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Sen Kennedy’s IQ dig at VP Harris sparks backlash from White House, DNC

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A comment Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., made Tuesday about how American voters feel about Vice President Kamala Harris sparked online backlash from the White House and Democratic National Committee (DNC).

Kennedy made it clear he wasn’t speaking for himself during an appearance on Fox News’ ‘The Story’ with Martha MacCallum, citing recent polling that continues to show high disapproval ratings for Harris and President Biden.

‘I’m not saying that this is accurate, but I can read a poll, and the American people have concluded that President Biden is old, and he needs soup and an early bedtime,’ the senator said.

‘They have concluded that Vice President Harris is not capable — that when her IQ gets to 75, she should sell,’ he continued. ‘Again, I’m not saying that’s fair or accurate, but that’s the conclusion today that the American people have reached. They’re pretty disgusted.’

The dig at Harris’ intelligence prompted responses on X, formerly Twitter, from White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison.

‘Shameful and undignified comments like these from [Kennedy] start a fire sale on one’s credibility,’ Bates wrote Tuesday evening.

‘Bless his heart,’ wrote Harrison. ‘[G]uess Senator Foghorn is a bit upset that our VP has done more for the working families of Louisiana than he has done over the entirety of his unproductive senate career.’

Kennedy’s office declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

During his appearance on Fox Tuesday, the senator argued that the Biden administration ‘has embraced the neo-socialist, woke wing, loon wing of the Democratic Party. I mean, just look around. The American people might be poorer under President Biden, but they’re not stupid. 

‘They see an open border. They experience inflation. They see the rampant crime,’ he said. ‘The American people look around and see the world on fire — the war in Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, the embers smoldering in China — and they have concluded that, fair or unfair.’

During an interview with CNN on Sunday, Harris reacted to a number of polls showing former President Donald Trump was ahead of President Biden in hypothetical election match-ups, as well as in battleground states.

‘We’re going to have to earn our re-elect, there’s no doubt about it,’ she said.

‘It is absolutely right in a democracy with free and fair elections that the candidates, the people who want to continue in leadership have to make their case, and have to make it effectively,’ she continued. ‘And that means communicating in such a way that the message is received about the accomplishments and what we care about.’

According to the RealClearPolitics national average of polls, Harris has a 54.6% unfavorable rating, compared to 36.5% favorable, while Biden has a 55.5% unfavorable rating, compared to 40.6% favorable.

Fox News’ Hanna Panreck contributed to this report.

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Giving thanks for Rosalynn Carter who bettered the lives of millions here and around the world

In December 1976, Rosalynn Carter and I sat in the elegantly furnished drawing room of Blair House: ‘I need to create a new office to help me with my projects as first lady,’ she told me.

Thus began my almost 50-year relationship with a remarkable woman who devoted her life to helping the most vulnerable among us. She did indeed establish the Office of Projects, Issues and Research, and that rather long title reflected her fierce determination to use her influence as first lady in substantive ways. I became its first director.

Rosalynn Carter’s compassion for the weak, the poor, and the disenfranchised was simply boundless. So was her passion for action. She often reminisced about growing up in a small town during very hard times. Everyone knew everyone else, and when there was trouble, the community always took care of one another. Equally important were the lessons she learned at church as a child: to be kind, love one another, and help those in need.

How many of us heard those same lessons in our childhoods? Yet for Rosalynn Carter, they became the foundation of a lifetime of caring. Years of campaigning exposed her to the staggering problems so many families face in providing for loved ones — including those who are disabled, elderly, or struggling with depression or other serious mental illnesses. She came to the White House with a specific goal of improving mental health services in our country and a broader agenda of building a more caring society.

It was an ambitious – some might even say grandiose – aspiration. Yet this soft-spoken, humble woman, who never sought acclaim for her own work, mobilized significant resources to tackle a host of issues while serving as first lady and later as co-founder of The Carter Center.

