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At least 40 rescued, 2 dead as boat capsizes after machete fight near Puerto Rico
At least 40 people were rescued in open waters by the U.S. Coast Guard and two people died after their boat capsized several miles from a tiny, uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico following a fight that involved a machete, officials said on Monday.
Survivors said there was an estimated 60 people aboard, according to the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard said the makeshift boat capsized late Sunday after a fight in which some people were severely injured by a machete, forcing the group to jump into the water despite not wearing life vests.
Survivors had spent more than 12 hours in the water when someone on a boat passing near Mona Island noticed them at around noon on Monday.
The person alerted authorities and helped rescue four people at that moment.
Rescue efforts were still ongoing as of Monday evening.
The Coast Guard said it was not immediately known where the people who were on the capsized boat were from.
Migrants fleeing poverty and violence have long traveled from Hispaniola, the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, to Puerto Rico and other islands, moving through the Mona Passage.
Many of these migrants navigate the passage on makeshift boats that can capsize in treacherous waters.
This incident marked only the latest deadly voyage.
In June 2022, 11 Haitian women and girls were buried in Puerto Rico after their grossly overloaded boat capsized in open waters northwest of the U.S. territory.
COAST GUARD OPENS FIRE ON BOAT SMUGGLING 25 CHINESE NATIONALS NEAR FLORIDA AFTER IT REFUSED TO STOP
Last week, police in the Turks and Caicos Islands detained a makeshift vessel carrying 60 Haitian migrants.
In June, 240 Haitian migrants were detained near the the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, where more than 3,000 people were reportedly killed between January and June, according to U.N. data.
Armed men control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and portions of land in Haiti’s central region and beyond.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
State Department considers sharing passport records for voter citizenship checks
The State Department is assessing how it could grant state and local officials access to federal passport records to verify voters' citizenship status ahead of the midterm elections in November.
The department is weighing how to share passport information with state and local officials, as well as some nonprofit groups, as part of the initiative that aims to ensure registered voters are U.S. citizens.
The objective of the plan is to share the information in a way that "protects Americans' data, deters fraud and supports the integrity of U.S. citizenship," a department spokesperson said in a statement to NewsNation.
The Justice Department disclosed the plan in a court filing last week, saying federal officials plan to use passport records to identify potential noncitizens on voter registration rolls.
TRUMP SCORES SUPREME COURT WIN IN ELECTION INTEGRITY FIGHT AS STATES GAIN NEW VOTER ROLL TOOL
According to the filing, the State Department will publish a notice in the Federal Register proposing to share information contained in the Passport Services Records system with other federal agencies.
The notice would permit "information sharing with various entities utilizing federal government verification platforms, for the purpose of verifying the identity or citizenship for users accessing government websites and applications, voter eligibility, and other governmental services," according to the filing.
The records the Trump administration plans to share include personally identifiable information contained in the State Department's Passport Services Records system.
The 1974 Privacy Act requires the federal government to provide public notice establishing a new "routine use" for records maintained in a federal records system.
The DOJ filing said the notice could be published in the Federal Register as early as Oct. 22.
The filing came just days before a 6-3 Supreme Court decision on Friday that allowed the Department of Homeland Security to share citizenship information so local governments can verify whether registered voters are U.S. citizens.
DEMOCRAT NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR SAYS THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS DISCOVERED ON VOTER ROLLS, PURGED
Earlier attempts by the administration to use federal records to verify voter eligibility primarily relied on records from the Social Security Administration and DHS, with several of those efforts halted by successful court challenges.
The filing was submitted in a lawsuit brought by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee against President Trump over his executive order on mail voting. The Supreme Court recently blocked the U.S. Postal Service from implementing parts of that order, though other provisions remain in effect.
The filing was submitted in a case brought by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and other Democratic plaintiffs challenging Trump’s executive order on mail voting. The Supreme Court recently declined to lift a lower-court injunction blocking the U.S. Postal Service from adopting its final mail-ballot rule for the November elections.
Lindsay Clancy's push to probe holdout juror hits snag before pivotal retrial hearing
PLYMOUTH, Mass. — A Massachusetts judge overseeing the Lindsay Clancy case is expected to hear arguments on her double jeopardy motion Tuesday, while another push to investigate the lone holdout juror in her mistrial may be on hold — for now.
