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Former Obama aide declares Jewish Michiganders have a 'moral obligation' to support El-Sayed
Former Obama aide Jon Lovett urged Jewish Michiganders to vote for Abdul El-Sayed, saying voters have a "moral obligation" to support the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Michigan.
On Tuesday's episode of the "Pod Save America" podcast, the co-host condemned President Donald Trump for his rhetoric about El-Sayed at a recent rally for GOP candidate Mike Rogers.
Lovett urged Jewish voters in Michigan to reject Trump's rhetoric, arguing that antisemitism on the left paled in comparison to the "hatred" coming from the right, which he said would eventually make America less safe for Jewish people.
"So Donald Trump says there that any Jew would be ashamed to vote for Abdul, and there's a debate among Jews in Michigan about whether to vote for Abdul. I just want to be very clear, Jews in Michigan have a moral obligation to support Abdul," he said. "They should do it to protect themselves from antisemitism and rising hatred in America."
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"And if that sounds confusing to you at all, you should imagine two futures," he continued. "One in which there is a debate inside the Democratic Party about America's relationship to Israel, military aid for Israel, and antisemitism on the left, which is real. That is a big and important debate we could have to try to find places of agreement, places of consensus. There can be persuasion and argument and hard feelings, but there can be democracy."
The other future, Lovett said, would be dangerous for Jewish people.
"On the other, you have this kind of politics on the right where it is about dominance and hatreds and othering of people. It starts with Muslims," he said. "He does it for trans people. He does it for immigrants. He does it for Haitians, eating the dogs and the cats. If you think that that doesn't end with Jews, you are out of your f---ing minds."
"A country where this kind of politics is rewarded is a country where Jews are less safe. And anyone who has allowed their own concerns and legitimate concerns about Abdul to cloud that ultimate larger point is missing the big picture here," Lovett continued. "For Jews in America, our safety is based around the idea that there's a society in which we can have arguments and disagreements, but we respect those differences. Trump does not believe in that. And we need to have a check on Donald Trump in a Democratic Senate. And maybe Abdul is not your cup of tea. Maybe Abdul is is not — is going to be a reliable vote against Israel. Fine, we can handle that. But we cannot handle a continued slide to this hateful authoritarian right. It will be dangerous for us."
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Manhattan Institute Vice President Jesse Arm, a pollster and Michigan native, wrote to Fox News Digital about Lovett's comments.
"Jon Lovett is a bitterly partisan hack who backed a candidate in Maine with a literal Nazi symbol inked on his chest because he had a D next to his name. He’s in no position to lecture Jews about their moral obligations," he said, appearing to refer to former Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, who suspended his campaign in July following a sexual assault allegation, which he denied.
Arm went on to criticize El-Sayed's response to the March attack on Temple Israel, a synagogue in suburban Detroit, saying in part, "hurt people, hurt people."
"His argument that Jews should vote for the guy who rationalized a terrorist attack targeting their children in a local synagogue preschool because Republicans might turn on them someday is both immoral and idiotic. The hard left is already in the disgraceful, bigoted place he imagines the right someday going," he wrote.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Rogers and El-Sayed's campaigns as well as the RNC and did not receive immediate replies.
Husband arrested in wife's disappearance after family kept getting mystery texts
A Florida man accused of murdering his missing wife allegedly sent her identification and credit cards to a relative in the Philippines as part of an elaborate effort to make it appear she was alive and living overseas, authorities said.
Epifanio IX Ramos Gaminde was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the disappearance of his wife, Maria Gaminde, whose family has had no confirmed contact with her since January 2024.
Her body has not been found, but investigators searched the couple's DeBary, Florida, property Tuesday after a neighbor reported seeing Gaminde doing extensive work behind the home around the time his wife disappeared.
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Maria's family reported her missing in January 2024 after losing contact with her. By July of that year, relatives were raising concerns with investigators about text messages, emails and credit-card activity that purportedly came from Maria overseas.
"The family starts to contact us and say, 'Hey, something's not right. These text messages and emails that we're getting, the spending on her credit cards, too. Something's not right,'" Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said during a news conference Tuesday.
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Gaminde told investigators the couple was having marital problems and claimed his wife had left for either the Philippines or Japan.
