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After a 29% Bounce, Can SMCI Reclaim Its Former Glory?

When going through your morning trading routine, you’re likely to tune into the news for unfolding events, run technical scans, check sentiment and breadth indicators, and utilize any other tool that can provide a snapshot of what’s going on “now” before or during the market’s opening hours. After all, each day presents something new.

But what if a stock makes headlines for an unusually massive jump due to a significant news event? How might you go about assessing the favorability of that stock amid a rush of stampeding bulls? That was the case Monday morning with Super Micro Computer Inc. (SMCI).

On Monday morning, December 2, SMCI claimed the top position in StockCharts’ Market Movers tool, featured on the Dashboard. The ranking highlighted SMCI as the most actively traded stock across the S&P 500 and NASDAQ, as illustrated below.

FIGURE 1. MARKET MOVERS PANEL FOR NASDAQ ON DECEMBER 2. SMCI was the most actively traded stock in the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Can SMCI Stock Recover After Its 85% Plunge?

Typically, when analyzing a stock that’s performing relatively well, you’d compare it to a benchmark like the broader market (S&P 500) or its sector, checking various breadth indicators to see how the stock and its benchmarks are performing.

SMCI’s dramatic underperformance renders traditional comparisons to benchmarks unnecessary. Yes, it was that bad. Once a high-flying AI stock, SMCI made headlines after plummeting 85% just weeks ago amid concerns over its financial integrity. While this event grabbed attention, the stock has been on a steady downward trend since the start of the year.

Despite this, on Monday, shares jumped about 29% after a special committee reaffirmed that there was “no evidence of misconduct” by the company. This was enough to ease investor fears despite the risks that might still weigh on the stock. Given the dramatic surge, the news likely spurred many bullish investors to seize the opportunity, betting on a rebound at “bargain basement” prices.

However, “not so fast,” as a daily chart of SMCI would indicate.

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF SMCI. The day’s impressive surge may not look so optimistic when viewed from a larger context.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Look at the volume spike coinciding with Monday’s price surge (magenta rectangle). Both may be slightly notable relative to previous sessions. In the bigger picture, though, it’s not a remarkable event. What stands out, however, is the resistance level near $50 (indicated by the blue dotted line) and the Stochastic Oscillator‘s “overbought” reading (marked by the magenta circle), suggesting that momentum may soon slow. In short, watch what the price does at that level.

But let’s suppose that the current reversal eventually sustains itself and breaks above resistance at $50. The next step would be identifying potential price targets or reversal points ahead. Additionally, it’s important to monitor key longer-term indicators for further confirmation.

How to Trade SMCI Stock: Entry/Exit Points and Price Targets

Let’s switch over to a weekly chart.

FIGURE 3. WEEKLY CHART OF SMCI. The significance of historical volume is quite telling in this chart. The $20 and $90 price ranges have seen the highest trading volumes.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

If the price breaks above the immediate resistance level at $50, the next key levels to monitor are $65, $95, and $120 (its all-time high). These levels, indicated by dashed blue lines, could serve as potential points for profit-taking, resistance, or reversals, depending on the broader technical and fundamental context. In short, these are your potential price targets. A break above $50 would make for a favorable entry point, and a good stop-loss level would be at $41, marked by the magenta dotted line, as it served as support from September through October.

A key indicator to watch if price breaks above $50 is the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF). Ideally, you would want to see the CMF rise above the zero-line, as it would indicate that buyers are taking control of the stock, suggesting volume-driven buying pressure that might be adequate enough to lift the stock higher. If SMCI falls before breaking above $50, what’s the likelihood of another bounce at $20, forming a double bottom?

While SMCI’s bounce is a foggy mix of fundamental speculation, leading SMCI bulls to trade technically until more definitive information on the company’s prospects becomes clearer, the Volume-by-Price indicator offers some valuable insight. A Volume-by-Price analysis suggests that the $20 and $90 price ranges have experienced the highest trading volumes. This means that these ranges might serve as significant support and resistance levels, respectively, due to heavy trading concentrated at these prices. So, if SMCI’s price declines, it is likely to find support once again at the $20 level.