Clancy is expected in court in person for the first time since her trial ended in a deadlocked jury and the judge declared a mistrial on Sept. 4.
In the weeks since her mistrial, Clancy's case has remained a topic of national interest, with fellow jurors and Clancy's defense attorney attacking the lone holdout. At the same time, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz's office has been relatively quiet about their plans for a potential retrial.
LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR ASKS FOR ONE THING IN NEW VIDEO AFTER MISTRIAL DRAMA
Here's a roundup of what to expect as she returns to court:
Clancy's defense lawyer Kevin Reddington had called for an inquiry into the lone holdout juror, Michael Desronvil, whom he has dubbed "the obstructionist juror." Desronvil opposed 11 others on the panel and was the only one who wanted to find her guilty until the end.
LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR'S LAWYER TORCHES 'LOONEY TUNES MOTION' TO INVESTIGATE HIM
However, according to Desronvil's attorney, Edward Paltzik, both Reddington and Plymouth County prosecutors agreed to adjourn that motion after counsel for the holdout raised an objection because they didn't yet have access to impounded materials necessary to file a response.
"The DA and Reddington consent to adjourn the motion to investigate Michael," Paltzik told Fox News' Kayleigh McEnany Monday.
ATTORNEY FOR LONE HOLDOUT JUROR IN LINDSAY CLANCY MISTRIAL PUSHES BACK ON CLAIMS OF REFUSING THE LAW
"If Judge Sullivan signs an order today, much of it could be adjourned," he said. "Either way, a status conference is still likely."
Reddington pushed back, forcefully, while conceding that he and the district attorney's office had agreed to continue the motion out of professional courtesy to local counsel now representing the juror.
"Earlier today, both the government and I were contacted by a professional local attorney who represents Juror Doe," he said, not using the juror's name due to an impoundment order from the court. "That attorney requested — as any qualified counsel would — adequate time to review our motion and reply."
He added, "As is professional courtesy, both the government and I agreed to continue this specific motion to a later date at their request. The motion remains active, fully alive, and is currently pending a ruling from Judge Sullivan. We will not allow a publicity-seeking opportunist to twist simple courtroom courtesy into a victory that does not exist."
The terms adjourned and continued are similar but have distinct meanings.
"Adjournment generally signifies that something like a hearing is off indefinitely especially because no date is specified," explained retired Massachusetts Judge Carol Erskine. "A continuance is a simple request by a party or two parties to get a new date. [Reddington] objects because adjournment is a misrepresentation of what is happening."
If Reddington ultimately prevails, the court could hold a Fidler hearing, where the judge would question Desronvil.
"There are three phases to a hearing like that," said Erskine, who is also a child welfare advocate and has been closely following the case. "This is something that could result in a strong manifest necessity claim but hard to tell until it happens."
LINDSAY CLANCY'S ATTORNEY ASKS JUDGE TO ACQUIT HER OUTRIGHT, ENDING CASE AND BARRING A RETRIAL
Manifest necessity is the legal standard required to hold a second trial. Erskine said the motion is a long-shot but Reddington is likely laying the foundation for an appeal in the future.
"The big issue, in my opinion, is whether outside information came into the jury room and whether a judge can find that any 'hypothetical juror' would let it influence his decision," she told Fox News Digital. "It’s definitely more complicated than that, but there is case law about it."
"This is a strange new world in which disagreeing jurors and their surrogates conduct a public debate after the trial in the media and social media," said Jack Lu, another retired Massachusetts judge.
Reddington's request for an inquiry into Desronvil is largely based on allegations from other jurors who accused him of having reasonable doubt about the case and ignoring it. He is seeking phone records, his confidential juror questionnaire and police records.
However, he's also called him an "obstructionist" outside the courtroom and accused him of having an "agenda."
"[The other jurors] know that they were robbed — by one man — for whatever his agenda was, who stole seven weeks of the life of these other jurors that were so attentive, so beautiful, so wonderful and listened to this evidence," he told reporters after leaving the courthouse on Sept. 4, the day the mistrial was declared.
Still, he downplayed speculation from legal analysts about a potential defamation lawsuit from the holdout against Clancy's team.
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"Defamation law is textbook complex," he told Fox News Digital. "Statements made in court proceedings are privileged."
