Breaking
Wealth World News
Archive

2025

Browsing
Sports

NFC team to give tryout to Justin Tucker

Justin Tucker could be one step closer to an NFL return.

The disgraced former kicker of the Baltimore Ravens will go through a tryout with the New Orleans Saints, according to multiple reports. Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, Tucker and fellow veteran Cade York will work out for the team. Tucker recently completed a 10-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The Ravens released Tucker in May though simply characterized it as one of the tough ‘football decisions’ any team makes. Of course, that was only a part – hopefully a very small part – of the calculus to unload a five-time All-Pro who’d crafted an argument as the best kicker in league history over 13 mostly stellar seasons on the football field.

Yet it’s Tucker’s purported misconduct off the field for which he’s become notorious – if, apparently, not completely radioactive.

According to in-depth reporting by the The Baltimore Banner, 16 massage therapists from eight Baltimore-area spas shared horror stories about alleged sexual misconduct by Tucker during sessions that occurred between 2012 and 2016. Tucker was not charged with any crimes, and the statute of limitations in Maryland to file a civil action against him is long past. He has also strongly denied the therapists’ claims.

The NFL’s investigation into the matter spurred it to suspend him on June 26. But unlike the penalty the league levied against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson three years ago, in what can only be described as similar circumstances – at the time, 24 women had filed civil suits against him involving allegations of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions – Tucker was not fined nor ordered to undergo treatment or an evaluation.

On the field, last season was also the worst of Tucker’s career as he converted a career-low 73.3% of his field-goal attempts.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Chauncey Billups enters not guilty plea in rigged poker games case

NEW YORK — Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups pleaded not guilty on Monday during his appearance at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn on charges of wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy as authorities accuse the Naismith Hall of Famer of being the ‘face card’ in a scheme that helped lure players to poker games held in Las Vegas, where sophisticated machines were used to dupe victims out of millions of dollars.

Both charges carry a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison if convicted.

Billups’ attorney, Marc Mukasey, entered the plea on behalf of his client before U.S. District Judge Ramon Reye during the hearing, with Billups speaking only to answer specific questions from Reye. The bail for Billups was set at $5 million, and he used his Colorado home as collateral to secure the bond.

Billups, dressed in a gray suit and light blue dress shirt, and flanked by his attorneys, arrived at the Theodore Roosevelt United States Courthouse in Brooklyn, home to the Eastern District of New York, nearly an hour before his arraignment, which was also a status conference hearing for the other 30 defendants in the case, dubbed ‘Operation Royal Flush,’ which prosecutors say involved organized crime figures, who committed violent acts to collect on debts.

All 31 defendants are scheduled for a case status update on March 4, as the authorities prepare their case, adding that during the discovery phase, they expect to produce one terabyte of data.

Reye said he hopes to start the trial by September 2026.

When he was arrested in Portland on Oct. 23, Billups was ordered by a judge to forfeit his passport and restrict his travel to Oregon, Colorado, and New York.

The 49-year-old Billups, a five-time All-Star who spent 17 seasons in the NBA and won a Finals MVP award with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.

In another part of the indictment tied to gambling, Billups is believed to be ‘Co-Conspirator 8,’ who authorities say gave confidential game information before it was publicly available, and is described as an ex-NBA player who played from 1997 to 2014, an NBA coach since 2021, and an Oregon resident. Billups meets all three of those characteristics.

Billups is on unpaid leave from his job coaching the Trail Blazers, as is Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, who is due in court at the Brooklyn federal courthouse Dec. 8. Federal authorities allege in court documents that Rozier provided insider information, which gamblers used to make wagers involving the Los Angeles Lakers, Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors over the span of a year.

Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones has already pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy when he made his initial appearance in court on Nov. 6 and was released on a $200,00 bond.

Authorities say that Jones allegedly shared and sold insider information on numerous occasions about undisclosed details of NBA games, such as lineup decisions and pre-released medical information, to his co-conspirators, who then placed significant wagers based on the tips. The medical information allegedly involved LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who were playing for the Lakers at the time. James and Davis have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Jones is also accused of using his notoriety to get people to poker games rigged by organized crime figures in order to steal money from them, sometimes using technology, including poker chip trays with hidden cameras, and rigged shuffling machines with the ability to read the cards in the deck.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Firm that propelled Mamdani to victory in NY looks to unseat House GOP members in PA

The campaign firm that helped Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani spread his message in New York City is now turning its focus to vulnerable Republicans across the country.

