Opening Dance, Young Sheldon Guests

Opening Dance, Young Sheldon Guests

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The producers behind CBS’s new “Young Sheldon” spinoff  “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage” knew the show needed to immediately address the comedy elephant in the room: Unlike “Sheldon,” which was a single-camera half-hour, “Georgie and Mandy” is a multi-cam laffer shot in front of a live studio audience.

That, of course, is also how “The Big Bang Theory” — the hit that spawned “Young Sheldon” — was taped. The multi-to-single-to-multi camera whiplash from “Big Bang” to “Sheldon” to “Georgie & Mandy” may be unprecedented in TV history. Which is why the show has Georgie (Montana Jordan) alluding to it during the very first minutes of the premiere episode.

“Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” (which premieres Thursday night on CBS) takes place around 1995, which is why we see the cast watching “Frasier” in its opener. Georgie refers to that multi-cam sitcom as a  “laughing show,” and compares it to that era’s most prominent single-cam half-hour, “The Wonder Years.” As he points out, while you hear audience members laughing on shows like “Frasier,” you don’t on shows like “The Wonder Years.” So, “Is ‘The Wonder Years’ funny?” he asks. “We’ll never know.”

The question of “what’s a comedy” is a hot button topic these days, given the debate over “The Bear” and its Emmy campaign in the comedy competition. But executive producer Steve Holland told Variety that Georgie’s comments were really a way for the new show to acknowledge that change in production style from “Sheldon” to “Georgie & Mandy.”

“Switching formats from single-cam back to multi-cam was, in part, designed to sort of give the show its own flavor,” Holland said. “But we also knew that it was going to be a thing that people were going to notice and talk about. So, we thought, why don’t we just own it right up front. Why don’t we just come out and say, ‘We know what we’re doing. We know there’s a switch. This is a different kind of show,’ and just sort of be out in front of it.”

Viewers won’t be shocked by the new look, however, as much of the feel and style of “Georgie & Mandy” stays true to the tone and visual colors of “Young Sheldon.”

“We were really trying to honor the tone of ‘Young Sheldon,’ and not just have a dramatic departure,” Holland said. “I mean, it still lives in that world. We still felt like it needed to have a continuity with that world. And also, moving forward into multi-cam, I think there are  a lot of things that people react to that are sort of an old fashioned style of multi-cam that are very bright and very heavily laughed. We didn’t think we needed to do that kind of show… I think if you’re a ‘Young Sheldon’ fan, the fact that it’s a multi will fade into the background very quickly. It will just feel like you’re watching that world again.”

Behind the scenes, Holland said it took a bit of an adjustment to write scenes that take place on fewer sets, in front of an audience.

“It does change the way that you structure stories a little bit,” he said. “But as we got into it, we realized it also didn’t have to be a super jokey  multi-cam. We had a tone that was established on ‘Sheldon,’ and when we got into it, it felt very similar to writing scenes on ‘Sheldon.’ The bigger difference was because it’s a little more like theater, these scenes play out and tend to be like a little bit longer than they might be on ‘Young Sheldon.’”

“Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” follows Georgie, who’s still in his teens when he becomes a father with the older Mandy (Emily Osment). The events come following the end of “Young Sheldon,” which wound down with the passing of George Sr. and Sheldon’s shift to college. Left back in Medford, Texas, Georgie and Mandy have married and move in with her parents (Rachel Bay Jones and Will Sasso) and brother (Dougie Baldwin) to raise their baby. Georgie also gets a job at his father-in-law’s garage, where co-worker Ruben (Jessie Prez) is less than thrilled.

“One of the things that was exciting about the show is that this is such an unusual relationship,” Holland said. “There’s an age gap and they come from two different worlds. They were sort of thrown together almost accidentally. As much as there’s a lot of love there, it’s not going to be an easy road for them.”

And that’s where the opening credits come in. The title sequence features Jordan and Osment doing a tango, choreographed by “Dancing With the Stars” alums  Jonathan & Oksana Platero.

The idea came from fellow exec producer Steve Molaro. “It was unusual. You don’t expect it. And it really just sort of encapsulated the show in this really fun, interesting way,” Holland said. “And so, we brought in these choreographers who had done ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and they were used to working with non-dancers. I think they only had about four days of rehearsal to get that dance down. And they just were fantastic.

““It just felt like that was right, because there’s a lot of passion there, and there’s also, a push/pull and an energy,” he added. “That’s going to be true their relationship. I mean, no relationship is easy, and theirs comes with a lot more baggage piled on it that’s going to make it difficult. These characters  clearly have a lot of love for each other, but there’s a lot of things for them to navigate. That shouldn’t be easy, which is good, because that gives us stories.” (And fans of the “Big Bang” universe know that this relationship does eventually end — hence the title “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.”)

It’s a new show, but that’s not to say fans of “Young Sheldon” won’t immediately feel at home. Not only is the character of “Sheldon” frequently mentioned, but it doesn’t take long for Georgie’s mom Mary (Zoe Perry) and his meemaw (Annie Potts) to show up in the first episode.

