Republicans are swamping House and Senate races with an unprecedented flood of late ad spending as the party tests whether hundreds of millions of dollars can buy it some reprieve from the eroding political environment that’s threatening longtime Republican states and districts.
Since the start of September, Republicans have made more than $700 million worth of new advertising bookings in congressional races alone, according to an NBC News ******* ysis of data from AdImpact, a political ad-tracking firm. That’s new money on top of what had already been committed to those races in ad reservations made over the summer.
By comparison, Democrats booked more than $430 million in new ad reservations across those races last month.
The disparity is greatest in the battle for the Senate majority, where almost 7 of every 10 newly booked advertising dollars are coming from Republicans. That’s led by a massive, late investment in the Senate race in Texas, where Democrat James Talarico is threatening a longtime Republican seat and the GOP has poured in almost $150 million in new ad dollars to back up its nominee, Ken Paxton.
The gap is smaller in the House, where a bit less than 6 in 10 of those new ad dollars are coming from the GOP.

#senate #dollars #House #republican

For around 15 hours, immigration detention officers kept Raúl Suárez Herrero confined in a cage slightly larger than a phone booth, where he feared snakes and endured mosquitoes in the middle of Florida swampland, the former detainee alleged.
Suárez, 59, told José Díaz-Balart in an interview for Noticias Telemundo’s “Ahora 360” that he was forced into the cage, measuring 7 feet, 9 inches high and 4 feet, 3 inches square, for praying out loud for an ill young man at “Alligator Alcatraz,” an ICE detention site.
“I feel like I was in ****** ,” Suárez later told NBC News in a phone interview from Mexico, where he was deported.
Suárez spoke days after a Department of Homeland Security watchdog confirmed the use of the phone booth-sized cages at the now-shuttered Florida detention camp in a Sept. 11 report.
“The use of such restrictive ****** es is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment,” the report said.

#detention #phone #Florida #report

Chewy dropped 9% after free cash flow fell 15% to $89.5M despite beating revenue estimates, while Petco slid 6% on sector contagion.
Freshpet bucked the sector weakness, rising 2% on 15.5% revenue growth and a raised 2026 sales outlook.
Chewy's Autoship sales hit 84.6% of revenue with 21.7 million active customers, anchoring the bull case for its multi-quarter reinvestment cycle.
Just released. Our **** ysts combed the entire stock market and named the ten best stocks to buy right now, and Chewy didn't make the cut. Enter your email to see the names that beat CHWY. The report is free. Enter your email and see if any of your stocks made the cut.
Chewy (NYSE:CHWY) stock is down 11% midday on Wednesday to $20.68 after the online pet retailer reported fiscal Q2 2027 results that carried a free cash flow shortfall large enough to swamp a raised full-year outlook. The setup is unusual because both the revenue and the adjusted earnings landed close to where **** ysts had expected.

#enter #cash #raised #sales

Florida football began the Jon Sumrall era with a convincing 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic at The Swamp.
In this week's Swampcast, the Sun's Kevin Brockway, Noah Ram and Andrew Abadie break down the win and focus on where the Florida Gators need to improve in their Week 2 matchup against Campbell on Saturday, September 12 (5:30 p.m., SEC Network +).
Florida outgained FAU 624-396 but concerns on defense remain for the Gators in both communication and physicality.
"You knew it was going to be tough facing one of the best pass offenses in the country last season but still, some soft coverages, not much of a pass rush, some things to be mildly concerned about," Brockway said.
Abadie said it comes down to players winning matchups on the defensive line and better communication in the secondary.

#gators #sumrall #Atlantic #swamp

The US LBM Coaches Poll following college football's Week 1 results was released on Tuesday, with the Florida Gators entering the top 25 after a decisive 66-21 victory over the FAU Owls inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Jon Sumrall's squad began the season just outside the rankings in the de facto No. 27 spot with 147 votes when the first edition of the poll was released back at the beginning of August. With one-plus week of play now in the books, the Orange and Blue finds itself now tied with the Virginia Cavaliers for the No. 25 spot with 157 votes — both of whom are just seven votes behind the No. 24 Michigan Wolverines.
Next up for Florida are the Campbell Fighting Camels, an FCS program that will travel to the Swamp on Saturday, Sept. 12, for a clash on the collegiate gridiron. Kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.
RK
TEAM

#poll #week #spot #owls

Florida running back Jadan Baugh ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns in the Gators' season-opening win over FAU on Saturday night.
He spoke to the press after the game and discussed his 61-yard run, the benefits of playing at a lighter weight and the importance of Florida's perimeter blocking. He also explained the Heisman poses he struck after scoring and what he saw while breaking into the open field.
The junior also shared his thoughts on Aaron Philo's first start, Florida's faster offensive operation and his growing role as a leader.
Here's everything Baugh had to say.
It felt great to me, honestly. Just being in The Swamp, seeing the fans and hearing how loud it gets. Early in the game, it got very loud, and I looked back at the stands like, "Wow, that's crazy."

#back #game #jadan #saturday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jadan Baugh ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns, juking defenders nearly every time he touched the ball, and Florida opened the Jon Sumrall era with a 66-21 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night.
Aaron Philo added 275 yards passing and four total scores as the Gators won their seventh consecutive home debut for a new coach. This one was the highest-scoring season opener for Florida since 1994.
Sumrall entered the sold-out Swamp amid fire, smoke and strobe lights. He delivered a fiery pregame speech on the field and then really showed what he's about with a dominant win that was never in doubt. He even had his team throwing — and scoring — in the final minute, reminding some of Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier.
Florida scored on its first six possessions. Philo connected with Vernell Brown III for a 49-yard score and then found former Georgia Tech teammate and current roommate Bailey Stockton for a 12-yarder.
Philo scrambled for a score on fourth down to make it 24-7. Brown finished with 117 yards on six receptions.

#baugh

Jon Sumrall won the offseason for Florida football, as the first-year UF coach re-energized the fanbase with his authentic, energetic demeanor,
Sumrall will begin the process of trying to win the regular season in his coaching debut with the Florida Gators on Saturday, September 5 at The Swamp against Florida Atlantic (7:45 p.m., SEC Network).
Both Florida and FAU are seeking to bounce back from 4-8 seasons. Sumrall was hired from Tulane on November 30, 2025 and has placed the offseason emphasis on physical and mental toughness to help turn around a program that's endured four losing seasons in the last five years.
Florida will play before its 19th straight sellout in Sumrall's debut.
"That gameday opportunity here is unlike many out there," Sumrall said. And so, I'll be amped up. But at the end of the day too, it's really about focusing on us doing our job to the best of our ability and playing really good football. And so, you have to make sure that while you're emotionally charged up and you're hyped, that you don't forget that the main things that go on within the game aren't in the stands; it's in between the white lines."

#Football #gators #saturday

Bill Belichick needed this one.
That the 74-year-old Belichick came into his second year at North Carolina on one of the hottest seats in college football was a signal that the six-time Super Bowl winner had officially lost his fastball after a dismal end to his run with the New England Patriots.
A full accounting of how far Belichick and UNC have come since last season won't be complete until deeper into one of the toughest schedules in the Bowl Subdivision. But the Tar Heels' often ugly 15-10 win against TCU in Ireland rights the ship for Belichick and gives his tenure a must-have boost after another drama-filled offseason.
The Tar Heels were swamped at home by TCU in last year's opener, scoring the game's first points before giving up 41 in a row and losing 48-14.
This TCU team has clear quarterback issues after losing multiple-year starter Josh Hoover to Indiana. Combined with a lack of elite skill talent, the Horned Frogs might struggle to reach bowl eligibility.

#year

Most fathers and daughters bond over shared activities like camping and hiking but for Georgina and Tony Dixon it is their shared love of monster trucks that brings them together.
Monster trucks have been part of 23-year-old Georgina's life since day one. Her dad bought his first monster truck, Swamp Thing, in 2003 - the year she was born.
Having grown up with the motorsport in Melksham, Wiltshire, Georgina has followed in her dad's footsteps and she is now thought to be the youngest female truck driver in the country.
"About two years ago, I started doing monster trucks full-time and I love it," she said. "It's absolutely amazing."
The pair are due to thrill crowds at Truck Fest South West at the Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet this weekend, performing stunts on the legendary Swamp Thing monster truck.