Among other races, the firm has set its sights on defeating two vulnerable House Republicans in Pennsylvania: Reps. Rob Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie.

Fight Agency — a six-man crew with experience in over 300 winning elections — focuses on many of the issues Mamdani made a fixture of his campaign, like affordability and housing.

‘If you’re doing everything right but finding it harder and harder to get by, you’re not alone. We know a simple truth about American life: the economy is not delivering enough for enough people. If the next forty years are like the last forty years, the American middle class will disappear,’ the firm states on its website.

The balance of power in the House of Representatives is in a precarious position ahead of the 2026 midterms. With Republicans holding just a three-seat majority, even one or two key losses for Republicans could cut the legs out from under the GOP’s control over the chamber. Pennsylvania — home to both Bresnahan and Mackenzie — also makes up a key battleground state with several competitive districts. According to the Cook Political Report, the state has five competitive Republican-held districts all projected to be a five-point contest or less.

In that struggle, the Fight Agency’s leaders have come to the support of Paige Cognetti, a former mayor of Scranton, Pa., who is running to unseat Bresnahan. Bresnahan, a freshman lawmaker, won election to Congress in 2024 by just 1.6 percentage points.

‘We can stand tall against a Washington that takes advantage of working people and makes it work for us,’ Cognetti said in her launch video.

Rebecca Katz, the Fight Agency’s strategist for the election of Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., reposted Cognetti’s campaign ad in a post to X.

‘If you can, pls chip in a few bucks and let’s get someone who cares about people in Congress,’ Rebecca Katz wrote. 

Cognetti, the former mayor, has also highlighted the firm’s other work, saying she was ‘proud to know these folks’ in a repost showcasing the agency’s past campaigns.

Like in Cognetti’s campaign, the Fight Agency team is also supporting Bob Brooks and his race against Republican incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania. Mackenzie won election by a single percentage point in the last cycle.

‘The biggest problem we face is a Washington that burns working people,’ Brooks said in his campaign launch video. ‘I’m running for Congress in one of the closest districts to take on the billionaires and big corporations holding us back.’ 

Morris Katz, the firm’s lead on the Mamdani campaign, reposted Cognetti’s launch video alongside Fight Agency’s main account. Brooks has returned the favor, reposting Fight Agency’s productions in a Maine Senate race. 

With Mamdani, the firm helped produce lighthearted content with a brighter, more comedic edge. In one video, the firm mimicked the style of ‘The Bachelor,’ the TV romance show known for its match-making drama.

‘New York, will you accept this rose?’ Mamdani asked in the video.

In the past, the firm has supported Democrat candidates away from the mainstream of the party, gravitating towards either more progressive candidates or candidates with an unconventional streak.

Besides Mamdani, some of Fight Agency’s previous partners include Sen. Bernie Sanders,’ I-Vt., bid for president and Sen. John Fetterman’s 2021 campaign. 

Today, some of their more high-profile current candidates include Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner and Nebraska Senate hopeful Dan Osborn, both featured prominently on the firm’s website.

Fight Agency did not respond to a request for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Deep-pocketed conservative group once at odds with Trump now all-in to ‘help him win’

The Club for Growth says it has President Donald Trump’s back as the president pushes Republican-controlled states to redraw congressional maps in order to create more right-leaning districts to help defend the GOP’s fragile House majority in next year’s midterm elections.

‘We’re all in on helping Republicans do redistricting,’ David McIntosh, longtime president of the deep-pocketed and influential conservative group, said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

McIntosh highlighted that the Club for Growth’s seven-figure efforts ‘give Republicans a better shot at winning those extra districts.’

The push by the Club is the latest example of its strong support for the president and his policies, just two years after the group worked to prevent Trump from winning the 2024 Republican presidential nomination amid a bitter feud.

Trump and his political team are aiming to pad the GOP’s razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in next year’s midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats.

Trump is trying to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections.

Texas was the first Republican-controlled state to pass rare but not-unheard-of mid-decade congressional redistricting, although a ruling by two federal judges threatens to overturn the redrawn map. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have also drawn new maps as part of the president’s push.