“We’re trying to walk that line to honor those things, especially for fans of the show, but not do anything that’s going to close the door on new viewers,” Holland said. “But for us, I think the most important thing is to establish the show as its own show, and to really give these new characters room to breathe. But we’re in the incredible lucky position of having a roster of A-list talent who we can pull in. We’ve got Zoe Perry, and we’ve got Annie Potts just waiting in the wings. It’s been really exciting to get to do that. And that also provides continuity. They’re still in this world. These people are still a part of Georgie’s family. It’s about finding ways to use those characters that feel like they’re servicing  this show.”


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RECAP: Red Wings look to move forward after falling to Penguins on Opening Night, 6-3

RECAP: Red Wings look to move forward after falling to Penguins on Opening Night, 6-3

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Pittsburgh tied it 1-1 with 4:58 to go in the first period when Anthony Beauvillier banked a shot in off Ben Chiarot from below the goal line.

“Really good start actually,” Lalonde said about Detroit’s first period. “Probably a little unfortunate to come out tied.”

Knocking in a rebound from the slot, Beauvillier’s second goal of the night made it 2-1 at 2:55 of the second period. Just 58 seconds later, Drew O’Connor put the Penguins ahead 3-1 when he one-timed Evgeni Malkin’s feed home.

“We got away from that first-period game that we had,” Larkin said. “Pucks were just going in.”

Pittsburgh added another goal at 5:28 of the second period when Marcus Pettersson scored against goalie Ville Husso with a shot from the point to make it 4-1. That ended Husso’s night, with netminder Cam Talbot coming in to replace him.

“All those goals in the second were self-inflicted,” DeBrincat said. “Seemed like we couldn’t keep it out of the net that period. Hard to battle back from 4-1. Just got to get more juice at the start of the second period. The start of each period is very important for us. Obviously we didn’t do a good job of that tonight.”

Vladimir Tarasenko’s first goal with the Red Wings cut it to 4-2 at 12:32 of the second period. Just as a power play was expiring, the 32-year-old forward snapped a shot that went over Penguins rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist’s left shoulder. Mortiz Seider and DeBrincat had the assists.

“He finished, got some looks,” Lalonde said about Tarasenko. “That’s certainly a positive.”


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Student Loan Forgiveness Lawsuit Transferred, Potentially Opening Path To Relief For 30 Million People

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The Biden administration got a surprise victory this week in an ongoing legal challenge over a key student loan forgiveness program, the latest twist in what has been a rollercoaster year for borrowers. But the win may only be temporary as the litigation continues.

A group of Republican-led states had filed a preemptive lawsuit against the Biden administration in September to halt implementation of a sweeping new student loan forgiveness plan. That plan, if enacted, could provide relief to millions of borrowers. Shortly after the suit was filed in a Georgia federal court, the presiding judge issued a temporary order blocking the program. But in a new ruling on Wednesday, the judge sided with the Biden administration and transferred the case to a different court, potentially offering the program a lifeline.

Here’s the latest.

Biden’s Newest Student Loan Forgiveness Program Explained

President Joe Biden first unveiled plans for a new mass student loan forgiveness initiative last summer, in the wake of the Supreme Court landmark ruling that overturned his first attempt at mass debt relief. The new so-called “Plan B” option would be a different program, enacted through a different process, under a separate legal authority.

Earlier this year, the Education Department released preliminary details on the new student debt cancellation plan. Unlike Biden’s first program, which would have provided $10,000 in blanket relief for most borrowers, the new plan would provide more targeted student loan forgiveness to four distinct groups:

  • Borrowers who first entered repayment at least 20 or 25 years ago.
  • Those who owe more on their student loans today than what they originally borrowed due to the impacts of interest accrual and capitalization.
  • People who attended institutions that lost access to federal financial aid programs because of a failure to meet federal standards.
  • Borrowers who qualify for student loan forgiveness under other programs but have not enrolled or applied.

The administration established the new program under the compromise and settlement authority of the Higher Education Act, which borrower advocates have long suggested could be a stronger legal basis for mass debt cancellation than the HEROES Act, which the administration relied on for the first loan forgiveness plan. The Education Department has spent the last year developing new regulations for the program through a formal rulemaking process, with the final version of the rules expected to be released sometime in October.

Education Department officials suggested that 25 million borrowers could benefit under the runaway interest prong alone, with millions of additional borrowers possibly qualifying for student loan forgiveness under the other provisions of the program.

Lawsuit Challenged Biden’s ‘Plan B’ Student Loan Forgiveness Initiative

Seven Republican-led states, spearheaded by Missouri — which has been at the forefront of legal challenges to the Biden administration’s attempts to implement broad student loan forgiveness — filed a suit in September, alleging that the administration was preparing to implement mass debt relief in a matter of days, before the Education Department had even published the final version of the regulations. If true, this could have been a violation of federal law.

