newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Carlos Ghosn’s downfall began with extravagant parties at the Palace of Versailles

The heat is rising for the wife of former Nissan ...

Like Marie-Antoinette, Carlos Ghosn’s troubles escalated after a round of extravagant parties at the Palace of Versailles.
When the former Nissan boss and international fugitive married his second wife Carole Nahas Marshi in 2016, he organized a sumptuous soiree for 120 guests at the sprawling 17th century chateau on the outskirts of Paris that was once home to the ill-fated last queen of France.
Guests in black tie and sweeping gowns gathered for the lavish banquet that also doubled as Carole’s 50th birthday celebration. They dined on Limoges china and drank vintage wine from Ghosn’s own Ixsir vineyard in Lebanon. The four-foot wedding cake was a pyramid of choux pastry draped with fondant white flowers. Antique tables overflowed with pastel-colored macaroons, strawberries and grapes as guests mingled with costumed actors in powdered pompadour wigs.
“We wanted it to feel as if we were inviting guests into our home — nothing too studied,” Carole Ghosn told “Town and Country,” which featured photos of the sultry blonde in a striking green taffeta gown adorned with gold flowers by Paris designer Rabih Kayrouz.
“When you invite people to a party, they say maybe,” said Carole, a Lebanese-born New Yorker. “When you invite them to Versailles, they will come.”
Carole Ghosn spoke from experience, for the wedding was the second time the couple entertained at Versailles. The first was in 2014 when Ghosn personally invited 160 people to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the alliance between Nissan and Renault. But the March 9th dinner, which was catered by celebrity French chef Alain Ducasse and featured an elaborate fireworks display, coincided with Ghosn’s 60th birthday, and not the March 27th birth of the joint venture in 1999.
Most of the guests at the Louis XIV-inspired dinner were friends of the couple from around the world, according to French press reports. Only a handful of attendees were employees of the car giants, according to BFM TV in France, which obtained the exclusive guest list. Following the festivities, a 28-page photo album was emailed to all guests, and a professionally shot video of the soiree was produced.
“As usual, I count on your total discretion on this event,” warned the last line of Ghosn’s invitation.
Long known as “Le Cost Cutter” in France, the maverick executive had been credited with saving the car companies he oversaw from bankruptcy, largely by ruthlessly slashing jobs, cutting expenses and streamlining operations.
At more than $700,000, the price-tag of the Versailles party would prove awkward as a corporate expense, and questions would also arise in France about who paid for the extravagant wedding reception/birthday party for his wife.
In November 2018, Japanese authorities charged Ghosn with diverting company funds for his own benefit and underreporting his income in the tens of millions of dollars — his salary and stock options totaled $17 million in 2017.
Two weeks ago, he escaped to Lebanon in an instrument case from Japan where he was on bail awaiting trial. Among the issues that seemed to bother his Nissan bosses most were the images of a tuxedoed Ghosn happily greeting guests at the Gallery of Great Battles, the Versailles Palace’s grandest room where 15 centuries of French military victories are depicted on its walls.
Carlos Ghosn, 65, wasn’t always so rich or extravagant.
His family has humble roots in the Brazilian Amazon where his grandfather, Bichara Ghosn, first settled as a 13-year-old, illiterate emigrant from Lebanon. The elder Ghosn went in search of El Dorado in the outback region, and took on a series of odd jobs in Porto Velho on the Madeira River, a tributary of the Amazon, where many Syrian and Lebanese immigrants settled in the 19th and 20th centuries. Although he soon made a good living in Brazil’s aviation industry, Bichara Ghosn, a Maronite Christian, always longed to re-establish himself in his beloved native country.
“The Maronites who emigrated have maintained their loyalty to Lebanon and to their family members who stayed in the old country,” wrote Carlos Ghosn in his 2003 book “Shift: Inside Nissan’s Historic Revival.” “They send money. They pay to construct a house in their ancestral village and visit it from time to time.”
Ghosn would follow his grandfather’s example, investing heavily in a winery and other real estate ventures in Lebanon — a decision that would end up saving his life after he launched his dramatic escape from Tokyo to Beirut at the end of last year.
Ghosn was born in Porto Velho on March 9, 1954, but after a childhood illness, his mother moved him to “the old country” where he studied at an elite Jesuit school in Beirut. After high school, Ghosn left for Paris where he enrolled at a prestigious engineering school and met his first wife Rita Kordahi, a pharmacy student who, like Ghosn himself, was fond of bridge. She also has Lebanese roots.
They married in 1984 when Ghosn was 30, and a year later took off for Rio de Janeiro, where the rising corporate star was put in charge of the Michelin tire company’s South American operations. Ghosn was so successful at restructuring the firm and helping it become profitable that his corporate bosses in Paris put him charge of their operations in the US.
The Ghosns moved with their young family — they have four children — to South Carolina where the corporate titan eventually was promoted to CEO of Michelin North America in 1990. Six years later, the family moved to Paris where he headed operations for Renault. In 1999 when Renault and Nissan formed their alliance, executives called on Ghosn as chief operating officer. By 2001, he was appointed CEO of Nissan, and uprooted his family yet again — this time to Tokyo.
But following Ghosn around the world was tough on Rita who had abandoned her own career plans to raise her family and support Ghosn’s successful trajectory, according to French press reports. By 2012, their marriage was over.
“All narcissists are hypocrites,” said Rita Ghosn in a social media post shortly after his arrest. “They pretend to have morals and values that they really don’t possess. Behind closed doors, they lie, insult, criticize, disrespect and abuse. They can do and say whatever they want, but how dare you say anything back to them or criticize them.”
Friends of the couple said the bitterness largely stemmed from Ghosn’s relationship with Carole Nahas Marshi, an Upper East Side-based mother of three who had been married to Lebanese-born banker Marwan Marshi.
With Carole, a philanthropist and entrepreneur who once headed a high-end caftan company, Ghosn suddenly became a boldface name on the European social circuit. Often photographed holding hands, the happy couple regularly attended glittering charity events, the Cannes Film Festival and the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio. They flew on a lavish corporate jet to Ghosn’s sprawling homes in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo and Beirut — all multi-million dollar properties that Ghosn convinced Nissan to buy for him. His French lawyers recently defended the purchases, saying it was much cheaper for the company to put him up at a series of private residences when he traveled on business rather than paying for high-end hotel rooms for Ghosn and his security team.
Since New Year’s Eve, the couple, who had not been allowed to see each other for months while Ghosn was imprisoned in Japan, have been happily esconced at their $15-million salmon-hued mansion in Beirut. The $6 million renovations to the property, financed by Nissan, include expensive antiques and portraits of the former CEO.
“I have not fled justice — I have escaped injustice and political persecution,” an audacious Ghosn insisted at a press conference that stretched for more than two hours in Beirut last week in which he alternated answering reporters’ questions in Arabic, French, Portuguese and English. Ghosn holds Brazilian, French and Lebanese citizenship, and is beloved in Lebanon where the president Michel Aoun met with him hours after his arrival last month. Some Lebanese politicians had always hoped that the man who saved Nissan would do the same for the country one day and encouraged Ghosn to run for political office. In 2017, the country issued a postage stamp with his face on it. Although Lebanese authorities banned him from traveling outside the country last week, they said they will not comply with an Interpol “red notice” to extradite Ghosn to Japan.
Last week, Japan requested that Interpol arrest Carole Ghosn, who is wanted in Japan on charges that she allegedly gave false testimony about her husband during a court appearance in Japan in April. Like her husband, Carole Ghosn is a Lebanese citizen.
In addition to vigorously denying allegations of financial crimes, Ghosn accused Japanese law enforcement and former corporate colleagues of colluding against him to plot his downfall. After his arrest in 2018, Ghosn spent 14 months in prison and house arrest. He was often interrogated without the presence of an attorney and cut off from his family, he said.
In addition to his troubles in Japan, Ghosn also addressed his Versailles parties last week, which have been the subject of ongoing probes in France. Auditors for Nissan are looking into Renault-Nissan BV, a Netherlands corporate entity which Japanese authorities said Ghosn used to finance his lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of a yacht and various homes around the world.
Ghosn said he did not pay to rent Versailles for his wife’s party in 2016 because the palace’s renovations had been bankrolled by Renault. Somehow, the $55,000 price tag for the party was deducted from “the credit Renault earns from being a sponsor of Versailles,” he said. Ghosn has said he will pay back the cost of the swanky affair.
“Catherine Pegard, who is the head of Versailles, told me, ‘Mr. Ghosn you are a big benefactor, you know from time to time for our big friends we can make rooms available. If you have a private party, we can make rooms available,’” said Ghosn at the press conference. “I say thank you very much.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Myles Powell gets help as Seton Hall stays perfect in Big East

In a showdown of two of college basketball ’ s most dynamic scorers , Seton Hall star Myles Powell came out on top — with a little help from his teammates .
If it weren ’ t for the 25 points the Pirates received off the bench and the overall shared responsibility on the floor , Seton Hall wouldn ’ t have improved to 12-4 overall and 4-0 in the Big East with a 69-55 win over Marquette at Prudential Center on Saturday .
The Golden Eagles ’ star point guard , Markus Howard , nearly took the game into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game-high 27 points .
But he couldn ’ t pull it off alone , as Seton Hall put forth a complete team effort .
Powell took some time to make an impact on the floor , but his 3-pointer to tie the score at 32-32 with just over three minutes left before halftime after the Pirates had trailed for a majority of the first half certainly made his presence known .
From then on , it was hard to ignore him .
But every Pirate that took the floor recorded at least two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six points .
Seton Hall now takes a six-game winning streak into an upcoming two-game road trip against Butler and St. John ’ s .
Powell finished with a team-high 22 points , shooting 8-of-22 from the field with three steals .
He had a rough day from 3-point range , sinking just 2-of-11 from behind the arc .
In the end , it was Powell ’ s defense that was the star of Saturday ’ s matchup , with the 22-year-old taking three fouls in the second half and winning some rebounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led by as many as 11 points in the first half , with Howard posting a team-high 18 points before the break .
Their seven 3-pointers through the first half were the main source of the Golden Eagles ’ offense , which ran into stretches in which they were unable to get a shot off .
It took Powell until 10:41 to record his first points of the game , but once he got into a rhythm , the Pirates were suddenly looking a lot more competitive .
Powell started to hit his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 6:33 pulled Seton Hall within three .
The 6-foot-2 point guard finished with 16 points in the first half , putting eight of them up in the final four minutes .
He sunk a momentum-shifting 3-pointer through heavy coverage with 3:19 left before halftime , bringing Seton Hall fans to their feet .

