Not only does Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow look like Bart Simpson, but he’s starting to do some Bart Simpson-like things. Specifically, Burrow just spent $3 million on a Batmobile from the Christopher Nolan “Dark Knight” trilogy. “This is a very Bart move, to get a bunch of money and buy the Batmobile,” said “ The Simpsons ” executive producer Matt Selman . “Bart is the bad boy who’s almost like Joe Burrow. They both have spiky blonde hair too. It’s almost too beautiful to be true.” He’s why it’s a bit serendipitous: Bart Simpson will serve as Burrow’s Bengals coach on tonight’s NFL “ Monday Night Football .” Well, sort of. In the latest unique NFL alt cast geared toward kids and families, Disney+, ESPN and “The Simpsons” producers have collaborated to “Simpsons”-ize the Monday night matchup between the Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys. While the game plays as usual on ABC and ESPN (and via the “Manningcast” on ESPN2), it will be animated “Simpsons”-style as “The Simpsons Funday Football” livestream Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+ and ESPN+. “The whole thing is what I call an irresistible challenge, in that we are big NFL fans in ‘The Simpsons’ writers room , and love ESPN and all their big personalities,” Selman said. “How can we make a ‘Simpsons’ version of a live football game that feels ‘Simpsons’-y and also football-y? You want to balance the football with ‘The Simpsons,’ and that is the fun and the challenge.” The three-hour event will incorporate the actual matchup with a “Simpsons” storyline, and unfurl in real time as the game transpires. After its initial live airing on Disney+ and ESPN+, “The Simpsons Funday Football” will be available 12 hours later on demand (for 30 days, only on Disney+). And in case you don’t have that kind of time, an edited highlights cutdown of “The Simpsons Funday Football” that clocks in closer to 40 minutes will be available soon after on Disney Channel, Disney XD, FX and FXX. The ambitious takeover will start off with a regular, 2-D “Simpsons” storyline, spearheaded by “Simpsons” writer Joel Cohen, in which Homer has a “hot dog fever dream” in which he imagines he’s coaching the Cowboys, facing off with Bart on the Bengals side. “Homer is mad at Bart and wants to beat Bart,” Selman said. “That’s the story, but you don’t need much more than that.” From that wrap-around, which includes a half-time cartoon segment as well, the ESPN production team has created thousands of different computer-generated moments featuring the citizens of Springfield, all of which will be peppered throughout the broadcast. Game play will appear in “Simpsons”-style animation thanks to motion-enabled tracking technology from NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Sony’s Beyond Sports and optical tracking from Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations. The tech will even allow “Simpsons” characters to take over at times for Bengals and Cowboys players. Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN vice president, edit and animation, and ESPN senior creative director David “Sparky” Sparrgrove will be at the controls on Monday night, adding all of those “Simpsons” elements to the live game. It’s something they’ve been working on for months. “The ESPN producers really have the attitude of, ‘we’re going to work 24 hours a day’ to jam into as much ‘Simpsons’ content into this CGI football game as can possibly be done,” Selman said. “Spike and Sparky are going to sit there, like the Phantom of the Opera, plugging in all these visual sight gags and references and Easter eggs and predictions and jokes and visuals as the game progresses, in real time. “There’s all these fun, surprising pre-tapes that it’s up to the seasoned NFL ESPN producers to know when to insert those into the game during commercial breaks and timeouts and stuff like that,” he added. “I trust in Spike and Sparky. This is their time. They’re in the booth, at the control panel with the idea that, ‘if I got this button, ten different Ralph Wiggum things happen. If I hit this button, Krusty does a thing.’” Viewers will see the game play out at the Springfield Atoms stadium. On Homer’s side, “Moe’s Juice Bar” (family friendly, after all) has set up shop. On Bart’s side, it’s a version of Kamp Krusty, complete with video games and skateboard ramps. Other pre-produced pieces include inspiring half-time speeches by “Simpsons” characters like Moe, Krusty and Lisa. An animated version of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has some funny rants in store. Expect to see a reference to the now-infamous “Simpsons” ability to predict the future. And Selman promised a surprise guest star from the world of sports. Also, Marge and Lisa have banked interviews with the actual Cowboys and Bengals players — and “the football players were adorable in their answers,” Selman said. “They were very cute.” There’s still a game going on, but analysts Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky, as well as play-by-pay announcer Drew Carter, will be animated too, and call the game with “The Simpsons” in mind. “We gave them a ‘Simpsons’ reference cheat sheet, and peppered them with ‘Simpsons’ references for the game,” Selman said. “If I had to give the biggest ‘Simpsons’ nerd award, it would have to go to Mina. We’ve been emailing back and forth all week, ideas for deep cut ‘Simpsons’ references that she can jam into the game. Hopefully it’s a fun challenge for them to do a ‘Simpsons’-ified version of play-by-play and color commentary.” Selman said ESPN originally expected the Cowboys-Bengals matchup to be higher stakes at this point in the season. But with Cincinnati currently at 4-8 and Dallas at 5-7, the pressure is off a bit. But in a way, Selman said he expects more tune-in to the “Simpsons” version as a result. “Now it’s just a fun, great game with two teams that didn’t really hit their thresholds of excellence,” he said. And if Bart is like Burrow, then Homer bears a bit of a resemblance to Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, he added. “The Simpsons” writers plan to watch the game on Monday in their offices — with a taco truck in tow. It’s a big week for the show and Disney+: On Friday, “The Simpsons” will hold a red carpet premiere event for “O C’mon All Ye Faithful,” a new holiday special that reps the first of several new exclusive installments of “The Simpsons” for Disney+. In this special, which launches Dec. 17, British mentalist Derren Brown hypnotizes Homer, who then believes he is Santa Claus. The two-part episode features music from Patti LaBelle and Pentatonix — and premieres 35 years to the day that the very first episode of “The Simpsons,” “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” premiered in 1989. “We’ve never done a single, 40-minute long Christmas story with this much kind of emotional intensity,” Selman said. “It really feels like a movie. It has the deep emotion of cinema, in addition to being very funny. It’s almost Capra-esque. It’s a pretty sweet special.”MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin public worker and teachers unions scored a major legal victory Monday with a ruling that restores collective bargaining rights they lost under a 2011 state law that sparked weeks of protests and made the state the center of the national battle over union rights. That law, known as Act 10, effectively ended the ability of most public employees to bargain for wage increases and other issues, and forced them to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. Under the ruling by Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost, all public sector workers who lost their collective bargaining power would have it restored to what was in place prior to 2011. They would be treated the same as the police, firefighter and other public safety unions that were exempted under the law. Republicans vowed to immediately appeal the ruling, which ultimately is likely to go before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. That only amplifies the importance of the April election that will determine whether the court remains controlled 4-3 by liberal justices. Former Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the law that catapulted him onto the national political stage, decried the ruling in a post on the social media platform X as “brazen political activism.” He said it makes the state Supreme Court election “that much more important.” RELATED COVERAGE David Prosser, who served as Wisconsin Assembly speaker and as a state Supreme Court justice, dies Democrats still don’t agree on the seriousness of their political problem after election defeat Wisconsin Democratic leader Ben Wikler enters the race to lead the national party Supporters of the law have said it provided local governments more control over workers and the powers they needed to cut costs. Repealing the law, which allowed schools and local governments to raise money through higher employee contributions for benefits, would bankrupt those entities, backers of Act 10 have argued. Democratic opponents argue that the law has hurt schools and other government agencies by taking away the ability of employees to collectively bargain for their pay and working conditions. Union leaders were overjoyed with the ruling, which affects tens of thousands of public employees. “We realize there may still be a fight ahead of us in the courts, but make no mistake, we’re ready to keep fighting until we all have a seat at the table again,” said Ben Gruber, a conservation warden and president of AFSCME Local 1215. The law was proposed by Walker and enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in spite of massive protests that went on for weeks and drew as many as 100,000 people to the Capitol. The law has withstood numerous legal challenges over the years, but this was the first brought since the Wisconsin Supreme Court flipped to liberal control in 2023. The seven unions and three union leaders that brought the lawsuit argued that the law should be struck down because it creates unconstitutional exemptions for firefighters and other public safety workers. Attorneys for the Legislature and state agencies countered that the exemptions are legal, have already been upheld by other courts, and that the case should be dismissed. But Frost sided with the unions in July, saying the law violates equal protection guarantees in the Wisconsin Constitution by dividing public employees into “general” and “public safety” employees. He ruled that general employee unions, like those representing teachers, can not be treated differently from public safety unions that were exempt from the law. His ruling Monday delineated the dozens of specific provisions in the law that must be struck. Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he looked forward to appealing the ruling. “This lawsuit came more than a decade after Act 10 became law and after many courts rejected the same meritless legal challenges,” Vos said in a statement. Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state’s largest business lobbying organization, also decried the ruling. WMC President Kurt Bauer called Act 10 “a critical tool for policymakers and elected officials to balance budgets and find taxpayer savings.” The Legislature said in court filings that arguments made in the current case were rejected in 2014 by the state Supreme Court. The only change since that ruling is the makeup of Wisconsin Supreme Court, attorneys for the Legislature argued. The Act 10 law effectively ended collective bargaining for most public unions by allowing them to bargain solely over base wage increases no greater than inflation. It also disallowed the automatic withdrawal of union dues, required annual recertification votes for unions, and forced public workers to pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits. The law was the signature legislative achievement of Walker, who was targeted for a recall election he won. Walker used his fights with unions to mount an unsuccessful presidential run in 2016. Frost, the judge who issued Monday’s ruling, appeared to have signed the petition to recall Walker from office. None of the attorneys sought his removal from the case and he did not step down. Frost was appointed to the bench by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who signed the Walker recall petition. The law has also led to a dramatic decrease in union membership across the state. The nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum said in a 2022 analysis that since 2000, Wisconsin had the largest decline in the proportion of its workforce that is unionized. In 2015, the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Legislature approved a right-to-work law that limited the power of private-sector unions. Public sector unions that brought the lawsuit are the Abbotsford Education Association; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Locals 47 and 1215; the Beaver Dam Education Association; SEIU Wisconsin; the Teaching Assistants’ Association Local 3220 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 695.
Businesses in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are facing a barrage of cyber attacks, averaging a staggering 2,600 threats per week, significantly higher than the global average of 1,750, according to Check Point’s latest quarterly threat intelligence report. Governments, healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, education, and research sectors are primary targets, with . “Attackers are already taking advantage of AI,” said Ruma Balasubramanian, president of Check Point Software Technologies in Asia-Pacific and Japan. “The technology is being used to produce more realistic phishing messages, as well as good enough in one case earlier this year to convince a finance worker into transferring $25m to fraudsters.” Balasubramanian, who recently joined Check Point from Google Cloud, highlighted the growing sophistication of these attacks, calling for organisations to adopt a proactive, preventative approach to cyber security amid the rise of AI. “While attackers are already taking advantage of AI, the industry is only starting to understand how AI can help assess and protect against these threats,” Balasubramanian said, adding that Check Point’s own ThreatCloud AI uses over 50 AI engines to analyse threat data collected over 30 years, aiming to detect and block emerging threats. Beyond AI-driven attacks, several other critical concerns are plaguing the region. , readily available to anyone with malicious intent, is posing a significant threat. , where malware is injected into open-source code, are also on the rise, potentially compromising numerous organisations simultaneously. Furthermore, the inadvertent leakage of sensitive information by employees using public AI chatbots is a new and evolving risk. These escalating threats are unfolding against a backdrop of a severe cyber security skills shortage, with Asia alone requiring an estimated 2.1 million additional security professionals, leaving many organisations in the region vulnerable. While Balasubramanian advocated for comprehensive protection encompassing endpoints, networks, datacentres and cloud infrastructure, doing so has led to complexity, with about 75% of large organisations and governments relying on over 50 cyber security vendors. “Many CISOs [chief information security officers] are ,” Balasubramanian said, “but the question then is ‘which vendors make the most sense?’” Evaluating the impact of removing any specific security product can be very challenging as CISOs grapple with ensuring continuous protection, she added. Effective cyber security transcends technology, requiring a collaborative approach involving CEOs, chief information officers and all employees. Balasubramanian cited a Singapore company that successfully improved its phishing defence through and by publicly identifying employees who fell for the scams. She cautioned, however, that such tactics are culturally sensitive and may not be appropriate in all environments. Addressing legacy hardware and software vulnerabilities is also crucial, with legacy infrastructure more susceptible to being exploited by threat actors. Check Point recommends combining , and to protect vulnerable legacy systems. Balasubramanian emphasised the critical role of a cyber resilience plan, highlighting the sophistication of Australian boards in this area, potentially influenced by . “Australian federal and state regulations are unique across APAC,” she said. “Australian regulators have got this right. Where other countries are grappling with these issues, Australia really stands out as a model.” She recommended that boards prioritise several key areas, including establishing and regularly testing , understanding reporting obligations, and having a dedicated response team or third-party provider. This should be accompanied by a comprehensive risk assessment that considers processes, handoffs and technology. The company offers a range of services to assist organisations in bolstering their cyber resilience, from risk assessments and architecture reviews to security awareness training and . Its platform approach, integrating various security functions, resonates with customers, according to Balasubramanian. Ultimately, addressing the complex cyber security landscape requires a multi-faceted approach, combining advanced technology, comprehensive planning, robust regulatory frameworks, and a culture of security awareness. “Implementing a security action plan is a significant investment,” Balasubramanian concluded. “As a starting point, I would suggest that the approach be built on the premise of not just securing the perimeter against outside threats, but also in reducing the damage a threat actor or insider threat could cause, once an organisation has been breached.”FSK Completes Public Offering of $100 million 6.125% Unsecured Notes Due 2030Every 18 months or so, the Moon perfectly aligns with our view of the Sun, obscuring the face of the star. Although it lasts for a few minutes, a total solar eclipse is the perfect opportunity for scientists to probe the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona, which is usually hidden by the star’s light. An upcoming mission aims to recreate this naturally occurring event on a much more regular basis, with one spacecraft covering the Sun for the other. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 is gearing up for launch on Wednesday at 5:38 a.m. ET. The double-satellite mission will liftoff from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, riding on board the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) PSLV-XL rocket. The launch will be live-streamed on ESA Web TV , with the ISRO broadcast beginning around 30 minutes before liftoff. Why are there two satellites? While the two satellites will launch together, the pair are set to separate about 18 minutes after liftoff to begin an extremely precise demonstration of formation flying. The satellites will launch to an extremely elliptical orbit around Earth, flying at a distance of 492 feet (150 meters) from one another. The satellites must maintain that distance with an accuracy down to a single millimeter to pull off the mission. “Proba-3 is very different because our satellites will be flying just one and a half football fields away from each other during active formation flying. And their relative positions will be maintained precisely to just a single millimetre for six hours at a time,” Damien Galano, Proba-3 mission manager, said in a statement . The two spacecraft will form one giant virtual telescope, with one casting a precisely controlled shadow on the other, blocking out the Sun’s light from view so that the other spacecraft, equipped with an optical instrument, can view the star’s corona. The mission’s active formation flying will take place at the top of its orbit, around 37,282 miles (60,000 kilometers) away from Earth. At that distance, Earth’s gravity won’t have as big of an effect on the spacecraft and less fuel will be required to shift their positions. “Early simulations showed we would need to make so many positioning adjustments with our thrusters that our propellant would be exhausted swiftly; the mission would have been over in about half an hour!” ESA’s Frederic Teston said in a statement . The spacecraft will take 19 hours and 36 minutes to complete one orbit around Earth, carrying out observations of the corona during a six-hour window of each orbit. Proba-3’s elliptical orbit takes it as close as 372 miles (600 kilometers) to Earth, going around in an elongated loop to expend as little fuel as possible during maneuvers. Ideally, the mission would be situated in one of the Sun-Earth Lagrange points, where the gravitational forces of the two bodies keeps an object in place in its orbit. But that would have required a larger budget; Proba-3 is considered a low-cost mission, according to ESA. Why do we study the Sun’s corona? The corona is a million times fainter than the Sun. The outermost region of the Sun’s atmosphere extends millions of miles into space, and hides the biggest mystery surrounding Earth’s host star. The solar corona heats up to around 2 million degrees Fahrenheit (around 1 million degrees Celsius), which is roughly 200 times hotter than temperatures on the surface of the Sun. The high temperatures of the corona are rather counterintuitive, and astronomers are not sure how the outer layers of the Sun are heated. Aside from its mysteries, the Sun’s corona also drives solar wind and coronal mass ejections, two main components that govern space weather. The charged particles in the corona escape into space, and can sometimes have an effect on satellites in orbit, as well as communication systems on Earth . What are the Proba missions? The Proba missions derive their name from a Latin word that implies the phrase, ‘let’s try,’ and also stands for PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy. The low-cost, small satellite missions seek to test new technologies and concepts in spaceflight. ESA has launched three other Proba missions thus far, with one currently observing the Sun. Proba-2 launched in 2009, and was originally meant to spend two years in a Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit but is still going more than 15 years later. Similarly, Proba-3 has an expected lifespan of two years. The limiting factor for the mission is propellant, with its cold gas thrusters required to make small pulses every 10 seconds during the satellites’ six-hour active formation flying phase. For a technology demonstration mission, the team has high hopes for the pair of tiny spacecraft. “When I first heard about it, Proba-3 seemed like science fiction technology,” Andrei Zhukov, principal investigator of Proba-3’s main instrument, said in a statement. “But the real-life design will truly deliver excellent science.”Vow ASA: Resolution to increase the share capital in connection with settlement of underwriting commission
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Surf Air Mobility Hits 8-Month High On Insiders Buying Company Stock: Retail CheersTORONTO, Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Timbercreek Alternatives LP, a subsidiary of Timbercreek Capital, and Aspen Properties today announced the closing of the previously announced acquisition of the 1 Palliser Square Office Building in Calgary, Alberta for the purpose of converting approximately 418,000 square feet of office into 418 residential units and amenities. 1 Palliser Square is a 27-storey, vacant B-class office building centrally located next to the Calgary Tower, with direct access to residential amenities, entertainment and transit. The project is part of the City of Calgary’s Downtown Development Incentive Program designed to transform vacant office space into new rental housing stock. The acquisition was completed though a joint venture called 1 Palliser Square LP (the “LP”). As part of the acquisition, the LP completed a private placement offering of units for total proceeds of approximately $21.6 million. Raymond James Ltd. and Canaccord Genuity Corp. acted as co-lead agents and joint bookrunners on behalf of a syndicate of agents, which included, Richardson Wealth Limited, Wellington-Altus Financial Inc. and iA Private Wealth Inc. Founded in 2000, Timbercreek is one of Canada’s leading alternative asset class investment managers, focused on debt and equity investments in high-quality, value-add commercial real estate in Canada, the United States and Europe. Through active and direct investment, Timbercreek employs a thematic approach to deliver compelling risk-adjusted returns for their investors and partners, leveraging the diversified expertise and relationships of their highly experienced team to invest capital across a wide range of asset classes. Timbercreek’s team of 50+ investment professionals have extensive domain expertise in these markets and combine an entrepreneurial growth focus with institutional risk management. Since 2000, the Timbercreek team has deployed more than $18 billion in equity and debt investments focused on value-add real estate, on behalf of their broad range of capital partners. Timbercreek has offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, New York, Dallas and Dublin. Aspen Properties is a fully integrated and privately held boutique real estate company with over 25 years of experience in owning and managing real estate in downtown Calgary and Edmonton. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Aspen is committed to creating and delivering inspiring amenity-rich real estate with innovative technology and processes that help people thrive and contribute to the development and sustainability of the communities they serve. Together with their investment partners, Aspen Properties owns and manages approximately 4.25 million square feet of office space and nearly 3,800 parking spaces in downtown Calgary and Edmonton. Aspen’s portfolio is comprised of 15 buildings—eleven in Calgary, three in Edmonton and a development site in Calgary. Timbercreek Alternatives Fraser McEwen President Aspen Properties Scott Hutcheson Executive Chair of the Board
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The entire top leadership of the PPP, including President Asif Zardari and party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, reached Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto on Thursday evening for the 17th death anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, being observed on Friday (today).' Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the event, where the central and provincial leaders of the PPP would pay their respects to the first female prime minister of the Muslim world. They would also address a meeting. President Zardari and Chairman Bilawal, in their separate messages, paid rich tributes to the late Benazir Bhutto and eulogised her political legacy and courage as unmatched and eternal vision and a guiding light for the nation. "On this day, we honour a leader who embodied the very spirit of hope, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the ideals of democracy and justice," Zardari said in his message issued by the President's Office. Referring to the famous quote of the late Benazir Bhutto that 'democracy is the best revenge', the president said that these words were not just a defiant response to tyranny and dictatorship but reflected her profound belief in the transformative power of the people. "She envisioned a Pakistan, where every child could access education, where women could progress as equals, and where justice was not a privilege but a right. Throughout her life, she raised her voice and worked for the uplift of the downtrodden segments of society and women's empowerment," he added. In a press release issued by the Media Cell of the Bilawal House, the PPP chief said: "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was not just a political figure but a beacon of hope for the marginalised, the oppressed, and the forgotten." Bilawal reaffirmed his resolve to carry forward her legacy. "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto envisioned a Pakistan where every citizen would have equal opportunities and access to resources, irrespective of their background. "We are determined to follow her philosophy of human liberty and democratic norms, continuing our fight against terrorism, extremism, and any forces that threaten Pakistan's stability," he stated. He reiterated his commitment to addressing the unresolved matters of Palestine and Kashmir. (WITH INPUT FROM APP) COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our
Mayor Eric Adams will deliver his 2025 State of the City address at Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater on Thursday, Jan. 9 — a pivotal speech that will likely kick off his bid for re-election this year, his office announced Thursday. Get the Full Story This State of the City, an annual address in which the city’s mayor lays out their agenda for the coming year, will be Hizzoner’s fourth. The speech will give Adams his first shot at testing his message in 2025 as he contends with a growing field of prominent challengers who could block him from a second term. Mayors, including Adams, often use the State of the City to tout their past successes. “Whether it’s taking thousands of illegal guns off our streets, shattering affordable housing records over and over again, or putting billions of dollars back into the pockets of New Yorkers, our administration has fought every day to create a safer, more affordable city for working-class New Yorkers,” Adams said in a statement. “New York City is not only back; we are better than ever.” Adams has also gone out of his way to remind New Yorkers of what he sees as his greatest accomplishments nearly every time he gets in front of a crowd in recent months. But mayors also use the annual speech to assess the challenges facing the five boroughs and unveil bold policy solutions to address them. For instance, Adams used this past year’s speech to announce a proposal to build and preserve 12,000 units of affordable housing on 24 city-owned sites. “As we look to the future, we know there is even more we can do to uplift working-class families across the five boroughs, protect our streets and subways, tackle the cost of rent, create more housing, and put even more money back into New Yorkers’ pockets,” Adams said. “On Jan. 9, at the historic Apollo, we’ll present our vision for an even safer and more affordable New York City in both 2025 and in the decades to come.” The speech could give Adams a chance to cut through the barrage of negative headlines surrounding his federal indictment and the mass exodus from the upper ranks of his administration that have plagued his mayoralty in recent months. It will also give him a large platform to remind New Yorkers why they should re-elect him as his primary challengers compete to get their own messages out.NoneFORT WORTH — With seconds remaining and a decision to be made, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables made no hesitation — he wanted to go for the win. “We made that decision earlier in the drive,” he said. “Liked our look, liked our opportunities there.” The Sooners (6-7) lined up for a two-point conversion attempt, but would be stopped by Navy (10-3) in the game’s final moments as the Midshipmen held on for the 21-20 win Friday at the 2024 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Texas Christian University. “We got exactly what we thought we were going to get,” Venables said. “And we’ve worked hard in that situation all year long...we knew if (the game) was under 30 seconds, we were going to go for two.” And Navy head coach Brian Newberry agreed with the Sooners' offensive call. “They had momentum right there and struggled after scoring 14,” Newberry said. “I thought that was the right decision, I think I would have done the same thing.” The Sooners struck first in their opening drive, using the legs of Michael Hawkins and Gavin Sawchuk to power for 45 of the 65-yard march — with Sawchuk barreling into the end zone for the 21-yard score. “Gavin (Sawchuk) started off really hot and did well early." Venables said. “We played all four backs, and they all touched the ball.” After a defensive stop, Oklahoma took back over possession. With Hawkins scrambling and changing directions on a broken play, he connected with Zion Kearney with a dime for the 56-yard touchdown and 14-0 lead after the first quarter. “He was really good, great rhythm early and late,” Venables said of Hawkins, who finished the day with 247 passing yards and 61 rushing yards. The Midshipmen defense held strong on a fourth-down stop deep into its own territory to take over possession early in the second quarter, but the Sooners returned the favor to force a Navy punt — with the Midshipmen pinning OU on its own eight-yard line. Sooners rolled to midfield, but it’d be Navy with another fourth-down stand to take back over on the OU 45. The Midshipmen capitalized on the opportunity, with Alex Tecza punching it in and putting Navy on the board and leading to a 14-7 OU lead at the half. “We just came out pretty strong. Second quarter we got a little relaxed and didn’t take what they gave us,” Hawkins said. “We weren’t together as a team. Going into a game like this, you have to be together.” After a defensive start for most of the third quarter, it’d be Navy’s Blake Horvath breaking things open — faking out the defense for the longest run in school history at 95 yards to tie up the game. Horvath, who finished the day with 155 rushing yards, said he was just as surprised as anyone else that he pulled off the feat. “Plenty of guys faster than me,” he joked. “But it wouldn’t be the longest without Brant Chatman and the offensive line.” The Midshipmen weren’t done yet, forcing a fumble and recovery at the Sooner 26. But a missed Navy field goal attempt gave Oklahoma the ball once more on their own 21. The Sooners would take the drive into the fourth quarter, but a 52-yard field goal attempt went right of the posts to keep the game even with 12:06 to play. Navy burned up the clock as it churned down the field, with Horvath capping off a 66-yard drive with a six-yard rushing score to give the Midshipmen their first lead of the game with 4:34 remaining. The Sooners wasted no time in working their way down the field. It’d be Hawkins throwing a dart to Jake Roberts in the right corner of the end zone with six seconds left. OU opted to go for the win with its two-point conversion try — but the Midshipmen defense held on to seal the victory. Venables said he took full responsibility for not only the game, but the roller coaster of a season as a whole. “Everything falls on me. When we’re dropping it and not converting fourth down, giving up explosive runs, everything falls at my feet,” he said. “Really disappointed in myself. I need to be a lot better. We went 6-7 and we did a lot of things right, but we have to be a lot better.” But despite everything, he also expressed immense pride in his team’s fight and how they represented their school. “I am hurt for the players because I know they’ve worked hard. Its easy to take shots at the coaches, but everyone is disappointed,” Venables said. “I am not embarrassed of the fight, commitment and the work that these guys have represented. We have to be better. This is a game of performance and work, and we fell short of that this year.” And as tight end Jake Roberts said, adrenaline and emotion flashing across his face, he’s proud of the work put in by he and his teammates — and excited for the future of Oklahoma football. “Obviously it’s not the year we wanted to have. Obviously a lot of disappointment but a ton of growth. Learn how to come back to work when you don’t want to,” he said. “Although it’s disappointing, not going to say I would change anything. I’m excited to see what Team 131 does. You take the adversity, you learn from it and move on.”
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