Daily Archives: April 9, 2022

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Amid a technology sector under scrutiny and a pandemic throwing up disruptions, the Yahoo team has been growing its footprint and has its eye on further growth.

Led by Pual Sigaloff, the Australia and New Zealand team has 150 members in its offices across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Auckland. Following Sigaloffs recent promotion to vice president, head of APAC, he brings the Taiwan, Singapore, India, Japan, and South East Asia offices under his leadership.

Yahoo is all about our people, Sigaloff says.

Theyre the lifeblood of our business. Over the past year weve really doubled down on investing in our team and its paid off. Despite the corona-coaster of the past two years, weve seen unprecedented growth - 55% year-on-year in 2021 alone.

Sigaloff first joined the business in 2014, working then as commercial director when it was known as Yahoo7. Since then, the company has been through multiple iterations, most recently being sold to private equity firm Apollo Global Management last year.

Pual Sigaloff

Amid these changes, the team has been steadily growing its business. Sigaloff credits much of this growth to the digitisation across the media landscape.

Clients have been really attracted to our simple omni-channel platform that enables them to easily turn campaigns on/off, measure impact across channels, target in a privacy-safe way and access inventory from connected TV, digital out-of-home, native, audio and more all in one place, Sigaloff says.

This remains a big focus for us this year.

On the publishing side weve also seen growth across all our brands including Yahoo News, Yahoo Sport, Yahoo Lifestyle and Yahoo Finance. This is testament to Simon Wheelers great work and the outstanding capability of our content teams - well be continuing to strengthen this in 2022.

Wheeler, is one of the business recent promotions, taking on the senior director of content role for Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia early last year. The company also recently promoted Julia Edwards to sales director for NSW.However, Sigaloff says he has been faced with challenges while growing the team.

The biggest challenge has probably been the growing pains as I like to call them, he says.

Our business has grown so quickly over the past few years that theres been a few side effects we need to address: hiring new staff during an industry-wide talent shortage, operationalisation of new business, and maintaining our high standards of positive customer experience.

Yahoo, which returned to its purple roots in a 2019 rebrand, offers client publishing and tech platforms. Its publishing brands include Yahoo, TechCrunch, Aol, and Engadget, alongside its business solutions including Yahoo Ad Tech, Yahoo Search, and Edgecast.

Looking into the future, Sigaloff says the business will focus on growing its consumer audiences, increasing revenue, and building partnerships.

Sigaloff adds there will be continual investment in the people, with a focus on social impact and engaging with employees in a purposeful way.

Were always focusing on our positive impact on the world, society and people, he says.

This is a personal passion of mine and for many within the business so were constantly seeking new ways to integrate social responsibility even further into each teams DNA.

One initiative has been its remote work policy, with staff free to use the office space as needed. The company also has introduced a Work from Anywhere policy which allows employees to work abroad for up to 30 days a year.

Theres the obvious benefits like flexibility, no commute, personal comfort and preferences, and more time to do the things you love (exercise, family time, sailing), he says.

But the more understated benefits Ive noticed include higher productivity as people lead more balanced lives, plus a general shift towards greater empathy. Weve gone through so much together and as a result its really changed the way we do business. Were now human and helpful in every interaction.

To address the challenges with finding the right staff, Sigaloff says Yahoo has been investing in training programs.Were doing our bit to resolve this through upskilling and education, he says.

Yahoo Academy, for example, is a free educational two-day workshop to support up-and-coming talent. Our online masterclasses within that are open to the entire industry and share soft skills to accelerate careers.

Our Decoded series is another example, bringing together the best minds in the industry to discuss the hottest topics. Forget the sales pitch, this is all about broadening your knowledge and finding answers to the big problems.

Beyond technical skills, were doing our bit to weave more purpose into everyones roles. All our employees are encouraged to volunteer and incorporate UnLtd and its charity partners into their day-to-day.

With the right team set in place, Sigaloff will be ruthlessly prioritising its avenues for growth. He is also mindful of the challenges ahead for the broader industry, particularly changes around user privacy.

Looking to 2022 and beyond, there are some headwinds facing the industry but as a cornerstone internet company, Yahoo is well placed to solve these, he says.

A key one will be data headwinds - browser changes impacting cookies, increased privacy regulation and legislation, consent and the flow on impact to targeting. Our identity solutions are tried and tested and already helping numerous advertisers.

Another one is omnichannel - the digital ecosystem is growing. Traditionally, it was just display, video and native but as media becomes digitised this now includes connected TV, digital out-of-home, audio, etc. These changes can be frightening and complex, so through our adtech we help advertisers navigate this.

And finally, measurement - quantifying and measuring impact can be a minefield but Yahoos platform makes it simple and available in real time.

Simon Wheeler, senior director of content AUNZ and SEAWhat does a typical day look like for you?I dont have a typical day as such, but it will often start with a read of local and global headlines. With the increasing international scope of my role, I have calls with New York colleagues before checking in with my AU and SEA teams. In between, my day can range from content strategy meetings, new partnership updates, deep dives into our audience numbers and trends and then, my favourite, filling in reports.

What do you love most aboutyour role?I enjoy the multi-market nature of my job. I also enjoy the strategic nature of my role and the opportunity to step away and think about how we can grow that little bit more. We have some of the smartest digital content minds in the country and I enjoy working with them to identify opportunities, create and implement plans and (hopefully) see the numbers reflect were on the right track. This might be a particular content topic thats resonating, the teams might be trying a new social or search tactic, or success on a platform like TikTok or YouTube.

Any key goals for 2022 at Yahoo?Ive tried to keep it simple for 2022. Well be focusing on attracting more users to our sites and encouraging those users to spend more time with us, more often.Again, keeping it simple, were doing this through quality content - stories and video - that we know our audience wants. Were serving it to them where they already are, on the Yahoo network, but also on platforms like social, search and TikTok, for example.

John McNerney, director of platforms AUNZWhats an issue youre focusedon now?What the removal of cookies and Identifier For Advertisers will mean for our industry. I spend a lot of my time educating partners and clients on how planning, forecasting, activation and measurement of their campaigns will soon change. Advanced TV is a big focus area within this context. Using linear Automatic Content Recognition data, were helping advertisers finally measure audience reach and frequency across offline and online TV consumption.

