Texas A&M fight song accidentally plays as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian takes podium at SEC media days

Texas A&M fight song accidentally plays as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian takes podium at SEC media days

Whoever was in charge of the introductory music at SEC media days had quite the mixup on Tuesday. Coaches head to the podium for their main press conferences to their school's fight songs. But right after SEC commissioner Greg Sankey introduced Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, a fight song that distinctly was not the University of Texas' played over the loudspeakers. Interesting song choice for Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian's entrance 🤐pic.twitter.com/gKN1y5VfcZ — Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson)July 15, 2025 If you're familiar with college fight songs, you'll notice right away that it's Texas A&M's music. It's one thing to play the wrong music. It's another to play the music of a hated rival. You can tell Sarkisian knew something was amiss when he got to the podium. The two schools finally played on the football field for the first time in over a decade in 2024. The annual rivalry between the Aggies and Longhorns ended when the Aggies went to the SEC in 2012. The game only returned when the Longhorns joined the conference ahead of the 2024 season. This year, Texas will host A&M. The Aggies were the home team in 2024 as the winner made the SEC title game. The Longhorns won that game 17-7 before losing to Georgia a week later in Atlanta. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko takes the podium on Thursday during the final session of SEC media days. We'll see if the Texas fight song doesn't accidentally play as he strides to the stage.

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

Texas A&M fight song accidentally plays as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian takes podium at SEC media days

Texas A&M fight song accidentally plays as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian takes podium at SEC media days Whoever was in charge of the intro...

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Bronny James showcasing second-year improvement in Vegas as his development journey with Lakers continues

Bronny James showcasing second-year improvement in Vegas as his development journey with Lakers continues

Bronny James scored the Los Angeles Lakers' first three points Monday night in Las Vegas against the Los Angeles Clippers. Actually, he scored 10 of the Lakers' first 18 points in the Summer League matchup. Following James' game-opening 3, he carried on with his best performance of the month. During a 67-58 Clippers win that often looked more like a college basketball rock fight than an NBA Summer League game, James achieved respectable offensive efficiency. The 2024 second-round draft pick shot 6 of 10 from the field, including 3 of 5 from deep, and finished with a team-high 17 points, plus five rebounds and five assists. Granted James committed three turnovers, but the 6-foot-2 guard also tied center Christian Koloko for the best plus/minus (+5) of any Lakers player Monday night. While James is again one of the most-watched Lakers Summer League players, the 20-year-old son of one of the sport's all-time greats is not his team's top performer. Cole Swider, 26, has turned heads with impressive shotmaking the past couple weeks. Darius Bazley, 25, has showcased wide-ranging defensive versatility that makes the former first-round pick a role player candidate this season, too. As for James, he still has a ways to go in his development. That said, he's definitely improved. He's shown significantly more poise and confidence in this year's Summer Leaguethan he did last time around. Bronny James showed out in tonight's#NBA2KSummerLeagueaction 🔥17 PTS5 REB5 AST3 3PM6-10 FGMpic.twitter.com/rfZ9FDTplA — NBA (@NBA)July 15, 2025 James has averaged 15.5 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 3.5 turnovers over his most recent two games. In his three games since arriving in Vegas, James has posted 13 points, 3.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 2.7 turnovers per contest while shooting 44.8% from the field and 31.3% from 3. For reference, James recorded a mere 32.7% field-goal percentage in Summer League play as a rookie. He shot 17 of 52, including a ghastly 3 of 23 from beyond the arc. The Lakers have trusted James to handle the ball more in this year's Summer League, and he's enjoyed some success orchestrating pick-and-roll offense. To earn a role in the NBA, he's still likely going to have to become a serviceable 3-and-D player. Right now, James' defense is ahead of his 3-point shooting. Despite his height, he's equipped with a 6-foot-7 wing span and a 215-pound frame that allow him to stand his ground against bigger players, as evidenced by himholding his own against this year's top draft pick, Cooper Flagg, on Thursday. That game was highly anticipated, given Flagg was making his Summer League debut after becoming the NBA's youngest No. 1 overall pick since LeBron James in 2003. The younger James kicked off the matchup with five straight points, both from buckets over Flagg. James cooled down after that. His two Summer League appearances in the California Classic came with ups and downs as well. Aftershowing off his athleticism with a high-flying dunkand scoring 10 first-half points in 11 minutes against the Miami Heat on July 6, James struggled two days later in 15 minutes of action against the San Antonio Spurs. That time out, he logged 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 3 turnovers while shooting only 1 of 5 from the field. James is another year older, andhe's got 27 NBA gamesand agood dose of the G Leagueunder his belt. His improvement in the Summer League is encouraging, but the stakes are also higher in his second year with the franchise,especially with LeBron's Lakers window apparently closing.

