It's a tough job. But somebody's gotta do it.
Step right up, Michele Meyer-Shipp.
Nearly five months ago, Meyer-Shipp replaced Rod Graves as executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance (FPA), an independent organization that promotes and monitors minority hiring for head coaching roles and other high-level positions in the NFL.
Yeah, that NFL. The one where Black coaches were 1-for-18 in landing the top jobs over the past two hiring cycles. The one that is a defendant, along with several teams, in a class-action lawsuit brought forth by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and two former coaches alleging racial discrimination. The one under attack from the Florida attorney general, aiming to wipe out the Rooney Rule, which ties so closely to the FPA's mission.
The challenges for Meyer-Shipp come from multiple directions, with multiple layers, against the political winds of the anti-DEI movement pushed by the highest levels of government.

#graves

The Indiana State athletic department announced a $300,000 donation to the men's basketball program from the Wilkinson family Thursday.
The commitment will directly enhance the student-athlete experience by providing critical resources that support the continued growth and success of the men's basketball program.
"This investment from the Wilkinson family will have an immediate impact on the student-athlete experience within our basketball program," Indiana State vice president and director of athletics Nathan Christensen said. "We are appreciative of everything the Wilkinson family has done and continues to do to help elevate Indiana State men's basketball."
In a press release by the program, coach Matthew Graves said he was grateful for the support of the Wilkinson family with their commitment to the program.
"When we sat down with Leslie, she wanted to know which areas would have the greatest impact on our players and our program," Graves said. "With her generous support, we were able to address these needs, which will ultimately elevate our men's basketball program and provide an exceptional student-athlete experience."

#wilkinson #indiana #family #experience

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 17: Intercontinental Champion John Cena during Monday Night RAW at Madison Square Garden on November 17, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)
Unreal is such a perfect name for the show.
WWE Unreal Season 3 is the latest pro wrestling curtain jerk highlighting the real lives, trials, make-up routines (so much make-up), injuries and wardrobe changes of today's World Wrestling Entertainment superstars.
Brief disclaimer: I'm a mark, a very happy mark. I was raised on Mid-South wrestling and the UWF. I have been to the Von Erich (Adkisson) gravesites. I have worn the face paint of my favorite wrestler. My college roommate can recite the history of the Brass Knuckles championships (yes, it was a real ******* le). I enjoyed it then. I enjoy it now. I will continue to enjoy it in the future.
While Unreal proclaims to break kayfabe – the old-fashioned term where we pretend like it's all real – in reality, WWE Unreal shows fans what WWE wants to be real.

#york #real #november #champion

Rosie O'Donnell has revealed why she and Madonna are 'like sisters.'
The comedian has recalled her first meeting with the Queen of Pop, admitting they became friends after bonding about an unusual thing in common.
"I had just seen Truth or Dare (Madonna's 1991 documentary film), and I had never met another woman whose mother died and they're named after their mother and then when you go to the gravesite, you see your name on the tombstone," the 64-year-old told People magazine.
"The first thing I said was, 'My mom died when I was young and I was named after her too,' and it was like we became sisters at that moment," Rosie said.
The two women remain friends to this day, with O'Donnell telling that they enjoy sharing details about their families with each other. "We talk about the kids," she said. "We just hang out when she's in New York."
She added, "I have to say Madonna has done one ****** of a job raising those children. She ran a very tight ship and I had a very not tight ship. Her kids, Lola and Rocco, would come over for a playdate when they were little and as soon as she left, I would give them an ice pop and turn on the cartoons. They didn't get to watch TV. But she's an amazing mother and those kids are concert pianists and artists and singers. She is pretty phenomenal. And a motherless daughter, even younger than I was when her mother died."

#kids #o 'donnell #sisters

Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE:BHVN) is one of the 10 Best Performing American Stocks in June 2026.
On June 30, 2026, Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE:BHVN) announced the completion of enrollment in RISE3, a pivotal Phase 2/3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating opakalim for refractory focal epilepsy. Opakalim is Biohaven's selective Kv7.2/7.3 channel activator, and top-line results from the study are expected in 2H 2026.
On June 29, Biohaven announced enrollment of the first patient in the pivotal Phase 3 trial of BHV-1300 for Graves' disease. BHV-1300 is the first MoDE extracellular protein degrader, described by the company as a novel small molecule IgG1, 2, and 4 degrader that uses the body's clearance machinery to eliminate the IgG1 TSHR autoantibody driving Graves' disease.
On June 26, Deutsche Bank raised the firm's price target on Biohaven to $20 from $15 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. Deutsche Bank said the company's troriluzole in spinocerebellar ataxia could be the next beneficiary of recent FDA reversals.
Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz/Shutterstock.com

