aubiefifty

yahoo.com GOPers Rip Biden's Maui Wildfire Response. They All Opposed Funding To Fight Wildfires. Jennifer BenderyWed, August 23, 2023 at 2:55 PM CDT·5 min read715Link Copied 6–8 minutes House Republicans have been criticizing President Joe Biden’s response to the wildfires in Maui, saying that he’s not providing enough federal resources and is instead too focused on supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. “FEMA is underfunded by $4 BILLION, Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) is only funded $1 per Georgian, Hawaii’s Lahaina is in desperate need of help from devastating fire killing 50+ people, and America is broke,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted earlier this month, just after the Maui wildfires took hold. Greene added, “Biden wants to send another $24 BILLION to Ukraine. NO!!” Other GOP lawmakers have been making similar attacks. “Biden cares more about funding the war in Ukraine than providing relief for his own country,” charged Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.). “President Biden completely ignored the people of East Palestine,” tweeted Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). “Now, he’s giving the people of Maui the same treatment.” Maui residents have certainly expressed frustration and anger at the pace of the local, state and federal governments’ response to the disastrous fires, which began Aug. 8. As of Monday, 115 people have been confirmed dead and as many as 1,000 residents are still unaccounted for. Roughly 2,200 structures in the town of Lahaina were destroyed, most of them homes. Some locals have connected the trauma of the devastation, and the government’s slow response to it, to a general distrust of government that goes back generations. But federal aid for Ukraine has nothing to do with the money available to respond to the Maui wildfires. And House Republicans are glossing over the reality that they have routinely opposed billions of dollars in federal funding to prepare for and respond to wildfires, which are only increasing as climate change worsens. Virtually all of them last year voted against the Wildfire Response and Drought Resiliency Act, which would have authorized four federal agencies — including FEMA — to each spend up to $10 million for the Wildland Fire Risk Reduction Program. The bill, which ultimately passed the House with one GOP supporter, would have instituted a 10-year wildfire strategy and allocated $1 billion for forest management and vegetation projects. That’s just scratching the surface of all the funding they’ve rejected for wildfire management. "FEMA is underfunded by $4 BILLION," tweeted Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has voted against billions of dollars for wildfire management. Greene, Biggs and Jordan all voted against the 2023 omnibus spending package in December, which set aside $2.1 billion for wildfire management. They voted against the supplemental spending package last September, which provided $2.5 billion for wildfire relief. They voted against the annual transportation, housing and urban development spending package last July, which provided $6.4 billion for wildfire management. They voted against a short-term government funding bill in September 2021, which included $1.36 billion for the Forest Service and $636 million for the Interior Department for wildfire response. They voted against the annual labor, health and human services spending package in July 2021, which included $5.7 billion for wildfire management. In addition to opposing lots of federal dollars to remedy wildfires, Greene is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which unveiled its budget proposal in June calling for cutting all climate-change-related funding for the Energy Department. That included defunding the department’s Office of Science, which specifically does wildfire research. President Joe Biden is embraced by Hawaii Governor Josh Green after delivering remarks as he visits an area devastated by wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii on Aug. 21. President Joe Biden is embraced by Hawaii Governor Josh Green after delivering remarks as he visits an area devastated by wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii on Aug. 21. Some House Republicans have been attacking Biden’s leadership more broadly. “The federal response to Maui has been absolutely disgusting,” tweeted Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). “The state is run by Democrats so the officials can’t criticize it for political reasons, but we all are watching a complete failure of leadership AGAIN.” “A real leader would be giving daily if not hourly updates about what we are doing to help Hawaii,” tweeted Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas). Boebert and Crenshaw, of course, opposed all of those previously mentioned bills to provide funding for preventing and responding to wildfires. Both are also Republican Study Committee members. To be sure, the president has made some missteps. His “no comment” to a reporter earlier this month on the rising death toll in Maui, as he was vacationing at his Delaware beach home, wasn’t a great look — even if the reality was that he’d just spoken about it in recent remarks. His decision to tell Maui wildfire survivors on Monday that he could relate to their devastation because of a small kitchen fire he once had in 2004 was, well, interesting. And it remains to be seen if Maui residents will be getting all the help they need, from all levels of government, as quickly as possible. But Biden has largely been doing the things one would hope a president would do, and the White House has been stepping up its efforts to show the breadth of its response. Biden approved a federal disaster declaration just over an hour after the wildfires broke out. He’s been in regular contact with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D), who he met with in Lahaina on Monday to view the devastation firsthand. The White House has been circulating fact sheets about what different departments are doing, describing its response as “robust” and a “whole-of-government” approach. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell has personally attended two White House briefings. The president has now publicly addressed the situation several times, telling Maui residents on Monday that the country will stand by them “for as long as it takes” to rebuild. That doesn’t mean that some Republicans, particularly allies of former President Donald Trump, won’t keep knocking Biden regardless of what he does ― or if the policies they support don’t match the rhetoric they use. Freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) posted a video on her Twitter account accusing Biden of “actively ignoring what’s happening in Hawaii” while advocating for sending more money to Ukraine, “a foreign country that really we have no place investing in.” “Hawaii and the people of Hawaii are far more important than places like Ukraine,” she said. Luna, too, is a Republican Study Committee member.

