San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and quarterback Brandon Allen spoke with reporters after Friday's practice as the team prepares for its Week 12 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Here's everything they said. Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff. 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan Opening comments: "Injuries for the game: [CB] Charvarius Ward will be out, [WR] Jacob Cowing, out, [LB] Tatum Bethune, out, [DL] Kevin Givens, out, [DL] Nick Bosa, out, [QB] Brock Purdy, out, [T] Trent Williams, questionable, [OL Jon] Feliciano, questionable. Go ahead." Is there any development with Brock's shoulder where it got downgraded during the week and is there long-term concern for it? "I don't want to say there's long-term concern. We got the MRI on Monday. We thought he just needed some rest and really weren't concerned about him not being good this week. But when he started up Thursday, just surprised him, surprised us, how it felt. So we had to shut him down. So, I really don't what to think of it. The MRI doesn't look like that, so it should be alright. But the way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week, so we'll have to see on Monday." Did it happen on the touchdown run? "He doesn't know in particular. I don't think so, but he can't remember a play that it specifically happened on." Is it one of those things where as time went on it just started to bother him? "Just complained about how tight it was throughout the game and it started happening throughout the game. That's why he was warming up just a lot more than usual. He said he had a hard time keeping it loose and then after the game is when it really started to hurt and then Monday morning is really why he had to go get an MRI for it." Will QB Brandon Allen start? "Yes." What do you like about Brandon? "I think Brandon's a really good thrower, runs our offense well. He's done a really good job since he's been here, been here two years now. Guys believe in him and believe he'll give us a good chance to win." Was one of the positives about Brandon that the offense doesn't change very much with him in there? That he's like Purdy in a lot of ways that you don't really skip a beat. "Yeah, there's not a big game-plan adjustment, this is something that we didn't think would happen early in the week. We were fully preparing for Brock to go and getting a little surprised about this yesterday. Nothing has to change, so that's a good deal for us." Without Purdy and without Bosa, the situation obviously doesn't look great and it's the NFL, everyone will say you guys have no chance, but things have happened. I guess, what is your message to the team when you face this kind of adversity? "I think we've had a real good week of practice. I know it's disappointing. We knew there was a chance for Nick, I think the guys were a little surprised with Brock yesterday, but we addressed all that today and we're going to have 48 guys in uniform. I know our guys believe in themselves. I believe in them. We're missing two good players, definitely, but we've got a lot of good players out there. So by no means do we not have a chance to win. We're going to go fight our tails off and expect this to be a real good game." With Mooney, he just needed some more time? "Yeah, just taking three full weeks off, it's not like dealing with all that stuff he's getting workouts in or anything like that, so we were just happy to get him back in the building this week. We didn't want to put any pressure on him by any means to get ready to play. He just wanted to get back into the feel. He had two-and-a-half good days of practice. I say half just because of what today's like, but hopefully he'll be good to go next week." Has Trent shown progress or is it still right up to kick off? "It's still right up to kickoff." Does the fact that you went through three quarterbacks a couple years ago and still made the NFC Championship give the team hope knowing that you've been through this kind of adversity before? "I don't think they look at it that way. It's good to have that story and stuff, but I think why they have hope is because they're with Brandon every single day. I know outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon because he hasn't had to go in yet. But this is Brandon's second year. They see him on scout team all the time. Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Given that Brandon had been sort of in your coaching tree so to speak, with Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay and with Green Bay Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur and Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor who had been with Sean, did he pick things up quickly as soon as he got here? "He picked things up just being a vet and stuff. I'd say the coaching tree's a little overrated. It branches off. We're all from the same places, but he looks at things where he has been, things are all subtly different, but he's got a lot of experience, been around a while and he's been comfortable and we've been comfortable with him since his first day here." How did how did Charvarius Ward get through practice this week and where is he at? "I thought he did a real good job getting through the week. We threw him out. He got to ease in there doing all the scout-team stuff. I thought he really gave us good looks all week. Got his body feeling just more confident each day. Just talking to him, I think he's in a good spot and we all know he's grieving a lot and we know that never fully stops. But I think it has been somewhat therapeutic for him to get out on the football field and things like that and be able to focus a little bit on his craft for just a little bit. He's always going through that and it's nice that we can be here for him as much as we can with him back in the building." QB Joshua Dobbs was disappointed as he would expect to be when he wasn't the backup. How has he been as the third guy all year running the scout team doing what you asked? "He's been awesome. They split the scout team reps so they both get equal reps over there throughout the year and really loved having him in the room. And he's been great on the field too." We haven't asked you about Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love yet. What do you like about him and what's unique about him? "Just how big of a threat he is. He's a thrower. There's not a throw he can't make. I love his mindset, how aggressive he is. He's always trying to end you. He's always going for the big plays, and he's got the skillset with his feet too that when things aren't there he can make a lot of plays. Big, tall guy, very athletic, and we know how good he's been these two years and he is going to be good for a long time." Will Brock stay behind for treatment rather than travel? "No, he'll come with us." Same with Bosa? "No, Bosa will stay here." 49ers QB Brandon