Statements made out of court that could appear to be "false statements of fact" may end up being considered opinions, he added.
"If a person says X happened, and we all know that person was not present, then it may be deemed to be an opinion," he said. "This might apply to any alleged statements about what happened in the jury room."
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"I don’t think any of the legal maneuvering, double jeopardy, all that stuff, a hearing in the trial court with the juror, I don't think it’s going anywhere," said Mark Bederow, a New York-based criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor who is following the case.
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"If you get down to brass tacks, once you get through all this, now you have to look at the DA and say, what are you doing?" he added.
Most prosecutors would not seek a second trial in a case where only one juror agreed with them, he said, but that appears unlikely in this case.
"At the first trial, the prosecution, in my view, failed miserably to satisfy their burden — but there is a credible argument that she's guilty and intended to cause their deaths and knew right from wrong," he said. "In order for them to win, they need to get better experts."
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The Commonwealth needs experts who can discredit Clancy's defense experts, he said. And prosecutors also have room to improve their jury selection.
As for Reddington, he described him as "a titan of the Massachusetts bar" who is filing motions that make sense for his client's benefit, regardless of his commentary outside the courtroom.
"That's not frivolous, and any lawyer knows that," he told Fox News Digital.
Case Keenum's performance in win over Eagles should tell Bears this: Don't rush back Caleb Williams
Case Keenum turned back the clock, as the 38-year-old quarterback led the Chicago Bears to a resounding 27-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.
It was Keenum’s first start since Week 16 of the 2023 season, but you wouldn’t have guessed that with how well he executed head coach Ben Johnson’s offense on his way to a performance to remember with his family and the rest of the NFL looking on.
Keenum’s performance was so good that the Bears need to be told one thing (if they weren’t thinking so already): don’t rush back Caleb Williams.
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Yes, the franchise quarterback who is the Bears’ best chance to reach the Super Bowl – don’t rush him back onto the field.
Of course, this is only one performance from Keenum, who is the third-string quarterback on the Bears’ depth chart. Tyson Bagent is Williams’ usual backup, while the journeyman Keenum rounds out the depth in the room.
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However, Johnson stuck with Keenum as his starter this week in a key primetime matchup against the 2-0 Eagles, another team that is a strong candidate to come out of the NFC and make it back to the "Big Game." Bagent was cleared from concussion protocol, but he was Keenum’s backup heading into the night.
That’s how confident Johnson and the Bears were that Keenum would be able to execute the gameplan and get Chicago back on the winning track.
"Whatever happens today, I’m going to give God the glory. And hopefully it makes those kids proud," Keenum told ESPN before the game, pointing to his kids on the field prior to kickoff.
Johnson immediately started the game for Keenum with a few short passes to get his bearings, but it was clear from the opening drive that he was ready to do more than just dink and dunk his way to a win. Keenum led an 11-play drive that ended with Luther Burden III’s first touchdown catch of the season in a game that got him back on track after being quiet the first two weeks.
From there, Keenum continued to shine with well-timed passes, hitting his receivers in stride out of breaks. He was making the right pre-snap checks at the line of scrimmage, and he even made throws across the field with pressure right in his grill from the Eagles’ defense.
This wasn’t a game where Johnson tried to be extremely creative with the run game, getting D’Andre Swift and others involved to alleviate the pressure on Keenum. It was business as usual, it seemed, and it worked to hand Nick Sirianni and the Eagles their first loss of the season.
Keenum finished the game an efficient 24-of-34 for 247 yards with two touchdowns through the air, and oh yeah, his first rushing touchdown since 2019. It was the game-sealing score, as Keenum’s quarterback sneak was the last thing the Eagles thought would be coming on third-and-goal, and he dove across the goal line with a bear-sized smile on his face with his teammates celebrating around him.
This game was also further proof that Johnson remains arguably the best offensive mind in football, someone who can make anyone look good under center. But Keenum still had to execute his coach's wizardry, and he proved to be a viable option to hold down the fort and keep the offense moving while Williams recovers. With Williams dealing with an injury that’s always tricky for players in this league, there’s no reason to rush him back and risk aggravating it again.
The Bears seem to be in good hands with their 38-year-old journeyman at the helm, as they head into a matchup with the New York Jets at home in Week 4.