yahoo.com Take a good look at Trump's booking photo, Republicans. That's your GOP. Rex Huppke, USA TODAYThu, August 24, 2023 at 7:58 PM CDT·5 min read1.2kLink Copied 8–10 minutes There it is, Republicans. We now have a booking photo of former president and current criminal defendant Donald Trump, and that face – scowling in the unflattering light of a county jail – is the face of your political party. That image is your avatar. The man in that photo, arrested on charges of racketeering and election interference in Georgia, his fourth arrest this year, is the man you have let define you. The MAGA king. The almighty grievance peddler. The con man bilking your fellow voters with sleazy emails that would make a Nigerian-prince-themed scam artist blush. In this handout provided by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office, former U.S. President Donald Trump poses for his booking photo at the Fulton County Jail on August 24, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Trump was booked on 13 charges related to an alleged plan to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Trump and 18 others facing felony charges have been ordered to turn themselves in to the Fulton County Jail by August 25. He was missing at Wednesday night’s GOP presidential primary debate, too good, too high-up in the polls to grace the stage with his presence. So what Americans saw was a mirage. A make-believe look at what today’s Republican Party would have to offer if Trump wasn't around, and dominant. It was a collection of prattling wannabes, people like Vivek Ramaswamy and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pretending they have what it takes to out-Trump Trump alongside people like Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence pretending the party they’ve devoted their lives to still cares about anyone remotely serious or, for that matter, remotely conservative. Who won the GOP debate? Ron DeSantis needed to be someone else at the Republican debate. Sadly, he was himself. Donald Trump's booking photo will surely become a marketing tool for him Trump won that debate by not being there, avoiding tough questions and letting his absence be the center of attention. He won the day after the debate by being arrested, again sucking up all the oxygen in the news cycle. And he’ll all-but-certainly win the GOP presidential primary by hocking T-shirts with his booking photo on them and wailing about how cruel the world is to “totally innocent,” rich white men like him and how he is the one true protector of whatever hackneyed version of “real America” his followers think must be preserved. As of Thursday, he's favored by nearly 52% of Republican voters, according to Five Thirty Eight's polling average. His nearest competitor, DeSantis, is favored by just under 15% of voters. Former President Donald Trump steps off his plane as he arrives at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in Atlanta./Alex Brandon) ORG XMIT: GAAB304 The photo released by the Fulton County jail late Thursday was striking because never, in our nation’s history, has a former president had that particular type of photo taken. Just as never, in our nation’s history, has a former president, much less a leading candidate for a party’s presidential nomination, faced more than 90 state and federal charges ranging from conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government to violating the Espionage Act. In a normal version of America that I hope exists in an alternate universe, Trump’s political career would be in a toilet, probably the one at Mar-a-Lago he kept boxes of classified government documents next to. But thanks to a willfully duped Republican Party, one that gladly grasped the hand of a raging narcissist and tra-la-la’d along until the country was one Vice President Mike Pence decision away from Trump executing an attempt to overturn a free and fair election, Trump is thriving politically. Among Republican voters, he seems to gain popularity with each indictment, and I imagine this new photo will give him another boost. Trump leads primary pack: Republican voters want Donald Trump. And his vice president? How about more Trump? The scope of Trump's awfulness is staggering, yet Republicans cling to him Pause for a moment and consider all of this. Despite everything – losing the 2020 presidential election, being a drag on the 2022 midterms, constantly posting near-incoherent nonsense on his social-media platform – Trump remained untouchable among most Republican lawmakers and pundits. Now, after four grand juries in four different locales saw sufficient evidence to indict him, after he turned himself in to Georgia authorities and got his booking photo snapped the day after the party’s first big debate, he remains untouchable. Republican presidential candidates (L-R), former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley are introduced during the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum on Aug. 23, 2023, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The 8 presidential hopefuls squared off in the first Republican debate as former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently facing indictments in four locations, declined to participate in the event. Republicans can trot alternative candidates out onto a Trump-less debate stage. They can say, in ways subtle or direct, that their party is not defined by the man in the Fulton County jail photo, the innocent-until-proven-guilty fellow in the federal-courtroom sketches. But that is all a lie. Donald Trump is the face of the Republican Party. He, in all his loutish, conspiracy-theory-peddling glory, has infected every drop of blood in every vein in that particular political body. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Trump always says he won, always says he's innocent. It will never stop He said he won the election that he lost – and a majority of Republicans believe that to be true. He said he is innocent of every crime he’s charged with, and has effectively never done anything wrong, and a majority of Republicans believe that to be true. Even if he stumbles in the presidential primaries, he will declare victory or say it was rigged, as he did in 2016 when Sen. Ted Cruz won the Iowa caucuses, and a majority of Republicans will believe that to be true. Aug 24, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Trump supporters at Fulton County Jail intake center in Atlanta, GA. A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia indicted former president Donald Trump and 18 other defendants with 41 charges related to tampering with the 2020 election. All defendants have been ordered to turn themselves in by August 25.. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY If he again loses the presidential election – whether he campaigns in person or from a prison cell – he will declare victory. And guess what will happen? Will Trump go to prison? Four reasons Donald Trump might want to campaign from jail If you're a Republican, you're part of the party of Trump. There's no separating yourself You can say you’re a non-Trump Republican, and I certainly hope you will, as it’s at least a step in the right direction. But now and for the foreseeable future, there is no Republican Party separate from Trump. The Fulton County jail photo that dropped Thursday and set the internet ablaze? That’s the face of the GOP. If you call yourself a Republican, you should spend a good few minutes staring at it. Because he is you. And for that, you have no one to blame but yourself. Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Twitter @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Don't downplay Trump's arrest, photo. GOP must face who they are

Donald Trump, inmate no. P01135809

LOCK HIM UP!

