John Frieda, the celebrity hairstylist whose eponymous product range — its beloved Frizz Ease serum, especially — proved a commercial sensation, has died aged 75.
The British entrepreneur, who counted Madonna and Princess Diana among his clients, died "peacefully" and "surrounded by his family," according to a statement posted to his Instagram by his London salon on Wednesday.
"His talent and passion touched so many, and his legacy will live on in every single one of us," the statement added, describing Frieda as "a true icon of the hair industry." His stepdaughter Agnelli Lagrange also confirmed the news on social media, where she called him "the best man to ever exist." Neither statement specified a cause of death.
The son of a hairdresser (and the grandson of a barber), Frieda was born Alan Howard Frieda in London in 1951. He started going by the name John after joining London's famous House of Leonard, because the salon already employed an Alan.
British actress Joanna Lumley sporting John Frieda's signature 1970s hairstyle, named the "Purdey" after her character in "The New Avengers." - John Paul/TV Times/Getty Images

#statement #ease

Joan Crawford's rivalries in Hollywood are well documented, with much attention paid to her rivalry with Bette Davis
In the introduction to Jungle Red! The Making of MGM's The Women, friend and film historian Jeanine Basinger dismisses the notion that Davis was Crawford's most significant adversary, pointing instead to Norma Shearer
Basinger and author Illeana Douglas explore the complex dynamic between Crawford and Shearer in the deep-dive on the film
Jeanine Basinger's unique friendship with Joan Crawford has left her with particular insights about the star's life behind the scenes.
Basinger writes the introduction for Illeana Douglas's book, Jungle Red! The Making of MGM's The Women, where she talks about Crawford's role in the 1939 comedy. The film historian touches on Crawford's feud with Norma Shearer on the set and compares it to one of Crawford's most well-known rivalries.

#basinger #film #jeanine

FC Barcelona completed their final training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Friday. The Blaugrana are putting the finishing touches to their tactical preparations before hosting Deportivo Alavés in another crucial league fixture, especially after the heavy blow suffered in El Clásico.
The main news from the training ground was the confirmed absence of Jules Koundé. The French defender did not join the rest of the squad for training and has been ruled out of the match against the Vitoria-based side.
The full-back joins an already lengthy injury list. Players including Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen, Xavi Espart, Dani Olmo and Roony Bardghji continue their recovery programmes away from the main group.
With so many players unavailable, the coaching staff have had to reorganise the defence and midfield. Tactical changes to the starting line-up are expected to keep the team competitive.
All eyes now turn to the press room. German coach Hansi Flick will address the media at 13:00 to preview the match and ******* s the squad's fitness.

#training #players

Arsenal are preparing to launch negotiations over an extended deal for first-choice goalkeeper David Raya despite the Spaniard recently admitting he would like to play in his homeland one day. Meanwhile, neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid are expected to make an imminent move for the 31-year-old shot-stopper in upcoming transfer windows.
According to Football Insider, the north London hierarchy want to tie their Spanish custodian down beyond his current 2028 expiration date to fend off any future interest from La Liga. Speculation linking him with Spain's two biggest clubs emerged after he told Spanish media last week that he hopes to play in his native top flight eventually. However, the goalkeeper insisted in the same interview that he remains content at the Emirates Stadium.
Having silenced initial sceptics following his move from Brentford to establish himself as the Premier League's standout goalkeeper in recent seasons, Raya registered his fifth clean sheet in eight top-flight outings against Everton last weekend before narrowly losing out on Monday's Yashin Trophy to international team-mate Unai Simon.
Explaining why a switch to Spain is unlikely soon on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O'Rourke said: "If he were to leave ******* nal, there's no immediate opening for one of the big boys in Spain right now as well. Barcelona have got Joan Garcia, and it looks like Courtois is going to sign a new contract at Real Madrid as well, so I don't see any opening for David Raya right now.
"The player is happy at ******* nal, and obviously ******* nal are very happy with him, so I think any potential move back to his native Spain will be probably on the back burner for a while just yet."

