This time 15 years ago, now-NFL quarterback Jameis Winston was still deciding where he wanted to spend his college career.
In December of 2011, he took an official visit to Alabama after two unofficial visits earlier that fall. It wasn't a long trip.
Winston is from Hueytown, just about 45 minutes east of Tuscaloosa. That distance was "too close," Winston said during a round of golf in a soon-to-be-released episode of his YouTube podcast "Wonder In Authority."
According to Winston, though, that didn't stop then-coach Nick Saban from seeing if he had a trick in his straw hat to sway him toward the Crimson Tide. Baseball was the defining factor in Winston's college decision, and Winston claims that Saban made a bold request to Alabama's baseball coach at the time.
REQUIRED READING: Inside the $42M stadium renovation that reshaped Alabama baseball's future

#college

The new European season begins only a few weeks after the World Cup, leaving many clubs with less preparation than usual. Some squads have barely changed. Others have spent heavily or reshaped key positions during the transfer window. Fitness is another unknown after a demanding international summer. Those differences often matter most before the table begins to settle. They also influence premier league betting, where early prices do not always keep pace with changes inside a squad.
The Premier League starts on 21 August, with ****** nal opening the season against Coventry City as defending champions.
Several clubs look noticeably different from last spring. Chelsea and Manchester City have invested heavily in midfield. Liverpool enter the campaign after parting with several long-serving players. ****** nal face a different challenge this time. Protecting first place usually brings more pressure than chasing it.
Preparation has not been equal across the league. Clubs with large World Cup contingents have had less time together, while others completed a much calmer pre-season. The gap may become visible during the first few rounds.
La Liga is expected to begin around 15 August. Real Madrid and Barcelona again dominate the ****** le discussion. Atlético Madrid remain close behind, while several clubs further down the table have strengthened without making major changes.Spain's international players return after a long summer, leaving little time before domestic football resumes. The opening fixtures should show which squads have settled quickest.

#World #arsenal #city #madrid

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently declared that the K-shaped economy "is over." New research says he might be right.
After a prolonged period of sharp divergence between higher and lower-income household spending and earning patterns — dubbed the K-shaped economy because higher earners have continued to spend, forming the top branch of the K, while lower earners, the bottom of the K, pulled back — the gap is beginning to narrow again, economists at the Bank of America Institute led by David Tinsley wrote in a report last week.
"As of July, spending and wage growth have largely converged across income cohorts, with the exception of the top 5% of earners, who continue to outpace the rest," the report said.
Debit and credit card spending across all income levels was up 5% in July from a year ago, with lower-income households showing a 5.4% gain. Middle-income earners, meanwhile, spent 4.9% more than last year.
Read more: How to find the best credit cards with no annual fee

#shaped #economy #higher

Georgina Rodríguez made her intimate wedding to Cristiano Ronaldo an exceptionally glamorous affair, accessorizing her bridal look with more than 250 carats of Chopard diamonds. The football icon's wife, 32, wore an extraordinary collection of Chopard jewelry when she married the Portuguese star, 41, in a civil ceremony on August 11, 2026, in Cascais, Portugal.
The centerpiece of Georgina Rodríguez's jewelry was a spectacular necklace featuring a 50-carat brilliant-cut diamond. The statement piece also included a 6.41-carat brilliant-cut diamond, 98 carats of pear-shaped diamonds, 40 carats of brilliant-cut diamonds, and 2 carats of marquise-cut diamonds. Her earrings were equally eye-catching. The pair featured two 25-carat pear-shaped diamonds, alongside 26 carats of heart-shaped diamonds and 4.35 carats of brilliant-cut diamonds.
Rodríguez completed her diamond-heavy bridal ensemble with two diamond-adorned rings, including one from Chopard's Garden of Kalahari collection and another from its Haute Joaillerie collection. She also wore a diamond bracelet.
According to Page Six, the total value of the jewelry could be as much as $55 million. The lavish accessories contrasted with the intimate nature of Rodríguez and Cristiano Ronaldo's wedding. The couple exchanged vows in a private civil ceremony attended by their five children.
Ronaldo later shared a photograph of the couple's hands showing their wedding bands, captioning the image, "C(heart emoji)G."

