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When it comes to Aaron Hernandez, the question always returns to why?

Why give up a life that seemingly had everything football fame, money, a devoted fiance, a beautiful daughter? Why kill, or be involved in the killing, of people who were unarmed and seemingly powerless against you? Why commit suicide in prison?

Why? Why? Why?

For years I wrestled with those questions and more while covering the Hernandez saga for Yahoo Sports from talking with Hernandez friends and family, law enforcement and prosecutors, former teammates and coaches, to sitting through two lengthy murder trials. Much of that work later manifested itself into Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, a Netflix docuseries that I served as an executive producer on.

Heres the truth: The whys have no conclusive answers, certainly not if you adhere to basic journalistic standards and try to sort through facts rather than chase sensational rumors (of which there are many). It is, I think, fair to say it was a perfect cocktail of circumstances that led to Aaron Hernandezs downfall.

That may not be the most exciting revelation, but to pick one thing out and place all the blame on it wouldnt be correct. Was it family issues? Was it CTE? Was it an unease with his sexuality? Was it an infatuation with guns and violence? It could be any. It could be all.

None are meant to provide an excuse for what he did, but rather to provide insight into the man who did it. Make no mistake, Aaron Hernandez made the decisions that devastated lives around him.

If youve watched the docuseries, you likely have questions or takeaway about this complicated and tragic case. What follows are my personal opinions, no better or worse than anyone elses.

Dennis Hernandez could be violent, close-minded and intimidating. He was also very good at keeping his sons in line. Aaron had a fairly structured life until Dennis died unexpectedly following a routine hernia surgery. Suddenly, at age 16, everything changed for Aaron.

With his brother D.J. off at the University of Connecticut, Aaron and his mother were alone in the house. Then Terri Hernandez took up with Jeff Cummings, who had been married to Aarons cousin, Tanya Singleton.

That upended everything and pushed Aaron to spend more time at Singletons house, where a far more permissive and partying lifestyle could be found. This was somewhat disastrous for a teenager who needed structure more than ever as he watched his family splinter.

Aaron was such a gifted high school football player that nearly every national power in America came to Connecticut, which isnt known as a recruiting hot bed, to try to sign him. He was committed to UConn, even though that program rarely signs such talents.

His father played at UConn and saw it as the perfect platform for Aaron good enough to expose him to the NFL, but small enough that he could grow and develop in a bit of a bubble. It wasnt far from home and D.J. was already there. UConn was the plan, no matter who came calling.

After Dennis death, though, Aaron visited Florida, which was the No. 1 program in America at the time under Urban Meyer. He almost immediately switched his commitment. The move worked out on the field; Aaron became an All-American and was part of a national title. Little else, however, was good.

Florida had Aaron leave high school a semester early and enroll in college so he could get extra practice time in before his freshman season. He was just 17. He was forced to prove himself on a daily basis, both athletically and socially, and his behavior became increasingly on the edge.

Meyer has always cited Aarons friends back in Connecticut for being bad influences on him, but when he left for Gainesville, he hadnt been surrounded by many unsavory people (he wouldnt befriend Alexander Bradley for a few years). It was at UF that he began to really change.

Would he have been a saint had he gone to UConn? Probably not. In hindsight, though, sending him off to the SEC at such an important and impressionable age wasnt a good choice.

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Bradley is a real criminal and a very tough guy. He is a gun and drug dealer out of Hartford, Connecticut, who began selling Aaron marijuana as he prepared for the NFL draft. The two soon were playing video games together and hanging out. They became friends.

This is where things really went bad for Aaron, particularly the night of the 2012 shootings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado, who were shot dead in their cars after leaving a Boston nightclub.

Hernandez was found not guilty because it came down to the two men in the car (Bradley and Hernandez) each saying the other guy pulled the trigger. Since there was no way of truly knowing and Bradley was a compromised witness, Hernandez skated.

He wasnt, though, completely innocent. He was there that night. At the very least he witnessed the shooting deaths, never reported them and continued to hang out with Bradley. Worse, the vehicle involved wound up stashed at Tanya Singletons home in Bristol.

Months later, he and Bradley were in South Florida, where (after a night out) Bradley wound up in a ditch with a bullet through his eye. Whether it was actually Aaron who pulled the trigger that night, Bradley held Aaron responsible and vowed revenge.