In a showdown between two of college basketball’s most dynamic scorers, Seton Hall star Myles Powell came out on top — with a little help from his teammates.
Thanks to the 25 points off the bench and an overall complete team effort, Seton Hall improved to 12-4 overall and 4-0 in the Big East with a 69-55 win over Marquette at the Prudential Center on Saturday. The win was the Pirates’ sixth in a row, lifting them to No. 1 in the conference.
“I feel like it didn’t matter who did it or how it got done,” Powell said. “Everybody just wants to win. When you got a group of guys that just want to win, you find yourself rolling and good things always wind up happening. I’m very happy with my team right now.”
Marquette’s standout guard, Markus Howard, kept his team competitive for a majority of the game. Though he put up a game-high 27 points, Howard, who leads Division I with an average of 26.8 points per game, couldn’t do it alone.
Neither could Powell, who credited his teammates after the win for sharing the responsibility on offense. But after taking some time to find his footing in the first half, Powell sank a heavily contested 3-pointer to tie the score at 32-32 with just over three minutes left before halftime — bringing Seton Hall fans to their feet.
“My teammates are just always trying to pick me up,” Powell said. “And whenever my head is hanging or they know I need a bucket to get going, they just always seem to find me. My coaches was telling me to pick my head up.
“I have a good supporting cast and this what I came back to school for, I love these guys.”
The Pirates trailed for a majority of the opening 20 minutes as Powell was unable to make a shot until the 10:41 mark, but the bench kept it close. Tyrese Samuel led with eight points off the bench, while Ike Obiagu and Anthony Nelson chipped in six each. Guard Shavar Reynolds Jr. added five.
Powell finished with a team-high 23 points, shooting 8-for-22 from the field with three steals. He had a rough day from 3-point range, going just 2-for-11 from behind the arc. In the end, Seton Hall’s defense was the star, forcing the Golden Eagles into 14 turnovers, including six steals.
Marquette (11-5, 1-3) led by as many as 11 points in the first half, with Howard posting 18 points before the break. Their seven 3-pointers before halftime were the main source of the Golden Eagles’ offense, which ran into stretches in which they were unable to get a shot off.
“I think once we kind of just started simplifying what we were doing on the defensive end, we kind of locked in a little bit,” Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard said. “We were able to chase some guys off the line and make it hard as you could possibly make it for Markus.”
Willard said he was worried about overplaying Powell, Myles Cale and Quincy McKnight after their heavy workload from three games in the past week. But he said he felt confident in what he’d get from his group on the bench, who Willard said display tremendous chemistry in practice.
“These guys know who they are,” Willard said. “I think that’s the one thing that I’ve been harping on over the last month, is the fact that we still are a team that needs to defend at a high level every night to have a chance to win. We’re not built to outscore people. There’s times when MP gets going and he’s making three’s left and right that we can outscore people, but on a daily basis we are a tough, hard-nosed team that needs to defend to win games. I think these guys are embracing that.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Trump celebrates his ‘powerful’ border wall, names it after himself

President Trump pumped up the barrier he ’ s building along the US-Mexico border , pronouncing it “ the powerful @ @ @ @ @ Saturday tweet .
“ Illegal crossing are dropping as more and more Wall is being @ @ @ @ @ .
A federal appeals court handed the administration a victory Thursday , releasing $ 3.6 @ @ @ @ @ the construction of new border walls .
On Friday , the Department of Homeland Security @ @ @ @ @ 100th mile of new border wall , which went up in Yuma , Arizona .
@ @ @ @ @ dropped for the seventh straight month in December , Customs and Border Protection announced last @ @ @ @ @ the “ Remain in Mexico ” program that keeps Central American asylum seekers in Mexican @ @ @ @ @ can be heard .

President Trump pumped up the barrier he’s building along the US-Mexico border, pronouncing it “the powerful Trump wall” in a Saturday tweet.
“Illegal crossing are dropping as more and more Wall is being completed!” he crowed.
A federal appeals court handed the administration a victory Thursday, releasing $3.6 billion in military funding for the construction of new border walls.
On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security announced the completion of the 100th mile of new border wall, which went up in Yuma, Arizona.
Arrests at the US border dropped for the seventh straight month in December, Customs and Border Protection announced last week – thanks mainly to the “Remain in Mexico” program that keeps Central American asylum seekers in Mexican custody until their court cases can be heard.


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Giants’ Joe Judge bringing Tyke Tolbert back as receivers coach

Joe Judge was responsible for special teams and wide receivers this past season with the Patriots , making it significant @ @ @ @ @ off Pat Shurmur ’ s staff from those position groups .
Tyke Tolbert , the @ @ @ @ @ will be retained by Judge , according to an NFL Network Report .
Tolbert replied @ @ @ @ @ by tweeting “ # Grateful ” .
Thomas McGaughey , the popular special teams coordinator @ @ @ @ @ , is also coming back .
Tolbert in 2019 often had to work with a @ @ @ @ @ as suspension and injuries made it a challenge to put the same players on the @ @ @ @ @ .
Tolbert gained high marks for helping the development of rookie Darius Slayton , who @ @ @ @ @ yards and a team-high eight touchdowns .

Joe Judge was responsible for special teams and wide receivers this past season with the Patriots, making it significant he is retaining two assistants off Pat Shurmur’s staff from those position groups.
Tyke Tolbert, the popular wide receivers coach, will be retained by Judge, according to an NFL Network Report. Tolbert replied on Twitter to this report by tweeting “#Grateful”.
Thomas McGaughey, the popular special teams coordinator on Shurmur’s staff, is also coming back.
Tolbert in 2019 often had to work with a patchwork group of receivers, as suspension and injuries made it a challenge to put the same players on the field on a week-to-week basis. Tolbert gained high marks for helping the development of rookie Darius Slayton, who caught 48 passes for 740 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns.


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Iran detains British ambassador Robert Macaire

Britain ’ s ambassador to Iran , Robert Macaire , was briefly detained Saturday as the country faces international condemnation @ @ @ @ @ International Airlines Flight 752 earlier this week .
The news was first reported by Iran @ @ @ @ @ agency .
“ The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is @ @ @ @ @ law , ” Britain ’ s Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ at a crossroads moment .
It can continue its march towards pariah status with all @ @ @ @ @ that entails , or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path @ @ @ @ @ continued .
The missile strike on the plane , which killed 176 people , including @ @ @ @ @ protests against the Iranian regime .
In a tweet , Tasnim accused Macaire of “ @ @ @ @ @ in front of Amir Kabir University.
” They also said the ambassador , who was @ @ @ @ @ Sunday to account for his actions .

Britain’s ambassador to Iran, Robert Macaire, was briefly detained Saturday as the country faces international condemnation over their downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 earlier this week.
The news was first reported by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
“The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law,” Britain’s Foreign secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.
“The Iranian government is at a crossroads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to de-escalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards,” the statement continued.
The missile strike on the plane, which killed 176 people, including 82 Iranian nationals, sparked protests against the Iranian regime. In a tweet, Tasnim accused Macaire of “organizing suspicious movements and protests in front of Amir Kabir University.” They also said the ambassador, who was released, would be summoned Sunday to account for his actions.


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Inside Ed Orgeron’s rocky road to LSU redemption

NEW ORLEANS — They arrive at the Big Game from ...

NEW ORLEANS — The dream was discarded in two weeks. The lifelong LSU fan donned purple, gold and pads, then quit and drove 100 miles back down the Bayou, where the freshman would no longer be homesick.
But Edward Orgeron Jr. couldn’t go back to Larose, La.
Almost everyone in the tiny town knew where the defensive lineman was supposed to be. When Orgeron was spotted digging cable wires for the phone company — alongside his father, Edward Sr. — the teenager cringed at the constant insults from passing motorists who reminded him he couldn’t cut it at LSU.
“I regretted it. There was no question,” Orgeron said Saturday. “I just felt there was always unfinished business at LSU, that I didn’t give myself a chance to compete at the highest level like I should have, so I’m a little disappointed in myself. I wanted to get the chance to come back to LSU and prove myself.”
Orgeron had so much to prove to so many more. He was the coach who flamed out in three disastrous seasons at Ole Miss, whose interim opportunity at USC ended without an offer, who was no fan’s first choice when LSU fired Les Miles.
Last month, Orgeron, 58, was named the country’s Coach of the Year. Four decades after leaving campus, the crawfish-craving, Red Bull-chugging owner of vocal cords slathered in gumbo, gravel and gusto has LSU within one win of its first national championship in 12 years.
“It’s been phenomenal. I’m blue collar, a lot like they are. I tell them I represent them in every way I can,” Orgeron said of Louisianans. “I’m honored to be here. Being from Cajun Country means a lot.”
Currently, the capital is the family’s home in Larose, where his mother, Coco, grew up skinning muskrats, where Orgeron took the nickname Bébé from his father, shoveled shrimp and spoke fluent Cajun French.
“He’s a Bayou boy and we love him. He’s brought us all together,” Louisiana native Wendy Kahn said. “He’s the best thing that ever happened to LSU. Louisiana loves him. He’s brought goodness to our state. He’s so true and down to earth.”
So do players, plucked from all around the Pelican State.
“There’s nothing close to him,” safety Grant Delpit said. “He’s a player’s coach. We love him. We couldn’t ask for a better coach.”
As a star lineman at South Lafourche High School, Orgeron played in the Superdome and won a state championship in 1977.
After Orgeron left LSU, his distant cousin, former teammate and future NFL quarterback Bobby Hebert, helped land him a roster spot at Northwestern State. Following graduation, Orgeron spent four years coaching at three schools, before getting hired by Jimmy Johnson at Miami, as a defensive line coach.
Orgeron built all-time dominant lines. He successfully recruited Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He won a national championship in 1991.
Then, years of hard-drinking led to Orgeron getting arrested for head-butting a Baton Rouge bar manager, leading to his resignation.
He has been sober for two decades.
“Everybody deserves a second chance,” Orgeron said.
The next chance came after a year out of the sport. Orgeron went to Nicholls State, then Syracuse, then USC, where he won a pair of national championships as an assistant coach and was named the country’s top recruiter in 2004.
Ole Miss came calling. Then, Orgeron went 10-25, finishing 2007 winless in the SEC and without a job.
“All the criticism that has come his way throughout his career, he handles it with a grace about him, and I have a lot of respect for him for being in the battles he’s been in and having the perspective that he has,” LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said. “He’s so smart. He’s just a great man with a great heart. It’s a goal of mine to be able to go through my coaching journey and come out like Coach O.”
After bouncing from the New Orleans Saints to Tennessee, Orgeron was crushed to learn another four years at USC and a 6-2 record as interim head coach in 2013 wasn’t enough to earn him the job.
“For a while I thought I would stay on the West Coast,” Orgeron said. “It looked like I was going to be at USC for a long time.”
Barely a year after making his long-awaited return to LSU as defensive line coach in 2015, Orgeron was named interim head coach. This time, 6-2 was good enough. This time, no one was a better fit.
“Everybody in the state of Louisiana will have a hope and a dream,” Orgeron said when he was hired. “This is bigger than life. Driving past the stadium, I just wanted to be an assistant coach here. I just wanted to have my feet on the grass.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Prince William breaks silence on Megxit: ‘I want everyone to play on the team’

