Daily Dose: 10/14/16
It’s officially cuffing season
2:15 PMHey gang, your boy has been under the weather for the better part of this week, but Cousin Aaron has done a great job filling in while I’ve been gone. Of course, our beloved Washington Nationals found a way to blow it Thursday night, but whatever.
President Obama is making more friends with every step when it comes to Cuba. First, he eased relations with the island nation that was a long overdue step in many minds. Then, they had a baseball game there, which was cool, too. Now, in a move that will ultimately result in a lot more luggage being carried on to planes, he’s eliminated the limit to the amount of cigars and rum you can bring back to the U.S. after a visit. Anyone want to take a flight to Havana? That trip just got a lot more fun.
Donald Trump is still doing the absolute most. Now that more women are coming out to say that he at some point engaged in some level of sexual misconduct, the Republican presidential nominee is melting down and claiming a global conspiracy is to blame for his campaign’s current situation. Think about that for a second. A guy who on one hand claims to wield so much power through his real estate activities is now saying that there is a worldwide plan to keep him down. Now he’s threatening to sue everyone, as well. What a mess.
If you didn’t know, it’s officially cuffing season. If you find yourself in a pumpkin patch or picking apples, best believe you’re about to get chose. There are fun parts about this time of year. When it’s a tad too cold outside to talk trash and drink beer with the squad, you can knock out those Netflix episodes that you were too cool to watch when the weather was nice. Or, if you just want someone to sleep next to with the window open at night, tis the season to find that person. Here’s VICE‘s official guide to navigating this time of year.
FIFA is poised to ruin the World Cup. No. 1, the next two venues are likely to be a bit of a disaster, with Russia’s major problems with racism and Qatar’s temperature, never mind human rights concerns. Now, for whatever reason, they’ve decided that neither Europe nor Asia should be hosting another world tournament anytime soon, which basically means that 2026 is pretty well destined to come to the United States. They’re also considering expanding the tournament, which is the worst idea ever.
Free Food
Coffee Break: If you didn’t see Ben Carson on television Friday morning, it really was a sight to behold. He got involved in a row with Katty Kay and Joe Scarborough, and decided that he was going to make a bunch of ridiculous comments about what our true priorities should be, not what’s actually happening on the campaign trail.
Snack Time: Kevin Hart stays winning and keeping his portfolio diversified. He recently got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and now for his new film, he actually dropped a mixtape, too, which is hilarious.
Dessert: If you fell in love with Ken Bone this week, you might want to reconsider that.
Daily Dose
Daily Dose: 10/13/16
Russell Westbrook thinks the ‘selfless’ Warriors are ‘cute’
1:00 PMIn my 23 years of life, I’ve never seen a professional Washington, D.C., sports team advance to the final four of anything. Thursday night, the Washington Nationals will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. If they win, they’ll be one of four teams left chasing the World Series. Hope they don’t blow it.
Accusations of sexual assault have been made against Donald Trump. The jarring comments about women Trump made during a 2005 conversation with Billy Bush, and his recent defense of those comments as “locker room talk,” have given a few women the courage to speak out against Trump, based on past experiences they say they had with the Republican presidential nominee. A People magazine reporter alleges she was physically attacked by Trump, also in 2005, while two other women have claimed he inappropriately touched them. ABC News’ David Caplan and Meaghan Keneally report.
Can Donald Trump still win, though? It’s been quite the week for him, and quite the campaign, if we’re being honest. It seems like every day some of his dirty laundry gets aired, which makes some think, “Should this guy really lead our country?” But obviously Trump still has a plethora of supporters, though he remains down in the polls. According to FiveThirtyEight, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is leading by about 7 percentage points in the polls. Is there precedent for a comeback? Harry Enten has the answer.
A cop’s decision to pull out a gun has always terrified and fascinated me. My dad is a retired cop, and based on the relations police have had this past year with African-Americans, I asked him in July what’s the proper way — by the textbook, at least — to handle a high-pressure situation. He provided some interesting insight, unlike anything we’ve heard from the officers who’ve taken the lives of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and others. As we learned, there’s no single answer to the question, “When should cops go for their guns?” VICE‘s Robin Washington provides his take.
We’re definitely here for this Russell Westbrook-Kevin Durant beef. Remember when Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer in free agency and decided to join the Golden State Warriors — the same the team that knocked the Thunder out of the 2016 NBA playoffs? Well, that didn’t sit too well with Westbrook, Durant’s former Thunder teammate. Durant’s recent comment that the loaded Warriors squad is “selfless” also didn’t sit well with Westbrook. His response? “Cute.” ESPN’s Royce Young reports.