As for the Eagles, Jalen Hurts went 16-for-25 for 153 yards with a rushing touchdown and one interception thrown. It wasn’t a night to remember for either side of the ball, but they will need to get things going next week against the 1-2 Los Angeles Rams.
LeBron James admits he nearly joined the Knicks before Jalen Brunson won the NBA title without him
LeBron James took the mic at 76ers Media Day, sounding like classic LeBron.
After a summer of endless free agency rumors, opting out of his contract, and leaving his family on the West Coast to chase another ring in the East, he finally landed in Philadelphia.
Yet before taking a single shot in a Sixers uniform, he was already laying down excuses and tossing his new teammates under the bus.
"If we can do that, then we can be a great team," he said.
"If we don't do that, then we'll be like, 'Oh man, it was a great team on paper. We had a lot of great talent, and we lost in the second round.' I don't wanna do that. I didn't leave my family to lose in the second round, I know that for sure. So the work needs to be done, and I'm ready to put the work in."
Classic LeBron. If they win, he is the savior. If they lose, the team on paper simply did not put in the work.
Then came the best part.
LeBron admitted he nearly signed with the New York Knicks, but backed off after they won a championship without him, knowing fans would roast him online for pulling a Kevin Durant.
"I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden," LeBron said. "One of the best places I've ever played. I think it's the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player. But after they beat San Antonio, I was like, 'Hey, I can't.' I couldn't do it. Y'all wouldn't have let me lay that down, at all."
"But much respect to the Knicks, obviously," LeBron added. "An unbelievable team, unbelievable players. Shout out Jalen Brunson. I love that guy, he's unbelievable. But, yeah, I'm happy where I'm at, and I'm looking forward to it."
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He wanted to end the drought himself.
Once Jalen Brunson took care of business, LeBron bailed for Philly.
Dropping LeBron into that locker room immediately raised questions about who actually runs the show in Philadelphia. Asked on Monday who the "alpha" of the Sixers is, Jaylen Brown shut it down cold: "Next question."
THE 76ERS JUMP TO BETTING FAVORITE OUT EAST AFTER LEBRON JAMES TAKES HIS TALENTS TO PHILADELPHIA
Then came the pandering to the Philly crowds.
"They know ball," LeBron said. "And if you're not doing what you're supposed to do, they're going to let you hear it, and I'm excited about that."
Sure you are, LeBron.
As for how he fits alongside Embiid and Tyrese Maxey entering Season 24, LeBron had zero doubts about his remaining capability.
"The luxury of my game is that I can do everything," James declared. "Literally, I can do everything."
"I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey ..." LeBron added.
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Whether Philly fans buy into the act remains to be seen.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Senate passes Protect College Sports Act with decisive vote
The Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act, establishing national rules for college athletics, which includes standards for Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals, athlete compensation, recruiting, eligibility, transferring and more.
The bill, led by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., was passed by a vote of 77-22 on Monday night.
President Donald Trump has urged lawmakers to pass the bill, saying "we have to get that done" prior to Congress' summer recess.
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"I’m urging the House and the Senate to come together, bipartisan if possible and it looks like they have done, to send the bill to my desk and I will sign it," he said the night he hosted members of Team USA from the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, who performed well earlier this year. "I think we have no choice. We have to get that done. If we don’t, we’re very foolish. Nobody knows what will happen. We’re in Never-Never Land. We’re not going to let that be happening. We’re not going to let that happen to these great people and others."
The bill finally got pushed to the next phase earlier this month, giving the Senate the opportunity to advance the bipartisan bill. Now, the bill will go to the House of Representatives, and Trump may see it on his desk to sign into law if it goes through there.
RAND PAUL: POLITICIANS SHOULD STAY OUT OF COLLEGE SPORTS AND LET ATHLETES COMPETE FREELY
"I think most people acknowledge that the current landscape of college sports is a mess," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said ahead of the vote. "It needs to be addressed."
The Protect College Sports Act would provide the collegiate governing body with greater antitrust legal protections while also establishing a uniform framework for college athletics in terms of NIL compensation, the transfer portal and more.
Cruz was the one pitching the bill since the NCAA made its decision to allow student-athletes the opportunity to benefit financially while playing college sports. However, there were no boundaries, and despite the NCAA attempting to clean up after the landmark decision in 2021, its asked lawmakers to step in for help.