#carats #brilliant

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez are celebrating a milestone with their family by their side. The couple married in an intimate civil ceremony on August 11 in Cascais, Portugal.
The ceremony included their five children, making the occasion a special family moment. Ronaldo, 41, and Rodríguez, 32, later shared glimpses of the day, including a photo of their hands showing their wedding bands.
Gucci also celebrated the couple's marriage on Instagram. The fashion house shared a photo of custom shoes prepared for Ronaldo, Rodríguez and their children. The family wore Gucci looks for the ceremony, adding a personal touch.
Their wedding came one year after Rodríguez announced their engagement on Instagram. She shared a photo of her oval-shaped diamond ring and wrote, "Sí, quiero. En esta y en todas mis vidas," which means, "Yes, I do. In this and in all my lives."
The couple first met at a Gucci store in Madrid, where Rodríguez worked as a sales **** istant. They later made their relationship public and built a family together.

#couple

Jhon Lucumi has given his first interview as a Juventus player, speaking to the club's official channels shortly after completing his move from Bologna.
Speaking with quotes via Juventus' website, the Colombian defender is already relishing the step up: "I'm very happy to have arrived here. I'm joining the biggest team in Italy and I'm really excited. I can't wait to adapt quickly to my team-mates and help out this season."
Asked whether any Juventus defender in history had shaped his own career, Lucumi pointed to a familiar face from Colombian football before naming three club legends: "I think the first is Cuadrado. I think he did a great job here and he's a point of reference in Colombia for having played for this team. And then Juventus have had great defenders: Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli. I think they're role models for me and for all players who play in our position."
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 17: Jhon Lucumi #3 of Colombia looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K match between Uzbekistan and Colombia at Mexico City Stadium on June 17, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
On his early dealings with head coach Luciano Spalletti, Lucumi kept things brief, suggesting there's still plenty of ground to cover before the new season gets under way: "We've only said ******* o so far. We have time to talk and to understand from him everything he wants me to do for the team."

#Mexico #colombian

If you want to win championships, go to Indiana.
Scott Dolson, whose time with Indiana University began as an undergraduate student in the 1980s, has signed n amended contract to continue serving as the Hoosiers' athletic director through 2031, per reporting from Michael Niziolek of the Herald-Times.
The contract comes with a pay raise and comes on the heels of Indiana's initial and extended contracts with Curt Cignetti as the Hoosiers' head football coach. Cignetti, hired by Dolson in 2023, is 27-2 through two seasons in Bloomington with a Big Ten Championship, a pair of College Football Playoff appearances and a national championship in 2025.
Dolson is in his seventh season as Indiana's athletic director in 2026, having taken over for the retired Fred Glass following a lengthy career as the Hoosiers' deputy athletic director and chief operating officer. He's led the department through the COVID-19 pandemic, the advent of the transfer portal and NIL and revenue sharing, among other major events that have shaped college sports the past several years.
His accomplishments include the hiring of Cignetti, continued support for the football program, a school record 119 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars in 2025-26, five consecutive Big Ten Championships for men's swimming and diving, a record four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for softball and more.