Indiana, where McIntosh served three terms as a congressman 25 years ago, is the latest battlefield in the high-stakes redistricting showdown pitting Trump and Republicans versus Democrats to shape the 2026 midterm landscape in the fight for the House majority.

‘Democrats for years have gerrymandered and Republicans have not, and now it’s time so we can have Republicans in Congress for states like my home state of Indiana, step up to the plate, draw the district, so Republicans can be represented,’ McIntosh argued.

Trump has threatened to back primary challenges against Republican state lawmakers in Indiana who are reluctant to pass redistricting.

‘I was delighted to see President Trump calling them to do it. And you know, he said, we’re going to start endorsing against you if you don’t do what’s right for the Republican Party and for the nation. Club for Growth will be there to back up his endorsements,’ McIntosh said.

And the Club’s political arm, the Club for Growth Action super PAC, which is one of the biggest spenders in Republican primary showdowns thanks to the support of top-dollar conservative donors, is running ads to support the president’s push in right-leaning states across the country.

‘We’re way over seven figures when you put together all the different states. And what we’re doing is running ads. We have a new ad today that talks about the need for redistricting,’ McIntosh revealed. ‘We have a program that brings constituent calls into the Senate members, and so they get to hear directly from their voters that they want them to do this.’

It’s not just redistricting.

The Club is spending seven figures in next week’s hotly contested special election for a Republican-controlled vacant House seat in a solidly red congressional district in Tennessee.

‘Matt Epps is going to win,’ McIntosh said as he pointed to the Trump-endorsed GOP nominee in the race to succeed former Republican Rep. Mark Green, who resigned from office in June to take a private sector job.

‘It’s going to be a hard race. They all are, but he’s going to win that race because he’s more in line with Tennessee,’ McIntosh said of Van Epps. ‘I’m confident of him, and we’re going to help him do it.’

And looking ahead to next year’s midterms, McIntosh shared that the Club has ‘already started raising a $40 million fund to keep the House majority, and we’re about 25 million into it.’

‘I’m going to keep going, and then we’ll deploy that to make sure Republicans can keep the majority,’ he emphasized.

And as they’ve done in the past, the Club, which pushes a fiscally conservative agenda, including a focus on tax cuts and other economic issues, will once again play an influential role in GOP primaries.

‘We’re interviewing a lot of candidates now. We’re going to look for the strongest conservative candidate, somebody who wants to continue the economic progress, less regulation, lower taxes, balance the budget, the things that will make America great,’ McIntosh said. ‘And then when we endorse them, we’ll come in with our funding to pay for ads. We’ll recruit and help them raise money. It’s important we get the right Republicans in these primaries, and there are a lot of open seats.’

Democrats are energized coming out of their party’s sweeping victories earlier this month in the 2026 elections.

‘Democrats have racked up wins this year by running on affordability and lowering costs, and headed into 2026 our momentum continues to build,’ CJ Warnke, communications director for the Democrat-aligned House Majority PAC told Fox News Digital.

Warnke predicted, ‘As Trump’s poll numbers on the economy continue to plummet and voters see him prioritizing the elite over lowering prices, his broken promises will sink House Republicans. No Republican-held seat is safe, and HMP will do whatever it takes to win the House in 2026.’

McIntosh sees the 2025 elections as ‘a warning sign, a wake-up call for two things.’

‘One, we got to get our voters out, and that’s the job of the party and Club for Growth and groups like us,’ McIntosh noted.

But he added that ‘the party has to explain how our agenda makes life more affordable, how we can lower your insurance costs by forcing the insurance industry to tell you how much they’re charging. We can lower housing by getting rid of all sorts of regulation.’

McIntosh and the Club have had an up-and-down relationship with the president. They opposed Trump as he ran for the White House in 2016 before embracing him as an ally. In the 2022 cycle, Trump and the Club teamed up in some high-profile GOP primaries but clashed over combustible Senate nomination battles in Alabama, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The Club was on the outs with Trump as the 2024 Republican presidential nomination race got underway. Trump repeatedly criticized McIntosh and the Club, referring to them as ‘The Club for NO Growth,’ and claimed they were ‘an assemblage of political misfits, globalists, and losers.’

However, Trump and McIntosh made peace in early 2024, with Trump saying as he was wrapping up the GOP presidential nomination, that they were ‘back in love’ after the protracted falling out.

