Tag: sports

Fake News New York Times Loses Defamation Lawsuit — Ordered to Pay $9.25 Million After Falsely Linking Innocent Alabama Basketball Player to Deadly Shooting

The failing New York Times just suffered a massive and historic defeat in court.

An Alabama jury on Thursday ruled that the Fake News New York Times defamed Kai Spears, a former University of Alabama Crimson Tide walk-on basketball player, and ordered the paper to pay him $9.25 million in damages, according to CBS News.

Spears was just an 18-year-old freshman walk-on when the Times swept him into a 2023 story about a fatal shooting in Tuscaloosa.

The paper’s report falsely claimed he was a passenger in a car at the scene of the January 15, 2023, killing of 23-year-old mother Jamea Harris.

Three Alabama basketball players were connected to the incident; Spears was not one of them. He was never charged with any crime and had no involvement.

After a nine-day trial in federal court in Tuscaloosa, the eight-person jury found the Times liable for defamation and false light invasion of privacy.

The original March 15, 2023 article by Times sportswriter Billy Witz relied on an anonymous source described as a “person familiar with the investigation.”

It wrongly placed Spears in the car with star player Brandon Miller when the shooting occurred. University of Alabama officials and Spears’ father immediately denied it.

The Times stuck with its story until after Spears filed suit in May 2023. Only then did the paper issue a correction admitting the passenger was actually student manager Cooper Lee, not Spears.

Spears has said the false report was “100% inaccurate” and that the writer showed “complete disregard for the truth.” He described trying to cope with being permanently linked in the public mind to a murder he had nothing to do with. His lawsuit argued the article caused severe emotional distress and mental anguish.

The Times, true to form, is spinning it as an “honest mistake.” Spokesman Charlie Stadtlander said the paper is “disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake” and is reviewing its legal options. Jurors clearly disagreed.

This is the same New York Times that lectures the country about “disinformation” and “threats to democracy” while publishing anonymous-sourced claims that can destroy a young man’s reputation overnight.

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NBA Vet Hoping to Join WNBA as First ‘Trans’ Player Says He’s Coming for Caitlin Clark’s Biggest Hater, Angel Reese

Well, since the WNBA still can’t seem to determine what the “W” in that acronym means, former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom could be the first pick in the next WNBA Draft. And he’s already coming for Caitlin Clark-hating Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese, comparing her to one of the NBA’s great choke artists of all time.

Also, if he gets his way, he says he and Clark — if teamed up — could be the WNBA’s “Kobe and Shaq.” Considering that Reese and Clark have been beefing since their college days (with Clark getting the better of it in the WNBA), that would be really something.

If you haven’t been following this story (and really, if you’re a fan of inadvertent woke hilarity, you’re missing out, even if you hate sports), Kanter is one of three males who have declared that they want to play in the WNBA; two have previous NBA experience: Kanter and Royce White.

Both are trying to make a point here: The WNBA, which is a league that functions as much as a progressive PAC as it does an ongoing sports concern, doesn’t really define what a woman is, except how you define it.

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‘Biology and science is offensive?’ Watch WNBA fans get ordered to conceal their XX-XY T-shirts

America’s well-known freedom speech, which actually protects even offensive language be, uhm, darned!

A security guard at a WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream has imposed his own, and presumably the team’s, speech code on fans.

That is, that they are not allowed to have scientific facts emblazoned on their T-shirts. Cover up or begone, he orders.

It is in a report posted by Fox that the details appear:

The report explains Kasey Thomason and daughter Annie had tickets just two rows back from the court, and they chose to wear XX-XY Athletics T-shirt to support Sophie Cunningham “and the ongoing fight to keep women’s sports and spaces female.”

Through much of the action there was no difficulty.

Then overtime, and a security guard appeared. He ordered them to cover their shirts or leave.

The report explained the guard claimed that other “fan(s)” were offended so they could wear the Atlanta Dream “Wellness & Health Night” shirts or be taken out of the building by escort.

Kasey wondered, so “biology and science is offensive?”

Mother and daughter “reluctantly” agreed to put on the offered shirts so they didn’t miss the end of the game.

Then, the report pointed out, “the Thomasons are seen on the ESPN broadcast with the tan Dream shirts in hand. They can be seen talking to fans around them, who they said loved their shirts and showed support for them and Cunningham throughout the game.”

The report said the prohibited items at State Farm Arena include, “Clothing, garments or signs displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterization towards any person(s).”

Fox reported, “If State Farm Arena and the Atlanta Dream were really trying to claim the shirts worn by the Thomasons were a ‘derogatory characterization’ or ‘indecent messages’ on clothing, that would be an arbitrary way of enforcing their rules, at best. Discrimination, at the worst. But the fact remains, the security guard didn’t claim any of these things from the prohibited items list or the Fan Code of Conduct. He just said the shirts were ‘offensive.'”