I recall being summoned to the White House one weekend in 1979. The images on the nightly news had been horrific – mothers on dirty bamboo mats too weak to lift their heads, emaciated infants and children barely alive, thousands upon thousands of innocent Cambodians sick and dying in squalid refugee camps on the Thai border.  ‘I have to help,’ Rosalynn said. ‘I have to do something.’ 

Within a week, she had visited those same camps, convened a White House meeting to raise funds for the relief effort, and personally asked the secretary-general of the U.N. to appoint a single coordinator for all relief activities. While waiting to address the White House meeting, she brought my attention to a large photograph of her holding a very young girl in her arms. The child’s limbs hung limply from her tiny body; they looked like sticks. ‘She died,’ Rosalynn told me with tears in her eyes, ‘shortly after we left the camp.’

I also cannot forget an afternoon spent in a small village in northern Ghana where the debilitating parasite, Guinea worm, was still prevalent. I had come with a delegation from The Carter Center, including both the Carters, to encourage the local people to redouble their efforts to eradicate the worm. 

One of our staff came to me and said, ‘Mrs. Carter is asking for you.’ I found her with a very small boy who had been infected with the parasite. He was sitting on a little wooden stool, a two-foot-long worm emerging from his foot in a process that could take weeks. ‘You have to see the worm,’ she said to me. ‘You have to see how much pain and suffering it causes.’

A few years later, after a board meeting of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, Ga., Rosalynn turned to me and said, ‘Do you have time to come with me to thank a friend who sent some wonderful fresh vegetables to Jimmy and me?’ 

Within minutes, we were at Rudy’s Happy Patch, a combination plant, fruit and vegetable store that is an integral part of the Perry Wellness Center. The founder, Stuart Perry – having recovered from major depressive illness – is now a leader in the peer support movement. ‘This program,’ Rosalynn said to me, ‘can be a model for the nation. It brings hope for a better life to those struggling with mental illness.’

Here, in her beloved Sumter County in southwest Georgia, she continued her 50-year commitment to better mental health services for all, including her friends and neighbors. 

Whether it was people in recovery or the poor family in Plains to whom she took food once a month or the villagers at the end of the road in Ghana, she was there to help … and bettered the lives of millions in our country and around the world.

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Here’s why every American should be talking about politics and religion on Thanksgiving

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Of late, it has become a sad cliché to avoid talking politics at Thanksgiving lest Grandma be left in tears serving the pumpkin pie as yelling about Bidenomics, or wokeness or Trump echoes round the nicely decorated dining room.

It is not worth it, we are told, to risk the flinging of stuffing and turkey legs across the table because Uncle Joe said climate change is a hoax, or Cousin Tom’s new wife says Thanksgiving itself is a celebration of colonialism.

So just shut up about it all and talk about Taylor Swift, or football — or these days, both. 

This is terrible advice, not only for the individual Turkey Day gathering, but for the nation as a whole, because if there is any place where the deep divides of our body politic can be bridged, surely it is at a table of Thanksgiving with family and friends. 

Frankly, in the age of social media, we could all use the practice of ‘in real life’ conversations with people we love and care about, but disagree with, rather than the often anonymous targets of our political rage.

Earlier this month we saw a viral video of a Democrat Virginia voter on election day absolutely berating a volunteer from the opposite party, screaming every stereotype about the right you can think of.

There was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on about the video, so I watched it again, then again until it clicked.

This person was performing in the plastic of reality the exact kind of unhinged social media rants we see in our virtual lives, and once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it.

For more than a decade, it has often been noted that people will say things online that they would never say in real life, but what if that has been a lie? 

What if our virtual personalities are quickly creeping into our actual human interactions?

That’s where a healthy dollop of political discourse addressing the topics of the day on Thanksgiving comes in. For many it is a rare chance to hear the other side and be heard in a trusting and loving environment.

This summer I attended my 30th high school reunion, one progressive classmate and I found ourselves in a corner, having a long talk.

We discussed the trans issue and children, pretty much the highest voltage third rail that exists in our society today.

It was respectful, thoughtful, and made me examine my own ideas more closely.

This was possible because we had known each other as children and young adults and knew that the motivation we both had was to protect kids, put another way, we both shared the same ultimate goal, but had different ways of achieving it.

