Coming off a string of penalties from Twitter, user CarpeDonktum has seen his fortunes blossom once more: the most powerful man in the world tweeted out his meme. On Friday, President Donald Trump tweeted a video of a doctored Time magazine animation that nodded to concerns he may seek to stay in office beyond constitutional limits. As the video zooms in on Trump standing behind a re-election lawn sign, the years on the sign tick higher and higher, an apparent joke about remaining in office for tens of thousands of years. "It's clearly a joke, and to the people who were saying that he would never leave office, I don't think you can interpret it any other way," CarpeDonktum, who declined to provide his real name and says he made the video and posted the first known instance of it online, told Newsweek in a phone conversation. "That's how ridiculous the statement is. Is he really going to be president until the year 10,000?" Political observers were less keen on this particular strain of humor, as the president has, in many prior instances, made references to remaining in office beyond two terms. His supporters revel in this facetious, lib-triggering banter. Critics worry that the joke is concealing some measure of truth. Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a New York University professor who studies authoritarian rulers, told The Washington Post she believes "everything that [Trump] says is a trial balloon   even his, quote, jokes are trial balloons." But the creator of the meme blasted out by Trump doesn't share any of these concerns, saying he doesn't "think that there's a problem." "Jokes are jokes," he said. "And if you want to freak out about jokes, then I don't know there's anything I can say to calm you down about it." CarpeDonktum told Newsweek that he's "been a supporter of Trump since a couple weeks after his announcement" that he was running for president in 2015. "When he came down the escalator, his speech was good and all that," he said. "I've been a supporter since then. And then it was for sure cemented after the primary debates. They were all losers except for Trump." Perhaps unwittingly, perhaps winkingly, Trump has used his massive reach on social media to give a platform to all sorts of odds and ends collecting around the Twitterverse. He has boosted the likes of white nationalists, trolls and Russia-linked bots, granting instant credibility to obscure individuals in a manner unlike any other president. On the idea that the pipeline from random internet user to the Oval Office can be so direct, CarpeDonktum said that he thinks "it's good that we have a communications network where that is possible, for better or for worse." "No, I'm not worried about" the unfettered access to the president's attention, he added. But when pressed on the idea that his content may be suggesting to some of Trump's supporters that a violation of the two-term limit could be a legitimate belief   more than half of Republicans are willing to support the suspension of the 2020 elections, according to a 2017 poll   CarpeDonktum said this concern was absolutely overblown. "There are lots of people that [believe] lots of things, and I don't think any of them have any power," he said. "Our Democracy is robust enough to be able to handle a situation like that really quickly." CarpeDonktum is perhaps most recently known as the creator of another meme the president shared, depicting former Vice President Joe Biden, in a doctored apology video, sneaking up behind himself in the same manner that brought him much criticism earlier this year. "WELCOME BACK JOE," the president wrote alongside the edited video, which was originally conceived by Biden to address concerns that he has violated women's personal space. The president, through some his tweets, has also given rise to violent content. He has tweeted a doctored video of himself punching a physical representation of CNN in the face. He has also tweeted a doctored video of himself striking a golf ball that knocks Hillary Clinton in the head. All of these videos appear to have been sourced from unswept corners of the internet. CarpeDonktum was once suspended from Twitter for eight days   he says, unfairly   after, he alleges, the Krassenstein brothers (now banned themselves) led a campaign to report a video he had edited that portrayed CNN reporter Jim Acosta being assaulted. "They're very heavy handed towards conservatives and very lenient towards people that would be on the Democratic side of the aisle," he complained about Twitter's enforcement. Conservatives have long protested that their accounts are primary enforcement targets for social media companies. The reality appears somewhat more favorable for conservatives. An April study from the progressive media watchdog Media Matters For America found that right-leaning and left-leaning Facebook pages earned nearly identical engagement. This conflicts with the claims of many conservative users that their content is being systematically disadvantaged. Fox News alone often gets more engagement on Facebook than any other publisher. CarpeDonktum claimed that, in addition to Friday's tweet and the Biden video, the president has shared his content to the @realDonaldTrump account's 61 million Twitter followers two other times. In at least one of these instances, Twitter removed the video for infringing on a Warner Bros copyright, music from the new Batman film, "The Dark Knight Rises." As a meme creator, CarpeDonktum insisted he does "due diligence" to make sure this presidential megaphone isn't used to amplify anything potentially harmful. "I do my due diligence on watching what I'm posting and making sure, as far as I can tell, nothing I'm doing is inciting violence," he said. "That's not my thing. There are other people that do post things that I do think are too violent. That's their prerogative." He believes that Trump "has not posted anything that's more controversial" than what the cable news networks play and that the president's engagement "is an advantage for him." "I think he's doing a fantastic job," CarpeDonktum said. He said he has no idea how his video made it to the president's feed   it's been around since October   nor does he care that the watermark crediting his handle was removed. But CarpeDonktum was confident that Trump will continue to disseminate his memes moving forward. "I'm sure he will," he predicted. Sign up to our newsletter and get Newsweek stories delivered to your e-mail


The 2019 NFL season is still a couple months away from kicking off, so to help get through that last handful of weeks before we immerse ourselves in NFL football again, we are going to be reliving some of the best moments in Denver Broncos history. And why not start right at the top? Many fans consider the biggest win in team history to be its first Super Bowl victory, all the way back in Super Bowl XXXII over the Green Bay Packers. If that's the biggest win, the biggest play in that game was made by the most beloved player in team history, John Elway. Let's rewind our clocks to the 1997 season and remember how these two teams reached the Super Bowl. The Packers were the defending champs and captured the NFC Central with a 13-3 regular-season record. They won their two conference playoff games by a combined 27 points. The Broncos took the much more difficult road, having to get to the Super Bowl as a wild card. As a result, the Packers came into the game favored by 11 points. But the Broncos kept it close throughout, and with the game hanging in the balance, Elway made what was arguably the most iconic play in team history. The play came with 2:16 left in the third quarter and the game tied 17-17. The Broncos faced a 3rd-and-6 from the Packers' 12-yard line. Elway took the snap and dropped back to pass, but he didn't have what he wanted and saw open field in front of him, so he took off. Though Elway was always known for his scrambling ability, he was 37 years old and his best days as a runner were behind him. That didn't deter him. Nearing the first-down marker, he launched himself into the air and was knocked into a helicopter spin by three Packers defenders. When he landed, he had gained eight yards and a fresh set of downs. Two plays later, Terrell Davis ran in a 1-yard touchdown to put the Broncos ahead. But the key to the game was Elway's play, which gave the team an incredible emotional charge. If you didn't jump out of your seat when that play took place, you had either had one too many alcoholic beverages at the Super Bowl party or you were somehow asleep. This play embodied Elway's entire career. He showed grit, heart, determination and the will to finally win on the biggest stage. He was not to be denied on that night and as a result, this will likely always be considered the greatest play in Broncos history. MORE: NBA trade rumor rankings: The latest on Bradley Beal Roundup: Donald Trump Subreddit Quarantined, Kevin Love Gets Expensive Steve Austin Pendant, Tristan Thompson Buys New Mansion Patriots veteran Julian Edelman does a hilarious Bill Belichick impression Jets new regime will keep an eye on Chuma Edoga, Jachai Polite Davante Adams already conducting the Darnell Savage hype train


Diving into some interesting stats for Pocono Raceway as just six races remain in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season. Six races remain in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season as seven slots in the playoffs are still up for grabs. As drivers head to Pocono Raceway for the track's second race of the season, let's dive into some interesting stats as your fantasy lineups start to get as tricky as the 2.5-mile triangle. Of the four drivers who have logged six or more top-10 finishes in the last 10 races, three of those are Joe Gibbs Racing drivers. JGR teammates Erik Jones and Kyle Busch have seven top 10s apiece, while Team Penske driver and defending champion Joey Logano joins the group with the same total. Martin Truex Jr. falls just behind with six finishes of 10th or better in that span. Pocono is money for Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch earned three wins in the last four races, while Martin Truex Jr. earned the other triumph in that span. Current JGR drivers have also won four of the last eight poles, while Busch has also led the most laps in four of the last five events. The Toyota brigade also has 13 total victories among six drivers in the organization's Monster Energy Series history. The Monster Energy Series regular-season championship is coming down to the wire, as defending champion Joey Logano leads 2018 regular season champ Kyle Busch by a mere three points heading into Pocono. Seven of the last 11 race winners at Pocono haven't led laps until after halfway, including Kyle Busch (July 2018), Ryan Blaney (June 2017), Chris Buescher (Aug. 2016) and Kurt Busch (June 2016). Hovering around the playoff bubble with six races remaining in the regular season, Pocono is a welcome sight for Erik Jones. Jones has earned four top-10 finishes there throughout his career, tying Texas for the most of any track on the circuit for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Jones finished third at Pocono in June. Jones is also on a hot streak, sitting 14th in the playoff standings, gaining 41 points in the last two races. Searching for his first Monster Energy Series victory, Daniel Suarez finished second in this race at Pocono in 2018   one of six top-five finishes earned by the Stewart-Haas Racing driver in his Cup career. Kevin Harvick leads active drivers with the most second-place finishes at Pocono without breaking into Victory Lane. In 37 career starts, Harvick has been the bridesmaid on four occasions. Experience has the edge over youth at Pocono. While drivers in their 20s have won the last three poles at Pocono, the last four races have been won by drivers in their 30s, while 72% of the total races at the 'Tricky Triangle' have been won by drivers who are 30 years old or more. Only two drivers over 40 years old have won so far this season, but both have come in the past two races after Kurt Busch (40 years old) earned the race win at Kentucky, while Kevin Harvick (43 years old) broke into Victory Lane at New Hampshire. If you're searching for a Fantasy Live race winner pick for Sunday's race at Pocono, look no further than Brad Keselowski. The 2.5-mile triangular track has been friendly to Keselowski, who has earned 10 top-five finishes there   the most at any track in his career. The No. 2 Team Penske driver won there in 2011 and finished runner up to Kyle Busch this past June.


