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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25, making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as "The Game." Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. "I don't think none of that matters in this game," Moore said Monday. "It doesn't matter the records. It doesn't matter anything. The spread, that doesn't matter." How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. "We're going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. "We know they're going to come in here swinging, too, and they've still got a good team even though the record doesn't indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. "You come to Michigan to beat Ohio," said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. "It doesn't necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan." AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Who is David Sacks?NEW YORK , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RIA Eyewear (" RIA "), a New York -based performance eyewear company, is thrilled to announce that professional golfer Rocco Mediate has joined the brand as its latest ambassador. Mediate, renowned for his charismatic personality and remarkable on-course achievements, will bring his years of professional golf experience to further RIA's commitment to performance and innovation. Rocco's impressive career includes 6 PGA Tour victories along with 5 wins on the PGA Tour Champions, including the Senior PGA Championship. With his latest PGA Tour Champions victory, Mediate has now won PGA Tour-sanctioned events in 5 decades. As one of the game's greats, Mediate will be an integral part in representing RIA Eyewear's commitment to providing athletes with high-quality eyewear, designed for optimal performance on the course. "I'm excited to partner with RIA Eyewear," said Mediate. "Their commitment to innovation and quality is something I truly admire. In golf, having the right equipment can make all the difference, and I believe RIA's eyewear will help me—and golfers everywhere—perform at our best." RIA Eyewear is dedicated to enhancing the visual experience for golfers. With their proprietary Golf HD+ technology, RIA's lenses are designed to provide optimal contrast on the course while keeping golfers' eyes feeling fresh and protected during long rounds in the sun. "Rocco is not only a world class golfer but also an inspiration when it comes to pushing the boundaries of product development," said Jordan Kemp and Chris Hanson , co-founders of RIA Eyewear. His passion for the sport and commitment to excellence makes him a great ambassador for RIA." The addition of Rocco Mediate to RIA's ambassador team comes as the company continues to expand its collection in response to the overwhelming success of its proprietary Golf HD+ lens technology. RIA's Golf HD+ lens offering was designed with ZEISSTM, the global leader in lens optics, using rigorous color science research to find the balance between enhanced contrast and eye comfort, all while providing 100% UVA/B protection. RIA's lenses are specifically not polarized to help golfers maintain their depth perception, making it easier to see slopes and breaks on the greens. All of RIA's performance frame styles are handmade in Italy and built to stand up to the most challenging conditions. To find out more about RIA Eyewear, visit www.riaeyewear.com About RIA Eyewear RIA Eyewear is an independent performance eyewear brand started in 2017 to give athletes a visual edge on the court and course while protecting their eye health. RIA's lenses are developed through extensive color science research with world-renowned lens maker Carl ZEISS to enhance a wearer's visual acuity and eye comfort. With a growing list of pro ambassadors from the golf, tennis, and pickleball pro tours, including Rocco Mediate , Kim Clijsters , and the Bryan Brothers, RIA is changing the way golfers and racquet sport athletes see the game for the better. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ria-eyewear-welcomes-golf-legend-rocco-mediate-as-new-brand-ambassador-302325280.html SOURCE RIA Inc
CLEVELAND (AP) — Germain Ifedi became the fourth left tackle to start this season for the Cleveland Browns, lining up Thursday night against the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers. Ifedi moved up the depth chart and into the lineup after starter Dawand Jones broke his left leg last week at New Orleans and had surgery. He’ll be responsible for blocking Jedrick Wills Jr., who had lost his starting job to Jones, figured to start against the Steelers (8-2), but was ruled out Wednesday with a knee injury that has bothered him for weeks. A first-round pick in 2020, Wills recently caused a stir by saying he made a “business decision” to sit out a game on Oct. 27 against Baltimore because of his knee. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Wills used a “poor choice of words.” James Hudson started Cleveland’s first two games at left tackle while the Browns (2-8) waited for Wills to recover from knee surgery in December. The first-place Steelers were without outside linebacker/edge rusher Alex Highsmith, who missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. ___ AP NFL:
