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Mailbag: WSU and OSU link arms as their playoff path widens, ‘Pac-2’ reverse merger matters, UCLA’s net revenue and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

The Hotline mailbag publishes weekly. Send questions to [email protected] and include ‘mailbag’ in the subject line. Or hit me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline.Please note: Some questions have been edited for clarity and brevity.Are Oregon State and Washington State joined in holy matrimony, ’til death do them part? If so, what is the best possible outcome for the duo? — @tailgatestateWe’ll step aside and let Oregon State president Jayathi Murthy answer that question herself.During a news conference Friday (conducted remotely), Murthy was asked about OSU and Washington State acting together following the collapse of the Pac-12.“We are wonderfully aligned,” she said.That alignment is both natural and enforced. With their difficult geography, land-grant status and limited resources (relative to Washington and Oregon), the schools are cut from the same model and face many of the same challenges.And after the Pac-12’s demise, they are alone on the Power...

Remembering Jimmy Buffett: 3 songs that truly illustrate his lasting genius

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

Jimmy Buffett’s songwriting was often overshadowed by his lifestyle.People saw how much fun he was having — walking around with a big smile, bare feet and absolute joy onstage — and many assumed that there couldn’t be much depth to his music, as if one had to appear as dour as Neil Young or Van Morrison in order to be a serious songwriter.Of course, Buffett — who died Friday at the age of 76 — wrote his share of frivolous fun tunes, about such topics as food (“Cheeseburger in Paradise”), facial hair (“Pencil Thin Mustache”) and “Fins.” Yet, he also wrote a number of mesmerizing, heartfelt songs that would stand tall in any songwriter’s catalog.Just ask Bob Dylan, who once listed Buffett among his favorite songwriters — right up there with John Prine and Gordon Lightfoot.And it’s really hard to argue with Dylan when it comes to the topic of songwriting.With that in mind, we pay tribute to the li...

Prince Harry looked ‘dejected,’ ‘distracted by phone’ at Beyonce’s concert in LA

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

Beyoncé has been earning rave reviews for most of her performances on her “Renaissance” world tour, but at least one notable audience member at her Los Angeles show Friday night appeared less than enthused in photos posted on social media.That’s Prince Harry, who attended the show at SoFi Stadium with his wife, Meghan Markle, and her mother, Doria Ragland. The Duke of Sussex, his wife and mother-in-law enjoyed seats in a VIP box. While Markle and Ragland seemed to be having a great time, up off their feet and dancing and waving their arms, Harry “seemed more subdued and distracted by his phone,” TMZ reported, citing reports from eyewitnesses.“Some observers even said Harry looked disinterested and dejected” — for at least part of the show, TMZ added. One social media user posted a photo of the group in their VIP box on X. The photo showed Harry standing, but it appeared he did so grudgingly. The son of King Charles III, dressed in a silver gray ja...

Matt Fitzpatrick has two-shot lead at European Masters and closes on Ryder Cup place

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — Aiming to seal his place at the Ryder Cup this month, Matt Fitzpatrick doubled his lead at the European Masters to two shots after the third round on Saturday.Fitzpatrick played the par-4 18th hole perfectly and sank a six-foot birdie putt to card a 3-under-par round of 67. He has a 15-under total of 195 at sun-soaked Crans-sur-Sierre club in the Swiss Alps.The 2022 U.S. Open champion needs to finish better than seventh alone to take the third and final qualifying place via the World Points List for Europe’s Ryder Cup team. Tommy Fleetwood holds third place though is not playing this week.Fitzpatrick leads by two strokes from Alexander Björk, his playing partner on Saturday who shot 68, plus a second Swede, Ludvig Saberg (66), and Connor Syme (65).Alex Fitzpatrick, the younger brother of Matt, is a shot further back tied for fifth with Nicolai Højgaard. They made 68 and 66, respectively.Matt Fitzpatrick briefly ceded the lead to Björk when making do...

Big-spending Chelsea humbled in home loss to Forest. Haaland and Son score hat tricks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Half a billion dollars spent on new signings and Chelsea still looks like a team badly in need of reinforcements. Chelsea lost at home to Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the English Premier League on Saturday, a day after closing the summer transfer window by taking its spending past the $500 million mark with the addition of Cole Palmer. Record signing Moises Caicedo was partly at fault for the goal, giving the ball away cheaply before Anthony Elanga tapped in a cross from Taiwo Awoniyi in the 48th minute. Fellow newcomer Nicolas Jackson was held scoreless for the third time in four matches and Chelsea’s attack looked toothless again. Mauricio Pochettino has overseen two losses, one draw and just one win against promoted Luton for an underwhelming start to the season. Chelsea’s lack of a scoring threat was even more noticeable when Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Tottenham’s Son Heung-min both scored hat tricks in big wins. City maintained its pe...

DC postal employee steals nearly $1.7 million from residents, prosecutors claim

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

D.C. residents along one affluent neighborhood postal route have lost thousands of dollars in recent months to a United States Postal Service worker at the Friendship Post Office Station, court documents allege.The civil forfeiture filing, which is not a formal indictment of any person, ordered the seizure of $402,669.95 from the bank account believed to be operated by postal employee Hachikosela Khose Muchimba on or after Tuesday.Officials believe the amount may be less than half of the total amount of fraudulent deposits made across eight bank accounts.“He deposited approximately 98 misappropriated checks into those accounts with an aggregate value of $1,697,909.52. At least 90 of those misappropriated checks were U.S. Treasury checks,” the filing said.Investigators included checks stolen from residents dating back to Dec. 13, 2021 — Muchimba was first employed as a mail carrier on Feb. 16, 2020, and was assigned to the route in question beginning on Jan. 31, 2021.Inve...

Sainz pips record-chasing Verstappen to pole at Italian GP

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

MONZA, Italy (AP) — Carlos Sainz Jr. was enjoying a perfect birthday weekend so far after he secured pole position for the Italian Grand Prix to the delight of the Ferrari tifosi on Saturday.Thousands of red-clad Ferrari fans cheered as Sainz, who turned 29 on Friday, crossed the line 0.013 seconds quicker than runaway Formula One leader Max Verstappen, who is chasing a record 10th straight victory on Sunday.“Tell me we have it, tell me we have it,” Sainz yelled into race radio after beating Verstappen’s time on his final flying lap.The roars from the grandstands should have confirmed it.It was his fourth career pole and first since Austin last year. He was quickest in two of the three practices and Ferrari looked good on its home track. Teammate Charles Leclerc will start third on Sunday, just ahead of George Russell in the Mercedes.Grid positions aren’t necessarily as much of a factor at Monza as they are at other tracks. Only Leclerc has converted his pole position into a S...

Pedro Sánchez elogia la postura de la selección española de fútbol femenino tras el escándalo de Rubiales

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

(CNN) — El presidente del Gobierno de España, Pedro Sánchez, elogió la postura de la selección femenina de fútbol de su país y la de la sociedad española tras el beso no consensuado de Luis Rubiales a la ganadora de la Copa Mundial Femenina, Jennifer Hermoso, que provocó rechazo en España.España derrotó a Inglaterra en la final de la Copa del Mundo el mes pasado, pero el triunfo del equipo se ha visto eclipsado por la disputa.En un evento en Málaga, sur de España, este sábado, Sánchez subrayó que no cree que el escándalo haya dañado la marca española en el extranjero.La historia de Luis Rubiales, protagonista de uno de los mayores escándalos en la historia del fútbol español“Realmente creo que la marca España es la reacción de las jugadoras de nuestra selección de fútbol y la reacción espectacular de la sociedad española que se ha sumado a ellas diciendo ‘Se acabó’”, afirmó Sánchez.“Y que esto termine es con todas las consecuencias para todos los dirigentes que han...

Boniface scores 2 as Bayer Leverkusen routs Darmstadt and maintains fine Bundesliga start

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — New signing Victor Boniface scored twice and set up another goal as Bayer Leverkusen routed promoted Darmstadt 5-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday.It’s Leverkusen’s third win from three games.Jeremie Frimpong also starred for coach Xabi Alonso’s team, setting Boniface off on a run after two Darmstadt defenders crashed into each other. Boniface eluded one attempted challenge, then another, before dispatching the ball past goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen in the 21st minute.Oscar Vilhelmsson equalized from close range three minutes later but it was as good as it got for the defensively minded visitors.Frimpong set up Exequiel Palacios to score in the 49th, and Granit Xhaka and Florian Wirtz helped Boniface to his second in the 61st, seven minutes before Boniface laid the ball off for Jonas Hofmann to score.Alonso brought on new signings Nathan Tella (from Southampton) and Josip Stanišić (on loan from Bayern Munich) for their debuts in the 72nd, then Noah Mbamba (from Club Brugge)...

Chance of showers forecast for Labor Day weekend in San Diego County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:27 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Labor Day weekend is starting off damp and dreary for some parts of San Diego County. According to the National Weather Service, a chance of rain showers is on the forecast across the region, including the mountains and deserts.Between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, weather officials forecast the following chance of precipitation for these areas: Red tide, bioluminescent waves roll into parts of San Diego -- San Ysidro: 25%-- San Diego: 26%-- El Cajon: 25%-- Alpine: 24%-- Campo: 22%-- Escondido: 26%-- Borrego Springs: 16%-- Oceanside: 27%-- Palomar: 29%A map of the rain forecast, according to NWS, can be found here.Weather officials say temperatures will be slightly cooler Saturday with more cloud cover expected in parts of the region. Here's a quick look at expected highs for certain areas of the county:-- Borrego Springs: 95 degrees-- El Cajon: 82 degrees-- San Diego: 76 degrees-- Escondido: 80 degrees-- Oceanside: 79 degreesA map of the temperature forecast, accordin...