Tag: sports

Florida School Board Chair Under Fire for Disturbing Social Media Post Following Hulk Hogan’s Death: “Good. One less MAGA in the world.”

Alachua County School Board Chair Sarah Rockwell is under fire after a Facebook post following the news that Hulk Hogan died.

The cultural icon passed away on Thursday at the age of 71.

While people around the globe shared kindness and words of love, Rockwell, a leader in the educational future for school children,  took to Facebook to share a vile, politically motivated comment.

Responding to a post announce Hogan’s passing, she wrote “Good. One less MAGA in the world.”

After her disgusting comments went viral, Rockwell posted the following statement on Facebook, but limited who can comment on the post.

A few days ago, I made a cruel and flippant comment from my personal Facebook account on a friend’s post regarding the death of Hulk Hogan. I deeply regret making that comment and have since removed it. I want to make it very clear that I never have and never will wish harm on anyone regardless of whether we share political views. While I strongly disagree with some of the comments Hulk Hogan made, that is no excuse for my comment.

I also sincerely apologize for the way my comment has eroded confidence in my ability to represent all students, families, and staff in Alachua County. I want to assure all of you that the best interests of our children and our public schools are at the center of everything I do as a board member. I hope I have shown that by my record of advocacy for children, families, and staff members throughout Alachua county.

Again, I apologize for the hurt and distrust I have caused with my insensitive comment. I will continue to do the hard work of putting our children and schools first. I hope that I can earn back your trust.

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Meet the Indian Slugger Liberals Insulted When They Forced the Cleveland Indians to Be Renamed

When the Cleveland Indians changed their name to the “Guardians” in 2021, it was supposed to be progress.

But for many Native Americans like me, it felt like something else entirely: being canceled.

On the Sunday of this past week, President Donald Trump stood up for us when he called on the team in Ohio to bring back its iconic name.

“Cleveland should do the same with the Cleveland Indians,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after calling for the Washington Redskins name to also be restored. “The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election.”

“Indians are being treated very unfairly,” Trump added. “MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”

The original name wasn’t just a catchy title. It actually had meaning.

It was linked to Louis Sockalexis, a Native American outfielder who played for the then-Cleveland Spiders in the late 1890s.

Sockalexis, a member of the Penobscot Nation, was the first Native American widely recognized in professional baseball. In 1897, he hit .338 with an .845 OPS in 66 games, according to MLB.com.

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US Olympics and Paralympics Ban Transgender Athletes from Competing in Women’s Events to Comply with Trump’s Order

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee has banned transgender biological males from competing in women’s events to comply with the executive order issued by President Donald Trump.

The committee announced the change on Monday after informing the national sport governing bodies that it has an “obligation to comply” with Trump’s February “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” Executive Order 14201, which requires federal agencies and organizations receiving federal funding to enforce sex-based distinctions in sports.

The new “Athlete Safety Policy” references the order directly, without naming it.

“The USOPC will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders with oversight responsibilities, e.g., IOC, IPC, NGBs, to ensure that women have a fair and safe competition environment consistent with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic & Amateur Sports Act,” the document says.

Under the new rules, athletes must compete in the category corresponding to their biological sex at birth.

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Texas Sues US Masters Swimming for Defying President Trump’s Order By Allowing Men to Compete in Women’s Events

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced a lawsuit against US Masters Swimming (USMS) for defying President Trump’s order to protect women and girls by allowing men to compete in a women’s swim competition in May.

In February, President Donald Trump signed a landmark executive order ensuring that biological men cannot compete in women’s sports.

The signing ceremony, held at the White House, featured President Trump surrounded by young female athletes, symbolizing the administration’s commitment to safeguarding opportunities for women and girls in sports.

“Under the Trump administration, we will defend the proud tradition of female athletes, and we will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and our girls. From now on, women’s sports will be ONLY FOR WOMEN!” Trump said during the signing ceremony.

Paxton shared details of the lawsuit, writing on X, “BREAKING: I’m suing U.S. Masters Swimming for engaging in illegal practices by allowing men to compete in women’s competitions. The organization has cowered to radical activists pushing gender warfare, and this lawsuit will hold USMS accountable for its actions.”

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HERE WE GO: Work on Site Halted, Police Launch Investigation After Noose Found at Construction Site of Tennessee Titans’ New Football Stadium

Here we go.

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department is investigating after a noose was reportedly found at the construction site of a new football stadium for the Tennessee Titans.

New construction on the Nissan Stadium began last February.

Work on the construction site was halted last week after the Tennessee Builders Alliance discovered the noose.

“This week, a racist and hateful symbol was discovered on our site. There is no place for hate or racism in our workplace,” the Tennessee Builders Alliance said in a statement. “We reported the incident to law enforcement, suspended work, and launched an investigation.”

Sheriff Clarke wasn’t buying the story.

NBC News reported:

Police are investigating after a noose was found at the construction site of the Tennessee Titans’ new football stadium this week, a spokesperson for the Metro Nashville Police Department said.

The Tennessee Builders Alliance reported finding the noose at the site of what is to be the new Nissan Stadium, police said. The police spokesperson could not say when the report was filed, just that it happened “this week.”

The Tennessee Builders Alliance and the Titans did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In a statement, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said that he appreciated the NFL team bringing the incident to his attention immediately, and said his office has taken steps “both in local policy and state policy to try to prevent hate incidents like this.”

The Nissan Stadium is scheduled to open in 2027.