Asked about the Club’s relationship with Trump, McIntosh said, ‘We’re right there with the President, especially in these races … Club for Growth is very aligned with President Trump, and we’re especially in these contested races, we’re going to help him win.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Politics

Federal judge dismisses James Comey, Letitia James indictments

A federal judge threw out the indictments against James Comey and Letitia James on Monday, finding they were illegitimate because they were brought by an unqualified U.S. attorney.

Judge Cameron Currie dismissed the false statements charges against Comey and bank fraud charges against James without prejudice, meaning the charges could be brought again.

‘I conclude that the Attorney General’s attempt to install Ms. Halligan as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was invalid and that Ms. Halligan has been unlawfully serving in that role since September 22, 2025,’ Currie wrote.

The Department of Justice could appeal the decision or attempt to bring the charges under a different U.S. attorney. Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ for comment.

The move to scrap two of the highest-profile criminal cases the DOJ has leveled against President Donald Trump’s political foes comes after the judge voiced skepticism at a recent hearing in Virginia about Lindsey Halligan’s ability to bring the charges as interim U.S. attorney.

Currie, a Clinton appointee based in South Carolina, was brought in from out of state to preside over proceedings about the question of Halligan’s authority because it presented a conflict for the Virginia judges. Comey’s and James’ challenges to Halligan’s appointment were consolidated because of their similarity.

Halligan acted alone in presenting charges to a grand jury days after Trump ousted the prior interim U.S. attorney, Erik Siebert, and replaced him with Halligan. At the same time, Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi in a social media post to act quickly to indict Comey, a call that came as the statutes of limitations in his case was about to lapse. Halligan, who had no prior prosecutorial experience when she took over one of the most high-profile federal court districts in the country, was the lone lawyer to present the cases to the grand jury and sign the indictments. No prosecutors from Virginia joined in on the case.

The DOJ has since put its full backing behind Halligan. Bondi attempted to ratify and then re-ratify the indictments after the fact, a move Currie suggested would not have been necessary if Halligan were a valid appointee.

DOJ attorney Henry Whitaker had argued during the hearing that the motions to dismiss Comey’s and James’ cases involved ‘at best a paperwork error.’

James’ attorney Abbe Lowell said Halligan was a ‘private person’ when she entered the grand jury rooms and completely unauthorized to be in them. Currie agreed, saying in her decision that retroactively validating Halligan and her actions would be unheard of.

‘The implications of a contrary conclusion are extraordinary,’ Currie wrote. ‘It would mean the Government could send any private citizen off the street — attorney or not — into the grand jury room to secure an indictment so long as the Attorney General gives her approval after the fact. That cannot be the law.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Is Jordon Hudson suing Pablo Torre? Bill Belichick’s girlfriend claims so

Jordon Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick, claimed on social media she’s suing Pablo Torre, the host of popular sports podcast, ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out?’

‘Hi (Jordon), I assume this means you’re declining my invitation to be a guest on (‘Pablo Torre Finds Out?’) Either way, I’m looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks, Pablo.’

Here’s everything to know of the situation.

Is Jordon Hudson suing Pablo Torre?

Hudson claimed on Nov. 23 she’s suing Torre, although it seems she has yet to file a lawsuit at the time this story was published.

The 24-year-old Hudson and the 73-year-old Belichick have been in the headlines since they announced their relationship in late 2024. Most recently, Torre posted a podcast uncovering an exclusive clip of Hudson and Belichick during planning of ‘Coach with Bill Belichick.’

Belichick has said previously he and Hudson have a ‘personal and professional relationship.’ The behind-the-scenes clip showed the two’s dynamic outside of the media limelight, with Hudson appearing to play a substantial role in the planning process of the show.

It’s not the first time Torre has covered Hudson on his show, though, as he previously reported North Carolina prohibited Hudson’s access of the school facilities, hence her showing off an all-access pass on her Nov. 23 social media post.

North Carolina disputed the report in the spring. A request for comment from UNC on Hudson’s proclaimed suit against Torre was not returned to the USA TODAY Network at the time this story was published.

Hudson has reportedly been a driving force in Belichick’s decision-making process, a sentiment that has also been reported by Torre. Torre reported Hudson used her influence to appear in a ‘Dunkin” Super Bowl advertisement alongside Belichick.

“There is deep worry for how detrimental Jordon can be for not just North Carolina but Bill’s legacy, reputation (and) everything he has built and worked for over decades,’ Torre reported on his show in May.

