All of a sudden, that 24-team College Football Playoff format might be front and center for an SEC dreaming of getting five, six, ten of its members into the postseason tournament.

Yes, the CFP is supposed to use a new metric – which is really a twist on what it already utilizes – that gives more respect to the strengths of schedules. That's supposed to boost the SEC – give, say, 2025 Texas credit for losing at Ohio State, even though it went 9-3 – but there are two issues with that, at least when it comes to what we're projecting below.

First, the College Football Playoff always falls back on record ranking. If there's a debate in the Grapevine meeting room – it's nice; the food is tremendous – 10-2 is a lot easier to sell than 9-3, which is why we haven't seen Power Four programs with three pre-conference championship losses leapfrog those with two or fewer.

And second, even though the upsets are coming – last Saturday probably wasn't an outlier – there's no way, no how, no chance the committee will put in a 9-3 power conference team in over an 11-1 Power Four program.

That's where the SEC comes in. A few weeks ago, it looked like the conference would own the CFP. And then Florida started losing. So did LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Now, as we're doing this just past the midway point in the season, there are just four SEC teams left – Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee – with fewer than two losses, and all of them have one.

So how many SEC teams will make the College Football Playoff? Our best guess is three, and it'll take a shoehorn to make that happen. (By the way, we're still bullish on Kentucky, but we're predicting a few close losses over the next few weeks.)
– Why the 24-Team CFP Probably Won't Suck
Oct 17, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) walks off the field with his arm in a sling after the game against the Indiana Hoosiers Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Projected Final Record: 13-0
Remaining Games: at App State, Troy, at Southern Miss, at UConn, Coastal Carolina

This will likely be a big debate if Boise State keeps on rolling and goes 12-1 with a Pac-12 **** le, with its only loss coming to Oregon in the season opener. James Madison won't have any Power Four wins – last year's team didn't either – but if it's 13-0, it'll be tough to leave out.
Projected Final Record: 9-3
Remaining Games: at Auburn, Alabama, Texas, at Tennessee, at Arkansas
Here's where the strength of schedule emphasis kicks in. The call is that the committee would rank a three-loss LSU over a Big 12 or ACC team – it's my favorite CFP line, because I swear I've seen a little box behind glass that the committee goes to when it's in a pinch that says – … because it's Alabama.

There's still one more LSU loss coming somewhere – like, at Tennessee – but Alabama is everything in the brief history of the College Fo

A handshake agreement. That's the term I saw all weekend regarding the College Football Playoff expanding from 12 teams to 24 beginning next year, with ESPN remaining the sole rights holder. There are positives and negatives to the reported deal, and it was refreshing to hear discourse on both sides of the argument across ESPN's networks this weekend. That's something college football fans didn't get with the network's coverage of the Protect College Sports Act.
However, in the end, ESPN owns all the goods. Again. The network has been the exclusive rights holder since the playoff began just 12 years ago. Fans can debate whether expanding the playoff to 24 teams will diminish the weekly must-win stakes of college football or lead to the elimination of conference championship games for major conferences. One thing remains clear: ESPN controls the entire package. That raises a question: If the sport wants to expand on the field, why can't it expand how those games are broadcast?
The old saying goes, "Follow the money." After signing a six-year, $7.8 billion exclusive extension in 2024, ESPN received an exclusive 30-day window to negotiate with the College Football Playoff over expansion. That window expired, but a handshake agreement was reportedly reached in the days that followed.
As a result, FOX Sports, CBS Sports/TNT Sports/Skydance, NBC Sports, and others never had an opportunity to compete for the expanded package during that window. Has ESPN dominated college football coverage for generations? Of course. Is watching College GameDay part of the average fan's Saturday routine during the fall? Absolutely.
But imagine if the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL handled their biggest events the same way. Imagine if Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady were left out of the NFL's biggest games. What if Kenny Albert and Eddie Olczyk never got the opportunity to call the Stanley Cup Final?

#college #exclusive

Fans question NFL's roughing-the-passer rules after controversial calls against Packers, Chiefs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Roughing-the-passer has always proved to be a sore subject for NFL fans. That fact resurfaced once more in Week 6.
Some might consider the penalty, ushered in to protect passers from sustaining major injuries, as a godsend. Others view it more negatively, believing it should be reformed to prevent honest defenders from coming under its wretched glare.
Regardless of where you stand on the debate, it's clear that many don't believe slight contact should come under its purview. Someone appeared to inform some of the NFL's referees, however.
Here's what you need to know.

