Just two days after the start of fall camp, one of New Mexico State's key ***** istants is no longer with the program.
NMSU ***** istant head coach, general manager and running backs coach David Cobb was fired after a university review, a program spokesperson told the Journal on Friday.
Cobb, 33, had served in a variety of roles on NMSU's staff since 2023. Considered one of the Aggies' most valuable staffers, he was promoted to ***** istant head coach and general manager in January 2025.
It is unclear why the university fired Cobb.
"Before the start of football camp, David Cobb was placed on administrative leave," an NMSU spokesman said in a statement to the Journal. "Following the university's review process, coach Cobb was separated from the program and the university.

#coach #program

Picture this: It's December 2033. Puerto Rico's "Huracan Azul," ("Blue Hurricane"), the national soccer team in a country better known for baseball, basketball, and boxing, face off against Scotland in the Deutsche Bank Men's World Cup, brought to you by Fanatics—your home for World Cup swag. Until this winter, Puerto Rico had never qualified for a major tournament; Scotland, meanwhile, had never qualified for the knockout round in a World Cup. As the teams kick off play at Saudi Arabia's NEOM, you idly watch, wondering if an upset will take place.
It won't; Scotland quickly score once, twice, three times. The score is 4–0 by the time the referee whistles for the Michelob ULTRA Hydration Break to take place. It's 5–0 at halftime; Puerto Rico scores a consolation goal before the second hydration break, but the Scots hang three more in the final minutes as the game finishes 8–1. As the game ends, bored spectators streaming out, the camera briefly flashes on the luxury boxes. A grinning Gianni Infantino, the FIFA commissioner, mugs obscenely with the Saudi king and other potentates. History, of a kind, has happened.
If you see nothing wrong with this, you're probably either one of Infantino's staffers or a blood relation. Certainly, Infantino thinks such a display would be amazing. According to The Times of London, the FIFA chief is working closely with Thrive Capital's Joshua Kushner (brother of Jared Kushner!) and JP Morgan on a proposition that would all but radically transform the men's and women's World Cups as we know them, and not coincidentally shovel millions into his acquisitive little mittens. The proposal—now roundly condemned by virtually everyone who's heard about it, including Britain's new prime minister—involves creating a private company that would control the World Cups. Each of FIFA's 211 national member ****** ociations would have a financial stake, estimated at around $20 million each. The Times estimates that the company would be valued at around $20 billion.
The report makes for wild reading. Now, stop for a moment. Think of how quickly and quietly this whole thing went from "consultations" to a set of signed, nonbinding agreements. This isn't an idle contrivance, set for a slow burn; banks like JP Morgan and people like Kushner don't engage in that kind of deal. This is a fast-moving plan of action, set in motion before anyone outside of FIFA's holiest of holies in Zurich even knew what was going down.
Suffice it to say: It's a spectacularly bad idea. The pressure to expand the World Cups, to play them every other year, or even annually, would be immense. The arm twisting to turn them into something that would make college bowl season look staid and decorous would be even greater.

#World #cups #times

Sources suggest that King Charles's offer for Prince Harry to stay at Buckingham Palace on his next visit may upset staff. They claim that their resentment over Harry's memoir and interviews is still there. This comes amid reports that Charles extended an olive branch to his younger son ahead of his next UK visit for various engagements around the annual WellChild Awards.
Rob Shuter's Naughty But Nice reported that the palace staffers were "furious" when Prince Harry was offered palace accommodation during his recent UK visit. Additionally, insiders note that their feelings haven't changed and they still oppose his upcoming stay. The insider said, "The King may want Harry under his roof, but many of the people who work there don't. They felt deeply betrayed by everything that followed Spare and the interviews, and that resentment is still very real."
The source further claimed that staff opposition played a key role in the earlier cancellation of Harry's stay. While things will remain professional on the surface, the source added that this should not be mistaken for forgiveness. According to the source, those are "two different things." Despite the opposition from staffers, the monarch remains determined to make things right with Harry. The source stated that he would continue offering olive branches as part of this effort.
"Reconciliation isn't just about repairing a relationship between father and son. Harry also has to win back the people who keep the monarchy running every day—and that may be the toughest challenge of all. Don't be surprised if there's an unusual number of staff calling in sick the week he arrives," the insider continued.
Prince Harry is expected to return to the UK in September. However, it remains unclear if he would come alone or be joined by his family. Sources earlier shared that this time, the Duke of Sussex will accept the palace stay offer well in advance. Last time, his delay in acceptance allegedly led to cancellation.

