Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champ, is catching some heat after he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino a “man of the people". Brady’s praise comes at a time when a lot of folks are still upset about Infantino’s run at FIFA, which started back in 2016. His time in charge hasn’t exactly been smooth. We’re talking about two World Cups, one in Russia and one in Qatar, that stirred up plenty of trouble. And this summer, tickets for the tournament in the US, Canada, and Mexico are more expensive than ever.

Infantino doesn’t shy away from controversy, either. When critics slammed the Qatar World Cup, he fired back, accusing European media of “hypocrisy” and "racism". Then he gave that infamous speech where he said, “Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arabic. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel like a migrant worker.” The whole thing set off a firestorm.

He’s also pretty cosy with Donald Trump. Just last December, he handed Trump the very first FIFA Peace Prize, which left a lot of people scratching their heads.

Now, with Infantino coming up on ten years at the top, Brady decided to sing his praises. Brady, who owns a chunk of English soccer club Birmingham City, really laid it on thick. “What Gianni has done in terms of his leadership, his inclusion, I think Gianni is a man of the people, and he’s always out there celebrating the great parts of the sport,” Brady told FOX Sports.

He went on: “I think he’s made great contributions to the world of football, and getting a chance to know him and understand the kind of person he is and the values he represents, I think that really showcases itself within the broader goals of what football is all about. Football is for everyone. It’s a chance for all of us to connect globally over something that we love.”

Brady joined Wayne Gretzky, Shaquille O’Neal, and Aaron Judge at the World Cup Draw, representing American sports alongside other big names.

But let’s be real, Brady’s glowing comments aren’t likely to sit well with a lot of soccer fans who see Infantino as a controversial figure. Still, Brady’s not the only one piling on the praise. Arsene Wenger, former Arsenal manager and now FIFA’s Chief of Football Development, also spoke up for Infantino as his tenth anniversary approaches. Wenger said, “Gianni is somebody who wants to move forward. He’s always open to new ideas, and I’m grateful he was a huge supporter of my suggestions to educate the players in the academies in the countries and to develop all the countries.”

James Harden didn’t bother waiting on a doctor’s report to let everyone know how he feels about the Cavaliers. Not even a fractured thumb could cool his confidence after Cleveland’s 109–104 win over the Knicks on Tuesday. Harden said it loud and clear: he thinks the Cavs are built for a deep run.

“We’ve got, what, 25 games left? "I think we can get there,” Harden said, then corrected himself. “Actually, I know we can get there. It all starts on defence. Offensively, we’ve got six guys who can score in double figures, but defence is the key. If we really lock in and get stops, we’re going to be tough.”

The Cavs got a break the next day. Harden’s injury didn’t need surgery, so their hopes for a championship push are alive and well. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Harden saw a hand specialist and plans to play through the fracture. No surgery. He’s suiting up.

It helps that it’s his non-shooting hand, so he avoids the kind of layoff that would have knocked him out for weeks.

Even so, things aren’t totally settled. Harden is listed as day-to-day, and he might sit out the next game against the Bucks while the team manages his pain and swelling. “There’s going to be a lot of pain management over the next few days,” Charania said. “He might sit tonight in Milwaukee. He wants to play, and he’ll wear a wrap or splint.”

At 36, Harden’s reputation for playing through pain is well-earned. He’s not the type to sit unless he absolutely has to, but the Cavs won’t push him if he’s hurting.

Since trading for Harden in that big midseason move with the Clippers, Cleveland has gone 6–1 when he plays. They gave up a lot to get him, sending 26-year-old former All-Star Darius Garland to L, which made it clear they’re chasing a title right now.

Harden’s numbers back it up: 18.9 points, 8 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and he’s scorching from deep at nearly 49%. He’s taken over late in games and brought some needed swagger to the Cavs.

Even the night he hurt his thumb, Harden dropped 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting, added four assists, and kept the offence steady for 32 minutes.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson says Harden’s impact goes beyond stats. “Bringing James on has given us renewed confidence,” Atkinson said. “We’re a better team now, and that confidence makes us play harder, especially on defence."

Atkinson admitted the team was missing that edge earlier in the year. “I felt like we were kind of missing that belief. Now I feel like we’re getting it back.”

So here they are at 37–22, tied with the Knicks for third in the East, and according to Tankathon, they’ve got one of the league’s easiest remaining schedules.

Whether Harden plays right away or takes a short break, his message is the same: he believes in this team’s shot at a title, and he’s not stepping aside now.

Cleveland avoided a disaster with Harden’s injury, and that means their big midseason gamble is still on. Their new star is all in, and so are the Cavs.