#passer

JavidBasharat has defended his brother following the latter'sUltimate Fighting Championship departure.

FaridBasharat (16-0) completed his contract and wasn't offered a newdeal despite going 7-0 in the promotion, prompting debate aboutrecent roster decisions. Javid, whose UFC contract was not renewedin February, rejected CEO DanaWhite's suggestion that difficulties with matchmakers ordeclined fights could explain his brother's departure.
White was asked about Farid's departure at the UFC Edmonton postfight press conference. He suggested therewere reasons beyond Farid's results for the decision not to renewhis contract but did not identify a specific incident.

Farid responded on his Instagram Stories.

"A lot of ***** umptions made, but no facts were said," Farid wrote."I definitely wasn't turning down fights."

Javid echoed his brother's response, saying they had not discusseda contract renewal with the promotion.

"I can vouch that no fights were turned down nor were we hard todeal with as a matter of fact we have never had a conversation withregard to renewing the contract," Javid wrote. "We patiently waited3 months and we found out when everyone else found out!"

#contract #departure

James Attwood: I don't really see how. Sure, the Brewers are a smaller market than the Dodgers. They have a much smaller payroll. But, if anything, the Brewers advancing is only going to fuel the MLBPA to get even stickier about trying to control salaries in any way, shape, or form. Also, even though plenty of fans and pundits like to give MLB front offices a hard time about making stupid decisions, those offices are by and large, stacked with incredibly intelligent people. Those people are going to be able to take a step back and recognize that one season's playoff picture is hardly a sample size large enough to be called indicative of the sport moving forward. There were questions after Arizona went to the World Series in 2023 about whether or not MLB had done enough to create obstacles for Wild Card teams in the playoffs, all because Arizona steamrolled the Brewers and Dodgers. This year, pundits are calling for the entire seeding system to be blown up because there was a team with a .500 record that not only made the playoffs, but won their division outright. Single seasons may bring some oddities, but they are usually not indicative of the reality of the game's overall health.
I suspect, both the ownership side of things and the MLBPA have already drawn their battle lines and have already started crafting their arguments. This outcome in the playoffs will do more to feed the online debates between fans and pundits than it will do for or against the CBA negotiations.
C. Wesley Baier: I think it will impact the CBA negotiations, but how much is the real question. I would be shocked if the MLBPA didn't use this as evidence against a salary cal, but I cant say if it wil be all that successful of a tactic.
Spencer: Nope. Anything can happen in a small sample size. Owners are greedy and want to abuse their employees/customers for profit still. Players are greedy and only care about the uppermost tiers of earning power. Fans will quiet down a little, but fan opinion and outrage has never been a driving force for either side.
Justin27: FTD

#brewers #only #Dodgers

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham sparked plenty of backlash this summer with her comments on transgender athletes in women's sports. And she doesn't seem to have any interest in staying out of the debate this offseason.
Cunningham has now weighed in on a viral protest out of Washington, where members of a high school girls' cross-country team walked off the course in protest of a transgender teammate. Cunningham offered her support for the runners.
Cunningham first drew national attention for her views on the topic in a July ESPN feature, saying she wanted to "protect women's sports."
"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that,'" Cunningham said, via ESPN. "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."
Cunningham later doubled down on her comments, saying her opinion was "common sense."

#cunningham #comments #sports #protest

Harry Kane has received another ringing endorsement in his bid for the Ballon d'Or, with England international Morgan Rogers arguing that the Bayern Munich striker has done more than enough to claim football's most prestigious individual honor.
Rogers believes Kane's accomplishments have pushed the boundaries of what could reasonably have been expected from him, pointing to his remarkable combination of club and international success.
"Harry Kane should win the Ballon d'Or. He defied what people can imagine that he could do. Treble, and hattricks in finals, Goals in the World Cup, goals for Bayern. What more can he do? That has to be rewarded," Rogers told Hayters TV (as captured by iMiaSanMia).
It is difficult to argue with the basic premise. Kane has continued to produce at an extraordinary level for Bayern while also delivering on the biggest stages for England. His ability to combine ridiculous scoring numbers with major trophies has strengthened his case considerably.
The Ballon d'Or debate will inevitably include several other elite candidates, but Rogers believes Kane's résumé speaks for itself.