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Prince William hopes the Royals can one day reconcile , he said in his first public comments on the Megxit scandal .
“ I ’ ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can ’ t do that anymore…I ’ m sad about that , ” he told the Sunday Times .
The Duke of Cambridge admitted his “ sadness ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s decision to “ step back ” as senior members of the monarchy , according The Sunday Times of London .
William , 37 , seemed resigned to trying to buoy the rogue couple as the fallout from their desire to splinter from the family continued .
“ All we can do , and all I can do , is try and support them and hope that the time comes when we ’ re all singing from the same page .
I want everyone to play on the team , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from early reports that the future king and his father , Prince Charles , were “ incandescent with rage , ” at Harry , who allegedly did not warn his family that the announcement was coming .
William , whose wife Kate Middleton has been noticeably quiet amidst the controversy , has been heavily involved in trying to appease Harry and Markle in the last few days .
He will join his brother , father and grandmother , Queen Elizabeth II , in person at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk , England Monday to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call-in from Vancouver , Canada , where she and eight-month-old son Archie are staying .

Prince William hopes the Royals can one day reconcile, he said in his first public comments on the Megxit scandal.
“I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that anymore…I’m sad about that,” he told the Sunday Times.
The Duke of Cambridge admitted his “sadness” about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s decision to “step back” as senior members of the monarchy, according The Sunday Times of London.
William, 37, seemed resigned to trying to buoy the rogue couple as the fallout from their desire to splinter from the family continued.
“All we can do, and all I can do, is try and support them and hope that the time comes when we’re all singing from the same page. I want everyone to play on the team,” he said.
It’s a sharp turn from early reports that the future king and his father, Prince Charles, were “incandescent with rage,” at Harry, who allegedly did not warn his family that the announcement was coming.
William, whose wife Kate Middleton has been noticeably quiet amidst the controversy, has been heavily involved in trying to appease Harry and Markle in the last few days.
He will join his brother, father and grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in person at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England Monday to find common ground. Markle plans to call-in from Vancouver, Canada, where she and eight-month-old son Archie are staying.


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--This NJ girl defends herself against bullies with a whistle

When Giada Oates prepares to leave for school each morning , the 10-year-old packs her book bag with the essentials : homework , phone , wallet — and a whistle .
The Hackensack , NJ , girl keeps one at hand during the school day to ward off bullies .
“ It gives me confidence , ” Giada , who is in the fifth grade at Hackensack Middle School , told The Post .
“ I know that if I blow it , someone will come help me.
” She started wearing the whistle after an incident last month in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grabbed from behind by a seventh-grade boy who placed her in a chokehold and whispered that she was going to “ die a silent death.
” “ If he ’ d held me for a minute longer , I would have fainted to the floor , ” Giada said .
“ I was trying not to cry , saying to myself , ‘ Don ’ t cry , don ’ t cry.
’ ” Earlier that month , another boy made graphic sexual comments to the girl .
Both incidents were reported to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the choking was also reported to police who are currently investigating the matter .
“ We can ’ t fault the school because they are doing everything they can to support Giada , but it ’ s a frightening situation , ” said Giada ’ s mom , Toni Imperiale , a 40-year-old lawyer .
“ The boy [ who did the choking ] was suspended for a few days , but we are worried it could happen again.
” The girl came up with the idea of wearing a whistle after watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Billie Jean , ” about a spunky teen who goes to considerable lengths to stand up for herself and her brother .
“ I thought about what would make me feel empowered and thought a whistle would be a great way to alert people to danger , ” Giada said .
She ’ s started a trend , with some of her classmates asking to wear whistles , too .
According to Toni , there ’ s a disturbing trend — “ gripping ” — at the school in which boys touch girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So Toni and her firefighter-husband Michael Oates purchased 85 whistles and handed them out .
“ It ’ s mostly the girls who wear them , but a few boys as well , ” Toni said .
Giada said she has heard the distress calls “ two or three times ” at school and that “ the teachers came running ” to see what was happening .
While the Hackensack Board of Education declined to speak about Giada ’ s specific case due to matters of student confidentiality , Superintendent of Schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post reading in part : “ I can confirm that the District takes all student safety matters seriously and will continue to investigate all student incidents promptly and take all appropriate action when necessary to maintain a school culture and climate appropriate for learning.
” Meanwhile , Imperiale said her family had received no objections from the school about the whistles .
As for Giada , she plans to wear hers for as long as necessary .
“ It really makes me feel safe , ” she said .
“ I would feel @ @ @ @ @ @

When Giada Oates prepares to leave for school each morning, the 10-year-old packs her book bag with the essentials: homework, phone, wallet — and a whistle.
The Hackensack, NJ, girl keeps one at hand during the school day to ward off bullies.
“It gives me confidence,” Giada, who is in the fifth grade at Hackensack Middle School, told The Post. “I know that if I blow it, someone will come help me.”
She started wearing the whistle after an incident last month in which, Giada said, she was grabbed from behind by a seventh-grade boy who placed her in a chokehold and whispered that she was going to “die a silent death.”
“If he’d held me for a minute longer, I would have fainted to the floor,” Giada said. “I was trying not to cry, saying to myself, ‘Don’t cry, don’t cry.’ ”
Earlier that month, another boy made graphic sexual comments to the girl.
Both incidents were reported to the school’s principal, and the choking was also reported to police who are currently investigating the matter.
“We can’t fault the school because they are doing everything they can to support Giada, but it’s a frightening situation,” said Giada’s mom, Toni Imperiale, a 40-year-old lawyer.
‘I thought about what would make me feel empowered and thought a whistle would be a great way to alert people to danger.’ - Giada Oates
“The boy [who did the choking] was suspended for a few days, but we are worried it could happen again.”
(The secretary to school principal Damen Cooper told The Post he had “no comment.”)
The girl came up with the idea of wearing a whistle after watching the 1985 movie “The Legend of Billie Jean,” about a spunky teen who goes to considerable lengths to stand up for herself and her brother.
“I thought about what would make me feel empowered and thought a whistle would be a great way to alert people to danger,” Giada said.
She’s started a trend, with some of her classmates asking to wear whistles, too. According to Toni, there’s a disturbing trend — “gripping” — at the school in which boys touch girls on their rears and squeeze their bodies.
So Toni and her firefighter-husband Michael Oates purchased 85 whistles and handed them out.
“It’s mostly the girls who wear them, but a few boys as well,” Toni said.
Giada said she has heard the distress calls “two or three times” at school and that “the teachers came running” to see what was happening.
While the Hackensack Board of Education declined to speak about Giada’s specific case due to matters of student confidentiality, Superintendent of Schools Robert Sanchez released a statement to The Post reading in part:
“I can confirm that the District takes all student safety matters seriously and will continue to investigate all student incidents promptly and take all appropriate action when necessary to maintain a school culture and climate appropriate for learning.”
Meanwhile, Imperiale said her family had received no objections from the school about the whistles.
As for Giada, she plans to wear hers for as long as necessary.
“It really makes me feel safe,” she said. “I would feel totally lost without it.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Joe Judge’s necessary Giants makeover will be uncomfortable

It took about five minutes for a couple of guys ...

Joe Judge did not need long to sort through all the words, rhetoric and bullet-points reinforced in his hours-long interview with the Giants to extract the takeaway that convinced him this was the job for him.
“I would say [that happened] when we spoke about discipline on the team,’’ Judge said.
For players still hunkered down in New Jersey and those scattered across the country, hearing that should send a shudder down their spines and cause a drop of perspiration to fall from their foreheads. There is a new sheriff in Giants-town. The old ways are over, and much is about to change.
The past 11 years, Judge was part of teams in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Foxborough, Mass., that compiled a combined record of 134-34, winning 80 percent of the time. Plus, Alabama and the Patriots won a combined five championships in that span. He arrives to preside over a Giants franchise that has lost 75 percent of its games the past three years. This is not going to go well with a roster on which few are safe, fewer are secure and no one is entitled.
Co-owner John Mara said Judge’s presence should “make people uncomfortable in the building.’’ That discomfort should rise all the way up to Mara’s office. Everyone in the building is part of the losing stench, and Judge will disinfect things as he sees fit. The truth hurts, and Judge certainly seems like a truth-teller.
Those who cannot adapt will be left by the wayside. There are a great many expendable parts in an assembly line that fails to produce the required product. Not long after Judge was talking about “an old-school mentality,’’ vowing his team will “punch you in the nose for 60 minutes,” and detailing padded practices and live tackling, veteran receiver Golden Tate took to Twitter to retweet a video of Judge’s comments and posted a GIF of an individual heavily taped in bubble-wrap and wrote, “Pulling up to training camp like …”
It is telling there were no players on the current roster at Judge’s introductory press conference, and he did not mention a single one of his inherited players by name. When Tom Coughlin took over in 2004, he walked right past the starting quarterback, Kerry Collins, in a Giants hallway — head down, no chit-chat, no hello. This was before the draft-day trade for Eli Manning, and yet Collins knew immediately he was not going to be around — and did not want to be around — much longer. Coughlin barely acknowledged Michael Strahan, the star defensive end. It was almost as if Coughlin associated the holdovers as losers and would not deign to demean himself with any association until they proved their worthiness.
Center Jon Halapio, currently on the mend after surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon, was a rookie draft pick with the Patriots in the summer of 2014 and told The Post that Judge was “very detailed in his coaching and kept his special teams unit very accountable in their performance.’’ It is expected Judge’s tolerance for what has gone down around the Giants will not be high.
Prejudge him at your peril, though. He could have walked into the expansive Giants locker room, saw the ping pong table sitting the middle and declared, “Not on my watch.’’ What a statement that would have made: Playtime is over! But Judge is smarter than that. The table might stay. It might go. Judge has seen it work both ways. He is open-minded enough to assess the situation before determining what works best.
There is video of Judge hugging Tate in the locker room and meeting Kevin Wilkins, a defensive end from Rutgers signed to a reserve/future contract. Judge stressed there are no favorites and no preconceived notions.
“Prove your value to us, show you can handle the job, and we’re going to put you on the field and give you an opportunity,’’ he said.
The unknown is refreshing. The anxiety of change is here and badly needed.
“He’s 38 years old and he’s never been a head coach,” Mara admitted, “so yeah, it is going to be a daunting task.’’
Nothing that comes next should surprise anyone.
For more on the Giants, listen to the latest episode of the “Blue Rush” podcast:


