PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington was minding his own business during practice recently, doing his due diligence while running his route when the ball suddenly came his way. Washington wasn't sure what option he was on the play. he certainly wasn't first. Probably not even second. Maybe not even third. Washington was on the back side all by his lonesome while a sea of wide receivers and running backs zig-zagged across quarterback Russell Wilson's field of vision. Only, Wilson didn't like what he saw. Not enough to throw it anyway. So he pivoted to his left and found Washington wide open for a big gain. Asked if he was surprised to find the ball in his hands, Washington nodded. “A little bit,” he said. “I don't know. I don't know what was going on with the other people.” Wilson did. He almost always seems to these days for the first-place Steelers (9-3), who find themselves atop the AFC North behind the play of their resurgent 36-year-old quarterback, who has taken a decidedly democratic approach to resurrecting his career. The nine-time Pro Bowler threw the ball to 10 different players while piling up 414 yards last week against the Bengals . Sure, mercurial star George Pickens got the ball. But so did Washington. And third tight end MyCole Pruitt. And wide receiver Ben Skowronek, who turned his second catch of the season into a 23-yard gain on a drive that ended with one of Wilson's three touchdown passes. “You never know when it’s coming your way,” Skowronek said. Not with Wilson at the controls. Fourteen different players have at least one catch this season for the Steelers. That includes Mike Williams, whose lone grab a month since being acquired from the New York Jets is a 32-yard rainbow for the winning score in the final minutes against Washington. It also includes Skowronek, who spent the early portion of the season on injured reserve and worried he'd sort of lost his place in line while he rehabbed. Skowronek and his teammates have quickly learned that with Wilson, there is no “line." During his six starts since returning from a calf injury, Wilson has thrown it wherever, whenever. “It’s like in baseball,” said Wilson, a former minor league second baseman. “You’ll never hit a home run if you don’t swing. And I really believe that you’ve got to swing, you’ve got to trust guys. You’ve got to be able to trust yourself.” Something that hasn't been an issue for Wilson for years, even if he arrived in Pittsburgh at a crossroads following an abrupt fall from grace in Denver. The Steelers couldn't sign Wilson to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum fast enough, and Wilson wasted little time building a rapport with players who were relative strangers. What began with throwing sessions in San Diego has morphed into team dinners and Friday nights where Wilson and first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will hole themselves up in the team facility poring over tapes and bouncing ideas off each other until their wives call wondering where they are. On game days, that work manifests itself in various ways. It's tight end Pat Freiermuth drifting toward an open area while Wilson scrambles, as he did two plays after Skowronek's grab for a 25-yard touchdown. It's Wilson calling an audible at the line of scrimmage late against Cincinnati to hit Van Jefferson for a 43-yard gain that led to a clinching field goal. It's not just good for the stat sheet, it's good for the vibes. “Morale is a big part,” Smith said. Guys who want to be invested. Spreading it around is beneficial in a myriad of ways. It means players don't feel they are “decoys on every play,” as Smith put it. It also means once you put it on film, it means opponents have to find a way to defend it. And the more things an opponent has to defend, the better for an offense, particularly one led by a quarterback who will make his 195th start on Sunday when Cleveland (3-9) visits. “Russ has seen every coverage,” Skowronek said. “He’s ran all these concepts before. So he knows progressions like probably the back of his hand.” Besides, Wilson knows he can't just preach about the importance of being unselfish without practicing it a little bit too. That means giving opportunities to those who have worked for it, no matter where they might fall on the depth chart. “I think that the best part about it is that we’re all super close,” Wilson said. “And I think that bond is really everything too, and just the understanding of each guy and the relationships that we have together, it’s fun. We’re having a great time.” It sure looks like it. The Steelers are averaging a healthy 28.7 points since Wilson recovered from a calf injury that forced him to watch the first six games from the sideline. For the first time in a long time, Pittsburgh no longer has to rely exclusively on its defense to get by. While Mike Tomlin will never get comfortable with the idea of getting into a shootout — blame his defensive coaching roots before taking over in Pittsburgh in 2007 — it's nice to know his team can match opponents score for score if necessary. Another one could be looming against the Browns, who piled up more than 500 yards in a loss to Denver on Monday night. If one materializes, Wilson is ready to do whatever is necessary and find whoever is necessary, regardless of pedigree, salary or resume. “We got to love that part of it,” Wilson said. “We can’t fear it. We’ve got to want it. We’ve got to expect it. We’ve got to embrace it. We’ve got to challenge that. We’ve got to be in those moments and be locked into that moment. I think we do an extremely good job of that.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Prince Harry and Meghan reveal where their charity's money has gone and their 2024 highlightsVictor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. And this wasn't on a whim: He knows how to play and even brought his own chess set. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. People are also reading... Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two — he told Bleacher Report afterward that both of the losses were to professional chess players — before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Reuters World News Summary