#bayern

Meghan Markle has turned the launch of her latest As Ever holiday collection into another royal fashion debate. The ***** ss of Sussex modeled a sleek black turtleneck with fitted black pants while posing inside a kitchen for the lifestyle brand's new campaign. However, critics quickly compared the image to a strikingly similar photograph of Princess Diana. The side-by-side pictures prompted accusations of "Diana cosplay," with one commenter declaring that Meghan "never misses a trick."
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As Ever unveiled the campaign image while announcing that the first chapter of its holiday collection was available to shop. In the photograph, Meghan leaned against a kitchen counter with her legs crossed, wearing a fitted black turtleneck and coordinating slim-cut pants. She pulled her hair back into a relaxed updo and smiled away from the camera.
"The Holiday Collection: Chapter One is now open," the brand announced. "Discover our first arrivals of the season, with thoughtful gifts and new favorites for everyone on your list."

#diana

Several world-famous celebs gathered for the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2027 show during Paris Fashion Week. Among the stars in Paris was Zendaya, who not only turned heads with her look but also made headlines for a brief interaction she had with Brigitte Macron, the First Lady of France.
In a video shared by Alexandre Maras, editor-in-chief of Paris Match, you can see the exact moment Brigitte Macron walks over to greet the Dune actress. During this brief encounter in the Cour Carrée of the Louvre Museum, 30-year-old Zendaya remained seated. The president's wife leaned in slightly to shake the actress's hand. The Euphoria star returned the gesture, shook her hand, and said it was a pleasure to meet her.
Moments before 73-year-old Brigitte Macron approached Zendaya, Bernard Arnault, CEO of the luxury group LVMH, had also greeted the actress. The executive leads the luxury conglomerate that brings together more than 75 internationally renowned brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Fendi, Celine, Loewe, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Kenzo, among others.
Bernard Arnault and Zendaya at the Louis Vuitton fashion show (@ WWD via Getty Images)
Zendaya behaved the same way with Arnault; she greeted him, shook his hand, and stayed in her seat. Debate quickly erupted on social media. Some argued that the actress should have stood up out of courtesy and greeted them both on her feet—first, because of their positions as First Lady and top executive, and second, because they are older.

#louis

In a 2025 Vanity Fair video, Jennifer Lawrence said Kourtney Kardashian was "more annoying than ever," referring to her behavior on The Kardashians
In the season 8 premiere of the reality show, Kourtney reacted to the comments and revealed that the actress sent her an email afterward
"I mean, do I say something funny? Like, 'You can come over and I'll beat your f---ing ***** ?' " Kourtney asked friend Simon Huck as she debated how to reply to Lawrence's email
Kourtney Kardashian is sharing her side of the story after Jennifer Lawrence called her out last year.
In a November 2025 video for Vanity Fair's lie detector test, Lawrence said that Kardashian "drives me nuts" and is "more annoying than ever." Lawrence, who has long been open about her love for the Kardashian family and their reality shows, reached out to Kourtney, 47, after the video was posted.

#lawrence #Reality #email #fair

AGNC Investment has seen a mix of setbacks and gains in recent years, which raises a straightforward question for anyone looking at the stock today: Is the current share price meaningfully supported by the returns the business earns on its capital base?
Over the past 3 years, AGNC Investment has delivered a total return of about 48.1%, which puts real weight on whether those past gains are grounded in sustainable returns on the equity it deploys.
The mortgage REIT model relies on how efficiently AGNC Investment can fund and reinvest its portfolio. The valuation story therefore hinges on whether that capital structure can keep generating attractive excess returns after funding costs and hedging.
What if you looked at AGNC Investment through its earnings instead? See what AGNC Investment's 4.9x P/E says about the price.
For investors, the debate is whether AGNC Investment's current price fairly reflects the level and quality of the returns it earns on its capital.

#investment #returns #whether #earns

Zendaya is facing backlash after a video of her meeting France's First Lady went viral. The clip, shared by Paris Match, shows the actress staying seated while Brigitte Macron stopped by to say ******* o at the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week. The brief moment has caught everyone's attention online, with many debating whether she should have stood up.
Zendaya's seated ******* o to Brigitte Macron leaves social media divided. The 30-year-old actress sat in the front row at Louis Vuitton's Spring/Summer 2027 show on Tuesday. The show was held in the Cour Carrée of the Louvre.
In the video shared online, Macron, 73, walks through the front row, greeting guests like Pharrell Williams and Lisa of BLACKPINK. She then pauses to speak with Zendaya. At first glance, the exchange looks warm and friendly. But upon closer look, Zendaya never rises from her seat. Reportedly, she said ******* o, told Macron it was a pleasure to meet her, and shook her hand.
The clip quickly sparked debate online. Some viewers criticized Zendaya for remaining seated, with one viral reaction saying she "gotta get up" when the First Lady says ******* o. Many viewers agreed, saying standing would have been the polite thing to do. "When the Premier Dame from France Talks to You please get up," one Instagram user wrote. Another commenter, who said she loves Zendaya, noted that American culture seems more relaxed about formalities than others.
Others came to her defense. Some fans suggested she may have been caught off guard, pointing out that the greeting was quick and unplanned. A few added that a busy front row at a fashion show isn't exactly a formal setting, and that Zendaya came across as gracious and polite throughout. Neither Zendaya nor Macron has addressed the reactions yet. For the unversed, Zendaya is a Louis Vuitton ambassador and a regular at the brand's Paris shows.