Torre’s podcasts chronicling the Hudson-Belichick situation started after a ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ interview with Belichick was interrupted by Hudson. Belichick was asked how he and Hudson met, before Hudson interjected from the background that he wasn’t going to be answering questions about their relationship.

The interview prompted Belichick to issue a statement. He wrote a few days later: ‘She was not deflecting any specific question or topic but simply doing her job to ensure the interview stayed on track.’

Torre laid out his reporting process in an online post in May titled ‘How We Investigated Jordon.’ Torre, a longtime ESPN personality-turned Peabody Award nominee and Edward R. Murrow award winner for sports reporting from his work on ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out,’ doesn’t appear to be fazed by Hudson’s threat on social media.

It’s unclear what bounds Hudson feels she has on a potential lawsuit, and it seems like she won’t be accepted Torre’s invitation to his podcast anytime soon, either.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Virginia HS football coach goes missing during undefeated season

There’s an active search underway in Virginia for a successful high school football coach who went missing in the midst of an undefeated season.

The Virginia State Police confirmed in a statement to News Channel 11 on Saturday, November 22 that it is trying to locate Travis Turner, the head football coach at Union High School in Wise County, Virginia. The announcement came two days after local authorities revealed special agents from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Wytheville Field Office were in the early stages of an investigation involving Turner.

Turner was officially named as a missing person on the Virginia State Police website on Sunday and listed as missing since Thursday. The Virginia State Police public information office did not immediately respond to a message from USA Today Sports on Monday morning seeking an update on the case.

The timing of the situation is unfortunate for Union’s football team, which advanced to Virginia’s Region 2D championship game and improved to 12-0 for the season with a 12-0 win over Graham High School on Saturday. Wise County Public Schools Superintendent Mike Goforth told News Channel 11 that assistant coach Jay Edwards handled coaching responsibilities during Saturday’s game.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Fat buyouts for college coaches typically translates to lost career

Mike Norvell officially avoided the buyout pit of college football coaching, extending his time at Florida State by at least another year. 

For what it’s worth. And we’re not talking millions. 

“I love Florida State,” Norvell said in a statement Sunday. “And I am fully committed to this program and our shared goals.”

Odds are, it won’t last much longer. Nor will his perch among the elite of profession.

Of the Top 10 coaching buyouts in college football history, only two coaches returned to lead a different Power conference team: James Franklin (Virginia Tech) and Charlie Weis (Kansas).

Welcome to the world of walking away with millions upon millions of dollars — and more than likely the unofficial end of your high-profile career. 

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from colleges paying exorbitant buyouts to failed coaches, it’s that those fired don’t often return to the profession. And when they do, it’s certainly not at the same level.

Whether it’s the uncomfortable idea of paying a coach more millions after he was gifted a golden parachute for failing, or a coach’s weaknesses being exposed, universities aren’t thrilled about second chances with high-dollar coaches.

If Franklin didn’t give up a majority of his $49 million buyout from Penn State to take the Virginia Tech job, this undeniable trend would look uglier than it already does. 

A look at the Top 10 college football buyouts, and where each coach landed. 

1. Jimbo Fisher, Texas A&M

The buyout: $76.8 million

The fallout: Sat out the past two seasons, but not for a lack of trying to get a job. He wanted the West Virginia job at the end of 2024, but it went to Rich Rodriguez. 

Fisher has a career winning percentage of .727 in 14 years at FSU and Texas A&M. He won a national title at FSU in 2013, and has four major bowl wins. And is no closer to getting a job than when Texas A&M paid him to leave.  

2. Brian Kelly, LSU

The buyout: $53.8 million

The fallout: He has been fired twice, according to LSU officials. Or is that once? Because LSU says he wasn’t officially fired the first time in late October, but this time — as recent as late last week — you better believe they’re firing him (it’s a Louisiana politics thing). Kelly, 64, released a statement two weeks ago saying he wants to continue coaching after failing at LSU.

He’s the winningest coach in Notre Dame history, and has had success everywhere he has coached (.725 winning percentage in 22 seasons at major college programs). But no one will touch him if he’s in the middle of a lawsuit with LSU.    

3. James Franklin, Penn State

The buyout: $49 million.

