Tag: Donald Trump

Keep Gregg Popovich in your thoughts, because he always had us in his

Wishing Gregg Popovich a speedy recovery.

Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Prince J. Grimes.

What’s up, hoops fans. I hope everyone’s been able to unplug a little on this unordinary Wednesday where that might not be the easiest thing to do.

We actually do have a fantastic slate of hoops coming up this evening to help with that, including a fascinating rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals between the one-loss Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics. Definitely looking forward to that one.

But before we get to the hoops, I have to admit, it’s hard to go through the day without thinking about Gregg Popovich. Coach Pop, 75, missed the San Antonio Spurs’ last two games after suffering a health issue Saturday, and he’ll remain out indefinitely, as the Spurs declined to provide a timeline for his return.

The latest on that front didn’t do much in the way of relief, as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday on NBA Today there was a “great level of concern around the situation.” And San Antonio Express-News columnist Mike Finger pointed out how differently this absence is being treated than Popovich’s previous stints away from the team.

It’s obviously too soon to jump to any conclusions, and we can take comfort in interim coach Mitch Johnson saying Popovich will be OK. But today especially feels like a good time to send thoughts and well wishes to Popovich. For one, because it’s the human thing to do. But also because Popovich always seems to have us in his thoughts, with a big emphasis on “US.”

Pop has never been shy about using his platform to speak about the most pressing issues facing our country. Even when it hasn’t been the most beneficial for him to do so, he’s delivered strong messages on social issues in times we’ve seemed most divided — like we do today. Popovich frequently uses his voice to speak for people whose voices can’t reach the places his can. Even if that means sparring with the former and future president.

Popovich is about as accomplished as any coach can be on the hardwood. But he also just seems to be a man of great character away from the game. So, today, as the Spurs get set to play their third game without him, let’s keep Popovich in our thoughts. Because he always has us in his.

Related: LeBron James posted heartfelt message to daughter after election

Joel Embiid suspended 3 games

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA suspended Joel Embiid three games for Saturday’s locker room altercation with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes that turned physical, the league announced Tuesday.

Embiid shoved Hayes after confronting him over a column he took offense to for mentioning Embiid’s late brother and son.

Although I believe the confrontation was predictable considering the personal nature of the column, the suspension was as well. Players can’t go around putting their hands on members of the media.

With that said, I am curious about what the suspension accomplishes, if anything. Because, just to say the loud part out loud, Embiid wasn’t playing anyway. How do you go about suspending someone who isn’t exactly trying to play?

I guess it’s three fewer game checks for Embiid, which, OK. But I’m sure his pockets will be fine. In the way of time missed, I don’t think this actually hurts him at all. If anything, the Sixers will just implement the suspension into his recovery plans.

The Athletic‘s Sam Amick reported before the suspension there was hope Embiid could play as soon as today against the Clippers. But that wasn’t set in stone. The suspension just allows them to take a more patient approach and wait until next Tuesday’s game against the Knicks.

At 1-5, I’m not sure how much patience the Sixers can actually afford to have. But something tells me they aren’t complaining much about getting to sit the guy they were already sitting to begin with.

Shootaround

— Who let off a gnarly fart on the Spurs’ bench? FTW investigates

— James Harden morphed into Kawhi Leonard for one play against the Spurs

— Nikola Jokic scaring opponents with his play predictions is totally normal

— A look at which teams are trending up and down across the association

That’s all for today, folks. Enjoy the basketball tonight.

LeBron James posted a heartfelt message to his daughter after the presidential election

LeBron spoke with love about his daughter.

As the entire NBA took Tuesday off for Election Day in the United States and the results poured in, it took time for many folks to digest the news.

Even though sports is likely not on the mind of many Americans today after such an impactful political decision, the gravity of the results will certainly impact virtually everyone in America. That includes four-time NBA Finals MVP and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, who expressed his thoughts on social media after the election.

It isn’t easy to have the right words to say right now, but James immediately thought of his 10-year-old daughter Zhuri.

ELECTION RESULTS: It’s hard to write about sports today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCCXdTjuoTh/?hl=en

Here is what James wrote on Instagram:

“HEAVY ON MY HEART & MIND THIS AM MY PRINCESS 👸🏾!! PROMISE TO PROTECT YOU WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE AND MORE!! WE DONT NEED THEIR HELP!”

James had a similar reaction when Donald Trump won the U.S. Presidential Election in 2016.

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Rory McIlroy says Donald Trump’s election win ‘clears the way’ for PGA Tour-PIF deal

“But obviously Trump has a great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf.”

Could Donald Trump’s return to the White House in Washington D.C. pave the way for a unification of men’s professional golf? Rory McIlroy thinks so.

McIlroy has previously stated the U.S. Department of Justice could be an obstacle to the PGA Tour’s talks with the PIF. With Trump’s imminent return to office, that may not be the case.

“Given today’s news with what’s happened in America, I think it clears the way a little bit,” McIlroy said Wednesday while speaking to reporters ahead of the DP World Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. “So we’ll see.”

Reports surfaced over the weekend about a deal being agreed to between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, though McIlroy said he was unaware of anything being done. However, with the United States presidential election in the rearview mirror, McIlroy believes the civil war in men’s professional golf could be near its end.

McIlroy was asked about Trump’s comments recently from a podcast where the president-elect said he could strike a deal between the sides in 15 minutes and that all of the best players need to be together.

“He might be able to. He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too,” McIlroy stated.

“I think from the outside looking in, it’s probably a little less complicated than it actually is. But obviously Trump has great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows? But I think as the President of the United States again, he’s probably got bigger things to focus on than golf.”

McIlroy also noted PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was in Saudi Arabia last week meeting with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and Monahan is briefing the Tour’s transaction committee Wednesday night.

“So maybe some news comes out of that.”

With a top-two finish this week, McIlroy can claim the DP World Tour’s season-long race for the sixth time in his career, which would tie Seve Ballesteros for the second most all-time.

Kyle Hamilton headlines Ravens get out the vote initiative

In addition to the NFL’s get out the vote PSA, you also have team specific versions, with Kyle Hamilton representing the Baltimore Ravens.

Happy Election Day, everybody! However, in these times, it’s really more “Election Month,” as tens of millions of Americans had already voted by the end of this past weekend.

Campaigns run longer than ever, and election information (misinformation and disinformation, too, unfortunately) has never been more accessible and ubiquitous. Yet, according to the NFL Public Service Announcements that have been pervasive this election season, only 66% of eligible voters actually turn out.

In addition to the league’s get-out-and-vote PSA, there are team-specific versions, with strong safety Kyle Hamilton representing the Baltimore Ravens.

As you can see from the video above, Hamilton cited that 66% figure, denoting that giving 2/3 effort is “just not good enough, whether you’re cheering from the stands or your living room.”

Hamilton implored viewers to “do your research, and let your voice be heard.”

Kyle Hamilton is the perfect choice for the Ravens’ Rock the Vote campaign, as he’s a very socially conscious person. You can see in the most recent tweet below:

Hamilton posted that shortly after the first presidential debate, the only one included current incumbent President Joe Biden. In July, POTUS 46 dropped out, and he was replaced by his Vice President, Kamala Harris.

According to Electoral-Vote.com, the most recent Maryland polls show Harris a 64% to 31% advantage over Donald Trump. That’s in line with last time out, when Joe Biden won Maryland and its ten electoral votes by a margin of 65% to 33% over Trump.

No Republican has won Maryland since Ronald Reagan in 1988, with Democrats winning by well into double-digit margins.

When JD Vance saw Donald Trump was shot he put down his putter and went looking for his guns

When Trump was shot Vance was mini-golfing with his family in Cincinnati.

When former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, JD Vance, his soon-to-be running mate, was mini-golfing with his family in Cincinnati.

Vance, who lives in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood, told the story on Joe Rogan’s podcast, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” on Thursday.

“I actually thought they had killed him because when you first see the video he grabs his ear and then he goes down,” Vance recalled after seeing the video of Trump’s July 13 rally. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God, they just killed him.'”

After seeing the video, the Ohio senator said he brought his family back to their Cincinnati home and grabbed his guns.

“At first I was so pissed, but then I go into like fight or flight mode with my kids … We were at a mini golf place in Cincinnati, Ohio. I grab my kids up, throw them in the car, go home and load all my guns. And basically stand like a sentry in our front door, and that was my reaction to it,” he said.

Vance’s neighbors previously told The Enquirer they noticed more security outside at his home after the assassination attempt. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine reportedly approved additional law enforcement to monitor the residence.

Days before the rally, Trump told Vance he was a front-runner for his vice president and suggested they go to Butler together and announce him as VP, Vance said. But Trump ultimately decided against that, saying they needed more time to prepare an announcement. He picked Vance as his vice president two days later on July 15.

Vance’s 3-hour interview with Rogan aired almost one week after Trump also appeared on the podcast.

Will Donald Trump be at the Penn State-Ohio State game?

It appears likely Donald Trump will be attending the Penn State-Ohio State game.

Just days before Election Day, a presidential candidate is reportedly making plans to attend one of the games of the year in Happy Valley. Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump has reportedly been invited by a private citizen to attend next weekend’s home game for Penn State against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Penn State officials have confirmed the university is currently working with local law enforcement and the United States Secret Service to accommodate the expected attendance by the presidential candidate.

As if it was not difficult enough packing the seats in Beaver Stadium for a noon kickoff, fans should brace for extra security and allow for extra time getting to their seats if attending next weekend’s Big Ten clash between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes. Ross Dellenger was the first to report this news via social media.

Penn State will already be squarely in the national spotlight in the college football world with just the second top-five matchup in series history with Ohio State. ESPN and Fox are each bringing their traveling pregame shows to Happy Valley for the game, which will carry heavy implications on the Big Ten championship game race for the remainder of the season. The game also figures into the College Football Playoff discussion with Penn State still without a loss after a road win at Wisconsin and Ohio State among the top one-loss teams in the country.