#hello #louis #show #front

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson debated for the first time Tuesday in Maine, trading attacks over President Donald Trump, the cost of living and abortion in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.
Maine is central to Democrats’ path to the Senate majority as they try to capitalize on Trump’s unpopularity. Jackson tried to do just that Tuesday by tying Collins to Trump, name-checking him at least 20 times in one hour of debating on WGME-TV.
“It matters who you stand with,” Jackson said in his opening statement. “I don’t owe Donald Trump and the billionaires anything. I don’t fight for billionaires like she does.”
Collins, meanwhile, emphasized multiple instances when she opposed the Trump administration.
She also sought to localize the race and pitch her seniority — and her perch as chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee — as a boost to Maine. She touted $1.5 billion in federal funds that she has brought home to the state for 672 projects in the last five years, “from Madawaksa to Kittery, from Eastport to Rumford.”

#maine #tuesday #donald #susan

Every year, RealClear Media Fund presents the Samizdat Prize - the "Sami" for short - an award for individuals who have courageously resisted censorship and stood for the principles of the First Amendment.
Why do we do this? Because we get the future that we praise today.
We are pleased to announce one of 2027's honorees: Gad Saad, professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author of the new best-selling book "Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind."
Gad, originally from Lebanon, is a long-time Canadian professor, having taught at Concordia University for over 30 years, author of myriad books and scientific papers on evolutionary psychology and human behavior, and host of "The Saad Truth" podcast, which focuses on such themes as intellectual diversity, modern day thought policing, and the current state of political correctness.
In his 2020 best-selling book "The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense," Professor Saad unabashedly defends the Western tradition of open debate and Socratic dialogue. He does this in an age of university-sponsored safe ***** es, trigger warnings, and censorship.

#university #evolutionary #author #book

A recent candid photo of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry going on a lunch date has sparked fresh debate online. The images show the couple holding hands in the Cotswolds, and while most saw a normal couple spending time together, one commentator sees something else in them. He questions how the pictures came about and what they might signal about the Sussexes.
Commentator Link Lauren shared his views in a video clip posted on X where he spoke about the couple's "romantic pub date" and their "first photos together since UK return." Lauren questioned how the photos were taken. "You want me to believe that a photographer just happened to catch you on a little date night in the Cotswolds?" he asked. He said Meghan Markle "allegedly" arranges such moments and also remarked that her face looked "a little bit facetuned."
He then offered his own theory. In his view, the couple licensed the pictures to an agency. "That's what I believe," he said. The commentator also looked at the photographer's website. He said it invites visitors to "earn money" by sending in celebrity photos, videos, and tips. He went on to suggest that Meghan may have even worked with the photographer.
The source noted his interpretation of the strain between the couple. Lauren pointed to Prince Harry's schedule, saying that the Duke of Sussex has appeared at several charity events without Meghan in recent times. "It's pretty much known across the UK at this point in aristocratic circles and the press. They are conscious uncoupling," he claimed.
As a result, Lauren argued that the hand-holding photos were a response to this. Meghan, he said, wanted to be seen "staking her claim" over her husband. Lauren also pointed to the couple's reported plans to split time between the UK and the US. He said that this arrangement made the public display of unity more notable.