There are those on the left who will tell you that anyone on the right is a white supremacist neanderthal. There are those on the right who will tell you that everyone on the left has a woke mind virus and that they are evil.

These are useless positions to hold, unless, of course, those promoting them have a financial or political interest in a deeply divided America, thankfully, the vast majority of Americans do not. 

The key to the high-minded political conversation, one that young people in attendance will keenly observe, by the way, is that the goal is not to win.

Unless your family is very weird, there is no straw poll after coffee.

No, the goal is to take stock of where we are as a family, as a community, as a nation, and nothing could be more appropriate on Thanksgiving.

After all, the 52 Pilgrims and their Native American counterparts were beginning to create a new thing in the world, a thing that today we call an American. 

It is the creation story not of the United States of America, but of the American people as a people. 

There they feasted in thanks to God, knowing so little about the grand, vast stretch of rolling America that we inherited from them and that now resides in our care.

Isn’t it appropriate and good for us, when commemorating the first Thanksgiving, to discuss amongst ourselves how well we are handling this sacred compact they bestowed on us back through the fog of centuries?

And you know what? If you listen to those you disagree with while keeping an open mind and heart, you might just be surprised, we might be doing a lot better than you think.

And wouldn’t that make for a Happy Thanksgiving.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Diageo cites Diddy rape claims in renewed push to keep him out of tequila ads

Sean “Diddy” Combs, who settled rape and abuse allegations with the singer Cassie last week, faces growing scrutiny in the midst of his push to refresh and expand a business portfolio he spent decades cultivating.

In a letter filed with a New York court Friday before the settlement, the London-based spirit maker Diageo cited the accusations to bolster its monthslong effort to prevent Combs from serving as the face of DeLeón tequila, which he has run in a joint venture with it for a decade.

The letter came after a series of lawsuits Combs filed against Diageo, whose other brands include Johnnie Walker, Don Julio and Smirnoff.

In May, he accused the company of pigeonholing DeLeón and Cîroc, the vodka he fronted for 15 years, as “Black brands” for “urban” consumers, allegedly violating an equal treatment provision in their contract. In a subsequent October complaint, Combs said Diageo had blackballed him from the spirit industry over his racial discrimination claims, which have been put on ice until next spring. He alleged in last month’s retaliation suit that the company was sending him the message “speak up and you will be punished.”

Diageo ended the Cîroc partnership over the summer, saying at the time that Combs had breached his contract. But the parties are still feuding over the use of up to $15 million in advertising and promotional budgeting, some of it for DeLeón’s marketing next year.

Combs attended a party in 2019 featuring Cîroc, the vodka line he fronted for 15 years.Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for Sean Combs

In recent months, Diageo has argued in court documents that Combs’ accusations of racism, which it denies, have already made him an ineffective spokesperson. The new “public and disturbing accusations” against him risk “devastating and permanent damage” to the tequila brand, the company said Friday, adding that one influencer had already asked to cut ties with DeLeón on moral grounds.

In its court letter, Diageo pointed to a statement by Combs’ lawyer to The New York Times indicating he was aware that Cassie wanted to expose details of their relationship for at least six months before they emerged publicly. That period, the company said, “happens to correspond with the pendency of Combs Wines’ original lawsuit against Diageo.”

Diageo declined to comment beyond the statements in the court documents.

A spokesperson for Combs didn’t comment on the Diageo dispute but said the decision to settle with Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, “does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.”

In the days since the rape accusations emerged, scrutiny of Combs and members of his business circle has intensified. On Wednesday, his music label, Bad Boy Records, was sued along with its parent company and former president, Harve Pierre, accusing Pierre of sexually assaulting an unnamed assistant at the label.

“The allegations are from many years ago that were never brought to the attention of the company,” a Bad Boy Entertainment spokesperson said. “Neither the plaintiff nor the executive are current employees of the company. We are now investigating the allegations, and our top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees.”

Pierre didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

On Monday, a co-host of a podcast on Combs’ Revolt media network announced she wouldn’t participate in a third season.