Trump, the 45th president of the United States and the Republican nominee for the office this election cycle, has a growing history of attending big college football games over the past eight years. He has attended a few SEC games and the Army-Navy Game. This would be his second trip this season to a Big Ten stadium after attending the Iowa-Iowa State game earlier this season.

This would also be Trump’s second straight weekend on Penn State’s campus after holding a rally in the Bryce Jordan Center this weekend.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.

Kamala Harris trolls Donald Trump attending Alabama-Georgia with plane banner mocking debate refusal

It’s not college football Saturday without rivals trolling each other

Former president, and current republican nominee in this year’s election, Donald Trump is headed to the biggest game in the college football world this weekend when No. 4 Alabama hosts No. 2 Georgia.

But he won’t be able to escape the shadow of the campaign of his opponent, Kamala Harris, despite the game being played in a deep red southern state.

We mean that literally.

As Trump makes himself comfortable at Bryant-Denny Stadium, CNN’s Kaitlin Collins reports the Harris campaign has hired a small plane to fly a banner over Tuscaloosa mocking Trump’s refusal to participate in a second debate against Harris.

The banner will reportedly read “Trump’s Punting on 2nd Debate”.

Both campaigns are focusing on college football this Saturday. While Trump is in Alabama to see the Crimson Tide face the Bulldogs, Harris’ running mate Tim Walz attended Michigan-Minnesota at the Big House and wisely declined to predict a winner.

We’ll see how Harris prodding Trump in Alabama plays out in the long run.

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Gunshots fired in vicinity of Donald Trump at his golf course in Florida

The incident took place at Trump International Golf Course where he was golfing, according to the White House.

Shots were fired near Donald Trump while he was playing golf in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, his campaign and U.S. Secret Service announced on Sunday.

The incident took place at Trump International Golf Course where he was golfing, according to the White House.

The former president and current Republican candidate for the presidency was rushed to safety by the Secret Service around 2 p.m. ET, after agents spotted a man with an AK-47 near his golf course and agents opened fire, law enforcement sources said. The suspect was later taken into custody, and a rifle was recovered, officials said.

“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said Sunday afternoon.

In a fundraising email sent out roughly an hour after the incident, Trump said there were gunshots in his vicinity, “but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I am safe and well!”

The FBI said Sunday in a statement it is investigating, “what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump,” at his Florida golf club, according to various reports.

The U.S. Secret Service earlier had confirmed it was investigating “a protective incident” involving Trump early this afternoon, and said the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office would “have more details soon.”

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said based on information from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, deputies had stopped a vehicle at Interstate 95 and State Road 714 and taken a suspect into custody “believed to be connected to a shooting incident at Trump International in Palm Beach County.”

The gunman was spotted by an advance team several holes ahead of Trump, according to reports.

Asked by reporters how this incident could occur, especially given the previous attempt on Trump’s life, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw described the golf course as being “surrounded by shrubbery” with a limited perimeter.

“When somebody gets into the shrubbery, they’re pretty much out of sight,” he said.

Because Trump is not a sitting president, Bradshaw said, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” but that will likely change in the future.

“I would imagine the next time he comes at a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter, but the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been, and their agent did a fantastic job.”

Trump was the target of a shooter earlier in his campaign in Pennsylvania.

The Palm Beach Post and USATODAY.com contributed to this article.

Donald Trump’s false Springfield claims at the debate became so many Simpsons memes and jokes

So many Simpsons jokes.

Among the heaping mount of memes from the 2024 presidential debate on Tuesday between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump — from “concepts of a plan” to Harris’s facial reactions — were a lot of jokes about Trump’s baseless claim that people in Springfield, Ohio are eating people’s pets.

In case you need further proof that it’s fake, as USA TODAY wrote: “Springfield city officials have dismissed these accounts as untrue and that they have not received any credible reports of these claims. Springfield police also told a local news outlet they have received no reports of pets being stolen and eaten.”

But when you get Springfield in the mix, you know you’re getting jokes from The Simpsons:

https://twitter.com/FearghasKelly/status/1833826081754808363

https://twitter.com/travishelwig/status/1833679595616280996

https://twitter.com/PatrikSandberg/status/1833679693654245796

https://twitter.com/strowhiro/status/1833688123227963830

https://twitter.com/Zero_4/status/1833743705624162809

https://twitter.com/dailysimpsons/status/1833705499008585866

https://twitter.com/LiamCatterson94/status/1833774941457555823

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Donald Trump’s ‘concepts of a plan’ debate quote became the perfect, savage sports meme

So many people have had “concepts of a plan” in the sports world.

There were so many memes that came out of the 2024 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, mostly of the vice president’s face.

But then there was this quote that has become the perfect sports meme. Trump was asked if he had a plan for health care if he became president again, and he replied he had “concepts of a plan.”

That sent X (formerly Twitter) into a tizzy, with so many memes that focus on coaches or players or whatever who had concepts of a plan and failed.

So here’s a roundup of what we saw on Tuesday night:

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