Premier League power rankings: Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea chasing Liverpool

Premier League power rankings: Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea chasing Liverpool

The2025-26 Premier League seasonkicks offFriday, Aug. 15, when the defending league winners Liverpool host Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool now faces the daunting challenge of a title repeat quest and must do so after a tragic summer during which forwardDiogo Jota died in a car crash on July 3. On the pitch, Liverpool will have a number of worthy challengers. The clubs that finished in the three spots below Liverpool on last season's table – Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City – all spent (and will continue to spend until the transfer window closes on Sept. 1) in hopes of catching the Reds. The high-priced arms race should make for a thrilling season ahead. MORE:Behind the Scenes with NBC Sports' Premier League team ahead of season opener It should be no surprise that the reigning champions sit atopUSA TODAY Sports' first EPL power rankings. However, where do the other 19 squads stand? Here are our rankings: The Reds will need to overcome thetragic death of Diogo Jotain their title defense. Is Viktor Gyökeres the missing piece after three consecutive second-place finishes? Anything short of the Premier League title will be a failure for Pep Guardiola's squad. Can Chelsea ride a wave of momentum fromtheir Club World Cup wininto the new season? After an inspired run to the Champions League quarterfinals last season, the Villans must settle for the Europa League this season. Will Alexander Isak still be with the team come September? Adding Mohammed Kudus is a big boost for new manager Thomas Frank. Was last season's 15th-place finish an outlier, or a sign of what's to come at Old Trafford? Barely missing out on European competition will have the Seagulls hungry for more in 2025-26. The Cherries have steadily improved their station in the table in each of their past three seasons in the Premier League. With its Europa League spot, Nottingham Forest enters European competition for the first time since 1996. Consistent middle-of-the-table finishers since Premier League return expected to finish mid-table again. After calling Goodison Park home since the 1800s, the Toffees will break in a fancynew stadiumthis season. The reigning FA Cup champions have to settle for the UEFA Conference League after losing an appeal. The Hammers have been in the Premier League since the 2012-13 season, but that run could be in jeopardy. Wolverhampton has been on a steady drop in the table the previous four seasons. Former Liverpool backup 'keeper Caoimhín Kelleher finally gets his opportunity to be a No. 1. Leeds has spent just three seasons in the Premier League since 2004. Staying in the Premier League will be a challenge, made even more daunting by the loss of goalkeeper James Trafford, who had 29 clean sheets last season. The Black Cats are in the Premier League for the first time since 2017, climbing back up from the third division over the past four seasons. USA TODAY Sports' 48-page special editioncommemorates 30 years of Major League Soccer, from its best players to key milestones and championship dynasties to what exciting steps are next with the World Cup ahead.Order your copy today! This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Premier League power rankings: Liverpool ahead of Arsenal, Man City

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

Premier League power rankings: Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea chasing Liverpool

Premier League power rankings: Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea chasing Liverpool The2025-26 Premier League seasonkicks offFriday, Aug. 15, when t...

Read More

Shohei Ohtani focused 'on the field,' not distraction of Hawaii real estate lawsuit

Shohei Ohtani focused 'on the field,' not distraction of Hawaii real estate lawsuit

Shohei Ohtani's name is in headlines again. And, for the second time in two years, not for baseball reasons. News emerged this week that Ohtani, theDodgers' two-way star and reigning National League MVP,was being sued along with his agentin Hawaii by a real estate investor and broker. The claim: That Ohtani and his representative, Nez Balelo of Creative Artists Agency, had the plaintiffs fired from a $240 million luxury housing development that Ohtani had been contracted to help endorse. The contours of the case are complicated; relating to contract law, tortious interference and two years of alleged disputes between Balelo and the plaintiffs, developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto, leading up to their termination from the project. Read more:Shohei Ohtani and his agent accused of sabotaging $240-million real estate project But as it pertains to Ohtani and this current Dodgers season, only one question really matters: Will the situation create any distraction for him off the field? When pressed on that Wednesday, he quickly shut the idea down. "I want to focus on the field," Ohtani said in Japanese, after the Dodgers lost to theAngelstofall out of first placein the NL West. "Today, this team continued to lose, so I'd like the team as a whole to win a game quickly and try to win each and every game." According to the lawsuit, Hayes and Matsumoto reached an endorsement deal with Ohtani in 2023 for their luxury housing development on Hawaii's Big Island. The Japanese star was not only to be a spokesperson for the project, but also a resident committed to purchasing one of the development's 14 residences as an offseason home. However, the lawsuit claimed, Balelo increasingly demanded unspecified concessions (the details of which were redacted in the filing) over the last two years from Hayes and Matsumoto — becoming what it described as a "disruptive force" who "inserted himself into every aspect of the relationship." Last month, the lawsuit alleged, Balelo went to Hayes' and Matsumoto's business partner, Kingsbarn Realty Capital, and threatened litigation if the two weren't terminated from the project. "Kingsbarn openly admitted … that Balelo had demanded the terminations and that they were being done solely to placate him," the lawsuit said. "Specifically, Kingsbarn acknowledged that Balelo had threatened to drag Kingsbarn into a separate lawsuit unless it terminated Hayes and Matsumoto." The lawsuit also claims that Balelo's supposed threat of litigation — which pertained to the use of Ohtani's name, image and likeness rights being used to promote a seperate real estate project on Hawaii's Big Island — was "baseless," amounting to an "abuse of power" by Ohtani's longtime agent to "force a business partner to betray its contractual obligations and strip Plaintiffs of the very project they conceived and built." Read more:Welcome to second place: Tumbling Dodgers are swept by the Angels A Kingsbarn spokespersontold The Athleticthis week that the allegations "are completely frivolous and without merit," and that "Kingsbarn takes full responsibility for its actions regarding Kevin Hayes and for removing Tomoko Matsumoto as the project's broker." Ohtani's direct involvement in the dispute appears limited. According to a person with knowledge of the situation who wasn't authorized to speak publicly, the plaintiffs dealt almost exclusively with Balelo, who has represented Ohtani since he came to the major leagues from Japan before the 2018 season. Still, because Balelo was acting on behalf of Ohtani, the superstar was included as a defendant as well. That means — just like in March 2024, when scandal swirled around Ohtani after his former interpreter wasfound to have stolen moneyfrom his bank accounts to pay off illegal gambling debts — Ohtani has another potential disturbance to navigate off the field. Granted, Ohtani hardly seemed affected by last year's controversy, helping the Dodgers win theWorld Serieswhile winning thethird MVP award of his career. And this current lawsuit, according to attorney and legal expert Arash Sadat of Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP, presents a much more standard type of legal dispute often seen around real estate deals. "This kind of stuff happens all the time," Sadat said. "They're not rare at all." Sadat noted that, based on the lawsuit, it's not clear "what Shohei knew and didn't know" when it came to Balelo's alleged interactions with the plaintiffs. "All of the allegations in the complaint relate to conduct by his agent," Sadat said. "If the plaintiffs in this case could show any direct involvement by Ohtani, you can bet that would have been included in the complaint." Read more:Hernández: Dodgers' failure to improve their bullpen spurred freefall with no end in sight If the case were to proceed without a resolution, it is possible Ohtani could eventually be required to give a deposition detailing his knowledge of the alleged events. That, however, is not something that would happen imminently. And even if it did, Sadat added, it's unclear whether his testimony would even be released publicly, given that large swaths of redactions in the original lawsuit of seemingly proprietary business information. Sadat speculated the chances of the case ever going to trial as slim. The overwhelming majority of such lawsuits are typically settled or dismissed well before then. "Real estate tends to bring out emotions in people," Sadat said. "You have a high-profile real estate developer. You have a high-profile real estate agent. You have a sports agent over at CAA. You're talking about big egos here. And when that happens, and someone feels slighted, oftentimes… litigation is the result." Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