"Some have asked why should Congress get in the middle of this? The answer is simple: because Congress screwed it up in the first place," Cruz said during a news conference on Monday.
"It has been the federal antitrust laws applied in litigation after litigation after litigation that have had the effect of tearing down essentially all the rules," he continued. "So right now it is the Wild West."
The bill would broadly add restrictions to the transfer portal for athletes, while creating a uniform eligibility framework of five years. Recruiting and tampering guardrails would be established, where schools or agents will have to follow specified timeframes when they’re allowed to contact or recruit an athlete. Also, a federal standard for NIL rules and a revenue-sharing cap would be set if the bill were to be signed into law.
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There are opponents of the bill, however, including Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. who said it would take away bargaining power from the athletes, while creating exemptions from antitrust law for schools.
"The ‘chaos’ is that (mostly Black) athletes now have bargaining power and White coaches and sports industry execs hate it," Murphy said on X earlier this month.
Finally, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., alongside Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., filed an amendment to the bill in August aimed at preventing the bill from overriding state laws that bar biological men from competing in women’s sports. They wanted to close, what they viewed as, a loophole to undo laws in their states designed to keep biological males out of women’s sports.
Hawley said earlier this month he voted to advance the legislation after saying his concern was addressed and fixed within the bill to his satisfaction.
The House is under recess until after the midterm elections, meaning a potential vote on the bill to send it to Trump's desk would have to wait.
Kentucky trooper, father of 3, gunned down during traffic stop as suspect captured after manhunt
A routine traffic stop on a Kentucky interstate turned deadly Monday when a state trooper was gunned down, launching a statewide manhunt that ended with a suspect in custody.
Trooper Hayden Phillips, 30, was killed along Interstate 65 in Warren County. He leaves behind a wife and three young sons.
"He was senselessly murdered," U.S. Attorney Kyle Bumgarner said at a Monday night news conference. "We have a wife that expected her husband to come home. We have three little boys who don’t have a dad."
Phillips was a three-year veteran of Kentucky State Police, assigned to Post 3 in Bowling Green. He graduated from Cadet Class 103 and was known to fellow troopers as Unit 369.
"Because he served us, because he served our community, because he wanted to keep each of us safe," Bumgarner said. "He gave the ultimate sacrifice."
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Col. Phillip Burnett Jr. pledged to pursue justice for Phillips.
"We will seek justice for Hayden," Burnett said. "Let me repeat that, we will seek justice for Hayden. We will not rest until this happens."
JURY CONVICTS KEVIN SALAZAR IN EXECUTION-STYLE KILLING OF LA DEPUTY RYAN CLINKUNBROOMER
Burnett called Phillips’ death one of the most difficult moments the agency could endure.
"His dedication to duty and commitment to the Commonwealth will never be forgotten," Burnett said. "Our hearts break for Trooper Phillips’ family, loved ones, and fellow troopers as we grieve this tremendous loss."
State police initially announced a trooper-involved shooting on northbound I-65 near the 38-mile marker. They then asked the public to watch for a bluish-gray Honda Civic with an Alabama tag that had been present during the shooting. A Blue Alert identified Emonnie Branch as the wanted person.
Louisville Metro Police took Branch into custody, and state police canceled the alert. Burnett said Branch was being charged with the murder of a first responder. Bumgarner said Branch would be returned to Warren County to face state murder charges.
MAN WANTED IN DEPUTY AMBUSH CAUGHT AFTER WILDLIFE CAMERA SIGHTING AND MAJOR MANHUNT
"I want you to know I only mentioned his name one time," Burnett said of Branch, condemning what he called the suspect’s "cowardly actions."
Authorities have not said why Phillips stopped the vehicle or whether Branch had a prior criminal record.
"One of our own was gunned down and murdered on the side of the road," Bumgarner said. He pledged that the Justice Department would give Kentucky prosecutors and investigators "every tool" and "every bit of support" it could provide.
Burnett addressed Phillips’ family directly, promising that state police would stand beside them.
"You will not walk this path alone," he said.
"Rest Easy U/369. We have it from here," state police wrote in a tribute to Phillips.
Gov. Andy Beshear called Phillips a hero who dedicated himself to protecting Kentucky. He said the trooper was also "a devoted husband and loving father to three children."