Detectives examined digital and forensic evidence and interviewed neighbors as the investigation increasingly focused on Gaminde. Investigators also learned he had previously been arrested twice for domestic violence, Chitwood said.
The investigation eventually stretched overseas, with the FBI helping Volusia County investigators and prosecutors navigate international legal issues before a detective and prosecutor traveled to the Philippines to interview Gaminde's niece.
"She gives up everything," Chitwood said. "She even gives us more information that the FBI has to work with international partners to recover digital evidence from when it occurred."
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Gaminde allegedly emailed his niece Maria's important documents, including her driver's license and credit cards, and instructed her what to do with them, the sheriff said. Investigators believe the activity was intended to create the appearance that Maria was alive and avoiding contact with her family, friends and law enforcement.
Authorities traced Maria's last known activity to December 2023. Investigators determined Maria and her children visited Disney World's Magic Kingdom on Dec. 16 after confirming their fingerprints were used to enter the park.
Four days later, Gaminde allegedly sent his wife a text asking where she was. Communications from Maria then stopped, before messages purportedly from her began coming from overseas.
Despite those communications and the apparent activity on Maria's accounts, investigators found no evidence that she was still alive.
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"There's no financial trail. There's nothing that would indicate that Maria is alive," Chitwood said.
During Tuesday's search of the couple's property, investigators focused on an area behind the home where concrete appeared to have been added. Chitwood cautioned that investigators did not know whether the search would lead them to Maria's remains.
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"We may get lucky, we may not get lucky," Chitwood said.
Prosecutors said they are prepared to pursue the first-degree murder case even if Maria's body is never recovered.
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R.J. Larizza, state attorney for Florida's 7th Judicial Circuit, said the outcome of Tuesday's search would not change the state's plans to prosecute Gaminde.
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"We're fully prepared to move forward without the body," Larizza said. "And I have complete and total confidence in our ability to prosecute this case."
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Gaminde was already in custody after being stopped for allegedly driving without a license when the grand jury returned the murder indictment. He is being held without bond at the Volusia County Branch Jail and also faces an immigration detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Gaminde and Maria came to the United States together around 2008 and have three young sons, the sheriff said. The children were with their father when he was taken into custody and have since been reunited with Maria's family.
Chitwood said the children had been denied contact with their mother's side of the family.
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Gaminde has been interviewed repeatedly during the investigation, but authorities do not believe the accounts he provided.
"Every interview he has given us has just been a lie," Chitwood said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Mystery woman arrested in American's death after manhunt in Costa Rican tourist destination
A woman has been arrested in connection with the death of an American citizen in a tropical beach town popular with tourists in Costa Rica.
In a video statement, Costa Rica Judicial Investigation Agency Deputy Director Vladimir Muñoz said a woman identified as Ortiz was arrested around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in connection with the killing of Fleming, a 74-year-old American who was found dead Sept. 27 at a condominium near the beach.
The incident took place in Playas del Coco, a seaside town in a popular tourist area on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast, at 4:50 p.m. on Sept. 27, according to Costa Rican authorities.
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Muñoz said Fleming met Ortiz online and picked her up near Playas del Coco before driving her to his apartment. The two later got into some type of dispute, during which Ortiz allegedly struck Fleming and caused a fatal head injury, according to Muñoz. She's accused of stealing his bank cards, but it's unknown if they were used.
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The woman had been on the run until authorities arrested her on Tuesday.
At the time of the alleged homicide, the woman was wearing blue denim shorts, sandals and a white bra that had chain-like accessories on it. She was seen in security video released by police walking down a street with another woman, who has also been arrested.
Muñoz said the arrest was the result of confidential tips that were sent to law enforcement, stating Ortiz was arrested at a house in San Felipe de Alajuelita.
China exile-turned-GOP nominee warns socialist surge could give Beijing greater influence in Washington
A congressional nominee who escaped communist China after the Tiananmen Square massacre warned that a Democratic-controlled Congress could create opportunities for Beijing to expand its influence in Washington, threatening U.S. national security.
Lily Tang Williams, the Republican nominee for New Hampshire's 2nd Congressional District, told Fox News Digital that China, a country she believes "wants to bring down the United States," would capitalize on "America’s weakness" if Congress were to be controlled by Democrats in January.