We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Innovative Healthcare Stocks to Buy Now. Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRNX) is one of the best healthcare stocks on our list.
TheFly reported on July 2 that UBS ******* yst Ashwani Verma initiated coverage of CRNX with a Buy rating and a $55 price target. The ******* yst noted that the stock's 44% decline since mid-January presents an appealing opportunity for investors. UBS highlighted CRNX's pipeline as having multiple potential catalysts, supported by programs with strong chances of clinical success. The firm expressed the highest confidence in the Phase 3 atumelnant program for congenital adrenal hyperplasia and projects peak sales potential of approximately $2.0 billion.
In other news, on July 6, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRNX) announced a definitive agreement under which Vertex will acquire Crinetics for $85.00 per share in cash, representing an equity value of approximately $10 billion, or about $8.8 billion after accounting for estimated acquired cash. The transaction received unanimous approval from both companies' boards and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. Vertex stated that CRNX's endocrine-focused portfolio, including PALSONIFY and atumelnant, aligns with its strategy of developing transformative medicines for diseases with significant unmet needs. The acquisition is expected to support Vertex's revenue growth, with the combined ******* ets projected to provide more than $5 billion in potential peak annual revenue.
Crinteics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRNX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing oral, non-peptide therapies for endocrine diseases and tumors by targeting G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Its key programs include PALSONIFY (paltusotine), an FDA- and EMA-approved oral treatment for acromegaly; atremelnant, a Phase 3 therapy for congenital adrenal hyperplasia and Cushing's syndrome; and a pipeline targeting conditions such as Graves' disease, obesity, and other endocrine disorders, and this is what makes the company innovative.
While we acknowledge the potential of CRNX as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

By Sarah Kinosian, Vivian Sequera and Julia Symmes Cobb
CATIA LA MAR/BOGOTA, July 7 (Reuters) - At the La Esperanza cemetery in western Venezuela, local volunteers have been digging graves for victims of the country's devastating twin earthquakes last month, unloading coffins and helping families search ‌for loved ones.
In the hills above the hard-hit town of Catia la Mar, local volunteers working alongside some cemetery workers have buried 314 people ‌at La Esperanza cemetery, community council head Elis Zabala, 33, said on Tuesday.
About 100 of the people who were buried are identified only by a number linked to morgue records.
"We put our heart and soul into it, but I feel tired," said Zabala, adding that the volunteers are exhausted. Many in the community also need aid like fuel, medicine, water and food.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mid-Major fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
We’ve hit NBA Summer League season. While there have been a few games the last couple of days, Summer League starts in earnest in Las Vegas on Thursday.
There were two players drafted straight from mid-major programs last month: Allen Graves from Santa Clara and Izaiyah Nelson, most recently from South Florida. So, which one of them will have a better performance at Summer League?
Graves was the only player taken directly from a mid-major squad (Santa Clara) in the first round when the Raptors selected him 19th overall.
The redshirt freshman made the most of his one season hitting the court and won both WCC Freshman and Sixth Man of the Year. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.8 ******* ists and 0.9 blocks per game over 22.6 minutes a night. He scored double digits in all but one game since Jan. 4, which included a 30-point performance at Washington State.

ROME (AP) — The traditionalist Catholics who defied Pope Leo XIV and caused a schism defended their actions Friday, insisting they were merely saving souls and were victim of an unjust sanction by the Holy See.
The head of the Society of St. Pius X wrote to Leo a day after the Vatican excommunicated the group's bishops and priests and warned its faithful they too could be excommunicated for participating in the schism, or rupture in church unity.
The society, known as SSPX, celebrates the ancient Latin Mass and opposes the modernizing reforms of the Catholic Church. On Wednesday, it consecrated four new bishops without papal consent during a massive ceremony at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland, committing one of the gravest crimes in church law.
Leo had begged the SSPX not go ahead with the ceremony, but the SSPX defied his will. Within 24 hours, the Vatican declared an exceptionally harsh punishment that surprised even the SSPX's toughest critics.
In his letter to Leo, the SSPX superior, the Rev. Davide Pagliarani cast the SSPX as the defiant guardian of the church's tradition and the victim of an unjust sanction by Rome.

