WWF Championship and ECW World Championship to his business resume. At 74, it is time for the self-proclaimed “genetic jackhammer” and Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree to make some major transitions as to who will be his successor. For the past several years, Triple H has been groomed by the billionaire “Mr. McMahon.” Whether it be a television storyline, or a quiet transition backstage, Triple H, who entered the WWE in 1995 as a Greenwich aristocrat, has built his resume to a shoo-in WWE Hall of Fame inductee and possible heir to the McMahon throne. See more at fanbuzz.com

The sports world stood still on October 6, 1993. Michael Jordan announced he was stepping away from the game of basketball after nine seasons in the NBA and one of the greatest playoff runs in league history. Jordan had just won three straight NBA championships and Finals MVPs. Why would the greatest basketball player on Earth, with multiple All-Star Games and an Olympic gold medal, retire at the peak of his powers? Rewind to July 23, 1993. Michael's father, James Jordan, was murdered at a highway rest area in Lumberton, North Carolina by two teenagers. The news was devastating for Michael. He shared a close bond with his father, who loved baseball and envisioned his playing at the professional level. The whirlwind of emotions combined with exhaustion from basketball prompted MJ to retire and pursue professional baseball to honor his father. Air Jordan was able to fulfill that honor. On February 7th, 1994, he signed a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox — who were also owned by Chicago Bulls' owner Jerry Reinsdorf. The former college basketball and NBA superstar reported to spring training in Sarasota, Florida and was assigned to the Birmingham Barons' — the White Sox's Double-A affiliate that play in the Southern League. The Hall-Of-Fame basketball player started his professional baseball career as an outfielder for the Barons under up-and-coming manager Terry Francona. Having not played competitive baseball since his time at Laney High School, the former Chicago Bull put up noble numbers as a rookie. He batted .202, hit three home runs, and recorded 51 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, 114 strikeouts, and 11 errors in the 1994 regular season. Jordan vowed to improve. His Airness played in the Arizona Fall League for the Scottsdale Scorpions and boosted his batting average to .252. The North Carolina star was geared to make a run for a spot on the 1995 Chicago White Sox's Major League Baseball roster. Jordan's baseball career came to an end due to the ongoing MLB strike that started in August 1994. In March 1995, he officially called it quits on the diamond and announced his return to basketball the same month with two simple words: "I'm back." Jordan's improvement as a baseball player is noteworthy and should come as no surprise. He has one of the most notorious work ethics out there and embraced the challenge of baseball with an end goal of reaching the big leagues. The six-time NBA champion's sudden retirement to play baseball is one of the most shocking in sports. It reminds us that no matter how great we may be at something, we're only human and our heart may lie elsewhere. While it was disappointing for basketball that MJ stepped away, It was a treat seeing one of the best players of all-time try his hand in a different field. See more fanbuzz.com

As an 18-year-old kid, Simone Johnson certainly had options. She could have chosen to succeed in anything she wanted to in life. However, the daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, wants to keep the family tradition alive and she’s going all-in on being a professional wrestler. That’s right, The Rock’s daughter is looking to become a WWE star. She’s started her training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, according to WWE.com, and it’s likely only a matter of time before we see the next superstar wrestler in the ring. “It means the world to me,” Johnson told WWE.com. “To know that my family has such a personal connection to wrestling is really special to me and I feel grateful to have the opportunity, not only to wrestle, but to carry on that legacy.” For Johnson, this truly is a dream come true, and understandably so. Pro wrestling is a major part of her family’s history and following in their footsteps is legendary as well. Once she makes it to the main roster, she will be the first fourth-generation superstar in WWE history, following great-grandfather High Chief Peter Maivia and grandfather Rocky Johnson — both WWE Hall of Famers — and her dad, Dwayne Johnson, a 10-time World Champion. “Simone Johnson’s unbridled passion and incredible drive has earned her a coveted spot training with the elite athletes from around the world at the WWE Performance Center," WWE Executive Vice President Paul “Triple H” Levesque said in a press release. "Not only does Simone now have an opportunity to cultivate and display her passion for WWE within the Performance Center, but she’ll carry on the tradition of her incredible family lineage while creating her own impact as WWE’s first fourth generation Superstar.” Johnson’s journey to become a WWE starts with training in Florida under the direction of head coach Matt Bloom and assistant head coach Sara Amato. So Get your popcorn ready, WWE fans. It sounds like The Rock’s 18-year-old daughter with Dany Garcia is set to become a WWE superstar and the hard work could land her at WrestleMania one day in the near future. See more at fanbuzz.com

