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Mariachi band's national anthem at Bears vs. Eagles game ignites racism debate and US Senator response

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:48:12 -0400

To bring you up to speed, the Monday Night Football game between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles was preceded by the national anthem – performed by a mariachi band.

And what has followed in the nearly 24 hours since that performance is a dispassionate, logical discussion about the quality of the performance and The Mariachi Herencia de México's choice of going for a big finish the crowd definitely didn't expect but mostly celebrated.

Nope.

Sorry, but social media doesn't do dispassionate or subtle music critique.

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What it has done is spawn an emotional and at times vitriolic debate that has included charges of racism by one of the group's performers, counter-charges of the NFL continuing an offensive outsourcing of America's game to foreigners ...

...And a United States senator getting involved.

So, not tame stuff.

And if you cannot abide the heated exchange, then stop right here because the next few paragraphs will get into it.

But for the curious and engaged:

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We begin with the performance itself. To an ear not trained in music's finer points, it sounded like any other national anthem early on in that the three-horn section of the ensemble led the way.

Mariachi bands don't play salsa music, people. So no drum or bongo section setting the rhythm.

Where it got a little different (sideways?) was when the ensemble, dressed in their full traditional mariachi garb including wide brimmed sombreros, seemingly tried for a big finish. And that big finish didn't sound like the traditional Star Spangled Banner at all.

Well, it wasn't long before the critics hit the online streets. Some reactions:

"Last time I checked, Mexicans have their own country and national anthem. We don't need people dressed like Mexicans performing America's national anthem."
"The performers were in full Mariachi regalia and that is 100% symbolism dedicated to Mexico."
"Why the F is a garbage mariachi band playing the national anthem?"

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To be accurate, The Mariachi Herencia de Mexico is a two-time Grammy-nominated group out of Chicago. And they were brought to the game as part of the Bears' and NFL's celebration of Hispanic and Latin Heritage Month.

The reaction to the group, meanwhile, came from both the left and the right sides of the political spectrum – with some people on the right questioning why the anthem was used to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month – even though Hispanics are the USA's largest minority group – and some people on the left basking in the fact the people on the right might be triggered.

Some people from both sides also praised the performance.

That wasn't enough for one of the group's leaders, Alonso Orozco Jr., who saw the negative reactions and charged they were racist.

"Yesterday, we had the opportunity to perform the United States National Anthem for the NFL game between the Chicago Bears and the Eagles, and it was incredible to so so with love and respect for a great nation," Orozco posted on X.

"However, a huge wave of racist criticism has emerged."

What came next was a United States senator seeing an opportunity to dive into the fray that had nothing to do with United States Senate business. Arizona's Ruben Gallego came to the defense of the mariachi band.

(And here I am, a United States sportswriter, writing mariachi band controversy play-by-play.)

Anyway, here's the dispassionate analysis the online exchange missed:

The NFL is indeed doing hard and consistent work to take America's game international. And while that will likely first include more games abroad and then teams in Europe, Mexico might decades from now also have a franchise.

That NFL business decision has some fans in the United States upset because they see themselves as losing games when they're shipped abroad.

That may explain some of the reaction that was then heaped on the mariachi band. But, to be fair, there were indeed some unkind comments online and none of those are apparent when other performers take unorthodox approaches to the national anthem, such as performing it with bagpipes.

But, again, all of this happened online.

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Nobody ran on the field playing a banjo to defend America's honor.

One more thing: It is not racist to criticize a performance.

It is not racist to have a dissenting opinion about the choice of performers or their performance. It's America, amigos.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

SI Swimsuit gave Justin Verlander a proper retirement send off with look back at Kate Upton cover shoot

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:27:51 -0400

Justin Verlander took the mound for the last time on Saturday and gave up two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of work while striking out six. It was just the veteran right-hander's second start of the entire season.

He was lifted from the game by his daughter Genevieve in a spectacle that, if I'm being honest, seemed to be a bit much. There were tears, if you're into that sort of thing, and he walked off the mound into retirement.

The Tigers rallied in the 9th and ended up winning the game in walk-off fashion on a two-run home run off the bat of Eduardo Valencia. The win erased what would have been one more loss on Verlander's record.

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Even with the longer than normal mound visit, in a day and age with a focus on pace of play, and an unauthorized person on the field participating in it, it felt as if something was missing.

Sure, Verlander was making his final start, but his wife Kate Upton was also retiring after more than a decade of memorable moments in Major League Baseball as a girlfriend and wife of a future Hall of Famer.

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On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit stepped up and gave the Verlanders a proper send-off with a look back at the model's 2024 cover shoot.

"In honor of Justin Verlander retiring this past weekend, a look back at @kateupton ’s 2024 cover shoot💙🧡," SI Swimsuit wrote on Instagram.

Now we can respectfully call it a career for Justin Verlander.

You can't tell the entire story of how great he was without mentioning his bikini model wife. That's now been done. She was there for a lot of the ups and the downs after all.

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He now rides off into the sunset at 43 with World Series rings, Cy Young awards, a ton in career earnings and a 34-year-old Kate Upton, who still has her fastball.

Not a bad way to head into retirement after putting together a legendary career.

Unearthed audit exposes vulnerable Dem's handling of COVID relief funds: 'Gross oversight'

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:00:57 -0400

During his time as director for the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., allowed over $1 billion in COVID-19 relief funding to go out the door without required monitoring, records reveal.

The 2022 State of Florida Compliance and Internal Controls over Financial Reporting and Federal Awards flagged the weakness in its annual audit, stating, "FDEM did not monitor the activities of any subrecipients."

While Fox News Digital is not aware of fraud that may have been committed with those funds, the resurfaced audit casts an unflattering light on Moskowitz as he pursues re-election in one of the country’s most competitive districts.

It also raises questions about oversight efforts for state-level allocations for government funds, an issue Republicans have signaled merits more attention.

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Moskowitz’s FDEM approved $210,562,500 in funding to 39 local government recipients in the 2020-2021 fiscal year from the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), according to the audit. The next year, it distributed $1,026,225,200 to 55 locations.

Taken together, the grants add up to $1.23 billion.

"Contrary to Federal regulations, the FDEM did not monitor the activities of CRF subrecipients," the audit states. "Such monitoring is to include, for example, reviewing subrecipient audit reports and determining whether management decisions are required for any audit findings related to the federal award."

According to the report, an acceptable level of oversight would normally include inquiries of the recipients as well as checks like onsite evaluations.

"Monitoring of the subrecipient must include reviewing financial and performance reports, following up and ensuring that the subrecipient takes timely and appropriate action on all deficiencies pertaining to the federal award detected through audits, on-site reviews and other means," the audit states.

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Notably, Moskowitz wasn’t head of FDEM for the entire 2020-2021 fiscal year. He resigned from the post at the end of April, two months before the end of the fiscal year in June, making him the head of the FDEM for the vast majority of the 2020-2021 audit cycle but not the complete window.

Even so, his congressional opponent, Republican candidate Scott Singer, believes the responsibility lies squarely on Moskowitz’s shoulders.

"When Jared Moskowitz ran a state agency, federal regulators and state auditors found that there was a gross lack of oversight of billions of dollars of taxpayer funds, a lack of reporting, a lack of review of where the funds were going," Singer said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"And that's unacceptable, especially with public tax dollars. But it's not surprising."

Singer argued the audit echoed earlier questions about Moskowitz's work involving disaster recovery funds.

He pointed to an incident in 2017, when Moskowitz, as an attorney for AshBritt, a disaster-cleanup company, had renegotiated compensation from the City of Parkland after Hurricane Irma. Disclosure reports showed that he was being paid over $400,000 by the company while also serving as a state legislator.

"When Jared was a state representative, he went to his own city and demanded that they pay more for hurricane cleanup that went to a disaster recovery company that paid him millions," Singer said.

"We can't afford people who are continuing to do the same thing. A gross oversight of funds and self-dealing."

When asked about Singer's criticisms, Moskowitz's campaign fired back, stating that the congressman was proud of the work that he did, noting that he had been reappointed to the role by a Republican governor.

"As Director of FDEM, I worked directly for Governor DeSantis and his administration. Florida had one of the best COVID responses in the country," Moskowitz told Fox News Digital.

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"I left almost a year before this report was issued as I had to leave the agency to be with my dad, who was battling cancer. Governor DeSantis appointed me again to the Broward County commission. To my knowledge, Florida COVID spending has passed the FEMA audit for reimbursements," he added.

Moskowitz also pointed out that he had received praise from even Republicans for his disaster-related work, including from Singer himself. Moskowitz shared communications between them in which Singer said the state was "in a much better place because of what you've done." Singer also highlighted a second communication from Singer to Moskowitz stating, "seriously, thank you for all of the amazing work you've done and all the help you're providing to our stay [sic]."

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Having cleared their parties’ respective primaries, Moskowitz and Singer will face off in the Florida general election Nov. 3.

Carville mocks Dem candidate staffers as 'weak' and 'soft' for complaining about treatment to New York Times

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:20:09 -0400

Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville blasted staffers who complained to The New York Times about working for former Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola as she runs for the Senate.

The Times article, "Angry Outbursts, Slurs and Firings: Tumult Rocks a Key Senate Campaign," featured comments from former aides who described chaos in Peltola's congressional office and Senate campaign as the Democrat hopes to flip a Republican seat.

"I want to react to a story I read in The New York Times concerning the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate from the state of Alaska," Carville said in a brief video posted to the Politicon channel Monday. "It would appear that we have some upset little staffers that she is not — when she's under pressure — not nice to ‘em.