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Qassem Soleimani carrying phone, cash and poetry books when killed

Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani died with his cell phone , a wad of bills in his wallet and books @ @ @ @ @ reveal .
The photos , obtained by Fox News , were taken by US .
@ @ @ @ @ secretly following Soleimani ’ s convoy when it was hit by the Jan. 3 drone @ @ @ @ @ had a pistol and an assault rifle .
Fox reported that the US soldiers dragged @ @ @ @ @ away from the car and put out the fire before identifying him .
Fox said @ @ @ @ @ his grossly disfigured body and missing limbs , but did not release them .
The @ @ @ @ @ half-mile behind the convoy as it left Baghdad International Airport and were on the scene @ @ @ @ @ to do a “ bomb damage assessment ” and make sure the right target was @ @ @ @ @ obtained the photos from a US government source .

Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani died with his cell phone, a wad of bills in his wallet and books of poetry, new photos reveal.
The photos, obtained by Fox News, were taken by US. Special Ops forces who were secretly following Soleimani’s convoy when it was hit by the Jan. 3 drone missile strike.
He also had a pistol and an assault rifle.
Fox reported that the US soldiers dragged Soleimani’s burning body away from the car and put out the fire before identifying him. Fox said it also obtained photos showing his grossly disfigured body and missing limbs, but did not release them.
The US forces stayed about a half-mile behind the convoy as it left Baghdad International Airport and were on the scene within two minutes in order to do a “bomb damage assessment” and make sure the right target was hit.
Fox said it obtained the photos from a US government source.


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Taiwanese president’s re-election expected to escalate fight with China

TAIPEI , TAIWAN — Watching the Hong Kong protests from its nearby ...

Taiwan’s president won re-election Saturday in a historic victory, showing support for her strong stance against the Chinese government’s attempt to overtake the island.
President Tsai Ing-wen broke election records, netting nearly 8.2 million votes, more than any other Taiwanese president since the island’s first election in 1996.
She beat out Chinese-backed candidate Han Kuo-yu, mayor of the city of Kaoshiung, by more than 2.6 million votes.
Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party also won majority in parliament in the weekend election.
Tsai, who supports total independence from China, angered Beijing during her campaign by upholding Taiwan as an example of sovereignty during anti-government protests in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong.
The People’s Republic of China views Taiwan as a province, though it has been governed independently from China since 1949.
Tsai’s victory is expected to escalate tensions between her country and mainland China.
“I believe friends in Hong Kong will be happy about our collective decision tonight,” Tsai said Saturday. “We hope that the Beijing authorities can understand that a democratic Taiwan with a government chosen by the people will not give in to threats and intimidation.”
Han, meanwhile, wanted to see Taiwan and China “united.”
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo celebrated Tsai’s win, calling her a “force for good in the world.”
“The United States thanks President Tsai for her leadership in developing a strong partnership with the United States and applauds her commitment to maintaining cross-Strait stability in the face of unrelenting pressure,” Pompeo said in a statement.
The US is Taiwan’s strongest international ally and weapons supplier.
With Post Wires


newyorkpost--2020-01-11--Queen calls meeting with senior royals to hash out Megxit

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) An official Megxit plan is set to be hashed out on Monday .
Queen Elizabeth , Prince Charles , Prince William and Prince Harry will meet in person at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk , England , according to Roya Nikkhah , royal correspondent for The Sunday Times .
Meghan Markle plans to join the family affair via phone from Vancouver , Canada , where she and baby Archie are temporarily living after the bombshell announcement that she and Harry will become part-time royals .
“ Royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next steps , ’ will be agreed tomorrow and a firmer plan is expected to be announced within days , in keeping with the Queen ’ s wish to find a resolution ‘ at pace , ' ” Nikkhah wrote on Twitter Saturday afternoon .
The Queen gave the fleeing couple a 72-hour deadline on Friday to iron out the details of their reduced role in the monarchy .
The British and Canadian governments have since been in talks to carve out a new role for the royals in both countries before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meetings and calls .
Prince Charles is allegedly fighting for a good deal for his youngest son , despite initial reports he was threatening to cut Harry off from the family money .
The Queen also has open arms for her grandson and wants to cut a “ generous ” agreement with him .
“ They , like everyone , are hopeful this can all be worked out , sooner rather than later .
It is in everyone ’ s interest for this to be figured out , and figured out quickly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome , ” a source told The Guardian .
The clock to get a plan sorted out is ticking as Thursday quickly approaches , when Harry is set to make his first public appearance since he and Meghan dropped their announcement .

An official Megxit plan is set to be hashed out on Monday.
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry will meet in person at the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England, according to Roya Nikkhah, royal correspondent for The Sunday Times.
Meghan Markle plans to join the family affair via phone from Vancouver, Canada, where she and baby Archie are temporarily living after the bombshell announcement that she and Harry will become part-time royals.
“Royal sources say it is hoped the ‘next steps,’ will be agreed tomorrow and a firmer plan is expected to be announced within days, in keeping with the Queen’s wish to find a resolution ‘at pace,'” Nikkhah wrote on Twitter Saturday afternoon.
The Queen gave the fleeing couple a 72-hour deadline on Friday to iron out the details of their reduced role in the monarchy. The British and Canadian governments have since been in talks to carve out a new role for the royals in both countries before the Tuesday deadline, following a marathon of meetings and calls.
Prince Charles is allegedly fighting for a good deal for his youngest son, despite initial reports he was threatening to cut Harry off from the family money. The Queen also has open arms for her grandson and wants to cut a “generous” agreement with him.
“They, like everyone, are hopeful this can all be worked out, sooner rather than later. It is in everyone’s interest for this to be figured out, and figured out quickly, but not at the expense of the outcome,” a source told The Guardian.
The clock to get a plan sorted out is ticking as Thursday quickly approaches, when Harry is set to make his first public appearance since he and Meghan dropped their announcement.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Nets’ Rodions Kurucs finally breaking out of funk

Two months after going down with a shoulder impingement — ...

After Rodions Kurucs had suffered through a crisis of confidence — trudged into criminal court and toiled in the G-League — Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told the young forward he needed the old Kurucs back.
Lately, Kurucs has finally shown signs of bringing just that.
The 21-year-old Latvian was in criminal court Wednesday for an assault charge, then started hours later against Oklahoma City. Friday, he poured in 19 points — more than double his season high — to help shake out of a personal malaise and help the Nets snap a seven-game losing skid in a 117-113 win over the Heat.
“It feels good to be back [in the lineup], for sure. I’m just trying to do my role, what Kenny wants for me. But of course it felt good to be back there with those guys, and I just enjoy playing in the starting lineup better,” said Kurucs, who admitted struggling with his off-court issues.
“He told me when I came back from the G-League, just told me to play my game, play with energy, bring that energy to the team and just play hard, bring me that Rodi back.”
That Rodi was named to the Rising Stars game as a rookie last season, becoming a stalwart in the lineup and giving the Nets a much-needed energy boost. But after getting arrested for an alleged domestic assault stemming from a June incident with his live-in girlfriend, he started this season in a funk.
It took just seven games Kurucs to fall out of the rotation. He appeared just three times in the next 17 games, admitting he struggled with both his new role as a backup and his legal issues.
“New season. Also of course that conflict I had 100 percent impacted me,” admitted Kurucs, who is due back in court on Feb. 11. “But I got back — that’s the best thing, the most positive thing out of it. I’m back, and that’s the most important thing.”
After being limited to just 16:28 total over that 17-game span, Kurucs has played in all but one of the Nets’ past 13 games. He has started three of the past five, with Friday’s outing his best of the season.
“I hope that’s the spark, because the talent’s there. We saw it last year,” Atkinson said. “He decided to come out and defend like he did last year. We gave him the assignment of Jimmy Butler. That excited him.
“But to see the shots go down, and he’s not hesitant. We all saw in the beginning of the year he was really, really struggling with that, really struggling with his confidence. Just seeing that thing go in, and no hesitation, it helped his whole game.”
Kurucs shot 7-of-9 overall on Friday and 4-of-5 from deep. He hit three 3s in the first quarter and played feisty, long-armed defense on Butler.
“Rodi did great,” Joe Harris said. “He provided a huge spark to start the game — whether it was shots, his activity defensively, too, he seemed to be up, engaged. He was guarding Jimmy, making things tough. He did a good job setting the tone right from the start.”
Nowhere was Kurucs’ crisis of confidence more visible than in his shot. Pump-fakes where they weren’t needed, hesitation where it was unwise.
“He’s got a beautiful shot with arc on it; sometimes it drops in there and never hits any rim. We want him to shoot,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “When he shoots it — and shoots it with confidence, make or miss — he becomes so much more of a dynamic player, because then people have to key in on him, he gets those backdoor cuts, he gets those lobs.
“All that stuff opens up because he’s shooting it with confidence. When he’s out there doing that, it just highlights everything else he does with the energy, picking up full court and all that stuff. He’s playing like Rodi of last year. It’s a huge boost for us.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Self-edited highlight video changed life of Clemson’s K’Von Wallace

