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With the stock market in a deep funk (and getting funkier by the day) investors are looking for safe places to park their money, like stocks that pay healthy dividends. Which would be telecom stocks, right?

Maybe not.

The truth is that telecom stocks there are really only three biggies these days; AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ) and T-Mobile (TMUS) arent what they used to be. Some say that has to do with their disastrous forays into the world of media, but its probably more a matter of failed execution and the maturation of the business.

First the media math. Remember that within a two-week period in May of last year, both AT&T and Verizon jettisoned WarnerMedia and Yahoo, their respective content properties, (yes, the latter owns my employer, Yahoo Finance). These moves were made to rid the data-driven, left-brain telcos of frivolous, flowery never mind costly media businesses. Getting out of content, the thinking went, would allow the telephone companies distribution businesses to run full-out and unfettered, which would presumably be a boon to shareholders.

My days are a little bit more predictable than they were a couple of years ago, AT&T CEO John Stankey told Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi this week. That's one of the reasons why we made the decision to do what we're doing. I didn't think I could do my best work or the broader management team could do their best work if we were trying to fight too many battles on too many different fronts. We are a more focused company today. We're executing each week better than we were the week before, but we still have room to go.

John Stankey speaks onstage at HBO Max WarnerMedia Investor Day Presentation at Warner Bros. Studios on October 29, 2019 in Burbank, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for WarnerMedia)

For sure on that last point.

Since May 15, 2021, roughly when these announcements were made, Verizons stock is down 18% and AT&T is down 19%. The S&P is only off 4%. The stocks still underperform the market after factoring in their 6% plus dividend yields.

Perhaps thats surprising given these companies made game-changing announcements particularly in the case of AT&T, as its divestment of content was a much bigger move relative to the size of its overall business. Its also surprising since both AT&T and Verizon stocks sport generous dividend yields, which ideally would bolster the shares during a market downturn.

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Did deep-sixing the content businesses help the telcos stocks? No, it did not.

Before we get more into that, lets first consider T-Mobile, once ridiculed (and still loathed) by the Big Two, for its over-the-top former CEO, John Legere, and its garish (yet effective) pink branding. Legere stepped down two years ago, but, guess what, T-Mobile is now ascendent if not triumphant. Barrons recently pointed out that T-Mobile has a bigger market cap ($177 billion) than Verizon ($173 billion) or AT&T ($119 billion). True, both Verizon and AT&T are more leveraged, so that the overall enterprise value of the two older companies is bigger. But the fact remains that T-Mobile stock has trounced Verizon and AT&T and the market over the past five years.

John Legere arrives at Manhattan Federal Court during the T-Mobile/Sprint federal case in New York, U.S., December12, 2019. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Why is that? In a word, execution. T-Mobile merged with Sprint, priced aggressively to build market share, and most importantly, improved its network.

TMUS 5g network is probably 18 months ahead of AT&T and Verizon's, if not a little more, says Keith Snyder, an industry analyst at CFRA. [AT&Ts and Verizons] balance sheets are bad. Those two companies combined have about $300 billion that they need to get off their balance sheet at some point. Meanwhile, they need to spend very heavily on network deployments and new spectrum.

And another thing: Verizon's stock price is lower than it was 20 years ago. AT&T's stock price is lower than it was 20 years ago, says veteran industry analyst Craig Moffett. Granted, they've paid dividends, but the total return by owning those stocks has been less than what you would have gotten from a corporate bond."

Someones made money here, though. As this 2017 McKinsey report points out, internet giants Amazon, Google and Facebook have built up massive businesses on the networks of AT&T and Verizon. The combined market caps of those three tech giants $3 trillion is 6.4 times that of the three telcos' $469 billion.

So did AT&T and Verizon blow it by not being able to marry content with distribution? Moffett thinks thats a red herring.

I'm not sure the tug and sway between content and distribution has ever been a terribly relevant thesis, Moffett says. It's one of those things that people like to talk about, but it doesn't really have all that much real-world application. Partially the problem with trying to be vertically integrated is that the law frowns on it. So there's limitations on what you could do. You could theoretically make content exclusive and that sort of thing, but as carriers you generally aren't allowed to do that. So there isn't really any particular strategic logic for being vertically integrated.

To Moffett its more a matter of two companies with declining businesses and bloated balance sheets that will struggle to pay their dividend down the road. AT&T already cut its dividend as part of its divestiture of the media business earlier this year.

As for the companies path forward: They're not going to go bankrupt, Snyder says. They're established, their businesses are generating cash. It's just that they need to rethink what they're doing. Moffett offers a more succinct prognosis: It's terrible.

On the other hand, both analysts are sanguine about T-Mobile, which they say will continue to grow at the incumbents expense.

Is there any optimism to be had AT&T or Verizon? The bull case for Verizon or AT&T is that expectations are so low that the stocks have nowhere to go but up, Moffett says. And as long as they maintain the dividend, that thesis could perhaps work. But then he adds: The problem is, as we've seen so often with these companies, if they can't generate any growth, then the sustainability of the dividend eventually is in doubt.