What does a typical day look like for you?A run or ocean swim, a coffee and a skim of the global media and economy news before 8am US calls. After this its another coffee, a review of yesterdays revenue, product releases and then meetings, meetings and more meetings. First with internal teams, then with partners and clients on strategy, planning and progress updates. My role is all about commercialising Yahoos demand and supply side platforms so keeping a finger on the pulse with industry regulation, policy, innovation and market dynamics is essential.

What do you love most aboutyour role?No day is ever the same. Theres always a new industry challenge or solution were working on to help our partners. Working at Yahoo - which prides itself on people-first culture and a human and helpful ethos - makes the job meaningful no matter what the day throws up. Whether its rolling out new technological or creative innovations, partnering with clients to test industry-leading solutions or giving back to the community through our charity partners, I take pride in the fact my role provides positive value to our clients business and wider community.

Rachel Page, general manager sales AUNZWhats the biggest challengein your role?Its definitely staying across everything. Our people, our clients, our products, the industry - theyre all constantly changing. Theres never a dull moment and I love the pace and the diversity of my role. But the biggest challenge is definitely juggling it all and making sure I dont drop a ball. The struggle of constantly thinking about what or who have I missed is very real.

Whats your favourite partof your role?Hands down its the people - theres so much energy and talent. The pandemic blurred the line between professional and personal and Ive really enjoyed dialling back to a more human and helpful approach. I love bringing people together to connect and collaborate and, of course, celebrate the wins.

How has Yahoo evolved since you first joined in 2017?Where to start! So much has happened in that time - a joint venture split and several name changes just to name a few big events. But weve kept all the best bits and never stopped evolving and critiquing our products and culture. Being inducted into the UnLtd Hall of Good and awarded MFAs Media Partner of the Year really sums it all up. Were in a great spot in terms of business growth, client and team sentiment and purpose. And weve certainly got no plans to stop this momentum.

Zoe Cocker, head of innovation and Yahoo Creative Studios AUNZHow would you describe your role?Non-stop! I lead a team that captures human attention in interesting ways using the latest tech. I work at the intersection between creativity and technology, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved digitally. What this looks like day-to-day: One day I might be working on an NFT project or strategising virtual worlds on game engines. On another it could be designing augmented reality campaigns or even creating Yahoo Finance Investor bootcamps.

Whats the biggest challenge in your role now?A large part of my role is driving innovation for Yahoo and our clients. Were in a really unique position as one of the internets founding figures. We have so much knowledge combined with a background in 5G technology (having previously been owned by Verizon). Add to this backing by Apollo to charge full speed ahead into the future of immersive technology, and its a bountiful opportunity were presented with. But this space changes daily. No one is 100% sure what the metaverse will look like. Staying relevant in a constantly evolving industry is an ongoing challenge but its a challenge I thrive on!

What attracted you to Yahoo?Quite simply, great people. I started at Yahoo in the UK back in 2014. I was poached by a former boss who I had so much love and respect for. Initially, he was the number one reason. Then came the benefits of working for a global powerhouse as I now find myself living and working in Sydney. The country where I live may have changed, but I still find myself surrounded by incredible people who are smart, talented and most importantly, are changemakers. My world is constantly evolving and I rely on people around me to keep me honest, grounded and to inspire me.

Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au

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Meet the Team: Navigating changes at Yahoo - AdNews

DETROIT Cade Cunningham carries himself like a new-age NBA player, but doesnt necessarily play like one. To paraphrase soul star Erykah Badu, hes an analog star in a digital world which could make it hard to examine his Rookie of the Year candidacy.

He doesnt overwhelm the game physically, but applies force in selective moments. Theres a sophistication and polish to his game that feels more mature than raw, giving off the feeling hes closer to his ceiling than his draftmates.

And hes come on strong in the last four months after a slow start exacerbated by an ankle injury that forced him to miss training camp and the first week of the season on a team that couldnt afford but so many in the second year of a rebuild.

Still, hes managed to make believers across the board and had his share of clutch moments that present a morsel of his potential. More importantly, on a team full of young ones trying to put their stamp on the league and secure their individual futures, Cunningham emerged as the undisputed leader for the Detroit Pistons present and future.

Cunningham, Clevelands Evan Mobley and Torontos Scottie Barnes each has a compelling case to win the award. Mobley has been steady, particularly on defense where most rookies usually struggle and gives off vibes of a young Tim Duncan. Barnes is an all-everything wing who plays bigger than his 6-foot-9 frame, and like Cunningham, has taken a leap after the All-Star break.

Cunninghams March put him on par with Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies to average 22 points, five rebounds and seven assists in a month. His best stretches occurred in wins against Cleveland and Toronto and red-hot Boston after the All-Star break, which doesnt feel coincidental.

Whos favored often depends on proximity, or preference considering there is no guideline for the award. Cunningham plays the leagues toughest and deepest position and had the strongest finish. But there are logical reasons for Mobley and Barnes, as well even as Mobley rebounds from a late-March ankle injury.

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A large portion of the argument for Mobley and Barnes stems from foundations laid upon their arrival. Clevelands subtle roster improvements were capped off by drafting Mobley, his versatility enabling them to play bigger on the wings to compensate for the lack of girth down low. Luckily for Mobley, he wasnt overexposed having to play center because of Jarrett Allens presence a perfect situation for a perfect player.

Barnes has been amazing, as has Mobley with no qualifiers. Playing on a team with the bones of a champion preserved eases the burden of having to be the focal point, or franchise player carrying everything on broader-by-the-day shoulders. It also means the margin for error is thinner for both compared to Cunningham, with playoff positioning changing by the day in an ber-competitive Eastern Conference.

History could wind up saying all three are in the perfect positions, practically and figuratively able to thrive in their respective environments and cultures.

For Cunningham, the mental stamina required to help resurrect a proud franchise in need of a face to marry itself not a parched franchise, but a starving one that has largely been on the outside looking inside the NBAs talent boom of the last decade feels beyond the pale for the normal teenager or even the exceptional 20-year-old.

He has it. Some guys have that it gene. They can get it done in crucial situations and hes done it his whole career, Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. The moment is never too big for him. Thats how he produces and isnt afraid of the moment. You feel comfortable with the ball in his hands.

Cunningham understands the big picture as well as the smaller ones, seemingly aware of how to balance assertiveness and leadership without turning off his teammates.

Taking responsibility early, even when its not your fault, is sometimes hard, Mavs coach and former co-Rookie of the Year Jason Kidd told Yahoo Sports. Because players want to know that you are going to help protect them or help them. And so you can take that responsibility early and know that your teammates trust you, then things tend to run really, really smooth for yourself. Youve got to fail first and accept that in front of everyone. Then everyone will understand youre the real deal.