"Of course, The New York Times didn't understand when you're in the middle of a political campaign, and you're a candidate, and you're under pressure, and you got everything coming in from everywhere, and you're trying to raise money, and you're trying to fend off attacks, and you're trying to do this, maybe you don't have time to be overly courteous to little pussified staffers that just — they — 'I want my name and my humanity,’" he continued.

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"I got news for you. When I ran campaigns, you didn't have a f---in’ name until you did something," Carville said. "'Hey, you, come over here! Do this! Do what the f--- you’re told and shut up!’ And you know what? Then, when you achieve something, or you do something, then you get a name. But until that, in politics, you don't have a name. Go do something else. Go be a social worker. They'll give you a name right away.

"Now, if somebody does something obviously dehumanizing or overly rude, then that's one thing," Carville added, juxtaposing that with "Telling people to go get coffee for you or calling them by, ‘Hey, you.’ Everybody wants a pronoun. Well, I'll give you a pronoun. ‘You’ or ‘a--hole come over here.’"

He went on to mock various demands that employees might have, replying, "Well s---, that’s why we lose."

He also suggested that female political candidates are scrutinized more heavily when accused of lashing out at staffers.

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"Why don't we just call every female candidate for everything a goddamn b-----? You'd save time," he said.

"But let's stop this nonsense that everybody that works in politics is all equal and everybody's opinion needs to be respected, and it doesn't matter," he said, calling it "nonsense."

"But do me a favor. If you, if you're that f---in’ delicate, if you're that much of a some kind of a honeysuckle, whatever it is, go do something else with your life," he added. "You're too weak. You're too soft."

After predicting that he would be criticized by far-left media outlets, Carville emphasized his message was directed at the Democratic staffers listening.

"But all — every — to every staffer on every Democratic campaign, on every — anything: just put your head down, work your a-- off and save the country and f--- your feelings," he said.

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Democratic strategist and pollster Doug Schoen spoke to Fox News Digital about how working in politics requires a "thick skin," but he said the allegations against Peltola were troubling.

"He is absolutely right regarding the intensity of political campaigns," he said. "Working on a race is hard, and it is tense, and therefore a thick skin is definitely a plus. While it is absolutely inappropriate and wrong for a candidate to act as Peltola has been alleged to have acted, I don't believe the allegations, however serious, will affect the outcome of the Alaska Senate election. This is an election that is a referendum on Donald Trump and his governance, first and foremost."

Former RNC national spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko agreed that the life of a campaign staffer is not for the faint of heart, and it becomes an absolute crucible as the election draws near.

"Criticisms of Peltola aside, I do agree with Carville when it comes to campaign life and intensity," she said. "He is 100% correct about how cut-throat campaigns can be, and I’m sure how cut-throat they were back when he was working on them and before our culture changed as dramatically as it has.

"Campaigns are full of surprises, usually bad ones, meaning you never know what you’re walking into," Pipko continued. "The closer you get to Election Day, the less you eat or sleep. And the high-stakes atmosphere usually gets the best of folks that aren’t able to compartmentalize their feelings and their thoughts, or who simply don’t have the stamina to keep up with how ruthless a campaign cycle can be. Campaign life is not for the faint of heart. In fact, I’d argue campaign life is not for most people, and that’s OK."

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Fox News Digital contacted Peltola and The New York Times for comment but did not immediately receive responses.

Ex-NFL player Jack Brewer leads charge to end fines for players using religous, political eyeblack messaging

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:18:24 -0400

Former NFL player Jack Brewer met with officials from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday as he seeks federal scrutiny of the league’s decision to fine Arizona Cardinals cornerback Kei’Trel Clark for displaying a religious message on his eye black.

Clark was fined $6,651 after wearing eye black bearing the message "Glory Be 2 God" during Arizona’s Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Brewer, an ordained Christian minister and member of the federal Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, told OutKick that his meeting was intended to determine whether the NFL’s treatment of Clark could raise an employment-discrimination issue.

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"When you start talking about freedom of speech in this country and you start talking about employees’ rights in this country, it’s a big deal," Brewer said. "As a Christian man, I’m not going to stand for that. And as a former NFL player, I’m not going to stand for that."

Brewer said the meeting was "very well received" and left him confident that further conversations with the agency would take place.

"The goal was to first understand: Do we have a potential case? What does that look like? What would the player’s rights be?" Brewer said. "My goal was just to establish some communication and talk about next steps, which we did. And so now we’ll start to work to gather information and get a deeper understanding of really what goes on in the minds of a league like the National Football League."

Brewer initially raised the issue in a Sept. 25 letter to EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas, requesting a meeting about the fine and the league’s policies governing religious expression.

"The NFL treated Clark’s gratitude to God, as expressed in four words, as a punishable personal message," Brewer wrote in the letter obtained by OutKick. "This fine represents an action that strikes at the heart of religious liberty and sends a chilling message to every person of faith in professional sports."

Brewer asked the EEOC to consider whether the NFL would be required to accommodate a player’s sincere religious expression when doing so would not impose an undue hardship on the league or its teams.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act requires covered employers to reasonably accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs and practices unless an accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer’s business. In its 2023 decision in Groff v. DeJoy , the Supreme Court held that an employer must demonstrate that an accommodation would create "substantial increased costs" in relation to its particular business.

However, Brewer’s meeting does not mean the EEOC has opened an investigation or concluded that the NFL violated federal law. Any potential case would require a fact-specific examination that could include Clark’s employment relationship with the Cardinals and NFL, whether he requested a religious accommodation, and the effect an exception to the uniform rule would have on the league’s operations.

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An individual or organization may file an EEOC charge on another person’s behalf, according to the agency, but Brewer did not say that a formal charge had been filed.

The NFL cited Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8 in its disciplinary letter to Clark. The rule prohibits players from displaying personal messages in writing or illustration on game day unless the message has received advance approval from the league's office.

Clark posted the fine notice on social media and wrote that he "needed answers."

"I got to report to God at the end of my days on the day of judgment," Clark wrote. "I’ll always give God the glory and out loud. All good."

Brewer argued that allowing four words on a player’s eye black would place little apparent burden on a multibillion-dollar sports league.

"If someone’s writing things across their uniform or putting it out there on top of their helmet, that’s a different story," Brewer said. "But the eye black — think back to Tim Tebow and many, many other athletes, myself. We would write stuff on our tapes, on our forearms. We would write stuff on our eye black.

"To think about fining someone for doing that, it’s unconscionable," he added. "It’s disgusting."

The NFL’s rule does not distinguish between religious and political messages. Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, a practicing Muslim, was fined $11,492 this month after wearing eye black bearing the name "Hind Rajab," a Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in 2024. Al-Shaair was also fined $11,593 after displaying the message "Stop the genocide" during the previous postseason.

When asked whether Al-Shaair should receive the same protection he is seeking for Clark, Brewer initially distinguished between expressions of faith and political statements. But he ultimately said the NFL must apply its restrictions consistently, particularly while promoting league-approved social messages.

"I think he should be just as protected," Brewer said of Al-Shaair. "If you’re going to pull down the messaging, pull it all down, but don’t pick and choose."

The NFL has continued to display league-approved social justice messages in stadium end zones and on players’ helmets. Teams have been permitted to select from phrases including "End Racism," "Stop Hate," "Choose Love" and "Inspire Change," while the league has also promoted LGBTQ inclusion through team and league initiatives.

Brewer contended that the difference between league-selected messages and unauthorized player expression creates a double standard.

"You cannot treat people differently based upon whatever it is you want to promote," Brewer said. "If you are an organization like the National Football League, you cannot pick and choose the messaging that you want your players to play underneath."

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Brewer said his immediate objective is to build support among current and former players and ultimately force the NFL to address the treatment of religious expression.

"I want players across the National Football League, current and former, to take a stand, to show unity on something," he said. "As a National Football League player, you should be able to use your platform to profess the gospel, to profess your God and to write it on your eye black."

Brewer emphasized that he would support the right of players from other faiths to seek the same accommodation.

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"I don’t care what religion you are," Brewer said. "If you want to have the Star of David on, or you want to say, ‘Thank you, Allah,’ you have every right to do that in this country. That’s what makes this country so great."

The NFL has not responded to request for comment.

UCF Knights salute Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs with slick new Space U uniforms

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:07:35 -0400

Thanks to the modern Artemis Missions, mankind is headed back to the Moon in the next few years, but for their annual Space Game uniforms, the UCF Knights are throwing it back to the pioneers who got us there in the first place.

The Knights have been throwing on special space-themed getups for a decade now, and they're pretty much always a feast for the eyes with unique designs, nods to the space program, and of course, the Citronaut.

However, I think this year's batch, which pays homage to the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs of the 1960s, is tough to top.

This is the school's tenth Space Game, which they've dubbed "Mission X," and there is so much cool symbolism in everything.

UCF opened its doors in 1963 — right around the time the Space Race was heating up — as Florida Technological University, and ever since, it has long served as a pipeline to the nearby Kennedy Space Center.

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That's why this year, the team is celebrating that particular era and, man, are there some cool details.

The black stitching that criss-crosses the jersey is a nod to the Mercury program's space suits, which featured black stitching and prominent zippers.

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If you look at the cuffs, one is "Canaveral blue" — which has become the go-to Space Game color for UCF — and the other is red, just like the cuffs were on the Gemini program's space suits.

