Tag Archives: Sports

Beginning of The End?: GameStop Announces It Will Close Up To 200 Stores

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Source: SOPA Images / Getty Gamestop is serious trouble financially and to combat its money woes, the company announced it will be closing up to 200 stores around the world before the end of the year. It was just two months ago GameStop announced it would be revamping its stores in hopes it would lure more shoppers, but it looks like that plan was a dub. The company revealed plans it will be shuttering somewhere between 180 and 200 GameStop locations across the globe for good with more store closings on the horizon for the struggling video game retailer. The company revealed that it’s quarter global sales were down 14.3 percent, translating into a net loss of $32 million. James Bell, GameStop’s CFO revealed during the company’s earnings call that up to 200 “underperforming”  before the end of the year. He also added: “While these closures were more opportunistic, we are applying a more definitive, analytic approach, including profit levels and sales transferability, that we expect will yield a much larger tranche of closures over the coming 12 to 24 months.” GameStop hoped it’s an ambitious idea to team up with designers at R/GA to renovate stores to give them a “place in the video gaming culture” would work. The proposed concept stores were supposed to have layouts that would appeal to gamers by giving them new ways to try games before buying them. They also suggested building shops that would focus on retro games and hardware and host Esports competitions in the stores with local teams. Looks likes that didn’t solve what ails GameStop, and it’s not looking good for the company for the foreseeable future. With gamers now opting to go digital and the current console generation reaching its end, the well-known company looks like it might be dying a slow death. This could also be karma for the company for ripping us off with those lame trade-in values as well. Bell’s outlook for his company is currently bleak. He also added GameStop expecting it’s year-over-year sales to take a hit for the next three to four quarters. — Photo: SOPA Images / Getty

Beginning of The End?: GameStop Announces It Will Close Up To 200 Stores

High School Swim Coach Accuses Officials Of Policing ‘Dark’ & ‘Curvy’ Athletes, School District Responds

Source: CHRISTOPHE SIMON / Getty A lot of debate was sparked this past week over a high school swimming decision in Alaska. According to Anchorage Daily News , a Dimond High School swimmer was stripped of her victory last Friday after she was disqualified for a “uniform violation.” The National Federation of High Schools rule says that boys must cover their buttocks while girls must cover their buttocks and breasts with their suits. An official who oversaw Friday’s meet said the referee who disqualified the girl said she could see “butt cheek touching butt cheek.” This was the teen’s one disqualification out of the four races she competed in. Annette Rohde, an official who was present at the dual meet between Dimond and Chugiak, said she “froze in disbelief” when she witnessed the disqualification decision by the referee. “I told her, ‘I need to know how you’re defining this, because this is going to blow up,’” Rohde said. South High swim coach Cliff Murray explained that Anchorage High School coaches were told “that as far as the buttocks region goes, you should not be showing any part of the intergluteal cleft.” He continued, “If you’re in a situation where your suit creeps up, somebody comes over to a coach and says ‘hey, you’ve got an athlete who needs to adjust his or her suit,’ and they have that opportunity to fix it. And if they don’t, there are ramifications.” The school district explained that the disqualified swimmer “ was wearing the approved, school-issued suit during the race.” When news of the disqualification hit the swimming community, West High coach Lauren Langford slammed the decision in a Medium post, saying the girls’ bodies are being “policed.” She continued, “These young swimmers aren’t being punished for wearing their suits in scandalous or provocative ways, but rather, because their ample hips, full chests, and dark complexions look different than their willowy, thin, and mostly pallid teammates. Some will argue this scandal has nothing to do with race. But the issue becomes glaring when officials are overheard acknowledging that white athletes are baring too much skin as well, yet they’ve never been disqualified for a similar violation.” According to KTUU, the disqualified swimmer in question, 17-year-old Breckynn Willis, is of mixed race and is considered one of the school’s most promising athletes. “She’s one of three girls on the Dimond team who look like her,” said Langford . “Everybody else is in same suit, sized to fit, and yet on a team of however many girls she was the only one that got singled out?” Luckily, people in power took into account the backlash and according to Anchorage Daily News , Willis’ disqualification was overturned on Tuesday by the Alaska School Activities Association, the group that oversees Alaska high school sports. They made their decision based on the rule that says when an official finds a uniform violation, they must notify the swimmer’s coach. The ASAA said in a statement, “All evidence gathered, including the statement provided by the official, indicated the official did not notify the coach prior to disqualifying the student.”  The Anchorage School District also called the decision to disqualify Willis “heavy-handed and unnecessary” and was “based solely on how a standard, school-issued uniform happened to fit the shape of her body.” They continued, “We cannot tolerate discrimination of any kind, and certainly not based on body shape.” The district said they’re seeking to have the ASAA decertify the official who disqualified Willis and they want revisions to the uniform rule, saying the National Federation of High Schools swimsuit coverage rule “is ambiguous and allows the potential for bias to influence officials’ decisions.”