Casey said Cunningham has done exactly that.

He mans up on the film and takes what I get on his ass in the film sessions, My bad coach, Casey said. He always owns up to his mistakes. Hes not full of excuses. He accepts responsibility. Hes a real leader. Guys know bull from the real. In the huddles he'll say, Were not rebounding, were not defending. Im not defending. Hes the first to point it out.

How much should winning play into this award? By most voting standards, winning is often the tiebreaker or even main criteria. Theres a fine line between making winning plays on a losing team and just putting up numbers for a squad with no expectations. External factors seem to dictate winning more than one persons presence, in most cases.

He cant control were in a rebuild, that we have so many second-year guys starting and playing big minutes, Casey told Yahoo Sports. We dont have two All-Stars the way Toronto and Cleveland has. Its not his fault. Hopefully people dont judge him on that, because at some point well be in those positions and hes really gonna shine.

Detroit Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham has proven himself to be the future of the franchise. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

The notable single-season turnarounds in NBA history are easily explained. The 1979-80 Boston Celtics went from 29 wins to 61 after drafting Larry Bird, who waited a year after being drafted to stay one more season at Indiana State.

David Robinson was drafted by the Spurs in 1987 but had to fulfill a naval commitment for the next two years, coming over as a 24-year-old rookie. The result was 56 wins after 21. And the most recent example was tied to the same franchise, the Spurs getting Tim Duncan in the 1997 draft after a disastrous year with Robinson out with injuries.

Duncan steps in with a still-stellar Robinson back from the mend and a 36-win turnaround ensues.

All are on the short list of the games greatest players, and all won Rookie of the Year, but those situations are often the exception and not the rule.

In the year Kidd tied for the award, he shared it with Grant Hill in 1995. Hills Pistons won 28 games an eight-game improvement from the year before compared to Kidd spearheading a 23-win burst from 13 in 1994.

No matter who won the award then, it was obvious that Hill was coming. So is Cunningham.

The only thing keeping him from being the best player on the floor against the desperate Brooklyn Nets was Kevin Durant pulling a 41-point masterpiece, offsetting Cunninghams 34-point, six-assist showing that had Durant singing his praises for a second time this season.

Two days later, Cunningham was the most important player in a 102-95 comeback win over the Philadelphia 76ers with another 27 points and six assists helping withstand a 37-point, 15-rebound force of destruction from Joel Embiid.

The Nets were clinging to play-in positioning while the 76ers entered the evening very much within striking distance of the second seed in the East a win meaning much more to them than a Pistons team clearly positioning for what they hope is their last year in the lottery for the foreseeable future.

Two games dont make a case, of course. But Cunninghams second go-round with NBA competition seemed to foretell the type of future hell have: 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists since Jan. 1.

Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers warned his players Cunningham wasnt the same player they saw in his third professional game, when he hit just 4 of 17 shots, grinding his way to an 18-point, 10-rebound outing.

Just watching him in the Brooklyn game, he controlled it. The patience, his confidence, his confidence in his shot down the stretch, Rivers said. And the biggest thing, you see it in the other players. You have to separate yourself if you want to be great, like if youre a young guy, you cant come in and blend in, because then why would you guys follow that? You know, and early on he hadnt separated himself. Now its clear.

Slightly built, his force is more subtle magnetism, more competitive fire in selective moments than a burning inferno for 48. When it snaps, it can catch his teammates off-guard but it lights up an arena indicating a sense of timing that goes beyond just playing, or even playing winning basketball.

The smoothness to his game eclipses how he reads, how he moves and what he even feels. He understands the importance of the award while also playing proper perspective for a franchise that hasnt won a playoff game since 2008 the last time they were a postseason mainstay.

I think my teammates are kinda looking at that race a little bit, too, he said. Im not really too worried about that race, as much as you know, getting the building blocks and, and getting the foundation right for next year for the Pistons. But Im gonna keep working. I think I deserve the award. But at the end of the day, its a trophy.

Continued here:

Cade Cunningham is the Pistons' future, whether or not he wins Rookie of the Year - Yahoo Sports

One way of discussing MLBs 21st-century aesthetic evolution goes like this: Say a baseball-loving Rip Van Winkle who fell asleep in the 1990s emerged from their slumber and started watching games again. How long would it take them to identify whats changed? What would they spot first?

Would it be the strikeouts? The homers? The lack of stolen bases and complete games? Would they instantly lament the waning number of balls in play? Or would they exult in the superior athleticism and the triple-digit velocity? Invariably, this scenario is invoked to stoke the Baseball is Dying panic a compelling but misguided buzz that hovers over this sport like that rain cloud hovers over poor Charlie Brown.

For the first time in a long time, the baseball worlds tiresome self-consciousness got flipped on its head Thursday.

After months in the wilderness of labor strife and a week in a necessary post-lockout delay, opening day finally arrived. There were only seven games played on the first day of a new year that feels newer than any in the sports recent history, but MLB barreled ahead into noticeably novel territory on several fronts.

Within the first few hours of action, it made Rip Van Winkles of us all. This baseball was not the baseball we saw in 2021.

There are new rules, a new playoff format, new broadcasts, new stars, new ways of paying the new stars and an overarching, notably different proclivity toward trying something, anything, new.

MLB returned for a long-awaited opening day. Can you spot what's different about baseball in 2022? (AP Photo/Matt York)

A fan who plunged back into MLB with the season-opening matchup between the National Leagues Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs saw a designated hitter lead off the bottom of the first. Much to the chagrin of some traditionalists, the universal DH is here the canary in the coal mine that, for all our sakes, will hopefully be the most tortured rules debate in the sports history.

Something else was different about that same at-bat, though. Brewers catcher Omar Narvaez wasnt flashing fingers to communicate with reigning NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. The signs so infamously stolen by the Houston Astros in 2017 had vanished. Instead, Narvaez was using a device on his wrist like a remote control crossed with a quarterbacks cheat sheet to send the call to a tiny transmitter in Burnes hat. One button for the type of pitch, one button for the location.

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The technology, known as PitchCom, came together remarkably quickly. MLB started publicly discussing the idea of wearable devices to avert sign stealing two offseasons ago. It started testing devices last spring. Then, this springs more widespread testing went so well the league announced it would be available for use in regular season games, and several teams took the option to deploy it on opening day.

