Tag: Tulsa

Thunder, CAA launching fellowship program for Black students in Tulsa area

The Oklahoma City Thunder is part of a fellowship program that will give Black Tulsa-area students experience inside the organization.

The Oklahoma City Thunder organization will take part in a partnership to provide opportunities for Black high school and college students in the Tulsa area.

The team and the Creative Artists Agency Sports announced the Thunder Fellow Program on Tuesday.

Students from eighth to 12th grade and those in regional colleges and universities will see different areas of Thunder operations and work hands-on with organizational projects.

Thunder Fellow Program creators hope it will “unlock new opportunities in sports, technology, and entertainment for Black students in the Tulsa area,” the press release stated.

In the program, students will see different areas of Thunder operations and work hands-on with projects for the organization.

The partnership aims to help increase high school and college completion through mentorships and skill development.

African American eighth grade students have the lowest rate of math proficiency compared to any other demographic in the Tulsa area, according to Impact Tulsa’s 2018 report.

Of African American students who are economically disadvantaged, only 4% are proficient. Of those who do not face economically hardship, 15% are proficient.

These numbers are about half the rate of the entire student population as a whole, where 33% of those in normal economic situations are proficient and 10% who face economic disadvantages are proficient.

Once students get to 11th grade, many are not prepared for higher education. Twenty-two percent of African American students in that grade met college readiness levels for English, and only 7% met math standards.

This is compared to rates of 42% and 25%, respectively, for all students.

Only 19% of African Americans in Tulsa County have a bachelor’s degree, about half the rate of the white and Asian population who does.

This program will attempt to help rectify these shortcomings.

“Our goal is to effect long-term sustainable change in our entire state and provide future-proof skills that can be leveraged for economic empowerment and mobility,” said Thunder general manager Sam Presti in a statement.

The Thunder Fellow Program will launch in 2021, the 100-year anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

It will be located in the Historic Greenwood District.

There will be one board seat on the program reserved for a player on the Thunder very year.

LeBron announces SpringHill documentary about 1921 Tulsa race massacre, Black Wall Street

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James’ production company SpringHill Entertainment announced a new project that is in development.

As protests continue all over the United States against racial violence against black people, LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter announced a new project about one of the biggest incidents of racial violence in the history of the nation, one that you very likely didn’t hear about in history class.

Writer Salima Koroma is developing a documentary for LeBron’s SpringHill Entertainment about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 in the Tulsa neighborhood of Greenwood, colloquially known as the “Black Wall Street,” for the neighborhood’s affluence and financial success. However, those markers of success and the town’s growth became threats to their white neighbors, at a time of segregation, and it led to one of the worst racial massacres in American history and the decimation of the community.

Many of the productions from LeBron and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill have been about black history in the United States, including “Shut Up and Dribble,” “Self Made: Inspired by the life of Madam C.J. Walker.” and “What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali.”

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Reggie Robinson brings Cowboys intriguing options, local backstory

Dallas may have uncovered a hidden gem with their fourth-round pick, a raw talent who’s overcoming odds and questions about technique.

CeeDee Lamb falling to Dallas at 17th overall was like stumbling across one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets just lying in plain view on a busy sidewalk. Trevon Diggs still being there at 51 addressed the team’s need in the secondary with first-round talent. Neville Gallimore going 82nd beefed up the defensive line in a big way. Tyler Biadasz, the nation’s top center, lasted until the fourth round. Defensive end Bradlee Anae was selected way past his projected slot.

But when the Cowboys one day look back on this year’s draft class in hindsight, it could well be Reggie Robinson II who is viewed as the real steal of 2020.

The 6-foot-1-inch Lone Star State native was actually the highest-rated cornerback coming out this year, with an overall draft score of 89 from NFL.com’s Next Gen Stats. But as Cowboys fans have already latched onto, the lanky Tulsa product has played safety before, and seems willing to do so once again if it gets him on the field sooner. It might, given the plethora of options at corner in Dallas.