The collar is Canaveral blue, just like the inside of the suits worn throughout the 1960s.

On the shoulders, the patches mimic those worn during the Gemini missions, while this year's Space Game patch is modeled after the patch from the Gemini X mission.

The pants feature the school's old Citronaut mascot (which, as a UCF alum, I wouldn't hate seeing back full-time; I love it), and a striping pattern like the one that appeared on Apollo program rockets and space suits.

Finally, the helmets have a bold red stripe on them, which is a reference to the similar stripe worn on the helmets of Apollo mission commanders.

Alright, I've seen enough: ten out of ten. No notes.

What an absolute home run on all fronts. There are Easter eggs everywhere you look, but the entire uniform still looks killer in its own right.

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These beauties will debut at the Acrisure Bounce House on October 30 when the Knights host the Baylor Bears.

Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code FOXNEWS350: Bet $20, Get $350 on Cubs vs Padres Game 1

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 19:00:07 -0400

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The Cubs stumbled a bit before the end of the year. They owned the #1 spot in the Wild Card race for multiple months. September was a struggle with multiple bullpen collapses and failures from the starting lineup. They still ended with the second Wild Card spot, and now they are on the road instead of hosting a playoff series.

Likely MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong should garner a lot of attention, and if he hits the way he did the rest of the season, it could be a difference-maker for the Cubs. The pitching staff has struggled, and the team needs to find a way to get four or five innings before turning the ball over to a shaky bullpen.

The San Diego Padres were not very good for much of the season, but a great post-All-Star Break run put them in this position. Instead of stumbling like the Phillies and Cubs, the Padres surged and took with them the #1 Wild Card spot, earning the right to host this series. For the season, they ended with 91 wins.

They were most successful at home with a 51-30 record, completely dominating opponents in San Diego. That means the Padres were essentially .500 on the road. That makes this a very important series for them to host.

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How to Watch Cubs vs Padres

When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at 10:00 ET
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Odds for Cubs vs Padres

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Ella Langley addresses criticism in emotional concert speech as 'Choosin' Texas' dominates charts

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:57:18 -0400

Ella Langley shared an inspiring message with her fans during her latest concert.

During one of her recent performances in Columbus, Ohio, the 27-year-old singer opened up about the amount of criticism she's received since her breakthrough in the industry, saying, "I don’t think I’ve ever had more opinions on myself in my life than I have in this last year."

"The way I look. The way I speak. The way I dress. The way I move. The way I sing. The way I write," she explained per a TikTok video. "At first it bothered me. I won’t even lie. At first I was like, what am I going to do about this? I don’t know, if this is what I’m signing up to do, I don’t know about this."

She went on to say that what she "signed up" for was to make music, but if this was going to continue for her entire career, she thought, "I don’t know if I’m strong enough for this, Lord."

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While it bothered her at first, Langley explained she began imagining that the critiques were being aimed at her younger self who put in the hard work to get her to where she is today, which put into perspective how strong she actually has had to be.

"That’s the girl that rode in the 15-passenger van night after night after night. She rode in a Honda Accord night after night after night, chasing her dream, living on bar food, living on tip jar money. She didn’t have anything but a dream and the ability to get up and do it every single day. So I’m going to tell you right now, I am proud of that girl that everybody seems to be picking on a little bit," she said.

The singer recently went viral when a video of her turning down a fan who asked her out on a date following her concert in Knoxville, Tennessee.

In the video, TikTok user Tiki is heard taking his chance to ask the singer out on a date, shouting through a fence in the parking lot, "Ella, how many likes to take you on a date?" She replied, "Not enough in the world," as she frowned and looked away.

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Some fans in the comments section were not pleased with Langley's reaction to the fan. "This rubbed me the wrong way. And I like her," one fan wrote. Another asked, "Literally what is her problem?"

Another added, "She could have laughed and said no in a whole different way."

Along with the online criticism comes career highs and record-breaking songs, as Langley's hit song, "Choosin' Texas," has stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list for a historical 24 consecutive weeks.

The previous record was held by Mariah Carey for her hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which spent topped the list for 22 cumulative weeks between 2019 and 2026.

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"I’m genuinely trying to find the words to help explain what’s going on in my brain today," she said on Instagram last week. "What? I don’t know. Thank you so much. Thank you for loving this song, for listening to it. I feel like… I just don't even know what to say at this point. I'm running out of hyperboles to describe how I feel, so I will just let my dog in the background show you his excitement," she continued as her dog barked.

Adding: "Just thank you. Thank you so much. It's changing my life. It's changing the lives of the writers of this song. It's changing the lives of my family, and it is truly growing an atmosphere for something I'm gonna be able to do the rest of my life and I just… today doesn't feel like a real thing," Langley said. "It feels fake and somebody's going to come in and be like 'haha we're kidding the whole time just kidding.'"

"I'm really excited to just experience a moment like this in my life," she said.

The country music star told her fans that she was going to celebrate tonight before ending with, "Choosin' T… that's the one huh?"

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Arizona lawmakers demand independent investigation into ASU hockey workout that left player in coma

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:53:27 -0400

As seven anonymous Arizona State Sun Devils hockey players called for their coaching staff to be placed on administrative leave, the House and Senate education chairs have also called for an independent investigation into the team’s workout that left a player hospitalized, still fighting for his life in a coma.

Matthew Mayich remains on life support after an Aug. 20 workout in the blazing Arizona heat left him unconscious, and far worse than the players who wrote a 26-page letter that said they were initially told by head coach Greg Powers and the staff.

On Monday, House Education Committee Chairman Matt Gress and Senate Education Committee Chairman Hildy Angius called on the Arizona Board of Regents to retain an independent investigator to examine the workout.

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In a letter sent on Monday to Board Chairman Doug Goodyear, Gress and Angius cited unresolved questions about whether the school followed its own policies and allegations from the anonymous players, who all fear retaliation by the current staff for speaking up about their account of the incident.

Arizona State conducted an initial review, which acknowledged the hockey team’s staff didn’t submit a plan of training activities as part of the investigation. Also, the review’s findings were that Mayich didn’t receive proper hydration and had inadequate medical care after collapsing.

ARIZONA STATE HOCKEY PLAYER, BLUES DRAFT PICK HOSPITALIZED AFTER COLLAPSING DURING TRAINING

"Seven players who were on that field have raised serious questions that ASU’s own review does not answer," Gress said in a press release. "We need an independent investigation to determine whether ASU followed its own rules, who was responsible for protecting these athletes, and what happened when Matthew Mayich showed signs of distress. ASU should not be left to investigate its own conduct and decide whether anyone should be held accountable."

The lawmakers are asking the Board of Regents to figure out who authorized the workout, which the players said was led by an ex-U.S. Army Green Beret, as well as "whether required vetting and heat-safety procedures were followed, why ASU’s strength and conditioning professionals did not review the workout, and why the final exercise proceeded after the outside consultant left."

They also wish to have protection against retaliation for student-athletes and witnesses in this case.

"Student-athletes should never have to choose between telling the truth and protecting their scholarship, roster spot, or playing time," Angius said. "If players fear retaliation for speaking about what happened to a teammate, the Regents need to act. They should protect these students and appoint an investigator who answers to the Board, not ASU."

A response by Gress and Angius was requested from the Board of Regents by Oct. 9.

In the 26-page letter from the players, which was obtained by The Athletic, the players said they were put through a "grueling" workout by the Green Beret that day, but while the ASU review said players were given a water break about 20 minutes into the workout, that wasn’t the case, they claimed.

They said that the water break was around 40 minutes into the 75-minute activity, but it was just a few seconds. The players added that only about eight players actually drank water because they were the first to finish a bear crawl drill beforehand.

"The first of us to finish had a few seconds at the bottles before being ordered back while others, including Matthew, were still crawling," the players’ letter read. "This was the only water break."

The players also wrote that the ex-Green Beret admitted forgetting they needed a water break, but added he didn’t drink water during combat missions.

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As for Mayich, a draft pick of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, the players wrote that their teammate showed signs of distress early on in the workout, saying he started to become disoriented during the bear crawl. Also, he was unable to carry a teammate during a buddy carry exercise.

"No one at ASU properly monitored him during the workout and no one intervened," the letter read.

When Mayich eventually collapsed, the players claim he remained in direct sunlight for several minutes, which contradicts Arizona State’s report stating he sat upright twice. The players say that Mayich needed to be carried into the shade by his teammates.

As for cooling him down, the players said the only things available were towels from a cooler, water from the bottles and a garden hose. This was in Arizona heat, which in August regularly sits somewhere in triple digits.

"Matthew spent most of his ‘off’ time in his air-conditioned apartment because the heat was too oppressive for him," the players wrote about the Ontario native. The players also noted that outdoor workouts prior to Aug. 20 last around 15 minutes before going back inside.

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Powers was asked earlier this month about the incident, but he didn’t speak due to the "difficult time" it has been for the program. Players, though, said their head coach downplayed Mayich’s condition when initially speaking to them about it. They said that he simply suffered a "little heat stroke," while adding they were "closer to making the Frozen Four because of the workout…"

"From what we could tell, at no point did Coach Powers seem to appreciate the severity of the situation," the players’ letter added.

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Michael Monsoor had an escape route — the Medal of Honor recipient chose to save his teammates instead

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:42:47 -0400

On September 29, 2006, Petty Officer Michael A. Monsoor of the United States Navy sacrificed his life to save his fellow sailors.

