Author

admin

Browsing

It’s not every day a player is able to break a long-standing record held by a Baseball Hall of Famer.

But that’s just what Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh did on June 20 at Wrigley Field, breaking Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s record for most home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break.

Raleigh, who is currently slated to start the Midsummer Classic for the American League based on recent voting, hit two home runs to break Bench’s 1970 record of 28 home runs in the Mariners’ 9-4 win over the Chicago Cubs. The Mariners’ catcher also recorded the mark in fewer games than Bench; Raleigh did it in 73 games compared to Bench’s 87.

Raleigh tied Bench’s record in the top of the first inning with a two-out, solo home run to left center field to give the Mariners an early 1-0 lead.

Then came the big shot for ‘Big Dumper’ in the seventh inning. On a 1-1 pitch against Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar, Raleigh sent one out of ‘The Friendly Confines’ and onto Waveland Avenue for a go-ahead, two-run home run.

It marked Raleigh’s sixth multi-homer game of the season and increased his MLB-leading home run total to 29. On the afternoon, Raleigh finished 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs, three runs scored, two home runs and a walk.

“I love watching everything he does, it’s just so impressive.’

Per MLB.com, Raleigh is on pace for 63 homers this season, which would surpass Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez’s 2021 record for most home runs in a single season by a primary catcher (48).

The Mariners moved to 38-36 overall on the season with their win over the Cubs.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has not gone according to plan for some of European soccer’s biggest clubs, with Brazilian side Flamengo stunning Chelsea 3-1 on Friday, June 20, providing the latest example.

Before a raucous, pro-Flamengo crowd of 54,619 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the Brazilian club came from a goal down to provide the latest surprise at the Club World Cup, striking three times in the second half to jump to the top of Group D. The upset came one day after another Brazilian team, Botafogo, shocked the world by taking down UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain 1-0.

It didn’t seem like this game would follow the script of Thursday’s shocking result. Neto put Chelsea ahead in the 13th minute after a defensive blunder from Flamengo that could have caused the Brazilian side to lose belief.

Instead, a wild six-minute spell in the second half changed everything. First, Bruno Henrique pounced for a 62nd-minute equalizer, and Flamengo nosed in front three minutes later thanks to an acrobatic finish from veteran Brazilian national team defender Danilo.

If that served to stagger Chelsea, the English side’s fortunes went into a tailspin in the 68th minute, as striker Nicolas Jackson received a straight red card for stomping on the foot of Flamengo defender Ayrton Lucas. Young striker Wallace Yan then completed Chelsea’s misery in the 83rd minute, powering a close-range shot past goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.

The upset victory left Flamengo – widely regarded as Brazil’s most popular soccer team – at the top of Group D with six points, with Chelsea three points behind. MLS’s LAFC and Tunisian side Espérance Sportive de Tunis played later on Friday, June 20 in Nashville, and a win for either side would draw them level on points with one of European soccer’s giants with one round of games to play.

Flamengo vs. Chelsea Club World Cup highlights

Club World Cup: Brazilian teams, Inter Miami notch early upset wins

Most soccer experts felt that the massive spending advantage for Europe’s biggest teams would be insurmountable at the Club World Cup, which draws teams from every one of the six confederations that govern soccer in each continent.

However, the reality has been far different. Whether it’s the oppressive heat that most games have been played in, the timing of the tournament coming in what is normally the early weeks of the European offseason, or a pack of hungry underdogs eager to prove themselves, the Club World Cup has been very competitive thus far.

Brazilian clubs have made the biggest splash. Flamengo’s win over Chelsea is a stunning outcome, while Botafogo’s defeat of PSG – who less than three weeks ago crushed Inter Milan 5-0 in the the UEFA Champions League final, and who opened the Club World Cup by demolishing Atlético Madrid 4-0 – is nothing short of a monumental shock.

These aren’t isolated incidents, either. Another Brazilian side, Palmeiras, held Portuguese powerhouse Porto to a 0-0 draw earlier in the tournament, while the nation’s fourth representative Fluminense came up with the same scoreline against German giant Borussia Dortmund. Thus far, Brazil’s contingent has gone unbeaten, winning five times and picking up two ties.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami joined the fun as well, producing what is arguably the biggest international win in MLS history by downing Porto 2-1 on Thursday. That victory unsurprisingly came thanks in large part to a glorious, game-winning free kick from Messi.