The states argued that implementation of mass student loan forgiveness would harm state finances, in part because state-related servicers (such as Missouri-based MOHELA) would lose revenues, and those lost revenues would in turn impact state treasuries. Missouri and other states made similar arguments in the legal challenge to Biden’s first debt relief plan.

The Biden administration disputed the allegations in the suit. Nevertheless, a Georgia judge (where the suit was filed) issued a Temporary Restraining Order, briefly blocking the program for several weeks while giving the parties an opportunity to submit legal arguments.

Georgia Judge Transfers Student Loan Forgiveness Lawsuit, Giving Borrowers A Temporary Win

In a surprise ruling on Wednesday, the Georgia court rejected the states challengers’ request to implement a more-lasting preliminary injunction, and effectively ended the litigation in Georgia. The court concluded that there was no indication that the state of Georgia, specifically, would be harmed by the proposed student loan forgiveness initiative.

The court’s order dismissed the state of Georgia as a party in the suit, concluding that “Georgia lacks standing because it failed to show an injury” as a result of the loan forgiveness program. The court also declined to extend the restraining order that had blocked the program.

Rather than dismissing the case outright, however, the court transferred the suit for the remaining states to a federal court in Missouri, given Missouri’s reliance on MOHELA in arguing that it would be harmed by the new student loan forgiveness program. Missouri has tied MOHELA to several of its legal challenges involving the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plans.

“Based on Plaintiffs’ reliance on MOHELA as its primary basis for standing, the Court finds the most equitable transfer would be to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri,” wrote the court.

What The New Ruling Means For Newest Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

The ruling gives the Biden administration a temporary victory, opening the door to the possibility that this new loan forgiveness program could move forward. But now the case is with a federal court in Missouri, so the litigation is far from over. Still, advocates for borrowers praised the ruling.

“Today’s legal decision is a small victory for democracy,” said Student Borrower Protection Center deputy executive director and managing counsel Persis Yu in a statement on Wednesday. “This case by the Missouri Attorney General is as absurd as it is dangerous. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Plan B is both legal and necessary to bring vital relief to over 30 million Americans trapped in a cycle of unaffordable debt. The decision to file this case in the Brunswick Division of the Southern District of Georgia— a carefully chosen court with a single Republican-appointed judge—was a clear and desperate move to undermine democracy and stack the odds against working families.”

But the legal battle is continuing. Now, a Missouri court will consider the challengers’ arguments. And Missouri has been successful in relying on its relationship with MOHELA to challenge several Biden administration programs.

“This case is the third attempt by the Missouri Attorney General to undermine relief for borrowers, and ensure maximum profits for the federal student loan servicer, MOHELA, and revealing a clear intent to rig the system against working families,” said Yu.

Advocates have called on the Biden administration to quickly implement the new student loan forgiveness plan, particularly given that another program — the new SAVE plan — remains blocked due to a separate legal challenge. That challenge is also led by Missouri.

In August, the Education Department sent millions of notices to borrowers, giving them the opportunity to opt out of relief under the “Plan B” debt relief program. With the initiative now at least temporarily free of a court order and the opt-out deadline now expired, it remains to be seen how the department will proceed from here.

Update: The Missouri court granted a preliminary injunction blocking the “Plan B” student loan forgiveness plan late in the day on October 3.


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USA sweeps 5 matches in opening session of Presidents Cup

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Sep 26, 2024, 06:45 PM ET

MONTREAL — The Presidents Cup matches were close. The score after the opening session was not.

The Americans clung to a 1-up lead in all five matches Thursday when they delivered shot after shot, putt after putt, until this already lopsided series took a familiar turn.

United States 5, International 0.

The Americans swept the first day of fourballs matches at Royal Montreal behind a feisty Scottie Scheffler, late heroics from Xander Schauffele and plenty of help from the putting-challenged International team.

It was the third time they shut out the Internationals on the first day, and the first time since 2000. The Americans went on to an 11-point victory that year.

“We’re excited with our start – high fives, celebrate – and we’re going to keep the pressure on,” U.S. captain Jim Furyk said.

International captain Mike Weir had a plan for the opening two days and he didn’t see anything on the course to make any changes for the foursomes matches on Friday. Adam Scott has never been on a winning team since his debut in 2003, and he wasn’t about to lose hope.

“The best news is there’s tomorrow for us. It’s not over,” Scott said. “We’re going to have to come out, fight really hard, find that gear, win a session and get going in the right direction. The score line looks rough. But I don’t think there was that much difference in it today.”

Three matches reached the 18th green. One ended on No. 17. The shortest match was Scheffler and Russell Henley getting the last word in a 3-and-2 win over Tom Kim and Sungjae Im.

Scheffler and Henley never trailed in what was the spiciest match of an otherwise flat day, the Canadian crowd mostly silent after Mackenzie Hughes, who sat out the first session, chugged a beer on the opening tee to get them going.