TROY, Ala. (AP) — Damien Taylor rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns, Matthew Caldwell threw for a touchdown and ran for another, and Troy scored 21 points in less than two minutes in the fourth quarter to beat Southern Miss 52-20 on Saturday. Taylor went straight up the middle from 56-yards out to give Troy a 24-8 lead midway through the third quarter. He added a 35-yard scoring run for a 38-20 lead with 5:50 left in the fourth. On the ensuing possession, Ian Conerly-Goodly intercepted a deflected pass and returned it 31 yards for a 25-point lead. Southern Miss quarterback Tate Rodemaker was intercepted again and LJ Green returned it 49 yards to the Golden Eagles' 16-yard line. Jordan Lovett capitalized on the short field by running it in from the 5. Taylor reached the 1,000-yard mark on the season for Troy (4-8, 3-5 Sun Belt Conference). Caldwell was 14 of 26 for 187 yards and he carried it seven times for 30 yards. Rodemaker threw for 234 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for Southern Miss (1-11, 0-8). Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballIU Indianapolis 88, Alabama A&M 83
BAXTER — Jim Exsted sits behind a worn wooden desk with its broad top bare by design. Clutter is not something one associates with the man who has been Baxter’s chief of police for 20 years. ADVERTISEMENT Outside his office window, barren branches and a bit of snow point toward his approaching retirement date of Tuesday, Dec. 10. He’s had the luxury of working on the transition this fall with the new chief Matt Maier taking over the reins on Dec. 11. In November, Exsted donned civilian clothes as part of the visual to the transition to staff and as Maier stepped into the chief's role for City Council meetings. After 28 years in a law enforcement uniform with the city, it meant some quick shopping for new clothes and making choices about apparel he hadn’t made in more than two decades. When people saw him in plain clothes, the comments were, “Oh, this is real.” It allowed Exsted to sit back and let the focus shift to Maier as they attended meetings together and prepared others for the coming transition. Transitions began early for Exsted. He grew up in Glencoe, west of the Twin Cities, the oldest of three boys. He was on the football team that was poised to make a decade-long run of strong seasons. He wanted to be a farmer. But things changed when his family left farm country. When he was 16, his family moved to Crosby. That can be a tough age to uproot from lifelong childhood friends and reestablish oneself in a new community in high school. It was tough, but Exsted also loved it up north and hunting. He kept in touch with his Glencoe friends and made new ones in Crosby, getting involved in sports. He later transitioned from the basketball court to the stands as a fan and had a blast doing that. “You're leaving a group of friends, that's all you've known all your life, and you're being introduced into another group, and in the end, you have two pretty cool groups of friends,” Exsted said. He didn’t think about what the future might hold beyond maintaining those groups of friends. There were multiple jobs every summer and a lot of things to do. He graduated from high school in 1989 and went on to what was then Brainerd Community College. The first quarter at BCC was also a little tough. “Like I said I was really big into hunting,” he said and smiled. But he recovered and went on to Bemidji State University for a four-year degree. He wasn’t thinking about law enforcement in the beginning but he was interested in public service. He was headed to BSU with a group of fellow students, none of whom were sure what they wanted to do, but they had an old class syllabus. ADVERTISEMENT “Criminal justice and teaching were my two interests, and I remember reading the teaching part of it and the requirements within that you had to take a music class and either sing or play the piano. I'm like, yeah, no, I'm out,” Exsted said. “So criminal justice was definitely the choice that was made over teaching on the way north in the car.” He never looked back. Exsted got to BSU and loved the criminal justice field. A ride-along with a Minnesota State Trooper proved impactful. For Exsted, it cemented law enforcement as the right career path. He liked the problem-solver aspect and helping people. He saw real tragedy, too, early on. He learned to be the guy in front of the microphone as needed, but he was also not waiting for the next opportunity either. After school, an internship brought Exsted to Brainerd as he worked at the detention center before going to boat and water. He said he also convinced a Brainerd girl to take him on as a husband. Once he was in Baxter, he went from patrol to investigations to sergeant and then to chief within nine years. A planner, Exsted said he’s always been interested in what the next step is and in setting