NHL commissioner Gary Bettman rips TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette over question about taxes

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman rips TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette over question about taxes

Much has been made recently about the lack of state taxes in certain NHL cities and whether that gives those teams an advantage in attracting players. Florida, which has no state taxes, has had a team in the Stanley Cup Final the past six years: theTampa Bay Lightningfrom 2020-22 and theFlorida Panthersfrom 2023-25. Mikko Rantanenagreed to a trade to the Dallas Starsand signed an eight-year extension. Texas also has no state taxes. TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette asked Gary Bettman whether the league would take action to balance things out and the commissioner called it a "ridiculous issue." "When the Florida teams weren't good, which was for about 17 years, nobody said anything about it," he said. "For those of you who played, were you sitting there with a tax table? No." NHL commissioner Gary Bettman calls Paul Bissonnette's concern about the NHL & Florida's lack of state tax "ridiculous."Bettman adds, "I was watching you during the prior rounds. Your attire was a little suspect in terms of your journalistic objectivity." 🏒🎙️#NHL#StanleyCuphttps://t.co/eLmLyNCi2cpic.twitter.com/25Tuu8gKnm — Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing)June 9, 2025 Bettman then cited things that would attract a player, such as a good city, first-class arena and training facility, and a front office, coaches and teammates that could give someone a chance at a championship. "By the way," Bettman added, "'state taxes high in Los Angeles, high in New York. What are we going to do? Subsidize those teams?" Bissonnette asked if the NHL could take taxes away from Ontario to help theToronto Maple Leafs. Bettman quipped: "I was watching you during the prior rounds. Your attire was a little suspect in terms of your journalistic objectivity." Bissonnette wore Maple Leafs gear occasionally on set during the second round. The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments bysubscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Gary Bettman rips Paul Bissonnette over Florida taxes

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman rips TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette over question about taxes

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman rips TNT analyst Paul Bissonnette over question about taxes Much has been made recently about the lack of stat...

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Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke nearly scales outfield wall while robbing home run in matchup vs. Angels

Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke nearly scales outfield wall while robbing home run in matchup vs. Angels

Denzel Clarke didn't just rob a home run on Monday. He nearly scaled the outfield wall at Angel Stadium to do so. Clarke, in the first inning of the Athletics' 7-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, started tracking what should've been an easy solo home run from Nolan Schanuel deep in center field. But as Clarke reached the wall, he climbed up it and nearly launched himself all the way over it while somehow robbing Schanuel's homer. Schanuel, and just about everyone else on the field, was left completely stunned. The play came just days after Clarke made another ridiculous grab in the outfield. On Friday in Sacramento, Clark launched his body into the outfield wall while making a catch at Sutter Health Park. That one, though, looked much more painful. Thankfully, Clarke was fine after he collected himself. DENZEL CLARKEFULL SPEEDUNBELIEVABLE CATCH 🤯pic.twitter.com/TAnMSkksTE — MLB (@MLB)June 7, 2025 Monday's game was just the 16th of Clarke's career with the Athletics, who called him up from their Triple-A affiliate earlier this season. The 25-year-old entered the contest with a .224 batting average with one home run and three RBI. The As chose him in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Cal State Northridge. Despite his early heroics, the Angels still cruised to the win without any issue. They put up three runs in the third inning with a trio of RBI singles, and then Jo Adell hit a solo homer in the fourth to add to their lead. The Athletics finally got on the board in the eighth when JJ Bleday hit a two-run shot of his own, but it came too late. The Angels added three more runs in the eighth for good measure, and held on after a two-run homer from Max Muncy in the ninth, to seal the three-run win. The loss dropped the A's to 26-42 on the season. While he's just a handful of games into his MLB career, Clarke already has two bids for Catch of the Year under his belt. That's one incredible way to kick things off.

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke nearly scales outfield wall while robbing home run in matchup vs. Angels

Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke nearly scales outfield wall while robbing home run in matchup vs. Angels Denzel Clarke didn't just rob a ...