#truck

Florida football opens its 2026 campaign in under two weeks as the Jon Sumrall era kicks off in Gainesville. Ahead of the season's start, USA TODAY Sports writer Paul Myerberg published his full re-rank of all 138 FBS schools.
Myerberg's previous rerank for this fall came out in April, with the Gators placed at No. 38. In his final salvo of the preseason, the Orange and Blue find themselves up two spots at No. 36 and 10th among Southeastern Conference schools.
Sumrall and Co. enter the campaign outside the top 25 of both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Poll, with a de facto No. 27 ranking in both. Last year in Billy Napier's final season at the helm, Florida opened the schedule ranked No. 17 in the Coaches and No. 15 in the AP polls, while Myerberg had the Gators at No. 25 in his preseason re-rank.
The SEC has eight programs among the top 25 in the re-rank, headlined by third-ranked Texas, along with Georgia (No. 6), Oklahoma (No. 7) and Alabama (No. 9) in the top 10. Ole Miss (No. 11), Texas A&M (No. 13), LSU (No. 18) and Tennessee (No. 19) round out the top 25.
Florida begins its season against FAU in the Swamp on Saturday, Sept. 5.

#sumrall #texas

Florida has named a new starting quarterback, and he's a name that should be familiar to Georgia Tech fans.
Gators coach Jon Sumrall named redshirt sophomore Aaron Philo as the team's starting quarterback for the fall. He's a Yellow Jackets transfer who will now pilot Sumrall's first year in the Swamp.
Philo beat out redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting gig.
Philo only played in three games last year for Georgia Tech behind quarterback Haynes King, but he will now get his chance to start for one of the biggest college football programs in the country.
TENNESSEE: Meet Faizon Brandon, the new Vols starting quarterback

#starting #quarterback #philo #gators

Eagle Capital Management, an investment management company, released its second quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. In the quarter, Eagle Capital Management discussed how enthusiasm around AI capital spending has driven strong S&P 500 earnings growth while also increasing risks from elevated valuations, concentrated demand, and aggressive investment ***** umptions. Eagle remains a strong believer in AI but prefers constructing a portfolio that can perform across multiple outcomes rather than relying on one forecast. The firm believes current earnings can overstate underlying economics because semiconductor equipment is depreciated over several years, while free cash flow growth remains much weaker. It also expects competition and additional capacity across AI labs, hyperscalers, and semiconductors to eventually create winners and losers. These dynamics are encouraging Eagle to recycle capital toward attractive opportunities outside the most crowded AI trades while maintaining selective exposure to high quality beneficiaries. The portfolio trades at a 20% market discount with faster expected EPS growth. Please review the Strategy's top five holdings for key selections.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Eagle Capital Management highlighted Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA). Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) engages in the bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminum production, and energy generation business. On August 19, 2026, Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) closed at $51.54 per share. The one-month return of Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) was 13.85% and its shares gained 74.65% over the past 52 weeks. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) has a market capitalization of $13.6 billion with a 52-week trading range between $28.92 - $84.38.
Eagle Capital Management stated the following regarding Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"The energy & metals companies we own benefit from favorable multiyear supply/demand outlooks, management teams that are good capital allocators, and ***** et bases that are well-positioned on the global cost curve. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) is a global producer of aluminum and alumina. For more than two decades, Chinese aluminum supply was relentless, swamping the market. The country has imposed smelter caps and is no longer adding net capacity. As global demand grows, new capacity must be added elsewhere at higher build costs. Incentivizing this capacity requires higher prices to earn a return. We own Alcoa at a wide discount to replacement cost, and this shift higher in aluminum and alumina prices is a powerful tailwind for earnings power. We expect EPS growth in the mid-teens over the next several years."

#alcoa #corporation #aluminum

The bronze statues of Florida football Heisman winners Tim Tebow, Danny Wuerffel and Steve Spurrier adorn the front of The Swamp.
On Sunday, August 23, Florida Gators fans can see all three together in the flesh at a charity event in Gainesville.
Tebow, Wuerrfel and Spurrier will be at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center and Spurrier's Gridiron Grille in Celebration Pointe for an interactive public appearance. During the event, fans can catch a touchdown pass from Tebow or Wuerffel and take a handoff from Spurrier. Each experience includes an autographed football, a personal photo, and a professionally shot video keepsake.
The event is being held in conjunction with the inaugural Florida Legends Card Show, a weekend event for collectors, traders, and enthusiasts for sports and trading card games, like Pokemon. It will take place from August 22–23 at theAlachua County Sports & Events Center. Other former Florida greats plan to turn out for the card signing event, including former Florida basketball and NBA center Marreese Speights and former Florida baseball and Major League baseball catcher Mike Zunino, who won the Golden Spikes Award in 2012.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Isaiah 117 House, which benifits Alachua County foster children awaiting placement. More information on the event can be found at fllegends.com.