#photos #date #prince

Second Lady Usha Vance's scary moment exiting a helicopter with her newborn has sparked a heated debate online. Fans raised concerns about the incident and questioned why no one stepped in to help.
Second Lady Usha Vance nearly stumbled while exiting the Marine Two helicopter at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Monday, Oct. 5, PEOPLE reported. She had 10-week-old son Alec Neel Vance strapped to her chest in a baby carrier. Vance also carried a large leather diaper bag as she descended the aircraft's staircase.
She grabbed the railing after missing a step and quickly regained her balance. She then turned back toward the helicopter's entrance to reassure those nearby. According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, Usha told nearby officers, "I'm okay, and he's fine… thank you" (via The Mirror).
Vice President JD Vance followed her down the stairs moments later. He carried their four-year-old daughter, Mirabel, and did not appear to notice the incident. The family traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, for a Republican National Committee rally supporting Senator Dan Sullivan's reelection campaign.
The video quickly went viral on X (formerly Twitter), sparking safety concerns and criticism. One user questioned why no one intervened, writing, "Did ******* ody notice that Usha Vance is carrying a 9-week-old baby and a huge leather diaper bag, and she nearly FALLS down the stairs of Marine 2? The Air Force officers didn't move to help her, and her husband barely even acknowledges her."

#exiting #concerns #questioned

Sydney Sweeney recently found herself again at the center of a heated public conversation, this time over a provocative campaign that has divided opinions across sports and Hollywood.
What began as an advertisement for sports betting platform Novig quickly became a much bigger debate about women, sports, and the use of ***** appeal in advertising.
While some familiar names have been willing to make their feelings known, the silence of her former "Euphoria" costar, Zendaya, on the controversy has not gone unnoticed.
Image Press Agency / MEGA
As criticism continues to follow Sweeney's Novig campaign, Zendaya has chosen not to publicly join the conversation.

#sports #novig

The failed execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee on Wednesday has added new fuel to the longstanding debate over the death penalty in the United States. It has also drawn new scrutiny to the question of whether lethal injection, the nation's primary method of execution for the past 40 years, is truly a "more humane" alternative to other ways of putting someone to death.
Pike was given a death sentence in 1996 after being convicted of killing her classmate, Colleen Slemmer, in an attack she carried out with her then boyfriend. After 30 years on death row, and a last-minute legal battle that temporarily delayed her execution, Pike was scheduled to be put to death on Wednesday night.
However, the two doses of pentobarbital she was given proved not to be fatal. According to witnesses, Pike remained alive and snored loudly for 40 minutes after the drugs were administered. Eventually, the execution was called off and she was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Pike's attorney Randy Spivey reported Thursday afternoon that she was in critical condition and receiving "life-saving care." She was unconscious and placed on a ventilator in the hospital, according to a filing by her legal team on Friday.
Spivey admonished the state for going forward with lethal injection despite his warnings ahead of time that a blood-clotting disorder called thrombocytosis "would cause her to suffer an agonizing death." Pike's attorneys had asked the courts to permit her to die by hanging, but the request was denied.

#pike #years #given

A quiet pub lunch for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has created considerably more noise online. The Duke and ****** ss of Sussex were photographed holding hands while walking to a historic Cotswolds pub during their latest stay in Britain. Although the couple reportedly behaved like ordinary customers once inside, their photographed arrival quickly became the focus of a heated debate. Critics accused the Sussexes of importing a "Hollywood circus" into the picturesque English countryside, while others questioned why two private citizens grabbing lunch had become news at all.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Harry and Meghan were photographed heading to The Falkland Arms in Great Tew, Oxfordshire, on October 1, marking their first joint public outing in Britain since returning to the country. According to The Sun, the couple held hands as they approached the traditional 16th-century pub. Meghan wore an all-black ensemble with contrasting white shoes, while Harry dressed casually in jeans and a jacket. He completed his outfit with a Santa Barbara Fire Department baseball cap. Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, were reportedly at school during the outing. The couple apparently opted for hearty British dishes once inside. Meghan reportedly ordered gluten-free beer-battered haddock and chips with mushy peas and tartare sauce, while Harry selected chicken, ham and leek pie served with mashed potatoes, greens and gravy.
MEGA
The cozy outing drew a considerably less welcoming response from some social-media users.

#reportedly

Savannah James, entrepreneur and wife of billionaire basketball player LeBron James, is at the center of a viral social media debate about wealth and generosity after revealing that her long-time best friend flies in business class or coach while James sits in first class on trips they take together, dividing the internet over what the super wealthy should pay for among friends.
April McDaniel and Savannah James on May 17, 2025.
James, who owns a skincare brand and whose husband is worth an estimated $1.4 billion, and her best friend April McDaniel spoke to the "Mental Wealth" podcast about how their extreme difference in wealth impacts their friendship.
McDaniel, who owns a marketing agency called Crown + Conquer, said the pair live "two different lifestyles" and that she doesn't expect to fly in first class seats with James because "that's not in my budget."
McDaniel also said she and James plan trips around how she can make it work financially—"we don't just show up at Fashion Week week-of," she said.

