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DFW Restaurants Offering Brunches, Dinners, and Meal Deals for Easter, Passover

Restaurants across North Texas are making it possible for families to celebrate Easter and Passover with brunches, lunches, and dinners for dine-in or to-go. EASTER, PASSOVER MEAL DEALS IN DALLAS-FORT WORTH Al Biernat’s Easter brunch at this Dallas steakhouse includes strawberry-topped pancakes, crab cakes, French toast, and more. Vegan options include portabella enchiladas and Thai stir fry. The meal will be served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant’s Oak Lawn location at 214-209-2201 or the North Dallas location at 972-239-3400. Anise A Mediterranean-inspired Easter brunch featuring Nicholas Feuillatte Champagne bottles at half price will be offered at this Dallas restaurant starting at 10 a.m. The menu will feature a wide selection of options including house-made babka french toast with lemon ricotta, smoked salmon with sauce gribiche and creme fraiche, shakshuka poached eggs with red zhug, and crostinis of braised lamb leg with salsa verde. Reservations can be made through Resy. Asador The brunch event at Asador will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entertainment will include photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny and face painting. The menu features items like an omelet station, a French toast and crepe station, a seafood bar, and a pasta station. There will also be a bloody Mary and mimosa bar. Adults can eat for $85 plus tax and gratuity, and children under the age of 12 can eat for $36 plus tax and gratuity. There will be a two-hour maximum dining time limit. Bacchus Kitchen + Bar Easter brunch will be held in Hotel Vin’s Bordeaux Ballroom in Grapevine. Chef Juan Pablo Silva’s will serve a buffet menu featuring a flambee crepe station, an oyster bar, and more. Adults can eat for $90 plus tax and tip, and children under the age of 12 can eat for $45 plus tax and tip. A brunch reservation at Hotel Vin also includes a free ticket for entry to a children’s Easter egg hunt and photo op with the Easter Bunny. The Easter egg hunts will take place at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Reservations can be made online at OpenTable.com. Blue Mesa Grill Blue Mesa Grill is hosting an Easter brunch at locations in Fort Worth, Addison, and Plano from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 17. The brunch will include an all-you-can-eat buffet for $30 per person. Kids ages 6 through 11 eat for $11, and kids age 5 and younger eat for free. Reservations, which can be made by calling 817.332.6372, are strongly encouraged. Blue Mesa is also offering a ham dinner to-go that serves six people. The to-go meal can be picked up on April 15 and 16 and can be ordered online. Bonefish Grill Bonefish Grill is offering special meal deals on dishes like Caprese dip, shrimp skewers, salmon Caprese with gnocchi, and carrot lava cake. The holiday specials can be ordered online. Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine Bonnell’s is offering an Easter dinner to-go menu featuring items like smoked prime rib, beef tenderloin, roasted turkey breast, and a rack of lamb. Orders can be placed online by noon on Friday, April 15. The meal can be picked up on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Cantina Laredo At Cantina Laredo’s Addison and Frisco locations, guests can enjoy items like crab cake Benedict, chilaquiles, and chorizo con huevos at the restaurant’s Easter brunch on April 17. The meal will include a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Mary. Capital Grille Capital Grille is serving an Easter brunch at locations in North Texas. The meal, which will take place between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., will include mimosas, a lobster frittata, a bone-in dry-aged NY Strip, a filet mignon, and more. A la carte dinner options will also be available all day. Carrabba’s Italian Grill This Italian restaurant is offering seasonal specials that include lamb chops, a filet, and Champagne pasta with shrimp, and a berries and butter cake will be available for dessert. Plus, a special cocktail, the Tramonto in Tuscany, is also available with the meal. The meal is available for dine-in or takeout. Central Market The grocery store with locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Southlake, and Plano has two to-go options for Easter brunch. One meal option includes quiche, salad, croissants, and a challah French toast casserole that feeds four to six people or $79. The second meal option includes a hickory ham, potatoes, green beans, and salad, and it feeds six to eight for $129.99. Orders should be placed online by April 14. Chef Point Chef Point is offering an Easter brunch menu at the Watauga and Colleyville locations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The meal will include fried green tomatoes, scallops and grits, chicken and waffles, stuffed chicken, duck, Mahi Mahi with saffron risotto, shrimp pasta, chocolate mousse, bread pudding, and more. Reservations can be made online. Classic at Roanoke This restaurant in downtown Roanoke is serving a special three-course Easter lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 17. Meal options include beef tenderloin, salmon, chicken breast with lemon caper salsa, and vegetarian pasta. Plus, Texas sheet cake with vanilla ice cream, blueberry buttermilk pie, and mango sorbet are available for dessert. Lunch is $50 per person for adults and $30 for children, not including tax and gratuity. Commons Club at Virgin Hotels Dallas This restaurant inside the Virgin Hotel Dallas is serving an Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. The meal will include options like brunch boards, carving stations, displays of seafood, charcuterie, and more. The meal will cost $75 per person. A limited a la carte menu will also be available. Reservations can be made online. Cotton Patch Caf This restaurant with locations across North Texas is offering several Easter meals for customers to pick up. Guests can choose between the Ultimate Holiday Spread for $130; the Classic Holiday Spread for $90; the Festive Fixins Feast for $35, or the Holiday Trimmings and Trappings a la carte option. The restaurant will also be open for dine-in on April 17. Crescent Club The restaurant inside the Crescent Hotel is serving an Easter brunch on Sunday, April 17. Menu options will include Belgian waffles, an omelet station, a cold buffet with a variety of salad options, a hot buffet, crab and lobster bisque, a seafood station, a carving station, and a dessert station. Reservations can be made online. Dakota’s Steakhouse This Dallas steakhouse is serving Easter brunch on April 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The brunch will include items like pastries, smoked salmon tarts, deviled eggs, lox and bagels, crab cake Benedict, a French-style omelet, steak and eggs, blueberry pancakes, and a prime beef burger. The meal will cost is $48 per person. Reservations can be made online. Davio’s This Italian steakhouse in The Colony will serve an Easter brunch on April 17 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Menu items will include Philly cheesesteak spring rolls, an egg frittata, and filet mignon and poached eggs, lobster rolls, and a pizza with bacon & egg. The Easter dinner menu, which will include steaks, seafood, tagliatelle Bolognese, and acorn squash with farro, will be served from 1:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations can be made online. DeGolyer Restaurant at Dallas Arboretum At this restaurant inside the Dallas Arboretum, an Easter brunch buffet be available on April 16 and 17. Menu items include scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, beef sirloin, and smoked salmon. Seatings will take place at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and tickets will cost $69 for adults and $45 for children ages two through 12. The meal will be free for children under two years old. Reservations can be made online. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse This steakhouse in downtown Dallas is offering a three-course Easter menu on April 17. The meal includes options like a spring salad, a filet, salmon paired with a crab cake, strawberry cheesecake, and more. The meal will cost $95 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Brunch a la carte options, which will be served all day, will include bread pudding French toast, bacon Benedict, egg white frittata, and New York strip and eggs. The restaurant will open at 11 a.m. on Sunday. Reservations can be made online. DIVE Coastal Cuisine This restaurant in Snider Plaza in Dallas will serve an Easter to-go menu to be picked up on April 16. The menu will include cheese boards, crab and salmon boards, a whole salmon, a beef tenderloin, and sides. Call 214-891-1700 to place an order. Eataly This Italian eatery is offering a slow-cooked leg of lamb, salumi and formaggi platters, side dishes, freshly baked breads, an Easter tart with ricotta and orange, and more. Email eda.guestrelations@eataly.com by April 13 to place an order. The shop’s third-floor restaurant, Terra, is offering an Easter brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Menu items include Otto bread, eggs in purgatory, sausage, bacon, fingerling potatoes, and more. The brunch costs $30. Guests can also pick their sparkling wines and fruit juices to create their custom mimosa, bellini, or rossini. Reservations can be made online. Eatzi’s Market and Bakery This market with locations in Dallas, Fort Worth, Grapevine and Plano is offering to-go menus for both Easter and Passover. Starting on April 8, guests can choose from an Easter menu with grilled lamb porterhouse chops, pineapple-glazed ham, and hot cross buns. Passover items, including braised beef brisket, matzoh ball soup, potato kugel, apple squares, and flourless chocolate cake, will be available from April 14 to 23. Orders for both Easter and Passover meals can be placed online. Eddie V’s The seafood restaurant is offering a three-course prix fixe brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in addition to its usual selection. The menu will feature warm cinnamon rolls, steak and eggs, lobster quiche Florentine, roasted avocado with jumbo lump crab, and more. The meal will cost is $49 for adults and $15 for children, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made online. El Bolero This restaurant in the Dallas Design District is offering an Easter morning brunch on April 17. The menu will feature items like crab cakes, huevos rancheros, grilled swordfish, braised short ribs, fried Mexican vanilla ice cream, and more. Reservations can be made online or by calling 214-741-1986. Fearing’s Restaurant The Dallas restaurant inside the Ritz-Carlton is hosting a three-course Golden Easter Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The meal will include linguini cacio e pepe, mesquite-grilled lamb chops, a coconut caramel ganache tart, and more. The Easter brunch will cost is $135 for adults and $45 for children. Guests can also crack a Golden Egg to receive complimentary services at the hotel and spa. Reservations can be made online. Fogo de Ch o The Brazilian steakhouse is hosting an Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as an Easter dinner from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations can be made online. Customers can also pick up an Easter To-Go Package that is available for pickup and/or delivery on April 16 and 17. Grace This fine-dining restaurant in Downtown Fort Worth will be open for Easter brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The eatery will serve items like petit filet eggs Benedict, pork carnitas with cheese grits, and quiche Lorraine. The normal Grace menu will also be available. Reservations can be made online or by calling 727-317-4770. Harper’s The Dallas restaurant is offering an Easter brunch menu on Sunday that includes lobster Benedict, Japanese pancakes, French toast, a smoked salmon spread, and a variety of cocktails. Reservations can be made online. Hawthorn Hawthorn is offering specialty brunch items on Easter Sunday. The special menu will feature items like chilaquiles, biscuits and gravy, cheese blintzes, French toast, avocado toast, and more. Reservations can be made online. Haywire Haywire is hosting an Easter buffet on Sunday, April 17. The meal will include a seafood bar, carving station, taco bar, and other selections like chicken fried steak and blackened Texas Gulf snapper. The meal will cost is $49.95 for adults, $19.95 for ages five to 12, and free for ages four and under. Reservations can be made online. The Henry This Dallas eatery is offering an Easter brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Brunch will feature giant cinnamon rolls, crab cakes, avocado toast, caramel-apple French toast, a breakfast burrito or bowl, egg white turkey omelet, smoked salmon bagel, turkey French dip, pasta Bolognese, and more. Reservations can be made online or by calling 214-677-.9560. Il Modo This Italian restaurant located inside the Kimpton Harper hotel in Downtown Fort Worth will serve a three-course brunch from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in addition to the regular menu. Guests can enjoy a wild berry smoothie or mimosa as well as items like a salmon frittata, a malted waffle topped with Nutella whipped cream, and more. The meal is $26, and a mimosa flight can be added for $16. Children will also leave the event with a special Easter surprise. Reservations can be made online. Jellico’s at Westin Southlake The contemporary restaurant inside the Westin Southlake will host an Easter buffet on Sunday, April 17 that will cost $60 per person. Menu items will include yogurt parfaits, lemon poppy seed pancakes, frittatas, ham, and salmon. Reservations can be made by calling 817-873-1900. Kona Grill Kona Grill is hosting an Easter brunch and dinner that is available for both dine-in and take-out on April 16 and 17. Dinner items will include lobster potstickers appetizer, a honey glazed ham, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables with truffle oil, and more for $32. Brunch will feature ricotta cheese fritters, macadamia French toast, and eggs Benedict. Reservations and to-go orders can both be placed online. LAW at Four Seasons Resort at Las Colinas The restaurant inside the Four Seasons is offering an Easter brunch buffet that will include a seafood station, pasta bar, artisan cheeses, sushi, beef pastrami, and more. A doughnut wall will feature fresh doughnuts as well. The brunch meal will cost $125 for adults and $55 for children under 12. Reservations can be made via Open Table or by calling 972-717-2420. Legacy Hall This Plano food hall will feature an Easter jazz brunch on Sunday, April 17. Guests can enjoy a build-your-own mimosa and Bloody Mary bar and specialty dishes from more than 20 restaurants. Plus, a Peep mimosa is available for $7. RSVP online. Live. by Loews This Arlington hotel will offer an Easter brunch buffet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The menu stations will include chilled seafood, braised lamb ossobuco, Southern fried chicken, and more. The meal will cost $75 for adults and $40 for children 12 and under. Plus, kids can stick around and enjoy an Easter egg hunt on the lawn at 3 pm. Reservations can be made online. Lockhart Smokehouse This barbecue restaurant with locations in Dallas and Plano will offer an Easter to-go feast with family-style portions of smoked ham or prime rib, green been casserole, mac and cheese, brisket-stuffed deviled eggs, and caramel-peach bread pudding. The deadline to order online is April 13, and orders can be picked up on April 15 or 16. Mercat Bistro This Dallas restaurant in the Harwood District is offering an Easter brunch with items like lobster Benedict, smoked salmon crepes, duck confit, an orange tart, and more. The regular menu will also be available. Reservations can be made online. Meridian The Brazilian restaurant in Dallas is hosting an Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 17. The four-course meal includes a pastry and bread board, snack options like tapioca and cheese fritters, smoked salmon, caramelized onion and mushroom strata with asparagus, bucatini carbonara, wagyu, and more. The meal will cost $65 per person, not including tax and tip. A $25 kid’s menu is also available. Reservations can be made online. Nuri Grill This Korean barbecue and steakhouse is featuring a special four-course Easter menu that will include tuna tartare corn, fried eggs with bulgogi, ribeye tenderloin, hanger steak, marinated short ribs, and more. The meal will cost is $60 per person. Call 972-241-3900 or go online to make reservations. Ocean Prime Dallas This steak and seafood restaurant in Dallas is offering a special Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. The brunch will include warm cinnamon bread, crab cake eggs Benedict, brioche French toast, a smoked salmon latke, Prime steak and eggs, salmon salad, and more. Reservations can be made online. Omni Hotel This hotel with locations in Dallas and Fort Worth is hosting a family-friendly Easter brunch event that will feature a buffet, petting zoo, egg hunt, egg decorating station, live music, and the Easter Bunny himself. The buffet will include items like stuffed lamb, chilled seafood, eggs to order, Rocky Rad bread pudding, and more. Brunch will cost $72 for adults and $40 for children ages six through 12, plus tax and service charge. Reservations can be made online. Pakpao Thai The Dallas Thai restaurant is offering special Easter menu items on Sunday, April 17. Items like Moo Yang Nom Kahn, Thai waffles, Kai Loongkei, breakfast eggs, crab omelet, and an Easter brunch punch will be available for purchase. Reservations can be made online or by calling 214-749-7002. Perry’s Steakhouse and Grill This steakhouse with locations in Dallas, Frisco, and Grapevine is offering special Easter menu items from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The meal will include glazed ham for $45 or caramelized prime rib for $65, both of which will be served with whipped potatoes, green beans, and a choice of pear salad or carrot ginger soup. White chocolate cheesecake can also be added for $8. Reservations and to-go orders can be placed online. Postino Wine Cafe This Dallas wine bar is hosting the Old Skool Hippity-Hop Brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Easter Sunday. The brunch will feature 90s music and $7 cocktail deals. There will be a live DJ spinning hip-hop tunes on the patio as well as $6 glasses of wine and pitchers of beer until 5 p.m. The Ranch at Las Colinas This Las Colinas restaurant is hosting an Easter brunch buffet on April 17. The meal will involve a seafood bar, carving station, taco bar, and more. The buffet will cost $49.95 for adults, $19.95 for ages five to 12, and free for ages four and under. Reservations can be made online. Rise + Thyme This Dallas eatery is offering Easter picnic baskets that feed four people for $100. The baskets will include deviled eggs, avocado toast, mixed greens, lamb and harissa wrap, kale and mushroom quiche, assorted cookies, Funfetti cake, and more. Orders must be placed by April 13 by calling 972-268-7605. Orders for other menu items can be placed online. Romano’s Macaroni Grill This Italian restaurant is offering Easter specials including a Gorgonzola Steak with spinach and mashed potatoes for $30; and 8-oz as well as an Atlantic salmon in a citrus lemon butter sauce for $26. The specials will be available for dine-in or take-out from April 15 to 18. Orders and reservations can be placed online. Ruth’s Chris Steak House The steakhouse with locations in North Dallas and Fort Worth will offer an Easter feast to-go that feeds four people and will cost $195. The meal comes with beef tenderloin, a starter, two sides, and four chocolate sin cakes. Meals can be picked up on April 16 and 17 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Orders should be placed at least 48 hours in advance. The restaurant also expanded its hours for Easter Sunday dining from 11 a.m. to 8:30 pm. Reservations can be made online. Saint Ann Restaurant and Bar This restaurant in the Dallas Harwood District is offering a three-course prix fixe brunch on April 17 that will cost $60 per person. The menu will feature Wanda’s Doughnuts, a carrot cake French toast, a Caprese Benedict, a strawberry tart, and more. Reservations can be made online or by calling 214-782-9807. Scout This Dallas restaurant is offering a three-course Easter brunch buffet on April 17. The menu will feature pineapple-glazed ham, roasted salmon, and more. Carving stations will offer prime rib and herb-crusted lamb along with a variety of side dishes and desserts. Brunch costs $49.99, and children 12 and younger eat for free from a kids menu featuring chicken tenders and waffle fries. Reservations can be made online. Seasons 52 Seasons 52 is offering an a la carte brunch on April 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The meal will include crab-cheddar quiche, French Toast, shrimp and grits, mimosas, sangrias, bloody Marys, ros Lemonade, and more. The restaurant is also offering an Easter box serving four to six people featuring spiral ham, salmon, or beef tenderloin, plus salad, sides, and dessert. The Easter box to-go option can be picked up on April 16, and orders can be placed online. Second Floor at The Exchange Guests at this Dallas eatery can enjoy a special Easter menu on April 17. Menu items include assorted breakfast pastries, a smoked salmon display, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, pork sausage, twice-cooked potatoes, braised pork hash, a prime rib carving station, and more. The meal will cost $50 for adults and $25 for children. Call 972-268-7605 or go online for reservations. Sloane’s Corner This Dallas restaurant is serving a three-course brunch menu on April 17 that will cost $38 per person. The menu will include options like breakfast pastries, tomato and cucumber salad, mini avocado toast, lobster and avocado salad, strawberry ricotta pancakes, a prime beef burger, and more. The regular menu will also be available. STIRR This restaurant with locations in Dallas and Addison is hosting an Easter brunch on April 17. The special brunch will feature an omelet station, BLT deviled eggs, smoked cheddar au gratin potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, beef tenderloin, pies, cakes, pastries, and more. The meal will cost is $42 for adults, $15 for kids over the age of 10, and it will be free for kids aged 10 and under. Reservations can be made online for Dallas and Addison locations. Table 13 Guests at this Addison restaurant can enjoy a prix fixe brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Menu options include crab cake Benedict, pecan-crusted salmon, lemon caper chicken, and lamb chops. The meal will cost either $39.95 or $49.95 per person, depending on the selection. The regular menu will be served from 4 to 7 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling 972-789-9558. Ten50 BBQ This barbecue restaurant in Richardson is offering a to-go menu including a whole brisket, spiral-sliced glazed ham, brisket baked beans, mac and cheese, green beans, whole key lime pie, fruit cobbler, and more. Orders should be placed by April 13. Orders can be placed by calling 1-855-783-1050 or going online. III Forks This Dallas steakhouse is serving an Easter brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 17. The Easter menu will feature items like steak and eggs, filet mignon benedict, crab cake benedict, lobster tail benedict, and breakfast breads from the restaurant’s local bakery. The special brunch selection will cost $55, and it will be available for dine-in or curbside to-go by preorder. Children’s brunch will include pancakes, sausage, and scrambled eggs, and it will cost $18.A limited a la carte menu will also be available. The regular dinner menu is available from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reservations can be made online. Toussaint Brasserie This New Orleans-inspired restaurant in Dallas is offering a special Easter menu with items like Boeuf Bourguignon hash, banana macadamia nut pancakes, lobster Benedict, pain perdu, and a frozen French 75. Reservations can be made by calling 214-765-2311 or going online. Truluck’s This seafood restaurant with locations in Dallas and Southlake is offering Easter specials on April 15 through 17. Menu items include Lobster Thermidor for $120 and a cognac-based Easter cocktail for $14.50. The regular menu will also be available. Reservations can be made online. Wicked Butcher This restaurant in the Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth is offering an Easter brunch on April 17. Menu items include heirloom beets, Shrimp Louie, Nutella-stuffed French toast, seared salmon, a dark chocolate tart, an olive oil cake, and more. Call 682-231-8214 or go online to make a reservation. Wits Steakhouse Guests at this South African steakhouse in Dallas can choose from special menu items like deviled eggs, bagel and lox, prawns, French toast, and more. Prices vary. Call 214-712-9700 or go online to make a reservation. 97 West This restaurant inside Hotel Drover in the Fort Worth Stockyards will serve an Easter brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring dishes using ingredients from Texas farms and ranches. Menu items include cinnamon rolls, apple-churro pancakes, and chicken and biscuits. The restaurant is also serving a special Easter cocktail garnished with a Peep. Guests can also join an Easter egg hunt for both adults and kids, and whoever finds a golden egg will win a one-night mid-week stay with a complimentary pool cabana, two rodeo tickets, $100 resort credit, and two robes. Egg hunts will take place at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Reservations can be made online. Get updates on what’s happening in North Texas to your inbox. Sign up for our News Headlines newsletter. (https://www.nbcdfw.com/entertainment/holidays/dfw-restaurants-offering-brunches-dinners-and-meal-deals-for-easter-and-passover/2933657/)

