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Serena ‘would have gotten 20 years’ for positive test like Sinner’s

Although she hasn’t played a competitive match since the 2022 U.S. Open, tennis legend Serena Williams still follows the sport with a passion.

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion is a big fan of No. 1-ranked men’s player Jannik Sinner, the defending U.S. Open champion who won his second consecutive Australian Open in January. However, Sinner is currently serving a three-month suspension after testing positive last year for a performance-enhancing substance.

In a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine – the publication that just named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world – Williams said Sinner is a ‘fantastic personality’ and is ‘great for the sport.’

But she also made a point to mention, ‘if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me.’

As a way of explanation, Williams points to one of her contemporaries on the WTA Tour, Maria Sharapova, who received a two-year ban for doping in 2016 – even though the circumstances surrounding her positive test were similar to Sinner’s.

‘I can’t help but think about Maria all this time,’ Williams said.

Both Sharapova and Sinner said they were unintentionally given the banned substances that led to the failed tests. Sharapova had her suspension eventually reduced to 15 months, while Sinner is currently serving a three-month ban that will not force him to miss any of this year’s Grand Slam tournaments.

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Lee Corso announces ESPN ‘College GameDay’ retirement

Lee Corso is hanging up his headgear.

The legendary former college football coach and ESPN ‘College GameDay’ fixture for the past five decades announced Thursday that his final appearance on the show would be during the Week 1 episode of the 2025 college football season. ESPN has billed it as Corso’s final headgear pick, a nod to his signature closing move on ‘College GameDay’ when he dons mascot headgear to signal his pick for the game at the site in which the show is being broadcast from that week.

ESPN said a location for Corso’s final ‘College GameDay,’ scheduled for Saturday, August 30, will be determined at a later date. ESPN will also present special programming to honor Corso in the days leading up to his last show.

Corso, who turns 90 in August, debuted on ESPN’s college football pregame show in 1987. His first headgear pick – Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye in Columbus, Ohio – happened on Oct. 5, 1996.

Corso joined ESPN following a 28-year coaching career at the college and professional levels, including 17 seasons as a head coach at Louisville (1969-72), Indiana (1973-82), Northern Illinois (1984) and with the USFL’s Orlando Renegades (1985). He is the only personality from the original ‘College GameDay’ cast still with the show.

“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and College GameDay for nearly 40 years. I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement,’ Corso said in a statement. “ESPN has been exceptionally generous to me, especially these past few years. They accommodated me and supported me, as did my colleagues in the early days of College GameDay. Special thanks to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement. And lest I forget, the fans…truly a blessing to share this with them. ESPN gave me this wonderful opportunity and provided me the support to ensure success. I am genuinely grateful.”

Corso became a revered figure in college football and the face of ‘College Gameday’ over the years by mixing commentary with catchphrases like ‘Not so fast, my friend,’ and costume changes that turned into highly anticipated moments during the lead up to the first college football games every Saturday.

Corso remained a constant presence on the show throughout the past 38 years, although he has taken on a more limited role and missed several episodes for health reasons in recent seasons. Corso had a stroke in May 2009 that impacted his speech, but he made a full return to ‘College GameDay’ for the following college football season.

Corso has been on more than 70 campuses as part of ‘College GameDay,’ according to ESPN, and donned 69 different mascot headgear in order to make game picks. He has made 430 headgear picks all-time entering his final broadcast, with the Ohio State Buckeyes being his choice a record 45 times.

This story has been updated to include new information.

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

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Trump admin guts AmeriCorps, Clinton-era volunteer agency that failed 8 consecutive audits

The Trump administration placed roughly 75% of full-time AmeriCorps employees on administrative leave on Wednesday as the administration looks to rebuild the Clinton-era volunteer agency from scratch, Fox News Digital learned.

A total of 535 full-time AmeriCorps employees out of the agency’s 700 staff were placed on leave, an administration official confirmed to Fox News Digital Thursday.

Volunteers with AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps, a program that focuses specifically on volunteer opportunities for youth between the ages of 18–26, were preemptively pulled out of the field ahead of the Trump administration placing the agency’s full-time staffers on leave Wednesday, Fox Digital learned. Roughly $250 million in AmeriCorps contracts have also been canceled. 