For Verizon and AT&T, its not a great position to be in. Turns out even big splashy media deals couldn't help them.

This article was featured in a Saturday edition of the Morning Brief on Saturday, September 17. Get the Morning Brief sent directly to your inbox every Monday to Friday by 6:30 a.m. ET. Subscribe

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How media and T-Mobile got the better of AT&T and Verizon - Yahoo Finance

Lakers guard Russell Westbrook

The Lakers are stacked at guard especially point guard.

Russell Westbrook is a point guard. Patrick Beverley is a point guard. People may think of Kendrick Nunn as a two-guard, but hes 62 and has played every minute at the point (according to Basketball-Reference.com). Now the Lakers have brought veteran Dennis Schroder back into the mix at the point.

And all that ignores the fact LeBron James actually functions as the lead guard in Los Angeles.

Could the Lakers end up bringing Westbrook off the bench?

It was widely discussed around the league last season, and Frank Vogel and his Lakers staff reportedly considered it, but only went as far as benching him at the end of a couple of games. New coach Darvin Ham has the green light to do it and the Lakers have talked about it, Jovan Buha and Sam Amick of The Athletic report.

Yet, while the Lakers have been hopeful the Westbrook experiment might be a success this time, sources with knowledge of the situation told The Athletic that the prospect of Westbrook coming off the bench is being strongly considered.

At a minimum, it seems clear Westbrook will have to outplay new addition Patrick Beverley and Schrder if hes going to retain his starting role.

A player of Westbrooks stature MVP, nine-time All-Star, triple-double machine deserves a fair shot at the starting job heading into training camp. He might even be the presumptive starter unless someone else beats him out Westbrook and Nunn, with Beverley and Schroder off the bench. However, to stay a starter, Westbrook is going to have to accept a role within Hams offense, one where he spends some time in the corner as a shooter, plus hes going to have to defend every time down the court, things he was not willing to do for Vogel last season.

Its hard not to watch Westbrooks volume scoring game the past couple of seasons where he wants the ball in his hands but is just not efficient enough to be a No. 1 option anymore and think he would thrive as a sixth man. It wasnt just fans and the media talking about it, scouts and other team coaches were as well. Westbrook could be in a Jamal Crawford/Lou Williams/Jordan Clarkson role where he is given free rein and a green light against lesser defenders for 15ish minutes a night to do what he wants. He could still close games some nights, depending on matchups, but his primary goal would be to rack up numbers with the second unit and keep the Lakers in games (or extend leads).

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Its also possible a trade for Westbrook becomes more viable during the season (the longer it goes on, the less of his salary a new team would have to pay out of pocket). Amick and Buha confirm what has been said about the Lakers for weeks: They are interested in Bojan Bogdanovic, Clarkson, and Malik Beasley out of Utah, as well as Buddy Hield out of Indiana, but with the Lakers not wanting to take on salary into next season or give up both fist-round picks they can trade, its next to impossible to make a deal.

The Lakers are going to start the season with Westbrook. The only questions are will he start or come off the bench, and how well will he accept that new role?

Reports: Dennis Schroder agrees to re-join Lakers on one-year deal Showtime Lakers reunite for one more practice, few days in... LeBron says NBA definitely got this wrong with Sarver; Adam...

Beverley. Now Schroder. Could the Lakers bring Russell Westbrook off the bench? originally appeared on NBCSports.com

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Beverley. Now Schroder. Could the Lakers bring Russell Westbrook off the bench? - Yahoo Sports

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

I drove a Tesla for the first time and came away impressed with the much-hyped brand.

The Model Y's sleek interior, speedy acceleration, and innovative tech features set it apart.

But its oversized touchscreen and lack of physical buttons isn't for everyone.

Tesla created and dominates the burgeoning market for electric vehicles. But can the startup's popular cars withstand a barrage of competitors from titans like Ford, General Motors, and Volkswagen?

That's the big question I sought to answer when I got behind the wheel of a new Tesla Model Y SUV earlier this month. After testing more than a dozen battery-powered rides in the last year but never one made by Elon Musk I wondered whether Teslas can live up to the hype or not. Put differently: Are the company's fanatical supporters right, or are its cars nothing special?

I borrowed a friend's Tesla to find out for myself. (The company doesn't offer press loans, so journalists have to get creative.)

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

The Model Y is Tesla's small SUV and its most popular product. It has a starting price of $65,990 and two motors that provide all-wheel drive. A Performance version that sacrifices some range for added quickness is available for $4,000 extra, but the base model is plenty sporty.

Tesla doesn't have dealerships and instead sells its cars online, direct-to-consumer. Buyers can take delivery at a Tesla location or have their vehicle shipped to their home.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

Slide into a Tesla and you'll find a refreshingly uncluttered interior free of conventional buttons, vents, and gauges. The cabin's sleek design and understated wood trim more evoke an Apple store than an automobile.

This minimalist look is made possible by a large touchscreen that controls practically all important vehicle functions aside from stopping, going, and turning. This command center contains the door locks, A/C settings, speedometer, and navigation system. It's also stuffed with outside-the-box features like games, a digital whoopee cushion, and Netflix, which can help owners pass the time while charging.

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The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

The display is super responsive to taps and swipes and features crisp graphics. Plus, Tesla regularly adds new capabilities through software updates, making the Model Y's cockpit a tech nerd's paradise.

There's plenty of room to stretch out in both the front and rear seats thanks to a totally flat floor and tall glass roof. And the Model Y provides tons of cargo space, including a generous trunk up front and an under-floor storage area in back, both of which you won't find in every EV.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

Despite not being the Performance model, the Model Y I sampled accelerated stunningly quickly, darting forward with every nudge of the accelerator pedal in the same way that other high-powered EVs do. And it handled more like a sports car than a lumbering SUV, offering quick, precise steering that let me point exactly where I wanted to go.

Tesla's advanced Autopilot feature confidently kept the SUV centered in its lane and followed the flow of traffic. While the system isn't autonomous, it could be helpful on long highway stints.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

Charging up after a long day depleting the Y's 330-mile range is easy as cake. After loading a credit card into the Tesla app, one simply pulls into one of the country's 1,500 Supercharger locations and plugs in.

Using Tesla's exclusive fast-charging stations is remarkably seamless compared with the often clunky process of filling up a non-Tesla at a public plug.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

As much as the Model Y is a tech-lover's dream, it could prove more of a nightmare for the less technologically adept.

Basic functions like opening the glove box, changing the wiper speed, and directing the air vents require using the touchscreen, which is not just inconvenient but also distracting to do while driving. I couldn't help but consider how someone like my mom, who needs help using DVR and shudders at the thought of navigating some new app, might be overwhelmed by a fully digitized driving experience.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

Plus, the Model Y lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While the Y's stiff suspension aids agility, it doesn't insulate passengers well from bumpy roads. I also noticed lots of wind and road noise above 60 mph.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

As it turns out, the Tesla fans have a point. The Model Y has a lot going for it in that it's packed with dazzling tech, drives better than most SUVs, grants access to Tesla's convenient charging network, and generally feels different from other cars.

But it's not without flaws. In addition to what I've noted, widely reported issues like inconsistent build quality and difficulty with repairs are important considerations, but I didn't experience either firsthand.

The Tesla Model Y.Tim Levin/Insider

The Model Y is a great choice for many buyers, but Tesla isn't the only game in town anymore. The EV-curious have more attractive options than ever before as players like Audi, Rivian, and BMW pile into the EV space. And the competition is getting stiffer by the day.

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I drove a Tesla for the first time after testing 14 other electric cars. Now I get why people are so obsessed with Elon Musk's vehicles. - Yahoo...

If you ever spent what seems like a lifetime to get a beverage at a sports or concert venue, check out whats in Denver. At Empower Field at Mile High, thirsty football fans will spend more time watching their new quarterback Russell Wilson do his thingand less time waiting in long lines for a drink.

Thats because TendedBar, an automated cocktail bar company based in Jacksonville, Fla., is adding Empower to its roster of venues.

Im here to watch a game, to see a concert, an event, thats what Im here for I dont want to stand in line and miss my favorite song, co-founder and chief executive officer Justin Honeysuckle told Yahoo Finance during a recent demonstration of the automated bar at the Broncos stadium.

While you might spend 15-minutes waiting for a single bartender at most games or concerts, TendedBar has four points of sale at one ten-foot bar.

"The speed of service is unparalleled at this point, we can serve 35 people in five minutes," Honeysuckle said.

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 27: JaQuan Hardy #41 of the Denver Broncos runs the ball in the first half of a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field At Mile High on August 27, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)

The company was launched in 2014 with an initial investment from Dallas Mavericks Owner and Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban. But the companys start was rocky. It stumbled badly that year at a popular Nashville watering hole, Honkey Tonk Central.

That did not deter Honeysuckle and his co-founder and stepbrother, Jay Perkins. They crowdfunded just over $200,000 and changed their strategy. Instead of bars and restaurants, they focused on high-volume venues. They bought out Cuban and, in April of 2021, raised another $ 5 million.

A few months later, the true game changer: A deal at TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Honeysuckle said he may have COVID to thank for the recent breakthrough. Prior to the pandemic, the bar system relied on a cumbersome ID process and patrons were required to wear RFID bracelets.

COVID hit and it shut down everything, everywhere, recalled Honeysuckle. We couldnt make money, but we could innovate. We evolved tofull facial recognition where you sign up one time and you can go to any TendedBar in the country and you've verified that youre twenty-one with a credit card on file.

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Once verified the process is simple.

Dec 12, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view as F-16 fighter jets fly over before the start of the game between the Detroit Lions against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Customers grab a cup of ice, scan a selfie and choose from 10 liquors and 18 mixers. The brands, and prices, are set by the venues. In Denver, a single (1.5 oz.) cost $10.79, and a double (3 oz.), $17.69. Tips are optional; 100% go to local charities such as Boosters for Families Colorado or Nemours Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville.

TendedBar also solves another problem for venues: the labor shortage, which still plagues everything from schools to trucking firms.

Right now the industry is about 80% understaffed, Honeysuckle says. And if you think (those former workers) are coming back, I think theyve found something else to do.