#spain #insider

Watch: 'I made the wrong decision,' Hyrox athlete Joanna Wietrzyk tells BBC
An Australian athlete has admitted putting others at risk by continuing to race after soiling herself during an endurance sports event.
Speaking exclusively to the BBC ahead of her return to the sport, Joanna Wietrzyk suggested her determination to win the Hyrox race in Beijing in September had clouded her judgement: "It was my decision to continue racing so I take full responsibility for that."
Challenged over why she carried on, she said: "I didn't really think about those around me… the decision that I made in hindsight was the wrong decision and I'm truly sorry for everyone that I did affect."
The 24-year-old said that the experience and subsequent backlash was "traumatic". She also said she had considered walking away from the sport, in which she holds a world record.

#hyrox #athlete #race

An Australian athlete has admitted putting others at risk by continuing to race after soiling herself during an endurance sports event.
Speaking exclusively to the BBC ahead of her return to the sport, Joanna Wietrzyk suggested her determination to win the Hyrox race in Beijing in September had clouded her judgement: "It was my decision to continue racing so I take full responsibility for that."
Challenged over why she carried on, she said: "I didn't really think about those around me… the decision that I made in hindsight was the wrong decision and I'm truly sorry for everyone that I did affect."
Joanna Wietrzyk suggested her determination to win clouded her judgement [BBC]
The 24-year-old said that the experience and subsequent backlash was "traumatic". She also said she had considered walking away from the sport, in which she holds a world record.

#sport

One year after Joan Kennedy's death, her friend remembers a resilient survivor who was much more than a "Kennedy wife"
The former wife of Sen Ted Kennedy was candid about her own alcoholism and supportive of the recovery community
Joan planned her own funeral, especially the music, choosing "America, The Beautiful" at the end, which her friend Margo Nash says, "I think it was her way of saying goodbye"
There was always more to Joan Kennedy than being a "Kennedy wife," as loyal as she was to the family, long after her 1982 divorce from from Sen. Ted Kennedy. One year after her death on Oct. 8, 2025, at 89 years old, her friend Margo Nash, 77, remembers a woman who, most of all, "was a survivor."
We met in 2006 on Cape Cod. We had both gone to Manhattanville College and what struck me was how humble and accessible she was — given the fact that she had been part of history.

#year

If Harper Beckham has no fans, it's because her elder brother, Cruz Beckham, has perished.
The budding musician had a fabulous reaction to his younger sister and budding beauty mogul, who was the topic of a conversation between British presenter Holly Willoughby and The Traitor's star, Joanne McNally.
The Irish comedian was asked by the former This Morning host which celebrity she would like to be, to which Joanne replied: "Harper Beckham," adding that she knew it "should be someone like Tina Fey."
Joanne went on to cite all the things she felt would be brilliant about being the 15-year-old, having the influence of Victoria Beckham, her upcoming beauty brand, as well as holidaying on a yacht, all being things on Joanne's list.
And the proof was in the pudding, as Cruz left a gushing comment on a clip of the moment on TikTok. "Me too, Harper is the most amazing human ever," which gained 1,239 likes.