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High School Swim Coach Accuses Officials Of Policing ‘Dark’ & ‘Curvy’ Athletes, School District Responds

Perv Ref Strips Teen Swimmer of Medal Due to Improperly-Covered Butt

Schools and school activities are supposed to reward extraordinary achievement and dedication on the parts of their students. But for one 17-year-old swimmer, she found her accomplishments erased when a referee disqualified her after she won. The reason cited? The bottom of her one-piece swimsuit had bunched up during her swim. The national outcry was swift and immediate. Dimond High School in Anchorage, Alaska boasts one of the fastest swimmers in the country's largest state. Unfortunately for that very talented 17-year-old athlete, she is now at the center of a nationwide controversy. On Friday night, she won a 100m freestyle event against the rival team from Chugiak. Sadly, her victory was short-lived. The referee disqualified her after-the-fact, citing — and we wish that we were kidding — that her swimsuit had a wedgie. Most people would not have paid any attention to a slightly bunched up one-piece, because that can happen to any swimsuit. It is also worth noting, of course, that the one-piece was provided by the school — this wasn't the case of a swimmer going rogue with her uniform. But the referee issued a disqualification based upon the girl's “intergluteal cleft.” Notably, the national rulebook does not say anything of the sort. And while coaches in the district were cautioned against swimmers showing “intergluteal cleft,” the one-piece only did so while bunched up. There have been no shortage of deeply sexist dress codes and ensuing scandals over the years as fewer families are willing to stand for them. But this was clearly a step further, and spawned national outrage practically overnight. There was more than misogyny and inherent unfairness at play behind this unbelievable decision by the referee. Millions of Americans reading about the outrageous disqualification took note of the fact that the girl in question is biracial and somewhat curvy. Bias against curvier women and girls is sadly nothing new, and they are often excessively sexualized despite wearing normal clothing. And we hope that we do not have to explain that racism is alive and well in America to a sickening degree. These factors were pointed out by a coach at a neighboring high school — a rival school, and the last person you'd think would root for an opposing athlete. She wrote about how this girl wore the same uniform as her teammates, none of whom had receives violations. She also recalled incidents of this girl and her sisters being targeted even by parents who felt that the girls' curves made them inherently indecent . (One parent even photographed the girl and distributed pictures, which is mega creepy and got him scolded by the school district) Anchorage School District, taking note of the coach's outrage and of the national outcry, released a statement just days after the disqualifcation. “The disqualification appears to stem from a difference of opinion in the interpretation of the rules governing high school swim uniforms,” it begins. The statement continues: “Immediately after the disqualification, the Dimond HS swim coach filed a protest with the official to contest the decision.” We intend to gather all the facts surrounding the disqualification so we can accurately address the matter with officials,” the district adds. “And, they conclude, they will “take appropriate action to ensure fair, equitable competition and consistent application of the rules for this athlete and her peers.” Well, that internal inquiry by the Anchorage School District concluded that the 17-year-old athlete was unfairly targeted. They sent an appeal to the Alaska School Activities Association, who had to have known that this was coming. It took only one hour for the ASAA to reverse the disqualification. Like in one of the early Harry Potter books where magic sports still mattered, all points were restored to the Dimond team. The ASAA is still mulling over whether to decertify the referee and also whether to suspend the clearly unfair “suit coverage rule.”