NEW ORLEANS — K’Von Wallace sat in the back of class.
He was a spectator. His mother, Roxanne Barnes, was the student, juggling three jobs and two kids yet carving out time to earn an associate’s degree.
Nothing was easy. Nothing was out of reach.
“She did everything she could for us. I’m forever thankful and forever grateful,” Wallace, Clemson’s starting safety, said Saturday. “She taught me how to work hard and be committed.”
Growing up in public housing in Richmond, Va., Wallace first met his father, Kevin, in prison. At home, hot water wasn’t always an option. Sometimes, candlelight was the family’s only option. Sometimes, he’d come home to learn a friend didn’t do the same.
But Wallace had his mother, his older sister, his grandmother, his friends — and football.
“The area I grew up in made me a better person, no matter the circumstances or hard times,” Wallace said. “Not having my father in my life, drug dealers around, friends shot and killed, it didn’t have that much effect on me because of how strong a support system I had. They never wanted me to be in the streets or be one of those guys that didn’t make it.”
Wallace planned on making it at Cincinnati. Even after leading Highland Springs (Va.) High School to its first state title in 54 years, the all-state defensive back hadn’t received a scholarship offer from a power conference school.
Then, Wallace edited his own highlight package and shared it on Twitter. Less than one month before signing day, several schools found the video, leading to offers from Ohio State and Clemson, among others.
“I asked all my friends and teammates to retweet it, and it blew up. It was crazy,” Wallace said. “I wanted to show the world what I can do. You want your story to be as good as it can be.”
Wallace became a starter last season. He became important immediately.
“He’s always been a leader on the defense,” star cornerback A.J. Terrell said. “You’re always gonna get the best version of him.”
That version recorded a team-high nine solo tackles in the ACC Championship, while sharing defensive player of the game honors. In the semifinal win over Ohio State, Wallace had a sack and broke up two passes.
“He’s played every position for us,” defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. “He’s done everything.”
He has, now that he holds his family’s first bachelor’s degree.
“Graduating is the biggest accomplishment of my entire life. It was 10 times bigger than winning the national championship,” Wallace said. “That meant more to my family than anything on this earth. It wasn’t just for me, it was to better my life and impact generations behind me.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Mahomes-Watson has potential to be like Magic-Bird rivalry

KANSAS CITY , Mo .
— It has been 50 years since ...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A few months before the 2017 draft, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney delivered a warning for quarterback-needy NFL teams.
“If they pass on Deshaun Watson, they’re passing on Michael Jordan. I’m just telling you,” Swinney said.
Watson certainly looked Jordan-esque last week, when he spun away from two Bills defenders then completed a pass to lead the Texans to victory.
But the matchup of Watson and the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Divisional round Sunday brings to mind another basketball comparison.
This feels like Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird.
We may be seeing the beginning of a rivalry that could dominate the AFC playoffs for the next decade. If you want to throw a Jordan in to that mix, maybe that is Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Like Johnson and Bird, Mahomes and Watson entered the league in the same year. The Chiefs traded up to No. 10 to take Mahomes, and Houston moved up to 12 to take Watson. Now, we have a chance to get playoff matchups between these two that might remind us of those 1984, ’85 and ’87 NBA Finals.
Mahomes is more like Magic, all the way to the no-look passes. His play is dazzling and defies comparisons to other NFL quarterbacks. He had an MVP season in his first year as a starter in 2018 and led the Chiefs to the AFC title game, when he almost toppled Tom Brady.
Watson is tough like Bird and always seems to be willing his team to victories. From his time at Clemson through his first three years with Houston, Watson finds a way to win.
“If you’ve watched Deshaun Watson since college, and I’m sure even since high school, they’re never out of a game,” Mahomes said. “He’s someone that can make big plays happen no matter what the scenario is. He’s going to fight until the end. You know that going into the game, and you know that coming in as an offense and as a defense and as a team that you have to make sure you’re on top of it all game long. It’s going to be a 60-minute fight or even longer, whatever it takes. You have to make sure you come in with that mentality that you’re going to play your best football every single snap.”
Mahomes and Watson first met at a quarterback camp when they were in college. Then they went through the draft process together. They watched the Bears take Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 and saw teams like the Jets, Browns and Bengals all pass on them, even though they could have used an upgrade at quarterback.
The two squared off in October and delivered a highly entertaining game. Mahomes got the Chiefs out to a 14-point lead in the first quarter, but turned the ball over twice and gave Watson an opening. Watson picked apart a beat-up Chiefs defense and led Houston to a 31-24 win at Arrowhead Stadium.
Now, the two meet again with the stakes being much higher.
“It’s cool,” Watson said. “It’s cool to see a fellow friend of mine and a guy that’s playing the same position as me have so much success and see it in live action. So, it’s definitely dope. It’s going to be a good experience. Like you said, we played earlier this year. It was a good game, went back and forth. But yeah, it’s just two good teams going head-to-head, and we’re just trying to be the best we can for our team and help our team win.”
Both quarterbacks made the Pro Bowl this year and figure to be at the top of the AFC, along with Jackson, for years to come.
This is the first time since 2002 that the AFC Championship game won’t feature Brady, Peyton Manning or Ben Roethlisberger. Those three dominated the last decade-plus.
The page has now turned. It is time for Watson, Mahomes and Jackson to take over the AFC.
Sunday’s matchup could be the first chapter of a rivalry that dominates January for the next decade-plus. Unless you’re a Bears fan, that should bring a smile to your face.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Ryan Tannehill’s run causing more grumbling about Adam Gase

BALTIMORE — Ryan Tannehill , who had 22 touchdowns and just ...

Leave it to Antonio Cromartie to stir the pot.
The former 11-year NFL cornerback on Saturday seemed to suggest Ryan Tannehill is better off without Adam Gase, who is now coaching the Jets.
“Quick question was it Tannehill or Adam Gase fault that we didn’t see this QB in Miami,” tweeted Cromartie, who played for the Jets from 2010-13 and 2015 and retired after the 2016 season. “Because the Tannehill I’ve seen this season is totally different from the one in Miami.”
Tannehill threw two touchdown passes to help lead the Titans to a 28-12 upset win over the Lamar Jackson and the Ravens in Saturday night’s AFC divisional clash. They will face the winner of Sunday’s Chiefs-Texans game in the AFC Championship.
Gase coached Tannehill in Miami from 2016-2018 while he was the Dolphins coach. He said recently he still watches and keeps in touch with the veteran quarterback, who has experienced a career resurgence under Titans coach Mike Vrabel.
“I’m always looking at how he’s doing,’’ Gase told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in December before the Jets’ second meeting with the Dolphins. “He’s doing a good job protecting the football, get it out. That combination of him and [running back] Derrick Henry have been really good.
Gase, who led the Jets to a 7-9 record in his first season, also told the website that he still was texting Tannehill.
“It’s a lot easier when they win and we win,” said Gase, who went 23-25 with one playoff appearance in his three seasons with Miami.
As for Cromartie, he wasn’t the only one to have a Tannehill-Gase hot take, and they all weren’t anti-Gase. Here’s a sampling of some of the reactions:


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Harry touted Meghan’s voiceover skills to Disney chief at red carpet affair

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Just three months before Meghan Markle recorded a voiceover for an upcoming Disney project , her husband , Prince Harry , may have buttonholed the head of the entertainment company at a London premiere to ask she be considered for the job , the Daily Mail revealed Saturday .
Harry , Meghan , and Disney CEO Bob Iger were together on the red carpet for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an onlooker was able to catch the conversation on tape .
As Meghan hugged Beyonce , who was also at the premiere , the Duke of Sussex collared the Disney chief and apparently touted his former actress wife ’ s interest in voiceover work .
“ Ah , I did not know that , ” Iger was taped saying .
“ You seem surprised , ” Harry responded .
“ She ’ s really interested.
” The Times of London revealed on Saturday that Meghan had signed a voiceover deal with The Walt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project .
In lieu of a direct payment — royals are barred from working for money — Disney reportedly made a donation to one of the Sussex ’ s pet projects , Elephants Without Borders , a wildlife charity .

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Just three months before Meghan Markle recorded a voiceover for an upcoming Disney project, her husband, Prince Harry, may have buttonholed the head of the entertainment company at a London premiere to ask she be considered for the job, Daily Mail revealed Saturday.
Harry, Meghan, and Disney CEO Bob Iger were together on the red carpet for London’s Lion Kin premiere when an onlooker was able to catch the conversation on tape.
As Meghan hugged Beyonce, who was also at the premiere, the Duke of Sussex collared the Disney chief and apparently touted his former actress wife’s interest in voiceover work.
“Ah, I did not know that,” Iger was taped saying. “You seem surprised,” Harry responded. “She’s really interested.”
Iger replied, “We’d love to try. That’s a great idea.”
The Times of London revealed on Saturday that Meghan had signed a voiceover deal with The Walt Disney Company for work on an undisclosed project.
In lieu of a direct payment — royals are barred from working for money — Disney reportedly made a donation to one of the Sussex’s pet projects, Elephants Without Borders, a wildlife charity.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Harry reportedly rushed to announce Megxit to avoid Meghan ‘meltdown’

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Meghan Markle was on the brink of a “ meltdown ” if she remained in the UK — and so Prince Harry fast-tracked the couple ’ s “ Megxit ” plans , the Sun on Sunday reported .
The American Dutchess — who grew up Los Angeles and filmed seven seasons of the cable legal drama “ Suits ” in Toronto — wanted desperately to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in North America , and less time cloistered in British palaces , the report said .
And so Harry moved quickly to announce the couple wished to step back from their jobs as full-time royals , the Sun reported , citing sources who know the Sussexes .
“ The statement was rushed out and part of the reason for that is that Harry knew he needed to take swift action , ” the source told the Sun .
“ Meghan has not settled in the UK and he knows that and wants her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got worse recently , with their spell in Canada helping cement her view that the family would be better off out of the spotlight and spending more time there .
“ He feared staying in the UK too long would lead Meghan to have a meltdown , ” the source added .
“ That ’ s why things moved so quickly .
”