The Tesla Model S will receive a significantly refreshed interior and a longer-range battery, according to a report by CNBC . These updates and more are expected to be styled after and shared with the smaller Tesla Model 3 . This latest Model S is said to offer up to 400 miles of driving range, exceeding the current model's maximum range by 30 miles. The Tesla Model S could see a slew of significant updates that include an extended driving range, streamlined interior design, and new drive motors. Much of this fresh content could be cribbed from the more contemporary Model 3 according to speculation in a report by CNBC . The last time Tesla overhauled the Model S was back in 2016 when it received a more expressionless face and improved range . Apparently, this re-refreshed version will retain the existing sheetmetal but adopt a simpler dashboard design similar to the simplistic aesthetics found on the Model 3. Inside, the smaller Tesla relies on a large 15.0-inch touchscreen that is horizontally mounted in the center of the dash and controls most of the car's functions. The current Model S boasts a more complex dashboard with a fully digital gauge cluster and a vertical touchscreen that measures 17.0 inches. The refreshed Model S could also add the same seats found on the fanciest Model 3. However, it's unclear whether these new chairs would be limited to the front seat or spread to the three-person bench in the back of the S. Although switching to the 3's streamlined setup as seen below could be considered less luxurious, it would likely help cut down on production costs. Perhaps most important, the updated Model S is said to offer an even longer driving range than the rangiest Long Range model, which currently has an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 370 miles. According to reports, the latest Model S will feature a battery capable of driving 400 miles on a single charge. The largest Tesla could also get new drive units courtesy of the Model 3. While the CNBC report cites "several current and and former employees," Tesla hasn't confirmed these reports, so this information remains mostly speculative. Likewise, the polarizing startup company is reportedly retooling its factory in Fremont, California, in preparation to begin building the upcoming Tesla Model Y crossover as well as the refreshed Model S. Again, nothing has been officially announced by Tesla or its embattled CEO, Elon Musk.


It's Hosung Time once again on the PGA Tour. One week after Matthew Wolff put his unique swing to use while winning the 3M Open, Wolff will be joined in the field at this week's John Deere Classic by a man who has an even more unorthodox motion. That would be Hosung Choi, whose leaning, elongated follow-through become a social media sensation and led to the 45-year-old making his U.S. debut earlier this year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. While Choi missed the 54-hole cut at Pebble Beach, he retained enough notoriety to snag another sponsor exemption this week at TPC Deere Run, where he shared with reporters that he's also planning to play later this month at the Barracuda Championship in Nevada. Full-field tee times from the John Deere Classic Full coverage of the John Deere Classic "I can't thank the tournament enough, and I can't wait to show my fun swing to everybody in the U.S.," Choi told reporters. "I personally love my swing. It's a swing that I've come up with on my own for a long time, and it's a swing that has worked for me, so I personally have no issues with my swing and I plan to use it moving forward." Choi's popularity gained traction when he won the Asian Tour's Casio World Open in November, and he briefly cracked the top 200 in the world rankings in January. But Choi has struggled since his Pebble Beach debut, with a T-8 finish in Japan in May his lone top-50 result in 10 starts since Pebble. But he remains optimistic that his head-turning motion will once again produce a few birdies this week as he gets set to make another start in front of American golf fans. "I've practiced a lot since Pebble Beach, but I feel like with the game of golf, just like the seasons, it's always fluctuating," Choi said. "It's always different, and I personally feel like I play a lot better in the fall, but I've tried my best and practiced a lot since then. So I'm looking for good results."


Two groups of multibillion-dollar hedge funds are fighting over control of PG&E Corp. in a battle with huge implications for California's largest electric utility and the thousands of wildfire victims who hold claims against the bankrupt company. What had been a quiet tug-of-war turned into a hostile takeover battle late Wednesday. PG&E's major bondholders, in a filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, said they're seeking to buy 85 percent of the utility's stock for $19 billion. The effort is part of a larger reorganization proposal that would include paying billions to victims of the 2017 and 2018 wildfires. "They want to own the company essentially," said Michael Wara, a Stanford University law professor who has been advising Gov. Gavin Newsom on wildfire issues. PG&E's existing shareholders, led by a competing group of hedge funds, are sure to fight the plan, as they would see their holdings significantly dwindle in value if the bondholders succeed in gaining control. PG&E is expected to submit its own reorganization proposal in August. Any plan for reorganizing PG&E would need the approval of the company's creditors, the bankruptcy judge and the California Public Utilities Commission. Asked about the bondholders' plan, the company said it's "committed to working together with our stakeholders through the Chapter 11 (bankruptcy) process to fairly and expeditiously resolve our liabilities resulting from the 2017 and 2018 Northern California wildfires, develop a more sustainable business model and continue delivering safe and reliable service. We can assure our customers and communities that we are looking at all options when it comes to working with the Governor, the CPUC and all stakeholders." PG&E was driven into bankruptcy under the weight of an estimated $30 billion in liabilities from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires. The bondholders' takeover attempt reflects the belief on Wall Street that a well-run PG&E, once it clears up its liabilities, could be a profit machine. "They're buying an asset that has some debts, maybe needs some significant repairs," Wara said. "They feel they can take the dust off it ... and have something that's much more valuable than what they paid for it." According to a "commitment letter" they've filed, the bondholders could increase their investment to as high as $20 billion in exchange for 95 percent control of the company's stock. They would also borrow billions of dollars for a total package of around $30 billion. Much of the money would go to paying existing wildfire claims, and to contribute PG&E's share of a new insurance fund created by the Legislature to deal with future wildfire costs. The commitment letter builds on a proposal outlined last month by the bondholders in which they offered to pay $16 billion to $18 billion to victims of last November's Camp Fire in Paradise and the wine country fires of 2017. Victims' advocates have said they want more money but have called the bondholders' offer promising. Hedge funds are partnerships generally limited to ultra-wealthy investors. The bondholders' group, owed roughly $10 billion in total, are led by a dozen major Wall Street investors such as Apollo Global Management, Pimco and Elliott Management. Bondholders are lenders, while stockholders actually own the company. The group competing with the bondholders consists of three hedge funds that own a combined 10 percent of PG&E's stock   Abrams Capital, Knighthead Capital and Redwood Capital. They have become influential players in the company's operations. In April they played a big role in installing Bill Johnson, the former head of the Tennessee Valley Authority, as chief executive of PG&E. Their stock is worth just under $1 billion. While the fight is shaping up as a duel between billionaires, Jared Ellias, a bankruptcy expert at UC Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, said there's a significant difference in the two groups' plans for PG&E: The bondholders want to pay the old wildfire claims by injecting new capital into the company. PG&E's management wants to take on new debt, a move that Ellias said could "weaken the company and ... make a return to bankruptcy court in the future more likely." The bondholders' group gained something of an upper hand when Newsom last Friday signed AB 1054. The law creates a $21 billion insurance fund to pay future wildfire claims, financed equally by shareholders and ratepayers of PG&E and the other two big investor-owned utilities. The law doesn't cover existing fire claims   and lawmakers disregarded PG&E's plea for an amendment that would have allowed the utility to borrow billions to pay the 2017-18 fire liabilities, with the debt being repaid out of future profits. PG&E argued that the plan would create a quick way to get money to fire victims. Yet Ellias, the bankruptcy expert, said the plan also benefited existing PG&E shareholders. Although they'd forego some future profits, they'd still keep control of the company. Newsom told Bloomberg news last week that he doesn't support PG&E's proposal. But the utility plans to revive the proposal when lawmakers return from their summer recess, Bloomberg reported. The bondholders group, which lobbied lawmakers and Newsom's office, argued that PG&E's borrowing plan would load the company up with new debt and weaken its finances. With PG&E's proposal dead, at least for the time being, that creates an opening of sorts for the bondholders to press ahead with their plan to pull the utility out of bankruptcy. The first test of the bondholders' plan comes next Wednesday, when they'll ask Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali for permission to circulate their takeover offer among creditors. Normally, PG&E would have exclusive right to submit the first reorganization plan.     ©2019 The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) Visit The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.) at www.sacbee.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


