sports lingo
sports lingo
NEW YORK — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded "the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”NoneB.C. Premier Eby says U.S. tariffs would be 'devastating' for forest industry
The Dodgers are at it again. The reigning World Series champions signed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract. Like their blockbuster free agency deal with Shohei Ohtani last winter, Snell’s contract includes deferred money – $60 million, to be exact, nearly one-third of the entire pact. The Snell contract brings the franchise’s deferred compensation ledger to nearly $1 billion – $962 million – far outpacing the rest of the league and infuriating fans of the 29 other teams. Ohtani is deferring $680 million of his record-breaking $700 million contract. In 2020, Mookie Betts signed a 12-year, $365 million deal with the Dodgers that included $115 million in deferrals. Freddie Freeman and Will Smith are owed more than $100 million combined in deferred compensation. Even Teoscar Hernandez, who signed a one-year, $23.5 million with Los Angeles last offseason, will be paid $8.5 million between 2030 and 2039. And there’s still plenty of offseason for the Dodgers, who are said to be in on free agent Juan Soto, to add to those numbers. Salary deferrals have been allowed under MLB’s collective bargaining agreement for decades – think Bobby Bonilla, who, starting in 2011, began getting $1.2 million a year from the Mets through 2035. Other teams currently take advantage of the loophole as well. The Mets, for example, will be on the hook for $76.5 million from 2032 through 2042 for the contracts of Francisco Lindor and Edwin Diaz, according to spotrac.com . Red Sox star Rafael Devers will get $75 million in deferrals from 2034 to 2043 as part of his 10-year, $313.5 million deal. But few teams have taken it to the level of the Dodgers, who not only won the World Series less than a month ago, but have also made the playoffs in each of the past 12 seasons while running one of the highest payrolls in the sport. The deferrals allow teams to avoid luxury tax thresholds, leaving room for juggernauts like the Dodgers to continue to bring in talent while avoiding tax penalties. The players get something out of it too – Ohtani could potentially evade $90 million in California taxes on his monster deal if he were to move outside the state once his deferrals kick in, prompting one Golden State lawmaker to call on Congress to close the loophole. “It is disturbing that Shohei Ohtani and other individuals can perform a hidden ball trick using an obscure tax loophole to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars and it’s a concerning precedent,” state senator Josh Becker wrote in April . “The current system exacerbates the unequal distribution of taxes and creates an unbalanced tax structure and further perpetuates income inequality. SJR 14 calls on Congress to make wealthy individuals pay a fairer and more equitable share of taxes like the rest of us.” As unjust as it seems, contract deferrals will be a part of baseball through at least December 2026 when the current CBA expires.None
No. 7 Alabama looks to remain in playoff contention with a visit to Oklahoma
Degenhart scores 25, Boise State defeats Hampton 83-69 at Cayman Islands ClassicMad dash as Labor rams through 36 bills on final day
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — EJ Neal had 12 points in Sacramento State's 63-61 win against Air Force on Wednesday night. Neal had five rebounds for the Hornets (2-4). Julian Vaughns shot 5 for 8, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc to add 12 points. Jacob Holt had 10 points and shot 3 of 5 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Lea Miller-Tooley hopped off a call to welcome the Baylor women’s basketball team to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, where 80-degree temperatures made it easy for the Bears to settle in on Paradise Island a week before Thanksgiving. About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley , the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time — and staff and families — that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence — they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina . It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn , No. 4 Auburn , No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021 . “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii. AP Sports Writers Pat Graham in Colorado and Larry Lage in Michigan contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