#Football #Athletic #director #championship

On August 7, Sylvamo (NYSE:SLVM) reported its second-quarter 2026 financial results. Sequential adjusted EBITDA jumped to $60 million, more than double the prior quarter's total, but margin stayed thin at 7%. Free cash flow stayed negative at $23 million, though that marked a real improvement from the quarter before. CEO John Sims called 2026 a transition year, shaped by the end of a supply agreement and an extended mill outage. The real question is whether the back half delivers the turnaround management is promising.
Price and mix gains added $32 million to EBITDA in the quarter, as Sylvamo pushed through uncoated freesheet price increases across every region it serves. Europe got a fresh increase in mid-June, with realization continuing through the third quarter, while Latin America should benefit from seasonally stronger second-half demand plus ongoing price hikes to export customers there and in the Middle East and Africa. North America's backdrop has shifted too: International Paper's Riverdale mill conversion pulled 7% of annual uncoated freesheet industry capacity offline, giving Sylvamo more room to raise prices at home.
Altogether, management expects $75 million to $85 million of price and mix benefit in the second half versus the first. The Eastover mill investments add another lever: a paper machine speed-up will add 60,000 tons of annual capacity once it wraps during the fourth-quarter outage, and a new sheeter has already cleared acceptance testing and arrived in the U.S. Those projects, plus a warehouse sale-leaseback deal, are projected to generate $55 million a year in benefits, with $30 million to $40 million landing as soon as 2027.
While sequential operating metrics moved higher, earnings remained constrained. Adjusted operating earnings came in at $0.03 per share, weighed down by $24 million in planned maintenance outage costs as scheduled downtime ran across all regions. Sylvamo expects roughly $5 million more of unfavorable maintenance impact in the second half while it takes extended downtime at Eastover to finish the paper machine work. Input and transportation costs were also a $2 million drag, with fiber costs climbing in Latin America and freight costs rising in North America, partly offset by the non-repeat of a one-time $10 million charge tied to International Paper's Riverdale mill.
Management also flagged the Middle East conflict as an ongoing drag on energy, chemicals and transportation costs in every region. Imports into North America ticked up in the quarter too, a response to a new 10% tariff threshold on global shipments, which could complicate the pricing gains tied to reduced domestic supply. Second-half volume will also be trimmed by lost Riverdale-related tons and the extended Eastover outage in the fourth quarter.

#million #sylvamo #costs

Anne Hathaway's maternity style got the royal treatment in a cobalt Aflalo dress for the D23 Disney Legends award ceremony on Sunday in Anaheim, Calif.
The Oscar-winning actress turned to couturier Yael Aflalo's bold interpretation of color, wearing the Celestia Dress. The floor-length dress was crafted with a high bout neckline and an open V-shaped back cut in a relaxed silhouette.
More from WWD
Georgina Rodríguez and Cristiano Ronaldo's Newlywed Debut Is a Sporty Family Affair
Anne Hathaway Continues Her Asymmetrical Maternity Style Streak in Waves of Red

#dress #anne #legends #sunday

Rihanna has taken her children around the world, from luxury destinations to some of entertainment's biggest events. However, one of her most meaningful family trips happened on the streets where her own story began.
The superstar recently returned to Barbados with her three children, RZA Athelston Mayers, Riot Rose Mayers and Rocki Irish Mayers, giving them a glimpse of the island that shaped her long before she became one of the most famous women on the planet.
During the family getaway, Rihanna was seen taking her children on a bus tour around Barbados, embracing a slower, more local experience rather than a typical celebrity vacation. The family also stopped at a local coconut vendor, where Rihanna ordered fresh coconuts for her children while enjoying a simple island moment.
For fans, the scene was striking because it showed a side of Rihanna rarely seen publicly: not the global superstar performing for thousands, but a mother sharing her childhood with her children.
The most emotional part of the trip came when Rihanna returned to where it all began: Westbury New Road in Bridgetown.

#rihanna #superstar

Manchester City were left with plenty to reflect on after a damaging 3-0 defeat to ******* nal, a result shaped by goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard. According to Telegraph, the post-match message from both camps was clear, ******* nal look sharp and City know standards were missed.
Rúben Dias did not dress it up, admitting the City performance was "not good enough" after ******* nal capitalised in key moments and controlled the contest with authority. For supporters of Enzo Maresca's side, that line will land heavily because it matched what unfolded on the pitch, with ******* nal quicker to duels, cleaner in possession and more decisive in both boxes.
Arsenal's display was widely admired and Calafiori's own verdict summed up the confidence around Mikel Arteta's team, describing the victory as "close to perfection". That felt fair. ******* nal played with tempo, aggression and structure, producing the type of performance that suggests they are gearing up for another serious challenge at the top end of the Premier League.
Arteta was equally buoyant afterwards. "We talked about the desire that we have to start the season, and to show ourselves how much we want it," Arteta said. "I certainly saw a lot of positive things there against a top opponent."
Beyond the result, ******* nal's transfer planning remains active. The report states they want further business completed before the end of the month, with a right-sided defender a priority after injuries to Jurriën Timber and William Saliba. Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa and Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah are among the names under consideration.