The fallout: Franklin got right back in the hunt by accepting the Virginia Tech job, but only after he gave up all but $9 million of his Penn State buyout to do so. Franklin won 104 games in 12 seasons at Penn State, and had back-to-back nine-win seasons at Vanderbilt — a program best until this year’s team won its ninth game Saturday.   

4. Gus Malzahn, Auburn

The buyout: $21.4 million

The fallout: Fired at the end of 2020, Malzahn took a job with UCF while it was still a member of the American Conference. He resigned after four years to take the offensive coordinator role at FSU, more than likely getting ahead of another firing. 

5. Billy Napier, Florida

The buyout: $21.2 million

The fallout: Fired by Florida in late October, Napier was later seen at a Georgia practice — though Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said it was because the two are close friends. 

Napier’s only job prior to his three and a half years at Florida was a four-year stint at Louisiana. He has 62 wins in 97 career games, and will likely have to take the assistant coach route to get back into the business.  

6. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame

The buyout: $18.9 million

The fallout: The industry leader in buyouts for years, Notre Dame fired Weis following the 2009 season. He took assistant coach jobs with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, and with Florida under coach Will Muschamp. 

Weis eventually returned as a Power conference coach when hired by Kansas in 2012. He was fired four games into the 2014 season and hasn’t coached since. 

7. Willie Taggart, Florida State

The buyout: $18 million

The fallout: Taggart arrived in Tallahassee after one season in Oregon, and after Fisher left a mess in Tallahassee in the locker room and classroom. Taggart spent a majority of his time getting players to actually go to class (back when it meant something), and coached 21 games at FSU before getting fired with a 9-12 record. 

He moved to FAU, where he was fired three years later with a 16-20 record. Taggart has been the running backs coach with the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens since 2023.

8. Ed Orgeron, LSU

The buyout: $16.9 million

The fallout: Orgeron won the national title at LSU in 2019, in part, because he convinced backup Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow to transfer to Baton Rouge. Orgeron never recreated the magic of the most prolific offense in the modern era, and was fired in October of 2021.

Orgeron hasn’t coached since, but not because he hasn’t tried to get back into the profession. He now says he’d be interested in returning to LSU as a position coach.    

9. Tom Allen, Indiana

The buyout: $15.5 million

The fallout: The high-water mark was the 2020 pandemic season, when the Big Ten changed its rules to return midstream to get Ohio State in the conference championship game — ahead of Indiana. 

Allen won eight games in 2019, and six of eight in 2020, and IU threw crazy cash at the coach who looked like he had it figured out at the basketball school. Allen won nine games over the next three seasons, and was fired. He has been the Penn State and Clemson defensive coordinators since. 

10. Tom Herman, Texas

The buyout: $15.4 million

The fallout: Once the hottest young coach in the game, Herman spent four years in the sport’s best job and was fired after the 2020 season. He was 32-18, and looked like he had the program turned with a 10-win season (and a bowl win over Georgia) in 2018.

He took a job with the NFL’s Chicago Bears as an analyst following the blowout at Texas, and was then head coach at FAU for two years before getting fired in November of his second season. He’s currently not coaching. 

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

NBA power rankings: Lakers move up as LeBron returns

NBA action is intensifying, as the league is turning quickly to December.

That also means the NBA Cup picture is clarifying, with group stage play concluding Friday, Nov. 28. The league, however, is contending with several injuries to star players, forcing players like Bucks forward-center Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic forward Paolo Banchero, Spurs forward-center Victor Wembanyama and plenty others to miss time.

To that point, it’s the teams managing those absences well who are the ones remaining competitive. And no team has weathered the loss of an All-Star better than the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champions.

Here are USA TODAY Sports’ NBA power rankings after Week 5 of the 2025-26 regular season:

USA TODAY Sports NBA power rankings

Note: Records and stats through Nov. 23. Parentheses show movement from last week’s rankings

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Top 5

1. Oklahoma City Thunder, 17-1 (—)

2. Detroit Pistons, 14-2 (+1)

3. Denver Nuggets, 12-4 (-1)

4. Los Angeles Lakers, 12-4 (+1)

5. Houston Rockets, 10-4 (-1)

The OKC Thunder have the NBA’s fourth-best offensive rating (119.6) and the league’s best defensive rating (102.8) and net rating (16.9), and they have done this all without Jalen Williams (wrist). The Pistons just got Jaden Ivey back and have the NBA’s top active win streak, at 12 games. It has become clear the Lakers will need some time to integrate LeBron James and the Nuggets, who will be without forward Aaron Gordon (hamstring) for at least a month, showed in a loss against the Kings that life may be tough without him.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 6-10