i gave four years of my life to the navy and i left sad a long long time ago. i believe in my heart we are seeing the beginning of the end.

yahoo.com Where Bo Nix ranks among top NIL earners in college football this year Don SmalleyThu, August 24, 2023 at 8:27 AM CDT·3 min read0Link Copied 3–4 minutes During his career at Auburn, this wouldn’t have been in the realm of a possibility, much less a story for now Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix. Fast forward to 2023 and Nix is at Oregon where he is one of the top money earners in the country thanks to name, image, and likeness. This would have been a major violation where teams and players have been penalized heavily for earning this kind of dough in decades past. Reggie Bush had his Heisman Trophy taken away because of illegal earnings and benefits. He is currently suing the NCAA in an attempt to get his trophy back. College athletes can receive any kind of benefit they can get and Nix is one of those beneficiaries of the new landscape. According to On3, Nix is among the top NIL earners in the sport this year, making his time at Oregon more than worth his while, quite literally. That shouldn’t come as a shock, considering that a pair of billboards went up over the last week in both New York City and Dallas featuring Nix’s likeness. So where does Oregon’s QB stand among the top NIL earners per On3 going into this season? Take a look:/ Arch Manning - Texas Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports On3 NIL Valuation: $2.9 million Social media followers: 268K Position: Quarterback Caleb Williams - USC Trojans Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports On3 NIL Valuation: $2.6 million Social media followers: 297K Position: Quarterback Bo Nix - Oregon Ducks Ali Gradischer/Getty Images On3 NIL Valuation: $1.7 million Social media followers: 191K Position: Quarterback Here is what On3 had to say about Nix: The Oregon quarterback could have been one of the better prospects available in this past spring’s NFL draft. Instead, Bo Nix is back for a final season, giving the Ducks one of the top quarterbacks in college football. He gelled quickly with offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham, who took the head coaching job at Arizona State; Dan Lanning brought in Will Stein to fill the role. Nix has thrived off the field in NIL, too, inking agreements with Topps, Subway, The Duck Store, ONIT, the Oregon-focused NIL collective Division Street and Bojangels. He signed with Bose in December, too. As a returning starter at Oregon, he will be a name that brands will keep their on eye throughout the fall. Travis Hunter - Colorado Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports On3 NIL Valuation: $1.5 million Social media followers: 1.4 million Position: Cornerback Drake Maye - North Carolina Tar Heels Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports On3 NIL Valuation: $1.5 million Social media followers: 69K Position: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders – Colorado Buffaloes Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million Social media followers: 1.4 million Position: Quarterback J.J. McCarthy – Michigan Wolverines Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million Social media followers: 264K Position: Quarterback Marvin Harrison Jr. – Ohio State Buckeyes Joseph Scheller-The Columbus Dispatch On3 NIL Valuation: $1.3 million Social media followers: 442K Position: Wide Receiver Jordan Travis – Florida State Seminoles Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports On3 NIL Valuation: $1.2 million Social media followers: 123K Position: Quarterback Quinn Ewers – Texas SARA DIGGINS/AMERICAN-STATESMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK On3 NIL Valuation: $1.2 million Social media followers: 332K Position: Quarterback Story originally appeared on Ducks Wire

so the most people could see it the quickest. thanx for being a richard. only you would bitch about someone trying to save a life.