Hernandezs resulting fear and paranoia of being killed by Bradley led to the renting of a flop house in Connecticut, bringing in Carlos Ortiz and Ernest Wallace as bodyguards and reportedly asking the Patriots for a trade. Hernandez was so terrified of Bradley that he installed the home surveillance system that wound up providing the most devastating evidence against him in the Odin Lloyd murder trial. He also loaded up on weapons and spent much of his time high, particularly the weekend of the Lloyd murder.

There remains no known motive for the killing of Odin Lloyd, but Hernandezs state of mind while believing Bradley was trying to hunt him down must have played a significant role.

Odin Lloyd was a laid-back, yet hard-working guy from Dorchester, Massachusetts. His friends marveled at his sense of humor and the way he made everyone around him feel comfortable. He coasted through an adolescence in a dangerous neighborhood, seemingly liked by all. When he sought work as a landscaper, he showed up in a suit holding a rsum. He then rode his bike to work.

Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu were similar. Both hailed from Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa, and were working on cleaning crews that straighten up offices in downtown Boston after hours. One had been a police officer back home, the other a tour guide. They were seeking a better life and werent afraid to pursue it.

Maybe most painful is the realization that none of them were armed at the time of their deaths and none posed any physical threat to Hernandez or anyone else. All three of them were ambushed. It wasnt even a fair fight.

If there is one thing that will stick with me when it comes to this story is the pain, yet pride, that could be seen in the eyes of their families. A total tragedy. Just a sickening tragedy.

Shayanna and Shaneah Jenkins grew up in Bristol, raised by their single mother. They were once close. Shayanna started dating Aaron Hernandez in high school, moving with him to Massachusetts when he was drafted by the Patriots. They had a daughter together.

Shaneah, meanwhile, met Odin Lloyd while she was working her way through college and employed at a hotel in Connecticut. Odin was staying there working with an out-of-town construction crew. Odin used to hang around the front desk until he won her over. She later moved to Boston to attend the New England College of Law (where she would graduate) and be near her boyfriend and sister. Shaneah and Odin might have had a very nice life together.

During the trial, the sisters sat on opposite sides of the courtroom, each showing their allegiance. That Shay chose Aaron over Shaneah remains one of the most dramatic bits of betrayal/loyalty in a story full of both. Her carrying out a suspicious box from the mansion, which prosecutors believe contained the murder weapon, only to conveniently forget what dumpster she may have dropped it in, just sealed everything.

My opinion is that Shayanna Jenkins had a dream life going and never wanted to admit that it wasnt real so she chose to believe/pretend that Aaron was innocent and everything was fine. During the trials I found her smart, conversational and a devoted mother. Like everyone else, shes complicated.

The only person whose loyalty to Aaron that can approach, or even surpass, Shayannas is Tanya Singleton. The connection between the two was unshakeable. Singleton not only stashed the car from the Boston shooting deaths in her garage, she tried to help Wallace and Ortiz escape New England following the Lloyd murder.

She then refused to cooperate with authorities and was jailed on a contempt charge despite being riddled with cancer and the mother of two young boys. At no point did she ever crack and turn on Aaron before dying from her illness.

Ive covered a few high-profile cases and Baez is the best trial attorney Ive seen. He won not-guilty verdicts for both Casey Anthony and Aaron Hernandez.

However, the evidence in the Lloyd case was completely overwhelming.

At the time of the trial there was a belief by those outside the courtroom mainly talking heads on cable television that Hernandez could walk because he was a football star, a la O.J. Simpson. That took root when the jury spent nearly a week going over the evidence.

Talking to jurors after, however, it was never close. They were a very thorough group that took their responsibilities seriously. Hernandez never stood a chance. There was no way to overcome the home security video, the cell phone location evidence that placed him at the scene of the crime, the gun shells in the rental car and the testimony of Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

While some will say Aaron was excited about Baez winning an appeal in the case and getting a retrial, its my opinion he knew that he would never, ever even get that far let alone ever win the case. He was guilty, 100 percent guilty.

No one knows why Aaron committed suicide. The people closest to him his family, friends and attorneys who spoke with him regularly were so stunned by his suicide that they initially wouldnt rule out foul play. The evidence, particularly his very personal suicide notes to his lawyer, fiance and daughter, made it clear he took his own life.

Two days before his suicide, a Boston sports radio show revealed the longstanding rumor that Aaron was bisexual. It was done in crude terms. Did that spur him to kill himself out of shame and/or embarrassment?