Allen Head coach Kyle Shanahan said for a while this week he thought QB Brock Purdy was going to be okay and would play. When did you have a sense like you might be starting? "Today, really. I know he had a plan for his shoulder all week. He was going to rest it a little bit on Wednesday. I think we kind of split reps there on Wednesday, he was going to rest it a little bit. And then I think the plan was Thursday to come out and practice and I guess just in warmups, just wasn't feeling right. Still expected him to kind of go in, get treatment, come back. But, yeah. Kind of found out today." This defense has taken the ball away at a really high rate. What do they look like on film to you? "Yeah, solid defense. Obviously, their defense is a key part in why they have a pretty good record and they do a great job of forcing turnovers. So it'll be our job to protect the ball, keep it in our guys' hands. And that's really, throughout the NFL, that's a big key to winning games is protecting the football." Obviously, your job is to prepare every week like it's going to be this week, but it's maybe it's easier said than done, I don't know. Does it feel different to you right now, now that you know that you'll be playing? "Preparation really hasn't changed besides just getting more reps. I think that's really been the only difference this week, was actually getting to throw to some of the guys and getting live reps with [WR Jauan Jennings] J.J., [WR] Deebo [Samuel Sr.], [TE] George [Kittle], all those guys, [WR] Ricky [Pearsall]. So that was really the only main difference for me this week." Obviously, you don't want Brock to have an injury, but are you excited about this? "Yeah, it's an opportunity. The circumstances are what they are, but I think our team, all year long, we've been kind of dealing with injuries here and there and it's been a big next-man-up mentality. So it's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game. And obviously, we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for the time being it is an opportunity for me." You had all last year in this system as well. What's kind of your state of comfort or readiness to take this on? "I feel very comfortable in the offense. Definitely going back to last year and then all through this year, just being in the system, calling the plays, seeing them play out, all that. So, I definitely feel comfortable in this offense." Can you kind of speak from a quarterback's perspective of, if there's a throwing shoulder injury, what kind of fear that strikes for a quarterback and whether you've been through something like that? "I really wouldn't be able to say, to be honest. I know this is like the first time Brock's missed a game, probably in his life, and he's a tough guy, I'm sure he will bounce right back. I'm not too worried about, I don't think any of our guys are. He'll rehab and get back as fast as he can. And as far as shoulders, it happens. I don't think it'll be anything lingering or long-term for him." Is there anything you've been able to take away from Brock as far as the way he prepares that helps you? I know you worked behind Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, but I know Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold cited Brock's preparation last year. "Yeah, he's unbelievable, the way he prepares. And you kind of have to to be able to execute this offense well. There are a lot of motions, a lot of shifts, a lot of things that go into it. And to be on top of all that, and you've seen him on the road doing all that with silent cadence and all that. So there is a lot that goes into it. And his preparation kind of was, when I first got here last year, watching him do, I was like, 'Okay, this is kind of how you have to study here.' Because you can go other places and offenses aren't as, aren't as complex, aren't as difficult so you can still study but you're looking at the same things week-to-week. But in this offense, we really do a good job moving guys around and getting guys open. So there's a lot of studying that goes into it. So watching him prepare and the way he does, I've definitely tried to model my preparation after him." Does the fact that you've had background with the Shanahan tree, so to speak, I think even back with former quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello, I think had been a Shanahan coach. And then you had Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, you've dealt with all those guys. Did that give you some help in running up to this? "Yeah, I think especially going back to last year, I think first coming in and not just being blown away by the offense and all that because I've had similar reads, we call it different things here and there, but similar reads, similar progressions, pretty much the same routes type things. I do think it helped just in terms of me being comfortable when I first got here. But even so, we do different things and there's more preparation that goes into that. But like I said, going back to last year and this year, I feel pretty comfortable." Not suggesting that you're about to leave the NFL, but you're 32. Has it ever crossed your mind, like, "Will I ever get another opportunity?" "I take everything one day at a time. For me, it is my opportunity now, so I'll take advantage of it now. But those things really don't cross my mind, how long you're gonna play and all that. There are definitely guys older than me still playing, so that usually doesn't come across my mind." What's it been like with your teammates? I know this kind of just happened, but have they kind of rallied around you? You're coming in, in a very critical part of the season for the team. "Yeah, I think they've done a great job all week. Like I said, we have a big next-man-up mentality, so nothing's really changed for those guys. They work every week. And I think we've had a really good week of practice and getting our timing down with me throwing the ball and all that with some of the guys just because we don't have the built up reps that Brock does with them. But I think it's been a blessing having those guys in the huddle with me and some of the leadership that's in that huddle so I can just come in and fill the spot for Brock for now and just try to make some plays and get the ball in their hands." Do you have to guard against not trying to do too much, trying to go out there and win the game rather than just do your job? "I don't know about that, but I don't think I've ever been the type to try to do too much. But as a quarterback, my job is just to get the ball to our playmakers. And so, that's my plan going into the game." Did you get a message from Brock? Did he say anything to you when it was official? "Yeah, I just talked to him. He believes in me, says, 'You're here for a reason. Go in, step up, play well.' He'll be back, so I'm not worried about it." This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.
Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan
Mumbai: Technology companies have rejected telecom operators ' demand to bring OTT messaging channels like Meta's WhatsApp and Google RCS under the centralised blockchain system and regulate them to check spam, saying it wasn't technically possible. The telcos' call to look at anti-spam measures through the prism of regulation was flawed and overlooked the need for innovation to check the menace, they said. Instead of pressing regulators to bring apps such as WhatsApp and RCS under regulation, telecom companies should focus on investing in innovation to bring down their own compliance costs, they suggested. "Pressing the regulatory framework is not the solution to controlling spam as there is abundant proof that telecom companies have not been able to do that," a senior executive of a leading global tech company told ET. "In fact, they (telcos) are late to the party in using AI (artificial intelligence) to control spam while technology companies have been doing it for a decade." He was referring to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea recently introducing AI/ML-based solutions to control spam messages and calls, after being pushed by the regulator. The chief executive of a communications company said telcos are arguing for regulation to counter advanced communication channels which are innovating faster and better than them. "The telecom companies have failed in a fruitful implementation of the TCCCPR (Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulations) 2018 because of price wars among themselves," said this executive. "It has been eight years, and the digital consent acquisition piece-the most important module of the regulation-is still not implemented," he added. Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Entrepreneurship Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Maximizing Developer Productivity: The Pomodoro Technique in Practice By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Intermediate C++ Skills: Master Pointers, Structures and File Stream By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass By - CA Himanshu Jain, Ex McKinsey, Moody's, and PwC, Co - founder, The WallStreet School View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Legal Complete Guide to AI Governance and Compliance By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Google and Meta did not respond to ET's emails seeking comment. Telecom companies have been seeking "same service, same rules" for communication apps that offer calling and messaging services similar to what telcos provide. Tech companies say the reason for the telcos' demand was due to the fact that they face hefty price competition from the likes of WhatsApp and RCS which offer services at cheaper rates than SMS. Carriers argue apps can afford to provide cheaper services as they don't need to adhere to regularity responsibilities or invest in telecom infrastructure, which involve a cost. Bharti Airtel recently wrote to the telecom regulator to bring OTT platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal under the common blockchain filtering and digital consent acquisition system. But bringing WhatsApp and RCS under the decentralised blockchain system is technically and operationally non-feasible, technology experts said. The reason being that telecom and information services are not interoperable. The blockchain is designed to filter SMS headers, templates and user consent. WhatsApp Business, for example, does not operate in the same manner. "While this can be done by OTT channels operating a separate node in the blockchain, it will be an extremely chaotic situation," said the product head at a blockchain technology firm. "Imagine the complexities for businesses who need to maintain separate templates for SMSes, WhatsApp messages, RCS messages which are vastly different in form. An SMS header, for example, 'VM-HDFCBK' is not the same as a WhatsApp Business account 'HDFC Bank'. This means if telecom and OTT channels are non-interoperable, there is no practical use of bringing them on the blockchain," this person said. He added that rich media like images, pdf documents, audio, location, etc., cannot be scrubbed (or filtered) on the existing system. Nominations for ET MSME Awards are now open. The last day to apply is December 15, 2024. Click here to submit your entry for any one or more of the 22 categories and stand a chance to win a prestigious award. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Muqeem’s five-wicket blitz sinks ZimbabweA Qantas plane (Image: AAP/Mark Baker) On November 27, Qantas cancelled my flight from LA to Melbourne. Faced with what others have described as a four-to-six-week tussle to get compensation for the cancellation and significant knock-on impact and inconvenience, I made a pre-emptive strike to expedite by emailing federal Transport Minister Catherine King and my local member Zoe Daniel, copying in Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson. Apart from fair compensation, my aim was to point out the company’s enormous decline in once excellent service standards and the folly in being a “loyal Qantas frequent flyer”. Now the airline seemingly only excels at lobbying, which has deferred and deflected reasonable competition, and regulated customer rights, unlike most other developed markets so dependant on air travel. Here is the letter — I received a “sorry, not sorry” response (and 20,000 frequent flyer points) from Hudson’s office, but no refund yet. Aussie passengers face exorbitant fares, delays and cancellations as Qantas limps through holiday season Read More I write with regard to our cancelled flight QF94 on November 27, 2024 from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Melbourne. We arrived early-ish at LAX that afternoon given it was Thanksgiving eve. Having checked FlightAware before heading to the airport, QF94 appeared to be on schedule departing 8.35pm. Once at the airport, after check-in and through security, the boards indicated that it had been delayed until 10.35pm. We went to the club lounge to wait. At or about the time we anticipated boarding, the screens indicated the flight had been cancelled without any announcement. I immediately went to the service desk and was advised we would be put on QF12 via Sydney and downgraded to premium economy. The staff member (probably a contractor I assume) advised we would be compensated and implied this would be automatic. As I knew from FlightAware that QF12 was an A380, I enquired as to why we were downgraded and whether first class was an option. The agent said she would look and would call me back. As we were also travelling with other family members, who are less experienced travellers, I asked to confirm they too would be on the QF12 as we did not want to be separated. At this stage the agents were very professional in the face of a growing crowd at the service desk, as the word spread through the lounge with still no announcements. I was called back and presented with premium economy boarding passes with no further explanation and economy passes for the other couple. I didn’t query this as clearly there were others that were still to be rebooked. We then discovered the direct flight to Brisbane had also been cancelled (as it had also been the previous