6. Cleveland Cavaliers, 12-6 (+2)

7. Minnesota Timberwolves, 10-6 (+2)

8. San Antonio Spurs, 11-5 (-1)

9. Toronto Raptors, 12-5 (+3)

10. Miami Heat, 11-6 (+7)

Just when the Cavs were finally getting healthy, center Jarrett Allen suffered a broken ring finger, but Cleveland has nonetheless won four of its last five. The Raptors have been the surprise of the season, and lead the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.18). And the Heat have won four consecutive, relentlessly attack the rim and rank second in points in the paint per game (58.0) and Tyler Herro is reportedly set to make his debut Monday night.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 11-15

11. Phoenix Suns, 11-6 (+3)

12. Atlanta Hawks, 11-7 (-2)

13. New York Knicks, 9-6, (-7)

14. Orlando Magic, 10-8 (+4)

15. Golden State Warriors, 9-9 (-4)

Phoenix, with its remade roster, has leaned in on aggressive defense and its 10.7 steals per game trails the league-leading Thunder by just 0.1. The Knicks have lost three of their last five, and their defense is a far cry from what it was under previous coach Tom Thibodeau. The Warriors have lost three consecutive games, and the locker room feels like it’s already fraying.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 16-20

16. Boston Celtics, 9-8 (—)

17. Philadelphia 76ers, 9-7 (-2)

18. Milwaukee Bucks, 8-9 (-5)

19. Chicago Bulls, 9-7 (+1)

20. Portland Trail Blazers, 7-10 (-1)

The Celtics far too inconsistent and a loss against the Nets mars some of the good; no team commits fewer turnovers than Boston’s 11.3 per game. Losers of four in a row, the Bucks are flailing without Giannis Antetokounmpo and are averaging just 107.8 points over that span. And the Trail Blazers, after starting the season hot despite the drama surrounding suspended coach Chauncey Billups, have lost eight of their last 11.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 21-25

21. Memphis Grizzlies, 6-11 (+2)

22.Los Angeles Clippers, 5-12 (—)

23. Dallas Mavericks, 5-13 (+1)

24. Utah Jazz, 5-10 (-1)

25. Charlotte Hornets, 4-13 (—)

The lone Clippers wins in nearly three weeks have come against the Hornets and Mavericks, a pair of teams below L.A. on this list. Dallas is still being patient with Anthony Davis and the Hornets have lost nine of 10.

NBA Week 5 power rankings: Nos. 26-30

26. Sacramento Kings, 4-13 (—)

27. Brooklyn Nets, 3-13 (—)

28. Indiana Pacers, 2-14 (+1)

29. New Orleans Pelicans, 2-15 (-1)

30. Washington Wizards, 1-15 (—)

The Kings are a weird team; they’re awkwardly constructed and will beat the Nuggets — as they did Sunday, Nov. 23 — and then lose to the Grizzlies by 41. The Nets have shown more competitive spirit and center Nic Claxton recorded his first career triple-double in a win against the Celtics. The Wizards, meanwhile, have the NBA’s worst net rating (-15.5) and have lost 14 games in a row.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By
Sports

Will Red Sox bring back key slugger? 5 best fits for All-Sar

As the Houston Astros’ eight-year streak of making the playoffs came to an end, Alex Bregman’s lived on.

Perhaps that’s the most germane – or at least marketable – data point Bregman can flaunt as he hits the market for a second consecutive winter. This time, unattached to a qualifying offer and the draft pick compensation that comes with it, Bregman shouldn’t have to worry about doing this again for many, many years.

That’s because Bregman’s one season with the Boston Red Sox was a relative smash: He predictably dominated at Fenway Park, posted an .821 OPS and lifted the Red Sox to the playoffs for just the second time in the past seven seasons.

Bregman? This was his ninth straight autumn featuring playoff baseball, and as such, he exercised an out clause in the three-year, $120 million deal he signed with Boston on the eve of spring training in February.

Oh, it wasn’t perfect: Injuries limited Bregman to 114 games, and his 18 home runs were his fewest since playing just 91 games in 2021. But know this: Bregman more than maintained his value, and will easily clear the $80 million he had coming to him had he opted into his final two years in Boston.