Fire up your Rammer Jammer spirit because the annual Crimson Tide cruise set sail February 2020. Leaving from New Orleans, fans on this five-day excursion aboard the Carnival Valor cruise ship enjoy daily events, incredible night life, and stops in Cozumel and Yucatan, Mexico. Oh, and some of the greatest Alabama football players and personalities are on the boat, too. Carnival Cruise Line, ASK4 Entertainment, and the University of Alabama team up to bring back the ultimate vacation experience. Along with hundreds of crazy Crimson Tide fans, either. Some of your favorite Alabama sports legends set sail each year. Current NFL players like Jonathan Allen, Kenyan Drake, Josh Jacobs, and Trent Richardson joined the cruise in 2020, while Alabama legends including Antonio Langham, Prince Wimbley, Tyrone Prothro, Siran Stacy, George Teague, and Andrew Zow kept the party going for a second year. In addition to meeting these Alabama athletes, plus members of the Crimson Tide spirit squads and GameDay Favorites, the national championship-worthy vacation includes theme nights, live music, comedy shows, charity auctions, fundraisers, autograph sessions, photo opportunities, numerous dining options and stops in Yucatan, Mexico and Cozumel. The Western Caribbean island's dock is loaded with seafront shops and white sandy beaches, as well as opportunities to experience Mayan culture at the Ancient City of Tulum, an ATV jungle adventure, plus you can swim with the dolphins! Even better, a portion of all the proceeds will benefit Children's of Alabama pediatric hospital. If you're a Bama fan and still haven't slipped away to book your ocean view stateroom, it's time you do just that. Get yourself booked at CrimsonTideCruise.com, but only if your Rammer Jammer spirit is ready to celebrate the Alabama Crimson Tide and some NFL icons. Get ready for a lifetime of memories and a boat load of fun! Roll Tide. Cruise Tide! For more great content, check out Fanbuzz.com

The Super Bowl ends, and football fans usually enter purgatory until April’s NFL Draft. There has always been a huge gap to fill. Until now. Spring football leagues like the Alliance of American Football (AAF) tried and failed to take up this mantle, mainly because the league wasn’t properly built or financed. But bring in a long-time football mind like Commissioner Oliver Luck, stack coaching staffs with names like Bob Stoops and Jim Zorn, and back the entire thing with billionaire WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon? You're now looking at the new and improved XFL. The inaugural season began in February 2020 with eight XFL teams. They included the Seattle Dragons, D.C. Defenders, Los Angeles Wildcats, Dallas Renegades, Houston Roughnecks, New York Guardians, St. Louis BattleHawks and Tampa Bay Vipers. Each division has two playoff spots and the winner of each division’s playoff game will meet in the XFL Championship Game on Sunday, April 26 live on ESPN. But how much do the players make? According to an XFL contract obtained by Pro Football Talk, XFL players are making a decent chunk of change for only playing a short XFL season. The XFL’s non-negotiable agreement states players will earn $1,040 in base salary every week, which translates into a $27,040 gross payment. The contract outlines that XFL players earn another $1,685 for each game played, plus a $100,000 weekly win bonus is paid to every active roster member on the winning team. XFL players get no royalties for merchandise sold by the league, and they cannot pursue any legal claims in court. All this adds up to be an estimated average salary around $55,000 for every player. An added stipulation states that players may leave for the NFL teams, but only after their team’s 2020 season ends. Without a player’s union in place to negotiate contracts and raises, it’s take it or leave it for XFL players. But for most players hoping for one final shot, what choice do they really have? That also means the eight XFL teams, each of which has a 52-man roster, gives 416 football players a primetime window to audition for NFL jobs and training camp invites. next year. XFL games will air on ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, FOX, FS1, and FS2 all season long. See more at fanbuzz.com