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

Bronny James showcasing second-year improvement in Vegas as his development journey with Lakers continues

Bronny James showcasing second-year improvement in Vegas as his development journey with Lakers continues Bronny James scored the Los Angele...

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Arkansas farmer launches bid to challenge US Sen. Tom Cotton's reelection bid

Arkansas farmer launches bid to challenge US Sen. Tom Cotton's reelection bid

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A sixth-generation farmer from northeast Arkansas announced Tuesday that she is seeking the Democratic nomination to challengeSen. Tom Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee who is seeking a third term. Hallie Shoffner of Newport announced her bid for the nomination to unseat Cotton, who was first elected to the Senate and is widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential hopeful. "I'll cut taxes for blue-collar workers, fight to restore Medicaid, save Social Security, cut the deficit, and be radically focused on bringing costs down for regular people," Shoffner said in a release. "I'll fight this rigged system every day — Tom Cotton's the guy who did the rigging." Cotton was first elected to the Senate in 2014, defeating two-term Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor in a nationally watched race that drew millions of dollars in outside spending. Cotton easilywonreelectionin 2020after his Democratic challengerdropped outof the race days after filing to run. Cotton, who announced in February that he was seeking reelection, has more than $8 million in the bank for his bid and the endorsement ofPresident Donald Trump. The rest of the state's congressional delegation and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders have also endorsed Cotton. In a fundraising email to supporters Tuesday afternoon, Cotton defended his record. "I'm proud to support President Trump and proud to have his endorsement," Cotton wrote. "And I'm proud to fight for secure borders, lower taxes, and a strong America because it's what's best for Arkansas." Arkansas' 2026 primary will be held in March. The filing period for candidates in the state is Nov. 3-11.

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

Arkansas farmer launches bid to challenge US Sen. Tom Cotton's reelection bid

Arkansas farmer launches bid to challenge US Sen. Tom Cotton's reelection bid LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A sixth-generation farmer from no...

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White House eyeing five-seat GOP pickup in Texas in midterms as part of redistricting push

White House eyeing five-seat GOP pickup in Texas in midterms as part of redistricting push

