Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood makes a pass against Southfield A&T during the first half of Division 1 state final at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023. (Junfu Han / The Detroit Free Press) ORG XMIT: IMAGN-489221 Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood , the No. 1 overall player in the Class of 2025, has decommitted from LSU and has committed to Michigan instead, he announced on social media Thursday. Underwood had been committed to LSU since January. He was on track to become the first No. 1 overall quarterback and player to sign with LSU, according to the 247Sports Composite. Underwood attends Belleville High in Belleville, Michigan. Belleville is a 30 minute drive from Michigan's campus. CBS Sports also reported in November that Michigan had offered Underwood around $10 million in NIL money for the five-star recruits commitment. LSU's 2025 recruiting class drops to No. 6 in the nation following Underwood's decommitment. The Tigers have two five-star recruits committed still in running back Harlem Berry and cornerback DJ Pickett. Underwood was LSU's lone quarterback commitment from the 2025 class. He was the Tigers' likely succession plan for when starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier would leave for the NFL Draft. Now, without Underwood in the fold, retaining Nussmeier for next season becomes critical for coach Brian Kelly and quarterback coach and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan. Nussmeier had gotten off to a strong start but turnover woes have slowed his progress this season, his first as a starter. He's turned the ball over seven times in the past three games, all losses for LSU. This story will be updated.My association with (MT to me) started during my student days in Calicut in the early 60s, when he was the editor of the prestigious weekly. I used to deliver the manuscript and photographs of a serial article on the poisonous snakes of Kerala by KG Adiyodi, who was a lecturer in Devagiri College. As he was like an elder brother, I used to stay at his house. The first time I went to MT’s first-floor cabin, I lost my way! He came out and guided me to the wooden ladder to go down. Since then, he continued to guide me and my family from close quarters in my career, with my writing and in family matters. His love and concern for us were beyond words, and he was more considerate to my wife Ragini, to whom he had given the liberty of making any demands on him! During our stay in Delhi, she made a demand -- a handsome young man in the neighbourhood, Krishnakumar, should be cast in one of MT’s films. As he was very rigid with every aspect of his films, be it direction, script, dialogue or casting, I thought he may not relent but he did. He asked Harikumar, director of , which was written by MT, to cast Krishnakumar. By the time the film was completed, I was working in Delhi as Deputy Director General in Doordarshan. The preview of was in Delhi and while we were waiting on the steps of the preview theatre for our car, MT hugged Ragini, saying, "Now aren’t you contended and happy?" Turning aside, he told me that the role played by Krishnakumar was added to the script only because of Ragini's insistence. The film bagged two national awards. Krishnakumar made it big in films and later entered politics and was a BJP candidate both for the Parliament and Assembly elections. MT’s help was a turning point in his life. MT's support in my life dates back to the days I earned my first job as a junior lecturer in the small town of Payyanur. I had an opportunity to present a paper on contemporary Malayalam novels, where MT was the chief guest. He was impressed with my presentation and asked me to meet him at Calicut whenever I visited the city. I made it a point to visit him every month and he spared time and attention suggesting books to be read and gifting a few, every time. I started writing for the prestigious weekly, of which he was editor. It was a dream come true to have my name printed in the weekly. Then he asked me to review books almost every month, which continued as long as he was editor. After that he asked to narrate the stories of Rudyard Kipling’s , which were serialised in the weekly. My major break came when he assigned the translation of Desmond Morris' in weekly. With his deft editing, the translation was a big success, resulting in a big circulation boost for the weekly. I still wonder how I was assigned the job me when I was in my early 20s! Soon thereafter, introducing me to the mystic world of Japanese literature, he asked me to translate Junichiro Tanizaki's , which was again improved by his magic blue pencil. With a name as weekly writer, I was fortunate to be publishing in English in the newly-started , Cochin edition, and other Malayalam periodicals. While patronising me as an editor, MT was also helping me like his own family member. His was one of the first two houses I visited in Calicut soon after my marriage. When our elder son was a toddler, MT saved his life. We were in his house ‘Sitara’ and our son Jayadeep was playing with his elder daughter Sitara. Jayadeep unwittingly put a marble into his mouth and choked, gasping for breath. We were shocked. MT suddenly hit him behind neck and the marble fell out. During the final year of my postgraduation, I had to look out for a job, as I would not get the job I had left in the Payyanur college. I started applying for jobs and one of them was the post of Assistant Editor in the Indian Council Of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Delhi. I was called for an interview on a cold winter morning and there were seven members on the selection panel. Dr KPA Menon was ICAR Secretary and, as he later told me, he was under pressure from influential quarters. He wanted the selection to be on