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First downs and second guesses: Volleyball season in Nebraska isn’t over. In fact, it’s just beginning. On Monday the Omaha Supernovas announced their draft class, including Creighton All-America Kendra Wait and Nebraska’s Lindsay Krause. They join former Husker Ally Batenhorst, Briana Holman and Kayla Caffey on the roster of the defending Pro Volleyball Federation champions. A couple hours later, the Love Volleyball League announced the signing of its “LOVB 6,” a rookie class that includes Lexi Rodriguez (Omaha) Jess Mruzik (Houston), Sarah Franklin (Madison), Sophie Fischer (Salt Lake), One Ofoegbu (Atlanta), and Madisen Skinner (Austin). Rodriguez joins a LOVB Omaha roster that already is loaded with local star power in Jordan Larson, Justine-Wong-Orantes, Madi Kubik, Lauren Stivrins and Jaali Winters. Is this town big enough for two pro volleyball teams? We’ll find out in a few weeks. The Supernovas open their season on Jan. 10 at the CHI Health Center. Two weeks later, on Jan 24., Omaha LOVB (team name?) opens its inaugural season at Liberty Credit Union First Arena (Ralston), where it will play four matches and two more at Baxter Arena. The level of play in both leagues will be incredible. But are there enough fans to go around? The “Novas” averaged 9,656 fans last year in 12 matches at the CHI Health Center. They led the rest of the teams by a lot. Now add local heroes Wait, Krause and Batenhorst and attendance should improve. But what if fans also want to go see Larson, Rodriguez, Stivrins and Winters, along with familiar opponents like Franklin and Mruzik? How will it all play out? Apparently, LOVB’s pockets run deep. For old San Diego Chargers fans like myself and John Cook, an easy comparison is the National Football League and American Football League wars in the 1960’s. Which resulted in the creation of the Super Bowl and then a merger. This winter should be a blast. But I can already see a couple of questions that might need asking come April. Shouldn’t these two pro volleyball leagues have a championship series at the end? Wouldn’t a merger be the best possible thing for the sport of volleyball? See you next month, ladies. I can still sense a Nebraska volleyball hangover with Husker fans. That’s the impact that team had on folks. Those ladies reached in and grabbed them by the heart. It was an incredible ride and they celebrated all the joys. But that pain at the end is going to leave a mark. The four College Football Playoff quarter final match-ups look terrific. Like, get-me-to-a-TV on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 terrific. So, is eight the right number? Don't give up on 12 yet. I still like 12. I’m a brand name sports guy. I like watching the big boys battle for championships. But I also want the non-brands, the little guys, in there. Underdogs bring a lot to the postseason. They bring the "what if" factor. What if the long shot gets on a roll? That's why we watch. You wouldn't just want a playoff with all SEC and Big Ten teams would you? That's not a national championship. The first-round blowouts weren’t good. But it happens, and it happened in the four-team playoff era. But one day there will be upsets, too. Football can't be basketball. But upsets are the magic in the NCAA tournament. When the field was announced, I thought Indiana and SMU belonged. A loss on an opponent's home field can't change that. Alabama’s problem was its loss to Oklahoma. And who would have imagined that OU would drag mighty Bama out of the playoff? I’m real tired of the SEC whining. It just hurts more. Hey, you guys wanted OU and Texas. You got ‘em. There has been arguing and debates over college football's national champion forever. Expansion to 12 was never going to change that. Until the college game goes to 32 teams and puts them into divisions, ala the NFL, with equal scheduling, there's going to be arguing. I would only change one thing with the first weekend: no first-round byes. The campus atmospheres were fabulous. Give me more of ‘em. One of the great things about the transfer portal is when an athlete settles in and makes the community better. Creighton senior Steven Ashworth is doing that. Ashworth is headlining a local charitable initiative called “Light The World.” The unique project features vending machines, or “Giving Machines,” which are located in Westroads Mall near Von Maur. The machines offer items (10 Blankets for $50 for a homeless shelter) that people can swipe a credit card and donate the item of their choice. The machines will be at Westroads until Dec. 31. Ashworth and a group of Creighton athletes from men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball will be at Westroads on Dec. 28 between 5-8 p.m., to visit and sign autographs. Bill Belichick is used to coaching the best of the best. The majority of college football players are not NFL players. They work hard, and they can make mistakes. Belichick will recruit well at North Carolina, but he’s not going to have an NFL roster. There are going to be mistakes. How will he deal with that? I bet this caught Belichick’s attention: Tulane redshirt quarterback Darian Mensah hit the portal and wound up at Duke. According to CBS Sports, Mensah received an NIL deal at Duke reportedly worth $8 million over two years. When did North Carolina and Duke start spending like Ohio State and Alabama for football? The New Year is upon us. I’m taking nominations for top sports stories in 2024. Send them my way this week. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A southeast Louisiana official has been accused of committing perjury for failing to disclose information related to a controversial grain terminal in the state's Mississippi River Chemical Corridor in response to a lawsuit brought by a prominent local climate activist. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A southeast Louisiana official has been accused of committing perjury for failing to disclose information related to a controversial grain terminal in the state's Mississippi River Chemical Corridor in response to a lawsuit brought by a prominent local climate activist. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A southeast Louisiana official has been accused of committing perjury for failing to disclose information related to a controversial grain terminal in the state’s Mississippi River Chemical Corridor in response to a lawsuit brought by a prominent local climate activist. St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard denied in a deposition that she knew her mother-in-law could have benefited financially from parish rezoning plans to make way for a 222-acre (90-hectare) grain export facility along the Mississippi River. Hotard also said in court filings, under oath, that no correspondence existed between her and her mother-in-law about the grain terminal, even though her mother-in-law later turned over numerous text messages where they discussed the grain terminal and a nearby property owned by the mother-in-law’s marine transport company, court records show. The text messages were disclosed as part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Joy Banner, who along with her sister, Jo Banner, successfully led efforts to halt the $800 million grain terminal earlier this year. It would have been built within 300 feet (91 meters) of their property and close to historic sites in the predominantly Black community where they grew up. The legal dispute is part of a broader clash playing out in courts and public hearings, pitting officials eager to greenlight economic development against grassroots community groups challenging polluting industrial expansion in the heavily industrialized 85-mile industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans often referred to by environmental activists as “Cancer Alley.” “We are residents that are just trying to protect our homes and just trying to live our lives as we have a right to do,” Banner said in an interview with The Associated Press. The Banner sisters gained national attention after cofounding the Descendants Project, an organization dedicated to historic preservation and racial justice. In the text messages turned over as part of Joy Banner’s lawsuit, Hotard, the parish president, says that she wished to “choke” Joy Banner and used profanities to describe her. Hotard also said of the Banner sisters: “I hate these people.” Hotard and her attorney, Ike Spears, did not respond to requests for comment after Tuesday’s filing. Richard John Tomeny, the lawyer representing Hotard’s mother-in-law, Darla Gaudet, declined to comment. Banner initially sued the parish in federal court in December 2023 after Hotard and another parish councilman, Michael Wright, threatened her with arrest and barred her from speaking during a public comment period at a November 2023 council meeting. “In sum: a white man threatened a Black woman with prosecution and imprisonment for speaking during the public comment period of a public meeting,” Banner’s lawsuit says. It accuses the parish of violating Banner’s First Amendment rights. Wright and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment. Hotard and Wright have disputed Banner’s version of events in court filings. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. At the November 2023 meeting, Banner attempted to highlight Hotard’s alleged conflict of interest in approving a zoning change to enable the grain export facility’s construction. Banner had also recently filed a complaint to the Louisiana Board of Ethics against Hotard pointing out that her mother-in-law allegedly would benefit financially because she owned and managed a marine transport company that had land “near and within” the area being rezoned. In response to a discovery request, Hotard submitted a court filing saying “no such documents exist” between her and her mother-in-law discussing the property, the grain terminal or Joy Banner, according to the recent motion filed by Banner’s attorneys. Hotard also said in her August deposition that she had “no idea” about her mother-in-law’s company’s land despite text messages showing Hotard and her mother-in-law had discussed this property less than three weeks before Hotard’s deposition. Banner’s lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial early next year. ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96 Advertisement Advertisement
Patrick Mahomes was pumped up when the NFL schedule was released and he saw his Kansas City Chiefs were playing on Christmas Day for the second straight season. His excitement lasted for only a short time. "Until I realized it was on Wednesday," Mahomes said Monday. Plenty of sore bodies will take the field Wednesday when the Chiefs (14-1) visit the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) in what will be the third game in 11 days for both teams. Both squads just played on Saturday. The Chiefs posted a 27-19 home win over the Houston Texans and the Steelers fell 34-17 to the host Baltimore Ravens. "You're not going to feel great," Mahomes said of the short week. "That's kind of just what it is. You don't make excuses in this league. You go out and play football, and you fight until the very end, and you try to get a win at the end of the day. "You're motivated to play a great football team, to play in Pittsburgh in a great environment, a great stadium. It'll be rocking playing on Christmas, so everybody's going to be watching." If Kansas City wins Wednesday, it clinches the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. The Chiefs have 14 victories for the third time in the past five seasons. The franchise has never won 15 games in a season. Kansas City hasn't committed a single turnover during its five-game winning streak. Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson isn't fond of hearing "turnover" after he made two big mistakes in Saturday's loss to the Ravens. Wilson lost a fumble after a 19-yard gain to the Baltimore 4-yard line in the second quarter and later was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey, who returned it 37 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Wilson called it "unacceptable" and now has his focus on making amends against Kansas City. "I don't think there's enough time to really sulk or worry or fear," Wilson said. " ... The one thing I'm not going to do is keep my head down, though. I know for us we got so much great confidence in who we are and what we can do and how we're going to respond. "We can't let a tough game like this take us into a negative state of mind because there's a lot more to play for and a lot more we're searching for, and we can still win the (AFC) North." Wilson is correct. If the Steelers win their final two regular-season games, they will win their division. They would have clinched it last weekend if they had won in Baltimore. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin is hardly concerned about Wilson's miscues. It was the veteran signal-caller's first time committing multiple turnovers in nine games with the team. "He's tough on himself because he's got a desire to be great," Tomlin said. "He wants to lead us to victory. He owns that. I don't expect that to be an issue in terms of his readiness or trajectory of this week." Cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (knee) and receiver Ben Skowronek (hip) missed Pittsburgh's walkthrough on Monday. Standout receiver George Pickens (hamstring) was a full participant and may return after missing the past three games. Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring), cornerback Donte Jackson (back) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) also could return to action. Jackson's return would be big if Porter can't play. Kansas City also held a walkthrough on Monday. Left tackle D.J. Humphries (hamstring), safety Chamarri Conner (concussion) and star defensive end Chris Jones (calf) missed the session. Jones was injured against Houston. Meanwhile, Mahomes said his sore ankle is feeling better than it did last week. The Chiefs lost 20-14 to the visiting Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day last season. Kansas City has won the past three meetings with the Steelers, including a 42-21 rout in an AFC wild-card game on Jan. 16, 2022. --Field Level MediaSean Zam named Head of Sales and Marketing at GC Biopharma USA
Liverpool were held to a draw at St. James' Park on Wednesday as they drew 3-3 in a dramatic Premier League match. A bright start for the hosts saw Jacob Murphy hit the post before Alexander Isak got them in front with a powerful strike past Caoimhín Kelleher , who then denied Anthony Gordon to keep the score at 1-0. Mohamed Salah had Liverpool's best chance of the first half, but couldn't get Jarell Quansah 's pass under control inside of the box. The Reds looked improved after the break and levelled the scoring when Curtis Jones added the finishing touch to Salah's ball. Isak was one of the standouts on the night for the Magpies and made his mark again when assisting Gordon as they retook the lead, but parity was soon restored as Trent Alexander-Arnold won back possession before assisting Salah. The Egypt international was Liverpool's star of the second half with a sublime performance, and after he was unlucky to hit the bar following some impressive footwork, he got his side ahead with an accurate finish past Nick Pope . The Reds appeared in control of the game before a late Newcastle free kick, and a rare goalkeeping error from Kelleher allowed Fabian Schär to finish at the back post. Positives Liverpool responded after a slow first half, with standout performances from Salah and Alexander-Arnold, two players who will soon enter the final six months of their contract. Negatives Liverpool clearly missed the influence of Ibrahima Konaté at times, though both Joe Gomez and Quansah haven't had as many opportunities to gain sharpness recently. Kelleher has been faultless since deputising for Alisson , and he will be disappointed with his error at the end of the game. Manager rating (1-10; 10 = best) Arne Slot, 7 -- Liverpool looked improved after the second half and Slot's substitution made an instant impact to get the game to 2-2, before eventually getting ahead. A well-managed game by the Reds' head coach. Player ratings GK Caoimhín Kelleher, 5 -- There was little he could do about a sublime effort from Isak, though the Liverpool goalkeeper did prevent Gordon from doubling Newcastle's lead from a big chance in the first half. Unlucky not to keep out Newcastle's second, but at fault for the third as the Magpies drew level in the 90th minute. DF Andy Robertson , 6 -- He looked to support the attack with forward runs at the right time, and he asked questions of the defence with some crosses into the box. Editor's Picks Who are the most 'clutch' in Premier League when it comes to scoring, stopping goals? 2d Ryan O'Hanlon Manchester City's era of dominance is fading away right before our very eyes 2d Mark Ogden Where does latest Man City-Liverpool clash rank in their recent rivalry? 2d Chris Wright DF Virgil van Dijk , 6 -- Assured and often won the ball back when challenging for it, but could have stepped up sooner to play Isak offside for the opener. A strong challenge slowed a Newcastle counter-attack at the end of the match. DF Joe Gomez, 5 -- Blocked an effort from Gordon in the second half, but then allowed him to turn on his stronger foot before he scored. Took care when transitioning the ball forwards, but struggled at times when isolated with Isak. DF Jarell Quansah, 6 -- He was deployed at right-back for Liverpool and defended well throughout, while he was also unlucky to not register an assist after a bright run and pass found Salah in a dangerous area. Could have been more aware of Gordon's run in behind before Newcastle's second. MF Ryan Gravenberch , 5 -- Not at his usual best on the night, and caught in possession on too many occasions. Replaced in the 67th minute by Dominik Szoboszlai . MF Alexis Mac Allister , 6 -- Unlucky with his effort in the 14th minute and then hit the post seconds later. Unlocked Salah down the right flank before Liverpool's equaliser. Booked harshly for a foul that didn't have much in it, which means he will miss the Merseyside derby against Everton at the weekend. MF Curtis Jones, 7 -- Precise with passing and tried to get things moving in the right direction. Found Salah with a well-placed ball in the first half. Timed his run perfectly in the 50th minute before connecting with Salah's pass to finish past Pope. FW Cody Gakpo , 5 -- Uninvolved in the first half outside of some positive work in the box, but saw his effort blocked after cutting inside. Threatened the goal with a volley in the second half to force a corner, and then headed across goal but narrowly missed Darwin Núñez at the back post. FW Darwin Núñez, 5 -- His end product could have been better when leading Liverpool counter-attacks, with his pass to Salah placed behind the Egypt international. Close to getting Liverpool in front at the back post but was a fraction of a second late to Gakpo's pass. FW Mohamed Salah, 10 -- It's not quite clear how Salah prepared for the second half, but that was one of the best 45 minutes of his Liverpool career. Two goals and an assist, along with a magical moment with elite footwork before hitting an effort off the bar. Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no rating) Trent Alexander-Arnold (Gomez, 67') 8 -- Made an instant impact when coming on, winning back possession before making a smart run down the line and assisting Salah for Liverpool's second equaliser of the match. Booked for his first foul of the match against Gordon. Dominik Szoboszlai (Gravenberch, 67') 6 -- Was deployed in an advanced role. Set Liverpool's press well and stretched Newcastle's midfield with intelligent runs. Luis Díaz (Gakpo, 67') 6 -- Worked hard on the left flank and provided a boost to Liverpool counter-attacks. Always looked to beat his marker and was bright in the box, cutting inside on his right foot before working efforts at goal.FBI Director Christopher Wray announced he will resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term, paving the way for President-elect Donald Trump's nominee, Kash Patel, to potentially take over . "This is the best way to avoid dragging the Bureau deeper into the fray, while reinforcing the values and principles that are so important in how we do our work," Wray said during a town hall on Wednesday . Trump responded on social media, calling Wray's resignation a "great day for America." Trump appointed Wray during his first term but criticized him and the FBI's search for classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home. Although Wray still had years left in his term, Trump nominated Kash Patel to lead the agency. Trump's cabinet picks continue their fight to secure confirmation on Capitol Hill. "It's about earning support in this process in ongoing conversations," said Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for Defense Secretary . Controversial Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth met with Senator Susan Collins for more than an hour on Wednesday. Collins said she pressed him on various claims of misconduct, which he denies, but fell short of saying she would support him. "We had a good discussion, I'm not going to go into every question I asked," said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Momentum appears to be shifting in Hegseth's favor. "I had a good exchange, and we'll see what the process bears," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. "He's much better off this week than he was last week," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina. Analysts say Hegseth is not the only one under pressure. "There have been some challenges to some senators. There's been some real arm twisting in terms of the threat of mounting primary challenges against them," said Todd Belt of George Washington University. Also on the Hill, Secretary of Homeland Security nominee and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem pushed back on allegations that she neglected her state during major flooding this year.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams keep doing just enough to win, and a team that appeared to be rebuilding this season has climbed all the way to the brink of another playoff berth. The Rams improved to 9-6 and took control of the NFC West on Sunday with their fourth straight victory since Thanksgiving. Their 19-9 win over the New York Jets in sub-freezing temperatures was not dominant — they trailed 9-6 entering the fourth quarter, and they were outgained by nearly 100 yards — but Los Angeles still matched its largest margin of victory this season and continued to look like a looming nightmare for any postseason opponent. The Rams have now won eight of 10 since their bye week, when they were 1-4 and the NFL world wondered whether they would trade Super Bowl MVP receiver Cooper Kupp or even quarterback Matthew Stafford to spur their roster reboot. Los Angeles decided not to punt its season, and Sean McVay’s team has driven from last to first. “You don’t want to ride the emotional roller coaster that these games can take you on,” McVay said Monday. “You do have the ability to stay steady, to stay the course and try to right the ship. Certainly that’s not complete by any stretch, but our guys have done an excellent job of not allowing the way that we started, especially in those first five games, to affect what we did coming off that bye.” The Rams also have clinched their seventh winning record in eight regular seasons under McVay — an achievement that shouldn’t get lost in the recent successes of a franchise that had 13 consecutive non-winning seasons before it rolled the dice and hired a 30-year-old head coach back in 2017. After winning it all in February 2022 and then having the worst season by a defending Super Bowl champion in NFL history, the Rams have made the most of their time in between true powerhouse status and a major rebuild. They also started slowly last year, entering their bye at 3-6 before a 7-1 finish. The Rams can become the first team in NFL history to make back-to-back postseason appearances after being three games under .500 each year. These Rams don’t stand out on either side of the ball, although their talent level appears to be higher on offense than defense. Instead, they’ve mastered a delicate balance of complementary football — the offense and defense covering each other’s weaknesses and setting up their teammates for success. The Rams have scored more than 30 points just once all season, and they managed only 31 points in their last two games combined. Their defense has allowed only one touchdown in the past two games — but right before that, Josh Allen and the Bills racked up 42 points and 445 yards in the most recent of a few defensive stinkers from LA this season. The Rams keep winning anyway, and now they can clinch McVay’s fourth NFC West title by beating Seattle in two weeks. “Fortunately, we’re in a position where you don’t necessarily have to rely on other things to happen if you just handle your business,” McVay said. What’s working Kyren Williams and the offensive line are driving the Rams’ offense. After a slow start caused partly by McVay being forced to abandon the running game when the Rams repeatedly fell behind early, the 2023 Pro Bowler has surged to career highs of 1,243 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns with his 122-yard performance in New York. What needs help Stafford’s 110 yards passing were his fewest with the Rams and the second-fewest in his 16-year career from a full game. Sunday’s weather was a major factor, but the Rams must throw the ball effectively to somebody other than Puka Nacua. Kupp has just 193 yards receiving in his past five games combined. Stock up Defensive back Jaylen McCollough made a career-high nine tackles in only 31 snaps. The undrafted rookie continues to be a remarkable find, earning playing time alongside veteran safeties Quentin Lake and Kam Curl and fellow rookie Kam Kinchens. Stock down CB Cobie Durant didn’t play for the second straight week despite being cleared to return from his bruised lung. Veteran Ahkello Witherspoon got every snap in place of Durant, who started LA’s first 13 games. McVay praised Witherspoon’s recent play when asked why Durant didn’t get on the field in New Jersey. Injuries The Rams’ improved health, particularly on both lines, is the key to their surge. McVay reported no new injuries out of the road trip following Tyler Higbee’s successful season debut. Key number 12-1 — The Rams’ record in December with Stafford as their starter over his four years in LA. Next steps The Rams need to win at least one of their final two games to wrap up their first NFC West crown since 2021. They host eliminated Arizona on Saturday night, but can’t clinch the division unless the Seahawks lose to moribund Chicago. The Rams are currently the NFC’s third seed, but that doesn’t matter a whole lot because both the third and fourth seeds will have to play one of the NFC North’s two powerful wild-card teams in the opening round. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL12 Communication Services Stocks Moving In Wednesday's Pre-Market Session
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