Again, no one knows. It remains a mystery. However, the way Hernandez planned out his suicide suggests that this wasnt a rash decision. It isnt easy to commit suicide in prison. To do so, he needed to complete time consuming tasks such as tying a bed sheet with so many knots that it was strong enough to hold his large body. He acquired enough soap that he could spread it across the floor of his cell and prevent himself from standing up if he had last-second regrets.

He wrote the notes, got enough cardboard to jam his cell door (so it would take longer for guards to open) and covered the window so he might not be immediately discovered. He then staged an elaborate death complete with blood drops on particular Bible verses and stigmata on his hands.

Its just an opinion, but that didnt seem to be a rushed suicide. It looked meticulously planned.

Aaron had signed a $40 million contract in 2012 but he played only one season under it. His first two years he made a relatively low salary (around $500,000 per year) as a fourth-round draft pick. He did, though, get a $12.5 million signing bonus. New England, and Hernandezs victims, went after his money when he was convicted.

Through a then-archaic Massachusetts law known as abatement ab initio, Hernandez could have his murder conviction thrown out if he died while that conviction was in the process of appeal. Conceivably, that would allow his family to fight for his millions because he would technically be innocent.

We dont know that he knew that. He did write youre rich in his suicide note to Shayanna Jenkins, but what that means is undetermined. Even if that was Hernandezs plan, it seems ill-conceived. First off, the Patriots, even if they were somehow obligated (and that remains a question), were not going to just hand over millions of dollars to the Hernandez estate.

They would fight it legally until there were no other options a lengthy and expensive battle for the Hernandez estate to take on against a billion-dollar operation. Even then, if Hernandez won, he would almost certainly lose civil suits to the family of Lloyd as well as Furtado and de Abreu.

There is no way of telling, but my opinion is he always planned on committing suicide after the second trial because he was 27 and knew he was facing 50 or so more years in prison. His life at that point was hopeless (he was never beating the Lloyd murder conviction) and he just didnt want to continue.

That isnt a particularly interesting opinion, but its the one that makes the most sense. As with nearly everything when it comes to Aaron Hernandez though, a mystery remains.

Yes. She is. The ability of Ursula Ward, Odins mother, to offer forgiveness to Aaron is one of the few positive aspects of the entire story.

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10 insights into Netflixs Aaron Hernandez documentary from executive producer - Yahoo Sports

Washington (AFP) - Far from feeling the heat, President Donald Trump will be chilling in Davos, a fancy Swiss ski resort, when the Senate hears opening arguments in his impeachment trial next week.

Trump is so confident that his Republican party majority will stay loyal that he sees no risk in jetting to Switzerland for the annual World Economic Forum on Tuesday, right as lawmakers convene for the historic trial.

"I'm going to be going to Davos. I'll be meeting the biggest business leaders in the world, getting them to come here. I'll also be meeting with foreign leaders," Trump told reporters at the White House as his trial formally began on Thursday.

The contrast in settings will be extreme.

In Washington, Democratic lawmakers will argue that Trump is a corrupt leader who abused his power by trying to strong-arm Ukraine into a fake investigation aimed at tarnishing a top election rival, Joe Biden. They'll call for his removal from office.

More than 4,200 miles (nearly 6,800 km) away, Trump will swagger through Davos as the forum's unquestioned star.

Davos is where the world's movers and shakers gather each year for informal discussions on weighty issues. Detractors call it a talking shop for out-of-touch billionaires and celebrities, and this year most major international leaders are staying away.

The field will be clear for Trump to do what he does best -- tout his achievements and suck up the attention.

"We are booming," he said. "There's nothing even close."

"Every world leader sees me and says 'What have you done? This is the most incredible thing that we've ever seen.'"

Although the 2020 Davos theme is climate emergency, complete with an appearance by teenage activist Greta Thunberg, Trump has little belief in global warming.

He'll push his own agenda.

He'll "take on the perils of socialism," top advisor Kellyanne Conway told reporters Thursday.

"He'll continue to talk about the stock market, getting NATO members to pay up to provide for the common security, and also talk about the global economy."

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- Republican loyalty assured -

Not so long ago, Trump might have been more nervous about leaving his fate in the hands of Republican lawmakers.

The upstart businessman shocked the Republican establishment when he sought the 2016 nomination.

Mitt Romney, the unsuccessful Republican nominee from 2012, dismissed the real estate tycoon and TV show performer as having "a character and temperament unfit for the leader of the free world."

Another senator, Mark Kirk, branded candidate Trump a "malignant clown."

What a difference three years in the White House makes.

Today Trump is the undisputed king of the Republican Party.

Moderate old timers in the mold of Romney or the Bush political dynasty are marginalized. Fiercely partisan, fiercely loyal Trump acolytes are the norm.

Behind the scenes, Republican lawmakers sometimes express distaste for the president's style or frustration at his policies, but in public they march in lockstep -- and no one more so than Senate leader Mitch McConnell.

Whatever McConnell and the rest of the party think privately, polls indicating watertight Republican voter support for Trump give them no margin for maneuver in the impeachment trial -- unless they want to risk losing their own jobs.

The country at large is split evenly on whether Trump should be thrown out of office, but less than 10 percent of Republicans want that to happen.

There's little doubt that McConnell, the iron leader of the 100-seat upper chamber, will be able to keep his majority of 53 in line for Trump.

"What he wants, he's going to get," Conway said. "To be acquitted and exonerated and not convicted, not removed from office -- and re-elected."

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During impeachment trial, Trump will be chilling in Swiss resort - Yahoo News

By Steve Scherer

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that the victims of the Ukrainian airliner shot down in Iran would still be alive if the recent escalation of tensions in the region had not happened, according to a transcript of an interview with Global News TV.

The U.S. killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in a Jan. 3 drone strike prompted Iran to launch a missile attack on Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops on Jan. 8, hours before the passenger jet was shot down. All 176 aboard were killed, including 57 Canadians.

"I think if there were no tensions, if there was no escalation recently in the region, those Canadians would be right now home with their families," Trudeau said in the interview.

Trudeau said Canada did not receive a heads up before the United States killed Soleimani, and that he "obviously" would have preferred one.

"The U.S. makes its determinations. We attempt to work as an international community on big issues. But sometimes countries take actions without informing their allies," he said.

Trudeau said that while the government was working as quickly as possible to bring the bodies home for burial, it was likely to take weeks or "perhaps even months."

Canada said on Monday that Iran had signaled that Canadian investigators would take an active role in the probe of the crash, which Iran said at the weekend had been caused by a missile it fired in a "disastrous mistake."

(Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Rosalba O'Brien)

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Canada's Trudeau: Iran plane victims would be alive had there been no regional tensions - Yahoo News

Conservative group One Millions Moms is accusing Burger King of airing an inappropriate ad that crosses the line. The ad in question is for the Impossible Whooper, the vegetarian burger it launched in August.

One Million Moms is taking issue with a moment in the commercial when, as they write, One man is completely shocked that the burger is not beef, so he uses the d-word to describe how he feels about himself for being deceived by the taste of the burger.

The d-word referenced is damn. After taking a bite the man says, damn thats good.

One Million Moms is a division of the American Family Association which has been named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of its stance on LGBTQ issues and calls itself an organization for moms who are, fed up with the filth many segments of our society, especially the entertainment media, are throwing at our children. The organization has less than 100,000 Facebook followers but recently made headlines for igniting strong backlash to a Zola ad that aired on the Hallmark Channel and included a lesbian couple kissing. The ad was temporarily removed in response to the outcry, before the Hallmark CEO apologized and reinstated it.

With respect to the Burger King ad, One Million Moms has started a petition to have it removed rom the air; so far roughly 8,500 people have signed it.

Burger Kings Impossible Whopper ad is irresponsible and tasteless. It is extremely destructive and damaging to impressionable children viewing the commercial, the organization writes in their call to action. We all know children repeat what they hear.

This is not the first time that the organization has targeted Burger King. In May 2019, they protested against Burger Kings Real Meals campaign which employed the term DGAF and the word pissed.

So far Burger King has not made a statement in response to One Million Moms and did not immediately reply to Yahoos request for comment.

Related: Hallmark Pulls Same-Sex Advert Following One Million Moms Protest

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Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khemanei vowed harsh retaliation against Washington, in response to theassassination of top General Qassem Soleimani. Intelligence experts say cyber warfare could be a primary focus, given Tehrans vastly improved capabilities.

The country has invested heavily in its development of cyber warfare, since the destructive Stuxnet malware crippled Irans nuclear capabilities back in 2010. That has drastically reduced its response times to attacks, putting it on the same level as the U.S., according to Tom Warrick, a Non-Resident Fellow at The Atlantic Council and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism Policy at the Department of Homeland Security.

It's quite possible, as we sit here right now that Iranian cyber attacks may be launched against American targets, whether they be banks oil companies, academic institutions, said Warrick, speaking to Yahoo FinancesOn The Move. It's certainly clear that Iran has the capability to launch attacks on very short notice from cyber.

Warrick says that stands in stark contrast to the near three years it took for Iran to carry out a number of retaliatory attacks on control systems across the world back in 2010. Since Stuxnet, Iran has been suspected of unleashing the Shamoon virus that erased nearly three quarters ofSaudi Aramcos corporate PCs, halted the website of Qatari natural gas firm RasGas, andshut down servers and wiped hard drivesat the Sands Casino in Las Vegas. US banks were also targeted between 2011 and 2012, causing major disruptions from Bank of America to Wells Fargo.

Jeff Bardin, Chief Intelligence Officer at Treadstone 71, a cyber intelligence consulting group says that initial wave of attacks only helped to hone Tehrans cyber tools. In recent years, hackers have expanded beyond traditional phishing schemes into massive data theft and drone jamming or the use of a transmission blocking signal to halt communication to down unmanned vehicles.

Theyre using Russian military technical capabilities with automated jamming of drones and they've been doing that in the Gulf, Bardin said. I think a lot of things that [Iran] has, we haven't seen yet, we might not even be aware of their full capabilities. They've been holding back and building and developing.

Iran has the capacity to launch a cyberattack. (Getty)

That could all add to the unpredictability of any cyber war with Iran. Former NSA and Marine Corps hacker David Kennedy, who founded TrustedSec said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is likely to approach cyber operations withfewer restraintsthan other American adversaries like Russia, North Korea, or China, leading to attacks that are both aggressive and unpredictable - to the point of being reckless. Adding to the threat, Tehran is likely to lean on its proxy forces, including Hezbollah and Hamas, to effectively launch a full scale attack, both on the cyber and kinetic front, according to Bardin.

Critical infrastructures like power grids and the financial system have long been seen as ripe targets for cyber warfare, but Bardin says Iran may look to the Russian playbook, to focus any offensive campaign on President Trump himself, conducting influence operations including meddling in the upcoming U.S. Presidential election.

They are following the same model and have been following the same model as the Russians did to influence people's minds, Bardin said. They have a whole group under the Basij that does that. They train for that, they do this work, and they can pay them next to nothing to do this.

The U.S. government has increased cyber capabilities dramatically over the years, with spending requests totaling just over$17 billionin the fiscal 2020 budget. Bardin says the Defense Departments tools against any attack are unmatched, but the U.S. remains vulnerable in part because it doesnt impose the kind of control Iran does over the internet.

Story continues

Earlier this year, Iranian officials said the country haddeveloped a firewallto protect against viruses like Stuxnet.

The problem is, is we don't have a national firewall to protect every industry in the US, we're everywhere, Bardin said. Yes, we are more capable but ...We have a bigger attack surface

Akiko Fujita is an anchor and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her onTwitter@AkikoFujita

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Iran has the capability to launch cyber attacks on very short notice, expert says - Yahoo Finance

Dalvin Cook went 10-4 this season. The Minnesota Vikings were 0-2 without him.

Whats that? Running backs dont have individual records? Quarterbacks shouldnt either because football is a team game, but the final two games did show how much Cook has meant to the Vikings this season.

The do-everything third-year running back is returning from a shoulder injury and right on time for the Vikings, who face the New Orleans Saints in a wild-card game on Sunday that can belive-streamed on the Yahoo Sports app.

[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here's how]

The Vikings have plenty of stars and Kirk Cousins will get all of the credit or blame for what happens Sunday. But Cook is their most valuable player.

Perhaps the time off came at the right time for Cook. He suffered a shoulder injury in Week 15. He had previously had a chest injury, and his numbers dipped after that. Or, its possible he was just wearing down a bit under the weight of a career-high workload. Either way, the Vikings lost both games without Cook to end the season.

This week, Cook said he was healthy and also refreshed.

The health part is huge, but so is the notion that Cook is refreshed. He had 1,654 total yards and 13 total touchdowns. He dealt with injuries in each of his first two seasons, but got 303 touches this season. Cook had just 258 touches in his first two NFL seasons combined.

The Vikings wanted to shift to a run-first attack, and that was centered around the multiple talents of Cook. For the most part, it worked out very well, though Cooks production dipped as the season went on. Cook hasnt averaged four yards per carry in a game since Week 8. To pull off an upset, the Vikings need him to look like he did in the first half of the season.