Elsewhere, Benfica (Portugal’s other entrant) needed a late comeback to secure a 2-2 draw with iconic Argentine club Boca Juniors, and Mexican team Monterrey secured a 1-1 draw with Italy’s Inter Milan. Mighty Real Madrid, long considered a tournament specialist, started their Club World Cup off with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

Club World Cup 2025: How to watch, TV, streaming

Every one of the 63 games at the Club World Cup will stream for free on DAZN, while select matches will be carried on TBS, TNT and truTV in English.

Univision, TUDN, and ViX will all carry games in the U.S. in Spanish.

Watch the entire Club World Cup FREE on DAZN

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

President Donald Trump announced on Friday he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had secured a ‘wonderful’ treaty between Rwanda and Congo, as Pakistan formally nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

‘I am very happy to report that I have arranged, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a wonderful Treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of Rwanda, in their War, which was known for violent bloodshed and death, more so even than most other Wars, and has gone on for decades,’ Trump wrote in a Truth Social announcement. 

The president noted representatives from Rwanda and the Congo will be in Washington on Monday to sign documents. 

He went on to discuss his chances at winning a Nobel Peace Prize, claiming he wouldn’t get one, ‘no matter what I do.’

‘This is a Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World,’ Trump wrote in the post. ‘I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia (A massive Ethiopian built dam, stupidly financed by the United States of America, substantially reduces the water flowing into The Nile River), and I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East which, if all goes well, will be loaded to the brim with additional Countries signing on, and will unify the Middle East for the first time in ‘The Ages!’

‘No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be, but the people know, and that’s all that matters to me!’

On Wednesday, India refuted claims by Trump that he had stopped the war between Pakistan and India.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri wrote in a news release that ‘talks for ceasing military action happened directly between India and Pakistan through existing military channels, and on the insistence of Pakistan,’ according to a report from Reuters.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India ‘has not accepted mediation in the past and will never do,’ Misri noted in the statement.

The mention of a Nobel Peace Prize came nearly two hours after the Government of Pakistan published a lengthy post on X, formally recommending Trump for the honor.

‘The Government of Pakistan has decided to formally recommend President Donald J. Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis,’ the post read. ‘The international community bore witness to unprovoked and unlawful Indian aggression, which constituted a grave violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives, including women, children, and the elderly.’

Pakistani leaders said at a moment of heightened regional turbulence, Trump demonstrated ‘great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship’ through ‘robust diplomatic engagement’ with both Islamabad and New Delhi, securing a ceasefire.

‘This intervention stands as a testament to his role as a genuine peacemaker and his commitment to conflict resolution through dialogue,’ the post continued. ‘The Government of Pakistan also acknowledges and greatly admires President Trump’s sincere offers to help resolve the longstanding dispute of Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan—an issue that lies at the heart of regional instability.

‘President Trump’s leadership during the 2025 Pakistan India crisis manifestly showcases the continuation of his legacy of pragmatic diplomacy and effective peace-building. Pakistan remains hopeful that his earnest efforts will continue to contribute towards regional and global stability, particularly in the context of ongoing crises in the Middle East, including the humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Gaza and the deteriorating escalation involving Iran.’

According to The Nobel Prize’s website, to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, a person must be a ‘qualified nominator,’ which includes national governments, heads of state, previous award winners, and members of specific international organizations. 

The nomination process is confidential, and entries are due by Jan. 31, hence the 2026 nomination.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The State Department said Friday it had provided ‘information and support’ to over 25,000 people in Israel, the West Bank or Iran seeking guidance on what to do and how to get out.

When pressed on the matter during a State Department briefing Friday afternoon, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to go into further detail about how many of those 25,000 people are American citizens or any other breakdown of the number. 

News of the number of people the State Department has assisted comes after the agency announced the formation of a task force to assist Americans looking to leave Israel or other Middle Eastern countries.  

Bruce said during a press briefing Friday that the United States does not intend to help transport American citizens directly from Iran, and they will have to make it out first before they can be assisted by the government. 