Who are some of TendedBars other customers?

According to Honeysuckle, the automated bars have appeared at events at Californias Del Mar Horse Racing Track, Circuit of the Americas Formula 1 in Austin, Texas, PGA tour events including the Farmers Insurance Open and AT&T Byron Nelson, and concerts from Backstreet Boys and REO Speedwagon. More partnerships, Honeysuckle adds, will be announced soon.

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Automated bars will be an 'enhancement' of concerts and sporting events: Tended Bar COO - Yahoo Finance

Hours after he took over for an injured Dak Prescott in Week 1, one of Cooper Rushs former college teammates sent him a text. Rush had just gone from longtime backup to QB1 of the Dallas Cowboys in a matter of moments as news of the severity of Prescotts thumb injury trickled through the Twitterverse.

But Rush didnt seem too interested in that when he messaged his friend back.

Hey man, former Central Michigan wideout Jesse Kroll texted to Rush. I'm pumped for the opportunity you have!

Thanks, Rush plainly texted back. Hows your dad life going?

Rush completely brushed off what is arguably the biggest moment in his professional football career to ask Kroll about his 2-month-old baby. Rush is now the starting quarterback for the most popular football team in the country and the most valuable professional sports franchise in the world. But instead of talking about that, he wanted to hear about Krolls life and offer some advice after Rush became a father just 18 months prior.

Dont mistake Rushs nonchalance for indifference. He understands the role he stepped into: After the Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rush said hes got to make things click as if 4 [Prescott] was in there.

But that level-headedness is exactly what Kroll witnessed during his five years with Rush at Central Michigan, too. Kroll describes Rush as simply a normal Midwestern dad who speaks softly but carries a big stick by letting his actions do most of the talking. And now hes the starting quarterback for the Cowboys until Prescott returns.

He's kind of like that quiet killer where he won't say a whole lot, but when he does say something, it, like, really gets under your skin, Kroll said. Sometimes it doesnt make for an awesome story because hes not the guy to drop some awesome halftime speech and be different in different games. But he's just so level and even-keel it kind of rubs off on you and calms you down if you're, you know, panicking.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett (58) pressures Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush as he throws a pass in the second half of a NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

No one is panicking more than the Cowboys right now after losing their franchise quarterback. Though Prescotts surgery reportedly went well and head coach Mike McCarthy recently said hell have a 7-10 day healing process, its unclear exactly how long the Cowboys will be without him. Original reports speculated a six-to-eight-week timetable for his injury.

Dallas has been here before with Rush. Last year, he started Week 8 during a primetime Sunday night game against the Minnesota Vikings when Prescott sat out with a calf injury. Rush delivered a very solid performance: completing 60 percent of his passes for 325 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 20-16 win that included an eight-play, 75-yard game-winning drive in the final minute that resulted in a touchdown to receiver Amari Cooper.

Before that game, the Vikings got a quick scouting report on Rush from one of his former CMU teammates tight end Tyler Conklin, who played four seasons in Minnesota before signing with the New York Jets in 2022. Conklin compared Rush to, oddly enough, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins as someone with an overall quiet demeanor but can pop off when called upon.

He knows what he has to do, Conklin said of Rush. He can make all the throws on the field. He's deceptively athletic enough to go out there and get you the first down with his legs, move around and get out the pocket and make a throw down the field.

He is a hell of a football player and I think he is gonna really impress people this next couple of weeks.

That was only one game, though. This time, hell have to hold things down a bit longer and with an objectively weaker Cowboys squad. The team traded away Cooper, let wideout Cedrick Wilson walk in free agency and released tackle La'el Collins. Right tackle Tyron Smith is out for the foreseeable future as well with a knee injury.

Rush wasnt spectacular in the 16 snaps he played in Week 1 when Prescott left, either. He completed 7-of-13 attempts for 64 yards and took two sacks in his two drives late in the fourth quarter of the 19-3 loss.

Even still, the Cowboys front office, coaches and players appear to have faith in Rush. Dallas reportedly has no plans to acquire another starter-caliber quarterback, according to ESPNs Jeremy Fowler, despite players like San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on the trade block. Rushs familiarity with the offense after playing with the Cowboys since 2017 is a major part of that. Since signing as an undrafted free agent, hes been a consistent member of that quarterback room throughout offensive coordinator Kellen Moores tenure. Rush was even a teammate of Moores when they were both backups in 2017.

Coops been around here for a long time, Moore said Monday. I think he knows who he is as a player. His demeanors very good. He handles the ups and downs that mentally go through a season, a game. I think we are fortunate to have a guy like that in our situation.

Cooper Rush played at Central Michigan before signing with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2017. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Arguably the wildest moment of Rushs football career came in the 2014 Bahamas Bowl against Western Kentucky.

Rushs Central Michigan squad was staring at a near-insurmountable 35-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter. But Rush brought the Chippewas back with five touchdown passes and cut the lead to one point in the final 15-minute frame, including an incredible multi-lateral touchdown pass at the end of regulation. A failed two-point conversion ended the comeback, but Rush left the game with a then-FBS bowl game record seven touchdown passes (now tied with Joe Burrow).