"I fear that the country I love is becoming the country I left," Williams, who is challenging Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., told Fox News Digital. "China will be very happy to see Democrats control the House and Senate. The Democrats want open borders, they want to defund police and abolish private property. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is looking at this as good news."
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Williams pointed to a recent Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) trip, claiming that more than a dozen high-ranking members of the organization traveled to China to "produce favorable coverage of China and its regime," as an example of the Chinese government taking advantage of the "vulnerable Democratic Party" to promote itself in the U.S.
"They now share a similar ideology," Williams said.
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Williams also argued that Democrats' immigration policies could make it easier for Chinese intelligence operatives to enter the U.S., warning about the potential for espionage along the southern border.
The candidate said she believes the DSA's growing influence within the Democratic Party could shape congressional decisions even if Democrats remain in the minority or more moderate lawmakers hold leadership positions.
"The Democrat Party is hijacked by the DSA," Williams said. "We’re going to have a DSA-run Congress, whether moderate Democrats like it or not. Moderate Democrat voters are still so complacent. They don't come out and condemn this extremism because they may even be afraid of repercussions from the DSA and DSA voters."
A recent Gallup poll found that 43% of Americans have a positive view of socialism, for the first time since 2010.
Williams pointed to the rise of socialism among Americans and the possibility that at least six new DSA-affiliated lawmakers could enter Congress in January as reasons for concern about the direction of the Democratic Party.
"Congress will be controlled by people who sympathize with the CCP and its Marxist principles," Williams warned.
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Williams also criticized her Democratic opponent and other members of the party for what she described as their refusal to condemn Marxism, arguing that moderate Democrats could increasingly side with the party's progressive wing in the 120th Congress.
"Our country could fall from within, because we don't really have a good policy to protect ourselves and our national security," Williams said. "My opponent refuses to condemn Marxism and Marxist American figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani when asked. This is very troubling."
During her phone interview with Fox News Digital, Williams raised concerns that lawmakers sympathetic to Marxist ideology could pose national security risks if they gained access to sensitive or classified information.
Goodlander, the DSA and the Democratic Party did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Talarico rally warmup act calls for abolishing ICE, contrasting Senate hopeful's message
Malik Williams, a Democratic candidate for a seat in Texas' state legislature, called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and for legalizing marijuana during a Tuesday rally for U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico in Lubbock, Texas.
"We can legalize and tax THC and cannabis. We're gonna abolish ICE, we're gonna tax the rich and we're going to get my friend, the next United States senator from the state of Texas, James Talarico, elected!" Williams exclaimed to raucous applause.
Talarico, a Democrat running in a historically Republican state, has shied away from making such direct calls to abolish ICE while on the campaign trail.
During a joint CNN and Jubilee town hall, Talarico directly denied wanting to abolish ICE when asked if he supported the idea.
"No, and I never have," Talarico responded, adding, "We need Immigration and Customs Enforcement in this country, but that's not what we're seeing. What we've seen over the last year is a secret police force, and that's what we don't want in this country."
Talarico's recent remarks, however, depart from past comments. In January, during a primary debate with Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, Talarico said it was time to "tear down" ICE.
"ICE shot a mother in the face. ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old boy. ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning. It's time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety," he said.
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Talarico also advocated for "hauling in" agents in front of Congress to testify on actions taken during enforcement actions.
Abolishing ICE is an unpopular opinion among Republicans nationwide, with 67% strongly opposing the idea, according to a July YouGov/The Economist poll. The same poll found 48% of Americans overall supporting ICE's abolition.
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Texas voters, meanwhile, have a moderately negative view of the agency as a whole. Only 42% of the state views the agency as very favorable or somewhat favorable, compared to 47% of the state viewing ICE as somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable, according to a February poll from The Texas Politics Project.
In introducing Talarico on Tuesday, Williams also stumped for a wide number of policies popular with the rising crop of democratic socialists while appearing to bash President Donald Trump and Talarico's Republican opponent Ken Paxton.
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"When we have embarrassing loser representatives that support a fascist, racist, rapist, war criminal, I say we deserve better! When the backbone of Texas, our ranchers and farmers, tell us that they do not want data centers and then our politicians, as they love to do, they force it upon us without consent, I say we deserve better!" Williams exclaimed to fanfare.
Williams also advocated for more education funding, guaranteed childcare and an expansion of healthcare, all popular policies with the Democratic Socialists of America.