United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said earlier this week the embassy in Jerusalem was ‘working on evacuation flights & cruise ship departures’ for Americans trying to leave Israel.

Huckabee released his statement hours after the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem wrote in its own X post that there was ‘no announcement about assisting private U.S. citizens to depart at this time,’ but it simultaneously acknowledged ‘the Department of State is always planning for contingencies to assist with private U.S. citizens’ departure from crisis areas.’

So far, the U.S. has not engaged in a large-scale effort to help Americans get out of Israel. But, according to ABC News, the military did assist in flying some American diplomats and family members from the U.S. Embassy this week. 

Private flights for American citizens did begin landing in Florida Thursday after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dispatched four planes to pick up U.S. citizens stuck in Israel during the ongoing violence. Other private options to get out of Israel are also available.

On Monday, the State Department raised its travel warning for Israel to the highest level possible.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Several provisions in the Senate GOP’s version of President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ have run afoul of Senate rules and must be stripped if Republicans want to pass the package without the help of Democrats.

The bill is undergoing what’s called a ‘Byrd Bath,’ when the parliamentarian meticulously combs through each section of the mammoth bill to determine whether policies comport with the Senate’s Byrd Rule.

The point of the budget reconciliation process is to skirt the Senate filibuster and pass a massive, partisan legislative package. But if provisions are left in that fail the test, Senate Republicans will have to meet the typical 60-vote threshold. Provisions that don’t pass muster can still be appealed, however.

Senate Democrats vowed to use the Byrd Bath as a cudgel against the Senate GOP to inflict as much pain as possible and slow momentum as Republicans rush to put the colossal bill on Trump’s desk by July 4. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., could also overrule the parliamentarian but has remained adamant he would not attempt such a move. 

Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough scrutinized three chunks of the megabill from the Senate Banking, Environment and Public Works and Armed Services committees and found numerous policies that failed to meet the Byrd Rule’s requirements.

Among those was a provision that would have eliminated funding for a target of the GOP’s since its inception in 2008, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which would have effectively eliminated the agency. Doing so also would have slashed $6.4 billion in spending.

Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., said in a statement he would ‘remain committed to cutting wasteful spending at the CFPB and will continue working with the Senate parliamentarian on the Committee’s provisions.’

Attempts to put guardrails on the $150 billion in Defense Department funding baked into the package also failed to pass muster. The language would have required that Pentagon officials outline how the money would be spent by a certain deadline or see the funding reduced.

Other provisions on the chopping block include language that cut $300 million from the Financial Research Fund and cut jobs and move the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board under the umbrella of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which would have saved roughly $773 million.

An attempt to change the pay schedule for Federal Reserve employees was also nixed, which would have saved about $1.4 billion.

Environmental standards and regulations set by the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act were also determined to have run afoul of the Byrd Rule, including a repeal of tailpipe emissions standards for vehicles with a model year of 2027 and later. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Shedeur Sanders has been living life in the fast lane during the month of June. While the quarterback is battling for the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback job on the field, he’s been speeding off of it.

Sanders was ticketed for speeding on two separate occasions in June, according to court records.

As of Friday morning, both tickets have been paid. Sanders paid $269 in fines and court fees on June 20 to settle his ticket from a June 5 incident, according to records from Medina, Ohio. In addition, the quarterback paid $250 in fines and court costs for his June 17 speeding ticket, which also cost him four points on his license, according to the Strongsville Mayor’s Court Online Docketing and Ticket Payment System.

Sanders addressed the incidents at Browns tight end David Njoku’s celebrity softball game.

“I’ve made some wrong choices,” Sanders said with a laugh. “I gotta own up to them. … I learn from them.”

Sanders was cited for driving 101 mph in a 60 mph speed limit zone in Strongsville, Ohio at around 12:30 a.m. on June 17, according to court records from Medina, Ohio. It was the second incident involving the 23-year-old’s speed in June, with the other coming on June 5 in Brunswick, Ohio, where he was ticketed for driving 91 mph in a 65 mph zone.

He later failed to appear in court for the first ticket on June 16, leaving $269 outstanding in fines and court costs for the former Colorado quarterback to deal with.