COLOMBO, Sri Lanka   Many of the suicide bombers who killed more than 350 people in a series of coordinated Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka were highly educated and came from well-off families, the junior defense minister said Wednesday. The bombers were breakaway members of a pair of obscure extremist Muslim groups, he said. Officials had earlier blamed one extremist group for the bombings, though they say the attackers may have had support from foreign militants. "Their thinking is that Islam can be the only religion in this country," Ruwan Wijewardene told reporters. "They are quite well-educated people," he said, adding that at least one had a law degree and some may have studied in the UK and Australia. The news came as leaders vowed to overhaul the country's security apparatus after acknowledging that some intelligence units were aware of possible attacks before the Easter bombings. U.S. Ambassador Alaina Teplitz told reporters that "clearly there was some failure in the system," but said the U.S. had no prior knowledge of a threat before the attacks, the worst violence in the South Asian island nation since its civil war ended a decade ago. Teplitz called that breakdown in communication "incredibly tragic." Government statements about the attacks have been confused and sometimes contradictory, with police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara telling reporters Wednesday that there were nine suicide bombers   two more than officials said one day earlier. One of the additional suicide bombers was the wife of another bomber, Gunasekara said. The woman, two children and three policemen died in an explosion as authorities closed in on her late Sunday, hours after attacks were launched against three churches and three hotels. The ninth suicide bomber has not been identified, though two more suspects were killed in a later explosion on the outskirts of Colombo. Gunasekara said 60 people have been arrested so far. A team of FBI agents and U.S. military officials were helping in the investigation, Teplitz said. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the attacks but authorities remain unsure of their involvement, though many suspect experienced foreign militants were advising, funding or guiding the attackers. Officials say all of the seven main bombers were Sri Lankan. "We are conducting investigations at the moment to see if there is any direct link to any international organizations," Wijewardene said. Slideshow by photo services The Islamic State group's Aamaq news agency released an image it said showed the attackers' leader standing amid seven others with covered faces. It provided no other evidence for its claim. The group, which has lost all the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria, has made a series of unsupported claims of responsibility for various attacks around the world. Sri Lankan authorities had earlier blamed a local extremist group, National Towheed Jamaar, whose leader, alternately named Mohammed Zahran or Zahran Hashmi, became known to Muslim leaders three years ago for his incendiary online speeches. On Wednesday, Wijewardene said the attackers had broken away from National Towheed Jamaar and another group, which he identified only as "JMI." Teplitz declined to discuss whether U.S. officials knew about National Towheed Jamaar or its leader before the attack. "If we had heard something, we would have tried to do something about this," Teplitz said. The country has been on heightened alert since the attacks, with police setting off a series of controlled explosions of suspicious objects. No more bombs were found Wednesday. On Tuesday, in an address to Parliament, Wijewardene said "weakness" within Sri Lanka's security system had led to the failure to prevent the bombings. "By now it has been established that the intelligence units were aware of this attack and a group of responsible people were informed about the impending attack," Wijewardene said. "However, this information has been circulated among only a few officials." In a live address to the nation late Tuesday, President Maithripala Sirisena said he also was kept in the dark on the intelligence about the planned attacks and vowed to "take stern action" against officials who failed to share the information. He also pledged "a complete restructuring" of the security forces. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Wijewardene also edged away from Tuesday comments that the bombings were retaliation for the March 15 mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 50 people. He told reporters Wednesday that the mosque attack may have been a motivation for the bombings, but that there was no direct evidence of that. An Australian white supremacist was arrested in the Christchurch shootings. While Sri Lanka's recent history has been rife with ethnic and sectarian conflict, the Easter Sunday attacks came as a shock. Sri Lanka is dominated by Sinhalese Buddhists, but the country of 21 million also has a significant Tamil minority, most of whom are Hindu, Muslim or Christian. Tamil Tiger rebels were known for staging suicide bombings during their 26-year civil war for independence, but religion had little role in that fighting. The Tigers were crushed by the government in 2009. Anti-Muslim bigotry fed by Buddhist nationalists has swept the country since the war ended but Sri Lanka has no history of Islamic militancy. Its small Christian community has seen only scattered incidents of harassment. ___ Associated Press journalists Bharatha Mallawarachi and Jon Gambrell contributed to this report.


Los Angeles will see a return of last week's mostly cloudy skies today and tomorrow, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Skies will partly clear up on Wednesday, remaining partly cloudy through Sunday. There's no rain expected this week. Temperatures will be mild today, reaching just 64 degrees on Friday. Winds will continue to be somewhat calm over the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Wednesday at only 10 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


FRESNO, Calif.   A company has cut ties with a California minor league baseball team that played a Memorial Day video that included an image of Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with those of Kim Jong Un and Fidel Castro. The Fresno Bee reports the raisin company Sun-Maid terminated its sponsorship of the Fresno Grizzlies on Wednesday. The company acknowledged the Grizzlies apologized but said terminating the sponsorship was the right thing to do. The Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals has said it failed to properly vet the video found on YouTube. The video has patriotic images and excerpts from President Ronald Reagan's first inaugural speech. When Reagan mentions "enemies of freedom," the video shows the North Korean leader, Ocasio-Cortez of New York and the late Cuban leader. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


LOUDON, N.H.   Kyle Larson is going to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020. Contract discussions didn't reach the negotiation table, and it was never in question   to Larson   where he would be racing next season. "I am wrapped up (for next year)," Larson wryly told reporters Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, site of Sunday's Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN/NBC Sports App, PRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.) "There have been no contract negotiations. I am still there through next year. I don't know why all the contract stuff has been coming up. I think because people try to make things up. Yeah, I don't know. I am there, so not really sure what else to say." RELATED: Full weekend schedule for New Hampshire A report from the Sports Business Journal emerged Thursday indicating Larson was "set to return to the Chip Ganassi Racing No. 42 Chevrolet next season, per sources, despite some suggestion that he could land elsewhere." As Silly Season begins over the late summer months those suggestions had started to become a bit more audible and unavoidable but were, according to Larson, unfounded. "It's not frustrating to me because as long as I know what's going on, I know what the truth is," Larson said. "I don't really care what everybody else thinks. I know where I'll be next year. … I like being at Chip's place. He's an amazing boss and gave me my shot. I'm very grateful for everything he's done." ]]>


Have you caught your breath yet from a thrilling 2019 Masters ? You have? Good, because it's time to move on. Gone is the two-month gap between majors that used to exist, thanks to the PGA Championship's move to May. And the former fourth major couldn't have had better timing as the focus of the sports world May 16-19 will be on New York's Bethpage Black, where Tiger Woods will try to win a second consecutive major after snapping a decade-plus drought in golf's biggest events at Augusta National . Not surprisingly, the Big Cat is a big favorite in the Big Apple, but should he be? We've monitored the odds (Courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas Superbook ) for weeks, and here's our final list of PGA Championship picks. 1.) Tiger Woods (10/1) Reason to pick: Woods arrives in New York with a green jacket following a dramatic Masters win that ended nearly 11 years of major championship frustration. Tiger also won the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. After he won the Masters that year. Cue up the calendar Grand Slam talk! Cause for concern: Or. . . maybe not. With Woods skipping the Wells Fargo, it's fair to wonder how he'll play with a five-week gap between starts. And how will that fused back like that early Thursday morning May tee time in New York when it could still be in the 40s? For what it's worth, Woods was No. 8 in our final Masters ranking before the tournament started. However, he was my pre-season pick to win the PGA so I'm sticking with him. But having been downgraded from 8-to-1 to 10-to-1 odds, he now has company as the tournament favorite. . . 2.) Brooks Koepka (10/1) Reason to pick: The defending PGA champ and just as importantly, the two-time defending U.S. Open champ considering where this PGA will be played. No one plays better in golf's biggest events these days. Although that guy listed above is getting pretty close again. Cause for concern: Koepka put all those Weight Watchers' questions to rest at the Masters, but the questions about his putting always lurk. He's currently ranked 93rd in strokes gained: putting (although, up from 148th after the Masters), and he could have been slipping on a green jacket if he had converted great looks on 17 and 18 over the weekend at Augusta National. 3.) Dustin Johnson (10/1) Reason to pick: The World No. 1 is never a bad bet, especially at a big, wet course where there will be a premium on driving distance. Cause for concern: Although he quietly played his way into the mix on Sunday at the Masters, two other recent final-round performances (A 74 at the Valspar and a 77 at Hilton Head) proved yet again that DJ isn't as unflappable under pressure as he looks. 4.) Rory McIlroy (12/1) Reason to pick: The phrase "Big, wet golf course," is music to McIlroy's ears, and a T-21 at the Masters is his only non-top-10 finish in what has been a sizzling start to the season. Plus, with the year's first major out of the way, McIlroy won't have to answer any questions about going for the career Grand Slam at Bethpage. Cause for concern: Can you believe this will be the first major championship of Rory's 30s? That, obviously, isn't a concern, but the fact the four-time major champ is closing in on five years since his last major triumph is. 5.) Francesco Molinari (25/1) Reason to pick: The Italian was possibly a pine cone away from winning two of the past three majors at the Masters. And in the past year, no one has played so many impressive mistake-free stretches of golf a trait that should come in handy at a place where difficult conditions are celebrated by a warning sign to golfers on the first tee. Cause for concern: The biggest key to Molinari's mid-career renaissance has been his added length, but there's long and then there's Bethpage long. And then there's Bethpage-in-wet-spring-conditions long (Seriously, it seems like it rains every day here). As a result, the Italian's long irons will need to be extra dialed in. 6.) Xander Schauffele (25/1) Reason to pick: Schauffele has quickly become a Brooks Koepka-lite, and we're not just referring to weight again. The 25-year-old has already racked up four top-six finishes in only eight major championship appearances. Cause for concern: As we've seen with other players like Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler, consistently contending at majors in your 20s doesn't guarantee you're actually going to win one. 7.) Rickie Fowler (16/1) Reason to pick: Although he missed the cut at Bethpage Black as an amateur at the 2009 U.S. Open, Fowler finished T-24 and T-7 in his two starts on the Long Island track as a pro at the 2012 and 2016 Barclays. A winner already this year in Phoenix, Fowler picked up his 10th career major top 10 at the Masters. RELATED: The crazy story of the man who won $1.2 million betting on Tiger Woods Cause for concern: After finishing no worse than 26th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green the past four seasons, Fowler has slipped to No. 45 this season. 8.) Jason Day (20/1) Reason to pick: The former World No. 1 hasn't been piling up the wins, but he has quietly amassed five top 10s this season, including at the Players and the Masters. Also, he's completely healthy for once. Although, you wouldn't know it by watching this video of him "running" at the Zurich Classic. . . https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1121573549821526017 Cause for concern: Day's iron play has been less than stellar this season (145th in strokes gained: approach). And like Tiger, we worry about the chilly conditions for his balky back and, um, sensitive immune system. 9.) Justin Rose (20/1) Reason to pick: Rose was the most surprising missed cut at the Masters, but prior to that he had finished in the top 10 in four of his six starts this season, including a wire-to-wire win at Torrey Pines. Getting 20-to-1 odds on the World No. 2 is pretty good value. Cause for concern: Rose's Bethpage Black track record is pretty bleak. He missed the cut at the 2009 U.S. Open, and finished T-46 and T-31 in the 2012 and 2016 Barclays, respectively. 10.) Tony Finau (30/1) Reason to pick: Finau has finished in the top 10 in four of his past five major championship starts, including a T-5 at the Masters where he played in the final group with Woods and Molinari. Cause for concern: Like we've said before, though, none of Finau's top 10s have translated into wins. Yet. 11.) Tommy Fleetwood (25/1) Reason to pick: At a PGA that should play more like a U.S. Open based on the venue, it's tough to leave a brilliant ball-striker who has finished fourth and second in that event the past two years off the short list of favorites. A runner-up alongside Sergio Garcia at the Zurich Classic doesn't hurt. Cause for concern: With all his talent, Tommy is still searching for that first victory on U.S. soil. Accomplishing that at a major is a tall order. 12.) Adam Scott (40/1) Reason to pick: The rejuvenated Aussie sent a message in this event last year (solo third) that he wasn't finished contending at major championships. Scott was also high on the board at the Masters before his putter went cold on the weekend. Not exactly a shocker these days. Cause for concern: Putting with the flagstick in was supposed to be Scott's magical cure to his woes on the green, but he was brutal at Augusta National. That being said, Bethpage Black's greens are pretty tame by major championship standards, which should help him convert a few more of those birdie looks. 13.) Sergio Garcia (50/1) Reason to pick: The Spaniard takes the spot of Justin Thomas, who withdrew with a wrist injury. And considering Garcia, who has six worldwide top 10s in 2019, is the only PGA Tour pro with three top 10s at Bethpage Black (4th in 2002 U.S. Open, T-10 in 2009 U.S. Open, and T-3 in 2012 Barclays), that 50-to-1 number is mighty tasty. Cause for concern: Sergio's iron game (3rd in strokes gained: approach) has been locked in, but his driving (43rd in strokes gained: off-the-tee) has been lacking. He'll need to sharpen up that part of his game to contend. And as long as he doesn't revert to re-gripping his club a bunch of times before he hits, he should have the New York crowd more on his side than in 2002. WATCH: GOLF DIGEST VIDEOS See the video.


