Long-suffering fans of the Dallas Cowboys could be forgiven for thinking that their season from hell couldn't possibly get any worse. Unfortunately, however, there is every chance that the iconic NFL franchise is still making its way to rock-bottom as they prepare to face the in-form Washington Commanders on Sunday. Record defeats, a miserable home losing streak and a season-ending injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott would have been bad enough. But on Monday, just to add to the impression of an organization engulfed by chaos, sections of metal sheeting from the roof of the AT&T Stadium plunged to the field before the team slumped to an abject 34-10 defeat to Houston. The jokes about the sky falling in on Dallas wrote themselves. Not for the first time, the franchise that likes to think of itself as "America's Team" had instead become America's punchline. But after the Cowboys latest loss, which virtually extinguished any chance of a ticket to the post-season, even the team's harshest critics began to take pity. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who regularly delights in trolling the Cowboys, insisted that the club's crisis was no laughing matter. "This is a horror show," Smith said solemnly on ESPN's 'First Take' program this week. "I like getting on the Cowboys fans, and I enjoy their misery. But they've stripped the fun out of this because of how god-awful they have been. I can't believe how bad they are." The Cowboys' fall from grace has been decades in the making. The team which dominated the NFL in the early part of the 1990s -- winning three Super Bowls in four seasons between 1993 and 1996 -- has not been back to the championship game since that golden era. Head coaches and quarterbacks have come and gone, and none have come close to returning the Cowboys to the pinnacle of the NFL, despite the team being ranked as the most valuable sports franchise in the world according to Forbes, with a valuation of $11 billion. The one constant during those decades of disappointment has been owner Jerry Jones, the Texas billionaire who bought the team in 1989. Jones, one of the NFL's most colorful and polarizing personalities, was at a loss to explain the team's current problems. "I don't know that there's anything beyond the obvious -- and that is we just aren't playing very well," Jones told reporters after Monday's home defeat to Houston. The Cowboys stat-line this season makes for grim reading. After opening the campaign with a 33-17 defeat of Cleveland, the wheels came off in a 44-19 home loss to the New Orleans Saints where Dallas' vaunted defense leaked a whopping six touchdowns. To date, the Saints have scored more touchdowns at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington this season than the Cowboys. Other brutal losses have followed, notably a 47-9 home shellacking by the Detroit Lions, and a 34-6 trouncing by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys, who are 3-7 in the NFC East, are the only team in North American professional sport who have not managed to win a game at home in 2024. There is every chance that Washington, led by their talented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and expertly coached by former Dallas defensive guru Dan Quinn, will add to the Cowboys' woe when they host the Texas club on Sunday. It has left Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract, facing a bleak future. McCarthy put a defiant face on his team's problems as they attempt to somehow stop the bleeding. "We got seven losses. We've got to go. Backs against the wall. We got to fight, scratch, claw," McCarthy said. "We've got to do everything we can to go win the next game. That's where my mind's at." Jones, meanwhile, attempted to put a brave face on the team's season of woe, insisting he has seen worse. "You stay in this league long enough, you'll have times like this," the 82-year-old tycoon said. rcw/jsKagiso Rabada bats for South Africa as they clinch their spot in the World Test Championship final with a win over Pakistan. Photo: Getty Images But rarely has he delivered as dramatic a performance as he did with the bat to take South Africa to a two-wicket win over Pakistan. Rabada struck an unbeaten 31 overnight, as South Africa squeaked through to a dramatic first-test victory at Centurion and ensured themselves a place in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June. "There was a lot of pressure on today. This without doubt is the one