The Detroit Lions have arguably been the best team in the NFL this season, as Dan Campbell's squad is 11-1 and atop the NFC North through 13 weeks. The Lions have won ten consecutive games after a 1-1 start and tallied a scrappy 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day in Week 13. One of the primary reasons for the Lions' success in 2024 has been the impressive play of the defense, especially the interior defensive line. Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike have been one of the better defensive tackle duos in the league this season, as the tandem admirably anchors the middle of Detroit's injury-riddled defensive line. The Lions signed McNeill to a four-year, $97 million contract extension on Oct.16 , but Onwuzurike is set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason. If general manager Brad Holmes fails to retain the 2021 second-round pick this offseason, Bleacher Report's Matt Holder believes New York Jets defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw could sign with Detroit. Detroit wisely signed Alim McNeill to a contract extension, but Levi Onwuzurike and John Cominsky are impending free agents. So the team will still need to add some depth on the interior defensive line this offseason. Kinlaw isn't a game-changer by any means. However, he has been a solid player throughout his career. In other words, the 27-year-old could contribute off the bench and should be affordable in free agency. Though Kinlaw isn't an elite player, the 2020 No.14 overall pick would be an adequate replacement for Onwuzurike if the star defensive tackle departs Detroit this offseason. Kinlaw spent the first four seasons of his career with the San Francisco 49ers before signing with the Jets in the 2024 offseason. The former South Carolina standout saw limited playing time in San Francisco till his final year with the team in 2023, when he posted 3.5 sacks and 31 quarterback pressures in six starts. Thus far in 2024, Kinlaw has started every game for the Jets and has tallied 2.5 sacks and 21 quarterback pressures . The 27-year-old has been inconsistent this season but is set to have his most productive campaign yet and should be relatively cheap to acquire. Overall, signing Kinlaw to a low-risk, high-reward deal would be a savvy move from Brad Holmes if Onwuzurike walks in free agency. MORE DETROIT LIONS NEWS Lions injury updates: Carlton Davis, D.J. Reader, Taylor Decker, more Multiple Detroit Lions players among leaders in Pro Bowl voting Dan Campbell has blunt stance on Jahmyr Gibbs leaking sensitive Lions info
BC.GAME CONTINUES ONGOING EFFORTS IN STRENGTHENING ITS GLOBAL COMPLIANCE STRATEGYShare Tweet Share Share Email Hype is actually a very important part of any crypto token launch plan and a powerful tool for creating excitement, urgency and a fear of missing out. These factors are the primary drivers leading to explosive growth in a short period of time. A new token lives and dies on its ability to generate headlines, social media shares, and overall market interest. Meme coins are the epitome of hype driving increased values with little to no utility in some cases, but meme coins do play a vital role in cryptocurrency adoption. In an exclusive interview with Benzinga , Binance CEO Richard Teng commented on the role of meme coins in the burgeoning crypto industry, “Meme coins account for about 12% of altcoins’ trading volume, which is quite significant.” Teng continued, “Meme coins are fun, exciting, and relatable to young adults. They’re often the first step into crypto for many novice investors.” Some meme coins that are launched onto the public markets experience a “pump” in price only to have the price “dump” shortly after. Responding to allegations of Binance allegedly listing pump-and-dump meme coin schemes, he said that Binance follows stringent listing criteria that ensures only projects with strong fundamentals make it onto their exchange. “If you look at some of these projects, they’re not just about where they are today but where they aim to go in the future,” Teng said. What is Utility in Cryptocurrencies? Tokens with an underlying purpose to the blockchain they are built on, a real use case that can save thousands of companies money or time, can be the real difference to a token’s long-term success. Ethereum was created to allow developers to build smart contracts and dApps that have had far-reaching implications for supply chain management, patient data handling in healthcare, and hundreds of processes that used to involve human oversight. Solana is now leagues faster and comes with the same smart contracts, so we’re seeing a new dApps ecosystem and potentially a superstar token in the making. Bitcoin Cash finally promises to be the instant payment method that Bitcoin’s slow blockchain tech could never quite deliver. Other tokens launch as payment processors or stablecoins that act as basic financial services for the world’s unbanked. TRON allows totally anonymous transfers with Telegram integration, no matter the amount, while Dreamcars offers the chance to invest in a supercar rental company through blockchain tech. So, from simple part-ownership of a Porsche to handling client records for the multi-billion US healthcare insurance industry, a crypto token can have an impact way beyond its basic value. Utility is the simple ingredient that separates the hype from future crypto stars, and we should all look for it when assessing a token. The Shift Toward Utility-Driven Projects As the crypto market matures, it is naturally shifting towards utility-driven projects with the potential to deliver on their promises. When the blockchain offers solutions to real-world problems and helps companies cut inefficiency and waste, then the coin inevitably has a brighter future. So far, blockchain tech has redefined supply chain management, cut waste, and saved time for the world’s largest companies. IBM uses it to monitor perishable food deliveries worldwide, Starbucks uses blockchain technology to trace its beans from farm to cup, and Nike has tokenized every pair of sneakers as part of an authenticity drive. Other tokens and blockchains like Celo have bought basic financial services for the world’s poor with a simple crypto wallet and simplified sending service. It’s a simple yet brilliant application that is changing lives and forging a path thanks to the underlying tech and mission. Investor Considerations: Navigating Hype and Utility Investors don’t always need utility to turn a quick profit. Hype can work if you buy in at the right time, but there’s always the risk of getting that wrong. If there is no underlying reason to buy the coin, no technical breakthrough or killer application, then the old crypto volatility can strike at any time. This can even be a rug-pull, or classic pump-and-dump scheme, which it’s best to stay far away from. Projects based on utility