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Perv Ref Strips Teen Swimmer of Medal Due to Improperly-Covered Butt

BIG WIN: California Passes Bill 72-0 Allowing Student Athletes To Profit From Their Name & Likeness

Source: Hannah Foslien / Getty California Passes Bill 72-0 Allowing Students Athletes To Profit From Their Name If you follow Lebron James even remotely, you’ve heard his vocalness about student-athletes not being paid for risking their bodies in the name of sports entertainment. If a student gets caught taking any cash, they will lose their scholarships, be kicked from the team, and sometimes even have legal action taken. Lebron’s platform Undisputed has been one of the biggest voices for California’s proposed SB 206, “the Fair Pay To Play Act”. Everyone is California- call your politicians and tell them to support SB 206! This law is a GAME CHANGER. College athletes can responsibly get paid for what they do and the billions they create. — LeBron James (@KingJames) September 5, 2019 College athletes are workers. Pay them. https://t.co/PNEefTbS2O — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) September 6, 2019 The bill was designed to let college athletes profit for their name & likeness and take endorsement deals. According to Deadspin , the bill passed on Monday night 72-0 , with ZERO opposition and is now headed to the desk of Governor Gavin Newsom, who has already expressed his support. It seems like a no-brainer, but the NCAA has already expressed they will not go down without a fight. NCAA President Mark Emmert (whose salary is $4 Million dollars) had urged California lawmakers to postpone consideration of the bill back in June, stating the following: “We recognize all of the efforts that have been undertaken to develop this bill in the context of complex issues related to the current collegiate model that have been the subject of litigation and much national debate. Nonetheless, when contrasted with current NCAA rules, as drafted the bill threatens to alter materially the principles of intercollegiate athletics and create local differences that would make it impossible to host fair national championships. As a result, it would likely have a negative impact on the exact student-athletes it indents to assist.” While the bill passed is seemingly easier, the fight is just getting started to actually get these athletes some fair treatment…and some money. If this bill becomes law, it will go into effect on January 1, 2023.

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BIG WIN: California Passes Bill 72-0 Allowing Student Athletes To Profit From Their Name & Likeness

Basketball Legend Lisa Leslie To Be Honored With Staples Center Statue

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L egendary basketball player Lisa Leslie has broken several barriers for women in the realm of sports. The California native will be recognized in a major way for all of her accomplishments. According to Bleacher Report , she will be honored with a statue outside of the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Lisa Leslie will be honored at the Staples Center with a statue next to some of the greatest players in Lakers history https://t.co/bEYQbfV26V — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 5, 2019 The addition of the statue is historic as it will mark the first time that a woman athlete will have a sculpture outside of the arena. It’s undeniable that Leslie is a basketball trailblazer. She was a part of the inaugural WNBA season in 1997. During her career in the league—which lasted 12 years—she hit several milestones. Leslie was the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game and became the first player in the league to reach 6,000 career points. She has two WNBA championship titles under her belt and was named league MVP three times. She also has four Olympic gold medals. Leslie joins a prominent list of other legendary athletes who have been honored with statues outside of the Staples Center including Shaquille O’Neal , Magic Johnson , and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . There is no word on when the statue will be unveiled. Leslie—who coaches a team in the Big3 league—says that her career moves have always been about opening doors for women in male-dominated spaces. “I always understood and respected the women who came before me. I love the fact that we have so many pioneers of the game and they get to still be a part of it,” she told Hoops Hype in an interview. “I’m always cognizant that we’re connected by a thread. And we all know what we’re capable of doing and we appreciate the opportunity to knock down doors and open doors for the other women who are coming in behind us.” News about Leslie’s statue comes shortly after a sculpture of the late legendary tennis player Althea Gibson was unveiled outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York during the U.S. Open tennis tournament. SEE ALSO: Statue Paying Homage To Tennis Legend Althea Gibson Unveiled At U.S. Open LeBron James Surprises Student With Back-To-School Shopping Spree [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3824970″ overlay=”true”]