innings that I will remember for the rest of my life," Rabada said after the rousing finish. Batting at No 10, Rabada came in just before lunch with his team in dire straits, having slumped from a winning position as they chased a modest target. South Africa needed 148 runs for victory and despite a nervy start looked on course at 96-4 before a sudden collapse saw them reduced to 99-8 and facing imminent defeat. But Rabada and Marco Jansen put on an unbeaten 51-run partnership including a host of elegant, flourishing shots that any established batter would have been proud of to haul the team over the line. The 29-year-old said he had a plan in his head and told Jansen so when he got to the crease. "When I came in, I said to him that I was going to look to be positive. Without any hesitation he said 'OK'. He had his own game-plan, his main thing was one ball at a time, play it on its merit, and that's what he did. He was a bit more orthodox, I was unorthodox, but it worked out." The pair took the score to 116-8 at lunch, but the odds were still stacked against them with Pakistan requiring only two more wickets and seamer Mohammed Abbas in full flight after taking six wickets in the innings. COMMON VICE At lunch, Jansen and Rabada huddled with coach Shukri Conrad in the corner as they shared their common vice – a puff on a cigarette. Conrad said he was refreshingly blunt with them: "Whatever they were going to do, they had to back themselves from the start. I said 'If you are going to go, then go balls to the wall, even if you get close, just continue with what you set out to do'." Rabada then came out and hit some lusty blows as he and his partner knocked off the remaining 32 runs needed. "There were little visions of Brian Charles there at times," Conrad joked, in a reference to West Indian great Brian Lara. "The main thing I was thinking about was to continue to stay positive. If I went into my shell and got out doing that, then I was going to be upset. If I went out being positive I would have accepted that," Rabada added. Meanwhile his captain, Temba Bavuma, hid for most of the drama after his dismissal sparked the earlier mini-collapse. "I was sulking in the toilet," he told a post-match press conference. "I didn’t know what to say to Marco and KG (Rabada) and KG sits next to me. I only came out when we needed about 15 runs to win." A teary Bavuma had no words for Rabada's feat when the changeroom celebrations kicked off. "I just jumped on him."
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Times News Network Ludhiana: With work on the new bridge over Buddha Dariya starting, residents of New Madhopuri can expect some relief from flooding caused by the drain overflowing. Work on the bridge was formally inaugurated on Friday. The existing bridge is small and obstructs the flow of the drain during heavy rainfall, leading to flooding. To address this, the municipal corporation floated tenders to build a new bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 1.96 crore under the Ludhiana Smart City Mission . The new bridge will be designed to facilitate smoother water flow, reducing the risk of waterlogging in surrounding areas. By constructing a higher and bigger bridge, the danger of waterlogging will be significantly reduced. The proposal to replace old bridges on Buddha Dariya with wider ones was first made a decade ago. However, financial constraints and other issues hindered progress till it was taken up under the Smart City mission. The project has to be completed by the end of March, 2025, which is the official deadline for remaining Smart City works. MLA, Ludhiana Central Ashok Prashar Pappi inaugurated development projects worth around Rs 5.67 crore in different areas of Ludhiana central constituency on Friday, including this bridge. He also launched projects to reconstruct streets in different areas of the constituency, including Amarpura, Janakpuri, Hari Kartar colony, Cheema colony, near Kusht Ashram, New Shivaji Nagar, Hargobind Nagar and Mohalla Bhardwaj. We also published the following articles recently No one wants to clean Buddha Dariya? Ludhiana's Buddha Dariya, a major Satluj River pollutant, remains a political pawn. Parties consistently pledge cleanup during elections, but little changes. A 650 crore rejuvenation project faces legal hurdles, and despite new treatment plants, pollution persists. Residents and political figures blame a lack of will and suggest stricter enforcement against polluting industries is crucial for real progress. Box bridge to be 1st direct Hatiara-New Town link A new 20-meter box bridge is being constructed over a feeder canal near Eco Park in Kolkata, connecting Hatiara and Nawpara to New Town. This Rs 1.3 crore project will provide a direct route, eliminating the current need for detours through inner lanes or a dilapidated bamboo bridge. Box bridge to be 1st direct Hatiara-New Town link A new 20-meter box bridge is being constructed over a feeder canal near Eco Park in Kolkata, connecting Hatiara and Nawpara to New Town. This Rs 1.3 crore project will provide a direct route, eliminating the current need for detours through inner lanes or a dilapidated bamboo bridge. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .FOXBORO — Walking back remarks is one thing. Getting obliterated by the Los Angeles Chargers at home, and having fans chant “Fire Mayo” is another. The long-held belief has been that Mayo, who was hired to replace Bill Belichick, would be retained even after a rocky rookie season at the helm. Given Mayo was put in a bad spot his first year, inheriting one of the worst rosters in the NFL, and needed help filling out his staff given his lack of coaching contacts, it’s been both assumed and reported he would return for 2025. He would be afforded another chance, and more time — with added help — to right the ship. After what transpired during Saturday’s 40-7 Week 17 loss to the Chargers, however, the Krafts need to think long and hard about running it back with Mayo. He was reportedly safe barring what the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport described as “some type of calamity.” Or as Rapoport put it the previous week: “If things go off the rails.” Well, that box just got checked off. Inside Gillette Stadium, the product on the field could be lumped into the calamitous category. Off the rails is another way of putting it. It was an embarrassing display. Instead of building off last week’s performance against Buffalo, the Patriots reversed course. With one game still to play, they hit rock bottom. Along with the “Fire Mayo” chants, the fans booed the team off the field. “Look. you hear those things,” Mayo said. “But at the same time, they pay to sit in those seats and we’ve got to play better. If we play better, we don’t have to hear that stuff.” There’s also been an expectation for him to coach better. It hasn’t happened. Perhaps the thinking is that Mayo won’t seem so overmatched next year with better players and better coaches around him. Can ownership count on that happening? Can the Krafts even count on fans paying good money to watch a Mayo-led Patriots team again? Those are the questions they have to be weighing. Robert and Jonathan Kraft surely heard the chants from their luxury box above the field. Granted, a team’s chief decision-makers shouldn’t make moves based on the frustrations of fans. This cuts deeper than that. Mayo has flunked both the eye test and the ear test. How can he announce he’s starting Antonio Gibson against the Chargers and benching fumble-prone Rhamondre Stevenson, and claim to be sending a message, then start Stevenson? And why would a coach continue to play Drake Maye, who returned after sustaining a head injury, with the game out of hand? Those are just the latest of many curious moves the first-year head coach has made throughout the season. Beyond that, save for the emergence of Maye, the product on the field has shown no signs of progress or improvement. Last week’s effort against the Bills was rendered moot. It’s now more plausible that the Bills took their foot off the gas pedal until it was time to win the game. The Chargers, meanwhile, just kept the foot on the gas throughout, and the Patriots did little to stop them. They just rolled over. “The Chargers probably wanted it more,” wide receiver Demario Douglas said. “I feel like my two years I’ve been losing, and I feel like it’s time to make a change. ... I’m just tired of losing for real.” Defensive end Keion White also talked about needing change, although he didn’t specify where that change needed to be made. “We’re losing, so obviously, we gotta change something,” White said following the team’s sixth straight loss. “If you keep doing the same thing, you keep losing.” For the most part, the players have openly supported Mayo. Following the blowout loss, several even chastised fans for the “Fire Mayo’” chants. “With all respect to Patriot Nation, they’re a little spoiled. We don’t