#spurrier #card #former #wuerffel

Hardly anything went right for Manchester City yesterday as they were comfortably beaten 3-0 by ***** nal in the FA Community Shield. Goals from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard saw Enzo Maresca's side well beaten at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Looking at the match and how it transpired, there is one area of the pitch that City must strengthen before the transfer window closes. That is the midfield. It looks like Manchester City are about to step up the process of fortifying their engine room. It is exactly what must be done to help give Enzo Maresca the midfielders he needs to fully implement his system.
Enzo Maresca started Elliot Anderson, Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden in midfield yesterday against ***** nal. Anderson made his City debut, Mateo Kovacic played in a role that he isn't ideally suited to and Phil Foden started as the number ten. Manchester City weren't necessarily swamped in midfield by Mikel Arteta's side. What stood out was how disjointed Enzo Maresca's side were and how easy they were to play through in the opening half-hour of the game.
Elliot Anderson was by no means poor in his City debut. He did put himself about in the hour he was on the pitch. Anderson also needs time to grow into life as a Manchester City player. Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden had moments but overall the necessary quality wasn't there in the engine room for Manchester City. The midfield trio that Maresca opted to start with played like a lineup that had never played together before, and they were. But there is a desperate need for City to add the quality they need to fortify their midfield.
Rodri won't be a part of the solution to Manchester City's midfield issue. Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that he is on the verge of completing a move to Barcelona. Rodri's departure, alongside that of Tijjani Reijnders opens up ***** e in Manchester City's midfield. It must be filled with quality players. Now, City must shop from the top shelf to bolster their midfield. They have done this when they signed Elliot Anderson. Now they need more quality in midfield to add the options that Enzo Maresca needs.
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca was asked about Manchester City's prospects of completing a move for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. Maresca reminded everyone that Bouaddi remains a Lille player, but he added that the sooner that City complete any new signings the better. He explained: "He's still a Lille player, but any new signings, any new players, for sure the sooner they arrive it's better because we're going to start the Premier League in one week. And if they start to work with us as soon as possible, it's better because they can also understand the way we want to play."

#city

It was a breakthrough national championship, highlighted by the Fun' N' Gun offense, a Heisman-winning quarterback and a visor-wearing coach with swagger that stretched from Key West to Pensacola.
Florida football won its first national ******* le 30 years ago, capping a 12-1 season in 1996 with a 52-20 win over rival Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
Two of the three statues erected in front of The Swamp played a key role in the championship season. Heisman winner Steve Spurrier, in his sixth season as UF coach, guided an offense that lit up scoreboards like a pinball machine. With Spurrier calling the plays, the Florida Gators led the nation in total offense (503.9 ypg) while leading the SEC in scoring offense (47.0 ppg, an SEC record that still stands).
Starting quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy, passing for 3,625 yards and 39 TDs.
Defensively, Florida transformed into a more aggressive, blitzing unit under first-year coordinator Bob Stoops. UF ranked third in the conference in total defense (250.2 yards per game allowed) and third in turnovers forced (2.2 per game).

#Florida #spurrier #national #championship

Cybersecurity company Mitek Systems (MITK) is seeing the proliferation of artificial intelligence as a business advantage, and its stock is headed toward a buy point amid a year of outperformance over other technology names.
The small-cap company sells verification, authentication and fraud-prevention products. On its website, Mitek touts American Express (AXP), Experian and Intuit (INTU) among its more than 7,000 customers.
The stock has a solid IBD Composite Rating of 94 and has climbed more than 80% during 2026. A recent beat-and-raise financial report helped propel shares toward an entry in a forming cup base.
Mitek shares bulked up nearly 5% in the past week. Further, the weekly chart showed them edging above their 10-week moving average. Trading above 19 on Friday, the stock was nearer to an ideal cup-base buy point of 21.05 set on July 1.
Shares started building the right side of a cup base since a July drag-down with a wider downturn in technology names. Tech stocks got rattled in part by concerns about rising corporate capital expenditures for artificial intelligence. Software stocks in particular this year have been swamped by worries about competition threats from AI tools.