al.com Former Auburn QB Cam Newton weighs in on Netflix's "Swamp Kings" Published: Aug. 24, 2023, 9:14 a.m. 3–4 minutes Auburn Football Cam Newton ‘never received his national championship ring’ from UF, reviews “Swamp Kings” There was a time before coming to Auburn — where he helped pilot the Tigers to a national championship win in 2010 and won the Heisman Trophy in the same year — that Cam Newton was next in line to be the quarterback at the University of Florida. Newton backed up Florida’s Tim Tebow during the 2007 and 2008 seasons before his time in Gainesville ended prematurely after being charged with burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice for being in possession of a stolen laptop. Newton went on to have his charges dropped after completing a pre-trial diversion program and eventually enrolled at Blinn College, where he led the Buccaneers to a NJCAA national championship, before transferring to Auburn in 2010. Nonetheless, Newton was a small piece of Florida’s national championship-winning team in 2008, but has yet to receive a championship ring from the Gators, who were recently featured in Netflix’s “Untold: Swamp Kings” — a documentary about the Florida football program through the years of 2006-09. “I never received a national championship ring from the University of Florida,” Newton said in a TikTok video posted on Wednesday. “But that’s another conversation for a different day.” Newton then proceeded to give his thoughts on the “Swamp Kings” documentary, in which he had one main gripe. “Some of the things I did not like about the documentary was how they played Chris Leak, in my opinion,” Newton said. “They were saying things like, ‘We were just one quarterback away.’ Like bro, Chris Leak was that Mother F---er. “Let’s not forget how pretty of a ball he threw, started as a freshman in the SEC from Independence High School out of Charlotte. Like, what are we talking about?” Leak was the starting quarterback at Florida from 2003-06, passing for more than 11,200 yards, 88 touchdowns and 42 interceptions, while also leading the Gators to a national championship win in 2006. Backing up Leak was Tebow, who took the reins of the Gators’ offense as a sophomore in 2007 and won the Heisman Trophy in that same year. “Granted, Tebow was everything and some,” Newton added. “But bro, let’s not try to dim the lights of Chris Leak.” In addition to the docuseries’ portrayal of Leak, Newton also wished watchers had the opportunity to hear from former Florida running back Percy Harvin, defensive back Joe Haden and offensive linemen Mike and Maurkice Pouncey. “There was so much that they left off,” Newton said of “Swamp Kings. “But, other than that, it was a good documentary.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Auburn's special teams primed for more consistent season in 2023 Published: Aug. 24, 2023, 10:38 a.m. 4–5 minutes In most places, special teams is the often forgotten about third facet of football. At a place like Auburn, however, that might not be the case considering Tigers fans know as well as anyone that one play on special teams can win you a football game -- sometimes it comes in the shape of a 109-yard run with one second to play against your in-state rival. And rest assured, Auburn and its new coaching staff are still placing an emphasis on special teams. “A big talking point of special teams is that when you go to the league or you’re picked up as an undrafted signee, they’ll look for guys who want to work,” said senior punter Oscar Chapman. “That might come on special teams and guys might get their shots on kickoffs and punts.” Last season, Chapman had current Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall and current Los Angeles Raiders tight end John Samuel Shenker on his punt team, along with other team captains and starters. “They’re all busting it to get on there because they know that’s another opportunity for the league or for other opportunities outside of this,” Chapman said. “It’s just another point to add to your criteria for scouts to look at you and go ‘That guy works’ on defense and then he goes down and smacks a dude on kickoff the next play.” Auburn cornerback DJ James is one of those guys, Chapman says. Though James likely won’t have an issue getting to league as a cornerback, his efforts as a gunner on the punt team only add to his stock. “It’s just good to see those guys come in and stand out a little bit more and step up to that role and get excited for special teams,” Chapman said. And from the sounds of it, there’s plenty to be excited about as it relates to Auburn’s special teams this coming season. Chapman, who was a Ray Guy Award semifinalist last fall, is set to return as the Tigers’ starting punter. Last season, Chapman averaged 43.9 yards per punt, ranking him fourth in the SEC. Chapman also tallied 12 punts of 50 yards or better and hasn’t had a punt blocked in his entire career. Assuming his senior campaign stays on par with the success he’s had leading up to this year, Chapman might be another Australian-bred addition to the NFL’s punting ranks. But as of now, that’s the least of his worries. It’s pretty cool stuff,” Chapman said. “(But I’m) trying to keep my feet where they are at the moment and just focus on this.” In other areas of special teams, Auburn sounds to be improved from last season. Redshirt freshman kicker Alex McPherson, while young, has a huge leg, Chapman says. “I think he hit like a 63 (yard field goal) in practice,” Chapman said of McPherson. “Coach was like, ‘Let’s just run it’ and he kicked it… we were like, ‘Yeah, that’s Alex’.” Last season, McPherson backed up veteran kicker Anders Carlson, who currently kicks for the Green Bay Packers. Now, it’s McPherson’s turn to be Auburn’s starting place kicker. “He’s just excelled. He’s just kicking bombs and he’s consistent and he’s having fun. He’s relaxed, but he gets the job done,” Chapman said of McPherson. “There’s still a little bit to improve because he’s still a freshman – a redshirt freshman – but he’s just… he’s got everything for him.” As it relates to returners, Freeze said last week that USF transfer Brian Battie would be the Tigers’ main guy for kickoff. While at USF, Battie was named a consensus All-American as a kick returner in 2021 after leading the nation with three kickoffs returned for touchdowns and tie an NCAA record after having two 100-yard returns in one game. “Battie will get the nod at kickoff return to start with,” Freeze said. “I do think we have other options too. But he’s proven to be one of the nation’s best so I think he’ll get the nod there.” For punt returns, the Tigers will look to cornerback Keionte Scott a majority of the time, while redshirt freshman wide receiver Caleb Burton III could also get looks. “Probably Keionte Scott, but Caleb Burton’s really solid at punt catching and returning there too,” Freeze said. “But probably Keionte will get the nod at punt return. He’s done it before in this league and he’s pretty calm.” If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

yahoo.com Trump is a compromised candidate — and skipping debates won't save him from a reckoning Brian KaremThu, August 24, 2023 at 8:00 AM CDT·8 min read51Link Copied 9–11 minutes Longtime White House correspondent Brian Karem writes a weekly column for Salon. At the end of the day, the Donald said it was all about him, and he wasn't wrong. But he still isn't happy. The world will go on without Donald Trump. The cast of eight also-rans engaged in the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee Wednesday night cast a slim, pale shadow across the stage compared to the no-show former President Donald Trump – even as they backed his vice president, Mike Pence, for honoring his oath of office and refusing to tip the election to Donald Trump. "He asked me to put him ahead of the Constitution," Pence said. And he wouldn't do it. How do you "boo" that? Some did. Still, Nikki Haley said the GOP cannot win with Trump as a candidate. "He's the most disliked politician in America," she said. That didn't stop most of the candidates who said they'd support Trump if he was the candidate. It was all about the dark times in America. Ron DeSantis said only he can get it done. Vivek Ramaswamy said it wasn't "Morning in America" and we're in dark times. Of course, he wants to hand Ukraine over to Russia, and Haley ate him up for that. Pence just wanted to get a government as good as the people, while Doug Burgum wants us to embrace small-town America. They all sounded small town. But give them a break. After all, they haven't been charged in four different jurisdictions on 91 felony charges. Trump has an edge over his nearest GOP competitors. He's the leader of a cult. And, with the weight of the world resting on his slight, demure shoulders, placed there by his own ineptitude, Donald Trump still commands fealty from millions who, according to a recent poll, say they trust him before they trust their own family. People say they don't understand this cult-like mentality, but I've seen it before. I saw it with the Branch Davidians outside of Waco, Texas, in Mount Carmel. Trump is just another David Koresh. He found people in the dark, lonely and in the minority for their extremist views. They felt shunned. Trump took them, embraced them, showered them in a false light of attention, and made them feel important as he showed them they weren't alone. They found each other, and Trump took them for their money and souls to pursue his narcissistic agenda while making them feel best about their darkest nature. What does the average die-hard Trump fan gain by their devotion? A false sense of righteousness. Trump hears them. Trump understands them. The mistake the cult makes is believing Trump cares anything about them. The question is how did we get here? As a suburban kid in the '70s I related as much to "Good Times" as I did "One Day at a Time." Now our divisions seem too extreme, and our politicians, praying upon the differences, feed into and benefit from our fears and prejudices. "They're not coming after me, they're coming after you," is heard far more often than, "We must always consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill — the eyes of all people are upon us." Donald Trump certainly knows the eyes of all people are upon him. Well, he at least clings to that belief with a fevered tenacity. He wants the eyes on him. So even though he didn't show up at the debate, and his campaign was banned from being in the Spin Room after the fact, he sent his surrogates out to preach his gospel on the same television news shows he often accuses of being "fake news." What we got on CBS and other networks was Trump's propaganda minister Jason Miller who proceeded to insult President Biden and Trump's GOP competitors while simultaneously praising Donald Trump as the savior of humanity. You know, a regular Wednesday night in Trumpland. Miller couldn't act like an adult, and CBS anchor Major Garrett finally admonished Miller after he accused President Biden of only being awake four hours a day. Meanwhile, after Wednesday night it is apparent that Donald Trump is in danger of losing control of the GOP he largely built. The eight also-rans mimicked Trump on a variety of issues and sounded more sane than Trump doing so. That is until the candidates were asked specifically about Trump. Chris Christie, as expected, went after Trump. "Someone has got to stop normalizing this conduct," he said. "The conduct is beneath the office of the president of the United States." Either way, the Donald's grift remains the same. "President Trump has already won this evening's debate because everything is going to be about him," Trump Campaign Senior Advisor Chris LaCivita said. "In fact, tonight's Republican undercard event really shouldn't even be called a debate, but rather an audition to be a part of President Trump's team in his second term." Former GOP presidential candidate Joe Walsh agreed with Trump. "Debate? What debate?" he posted on X, formerly Twitter. "We all know who the nominee is going to be. Everybody up on that stage tonight knows who the nominee is going to be. Everybody up on that stage tonight surrendered to him. Long ago. Sure, privately they all hope for a jail cell or a heart attack for him. But up on that stage tonight they'll praise him, bow to him, & defend him. Because they know he's the cult leader. And they fear the cult. And they know, barring a jail cell or a heart attack, he's the nominee." For his part, Trump may see himself as a modern-day Winston Churchill, if he only knew who that was and how he might take some of Churchill's money. "For my part, I consider that it will be found much better by all parties to leave the past to history, especially as I propose to write that history myself," Churchill said. Trump's mental wet dream includes tailoring the past, present and future to suit his every monetary, legislative, judicial and other personal want or need. Since he doesn't have the stature of Churchill and would struggle in a tic-tac-toe game with a grade-schooler (and that's giving him the benefit of the doubt) Donald Trump certainly has no more a chance of writing his own history than Churchill had. Churchill failed to do it. Trump can expect far less. However, Trump also believes that the only thing worse than being mentioned with menace is not being mentioned at all. That's probably what bothered him most about Wednesday night. He wanted to own his competition in person. The fact is Donald Trump is singularly adept at securing every bit of negative public relations available and converting it to fuel with which to run for office. He wouldn't care what was said about him, as long as something was said about him. Anyone who covered Trump for four years in the White House knew five minutes after getting there that was Trump's MO. Still, we seemed too slow to understand this as we have been giving Trump the oxygen he wants for years now by talking about him and feeding his media addiction. Like the gathering crowd around a craps table when the degenerate gambler is on a roll, we've been there watching Donny, partly in revulsion and partly in awe. And that underscores a reality that the Republicans cannot confront. Donald Trump has given safe haven to the crazies and most extreme of Americans. He's found millions of them who have found safety in numbers, who've constructed a tyranny of the minority and will support Trump come hell or high water. In the end, they may mean nothing. That is their fear. That is why they rage at the dying of the Trump light. Donald Trump is headed for a reckoning. As much as he wants to scream in the court of public opinion like the other eight candidates, as much as he could dominate them, and as much as he did dominate the narrative even though he wasn't there, Donald Trump cannot outrun this reckoning in a court of law. He is facing a world of hurt, and Wednesday night was the first of many likely no-shows by the leading candidate — and that absence can only make the heartfelt grow fondless and can only help others find an audience. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Wednesday night proved that though most of the candidates — especially DeSantis — have the appeal of day-old roadkill, someone on that stage could fill Trump's clown shoes, and ultimately someone will. Though many still drink the Donald Trump Kool-Aid, the pitcher is running dry. The Republicans had a spirited debate Wednesday night and Trump's no-show only hurt him; the debate underscored Donald Trump's fading appeal. He may still be the front-runner, and Joe Walsh may be right, but I do not think so. Because of his tremendous legal problems, Trump is a compromised candidate who cannot dare show up much in public for fear of shooting off his mouth and risking further self-incrimination. He wasn't in the public eye Wednesday and we all know how much that kills him. He knows every minute you're not in front of the camera, you risk becoming irrelevant. People learn to forget you. That has to hurt Donald Trump as much as the possibility of facing at least the next five years of his life in prison.