A couple hours later, the Kansas City Royals slotted superb prospect Bobby Witt Jr., making his major-league debut, into their lineup in the No. 2 hole. Still seeking his first hit, he found himself at the plate with the go-ahead run on base in the eighth inning. He roped a double down the left-field line as the Kauffman Stadium crowd chanted Bobby, Bobby, Bobby.

In what wound up being the only nationally televised game of the day, Cincinnati Reds first baseman and newly minted TikTok star Joey Votto donned a microphone during the game against the Atlanta Braves. Votto proceeded to ask Ozzie Albies, during a stay on first base, whether Votto should get a diamond tooth.

Some tricky problems do have solutions within reach, if we allow ourselves to chase them. Star players can reveal their personalities for themselves, if equipped with microphones on major networks. The hitter who can win you the game is right there, you just have to bring him to the majors. The signs that have been stolen can be beamed to the pitchers hat without a chance for the opposition to intercept them.

So much of MLBs recent history is wrapped up in friction between the owners and the players they have squeezed financially; between the twisted, sweaty palms of fans fretting that the game is straying off course in this way or that.

On opening day of MLBs Season of New, it was unbelievably refreshing to sit back and just absorb how baseball was different.

The new collective bargaining agreement MLB and the union struck to end the lockout was present in a lot of ways on Thursday. In addition to the DH and the expanded postseason hopes, new stipulations and incentives around young talents may have contributed to more prospects like Witt making opening day rosters and beginning their careers with the pomp and circumstance they deserve. (Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez and Detroit Tigers slugger Spencer Torkelson will join that club Friday.)

More generally, the CBA threw open the door for PitchCom-esque solutions (or at least ideas) to be rolled out on the field with far shorter periods of unofficial public comment. If commissioner Rob Manfred and the team owners can work with players even a little bit more gracefully than in recent years, the interplay of ideas and feedback could produce significant, positive developments for the leagues on-field integrity and entertainment value.

With former Red Sox and Cubs GM Theo Epstein installed as a sort of czar overseeing a sweeping gameplay recalibration, MLB could install automated strike zones, limitations on the defensive shift, a pitch clock and many, many other changes in coming seasons.

You need not be gung-ho about all of those pursuits Im not, personally to appreciate forthright experimentation and decisiveness. If were going to worry about a tweak to the sport, lets draw it up and see what it looks like, within reason. No one realistically worried that tossing Madison Bumgarners very occasionally useful bat on the scrap heap of history would be the straw that broke a fragile camels back. The same held true for the silly automatic runner in extra innings. And it will hold true for eliminating catchers neon-painted nails, putting games on streaming services and selling advertising on uniforms.

Will every experiment prove a positive? Almost certainly not! But if opening day drove home anything, its that being the Rip Van Winkle who gets to experience the rush of rediscovering our favorite sport sure beats the paralysis of worrying about what well see.

Read the original here:

MLB is finally back. Did you notice what was different about baseball on opening day? - Yahoo Sports

The most damning testimonial about the distorted adherence to the NFLs Rooney Rule went unnoticed for nearly 18 months.

Lost in the abyss of COVID-related football coverage nestled in the middle of a Steelers Realm podcast in October of 2020 former NFL head coach Mike Mularkey took a familiar allegation about the Rooney Rule and told a story about it from a completely unfamiliar vantage. He provided the viewpoint of the guy who actually got the top job in 2016, and the regret that ensued because he believed the process was a lie.

Thats what Mularkey tried to tell everyone in 2020. That the spirit of the Rooney Rule was abused. That he had firsthand knowledge of it. And that it was a top-down problem of complicity, starting with Tennessee Titans ownership and extending to general manager Jon Robinson.

Somehow, we missed this bomb. Now the Brian Flores lawsuit against the NFL alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices has rediscovered it. It's a damning turn for the NFL, who now has to contend with a former head coach who landed his top job in 2016, then framed it as a fake hiring process that considered minority coaching candidates simply to check a box.

The suggestion of this kind of Rooney Rule distortion isnt new. But a former head coach like Mularkey expressing contrition for being a silent accomplice to it certainly is. That should have the NFL worried. Not only because Flores isnt alone anymore in his class-action lawsuit (Steve Wilks and Ray Horton have joined as plaintiffs) but also because the league never could have imagined dealing with this Mularkey revelation. Not once in Rooney Rule history has a head coach said he got a job without the other candidates getting a fair shake. Enter Mularkey in 2020, answering a remarkably broad question in a specific and personal way.

Mike Mularkey called the Titans' 2016 coaching search, which ended with him getting the job, a "fake hiring process." (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Here's how the query went:

Would there be anything during your coaching career that you might have done differently or changed?

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Thats a good question, Mularkey said. Ill tell you guys this: Ive always prided myself on doing the right thing in this business and I cant say thats true about everybody in this business. Its a very cutthroat business and a lot of guys will tell you that. But I allowed myself at one point when I was in Tennessee to get caught up in something I regret. I still regret it. But the ownership there, Amy Adams-Strunk and her family, came in and told me I was going to be the head coach in 2016, before they went through the Rooney Rule. And so, I sat there knowing I was the head coach in 16 as they went through this fake hiring process knowing a lot of the coaches that they were interviewing, knowing how much they prepared to go through those interviews, knowing that everything they could do and they had no chance of getting that job. Actually, the GM, Jon Robinson, he was in on the interview with me. He had no idea why he was interviewing me that I had the job already.

Mularkey went on:

I regret [it], because I pride myself in my kids first, to do the right thing. I always said that to the players. And here I am, the head guy, not doing it. Ive regretted that since then. It was the wrong thing to do. Im sorry I did that. But it was not the way to go about it. I should have interviewed like everybody else and got hired because of the interview, not early on. Thats probably my biggest regret.

This isnt the kind of thing a coach typically says on a podcast. Its the kind of answer offered in a sealed deposition that takes place under oath. That probably tells you a little about how long Mularkey must have been carrying this around.

Making that kind of allegation is no small thing, particularly when youre basically implicating yourself as being a passive participant.

For Flores legal camp, thats the stuff of dreams. Maybe its admissible in court or maybe its not, but it certainly stands to reason that if Mularkey was willing to state it once as a podcast guest, hed be willing to do it a second time as a contrite witness in a courtroom. And even if thats not the case, the public perception of the moment is inescapable. Its proof of concept that some NFL hires are already locked up before the process even begins. And that the Rooney Rule became a tool used for optics and shielding.