Shohei Ohtani focused 'on the field,' not distraction of Hawaii real estate lawsuit

Shohei Ohtani focused 'on the field,' not distraction of Hawaii real estate lawsuit Shohei Ohtani's name is in headlines again. ...

Read More

Republicans pitch Trump’s domestic policy agenda in Iowa, but some entrepreneurs aren’t yet sold

Republicans pitch Trump's domestic policy agenda in Iowa, but some entrepreneurs aren't yet sold

When Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler touted that her agency guarantees approximately 2,000 small business loans every week, Laura Pager, a small business contractor who says she has lost out on millions of dollars in work this year in the wake of the Department of Government Efficiency's slashing of the federal government, wrote it down in disbelief. Pager, the president of an Illinois-based contracting firm that contracts with agencies across the federal government, was sitting in the third row at an event hosted by GOP Sen. Joni Ernst with Loeffler and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin designed to help small businesses and entrepreneurs learn more about federal and state contracting opportunities in the Trump administration. The optimism she was hearing on stage was not reflecting her reality. "I don't know who the 2,000 small businesses are that were approved every week," said Pager, the president of Gale Construction Company. "I could tell you it's not mine." "Since January 20, 2025, SBA has approved 46,430 504 and 7(a) loans for over $24 billion - as well as 25,032 disaster loans for $3.8 billion. This equates to nearly 2,500 loans per week," SBA spokesperson Maggie Clemmons told CNN. The small businesses event hosted this week by Ernst at Iowa State University comes as her party has been tasked with using Congress' month away from Washington to sell President Donald Trump'smassive agenda. That effort, on the heels of Trump's unprecedentedoverhaul of the federal work forceand the GOP's historic cuts to the social safety net amid other provisions in his "big, beautiful bill," has alreadymet some resistancefrom members of the public. In her nearly three decades of experience, Pager says she has not seen anything like the current environment for small businesses. She's lost out, she said, on approximately $6 million in work this year after DOGE pulled contracts as part of its federal cost-cutting efforts — one to secure a federal building in Pittsburgh that houses the Internal Revenue Service and Army Corps of Engineers and the other to fix the HVAC at an airport control tower in Maine. She said that a go-to contact for her at the SBA, a region-based business opportunity specialist who helps small businesses navigate the federal government, retired with no one appearing to replace her "We don't have the number of resources and the people to go to anymore," said Pager, who said she voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 and works mostly with Republicans. "Agencies we work with generally have a much more limited staff now. And I feel like they're flustered." The event on Tuesday laid bare the competing realities for small businesses trying to work with the Trump administration. While Trump and his Cabinet are seeking to promote business in the United States and tout the president's signature legislative achievement so far, their push to downsize the federal government has left some business owners and entrepreneurs with questions as they try to navigate a changing environment. It's requiring a threading of the needle for agency heads and GOP lawmakers —Republicans, who have broadly called for slashing federal spending, now find themselves having to make the case for why small businesses should find their agencies a worthy investment partner. In Iowa this week, they looked to frame the debate. On top of Loeffler and Zeldin's visits, Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins visited the Iowa State Fair over the weekend to announce new rural development investments and Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright is expected to visit the state later this week. "We are reshaping the federal government to be more responsive to the private sector," Loeffler argued. Ernst, who's facing reelection in 2026 and wouldn't comment to CNN Tuesday whether she plans to defend her seat, says her third annual "Made in America Expo" was designed to help businesses in her state develop direct relationships with the decisionmakers in the federal government. But as chair of the DOGE caucus in the Senate, she argued that cutting the size of the federal government will help small businesses grow. "We know that federal government is not the answer when it comes to issues at the local level. Those that are most responsive are at the local level," she said. "So, downsizing the federal government, pushing some of that outward, especially into the heartland where we actually have people that do want to work, provide efficient services for the federal government, that's the opportunity that we should be providing." Ernst's event sought to bring key politicians and representatives from across the federal government to Iowa as a chance to level the playing field and create face-to-face interactions. Many small business directors for their respective agencies were in attendance. Charlie Smith, director of the Department of Energy's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, complimented Ernst and the agency heads for their emphasis on creating small business partnerships, suggesting the issue of creating that connection is not necessarily new. "That's always been the struggle, is to make the opportunities known to small businesses," he said. "And I think this administration's got a number of initiatives that are looking to do exactly that." To hear Loeffler, Zeldin and Ernst describe it, the Biden administration was completely wrong in how it tackled small business development. "We inherited a very big mess," Zeldin claimed. Part of their pitch in how they are making opportunities better for small businesses was highlighting the extensive cuts they've made to their agencies to eliminate what they saw as waste and emphasizing their desire to get government out of the way to encourage more manufacturing and investments in the US. The administrators and Ernst pointed to wins from Trump's tax