"Let us wrap our arms around this family during this unimaginable time," the governor wrote.
Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., thanked law enforcement for its swift work and said Phillips’ wife, their three young children and his colleagues were in his prayers. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., urged people to pray for Phillips’ family and fellow officers.
Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., also offered prayers for Phillips’ family and said Kentucky would not forget his service.
"Alongside his fellow KSP troopers and all who knew and loved him, we will not forget his service to our commonwealth," McGarvey wrote.
Country singer Lee Greenwood mourned Phillips, writing that he and his wife, Kim, had learned of the trooper’s death and would "always stand with the men and women in blue."
Will the College Football Playoff selection committee's new rules make their rankings better?
There's no question that the College Football Playoff selection committee has a difficult job. And one where it's virtually impossible to please all interested parties.
In the current format, just 12 college football teams reach the playoffs, which has become the ultimate sign of success or failure for a program's season. Coaching changes are decided based on playoff appearances. Conference bragging rights, both in the public discourse and in deliberations, are determined based on playoff appearances.
Given the competing priorities at play, there's little chance of keeping everyone happy. There will always be a 13th best team in the country. Or a Power 4 school that feels like they missed out to allow a Group of 6 school to reach the tournament. Conferences will advocate for more of their member teams to be included. Group of 6 schools will argue that they deserve to be included after a good season, even if their schedules can't match up to top teams.
FLORIDA GATORS, MISSISSIPPI STATE SOAR, USC TUMBLES IN LATEST INEXPLICABLE AP TOP 25 POLL
It's a guarantee that their choices will lead to disagreement, debate, and some level of unhappiness. Especially because the rankings are based on human evaluation, and humans make mistakes, are biased, or have their own individual priorities and valuations.
Which is what makes the opacity of the committee's process and evaluation tools so frustrating.
For years, committee members have spoken about how they incorporate strength of schedule and resume into their deliberations and their top 25 poll. But there's little transparency as to how they determine the strength of schedule and resume. It's nice to say it, it's another to show your work. Are they creating their own metrics based on wins and losses against, say, AP ranked teams? Or is it just eye test? Or do they use more advanced, computer-driven analytics? Who knows?
Well, the committee revealed recently that they're now adding another metric to help inform their discussions: strength of conference. Oh good, more metrics with little transparency that will lead to more debate and disagreement.
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Heather Dinich from ESPN reported that the committee would now incorporate this new metric to help separate teams within the league.
"The CFP selection committee will incorporate another data point in late November that helps determine the strength of each conference based on the schedule strength of each team in its league,' she posted on X. "It will help separate teams in the SAME LEAGUE with similar records based on the strength of their conference opponents. (Ex: PSU doesn’t play Oregon, Ohio State or IU) It will also help separate teams with comparable records in different conferences based on how tough their league opponents were."
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Sure. Sounds reasonable enough. But what's it based on?
How are they evaluating which teams have faced the "strongest" conference opponents? Win-loss record? AP Top 25 poll appearances? Random eye test? Computer analytics? How do they determine how to separate teams with comparable records in different conferences?
Again, the questions that the committee wants answers to, evaluating different schedules and conferences, are all valuable and important debates. The issue is that there's no transparency on how they're going to do it.
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Some fans look at wins and losses or head-to-head matchups. Some like to use "ranked wins" or ranked games, though those can often be misleading based on when those games happen. For example, Texas A&M counts as a ranked win for LSU, even though it's clear the Aggies are far from a top 25 team. Others like to use analytics-based systems that are more objective and less biased toward a specific school or conference.
That should be the preference; remove bias, evaluate teams objectively, combine metrics to find the "best" teams that fit the criteria and limit the amount of campaigning and importance of the typically awful AP Poll. That should be the goal. But will it be the outcome?
We'll find out in a few months. Then spend the months after arguing about it.
Reality star claims daughter, 20, 'had fentanyl in her system' in airport bodycam
Milania Giudice allegedly had fentanyl in her system, Teresa Giudice claimed in bodycam video.
The "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star made the claim while attempting to explain her daughter's behavior during an encounter with officers at Tampa International Airport, according to bodycam footage obtained by Page Six.
Milania, 20, fired back, as seen in the bodycam footage, "Cause I was laced ... I go to college," before her sister Gia told her, "You're reckless."