At the Close

SMCI’s dramatic 29% rebound drew much attention, but you should approach such euphoria cautiously, tempering the optimism with technical reality. The Market Movers tool is useful for drawing attention to stocks experiencing the highest levels of trading volume and the biggest percentage gainers and decliners. But just because you see a bull rush doesn’t mean you should immediately jump into the fray. Watch the key levels discussed above and if SMCI signals an entry, set your sights on the targets and set your stops as well. If SMCI trends higher, consider trailing your stops higher to reduce your losses or ensure your profits.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk loses bid to get $56 billion pay package reinstated

Tesla CEO Elon Musk lost his bid to get his 2018 CEO pay package reinstated on Monday when a Delaware judge upheld her prior ruling that the compensation plan was improperly granted.

The package, worth about $56 billion, was the largest compensation plan in U.S. history for a public company executive. Tesla said in a post on X, that it plans to appeal the ruling, which Musk, in a separate post on his social media site, called “absolute corruption.”

In January, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick voided the pay plan, ruling that Musk had individually “controlled Tesla” and dictated the terms of his compensation to a board that didn’t fairly negotiate. She called the process leading to approval of that pay plan “deeply flawed.”

Following the opinion, Tesla conducted a shareholder vote in June 2024 at its annual meeting in Austin, Texas, asking investors to “ratify” Musk’s 2018 CEO pay plan. Musk’s attorneys attempted to sway the judge to reverse her opinion after the trial, leaning on the results of that vote.

McCormick wrote in her opinion on Monday that, “Even if a stockholder vote could have a ratifying effect, it could not do so here.” She added that, “Were the court to condone the practice of allowing defeated parties to create new facts for the purpose of revising judgments, lawsuits would become interminable.” 

As part of Monday’s opinion, McCormick approved a $345 million attorney fee award for the lawyers who successfully sued on behalf of Tesla shareholders in order to void Musk’s pay plan.

“We are pleased with Chancellor McCormick’s ruling, which declined Tesla’s invitation to inject continued uncertainty into Court proceedings and thank the Chancellor and her staff for their extraordinary hard work in overseeing this complex case,” attorneys from Bernstein, Litowitz, Berger & Grossmann, the firm representing the plaintiff, said in a statement.

Following the January decision, Musk had lashed out at the Delaware court posting on X, “Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware.” Tesla then held a shareholder vote to reincorporate in Texas, and officially shifted its state of incorporation there.

Musk has also moved the state of incorporation for his defense contractor company SpaceX to Texas from Delaware.

Despite the legal setback, Musk has seen his net worth jump considerably in recent weeks. Excluding all of the options wrapped up in the pay package, Musk is more than $43 billion richer since Donald Trump’s election victory last month. Tesla shares have soared 42% in the four weeks since the election on optimism that Musk’s coziness with the incoming president will lead to policies favorable to his companies.  

The Tesla stock Musk still holds is worth close to $150 billion based on Monday’s closing price. That alone, not including his SpaceX stake, would put him among the world’s wealthiest people. Equilar estimates that at today’s stock price Musk’s 2018 package would have risen to be worth $101.4 billion.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Art Cashin, New York Stock Exchange fixture for decades, dies at 83

Art Cashin, UBS’ director of floor operations at the New York Stock Exchange and a man The Washington Post called “Wall Street’s version of Walter Cronkite,” has died. He was 83 and had been a regular on CNBC for more than 25 years.

In the intensely competitive and often vicious world of stock market commentary, Cashin was that rarest of creatures: a man respected by all, bulls and bears, liberals and conservatives alike. He seemed to have almost no enemies.

He was a great drinker and raconteur, a teller of stories.

For decades, he assembled a group of like-minded friends every day after trading halted, first at the bar at the NYSE luncheon club, then across the street at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, where the group came to be known as the “Friends of Fermentation.” His drink was Dewar’s, always on the rocks.

Cashin’s success was attributable to a combination of charm, wit, intelligence, and a stubborn insistence on refusing to adopt many of the conveniences of the modern world. He was a link to an NYSE tradition. Every year, on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, he led the singing of the 1905 song “Wait ’Till the Sun Shines, Nellie.”

Cashin refused to use credit cards and paid for everything, particularly his voluminous bar bills, with cash, saying he cherished his anonymity. He never learned to use a computer–his notes were hand-written and then sent to his assistant. For years, he used an obsolete flip phone that he rarely answered.

His desk was piled high with papers he had accumulated over the decades. At times, it resembled a recycling facility.

Cashin’s suits were usually rumpled and his ties were always obsolete.

However, neither his appearance nor his attitude was haphazard. It was part of a persona that was carefully constructed over more than 50 years on Wall Street.