Kasey told Fox she assumes a “trans rights” promoter sitting at courtside had complained.

The Fox report said, “This whole situation is discriminatory, disgusting, and quite frankly, Orwellian. In no shape, manner, or form, is a shirt that displays four prominent letters, representing a biological truth that women have XX chromosomes and men have XY chromosomes, ‘offensive.'”

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FBI Seized Mark Walter’s Devices Months Before Record $12.5 Billion Lakers Sale

One day after billionaire Mark Walter announced the record $12.5 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to a group led by Josh Kushner and former Disney chief Bob Iger, the Financial Times reported that the FBI seized the phone of Guggenheim Investments President Dina DiLorenzo last year as part of a federal investigation into entities controlled by Walter.

DiLorenzo’s device was taken the same day federal agents seized Walter’s phone and laptop in September, according to people familiar with the federal probe. Important to note, Walter is the co-founder and CEO of Guggenheim Partners. 

They noted that prosecutors focused on whether Guggenheim Investments properly recorded revenue within Guggenheim Private Investments.

Guggenheim said auditors issued “unqualified opinions” on the 2024 and 2025 financial statements of the subsidiary that owns the private-investments business. Walter-controlled insurers previously disclosed subpoenas from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The report continued:

Insurance companies controlled by Walter disclosed in June that they had received subpoenas in connection with investigations by the US attorney’s office in Manhattan and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The US attorney’s office declined to comment. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment.

While the scrutiny of the insurers has been publicly disclosed, the seizure of DiLorenzo’s phone suggests authorities have also examined Walter’s other companies, including Guggenheim, the securities firm and asset management giant. It was not clear what stage of the investigations authorities were at.

. . .

Walter’s holdings, including insurers Delaware Life and Clear Spring Life and Annuity, now sit inside TWG. The insurers disclosed in June that they held more than $20bn of investments in affiliated entities, which they had previously marked as unaffiliated. They are now seeking to divest or restructure these holdings to bring down their percentage of related-party investments.

Yahoo Sports reporter Jack Baer noted earlier, “Mark Walter is reportedly facing a cash crunch.” 

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WNBA Player Who Fouled Sophie Cunningham and Cried ‘White Privilege,’ Is Herself the Child of Privilege

DiJonai Carrington, the WNBA player who bashed Sophie Cunningham in the face and then accused the league of “white privilege” when she was handed a flagrant foul, was born to a privileged family and grew up attending extremely expensive private schools.

The Chicago Sky player was handed her punishment after delivering a clothesline flagrant foul against Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham on August 8. After being handed her foul judgment, Carrington posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” in an August 9 social media post. Clearly, Carrington was claiming that her punishment was a result of Cunningham’s “white privilege,” and not a just punishment for her own actions.

So, who is DiJonai Carrington? Born in San Diego, California, the 28-year-old shooting guard is the daughter of former San Diego Chargers player Darren Carrington. She was drafted by the Connecticut Sun in the 2021 WNBA draft before being traded twice in the same season, moving from the Dallas Wings to the Minnesota Lynx in 2025. By 2026, she moved on once again, this time to the Chicago Sky. But before all that, Carrington was a child of privilege herself.

Carrington attended Horizon Christian Academy in San Diego, where she became a standout basketball player for the high school’s team. Horizon Christian Academy is a private school that charges nearly $16,000 a year in tuition.

After graduating from Horizon, she declared for Stanford University, where tuition is upwards of $90,000 a year. After four seasons, she moved to Baylor for one final season. Baylor charges around $65,000 in annual tuition.

Looking at her high-priced education, it certainly does appear that DiJonai Carrington also comes from a place of status and privilege.

On the other hand, Sophie Cunningham attended a public high school in Columbia, Missouri, before attending a state college, the University of Missouri, which charges a mere $16,000 a year in tuition. So, in the end, Sophie Cunningham didn’t pay as much for her entire college education as Carrington paid for just one year at Stanford.

So, the question is, exactly who had the “privilege” between them?

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Looks Like the WNBA’s Absurdity Is About to Sink the Entire Transgender Movement

Rush Limbaugh had a saying to explain how he would drive a point home about the left that perfectly applies to what we’re seeing in the WNBA today. He said that sometimes you have to illustrate the absurd through absurdity.

In other words, you have to take the left’s premise to its ultimate conclusion to more fully see just how messed up it is.

That would be a perfect description of how the WNBA is totally blowing its current men-in-women’s-sports crisis.

My colleagues David Manney and Robert Spencer both wrote separate stories about this trend, which is getting increasingly absurd: We now have former NBA stars declaring their intent to enter the WNBA draft as women.