Everything to Know About NFL Free Agency and Top Available Players

Everything you need to know before 2022 NFL free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago The offseason can be nearly as exciting as the on-field action, with trades, free agency and the draft consuming the spring and summer months. That excitement, of course, has only been heightened in 2022 with several high-profile quarterbacks in the news. In the first month following the Super Bowl, four major quarterback dominos have fallen. Tom Brady retired, Aaron Rodgers re-signed with the Packers, Russell Wilson was traded from the Seahawks to the Broncos and Carson Wentz was traded from the Colts to the Commanders. Here’s a full look at NFL free agency, including information on the salary cap and some of the top available players: When does NFL free agency start? Free agency in the NFL began immediately when the new league year began. This year, that fell on March 16, 2022, at 4 p.m. ET. Teams were able to begin speaking with free agents two days before free agency began during the legal tampering period. Beginning on Monday, March 14, 2022, at 12 p.m. ET, clubs were permitted to contact and negotiate with players who were set to become unrestricted free agents two days later. Players and teams were able to agree to deals, but they couldn’t be signed until the new league year began. Which NFL teams have the most cap space? The salary cap is a tricky thing in the NFL. Unlike the NBA, football players do not have fully guaranteed salaries. Between bonuses, incentives and void years, there are plenty of loopholes that teams use to clear cap space. As of March 19 at 10 a.m. ET, here’s a look at the 10 teams with the most top-51 salary cap space : Indianapolis Colts: $39,985,729 Seattle Seahawks: $34,359,954 Carolina Panthers: $31,790,617 Chicago Bears : $31,196,387 Los Angeles Chargers : $30,457,843 New York Jets : $29,830,704 Houston Texans: $25,165,647 Dallas Cowboys : $24,686,948 New Orleans Saints: $24,565,545 Green Bay Packers: $22,052,167 Plenty of teams aren’t in a good position to begin the new league year. Here are the 10 teams with the least amount of top-51 cap space as of March 19 at 10 a.m. ET: Los Angeles Rams : $-9,854,599 Kansas City Chiefs: $299,057 Tennessee Titans: $720,675 New York Giants : $856,091 Minnesota Vikings: $1,796,270 Cleveland Browns: $2,647,601 Atlanta Falcons: $5,424,973 San Francisco 49ers : $7,736,395 Arizona Cardinals: $8,092,115 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $10,082,000 Who are the best NFL free agents for 2022? Like every year, there are a number of difference-making free agents. How many of them actually reach the open market remains to be seen, as teams can use the franchise tag or negotiate a new deal before the legal tampering period in March. Here’s a position-by-position look at the best players set to hit free agency: Quarterbacks Jameis Winston, Saints Teddy Bridgewater, Broncos: Bridgewater reportedly agreed to a one-year deal to be the Dolphins’ backup quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Commanders Cam Newton, Panthers Marcus Mariota, Raiders Mitchell Trubisky, Bills: Trubisky reportedly agreed to a two-year deal to become the Steelers’ new starting quarterback. Jacoby Brissett, Dolphins Andy Dalton, Bears Tyrod Taylor, Texans: Taylor reportedly agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal, including $8.5 million guaranteed with the Giants. Trevor Siemian, Saints Brian Hoyer, Patriots: Hoyer reportedly agreed with the Patriots on a two-year, $4 million deal that includes $3 million guaranteed and incentives. Running backs Chase Edmonds, Cardinals: Edmonds reportedly is headed to Miami on a two-year, $12.6 million deal that includes $6.1 million guaranteed. James Conner, Cardinals: Cardinals reportedly plan to re-sign Conner on a three-year, $21 million deal that could grow to a maximum of $25.5 million and includes $13.5 million fully guaranteed. Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons Devonta Freeman, Ravens Damien Williams, Bears: Williams reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Falcons. Melvin Gordon, Broncos David Johnson, Texans Marlon Mack, Colts Darrel Williams, Chiefs Sony Michel, Rams Brandon Bolden, Patriots: Bolden reportedly is joining his former offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, in Las Vegas with the Raiders. James White, Patriots: White reportedly agreed to a two-year, $2.5 million deal to return to the Patriots. Jordan Howard, Eagles Alex Collins, Seahawks Rashaad Penny, Seahawks Jeff Wilson, 49ers Raheem Mostert, 49ers: Mostert reportedly is headed to the Dolphins on a one-year deal. Giovani Bernard, Buccaneers Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers Ronald Jones, Buccaneers D’Onta Foreman, Titans J.D. McKissic, Commanders: McKissic reportedly agreed to a two-year, $7 million deal with upside to $8 million with the Commanders. Wide receivers A.J. Green, Cardinals Christian Kirk, Cardinals: Kirk reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with the Jaguars worth up to $84 million. Sammy Watkins, Ravens Emmanuel Sanders, Bills Isaiah McKenzie, Bills: McKenzie reportedly agreed to a two-year deal to remain with Buffalo. Allen Robinson, Bears: Robinson reportedly agreed to a three-year, $46.5 million deal that includes $30.7 million fully guaranteed with the Rams. Cedrick Wilson, Cowboys: Wilson reportedly agreed to a three-year, $22.8 million deal that includes $12.75 million guaranteed with the Dolphins. Michael Gallup, Cowboys: Gallup reportedly agreed to a deal with the Cowboys for five years and $62.5 million. Davante Adams, Packers: Adams reportedly agreed to a five-year, $141.25 million deal with the Raiders after the Packers traded him for a first and second-round pick. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers Danny Amendola, Texans T.Y. Hilton, Colts D.J. Chark, Jaguars: Chark reportedly will join the Lions on a one-year deal worth up to $12 million with $10 million fully guaranteed. Byron Pringle, Chiefs: Pringle reportedly agreed to a one-year deal worth $4 million guaranteed and $2 million more in incentives. Demarcus Robinson, Chiefs Mike Williams, Chargers: Williams reportedly agreed to a deal with the Chargers for three years and $60 million. Odell Beckham Jr., Rams Zay Jones, Raiders: Jones reportedly agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Jaguars. Will Fuller, Dolphins Tre’Quan Smith, Saints Braxton Berrios, Jets: New York reportedly agreed to bring Berrios back on a two-year, $12 million deal that includes $7 million fully guaranteed. Jamison Crowder, Jets JuJu Smith-Schuster, Steelers Antonio Brown, Buccaneers Chris Godwin, Buccaneers: Godwin reportedly agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal to return to the Bucs after they used the franchise tag on him. Adam Humphries, Commanders Tight ends Zach Ertz, Cardinals: After being traded from Philly to Arizona midseason, Ertz reportedly is sticking with the Cardinals on a three-year, $31.65 million contract. Maxx Williams, Cardinals: The Cardinals reportedly are bringing back Williams on a one-year deal. Hayden Hurst, Ravens: Hurst agreed to a one-year deal with the Bengals. Jimmy Graham, Bears C.J. Uzomah, Bengals: Uzomah reportedly agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal with the Jets. David Njoku, Browns: The Browns used the franchise tag on Njoku for one year, $10.93 million. Dalton Schultz, Cowboys: The Cowboys used the franchise tag on Schultz for one year, $10.93 million. Robert Tonyan, Packers Mo Alie-Cox, Colts: The Colts reportedly re-signed Cox on a three-year, $18 million deal. Jared Cook, Chargers Mike Gesicki, Dolphins: The Dolphins placed the $10.93 million franchise tag on Gesicki. Tyler Conklin, Vikings: The Jets signed Conklin to a three-year, $21 million contract. Evan Engram, Giants: Engram reportedly agreed on a one-year, fully-guaranteed $9 million deal that could go up to $10 million with incentives with the Jaguars. Gerald Everett, Seahawks Will Dissly, Seahawks: The Seahawks and Dissly reportedly agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal. O.J. Howard, Buccaneers: Howard reportedly agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal worth up to $5 million with the Bills. Rob Gronkowski, Buccaneers Anthony Firkser, Titans Ricky Seals-Jones, Commanders Offensive tackles Riley Reiff, Bengals Eric Fisher, Colts Cam Robinson, Jaguars: The Jaguars used the franchise tag on Robinson for one year, $16.662 million. Orlando Brown, Chiefs: The Chiefs used the franchise tag on Brown for one year, $16.662 million. Andrew Wylie, Chiefs: Wylie is returning to the Chiefs on a one-year deal with $2.5 million guaranteed. Joseph Noteboom, Rams: Noteboom reportedly agreed to re-sign with Los Angeles on a three-year, $40 million deal. Trent Brown, Patriots Terron Armstead, Saints Morgan Moses, Jets: The Ravens signed Moses to a three-year, $15 million contract. Duane Brown, Seahawks Offensive guards Max Garcia, Cardinals Ike Boettger, Bills James Daniels, Bears: Daniels reportedly agrees to a three-year, $26.5 million deal with the Steelers. Connor Williams, Cowboys: Williams reportedly agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal that includes $7.5 million fully guaranteed with the Dolphins. Andrew Norwell, Jaguars Michael Schofield, Chargers Austin Corbett, Rams: Corbett reportedly will sign with the Panthers on a three-year, $29.25 million contract. Ted Karras, Patriots: The former Patriot agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with the Bengals. Will Hernandez, Giants Trai Turner, Steelers Laken Tomlinson, 49ers: Tomlinson agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $41.2 million with the Jets, according to reports. Alex Cappa, Buccaneers: Cappa is leaving Tom Brady for Joe Burrow, reportedly agreeing to a four-year, $40 million deal. Brandon Scherff, Commanders: Scherff reportedly is headed south to the Jaguars on a three-year deal worth up to $52.5 million with $30 million guaranteed. Centers Bradley Bozeman, Ravens Matt Paradis, Panthers Austin Blythe, Chiefs: The Seahawks added Blythe on a one-year, $4 million contract. Brian Allen, Rams: Allen reportedly agreed to return to the Rams on a three-year, $24 million deal. Billy Price, Giants Ethan Pocic, Seahawks Ryan Jensen, Buccaneers: Jensen is staying in Tampa on a three-year, $39 million deal. Ben Jones, Titans: Jones reportedly agreed to re-sign with the Titans on a two-year deal worth $14 million. EDGE rushers Chandler Jones, Cardinals: The Raiders reportedly agreed to a three-year deal worth $52.5 million with $34 million guaranteed. Dante Fowler Jr., Falcons Justin Houston, Ravens Pernell McPhee, Ravens Jerry Hughes, Bills Hasson Reddick, Panthers: Reddick reportedly is heading to Philadelphia on a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million guaranteed. Jadeveon Clowney, Browns Takkarist McKinley, Browns Randy Gregory, Cowboys: Gregory reportedly signed with the Denver Broncos on a five-year deal worth $70 million. Alex Okafor, Chiefs Melvin Ingram, Chiefs Uchenna Nwosu, Chargers: Nwosu agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal, including $10.5 million guaranteed with the Seahawks. Von Miller, Rams: Von Miller reportedly agreed to a six-year deal for $120 million with the Bills. The deal includes over $51 million guaranteed. Emmanuel Ogbah, Dolphins: Ogbah is reportedly returning to Miami on a four-year, $65 million deal with $32 million guaranteed. Everson Griffen, Vikings Derek Barnett, Eagles Ryan Kerrigan, Eagles Rasheem Green, Seahawks Jason Pierre-Paul, Buccaneers Harold Landry, Titans: Landry reportedly plans to re-sign with the Titans for five years, $87.5 million with $52.5 million guaranteed. Defensive linemen Brandon Williams, Ravens Calais Campbell, Ravens Akiem Hicks, Bears B.J. Hill, Bengals: Hill reportedly agreed to a three-year, $30 million with $15 million in year one deal with the Bengals. Larry Ogunjobi, Bengals: After making the Super Bowl with the Bengals, Ogunjobi reportedly will join the Bears on a three-year, $40.5 million deal with $26.35 million guaranteed. Malik Jackson, Browns Jarran Reed, Chiefs D.J. Jones, 49ers: Jones and the Broncos reportedly agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with $20 million guaranteed. Linval Joseph, Chargers Sebastian Joseph-Day, Rams: Joseph-Day reportedly agreed with the Chargers on a three-year, $24 million contract with $15 million guaranteed. Gerald McCoy, Raiders Solomon Thomas, Raiders Sheldon Richardson, Vikings Danny Shelton, Giants Folorunso Fatukasi, Jets: Fatukasi reportedly agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the Jaguars that includes $20 million guaranteed. Al Woods, Seahawks: Woods reportedly will return to Seattle on a two-year deal worth up to $9 million with $4.75 million guaranteed. Ndamukong Suh, Buccaneers Linebackers Foyesade Oluokun, Falcons: The former Falcon reportedly is headed to Jacksonville on a three-year, $45 million deal with $28 million guaranteed. Alec Ogletree, Bears Keanu Neal, Cowboys Leighton Vander Esch, Cowboys: Vander Esch is returning to the Cowboys on a one-year deal with a max value of $3 million. Kenny Young, Broncos De’Vondre Campbell, Saints: De’Vondre Campbell and the Packers reportedly agreed on a five-year deal worth $50 million. Christian Kirksey, Texans Kamu Grugier-Hill, Texans Kyzir White, Chargers K.J. Wright, Raiders Dont’a Hightower, Patriots Ja’Whaun Bentley, Patriots: The Patriots reportedly will bring back Bentley on a two-year deal worth a maximum of $9 million. Kyle Van Noy, Patriots Jamie Collins, Patriots Kwon Alexander, Saints Bobby Wagner, Seahawks Rashaan Evans, Titans Jon Bostic, Commanders Cornerbacks Levi Wallace, Bills: Wallace is joining the Steelers on a two-year deal worth up to $8 million. Stephon Gilmore, Panthers Bryce Callahan, Broncos Kyle Fuller, Broncos Rasul Douglas, Packers Xavier Rhodes, Colts Charvarius Ward, Chiefs: The former Chief reportedly agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal with the 49ers that includes $26.7 million guaranteed. Casey Hayward, Raiders: Hayward reportedly agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with the Falcons. Chris Harris Jr., Chargers Darious Williams, Rams: Williams and the Jaguars reportedly agreed on a three-year, $30 million deal with $18 million guaranteed. Justin Coleman, Dolphins Patrick Peterson, Vikings J.C. Jackson, Patriots: Jackson reportedly agreed to a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Chargers that invoices $40 million guaranteed. Joe Haden, Steelers D.J. Reed, Seahawks Sidney Jones, Seahawks: Jones reportedly will return to Seattle on a one-year deal worth $3.6 million. Carlton Davis, Buccaneers: Davis reportedly agreed to re-sign with the Buccaneers on a three-year, $45 million deal. Richard Sherman, Buccaneers K’Waun Williams, 49ers Safeties Duron Harmon, Falcons Tashaun Gipson, Bears Jessie Bates III, Bengals: The Bengals used the franchise tag on Bates for one year, $12.911 million. Jayron Kearse, Cowboys Kareem Jackson, Broncos Justin Reid, Texans: Reid reportedly will go from Houston to Kansas City after agreeing to a three-year, $31.5 million deal with $20 million guaranteed. Tyrann Mathieu, Chiefs Devin McCourty, Patriots: McCourty is back for at least one more year with the Pats, returning for a $9 million deal in 2022. Marcus Williams, Saints: Williams reportedly is headed to Baltimore on a five-year deal worth $70 million including $37 million guaranteed and $31 million next year. Jabrill Peppers, Giants Marcus Maye, Jets: The Saints are replacing Williams with Maye, signing the former Jet to a three-year, $28.5 million deal with $15 million guaranteed. Rodney McLeod, Eagles Anthony Harris, Eagles Quandre Diggs, Seahawks: Diggs and the Seahawks reportedly agreed on a three-year, $40 million deal. Jordan Whitehead, Buccaneers: Whitehead reportedly agreed to a two-year deal worth $14.5 million with the Jets. Bobby McCain, Commanders: McCain reportedly re-signed with Washington on a two-year, $11 million deal. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/nfl-free-agency-tracker-start-date-cap-space-top-available-players/2812052/)