and spending law, which will create several tax breaks thatbenefit small businesses, such as allowing businesses to fully and immediately deduct the cost of building new manufacturing facilities. The trio also credited Trump with keepingoverall inflation tamein July and pointed to investments like themore than $90 billionfrom private companies across tech, energy and finance to turn Pennsylvania into an artificial intelligence hub. Ernst, who chairs the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, promoted her new, bipartisan legislation that would increase the maximum loan limit for small businesses in an aim to boost domestic manufacturing. She hopes the bill will get a final vote when the Senate returns in September. Meanwhile at the event, Iowa GOP Rep. Randy Feenstra stood in front of a crowd of small business leaders and entrepreneurs to make his case for why they should support Trump's sweeping tax and spending cuts law. "Maybe some of you don't always think it's beautiful. I do," Feenstra quipped, before ticking through a list of tax breaks that are geared toward helping small businesses specifically. Feenstra, who has launched an exploratory committee for governor, is not facing a tough reelection battle should he remain in the House. But two of his Republican Iowan colleagues, GOP Rep. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, are running in some of the most competitive House races in the country for next year's midterms and are having to be even more delicate in their pitch. Majority Leader Steve Scalise was in Iowa this week making public appearances with Nunn and Miller-Meeks and fundraising on their behalf. Speaking with CNN at the Iowa State Fair, Scalise and Nunn laid out their perspective to voters and provided a window into how Republicans are trying to sell Trump's landmark legislation – instead of getting pulled into discussing the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files. Throughout his remarks on Tuesday, Zeldin argued that the EPA can both protect the environment and grow the economy after the administration's move torepeal the so-called endangerment findingthatplanet-warming pollution from fossil fuelsendangers human health. But businesses in Iowa, a Republican stronghold thatuses more clean energy than many blue states, must also contend with Republicans' rollback of clean energy tax credits. Iowa Republicans now face the challenge of having to defend the elimination of the renewable energy tax credits in Trump's trademark legislation that they sought to protect. Scalise and Nunn argued the elimination of those credits doesn't mean they don't support renewable energy, but argued the elimination was designed to create an even playing field and ween the US off of foreign energy. Nunn also pointed to the tax credit for biofuels that he worked to get in the final bill. "We've got a great opportunity here in Iowa with wind. We are the number one producer and consumer of wind. We've made this work," Nunn told CNN. "It's most important that we're not dependent on foreign energy anymore. And this bill delivers that." Scalise addressed the legislation's deep cuts to Medicaid and defended the work requirements Republicans put in place, which Democrats have seized on in their messaging against the law. "By putting in place responsible work requirements, now it's going to help the truly needy be able to get better care in programs like Medicaid. And then the folks that are going to go get work, which is a good thing by the way, are going to be able to get work and get a job and get health care in the private sector, which is going to be even better than Medicaid," he said. But for some in attendance at Ernst's event on Tuesday, what the officials were selling wasn't the full picture. Victor Santana, who owns a Chicago-based company that helps hundreds of small businesses nationwide secure federal contracts, said he spent most of the event introducing small business owners to representatives from federal agencies. "They are lost," Santana said of the business leaders he met at the event. "They can't figure out which way is up, which way is down." Santana, who said he has been in the business for 24 years and prides himself on his government contacts, said he's gotten few answers about replacements or a path forward after the slashing of the federal workforce. "It's like, 'Wait a minute, so and so's not there? Well, who is taking over? Who is in charge?'" Santana said of his conversations with agency contacts. "That's scary because a lot of these small businesses need to know. It's very hard to work with government and get those answers." For some in the audience, Zeldin's message of rolling back environmental regulations is cause for concern. Jordi Quevedo-Valls, who co-founded a startup marketplace designed to facilitate the buying and selling of small businesses, said the EPA's rollback of environmental protections is concerning and has a real impact on how businesses move forward. "I mean that I completely disagree with. I mean, the science is there," Quevedo-Valls, who said he "reluctantly" voted for Harris in 2024, told CNN. From Fairfield, Iowa, Quevedo-Valls said he is happy with some of the Trump administration rollbacks but called the decision to phase out clean energy tax credits "terrible, terrible, terrible." The emphasis from Ernst and the Trump administration officials on creating new businesses left Tanner Heikens wanting clarification. Heikens said he voted for Trump, but has things he likes and doesn't like about the administration. "I'm glad that they're pro-business, but I think that they're pushing creation of business and not worrying as much about existing businesses, especially in the labor force that we're in," said Heikens, who works at an Iowa-based food manufacturing company that feeds between 50,000-70,000 people a week in the restaurant and health care industries. "In the manufacturing world it is tough already, and if you're putting a bunch of money into new businesses, that's just thinning the herd already." For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

Republicans pitch Trump’s domestic policy agenda in Iowa, but some entrepreneurs aren’t yet sold

Republicans pitch Trump's domestic policy agenda in Iowa, but some entrepreneurs aren't yet sold When Small Business Administrator K...