#arsenal #result

Hayden Panettiere was always candid about the complicated journey that shaped her relationship with her only child, daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko.
The Heroes and Nashville actress died on Sunday, Aug. 16, at age 36, her representative confirmed to PEOPLE. Further details surrounding her death have not been released.
Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, whom she welcomed with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko in December 2014.
In the months before her death, Panettiere spoke openly about Kaya in her May 2026 memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, and during an appearance that same month on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast. She reflected on everything from her traumatic childbirth and postpartum depression to her struggles with addiction and the devastating decision to allow Klitschko to have full custody of their daughter.
Despite living apart for years, Panettiere said in her memoir that her bond with Kaya remained "incredibly strong."

#memoir #heroes

It has welcomed marathon runners, rock stars and the first modern Olympic athletes. Now it's time for a monumental scrub.
Athens' U-shaped Panathenaic Stadium — made entirely of white marble — is getting its first systematic cleaning in more than a century.
Rebuilt for the first modern Olympics in 1896, the site is the ceremonial send-off point for the Olympic flame, including for Los Angeles 2028.
The stadium is made of the same glittering marble used on the Acropolis, making the cleanup job delicate.
The work is revealing a monument changed by time, weather and millions of visitors. Cleaners in white and blue overalls move across the stadium's 47 steep tiers with thin spray lances, using clean water at carefully controlled, low pressure. Machines vacuum up the runoff as they go.

#olympic #made #marble

The Jacksonville Jaguars secured the come-from-behind win in their preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints. However, despite the outcome, there are some noteworthy questions surrounding the Jaguars coming out of this game as well.
Let's take a look at three of the big ones.
The offensive line unit has been decimated by injuries as of late. Cole Van Lanen remains on the PUP list, while Patrick Mekari and Walker Little are still sidelined. Then, on the first play of Jacksonville's opening possession against the Saints, Chuma Edoga left the game.
The starting lineup has had to be reshaped, and the Jaguars' depth up front is thin. The Saints' defensive front took advantage, totaling four sacks, six tackles for loss, and seven quarterback hits. The Jaguars' run game did get going, but overall, those were still hard-fought yards, with Jacksonville averaging just 3.3 yards per attempt.
It remains to be seen how this unit will perform moving forward.

#front

Warren Buffett spent 60 years building one of the greatest investing records in history, not by chasing whatever was popular, but by finding businesses he never wanted to sell.
He said it himself in his 1988 shareholder letter, the year he first bought Coca-Cola: "Our favorite holding period is forever."
That line was not just about one stock. It was a philosophy that shaped every major decision Berkshire Hathaway made under his leadership.
Three companies sit at the core of that philosophy today. Apple, Coca-Cola, and Alphabet each reflect something different about what Buffett means when he talks about compounders. Each one has earned its place in the portfolio through a different kind of durable advantage, and each one keeps widening that advantage as time passes.
Apple is Berkshire's largest holding, accounting for roughly 22% of the portfolio as of the first quarter of 2026. Buffett first bought the stock in 2016, which was unusual for him, given his historical reluctance to invest in technology companies. He has since called it one of the best businesses he has ever seen.

#coca #businesses

Liverpool enter the new season in a state familiar to all major clubs and yet uniquely tense when it happens at Anfield, poised between memory and reinvention, between the authority of what came before and the uncertainty of what comes next. In an interview with GiveMeSport, Robbie Fowler believes that uncertainty can become opportunity, particularly under Andoni Iraola, whose appointment has brought the promise of energy, aggression and a more direct sort of ambition.
Fowler's remarks, made at the launch of the Topps Flagship Premier League 2026/27 collection, sketched out an intriguing picture of where Liverpool might be headed. There was realism in it, because there had to be. Liverpool have changed manager, changed shape as a squad, and changed, too, in the wider imagination of the Premier League. Arne Slot's **** le-winning first season in 2024/25 now feels a long way away after the collapse of 2025/26 and the upheaval that followed. Iraola arrives with a reputation for intensity and coherence, but also with the burden that attends any coach stepping into one of English football's most exacting jobs.
Fowler sounded energised by that prospect. "I mean, the obvious one is Liverpool," he said.
There is a telling simplicity in that answer. For all the noise that accompanies transition, Liverpool remain compelling because they have chosen a coach with a clear identity. Iraola's Bournemouth side played with courage and without apology. They pressed hard, moved the ball forward early and asked questions of opponents before those opponents had settled into their own patterns. That sort of football can stir a crowd quickly. At Liverpool, where emotional momentum can become tactical momentum, it may matter more than most.
Fowler's **** sment of Iraola was shaped by the same qualities many observers admired at Bournemouth. "Probably excited, actually. When I watched Bournemouth last year, I think they were obviously a team who were easy on the eye, they were very attack-minded, the press was brilliant. So how they play the game is probably the way I want to see a team."

#league

FC Barcelona's pre-season has been shaped by the absences of the internationals who played at the World Cup and the resulting influx of young academy players into the first team.
Among the players currently working under the coach, several have pleasantly surprised him.
One of them, according to MARCA, happens to be Xavi Espart, whom the coach sees as a top-level player.
The German coach had promoted the 19-year-old right-back to the first team last season, and Espart featured in six matches: two in the Champions League and four in La Liga.
This summer, however, he has confirmed both his excellent current form and his considerable potential.

#coach #players #first #World

Yang Ming Marine Transport's first-half 2026 results show a substantial recovery in earnings as tariff-driven front-loading, a stronger early peak season and higher freight rates lifted second-quarter performance.
The Taiwan company (2609.TW) nevertheless expects the balance of the year to be shaped by trade-policy uncertainty, geopolitical disruption and the continuing risk of excess vessel supply.
For the first half of 2026, the ninth-largest liner reported consolidated revenue of US$2.62 billion, while the second quarter outperformed both the first quarter and the year-earlier period. The carrier attributed the improvement principally to an early peak season, stronger cargo demand and firmer freight rates, with tariff uncertainty prompting cargo owners to advance shipments.
The result represents a marked improvement from the company's first-quarter baseline. In Q1, Yang Ming recorded revenue of $1.2 billion, after-tax profit of $44.7 million and earnings per share of $0.013. At that point, the company cited softer freight rates than a year earlier and vessel-deployment effects linked to Middle East geopolitics.
The first-half rebound also follows a more difficult 2025, when Yang Ming's full-year revenue fell to $5.07 billion, and after-tax profit declined to $530.3 million, or $0.15 per share. Still, 2025 marked its sixth consecutive profitable year, underlining the carrier's ability to remain profitable despite a less favorable rate environment and substantial network disruption.

#quarter #half #ming

ARLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Farmer Tim Burrack had concerns about the Republican nominee for Iowa governor — and he wasn't the only one.
The conservative voter from northeast Iowa said he didn't know Zach Lahn before the political newcomer "came out of nowhere" with a surprise GOP primary win over the candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump. So when Lahn came to his farm last week, Burrack questioned him on his approach to agriculture.
"I hit him pretty hard," said Burrack, who was considering whether to vote for Lahn in November or not vote at all.
It wasn't the first skeptical audience for the self-described "change candidate" in the state led by Republicans.
Lahn won the June primary even though an "entire establishment was set up against me," he said. He criticizes politicians in both parties, accusing them of being bought by corporate interests. His bid for governor will test how an anti-establishment conservative fares with a general electorate — and with traditional Republicans — a decade after Trump's own brand of populism reshaped the GOP.

#iowa #governor #wasn 't #came

Why Nikola Jovic remains untouchable in Heat's Klay Thompson trade talks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Miami Heat aggressively reshaped their roster this offseason by acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo. Front office executives mortgaged substantial future capital making this blockbuster deal happen. The Organization surrendered Tyler Herro leaving their developmental cupboard completely bare. Miami desperately needs perimeter shooting around their newly formed superstar duo immediately.
Meanwhile, Klay Thompson has emerged as the primary target amid ongoing offseason discussions. Dallas Mavericks made the veteran sharpshooter available following organizational direction shift. Miami wants Thompson badly but refuses sacrificing remaining youth for an aging veteran. This reluctance creates massive stalemate between both franchises currently.
NBA insider Brett Siegel provided a crucial update regarding ongoing trade negotiations Thursday. Siegel revealed Miami remains extremely reluctant including forward Nikola Jovic any deal. Dallas continues seeking valuable ****** ets rather than buying out expensive veteran shooters.
"Even though the Heat could get creative with a trade offer revolving around 23-year-old forward Nikola Jovic, this doesn't appear to be a scenario Miami wants to see play out," Siegel reported. "Jovic is a young talent the Heat have coveted since drafting him 27th overall in 2022, and he is one of the team's only youthful options after trading Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis for Giannis."

#heat #veteran

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 09: Atletico Madrid players pose during the preseason friendly match between Manchester City and Atletico Madrid at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 09, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid enter 2026/27 without their all-time top scorer Antoine Griezmann, replacing him not with one successor but with a reshaped attack built around a group of returning World Cup winner and three new signings.
After a preseason campaign which saw Atleti crash to consecutive defeats to Manchester United and Manchester City sandwiched in between wins over Getafe and Marseille.
Los Colchoneros now look to build on last season's fourth-placed finish, a joint-worst performance since Diego Simeone's debut season in 2011/12. 2025/26 compensated with thrilling cup runs to the final of the Copa del Rey and semifinal of the UEFA Champions League, but ultimately left the squad empty-handed for a fifth consecutive season.
Simeone remains the most tenured manager in Europe's top five leagues, and the calculus around him has not changed: Atletico finished fourth in La Liga last season, secured Champions League qualification, but fell in the semi-finals to ***** nal after a topsy-turvy continental campaign.

#season

Demi Moore stunned in a Balenciaga micro minidress featuring a scale-like texture that rode up her thighs. The "Ghost" star opted for the dress for her daughter Tallulah Willis' wedding after-party. The X (formerly Twitter) page, House of Vanity, shared a photo of her look on August 11.
Demi Moore in Balenciaga at daughter Tallulah Willis' wedding after-party. ?

The mother of the bride wore a pale mint strapless mini dress with a fitted bodice, sculptural bubble hem and textured, scale-like fabric — a modern nod to Cristóbal Balenciaga's iconic cocoon… https://t.co/pxV73nAJfL pic.twitter.com/YiL2gmvQkb
— HouseOfVanity (HouseOfVanity88) August 11, 2026
Demi Moore wore a strapless mint green micro minidress from Balenciaga for her daughter's wedding after-party. Designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli, the dress featured a scale-like woven texture and a straight-across, rimmed neckline on the boned bustier bodice. It cinched at the waist before flowing down into a tulip-shaped bubble miniskirt.
Deep box pleating around the waist gave the skirt its rounded, architectural volume, creating an hourglass silhouette. The strapless neckline highlighted her bare shoulders while the short skirt left her long legs on full display. The dress also had concealed pockets on both sides.

#moore #scale

Alessandra Ambrosio and Buck Palmer are engaged! The couple took to Instagram on August 11 to announce the exciting news with a series of spectacular oceanside photos.
The Australian jewelry designer popped the questions back in April. The photographs captured Buck on one knee inside a heart etched into the sand, with a drone capturing the happy moment.
The Victoria's Secret model looked incredible in a white-and-brown crochet bikini while her fiancé sported black swim shorts. Alessandra wore her luscious locks loose and slicked back in a wet-look style after taking a dip in the ocean, beaming as she soaked up the moment.
In another photo, the couple held their hands together as they proudly displayed their matching dainty, heart-shaped tattoos on their wrists. "I'd choose you in this life and every life. Here's to forever, my love," read the caption.
The couple confirmed their relationship in December 2024, after the model penned a special birthday tribute to her partner on social media. Later that month, she shared a series of romantic snaps of herself and Buck kissing on a beach in Praia Brava, Brazil.