#stay #source #sources

Prince Harry reportedly doesn't just need to get back into the good graces of his father, King Charles III — he must prove himself to palace staff.
Rob Shuter previously reported in his Tuesday, July 14 edition of the Naughty But Nice Substack that royal staff didn't want the Duke of Sussex, 41, to stay at the palace during his visit to Britain earlier this month.
The Spare author is supposed to be back in England in September for engagements surrounding the WellChild Awards, and Charles, 77, may extend an invitation for Harry to stay at the palace during his visit, The Sun reported on Sunday, July 26.
However, in the Tuesday, July 28 edition of Naughty But Nice, a source said that "nothing has changed" with palace staffers' feelings.
WP#JRAK/WENN/Newscom/The Mega Agency

#tuesday

Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) said Wednesday that Congress has a "culture of creepiness" when it came to members approaching and soliciting staffers.
Cammack told MeidasTouch's Pablo Manríquez that she "wouldn't feel comfortable sending" her "daughter to work here" in the current congressional environment.
Her comments came after Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) unveiled a resolution that would mandate lawmakers to confidentially disclose relationships with staffers in other offices or committees to the House Ethics Committee.
"I think we would be better off if members were more focused on their work than enhancing their love life," Cammack said.
She commended the resolution in addressing the power dynamics of these situations.

#resolution

Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) on Wednesday introduced a resolution requiring House lawmakers to disclose relationships with staffers of other offices or committees to the lower chamber's Committee on Ethics.
Crank's resolution proposes upholding the existing ban on lawmakers from dating their staffers or staffers of a committee they serve on. It also proposes mandating lawmakers confidentially disclose relationships with staffers in other offices or committees to the Ethics panel.
If the circumstances of the relationship changes, members must then give "prompt notification" to the committee.
Under the House Code of Official Conduct, members cannot engage in a "sexual relationship" with their staffers or staffers of committees they work on, with an exception for marriage.
While lawmakers cannot engage in "unwelcome ***** ual advances or conduct" to House employees, the code of conduct does not explicitly bar relationships between members and staffers of other offices and committees.

#staffers #relationships

ESPN and the rest of the sports media industry were left reeling Tuesday as the Mothership ejected approximately 10 on-air talents, while pink-slipping a large contingent of behind-the-scenes staffers at NFL Network.
After speaking with multiple sources, here are my five takeaways from the layoffs, which included ESPN dropping talents such as Ryan Clark, Karl Ravech, David Lloyd, Tom Pelissero, Cam Newton, and Bart Scott:
Chairman Jimmy Pitaro made it clear that ESPN's biggest round of layoffs in three years was tied directly to Disney's acquisition of NFL Network. Anytime two companies merge, the bean counters look at who's doing what. When they find two people doing the same job—or close to it—one goes out the door.

That's what's happening as ESPN absorbs a network it competed with for over 20 years. ESPN has made "significant progress" integrating NFLN, Pitaro wrote in an internal memo obtained by Front Office Sports. But as always with mergers, it "had to make some difficult decisions," added Pitaro.
ESPN will broadcast its first-ever Super Bowl from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Feb. 14, 2027. Televising a Super Bowl has been a corporate dream of ESPN's since its founding as a scrappy wannabe in 1979. ESPN management and parent company Disney are laser-focused on creating the best, most thorough Super Bowl coverage ever. Anybody on-air during what ESPN is humbly calling its "Year of the Super Bowl" will go down in company history. The competition for those choice on-air slots will be brutal.
The game announce team of Troy Aikman, Joe Buck, Lisa Salters, and Laura Rutledge are locks. Ditto for Sunday NFL Countdown regulars Mike Greenberg, Rex Ryan, Randy Moss, Alex Smith, Tedy Bruschi and Adam Schefter. And look for legendary anchor Chris Berman to play a major role as the living embodiment of ESPN's 47-year history.