AmeriCorps is expected to remain in existence, according to the admin official, but the operations will essentially restart from scratch.

Former President Bill Clinton created the AmeriCorps National Service Program in 1993, during his first year in office, as a volunteer arm of the government to help aid communities nationwide. 

The agency has received roughly $1 billion in taxpayer funds every year, the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee previously found, but had failed eight consecutive audits across the past decade. 

‘Unfortunately, AmeriCorps has a long history of abusing taxpayer dollars,’ chair of the House subcommittee, Republican Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, said in a statement in December 2024. 

‘AmeriCorps is entrusted with over $1 billion of taxpayer funds every year, with the result of failure of eight consecutive audits,’ he continued. ‘In 2023, the AmeriCorps Inspector General issued a ‘Management Challenges’ report detailing significant challenges AmeriCorps faces. This includes being unable to detect fraud. We have no real idea when AmeriCorps will be able to have a clean audit again. In fact, this year’s audit includes 78 recommendations still open, even after AmeriCorps said it addressed 20 last year.’ 

Fox News Digital examined AmeriCorp’s budget in recent years and found its 2023 fiscal year budget stood at $1,312,806, which included $99,686,000 in expenses and salaries, while fiscal year 2024 saw a budget of $1,262,806, which included the same figure for expenses and salaries. The Biden administration proposed a budget of $1,342,093,000 for fiscal year 2025. 

The agency’s annual management report for fiscal year 2024 showed that it had $3.7 billion in assets, including over $1.5 billion in investments.

Diversity, equity and inclusion and climate change initiatives have been a top priority for the volunteer-focused agency, with the 2024 annual management report identifying ‘advancing racial and economic equity’ as one of its top priorities, Fox Digital found. 

‘AmeriCorps has a decades-long commitment to advancing racial and economic equity through national service and volunteering,’ the report stated. ‘These efforts are designed to expand pathways to opportunity for all Americans. Racial and economic equity will be central to AmeriCorps’ planning and implementation of all priorities, ensuring AmeriCorps members and volunteers reflect the diversity of the American people and the communities in which they serve.’ 

Owens said in 2024 that while some of the agency’s programs are ‘well-intentioned,’ taxpayers should not continue funding the office and called for it to land on the Department of Government Efficiency’s chopping block.

‘It makes no sense to expand this agency or give it more money when it continuously fails to meet basic accountability standards,’ he said. ‘Every time its representatives come before this Committee, AmeriCorps assures us that they will implement reforms, and year after year nothing changes. We can tell AmeriCorps to modernize and reform until we are blue in the face, but nothing will change unless we recognize the system is built on a flawed idea. It is time to admit that this is a failed program that needs a complete overhaul or elimination. It should be on DOGE’s chopping block.’ 

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‘Mass surveillance’: Conservatives sound alarm over Trump admin’s REAL ID rollout

Conservatives are speaking out against the Trump administration’s plans to finally enact long-expected REAL ID laws in a bid to crack down on illegal immigration.

‘If you think REAL ID is about election integrity, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Someone has lied to you, or you’re engaged in wishful thinking. Please don’t shoot the messenger,’ Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X earlier this week.

Responding to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem’s video announcing the May 7 REAL ID deadline, the former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin questioned in a lengthy post: ‘Or what?? Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country.’

Palin continued: ‘Other administrations delayed this newfangled, burdensome REAL ID requirement. Are you curious why its implementation is imperative now?? And who came up with this?’

The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005, but the federal government has yet to implement it 20 years later. It requires all U.S. travelers to be REAL ID compliant when boarding domestic flights.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced last week that REAL ID would go into effect May 7, and that no other state-issued ID cards would be accepted for air travel.

TSA senior official Adam Stahl said in the announcement that REAL ID ‘bolsters safety by making fraudulent IDs harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists.’

While an overwhelming majority of Republicans appear to have few issues with the change, some on the right have cried foul.

Massie argued in an X post, ‘As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission? REAL ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom. If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?’

Massie targeted President Donald Trump more directly in response to another X user who asked whether he was opposed simply because of his differences with the commander in chief. The Kentucky Republican has been known for multiple public spats with Trump. 