Free food
Coffee Break: Ever since Trump made his “locker room talk” comment, reporters around the country have been asking professional athletes for their thoughts about the validity of the statement. On Tuesday, LeBron James and Tom Brady were the latest to get questioned, and they had very different responses.
Snack Time: A man in the U.K. has been chasing down killer clowns while dressed as Batman. He’s the hero the world both deserves and needs right now, tbh.
Dessert: There’s a new “joggling” world record holder.
Daily Dose
Daily Dose: 10/12/16
Terence Crutcher’s autopsy released
2:00 PMOn Tuesday, The Undefeated hosted A Conversation with The President: Sports, Race and Achievement, a town hall discussion with President Barack Obama, on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University, which you can watch here. There was also a podcast Tuesday, which you can listen to here.
Terence Crutcher’s autopsy was released, revealing that the 40-year-old had phencyclidine, known more commonly as the drug PCP, in his system at the time he was shot and killed by police in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in September. Crutcher’s family called the finding “unfortunate,” which only makes you wonder how it will affect the case against Betty Shelby, the officer who shot Crutcher. Regardless of what was in his system, Crutcher acted with compliance, put his hands up and still was killed. ABC News’ Clayton Sandell and Enjoli Francis report.
Can another presidential candidate like Donald Trump be prevented? The video footage of Trump’s crude 2005 conversation with Billy Bush and the Republican candidate’s “locker room talk” justification at the most recent presidential debate only remind us of whirlwind of campaign Trump has had, during which he’s lacked a filter to say the least, and that he’s still one of the last two standing. The election is in a few weeks and he could be our country’s next leader. Regardless, going forward, it’s up to the Republicans to prevent the rise of candidates like The Donald. VICE‘s Mike Pearl writes.
The latest development in the Derrick Rose rape lawsuit is odd. Hours after a judge rejected to declare a mistrial or dismiss the rape lawsuit against the New York Knicks point guard and his two friends, even bigger — and weirder — news broke. Nadine Hernandez, the 44-year-old Los Angeles Police Department detective investigating Rose’s case, was found dead of a gunshot wound at her home in Whittier, California. At the time, it is uncertain whether Hernandez’s death was a result of a homicide or suicide. The Los Angeles Times’ Richard Winton and Hailey Branson-Potts report.
The Dallas Cowboys are in a pickle, or at least will be in a couple of weeks. As injured quarterback Tony Romo’s understudy, rookie Dak Prescott has led Dallas to a 4-1 record. However, Romo will available to return to the field in a few weeks after sitting out for this entire season. The speculation is the Cowboys will ditch the hot hand of Prescott and roll with Romo, whom Father Time has been mighty cruel to. But until that happens, let’s revel in the success of Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliot, who is also a rookie. FiveThirtyEight’s Chase Stuart breaks down how the duo has the Cowboys back on top.
Free food
Coffee Break: The impact of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest is the gift that keeps on giving. Leah Tysse sang the national anthem before a Sacramento Kings preseason game Monday, and knelt while doing so.
Snack Time: You know the country’s clown problem is getting out of hand when McDonald’s decides to limit Ronald McDonald’s appearances “for the time being.” #FreeRonald
Dessert: President Obama wants Americans on Mars by the 2030s. Sign me up, fam.
All Day Podcast
All Day Podcast: 10/11/16
The Undefeated and Barack Obama in N.C., the next step for Tiger Woods and what is ‘locker room talk’
1:00 PMWith staff writer Justin Tinsley in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Tuesday for The Undefeated’s A Conversation with The President: Sports, Race and Achievement, a town hall with President Barack Obama, senior writer Domonique Foxworth was the next man up, joining host Clinton Yates and senior style writer Jill Hudson for this week’s All Day Podcast.
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We kick things off by addressing the recently released 2005 comments of current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, regarding grabbing women without consent. Trump recently justified his words during a presidential debate as “locker room talk,” to which many professional athletes responded by voicing their opinions. Domonique, a former NFL player and The Undefeated’s Locker Room Lawyer, weighs in on the notion of “locker room talk.”
Justin then joins the podcast by phone to preview Tuesday’s town hall, which you can watch here, before the crew wraps things up with a segment on golfer Tiger Woods, who hasn’t played since August 2015 and recently withdrew from the Safeway Open. If this is the end for Woods, what’s next? Clinton and Domonique tackle the question.
Give it a listen, and if you have any feedback or show ideas, feel free to email us at allday@andscape.com.