#espn #network #sports #talents

Speaker Mike Johnson doesn't think members of Congress should be romantically involved with House staffers — even if the staffers don't work for them.
Johnson weighed in during a news conference Tuesday on what has been a hotly debated topic on Capitol Hill: Should members of Congress be allowed to pursue relationships with staffers outside of their own offices? Johnson said it's an easy call for him: They should not.
"I can't believe it would be acceptable in any situation," Johnson said of lawmakers dating any staffers in the House. "I think we should as a bare minimum in Congress have rules and traditions that are adhered to in corporate America, so that is an easy one for me."
Johnson's comments come as efforts to reduce harassment on Capitol Hill are ramping up and as a bipartisan working group is targeting reforms aimed at making Congress a safer and more professional environment for women.
The issue of whether members should be allowed to date staffers outside their office has been at the center of a debate about how to stamp out **** ual harassment on the Hill. Many members argued in the days after the resignations of Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales that lawmakers should be barred from any **** ual relationships with House staff — not just those who worked for them.

#johnson #House #capitol

Sources claim that Donald Trump and Melania Trump's marriage has hit a new low, with the couple reportedly "barely speaking" to each other. The pair tied the knot on January 22, 2005, and share one child, their son Barron Trump. While they have been married for nearly 21 years, reports suggest that their relationship has recently hit a rough patch.
All is reportedly not well in Donald Trump and Melania Trump's marriage, according to a report by The Daily Beast. Author Michael Wolff wrote a post on Substack to shed light on the matter. In his latest column, he claimed that White House staffers are afraid of Melania's unpredictability and the influence she holds.
"Everybody in the White House is afraid of Melania Trump and her power—that is, if she chooses to use it," Wolff wrote. They do not think she would use that power to threaten the administration. However, they cannot be certain, the author stated.
Wolff further claimed that amid all this, Donald and Melania's relationship is "at its lowest point." According to the author, the couple barely speak to each other, adding, "There is hardly even the pretense that she lives in the White House."
Melania is reportedly living in New York instead of residing full-time with her husband in Washington. Wolff also claimed that the White House is concerned about what Melania's next business moves could be. He wrote, "Of all the self-dealing among Trump family members, Melania's moves—not just about money, but about calling attention to herself—are seen as most disturbing to the White House, and most in danger of putting her on a collision course with the president."

FIRST ON FOX: A far-left "Squad" Democrat is facing scrutiny after spending thousands of dollars in donor cash at lavish hotels nearly 2,000 miles away from her home district, a Fox News Digital review of FEC records found.
"Squad" Rep. Ilhan Omar's, D-Minn., campaign dropped over $6K on high-end hotels and private transportation between April and June, including payments to a Ritz-Carlton resort in Palm Springs, a hotel with sweeping views from the Hollywood Sign to downtown Los Angeles, and a luxury stay in the heart of Times Square, the congresswoman's latest financial filings show.
The payments, covering April 1 through June 30, included $2,131.90 to W New York in Times Square, $1,613.23 to The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, $1,143 to Blacklane Transportation, $926.80 to Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs and $682.41 to the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.
Overall, the campaign reported more than $28,000 in travel expenses and more than $23,000 in food, beverage and catering expenses during the three-month filing period.
Schumer Dodges Questions After Bombshell Report Alleges Dem Senator Had Relationships With House Staffers

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., declined to weigh in on the latest scandal to hit a member of his party, instead focusing on his planned diatribe against President Donald Trump's primetime address Thursday.
The New York Post reported that Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., engaged in ******* ual relationships with at least two Democratic House staffers who did not work for him while he was a member of the House. According to House rules, members are not barred from having relationships with staffers who work outside their office.
Sources told the outlet it was believed the relationships happened while the lawmaker was unmarried.
Ethics Panel Clears Gallego As Luna Declares, 'Once A Creep, Always A Creep'
When asked to weigh in on the latest scandal involving Gallego, Schumer mentioned his planned speech railing against Trump's scheduled address on foreign interference in the 2020 election Thursday night and told Fox News Digital, "I'm not — I'm focused on this right now."

Mike Boynton Jr. has made his first move as Michigan basketball coach.
The Wolverines are hiring longtime Brown head coach Mike Martin to fill an ******* istant coaching role, a person with knowledge of the situation but not permitted to speak publicly on the matter told the Free Press on Monday, July 13.
The 44-year-old Martin was Brown coach for 14 seasons (including 2020-21, skipped by Ivy League teams), hired by the Bears a few weeks before he turned 30. He was named Ivy League Coach of the Year in 2019 and is the first of possibly multiple staffers who could join Boynton and company after a summer of coaching turnover.
HONOR ROLL: Michigan legend Glen Rice named to Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
Boynton was officially hired as U-M coach on Friday, less than three weeks after ex-coach Dusty May left for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. May took ******* istant Drew Williamson and Mody Maor, who was expected to join U-M's staff for the 2026-27 season from ******* an but was never formally announced.