Team spokesman Peter John-Baptiste told Cleveland.com on Thursday, ‘He is taking care of the tickets.’

Up to this point, Sanders has been mostly in the news for good reasons. He’s been involved in the community and hasn’t let his draft slide dominate the offseason.

After falling to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders was eventually selected with the 144th overall pick. He’s battling Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel for the starting gig — and a roster spot.

While a pair of speeding tickets won’t cost him the job, Sanders will want to return everyone’s attention to his work on the field rather than any potential issues off of it.

Rookies are set to report to Browns training camp on July 18 in Berea, Ohio.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford met Fridaym June 20 in Saudi Arabia for a press conference to promote their megafight, scheduled for Sept. 13 in Las Vegas. But a Saudi powerbroker spoke first.

He is Turki Alalshikh (a.k.a. “His Excellency”), the central figure in Saudi Arabia becoming a big player in professional boxing as a deep-pocketed promoter.

“I hate Tom and Jerry’s kind of boxing,’ Alalshikh said, referring to the famous animated series as well as boxers who run from their opponents. ‘I am sure (Alvarez and Crawford) will deliver for me smashing face and blood and this is the boxing.’

Additionally, Alalshikh said, ‘We will have in this fight and our next fight’s a bonus for a KO.’

He did not provide specifics, but his message was clear. Alvarez and Crawford will be expected to deliver, despite recent history.

Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) is coming off a lackluster victory over William Scull by unanimous decision in May. The crowd booed as Scull spent most of the fight running from Alvarez, who exerted modest effort to chase down Scull. It also happened to be the first fight of Alvarez’s five-fight deal with the Saudis.

Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) has not fought since August 2024, and that was an unforgettable bout, too. He beat Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision. Like Alvarez, he heard boos during a fight that included no knockdowns.

Alalshikh suggested he didn’t want a 12-by-12 ring to ensure adequate action for the fight. But apparently he thought it would be a good idea to have dinner with Alvarez and Crawford before the press conference.

“We talked yesterday and they are professional,’’ Alalshikh said later in the press conference. “But I think starting from last night they know what they need to do.’

Do Alvarez, Crawford get it?

Neither Alvarez or Crawford sounded as if Alalshikh’s words will have great impact when they fight at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders, for the undisputed super middleweight championship.

Crawford, 37, is moving up two weight classes (14 pounds) to fight Alvarez at super middleweight. His standing toe-to-toe with Alvarez would enthrall the fans and perhaps create the fight that Alalshikh wants. But don’t count on it.

“I’m not going to let somebody else force or tell me how to fight,’’ Crawford said. “When I’ve been in fighting my whole life, I won’t be running. I could tell you that, but I will be doing a lot of touching.’’

 In defense of Crawford, before the fight against Madrimov, he’d won 11 straight fights by knockout.

Alvarez, 34, suggested his fight would be one for the history books. But it’s worth revisiting recent history – his fight against Scull. It was a dreadful fight.

“…but we win,’’ Alvarez said. “That’s all that matters.’’

If Alvarez had been listening, at the dinner or at the press conference, he’d know that’s not all that matters to Alalshikh – or, largely speaking, boxing fans.

Alvarez’s next knockout will be his first since 2021 – when he finished Caleb Plant with an 11th-round TKO.

Maybe it’s something “His Excellency’’ will address during another dinner with Alvarez and Crawford.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fastDownload for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Hardly anybody in charge of major college athletics wants to talk about this publicly.

It’s the Trump effect. Will the Trump administration’s plan to defund American universities trickle down to college sports in the form of funding cuts?

USA TODAY Sports contacted more than 25 universities and college leadership organizations to ask them about concerns that athletics could be affected at least indirectly by this federal funding uncertainty. Almost all of them dodged the question by not responding at all, or by providing vague, undetailed answers, or by saying they didn’t want to talk about it on the record.

“I’m not surprised that nobody wants to talk, particularly at red-state public universities,” said Robert Kelchen, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee. “It’s such a touchy topic right now.”

At the same time, many of the same colleges are bracing for another coming financial earthquake after a federal judge recently approved the House vs. NCAA legal settlement. This allowed colleges to start paying their athletes directly for the first time ever, creating a massive new cost of up to $20.5 million per school per year starting July 1, according to the NCAA.