yahoo.com Secret Service Agents Were in Contact With Far-Right Oath Keepers Ella ShermanWed, August 23, 2023 at 2:48 PM CDT·1 min read797Link Copied 2–3 minutes Secret Service agents were in contact with Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes before he helped lead an insurrection on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, according to a new report. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, published emails on Wednesday revealing that a member of the Secret Service told other agents in September 2020 that he had received a call from Rhodes informing him that the far-right white nationalist group planned to provide “security details” around Donald Trump’s visit to Fayetteville, North Carolina. The email detailed that the Oath Keepers security detail would be composed of “primarily retired law enforcement/former military members who are very pro-LEO [law enforcement officer] and Pro Trump. Their stated purpose is to provide protection and medical attention to Trump supporters if they come under attack by leftist groups.” The Secret Service member who spoke to Rhodes even admitted to other members in the agency that he was an Oath Keeper himself. “I am the unofficial liaison to the Oath Keepers (inching towards official),” he wrote. The CREW report confirms Rhodes’ claims last year that the far-right group had a contact within the Secret Service. Rhodes admitted this during his trial, when he was charged with seditious conspiracy for attempting to stop Joe Biden’s presidential win. It’s not clear from the CREW report whether the contact continued past September 2020, but the government watchdog notes that the agent claiming to be an “unofficial liaison” suggests a longer-term relationship. In addition to having ties to the January 6 insurrection, Oath Keepers have worked alongside the Ku Klux Klan, deploying members at polling sites to watch voters, and have compared Hillary Clinton to Hitler on their website.

yahoo.com We Fact-Checked Republicans’ “Biden Corruption” Timeline. And It’s Bad. Tori OttenThu, August 24, 2023 at 5:00 AM CDT·5 min read2.1kLink Copied 6–7 minutes Republicans are moving to impeach Joe Biden, after months of accusing the president and his son Hunter Biden of corruption. But they have yet to produce any actual evidence of their claims, and the latest attempt to make their case is no better. Instead, it simply shows their desperation to discredit the president. The House Oversight Committee has spearheaded the probe into the Bidens. Last month, the committee published a timeline going back as far as 2013 that supposedly shows the extent of the Bidens’ influence peddling overseas. But if you look closely, the timeline is riddled with errors. An analysis by The New Republic found at least 19 mistakes or misleading details—from mixed-up dates to messages and meetings that never happened. And nowhere does the timeline show actual wrongdoing by the president. When the Oversight Committee released the timeline, it said it contained “important dates as to when Joe Biden knew and lied to the American people about his family’s business schemes.” It has updated the timeline as the investigation continues. Out of the 106 dates listed in the timeline, only four are instances when Biden met someone related to Hunter’s business dealings. The timeline says that on December 4, 2013, Biden traveled to China with his son and met with Jonathan Li, the CEO of Chinese company Bohai Harvest, or BHR. Hunter later joined the BHR board. While the timeline makes it sound like Biden went to China specifically to meet his son’s potential colleague, in reality, the then vice president went to Beijing on an official trip on behalf of the White House. He brought his son and one of his grandchildren along, as well as several reporters who noted it was common for Biden to bring family members in tow. While Hunter had business meetings with Li, Biden only met Li once. Hunter arranged for them to shake hands, but the two men did not interact further on the trip. The timeline also says that Biden met Vadym Pozharskyi, an executive at the Ukrainian gas company Burisma, at a dinner Hunter hosted in Washington, D.C., on March 20, 2015. The dinner actually took place nearly a month later, on April 16, 2015. Pozharskyi emailed Hunter after the meal to thank him for “giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent some time together.” But Biden only spoke to one person, a recently retired leader of the Greek Orthodox Church, the whole evening. One dinner attendee, then-president of the World Food Program USA Rich Leach, told The Washington Post that Biden “didn’t even sit down,” but only spoke to Father Alex Karloutsos. Karloutsos confirmed Leach’s account. Republicans also allege Biden attended a meeting for Chinese energy company CEFC in Washington on May 1, 2017. This information comes from Republicans’ star whistleblower, Gal Luft, who has been charged with acting as a foreign agent for China and of arms trafficking. It is unclear if Biden attended the meeting—texts from Hunter never confirm whether his father put in an appearance, and Biden himself has denied being there—that actually took place on May 3, 2017, in Los Angeles. Finally, the timeline states that on July 30, 2017, Hunter sent a WhatsApp message to an unspecified Chinese company that he was “sitting here with my father.” Hunter’s lawyer Abbe Lowell, however, has slammed the message and others as “complete fakes.” Biden’s utter lack of involvement matches testimony from multiple supposed whistleblowers. Republicans have heard testimony from IRS agents, Hunter’s former business partner Devon Archer, and former Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas. None of them was able to provide concrete evidence that Biden was involved in his son’s business. In fact, both Archer and Parnas said nothing could be further from the truth. Beyond the tenuous evidence connecting Biden to his son’s work, the rest of the timeline contains sloppy mistakes, including on details mentioned in previous Republican reports about the Bidens’ wrongdoing. In one instance, the timeline says BHR joined with a Chinese Communist Party–affiliated company on September 1, 2015, to buy the U.S.-based automotive producer Henniges Automotive. The deal actually took place on September 15, 2015, according to a 2019 report by the Senate Finance Committee. The timeline says Hunter met with the U.S. ambassador to Romania in that country on November 13, 2015. Hunter actually met the ambassador in Washington, D.C. He didn’t travel to Romania until the following year. Republicans have repeatedly accused Hunter of receiving illicit payments. According to the timeline, he received a payment from his associate Rob Walker on November 11, 2015. It says that Robinson Walker, a company associated with Walker, also made payments to Hunter’s company Owasco P.C. on February 12, 2016, and May 23, 2016. The reasons for the payments are unspecified, and all three dates are wrong. As the House Oversight Committee already stated in a report from May this year, the payments actually took place on November 9, 2015, February 24, 2016, and August 15, 2016. Hunter Biden is currently under investigation for tax evasion, and he will likely go to trial. But proof of his guilt or innocence will not be found in the Oversight Committee’s timeline. The timeline is sloppy work done by a party on a political vendetta. Republicans have already admitted multiple times that they have no proof of wrongdoing by the president. They have said they don’t know whether the information on which their accusations are based is even legitimate. They have also admitted they don’t really care.

yes i read that. he seems to be a class young man.

just like you are mickey.............

as an old dog........not to be confused with a mangy jawja dawg.......................i understand the suffering. alljoking aside they had seven animals brought into our local animal hospitol a friend told me they took in seven dogs and only three left.

that is golfs responsibility. did you know bird can tap dance with clawed feet?

me as well...........

you folks have a wonderful day and thanx for stopping by. if you missed yesrterdays articles i posted several new player interviews you guys might havemissed.

on3.com Auburn linebackers coach Josh Aldridge named to 30 rising-star Power Five coaches Cole Pinkston 6–7 minutes (Photo by Auburn Athletics) Josh Aldridge, Auburn linebackers coach, is in his first year with the Tigers. He has now been named by other coaches as one of the 30 rising star Power Five assistant coaches according to On3’s Matt Zenitz. Zenitz wrote that when asking around different sources in the coaching world, Aldridge was one of the names that other coaches see as a rising star in the profession. Aldridge is very much respected by Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and others for his coaching ability, too. Before following Freeze to Auburn, Aldridge spent four seasons as an assistant under Freeze at Liberty, including as the Flames’ defensive coordinator last year. Under Aldridge, Liberty ranked first nationally in tackles for loss, fourth in sacks, 15th in interceptions and 19th in third-down defense. “Really good work ethic and knowledge of defensive football,” Freeze told On3 of Aldridge. “Incredible energy and relentless recruiter.” Recruiting under Aldridge so far Aldridge has not yet coached a game at Auburn, but he has already set the college football world on notice. He played a key role in Auburn flipping 5-star linebacker Demarcus Riddick from Clanton (Ala.) Chilton County from Georgia. Riddick was also strongly considering Alabama. It was one of the first big recruiting wins for Auburn against both Alabama and Georgia in a long time. Aldridge was key in Auburn landing 4-star 2025 linebacker Jakaleb Faulk from Highland Home (Ala.). The Tigers landed him over Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Florida. Aldridge also has 3-star linebacker D’Angelo Barber from Pinson (Ala.) Clay-Chalkville committed. Barber was recently named by Zenitz as one of 22 unheralded recruits college football staffers are high on. After landing the three backers, most notably after the Riddick flip, Aldridge tweeted “#NewNorm.” It was to signify that recruiting success like he has had will be normal during the Freeze era at Auburn. Coaching and personal info on Aldridge Josh Aldridge – Recapping Three Seasons at Liberty 2021 Broyles Award nominee (top assistant coach of the year) Aldridge’s defensive players have helped Liberty win three-straight bowl games (2019 and 2020 FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl and the 2021 LendingTree Bowl). Liberty is one of five FBS teams in the country who have won a bowl game each of the last three seasons. It joins Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana. Liberty is the second FBS transitioning team in NCAA history to win three-consecutive bowl games during its first three full seasons at the FBS level. Liberty finished the 2020 season with a 10-1 record. The Flames ranked No. 17 in the final Associated Press poll, its highest end-of-the-year national ranking in program history. Liberty was one of three FBS teams in the country to rank in the top 20 in both total offense (No. 15) and total defense (No. 11) in 2020, joining BYU and Clemson. Liberty was one of eight FBS teams in the country to rank in the top 25 in both total offense (No. 24) and total defense (No. 25) in 2021. Liberty finished the 2021 season ranked No. 6 in the country in passing yards allowed (180.3 per game), No. 11 in Red Zone defense (72.5 percent), total defense (320.2 yards allowed per game), No. 14 in tackles for a loss (7.1 per game), No. 24 in scoring defense (21.5 points allowed per game) and No. 28 in sacks (2.85 per game). Liberty had 10 players named to the 2021 Phil Steele FBS Independent All-Conference teams, including defensive end TreShaun Clark and defensive tackles Elijah James and Ralfs Rusins. Elijah James (45 tackles), TreShaun Clark (44 tackles) and Rusins (35 tackles) each ranked inside the Flames’ top 10 tacklers in 2021. Junior college transfer Durrell Johnson made an immediate impact during his first season at Liberty in 2020 and was named to the Phil Steele Postseason All-America team (fourth team). Johnson led the Flames with 11.5 tackles for a loss (74 yards) and 8.5 sacks (65 yards) and ranked No. 28 in the country in sacks per game (0.77) in 2020. Jessie Lemonier finished his two-year career at Liberty with 20.5 sacks, which ranked third among FBS players nationally in total sacks recorded during the 2018 and 2019 campaigns. Following the 2020 NFL Draft, Lemonier signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. Along with Lemonier, three other free agent signees and fourth-round draft selection Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR), Liberty had five players sign with NFL franchises in 2020, the most in program history. Lemonier was also named to the VaSID all-state team and became the first player in program history to be named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team after being named the MVP at the Cure Bowl. Aldridge helped develop nose guard Ralfs Rusins, who recorded 94 tackles during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, after recording only 21 tackles during his previous 25 career games played. Rusins finished his six-year playing career with 61 career games played, 150 tackles (55 solo, 95 assisted), 17.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks. The Flames finished the 2019 season ranked No. 28 in the country in sacks (2.69 per game) and No. 31 in interceptions (12). Aldridge at a glance Coaching Experience: 2019-present – Liberty (DL, Co-DC, LB) 2018 – Lenoir-Rhyne (DC/LB) 2014-17 – West Georgia (DL/Rec. Coord.) 2013 – Ouachita Baptist (DL) 2013 – Lindenwood (GA) Education: Bachelor’s degree in social sciences (Harding, ’12) Wife: Jessica Children: Braxton and Nora Hometown: Jackson, Tenn