Former Major League Baseball player Samma Sosa is one of the greatest ever, but you might not recognize him if he walked past you on the street today after his Michael Jackson-esque transformation. Sosa blossomed at the height of the Steroid Era alongside Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, and he was one of MLB’s poster children during baseball's growth in the United States. Across 18 seasons with the Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles, he clobbered 609 home runs and 1,667 RBIs. Born in the Dominican Republic, Sosa still ranks ninth on baseball’s all-time home run list. In retirement, however, he underwent a wild transformation. Sosa’s skin transformation is the result of skin bleaching. He's used what he calls a skin bleaching cream, as he told Univision’s Primer Impacto show in 2009. “It’s a bleaching cream that I apply before going to bed and whitens my skin tone,” Sosa said. “It’s a cream that I have that I use to soften [my skin], but has bleached me some. I’m not a racist, I live my life happily. What happened was that I had been using the cream for a long time and that, combined with the bright TV lights, made my face look whiter than it really is." Why change his appearance? Well, Sosa told Sports Illustrated in a 2018 interview in Dubai, “This is my life, and I don’t take garbage from nobody. I do whatever I want.” The New York Times estimated that 70 percent of women in West and South Africa use similar techniques to get a lighter complexion. In Asia, the billion-dollar industry exists because a white, milky skin color is a symbol of status and wealth. Sosa and his wife Sonia now live in the United Arab Emirates. The slugger has done well for himself, investing in various business interests. He even has houses in Miami and Santo Domingo. Sosa put performance-enhancing drugs and steroid use allegations behind him, and that should be applauded. He’s appeared on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot ever year since 2013, but has failed to gain support. Slammin’ Sammy’s legacy wearing a Chicago Cubs uniform is impossible to dispute for what he did for that city and franchise. Still, it’s odd to see Sosa’s appearance in its current form. Social media focuses on it from time to time, but honestly, Sammy, never change. See more at fanbuzz.com

Alabama Crimson Tide and head coach Nick Saban were preparing for the 2019 season opener when the next year's schedule was released in early August. The Crimson Tide's 2020 schedule features seven home games at Bryant-Denny Stadium, four road SEC matchups, and its neutral-site game in Arlington, Texas against the USC Trojans. There are a few things about every Alabama football schedule you can pencil in before ever seeing it. First is the season's second game being an all-but-guaranteed win. Whether it's Middle Tennessee State, Arkansas State or New Mexico State, they never stand a chance. Another sure thing is the final game of the regular season being the Iron Bowl. That's set in stone. Alabama facing the Auburn Tigers to end the year is a guarantee. But in 2020, there's one big change taking place right before the Alabama-Auburn game that many college football fans will love to see. For the first time since 2008, the Crimson Tide will play a FBS-level opponent before Auburn when they host Jimbo Fisher and the Texas A&M Aggies. Sept. 5: USC Trojans (AdvoCare Classic at AT&T Stadium) Sept. 12: Georgia State Panthers Sept. 19: Georgia Bulldogs Sept. 26: Kent State Golden Flashes Oct. 3: at Ole Miss Rebels Oct. 10: at Arkansas Razorbacks Oct. 17: Mississippi State Bulldogs Oct. 24: at Tennessee Volunteers Nov. 7: at LSU Tigers Nov. 14: UT-Martin Skyhawks Nov. 21: Texas A&M Aggies Nov. 28: Auburn Tigers Typically in that game before Iron Bowl week, Alabama plays teams like Citadel, Mercer and Chattanooga. The list goes on and on, but you get the idea. Heading into 2020, Alabama's focus is rebounding after missing out on the College Football Playoff just one year after losing national championship game to the Clemson Tigers. You can be sure that next season will have a different feel late in the year with massive back-to-back SEC West division games in Tuscaloosa. Both will carry a different tone with the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, GA coming right around the corner, too. See more at fanbuzz.com

The Baseball Hall of Fame Elections always brings up the debate: Does Pete Rose belong in the Hall of Fame? We discuss the viral topic! Read the story here: https://fanbuzz.com/…/pete-rose-hall-o…/

If everything is bigger in Texas, it’s probably because Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones owns it. You could start with his $250 million yacht that’s longer than a football field (good luck parallel parking that in the marina). One might also mention that he paid $875 million to construct AT&T Stadium in Arlington to house the NFL’s most valuable franchise in the Dallas Cowboys. Born Jerral Wayne Jones to J.W. “Pat” Jones and Armenita Pearl Clark Jones in Los Angeles, California, Jones is the fourth richest person in the state of Texas and one of the richest NFL owners. He is a very powerful man is one of the most controversial team owners, right up there with Redskins’ Dan Snyder and Patriots’ Robert Kraft. Jones played running back at North Little Rock High School and played guard at the University of Arkansas, where he was a co-captain of the 1964 National Championship Razorbacks team. He earned his Master’s degree in business in 1970. After graduating, Jones worked as the executive vice president at the bank his father owned — Modern Security Life Insurance Company — which Pat sold in 1971 after turning it into a multi-million-dollar business in the 1960s. Jones’ early wealth can be attributed to the oil industry. His oil and gas company, Jones Oil and Land Lease, became successful after striking oil in his first drillings. Jones finally got his NFL team when he bought the Cowboys from H.R. “Bum” Bright for a record $140 million in 1989 when the NFL franchise was losing $1 million a month. He immediately fired head coach Tom Landry, who was the only coach the Cowboys had ever had. He brought in his guy, Jimmy Johnson, who played football alongside Jones at Arkansas and endured success coaching the Miami Hurricanes. General manager Tex Schramm resigned months later and Jones assumed his duties. Jones went on to fire multiple people that had been with the organization for years. The Cowboys became a dynasty on the field in the 1990s, winning three Super Bowls and owning the NFC during the decade with players such as Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith. Jones and Johnson had a falling out, though, and he was replaced in 1995 by Barry Switzer. According to Forbes, Jerry Jones’ net worth is $8.5 billion. Obviously, much of that can be attributed to the Dallas Cowboys, which have helped make him the 56th richest person in the United States.The billionaire, who’s married to Eugenia “Gene” Jones and had three children — Stephen, Charlotte and Jerry Jr. — may never fully seize control of his darling sports team, even if they’ve endured years of playoff futility. Signs of him slowly handing over the reigns to Stephen — who Sports Illustrated says is “Jerry’s right-hand man” — have surfaced over the years. For now, though, it’s Jerry’s World and, Texans or not, we’re all just living in it. See more at fanbuzz.com

One of professional wrestling's worst moments occurred in June 2007. Chris Benoit was rebuilding his career as a professional wrestler with the ECW brand, and the former World Heavyweight Champion was facing CM Punk at the Vengeace: Night of Champions pay-per-view. However, Benoit never showed up. The following night on WWE Raw, a tribute show was given from Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment after finding out Benoit was dead. However, what really happened during that dark night in Fayetteville, Georgia near Atlanta changed everything. It was revealed that Benoit was a part of a double murder-suicide, which included his wife Nancy Benoit and his son Daniel Benoit. Benoit murdered his wife, suffocated the couple's 7-year-old son to death, and committed suicide by hanging himself. The pro wrestling world was shocked by the Benoit family tragedy, and WWE blacklisted the former WCW star ever since. Benoit's wife Nancy Toffoloni was heavily involved in pro wrestling and broke into the business after meeting Kevin Sullivan. After her divorce from Jim Daus, Nancy married Sullivan. But in 1997, Nancy began seeing Chris Benoit, and eventually turned into a real-life angle between Kevin and Chris. Over the years researchers found that effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) was a major factor at the time of the apparent double murders and suicide. Findings concluded that Chris was suffering from "an increased risk of depression and cognitive impairment" from concussions before he took his own life. While the case is closed, this unfortunate event will remain a topic of discussion for wrestling fans and further research of brain damage for many years to come. In addition, this act has also extinguished any chance of him getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, although his pro wrestling resume would undoubtedly merit this achievement. See more at fanbuzz.com

Coaching college football seems like the most stressful job on the planet. College coaches are tasked with, essentially, raising 100-plus young men flying through their college years. Whether at press conferences or the College Football Playoff, your job is under scrutiny, which is why so few coaches find national championship-level success. These elite leaders are certainly paid well to be NCAA college football coaches, though. Annually, USA Today publishes a database listing the salaries of all 130 FBS head football coaches. Everything from a coach's maximum bonus to buyout numbers are available, but the most important number is a category titled "Total Pay." The 25 highest-paid college football coaches of 2019 include some of the best to ever do it: 25. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin 24. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State 23. Will Muschamp, South Carolina 22. Ryan Day, Ohio State 21. David Shaw, Stanford 20. Chris Petersen, Washington 19. Mark Stoops, Kentucky 18. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa 17. Gary Patterson, TCU 16. Charlie Strong, South Florida 15. Willie Taggart, Florida State 14. Scott Frost, Nebraska 13. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State 12. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern 11. James Franklin, Penn State 10. Dan Mullen, Florida 9. Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma 8. Jeff Brohm, Purdue 7. Tom Herman, Texas 6. Gus Malzahn, Auburn 5. Kirby Smart, Georgia 4. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M 3. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan 2. Nick Saban, Alabama 1. Dabo Swinney, Clemson One name you didn't see on that list is LSU Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron. He ranks 30th nationally making $4.0 million per year. LSU is battling for the No. 1 ranking in college football, but Coach O makes the same amount of money as Illinois' Lovie Smith and Virginia Tech's Justin Fuente. Head over to FanBuzz.com to see how much all of these elite coaches earned for the 2019 season. For more check out fanbuzz.com

In 2002, John Cena started his main roster journey in the WWE. The West Newbury, Massachusetts, native made an immediate impression by answering Kurt Angle’s challenge on the June 27, 2002 episode of SmackDown. Cena eventually earned an opportunity to compete for the WWE Championship in a triple threat to determine the No. 1 contender prior to WrestleMania XX. Although Cena was unsuccessful, he won the United States Championship at WrestleMania XX by defeating The Big Show. Before that match, Cena went from a babyface to a rapper heel, coining himself as the “Doctor of Thuganomics”. Cena’s career, and his bank account, would never be the same. As the WWE superstar's popularity grew, he once again become a good guy. Less than three years after his main roster debut, Cena defeated John “Bradshaw” Layfield to become WWE Champion for the first time at WrestleMania 21. Cena formed rivalries against names such as The Undertaker, Edge, Batista, Randy Orton, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Brock Lesnar, among others. Winning the world title on 16 occasions, the Royal Rumble twice, and numerous other titles, John Cena's legendary resume makes him one of the most successful WWE wrestlers of all time. Starting his professional wrestling career in Ultimate Pro Wrestling as The Prototype, winning the UPW World Heavyweight Championship while competing for the promotion, Cena was recruited and signed his first WWF contract in 2001. In addition to a successful wrestling career, Cena started a career in Hollywood as a featured actor in 2006, starring in films such as 12 Rounds, The Marine, Trainwreck, Bumblebee, Ferdinand and Daddy’s Home, as well as featured in TV shows such as Manhunt, Saturday Night Live, and is the new host for the relaunch of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Since 2015, Cena mainly focused on his acting career. According to The Richest, John Cena’s net worth is an estimated $55 million. Forbes recorded in 2017 that Cena was the second highest paid WWE wrestler at an estimated $8 million. Celebrity Net Worth adds that the American professional wrestler has earned his $55 million from his career as a pro wrestler, actor, as well as his rap album, “You Can’t See Me”, which reached No. 15 on the Billboard charts. From high school bodybuilder to multi-time world champion and successful actor, the Springfield College Exercise Physiology graduate used his rise to superstardom to become one of the biggest contributors to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, granting nearly 600 wishes as of the end of 2018.