night, apparently), adding to the “quiet” chaos in the lounge, which must have been magnified at the gate. The Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne flights were all being consolidated into two Sydney flights. At no stage was there any explanation related to technical or “late arrival of incoming aircraft” delays. Subsequent announcements apologising, once in the plane, all related to the late departure with no further explanation. I can only assume this consolidation was purely for cost saving on Qantas’ behalf, without regard to disruption and inconvenience caused to paying customers. A survey on FlightAware of LAX flights showed there had been several other cancellations during the week prior, so I should not have been surprised. Is it time for a royal commission into Qantas? Read More At the gate, as part of the priority boarding group my wife went through the gate but I was rejected. She proceeded to the plane not realising I wasn’t behind her. I was directed to an agent. It transpired I had been reinstated to business class, separating us. I asked the agent if I could swap seats with my wife but was advised I couldn’t without the boarding passes being reissued. Given they were still dealing with rebooking passengers at the gate, it became clear my request was of lower priority. I boarded the flight and asked one of the senior stewards if I could simply swap with my wife, which they were happy with. I found my wife in the premium economy cabin and explained what had happened. She had settled in, was happy as she could be with her downgraded seat and did not want to make a fuss. It appears this is exactly what Qantas relies on; knowing that most people “won’t make a fuss”. But maybe we should. Regrettably, the reason we avoid transiting for long haul in Sydney and opt (and pay) to fly direct to Melbourne came to pass. Weather was not great down the east coast last week, making Sydney operations challenging. We parked short of the gate while the docking guidance was turned on and then couldn’t proceed because ground equipment had been inappropriately parked. Clearing customs and immigration was relatively straightforward but we waited in arrivals for our other family members to help them transfer to another terminal. This took longer than it should as one of their suitcases was still at LAX! Our flight to Melbourne was then delayed due to the Sydney weather. When we arrived in Melbourne, eight hours after what would have been the QF94 arrival, our suitcases did not appear on the allocated baggage carousel. After some time, a fellow traveller suggested they may be on a different carousel where, without any guidance or announcement from Qantas staff, we found them. They had obviously come down on an earlier flight and, to add insult to injury, my suit-fold soft case was soaked through, obviously having been left exposed on the Sydney tarmac. But it doesn’t end there. It became apparent that any compensation wouldn’t be automatic, so I called the gold member “priority” phone line and after a 40-minute wait on hold was told I needed to apply online, which I did immediately. In the application, under my wife’s name as she was most impacted, I made it clear we both wanted compensation because we were separated, because of the stress caused and time wasted, and that any refund for the downgrade should be on the basis of the difference between discounted business to discounted premium economy fares (as we bought our tickets during a sale). Had we wished to fly premium economy — which we didn’t — it too would have been at a discounted price. Further review of social media now suggests we will probably spend the next four to six weeks following up and in dispute over compensation. Canberra’s Qantas protection racket goes far beyond Albo’s airline upgrades Read More Qantas scheduled and sold us direct Los Angeles to Melbourne return business class tickets, which we purchased in good faith. With the push of a button they chose not to honour them and, in the absence of other advice, it would appear they did so purely for cost saving. This is clearly false and deceptive practice. With that decision to push that button they: Disrupted the plans of all those booked to Melbourne and Brisbane; Delayed those booked to Sydney; Assumed everyone sees Sydney as a convenient hub, even though they knew Sydney operations were hampered by weather; Burdened ground staff both at Sydney and LAX to deal with hundreds of variously frustrated, stressed, disappointed and/or angry customers; Downgraded service levels that were paid for in advance; Separated my wife and I; Wasted eight hours of our time which required rescheduling other plans for that day; Lost luggage; Provided no cogent explanation; and, Required me to now seek compensation, cap in hand. A senior industry executive informs me that the LAX routes are well known as the most profitable for Qantas but moreover, on a cost-per-kilometre basis, are the most expensive of any route for any airline in the world. But this still isn’t good enough. They still seek more without regard to long-suffering, paying passengers, preying on their loyalty. I have travelled for work for more than 45 years and used to take pride in coming home on QF. Now even as a lifetime gold frequent flyer, I will avoid flying with them where I can and feel rather stupid for being too loyal for too long to Qantas, which is clearly not reciprocated. Some have suggested this is the result of the extended reign of the previous CEO. That may be a contributor, but I fear the root cause is simply a lack of appropriate regulation (unlike the EU and the recent US legislation) and undue protection from competition. Once a great airline, the only thing they now excel in is lobbying and PR. I hope the compensation is fair and prompt, but I have been taken as a fool by QF before. Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au . Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say . We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
Article content Baseball, apparently, has lost its mind and quite possibly its conscience. All in a rather brazen attempt to make the game better, more interesting, more exciting, more full of moments, less real. Having more scripted moments, more like WWE and less like the almost perfect sport it was before its leaders began stripping away at the fabric of the games with so many additional rules and alterations. There is enough wrong with baseball right now with pitching clocks and instant replay, with analytics and pitch counts, with shifting and not shifting, with rules on how many batters a relief pitcher can face, and how wide the bases may be. But what’s happening now — in thought and over time, in possibility — makes you wish you could turn the clock back to a time when baseball was simpler and maybe more beautiful. When you didn’t need to place a runner on second base in extra innings — a rule stolen from international softball — so that the game would end quicker or more offence would occur unnaturally. You may or may not have heard about the apparent Golden Rule that is being talked about from baseball’s tallest foreheads these days. Here’s what’s being discussed by the commissioner, Rob Manfred, and by those around him: They are talking about changing the game from what it has ever been. They are talking