The Talarico, Williams and Paxton campaigns did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital for further comment.
Boxing fan favorite Amanda Serrano announces 'The Last Walk' fight in home country of Puerto Rico
One of the greatest boxers of all time is hanging up the gloves.
World featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and Most Valuable Promotions, co-founded by Jake Paul, announced that Serrano will have her "Last Walk" on Jan. 9 against Skye Falzon in her home country of Puerto Rico.
"Boxing has been my life, and I never could have imagined the journey it would take me and my family on. From the early days when women's boxing was fighting for recognition in small theater shows, to headlining Madison Square Garden in New York, reaching millions of fans around the world on the biggest shows, and helping open doors for the next generation of female fighters, [husband] Jordan [Maldonado] and I always believed and I'm proud of everything we've accomplished...
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"To close my career at home in Puerto Rico, in front of the people who have supported me from the beginning, means everything. On Saturday, January 9, I'm going to give the fans one final night to remember. This is The Last Walk of my boxing career, and I hope everyone who has been part of this journey, from Puerto Rico and New York to fans watching around the world... will be there to share it with me."
Serrano also praised Paul and his MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian for helping her pave the way for women's boxing.
"Nakisa, Jake and MVP believed in me and in women's boxing, and together we've helped change what's possible for women in this sport. We've fought for respect, equal opportunities, fair pay, and the choice to compete under the same rules as men. There's still more work to do, and I'll continue fighting for the next generation long after I hang up my gloves."
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"Amanda Serrano is the MOAT. The Most Of All Time. The most accomplished female boxer of all time, the most watched, the most paid, and one of the most influential athletes this sport has ever seen," Paul and Bidarian said. "When Amanda became MVP's first signee, we made a commitment to build a platform where the greatest female fighters in the world could receive the recognition, compensation and opportunities they deserve. Amanda has been the foundation of that vision, and her success has helped change the entire landscape of women's boxing. Together, we've shattered records, delivered some of the biggest events in combat sports history and proven that women's boxing belongs on the world's biggest stages.
"The Last Walk is a celebration of an athlete who changed the sport forever, and alongside DAZN who has supported women’s boxing’s biggest events time and time again, we're proud to give Amanda the farewell she deserves. Saturday, January 9, will mark the end of an extraordinary career inside the ring, but Amanda's legacy will live on through every female fighter who follows in her footsteps."
Serrano had already made a name for herself in the boxing world but gained worldwide popularity when her second fight against Katie Taylor was the co-main event of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson in November 2024. Serrano lost all three of her fights to Taylor by decision, two of which were main events at a sold-out Madison Square Garden.
She is 50-4-1 and has won each of her last three fights since facing Taylor on July 11, 2025. This will be her sixth pro fight in Puerto Rico and the second at the Coliseo.
Trump's unusual legal gambit against Biden-era deportation rule pays off at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court, with no noted dissents, has allowed an agreement between Texas and the Department of Justice ending a Biden-era immigration rule to go into effect.
The Biden administration adopted the rule in 2024, formally establishing procedures for immigration judges to temporarily pause certain deportation proceedings through a practice known as "administrative closure," including when migrants were pursuing immigration relief through other federal proceedings. The Supreme Court's move leaves in place a lower court ruling eliminating that rule, stripping away a procedure that allowed certain deportation cases to be put on hold.
Texas sued the federal government in June, arguing that the rule was adopted without proper legal authority.
The Department of Justice agreed with Texas, asking the judge overseeing the case to vacate the rule and prevent similar rules from being adopted in the future.
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Opponents accused Texas and the Justice Department of colluding to eliminate the Biden-era rule, arguing that the two sides worked together despite being on opposite sides of the lawsuit.
On the same day the DOJ made its request, District Judge Reed O’Connor, an appointee of President George W. Bush, granted it.
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In August, however, three cities with large immigrant populations — Baltimore, Maryland; New Haven, Connecticut; and Columbus, Ohio — joined with Centro Legal de la Raza, an immigrant legal advocacy group, in an effort to intervene in the case and defend the Biden-era rule on appeal.
The cities argued that eliminating the rule could lead to residents being deported, reducing their tax revenues and giving them legal standing to challenge the agreement. O’Connor rejected that argument.
