Own a piece of history: Commemorative Trump election cover plaque now availableApartment building where viral video fueled Trump's claims about city likely will close next yearEastern Don't miss out on the headlines from Eastern. Followed categories will be added to My News. Top-division football awaits for the first time in almost two decades. Mitcham has been busily bolstering its list ahead of its top-flight return following back-to-back premierships in Division 1 , with four-time flag coach Neil Winterton confident the club’s latest additions can address key areas of need. Dual Bentleigh best and fairest winners Liam Hewish and Michael Rogers have crossed from the Southern league, with a connection to Tigers’ ruckman Danny Baglava helping land the duo. Hewish brings more than 150 games’ experience, while Rogers, a former Sandringham Dragon, was named captain of Bentleigh at just 20 years of age in 2019. “Both (Michael) and Liam are looking for a fresh start,” Winterton said. “We’re really excited about what they’re going to add – Michael will play probably across half-back, but has the ability to play through the midfield or on the wing. “Liam’s more a key defender, he’s also had a bit of trouble with his body as well so we’re hoping with a bit of a fresh start he can get that back where he’d like it. “He’s a big body so we think he might be able to add something because we do need to add to our key position stocks, particularly down back.” Rogers kicks clear for Bentleigh. Picture: Steve Tanner Meanwhile, brothers Emi and Ezi Aleixo have crossed from Division 2 club Croydon. Emi returns to the league’s Premier Division after a stint at Vermont where he played 16 senior games in 2022. He was also at Frankston VFL in 2023 before a knee injury put paid to his time in the state league. Ezi featured in two senior finals for Croydon in 2024. “Emi is an in-and-under mid with good speed ... Ezi is a small, pressure forward, which we’re always looking to add those sorts of players in. We think both of those can add to our team,” Winterton said. “They’ve both played juniors at Mitcham as well.” Medium-sized forward Jack Kritopoulos has also signed from Premier Division rival, Blackburn. The former Eastern Ranges talent played most of his footy in the reserves this season with a smattering of senior appearances, kicking 21 goals from 16 showings in the twos and 10 majors from four top-flight matches – including six goals against Norwood. “He was looking for a little bit more opportunity, which we feel we can give him in our forward line,” Winterton said. “I’ve watched some of his vision ... he looks like he’s got good speed, nice hands and can finish off.” Winterton said most of the list had re-signed – but 2023 premiership defender Daniel Houeix has departed for Division 1 outfit Boronia. The Tigers last contested the Eastern league’s premier grade – then known as Division 1 – in 2006, and the coach was confident the group was primed for the challenge. EFNL 2024: Mitcham's Jesse Uren. Picture: Leesa Clarkson “They’re in that right age bracket now – I think our average age is going to be 23 or 24, so they’re right in that wheelhouse of playing their best footy,” Winterton said. “The last two seasons we’ve been the hunted team, and now we’re hunting the Balwyns, East Ringwoods, Doncaster Easts and those sorts of teams. “We’ve been in Division 1 for four or five years now, and you get used to playing the same teams year after year ... a lot of them (our players) have probably never played Vermont or Balwyn or Noble Park. “It’s a really exciting challenge for us.” Mitcham opens its season at home to Vermont on April 13. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Eastern ‘Building the foundations’: Youth to spearhead Lions’ new era Eastern Division 3 club Fairpark has hit the pre-season with a swag of key signings as it embarks on a new era under incoming coach Josh Allison. Read more Eastern Revealed: The biggest and best Eastern league recruits There’s been no shortage of top-drawer recruits putting pen to paper at Eastern league clubs this off-season, from ex-AFL stars to state league talents and more. We’ve named the best. Read more

Unseasonable Warmth Melts Winter Fun as Coon Rapids, MN Closes Ice Rinks and Warming HousesThe NFL wished Taylor Swift a Happy Birthday with a TikTok of her and Travis Kelce’s most memorable moments—on and off the field. Kelce’s employer posted the video of the singer and his relationship, which already has racked up over 1 million views. The caption read, “Karma is the guy on the @Chiefs saying happy bday to me.” The clips showed Kelce and Swift celebrating his wins at games, the pair at her concerts, and her glitzed out in Chiefs gear. “If you told me 2 years ago I would be following the NFL on tiktok and not falling asleep everytime a game is on TV... never would’ve believed it,” wrote one commenter. “Happy birthday Taylor. Thank you for uniting the Swifties and the Football Fans together in the name of art and sport,” another wrote. Swift has been seen at