#Stock

Five-star 2028 edge rusher Antonio Thomas Jr. is beginning the next phase of his recruitment and has emerged as a top target for the Florida Gators in the 2028 class.
The talented five-star showcased his skill set last season for Carrollwood Day, finishing the year with 54 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, two pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He also displayed his versatility by playing both sides of the ball, receiving reps at running back, carrying the ball 100 times for 927 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 240-pound edge rusher has already scheduled his return to the Swamp, planning to be in Gainesville for the Gators' matchup against Ole Miss on Sept. 26.
"I would definitely say they're a priority school," Thomas told Swamp247. "If I had to make a top three right now, they're in there," adding that Florida and Georgia are at the top of the list, playing a big role in his recruitment.
Thomas credits defensive line coach Gerald Chatman for being the main contact from Florida.

#Florida #five #star

Opinion rankings are just that: opinion, but there are trends with these things, and when it comes to stadium rankings of college football programs, Ohio Stadium (affectionately known as the Horseshoe), where Ohio State plays, is generally ranked pretty highly. The architecture, the updates, the history, and how loud it gets on the banks of the Olentangy all play into the atmosphere and the perception of a stadium.
The latest of these stadium rankings comes from our mothership, USA TODAY, and a panel of four writers that ranked the top 25 college football stadiums. Some leaned into the visual appeal, some into how hard it is to play, and some into tradition, but in the end, ten staff members came up with a comprehensive 25-stadium list, and Ohio Stadium is very high on the list as you'll see below.
We go through the stadiums with the top ten first, from ten down to No. 1, then the rest of the top 25. This list will differ based on who makes it and from what part of the country it is penciled in from, but this is a more national one starting with No. 10.
What USA TODAY says:
"Florida fans singing Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down' before the fourth quarter might be a new tradition. It's also peak college football. The Swamp can roar with the best of them, even if the Gators haven't matched their glory years in recent seasons. Consider last season: Florida went 4-2 at home, including an upset of Texas, and 0-6 away."

#rankings #college #opinion

A little more than a month stands between now and the start of Florida football's 2026 campaign. As a new era dawns in the Swamp with the arrival of Jon Sumrall and his hand-picked staff, the Gator Nation is feeling positive heading into the program's 114th season.
However, once again the Orange and Blue face one of the toughest schedules in the nation — particularly after the SEC expanded its conference slate to nine games — checking in at No. 7 in ESPN's 2026 preseason rankings. The Gators are looking to bounce back from a 4-8 finish last season, but like in recent years, it will not be easy.
Which brings us to the current topic at hand: ranking Florida's opponents for this coming season in order of difficulty from easiest to toughest. Sumrall and Co. will face one FCS team — the Campbell Fighting Camels — in Week 2 and the FAU Owls — an American Athletic Conference member — in Week 1. Otherwise, the schedule is packed with challenging conference opponents, as well as an FSU Seminoles squad that is also seeking to improve from last season.
Below is a look at all 12 opponents that the Gators will face this fall, ranked in order of their Football Power Index ratings; Florida checks in at No. 18 in the FPI with a 13.6 rating. Also included is each team's 2025 record as well as the all-time record between the two competing schools.
Here is how things pan out based on those parameters. Make note that each school's overall FPI ranking is included in parentheses.

#face #opponents #sumrall

SOFIA, July 29 (Reuters) - The remains of what is believed to be an ancient mammoth ‌have been revealed in northern Bulgaria, after Danube ‌River water levels receded to a record low level, the BTA news agency reported on Wednesday, citing historians.
The animal's remains were found on Wednesday by a local resident of the Ryahovo village, who noticed the unusual find ‌on the river bed. ⁠Villagers then alerted specialists in the Regional History Museum in the nearby town of ⁠Ruse.
Museum Director Nikolay Nenov told BTA that experts who were sent to the site recognised a lower jaw, two tusks and possibly a mammoth rib, and that ‌the bones will be removed for further examination on Thursday to establish with accuracy the origin and age of the find.
"I would not call it a sensation, but any discovery of such ancient remains is ‌very important for science," Nenov said, adding it has been long believed that the site was a swamp where the ‌animal probably died thousands of years ago.
Danube levels have fallen to record lows in recent weeks following the summer's prolonged heat waves and drought that have ‌affected rivers across Europe including key waterways such as the Rhine.

