'With Cole, you have to expect anything': Palmer praise from Enzo Maresca after Chelsea penalty heroicsI am so happy we have this amazing opportunity to honor a true spirit of beckley – Tony Kelly! While Tony was born and raised in Canada and has such an interesting story of how he and his beautiful wife Joanne really took a leap of faith and came to Southern West Virginia and Beckley, the community has certainly benefited from that leap of faith. Tony is an icon in the medical field. I can’t even imagine the number of lives he has touched throughout his career here in Southern West Virginia. Not only has he worked tirelessly to serve the residents of Southern West Virginia through his career, he has also been a mentor to so many doctors in our communities as well as serving in leadership roles in the hospitals where he has worked. Last year he received the honor of being named the inaugural director for Region 6 of the West Virginia First Foundation Board which was organized by Governor Justice to help distribute the settlement money won by the state in the lawsuits against opioid manufacturers. With his many years of emergency room medicine, he is the perfect person to represent the 11 counties in Region 6. While he certainly has made a lasting professional impact in the medical community, that is nothing compared to the commitment and love he has for his family. I know how proud Tony is of his daughter Aryn and son Ryan. I am so happy that his two children have decided to come back to our community to raise their families. He and Joanne are not only great parents, but I know they are really thrilled to be called Pop and Nan by their beautiful grandchildren. He and Joanne are the proud grandparents of Ryan’s two children, Emmy and Leo, and Aryn’s three children, Willa, Ada, and Margaret. He and Joanne are both very involved with their grandchildren and can be seen at soccer games, basketball games, swimming pools, dance studios, etc., watching and cheering on the grandkids! The Kelly Family Foundation has done so much for our community in supporting a number of organizations that provide social services to those in need, with an emphasis on children. Tony is a very humble person and it really took some arm twisting and fast talking to convince him he is the epitome of what the Spirit of Beckley stands for and is truly worthy of this honor! Nancy Kissinger Co-ChairWhy Man United are not as bad as they seem: Stats show Ruben Amorim deserves some praise — and patience | Sporting NewsCSO Decries Poor Funding, State Of Infrastructure At Akwa Ibom Judiciary
Dubai [UAE], November 22 (ANI): Former Union Minister Smriti Irani launched the Indian People's Forum (IPF) Women Council at the India Club in Dubai on Friday. Irani said that the step is aimed at amplifying Indian women's voices in the UAE. Also Read | Hush Money Case: Judge Postpones US President-Elect Donald Trump’s Sentencing Indefinitely. "Empowering Women, Elevating Voices Delighted to launch the IPF Women Council at India Club, Dubai--a significant step by IPF UAE in amplifying the voices of Indian women in the UAE. This landmark initiative represents a renewed commitment to supporting Indian women in diverse fields and celebrating their incredible contributions globally," Irani wrote in a post on X. https://x.com/smritiirani/status/1859977079388872969 Also Read | France Shocker: Man Rapes Daughter For Years, Offers Her to Strangers For Sex; Sentenced to 20 Years in Jail. "My heartfelt compliments to the IPF family for their dedication to empowerment and for showcasing the vibrancy of Indian womanhood on the world stage. Wishing the Women Council immense success on this transformative journey!" she added. In a landmark gathering aimed at strengthening the historic ties between India and the UAE, Irani joined an exclusive roundtable discussion hosted by Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Ajman Government Executive Council, The roundtable, titled 'India-UAE Synergies: Exploring Strategic Market Opportunities in India', was held at Sheikh Rashid's residence and brought together prominent business leaders and investors from the UAE, as per the statement. https://x.com/smritiirani/status/1859899173291606369 The event, moderated by Ashwin Fernandes, author of MODIALOGUE: Conversations for a Viksit Bharat and Executive Director - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, was designed to foster dialogue on economic collaboration between the two nations. The discussions revolved around India's rapid socio-economic transformation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the immense opportunities it presents for UAE-based Indian-origin businesses and investors. https://x.com/smritiirani/status/1859938498985484651 Highlighting the significance of the event, Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi remarked, "The UAE and India share an enduring partnership that has grown stronger with time, built on mutual trust, respect, and shared ambitions. This roundtable serves as a platform to explore the vast potential of this relationship, particularly in sectors like technology, renewable energy, and education, where collaboration can drive meaningful change," the statement quoted him as saying. Rashid, a progressive leader known for his contributions to urban planning, education, and youth empowerment, emphasised the importance of fostering innovation and strategic partnerships to achieve shared goals, as per the statement. As part of the event, Fernandes presented Rashid with a copy of his book, MODIALOGUE, exploring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's transformative governance. The book highlights Modi's vision as articulated through his Mann Ki Baat radio program, drawing connections to global principles of inclusivity and development, as per the statement. Reflecting on the India-UAE partnership, Smriti Irani said, "India and the UAE have always shared a unique relationship rooted in history and shared values. Under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, India is a rising economic power and a beacon of innovation and progress. MODIALOGUE encapsulates this story, and events like these foster the collaboration needed to take our partnership to new heights." The event featured key Indian-origin UAE business leaders and investors, including Sajith Ansar (Founder and CEO, Idea Spice), Ruchi Dana (Board Member, Dana Group), Sanjay Parashar (Founder, Cocoona Clinics), Paras Shahdadpuri (Chairman, Nikai Group), Dr Moideen Thumbay (Founder and President, Thumbay Group), Shamsheer Vayalil (Chairman, Burjeel Holdings), and Nilesh Ved (Chairman, Apparel Group). Ashwin Fernandes, in his remarks, highlighted the shared vision of India and the UAE. "India's transformation is an inspiring narrative of progress, resilience, and inclusivity. The UAE has been a key partner in this journey, and this roundtable underscores our shared goals for a prosperous future." This roundtable in Ajman marks another milestone in the India-UAE partnership, reflecting the spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines the relationship between the two nations. The event's success reinforces the importance of mutual dialogue in unlocking new opportunities and building bridges between two dynamic economies. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)US President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be "held accountable" but called the nation's political upheaval a "historic opportunity" for Syrians to rebuild their country. In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization. "The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice," Biden said, speaking from the White House. "It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria." Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said that "Assad should be held accountable." Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding. "We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward independent, sovereign" Syria "with a new constitution," he said. However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will be under scrutiny. "Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses," Biden said. The United States had "taken note" of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: "We will assess not just their words, but their actions." Biden said Washington is "clear eyed" that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, "will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish" itself in Syria. "We will not let that happen," he said, adding that on Sunday alone, US forces had conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria. The US military said the strikes were conducted by warplanes against Islamic State operatives and camps. Strikes were carried out against "over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s," the US Central Command said on social media. Earlier, Biden met with his national security team at the White House to discuss the crisis. Assad's reported departure comes less than two weeks after the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group challenged more than five decades of Assad family rule with a lightning rebel offensive that broke long-frozen frontlines in Syria's civil war. They announced Sunday they had taken the capital Damascus and that Assad had fled, prompting celebrations nationwide and a ransacking of Assad's luxurious home. A Kremlin source told Russian news agencies that the deposed leader was now in Moscow, along with his family. The US military has around 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to help combat the Islamic State jihadist group. It has regularly struck targets in the country including those linked to Iranian-backed militias. Tehran was a major backer of Assad's government. Biden also confirmed US authorities believe the American journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria in 2012, still lives. "We believe he's alive," Biden said, but the US has yet "to identify where he is." bur-sms/mlmSrinagar, Dec 28 (IANS) : Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday convened a video conference meeting with all districts across the Union Territory to review snow clearance operations and restoration of essential services following heavy snowfall in Kashmir valley, an official statement said. The snowfall, which began on Friday has disrupted normal life in many districts across the valley. During the meeting, Deputy Commissioners presented updates on snow clearance, restoration of power and water supply and emergency response to deal with the inclement weather. "The Chief Minister directed Deputy Commissioners to personally supervise snow clearance operations, emphasising the need to obtain photographic evidence of cleared areas to ensure thorough removal and prevent freezing road conditions as temperatures drop," the statement said. "He called for a proactive approach, urging officials to deploy adequate manpower and machinery on the ground." District administrations were instructed to provide two-hourly updates to the CM’s office and the Chief Secretary’s office to keep the government apprised of the situation. The Chief Engineer of Public Health Engineering (PHE) informed the CM that 90 per cent of the water supply across the valley has been restored, with efforts underway to address the remaining 10 per cent. The Divisional Commissioner of Jammu reported that power and water supply in Jammu districts remain unaffected, while the Chief Secretary confirmed steady progress in restoring electricity feeders and assured that district hospitals are functioning smoothly. "The Chief Minister stressed the importance of ensuring 100 per cent attendance of doctors and paramedical staff at all district and sub-district hospitals to effectively manage emergencies," the statement added. "Special instructions were issued to Deputy Commissioner, Budgam to coordinate with airport authorities to assist stranded tourists and to provide transportation if required. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir assured that sufficient stocks of essential commodities, including food and other civil supplies, are available in all districts. Commending officials for their efforts, the Chief Minister urged them to remain vigilant, proactive, and responsive to the needs of the people during this challenging period. "He emphasised the importance of seamless coordination and uninterrupted services to mitigate the impact of the snowfall on the public," the statement further added.
Wisconsin officer grabbing Donovan Raiola's arm a 'misunderstanding,' UW police sayWhy Aston Villa still miss Douglas Luiz ahead of his return with Juventus in the Champions League - despite playing just 312 minutes since his £42m summer move to Italy Douglas Luiz returns to Villa Park for the first time since his transfer to Juventus The Brazilian helped guide Aston Villa to the Champions League last campaign Liverpool correspondent LEWIS STEELE tells all on bombshell chat with Mo Salah - LISTEN NOW to It's All Kicking Off! New episodes every Monday and Thursday By TOM COLLOMOSSE Published: 17:49 EST, 26 November 2024 | Updated: 17:50 EST, 26 November 2024 e-mail View comments It sums up Aston Villa 's tumultuous summer window that there will be no trace of their most significant transfer deal when they meet Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday. Knowing they needed a big sale in June to avoid a possible 10-point deduction for breaking Premier League spending rules, Villa allowed key midfielder Douglas Luiz to join Juventus in a £42million agreement that included Samuel Iling Jr and Enzo Barrenechea, who were fringe players for the Serie A side. Iling Jr and Barrenechea were despatched on loan to Bologna and Valencia respectively, with boss Unai Emery believing neither can deliver in the Premier League this season. Luiz misses this clash through injury but even if he had been fit, the Brazilian would probably not have played a major role. Luiz has played only 312 minutes under new Juventus coach Thiago Motta, starting just twice. It is understood he has struggled with the intensity of some of Motta's training sessions, especially the drills on defensive positioning. Indeed, Luiz has been pushed to the fringes in Italy to such an extent that supporters have wondered whether he might return to Villa Park – though Emery batted away that idea on Tuesday. 'He must meet the challenge there with his quality and help them to get their objective collectively,' he said. 'I am not thinking about him wanting to leave there, but I don't know. I think he is now injured.' The irony is that Luiz might have come in extremely handy for Villa right now. Douglas Luiz's 10 goals and 10 assists last season were key in Villa's march to fourth place But the Brazilian has played just 312 minutes under new coach Thiago Motta, starting just twice Luiz might have come in extremely handy for Unai Emery's stuttering Aston Villa right now His 10 goals and 10 assists last season were a key factor in Villa's march to fourth place but the relationship with boss Unai Emery had become somewhat tense by the end. Anyone who saw Emery bawling in Luiz's face during the first half of last season's Europa Conference League tie against Olympiacos at Villa Park, which Villa lost 4-2, would have realised that not everything in the garden was rosy. Emery orders his players to operate at maximum focus not just in games and training sessions, but during the long afternoon analysis meetings, too. 'Your lifestyle outside the club is reflected inside,' Emery has said. 'The mentality is to think football and show high commitment to your club and your team-mates.' While there is no suggestion Emery was uncomfortable with Luiz's lifestyle, he and his staff had started to believe the 26-year-old had taken his eye off the ball ever so slightly. That is why, when Villa knew they would need to make at least one big sale to meet profitability and sustainability regulations, Luiz was the man to go. For Juventus, it was a handy way to move Iling Jr and Barrenechea off the books. Expect Villa to try to do the same across the next two or three windows. While those reasons may have been sound, Villa have not come close to finding a central midfield pairing as effective as the Luiz-Boubacar Kamara axis. Each needed the other, with Luiz's levels dropping after Kamara was injured, but they dovetailed beautifully. With Kamara still struggling with injury, the current pairing of Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana have not yet reached the heights of Kamara and Luiz. They gave Emery control in the middle and Villa have not rediscovered it. 'We must be stronger defensively in everything, starting with the ball and trying to dominate matches,' said Emery. 'But I have confidence because the players have showed the capacity to respond and react quickly.' While this is no time to panic, Villa are not what they were a year ago. In early December, Emery's men defeated Manchester City and Arsenal in the space of four days. Douglas Luiz returns to Villa Park for the first time since his summer move on Wednesday Tyrone Mings (left) and Ollie Watkins train ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie This term, though they are only three points adrift of Chelsea in third spot, and well-placed in the Champions League, their only 'statement' victory was over Bayern Munich. They have lost to Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool, and only drew with a faltering Manchester United side in the final part of Erik ten Hag's reign. After tackling Juve, Villa travel to Chelsea on Sunday before they face winnable home matches against Brentford and Southampton. While they should have enough to see off those teams, it is tempting to wonder whether, under Emery, Villa will be capable again of reaching the heights of last season. Consider the evidence. Transfer chief Monchi has said publicly that Villa's best way of generating revenue is through player sales. Luiz's departure helped Villa fall on the right side of the line but his replacements have not yet reproduced his output. Read More Aston Villa had the Premier League's most effective offside trap but now it's being exposed Even if Villa qualify for the Champions League again, PSR guidelines may mean at least one more high-profile sale. If they not, there may be more. Then there is Emery's ultra-intense approach. Though successful, it wrings every last drop of mental and physical energy from the squad. Villa may well beat Juventus on Wednesday and will surely finish comfortably in the top half of the table again. Yet Villa's league performances across the year in 2023 were exceptional – 85 points from 42 games, a fraction more than two per match, with 48 goals conceded. Across 2024, their average is 1.5 per game and they have already let in 53 goals, which shows how difficult it is to maintain certain standards. Understandably, most Villa supporters will not hear of any doubts about the Emery regime, and there are surely more good times ahead but in six winless matches, tiny cracks have started to appear. Emery needs to fix them fast. Champions League Unai Emery Juventus Share or comment on this article: Why Aston Villa still miss Douglas Luiz ahead of his return with Juventus in the Champions League - despite playing just 312 minutes since his £42m summer move to Italy e-mail Add commentThe director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said he and his colleagues "escaped death narrowly" while being caught up in an Israeli air strike on an airport in Yemen. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recounted feeling "completely exposed" during the attack, which killed at least six, in an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He and other UN staff had been leaving Sanaa, in western Yemen, on Thursday following a trip to negotiate the release of UN detainees and assess the humanitarian situation in the country when the airport was hit. Israel's military said it carried out "intelligence-based strikes on military targets" belonging to Iran-backed Houthi rebels. "It was very chaotic, you know, people were in disarray and running everywhere," Dr Tedros said on Saturday. He added there was "no shelter, so we were completely exposed. It's a matter of luck, otherwise if the missile deviated just slightly it could have been on our heads". "So my colleague actually said, after all that, we escaped death narrowly," he said. The WHO chief - who has led the organisation since 2017 and made regular public appearances during the Covid pandemic - said his presence at the airport was public knowledge prior to the strike. But he added: "It doesn't matter whether I'm there or not. Any civilian life is life - my life is not better than another human being." Dr Tedros said the airport is a civilian facility and therefore should not have been attacked by Israel. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the airport had been used by Houthi rebels "to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region" which it used to attack Israel, as well as to welcome "senior Iranian officials". "This is a further example of the Houthis' exploitation of civilian infrastructure for military purposes," it added. The Houthi-run Saba news agency said three people were killed at the airport and a further 30 injured. It said another three people were killed and 10 wounded in other strikes, which targeted power stations and a port in the region. It is unclear whether the fatalities were civilians or Houthi rebels. The Iran-backed group described the attacks as "barbaric" and "aggressive". It vowed to continue launching strikes on Israel until the conflict in the Gaza Strip ceased. Houthi rebels have been attacking Israel since the first months of the war, which began in October 2023 when Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing around 1,200. Israel has retaliated against Houthi attacks with intermittent strikes. On Saturday, the Houthis said they had launched a strike on the Nevatim airbase in central Israel. The IDF said a missile from Yemen was intercepted by the air force before crossing into Israeli airspace. The Houthis are an armed political and religious group backed by Iran. The group has ruled large parts of western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since ousting the internationally recognised government in 2015.
After opening the week with a perfectly clean injury report, Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Rob Havenstein is dealing with a shoulder injury that occurred in practice, putting his status up in the air in advance of Saturday's home game against the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams (9-6), who are on a four-game winning streak that moved them into the lead in the NFC West, have rebounded from a 1-4 start. That poor early stretch was due, in part, to injuries on the offensive line. Havenstein missed the season opener against the Detroit Lions with an ankle injury, then missed a three-game stretch in November with more ankle issues. Havenstein did not practice Thursday because of the shoulder injury, although he typically does not participate in the final practice of the week for rest purposes. The 32-year-old is in his 10th NFL season, all with the Rams going back to the team's 2015 season in St. Louis. Joe Noteboom would likely start if Havenstein is not available Saturday. The Rams can clinch the NFC West this weekend with a victory over the Cardinals (7-8), combined with a loss or tie by the Seattle Seahawks (8-7) against the Chicago Bears (4-11). --Field Level MediaNone
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A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than $2 camouflage print balaclava and a $1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are “Almost sold out.” A flame symbol indicates a $9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency. Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit is always just a click away. By all accounts, we’re living in an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival , supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand. The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season. Software company Salesforce said it expects roughly one in five online purchases in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada to be made through four online marketplaces based or founded in Asia: Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop — the e-commerce arm of video-sharing platform TikTok — and AliExpress. Analysts with Salesforce said they are expected to pull in roughly $160 billion in global sales outside of China. Most of the sales will go to Temu and Shein, a privately held company which is thought to lead the worldwide fast fashion market in revenue. Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to buy a $2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad. Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least $75 a month on products from Shein. A $2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer, both costing less than $5, are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn’t need them because she “doesn’t even cook like that.” Plus, she’s allergic to apples. “I won’t eat apples. It will kill me,” Neville said, laughing. “But I still want the coring thing.” Shein, now based in Singapore, uses some of the same web design features as Temu’s, such as pop-up coupons and ads, to persuade shoppers to keep clicking, but it appears a bit more restrained in its approach. Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. Searching the company's name on video platforms turns up creators promoting Shein's Black Friday sales event and displaying the dozens of of trendy clothes and accessories they got for comparatively little money. But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they're embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace. Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under $10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about $200 on gifts, significantly less than $500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years. “The visuals just make you want to spend more money,” she said, referring to the clothes on Shein's site. “They're very cheap and everything is just so cute.” Unlike Shein, Temu's appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world’s second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported in September. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s. Temu advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upwards of 70% off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of emails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products. Despite their rise, Temu and Shein have proven particularly ripe for pushback. Last year, a coalition of unnamed brands and organizations launched a campaign to oppose Shein in Washington. U.S. lawmakers also have raised the possibility that Temu is allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the country. More recently, the Biden administration put forward rules that would crack down on a trade rule known as the de minimis exception, which has allowed a lot of cheap products to come into the U.S. duty-free. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to slap high tariffs on goods from China, a move that would likely raise prices across the retail world. Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the U.S. to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China.NEW YORK — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. "The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position." With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. "I'm not a watch guy, but I like it," said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football's answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. "I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways," Hunter said. "It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery." Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. "It just goes to show that I did what I had to do," Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. "I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football," Hunter said. "Being here now is like a dream come true." Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year's Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football's top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. "I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind," Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. "I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position," Ward said. 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Olivia Olson scored 18 points, including eight straight to open the fourth quarter, as the No. 23 Michigan Wolverines survived a 60-54 scare from the Northwestern Wildcats in the Big Ten opener for each team in Ann Arbor, Mich. Northwestern (4-4, 0-1 Big Ten) led throughout the third quarter and took a four-point lead into the fourth, but Olson capped her 8-0 burst with a 3-pointer, and Syla Swords also nailed a trey to put the Wolverines (8-1, 1-0) ahead 50-44. Michigan has won eight straight games since opening the season with a six-point loss to then-No. 1 South Carolina. Caileigh Walsh's 3-pointer put the Wildcats back in front 53-52 with 3:36 to go. Michigan responded by scoring eight of the game's last nine points, six by Jordan Hobbs. Hobbs finished with 16 points and teammate Mila Holloway had 10. Kyla Jones led Northwestern with 14 points and Walsh notched 10 before fouling out. No. 4 Texas 93, James Madison 62 Madison Booker, Jordan Lee and Rori Harmon dominated the first half as the Longhorns clobbered the host Dukes in Harrisonburg, Va. Booker scored 21 points, Lee added 20 and Harmon 19 by combining on 25-of-33 shooting. They had 49 of their points in the first half as Texas (7-1) piled up a 58-29 halftime lead. The Longhorns, who entered seventh in the nation in scoring at 90 points per game, shot 54 percent for the game to 40 percent for the Dukes. Roshala Scott led James Madison (7-3) with 22 points and Peyton McDaniel and Ashanti Barnes had 12 apiece. McDaniel added eight rebounds for the Dukes, who had 24 turnovers. No. 10 Notre Dame 93, Syracuse 62 The Fighting Irish pulled away from a seven-point halftime lead to demolish the host Orange in the ACC opener for both schools. The trio of Sonia Citron, Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles led Notre Dame's win with double-doubles. Citron had 25 points and 11 rebounds, Hidalgo racked up 24 and 10, respectively, and Miles shone with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Hidalgo, third in Division I in scoring (24.6 ppg), netted nine points and Citron had eight in the third quarter, as Notre Dame (7-2, 1-0 ACC) outscored Syracuse (4-6, 0-1) 29-13 to pull away. Keira Scott posted 16 points and Sophie Burrows tacked on 13 for the Orange, who shot only 32.5 percent. The Irish shot 50 percent and thrived despite 20 turnovers. No. 16 North Carolina 72, Coppin State 46 The Tar Heels built a comfortable halftime lead and used its bench players freely in devouring the Eagles in Chapel Hill, N.C. North Carolina (9-1) entered second-best in the nation in scoring defense at 49.1 points per game and excelled again, holding Coppin State to 27.3 percent shooting. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels shot 44.4 percent while having 12 players enter the scoring column, led by Maria Gakdeng's 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Reniya Kelly scored six of her eight points in the first quarter as North Carolina took a 23-13 lead. The Tar Heels grew the lead to 46-27 by intermission. Tiffany Hammond and Angel Jones scored 12 points apiece for Coppin State (6-5), and Laila Lawrence added 10 points with 10 rebounds. No. 18 Ole Miss 85, Tennessee State 38 The Rebels had more points by halftime than the Lady Tigers scored in the game after jumping out to a 14-2 lead in the first quarter and 44-19 by intermission. Kennedy Todd-Williams led Ole Miss (6-3) with 15 points and seven rebounds, and Sira Thienou added 12 and six, respectively. The Rebels shot 46 percent for the game. Ole Miss began the day seventh in the nation in scoring defense at 49.8 points allowed per game, and it punished Tennessee State to the tune of 23.6 percent shooting and 22 forced turnovers. XaiOnna Whitfield led the Lady Tigers (4-6) with 10 points. No. 20 Iowa State 82, Central Michigan 56 Audi Crooks scored 19 points on 9-of-12 shooting and added 10 rebounds as the Cyclones slammed the Chippewas in Ames, Iowa. Emily Ryan netted 10 of her 12 points in the first quarter and Crooks scored nine in the period as Iowa State (8-2) jumped out to a 31-13 lead and enjoyed a cushion of at least 18 points the rest of the way. Addy Brown added 18 points for the Cyclones, who shot 52.5 percent and rolled despite having 20 turnovers. Jayda Mosley led Central Michigan (3-6) with 11 points and Madi Morson and Ayanna-Sarai Darrington added 10 apiece. The Chippewas shot only 33.3 percent from the floor and had 26 turnovers. No. 24 Michigan State 89, DePaul 61 The unbeaten Spartans put four scorers in double figures as they systematically disposed of the Blue Demons in East Lansing, Mich. Jaddan Simmons finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Julia Ayrault stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and three steals for Michigan State (9-0). Emma Shumate and Jocelyn Tate had 12 and 10 points, respectively. Jorie Allen put up 15 points, 11 boards, seven assists and three steals and Grace Carstensen also notched 15 points for DePaul (3-7), which shot just 28.8 percent despite hitting 9 of 18 of its 3-point attempts. The Spartans led by seven after one quarter and 17 at halftime before coasting through the second half. No. 25 Nebraska 84, Minnesota 65 Strong first quarters by Callin Hake and Amiah Hargrove sent the Cornhuskers on their way to pinning the first loss on the Golden Gophers in the Big Ten Conference opener for each team. Hake scored eight of her 11 points in the first period and Hargrove eight of her 10 as Nebraska (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) seized a 27-11 lead and never looked back. Hargrove scored eight of the Cornhuskers' 10 straight points to end the quarter. Alberte Rimdal led the winners with 12 points and Alexis Markowski added 11 with nine rebounds. Mallory Heyer collected 12 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota (10-1, 0-1). Tori McKinney scored 11 points and Grace Crocholski and Alexsia Rose 10 apiece, but the Golden Gophers hit just 35.2 percent of their shots. --Field Level MediaOne Bio Secures $27 Million in Series A Funding to Revolutionize Nutrition with Launch of Breakthrough Technology Making High-Dose, Anti-Inflammatory Plant Fiber Imperceptible in Food and Beverage for the First TimeColorado hands No. 2 UConn second straight loss in Maui