goals. More than 20 years ago he went to a training session where a sheriff advised always creating short-term and long-term goals and having an inbox and an outbox. “And when it gets into your inbox, don't let it sit there,” Exsted said. “Get it to the outbox, meaning, either handle it or delegate it. Don't let it pile up. And then on your list, prioritize your list. And then don't skip the priority ones to get to an easy one. If you do that every once in a while, that's fine, but don't be consistently leaving the top priorities. ... For me, for years, that kind of went hand in hand with my goals.” Exsted wanted to set up a department as a place where people wanted to work and achieve their goals, and be able to walk away on top of his game and 20 years felt like a good milestone to make. Short-term goals may be addressing issues like speeding complaints and looking at what tools internally were being utilized in the effort. Nearly 30 years later, Exsted said there are still speeders so the goal then is to make people feel they are being heard in their complaints and the department is doing what it can to address it. And for his officers, Exsted said it’s also being aware of many demands on their skills may be a greater priority — crashes, crime, assaults. He always felt it was his job to balance those things. ADVERTISEMENT A small but busy city, Baxter has its share of big-city issues with drugs, shoplifting, financial crimes, a prominent prostitution sting, and shootings. There were good days, frustrating days and bad days. But through it all Exsted said really liked his job. The last four years on the job have been difficult with a short staff as he took care of administering the department and stayed involved on the patrol side. “We're a small department. There's an expectation, for me it's always been there, that you should be able to handle anything that comes in,” Exsted said. “That's what you get paid for. That's why, when you look at any of the officers out there and say, I need you to do this, there's never any question. Because, hopefully, they know if they're not going to do it, I'm going to have to go do it, and I will do it, and I can do it.” After being steady with staffing, the department had three retirements in 18 months and a resignation. Just like that they were four positions short. Or make that five if including the additional officer they planned to add. For a 15-member department, it was a lot to absorb. Now the department is back to full staff and Exsted said it’s a good group of people. In a few weeks, he’ll be 54 and he’s ready to let someone new come in and start setting their own goals. Thinking of his own mentors when he was starting out, Exsted pointed to Neal Gaalswyk, who was the boat and water supervisor with the Crow Wing Sheriff’s Office when Exsted started his law enforcement career. “Neal was definitely a big influence,” Exsted said. “Just a solid individual to watch and learn and grow from. And for me, he was more than just a law enforcement person, he was a well-rounded individual. He’d make little comments where he was teaching you, but he wasn't field training, he's just ‘Hey, think about this’ and ‘Make sure you have friends outside of the job.’” ADVERTISEMENT It was probably the first time Exsted heard that message, which he said was forward-thinking. “Have a group of friends outside of the profession to keep you grounded,” Exsted said of the advice. “So he was on the cutting edge of the mental health side of things. So Neal was a big influence prior to getting on the road here in Baxter.” Exsted had just that friend group that goes pheasant hunting together. Two are scholars and teachers. Exsted said he acts as a sponge during their conversations making notes notes of authors and books to read. From Gaalswyk, Exsted said he learned the work on the water wasn’t writing tickets, it was about public relations and keeping people safe in a way they may not even realize the officer is doing his job. Other mentors included Andy Rooney and John Bolduc. Exsted said a good group of area officers were there as resources as well like Dennis Lasher and Corky McQuiston as well as the Crow Wing County Chiefs Association. Exsted has also received accolades and should expect more as the city gives him a send-off on Tuesday. Brad Chapulis, Baxter administrator, previously thanked the chief for his years of service. “Seven years has been a pleasure working with you,” Chapulis said. “I wish it was a few more.” Mayor Darrel Olson has said the chief is highly respected in the community. ADVERTISEMENT “When I think of Jim, I just think of deep-seated integrity,” said Gaalswyk, current Cass County commissioner and former captain with the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office. Gaalswyk retired after a 27-year career in law enforcement. Gaalwyk said when he hired someone he always said one lie was one too many and he never needed to tell Exsted that. “I learned that I could completely rely on Jim, that if he said something, that's the way it was,” Gaalswyk said Thursday. “He was