#beckham #joanne #cruz #british

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Oct. 11-17:
Oct. 11: Country singer Gene Watson is 83. Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 80. Actor Catlin Adams ("The Jerk," "The Jazz Singer") is 76. Country singer Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) is 75. MTV VJ Mark Goodman is 74. Actor David Morse ("St. Elsewhere") is 73. Actor Stephen Spinella ("24") is 70. Actor Joan Cusack is 64. Guitarist Scott Johnson of Gin Blossoms is 64. Actor-writer Michael J. Nelson ("Mystery Science Theater 3000") is 62. Actor Sean Patrick Flanery is 61. Actor Lennie James ("The Walking Dead") is 61. Musician Todd Snider is 60. Actor Artie Lange ("MADtv") is 59. Actor Jane Krakowski ("30 Rock," "Ally McBeal") is 58. Actor Andrea Navedo ("Jane the Virgin") is 57. Rapper MC Lyte is 56. Actor Constance Zimmer ("UnREAL," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.") is 56. Actor Darien Sills-Evans ("Superior Donuts," "Treme") is 52. Singer NeeNa Lee is 51. Actor Emily Deschanel ("Bones") is 50. Actor Trevor Donovan ("90210") is 48. Rapper Cardi B is 34.
Oct. 13: Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 89. Musician Paul Simon is 85. Keyboardist Robert Lamm of Chicago is 82. Country singer Lacy J. Dalton is 80. Singer Sammy Hagar is 79. Singer John Ford Coley of England Dan and John Ford Coley is 78. Model Beverly Johnson is 74. Actor John Lone ("The Last Emperor," "Rush Hour 2") is 74. "The X-Files" creator Chris Carter is 70. Singer Cherrelle is 67. Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond is 67. Singer Joey Belladonna of Anthrax is 66. Actor T'Keyah Crystal Keymah ("That's So Raven," "In Living Color") is 64. Country singer John Wiggins is 64. Actor Christopher Judge (TV's "Stargate SG-1") is 62. Actor Matt Walsh ("Veep") is 62. Actor Reginald Ballard ("Martin," "The Bernie Mac Show") is 61. Actor Kate Walsh ("Private Practice," "Grey's Anatomy") is 59. Musician Jeff Allen of Mint Condition is 58. Actor Tisha Campbell-Martin ("My Wife and Kids," "Martin") is 58. Country singer Rhett Akins is 57. TV personality Billy Bush is 55. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat," "Da Ali G Show") is 55. Guitarist Jan Van Sichem Jr. of K's Choice is 54. Singers Brandon and Brian Casey of Jagged Edge are 51. Actor Kiele Sanchez ("Lost") is 50. Singer Ashanti is 46. Singer-rapper Lumidee is 46. Contemporary Christian singer Jon Micah Sumrall of Kutless is 46. Actor Caleb McLaughlin ("Stranger Things") is 25.
Oct. 14: Director Carroll Ballard ("The Black Stallion") is 89. Singer Cliff Richard is 86. Singer Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues is 80. Actor Greg Evigan ("My Two Dads," "B.J. and the Bear") is 73. Singer Thomas Dolby is 68. Actor Lori Petty ("A League of Their Own") is 63. Actor Steve Coogan ("Night at the Museum" movies) is 61. Singer Karyn White is 61. Actor Edward Kerr ("Pretty Little Liars," "Snoops") is 60. Actor Jon Seda ("Chicago P.D.," "Homicide: Life on the Street") is 56. Bassist Doug Virden (Sons of the Desert) is 56. Country singer Natalie Maines of The Chicks is 52. Singer Shaznay Lewis of All Saints is 5

Joan Collins remembered her late sister Jackie with a touching childhood photograph to mark what would have been the bestselling author's 89th birthday on October 4.
The actress shared a black-and-white picture of the pair standing together outdoors, long before their careers took them from London to Hollywood.
"Happy heavenly #birthday to my dearest #sister jackiecollins - always in my heart," Joan wrote, adding heart and feather emojis.
Joan Collins shares sweet photo of herself and her sister, Jackie Collins (@ Instagram)
The photograph captured the sisters posing in front of large palm leaves, with a stone building behind them. Younger sister Jackie wore a collared dress with a bow in her hair, while Joan smiled beside her in a light-coloured top and shorts.

#sister #heart

Craft stores are generally reserved for browsing yarn aisles on quiet Sunday afternoons and overspending on seasonal holiday decor. But every so often, retail chaos infiltrates their quiet corners in the face of a shoplifter or a drunkard. Or maybe, both.
In a TikTok storytime, creator Madi Max (soft.cuddlebunny) looked back on her days working retail at Joann Fabrics. She specifically recounted an incident of an intoxicated shoplifter trying to play Romeo and criminal mastermind at the same time. The result? The local craft hub turned into an accidental slapstick comedy routine.
The hilarious routine started as an unhinged flirtation attempt. But it ended with dozens of stolen markers across the linoleum floor and the furious perp screaming from the back of a police cruiser.
According to Max, the incident kicked off when a man stumbled through the automatic sliding doors carrying an open, uncovered liquor bottle. He was allegedly actively taking swigs as he roamed the aisles. But rather than laying low, he allegedly zeroed in on Max's coworker.
The man was reportedly nursing an unprompted, aggressive crush and loudly peppering the coworker with wildly inappropriate remarks. At one point, he allegedly started pointing at rolls of material, declaring that she would look stunning in lingerie made out of the textiles.

#craft #shoplifter

Adam Brody drew a sharp response from Rabbi Steve Leder after publicly sharing his views on Gaza and Palestine.
Leder previously worked as a technical consultant on the first season of ******* ody Wants This. He criticized Brody after the actor said in a recent GQ interview that he considered the situation in Gaza a "genocide" and supported a "free Palestine." Brody also expressed hope that a future U.S. administration could change policies affecting the situation.
Leder addressed Adam Brody's Gaza comments in an Instagram video and reminded the actor of their previous professional connection.
"My job was to make sure that your character was authentic and that everything in Season 1 about Judaism was authentic," Leder said.
Brody played Rabbi Noah Roklov in ******* ody Wants This. His character began a relationship with agnostic podcaster Joanne Williams, played by Kristen Bell.

#wants

JPNP/WENN
Jesse Tyler Ferguson recalled how his attempt to honor late friend Joan Rivers took a comically awkward turn.
After Joan died on September 14, 2014, at age 81, a shiva — the traditional seven days of mourning — was held in her memory. Ferguson, 50, thought he could slip over during a break in filming Modern Family.
"I got to know Joan Rivers a little bit at the end of her life, and I was invited to her shiva when she passed away," he told guest Arturo Castro on the Tuesday, September 29 episode of his Dinner on Me podcast. "There was an extra long break on either side of lunch where I wasn't needed, so I thought, 'I'm going to go to Joan's house and attend her shiva for a moment.'"
Once there, he explained, he found a "who's who of comedy," but then a text came in: Ferguson's scenes had been moved up and he was needed back in five minutes.

#ferguson

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall was sentenced Thursday to 14 months in prison after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Anthony Kazmierczak, 56, was sentenced nearly eight months after the Jan. 27 ******* ault. At the time, Minneapolis-St. Paul was subject to an immigration crackdown that led to angry protests, arrests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens. Prosecutors had recommended a 14-month prison term.
He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, which includes no contact with Omar. U.S. marshals escorted him from the courtroom after the hearing.
During an earlier hearing, Kazmierczak was unable to explain his actions.
"It's fuzzy," he told U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen when asked what he remembered.

#ilhan

Hyrox, the popular indoor fitness competition, is adjusting its policies and procedures after a world champion was allowed to continue at a competition in China last weekend despite suffering fecal incontinence.
Joanna Wietrzyk was competing in the age 16-24 elite event in Beijing on Saturday when she suddenly became ill. But despite fecal matter running down her legs, Wietrzyk was allowed to keep competing. The Australian continued on and ended up winning the race in a time of 1:01.23.
But in the days since, Hyrox has received heavy criticism for allowing Wietrzyk to continue competing despite the potential health risks. The company said that, despite having "clear biocontaminant and medical procedures in place," the situation "blurred" protocols and created "ambiguity in how they were applied and understood."
"I apologize to all that were directly or indirectly affected, as well as to everyone who felt like we did not handle the situation like we should have," Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste said in a statement. "Hyrox made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race. In the end, it is my job to foresee these potential incidents — and I did not.
"Of course, we started improving event processes, plus making rulebook changes immediately. As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again."

#allowed

Hyrox, the global endurance fitness race, is revising its protocols after a top athlete soiled herself and was allowed to continue during a competition in Beijing on Sept. 12.
Photos from the indoor competition show Australian Joanna Wietrzyk, the 22-year-old Hyrox world champion, with fecal matter running down her legs during the age 16-24 elite race. Wietzryk won the race with a time of 1:01:23, besting second-place finisher Alyssa McElheny of the United States by 45 seconds.
The incident sparked online outrage over potential health risks, prompting Hyrox co-founder Moritz Furste to release a statement on Monday, Sept. 14 admitting that race organizers failed by not removing Wietryzk from the competition.
"HYROX made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race," Furste wrote in an Instagram post. "In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents – and I did not. Of course, we started improving event processes, plus making rulebook changes immediately. As of this moment, there are new rules and procedures in place to prevent situations like this from happening again."
USA TODAY Sports reached out to Hyrox, Wietrzyk and her coach for comment on Monday morning and did not immediately hear back.

#immediately

Melissa Rivers says she and mom Joan Rivers left red carpet commentary because it became too tense and safe
She plans to bring back fun, lighthearted interviews focused on fashion and excitement at tonight's Emmy Awards
Rivers, who lost her home in the 2025 fires, will wear a Balmain dress she bought for emergencies
For years, Joan Rivers and Melissa Rivers were known for their hilariously off-the-cuff red carpet commentary and interviews.
Melissa, after nearly 20 years away, will be returning tonight, Monday, Sept. 14, to do on-carpet interviews for CNN & Variety's Red Carpet Live: TV's Biggest Night pre-show.

#carpet #melissa #years #balmain

Joanna and Chip Gaines shared sweet family moments ahead of a special career milestone.
The former HGTV stars share five children: Drake, Ella, Duke, Emmie and Crew. Though the kids have appeared on the couple's shows over the years, Joanna and Chip only share occasional glimpses into their family life on social media.
Joanna shared a rare video of Emmie on Instagram on Saturday, September 12, featuring a sweet mother-daughter moment. "When my 16 year old asked if she could do my makeup this morning, I was in," she captioned the clip. "Emmie Kay, you're hired."
In the clip, Joanna filmed herself sitting on a chair as Emmie showed off her makeup skills on her mother. Fans gushed over the adorable moment in the post's comments, with one user writing, "She did an excellent job very natural. Can she share what she used and the steps? Really great work!!!"
Another added, "Our kids know far much more about make up and beauty than we ever did in our age. Social media wins with make up." Someone else shared, "Beautiful! Time has flown for sure! Her side profile though…..looks like her Mama!"

#joanna #chip #though #Social

The Marshall Thundering Herd return to Huntington for their 2026 home opener Saturday when they welcome the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders to Joan C. Edwards Stadium in a matchup of former Conference USA rivals.
Sep 5, 2026; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Marshall Thundering Herd quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (7) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Channel: ESPN+

#home #middle

According to Mundo Deportivo, FC Barcelona winger Roony Bardghji is continuing his rehabilitation after undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury, although he still faces a lengthy road back to competitive action.
The 20-year-old Swedish winger suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee during pre-season, a significant injury that is expected to keep him out for much of the season.
Bardghji underwent successful surgery on 12 August and, one month later, has shared a photograph from the gym at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper as he continues working through his recovery programme.
The Barcelona youngster is still using crutches and wearing protection on his injured knee, but his latest update shows that rehabilitation is already under way.
Courtesy: Instagram

#Barcelona #according

Joanna Gaines just made a major revelation about the three-month break she and her husband, Chip Gaines, took after 25 years of working together.
The 48-year-old interior designer and business owner shared the update during a recent appearance on Hoda Kotb's Joy 101 podcast.
"Chip and I, you know we've been doing this business for almost 25 years," Joanna explained. "So, [Fixer Upper] was the show we had stopped temporarily, and that was good, but it was also just a lot as we were building our company."
The couple have worked together for most of their careers (@ Instagram)
She went on: "As far as Magnolia, we've been doing this for almost 25 years and we've never really stopped. And about three years ago, we stopped seeing vision. We stopped remembering like, 'Why are we doing this?'"

#stopped #doing #joanna #chip

Joanna Gaines shared how she and husband Chip took a three-month break from their Magnolia business during a recent appearance on Hoda Kotb's Joy 101 podcast
The couple paused their work on Magnolia, their lifestyle brand, after nearly 25 years of nonstop building and growth
Joanna says the break helped her refocus and recognize early signs of burnout to avoid it in the future
Joanna Gaines is keeping it real when it comes to needing to take a break.
During a recent appearance on Hoda Kotb's Joy 101 podcast, the Fixer Upper star and Magnolia co-founder, 48, reflected on building her lifestyle brand with husband Chip, 51, and why the pair chose to take a brief sabbatical in response to Kotb's question about the "power of pausing."