#mcdaniel #class #week #friend

OpenAI has fired three researchers for allegedly mishandling information, including work that involved an external organisation that ****** yses artificial intelligence (AI) models.
"Our investigation confirmed that these individuals mishandled sensitive information outside established company procedures, violating our policies and breaking the trust essential to our work," a spokesperson told the BBC.
The ChatGPT-maker did not name the sacked workers, but at least two of them were involved in safety research at the firm.
The firings come as the debate over AI safety and the risks the technology may pose to humanity has intensified in recent weeks.
"We have parted ways with three individuals for violating our policies on accessing and handling sensitive company information," OpenAI's spokesperson said.

#involved #individuals

Is there any investment market segment more debated than gold (XAUUSD)? I'm not sure there is. We have "gold bugs," including those who see the yellow metal as the ***** et to own when the world goes haywire.
Then, there are the "we're going back on the gold standard" types. The ones that preceded crypto bros in believing fiat currencies weren't for this world. It follows that gold would return to its former role as the reserve currency.
Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market ***** ysis you won't find anywhere else.
Of course, there are also plenty of investors who don't really think about gold investing very much, and who will simply trade it when there's a good opportunity. I'm in this camp.
Financial media pundits routinely tout gold as some sort of bulletproof allocation. Inflation worries? Own gold. Currency debasement? Own gold. Want your kitchen to be decorated like the Oval Office? You'll need a lot of gold.

#Gold #free #barchart #brief

Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang is challenging the people warning that AI could end humanity, suggesting their alarming predictions may serve another purpose.
Speaking with CBS News, Huang rejected the 'AI apocalypse' debate and questioned the motives behind those spreading that fear, adding a sharper edge to an increasingly public industry split.
OpenAI and Anthropic leaders, alongside Elon Musk, have backed calls to slow advanced AI development over safety concerns and fears that the technology might be advancing quicker than companies can control it, as reported by Financial Times.
For Nvidia investors, that debate carries financial weight. Shares have returned 20% year-to-date and 23% over the six months, according to Seeking Alpha data.
A coordinated slowdown could complicate the spending boom supporting its chip business. Huang's response, however, reaches beyond defending continued investment.

#NVIDIA #anthropic

For custom chip designer Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), the debate is all about whether the demand for AI products will sustain and grow. It is among the few firms capable of designing custom AI chips that big technology firms rely on to supplement NVIDIA's high-power and expensive AI chips. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's latest remarks about the need to slow down AI development due to safety concerns have generated quite a buzz, and Cramer discussed what Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO)'s CEO told him when asked about AI infrastructure development losing traction:
"What's refuted by Hock Tan, of course, maybe Hock Tan is one of the biggest providers of semis, other than NVIDIA, and when I asked him about, give me a prediction about the AI slowdown, would there be one, he said, not in the least. We see the demand for compute infrastructure for development of AI and inference as extremely strong and durable. So I know those stocks were the most heavily hammered, other than the fiber stocks. But David, when you listen to what Hock Tan said last night on Mad Money, you are inclined to do buying.
"I think David, you recognize, and a lot of people don't, when you're speaking about Hock Tan, whom I had on, you're talking about a 1.6 trillion dollar company. This isn't just someone. . .worried about what orders are going to be. . .this man has more orders than almost anybody other than Jensen Huang. So I think Carl, when we get very, very negative we still have to rely on the facts And the facts do not support there are some people who are very worried about mankind, I did not get the mankind worry when I spoke yesterday."
The CNBC TV host's remarks about Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) sit right at the center of the debate for the firm. This debate is about whether it will be able to continue to capture additional orders for custom AI chips. Looking at the third quarter earnings, released on September 2nd, the growth narrative appears to be quite strong.
It boosts Cramer's claims of Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) experiencing strong orders, as during the quarter, the firm's revenue grew by 86%, AI semiconductor revenue jumped by 221% and fiscal year 2026 guidance implied 186% annual AI revenue growth. Not to mention, CEO Tan reaffirmed that Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) could pull in $115 billion in annual AI chip sales in 2027 and a whopping $230 billion in 2028.