North Texans Prepare For Winter Storm

Many North Texans spent this week getting everything they need before temperatures drop and winter storm conditions arrive. Here’s how people in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton Counties are preparing for the winter storm. Dallas County The city of Dallas joined forces with charities in plans to open one large inclement weather shelter at Fair Park at noon Wednesday. It is just one of the city’s preparations for days of expected freezing weather. Cots were in place Tuesday in the Fair Park Automobile Building for shelter. We expect to feed probably a thousand people at every meal for three meals a day plus snacks for 7 days, said Pastor Rachel Baughman of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church. The church has provided its building as an inclement weather shelter in the past. It is teaming up with the city this time. DART, which is already offering free rides through Feb. 7 to help transit customers get used to a new bus route system, will help homeless people get to Fair Park. We will work over the next several days to make sure as they come for meals here they are informed of the opportunity at Fair Park, Pastor Baughman said. City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions Director Christine Crossley said the large sheltering plan also comes during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We’re not going to be allowing people to just show up to the building and donate things. We have to make sure that the only people on site are OHS employees and partnering staff, for the safety and security of everyone, Crossley said. COVID-19 testing will be done at the shelter and those who test positive will be taken to another location that is not being publicly disclosed to guard privacy and security. Separate from Fair Park shelter, residents who have homes but lose power are directed to neighborhood recreation centers and libraries that the city intends to keep open as warming centers. Generators purchased to keep warming centers open despite power failures are not in place yet. And staffing may be an issue at warming centers, so officials suggest you check with those locations before going there. The city employees are probably under the same inclement weather conditions as the public and we’re trying to open facilities that are spread throughout the city with available staff, Dallas Communications Director Catherine Cuellar said. Information about conditions and city facilities will be updated with a link at the top of the Dallas City Hall website. During last year’s extended freeze when many homes lost power and pipes burst, Mayor Eric Johnson helped distribute bottled water after some residents had gone days without a running water supply. Dallas Emergency Management Director Rocky Vaz said there is concern among officials about another cold spell, but much less fear of the same severity and results. We as a city feel pretty good about being responsive and taking quick action for any event or any problems that we might face, he said. There is anxiety, but we are much better prepared than we were last year. Officials said Dallas street crews will be ready with deicing solution and sand trucks for bridges and DART transit routes. Also Tuesday, the city offered inclement weather shelter training to help more organizations perform the service that Oak Lawn Methodist Church has done in the past. On these most severe inclement weather times, there is certainly more than any one organization can handle in responding to the needs of those who are unsheltered in our streets, Pastor Baughman said. As temperatures fall, Baughman said volunteers will be out looking for people who need to get into shelter. She urged residents who normally pass homeless people to take action the next few days. When you see someone, make sure they know there’s an option, she said. There’s a solution for everyone. Don’t leave anybody sitting on the street corner this week. It’s going to be real cold. Tarrant County Duane Wells picked up three bags of firewood from Bo’s BBQ and Firewood in Fort Worth on Tuesday. Last year, Wells was one of millions of Texans who went without power for days during the February 2021 winter storm. He’s hoping this week will not be a repeat, but he said he is prepared to stay warm over the next few days. I’ve got a generator and propane heater and things like that, but I just wanted this just in case, Wells said. Like I said, it’s also nice to have a fire. Bo Aurell is the owner of Bo’s BBQ and Firewood, which specializes in food-grade wood for restaurants. He also sells firewood to residents, Aurell said. Demand for firewood runs year-round, but he said calls from customers have tripled. Demand has been getting a lot higher lately, he said. We’ll be running and making deliveries until 7 p.m. tonight Tuesday and we’re going to be making deliveries until it rains tomorrow. MANY TEXANS TODAY GETTING EVERYTHING THEY NEED BEFORE TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO DROP. THERE WERE LAST-MINUTE RUNS FOR GROCERIES, ALONG WITH THINGS LIKE FIREWOOD. PLACES ARE STAYING BUSY TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND. Reporter: IN THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM, SHOPPERS HEADED TO STORES TUESDAY FILLING UP PARKING LOTS AND CLEARING SOME SHELVES. ANOTHER ESSENTIAL FOR SOME, THREE BAGS ON TUESDAY. I’VE GOT A GENERATOR AND HEATER AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I WANTED TO HAVE THIS JUST IN CASE. IT’S ALSO NICE TO HAVE A FIRE. Reporter: THE OWNER OF FIREWOOD IN FORT WORTH, HE SPECIALIZES IN WOOD FOR RESTAURANTS AND ALSO SELLS TO RESIDENTS. HE SAYS DEMAND IS UP THIS WEEK AS THE WINTER STORM APPROACHES. WE’LL BE RUNNING DELIVERIES UNTIL 7:00 TONIGHT AND MAKING DELIVERIES ALL THE WAY UNTIL IT RAINS TOMORROW. Reporter: JAMIE MATTINGLY SAYS THEY WILL STAY OPEN AS NORMAL, SO LONG AS ROADS ARE SAFE TO DRIVE ON. WE HAVE ENOUGH WORK TO STAY BUSY AND KEEP EVERYBODY GOING. BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS. THEY COME FIRST. Reporter: HE SAYS NOW IS A GOOD TIME FOR DRIVERS TO MAKE SURE THEIR CARS’ COOLING SYSTEMS ARE UP TO PAR. THEY SHOULD HAVE GOOD FREEZE PROTECTION AND MAKE SURE TIRES ARE KEPT UP ON AIR PRESSURE. AND A FULL TANK OF GAS. NEVER HURTS TO HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS JUST IN CASE YOU’RE STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND CAN’T MOVE. Reporter: A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN”,”video_id”:”1998583363922_269″,”video_length”:”97164″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”Vao_pJU_fZEv”,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”v_drc6hwMy4t”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”Sc7Utoapeznh”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_1998583363922″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”How to Prepare Your Car for the Approaching Winter Storm” data-vidcid=”1:8:2876794″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/weather-connection/how-to-prepare-your-car-for-the-approaching-winter-storm/2876794/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “277968”:”Weather”,”2107″:”Weather Connection” ” data-tagnames=” “186”:”Fort Worth”,”552″:”Tarrant County”,”672531″:”texas winter storm”,”352414″:”winter storm” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” James Mattingly, shop foreman at Rick and Ray’s Auto Plaza in Fort Worth, said they have also been staying busy. Before the storm arrives, Mattingly said drivers should make sure their cars’ cooling systems are up to par and have good freeze protection. Tire pressure should also be kept up, he said. And a full tank of gas, Mattingly added. It never hurts to have a full tank of gas just in case you’re stuck in traffic and can’t move. At least you can stay warm. Mattingly said car batteries should also be checked at least three times a year. As long as roads are safe to drive on and the weather permits, their shop plans to stay open as normal. We have enough work to stay busy to keep everyone going. We just want to make sure we take of our customers. They come first, he said. Collin & Denton County In Collin County, residents loaded up on food and firewood ahead of the winter storm. Some sought out stores to help protect their swimming pools from freeze damage anticipating a dip in the temperature. Texas Woodman in Plano is constantly restocking its supply of ash, elm and seasoned oak firewood. The phones started going crazy yesterday morning with people hoping to get last-minute deliveries. That really didn’t happen. We’re usually scheduled a week or two out, but we’ll do our best to accommodate, said owner Lauri Smith Alexander. We get calls from as far away as Fort Worth. FOLKS ARE LOADING UP ON FOOD AND FIREWOOD. SOME LOOKED FOR STORES TO PROTECT THEIR POOLS FROM FREEZE DAMAGE. WE REPORT FROM PLAIN O. RESIDENTS SPENT THE DAY RUNNING ERRANDS AHEAD OF THE INCOMING STORM THAT THREATENS TO MAKE ROADS ICY AND DANGEROUS. STOCKING UP ON THE ESSENTIALS. WE’RE READY TO JUST GET INSIDE AND STAY WARM. AND SAFE. MICHELLE IS PREPARING NOW TO AVOID A REPEAT OF HER ICY JOURNEY FROM NEW ORLEANS. I’M ANXIOUS. BECAUSE I GOT CAUGHT IN THE STORM LAST FEBRUARY. WHEN I WAS STUCK ON THE ROADS. I GOT FOOD AND WATER. JUICE. DRINKS. WE WILL EAT. TEXAS WOOD MAN. WE GET CALLS FROM AS FAR AS FORT WORTH. CONSTANTLY RESTOCKING THE SUPPLY OF ASH, ELM AND OAK FIREWOOD. TOMORROW IT WILL BE GONE BY NOON. THE OWNER IS LIMITING FIREWOOD TO 50 PIECES TO GET TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS BE READY. FEBRUARY IS THE TIME WE SEE THE WEATHER ANYWAY. EVEN IF ELECTRICITY DOESN’T GO OFF. YOU HAVE TO PREPARE. A DIP IN THE TEMPERATURE MEANS A QUICK TRIP TO ONE STOP POOL AND SPA. MY POOL PUMP WAS RUNNING. AND I COULDN’T GET IT TO TURN OFF. SO I GOT CONCERNED WHEN THE COLD WEATHER IS COMING, IT WOULDN’T COME BACK ON. FREEZE PROTECTOR THERMOSTATS ARE A HOT SELL. POOL OWNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO KEEP EQUIPMENT RUNNING AND BE ON ALERT IN CASE THE POWER GOES OUT. IF YOU DO LOSE POWER, AND DRAIN THE DRAIN PLUGS. IT WILL BE”,”video_id”:”1998617667931_202″,”video_length”:”102803″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:”tUiCDHRWGd85″,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:”SxQRK25C0uOA”,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:”X2Bfg7oFklLK”,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_1998617667931″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”How to Prepare Your Swimming Pool for Approaching Winter Storm” data-vidcid=”1:8:2876878″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/weather-connection/how-to-prepare-your-swimming-pool-for-approaching-winter-storm/2876878/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “277968”:”Weather”,”2107″:”Weather Connection” ” data-tagnames=” “118479”:”swimming pool”,”672531″:”texas winter storm” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” Texas Woodman is limiting firewood sales to 50 pieces in order to help as many customers as possible. We’ve been telling people for months and months and months: be ready, she said. February is the time of year we start to see that kind of weather anyway, even if the electricity doesn’t go out. If you like that warm fire, you have to prepare. Anticipating dropping temperatures, dozens of people visited 1 Stop Pool & Spa in Plano. We’ve been very busy. A lot of people are still really nervous because of what happened last year of course, but we’re here helping people walk through it and keeping their pools up and running and beautiful for this next summer, said manager Ashley Ross. Freeze protector thermostats have been a hot seller, she says. During last year’s winter storm that left millions of Texans in the dark, Ross says many pool owners were unaware power went out overnight, leading to equipment damage. Pool owners are encouraged to keep all equipment running. Just keep your equipment running as normal. That’s the most important thing. Water is not going to freeze as quickly as people will expect it to, said Ross. If you do happen to lose power, the most simple thing to do is to drain all your drain plugs from your equipment and wrap everything you can and make sure it’s nice and cozy in there and that will prevent any of the pipes from cracking or the equipment itself. For the latest forecast, click here. (https://www.nbcdfw.com/weather/weather-connection/north-texans-prepare-for-winter-storm/2876658/)