appreciate the boos. We don’t appreciate the outburst (against Mayo),” Patriots captain Deatrich Wise said. “If you’re a fan, be a fan with us through thick and thin.” Defensive lineman Davon Godchaux was another who found the chants out-of-line. “A lot of people can’t take (a rebuild). I know we don’t tank around here. We still want to win football games. But the ‘Fire Mayo’ chants is just ridiculous,” Godchaux said. “The guy (is in) his first year, his first season. It’s not going to be golden. We didn’t expect to go win a Super Bowl this year. I get it, nobody wants to get beat 40-7, but the ‘Fire Mayo’ chants is just ridiculous.” Will the Krafts feel the same way? Will they ignore the pleas of the crowd? That’s the million-dollar question. Mayo has made a habit of stepping in too many minefields. He’s been transparent to a fault, and comes across as if he doesn’t know what he’s doing having to constantly retract comments. His in-game decision making has also been suspect. Then there’s the product on the field. His defense — where his expertise lies — has been a disaster. Last week’s effort against the Bills notwithstanding, the unit was supposed to be the rock. It was supposed to be the team’s strong suit. That hasn’t been the case. With a 40-3 win, the Chargers scored their season high. They weren’t alone. Houston and Miami also hit their highest point totals against the Patriots. Asked what gives him confidence that his defensive coaching staff is suited to be at the helm next season, Mayo didn’t flinch. “Look, I have nothing but confidence in the coaching staff, and we’ll get better,” Mayo said. “That’s part of what we have to do.” But that’s been a broken record response pretty much all season after inconsistent play. Saturday’s debacle merely hit the breaking point. With one game to play, the ball’s in the Krafts’ court. They have to decide whether or not Mayo survives the latest fiasco.
Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio is receiving a lot of criticism on social media this week because of the way he conducted himself at a hotel in Fiji. DiCaprio, 50, was wearing black clothes with shades and a hat while leaving his hotel in Nadi, which is located on Fiji's main island. It appeared people at the hotel were giving him a traditional Fiji reception as he was walking through the lobby. Footage of this incident showed several people singing and applauding as the "Titanic" actor kept his focus locked in on a car waiting for him out front. Although the full details regarding this incident haven't been released yet, DiCaprio is getting crushed online for how he handled himself. Of course, some people are defending the legendary actor. "The lesson here is stop worshiping celebrities," one person said after seeing this video. "Hey Leo you're arrogance is showing," a second person wrote on X. "Was the reception for him? If not, then he didn’t do anything disrespectful. He didn’t draw attention to himself, just walked past," another person claims. "There weren't enough 'young girls' around for him to pay close attention," a social media user joked. Leonardo DiCaprio blasted as ‘disrespectful’ for ignoring traditional welcome reception at Fiji hotel in viral video https://t.co/JdxdQK5ojB pic.twitter.com/Pu3seRDPjx The tourists in Nadi seemed very happy to see DiCaprio in public. We can't say for certain he feels the same way about seeing them. Maybe, just maybe, DiCaprio will address this situation in the future. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images DiCaprio, a longtime activist for climate change, has been fairly quiet since starring in "Killers of the Flower Moon," which released in 2023. We'll see if DiCaprio makes an announcement in the future regarding his endeavors on and off the silver screen. Related: Leo Dicaprio's Ex-Girlfriend Posed For Stunning 'Body Paint' PhotoPlease visit theroxytheater.org for up-to-date screen times. You can also trace your hand on this page and then draw a turkey. Opening Cillian Murphy as Bill Furlong and Zara Devlin as Sarah Redmond in "Small Things Like These." Yay! The first Christmas movie of the year! It’s the run-up to the 1985 holiday season in small-town Ireland. A coal merchant discovers that the nearby convent has a sinister secret. Oh no! It’s one of those Christmas movies. Rated PG-13. Cillian Murphy, Emily Watson and Eileen Walsh star in this critically acclaimed adaptation of Claire Keegan’s heartbreaking book. Opening Friday, Nov. 29. It’s gotta be