#orders #debate #strong

GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) is one of Jim Cramer's favorite stocks. Throughout 2025, the CNBC TV host continued to heap praise on the firm. Cramer's praise came at a time when new-age nuclear power and quantum computing stocks were experiencing strong gains. Throughout this period, he continued to **** ert that GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) was the only nuclear firm with a stable delivery timeline and the capacity to deliver. In his morning appearance on the 15th, Cramer discussed the recent dip in shares and worries about a slowdown in the AI buildout:
"One company, GE Vernova, which was hit incredibly hard, which actually builds these, was saying they're seeing an order acceleration. So I really doubt the idea there's going to be a decel. Now that stock got hammered yesterday, it's been a horrendous stock since we started getting this political controversy. But again I point out that you just hear no one say anything about pullback."
For GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV), as perhaps indicated by the share price movement, the narrative is driven by its backlog and overall exposure to AI's power generation demand. On this front, CEO Scott Strazik, another Cramer favorite, outlined during the firm's second quarter earnings that data center orders of $5 billion for H1 2026 had already doubled over the full year 2025 figures. Additionally, during Q2, the firm's total orders touched $24 billion to mark an 88% growth driven by its Power and Electrification segment. As a whole, GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV)'s Q2 revenue grew by 22% annually, while its overall backlog and electrification backlogs sat at $176 billion and $446 billion.
At the same time, with GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) also relying on gas turbines for its business, the debate is also about whether exposure to AI can remove the inherent cyclicality in the business. Additionally, with data centers accounting for 40% of the Electrification business's orders, any slowdown in capex spending by big tech players could generate tailwinds for GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV). Similarly, while the data center business is booming and the gas generation business remains tied to prices and interest rates, the firm's wind business is a drag and expected to hurt the bottom line throughout 2026.
In Q2, 106 out of the 1,006 funds tracked by Insider Monkey had held a stake in GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV), which marked a dip over the 118 out of 1,022 funds in Q1. Whether the dip was due to the order mix and AI sentiment or due to profit taking, your guess is as good as ours. On the valuation front, GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:GEV) trades at a forward P/E ratio of 35, while short interest as a percentage of float is 3.29%.

#vernova #business #throughout #data

Cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)'s shares are up by more than 100% year to date. With AI continuing to dominate the market narrative, the firm has found itself at the center of the industry's concerns about cybersecurity. While some, such as Anthropic's Dario Amodei, have claimed that their AI software is sufficient for cybersecurity purposes, others have argued that firms such as CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) will play a key role in the industry. Cramer is in the latter camp, and in his morning appearance on September 15th, the CNBC TV host discussed the recent discussions about AI being a threat:
"I had George Kurtz last night, who has partnered both with OpenAI and Anthropic. And he encouraged me to say look, they are doing a lot of things about safeguards. I think he was so much surprised, that there was so much doomsaying, of course, doomsaying being heavily refuted. Now there's a stock, remember that stock was up the most of any stock in the S&P."
While Cramer believes CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) will play an important role in cybersecurity in the AI era, the broader debate about the firm is about its AI-driven cybersecurity initiatives and whether they are sufficient to stay competitive and justify the eye-watering share price performance. On this front, the firm's annual recurring revenue (ARR) grew by 25% and net new ARR grew by 55% in its fiscal second quarter. Additionally, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)'s net new ARR set a new record of $333 million. Cramer's bullishness on the firm is also matched by others, such as ******* ysts from Argus. Argus has set a $425 share price target for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) and argued that growth in agentic AI use presents a major tailwind for the firm.
Yet, in a classic case of the bigger you are, the harder you fall, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)'s massive growth creates risk. For its fiscal second quarter, the firm has guided net new ARR to range between $343 million and $347 million to imply growth ranging between 29% to 31%. Considering that the metric grew by 55% in Q1, the new figures do indicate a slowdown. As for catalysts from agentic AI, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)'s next-gen SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) ending ARR grew by 60% to $695 million in the second quarter.
Hedge fund interest in CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) grew in Q2. According to Insider Monkey's data, 89 out of 1,006 funds had held a stake in the firm during the period. This marked a jump over the 89 out of the 1,022 funds in Q1. As for valuation, CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD)'s forward P/E ratio of 188 is significantly higher than peer firm Palo Alto's 89 which should increase the pressure to maintain growth. Short interest as a percentage of float is 2.41% for CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWD) compared to 2.65% for Palo Alto.

