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Hotline mailbag: UCLA as realignment case study, media options for the ‘Pac-14,’ the expansion whiff, latest on the lawsuit and more

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

The Hotline mailbag publishes each Friday. Send questions to [email protected] and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline.Please note: Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.Do Oregon, Washington, USC and UCLA have any chance of getting to the College Football Playoff once they enter the Big Ten, or will Michigan and Ohio State dominate? Will the Pac-12 teams regret the move over competitive reasons? — @BakerMeowOur best guess is yes, the West Coast teams will have a decent chance to reach the 12-team CFP, and Michigan and OSU will dominate the expanded Big Ten.First, the basic math: The ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC winners will receive automatic bids, along with the highest-ranked Group of Five champion, leaving seven at-large spots each year.Of those seven, it’s reasonable to assume the Big Ten and SEC will combine to gobble at least five and, given the selection committee’s expected emphasis on stre...

Benzema penalty saved as Al-Ittihad exits Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia. Man City to face Urawa

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Karim Benzema had a penalty saved in Al-Ittihad’s loss at the Club World Cup on Friday and the Saudi Arabian champion exited its home tournament before Manchester City and Fluminense even arrived.Benzema’s spot kick to level against Al Ahly in the 45th minute was hit too straight at goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, and the champion of Africa from Egypt went on to beat Al-Ittihad 3-1 in their second-round game.Al Ahly will next play Fluminense, the champion of South America from Brazil, in the semifinals on Monday and Champions League winner Man City will play Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan on Tuesday.Urawa beat León of Mexico, the CONCACAF Champions League titleholder, 1-0 in the earlier game on Friday in Jeddah, the Red Sea port city that has been home to Benzema since joining Al-Ittihad in June after 14 years at Real Madrid.A crowd of 56,111 at the King Abdullah Sports City stadium included a big contingent of fans backing Al Ahly from Cairo, who...

Broncos’ Baron Browning at forefront of venture to allow fans to buy stock in their favorite players

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

DENVER (AP) — You hear it all the time in the world of sports: this athlete’s stock is skyrocketing or that player’s stock is plummeting.Soon, that’ll actually be the case for some jocks.Vestible Inc. is awaiting qualification by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to introduce an investment platform that will allow fans to buy and sell shares in future income streams of collegiate and professional athletes beginning with Denver Broncos outside linebacker Baron Browning.“It’s cool to think I’m going to have my own stock,” Browning told The Associated Press. “I know being an NFL player brings different opportunities, but I never would have guessed this would be one of them.”Vestible is the brainchild of Parker Graham and Yves Batoba, former teammates on Oklahoma State’s football team more than a decade ago who each had brief stints in the NFL — Graham as an offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens in 2014 and Batoba as the Miami Dolphins a...

Cleveland Cavaliers lose stars Darius Garland, Evan Mobley for extended period with injuries

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

CLEVELAND (AP) — A disappointing start to the Cavaliers’ season got much worse on Friday.Cleveland will be without stars Darius Garland and Evan Mobley for an extended period due to injuries, a damaging blow to a team that has been scuffling and will now be short two of its top players.Garland is expected to miss at least one month with a broken jaw sustained on Thursday night while Mobley could be out two months after undergoing knee surgery.The Cavs have hovered around .500 for much of the season while dealing with numerous injuries. Cleveland, which got bounced in the first round of the playoffs last season by the New York Knicks, has dropped three straight games and is currently 13-12 and ninth in the Eastern Conference.Without Garland and Mobley, the Cavs will be missing 36 points per game, their starting point guard and in Mobley, their best defensive player. They host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.Garland broke his jaw when he collided with Boston’s Kristaps Porzi...

US Treasury Department issues guidelines around a new tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

The Biden administration released long-awaited guidance on Friday around tax credits for aviation fuel that reduces emissions of greenhouse gases compared with fuel made from crude oil.Some environmentalists expressed concern that the Treasury Department guidelines could allow credits for fuel made from corn and other crops that they consider poor choices because of the water and other resources needed to grow them.Midwest lawmakers and companies that produce corn-based ethanol praised the guidelines, although their enthusiasm could be short-lived.Congress approved the credits as part of President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which included provisions designed to boost cleaner energy. The credits are designed to increase the supply and bring down the current high price of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF.Producers will be eligible for tax credits ranging from $1.25 to $1.75 per gallon, depending on how much their fuel reduces emissions compared with conventional pro...

Protected: CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield improves health equity by influencing ‘social drivers of health’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

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Chiefs’ Isiah Pacheco ruled out again after ‘a cleanup’ surgery on his ailing shoulder

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco has been ruled out of the game in New England after having “a cleanup” surgery on his ailing shoulder, coach Andy Reid said Friday, adding that he expects one of the NFL’s leading rushers to be back next week.The Chiefs play the Patriots on Sunday in a game that was flexed out of its original Monday night timeslot.Pacheco was coming off one of his best games of the season in Green Bay, when he ran 18 times for 110 yards and a score, when the shoulder issue surfaced on the Chiefs’ injury report. He did not practice last week and missed the 20-17 loss to Buffalo, and while he participated in walk-throughs this week Pacheco was not ready for any sort of contact.“Pacheco had a surgery on his shoulder and had some things taken out that were floaters in there, but he’s doing well. He’s moving around good,” Reid said. “We probably anticipate getting him back next week.”The Chiefs will lean again this week on Clyde Edward...

Nicaragua permite a 2.200 prisioneros comunes salir de la cárcel y vivir en régimen de convivencia familiar

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

(CNN Español) –– El Gobierno de Nicaragua anunció este jueves que permitirá que 2.200 prisioneros comunes con sentencia firme vivan en régimen de convivencia familiar en sus casas. Así lo anunció Rosario Murillo, vicepresidenta del país y esposa del presidente Daniel Ortega.Murillo hizo el anuncio a través de un mensaje difundido en los canales oficiales del Gobierno nicaragüense: “2.200 personas, entre varones y mujeres, van a recibir la próxima semana, el 21 de diciembre, beneficios legales de convivencia familiar”, señaló.Los prisioneros serán liberados de la cárcel “La Modelo”, a unos 23 kilómetros al noreste del centro de Managua, y de otros siete centros penitenciarios del país.La vicepresidenta no precisó el número exacto de hombres y mujeres que serían beneficiados y, si bien CNN ha intentado ponerse en contacto con el Gobierno nicaragüense vía telefónica, no ha recibido respuesta que ayude a aclarar la cifra.El Gobierno nicaragüense suele otorgar este beneficio a reos comun...

Arvada skier inducted into National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A man from Arvada was inducted into the National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame this week for his influential role as a skier and instructor.The National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame Award recognizes athletes who have had an influential role in the field of adaptive sports and athletes who have excelled in it, according to a release from Move United. Colorado Wine Board’s 2023 holiday wine pairing suggestions Chris Werhane, of Arvada, was awarded in the contributor category as someone who has made a significant contribution to the field."Werhane has been a key leader in the adaptive sports and recreation community across the country for many years," Move United said in a release.He travels over 100 days each year training staff and volunteers at adaptive ski programs across the country. Move United said he has ensured the highest quality lessons for tens of thousands of people over two decades."He is a difference maker in the adaptive sport community via his experti...

Greeley teacher surprised with 'Oscar of Teaching' Milken Educator Award

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:21:13 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A teacher out of Greeley, Colorado was awarded with the "Oscar of Teaching" award, the Milken Family Foundation said in a press release Friday.The Milken Family Foundation (MFF) presents the Milken Educator Award to elementary and secondary school teachers and principals to provide public recognition and financial rewards to those who are "furthering excellence in education." Arvada skier inducted into National Adaptive Sports Hall of Fame Born and raised in Greeley, Caleb Flores is an English language arts, reading and Culturally Linguistically Diverse teacher at Greeley West High School. The MFF said he was completely unaware that he was a candidate for the award.At an all-school assembly on Friday, the band played, the choir sang, and a gym full of students and teachers united in a standing ovation when Flores was presented with the award."Flores’ lifelong commitment to education reached far beyond the Greeley community today when he was surprised with a $25,00...