President Donald Trumppitched a key group of Texas Republicans Tuesday on his strategy for his party to hold onto power in the midterms: Redrawing those members' districts to allow for even more GOP seats. In a call with the House GOP's Texas delegation, Trump told members the White House believes they can flip as many as five US House seats as part of a Republican redistricting effort in the state, according to a source familiar with the call. Redrawing maps in Texas this year would be a highly unusual move after the state approved the last set of maps in 2021. But Trump and his team have for weeks been boasting of the idea to the Texas delegation and GOP leaders, which they believe will help cushion their party against any losses in a midterm that's historically unfavorable to the sitting president. "Just spoke to our Great Congressmen and women of Texas," the president wrote on his Truth Social platform shortly after speaking with the Texas delegation, adding later: "I keep hearing about Texas 'going Blue,' but it is just another Democrat LIE. With the right Candidate, Texas isn't 'going Blue' anytime soon!" The White House has been aggressively pushing the redistricting plan behind the scenes, describing it as a key part of their midterm plan. Democrats, meanwhile, are hammering Trump and Texas Republicans for what they see as a political power grab, while vowing to take legal action to block the maps from going into effect. Texas' attempt to redraw maps in less than 18 months will be a frenzied scramble: The Texas State Legislature is set to return next week for a special session to begin the process of redrawing the state's congressional map, known as redistricting. But it will face intense scrutiny from both local Republicans and Democrats. Democrats plan to fundraise specifically for their legal case against the plan, which – if successful – could mean months of court delays. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with his Texas Democrats on Tuesday, where they discussed ways to fight the White House and the governor's plans to further gerrymander the state's maps. "Democrats are going to push back aggressively because it's the right thing to do," Jeffries told reporters. Some Democrats are eager to see their own blue states use the same tactics to shore up more Democratic-friendly House seats: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, for instance, has suggested this week that he, too, could attempt to redraw congressional districts to weaken the opposing party's power. "Two can play this game," the Democratic governorwrote on Xin a post on the president's message to Texas Republicans, first reported by PunchBowl News. But such efforts would be an uphill battle, given that states like California have already relinquished much of their power to an independent commission, which guarantees GOP representation in the process. Jeffries, for his part, did not rule out the idea but left it to Newsom and other blue-state governors. "All options will continue to be on the table as it relates to our efforts to push back legislatively and legally in Texas," Jeffries said when asked by CNN if Democrats would be willing to use the same gerrymandering playbook as the GOP. But, he added, "I think that I'll let Gov. Gavin Newsom, Gov. Hochul and others continue to speak for themselves on this issue." While the administration has communicated its aim to pick up as many as five seats to Texas members and GOP leadership in recent weeks, some Republicans remain privately skeptical and believe a pickup of two seats would be more likely, a Republican familiar with the discussions said. This story has been updated with additional developments. CNN's Aileen Graef contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

White House eyeing five-seat GOP pickup in Texas in midterms as part of redistricting push

White House eyeing five-seat GOP pickup in Texas in midterms as part of redistricting push President Donald Trumppitched a key group of Texa...

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WNBA All-Star 3-point competitors unveiled: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu headline field

WNBA All-Star 3-point competitors unveiled: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu headline field

WNBA All-Star weekendis officially here. Team Caitlin Clark will go head-to-head against Team Naphessa Collier on Saturday during the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. But before Clark teams up with Sabrina Ionescu in the All-Star Game, she will compete in Friday's WNBA STARRY 3-Point Contest. The 3-point contest field includes two former champions, including Ionescu, who currently holds the 3-point competition record in the WNBA or NBA after theNew York Liberty star knocked down 37 of 40 3sen route to a victory in 2023. Atlanta Dream All-Star Allisha Gray made history of her own last year when she became thefirst player in WNBA history to sweep the skills challenge and 3-point contestin the same season. She will defend both on Friday. Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 WNBA All-Star's festivities on Friday. Rhyne Howard currently leads the league in made 3s this season (56), but withHoward sidelined from All-Star activities due to a left knee injury, the door is wide open. Gray is shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc in Atlanta, which marks the highest among the five participants. Clark is shooting 28.9% from 3 this season, down from her average of 34.4% last year, and is looking to snap out of a shooting slump. She has shot 23-of-74 from the field and 6-of-35 from beyond the arc in the past five games as she's dealt with left leg injuries. The 3-point competition will feature two timed rounds with money balls (two points) and Starry balls (three points) in play. This year, players will also get to place a special "all money ball" rack, where every ball is worth two points, anywhere among the five shooting locations. The top two from the first round will go head-to-head in a final round. Here's the full list of competitors: Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum Buckets incoming 🏀Here are the participants of the 2025 WNBA@starrylemonlime3-Point Contest:⭐ Sonia Citron,@washmystics⭐ Caitlin Clark,@indianafever⭐ Allisha Gray,@atlantadream⭐ Sabrina Ionescu,@nyliberty⭐ Kelsey Plum,@lasparkspic.twitter.com/BqY25i1IxI — WNBA (@WNBA)July 15, 2025 The WNBA Skills Challenge features a timed obstacle course consisting of bounce passes, a chest pass, a 3-point shot from the top of the arc, an elbow jumper, a corner three, an outlet pass, speed dribbles and a final shot from anywhere on the court. To make it even more challenging, the WNBA is throwing a wrench into things by placing a 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid onto the court. The top two from the first round will advance to the final round. This year's participants are: New York Liberty guard Natasha Cloud Seattle Storm guard Skylar Diggins Atlanta Dream Guard Allisha Gray Seattle Storm guard Erica Wheeler Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams Announcing the participants for the 2025@KiaWNBA Skills Challenge 🤩⭐ Natasha Cloud,@nyliberty⭐ Skylar Diggins,@seattlestorm⭐ Allisha Gray,@atlantadream⭐ Erica Wheeler,@seattlestorm⭐ Courtney Williams,@minnesotalynxpic.twitter.com/HgRB7q9EWk — WNBA (@WNBA)July 15, 2025 The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:WNBA All-Star: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu meet in 3-point contest