“I am a [sexual assault] survivor & I cannot be part of a show that’s supposed to uplift black women while @Diddy leads the company,” Dawn Montgomery, who hosts “Monuments to Me,” a podcast about Black women’s issues and successes, posted on X.

Montgomery told NBC News that she empathized with Cassie’s allegations. “I cannot sign back on and say that I want to be paid to do a podcast where a few of the episodes were probably going to reflect this conversation,” she said. “Diddy and his people could never do anything towards me to make me feel like I needed to continue to be quiet.”

Revolt didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Old interviews with Combs’ associates addressing his alleged behavior and new comments critical of him have circulated on social media. Some users included the phrase “Surviving Diddy,” an apparent reference to the Lifetime docuseries “Surviving R. Kelly,” which featured accounts of women who accused the R&B artist of abuse over several decades. Kelly is serving time in prison for multiple sex crimes convictions.

At a performance in Los Angeles last weekend, the singer Kesha dropped lyrics referring to Combs in her 2009 hit single “Tik Tok,” whose opening line mentions him.

A 2016 fragrance photo shoot for Sean John, the popular streetwear label Combs launched in 1998.Penske Media via Getty Images

The pushback follows a flurry of business moves by Combs, 54, over the last 12 months.

He announced in September that he was returning publishing rights to some Bad Boy artists, telling Variety he was “doing the right thing” by making good on plans in the works since 2021. Several artists criticized the offer, saying they’d been asking for the rights for years but were unlikely to earn much from music that was more profitable decades ago.

In February, he rebranded his Combs Enterprises as Combs Global to reflect his evolution “as a business leader and a bigger vision to build the largest portfolio of leading Black-owned brands in the world.” The venture includes Empower Global, an e-commerce marketplace launched in 2021 aimed at supporting Black entrepreneurs.

The refresh came three months after Combs agreed to acquire a pair of cannabis operations in a deal valued at up to $185 million at the time, but the plan fell through in July after the merger that would have spun them off collapsed. In May, Combs rolled out a new R&B label, Love Records, as part of a deal with Motown Records, under which he released his fifth studio album in September.

Combs, whose net worth has been estimated at $1 billion, shot to fame in the early 1990s as a music promoter-turned-talent director before he set out to run his own label, with Bad Boy Records representing artists from the late Notorious B.I.G. to Faith Evans. One of his earliest major ventures outside music was in fashion, with the Sean John streetwear label, which launched in 1998. Combs sold the bulk of the brand in 2016 for an estimated $70 million, then bought it back from its bankrupt owner for around $7.5 million five years later.

A Macy’s spokesperson said the retailer began phasing out Sean John starting this fall in a move unrelated to the allegations against Combs. Other major sellers of the line, including Nordstrom and Saks Off 5th, didn’t respond to requests for comment; neither did Sean John’s parent company.

Some crisis communications experts said Combs’ quick settlement of the abuse claims could blunt further damage to his brand and businesses.

“Diddy avoided much of that pain by getting this thing resolved quickly,” said Evan Nierman, CEO of the public relations firm Red Banyan. “I think resolving the legal matter and having it completely closed to their mutual satisfaction is going to help inoculate him against seeing his career permanently destroyed.”

He said he wasn’t surprised that other celebrities and major brands largely haven’t weighed in. “I expect people to remain quiet on the topic now while it’s in the headlines,” he said, adding, “This is not going to have a lasting damaging effect on him.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Washington, Liberty lead College Football Playoff winners and losers

The latest College Football Playoff rankings show how the race for the national semifinals has coalesced around eight teams representing each of the Power Five conferences.

In the SEC, there’s both No. 1 Georgia and No. 8 Alabama, with the two prepared to match wits once again in the SEC championship game early next month. Over in the Big Ten, there’s No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan, rivals set to meet on Saturday in Ann Arbor.