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On Oct. 9, the three cities and Centro Legal de la Raza asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block the lower court's judgment while their appeal proceeded, accusing Texas and the federal government of engaging in "egregious collusion" to eliminate the Biden-era rule.
Federal lawyers argued that the cities and their allies lacked legal standing to challenge the agreement because they had not demonstrated the concrete injury required for a federal court to consider their claims.
Nightmare at Halloween attraction sparks hunt for more victims, 1 arrested
Investigators are urging the public to come forward as there may be more victims of an alleged serial sex offender who attacked a woman at a popular Halloween attraction.
Edward Eisenhard, 38, is facing a slew of charges after prosecutors in Bucks County, Pennsylvania say he sexually assaulted three female victims; one of them was under 12 years old.
"There are real monsters in the world," said District Attorney Joe Khan during a Tuesday news conference.
He went on to say the suspect is a "highly dangerous recidivistic sex offender."
One of his alleged attacks happened at Valley of Fear, which is a haunted hayride attraction in Feasterville, Pennsylvania.
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Eisenhard is accused of strangling and sexually assaulting a victim while he was on a break while working at the attraction.
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A criminal complaint says on September 25, the attraction's opening night, the suspect approached an employee who was working alone and "grabbed the victim tightly by her throat to the point that she had difficulty breathing, pinned both of her wrists above her head against a wall, made sexual comments, and indecently assaulted her over her clothing."
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Valley of Fear fired him the next day. Two days after he was fired, he allegedly sexually assaulted the victim again at Five Below in Hilltown Township — where he also worked.
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The victim told investigators Eisenhard, who was her boss, restrained and sexually assaulted her as she was cleaning the back stockroom of the store.
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He was arrested on October 1.
Before those cases — investigators say he also "repeatedly" abused and sexually assaulted a victim under 12 years old at a home in Springfield Township.
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Detectives with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office discovered additional allegations of this behavior at both of Eisenhard's workplaces and "strongly believe that there are additional victims."
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Eisenhard is currently in jail after he was unable to post bail following his initial arrest.
His charges were upgraded Thursday, and the DA is requesting that he be held without bail.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Valley of Fear and to Five Below for comment.
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Mahjong is the new tailgate game taking over college football for women — and even at home with head coaches
It's not only college football that has been the focus of my attention over the past three months. It is also the new American pastime that has taken over the kitchen tables of Southern women and is making its way into tailgates on a weekly basis across the country.
It's not a new recipe, or a new table design. Instead, it's Mahjong.
A simple walk to Tiger Stadium on the campus of Louisiana State University during the opening weekend of the college football season certainly changed my outlook on the newest trend sweeping the the nation, one expensive set at a time.
It started a few months earlier when I was first introduced to this game, thanks to a friend we'll just call "Sam" for the sake of keeping the wild world of Mahjong between the groups that play it.
I wouldn’t want to give away any secrets, and I would learn over time that this was on the same level as men getting together for a night of poker.
The one thing I did not expect to see while making my way into a college football game was four ladies sitting at a table within a tailgate playing this game while others around them were immersed in your normal pregame activities that included alcohol.
Did I just stumble into a whole new world?
What was it about this game that led to women, and men, finding themselves sitting at a table covered in a 'mat' playing with 'tiles' that were labeled differently and a rule pamphlet that was also used to stir up the same table of "craks," "bams" and "dots."
Yes, those are different items used to play Mahjong, which I still have no idea how to play.
Also, it had unbeknownst to me, the game had made its way to other tailgates across college football that included Ole Miss, Alabama and Indiana. Yes, I know for a fact it's being played at other tailgates across this country, even if I haven’t been able to see it firsthand just yet.
And why were there so many different colors involved, or why did every playing surface look different?
Turns out, I was on the cusp of being astonished at how much this was actually being played around college athletics.
No, I'm not just talking about the wives of coaches who might get together on a weekly basis to discuss life while playing this game.
I still remember, three or so months ago, when "Sam" told me i'd be surprised to know how many men participate in Mahjong as a way to decompress. More on that later, with a coaching twist.
Now, for full disclosure, I have yet to learn the intricate details of this game, nor have I sat down to play a round.
And, I'm not just talking about a hand of "cards." These were elaborate get togethers, with women hosting game nights usually on a rotating basis, while some outings will take place in a local studio or room that could also be used as a storefront.