It’s unclear when exactly the fentanyl incident occurred, and what substance Milania was allegedly given or who she believes was responsible, according to TMZ.
REALITY STAR'S DAUGHTER ARRESTED ON ASSAULT CHARGE IN NEW JERSEY STEMMING FROM ALLEGED DISPUTE
At the start of the bodycam footage obtained by Page Six, Milania could be heard requesting to speak to her mother.
One officer asked Milania to sit back down and reminded her that she was "not controlling the situation."
REALITY STAR'S SON, 15, INDICTED ON 7 COUNTS STEMMING FROM ALLEGED ASSAULT
"Hurry up mom! Why don’t you run," Milania could be heard screaming. "You wanted to cause a scene!"
Teresa appeared by her daughter's side as she continued filming in the airport while an officer could be heard saying, "This is never gonna go on a plane," as they walked to the elevator.
It remains unclear why Milania was momentarily detained by authorities at the Florida airport.
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The "RHONJ" star shared a lengthy statement on social media Monday after the bodycam footage was released.
"As a mother, there is nothing more important to me than the health, safety, and well-being of my children," she wrote. "The past few months have been incredibly difficult for our family, and I feel it is important to say something while also protecting my daughter during an extremely vulnerable time in her life.
"Milania has experienced tremendous heartbreak and significant psychological trauma after losing two of her best friends. Grief affects everyone differently, and watching your child try to process that kind of loss is something no parent can ever truly prepare for. Right now, my only focus is my daughter – making sure she is surrounded by love, family, support, and the care she needs."
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"I understand that because our family has lived much of our lives in the public eye, there will naturally be questions and speculation. But Milania is my daughter before she is anything else. She is a young woman going through an incredibly difficult and deeply personal time, and she deserves the opportunity to heal without every moment of her pain being analyzed publicly."
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"I am asking, from one mother to another, and from one family to all of you, to please show Milania compassion and kindness and allow her the privacy she needs right now. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has reached out with love, prayers, and support. It means more to our family than you know."
She added, "At this time, we respectfully ask the media and the public to give Milania and our entire family the privacy and space we need as we navigate this together. Thank you for your understanding, your compassion, and most importantly, for respecting my daughter during this difficult time. With love, Teresa."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Tampa police department and Teresa's reps.
Milania pleaded not guilty in June to assault charges in New Jersey following her arrest the month before.
Caleb Williams, limited by a hamstring injury, seen casually pacing Bears sideline during national anthem
There was a lot going on during the national anthem prior to the Monday Night Football game between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles , and the strangest part was how Caleb Williams handled the moment.
The Mariachi Herencia de México, a Mexican mariachi band, performed the "Star-Spangled Banner". And while the anthem played , the two teams' players, coaches and others stood along the sidelines.
But Williams was an exception.
While the anthem was playing, Williams was seen on the ESPN national broadcast pacing along the Bears sideline as if he had somewhere else important to get to.
Williams , in fact, didn't have anywhere important to go because he isn't playing in this game – or possibly in a couple of others – while he recovers from a hamstring strain suffered in last week's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
And yet, the guy who cannot move well enough to play because a soft tissue injury is walking around during the national anthem.
Maybe Williams doesn't know or doesn't care, but this is a ceremonial no-no at best and disrespectful at worst.
The patriotic Code of Conduct for the national anthem is available online, through a government website.
It reads:
"During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart."
That, believe it or not, has been the code since 1942.
In 1976, the code was amended to insert the requirement that "during the rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all persons present except those in uniform should stand at attention, face the flag, and place the right hand over the heart and men with headdress should remove the headdress and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart and when the flag is not displayed, those present should face the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed."
This is not debatable. It's the universal code of conduct for Americans.
Maybe Williams isn't aware. The educational system today is not renowned for teaching traditional American values and traditions any more, and Williams, 24, is a product of that system.
Or maybe Williams doesn't really like to be bothered by the traditions of the national anthem. He was seen last season trying to chat with a teammate on the sideline during the national anthem.
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This is going to bother some people. More than a few reacted negatively on social media about the behavior.
Other people will simply shrug it off as an oversight or not worthy of attention.
The latter group is doubtless more interested in how well Williams moves around when he gets back on the field than him moving during the national anthem.
But they're going to have to wait a while.