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Insiders predict this possible Trump VP pick poses ‘existential threat’ to key area of Biden support

Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of profiles of potential running mates for presidential candidate Donald Trump on the 2024 Republican Party ticket.

A potential name on former President Trump’s running mate shortlist is being described by political insiders as an ‘existential threat’ to an area of support seen as key to President Biden’s hopes at winning another term.

The horse race among those hoping to be tapped as Trump’s running mate continued this week with the names widely believed to be on the shortlist making the rounds on various media outlets defending the former president after he was found guilty in a New York City court on 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Those names included South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who some argue could solidify gains Trump has already made among Black Americans — a group Biden would be devastated to lose — and even ‘make them Republicans for life.’

‘A Trump running mate who could effectively carry a message to communities of Black voters would be an existential threat to the Democrats’ coalition,’ GOP pollster Scott Rasmussen told Fox News Digital, adding that Scott, who is Black, was ‘an effective surrogate’ for Trump with strong ties to other senators needed to enact his legislative agenda.

‘That adds a lot of value to the campaign, and potentially the administration,’ he said. ‘Based upon his performance last fall, he might not be the strongest debater on the shortlist. But, it’s hard to imagine much downside coming from a debate between Sen. Scott and Biden’s running mate.’

One top Republican strategist told Fox that now ‘could be the perfect point in history’ for someone like Scott to be selected as a vice presidential running mate considering Biden’s ‘severe problem’ with Black voters.

‘Biden has already chased away a sizable percentage of Black voters that he cannot afford to lose. Tim Scott has the potential to make them Republicans for life,’ the strategist said, noting Trump polling as high as 22% among Black voters just over five months from Election Day.

‘When people ask me who I think would be a good running mate, Tim Scott is always at the top of my list. I think he is an able politician. He’s an excellent spokesman for conservative ideals. He brings youth and a fresh perspective and a different way of talking about conservative ideals that makes them more accessible to a wider audience.’

Republican strategist David Polyansky said that although he didn’t believe Scott being Black would have any ‘meaningful impact’ on the electorate and how they might vote, he believed Trump’s historic standing among Black voters at this point in the race pointed to ‘a real base problem’ for Biden.

‘I don’t know if this choice will impact that, but they’re already working at a deficit there,’ Polyansky said, adding that Scott was a ‘fantastic senator’ who had ‘proven himself to be a great communicator.’

‘There are major donors who would really like to see him be the choice, or at least one of the options, and so, from a Trump campaign standpoint, somebody like him who might be able to add some prowess to large donors is an added benefit, too,’ he said. ‘So there’s a lot of good that comes with him, and obviously, having a Black choice as your vice president would be pretty historic in Republican terms, and I think pretty meaningful.’

Not everyone agreed, including a source close to the Trump campaign who told Fox News Digital that the race aspect of a potential Scott selection was being ‘overplayed.’

‘I couldn’t care less if he’s Brown, Black, blue, orange, White, female, male, whatever. It doesn’t matter to me,’ the source, who is a minority, told Fox. ‘I think that is overplayed, especially since Donald Trump has done such an outstanding job already, picking up minority votes across the board. So I don’t think you need to look at it that way anymore.’ 

The source praised Scott as someone who had ‘masterminded the Senate,’ and would be of ‘tremendous value’ considering his time in Congress, but argued that Trump, instead, needed to pick someone not interested in their own potential future run for the White House.

Scott ran against Trump in the Republican presidential primaries, but dropped out months before the Iowa Caucuses.

‘Tim is a nice guy, but I need somebody who is going to be in there that’s going to fight for the Donald Trump agenda, and not worry about what the media is going to say about him. I don’t know if that’s Tim,’ the source said.

‘Don’t pick someone who is going to be running for president for four years and kneecapping what you did in your first term like [former Vice President Mike] Pence did … I’m not saying it should or shouldn’t be him, I’m just saying, for me, I think there are other factors to consider that he may not have.’

A source close to Scott told Fox News Digital the senator has been a ‘prolific’ and ‘monster’ fundraiser throughout his time in the Senate and while running for president, especially compared to other names reportedly being considered as Trump’s running mate.

The source also pointed to Scott’s close relationship with Trump, as well as what they said was Scott’s ability to bring potential big-name donors who were Trump skeptics into the fold, and would attempt to do so at a major Washington, D.C., donor summit in June.

They also noted Trump previously praised Scott for campaigning better for Trump than for himself.

A number of other big names have also been floated to join Trump on the Republican ticket, including House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Ohio Sen. JD Vance and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

Trump, who spent most of this week sitting on trial in New York City until his Thursday conviction, is still weighing his running mate options. He suggested earlier this month he might even wait until July’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to name his pick.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Trump v Biden: Guilty verdict won’t seal the deal for either man. Here’s what will deliver a win

With all the media attention this week, and indeed for the last couple of weeks, one would think that the 2024 presidential election will turn on the results of the recently concluded trial in New York City where Trump was convicted on all 34 counts on Thursday.

Based on polling by my firm, Schoen/Cooperman and that of other independent firms, both media and non-media, that is far from the truth. In fact, an examination of the polls that have come out in the days prior to the verdict suggest, pretty compellingly, that the 2024 election is unlikely to be about Trump and his legal problems or Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden who goes on trial later this month on gun charges.

Put simply, the American people are not concerned about these issues. They’ve already factored in their assessment of the candidates and those assessments are reflected in the polls. And, to the extent that there’s been any impact of the four sets of criminal charges filed against Trump, if anything, they have helped, if not hurt him, specifically with Republicans. But even since the trial began Trump’s numbers have improved marginally in the seven key swing states. And indeed, very modestly nationally as well.

When you look at the polls in detail, what voters are focused on is not the issues that the national news media is riveted to, but on more mundane but critical issues. They are focused on what’s important to them and means concerns like inflation, the cost of living and the southern border. 

The fact that is lost by most of the national liberal media is that increasing numbers of people are living paycheck to paycheck. Despite the moderating of inflation since the beginning of the year, Americans are still paying prices at the grocery store and the gas pump that are at least 20% higher than when Biden took office.

It is also the case that despite the millions of jobs that have been created under the Biden administration which the incumbent president likes to trumpet, voters give him very little credit for that and other economic accomplishments. They want to know what, if anything, he is going to do to hold prices down and restrict the growth of government spending.

So far, the answer from the White House has been silence on these key issues, leaving Democrats everywhere to begin to panic about the incumbent’s chances of winning reelection. 

The consensus I get from Democratic insiders who served in the Clinton and Obama White Houses — from the top to the bottom — is that Joe Biden’s electoral position is a lot worse than his pole position. And the chances that his strategy will succeed are increasingly remote.

Having worked for Bill Clinton, who was uniquely sensitive to changes in public opinion, it is hard for me to imagine a White House that is more tone-deaf, obdurate and indeed seemingly unconcerned with the day-to-day problems facing the American people.

The second issue facing the American people that the Biden administration refuses to focus on more directly is the southern border. Despite a willingness now to do a bipartisan deal on border security with Republicans, today’s Democrats and the president seem uniquely and demonstrably unwilling to take any executive action to demonstrate concern about the millions of people who have streamed across the southern border in the last three years. Trying to win debating points with the Republicans who blocked the bipartisan legislation in the House is an exercise in futility and failure. The president either acts or he doesn’t act. And if he doesn’t act, the chances of Joe Biden winning the November election are dramatically reduced.

For former President Donald Trump the challenge is somewhat different. He has made the case, compellingly for his voters, that this is a ‘rigged’ political system with a ‘rigged’ judicial system that has been weaponized. Voters either believe that or they don’t. They either believe the 2020 election was marred by fraud or they think, despite whatever flaws there were, it was a free and fair election. 

The bottom line for Trump is this: Voters want to hear what Trump himself will do to lower inflation and reduce the cost of groceries and gasoline. They want policy recommendations, not rhetoric about a system both sides agree is fundamentally flawed. And I would argue that Turmp has made it clear that he will tighten the southern border.  