Basketball Legend Lisa Leslie To Be Honored With Staples Center Statue

“Love & Marriage: Huntsville” Exclusive: Kimmi Confronts Melody Over Unanswered Text Messages [VIDEO]

Source: OWN TV / OWN TV Kimmi Confronts Melody On The Love & Marriage Huntsville Premiere “Love & Marriage Huntsville” is back baby! And as we already reported, this second season is about to be a DOOZY! (Watch the trailer HERE if you haven’t already seen it.) The new season premieres Saturday and it looks like Melody is just a nicety as she wanna be — but don’t think Kimmi is letting her off the hook easily. We’ve got an exclusive clip below. Check it out: Well well… Do you think Kimmi let her off easy? What do you think is ahead for the Comeback Group? Love & Marriage Huntsville premieres Saturday, September 7 (9 p.m. – 10 p.m. ET/PT)

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“Love & Marriage: Huntsville” Exclusive: Kimmi Confronts Melody Over Unanswered Text Messages [VIDEO]

Politics As Usual: Jay-Z & NFL Get Flamed (AGAIN) For Donating To Org That Allegedly Supports Trump, Cuts Dreadlocks & LOOOVES The Cops

Source: Andy Kropa / Getty Jay-Z & NFL Get Slammed For Donating To An Organization That Allegedly Supports Trump, Cuts Dreadlocks & Loves The Cops *Sigh* Jiggaaaa, my nicckkaaa. Jay-Z and Roc Nation continue to find themselves in a deeper hole when it comes to their politics. Recently, the group announced that they would be partnering with the NFL as part of their Inspire Change initiative to donate $400,000 to two Chicago charities — the Better Boys Foundation Family Services organization and the Crushers Club. Well, surprise, surprise… Folks did some digging into one of the organizations, and it seems they don’t fully ride for Black people despite their surface-level charities. Twitter user @RzstProgramming brought up AAALL the receipts. They dug up old tweets and social media posts from Crushers Club and it was revealed that… 1. They have a history of gleefully cutting off Black boys’ dreadlocks. 2. They support Donald Trump helping Chicago with gun violence. 3. They believe “All Lives Matter.” 4. They practically fawn over the Chicago Police Department. *Sigh.* It seems most of the smoke is aimed at Crushers Club president Sally Hazelgrove who, according to now deleted tweets, said things like: “And another Crusher let me cut his dreads off! It’s symbolic of change and their desire for a better life!” “And another Crusher let me cut his dreads off! It's symbolic of change and their desire for a better life!” – Crusher Club President Sally Hazelgrove https://t.co/BgaYA2Ef6R — Resist Programming (@RzstProgramming) September 5, 2019   Ms. Sally also reportedly praised a kid’s Jr. Chicago Police Department status: “Our Jr CPD they cant wait to arrest someone! Especially hearing they can start making 70k as a cop!” The Crusher Club also encourages youth to grow up and incarcerate others to earn a living. “Our Jr CPD they cant wait to arrest someone! Especially hearing they can start making 70k as a cop!” https://t.co/clpwx8aDrA — Resist Programming (@RzstProgramming) September 5, 2019   The org ALSO reportedly said: “We need Trump to help us. Sad to say we need a curfew while we address our current crisis of gun violence.” Crusher Club said Trump is the answer for Chicago’s gang violence and called for a city curfew. “We need Trump to help us. Sad to say we need a curfew while we address our current crisis of gun violence.” https://t.co/wtWhiCKyIZ — Resist Programming (@RzstProgramming) September 5, 2019 Lawd, help us. At one point, when someone tried to point out on Facebook that Sally’s locs-cutting rituals were problematic, she responded with “I don’t see race.” Back to the hair cutting, on Facebook, Stephen Styles attempted to explain to Crusher Club President Sally Hardgrove how problematic the practice is. Sally responded, “I don’t see race” and says she will be more careful with comments, but doesn’t agree to stop cutting dreads. pic.twitter.com/NIgY0vET5W — Resist Programming (@RzstProgramming) September 5, 2019   Come on Jigga!! Sally tried to defend her hair-cutting proclivities in a statement to FADER , saying: “The Crusher’s Club does not have any policies prohibiting dreadlocks — we welcome all hairstyles from our youth. On occasion, our kids look to change their hairstyles and ask us to assist, especially since haircuts can be a costly expense for them. Our goal is — and will always be — to equip our youth with the resources to improve their neighborhoods, maximize their potential and develop into the leaders of tomorrow.” Okay Sally. AND they probably give the children some janky shape-ups! Anyway, hit the flip for more of Crushers Club’s alleged cop-loving, dreads-chopping, “All Lives Matter” history.

