Breaking
Successful Beat
Author

admin

Browsing
Sports

Trade grades for Mets, Rangers on Marcus Semien-Brandon Nimmo swap

The New York Mets and Texas Rangers swapped a pair of veteran players on Sunday Nov. 23, as both teams begin their offseason reshuffling.

In a one-for-one deal, the Mets picked up three-time All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien in exchange for left-handed hitting outfielder Brandon Nimmo. While this trade lacks the intrigue and has fewer long-term implications than last week’s Orioles-Angels deal, it might provide an ever-so-slight indication of the direction both teams are headed during the offseason.

Let’s take a look at how the deal impacts the Mets and Rangers, and hand out some grades on how well they improved their overall rosters.

New York Mets trade grade: C+

The addition of Semien, who won his second career Gold Glove in 2025, should help stabilize the revolving door the Mets had last season at second base, where Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña all saw action. It also allows McNeil to move to the outfield on a regular basis, essentially filling the void created by Nimmo’s departure. (Or the team could cut ties completely with McNeil, whom they’ve been trying to trade.)

However, Semien is 35. And after being perhaps baseball’s most durable player from 2018 to 2024, he finally succumbed to the injury bug last season – missing the final six weeks with a foot injury.

Semien is also a two-time Silver Slugger (2021, 2023), but he posted a career-worst .230/.305/.364 slash line in 2025 with 15 homers, 62 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 127 games. The Mets are hoping his offense bounces back – the move to Citi Field should help – and that his glove helps shore up a significant weakness in the infield.

The Mets still have a major decision to make this offseason regarding free-agent slugger Pete Alonso. If Alonso doesn’t return, the addition of Semien does give them another right-handed bat in the lineup.

Semien is due $26 million in salary this season and is signed through 2028 (which could impact the team’s plans for top infield prospect Jett Williams).

Texas Rangers trade grade: C

Nimmo was the Mets’ first-round draft pick in 2011 (13th overall) and has spent 10 seasons patrolling the outfield in Queens. He’ll fill a hole in the outfield created when the Rangers declined to offer a contract to veteran Adolis Garcia at the non-tender deadline.

He figures to take over Semien’s leadoff spot, with his .364 career on-base percentage giving the Rangers an upgrade in that role. Like Semien, Nimmo has been quite durable – appearing in at least 150 games in each of the past four seasons. He also has a similar power/speed profile, posting career highs of 25 homers and 92 RBI last season, while also stealing 13 bases.

Josh Smith, who filled in admirably when shortstop Corey Seager was injured last season, will likely fill Semien’s starting spot at second base.

Nimmo, who will turn 33 in March, will make $20.5 million this coming season and still has five years remaining on his contract that runs through 2030. Compared to Semien’s deal, the Rangers will pay a little less up front, but be on the hook for two additional years.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

NFC team to give tryout to Justin Tucker

Justin Tucker could be one step closer to an NFL return.

The disgraced former kicker of the Baltimore Ravens will go through a tryout with the New Orleans Saints, according to multiple reports. Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, Tucker and fellow veteran Cade York will work out for the team. Tucker recently completed a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The Ravens released Tucker in May though simply characterized it as one of the tough ‘football decisions’ any team makes. Of course, that was only a part – hopefully a very small part – of the calculus to unload a five-time All-Pro who’d crafted an argument as the best kicker in league history over 13 mostly stellar seasons on the football field.

Yet it’s Tucker’s purported misconduct off the field for which he’s become notorious – if, apparently, not completely radioactive.

According to in-depth reporting by the The Baltimore Banner, 16 massage therapists from eight Baltimore-area spas shared horror stories about alleged sexual misconduct by Tucker during sessions that occurred between 2012 and 2016. Tucker was not charged with any crimes, and the statute of limitations in Maryland to file a civil action against him is long past. He has also strongly denied the therapists’ claims.

The NFL’s investigation into the matter spurred it to suspend him on June 26. But unlike the penalty the league levied against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson three years ago, in what can only be described as similar circumstances – at the time, 24 women had filed civil suits against him involving allegations of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions – Tucker was not fined nor ordered to undergo treatment or an evaluation.