many Chiefs games since the beginning of her relationship with the tight end, with him visiting her at some of her tour dates. karma is the guy on the @Chiefs saying happy bday to me 🎶 #taylorswift #traviskelce #nfl #kansascitychiefs Saturday Night Live alum Pete Davidson , known best to some for his past relationships with Kim Kardashian , Ariana Grande , Kate Beckinsale , and more famous women, now says he doesn’t want to be known as “this f---ing loser who just dates people,” in a new interview for W Magazine . to promote his new role as creative director for colorful sock brand Doublesoul, Davidson told the outlet his feeling that he was one of “a handful of celebs every couple of years” that the media “destroys,” after multiple run-ins with tabloids over his famous exes. “For some reason, I’m one of the people they chose to go after,” he said. But, he added, “It’s actually, in a way, a blessing, because it allowed me to take a step back and evaluate things. What do you want to be? Who are you?” Davidson said he only wants to be seen publicly “when it’s movie, stand-up, charity, or business ventures” and to focus on his stand-up career. “I’m someone who is from Staten Island, wanted to do stand-up, and if I got to do anything else because of stand-up, it was a miracle.” Posters are a great way to celebrate your favorite fandom. But if you’re looking for that real “WOW!” factor, nothing beats Fathead . For 17 years, Fathead has been an industry leader in officially licensed graphic wall art across sports and entertainment. You can even create personalized products, making big-head cutouts and life-size wall decals from your own photos. Installing the decals is a breeze. Unroll the decal and lie it flat. Wipe down your wall with a damp cloth. After the wall is dry, peel off the decal backing and apply it slowly, smoothing out any bubbles as you go. Need to adjust? No problem— Fathead decals can be peeled off and reapplied easily. No matter your favorite football team, Fathead has a wall decal for them . Free Shipping The basketball season has just tipped off. Celebrate your favorite player with a life-size wall decal. Free Shipping From everyone’s favorite web-slinging New Yorker to the fourth-wall breaking merc with a mouth, Fathead’s superhero decals burst with vibrant colors. You’ll marvel at how they bring your walls to life. Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. The iconic sitcom Malcolm in the Middle will hit screens for the first time in 18 years, with a limited run of four episodes set to premiere on Disney+ . Frankie Muniz, who will reprise his role as Malcolm, announced the reboot Friday, along with Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, who play his parents. The original creator of the show will also return as a writer. The new series follows Malcolm returning home with his daughter for his parents’ 40th wedding anniversary, according to Deadline . Christopher Kennedy Masterson, who played the eldest brother Francis, and Justin Berfield, who played the middle child Reese, are likely to be asked to reprise their roles. Though it’s unlikely that Erik Per Sullivan, who plays the youngest brother Dewey, will make an appearance. He quit acting in 2010 and has not appeared at any reunions. Malcolm in the Middle first premiered on Fox in 2000 and ran for seven seasons. Its success as a family comedy is credited with paving the way for other single-camera sitcoms. Legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers is finally opening up about his strained relationship with his family. In his new documentary, Aaron Rodgers: Enigma , Rodgers explained that he has “stunted emotional intelligence” because of the lack of open emotion in his home growing up. “I think I saw my dad cry when my grandfather passed. And that might have been it,” Rodgers shared. “There wasn’t space for emotion.” Rodgers’ brother, Jordan, first opened up about the family’s rift during his time on The Bachelorette in 2016. During a hometown date with his now-wife JoJo Fletcher, the family explained that while they “miss” Rodgers, they no longer have a relationship with him. In a 2017 profile with The New York Times , Rodgers’ father, Ed, confirmed that he hadn’t spoken to his son in three years. “Fame can change things,” he said. At the time, Rodgers said he didn’t want to talk about his family publicly. In the doc, Rodgers spoke about his family while participating in an ayahuasca ceremony. The quarterback said the psychedelic drug allows users to “model a new way of thinking about masculinity, or what it means to be a man.” Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Consuming cannabis as an adult feels very different than doing so as a fresh-faced 21-year-old—so why should your smoking habits make your space feel like a disheveled college dorm room? NWTN Home’s collection of chic smoking essentials offers a more elevated way to enjoy cannabis in the comfort of your home. NWTN Home is a smokeware brand bringing craftsmanship to the cannabis industry by designing what they call “homeware for the high-minded.” Its weed-associated products are built to double as elegant and functional houseware items , helping you upgrade your home into a full smoking sanctuary. Plus, they make the perfect holiday gifts for your favorite creative cannabis connoisseur! This hand-poured, marbled ashtray rests atop a sleek melamine rolling tray and includes a helpful brass tool that can assist in your rolling process, making it the perfect blend of form and function. This standout stackable flower pot ashtray set is a surefire solution to keep your space clean—and your houseguests impressed. No cannabis collection is complete without something to smoke out of! These avant-garde gravity bongs are inspired by vintage housewares and designed to seamlessly blend into your barware and greenware set-ups. Released bodycam footage shows Paris Hilton’s ex-fiancé, Chris Zylka, in a chaotic brawl with police after a failed carjacking. Police in a Cleveland suburb first responded to reports of a shirtless, barefoot man walking in traffic in freezing temperatures on Dec. 4, local outlet WKBN first reported. Zylka was found in the middle of an intersection, where he allegedly tried to break into a woman’s car. He pointed a cell phone at the cops and began foaming at the mouth, leading officers to believe he was under the influence of drugs, according to the police report. Footage shows Zylka struggling with police officers and resisting arrest even after being tasered in the leg twice. He was then put in an ambulance by paramedics. The actor is now facing felony charges of assault and attempt to commit an offense, as well as misdemeanor disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and aggravated menacing. Hilton and Zylka started dating in 2017 after being friends for years. He proposed in early 2018 during a ski trip in Aspen, Colorado, but they called off their engagement in November that same year. Vanderpump Rules alum James Kennedy is refusing to apologize for his domestic violence arrest . “We are in the process of conducting our own investigation into the allegations levied by the Burbank Police Department against James,” Kennedy’s attorneys said in a statement to the Daily Mail . “We understand that there were no injuries and we are hoping that, after careful review, the city’s attorneys will decide not to file formal charges.” Police were called to Kennedy’s home on Tuesday because of an argument between Kennedy and a woman. That night, Kennedy attended Kathy Hilton’s Christmas party with girlfriend Ally Lewber, though it’s unknown if she is the victim. Police told People that after an investigation, they arrested the reality star for misdemeanor domestic violence. He later posted $20,000 bail. A source at the Christmas party told People that Kennedy was acting “super aggressive.” “He was acting so erratic, running back and forth to the bar and body-checking people along the way,” the source alleged. “He appeared inebriated. Spent the evening mostly alone but when he did speak to people, he appeared irritated and rude.” A doctor has rubbished Brandi Glanville’s scary medical theory about her “deflated” face , saying he’s concerned about an infection that started via an injection. The 52-year-old Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum claims doctor s told her that it may have been caused by “a parasite that jumps around my face.” But Dr. Terry Dubrow, from Botched , has said he’s “concerned about an infectious process”. He told TMZ : “It’s an infectious process or a foreign body reaction to something she’s had injected.” A foreign body reaction is the response of biological tissue to any foreign material in the tissue, despite it often being inert and nontoxic, according to ScienceDirect.com Dubrow added: “Brandi needs a diagnosis... she has to figure out if there’s a microorganism in there. It’s not gonna be a parasite, it’s not gonna be something she ate... it’s going to be something that got into her bloodstream though, and seeded some foreign body.” Dubrow thinks Glanville either has a micro bacterium, a type of bacteria, or a fungus, a type of organism. Sick it! pic.twitter.com/hrtAzRwOCW A Buckingham Palace maid was arrested this week after she allegedly went “crazy” following a staff Christmas party which saw glasses and punches thrown in a London bar. A report in The Sun said as many as 50 royal servants gathered for an after-party following drinks at the palace Tuesday when the maid, 24, took a swing at a bar manager, threw glasses, and was ultimately arrested for common assault, criminal damage, and being drunk and disorderly. She was released after 24 hours with a fine. “The group walked in and this one girl just got hysterical,” a source told The Sun . “She started smashing glasses and abusing our staff members, so we had to call the police. I’ve never seen one person get that crazy during a night out. She was on another level.” A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident outside the workplace involving a number of Household staff who had previously attended an early evening reception at the Palace. While this was an informal social gathering, not an official palace Christmas party, the facts will be fully investigated, with a robust disciplinary process followed in relation to individual staff and appropriate action taken.” Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. Apparently, boosting prostate health can actually be pleasurable—at least, that’s what premium sexual wellness brand MysteryVibe says. The Molto, an ultra-slim and bendable prostate vibrator designed by a doctor, is engineered to be the same size and width as a doctor’s finger and to mimic similar motions to that performed during an exam, allowing for not only intense prostate (the prostate is often hailed as the male ‘G-spot’) and anal stimulation but also a release of prostatic fluids. 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Because the Molto vibrator is an FDA-registered class II medical device, it’s also FSA/HSA eligible. Is Melania Trump finally back in action? The incoming first lady is joining Donald Trump on Sunday for a private dinner at Mar-a-Lago with Akie Abe, the widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, according to reports. Her husband, who was assassinated at a political rally in 2022, reportedly won over Trump during his first term with the proven combination of golf and flattery. Trump and Akie Abe have stayed close, with the president-elect regularly calling her to check in, a source told CNN. Melania Trump is scheduled to attend Sunday’s dinner, her latest public appearance after being largely absent on the campaign trail earlier this year. She also accompanied her husband to the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday for Trump’s ringing of the opening bell. Melania has always been a somewhat reluctant first lady, and it’s still not clear how much time she plans to spend in Washington after Trump takes office in January. She did, however, tell Fox & Friends last week that at least she knows what to expect this time around. Trump is set to have a private dinner this Sunday with Akie Abie, the widow of the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a person familiar says. The dinner will take place at Mar-a-Lago and Melania Trump is expected to attend. Trump and Mrs. Abe have maintained a close... The woman who accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape in 2006 has admitted she fabricated the entire story—18 years after her case captivated the nation before quickly falling apart. Crystal Mangum, the woman at the center of the scandal who is serving a prison sentence for the murder of her boyfriend years later, confessed to lying about the assaults in a new podcast interview. “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t and that was wrong, and I betrayed the trust of a lot of other people who believed in me, and made up a story that wasn’t true because I wanted validation from people and not from God,” Mangum told the podcast Let’s Talk with Kat . Mangum, who was working as an exotic dancer who performed at a lacrosse team party in March 2006, called the three lacrosse players she previously accused her “brothers,” and asked for their forgiveness. “I hurt my brothers, and I hope that they can forgive me, and I want them to know that I love them and they didn’t deserve it. I hope they can forgive me.” The charges against the three lacrosse players were dropped by then-North Carolina Attorney General (and current Governor) Roy Cooper in 2007. The Durham County prosecutor who charged the Duke students was eventually disbarred and convicted of contempt of court for giving the defense incomplete DNA test results that would have excluded the lacrosse players, local station WRAL reported at the time. More than 18 years after the Duke lacrosse allegations, Crystal Mangum admits that she made it all up. "I testified falsely against [the lacrosse players] by saying that they raped me when they didn't...I made up a story that wasn't true...I hope that they can forgive me." pic.twitter.com/3yMjbQTQXH

NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks are pulling Wall Street toward another record amid mixed trading on Monday. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in afternoon trading after closing its best month of the year at an all-time high . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 86 points, or 0.2%, with a little more than an hour remaining in trading, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.9% higher. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 31.1% to lead the market. Following accusations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor , the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company's board. It also said it doesn’t expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 2.9% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 1.1% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger’s replacement, and its chair said it’s “committed to restoring investor confidence.” Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street's frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO’s departure . Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world’s fourth-largest automaker’s stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 3.7% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday . Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged , fell 1.6%. Walmart , which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.3%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.3%. The stock market largely took Donald Trump’s latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won’t create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar’s value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government’s budget . The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday's headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October's lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. “We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.Schneider National, Inc. ( NYSE:SNDR – Get Free Report ) insider Shaleen Devgun sold 10,000 shares of Schneider National stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.04, for a total value of $290,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 95,191 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,764,346.64. The trade was a 9.51 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . Schneider National Stock Down 0.2 % NYSE:SNDR opened at $29.54 on Friday. The company’s 50 day moving average is $30.40 and its two-hundred day moving average is $27.55. The company has a market cap of $5.17 billion, a PE ratio of 47.65, a P/E/G ratio of 3.24 and a beta of 0.90. Schneider National, Inc. has a twelve month low of $20.50 and a twelve month high of $33.90. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. Schneider National ( NYSE:SNDR – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported $0.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.23 by ($0.05). Schneider National had a net margin of 2.10% and a return on equity of 3.92%. The firm had revenue of $1.32 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.33 billion. Analysts anticipate that Schneider National, Inc. will post 0.7 EPS for the current year. Schneider National Dividend Announcement Institutional Investors Weigh In On Schneider National Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Schneider National during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $53,000. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale purchased a new stake in Schneider National in the third quarter valued at $73,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in Schneider National during the 3rd quarter worth about $90,000. SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in Schneider National during the 3rd quarter worth about $109,000. Finally, Hills Bank & Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of Schneider National in the 3rd quarter valued at about $112,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 28.54% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of Schneider National from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their target price on Schneider National from $26.00 to $25.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on Schneider National from $27.00 to $26.00 and set an “in-line” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Schneider National from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Schneider National from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $29.08. Read Our Latest Analysis on Schneider National Schneider National Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Schneider National, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides surface transportation and logistics solutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It operates through three segments: Truckload, Intermodal, and Logistics. The Truckload segment offers over the road freight transportation services primarily through dry van, bulk, temperature-controlled, and flat-bed trailers across either network or dedicated configurations. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Schneider National Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Schneider National and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