#alessandra #model #life

The game of baseball has been played for well over a century. It's the only American sport to survive two world wars, the Great Depression and numerous controversies and scandals within its own ranks. That's what has made the game America's pastime to this day. Whenever the game gets knocked down or interrupted, it always finds a way to return and rise again. Few have told baseball's stories over the last four decades like Tom Verducci.
The five-time Emmy Award-winning writer, ***** yst and reporter is heading into another fall where his skills shine brightest. A member of the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, Verducci continues to balance his duties for Sports Illustrated, MLB Network and FOX Sports while also hosting a podcast with former MLB manager Joe Maddon. At the heart of everything Verducci accomplishes each season are the lessons he learned in his early days covering the game.
"The writing feeds everything else. It starts with the backbone of writing, which is preparation. Reporting, researching, and being prepared. I always tell students to use a fraction of what you discover in your story. The same approach applies to everything else," said Verducci. "I just wanted to be in this business because I love to write. Longform writing is closest to my heart, but I love doing everything else too."
Verducci believes every great connection to baseball begins and ends with narrative. From an early age, he viewed the sport through the eyes of a coach. His father coached high school baseball during Verducci's youth, giving him a unique perspective that shaped his understanding of the game.
To this day, Verducci admits he's still learning about the sport he grew to love. From those early lessons to becoming one of baseball's most respected storytellers, he believes the best insights often come directly from the players themselves.

#game #everything #sport #love

Zoe Saldaña is growing frustrated with political questions, mainly because she doesn't find them being asked in equal measure across the industry. The Oscar winner said during a conversation at the Locarno Film Festival that she often participates in Q&As because she is eager to talk about the craft of acting. However, Saldaña keeps finding herself fielding political questions instead.
"One thing that's incredibly limiting, and frustrating, is when I'm the only person of color or the only woman on stage, and that happens quite a lot for women and for people of color. And I wait for my turn to be asked a question about my craft, and I'm asked the political question," Saldaña said, giving the following example: "What do you think we need to do to make films more inclusive?"
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'Lioness' Season 3 Cast Lev Gorn in Recurring Role (EXCLUSIVE)

#color #question #oscar #locarno

Brown Advisory, an investment management company, released its "Brown Advisory Global Leaders Strategy" for the second quarter of 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Brown Advisory's Global Leaders Strategy delivered a net return of 4.6% in the second quarter of 2026, underperforming its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI Net Index, which returned 14.9%. The relative weakness was driven mainly by underexposure to semiconductors and technology hardware, while software, cloud services, and financial holdings also weighed on performance. The strategy benefited from holdings in areas tied to AI infrastructure, with semiconductor exposure and AI-related investments gaining from strong demand. Looking ahead, Brown Advisory sees an attractive environment for active stock-picking, with its ready-to-buy list at its highest level since the COVID-19 period and an estimated 12%-13% average five-year base-case IRR, while maintaining a focus on quality, valuation discipline, and long-term cash-flow generation. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Brown Advisory Global Leaders Strategy Fund highlighted stocks like NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA). NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is a semiconductor company that develops GPUs and computing platforms powering artificial intelligence, data centers, and high-performance computing. The one-month return of NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was 10.04% while its shares traded between $164.07 and $236.54 over the last 52 weeks. On August 7, 2026, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) stock closed at approximately $218.99 per share, with a market capitalization of about $5.42 trillion.
Brown Advisory Global Leaders Strategy Fund stated the following regarding NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
We initiated a position in Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) in June. Over the last four years, Nvidia has positioned itself as the leader across all parts of the technical component layer within the AI technology stack, including AI silicon, networking, cooling and total rack systems. Meanwhile, it has invested heavily in seeding an AI ecosystem based on Nvidia technology within the application, model and cloud compute layers, helping to drive usage of its infrastructure products. Nvidia has reshaped its business from consumer and professional GPU cyclicality toward data-centre infrastructure platform economics. This has resulted in market expansion far beyond our original base case estimates. As part of our ongoing ***** ysis of semiconductor end market demand across the entire value chain, we observed that every part of the technical infrastructure around Nvidia including optical networking demand, lasers, CPUs, TSMC's capex plans, wafer fab equipment demand, and the contract manufacturers ***** embling Nvidia's racks all implied that demand for Nvidia equipment remains very robust and likely underesti