Fox Nation's new documentary, "Man of Honor: The Michael Monsoor Story" premieres Tuesday, exactly twenty years later, telling the story of the sailor behind the medal of honor.

Monsoor received the award posthumously in a ceremony at the White House April 8, 2008, according to the Navy's website.

Monsoor "distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty," the site reads.

While serving as an automatic weapons gunner in a combined SEAL and Iraqi Army sniper overwatch element during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Monsoor was placed in a confined sniper hide-sight between two SEAL snipers on an outcropping of a roof, which allowed the three SEALs maximum coverage of the area.

MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT JAMES CAPERS JR. SAYS RECOGNITION IS BITTERSWEET AFTER LOSING 'SO MUCH'

An enemy fighter hurled a hand grenade onto the roof, which hit Monsoor in the chest and fell to the ground. He was located closest to the exit from their position, but he did not run. Instead, he immediately leaped to his feet and yelled, "Grenade!" to alert his teammates, who would have been unable to evacuate before the explosion.

"Without hesitation and showing no regard for his own life, he threw himself onto the grenade, smothering it to protect his teammates who were lying in close proximity. The grenade detonated as he came down on top of it, mortally wounding him," the Navy wrote.

HEGSETH UPGRADES ABBEY GATE MARINES' VALOR AWARDS AFTER 5-YEAR DELAY: 'THOSE DAYS ARE OVER'

"Petty Officer Monsoor's actions could not have been more selfless or clearly intentional. Of the three SEALs on that rooftop corner, he had the only avenue of escape away from the blast, and if he had so chosen, he could have easily escaped. Instead, Monsoor chose to protect his comrades by the sacrifice of his own life. By his courageous and selfless actions, he saved the lives of his two fellow SEALs and he is the most deserving of the special recognition afforded by awarding the Medal of Honor."

Monsoor was survived by his mother Sally, his father George, his sister Sara, and his two brothers, James and Joseph.

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Mike Sarraille, a retired lieutenant commander in the navy who served on SEAL Team THREE with Monsoor, offered Fox Nation an old military adage.

"Rule number one is young men die. Rule number two is you can't change rule number one. And rule number three, somebody must always walk point."

To hear more from Sarraille about Michael Monsoor's heroic story, subscribe to Fox Nation today to stream "Man of Honor."

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Paul Finebaum roasts Lincoln Riley, says he's a 'complete fraud' as hot seat rumors swirl

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:41:58 -0400

The marketing coming out of the USC football program over the offseason was that the time for the Trojans to return to the national stage was "now." This time would be different, thanks to bringing in the number one recruiting class in the country and the hire of former TCU head coach Gary Patterson to run the defense.

SC invested heavily in NIL, the coaching staff, and spectacular, state-of-the-art football facilities on campus to attract recruits and enhance their rest and recovery. A vital step as the Trojans travel nearly 20,000 round trip miles for road games this year in the Big Ten Conference.

After years of middling-to-poor performances, this was supposed to be head coach Lincoln Riley's statement to the rest of college football that the Trojans were back. SC's first four games provided little opportunity, coming against overmatched opponents like San Jose State, Fresno State, Louisiana, and Rutgers. Still, SC's defense, always a topic of discussion, did little to show fans that the changes had "worked."

DAN LANNING BLASTS USC AFTER OREGON'S WIN, AS LINCOLN RILEY OFFICIALLY ENTERS HOT SEAT IN LA

While the first unit mostly played well in the first three games, the backups put up little resistance against overmatched offenses. Rutgers moved the ball at will, racking up 460 yards on offense while averaging 6.7 yards per play.

That set up a gigantic matchup Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles against the Oregon Ducks. Oregon, expected to be one of the top few teams in the country, had shown some vulnerability with a blowout loss to Oklahoma State. The game was in Los Angeles, seemingly giving the Trojans an advantage. For a team with aspirations of reaching the College Football Playoff, it was a golden opportunity to make the case to a national audience while giving themselves some breathing room with tough games coming up against Ohio State and Indiana.

Instead, it was more of the same for USC. The offense mostly held up their end of the bargain, racking up 446 yards and ripping off several explosive plays. But the SC defense was, well, awful. Oregon, despite playing most of the game with backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, punted only twice, gained 504 yards on offense with 7.4 yards per play, scored six touchdowns in six red zone visits and averaged over 10 yards per pass attempt.

Seemingly, every big third or fourth down for the Ducks resulted in an easy conversion. And after another offseason of saying things would be different, for USC fans, it was an all-too-familiar pattern.

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Some USC fans have had enough of the Lincoln Riley era, pointing out that five years in, there's been little progress despite several major changes. ESPN's Paul Finebaum is far from an SC fan, but he agrees, going further than just some disappointment with Riley's work.

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"What I think we saw here was a tale of an elite coach [Oregon head coach Dan Lanning] and a complete fraud as a coach, and I think everybody knows who the fraud is. It is Lincoln Riley," he said during a recent episode of "First Take." "He has the same record at this point in his tenure as Clay Helton, who got fired and run off.

"It cost about $10 million to get rid of him. It will cost about $70 million to get rid of Lincoln Riley, but I promise you, USC people, it would be worth it because this guy is bringing your program down to the gutter."

The "gutter" might be a strong word; SC did finish 9-3 last season with a last-second loss to Illinois standing in the way of a 10-2 year with wins over two ranked teams and a tough road win over Nebraska. But Finebaum's right that, whatever the reason, the Riley era in LA hasn't worked out the way many expected.

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The Trojans are on their third defensive coordinator of the Riley era, and while they improved under D'Anton Lynn, that side of the ball never reached the heights required to make the playoffs, let alone win a title. The Patterson hire is just five games in and somehow looks like a downgrade, despite top recruits like Luke Wafle and Jakheem Stewart playing on the defensive line.

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Unsurprisingly, speculation has increased about Riley being replaced after the season. But the 43-year-old coach has a $70 million buyout, an astronomical figure, especially considering the cost of hiring a new coach. Matt Zenitz from CBS Sports reported this week though, that "Industry sources nevertheless caution against assuming it rules out a change at USC."

No matter how rich USC boosters are, $70 million, plus more NIL commitments to keep current players and recruit new ones is an extraordinary amount of money. But the status quo clearly isn't working, and with the resources poured into the program ahead of 2026, Riley has few excuses left.

That said, there's still time for him to turn the season around. SC has winnable games against Washington, Penn State and Wisconsin coming up, before the Ohio State-Indiana gauntlet. Win those, and win one of the OSU-Indiana games, and a 10-2 season with that schedule might be enough to reach the playoff. It's just bordering on impossible to believe SC is capable of it.

MLB putting playoff games exclusively on a streaming service is officially too far

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:40:03 -0400

This year, for the first time, several MLB postseason games will not air on television.

As part of NBC's acquisition of the entire Wild Card round, the White Sox-Astros and Cubs-Padres series will air exclusively on the Peacock streaming service.

One note for YouTube TV subscribers: you can stream the games through NBCSN on the YouTube TV app. It's not television, but it could save you the cost of a separate Peacock subscription.

WATCHING THE NFL WILL COST MORE, REQUIRE MORE STREAMING SERVICES THAN EVER THIS SEASON

The decision to air two postseason series exclusively on Peacock is unlikely to sit well with baseball fans, a demographic that has traditionally been slower to embrace streaming than fans of other major sports.

In fact, many are still unhappy that MLB required Netflix subscriptions for Opening Night and the Home Run Derby. Wait until they discover Peacock isn't free, either.

Peacock subscriptions range from $8.99 to $19.99 per month, or $89.99 to $199.99 per year.

For years, the prevailing assumption across the industry was that MLB would be more reluctant than leagues like the NFL to move playoff games behind a streaming paywall. The viewership data has largely supported that belief.

While streaming-exclusive NFL games still trail comparable broadcasts on traditional television, Amazon has shown that football fans are increasingly willing to follow the sport wherever it airs.

Last season, Amazon Prime Video set an NFL streaming record by averaging 31.61 million viewers for the Packers-Bears Wild Card game. The broadcast also generated the highest single-day global viewership and the most concurrent streams in Prime Video history.

HAVE YOU PAID FOR ALL THE SERVICES YOU NEED FOR THE NFL YET?

MLB and the NBA must remember where they stand relative to the NFL. For context, the viewership for the Home Run Derby in June set a 20-plus-year low as it aired on Netflix for the first time.

Still, fans frustrated by the limited availability of the Wild Card round should not blame NBC. The decision ultimately belongs to MLB.

In previous years, ESPN aired the Wild Card round across ESPN and ESPN2. NBC no longer operates a national cable sports network and must reserve its broadcast network for local news, national news, and other daytime programming.

Peacock was the only practical home for the remaining games.

MLB could have sold NBC only half of the Wild Card round—the portion that will air on NBC—and licensed the remaining series to another television partner. Fox and TBS, both existing MLB rights holders, would have been logical candidates. Even ESPN, which retained a smaller package this season, could have aired the games.

Instead, MLB determined that Peacock carrying the series exclusively was an acceptable trade-off. We suspect many baseball fans disagree.

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Fortunately, the rest of the MLB postseason will air on television across Fox, FS1, and TBS. Streamers can also watch the games on FOX One (all the Fox and FS1 games) and HBO Max (all the TBS games).

It shouldn't be this hard, confusing and expensive to watch live sports from home.

Charlie Kirk's mother has emotional response to Erika Kirk speculation in rare interview

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:37:08 -0400

In a rare interview, Charlie Kirk's mother pushed back on claims of a family rift with Erika Kirk, saying the loss of her son had brought the two women closer and that Charlie would be upset by the treatment of his wife online.