the most screened Christmas movie of all time by this point, but every year we still return to Bob Clark’s classic adaptation of Jean Shepherd’s book “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash.” Looking back at his childhood in the 1940s, Shepherd reflects on his family, schoolmates and the one Christmas present he cannot do without. I hope he doesn’t shoot his eye out. Rated PG. Stars Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon and Darren “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” McGavin. Opening Sunday, Dec. 1. Continuing Ariana Grande in a scene from the film "Wicked." It’s a movie based on a smash-hit play that was based on a bestselling book which itself was based on another beloved book which was also adapted into a movie which has its own series of sequels and remakes. I feel like my brain is defying gravity trying to keep that all straight. Oz’s eponymous Wicked Witch of the West gets an origin story in this big-budget musical that is melting the world of licensed marketing tie-ins. What a world! What a world! Rated PG. Stars Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jeff Goldblum. Hugh Grant plays against type in "Heretic," the new A24 horror film. The screenwriters of the first "A Quiet Place" step up to the director’s chair for this new horror film about two missionaries who attempt to convert a reclusive Englishman, only to find themselves in a bloody cat-and-mouse game for survival. Rated R. Stars Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Special screenings The Roxy holiday tradition returns! See the farewell performance of the legendary group the Band — as well as generation-defining artists, including Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. What, were Harold Crosby and the Pine Tree Boys unavailable? Rated PG. Directed by the master, Martin Scorsese. Playing Friday, Nov. 29 through Sunday, Dec. 1. It’s the weekend after Thanksgiving, you know what that means! Trash Vault is serving up another classic from the greatest, splatteriest director of all time. Over a decade before he defined an entire genre with his spectacular "Spider-Man" films, director Sam Raimi desperately wanted to make a superhero picture of his own. But when the rights to “The Shadow” slipped through his fingers, Raimi instead made his own original superhero movie, deeply influenced by the grim and gothic horror movies of his youth. When a scientist is blown up by mobsters, he uses his research into prosthetic skin to take his violent revenge. Rated R. Stars Academy Award-nominee Liam Neeson, Academy Award-winner Frances McDormand and Fangoria Chainsaw Award-winner Bruce Campbell as the Final Shemp. Playing Saturday, Nov. 30. Stage on Screen brings the greatest contemporary theatrical performances to the Roxy’s silver screen. This month extraordinary soprano Lise Davidsen steps into the role of Puccini’s volatile diva Floria Tosca for her first time at the Met. Playing Monday, Dec. 2. Join Missoula’s funniest people for a free stand-up show that gives 5 minutes of stage time to both established and new comedians. Sign up for the show starts at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7. Join the fun Tuesday, Dec. 3. Sometimes you look back at a movie and realize that while it might not have been a huge hit, it still left a huge footprint. In this coming-of-age drama, a young man struggles with PTSD while starting at a new high school. His new friendships bring him closer to healing. A snapshot of the era of Tumblr-aesthetic, Out at the Roxy presents this modern cult classic. Rated PG-13. Stars Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and on-screen superhero/off-screen supervillain Ezra Miller. Playing Thursday, Dec. 5. Show times Friday, Nov. 29-Thursday, Dec. 5 Wicked (PG) Fri: 2, 2:30, 5, 8 p.m. Sat: 2, 2:15, 5, 5:15, 8:15 p.m. Sun: 2, 2:30, 5, 8 p.m. Mon-Wed: 5:15, 8:15 p.m. Thu: 4:30, 5, 8 p.m. Heretic (R) Fri-Sun: 5:45, 8 p.m. Mon: 4:45 p.m. Tue: 7:30 p.m. Wed: 5:45, 8 p.m. Thu: 5:15 p.m. Small Things Like These (PG-13) Fri: 3, 5:15, 7:30 p.m. Sat: 3, 5:45 p.m. Sun-Mon: 5:15, 7:30 p.m. Tue: 4:45 p.m. Wed: 5:30, 7:45 p.m. Thu: 5:15, 7:30 p.m. The Last Waltz (PG) Fri: 5:30, 8:15 p.m. Sat: 8 p.m. Sun: 5:30, 8:15 p.m. Darkman (R) Sat: 8 p.m. A Christmas Story (PG) Sun: 3 p.m. Mon-Wed: 5, 7:30 p.m. Met Opera Live: Tosca Mon: 7 p.m. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (PG-13) Thu: 7:30 p.m. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!