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Israeli Supreme Court hands Netanyahu a loss on judicial overhaul as Hamas war rages

The Israeli Supreme Court delivered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a major defeat in his efforts to overhaul the country’s judicial system on Monday.

The court struck down a component of Netanyahu’s reforms that banned judges from overturning government decisions the court deems ‘unreasonable.’ Netanyahu’s government had passed the legislation in July.

In the 8-7 decision, the court argued the law threatened a ‘severe and unprecedented harm to the core character of the State of Israel as a democratic country.’

Controversy around Netanyahu’s reform efforts led to widespread unrest in Israel throughout the summer, with tens of thousands of citizens protesting the move. That division was essentially set aside following Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre, however.

Netanyahu will now have to manage his battle with the courts in tandem with the war against Hamas in Gaza. He affirmed in the final days of 2023 that the war would go on ‘many more months.’

The IDF announced a partial withdrawal of some troops operating in Gaza on Monday. Officials say the move marks a new phase in the conflict in which Israel will take a more targeted approach against the remaining Hamas militants.

Israel has taken control of virtually all the territory within Gaza, but Hamas terrorists continue to operate with ambush attacks thanks to their vast network of underground tunnels.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Supreme Court chief justice report urges caution on use of AI ahead of contentious election year

With a wary eye over the future of the federal courts, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts warned Sunday of the perils of artificial intelligence (AI) when deciding cases and other important legal matters.

His remarks came in the annual year-end report issued by the head of the federal judiciary, which made no mention of current controversies surrounding his court, including calls for greater transparency and ethics reform binding the justices.

Noting the legal profession in general is ‘notoriously averse to change,’ Roberts urged a go-slow approach when embracing new technologies by the courts.

‘AI obviously has great potential to dramatically increase access to key information for lawyers and non-lawyers alike,’ he said. ‘But just as obviously it risks invading privacy interests and dehumanizing the law.’

‘But any use of AI requires caution and humility,’ he added. ‘As 2023 draws to a close with breathless predictions about the future of Artificial Intelligence, some may wonder whether judges are about to become obsolete. I am sure we are not— but equally confident that technological changes will continue to transform our work.’

Roberts also summarized the work of the nation’s 94 district courts, 13 circuit courts and his own Supreme Court. Previous year-end reports have focused on courthouse security, judges’ pay, rising caseloads and budgets. 

The chief justice’s predictions of the future did not include his own court’s caseload, as he and his colleagues are poised to tackle several politically-charged disputes in the new year, many focused on former president Donald Trump’s legal troubles and re-election efforts.

Election examinations

The Supreme Court has tackled its share of election fights over the decades — remember Bush v. Gore nearly a quarter century ago? — but 2024 promises to make that judicial drama look quaint by comparison. 

First up could be whether states can keep Trump’s name off primary and general election ballots. Colorado’s highest court said yes, and now the U.S. Supreme Court is being asked to decide the extent of a 14th Amendment provision that bans from office those who ‘engaged in insurrection.’

State courts across the country are considering whether Trump’s role in 2020 election interference and the Jan. 6 Capitol riots would disqualify him from seeking re-election.

The justices are being asked to decide the matter quickly, either by mid-February or early March, when the ‘Super Tuesday’ primaries in 16 states are held.

In his leadership role as ‘first among equals,’ the 68-year-old Roberts will likely be the key player in framing what voting disputes his court will hear and ultimately decide, perhaps as the deciding vote. 

Despite a 6-3 conservative majority, the chief justice has often tried to play the middle, seeking a less-is-best approach that has frustrated his more right-leaning colleagues.

But despite any reluctance to stay away from the fray, the court, it seems, will be involved in election-related controversies. 

‘Given the number of election disputes it might be coming, a lot of them could be moving very quickly and will be very important to see what the court does,’ said Brianne Gorod, chief counsel at the Constitutional Accountability Center. ‘Sometimes the Supreme Court has no choice but to be involved in the election cases, because there are some voting rights and election cases that the justices are required to resolve on the merits.’

Already the high court is considering redistricting challenges to voting boundaries in GOP-leaning states, brought by civil rights groups.

That includes South Carolina’s first congressional district and claims the Republican-led legislature created a racial gerrymander. A ruling is expected in spring 2024.

The high court could also be asked to weigh in on emergency appeals over vote-by-mail restrictions, provisional ballots deadlines, polling hours, the Electoral College and more. 

Just weeks before President Trump’s first House impeachment in 2019, Roberts tried to downplay his court’s consideration of partisan political disputes.

‘When you live in a polarized political environment, people tend to see everything in those terms,’ Roberts said at the time. ‘That’s not how we at the court function and the results in our cases do not suggest otherwise.’

But the court’s reputation as a fair arbiter of the law and Constitution has continued to erode to all-time lows.

A Fox News poll in June found just 48% of those surveyed having confidence in the Supreme Court, down from 83% just six years ago.

The Trump term?

Donald Trump faces separate criminal prosecution in four jurisdictions in 2024 — two federal cases over document mishandling and 2020 election interference; and two state cases in Georgia over 2020 election interference and New York over hush money payments to a porn star.

The prospect of a former president and leading GOP candidate facing multiple criminal convictions — with or without the blessing of the United States Supreme Court — has the potential to dominate an already riven election campaign.

The former president has filed various motions in each case, seeking to drop charges, delay the proceedings, and be allowed to speak publicly at what he sees as politically-motivated prosecutions.

The Supreme Court recently refused to fast-track a separate appeal, over Trump’s scheduled criminal trial scheduled to start the day before ‘Super Tuesday.’

Special counsel Jack Smith is challenging Trump’s claim of presidential immunity in the 2020 election interference case. The former president says the prosecutions amount to a ‘partisan witch hunt.’

While the justices are staying out of the dispute for now, they could quickly jump back in later this winter, after a federal appeals court decides the merits in coming weeks.

But the justices will decide this term whether some January 6 Capitol riot defendants can challenge their convictions for ‘corruptly’ obstructing ‘official proceedings.’ Oral arguments could be held in February or March.

More than 300 people are facing that same obstruction law over their alleged efforts to disrupt Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory over Trump.

The former president faces the same obstruction count in his case, and what the high court decides could affect Trump’s legal defense in the special counsel prosecution, and the timing of his trial.

Look ahead

In the short term, the Supreme Court, with its solid conservative majority, will hear arguments and issue rulings in coming months on hot-button topics like:

– Abortion, and access to mifepristone, a commonly-used drug to end pregnancies

– Executive power, and an effort to sharply curb the power of federal agencies to interpret and enforce ‘ambiguous’ policies enacted by Congress

– Social media, and whether tech firms — either on their own or with the cooperation of the government — can moderate or prevent users from posting disinformation

– Gun rights and a federal ban on firearm possession by those subject to domestic violence restraining orders

Off the bench, the court last month instituted a new ‘code of conduct’ — ethics rules to clarify ways the justices can address conflicts of interest, case recusals, activities they can participate in outside the court and their finances.

It followed months of revelations that some justices, particularly Clarence Thomas, did not accurately report gifts and other financial benefits on their required financial disclosure reports.

The court in a statement admitted the absence of binding ethics rules led some to believe that the justices ‘regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules.’

‘To dispel this misunderstanding, we are issuing this code, which largely represents a codification of principles that we have long regarded as governing our conduct.’

All this reflects the delicate balancing act the chief justice will navigate in a presidential election year.

The unprecedented criticism of the high court’s work — on and off the bench — is not lost on its nine members.

‘There’s a storm around us in the political world and the world at large in America,’ Justice Brett Kavanaugh said this fall. ‘We, as judges and the legal system, need to try to be a little more, I think, of the calm in the storm.’

Some court watchers agree the court as an institution may struggle in the near term to preserve its legitimacy and public confidence, but time might be on its side.

‘By its nature, the court kind of takes a long-term view of things,’ said Thomas Dupree, a former top Justice Department official, who has litigated cases before the Supreme Court. ‘Even when we disagree with the outcome in a particular case, I have never had any doubt that these are men and women who are doing their absolute best to faithfully apply the laws and the Constitution of the United States to reach the right result.’

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IDF confirms troops killed Hamas leader involved in Oct. 7 attack

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on social media Monday to have killed a Hamas commander who took part in the terrorist group’s invasion of Israel on Oct. 7, in which they overran the border and massacred 1,200 people.

In a post on X, the IDF said it eliminated Adil Mismah, the Nukhba Company commander of Deir al-Balah.

The Jerusalem Post reported that Mismah led terrorists into Kibbutz Kissufim and directed gunmen to devastate the communities of Nirim and Be’eri.

The IDF said Mismah was killed in an Israeli Air Force airstrike led by troops on the ground.

In the same post, the IDF said it struck terror targets run by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, used for conducting warfare. During the operation, troops located substantial amounts of weapons, the IDF said.

Troops also destroyed a launch post, eliminated a terrorist cell accused of attacking IDF forces with mortar shells, and identified and eliminated a terrorist launching rockets in Khan Yunis.

The post came as Israel announced plans to partially withdraw its forces from Gaza in the coming months as the war against Hamas enters a new phase.

The shift means the IDF will focus on more targeted operations against Hamas, reducing the use of artillery and air strikes.

It also means some reservists who were called up for active duty will return to civilian life to help stimulate the economy, according to Reuters.

While the change means a shift in how Israel goes after Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said over the weekend that the war is set to last many more months.

‘This will take six months at least, and involve intense mopping-up missions against the terrorists,’ an Israeli official told Reuters. ‘No one is talking about doves of peace being flown from Shajaia.’

Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Exclusive: Omar Vizquel speaks for first time since harassment suit

RICHMOND, Texas — Omar Vizquel slowly opens the front door, greets his visitor, and invites you into his home in this tree-lined community.

You go into the dining room where his fiancée sits, alongside two strategic consultants.

You talk for nearly two hours, ask uncomfortable questions, listen closely to what he says – and what he cannot say – and take a tour of his office filled with memorabilia from his career.

You see the anguish he is enduring, understand how badly he wants to be accepted again by baseball, but realize it may be impossible to ever know the entire truth.

Vizquel’s life turned upside down in August 2021, when he was sued by a former batboy who has autism, for sexual harassment while managing the Chicago White Sox’s Class AA team in Birmingham, Alabama in 2019. The civil lawsuit accused Vizquel of ‘sexually aggressive behavior’ and alleged that Vizquel demanded the batboy wash his back. The White Sox suspended Vizquel with pay when the organization learned of the charges, and dismissed him after the season.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

“When allegations were brought to our attention near the end of the season, Omar Vizquel was suspended,’ White Sox vice president Scott Reifert said in a message. “An internal investigation took place and his contract was not renewed.’

The batboy, 22 at the time, filed a lawsuit against the White Sox and also filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He eventually dropped his suit against the White Sox, and claims against Vizquel were dismissed when the parties reached a confidential settlement in June 2022.

But only now, Vizquel says, with the encouragement of friends, his children and his fiancée, Monica, does he feel comfortable talking. He realizes that precious few may choose to believe him. He can’t go into details because of the settlement, but also declines to publicly apologize.

Vizquel also was accused of domestic violence in 2020 by his ex-wife. He had been arrested in 2016, but was not prosecuted on fourth-degree assault accusations. Vizquel steadfastly denied the allegations at the time, and says today it was a smear campaign to damage his image in the wake of his divorce.

“I’m glad I’m able to talk now,’ he tells USA TODAY Sports, in his first public interview, “because a lot of things people were saying weren’t accurate. My conscience is clean and clear that I’m not the kind of person that they are saying about Omar. I can look at everybody in the eye and said, ‘Man, do you really think that is accurate?’ Come on now.

“I wish I could have spoken earlier but my lawyer told me, ‘Do not say anything about it. Let the legal process play out. Your time to talk is going to come.’ You see what happened. Justice spoke. There wasn’t something they could charge against me. There was nothing there. They took a look at everything. It was huge misunderstanding

“I’m a big believer of God, and God spoke.’

While Vizquel says he still cannot specifically address the charges, he hopes that speaking publicly now may help him in the court of public opinion.

“I think it is time now to talk because everybody heard the version that came out,’ Vizquel said, “nobody had really listened to my side of the story or what really happened. It was hard to hear your name bouncing around and reading stuff that wasn’t accurate. It was really painful. At the end of the day, I knew I wasn’t that kind of guy they were talking about in there. …

“I will say I said some words that I regret saying, but unfortunately, I cannot give details because of the agreement that I signed with this guy. But I can tell you this: the Omar Vizquel that was portrayed in the press is not the Omar Vizquel that believes in integrity and the values. Those are the facts.’

In 24 big-league seasons, Vizquel was an 11-time Gold Glove winner, produced 2,877 hits and played more games at shortstop than any player in history. His resume probably should have had him in the Hall of Fame by now.

Yet, instead of forever basking in glory in Cooperstown, Vizquel’s Hall of Fame candidacy has cratered more than any player who ever appeared on the ballot.

The game that he’s loved since he was old enough to pick up a ball, wants no part of him anymore.

“It’s tough to see what has happened to Omar, heartbreaking really,’ says his former All-Star teammate Carlos Baerga says. “He’s a very lovely person. He gets along with everyone. Omar wants everyone to be happy. Omar wants everyone to enjoy life.

“That’s why I can’t believe this because I know what kind of person he is, the way he was with everyone in the clubhouse, on and off the field, it hurts my heart. This is tough on him.’

Friends and former teammates have been honored with celebrations, but Vizquel has been told to stay away.

Youth camps and instructional clinics who used to seek his guidance alongside other former greats no longer invite him.

“It’s hard not to be in the game when you see all your friends doing different things in the game,’ Vizquel says. “I want to do that. I want to stay in the game, and obviously I think I have a lot to give back. It’s important for me to talk to the younger Venezuelan kids, go to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic. I have lot to give back to the game.’

When the lawsuit came, Vizquel says he stayed alone in his house when the news broke, not knowing whether he even wanted to live. He hired lawyers to fight the civil lawsuit, insisting it was just clubhouse antics. The former batboy’s attorneys charged it was sexual harassment.

“There was a point where I spent three days in a room with only a glass of water,’ Vizquel softly said. “The only time I’d leave is to go to the bathroom 10 times a day. I didn’t even know what time it was. It would be like 3 o’clock in the morning and I thought it was in the afternoon. It was really bad.

“I was living by myself. My door was closed. And I thought people were chasing me in my own house.

“I tell you what, there were a lot of bad thoughts going through my head.’

Vizquel, who just returned from Venezuela, celebrating Ronald Acuña Jr.’s MVP award, and worked with youth in baseball camps, felt exhilarated the past two weeks. He felt welcomed by the baseball community. Yet, back home in the Houston area, he wonders if anything will ever change.

He wasn’t invited by the Seattle Mariners to be among their former players who were celebrated during the All-Star festivities. He was invited by the Cleveland Guardians to celebrate the career of Manny Ramirez, his former teammate and close friend – only to be told he couldn’t be on the field. His invitation to appear at a youth camp in Philadelphia in November was pulled. The only MLB-related event he has been invited to was in August when the San Francisco Giants celebrated longtime clubhouse manager Mike Murphy’s retirement.

While Vizquel has not been suspended by MLB and officials say there are no conditions or provisions preventing teams from having Vizquel participate in events, he’s still unwelcome.

His hopes of reaching the Hall of Fame are virtually extinguished, too. He has received only 12.6% of the votes first 88 public votes by the Baseball Writers Association of America, according to Ryan Thibodeaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, and has only three more years of eligibility.

No player in history has had greater decline in Hall of Fame voting history, receiving 52.6% of the vote just three years ago, and now barely hanging on for eligibility.

“Of course I would love to be in the Hall of Fame, who wouldn’t?’ Vizquel said. “But what’s most important to me is just giving back, staying involved in baseball, helping others achieve their dreams.

“Baseball is my passion.’

Vizquel, 56, hopes to be at the Caribbean World Series beginning Feb. 1 in Miami, assisting a team from Venezuela, but doesn’t know whether he’ll be invited. MLB officials aren’t prohibiting him from participating, but it’s unknown whether the event’s organizers will welcome him.

Really, who knows if he’ll ever be welcomed back in baseball.

Yet, no matter what happens, no matter who you want to believe, Vizquel insists he can live with himself.

“You know what,’ Vizquel says, “my conscience is clean. When I lay down my head in bed, I can lay down and sleep in peace. I know I’m not that type of person I was being portrayed.

“I’m just not.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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Lane Kiffin: Ole Miss staffer made fake Penn State account before bowl

ATLANTA — Lane Kiffin’s penchant for social media trolling appears to have spread to the lower levels of the Ole Miss football coaching staff.

After the Rebels dispatched Penn State, 38-25, in the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Kiffin confirmed that a Penn State fan account that created a social media stir this week by posting negative things about Ole Miss players belonged to Rebels offensive staffer Fisher Ray. It had been suspected that an Ole Miss representative was behind the account, which appeared to be connected to an Ole Miss email address.

The account on X, formerly Twitter, started with three general posts highlighting the perceived mismatch between the Penn State defensive line and the Ole Miss offensive line.

It then got more specific, claiming to hear Penn State players calling Ole Miss linemen Jeremy James and Caleb Warren weak links.