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It didn't take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami. "Syracuse has a really good quarterback," Brown said of Kyle McCord, "and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward)." With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU. Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven't defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017. Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse's dome. That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency. Ward's top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season. Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions. Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception. Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season. Miami's running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs). Defensively, Miami's big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions. "He's all about winning," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. "He's a smart, self-starting team player." On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals. Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse's single-season record for passing yards. In last week's 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12). Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743). Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse's run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs. The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8). Miami's defense is fourth (22.3). Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he's excited about this matchup. "I heard Miami is going to come deep," Brown said of Miami fans. "It's going to be intense in the stands. It's going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see." --Field Level MediaZadariyah Faison, No. 13, looks for an opening through the tight Raider defense, consisting of Kara Beth Benton, No. 10, and Maggie Phillips, No. 4. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Union’s Gabriela Subias, No. 25, and Zakiya Royal, No. 5, try to work the ball through the Raider defense, consisting of Ella Clark, No. 12, Kyleigh Stonerock, No. 11, and Lauralee Harris, No. 5. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Midway’s Ella Clark, No. 12, looks to set up the Raiders’ offense with a pass. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Union’s Tijaya Goodman goes up for the shot block on a Midway layup. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Midway’s girls’ basketball team secured a decisive 52-17 victory against Union Monday night. The game, held at Union, highlighted Midway’s strong defense and effective offensive execution. Union worked to stay competitive but struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities throughout the game. Both teams entered the matchup aiming for improvement early in the season. Union’s first-year coach Mark Oates has been working with a young team to establish fundamentals, while Midway looked to build on recent progress. The game began evenly, but Midway gradually pulled away with consistent scoring and a defensive effort that limited Union’s ability to respond. In the first quarter, both teams attempted to establish momentum. Union’s Gabriela Subias attempted a three-pointer that fell short, and Midway’s Kyleigh Stonerock missed a similar attempt. Midway’s McKenna Brooks scored the game’s first basket with a layup, followed by Union’s Zadariyah Faison, who briefly gave her team a 5-4 lead with a layup. Midway responded with a three-pointer from Avery Strickland, regaining the lead. Union faced challenges with turnovers, while Midway capitalized on those opportunities. By the end of the first quarter, Midway led 11-9. Midway extended their lead in the second quarter with a strong offensive performance. Kara Beth Benton made a three-pointer, while Brooks added a layup and a free throw. Union’s Ahleeyah Richardson managed a three-pointer, but Midway continued to dominate with additional three-pointers from Strickland and Stonerock. The Spartans struggled with turnovers during this period, which limited their scoring chances. Midway’s defense, led by players like Lindsey Royal, kept Union scoreless for significant stretches. At halftime, Midway held a commanding 30-11 lead. In the third quarter, Midway continued their dominant play. Peyton Herring opened with a layup, followed by points from Stonerock and Brooks. Union’s Faison provided some offensive contributions, including two free throws and another layup, but the team’s overall scoring remained limited. Union’s errors, including a mishandled pass by Evelin Alvarez, allowed Midway to widen their margin. By the end of the quarter, the score was 44-11 in favor of Midway. Union worked to close the gap in the fourth quarter, with Faison adding two free throws and Richardson contributing a defensive block. However, Midway’s scoring depth remained evident. Royal scored off an assist from Strickland, and Ella Clark added a late-game basket. Herring concluded her night with two more layups as Midway finished the game with a 52-17 victory. Union’s Coach Oates acknowledged his team’s challenges but highlighted their effort. “We have a young team, and we’re working on building confidence and minimizing mistakes. The effort was there tonight, but we need to improve execution and decision-making.” Midway’s coaching staff noted their players’ teamwork and communication. “This game was a good step forward for us. The players executed well on both ends of the floor, and everyone contributed to the win.”
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McDonald’s ( MCD ) is switching gears during a time when an alarming consumer trend is hurting its pockets. An increasing number of consumers, convinced inflation at fast-food restaurants is out of control, are opting instead to cook cheaper meals at home. 💰💸 Don’t miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet’s FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸 According to a recent survey from LendingTree, roughly 78% of consumers view fast-food as a luxury. Another 62% of Americans said they eat less fast food due to high prices, and 56% said they choose to make food at home when they want an easy and cheap meal. Related: McDonald’s makes a desperate move to win back fleeing customers To be sure, the cost of eating out has jumped. It was up 7.5% in 2022, and it was still up 4.8% year-over-year, according to the October Consumer Price Index report. And that's even as inflation overall has fallen below 3%. Consumer resistance has contributed to McDonald’s facing declines in its sales and revenue all year, and it has been on a shaky road to recovery. During the third quarter of 2024, McDonald’s revealed that its U.S. comparable sales increased by a measly 0.3% year-over-year, while its net income only shrunk by 3%. To make matters worse, the company faced an E.coli outbreak last month, which sickened more than 100 people, hospitalized 34, and even killed one person. As a result, McDonald’s sales and visits took an extra tumble. McDonald's makes a major menu adjustment Now, McDonald’s is making a bold move designed to attract consumers back into its restaurants, and it appears to be a response to recent complaints about high prices. picture alliance/Getty Images The company just unveiled its new “McValue” menu, which is set to go into effect on Jan. 7, 2025. It contains the fast-food chain’s current $5 Meal Deal, which offers a meal that consists of a McChicken sandwich, four-piece chicken nuggets or a McDouble, along with fries and a drink for $5. The meal deal was expected to expire sometime during the late summer, but it was recently extended after analysts claimed that the deal was struggling to significantly boost traffic in restaurants shortly after it debuted. The new McValue menu also includes a brand-new deal called “Buy One, Add One for $1,” where customers can buy a “full-priced” menu item from the McValue menu and add one more item of their choice for $1, according to a new press release. More Food + Dining: The McValue menu contains breakfast, lunch and dinner items such as hash browns, 6-pc. Chicken McNuggets, Sausage McMuffin, a double cheeseburger, etc. "When it comes to value, we know there's no one-size-fits-all. We've worked closely with our franchisees to create a new platform that will let our customers define value on their own terms," said McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger in the press release. McDonald's responds to complaints about price increases The move from McDonald’s comes after Erlinger said in an open letter in May that the average price of a McDonald’s menu item has increased by roughly 40% since 2019, hitting back at consumers who alleged that prices have been hiked up by over 100% during that time period. “Recently, we have seen viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates,” said Erlinger in the letter. “This is inaccurate.” Related: McDonald’s pulls beloved menu items due to major issue According to a recent report from the Roosevelt Institute, the fast-food industry is notorious for charging prices that are higher than their marginal costs (an additional cost incurred to produce a good/service). The institute found that in 2023, McDonald’s raised its prices 85% above its marginal costs. Amid the recent criticism, it appears that McDonald’s is letting consumers know it hears them loud and clear. During an earnings call last month, McDonald’s Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said that the company will be heavily focusing on “value and affordability” going forward. “I think certainly lower-income consumers and families are consumers that are under more acute kind of pressures,” said Borden. “I think on disposable income, obviously, two really important parts of our consumer base. I think for all of those reasons, that's why obviously we have such a heightened focus on value and affordability and making sure we get that right for the context we're in each and every one of our markets.” Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocksJimmy Carter, 39th US President, Nobel Winner, Dies at 100
sports lingo
NEW YORK — No ex-president had a more prolific and diverse publishing career than Jimmy Carter . His more than two dozen books included nonfiction, poetry, fiction, religious meditations and a children’s story. His memoir “An Hour Before Daylight” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2002, while his 2006 best-seller “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” stirred a fierce debate by likening Israel’s policies in the West Bank to the brutal South African system of racial segregation. And just before his 100th birthday, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation honored him with a lifetime achievement award for how he wielded "the power of the written word to foster peace, social justice, and global understanding.” In one recent work, “A Full Life,” Carter observed that he “enjoyed writing” and that his books “provided a much-needed source of income.” But some projects were easier than others. “Everything to Gain,” a 1987 collaboration with his wife, Rosalynn, turned into the “worst threat we ever experienced in our marriage,” an intractable standoff for the facilitator of the Camp David accords and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. According to Carter, Rosalynn