Rush Limbaugh would be proud of these guys. Illustrate the absurd through absurdity. But what makes it all truly absurd is the amount of reality involved here. Both Royce White and Enes Freedom are simply following the rules the left has created, and in the process, they can legitimately claim to have a shot at getting a roster spot in the WNBA.

But it’s not just that. It’s the reaction they’re getting from the left, which in unison is saying, “No fair, you can’t do that!” 

The left forgets that yes, in the past, you couldn’t do that. But now, thanks to the left, you can. And the WNBA hasn’t taken a hard line on any of this yet, which is not only hurting the league, but is also hurting the transgender movement.

Reports are that the league is now reaching out to its teams to address, as US News and World Report reports, “ongoing discussions around transgender athletes in women’s basketball.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert said, “I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention….I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”

According to reports, a task force of team presidents and general managers will take this issue up in the near future.

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“I’m Transgender. I’m a Woman” – Second Former NBA Player Announces Plans to Enter Next WNBA Draft

Another former NBA player on Friday announced he has plans to enter the WNBA draft.

“As I stated a few days ago, I am declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft,” said former NBA player and current Republican Senate candidate in Minnesota, Royce White.

“I identify as a sometimes identifying transgender woman! My wig is in the mail,” he said.

Royce White said he will pursue legal action if the WNBA denies his bid.

“I have to file a discrimination lawsuit, right? I mean, that’s, that’s ridiculous,” Royce White said. “We’re gonna have to have a huge legal battle about discrimination if I can’t play.”

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Cubs Star Pete Crow-Armstrong Shares Bizarre Conspiracy Theory that Babe Ruth ‘Didn’t Exist’

Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong seems to have gone all-in for the bizarre conspiracy theory that Baseball legend Babe Ruth is a storybook character and never existed in real life.

The player known as PCA divulged the strange theory while appearing on Kristin Cavallari’s Let’s Be Honest podcast, according to the New York Post.

“This is gonna be crazy,” he admitted as he launched into the topic. “Babe Ruth never existed is one that I like. I heard some pitcher with the Mariners … I think he did some podcast on Zoom where he was going down the rabbit hole with somebody about how Babe Ruth never existed.”

He went on to insist that, “We always talk about how the game is evolving; people might as well have been like underhanding the ball to that guy. And he’s regarded still as one of the best players ever. Might as well dive further into it and be like, well, maybe he just never existed.”

PCA referenced a claim made by one-time Mariners pitcher Tayler Saucedo, who once said that he’d only ever seen one video of Ruth, so he didn’t think the famed player ever really existed.

There is indeed very little film footage of Ruth, who retired from baseball in 1935. But film was far less common of current events and media figures until the 1940s and 50s and later, so the lack of film footage is not at all unusual for news figures of his era.

Still, Ruth’s life and career were well documented by the newspapers of the times, and there are even people still alive today who could have seen him play.

Still, PCA may have been commenting more on Ruth’s legendary sports achievements than his actual existence

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Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu’s Transgender Brother is Quietly Dominating California Girls’ High School Sports

The brother of Olympic figure skating gold medalist Alysa Liu has been competing as a female athlete and steadily collecting victories in California high school girls’ sports, according to a new report.

Jaylin Liu, who previously went by the name Joshua and only recently began identifying as female, has taken first place in every 200-meter and 400-meter girls’ race he entered for Albany High School this season, including the Tri-County Athletic League Finals, according to reporting from Reduxx.

He is ranked the top “female” runner on his team in those events and the best in the league in the quarter-mile.

In 2025 alone, Jaylin Liu secured eight first-place finishes at seasonal meets, a silver medal at the NCS Bayshore Championship in the 400-meter, and a gold medal in the Tri-County Athletic League Frosh-Soph Championship 200-meter race.

Beyond track, he has also competed in girls’ varsity basketball, earning a silver medal at a championship, and played ultimate frisbee for El Cerrito High School at the Ultimate High School National Invite, where his performance was described as extremely dominant.

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Revealed: Here’s What Pirro Brought to the White House After Trump Blasted Her For Dropping Reflecting Pool Criminal Case

US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro arrived at the West Wing of the White House on Monday afternoon with a white box in tow as President Trump ripped into her for dropping the criminal Lincoln Pool vandalism case.

The Justice Department on Friday dismissed the Lincoln Reflecting Pool vandalism case against David Hearn.

David Hearn, the former Olympian who was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for destruction of property for vandalizing the Lincoln Reflecting Pool in June, was indicted by a grand jury on felony charges last month.

Hearn is a three-time Olympic canoeist.

Hearn was charged with felony destruction of government property. He was facing 10 years in prison.

Pirro dropped the case and said the damage to the Lincoln Reflecting Pool was the result of “flawed installation by the contractor.”

Earlier Monday, President Trump spoke out about Pirro’s move to drop the case during remarks to reporters in the Oval Office.

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