Read More

US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna details strange UFO experience while serving in the Air Force

US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna details strange UFO experience while serving in the Air Force

CongresswomanAnna Paulina Lunadetailed a bizarre UFO encounter involving an "airspace incursion" that left an experienced military pilot rattled while she was serving in the US Air Force. Luna (R-Fla.) told Joe Rogan on Wednesday that she experienced an alarming event that she still questions today during her time stationed at the Portland Air National Guard Base as an airfield management specialist. "There had been an airspace incursion that had taken place when I was still at the Guard, and I remember talking to some of the pilots about it, and I was like, 'What was that?'" she said on "The Joe Rogan Experience." Luna served six years in the Air Force as an airfield management specialist, overseeing airfield safety and efficiency, including coordinating flight operations and frequently communicating with F-16 pilots. However, when she asked the pilots, none of them were willing to talk about what they saw in the sky. "They're like, 'Eh, we can't really talk about it.' And no one really wanted to address it," the 36-year-old Florida representative recounted. After mulling it over, Luna said, she concluded that airspace incursion was likely an unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP). Rogan, 58, pushed back and asked how Luna didn't know it wasn't another military's aircraft or something highly classified that the pilots weren't willing to share with her. Luna said one of the pilots appeared rattled given the way he spoke about the incident. "From what I gathered, he didn't want to get taken off flight status, and was like, 'I really can't discuss it,'" she said. The F-16 pilot, however, did tell her that whatever it was, they couldn't "really identify it." "It essentially outperformed them," she shared. Luna further explained that there's a "crazy" stigma around those who report seeing UAPs, and for members of the armed forces, that could jeopardize their security clearance and reputation. The Air Force veteran noted the US government has not always been transparent with the public, especially about UFOs. "What I can tell you is, when you have thousands upon thousands of people from around the planet throughout time that have reported something, to say those people are crazy … that's a disinformation campaign to get people to shut up about it," she told Rogan. Luna, who leads a task force created by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigating the possibility of UAPs, called for more "transparency" from the US government. "I'd like to see the federal government roll out some of the stuff we've been given access to because I think that information belongs in the hands of the American people," she said. She also believes the government is trying to replicate technology from craft believed to be made by extraterrestrial life. "Without getting into classified conversations, there have been incidences where I believe very credible people have reported that there have been movements outside of time and space," Luna said. "Based on the photos that I've seen, I'm very confident that there's things out there that have not been created by mankind." In 2025, there have already been more than 2,100 sightings of UAPs across the US reported to theNational UFO Reporting Center, marking a significant increase from the 1,492 sightings reported throughout all of 2024. The Pentagon has remained firm in saying that there is no evidence that unexplained sightings are extraterrestrial life and disavowed the existence of any UFO retrieval programs. Last week, a Harvard physicist asserted that new images of theManhattan-size interstellar object rocketing through our inner solar systemback his claim that it's not a comet, but instead possibly an alien probe that may "destroy us." "Here, the glow is actually in front of it. We've never seen such a thing. A comet doesn't glow in front," Dr. Avi Loeb said after the object was discovered in early July.

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna details strange UFO experience while serving in the Air Force

US Rep. Anna Paulina Luna details strange UFO experience while serving in the Air Force CongresswomanAnna Paulina Lunadetailed a bizarre UFO...

Read More

NFL preseason Week 2: Players to watch, including an Eagles-Browns QB flying under the radar

NFL preseason Week 2: Players to watch, including an Eagles-Browns QB flying under the radar