On the field, last season was also the worst of Tucker’s career as he converted a career-low 73.3% of his field-goal attempts.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Chauncey Billups enters not guilty plea in rigged poker games case

NEW YORK — Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday during his appearance at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy as authorities accuse the Naismith Hall of Famer of being the ‘face card’ in a scheme that helped lure players to poker games held in Las Vegas, where sophisticated machines were used to dupe victims out of millions of dollars.

Both charges carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison if convicted.

Billups’ attorney, Marc Mukasey, entered the plea on behalf of his client before U.S. District Judge Ramon Reye during the hearing, with Billups speaking only to answer specific questions from Reye. The bail for Billups was set at $5 million, and he used his Colorado home as collateral to secure the bond.

Billups, dressed in a gray suit and light blue dress shirt, and flanked by his attorneys, arrived at the Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, home to the Eastern District of New York, nearly an hour before his arraignment, which was also a status conference hearing for the other 30 defendants in the case, dubbed ‘Operation Royal Flush,’ which prosecutors say involved organized crime figures, who committed violent acts to collect on debts.

All 31 defendants are scheduled for a case status update on March 4, as the authorities prepare their case, adding that during the discovery phase, they expect to produce one terabyte of data.

Reye said he hopes to start the trial by September 2026.

When he was arrested in Portland on Oct. 23, Billups was ordered by a judge to forfeit his passport and restrict his travel to Oregon, Colorado, and New York.

The 49-year-old Billups, a five-time All-Star who spent 17 seasons in the NBA and won a Finals MVP award with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.

In another part of the indictment tied to gambling, Billups is believed to be ‘Co-Conspirator 8,’ who authorities say gave confidential game information before it was publicly available, and is described as an ex-NBA player who played from 1997 to 2014, an NBA coach since 2021, and an Oregon resident. Billups meets all three of those characteristics.

Billups is on unpaid leave from his job coaching the Trail Blazers, as is Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who is due in court at the Brooklyn federal courthouse Dec. 8. Federal authorities allege in court documents that Rozier provided insider information, which gamblers used to make wagers involving the Los Angeles Lakers, Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors over the span of a year.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones has already pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy when he made his initial appearance in court on Nov. 6 and was released on a $200,00 bond.

Authorities say that Jones allegedly shared and sold insider information on numerous occasions about undisclosed details of NBA games, such as lineup decisions and pre-released medical information, to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips. The medical information allegedly involved LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who were playing for the Lakers at the time. James and Davis have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Jones is also accused of using his notoriety to get people to poker games rigged by organized crime figures in order to steal money from them, sometimes using technology, including poker chip trays with hidden cameras, and rigged shuffling machines with the ability to read the cards in the deck.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Trump’s main DOGE office shutters — but its war on government waste isn’t over

The Department of Government Efficiency’s centralized office has shuttered, but federal agencies’ individual DOGE teams that work to weed out potential mismanagement and corruption are still in full operation, Fox News Digital learned.

‘President Trump was given a clear mandate to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government, and he continues to actively deliver on that commitment,’ White House spokeswoman Liz Huston told Fox News Digital Monday when asked about DOGE’s current status. 

Reuters first reported that DOGE no longer existed after speaking with Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor earlier in November.  

‘That doesn’t exist,’ Kupor was quoted as telling the outlet. 

The administration official clarified on X that DOGE’s policies are ‘alive and well,’ adding that the outlet ‘spliced my full comments across paragraphs 2/3 to create a grabbing headline.’

‘The truth is: DOGE may not have centralized leadership under @USDS. But, the principles of DOGE remain alive and well: de-regulation; eliminating fraud, waste and abuse; re-shaping the federal workforce; making efficiency a first class citizen; etc. DOGE catalyzed these changes; the agencies along with  @USOPM and @WHOMB will institutionalize them!’ he posted. 

The White House explained to Fox News Digital that individual teams established at federal agencies are still in full operation, while DOGE’s central office has shuttered.

Fox News Digital did not immediately receive comment on when the office officially shuttered and what sparked the closure months ahead of schedule. 

Inception and investigations 

Trump established DOGE under a January executive order that renamed the United States Digital Service — which was founded in 2014 by former President Barack Obama as a technology office within the Executive Office of the President — to the United States DOGE Service. 

Trump’s executive order stated DOGE would continue until July 4, 2026. The executive order included charging agency chiefs with creating their own DOGE teams to find and eliminate overspending or fraud — teams that are still in operation. 

Tech billionaire Elon Musk was the public face of DOGE for months of the administration, serving in the role until May, when fireworks flew between the Trump ally and President Donald Trump over the ‘big beautiful bill.’ 

Musk lambasted the legislation as ‘outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination,’ while Trump accused the billionaire of lashing out over the bill’s cuts to electrical vehicle mandates. Musk is the CEO of electric vehicle company Tesla. 

Trump signed the massive piece of legislation into law on the Fourth of July while championing it would advance his agenda on taxes, immigration, energy, defense and the national debt.

Musk was brought into the DOGE role as a special government employee, meaning he could only serve in the job for 130 days. While Musk has been the public face of DOGE for months, he was not an employee of the United States DOGE Service and did not report to the acting DOGE administrator, Amy Gleason, according to a court filing previously reported by Fox Digital in March. 

Democrats and federal employees have railed against DOGE since its inception, and subsequent investigations and mass terminations at various agencies got underway, including staging protests outside federal buildings in Washington, D.C., and specifically protesting Musk for his involvement with DOGE. 

DOGE’s website touts, as of Monday morning, that it has saved $214 billion via ‘asset sales, contract/lease cancellations and renegotiations, fraud and improper payment deletion, grant cancellations, interest savings, programmatic changes, regulatory savings, and workforce reductions.’ 

The amount translates to $1,329.19 in savings per taxpayer, according to the website.  

The creation of DOGE was celebrated on the campaign trail as a cornerstone policy for Trump as he looked to slim down the size of the federal government, streamline it and cut potential overspending, fraud and corruption. 

Musk played a key role in campaigning for the Trump ticket in battleground states such as Pennsylvania, where he frequently lamented how the federal government was tied up in red tape that handcuffed the private sector from advancing, pointing to his companies SpaceX and Tesla as prime examples of the government hamstringing the tech sector with regulations. 

‘SpaceX had to do this study to see if Starship would hit a shark,’ Musk said from the campaign trail of how the government became involved in a SpaceX, studying whether a Starship rocket would hit a whale or shark upon landing. ‘And I’m like… it’s a big ocean. There are a lot of sharks. It’s not impossible, but it’s very unlikely. So we said, ‘Fine, we’ll do the analysis. Can you give us the shark data?” 

He said at the time that the National Marine Fisheries Service ordered SpaceX to carry out the study. 

Trump announced just days after his decisive election win in November 2024 that Musk would lead DOGE alongside former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy — who departed the team at the start of the Trump administration and launched a run for Ohio governor in the 2026 race. 

The president celebrated the office would likely serve as the ‘‘The Manhattan Project’ of our time,’ as it eyed driving ‘large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.’

Trump repeatedly celebrated the office during high-profile events after his inauguration, including during his joint address to Congress in March where he rattled off how DOGE investigations uncovered government funding for bizarre initiatives, such as free housing and cars for illegal immigrants that cost $22 billion, ‘male circumcision in Mozambique,’ and ‘$20 million for the Arab ‘Sesame Street’ in the Middle East.’ 

‘Forty-five million dollars for diversity, equity and inclusion scholarships in Burma,’ Trump said as he provided examples of federal waste March 4 after thanking Musk and DOGE for its work. ‘Forty million to improve the social and economic inclusion of sedentary migrants. Nobody knows what that is. Eight million to promote LGBTQI+ in the African nation of Lesotho, which nobody has ever heard of. Sixty million dollars for indigenous peoples and Afro-Colombian empowerment in Central America. Sixty million. Eight million for making mice transgender.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Trump signals plan to designate Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization

President Donald Trump has signaled that he is planning to designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization after several groups have stepped up warnings in recent months that the Islamist group is gaining a foothold in the U.S.

‘It will be done in the strongest and most powerful terms,’ Trump told Just the News over the weekend. ‘Final documents are being drawn.’