‘REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?’ Massie wrote.

Former presidential candidate and ex-House Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, wrote on X, ‘Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem announced Friday that the notorious PATRIOT Act-era REAL ID scheme would go into effect at the end of the month. REAL ID is one of the greatest threats to Americans’ civil liberties in decades.’

Kentucky state Rep. TJ Roberts, a Republican, agreed with Paul on social media, writing, ‘Repeal REAL ID!!’

New Hampshire state Rep. Joe Alexander, a Republican, added on the accusations, calling REAL ID a ‘violation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution,’ and writing, ‘the Federal Government should not be mandating ID for its citizens to travel between states. Just say NO.’

Cato Institute senior fellow Patrick Eddington told Fox News Digital, ‘I’m not aware of a single post-9/11 instance of an alleged or actual terrorist being apprehended, much less successfully boarding an airliner, with false ID credentials – which is the entire-stated rationale for REAL ID.’

Eddington argued it imposed unconstitutional burdens on people who are seeking to travel by air versus train.

‘If you got word that your mother had just had a stroke and her prognosis was uncertain, and you wanted to quickly fly home to be with her but couldn’t because you didn’t have a REAL ID-compliant ID card, that would be one very real-world example of a tangible harm this insane law could cause on literally a daily basis,’ he said.

‘The REAL ID Act effectively institutes a form of mass surveillance and verification that doesn’t discriminate between those who have given reason for suspicion and those who haven’t, which is why it should never have been enacted in the first place.’

Meanwhile, Trump ally Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., targeted critics in his own public statement. 

‘The REAL ID Act was passed way back in 2005, 20 years ago!!!! It’s about time everyone stop dragging their feet. Quit scrolling through social media, quit complaining, get your info together, and get down to the DMV to get your REAL ID,’ Alford said Wednesday. 

The DHS has argued that implementing REAL ID now will help the Trump administration further its goals in cracking down on illegal immigration.

A DHS memo obtained by Fox News Digital earlier this week argued in favor of its implementation, that REAL ID ‘closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks.’

Trump administration allies have also pointed out that it is carrying out a directive by Congress that’s long been stalled, but that the current White House took no part in deciding.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and TSA for further comment. Massie’s spokesman said he was not available for an interview when reached by Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital’s Cameron Arcand contributed to this report.

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Republican uses George Washington, American Revolution to reject notion Ukraine should surrender to Russia

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb. – who has advocated for the U.S. and Europe to ‘arm Ukraine to the max’ – pointed to the American Revolutionary War to push back against the notion that Ukraine should surrender to Russia.

‘I’m glad General George Washington didn’t say ‘Let’s surrender because Great Britain is too powerful and defeating them is unlikely.’ But, that is what some of our leaders are saying to Ukraine, the victim of a Russian invasion. Surrendering to a tyrant is not peace,’ Bacon wrote in a post on X.

The congressman wants the U.S. to provide arms to help the embattled Eastern European nation repel Russia.

‘European Allies and U.S. should arm Ukraine to the max and help them defend their country against the Russians, and now the North Koreans and Chinese,’ Bacon declared in a post on X.

Some Americans oppose the prospect of providing additional aid to bolster Ukraine’s war effort.

But Bacon contends that backing Ukraine is in America’s interests.

Zelenskyy says footage shows Chinese POW captured in Ukraine

‘Supporting Ukraine in its struggle against Russian aggression is not only morally right. It is also in our national interest, because the future cost of abandoning Ukraine would vastly outweigh the investment we have made in rejecting Russia’s aggression,’ he wrote in a New York Times piece.

‘In recent weeks, too many of my fellow Republicans – including Mr. Trump – have treated Russia with velvet gloves, shying away from calling out Mr. Putin’s flatly illegal war and even blaming Ukraine for starting it,’ Bacon declared in the piece.

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Trump takes center stage in Canada’s prime minister election debate

President Donald Trump is the greatest challenge Canada is facing, Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a Wednesday night electoral debate with conservative challenger Pierre Poilievre.

‘This election [is about] the question of who will succeed, and who will face up to Trump,’ Carney said in French, according to a Reuters translation.