Scheffler and Kim are good friends who play plenty of money games in Dallas. On the par-3 seventh hole, the 22-year-old Kim holed a putt from just inside 30 feet and did a pirouette on the green, screaming, “Let’s Go!”

Scheffler matched the birdie from about the same length, and the world’s No. 1 player turned toward Kim and screamed, “What was that?”

It got testy on the next hole when Kim made another long birdie, celebrated wildly and then he and Im walked over to the ninth tee without even watching Scheffler putt.

“It’s the same thing I would have done at home if he had made a putt … and he celebrated like that. So it’s all in good fun. We enjoy competing against each other,” Scheffler said. “That’s what it’s like out here. It’s fun to compete and fun to represent our country, and at the end of the match you take your hat off and shake hands.

“We’re friends after, we’re not friends during, I guess.”

The Internationals never looked like they would win the session. They weren’t expecting a shutout, either.

Taylor Pendrith, one of two Canadians in the lineup, made birdie on the 12th as he and Christiaan Bezuidenhout squared their match against Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark.

Schauffele and Tony Finau missed 3-foot par putts on the 16th and their opening match against Jason Day and Byeong Hun An was all square.

It could have gone either way. But it only got worse for the Internationals.

Bezuidenhout missed three 7-foot putts in a span of four holes that kept his side from squaring the match. Scott missed a pair of putts from the 12-foot range.

The Americans delivered the goods.

Schauffele atoned for his short miss by hitting his tee shot to 7 feet to a back pin on the par-3 17th for a birdie, and then hit his approach to 3 feet on the 18th to close out the match.

“Tony got the party started on the front nine and he had my back all day,” Schauffele said. “I figured it was my time to have his back.”

Bradley, the Ryder Cup captain for next year who has gone 10 years since his last cup competition, holed a 35-foot putt on the 13th and secured a 1-up win over Scott and Min Woo Lee with a 10-foot putt. Emotions were pouring from him.

“It was 10 years of pent-up energy of not playing these,” Bradley said. “I just had such a blast out there today.”

Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala rallied from a 1-down deficit through 11 holes when Morikawa birdied the 12th and 14th holes. Theegala secured it with an approach to just inside 3 feet. He made the putt, the first time all day he retrieved his golf ball from the cup.

In the anchor match, Patrick Cantlay was relentless as ever and Sam Burns made a 10-foot birdie on the 13th hole that put them 2 up, and Corey Conners and Hideki Matsuyama could never cut into the lead.

The Americans also swept the opening session in 1994. This was the eighth time in the last nine Presidents Cups they had a lead after the first day.

Friday has five foursomes matches. Furyk is keeping two teams together, including Scheffler and Henley, with Cantlay and Schauffele looking to build on their foursomes record.

“The last couple road games have been close,” Cantlay said. “I think it’s a huge statement. I think we need to build on that tomorrow.”


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Hawk Football Team Dominates From Opening Kickoff – The Newtown Bee

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Published: Sep 20, 2024 10:44 pm

Beginning with Jayden Taylor’s opening kickoff return for a touchdown,it was the Newtown High School football team’s night in the Friday, September 20, home opener. The Nighthawks crushed New Fairfield 50-14 to improve to 2-0.

“We came out firing out of the gate — Jayden Taylor doing what Jayden Taylor does,” Newtown Coach Dan Farina said.

Newtown was dominant in all facets of its home opener from the get to and put this one on ice in the first quarter by racking up a whopping 35 points.

After Taylor’s 90-yard kick return to paydirt the defense came up with a stop and quarterback Ryan Schoffstall connected with Will McManus on a 53-yard touchdown pass, and the Hawks were well on their way.

Even when things appeared to not be going Newtown’s way the Hawks came up with a big play. Ayden Paulos scored Newtown’s third touchdown when he recovered a fumble in the end zone. On the team’s last conversion after touchdown attempt a high snap left backup kicker Nate Pickard to scoop the fumble, scramble to his right, and and connect with Graham Spencer for a two-point conversion.

The botched extra point-turned two-point conversion was reminiscent of what happened in the dramatic and bizarre 2023 state playoff win over Shelton. Farina pointed out that the Hawks practice what he called the fire drill play to give itself a chance when things go wrong.

“It’s a credit to our kids. We don’t stop until the final whistle. We coach them that way; we expect them to play that way,” Farina said.

Grady Marks had an interception which gave the Nighthawks possession inside the New Fairfield 40, leading to the Paulos TD. Taylor was on his way to the end zone, recovered his own fumble, then lost the ball trying to get across the goal line.

Farina said Taylor’s attempt to get points on the board was, in part, in an effort to help the starters build on its lead so the backup players could get into the game.

“That’s the job of the starters. Those guys make them better all week,” Farina said of the reserve players who work hard in practice.

Later in the opening quarter the Hawks added to their lead on a Paulos TD run, following a Kieran Garrity fumble recovery at the New Fairfield 15, and a Schoffstall-to-Will McManus 40-yard TD play.

In the second quarter Paulos scored on a two-yard TD run and Caden Cuomo had an open field tackle and interception to help the Nighthawks carry a 42-0 lead into the break.

It was time for the backups to shine once play resumed in the second half. Freshman Cam Kullgren had an impressive kick return. Marcus Gerace, the holder for kicks and backup QB, came in to man the pocket. The Rebels got on the board and trailed 42-7 heading to the fourth.

After New Fairfield’s second score Anthony West used a burst of speed to score from 25 yards out and the Hawks added that two-point conversion.

The Nighthawks return to action Friday, September 27, with a visit to Southington at 7 pm.

Cam Kullgren returns a kick in the second half of Newtown’s 50-14 win over visiting New Fairfield on September 20. —Bee Photos, Hutchison

Caden Cuomo runs the ball after an interception,

Justyn Gonzalez finds room to carry the ball.

Nate Pickard carries the ball.




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Falcons – Steelers instant recap: A season-opening embarrassment

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There was joy, there was tragedy, there was a lot of weird stuff. It was a Falcons football game, and unfortunately, that meant the joy was fleeting and the tragedy and weirdness dominated.

The Atlanta Falcons and Pittsburgh Steelers faced off in a game that promised to feature some rust and weirdness, as most Week 1 games do, and the game delivered. There were turnovers, dumb penalties, and missed opportunities left and right for both teams, but the combination of Chris Boswell’s stellar leg from a distance and the sheer number of mistakes from Atlanta added up to a rough day at the office for the Falcons, who found themselves down 15-10 heading into the fourth quarter. An offense with the pieces to be terrific looked anemic, and a defense predicated on a strong secondary looked lacking against George Pickens. It added up to a loss, as despite some heroic moments from the defense, Atlanta’s offense was awful throughout the second half, capped off by a Kirk Cousins interception under pressure to give Pittsburgh the chance to salt the game away.

It was a dispiriting start to the season for Atlanta, given their expectations and given that their next two games are against the Eagles and Chiefs. We know that Week 1 is a time for slow start and sloppiness, but this was a little beyond the pale for a Falcons team eager to win, and it puts them in a hole as they face the toughest stretch in their schedule early on. It goes without saying that they have to be far better very quickly to avoid going into an extremely deep hole early in the season,

Here’s the drive-by-drive recap, if you can stand it.

1st Quarter

The Falcons chose to receive. Bijan Robinson took it seven yards on first down, and on second down Bijan took it again and picked up three for a first down. Another carry for three yards up the middle came next, and then Kirk Cousins looked to pass to Robinson and it was nearly picked off. On third down, Cousins threw a fastball to Darnell Mooney, who brought it in over the middle for a first down. A defensive offsides followed, and then Tyler Allgeier rumbled for a first down and more. Bijan then got outside to pick up about six yards, and Cousins found Drake London for a first down. Bijan was hit in the backfield on the next play to lose yards. and then Cousins skipped one into the turf on the next play. That set up a third and goal, and the screen pass to Bijan picked up about six yards but was stopped by a nice tackle from a Pittsburgh defender. Younghoe Koo banged it home to make it Falcons 3, Steelers 0.

On first down, a fumbled snap was picked up by Pittsburgh for a gain of three yards. Pure damn luck. On second down, pressure got in Justin Fields’ face and he threw one off-target on the move for an incompletion. A timeout later, Fields got away from pressure and scrambled for 12 yards and a first down. Najee Harris then took it four yards on first down, and then Harris took a toss off a botched snap and picked up three yards, and then took it up the middle again for a first down. Fields then threw it to Harris, missing a little behind, and he dropped it. Pat Freiermuth then took it a few yards, and then Arthur Smith took a familiar road by having Cordarrelle Patterson take it up the middle on third down for a minimal gain. That set up a long field goal try, and the Steelers tied it up 3-3.

Robinson took it outside again to start the next drive, picking up nine yards. Then Kirk Cousins threw an ill-advised, off-target throw over the middle that was intercepted, swiftly ending the drive.

On first down, George Pickens got backed up a full five yards by a heads-up Falcons defense. Fields then tried to scramble up the middle, got hit, and only got a couple of yards. PIckens then caught a nice ball from Fields on third down and picked up a first down. A nothing play lost a yard, and then Najee Harris took it eight yards before both teams got into it a bit, with Harris taking exception to what certainly looked like a Jessie Bates facemask that the officiating crew missed. Pickens got it again on the sideline, but Mike Hughes made a nice stop but after the first down marker.

2nd Quarter

On the next play, the Steelers tried a reverse to Pickens, but he lost nearly ten yards on a disastrous play. The Steelers then got a yard on a run, and then Patterson picked up about four yards to set up a field goal try. Chris Boswell hit it from 50-plus to make it Steelers 6, Falcons 3.

