Thankfully, the field for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff was set Sunday morning. Had the process lasted another week, it might have ripped the sport apart and pitted conference commissioners against each other in steel-cage matches. Not everything sparked outrage when the CFP selection committee revealed the pairings. Oregon and Georgia were the top-two seeds, as expected. Boise State, champion of the Mountain West, and Arizona State, which won the Big 12, received the No. 3 and 4 seeds, respectively, and will have opening-round byes. Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State will play home games in the opening round. But that’s where the relative peace and tranquility ended. The committee granted the final at-large berth to SMU, not Alabama, and you could instantly imagine smoke billowing from the nostrils of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. Alabama (9-3) had more quality wins and played a vastly tougher schedule than the Mustangs (11-2) but also had uglier losses than the ACC runner-up. That wasn’t the only flashpoint. Boise State was seeded higher than Arizona State despite a weaker schedule — an outcome that sends the Broncos to the Fiesta Bowl (Glendale) for their quarterfinal game and forces the Sun Devils to play in the Peach Bowl (Atlanta). The debate Sunday was simply a continuation of the past five weeks, which featured athletic directors squabbling on social media, conference commissioners squawking over resumes and the committee chair himself, Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, seemingly contradicting the stated selection criteria. All of it unfolded under the threat of demolition. Two months ago, executives from the SEC and Big Ten gathered in Nashville to discuss the future of the sport. At the conclusion of the summit, Sankey, the most powerful figure in the sport, told reporters that the CFP process “just has to go incredibly well.” You did not need a master’s degree in political gamesmanship to grasp the meaning. If the SEC and Big Ten were less than satisfied with their allotments of bids and seeds, they would force changes to the selection process. Specifically, the behemoths would grant themselves a truckload of automatic bids, reduce access for the other conferences and, potentially, disband the selection committee altogether. Needless to say, the process did not go “incredibly well” for the SEC. In fact, it could not have gone much worse. In addition to Alabama’s exclusion, Tennessee lost the No. 8-9 seed showdown against Ohio State and will open the playoff in Columbus. Meanwhile, three-loss South Carolina was left out entirely one week after winning at three-loss Clemson, while the Tigers advanced to the CFP with the ACC’s automatic bid. (In the committee’s final rankings, South Carolina was one spot above Clemson.) The repercussions could ripple through the sport for years. Earlier this week, another warning flare went skyward from SEC country when Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne on the social media platform X: The implication was clear: If Alabama’s schedule strength wasn’t rewarded, the Crimson Tide would rethink the merits of playing A-level non-conference games in the first half of September. Alabama faced Wisconsin this season and has booked upcoming series with Florida State, Ohio State and Notre Dame. Those could be in jeopardy. Why risk the loss when the benefits of scheduling the game are limited? And if Alabama cancels marquee matchups, other SEC schools will assuredly follow — potentially sapping the sport of must-see intersectional duels that energize the September competition calendar. Asked on ESPN about the non-conference scheduling issue, Manuel, the committee chair and Michigan’s athletic director, offered the following: “I would just say, you need to schedule the games you feel are best for your team and your fan base.” Given the unprecedented nature of the season — with the expanded playoff and engorged conferences — there was no reason to expect a smooth ride from early November, when the first CFP rankings were released, through selection day. Related Articles But the gaffes, misreads and contradictions by the 13-person committee were frequent and severe. Head-to-head results, schedule strength and quality wins were shoved to the background as the committee, loaded with former coaches, prioritized win-loss record. It was as if the coaches were collectively channeling their inner Lou Holtz — the former Notre Dame coach was the ultimate sandbagger — and determined a 74- point win over Western Illinois (by Indiana) was equivalent to a 15-point win at Texas (by Georgia). “One of the things we really need to do,” said Nick Saban, the ESPN analyst and former Alabama coach, “is (recognize) all wins are not the same as the other wins.” There were risks to selecting Alabama over SMU, as well. Had the committee excluded the Mustangs following their loss to Clemson in the ACC championship — on a walk-off field goal, no less — the decision would have undermined the credibility of conference title games. “The committee is going to lose no matter what they do,” ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said. But just as not all wins are created equal, neither are all losses. Alabama’s out, the SEC is seething and major changes are coming to the CFP as a result.Hintz begins third-period goal barrage as Stars beat Flames 6-2
The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Thursday, Dec. 5 AUTO RACING 4:25 a.m. (Friday) ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CHAMPIONS HOCKEY LEAGUE 1 p.m. NHLN — Zurich at Berlin COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 6:30 p.m. FS1 — Purdue at Penn St. COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 5 p.m. ESPN2 — Kentucky at North Carolina 6 p.m. ACCN — Auburn at Virginia 7 p.m. ESPN — Texas at Notre Dame ESPN2 — Mississippi St. at NC State SECN — Boston College at Arkansas 8 p.m. ACCN — Florida at Clemson 9 p.m. ESPN — Duke at South Carolina ESPN2 — Stanford at LSU ESPNU — Alabama at California SECN — SMU at Missouri COLLEGE HOCKEY (MEN’S) 7:30 p.m. BTN — Penn St. at Ohio St. GOLF 4 a.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The Nedbank Golf Challenge, First Round, Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa 1:30 p.m. GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, First Round, Albany Golf Club, Nassau, Bahamas 4 a.m. (Friday) GOLF — DP World Tour: The Nedbank Golf Challenge, Second Round, Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa HORSE RACING Noon FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races NBA BASKETBALL 7 p.m. NBATV — Denver at Cleveland 10 p.m. NBATV — Houston at Golden State NFL FOOTBALL 8:15 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Green Bay at Detroit SOCCER (MEN’S) 3:15 p.m. USA — Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur at Bournemouth The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed higher on Wall Street, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to another all-time high. The Dow added 1% Monday to the record it set on Friday. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Treasury yields eased in the bond market after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Smaller companies can feel a big boost from easier borrowing costs, and the Russell 2000 index of small stocks jumped 1.5%, closing just shy of the record high it set three years ago. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is set to break more records Monday as U.S. stocks rise to add to last week’s gains. The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and sitting just below its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 397 points, or 0.9%, to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher. Treasury yields also eased in the bond market amid what some analysts called a “Bessent bounce” after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants , a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Bessent has argued for reducing the U.S. government’s deficit, which is how much more it spends than it takes in through tax and other revenue. Such an approach could soothe that Trump’s policies may lead to a much bigger deficit, which in turn would put upward pressure on Treasury yields. After climbing above 4.44% immediately after Trump’s election, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell back to 4.26% Monday and down from 4.41% late Friday. That’s a notable move, and lower yields help make it cheaper for all kinds of companies and households to borrow money. They also give a boost to prices for stocks and other investments. That helped stocks of smaller companies lead the way, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped 2%. It’s set to top its all-time high, which was set three years ago. Smaller companies can feel bigger boosts from lower borrowing costs because of the need of many to borrow to grow. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks the market’s expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with overnight interest rates, also eased sharply. The Fed began just a couple months ago from a two-decade high, hoping to keep the after bringing high to its 2% target. But immediately after Trump’s victory, traders had reduced bets for how many cuts the Fed may deliver next year. They were worried Trump's preference for lower tax rates and higher spending on the border would balloon the national debt. . A report coming on Wednesday could influence how much the Fed may cut rates. Economists expect it to show that an underlying inflation trend the Fed prefers to use accelerated to 2.8% last month from 2.7% in September. Higher inflation would make the Fed more reluctant to cut rates as deeply or as quickly as it would otherwise. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle expects that to slow by the end of next year to 2.4%, but he said inflation would be even lower if not for expected tariff increases on imports from China and autos favored by Trump. In the stock market, jumped 19.1% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The seller of personal care products and home fragrances also raised its financial forecasts for the full year, even though it still sees a “volatile retail environment” and a shorter holiday shopping season this year. Much focus has been on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. Last week, two major retailers sent mixed messages. after giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Another big retailer, Macy’s, said Monday its sales for the latest quarter were in line with its expectations, but it will delay the release of its full financial results. It found a and it needs more time to complete its investigation. Macy’s stock fell 2.9%. Among the market's leaders were several companies related to the housing industry. Monday's drop in Treasury yields could translate into easier mortgage rates, which could spur activity for housing. Builders FirstSource, a supplier or building materials, rose 6.2%. Homebuilders, D.R. Horton, PulteGroup and Lennar all rose at least 5.8%. In stock markets abroad, indexes moved modestly across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia. In the crypto market, was trading around $96,800 after threatening to hit $100,000 late last week for the first time. ___ AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated Press
President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday nominated Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the US ambassador to France, in the latest of several controversial picks. Kushner "is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump said on his Truth Social website, adding that Jared "worked closely with me in the White House." The choice is in keeping with Trump's pattern, so far, of selecting people, often wealthy, who are close to his family or of proven loyalty. Kushner is a multimillionaire real estate executive and former attorney; his son was a senior adviser during Trump's first term. Trump did not mention, however, that the elder Kushner once served jail time -- a two-year sentence, most of it served in a federal prison. Kushner, who is now 70, pleaded guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions. The case, which was prosecuted by then US attorney Chris Christie, included sordid details, to which Kushner admitted: that he had hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, a man cooperating in a campaign finance inquiry, and then videotaped the encounter and sent it to the man's wife, Kushner's sister, to dissuade her from testifying against him. Christie, who worked on Trump's first presidential transition team and then opposed him in this year's Republican primary contests, later said Kushner had committed a "loathsome" and "disgusting crime." In 2020, Trump issued a pardon to Kushner, whose conviction had resulted in him being disbarred in three states. Nominees for key ambassadorships are often business associates of a president-elect, or major political donors. But it is rare, if not unprecedented, to name a convicted felon. The first two men to fill the prestigious Paris post were famed inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin and a future president, Thomas Jefferson. If confirmed, Kushner would succeed Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium who was a major Democratic fundraiser and donor. md/bbk/mdGun found on suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO matches shell casings at scene, police say ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) — New York City’s police commissioner says the gun found on the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO matches shell casings found at the crime scene. Commissioner Jessica Tisch also said Wednesday that lab results matched suspect Luigi Mangione’s prints to a water bottle and a snack bar wrapper found near the scene of the killing. Police had said earlier that they believed the gunman bought the items at a nearby coffee shop while awaiting his target. Mangione is jailed in Pennsylvania on weapon and forgery charges, but he also has been charged in New York with murder in Brian Thompson's death. His lawyer has noted that Mangione is presumed innocent. Authorities are scrutinizing evidence and the suspect’s experiences with the health care industry. Arguments over whether Luigi Mangione is a 'hero' offer a glimpse into an unusual American moment Memes and online posts in support of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who's charged with killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO, have mushroomed online. Some cast Mangione as a hero. That's too far, says Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a rising Democrat who was almost the Democratic vice presidential nominee this year. CEO Brian Thompson's death touched off off these ripples. They offer a glimpse into how so many different aspects of 21st-century life can be surreally connected, from public violence to politics, from health care to humor, or attempts at it. FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. The announcement Wednesday comes a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the position. His impending resignation will bring him three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations. Trump applauded the news Wednesday, saying it will end the weaponization of what he called the “Department of Injustice.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. The Trump and Biden teams insist they're working hand in glove on foreign crises WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t think much of Joe Biden’s foreign policy record. He frequently casts the outgoing Democratic president as a feckless leader who shredded American credibility around the world during his four-year term. But the Trump and Biden national security teams have come to an understanding that they have no choice but to work together as conflicts in Gaza, Syria and Ukraine have left a significant swath of the world on a knife’s edge. It’s fuzzy how much common ground Biden and Trump’s teams have found as they navigate crises that threaten to cause more global upheaval as Trump prepares to settle back into the White House. Syrians flock to morgues looking for loved ones who perished in Assad's prisons DAMASCUS (AP) — Many bodies have been found in Syrian detention centers and prisons since President Bashar al-Assad's government fell. Now Syrians around the world are circulating images of the corpses in hopes that they will see slain loved ones whose fate had been a mystery. At the morgue visited by The Associated Press on Wednesday in Damascus, families flocked to a wall where some of the pictures were pinned in a haunting gallery of the dead. Relatives desperately scanned the images for a recognizable face. Some of the prisoners died just weeks ago. Others perished months earlier. US warns Russia may be ready to use new lethal missile against Ukraine again in 'coming days' WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh cited a U.S. intelligence assessment in telling reporters on Wednesday that an attack could come “in the coming days.” She says the U.S. does not consider the Oreshnik missile a game changer on the battlefield. But that Russia is using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for an advantage that will give them leverage in any negotiations to end the war. The Russian Defense Ministry also is warning it may retaliate against Kyiv for an attack on a military base in the Rostov region in southern Russia on Wednesday. Israeli strikes on Gaza kill at least 33 including children, Palestinian medics say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 33 people. One of the strikes hit a home where displaced people were sheltering in the isolated north, killing 19. A separate strike outside nearby Kamal Adwan Hospital killed a woman and her two children, and another strike in central Gaza killed at least seven people. Israel's military says it tries to avoid harming civilians and accuses militants of hiding among them, putting their lives in danger. Local health officials say Israel’s retaliatory offensive after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 has killed over 44,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Hannah Kobayashi, missing Hawaii woman whose disappearance prompted a massive search, is found safe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe. That’s according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Kobayashi vanished last month in Los Angeles. The missing Hawaii woman's disappearance prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation. It was not immediately clear where she was found, but police previously said she had voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico. The LAPD said Wednesday the department will wrap up its investigation. Kobayashi's family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov. 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic, just alarming” text messages. Kobayashi’s mother and sister said they are “grateful” she has been found safe. Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. But when exactly? ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia scored a major win in its campaign to attract major sports events to the kingdom when it was formally appointed as the 2034 World Cup host on Wednesday. Still, many questions remain about the tournament. Key issues include during which part of the year to stage the tournament, where to play the games, whether alcohol will be allowed at all and how to protect workers rights in the massive construction projects required to host the World Cup.
A musical inspired by viral Olympic breakdancer Raygun was shut down hours before it was due to open on Saturday, after lawyers representing the athlete threatened legal action, the show's creator said on social media. Steph Broadbridge, an Australian comedian who wrote and intended to star in "Raygun: The Musical," said in a video posted on Instagram that the breakdancer's "lawyers got in touch with the venue and threatened legal action." In its debut performance at Sydney venue Kinselas, the parody musical intended to retell the story of Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, widely known as Raygun, whose performance at the Paris Olympics spawned countless memes on social media as well as a backlash against her and the sport itself. The 37-year-old dancer's routine consisted of moves including a kangaroo hop, a backward roll and various contortions with her body while lying or crawling on the floor. She did not register a single point across her Olympic battles against breakers from the United States, France and Lithuania in August, losing 18-0 in all three rounds. "They were worried I was damaging her brand, which I would never do," said Broadbridge, adding: "They were very concerned that people would think that Rachael Gunn was affiliated with the musical. "I want to assure everyone that she will not be part of the show. She's very welcome to come; I would love for her to see it." Broadbridge said that anyone who had bought a ticket would be refunded their 10 Australian dollars ($6.45). The proceeds from the event were originally intended to be donated to the Women's and Girls Emergency Centre - a charity that supports women and children affected by homelessness, domestic violence and systemic disadvantage. She added that Gunn's lawyers trademarked the musical's poster, which featured a silhouette of the breakdancer's famous kangaroo hop and said she couldn't perform that dance as Gunn "owns" it. "That one did puzzle me - I mean, that's an Olympic-level dance. How would I possibly be able to do that without any formal breakdancing training?" Broadbridge said. The musical was advertised as including songs like "You May Be a B-girl But You'll Always Be an A-girl To Me," "I'm Breaking Down," and "I Would Have Won But I Pulled a Muscle," according to its Eventbrite listing. That listing now says the show is called "Breaking: The Musical." CNN has contacted Gunn's management team at the agency Born Bred for comment. In a statement to CNN affiliate 7news, the agency said that "Gunn's management and legal team is committed to protecting her intellectual property and ensuring that her brand remains strong and respected." "While we have immense respect for the credible work and effort that has gone into the development of the show, we must take necessary steps to safeguard Rachael's creative rights and the integrity of her work," it said. "This action is not intended to diminish the contributions of others, but rather to ensure her brand is properly represented and protected in all future endeavours." After the furor, Broadbridge apologized to Gunn for "any negativity" she had received as a result of the musical and told The Project that this was "supposed to be me trying to make you feel like the icon I believe that you can be in Australia." The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.