[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox .] In a letter and in emails, the leader of Nxivm tried to distance himself from the branding ritual that had led some members to break away from the cultlike group. But the ceremonial branding of some women involved in Nxivm followed a script created by the leader, Keith Raniere, and a handful of select followers who had promised complete obedience to him, according to four recorded conversations introduced last week as evidence in his racketeering and sex trafficking trial. Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter "Do you think the person who is being branded should be completely nude and sort of held to the table like a sort of, almost, like a sacrifice?" Mr. Raniere asked the actress Allison Mack in one recording. He went on to outline his vision for how women's bodies would be arranged before being branded: "legs spread straight, like feet being held to the side of the table, hands probably above the head, being held almost like tied down." The women, who were referred to as "slaves," were illustrating their submission in an indelible way: Their skin was seared with a symbol that included Mr. Raniere's initials . The recordings have offered the first contemporaneous account of how Mr. Raniere helped devise one of the group's most secret and controversial practices within Nxivm. The brandings were connected to a Nxivm subset called D.O.S. that he had repeatedly assured others he had nothing to do with. Mr. Raniere has denied wrongdoing. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said in an email on Sunday that Mr. Raniere played a role in the creation of the subset but was not a member. "He collaborated with the first line members in the group's creation and he hoped the women would take over going forward," Mr. Agnifilo said. In addition to showing how Mr. Raniere meticulously planned the branding ceremonies, the recordings also illustrate the hold he had over certain followers. "The person should ask to be branded," Mr. Raniere told Ms. Mack in a recording. "She should say, 'Please brand me. It would be an honor'   or something like that   'an honor I want to wear for the rest of my life.'" Ms. Mack responded by twice saying "O.K." A witness in the case, Lauren Salzman, testified that she was asked to say those very words before being branded in 2017. Mr. Raniere's trial in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, which is set to enter its fourth week on Tuesday, has had no shortage of surprising, even shocking, moments. There has been testimony that Mr. Raniere had sex with an underage girl and that people within Nxivm saw him as all-knowing and practically infallible. But the branding of women who joined a clandestine "sorority" within Nxivm, called The Vow or D.O.S., is at the heart of the Nxivm case, providing the most visible and graphic example of Mr. Raniere's control. Mr. Raniere, 58, co-founded Nxivm (pronounced nex-ee-um) in the 1990s as a self-help organization based in a suburban town in upstate New York. He is now on trial on charges of racketeering conspiracy, identity theft, extortion, forced labor, money laundering, wire fraud and sex trafficking. Although he presented himself as a guru-like humanitarian, prosecutors and former Nxivm members have described Mr. Raniere as a mountebank who exploited his followers. Among them were the eight women whom Mr. Raniere recruited to join D.O.S., and who were referred to as "first line D.O.S. masters." Each recruited additional slaves, and those slaves in turn recruited others. All were supposed to be loyal to Mr. Raniere, who was called "grandmaster." To join D.O.S., the women provided "collateral" in the form of sexually explicit photographs or other sensitive material meant to guarantee their unquestioning obedience, according to trial testimony. Some were said to have been assigned by their masters to have sex with Mr. Raniere. Outrage over the brandings caused some Nxivm and D.O.S. members to depart and led to blog posts and news articles. Soon after word emerged that the authorities were investigating the group. Mr. Raniere appeared to recognize that news reports about the brandings might threaten Nxivm. After a story about the branding ran in The New York Times , he emailed a draft position statement to the first line masters, according to testimony. He wrote that women who had been branded were now being shamed by a "misogynistic strike" and added that D.O.S. "has nothing at all to do" with Nxivm, Ms. Salzman testified. "This sorority is autonomous, separate and distinct from Nxivm, Keith Raniere and associates," the statement said, adding that he had "little knowledge or authority in the issue." In a separate letter to Nxivm members, Mr. Raniere wrote, "I feel it is important to clarify the sorority is not part of NXIVM and that I am not associated with the group." Ms. Salzman, who was a first line master in D.O.S., testified that Mr. Raniere came up with a plan to say that the brand was not meant to include his initials but represented the seven chakras, the four elements, or "Bar Alpha Mu"   a combination, apparently, of a mathematical symbol and two Greek letters. "I lied to everybody," Ms. Salzman testified about Mr. Raniere's involvement in D.O.S. "I lied to the entire community about it. I lied to the media about it." The new recordings of Mr. Raniere's meetings with first line D.O.S. masters show his role as an architect of the group, speaking about how it should be structured, and acknowledging that the brand itself was tied to him. "The monogram as it is right now is very directly related to my initials," Mr. Raniere said in a meeting recorded in 2016. The group discussed how to obscure that fact, with one woman saying, "If you have a husband, and now you have this thing, I think they're going to try to figure it out." Another woman said the brand seemed like a "cool, kind of alien symbol." Mr. Raniere said in the conversation with Ms. Mack that the brandings could evoke a "feeling of submission," and that women should ask to be branded before being held down "so it doesn't seem like they're being coerced." He added that videotaping the brandings would provide additional collateral and that women should therefore be placed in "a more vulnerable position." Ms. Mack said that the pain of the brandings could be seen as a symbol of the slaves' love for their masters. Mr. Raniere agreed. "It is the love of saints," he said. "It is the love of the purest beings that walk the earth."


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Donald Trump lies all the time. We know that. Some of us are incensed and disgusted by this. Others have been worn out by it. But, few even attempt to deny or excuse it anymore. It has simply become a recognized feature of the man and a predicament for the country. Last month, The Washington Post's fact-checker column announced that Trump had reached the ignominious marker of having told more than 10,000 false and misleading claims as president. And, the pace has quickened from the early periods of his presidency, in what The Post called a "tsunami of untruths." Sign up for the Morning Briefing Newsletter. Trump lies about everything and for every reason. He lies to brag. He lies to deflect. He lies to inflate. He lies to defame. He lies to praise. He sometimes seems to lie just for the sport of it. He is being trained, right before our eyes, to see that there is no cost for this deceit among the people who support him. He can lie at a rally, right to their faces, and they will still cheer. He can lie in public proclamations, and the Republican cowards in Congress will find a way to defend, rationalize or forgive it. When a dyed-in-the-wool thief realizes that there are no consequences for theft, everything not nailed down will go missing. The same is true of the liar: When there is no consequence, the deceiver is unbound and unashamed. But, to me, it is when Trump lies out of desperation, out of the fear of being found out, blamed, reprimanded, possibly even abandoned, that most people can relish it. It is in those moments that Trump is most human and our ire toward this liar is most vindicated and validated. In those moments, at least when he makes a public appearance in conjunction, his eyes are stretched wide and his face flush. He looks defensive and nervous. The above-it-all posture of imperviousness vanishes, and he is reduced to the most mortal of beings, one for whom, like the rest of us, the truth still has purchase and power. Last week, court records were unsealed that showed that Michael Flynn, President Trump's onetime national security adviser, gave Robert Mueller and his team a voice-mail recording of a conversation in which Trump's lawyers tried to influence his cooperation with the investigators. This was a smoking gun of a revelation which blew yet another hole in Trump's false "no collusion, no obstruction" mantra. And it adds weight to the House Democrats' debate about whether they should perform their constitutional duty to impeach or whether they will allow this man to continue unchastened. Trump, realizing the threat that the revelation poses, turned to Twitter … and lied. He wrote : "It now seems the General Flynn was under investigation long before was common knowledge. It would have been impossible for me to know this but, if that was the case, and with me being one of two people who would become president, why was I not told so that I could make a change?" As CNN put it: " Trump's tweet is misleading and lacks context. For starters, the Justice Department and F.B.I. conduct all their investigations in secret, including the one into Flynn. Trump also fails to mention that he was repeatedly warned about Flynn, though not by the Justice Department, but he ignored that political advice and gave him a top job in the administration." Trump knows his statement is off, but he also knows that the truth has the capacity to harm when one operates in an arena beyond it. That tweet, unlike lying about his wall of hate already being under construction, is born of fear. I can just imagine the beads of sweat forming on the philtrum above his upper lip as his thumbs tap this falsehood on this phone. He grimaces; I smile. We occasionally get a glorious glimpse of this fear fibbing. It's like the time he held the bracing news conference in Trump Tower to defend his both-sides-ism on Charlottesville. It's like the time he told the deer-in-the-headlights lie on Air Force One about not knowing about hush money payments to women alleging to have had sexual encounters with him (while he was married, by the way). It is in the police-interrogation-room-like correction that he didn't mean to side with Russia   and deny our intelligence community   while standing next to Vladimir Putin in Helsinki . In all those moments, he simply reeks of dread and trepidation. In those moments, we are reminded that Trump knows what other thinking people know: In a world not blinded and numbed by racial tribalism, demographic fears and cultural panic, these issues that barely nick him would cut him smooth and deep. It is in those moments that we are reminded of what normal felt like, when an apology or explanation was compelled, and politicians confronted their foibles with some degree of contrition. Trump knows nothing of contrition, but take his moments of desperation as proof that the world has not completely gone mad, that sin still has the ability to convict. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We'd like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here's our email: letters@nytimes.com . Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion) , and Instagram .