was a meticulous author who considered “the resulting sentences as though they have come down from Mount Sinai, carved into stone.” Their memories differed on various events and they fell into “constant arguments.” They were ready to abandon the book and return the advance, until their editor persuaded them to simply divide any disputed passages between them. “In the book, each of these paragraphs is identified by a ‘J’ or an ‘R,’ and our marriage survived,” he wrote. Here is a partial list of books by Carter: “Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President” “The Blood of Abraham: Insights into the Middle East” (With Rosalynn Carter) “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” “An Outdoor Journal: Adventures and Reflections” “Turning Point: A Candidate, a State, and a Nation Come of Age” “Always a Reckoning, and Other Poems” (With daughter Amy Carter) “The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer” “Living Faith” “The Virtues of Aging” “An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood” “Christmas in Plains: Memories” “The Hornet’s Nest: A Novel of the Revolutionary War” “Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis” “Faith & Freedom: The Christian Challenge for the World” “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid” “A Remarkable Mother” “Beyond the White House” “We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land: A Plan That Will Work” “White House Diary” “NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter” “A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power” “A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety”NoneB.C. Premier Eby says U.S. tariffs would be 'devastating' for forest industry
The Dodgers are at it again. The reigning World Series champions signed two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract. Like their blockbuster free agency deal with Shohei Ohtani last winter, Snell’s contract includes deferred money – $60 million, to be exact, nearly one-third of the entire pact. The Snell contract brings the franchise’s deferred compensation ledger to nearly $1 billion – $962 million – far outpacing the rest of the league and infuriating fans of the 29 other teams. Ohtani is deferring $680 million of his record-breaking $700 million contract. In 2020, Mookie Betts signed a 12-year, $365 million deal with the Dodgers that included $115 million in deferrals. Freddie Freeman and Will Smith are owed more than $100 million combined in deferred compensation. Even Teoscar Hernandez, who signed a one-year, $23.5 million with Los Angeles last offseason, will be paid $8.5 million between 2030 and 2039. And there’s still plenty of offseason for the Dodgers, who are said to be in on free agent Juan Soto, to add to those numbers. Salary deferrals have been allowed under MLB’s collective bargaining agreement for decades – think Bobby Bonilla, who, starting in 2011, began getting $1.2 million a year from the Mets through 2035. Other teams currently take advantage of the loophole as well. The Mets, for example, will be on the hook for $76.5 million from 2032 through 2042 for the contracts of Francisco Lindor and Edwin Diaz, according to spotrac.com . Red Sox star Rafael Devers will get $75 million in deferrals from 2034 to 2043 as part of his 10-year, $313.5 million deal. But few teams have taken it to the level of the Dodgers, who not only won the World Series less than a month ago, but have also made the playoffs in each of the past 12 seasons while running one of the highest payrolls in the sport. The deferrals allow teams to avoid luxury tax thresholds, leaving room for juggernauts like the Dodgers to continue to bring in talent while avoiding tax penalties. The players get something out of it too – Ohtani could potentially evade $90 million in California taxes on his monster deal if he were to move outside the state once his deferrals kick in, prompting one Golden State lawmaker to call on Congress to close the loophole. “It is disturbing that Shohei Ohtani and other individuals can perform a hidden ball trick using an obscure tax loophole to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars and it’s a concerning precedent,” state senator Josh Becker wrote in April . “The current system exacerbates the unequal distribution of taxes and creates an unbalanced tax structure and further perpetuates income inequality. SJR 14 calls on Congress to make wealthy individuals pay a fairer and more equitable share of taxes like the rest of us.” As unjust as it seems, contract deferrals will be a part of baseball through at least December 2026 when the current CBA expires.None
No. 7 Alabama looks to remain in playoff contention with a visit to Oklahoma
Degenhart scores 25, Boise State defeats Hampton 83-69 at Cayman Islands ClassicMad dash as Labor rams through 36 bills on final day
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — EJ Neal had 12 points in Sacramento State's 63-61 win against Air Force on Wednesday night. Neal had five rebounds for the Hornets (2-4). Julian Vaughns shot 5 for 8, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc to add 12 points. Jacob Holt had 10 points and shot 3 of 5 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Lea Miller-Tooley hopped off a call to welcome the Baylor women’s basketball team to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, where 80-degree temperatures made it easy for the Bears to settle in on Paradise Island a week before Thanksgiving. About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley , the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time — and staff and families — that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence — they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina . It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn , No. 4 Auburn , No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021 . “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii. AP Sports Writers Pat Graham in Colorado and Larry Lage in Michigan contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
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It didn't take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami. "Syracuse has a really good quarterback," Brown said of Kyle McCord, "and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward)." With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU. Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven't defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017. Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse's dome. That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency. Ward's top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season. Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions. Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception. Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season. Miami's running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs). Defensively, Miami's big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions. "He's all about winning," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. "He's a smart, self-starting team player." On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals. Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse's single-season record for passing yards. In last week's 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12). Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743). Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse's run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs. The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8). Miami's defense is fourth (22.3). Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he's excited about this matchup. "I heard Miami is going to come deep," Brown said of Miami fans. "It's going to be intense in the stands. It's going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see." --Field Level MediaZadariyah Faison, No. 13, looks for an opening through the tight Raider defense, consisting of Kara Beth Benton, No. 10, and Maggie Phillips, No. 4. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Union’s Gabriela Subias, No. 25, and Zakiya Royal, No. 5, try to work the ball through the Raider defense, consisting of Ella Clark, No. 12, Kyleigh Stonerock, No. 11, and Lauralee Harris, No. 5. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Midway’s Ella Clark, No. 12, looks to set up the Raiders’ offense with a pass. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Union’s Tijaya Goodman goes up for the shot block on a Midway layup. Robert P. Taylor|Sampson Independent Midway’s girls’ basketball team secured a decisive 52-17 victory against Union Monday night. The game, held at Union, highlighted Midway’s strong defense and effective offensive execution. Union worked to stay competitive but struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities throughout the game. Both teams entered the matchup aiming for improvement early in the season. Union’s first-year coach Mark Oates has been working with a young team to establish fundamentals, while Midway looked to build on recent progress. The game began evenly, but Midway gradually pulled away with consistent scoring and a defensive effort that limited Union’s ability to respond. In the first quarter, both teams attempted to establish momentum. Union’s Gabriela Subias attempted a three-pointer that fell short, and Midway’s Kyleigh Stonerock missed a similar attempt. Midway’s McKenna Brooks scored the game’s first basket with a layup, followed by Union’s Zadariyah Faison, who briefly gave her team a 5-4 lead with a layup. Midway responded with a three-pointer from Avery Strickland, regaining the lead. Union faced challenges with turnovers, while Midway capitalized on those opportunities. By the end of the first quarter, Midway led 11-9. Midway extended their lead in the second quarter with a strong offensive performance. Kara Beth Benton made a three-pointer, while Brooks added a layup and a free throw. Union’s Ahleeyah Richardson managed a three-pointer, but Midway continued to dominate with additional three-pointers from Strickland and Stonerock. The Spartans struggled with turnovers during this period, which limited their scoring chances. Midway’s defense, led by players like Lindsey Royal, kept Union scoreless for significant stretches. At halftime, Midway held a commanding 30-11 lead. In the third quarter, Midway continued their dominant play. Peyton Herring opened with a layup, followed by points from Stonerock and Brooks. Union’s Faison provided some offensive contributions, including two free throws and another layup, but the team’s overall scoring remained limited. Union’s errors, including a mishandled pass by Evelin Alvarez, allowed Midway to widen their margin. By the end of the quarter, the score was 44-11 in favor of Midway. Union worked to close the gap in the fourth quarter, with Faison adding two free throws and Richardson contributing a defensive block. However, Midway’s scoring depth remained evident. Royal scored off an assist from Strickland, and Ella Clark added a late-game basket. Herring concluded her night with two more layups as Midway finished the game with a 52-17 victory. Union’s Coach Oates acknowledged his team’s challenges but highlighted their effort. “We have a young team, and we’re working on building confidence and minimizing mistakes. The effort was there tonight, but we need to improve execution and decision-making.” Midway’s coaching staff noted their players’ teamwork and communication. “This game was a good step forward for us. The players executed well on both ends of the floor, and everyone contributed to the win.”