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This turned into an investigative mission to find out how deep this whole Mahjong craze goes.
It just so happens that there are actual stores that sell "tiles," playing "mats," sets that include marketing agreements with the 'Grateful Dead'.
Yes, the band.
How would I know about this?
I'm sure by now you are wondering why in the world a sports writer would become so fascinated by a game that is played a majority of the time by women. It probably helps that "Sam" is so into this game that I have been running at system overload for months now, even though I enjoy hearing about these game nights that can most certainly be competitive.
So, what did I do?
This particular weekend had me in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, not far from home. Besides my algorithm on social media steering me toward different social media pages thanks to my curiosity, I needed to see what all the fuss was about.
One google search later I found myself taking a detour on the way to Bryant-Denny Stadium to the Tuscaloosa Mahjong Parlor, just off the boulevard near the University of Alabama campus. The nerves I felt walking into this store were almost as intense as interviewing a head coach following a game, wondering where my brain would take me in the press conference setting.
Luckily, Heather Fikes welcomed me into her store that is also home to a business ran by her husband, Steve, like I was just another friend on a random Friday afternoon.
The colors were something I had never seen before, with boxes of "sets" stacked eloquently throughout the store. There were also 'mats', travel cases and just about anything else one could imagine needed for such a hobby.
The awkward introduction by myself as a sports reporter looking to learn more about this game turned into a 45-minute conversation on nearly every single item for sale in this beautiful area designed just to sell the game known as "Mahjong."
And no, sorry guys, this hobby is not cheap.
I had to do a double-take when I heard that the colorful "Grateful Dead" set that caught my eye would cost over $400, which I immediately texted "Sam" about in full disbelief.
Not because it wasn’t worth it, but more so at how shocked I was to learn how this game had taken on a life of itself over the years, at least in the deep south, and if I get caught in the storm it can be pricey. But don't worry, guys there's a cheaper way.
I also didn’t know you could have a Mahjong "hookup" that could get you the same looking game equipment, but for a much cheaper price on what I would normally call the 'black market'.
It was also Heather's husband, Steve, that reaffirmed my thoughts that this game was essentially the same as poker is for men. A way for women to gather within their communities to either let off some steam, congregate to share details of their life, or actually get into the competitive spirit.
Yes, this can also get confrontational at times, with words being traded and attitudes checked at either the tailgate tent or the door to each hosting house.
Turns out, this was more relevant than I had imagined, and not just outside the college football stadium in this case.
For the sake of not giving other coaches ammunition to use within the group texts within the community of each conference, I decided to hold-off on actually naming the coaches who were drawn into this game by their wives or significant others.
Also, there were coaches from six different conferences polled, so it would be hard to pin down a specific school.
Thanks to "Sam" giving me the idea, along with a few sources with insider knowledge, I started randomly communicating with a number of college football head coaches to gauge whether they had been pulled into this lifestyle.
"Dude, who told you I was playing?" one Power Four head coach responded to my question on whether they had ever played. "I use it as a way to relax, but unfortunately this damn game is addicting. I get home from the office and play a few rounds with my girls and wife.
"But man, I thought we were competitive on the football field. This is a whole different animal. I did win a round last month, though."
Then, it was another message to an unsuspecting coach within another conference.
"Alright, who gave me up? That's some bulls—," another Power Four coach jokingly replied. "Yea Trey, I probably play at least once every two weeks. When you sit down at the table, and you have all of those darn tiles, I was lost for the first couple weeks.
"I've got my wife over here talking smack, and then I'm getting it from my sister. Then, if I come home and she has friends over, I like to get at least one game in before heading upstairs. Every now and then I'm allowed to sit for a few rounds until it's time for me to leave the room so they can continue their night. If you're going to play, you better lock in, because they don't cut you any slack after a few practice rounds."
For full transparency, I sent inquiries to ten different head coaches over a two-day period asking if they had ever played Mahjong.
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Out of the 10, six of them let me know they had at least played the game, with five of them informing me that they actually partake on a monthly basis.
"I'm so confused most of the time, but it also gives me something that allows me to spend some extra time with my daughters," another head coach told OutKick. "So, if I get an extra hour a week with them over this game, I'll one day figure out a way to beat them.
