Report: Top Ethics Committee Democrat Leaked Matt Gaetz Report Details, Violating Sworn OathSIPPING a glass of chilled fizz this Christmas morning, I will not only feel full of festive cheer, but also a little bit smug. That’s because this is the 17th time I’ve successfully managed to cut my mother-in-law, Rene, out of our celebrations. 3 Mel Fallowfield, left, has only ever spent one Christmas day with mother-in-law Rene, right Credit: David Cummings 3 Mel says she still suffers from a mild form of 'seasonal PTSD' following that Christmas Credit: David Cummings 3 Mel now enjoys a fuss-free Christmas with her sons Credit: Supplied While other women will be run ragged, pandering and panicking, I’ll be blissfully relaxed at home, with my husband Brian, 52, our two sons, my parents and my sister Anneliese, 53. I’ll do nothing more strenuous than peel some vegetables, munch chocolate and unwrap presents, free of festive tension. This is the exact opposite of what the day would be like if Rene was on the scene. And it’s the reason why, during 18 years of marriage, my family has spent Christmas Day with her only once. READ MORE IN FABULOUS STARRY EYED From Kim K’s tree to Paris Fury’s B&M buys – experts rate celeb Christmas looks NO KIDDING I had sex with my BOSS after my first ever drop of alcohol - now she's pregnant That was eight years ago and I am still suffering from a mild form of “seasonal PTSD”. The barbed remarks started early in the day. “Do you often eat chocolate for breakfast?” she scoffed. The slurs didn’t end until we went to bed, when she commented: “That Christmas pudding wasn’t the best”. At the end of the day, close to tears, I swore I would never put myself through the ordeal again. Most read in Fabulous HOT BUY Shoppers race to Primark for fleecy £14 hoodie will keep you cosy on frosty days CASH IN I’m a Vinted pro - the 3 things to sell now for Xmas cash & they’re not clothes LOVE HURTS Inside Beyoncé and Jay-Z's biggest relationship scandals amid rapper rape claims STARRY EYED From Kim K’s tree to Paris Fury’s B&M buys – experts rate celeb Christmas looks And now, at 51, I certainly won’t be swayed. I know I’m not alone, either. Mumsnet is filled with posts from women my age who are dreading having to deal with the mother-in-law this Christmas. Unsurprisingly, to me, a US study found that both men and women have more conflict with the mother-in-law than with their own mums. Mum-of-22 Sue Radford reveals she buys 300 Christmas gifts just for her kids & they include PS5 & Ugg boots I don’t feel an ounce of guilt that my mother-in-law doesn’t get to see her grandchildren on the big day. She’ll see them at some point over the festive period, when we’ll go and stay for a couple of days. During that time, I’ll insist on taking long walks to get rid of those Christmas excesses — when in fact it’s to dodge seeing her. And she will spend Christmas itself with my husband’s brother, his lovely wife Chrissy and their daughters — so it isn’t as though she’ll be alone. I remember the very first Christmas in 1997 after Brian and I started dating. We didn’t spend it together because we had only been seeing each other for six months. But I was horrified when he rang me on Christmas Day to say Rene had prepared roast beef and not a traditional turkey . It’s the one time of year that I’m a stickler for convention and this seemed very wrong. Christmas is all about family and I wish I could see my grandsons Rene I immediately knew that I didn’t want to spend a single Christmas with his family. They don’t really do presents either — most years, they would all give each other Lottery scratch cards — and while I’m not materialistic, I spend hours trawling the shops for the perfect gift for my loved ones. My mother-in-law has only ever bought me one present — a pot of anti-wrinkle cream. This year, I’m bracing myself for hair dye, because she recently asked why I have more grey hairs than Chrissy, her other daughter-in-law, despite being ten years younger. So you can understand why I feel a twinge of terror at the thought of spending Christmas with Rene at the helm. I’ve been with Brian, who works in marketing, for 26 years and festivities aside, my mother-in-law and I are yet to see eye-to-eye on anything. “Highlights” of her behaviour include asking if she could wear black to our wedding and then telling me she didn’t gain a daughter, but lost a son. She has a photo album titled My Family and while my husband and sons, who are 18 and 14, feature, I’m nowhere to be seen. She has even carefully selected wedding photos where I’m missing. For me, Christmas is a special time, not an occasion I want ruined. And Rene has a unique ability to make me feel the size of a gnat. On Christmas morning, we open stockings at my parents’ house in Dorset and have a lovely smoked salmon breakfast, and lots of chocolate, before slowly opening presents. Late afternoon, we’ll have turkey and all the trimmings — including my mother’s bread sauce, best in the world — at my sister’s house. This is followed by quizzes and party games. Brian is lovely about me wanting to be at my parents’. He gets on brilliantly with his in-laws. But eight years ago, Rene, who is a widow, was set to be alone at Christmas. Brian’s brother was away and even I acknowledged that we should go to her house, six hours from ours in London. I even prepared the meal, but the level of interference was off the scale, with petty remarks about timings and how rapidly the water was boiling for the Brussels. Her lips pursed at the taste of the chicken — “too dry” — and stayed that way up until she had eaten her last scrap of Christmas pudding with brandy butter. She made snide comments about what I’d gifted my boys, then aged ten and six. Their noisiness brought nothing but sighs. I felt like I couldn’t do anything right, most of my efforts were followed by a “Chrissy wouldn’t do it like that”. I told Brian never again. It doesn’t cause rows — he loves my family. Despite everything, my boys love Granny. She’s wonderful with them and I make sure they see plenty of her. But I worry about karma. I tried hard to do things in a way Mel would appreciate, but it’s never enough Rene If the boys marry, they could assume their partners get to choose where to spend Christmas, as that’s their normal. I suspect it will be with their wives’ mums and it will serve me right. But in the meantime, I’ll enjoy my mother-in-law-free Christmas Day. And I wish all the luck in the world to the women who aren’t as lucky as I am. Rene, 81, says: “Christmas is all about family and I wish I could see my grandsons. The one Christmas I did spend with them was magical. “Mel doesn’t think I thought it was special, but it was. Read more on the Scottish Sun SCOT MY FIRST RODEO! Popular music festival coming to three Scots cities for first time CHILL OUT Scots to be gripped by grim -10C freeze as weather map reveals temperature plunge “I tried hard to do things in a way Mel would appreciate, but it’s never enough. “And the only reason I bought her anti-wrinkle cream is because I saw it in her bathroom, so thought she’d like it.”
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After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon
Miami (Ohio) held the Saints at bay for the duration, winning 70-58 in the semifinals of the Palms Division at the Fort Myers Tip-Off at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida. Siena (3-3), which lost its third straight, showed a glimmer of life by getting within 63-56 with 1:44 left, but the RedHawks (3-2) pulled away by making seven of eight free throws the rest of the way. “Really, for the first time, I was disgusted with how we played,” McNamara said. “Twenty-two points off turnovers. We didn’t make each other better. We settled for 3’s to start. “Every time we got ourselves in position, one or two possessions, we made a mistake, didn’t get an offensive rebound [for Miami] that led to a 3.” Particularly irksome to McNamara was a sequence with less than 8 1/2 minutes left in the game while Siena had gone to a zone defense. The RedHawks’ Kam Craft and Brant Byers missed back-to-back 3-pointers on the possession, but the Saints couldn’t get the rebound in either case, and Kam Craft, Miami’s leading scorer and a high-volume shooter from behind the arc, made the Saints pay with a 3 for a 51-42 lead. Craft finished with 18 points and actually managed to drop his season 3-point percentage to a still-stellar .452 by going 5-for-13. “The zone was good for awhile, but of the six or seven 3-pointers they took, two of them came off offensive rebounds, free possessions,” McNamara said. “So, really, I’m pretty disgusted with how we played.” Marcus Freeman led Siena with 15 points, but was 6 for 18 from the field, Brendan Coyle and Justice Shoats each scored 12 points and Reid Ducharme scored 10. Peter Suder also scored 18 for the RedHawks, and had the hot hand early before Craft picked up the slack later. Miami got the upper hand early with a 12-0 run to take a 16-4 lead, at which point Suder had nine points. The Saints played catch-up the rest of the way, with no success. “We didn’t play well,” Coyle said. “It was a sloppy game for us. We fought back towards the end, but we couldn’t get over that hump. We’ve just got to flush this one out and get ready for our next opponent.” “We’ll be ready. We’re going to be ready to compete,” McNamara said. “We’re going to watch most all of this. We’ll cut it up, and we can show them how gross it was. We’ll prepare them the best we can on short notice.” Siena will play Jacksonville at 11 a.m. on Tuesday to determine third place in the Tip-Off Palms Division. The Dolphins lost to Mercer 90-89 in overtime in Monday’s other semifinal. The Saints’ struggles to score on the fast break continued, with just two points. Out of 355 NCAA Division I men’s programs, Siena ranked 355th (2.20 fast break points per game) heading into the Miami game.
US News Today Live Updates on December 25, 2024 : Diddy hit with new lawsuit: Ex-employee claims forced to set up ‘Wild King Nights’ sex partiesWall Street drifts lower as it waits for inflation dataEven with technology taking over much of our day-to-day lives, board games still offer quality entertainment that can’t be beaten. Of course, the popular board games of today are a far cry from the games your parents grew up playing. Board games are perfect for encouraging your family to work together or for bringing your group of friends around the table for an evening. If you’d like to start up a weekly game night, let this helpful list of the most popular board games be your guide. Utter Nonsense Ages 8+ This game will have every player rolling in stitches with each ridiculous phrase that’s uttered. Combine crazy accents and hilarious phrases to impress the Nonsense Judge and win the round. The player with the highest number of wins ultimately wins the game, but the true fun of this card game is listening to your fellow players trying to say some of the most entertaining phrases of all time. This game is perfect for game nights or parties. Speak Out Ages 8+ This hilarious game is perfect if you have teenagers or are hosting a party with all adults. To play, you insert a mouthpiece that alters the sound of your speech, making every word sound silly. Set the timer and read one of the phrases on the cards and try to help your teammate guess what you’re saying. Speak Out easily provides hours of fun that even grandparents will love. Escape Room in a Box Ages 13+ What’s the next best thing to trying to break out of a room? Escape Room in a Box, of course. This thrilling, immersive game involves solving 2D and 3D puzzles in order to prevent a mad scientist from turning you and your friends or family into werewolves. Work together to escape your fate and use Amazon Alexa to enhance the experience. Codenames Ages 14+ This fun strategy game is perfect for anyone with teenagers. Form two teams and select a spymaster on each team. Using clues, spymasters try to help their teammates find all 25 of the agents they’re in contact with, hopefully without selecting the other team’s agents or running into the deadly assassin. This innovative game offers a challenging and rewarding time working together. Harry Potter Clue Ages 9+ Excite your kids on game night with this modern twist on a classic. Play as six recognizable Hogwarts characters — Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny or Neville — to solve the mystery behind a fellow student’s disappearance. It’s up to you to figure out who attacked the student, what bewitching spell they used and where it occurred. Watch out for the Dark Mark, moving staircases and secret passages as you travel along in this magical family game. Pandemic Ages 8+ If you’ve ever wanted to save humanity from a deadly outbreak, you’ll love spending an hour playing Pandemic. You and your teammates must fight to contain four deadly diseases threatening the human race. Players must learn to work with their teammates to control outbreak hotspots and treat diseases. Win the game by curing all diseases without wiping out humanity first. Catan Ages 10+ This tactical 60-minute game will push your imagination to its limits as you embark on a journey across Catan. Acquire crucial resources as you travel, build roads, buildings, and cities, and be wary of the ruthless robber and other players halting you on your own road. Through careful trading and clever decisions, you can lead your travelers to victory in this role-playing game of limitless possibilities. Play again and again. Every game is different. Ticket to Ride Ages 8+ Train lovers will enjoy this innovative board game which has won numerous awards. This cross-country train adventure game mimics the concept of traveling around the world in 80 days. Collect train cars and claim railways across the country. Players earn the most points by establishing long train routes and connecting distant cities. Each game takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes to complete, and every adventure is different. 5 Second Rule Ages 10+ This quick-paced game gives each player five seconds to name items on a certain topic. Although the topics are objectively easy —“Name 3 Mountains,” “Name 3 Types of Hats” or “Name 3 Super Heroes,” the pressure of the time crunch is likely to put you on edge. Race the clock and remain composed to win this game. You can even make up your own topics if you prefer. Half the fun is just hearing what other people blurt out, whether it’s relevant to the topic or not. Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change. 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Christian Lazore walked to the top of the Central Park concrete exercise staircase in Saugus, then back down. He did it 100 times. And he did it in one day over the course of nine and a half hours without a break, eating and drinking while he walked. According to Melissa Mann, most people participating in the “August 100” challenge of 2023 did no more than 10 to 30 sets at a time on a given day to complete their monthly goal of 100 sets. That was the case for Mann and her friends. On the last day of the challenge, she and her group were finishing their sets when they saw Lazore, who just kept going up and down the steps. “He wasn’t leaving,” Mann said. “Then all of a sudden, it comes out later, he was doing all 100 sets on the last day.” She pointed to the Central Park stairs and added, “He did 100 of these in one day.” Saugus residents Mann, 37, and Lazore, 43, spoke with The Signal earlier this month at Central Park about a movement they lead called the SCV Stairs Project. What started as a Facebook group to encourage local residents to go out to the steps and walk 100 sets in one month has since grown to well over 1,000 followers on multiple social media platforms, and into a community of people who go out to the stairs regularly to exercise and help others. According to city of Santa Clarita Communications Division Manager Carrie Lujan, the response to the stairs, which are open daily to the public from sunrise to sunset, has been enormously positive since the city installed them. The staircase, she said, which is made up of 172 steps, cost approximately $11.87 million and was part of the Central Park Buildout project that was completed in October of 2023. She added that the plan included “much more than just the staircase,” and that funding came from the American Rescue Plan Act COVID-19 Response Fund. “The city was able to utilize these funds,” Lujan wrote in an email, “because they could be used for ‘loss of economic impact’ due to a number of sports tournaments and events, which are held at the park (and) had been put on hold as a result of COVID-19.” Lazore was out at the steps on the Fourth of July in 2023 before the official ribbon cutting ceremony. He and a friend were doing 50 sets of steps for the 50 U.S. states, the two of them carrying full-size American flags while they did their sets. And when they finished, they secured the flags at the top of the staircase. Both flags were still there earlier this month. “The city left them up there,” Lazore said. “And I was like, ‘I want to share this with everybody.’ I really felt like I left a piece of myself up there that day.” The next month, Lazore got the idea to do what has since become the annual “August 100” challenge. The idea was that those who were up to it would, during the month of August, complete 100 sets of the stairs. “There were already quite a few regulars,” Lazore said. “So, I invited them to the ‘August 100’ Facebook group.” The group took off, with many wanting to walk the 100 sets of steps in the span of the month. “I was just looking for 20 or 30 friends to come here and stay motivated together,” Lazore said. According to Mann, the “August 100” drew upwards of 200 people. She didn’t know Lazore at the time. A friend of hers, who knew Lazore’s wife, invited Mann into the group. “I didn’t know what it was,” Mann said. “She (her friend) just added me in there. And I was like, ‘Oh, this is cool. I’m into the health and wellness space, and I’m always up for a good challenge.’ I rallied a bunch of friends, and I asked, ‘Hey, you want to do this with me?’” When she got to the stairs and started walking, she also got to talking with others participating in Lazore’s challenge. Mann thrived on the support she saw among people there, and she enjoyed encouraging others, as well. She admitted it was addicting. She was immediately hooked. Mann later reached out to Lazore through the Facebook group and expressed how impressed she was with what he was doing. “The next day,” Mann said, “he sent me a message, and he was like, ‘Hey, do you want to go grab Starbucks?’ In my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m married. How do I make this clear?’ I didn’t know what he wanted or what his intention was. I wrote back, ‘I need to chat with my husband. What’s on your mind?’” Lazore wrote back, clarifying that he was married, too, and he assured her that he just wanted help. The project, he said, had grown too big for him to manage himself. Mann was eager to get involved. She joined forces with Lazore in September 2023, and that’s when the SCV Stairs Project was born. Lazore and Mann began coming up with new monthly challenges, like the 9/11 climb where participants did 14 sets of steps (14 because the World Trade Center towers were about 1,400 feet tall), and October’s contest where people were challenged to do 31 sets of steps for Halloween. Part of the work that Lazore and Mann do includes collecting pictures and video of people finishing their sets and cataloguing the names of those who finish. Much of that content is on social media. For the “August 100” challenges, the SCV Stairs Project produces T-shirts with the names of those who complete their 100-sets challenge. That’s only fueled the popularity of the project, and more and more people have been joining the community. “It’s incredible,” Mann said. “You had people who were sharing stories of overcoming cancer, some saying, ‘I’m walking for my dad who just passed away,’ and then people like me and my girlfriends who do this because we’re moms and we want to stay healthy and fit for our kids and fit for ourselves. You just had these deep stories that were coming out.” According to 61-year-old Sand Canyon resident Jenny Andrade-Rodgers, she got involved with the SCV Stairs Project last year because of the community that had formed around it. “Honestly, I didn’t even know those stairs existed,” she said in a telephone interview. “I don’t usually go to Saugus. I saw someone posting on Facebook and I got curious and went over there.” Andrade-Rodgers added that she bonded with people right away. They’d constantly challenge each other to top what they’d previously accomplished. “You meet a lot of people — very nice people,” she said. “And then you’re exercising — it’s really good cardio. It’s outdoors, it’s free. The scenery is nice — you get to see the most beautiful sunrises and really beautiful sunsets.” Andrade-Rodgers really got int it. Through the month of October 2023, she did 1,000 sets of steps. That’s not a typo. That’s a thousand. She’s since slowed down because she doesn’t want to overdo it, but she’s still a regular and very active. Canyon Country resident Carlos Soria said he’s seen the SCV Stairs Project community really inspire others. While some in the group enjoy friendly competition, people are mostly there to support one another and do their personal best. “You get people who are wanting to do it as exercise — at all different levels and for different reasons,” he said. “Next thing you know, you get that FOMO — fear of missing out. People are posting, ‘Hey, I was at the stairs.’ And you’re like, ‘Oh, man, I haven’t been there in a while. I’ve got to get out there.’” Mann said that she and Lazore don’t discourage anyone from coming out to the steps. It’s not about how many sets you do or how fast you can do them. Mann used to do a mom’s walking group. But that targeted mostly young moms only. The SCV Stairs Project is for the young and the old, male and female, and everyone in between. “I also don’t just want to appeal to the people who are the regulars who are already motivated,” she said. “I want to help reach the people who are too intimidated to even show up.” She makes an effort to reach out to those people who find themselves in dark places. It’s a place Mann knows well, having dealt with depression and anxiety. She used exercise during her tough times. Much of her passion came out of wanting to help people going through similar battles. “One of the sayings I carry with me always is, ‘You’re best equipped to help your previous self,’” she said. “If we’re not out there advocating for and helping support people who are struggling as we have in the past, then what’s the purpose of this life?” But helping others doesn’t stop there. The SCV Stairs Project also raises money through various challenges for charitable causes. They did a turkey trot last November and donated $1,500 to the Santa Clarita Grocery on Centre Pointe Parkway. They’re planning another one this year. They’ve also done fundraisers for the Michael Hoefflin Foundation for children’s cancer and one in memory of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, a Santa Clarita Valley resident, who was murdered in September 2023 while on duty in Palmdale. Lazore is thrilled with how the SCV Stairs Project has been making its mark and bringing people together. It has far exceeded his expectations so far, but it’s what he’d hoped for. “My goal has been for these stairs to be like the heartbeat of Santa Clarita,” he said. “It’s a place where we can all come together for whatever needs to be celebrated or mourned. I want it to be a place where everyone could just come and congregate and give and be together, whether it’s laughing or crying.” According to the SCV Stairs Project Facebook page, every step taken on the Central Park stairs represents progress toward a stronger, more connected community. The goal is to elevate the stairs into a symbol of unity, where a simple greeting and a friendly smile become second nature. As Lazore and Mann told their story, several people going up and down the stairs said hello to the two. Mann shouted to a father of two girls, “Good job, dad. Good job getting the girls out here,” to which the father replied, “They’re making me do it.” Some folks walking the steps even wore their “August 100” shirts, one woman showing off her name on the back of the shirt when she stopped by to say hello. Lazore and Mann were all smiles. “I’m so grateful for our community,” Lazore said. “Even though we continue to get larger and larger, I don’t ever want that small-town feel to get away from us. Because every time there’s something that goes on in Santa Clarita, whether it was the Saugus shooting or that deputy going down, this community continues to rally.” Know any unsung heroes or people in the SCV with an interesting life story to tell? Email [email protected] .
Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did
NEW YORK (AP) — More shoppers than ever are on track to use ‘buy now, pay later’ plans this holiday season, as the ability to spread out payments looks attractive at a time when Americans still feel the lingering effect of inflation and already have record-high credit card debt. The data firm Adobe Analytics predicts shoppers will spend 11.4% more this holiday season using buy now, pay later than they did a year ago. The company forecasts shoppers will purchase $18.5 billion worth of goods using the third-party services for the period Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, with $993 million worth of purchases on Cyber Monday alone. Buy now, pay later can be particularly appealing to consumers who have low credit scores or no credit history, such as younger shoppers, because most of the companies providing the service run only soft credit checks and don’t report the loans and payment histories to the credit bureaus, unlike credit card companies. This holiday season, buy now, pay later users can also feel more confident if a transaction goes awry. In May, the CFPB said buy now, pay later company must adhere to other regulations that govern traditional credit, such as providing ways to demand refunds and dispute transactions. To use a buy now, pay later plan, consumers typically sign up with bank account information or a debit or credit card, and agree to pay for purchases in monthly installments, typically over eight weeks or more. The loans are marketed as requiring no or low interest, or only conditional fees, such as for late payment. Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm are three of the biggest buy now, pay later companies. But consumer advocates warn that shoppers who sign up for the payment plans using a credit card can be hit with more interest and fees. That's because individuals open themselves up to interest on the credit card payment, if it's carried month to month, on top of any late fees, interest, or penalties from the buy now, pay later loan itself. Experts advise against using a credit card to pay for these plans for this reason. Consumer watchdogs also say the plans lead consumers to overextend themselves because, for example, not paying full price up front leaves, in the shopper’s mind at least, more money for smaller purchases . They also caution consumers to keep careful track of using multiple buy now, pay later services, as the automatic payments can add up, and there is no central reporting, such as with a credit card statement. “Buy now, pay later can be an innovative tool for purchases you’re going to make anyway,” said Mark Elliott, chief customer officer at financial services company LendingClub. “The challenge is that it does fuel overspending.” For merchants, that’s part of the appeal. Retailers have found that customers are more likely to have bigger cart sizes or to convert from browsing to checking out when buy now, pay later is offered. One report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York cited research that found customers spend 20% more when buy now, pay later is available. “The reality is that the increased cost-of-living and inflation have put more people in a situation where they’re already relying on revolving credit,” Elliott said. “The psychographics of ‘buy now, pay later’ may be different — people don’t think of it as debt — but it is.” If a consumer misses a payment, they can face fees, interest, or the possibility of being locked out of using the services in the future. Emily Childers, consumer financial expert for personal-finance technology company Credit Karma, said that internal data shows member credit card balances are up more than 50% for Gen Z and millennial members since March 2022, when the Fed started raising interest rates. “Young people are entering this holiday season already in the red,” she said. “And, based on what we’re seeing in the data, they’re continuing to bury their heads in the sand and spend.” The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.'Be like the rock' in 'rough' waters: Ex-FBI head gives impassioned plea amid murky future
Winter storms expected to disrupt Christmas Eve travel for millions of Americans with snow and rain
After missing out on Juan Soto, the New York Yankees made their first splash of the offseason. The Yankees and left-handed starting pitcher Max Fried have agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract, several reports said Tuesday. The contract includes the most guaranteed money for a left-handed pitcher in baseball history, ESPN reported. A two-time All-Star, Fried will join right-handed ace Gerrit Cole to form a one-two punch at the front of the Yankees' rotation. Fried, 30, spent his first eight MLB seasons with the Atlanta Braves and went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA across 29 starts last season. He had 166 strikeouts and a career-high 57 walks over 174 1/3 innings. He also pitched a major league-high two complete games (one shutout). Fried was an All-Star in 2022 and 2024, and he received votes for the National League Cy Young Award in 2020 (placing fifth) and 2022 (second). In 168 career games (151 starts), Fried has gone 73-36 with a 3.07 ERA and 863 strikeouts against 246 walks in 884 1/3 innings. He has tossed six complete games, including four shutouts. --Field Level MediaSAN ANTONIO (AP) — Colorado secured what it said was record insurance coverage for quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter as the star duo opted to complete their college careers in the Alamo Bowl rather than sit out and prepare for the NFL draft. Colorado would not disclose the amount of insurance coverage each received, citing privacy laws. Coach Deion Sanders and athletic director Rick George both said it was the largest in college football history. “We happen to have two players that are probably going to be the first two picks of the NFL draft,” Sanders said Monday. “We all know who those two are and they have received, I think, the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football. It far exceeds anyone that has ever played this game of college football.” While college programs maintain insurance policies for their athletes in case of injury, Colorado increased disability coverage for its entire roster in the Alamo Bowl. Sanders, the coach of the No. 20 Buffaloes, ensured his QB son and two-way star Hunter received larger policies since both are expected to be among the top 10 selections in the upcoming NFL draft. “It was his idea we should get disability insurance for our athletes for this game to ensure that they played and if there was some kind of injury that they would be well taken care of," George said. “So, we worked together on that. We’re excited about it. We think it’s great that all our players are playing in the game. That’s what all bowl games should be like.” Colorado (9-3, No. 23 CFP) will face the 17th-ranked BYU Cougars (10-2, No. 17 CFP) in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday. While most teams are scrambling with starters opting out of bowl games this year to enter the transfer portal or NFL draft, the Buffaloes did not lose any player on their two-deep roster. “It’s more than what I got (when he played at Kansas State),” Colorado linebackers coach Andre’ Hart said. “They gave us a helmet and said pop this on your leg and get out there and play. For them to get that (increased insurance coverage), I just think it’s beneficial. To talk about where the game is, where it’s going and how leadership is taking care of the players, I thought that’s excellent.” Shedeur Sanders completed 337 of 454 passes for 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. Many scouting services have Sanders rated as the top quarterback in this year's draft. Hunter received the Heisman Trophy as a two-way standout at cornerback and wide receiver. He had 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns and as a cornerback had four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and limited the opposition to 22 receptions on 688 defensive snaps. “They’ve taken care of us, everybody,” Colorado running back Micah Welch said. “It really means a lot to have every teammate up here. That's a big thing. What I like about Coach Prime, they’re taking care of us.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football