about altering the fabric of the sport and by that, making a change that seems so ridiculous that it might actually be possible by those now in charge. This is how the Golden Rule might work if it ever is instituted. Once in the game — possibly twice, this is still being debated — a team would be allowed to alter its batting order to allow someone to hit in a spot in the lineup that isn’t his. In other words, you could lead off the ninth inning with Vladimir Guerrero hitting a double to left field. And then, under this rule, have Guerrero go back to the plate and see if he couldn’t knock himself home from second base. This is something between T-ball and senior men’s slow pitch. It may for the little kids and the older kids — but not for the best players in the world. Think of the most recent post-season, with incredible moments of excitement, especially from the Cleveland Guardians-New York Yankees series, and you want to change that? You want to alter baseball after 150 years of doing things one way? All in the name of what? Fake drama. What they’re talking about would tinker with the essence of baseball. The game is already unpredictable. You want to lose the spontaneity? You want Juan Soto or Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani hitting first and second in an inning? This is like a video game. Baseball is great in spite of itself, in spite who keeps trying to make it something it’s not. Because is great because of its history. Because we can link Ted Williams to Hank Aaron to Barry Bonds on steroids to Judge and Ohtani, all of them playing under mostly the same rules. More than any other sport, baseball is an ongoing conversation. It’s all about how and why and who and when and where — and they do it all again tomorrow. That’s why the best sporting movies and the sporting books and the best sports writing is always done on baseball. It’s closer to sporting poetry than any of its counterparts. Forcing a Golden Rule on the game is blasphemy of sorts. It has to be offensive to purists and maybe even to those who aren’t. You can’t change batting orders now or ever. You can’t do that and call it progress. BLUE JAYS TIDBITS Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins met with the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America yesterday, as he does every year at this time, and talked about the upcoming winter with his usual blind enthusiasm. He admitted, as has been reported everywhere, that the Blue Jays have made a pitch to free agent Juan Soto, but out of respect for Soto and respect for agent Scott Boras, he would say little more than that. He did say: “There’s still a great deal of opportunity for us. We feel confident of making our team better.” ... Atkins also said, while not disclosing budget numbers: “We don’t have unlimited resources, but we have the potential to make our team better with free agency and trades.” ... Atkins did admit the Blue Jays attempted to keep pitcher Jordan Romano before letting him walk and will attempt to sign him now. It’s clear the Jays offered Romano a pay cut to stay with the team, but Romano chose not to accept it. Atkins did say he had no questions about Romano’s health for the coming season. “We remain interested in him and will be heavily pursuing his return,” said Atkins ... What did Atkins learn from the failed attempt to get Shohei Ohtani last year? “All positive things from the (Ohtani negotiations). We’re a destination, we’re an attractive market for (free agents). We’re better at presenting that (now) and better at trying to execute that.” ... When asked about paying deferred dollars to free agents, the way the Dodgers did with Ohtani last year and pitcher Blake Snell this year, and how that work for the Jays, Atkins said: “That’s a better question for the CEO or CFO of Rogers.” He didn’t say when the CEO or CFO of Rogers would be answering questions ... Atkins was asked about whether Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would have to be signed beyond next season to attract free agents looking for stability? His answer: “That’s hard to project.” ... In unrelated news, Atkins did say that centre fielder Daulton Varsho is unlikely to be ready to start the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
The 49ers’ season is over. Ignore the nonsense being pushed about this team winning out and making the playoffs. Cue the famous Jim Mora Sr. soundbite: “Playoffs? Playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game.” And yet there is so much to play for in the season’s final five games. The beauty of the NFL is that every week, everyone is playing for their jobs. You’re either getting better or getting worse, and you don’t want to be in the latter category ahead of what should be a dramatic, resetting offseason in Santa Clara, Calif. So, in the final weeks, the young players who are now given a shot at serious playing time because of injury or a depth chart reshuffle need to point their arrows up. The older players, whose arrows might be pointing down, need to level out. Coaches have five weeks to prove they’re not this team’s problem. Oh, and then there’s the $60 million-per-season question that still needs to be answered. The 49ers brass — Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and CEO Jed York chief among them — have not wavered on their commitment to quarterback Brock Purdy. (By all accounts, York has not wavered on Shanahan or Lynch, either.) The money for a massive contract extension is budgeted for this upcoming offseason. But, at the risk of over-legitimizing it, the question of whether the Niners should hand Purdy that massive new contract still lingers among the fan base and the media. And it’s not just the unhinged portions of those groups pushing that idea, either. That’s not to be overlooked. As we found out with the Trey Lance draft pick, the Niners’ brass can be influenced by both fans and the media. (We’ll all take the L on that one.) So, while the money is ready, the contract hasn’t been drawn up just yet, and it’s more than fair to say that Purdy’s arrow, perhaps for the first time in his short NFL career, is pointing down. It’s on him in the final five games to flip it and make paying him a no-brainer decision for everybody. Yes, $60 million a year is an eye-watering number. Blame inflation. It seems like just yesterday that Jimmy Garoppolo signed a market-setting deal that paid him $27 million per season. Now we’re doubling it? Maybe Garoppolo isn’t the best example, but it’s easy to see why this kind of number sits wrong with so many people. However, the NFL’s salary cap — which rose 13 percent from 2023 to 2024 — has added nearly $100 million since the 49ers signed Garoppolo in 2018. And it’s not as if the importance of competent quarterbacking has diminished since then. These days, high-school quarterbacks spark eight-figure contract bidding wars. I understand the concerns about paying a quarterback top-of-the-line money for not top-of-the-line production, but not everyone gets a Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. This is a league where Dak Prescott makes $60 million per season, Tua Tagovailoa makes $53 million, Trevor Lawrence makes $55 million, and Kirk Cousins makes $45 million. The market is set. It’s not hard to figure out where Purdy fits. The 24-year-old quarterback might be