We finally had somepreseason footballto react (and overreact) to. Preseason is always interesting — OK, interesting maybe for the sickos — and this past weekend was no different. It was full of standouts, surprises, and outlandish statements and predictions. I want to highlight a handful of players who stood out during our first weekend back, even if it was exhibition play, and what we can see out of the rest of the preseason and going forward. Let's start with a quarterback in Philadelphia who I think has become one of the more interesting characters in the NFL. And it's not the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Even with whatever is happening over there *gestures toward theBrowns' quarterback room/medical tent*,Tanner McKee would have remained the most fascinating signal-caller in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon. McKee has made preseason showcases an annual tradition; like a starting MLB pitcher on a minor league rehab assignment, McKee's polished play, strong arm and consistent ball placement leads to a passing bonanza against overmatched second-and-third stringers deploying vanilla schemes in August. some of Tanner McKee's best throws against the Brownspic.twitter.com/KG48tj5RJw — Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)August 19, 2023 In Week 1 of this year's preseason, McKee again overwhelmed a defense. This time it was theBengals' unit,which featured a good chunk of Cincinnati's projected starters. McKee finished completing 20 of 25 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns while being sacked twice on 13 pressures. It was an extended run and indeed a showcase for the NFL and the always quarterback-needy market, a market that general manager Howie Roseman can exploit again because of McKee's talents. Here's 2:22 of Tanner McKee absolutely cooking the Bengals' starting defense.20/25253 total yards3 total TDs135.3 passer ratingpic.twitter.com/ggj4WoJxBu — Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_)August 8, 2025 McKee, a 2023 sixth-round selection, plays with a good sense of timing when the Eagles let him drop back. Again, there are preseason caveats with his performances (althoughMcKee impressed in his Week 18 start against the Giants last season). But on just the eye test, McKee can push the ball to the outside and downfield with notable ball placement, with a knack for back-shoulder throws. McKee is actually a pretty good athlete considering his size at 6-foot-6, 231 pounds. You're not going to design runs for him (though he handled the tush push for a touchdown last week), but he has enough burst and the flexibility to consistently throw off-platform and on the move. I have to emphasize his ball placement again because McKee will get the pass out early and out in front of his teammates. Or aim low and away from defenders. Everything with McKee is consistent, with the right times to rear back and be aggressive downfield or up top on high-low concepts. (He also lets his teammates make plays. There were some great plays on the ball from second-year wide receiver/skyscraper Johnny Wilson.) throw it up to Johnny!pic.twitter.com/GzD40ZXlsB — Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)August 8, 2025 McKee keeps impressing every time he touches the field. Positive training camp reports are one thing, but he has now stacked up several years of strong preseason performances and a regular season one to boot. They're impressive enough that I am confident to say that he is a starter-quality player at this point, or at least a player who deserves a real shot at starting. And while there have been reports that teams made inquiries about McKee, it's the middle of August and almost all clubs feel settled enough to not doing something as drastic as trading for a new starting quarterback. But it isn't unprecedented, especially with Roseman involved. There's the Sam Bradford trade to the seemingly never-rebuilding Vikings for two draft picks (a first-rounder and conditional fourth) on the eve of the 2016 season after Teddy Bridgewater suffered a freak knee injury in practice. Kevin Kolb is another comparison. A second-round selection in 2007, Kolb was showcased and dangled as trade bait for what felt like a decade by Roseman and Andy Reid before they anointed him as the starter in 2010. Where an early injury led to Michael Vick overtaking Kolb in the starting role, Kolb was then traded the next year to the Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick before not doing much in Arizona. And then there's the whole Carson Wentz saga. The point of this history lesson is that this isn't Roseman's first go at juggling a starter (of varying levels of establishment), an interesting backup and an always starved market. McKee is worthy of real interest. Would a desperate team offer a juicy first-round selection or some package to entice Roseman? Essentially all of the quarterback seats are already taken. And teams that I think have the biggest quarterback questions marks and injuries — theRams with Matthew Stafford's back odyssey,and, again, *gestures toward the Browns' quarterback room/medical tent* — are on different points of the contention timeline. The Rams looked like they were ready to make a push in a fairly wide open NFC behind a strong offense and young pass rush. That path becomes a little more wobbly with the possibility ofDavante Adams' favorite quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo,behind center. And there is absolutely no path if Stetson Bennett IV was asked to start. Head coach Sean McVay is a gameplanning maestro but I think he can take Garoppolo only so far. So, if there is a real feel to make a run this year (remember, this is the Rams, with Les "F Them Picks" Snead and McVay we're talking about), I think it makes sense for the Rams to be aggressive. They have a strong collection of skill players in Adams, Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, their funky bunch of tight ends and an offensive line that should at least be above board in 2025. The defense has questions, but a pass rush that has some real teeth to it can help a team go on a run. If they believed in McKee, he could be a good fit for what McVay's offense has turned into, and he could be a viable answer to bridge a chance at a playoff run this year and a path going forward. Even if Stafford can play this season, I don't think there's a disruption of any parties' timelines even considering contracts. And, perhaps because the football gods have a sense of humor, the two teams that I think could be interested are the two teams with two first-round selections in 2026. After spending a third and two fifth-rounders to build their 2025 quarterback room, the Browns might be out of darts in this round of quarterback cricket. However, where's the fun in that? Look at this room! They currently have two quarterbacks with hamstring injuries (which I've been completely flabbergasted by), Joe Flacco is still 40, and nowShedeur Sanders will likely miss Saturday's gamebecause of an oblique injury (again, what is going on in that room?) and hinder any chance to climb up the depth chart. (By the way, my review of Sanders' preseason opener is that his own grade of a C+ was accurate.) The price might never be higher for McKee, but he could still be an interesting dart to throw for a Browns team that is constantly looking for their next hope at the position. And McKee has a higher chance of turning into a viable starter than what they currently have in the room. He even fits the preferred offensive system of Kevin Stefanski like a glove. The Browns don't have real playoff aspirations in 2025, and I'm going to assume that general manager Andrew Berry made inquiries this offseason about McKee — they did trade for Kenny Pickett from that same Eagles quarterback room — but perhaps they sweeten the pot for a more known commodity than perhaps trotting out another young quarterback behind what could be a reworked offensive line in 2026. This is pure speculation on my part, and almost certainly just me trying tofigure out who Pepe Silvia is.Eagles reporters like Zach Berman of The Athletic think McKee's market truly opens in 2026. My .02 for anyone speculating trade possibilities for