"We were 100% behind her," Kathryn Kirk told Vanity Fair in a profile of Erika, rejecting claims that Charlie’s parents blame his widow for his death or are fighting with her over his will and Turning Point USA’s future.

"Erika and I have, through the trauma, grown closer," she said. "We knew Charlie in a way that no one else did. We can look at each other’s eyes, and we know the depth of our despair."

Kathryn, who Vanity Fair reported had avoided speaking to journalists until now, said she wants to remain a private citizen. But her silence has become fuel for conspiracy theories about the family’s relationship with Erika.

ERIKA KIRK HITS BACK AT NY TIMES NEWSLETTER ABOUT MARRIAGE AND KIDS, ACCUSES WRITER OF MISSING THE POINT

She rejected those claims, according to the outlet, which described her crying as she discussed how upset her son would be over the way his wife has been treated on social media.

ERIKA KIRK PENS ESSAY ON GRIEF AS READERS GAIN INSIGHTS INTO WRENCHING PAST YEAR

Kathryn also recalled receiving media inquiries almost immediately after the shooting.

A TMZ reporter "called me even before I talked to my daughter. Before I was running the car," she told Vanity Fair.

The profile also detailed preparations Charlie and Erika were making for their family’s future amid what the magazine described as mounting death threats.

Doug DeGroote, a Turning Point board member who manages the couple’s personal finances, told Vanity Fair they had been working on their will and planned to visit his office to sign the paperwork the Monday after Charlie was killed.

ERIKA KIRK CANCELS UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA TPUSA EVENT APPEARANCE OVER 'SERIOUS THREATS'

The night before his death, Charlie had discussed security recommendations with Erika and their pastor, including bulletproof glass shields and vests, according to the outlet.

Turning Point board members, Erika and several close allies also told Vanity Fair that Charlie had made clear he wanted his wife to succeed him if anything happened to him.

INSIDE CHARLIE KIRK’S EFFORT TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF CONSERVATIVE VOICES

Kathryn said her son had shielded his parents from those conversations "because it would just go right into our fears."

"She knew him more than anyone," a former Turning Point employee told the outlet about Erika’s selection to lead the organization.

ERIKA KIRK URGES CONSERVATIVE STUDENTS NOT TO BACK DOWN IN FIRST SCHOOL YEAR SINCE CHARLIE'S ASSASSINATION

Erika, meanwhile, described the anguish of watching surveillance video of the shooting during a September preliminary hearing.

"Don’t do it. Don’t you dare do it. It’s not too late," she recalled pleading silently as she watched the man on the screen, according to Vanity Fair’s account. She gripped Kathryn’s arm and cried out as the video showed Robinson taking position for the shot.

ERIKA KIRK COMFORTS A STRANGER IN TEARS DURING HEARING FOR HUSBAND'S ACCUSED ASSASSIN TYLER ROBINSON

Erika also recalled insisting on seeing her husband’s body at the Utah hospital after a doctor advised against it.

"I looked back at him and said, ‘With all due respect, I want to see what they did to my husband. I didn’t get a kiss goodbye this morning. I just want to kiss my husband,’" she told Vanity Fair.

ERIKA KIRK REFLECTS ON FIRST YEAR OF GRIEF AFTER CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION IN NYT ESSAY

Hospital staff removed tubes from Charlie’s mouth, wrapped his neck and cleared away blood before she saw him, the outlet reported.

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"I’ll never be able to put it into words," Erika said. "But Charlie had a smirk. It wasn’t sad."

Ukrainian influencers filmed themselves sitting on top of sea turtle while it tries to lay eggs

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:27:18 -0400

Sea turtles happen to be some of the most docile creatures on the planet, and you don't need to have seen "Finding Nemo" to have an appreciation for them.

These gentle giants should be protected at all costs, as do all of our beautiful sea creatures, and sometimes we apparently need to be reminded of that.

Unfortunately, a video of a Ukrainian influencer couple sitting on a sea turtle as she tries to lay eggs is going viral, and the couple is now facing legal action.

INFLUENCERS REACHING PEAK BACKLASH AFTER SUMMER OF RUINED DESTINATIONS AND EXPERIENCES FOR AMERICANS

Vadym Oleynik, 32, and Olena Kravchenko, his fiancée, filmed themselves sitting on the turtle, with Vadym laughing and grabbing her as she tried desperately to escape their grasp.

The video is pretty tough to watch, especially if you have a soft spot for these creatures, and has since been deleted by the self-proclaimed "calisthenics world champion" influencer.

Perhaps the most sickening part of the entire encounter is that both Oleynik and Kravchenko are seen holding the turtle's hatchlings, posing for photos and smiling as if everything is cool.

The couple filmed the encounter at the Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve in Oman.

BOATER'S STUNT TO AWAKEN SLEEPING POLAR BEAR BACKFIRES AFTER BRAZEN HORN BLAST

Oman's Environment Authority has apparently opened an investigation into the incident, calling it a violation of Omani laws and saying they have taken "necessary legal action against the individual."

There's no telling what the ramifications for this will be in a legal sense, but Oleynik is certainly paying for it in the court of public opinion.

SUSPECT IN VIRAL MONK SEAL HARASSMENT VIDEO SAYS HE WAS DOXXED AS FEDERAL COURT FIGHT BEGINS

His most recent posts on his Instagram are littered with comments about how "sick" he is for taking part in this weird photo op.

After receiving almost universal backlash on social media, Oleynik issued a public apology, saying he never intended to cause harm to the turtle and calling his actions "a mistake."

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You can say that again.

Let's make sure these two stay far away from the beach for a long time.

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NYC judge orders Mamdani to redo second-home tax rollout

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:23:14 -0400

A New York judge on Tuesday canceled previously mailed notices for Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s second-home tax, ruling that the city failed to follow required procedures before mailing the notices.

Judge Wayne Ozzi found that the notices were "arbitrary and capricious, affected by errors of law, and in violation of the recipients’ due process rights," according to the ruling.

However, Ozzi added that the city can still apply the tax by removing the current list of taxed properties from its website and posting a corrected list after following the proper procedures.

New notices must then be mailed in compliance with the law.

MAMDANI’S LUXURY-HOME TAX ROLLOUT DERAILED FOR NOW AS JUDGE DELIVERS WIN TO NYC HOMEOWNERS OVER MASSIVE LIST

Matt Rauschenbach, a spokesperson for the mayor, defended the tax rollout, arguing that the pied-à-terre surcharge is a "basic principle of fairness" that supports a city he said should not be a "tax haven for the wealthy few."

MAMDANI WARNING TO WEALTHY NEW YORKERS ABOUT 'FAIR SHARE' SPARKS ONLINE FIRESTORM: 'FULL BLOWN COMMUNIST'

"If you can afford a luxury second home in New York City, you can afford to pay your fair share for the schools, streets and parks that make this city work," Rauschenbach said.

"Our administration is fighting every day to deliver for working New Yorkers. The ultra-wealthy are fighting in court to avoid paying their fair share. They have filed lawsuit after lawsuit to protect their privilege, and we will not back down.

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"Today’s decision is wrong, and we will invoke a stay of the injunction. With a stay, we will continue implementing the surcharge fairly, efficiently and in full compliance with the law, as we have since day one."

Congressman Joe Wilson praises NHL response to Ovechkin's Putin party ad, urges Capitals to follow suit

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:15:19 -0400

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., is praising the NHL's response to Alex Ovechkin's appearance in a campaign advertisement for Vladimir Putin's United Russia party and urging the Washington Capitals to make clear they do not endorse their captain's position.

"I am grateful Commissioner Bettman took the opportunity to condemn war criminal Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine," Wilson said in a statement to OutKick/Fox News Digital.

"At this point the League has done everything reasonable to make it clear they do not endorse the regrettable position held by Mr. Ovechkin. I hope the Capitals organization takes the opportunity to do the same."

ALEX OVECHKIN SIGNS A ONE-YEAR DEAL TO RETURN FOR ANOTHER NHL SEASON WITH THE CAPITALS

In a Sept. 28 letter to the South Carolina Republican, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Ovechkin participated in the video in a "personal capacity" and reiterated the NHL's opposition to Russia's invasion.

"The NHL's position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine is clear and remains unchanged," Bettman wrote. "Since the outset of the war, the League has condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and called for a peaceful resolution as quickly as possible."

Ovechkin's campaign appearance prompted Wilson's letter

The controversy centered on a United Russia campaign video featuring Ovechkin standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of Russian state-controlled network RT, also appeared in the advertisement, which aired ahead of Russia's Sept. 18-20 parliamentary elections.

Wilson sent Bettman a letter Sept. 15, copying Capitals owner Ted Leonsis. He called Ovechkin's participation "shameful" and asked the league to review the matter.

"American hockey fans deserve better leadership from their star players," Wilson wrote on social media.

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Wilson wanted the NHL to explain whether it had policies governing active players' participation in political advertisements for foreign parties or regimes. He also asked the league and Capitals to make clear that Ovechkin's participation did not represent either organization's position.

His letter did not request a suspension or fine.

Bettman's response drew a distinction between the political activities of individual players and the NHL's position.

"Mr. Ovechkin is a Russian citizen, and his participation in the video was in his personal capacity," Bettman wrote.

"The NHL is an international league, with players from many countries who bring with them their own individual views and perspectives. The League does not speak for its players on political matters, just as individual players do not speak for the League."