It finished with a post making fun of Ole Miss TE Caden Prieskorn for being from Michigan, and a quote from an ‘interview’ with Kobe King, who Penn State reporters at the Peach Bowl said hasn’t been available to the media since the regular season.

‘Ole Miss will wish they never had to play us after we do what we came here to do,’ the quote read. ‘They can have that belt. We’ll embarrass them on the field.’

Kiffin’s account on X reposted three of the posts Friday.

‘I thought it was pretty funny actually because they discovered that it was Fisher Ray, one of our assistants, one of our student assistants,’ Kiffin said. ‘So Fisher is now kind of famous. But I thought it was really cool last night when he showed it to me, he’s like, these Penn State fans now, they’re into this. They researched his password and email and were able to figure out which guy it was that started it. It was all in good fun. I hope the fans had fun with it.’

Asked if he was OK with the account being made, Kiffin said he wasn’t going to start enforcing social media rules.

After the Rebels had won the Peach Bowl, the account made one more post.

‘Guess this account won’t be needed anymore,’ it wrote.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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What Saban said about Michigan stealing signs for Rose Bowl

LOS ANGELES — The press conference was about to wrap up Sunday after about 25 minutes, and most of the questions didn’t pack much of a punch to them. They centered on the upcoming Rose Bowl, the season to date and players to defend and face.

Then the last question provided quite the closer.

A reporter asked Alabama football coach Nick Saban if he is ‘concerned with the sign-stealing stuff at Michigan’ as well as what Alabama has done to prevent it.

Then Saban began to answer, with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh sitting next to him on the platform.

‘No, we’re really not concerned about that.’ Saban said. ‘Integrity in the game I think is really, really important. Our team has had every opportunity to prepare for this game like they have for every other game. I think especially when you’re a no-huddle team, you’ve got to adapt and adjust how you communicate with the quarterback. Hopefully one day we’ll get to the NFL system where you can just talk to the guy in his helmet. I think that would be a lot better. For now, we just have to adapt to how we communicate with the quarterback and change it up and try not to put our players at a disadvantage.’

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A former Michigan staffer is accused of devising an in-person scouting and sign-stealing scheme. The staffer, Connor Stallions, was suspended then later resigned. Linebackers coach Chris Partridge was also fired in the aftermath, after he didn’t ‘abide by the University directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation with anyone associated with the Michigan football program or others,’ per his termination letter. Also, Harbaugh was suspended for three games by the Big Ten in November.

After Saban finished answering the question Sunday, he and Harbaugh posed for a photo with the two team’s helmet’s and the Rose Bowl trophy. Saban broke out a small grin. Meanwhile, Harbaugh didn’t smile.

Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.

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Bears clinch No. 1 pick in NFL draft thanks to last year’s trade

The Chicago Bears’ trade last spring with the Carolina Panthers has paid off in a big way.

On Sunday, the Bears clinched the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, thanks to the deal that Carolina swung with Chicago last March to move up to the top spot in April’s draft. As part of that deal, the Panthers parted with their first-round pick this year, as well as wide receiver DJ Moore, 2023 first- and second-round selections and a 2025 second-round choice.

With the Panthers’ 26-0 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Arizona Cardinals’ 35-31 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, that first-round is guaranteed to be the first in April’s draft.

Now, the Bears will face months of speculation on what they might do – or not do – with the pick.

Bears’ NFL draft options: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye or other?

Chicago will have myriad options at the top of the draft, but its key question will center on a decision at quarterback.

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

USC’s Caleb Williams and North Carolina’s Drake Maye are widely considered the two two passers in the draft, with both expected to be taken in the top three selections. Williams, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner, has been the projected No. 1 pick dating back to last spring. The 6-4, 230-pound Maye, however, also has drawn praise for his strong arm and playmaking ability.

The Bears, however, have yet to make any decisions about incumbent starter Justin Fields’ future. The team must decide by May whether to exercise the 2021 first-round pick’s fifth-year option.

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Good luck, UFL: Remembering all failed start-up football leagues

The XFL and USFL have announced a merger and will begin play in the new United Football League on March 30, 2024, when the defending XFL champion Arlington Renegades play the two-time defending USFL champion Birmingham Stallions in the opening game.

This is the latest attempt to keep professional football in action during the spring. While our country has a borderline ridiculous appetite for football, that hasn’t quite carried over to spring football. Just four years ago, the Alliance of American Football attempted to fill the post-Super Bowl football void, only to fold with two weeks still left to play in its inaugural season.