Trump’s comment comes shortly after Texas declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and just days after the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), a prominent global research center, released a comprehensive 200-page study warning of the Muslim Brotherhood’s growing influence in the U.S.

The Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization founded in Egypt, has gained access to government agencies, been involved in advising American civil rights policy, infiltrated educational institutions, and created a vast social media footprint, the report states, while outlining the belief that the group has allegedly targeted U.S. government agencies for infiltration, including the State Department, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Justice, through career appointments and advisory roles.

‘We welcome President Trump’s statements and the growing recognition that the Muslim Brotherhood, its ideology and network pose a serious challenge to the United States and democratic societies,’ Charles Asher Small, executive director of ISGAP, said in a press release after Trump’s interview with Just the News.

‘A formal U.S. designation would represent an important first step to confront the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States. This will require sustained, evidence-based policy, serious scrutiny of its affiliated structures and funding streams, and long-term investment in democratic resilience.’

The ISGAP report dives deep into alleged terrorist ties within the group along with various funding sources from places like Qatar, while making the case that both al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood ‘share the strategic aim’ of establishing an Islamic state government by sharia law and differing only in tactics where the Brotherhood’s ‘gradualism allows it to maintain ideological continuity with militant jihad while avoiding direct confrontation.’

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not hear back by press time.

‘The Brotherhood is the progenitor of all modern Jihadist terror groups, from al-Qaeda to HAMAS,’ Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka posted on X over the weekend. ‘The time has come.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Politics

GOP senator calls Mamdani’s Netanyahu arrest vow a ‘grave threat’ as he introduces defund bill

A Senate Republican wants to take a legislative shot at New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and his desire to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., is introducing legislation that would halt some funding to cities that follow through on any International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant to arrest or detain officials from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries.

The measure, called the ‘American Allies Protection Act,’ is in direct response to Mamdani doubling down on his vow to arrest Netanyahu. Last year, the ICC issued a warrant for the Israeli prime minister’s arrest that has been heavily scrutinized by lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad.

Mamdani reiterated his desire to arrest Netanyahu last week before meeting with President Donald Trump. He told local news station ABC7 that New York City was a ‘city of international law’ that would uphold the court’s arrest warrants, which accused the Israeli prime minister of intentionally attacking civilians and using starvation as a method of warfare.

‘I’ve said time and again that I believe this is a city of international law, and being a city of international law means looking to uphold international law,’ he said. ‘And that means upholding the warrants from the International Criminal Court, whether they’re for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin.’

Budd charged in a statement to Fox News Digital that the U.S. is ‘not bound by the morally bankrupt’ court, and accused Mamdani’s position and comments of not being based in law but rather a means to ‘virtue-signal to his radical, anti-Israel base.’

‘Mayor-elect Mamdani’s pledge to facilitate the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu is not just ridiculous; it represents a grave threat that could seriously damage America’s relationship with our closest allies and partners,’ Budd said.

His legislation would halt Department of Justice (DOJ) grants from flowing to any city that cooperates with the court and arrests a NATO or U.S. major non-NATO ally. 

There is an override mechanism built in that would allow the president to end the penalty only if cooperation with the court is deemed necessary for national security.

Meanwhile, the issue of Netanyahu apparently did not come up during Trump and Mamdani’s confab. When asked if there was discussion of stopping Mamdani from arresting Netanyahu, Trump said the pair, ‘Didn’t discuss’ the matter.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Is Jordon Hudson suing Pablo Torre? Bill Belichick’s girlfriend claims so

Jordon Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick, claimed on social media she’s suing Pablo Torre, the host of popular sports podcast, ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out?’

‘Hi (Jordon), I assume this means you’re declining my invitation to be a guest on (‘Pablo Torre Finds Out?’) Either way, I’m looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks, Pablo.’

Here’s everything to know of the situation.

Is Jordon Hudson suing Pablo Torre?

Hudson claimed on Nov. 23 she’s suing Torre, although it seems she has yet to file a lawsuit at the time this story was published.

The 24-year-old Hudson and the 73-year-old Belichick have been in the headlines since they announced their relationship in late 2024. Most recently, Torre posted a podcast uncovering an exclusive clip of Hudson and Belichick during planning of ‘Coach with Bill Belichick.’

Belichick has said previously he and Hudson have a ‘personal and professional relationship.’ The behind-the-scenes clip showed the two’s dynamic outside of the media limelight, with Hudson appearing to play a substantial role in the planning process of the show.

It’s not the first time Torre has covered Hudson on his show, though, as he previously reported North Carolina prohibited Hudson’s access of the school facilities, hence her showing off an all-access pass on her Nov. 23 social media post.

North Carolina disputed the report in the spring. A request for comment from UNC on Hudson’s proclaimed suit against Torre was not returned to the USA TODAY Network at the time this story was published.

Hudson has reportedly been a driving force in Belichick’s decision-making process, a sentiment that has also been reported by Torre. Torre reported Hudson used her influence to appear in a ‘Dunkin” Super Bowl advertisement alongside Belichick.

“There is deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill’s legacy, reputation (and) everything he has built and worked for over decades,’ Torre reported on his show in May.

Torre’s podcasts chronicling the Hudson-Belichick situation started after a ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ interview with Belichick was interrupted by Hudson. Belichick was asked how he and Hudson met, before Hudson interjected from the background that he wasn’t going to be answering questions about their relationship.

The interview prompted Belichick to issue a statement. He wrote a few days later: ‘She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track.’

Torre laid out his reporting process in an online post in May titled ‘How We Investigated Jordon.’ Torre, a longtime ESPN personality-turned Peabody Award nominee and Edward R. Murrow award winner for sports reporting from his work on ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out,’ doesn’t appear to be fazed by Hudson’s threat on social media.

It’s unclear what bounds Hudson feels she has on a potential lawsuit, and it seems like she won’t be accepted Torre’s invitation to his podcast anytime soon, either.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Virginia HS football coach goes missing during undefeated season

There’s an active search underway in Virginia for a successful high school football coach who went missing in the midst of an undefeated season.

The Virginia State Police confirmed in a statement to News Channel 11 on Saturday, November 22 that it is trying to locate Travis Turner, the head football coach at Union High School in Wise County, Virginia. The announcement came two days after local authorities revealed special agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Wytheville Field Office were in the early stages of an investigation involving Turner.

Turner was officially named as a missing person on the Virginia State Police website on Sunday and listed as missing since Thursday. The Virginia State Police public information office did not immediately respond to a message from USA Today Sports on Monday morning seeking an update on the case.

The timing of the situation is unfortunate for Union’s football team, which advanced to Virginia’s Region 2D championship game and improved to 12-0 for the season with a 12-0 win over Graham High School on Saturday. Wise County Public Schools Superintendent Mike Goforth told News Channel 11 that assistant coach Jay Edwards handled coaching responsibilities during Saturday’s game.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Fat buyouts for college coaches typically translates to lost career

Mike Norvell officially avoided the buyout pit of college football coaching, extending his time at Florida State by at least another year. 

For what it’s worth. And we’re not talking millions. 

“I love Florida State,” Norvell said in a statement Sunday. “And I am fully committed to this program and our shared goals.”

Odds are, it won’t last much longer. Nor will his perch among the elite of profession.

Of the Top 10 coaching buyouts in college football history, only two coaches returned to lead a different Power conference team: James Franklin (Virginia Tech) and Charlie Weis (Kansas).

Welcome to the world of walking away with millions upon millions of dollars — and more than likely the unofficial end of your high-profile career. 

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from colleges paying exorbitant buyouts to failed coaches, it’s that those fired don’t often return to the profession. And when they do, it’s certainly not at the same level.

Whether it’s the uncomfortable idea of paying a coach more millions after he was gifted a golden parachute for failing, or a coach’s weaknesses being exposed, universities aren’t thrilled about second chances with high-dollar coaches.

If Franklin didn’t give up a majority of his $49 million buyout from Penn State to take the Virginia Tech job, this undeniable trend would look uglier than it already does. 

A look at the Top 10 college football buyouts, and where each coach landed. 

1. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

The buyout: $76.8 million

The fallout: Sat out the past two seasons, but not for a lack of trying to get a job. He wanted the West Virginia job at the end of 2024, but it went to Rich Rodriguez. 

Fisher has a career winning percentage of .727 in 14 years at FSU and Texas A&M. He won a national title at FSU in 2013, and has four major bowl wins. And is no closer to getting a job than when Texas A&M paid him to leave.  

2. Brian Kelly, LSU

The buyout: $53.8 million

The fallout: He has been fired twice, according to LSU officials. Or is that once? Because LSU says he wasn’t officially fired the first time in late October, but this time — as recent as late last week — you better believe they’re firing him (it’s a Louisiana politics thing). Kelly, 64, released a statement two weeks ago saying he wants to continue coaching after failing at LSU.

He’s the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, and has had success everywhere he has coached (.725 winning percentage in 22 seasons at major college programs). But no one will touch him if he’s in the middle of a lawsuit with LSU.    

3. James Franklin, Penn State

The buyout: $49 million.

The fallout: Franklin got right back in the hunt by accepting the Virginia Tech job, but only after he gave up all but $9 million of his Penn State buyout to do so. Franklin won 104 games in 12 seasons at Penn State, and had back-to-back nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt — a program best until this year’s team won its ninth game Saturday.   

4. Gus Malzahn, Auburn

The buyout: $21.4 million

The fallout: Fired at the end of 2020, Malzahn took a job with UCF while it was still a member of the American Conference. He resigned after four years to take the offensive coordinator role at FSU, more than likely getting ahead of another firing. 

5. Billy Napier, Florida

The buyout: $21.2 million

The fallout: Fired by Florida in late October, Napier was later seen at a Georgia practice — though Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said it was because the two are close friends. 

Napier’s only job prior to his three and a half years at Florida was a four-year stint at Louisiana. He has 62 wins in 97 career games, and will likely have to take the assistant coach route to get back into the business.  

6. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame

The buyout: $18.9 million

The fallout: The industry leader in buyouts for years, Notre Dame fired Weis following the 2009 season. He took assistant coach jobs with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and with Florida under coach Will Muschamp. 

Weis eventually returned as a Power conference coach when hired by Kansas in 2012. He was fired four games into the 2014 season and hasn’t coached since. 

7. Willie Taggart, Florida State

The buyout: $18 million

The fallout: Taggart arrived in Tallahassee after one season in Oregon, and after Fisher left a mess in Tallahassee in the locker room and classroom. Taggart spent a majority of his time getting players to actually go to class (back when it meant something), and coached 21 games at FSU before getting fired with a 9-12 record. 

He moved to FAU, where he was fired three years later with a 16-20 record. Taggart has been the running backs coach with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens since 2023.

8. Ed Orgeron, LSU

The buyout: $16.9 million

The fallout: Orgeron won the national title at LSU in 2019, in part, because he convinced backup Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow to transfer to Baton Rouge. Orgeron never recreated the magic of the most prolific offense in the modern era, and was fired in October of 2021.

Orgeron hasn’t coached since, but not because he hasn’t tried to get back into the profession. He now says he’d be interested in returning to LSU as a position coach.    

9. Tom Allen, Indiana

The buyout: $15.5 million

The fallout: The high-water mark was the 2020 pandemic season, when the Big Ten changed its rules to return midstream to get Ohio State in the conference championship game — ahead of Indiana. 

Allen won eight games in 2019, and six of eight in 2020, and IU threw crazy cash at the coach who looked like he had it figured out at the basketball school. Allen won nine games over the next three seasons, and was fired. He has been the Penn State and Clemson defensive coordinators since. 

10. Tom Herman, Texas

The buyout: $15.4 million

The fallout: Once the hottest young coach in the game, Herman spent four years in the sport’s best job and was fired after the 2020 season. He was 32-18, and looked like he had the program turned with a 10-win season (and a bowl win over Georgia) in 2018.

He took a job with the NFL’s Chicago Bears as an analyst following the blowout at Texas, and was then head coach at FAU for two years before getting fired in November of his second season. He’s currently not coaching. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

NBA power rankings: Lakers move up as LeBron returns

NBA action is intensifying, as the league is turning quickly to December.

That also means the NBA Cup picture is clarifying, with group stage play concluding Friday, Nov. 28. The league, however, is contending with several injuries to star players, forcing players like Bucks forward-center Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic forward Paolo Banchero, Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama and plenty others to miss time.

To that point, it’s the teams managing those absences well who are the ones remaining competitive. And no team has weathered the loss of an All-Star better than the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 5 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through Nov. 23. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Top 5

1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 17-1 (—)

2. Detroit Pistons, 14-2 (+1)

3. Denver Nuggets, 12-4 (-1)

4. Los Angeles Lakers, 12-4 (+1)

5. Houston Rockets, 10-4 (-1)

The OKC Thunder have the NBA’s fourth-best offensive rating (119.6) and the league’s best defensive rating (102.8) and net rating (16.9), and they have done this all without Jalen Williams (wrist). The Pistons just got Jaden Ivey back and have the NBA’s top active win streak, at 12 games. It has become clear the Lakers will need some time to integrate LeBron James and the Nuggets, who will be without forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) for at least a month, showed in a loss against the Kings that life may be tough without him.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 6-10

6. Cleveland Cavaliers, 12-6 (+2)

7. Minnesota Timberwolves, 10-6 (+2)

8. San Antonio Spurs, 11-5 (-1)

9. Toronto Raptors, 12-5 (+3)

10. Miami Heat, 11-6 (+7)

Just when the Cavs were finally getting healthy, center Jarrett Allen suffered a broken ring finger, but Cleveland has nonetheless won four of its last five. The Raptors have been the surprise of the season, and lead the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.18). And the Heat have won four consecutive, relentlessly attack the rim and rank second in points in the paint per game (58.0) and Tyler Herro is reportedly set to make his debut Monday night.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 11-15

11. Phoenix Suns, 11-6 (+3)

12. Atlanta Hawks, 11-7 (-2)

13. New York Knicks, 9-6, (-7)

14. Orlando Magic, 10-8 (+4)

15. Golden State Warriors, 9-9 (-4)

Phoenix, with its remade roster, has leaned in on aggressive defense and its 10.7 steals per game trails the league-leading Thunder by just 0.1. The Knicks have lost three of their last five, and their defense is a far cry from what it was under previous coach Tom Thibodeau. The Warriors have lost three consecutive games, and the locker room feels like it’s already fraying.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 16-20

16. Boston Celtics, 9-8 (—)

17. Philadelphia 76ers, 9-7 (-2)

18. Milwaukee Bucks, 8-9 (-5)

19. Chicago Bulls, 9-7 (+1)

20. Portland Trail Blazers, 7-10 (-1)

The Celtics far too inconsistent and a loss against the Nets mars some of the good; no team commits fewer turnovers than Boston’s 11.3 per game. Losers of four in a row, the Bucks are flailing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and are averaging just 107.8 points over that span. And the Trail Blazers, after starting the season hot despite the drama surrounding suspended coach Chauncey Billups, have lost eight of their last 11.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 21-25

21. Memphis Grizzlies, 6-11 (+2)

22.Los Angeles Clippers, 5-12 (—)

23. Dallas Mavericks, 5-13 (+1)

24. Utah Jazz, 5-10 (-1)

25. Charlotte Hornets, 4-13 (—)

The lone Clippers wins in nearly three weeks have come against the Hornets and Mavericks, a pair of teams below L.A. on this list. Dallas is still being patient with Anthony Davis and the Hornets have lost nine of 10.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 26-30

26. Sacramento Kings, 4-13 (—)

27. Brooklyn Nets, 3-13 (—)

28. Indiana Pacers, 2-14 (+1)

29. New Orleans Pelicans, 2-15 (-1)

30. Washington Wizards, 1-15 (—)

The Kings are a weird team; they’re awkwardly constructed and will beat the Nuggets — as they did Sunday, Nov. 23 — and then lose to the Grizzlies by 41. The Nets have shown more competitive spirit and center Nic Claxton recorded his first career triple-double in a win against the Celtics. The Wizards, meanwhile, have the NBA’s worst net rating (-15.5) and have lost 14 games in a row.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By