Trouble and tension in major college sports

Add it all together and tensions have started simmering during a titanic moment in history for higher education and college sports. Expenses are going up in athletic departments while the other side of campus remains anxious about Trump cuts to higher education, such as grants for medical and scientific research.

“There’s never been a time in college sports where so many issues have hit at once − both with the squeeze on institutional support and now this brand-new way of doing business in college sports,” said Amy Perko, CEO of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

USA TODAY Sports examined how it might affect athletics, why it’s a sensitive topic and what some schools are doing about it.

How the federal uncertainty trickles down

Trump’s attempted funding cutbacks at American universities aren’t directly related to college sports. They instead largely involve funding for research at these universities, including from the National Institutes of Health, which faces $18 billion in cuts under the Trump administration.

But as part of their universities, most athletic departments depend on university financial support to pay the bills. And when universities face funding shortfalls, they have to make decisions about what to cut and where. That’s where that institutional support for athletics could get squeezed.

Out of 232 Division I public schools tracked by USA TODAY Sports in fiscal year 2023, only 12 athletic departments reported receiving no institutional support from their schools, including from student fees or university transfers. That includes big football schools such as Ohio State, Penn State, Texas and LSU.

On the other end of the spectrum, 75 Division I public schools received at least $20 million in university support from their schools in fiscal year 2023, including from student fees. Sixteen received direct institutional support from their schools of more than $20 million, not counting student fees, led by Houston ($39.7 million), California ($36.7 million), Cincinnati ($35.5 million) and Connecticut ($30.2 million).

“As a matter of basic math, less money from any source will constrain any university’s ability to make discretionary decisions about how to allocate their finite resources,” said Roger Pielke, emeritus professor at the University of Colorado. “Something then has to give − either more revenues are needed or some activities must be cut back. If athletics demands more funding (such as for paying athletes) that compounds the issues.”

A number of examples have emerged.

At the University of Washington

In March, the provost at the University of Washington sent out a message outlining the financial risks the university was facing, including state budget shortfalls and the “unprecedented and rapid policy changes at the federal level.” The provost mentioned possible cutbacks including “pausing non-essential staff hiring,” limiting faculty hiring and reducing food purchases and other discretionary spending.

“These measures apply to all units that report to the President and Provost, including Athletics,” university spokesman Victor Balta confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

How that applied to athletics isn’t clear. The university didn’t get into detail about that when asked about it. But the athletic department received $10 million direct institutional support in fiscal 2024. Now the House settlement is also pressuring the Huskies, too, just like all the other schools in major college sports.

The Huskies are projecting a $19 million deficit in athletics for fiscal year 2026. Loans will help cover the gap, including $10 million from the Big Ten Conference in the form of a revenue-sharing advance and more from an “internal loan of institutional funds,” Balta said.

“Rising expenses and back damages related to the House settlement are factors, as are expenses associated with transitioning to the Big Ten Conference,” Balta said. “UW Athletics did execute required budget reductions and revenue enhancements in their approved FY26 operating budget – they were not held harmless in this exercise related to overall budget concerns.”

At Michigan State

This is happening to different degrees at other universities, too, each dealing with it in different ways. At Michigan State, for example, President Kevin Guskiewicz sent a message to faculty and staff fin May, noting financial challenges that included navigating “federal policies and directives that undercut our ability to advance our land-grant mission and continue essential research projects that make life better.”

A subsequent memo went to university leaders calling for a 9% base reduction in university-wide general funds over the next two years.

Asked if that included MSU athletics, university spokeswoman Amber McCann replied, “The reductions are to general funds across the university.”

Additional details were not provided. MSU athletics received less than $650,000 in direct institutional support in fiscal 2024 and $3.6 million in indirect institutional support in the form of costs covered by the university but not charged to athletics. MSU athletics also reported an annual operating deficit of $16.7 million for fiscal 2024.

But even at the small number of schools that provide little or no institutional support for athletics, disharmony can increase across campus if athletic departments are insulated from university budget cuts. Take Nebraska, for example.

Is athletics ‘sharing the pain?’

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents on June 19 approved a 5% tuition increase amid financial challenges that included less state funding than they asked for and an estimated federal funding reduction of nearly $12 million. The new budget included $18 million in cuts and no funding for pay increases for university staff.

But over in the athletic department, football coach Matt Rhule is set to get a $1 million pay increase this year, then another $1 million more in 2026, according to the terms of his contract. Athletic director Troy Dannen is set for a $100,000 annual raise.

The athletic department didn’t respond to an inquiry about it.

“There is a feeling that the athletic department should be sharing the pain,” said Jordan Gonzales, president of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Staff Senate.

Nebraska is one of the relatively few schools in the nation that reported receiving no university support for athletics in fiscal 2023. Even so, any immunity from university austerity measures adds to the perception that athletic departments are becoming increasingly detached from their universities as they move to become more like professional sports.

“When the university asks its core academic support staff to tighten their belts and absorb budget cuts while the athletic department appears to operate under a separate set of financial rules, it fosters a sense of two separate universities − one that’s facing austerity and another that is investing in and entering into multimillion deals and contracts,” Gonzales said.

Why it’s a sensitive subject

As the Trump administration targets certain colleges such as Harvard for funding cuts, others are wary of becoming the next target. When resources shrink on campus, discord also intensifies about university priorities and who is or isn’t taking on a fair share of the burden. Some colleges might not even want to talk about any cutbacks in sports because now is the time they want to appear flush with cash to pay athletes.

Among those that didn’t respond to inquiries about federal funding cuts affecting athletics were UCLA, Virginia, Stanford, Minnesota, Houston, Northwestern, Harvard and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

‘I think people are laying low,’ said Ruth Johnston, vice president of consulting at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). ‘I think people are wanting to wait and see a little bit.’

In the meantime, the pressure mounts for Division I athletic departments to spend money on players, all the way up to the initial cap of $20.5 million. Not doing so would mean falling behind the competition.

“They need more money right now,” said James Nussbaum, a former Northwestern football player and in-house counsel at Indiana University now at the firm Church Church Hittle + Antrim. “It’s those schools in the middle that are going to be really interesting to watch as they try to figure out if they want to continue to fund athletics at the level they have been as it becomes more and more clear that they’re not going to be able to compete with those top-tier schools, just from a resource standpoint.”

Where will the money come from?

Some athletic departments are getting students to help pay the bills. Some are getting more from their universities. Some might pursue other sources:

∎ The Board of Governors for the State University System of Florida on June 18 granted permission for state universities to give a $22.5 million annual lifeline to athletics through at least June 2028.

∎ At the University of Michigan, athletic director Warde Manuel sent a letter to supporters after the House settlement was approved, saying his department faced a projected deficit of $27 million for the 2025-26 academic year, including $20.5 million for paying players. The letter asked for support and mentioned a planned 10% reduction in staff, in addition to other cost-cutting moves. Spokesman Dave Ablauf said the university also has offered the department a loan of up to $15 million.

∎ Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry recently signed a bill to increase taxes on sports gambling, helping raise more than $20 million to be divided among 11 state universities for athletics, including LSU. Incidentally, LSU athletics is not subject to university cutbacks there because it is considered “auxiliary” to the university, according to the Louisiana Illuminator in April. LSU didn’t respond to a follow-up question about that from USA TODAY Sports.

∎ At the University of Colorado Boulder, the school approved an increase of the student athletic fee from $28.50 to $90 per semester, the first change to this fee since 1994. Funding from it was to support women’s sports scholarships and non-revenue sports.

∎ At Virginia Tech, student athletic fees are set to go up by $295 annually, up to $732.

∎ At Wichita State, the university proposed a 3.5% tuition increase, citing the challenging financial landscape for higher education, as well as the House settlement.

∎ At the University of Kansas, Chancellor Douglas Girod told the Lawrence Journal-World that KU athletics possibly could pay the university a reduced tuition rate for its athletes.

∎ Private investment in athletics is on the way. Elevate, a sports strategy and marketing company, recently announced the launch of the Collegiate Investment Initiative to provide colleges with “capital and strategic resources to develop revenue-generating projects.” What those schools must provide in return for that is not yet clear.

Johnston of NACUBO said “everything is going to be affected” by federal funding cuts at the top, in addition to the big new cost for athletic departments. New sources of funding are needed in the absence of cutbacks.

