The Miami Hurricanes, who once appeared to be a near-lock for the College Football Playoff, are not playing for a national title. Instead, they will play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. That bowl berth against Iowa State is a let-down for fans with dreams of a sixth national title in their minds, as well as players hoping to compete for a championship. However, Miami’s trip to Orlando and the lead-up to it are still crucial periods for the Hurricanes for multiple reasons. First, it’s a chance for the program to achieve something it has not done in more than two decades: win 11 games. Although the 11th win won’t get them closer to a championship, it is a good sign of the program’s progress over Mario Cristobal’s tenure. It would also end UM’s five-game losing streak in bowls. “We’re not satisfied,” Cristobal said. “We want to win every single game. We won 10. We were close on the other two, but close isn’t good enough. We want progress. We’re hungry and driven to get better, and so that’s what our focus is on: to improving as a football program, to getting better, to moving into the postseason with an opportunity against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.” There are signs the Hurricanes will show up at close to full strength for the bowl game. Running back Damien Martinez announced he was going to play, and star quarterback Cam Ward said in a video call posted on social media that he intends to play, as well. “We’re trying to win our first bowl game in 20 years,” Ward said in the video, mistaking the length of UM’s long bowl losing streak. “We’re going hard.” Playing in the bowl game also provides the opportunity for the Hurricanes to get in several practices between now and the game. That means Miami can develop its young players and prepare them for next season during both the practices and the bowl game itself. “It’s extremely valuable,” Cristobal said. “You really don’t have many opportunities throughout the course of the year — time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes. I want to state this and be very clear: it’s very important, it’s ultra-important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities ... You learn a lot about your team and learn a lot about your people and your program when you head to the postseason.” Of course, there are potential negatives. Players can get hurt; Mark Fletcher Jr. suffered a foot injury in the Pinstripe Bowl last year that cost him all of spring practice. A poor performance can also potentially set the tone for next season, like how Florida State, fresh off a playoff snub last year, suffered a devastating loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl and went on to a dismal 2-10 season this year. “This is the ending of ’24 and the beginning of ’25,” Cristobal said. “This is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the offseason. So it is, in essence, it is the most important game because it’s the next game. “There’s a lot of excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys. Our guys love to play football. The chance to play one more time with this special group — this is a special group of guys now. They’ve worked hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami, and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami. So certainly a ton to play for.” ____ Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Commanders place kicker Austin Seibert on injured reserve
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Clarke Reed , a Mississippi businessman who developed the Republican Party in his home state and across the South starting in the 1960s, died Sunday at his home in Greenville, Mississippi. He was 96. Reed was chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party from 1966 to 1976, beginning at a time when Democrats still dominated in the region. During the 1976 Republican National Convention, delegates were closely divided between President Gerald Ford and former California Gov. Ronald Reagan. Reed united the Mississippi delegation behind Ford — a move that created a decadeslong feud with William D. “Billy” Mounger, another wealthy businessman who was prominent in the Mississippi Republican Party. Reed recalled in a 2016 interview with The Associated Press that delegates faced considerable pressure. Movie stars visited Mississippi's 30 delegates to push for Reagan, and Betty Ford called on behalf of her husband. Reagan met twice with the Mississippi delegation — once with his proposed running mate, Pennsylvania Sen. Richard Schweiker — and once without, according Haley Barbour, who was executive director of the Mississippi Republican Party in 1976 and served as the state's governor from 2004 to 2012. “Everybody was coming to see us," Reed said. “These poor people had never seen this before, the average delegate.” Mississippi delegates were showing the stress at a meeting away from the convention floor in Kansas City, Reed said. “I looked out, and about half of them were crying," he said. Reed initially supported Reagan, but said he moved into the Ford camp because he thought Reagan made “a hell of a mistake” by choosing a more liberal northeastern running mate in a gambit to win support of the unpledged Pennsylvania delegation. “In my opinion, Reagan was the best president of my lifetime. I didn’t know that then,” Reed said in 2016. “And had he been elected with Schweiker, he might’ve gotten a bullet one inch over and Schweiker would’ve been president.” Ford won the party nomination during the convention, then lost the general election to Jimmy Carter, the Democratic former governor of Georgia. Reed was born in Alliance, Ohio, in 1928, and his family moved to Caruthersville, Missouri, when he was about six months old. He earned a business degree from the University of Missouri in 1950. He and Barthell Joseph, a friend he had met at a high school boarding school, founded an agriculture equipment business called Reed-Joseph International, which used technology to scare birds away from farms and airports. Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi said Monday that Reed was “a mentor, supporter and advisor to me for over 56 years." Wicker said he was 21 when Reed put him on the Republican Platform Committee in 1972. “There is no more significant figure in the development of the modern day Mississippi Republican Party than Clarke Reed,” Wicker wrote on social media. “Our state has lost a giant."None
The Washington Commanders put kicker Austin Seibert on injured reserve Tuesday, just over 48 hours since he missed an extra point that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left against Dallas. Seibert also missed a field-goal attempt and another extra point in the loss to the Cowboys. He missed the previous two games with a right hip injury but said afterward he was fine and made the decision to play. The Commanders filled that roster spot by signing running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. off their practice squad. Austin Ekeler had a concussion and Brian Robinson Jr. sprained an ankle Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflNone
The widespread nature of the oil price decline suggests that global economic conditions are evolving rapidly, with implications for both developed and developing economies. As fuel prices continue to plummet, it remains to be seen how governments, businesses, and consumers will adjust their strategies and behaviors in response to these profound changes.Moreover, a lack of sleep can weaken the immune system, making us more susceptible to illnesses and infections. Research has shown that individuals who consistently get less than the recommended amount of sleep are at a higher risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression. The implications of chronic sleep deprivation on our physical health cannot be ignored.For the third straight postseason, Port Neches-Groves and South Oak Cliff will square off. After playing for the Texas UIL 5A Division II title each of the past two seasons, this time the Indians face the Golden Bears Friday night for the 5A DII Region II title. Two years ago, SOC defeated PNG, 34-24 to win state, but the Indians turned the tables on the Golden Bears in last year’s 5A DII title tilt, prevailing 20-17. So, who will take the rubber match between the two teams this time around on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. We’re about to find out. How to watch Port Neches-Groves vs. South Oak Cliff in 2024 Texas High School Football playoffs: Live stream, game time Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from Nacogdoches. Scroll down for live score and game updates from kickoff to the postgame. Refresh this page for the latest. PORT NECHES-GROVES VS. SOUTH OAK CLIFF Refresh for latest PREGAME - Coming to you from Nacogdoches as Port Neches-Groves faces South Oak Cliff for the third straight postseason, this time with the 5A Division II Region II championship at stake. ABOUT PORT NECHES-GROVES (12-1) PNG started out this season 7-0 before a 24-21 loss to Nederland on Oct. 25. The Indians have won five straight since, the latest a wild back-and-forth 31-28 win against Texarkana Texas High in last week’s regional semifinals. ABOUT SOUTH OAK CLIFF (11-2) The Golden Bears dropped their opening two games, falling to 6A DI title contenders Galena Park North Shore and Duncanville. The following week, SOC edged Longview, 45-44, jumpstarting the Bears to a current 11-game win streak, including a 35-7 win against Marshall in last week’s regional semis.Avante Announces Timing of Fiscal Second Quarter Investor Webinar
In a surprising turn of events, Chinese concept stocks experienced a night of revelry as the Golden Dragon Index surged by a remarkable 8.5%, sending market sentiment soaring to unprecedented heights. Investors were greeted with a flurry of positive news and robust performances from leading Chinese companies, sparking a wave of optimism that rippled through the global financial markets.