Tanner McKee: I don't see the Eagles moving him this season.Can see a robust market after the season, but the Eagles want Tanner McKee as the QB2 for 2025. They could have moved him in March/April otherwise. — Zach Berman (@ZBerm)August 8, 2025 The Eagles are very aware of McKee's talents, and probably want to have insurance for another good roster in 2025 before deciding anything as drastic as trading away a quality quarterback. There are always quarterback seats in the offseason, and there are plenty of teams with starters in 2025 who might be question marks in January (Jets, Colts, Steelers among them), so a more robust market can form. There is also aninteresting 2026 NFL Draft quarterback classto consider and the allure of the unknown with their cost-controlled contract, so it is a market that might plateau altogether. Plus, there'sArch Manning lurking,who looks like a real deal No. 1 pick candidate whenever he declares. That was a long aside about McKee's market, but back to the original point: McKee is a fun watch. Check him out Saturday. Now for some more Week 1 preseason standouts to check out this weekend. Austin Booker, a 2024 fifth-round selection, was drafted as a project who would likely need some time to fill out his frame and continue to develop and harness his length and explosiveness. Against mostly backups on the Dolphins' offensive line last weekend (there were a handful of snaps against the starting group, but still not exactly a bunch of world beaters to begin with), Booker terrorized Miami's group of jittery quarterbacks, finishing with six pressures, three sacks and a run stuff thrown in for good measure. Austin Booker (#94) racked up 3 sacks and a forced fumble in the Bears first preseason game.Booker is long, bendy, and plays hard. He still has a ways to go but this is what the good ones look like.pic.twitter.com/IKfcnJujvp — Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)August 11, 2025 Booker has put on some notable weight and strength from his rookie season, which has really helped him stay off of blocks and become a better run defender and get more push into the pocket on passing plays. The Dolphins' offensive line is weak this season, but it's good to see Booker consistently overwhelm his opponents as opposed to just flashing. He is projected to be used as a rotational player this season, but could earn even more playing time, especially on passing downs, if he continues to ascend this preseason. The Bills' offensive line should be a step up for him Sunday, even if it's their backups, I'm looking forward to seeing if Booker can keep consistently affecting the game and forcing his way onto the field. Manu was the first player drafted out of the University of British Columbia when the Lions took him last year in the fourth round. He is, unsurprisingly, still raw as a player, but already showed notable improvement in the first preseason game against the Falcons. Giovanni Manu (#59) looked improved in the Lions 1st preseason game.A massive LT drafted in the 4th round from Canada. He still has to work on his hands and finishing (Pearce gets him several times). But, Manu is such an easy mover and is a project worth keeping an eye on.pic.twitter.com/yWCiAnv0bK — Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)August 12, 2025 Manu has outlandish tools, standing all of 6-7 and listed at 350 pounds. He is an excellent athlete for his size and is an easy mover who can adjust well to moving defenders. He still has to improve his hand technique and initial pop when contacting defenders, but already shows snaps of sound play. Even current weaknesses, like getting too high on his blocks, can be fixable given Manu's natural athleticism, especially under the development of offensive line coach Hank Fraley. The Lions wouldn't be comfortable starting Manu if there was a game this week as he's still early in his development, but the arrow is firmly pointing up for him and even as a possible successor to Taylor Decker at left tackle down the road. The Lions play the Dolphins on Saturday, where he should get another heaping of reps. The Jets' passing game might be inconsistent this season, but they're quietly (or at least as quiet as any Jets discussion can be) assembling one of the NFL's best young offensive lines. Olu Fashanu looked great as a rookie left tackle before succumbing to injury, Alijah Vera-Tucker still stands out with his strength when he's on the field and now the Jets have added Membou on the right side. Membou looked good against the Packers, with quality pass protection reps and his balance showing up as a run and pass blocker. Look for a fun matchup against the Giants' talented front (more on that in a second) this weekend. Allen broke off a nice run in his return to Wisconsin last weekend and has already flashed plenty in his young career. He has an ideal size-speed combination and ran with a nice blend of patience and burst as a rookie. The Jets have several talented young backs with Breece Hall and Isaiah Davis alongside Allen, but I think Allen is going to keep earning a bigger share of this backfield as time goes on. Yeah, the No. 3 draft pick? He's got some stuff to him. Abdul Carter (#51) pass rush plays against the Billspic.twitter.com/pePaLsyAmH — Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)August 12, 2025 Carter racked up pressures against the Bills on limited snaps, including a snap of how he might create his most damage in the NFL: as an interior pass rusher lined up against guards when the Giants trot out their Gen Z"NASCAR" package(F1? Mario Kart World?). The Giants' defense might be one of the NFL's better units this year, led by their tenacious front with Carter, Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns. The Giants play the Jets on Saturday; hopefully we get some Carter vs. Membou (and/or Fashanu) to wet our beaks with a preseason hoss fight until September starts. The fourth-round rookie had eight touches for 40 yards and a touchdown in his first preseason action against the Steelers. He put together a few strong runs, showcasing balance and burst, along with toughness and strength on his 8-yard touchdown. A few of Bhayshul Tuten's touches in his first preseason game.Love the base that Tuten runs with. He's got some spring in his step and runs with good toughness. Great finish on his TD.pic.twitter.com/JwaxgpUQsB — Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice)August 13, 2025 It was only single-digit touches, and Tuten has fumbling issues dating back to college. But he already deserves more touches in this offense. I say this because Tuten was impressive and because I already know what the rest of the Jaguars' running back veterans are. I think Tuten already has more to him than what the Jaguars have in their backfield. He has more juice as a runner than Tank Bigsby and is more physical between the tackles than Travis Etienne (and has better vision than both). I don't think he's in line right away for 20 touches in Week 1, but Tuten is going to continue to earn more touches in this potentially explosive Jaguars offense, especially if he can hold onto the football. (Now if they could just have drafted one more offensive lineman.) The Jaguars play the Saints on Sunday. Look for Tuten to get another steady diet of touches and look to earn more when the regular season hits. I thought Ersery, a second-round selection in May who ranked 30th on my final big board, had a good first showing against the Vikings. Ersery was calm against pressures and stayed constantly balanced and in a good position as a pass protector. Most importantly, he was strong in the run game, something the Texans desperately need. Ersery played left tackle in the preseason opener, and his positive performance makes it look like he has to start at one of the tackle spots for Houston this year. The Texans need to find five starters who can just walk and chew gum at the same time, and Ersery is establishing himself as one of them. The Texans are reigning AFC South champions and the favorites to win the division again this season, with a lot of their success contingent on their offensive line not being among the worst in the NFL. Ersery hitting the ground running would go a long way in helping.