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

WNBA All-Star 3-point competitors unveiled: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu headline field

WNBA All-Star 3-point competitors unveiled: Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu headline field WNBA All-Star weekendis officially here. Team Cait...

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The wait is over for Texas and Arch Manning, though quarterback admits it wasn't easy being backup

The wait is over for Texas and Arch Manning, though quarterback admits it wasn't easy being backup

ATLANTA (AP) — Arch Manning amassed the largest crowd at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, and it wasn't particularly close. Neither was the competition for most devoted fan, that title belonged to 13-year-old Connor Petroziello. The Manning superfan arrived at the College Football Hall of Fame at 6:45 a.m., sporting a white Longhorns hat, a No. 16 jersey and burnt orange Crocs. He didn't know Manning's brief walk-by wouldn't happen until 4:15 p.m., but when he found out, he didn't halt the mission. Ten hours later, his idol signed his jersey. "I got an ESPN notification last week and asked my parents if we could come," Petroziello said. "He's my favorite player. Everything about him." The Manning fandom spans beyond age 13. The son of Cooper Manning, the grandson of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning is the most-talked about quarterback — if not player — in college football. And yet, he's only played in a handful of games. Manning passed for 939 yards and nine touchdowns and ran for four touchdownslast season, seeing limited playing time after Septemberbehind Quinn Ewers. He admits now that going from highly sought-after high school recruit to the Texas backup quarterback wasn't an easy transition. "This is not really a big deal, but I played every year in high school," Manning said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. "It was a 2-A high school. That doesn't mean anything, but from sitting out and not playing, that was pretty tough." Manning could have seen the field earlier had he gone elsewhere. But in an era where college athletes have newfound maneuverability thanks to the transfer portal — and the ability strike lucrative deals at interested schools — the quarterbackchose to ride it out. "(Transferring) never really crossed my mind," Manning said. "I knew Texas was the place I wanted to be. It was the city I wanted to be in, a great education. I had friends there. I was still developing and growing as a football player and a person. So I never really wanted to leave. If there was somewhere else I wanted to be, I would have gone." Two years since first arriving in Austin, his days of watching offensive possessions from the sideline is likely behind him. Ewers moved on and up,drafted by the Miami Dolphinsin the seventh round in April, passing the torch to the newest playmaker in one of football's most famous families. Manning's confidence masks the simple fact that he's appeared in just 12 college games going into the Aug. 30 season opener at Ohio State, the defending national champion and the team that beat the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl last January. Now that the wait is over, coach Steve Sarkisian thinks he is ready. "He's got an unbelievable work ethic. And I think, if he stays true to himself, that's going to help him navigate these waters as they present themselves," Sarkisian said. "I think he's prepared for the moment, but now it's just time for him to go do it and enjoy doing it quite frankly." Anthony Hill Jr. would know Manning's skill level best. The 2024 second-team AP All-American is tasked with facing the quarterback every day in practice. "The way he reads the defense, he reads it really well. He also has the ability to take off and run and change the play calls. He's done that a lot of times against us. I feel he's going to have a really good season ... the season that he rightfully deserves," Hill said. Despite the praise and chatter, Manning rejects the idea that he's anything other than a normal guy. "I feel like I'm a pretty normal guy," he said. "I like to hang out with my buddies, play golf. I take football pretty seriously. Other than that, just a regular guy." But don't get it twisted. Normal guy or not, there's only one thing on the quarterback's mind. "I'm here to play ball." ___ AP college football:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-football