might be longer-term. Still, they are often more reliable and offer returns and price hikes when the underlying technology hits technical milestones or hits the news for other reasons. These are the long-haul projects that could help to change the world. Always do due diligence on the technology involved as well. There are bold claims in the crypto market each and every week, but claiming utility is just part of the hype job in some cases, which is where these two lines blur. When Hype is Enough Some coins have become winners with hype alone and memecoins are an ideal case in point. This year, Dogecoin saw massive gains with simple social media buzz around. Dogecoin’s market cap soared to $23.3 billion at one point due to basic market sentiment, hype, and FOMO. Dogecoin has since carved out a niche as a payments processor and online tipping tool, so it is finally discovering utility. Make no mistake, though, this one was a pure hype train at the start. Memecoins make up 3.4% of the asset class, with $116 billion in combined market capitalization. The problem is relying on hype is not a long-term strategy. It’s almost impossible to keep cranking up the publicity without an underlying product. Utility is the key to longevity and real success and is the secret to becoming more than a short-lived hype job. Related Items: crypto , Crypto Markets , markets Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Haven1 Secures $4.6m in Private Round, Backed by Industry Giants tomi launches the ‘Decentralized Google Drive’ for users and organizations seeking truly private and secure digital storage Buy Gold with Cryptocurrency | Veldtgold.com CommentsFreeport Blue Santa getting community's help
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LONDON (AP) — Ireland faces weeks of coalition talks before it gets a new government, as the country’s two major center-right parties work to form a stable administration. With all 174 legislative seats filled Monday after three days of counting election ballots , Fianna Fail had won 48 seats and Fine Gael 38. The two parties, who have governed in coalition since 2020, fell just short of the 88 needed to achieve a majority without third-party support. “The people have spoken, let us now get on with the work,” said Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin . Left-of-center party Sinn Fein won 39 seats in the Dail, parliament's lower house, but is unlikely to be part of the next government. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have a longstanding refusal to work with Sinn Fein, partly because of its historic ties with the Irish Republican Army during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland. “The outcome of the election is now clear. The numbers are there for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to form a government together," said Sinn Fein lawmaker Eoin Ó Broin. He said that would be “the worst possible outcome for the people of the country.” Longtime rivals with origins on opposing sides of Ireland’s 1920s civil war, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael formed an alliance after the 2020 election ended in a virtual dead heat. The two parties took it in turns to hold the post of premier, for about two years each. This time, Fianna Fail’s bigger seat tally means its Martin looks likely to become prime minister, or taoiseach, rather than Simon Harris of Fine Gael. Fianna Fail’s deputy leader, Jack Chambers, said coalition talks would require “time and space,” and it’s unlikely there will be a new government before Christmas. Ireland has proved a partial exception to the anti-incumbent mood in elections around the world. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, which have dominated Irish politics for a century, remain in the driving seat, though their combined share of the vote has declined to just over 40%. They will need support to command a majority in parliament, and could turn to the Social Democrats and the Irish Labour Party, who both increased their seat totals to 11 each, or to independent lawmakers. The new government will face huge pressure to ease rising homelessness, driven by soaring rents and property prices, and to better absorb a growing number of asylum-seekers. The cost of living — especially Ireland’s acute housing crisis — was a dominant topic in the election campaign , and immigration has become an emotive and challenging issue in a country of 5.4 million people long defined by emigration. A stabbing attack on children outside a Dublin school just over a year ago, in which an Algerian man has been charged, sparked the worst rioting Ireland had seen in decades. For all the focus on migration, anti-immigration independents made few breakthroughs. Ireland does not have a significant far-right party to capitalize on the issue.President Joe Biden faces scrutiny for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of lying on a federal form and avoiding paying taxes. "I think he got it wrong yesterday. I think he had it right before yesterday," Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said. Biden announced the pardon Sunday, stating, "Hunter was singled out only because he is my son," and adding, "... raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice." "What other father in America has the power to pardon their son or daughter if they're convicted of a crime?" Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., said. Hunter Biden was convicted of lying on a federal form when he bought a gun in 2018 and for avoiding paying more than $1 million in taxes. President Biden and the White House had repeatedly said Hunter Biden wouldn't be offered clemency. "I said I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him," President Biden said on June 13, 2024. Some Biden supporters agreed with the president's reversal. "It's somebody who has a lifelong drug addiction and prosecutors would have handled this differently. So this was all politically motivated, so I understand," Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., said. Biden is not the first president to pardon a family member. "Donald Trump, in his waning days, pardoned the father of his son-in-law, Jared, and his father was convicted or pleaded guilty to very egregious conduct," former federal prosecutor Gene Rossi said. President-elect Trump criticized the move on social media, calling the pardon an "abuse and miscarriage of justice." The president-elect also questioned if the pardon includes the "J-6 hostages."
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