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

NFL preseason Week 2: Players to watch, including an Eagles-Browns QB flying under the radar

NFL preseason Week 2: Players to watch, including an Eagles-Browns QB flying under the radar We finally had somepreseason footballto react (...

Read More

After trade deadline adds, Mariners ready to re-write late-season script

After trade deadline adds, Mariners ready to re-write late-season script

BALTIMORE – Even if they play not a lick of October baseball, theSeattle Marinersare assured of a special season. Cal Raleigh, theirrecord-setting sluggerbehind the plate, has seen to that. Julio Rodriguez, back to superstar status, and a pitching staff that, in its typical fashion, goes longer and better than almost all their peers, have done their parts to make memories, as well. Yet to be truly special, to fulfill the dictionary definition that this year will bedistinguished by some special quality, the Mariners know it will take a few more wins by the end of September, and several more deep into October, to shake the numbingly similar ends they experienced the past four years. Like the 10-game American League West lead they blew last season, thanks to a flaccid offense thatmade their early success unsustainableon the way to an 85-win season. Or the one-game September lead they seized in 2023, only to lose 16 of their final 27 games and finish with 88 empty wins, unaccompanied by a playoff berth. Lest we forget, 2021 brought them 90 wins but perhaps the most soul-crushing transaction in recent trade deadline history, when GM Jerry Dipoto broke up an effective bullpen by dealing closer Kendall Graveman and Rafael Montero to the Houston Astros – who ran away with the division while the Mariners stayed home. Heck, even their one winning lottery ticket into the postseason – a 90-win 2022 campaign that included a wild-card sweep of Toronto – only illustrated how far the Mariners had to go: They finished 16 games behind the Astros and got gut-punched by the eventual World Series champs in the ALDS. But now? Eight consecutive wins brought the Mariners even with the Astros atop the AL West before their streak was snapped Aug. 13. Raleigh and Rodriguez have powered the offense to a .730 OPS that ranks a respectable 12th in the majors. And even Dipoto finally played along, cashing in some chips tobring in the two best hitters on the marketin old friend Eugenio Suárez and lefty-swinging first baseman Josh Naylor. Just 41 games remain. Yet rather than wonder how they could be better-equipped, the Mariners who have ridden this roller-coaster before feel much different. Prepared. Confident. Poised to achieve. "I feel like we're ready this year," Matt Brash, whose 1.42 ERA ranks fourth among MLB relievers, tells USA TODAY Sports. "I feel like we're a very confident group. We made some additions at the trade deadline, which really boosts our vibe, our lineup and everything. "I feel like this team is different. We're much deeper in all aspects, and I think we showed it coming out of the break with how we were playing." They rolled up five straight wins against Central-leading Detroit and those Astros sandwiched by the All-Star break, raided Arizona for Naylor on July 24 and Suárez a week later and really took off. They won eight straight games starting Aug. 3, a span in which they chased down the Astros, integrated their two big bats in their lineup and rode Raleigh's power a little more: The Big Dumper is now at 45 home runs, tied with Johnny Bench for second all-time for a primary catcher and just three behind Salvador Perez's record 48, with 41 games to play. These Mariners, once in it, thrice shy of the playoffs, know what incomplete feels like. It doesn't feel like this. "I'm pretty sure we have everything right now," says Suárez, a Mariner in '22 and '23 before a trade to Arizona preceded 66 homers there the past season and a half, prompting Seattle to reacquire him. "We have a really good pitching staff, bullpen is doing really well, offense has been awesome. For me, it's one of the best right now." It takes 13 position players and 13 pitchers and a couple dozen reinforcements to make a team. Yet it is hard to deny the superstars' impact on these Mariners. Raleigh's 5.2 Wins Above Replacement trail only Aaron Judge in the AL, with Rodriguez on his heels at 4.9 WAR. Raleigh continues stacking historic superlatives – at 98 RBIs, he'll be the first catcher with consecutive 100-RBI seasons since Mike Piazza from 1996-2000 – yet Rodriguez's contributions are a significant difference-maker. He was the face of the Mariners' grim output a year ago, a superstar dragging a .690 OPS and 110 strikeouts through the first half, missing the All-Star Game for the only time of his career. J-Rod has his swagger back this season, with a more palatable .734 OPS and 23 homers, the 24-year-old's irrepressible energy now with a dose of restraint that only four years of this grind can bring. "Julio has in some ways aged, matured, this year," says manager Dan Wilson. "I think he's learned a lot about this game and has put it to use. A lot of the joy, the love of the game coming back. That's what you love to see. "And in that process looks to be playing really free out there – running the bases, hitting the ball hard, hitting for power, playing incredible defense." In some ways, Raleigh kicked off this era of Mariners baseball on Sept. 30, 2022, when he hit a walk-off home run against Oakland to clinch Seattle's first playoff berth since 2001. It was his 27th homer of the year, cementing Raleigh's status as an emerging star rather than a slugging curiosity. "That was an incredible moment for this franchise, for him, for everybody, to get a taste of the playoffs there was huge," says Brash, the winning pitcher in that clincher. "Watching Cal has been really fun this year. I feel like every time he hits a home run, there's some kind of record he's setting. "That just reminds you how special it is. Catches pretty much every day, still producing at the plate and especially at the beginning of this year, he was carrying this team for a lot of it." Yet adding on to that star infrastructure could make all the difference for this club. For the past five seasons, the Mariners have ranked at least second in the AL in the number of one-run games played. This year, they are 26-16 in one-run games, more wins than any club. Yet it is a dangerous way to live; the Mariners were 33-19 in 2021 and 34-22 in '22 and won 90 games each season, before slipping to 25-26 and 27-28 and out of playoff consideration the next two seasons. One-run games mean high-leverage relievers called upon nightly, and starters' pitch counts including an inordinate number of high-stress throws. A lineup lengthened by Naylor and Suárez could theoretically tack on later runs with  greater frequency, and fellows like Brash and All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz can sit down a little more when they warm up. "The depth of our lineup has grown. That makes a big difference," says Wilson, who took over for the fired Scott Servais at midseason last year. "That's been huge for us." It also doesn't hurt that Suárez is among the most beloved figures in any clubhouse and certainly left an impression in Seattle before he was dealt after a 214-strikeout campaign in 2023. "It means a lot. I feel like I never left," says Suárez. "Everybody treated me well. For me, it's awesome to be back helping the team win games. For me, it's more important than anything else." There's a lot of ways Seattle can do that, given it ranks third in the majors with 171 homers while its rotation (3.88) and relievers (3.61) are both fifth in the AL in ERA. And they lead the majors in rotation innings pitched. That's no surprise given the track record of a rotation with four former All-Stars; this year's luminary is Bryan Woo, who has gone at least six innings with two or fewer walks in all 23 starts. "We have so many good arms here," says right-hander Logan Gilbert, who followed George Kirby's seven shutout innings Aug. 12 by taking a shutout into the seventh the next night. "George did a heck of a job yesterday, Woo's having a great year, (Luis) Castillo – when it's your turn to get the ball you just want to find a way to go as deep as you can and keep the lead and give it to the bullpen. "Because they've been killing it, too." Woo wasn't yet a big leaguer during the '22 playoff run but has been around long enough to know the Mariners must attack where they once failed. Having the tools to do so will help. "To go out and get the guys we did, it's encouraging the front office has faith in you not only to buy, but to get such great pieces that have fit in so well so far," says Woo. "We've had (seasons) where you're way ahead, like last year, and we kind of didn't stay consistent throughout the year. Held division leads or playoff spots late and didn't finish the job. "It's consistency and playing your best ball when it matters most. Making sure we get hot at the right time and do finish the job to get in." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Mariners move up MLB standings after adding at trade deadline