Ray-Ray McCloud took the return to the 28 yard line. Drake London caught the first down pass over the middle for about seven yards, and then an unusually tentative Robinson run picked up a first down. Bijan then took it three yards on first down, and then caught another screen pass for eight yards and a first down. Unfortunately, Chris Lindstrom exited the game with an injury. Cousins then fired a little high to Charlie Woerner for an incompletion, and Robinson cut inside to pick up very little. Cousins then took a shot to Mooney, but it was a little bit behind him and he couldn’t bring it in. Punt.

After a nice return, pressure on Fields forced a quick throw to Harris, who slipped but still got about nine yards. Harris then picked up a first down after a couple of yards and grabbed five yards on the next play, and Patterson fell forward for about four yards. Fields then carried it for a couple yards and a first down. Pickens then juggled an off-target ball and didn’t catch it, and the next play was a confused mess that would have lost yardage even if the Steelers didn’t have a false start. A quick pass to Jaylen Warren was stopped quickly by Justin Simmons and Kaden Elliss. Fields then hit Pickens for a 36 yard gain downfield, but it was erased by offensive pass interference. Warren then caught it again on 3rd and 19 for a little bit, but obviously Pittsburgh had to punt.

Cousins threw a quick one to Ray-Ray McCloud on first down, which picked up nine thanks to a little after the catch work from McCloud. Robinson then picked up three yards again for a first down. Then Cousins was hit as he threw and arced one in the victinity of McCloud, who made an excellent grab for a big gain. Cousins then hit Kyle Pitts for about five yards, and Robinson picked up a yard as the blocking lane closed up real fast. A quick pass under pressure from Cousins to Robinson resulted in a first down by sheer force of will by Bijan. Another short throw to Robinson resulted in another first down thanks to his speed. Cousins hung in tough and hit McCloud again over the middle for a big first down. Cousins was sacked and fumbled on the next play, but a false start on Pittsburgh wiped out the play, blessedly. On the very next one, Cousins rolled out and fired it to a wide open Kyle Pitts for a touchdown. Falcons 10, Steelers 6.

Calvin Austin caught one for six yards as the clock ticked down, and then Pat Freiermuth caught one for a first down. Then Justin Fields launched one down the sideline to George Pickens, who stepped out of bounds with three seconds on the clock to set up a field goal try. Falcons 10, Steelers 9 at the half.

3rd Quarter

A quick five yards for Najee Harris kicked things off for the Steelers after the half, and then a toss play went nowhere. On third down, Fields kept moving backwards to try to get away from Grady Jarrett, but couldn’t do so as the veteran took him down for a sack and I almost spilled my beer yelling. Avery Williams then took the punt return nearly to midfield.

Bijan Robinson kicked things off with a four yard carry, and then got another three yards on second down, and then a yard to come up just short on third down. They went for it on fourth down, and the end-around to Robinson picked up a first down and then some. Unfortunately, on the next play the snap hit Ross Dwelley as he crossed the formation and T.J. Watt pounced on the fumble. Steelers ball.

MyCole Pruitt caught the pass for about nine yards, and then Fields went for Pickens and missed. Fields then went up the middle for a sneak and got a first down. Harris got about four yards on first down, and then a couple of yards on second down before an Eddie Goldman defensive holding gave the Steelers a free first down. Fields then tried Pruitt and missed. Cordarrelle Patterson got a yard, and then Justin Simmons came flying in to break up the pass on third down. Boswell then hit the long field goal to make it 12-10 Steelers.

Tyler Allgeier got the ball to kick off the next drive, picking up seven yards on first down. Allgeier picked up a yard or two on second down. Then Cousins hit Pitts for a first down and a lot more, but an illegal use of hands to the face on Jake Matthews brought it back. Then on the next play, T.J. Watt got a strip sack but a penalty on the Pittsburgh secondary erased that and gave Atlanta first down, which the Falcons followed up with a two yard run from Robinson. Then Cousins got crushed with no hope as the Falcons offensive line crumbled on second down, and Charlie Woerner caught it for about seven yards. Punt.

Fields took a long shot to Pickens and got it, getting the Steelers inside the 20. A false start after a five yard Najee Harris run backed Pittsburgh up, and then Fields got five back on a scramble. Then Fields under pressure found MyCole Pruitt, but an illegal shift on Pittsburgh back it up again. Another shot to Pat Freiermuth didn’t go very far, setting up yet another field goal try. Boswell hit it. 15-10, Steelers.

Robinson took the first carry for about five yards, and that took us to the fourth quarter.

4th Quarter

Robinson then took it for a first down, but a holding call backed them up. Then Cousins got hit by T.J. Watt and was just able to throw it away. On 3rd and 15, Cousins fired low and the coverage was tight on McCloud and he no real shot at it. Punt.

Fields took it seven yards on a first down run, and then Najee Harris took it 20 yards for a first down and a lot more. Then Harris was hit after a yard, and Freiermuth got a first down. Harris got four yards, and Jaylen Warren got a first down from there. Fields picked up about five yards on a scramble, and then Darnell Washington got four yards. Another first down for Fields brought the Steelers within scoring range. Harris then took it a couple of yards, with competing penalties on the Falcons and Steelers cancelling one another out. Van Jefferson caught it and Jessie Bates then stopped him short of the first down. On fourth and short, the Falcons somehow got the stop, with Nate Landman leaping over the pile to ensure Fields was down. Turnover on downs.