willing to learn. ... He put in the time. I mean, he went through a variety of job assignments on us with the sheriff's office. Did each one well, pleasant to be around. I just think Chief Exsted exemplifies what a person of character can be in the law enforcement profession. I really admire him.” Gaalswyk said Exsted was humble, a man of faith and a family man who kept a life balance and all those things add up to a quality man. Gaalswyk noted Exsted’s self-deprecating sense of humor where he turns his head and laughs and knows whatever is boiling that day will sooner or later cool off and he’ll figure it out. “He built a great department,” Gaalswyk said. “... The officers that he hired, he hired people that held similar values to his own, which is why Baxter has a really good police department, and it's populated by people who treat the people they serve with respect and dignity, and that comes from the top. An organization mirrors or takes on the personality of the person at the helm and that's why the personality of the Baxter Police Department is so good because Jim Exsted’s been at the helm for 20 years. ... He’s a good guy.” A lot has changed in law enforcement over the years — from technology and computers in the squad cars to embedded social workers with law enforcement, a focus on mental health and efforts to reduce recidivism at the jail by assisting inmates with social workers in the jail so it wasn’t a revolving door when they got out. Relationships established with community partners have turned into strong resources, Exsted said. Law enforcement has changed and Exsted said he tells people it’s changed for the better. The last few years have been hard in the industry but it forced a change in the profession that started about 2015. “On the professional end of it, we do things better,” Exsted said. “We understand the world better, how to interact, how to de-escalate, how to deal with mental health, all that, but it has been a lot of change in a pretty short window.” Exsted said he hopes that just continues to grow. He noted Crow Wing County has assigned one of its deputies as a mental health deputy and maybe someday there will be an officer with that designation in every department and then maybe on every shift. ADVERTISEMENT “It's been such a roller coaster ride in the last few years, sometimes it's hard to gauge what what has changed, but I think overall, finally, the profession is better today than 20 years ago,” Exsted said. “We're more professional or more in tune with the needs of the community, and we can provide a better service.” Over the years, one of his fond memories comes from the annual Night to Unite where the community and law enforcement, emergency services and local businesses gather on a summer night in the park. And it continues to grow. “So that, for me, has always been a fun night,” Exsted said. “You know, just tons of kids running around getting their face painted, lining up at the fence to watch the K-9 show, lining up over at the other fence to watch a helicopter land and blow sand in their face. And then, over the years, developing all the other partnerships.” Over the years, one of the things Exsted said he’s learned is that there is often more than one right answer to every question. And it’s important to enjoy the job. It includes tough situations, late-night calls and early mornings. Set a goal and push toward it. The department is looking at change, too, with possible new quarters after working in tight space for years. Exsted said he believes it is extremely important to have City Hall connected to the police department for cohesiveness with a lot of good coming from being in the same building. Now his legacy is leaving a department with a mix of young and experienced crew and completing a journey he started more than 30 years ago. Exsted said other advice he noted was to always be professional and remember all people have issues and when something isn’t going right don’t jump to a level of frustration — think about it and remember even the best have bad days. Exsted’s advice for Maier as he becomes chief is just to be himself. “They've hired you to be the next chief, not to be a continuation of me,” Exsted said. “So be yourself. You've set a standard in your first 21 years that puts you in this position. Just continue down that road. Don't change anything based on how you think it would have been done.” So what’s next? Exsted said he realizes it will be a transition, but he’s had friends who have retired to take on new jobs that have much lower stress levels. He loves doing landscaping work and is looking forward to time for hunting and making a bigger dent in the reading list of the next 10 books this winter. Renee Richardson, managing editor, may be reached at 218-855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchBizBuzz."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" Thanks for your interest in Kalkine Media's content! To continue reading, please log in to your account or create your free account with us.
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