USA TODAY Sports examines the best landing spots for Bregman’s permanent home:

Boston Red Sox

Hey, the glove still fits. It was Bregman’s arrival that induced the strange dance between Boston and Rafael Devers that resulted in the trade of their franchise third baseman to San Francisco in June.

Now, should Bregman depart, there’d be a massive hole at third base and in the lineup.

Sure, the club could pencil top prospect Marcelo Mayer in there alongside shortstop Trevor Story. Yet staying healthy over the course of a season has proven difficult for Mayer in both the major and minor leagues.

Additionally, the lineup hollows out significantly behind burgeoning star Roman Anthony, who figures to bat leadoff next season. Boston signed Anthony to what figures to be a team-friendly eight-year, $130 million contract, gifting the lefty slugger lifetime security while keeping the club’s payroll healthy for years to come.

And the team saved nearly $250 million offloading Devers. Reinvesting that back into Bregman is simply good business – bringing Bregman’s career gravitas and potent bat to back up Anthony’s emerging greatness.

Detroit Tigers

So, we’re gonna do this again, huh?

The Tigers landed on the podium in the Bregman sweepstakes last winter, offering him a six-year deal for $171.5 million, yet he could not be swayed by the promise of hitting in Fenway and hitting the market again.

So, time to push that boulder back up the hill?

Not much has changed since a year ago: The Tigers claimed another wild-card berth, advanced to the American League Division Series and still have a hole to fill at third base.

They did all right in the aggregate last year, shuffling around fungible pieces like Colt Keith and Zack McKinstry and Andy Ibanez and Javy Baez, winning 87 games behind Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

There’s little they can do to avoid losing Skubal after next year, unless they’re interested in tying up a significant percentage of payroll in his left arm. So in a sense, signing Bregman would likely seal Skubal’s departure.

The upside: They’d get one year to go all-in with the two-time reigning Cy Young winner and Bregman galvanizing the lineup. Worry about 2027 when it gets here.

Comerica Park would be a tough adjustment for Bregman after years of hitting in Fenway and Minute Maid p

arks. But if his ego can take the drop in OPS, his mentality could be just what the Tigers need to push past the ALDS for the first time since 2013.

Arizona Diamondbacks

The Diamondbacks aren’t exactly made of money and already toted a franchise-high $186 million payroll last year. Yet if the club truly believes the ship has sailed on Ketel Marte in the desert, moving him would create both financial flexibility and a spot on the infield.

Even if Marte stays in Arizona – he’s due $91 million over the next five seasons – there’s stil an immediate opening at third base. For the moment, that’s penciled in for prospect Jordan Lawlar, but he’s played in just 114 games the past two seasons and struggled in limited big league stints in 2023 and ’25.

Bregman, paired with shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, who finished fourth in NL MVP voting, would give the Diamondbacks one of the greatest left sides in the infield. And Bregman’s elite 14% strikeout percentage would give Arizona, already a great contact-hitting team, one of the toughest lineups to attack.

His price tag will probably exceed owner Ken Kendrick’s comfort zone. But the fit is actually really nice.

Seattle Mariners

In 2025, the Mariners discovered just how wonderful a go-for-it mentality can be: Their deadline deals for corner infielders Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez paved the way for their first appearance in the American League Championship Series since 2001.

Naylor was such a good fit, they re-upped the first baseman to a four-year, $92 million deal. They still haven’t replaced Suarez.

Interesting fit, here.

On one hand, the Mariners are loaded with top infield prospects. Cole Young reached Seattle last year. Colt Emerson lurks at Class AAA. Ben Williamson played a capable third base for half of 2025.

On the other hand, shortstop J.P. Crawford is eligible for free agency after 2026. It may take a year or two for the kids to pan out. And the club saw fit to trade for Suarez and send Williamson back to Class AAA for the final two months of the season.

Taking on Bregman’s massive salary – he’d almost assuredly make more per annum than even Cal Raleigh – might seem like a solution looking for a problem. Yet this is a club that fell just eight outs shy of a World Series berth.

Essentially, these are the good old days. Moving aggressively to fill an obvious need could help the Mariners maintain a firm grip on an AL West they final conquered after so many decades of mediocrity.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
Keep Reading
By