I think for him to be explicit and precise about what exactly he will do will be of greatest importance. I think Trump must avoid both excessive rhetoric and references to things like ‘mass deportation camps’ which speak of policies that rub many Americans the wrong way. 

Put another way, Trump is in a much stronger position if he runs on policy and his ideas for the future rather than the type of extreme rhetoric that he has understandably articulated during the trial. 

The trial is over. The American people are focused on the issues facing the country. Former President Trump needs to focus on them. And in that way, he faces a similar challenge to the incumbent president. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Pending home sales in April slump to lowest level since the start of the pandemic

Signed sales contracts on existing homes dropped 7.7% in April compared to March, the slowest pace since April 2020, according to the National Association of Realtors.

These so-called pending sales are a forward-looking indicator of closed sales one to two months later. Pending sales were 7.4% lower than in April of last year.

Sales were expected to be flat compared to March.

Since the count is based on signed contracts, it shows how buyers are reacting to mortgage rates in real time. The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage ended March at around 6.9% and then took off, hitting 7.5% by the end of April, according to Mortgage News Daily.

With home prices still climbing and supply very low, leading to increased competition, that jump in rates had a huge effect on sales.

“The impact of escalating interest rates throughout April dampened home buying, even with more inventory in the market,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the NAR. “But the Federal Reserve’s anticipated rate cut later this year should lead to better conditions, with improved affordability and more supply.”

Sales were down in every region of the country, but they fell hardest in the Midwest and West. The former has some of the most affordable markets in the nation, and the latter has some of the most expensive.

“The prospect of measurable home price declines appears minimal. The few markets experiencing price declines will be viewed as second-chance opportunities for buyers to enter the market if those regions continue to add jobs,” Yun added.

Perhaps in reaction to the slow sales pace in April, the share of sellers cutting prices in May hit 6.4%, the highest level since 2022, according to a new report from Redfin. The median asking price also dropped for the first time in six months.

Active inventory in April was 30% higher than in April 2023, according to Realtor.com, which suggests the summer market could be more active than last year.

“Though inventory and prices are moving in a more buyer-friendly direction, lower mortgage rates will be crucial in bringing both buyers and sellers back into the market,” said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst with Realtor.com.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Tesla to recall 125,227 vehicles over faulty seat belt warning system

Tesla is recalling 125,227 vehicles in the United States due to a malfunction in its seat belt warning system that can increase the risk of injury in a collision, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Friday.

The regulator said the vehicles failed to comply with the federal safety requirements as their seat belt warning light and audible chime may not get activated when the driver is unbelted.

The recall affects certain 2012-2024 Model S, 2015-2024 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles.

Tesla will release an over-the-air software update to fix the issue, with deployment expected to start in June.

The remedy will remove dependency on the driver seat occupancy sensor from the software and only rely on driver seat belt buckle and ignition status to activate the seat belt reminder signals, the NHTSA said.

Tesla had recalled 200,000 Model S, X, and Y vehicles in the U.S. in January due to a software malfunction which could obstruct drivers’ visibility while reversing.

It also recalled 3,878 Cybertrucks in April to fix an accelerator pedal pad that could come loose and get lodged in the interior trim.

U.S. auto safety regulators also opened an investigation last month into whether Tesla’s recall of more than 2 million vehicles announced in December to install new Autopilot safeguards was adequate following a series of crashes.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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It was a strong week for retail earnings. That doesn’t spell a consumer comeback

Retail’s biggest winners during first-quarter earnings aren’t thriving because consumers are suddenly spending more on discretionary goods — it’s because they’re executing well and cash-strapped shoppers are choosing them over competitors. 

If there’s one takeaway from results posted by the largest U.S. retailers over the last few weeks, it’s that shoppers are still spending — but being far more selective about where.

Feeling the brunt of sticky inflation, high interest rates and an economy that feels tougher than it may actually be, consumers are prioritizing purchases that have the right combination of value, convenience and fun.

Companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, TJX Companies and Gap impressed Wall Street with their results, while others like Kohl’s, American Eagle and Target disappointed.