Bettman's letter does not announce disciplinary action or identify a policy governing players' participation in foreign political advertisements. It also does not say whether the Capitals knew about or approved Ovechkin’s participation.

Wilson wants Capitals to follow suit

In a Sept. 15 statement, the Capitals said Ovechkin was approached about the campaign video during the offseason.

"This summer, while in Russia, he was asked by his country to participate in a video campaign," Capitals spokesperson Sergey Kocharov said in a statement to Reuters.

Kocharov also noted that Ovechkin lives with his family in Moscow during the offseason and plans to return there after his NHL career.

Ovechkin subsequently addressed his participation on Sept. 17.

"Well, they asked me to do that. I said yes," he said, according to The Washington Post.

Ovechkin has publicly supported Putin for years. In 2017, he launched the PutinTeam movement to rally support for the Russian president. He has also used a photograph of himself with Putin as his Instagram profile picture.

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After Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ovechkin called for peace while describing himself as an athlete rather than a political figure.

The Capitals’ earlier statement explained that Ovechkin was approached while spending the offseason in Russia. Wilson is now asking the team to make clear that his support for Putin does not represent the organization.

Austin Riley emerges as Braves unlikely wild card hero as Chris Sale, Jesús Luzardo duel in MLB playoff opener

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:09:53 -0400

By all accounts, including likely his own, Austin Riley’s offensive production in 2026 was disappointing. The Atlanta Braves third baseman appeared in nearly every regular-season game but finished with 19 home runs and a .219 batting average.

His 2026 campaign followed another frustrating season in 2025, when he also dealt with injury setbacks. But Tuesday offered Riley a chance to turn the page. He delivered a go-ahead three-run homer to help the Braves secure a critical Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Wild Card Series.

Riley hit the critical home run in the eighth inning off Philadelphia’s star closer Jhoan Duran to put Atlanta ahead 5-3. Braves closer Raisel Iglesias.

Duran had allowed only two home runs in 61 regular-season appearances before Michael Harris II opened the eight with a single. After Duran hit Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies with a pitch, Riley sent a go-ahead drive over the right-center-field wall. Harris finished with three hits.

AARON JUDGE, THE YANKEES ROTATION AND FOUR PLAYOFF SERIES WORTH WATCHING AND WAGERING ON THIS WEEK

Braves ace Chris Sale dueled for much of the game against left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was sharp after missing the last couple weeks of the regular season with left shoulder inflammation.

Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto’s two-run triple off Sale in the seventh inning gave the visiting Philadelphia a 3-2 lead.

The Braves can clinch the series Wednesday and end Philadelphia’s postseason dominance in the NL East rivalry. The Phillies eliminated Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS. Philadelphia stumbled down the stretch of the regular season but still secured its fifth consecutive postseason berth.

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The Braves-Phillies series opened the 2026 postseason, with three additional Wild Card Series scheduled to follow Atlanta’s early-afternoon start. The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres will close out Wednesday’s action, with first pitch scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WOW champion Santana Garrett talks choosing pro wrestling over teaching, Jeanie Buss in the ring and more

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:58:42 -0400

The pro wrestling world is incredibly vast. Champions sit on top of every promotion and sometimes, it’s hard to keep track of who is the best of the best throughout the sport.

Santana Garrett has announced her presence with authority with the Women of Wrestling (WOW). Garrett has appeared in WWE, All Elite Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in her career and has found success at WOW.

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She is one of five WOW superstars who have held the WOW World Championship twice. No wrestler who has ever competed in the promotion has won the belt more than that.

Garrett, a second-generation pro wrestler, opened up about her career with OutKick Dropkick recently. She said she knew her life was going to take her down one of three paths – to the ring, to the weather desk or to the classroom.

"I've been in the industry my entire life. I'm a second generation wrestler. My father was a wrestler on the independent scene. I grew up as a fan watching it with him, going to shows. So, just kind of always being around it," she said. "When I was a little girl, I knew that I wanted to be a weather girl or a professional wrestler or an elementary art teacher. So, I took the route of professional wrestling and it's been an incredible journey.

"It has taken me all over the world. Along the way, there's been obstacles, ups and downs, like anything, but I wouldn't change a thing. It's been it's been so nice. And I just recently won the WOW World Championship, which I'm so proud of. I won it once before, but it's been a very long time and a lot has changed. You can imagine 18 years, you evolve and this time it just feels so different and I love it."

Garrett said she grew up watching the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Trish Stratus and Lita and began training in her grandfather’s backyard in Ocala, Florida. She said from her first real workout in St. Louis, she knew she could make a career out of pro wrestling.

She won her first title in 2016 when she defeated Jungle Grrrl and The Beverley Hills Babe. She pinned The Beverley Hills Babe in the triple-threat match. The title was vacated more than 740 days later after Garrett and Jungle Grrrl had both pinned Tessa Blanchard.

Garrett lost the title then only to regain it years later against Penelope Pink.

Now, Garrett said she’s more than ready to be the face of WOW.

"It feels incredible," she told OutKick Dropkick. "And like I said, it's just, it's different this time because you think about, let's say, 15 years ago when … WOW was one of the first companies, major companies, to give me an opportunity, that believed in me, that really made me believe in myself even more. I remember back then, it's like, OK, you think you're ready, you've done the training, you've got the gear but looking back, I'm like, oh my gosh, I was not ready whatsoever.

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"And I was doing it for a lot of other people too. This was my dream but also my dad's dream and so now I'm doing it for me and I am ready. There's no doubt I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. I know I deserve it. And so, it’s just it's very different this time."

In the next season of WOW, Los Angeles Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss is expected to have an on-screen role. Buss is the co-owner of WOW and is expected to get in on the action.

Garrett said Buss’ on-screen presence was "way overdue."

"I am so excited. Jeanie Bus is a legend," she said. "She is an incredible woman. She's smart and just kind and so easy to talk to. I just I think the world of her.

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"For her to have more of an on-screen presence, it's well overdue. And I know all of the girls are very excited for this."

MLW star Brick Savage eyes Killer Kross' world title, vows to bring 'sense of fear and danger' to the ring

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:57:09 -0400

Major League Wrestling (MLW) has been able to bring in some of the biggest and baddest competitors onto its roster with some making an immediate impact and having their eyes on gold.

Brick Savage has been one of those wrestlers.

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The 6-foot-2, 340-pound behemoth has already run through Trevor Lee, Matt Riddle and Flip Sequoyah and has aligned himself with Contra Unit as MLW’s most-feared faction continues to rip through the rest of the roster.

Savage insisted in an interview with OutKick Dropkick that Contra should still be on everyone’s radar.

"Contra is a cast of misfit toys that nobody wants, nobody wants to be around because they're dangerous people, and that camaraderie that we all have together, each background that they are from, we're the dangerous people in the locker room that people usually avoid. So, you put those people in a group together and we work well together."

Savage said everyone on the MLW roster is on notice, including MLW world heavyweight champion Killer Kross. Savage said he is seeking to bring gold back to Contra.

"I'd list everybody on the roster – all of them. They're all on the list," he said. "The main guy at the top of my list is going to be the heavyweight champion, Killer Kross. There’s other guys along the way that I'm sure I'll get my hands on, but the main goal, the main prize is to carry the gold and the top honor at MLW, to take the heavyweight championship.

"That has to belong to Contra at some point."

Kross won the Battle Riot match at Battle Riot VIII during the start of the year. He has held the belt every day since then, putting away any opponent who has stepped up to him.

Savage has been in pro wrestling for a while, making his name on the independent scene. But for those who are unfamiliar with his game, he said he wants fans to know just how dangerous he could be.

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"Basically, want them to know and feel how unhinged and how heinous I can be. I think the sense of danger has been lost in wrestling a lot. A lot of it's good in entertainment and stuff like that, but there hasn't been a big sense of fear and danger that feels absolutely real," he explained to OutKick Dropkick.

"When I walk out the curtain, I want them to feel that oh s--- moment that this is about to get serious and ‘I need to be on my guard, my toes to pay attention about what's about to happen because who knows, I could be next.’ That's the feeling I want to introduce to people and what's coming up. For me, I feel that elevated danger is going to start to rise more and more."

MLW announced earlier this month it would show its weekly series, "Fusion," on Tubi.

"It’s incredible to be honest," Savage said. "Man, to already be part of the MLW roster and be part of Contra is already amazing, and then getting a Tubi deal to air free on Thursdays is absolutely insane. They're moving so fast at connecting all these pieces, it's actually incredible.

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"They're one of the fastest growing wrestling companies out there. And being on Tubi, right, and just say, ‘Hey, go watch me on Tubi,’ and people being able to pull up the app, pull it up on their TVs, pull it up on their phones, watch it wherever they are is absolutely incredible. So, it's an insane feeling to be a part of. So happy about that."

CMLL talents look to increase popularity among American pro wrestling fans with latest opportunity

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:55:06 -0400

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) is one of the most historic pro wrestling promotions on the planet. The company was founded in 1933 and continues to honor Lucha Libre style wrestling to this day.

As pro wrestling’s popularity has increased dramatically over the years, CMLL has had the need to get more eyeballs on its product. Among the steps the company has taken, CMLL partnered with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) to feature its superstars on its programming. The partnership has allowed CMLL legends like Místico to appear at AEW and Ring of Honor shows while still being the generational figure that he is in Mexico. The same has held true for a lot of CMLL talent.