Meghan Markle was on the brink of a “meltdown” if she remained in the UK — and so Prince H arry fast-tracked the couple’s “Megxit” plans, the Sun on Sunday reported.
The American Duchess — who grew up Los Angeles and filmed seven seasons of the cable legal drama “Suits” in Toronto — wanted desperately to spend more time with pals and family in North America, and less time cloistered in British palaces, the report said.
And so Harry moved quickly to announce the couple wished to step back from their jobs as full-time royals, the Sun reported, citing sources who know the Sussexes.
“The statement was rushed out and part of the reason for that is that Harry knew he needed to take swift action,” the source told the Sun.
“Meghan has not settled in the UK and he knows that and wants her to be happy.
“And it got worse recently, with their spell in Canada helping cement her view that the family would be better off out of the spotlight and spending more time there.
“He feared staying in the UK too long would lead Meghan to have a meltdown,” the source added. “That’s why things moved so quickly.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Knicks’ Taj Gibson on ex-mate Jimmy Butler: ‘A great leader’

Taj Gibson is not surprised by the impact his longtime teammate Jimmy Butler has had on the Heat this season .
Miami comes into the Garden for a Sunday matinee as one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference , trailing only Milwaukee in the standings with a 27-11 record .
Butler , the four-time All-Star acquired in a sign-and-trade with Philadelphia on a four-year max contract ( $ 142 million ) in July , leads the Heat in scoring ( 20.6 points per game ) , assists ( 6.5 ) and steals ( 2.0 ) .
“ He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break-out years , ” said Gibson , a teammate with the Bulls from 2011-17 and with Minnesota from 2017-19 .
“ He works extremely hard and is a great leader .
He ’ s all about winning .
“ And that ’ s what they are doing .
They are focusing on winning and doing the right kind of things and right kind of habits .
I ’ m happy for him.
” The Heat defeated the Knicks , 129-115 , in Miami on Dec 20 .
They also are receiving big years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15.3 ppg ) and former Kentucky big man Bam Adebayo ( 15.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game ) .
“ Really , it ’ s their balance .
They ’ re good on both sides of the ball .
Their execution on both sides of the ball has been outstanding , ” Knicks interim coach Mike Miller said .
“ I think the biggest thing you can say , the biggest compliment you can pay [ Butler ] , is that he impacts the game without even scoring .
We played down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ball , he was defending , he was executing things off the ball that created offense .
So he ’ s a guy that knows what it takes to win games.
” Julius Randle ( personal reasons ) , Reggie Bullock ( contused left thigh ) , Frank Ntilikina ( sore groin ) and Mitchell Robinson ( sprained left big toe ) have been listed as probable for Sunday ’ s game .
Marcus Morris ( sore neck ) and Dennis Smith Jr. ( strained left oblique ) are questionable .

Taj Gibson is not surprised by the impact his longtime teammate Jimmy Butler has had on the Heat this season.
Miami comes into the Garden for a Sunday matinee as one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference, trailing only Milwaukee in the standings with a 27-11 record.
Butler, the four-time All-Star acquired in a sign-and-trade with Philadelphia on a four-year max contract ($142 million) in July, leads the Heat in scoring (20.6 points per game), assists (6.5) and steals (2.0).
“He’s always been capable of having break-out years,” said Gibson, a teammate with the Bulls from 2011-17 and with Minnesota from 2017-19. “He works extremely hard and is a great leader. He’s all about winning.
“And that’s what they are doing. They are focusing on winning and doing the right kind of things and right kind of habits. I’m happy for him.”
The Heat defeated the Knicks, 129-115, in Miami on Dec 20. They also are receiving big years from undrafted rookie guard Kendrick Nunn (15.3 ppg) and former Kentucky big man Bam Adebayo (15.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game).
“Really, it’s their balance. They’re good on both sides of the ball. Their execution on both sides of the ball has been outstanding,” Knicks interim coach Mike Miller said. “I think the biggest thing you can say, the biggest compliment you can pay [Butler], is that he impacts the game without even scoring. We played down there, and he was moving the ball, he was defending, he was executing things off the ball that created offense. So he’s a guy that knows what it takes to win games.”
Julius Randle (personal reasons), Reggie Bullock (contused left thigh), Frank Ntilikina (sore groin) and Mitchell Robinson (sprained left big toe) have been listed as probable for Sunday’s game. Marcus Morris (sore neck) and Dennis Smith Jr. (strained left oblique) are questionable.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Russell Wilson’s weekly test keeps Seahawks on their toes

GREEN BAY , Wis. — Russell Wilson distributes his own weekly game plan to members of the offense , which offers his own perspective on an upcoming opponent .
Derived through film study and other research , it ’ s something the Seahawks quarterback started his rookie year and has grown from five pages to about 15 .
“ It ’ s pretty detailed , ” Wilson said this week in Seattle .
“ I ’ ll give them basically three questions at the end , and they ’ ve got to get them right.
” You ’ ll never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s weekly booklet .
It can include anything from biographies about opposing coaches to pass protection schemes and pass routes .
Notes on players and their alma mater might be included , along with what their defense likes to do on third down .
“ I wanted to … make sure I was prepared , but I also thought it was important to give information to other players , ” Wilson said .
“ It ’ s important to not just study for yourself , but to also share knowledge , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or somebody else has a question , we can all refer back to it.
” The book was probably 20 pages this week , as the fifth-seeded Seahawks take on the No .
2-seeded Packers in a Divisional playoff game Sunday at Lambeau Field .
The Packers , 13-3 under first-year coach Matt LaFleur , earned a first-round bye while the Seahawks ( 12-5 ) advanced past the wild-card round with a 17-9 win last Sunday at Philadelphia .
The Wilson game plan seems to be especially useful on the road , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winning in Philadelphia .
Lambeau Field might be a bit more imposing , especially if an expected storm delivers 10 inches of snow into Sunday morning .
Wilson , who played at the University of Wisconsin , is actually looking forward to the elements .
“ For us to be able to go to Green Bay and play at Lambeau Field for a playoff game is going to be a great matchup , ” he said .
“ We ’ ve got to be ready to go.
” Wilson better be ready .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he will have to carry the Seahawks against the Packers the way he did against the Eagles .
Wilson threw for 325 yards and one touchdown last week and was also the Seahawks ’ leading rusher with 45 yards on eight carries .
Seattle ’ s ground game has struggled since Chris Carson tore his ACL , after rushing for 1,230 yards , and backup Rashaad Penny went down with a season-ending knee injury .
Remaining options Travis Homer and Marshawn Lynch combined for just 19 yards on 17 carries against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make Wilson one-dimensional and force him to scramble way from the pressure of linebacker Za ’ Darius Smith ( 13.5 sacks ) and Preston Smith ( 12.0 sacks ) .
“ Those Smith brothers have been lights out all year , ” Wilson said .
“ They ’ ve got a bunch of sacks and cause havoc in the run game .
They ’ re as good as it gets up front.
” The winner will advance to the NFC Championship , where the Seahawks and Packers met at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl .
That note is probably somewhere in Russell Wilson ’ s playbook .

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Russell Wilson distributes his own weekly game plan to members of the offense, which offers his own perspective on an upcoming opponent.
Derived through film study and other research, it’s something the Seahawks quarterback started his rookie year and has grown from five pages to about 15.
“It’s pretty detailed,” Wilson said this week in Seattle. “I’ll give them basically three questions at the end, and they’ve got to get them right.”
You’ll never know what you might find in Wilson’s weekly booklet. It can include anything from biographies about opposing coaches to pass protection schemes and pass routes. Notes on players and their alma mater might be included, along with what their defense likes to do on third down.
“I wanted to … make sure I was prepared, but I also thought it was important to give information to other players,” Wilson said. “It’s important to not just study for yourself, but to also share knowledge, so when you’re asking a question or somebody else has a question, we can all refer back to it.”
The book was probably 20 pages this week, as the fifth-seeded Seahawks take on the No. 2-seeded Packers in a Divisional playoff game Sunday at Lambeau Field. The Packers, 13-3 under first-year coach Matt LaFleur, earned a first-round bye while the Seahawks (12-5) advanced past the wild-card round with a 17-9 win last Sunday at Philadelphia.
The Wilson game plan seems to be especially useful on the road, where Seattle is 8-1 on the year after winning in Philadelphia. Lambeau Field might be a bit more imposing, especially if an expected storm delivers 10 inches of snow into Sunday morning. Wilson, who played at the University of Wisconsin, is actually looking forward to the elements.
“For us to be able to go to Green Bay and play at Lambeau Field for a playoff game is going to be a great matchup,” he said. “We’ve got to be ready to go.”
Wilson better be ready. Without the threat of a running game, he will have to carry the Seahawks against the Packers the way he did against the Eagles. Wilson threw for 325 yards and one touchdown last week and was also the Seahawks’ leading rusher with 45 yards on eight carries.
Seattle’s ground game has struggled since Chris Carson tore his ACL, after rushing for 1,230 yards, and backup Rashaad Penny went down with a season-ending knee injury. Remaining options Travis Homer and Marshawn Lynch combined for just 19 yards on 17 carries against the Eagles.
The Packers defense would love to make Wilson one-dimensional and force him to scramble way from the pressure of linebacker Za’Darius Smith (13.5 sacks) and Preston Smith (12.0 sacks).
“Those Smith brothers have been lights out all year,” Wilson said. “They’ve got a bunch of sacks and cause havoc in the run game. They’re as good as it gets up front.”
The winner will advance to the NFC Championship, where the Seahawks and Packers met at the end of the 2014 season. Seattle prevailed 28-22 in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl.
That note is probably somewhere in Russell Wilson’s playbook.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Titans’ Ryan Tannehill reaches another level in dream season

BALTIMORE — All of Baltimore waited for the lightning .
All ...

BALTIMORE — Ryan Tannehill, who had 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions during the regular season, played well enough this season to convince the Titans to either sign him to a long-term contract or franchise-tag him for the 2020 season.
All he did was save the Titans’ season after Marcus Mariota started 2-4.
All he did at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday night was outplay Lamar Jackson in a stunning 28-12 upset that gets the sixth-seeded Titans to the AFC Championship against the Texans-Chiefs winner.
Tannehill, who threw just 15 times for 72 yards against the Patriots, was economical again, needing just 14 passes and riding a horse named Derrick Henry (195 yards on 30 carries), who set a belligerent tone stiff-arming Earl Thomas from here to Seattle. Tannehill finished 7-for-14 for 88 yards.
“It’s definitely unusual. … That’s kind of the way the games have played out,” Tannehill said. “At this point in the season it’s about doing whatever it takes to win, whether it’s throwing 30 or throwing 10.”
Tannehill started quickly, and seized a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard circus catch by TE Jonnu Smith against Brandon Carr.
He made it 14-0 with a bulls-eye 45-yard touchdown strike to Kalif Raymond past Marlon Humphrey, this after John Harbaugh gambled and watched the Titans stuff Jackson fourth-and-1 at the Baltimore 45.
“Had great protection, great pocket, I was able to step up,” Tannehill said.
Tannehill’s 1-yard TD run following a Jackson fumble extended the lead to 28-6.
“Teams that can run the football, stop the run and take care of the football will win in the playoffs,” Tannehill said. “We showed we can win multiple ways, but lately it’s been through 22 [Henry].”
Tannehill was 63-for-97 (64.9 percent) with seven touchdowns and two interceptions with a 105.7 passer rating against blitz pressure this season. He ranked third in completion percentage (75.6) and first in passer rating (143.6) on play-action passes, according to Sports Info Solutions.
“I’m going to pat myself on the back here,” NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms said. “Whenever he signed with the Titans, I just said, ‘That’s only a matter of time before he takes over Marcus Mariota’s job.
“Tannehill, first off, was way better than people realize in Miami. That was not a great team around him, but if you look up his stats [123 TDs, 75 INTs], his wins, losses [42-46], all those things are really good, and I’m not always into just those stats.
“But the thing about Tannehill is, yes he’s a good athlete, but he’s been a pinpoint passer, and he maximizes their yards that are there to be had every week. If the guy’s open by a crack, he can fit it through the crack. If the guy’s wide-open down the field, he hits him on the run and he scored a touchdown. And that’s where I look at Tannehill as really special this year. They’re not like dynamic in the pass game. It’s been about him throwing high-level passes into tight spaces and really putting it on the money for guys like A.J. Brown to make something happen after the catch.”
Tannehill was a virtual afterthought during an offseason when the Jaguars were throwing $88 million over four years at Nick Foles and John Elway and the Broncos went wacko for Joe Flacco and the Redskins wooed Case Keenum.
The Titans surrendered a seventh-round pick in 2019 and a fourth-rounder in 2020 and received a 2019 sixth-rounder in return.
Tannehill provided the spark that became a playoff flame, and lo and behold, suddenly it is a raging five-alarm fire.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Bozo slams woman with suitcase on Manhattan sidewalk

A crazed man attacked a 63-year-old woman with a rolling suitcase on a Midtown sidewalk , video footage released by @ @ @ @ @ took place seconds after the New Year ’ s Eve ball drop near 10th Avenue @ @ @ @ @ Midtown on Jan. 1 when the man approached the woman , who was carrying her @ @ @ @ @ in the face , officials said .
The blow knocked her to the ground , @ @ @ @ @ swinging his rolling suitcase at her , smacking her in the face , the video @ @ @ @ @ on foot , leaving her on the pavement .
The woman sustained injuries to her @ @ @ @ @ No arrests have been made .

A crazed man attacked a 63-year-old woman with a rolling suitcase on a Midtown sidewalk, video footage released by police shows.
The attack took place seconds after the New Year’s Eve ball drop near 10th Avenue and W. 51st Street in Midtown on Jan. 1 when the man approached the woman, who was carrying her own suitcase and punched her in the face, officials said.
The blow knocked her to the ground, where he then began wildly swinging his rolling suitcase at her, smacking her in the face, the video shows.
He then fled on foot, leaving her on the pavement.
The woman sustained injuries to her face, police said.
No arrests have been made.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Meghan dodged paparazzi by flying commercial

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens @ @ @ @ @ to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) Meghan Markle pulled a fast @ @ @ @ @ out of Britain Thursday , dodging the paparazzi by hopping a budget commercial flight back @ @ @ @ @ .
A day after she and Prince Harry dropped their “ Megxit ” bombshell , @ @ @ @ @ 175 seat on Canada ’ s WestJet airline , the Daily Mail reported .
The @ @ @ @ @ to take a private plane , and was left blindsided on the tarmac , the @ @ @ @ @ for now , remains in the UK , where he ’ ll stay at least @ @ @ @ @ family is expected to begin negotiating the terms of the couple ’ s departure .

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Meghan Markle pulled a fast one when she hightailed it out of Britain Thursday, dodging the paparazzi by hopping a budget commercial flight back to Vancouver and baby Archie.
A day after she and Prince Harry dropped their “Megxit” bombshell, the Dutchess booked a $175 seat on Canada’s WestJet airline, the Daily Mail reported.
The British press had expected her to take a private plane, and was left blindsided on the tarmac, the Mail said.
Harry, for now, remains in the UK, where he’ll stay at least until Monday when the royal family is expected to begin negotiating the terms of the couple’s departure.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--When 49ers knew they could run Vikings into submission

SANTA CLARA , Calif. — The 49ers dominated the Vikings so thoroughly in Saturday ’ s 27-10 NFC divisional playoff victory at Levi ’ s Stadium that it ’ s difficult to say there was one play that turned it .
But there was a sequence in the third quarter that began with an interception by 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman that broke the Vikings , who were trailing just 17-10 at the time .
On a third-down play , Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins , trying to connect with receiver Adam Thielen , threw the ball right into the arms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ coverage ] , I knew what the route was and beat him to the spot and Kirk threw a very catchable ball , I appreciate it , ’ ’ the loquacious Sherman chirped afterward .
It ’ s what happened after the INT , though , that changed the game … or at least confirmed where this game was going .
The 49ers ran the ball on eight consecutive plays — not passing it once during the possession — and took a 24-10 lead on a 2-yard scoring run by running back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game .
On that drive , according to 49ers players , the Vikings front seven was so exasperated , they were bickering with each other in the huddle .
“ Definitely , they were real frustrated , ’ ’ Coleman said .
“ That ’ s why Kyle [ Shanahan , 49ers coach ] wanted to keep on going with the run .
You could see it in their energy and body language.
’ ’ Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said , “ There was a little bit of arguing going on by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possession “ was as excited as we ’ ve ever been offensively.
’ ’ “ We knew that was a potential game-taking-over drive , and we were pumped about it on the sideline , coaches were pumped about it , ’ ’ 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey said .
“ One of my favorite plays of the game was a third-and-two and we run a power scheme [ a run by Coleman that got 11 yards ] .
When you can do that against a team that ’ s loading the box and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ s how you take over football games .
“ We looked at the still shot [ picture ] on that play and the whole thing was walled off .
Our left side of the line got great push .
That ’ s how you dominate football games.
’ ’ Before the game , Shanahan told his team whomever runs the ball better will win , with the magic number 30 carries .
The 49ers ran the ball 47 times for 186 yards .
“ That was our goal , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed the team that got over 30 runs would win .
We thought only one team would [ do that ] .
’ ’ The Vikings ran the ball 37 fewer times than the 49ers .
“ We knew that ’ s how we want to win games , ’ ’ McGlinchey said .
“ That ’ s the great formula for taking over and dominating football games .
’ ’

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 49ers dominated the Vikings so thoroughly in Saturday’s 27-10 NFC divisional playoff victory at Levi’s Stadium that it’s difficult to say there was one play that turned it.
But there was a sequence in the third quarter that began with an interception by 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman that broke the Vikings, who were trailing just 17-10 at the time.
On a third-down play, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins, trying to connect with receiver Adam Thielen, threw the ball right into the arms of Sherman.
“We were in man [coverage], I knew what the route was and beat him to the spot and Kirk threw a very catchable ball, I appreciate it,’’ the loquacious Sherman chirped afterward.
It’s what happened after the INT, though, that changed the game … or at least confirmed where this game was going. The 49ers ran the ball on eight consecutive plays — not passing it once during the possession — and took a 24-10 lead on a 2-yard scoring run by running back Tevin Coleman, his second score of the game.
On that drive, according to 49ers players, the Vikings front seven was so exasperated, they were bickering with each other in the huddle.
“Definitely, they were real frustrated,’’ Coleman said. “That’s why Kyle [Shanahan, 49ers coach] wanted to keep on going with the run. You could see it in their energy and body language.’’
Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said, “There was a little bit of arguing going on by them,’’ adding that offensive possession “was as excited as we’ve ever been offensively.’’
“We knew that was a potential game-taking-over drive, and we were pumped about it on the sideline, coaches were pumped about it,’’ 49ers right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “One of my favorite plays of the game was a third-and-two and we run a power scheme [a run by Coleman that got 11 yards]. When you can do that against a team that’s loading the box and been successful against the run all year, that’s how you take over football games.
“We looked at the still shot [picture] on that play and the whole thing was walled off. Our left side of the line got great push. That’s how you dominate football games.’’
Before the game, Shanahan told his team whomever runs the ball better will win, with the magic number 30 carries. The 49ers ran the ball 47 times for 186 yards.
“That was our goal,’’ Shanahan said. “We really believed the team that got over 30 runs would win. We thought only one team would [do that].’’
The Vikings ran the ball 37 fewer times than the 49ers.
“We knew that’s how we want to win games,’’ McGlinchey said. “That’s the great formula for taking over and dominating football games.’’


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--How a lack of height lit a fire in LSU’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire

NEW ORLEANS — They arrive at the Big Game from ...

NEW ORLEANS — Clyde Edwards-Helaire shook Kevin Faulk’s hand, then immediately got down to business.
No small talk. No getting-to-know-you chatter. He wanted to know how Faulk did it, how he overcame his height issues as a 5-foot-8 running back to become LSU’s all-time rushing leader and a three-time Super Bowl champion.
“How do I [overcome] my height?” he asked.
“We’re going to work on it,” Faulk, LSU’s director of player development, told him.
“Literally, I want to say three or four hours later we were indoors working on it,” Edwards-Helaire recalled.
His entire life, the Baton Rouge, La., native was told that, at 5-foot-8, he was too small. Edwards-Helaire outperformed others at recruiting camps. He became the first player in then-coach Dale Winer’s 29-year tenure to make the varsity as a freshman at Catholic High School. But there was always the height hang-up. It was the reason, Edwards-Helaire felt, he was under-recruited and underrated as a three-star recruit.
“It was something I dealt with on a day-to-day basis,” said the junior, who suffered a hamstring injury before the Peach Bowl, but played on a limited basis and should be fine for Monday’s national championship game. “I would test off the walls. I would do everything that I needed to do. It was everything amazing about me in an article and they would say, ‘But his stature.’
“I always had a flame lit in me.”
When Ed Orgeron became the full-time LSU head coach in November 2016, he didn’t care about Edwards-Helaire’s height. He had committed to Les Miles in February that year, and Orgeron didn’t think twice about keeping him.
“He reminded me of Maurice Jones-Drew at UCLA when I was at USC because of the trunk,” Orgeron said. “Those guys are hard to tackle. They’re hard to see.”
Orgeron’s favorite attribute in his starting running back is “his heart,” his determination and desire to get extra yards, refusing to go down on first contact.
One of LSU’s close calls was the 46-41 road win at rival Alabama on Nov. 9. Edwards-Helaire was brilliant, running for 103 yards and three touchdowns and catching nine passes for 77 yards and another score.
“He just took that game in his hands,” Orgeron said. “The way he practices, the way he carries himself, his character and his grit, throw all that other stuff [about his height] out of the way. There’s a lot of great backs I’ve been around. Clyde is one of my all-time favorites.”
After barely playing as a freshman, Edwards-Helaire ran for 658 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. This year was his breakout season, scoring 17 touchdowns and rushing for 1,304 yards. He set the LSU record for most receptions for a running back with 50 catches for 399 yards. He notched 6.6 yards per carry, a key part of LSU’s top-ranked scoring offense.
Without Faulk, Edwards-Helaire isn’t sure where he would be. The two talk constantly, Faulk always giving Edwards-Helaire input on how he can get better and what adjustments he can make.
“He can understand a lot of the things that I’ve been going through, as far as from a height standpoint, as far as a running back standpoint,” Edwards-Helaire said. “I can pick his brain about anything. We see so many things that are identical.”
“It’s kind of a weird combination how much it works so well. I give so much praise to K-Faulk and (credit for my) success.”


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Swingin’ tortoise had enough sex to save his species

A prolifically sexually active turtle is being released into the wild after possibly saving his entire breed from extinction , according to Agence France-Presse .
The hard-shelled heartthrob , known as “ Diego the sexy tortoise , ” is credited with fathering an estimated 800 descendants since the 1960s — when his giant tortoise species had just two males and 12 females alive in their natural habitat of Espanola Island , a part of the Galapagos .
Diego began his promiscuous run after he was transported from the San Diego Zoo to Santa Cruz Island , also in the Galapagos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 50 years ago .
The hefty hunk , along with another 14 other adults , together naturally reproduced an estimated 1,000 tortoises , with most being returned back to Espanola , according to AFP .
After a rather busy half-century , Diego still won ’ t be retiring .
At 100 years old and 175 pounds , he ’ ll return to his native Espanola after decades philandering abroad .
“ He ’ s contributed a large percentage to the lineage that we are returning to Espanola , ” Jorge Carrion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service , told the outlet .
“ There ’ s a feeling of happiness to have the possibility of returning that tortoise to his natural state , ” he added .
Diego ’ s success is a much different tale than that Lonesome George , a different Galapagos giant tortoise who refused to breed while in captivity and became known as the last living individual of his species .

He’s swinging for the species!
A prolifically sexually active turtle is being released into the wild after possibly saving his entire breed from extinction, according to Agence France-Presse.
The hard-shelled heartthrob, known as “Diego the sexy tortoise,” is credited with fathering an estimated 800 descendants since the 1960s — when his giant tortoise species had just two males and 12 females alive in their natural habitat of Espanola Island, a part of the Galapagos.
Diego began his promiscuous run after he was transported from the San Diego Zoo to Santa Cruz Island, also in the Galapagos, to join a breeding program there about 50 years ago.
The hefty hunk, along with another 14 other adults, together naturally reproduced an estimated 1,000 tortoises, with most being returned back to Espanola, according to AFP.
After a rather busy half-century, Diego still won’t be retiring.
At 100 years old and 175 pounds, he’ll return to his native Espanola after decades philandering abroad.
“He’s contributed a large percentage to the lineage that we are returning to Espanola,” Jorge Carrion, the director of the Galapagos National Parks service, told the outlet.
“There’s a feeling of happiness to have the possibility of returning that tortoise to his natural state,” he added.
Diego’s success is a much different tale than that Lonesome George, a different Galapagos giant tortoise who refused to breed while in captivity and became known as the last living individual of his species.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Judge orders serial slugger Eugene Webb to psychiatric evaluation

A homeless man released without bail despite repeat street attacks will be getting a mental wellness check-in custody — following his latest run-in with the law .
Eugene Webb , 26 , was escorted by Sheriff ’ s Department officers to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation on a judge ’ s order early Sunday morning , according to police sources .
Webb had been arrested Friday on an aggressive panhandling charge just a day after he was hauled away for allegedly slugging a 23-year-old woman in the face on Wednesday , knocking out two of her teeth .
Webb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also allegedly attacked a second woman near Grand Central Terminal just hours later .
Manhattan criminal court judge Michael Gaffey said the unprovoked attacks and Webb ’ s “ confused and disheveled ” appearance made him question Webb ’ s sanity .
“ Based upon that I believe he may have mental illness , which I believe will result in serious harm to himself and to others , ” Gaffey said in court .
“ Based upon the facts on the record and prior mentioned history , I am going to issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sheriff ’ s Department to remove Mr. Webb to a hospital.
” Webb was jittery throughout his arraignment , at which he wore a black jacket , blue pants and black shoes .
Before being called up to face the judge , he was laying across a court bench with his eyes closed .
Court officers were heard joking about the bail reform measures that have allowed Webb to walk after his previous attacks .
“ If we ’ re just going to keep letting him out , he ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Every time we let him out , he does this , ” one of the court officers said .

Vincent Barone, Israel Salas-Rodriguez, Paul Martinka

A homeless man released without bail despite repeat street attacks will be getting a mental wellness check-in custody — following his latest run-in with the law.
Eugene Webb, 26, was escorted by Sheriff’s Department officers to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation on a judge’s order early Sunday morning, according to police sources.
Webb had been arrested Friday on an aggressive panhandling charge just a day after he was hauled away for allegedly slugging a 23-year-old woman in the face on Wednesday, knocking out two of her teeth.
Webb, who police have said is homeless, also allegedly attacked a second woman near Grand Central Terminal just hours later.
Manhattan criminal court judge Michael Gaffey said the unprovoked attacks and Webb’s “confused and disheveled” appearance made him question Webb’s sanity.
“Based upon that I believe he may have mental illness, which I believe will result in serious harm to himself and to others,” Gaffey said in court.
“Based upon the facts on the record and prior mentioned history, I am going to issue a civil order and I will direct the Sheriff’s Department to remove Mr. Webb to a hospital.”
Webb was jittery throughout his arraignment, at which he wore a black jacket, blue pants and black shoes. Before being called up to face the judge, he was laying across a court bench with his eyes closed.
Court officers were heard joking about the bail reform measures that have allowed Webb to walk after his previous attacks.
“If we’re just going to keep letting him out, he’s going to keep doing the same thing. Every time we let him out, he does this,” one of the court officers said.
Webb is due back in court Feb. 25.


newyorkpost--2020-01-12--Rangers’ Libor Hajek has uneven night in return from knee injury

ST. LOUIS — When Libor Hajek injured his right knee during a game on Dec. 5 in Columbus , the Rangers ’ 21-year-old defenseman feared he could be out for a while .
“ I was kind of afraid , ” Hajek said .
“ The first week was pretty painful.
” But the injury was diagnosed as a sprain , and just over a month later , Hajek returned to the lineup Saturday night in time for the Blueshirts ’ 5-2 loss to the Blues at Enterprise Center .
Hajek , who was taking the spot of Marc Staal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tony DeAngelo had a tough night as they were on the ice for two of the Blues ’ four even-strength goals .
“ I thought [ Hajek ] had some good moments and some moments he ’ d like to have back , which is probably natural when you put him in this situation when he ’ s been out for so long , ” coach David Quinn said .
“ Putting him in an NHL game with this caliber [ of an opponent ] is not an easy situation .
He did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games with the injury , but said Saturday his knee was feeling strong and he was getting used to wearing a brace on it .
He played 15:05 and blocked a pair of shots .
Quinn said Staal ’ s injury would be a short-term deal .
After coming into the night with just two goals and two assists in his past 19 games , Filip Chytil tallied a goal and an assist .
Quinn commended the Rangers ’ kids line — the 20-year-old Chytil , Brett Howden ( 21 ) and Kaapo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at their best on the night .
Chytil said before the game he was trying to focus on more than just offensive production .
“ We feel good when we score goals and when we produce points , ” Chytil said .
“ But what Coach is saying is we have to feel good about the details of small things that will help the team.
” Ryan Lindgren remained in the lineup after leaving Thursday ’ s game early with a leg injury from blocking a shot by the Devils ’ P.K .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my knee , ” Lindgren said .
“ But now it ’ s fine .
”

ST. LOUIS — When Libor Hajek injured his right knee during a game on Dec. 5 in Columbus, the Rangers’ 21-year-old defenseman feared he could be out for a while.
“I was kind of afraid,” Hajek said. “The first week was pretty painful.”
But the injury was diagnosed as a sprain, and just over a month later, Hajek returned to the lineup Saturday night in time for the Blueshirts’ 5-2 loss to the Blues at Enterprise Center.
Hajek, who was taking the spot of Marc Staal (upper-body injury), and partner Tony DeAngelo had a tough night as they were on the ice for two of the Blues’ four even-strength goals.
“I thought [Hajek] had some good moments and some moments he’d like to have back, which is probably natural when you put him in this situation when he’s been out for so long,” coach David Quinn said. “Putting him in an NHL game with this caliber [of an opponent] is not an easy situation. He did some good things.”
Hajek missed 16 games with the injury, but said Saturday his knee was feeling strong and he was getting used to wearing a brace on it. He played 15:05 and blocked a pair of shots.
Quinn said Staal’s injury would be a short-term deal.
After coming into the night with just two goals and two assists in his past 19 games, Filip Chytil tallied a goal and an assist. Quinn commended the Rangers’ kids line — the 20-year-old Chytil, Brett Howden (21) and Kaapo Kakko (18) — as being at their best on the night.
Chytil said before the game he was trying to focus on more than just offensive production.
“We feel good when we score goals and when we produce points,” Chytil said. “But what Coach is saying is we have to feel good about the details of small things that will help the team.”
Ryan Lindgren remained in the lineup after leaving Thursday’s game early with a leg injury from blocking a shot by the Devils’ P.K. Subban.
“I could barely bend my knee,” Lindgren said. “But now it’s fine.”