You probably haven’t gotten wind of the news yet, but the Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus last week. No, really, they did . Happy to hear it? We figured some of you would be. In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X, we wanted to know if Bears fans’ enthusiasm about the team has changed with Eberflus out. Suffice it to say, almost no one who voted was disappointed. “Call me crazy,” commented @JeffreyCanalia, who was about to write something really crazy, “but I still think they can make the playoffs.” Next, we asked about Sunday’s Bears-49ers game . And the winner is? “I have thought they were going to win too many times this year to think this now,” @P6Cassidy offered. Last, we asked which Bears coach was worst among Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy and Eberflus. “Yes,” answered @IllinoisGolfer, hilariously. And from @Marie_Manning: “None of them stayed long enough to find out.” One supposes we should count our blessings. On to the polls: Poll No. 1: Has your enthusiasm about the Bears changed since the firing of coach Matt Eberflus? Upshot: Will things be better on the field? Will better decisions be made on the sideline? We’ll see. It certainly could be argued that not having to hear Eberflus’ interpretations of events will be a victory in itself. Poll No. 2: How will the Bears fare Sunday at the 49ers in their first game post-Eberflus? Upshot: “Once again,” @RiisPark99, “the media and the fans are listening to their hearts and not their heads. Bears lose.” Wait a minute, where does this commenter get off implying the media have hearts? Poll No. 3: Of the Bears’ four head coaches since Lovie Smith, who was the worst? Upshot: What in the holy hell did we ever do to the football gods to deserve that lineup? Asking for a few million friends.There are things you can see coming when you follow a hockey team and there are things that can still surprise you no matter how long you've been at it. With the Montreal Canadiens this season, there's been one big surprise and it's not rookie Lane Hutson, no it's a well established veteran who most fans were complaining about last season. Brendan Gallagher has had a tough time since the 2019-20 season, a lot of injuries that have taken their toll, shorten seasons after shorter seasons and a production that dipped. With the downward trend of his production, the criticism from the fans mounted up and calls to move him and his big contract grew louder. This season though, we are seeing a new version of Gallagher, one that can both be a leader of man and an important core of the team. Coach Martin St-Louis said it best today when he was asked about the gritty right winger: A player like Gally who's combative and brings everyone [to battle] is a good example. He pulls people with him and the better he's feeling, the better his confidence is and the easier it is for him to pull people. I'm super happy for him, he plays good hockey. With 8 goals in 19 games, the veteran is on pace for 35 goals on the season which would be his most productive season to date. Of course, in order to maintain that pace, everything would have to go right and he'd have to avoid injuries, but it's not completely out of the realm of possibilities. Furthermore, Gallagher is still playing on the second wave of the power play and when Patrik Laine return, wherever he returns, that second unit should improve and it should help. “I’m very proud to put on this sweater, it’s not lost on me. I’ve been here a long time. I wanna continue to play, represent this city, this jersey. I take a lot of pride in that, for sure.” - Brendan Gallagher last night on being the longest-serving current Habs player — /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) The coach also explained what it takes for a player to stay with the same team for so long, "It doesn't happen often and it's not a question of luck" said the bench boss. For a player to stick, the pilot believe he has to produce, to be a good person, to have work ethic because if you're not a good example, you're not there for long. It was reported to St-Louis that Gallagher said he was more of a "beer guy" when he told he's like fine wine that improves over time, but the coach had another comparison in mind: I think Gally, since I've been here, for me, he's improved his software. Yes, you know, like the iPhone right? It goes from 5.0 to 6.0 to I don't know, what are we now 15?[...] It's never too late to improve the software, and when you improve the software, you have more options. I know Gally is really good in net front, he's really good net front, but it's not all he's doing now. He's doing way more and because he's doing way more, not that he doesn't spend time net front, but that's not all he does. When you're constantly battling with somebody in front of the net, it takes a toll and you're probably prone to more injuries when that's all you're doing. [...] He understand he has that, and sometimes it's his turn to go, but it's not the only job he has to do on the ice. He's playing more of a complete game. There you have it, the secret to the new and improved Gallagher according to the coach. If St-Louis is correct about the right winger being less likely to be injured with the new balance he found in his game, he might just maintain his current rhythm of production and if he does, he could have 43 points at the end of the season. Should he reach that number, it would be the fourth most productive season of his career and to be honest, it couldn't happen to a more deserving player. Gallagher has been Montreal's ultimate warrior for 13 years now, he has bled for this team and to see his resurgence is both a surprise and a blessing for this young team. 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Trump offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled nominee to lead the PentagonLOS ANGELES (AP) — After struggling to run the ball consistently all season, the Los Angeles Rams finally made some progress on the ground in New Orleans. Kyren Williams and rookie Blake Corum carried the Rams (6-6) to a 21-14 win that kept them squarely in the playoff race for another week. Los Angeles racked up a season-high 156 yards rushing against the Saints, with Williams going for 104 yards and a touchdown while Corum added 42 yards on a season high-tying eight carries. The game was the inverse of most afternoons this season for the Rams, who came into the week averaging fewer than 100 yards rushing per game. The running game was sturdy and productive, while Matthew Stafford and his receivers struggled to get into a rhythm at the Superdome. Coach Sean McVay always prefers to use his run game to set up the pass, and it finally worked for once this season. “I thought Kyren ran really well," McVay said. “I thought Corum ran really well. I thought our offensive line set the line of scrimmage in the run game. We really started slow in the pass game, but I thought Matthew was excellent in the second half. We were able to get some different things off of those run actions going, and that ended up being the difference in the game.” Not coincidentally, the Rams' running game worked well on the Sunday when the offensive line finally had a starting five uncompromised by injuries or suspension for the first time all season. Right tackle Rob Havenstein returned from an ankle injury, making the group whole around rookie center Beaux Limmer, who has beaten out high-priced free agent Jonah Jackson for a starting job. The Rams still had yet another slow start in a season full of them. They ran only three plays in the entire first quarter, and they were held scoreless in the first half when their other two drives resulted in a turnover on downs and a punt. But Los Angeles rebounded with an 11-play scoring drive to open the second half featuring seven runs by Williams. He eventually moved up to fifth in the NFL with 926 yards rushing despite averaging just 4.2 yards per carry — nearly a yard less than he had last season, and the lowest average among the league's top 10 rushers this season. The Rams have thrived without a strong rushing attack before: They averaged just 99.0 yards per game on the ground, ranking 25th in the NFL, during their Super Bowl championship season in 2021-22. But McVay prefers his first option to be a strong running attack, which he had during his first three seasons in charge with Todd Gurley in the backfield and Andrew Whitworth at left tackle. “Anytime the guys up front are moving them, and (Williams) is making great reads and moves on the second level, then that is a fun feeling for the offense," Stafford said. “It’s great when you can hand the ball off and get big creases. We converted when we needed to in short-yardage stuff. I thought our guys did a really great job up front, and Kyren ran it great.” The Rams have struggled in the red zone all season, but they scored touchdowns on all three trips in New Orleans. They did it by committing to the run game up the middle, setting up TD passes on the outside to Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua. Alvin Kamara racked up 112 yards rushing in the latest strong game by an opposing running back. Los Angeles is 28th in the league against the run, allowing 144.2 yards rushing per game — including 194 per game over the past three weeks. Rookie edge rusher Jared Verse had another outstanding game, racking up five tackles, three quarterback hits and numerous big plays that don't show up on stat sheets. He capped the performance by hitting Derek Carr from behind and forcing an incompletion from the Los Angeles 9 on New Orleans' final play. Cornerback Darious Williams gave up a touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the ensuing 2-point conversion pass to Dante Pettis early in the fourth quarter, capping a second straight rough week for the free-agent signee. Williams is the Rams' best cornerback, but they haven't had an above-average shutdown pass defender since trading Jalen Ramsey. Los Angeles added cornerback depth Monday, claiming 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from Washington. Robinson injured his hand during the game, and Stafford incurred a lateral ankle sprain. McVay said he doesn't expect either injury to affect the veterans' preparations this week. 17 — Cooper Kupp's yards receiving. That's his lowest total in a game in which he didn't get injured since Oct. 18, 2020. Kupp had only six targets, few downfield routes and curiously scant chances to make big plays. The Rams are home underdogs this week against powerhouse Buffalo, followed by a Thursday night game at San Francisco. Getting even one win out of these two matchups will be difficult, but probably necessary to keep pace with Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL