Mark W. Wright
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Articles by Mark W. Wright
Voices: My daughter showed me a drawing. It changed how I see autism.
“Look what I just drew.” My daughter walked into my room holding her iPad. She was 10. Until that afternoon, her drawings hadn’t been particularly remarkable. Rectangle houses with triangle roofs and stick-figure families standing beside them, that kind of thing. What she turned toward me now was an apple. Rendered in loose, confident brushwork, light catching the curve of it, a shadow pooling beneath, it was the kind of drawing I’d have expected from someone who had been studying for years.
Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan show off jaw-dropping home gym at £3.5m mansion
More On News all Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent5m mansion The former ITV The Only Way Is Essex star and Coronation Street favourite have shared a clip from inside the gym at their plush home in Essex.The former ITV The Only Way Is Essex star and Coronation Street favourite have shared a clip from inside the gym at their plush home in Essex.News Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan show off jaw-dropping home gym at £3.
LIGHT Helmets Announces Key Accomplishments for 2022 and Company Positioning for Further Growth in 2023
LIGHT Helmets announces top 2022 accomplishments including 5-Star rating from Virginia Tech, $2.5M in orders, and multiple distribution agreements for 2023. After my experience with a competitive helmet in early 2022, the LIGHT Helmet LS2 is the helmet that I now choose.
Chunkz Noticeably Angry After His Penalty Is Stolen By Mark Wright In Soccer Aid
Chunkz was furious with his teammates after he was denied the chance to take a penalty at Soccer Aid. The YouTuber, 26, won a spot-kick shortly before half-time to help England equalise against the World XI. Ex-professional footballer and reality TV star Mark Wright stepped up to confidently stroke the ball past Chelsea legend Petr Cech and level the game. Yet it was obvious Chunkz wanted to take the penalty. After drawing a foul from TikTok favourite Noah Beck, Chunkz approached the spot.
Getting his reps in: Richard Jefferson’s second act
Jefferson made a career playing multiple positions. Since retiring, he continues to do the same. By Mark M. Wright January 25, 2021 Dwyane Wade (left) and Allie Clifton joined Jefferson on “Road Trippin’.” Photo: Courtesy of “Road Trippin’” E ven before he took his first shot in the NBA in 2001, Richard Jefferson had a plan for life after basketball, looking ahead for a post-playing career in media and entertainm...
James Ebron was a friend, father and executive who will be missed
James Ebron was a better friend to me than I was to him, if I’m honest. I know he read those words — James loved The Undefeated, after all — and smiled that bright smile of his and in the same breath chastised me for talkin’ crazy. But that’s my truth, and if you were truly his friend, you feel me.
CP3, Melo, D-Wade Team Up To Support Teachers
He walked into the crowded auditorium to thunderous applause. The 150 teenage mostly African American boys from North Carolina had no idea that Chris Paul would be among the featured guests at this special gathering. Dressed in sport coats and ties, this would be an All-Star Weekend for the ages for the young lads — as camera phones flashed and teeth of all shapes glistened. But Chris Paul, a Carolina hoops legend — born and bred in nearby Winston Salem — wasn’t here for photo ops.
Howard, Morehouse among five HBCUs to receive millions in new equipment for COVID-19 testing
Howard University is among a pool of five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to receive a $15 million donation from Waltham, Massachusetts-based Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., a company that makes scientific instruments. The funds will provide technical assistance for the schools to establish or expand their labs for regular on-campus COVID-19 testing throughout the 2020-’21 school year.
Emmanuel Acho: Leading a dialogue on race
Fox Sports hired Emmanuel Acho in June to co-host “Speak for Yourself.” Photo: fox sports Fox Sports hired Emmanuel Acho in June to co-host “Speak for Yourself.” Photo: fox sports Fox Sports hired Emmanuel Acho in June to co-host “Speak for Yourself.” Photo: fox sports Emmanuel Acho bristled when urged to relive the anguish he felt as he watched 46-year-old George Floyd pleading for his life and calling out for his mama as Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his left knee on the...
Emmanuel Acho: Leading a dialogue on race
Fox Sports hired Emmanuel Acho in June to co-host “Speak for Yourself.” Photo: fox sports Emmanuel Acho bristled when urged to relive the anguish he felt as he watched 46-year-old George Floyd pleading for his life and calling out for his mama as Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his left knee on the back of Floyd’s neck for an excruciating 8 minutes and 46 seconds on May 25.
The Last Dance Was Personal For Jay Williams
This was a new normal: two friends — Raj and Wayne — sitting side by side, taking in a nice evening breeze, listening to a playlist of old-school R&B, while puffing on cigars and taking occasional slow sips of Woodford Reserve double-oaked bourbon. Despite the absence of a pre-meeting brother-man embrace, and a new strict adherence to social distancing guidelines, the night included the usual banter to which brothers are accustomed — with sports the main topic.
Jay Williams: Finding the drive inside
For ESPN analyst, the best version of himself came by accident. By Mark W. Wright June 1, 2020 A motorcycle accident ended the NBA career of Jay Williams, but sports media offered the chance for a new beginning. Photo: ESPN Images A motorcycle accident ended the NBA career of Jay Williams, but sports media offered the chance for a new beginning. Photo: ESPN Images A motorcyc...
Nico Marley, Bob Marley’s Grandson, Launches CBD Line
Long before Ray Lewis had gotten word that his “nephew” had been cut by the Washington Redskins, Nico Marley had already gone through his progressions. As an undersized but hard-hitting linebacker at Tulane University from 2013 to 2017, Marley, an undrafted free agent that year, was selected by Washington — and given the opportunity to contribute to a family legacy already known around the world.
‘Sprinter’ Actor Dale Elliott Jr.’s Life Imitates Art
Somewhere between tragedy, a near-death experience and anonymity, Dale Elliot Jr. found his calling. As a rising track star at revered city high school, Kingston College, Elliott had made a name for himself as a 400-meter specialist at the prestigious annual Issa Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships. He was driven by a gift and had aspirations to be Jamaica’s next great track star. Sprinter director, Storm Saulter, was adamant about the role of Akeem; he had to legit know how to run, and act.
My Best Friend Thought I Was Too Fat … to Be in Her Wedding
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE Quinn Bartlett struggled with her weight and abuse from her mother. At 37, her search for love and acceptance is ongoing. Check out a special edition of OZY’s Black Women OWN the Conversation focused on the impact of COVID-19 on the African American community. These episodes bring together real women and a curated panel of experts, professionals and thought leaders with host Carlos Watson for a timely discussion on how we are living during this pandemic.
When Dad Wants You Dead
I would think about it every day, playing the whole scene in my head. Over and over again. I pulled up to the house in the car with my mom, my grandmother and my siblings. I saw my father on the porch, sitting there with a glass in his hand. I remember approaching the porch, trailing behind my mom. She was upset. We walked through the house and saw broken glass and furniture turned over.
The Haircut Struggle Is Real Under Quarantine
Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca was on to something when he said: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Like what happened in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals between the Spurs and Heat — with that clutch Ray Allen three-pointer that sent that pivotal game to overtime and kept Miami’s championship hopes alive; or what transpired during a Wild Card playoff game between the Titans and Bills that became known as “the Music City Miracle”; or … Derek Jeter during the...
Spain's Basque quartet of teams have different goals than Real Madrid or Barcelona
Mar 4, 2020 Mark W. Wright, special to ESPN Athletic Bilbao is one of Spain's oldest and proudest clubs. Their neighbors in Basque country hold themselves to the same standards when it comes to passion and commitment while chasing bigger goals than trophies in Spain.
Black Soccer Stars Iñaki Williams and Alexander Isak Are Targets of Beauty & Bigotry
Even though Real Sociedad fans more than did their part in the first half of the Feb. 9 Basque Country derby in chilly San Sabastian, Spain — with their chorus of songs, chants, beating drums, waving flags and thunderous boos of their rivals — the first 45 minutes of this much-anticipated game was … boring, even by Spanish futbol standards. That is, of course, until two black players — one from each side — simultaneously got subbed on, changing the complexion of a game that was lacking in flavor.
Lonely Black Women Get Depressed More Than Men
By Mark W. Wright Dr. Biko A. Sankofa, a developmental psychologist and a founding partner of Vital TMS Therapy for Depression in Washington, D.C., recalls being in graduate school with 15 female classmates who worried that their options for life partners would narrow the longer they stayed in school. Earning more degrees meant having less time to marry and start a family. That alone, Sankofa says, was a trigger for anxiety and, sometimes, depression.
My Best Friend Thought I Was Too Fat … to Be in Her Wedding
By Quinn Bartlett and Mark W. Wright Tune in to Black Women OWN the Conversation, an unprecedented “speak-easy” TV show produced by OZY and the Oprah Winfrey Network, on OWN each Saturday from August 24 to September 14 at 10 pm (9 pm CT), and catch 100 Black women discussing beauty, motherhood, love and mind, body and soul. It was always about my weight. Everybody always made it about my weight, and I was always depressed because of it.
How a Tennis Racket for Hair Became a Multimillion-Dollar Business
The bad news arrived via Instagram: Pirated versions of Noel Durity’s innovative Twist It Up comb were popping up in convenience stores. Most entrepreneurs would quickly seek legal advice, maybe write a strongly worded letter. Durity instead channeled Liam Neeson. “I decided to confront them,” he says.
When a Soccer Star From the Stasi’s Favorite Team Defected
It was 1979, the Berlin Wall was up and the Cold War was on. Lutz Eigendorf was an acclaimed midfielder for the East Berlin soccer side BFC Dynamo. As the beautiful game has a tendency to unite people — and sometimes feuding countries — it was hardly uncommon for clubs from West and East Germany to compete against each other in European championships. But in March that year, Eigendorf made a risky move off the pitch.
How One Upset Scarred the Legacy of History’s Greatest Thoroughbred
By Mark W. Wright Want to have a sports conversation around a topic that could go on for days and days — because there can never truly be a conclusion? Light a fire under “biggest upsets in sports history,” and step aside and see what happens. You’ll no doubt hear somebody mention the Mike Tyson and James “Buster” Douglas fight from 1990, which featured the journeyman Douglas, a 42-1 underdog, knocking out big, bad “Iron” Mike Tyson in the 10th round.
Going Through Hell to Get Into the Hall of Fame
I didn’t really understand the nuances of being in the South until I got there in 1963. I went to the Laurinburg Institute, the all-Black prep school that was what Oak Hill Academy grew to be. It was a culture shock. I mean, I grew up in Harlem. The first Saturday we were out of school, we were allowed to go downtown, and we went to the movies. We were told we had to sit upstairs, that we couldn’t sit downstairs.
Joe Louis’ Fight for Equality Went Quietly Beyond Boxing
By Mark W. Wright Sixty-nine times Joe Louis manned up his opponent, and all but three times he was the last man standing at the end of the fight. Fifty-two times Louis put his opponent on the canvas. Louis reigned as heavyweight champion of the world from 1937 to 1949, capturing 25 consecutive title defenses and famously becoming a cultural icon upon defeating Nazi-supported German boxer Max Schmeling in 1938.
Will This NBA Prospect Ditch Blue Bloods for an HBCU?
By Mark W. Wright Rarely does a basketball prospect’s official college visit turn heads beyond recruiting obsessives. But when Makur Maker visited Howard University’s celebrated homecoming festivities this month, you could feel the ripples across the sports landscape — and the world of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
LeBron Won’t Solve the NBA’s China Problem
This is the latest edition of OZY’s Huddle newsletter, which brings you a smart, flavorful conversation-starter for your next game watch party. No stale takes allowed. Add The Huddle to your OZY email subscriptions here. The NBA and China are at the point in a relationship when the texts feel more distant and plans start to slip. Is it time for a breakup? Maybe just some straight talk.
Look Closer at Kyler Murray and You Might See Charlie Ward
By Mark W. Wright When Charlie Ward watches Kyler Murray dance in the pocket and create distance between himself and a streaking defender, he’s reminded of another quarterback who was known for making something out of nothing: himself — a quarter-century earlier. “When you look at Charlie Ward today, he was born too soon,” says Doug Williams, MVP of Super Bowl XXII. The 5-foot-10, 207-pound Murray — who won a Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma his senior year — was the quarterback every NFL team wanted.
This couple faced the fear of breast cancer and encourages black community to do the same
There are no sweaty palms. No pacing back and forth like a prizefighter waiting to enter the ring. But there is great anticipation – a sense of wanting to stand at a news podium, in front of a roomful of people you’ve never met. With every opportunity to face a new crowd, our “pitch” gets tighter and better. We start with humor – with Heather stepping to the front of the room, and me taking my rightful place by her side or behind her, peeking at her notes over her shoulder.
What's Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Next Act?
OZY Newsmakers: Deep dives on the names you need to know. In a British invasion kind of Emmys on Sunday, no star shone brighter than Liverpoolâs own Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the 34-year-old creator and star of the hit Amazon/BBC series Fleabag.
What's Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Next Act?
By Mark W. Wright OZY Newsmakers: Deep dives on the names you need to know. In a British invasion kind of Emmys on Sunday, no star shone brighter than Liverpool’s own Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the 34-year-old creator and star of the hit Amazon/BBC series Fleabag.
Get Set for a New Wave of Tennis Greats to Court Success
Paul Annacone remembers a time when menâs tennis felt â and looked â so good that American fans, in particular, believed things couldnât possibly get any better. As Pete Samprasâ coach from 1995 to 2001, when the seven-time Wimbledon champ, five-time U.S. Open titleholder and two-time Australian Open champ was one of the faces of tennis, he recalls epic matches with players like Andre Agassi, Michael Chang, Boris Becker, Pat Rafter and Roger Federer.
This 15-Year-Old Could Be America's Next Great Sprinter
Katina Davis knew, maybe even as early as the moment she gave birth to her daughter, that Kayla would be fast. And, in a sense, it was no surprise to anyone: Katina had earned a track scholarship to the University of Iowa, and her husband, Jeremy, earned a basketball scholarship to UNC Greensboro. But how fast? That answer would reveal itself when Kayla was 7 years old, one Sunday afternoon in Katina’s hometown of Greenville, South Carolina.
Love, Joy and Pain Dominate Talk on New OWN TV Show
Tune in to Black Women OWN the Conversation, an unprecedented âspeak easyâ TV show produced by OZY and the Oprah Winfrey Network, on OWN every Saturday from Aug. 24 to Sept. 14 at 10 pm EST (9 pm CST), and catch 100 Black women discussing beauty, motherhood, love, and mind, body and soul.
Black LGBTQ Women Beat Depression Best
By Mark W. Wright Black mothers and aunties for generations have told their Black daughters that theyâre beautiful, and have warned them to ignore the whispers â when the world would ridicule and objectify them for their bodies, their strength, their hair. Those little girls grow up to be strong Black women, or at least aspire to be, and their Black elders smile an approving smile.
Black LGBTQ Women Beat Depression Best
African American women are taught to be strong, and they’re internalizing that strength when it comes to mental health. Black mothers and aunties for generations have told their Black daughters that they’re beautiful, and have warned them to ignore the whispers — when the world would ridicule and objectify them for their bodies, their strength, their hair. Those little girls grow up to be strong Black women, or at least aspire to be, and their Black elders smile an approving smile.
The Beauty of OWN's New Show Focused Entirely on Black Women
Tune into Black Women OWN The Conversation, an unprecedented âspeak-easyâ TV show produced by OZY and the Oprah Winfrey Network, on OWN. It launched last night, Saturday, August 24, at 10 pm ET/9 pm CT, with 100 Black Women discuss beauty, motherhood, love and mind, body and soul. An array of black women from diverse backgrounds, all dressed in their Sunday best, huddled up and made small talk in the outdoor VIP tent at Piedmont Park in Atlanta recently.
The Beauty of OWN's New Show Focused Entirely on Black Women
By Mark W. Wright Tune in to Black Women OWN the Conversation, an unprecedented “speak-easy” TV show produced by OZY and the Oprah Winfrey Network, on OWN each Saturday from August 24 to September 14 at 10 pm (9 pm CT), and catch 100 Black women discussing beauty, motherhood, love and mind, body and soul. An array of Black women from diverse backgrounds, all dressed in their Sunday best, huddled up and made small talk in the outdoor VIP tent at Piedmont Park in Atlanta recently.
A Hard-Headed Debate Over Antonio Brown's Strange Offseason
By Mark W. Wright OZY Newsmakers: Deep dives on the names you need to know. We’re talkin’ ’bout helmets? Capping a bizarre offseason for the ages, Antonio Brown has the sports world channeling its inner Allen Iverson, asking themselves why helmets — or Brown’s unwillingness to wear the helmet the NFL is mandating he dons — continue to dominate the headlines, just a week after we were all talking about the temperature settings in cryogenic chambers.
Real Talk: Serena Williams Should Show Some Grace
This is the latest edition of OZYâs Huddle newsletter, which brings you a smart, flavorful conversation-starter for your next game watch party. No stale takes allowed. Add The Huddle to your OZY email subscriptions here. Facts: If Serena Williams walked away from the game today, sheâd be the GOAT â rackets down. The 23-time Grand Slam winner who once held the No. 1 ranking for 186 consecutive weeks should feel secure.
The Unlikely Trainer Behind Steph Curry's Jump Shot
By Mark W. Wright Brandon Payne is haunted by his past, and Stephen Curry is paying for it. While the six-time NBA All-Star and two-time league MVP makes splashing buckets look oh so easy, itâs Curryâs longtime trainer â and his unwavering attention to detail â who continues to have the biggest impact on Curryâs free-flowing game. And now heâs shaping the next generation of transcendent guards.
A New Conservative Dynasty Rises in Greece
By Mark W. Wright In some ways, Kyriakos Mitsotakis was born to be prime minister. A product of one of Greeceâs main political dynasties, he collected a mass of elite credentials overseas â bachelorâs from Harvard, masterâs in international relations from Stanford, an MBA from Harvard, stints at Chase Investment Bank and McKinsey & Company consulting in London. But the 51-year-old has made a political career out of being the outsider, no matter that he was the son of a prime minister.
How 19-year-old Sydney Schneider earned her spot on the Reggae Girlz
Lorne Donaldson can see talent from a mile away. When you’ve been in the game for as long as he has — as a player, coach and soccer executive — that, inevitably, becomes your modus operandi.
Jamie Foxx pitches in, joins MLB’s efforts to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day
It’s almost as if Jamie Foxx had gotten a sneak peek of the list of questions for his scheduled Undefeated interview before Monday night’s New York Mets-Philadelphia Phillies matchup. Before the interviewer could even get the question out – about the dearth of African American players in Major League Baseball – the multi-talented Oscar and Grammy-Award winner jumped in to finish the reporter’s thought and offer his answer.
Stephen Curry’s Underrated Tour is more than basketball - it’s personal
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Shandrea Gainey and her son Korin Bradley made the trip from Gainesville, Florida, to Charlotte on the off chance they’d get to meet NBA superstar Stephen Curry.
D.C. United’s Chris Odoi-Atsem is hoping to make comeback from cancer
When 14-year-old Freddy Adu made national headlines as the youngest American to sign a major league professional contract in any team sport after he was chosen by D.C. United as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, young Chris Odoi-Atsem dreamed of one day walking in Adu’s shoes. Born and raised in Mitchellville, Maryland, Odoi-Atsem made a name for himself on the high school and club circuit.
Even with a year of eligibility left, N.C. A&T’s Darryl Johnson believes he’s NFL-ready
Before last season, I set goals — and I told everybody what I was attempting to do. I told my coach and I told the media: ‘Look, I’m going to lead the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in sacks,’ and I did that. I said I was going to be first-team all-conference, and I did that. I told them I’d be Defensive Player of the Year, and I did that. None of those things happened by accident, and none of those individual accolades could have happened without my teammates and coaches.
Hornets’ Miles Bridges is ready to dominate the 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Miles Bridges flashed an easy smile when pressed to give a sneak peek at his menu of dunks in Saturday’s 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Pressed a second time, the Charlotte Hornets rookie offered only that he has an “A” dunk, a “B” dunk and a drop-the-mic dunk.
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