NFL teams had long been suspected of staging sham interviews with minority candidates to satisfy the rule, essentially checking off a box that stood in the way of hiring a white head coach. Never had it been aired out in a way that illustrated the theory from each side of that checked box completing a three-dimensional perspective between minority candidates who suspected they were being used, to white counterparts who might have suspected (or even known) the job was theirs from the start.

Mularkey filled in a long-missing piece of that picture. It's a fact that resulted in the Titans effectively calling him a liar Thursday.

Our 2016 head coach search was a thoughtful and competitive process fully in keeping with NFL guidelines and our own organizational values, the Titans said in a statement. We conducted detailed, in-person interviews with four talented individuals, two of whom were diverse candidates. No decision was made, and no decision was communicated, prior to the completion of all interviews. While we are proud of Our Commitment to Diversity, we are dedicated to continued growth as an organization to foster diversity and inclusion in our workplace and community.

Its worth noting that Mularkey made his statement to "Steelers Realm" nearly 16 months before Flores' lawsuit emerged. He rolled out arguably the most massive Rooney Rule grenade to date at a time when it would arguably reflect on only himself. And he did it in a way that made him a part of the problem, while answering a question that wasnt specific to how NFL teams run their hiring processes.

All of which seems pretty weird. People dont just fall on a sword for no reason, especially in the NFL and most especially when nobody seems to know that youve been complicit in something. Mularkey did exactly that. With zero tangible benefit to himself.

Thats a statement unto itself. And its one the NFL is going to have to take seriously.

Read more here:

What Mike Mularkey said about Titans and Rooney Rule should worry NFL - Yahoo Sports

Businesses all over the world are still feeling the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Many are shuttered, fortunes were lost and lives changed forever.

The pandemic was in a way, however, the start of a new, even more successful era for the UFC.

The UFC was the first major sports league in the U.S. to return to action after a shutdown caused by the pandemic. And it was the first to welcome full-capacity fans on April 24, 2021, at UFC 261, which was held in Florida at Jacksonvilles VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

The show was a sellout, with the crowd of 15,269 paying $3.3 million at the gate. Tickets sold out within minutes of going on sale.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and UFC president Dana White each received fierce criticism for holding an event in the middle of the pandemic with no fan restrictions. Masks or negative COVID tests werent required.

DeSantis spoke to the crowd gathered for the pre-fight news conference on April 22, 2021, and boasted about Floridas defense of freedom:

Welcome to Florida. You guys arent the only ones looking to come to this oasis of freedom. This is going to be the first full-throttle sporting event since COVID hit, indoor, anywhere in the United States. I think its fitting. We wanted to be safe, but theres a lot of stuff that comes at you from media, from social media, all this stuff. Some people dont like to handle that. Dana White goes right into the teeth of that.

White has made a lot of good decisions en route to building the UFC into a global powerhouse, but insisting upon returning even as the pandemic went on has turned out to be arguably his shrewdest.

The UFC returns to Jacksonville on Saturday with a stacked card for UFC 273. Unsurprisingly, the event is sold out.

Since the UFCs return, Saturdays event will be the 14th in which full capacity was permitted. All 14 of those, 12 of them pay-per-views, have sold out. Six times, the UFC set a record for highest-grossing gate for the arena, including at UFC 261, UFC 262 and UFC 263, the first three events upon return.

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The fourth, UFC 264, set a T-Mobile attendance record of 20,062, though the $15.8 million gate was not a record. It was, though, among the UFCs largest gates in its history.

Since the pandemic began, the UFC has sold out all 14 of its full-capacity events. (Infographic by Atay Bulut/Yahoo Sports)

UFC 267 is not included in the sellout streak because the pandemic in Abu Dhabi prevented a full-capacity arena.

Believe me, this business is on fire, White told Yahoo Sports recently, a comment hes made repeatedly throughout the last year.

The seeds of the growth sprouted during the early days of the pandemic, when the UFC held events with no fans at its Apex facility on its campus in Las Vegas.

There wasnt the usual amount of sports on TV then and the UFC in large part had the space to itself. With viewers hungry for content, many gravitated to the UFC.

What happened was, we had pay-per-views doing three, four times maybe what wed normally expect, White said. There was one where I think we projected around 250,000 and it came out just under a million, like 960,000. There was nothing else for people to watch, so they took a look at the UFC and we got a lot of new fans.

Hunter Campbell, the UFCs chief business officer, said the success borne during the empty-arena days has sustained. Nearly every metric the UFC measures itself by has continued well above pre-pandemic levels: ticket sales, gate receipts, pay-per-view sales and sponsorship sales among them.

The thirst for live content was real.

Everything has gone crazy, Campbell said. And its sustained. I think to understand the reason you have to look at two things which happened. First, during the pandemic, remember it was us, table tennis and Korean baseball [on TV]. People were craving live events and so we delivered content to them.

And a lot of those people who tuned in werent hard-core UFC fans. It takes a while to understand [MMA]. Its not instant usually that you can get your head around it, but when you do, its such a superior product. And once you get into the world of UFC, its hard to leave it.

UFC president Dana White says even better days are ahead for the company. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)

The UFC has been a boon for its television partner, ESPN. The UFC began drawing massive numbers at a time when the number of households ESPN reached had dropped significantly and its viewership levels were down.

The UFC was one of the keys in helping Disney, ESPNs parent, build its ESPN+ streaming service into a viable entity.

A bantamweight title fight between Henry Cejudo and T.J. Dillashaw headlined a UFC Fight Night card on Jan. 19, 2019, before the pandemic began. It was a night, though, that showed the power of the UFC to ESPN.

The preliminaries aired on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and drew 2.08 million viewers, the most-viewed UFC telecast on cable in three years. The signups for the new ESPN+ were brisk, ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro noted in a memo to his staff the day after the event.

The 13 fights on UFC Fight Night on ESPN+ led to 568,000 new subscribers for ESPN+ on Friday and Saturday combined, with more than 525,000 on Saturday alone, Pitaro wrote. We served a wide array of sports fans, with nearly 5.1 million unique users consuming MMA-related digital content across ESPN digital platforms over the Saturday and Sunday period. And the 1.4 overnight rating on ESPN was the largest for a UFC prelims fight card on cable since 2013!

At the end of 2021, ESPN+ had more than 17 million subscribers. Former Disney CEO Bob Iger credited the UFC on a Disney earnings call with helping greatly to boost ESPN+ subscribers.

Thats led in part to the UFCs success since returning from the empty-arena days. The UFC set a record for the largest Fight Night gate on March 19 at the O2 in London. A UFC Fight Night is a non-pay-per-view event. It broke that record the following week on March 26 at Columbus, Ohios Nationwide Arena.

We did $2.8 million gates for a Jon Jones [light heavyweight title] fight before the pandemic, and now were doing more than $3 million for a Fight Night, White said. Its f***ing crazy.

White said UFCs research has determined the promotion has 650 million fans worldwide, so he said the growth opportunities are nearly infinite.

He expects a massive pay-per-view number Saturday despite the card being headlined by a featherweight title fight. The featherweight division historically isnt a huge draw as the main event.

Champion Alexander Volkanovski puts his belt on the line against The Korean Zombie, Chan Sung Jung. In the co-main, bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling fights interim champion Petr Yan of Russia.

In the other fight getting buzz, Brazilian welterweight Gilbert Burns meets Russian Khamzat Chimaev.

Im in Jacksonville, Florida, with an Australian against a Korean in my main event and were sold out, its breaking records and the pay-per-view is trending off the charts, White said. Were going to have one of the biggest [PPV sales] in the history of the featherweight division. Weve got an American against a Russian in the co-main and in the other fight, Ive got a Russian Muslim against a Brazilian.

Were doing all of this in Jacksonville f***ing Florida. Its just beyond incredible what has happened to this business.

Despite that success, White believes better days are ahead. He believes that just like ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox dominated network television for several generations, there soon will be several worldwide streaming services which will do the same.

How many people are there on Earth? Seven billion? Eight billion? White asked. Its a lot of people. And were at 650 million people, so consider how many people we havent touched yet. Now, were near the day Ive long dreamed of, when we have big streamers who become global. I dont know who it is, whether its going to be Disney, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon or whoever, but some of them are going to go global and be dominant like the networks were here.

When that day comes, Im going to be the happiest guy in the world because the ceiling on this thing is so crazy, its difficult to wrap your head around what it might become.

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Pandemic helped UFC find another level of success: 'This business is on fire' - Yahoo Sports

Even when his Los Angeles Lakers are out of the playoffs, LeBron James is still going to find ways to draw attention.

This time, in a clip from his "The Shop" HBO show posted the same day as the Lakers' elimination at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, James dropped one of his not-so-subtle hints about whom he would like to play with in the future. First on his list was his son Bronny (no surprise there).

Next up was a player by the name of Stephen Curry, and you can imagine what that did to a few people's imaginations. He also named Luka Doncic as the other active player he would like to play with, as well as Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant among former players.

James' explanation:

In todays game? S***, theres some motherf***ers in todays game, but Steph Curry. Steph Curry is the one that I would want to play with, for sure, in todays game. ...Right now its Steph.

I love everything about that guy. Lethal. When he gets out of his car youd better guard him right from the moment he pulls up to the arena. As soon as he gets out of his car, you better guard his ass. You might want to guard him when he gets out of bed. I swear to God.

James and Curry have faced off from opposing NBA mountaintops over the past decade, but have only ever played with each other in All-Star Games. In the three All-Star Games James has been a captain with Curry available, the Lakers star hasn't let the sharpshooter slip past the third pick, drafting him twice.

It didn't take long for those comments to get back to Curry, who was played James' comments during an appearance on San Francisco's 95.7 The Game.

Curry's reaction:

"He got his wish. He was the captain, he picked me the last two All-Star Games. I don't know if that suffices, but I'm good right now.

"Whenever you get the interest or curiosity of what it would be like to play with arguably an MVP-caliber dude like he is, greatest of all time, cool. That's amazing. We all can live in that fantasy world."

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If you're wondering just how feasible this might be, consider that Curry signed a supermax deal last August that will tie him to Golden State through 2026. Considering how much he means to the Warriors franchise, he almost certainly isn't going anywhere.

The more intriguing possibility is James coming to Curry, but even that feels like a longshot considering what it would take the Warriors franchise to fit James on the court, not to mention Curry's nonplussed reaction. Adding James to the team's historically expensive balance sheet alone would require some major maneuvering, but we've seen the Warriors do something similar before.

Regardless of his eventual destination, James is a free agent after next season and his tenure in Los Angeles has never been more turbulent, so an exit is possible.

LeBron James and Stephen Curry would be quite a combination. (Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports)

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Stephen Curry laughs off LeBron James wanting to play with him: 'I'm good right now' - Yahoo Sports

Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021 and has been updated to reflect the 2021-22 women's college basketball season heading into the 2022 WNBA draft.

Some of the most well-known names in women's college basketball will not be drafted April 11 when the 2022 WNBA draft is held.

In 2021, Paige Bueckers built a never-before-seen freshman season for powerhouse Connecticut, a program that itself has experienced a fair share of unprecedented marks. She led the Huskies to the brink of reaching the title game and became the first freshman to win a score of awards, namely the John R. Wooden Award for college basketball's most outstanding player.

If she were a male player, she could have chosen to be a one-and-done as the likely No. 1 pick in the draft. Her childhood best friend, Gonzaga freshman Jalen Suggs, had that option and was selected fifth overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2021 NBA draft.

Two kids from the same neighborhood, same background, same everything go to school 3,000 miles apart. Their paths are 3,000 miles different, UConn coach Geno Auriemma said during the 2021 NCAA women's tournament. One will have the opportunity to be 1-2-3 pick in the NBA draft and make millions and millions of dollars. The other will be back at UConn.

The WNBA operates with different eligibility rules than the NBA. Those rules are increasingly a topic of discussion that came to the forefront with Bueckers, then again in 2022 with the rise of national player of the year and NCAA champion Aliyah Boston, and it's not as clear of a call to change the rules as it is with the NBA.

Most college players aren't eligible for the WNBA draft until they've finished four years of college. But there are some exceptions in the collective bargaining agreement for juniors such as Texas' Charli Collier, who was selected No. 1 in the 2021 WNBA draft.

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A player who turns 22 in the calendar year of the draft can renounce their NCAA eligibility and enter. Sabrina Ionescu could have declared as a junior in the April 2019 draft, for example, because she turned 22 on Dec. 6 later that year.

A player who graduated from a four-year school prior to the draft or within three months after the draft can declare. Many women's players graduate within three years and begin graduate programs to stay for a fourth.

