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Little Rock returns home for a pair of games against ULM this weekend at the Jack Stephens Center, getting underway at 6:30 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday as part of a pair of weekend doubleheaders with the Trojan women. Hayden Balgavy and Patrick Newton will have the call on ESPN+ with Trojan Hall of Famer Ray Tucker handing the radio play-by-play duties on 106.7 FM The Buz2.

GAME STORYLINES

Little Rock enters the weekend tied for third in the Sun Belt's West Division race at 4-4, one game back of 5-3 Louisiana and two games behind 5-1 Texas State, which holds the current tiebreaker with the sweep of the Trojans January 15 & 16.

Little Rock heads into the weekend with a 20-17 all-time series advantage on ULM. The Trojans are 12-6 all-time against the Warhawks in Little Rock, winning four of the last five games against ULM at the Jack Stephens Center.

Little Rock swept the season series against ULM in 2019-20, defeating the Warhawks 73-72 in Monroe on Dec. 19, 2019, before a 79-63 victory in Little Rock on Feb. 27, 2020.

Ruot Monyyong has 10 double-doubles on the year, ranking third nationally. His 26 career double-doubles is 11th nationally among active Division I players and he is two shy of matching Rashad Jones-Jennings for the all-time program mark.

Monyyong is the Sun Belt's active leader in rebounding with 470, ranking second nationally in total rebounds (170) and seventh in both total (11.1) and defensive (8.0) boards per game.

Monyyong is also the Sun Belt's active leader in blocks with 89 for his Trojan career, ranking sixth in program history. The Trojans have the top-two active block leaders in the conference as Kris Bankston sits second with 70 in a Little Rock uniform.

As a team, Little Rock boasts 15 double-doubles on the year (Ruot Monyyong - 10, Markquis Nowell - 4, Nikola Maric - 1). That is second nationally behind Illinois of the Big 10, which has a combined 16, and one better than Louisiana's 14.

Markquis Nowell enters the weekend needing 66 points to join the Trojan 1,000-point club. He notched a combined 65 points in the two games against ULM during the 2019-20 season, scoring 33 points in Monroe (Dec. 19) and 32 in Little Rock (Feb. 27).

NEWS AND NOTES

SCOUTING THE WARHAWKS2020-21: 4-11 overall, 2-6 Sun BeltLast Three Games:L vs. Texas State (69-63), L vs. Texas State (57-47), L at Arkansas State (93-72)Head Coach:Keith Richard (ULM, 1982). 11th season at ULM (125-205); 20th season overall (275-322)Key Players:#24 Russell Harrison (Jr., F): 13.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 81.3 FT% #2 Koreem Ozier (Jr., G): 12.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 45.5 FG% #5 Marco Morency (Jr., G): 8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 36.4 3FG% #15 Josh Nicholas (Sr., G): 7.7 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 45.5 FG% #3 Elijah Gonzales (Jr., G): 6.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 51.9 3FG%

SEASON RECAPLittle Rock swept the two-game season series from ULM in 2019-20, beginning with a 73-72 win over the Warhawks in Monroe on December 19, 2019. The Trojans then toppled ULM 79-63 at the Jack Stephens Center on Feb. 27, 2020 in a game that clinched at least a share of the regular season Sun Belt title.

LAST TIME OUTLittle Rock split a weekend series at UT Arlington, finishing the season series with a 3-1 record against the Mavericks. The Trojans led by as many as 21 on Friday, outlasting UTA 66-59, then had their worst shooting performance of the season, shooting just 32.8% from the floor and trailed the entire game in a 66-61 defeat Saturday afternoon.

WARHAWK KILLERMarkquis Nowell enjoyed playing against ULM last season as the junior scored a combined 65 points while knocking down 15 three pointers in two games against the Warhawks. In the game at Monroe, Nowell scored 33, including three threes in the final 90 seconds with the game-winner from just inside half court. In the game in Little Rock, he followed it up with 32 points, knocking down seven threes with a pair of steals.

500-500 MANRuot Monyyong continues to inch closer to an impressive career mark, seeking to become the only active Sun Belt player with both 500 career points and 500 career rebounds. Monyyong currently sits at 565 points and 470 rebounds for his career, looking to bolster his claim as the league's Preseason Player of the Year.

CLEANING THE GLASSRuot Monyyong continues to establish himself as one of the nation's top rebounders, pulling down 33 in two games at UT Arlington over the weekend, including a career-high 19 against the Mavericks on Saturday. He has registered 11 double-digit rebounding games this season, including seven-straight, sitting second nationally in total rebounds (167), and seventh in both total rebounds (11.1) and defensive rebounds (8.0) per game.

CHASING THE CROWNRuot Monyyong continues to draw closer to becoming Little Rock's all-time double-double leader. One of the national leaders, Monyyong has registered a double-double in six of the last seven games and has 10 on the season, ranking third nationally. His efforts over the weekend upped his career total to 26, sitting two shy of matching Rashad Jones-Jennings (2005-07) for the program's all-time mark of 28. Monyyong's 26 career double-doubles is 11th among active Division I players.

CLOSING IN ON 1,000Markquis Nowell continues to inch closer to joining an elite Trojan club. With his 30 points in two games at UT Arlington, he upped his career point total to 934, leaving him 66 shy of becoming the 21st member of the Trojan 1,000-point club and the first since Will Neighbour in 2014. He continues to move up the all-time Trojan greats in a handful of other categories, remaining Little Rock's all-time leader in free throw percentage.

CONSISTENT NIKOLANikola Maric has been arguably Little Rock's most consistent player in 2020-21, scoring in double figures in 14 of 15 games and ranking second on the team with a 14.4 scoring average. He is quietly making his run at 1,000 career points, scoring 675 for his career while starting 45 of his 61 games as a Trojan.

RUOT BLOCK PARTYRuot Monyyong came up big with nine blocks in two games against UT Arlington over the weekend, upping his career total to 89 and sitting sixth all-time in program history. He has registered at least one block in every game this season and is one shy of matching Tony Chime (1991-95) for fifth all-time.

THROWING IT DOWNLittle Rock's size has made it one of the Sun Belt's top dunking threats, holding a 43-24 advantage on the opposition this year following last years' 96-43 advantage. Ruot Monyyong has thrown it down 21 times for the Trojans in 2020-21, upping his career total to 78, while Kris Bankston sits at 103 career dunks following his nine on the season.

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Trojans Renew Rivalry With Warhawks Friday and Saturday - THV11.com KTHV

The following students have been named to the Deans List at the University of New Hampshire for the fall 2020 semester.

Patrick Hussey and Jacob Blair, both of Barnstead;

Jessica Fenton, Gordon Unzen, Reilly Gray, Wesley Demers, Tabitha Kelley, Ethan Crossman, Kaci Gilbert, Aidan Gehly, all of Center Barnstead; Alexus Day, Seth Rupp, Alise Shuten, Trevor Hunt, all of Belmont; Alexa McNamara, Samantha Knowles and Emily Waitek, all of Gilmanton; Beth Newton of Laconia, Jacquelyn Pia, Victoria Dean, Isabella Lovering, Ranuli Abeysinghe and Nemanja Boskovic, all of Laconia; Kaylee Lemire, Jonathan Nelson, Brandon Sasserson, Grant Workman, Michael Wernig, Sean DeSautelle, David Hart, Natalie Noury, Christian Workman, Colton Workman, Gabrielle Podmore and Shaun Edson, all of Gilford; David Hackett of Meredith; Hannah Roth, Madison Smith, Tyler McLaughlin, Zoe Dawson, Jake Malatesta, Katie DuBois, Brianna Lear, Kelsey Mako and Christina Merchant, all of Moultonborough; Maxfield Paro and

Emily Judkins, both of New Hampton; Isabel Cole, Joy Woolley, Maya Coykendall and Emily Miller, all of Plymouth; Felicia Blodgett-Duran and Mary Thomas, both of Northfield; Nathaniel Wilson of Tilton and Kimberly Lowrey, bot of Tilton; Jon Marchiolo of Winnisquam; Steven Stanton of Alton; Lauren Dean of Gilmanton Iron Works

Logan Hales of Barnstead and Ava Blair, both of Barnstead; Skylar Ruelke, Michael Marrone, Cole Contigiani, Kaitlynn Delisle, all of Belmont; Erin Lynch of Center Harbor; Aarohn Dethvongsa and Kate Persson, both of Laconia; Natalie Fraser, Alden Blais, Matthew McDonough, Riley Glover, Bryce Workman, Shannon Anderson and Brad Ferreira, all of Gilford; Kathryn Cohen, Taylor Ambrose, Elizabeth Osuchowski and Elizabeth Osuchowski, all of Meredith; Devin Rooney, Dylan McLaughlin and Elizabeth Cousins, all of Moultonborough; Hayden Dahl of Plymouth; Daisy Burns and Mackenzie French, both of Sanbornton; Joshua Shevlin, Alexa Beaule and Ila Bartenstein, all of Northfield; Christopher Hanson, Anthony Syhabout, Brianna Turner, Olivia Dill, Isabel Cropsey and Kylee Rock, all of Tilton; Alina Hardie, Erika Schofield, Jesse DeJager and Christopher Watson, all of Alton; Alexandra Vergara of Alton Bay; Jillian Cookinham of Gilmanton Iron Works

Gwendolyn West and Nathan Farnham, both of Center Barnstead; Hailley Simpson of Belmont; Molly George, Adrianna Dinsmoor and Aiden Moser, all of Laconia; Christian Remick, Erica Cao and Ren Rodgers, all of Gilford; Rachel Taggett, Aria Shufelt andBrenna Chrusciel, all of Meredith; Marisa Sabbia and Michael Roy, both of Northfield; Gavin Riley of Tilton; Andrew Hamilton of Alton, NH earning Honors Lindsey Ellis of Alton, NH earning Honors; Hannah Waite of Gilmanton Iron Works

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University of New Hampshire's dean's list for the fall 2020 semester - The Laconia Daily Sun

At the beginning of the month, we put out a call on our social media channels for nominations for the Irish secondary schools that have the best track record in manufacturing elite sporting talent. We were flooded with nominations, and after parsing an incredibly competitive list, we are delighted to reveal our (admittedly subjective) list of Ireland's top 10 secondary schools for producing sporting talent.

Here's how we created this list.

Firstly, this is a ranking of sporting success in recent times. For that reason we have only considered athletes active at an elite level through the year 2000. We did not dismiss the past entirely and allowed each school a limited number of 'legend' points should they have a legendary sportsperson amongst their ranks) .

For this table, we have incentivised schools whose alumni starred in an array of sports. Perhaps controversially, this means punishing 'one-sport' powerhouses. St Kieran's College in Kilkenny has produced many of the greatest hurlers of the past 25 years. St Munchin's can boast similar for rugby, however neither have made the top 10. We are not looking to diminish the outstanding achievements of these schools, however, this list celebrates schools that have produced elite sportspeople across the vast landscape of sport.

Finally, this is not a list of the most decorated secondary schools in sport.

With all that said, we'd like to unveil our Top 10 Irish sporting secondary schools.

You'll find past students from this Oranmore secondary school in the Premier League, Championship and the Pro14. It's also supplied players to the All-Ireland winning Galway hurling and camogie teams of recent years, as well as the Ireland's women's basketball team.

Location: Oranmore, Co. Galway

Star past pupils: Aaron Connolly and Greg Cunningham (Ireland internationals), Gearid McInerney and Niall Burke (All-Ireland winners with Galway hurlers), Niamh Hannify and Ailish O'Reilly (All-Ireland winners with Galway camogie), Claire Rockall (Ireland basketball intentional), Sean O'Brien (Connacht rugby player)

Number of students: 730

The Letterkenny secondary school had past pupils in the Donegal team that won Sam Maguire in 2012, but its sporting alumni include a European medalist in athletics, a Grand Tour stage winner and an MMA fighter.

Star past pupils: Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden (All-Ireland winners with Donegal), Mark English (athletics, European medalist 800m) , Phillip Deignan (Olympian cyclist, winner of stage on the Vuelta), Artem Lobov (MMA)

Fee paying?: No

Students: 900

Best known for its former rugby players, this Co. Kildare secondary school also boasts one of Ireland's most capped women footballers as well as many stars of horseracing and equestrian sport amongst its past pupils.

Location: Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Notable past pupils: Jamie Heaslip and Geordan Murphy (Ireland and Lions rugby), Louise Quinn (80 Ireland caps), Helen Kearney (equestrian, medaled three times at 2012 Paralympics)

Past legends: Dermot Weld, Aubrey Brabazon

Fee paying?: Yes

Number of students: 770

In the last twenty years, the Bray secondary school has produced Ireland internationals in soccer, rugby, cricket and basketball.

Location: Bray, Co Wicklow

Star past pupils: Darren Randolph (Ireland soccer international), Reggie Corrigan (Ireland rugby international), Ed Joyce (cricket international), Lorcan Murphy (basketball)

Past legends: Gary O'Toole (swimming)

Fee paying?: No

Students: 670

The Turners Cross secondary school has produced its fair share of Irish sporting legends over the years.

Location: Cork

Star past pupils: Rob Heffernan (Olympic bronze medalist), Damien Delaney (Ireland international), Paul Kerrigan (All-Ireland winner for Cork footballers)

Past legends: Denis Irwin and Billy Morgan

Fee paying?: No

Number of students: 600

The Stillorgan college has a fascinating list of sporting alumni that includes recent stars of the Dublin football team, a Libyan international and a few familiar sporting personalities.

Location: Stillorgan, Co Dublin

Notable past pupils: David Gillick (athletics), Paul Mannion and Davy Byrne (Dublin All-Ireland winners), Richie Sadlier (Ireland soccer international), Eamon Zayed (Libyan soccer international),

Past legend: Derek Daly (F1)

Fee-paying?: No

Number of students: 800

The Collins Avenue secondary school has made huge contributions to the Dublin intercounty football and hurling teams of recent years, while producing some incredible soccer players and runners.

Location: Whitehall, Co. Dublin

Notable past pupils: John Small and Paddy Small (Dublin gaelic football), Eoghan ODonnell (Dublin hurling), Mark Kinsella (48 Ireland caps)

Past legends: Liam Brady, Bertie Ahern (cross country), Niall Bruton

Fee paying: No

Number of students: 700

One of Ireland's most well-regarded fee-paying schools, Belvo has produced famous sportsmen across many sports, not just rugby.

Location: Dublin

Notable past pupils: Cian Healy and Ian Keatley (Ireland rugby internationals), Jack McCaffrey and Eoin Murchan (Dublin footballers), Cian OConnor (Olympic medalist, equestrian), Cathal Pendred (UFC), Barry Murphy (swimming)

Past legends: Tony O'Reilly

Fee paying?: Yes

Number of students: 1,000

It's incredible just how many past pupils from St Andrews are making waves across Irish sport at the moment.

Location: Booterstown, Co. Dublin

Notable past pupils: Jordan Larmour and Andrew Porter (Ireland rugby internationals), Chloe Watkins and Gillian Pinder (silver medalists. Hockey World Cup), Andrew Balbirnie (current Ireland cricket captain), Chloe Mustaki (Ireland soccer international), Neil Farrugia (Ireland U21 soccer international)

Fee paying?: Yes

Number of students: 265

Good Counsel boasts one of the world's best rugby players, one of the world's most decorated horsetrainers, one of the best Irish strikers of the past 20 years as well as numerous All-Ireland hurling winners and successful jockeys amongst its alumni.

Location: New Ross, Co. Wexford

Notable past pupils: Tadhg Furling (Leinster, Ireland and Lions tighthead), Aidan O'Brien (legendary horsetrainer), Kevin Doyle (capped 62 times for Ireland), Walter Walsh (All-Ireland winner with Kilkenny hurlers)

Fee paying?: No

Number of students: 850

Excerpt from:

Balls.ie's Ranking Of The Top 10 Irish Sporting Secondary Schools - Balls.ie

A daughter who lost her dad to suicide and whose mother died during the pandemic has opened up about coping with grief.

Jess Childs was only 24 years old when her dad Paul took his own life.

A 54-year-old farmer from Powys, his death in 2006 was as sudden as it was unexpected.

Now, 16 years later and just months after the passing of Jess' mother following delays in cancer treatment due to the coronavirus pandemic, the mother-of-two has published a children's book about dealing with grief and loss.

Speaking about the time surrounding her father's death, Jess, from Machen, said: "I was just at the beginnings of life, I had just met my husband, we had just moved in together and I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

"It was a pretty seismic event in that sense as I was just getting going and this came along.

"There's a difference, I think, in the way you grieve a suicide for example than when you grieve somebody that has perhaps been ill for a while or that you have some anticipation of.

"When it happened to us we had no idea that my dad was even depressed let alone that this was going to happen, it was like a bolt out of the blue. I think even in the 16 years in between there is a lot more talk about mental health. It's ongoing, the conversation around it, but back then it wasn't as prevalent. It's a very different way to grieve someone because it's more complicated."

Describing her father, Jess added: "We had a great relationship. I was the only girl, I was the youngest so I suppose I was a bit of a daddy's girl but he was just a very calming, assuring influence in your life.

"We had a great relationship, he was just a lovely man and a great dad to all three of us siblings.

"We had a really happy childhood and happy family life until it happened and that was part of my reasoning to get this book into print as it could happen to anybody."

Last week, Jess' debut book Ivy and the Rock was published.

Based around a little girl and her special rock, the events are based off a poem Jess wrote for her father's funeral.

While the idea behind it has been months in the making, its timing is also poignant after the loss of Jess' mother Olwen in November at 71 years old.

While Olwen had been diagnosed with cancer five years previously, ultimately delays in treatment due to the coronavirus pandemic accelerated her passing.

A former primary school teacher, Olwen had also tested positive for Covid-19 before her death.

Jess said: "I wrote a poem to read at [my dad's] funeral which was essentially autobiographical, it was about this little girl and a rock being at the centre of the garden.

"I did this poem about how the rock was at the centre of my garden and one day someone came and told me the rock had rolled away and that I was bereft.

"When I went to see the crater that the rock had left behind I realised that the garden had grown up around me during that time, with beautiful blooms, and that I had built my house in the garden. I realised the garden was rooted beneath the rock all that time.

"It was my way of saying that nobody expected this, it was completely unexpected and yes I've lost my father but I realise that a lot of what I have now I have to thank him for that. He's threaded throughout my life and still is."

Paying tribute to her mother, Jess added: "She was a primary school teacher throughout her career so she absolutely loved children. She taught special needs children as well which is an extra layer of dedication I think, she'd do individual education plans for her pupils.

"She was just fascinated by the kids I think, and would always be thinking of ways to help them develop and learn. She was just besotted."

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As someone dealing with loss during a pandemic, Jess knows first-hand how an already-difficult time has become only more impossible.

With family and friends unable to come together to remember and celebrate as well as to say goodbye, she hopes her book can help both children and adults in some way.

Jess, 39, said: "I've had friends that have lost people in similar circumstances and we've agreed that it's not a normal time to lose somebody. It's very complicated, how you organise a funeral, for example. Having an invite list for a funeral is a really hard thing to do because how do you decide who can come and say goodbye?

"I found that hard with mum, not being able to celebrate her life as fully we would have liked.

"With children who are affected at the moment it's more likely be a parent, or someone significant coming into the room to say this person has gone but there won't have been any visiting in the lead up to that person passing, for example, if they're in hospital or otherwise really.

"There may not be the opportunity to actually go to the funeral of that person and go through the process of letting them go. So hopefully if the book helps on that level that would be great."

Reflecting on coping with her mother's death, she added: "You have this huge sense of responsibility that you want to steer your children through. It's not just about making sure that you're okay and your partner is okay and your siblings, it's also about making sure your children okay and helping them to understand you a bit more as well. It's just generally trying to prepare them for something that is inevitable."

As a debut author, Jess's book was inspired to publish her work after reading existing children's books about death and loss.

Described as a book of "big issues for little people", it tackles real-life themes including depression, self-esteem and more.

Jess said: "It's something you could give to somebody when perhaps they are younger but the sentiment of it is something I think you could keep through the rest of your life.

"It's written so children of all ages can take something from it.

"We had a few kids books that people recommended when we knew mum wasn't going to make it and they were really helpful but a lot seemed to focus on the process of explaining death to a child. It seemed to focus on the person that was leaving and what I wanted was to create was something that would help the reader understand or maybe acknowledge what that loss means to them and how they are going to take that forward with them.

She added: "At the end of the book Ivy goes to the crater and realises that the rock has been looking after the roots of her world for all this time. She's devastated but she walks back down the path and goes to her own house. That was quite important to me, it is about equipping children or the next generation with the tools that they need to take whatever happens to them in life forward, and deal with it and understand there is life after death.

"You have to move forward, you have to grow.

"The journey I went on after my dad died was quite a significant journey of personal growth and there some were good things I found out about myself as well as bad."

With a further two Ivy adventures already written, Jess has also launched a website which she hopes will help families affected by bereavement and other real-life issues with downloadable resources, among other things.

More information on Ivy And The Rock and a range of free resources for children can be found at http://www.bigissuesforlittlepeople.co.uk

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'How I cope after losing a dad to suicide and a mum during the pandemic' - Wales Online

There is no doubt that Urban Meyer changed the culture of Ohio State recruiting when he arrived on campus in 2012. In the seven years he was at the helm, the Buckeyes hauled in top-five nationally-ranked recruiting classes six times, with the lone outlier the 2015 class which finished seventh overall. While the 2018 group was the programs best ever class points-wise with 26 commits totaling 317.06 points, Meyers finest work really came in 2017, where Ohio States 21 commits averaged a 94.59 player rating the highest in school history.

As we all know, while recruiting is the lifeblood of a college football program, the work does not stop there. Not every five-star prospect pans out, and the ability to develop players is what makes teams like Ohio State stay a step ahead of places like Georgia and Texas who recruit at a similar level. Collecting talent is important, but getting the most out of that talent is what matters most. Now that four years have passed since they began their careers in Columbus, how did the 2017 group actually pan out on the field?

The top-rated player in the 2017 class for Ohio State exceeded even the most lofty of expectations for the star defensive end. One of the best defensive players the program has even seen, Young accumulated a casual 30.5 sacks and 40.5 tackles for loss in three seasons with the Buckeyes, including a 16.5-sack campaign as a junior despite missing two games because of dumb NCAA rules. He is now the runaway favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after being selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Football Team in the 2020 NFL Draft. Not too shabby!

Like Young, Okudah more than accomplished everything you would expect from the nations No. 1 cornerback in the cycle. His stats don't jump off the page at you, only collecting three career interceptions, but that is because opposing quarterbacks were simply too scared to throw his way. He was the absolute definition of a lockdown corner, and his impressive efforts in Columbus earned him the No. 3 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Brownings career at Ohio State likely wasnt as stellar as it could have been, to little fault of his own. The Buckeyes had a logjam at linebacker with Tuf Borland and Pete Werner occupying two starting spots for what felt like a decade, and while Browning was the most physically gifted of the three, he had to wait his turn. Still, he showed flashes of what made him such a highly rated recruit whenever he got the chance to play. Browning has a dynamic skillset, adept at rushing the passer off the edge as well as showing strong coverage abilities this past season as a full-time starter. Hes projected as a late second or third-round draft pick this April.

Had Wade elected to declare for the NFL Draft following the 2019 campaign, he would have been a consensus first-round pick. However, after a shaky season following his move to outside corner in 2020, Wades draft stock has taken a hit. In the slot, Wade was incredible, locking down everyone over the middle and even showcasing his athleticism on very effective corner blitzes. Unfortunately, he struggled on the outside, and his efforts attempting to cover DeVonta Smith in the national title game certainly did not help his case. The talent is clearly there, and hopefully whichever NFL team picks him up can help him re-find the player he was in 2019.

Davis is another guy who could've elected to go pro a year ago, but decided instead to come back and chase a national title. While the team wasnt quite able to help him accomplish that goal, Davis is still one of the top players at his position in the upcoming NFL Draft. Interior offensive linemen arent as valued as tackles at the next level, but Davis is certainly worth using a high selection on if a team is looking to secure one of its guard spots for the foreseeable future. One of the most consistent players on Ohio States offensive line the past two seasons, Davis will be starting in the NFL next year.

The first player on this list not to make an impact at Ohio State, Grimes was a victim of the Buckeyes incredibly deep room of wide receivers. The former four-star prospect did have himself a nice career at Florida, catching 97 passes for over 1,400 yards and 14 TDs in three seasons with the Gators, and now enters the NFL Draft as a likely mid-to-late round selection.

Dobbins put together an incredible career at Ohio State right from day one, rushing for over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons in Columbus, including a 1,400-yard campaign as a freshman. Dobbins best season came in his final stint with the Buckeyes, where after finally getting the chance to be the teams true RB1, the junior ran for over 2,000 yards with 21 TDs. He was selected in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens, and all he did was break the franchise record for TDs by a rookie with nine. * extremely Gus Johnson voice * J.K. ALLLLLL day.

Despite being recruited as a guard, Myers was Ohio States starting center for the past two seasons, and like his fellow 2017 classmate Davis, was one of the anchors of the offensive line. The combination of Davis and Myers up the middle created huge holes for running backs like Dobbins and Trey Sermon to virtually walk right through, and their pass-blocking kept a clean pocket for Justin Fields to toss the rock all over the field with ease. Myers isnt as highly regarded as Davis in NFL Draft circles, but some have going around the third round.

Martell transferred out after it was clear he was not going to win the starting quarterback job at Ohio State, and hasnt really a home since. The artist formerly known as Tathan spent the past two seasons at Miami, but is back in the transfer portal once again as of earlier this week. Despite capturing the heart of Bill Landis, Martell has not quite panned out at the collegiate level but theres still time!

Pryor spent three seasons at Ohio State, but it was clear in the 2019 season that he had fallen out of favor in the depth chart. He played in 10 games in 2018, registering 31 total tackles and one interception, but wasnt quite consistent enough to play significant snaps for the Buckeyes. He spent this past season with the Fighting Irish, where his playing time wasnt much better. He recorded eight tackles and a sack in South Bend in limited appearances.

Nobody had a crazier year in 2020 than Garrett, who after catching COVID in the offseason and being shot in the face less than a month away from the start of the season put together one of the best campaigns of any defensive player on Ohio States roster. With four tackles for loss, two sacks and a pick-six, Garrett was huge for the Buckeyes up the middle when it came to stopping the run and applying pressure on the opposing QB. He has elected to use the extra free year of eligibility to return next season, where he will look to further improve his NFL Draft stock.

Sheffields Ohio State career was a bit of an odd one. Originally a five-star prospect in the 2015 class, the former track athlete signed with Alabama before transferring to Blinn College, where he spent two seasons before transferring to Ohio State in 2017. Sheffield spent two seasons with the Buckeyes, registering 75 total tackles and a pair of interceptions, and entered the 2019 NFL Draft where he was selected with the No. 111 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons. Sheffield has played in 29 games with 20 starts for the Falcons over the past two seasons.

White looked like he was on the verge of a breakout career for Ohio State in 2018. Finishing the year with 46 total tackles and a pick, the safety was named defensive MVP of the Rose Bowl against Washington. Heading into his junior year, it seemed like he was destined for the Buckeyes new Bullet role under Greg Mattison. Unfortunately, for whatever reason that never materialized, and Whites playing time shrunk drastically before he decided to transfer to Rutgers. He put together a nice season with the Scarlet Knights in 2020, amassing 38 total tackles with an interception and a forced fumble.

Harris was a promising member of Ohio States wide receiver room, but an injury in his freshman year held him to only three games in his first year on campus. It looked as though he was in line for an increased role the following year, but the emergence of Chris Olave dashed those dreams, and he elected to redshirt his sophomore season. Despite being one of the most veteran receivers on the roster heading into 2020, the talents of guys like Olave, Garrett Wilson and a boatload of highly-touted recruits after him made it nearly impossible for Harris to touch the field.

Williamson has been another guy that has had a tough time cracking the depth chart in his time at Ohio State, but he finally got a chance to play significant snaps in 2020. After an achilles injury to Cam Brown against Penn State, Williamson became the teams starting slot corner for much of the regular season. It wasnt until the Big Ten title game that he began playing more as a safety, functioning as the teams second-high DB alongside Josh Proctor. Williamson has chosen to use the free year of eligibility and return for another season, where it is unclear what his role will be.

Riep was dismissed from the football team after he and fellow DB Jahsen Wint were charged with kidnapping and rape in March of 2020.

Cage has not gotten a ton of playing time in a room that has featured a bunch of talented defensive tackles, but that will almost certainly change heading into 2021 with the departure of Tommy Togiai to the NFL Draft. In his limited role this past season, Cage had five total tackles with half a sack. It is entirely possible that he could earn a starting job next season opposite Haskell Garrett, as the position will likely be between he and Antwuan Jackson.

A multi-year starting linebacker at Ohio State, Werner did a little bit of everything for the Buckeyes. He amassed 185 tackles in over his four seasons in Columbus, with 16 tackles for loss and four sacks as well as four forced fumbles. Werner was one of the teams most consistent tacklers, and was athletic enough to rush the passer, play in man coverage, and even drop back as a safety. He is an intriguing NFL prospect, as it is kind of up in the air as to whether or not his skillset will translate to the next level. However, as the fourth-lowest rated player in the 2017 class, he had himself a great collegiate career.

Munford certainly could have tested the NFL Draft waters, but he has elected to come back for another season at Ohio State. The Buckeyes offensive tackle tandem was phenomenal this season, as both Munford and Nicholas Petit-Frere allowed very little off the edge. Playing through injuries the past few seasons, Munford was finally healthy in 2020, and put together his most impressive campaign to date. He now looks to finish his degree and further improve his draft stock in year five.

Same issues as Jaylen Harris, but even lower on the totem pole. Gardiner caught one pass for Ohio State in 2019, and that will likely be the only reception of his Buckeye career. Brian Hartlines wide receiver room is way too loaded with four and five-star talents for the former three-star wideout to really ever see the field.

Recruiting rankings are obviously not kind to kickers, but Haubeil had a great run as Ohio States starting boot as the lowest-rated player in the 2017 class. Haubeil never missed an extra point as a member of the Buckeyes, finishing a perfect 146-of-146. He was 28-of-35 overall on field goals, with his career long an impressive 55-yarder against Northwestern in less than ideal conditions in 2019. Haubeil battled a groin injury and missed some time in 2020, but he will now look to establish himself on an NFL roster.

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Did Ohio States 2017 recruiting class live up to the hype? - Land-Grant Holy Land

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Athletics: Its not a for-profit organisation, and were just doing stuff to keep it afloat

By Cathal Dennehy

THE numbers tell a story, in and of themselves. In a typical year, Carrick-on-Shannon AC has 250-300 members, but a month on from registrations opening for 2021, their grand total is currently 43.

People are just not thinking about it, says secretary John Connolly, a Dublin native devoted to the club for the past 30 years. Youd worry that a generation or two in a few years will be out of the habit of doing (athletics).

Heres the thing: Connolly considers his club among the luckier ones. He sees smaller athletics clubs in the region which have no registrations at all or at the local basketball or rowing clubs, where the situation is even more alarming.

Theyre just absolutely wiped out. Its a tough ask at the moment, but at least some of our members can do something themselves.

Despite its size, Carrick-on-Shannon AC is without a permanent facility, and for years its young members trained at an indoor sports complex in the town. But when that was converted for extra classrooms they had to look elsewhere, training outdoors for the last several months on the grounds of the local gaelscoil.

We made do with what we can. But I know a lot of clubs havent bothered coming back, given how hard it is with the restrictions.

Club training resumed last summer but due to limits on numbers it wasnt until the autumn that they could bring back the younger age groups.

Even amid the relative normality of last summer, it was still a life less ordinary for the older members. With a delayed national championships taking place for U20s, seniors, and masters in August and September, such athletes started making trips to the track in Sligo, where sprinters werent allowed to use starting blocks.

One of their upcoming stars, Alannah McGuinness, only did two track sessions before winning 100m silver at the National U20 Championships in September, but Connollys fears were not so much for committed athletes like her, but for those far more likely to drift away from athletics.

The ones that want to train are there. Its not all about competition but kids like competition, and I noticed with a few when there were no races on the horizon, they found it hard to get motivated. Its not the be all and end all, a lot do sport because its part of their social fabric, but its so unfortunate that way. You try to keep them going, to keep the interest, but its hard to explain to kids about long-term development.

Club coaches continue to send training plans to anyone who wants one, but from conversations with athletes, parents, and other coaches, Connolly can sense a shift in the mood this year.

The people who want to do it will do it, but you can definitely feel a different attitude, people are more tired of it.

In a typical year, athletes are going back and forth to Abbotstown or Athlone for indoor competitions around this time, but the chances of such events in the coming months now seems non-existent. While that might spare the club some coffers in expenses and entry fees, the lack of memberships and community collections means their balance sheet is far from rosy.

The registration fee for Carrick-on-Shannon AC is 35 for adults and 28 for juveniles, of which about two-thirds goes to Athletics Ireland, and Connolly is quick to credit the work of the governing body, which dropped its club licence fee from 150 to 50 in recent years. All the same, the absence of the few euro they gather each week from training sessions and the clubs usual church gate collection will be felt down the line not that such things will affect their commitment.

Our mantra has always been community, says Connolly. Its not-a-for-profit organisation, and were just doing stuff to keep it going, to keep it afloat.

Earlier this month Connollys many years of volunteering were credited with an award from the Federation of Irish Sport, and his hope once training and competitions resume is that more people appreciate the value of clubs like theirs in their communities.

I see lots of talk about mental health and how people are struggling, and no doubt they are, and its things like the local sports clubs that mean so much to everyone, he says.

Basketball: Clubs went outdoors and just got on with it, in hail, rain or snow

By Kieran Shannon

COVID has been particularly devastating for indoor sport but Ciarn OSullivan has seen one upside for his how the pandemic has reminded everyone that basketball can also be played outdoors.

After the country moved to level five in early October, his sport duly moved to the playgrounds and schoolyards. There still werent any matches. For a while because of a peculiar guideline from Sport Ireland, there couldnt even be any passing. But still, as the head of development for Basketball Ireland and the Cork Sports Partnership as well as a coach in his own club Ballincollig in the western suburbs of Cork city, OSullivan was heartened by the number of clubs who found a way to keep kids and the sport active in some form.

For a lot of people, basketball is a necessity, not a luxury, says the former senior international who won multiple Superleagues and Cups with UCC Demons before moving back to help his home club Ballincollig win promotion to the Superleague.

When we couldnt train indoors with the pandemic, clubs went outdoors and just got on with it, in hail, rain or snow. And it was great to see local parks and schools open up their courts.

I know in the past even in big clubs like [UCC] Demons and Neptune, theyd cancel training when the Mardyke or Stadium would be used for exams. But now with Covid theres a willingness to go outside. The excuse of there being no training because the hall is being used wont fly anymore. And thats a huge positive going forward.

Every Saturday morning from October up to mid-December, OSullivans own club used the outdoor court of their feeder school, Coliste Choilm, as well as rolling two portable baskets onto the adjacent all-weather surface.

The first thing youd spot was who played GAA and who didnt, he smiles.

The other kids would be all wrapped up in their hats and gloves and full tracksuits while the GAA players would just come in their shorts, ready to go! But the thing was they were all there. Some mornings youd be looking out at the rain and thinking only three or four kids might show. But theyd all come. Because they wanted to see each other and chat.

The social side of our sport is huge. Sometimes we get so caught up in the technical and tactical and the competition, we can forget that. So thats been another positive for me from all this.

Right now though there cant be any social interactions of that sort. Realistically its impossible to see the sport returning indoors before Easter, ruling out any prospect of a competitive domestic season. Irish national teams are still holding out hope that theyll be able to compete in Europe this summer but even if they get the green light, their preparations will be seriously constrained.

I was talking to one of our underage national team coaches this week and they were saying that they might have to make their cut without even having had an on-court session. So at the moment they might have 25 players on the programme, but theyll have to quickly reduce that to 16 or even the final 12 without anyone having played in over 12 months. And as the coach was saying, its the late developers that are going to get hurt. They might have really improved since last March but they havent been seen and coaches might have to opt with those who are more proven and ready to go.

The hope is that if by around Easter outdoor sports can resume training in pods, so can basketball outdoors, and then come May and June therell be 3x3 tournaments at all levels across the community and country. By having fewer numbers on the court, more players can be retained in the sport.

OSullivan, either by nature or by Covid, is a patient optimist. His own wedding to fellow international Claire Rockall was due to take place last July but has now been rescheduled for the end of May. Either way, some day, they will be married. And the same holds true for his other great love. Some day he and people like him will hoop again, just maybe not when theyd expected.

He has no doubt that some players and even clubs will be lost on account of them not being able to get back up and running last autumn. But providing some programme of outdoor basketball throughout the summer should help close the gap between when kids last played and when the sport can, hopefully, resume indoors next August or September. In other words, before the biggest indoor sport in the country returns to its natural habitat, it has to see itself as an outdoor sport. And recent months has shown OSullivan that if you roll those baskets out, they will come.

Boxing: Im afraid as a sport that were going to lose a lot of kids because of this

By Kieran Shannon

NO sport has been as good to this country at the Olympics as boxing but theres no sport Covid has been as cruel to as well.

While the high-performance team gearing for Tokyo might be allowed to continue to train away in Abbotstown on account of their elite athlete status, future potential Olympians have had their prospects seriously hindered, or at least their progress seriously disrupted.

There has been no competitive amateur boxing in Ireland since March. There hasnt even been any sparring, outside the National Sports Campus. And in recent months, and for the next couple, clubs cant open their doors and allow their members even hit the punch bags.

But the biggest worry isnt the number of possible medals that could be lost. Its the number of kids that could be lost to the sport. Which means possibly to society itself. A sport renowned for helping keep kids on the straight and narrow is itself uncertain when it can reopen its path or where its leading.

Tommy Kelleher has been a head coach to multiple Irish underage international teams and for almost 30 years coach in one of the sports great hubs, the Glen Boxing Club on the northside of Cork city.

Its very hard for anyone involved in boxing, he says. Everyone kids, parents, coaches are wondering, When are we going to start again? but theres nothing we can do until we get the go-ahead to restart.

Its some change from 12 months ago. Last February the club had seven boxers at the Cork championships win through to the Munster championships, but a week into that competition everything was shut down.

In September the brief easing in restrictions allowed the club to reopen its doors to its 30 or so members.

We have a big hall so we were able to get 14 boxers in at a time training, all three metres apart. There was still no sparring or padwork, otherwise social distancing would have been gone out the window. But they were still able to do their warm-up, skipping, shadow boxing, do some groundwork and then their warm-down and thatd be it.

It went down great. They were all happy, all their parents were happy. But then it went back up to level 5 and that was the end of it. You couldnt even do one-to-one training. You have to be an elite boxer to do that.

In all reality, with theirs being an indoor contact sport, itll be a good while yet before the Glen reopens its doors to its boxers. Itd be inaccurate to say though that the hall itself has been dormant. Its had to be maintained, repaired. Which causes its own challenges in these times.

I still come up every day to the hall to see if everything is all right. We have to keep heating going, otherwise the place gets very damp. And with no script [registration fees] coming in, its hard to pay for those kind of overheads.

We have loans to pay back on money borrowed to help with the maintenance of the hall but I know the IABA [through Sport Irelands club resilience fund] are looking for some resolution to give a few bob for all the clubs that are feeling the pinch.

His greatest concern though is the potential loss of members, not money.

Im afraid as a sport that were going to lose a lot of kids because of this. Especially those who were just starting it up; theyre the ones most likely not to come back. Its going to be a big challenge when we are let back in the gym to get them back into it, because they havent trained in so long, it hasnt become a habit, a routine, for them.

Some parents wont allow their kids into the club even if we were able to train. And its hard to blame them. Anyone could have it [Covid]. Not even the Government knows whats happening. But theres a real need for us to get back, whenever that is.

Any young fella who came down to us has never got into trouble. Once theyre in boxing, they have to be disciplined; in this game, if you dont have discipline, you have nothing. Parents want to see the kids back, get them off the street. Theyre asking us, When will they be back? But we dont know. Theres nothing we can really do. Its very hard on everyone.

Cycling: As with many situations in life there is the rough with the smooth

By Brian Canty

With bike shops reporting record sales in 2020 and others struggling to meet demand, the challenge is to harness that surge in interest. Despite the pandemic,the situation at grassroots level is not so bad according to Martin OLoughlin, one of the countrys most well-known cycling figures.

Cycling Ireland has really done well compared to other sporting organisations, OLoughlin said.

A lot of championships were run within Covid restrictions last year with no reported Covid outbreaks. And the Zwift league and group rides have been good. Ah Zwift. Thank God for Zwift, laughs cycling coach, Matteo Cigala, who has led the aforementioned weekly online group rides of several hundred participants for the sports governing body.

Because of the restrictions, most people (I coach) are now on the indoor trainer and are approaching the E-sports discipline more. They can race every week as part of their programme, so at least they can stay fit.

OLoughlin reports similar interest with upwards of 70 aspiring Cycling Ireland members (U14-U18) logging onto Zoom every Monday for a coaching session. They are now approaching their 20th week.

Another online initiative called the Athlete Development Programme overseen by former international rider Paul Doyle with assistance from OLoughlin was rolled out in recent months and very well received. Its future, like most things, will depend on funding.

Indeed, if Zoom and Zwift keep riders fit, they dont necessarily balance the books.

One club who addressed this issue before it became one was Killarney CC, who boast a membership of over 200.

We have reduced the club membership charge by approximately 50% across the board for 2021 as an acknowledgement of the reduced activity and the financial constraints on some members, said club secretary Tom Daly, author of the famous book, The Rs.

We are down about 25% this year but this may pick up as some dont see the need for membership during lockdown. Cycling Irelands decision to increase their membership fees was disappointing and that hasnt helped.

Echoing his sentiments was club chairman Mark Murphy who also stressed the pandemic must be neither a barrier nor an excuse to stall any progress.

The club will plan for whatever new normal we will have to live with, he said. As with many situations in life there is the rough with the smooth and we will embrace the challenge and be determined to make our club function to its maximum and make the most positive impact possible.

Killarney CC can count themselves lucky with regard to sponsorship, mind, with the aforementioned Murphy recently announcing an ambitious three-year sponsorship agreement titled Together for 2021-2023.

The agreement of 12 businesses to continue sponsoring the club for three years is an endorsement of our standing and we, in turn, must reciprocate by redoubling our efforts to continue developing the club on the one hand, and by supporting local businesses on the other. We know that multinational corporations would not have sponsored us. We also know that, directly or indirectly, we are all part of the bigger club which is the wider Killarney region and it must be our priority to make this sustainable in every respect, from sporting to business and jobs.

In Carrick-on-Suir, there was the feeling of an opportunity missed when Irelands Tour de France green jersey-winning hero Sam Bennett wasnt able to leverage his new-found stardom with what should have been a bumper homecoming.

Not having a homecoming for Sam was gutting for the club, the town and the sport here, acknowledges OLoughlin.

Sam only truly realised how much the town rowed in behind him when he eventually came home in December. Hes mentioned it a few times that hes sorry he didnt insist on coming home. Its tough enough as it is on sponsors and any exposure is always welcome but our club is luckier than most to have the support of Panduit.

Our membership is static, but I know others are struggling.

GAA: The year as a whole reinforced how important the GAA is in the community

By John Fogarty

E kept the revenue stream flowing rather than kicking the can down the road, says Pauric Keane of his first year as chairman of Allen Gaels, a period which could only be considered as a baptism of fire.

It hasnt been easy for the club drawing from Drumshanbo and Ballinaglera in mid Leitrim. Before the pandemic, the traditional club lotto had been dying a death, admits Keane. Moving it online in October was a necessity more than anything, but by tying it to club membership the hope is it will be a reinvigorated source of income. Clubforce, who facilitate Gaels lotto as they do other clubs across the country, have reported an 800% increase in club funds via lottos.

We just have to think differently. The club lotto is the only viable and safest revenue stream at the moment. Weve a mortgage of 1,800 a month that finishes in June and we would hope to get that cleared off and look to develop the grounds further.

Sponsorship has remained steady while the club has other initiatives such as an underage calendar to offset the cost of running teams. A race night last February was a major help as much as that cant be repeated next month.

What did generate some income was the Leitrim County Boards decision last summer to fix a couple of championship games in Shane McGettigan Park, named after the son of singer Charlie who was tragically killed in a scaffolding accident in Boston in 1998. Our club is centrally located and they are good grounds and a good field. Our gates showed a little increase.

But finance is going to be the burning issue for a long time to come. The bills have to be paid and when it comes time to open the gates again we have to keep them open. We did fundraiser walks and were trying to see what we could do within the restrictions to make up for the loss of things like rental of the clubhouse and the golf classic.

With approximately 450 members, Allen Gaels were able to retain that number, but it is likely to be a challenge this time around. Some understanding will have to be shown to members as Keane hopes the GAA will show to clubs like his.

We will definitely look at putting the membership back, probably March before we can look for it. I definitely think the GAA need to do something with the affiliation fees we only really ran half a year last year and that has to be taken into consideration.

Allen Gaels was one of only two clubs in Leitrim that ran a Cl Camp last year with 170 attending. The reaction from parents to its successful staging brought home to Keane the importance of the GAA.

It, and the year as a whole, reinforced how important the GAA is in the community and letting them know we are there for them. The coaching within the club is the key thing. They all rowed in with the officers. I remember meeting in late June with a group of people and discussing how we could open up with all the social distancing awareness and the hand sanitising that was needed. Getting great feedback from parents afterwards emphasised what we did was important.

However, he believes the GAA have to work more with clubs this year if Cl Camps are to be organised.

The onus was on the clubs to run the Cl Camps last year and that was fine and we managed to run a successful one. I was asked if we would do the same again this year and I said we would if it was a greater revenue-generating activity.

A lot of the money for the Cl camp went on gear. We asked about just buying the jerseys but were told we had to buy the whole kit including the training top and gear bag. That could be looked at this year, that it could be cut back and the clubs could retain more of the revenue. For the amount we brought in, we made about 300-400.

Gaels 18-person executive committee convened on Zoom last Thursday as they have been done remotely every month with plans for more social outreach planned for 2021.

Wed 18 members involved with the Leitrim County Council Covid Response Forum, and members helping with Leitrim Calling who make calls to the vulnerable and elderly. Our senior players were involved with the Tidy Towns in Drumshanbo, doing power washing blitzes, to let the community know we were there for them.

Golf: People just went mad for golf

By Paul Keane

IN a regular year, the Royal Tara Golf Club in Meath might lose 50 or so members through natural attrition and pick up 50 more, maintaining a membership of around 700.

Last year, the old parkland club in the heart of the Boyne Valley took in 150 new members, enjoying a net gain of around 100 overall, a welcome but entirely unexpected spike in interest. The clubs experience is not a unique one with huge numbers turning to the sport immediately after the first lockdown of 2020. Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly has estimated that club membership in general has increased by a figure certainly north of 10%.