‘The Batman’s politics are deliberately hollow

The Batman like an increasing number of aspirationally prestigious, pick-me superhero movies desperately wants to prove it’s not like all the other superhero movies. Sure, it’s yet another multi-million dollar blockbuster remake of a popular comic book IP already rebooted less than a decade ago, set in a universe “reinvented” nearly every other fiscal quarter. So, to justify its own existence, The Batman hopes to be an elevation of the genre into capital ‘C’ Cinema with Serious Themes that speak to Our Times. Yet in its cacophony of self-importance, The Batman only capitalizes on the unique power of superhero movies that can seem to stand for something, while actually standing for nothing. On-trend with 2019’s Joker, director/co-writer Matt Reeves’ Gotham aims to be the darkest and grittiest of them yet by drawing on the grim politics of today. But instead of saying anything of substance, both only exploit the painful social ills we’re living through for the sake of triggering set dressing. The Batman evokes this litany of very real-world suffering to conclude with a big shrug about it all. Themes around classism, dire wealth inequality, widespread police corruption, institutional government failures, and violence against sex workers are shoe-horned in throughout. Then toward the end, the Riddler summons now-familiar images of mass shootings, white male privilege, Qanon-style social media conspiracies, and white nationalist political terrorism. Closing with hauntingly memorable images of bombings around Madison Gotham Square Garden and even a catastrophically flooded American city that descends into so-called “looting,” there appears to be no source of collective trauma this movie is unwilling to mine. But just like Joker, The Batman evokes this litany of very real-world suffering to conclude with a big shrug about it all. Actually, if you try to follow the meaning behind any one of its IRL parallels, you just end up with a whole lotta yikes. SEE ALSO: ‘Joker’ is self-serious without much to say That’s not an accident, either. It’s by design. As of now, no tentpole DC movie appear willing to take a stance on any of the divisive issues they raise for this appearance of relevancy. Why would they, since that risks alienating a vocal subset of their fan base, which the studio must pander to or at least placate for maximum return on investment? Don’t get me wrong: There’s a lot of artistry worth praise in the new Robert Pattinson-led Batman. There’s even solid groundwork laid for a more radical rejection of the vigilante hero’s fascist underpinnings. But any hope for a transgressive Last Jedi -style interrogation of the underlying hypocrisy holding back this beloved IP is promptly abandoned in the final acts. The movie must, by necessity, return to a status quo of the same old Batman mythos we keep being force-fed again and again, even though it’s antithetical to the cultural shift needed to address the injustices raised by the movie. And, listen, no one was demanding Batman to suddenly become “woke.” Superhero movies are by no means obligated to serve as timely morality tales. But The Batman explicitly tries to cash in on the clout of a vague progressivism that it sorely misrepresents. Trauma porn doesn’t get a pass just because it’s wearing a cape. And frankly, in 2022, I just don’t need the help of a bat-suited blockbuster to be bombarded by endless images of human suffering I can neither do anything about nor make sense of. Trauma porn doesn’t get a pass just because it’s wearing a cape. Worst of all, there’s a real danger in co-opting the aesthetic of social justice as a smokescreen to bolster the heroics of a character who ostensibly embodies an oligarchical American police state. In conjunction with Joker ‘s vacuous depiction of violent white male rage, The Batman does show that a playbook is developing for Oscar Bait-y superhero movies desperate to be taken seriously: One merely needs to gesture at the existence of important social issues in order to receive heaps of critical praise declaring it a triumphantly ” different,” ” of the moment,” ” grounded,” and ” diverse ” pop-culture genre film. Nevermind that, for all of Batman’s tortured self-reflection, the movie ends with no change to his outdated worldviews whatsoever even after Selina stuns him with the revelation that impoverished people can be backed into criminality for survival. The extent of Bruce’s character development amounts to realizing that, sometimes, his fists should be used to hold the hands of innocent victims, whenever they’re not pummeling said criminals into submission with total impunity. To be clear, Reeves rebuffs any perceived parallels between the movie’s climax and real-world events like the January 6 insurrection. He maintains that the script was written pretty much as-is five years ago. That mostly tracks, since risk-averse big-budget Hollywood studios aren’t wont to purposefully wade into such recent, polarizing political crises. But that’s exactly the problem with giving too much credit to superhero movies made by corporate machines that only feign concern for the marginalized when it’s profitable. So Riddler is a Qanon conspiracy theorist who.was right all along? Credit: Warner Bros. It’s the reason why Joker could only end inconclusively, with a psychotic episode that calls the movie’s entire reality into question, conveniently absolving both its protagonist and creator from repercussions for the shocking acts depicted. The ending leaves the movie’s true opinions on the sensitive topics raised entirely up to audience interpretation. It allows Joker to circumvent the need to make any actual value statements about the disabused white men it purports to be about. Director Todd Phillips must say nothing meaningful about the controversial issues he alludes to, so the movie can simultaneously speak to a volatile male audience that feels unseen while also maintaining a “both sides” plausible deniability all while raking in unearned critical applause for seeming daring enough to break from genre conventions. But the only artistic risk Joker takes is inviting comparison to the laundry list of far better films it mishmashes together. Mixed political signals are not a bug, but a feature of today’s gritty superhero movie “realism.” Riddler’s Qanon parallels, for example, inadvertently send wildly irresponsible messages if you try to take them seriously. Unlike Joker, he’s at least the villain rather than the protagonist of The Batman. But the movie still pretty much validates his belief system. In contrast to the ludicrous Qanon conspiracy theories of our reality, the Riddler’s internet-orchestrated unmasking of Gotham’s Satanic cabal of coastal elites is vindicated as totally factually correct. That’s a level of intellectual bankruptcy that movies with 85 percent Rotten Tomato scores just shouldn’t be allowed to get away with. SEE ALSO: ‘The Batman’ Review: A crime-thriller suffocated by PG-13 demands Also, a huge part of what makes the cult of Qanon so seductive is that it preys on a very legitimate sense that the ultra-wealthy are corrupting our social structures. The system really is rigged to screw over underprivileged people like the Riddler in order to line the pockets of greedy politicians and billionaires. But you don’t need a Zodiac Killer anti-hero mastermind to piece together any elaborate secret puzzle to uncover some underground criminal collusion between the rich and powerful. They do it in broad daylight, right in front of our eyes, and legally. You can read about it in any reputable newspaper that covers corporate-backed political funding and lobbying. Unlike Qanon or Riddler’s thrilling online game, the real truth is a far more boring answer to this most mundane of conspiratorial riddles: How do wealthy elites plot against the lower classes while herding them into complacency like mindless sheep? Capitalism. It’s just Uncle Sam-approved late-stage capitalism, folks. Then there’s the blatant copaganda that’s completely incongruous with the real-world versions of Gotham’s mob-like police gang. Either Gordon is just that bad at his job, or he’s complicit. Credit: Warner Bros. Reeve’s Batman almost finds itself chanting “ACAB,” but then softens it with a “bad apples” strawman plotline that culminates in a heartfelt celebration of the many “good cops” who were apparently totally unaware and uninvolved in their department’s decades-long criminal operation. I also want to believe in the hopeful vision for Gotham proposed by new, progressive mayor Bella Reál, clearly coded as an AOC type who stands in opposition to the corrupt government systems that have failed to enact change. But her final mealy-mouthed plea to rebuild trust in our institutions sounds an awful lot like centrist urgings to get back to normal, and return to the status quo after a crisis clearly reveals how fundamentally broken those institutions are. Her words only seem more radical because they’re spoken by a woman of color, instead of the crooked white guy she ousted, who’s a clearer visual representation of the systemic problems that remain embedded in American politics regardless of who’s in charge. Similarly, Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman can shame Batman all she wants for being a white rich dude with zero concept of how systemic injustice and oppression works. But the movie still requires audiences believe that Bruce and Bruce alone holds the power to deliver justice to Gotham’s streets. SEE ALSO: ‘The Batman’ director on that surprising ending and where it might lead Selina’s words fall on deaf bat ears because the script still needs her to act the role of supportive love interest who bends to his worldview, which advocates for something akin to reform rather than an abolishment of the carceral criminal justice system. Batman must forget the lived experiences that Selina tries to impress upon him. The movie must also negate their salient criticism that the world only cares about the suffering of privileged white men since the studio needs us to keep buying into a franchise that only seems to care about the suffering of a privileged white man. Most disappointing of all, the thematic foundation for a Batman movie that argues for defunding the police or at least interrogating the values of the American criminal justice system are right there. It throws those fascinating threads out the window to instead celebrate Batman developing an even bigger white male savior complex. No one embodies the ineffectuality of carceral policing more than Batman. He’s a vigilante who must work outside the law to even deliver his “justice” of filling the city’s prisons with folks that society failed to help a super cop with endless funds who only inspires more bombastic super-villainy, neither lowering crime nor making Gotham any safer. The movie comes this close to pointing out those cyclical failures, and even de-mythologizing the lie of benevolent philanthropic billionaires like Thomas Wayne. Then it throws those fascinating threads out the window to instead celebrate Batman developing an even bigger white male savior complex. If you follow The Batman”s line of questioning too honestly, you’d have to admit that the only way Bruce could “speak to our times” is if he shut the fuck up and let someone else talk. The Catwoman would’ve been a movie much more capable of addressing the hot-button issues that The Batman fundamentally cannot. But if you admit all that, then you’d potentially have yet another toxic DC fanboy revolt on your hands. There are ways superhero movies and stories can be relevant to real-world issues and collective cultural traumas. Black Panther, for one, unequivocally demonstrates how impactful these foundational comic book heroes can be in furthering conversations around deep-seated social injustice. The difference, it seems, lies in a film that treats those wounds as a narrative foundation rather than trendy fodder for the #discourse. With each new release, it’s getting harder to give DC the benefit of the doubt that they don’t know whose worldview their “elevated” comic book movies speak to most and who they sideline in the process. (https://mashable.com/article/batman-2022-joker-dc-problematic-social-justice)

Cape Cod Survey Measures Views On Seals, Sharks

Cape Cod voters, tourists and commercial fishermen are all likely to recognize sharks as an important, beneficial piece of the local marine ecosystem, but when it comes to seals, the groups have more divergent views, according to newly published data. A survey of more than 1,800 people found significant similarities in how different groups of people think about sharks in the waters surrounding Cape Cod, predators that have long occupied a unique, sometimes mythologized place in the public consciousness. In all three categories of Cape residents or visitors polled, respondents and especially tourists demonstrated a likelihood to see the benefits that sharks provide as greater than the risks they pose to swimmers, surfers, fishers and other humans. While people are frightened of sharks, and that’s clear from the data, their beliefs of the ecosystem benefits of sharks and their feelings of control over whether or not they encounter sharks mute this fear, said Jennifer Jackman, a Salem State University professor and the principal investigator behind the study. It’s very clear that people, over 60 in each of the categories of stakeholders, believe they have control over whether or not they encounter sharks. For seals, however, there was less alignment among the three groups. Voters and in particular tourists have a favorable view of the marine mammals, often believing them to be a sign of a healthy ecosystem and enjoyable to observe. More on sharks Frozen Shark Feb 10 Frozen Shark Washes Ashore on Cape Cod sharks May 27, 2021 ‘Is That a Megalodon?’ Massive Shark Caught on Camera Off New England Coast Fishermen, meanwhile, were more likely to view seals negatively or to blame them for reducing fish populations and attracting sharks which naturally hunt seals to the area. About 45 of Cape voters said they take pride in local seal populations, as did 64 of tourists surveyed, but among commercial fishermen, that rate was only a bit more than 10. The seals are really smart, and they have learned that if they follow the fishing boats out to the fishing grounds, they can get a free meal, said Melissa Sanderson, chief operating officer of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance. Between June 2021 and September 2021, researchers conducted surveys with representative samples of 547 Cape Cod voters, 564 commercial fishers and 699 tourists. The project, funded by Woods Hole Sea Grant, involved a team from Salem State University, UMass Boston, the Center for Coastal Studies, the Tufts University Center for Animals and Public Policy, the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. THIS IS WILD. YOU GOT TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT. YOU GOT TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO. YOU CAUGHT A SHARK? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? OH, MY GOD. YEAH. THAT IS MATT FISHING WITH A REGULAR FISHING ROD AND WRESTLING WITH A SHARK OFF THE SHORE OF NAUSET BEACH AND A SHORE OF NAUSET BEACH AND A GREAT WHITE SHARK THRASHING ON THE LINE. HE WAS TRYING TO RELAX FISHING AT THE BEACH. HE HAD A NEW CAMPER ON HIS TRUCK. AND THEN HE SAW THE FISHING ROD BEND SO HE RAN TO FIGHT IT. HE SAID THE SHARK WAS TOO STRONG AND SPIT OUT THE HOOK. THE SHARK, I DON u2019T EVEN THINK, FELT THE LINE, TO BE HONEST. I DIDN u2019T STAND A CHANCE AGAINST THAT. NO WAY. THOSE THINGS ARE THE SIZE OF BOATS. THE REALLY CRAZY THING IS THIS ISN u2019T EVEN THE FIRST TIME HE SAYS HE HAS CAUGHT A GREAT WHITE SHARK. HE SAID ANOTHER ONE SNAGGED HIS LINE WHEN HE WAS OUT AT SEA ON A”,”video_id”:”1931419715932_374″,”video_length”:”52586″,”video_provider”:”mpx”,”short_video_excerpt”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_low”:””,”pid_streaming_web_mobile_low”:””,”mpx_download_pid_mobile_standard”:””,”pid_streaming_mobile_standard”:””,”alleypack_schedule_unpublish”:””,”feed_remote_id”:”mpx_1931419715932″,”feed_thumbnail_url”:”” ” data-livestream=”false” data-title=”WATCH: Cape Cod Man Hooks Great White Shark Off Nauset Beach” data-vidcid=”1:5:2463040″ data-vidurl=”https://www.nbcboston.com/on-air/as-seen-on/cape-cod-man-hooks-great-white-shark-off-nauset-beach/2463040/” data-islead=”false” data-catnames=” “1813”:”On Air”,”1814″:”As Seen On”,”206944″:”News”,”705″:”Local” ” data-tagnames=” “672”:”Cape Cod”,”24969″:”Great White Shark”,”124″:”Massachusetts”,”26298″:”Nauset Beach”,”25597″:”Orleans”,”29191″:”shark sighting” ” data-customdata=” “ContentPartner”:”None”,”Source”:”WEBFM”,”SyndicationAllowed”:”true”,”mSNVideoCategories”:”MSN Video v4 Connector-most watched news”,”mSNVideoContentSupplierID”:”NBC_Local”,”mSNVideoCountry”:”us”,”subtitle”:”nosubtitle”,”uploadedByTeam”:”1″,”youtubeChannel”:”None” ” data-autoplay=”false” data-cplay=”true” Researchers published their survey results Monday at a hybrid in-person and virtual event, where speakers said they do not have specific state-level policy recommendations but hope that shining a light on Cape Cod perceptions will help leaders at local and regional levels craft conservation and wildlife management plans. Experts have said the seal population around Cape Cod is rebounding after a period of strain. The number of sharks is less clear, and Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Education Director Marianne Long said Monday that a study is underway to investigate that question. In the 1880s, Massachusetts and Maine offered bounties to encourage hunting seals amid concerns that they were damaging fish stocks, which experts said Monday contributed to decades of hunting that severely depleted seal populations. Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium Co-founder Andrea Dre Bogomolni said seals and sharks were once far more abundant on the Cape but almost disappeared because of human activity. After decades of conservation efforts including the adoption of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and federal protection on white sharks, we are beginning to see the signs of return, Bogomolni said. While encouraging, this new reality, this rewilding, also means very few in living memory have actually seen what a healthy, productive northwest Atlantic looks like. Now, with seal and shark populations rebounding, we on Cape Cod and elsewhere are discovering what it means to share a coastline with these large predators. The survey found that commercial fishermen on Cape Cod still often believe seals contribute to declining fish stocks and limit recovery of overharvested fish populations. But when it comes to ways to rein in the animals, all three groups showed a preference for non-lethal management as opposed to culling seals, researchers determined. Sanderson said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, plans to hold workshops this spring with commercial fishermen to develop additional non-lethal methods for keeping seals out of fishing gear. This comes at a good time, because as we’re developing these deterrents and doing research on what works and what doesn’t work, knowing that the rest of the population the voters, the public, the tourists are supportive of those non-lethal management measures is really important to seeing that succeed, Sanderson said (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/cape-cod-survey-measures-views-on-seals-sharks/2690991/)

Shaquille O’Neal and Steph Curry Win Oscars for ‘Queen of Basketball’

The story of Lusia Harris only gets better: It’s now won an Oscar. And just like his longtime Los Angeles Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant did four years ago in another category, Shaquille O’Neal can say he’s an Oscar winner, as well. The Queen of Basketball with a pair of basketball legends in O’Neal and Steph Curry among the executive producers and top promoters of the 22-minute film won the Academy Award for short subject documentary Sunday. It comes about two months after the death of Harris, who scored the first basket in Olympic women’s basketball history and was the first woman officially drafted by an NBA team. Ben Proudfoot directed the short, which educated even some ardent basketball fans on the story of the trailblazer. If there is anyone out there that still doubts whether there’s an audience for female athletes and questions whether their stories are valuable or entertaining or important let this Academy Award be the answer, Proudfoot said at the award ceremony in Los Angeles. Academy Awards Mar 28 Best Looks From the 2022 Oscars After-Party Academy Awards Mar 28 Chris Rock Not Pressing Charges After Will Smith Slap at Oscars, LAPD Says Harris is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as is O’Neal. But even the four-time NBA champion widely considered one of the greats in the history of the game wasn’t familiar with her story. I didn’t know who she was at first, O’Neal said earlier this month. Few did. But the film and the involvement of O’Neal and Curry the Golden State star wore sneakers earlier this month emblazoned with the phrase Queen Lucy on them helped her story be told more and more. Harris helped Delta State University win three straight national championships in the 1970s and earned a silver medal for the United States at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. Harris was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in the seventh round of the 1977 NBA draft, but she was pregnant at the time and never actually went through with trying to make the team. Her family was at Sunday’s award ceremony. Proudfoot also used the winning Oscar moment to call upon President Joe Biden and urge him to obtain the release of two-time Olympic gold medalist and top women’s player Brittney Griner, who has been jailed in Russia. Griner was detained after arriving at a Moscow airport, reportedly in mid-February, after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges allegedly containing oil derived from cannabis. Griner may face up to 10 years in prison under Russian law. President Biden, bring Brittney Griner home, Proudfoot said. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/entertainment/lakers-shaq-steph-curry-lusia-harris-queen-of-basketball-oscars-nba/2857467/)

Eagles Super Bowl Leader, Pro Bowl Safety Malcolm Jenkins Retires

What to Know Malcolm Jenkins is retiring after a 13-year NFL career in which he established himself as one of the league’s best all-around safeties, most durable players and leading voices for social justice. Jenkins helped both the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles win their only Super Bowls and made a major impact off the field as an activist, entrepreneur and philanthropist. The 34-year-old Jenkins was selected by the Saints as a cornerback in the first round of the 2009 draft. He switched to safety the following season and thrived. He left New Orleans for Philadelphia in 2014 and started every game during six seasons with the Eagles. Malcolm Jenkins is retiring after a 13-year career in the NFL in which he established himself as one of the league’s best all-around safeties, most durable players and leading voices for social justice. Jenkins helped the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles win their only Super Bowl championships and made a major impact off the field as an activist, entrepreneur and philanthropist. I’ve been playing football since I was 7 years old, and I’ve accomplished so much in that time, Jenkins told The Associated Press. When I set out to have my career, I wanted to change the game or at least have an impact on the game, not only on the field but off the field. Made the Pro Bowls and had all the accolades and really I felt I left a mark on the game that was my own unique way, and I think, at this point, I’m really excited to pour all that energy and effort that I put into excelling in football into doing some of the other things in life, some of the projects that I have a passion for and it’s just that time for me. The 34-year-old Jenkins was selected by the Saints as a cornerback in the first round of the 2009 draft. He switched to safety the following season and thrived. He left New Orleans for Philadelphia in 2014 and started every game during six seasons with the Eagles. He made three Pro Bowls and was an instrumental leader on the 2017 Eagles team that won the Super Bowl despite losing starting quarterback Carson Wentz and several key starters. Jenkins played 2,651 consecutive snaps from the start of the 2017 playoffs through part of the 2020 season in New Orleans. He returned to the Saints that year and helped them go 4-0 against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in the regular season the past two years. However, Tampa Bay beat New Orleans in the 2020 playoffs in Drew Brees’ final game. I think competition is probably the biggest thing that I’ll miss about the game, Jenkins said. I am admittedly a junkie for competition. I’ll compete with my grandmother in Monopoly like it’s the Super Bowl so I have to find different ways to channel that energy. But there is no higher competition than Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, especially in the NFC South. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said it was an honor to call him an Eagle. Lurie noted Jenkins’ intelligence and talent on an off the field defined everything we want a Philadelphia Eagle to be. Jenkins helped create the Players Coalition to fight for racial and social equality and served on the NFLPA Executive Committee board. He was named a visiting fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Initiative on Global History, becoming the first Black professional athlete to be honored with this esteemed fellowship. Carson Wentz Mar 29 Colts Owner Jim Irsay Blasts Former Eagles QB Wentz After Trade Philadelphia Eagles Mar 30 Eagles’ Lurie Thanks Wentz for 2017, Wishes It Ended Differently Jenkins has co-founded several businesses, including Listen Up Media, a multimedia production company with the mission to showcase and distribute content that creates social awareness around systemic issues in society. He launched Broad Street Ventures, a $10 million investment vehicle funded entirely by Black and Brown investors, including a group of fellow NFL players. He started Disrupt Foods, a multiunit franchise developer and operator of 20-plus quick service restaurants aiming to level the economic playing field for Blacks and Hispanics through franchise ownership. He opened Damari, a custom clothing company including ready-to-wear and made-to-measure men’s suits. A three-time NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year finalist and winner of the 2017 NFLPA Byron Whizzer White Award, Jenkins aims to make a positive difference in the lives of youth in underserved communities through The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation. There is some relief to be able to have the space to put that same effort into all of these other endeavors but I do think that it comes with some anxiety, Jenkins said. While those things have been great to work on, football has been all I’ve known for a large majority of my life. It becomes part of your identity, it becomes part of who you are. And so I do think that there is a little bit of anxiety with letting that go, but it’s met immediately with excitement. I truly believe in myself and my abilities to do other things. And so to be able to step into that, it is a little bit exciting going into the unknown. It’s not like I’m just jumping off the cliff into the abyss. I’ve been building things for the last five years with my team around me, doing other business ventures to make sure that when I do step away from this game, I’m fine. I am looking forward to working on some of the creative things that I have, some of the aspects of me that people don’t get to see because I’m stuck in the box of being an athlete. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. (https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/eagles/3-time-pro-bowl-safety-former-eagle-malcolm-jenkins-retires/3192526/)

Southeastern Lions win Coach and Defensive Player of the Year awards

The Southeastern Lions earned the headlines of the Southland Conference postseason award show as Jaylin Hinton was named the Defensive Player of the Year and head coach David Kiefer was named the conference’s coach of the year. SLU will now turn their attention to the Southland Conference Tournament at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas where they will play in the semifinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. against an opponent to be determined. Kiefer, in his third year as Lions’ head coach, doubled his career win total as he guided Southeastern to a double-bye in the Southland Conference Tournament. The Lions were also 3-0 against Southland regular season champion Nicholls this season. Southeastern also led the league in offense scoring 83.07 points per game during Southland play. Hinton led the Southland in blocked shots with 65 as he also earned a spot on the second team Monday. The Florida Southern transfer led the league in field goal percentage as he shot 71.8 percent from the field. For the season, he shot 65.13 percent from the field which was second in the nation behind Purdue’s Zach Edey. Hinton and Kiefer were joined by Gus Okafor and Keon Clergeot on the All-Southland Team. Okafor earned first team honors while Clergeot was named to the second team. Okafor was joined on the first team by Southland Player of the Year Nicholls’ Ty Gordon, Northwestern State’s Kendall Coleman and UNO’s Troy Green and Derek St. Hilaire. Player of the Year: Ty Gordon, Nicholls Defensive Player of the Year: Jalyn Hinton, Southeastern Freshman of the Year: Johnathan Massie, McNeese Newcomer of the Year: Isaac Mushila, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Coach of the Year: David Kiefer, Southeastern 2021-22 All-Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Teams First Team Institution Pos. Class Hometown Ty Gordon 2 Nicholls G Gr. Tunica, Miss. Derek St. Hilaire New Orleans G Gr. Atlanta, Ga. Kendal Coleman Northwestern State C So. Shreveport, La. Gus Okafor Southeastern G/F Jr. Baltimore, Md. Troy Green New Orleans G Sr. St. Rose, La. Second Team Institution Pos. Class Hometown Darius Lee HBU G/F Sr. Harlem, N.Y. Isaac Mushila A&M-Corpus Christi F Jr. Lubumbashi, Congo Jalyn Hinton Southeastern F Sr. Boston, Mass. Devante Carter Nicholls G Gr. Newport News, Va. Keon Clergeot Southeastern G Sr. Winter Haven, Fla. Third Team Institution Pos. Class Hometown Latrell Jones Nicholls G Sr. New Orleans, La. Christian Shumate McNeese F So. Chicago, Ill. Ryghe Lyons Nicholls C Gr. Slidell, La. RJ Glasper UIW G Gr. Forrest City, Ark. Trevian Tennyson A&M-Corpus Christi G Jr. Arlington, Texas All-Defensive Team Institution Pos. Class Hometown Jalyn Hinton Southeastern F Sr. Boston, Mass. Kendal Coleman Northwestern State C So. Shreveport, La. Darius Lee HBU G/F Sr. Harlem, N.Y. Terrion Murdix A&M-Corpus Christi G Jr. Springfield, Ill. Ryghe Lyons Nicholls C Gr. Slidell, La. Permalink Comments (https://www.wbrz.com/news/southeastern-lions-win-coach-and-defensive-player-of-the-year-awards/)