But Rush didnt energize his teammates with passionate declarations or boisterous celebrations. He just stood in the huddle, delivered the play call, broke the huddle and went to work like it was any other play.

Coincidentally, Rush played a huge role in another last-second Hail Mary play two years later against Oklahoma State. Rush heaved a pass during an untimed down to Kroll, who lateraled the ball to teammate Corey Willis at the nine-yard line. Willis scampered in for the winning albeit controversial touchdown.

He was kind of just a fearless player, former CMU center Nick Beamish recalled. He was always even-keeled. He was a never get too high, never get too low type of player. I think even in the biggest stage, which we saw last year [against the Vikings], I think he's still the same. It's intensity, but it's calm intensity and it's high expectations for everybody around him to kind of keep that same mentality.

The Cowboys will need that composure to get their season back on track against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The detractors will point at Rushs lack of experience and athleticism, but his old college teammates believe he makes up for that with preparation and consistency.

[The Cowboys] are one of the premier sports organizations in the world, Beamish said. Like, they're not doing stuff on a whim. There are definitely reasons that they're keeping him around. I think he knows what their expectations are. And I think he's confident in himself that he can live up to them.

Those expectations, much like Rushs personality, arent unreasonably high or painful low, either. By his own standards, theyre simple and attainable:

Just go do your job, Rush said. Just execute. Its the same plays, its the same other guys, weve still got everyone else. I trust in those guys, they trust in me, just all come together as a group and make plays and execute.

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Cooper Rush, the quiet killer tasked with keeping the Cowboys afloat without Dak Prescott - Yahoo Sports

For the first time since their loved ones were detained in Russia, the families of American basketball star Brittney Griner and Marine veteran Paul Whelan will have the chance to speak to President Joe Biden in person.

Biden plans to meet with Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, and Whelan's sister, Elizabeth Whelan, at the White House on Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday.

He wanted to let them know that they remain front of mind and that his team is working on this every day on making sure that Brittney and Paul return home safely, Jean-Pierre said.

In late July, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the Biden Administration had made a substantial proposal to the Kremlin in hopes of securing the release of Griner and Whelan. The offer reportedly was a swap for notorious Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence in an Illinois federal prison for conspiring to kill Americans and provide weapons to terrorists.

While Russia did not accept the offer of a 2-for-1 swap for Bout, the U.S. has continued to try to negotiate. When asked Thursday for an update, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters, Why this process is taking so long is a better question for Moscow than it is for us.

I wouldnt characterize this process as stalled, Price continued. It certainly hasnt moved with the speed we would like. The fact that Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan still remain separated from their families in detention in Russia is a testament to that.

Biden had previously spoken at least once by phone with Cherelle Griner and Elizabeth Whelan. During his July phone call with Cherelle, Biden reassured her that his administration is working to secure Griners release and read her a draft of a letter he was having delivered to Brittney in prison.

Brittney Griner is escorted from a court room after a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Aug. 4, 2022. President Joe Biden plans to meet at the White House on Friday, Sept. 16, with family members of Griner and Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

Griner was arrested last February when she flew into Moscow with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. During her trial, Griner confessed to inadvertently violating Russian law, telling the Russian judge she packed in a hurry and mistakenly brought the vape cartridges with her.

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The judge largely disregarded Griners pleas for leniency, declaring Griner guilty of drug possession and drug smuggling and handed down a nine-year sentence that was just shy of the maximum 10-year penalty. Griners attorneys appealed the verdict on Aug. 15, but experts in hostage exchange and Russian foreign policy say her appeal is likely to face the same challenges as her initial defense because of the political calculus involved.

The real purpose of Griners trial, according to experts, was to legitimize the Kremlins desire to hold her until it could extract concessions out of the U.S. in exchange for her safe return. A guilty verdict and a long sentence give the Kremlin the most leverage in negotiations with the U.S. and increase the pressure on the Biden administration to cut a deal to bring Griner home.

Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison in June 2020 after being convicted of espionage. Both he and U.S. officials have vehemently denied the charges and denounced his trial as wholly unfair.

While relations between the U.S. and Russia are at a low point, the two former Cold War adversaries did manage to negotiate a prisoner exchange earlier this year. The U.S. secured the release of Marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian pilot convicted of drug smuggling charges.

We made a significant offer a couple of months ago through the same channels we used for Trevor Reed, Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday. We have followed up on that offer repeatedly and will continue to pursue every avenue to bring them home safely.

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President Biden to meet with families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan - Yahoo Sports

Everyone found Amazon Prime Video's stream on Thursday night to watch Justin Herbert vs. Patrick Mahomes. Instead, Jaylen Watson ended up being the star of the show.

Jaylen who? Watson was a seventh-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in this year's draft. He stepped into a big role for Thursday night's game because first-round pick Trent McDuffie was out due to an injury.

In a game full of big-name players, Watson made the play that decided it.

In the fourth quarter of a tie game, Watson picked off a Justin Herbert pass near the goal line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown. That changed the entire game, as the Chiefs went on to a 27-24 win in a game that will loom large all season in the AFC West race.

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Before the biggest play of the game and what will hold up as one of the most important plays of the season Chargers tight end Gerald Everett was asking out after catching a pass inside the 5-yard line. The Chargers wanted to keep playing fast without a huddle, so they didn't sub Everett out of the game. That allowed Watson to jump inside of Everett on Herbert's pass and turn around a massive divisional game.

Maybe it shouldn't have been too surprising Watson made the game's biggest play, given his story of perseverance.

Watson's path to the NFL was far from a straight line.

He started at a junior college, Ventura College in California. He wanted to go to USC in 2019 according to the Kansas City Star, but a scholarship offer fell through and he was out of football for a year. During that year, he worked at Wendy's, where his mom was a manager.

I love her to death, but it was terrible, Watson said, according to the Star. You get no breaks from your mom."

He ended up at Washington State and played two seasons there. He fell all the way to the 243rd pick of the draft. The Chiefs found a gem that late, because he impressed the team through the summer, worked his way up the depth chart and made the roster.

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Im just a very resilient person (whos) always been working for what I have, Watson said after Thursday night's game, according to the Star. I was never given anything. And I think that gave me an edge on the football field as well.

So I just try to carry that edge, show some hunger, show some anger on the football field, and let it out on the opponents.

Due to injury, he found himself starting in a huge game on Thursday night. Then he made a monumental play.

Its a moment, he said after the game, Ill never forget.

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson runs an interception back for a touchdown in a win over the Chargers on Thursday in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Thursday night's game was expected to be a high-scoring one with two of the NFL's most exciting quarterbacks, but both offenses struggled to score in the first half. The Chargers took a 10-0 lead, and the Chiefs answered with a nice sidearm touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Jerick McKinnon. Both offenses were fairly efficient, but there weren't many big plays. Both defenses were focused on not letting the other team's strong-armed quarterback beat them over the top, and they mostly kept everything in front of them.

The Chargers struck right away in the third quarter. They picked up a fourth-and-1 on a strong Austin Ekeler run. Then Herbert floated one up to Mike Williams, who made a phenomenal one-handed touchdown catch. That put the Chargers ahead 17-7.

Mahomes came right back. Mahomes stepped up in the pocket and with a flick of the wrist he hit Justin Watson who was in the game because Mecole Hardman came out before the play to get a heel injury checked out deep downfield for a 41-yard touchdown. Even Mahomes' old teammate Tyreek Hill was impressed.

It set up a tense finish between division rivals in what should be a tight AFC West race all season.

The fourth quarter started with the Chiefs deciding whether to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. The Chiefs settled for a 19-yard field goal. It was a safe play, but it did tie the game 17-17.

It turned out well. The Chargers drove right downfield and got inside the 5-yard line on a catch by Everett. Everett was exhausted and wanted out of the game, but the Chargers were in hurry-up mode and he didn't come out. Everett faded a bit on his short route, allowed Watson to jump inside of him and catch an interception that he returned 99 yards for a score. It was the type of non-obvious mistake, ignoring Everett trying to get out of the game, that can decide a very important game.

The Chargers went three-and-out after that, and it was clear all the momentum the Chargers built up over three-plus quarters was gone.

Herbert had another chance, though he went down for a few scary moments after a hit. He got up and came back in after one play off, but got hit again on his next attempt and was grimacing as he got up, clutching his side. Herbert's two passes after coming back were incomplete and the Chargers punted with four minutes left. Clyde Edwards-Helaire snapped off a 52-yard run after that and the game was all but over. The Chiefs got a field goal to take a 10-point lead.

The Chargers scored with 1:11 left on a fourth-down pass from Herbert to Josh Palmer, but the Chiefs recovered an onside kick to wrap up the win.

The Chiefs were challenged by the Chargers, and could be pushed by them in the AFC West race all season. But Watson's pick-six stole the show. Chiefs fans will remember his name after Thursday night.

Link:

Little-known Chiefs rookie makes the biggest play in a huge win over Chargers - Yahoo Sports

NASDAQs Big Decline

The NASDAQ Composite Index took a sharp tumble on Tuesday, falling 5.2% to 11,633.57.

Year to date, the bellwether technology stock index is down 27%.

There was bad news again for the US economy as fresh inflation data showed that price gains did not moderate as much as expected.

Overall inflation rose 8.3% in August even though petrol prices came down.

Core inflation, which strips out food and fuel prices, climbed 6.3% in August, higher than the 5.9% recorded in July.

The data all but cements the Federal Reserves tough stance of hiking interest rates to bring inflation under control.

Officials are expected to make yet another 0.75 percentage point increase, making it a hat-trick of supersized moves.

With inflation still running high, investors need to see some signs of moderation for the Federal Reserve will slow down its pace of hikes.

Yahoo and Citibank, a unit of Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C), announced a collaboration to launch a dedicated personal finance portal.

Named Life and Money, it provides fresh perspectives on money to equip diverse audiences with the knowledge and tools to better manage their financial journey.

The site will feature a curated selection of original content from Citibank and also relevant aggregated content from Yahoo.