There are another two teams in the mix from the Pac-12 in No. 4 Washington and No. 6 Oregon, with the Ducks looking to secure a rematch in the conference championship with a win this weekend against Oregon State. The Big 12 has just one contender, No. 7 Texas, but the Longhorns’ case as the one-loss conference champions would be difficult to ignore thanks to September’s non-conference win at Alabama. And in the ACC, No. 5 Florida State hopes to put up style points against Florida and No. 9 Louisville to offset any concerns the committee might have about the Seminoles’ chances without quarterback Jordan Travis.

Something has to give with just two weeks until the end of the regular season. Here are the winners and losers from Tuesday’s playoff rankings:

Winners

Washington

There’s a feeling that Washington’s bump to No. 5 is overdue given its résumé of wins in one of the top leagues in the Bowl Subdivision, led by a win against Oregon that the committee has viewed all year as the best by any team in the country. Winning 22-20 at No. 16 Oregon State was enough to warrant a swap with Florida State. This is big news for the Huskies, who can add a win against Washington State and potentially a second against the Ducks to solidify a top-four finish. Merely winning the Apple Cup would push Washington to No. 3 given this weekend’s matchup in the Big Ten.

Liberty

Landing at No. 25 means the Flames are a legitimate contender for the Group of Five bid despite a paltry schedule devoid of anything resembling a meaningful win. Even still, Liberty sits just two spots behind No. 23 Tulane and is a clear option for the top spot in the Group of Five with wins against Texas-El Paso and New Mexico State to end the year, the latter in the Conference USA championship game. It may be hard to close the gap: Tulane closes against Texas-San Antonio and, with a likely win against SMU to decide the American Athletic. Both victories would move the needle way more than anything Liberty has done or could add these next two weeks. There’s also the fact that SMU could easily vault in front of the Flames by beating Navy on Saturday and then winning the conference title. But Liberty is in the mix and can focus on taking care of business and finishing unbeaten.

Losers

Florida State

The big question will be addressed for good in another week and change: How will the committee view Florida State without Travis? The only thing the Seminoles can do is handle things against Florida and Louisville, and hopefully do so with enough flash to win over members of the committee who could look at Florida State and wonder about its ability to win against another elite team in a playoff setting. That the Seminoles were jumped by Washington is worrisome but not fatal, basically — Florida State might need some help from Georgia against Alabama to keep the Tide out of the mix, but there’s still a good chance at the top four with a 13-0 mark.

Alabama

Not because Alabama isn’t rolling after a sluggish start in September. Not because the Crimson Tide can’t beat Georgia early next month and get back into the playoff, because they clearly can. But there’s some history that simply isn’t on Alabama’s side: No team that has been ranked lower than No. 7 in the playoff rankings with two weeks left until the postseason has ever reached the national semifinals. The No. 8 Tide will have to buck this trend to try and capture Nick Saban’s eighth national title and first since 2020.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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‘Hard Knocks’ debuts: How Dolphins are dealing with in-season show?

The in-season edition of HBO’s ‘Hard Knocks,’ starring the Dolphins, debuted Tuesday night.

Although the show lacked one moment that demanded headlines, it offered insight for any fan, but particularly for Dolphins fans. And it confirmed what most of us probably were thinking about coach Mike McDaniel’s approach, and bond, with his players.

Players receiving their share of face time shouldn’t surprise anybody: quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, edge rusher Bradley Chubb, cornerback Jalen Ramsey … and especially receiver Tyreek Hill. Linebackers coach Anthony Campanile delivered an impassioned pep talk that may have inspired viewers to lace up their shoes and go run a few miles.

New episodes will premiere each Tuesday at 9 p.m. and be available to stream on Max.

Here are highlights from Episode 1:

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Trying to put the best face on cameras intruding

The series opened with McDaniel trying to get the players to embrace the idea that cameras will be in their faces the rest of the season, including playoffs.

‘I’m actually convinced I’m fired up about it,’ McDaniel tells players, although when the ‘Hard Knocks’ announcement was first made, he admitted there are plenty of ‘distractions’ under normal conditions.

‘I wouldn’t call it a team decision,’ McDaniel said at the time. “But at the same time, you guys know me well enough to know that I steer clear of worrying about things that we can’t control.’