#river #believed

The thing I hate about this time of year is that it means the entire soccer world becomes an Umberto Eco novel. Every little thing is weighted with significance, evidence of some larger narrative that only the most psychotically semiotic can follow. Speculation becomes rumor becomes fact until everything spirals out of control. Sweaty access merchants like Fabrizio Romanò breathlessly publish statements from agents as "news" as if there's the quid isn't vastly outweighed by the quo. It's discouraging to sift through and infuriating to write about. And alas, I have to wade into this meritless swamp to write about Moise Kean.
Let's start with the basics. Kean is in his prime at 26. He's under contract at Fiorentina until 2030 after extending last summer despite months of speculation. He's Italy's best striker and the only guy who came out of its failed World Cup qualifying campaign with an enhanced reputation. 2025-2026 was a down year at domestic level (8 Serie A goals in 26 appearances) as he dealt with ankle and calf injuries that sapped his effectiveness all year as well as a team context that polluted everyone it touched. ****** ody thinks that version of the Moose is the real one, although his outrageous 2024-2025 is probably the ceiling rather than the norm.
As Fiorentina's best player, he was always going to be a popular grist for the rumor mill this summer. New DS Fabio Paratici is tearing this squad down to the foundation, ruthlessly excising anyone with the slightest odor of Daniele Pradè in his quest to reduce the wage bill. Having nearly set the club record for most expensive transfer window in the opening fortnight of the transfer window and with numerous additions pending, he needs to find money somewhere. Kean's the highest-paid guy on the roster and its most saleable ****** et. The math is simple.
Besides being simple, the math also just got cheaper. Kean's extension last summer contained a €72 million release clause that extended for 365 days. It's now expired, intensifying speculation that he could be on the move. The consensus price that the Viola would accept hovers around €40 million. I'd say that's about reasonable, although perhaps a bit on the low side, especially factoring in Paratici's need to balance the books after spending €90 million already. And hey, he already sold Kean at Juventus in 2019 for €30 million.
Speaking of big transfer fees, Como's reportedly at the window, fueling speculation that the nouveau rich Lariani might make a bid for the striker. On the surface, it adds up: Tasos Douvikas was excellent last year but Kean represents a step up in quality from the Greek international, while Álvaro Morata is 33 and on the wane despite his popularity with his teammates. Como also needs to add more players trained in Italy to meet UEFA's registration rules for the Champions League (unless the plan is to ignore those like it does FFP). Never mind the reporting that Como's only vaguely interested; something must be

It was a breakthrough national championship, highlighted by the Fun' N' Gun offense, a Heisman-winning quarterback and a visor-wearing coach with swagger that stretched from Key West to Pensacola.
Florida football won its first national ****** le 30 years ago, capping a 12-1 season in 1996 with a 52-20 win over rival Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.
Two of the three statues erected in front of The Swamp played a key role in the championship season. Heisman winner Steve Spurrier, in his sixth season as UF coach, guided a UF offense that lit up scoreboards like a pinball machine. With Spurrier calling the plays, the Florida Gators led the nation in total offense (503.9 ypg) while leading the SEC in scoring offense (47.0 ppg, an SEC record that still stands).
Starting quarterback Danny Wuerffel won the Heisman Trophy in the 1996 season, passing for 3,625 yards and 39 TDs.
Defensively, Florida transformed into a more aggressive, blitzing unit under first-year coordinator Bob Stoops. UF wound up ranking third in the conference in total defense (250.2 yards per game allowed) and third in turnovers forced (2.2 per game).

NASHUA — Aiden O’Connell has settled into a summer routine.
The Bedford resident and pitcher starts once a week for the defending New England Collegiate Baseball League champion Keene Swamp Bats. On his off days, O’Connell does mobility training, throwing sessions and watches baseball with his teammates.
“That’s really the best part,” said O’Connell, a lefty who pitched the Swamp Bats to a 2-1 exhibition win over the Nashua Silver Knights of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League on Monday night at Holman Stadium. “It’s been a pleasure being here.”
The seven-inning bout was the first ever between the state’s only summer collegiate baseball teams and the inaugural game of the “Granite State Showdown.” The teams will meet again on Tuesday, July 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Alumni Field in Keene.
O’Connell, who allowed one run and struck out seven over five innings against Nashua, said the routine has been beneficial.