having a down year, but he’s still a hell of a player. His scrambling ability is a critical reason why the Niners have not yet been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. The coaches’ All-22 film is far more forgiving of his play than the zoomed-in broadcast view. Either way, what’s the alternative to paying Purdy for the 49ers? Draft another quarterback? For every Purdy, there’s a Lance. There’s a C.J. Beathard, too. Sign 2023’s backup quarterback Sam Darnold to a short-term mid-tier deal (somewhere in the $35 million-per-year range)? In the best-case scenario, you’ll have to pay him like Purdy — more than Purdy, in fact — in a year or two. Worst-case scenario, everyone (who can be fired) is fired for letting Purdy walk out the door and not having a viable replacement. Personally, I would have no problem with delaying Purdy’s signing for as long as possible. Make him play out the fourth and final year of his rookie contract at $1.19 million, and then go full Cousins and franchise tag him once or twice. But that’s an easy tactic to take in Madden or a column. It’s a bit more challenging to pull with a quarterback you have to see every day. Nothing says “We trust you to lead this team,” like having a guy on a temp-worker contract. The word “toxic” comes to mind. The Niners believe in rewarding their best players with market-setting contracts. They should. But they should have learned a lesson from this past summer that it’s in no one’s best interest to delay that gratification. I imagine they’ll sign Purdy to his new deal shortly after the season. No fuss, no muss. The young quarterback must find a way in the final five weeks to ensure that such an agreement on his value extends beyond the team facility. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Moneylion director Chris Sugden sells $2.15 million in stockListing on the London stock market is 'not rational', says Revolut boss as he takes another swipe at the UK By CALUM MUIRHEAD Updated: 22:00, 3 December 2024 e-mail View comments The City watchdog has set the scene for the approval of Shein’s controversial £50billion flotation. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said the decisions on listings are based on company disclosures and not ‘every aspect of their corporate behaviour’. This will be a blow to the human rights groups who are lobbying the FCA to rebuff the Chinese fast fashion retailer’s float, planned for next year, amid concerns over its supply chain. ‘What parliament has not asked us to do is to be a broad regulator around every aspect of corporate behaviour and every company listed in the UK, everywhere around the world,’ Rathi told the Financial Times. Complaints: Revolut's boss Nikolay Storonsky (pictured), said the British market was ‘much worse’ than its counterpart in the US He used the example of miners listed in London, which ‘find themselves facing legal difficulties in many different parts of the world’. Shein faces allegations that forced labour from China’s Xinjiang region is used to make the cotton in its garments. It insists it has a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to forced labour. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next French political turmoil a boost for London as government in... Reeves must unlock the magic of AI if she wants to meet her... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence. Compare the best investing account for you Share or comment on this article: Listing on the London stock market is 'not rational', says Revolut boss as he takes another swipe at the UK e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence. More top stories
How to Make Smart Financial Decisions for a Richer LifeNone
Heirs Insurance Launches Campaign to Bring Hope this Festive Season.
San Jose State and South Florida will meet in the 2024 Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve at the Ching Complex. Kickoff for the nationally televised game will be at 3 p.m. This will be a homecoming for San Jose State head coach Kenny Niumatalolo, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Craig Stutzmann, offensive line coach John Estes, and senior offensive analyst Billy Ray Stutzmann. Niumatalolo and Craig Stutzmann both played and coached at the University of Hawaii. Estes was a UH center, and Billy Ray Stutzmann was a wideout. “Couldn’t be more ecstatic to come home and play in the Hawaii Bowl,” said Niumatalolo, who is 7-5 in his first season with the Spartans. “I’m super excited for everyone in our program — our players, coaches, staff.” Niumatalolo, a Radford High graduate, was Navy’s head coach for 16 seasons through 2022. He coached UCLA’s tight ends in 2023. Niumatalolo owns a house in Manoa, a mile from the Ching Complex. Stutzmann helped contribute to the creation of the Hawaii Bowl. Stutzmann was a starting slotback on a UH team that battered BYU 72-45 to complete a 9-3 season in 2001. But without a bowl tie-in, the Warriors did not participate in the postseason. After that, the Western Athletic Conference, ESPN and UH formed the Hawaii Bowl beginning in 2003. “We needed to create that one,” Stutzmann said. Stutzmann eventually became a coach. At Emory & Henry University, Stutzmann created the “spread and shred”offense, which combined run-and-shoot, Air Raid and run/pass option concepts. At Navy, Niumatalolo ran the run-oriented, triple-option offense. After being hired at SJSU, Niumatalolo hired Stutzmann to implement the up-tempo, spread-and-shred attack. -- More UH football coverageJudge weighs whether to order Fani Willis to comply with lawmakers' subpoenas over Trump case
and are probably not the first games that come to mind when thnking of official crossovers, but Bethesda has decided to bring the Doom Slayer's equipment and more to its latest sci-fi RPG with a surprise add-on. Celebrating the 31st anniversary of the franchise, a unique crossover mission named At Hell's Gate is now available for download from official Creations lineup. Presented by Bethesda Game Studios and developed by well-known community group Kinggath Creations (Sim Settlements), this comes in as a new downloadable quest that adds a slice of into . "A band of mercenaries has narrowly escaped an encounter with something that can only be described as beyond evil," says the Creation page's description. "Investigate this mysterious happening and prevent a vile force from invading your universe." For 's 31st anniversary, Hell has come to the Settled Systems in a free brand-new DOOM-themed mini-quest by Kinggath Creations! 