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

The wait is over for Texas and Arch Manning, though quarterback admits it wasn't easy being backup

The wait is over for Texas and Arch Manning, though quarterback admits it wasn't easy being backup ATLANTA (AP) — Arch Manning amassed t...

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Pam Bondi dodges questions on Epstein and Bongino amid Justice Department turmoil

Pam Bondi dodges questions on Epstein and Bongino amid Justice Department turmoil

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested Tuesday that she has no plans to step down as she dodged questions about Jeffrey Epstein and her clash with a top FBI official, seeking to press ahead with a business-as-usual approach in the face ofright-wing turmoil. Pressed by reporters during an announcement touting drug seizures, Bondi sidestepped questions about the fallout of the Trump administration's decision not to release more records related to the wealthy financier's sex trafficking investigation. With some high profile-members ofPresident Donald Trump's base calling for her resignation, Bondi made clear she intends to remain attorney general. "I'm going to be here for as long as the president wants me here," Bondi said. "And I believe he's made that crystal clear." The announcement at the Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters represents an effort by Bondi to turn the page on theEpstein controversyand show that the Justice Department is forging ahead after days of mounting conservative criticism over the administration's failure to deliver long-sought government secrets about Epstein. Bondi highlighted recent operations that led to the seizure of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including drugs that were hidden in a shipment of cucumbers across the Mexican border. But her refusal to address the turmoil may only further frustrate conservative influencers who have been calling for transparency and accountability over the wealthy financier's case. "This today is about fentanyl overdoses throughout our country and people who have lost loved ones to fentanyl," Bondi said in response to a question from a reporter about the Epstein files. "That's the message that we're here to send today. I'm not going to talk about Epstein." Trump has been seeking to tamp down criticism of his attorney general and defended her again earlier Tuesday, saying she handled the matter "very well." Trump said it's up to her whether to release any more records, adding that "whatever she thinks is credible, she should release." Asked about Trump's comment, Bondi said the Justice Department memo released last week announcing that no additional evidence would become public "speaks for itself and we'll get back to you on anything else." The turmoil over the department's handling of the Epstein matter spilled into public view last week with reports of a internal clash between Bondi and FBI Deputy DirectorDan Bongino. Part of the dispute centered on a story from the news organization NewsNation that cited a "source close to the White House" as saying the FBI would have released the Epstein files months ago if it could have done so on its own. The story included statements from Bondi, Deputy Attorney GeneralTodd Blancheand FBI DirectorKash Patelrefuting the premise, but not Bongino. Asked Tuesday whether she believes Bongino should remain in his role, Bondi said only that she would not discuss personnel matters. Bondi stressed that she had spent the morning with Patel, adding that: "I think we all are committed to working together now to make America safe again and that's what we're doing." Bondi had already been under scrutiny after an earlier document release in February that she hyped and handed out in binders to conservative influencers at the White House lacked any new revelations. When that first release flopped, Bondi accused officials of withholding files from her and claimed that the FBI later turned over a "truckload" of evidence with thousands of pages of additional documents. Despite promises that more files were on their way to the public, however, the Justice Department determined after a months long review that no "further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted," according to the memo released last week.

byMario Satorik

in

July 15, 2025

Pam Bondi dodges questions on Epstein and Bongino amid Justice Department turmoil

Pam Bondi dodges questions on Epstein and Bongino amid Justice Department turmoil ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested...

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