Each of the 16 SEC football programs was ranked by USA TODAY Sports entering the 2026 season. The scores were based on historical success, overall program strength, and future trajectory, among other criteria.
The Florida Gators are positioned in the middle tier of the conference, a designation that reflects the lure created by Steve Spurrier and the iconic teams of the 1990s. Fast-forward to this season, optimism around first-year head coach Jon Sumrall has claimed many of this offseason's headlines, yet the reality of UF's uphill climb in the nation's most competitive league remains steep.
"Few individuals mean more to a program than what Steve Spurrier means to Florida. He revolutionized the Gators from an also-ran into one of the premier programs of the 1990s. The Head Ball Coach branded The Swamp and gave the Gators an identity. They became SEC championship game regulars. Urban Meyer injected more glory with two ******* les. Florida lacks the consistency and history of some higher-ranked programs, but its peaks are just as lofty," argues senior national college football columnist Blake Toppmeyer.
Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia lead the pack, with LSU rounding out the top five. Elite recruiting, a celebrated NFL talent pipeline, and sustained winning have become a benchmark for each of these teams. The second tier features Tennessee at No. 6 and Florida at No. 7, followed by Auburn, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
The Gators enter 2026 in flux, with a totally revamped roster, two new lead coordinators, and an undecided quarterback competition. Combine those challenges with a 4-8 record from last season, and the reasons for pessimism are apparent. Under Billy Napier, the program was talented but wildly inconsistent — Gator Nation hopes that a renewed identity under Sumrall will help propel this once-proud program forward.

Happy Monday, Spurs fans! Want another poll? 'Course ya do. This time we're going in a slightly different direction.
One of the unexpected effects of this year's expanded tournament has been a series of delightful encounters with various international fan bases, and how they've formed connections with the host nations, and cheekily ingratiated themselves into American, Mexican, and Canadian culture.
Who can forget Scotland's Tartan Army literally drinking Boston out of beer before taking over a Red Sox baseball game, and plopping traffic cones on the heads of all the statues? Or Netherlands fans swamping the roads in a sea of orange as they Hup-Hup-Hupped around? There's the Congo's sheer enthusiasm (along with the Statue Guy imitating a beloved former political icon), Norway's Scandinavian rowing thing (except for, y'know, that one guy who held on principle and historical accuracy), and Mexico's bromance with visiting ***** anese fans? Or any fanbase discovering the joys of American food, especially Waffle House?
God, there were so many. So let's take a quick poll — which World Cup fanbase has been the most fun during this summer's tournament? And of course, since you're naturally going to yell at me for not including England, let me just pre-empt you with this graphic, which I've posted in the comments of the last two polls and is still appropriate here.

Even before its explosive growth, the company was already so swamped by demand it was warning investors it couldn't keep up.
When a stock like Seagate Technology (STX) rips 702% in a year, as it did starting in June 2025, the natural reaction is to **** ume a lightning strike. A sudden breakthrough, an unexpected market turn. With Seagate, the story was one of a gradually building pressure cooker, with the steam visibly venting for anyone who cared to look.
The evidence was clear in management's own words, quarter after quarter, describing a business where demand was beginning to run away from supply. The real tell was the slow, grinding mismatch between what customers wanted and what Seagate could actually ship.
How far out could management see the demand coming?
By the spring of 2025, just before the run, the company's future was practically booked solid. On its April earnings call, management noted it already had "visibility of demand with several customers into the first-half of calendar 2026 as we negotiate new build-to-order agreements." That's not forecasting. That's a company looking at a calendar filling up with commitments almost a year in advance, driven by what it called a "very tight supply environment."

Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday mocked President Donald Trump for a $14 million Reflecting Pool makeover that ultimately didn't change much of anything.
"Not even a week later, it's already completely green," Kimmel said as he showed footage of the pool, which Trump ordered painted "American flag blue," now green with algae.
"Experts are saying that when Trump had it painted dark blue, he made the problem worse, because the darker color retains more heat and algae thrives in warmer water," Kimmel pointed out. "You know, he promised he would drain the swamp. Instead, he spent 14 million of our dollars building a new one."
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The late-night host voiced surprise that Trump, of all people, allowed this to happen.

At least four people have died amid torrential rainfall and flash floods that swamped parts of Texas. Authorities found 13 vehicles in floodwaters.

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