After five years of offering staff work-from-anywhere perks, Revolut is pulling back on its "remote-first" policy—but just for some young hires. Now, the London-based company will require fresh-faced graduate workers to come into the office at least three days a week.
For years, the business has endorsed envy-inducing flexibility benefits, like allowing staffers to log in from abroad 120 days a year to "explore new cultures while staying productive and connected." The company says it wants employees to clock in where they work best—whether it be a foreign city, office cubicle, or living room table.
However, starting in 2027, any new interns or graduate employees joining Revolut's Talent Programmes will have to show up to an office for a majority of the workweek. That means they won't be able to spend weeks working online while jet-setting from one country to the next, like the class of 2026 could.
But it's not a complete ban: talent who successfully complete the 12-month graduate program will move onto the company's typical remote-first contracts.
The rollback is in lockstep with a broader corporate push to bring young employees back into the office, as leaders argue they can build skills, forge connections, and accelerate their careers.

As AI automates routine tasks and redefines entire roles, the tools are creating a new workplace survival test—one where workers must evolve, or risk being left in the dust. Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora warns that 90% of employees at big companies aren't AI savvy—and it could determine the fate of their careers in the new world.
"I think we're back to a Darwinian moment where everybody has to figure out who's really good," Arora said recently during an episode of the 20VC podcast.
"[Workers] have to learn. I can't send them to university; there's no course you can take in any school anywhere," he added. "They have to be able to learn on their own."
And the leader of the $278 billion cybersecurity firm is already witnessing the fallout. Hiring has screeched to a halt as companies slash thousands of staffers in the name of AI—and tech-savvy talent will have the best shot at career success.
It's estimated that 39% of business leaders have already made employees redundant due to leveraging AI, according to a 2025 Orgvue study.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding seemed to have a royal touch. According to a recent report, a giant white staircase was spotted outside Madison Square Garden. It was said to be part of the theme-based decorations for the celebrity couple's upcoming celebration. Furthermore, it was reported that the duo might have a fairytale royal castle at the venue, hence the stairs. For those unversed, several reports claimed that the singer and the NFL star are set to tie the knot on July 3 at MSG in New York.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding would reportedly have a fairytale castle. TMZ reported that they spotted a giant white staircase outside Madison Square Garden. It appeared to be being craned into the venue, according to the video obtained by the outlet. Allegedly, the soon-to-be-married couple could be planning a castle-themed event, adding a royal touch to their nuptials.
Furthermore, a CBS News video captured trucks unloading equipment wrapped in tarps. However, labels were visible that read "Garden Party 1 (scenic)" and "GP" was spray-painted on the items. Swift and Kelce have been secretive about their wedding details. They have not revealed their confirmed date, venue, or guest list. Meanwhile, the buzz outside MSG has raised questions, hinting that the couple will hold their event there.
Earlier, Page Six revealed additional clues about the reported wedding preparations. Staffers were spotted offloading many chairs, spotlights, and lighting equipment. Amid all the work, the secrecy was seemingly maintained. While the huge items were covered, some vendors had reportedly concealed their companies' logos and names. One worker said, "We aren't told anything. Everything is so tight-lipped." They also told the outlet that they had no idea who the clients were.
Meanwhile, another report suggested that Swift and Kelce's wedding guests were said to be "annoyed." They allegedly felt distrusted because the pair seemed not to have shared any details with them as well.