The next step was to find a footing in the United States. With immense potential, CMLL held its first solo event in Las Vegas as part of Slam Fest during WrestleMania weekend. The action-packed event saw the likes of Blue Panther, Ultimo Guerrero, Persephone, Tessa Blanchard, Místico, Hechicero, Templario, Angel de Oro and others showcase their talent.

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Passionate pro wrestling fans could easily get hooked on the athleticism and storytelling that CMLL brings in the ring. But what about watching it at home? Where can the average pro wrestling fan watch incredible Lucha Libre? MyAEW was launched with that concept in mind – giving fans access to events they normally wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere.

CMLL’s New Japan Pro-Wrestling Fantastica Mania Mexico 2026 was added to the event schedule. Several more shows were added to the docket after that, including the company’s anniversary event which was held back on Sept. 18.

"This is a huge deal," CMLL Mexican national champion Thunder Rosa told OutKick Dropkick in a recent interview. "A lot of people have been asking for a long time, how can they watch CMLL, right? And I think right now CMLL is at a point in where it's known globally. I mean, it's known globally like people every time that they come to Mexico City, they come to Arena, México to experience what Lucha Libre is. But it's always been like this dark area and like, Where can I watch this? And they were like you can go on YouTube. CMLL has had a subscription based activity with YouTube and where you can watch all the CMLL stuff in there but now they partner with AEW with this big partnership that we have had on this almost for two years and now people in America, if you have access to MyAEW.com you can watch the shows.

"It excites me because as someone who works in both companies, now I can tell people, if you have MyAEW.com now you can watch CMLL and I hope that a lot of the other programming from CMLL is there too because there's been fantastic matches in the last I want to say last year. CMLL just in general has the best wrestling in the world. Just like AEW where the best wrestle, CMLL is we're the best wrestle."

Miguel Castro wears many hats for CMLL. But most who tune into the English-speaking commentary will hear his voice on the broadcast.

Castro said that while AEW has given CMLL as platform to showcase the best it has to offer, trying to carve out an audience and build a brand in the United States is a challenge in and of itself.

"Mostly brand recognition," Castro told OutKick Dropkick when asked what were some of the obstacles in the way of growth in the U.S. "I believe that our talents’ work speaks for itself. Anyone that enjoys wrestling, even if you like it by 5% compared to a fan, you will enjoy a CMLL show. It's not all about the drama and the storytelling, and that, I think that's what has made such a good connection with AEW and with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, we're heavily focused on the sports. So, even if you've never seen wrestling and you go to a CMLL show, you will enjoy it. It's fun. It'll make you gasp, it will make you scream, you'll have fun, and then you're gonna want to know more."

Castro added that CMLL has very little, if at all, advertising budget and still sells out Arena México for its shows. He credited AEW for giving CMLL a showcase for its talent, brand and helping create stars in the U.S. If Místico is on the card in an AEW or Ring of Honor show, fans will sing his entrance music "Me Muero." Persephone has become a rising star in AEW as she won the TBS Championship at All In.

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Ultimately, Castro said the biggest obstacle is doing something CMLL has never done before and if fans can get eyes on the product, they will return.

But what would success look like to Castro come September 2027?

"I would love to increase the pay-per-view numbers 10 times on MyAEW and I know that's going to happen as they also grow their base in the platform," he said. "My main focus right now would be to have a media deal in the States. And ideally not in Univision or Telemundo. Like I don't want it to be part of a TV station just because it's Mexican. That, for me, would be huge. It's very probable that we're not going to get there so soon, especially because we haven't even started trying to have those conversations with people.

"But we just started three months ago with Fox Sports in Mexico and I can tell you that we're getting about a million pairs of eyeballs every month. That's been huge because we had our YouTube, like that's the thing. If we could do that, I would think I would consider that very successful. I would also love that during next year."

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Fantastica Mania is next on the CMLL docket. It will partner with RevPro on the showcase, which takes placet Oct. 17 and 18. Both shows are available for purchase for $14.99.

Canadian broadcaster reportedly pulled after recording anti-Israel protest outside service

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:53:23 -0400

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) newsreader Neil Herland was reportedly pulled off the air and faced an internal investigation after posting a video of an anti-Israel protest outside a synagogue service last week.

Herland documented himself attempting to enter a service held by The Song Shul at the Meridian Arts Centre that was protested by about two dozen demonstrators holding signs and noisemakers while chanting, "Free, Free Palestine."

"I'm a journalist. And I happen to be Jewish. On Yom Kippur I went to a synagogue service in Toronto and was met by protesters trying to taunt and intimidate me from entering the building," Herland wrote on X.

ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS CLASH WITH NYPD OFFICERS NEAR SYNAGOGUE

In the video, a man shouted "Zionist alert" as Herland approached the building, and Herland was accosted by a man shouting, "You're going to hell" for attending the service, which featured Israeli diplomat and former Benjamin Netanyahu advisor Mark Regev as a speaker.

In follow-up comments, Herland emphasized his growing concerns that Canada itself may no longer be safe for Jewish people.

"My late father was an Austrian Jew who survived the Holocaust in Romania. And came to Canada as a refugee. This year I got an Austrian passport, in case Canada becomes unsafe for me as a Jew. I fear that moment is approaching, here in Canada and elsewhere," Herland wrote.

"Jewish Canadians are living in a parallel world," he added. "Where police stand guard with guns outside synagogues. And Jewish schools, religious sites and businesses are targeted with bullets. And most Canadians have no awareness or understanding."

CANADA'S CARNEY PLEDGES ACTION ON ANTISEMITISM AMID BACKLASH OVER NEW ANTI-HATE COUNCIL MEMBERS

The video has since received 3.8 million views.

After Herland posted his comments, The Toronto Sun reported Thursday that the veteran journalist was pulled from his on-air job and informed that he would be investigated based on complaints made to the company. Herland himself has not posted anything from his X account since Friday.

Though it is unclear what complaints could have led to this decision, the organization Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) encouraged followers on X to send in complaints, claiming that Herland was purposefully misleading people about the situation.

"On September 21, @CBC National Radio News Reader @NEWSneil Neil Herland posted on X that was 'met by [pro-Palestine] protesters trying to taunt and intimidate [him] from entering [a synagogue service in Toronto].' He shared an accompanying video of Palestine solidarity protesters."

"However, Herland was on his way to the Meridian Arts Centre, not a synogogue, to see Mark Regev. Regev was not merely a teacher and former Israeli ambassador, but served in multiple high-ranking positions in the Israeli government, including as the Prime Minister’s Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs and International Communications and the International Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office," the CJPME's post read.

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The post continued, "The reality is that Herland was telling a demonstrable lie to defame pro-Palestine activists. Join us in writing to the Values and Ethics Commissioner for CBC/Radio-Canada, Sherry Perreault, to express serious concerns about apparent ethics violations by Neil Herland."

When reached for comment, CBC spokesperson Chuck Thompson told Fox News Digital that CBC would not comment on the matter but claimed that reporting has been filled with "errors and mischaracterizations."

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"Fully respecting the privacy rights of our employees, we don’t comment on internal matters. That said, we are aware of reporting on this matter which has errors and mischaracterizations but we can't get into the specifics given the confidentiality of the situation," Thompson said.

NCAA responds after Riley Gaines' lawsuit is dismissed, affirms compliance with Trump's executive order

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:28:30 -0400

The NCAA defended its record on women’s sports after a federal judge dismissed Riley Gaines’ Title IX lawsuit against the organization, emphasizing its current compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order without directly addressing the allegations underlying the case.

"The NCAA is proud to continually invest in and expand women’s sports and the NCAA is in full compliance with the Trump administration’s executive order on women’s sports," the organization said in a statement.

The Independent Council on Women's Sports (ICONS) responded to the NCAA statement in a social media post later on Tuesday.

"No promises to women. No assurances. No accountability. The weakest possible response: empty words on a page," the organization wrote.

The response came one day after U.S. District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson granted summary judgment to the NCAA on the lawsuit’s remaining Title IX claims and directed the clerk to close the case.

SUPREME COURT MAKES RULING ON TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

Johnson did not determine whether the NCAA’s former transgender-athlete policies discriminated against female athletes. Instead, the Biden-appointed judge concluded that the evidence did not establish the NCAA as a recipient of federal financial assistance, a requirement for liability under Title IX.

Gaines and more than a dozen other current and former female college athletes sued the NCAA in March 2024. They alleged the organization violated their Title IX rights through policies that allowed biological males to compete in women’s events and enter women’s locker rooms.

The case focused heavily on the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, where former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle and shared a locker room with female competitors. Gaines, then representing Kentucky, tied Thomas for fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle.

Gaines and the Independent Council on Women’s Sports, which funded the lawsuit, announced Monday that the plaintiffs intend to appeal the ruling to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

"This momentary setback will not deter me or other women athletes in the least," Gaines said. "Rest assured, we will be appealing this decision."

The NCAA’s statement did not address the planned appeal, the plaintiffs’ criticism of its previous policy or whether the organization maintains that it is categorically beyond Title IX’s reach.

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The ruling centered on the NCAA’s concussion-research collaboration with the Department of Defense. The plaintiffs argued that the arrangement made the organization an indirect recipient of federal funding.

Johnson found that the NCAA and the Defense Department maintained separate funding streams, with both contributing money to Indiana University for research conducted through the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education Consortium.

"Here, there is no evidence that the NCAA ever received, or could have received, federal funds," Johnson wrote. "Thus, Plaintiffs’ Title IX claims cannot proceed."