His comments came in retort to Poilievre, who moments prior, had accused him of being too similar to Justin Trudeau, who stepped down from the top job earlier this year following a rapid decline in approval ratings. 

‘We are in a crisis. The most serious crisis of our lives,’ Carney reportedly added. ‘We have to react with strength, which will allow us to succeed with Trump.’

Carney, who was voted into the role by the governing Liberal Party last month in a landslide win, is believed to be the favored candidate to win the prime minister’s seat in a nationwide election later this month, though recent polling suggests polling margins could be narrowing.

Just prior to Trudeau’s exit, the Liberal Party was expected to take a nosedive in the federal election against Poiliervre’s Conservative Party – but Trump appears to have changed all that. 

Immense concern over a trade war with the U.S. and Trump’s threats to annex Canada as the 51st state have rallied support once again for the Liberal Party under Carney. 

Reports suggest that Carney is now viewed as the candidate more equipped to take on the tough negotiations that Canada will face to ease the steep tariffs Trump implemented this year. 

Poilievre has also reportedly faced a drop in support for his Canada First message, which some reports suggest may be too similar a message to Trump’s America First agenda. 

The conservative candidate has also reportedly faced criticism within his own party for not responding fast enough to the threat posed by the U.S. president. 

Some reporting has suggested the race to be Canada’s next prime minister could be narrowing between Poilievre and Carney. 

Canadians concerned by cost-of-living tend to back Poilievere, according to a Politico report, while voters concerned with the economy and relations with the U.S. tend to back Carney.

Poilievere has been in the political sphere since 2004, when he entered Canada’s Parliament.

Carney’s background is in running first the Bank of Canada in 2008 and then the Bank of England in 2013 – prompting some to believe he may be best suited to take on the financial crisis looming over Canada amid Trump’s tariff war. 

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NFL Draft: Browns GM compares ‘unicorn’ Travis Hunter to Shohei Ohtani

Shedeur Sanders drew Daniel Jones comparisons from Colorado’s offensive coordinator. His teammate Travis Hunter may be happier with the one he received from Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry.

Berry was asked at a pre-draft news conference whether Hunter would be worth the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if he didn’t become a two-way star at the NFL level.

Berry evoked the name of two-way Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani while explaining Hunter’s upside at both positions.

‘It’s a little bit like Ohtani. If he’s a pitcher or he’s a hitter, he’s an outstanding player,’ Berry explained, in reference to Hunter. ‘You obviously get a unicorn if you use him both ways.’

Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy after starring at both receiver and cornerback for Colorado. He has stated he would rather retire than limit himself to playing one side of the ball at the NFL level, so it appears the 21-year-old will get a chance to prove himself at both positions.

Still, Berry made it clear the Browns view Hunter’s best position as receiver and cornerback as his ‘second home.’ That said, the general manager was also clear that Cleveland wouldn’t limit him to one side of the ball if they selected him.

‘What he would attempt to do has not really been done in our league,’ Berry said. ‘But we wouldn’t necessarily put a cap or a governor in terms of what he could do. We would want to be smart in terms of how we would start him out.’

What would being smart look like? Berry conceded it would be a learning process, even if Hunter could handle a larger snap share than expected since his contact would be minimized playing on the perimeter.

‘It’s something that 32 teams are would have to figure out as they think through his profile,’ Berry said of Hunter. ‘There would probably be some learning on the fly if he were here.’

The Browns have been increasingly tied to Hunter ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. He is presently expected to be the team’s pick at No. 2 overall, so it may fall on Kevin Stefanski and his staff to figure out the best way to use the talented top prospect.

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NHL releases dates, times, TV for first round games

The NHL playoff bracket offers plenty of intriguing matchups.

There’s the Battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. The always-intense Battle of Ontario (Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators) returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers meet for the fourth year in a row.

The Dallas Stars-Colorado Avalanche series features winger Mikko Rantanen, who was traded by the Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season and will now face his former team after a trade to the Stars.