The Coca-Cola Company (KO) has always had a knack for reinvention; that's why it has maintained its position as the global market leader for 140 years.
In recent years, as consumer tastes shifted toward healthier, sugar-free beverages, the company pivoted into bottled water, energy drinks, juices, coffees, and even dairy products, which allowed it to retain its roughly 40% share of the global beverage market.
But being seen in all the right places has always been one of ******* e's strongest marketing moves. Its presence at the FIFA World Cup helped propel another strong quarter, as the company reported net revenues of $13.4 billion, a 7% year-over-year increase. With EPS of $0.97, Coca-Cola beat Wall Street estimates by 4% and raised its full-year outlook to 5%.
Yet Coca-Cola didn't become the world's largest beverage company on its own. Behind its constant reinvention is a global workforce responsible for turning its strategy into sales.
Here's a look at Coca-Cola's employees in 2026, where they work, and how recent layoffs have reshaped its workforce.

#coca #cola

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have chosen to shield their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, from the spotlight in recent years. While they delight their fans with regular updates about their home life in Montecito, Meghan chooses never to show her kids' faces on social media in order to protect their privacy.
In Archie's younger years, however, the royal couple took the infant to public events, including their royal tour of South Africa, during which they posed for a photo opportunity with Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
The incredible likeness between Meghan and her son Archie is evident in an unearthed photograph of the ******* ss at a similar age.
Meghan Markle bears a striking resemblance to her son Archie (DailyMail.com)
The snap shows a very sweet baby Meghan looking at the camera wearing a black hoodie. The former Suits actress had the same dark brown eyes and similar-shaped features to Archie – glance quickly, and the mother and son look identical.

#meghan

They may shine on the red carpet now, but many of today's most iconic stars came from remarkably humble beginnings. These celebrities overcame adversity and economic hardship on their path to the top, proving that talent and determination can break through any barrier.
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Cardi B transformed her upbringing in the Bronx into chart-topping success, never shying away from talking about how her struggles shaped her tenacious ambition. Before she was a global star, she worked as a cashier at an organic grocery store called Amish Market at age 18. After she was fired, her coworker suggested she try out at a nearby exotic dance club, a job that helped set her on the path to a music career, as reported by Page Six. Today, Cardi uses her platform to inspire and empower women everywhere.
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Hilary Swank grew up in a trailer park, she wrote in an essay in the Wall Street Journal, before moving with her single mother to Los Angeles, where they lived in her mother's Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Swank's dedication paid off as she went on to become a two-time Oscar winner thanks to her roles in 1999's Boys Don't Cry and 2004's Million Dollar Baby.

#hilary

Long before she was finishing opponents inside the cage, Magdalena "The Powerpuff Girl" Czaban was a shy little girl in Krakow, Poland, who simply needed a gentle nudge out of her shell. That nudge ultimately came in the form of sports, and it completely changed the entire trajectory of her life.
The 26-year-old rising star now stands at a flawless 4-0, with every single one of her professional victories coming by way of an early finish. On Friday, August 14, she makes her highly anticipated ONE Championship debut against American veteran Natalie Salcedo in an atomweight MMA showcase at ONE Fight Night 46 on Prime Video. The blockbuster event broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Before she steps into the ring for the very first time, here is everything you need to know about the CTRL Fight standout — from her active childhood in southern Poland to the deeply personal battles that successfully shaped her into the martial artist she is today.
Czaban was born and raised in Krakow, a historic city in southern Poland renowned for its stunning architecture, vibrant arts, and rich culture. She grew up alongside her mother, father, and younger brother in a busy household where sitting still was never really an option.
As a child, Czaban was naturally reserved, and her parents recognized early on that structured physical activity might help draw her out of her profound shyness. What began as a well-meaning attempt to build her confidence blossomed into a family lifestyle built almost entirely around constant movement, adventure, and the great outdoors. Weekends and summers were rarely spent indoors.

#czaban #krakow #girl