Nope, sorry Eagles' fans. I can't bring you any reassuring news that Wilfried Zaha has miraculously made an unprecedented U-turn and opted to stay at Selhurst Park. Instead, the club are trying to shift some deadwood and address key areas of the squad desperately need reinforcing. Sadly, it's mainly trying to get rid of the unspectacular players Roy Hodgson has, but there are still a couple of reassuring signs that the club want to invest this summer. We are off to Switzerland in July to compete in the @Uhrencup !   Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 23, 2019 So Palace fans, here's what may be occurring in south London this summer. Shandong Luneng Taishan Offer £15m for Christian Benteke - But He Won't Budge FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY PLEASE GO. Unfortunately, the sad reality is that Bentekkers (lol, not really) and his family feel settled on London, according to Belgian publication Het Belang van Limburg, as relayed by Sport Witness . Apparently, Benteke firmly believes he can recapture the form that made Palace fork out £27m for him three years ago...which not a single person at Selhurst Park is in agreement with. News of the bid from the Chinese Super League side comes courtesy of The Times , which be a fantastic deal for Hodgson, considering the 28-year-old has only one year left on his contract and is the club's joint-top earner on £130k-a-week. He has been offered a deal worth £8m a year after tax. EIGHT MILLION CHRISTIAN. Please, please just go. Palace Hoping to Offload £9m Flop Alexander Sorloth In a cheeky little two-for-one story, the same Times article claim that the Palace hierarchy are desperate to wipe their hands clean of yet another forward flop at the club, Alexander Sorloth. Big things were said when he joined for £9m back in January 2018 from Midtjylland, but not a single goal in that time speak volumes of the impact he's had. Granted, there have been few occasions were luck really hasn't been on his side, but let's not kid ourselves, Sorloth is not going to improve the club any further. Palace Don't Want to Extend Jordan Ayew's Deal With Southampton Keen In other news, water is wet and the Pope wears a pointy hat. Anyone with a half decent footballing brain could see Jordan Ayew was not fit for the Palace team. He looked an OK player while at Swansea, but for whatever reason it hasn't worked out for him here and, yeah, good riddance. Southampton are supposedly intrigued by the prospect of taking him on loan from parent club Swansea, say The Sun , feeling his Premier League experience is an attractive trait. They clearly didn't see him play this season. No end product, and hopelessly wasteful in possession. Oh, wait. What's this hidden at the bottom of the report? "Palace could be tempted by another season of Ayew, with the hope he can find his feet." F**k. Duo Set for Palace Exit Door After Their Respective Contracts Run Out Following on from the news that the legendary goalkeeper Julian Speroni and midfielder Jason Puncheon are to leave Selhurst Park this summer, two more squad players are moving on too. Injuries blighted his two spells with Palace, but Bakary Sako always seemed like he was a nice character to have around the place. Nevertheless, the Evening Standard are saying he is due to bid farewell to south London after his six-month loan from West Brom expires. One player who will be sorely missed is indeed Pape Souare. While the club are strong in both full back departments, Souare was excellent during the 2015/16 season, winning the fans' backing with some excellent displays down the left hand side. The awful car crash he was involved in really rocked the club, with all just grateful he survived the ordeal. While there were fears he may never play again, it's been thoroughly enjoyable seeing him back in a Palace shirt. And, if the report is to be believed then good luck at Marseille, Pape.


The Warriors plan to have Klay Thompson (hamstring) back for Game 4 of the NBA Finals and are "cautiously optimistic" that Kevin Durant (calf) might be able to play too. That would leave Kevon Looney as the only Golden State rotation player unavailable. However, even though head coach Steve Kerr said on Tuesday that Looney would miss the rest of the NBA Finals after suffering a costal cartilage fracture, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com hears from sources that Looney isn't ready to shut it down for the season. According to Bontemps, now that Looney has undergone further evaluation on his chest/collarbone injury, there's a belief that a Finals return may still be possible. More testing will determine what the next steps will be for the veteran center, per Bontemps. Looney's injury, specifically known as a "non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture," isn't a particularly common one among NBA players, so it's not clear what his exact recovery timeline should look like. It seems safe to say that he'd be attempting to return well ahead of schedule though. Given the cautious approach the Warriors have taken with Durant's and Thompson's injuries, I don't imagine they'll allow Looney to rush back before he's ready if there's any risk of making things worse. We'll see if he can make enough progress in his recovery to make it back before the end of the series   even a potential Game 7 is just 10 days away. While Looney may not swing the series, he'd be a very useful rotation piece for a Golden State team that has struggled to get consistent production out of its centers so far against the Raptors.


Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard has been an integral part of the team's defense over recent seasons. But is he truly the league's best at the position? According to The Touchdown Wire's Doug Farrar, he is. Farrar ranked him No. 1 in his list of the NFL's Top 11 safeties. The Chicago Bears' Eddie Jackson was ranked directly behind him, coming in at second. "This particular millennium hasn't been a great one for safeties wanting to rack up huge interception numbers," Farrar wrote of Byard. "Since the 1970 merger, 11 safeties have grabbed at least 10 interceptions in a season, and none of them did it after 1986, when Ronnie Lott had 10. A handful of players at the position have nine picks since 2000 (Darren Sharper three times and Ed Reed twice, among them), so Byard's eight-interception season for the Titans in 2017 was pretty remarkable." Byard stayed consistently dominant throughout last season as well. "He followed up with four more picks in 2018, proving that, as a deep safety, he's no fluke when it comes to patrolling the deep third of a defense and taking the ball away," Farrar explained. "No one-trick pony, he also registered a sack, seven total quarterback pressures, 62 tackles, and 17 stops. Byard brings every possible attribute you want in a deep safety to the field. Not only does he have the lateral quickness and range to cover to either boundary seamlessly, but he also has an impressive ability to read quarterback intentions and receiver routes. This gives him an additional athletic advantage as he closes to the ball-at times, it looks as if he's running the route for the receiver. Byard's status as the NFL's best safety is well-earned." On the 2018 season, Byard totaled 21 receptions on 30 targets for 172 yards, 83 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two passes defensed, and an opponent passer rating of 55.8. Expect Byard to maintain a steady impact as he moves forward in the upcoming season. MORE: Why Kevin Durant is doing the right thing by not watching Finals games from the bench Report: New Orleans likely to trade Anthony Davis to Celtics Goldberg, Undertaker Nearly Killed Each Other With Botched Moves At Super ShowDown These five upcoming NBA free agents hurt themselves in the playoffs Lions see WR Tom Kennedy's lacrosse background as a real asset


New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway initially expressed very little remorse for his confrontation with a reporter on Sunday after the team announced that he and reliever Jason Vargas have been fined, and the situation is now getting more embarrassing for all those involved by the minute. On Monday, the Mets announced that Callaway and Vargas have been fined for their altercation with Newsday's Tim Healey the day before. A press conference from Callaway followed shortly afterward, and the manager essentially refused to apologize. Wow, as far as I can tell, Mickey Callaway's presser did not contain the words "I'm sorry" or "I apologize" at all. Just a lot of "I'm a tough competitor" rationalizations. Completely unacceptable, @mets . #LGM   Ron Marz (@ronmarz) June 24, 2019 Mickey Callaway, offered several chances to apologize, did not go so far as to do that   Andy Martino (@martinonyc) June 24, 2019 It would be fair to assume that the Mets were not pleased with the lack of remorse Callaway showed, especially after some said they cut him a break by not suspending him. Fast-forward a couple of hours, and Callaway called another press conference in which he said he is "definitely sorry." Here is Mickey Callaway's readdress of his address. He now says he apologized to the reporter he accosted at Wrigley Field, and regrets his actions. He did not take further questions. pic.twitter.com/v8vhoV66Kg   Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) June 24, 2019 Callaway's message in the second meeting with the media seemed to be that he apologized directly to Healey, which is why he didn't apologize again via the press. The fact that he had to hold two separate press conferences in a short span to get the apology right   at least in the eyes of his employer   is almost surreal. Unless Callaway had some reason for ripping into Healey other than the one that has been reported , his actions seemed completely out of line. Apparently it took him two separate press conferences to realize that. Related slideshow: Best of the 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant made his return to the 2019 postseason by scoring 11 points in 12 minutes. His presence for the Warriors changed the game, giving the team a badly-needed offensive lift and morale boost . But the back-to-back Finals MVP went down with a re-injury to his right leg in the second quarter. Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala helped Durant to the locker room and news trickled quickly that he was done for the night, with Ramona Shelburne reporting Durant left the arena on crutches and in a walking boot. When asked about the extent of the injury to Durant and whether he regrets playing Durant, Warriors coach Steve Kerr deferred to Warriors general manager Bob Myers, saying, "I'm going to leave that to Bob." Steve Kerr is asked if he has any regrets about bringing Kevin Durant back into the series. "I'm going to leave that to Bob (Myers)." - Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) June 11, 2019 When Myers sat down at the microphone, he was fighting back tears and said on Sports Center : I don't believe there's anybody to blame. But I understand this world. If there's anybody to blame, blame me. Myers confirmed the injury is to Durant's Achilles, acknowledging what fans had feared - news that likely rocked teammate DeMarcus Cousins, who missed more than a year following an Achilles rupture . Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on Thursday that Durant's scrimmage did not go well on any level, and that the back-to-back Finals MVP was far from ready to appear in Game 5. But, as was the case with Kevon Looney's collar bone injury , reports indicated that if Durant returned there would be little risk of further injury. After the game, Windhorst said on Sports Center about Durant's return to the locker room: The doctors' faces were ashen. You could feel it was really bad. His agent … was white as a ghost. Windhorst also cited the 46 minutes per game Durant played in the Houston series as contributing to the original injury. The Warriors clinched a one-point win to force Game 6 at Oracle Arena on Thursday. But the entire Golden State organization is filled with mixed feelings over the win due to the loss of Durant in the process. Curry said on Sports Center after the game: Overall emotional roller coaster seeing your brother KD going down … seeing the look on his face. Adding to an already massive heap of obstacles, the Warriors must now contend with losing Durant potentially for a long time, with doubt over whether Looney will return in the series. The Warriors will do their best to go out on a winning note for their last game at Oracle Arena, but the cards are stacked against them. Even bigger than the depleted roster now is the gambit of emotions the players must grapple with by game time on Thursday. MORE: How Kevin Durant's Achilles injury alters Kyrie Irving's free agency Kevin Durant breaks silence on his Game 5 Achilles injury: 'I'm hurting deep in the soul' Watch as jury convicts former NFL player Kellen Winslow Jr. of raping homeless woman News: Do Cowboys have best group of QBs across the entire league? Kevin Durant Has a $31.5 Million Player Option; Will Warriors Offer Him Supermax Contract?


This is the latest in Stadium's " Conference Chain of Command " series in which we polled a handful of veteran coaches in every league to determine the best JOBS in each league, all the way down to the ones that are the most difficult. Here are the eight categories that were utilized to determine the overall rankings. Tradition   The history of the program Media Exposure   Games on national television Game Atmosphere   Includes attendance Budget/Resources   Includes coaches' salaries, recruiting budget, travel budget, private planes, cost of attendance, etc. Buy Games   Programs who are bought the fewest number of times will rank first Geographical Recruiting Base   Proximity to players Facilities   Not just the arena, but also practice facilities, weight room, locker rooms, etc. Selling Pros   Being able to sell not only NBA players, but also those who play overseas [MORE: Jeff Goodman's College Basketball Preseason Top 25 ] This is how polling in the Patriot League shook out among coaches who voted, with one being the best and 10 being the worst: 1. BUCKNELL (71)   The Bison have gone to the NCAA tournament eight times, and also have a first-round upset over Kansas in 2005. Pat Flannery had success, going twice in 2005 and '06, Dave Paulen went twice in 2011 and '13 and current coach Nathan Davis went twice in 2017 and '18. Bucknell ranks first in five of the eight categories. Where they win : "History and finances. They support it, and they consistently win."   Patriot League head coach The knock : "There's nothing in Lewisburg … except for a prison."   Patriot League assistant T2. HOLY CROSS (57)   The program had plenty of tradition back in the 1940's and '50s with guys like Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn. The Crusaders went into the Patriot League in 1991 and went to the NCAA tourney in '93 under George Blaney. Ralph Willard went in 2001, '02, '03 and '07, but the program has been mediocre for the past decade or so. Holy Cross ranks second in history, third in game atmosphere and selling pros, and in the middle of the league in everything else. Where they win : "Brand-new facility is phenomenal, the history, and [it's] one of the best academic schools in the league."   Patriot league assistant The knock : "It's tough to get kids into school, Worcester isn't the best city and there are still high expectations from the old, old days."   Patriot League assistant T2. BOSTON UNIVERSITY (57)   Rick Pitino spent five years as thee head coach in the late 1980's and early 90's, going to the NCAA tourney in 1983. Mike Jarvis went in 1988 and '90, Dennis Wolff went in 1997 and 2002, and Pat Chambers in 2011. The program went from the America East to the Patriot in 2013, and hasn't been able to go back to the tourney since the move. Joe Jones' biggest advantage is its recruiting base, which ranks first in the league. Where they win : "Great location right in the city, and they support the program financially. Also extremely diverse."   Patriot League head coach The knock : "It's not as academic as the other programs in the league, so that can hurt them in recruiting. There's also no campus   which can hurt with a lot of kids."   Patriot League assistant 4. NAVY (55)   Paul Evans took Navy to the NCAA Tournament back in 1985 and '86 with David Robinson leading the way, and Don DeVoe went in 1994, '97 and '98, but the Midshipmen haven't been in the last two decades. Navy ranks second in game atmosphere, budget and facilities. Where they win : "Academics, support and the prep school. They can put a bunch of kids in the prep school and it's a low-risk, high-reward thing for them."   Patriot League assistant The knock : "It's the Navy. You have to really want it. Only a certain amount of kids want to go into the service."   Patriot League assistant 5. LEHIGH (52)   The Mountain Hawks are best known for producing C.J. McCollum and also for knocking Duke off in the NCAA tourney in 2012. Lehigh also went to the NCAA tourney in 1985 under Tom Schneider, '88 under Fran McCaffery, 2004 under Billy Taylor and twice with current coach Brett Reed   2010 and '12. Lehigh ranks first in selling pros, second in TV exposure, and third in tradition, but towards the bottom in budget/resources. Where they win : "C.J. McCollum, location is good. You can get to New York City, New Jersey and Philly easy, and the recent success helps."   Patriot League assistant The knock : "They don't have as much support as you'd think. The resources aren't great and the students don't come out despite the success. The arena is on a separate campus over a mountain so that makes it tougher for students to go."   Patriot League assistant 6. AMERICAN (40)   The Eagles have gone to thee NCAA tourney three times: in 2008 and '09 under Jeff Jones and in 2014 under current coach Mike Brennan. American ranks in the top half of the league in just two of the eight categories: recruiting base and budget/resources. Where they win : "Location and recent history. You're around a ton of players in the area."   Patriot League assistant The knock : "No one goes to the arena. It's consistently empty."   Patriot League assistant 7. LAFAYETTE (34)   Fran O'Hanlon has been the head coach since 1995 and went to the NCAA tourney three times   in 1999, 2000 and '15. The Leopards rank last in the league in budget, ninth in facilities and eighth in TV exposure. Where they win : "The location and academics. It's in an area where there are plenty of players."   Patriot League assistant The knock : "They don't really care about basketball or sports overall. Look at all the programs recently, and none have them have really won."   Patriot League assistant 8. ARMY (32)   Two of the best coaches of all-time roamed the sidelines at Army: Bob Knight and Mike Krzyzewski. However, the Black Knights still haven't gone to the NCAA Tournament. The two categories in which Army ranks in the top half of the league are facilities and buy games. Where they win : "It's a different deal. They have to sell other things   like leadership, the experiences. They can also sell a chance to make history, getting to the tourney for the first time."   Patriot league assistant The knock : "It's a military school. Kids have other responsibilities, so it's not just about basketball."   Patriot league head coach 9. LOYOLA (29)   The Greyhounds went to the NCAA tourney in 1994 under the late Skip Prosser and in 2012 under Jimmy Patsos. Loyola was in the MAAC from 1989 to 2013 before moving into the Patriot league. The lone category in which Loyola ranks in the top half of the league is recruiting base. Where they win : "Location and some of the things you can do academically, you can't do at the other spots in the league."   Patriot League assistant The knock : "Lack of tradition. They just haven't won, especially since they got into the Patriot league."   Patriot League head coach 10. COLGATE (13)   The Raiders have been to the NCAA tourney three times: 1995, '96 and 2019. They went in 1995 and '96 with former NBA big man Adonal Foyle, and they had a hiatus before Matt Langel took them last season. Langel's accomplishment is extremely impressive since Colgate ranks dead-last overall and at the bottom in five of the eight categories. Where they win : "It's a college town, and you can tell there's a real sense of community."   Patriot League assistant The knock : "Location. You ever been to Hamilton?"   Patriot League head coach MORE: These Are the Top College Basketball Programs Through the Eyes of 2020 Recruits The post Patriot League Basketball Coaches Rank the Best Jobs in the Conference appeared first on Stadium . Related slideshow: Best photos of NCAA Championship (Provided by imagn)


The PGA Tour is back in the Land of 10,000 Lakes in time to celebrate Independence Day. The inaugural 3M Open continues Sunday at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., with Matthew Wolff, Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau in a three-way tie for the lead at 15 under. The 3M Open marks the start of the Tour's final stretch run of 10 events plus the British Open. At this point, the FedEx Cup race remains wide open and 11 of the top 30 players in the Cup standings are playing this weekend. TEE TIMES: Final round tee times, pairings for 3M Open SCORES: Check the leaderboard at TPC Twin Cities Follow all the action Sunday here with our live blog. 3M Open Live Blog A Twitter List by golfweek 3M Open TV/Streaming Info (All Times Eastern) Sunday Golf Channel Final Round coverage: 1-2:45 p.m. CBS Final Round coverage: 3-6 p.m. PGA Tour Live Featured Groups: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Featured Holes: 3-6 p.m. PGA Tour Radio (Sirius 92, XM 208) Final Round: 1-6 p.m. https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/golfweek/should-pga-tour-players-be-suspended-for MORE: UFC 239: Fighters were in awe of Jorge Masvidal's insane, record-breaking KO WATCH: Jorge Masvidal Knocks Out Ben Askren in Five Seconds 3 reasons why the the NFL will never have an NBA-like offseason Lakers agree to two-year deal with point guard Alex Caruso NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players


The violence and romance of the Wild West is depicted on screen, but now, iconic historical pictures from the era have been brought to life by an eighteen-year-old student. The violence and romance of the Wild West is depicted on screen, but now, iconic historical pictures from the era have been brought to life by a student. Jared Enos from Rhode Island, painstakingly colorized pictures from the Wild West era. Pictured, he colorized this photograph of the quintessential symbol of the America frontier period, called 'The Cow Boy' from 1887. Jared says he was drawn to colorize these images, which each took up to six hours, because he was raised with Western movies, novels and games. Pictured, Art Moss and a friend getting ready for a cattle drive, circa 1889. David E. Herold, a conspirator in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln Legendary gunslinger Wild Bill Hickock, pictured between 1868 and 1870 Jared said his project was based on his feeling that 'it's harder to truly connect to an image when it's black and white'. Pictured, African-Americans collect the remains of soldiers killed in battle near Cold Harbor, Virginia, in the April of 1865. Historians define the period as one of rapid expansion during the 19th and 20th century. 'There is an artistic aspect to colorisation, but I always try to put historical accuracy and realism first,' said Jared. Pictured, a day herder, Bert Killion, on a knoll overlooking the grazing herd at LS Ranch, Texas, in 1907. The process began with a base color coat, before it is covered with a different color in necessary places. The process is repeated until the images are fully colorized. Pictured, First Admiral in the United States Navy, David Farragut, circa 1863. 'I see real people who have lived real lives, with experiences similar in some ways, but on others radically different to mine,' Jared said. Pictured, McLeod's cabin, Happy Hollow. Hot Springs, Arkansas, circa 1901. Jared says he based the background of his colored pictures on actual pictures he found of the areas featured in the photographs. 'However, with very old images like these, my research is limited,' he said. Pictured, the frontage of buildings in Atlanta, Georgia, 1864. Jared based the colors of the saddles on modern pictures of similar saddles. Pictured, The Horse Wrangler, Bonham, Texas, June, 1910.


Manchester City have revealed their new home and away kits for the 2019/20 seasons, with new designs inspired by the city's industrial history. In what will be the club's 125th anniversary season, City have worked with manufacturers Puma to create two new kits which will mark the momentous occasion for the club. THIS IS OUR CITY. ⚽ @pumafootball  #mancity ➡ https://t.co/NfHdQ88W9f pic.twitter.com/JiG6GskWan   Manchester City (@ManCity) July 1, 2019 The kits, which are now available on City 's official website , were launched at an event on Sunday night at Mayfield Depot, with a performance by City fan Bugzy Malone setting the stage for the new designs. The home kit has been designed as a tribute to Manchester's industrial heritage. The woven jacquard wave pattern on the shirt is a visible representation of the looms which became synonymous with Manchester's industrial revolution. The shirt remains sky blue but, for the first time ever, it will also feature purple accents, which have previously been used in City's alternate kits. The away shirt is a throwback to the "Madchester" years in the 1980s and 1990s. During this time, Manchester exploded with cultural diversity, and that is reflected in the away strip. Taking inspiration from former nightclub 'The Haçienda', the shirt is primarily black with yellow accents, whilst there are also splashes of the City sky blue throughout. On the new designs, PUMA's Global Brand Marketing Director Adam Petrick said: "The partnership between Manchester City and PUMA goes beyond football. We want the club's global fans and local Mancunians to all feel invested in this, and it starts with combining our very creative kit designs with authentic stories from Manchester's history and music scene. NOW WE'RE REALLY HERE!  @pumafootball ❎ #mancity HOME KIT: https://t.co/ddVRxCTPSK AWAY KIT: https://t.co/x2qjPiGVha pic.twitter.com/gpT1DZUYBt   Manchester City (@ManCity) July 1, 2019 "We want to bring Manchester City and PUMA's brand initiatives together when and wherever we can, and that means going beyond the pitch, into wider areas of football culture such as gaming, community, fashion and music. That's how we can really impact football fans of all ages and demographics." Alongside the kits, there is also a full collection of Stadium, Teamwear and Fanwear attire.


Missed the the most recent top news in Philadelphia? Read on for everything you need to know. Third arrest in the murder of man found inside plastic bin in Frankford New charges were filed in the murder of a 70-year-old-man. Now 28-year-old Michael Ciaccia faces murder charges. Read the full story on 6abc Action News . Philadelphia City Council approves to install speed cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard Drivers exceeding the speed limit by at least 11 mph would face fines ranging from $100 to $150. Read the full story on CBS Philly . 2 students consume narcotic-laced chocolate chip cookie at west Philadelphia high school, police say It's unclear at this time if any arrests have been made. Read the full story on CBS Philly . Philadelphia primary voters have four choices for sheriff Next Tuesday, Democratic voters in Philadelphia will go to the polls to select between four candidates in the sheriff's race. Read the full story on ABC Philadelphia, WPVI . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Paper or plastic? It's a question that has haunted shoppers nearly as long as that Shakespearian inquiry "To be or not to be?" (OK, not really). So what's an environmentally-conscious shopper to do? Welllllll... it's actually a bit complicated. Here are a few facts to figure in, according to the New York times. Americans use more than 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags every year. Only a small portion are ever recycled because they clog up the machinery at most recycling centers. They end up in a 'landfill'-- where they can take 'centuries' to decompose. A plastic bag doesn't do too much harm sitting in a landfill. It's when they escape that the trouble starts. When people don't dispose of their bags the right way they end up threatening wildlife and clogging our waterways. So just ask for paper, right? Guess what... there are problems there too.Paper bags degrade more easily and they're a renewable resource, but it actually takes more energy to make that paper bag from pulp than it does to make a plastic bag-- from oil. So maybe a reusable bag is the way to go... but that's only if you actually 'reuse' it... a LOT. Britain's Environment Agency found you'd have to use those cotton bags or more durable plastic ones 131 times-- yep, 131-- before that bag's global warming impact was less than that of a plastic bag-- used only once. If all of this leaves your head spinning, hang on to this final thought: Experts say one-third of the food we produce in the world is wasted, and when that food waste ends up in landfills it produces a large amount of methane... a more powerful greenhouse gas than even carbon dioxide. That's not even taking into consideration all the wasted resources that went into growing and producing that food. Bottom line is this: If we REALLY want to be environmentally friendly, we may need to think harder about what we're putting inside those bags, and only buy and prepare what we're going to use.


Members of the Hawaii Legislature approved a bill Thursday that would establish a system of medical marijuana dispensaries statewide by next summer. Hawaii legalized medical marijuana 15 years ago, but has never provided a way to buy it legally. Patients must grow their own or have a caretaker grow it for them. House Bill 321 would allow eight companies to open two marijuana dispensaries each as soon as July 15, 2016. The bill passed the Senate unanimously with Sen. Russell Ruderman excused. House lawmakers approved the bill 38-13 after more than a half-hour of discussion. The measure goes next to Gov. David Ige, who has indicated he supports the establishment of dispensaries.. The measure had apparently died Friday after Rep. Della Au Belatti and Sen. Josh Green couldn't agree on the final version of the bill during the last hour of conference committee negotiations. But House and Senate leadership extended the deadline for negotiations on the bill after a majority of Senate members signed a petition supporting it. Senate leaders removed Green from the committee. Green didn't say anything about the bill on the floor Thursday, but submitted comments expressing reservations into the official journal. Republican Sen. Sam Slom said the measure was long overdue. "We should have done this much earlier, it should have been much sooner," he said. The measure also had a lot of support in the House, although several lawmakers expressed concerns about certain aspects of the bill. Rep. Bob McDermott, a Republican from Ewa, said that although he recognizes the need for medical marijuana dispensaries, he thinks HB 321 allows too many. "This seems to be putting the infrastructure in place for full blown legalization in five years," he said. "I don't think we need more booze, I don't think we need more drugs." Rep. Marcus Oshiro said lawmakers should take more time to learn from other states. "We only have one shot in doing the right thing the right way," he said. But most lawmakers seemed to agree with Rep. Chris Lee. The Democrat from Kailua said he supports HB 321 because it would help patients like his sister, who has been suffering from diabetes and multiple sclerosis. "This isn't a question of public safety, this is a question of helping those around us," he said. More details about the bill are available here.


We visit one of the oldest Corvette events in the world to find out. Chevrolet unveiled its completely new 2020 Corvette Stingray on Thursday, July 18. As luck would have it, the same day saw upwards of 400 Corvettes and approximately 1,000 'Vette fans roll into the small western South Dakota town of Spearfish for the 48th Black Hills Corvette Classic . This annual event is hosted by the Sioux Falls Corvette Club , and brings in Corvette owners from around the country to enjoy an incredible mix of mountain, canyon, and open prairie roads through the region. The four-day festival isn't the largest celebration of America's sports car, but having endured nearly as long as the Corvette itself, it's one of the oldest. The 2020 Corvette Stingray Revealed: 2020 Chevrolet C8 Corvette Unveiled As Mid-Engine Rocket Got Time? See The 2020 Chevy Corvette C8 In 24 Videos It also happens to be in the stomping grounds of yours truly, as I hold down Motor1.com's western office in Rapid City, just 50 miles south of the action. More importantly, the Black Hills Corvette Classic is very much a driver's event   the overwhelming majority of attendees arrive in Corvettes from the C5 generation on up, and yes, owners are predominantly of retirement age. In other words, this group is the prime audience GM hopes to reach with the new C8. Sort of, anyway. More on that in a bit, but here's a teaser. My takeaway from this event can be summed up in two words: Cautious optimism. However, Konken further explained that once the car was revealed, roughly half the crowd left without listening to details about engine, performance, or price. Is that a bad omen for GM? Possibly, but logistics could be a factor here. The C8 didn't take the stage until 9:30 PM local time, and most of the attendees had already spent a very long day on the road. And lest we forget, the average age for Corvette owners is 61, and that's an average . I actually saw one person climbing out of a C7 at the car show with an oxygen tank in tow, so yeah, this mass exodus could simply be chalked up to exhausted retirees ready for a good night's sleep. C8 Details of Note: 2020 Chevy Corvette Will Start Under $60,000 C8 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Previewed At End Of Reveal Chevy Corvette C8 Carries Over Just One Piece From C7 Let's Get Loud: Corvette C8 Allows You To Rev High At Stoplight Still, cautious optimism seems to be the key phrase for current Corvette owners, at least among this crowd. Perusing the hundreds of 'Vettes parked downtown, I had the opportunity to speak with dozens upon dozens of owners. Yes, that's a very small cross-section in the grand scheme of things, but nearly all had the same things to say, and that's noteworthy. In short, the new C8 is a good-looking car   great looking in fact. Virtually everyone agreed on that, but I didn't speak to a single person who was ready to buy one, despite a jaw-dropping entry-level price below $60,000. I didn't speak to a single person who was ready to buy one, despite a jaw-dropping entry-level price below $60,000. Why is that? The issue mentioned most was reliability. Nearly every person voiced concerns about GM getting all the bugs worked out, especially since this is a completely new vehicle. Some had heard the rumors about electrical problems in prototypes , but most were simply wary of jumping into a completely new mid-engined Corvette platform. Speaking of which, is a Corvette with the engine behind the driver really a Corvette? In general, the responses I got to this question were favorable, if vague. For the most part, current owners were more interested in the car's performance as opposed to engine location. That's not to say there weren't a handful of vocal detractors who want nothing to do with the C8. Actually, more people voiced displeasure about the C8 still not having round taillights than the mid-engine configuration, including the few younger Corvette owners attending the event (yes, they exist). Are you listening to this, Chevrolet? The Corvette's Future? Corvette May Become A Brand With Sedan, SUV, And Cadillac Copy: Rumor Chevrolet Corvette C8 Hybrid And Plug-In Rumors Already Swirling On the subject of younger owners, here's where things get dicey for GM and its new C8 Stingray. There's absolutely no doubt that Corvette buyers are getting older, and without being morbid, it's not feasible from a business standpoint to expect that demographic to grow. Yes, the Corvette needs to appeal to that older audience, but it also needs to appeal to a younger audience that might otherwise invest in a Porsche 911 or an Audi R8 . The hard part is attracting that new audience without completely alienating the loyal, existing customer base. That's not an easy thing to do. Will the C8 Corvette Stingray be able to bridge the age gap? To be blunt, it must if the Corvette hopes to survive. Exceptional performance and a low price will certainly help, and based on my evening with current Corvette owners in the heartland of America, there is some optimism that this could happen. Cautious optimism, anyway. Special thanks to Barry Konken, the Black Hills Corvette Classic , and the Sioux Falls Corvette Club . Black Hills Corvette Classic Photos by Christopher Smith / Motor1.com Follow MSN Autos on Facebook and Twitter


A day after it was reported that the New England Patriots had traded for Detroit Lions tight end Michael Roberts, the trade fell through today. Roberts was waived shortly afterward. Lions announced today that TE Michael Roberts reverted back to the team's roster, per trade conditions. Subsequently, the Lions announced that they have waived Roberts. - Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 14, 2019 Initial reports on Thursday said Roberts was headed to New England for a conditional 2020 seventh-round pick. There's a possibility that he didn't pass a physical, but no official word is out. In the wake of Rob Gronkowski's retirement this offseason, the Patriots continue to search for depth at the tight end position. Other than Ben Watson, who is suspended for the first four games of this season, they have an inexperienced group of Matt LaCosse, Stephen Anderson, Ryan Izzo and Andrew Beck. The signed free agent Austin Seferian-Jenkins this offseason but released him this month amid reported personal issues. MORE: NBA world reacts to news that Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 loss This is how the Golden State Warriors head into the offseason Ranking the 25 Best NBA Free Agents 3 players Raiders could trade before start of 2019 season Top of Packers WR depth chart takes shape following minicamp


A new nail salon has opened its doors in the neighborhood. Located at 180 N. Wacker in the Loop, the fresh addition is called Ezza Nails . University of Chicago Booth graduates Alexandra Breuer and Kimberly Marsh founded Ezza Nails with busy professional women and working moms in mind, reports abc7chicago.com . Squeeze in a manicure as early as 7 a.m. on weekdays, and book your appointment, pay for services and browse nail colors all online. Manicure services range from basic like "The Hustler" to the no-chip gel variety dubbed "The Boss." For clients seeking pretty feet, there's "The Trailblazer" pedicure. Ezza Nails has proven popular thus far, with a five-star rating out of five reviews on Yelp. R.H., who reviewed the spot on May 24, shared , "I am so impressed with Ezza! Today's manicure is the best manicure I have ever gotten. My nail technician was very detail-oriented and made sure my nails were perfect. I love that I can use their website to pick out my nail color, book an appointment and pay!" Yelper Amy W. wrote , "Obsessed. This place is absolutely beautiful and has a fun/welcoming atmosphere. The colors are gorgeous and very organized   they also use heat to take off your gel so it's much healthier for your nails. Joy, the woman who did my nails, did a fantastic job." Interested? Stop by to welcome the new business to the neighborhood. Ezza Nails is open from 7 a.m. 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. 6 p.m. on Saturday. (It's closed on Sunday.) This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Virginia Department of Social Services is accepting applications from qualifying households that need cooling assistance during the summer months. Assistance includes: Payment of electric bills to operate cooling equipment Payment of security deposits for electricity to operate cooling equipment Repair of a central air conditioning system or heat pump Purchase of a whole-house fan, including ceiling or attic fans Purchase and installation of a window unit air conditioner Eligible households must have a child less than six years of age, an individual living with a disability, or an adult age 60 or older living in the home. Households must also meet income requirements. This year, the maximum gross monthly income, before taxes, for a one-person household is $1,354 and $2,790 for a household of four. Applications can be submitted until Thursday, August 15. To learn more about the program, click here .


A man was taken to the hospital after being shot in uptown Charlotte early Thursday, police said. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police were called to a reported disturbance in a car in the area of Cedar Street and Fifth Street near Johnson & Wales University around 2:30 a.m. When officers got to the scene, they found a man who had been shot in the leg. He was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK. Police said another man in the car may be connected to the shooting. CMPD has not released any suspect information or announced any arrests.


The Rays, continuing their search for a right-handed slugger, have shown interest in Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar , Mark Feinsand and Juan Toribio of MLB.com report. Tampa Bay was previously connected to other notable right-handed hitters in the Rangers' Hunter Pence and the Tigers' Nicholas Castellanos (links: 1 , 2 ). Unlike Texas and Detroit, Milwaukee doesn't look like a potential seller going into the July 31 trade deadline. The Brewers are a game back of Wild Card position and two behind the first-place Cubs in the National League Central. As such, it's far from a sure thing the Brewers will trade Aguilar. If they do, it would have to benefit them immediately, per Feinsand and Toribio. Considering Aguilar hasn't been the integral piece of the Brewers' roster that he was during a division-winning 2018, he does look more expendable now than he did at the outset of the season. Aguilar slashed .274/.352/.539 with 35 home runs over 566 plate appearances last year to serve as one of the majors' fiercest sluggers. That production now looks like a distant memory. So far this season, Aguilar has hit a meek .230/.328/.385 with eight HRs and a massive drop in ISO (from .264 to .155). The 29-year-old has raked in July (.342/.395/.684 in 43 PA), but it's the sole month in which Aguilar has registered above-average production at the plate. He and the lefty-swinging Eric Thames , who's having a much better season, have been platooning at first for the Brew Crew. For all the faults in Aguilar's bottom-line production, there are reasons for hope. For one, he remains something of a Statcast favorite. There's a wide chasm between Aguilar's weighted-on base average (.312) and expected wOBA (.351). He ranks in the league's 72nd percentile in xwOBA and checks in similarly well in expected slugging percentage (65th) and exit velocity (66th). And contrary to many other power hitters, Aguilar's not overly prone to striking out. He has fanned a reasonable 22.9 percent of the time (with a better-than-average 12.3 percent walk rate), posted a decent 11.3 percent swinging-strike rate and chased out-of-zone pitches less than most hitters. Should the Brewers part with Aguilar, an acquiring team would be landing a player who's cheap now and under control for a while. Aguilar, currently on a near-minimum salary, is slated to take his first of three potential arbitration trips during the upcoming offseason.


Yankees veteran Troy Tulowitzki has begun taking grounders at third base as well as his accustomed shortstop position, MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reports on Twitter . Tulowitzki is said to have approached the club to express a willingness to move around the infield. The 34-year-old Tulowitzki has never appeared at a position other than shortstop in his 13 seasons at the MLB level. (That's also true of his 1200+ frames in the minors.) That's a reflection of his well-deserved reputation for quality glovework at the game's most challenging defensive position as well as his former excellence as as hitter. Teams have simply never had cause to utilize Tulowitzki elsewhere on the diamond, though there's little reason to think he wouldn't thrive in other positions. Unfortunately, Tulo made it through only thirty innings of action this year before he was once again sidelined with a lower-body injury (this time, his calf). Even as he continues to work back to full strength, the man he was brought in to cover for   the younger Didi Gregorius   has made his own steady progress. Gregorius's star rose steadily in New York before Tommy John surgery last October. Despite a rehab timeline that stretched into the middle of the 2019 campaign, the Yanks staked $12.4M in arbitration salary on him. So long as Gregorius makes it back as hoped   he's still due to return at some point in June   there isn't much of a path to playing time at short for Tulowitzki. Indeed, it's not clear there'll be a roster spot at all, even with third baseman Miguel Andujar sidelined for the duration of the season. Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu are clearly at the top of the depth chart. Somehow, most of the Yanks' fill-in infielders have produced at strong levels. Gio Urshela has been particularly impressive, turning in a robust .346/.400/.490 output in 115 plate appearances. And Thairo Estrada has posted a .303/.324/.545 slash through his first 35 turns at the MLB dish. Injuries or setbacks could always intervene, as this team well knows, but there could be some tough choices when Tulowitzki and Gregorius are both healthy. It's hard to fathom the Yankees bumping the out-of-options Urshela from the roster   barring a sudden collapse, at least. Estrada can be optioned, though that would only account for one roster spot. Switch-hitting slugger Kendrys Morales is the most vulnerable member of the roster, but he's off to a hot start in The Bronx and offers a much-needed lefty bat.


Three people were taken into custody following a homicide in north Charlotte Monday afternoon, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. CMPD said the shooting happened around 3 p.m. near the intersection of Beatties Ford Road and Lasalle Street. Officers said they found a female with a gunshot wound when they arrived. Medic pronounced the victim deceased. "There are a lot of people at the scene. Some very emotional. Others filled with anger," said Walton. The suspects were found near the scene, CMPD said. "Community stepped up. Gave good descriptions," said NBC Charlotte's Xavier Walton. No names have been released. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Stay with NBC Charlotte for the latest on this developing story. MORE STORIES ON WCNC.COM Two suspects in deadly house fire identified; search underway for body in Catawba River How early do you really need to get to the airport? 'You can hold onto the memory' | Police officer's daughter makes teddy bears for families of fallen


Free agency is just days away and teams have already begun talking to potential unrestricted free agents about joining their club. Franchise players don't often hit the open market, but it looks like a superstar netminder could make it to July 1st. Sergei Bobrovsky will likely test free agency and unless something unexpected happens, it appears as though he'll be leaving the Columbus Blue Jackets. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few months, you've probably heard that the Florida Panthers are the front-runners for his services. Whether Bobrovsky goes to Florida or not, there will only be one franchise goaltender available in free agency but there are several teams that need to add a goaltender before the start of next season. Some teams need to upgrade their starting netminder, but most simply need to add a backup that can help win them games. Let's take a look at which teams could stand to add a body between the pipes this summer. • Buffalo Sabres : Carter Hutton got off to a great start last year, but he fall apart in a hurry. The Sabres have to find a proven starting netminder if they're going to turn this thing around. Will they be able to attract a quality free agent or will they need to pull the trigger on a trade? • Calgary Flames : Veteran Mike Smith will be a free agent on July 1st and David Rittich needs a new contract too (he's a restricted free agent). Rittich will probably be back, but they could use another proven commodity between the pipes if they're going to be serious about winning the Western Conference. • Carolina Hurricanes : The Hurricanes made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Final with Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney , which was very surprising. But both goalies are set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1st and the 'Canes need a capable starter to replace them should they go elsewhere. Carolina acquired Anton Forsberg from Chicago on Monday, but he's nothing more than a backup goalie at this point. • Colorado Avalanche : Getting Philipp Grubauer from Washington last year proved to be a great move by general manager Joe Sakic. Now, he has to make sure he gets a capable backup goalie to add to this group assuming Semyon Varlamov doesn't come back. • Columbus Blue Jackets : If Bobrovsky walks, they need to make sure they land a goalie that can help get them back into the playoff picture. Losing him isn't going to be an easy pill to swallow. • Edmonton Oilers : The Oilers gave Miro Koskinen a three-year extension during the last season so whether Oilers fans like him or not, he's probably going to be the starter heading into 2019-20. If that's in fact the case, they need a capable backup goalie to play roughly 30 contests. • Florida Panthers : We already mentioned the Panthers earlier on in this post, so it's obvious that they have a need. Roberto Luongo can't stay healthy and James Reimer isn't a starting goaltender. They need to do everything they can to make sure they can close a deal with Bobrovsky as soon as possible. This is a huge need for them. • Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price is the clear-cut starter in Montreal. Will they roll with Charlie Lindgren as his backup or will they opt for a more experienced netminder. It wouldn't be shocking to see them bring in a free agent, especially given Price's injury history. • New York Islanders: Robin Lehner was arguably the biggest surprise of the 2018-19 season. The Isles netminder was a Vezina Trophy finalist, but his contract expires on July 1st. Thomas Greiss has one year remaining on his deal. Greiss can be a 1B goalie, so the Isles would need to add 40 to 50 starts if Lehner decides to go elsewhere next week. • Philadelphia Flyers : Carter Hart was impressive during a 31-game stint during his rookie season, but Brian Elliott , Cam Talbot and Michal Neuvirth are all scheduled to become free agents on July 1st. The Flyers need to make sure they find a veteran to play behind Hart. • Toronto Maple Leafs : The Leafs didn't trust Garret Sparks to get the job done as Frederik Andersen 's backup down the stretch last season, so what makes them think he could give them 20-25 good starts next year? They probably won't have the cap space to add a quality backup goalie though.   Joey Alfieri is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @joeyalfieri .


Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant may have only played for the Bucs for two seasons back in 2008 and 2009, but he's remained a strong supporter of the team ever since his retirement. Bryant not only wants the team to go back to their old creamsicle jerseys (permanently) , but he's also a firm believer that wide receiver Chris Godwin is ready to " ball out this year ." But, if you thought Bryant was done making bold predictions about his former team, think again. And, this latest one might be the boldest yet. Take a look. Telling you Coach @BruceArians gonna have the @Buccaneers in the playoffs this year…Just watch!! - (@ab89) June 10, 2019 The Bucs haven't made the postseason since 2007 and have had losing records in seven of the last eight years. And, given that the team will go 49 days between true home games this upcoming season, Bruce Arians will certainly have his work cut out for him in his first year with the team. If he does manage to navigate the Bucs to the postseason, you can be sure he'd be a favorite to take home the Coach of the Year award for a third time (with his third team). I'm sure he'd have Antonio Bryant's vote. MORE: NHL fans weren't impressed with Mike Milbury's questions for Pam from 'The Office' Bears believe Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a better player than Adrian Amos Brian Gaine's failure in Houston has a lesson for the Lions and Bob Quinn TE Darren Waller has the most to gain during Raiders' training camp Bears believe Clinton-Dix is an upgrade over Amos


Equipped with fishing rods and thick gloves, a group of people peers into the water from one of the many boats that line Amsterdam's famous canals. But it's not fish they're hunting on their cruise along one of the Dutch capital's most famous tourist attractions -- it's plastic. With eco-tourism booming around the world, the canal cruises run by the Dutch group Plastic Whale are reeling in big business. "It's a completely other way of visiting Amsterdam," Plastic Whale founder Marius Smit told AFP. "Obviously you're on the beautiful canals of Amsterdam in a really nice boat, but at the same time you're active as well, and you add something positive to the canals and to the city because you're making it cleaner." Smit set up the company eight years ago, aiming to create "economic value" from the plastic waste the tours dredge from the canals. Plastic bottles are separated from the rest of the trash and are then recycled to be used in office furniture -- or in building more Plastic Whale boats. In 2018 the Plastic Whale cruises, which also run in the port city of Rotterdam, drew 12,000 visitors and this year they expect more, said Smit. Britain's Prince Harry was due to be among the visitors earlier this year but had to cancel due to the birth of his son Archie. - Pineapples and shoes - On a hot summer's morning, seven people are lined up on the bright green boat decorated with smiling whales. Angela Katz, an Australian who has lived in Amsterdam for just over a year, is on her second tour, after learning about the cruises through Facebook. "I really enjoyed it but also it's really eye-opening just how much rubbish there is in the canals," said the 51-year-old graphic designer, fishing rod in hand. During the two-hour tour they fish out a bizarre range of objects including various shoes, ski gloves, bleached out soda cans, wine bottles, a nappy, and even a whole pineapple. "I think the Netherlands has an image of being very environmentally friendly so it is surprising," added Katz, who brought her husband on the cruise as well as two friends and their three children who were visiting Amsterdam. One of those friends, Guy O'Loughnane, from Vancouver in Canada, said he was particularly surprised by the amount of "stuff that is not even used", such as unopened bottles. Last year, the thousands of amateur fishermen on Plastic Whale's boats collected 46,000 plastic bottles, said Smit. "And for every bag of bottles that we take out of the canals, we take out two or three bags of other kinds of materials," he added. - 'Tourists aren't careful' - Plastic in the sea, rivers and other waterways is a problem around the globe, causing harm to marine ecosystems. Just how much plastic is in the canals of the city dubbed the Venice of the North is hard to estimate, but solutions are easier to find. "Tourists aren't careful," says Angela Katz as she stands in front of a pile of rubbish. Marius Smit says however that despite the growing strain on Amsterdam from huge numbers of tourists, local residents are also "careless with their own waste". "It's a combination of factors," he says, explaining that the city's bins fill up more quickly because of the numbers of tourists, and then people simply place their rubbish beneath them. "So before you know it there is a lot of waste on the streets, then it begins to rain or the wind begins to blow and it rains or blows into the canals," he says. Amsterdam is increasingly a victim of its own success, with its canals, architecture and notorious red light district attracting around 18 million visitors last year, more than the entire population of the Netherlands. The Plastic Whale tours are part of a growing trend, with Amsterdam authorities separately launching a series of initiatives to direct tourists to alternative activities and ease the pressure on the top sites. Smit however says that tourists are outnumbered by the Dutch on the cruises. "Interest in the environment is growing explosively within Dutch society in general," he said.


Chelsea winger Willian is close to agreeing to a new two-year contract at Stamford Bridge. The Brazil international, who featured in their opening match against Bolivia at the Copa América, was set to enter the final year of his contract in west London next season. But following confirmation that the club will have to serve a two-window transfer ban, Chelsea are now looking to extend some players' contracts to offer a little extra security over their respective futures. SunSport claims that Willian is one name on Chelsea's list, with it being added that the 30-year-old has already agreed on personal terms with the club, and formalities now have to be gone through before he can officially put pen to paper. First signing for the club in a €35m deal from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013, Willian has gone on to make 292 appearances for them across all competitions. Throughout his six-year spell in west London, Willian has been heavily linked with moves elsewhere and most notably to join Barcelona . A rumoured move to Catalonia popped up in headlines again heading into this year's summer transfer window, but Willian's new contract should put speculation with Barça on the back burners for the time being. Although Chelsea are officially barred from signing anyone this summer - their ban specifically stops them from registering new players - the Blues will welcome January signing Christian Pulisic the club for the first time. The USMNT star officially joined the club in a €64m deal during the January transfer window, but Pulisic was immediately loaned back to Borussia Dortmund for the remainder of the league season.


This classic has a number of other customizations. Having a completely unique car is a great way to stand out from the crowd at shows, cruises and other gatherings. This custom 1965 Plymouth Fury II Convertible is a tasteful way to make a big impression. It packs a powerful modern engine, numerous other performance upgrades, plus plenty of striking good looks. Art & Speed Classic Car Gallery is offering this unique Mopar for sale. First off, the go-factor in this Plymouth is impressive. It uses a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 heart transplant from a 2004 Ram 1500 pickup truck, so you get plenty of reliable power. Mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain runs smoothly. To balance that out, the car also comes with a Wilwood master cylinder, plus oversized Wilwood front brake calipers and cross-drilled discs. The combination means this Fury is a serious athlete. As can clearly be seen in the pictures, you get plenty of custom show elements in this Plymouth. The exterior touches are most notable, especially the 20-inch wheels in the front and 22-inch wheels in the rear, giving the car an aggressive stance. A Gray Green metallic paint presents cleanly and offers a sophisticated tone to the car. Most of the original side trim was removed, keeping the presentation simple. Keeping with the spirit of the car's feel is a black Hartz cloth top, which works properly. Even more impressive is the fact the interior is largely original, especially the dash, gauges, controls, and the floor-mounted Lokar shifter. Even the black vinyl seats seem to be what were in this Plymouth when it rolled off the assembly line. What looks like fresh carpeting adds a plushness to the space, while modern entertainment value comes via a Pioneer sound system with CD player tucked out of sight in the glove box. The Plymouth Fury enjoyed a long production run from 1955 to 1978, with many police departments and taxi services using the car, thanks to its reputation for being tough. It was in 1965 that Plymouth released three special full-sized Fury models called the Fury I, Fury II, and Fury III. The greater the number, the more luxurious the car's trim. Of course, this particular one has been customized beyond its original offering. More Cars 1969 Plymouth Road Runner Heads To The Auction Block Blazing Red 1965 Plymouth Belvedere Gets Engine Upgrade


The two suspects were holed up with automatic weapons on the South Side of Chicago, barricading themselves in with two terrified hostages on a cold November day in 1976. The duo had fired shots at police after being busted in the middle of a robbery at a currency-exchange office, then fled to a nearby apartment and forced their way in. Now, hundreds of officers surrounded the building, and the standoff seemed likely to end in gunfire. One of the robbers, James Shelton, knew exactly who to call. "I asked for Russ Ewing," he told Parade magazine nearly two decades later, after getting out of prison. "I'd seen him on TV." Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post Ewing, a television news reporter who would ultimately get more than 115 wanted criminals to turn themselves in to law enforcement, had developed a reputation for being a trusted mediator between suspects and police. Shouting up the stairs from the first floor of the building, he slowly talked the men into putting their guns down, telling them that even spending 15 years in prison was better than dying. Eventually, the gunmen agreed to walk out with him and surrender. "In something like this, you've just got to gamble," Ewing told the Chicago Tribune afterward. "You take your chance, and if it works out, you're a hero. If not, you're dead." Over the course of more than three decades at WMAQ-NBC 5 and WLS-ABC 7 in Chicago, Ewing often put his own life at risk to negotiate with murderers and hostage-takers. Many of those suspects chose to turn themselves into Ewing because they feared being harmed while in police custody, according to the Chicago Sun-Times . The newsman would photograph them before they surrendered, so they would have evidence that they hadn't already been roughed up before they arrived at the jail. "He would give them the dignity of a righteous surrender and they wouldn't be abused or mistreated," Marijane Placek, an assistant public defender, told the Tribune in 1995. On Tuesday, Ewing died of complications from bladder cancer at his home in Paw Paw, Mich., Patricia L. Arnold, a longtime friend and former colleague, told the Tribune. He was 95. His wife, Ruth, died in 2004, and he had no immediate survivors, according to the paper. Born on the South Side of Chicago, Ewing was orphaned as a young child and raised by relatives. He told Parade in 1995 that he dreamed of being a commercial pilot, but ended up working as a Chicago firefighter instead. Also an accomplished jazz pianist who could reportedly play any tune by ear , he cashed in on his musical talents as a teenager, but grew tired of the late-night club scene. "I didn't smoke, I didn't drink, I didn't like nightlife, so after a while, I said, 'This isn't for me,'" he explained, according to ABC 7 . While working as a firefighter, Ewing began dabbling in journalism, the Tribune reported. He wrote articles criticizing the fire department for the Chicago Defender, the city's influential African American newspaper. In 1964, he made a career change, quitting his fire department job to become a courier at WMAQ, a local NBC affiliate. When a reporting job in the newsroom opened up several years later, he jumped on it. From the start, Ewing's intimate knowledge of the city, and his own experience playing in the South Side's housing projects as a child, helped him build trust with people who might otherwise be unlikely to open up to a reporter. "He had the ability to relate to people, especially in the black community," Jim Stricklin, a former colleague, told the Sun-Times . "They knew him and respected him." In 1969, still fresh on the job, he learned that he had a knack for defusing difficult situations. Ewing had shown up to cover a standoff at the Robert Taylor Homes, a notorious housing project on the South Side of Chicago, where a mentally ill man was holding his mother and several children hostage. "The cops couldn't get him out, so I said, 'Let me see if I can talk to the guy,'" Ewing later told the Associated Press. "He recognized me and I talked to him for a few minutes, and he came out peacefully." Over time, Ewing developed a reputation as an honest mediator who would offer a sympathetic ear and remain calm in the tensest of situations. By 1992, he told the AP, so many criminals wanted to surrender to him that he was too busy to deal with anyone who wasn't a murderer. One public defender later speculated that though suspects initially began calling Ewing because police officers on the South Side had a reputation for abusing the people they arrested, surrendering to the reporter came to be something of a fad, and a way for some criminals to gain notoriety. Though initially skeptical, police came to welcome Ewing's involvement. In 1982, Lt. John Seamans, the head of the Chicago Police Department's hostage negotiating unit, told the Tribune that he refused to authorize Ewing to meet with hostage-takers, since the reporter wasn't properly trained and could put both himself and the hostages in danger. A decade later, however, police had come to see Ewing's unique role as an asset. "Russ is very helpful to me and my police detectives by bringing people in and saving us manpower," John Stibich, the chief of detectives for the Chicago Police Department, told the AP in 1992. "And, we're not getting hurt trying to arrest them. I'll take anything to get murders off the streets." It was up to Ewing to make sure he didn't get into a dangerous situation, Stibich added, noting that the reporter had "good common sense." Dealing with fugitives accused of committing violent crimes could certainly get dicey. In an oral history for the The HistoryMakers , a site collecting the stories of prominent African Americans, Ewing recalled that he once went to pick up a suspect who was hiding out in an abandoned building in Gary, Ind., after killing two people. He found the man sitting on an old couch with a half bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey and .357 Magnum handgun. The accused murderer, who knew he was headed to prison, told Ewing that he just wanted to shoot his gun one more time before he went back. Then, he started firing at the ceiling. "I looked at him, and I said, 'That looks like fun,'" Ewing remembered. "He said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'Let me try it.' He handed me the gun and I fired three shots up in the ceiling. I was trying to get rid of the bullets. I didn't care nothing about shooting up into the ceiling. I just wanted to make sure he didn't have any more bullets. And I said, 'You got some more bullets? We can do that some more.'" To Ewing's relief, the man said he was out. After chatting a while, he allowed Ewing to bring him to the police station. Typically, journalistic ethics prohibit reporters from intervening in ways that would alter the outcome of a story. But in a 1982 interview with the Tribune, Ewing dismissed those concerns. "I've been criticized by those in the critic's chairs, but I've been applauded by the general public," he told the paper. "And I play to the gallery. So to hell with the experts. And until I fail I'll keep on doing what I do." Ewing also candidly admitted that his daring exploits were good for ratings. A former colleague, Frank Mathie, told the Tribune that the newsman wasn't above self-promotion: He would walk into the police station with his arm tightly wrapped around the suspect, so that rival TV stations couldn't crop him out of their shots. He also eventually fulfilled his dream of being a pilot by getting his own plane, and would fly to pick up suspects who were on the run. Though best known for escorting wanted criminals into custody, Ewing also covered weighty topics such as discriminatory lending practices at urban banks, and went undercover as an inmate to report on conditions in the Cook County Jail, which won him one of nine Emmys he would receive over the course of his career. He wrote a book, "Buried Dreams," about John Wayne Gacy, later recalling that he got the serial killer to open up by bringing him chicken sandwiches for lunch everyday during his first murder trial. Gacy, in Ewing's retelling, really hated the bologna sandwiches that were served in jail, and eventually told Ewing his life story. At the age of 71, Ewing announced that he was retiring from television, but he didn't stop fielding calls from people who wanted to surrender to police. In 1998, when he made a brief return as a special correspondent on Channel 5, he told the Tribune that suspects were still contacting him three years after he went off the air. "I can't turn these people down if they call me," he said.


Get ready for lots of fireworks this 4th of July weekend   both on and off the race track at Daytona International Speedway. This race marks the first time the 2.5-mile track hosts a Cup race without restrictor plates since 1988, utilizing instead the tapered spacer   which we've already seen used once this year at Talladega Superspeedway. Both the Cup and Xfinity Series will be in action at Daytona. The Truck Series is off until July 11 at Kentucky Speedway. Here are the updated entry lists for this weekend's races: Cup   Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7:30 p.m. ET Saturday on NBC) There is a full 40-car field of cars and drivers entered for this race. For the second time this season, Garrett Smithley is entered in Premium Motorsports' No. 15 Chevrolet. Quin Houff will drive the No. 15 for Premium Motorsports. Ross Chastain will be in the No. 27 for Premium Motorsports. B.J. McLeod makes his ninth start of the season for Petty Ware Racing in the No. 51 Ford J.J. Yeley makes his third start of the season for Rick Ware Racing in the No. 52 Ford. Joey Gase makes his first start of the season for Rick Ware Racing in the No. 53 Chevrolet. Brendan Gaughan makes his third start of the season for Beard Racing in the No. 62 Chevrolet. Justin Haley is back in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. And Parker Kligerman makes his eighth start of the season in the No. 96 Toyota for Gaunt Brothers Racing. Last year, Erik Jones earned his first career Cup win in this race. Martin Truex Jr. was second and A.J. Allmendinger finished third. Click here for the entry list. Xfinity   Circle K Firecracker 250 (7:30 p.m. ET Friday on NBCSN) There are 42 cars entered. Four cars will not make the race. Sheldon Creed makes his third Xfinity start of the season and the first for JR Motorsports in the No. 8 Chevrolet. A.J. Allmendinger makes his first Xfinity start of the season in the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet. Joe Nemecheck makes his second Xfinity start of the season in the No. 13 Motorsports Business Management Toyota. Riley Herbst makes his fifth start of 2019 in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Joe Graf Jr. makes his second start of 2019 in the No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Chris Cockrum makes his third start for ACG Motorsports in the No. 25 Chevrolet. Shane Lee makes his third start for H2 Motorsports in the No. 28 Toyota. Austin Hill makes his Xfinity Series debut in the No. 61 Hattori Racing Enterprises Toyota. Jeffrey Earnhardt is on the entry list with the No. 81 XCI Racing Toyota but stated on Twitter that the team would not be competing this weekend. A spokesperson for True Speed Communications, which had done PR for XCI Racing, said they had no additional info and that its agreement with the team was only through Chicagoland. Unfortunately I won't be running this weekend @DISupdates . I'm looking forward to getting back in the car soon.   Jeffrey Earnhardt (@JEarnhardt1) July 3, 2019 Caesar Bacarella makes his third start of 2019 in the No. 90 DGM Racing Chevrolet. Cody Ware makes his second Xfinity start of the season in the No. 99 B.J. McLeod Motorsports Toyota. Kyle Larson won this race last year, followed by Elliott Sadler and Christopher Bell . Click here for the entry list. Follow @JerryBonkowski


Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is thought to be of interest to Juventus in their hunt for a new head coach to replace the departed Massimiliano Allegri, with the latest gossip claiming that the former Napoli boss has now been offered a deal from Turin. Sarri gazed lovingly at the first winner's medal of his career in Baku on Wednesday night as Chelsea lifted the Europa League, but the 60-year-old has been treated appallingly for much of his first season in charge by some sections of the English media. It's been a tough first year for Sarri but look how much that medal means to him. pic.twitter.com/hTizLQ9l1Q   FourFourTwo ⚽ (@FourFourTwo) May 30, 2019 As well as delivering a European trophy, Sarri guided Chelsea to third place in the Premier League - when Manchester United and Arsenal both missed out on the top four - and reached the Carabao Cup final, where it required a penalty shootout for Manchester City to prevail. That was without the chance to really put his own stamp on the squad after the messy saga that surrounded his appointment and the departure of Antonio Conte that wasn't resolved until mid-July when there were only three weeks of the summer transfer window remaining. According to the Daily Mirror , Sarri has been offered a three-year contract with an annual salary of £6.2m - worth £18.6m in total - to return to his native Italy and join Juventus ahead of the 2019/20 season. Given everything, few could begrudge him leaving. The story notes that despite seemingly contacting Sarri and/or his representatives, Juve are yet to make any kind of approach to Chelsea over releasing the coach from his £5m contract. Furthermore, the Daily Mail report that Sarri's representative Fali Ramadani has flown in to London for scheduled showdown talks with the Chelsea hierarchy, to discuss the Italian manager's future at the club. Sarri has two years left on the deal he signed in west London last summer and it was recently reported that, despite rife speculation of him being 'under pressure', Chelsea are not minded to sack him and would insist on compensation if he leaves for another club.


Following the Red Sox bullpen needing to work close to nine innings Saturday night with David Price leaving in the first inning due to the flu, help was needed. Prior to Sunday's series finale against the Astros, left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez was recalled from Double-A Portland. The 22-year-old made his major league debut on April 23 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Tigers where he threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings with one walk, four strikeouts, and four hits allowed. In seven games (six starts) for Portland he is holding opponents to a .202 batting average. Hernandez is one of the top prospects in the Red Sox farm system. To make room for him, right-hander Colten Brewer was optioned back to Triple-A.


Chicago Bears rookie RB David Montgomery is the talk of the NFL after his impressive debut against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 of the 2019 preseason. He totaled 46 yards on six touches and scored on a gorgeous seven-yard touchdown run. Here are all of his touches from Week 1: MORE: Browns mob touchdown scorer who slept outside a gym during tryouts Matt Nagy can't stop gushing about Bears RB David Montgomery Duke Johnson trade: what they're saying around the NFL Good, bad and ugly from Packers' preseason-opening win over Texans 3 Studs and 2 Duds in Seahawks preseason opener


It's here. The long-rumored Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, stuffed with the Hellcat 6.2-liter supercharged V8 and sending 707 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. It's outrageous, and intoxicating, and delightfully unhinged. I've just spent the day driving the Trackhawk, on the roads of Maine and New Hampshire and on the brand-new, never-before-raced-on circuit at Club Motorsports in Tamworth, NH . We'll have a full review of the Trackhawk coming soon, but in the meantime, these are the six things you have to know about the world's quickest, most powerful SUV. 1. Hell Yeah It's Fast Not just fast for an SUV. Extravagantly fast. Deliriously quick. On the road, you throw the hammer down and the thing just rockets away, from any speed, in any gear. Out in rural Maine, where winding two-lane roads taunt you with impossibly short passing zones, the Trackhawk makes even the most daring passes with ease. The TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic rips through whipcrack upshifts that get firmer in Sport mode and downright violent in Track. It's got power everywhere, but the fat part of the power band starts around 3500 rpm. And unlike the other Hellcat offerings, thanks to full-time all-wheel drive, the Trackhawk's acceleration is completely and utterly drama-free. 2. It Might Even Be a Little Faster Than Jeep Claims Jeep quotes a 3.5-second zero to 60 time for the Trackhawk, a figure that puts the 5350-lb five-seat SUV neck and neck with a Dodge Viper. I get the feeling Jeep's official number is a touch conservative on multiple acceleration runs using Launch Control, I was able to cut a 3.3-second sprint to 60 (as measured by the car's Performance Pages dashboard app). Conditions were textbook ideal: The ambient temperature was cool and I was running on the brand-new pavement of Club Motorsport's long straightaway. But there was no magic touch, no delicate finesse required: Just mash the brake and pin the throttle as Launch Control instructs, then drop the brake and let the all-wheel drive system find the traction for you. And speaking of Launch Control... 3. It Shares Launch Control Goodies With the Dodge Demon Unlike most performance cars, the Trackhawk's launch control doesn't just rev the engine against the brakes. The muscle Jeep utilizes Torque Fill, a system first designed for the 840-horsepower, wheelie-popping Dodge Challenger SRT Demon . Working like an aftermarket "stutter box," Launch Control holds the engine at a preset RPM, spooling up the supercharger and manipulating its bypass valve to build maximum boost as the engine burbles and misfires (or more accurately, mis-fuels) like a drag car on a two-step rev limiter. Jeep opted not to install the Demon's trans brake on the Trackhawk, so a left-foot-brake launch is your only option. Believe me, it's all you need. Drop the brake, and the torque hits like a mallet, the big-body SUV squatting hard on its haunches and ripping through upshifts so forceful, you'll worry that you might swallow your own tongue. Jeep says the Trackhawk is good for an 11.6-second quarter-mile. I believe it. 4. It's Not Just For Straight Lines With 707 horses and the wallop of an all-wheel drive launch, the Trackhawk is assuredly rad for drag racing and stoplight supremacy. But that's not this pony's only trick. The ultra Grand Cherokee gets Bilstein multi-mode adaptive dampers and specific chassis tuning to live up to its fictitious bird namesake. Around Club Motorsport's 15-corner, 2.5-mile circuit piled with several hundred feet of elevation changes, the hot rod Jeep felt completely composed. You just have to keep reminding yourself what it is. Thundering down the long straightaway, your brain notes the unyielding rocket acceleration, the redline scream of that supercharged V8, and assumes you're strapped into a sports car. Then you bend it into a sweeper and realize that the center of gravity, and your posterior, are both about a foot higher off the ground than you were anticipating. It's giddying, mainly because the big truck never feels out of place on the race track despite its heft and height. There's roll, and it's easy enough to overwhelm the front tires if you're not careful the Hellcat engine and its requisite cooling upgrades add 200-plus pounds to the Grand Cherokee's snout. But the body motions never turn queasy, the huge Brembo brakes never lose their massive stopping power, and the unbeatable traction makes you want to go full throttle earlier and earlier with each apex. 5. It Doesn't Sound Exactly Like the Hellcats You Know Perhaps the signature aural feature of the Challenger and Charger Hellcat (and, of course, the Demon) is the high-pitched supercharger whine that accompanies all but the tiniest throttle prods. The Trackhawk announces its forced induction more subtly. A tricky new air intake system utilizes a Heimholtz resonance chamber to attenuate some of the Hellcat's howl. It's effective: At full throttle, the supercharger sound is audible, but not overwhelming inside the cabin, nearly disappearing under lighter loads. Jeep says this subdued sound is more in step with the five-seat, family-friendly Grand Cherokee, a top-rung luxury SUV that, in Trackhawk trim, starts at $86,000. Me? I miss the satanic slide-whistle yawp. Thankfully, an engineer pointed out that the Heimholtz doohicky should be easy enough for an owner to remove. 6. It Bears Repeating, Once Again, How Devastatingly Quick This Off-Roader Is Consider the Trackhawk's competition. The BMW X5 M commands a smooch over $100,000; the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S adds nearly $60,000 to that. Both do 0-60 in 3.8 seconds, meaning they'd get smoked by the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. This Jeep sprints, turns and brakes to beat Europe's hottest performance SUVs, tows 7200 lbs., sounds like your favorite old-school dragster, and looks menacing as all hell doing it. We'll have lots more to say about the Trackhawk in the coming days, but for now, consider us mighty impressed. Research the Jeep Grand Cherokee on MSN Autos | Find a Jeep Grand Cherokee near you