Here are the playoff matchups and schedule for the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs (all times p.m. ET, series are best of seven):

Eastern Conference

Key: M-Metropolitan; A-Atlantic; WC-wild card; x-if necessary

Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games

Washington Capitals (M1) vs. Montreal Canadiens (WC2)

  • Game 1: Canadiens at Capitals, Monday, April 21, 7, ESPN
  • Game 2: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 23, 7, ESPN
  • Game 3: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, April 25, 7, TNT, truTV, Max
  • Game 4: Capitals at Canadiens, Sunday, April 27, 6:30, TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Canadiens at Capitals, Wednesday, April 30, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Capitals at Canadiens, Friday, May 2, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Canadiens/at Capitals, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Carolina Hurricanes (M2) vs. New Jersey Devils (M3)

  • Game 1: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, April 20, 3, ESPN
  • Game 2: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 22, 6, ESPN
  • Game 3: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, April 25, 8, TBS, Max
  • Game 4: Hurricanes at Devils, Sunday, April 27, 3:30, TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Devils at Hurricanes, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Hurricanes at Devils, Friday, May 2, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Devils at Hurricanes, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Toronto Maple Leafs (A1) vs. Ottawa Senators (WC1)

  • Game 1: Senators at Maple Leafs, Sunday, April 20, 7, ESPN2
  • Game 2: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
  • Game 3: Maple Leafs at Senators, Thursday, April 24, 7, ESPN2
  • Game 4: Maple Leafs at Senators, Saturday, April 26, 7, TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Senators at Maple Leafs, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Maple Leafs at Senators, Friday, May 1, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Senators at Maple Leafs, Saturday, May 3, TBD

Tampa Bay Lightning (A2) vs. Florida Panthers (A3)

  • Game 1: Panthers at Lightning, Tuesday, April 22, 8:30, ESPN
  • Game 2: Panthers at Lightning, Thursday, April 24, 6:30, TBS, truTV, Max
  • Game 3: Lightning at Panthers, Saturday, April 26, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
  • Game 4: Lightning at Panthers, Monday, April 28, TBD
  • x-Game 5: Panthers at Lightning, Wednesday, April 30, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Lightning at Panthers, Friday, May 2, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Panthers at Lightning, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Western Conference

Key: C-Central; P-Pacific; WC-wild card, x-if necessary

Streaming: Fubo and Sling carry ESPN games; Sling also carries TNT games

Winnipeg Jets (C1) vs. St. Louis Blues (WC2)

  • Game 1: Blues at Jets, Saturday, April 19, 6, TNT, truTV, Max
  • Game 2: Blues at Jets, Monday, April 21, 7:30, ESPN2
  • Game 3: Jets at Blues, Thursday, April 24, 9:30, ESPN2
  • Game 4: Jets at Blues, Sunday, April 27, 1, TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Blues at Jets, Wednesday, April 30, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Jets at Blues, Friday, May 2, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Blues at Jets, Sunday, May 4, TBD

Dallas Stars (C2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (C3)

  • Game 1: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, April 19, 8:30, TNT, truTV, Max
  • Game 2: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 21, 9:30, ESPN
  • Game 3: Stars at Avalanche, Wednesday, April 23, 9:30, ESPN
  • Game 4: Stars at Avalanche, Saturday, April 26, 9:30, TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Avalanche at Stars, Monday, April 27, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Stars at Avalanche, Thursday, May 1, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Avalanche at Stars, Saturday, May 3, TBD

Vegas Golden Knights (P1) vs. Minnesota Wild (WC1)

  • Game 1: Wild at Golden Knights, Sunday, April 20, 10, ESPN
  • Game 2: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 22, 11, ESPN
  • Game 3: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, April 24, 9, TBS, truTV, Max
  • Game 4: Golden Knights at Wild, Saturday, April 24, 4, TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, May 1, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Wild at Golden Knights, Saturday, May 3, TBD

Los Angeles Kings (P2) vs. Edmonton Oilers (P3)

  • Game 1: Oilers at Kings, Monday, April 21, 10, ESPN2
  • Game 2: Oilers at Kings, Wednesday, April 23, 10 p.m. ET, TBS, Max
  • Game 3: Kings at Oilers, Friday, April 25, 10, TNT, truTV, Max
  • Game 4: Kings at Oilers, Sunday, April 27, 9:30,TBS, truTV, Max
  • x-Game 5: Oilers at Kings, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
  • x-Game 6: Kings at Oilers, Thursday, May 1, TBD
  • x-Game 7: Oilers at Kings, Saturday, May 3, TBD
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Ashton Jeanty details journey, confidence in letter to NFL GMs

There’s something to be said about taking the road less traveled. The back roads, the scenic route.