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Infamous Sports Memorabilia Dealer Found Dead After Shocking $350 Million Counterfeit Confession

On Tuesday, Brett Lemieux, a seasoned sports memorabilia dealer, was found dead by authorities during the execution of a search warrant at his business, which was under investigation for alleged fraudulent activities, the New York Post reports.

Lemieux, founder of the sports memorabilia website MisterManCave, claimed in a striking Facebook post on the “Autographs 101” group Wednesday morning that he had sold over four million counterfeit items, amassing more than $350 million in sales, authorities said. Shortly after Lemieux posted the 1,200-word message, which has since been removed, Westfield, Indiana, police reported that he died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Lemieux claimed in a Facebook post that he orchestrated a large-scale counterfeit scheme, forging holograms and authentication stickers for sports collectibles that imitated products from major companies like Fanatics and Panini.

Lemieux claimed he flooded the market with 80,000 pieces of counterfeit memorabilia following the death of Kobe Bryant in 2020.

The sports memorabilia industry is reeling from Brett Lemieux’s suicide and his confession of orchestrating a large-scale counterfeit scheme, though some industry insiders expressed little surprise at the revelations.

“People have known about this guy. They’ve known his work. They know what he’s been up to,” said Steve Grad, an industry expert. “He has been at it for years and years. And he’s driven down the price of things. You know, you look at a Tom Brady autograph and Tom Brady’s value is affected drastically by this individual.”

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The psychological and neurological parallels between sports fandom and religious devotion

An in-depth exploration of the psychology of sports fandom has revealed striking similarities between the neurological and psychological patterns of devoted sports fans and religious dedication.

These similarities are explored in a new book, “The Psychology of Sports Fans,” which demonstrates how, for nearly 5 billion people globally, sport fulfills fundamental psychological needs for belonging, identity, and meaning.

The comprehensive analysis shows that sports fandom stems from evolutionarily ingrained tendencies which enhance social unity and therefore survival.

Professor Aaron C. T. Smith explains, “Our minds possess an incredible ability to believe; an ability that has been crucial for survival throughout human history. Now, like a muscle that’s been trained to the extreme, we can’t resist flexing our beliefs. Investing in certain beliefs, particularly those associated sports and players, brings us significant personal and social rewards.”

From Japanese baseball to New Zealand rugby, the psychological phenomenon is not unique to any one culture or nation, Smith argues, but creates powerful emotional connections that bind communities together globally.

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France detains Russian basketball star at request of US – AFP

Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin has been detained in France at the request of the US on suspicion of being a member of a hacker group, AFP reported on Wednesday evening.

Kasatkin, a point guard playing for Russia’s national team, was detained on June 21 at Charles de Gaulle Airport after arriving in France with his fiancée, AFP said.

At a hearing on Wednesday, a judge ruled to keep him in custody pending extradition.

The US alleges that Kasatkin, who had studied in the country, had negotiated ransom payments on behalf of a hacker gang that targeted around 900 companies and two federal institutions from 2020 to 2022.

The athlete denies any wrongdoing, his lawyer Frederic Belot told reporters, claiming that Kasatkin has “poor computer skills” and had bought a used computer that was “either hacked or a hacker sold it to him using another person’s name.”

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California defies Trump admin, refuses to keep ‘transgender’ males out of women’s sports

California may soon find itself facing down a Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit after refusing to keep gender-confused men from dominating girls’ sports.

The Department of Education gave the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) until Monday to comply with federal law and prohibit males from competing against females in sports. However, both the CIF and the state Dept. of Education refused to comply with the law.

“California has just REJECTED our resolution agreement to follow federal law and keep men out of women’s sports,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon wrote on X. “Turns out Gov. Newsom’s acknowledgment that ‘it’s an issue of fairness’ was empty political grandstanding.”

She then tagged Newsom and wrote, “you’ll be hearing from [Attorney General] Pam Bondi.”

McMahon previously warned the state about potential consequences for noncompliance.

“The Trump Administration will relentlessly enforce Title IX protections for women and girls, and our findings today make clear that California has failed to adhere to its obligations under federal law,” McMahon stated in a June 25 news release, announcing the offer for resolution after finding California was in violation of the law. “The state must swiftly come into compliance with Title IX or face the consequences that follow.”

The resolution would have also required California to rescind “individual records, titles, and awards misappropriated by male athletes competing in female competitions” and issue an apology.

A database maintained by HeCheated.org lists nearly 400 instances of males competing against females in California since 2019 just in track and field. It includes numerous titles won by gender-confused male track athlete “AB Hernandez,” whom Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk specifically asked Newsom about in a March interview.

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Female Cyclists Allege They Were Tricked Into Racing Against Transgender Competitor: ‘It Was Hidden from Us’

Female cyclists are crying foul after an event in Wisconsin this week was won by a man competing as a woman — and the women are claiming they were deceived about the race.

In an interview with “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday, cyclist Debbie Milne charged that USA Cycling, the organization behind the competition, did not include the name of the male competitor in a list that was published before the event.

“It was hidden from us,” Milne said.

The event Tuesday was the Lyons Masters and Junior Road Race National Championships in Lyons, Wisconsin.

In the women’s aged 55-59 bracket, a “transgender” cyclist identified as Katheryn Phillips came in first.

But the problem is not only that Phillips is a man, but Milne said she and other competitors were not even aware Phillips would be competing.

“Basically, we came to compete and we found out, during the race, after the race that’s when we found out that there had been another competitor we thought just added,” she said.

However, Milne said, another racer spoke to a race official who said Phillips had been on the list of competitors since mid-June.

“There’s not been transparency there,” she said.

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