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

After trade deadline adds, Mariners ready to re-write late-season script

After trade deadline adds, Mariners ready to re-write late-season script BALTIMORE – Even if they play not a lick of October baseball, theSe...

Read More

Trump Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee was a 'bystander' on Jan. 6, White House says

Trump Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee was a 'bystander' on Jan. 6, White House says

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's pick to run the Bureau of Labor Statistics was among the crowd outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, with the White House saying he was a "bystander" who wandered over after seeing coverage on the news. E.J. Antoni, an economist from the Heritage Foundationnominated by Trump this week,after the presidentfiredthe previous BLS head, appears in numerous videos posted on social media of the crowd on the Capitol grounds. The footage shows Antoni approximately an hour after the mob removed police barricades. The footage appears to show him leaving the grounds as people entered the Capitol and not entering the building. Antoni is on the west side of the Capitol in onevideo, archived from the social media website Parler,and appears in surveillance footage posted online by the Republican-led Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight. Reached by NBC News on Tuesday, Antoni declined to comment. A White House official said Wednesday that Antoni was in Washington on Jan. 6 for in-person meetings with his then-employer at an office blocks away from the Capitol, and that he did not cross any barricades or participate in any demonstrations. The footage does not show Antoni crossing barricades or demonstrating. The Parler video, which was alsoarchived by ProPublica, shows Antoni walking away from the crowd on the west side of the Capitol grounds. Tear gas was in the air, and conservative radio host Alex Jones can be heard speaking over a megaphone. At that time, police were struggling to hold off the mob from taking over the inauguration platform. The crowd had surrounded the building but not yet entered the Capitol. Other footage shows Antoni on the east side of the Capitol building, walking south, away from the building. "These pictures show EJ Antoni, a bystander to the events of January 6th, observing and then leaving the Capitol area," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in an e-mailed statement. "EJ was in town for meetings, and it is wrong and defamatory to suggest EJ engaged in anything inappropriate or illegal." The Justice Department's investigation into the Jan. 6 attack was the largest in its history, with prosecutors scouring video evidence to identify and charge participants. The department mostly focused on charging individuals who entered the Capitol building or engaged in aggravating behavior outside. On his first day in office Trump ended the investigation into the Jan. 6 attack,pardoned all of the roughly 1,500 Capitol defendantsand commuted the sentences of others. Trump fired former BLS head Erika McEntarfer earlier this month, suggesting without evidence that she had "rigged" jobs reports for political purposes. The president then said he would nominate Antoni, a frequent guest on Steve Bannon's "War Room," who has long criticized the BLS. Antonisaid in an interview with Fox Newson Aug. 4, before his nomination, that the agency should suspend issuing the monthly job report, instead publishing quarterly data until the reports are more "accurate." Antoni will need to be confirmed by the Senate to take over the BLS. While Republicans control the chamber, Jan. 6 has caused issues for Trump nominees in the past. Trump withdrew his nomination of Ed Martin to take over the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia afterSen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., indicatedthat Martin's past support for Jan. 6 participants would be a deal-breaker.

byMario Satorik

in

August 14, 2025

Trump Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee was a 'bystander' on Jan. 6, White House says

Trump Bureau of Labor Statistics nominee was a 'bystander' on Jan. 6, White House says WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's pic...

Read More