It strays from conventional wisdom, defies all sense of time and urgency and proves there are always multiple ways to arrive at the destination.

Ashton Jeanty’s journey was far from normal – and he decided to elaborate on that in a letter he wrote for The Players’ Tribune ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.

The son of a military father, Jeanty didn’t have the luxury of playing football like most prospects. His family didn’t settle down in an area and dedicate all of its time to turning Jeanty into a future NFL star.

Bouncing around the world, the running back has no shortage of confidence heading into the pros, comparing his potential impact to what Saquon Barkley did for the Philadelphia Eagles.

‘Most people, they watched the Eagles win the Super Bowl a couple of months ago, they watched Saquon run through everyone in the playoffs, and they thought to themselves, ‘This is amazing,” Jeanty wrote. ‘I watched it and I thought something different. I thought, ‘That can be me.”

He wrote about the impact of getting into football after playing soccer and basketball, explaining the impact of moving to Italy just after finding his way on the field.

Jeanty had to pause his football dream, resuming it when the family moved to Texas during his sophomore year of high school. The running back didn’t start again until his senior year and led to the absence of offers from the top college programs, which he chalked up to bad timing.

Instead, the Boise State star celebrated his journey of playing many different positions against all levels of talent across the world.

‘I’ve gone from Jacksonville, to Chesapeake, to Naples, to Frisco, to Boise … all these places. I’ve played defensive end, safety, outside linebacker, special teams, slot receiver, lead running back, backup running back, backup everything. I’ve played street football, rec league football, road trip to a small town in Belgium football, 5A Texas high school football, college playoff football and no football. I’ve played with the older kids, with the military kids, with the European kids, with the zero-star kids, the five-star kids and everyone in between. I’ve played under those Friday Night Lights, and I’ve played on that Bronco Blue. My journey to the NFL, it’s definitely been different.’

The road less traveled is Jeanty’s street and he seems to prefer it that way.

Expected to be a first-round pick in next week’s NFL draft, the Heisman Trophy runner-up had one last selling point for the teams he hopes to soon play for.

‘It’s TACKLE football … you know what I’m saying?’

‘I’d draft the guy they can’t tackle.’

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CIA director says China is #1 priority, poses biggest challenge from adversary in US history

CIA Director John Ratcliffe declared in an internal memo that China is the top priority for his agency, warning that ‘no adversary in the history of our Nation has presented a more formidable challenge or a more capable strategic competitor than the Chinese Communist Party.’ 

The internal CIA memo directed to the agency’s rank and file was provided to Fox News by a senior CIA official on Thursday.  

‘For CIA to continue successfully defending our Nation, we will build upon our strong foundation and pursue with laser-like focus the near-term priorities for CIA that our President and our country demand. China sits at the very top of that list,’ Ratcliffe wrote. 

‘No adversary in the history of our Nation has presented a more formidable challenge or a more capable strategic competitor than the Chinese Communist Party,’ he continued. ‘It is intent on dominating the world economically, militarily, and technologically, and it is aggressively trying to out-compete America in every corner of the globe.’ 

Ratcliffe said the CIA must continue to respond to the threats China poses ‘with urgency, creativity, and grit.’ 

‘I’ve emboldened CIA’s leadership team to take on more risks, smartly, and to aggressively seek out short- and long-term opportunities that give the United States the advantage it needs to keep China in our rear-view window. It won’t be easy, but I pledge to lead the charge in helping us do just that,’ he added. 

Ratcliffe said, ‘Technology is another top priority; one that is in many ways intertwined with the threat posed by the CCP.  

‘Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will define the future of national security and geopolitical power,’ he wrote in the memo. 

‘Concurrently, our adversaries – China, Russia, and Iran – seek to gain footholds in countries in our near-abroad. We must continue to push back against these efforts,’ Ratcliffe also said. ‘To best position CIA in addressing this priority, we are taking a close look at how we can create a unified effort across the range of policy objectives in this region. The American people deserve our best.’ 

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