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook (33) should return for Sunday's playoff game. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)

The Vikings are one of the better No. 6 seeds youll find, but theyre also facing one of the best No. 3 seeds ever. Since 1990, only three 13-3 division champions havent gotten a bye: 1999 Titans, 2011 Saints and 2019 Saints. Its fairly shocking New Orleans is playing this weekend.

The Saints are playing very well lately, with quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Michael Thomas setting records, Alvin Kamara starting to look like his normal self and a defense that has been pretty good most of the season. Even as a No. 3 seed, the Saints are a Super Bowl contender.

They could also be a one-and-done, because the Vikings are quite capable. Minnesotas ability to pull off the upset rests in large part on Cook, and whether hes recharged after a couple of weeks out with an injury.

Frank Schwabis a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him atshutdown.corner@yahoo.comor follow him on Twitter!Follow @YahooSchwab

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Dalvin Cook's return could be huge for Vikings as they face Saints on Yahoo Sports app - Yahoo Sports

With unemployment at a 50-year low and the stock market near record highs, President Trump should be a shoo-in for reelection. Hes not.

In fact, Trump could very plausibly lose in November. Perhaps by a wide margin. Here are 4 reasons why:

The economy isnt strong enough. There probably wont be a recession by Election Day in November, but there will still be plenty of discontent. Income inequality hasworsened under Trump, with the wealthy benefiting much more from a booming stock market than working- and middle-class Americans. Evidence continues to mount that Trumps signature achievement, the 2017 tax-cut law,benefited businesses and the wealthymore than ordinary workers. Trump and other backers of the law insisted a boom in business spending would follow the tax cuts, but Moodys Analytics found recently that just 20% of the corporate tax savings went to investment. The other 80% went to stockbuybacksand dividend hikes that mainlybenefittheshareholder class.

Economic growth under Trump peaked at 2.9% in 2018. It has slowed since then and will probably end 2019 around 2%, with even slower growth likely next year. That should be good enough to keep the unemployment rate low, but not necessarily enough for Trump to win. Trumps net approval rating is -10.3, according to aFivethirtyeight composite, which means his disapproval rating is about 10 points higher than his approval rating. Research by Alan Abramowitz of the University of Virginias Center for Politics shows that an incumbent with a -10 net approval rating needs economic growth of between 2% and 3% to win reelection. Trump probably wont get that in 2020. Theres one other factor blocking the normal tailwind a president gets from a decent economy: Trump is the first president in 150 years running for reelection after being impeached.

It's also possible recession fears could return later in 2020, just as theymaterialized in the summer of 2019. And some traders expect stocks to flatline or drop in 2020, perhaps even entering a correction that ends an 11-year rally. Even small fluctuations in confidence could be enough to sink Trump.

Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg speaks to volunteers and supporters in Old City in his first field office in Philadelphia on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)

Bloombergs money. Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg probably wont win the Democratic presidential nomination. But he could still end up being the most influential Democrat in the campaign. Bloomberg has pledged to spend whatever it takes to beat Trump in 2020, and the multibillionaire has virtually unlimited funds to do it. Money isnt everything in politics, but Bloomberg has been adept at spending money on targeted ads and organizational activities that have helped toelect more Democrats in Virginiaandpush Democratic causes such as gun control. Whether hes the Democratic nominee or not, Bloombergs spending on behalf of the party will probably produce a financial advantage, maybe a decisive one.

Trumps health care blind spot. Even in a decent economy,health care is a chronic problemfor some people who dont have insurance and others who do but still cant afford theout-of-pocket expenses. Trump has no plan onhealth care, other than continuing totry to dismantle Obamacare, otherwise known as the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration remains party to a controversial lawsuit attempting to kill the entire law, which may succeed, canceling insurance for about 20 million people and restoring the old, heinous insurance company practice of denying coverage to people with preexisting conditions. Thats about 60 million Americans.

Every Democratic candidate, by contrast, has a serious health care plan.Medicare for all, the Bernie Sanders plan for eliminating private insurance and forcing everyone into a government plan, is undoubtedly too radical for some voters. ButJoe Biden,Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and evenElizabeth Warrenhave plans for an optional government coverage for those who want it. That seems like anidea whose time has arrived, and Trumps only riposte is to riff about socialized medicine and promise a health care plan of his own that plainly doesnt exist.

Story continues

Democratic presidential candidate South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg speaks during a campaign event Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, at New England College in Henniker, N.H. (AP Photo/ Cheryl Senter)

Barack Obamas role. The former president has been largely silent about Trump, and also about the Democratic presidential contest. But it seems certain that once Democrats choose their nominee in 2020, Obama will fully back the candidate and campaign on his or her behalf. That could help boost minority turnout, which was weak in 2016 and contributed to Hillary Clintons loss. Trumps so-called base would stick with him, but thats only about 25% of the electorate. Others support Trump because they dislike radical Democrats such as Bernie Sanders or feel Trump is presiding over a prosperous era they dont want to disturb. If any of those things turn Democrats way, Trump will be a one-term president.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available. Click here to get Ricks stories by email.

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Why Trump will lose in 2020 - Yahoo Finance

I started playing fantasy football in 2007, so most of my experience with the fake game came in the decade that just wrapped up. As such, it was great to take a look back in this weeks episode of The Fantasy Football Survival Kit at some of the top players from the last 10 years that helped me try (keyword, try) to win some fantasy championships during my come-up years. Of course, some user submissions stuck out more than others.

Beyond the obvious top suggestions like Adrian Peterson or Chris Johnson, I was happy to see Arian Foster pop up. Not just because Foster was wildly productive for a good stretch of the decade, leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns twice, but he holds a special place in the heart of fake footballers. We all hype up sleepers and breakout players. Most of them fade away to dust. Foster was a former undrafted player whom fantasy managers hyped up after a strong end to his 2009 season earned him a starting spot in Gary Kubiaks ultra-high-leverage rushing scheme. He went on to become the best back in fantasy in 2010.

Thats coming through for us.

[Play in Yahoos NFL $150K Baller. $10 entry fee and $15K to first place]

So, too, was it just to see Drew Brees make the list. Beyond the fact that Brees, my first fantasy quarterback in 2007, was a stud on his own, he elevated so many players on his team. From all-stars like Jimmy Graham to Michael Thomas to random contributors like Lance Moore and all the way to countless pass-catching backs, playing alongside Brees was money for skill-position players the last 10-plus years.

Lastly, it was a pleasure to get fantasy cult heroes like Danny Woodhead and Ryan Fitzpatrick into the segment. After all, The Fantasy Football Survival Kit is all about THE PEOPLE. Are they technically some of the most prolific players in fake football the last decade? No, but please, lets not take this so seriously. Its a game thats supposed to be fun and one that helps create community. Few things create a tighter bond between friends or internet compatriots like developing weird attachments to the NFLs unheralded. Its just another tasty layer when those players go on to become major fantasy values and help fill the gaps on championship teams.

If you didnt have a couple of teams that benefitted from Danny Woodheads annual undervalued draft cost in PPR or make it through a stretch by streaming Ryan Fitzpatrick, were you even really playing fantasy the last 10 years? Hard to say, if you ask me.

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The best fantasy players of the last decade, according to 'The People' - Yahoo Sports

In Week 16, Carson Wentz said a showdown against the Dallas Cowboys was probablythe biggest game of his career. Then that win would have meant nothing had the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the New York Giants in Week 17.

Wentz passed those tests. The Eagles won both and an NFC East championship. That wipes away a lot of the negativity over a disappointing Eagles season. People will just remember the 2019 Eagles made the playoffs. Thats all they remember about the 2018 Eagles too, not the underachieving that preceded that playoff trip.

But this truly is the biggest game of Wentzs career. Hell lead the Eagles in a wild-card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, a game that can belive-streamed on the Yahoo Sports app.

[Watch live NFL games on the Yahoo Sports app, here's how]

It seems a little strange, but this is Wentzs first playoff game. Its not like he was Deshaun Watson and played in a College Football Playoff title game, either. Sunday will be huge in defining what we think of Wentz as a player.

The Wentz story is complicated.

Wentz had a good rookie season for the Eagles, and in his second year he was an MVP favorite. Same as Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson. Then he tore his ACL against the Rams late in the regular season.

Nick Foles ended up defining Wentzs career up to this point more than anyone, fair or not. Foles helped lead the Eagles to a championship and won Super Bowl MVP. When Wentzs season ended in 2018 due to a back injury, Foles saved the underachieving Eagles, leading them to a playoff spot and a postseason win, too. Playoff success matters most in sports, and an Eagles quarterback not named Wentz experienced a lot of it.

Then this season Foles went to Jacksonville and there was no looming shadow over Wentz. The Eagles struggled most of the season, though thats not all Wentzs fault. A late rally got the Eagles into the playoffs, and thats big for Wentz. He can write a different chapter to his season. He started that in December.

Carson Wentz will start his first playoff game on Sunday. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Wentz turned his game on in December. In five games, he had 1,509 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception. He did most of that despite some crippling injuries around him. He played his best football since that 2017 near-MVP season, and did it when the Eagles needed it most.

That matters. But the Eagles didnt pay him a $128 million contract extension to play his best ball in the regular season. Much of the noise about Wentz will quiet down if he has a big postseason. He is a very good player but its a tough market that has experienced the ultimate playoff success without Wentz.

Wentz has laid a good foundation for his career. Some iconic playoff performances would help enhance it.

Frank Schwabis a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him atshutdown.corner@yahoo.comor follow him on Twitter!Follow @YahooSchwab

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Carson Wentz faces another 'biggest game' as Eagles face Seahawks on Yahoo Sports app - Yahoo Sports

The American airstrike that killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad Thursdayhit financial marketsalmost immediately with oil prices jumping,stock indicesdown, and weapons manufacturer stocks higher.

The airstrike adds considerable tension to the delicate region, and raises concerns that escalation could result in oil supply disruptions that could push prices higher prices that would ultimately end up being paid by consumers when they fill up their cars. Crude oil prices jumped around 4% from $61 a barrel to almost $64 before calming down slightly.

A deterioratingrelationship between the U.S. and Iranhas the potential to affect consumers and theU.S. economy, though there are multiple factors that should keep things stable for people at the pump.

Patrick DeHaan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told Yahoo Finance that the initial reactions may add 3 to 7 cents per gallon to gas prices, or even 5 to 10 cents per gallon. But far more importantly, how Iran decides to react or retaliate will set the tone.

The sky is the limit based on their potential reaction, DeHaan said of Iran.

However, he noted there is significant insulation that could shield impact in the form of Saudi Arabia. An enemy of Iran, the country holds sizable spare capacity that could be utilized to soften any impact to oil supply, DeHaan said.

As ING Group wrote in a research note Friday, ittakes a lot to scare the oil marketbecause supply is so comfortable.

Saudi Arabias capacity is one of the many reasons prices at the pump could stay under control even if the situation escalates.

Graphic by David Foster/Yahoo Finance

Its not just capacity but Saudi Arabias diversified portfolio of export options. Even if Iran were to try to block the Strait of Hormuz, ING noted that the countrys new pipeline could allow the country to ship its oil via the Red Sea, limiting potentially severe effects.

Oil exports that use the Strait of Hormuz make up around20% of global oil consumption, and its blockage could send prices up to$150 per barrel.

In September, when drone attacks hitSaudi Arabias oil production facilities an attack that was blamed on Iran prices rose, but then fell quickly as the situation contained itself and the Saudis managed to get supply back up.

Another reason gas prices are shielded is the fact that its an election year. As ING pointed out, the fact that its an election year means President Trump may be more inclined to open the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves should supply get tight.

Oil and gas prices may rise a little bit, causing drivers to pay more at the tank, but U.S. shale players could stand to further insulate prices from rising too high and keep GDP from being affected too much. In the past few years, American shale production has skyrocketed to around 9.2 million barrels per day, from 5.2 million in 2017. This supply, as RSM Chief Economist Joe Brusuelasnoted, has the potential to contain problems across the globe.

Furthermore, higher oil prices usually spur capital expenditures for domestic energy operations, since higher oil prices mean a better chance at profitability for frackers. Though consumers may end up spending more, it could end up a wash for GDP growth, offsetting the consumer harm.

Our general rule of thumb, Goldman Sachswrote back in September, is that a $10/barrel increase in oil prices typically lowers the GDP contribution from consumption by 0.15% cumulatively.

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In other words, the price changes are usually enough to affect consumers behavior if the prices last and affect Americans at the pump for a long time. According toDeutsche Bank, for every one-cent rise in gas prices, consumer spending on non-energy goods and services falls $1.16 billion per year.

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Ethan Wolff-Mannis a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, personal finance, retail, airlines, and more. Follow him on Twitter@ewolffmann.

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What the Iran strike means for gas prices - Yahoo Finance