The just-turned-23-year-old has explosive speed and ballhawking instincts, too. That could put Robinson in a prime position to contribute early on special teams. In college, he showed a particular knack for blocking kicks, doing it four times in 45 games with the Golden Hurricane. (The Cowboys as a team haven’t blocked a single kick attempt in their last 43 outings.)

But blocking kicks only gets a player so far. According to Bucky Brooks via the team’s official website:

“As a pass defender, Robinson displays good instincts, awareness, and diagnostic skills. He has a nice feel for recognizing route concepts and frequently positions himself in an ideal spot to react quickly to the ball. Robinson’s anticipation, awareness, and quick reactions results in timely interceptions on tipped passes or overthrown balls in his area. He is a more effective playmaker when he’s able to play with vision on the quarterback in a zone-based scheme.

“In man coverage, Robinson is at his best playing bump-and-run at the line. He utilizes his superior reach to jam and re-route receivers early in routes to disrupt the timing of the passing game. Robinson combines his active hands with quick feet while using a mix of shadow techniques and quick jams to neutralize receivers. When he exhibits discipline and patience at the line of scrimmage, he eliminates his assigned receiver and forces quarterbacks to throw the ball elsewhere.

“From a critical standpoint, Robinson’s shoddy technique and panicky playing style lead to some cringe-worthy moments on the perimeter. He has a tendency to grab and hold receivers down the field and his inconsistent positioning can be attributed to his lack of discipline at the line. If Robinson focused on getting his work done early, he would be in a better position to snag interceptions instead of racking up PBUs on the perimeter.”

In his deep-dive profile for The Athletic, Bob Sturm noted some of the same grabby tendencies in dissecting tape from Robinson’s senior campaign:

“I saw plenty of brief balance issues or stumbles, and then he grabs his man to hold on for dear life. This clearly is better than giving up a big play, but it quickly draws the flag. He is very physical, and you can expect this will be his hurdle: stop taking penalties. He will be called frequently early on in the NFL, I assume.”

Couple that bad habit with what Brooks calls “questionable tackling skills,” and it’s perhaps a little more clear why Robinson lasted until the 123rd pick. But raw talent can be coached up, and there’s plenty of that here.

“This is certainly a Day Two talent who slipped to the Cowboys,” Sturm says of Robinson, “and [Dallas] must think they pitched a near-perfect game in the draft to get two corners of similar profiles who can usher in their new coverage plans and ideas. This is a very impressive player who will need to put in a camp that answers any questions of readiness or offers a timetable on the project, but you can see his upside is tremendous, and he has a chance to be a solid starter with a little refining. I’d assign him a second-third round grade, making the fourth-round selection a great value.”

Will McClay, the Cowboys’ president of player personnel, had his eye on Robinson for sure, and was no doubt thrilled to see him available on Day Three.

If his new jersey number is any indication (and Cowboys Nation has certainly put a lot of stock in that this week), Robinson has some big digits to fill. The team announced that Robinson will wear No. 41, the same as the team’s 2003’s first-round selection, Terence Newman. Newman went on to earn two Pro Bowl nods in his nine years as a Cowboy and led the team in interceptions five of those seasons.

Before that, 41 belonged to the legendary Charlie Waters. From 1970 to 1981, the safety from Clemson terrorized opposing offenses, racking up 41 picks on his way to five Super Bowl appearances, three Pro Bowl selections, and two championship rings. Waters holds the NFL record for most playoff interceptions with nine.

Coincidentally, Waters started his career as a cornerback and switched to safety- where he became an All-Pro- under the guidance of coach Tom Landry.

For the newest No. 41, the start of his Cowboys career has already necessitated some personal allegiance-switching. As pointed out in The Dallas Morning News, the native of Cleburne, Texas “grew up in a family full of Pittsburgh Steelers fans, and he was a New Orleans Saints fan.”

Having grown up right there in the Metroplex, Robinson is all Cowboy now, despite being admittedly starstruck when he got the call from team owner Jerry Jones.

“I was in shock. I knew immediately who it was,” Robinson told DMN‘s Calvin Watkins. “I was kind of shaking. The whole experience, I was kind of like, ‘Man, this is really happening right now.’ I was just like, ‘Yes, sir.’ I was nervous.”

Fourth-round draft picks are never a lock to make the team, but Robinson is an easy kid to root for and a seasoned veteran at overcoming challenges. As he revealed in a profile last fall on the Tulsa football website:

“I’m deaf in my left ear. I usually turn my head to the right to hear people. I can hear that you’re talking, but the treble of your voice won’t come out clear. I will know that you’re saying something, but I can’t hear the words. During games, our safeties will give me hand signals to help me overcome the hearing loss.”

Overcoming hearing loss. Overcoming questions about technique and tackling. Overcoming a slide to the fourth round. Overcoming a potential transition to a new position at the highest level.

Robinson seems to be taking it all in stride.

Overcoming is what Reggie Robinson II seems to excel at.

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WATCH: Highlights of new Bears EDGE Trevis Gipson

The Bears might’ve found a late-round gem with EDGE Trevis Gipson. Let’s take a look at what the Bears are getting with Gipson.

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The Chicago Bears might’ve found another late-round gem when they drafted Tulsa pass rusher Trevis Gipson with the 155th overall pick. They certainly believe so, as evidenced by general manager Ryan Pace trading a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for an additional fifth-rounder, which was used to take Gipson.

Gipson, a two-year starter, was a force in the All-American Athletic Conference. In his first year as a starter in 2018, Gipson tallied 46 tackles, 9 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. He followed that up in 2019 with 15 tackles for loss and 8 sacks, which earned him first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors. He had eight forced fumbles at Tulsa in his career.

Gipson’s upside is huge. He has all of the physical tools to possibly become a starter for the Bears in the future. And he’ll get a chance to learn from the best in Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn.

Let’s take a look at what the Bears are getting with Gipson:

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Grading the Bears’ selection of EDGE Trevis Gipson

Chicago strengthened its pass rush with the fifth-round acquisition of Tulsa EDGE Trevis Gipson. How does he grade out?

The Chicago Bears strengthened their pass rush with their first pick on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft, trading for an additional fifth-rounder with the Minnesota Vikings to select Tulsa edge rusher Trevis Gipson with the 155th overall pick.

The fact that general manager Ryan Pace traded a fourth-rounder to acquire an earlier fifth-round selection and grab Gipson tells you everything you need to know about what he means to the Bears.

The Bears no doubt see the upside with Gipson, who adds depth to Chicago’s pass rush. While Gipson has just two years of starting experience, he became a force in the All-American Athletic Conference, dominating the competition.

In his year as a starter in 2018, Gipson tallied 46 tackles, 9 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. He followed that up in 2019 with 15 tackles for loss and 8 sacks, which earned him first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors. During his collegiate career, he had eight forced fumbles at Tulsa.

While Gipson has a long way to go as a developmental prospect, the upside is huge. He has all of the physical tools to become a starter for the Bears down the line.

Gipson lined up both inside and outside as a pass rusher at Tulsa, but he figures to occupy the outside linebacker position with the Bears.

The Bears are obviously set with their starting pass rushers with Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. But Gipson figures to get some reps, alongside free-agent acquisition Barkevious Mingo. Seeing as Pace valued Gipson in the fifth round, the hope is he could develop into a starter in the future.

While the Bears did trade a 2021 fourth-round pick to grab Gipson, if he develops into another late-round gem for Pace, it will have been well worth it.

Grade: B+

What do you think, Bears fans? How would you grade Chicago’s selection of Gipson?