International players who do not play collegiate ball in the U.S. are eligible if they turn 20 during the calendar year of the draft. The Seattle Storm drafted Ezi Magbegor in 2019 when the Australian center was 19.

The draft rules have been around since the league was founded in 1997 and the current CBA runs through 2027, so they are here for a while. Bueckers is staying in school until at least 2023 when she'll turn 22 in October. Boston won't turn 22 until December 2023.

UConn's Paige Bueckers drives to the basket against South Carolina's Aliyah Boston during the NCAA women's championship gamw on April 3, 2022 at Target Center in Minneapolis. Neither player will be selected in the 2022 WNBA draft because of eligibility requires for the pro league. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

There was a lot to pack into the CBA after players opted out following the 2018 season. The new deal includes higher salaries, better benefits and accommodations more fitting of professional athletes.

Sue Bird, four-time Seattle Storm champion and WNBA Players Association vice president, said the union briefly discussed it during CBA negotiations in 2019, but didn't revisit it with so much else on the table.

It wasnt the priority in the moment, Bird said, via the Associated Press. I think whats interesting in this conversation is, I think players should have a choice, always. Players should always have a choice.

Her longtime teammate, foe and friend, Phoenix Mercury star Diana Taurasi, agreed.

I think the next step is to have the choice, Taurasi said, via AP. Will kids do it? Probably not. We should have that option. If youre the best at your profession, you should be able to get better.

Bueckers and fellow freshman phenom Caitlin Clark at Iowa were both asked about it last year and demurred, noting the choice isn't available to them so there's no purpose in thinking about it. Along with Boston, they are part of an incredible 2024 class that includes Aaliyah Edwards (UConn), Cameron Brink (Stanford) and Hailey Van Lith (Louisville).

There are very few players who opt to leave college early as an eligible junior. The benefits, and mainly the money, are not there the way they are in the NBA.

In the previous CBA, rookies like four-time UConn champion Breanna Stewart made around $40,000 a year on a rookie contract. WNBA rookies drafted first through fourth in 2021 will receive $70,040 in base salary. That's life-changing money for a lot of people, but it pales in comparison to $8 million a No. 1 NBA draft pick will make.

WNBA players have historically complemented their salaries with potentially more lucrative overseas contracts and marketing deals. But that money is rare to start out for rookies.

For some, it's worth it. Notre Dame star Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm) and Minnesota's Amanda Zahui B (Los Angeles Sparks) entered the 2015 draft early. In 2016, Aerial Powers (Minnesota Lynx) left Michigan State as a junior and UConn's Morgan Tuck left with a year of eligibility remaining after taking a redshirt as a sophomore.

"Trends take more than a year or two to really develop," Lisa Borders said as WNBA president in 2016. "Let's revisit this again a few years down the road and then see where we stand."

South Carolina redshirt juniors Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis followed in 2017. Diamond DeShields left Tennessee as a junior to play overseas in Turkey ahead of the 2018 draft that also included early entrant Azura Stevens of UConn. Jackie Young left Notre Dame and was the Las Vegas Aces' No. 1 overall pick in 2019. And in 2020, Oregon's Satou Sabally, UConn's Megan Walker and Texas A&M's Chennedy Carter were first-round picks as eligible juniors.

It's a few years later, a trend is there and it's time to revisit it.

The impact of allowing players to declare early is deeper than only a talented player like Bueckers or Boston. Keeping top-notch talent in college year after year grows the collegiate game, and in women's basketball, it still has an outsized impact on women's basketball at large.

Thats what helped our game grow, the fact these kids stay in school a little longer, Auriemma said. Build a brand for themselves, build a brand for the university.

Fans will be tuning in for another college season to watch Boston, Bueckers and other talent that showed out in the tournament. It allows players times to build their own brands and explore name, image and likeness deals. Ionescu has done that with her on-court talents and off-court degree.

But there are also not enough spots for the amount of talent now in the women's game.

"I like the requirements right now selfishly because I think it grows women's basketball," former UConn star and ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said in 2021. "We saw the ratings [in the 2020-21 season] in women's college basketball and the tournament and the Final Four. These women are on a huge stage on that platform, and I'd like to see them continue to be on that stage until they're completely ready for the WNBA."

The unfortunate reality is there are not a lot of places for them to go if they chose to leave early. Natasha Cloud, Diamond DeShields, Lexie Brown and Erica Wheeler commented last year on a Highlight Her graphic, noting that there are only 12 spots on each of 12 teams. But that 144 roster number isn't accurate, either. Because of the higher salaries and team salary caps, analysts and WNBA general managers estimate it might be lower.

Rosters right now are bulging and the jump from collegiate ball to the professional level is a big one. Second- and third-round draft picks are already a long shot to make rosters and some first-round picks might not make it either.

The league needs expansion first for the growing talent coming up into the professional ranks. We'd all love to see Bueckers or Boston in the WNBA sooner than later. But without more teams, it doesn't make sense for the game if they were to jump now. That might change by the time the CBA is set to expire, and their collegiate feats might force a change for generational talents. For now, there are other changes to accomplish first.

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Why Paige Bueckers and Aliyah Boston won't be drafted until the 2023 WNBA draft - Yahoo Sports

For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Warren Buffett has mused, 'If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.' When they buy such story stocks, investors are all too often the patsy.

In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL), which has not only revenues, but also profits. Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. Conversely, a loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the sweet milk of external capital may run sour.

Check out our latest analysis for Xcel Energy

As one of my mentors once told me, share price follows earnings per share (EPS). That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Xcel Energy managed to grow EPS by 5.9% per year, over three years. While that sort of growth rate isn't amazing, it does show the business is growing.

I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). On the one hand, Xcel Energy's EBIT margins fell over the last year, but on the other hand, revenue grew. So if EBIT margins can stabilize, this top-line growth should pay off for shareholders.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. For finer detail, click on the image.

earnings-and-revenue-history

Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Xcel Energy's future profits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you can take a peek at what the professionals are predicting.

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Since Xcel Energy has a market capitalization of US$41b, we wouldn't expect insiders to hold a large percentage of shares. But we do take comfort from the fact that they are investors in the company. To be specific, they have US$47m worth of shares. That's a lot of money, and no small incentive to work hard. Even though that's only about 0.1% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

It means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but I find myself wondering if remuneration policies are shareholder friendly. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. For companies with market capitalizations over US$8.0b, like Xcel Energy, the median CEO pay is around US$12m.

The Xcel Energy CEO received total compensation of just US$4.1m in the year to . That's clearly well below average, so at a glance, that arrangement seems generous to shareholders, and points to a modest remuneration culture. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. I'd also argue reasonable pay levels attest to good decision making more generally.

One positive for Xcel Energy is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. The fact that EPS is growing is a genuine positive for Xcel Energy, but the pretty picture gets better than that. With a meaningful level of insider ownership, and reasonable CEO pay, a reasonable mind might conclude that this is one stock worth watching. We should say that we've discovered 2 warning signs for Xcel Energy (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks that are not growing earnings and do not have insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies that do have those features. You can access a free list of them here.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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I Built A List Of Growing Companies And Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) Made The Cut - Yahoo Finance

Is the COVID pandemic still an emergency?

If youre a student-loan borrower, the answer is yes. President Biden this week extended the COVID-era moratorium on student-debt repayment until Aug. 31, and since thats just a couple of months before the 2022 midterm elections, Biden will almost certainly extend it again. Debt payments may not resume until 2023.

But the migration emergency is over. On April 1, the Centers for Disease Control said it was time to end a controversial policy President Trump first imposed in 2020, known as Title 42 deportations. That comes from a law that allows the U.S. government to block migrants from entering the country for public health reasons. The Trump administration used the law to expel 400,000 migrants, and Biden has expelled another 1.2 million. The policy is now due to end on May 23, with most migrants once again going through the usual process of applying for entry.

Political pressure dominates both issues. Some liberal Democrats are pressuring Biden to use executive action to cancel up to $50,000 per borrower in student debt, with Biden resisting. He supports cancelation of up to $10,000 in debt, but wants Congress to do it through legislation. Democrats dont have the votes for that, so extending the moratorium is a kind of consolation prize for borrowers who hoped Biden and his fellow Democrats would ease student-debt burdens when they took power in Washington last year.

Many of the same liberal Democrats have been urging Biden to end Trumps migration blockade, arguing that it amounts to discrimination against oppressed people with legitimate asylum claims. But some Democrats and most Republicans want to keep Title 42 in place, whether as ongoing protection against COVID or just as a tool to limit inbound migration. Three states have filed a lawsuit trying to block the Biden change, and its possible Republicans and some Democrats in Congress could join forces to keep Title 42 in place through legislation.

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Whats missing is any coherent rationale for determining when the COVID emergency is formally over and the nation should revert to normal policies. Officially, the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines when a public health emergency is in effect, at 90-day intervals. The last such finding came on Jan. 16, with another renewal likely in late April. The emergency has been in effect continually since Jan. 27, 2020, giving the government authority to enact a variety of extraordinary measures.

[Follow Rick Newman on Twitter, sign up for his newsletter or send in your thoughts.]

In a practical sense, however, theres no longer an emergency in most parts of the economy. The labor market is surging and the unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6%, just one-tenth of a point higher than it was before the COVID pandemic erupted in 2020. Real GDP is well above pre-pandemic levels, even when adjusting for inflation. There are problems, such as 7.9% inflation. But consumers keep spending and growth looks solid for the rest of the year.

After Biden extended the student-loan repayment pause, Moodys Analytics argued the extension was unjustified.

The economics do not support a continuation of this policy that began in the teeth of the pandemic recession, economist Bernard Yaros wrote on April 7.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) before receiving a second COVID-19 booster vaccination in the Eisenhower Executive Office Buildings South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 30, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

He points out that the unemployment rate for workers with a college degree is an extremely low 2%, with others more in need of ongoing relief. The payment pause costs the government about $4 billion per month in foregone revenue, or $48 billion per year. Thats a sizable subsidy going to a relatively high-income slice of Americans.

Biden is obviously invoking emergency powers on a selective basis, to promote policies he thinks will best suit his political needs. Republicans are no better. Many of the conservative voices howling about the end of Title 42 are the same ones who fought against lockdowns, mask mandates and other efforts to limit the spread of COVID. Emergencies are in the eye of the beholder, no matter which party you belong to.

More of this confusion is coming. The federal rule requiring masks on planes and in airports is due to expire on April 18, but the government could renew it, with predictable arguments for and against masks likely to heat up. The surge in the Omicron COVID variant may abate as warmer weather arrives, and many states and cities have relaxed masking rules and other requirements. But another surge is always possible, perhaps next fall or winter when many Americans head back indoors.

There was never likely to be a clean ending to the COVID pandemic, since the virus will circulate indefinitely and vaccine effectiveness could wane. But politicians are making the ending, if there is one, about as muddy as possible. Americans should decide for themselves when the emergency is over, if they want any clarity at all.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including "Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidential tips.

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This week in Bidenomics: A tale of two emergencies - Yahoo Finance

Get ready to download another app if you want to watch every game your MLB team plays this season.

NBC's Peacock streaming service announced its full slate of exclusive games on Wednesday, a lineup of early Sunday games played primarily on the East Coast. The first game to get the treatment will be a Chicago White Sox-Boston Red Sox game on May 8, with NBC also airing the game.

Peacock will also be the exclusive home of the MLB Futures Game, an event that features top prospects from every team played during All-Star Week, which is at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium this year.

If all this sounds familiar, it's because Peacock is only the second streaming service to announce a foray into the already crowded world of MLB broadcasting. Apple TV+ announced earlier this month it had acquired its own exclusive slate of Friday night games, starting with this week's New York Mets-Washington Nationals game.

That game will feature the much anticipated return of Max Scherzer to D.C. (assuming he's healthy), and will only be watchable via Apple's streaming service. Fortunately, Apple TV+ games won't require a paid subscription, but only for a limited time.

It is unclear if a paid Peacock subscription is required to watch the games (Peacock has a very limited free tier of accounts), though some cable subscribers (Xfinity, Cox and Spectrum) can get a free premium account.

All of that is in addition to what already existed for MLB viewers. Fans wanting to watch the local teams generally need a cable subscription to watch their team's primary network as well as games on ESPN and TBS, while out-of-market fans need to shell out for MLB.tv in addition to cable for those latter games. There are also games on Fox, which are available to anyone with an antenna.

Oh, and if you're a New York Yankees fan in New York, you're also going to need an Amazon Prime subscription. What a fun time to be a baseball fan.

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Oh good, another streaming service is getting exclusive MLB games - Yahoo Sports