🔥 Includes: ⚔️ DOOM Slayer's armor ⚔️ Iconic weapons ⚔️ Plushie collection The Creation page for the "At Hell's Gate" , or it can be downloaded straight from the in-game Creations menu on both Xbox consoles and PC. Players can start the quest by visiting any SSNN broadcast pillar in a major city (New Atlantis, Cydonia, Akila City, or Neon) across the galaxy after downloading it. By completing this quest, that involves some lore-friendly encounters, players will receive the iconic Praetor Suit from the new games, the legendary Super Shotgun for decimating foes, as well as the handy Crucible Blade for slicing up any opponents, from hell or otherwise. At the same time, the Industrial Workbench can be used to craft six plushies from Doom for decorating player homes, outposts, and ships.President Bola Tinubu on Sunday called on his fellow leaders in West Africa to draw inspiration from Ghana’s recent peaceful elections as a model of democratic maturity and commitment to national unity. Speaking at the opening of the 66th Ordinary Session of ECOWAS in Abuja, President Tinubu lauded President Nana Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for the resounding success of their recent presidential and parliamentary elections, setting a high standard for the region. His words: “I urge all of us in the region to learn from this good democratic practice and prioritise our country’s national unity to ensure political stability of the region so that this manner of peaceful transition becomes the culture of democracy not only in West Africa but also in the entire Africa continent”. According to him: “Despite the challenges of interrupted democratic governance in some West African countries, the region has continued to record democratic gains. Just a week ago, on December 7 2024, Presidential and Parliamentary elections took place in Ghana, the second-largest democracy in our region. “One of the leading candidates who happens to be the incumbent Vice President, His Excellency Mahamudu Bawumia, together with the leadership of the ruling party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the Presidential election by congratulating the President-elect, His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama of National Democratic Congress (NDC) for his victory, even before the official announcement of the election results. “This gesture, as it happened in Nigeria in 2015, demonstrates political maturity and respect for the will of the people of Ghana. President Tinubu praised President Akufo-Addo for his exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to ECOWAS during his two-year term, describing him as a formidable Pan-Africanist. He also congratulated the Government and people of Senegal on their successful parliamentary elections. The President praised Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Shirley Ayokor Botchwey, for painstakingly leading the ECOWAS Ministerial Committee of the Reform. He wished her a successful tenure in her new role as the Secretary General of the Commonwealth. In his second term as ECOWAS Chair, President Tinubu highlighted achievements from his first term, including strides in regional integration, economic growth, conflict resolution, and counterterrorism efforts. He said the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and Common External Tariff (CET) have strengthened trade and economic cooperation. “Similarly, regional infrastructure projects such as the West African Gas Pipeline, the West Africa Power Pool, and modernising key border posts with advanced equipment and joint border operations utilising state-of-the-art technology have significantly enhanced connectivity and promoted greater regional integration. “Furthermore, our efforts in stabilising our region through peacekeeping missions currently in the Gambia and Guinea Bissau, as well as previous operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone, have demonstrated our capacity to act decisively in the face of adversity. President Tinubu said the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on the Fight Against Terrorism has provided a comprehensive framework to combat violent extremism and enhance regional security. As ECOWAS nears its 50th anniversary in 2025, the President urged member-states to recommit to the bloc’s founding ideals of economic integration, peace, and prosperity. He said: “As a regional community, we must maintain our fundamental responsibility: to protect our citizens and create an enabling environment where they can prosper. “As leaders, we know that security is not a luxury but a necessity. Equally, enhancing the living standards of our people is not an aspiration but an obligation”. The Presidents of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, and Senegal attended in person alongside the Vice President of Sierra Leone, the Finance Minister of the Benin Republic, the Minister of foreign affairs of Togo, and the Ambassador of Cape Verde to Nigeria. Earlier in his address, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, commended Nigeria for paying 100 per cent of its community levy for 2023 and substantial remittances for 2024, reflecting Nigeria’s leadership and commitment under President Tinubu. “For the first time in 19 years, Nigeria has paid 100% of its community levy from 2023. I’m therefore pleased to announce that on Friday, December 13, 2024, Nigeria paid N85 billion and $54 million, representing 100% of the 2023 levy and the 2024 levy up to July 2024. According to him: “We all agree that this payment underscores the leadership and commitment of President Tinubu, the government and the people of Nigeria to our community. At a more personal level, it represents confidence in the management I have been privileged to lead since 2022”. He encouraged other member states to meet their financial commitments diligently. Deji Elumoye Follow us on:As Donald Trump steps up his tariff threats against China, Beijing is moving to beat the next US president to the punch with its own restrictions and get Washington to the negotiating table ahead of a full-blown trade war, analysts say. Armed with the lessons of the last trade war during Trump's first term, China is seeking to amass bargaining chips to kick off talks with a new US administration on contentious aspects of bilateral ties, including trade and investment, and science and technology. It is also concerned about the harmful effects of additional tariffs on its already fragile economy. This week, China launched a probe into US chip giant Nvidia over what it claimed were suspected antitrust violations, which follows its ban on US-bound exports of rare minerals. "We have to look at this as the opening bid in what will likely ultimately turn into a negotiation with the US rather than just an imposition of tariffs and everyone walks away," HSBC's Chief Asia Economist Fred Neumann said. China is better prepared to deal with almost any tariffs, short of an "Armageddon announcement" of a 60 percent tariff on all Chinese goods, said George Magnus, research associate at Oxford University's China Centre. The world's second-largest economy now globally dominates sectors such as electric vehicles and green energy, and has less need for the Boeing jets and large gasoline-fuelled cars it bought back in 2017, having found substitutes such as Airbus airplanes and its own Comac C919. But China is far from self-sufficient. A new trade war with the world's biggest economy would still hurt China more, analysts say, as Washington can levy ever-larger import duties on its goods and further rip China from its supply chains. China still needs to import strategic materials from the US such as advanced microchips and other high-tech equipment and counts on US consumers to buy its goods, given an increasingly pessimistic global trade outlook and weak domestic consumer demand. Beijing wants to sit down with Trump before he places more curbs on US high-tech exports and to secure the renewal of the US-China Science and Technology Agreement, said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for the Asia Pacific at Natixis. The agreement, which