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Politics As Usual: Jay-Z & NFL Get Flamed (AGAIN) For Donating To Org That Allegedly Supports Trump, Cuts Dreadlocks & LOOOVES The Cops

The Hills Sneak Peek: Were Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter Polyamorous?

Earlier this month, the world learned that  it's over between Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter . But when this sneak peek clip from The Hills: New Beginnings was filmed, they were still a couple and shooting down relationship rumors. To their shared frustration, a rumor cropped up that they had once been polyamorous. Is it true? In this sneak peek from The Hills: New Beginnings , Kaitlynn's friend Liz Facetimes her to warn her. Stephanie Pratt has been gossiping about her, Liz cautions, saying: “She’s just, like, asking about your relationship.” According to Liz: “She’s like, ‘I don’t know. Isn’t there someone else, like, involved?’” “What does she mean by that?” Kaitlynn asks, looking amused if anything. Liz reports: “She thinks you guys are like in this, like, polyamorous relationship.” Liz sort of stumbles over the word “polyamorous,” which is a good reminder that some of us use that word more often than others. If you need a reminder, a polyamorous relationship usually involves more than two people in an often romantic relationship. It can mean one person in a serious relationship with two others who know about each other. It could mean eight people who all date all of the others. Brody hears this theory and quickly interjects. “That’s none of her business,” Brody asserts. He continues, saying: “You know, we just, we like what we like.” Kaitlynn then uses the confessional camera to explain to viewers what gave Stephanie this idea. “When Brody and I first were together,” she recalls. “We were young, we were crazy.” “We were, like, you know, basically just trying to have the time of our lives,” Kaitlynn continues. “So,” she informs the viewers. “We did a lot of things in our relationship.” Oh? What kinds of things. Kaitlynn explains that these were hings “that, you know, I certainly wouldn’t say I regret.” Good. Regrets serve little good, especially if you were having fun at the time. But her words could mean polyamory. It could also mean that they had an open relationship or had a lot of threesomes, foursomes, or “moresomes.” Apparently they were content to leave that up to everyone's imaginations. “But,” Kaitlyn expresses. “The level of gossip that I feel happens in the group — it just makes me angry.” That's very fair. On August second, Brody and Kaitlynn announced their shocking split. “Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter have decided to amicably separate,” their representative announced in a statement. “They love and respect one another,” the statement affirmed. “And know that this is the best decision for their relationship moving forward.” Though the two held a well-publicized wedding ceremony in June of 2018, they were never legally married. That makes Caitlyn Jenner's inability to attend her son's “wedding” a much smaller deal. (Also, if he wanted her to attend, he shouldn't have scheduled his last-minute ceremony during Pride Month) About a week later, Kaitlynn was seen gal pal-ing around with none other than Miley Cyrus. “Brody and Kaitlynn separated on good terms and are still close friends,” a source insisted at the time. “Brody is in a great headspace right now,” the insider reported. “And really isn’t bothered by Kaitlynn and Miley’s relationship.” Miley and Kaitlynn have not been trying to hide what they have going, either on social media or at major awards shows like the VMAs. It's interesting, but not necessarily signiificant, that both now-split couples were friends before things fell apart. And Miley and Liam were rumored to have struggled with whether or not to be an open relationship. This clip and this episode are likely not going to do anythign to discourage rumors.

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The Hills Sneak Peek: Were Brody Jenner and Kaitlynn Carter Polyamorous?

Tyler Skaggs: Baseball Player’s Cause of Death Revealed; Family Blames Team

Back in July, baseball fans were stunned by the death of Tyler Skaggs , a 27-year-old pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels. Now, medical examiners in Los Angeles county have released the results of toxicology testing that points to the cause of Skaggs’ death. According to the official coroner’s report, Skaggs passed away due to a combination “alcohol, fentanyl and oxycodone intoxication with terminal aspiration of gastric contents.” It appears that after a night in which he ingested several intoxicating substances, Skaggs choked on his own vomit while unconscious. Now, in a shocking turn of events, the Skaggs family has revealed that they intend to take legal action, as they believe an employee of the Angels is directly responsible for Tyler’s passing: “We are heartbroken to learn that the passing of our beloved Tyler was the result of a combination of dangerous drugs and alcohol,” the statement said.  “That is completely out of character for someone who worked so hard to become a Major League baseball player and had a very promising future in the game he loved so much,” it continued. “We are grateful for the work of the detectives in the Southlake Police Department and their ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Tyler’s death. We were shocked to learn that it may involve an employee of the Los Angeles Angels,” the grieving family added. “We will not rest until we learn the truth about how Tyler came into possession of these narcotics, including who supplied them. To that end, we have hired attorney Rusty Hardin to assist us.” This is the first time the family has publicly suggested the possibility of taking action against the Angels.  In his own statement, attorney Hardin stated that it’s “way too early” to speculate on any potential legal action by Skaggs’ loved ones. “I think the thing to keep in mind is they’re just still so devastated, both the wife and the family, about this young man’s death, and they just want to know what happened and how it happened,” Hardin told the Los Angeles Times. “We’re going to want to know how it came about that those drugs were ingested and whether or not others are responsible for what happened.” The Angels have yet to publicly respond to the allegations and have issued no official statement on Skagg’s passing since their initial press release: “It is with great sorrow that we report Tyler Skaggs passed away earlier today in Texas,” the team said at the time. “Tyler has, and always will be, an important part of the Angels family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Carli and his entire family during this devastating time.” We’ll have further updates on this developing story as more information becomes available. View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2019: In Memoriam

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Tyler Skaggs: Baseball Player’s Cause of Death Revealed; Family Blames Team

Meek Mill Unveils Renovated Basketball Courts For Youth In Philly

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P hiladelphia-bred rapper Meek Mill is no stranger to philanthropy. In the past, the hip-hop star—whose real name is Robert Rihmeek Williams —has hosted toy giveaways and school drives benefiting children in his hometown. Williams is continuing his mission to inspire and empower the youth in Philly. According to CBS News , he recently unveiled renovated basketball courts in North Philadelphia. Meek Mill joined city officials Saturday afternoon to unveil renovated basketball courts in North Philadelphia. https://t.co/V3zacYqJFu — CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) August 17, 2019 The project was a collaborative effort between Williams, Puma, Roc Nation and local organizations including the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. The new courts—which are located at 33rd and Oxford—feature motivational quotes along the sidelines as well as Williams’ “Dreamchasers” logo. During the unveiling ceremony, the “Dreams and Nightmares” rapper thanked those who helped bring the project to fruition and played basketball with the children who were in attendance. Williams says he’s happy to have the platform and resources to give back to his community. “North Philly will always be home. When kids go to East Fairmount Park, they deserve to ball in the best conditions possible, so I’m glad they’ll have that opportunity now,” he said when announcing the project last year. Leaders of the initiative are beyond thankful for his continued commitment to uplift the youth in Philadelphia. “A lot of people make it, come back for a minute, get a little cameras and then they’re gone,” said Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke in a statement. “My man, he keeps coming back and I’m loving it.” Williams has been making power moves beyond music this year. He was named co-owner of the sports apparel brand Lids and he has continued to fight for criminal justice reform by joining forces with lawmakers to propose a probation and parole reform bill . His 12-year gun and drug case recently came to an end. SEE ALSO: #BossMoves: Meek Mill Named Co-Owner Of The Sports Apparel Brand Lids Meek Mill And Lawmakers Propose Probation Reform Bill [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3824556″ overlay=”true”]

Meek Mill Unveils Renovated Basketball Courts For Youth In Philly