Arthur D. Cashin Jr. was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1941. His parents were superintendents of an apartment building. His business career began in 1959 at Thomson McKinnon, a brokerage firm, when he was 17 and still in high school. Cashin had been obliged to join the workforce when his father died unexpectedly that year.

In 1964, at age 23, he became a member of the NYSE and a partner of P.R. Herzig & Co.

At that time, the vast majority of all trading took place on the NYSE floor. Cashin’s early memories revolve around the noise of thousands of brokers shouting at each other. He claimed to be able to tell if the market was moving up or down by the pitch of the screaming, because sellers sounded panicky. “And so if the pitch of the noise was high, I would know the sellers were headed my way. Or if it was a rumble, I would know that it was probably buyers coming,” he said in a 2018 interview.

In the mid-1970s, disgusted by the corruption in his hometown of Jersey City, Cashin ran for mayor. “I think I ran 12th in a field of five,” he said. “But once they discovered I was honest, there wasn’t much chance I was going to get elected.”

He returned to Wall Street. In 1980, he joined PaineWebber and managed its floor operation, continuing to do so after PaineWebber was bought by UBS in 2000.

Then came 2001.

Cashin would often recall what it was like to escape from Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, after terrorists crashed two jetliners into the World Trade Center towers, killing more than 2,600 people in the heart of the nation’s financial center.

“Many of us got out that Tuesday walking through streets onto which ash, smoke and business envelopes fell snow-like, blocking both your view and your breathing,” he wrote in a commentary 13 days later. “Yet when a stranger was met, they were invited to join the convoy and offered a spare wet cloth (carried in pockets) through which to breathe as they walked. When we reached the East River (Brooklyn side of Manhattan), there was a volunteer group of tugboats, fishing boats and mini-ferries that looked like the evacuation of Dunkirk. No charge. No money. Just — “May I help you!” No one got anyone’s name. No thank you cards will be sent. But Americans — even New York Americans — who freely give to strangers but argue with neighbors were suddenly one group. In the days since, as we wander via new strange ways back to Wall Street, we all internalize the survivor’s quandary. We are lucky to be alive — but why us.”

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Cashin chaired the NYSE “Fallen Heroes Fund,” which provided millions of dollars to the families of first responders killed in the line of duty.

Though he was a respected market historian, he was most renowned as a storyteller for the stock market. He was a meticulous observer of fundamental and technical trading patterns but never let data get in the way of explaining the market in a folksy manner that made it accessible to even casual observers. He often spoke of Wall Street as a community of people with many different opinions. In his world, the bulls and bears would fight it out every day, as if it were all a John Wayne Western: “The bulls are circling the wagons, trying to defend the highs” was a common refrain.

His daily market commentary, Cashin’s Comments, was distributed to clients continuously for more than 40 years and was widely read on Wall Street. It invariably began with an analysis of an important event that occurred on that date (“On this date in 1918, the worldwide flu epidemic went into high gear in the U.S.”), and after a brief history lesson tied that event to the day’s market events (“Pre-opening Wednesday morning, U.S. stock futures looked like they might be coming down with the flu. Several earnings reports were less than glowing and some of the outlooks were cloudy”).

He was a keen observer of human behavior, a behavioral psychologist long before the word was coined. He had seen his fellow humans panic time after time, and had seen the effects of succumbing to the initial desire to sell immediately without thinking. “It tells me that people have a tendency to overreact — and to not think things through carefully,” he said. “And you break up, again, into two sets of people, those who look with some suspicion at events, and others who say, ‘Oh, I’ve got to react to that.’ Those who react immediately rarely do well. Those who are somewhat suspect, they do much better.”

He had two great loves in his life: his family and the New York Stock Exchange. In the age of computerized trading, the fabled NYSE trading floor still survives, though in greatly diminished form. When it was closed during the Covid pandemic, he said he was “disappointed … but it was understandable.” 

Cashin was philosophical when asked about the rise of electronic trading, which has slowly but surely eroded the influence of that floor. “I miss those magnificent days when your spirit hung on the fact that you were good for your word or you’re outta here,” he once said at Bobby Van’s, but admitted that electronic trading had improved the speed and accuracy of trading, particularly recordkeeping.

Among his many friends, he will perhaps be best remembered for his modesty. He seemed genuinely puzzled about his popularity. “People have an interest in — in Arthur Cashin. I can’t fully understand why,” he said.

And when The Washington Post ran a long profile of his career in 2019, calling him Wall Street’s version of CBS newsman Cronkite, he quipped: “I think I owe an apology to Walter Cronkite.”

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Arthur D. Cashin Jr. Memorial Scholarship at Xavier High School. Contributions may be sent to Xavier High School, 30 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011.

— CNBC’s Martin Steinberg contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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NFL MVP rankings Week 13: Bills star Josh Allen in top spot again

Josh Allen – wearing his blue Buffalo Bills jersey, diving toward the pylon on a snow-filled field to score a touchdown – may have delivered the indelible image of the NFL MVP race in 2024.

The Bills’ star saw a short pass to Amari Cooper nearly end in a loss of yards. So, Allen thought quickly on his feet. He ran toward Cooper, catching a pass from the receiver, and sprinted toward the end zone with that dive at the goal line.

The hook-and-ladder play was recorded as a passing and receiving touchdown for Allen, who later added a rushing touchdown in Buffalo’s 35-10 dismantling of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football.

It may have also locked up Allen’s first career NFL MVP award.

Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ NFL MVP rankings after Week 13:

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5. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts needed just 11 completions, a tush push and another steady diet of handoffs to Saquon Barkley to stay in fifth place of our MVP rankings.

Hurts threw a touchdown and scored a rushing touchdown in Philadelphia’s 24-19 win over the Baltimore Ravens last week. He was 11 of 19 for 118 passing yards, with 29 rushing yards in the win.

Hurts is second in the NFL with 12 rushing touchdowns – trailing Derrick Henry (13), while just ahead of Saquon Barkley (11). He also remains in the Top 10 with a 68.4 completion percentage, 101.8 passer rating, and 64.5 QBR.

More important to Hurts’ MVP case: The Eagles won their eighth straight game to remain atop the NFC East while just a game behind the Detroit Lions for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

4. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, stock even

The reigning, back-to-back Super Bowl champions continue to find ways to win close games. Sometimes, it just takes the other team messing up to do so.

Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton pounced on a botched snap by the Las Vegas Raiders in the closing seconds to escape with a 19-17 win at home on Black Friday.

Mahomes was 26 of 46 for 306 yards and a touchdown pass in the win, which extended Kansas City’s record to 14 consecutive wins by one possession. The Chiefs are 11-1, clinched a playoff berth, and remain the top overall seed in the AFC playoff mix.

Mahomes is in the Top 10 with 19 touchdown passes (eighth), 2,979 passing yards (ninth) and a 64.6 QBR (ninth). But he leads the NFL with four fourth-quarter comebacks and six game-winning drives, boosting his case for his third NFL MVP.

3. Lions QB Jared Goff, stock even

Like the Chiefs, the Lions scored a victory last week as their opponent unraveled in the final minutes.

Goff was 21 of 34 for 221 yards and two touchdown passes in the Lions’ 23-20 win over the Bears, relying on their defense to slow Caleb Williams’ comeback attempt on Thanksgiving.

It was Detroit’s 10th straight win, keeping the Lions in the No. 1 seed atop the NFC playoff standings. But the Eagles (10-2) aren’t far behind, while the Vikings (10-2) and Packers (9-3) also loom in the NFC North.

Goff has the second-best passer rating (109.0) and completion percentage (71.8) in the NFL, while his 22 touchdown passes rank fifth among quarterbacks. Leading the best team in the NFC continues to boost Goff’s MVP case.

2. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, stock down

Another loss, and another week down the MVP rankings.

Jackson was 23 of 36 for 237 yards with two touchdown passes and 79 yards rushing, but he could not elevate the Ravens past two missed field goals and a missed extra point by kicker Justin Tucker against the Eagles last week.

Jackson leads the NFL with a 116.3 passer rating, and is second behind Joe Burrow with 29 touchdown passes. But the Ravens suffered their fifth loss of the season.

Baltimore – which relinquished the AFC North lead to the Steelers two weeks ago – finds itself sixth in the playoff picture, behind the Los Angeles Chargers.

The club is headed toward a postseason where they could be on the road for its playoff games, which is a major disappointment considering Jackson’s dynamic play alongside Derrick Henry this season.

1. Bills QB Josh Allen, stock up

Allen retakes the top spot in our MVP rankings after the Bills’ bye last week. He has in the NFL’s fourth-best QBR at 73.0, while sixth with 20 touchdown passes and 10th with a 100.3 passer rating. His six rushing touchdowns are tied with Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels for the most by a quarterback this season.

But the bigger story in Allen’s MVP case is how the Bills are performing:

The Bills are just a game behind the Chiefs for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC playoff picture. They clinched the AFC East with five games remaining after their win over the 49ers on Sunday.

They have scored 30 or more points in six straight games. And they have won seven in a row.

It all lines up to Allen being the frontrunner to win his first NFL MVP.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Carli Lloyd has another title: Hall of Famer

Add one more title to Carli Lloyd’s long list.

Lloyd, a two-time World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, is now a Hall of Famer. She’s one of the five people chosen for this year’s National Soccer Hall of Fame class, which will be inducted May 3 in Frisco, Texas.

Lloyd was elected her first year of eligibility. She retired in 2021 after making 316 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team, second only to Kristine Lilly. She is fifth on the international scoring list, her 134 career goals behind only Christine Sinclair, Abby Wambach, Mia Hamm and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It’s not her stats that define Lloyd’s career, however. It’s the impact she made when she was on the field. Of the nine titles the U.S. women have won at the Olympics and World Cup, Lloyd is directly responsible for three of them.

She scored the game-winner in the gold-medal match at both the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Games in London. She single-handedly outscored Japan — in the first 16 minutes, no less — in the 2015 World Cup final.

Lloyd also scored twice in the bronze-medal match at the Tokyo Olympics, where the U.S. women beat Australia 4-3.

“She obviously is a big-game player,” Becky Sauerbrunn, then the USWNT’s captain, said ahead of Lloyd’s final match with the Americans. “A large reason this team has been so successful is because of Carli Lloyd.”

Lloyd was as relentless in her preparation as she was on the field. The New Jersey native was known for never taking days off, finding time to run and work out even when she was on vacation. That single-minded focus came with a price elsewhere in her life, Lloyd acknowledged, but it was what she needed to do to become, and remain, one of the world’s top players.

Lloyd was twice a FIFA player of the year, joining Hamm as the only American to win the award multiple times. She also won the Golden Ball award as the best player at the 2015 World Cup.

Lloyd also was one of the main drivers in the USWNT’s push for equal pay. She joined Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Sauerbrunn in filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2016, alleging U.S. Soccer paid the USWNT less than it did the U.S. men. That complaint became the basis for the USWNT’s gender discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Soccer in 2019, with Lloyd, Morgan, Rapinoe and Sauerbrunn as the lead plaintiffs.

“I think,” Lloyd said in 2016, “that we’ve proven our worth over the years.”

Lloyd’s exacting standards carried over to her teammates, and she sharply criticized some of them during the Tokyo Olympics. She was even more caustic as an analyst for Fox Sports during the 2023 World Cup, when the U.S. women made their earliest exit ever at a major tournament.

She called the team “lackluster,” and said players were taking the USWNT’s success for granted. She also questioned the commitment of the players, criticizing them for dancing and taking selfies after a draw with Portugal.

Captain Lindsey Horan, who inherited the No. 10 after Lloyd retired, pushed back on Lloyd’s criticisms, saying she had “no idea what’s going on behind the scenes.”

Indeed, many of the players on that World Cup team made up the core of the USWNT squad for this summer’s Paris Olympics, where the U.S. women won their fifth gold medal. The Americans allowed just two goals in their six games, while the “Triple Espresso” front line of Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman scored 10 of the team’s 12 goals.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Texans LB suspended three games for hit that injured Jaguars QB

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended three games by the NFL on Tuesday for his late hit on Trevor Lawrence on Sunday that left the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback with a concussion and sparked a brawl between the two teams, the league announced.

In the second quarter of the Texans’ 23-20 win, Lawrence scrambled before sliding on a second-and-7 play. With the slide already in progress, Al-Shaair went in on a tackle leading with his forearm, resulting in Lawrence’s head slamming against the grass at EverBank Field. Jaguars tight end Evan Engram shoved Al-Shaair after the play, and a brawl between the two teams ensued.

Al-Shaair and Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, who left the bench and threw a punch, were both ejected, while Engram was flagged for a personal foul. Before Al-Shaair left the field, he got into a confrontation with Jaguars offensive guard Brandon Scherff and had to be held back by Texans teammates.

Lawrence was carted off and ruled out for the remainder of the game, though he wrote on social media after the game that he was ‘home and feeling better.’

On Monday, Al-Shaair apologized to Lawrence in a post on social media.

All things Texans: Latest Houston Texans news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

‘I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them especially one that’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary,” Al-Shaair wrote. ‘To the rest of his teammates I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that.’