NFL
Colin Kaepernick set to start Sunday
So, that’s five more minutes of that game you’ll tune into than usual
5:15 PM Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers speaks to media during a press conference after a 31-21 preseason win over the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on Sept. 1, 2016, in San Diego. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Harry How/Getty Images
Under normal circumstances, another 1 p.m. EST Sunday game between two teams with a collective record of 6-6 doesn’t exactly move the needle in the NFL. But now that San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly has announced that Colin Kaepernick will be starting the game, the San Francisco 49ers-Buffalo Bills tilt is one of the more intriguing matchups of the weekend.
Of course, not a day goes by in which someone doesn’t have something to say about the quarterback’s choice to kneel during the national anthem. To say that it’s become a global story is a drastic understatement, as his protest has sparked quite the movement across all of sports and elsewhere. If you haven’t been keeping up, the two latest people of import to drop in on the matter are boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Really.
In an interview with Tha Boxing Voice podcast, the noted critical thinker came in hot with his take. “I’m here to say all lives matter,” Mayweather noted. He went on to say that Kaepernick is an opportunist. “Kaepernick needs to try and get the starting job. Stand up and get the starting job. That’s what he needs to focus on.” Mind you, those comments were made two days ago, so we’ll cut him some slack.
As for The Notorious R.B.G., she found herself in this discussion courtesy of Katie Couric. Speaking to Yahoo, she said that she found the protests “really dumb” among other things. Not exactly what you’d expect to hear out of someone appointed to figure out where certain things lie along the line of constitutionality, but whatever.
Obviously, Kaepernick will be kneeling for the anthem. Unless he throws everyone a huge curveball and trolls his whole team by just saying that he was only doing it to get the starting job. In all seriousness though, it will be interesting to see if Kaepernick is any good at football anymore. He didn’t need to play another down for his legacy to be cemented in the NFL.
Long story short, outside of fantasy interests, that game Sunday in Orchard Park, New York, just went from afterthought to must-watch. At least until kickoff.
Daily Dose
Daily Dose: 10/11/16
David Ortiz’s career comes to a soft close
12:26 PMHope everyone had a good Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Personally, I talked to Sports Illustrated‘s Richard Deitsch about The Undefeated and the general state of affairs in sports media these days. Check it out here or here.
Today’s the big day. President Barack Obama will be at North Carolina A&T University today for a television special set to air Tuesday on ESPN at 10 p.m. EST. It’ll be the second time that the president has joined The Undefeated in a town hall context, and Tuesday night he’ll discuss the My Brother’s Keeper initiative and the role of historically black college and universities in today’s society from Greensboro. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the state, the effects of Hurricane Matthew still have full towns underwater. ABC News reports.
Of course, Donald Trump is still trying to punch his way out of a corner. Ever since that video of him announcing his proclivity for sexual assault went public, the Republican presidential nominee has been scrambling to spin those comments as “locker room talk,” as if that somehow makes it OK. On Monday night in Pennsylvania, he turned the focus of his message back on to the Clinton family. It should be noted that Bill Clinton and Donald are the same age. And after Sunday’s debate, The Donald is basically riding solo in his party, ABC News’ Rick Klein reports.
This clown nonsense must come to an end. Good, hardworking clowns are getting a bad name and losing business right when they need it most. Look, whether or not people actually do have fears of clowns or just what, the type of people who want to capitalize on said fears are sick. Dozens of states have reported sightings, which, again, is just such a strange thing to say. Clowns aren’t an endangered species. That said, this latest footage of a clown hitching a ride on the back of a city bus in Detroit is very odd.
It was an awkward night in Boston. The final game of David Ortiz’s career ended in rather tame fashion, with the Boston Red Sox bowing out meekly to the Cleveland Indians in a sweep of the American League Division Series. The crazy thing is, Ortiz had one of the best seasons of his career, but that team couldn’t find a way to crack the shell of a team that was only two games above .500 against teams outside of its division. Anyway, ESPN’s Scott Lauber was at Fenway Park to describe the somber scene.
Free Food
Coffee Break: Things are officially at worst-case scenario phase for Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners. Not only are your phones blowing up and keeping you off planes, the company has officially announced that it is not only halting production, but you should probably just turn your phone off forever.
Snack Time: Thanksgiving at the Knowles house is going to be a fun one. Both Beyoncé and Solange have hit No. 1 on the charts with their albums this year, which is just plain tremendous on every level. Good for them.
Dessert: There’s a new Jordan 3 colorway dropping this week. And it’s nothing short of superclean.