At the team meeting, McDaniel continued his pitch:

‘I refuse to do this job and not give you guys my true, authentic self. I will not change. I will not. … I’m not (bleeping) changing. Nor should you.

‘I’m excited the world is going to find out where we are each and every day.’

Maybe so, but it was impossible not to notice the body english on many unconvinced players, some of whom already have spoken out against the intrusion.

There’s what? Where? Who knew?

The auditorium where the Dolphins meet has a basketball hoop by the door.

Hill seems to enjoy having it there.

Tyreek Hill already takes center stage

Predictably, Hill, a k a ‘Cheetah,’ already is a star of the show, narrated by Liev Schreiber.

Hill allowed cameras into his home, including as he chatted with his bride, Keeta, as well as when he talked wedding rings with receiver Braxton Berrios at practice.

Tua Tagovailoa’s braids get TV time

QB coach Darrell Bevell approves of Tua Tagovailoa’s cornrows, which debuted last week.

‘It looks good, man,’ Bevell said. ‘Nice. Nice.’

Then came insight into Tagovailoa’s partnership with McDaniel.

‘If I’m doing my job right for you, there’s always going to be one or two (things) that you’re mad at,’ McDaniel told Tagovailoa. The two agree, ‘I think we’re getting better at it, though.’

Mike McDaniel’s approach with players is just what you think

During practice, McDaniel huddled with edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Chubb.

‘I want you to be the very best that you can possibly be,’ McDaniel said. ‘So then, your career is as good as it can be, you can be rich — so then, I can be rich.’

Talking shop even during OL dinner on Thursdays

Cameras followed the offensive linemen to their Thursday night dinner, this time in Fort Lauderdale.

Even there, tackle Terron Armstead warned teammates they had to be on top of their game against Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby, a candidate for league MVP.

LB coach Anthony Campanile draws laughs … then stuff gets VERY serious

LB coach Anthony Campanelli has a ‘cake leaderboard’ that he projects at meetings. Then, the best players from the previous game are awarded actual cakes. On this occasion, Phillips, Chubb and Zach Sieler got cakes. Chubb gave his to Xavien Howard.

‘Apparently, a lot of guys like cake,’ McDaniel said.

More seriously, Campanile appealed to players to turn up the intensity, using the example of a man running down the street holding all of the players’ worldly possessions, including their family, on the premise, he said, that you’re at the best when you’re doing things for the people you love.

‘That would make me out of my (bleeping) mind,’ Campanile told players. ‘That ain’t gonna (bleeping) happen.’

(As you may have noticed, it’s a good thing the show airs on HBO. Otherwise, the audio track would bleep out, oh, every other word.)

Ref won’t give Hill’s peace (sign) a chance

Before kickoff, referee Bill Vinovich told Hill to make sure he was set on shifts and ‘have a great game,’ but implored him not to flash any peace signs. Hill has been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for his peace sign.

‘But I’m trying to spread world peace,’ Hill replied.

Vinovich also was shown telling Tagovailoa, ‘Stay healthy, man, we need you.’

McDaniel tries to get to mad Maxx

During the Dolphins’ 20-13 win over the Raiders last Sunday, McDaniel was determined to throw Crosby off his game, saying he’s going to stare him down.

Crosby, held to one sack in this game, didn’t appear to notice.

‘He’s definitely avoiding eye contact with me,’ said McDaniel, who was shown postgame telling Crosby what an outstanding player he is.

Hill’s hand really was aching (so was fan’s, apparently)

Hill may have injured his hand more than he let on. He was shown telling a teammate on the sideline, ‘I can’t even move my hand.’ Later, ‘I got my hand hit again. I (bleeped) my hand up again.’

Hill returned and finished the game with 10 receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, cameras stayed trained on his bride and mom, Anesha, including when the fan sitting behind them fumbled his nachos onto their chairs, and them.

‘I’m gonna go take a shower,’ Anesha said.

Closing the show …

McDaniel gave game balls to Hill and Ramsey, who made two interceptions that looked even better in NFL Films’ slo-mo.

Follow Dolphins reporter Hal Habib on social media @gunnerhal.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Utah parts ways with coach after allegations of abusive coaching

The Utah gymnastics team has moved on from coach Tom Farden after multiple gymnasts said they were subjected to abusive coaching while at Utah.

The Utah athletic department shared the news of Farden’s departure from the program on Tuesday, saying that the two ‘mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately.’

‘The past several months have been an extremely challenging time for our gymnastics program,’ athletic director Mark Harlan said in a statement. ‘Changes like this are never easy, and only come after extensive analysis and discussion. In this case, the decision provides necessary clarity and stability for our student-athletes and prevents further distraction from their upcoming season.’

Carly Dockendorf, who was named interim head coach of the Red Rocks when Farden was placed on administrative leave, will continue to oversee the team.

Kara Eaker, a two-time gold medal winner at the world championships and an alternate for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, was the first athlete to report the alleged abuse. In an Instagram post, she did not name Farden, but said she was ‘a victim of verbal and emotional abuse’ during her time training at Utah. She said she was retiring from gymnastics and withdrawing her enrollment as a student at the University of Utah.

Four days later, former Red Rocks gymnast Kim Tessen made a statement that did name Farden, and she decried her treatment by the Utah program.

“None of those coaching tactics are normal or healthy,’ she said. ‘It is not normal or healthy for your coach to make you feel physically unsafe. It is not normal or healthy to be broken down to the point where you don’t believe your life is worth living. Success is possible without being degraded and humiliated.”

In making the decision to place Farden on administrative leave, Utah did not address the complaints of either Eaker or Tessen, instead referring back to what it had said after an independent investigator had cleared Farden of abusive coaching.

In a report issued in September, Husch Blackwell concluded Farden ‘did not engage in any severe, pervasive or egregious acts of emotional or verbal abuse.” Nor did he “engage in any acts of physical abuse, emotional abuse or harassment as defined by SafeSport Code,” the report said.

Farden did, however, make at least one comment Husch Blackwell investigators classified as degrading. There were reports of others, but they could not be corroborated. Farden also “more likely than not threw a stopwatch and a cellular telephone in frustration in the presence of student-athletes,” the report said, but the incidents weren’t deemed abusive because they were isolated and not severe.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Week 12 fantasy football rankings: Spend big on Chargers

If your plate isn’t filled with football over the Thanksgiving weekend, it’s your own fault. With games Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday, there will be ample opportunities for fantasy managers to watch their players perform.

Fantasy football rankings for Week 12 are based on the point-per-reception (PPR) scoring used in most seasonal and daily fantasy football formats. One point is awarded for every 10 rushing and receiving yards and one point for every 20 passing yards. Six points are awarded for touchdowns scored, four points for passing TDs and one point for receptions.

Rankings are compiled by Daniel Dobish, TheHuddle.com. 

(*-check status before kickoff)

Fantasy football Week 12 quarterback rankings

Geno Smith (elbow) was limited in practice Tuesday. He’s questionable for Thursday night’s game vs. the 49ers.Justin Fields ran for over 100 yards in his return from the injured list last week. He could be a sneaky daily fantasy play this week vs. the Vikings.Sleeper pick: Gardner Minshew is coming off a bye week and gets to face a Buccaneers defense that gives up the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Fantasy football Week 12 running back rankings

Kenneth Walker (oblique) has not practiced this week and is questionable for Sunday night. Zach Charbonnet would be a top-25 RB if Walker is out.Aaron Jones (knee) will not be put on injured reserve, but is ‘highly unlikely’ to play Thanksgiving Day in Detroit.De’Von Achane (knee) exited early last week as a precaution after he reinjured the ailing knee that landed him on IR earlier this season. He’s questionable for Sunday at the Jets.Sleeper pick: Kyren Williams (ankle) is set to return from IR this week. The Rams releasing Darrell Henderson this week is a good indication Williams is very close to 100%,

Fantasy football Week 12 wide receiver rankings

With QB Joe Burrow (wrist) out for the season, Bengals WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins are downgraded for the rest of the season.Justin Jefferson (hamstring) is officially questionable in his return to action after missing six games.Sleeper pick: If Cooper Kupp (ankle) has to miss Sunday’s game at Arizona, Tutu Atwell will have an opportunity to shine.

Fantasy football Week 12 tight end rankings

Fantasy football Week 12 kicker rankings

Fantasy football Week 12 defense/special teams rankings

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Goodell weighs in on Taylor Swift, Super Bowl, sports betting

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell discussed the state of the league, criticisms, and the increased popularity of the nation’s most popular sports during an interview aired Wednesday on CBS Mornings.

Goodell has been the top executive of the NFL since 2006 and signed a contract extension last month that will keep him in the job until March 2027.

During an interview with former NFL player turned broadcaster Nate Burleson, the 64-year-old Goodell talked about many topics including Taylor Swift, Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, and player safety.

Roger Goodell on the state of the NFL

Goodell says the state of the league is good going forward because the fans want to see more football, with more events, such as the international series being played overseas in countries such as England and Germany. According to Forbes, the NFL took in an all-time high of $12 billion in revenue in 2022, and the television ratings continue to soar.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Super Bowl 57 between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs was the most-watched television program in history.

‘I think people want more football. But I think it’s all calculated. They are intentional to give people bigger events, more events and to gather around football.’ he said.

Roger Goodell on Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, sports betting

This year’s Super Bowl will take place on Feb. 11 from Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, home of the Las Vegas Raiders.

‘It’s a challenge on one hand,’ Goodell said, but acknowledged its impact because of the fan support in the league’s newest market, which is synonymous with sports betting.

Goodell reiterated that any employee who bets on NFL games will be punished. Ten players this year have been suspended for either betting on NFL games or placing bets while at a league facility.

‘That’s going to be dealt with very severe discipline. That goes for everyone in the league. Don’t bet on the NFL and don’t bet in our facilities,’ he said.

Roger Goodell on criticism that the NFL is soft

Sometimes the league has been referred to as the ‘No Fun League’ due to the many rules that concern player safety, but Goodell says those rules are in place for a reason.

For those who criticize the play on the field, Goodell has a message for those people.

‘I invite them to come down to the field and play,’ Goodell says. ‘I don’t think our game has ever been more physical, faster, stronger. Our players are more athletic than they have ever been. What we want to do is take the techniques out that lead to injuries. We can’t ask our officials to judge intention.’

Roger Goodell on on Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce

Goodell says he welcomes the extra attention the league is getting when Swift, is shown on broadcast whenever the Chiefs are playing because of the Grammy winner’s immense popularity.

Swift is dating Kansas City All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce and has been shown numerous times when she is in attendance at one of his games.

‘They’re happy, they seem to be enjoying their relationship. That’s great in and of itself.’ Goodell said. ‘It has connected more fans of Taylor. She’s an unbelievable artist. He is an unbelievable player.’

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Drama overload: Dissecting the spectacle of Ohio State-Michigan clash

The fourth College Football Playoff committee rankings were released Tuesday and the committee was tasked with addressing the situation with Florida State and a season-ending injury to Jordan Travis. Washington moved ahead of the Seminoles into the fourth spot. But the case could be made that the Huskies should be even higher given their resume of quality wins.

The committee could be facing one of the more difficult decisions in the 10-years of the current system if Florida State does stumble in its final two games with Tate Rodemaker at quarterback. Where do the potential one-loss teams stack up and who are the best situated to find their way into the field?

With matters on the field, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 MIchigan face off in their annual showdown with bragging rights and playoff implications on the line. There’s the spectre of Jim Harbugh’s absence and the need for both the Buckeyes and Wolverines to prove themselves.

Dan Wolken and Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports discuss these topics and the rest of the Week 13 schedule in this week’s version of the College Football Fix.

BOWL PROJECTIONS: Ohio State takes playoff spot from Michigan

RE-RANK: Georgia grabs No. 1 spot from Michigan in the NCAA 1-133

MISERY INDEX: Florida State leads list after injury to Jordan Travis

REPORT CARD: Auburn gets F after paying big bucks to get butt kicked

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