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GALLERY — 2020 Draft Class

Twitter reacts to Bears trading to draft Tulsa DE Trevis Gipson

The Bears selected pass rusher Trevis Gipson with the 155th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

It was only a matter of time before Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace needed to make a trade in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Bears traded into the fifth round to select Tulsa edge rusher Trevis Gipson with the 155th overall pick.

Gipson totaled eight sacks in his final college season and provides depth behind outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. The Bears traded their 2021 fourth-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in order to select Gipson.

Fans across Twitter shared their thoughts on Gipson and the Bears decision to make a trade in this year’s draft.

The Bears have four more picks left in the 2020 NFL Draft — two in both the sixth and seventh rounds.

What are your thoughts on the Bears trading into the fifth to draft Gipson?

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2020 NFL Draft: Bears select EDGE Trevis Gipson with 155th overall pick

The Bears traded up 8 spots to draft Tulsa EDGE Trevis Gipson with the 155th overall selection.

The Chicago Bears haven’t been too busy so far in the 2020 NFL Draft, making just two selections in the first four rounds with tight end Cole Kmet and cornerback Jaylon Johnson in the second round.

When the fifth round finally rolled around, the Bears traded with the Minnesota Vikings to select Tulsa defensive end Trevis Gipson with the 155th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Bears traded a 2021 fourth-round pick to the Vikings to draft Gipson. They did not trade their 2020 fifth-round selection at pick 163.

When general manager Ryan Pace sees his guy, he’ll do anything to get him. And Pace didn’t want to risk losing Gipson in the eight picks before 163.

Gipson is someone that knows how to get after the quarterback. In 2019, Gipson had 49 total tackles, including 15 for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles at Tulsa.

Gipson will join a Bears pass rush anchored by former All-Pros Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, where he’ll be able to learn from one of the best in Mack.

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2020 NFL Draft: Cowboys select CB Reggie Robinson II in Round 4

Dallas continued to restock their secondary by selecting the cornerback from Tulsa on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

A bit of the excitement and shine always wears off the NFL Draft by the time Round 4 rolls around. The primetime lights are gone; it’s early afternoon on a Saturday. The commissioner has cleaned out his jar of M&Ms, hung up his sweater, and could well be out mowing the lawn.

But it’s no time for front offices to ease up on their late-round picks. The fourth through seventh rounds are critically important to every team’s long-term roster building; as ESPN noted to begin their broadcast, 65% of players in the 2019 season joined their teams after Round 3 of the draft.

The Cowboys continued their 2020 restocking efforts by selecting cornerback Reggie Robinson II out of Tulsa with the 123rd overall pick. As a high schooler in Cleburne, Texas, Robinson played both wide receiver and corner. At Tulsa, he ascended to a starting spot in the Golden Hurricane’s secondary as a redshirt freshman and never gave up the spot.

As a senior, Robinson earned first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors after leading Tulsa with four interceptions and 13 pass breakups. He also posted 38 tackles (one for loss) and two fumble recoveries. Also a special teams contributor, Robinson managed to block a kick in each of his four seasons. He was invited to the 2020 Senior Bowl in Mobile.

According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

“The size, length and ball production offer up hope, but Robinson’s lack of speed and athletic traits could prevent him from maintaining playmaking positioning as a pro. He has average instincts, but his length can be a disruptive factor in close quarters. If he can crank up his run-support intensity, he might get looks as a zone corner or a safety.”

Robinson will compete in training camp with fellow rookie corner Trevon Diggs, the Cowboys’ second-round pick from Alabama. The two join a cornerback group in Dallas that includes Jourdan Lewis, Anthony Brown, Chidobe Awuzie, and Maurice Canady. The Cowboys lost Pro Bowl cornerback Bryon Jones during free agency in March.

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Badger moments: The comeback against Tulsa in 2003

Wisconsin pulls off a minor miracle

The NCAA Tournament comebacks we remember the most are the ones which led to Final Fours or national championships. The NCAA Tournament comeback I think of the most — the one which comes most readily to mind when the subject is brought up — is Illinois’ comeback against Arizona in the 2005 Elite Eight.