Take Gap and Foot Locker — two unlikely winners that posted results on Thursday. Both retailers are in the midst of ambitious turnaround plans and are performing better than expected because of new strategies they’ve implemented. 

Gap posted positive comparable sales for all four of its brands — Athleta, Old Navy, Banana Republic and its namesake banner — for the first time in “many years,” beating Wall Street’s expectations across the board, the company said. 

For years, Gap had been losing market share to buzzy competitors. But under new CEO Richard Dickson, the marketing guru credited with reviving the Barbie franchise, the apparel chain has focused on financial rigor, brand storytelling and product development. In under a year, Gap’s sales and profits have meaningfully improved, and its brands are beginning to be part of the cultural conversation again.

A few weeks ago, actor Anne Hathaway went to a Bulgari party wearing a white Gap shirt dress that had been designed by the company’s new creative director, Zac Posen. Critically, Gap dropped the $158 dress to consumers, and it sold out within hours. This combination of marketing and exclusive product drops is what Gap had long been lacking, and what competitors had already been doing. 

Foot Locker had declined over the last couple of years, but with the right combination of new strategies and a little bit of luck, its turnaround is showing signs of life. 

Under CEO Mary Dillon, Foot Locker has worked to change its stores, where it does more than 80% of its sales. It has tried to create not only a better shopping experience for consumers but also a better place for its critical brand partners.

Instead of two walls of shoes with competing brands mixed together, Foot Locker is changing its fleet so the brands have their own unique displays. Its new “store of the future” concept at a New Jersey mall that brings that strategy to life has become its best performing store in North America in just a few weeks, Dillon told CNBC, adding that brands are thrilled with the new design. 

The shift couldn’t have come at a better time. Years into Nike’s strategy to cut out wholesalers and sell directly to consumers, the retailer is realizing it went too far and is now changing course.

With refreshed stores and better product displays, consumers are converting more, too, and paying full price — even Foot Locker’s lower-income shopper. 

“Our consumer … this is a category that is very important to them. So when people have discretionary income, it may be limited, but you’re gonna prioritize where you spend it, right?” said Dillon. “We’re proving that people are willing to spend full price, but you have to have the right products and serve it up in a way that makes it enticing, right? So that’s where the whole customer experience really matters.” 

Elsewhere, Dick’s Sporting Goods posted a solid first-quarter report Wednesday, as executives said average selling prices and transactions rose and that they saw no signs of consumers trading down for cheaper options. That may not mean shoppers are spending more broadly, though: Dick’s has long been considered a best-in-class operator that offers a solid shopping experience, meaning it can win even when consumers are picky with their spending.

Two retailers that didn’t have great quarters — American Eagle and Kohl’s — tell a story of missing out on trends or executing poorly. 

American Eagle handily beat earnings estimates thanks to a new strategy designed to boost profitable growth, but it fell short on revenue and issued cautious guidance that was slightly below Wall Street’s expectations. 

American Eagle president and executive creative director Jennifer Foyle told CNBC that the brand is working to cut out items that aren’t landing with shoppers and dig down into the ones that are. She said the retailer was overly focused on jeggings in the past but now, low-rise, baggy fits are in. 

During a store visit at the American Dream mall in New Jersey on Thursday, an associate told CNBC that the location didn’t have the low-rise, baggy fit in-stores, and they were only available online. Meanwhile, there was a wall of jeggings. Still, denim was a strong performer for the company during the quarter, and it had a variety of other styles that resonated with customers at the location, the company said.

Denim is having a moment with shoppers. Search levels for denim are hitting peaks in a 20-year data set, particularly for categories like tops and dresses, according to a Morgan Stanley research note. 

Kohl’s is missing the mark in a far more meaningful way. The retailer posted dismal numbers on Thursday, as both earnings and revenue fell well short of expectations. It cut its full-year forecast and its shares plunged more than 20%, the stock’s biggest single-day percentage decline ever.

The weak results illustrated a challenge the retailer is still contending with: Keeping up with trends and staying relevant. 

CEO Tom Kingsbury told CNBC he expects the “head-to-toe” denim trend to play a role in the back half of the year, but it could already be out of style by the time Kohl’s gets around to adding the clothing items to its shelves.

“Denim is OK business for us. I mean it’s really not the most important time for denim,” said Kingsbury. “We’re selling shorts and tees. And more, you know, warm weather product.” 

Gap, one of the longtime denim leaders, didn’t seem to be concerned about denim going out of favor because the weather is warmer. CEO Dickson said the company is getting ready to launch its “exclusive lightweight denim fabric” dubbed “Ultra Soft” in time for the summer.

Failing to chase trends has been an ongoing issue for the aging department store Kohl’s. Kingsbury told CNBC in March that Kohl’s used to buy product for the juniors department catering to teen girls — one of the most trend-driven areas of its stores — 12 to 14 months in advance. When the apparel hit the sales floor, it was “dead on arrival.”

In an age where viral TikTok videos dictate the life and death of trends, it’s more important than ever for retailers to stay on top of what’s working with customers and what isn’t. They’re not just competing with legacy players, they’re also vying for customers with innovative yet controversial upstarts like Chinese-linked Shein, which can go from an idea to an online product in a matter of weeks.

That’s a far cry from the lead times at Under Armour, where it currently takes about 18 months to get a product from an idea to a showroom floor. During an earnings call with analysts on May 16, CEO Kevin Plank called the system “just plain uncompetitive in the 2024 landscape” as he laid out a plan to streamline the process. 

Meanwhile, Abercrombie & Fitch posted another stellar set of results, even as it begins to lap tougher comparisons. It has posted torrid growth in part because the company is responsive to its customers and a has nimble supply chain that has allowed it to chase trends quickly and efficiently. 

It posted its strongest first quarter in history, and now expects sales to grow 10% in fiscal 2024, up from previous guidance of between 4% and 6%. 

CEO Fran Horowitz told CNBC that low-rise, baggy jeans are also uber-popular with its customers. During a recent visit by CNBC to its Hollister store just a short walk from American Eagle’s outpost, plenty of those style of jeans were on display for shoppers as soon as they walked into the store.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Drew Brees: I could’ve played three more years in NFL if …

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said he could have played another three years if not for his weakened right arm.

Brees, who retired after the 2020 season after 20 NFL seasons, said he thought about making a comeback but the wear and tear of his right arm prevented it.

‘Honestly, man, if my right arm was still working, I probably would’ve played another three years,’ Brees said. ‘My body feels great. My body can play. My right arm can’t. Unfortunately that’s what kind of forced me to step away. And it was time too.’

Brees, who set NFL records for the highest completion percentage in a season, most consecutive games with a touchdown pass, and most career 5,000-passing seasons, said the physical aspect of the game was the determining factor in trying to make a comeback.

‘At the end of the day, it’s like, how capable … am I to do the job, right? I would’ve run QB draws. I would’ve done whatever. I would’ve done some veer option. We would’ve pulled out all the stops. I was ready. Pull out the high school playbook,’ Brees said.

All things Saints: Latest New Orleans Saints news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The future Hall of Famer also said that his right arm does not work when trying to throw a ball, even thinking his career was over after suffering a serious shoulder injury with the then-San Diego Chargers.

‘I can drop a dime like 30 yards, left-handed,’ Brees said. ‘Unfortunately you need a little bit more than that to compete at this level. I throw left-handed with the boys, with everything. Anything below my shoulder, below the waist, racket sports, golf, that’s fine.’

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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French Open institutes alcohol ban after unruly fan behavior

After rain stopped play on the outer courts at Roland Garros early on Thursday afternoon, fans were in for more disappointment when organizers banned alcohol in the stands as unruly behavior came under scrutiny.

Belgian David Goffin had accused partisan fans at the French Open of ‘total disrespect’ when he took on a local favorite in the first round and said one of them had spat gum at him, while Iga Swiatek urged spectators not to scream during rallies.

The comments appeared to spark tournament director Amelie Mauresmo into action and the former world number one said it was time to put a stop to the problems with drastic measures.

‘First of all, we’re happy people are enthusiastic about watching tennis and being part of the matches, showing feeling and emotions,’ Mauresmo told reporters.

‘But there are definitely steps which shouldn’t go further. A few things have needed to be put in place.

‘Alcohol was allowed until now in the stands but that’s over… If they exceed the limit, if they don’t behave well or if they throw things at the players, that’s it.’

Mauresmo said that umpires had been asked to become stricter and intervene to ensure that the players were respected, while security would step in if fans misbehaved.

‘Let’s see how it goes with the (umpires) being a little bit more strict. Let’s see how it goes with the security being also a little bit more strict,’ she added.

‘I don’t want to be negative and I’m an optimist. I’m really trying to see that people are going to react in a good way, that it’s going to be okay. If it’s not, we’ll take other measures.’

Goffin said he had received plenty of support from his peers for speaking out.

‘I was surprised that everybody was like ‘What you said is great’. So everybody is behind me, I’m surprised. It has changed and especially the last few years. I don’t know if it was after the COVID or not,’ Goffin said.

‘It’s a different kind of support here. More excitement, a little bit aggressive. People come to have fun. That’s for sure. Sometimes they just go for too much.

‘Hopefully it’s good what Amelie did because if they continue like that, you never know… if they’re going to come with firecrackers.’

Several players reignited the larger debate about the French crowd who can sometimes make life hard for players by cheering between points, as defending champion Swiatek found out in her match against Naomi Osaka.

‘It’s part of what we do. It’s part of sports. We’re different from football or basketball but at the same time, you want a good atmosphere as a player,’ world number one Novak Djokovic said.

‘From my standpoint, I really want to see fans cheering and see that atmosphere. It’s a fine line when that line is passed and when it starts becoming disrespectful towards the player.

‘In those instances, I understand that a player like Goffin the other day reacted, because I have experienced quite a few times those particular situations.’

Russian Daniil Medvedev, who has had his fair share of feisty interactions with fans, said players would eventually get used to the noise if it was ever-present.

‘Now what happens is that 95% of matches, tournaments, it’s quiet. And then when suddenly you come to Roland Garros and it’s not, it disturbs you. It’s a Grand Slam so you get more stress and it’s not easy,’ Medvedev said.

‘If you ask me, I like it quiet. Again, even when the crowd goes crazy, the other player’s ready to serve, quiet and let’s serve, let’s play.

‘There’s no in-between. It either should be quiet or super loud but all the time, and then we would get used to it, I would get used to it also, and we wouldn’t complain about it.’

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Pistons to part ways with general manager after four seasons

The Detroit Pistons will part ways with general manager Troy Weaver, a person with knowledge of the situation has confirmed with the Free Press, less than a month shy of the four-year anniversary of his hiring.

The Pistons announced one day after the season they would be hiring a new head of basketball over top of Weaver and have since hired Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations.

Weaver’s 74-244 record and .233 win percentage as Pistons GM is the eighth-worst mark for an executive in NBA history, according to Basketball Reference.

The Pistons hired Weaver away from the Oklahoma City Thunder in June 2020. His tenure began with a flurry of roster transactions and a promise to ‘restore’ the franchise to its former glory. It ends on the heels of the worst season in franchise history, a 14-68 debacle rather than the leap forward that the organization, fans and the public expected after years of patient maneuvering.

Weaver, who originally signed a four-year contract, leaves without even beginning his contract extension signed in the summer of 2022.

All things Pistons: Latest Detroit Pistons news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Though he achieved his simple goals of cleaning up the team’s cap sheet and restocking the roster with young talent — headlined by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson — the team’s continued regression this season revealed deep flaws in his team-building approach. The Pistons declined to make a big splash in free agency or the trade market last offseason, instead adding veterans Monte Morris and Joe Harris to a group that already included scorers Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. And that ‘young core’ Weaver and owner Tom Gores have repeatedly touted has major fit questions.

With Cunningham healthy and surrounded by veteran role players and a core of recent first-round picks, the Pistons expected modest improvement from their 17-65 record in 2022-23. (Their over/under win total by bookmakers was set around 28½.)

Instead, the ground fell from underneath them. The Pistons lost 28 consecutive games spanning two months, setting the NBA in-season record, en route to a 2-29 start to the season that prompted Gores to fly to Detroit in December and meet with the front office, coaches and players, before addressing the media and trying to reassure fans the team would right the ship.

He again backed Weaver a day after the trade deadline in early February.

While Gores and vice chairman Arn Tellem have also had say in the team’s direction, Weaver’s failed gambles ultimately were costly. Two of the team’s three first-round picks in 2020 — Killian Hayes and Saddiq Bey — are no longer on the roster. Hayes was a bust with the seventh overall pick and was cut after the trade deadline; Bey was traded for James Wiseman in 2023, the top player on Weaver’s 2020 draft board, who is approaching restricted free agency and carved out a role this season as a reserve.

The Pistons have nothing to show for failed swings on numerous recent lottery talents, such as Wiseman, Marvin Bagley III, Kevin Knox, Dennis Smith Jr., Josh Jackson and Jahlil Okafor, and entered the season with inadequate shooting and rim protection despite investing in four young big men and making eight first-round draft picks in four years.

A fire sale at the trade deadline addressed some roster deficiencies, but didn’t save the team from a franchise-worst finish.

A day later, Weaver insisted he still could turn the franchise around.

“Absolutely, I’m the right guy,” he said Feb. 9 to the media. “I sat here in June 2020 and said we’re going to restore the Pistons, and that’s what we’re going to do. We have a plan in place, a young core that’s showing that they’re growing and have a chance to be special players. It’s on us to continue to fortify that group. We have things in place, our core is in place. Have a coach in place to lead us. Absolutely, excited about the future. Like I said, we’ll own what’s behind us. But more importantly, we’re excited about what’s ahead of us. 

‘Like I said from Day 1, I’m unwavered. I’m on assignment to restore the Pistons and that absolutely will happen. It’s taken a little longer. Like I said, we’re in rough waters. But that’s only going to make us stronger. And we’re looking forward to brighter days and that will happen soon enough. The fans have been tremendous, and they want a winner on the floor no more than we do. We’ll make sure that we’ll turn over every stone and work our tails off to put a team out there on the floor that they can be proud of and continue to come to the LCA to support us.”

Weaver leaves the franchise with a parting gift: upward of $60 million in cap space this summer, which the team is optimistic will provide a quick path out of the muck brought by this season.

Now, Langdon, previously the GM of the New Orleans Pelicans, is in charge of plotting the next course in hopes of breaking a playoff winless drought that dates to 2008 — the longest in the NBA. The Pistons have missed five consecutive postseasons since 2019 and have lost an NBA-record 14 consecutive postseason games.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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After Simone Biles, how does rest of US gymnastics puzzle fit together?

FORT WORTH, Texas — For most sports, determining who makes an Olympic team is easy.

Gymnastics is not one of those sports.

Unlike, say, swimming or track and field, where the top two or three to the finish line are your Olympic team, choosing gymnasts by rank order doesn’t always make sense. That’s because of the unforgiving nature of the team finals, where three gymnasts compete on each event and all three scores count.

Countries need a five-person team that can produce the highest possible total score in team finals – and that doesn’t always come from the gymnasts who finished first through fifth. It could mean bringing someone who is really, really good on one or two events rather than the person who finished fifth. Or taking the person who finished sixth in the all-around because they can contribute on events that the person who finished fifth, or even fourth, can’t.

The Americans went in rank order for the Tokyo Olympics, where they were silver medalists behind Russia. They brought specialists in Rio (Madison Kocian, uneven bars) and London (McKayla Maroney, vault), where they won gold.  

Think of it like a jigsaw puzzle, and it’s up to the selection committee to decide how best the pieces fit.

“Team is our first priority, putting up the strongest team that we can. And three-up, three-count, we take that into account, of course, because that’s what team finals is,” Chellsie Memmel, the technical lead for the U.S. women’s program, said Wednesday.

“Then after that it’s all-around and event medal potential. But team, for us, is always the biggest priority.”

With the U.S. championships this weekend, let’s dig in a little further on how this jigsaw puzzle might come together.