In the league’s suspension letter, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan pointed to Al-Shaair’s past personal fouls and called Sunday’s hit ‘a play that the League considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules.’

“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL,’ Runyan wrote. ‘Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”

Texans general manager Nick Caserio offered a passionate defense of Al-Shaair in a news conference Tuesday, saying the linebacker ‘represents everything that we want this program to be about.’ He also criticized the NFL for its approach to issuing punishments for on-field infractions.

‘I’d say in this situation, I mean quite frankly there’s no consistency at all relative to the level of discipline that’s been handed down,’ Caserio said, pointing to the lack of a suspension for Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch after an ejection as well as Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James receiving merely a one-game suspension earlier this year.

‘For the league to make some of the commentary … about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of paying attention to the rules, quite frankly it’s embarrassing,’ Caserio added.

Ryans said after the game that while the hit was ‘unfortunate’ and ‘not what we’re coaching,’ he did not believe it was representative of Al-Shaair as a player. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson called the move ‘a play that has no business in our league.’

Multiple players took issue with Al-Shaair’s actions, with Engram saying after the game that the hit was ‘dirty,’ while defensive end Josh Hines-Allen labeling it ‘stupid.’

Al-Shaair was at the center of another controversy in Week 2 when he hit Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams on the sideline as the rookie was running out of bounds. Several Bears players came to Williams’ defense, and Al-Shaair punched running back Roschon Johnson in the facemask. The sixth-year linebacker was issued an $11,817 fine for the play.

Al-Shaair, 27, signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Texans this offseason and was named a team captain for 2024. An undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic in 2019, he latched on with the San Francisco 49ers and later became a starter. He spent last season with the Tennessee Titans.

The Texans are on a bye before returning to action against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 15.

This story has been updated with new information.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Pro Football Hall of Fame reveals finalist for coaching category

Mike Holmgren is on the precipice of being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The former Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks coach has been selected as the coaching category finalist for the 2025 class, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday. He is joined by contributor finalist Ralph Hay and senior finalists Maxie Baughan, Sterling Sharpe and Jim Tyrer.

Holmgren was chosen ahead of eight other semifinalists, including Mike Shanahan and Tom Coughlin. He led the Packers to a title in Super Bowl 31 and reached the game two others times – with the Packers the following season and the Seahawks in the 2005 campaign, making him one of only seven coaches to guide two different franchises to the Super Bowl. Green Bay reached the playoffs in six of his seven seasons (1992-98) at the helm.

The 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class will be announced at the Feb. 6 ‘NFL Honors’ show in New Orleans as part of the festivities for Super Bowl 59. The five finalists must receive at least 80% approval from the full selection committee. Only three of the five can be chosen, with at least one being assured entrance.

The 25 modern-era semifinalists will be narrowed down to 15 on Dec. 28.

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Playoff bracket prediction: Alabama, Arizona State rise, Ohio State falls

At least 18 teams remain in playoff contention, but who’s getting the last spot? Never discount brand bias. That helps Alabama.
South Carolina is the hottest bubble team, but Gamecocks lost to Alabama and Ole Miss.
Expect a hot debate on whether Ohio State or Tennessee deserves final spot to host first-round game.

An Ohio State loss and a few shots of pepper spray later, and we’re a little bleary-eyed as we try to figure out how the College Football Playoff committee will handle a messy glob of teams vying for the final spot in the bracket.

By my count, 18 teams remain in playoff contention entering conference championship weekend.

Playoff possibilities include a team that lost to Kentucky (Mississippi), a team that got blown out by six-win Oklahoma (Alabama), and a three-loss bid stealer from the ACC (Clemson).

Let’s get to my latest playoff bracket projection.

Reminder: This is not a projection of what I think Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings will look like. Rather, this projects what I think the playoff bracket will look like come Selection Sunday on Dec. 8.

Also, remember: Top-four seeds would receive a first-round bye, while teams seeded Nos. 5 through 8 would host first-round playoff games. To earn a top-four seed, a team must win its conference championship.

1. Oregon (Big Ten)

The Ducks passed every test and stand as the only remaining undefeated team. The cost for losing the Big Ten championship would be significant, shoving Oregon into the No. 5 seed, which could push it into a game against an SEC team like Alabama or South Carolina. Holding off Penn State will be no layup, but the Ducks show all the markers of a team up to the task. Last week’s projection: No. 5.

BOWL PROJECTIONS: Alabama back into the playoff as Texas, SMU rise

RE-RANK: Texas moves up, Ohio State tumbles in NCAA 1-134 ranking

2. Texas (SEC)

The Longhorns earned the rematch against Georgia that they craved since imploding in the first half of an October loss to the Bulldogs. Georgia played to a peak that night it hasn’t often replicated. If both teams bring their best, Georgia might be a rung better, but Texas displays more consistency, and surely it won’t repeat its four turnovers from the first meeting, right? Last week’s projection: No. 8.

3. SMU (ACC)

The Mustangs have played like the ACC’s best team for several weeks now, and the committee refused to acknowledge it, but there will be no denying SMU the bracket’s No. 3 seed if it earns a 10th consecutive victory by beating Clemson. Rhett Lashlee’s quarterback switcheroo to insert Kevin Jennings galvanized SMU and remains one of the season’s best coaching decisions. Last week’s projection: No. 3

4. Arizona State (Big 12)

Boise State enjoyed a rankings lead on the Sun Devils last week, but Arizona State’s blowout win over rival Arizona should close the gap. Then, if the Sun Devils beat Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game, the committee can accept that as permission to award the Big 12 the final bye and snub the Broncos. Defeating the Cyclones would give Arizona State two ranked wins in its final three games. Last week’s projection: Not projected into bracket.

5. Notre Dame (at-large)

Expect Penn State to be ranked ahead of the Irish on Tuesday. If Oregon beats Penn State in the Big Ten championship, though, the committee must decide whether – and how much – to penalize the Nittany Lions for putting it on the line against the No. 1 team while Notre Dame sat at home. The committee has consistently valued Penn State ahead of Notre Dame, but a loss to Oregon would be fresh in the brain. Last week’s projection: No. 7.

6. Penn State (at-large)

If Penn State beats Oregon to snatch the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, then Ohio State’s loss to Michigan will have been worth it to the Nittany Lions. If Oregon wins, then Penn State will have endured a tough game and gained little to no value to its seeding. Penn State last won the Big Ten in 2016, so, viewed through that lens, consider this a valued opportunity. It also will tell us more about whether Penn State should be viewed as a national title contender or pretender. Last week’s projection: No. 6.

7. Georgia (at-large)

Beating Texas for a second time projects as no easy task, but thanks to Georgia’s escape against Georgia Tech in eight overtimes, the Bulldogs will enter this SEC championship game facing less pressure. Georgia’s head-to-head wins against Texas and Tennessee, two teams that will be in the bracket, help provide seed protection even if it loses in Atlanta. Last week’s projection: No. 2.

8. Ohio State (at-large)

The Buckeyes faceplanted in their final stroll down the catwalk, suffering a familiar result against Michigan. This will test whether the committee becomes victim to the moment. Throughout 11 games, OSU looked the part of national championship contender. It owns wins against two teams in this bracket, Penn State and Indiana, and a one-point loss to Oregon. Seeding based on full résumé could be enough to preserve a first-round home game, but the Buckeyes put their fate in the committee’s hands. Last week’s projection: No. 1.

9. Tennessee (at-large)

The Vols handled their business against Vanderbilt and put themselves in the conversation for a first-round home game. Seeding could be crucial for Tennessee, which plays substantially better at Neyland Stadium. So, Ohio State or Tennessee? Both teams boast top defenses. OSU’s overall résumé is better, but can the committee forget what it saw from the Buckeyes against Michigan? That’s the question. Last week’s projection: No. 9.

10. Indiana (at-large)

Miami and Clemson losing, while Indiana ripped out Purdue’s soul, ended debate about whether the Hoosiers will earn an at-large bid. We’re talking about 9-3 teams with bad losses being in contention, so, yes, Indiana is in, and the playoff’s first round will reveal whether that performance against Ohio State was a harbinger of fraud status or an aberration masking a good team. Last week’s projection: No. 11.

11. Boise State (Group of Five)

The Broncos aren’t your average Group of Five team. They possess one of the two front-runners for the Heisman Trophy. Their only loss came by three points, on the road, to Oregon. But, awarding Boise State the final first-round bye over a two-loss Big 12 champion would take some spine from a committee that’s consistently hesitated to put respect on Boise’s name. Last week’s projection: No. 4.

12. Alabama (at-large)

Look, the final team selected will have a smudged résumé. That’s a fact. How to choose? I’m thinking Alabama’s strength of schedule and head-to-head result with South Carolina tips the scales, with some brand bias giving the final nudge. Last week’s projection: Not projected in the bracket.

Dropping out of last week’s bracket projection

∎ Miami

The case for South Carolina

No bad losses, and, as winners of six in a row, the Gamecocks are the hottest team vying for the final spot. Clemson winning the ACC championship would polish South Carolina’s bid, but a bid for the Gamecocks would require the committee to ignore head-to-head losses to Alabama and Ole Miss.

The case for Miami

If the final spot becomes a loss-counting exercise, then Miami gets the bid, and sorry about your luck, SEC. But, by that logic, why reward Miami instead of two-loss Brigham Young, which has a better top victory (SMU) and stronger strength of schedule? The case for Miami plays weak in that light.

The case for Ole Miss

The Rebels’ three losses came by a total margin of 13 points. They own a dominant victory against the team that might win the SEC championship (Georgia), plus a blowout road win against a team under consideration (South Carolina). If only Ole Miss hadn’t lost at home to Kentucky, the Rebels would be a slam dunk, but they did lose to Kentucky.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. The ‘Topp Rope’ is his football column published throughout the USA TODAY Network. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Sports

UCLA passes UConn to earn No. 1 spot in women’s basketball poll for first time

The voting for the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll was extremely close for a second consecutive week. This time, however, the result was a little different.

UCLA takes over at the top, edging last week’s No. 1 Connecticut by three poll points. The Bruins received 16 of 31 No. 1 votes and claim the No. 1 ranking for the first time in the history of the coaches poll, which USA TODAY began administering the poll in the 2003-04 season.

UConn once again has 14 first-place nods, the same number as last week, but UCLA’s net gain of three firsts made available by Notre Dame’s rough week led to the change at the top.

The last No. 1 vote again went to Texas, which moves up a spot to No. 3. South Carolina climbs a notch to No. 4, and LSU vaults ahead of Southern California to round out the top five. Ohio State, Maryland and Duke hold down the next three positions.

As for the Fighting Irish, they tumble from third to 10th after losses to TCU and Utah. TCU, which also owns an earlier victory against No. 24 North Carolina State, leaps eight places to No. 13. Michigan State moves into the poll at No. 25 this week, replacing fellow Big Ten member Nebraska.

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Politics

House Dem moves to force vote on releasing Gaetz ethics report

A Democratic lawmaker is moving to force a vote on releasing the results of the House Ethics Committee’s report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., introduced legislation on Tuesday afternoon aimed at mandating a House-wide vote on whether to make the Gaetz report public. 

He introduced it as a ‘privileged resolution,’ a mechanism that forces House leaders to consider it within two legislative days – putting the deadline on Thursday.

The House Ethics Committee’s multi-year investigation into Gaetz, involving allegations of sex with a minor and illicit drug use, came to an abrupt halt last month after he resigned from Congress hours after President-elect Donald Trump tapped him to be his attorney general.

Gaetz dropped out of consideration amid quiet but steady GOP opposition, but the committee nevertheless lost jurisdiction over the probe when Gaetz left the House of Representatives.

His resignation came just before the committee was expected to meet to consider releasing the report.

Gaetz has consistently denied any accusations of wrongdoing.

An earlier federal investigation into the allegations ended without charges against Gaetz.

It’s highly unusual for the House Ethics Committee, a panel normally shrouded in secrecy, to release reports on lawmakers who have left office. It’s a detail House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., raised when telling reporters last month that he was against releasing the report.

But it’s not unheard of, as Casten pointed out on Tuesday.

‘The Committee on Ethics has, on many occasions, released its reports on former members,’ Casten said in a statement. ‘Resigning from Congress should not allow Members to avoid accountability for allegations as serious as those faced by Matt Gaetz. Withholding this report from the American people would impede the dignity and integrity of the legislative proceedings of the House.’

Casten introduced a similar resolution last month, but his office said it was allowed to expire by House GOP leaders over the Thanksgiving break. 

The new resolution will likely not be sidelined so easily, with the House expected in session from now until Friday. 

The last day to consider the resolution will be Thursday, the same day the Ethics Committee will meet after previously failing to come to an agreement on releasing the Gaetz report.

Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., the top Democrat on the panel, hinted that the vote to do so fell along party lines.

‘I’d say that a vote was taken. As many of you know, this committee is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, five Dems, five Republicans, which means that in order to affirmatively move something forward, somebody has to cross party lines and vote with the other side – which happens a lot, by the way, and we often vote unanimously,’ Wild told reporters after the last meeting. ‘That did not happen in today’s vote.’

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