merit. After the written test, during the interview, I was really grilled but MT who was on the panel did not ask me any question. In the late afternoon, I visited KP Unnikrishnan and VK Madhavan Kutty, correspondents in Delhi. They revealed to me that I was the selected candidate. Later MT told me that the committee was unanimous in selecting me and he had vouched for my merit. After two years of working in Delhi, I was transferred to a research institute in Kerala on a similar editorial assignment. I used to continue to write and MT asked me to contribute an article on scientific research in the Onam special issue of the weekly in 1974. The theme for the issue was problems of the problem state. I wrote on the farce of research which irritated my boss no end and he started harassing me and threatened to dismiss me from my job! With a young family, I was at my wits' end; but MT took up my case strongly with Dr MS Swaminathan, Director General of ICAR. His intervention saved my job. I was trying my level best to get out of the small-town job and fortunately got selected by the Union Public Service Commission for the post of Assistant Station Director, because of my high rank in the selection list, at Calcutta Doordarshan Kendra. MT entrusted the correspondent of Calcutta to help us settle there. After seven months in Calcutta, I was transferred to Madras Doordarshan. Madras was second home to MT then, as he was busy with films, after his spectacular success and national film awards in direction and scriptwriting. Every time he was in Madras, soon after his arrival, MT would call on us, visit our home with gifts and take us and the children for lunch or dinner with him. He used to take us to all the five-star hotels in Madras. The moment the boys heard that their favourite 'MT maaman' is in town, they used to literally jump with joy. We were specially called for all his film previews as he valued Ragini’s opinion more than mine. He introduced me to eminent personalities in the fields of films, literature, culture and arts in Malayalam -- MB Sreenivasan and V Abdulla were among them. MT wrote his magnum opus , while I was in Madras. I was dumbfounded by the research he did before writing the book. The list of books was large and he asked me to secure as many of them as possible. I could get quite a number for him from libraries of Madras. When I presented a copy of VS Naipaul’s , MT, who used to write a column in a weekly, wrote at length, interpreting the book. In December 1984, I was transferred to Trivandrum to start the Malayalam TV station. MT used to visit the city as he was making frequent trips to the UAE via Trivandrum. He stayed with us and every time he would present us with valuable gifts. During my stint at Trivandrum, I had to appoint a few production assistants. For less than a dozen vacancies, the applicants were more than 3000 with recommendations galore from ministers, Assembly members and other prominent persons. The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting was breathing down my neck dictating the names of candidates to be issued with appointment letters. I was determined to make the selection purely on merit and did not budge. I wanted the Selection Committee to be constituted with utmost secrecy. I called MT on phone and insisted that he should spare a day for me at Trivandrum. Similarly, I contacted others including ONV Kurup, Bharat Bhushan and others to select the best candidates after shortlisting 60 of them through a written test. While we in the car to DD Kendra, MT made a comment, "I selected Kunhikrishnan for a job. Now after a quarter of a century, I am selecting persons for Kunhikrishnan and a circle gets completed." Doordarshan had a scheme to produce quality films for telecast and it was left to me to select five renowned directors to do the production. I requested Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Aravindan, MT, KG George and Padmarajan. While the first three agreed and assignments were given, Padmarajan’s proposal was rejected because his budget was above the limit. MT flatly refused to work while faced with bureaucratic tangles. I later managed to convince him to produce which bagged awards at Singapore, Tokyo and Jakarta Film Fesitvals. I got the allotment of a Maruti 800 car in the first lot in 1987 and the cost was Rs 1,87,000. There was a deadline for payment and the government loan that I applied for was not forthcoming. MT used to check every day and finally asked us to go to Calicut. We reached late but MT was waiting at the bank with the manager to hand over his cheque and collect the money. By then, a phone message from my office was received at his house that the loan was credited in my bank. We enjoyed his generosity on several occasions. When I was transferred to Delhi from Trivandrum, our younger son was in 10th standard and for want of accommodation and to avoid disruption in his studies, I went alone. Managing two establishments was no easy matter for my wife. One night she informed me, her voice choking, that she had received a letter from MT in which he had written that he knew about our difficulties and as a small relief he was enclosing a cheque for Rs 25,000. It was a help beyond words. On another occasion, our younger son Viswanath studying in Madras wanted to go to US for higher studies, when we were in Delhi. He had already taken the TOEFL test and scored high marks. He had secured the application forms but to send it there was a catch. He needed a capability certificate with a minimum bank balance of Rs 10 lakh. He would receive scholarship after the first semester and we needed to spend for his first fees and meet his travel expenses. MT was specially fond of him and he asked us to make a trip to Calicut with the forms. Again he was waiting at Nadakkavu branch of the bank and got us the