The post-pandemic days of coffee badging and logging in from the couch may be coming to an end. More employers have been rolling out novel ways to keep tabs on workers' whereabouts. And now, retail giant Target is doubling down on its attendance policy with a new points system.
Starting this September, Target will begin tracking the unexcused tardiness and absences of its store and warehouse workers with a new points system, according to Business Insider reporting confirmed by the company.
Staffers' attendance violations will be tallied up and addressed accordingly: a quarter of a point for being more than eight minutes late to work, one point for missing a shift without their manager's approval, and three points for skipping on work without telling their boss. The attendance strikes expire every 365 days.
And the higher the number climbs, the more serious the consequences become. If staffers rack up three points, they'll have to check in with their supervisor; after five, counseling is on the table. And ultimately, if employees hit the threshold of 12 points, they'll be shown the door.
Target's attendance system comes as its new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, looks to improve store operations and create a better experience for shoppers. In a statement to Fortune, a company spokesperson says "Target is focused on returning to growth, and elevating our guest experience is a key strategic priority. We'll continue to focus on enabling our team to deliver the delightful experience that guests depend on every day."

AI may be proven to make us less intelligent (1), but that isn't stopping the vast majority of people from using ChatGPT and similar applications at their office jobs — and neither are employer policies, apparently.
New research (2) from PagerDuty — an AI operations platform — shows that far more staff are turning to Large Language Models and similar tools to complete their daily work than one might think. And, most are doing so when they know they shouldn't be, and/or when dealing with private information.
The firm conducted a survey of more than 1,200 office professionals at non-tech corporations and non-profits in the US, UK, Australia and **** an that generate or manage at least $500 million.
What they found was an extremely high level of over-confidence in AI usage, with 72% of respondents **** erting that they know more about AI and its potential applications to their role than managers creating workplace policies around the tech.
On top of that, among workers who use AI on the job, 66% are knowingly doing so in the face of rules that outright ban such programs. (This is despite about half, 48%, admitting that they'd faced formal consequences as a result.) This prohibited usage tends to be more popular at larger companies, the study suggests; at firms with 1,500 staffers or more. An even more substantial 72% divulged that they go against their employer's wishes with their use of certain platforms.

The offseason praise continues to pour in for LSU football safety Ty Benefield. The Boise State transfer was No. 6 in ESPN's ranking of defenders for the 2026 college football season. Benefield has earned rave reviews since arriving at LSU in January.
ESPN talked to a handful of staffers around the sport to get firsthand accounts for the rankings. Staffers didn't hold back when discussing expectations for Benefield.
"One GM at another CFP contender said an NFL scout called him to say he had a first-round grade on Benefield and was shocked he was staying in school. Others have heard similar buzz coming out of Baton Rouge," wrote ESPN.
Another ACC GM told ESPN that they heard Benefield was an "absolute freak" and "the best player on the field" for LSU in spring practice.
The quotes align with the talk that's surrounded Benefield all offseason. Benefield has big shoes to fill at LSU, taking the spot left by AJ Haulcy, but by all accounts, Benefield is up to the task. The LSU safety is talked about as a potential All-American and first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

With the 15th overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls picked Texas basketball TK Dailyn Swain. He's now the Longhorns' 21st player to hear his name called in the first round.
Prior to his selection, Swain entered this year's draft as a chin-scratching, but tantalizing, wing prospects in the 2026 class. He has his single season at Texas to thank as he rose nearer and nearer the top of the draft boards.
Swain began his college career at Xavier. However, Swain would eventually part ways with the university to join Texas men's basketball head coach Sean Miller in his first year leading the program. A change of scenery would do wonders for Swain; nearly on day one, he became one of the team's focal points, as Swain, at 6-foot-7, average 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 ***** ists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 54.2% from the field. By season's end, Swain led the Longhorns in scoring, rebounding, ***** ists, steals, and minutes played. And as a result, Swain become the only player in a Division 1 conference to lead his team in all the previously mentioned categories. He was also cited as just the third player in the past three decades to average at least 17 points, seven rebounds, and three ***** ists per game in a season, according to Texas Athletics.
In his final NCAA season, Swain and his teammates managed to end the season in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, as the SEC named him "Newcomer of the Year" and to its second-team all-conference team. Swain was also a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.
It seems NBA scouts have not underestimated Swain's size and strength. And while his shooting along the perimeter could improve—and with NBA-quality conditioning and coaching staff, it almost undoubtedly will improve in the coming years—it's Swain's raw athleticism, aggressive defensive approach, and his roles in playmaking that likely sold him to staffers ***** ociated with the sport's highest level of play.