Robinson picked up a few yards on first down, and then a productive pass went nowhere because Kyle Pitts was not on the line of scrimmage and the Falcons were called for an illegal formation. Then Cousins had his pass tipped. Cousins was able to hit Pitts for about eight yards, but that brought up 4th and 4. Punt.

Harris lost a couple of yards on first down. Fields had to throw it away with Mike Hughes offering a blistering blitz off the edge on second down. On third down, Grady Jarrett and Matthew Judon combined for a sack, forcing Pittsburgh to punt. A holding call on Pittsburgh backed them up another ten yards, and the punter was injured on the play.

Bijan took the first snap from the 40 and picked up about 12 yards, earning a first down and getting Atlanta across midfield. On second down, though, Cousins was under pressure and hit while he threw and made the terrible decision to throw it, and it was another interception that was returned deep into Atlanta territory.

Harris got a yard on first down, and the Fields took off and got about five yards on the scramble. Then Fields ran for a first down, and Harris got a yard on first down, following it up with a small loss on second down. Fields then kept it on a fake handoff and lost a yard. With the clock at 31 seconds, the Steelers kicked a field goal and it was Pittsburgh 18, Atlanta 10.

The Falcons threw it to McCloud on the sideline, but he was tackled before he could get out of bounds. They burned a down spiking it, and then Cousins was sacked by T.J. Watt on third down. That was the ballgame.


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E Perfect Couple 07122024

Nicole Kidman and much of ‘The Perfect Couple’ cast had a text “mutiny” over opening dance number – 101.9fm The MIX – WTMX Chicago

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Netflix

Netflix’s new series The Perfect Couple is a dark tale indeed, but its title sequence sees its cast, including Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber and Dakota Fanning, in a flash mob-style dance, set to Meghan Trainor‘s “Criminals.” 

It was the brainchild of director Susanne Bier, but Variety has discovered that most of the cast was so opposed to it they started a text chain on WhatsApp that Schreiber called a “mutiny.”

The show centers on a wealthy family whose plans for a glamorous Nantucket wedding by the beach runs aground when a body washes up onshore, exposing the fam’s dark secrets.

Kidman admitted to the trade that she was initially opposed to the opening, because she didn’t think her matriarch character Greer would dance. “I felt like Greer would watch.” 

That said, she was happy about it in the end. “I danced as Greer. I think it’s great and I’m so glad they got us all to do it. ‘Cause there’s some joy in it.”

Schreiber, who plays Kidman’s husband, was all in. “I wasn’t in that [text] chain. The entire cast had a mutiny about this idea except for me, I was already in my trailer practicing the dance moves.”

He added, “I just like dancing and I was kinda disappointed when it came out that I’m not in it more because I thought I did it really well.”

Bier explained she felt viewers needed a pick-me-up from the “gloomy” times we’re living in. “I felt I wanted to do something which had a lot of life and a lot of fun. And I wanted to see all the characters having fun.”

The Perfect Couple is now streaming on Netflix.

 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.




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Arsenal vs Wolves live updates: Saka and Havertz goals help hosts to opening Premier League victory

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86′ Arsenal 2-0 Wolves

Is that a penalty? Wolves forward Hwang, I think, goes down in the box and the visitors yell for a penalty. VAR check it… and uphold Jarred Gillett’s on-field decision not to give it.

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil gets a yellow for his protests. They came out on the end of a couple of tough VAR calls last season, and I imagine O’Neil will have something to say about it after the match, too…

Then another weird yellow card. Gabriel Jesus leans over, Yerson Mosquera taps him on the… behind, and Jesus reacts angrily, shoving over his opponent. All a bit unnecessary.


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Bruno Mars at Intuit Dome Opening Night Recap: Lady Gaga Surprise

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On Thursday night, Bruno Mars was the first performer at the Intuit Dome arena in Inglewood, California — LA’s newest venue and the home of the Clippers.

The elusive musician is playing two nights, and the first was one for the books. He slid through all the hits and invited a very special guest onstage in front of all the fans and celebrities in attendance.

Below, we’re breaking down our favorite moments from the night. 

Mars and Lady Gaga had been teasing their brand-new collaboration “Die with a Smile” all day, so of course it was the perfect time to live-debut the country collab. He surprised the crowd with the icon toward the end of the show and started by thanking her for having him on the song. Their voices blended perfectly, and the song sounded so good it felt like we were already listening to a classic. 

Gaga wasn’t the only musician there: Intuit Dome was packed with celebrities. We talked to Meghan Trainor on the red carpet, who said her family’s favorite Bruno track is “24K Magic”. Inside the club suites, we ran into Halle Bailey and DDG and their adorable baby. The coolest celeb moment of the night was catching Jennifer Lopez with her hands up and whipping her hair to Mars’ “Marry You”. You better live, J.Lo! 