necessary capability certificates. It was Vichu (Viswanath), a fourth standard student, that MT had authorised as his nephew to receive a state film award as he could not travel to Trivandrum on the designated day. Vichu received the award in style, following which there was a barrage of phone calls asking about the new 'nephew' of MT. My wife Ragini has a big house, Panchavadi, in Taliparamaba. It was in a dilapidated condition and badly needed repairs. MT visited us when we were there. Later, on another trip he brought the famous architect and designer from Calicut RK Ramesh and asked him to suggest improvements to the house. They spent a couple of hours at the house and later we all drove to my maternal uncle’s house in Peralam, near Payyanur. After lunch, MT called Ragini to a side room and handed over a packet to her, asking her to start the house renovation immediately. The packet contained Rs 1 lakh, a whopping sum those days. It is well known that MT used to do extensive research for his writings, His last novel was and during one of his stays in Delhi, he asked me for help. Fortunately, the head of the DD production centre in Varanasi was a man of letters and I sought his help for facilitating MT's trip. I had cautioned him that MT is a man of few words. MT returned happy after the trip. Acharya called me up to say that I had misjudged MT and that he was a good talker and he was lucky to have befriended him and congratulated me for being a favourite of a 'cult figure'. MT had once visited China and stayed with us prior to the trip. He unearthed two voluminous books on China (One was a publication) and carefully read them. On his return, he was very eloquent on how Kerala could take lessons from China on providing tender coconut water in sachets and develop an industry all over the state. He made his best efforts, but nothing happened.The U.S. Department of Justice and Google both delivered closing arguments in the U.S. antitrust trial concerning Google’s ad business. As with , the federal government argued that Google’s monopoly of this market is illegal. And as with that case, , in this case three businesses tied to online advertising. “Google is once, twice, three times a monopolist,” DOJ prosecutor Aaron Teitelbaum told Judge Leonie M. Brinkema today, referring to the three related Google ad businesses it’s accused of abusing, DoubleClick, Google Ads, and AdX (AdExchange). “These are the markets that make the free and open internet possible ... [But] for more than a decade, Google has rigged the rules of [ad] auctions.” “Google’s conduct is a story of innovation in response to competition,” Google lead lawyer Karen Dunn retorted in an equally pithy summary. Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift! , and . In both cases, regulators have proactively suggested that because of the scope of its dominance and abuses. In the most recent quarter, 66 percent of Google’s revenues, or almost $66 billion, came from advertising. But this antitrust case concerns only a small percentage of that: Ad revenues from Google Search and YouTube are not part of the complaint, and won’t be impacted if Google loses this case. But Google losing seems like a solid bet. During the September trial, the government argued that Google owns 87 percent of the market for selling online ads, and that it has consisted closed the vice on competition by illegally favoring its own services while raising feeds and lowering payouts to websites and other online publishers that rely on this income to survive. And it produced an internal Google email claiming that the three ad businesses it owned were similar to “if Goldman or Citibank owned the NYSE [New York Stock Exchange].” Google’s argument, that it has innovated and has competition, is about as specious as it is obvious. But the online giant says that this business is relatively tiny if you factor in all forms of advertising. And it blames “handful of rivals and several mammoth publishers” for the complaints that led them to the trial. Unlike the Judge overseeing Google’s search case, this one is going to wrap up quickly: Judge Brinkema will rule on the case before the end of the year and then schedule remedy hearings, if necessary, in early 2025. Paul Thurrott is an award-winning technology journalist and blogger with 30 years of industry experience and the author of 30 books. He is the owner of and the host of three tech podcasts: with Leo Laporte and Richard Campbell, , and with Brad Sams. He was formerly the senior technology analyst at Windows IT Pro and the creator of the SuperSite for Windows from 1999 to 2014 and the Major Domo of Thurrott.com while at BWW Media Group from 2015 to 2023. You can reach Paul via , or . Join the crowd where the love of tech is real - become a Thurrott Premium Member today! Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday
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Share Tweet Share Share Email In today’s competitive market, understanding what your competitors are doing is key to staying ahead. Competitor analysis is essential for uncovering opportunities, refining strategies, and improving your performance. Mavic’s Competitor Analysis feature helps you track and analyze competitors automatically, making it easier to monitor key metrics like website traffic, social media engagement, and audience behavior. In this blog, we’ll explore the powerful new features of Mavic AI’s competitor analysis tools and how they can help your business stay competitive. What is Competitor Analysis? Competitor analysis involves evaluating your competitors’ strategies, website performance, and engagement tactics. By understanding what works for them and where they fall short, businesses can improve their own approach. With Mavic’s competitor data analysis , you can access real-time insights into competitors’ website traffic, social media performance, and much more. This data is crucial for businesses looking to outperform their competition and identify new growth opportunities. New Features in Mavic’s Competitor Analysis Mavic has recently upgraded its competitor analysis feature with several exciting new tools. Here’s a closer look at what’s now available: Competitors in the Analytics Module The Competitors section is part of Mavic’s Analytics module, providing streamlined access to competitor insights. All competitor data is housed under one tab, making it easier to compare metrics and analyze trends. Upgraded Data Visualization The data visualization features allow you to view competitor visits , unique visitors , average visit duration , pages per visit , and bounce rate on a monthly basis . You can toggle between charts and tables to see competitor data in the format that best suits your analysis. This enhanced view allows you to track and compare competitors’ performance over time. Competitor Scorecards In the near future, Mavic will roll out competitor scorecards that offer a deeper dive into your competitors’ performance. These scorecards will provide an overview of important metrics, allowing businesses to track competitors’ strengths and weaknesses in one comprehensive report. Chat with Competitor Data Mavic now allows you to chat with your competitor data . Simply type in a prompt, like “ Help me analyze my competitors’ website traffic data ” and interact with the data in a conversational way. This feature makes it easier to analyze competitor performance and gain insights without having to manually sift through reports. Manual Input of Competitor Social Channels Mavic AI now lets you manually input missing social media channels for competitors. By adding social media profiles, you can enhance the depth of your analysis and ensure a more complete view of your competitors’ online presence. Benefits of Competitor Analysis for Your Business Using competitor analysis tools like those offered by Mavic can give your business a significant edge. Here are some key benefits: Informed Decision-Making With accurate competitor data , you can make better decisions about your marketing strategies, product offerings, and customer engagement. You’ll have a clearer picture of what’s working for your competitors and where you can outperform them. Identifying Market Trends Tracking competitor data over time lets you identify emerging market trends . Mavic’s competitor analytics tools allow you to spot trends early, giving you the opportunity to act before your competitors do. Improved Marketing Campaigns By analyzing your competitors’ website traffic , bounce rate , and social media engagement, you can adjust your own campaigns for better performance. Use these insights to refine your messaging, target the right audience, and choose the best channels for promotion. Competitive Edge Continuous competitor tracking ensures that you stay ahead of the curve. By regularly monitoring their performance, you can stay proactive and adjust your strategies to keep a competitive edge in your industry. How Mavic’s Competitor Analysis Features Work Mavic’s competitor data analysis tools offer an intuitive way to track and measure your competitors’ performance: Competitor Visits : Track how often competitors’ websites are visited, which can give you an idea of their audience size and engagement. Bounce Rate and Engagement : Analyze how well competitors’ websites are engaging visitors by looking at metrics like bounce rate and average session duration. Social Media Data : Manually add competitors’ social media channels to gather insights into their social strategies. This feature allows you to assess how competitors are engaging with their followers across platforms. Mavic’s competitor website traffic and engagement data allow you to gauge their online presence. By comparing this data with your own, you can uncover areas where your business can improve and identify strategies to help you outperform your competition. Why Competitor Analysis Matters In a highly competitive digital landscape, competitor analysis gives businesses the insights they need to thrive. Understanding your competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and audience engagement can help you make informed decisions about where to invest your time, energy, and marketing budget. Mavic’s tools automate this process, making it easier to track your competitors and act on insights in real time. Conclusion Mavic’s new competitor analysis feature provides a robust set of tools to help businesses track and analyze their competitors’ performance with ease. With enhanced data visualization, competitor scorecards, and the ability to chat with your data, Mavic makes competitor tracking smarter and more actionable. By utilizing these tools, businesses can stay ahead of the competition, refine their strategies, and drive growth. Start using Mavic’s competitor analytics tools today and gain a competitive advantage by making data-driven decisions that set you apart from the rest. Related Items: Smarter Competitor Analysis , Smarter Competitor Analysis with Mavic AI Share Tweet Share Share Email CommentsWinter Weather Warnings in 14 States As up to 40 Inches of Snow To Hit
SYRIA | UNDER SIEGE BEIRUT — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government denied rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader's base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria's third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture is a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.'s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an "orderly political transition." Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels "sorry for the Syrian people." In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