“It’s not gonna go back to normal,” Johnston said. “I think we’ re in an inflection point.”

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

There seems to be one thing that everyone knows about Aaron Rodgers – that we know nothing at all.

To many in the media, the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is a thorn in their side. To fans, he’s the guy that won’t walk away from the game even when they think he should. To others, he’s just a great quarterback that is one of the best to ever play.

Despite those differing views, teammates seem to love playing with Rodgers. The New York Jets gushed over the quarterback’s presence on HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks’ and throughout his two seasons in the Big Apple. Quinnen Williams expressed frustration when the Jets released Rodgers, saying, ‘another rebuild year for me I guess,’ in a since deleted post on X.

Williams’ misfortune is to Will Howard’s benefit, however. The rookie quarterback spoke glowingly about Rodgers’ presence at Steelers mandatory minicamp in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko.

‘He’s been so awesome to me so far,” Howard said. ‘Obviously we’ve only gotten to be together for about three days, but I got a really good feeling about him and about this whole QB room. I think we already in this past week meshed really well, hit it off. I think we got a good vibe, good group.’

Howard added that Rodgers has been willing to help him in any way he can – something the 41-year-old had previously done for Jordan Love in Green Bay and Zach Wilson in New York.

‘Aaron has been so willing to help me,’ Howard said. ‘He’s like, ‘Literally, as much or as little as you want me to help you, I’ll be there.’ He’s already given me tips, little things here and there – in the meeting room, on the field, in my drops, different little things. Obviously I can’t do the things that he can do mechanically, so I don’t want to replicate that too much because that’s pretty unique. But, for the most part, everything I can learn from that guy is invaluable. So I’m like, dude, as much as you want to pour into me.’

While Howard won’t win the starting job in training camp, he’s eager to soak up as much knowledge as possible from the four-time NFL MVP in what could be his final season.

Rodgers kept the league in the dark for most of the offseason, seemingly on the edge between playing or retiring before ultimately signing with the Steelers prior to mandatory minicamp.

The quarterback previously noted that he was dealing with some personal things throughout the offseason, leading to his absence from the public eye and an NFL roster.

It seems things have gotten off to a good start for those inside the building, even if some fans aren’t as excited.

Regardless, Howard is one that believes Rodgers is a pleasure to have in class.

All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

President Donald Trump told reporters Friday that his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, is ‘wrong’ in her assessment that Iran is not close to building a nuclear weapon.

Trump’s comments came after he departed Air Force One en route to his Bedminister, New Jersey, golf club, when he stepped aside to take a few questions from reporters. 

‘She’s wrong,’ Trump said after he was asked about Gabbard’s assessment that Iran is not close to building a nuclear weapon. ‘My intelligence community is wrong.’

Trump’s remarks were preceded by a question from a reporter asking the president, who publicly opposed the Iraq war roughly 20 years ago, what made this situation with Iran different – considering no weapons of mass destruction were ever found after the George W. Bush administration invaded Iraq. 

‘There were no weapons of mass destruction. I never thought there were. That was somewhat pre-nuclear. You know, it was –  there was a nuclear age, but nothing like it is today,’ Trump said. ‘And it looked like I’m right about the material that they’ve gathered already [in Iran]. It’s a tremendous amount of material. And I think within a matter of weeks, or certainly within a matter of months, [Iran was] going to be able to have a nuclear weapon. We can’t let that happen.’

In March, DNI Gabbard said during an opening statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee that that the intelligence community ‘continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon and Supreme Leader Khamenei has not authorized the nuclear weapons program that he suspended in 2003.’

Meanwhile, last week Gabbard posted a cryptic three and a half minute video on X last week, warning of the risks of a potential nuclear war, and blasting ‘warmongers’ for bringing the world ‘closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever before.’

President Donald Trump said aboard Air Force One earlier this week that he doesn’t care what Gabbard says, ‘I think they were very close to having one,’ when pressed on the pair’s divergent opinions. 

This week, according to The Guardian, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said Gabbard’s assessment has been ‘reconfirmed’ by current intelligence.

Fox News Digital reached out to Gabbard’s office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS