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First dog-friendly cruise scheduled for 2025. Organizers hope it turns into a recurring event.
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Ever wanted to bring your dog with you aboard a cruise ship? Do you have a business focused on dogs and their families? If you answered yes to either question, you’ll be excited to learn that what’s being called the first-ever dog-friendly cruise is being planned aboard Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander out of the Port of Tampa in November 2025. And business opportunities await. Cruise ships famously don’t allow dogs other than service animals. Organizers of this cruise anticipate selecting from a long line of hopefuls. A “waitlist for all dog parents who have dreamt of bringing their furry friends along for their vacations will open soon,” a news release says. Organizers are calling for 250 dogs, “their owners and their closest humans” to become “inaugural ambassadors” for the cruise, which they promise will offer “unique experiences and activities including gifts and samples from top vendors, dog shows and trainings, guest speakers, costume contests, parades, and more.” The event is being staged by two organizations — Cruise Tails and Expedia Cruises of West Orlando. The website cruisetails.com seeks sponsors and investors in hopes of turning the cruise into a recurring event. Sponsorship and partnership opportunities are available for companies seeking brand visibility “across a passionate pet-loving audience,” the site says. And participants must sign photo waivers, the website says, adding, “We anticipate the fun will be all over social media and even in the press. In fact, the 250 chosen will undoubtedly be asked by sponsors to try products and post about them.” Cruise Tails was formed by Steve Matzke, a Bradenton-based entrepreneur listed on LinkedIn as beginning his career this month as an “independent consultant.” Matzke spent four years prior to that as senior director of external relations for the American Accounting Association, and 12 years before that as director of faculty and university initiatives for the American Institute of CPAs, his LinkedIn profile shows. Expedia Cruises of West Orlando was founded in 2019 by Dawn von Graff, an avid traveler who has taken more than 75 cruises and visited more than 80 countries, and her husband. She owned a computer networking firm, worked as an international tour manager, and was a top salesperson for Marriott before forming Expedia Cruises of West Orlando as a full-service travel agency. Details including dates, prices and itineraries have not yet been released. According to the website, organizers hope to select the inaugural 250 dogs based partly on how the dogs perform in a “video talent singing contest” as well as “a variety of criteria” to be announced “over the next few weeks.” The bigger the dog’s entourage, the better chance it will have to be chosen, the website says. “Preference will be given to dogs in a group which includes one dog cabin traveling with two or more associated cabins of friends or family without dogs,” it says. A spokeswoman for Margaritaville at Sea says the organizers are chartering the Islander, and the cruise will not be available for booking to the general public. Each dog will have “private relief stations” on their cabin balconies, and when dogs don’t make it to the relief station, each will have its own “pet butler” to ensure “their cabin and the boat remain in top condition,” a Cruise Tails spokeswoman said. Participants must agree to follow protocols on board, including keeping their dogs in permitted areas and making sure they are up to date with appropriate vaccinations. Dogs will not be allowed in dining areas, the ship’s casino, pool decks, lounges or music venues, according to the news release. Organizers will also be looking for workers and vendors. “We’re going to need dog walkers, pet butlers, and so much more,” the website says. And “if you have a proven skill like pet massage, grooming and pet walking or if you make custom dog costumes, have a unique dog product you would like to promote or are a well-known dog expert, we would love to chat with you.” Calls for pet handlers and vendors will be posted “in the next few months,” the site says. Whether the event turns into the profitable industry that its organizers hope for will undoubtedly depend on how the first one unfolds. A spokeswoman did not immediately have answers to such questions of what will happen to dogs that get aggressive with humans or other dogs? Will owners be required to purchase additional insurance to cover any possibilities? Will food be provided and how will feedings be handled? Contributors on Reddit.com posted mixed reactions to the announcement on Monday. “Cruises are already floating petri dishes. This doesn’t seem like a very good idea,” said one. “Now all decks are poop decks,” said another. A couple of posters worried about dogs going overboard. One said, “sounds awesome if you like dogs,” while another chimed in, “Better than a gorilla-friendly cruise, I suppose.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. “Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said. “NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.” A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.” “This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. “23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. “It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.” AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
The New Orleans Saints are in the middle of a frustrating season, firing head coach Dennis Allen earlier this month following the team's seventh straight loss at the hands of Carolina Panthers. The Saints aren't expected to make the playoffs this season, but they'll need to answer a lot of questions about the future over the next few months. Many of those questions are related to the salaries of several veteran players, as the team is currently set to enter 2025 several millions of dollars over the salary cap. One veteran player with an uncertain future? Longtime defensive back Tyrann Mathieu. The "Honey Badger," as he's affectionately known, is set to enter his 12th NFL season next year at the age of 33. With another big season on the way, Mathieu made it clear that he's planning to stick around. According to sports journalist Kay Adams , Mathieu is in it for the long haul with the Saints, his hometown team. “I wouldn’t want to play for any other team...The opportunity to be able to win for my home town..I mean, I think that kinda trumps me going anywhere else," said the veteran defensive back. "I’d rather do it for my people, down here.” Mathieu has been with the Saints for the last two seasons, as the New Orleans native joined his home quad following stints with the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs back in the 2019 season, helping them defeat the San Francisco 49ers. In addition to his Super Bowl title, Mathieu is a three-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler. He was named to the NFL's All-Decade team in the 2010s, joining names like Tom Brady, Adrian Peterson, Joe Thomas, J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. All of those players are either in or likely to enter the Hall of Fame, and Mathieu has a pretty good case to get there as well. We'll see if that happens in the future, but for now, it seems that Mathieu has no plans to retire any time soon. Fans can look forward to seeing him on the field next week with the Saints, as they take on the Los Angeles Rams at home following this week's late-season bye. Related: ESPN Host Elle Duncan Taking Heat On Social Media For 'Classless' Rant
Wales boss Rhian Wilkinson revealed that victory over Ireland in Tuesday night’s Euro 2025 play-off came at a cost. One of her players, according to the victorious manager, left a tooth behind on the Aviva Stadium turf, while others left the pitch bloodied after an “old fashioned dust-up” of a game. And the win also came at the cost of her popularity among the Irish coaching staff. READ MORE: Eileen Gleeson shuts down questions about her future as war of words with Wales bench erupts READ MORE: Ruesha Littlejohn apologises for dropping f-bomb in post match interview following Wales loss Ireland boss Eileen Gleeson spoke in the aftermath about “provocation” from the Welsh bench and added that there was “a lot of shouting at players, aggressive language to our staff.” Wilkinson acknowledged: “I am not very popular with the Irish staff right now. “But in the end, that is what we saw out there, two teams who gave everything and it was a battle because it means so much to their countries.” As for the physical nature of the clash between two Celtic cousins, she added: “We matched them at their game, their game is physical and direct. “It was one of those patchy games with barely any flow, but we matched them and we said that. “It doesn’t matter how we win, whether we had to get into the ring with them and have an old-fashioned dust-up or get balls wide and find the second phase. “It doesn’t matter. We had to find a way to win. I have one player with a missing tooth, I have bloody players.” Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alertsTalon to Receive US$2.47 Million in Funding from the Defense Logistics AgencyTNT Sports, in Collaboration with NBA 2K and Genius Sports, to Present NBA 2K25 DataCast Alternative Telecast on truTV & Max for 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round Coverage
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 4:45 p.m. ESTKroger and Albertsons' plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history crumbled Wednesday, with Albertsons pulling out of the $24.6 billion deal and the two companies accusing each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through. Albertsons said it had filed a lawsuit against Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger said the claims were “baseless” and that Albertsons was not entitled to the fee. “After reviewing options, the company determined it is no longer in its best interests to pursue the merger,” Kroger said in a statement Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after two judges halted the proposed merger in separate court cases. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson in Oregon issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday blocking the merger until an in-house judge at the Federal Trade Commission could consider the matter. An hour later, Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson in Seattle issued a permanent injunction barring the merger . Ferguson ruled that combining Albertsons and Kroger would lessen competition and violate consumer-protection laws. The companies could have appealed the rulings or proceeded to the in-house FTC hearings. Albertsons' decision to pull out of deal instead surprised some industry experts. “I’m in a state of professional and commercial shock that they would take this scorched earth approach,” said Burt Flickinger, a longtime analyst and owner of retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. “The logical thing would have been for Albertsons to let the decision sink in for a day and then meet and see what could be done. But the lawsuit seems to make that a moot issue.” Albertsons is unlikely to find another merger partner because it has significant debt and underperforming stores in most of its markets., Flickinger said. Consumers will feel the most immediate impact of the deal's demise, he said, since Albertsons charges 12% to 14% more than Kroger and other grocery rivals. “They had so much debt they had to pay it off it's reflected in their pricing and promotional structure,” Flickinger said. Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran testified during the federal hearing in September that his company might consider “structural options” like laying off employees, closing stores and exiting certain markets if the merger with Kroger didn’t go through. “I would have to consider that,” he said. “It’s a dramatically different picture with the merger than without it.” But in a statement Wednesday, Sankaran said Albertsons would “start this next chapter in strong financial condition with a track record of positive business performance." In the company's most recent quarter, Albertsons' revenue rose 1% to $18.5 billion and it reported $7.9 billion in debt. Kroger said it would also move forward in a strong financial position, with revenue down slightly to $33.6 billion in its most recent quarter. The company announced a $7.5 billion share buyback program Wednesday after a two-year pause. Kroger and Albertsons first proposed the merger in 2022 . They argued that combining would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, which are gaining an increasing share of U.S. grocery sales. Together, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13% of the U.S. grocery market. Walmart controls around 22%. Under the merger agreement, Kroger and Albertsons — who compete in 22 states — agreed to sell 579 stores in places where their locations overlap to C&S Wholesale Grocers , a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. But the Federal Trade Commission and two states — Washington and Colorado — sued to block the merger earlier this year, saying it would raise prices and lower workers' wages by eliminating competition. It also said the divestiture plan was inadequate and that C&S was ill-equipped to take on so many stores. On Wednesday, Albertsons said that Kroger failed to exercise “best efforts” and to take “any and all actions” to secure regulatory approval of the companies’ agreed merger transaction. Albertsons said Kroger refused to divest the assets necessary for antitrust approval, ignored regulators' feedback and rejected divestiture buyers that would have been stronger than C&S. “Kroger’s self-serving conduct, taken at the expense of Albertsons and the agreed transaction, has harmed Albertsons’ shareholders, associates and consumers,” said Tom Moriarty, Albertsons’ general counsel, in a statement. Kroger said that it disagrees with Albertsons “in the strongest possible terms.” It said early Wednesday that Albertsons was responsible for “repeated intentional material breaches and interference throughout the merger process.” Kroger , based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons , based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people. Kroger sued the FTC in August in federal court in Ohio, claiming that the federal agency’s in-house administrative hearings were unlawful because the FTC was also able to challenge the merger in federal court in Oregon. In paperwork filed Wednesday, the FTC said it expected to update the court on its next steps in that case by Dec. 17. In Colorado, which also sued to block the merger, Attorney General Phil Weiser said Tuesday that he still was awaiting a decision from a state judge. In that case, Colorado also was challenging an allegedly illegal no-poach agreement Kroger and Albertsons made during a 2022 strike. Shares of Albertsons fell 1.5% Wednesday, while Kroger's stock was up 1%.
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Fleet Space lands $150 million, valuation rockets to $800 millionA FURIOUS shopper has accused Kroger of fraud after their items went up in price before being delivered - after ordering his groceries just the night before. The shopper took to X to blast the chain for the move which forced them to pay more than they thought they were when placing the order. On Thursday, X user John posted: "@kroger literally I ordered groceries last night, paid for them, had them delivered today, and before delivery the price went up? "I got charged again today because the price went up before delivery happened? "That's called fraud. I agreed to pay the price on my receipt." Kroger responded: "Hello John. We're sorry to know about this. read more in kroger "This is not the experience we want for our customers. "Kindly call us at 1-800-576-4377 or send us a DM with your shopper's card number, name, and email address so we can make things right. "Looking forward to hearing from you." KROGER DEALS Customers can expect lots of deals at Kroger this Christmas. Most read in Money The store has launched its 12 Merry Days of deals , which began on Wednesday. The grocery chain is offering customers a new daily discount until December 15th. Each offer will be available to clip within this period, for redemption on December 17th. "12 Merry Days of deals are just two days away and we can't wait to surprise customers each day with a new way to save big this holiday season," said Mike Murphy, Kroger's vie president of Merchandising. "During this special event, in addition to enjoying great savings, we hope customers have as much fun discovering daily offers as we did coming up with a festive lineup of incredible deals to help save during the busiest time of the year." Offers may be redeemed up to five times each in a single transaction. Products set to be included in the daily deals include goods for holiday hosting, seasonal merchandise, and fresh produce. And to participate in the 12 Merry Days, customers should visit the Kroger app on the select dates. Customers can avail of more than $600 in savings weekly using the digital coupons. There are more than 30,000 possibilities for customers to swipe through. KROGER FURY This is not the only time that Kroger have come under fire recently on social media . On November 29 , an angry shopper took to the social media p-platform X to complain about the supermarket always being out of the items they need. This forces them to go to other places when they are in need of a few bits. The post read: "Every single time I go there they are always out of something I need, so I end up driving 3x as far to Walmart . "I just ran to Kroger for two items, and they are out of both. From now on I'm just going to Walmart ." Kroger offers same day delivery via Instacart Shoppers can pay $6.95 for delivery within two hours. Those who need something quicker can get items in as little as 30 minutes. Orders must be a minimum of $10 to get quicker delivery. Customers can save $15 on their first delivery order of $75 or more Kroger replied: "Hi! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. "We Suggest you sending us private message to provide you with the best assistance, Thank you. Looking forward to hearing from you." The customer was quick to hit back at the response, saying that it was pointless , and not completely their fault. He wrote: "Why bother? I have been assured the issues are on the distribution side. Stores order product that doesn't show up." The post sparked responses from similarly annoyed customers. Read More on The US Sun One person said: "Yeah our Kroger used to be amazing. Had great butchers and everything. It's done totally downhill." Another commented: Made that bold move years ago."The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is ranked No. 54 on a recent list published by Times Higher Education, of the world’s best universities for interdisciplinary science research — making UNAM the No. 1 university in Latin America for that category. Times Higher Education — formerly a supplement of The Times of London before becoming an independent entity in 2008 — is a prominent British publication and data provider best known for its annual world university rankings. UNAM’s lofty position among the 749 universities on the list — representing 92 countries and territories — on THE’s inaugural list for interdisciplinary science research puts it ahead of every other university in Latin America. Interdisciplinary science refers research that integrates concepts, methods and perspectives from multiple scientific fields in order to address complex questions or problems that can’t effectively be studied within a single field. An example would be biophysics, which combines principles of biology and physics to study the mechanics of biological systems Among Latin American universities, No. 54 UNAM was followed by Brazil’s the University of Sao Paulo (No. 57), Pontifical Catholic University (No. 63) in Chile and Brazil’s Paulista State University (No. 84) in the top 100. Mexico’s prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (Monterrey Tech) appeared on the list at No. 139. 14 other Mexican universities received rankings, but none better than No. 250. UNAM — which former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador once chastised for becoming “individualistic” during the nation’s neoliberal period from 1982 to 2018 — is the largest educational institution in Mexico and one of the largest and most prestigious in Latin America. Its main campus in Mexico City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it also has satellite campuses and research centers across Mexico and abroad. THE lists UNAM’s overall enrollment at 175,968 students. The interdisciplinary sciences list was arrived at by using 11 indicators to evaluate the three main stages of research: funding, administrative support, and “output,” such as published studies, research quality and reputation. The top five schools on the list are MIT, Stanford University, the National University of Singapore, Cal Tech and Duke University. UNAM indicated in a bulletin that its inclusion on the list is thanks to its commitment to finding solutions to global challenges. According to the UNAM Statistical Agenda 2024, the university carried out 6,383 research projects in 2023 alone. THE also published an overall ranked list, the World University Rankings 2025, which was led by the United States with seven universities in the top 10. The top five on that list are the University of Oxford (for the ninth year in a row), MIT, Harvard, Princeton and the University of Cambridge. Stanford dropped from second to sixth from last year. UNAM achieved a nonspecific ranking on this list that falls between No. 801 and No. 1,000. Monterrey Tech ranked higher, appearing in the No. 601– No. 800 group. Autonomous University of Sinaloa appeared in the No. 1,201–No. 1,500 group, while 19 Mexican universities were included in the No. 1,500+ group. With reports from El País and Times Higher EducationOn Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here . ___ Getting benched may have been the best thing that happened to Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson. Both second-year quarterbacks are playing well since returning to the starting lineup. Young has steadily improved after coming back in Week 8. He’s displayed the skills that earned him a Heisman Trophy at Alabama and convinced the Carolina Panthers to draft him ahead of C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Young had his best game on Sunday, nearly leading Carolina to an overtime win over Tampa Bay if it weren’t for Chuba Hubbard’s fumble in field-goal range. He threw for 298 yards and a go-ahead touchdown pass in the final minute of a 26-23 loss . Young almost led the Panthers to a win over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs a week earlier only to see Patrick Mahomes drive Kansas City into position for a winning field goal as time expired. Rookie coach Dave Canales benched Young for veteran Andy Dalton after just two games in which he had a 44.1 passer rating. The 23-year-old has completed 60.4% of his passes for 1,062 yards, six TDs and three interceptions — none in the past three games — while going 2-3 in the five starts since Young got another opportunity to lead the Panthers (3-9). Richardson has led Indianapolis to a pair of comeback wins late in the fourth quarter in three starts after he regained his starting job. The Colts (6-7) selected Richardson No. 4 last year and he started just 10 games before coach Shane Steichen benched him for Joe Flacco in Week 9. Richardson completed only 44.4% of his passes with four TDs and seven picks in his first six starts. He’s improved to 52.4% with three TDs and two picks since coming back. The 22-year-old tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce on fourth-and-goal with 12 seconds remaining and then ran in for a 2-point conversion to lift the Colts to a 25-24 win over New England on Sunday. Young and Richardson both have a long way to go to prove they can be franchise quarterbacks. But there’s far more optimism now that they’re not busts. Young is on his third head coach and second offensive coordinator in two seasons. Canales is known for getting the best out of quarterbacks, helping Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield revive their careers. He made a bold decision to bench Young after just two games but that allowed him to watch, grow and learn without the pressure of having to perform. Now it appears Young might have a future in Carolina when that seemed unlikely in September. Richardson just needs more experience. He threw only 393 passes in college and started four games as a rookie before he was injured. Steichen’s decision to bench him for Flacco didn’t work out. Flacco, who was the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year last year after leading Cleveland to the playoffs by going 4-1 in five starts, struggled in two games. Still, that gave Richardson a chance to reset after tapping out for a play in the game before he was benched. Quarterbacks need time to develop. They can’t be judged fairly after one or two seasons, especially when they were high draft picks who joined bad teams that lacked talent. Clock management blunders Matt Eberflus lost his job as Chicago’s head coach a day after he watched the offense run out of time with a timeout in hand, missing an opportunity to push Detroit to overtime on Thanksgiving. But Antonio Pierce made an even worse decision on Black Friday that cost the Raiders a chance to beat the Chiefs. Aidan O’Donnell drove Las Vegas to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. Instead of trying for a game-winning field goal down 19-17, Pierce wanted O’Donnell to take the snap, allow more time to tick and throw the ball away. But O’Donnell wasn’t ready for the snap, the Chiefs recovered the fumble and escaped with the win. aManaging the clock shouldn’t be this difficult for NFL head coaches. Tucker’s troubles Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is having the worst season of his 13-year career. If he wasn’t one of the best kickers in NFL history, Baltimore would’ve made a switch already. But coach John Harbaugh has too much respect for Tucker, who began the season as the most accurate kicker in league history. Tucker has missed a career-high eight field-goal attempts, including two in a 24-19 loss to Philadelphia. Harbaugh, a former special teams coach, isn’t planning to replace Tucker. But the Ravens (8-5) have Super Bowl aspirations and Tucker needs to straighten things out. One solution would be to place him on injured reserve to work on his technique. In this case, Tucker has earned the right not to be released. Plus, he’s signed through 2027. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press
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Warner Bros Discovery re-enters the spin zoneIt’s World Cup weekend at Beaver Creek which is an amazing opportunity to see a fast-paced sport that is watched all over the world in person and for free. If you don’t know the difference between a super-G and a giant slalom, however, here’s a primer on what you need to know going into race weekend. First of all, when you say World Cup, people may think you are talking about soccer, but this is the ski racing at its finest — the White Circus as it is affectionately called throughout the season by racers, coaches, ski technicians and those who track the sport. The official name of this event is the Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS World Cup, with the FIS standing for the International Federation of Skiing, the highest governing body of the races. Birds of Prey is the name of the course that’s on the Golden Eagle trail in the Talons area of Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek will host three races this weekend, the downhill on Friday at 11 a.m., the super-G on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and the giant slalom on Sunday with the first race at 10 a.m. followed by a second run at 1 p.m. that will consist of the top 30 racers who advanced to the second run based on their race times during the first run. The downhill and the super-G are speed events while the giant slalom is a technical event. Speed events are classified as having longer distances, higher speeds and fewer gates than the technical events. World Cup ski races are timed events — the clock doesn’t lie, and the first one to the bottom wins. The Birds of Prey course was built in the summer of 1997 in order to host the World Alpine Ski Championships in 1999, which is an international event held every other year on odd-numbered years that names the top skiers in six events. The course was designed by Bernhard Russi of Switzerland. Russi was a ski racer who later took his expertise and designed downhill race courses around the world. Interestingly enough, Denver had been picked to host the 1976 Winter Olympic Games and Beaver Creek would host the alpine ski racing events. The citizens of Colorado, however, voted down hosting in 1972 because many thought it would lead to too much development. Denver became the only city in the history of the modern Olympic era to win the Games and then give them up. The Birds of Prey course is noted by ski racers and coaches as being not only extremely physically challenging but also mentally demanding. After coming off of the relatively flat Flyway section at the top, it’s game on. Stacked terrain, jumps and fast turns await, and in a little over a minute and a half, the racers are at the finish line. Different areas of the course have been named after American ski racers who have dominated on one of the only stops on American soil. Ligety’s Legacy is named after Ted Ligety, Miller’s Revenge is named after Bode Miller and Rahlves Roll is named after Daron Rahlves. Rahlves became the first American to win at the Birds of Prey downhill in 2003. The top of the downhill course, the longest of the three races this weekend, stands at 11,424 feet above sea level and the finish elevation is 8,954, making for a vertical drop of 2,470 feet over a distance of 8,303 feet. A course map can be found at BCWorldCup.com if you want to see the different sections and learn the stats for the super-G and giant slalom. The surface of the course is rock-hard. The course crew works tirelessly to keep the course in pristine condition from the first racer to the last each day. The Talons Crew is a dedicated group of course workers, many of them volunteers, and their efforts are always praised by the ski racers both domestic and foreign. The course is actually injected with water, so think of an ice rink — except it’s at a steep angle. The Golden Eagle Run will be closed to the public for a while after the races. Other ski teams may come to train here and it takes a while to return it to civilian use, but if you get a chance to ski or snowboard from the top of Birds of Prey (No. 9) to the bottom of Talons once it is back open, go for it, and keep track of your time and see how you measure up against Daron Rahlves and Bode Miller. Park at the Elk or Bear lots in Avon by the Beaver Creek entrance ($13 per day or free after 1 p.m.) and then take the free shuttle bus up to Beaver Creek Village and then hop on another free shuttle bus that will take you from Beaver Creek Village to Red Tail Stadium. Once the bus drops you off at the race venue, you will need to climb several stairs and walk on snow, so wear appropriate footwear. Allow about an hour to get from your parked car to Red Tail Stadium and go early to avoid lines on the buses. This is a very popular event. Once you get up there, the music will be pumping and a very funny emcee named Uncle E will entertain you with fun facts, interviews, trivia and prize giveaways. Drinks and concessions are available for purchase. Due to the abundant snowfall and the hard work of the crews at Beaver Creek, ski-in, ski-out access is available this year. Bring your Epic Pass or purchase a lift ticket and board the Centennial Express (No. 6) and then follow the signs to the venue. Skiers and snowboarders will have access to the course via the slopes from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. each race day and can exit the venue by either taking the Birds of Prey (No. 9) lift between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. or by skiing and snowboarding down the Dally run to the Beaver Creek Village base area. Beaver Creek’s atmosphere is electrified this weekend as a multitude of vendor booths with all sorts of giveaways and product samples will be handed out. There is also a full schedule of bands and DJs filling the village with music after the races are done. Autograph signings will happen throughout the weekend as well, with the Men’s U.S. Ski Team doing a signing at 3 p.m. at Gorsuch and Ted Ligety signing his name at Kjus at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. On Saturday, River Radamus will be at the Celsius booth signing autographs at 4 p.m. Fun fact about Radamus, who grew up in the Vail Valley and trained with Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, he had posters on his wall of Ted Ligety up until he was named to the same team as Ligety before Mr. GS retired in 2021. So, you never know which of the kids at the autograph signings will become the next stars of the sport. At the Vilar Performing Arts Center, check out “75,” the latest installment of the Warren Miller franchise which commemorates 75 years of filmmaking at 5 and 8 p.m. on Friday. Also on Friday, stick around for the bib draw at 6 p.m. where the bib numbers the racers pick will determine the order they descend down the hill on Saturday. Fireworks will close out the bib Draw at 6:30 p.m. After the races on Saturday, the big highlight of the afternoon in the village will be the Beers of Prey at 2 p.m., featuring samples of plenty of Colorado beers and from locations beyond. This is a ticketed event, and prices go up to $45 the day of the beer tasting. For more historical information, results from past years, statistics of the course, racers to watch and entertainment lineup, go to BCWorldCup.com .