Walk of Fame Star Honoring DJ Khaled to be Unveiled

A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be unveiled Monday honoring DJ Khaled for a career that has included six albums and four singles topping the charts, and four Grammy nominations. Frequent collaborator Fat Joe and Sean Combs are set to join DJ Khaled in speaking at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony at 6212 Hollywood Blvd., next to Amoeba Music. The ceremony will be streamed on the Walk of Fame’s website. Combs and Fat Joe were featured in a 2010 remix of DJ Khaled’s All I Do Is Win.’ The star is the 2,719th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars. Born Khaled Mohammed Khaled on Nov. 26, 1975, in New Orleans, DJ Khaled started to learn how to DJ in the garage of his family house in Orlando, Florida when he was 13. He began co-hosting a program on Miami radio station WEDR-FM in 1998 with Luther Campbell, best known as the leader of the rap group 2 Live Crew. DJ Khaled’s debut album Listennn the Album was released in 2006, reaching third on Billboard’s rap and R&B/hip-hop charts. His second album, We the Best released in 2007 was second on both charts. In 2011, DJ Khaled had his first No. 1 single, I’m on One, which featured Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, which also brought him his first Grammy nomination. He also had his first No. 1 album in 2011, We the Best Forever. Each of DJ Khaled’s five latest albums have topped a chart, I Changed a Lot, Major Key, Grateful, Father of Asahd and Khaled Khaled. His other chart-topping singles are I’m the One and Wild Thoughts and Popstar. Real Estate Apr 7 Inside the $87 Million Hilltop Palace for Sale in Beverly Hills Make It Feb 1 Kanye West:’stop Asking Me to Do NFTs for Now’ Here’s What He’s Focusing on Instead MTV VMAs Aug 11, 2021 Justin Bieber Leads Nominees for 2021 MTV Video Music Awards DJ Khaled won the best rap/sung performance Grammy in 2020 for Higher, which featured vocals by Nipsey Hussle and John Legend on the piano. The Grammy came nearly 10 months after Hussle was shot to death. DJ Khaled’s other Grammy nominations came in 2016 for best rap album for Major Key, and 2021 for his contributions to H.E.R.’s Back Of My Mind, which received an album of the year nomination. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/walk-of-fame-star-honoring-dj-khaled-to-be-unveiled/2867243/)

Elton John’s Farewell Tour Now Includes 2 Shows at Gillette Stadium

Elton John’s North American farewell tour will now include two shows at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The remaining North American dates on the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour were announced Tuesday. The 75-year-old singer had already been scheduled to play Gillette on Thursday, July 28, but an additional show has now been added on Wednesday, July 27. The tour, rescheduled from 2020, kicked off on Jan. 19 in New Orleans and was scheduled to make stops in Houston, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, New York and Miami. The singer had to postpone two shows in Dallas earlier this year after testing positive for COVID-19. The show takes the audience on a journey through Elton John’s 50-year career with never-before-seen-photos and videos set to the tune of some of Elton’s most beloved songs. More news about Elton John figure skating Feb 11 Elton John Tweets Congratulations to Nathan Chen for Winning Gold Elton John Jan 25 Elton John Postpones Texas Shows After Positive COVID Test Elton John Nov 10, 2021 ‘I’m So Lucky’: Elton John Receives Prestigious UK Award (https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/elton-johns-farewell-tour-now-includes-2-shows-at-gillette-stadium/2680841/)

Southeastern overcomes 21-point deficit to down Nicholls on Ryan Burkhardt buzzer-beater

HAMMOND, La. – Senior Ryan Burkhardt tipped in an offensive rebound as time expired to complete a 21-point comeback, 83-81, victory for the Southeastern Louisiana University men’s basketball team on Senior Day over Nicholls Saturday afternoon at the University Center. With the game tied at 81-81, the Lions had possession with 19 seconds left. SLU ran the clock down and put the ball in senior captain Keon Clergeot’s hands. The Winter Haven, Florida native got a good shot off from the near side wing but just missed. Burkhardt, however, was there to tip in the miss with his right hand as time expired, sending the University Center crowd into a frenzy. “We wanted to run a play with about eight seconds left,” said SLU men’s head basketball coach David Kiefer. “We got the ball in Keon’s hands and got a good look at the game-winner which I thought was going in. Then Burkhardt flies out of nowhere to tip it in to win. It was an unbelievable finish and I couldn’t be prouder of this team.” The Lions were led by Joe Kasperzyk with 21 points to help lead the comeback. Gus Okafor, SLU’s leading scorer, added 17 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. Clergeot and Jalyn Hinton both added 12 points while Saturday’s hero, Burkhardt, finished with 10 points. With the win, Southeastern has defeated Nicholls three-times this year as it pushed to within a half game of second place in the Southland Conference Standings. The Lions improved to 10-1 at home as they also snapped the Colonels’ eight-game winning streak. Nicholls got off to a hot start as Southland preseason player of the Ty Gordon scored 26 first half points to give the Colonels a 48-34 halftime lead. Gordon finished the game with 33 points to lead Nicholls. In the second half, the Colonels continued to pour it on as they stretched their lead to 58-37, with 16:36 left putting the Lions’ in their largest deficit at home this season. Nicholls maintained a sizeable lead as it led, 69-50, with 11:38 left in the game when the Lions’ offense woke up. “I think early in the game we are little bit pressed on senior night,” said Kiefer. “Early on, we had guys playing in front of friends and family and were a little up tight. But once we calmed down and started playing our game, things turned in the right direction.” SLU exploded on a 11-0 run highlighted by eight points from junior Joe Kasperzyk, who finished the game with a team-high 21 points, to make it 69-61. The Colonels regained a double-digit lead just before the final media timeout as they led 78-67 with 4:39 to go. But Again, the Lions responded, going on a 10-0 run to cut the Colonels’ lead to 78-77 as Gus Okafor drilled two three-pointers during the run. Moments later, Okafor canned a jumper from the wing to tie the game at 79-79 as SLU had all but completed the 21-point comeback. The two teams traded buckets on the ensuing possession setting the stage for Burkhardt’s heroics and the eventual game-winner. “Our team just has a hate to lose attitude,” saidKiefer. “They never put their heads down and never pointed fingers. They stuck with the game plan. We’ve just got a really tough group of kids and I’m lucky to be their coach.” Southeastern finished 29-for-61 from the field for the game and were 18-for-29 in the second half. SLU also was 10-for-26 from the three-point line, upping their season total to 271, 16 shy of tying the all-time Southland Conference record set by Sam Houston in 2010. Next up, the Lions will have nearly a week off before wrapping up the regular season Saturday, March 5 on the road against Northwestern State at 3 p.m. The Demons defeated New Orleans, 87-77, at home Saturday afternoon. Permalink Comments (https://www.wbrz.com/news/southeastern-overcomes-21-point-deficit-to-down-nicholls-on-ryan-burkhardt-buzzer-beater/)

Final Four: 5 Villanova Players Who Need to Step Up With Justin Moore Out

5 Villanova players who need to step up with Moore out originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia Jay Wright has been walking a fine line this week. One on hand, Wright wants to make sure everyone realizes how important Justin Moore is to Villanova. Wright called Moore, who tore his Achilles tendon against Houston in the Elite Eight, the Wildcats’ most valuable player and one of the most complete players in the country. On the other hand, Wright wants to let his team know that all hope isn’t lost. We can still be a really good team without him, Wright said earlier this week. The Wildcats certainly have sympathy for Moore, who will fly to New Orleans on Saturday morning to be with his teammates for the Final Four. But they can’t feel sorry for themselves. They have a game to win against Kansas in the national semifinals. If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that Villanova had a whole week to prepare for playing without Moore. It would have been a much tougher task to lose him in the Sweet 16 then turn around and have to play two days later in the Elite Eight. So who needs to step up in Moore’s absence? The short answer is everyone. But these players take on added importance. Caleb Daniels Daniels makes the move from 6th man to the starting lineup. He was a reserve in name only this season, averaging over 27 minutes and 10 points per game. Daniels has elevated his performance in the postseason with averages of 11.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 33.5 minutes in Villanova’s four NCAA Tournament games. He’s playing with an aggressive mindset and physicality that make him a force on both ends of the floor. Daniels has been a big part of Villanova’s success all season. Now he’ll be asked to take on an even bigger role with Moore sidelined. To make things even more special for Daniels, he’s going home this weekend. He grew up in New Orleans and attended St. Augustine High School before starting his college career at Tulane. Now he has the opportunity to play a major role in his team winning a national championship in his hometown. Brandon Slater Slater has been a key contributor for Villanova all season, starting all 37 games. He’s a high energy guy and is one of the Wildcats’ best defenders and rebounders. He’s had his moments offensively, scoring in double figures for seven straight games in February. But his performance on the offensive end has dipped dramatically in the NCAA Tournament. He’s scored a total of five points in the last four games. With Moore and his 14.8 points per game not available, Slater needs to step up his scoring this weekend. Defense and rebounding aren’t enough. He’ll have to chip in offensively too. Eric Dixon Dixon has been tremendous in his first season in Villanova’s starting lineup. He’s averaging more than nine points and six rebounds and shooting over 50 percent from the floor. He’s given the Wildcats a sorely needed interior presence on both ends of the floor. Dixon has played 26 minutes per game in the NCAA Tournament. That number will surely go up on Saturday. He’ll need to make the most of the added minutes, particularly on the offensive end. If Dixon can knock down a few early perimeter jumpers against Kansas, it will go a long way towards stretching the floor and creating driving lanes for his teammates. He’s made an impressive 51 percent of his three-point attempts. Dixon’s ability to not only score inside but be effective from the perimeter is a huge factor entering the Final Four. Bryan Antoine Even more so than the rest of the guys on this list, Antoine could be the key to the Wildcats’ national title hopes. He arrived at Villanova three years ago as a McDonald’s All-American destined for big things on the college level before embarking on an NBA career. But injuries have derailed Antoine’s time at Villanova. First came two shoulder injuries, including major surgery before his freshman season even began. Then there were knee and ankle injuries that sidelined him for prolonged stretches of this season. As a result, Antoine has played in just 19 games as a junior. He didn’t play against Houston in the Elite Eight and logged a total of eight minutes in NCAA Tournament wins over Ohio State and Michigan. But Moore’s injury gives Antoine an opportunity. If he can provide a spark off the bench and play 10-15 productive minutes against Kansas it could be the difference in whether or not Villanova advances to the championship game on Monday night. Chris Arcidiacono Arcidiacono finds himself in a familiar position. He stepped into the starting lineup last postseason following Collin Gillespie’s injury and helped Villanova advance to the Sweet 16. He won’t be asked to start on Saturday but he should see a significant uptick in playing time. Arcidiacono is averaging less than 10 minutes per game this season. He played a total of 15 minutes in Villanova’s four NCAA Tournament games, nine of which came in a first round blowout of Delaware. He’s proven capable of playing for short spurts. He takes care of the ball and generally doesn’t make mistakes. But Villanova needs more from him now. If Arcidiacono can make a couple shots and hold his own defensively it would be a huge boost. Given the circumstances, every little bit helps. (https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/final-four-5-villanova-players-who-need-to-step-up-with-justin-moore-out/3195170/)

DJ Khaled Gets Another Win With Walk of Fame Star

A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was unveiled Monday honoring hip-hop music producer DJ Khaled for a career that has included six albums and four singles topping the charts, and four Grammy nominations. Frequent collaborator Fat Joe, Sean Combs and Jay-Z were among those joining DJ Khaled at the ceremony at 6212 Hollywood Blvd., next to Amoeba Music. Combs and Fat Joe were featured in a 2010 remix of DJ Khaled’s All I Do Is Win. This right here, my star, I want my star to represent the light, the love that shines on everybody, Khaled told the crowd. DJ Khaled and his son Asahd Tuck Khaled attend the producer’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star ceremony. The star is the 2,719th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars. Born Khaled Mohammed Khaled on Nov. 26, 1975, in New Orleans, DJ Khaled started to learn how to DJ in the garage of his family house in Orlando, Florida, when he was 13. He began co-hosting a program on Miami radio station WEDR-FM in 1998 with Luther Campbell, best known as the leader of the rap group 2 Live Crew. : Fat Joe, Sean Combs, Jay-Z, Nicole Tuck, Aalam Khaled, Asahd Tuck Khaled, DJ Khaled and Dwayne Gathers attend the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony for DJ Khaled on April 11, 2022 in Hollywood, California. DJ Khaled’s debut album Listennn the Album was released in 2006, reaching third on Billboard’s rap and R&B/hip-hop charts. His second album, We the Best released in 2007, was second on both charts. In 2011, DJ Khaled had his first No. 1 single, I’m on One, which featured Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne, which also brought him his first Grammy nomination. He also had his first No. 1 album in 2011, We the Best Forever. Each of DJ Khaled’s five latest albums have topped a chart, I Changed a Lot, Major Key, Grateful, Father of Asahd and Khaled Khaled. His other chart-topping singles are I’m the One and Wild Thoughts and Popstar. DJ Khaled won the best rap/sung performance Grammy in 2020 for Higher, which featured vocals by Nipsey Hussle and John Legend on the piano. The Grammy came nearly 10 months after Hussle was shot to death. DJ Khaled’s other Grammy nominations came in 2016 for best rap album for Major Key, and 2021 for his contributions to H.E.R.’s Back Of My Mind, which received an album of the year nomination. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/dj-khaled-walk-of-fame-star/2867763/)