"They don't know it yet, but I've been watching tutorials online."
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And while I admit that I have not had enough time to sit down and learn the intricate details of this phenomenon that was first brought to my attention through "Sam's" weekly game nights, I can now say that I at least understand the craze that comes with it.
My wandering mind has sent me all across this country investigating stories related to college athletics.
In no way did I expect to see Mahjong intersect with college football. But, I also got to see this game through someone else's eyes, which will make this easier once I finally get the time to learn, I hope.
I guess that's the best part about my job.
You learn something new every day, or at every tailgate.
Amy Grant says Vince Gill isn't 'afraid to put somebody in their place' after confronting radio host
Amy Grant is opening up about her relationship with her husband, Vince Gill, after over 20 years of marriage, saying he will always stand up for her.
During a recent interview with Fox News Digital, the 65-year-old singer touched on her marriage to Gill, noting that while he is "kind, kind, kind," he will do anything to protect her.
"He does have a toggle switch, and if somebody does something to throw that switch, he can respond so quickly," she said. "And so he can see the field, and he's got a quick mind. And he is not afraid to put somebody in their place or be protective. And so, yeah, I mean, I feel so loved by him."
In March, Gill told the story of the time he confronted host Don Imus while on his radio show, and called him out for talking negatively about him and Grant.
AMY GRANT'S EMOTIONAL ACCOUNT OF DOCTORS AND NURSES SINGING OUTSIDE DOLLY PARTON'S HOSPITAL ROOM
He told the "Naked Lunch" podcast that Imus started out as a fan of his, but after he married Grant the radio host changed his tune and would say things such as, "Vince Gill, lost the Baby Jesus, married that Christian girl." While on his radio show, Gill waited until Grant's name came up and then took his chance to stand up for his wife.
"I said, ‘Well, if you ever met her, you'd never say an unkind word about her,’" Gill said. "‘I'm going to shoot you straight.’ I said, ‘I really only came on this show for one reason.’ I said, ‘We're either going to talk this out, straighten this out,’ I said, 'or I'm going to crawl across this desk, and I'm going to kick your a--.'"
Gill noted that on his way home from the interview, he caught Imus on the air and heard him say, "I don't know why I was giving that guy so much crap. I love that guy," adding that the two of them stayed friends until Imus' death in December 2019.
When speaking with Fox News Digital, Grant described all the ways Gill has shown up for her throughout their marriage, including when she had unexpected open-heart surgery in 2020, and when she had a bike accident in 2022, which affected her short-term memory.
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"My short-term memory was shot. There's so much I couldn't remember," she recalled. "I was processing so slow and I just remember saying to him, 'What if this is all I ever had? What if this is as good as it gets?' And he said, 'Amy, anything could happen to any of us. An accomplished musician could have a stroke and never use their left hand again.' And he said, 'We're just going to take each day and it's enough.'"
She explained that his message of staying together no matter what, is something he has always conveyed, "whether spoken or not."
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Grant shared that when she told Gill she felt so understood by him, he responded by saying that he doesn't always understand her, but noted, "I welcome you, Amy, whatever you bring, I welcome you."
"I was trying to be like, 'You know me, you get it.' He was just going, 'I don't know if I can say that, but I'm here and my arms are wide open,' and that's how he's always done," she said. "We've just discovered each other day by day over 26 years and I love him more now. The more I know him, the more I love him. And everybody's life partner is just their life partner. And so you just get to know each other at every new chapter and life brings a lot to everybody."
Gill and Grant married in March 2000 and welcomed their daughter, Corrina, in March 2001. They met in 1993 while both married to other people. They confirmed they were dating in October 1999. After Gill and his first wife divorced in 1997, Grant and her first husband separated in 1998.
Grant also spoke to Fox News Digital about her recent tribute to Dolly Parton at the Dove Awards, which she did alongside Christian singer Natalie Grant.
When it came time to sing one of Parton's songs, Amy said she was nervous and didn't think she "could pull off any of her songs," noting "her stuff is tough," and just "fit" Parton's voice.
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"All I'm saying is we all bring our unique gifts to the table, but I would not have had the opportunity to honor Dolly in song had Natalie not asked me. And, afterward, she and I just had a big hug and said, 'What a one time to sing. What a chance to share that we're honoring this icon.' So, it was so meaningful to both of us."