Dutch Grand Prix organisers are hoping that a revised final corner will contribute to increased overtaking opportunities at Zandvoort when Formula 1 returns to the circuit next year. The changes to the Arie Luyendyk right-hander, which leads onto the pit straight and the run down to the heavy braking zone at the famous Tarzan first corner, are among a series of revisions that have been planned for the track. Read Also: Zandvoort secures F1 return as Dutch GP venue They include a new shape for the Hugenholtz hairpin behind the pits, which has remained essentially unchanged since the track opened in 1948. Many F1 drivers who have raced at Zandvoort in the past have indicated that passing will not be easy. However, Dutch GP sporting director Jan Lammers, who has been racing at Zandvoort since he was a teenager, is convinced that the changes will make for better racing. He likens the new run on to the pit straight to that at Interlagos. "The Gelachbocht, the open right hand corner, Turn 3 effectively, will get a bigger run-off area," Lammers told Motorsport.com. "Turn 4, the Hugenholtz hairpin up the hill, will have a wider inside, to make the corner more fluid, so it won't be a stop-start corner. "The same thing will happen with the S-chicane, or the Hans Ernst Bocht. That will also become more fluid by putting more tarmac on the inside. "And then the Arie Luyendyk Bocht will be accommodated exactly to his liking, as it will be a little bit more like Indianapolis, because it will be banked. "It will be banked in such a way that you can go flat out with DRS open, and in that way we hope to encourage more overtaking for the Tarzan corner. It will be 17 degrees, so the corner will have the same character as the last corner in Brazil." It is hoped that Zandvoort's short pitlane will encourage teams to make more pitstops than they would usually do, because the cost of stopping will be less than at most tracks, where for example the pit entry is before the final corner and stops take longer. "The other big change to enhance overtaking will be the pit entry," added Lammers. "That will be made quicker. So we will have pitstops of maximum elapsed time 14 seconds. If we do that we hope that we can create three-pitstop strategies. "And as we all know it's the pitstops and the confrontation of old tyres versus new tyres, that is what creates the overtaking. That's why the philosophy around the pitlane has changed. "Also the start/finish is moving a little bit forward, towards Tarzan, to make sure that in front of the main grandstand you can see the whole field." Lammers acknowledged that the lack of run-off around much of the track will contribute to the challenge. "It's a track that is going to be very unforgiving of course. But we've seen that in Baku, and we know that from Monaco, that one mistake and your race weekend can be over. "It will be a track where it will be crucial that you don't make mistakes. It adds to the unpredictability, and that unpredictability is probably what we want at the moment."


1800: Library of Congress is established Congress approves a bill establishing the Library of Congress. It is a research library and the second largest library in the whole world in terms of the size of the collection. 1877: Russo-Turkish War Russia declares war on the Ottoman Empire. 1898: Spanish-American War Spain declares war after rejecting US ultimatum to withdraw from Cuba. 1915: Armenian Genocide begins In what's considered the start of the Armenian genocide, the Ottoman Empire begins rounding up Armenian political and cultural leaders in Constantinople. 1916: Easter Rising begins in Dublin Some 1,600 Irish nationalists launch the Easter Rising by seizing several key sites in Dublin. The rising was put down by British forces five days later. 1953: Winston Churchill is knighted British statesman Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. 1967: First human spaceflight fatality Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov is killed when his Soyuz 1 spacecraft smashes into the Earth after his parachutes failed to deploy properly during re-entry. 1980: Operation Eagle Claw ends in disaster The United States launches an unsuccessful attempt to free the American hostages in Iran, a mission that resulted in the deaths of eight U.S. servicemen. 1990: Hubble Space Telescope is launched The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is put into orbit from the Space Shuttle Discovery, mission STS-31. It was launched into low Earth orbit and remains in operation. 2005: Papal inauguration Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. 2013: Savar building collapse A building collapses near Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing 1,129 people and injuring 2,500 others. 2018: Golden State Killer is arrested The infamous Golden State Killer, who terrorized California back in the 1970's, is identified as Joseph James DeAngelo through genealogy websites and arrested. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran and a former Police officer.


Running back Duke Johnson reported to Browns minicamp on Tuesday, but he'd still prefer to be somewhere else. Johnson requested a trade earlier this offseason and he told reporters at the team's facility that his return to work does not signal a change on that front. Johnson said, via multiple reporters, that he does not feel wanted by the Browns because they were shopping him before he made his request and that he'd prefer to be with a team that does want him on the roster. Johnson said he'd prefer to be dealt now rather than during the season so that he can get acclimated to a new team and does not feel there's anything the Browns can do to change his mind. There's been no sign that the Browns are pushing to make a move, however. While Johnson is clear on thinking that a move off the team is the best thing for him, he said he won't be disgruntled if the Browns don't trade him to another club. Nick Chubb is set to be the starting back in Cleveland with ex-Chief Kareem Hunt on track to join the lineup after an eight-game suspension to open the season.


Missed the the most recent top news in Houston? Read on for everything you need to know. Homicide suspect accused of shooting boy while out on bond identified An 11-year-old boy was hit by a bullet Wednesday that was fire by a homicide suspect who was out of jail on bond, according to Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo. Read the full story on KPRC2 / Click2Houston . Man that punched 88-year-old woman has been arrested twice, records show HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Police say 51-year-old Richard Derwin Howard rose out of a wheelchair and punches 88-year-old Mary Rutkowski in the face as she walks out of the H-E-B on Buffalo Speedway. Read the full story on FOX 26 Houston . Houston apartment permits triple from a year ago The number of Houston-area apartments permitted in the year end April 30 was up 200 percent over the previous year, elevating Houston to the No. 2 spot of top metros ranked for permit activity, according to a report from RealPage, a real estate data firm. Read the full story on MySanAntonio . Houston aide fired after claiming salary while out of state HOUSTON (AP) - Houston's highest-paid city council staffer has been fired after officials determined he displayed a pattern of "untruthfulness" and continued to collect his salary even though he was out of state for unrelated training. Read the full story on Houston Chronicle . Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport celebrates anniversary of their first flight in 1969 In 1969, the first flight, full of dignitaries, left from Hobby Airport, toured around Houston, and landed just a little while later at IAH. Read the full story on ABC Houston, KTRK . 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.


Lyft's growth is accelerating faster than predicted, the company said Wednesday. In its second-quarter earnings report, the ride-hailing operator increased its full-year guidance on expected revenue by $200 million, sending the stock soaring in after-hours trading. Wall Street analysts, meanwhile, injected the fresh expectations into their own models. Many now see the company turning a profit much sooner than previously thought. "These were very strong results for Lyft with robust top-line growth on continued share gains, and a clearer path to profitability, " Doug Anmuth, an analyst for JPMorgan, told clients. The bank raised its price target from $86 to $90 for the stock, about 40% higher than where shares were set to open Thursday. What's more, 2019 might not be the company's "peak loss" year anymore, as it previously said. That milestone appears to have been left in 2018, executives said on the earnings call Wednesday. "We now anticipate that our 2019 adjusted EBITDA loss will be smaller than 2018 as we balance driving strong top line growth with demonstrating a clear path to profitability," chief financial officer Brian Roberts said. Elsewhere on the Street, analysts including Daniel Ives of Wedbush upgraded the stock following the better-than-expected results. "While not all questions are answered yet we think there is enough evidence in the field that is positioning Lyft to be in a stronger-than-expected domestic position to gain share and monetize this opportunity with an improved expense trajectory sooner than expected," he told clients in a note upgrading the stock to "outperform" from "neutral." All eyes will be on Uber, which is scheduled to report its second-quarter results after the closing bell Thursday. The stock got a 4% boost overnight following Lyft's report, which was widely seen as good news for the ride-hailing industry as a whole, given that the two are no longer competing solely on a price-basis. Instead, the fight has now turned to overall product experience instead of coupons. "Robust growth rates suggest continued market demand, while matching & other algorithm optimization suggest improved execution, as seen in rising Revenue per Rider," Joseph Spak, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, said. "And perhaps most importantly, costs are coming down much quicker than investors seem to have anticipated." More Lyft news: Lyft's scooters steering new customers to ride-hailing, but winter is coming Lyft continues to post losses despite revenue growth


An eight-year-old girl who endures 400 daily epileptic seizures will become Mexico's first authorized consumer of medical cannabis after the government granted her Tuesday an exemption to its marijuana ban. The health ministry announced in a statement that it would facilitate the paperwork needed to import a cannabis oil that is believed to alleviate epileptic fits. "We are happy," Raul Elizalde, the girl's father, told AFP by telephone after he met with the head of Cofepris, the health agency that oversees medicine imports. "It's our last hope." "We want to reduce the number of convulsions from 400 per day to none. We hope that she could become more independent, that she could walk and speak and eat on her own," he said. Graciela, who lives in the northern industrial hub of Monterrey, has a severe form of epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. The girl, whose parents call her Grace, has not spoken a word since saying "mommy" when she was under two years old. She wears diapers, crawls and moves in a pink wheelchair. Her parents have tried a slew of treatments, including brain surgery, to ease their daughter's pain, but nothing has worked and her condition has worsened. Out of other options, they asked the government's General Health Council for a special permit to import cannabidiol (CBD), but it was denied. Last month, a judge gave her desperate parents permission to get the medicine even though Mexico, which is engulfed in a bloody drug war, opposes any legalization of narcotics. Elizalde said the doctor must now write a prescription and they would then seek to import the drug from the United States or Norway. - Mexico resists legalization trend - The health ministry said it would allow Epidiolex, a drug produced by Britain's GW Pharmaceuticals, to be imported for Grace. The substance is still in the investigative phase of development. "It must be clarified that this health authorization does not give the green light to import marijuana in any of its forms," the health ministry said. The statement said Cofepris "took into consideration that this is a particular case because it has been resistant to all available treatments in Mexico, including surgery." In April, GW Pharmaceuticals said physician reports found that the drug led to a 54 percent median reduction of seizures among 137 children and young adults who took it for 12 weeks at 11 US hospitals. Elizalde said that while the ministry gave them an exemption, the court battle continues as the government has filed a petition to overturn the judge's decision. President Enrique Pena Nieto, whose government is fighting drug cartels in a conflict that has left tens of thousands dead in less than a decade, opposes any legalization. Yet, legalization is making some headway elsewhere in Latin America. Uruguay has created a regulated market for pot while Chile's lower-chamber of congress backed legislation in July to legalize the cultivation of marijuana for recreational and medical use. More than 20 US states have legalized medical marijuana.


BOSTON - Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour has been in the NHL long enough to understand that debate over whether penalty calls were deserved is pointless. "We took penalties and we need to kill them, whether they were good (calls) or not," Brind'Amour said. "Whether there were some that were let go that we thought should have been called … that's going to happen every night." Special-teams play is always important in NHL playoff series, but it was expected to be critical in the Eastern Conference final because the Bruins boast the postseason's No. 1 power play and the Hurricanes have struggled on the penalty kill throughout the playoffs. BOX SCORE: BRUINS 5, HURRICANES 2 That reality hit the Hurricanes hard in Game 1 when the Bruins scored two power-play goals 28 seconds apart in the third period to power them to a 5-2 win in Game 1. SCHEDULE: Results, dates, times, TV for NHL postseason PREDICTIONS: Which team will reach the Stanley Cup Final? ABRUPT: Boston radio host hangs up because reporter had Southern accent Clinging to a 2-1 lead going into the third, the Hurricanes put themselves in jeopardy by taking the only three penalties of the third period. Jordan Staal was in the penalty box for boarding when Boston's Marcus Johansson scored the first power play goal at 2:26 of the third period to tie the game 2-2. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton was in the box for roughing when Patrice Bergeron converted Brad Marchand's feed to give the Bruins the 3-2 lead at 2:54. Marchand had the primary assist on both power play goals. Hamilton picked up a second penalty not long after, which made it difficult for the 'Canes to mount a counterattack after the two goals. Hamilton said he watched both of those penalties on replay "and I didn't agree with either." This is the Hamilton roughing penalty pic.twitter.com/TVwy3f5O3P   Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) May 10, 2019 LOOKING BACK: A history of controversial playoff calls The timing of the penalties couldn't have been better for the Bruins or worse for the Hurricanes. The Bruins were coming off a poor second period and were looking for a spark. "I think our group has been pretty good identifying the key times in games, throughout these playoffs, when they need to step up," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "That was one. It was a big goal for us, both of them were. (They) changed the complex of the game." Hamilton used to play in Boston and fans chanted his name. "It's unfortunate that I was in the box and taking those penalties," Hamilton said. "It's playoff hockey. That's what you expect." The Hurricanes had killed off two Boston power plays, which made the penalty-kill failure in the third period more difficult to take. The Hurricanes never recovered. "That was kind of it," said Carolina forward Sebastian Aho. "We didn't get to our game after that." Boston's power-play performers seem to thrive on the expectation that they can save the day. "A lot of our leaders are on the power play," Boston forward Chris Wagner said. "They did their thing and that turned out to be the difference." Both the Hurricanes and Bruins have found success in the playoffs because they have been able to rise at opportune times. Both have known consistency. The Hurricanes lost theirs in Game 1. "We aren't going to win if we don't play better than that," Brind'Amour said. "We had spurts, but that's not going to be good enough." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: Bruins' superior special teams make the difference in Game 1 win vs. Hurricanes Related Slideshow: Best of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs (provided by imagn)


Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has offered his support to Antoine Griezmann ahead of his expected arrival from Atletico Madrid, as Barça continue their search for another striker to play back up to Luis Suarez. After being snubbed by Griezmann last summer thanks to the infamous 'La Decision' video, La Blaugrana are expected to finally sign the Frenchman when his release clause comes into play on July 1, but until then they are seeking further striking reinforcements to alleviate the strain on Suarez. According to Mundo Deportivo , the list of players they are currently looking at includes Tottenham's Fernando Llorente, Sevilla's Wissam Ben Yedder, Celta Vigo's Maxi Gomez and Girona's Cristhian Stuani. Llorente's contract is up at the end of this month, and the La Liga champions have been impressed by his showings in the Champions League this season. Ben Yedder and Gomez are at the higher end of the price range, with the pair currently holding €40m and €50m release clauses in their contracts after excellent goalscoring seasons. Though not strictly a striker, Sevilla's Pablo Sarabia has also been mooted, following his impressive goals haul this season. Stuani rounds up the group, and though he may be the most surprising, he could also be the most likely, with his wages set to be cut in half after the Catalan club's relegation from the top tier. Indeed, as a Uruguayan international, the former Middlesbrough striker is a known friend of Suarez, and was even considered as a replacement for Munir when the youngster left last season. There has been some speculation that Barça 's players are none too keen on the idea of Griezmann joining the club, but speaking to Mundo Deportivo, as relayed by Marca , Rakitic dismissed these concerns, declaring: "I would love to have Griezmann on my team." The Croatian then joked: "Aside from the fact that last year he pushed me away from my dream of winning the World Cup, I really like him. He's a top level player, one of the best in the world. He's won almost everything and can add to any team." Would winning the Champions League be easier at Juve? 樂 https://t.co/QaGgSrUpzy   90min (@90min_Football) May 23, 2019 Speaking on the controversy surrounding 'La Decision', Rakitic explained: "That wasn't a decision against Barcelona or anyone. It was taken in favour of Atletico Madrid. I congratulate him for that and if he comes here I'll shake his hand and tell him that I respect him for the decision." The 31-year-old also took time to reaffirm his support for under-fire boss Ernesto Valverde, proclaiming: "Valverde is the perfect coach for us. The work he and his coaching staff do is fantastic."


NEW ORLEANS (AP) Kirk Cousins enjoyed his first true taste of Minnesota's new offense - both from under center and watching from the sideline. Cousins was flawless in his lone series in Minnesota's new offensive scheme, backup Sean Mannion delivered a scoring pass under a heavy rush, and the Vikings defeated New Orleans 34-25 in the preseason opener for both clubs Friday night. The game marked the Vikings' first test of their new offense directed by coordinator Kevin Stefanski and influenced by adviser Gary Kubiak. ''To be able to rotate that many different players in at so many different positions throughout four quarters and continue to have sustained success moving the football, I think it does say a lot about Kevin's play calling and about the system and about the execution,'' Cousins said. ''So many guys got involved in the game and made plays.'' During the one series in which the first-team offense played, Cousins drove the Vikings 81 yards for a touchdown in eight plays, completing all four passes for 65 yards. Cousins connected on a pair of short passes before finding Adam Thielen for 35 yards down the right side, setting up a 1-yard scoring pass to third-round draft choice Alexander Mattison. ''If you're only going to play one series ... it could have been three-and-out, so to be able to go down there and score, you can't draw it up much better than that,'' Cousins said. ''It's not a lot to build on, so you take from it what it is. But if we're going to have a drive, better to go down there and score and be that efficient than to do anything else.'' Mannion was 7 of 13 for 102 yards, highlighted by his 18-yard touchdown pass to rookie Olabisi Johnson as Saints defensive end Trey Hendrickson bolted into the backfield and hit the backup QB. Johnson, a seventh-round draft pick and a candidate for Minnesota's No. 3 receiver, made the catch while leaping and reaching back over the shoulders of veteran defensive back Patrick Robinson to bring in the ball. Third-string Vikings QB Kyle Sloter also threw for a touchdown, finding Khari Blasingame from 2 yards out. With Saints record-setting QB Drew Brees getting the night off, ex-Viking Teddy Bridgewater started. He played throughout the first half, completing 14 of 19 passes for 134 yards and one touchdown on an 18-yard pass to tight end Dan Arnold. But Arnold essentially gave that score right back early in the second half when he was unable to secure a pass from Taysom Hill and the ball squirted straight into the arms of defensive back Nate Meadors, who easily returned his interception 30 yards for a touchdown. Hill played throughout the second half, going 8 of 14 for 80 yards and one touchdown on Lil'Jordan Humphrey's 33-yard, tackle-breaking catch and run. Vikings second-year running back Mike Boone broke loose for a 64-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that put Minnesota up 34-25. Former LSU track athlete and New Orleans native Cyril Grayson Jr. had a pair of crowd-pleasing moments with his 32-yard catch down the right side from Bridgewater and his 40-yard kickoff return. ''We just wanted to take a shot,'' Bridgewater said. ''Cyril is a guy who can run.'' INTERFERENCE CHALLENGES Each team made a coach's challenge allowed by new rules pertaining to pass interference. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer asked officials to review whether the Saints had committed offensive pass interference after a first-down play on which no flag was thrown. The challenge was rejected. Saints coach Sean Payton unsuccessfully challenged a defensive pass interference penalty that set up Blasingame's short TD. ''It was fine,'' Payton said. ''They are going to have to see something substantial to overturn it. We're going to get used to it.'' HOMECOMING Minnesota rookie tight end Irv Smith Jr., a second-rounder out of Alabama, was making his NFL preseason debut on his 21st birthday in his hometown, where his father, Irv Smith Sr., once played tight end for the Saints. He was targeted seven times and finished with three catches for 21 yards. Smith said he met family and close friends for dinner at the Palace Cafe, a popular downtown Creole eatery, after the team landed Thursday. While Smith couldn't resist the restaurant's renowned white chocolate bread pudding with whiskey sauce, he said he also saved room for the birthday cake his mother baked. After the game, he swapped jerseys with Saints interior lineman Will Clapp, a former high school teammate who played at Crimson Tide rival LSU. NEW CENTERS The top draft choice for each team last spring was a center. Minnesota's Garrett Bradbury, drafted 18th overall, played on the opening drive. ''He was great. I thought he was as he'd been all through practice,'' Cousins said. ''Great command. Really sharp. No concerns whatsoever.'' The Saints, who didn't have a first-round pick, selected Erik McCoy 48th overall. He played the first several series of the game. INJURIES Saints reserve offensive tackle Ulrick John went down with an apparent lower left leg injury. He was able to walk on his own, but left the field after being examined by team medical staff. UP NEXT Vikings: host Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Aug. 18. Saints: visit Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Aug. 18. --- More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL


The Porsche Museum in Germany opens a special exhibit dedicated to 50 years of the 914. When June 2nd rolls around, the Porsche Museum in Germany will display more than 120 Porsche 914s from private owners. Read More: Spanking Mustangs Is Easy And Fun With A 2018 Chevrolet YENKO Camaro Storm The Beaches With This DUWK "In the mid-1960s, Porsche was striving to expand its position in the market with a sports car in the promising segment beneath the 911," the museum said in an announcement about its exhibit. "However, such a project would not have been viable for the small company on its own. "The Zuffenhausen-based car manufacturer found a partner in Volkswagen, since at the time VW was looking for a successor to its then rather outdated Type 34 sports coupé, better known as the Karmann Ghia. Ferry Porsche and VW director Heinrich Nordhoff shook hands on a joint project in the mid-1960s." Admission is free on June 2nd to the "Typically Porsche Day". A panel of experts, including "former development and race engineer Roland Kussmaul, former chassis developer and race driver Hans Clausecker, as well as engineer and race driver Günter Steckkönig together with author Jürgen Lewandowski will look back at the genesis and legendary moments of the Porsche 914. Anthony Hatter, Head of Design Quality Style Porsche, together with former Porsche development engineer Jürgen Kapfer and product developer for race cars Hermann-Josef Steinmetz, will explore the question of the roots and above all the future of the mid-engined concept at Porsche and investigate why the mid-engined configuration, design, technology and lifestyle are typically Porsche today." Twelve different spectator exhibits will be featured in the special show of the 914. There will be ultra-rare 914s, as well as prototypes and prototype parts for people to see in person for the first time. Source: Porsche


There are great car design trends that we hope last forever, and then there are... these There are great car design trends that we hope last forever, and then there are... these. Cars of the 1950s had their chrome. Vehicles from the '80s were boxy. In the '90s, everything got a little melty, like a candy bar left out in the sun. Whatever the decade, specific design trends proliferate across the entire auto industry. But they aren't all good. Sure, today's cars are really pushing the styling envelope, but that's also leading to a number of questionable choices. Here are the modern automotive design trends that need to die, and soon. Light-up badges I spend every day being assaulted by #brands. The last thing I need is a street full of cars, shouting their names at me in the night. Expressive design should work by itself. We don't need to get hit over the head repeatedly by the badge. Plus, it invites higher repair costs when its driver inevitably gets distracted on Tinder and smashes into the pickup truck ahead of 'em. -- Andrew Krok Massive grilles that are mostly closed off It's subjectively bad enough that automotive designers are locked in a weird arms race for the biggest grille, but then you get close and realize that, often, more than half of that grille is blocked off because there's really no practical reason for a grocery-getter to have such a massive maw. - - Antuan Goodwin Fake vents While performance affectations are almost kind of understandable on humble everyday cars, they're particularly infuriating on high-performance automobiles . This trend amounts to bra or trouser stuffing, and it's wholly unnecessary when a car still has "the goods." -- Chris Paukert Jewel headlights Why are designers inspired by arachnids? When I look at a car I don't want to be looking at a spider. Multiple light cubes in the housing are just design for design's sake. -- Emme Hall Fake exhaust tips There are some slick-looking exhaust tips on cars these days, but the problem is that a lot of them aren't real. In many cases it's just a fancy outlet molded into the rear bumper with a regular round pipe behind it like on the Mercedes-AMG CLA45. And sometimes there's not even a cutout at all, such as on the 2019 Audi A6 . It's just disappointing to see and it looks cheap. -- Jon Wong Asymmetrical wheels It's great to have wild wheel designs, but when the wheels end up facing opposite directions on opposite sides of a car, it irks me no end. -- Jake Holmes Floating roofs This is a stupid bit of design language because it interrupts the eye moving over a car. It's unforgivable on any car, whether it's a Nissan Murano or the otherwise gorgeous Aston Martin DB11 . -- Kyle Hyatt Coupe-overs As far as I'm concerned, the word "coupe" is exclusively reserved for vehicles with two-doors -- though I'll make exceptions for the small suicide doors on the Mazda RX-8 and late '90s and early 2000s Saturn SC. "Four-door coupe?" No. It's called a sedan. But "coupe crossover?" Like, no. That's not a thing. But beyond the inherent ugliness and pointlessness of these vehicles, I hate that automakers actually charge more for them than their equivalent, traditionally shaped brethren. You pay more to get less. And your car looks stupid. -- Steven Ewing Excessively low-profile tires Listen, I too love the look of a tire that's barely thicker than a rubber band and has been stretched over the edge of a wheel large enough to qualify as an automotive caricature. I agree that it adds a lot of visual presence. But, spend a few minutes crossing a bumpy road on a wheel-and-tire package like that, and then do it again with something offering a higher rubber-to-metal ratio, and you'll see that not every SUV on the road needs to be rolling on 22s wrapped with low-profile tires. Leave that to the supercars and go with something a little more practical on your next ride. -- Tim Stevens Originally published May 26, 2018.


Several star NBA players have dropped out of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, which is the first qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics. The U.S. will be looking for replacements, as the roster now has only four players who made an All-Star team last season. While the U.S. is still favored to win the tournament and to qualify for the Olympics, if stars continue to drop out, arguments to change the World Cup format may increase, as could the competition. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories . Team USA is losing players for its 2019 FIBA World Cup squad at an alarming rate. The international tournament, which helps determine the qualification for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, takes place from August 31-September 15. It's not unusual for some top NBA players to skip the competition, but this year, more and more players are dropping out, leaving the team to find replacements, many of whom will not be of the usual All-Star caliber. In recent days, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Bradley Beal, C.J. McCollum, Tobias Harris, Eric Gordon, and Zion Williamson have all dropped out of the tournament. That leaves Damian Lillard, Kemba Walker, Kyle Lowry, and Khris Middleton as the only players on the roster who made an All-Star team last season. Lowry underwent thumb surgery this offseason and though he is hopeful to remain in the tournament, it's possible he could be forced to miss it as well. Here is the current roster, which will have new additions because of the dropouts: Guards : Lillard, Walker, Lowry, Donovan Mitchell Wings : Middleton, Jayson Tatum, Harrison Barnes, P.J. Tucker Bigs : Kevin Love, Andre Drummond, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Paul Millsap, Brook Lopez The Athletic's Joe Vardon reported that D'Angelo Russell, Mike Conley, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Thaddeus Young, and Julius Randle are being considered as possible replacements. No other countries will feel bad for the U.S. or first-time national coach Gregg Popovich, who is succeeding Mike Krzyzewski as head coach. The U.S. still boasts the best roster and has advantages over some of the other best countries. FIBA made a change to its schedule in recent years. Two-thirds of the qualifying tournaments for the World Cup take place during the NBA season. Unlike in soccer with FIFA, national team players don't get exemptions from their professional teams to play in international tournaments. While the U.S. qualified for the World Cup with a team led by non-NBA players, countries like Slovenia, the winners of 2017 EuroBasket, did not have stars in Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic for the World Cup qualifiers. They did not make the World Cup as a result and will have to qualify for the Olympics through four wild-card tournaments in 2020. According to FIBA's site , seven teams from the World Cup qualify directly to the Olympics. There is little chance the U.S. will not qualify for Tokyo. However, it is worth asking about the future of NBA players' involvement in the World Cup, with so many top players dropping out. As The New York Times' Marc Stein noted in December , the new FIBA set-up essentially means there are two US teams - the team that qualified without NBA stars and the team with NBA stars who get to play in the World Cup. If star players continue to drop out (or miss the tournament), arguments for amateur players to play in the tournaments will grow. It is also possible that down the road, the U.S. will encounter true challenges in the World Cup, as other nations improve. Read more: LeBron James posted a loving scouting report of his son Bronny on Twitter and fans are saying he's a GOAT parent and player In the wildest summer in NBA history, teams went all-in on superstars like never before and took league-altering risks WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder, the NBA's great 'what-if' team that featured 3 future MVPs NBA POWER RANKINGS: Where all 30 teams stand after a wild summer that shook up the league


The Warriors certainly aren't hurting when it comes to money. They went to five consecutive NBA Finals, winning three championships. The team is heading into a new arena in San Francisco next season. Despite all that, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber do not own the most valuable team in the NBA. That title belongs to the New York Knicks. Yes, the 17-win Knicks. Forbes released its annual list of the world's 50 most valuable sports franchises Monday and the Knicks   who haven't reached the playoffs since 2013   are valued at $4 billion. That makes New York the world's fifth-most valuable franchise, among all sports. The once-proud organization had a reported income of $155 million last year, which marks an 11% change over the previous year. The Warriors come in at No. 9 on the list, valued at $3.5 billion, with $103 million in operating income and a 13% one-year change in value. Golden State   whose worth likely will increase even more over the coming year when it moves across the bay into Chase Center   isn't even No. 2 among NBA teams. That distinction goes to the Lakers, whose acquisition of LeBron James almost certainly helped fuel a 12% change in value to $3.7 billion. The 49ers   despite no change in year-over-year value   land at No. 16 ($3.05 billion). The Giants   with a 5% increase in the past year   are 18th ($3 billion on operating income of $84 million). The Raiders   getting ready for what is expected to be their final season in Oakland before heading to Las Vegas   check in at No. 34 ($2.42 billion). Neither the A's nor the Sharks made the list. Forbes says the most valuable sports franchise on the planet is Jerry Jones' Dallas Cowboys   its $5 billion worth coming in $400 million ahead of the runner-up New York Yankees ($4.6 billion) and more than $700 million more than international soccer titan Real Madrid (No. 3, $4.24 billion). Soccer also holds the No. 4 spot, with Barcelona at $4.02 billion despite having lost $37 million last year. In order to make Forbes' Top 50, a franchise has to be worth at least $2.075 billion. Half of the NFL clubs made that cut, fueled   Forbes reports   by media deals that delivered to each team $260 million last year. The Warriors are one of nine NBA teams on the list. There are also eight soccer franchises and seven MLB teams among the 50. There are no NHL, NASCAR, MLS or Formula One teams on the list. Forbes says that among that group, the most valuable are hockey's New York Rangers (72nd, $1.55 billion). Michael Lerseth is a San Francisco Chronicle assistant sports editor. Email: mlerseth@sfchronicle.com Twitter @MikeLerseth


When he came out of UCLA in the 2018 draft, quarterback Josh Rosen got on the wrong side of some NFL personnel people for all kinds of reasons. Some thought that Rosen was a " rich kid " and questioned his commitment to football as a result. Some weren't too happy about Rosen's opposition to Donald Trump . And some thought his attitude was unpalatable. Rosen is very smart, he's outspoken, and he's not inclined to bow down to authority just because authority exists. Before Rosen aligns himself with a plan, he wants to know why. And that doesn't fit in with the NFL paradigm in which players are supposed to be just smart enough to digest the playbooks, and not quite smart enough to question authority. "He needs to be challenged intellectually so he doesn't get bored," former UCLA coach Jim Mora said of Rosen to Peter King in April, 2018, about a week before the Cardinals made Rosen the 10th player selected in that draft. "He's a millennial. He wants to know why. Millennials, once they know why, they're good. Josh has a lot of interests in life. If you can hold his concentration level and focus only on football for a few years, he will set the world on fire. He has so much ability, and he's a really good kid." RELATED: With the Dolphins, Josh Rosen gets a second chance to make a first impression I'm not sure Rosen's "millennial" status has anything to do with it-Rosen had a lot of advantages growing up, and he's not naturally inclined to bow down to the NFL, which the NFL doesn't like. But Mora is also correct about Rosen's talent. Unfortunately, that talent wasn't readily available in his one year with Arizona. Rosen had two offensive coordinators-Mike McCoy, who put a system on the table that was singularly ill-conceived, and Byron Leftwich, who tried to put the pieces together after McCoy was fired halfway into the season. If Rosen wanted a legitimate reason to question authority, his rookie season would provide it. Now, traded to the Dolphins during the second day of the 2019 draft, Rosen is in a place where his intellectual curiosity is encouraged-and that may be the difference for his potential success as a player. "I want my players to want to know the why," new Dolphins head coach Brian Flores recently told ESPN's Cameron Wolfe . "I think in order to get a player to really believe in what he's doing, he should know why. I think that's coaching. If players don't ask why, they should be asking why. Is it through doing what we ask them to do? Yes. Should they ask why they're doing it so they can believe in a little bit more? I think so. I've always kind of challenged my players to ask why. I challenge my coaches to be able to give them an answer as to why." Flores spent 2004 through 2018 with the Patriots as everything from a scouting assistant to the team's linebackers coach and de facto defensive coordinator. He's been in a lot of jobs under Bill Belichick, who's never shied away from smart players who would challenge him-primarily because if you can challenge Belichick intellectually, you must have a lot on the ball. Offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea spent the last decade as New England's receivers coach, so the same rules apply. "If they're really not inquisitive about the whys, then they're never really conceptually going to understand the offense," O'Shea told Wolfe. "Josh is highly intelligent just like Ryan and Jake [Rudock] are in our quarterback room. Having smart guys in the quarterback room is a good thing. I think those guys aren't afraid to ask why, and we're not afraid to answer." And that points back to Rosen in a positive sense. "I will not run a play on a football field unless I know why we're running it and what we're trying to accomplish," Rosen said last season , when his offense was falling apart and he was unable to turn it around. "That's just how I function. I don't run a 4.5 [-second 40-yard dash], so if things go bad, I can't just hit the exit button. So, I like to understand a playbook in its entirety." Some coaches view an inquisitive nature in a player as a profound negative. These coaches are generally the ones who fail to understand how their players are wired, and will usually find themselves inquiring about new jobs more often than not. The better coaches understand the modern player, and are comfortable enough in their own processes to engage in back-and-forth with the players who need it to be at their best. It's good for Rosen that he's now in a place where his natural process is encouraged-and it's good for everyone else on the Dolphins' roster, as well. MORE: This photo of Kyler Murray led to more speculation about his height VIDEO: Magic Johnson Calls Out Rob Pelinka for Backstabbing on First Take Kyle Rudolph could be a late offseason acquisition Cowboys need Patriots will prove Super Bowl LIII shutdown defense was no fluke NCSA: Five common recruiting myths


Looking for an adventure in one of the world's great megacities, but without the hassle of flying halfway around the world? Mexico City is North America's largest, at over 8 million people (and more than twice that number in the greater metro area). It's the oldest capital city in the Americas, rich in history and culture, and a major economic center in the region today. In addition to Aztec ruins, the city has the world's largest single-metropolitan concentration of museums, plus extensive art galleries, concert halls and theaters. And the city's 16 boroughs and many colorful neighborhoods offer an abundance of shopping, restaurants, bars and nightlife. Using travel site Skyscanner , we've sifted through the cheapest flights between Dallas and Mexico City in the next few months, including some popular hotel options and favorite local attractions. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Flight deals to Mexico City The cheapest flights between Dallas and Mexico City are if you leave on Oct. 4 and return from Mexico on Oct. 10. Aeromexico currently has round-trip tickets for $149. There are also deals to be had in November. If you fly out of Dallas on Nov. 1 and return from Mexico City on Nov. 3, Aeromexico can get you there and back with a $176 round-trip ticket. Top Mexico City hotels To plan your accommodations, here are some of Mexico City's top-rated hotels, according to Skyscanner, that we selected based on price, proximity to things to do and customer satisfaction. The Four Seasons Mexico City (Paseo de la Reforma 500 Colonia Juárez) If you're looking to splurge on top quality, consider The Four Seasons Mexico City . The hotel has a 4.9-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $179. Set in the heart of Mexico City on the busy Paseo de la Reforma, this luxury hotel is close to the Monumento a los Ninos Heroes and Monumento a los Heroes de la Independencia. The St. Regis Mexico City (Paseo de la Reforma 439) Then there's The St. Regis Mexico City , which has rooms for $255/night. The centrally located hotel features a 15th-floor gym, pool and spa   all with panoramic views of the city. The Condesa DF (Avenida Veracruz 102 Colonia Condesa) If you're looking to treat yourself, try The Condesa DF , a 4.6-star hotel that currently has rooms for $265/night. This 40-room luxury hotel is located in Mexico City's Condesa district, close to many restaurants, bars and cafes. Top picks for dining and drinking If you're looking for a popular spot to grab a bite, Mexico City has plenty of excellent eateries to choose from. Here are a couple from Skyscanner's listings to help you get started. Panaderia Rosetta (Colima 179) If you're looking for a local favorite restaurant pick, head to Panaderia Rosetta , which has 4.9 stars from 11 reviews. Reviewer Leila wrote, "It's a very cozy breakfast spot with only a few bar stools for seating. Get there early to get your hands on the good pastries." El Moro (Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas, 42) Also worth considering is El Moro . "This 1930s-era churrería is a stand-out and must visit," wrote Harold. "The lines can be long, but they move quickly." Featured Mexico City attractions Not sure what to do in Mexico City, besides eat and drink? Here are a few recommendations, provided by Skyscanner. Callejón Regina (Calle Regina Centro Histórico) The top-rated visitor attraction in Mexico City, according to Skyscanner, is Callejón Regina . "I have seen the transformation of this alley since it was a busy street until its closure to become a space dedicated to the pedestrian," wrote visitor Rebeca. "Undoubtedly, it is one of my favorite areas of the historic center." Kiosco Morisco de Santa María la Ribera (Calle Salvador Díaz Mirón S/N) Kiosco Morisco de Santa María la Ribera , an elaborately designed steel kiosk, is another popular destination. "The kiosk of Santa María la Ribera is a benchmark of ancient Mexico," wrote visitor Maru. "On weekends, it is always full of children and families around, and travelers taking pictures. Do not lose detail of its dome and the eagle that gives the final touch at the tip." The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Av. Juárez) Lastly, spend some time at The Palacio de Bellas Artes . Inaugurated in 1934, the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City is a major cultural center where you can attend poetry readings, operas, dance recitals, art shows and more. From outside, marvel at the building's white-marble beauty and symbolic sculptures that include an eagle eating a snake. Inside, find spectacular murals by renowned artists, such as Rufino Tamayo and Diego Rivera. "The place in itself is a beauty," wrote visitor Analu. "The lobby feels like you've stepped back in time. The museum is well worth the visit." This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


DeMarcus Lawrence traveled a long way to get to his current pedestal, but he's far from satisfied. The highest-paid player in Dallas Cowboys history hails from a small South Carolina town named New Ellenton, invented in the 1950s because the U.S. president wanted to use the original Ellenton to build up a nuclear arsenal. His environment forged him the nickname of Tank, not from any military presence, but according to the player himself (via Dallas Morning News) , from the toughness he needed to display to take on the older kids in the tiny population-2,000 town. That toughness had him go from a smaller tight end at famed and competitive Silver Bluff High School to a lightly recruited, 6-foot-2 defensive end his junior and senior seasons. "Tough is the only way to grow up where I come from," said Lawrence, a month before the 2014 NFL draft. "I had to fight for everything from the time I was born . . ." That's "tough," like when DeMarcus was 7 and a teenage boy, a friend of his older brother, began "roughing me up on a basketball court." DeMarcus said he fought back because he had no choice. His world was watching for any sign of weakness. The older boy clamped DeMarcus in a front headlock and repeatedly pounded his head. But he wouldn't concede. "He tanked me," is Lawrence's simple explanation. "But I didn't go down." And so for his fighting for his manhood, Lawrence was dubbed "Tank," a nickname he proudly carries to his day. That tough road coming up included finding a place to play major college ball. Lawrence's lack of dedication to his studies led most programs to steer clear of him, save for South Carolina State. Instead, Lawrence opted for Kansas' Butler Community College. In his second season, he earned national junior college second-team All-American honors. His play and improving attitude towards his academics sent his journey on to Boise State, over offers from more notable programs such as Tennessee and Oklahoma among others. In 2012, Lawrence tallied 13.5 tackles for loss to go along with 9.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery touchdown. He improved upon those numbers to 20.5 TFLs and 10 sacks while forcing three fumbles. Along the journey, Lawrence was suspended on three separate occasions for a single game each. Lawrence refers to them as youthful mistakes, but they likely impacted his status in the NFL draft, sliding to the second round despite his apparent talent. Lawrence wasn't the most dominant athletic specimen coming out of Boise. The one elite physical trait he had was his hand size, but boy does he use it to his advantage. 2014 NFL Draft (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) View embedded content Here's a look at draft analyst Dane Brugler's assessment of Lawrence pre-draft, when he was ranked as the No. 2 DE. Brugler nailed what would become his calling card in the league. STRENGTHS: Excellent lateral quickness and instant acceleration to easily redirect… accelerates quickly with fast pursuit speed and closing burst… loose joints and natural flexibility/leverage to dip and flatten at the QB… swarming rusher with improved ball awareness and vision to track and anticipate cutback lanes…nice job extending to initiate contact and convert speed-to-power… fast, active and powerful hands… natural footwork and looks comfortable moving in reverse… balanced and protects well against cut blocks…sharp, aggressive angles and plays through the whistle with good play speed and hustle…competitive finisher and explosive hitter who looks to punish his target - plays with an intimidation factor… SUMMARY: He is a versatile athlete who can be moved around the front seven with his coordinated quickness and natural pass rush skills. Lawrence can be controlled when blockers get their hands on him, but he has strong and fast hands himself, ripping and setting up his moves while tracking the ball. Teams will likely be split on whether or not he's a DE in a 4-3 or OLB in a 3-4, but he projects highly at both positions due to his athletic prowess and undeniable pass rush upside - disruptive talents like this usually don't make it out of the top-32 picks. The rest of the league's loss was the Cowboys gain, as he was clearly on the come. Dallas selected Zack Martin, standout offensive lineman in the first round of the 2014 draft, then traded their third rounder early on Day 2 to move up in order to acquire Lawrence's services. Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli reportedly pounded the table for Dallas to move up and select, as he dubbed, a quarterback hunter and the last impact edge rusher remaining in that draft. Marinelli was right. Lawrence shares a draft class with No. 1 overall Jadeveon Clowney and top-10 picks such as Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald. Dee Ford was selected in the top 25 as well, with all four players also earning Pro Bowls and accolades. Behind Lawrence, the choices slimmed down to Trent Murphy and Kony Ealy, both already on their second teams now. Lawrence joined his draft-weekend predecessors as celebrated members of one of the league's best draft classes in recent history with a phenomenal 2017 campaign, but the journey to get there wasn't smooth sailing for him. But it was one which would eventually lead to him becoming the highest-paid player in Dallas Cowboys history. Ascent with the Cowboys (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Lawrence suffered a broken foot early in his first training camp, which basically wiped out his rookie campaign. Missing those teaching sessions and the first eight games of the regular season put him behind the learning curve in a major way. The Cowboys as a team were enjoying a breakthrough season. After three straight 8-8 campaigns, Dallas was one of the top teams in the NFC, finished with a tied-for-conference best 12-4 regular season campaign. Their pass-rush was just a collection of guys, though, led by veteran Jermey Mincey and Will McClay find George Selvie. It would be enough to make it through the 16-game schedule, but they needed something else in the playoffs. Lawrence delivered that in the wild-card game against Detroit. After not notching a single sack in his eight regular season games, Lawrence came through in a big way. He would be in need of redemption after recovering a Matt Stafford fumble with just over two minutes remaining in the game, then fumbling it back to Detroit to give them life once again. Then, with Detroit down to their final down, Lawrence made the signature play of his career. https://streamable.com/e/9rwrq The Cowboys would fall the following week in Green Bay due to three reasons. Most remember Dez Bryant's fourth-down catch being overturned in the fourth quarter, or DeMarco Murray's fumble with nothing but daylight ahead of him. However the true narrative of the loss was Dallas' inability to pressure a hobbled Aaron Rodgers, dancing in the pocket on one good leg. Lawrence's second-quarter takedown of the future Hall of Famer was one of just two times Dallas was able to bring Rodgers to the ground, as he worked with clean pockets all day in a 26-21 Dallas loss. It led the team to signing Greg Hardy in the offseason, and moving Lawrence to left defensive end. The move didn't take right away for Lawrence, as he struggled through the first half of the season. The light came on in the second half of the year, although the team wasn't playing for anything. Lawrence exploded for seven sacks in the season's final eight games, and although Dallas limped to 4-12, they felt like they had their quarterback hunter. Unfortunately the injury bug continued from his rookie year and Lawrence had to have offseason back surgery after 2015. The recovery process that offseason led Lawrence to do something he wasn't allowed to do, and he was popped for a four-game PED suspension for suspected use of amphetamines in his recovery. The need was further legitimized in the fact that Lawrence would require a surgery for a second consecutive offseason on the back. Despite Dallas returning to relevancy in 2016, Lawrence didn't play a major role, getting close to the QB religiously, but only having one sack on the season. Mountaintop achieved Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports It all came together for Lawrence in 2017. In the final year of his rookie deal, he became an absolute monster on the field and a terror for QBs. After just one sack in 2016, Lawrence had a career-high 14.5 sacks, second-most in the league, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod. Here is every one of #Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence's sacks in 2017: pic.twitter.com/bTb71daoUc - Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) June 11, 2018 His reward, a franchise tag that led to a poor business decision from the organization. Clearly worried about his injury history, Dallas thought it prudent to wait one more year before giving out big money on a long-term agreement. Lawrence's agent David Canter publicly proclaimed they were willing to sign for the $17 million a year average Olivier Vernon had signed two years earlier with the New York Giants. Lawrence was the superior sack artist of the two and the club knew what they had but decided they needed more evidence. Dallas got that in 10.5 sacks in 2018. Here is every sack by #Cowboys DE Demarcus Lawrence in 2018: pic.twitter.com/eOz0baliEG - Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) June 24, 2019 It was revealed midway through the season Lawrence had been dealing with a bad shoulder since the previous season though, and there was finally insight into why the Cowboys were being apprehensive. Lawrence didn't have offseason surgery, played through it and still had a top-flight season as an edge rusher, earning a second straight Pro Bowl appearance. Finally, in March, the two sides agreed on a deal . The agreement for five years, $105 million total would make him the highest-paid player in team history, averaging $21 million per season. Soon after signing the deal, Lawrence underwent surgery for the labrum issue in his shoulder. It's held him out of the offseason work and he will miss at least part of 2019's training camp. There is some concern his recovery will linger into the regular season, possibly putting Dallas in a tough position to start the year. Once at full strength, though, it appears the Cowboys have made the necessary changes to compliment Lawrence this coming year and present their most formidable front-four of the last several seasons, most likely the best since DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer and Jay Ratliff were harassing offenses. Lawrence is the worthy successor, and now that he has secured his bag, will look to secure the accolades as well. MORE: NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players LaVar Ball offers explanation for his inappropriate remark to ESPN's Molly Qerim Dez Bryant tweets in support of LaVar Ball after ESPN ban D'Angelo Russell open to Lakers return with Magic Johnson gone Roundup: Beth Chapman in Medically Induced Coma, Roseanne and Andrew Dice Clay Touring Together, Poker Hall of Fame Nominees