Bracket-Busting Saint Peter’s Run Ends in Elite Eight Loss in Philly

What to Know Saint Peter’s saw its fantastic run in the NCAA Tournament end with a 69-49 loss to North Carolina in the East Region final in Philadelphia. The Peacocks were the first No. 15 seed to ever reach the Elite Eight. Saint Peter’s missed 16 of its first 20 shots and never led. Saint Peter’s was the story of the tournament after it beat No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue. The basketball team put the tiny commuter college in Jersey City, New Jersey, on the map. Saint Peter’s coach Shaheen Holloway pulled his starters off the court as the seconds ticked down and would not let them wallow in defeat. The Peacocks locked arms for one final team huddle Doug Edert, KC Ndefo, Daryl Banks III and the rest of the bracket-busters who put the tiny commuter college in Jersey City, New Jersey, on the map. Holloway’s speech perhaps the last one he will ever give at Saint Peter’s was simple: Stay proud of how a team few outside campus had heard of until two weeks ago had shocked the basketball world. We’ve got guys that are going to be remembered for things that they could tell their kids and grandkids, Holloway said. What a story to tell. Just maybe skip the ending. The Peacocks’ joyous, bracket-busting, can-they-top-this ride through the NCAA Tournament ended with a dud in a 69-49 East Region final loss to North Carolina on Sunday. Saint Peter’s fans large in numbers and loud again in Philly rallied behind America’s new favorite team even as the score steamrolled out of control. You beat Kentucky. You beat Purdue. You can beat these guys, too, one man yelled. Not these Tar Heels. The Peacocks, so proud and poised as they became the first No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, were discombobulated from the opening tip. The Tar Heels opened on a 7-0 run and Holloway called a quick timeout to try and steady his team. No dice. I didn’t really recognize my team the first 10 minutes of the game, Holloway said. I thought we came out a little slow, a little timid. Banks who two nights earlier scored the winning bucket against Purdue failed to finish an easy alley-oop. Edert missed a long 3 in front of the Carolina bench. Who were these guys? Saint Peter’s missed 16 of its first 20 shots and 6 of 7 3s and never led. The Peacocks, who snapped an NCAA-best 10-game winning streak, were done in by Carolina’s D and even the rim. Banks was stuffed by the front of the rim on a monster dunk attempt. Armando Bacot came right down for the Tar Heels and used a thunderous, two-handed jam to show Saint Peter’s how it’s done. By halftime, Saint Peter’s needed a Hail Mary. North Carolina 38, Saint Peter’s 19. The final minutes of the game might have been the final minutes of Holloway’s tenure at Saint Peter’s. Holloway is a leading candidate to succeed Kevin Willard as coach at Seton Hall, his alma mater. He deflected questions all tournament about his future. But even the 45-year-old Holloway, in his fourth season at the tiny Jesuit school that has an undergraduate enrollment of 2,134 students, surely must know he has maxed out the potential at Saint Peter’s. He again declined on Sunday to talk about his professional fate. I’m worried about those 15 young men whose heart is broken and really down, he said. It’s my job as their leader to cheer them up, make sure they understand what they did the last two weeks, and like I said we’re going to walk out of here the same way we walked in here, with our head up. In other words, as they say at Saint Pete’s, #StrutUp. But what Holloway and the Peacocks accomplished in two weekends might be the lasting memory of this tournament, no matter which blueblood cuts down the net next week in New Orleans. What we did, we generated a lot of publicity to our school, Banks said. It’s just going to help the school out in general. Caught the attention of everybody who wants to come here. I think just what we did will have an impact on everybody who knows about the school now, just going forward. Saint Peter’s knocked off No. 2 seed Kentucky to start a run that launched the rocket toward endorsement deals, morning show spots and late-night TV wisecracks. That win alone down goes Coach Cal. should have been enough to sustain the program for decades to come. But then came a win over seventh-seeded Murray State and a date in the Sweet 16. Up next, the big, bad, Big Ten Boilermakers. FanDuel Sportsbook had Purdue at a 12 1/2-point favorite to win the Sweet 16 matchup Friday in Philadelphia. The last thing Purdue saw as it trudged off the court was delirious Peacocks jumping on press row tables, making snowmen on the court and celebrating an improbable 67-64 victory. About 93 miles up the New Jersey Turnpike, nearly 2,000 fans turned out at the Saint Peter’s bandbox known as Run Baby Run Arena for a watch party. It was a scene impossible to image at the time when a little more than 400 fans attended the season opener, but easy to think this week it could last at least one more weekend and the school could dance with Duke. The fan club grew as the wins piled up all fun until the run was snuffed out by a team from Tobacco Road. True story, Peacocks can fly. Just not all the way to the Final Four. Saint Peter’s did it. Period, Holloway said. Saint Peter’s made it to the Elite Eight. Great story. (https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/saint-peters-loses-elite-eight-north-carolina/3189811/)

Miami’s First Elite Eight Trip Should Earn Them Bragging Rights at Home

Miami basketball is officially coming into its own and a Sweet 16 win over Iowa State ensured it’s not done yet. The Hurricanes beat the Cyclones 70-56 Friday night at the United Center to advance to their first Elite Eight in school history. In some ways, this feels like a long time coming. In a city with no shortage of entertainment, Jim Larranaga’s team has often played second fiddle to the Miami Heat and the university’s illustrious football program. Three straight losing seasons from 2018 through 2021 did little to challenge that. The Hurricanes got off to a rocky start and seemed destined for a fourth straight season marked by disappointment. They cobbled enough wins to squeak into the Big Dance as a seemingly innocuous 10-seed. Now, they find themselves gearing up to take on Kansas in the Elite Eight with a ticket to the Final Four in New Orleans on the line. Their Cinderella run seems to have come as a surprise to everyone, except for the 14 players in the locker room. After USC’s game winner rattled off the rim in the first round, the Miami players excitedly jogged toward each other with a few high fives and celebratory claps to show for it. Two days later, they seemed unfazed as they took on No. 2 Auburn as 7.5-point underdogs. No moment captured the confidence of the Hurricanes like when Isaiah Wong posterized Auburn freshman Jabari Smith, a potential No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft, near the end of the first half. This quiet composure, coupled with unwavering confidence and arguably even cockiness at moments seem in contradiction to one another. However, in many ways, they represent the unique position of Miami basketball. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Miami built a brand defined by polarizing swagger. Think Catholics vs. Convicts, the smoke entrance and more recently, the turnover chain. In the years since the glory days of Miami football, they’ve continued to lean into this controversial persona, welcoming every bit of attention and intimidation it brings. The university even adopted the split-U as its official logo in 2009, further cementing their identity with the history of the athletics program. The last 15 seasons for the Miami football program have been marked by instability. A rotating door of four different head coaches, self-imposed bans as a result of suspected recruiting violations and a 1-10 postseason record left Hurricane faithful with much to be desired. Meanwhile, Larranaga took over the men’s team in 2011 and quietly built a program that could spar with the heavyweights of the ACC, arguably the best conference in college basketball. Don’t be fooled: this team buys into the brand. Larranaga himself referenced it after the Sweet 16 win, saying simply It’s marketing and we’ve got a great product that we represent. And we want everyone to know that. They just finally have the platform and opportunity to claim it. In many ways, this team is a perfect byproduct of their environment often relegated to mid-tier success within the ACC, but surrounded by a brand so enormous and unapologetic that they refuse to be ignored. They’re every bit as tenacious and hungry for success as any other team in the tournament and won’t be told otherwise. Miami’s postseason prospects seemed in jeopardy by the end of November. An underwhelming non-conference schedule saw the Hurricanes go 8-3 against a field that had an average RPI of 215. The included outlier on the schedule was Alabama, which was ranked No. 10 in the AP Poll when they faced off on Nov. 28. The Crimson Tide destroyed the Canes in a 32-point blowout in Orlando. Larranaga and his team rallied to finish fourth in the ACC, good enough to secure one of four at-large bids the conference received. Of their six conference losses, all but one were decided by less than five points, including three losses that came down to a single point. That momentum and the fact that the ACC appears to have been undervalued went virtually unnoticed at home and across the country. Watsco Arena in Coral Gables, Fla. only exceeded 80 attendance once throughout the entire season during a one-point loss to in-state rival Florida State. When asked about where the program stands going forward, sixth-year senior Kameron McGusty said he views this tournament run as a new foundation for the basketball program. For now on that’s going to be the new goal, get to the Elite Eight or Final Four to beat the 2022 team’s record, McGusty said. This is a huge milestone. Like I said, we’re traditionally known as a football school. Hopefully we can start getting more recognition and hopefully this helps for recruiting. The Hurricanes are proving they’re built for this moment. Whether it’s an internalized belief that they belong regardless of the number by their name or the stars simply aligning at the right time, they’re sticking around Chicago for two more days. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. (https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/sports/miamis-first-elite-eight-trip-should-earn-them-bragging-rights-at-home/2722617/)

A Miracle Or a Trend? Saint Peter’s a Sign of Parity in NCAA

America loves March Madness because America loves an underdog. One twist: While the run to the cusp of the Final Four by tiny Saint Peter’s has been riveting, it’s also the latest example of how something that once felt like a miracle at the NCAA Tournament might be growing more common in years to come. The Peacocks, who play No. 8 seed North Carolina on Sunday with a trip to New Orleans on the line, have joined Florida Gulf Coast and Oral Roberts as the third No. 15 seed in a decade make it to the second weekend of the tournament. Since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the 15 seeds have a 14-140 record. Eight of those 14 wins have come since 2012. Coach Shaheen Holloway’s Peacocks are the first 15 to make it to the Elite Eight. And while America is embracing the Saint Peter’s story who wouldn’t love a 2,200-student commuter school on a busy street in Jersey City trying to put the screws to Tobacco Road? the Peacocks themselves are soaking it in without taking that seeding so seriously. Some of these guys feel like they belong at schools like that, said Holloway, whose team started this run with a win over Kentucky and beat Purdue on Friday night. Four years ago, the unthinkable during March Madness stopped being unthinkable. A 16 seed, UMBC, topped No. 1 Virginia in the first round. This year, three of the four No. 1s were gone after the Sweet 16. Only Kansas, which plays 10th-seeded Miami on Sunday, remains. Explanations for ever-increasing parity in college hoops come from all angles. Holloway is among those who say the era of the one-and-done, stemming from the rule that allows players to enter the NBA draft after one year of college, might have subtly shifted the advantage to programs that don’t pursue those kind of players and, thus, spend time together building a team. You get the Kentuckys of the world with all these great players, Florida Gulf Coast athletic director Ken Kavanagh said. Yeah, it worked out well with Carmelo Anthony, but other teams, it hasn’t worked out as well because you’re playing older teams, teams that have played together for four years. Another factor are the recently liberalized transfer rules that allow players to change schools without having to sit out for a year. Some see that as an element that also could also degrade team-building. It’s kids wanting to get back closer to home who went away, said Miami coach Jim Larra aga, who led George Mason to the Final Four as an 11 seed in 2006. Or, ‘I’m sitting on the bench someplace but I think I could start at the other school.’ Another part of this evolution comes from the proliferation of AAU and summer leagues that make all players familiar to each other before they ever step onto a college floor. Though their programs could not be more different, Sunday will not mark the first time the players from Saint Peter’s will go against the guys from North Carolina; the Tar Heels roster includes three McDonald’s All-Americans in Caleb Love, R.J. Davis and Armando Bacot. We definitely played against most of these guys, Peacocks forward KC Ndefo said. It’s just basketball at the end of the day. Nothing, however, seems to make basketball more beautiful than when teams come from out of nowhere. Remember Jim Valvano looking for somebody to hug? His North Carolina State team, which brought the word Cinderella to the March Madness dance, was a 6 seed. Two years later, Rollie Massimino’s Villanova underdogs were seeded eighth when they knocked off Georgetown. Butler’s small-school underdog story the team that practiced in the gym where they filmed Hoosiers was a beauty. The Bulldogs were a 5 seed when they made the national final in 2010. Wichita State made it to the Final Four as a 9 seed in 2013. Before that, VCU and Larra aga’s George Mason made it as 11s. UCLA made it last year as an 11. But it’s UCLA. North Carolina could make it this year as an 8. But it’s North Carolina. The Tar Heels are 8 1/2-point favorites against Saint Peter’s, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Coach told us he never looked at seeding and he never really cared, said Bacot, whose team has now knocked off a No. 1 and a 4 to come within a game of the program’s 21st Final Four. Still, there’s something magical about that number 15 perched next to the name Saint Peter’s on the bracket. That will always be true, Holloway insists, whether this is the last time a team like his gets this close or the first of many more to come. Yes, we’re the underdogs. Yes, we’re the Cinderella team, Holloway said. But at the end of the day, we’re a team that’s ramping up just like anyone else. You take the name off the front of the jersey, it really doesn’t matter. ___ AP Sports Writers John Marshall and Jay Cohen contributed to this report. ___ More AP coverage of March Madness: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/a-miracle-or-a-trend-saint-peters-a-sign-of-parity-in-ncaa/3617465/)

Severe Storms Pummel South After 7 Hurt in Arkansas Tornado

A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states. At least two confirmed tornadoes injured several people Wednesday, damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines in Mississippi and Tennessee after earlier storm damage in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas. About 185,000 customers were without electricity Thursday morning in the wake of the storm along a band of states: Mississippi and Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio and Michigan, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utilities. The worst of the weather Thursday morning appeared to be at the southern end of the storm front, which was expected to bring heavy rain and high winds all along the U.S. East Coast later in the day. Much of the Florida Panhandle was under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee. No deaths had been reported from the storms as of early Thursday, authorities said. But widespread damage was reported in the Jackson, Tennessee, area as a tornado warning was in effect. Significant damage occurred to a nursing home near Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, said Madison County Emergency Management Director Jason Moore. In Nashville, Tennessee, paneling fell five stories from the side of a downtown hotel Wednesday evening and onto a roof of a building below. The fire department warned the debris could become airborne as high winds continued, and some hotel guests were moved to other parts of the building due to concerns that the roof would become unstable. No injuries were immediately associated with the collapse. Elsewhere, a warehouse roof collapsed as the storms moved through Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, police said. The building had been evacuated and no injuries were reported. The Mississippi Senate suspended its work Wednesday as weather sirens blared during a tornado watch in downtown Jackson. Some employees took shelter in the Capitol basement. Rander P. Adams said he and his wife, Janice Delores Adams, were in their home near downtown Jackson when severe weather blew through during a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon. He said their lights flashed and a large window exploded just feet from his wife as she tried to open their front door. The glass broke just as if someone threw a brick through it, he said. I advised her then, ‘Let’s go to the back of the house.’ Adams said the storm toppled trees in a nearby park, and a large tree across the street from their house split in half. We were blessed, he said. Instead of falling toward the house, it fell the other way. Earlier Wednesday, a tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas, and the adjoining town of Johnson, about 145 miles northwest of Little Rock, about 4 a.m. injured seven people, two critically, said Washington County, Arkansas, Emergency Management Director John Luther. The National Weather Service said that tornado would be rated at least EF-2, which would mean wind speeds reached 111-135 mph. Search and rescue teams have been deployed, as there are significant damages and injuries, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. In northwest Missouri, an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph struck St. Joseph on Tuesday night, damaging two homes. Another EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 100 mph touched down briefly before dawn Wednesday in a rural subdivision east of Dallas, damaging two roofs, the weather service reported. The storms come a week after a tornado in a New Orleans-area neighborhood carved a path of destruction during the overnight hours and killed a man. Strong winds in Louisiana overturned semitrailers, peeled the roof from a mobile home, sent a tree crashing into a home and knocked down power lines, according to weather service forecasters, who didn’t immediately confirm any tornadoes in the state. Firefighters, meanwhile, have been trying to get handle on a wildfire spreading near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, amid mandatory evacuations as winds whipped up ahead of the approaching storm front. The fire, which was not contained, had expanded to about 250 acres as of Wednesday afternoon. One person was injured, and a plume of smoke rose above one community not far from where the 2016 wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings. (https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/severe-storms-pummel-south-after-7-hurt-in-arkansas-tornado/2928695/)

Uber Explore adds reservations, activities to the ride-hailing app

Another button is coming to the Uber app home screen: Uber Explore. Like the name hints, this feature that launched in select cities Tuesday is a new way to find things to do. But instead of having to search Google or Yelp, you won’t have to leave the Uber app for it. Within the Uber Explore tab, you can look through different “experiences,” which to start is mostly dining reservations and some live events, like music shows or concerts. Then you can directly make a reservation for, say, 7 p.m. dinner or Sunday afternoon brunch. So much to do. Credit: Uber Since this is part of the Uber app, you can set up a ride to your meal or click the “ride there now” button after booking. All your payment info from ride-hailing can be used for buying tickets and entrance fees. Uber has a lot of data on where you’ve gone and eaten, so it’ll start with recommendations based on your Uber history. Creepy or helpful, you decide. You can also just go wherever Uber is offering discounts for the ride, up to $10 off. Snag a cheaper ride there. Credit: Uber Lock down that dinner date. Credit: Uber To start, Uber Explore is available in 14 U.S. cities and Mexico City. For its launch, Yelp recommendations and reservations are available through the Uber app, but more options will be offered eventually. Uber Explore will also expand to more cities where Uber already operates as a car and food delivery service. Related Video: Meet the roadside wind turbine turning traffic into energy (https://mashable.com/article/uber-explore-activities-reservations)

‘NCIS’ and ‘GOT’ Actor Accused of Online Sexually Explicit Communication With Minor

Los Angeles police were asking for the public’s help Wednesday in search of people who may have been victimized by an actor arrested on suspicion of engaging in online sexually explicit communication with a minor. Joseph Gatt, 50, of Los Angeles, was arrested at his home April 6 by detectives from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Gatt’s acting credits include NCIS: New Orleans, Game of Thrones, Thor and Star Trek Into Darkness, according to IMDb, which listed his age as 47. Actor Joseph Gatt, 50, was arrested on suspicion of engaging in in online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines. Detectives served a search warrant at Gatt’s home in the area of 3rd Street and La Jolla after they received information that Gatt had been engaged in online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines, according to an LAPD statement. Gatt was arrested on a felony warrant for contact with a minor for sexual offense, police said. Details of his alleged crime were not released. The Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force includes more than 100 federal and local affiliate agencies that detect and investigate child predators that use the Internet as a means to contact children or deal in child sexual abuse material. Anyone who may have been victimized by Gatt was urged to call Detective Denos Amarantos at 562-624-4027. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 877-LAPD-247. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS or use the website www.lacrimestoppers.org. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/la-actor-ncis-got-arrest-sexually-explicit-communication-with-minor/2869144/)

North Carolina Crushes Saint Peter’s, Sets Up Duke Matchup in Final Four

The clock has struck midnight on Saint Peter’s Cinderella run. The No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels dominated the No. 15 Peacocks 69-49 in the East Regional Final at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Sunday. With the win, North Carolina sets up one of the most anticipated Final Four games in NCAA Tournament history. The Tar Heels will face rival Duke in New Orleans on Saturday in what could be Mike Krzyzewski’s final game. It will be the first time the two teams play against one another in March Madness. Any doubt that North Carolina would do its part in setting up a Final Four matchup against Duke was put to rest in the first half against Saint Peter’s. UNC started the game on a 9-0 run, putting Saint Peter’s up against its biggest deficit of the tournament just minutes into the game. Through 20 minutes, North Carolina doubled up Saint Peter’s by a 38-19 score. Things didn’t change in the second half. The Tar Heels built a lead as big as 27 points despite a slight uptick in production from the Peacocks. Armando Bacot was a force for the Tar Heels in the first half, racking up 15 rebounds to go along with eight points. He ended the evening with a game-high 20 points and 22 boards. Brady Manek had 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting and 4-for-6 from 3-point range. Coming off a career night in the Sweet 16, Caleb Love posted 14 points. Offense was a struggle all night for the Peacocks. The team shot just 28.8 from the floor and made only four 3-pointers. Fousseyni Drame led the team with 12 points for the game. North Carolina became the fourth blue blood program to reach this year’s Final Four. UNC and Duke will face off in the second tipoff on Saturday, while No. 1 Kansas and No. 2 Villanova will battle in the first game. The four schools have 61 combined Final Four appearances, led by North Carolina’s 21, the most of any Division I school. While North Carolina has reached the most Final Fours of any school, this year’s run is among its most surprising. It is the first No. 8 seed to reach the Final Four since Kentucky in 2014. The Tar Heels’ journey to the Big Easy included a blowout win over No. 9 Marquette in the first round, a thrilling overtime upset over No. 1 Baylor in the second round and a Sweet 16 win against No. 4 UCLA before dominating No. 15 Saint Peter’s on Sunday. Even with an Elite Eight loss, Saint Peter’s put together a historic March Madness run. The Peacocks became the first team seeded No. 12 or lower to ever reach the Elite Eight. Shaheen Holloway’s squad also knocked off some blue bloods in the tournament, beating No. 2 Kentucky in the first round before shocking No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue. (https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/sports/north-carolina-crushes-saint-peters-sets-up-duke-matchup-in-final-four/3617990/)

Saints among frontrunners in Deshaun Watson trade talks as lawsuits loom

NEW ORLEANS Several reports suggest the Saints are making a strong offer to obtain Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was forced to sit out last season amid a flood of sexual misconduct allegations. The Saints and their NFC South rivals, the Carolina Panthers, are among the first teams to make offers for the embattled NFL star. A grand jury opted not to indict Watson last week after a sexual assault investigation stemming from allegations by more than 20 different women. Reports said the Texans are seeking a hefty return for their former franchise quarterback, including at least three first-round draft picks. Watson had asked to be traded from the team just before the accusations surfaced in early 2021, and the team benched him for the entirety of the season. Notes: 1. Yes, the #Saints can fit him under the cap. 2. The #Texans will work with Watson and grant permission for him to speak with teams with real offers. 3. The #Panthers have been interested for a year and have never waivered https://t.co/Dc3p9rvMGp — Ian Rapoport March 13, 2022 Lawsuits from Watson’s accusers contained a slew of disturbing allegations, including claims he exposed himself or kissed them against their will during massage appointments. One woman alleged Watson forced her to perform oral sex. Watson’s lawyers admitted that “some sexual activity” took place during appointments but maintain their client never coerced anyone. Though jurors did not find sufficient evidence to formally charge Watson with a crime, an attorney representing 22 women who filed lawsuits said the civil case is still heading to court. “The civil cases will continue to gather steam. We take Mr. Watson’s deposition again Tuesday. Respect the process,” attorney Tony Buzbee told the Associated Press on Friday. No trial date has been set related to the lawsuits. Permalink Comments (https://www.wbrz.com/news/saints-among-frontrunners-in-deshaun-watson-trade-talks-as-lawsuits-loom/)

New Orleans police: 1st Black police superintendent has died

NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Police Department’s first Black superintendent has died. Warren Woodfork Sr. died Wednesday, the department said in a tweet. He was 85, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported. Woodfork was appointed in 1985 by the city’s first Black mayor, Dutch Morial, was kept on by the second, Sidney Barthelemy, and retired in 1991, when violent crime was surging and budgets were falling short. “I thought he was a great Chief” who worked hard and was very concerned about what was happening in the city, WGNO-TV quoted Barthelemy. Woodfork, born in 1936 in a New Orleans public housing complex, was a postal clerk when, on an impulse, he took the department’s entry test at a recruiting event in 1964, Time magazine reported in 2001. “I never had a desire to be a policeman,” he told the magazine. But he got the job “and fell in love with it.” He became the first commander of the controversial Felony Action Squad, which operated for 10 years beginning in 1972 and was criticized by civil rights leaders, the New Orleans newspaper noted. A few years after becoming superintendent, he talked a postal worker who had shot three co-workers into surrendering. During his career, officials called Woodfork an innovator, the newspaper said. And under Barthelemy, it noted, he got money to train 200 new officers and buy police radios and cars. Woodfork told The Times-Picayune in November 1990, when he announced his retirement, that he wanted to spend more time with his family. “It’s time to make room for new leadership, and I’m ready to seek new endeavors,” he said. Permalink Comments (https://www.wbrz.com/news/new-orleans-police-1st-black-police-superintendent-has-died/)

Saints owner meets with embattled QB Deshaun Watson as trade talks ramp up

NEW ORLEANS The Saints have emerged as the runaway favorite to land star quarterback Deshaun Watson, who faces lawsuits from more than 20 women alleging sexual misconduct. Multiple reports said Wednesday night the Saints met again with Watson, this time with owner Gayle Benson joining the talks. The Saints have also restructured the contracts of several star players in recent days, freeing up salary cap space and paving the way for a trade. Saints owner Gayle Benson traveled to Atlanta to meet with Texans QB Deshaun Watson last night, per sources. New Orleans won’t miss on Watson due to lack of effort. — Albert Breer March 17, 2022 The Houston Texans are seeking at least three first-round draft picks —and likely another player or two—in a trade package for Watson. The Browns—who expressed interest in acquiring Watson earlier this week—were informed Thursday they were out of contention, leaving the Saints and Atlanta Falcons as the current frontrunners. Despite roughly two dozen women coming forward with accusations against Watson, a grand jury last week did not find sufficient evidence to charge him with a crime. Several of the women allege Watson exposed himself or kissed them during massage appointments, and one claims he forced her to perform oral sex. Watson still faces civil cases involving 22 women who have filed suit against him. Permalink Comments (https://www.wbrz.com/news/saints-owner-meets-with-embattled-qb-deshaun-watson-as-trade-talks-ramp-up/)

Saints will travel to London in 2022

NEW ORLEANS The Saints will play one of their games overseas this coming NFL season. The league unveiled this week the teams which will play in its annual series of international games. This season will mark the Saints’ third trip to London. The @saints are back in the ???? an we can’t wait. #NFLUK — NFL UK February 28, 2022 Other teams making the trip to London include the Green Bay Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars. Other international games planned this coming season include the NFL’s inaugural trip to Munich, Germany featuring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Arizona Cardinals’ visit to Mexico City. Permalink Comments (https://www.wbrz.com/news/saints-will-travel-to-london-in-2022/)

Janet Jackson and Nicki Minaj headline Essence Fest 2022 in New Orleans

Janet Jackson, Nicki Minaj and comedian Kevin Hart will headline Essence Fest 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (http://rssfeeds.theadvertiser.com/~/684518310/0/lafeyettela/home~Janet-Jackson-and-Nicki-Minaj-headline-Essence-Fest-in-New-Orleans/)

Villanova to 7th Final Four, beats Houston 50-44 in South

Jermaine Samuels had 16 points and 10 rebounds as Villanova advanced to its third NCAA Final Four in the last six NCAA Tournaments with a grind-it-out 50-44 victory over Houston in the South Region final Saturday. Caleb Daniels added 14 points for the Wildcats, and fifth-year senior Collin Gillespie’s only made field goal was a clutch shot late. With both teams willing to limit possessions, the first spot for this year’s Final Four in New Orleans was settled in a game that was ugly to watch with all the missed shots. Villanova shot 28.8 from the field. The Cougars were only slightly better at 29.8, missing their last five shots and 10 of 11 overall, and they made only one of their of 20 attempted 3-pointers. Taze Moore had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars, who were denied making consecutive Final Four appearances for the first time since 1982-84 during the Phil Slama Jama era. The starting five was completely changed from last season, including Moore and two other senior newcomers. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. (https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/villanova-headed-to-final-4-after-beating-houston/3189399/)

Deshaun Watson Preparing To Choose From Among Four Suitors

The doors in the figurative Deshaun Watson Trade showroom opened up in full force on Saturday, one day after the Houston Texans’ quarterback found out there would be no criminal prosecution for the ten criminal complaints filed against him by various massage therapists in the Houston area. Here we are,. The doors in the figurative Deshaun Watson Trade showroom opened up in full force on Saturday, one day after the Houston Texans’ quarterback found out there would be no criminal prosecution for the ten criminal complaints filed against him by various massage therapists in the Houston area. Here we are, six days later, and the board seems to be narrow down to four teams the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints, the Cleveland Browns, and the Atlanta Falcons.… (https://www.houstonpress.com/news/deshaun-watson-preparing-to-choose-from-among-four-suitors-13032956)

Bird “of an unknown type” causes 10,000 residents to lose power in New Orleans

Take it from a recent New Orleans expat: the city’s utilities infrastructure is less reliable than anyone scheduled to return to work the day after Mardi Gras. Power outages are semi-regular occurrences in the Crescent City for a number of reasons (most of them boil down to our electricity providers are goddamn Read more. (https://www.avclub.com/unknown-bird-power-outage-new-orleans-ten-thousand-resi-1848634681)

Arcade Fire announces new album WE

Arcade Fire is ready to usher us into a new post Everything Now era. After announcing a surprise show in New Orleans benefitting Ukraine at the beginning of the week and teasing new music for the past month, Arcade Fire has now revealed what’s coming next: WE. The new album is arriving on May 6 via Columbia Records. Read more. (https://www.avclub.com/arcade-fire-announce-new-album-we-1848668126)

Pelicans Say Zion Williamson Can Participate in Basketball Activities

The New Orleans Pelicans announced that Zion Williamsons’ foot had healed enough to participate in basketball activities again. Pelicans say Zion Williamson’s foot is showing improved bone healing. He will now progress to full weight-bearing exercises and basketball activities. Andrew Lopez March 2, 2022 Williamson was set to ramp up his rehab in The post Pelicans Say Zion Williamson Can Participate in Basketball Activities appeared first on SLAM. (https://www.slamonline.com/nba/pelicans-say-zion-williamson-can-participate-in-basketball-activities/)