#NASDAQ #firm #grew

XRP shook off a sharp regulatory setback this week, climbing more than 7% over 24 hours to trade near $1.39 after briefly touching lows around $1.27.
The rebound followed a rocky 48 hours that combined a failed Senate vote with the Federal Reserve's first rate hike since 2023.
Cloture is the Senate procedure required to end debate and move a bill toward a final vote, needing 60 senators to succeed. On September 15, the CLARITY Act fell short in a narrow 50-49 tally, missing that threshold and stalling a proposed federal framework for digital **** ets.
XRP dropped more than 8% in the immediate aftermath, touching lows near $1.27 to $1.28. Pressure intensified the next day when the Fed raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.75% to 4.00%, a move that typically weighs on risk **** ets broadly.
The sell-off, however, proved short-lived. XRP has since rebounded to $1.39, up 7.23% over 24 hours, even as the token slipped slightly by 0.30% in the past hour. Trading volume held near $3.9 billion, close to its 30-day average, suggesting genuine buying rather than thin, low-liquidity trading.

#near #senate #since

On September 15, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) announced that it had bought McMillan Insurance & Bonding Inc., an Englewood, Colorado, firm that operates as Innovise Business Consultants. Gallagher did not say what it paid. On its own, the deal is a footnote. But it is one of many, and the way those deals show up in earnings is where the debate over this stock really lives.
On July 30, Gallagher reported results for the quarter ended June 30, and the top line was hard to argue with. Revenue from its combined Brokerage and Risk Management businesses grew 24%, and organic growth, which leaves out acquisitions, was 6%. That second number shows clients are staying and spending. It was not confined to one corner, either, since organic fees in the risk management arm rose 12%. Management adds that retention is strong and customers want broader help from the platform. Adjusted earnings per share climbed to $2.84 from $2.30, which means growth is reaching profit once one-time acquisition costs are set aside.
Innovise fits the pattern. It sells surety bonds and commercial insurance brokerage with a focus on manufacturing, energy, construction and real estate, and Chairman and CEO J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. said that niche expertise adds depth in Colorado. Jason McMillan's team will move into Gallagher's Denver office and work under Bret VanderVoort, who oversees retail property/casualty brokerage for the Western Zone. Buying specialists and folding them into existing offices is a repeatable playbook, and Gallagher closed 14 brokerage acquisitions in the first six months of 2026.
Now look at reported earnings, because that is where you see the cost. Diluted earnings per share fell to $1.25, from $1.40 in the second quarter of 2025, even though revenue jumped. Much of the gap between reported and adjusted results is the price of buying growth. Amortization of acquired intangibles alone weighs on brokerage net earnings by $218 million, up from $130 million a year ago, and integration costs rose as well. Adjusted figures set those aside, but they are real expenses, and they keep landing as long as Gallagher keeps buying.
Margins tell a similar story. The brokerage segment's adjusted EBITDAC margin, a stand-in for operating profit, slipped to 33.3% from 36.1%. Gallagher points to last year's interest income on cash raised for the ***** uredPartners deal, which closed in the third quarter of 2025, plus seasonality and newly added tuck-ins. That is a fair explanation. But the debt behind the deal is still here, including $9.55 billion of public debt, plus more in private placements and on a credit line. And the deal flow is thinner: brokerage acquisitions closed in the first six months of 2026 carried $107 million of annualized revenue, versus $354 million a year earlier, which puts more weight on organic growth.

#Growth

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September is famously the worst month for stocks on average, a phenomenon that has been heavily debated and attributed to tax-loss selling or parents liquidating ******* ets for back-to-school costs. The so-called September Effect has also been dismissed as totally meaningless.
Putting the market psychology aside, this September has given markets plenty of reason to reinforce the stereotype: oil prices on a war-fueled incline, rising AI apocalypse anxiety and, of course, this week's interest-rate hike. Some ******* ysts believe that, while the September Effect may be in full swing this year, there is still time for a positive October (and later) surprise.
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READ ALSO: SEC Greenlights Tokenized Stocks After Clarity Act Fails in Senate and Fed Raises Interest Rates for First Time in Three Years as Diesel, Gas Prices Surge

#interest

Amazon (AMZN) has spent the bulk of 2026 giving investors tons to debate, from its growing cloud business to the enormous bill for its AI ambitions. Now, it's putting another spending decision in the spotlight, one that goes directly into workers' household budgets.
Amazon has announced more than $1.5 billion in higher pay for U.S. operations employees, alongside benefits aimed at everyday expenses.
For workers, the appeal is the obvious, immediate financial breathing room.
For Amazon, the calculation goes further. Keeping experienced employees helps the business built around getting orders to doorsteps a lot quickly. The details point to how Amazon is trying to make those interests meet, even as its broader efficiency push leaves questions about job security.
For perspective, Amazon's pay ******* p adds $2,080 to an eligible worker's annual earnings before taxes, ******* uming 40 paid hours weekly for 52 weeks.

#amazon #goes #employees #amzn