Mars is a once-in-a-lifetime performer, and his skills were on full display during the show. He effortlessly executed high-energy choreography along with his band on songs like “Finesse.” You wouldn’t even notice because he’d then slip into a smooth ballad like “Versace on the Floor” and not sound even a bit winded. His belt was so loud you could feel his emotion all the way up to the top of the Dome. The mic was definitely on.

The Intuit Dome itself was a star. The paper and cashless venue was a marvel in technology. Each floor had bars and shops that operated so smoothly there were rarely lines. The club level had lounges for guests to mingle and eat before the show. The best part? Each seat had a charging port, so no more dead phones at concerts.

Mars’ fans were a vibe. They quickly ate up the exclusive merchandise for the commemorative evening. Blink and you would think you’re at Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, because so many fans were dressed as Mr. Mars. The most popular look was his 24K Magic album cover.

Mars is set for one more night at Intuit Dome on Friday night (Aug. 16), followed by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco on Saturday night, Latin star Marco Antonio Solis on Sunday night, and two nights of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour on Tuesday and Wednesday.


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Yui Susaki Stunned By Vinesh Phogat In Opening Round At 2024 Olympic Games

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Add Vinesh Phogat’s name to the list of stunning wrestling upsets at the Olympic Games. She pulled off what no wrestler could do at the Worlds or Olympics since 2017.

Japan’s Yui Susaki seemed unbeatable with next-level offense, turns, and stellar defense. Susaki didn’t concede a point at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and only two matches at the World Championships lasted a full six minutes.

Yui Susaki At The Worlds And Olympics From 2017-2023

2017 Worlds (19) 2018 Worlds (20) 2020 Olympics (22) 2022 Worlds (23) 2023 Worlds (24)
W – Thalía Mallqui (PER), 10-0 W – Alina Vuc (ROU), Fall W – T.O. Namuuntsetseg (MGL), 10-0 W – Nguyễn Thị Xuân (VIE), 10-0 W – Alisson Cardozo (COL), 12-1
W – Julie Sabatié (FRA), 13-2 W – Ritu Phogat (IND), 11-0 W – Lucía Yépez (ECU), 10-0 W – Anna Łukasiak (POL), 10-0 W – Alina Vuc (ROU), Fall
W – Victoria Anthony (USA), 11-0 W – Oksana Livach (UKR), 10-0 W – Mariya Stadnik (AZE), 11-0 W – Mercy Genesis (NGR), Fall W – Ziqi Feng (CHN), 8-2
W – Kim Son-hyang (PRK), 5-2 W – Mariya Stadnik (AZE), 10-0 W – Sun Yanan (CHN), 10-0 W – Otgonjargal Dolgorjavyn  (MGL), Fall W – Otgonjargal Dolgorjavyn (MGL), 10-0
W – Alina Vuc (ROU), 14-4

That changed on August 6, 2024. 

Susaki and Phogat opened the 50 kg women’s freestyle competition with a tight contest decided in the final seconds. Neither wrestler engaged but it was apparent that Phogat was willing to play the waiting game. The Indian star gave up two activity clock points and only took shots at the end periods.

Phogat reached Susaki’s leg at the end of the first but the Japanese superstar stymied the attempt to take a 1-0 lead at the break. Phogat stayed defensive for the remainder of the match until the final 10 seconds when she powered through for a two-point takedown as time expired. A lost challenge by Japan gave Phogat a stunning 3-2 win over the five-time World and Olympic champion. 

Phogat dropped from 53 kilograms to make her third Olympic Team. She won World bronze medals in 2019 and 2022 but caused a stir when she entered two weights — 50 and 53 — at her country’s trials process in March. 

She reached the finals of this year’s Asian Olympic qualifier at 50 kg after five years at 53. Her last time at this weight was during the 2018 Asian Games where she defeated Japan’s Yuki Irie — the same opponent with three wins over Susaki — in the gold medal finals. 

Winning the 2020 Tokyo Olympics took fortunate timing for Susaki. She won the 2017 and 2018 Worlds but Irie represented Japan in 2019. Irie has three wins over her domestic rival and is the only wrestler to defeat Susaki since 2010. 

Irie would represent Japan at the Olympics if she won a medal at the 2019 World Championships, but those plans were derailed when she lost to China’s Yanan Sun in a wild 13-12 quarterfinal match. Sun lost to eventual champion Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan in the semifinals, leaving Irie out of medal contention. 

That opened the door for Susaki who took advantage by winning a special wrestle-off over Irie. The 2020 Olympic Games were postponed until 2021 but Susaki dominated the competition in front of her home crowd. Sun gave Susaki an Olympic opportunity and, as fate would have it, Susaki defeated Sun, 10-0, in the gold medal finals. 

Phogat faces Ukraine’s Oksana Livach in the quarterfinals. Susaki can wrestle back for bronze if Phogat reaches the finals. 

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