The U.S. women have the benefit of having Simone Biles, who is the very definition of an all-around gymnast. She’s good – and consistent – on every event, and the Americans know they can count on her to deliver a high score on each one of them.

Biles is the heavy favorite to win her ninth U.S. title this weekend, extending her own record, and grab the one automatic spot by winning the Olympic trials next month, too. But then who? The Americans will need to fill the remaining four spots on the Paris team with an eye on that three-up, three-count format.

With Biles figuring to compete on all four events in the team final in Paris, as she did at last year’s world championships, the Americans need to select four gymnasts who can, collectively, deliver two more big scores on the remaining four events. And be counted on to do so consistently.

Shilese Jones, an all-around medalist at the last two world championships, puts up a monster score on uneven bars and big scores on each of the other three events.

That leaves three gymnasts who will need to combine to cover that last spot on each of the four events. Jade Carey was the gold medalist on floor exercise in Tokyo and appears to have upgraded her routine since the U.S. Classic two weeks ago. Skye Blakely showed off an upgraded vault during training Wednesday. Jordan Chiles can put up a big number on uneven bars. Kaliya Lincoln is dazzling on floor exercise.

The most intriguing gymnast is Suni Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion. When the women begin competition at nationals Friday night, it will be the first time Lee has done the all-around in more than a year, since a kidney ailment forced her to cut her final season at Auburn short.

“Right now the pacing is try to keep her healthy, add one thing at a time and live to go to the next day,” said Jess Graba, Lee’s longtime coach.

“Physically, she’s fine. And she can do pretty much everything,” he added. “But that doesn’t mean your mind knows it. So we have to take care to make sure we don’t push her past what her mental capabilities are right now.”

Lee had the top score on balance beam at Classic and is one of the best in the world on uneven bars, though she won’t do her full difficulty at nationals. If Lee is healthy, her scores on those two events alone should be enough to earn her a spot on the team.

But Graba said they want to make a stronger case than that. Lee has upgraded her vault for nationals, and her floor routine should be more polished.

“Realistically, our goal is top five in the all-around and top three on bars and beam. And hold serve on the other two events and show that we can be there within a tenth or two of everybody else,” Graba said. “That’s the goal right now.”

There are now less than two months until the Paris Olympics begin. It’s time to start putting the jigsaw pieces together.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.

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Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight postponed due to Tyson’s ulcer flare-up

The highly anticipated boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul has been postponed.

On Friday, Most Valuable Promotions announced that the bout originally scheduled for July 20 will be delayed after Tyson received medical attention for an ulcer flare-up on Sunday. Tyson said medical professionals advised him to ‘lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover,’ prompting the postponement.

‘Both Mike and Jake are in agreement that it is only fair to ensure that both athletes have equal training time to prepare for this important match and are able to compete at the highest level,’ Most Valuable Promotions said in a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports on Friday. ‘We fully support Mike in taking the necessary time to allow him to perform at the level he expects of himself.’

The boxing match will still be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but it will be rescheduled for later this year, Most Valuable Promotions said. The official date will be released next week.

MIKE TYSON said he feels ‘100%’ after receiving medical care for ‘ulcer flare-up’

Tyson, 57, received medical attention on Sunday after he started experiencing dizziness and nausea on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles before the plane landed, his representatives told USA TODAY Sports.

American Airlines, the carrier, issued a statement saying first responders met the plane when it landed. Tyson was vomiting, weak and dizzy and transported to a local hospital, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Although Tyson later said in a social media post that he felt 100% on Tuesday, the boxing legend said he’s been advised to take some time off from his intense training.

“I want to thank my fans around the world for their support and understanding during this time,’ Tyson said in a statement on Friday. “My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon.’

Paul said he’s ‘fully’ on board with the delay ‘so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night.’

“My fans know I don’t want to face Iron Mike at anything but his best, but let there be no mistake – when he steps into the ring with me, I will be ready to claim my W with a sensational finish,’ Paul added in a statement. ‘Paul vs Tyson will be one for the ages, and I promise to bring my best for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup.”

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