enables scientific collaboration between the two countries, lapsed in August and negotiations over its renewal are unlikely to be completed before Trump's January 20 inauguration. While China's Huawei has heavily invested in its advanced chip-making capabilities, their commercial viability remains unclear, she added, incentivising China's negotiators to sit down with their US counterparts to strike a deal ensuring a steady supply of American-made chips. ART OF THE DEAL Beijing took two years before it agreed to buy an extra $200 billion in American goods and services, per the terms of the "Phase One" agreement which ended the first trade war. This time, China has new carrots to dangle, such as increasing purchases of oil and liquefied natural gas, as the US is currently pumping out more than it can consume. "Trump bragged on the campaign trail: 'Drill baby, drill,' so (he) will need the demand support," said Bo Zhengyuan, a Shanghai-based partner at consultancy Plenum. Given the increasing restrictions on the export of chips, agricultural goods, commodities and energy are among the items the US can still sell to China, Bo said. China's commerce ministry said it was open to engaging and communicating with the economic and trade teams of the Trump administration, when asked for comment. But Beijing also has sticks to beat Washington with, if the US side feels China's failure to meet its previous purchase commitments means it will gain more from tariffs than talks. US firms are already feeling the squeeze, said Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. "US companies and other foreign companies have really been concerned about whether they actually have access to this market," Hart said. "Can we even sell into China anymore? Is there an outright ban on us?" Business sentiment among US firms in China is at its lowest since 1999, according to a September survey by the American Chamber's Shanghai chapter. There are also non-economic factors at play. Trump has pledged additional tariffs of 10 percent on Chinese goods to push Beijing to do more to stop fentanyl flows into the US. "Using political justifications for the imposition of trade restrictions ultimately makes the tensions much more intractable," said HSBC's Neumann. The fentanyl tariffs also mirror China's import curbs on trading partners that displease Beijing over issues such as human rights, Taiwan and the South China Sea. "It's taking a leaf out of China's manual of coercion," Magnus said. "I think they would see it as a slap in the face." As Donald Trump steps up his tariff threats against China, Beijing is moving to beat the next US president to the punch with its own restrictions and get Washington to the negotiating table ahead of a full-blown trade war, analysts say. Armed with the lessons of the last trade war during Trump's first term, China is seeking to amass bargaining chips to kick off talks with a new US administration on contentious aspects of bilateral ties, including trade and investment, and science and technology. It is also concerned about the harmful effects of additional tariffs on its already fragile economy. This week, China launched a probe into US chip giant Nvidia over what it claimed were suspected antitrust violations, which follows its ban on US-bound exports of rare minerals. "We have to look at this as the opening bid in what will likely ultimately turn into a negotiation with the US rather than just an imposition of tariffs and everyone walks away," HSBC's Chief Asia Economist Fred Neumann said. China is better prepared to deal with almost any tariffs, short of an "Armageddon announcement" of a 60 percent tariff on all Chinese goods, said George Magnus, research associate at Oxford University's China Centre. The world's second-largest economy now globally dominates sectors such as electric vehicles and green energy, and has less need for the Boeing jets and large gasoline-fuelled cars it bought back in 2017, having found substitutes such as Airbus airplanes and its own Comac C919. But China is far from self-sufficient. A new trade war with the world's biggest economy would still hurt China more, analysts say, as Washington can levy ever-larger import duties on its goods and further rip China from its supply chains. China still needs to import strategic materials from the US such as advanced microchips and other high-tech equipment and counts on US consumers to buy its goods, given an increasingly pessimistic global trade outlook and weak domestic consumer demand. Beijing wants to sit down with Trump before he places more curbs on US high-tech exports and to secure the renewal of the US-China Science and Technology Agreement, said Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for the Asia Pacific at Natixis. The agreement, which enables scientific collaboration between the two countries, lapsed in August and negotiations over its renewal are unlikely to be completed before Trump's January 20 inauguration. While China's Huawei has heavily invested in its advanced chip-making capabilities, their commercial viability remains unclear, she added, incentivising China's negotiators to sit down with their US counterparts to strike a deal ensuring a steady supply of American-made chips. ART OF THE DEAL Beijing took two years before it agreed to buy an extra $200 billion in American goods and services, per the terms of the "Phase One" agreement which ended the first trade war. This time, China has new carrots to dangle, such as increasing purchases of oil and liquefied natural gas, as the US is currently pumping out more than it can consume. "Trump bragged on the campaign trail: 'Drill baby, drill,' so (he) will need the demand support," said Bo Zhengyuan, a Shanghai-based partner at consultancy Plenum. Given the increasing restrictions on the export of chips, agricultural goods, commodities and energy are among the items the US can still sell to China, Bo said. China's commerce ministry said it was open to engaging and communicating with the economic and trade teams of the Trump administration, when asked for comment. But Beijing also has sticks to beat Washington with, if the US side feels China's failure to meet its previous purchase commitments means it will gain more from tariffs than talks. US firms are already feeling the squeeze, said Michael Hart, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China. "US companies and other foreign companies have really been concerned about whether they actually have access to this market," Hart said. "Can we even sell into China anymore? Is there an outright ban on us?" Business sentiment among US firms in China is at its lowest since 1999, according to a September survey by the American Chamber's Shanghai chapter. There are also non-economic factors at play. Trump has pledged additional tariffs of 10 percent on Chinese goods to push Beijing to do more to stop fentanyl flows into the US. "Using political justifications for the imposition of trade restrictions ultimately makes the tensions much more intractable," said HSBC's Neumann. The fentanyl tariffs also mirror China's import curbs on trading partners that displease Beijing over issues such as human rights, Taiwan and the South China Sea. "It's taking a leaf out of China's manual of coercion," Magnus said. "I think they would see it as a slap in the face."
None