PRAGUE (AP) — Thousands of Czechs rallied in the capital on Sunday to condemn a plan by the government led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to overhaul funding for public broadcasters that is considered dangerous for their independence.
The protesters gathered in front of the Czech public television offices in Prague to voice their support for the media a day before their staffers plan to go on a warning strike, and after recent protest marches in the regional capitals and Prague.
According to the plan approved last week, public radio and television would be financed from the state budget starting next year, and not from fees paid by individuals, households and businesses.
Critics say that change would give the three-party coalition government a means to take control of the media following the examples of populist governments in Slovakia under Prime Minister Robert Fico and in Hungary under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
"The media don't belong to politicians," Mikuláš Minář, a main organizer from the Million Moments for Democracy group said. "They belong to us all and we won't allow them to be stolen from us."

Keaton Wagler to Mavericks is no longer a long shot after Clippers showed their hand originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Mavericks have a ton of choices for their No. 9 draft pick. Throughout most of the pre-draft cycle, selecting Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler at their most important No. 9 seemed unrealistic.
The 19-year-old Illinois Fighting Illini guard, who won the Jerry West Award, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and NCAA South Region Most Outstanding Player, was widely projected as a top-five selection.
Most ******* ysts expected the Los Angeles Clippers to draft him at No. 5, putting him out of Dallas's range. However, the situation changed when the Clippers' preferences became clearer.
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Clippers staffers have been "very impressed" with Arizona guard Brayden Burries during his pre-draft visit and that Burries is "very much under consideration for the fifth pick." Since the Clippers were already reportedly uninterested in Wagler, this shift creates a realistic path for the Mavs to land their dream pick.

Back in 2015, Frank Moore held a team off-site meeting where members of his staff at the Southern California Golf ***** ociation were asked to draw a picture of their ideal workday.
One of those staffers, Julia Pine, a Bay Area native, drew herself at U.S. Open Final Qualifying site, sketching TV trucks and reporters that she ***** isted at "Golf's Longest Day."
"We talked about it and she said she loved the energy of the day, the human-interest stories that she helped uncover for Golf Channel and other national golf publications," recalled Moore, the longtime communications and marketing director for the SCGA. "It's no surprise that she looked to the USGA for her next opportunity."
Indeed, just a few years later, Pine manifested her dream day into her full-time job, including overseeing the communications strategy for U.S. Open Final Qualifying, not to mention the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open, among the 15 championships the ***** ociation oversees. In October, she was promoted to the USGA's senior director of communications and content, adding responsibilities for the brand side, including handicapping and Green Section. She'll attend upwards of six championships in person, highlighted by a three-week stretch in June that will take her from coast to coast: the U.S. Women's Open and Curtis Cup in Los Angeles and the U.S. Open on Long Island.
Pine cut her teeth at the SCGA but she has Northern California roots so we count her as one of our own. She moved from New York to Berkeley when she was 10, which was a return to the Bay Area for her father who had grown up in San Francisco. She still speaks fondly of attending the Athenian School, a non-traditional high school in Danville, that helped shape her world view while shepherding a dream of being an ESPN SportsCenter anchor. Golf wasn't yet part of the picture, and her dream evolved from in front of the camera to something more behind the scenes at Loyola Marymount University, where she became the sports editor by the second half of her sophomore year and majored in English with minors in Journalism and Ethical Studies. She served as beat writer for the men's basketball team and treated the school paper as if it was a full-time job. However, when she graduated, journalism jobs were sparse and so she decided to cast a wider net after asking herself a critical question: Is it journalism or sports that she wanted to pursue?

Tavius Robinson found a new way to make an impact for the Baltimore Ravens, and this one had nothing to do with setting the edge or rushing the passer. The Ravens used the massive outside linebacker as a fake mannequin during Media Day, dressing him in one of the team's new uniforms and placing him in a position to surprise unsuspecting teammates and employees. Robinson stayed still long enough to blend into the setup before suddenly moving, creating some of the funniest and most startled reactions of the offseason.
Baltimore posted the video with the caption, "Tavius Robinson Pranks Teammates As Mannequin On Media Day," and the reactions quickly became the highlight. Trenton Simpson, Kyle Hamilton, and rookie edge rusher Mike Green were among the Ravens caught off guard by Robinson's commitment to the bit.
The setup worked because Robinson looked the part. At 6-foot-6 and 262 pounds, he already has the kind of frame that makes him stand out, and dressing him in full uniform as part of a display made the prank believable enough to fool teammates walking through the Media Day area. Once Robinson moved, the reactions ranged from startled jumps to laughter, with several players and staffers needing a moment to process that the mannequin was actually one of their teammates. Only the equally massive Calais Campbell and quarterback Lamar Jackson seemed unfazed by the prank.
The video also gave the Ravens a lighter offseason moment as the team continues mandatory minicamp and prepares for training camp later this summer. Media Day is typically centered on uniform shots, video content, player portraits, and promotional material, but Baltimore turned the setting into an opportunity to showcase personality inside the building.
Robinson's role in the prank also fits his growing presence on the roster. The Canadian edge defender is entering an important season for a Ravens defense that has added talent and competition around the pass rush. Baltimore has Trey Hendrickson, Mike Green, Adisa Isaac, Zion Young, Kaimon Rucker, and others in the edge group, making Robinson's summer one to watch as the team sorts through roles under defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