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New York lawmakers approve bill that would allow medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill

New York lawmakers approve bill that would allow medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Terminally ill New Yorkers would have the legal ability to end their own lives with pharmaceutical drugs under a bill passed Monday in the state Legislature. The proposal, which now moves to the governor's office, would allow a person with an incurable illness to be prescribed life-ending drugs if he or she requests the medication and gets approval from two physicians. A spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she would review the legislation. The New York Senate gave final approval to the bill Monday night after hours of debate during which supporters said it would let terminally ill people die on their own terms. "It's not about hastening death, but ending suffering," said state Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat who sponsored the proposal. Opponents have argued the state should instead improve end-of-life medical care or have objected on religious grounds. "We should not be in the business of state-authorized suicide," said state Sen. George Borrello, a Republican. The state Assembly passed the measure in late April. The proposal requires that a terminally ill person who is expected to die within six month make a written request for the drugs. Two witnesses would have sign the request to ensure that the patient is not being coerced. The request would then have to be approved by the person's attending physician as well as a consulting physician. The legislation was first introduced in 2016, Hoylman-Sigal said, though it has stalled year after year in the New York statehouse. Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, which has opposed the measure, said "This is a dark day for New York State." Eleven other states and Washington, D.C., have laws allowing medically assisted suicide, according to Compassion & Choices, an advocacy organization that backs the policy. Corinne Carey, the group's local campaign director, said lawmakers had "recognized how important it is to give terminally ill New Yorkers the autonomy they deserve over their own end-of-life experiences." "The option of medical aid in dying provides comfort, allowing those who are dying to live their time more fully and peacefully until the end," said Carey.

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

New York lawmakers approve bill that would allow medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill

New York lawmakers approve bill that would allow medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Terminally ill New Yo...

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Why Trump’s move toward using the military on US soil is so fraught

Why Trump's move toward using the military on US soil is so fraught

The country hangs on a hugely significant precipice, as President Donald Trump moves toward making good on his long-running suggestions of an extraordinary step: deploying the military on US soil. About700 Marines have now been mobilizedto join the National Guard in Los Angeles to deal with demonstrations over federal immigration raids, CNN reports. The Marines were previously on "ready to deploy" status. (It is still unclear what their specific task will be once in Los Angeles, sources told CNN. And like the National Guard troops, they are prohibited from conducting law enforcement activity such as making arrests unless Trump invokesthe Insurrection Act.) But to hear the White House tell it, this show of force is not just the right thing to do but also a political winner. Responding toa pollshowing 54% of Americans approved of Trump's deportation program, White House spokesman Steven Cheungwrote on XSunday, "And the approval number will be even higher after the national guard was sent to LA to beat back the violence this weekend." But whether the American people actually want this military activation isn't nearly so clear. In fact, they've rejected such things in the past. The administration may be making a huge gamble on the American people's tolerance for a heavy-handed federal response. And while Americans might not have much sympathy for the demonstrators in Los Angeles who engage in violence or for undocumented immigrants, recent surveys have shown they often say Trump goes too far in his attempts to address such problems. There is something of an analog for the current situation. It came in 2020 when federal law enforcement suddenly moved to clear Lafayette Square, near the White House, of racial justice demonstrators,resulting in violent scenes. This wasn't the military, but it was controversial – in part because Trump then walked across the square with military leaders for a photo-op. (Then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper alsoresisted Trump's suggestions of using