Various multimedia formats such as articles, videos and podcasts will be used to deliver this content.

This hub will cover wide-ranging topics centred around personal finance and lifestyle such as saving, investing, achieving work-life balance, parenting, and other pertinent topics.

The site promisesto dispel misconceptions surrounding money, inspire new lifestyle habits, and provide recommendations for readers at different life stages.

Specific life stages include new graduates seeking financial independence, couples starting a new family, mid-career professionals wanting to better manage their money, and folk who are planning their retirement.

These finance-related tips and advice will go a long way in helping individuals, families and seniors to plan their finances and manage their wealth better.

Frasers Hospitality Trust, or FHT, saw its units plunge by 22.5% from S$0.71 to S$0.55 after a failed privatisation attempt by sponsor Frasers Property Limited (SGX: TQ5), or FPL.

The hospitality trust failed to garner the required 75% of votes needed from stapled security holders at a scheme meeting held on 12 September.

Only 74.88% of unitholders voted in favour of the resolution to take FHT private, narrowly missing the 75% mark.

The managers of FHT had proposed back on 13 June that the trust be taken private at S$0.70 per unit by FPL, which was a 7% premium to FHTs net asset value at the time of announcement.

The reasons for the dissatisfaction may stem from the fact that an economic recovery is underway with borders reopening and air travel restarting.

Hospitality trusts, as a whole, have reported better operating numbers and improved distribution per unit.

Hence, unitholders may feel that FHT is worth much more than S$0.70 per unit and that privatisation will undervalue the trust.

Furthermore, those who dissented could also be relying on FHT for a steady source of dividend income.

By delisting FHT, these investors will lose out on a valuable source of income and also have to think of ways to redeploy the money received from the privatisation.

Disclaimer: Royston Yang does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned.

Here is the original post:

NASDAQ's Big Decline, Yahoo and Citibank Partnership and more - The Smart Investor

Theres a lot to like on the Week 3 college football betting board. However, Im not one to fire on a dozen bets in hopes of finishing 7-5. I like to hone in on less than a handful of wagers that I feel strongly about high-conviction plays.

Betting tip: Make wagers you love, not wagers you like. That being said, heres what I love this week:

The Jayhawks' season win total was set at 2.5. Kansas is 2-0 for the first time since 2011. Yes, I made coach Lance Leipolds squad my best bet. And yes, I sprinkled on that near 3-to-1 moneyline. You can listen to my reasons here:

This line opened at 14 with money coming in on the Bruins and for good reason. QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson and this UCLA offense is one of the better units in the Pac-12. The problem with UCLA at the moment like with most teams is that the stats are a bit skewed based on early weak competition. As it stands, UCLA is fourth best in the country in total defense, but who has it played? A Bowling Green team that finished 4-8 SU in 2021 is already 0-2 straight-up this year.

This early, we still have to look at some of the 2021 metrics because theres just not enough information with a one- or two-game sample size. The Bruins were bottom 30 in pass defense last season and is facing a pass-heavy team in South Alabama that was ranked top 30 in passing yards last year, and thus far looks to be continuing with the same style of offense. The vulnerabilities in the UCLA secondary mimic that of Central Michigan, the Jaguars' opponent last week. Jaguars QB Carter Bradley threw for 339 yards and three touchdowns against just one interception. Bradley can exploit this UCLA defense that looks to be better on paper than it actually is.

My first look at this game was the under 48, but the line is now 45. I contemplated still buying at the total but practice what you preach. Even if it works out, I would have bought in on a worse number, and long term thats a big no-no. I missed out. There will be more opportunities. Fortunately, I also loved the spread, and Im getting a better number here after it initially opened at five. You can look at the Aggies' loss last week to App State and be shocked, but you really shouldnt be. This is an A&M team that has so many new parts. It lost its quarterback, leading receiver, all three top defensive ends and its top linebacker.

The Aggies' defense held App State to 4.5 yards per pass but allowed 181 rushing yards. Well, Miami has a one-two punch with Henry Parrish Jr. and Thaddius Franklin Jr., who have combined for seven scores so far. Defensively, the Hurricanes' strength appears to be the pass rush with five sacks so far. I do worry about this Aggies offense. Though it's just a two-game sample size, A&M is 127th in total offense with QB Haynes King, who leaves more questions than answers after throwing for 97 total passing yards last week. When you have two good defenses, the edge comes with the better offense and thats Miami.

I'll be looking to the live total in this game. If it looks like both defenses are taking center stage, then I'll be looking on the live line to grab a 48 if possible.

See the article here:

College football odds, betting: What to do with UCLA, Texas A&M in Week 3 - Yahoo Sports

UNCASVILLE, Connecticut The WNBA schedule is often filled with quirks, and the 2022 postseason is no different. Its a complicated endeavor to squish games into broadcast windows and arena availability, hence why the stretch of off days between certain games seems out of whack this week.

The best-of-five series started with the leagues standard Game 1 on Sunday and Game 2 on Tuesday. Those were both in Las Vegas. When the series switched to Connecticut, there was only one day between games and the league paid for charter flights to get the teams across the country to avoid commercial travel problems that are a common headache.

Yet, with the Sun keeping the series alive on Thursday night, there are two full days from Game 3 until Game 4 on Sunday. All in rural Connecticut even though teams just traveled across the country on the rest day. That short turnaround threw some players off guard, possibly because of the juxtaposition.

I didnt understand that there was only a day break between [games] two and three, which I thought it should be two. [But thats] neither here nor there, Aces point guard Chelsea Gray said at shootaround before Game 3.

If the series goes a full five games and the Sun sure made it look like it could there will again be only one day between Game 4 and Game 5 to travel. And that decider wont even be at the Aces house.

Arena availability is complex in this league, and we did the best we could with the footprint we had with the FIBA World Cup this year, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said ahead of Game 1 in Las Vegas.

The Finals schedule isnt much too different than 2021 other than being held earlier because of the FIBA World Cup next week but it is a switch from the five Finals preceding it.

A violinist plays the national anthem prior to Game 3 of the 2022 WNBA Finals between Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Sept. 15, 2022. (M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Team front offices often have to plan around already scheduled events at their arenas since they do not own them. They have been kicked off their home court for stretches (the Los Angeles Sparks to start the 2021 season) and for elimination playoff games (the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the 2021 playoffs). Thats why Engelbert has said an expansion team will need to offer the right arena situation.

Story continues

Both Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas and Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, have events going on that might have impacted the Finals schedule.

On Friday night at Mohegan, comedian Daniel Tosh and his Leaves and Lobster Tour are coming through, and on Saturday, its Il Volo in concert. That kicks practices 10 minutes away to a different arena. Both teams took Friday off instead.

If and when it moves 2,659 miles back to the desert, the teams will move up the Vegas strip to the MGM Grand Garden Arena due to a scheduling conflict with a private event at Michelob Ultra. MGMs arena has capacity for 16,800, more than the 12,000 max for concerts at Michelob Ultra. The Aces sold out their first two games with 10,200 fans. Even though it can hold more people, the Aces are at a disadvantage in that it isnt the arena they call home and where they play most games.

The single travel day was a factor last season, but absent in the five Finals schedules before it. (The 2020 season is not considered in this analysis since it was held in a bubble in Bradenton, Florida, and travel was not an issue. Games were every other day.)

The 2021 schedule was Sunday-Wednesday-Friday-Sunday. Thats three non-weeknight tipoffs. With one day between Game 2 in Phoenix and Game 3 in Chicago, the league stepped in and paid for a charter flight between cities for that trip only. There are 1,721 miles between arenas and two time zones instead of three.

In 2019, when the Sun faced the Washington Mystics, there were a whopping five days between those games. It was so long teams could have taken a train up the coast and been OK. The turnaround to a Game 5 was one day.

In 2018, there were three days when the series shifted from Seattle to the District. In 2017, it was three days for Minnesota-Los Angeles and then three days again between Games 4 and 5. In 2016, it was three and four days, respectively, for the same teams. And in 2015, it was three and three for Minnesota and Indiana.

No teams were as far apart in distance than the Aces and Sun. The WNBA plans out dates in advance and this year had to fit the season in before the World Cup tips off on Sept. 20. As it is, players in the USA Basketball pool who are here in Connecticut might be late already and certainly will miss the first game if it goes a full five.

ESPN's Andraya Carter, Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe before Game 1 of the 2022 WNBA Finals between the Connecticut Sun and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 11, 2022. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Its more than likely the league is partly at the whims of its longtime broadcast partner when it comes to playoff scheduling. CBS Sports, Prime Video and more have joined in airing WNBA games, but the ESPN networks air the postseason exclusively. This is the first of 26 seasons that the company is airing all games on either the main ESPN or ABC.

The Finals usually begin at the end of September or early October, where they compete with the NFL and college football. But this year, Game 1, which aired on ABC Sunday, competed with the NFLs opening weekend.

Our strategy is to find the best broadcast windows with our partners and get the most visibility and coverage we can get with Google and ESPN and why we have ramped that up, and CBS as well, Engelbert said ahead of the Finals. The more windows we can get, like on ABC, we are going to do even though we are going to compete obviously against a popular league like the NFL.

Game 1 viewership still did well, peaking at 872,000 viewers to earn the status of the most-viewed Game 1 in five years. There are too many variables to determine the significance of that number, though viewership has been up this season. Engelbert said she understands the frustration over conflicts, but the WNBA is always going to compete with something.

There are not easy solutions to that one, and it's not binary us or them, Engelbert said. We have to do the best we can at marketing our game, players have to do their best with play on the court and hope that our fans are going to come out and come out in big ways. And they have during all these playoffs.

Game 3 brought out a modest 8,745 fans for a 9 p.m. ET start on a weeknight in the Suns rural small market. But tickets had already been selling faster for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon and fans in a nearby hotel lamented Friday morning how few tickets were available when they went to snag them. Because of the quirky schedule, Connecticut has time to pack its own house.

Originally posted here:

Why the WNBA Finals schedule is so different than in past seasons - Yahoo Sports