As Royal Taras honorary secretary Ray Keogh commented of the initial weeks after restrictions were eased last May, allowing casual golf to resume, People just went mad for golf.

The sports appeal was twofold; it was a safe, outdoor activity conducive to social distancing but just as importantly, it was open and available to play when other sports werent. With three separate nine-hole courses, a spectacular full-length driving range that is being constantly upgraded with new tees and target greens, the club next to the Hill of Tara was well positioned to meet the demand.

With ourselves, the majority of the people who joined were footballers, rugby players, hurlers, that sort of thing, from all the surrounding areas, said Keogh.

And when you looked deeply into it, a lot of these people had been casual golfers down the years without ever being members. So they kind of migrated into taking up golf membership because of the circumstances.

The influx of new members worked well on a number of levels for the club. For starters, the extra revenue coming in offset some of the lost income from bar and catering and from competition and green frees.

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Covid-19: A sport-by-sport look at the cost to grassroots games - Irish Examiner

Sony and Controller Gear release a PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle, which features socks, a hat, a water bottle, and tech decals, for $49.99.

The PlayStation 5is still out of stock in most locations, but PlayStation fans can still celebrate Sony's latest console in style with the new PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle. The collection features some awesome PlayStation-themed merchandise, so you can rep your favorite gaming system wherever life takes you.

Sony released the futuristic, sleek white PS5 console back in November and it did not last on shelves for very long. The launch, which came in the same week as Microsoft's new Xbox Series X|S, broke records as Sony shipped out 3.4 million PS5 units in its first month. The console has been nearly impossible to nab ever since. Just as soon as online and physical retailers get their hands on a restock, the devices sell out. Part of this is due to scalpers and bots, but there's also just a huge demand for the product. Sony has recognized the PS5 shortages, but alas, the issue could very well continue through the first few months of 2021.

Related:How Long PS5 & Xbox Series X Shortages Will Last

It's no console, but the PlayStation Launch Collection Bundlemay soften the blow of missing out on the PS5. As MP1st reported, Sony's limited edition collection, which was created in partnership with the brand Controller Gear, includes a wool "dad" cap, an insulated water bottle, socks, and tech decals. The hat and water bottle feature a black and white speckled design. Meanwhile, the hat also features the colorful PlayStation button design embossed on the front. The same design in silver runs down the water bottle, as well as the PlayStation logo.

The knit crew socks feature a more colorful speckled design with matching stripes around the top and a small PlayStation logo. Finally, there is a pack of small tech decals with various PlayStation designs. The full PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle from Controller Gear is available on Amazon for $49.99. If you act fast, you can also save $20 by purchasing the collection for $29.99 from Best Buy.

This accessory collection probably won't beenough to fill the void meant only for a PS5, but it is a pretty neat bundle of goodies. The price isn't too bad, either, especially if one nabs it on sale. It's the perfect gift for any dedicated PlayStation fan (which includes fans buying it for themselves as a treat). Fans who buy the PlayStation Launch Collection Bundle can rock all their new gear while they impatiently refresh your screen for another PlayStation 5 restock.

Next:PlayStation Trends On Twitter After Xbox Live Gold's Price Increase

Source: MP1st

PS5 Restocks: How To Buy A PS5 Online The Fast Way

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PS5 Launch Collection Features Official Hat, Water Bottle, & Socks - Screen Rant

The Eagles, Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt were three of the most important musical acts of the 1970s, and they join musical forces for a spectacular live performance in classic archival footage that has turned up online.

In the clip below, the iconic '70s superstars all take the stage together for a stellar rendition of the Eagles' debut single, "Take It Easy," that features Browne and Ronstadt both on acoustic guitars and backing vocals. As one YouTube viewer comments, "You know you've hit the big time when your back up singers are Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt."

The footage appears to derive from the same television appearance the Eagles made onDon Kirshner's Rock Concert, where they also backed Ronstadton her hit "Silver Threads and Golden Needles."

Both Ronstadt and Browne had extensive ties to the Eagles; he and singer-guitarist Glenn Frey co-wrote "Take It Easy" when they were neighbors in the years before either one had scored any success, and the original lineup of the Eagles first met when Ronstadt hired themas a group of country-rock "all-stars" for herSilk PurseTour in 1971.

Theymade their live debutwith herduring a performance at Disneyland on July 12, 1971, which wound up being the only concert they ever played with her. The chemistry between them was so apparent that they broke away to form the Eagles after that, leaving Ronstadt to hire an entirely new slate of musicians.

Ronstadt went on to record her own solo rendition of "Desperado," and Eagles drummer and singer Don Henley also provided harmony vocals on her recording of Roy Orbison's "Blue Bayou" in 1977. Browne also recorded his own version of "Take It Easy" for his sophomore album,For Everyman, in 1973. His rendition of the song did not chart when he released it as a single.

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Watch the Eagles Jam With Jackson Browne + Linda Ronstadt - Taste of Country

Three Dil committees are competing to establish the right to examine the controversial 292,000 salary for the new secretary general at the Department of Health.

Senior civil servant Robert Watt will receive an increase of over 80,000 if his temporary appointment to the role is confirmed.

The Public Accounts Committee, the Finance and Public Expenditure Committee and the Budgetary Oversight Committee all want to shine a light on how the increase was agreed by ministers.

Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath, of Fianna Fil, has been summoned to attend the Finance and Public Expenditure Committee. The committee, which has an oversight role over Mr McGrath and his department, has also sought all communications between Minister McGrath and the Taoiseach and all relevant departments on this issue.

Fianna Fil TD John McGuinness, who is the committee chairman, said: I am sure Mr McGrath will welcome the opportunity to clarify the sequence of events which led to this impressive pay increase.

He added: It offers the minister a real opportunity to clarify and explain, in a transparent way, this sequence of events in a public forum. It is a welcome exercise in transparent government.

A tug-of-war is developing between the three committees over who will lead the overall investigation, which will only be resolved after February 2.

Senior sources within the Public Expenditure Committee are not happy with the interest of the PAC in the issue.

One top figure warned: We are the appropriate supervisory committee for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The PAC are fishing outside of their remit. They are experiencing the committee equivalent of Rockall.

Outside of grilling the Public Expenditure Minister, the senior figure added that they would be questioning all relevant figures including Mr Watt, the Taoiseach, Tnaiste and Finance Minister. We want to know how this arose and how it was suggested, and we want a paper trail, the insider added.

Another source noted: Something curious is going on in the mandarin power game. Robert Watt and Martin Fraser [Secretary General of the Taoiseachs Office] were the big beasts here.

Now, they noted, one of the big beasts, Robert, looks as though he is being sent into a semi-detached but very lucrative exile.

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Tug-of-war developing between three Dail committees over Watt investigation - Extra.ie