#joanna #appearance

Blaming declining mall traffic for retail store failures ignores what's actually happening.
"Malls' H1 2026 momentum continued going into the second half of the year, with year-over-year (YoY) visits to shopping centers up across all three formats ******* yzed (indoor, open-air, and outlet) in July 2026," according to data from Placer.ai.
Retailers like Claire's, Joann, and Macy's, which have either fully closed or have shut down dozens of locations, may have failed to capitalize on mall foot traffic, but it's unfair to say that people did not visit malls.
"Open-air shopping centers — which have led the category since the beginning of the year — continued their outperformance, with YoY traffic up 5.1%, followed closely by indoor malls (+4.3%)," the data showed.
Francesca's, a mall staple since its launch in 1999, closed all its more than 450 stores in March and has now received court permission to liquidate its remaining ******* ets.

#year #mall #continued #indoor

Signet Jewelers early Wednesday easily beat fiscal second-quarter earnings estimates and guided higher for the full year. Shares of the long-term laggard surged in morning trade.
For its second fiscal quarter, Signet Jewelers (SIG) reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.19, up 36% vs. a year earlier and handily beating **** ysts' expectations of $1.74, reflecting improved margins. Sales of $1.53 billion were in line with views and a fraction below the $1.54 a year earlier.
The owner of Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared now eyes 2027 adjusted EPS of $10.45 to $12.15, up from its prior target range of $9.20 to $11. It still sees sales of $6.7 billion to $6.9 billion. **** ysts' expect $10.82 in adjusted EPS on revenue of $6.84 billion.
Signet also announced plans for a $125 million accelerated share repurchase deal "this month."
"We are raising our full year adjusted EPS guidance by over 10% to reflect year-to-date operating performance, additional share repurchases, refunds of tariffs previously paid, and the terms of the new consumer credit agreement," said COO and CFO Joan Hilson.

#year #second

Institutional investors are beginning to allocate capital to "evergreen" private market funds that Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) and KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) originally built for wealthy individuals, the Financial Times reported.
Evergreen funds let investors access capital at set intervals rather than locking it up for a decade-long private equity fund life. Blackstone's wealth business has seen institutions begin allocating to its evergreen products, though they currently make up "only a small proportion of the capital raised," said Joan Solotar, who leads that business. KKR has separately raised the share of deals its evergreen K-Series funds can take from a longstanding 7.5% cap to as much as 20% in some cases, the FT reported.
Institutional investors are validating years of investment by Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) and KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) in wealth-focused products. Both firms, along with Apollo, have expanded evergreen vehicles for individual investors, and institutions now choosing these funds provide another source of sophisticated capital for the products. That adoption could help Blackstone and KKR expand their wealth-management businesses beyond traditional individual investors.
KKR's renegotiated deal-allocation terms provide another sign of growing demand for its evergreen funds. KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) increased the co-investment cap for its K-Series funds from 7.5% to as much as 20% in vehicles such as its $8 billion European Fund VI. The larger allocation gives KKR's wealth-focused funds access to more investment opportunities and could help the company grow ****** ets and fee revenue from this channel.
Evergreen structures solve a current problem for institutional investors, not just individuals. Many institutions have grown more cautious about committing to traditional private equity as managers have struggled to exit investments and return capital. Evergreen funds' greater liquidity gives institutions an alternative way to stay invested without that same lockup risk.

#investors #capital #institutions #private

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - DECEMBER 05: Head football coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and his wife, Joanna, look on during the first half between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Texas Longhorns at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on December 05, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Getty
The start to 2026 was less than ideal for Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and wife, Joanna Freeman. Marcus sent a clear message about his family after the coach was cleared of any wrongdoing regarding a January 3, incident which took place during his son's high school wrestling match.
Notre Dame released a statement backing the coach and explaining that the Freeman family was "verbally accosted" during the wrestling match.
"Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman's son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach," Notre Dame's January statement detailed, per South Bend Tribune. "Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation.
"At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are unfounded."

#Wrestling

Barcelona remain perfect to start the season and have won their fourth straight La Liga game to open up a three-point lead at the top of the table thanks to a dominant 5-0 win over Valencia at Mestalla on Sunday afternoon. The Blaugrana put on another attacking show and created over a dozen giant chances, and Lamine Yamal (twice), Raphinha, Fermín López and Pedri found the net to give the leaders three more points in spectacular fashion.
Barça played a fantastic opening period, establishing their dominance from the opening whistle and creating huge chances early and often against Valencia's low block.
Lamine Yamal scored a brilliant first goal and had a second disallowed for a very narrow offside, and came very close three other times. Fermín López also found the net with a powerful finish in the box, and almost scored a glorious solo goal but was denied by the keeper and the post.
The Catalans had a couple of scares at the back but Joan Garcia was up to the task with a couple of big saves. Barça were in control for the entire half, however, and dominated midfield thanks to Rodri, who was simply fantastic in the opening 45 minutes of his first start.
There was only one piece of bad news when a freak accident caused Eric Garcia to suffer a broken nose in a collision with Rodri in the box, but Barça were fully in control and had a deserved two-goal lead at the break.

#opening #lamine #yamal #start

The next Barcelona match is upon us! The Blaugrana travel to Mestalla for a La Liga game against Valencia, and Hansi Flick has called up the following 24 players for Sunday's clash:
Goalkeepers: 1. Joan Garcia, 13. Wojciech Szczesny, 25. Dominik Livakovic
Defenders: 2. João Cancelo, 3. Alejandro Balde, 5. Pau Cubarsí, 12. Xavi Espart, 15. Andreas Christensen, 18. Gerard Martín, 23. Jules Kounde, 24. Eric Garcia
Midfielders: 4. Brian Fariñas, 6. Gavi, 7. Fermín López, 8. Pedri, 16. Rodri, 20. Dani Olmo, 22. Marc Bernal
Forwards: 9. Gabriel Jesus, 10. Lamine Yamal, 11. Raphinha, 14. Karim Adeyemi, 17. Anthony Gordon, 29. Hamza Abdelkarim

#garcia #mestalla #valencia

Julián Álvarez ended the summer window still on Atlético Madrid's books, but that outcome has settled almost nothing. Barcelona spent the entire market chasing the Argentine, Atlético publicly rejected the pursuit in increasingly hostile terms, and ******* nal explored an offer of their own while the whole thing threatened to boil over. The question now isn't whether the saga is over – it plainly isn't – but which of the three forces at play, Atlético's contractual leverage, Barcelona's valuation, or Álvarez's own stated preference, actually decides what happens next.
Álvarez himself gave the clearest signal of intent back in June, telling ESPN after Argentina's World Cup win over Austria that a transfer to Barcelona was the best thing for everyone and that he wanted to fulfil his dream. Those words were music to Joan Laporta's ears and poison to Atlético's dressing room. Everything that has followed, including deadline day passing without a deal, sits downstream of that one public admission.
Álvarez's Atlético contract runs until June 2030 and carries a release clause of around €500 million – a figure so far beyond market reality that it functions purely as leverage, not a genuine asking price. Barcelona say they made a €100 million bid; Atlético sources initially denied receiving any offer at all before later confirming one had arrived, structured across six yearly instalments and worth that same €100 million.
On July 30, with the dispute already curdling, Atlético reported Barcelona to the Spanish Football Federation over their pursuit of the player. No public update from the federation had followed by the time The Athletic's reconstruction of the saga was published. Álvarez remained at the Metropolitano when the window shut, and reports suggest he is expected to stay at Atlético at least until the January window reopens the conversation.
Before the summer even began, senior Atlético sources indicated the club would let Álvarez leave for €150 million provided a deal closed by July 20. That deadline passed with no agreement, and Atlético's position hardened dramatically. By late June, chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marín was drawing a line that had nothing to do with valuation gaps.

#window #federation #summer #nothing

Real Madrid made many Castilla sales over the course of the summer transfer window, with the academy emerging as a major source of income for the club.
The sales, in turn, allowed Los Blancos to invest that money towards improving the first-team squad at Jose Mourinho's disposal.
Florentino Perez brought in as many as six players in the market for the first team, with Yan Diomande emerging as their record acquisition.
Now, according to AS, one Castilla player who chose patience over an early exit from the club was 19-year-old Joan Martinez.
The central defender had several offers to leave the club this summer but decided to stay with Castilla and push for a first-team berth.

#club #first #summer #real