It was a reminder that it’s tough out there for start-up pro football leagues. So, good luck to the new UFL as you compete for the attention of the sporting audience this spring.

Dating back to World War II, only one start-up outdoor professional football league survived. It currently exists as the NFL’s American Football Conference. In 1960, the American Football League went head-to-head with the National Football League and succeeded, forcing a merger between the two leagues and spawning the unofficial national holiday that is the Super Bowl.

Whether these leagues were direct competitors to the NFL, or just trying to fill a void in the football calendar in the timeframe after the Super Bowl, these leagues provide a cautionary tale for anybody thinking about getting another pro football league off the ground.

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XFL 3.0

Existence: 2023

What happened? Dany Garcia and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson purchased the XFL out of bankruptcy for $15 million and rebooted the 2020 version of the league. The XFL was successfully able to complete its first season, though it would not make it to a second. On Dec. 31, 2023, it was announced that the XFL and rival USFL would merge to create the new UFL.

USFL 2.0

Existence: 2022-23

What happened? The recreated USFL — with team names harkening back to its 1980s ancestor — opened play in April 2022 with all eight teams headquartered and playing home games in Birmingham, Alabama. For the 2023 season, which opened as XFL 3.0 was finishing its first season, the league expanded its home stadium footprint. After two seasons of play, it was announced that the USFL and XFL were merging to create the UFL.

XFL 2.0

Existence: Five weeks (2020)

What happened? Blame a global pandemic for the premature end of the second (but not last!) iteration of the XFL. Just five weeks into its 10-game schedule, the XFL joined every other sports league in suspending its season due to the coronavirus pandemic. The XFL initially stated it would be back in 2021, but a month later the league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  In August 2020, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and business partner Dany Garcia were among a group of investors that purchased the XFL’s parent company for roughly $15 million. The league did have a promising start in 2020. It drew larger crowds than its spring football predecessor, the Alliance of American Football, and had national television agreements with ESPN and Fox Sports.

Alliance of American Football

Existence: Eight weeks (2019)

What happened? The AAF jumped out to strong TV ratings, but financial problems emerged early and Tom Dundon — who also owns the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes — stepped in with a $250 million investment. Six weeks later, after trying to secure cooperation from the NFL Players’ Association to use young players from NFL rosters in AAF games, Dundon pulled the plug on The Alliance.

Fall Experimental Football League

Existence: 2 seasons (2014-15)

What happened? The FXFL was, well, small. It played with four teams in 2014 and just three in 2015. The league had hoped to be a developmental league for the NFL, playing its games in the fall and ending its season in November, which is normally a time when injuries can take a toll on an NFL roster. However, without official NFL support, the league never became profitable and closed operations before it could complete its second season.

United Football League

Existence: 4 seasons (2009-12)

What happened? A rare start-up football league to try to play its games in the fall, the UFL nearly benefited from a prolonged lockout in 2011 as the NFL and NFLPA worked out a new collective bargaining agreement. Instead, the NFL lockout was resolved in time for the 2011 regular season and the UFL wouldn’t be the only pro football option for TV networks that autumn. The UFL played the 2011 season, but its 2012 season was cut short after four weeks of play as the league succumbed to financing issues.

XFL 1.0

Existence: 1 season (2001)

What happened? Triggered by the marketing power of Vince McMahon and what is now the WWE (plus a partnership with NBC), the XFL opened to huge TV ratings. Those ratings quickly deteriorated as the season went along. Billed as ‘the toughest football ever,’ the XFL failed to live up to expectations. It was just bad football, featuring trash-talking TV commentators such as Jesse Ventura (then the governor of Minnesota) and borderline-inappropriate cheerleaders (there were, however, cool player nicknames on the back of jerseys). Less than a month after it played its championship game, the XFL folded after massive financial losses. Only the AAF failed faster than the XFL in 2001. Despite all of this, McMahon reincarnated the XFL for a 2020 launch.

World League of American Football/NFL Europe/NFL Europa

Existence: 15 seasons (1991-2007)

What happened? This start-up lasted the longest of any, thanks to the backing of the NFL. The original ‘World League’ featured three Europe-based teams, one in Canada and six teams in the U.S. This incarnation lasted two seasons and the league was put on hiatus until being brought back as NFL Europe in 1995 with each of its six teams based in Europe (it was rebranded as NFL Europa for its final season in 2007). The NFL assigned developmental players to NFL Europe teams, and the league’s track record for producing NFL talent was tremendous. Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner is the most notable alum. Others included QBs Jake Delhomme, Brad Johnson and Jon Kitna, LB James Harrison, DT La’Roi Glover, return specialist/WR Dante Hall, and kickers David Akers and Adam Vinatieri. Actor Terry Crews also played in the league. In 2007, as part of a new strategy to ‘make the NFL more accessible on a global scale,’ the NFL shut down NFL Europa and focused on the International Series of games in London (though it took until 2022 for the NFL to finally play a regular-season game in Germany, which was an NFL Europe stronghold).

United States Football League

Existence: 3 seasons (1983-85)

What happened? Playing its games in the spring, the USFL wasn’t a direct competitor to the NFL. However, it was competing for talent. The first salvo was the signing of 1982 Heisman winner Herschel Walker. While Walker never became a Pro Football Hall of Famer, four players enshrined in Canton did begin their pro football careers in the USFL: Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Reggie White and Gary Zimmerman. A relatively modest beginning for the USFL got a huge jolt when Donald Trump bought the New Jersey Generals. Trump worked to convince other USFL owners to move its league games to the fall. With the USFL planning a 1986 move to fall games, Trump then convinced USFL owners to file an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL. This did not go well. The USFL was awarded $1 in damages and the league was done.

World Football League

Existence: 2 seasons (1974-75)

What happened?  Aligned as a direct competitor to the NFL, the WFL signed a number of notable NFL players, including a trio from the Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins: Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield. The league’s first season ended with the league champions — the Birmingham Americans — having their uniforms repossessed. Despite that obvious financial trouble, the WFL came back for more in 1975. It didn’t survive long enough to hold another title game, folding midway through its season. 

Continental Football League

Existence: 5 seasons (1965-69)

What happened? This is where Bill Walsh got his first head coaching gig, coaching the San Jose Apaches in 1967. The Continental Football League survived until the AFL-NFL merger, when teams folded and the league was no more.

All-American Football Conference

Existence: 4 seasons (1946-49)

What happened? The AAFC — like the American Football League after it — was a legitimate competitor to the NFL. For the 1950 season, three AAFC teams — the Baltimore Colts (a separate franchise than the team currently located in Indianapolis), Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers — were merged into the NFL. The Browns — winners of all four of the AAFC championship games — were an instant powerhouse in the NFL. Defeating the defending NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles in a famous 1950 season-opener, then winning the league title that season and playing in the NFL championship game in seven of its first eight NFL seasons. 

Pacific Coast Professional Football League

Existence: 9 seasons (1940-49)

What happened? The PCPFL operated mostly during a time when the furthest west NFL franchises were the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. In 1941, Jackie Robinson played in the PCPFL as a running back for the Los Angeles Bulldogs. Before becoming NFL pioneers with the LA Rams, Kenny Washington and Woody Strode — Robinson’s teammates at UCLA — played for the Hollywood Bears. Popularity in the league decreased due to the Cleveland Rams’ move to Los Angeles in 1946, as well as the presence of the AAFC’s Los Angeles Dons.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jim Reineking on Twitter @jimreineking.

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No PGA Tour deal with DP World Tour, Saudis by Dec. 31 deadline

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will not meet the Dec. 31 deadline to create a for-profit entity laid out in the framework agreement announced back in June, but the Tour did provide its players with an update on the status of negotiations on New Year’s Eve.

On Dec. 10, the Tour’s policy board announced it had advanced discussions with the Strategic Sports Group (SSG) – an investment group headlined by Fenway Sports Group that included Marc Attanasio, Arthur Blank, Gerry Cardinale and Cohen Private Ventures – and that it had not shut the door on the PIF.

A memo sent to the membership on Sunday from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan covered three primary points as the Tour continues to negotiate with both parties. From the Tour:

First, Monahan noted that “we have made meaningful progress” in negotiations with SSG and are currently working toward finalization of terms and drafting necessary documents.Secondly, with just hours until the Dec. 31 expiration date for the Framework Agreement with the PIF and DP World Tour, the memo spoke to an effort to extend the deadline into the new year based on the progress made to date. Monahan categorized the PIF and DP World Tour discussions as “active and productive.”Finally, the memo restated the Tour’s goal relative to all negotiations, which is to bring SSG, PIF and the DP World Tour on board as minority co-investors in PGA Tour Enterprises in 2024. Monahan said, “These partnerships will allow us to unify, innovate and invest in the game for the benefit of the players, fans and sponsors.”