active-duty militaryat the time.) The American people did not like what they saw. AUSA Today/Ipsos pollconducted a week later showed 63% of Americans opposed the use of rubber bullets and tear gas that day. It also showed Americans opposed deploying military forces in other states by 10 points, 51-41%. Similarly aCNN poll conducted by SSRSat the time asked a broader question – whether it would be appropriate for a president to "deploy the U.S. military in response to protests in the United States." Americans said this would be "inappropriate" by a wide margin, 60-36%. All of which suggest Americans are predisposed to viewing such actions skeptically. These numbers come with caveats, though. The CNN poll question is a great window into how this could be received. But it's possible people's views have shifted or could shift with circumstances, including the role the Marines end up playing in Los Angeles. Back in 2020, the racial justice protests were relatively popular, and people didn't view them as particularly violent. Americans sympathized with the cause, believing George Floyd had been murdered by police. It's too early to tell how people view the demonstrators in Los Angeles. And the plight of the undocumented immigrants whom the administration is trying to deport is probably less sympathetic than the racial justice protesters' cause. (Clear majorities generally support deporting undocumented immigrants, who are in this country without authorization.) But when it comes to the administration's immigration crackdown, Americans have also expressed nuanced feelings. And the poll the White House cited this weekend is a case in point. In theCBS News/YouGov survey, which was conducted before Saturday's protests broke out in Los Angeles, Americans said they approved of Trump's deportation program, 54-46%. They also liked its "goals," 55-45%. But that's not quite the same as saying they approved of the administration's actions, full stop. The same poll asked whether people liked "the way you think [Trump] is going about" the deportations. And there, Americans actuallydislikedhis approach by double-digits, 56-44%. While independents were about evenly split on Trump's deportation program, they disliked how he's gone about itby 30 points, 65-35%. This is a dichotomy we see in lots of polling of Trump's deportation actions. Americans like the idea of mass deportation, but not so much the implementation. They like the president a lot on securing the border. But theylike him significantly less on "immigration,"and they like him even less when "deportation," specifically, is invoked in the question. One possible reason: Americans see the administration moving haphazardly. That could most notably be the case with things likedeporting the wrong peopleand actions that have been halted by the courts, including ones in which judges have said people haven't been given enough due process. It's possible that people could come to sympathize with the cause of the Los Angeles protesters – if not the violent ones – at least to some degree. While Americans generally favor mass deportation, those numbersdecline significantlywhen you mention the prospect of deporting otherwise-law-abiding people with jobs and those who have been in this country for a long time. (For example, a recentPew Research Center pollshowed Americans opposed deporting undocumented immigrants who have jobs, 56-41%, and they opposed deporting the parents of US citizen children 60-37%.) But the raids that set off the protests have beendirected at workplacesgenerally – not necessarily at criminals or gang members. The Department of Homeland Security has claimed at least five of the people arrested during Sunday immigration sweeps in Los Angeles had criminal convictions or were accused of crimes. Through it all, the administration has made a rather Machiavellian political calculation: that however much people dislike the means, their support for the ends will carry the day. Maybe people say they don't like the lack of due process the administration has provided – or the wrong people getting sent to a brutal Salvadoran prison – but how much do they really care if the end result is lots of deportations? Similarly, the administration could be making the calculation that scenes of violence in Los Angeles could marshal support for a previously unthinkable step of deploying the military domestically against protesters – something Americans opposed by 24 points just five years ago. So much depends on what the Marines end up doing in Los Angeles and whether Trump invokes the Insurrection Act to allow them to engage in policing activities. But the Trump administration has clearly gone too far for people before as part of their deportation efforts. And the one big crackdown on protesters we have seen in the Trump era didn't go well. This would appear pretty fraught – not just practically, but politically. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