No arrests have been made in the investigation of a no-kill animal rescue in Northern California, where authorities said they recovered more than 100 dog remains, many of which showed evidence of bullet fragments.
The investigation began after "two concerned citizens" reported allegations of felony animal abuse and potential fraud involving Miranda's Rescue in Fortuna, California, on April 22, according to Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal. Those citizens told authorities they believed dogs were being buried in a field behind the facility and later turned over eight deceased dogs they had recovered from the property, the sheriff said.
"Miranda's Rescue advertises itself as an animal sanctuary and entered into agreements with animal shelters and rescue organizations to provide a place where animals could either be adopted out or live out their lives in the sanctuary," Honsal said at a news conference June 29.
"The allegations in this case are Miranda's Rescue received money for animal placements, but later euthanized (the animals) and (they) were not adopted out or allowed to live out their lives in their sanctuary as represented," he added.
Authorities served a search warrant at the rescue on May 1, seizing electronics, business records, financial records, firearms, and other evidence, according to the sheriff. Investigators later conducted a second search warrant operation on June 23 that included excavating portions of the property for evidence of dogs buried in mass graves.

Why Raptors drafted Allen Graves after he was a bench player at Santa Clara originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Raptors ended up staying put at No. 19 in the 2026 NBA Draft.
And with their first-round selection, they chose Allen Graves -- who was a bench player at Santa Clara.
It's a bit confusing on paper, because how can a player go from being sixth man at Santa Clara to being a first-round NBA Draft pick?
Well, you have to be Graves.

Allen Graves is the darling of the 2026 NBA Draft. Or at least that is the point of view of the hosts of the "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, who took a closer look at the prospective forward's fit with the Boston Celtics and their No. 27 overall pick of the first round.
The 19-year-old swingman weighs in at 226 lbs. and stands at 6-foot-9 as a 3-and-D option who might be an ideal add for Boston in the first round. In his last season at Santa Clara, Graves put up 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 ****** ists, just under a block and 1.9 steals per game. And he shot 51.2 percent from the field overall, 41.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 75.0 percent from the free throw line in 2025-26.
Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about Graves fit with the Celtics as a draft target.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp

On the eve of the NBA Draft, Kevin O'Connor interviews prospects Darryn Peterson, Aday Mara, Keaton Wagler, Brayden Burries, Christian Anderson, Allen Graves and Dailyn Swain.
KOC also shares the latest on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors and Trae Young's new contract with the Wizards.
(0:50) Giannis trade updates
(4:57) Trae Young signs contract with Wizards
(6:38) Darryn Peterson joins the show

IOWA CITY — It's no secret that Iowa football’s defensive line lost some major pieces from last season.
The top five tacklers on that unit — Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, Max Llewellyn, Jonah Pace and Brian Allen — are no longer with the team.
And it's not just tackles, but a more specific area, that the Hawkeyes need to replenish.
Sacks.
Iowa’s top four sack leaders from last season have departed — with the first three coming from the defensive line. The fourth, Karson Sharar, applied pressure from the linebacker position, totaling four sacks last season before being selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 NFL Draft.

More than a year after Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead inside their Santa Fe home, the National Enquirer can confirm that the couple's graves have finally been marked with headstones.
Hackman's plaque describes the Oscar winner as a "Husband, Father, Artist," while Arakawa's remembers her as a "Beloved Wife, A Beautiful Soul."
As the National Enquirer previously reported, the pair's graves were initially only marked by a conch shell. At the time, Hackman's three adult children – Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie – were involved in an ongoing dispute regarding his estate. The graves remained unmarked as the legal battle played out.
Earlier this year, Page Six reported that the case remains ongoing.
The Hoosiers star and Arakawa were found dead after a welfare check on February 26, 2025. At first, there was speculation they died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, a gas leak or foul play. Investigators ultimately ruled those theories out after determining there were no signs of foul play and both tested negative for carbon monoxide.

In 2002, evolutionary biologist Jenny Graves shared a controversial calculation. The human Y chromosome, she wrote two years later in a commentary, "is running out of time."
The male-determining **** chromosome has lost 97 percent of its ancestral genes in the last 300 million years. If that rate continues, Graves calculated, it could vanish in several million more.
The doomed fate of the Y chromosome quickly took the media by storm, in many cases without the nuance Graves had intended.
Related: Many Men Lose Y Chromosomes as They Age. Now We May Know Why It's So Deadly
Her evolutionary m

‘Oh my God, this is our Tanzania’: CNN investigation shows police fatally shooting protesters, signs of mass graves

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story contains disturbing images.
In the chaotic aftermath of Tanzania’s disputed presidential election last month, police and gun-wielding men on patrol shot at groups of protesters, many of whom appeared unarmed or were holding only rocks and sticks, a CNN investigation has found.
Geolocated videos from the scenes, audio forensic **** ysis of the shots fired and first-hand accounts from witnesses and victims document the brutality unleashed on young de