Illinois was down by 15 points with four minutes left, and eight with one minute left. It somehow rallied to beat Arizona and go to the Final Four for the first time in 16 years. Illinois reached the national championship game and narrowly lost to North Carolina in a thriller.

The 2003 Wisconsin Badgers pulled off an all-time college basketball comeback in the NCAA Tournament. It didn’t lead to a Final Four, though, so on a national level, this doesn’t contain the resonance of Illinois in 2005 or other particularly transformative comebacks which dramatically rewrote the college basketball history books.

Nevertheless, any Wisconsin fan who is at least 30 years old almost certainly remembers where he or she was when the Badgers pulled a rabbit out of the hat and stunned the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in the second round of the 2003 Big Dance.

Tulsa, the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Region, had already dispatched No. 4 seed Dayton. It was headed toward a second big upset and a Sweet 16 berth as a double-digit seed.

The Badgers — true to their identity throughout this century of great basketball — did not quit.

They scored the next 11 points to pull within two, at 58-56. Alando Tucker scored four of Wisconsin’s 11 points in that run, but he also was part of a disruptive defense which held Tulsa to two points in the final four minutes.

Down 60-56 in the last minute of regulation, Wisconsin stayed the course. Devin Harris scored a layup with 48 seconds left. Wisconsin forced a Tulsa turnover and earned its one chance to tie or take the lead.

The Badgers made the most of that chance.

Harris drew multiple Tulsa defenders and found Freddie Owens open in the left corner for a 3-pointer. Owens nailed the shot with one second left.

Comeback complete. Wisconsin was headed to the Sweet 16 for the first time under Bo Ryan, and for the first time since the 2000 team under Dick Bennett made the Final Four.

Speaking about the final play, Harris said, “I looked over and there was Freddie, sitting there, eyes wide as I don’t know what.”

Owens had plenty to say as well:

“They rotated so hard there was nothing on the ball side. For Devin, that’s a decision point,” Owens said. “There were five blue jerseys in the paint, so the opposite corner was open. Devin knew that. This is one you tell your kids and grandkids about in the future.”

Isn’t that the truth.

2020 American Athletic Conference College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 American Athletic Conference Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament kicks off Thursday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Tex. There are a few teams from the AAC which should be shoe-ins for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, should they come up short for a championship bid. A few others are on the bubble, and need impressive showings, and help in other tourneys, to catch the eye of the selection committee. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the AAC tournament.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednsday, March 11 at 11 a.m. ET.

2020 AAC odds: Houston Cougars (+200)

Regular-season record: (23-8, 13-5 AAC)

The Cougars will have a lot less pressure than some of the teams below them, as they’re a lock for a bid to the dance. They’re simply playing for seeding at this point and could use a couple of wins to bump them up. They could be on the 8-line right now, which would give them a coin-flip game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Houston scratched out a win and non-cover against a solid Memphis side over the weekend in the regular-season finale. The Cougars have the defense to make at least an Elite Eight run if they’re on top of their game. They ranked 12th in the nation in points allowed (62.1 points per game), and they ranked seventh in defensive field-goal percentage (38.3). While Houston isn’t the best scoring team, posting just 72.3 PPG on offense, checking in a middling 135th, it creates plenty of second chances, ranking second in the country in offensive rebounding.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +200, as the Cougars are the class of the AAC.

2020 AAC odds: Cincinnati Bearcats (+350)

Regular-season record: (20-10, 13-5 AAC)

The Bearcats stumbled down the stretch, going just 5-3 straight up and 1-7 against the spread across their final eight games. File that away if you bet their games individually going forward. As far as winning the AAC Tournament, the Bearcats are a talented team, especially defensively. While not as tenacious as Houston, Cincy did rank 31st in the country in defensive FG% (39.8). G Jarron Cumberland (15.5 points, 4.9 assists) is a talented scorer, and 7-foot-1 C Chris Vogt had 1.6 blocked shots per outing with F Tre Scott cleaning the glass to the tune of 10.5 rebounds per game with 1.5 steals per outing. CINCINNATI IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +350, but don’t get ridiculous.

2020 AAC odds: Wichita State Shockers (+400)

Regular-season record: (23-8, 11-7 AAC)

The Shockers certainly made plenty of waves, rising from mid-major power in the Missouri Valley Conference to an invitation to the AAC. After a brief adjustment period, the Shockers are doing what we’ve come to expect from them – win a lot of games. While they lost two road games to Cincinnati and Memphis down the stretch, a 22-point win in the final over a good Tulsa team snapped them back on track. WICHITA STATE IS A GOOD VALUE BET AT +400.

2020 AAC odds: Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+600)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 13-5 AAC)

The Golden Hurricane were humbled by 22 points at Wichita in the finale. Tulsa beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and were hammered by the good teams. A 33-point loss in Houston Feb. 19 was also alarming. They’ll be a good NIT team, and a loss Friday in their first game, potentially against Memphis, wouldn’t be surprising. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Memphis Tigers (+600)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 10-8 AAC)

The Tigers had a chance to get off the bubble with a win in Houston in the finale. While they covered, they faltered, and covers do not impress the committee. Memphis likely needs at least two wins, perhaps three, to feel comfortable on selection Saturday. If the Tigers still had James Weisman in the middle, their chances of winning here would be better. They’re a good defensive team, but offensively they’re rather bland. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE AAC AT +600 is OK, as their defense is good enough, but they’re a better bet in individual games against the spread and on Under plays.

2020 AAC odds: UConn Huskies (+1500)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 10-8 AAC)

UConn is on the bubble, and likely needs at least a run to the final to have a chance at an NCAA bid. The Huskies are matched up with Tulane in the 5-12 matchup, a team they scraped by 80-76 in the regular-season finale. They won both meetings with Tulane, but went 0-2 ATS. The good news is UConn enters this tournament on a five-game winning streak. Still, the Huskies are a mediocre team, and their odds are rather inflated based upon that. Not a good value, so AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: SMU Mustangs (+2500)

Regular-season record: (19-11, 9-9 AAC)

The Mustangs looked like a certain NCAA team, but they ended the regular season on a 1-5 SU/ATS slide, including shocking road losses to Tulane, UCF and South Florida. There’s a reason UConn is a 19-win team and just +600, and SMU has a better record but are long shots. What have you done for me lately? AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Temple Owls (+5000)

Regular-season record: (14-17, 6-12 AAC)

The Owls could spring a mild upset over a skidding SMU in the first round, but that’s as far as they go. They enter on their own five-game slide. It seems like regular-season wins over USC, Texas A&M and Wichita State were in another century. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: UCF Knights (+5000)

Regular-season record: (16-14, 7-11 AAC)

The Knights won their final two regular-season games, and they won at Cincinnati Feb. 19. They split with first-round opponent South Florida, so they could win one game, but they’re not going far. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: South Florida Bulls (+8000)

Regular-season record: (14-17, 7-11 AAC)

The Bulls won’t be on parade. They did top SMU in the regular-season finale and won in Memphis Feb. 8, but their opening game vs. UCF is a toss-up. If they win that one, they go no further. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: East Carolina Pirates (+10000)

Regular-season record: (11-20, 5-13 AAC)

The Pirates lost their final three games of the regular season, and are the only 20-loss team in the AAC. They beat SMU Jan. 11 but also lost by 20 to the Mustangs. That’s a microcosm of their season, and how inconsistent, and awful, they can be. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Tulane Green Wave (+10000)

Regular-season record: (12-18, 4-14 AAC)

The Green Wave opened 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS, and looked like they were in line for a big season, including a win in Utah. They also beat Cincinnati and SMU at home, but this game isn’t in New Orleans, and they dropped five of their last six away from their home floor. The Green Wave will crash early in this tourney. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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