In other words, there’s no real update other than the confirmation that a deal won’t be struck by the start of 2024. Negotiations are still ongoing with both the PIF and SSG and all sides are working towards coming together to get a deal done.

The Tour returns to action this week with the first event of its 2024 season, The Sentry, Jan. 4-7 at the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii.

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Ravens claim No. 1 seed in AFC playoffs with another dominant display

Baltimore clinched the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed and home-field advantage for the postseason with a 56-19 victory Sunday over the Miami Dolphins. They also clinched the team’s first AFC North title since 2019. It was the most points the Ravens have scored at home in franchise history.

“We like being here. Our fans are incredible. It’s loud and it’s fun,” head coach John Harbaugh said.

With the win, the Ravens guaranteed at least one home playoff game and a bye during the Wild Card round. The added rest, along with the Week 18 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers not carrying any weight for Baltimore is ‘going to be valuable,’ Harbaugh said.

The Ravens also have bigger goals than the No. 1 seed.

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“This is a stepping stone for the big one we have in mind,” wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson authored the most emphatic bulletin point to his MVP-caliber resume by completing 18 of 21 passes for 321 yards and five passing touchdowns. He finished with a perfect passer rating (158.3) and added 35 rushing yards on six carries, and the sellout crowd at M&T Bank Stadium showered him with “MVP” chants all afternoon. 

The Dolphins entered the game leading the NFL in total offense (411.5 yards per game) and scoring offense (30.9 points per game). But Baltimore owns the league’s best scoring defense (16.3 points per game) with the most turnovers forced. They forced three more (two interceptions, one fumble recovery) as the unit recovered from the Dolphins’ blistering opening drive of the game – a 75-yard sequence that had four plays go for at least 12 yards on their way to a Cedrick Wilson touchdown four minutes into the game.

Miami made it 14-13 on a Jason Sanders field goal with 3:10 left in the first half. Less than two minutes of game time later, though, the Ravens led by two scores. Jackson hit rookie Zay Flowers down the right side for 75 yards and a touchdown on the first play following the kickoff. 

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa then threw the first of his two picks – a one-handed snag by linebacker Roquan Smith that left Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel cursing on the sideline. Facing a fourth-and-7 from the Miami 35-yard line, John Harbaugh left the offense on the field and Isaiah Likely hauled in a one-handed catch, turned upfield and dove for the pylon to make it 28-13 with 1:24 until halftime. 

Justice Hill (112 total yards), who caught Baltimore’s first touchdown of the game on a wheel route, took the kickoff out of halftime inside the red zone and the Ravens. Likely caught his second touchdown 91 seconds into the half. 

Unlike Week 2 of last season, when the teams squared off here and Miami put up 28 points in the fourth quarter, the Dolphins could not pull off a second-half comeback. 

Both teams were missing key contributors. Baltimore was without right guard Kevin Zeitler, who tried to give it a go during warmups, and playmaking safety Kyle Hamilton.

“It’s definitely going to be important, getting some rest,” Smith said.

That doesn’t change the Ravens’ mindset, though.

“Concrete, playground, wherever you want it, we’re going to be here,’ Smith added. ‘Promise you.”

Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, who leads the league in rushing touchdowns, was surprisingly ruled out before the game. Miami was already without No. 2 receiver Jaylen Waddle, and cornerback Xavien Howard was carted off with a foot injury. Then with 3:05 left, edge rusher Bradley Chubb was carted off with a knee injury.

The Dolphins could have put themselves in the driver’s seat for the top seed in the AFC with a win. Now, the AFC East title will come down to the final week of the regular season when they host the Buffalo Bills. 

Baltimore last earned the No. 1 seed in 2019 and lost in the divisional round to the Tennessee Titans. Harbaugh said he would talk to his former boss and mentor, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, for advice on how to handle the downtime. He’d also consult New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick.

“It’s kind of hard to call (Reid) though because he’s also in the playoffs. He probably doesn’t want to give me any answers,” Harbaugh joked.

Baltimore remembers 2019 and the disappointment that came with scoring 12 points in that game and the early exit.

‘It’s not something we’re gonna forget,’ Harbaugh said. ‘And it’s going to be something that’s gonna – you’re not gonna take it for granted. It’s one more thing that makes you who you are at this point in time.” 

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