Why Trump’s move toward using the military on US soil is so fraught

Why Trump's move toward using the military on US soil is so fraught The country hangs on a hugely significant precipice, as President Do...

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Busted knees, a fractured throat: Don't forget harsh price NFL players pay

Busted knees, a fractured throat: Don't forget harsh price NFL players pay

Editor's note: This story is a part of a series by USA TODAY Sports calledProject: June. We will publish at least one NFL-themed story every day throughout the month because fans know the league truly never sleeps. There was a player who retired from theNFLrecently, and he isn't one of those blockbuster names you'll know. He is still important and he's important because he's a reminder of the cruel reality of the sport so many of us love. Terron Armsteadplayed 12 seasons in the NFL, most recently for theMiami Dolphins. Armstead was only 33 years old when he retired. In many "normal" jobs, you're just getting started at 33. Not the NFL. Armstead recently appeared on the "Nightcap" show and said his career is at the point where he could only play in games if he used painkilling medication. Then he described something stunning. He originally injured his knee in2015,but it never fully healed. Meaning, he's been playing with significant knee pain as an NFL player for about a decade. "I've been dealing with a knee (issue) since my third year in the league," Armstead said. "I didn't see a practice field at all, and not because I didn't want to, or the Dolphins just wanted me to rest. It's like I literally couldn't walk. "After a game on Sunday, I wouldn't be able to walk on my own, under my own power, until Wednesday, Thursday. So I was only able to play under the pain meds. I couldn't put any pressure on my knee, so it was like, I can't keep doing that to myself." It's far from uncommon for NFL players to deal with chronic pain, even when extreme. I've heard numerous examples of this (interestingly the stories almost always come after the player retires). We know about this part of the NFL but none of us should forget it. Sure, no one forces them to do it. Yes, they get tons of cash. It's prestigious. The problem is we continue to shift away from recognizing the human part of what players do. We are traversing further away from acknowledging them as human beings, like we're on a starship, and the helm is taking us away from our home world. It's not just fantasy football that's doing this. Gambling is dehumanizing players in worse ways than fantasy football or anything else ever will. Walking away from the game isn't easy, but it's better to walk away on your own than it is to be forced out@ShannonSharpe@ochocinco@T_Armstead72@ShayShayMedia_pic.twitter.com/PtUG9ULUOY — Nightcap (@NightcapShow_)June 5, 2025 Eric Winston,a former NFL offensive linemanand union executive, when once addressing the dangers of legalized gambling, spoke of the possible consequences, one of them being the further demeaning of athletes. "A lot of people look at us as — I don't know if it's subhuman — but not necessarily human, not necessarily having those feelings, those issues that everyone else is having,"Winston said.That was 2018. It's so much worse now. Why we sometimes need to take a breath, pause for a minute, just a minute, and remember what these NFL players go through. Players likeFrank Ragnow. He retired at just 29. Ragnow was one of the league's great competitors and ironmen. But the litany of things he played through reads like something from a screenplay for a movie about a chaotic ER. Ragnow played through ankle injuries (2019 and 2023), a concussion (2019), a fractured throat (2020), turf toe (2021 and 2022), a groin injury (2022), a calf injury (2022), a back injury (2022), a knee injury (2022), and a partially torn pec (2024). A fractured throat. One more time:a fractured throat.(For the record a fractured throat does not sound great.) But beyond the catastrophic injuries are the ones that prevent players from having normal lives. Doing things like just walking around. Bending down. Standing. Driving. Ragnow once missed 13 games in 2021 because of what he called "the most severe degree of turf toe." He had a different injury to that same toe the following season and called that year one of the toughest of his career.He told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, two years ago that surgery wouldn't help and he would just have to play through for the rest of his career. It's difficult to believe it didn't play a part in his decision to retire. Again, at just 29. "These past couple of months have been very trying as I've come to the realization that my football journey is ending and I'm officially retiring from the NFL," Ragnow announced. "I've tried to convince myself that I'm feeling good but I'm not and it's time to prioritize my health and my families future. "I have given this team everything I have and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don't. I have to listen to my body and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life. TheLionsorganization has been absolutely incredible throughout this process and I can't emphasize this enough how grateful I am for this team and all the fans. It was an absolute honor going to battle for you all." He did battle. All the time. A lot of NFL players do. Most do, in fact. And as we watch them battle, don't forget what they are: human beings. All the NFL news on and off the field.Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL players pay brutal price for football life

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

Busted knees, a fractured throat: Don't forget harsh price NFL players pay

Busted knees, a fractured throat: Don't forget harsh price NFL players pay Editor's note: This story is a part of a series by USA TO...

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How many 4 seeds have made College World Series? Murray State baseball becomes latest

How many 4 seeds have made College World Series? Murray State baseball becomes latest

Murray Stateetched its name in the college baseball record books on Monday. The Racers, who fell in Game 1 of the Durham Super Regional to Duke on Saturday, June 7, rallied to win Games 2 and 3 on June 8 and June 9 respectively, toadvance to the College World Series,becoming the fourth No. 4 seed to ever punch a ticket to Omaha. Murray State won the Oxford Regional over No. 10 Ole Miss before taking on Duke, which won the Athens Regional vs. No. 7 Georgia. REQUIRED READING:Duke-Murray State baseball final score: Racers advance to first CWS in program history Murray State (44-15) won the Missouri Valley Conference tournament to reach the NCAA tournament and is entering the CWS with plenty of confidence. It now shifts its focus to No. 15 UCLA, which the Racers face in the opening round on Saturday, June 14. Here's a look at the other No. 4 seeds to reach the College World Series, and how they fared in the tournament: Murray State became the fourth No. 4 seed to ever reach the College World Series on June 9. No. 4 seeds were added to the NCAA tournament when the field expanded to 64 teams in 1999. The Racers join Oral Roberts (2023), Stony Brook (2012) and Fresno State (2008) as No. 4 seeds to reach Omaha, Nebraska. Fresno State is the lone No. 4 seed to ever win the national championship. Here's a look at how each No. 4 seed fared at the CWS: Oral Roberts Oral Roberts went 52-14 in 2023, winning the Summit League tournament to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament. It defeated Oklahoma State in the Stillwater Regional and Oregon in the Eugene Super Regional to reach the CWS. The Golden Eagles won their opening game of the CWS against TCU, advancing to the winner's bracket. However, Oral Roberts then dropped its next two games, falling to Florida and then TCU in a loser's bracket grudge match. Stony Brook Stony Brook had quite the run in 2012, defeating Miami in the Coral Gables Regional before upsetting No. 7 LSU in the Baton Rouge Super Regional to reach the College World Series. Like Murray State, Stony Brook dropped Game 1 of the super regional series before winning back-to-back games to take the series. The Seawolves ran out of gas in Omaha, however, falling to UCLA 9-1 in the first round before losing again to Florida State 12-2 in an elimination game. Fresno State Fresno State started the season ranked No. 21 in the preseason polls, but quickly didn't live up to expectations before winning the WAC tournament to earn an NCAA tournament bid. The Bulldogs faced adversity in the Long Beach Regional, reaching the winner's bracket before losing to San Diego 15-1 in Game 1 of the regional final. Fresno State then won the if-necessary game of the regional 5-1 to advance. Fresno State lost Game 1 of the Tempe Super Regional to Arizona State, before winning back-to-back games against the Sun Devils on the road to reach the CWS. It later took Fresno State three games to win the national championship series, as well, as the Bulldogs faced elimination four times in the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs beat Rice 17-5 and North Carolina 5-3 to reach the semifinals, where they lost to North Carolina 4-3 before winning 6-1 to make the national championship series. They then lost Game 1 of the series 7-6 before beating Georgia 19-10 and 6-1 in back-to-back games to win their first and only national title in program history. Murray State enters the College World Series having played three games facing elimination, including back-to-back super regional games against Duke. The Racers will try to duplicate Fresno State's historic 2008 run in their first CWS appearance this season. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How many 4 seeds have made CWS? Murray State baseball becomes latest

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

How many 4 seeds have made College World Series? Murray State baseball becomes latest

How many 4 seeds have made College World Series? Murray State baseball becomes latest Murray Stateetched its name in the college baseball re...

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US-China trade talks in London enter their second day

US-China trade talks in London enter their second day

LONDON (AP) — The U.S. and China are holding asecond day of talksTuesday in London aimed at easing theirtrade dispute, after President Donald Trump said China is "not easy" but the U.S. was "doing well" at the negotiations. A Chinese delegation led by Vice Premier He Lifeng met U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for several hours on Monday at Lancaster House, an ornate 200-year-old mansion near Buckingham Palace. Wang Wentao, China's commerce minister, and trade negotiator Li Chenggang are also in Beijing's delegation. Asked late Monday how the negotiations were going, Trump told reporters: "We are doing well with China. China's not easy." The two sides are trying to build on negotiationsin Geneva last monththat agreed to a 90-day suspension of most of the 100%-plus tariffs they had imposed on each other in an escalating trade war that had sparkedfears of recession. Since the Geneva talks, the U.S. and China have exchanged angry words over advanced semiconductors that power artificial intelligence,visas for Chinese studentsat American universities and "rare earth" minerals that are vital to carmakers and other industries. Trumpspoke at lengthwith Chinese leader Xi Jinping by phone last Thursday in an attempt to put relations back on track. Trump announced on social media the following day that the trade talkswould resumein London. China, the world's biggest producer of rare earths, has signaled it may ease export restrictions it placed on the elements in April, alarming automakers around the world who rely on them. Beijing, in turn, wants the U.S. to lift restrictions on Chinese access to the technology used to make advanced semiconductors. Trump said that he wants to "open up China," the world's dominant manufacturer, to U.S. products. "If we don't open up China, maybe we won't do anything," Trump said at the White House. "But we want to open up China." ___ Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this story.

byMario Satorik

in

June 10, 2025

US-China trade talks in London enter their second day

US-China trade talks in London enter their second day LONDON (AP) — The U.S. and China are holding asecond day of talksTuesday in London aim...

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