The policy challenged by Gaines and the other athletes is no longer in effect. Trump signed his "Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" executive order on Feb. 5, 2025, directing federal agencies to enforce Title IX based on biological sex.

The NCAA changed its participation policy the following day, limiting competition on women’s teams to athletes assigned female at birth. The current rules contain no waiver allowing athletes assigned male at birth to compete on women’s teams, although they may practice with those teams and receive benefits such as medical care while practicing. See ncaa.org.

ICONS co-founders Kim Jones and Marshi Smith have argued that the NCAA’s successful position that it was not covered by Title IX demonstrates that Congress should not provide the organization with additional authority through the Protect College Sports Act.

Smith said the NCAA "cannot be trusted to regulate anyone’s sports — men’s or women’s" and urged members of Congress to oppose the legislation after it passed the Senate on Monday.

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The case’s appeal could now ask the 11th Circuit to decide whether the NCAA’s collaboration with the Defense Department, or its relationship with federally funded entities involved in the research, is sufficient to bring the organization within Title IX’s reach.

Wyoming man kicks mountain lion in the face to save his dog, then fights it off bare-handed

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:15:44 -0400

Earlier this month, a Wyoming man found himself in a situation no dog owner ever wants to imagine.

His Labrador was being attacked by a mountain lion.

So he did the only thing he could think to do. He kicked the big cat in the face.

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Adam Borkhus, a 33-year-old amateur wildlife photographer, was out looking for elk near Cody, Wyo., on Sept. 19 when he stopped along a remote road to change camera lenses and let his 2-year-old Lab, Diesel, out of the vehicle.

Seconds later, he heard his dog yelp.

Borkhus ran into the brush and found a mountain lion on top of Diesel. He had both a firearm and bear spray with him, but with his dog tangled up with the cat, he didn't want to risk hitting Diesel with either.

So Borkhus went with Plan C: his foot.

A swift kick square in the mountain lion’s face successfully got the cat off Diesel. Unfortunately, it also got the cat's attention.

"The lion spun around and looked at me," Borkhus told Outside. "Then it pounced and hit me in the chest."

Borkhus — who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs roughly 300 pounds — was knocked onto his back by the approximately 70-pound cat. He said he tried to keep its teeth away from his face and neck while punching it with his free hand before eventually grabbing its ear and wrenching it hard enough that the lion took off.

The whole thing lasted somewhere around 20 to 30 seconds.

Borkhus escaped with scratches to his hands, arm and face. Diesel somehow came out of the ordeal without any injuries. And, while his owner was busy throwing hands with a mountain lion, he retreated to the vehicle.

BIG SKY, MONTANA WILDLIFE ENCOUNTER CAUGHT ON VIDEO AS MOOSE CHARGES TOWARD WOMAN AND HER DOGS

He was waiting for Borkhus at the tailgate.

Not much of a protective instinct there, but we’re sure Diesel is still a good boy anyway.

What should you actually do if you encounter a mountain lion?

Kicking a mountain lion in the face worked out remarkably well for Borkhus. But it probably shouldn't be your first line of defense.

Wyoming Game and Fish says conflicts between humans and mountain lions are rare, but there are several things people should know when recreating in lion country.

For starters, don't approach one — which should be obvious. Give the animal room to escape and remain calm if you encounter one. The department recommends speaking calmly and firmly rather than running away. Traveling in groups can also reduce the chances of surprising a mountain lion in the first place.

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And if things go sideways? Fight back.

That's the official advice from Wyoming Game and Fish: "If a mountain lion attacks you, fight back and defend yourself."

Outside also spoke with Mountain Lion Foundation researcher Joshua Lisbon, who recommended keeping dogs leashed or under strong voice control while in the wilderness. If a lion does grab your dog, Lisbon recommends using bear spray rather than physically jumping into the fight — even if your dog gets sprayed in the process.

Obviously, that's much easier advice to process while sitting safely at home than when your best friend is underneath a mountain lion.

But thank goodness for Borkhus and Diesel, it worked out this time.

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Supreme Court takes up fight over Trump’s third-country illegal alien deportation policy

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:15:39 -0400

The Supreme Court on Tuesday handed the Trump administration an interim victory in its ongoing immigration crackdown, clearing the way for officials to continue deporting illegal aliens to third countries while the justices consider a legal challenge to the policy.

The justices granted the administration's request to stay a February ruling from a federal district court in Massachusetts that imposed additional procedural requirements before illegal immigrants could be removed to countries other than their own.

The high court also agreed to hear the administration's challenge, treating its emergency application as a petition for review and ordering the parties to prepare for arguments during the court's December session.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT DEALS BLOW TO TRUMP DEPORTATION AGENDA

Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson said they would have denied the administration's request for a stay.

The decision gives the administration the immediate relief it sought as it presses ahead with third-country removals, even as the Supreme Court has yet to decide whether the policy remains.

The dispute centers on the Trump administration's efforts to remove illegal aliens to third countries. Lower courts have not categorically prohibited those removals but have required procedures intended to give aliens an opportunity to raise claims that they could face persecution or torture in the destination country.

The Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court last week, arguing that those requirements were interfering with its ability to carry out removals and disrupting sensitive diplomatic negotiations with countries willing to accept deportees.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S IMMIGRATION PUSH FUELS ICE'S BIGGEST ARREST MONTH IN AGENCY HISTORY

"The order below also undermines our standing abroad," the administration argued in its filing, according to the ruling. "Finding third countries willing and able to accept aliens is a delicate diplomatic endeavor."

The government also argued that judicial intervention in those arrangements could cause "significant and irreparable harm to U.S. foreign policy."

Attorneys challenging their policy pushed back, arguing that the lower court's ruling did not prevent the administration from conducting third-country removals but instead required the government to provide notice and an opportunity for illegal aliens to raise protection claims before they were sent abroad.

"The judgment does not require release from detention, prohibit third-country removals, or undo existing arrangements," the challengers argued in their response.

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They alleged that illegal aliens removed without meaningful notice or an opportunity to raise country-specific protection claims had faced "prolonged and arbitrary detention, beatings and sexual assault, disappearance, and chain refoulement."

Tuesday's order puts the February district court judgment on hold while the Supreme Court considers the case. The stay will remain in effect until the high court sends down its judgment.

The decision gives the administration the immediate relief it sought as it presses ahead with third-country removals, even as the Supreme Court has yet to decide.

"For the third time in 18 months, the Supreme Court has been called upon to stay the same local district judge’s campaign to halt the Trump Administration from removing illegal aliens including many of the worst-of-the-worst criminals to countries willing to receive them," White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis told Fox News Digital.

"The President will stop at nothing in his effort to make America safe again," Bis added. "Today’s ruling from the Supreme Court yet again affirms the lawfulness of the President’s homeland security agenda."

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The court directed its clerk to establish a briefing schedule allowing the case to be argued during its December 2026 argument session.

Aaron Judge's calf strain could cascade into hamstring or Achilles injuries if rushed back, surgeon warns

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 17:13:54 -0400

Aaron Judge desperately tried to return for the postseason after straining his calf, but the New York Yankees captain was wisely left off the Wild Card series roster.

Judge sustained a moderate soleus muscle strain in his calf and received a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) injection to try to speed up his rehab, but it wasn’t enough for him to make the roster for the team’s best-of-three series against the Boston Red Sox. Former college football quarterback-turned-foot-and-ankle surgeon Dr. Drew Burdi said if Judge came back too soon, he could leave himself exposed to further injury.

"If you do go too fast, too soon, you could just make it a more severe injury. It's a soleus, so that could lead to overstraining (the) hamstring, up and down. So that's your calf muscle, or part of the calf muscle. You could put more strain on your Achilles, you could put more strain on your hamstrings, and that could lead to other injuries," Burdi told OutKick in a recent interview.

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Burdi explained that strains involve varying degrees of muscle tearing and that a premature return to play could cause Judge’s strain to go from moderate to severe. A more severe tear could lead to a much longer recovery time, regardless of the treatment used.

"If you're not ready to go back in yet, you tear it more, you can get to a point where the advanced conservative therapies like PRP injections, shock wave therapy, these guys are getting oxygen chamber therapy. This stuff can only go so far. The body can only adapt so much, can only heal so quickly," Burdi said.

The worst potential outcome of Judge returning too soon could be an Achilles rupture. Burdi said such an injury is a possibility.

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"Possibly, yeah, I mean, that's always a risk. Again, it, it kind of depends how he feels, but it's always a risk, and Achilles is always so scary because a lot of people, you see it in football, guys are jumping up on the sidelines and they come down weird and they rupture their Achilles. You're just like, wow, they don't even feel it before it happens," Burdi said.

"That's tough because those are tough injuries to come back from. Guys do do it, but they're never quite the same."

Burdi said that while Achilles injuries aren’t necessarily career killers, they are career changers.

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So while the Yankees may have a Judgian-sized hole in their Wild Card Series lineup, leaving Judge off the roster could be the safer long-term approach. Judge said he intended to try to play in Game 1, but the three-time American League MVP didn’t recover in time.

While Judge might not have been hitting like himself in his seven games back from the rib injury that kept him out since June, going 4 for 23 with one home run and 13 strikeouts, his presence in the lineup was a boost. Even when the Yankees’ captain isn’t hitting, Judge’s presence in the lineup takes pressure off other hitters.

In 66 games this season, Judge is hitting .241 with 18 home runs and 41 RBI. He hopes the Yankees can eliminate the rival Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series so he can rejoin the team in the ALDS.