The U.S. State Department has become a major player in the World Cup.
On the eve of the tournament, many involved are facing travel issues as they try to enter the U.S.
At least one player and referee have been held up or denied, while many team staff members and federation leaders have had their visa applications rejected. Journalists are also facing widespread denials or single-entry limits, and Iran’s federation reportedly claimed the U.S. will only let the team enter one day before any match.
The Trump administration has instituted travel policies that ban or restrict visitors from several World Cup participating countries. The administration claims some policies are in the interest of national security, while others seek to limit the spread of disease. These policies have included carveouts for players and staffers, but not fans.
“The denial of visas for journalists from certain countries, or the rejection of a visa for a coach of a team, as well as single-day visas for specific foreign national teams, this is anathema to what this tournament is supposed to be about,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday.

Earlier this week, I was fortunate enough to participate in a panel to create the composite rankings of the top 10 most important Buffalo Bills for the future of the franchise. This activity is led annually by Joe Marino of Locked On Bills, and it always leads to some fantastic discussion.
You can find the episode that unveils the top 10 selections here, with commentary from the panel justifying some of their selections. The panel included 16 beat reporters and content creators, including fellow Buffalo Rumblings staffers Chris Trapasso and Bruce Nolan. It is an enjoyable exercise, and I would encourage everyone to submit their own lists in the comments section below.
Every year this is a difficult process, as the Bills have a talented roster that includes a bit of a logjam after the obvious choice in the top spot (spoiler alert: he wears #17 ). My top 10 list is included below, with some brief commentary that led to the pick. I will also share my brief list for honorable mention that included three players I regrettably had to omit.
Josh Allen – There is no other option that I could seriously consider to take the top spot. Someday Allen’s time with the Bills will come to an end, but for now he is the obvious pick.
James Cook – The most dynamic weapon on the Bills offense made things click last season. It is no small feat to lead the NFL in rushing, and expectations remain high for Cook this year.

The Carolina Hurricanes' quest for the Stanley Cup comes with soaring sales for area bars and restaurants. Many are hosting watch parties and going to great lengths to celebrate the team.
Madre restaurant owner Tyler Helikson helped bring in a 15-foot LED jumbotron in the courtyard of Smoky Hollow.
Roughly 800 people packed into the ***** e for Friday night's game.
"We have benefited tremendously from this event," said Helikson. "Thanks to the Canes' success and the run they've had, I've been overwhelmed by the reaction."
The Mediterranean tapas spot set up a snack bar and is serving up food not typically found on the menu. Staffers have been selling out of those items.

Mariners Opening Day Game Thread 2

Apologies for the late thread, I went out to say hi to staffers John and Isabelle who are in attendance at the game tonight. Luke Raley hit that game-tying nuke just as I got up so maybe now that I’m sitting down again we can have another, this time a go-ahead one.

https://sports.yahoo.com/a...

Trump's top HR official says DOGE 'may not have centralized leadership,' but its principles 'remain alive'

DOGE's central office no longer exists, less than a year after it was created.
Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor said DOGE's goals still guide decision-making.
Some DOGE staffers remain embedded at government agencies.
Less than a year after it was born, DOGE has officially lost its center.
Scott Kupor, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, pushed back against a recent article from Reuters quoting him as saying DOGE "doesn't exist" and is not a "cent

Cabinet officials and senior staffers across the Trump administration are reclaiming power from Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service. Cabinet officials — some of whom had clashed with Musk — are moving to rehire workers who had been pushed out.