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McDonald’s ( MCD ) is switching gears during a time when an alarming consumer trend is hurting its pockets. An increasing number of consumers, convinced inflation at fast-food restaurants is out of control, are opting instead to cook cheaper meals at home. 💰💸 Don’t miss the move: SIGN UP for TheStreet’s FREE Daily newsletter 💰💸 According to a recent survey from LendingTree, roughly 78% of consumers view fast-food as a luxury. Another 62% of Americans said they eat less fast food due to high prices, and 56% said they choose to make food at home when they want an easy and cheap meal. Related: McDonald’s makes a desperate move to win back fleeing customers To be sure, the cost of eating out has jumped. It was up 7.5% in 2022, and it was still up 4.8% year-over-year, according to the October Consumer Price Index report. And that's even as inflation overall has fallen below 3%. Consumer resistance has contributed to McDonald’s facing declines in its sales and revenue all year, and it has been on a shaky road to recovery. During the third quarter of 2024, McDonald’s revealed that its U.S. comparable sales increased by a measly 0.3% year-over-year, while its net income only shrunk by 3%. To make matters worse, the company faced an E.coli outbreak last month, which sickened more than 100 people, hospitalized 34, and even killed one person. As a result, McDonald’s sales and visits took an extra tumble. McDonald's makes a major menu adjustment Now, McDonald’s is making a bold move designed to attract consumers back into its restaurants, and it appears to be a response to recent complaints about high prices. picture alliance/Getty Images The company just unveiled its new “McValue” menu, which is set to go into effect on Jan. 7, 2025. It contains the fast-food chain’s current $5 Meal Deal, which offers a meal that consists of a McChicken sandwich, four-piece chicken nuggets or a McDouble, along with fries and a drink for $5. The meal deal was expected to expire sometime during the late summer, but it was recently extended after analysts claimed that the deal was struggling to significantly boost traffic in restaurants shortly after it debuted. The new McValue menu also includes a brand-new deal called “Buy One, Add One for $1,” where customers can buy a “full-priced” menu item from the McValue menu and add one more item of their choice for $1, according to a new press release. More Food + Dining: The McValue menu contains breakfast, lunch and dinner items such as hash browns, 6-pc. Chicken McNuggets, Sausage McMuffin, a double cheeseburger, etc. "When it comes to value, we know there's no one-size-fits-all. We've worked closely with our franchisees to create a new platform that will let our customers define value on their own terms," said McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger in the press release. McDonald's responds to complaints about price increases The move from McDonald’s comes after Erlinger said in an open letter in May that the average price of a McDonald’s menu item has increased by roughly 40% since 2019, hitting back at consumers who alleged that prices have been hiked up by over 100% during that time period. “Recently, we have seen viral social posts and poorly sourced reports that McDonald’s has raised prices significantly beyond inflationary rates,” said Erlinger in the letter. “This is inaccurate.” Related: McDonald’s pulls beloved menu items due to major issue According to a recent report from the Roosevelt Institute, the fast-food industry is notorious for charging prices that are higher than their marginal costs (an additional cost incurred to produce a good/service). The institute found that in 2023, McDonald’s raised its prices 85% above its marginal costs. Amid the recent criticism, it appears that McDonald’s is letting consumers know it hears them loud and clear. During an earnings call last month, McDonald’s Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden said that the company will be heavily focusing on “value and affordability” going forward. “I think certainly lower-income consumers and families are consumers that are under more acute kind of pressures,” said Borden. “I think on disposable income, obviously, two really important parts of our consumer base. I think for all of those reasons, that's why obviously we have such a heightened focus on value and affordability and making sure we get that right for the context we're in each and every one of our markets.” Related: Veteran fund manager sees world of pain coming for stocksJimmy Carter, 39th US President, Nobel Winner, Dies at 100
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