247sports.com Exit Survey What we learned about Auburns defense in preseason camp Nathan King 20–26 minutes What questions do the Tigers still need to answer on defense moving into the season? The bow has been tied on Hugh Freeze’s first preseason camp at Auburn, and that means the clock is ticking faster toward kickoff in Jordan-Hare Stadium. We’re now just 10 days out from the Tigers opening their 2023 season at home against UMass (2:30 p.m. CST, ESPN), following three-plus weeks of camp. Auburn is obviously still practicing this preseason, as lineups are solidified and game prep begins, but camp concluded in earnest last Saturday. Programs are allowed only two true scrimmages in the preseason, though Auburn will conduct a walkthrough practice in the stadium this Saturday. In this exit survey from camp, three of our reporters — Jason Caldwell, Nathan King and Christian Clemente — examine some of the trends from preseason practices, and assess what those mean for the Tigers moving into the season. Today, we'll touch on Ron Roberts' defense. If you missed our offense exit survey Wednesday, you can read it here. 1. POSITION GROUP THAT GREW THE MOST DURING CAMP? Jason: "I think it’s the jack linebackers on the defensive side of the ball. The additions of Jalen McLeod and Stephen Sings have made the group a suddenly strong one after having no scholarship player on the roster from last year. Along with Elijah McAllister, it’s now a group that has some firepower." Christian: "I have a feeling it'll be a common theme, as I'm going with the linebacker group. The emergence of Eugene Asante really came out of nowhere — at least in my eyes. That was not someone I expected to really even be on the two-deep and now he might've worked his way into a starting role. Add in Larry Nixon III and you at least have some options that can contribute for Josh Aldridge this fall." Nathan: "The 'jack' outside linebackers were a completely unknown commodity entering the preseason. Sure, they've all contributed at their previous institutions, but two of the transfers came from the Group of Five, and McAllister's last sack at Vanderbilt was in 2019. It's still remained to be seen how they perform against some of the quality offensive lines on their schedule, but I think Auburn is positioned to create some negative plays from their pass-rushers in the early stages of the season. McLeod has been a downright revelation, and Auburn needs him healthy fast, while Sings and McAllister round out a nice, versatile rotation." 2. GROUP THAT STILL NEEDS SOME WORK? Jason: "It’s the interior defensive line in my opinion. I think the linebackers are a work in progress too, but much of that is solved if the guys in front can become playmakers. That’s the switch that needs to flip for a group that has some talent." Christian: "It appears to be pretty clear from the first few scrimmages that the defensive line and run defense has to get better. Auburn had its worst run defense in program history and lost some of its key contributors to that defensive front. The depth has started to develop on the front line, which is something that's been lacking in recent years, but the star power isn't necessarily there." Nathan: "Auburn needs more playmakers along the interior defensive line, as it's arguably the most important position group for success in the SEC. Marcus Harris has, by all accounts, been stellar in the preseason, and true freshman Keldric Faulk might be the most explosive player of the bunch. The Tigers have depth thanks to their work in the transfer portal, but just how well players like Mosiah Nasili-Kite, Lawrence Johnson and even Justin Rogers translate this season remains to be seen." 3. NAME A FEW STANDOUT PLAYERS FROM CAMP Jason: "Sings was a guy that really stood out to me just watching him. He’s a physical presence off the edge and he can play a number of different ways. Another player was Asante. He just brings energy. Fun to watch." Christian: "Asante deserves to be mentioned again here. So does Jayson Jones, who continues to get praise for his development at the nose tackle spot. Now I'm still in believe it when I see it mode, but all signs point to him either starting or splitting reps pretty evenly with Rogers. And the last one is McLeod, who dominated the fall camp headlines and quickly showcased why Auburn added him from the transfer portal." Nathan: "McLeod was probably the best player on the entire defensive front seven this preseason, giving the Tigers some explosiveness off the edge they certainly need to replace the likes of second-round pick Derick Hall. Faulk also goes without saying. At linebacker, Asante came from way off the radar after only playing on special teams last season, and he appears to be in line for a starting role on the weak side." (Austin Perryman / Auburn Athletics) 4. HOW GOOD CAN THIS AUBURN SECONDARY BE? Jason: "I think this Auburn secondary can be as good as any the Tigers have fielded in quite some time, but only if they can consistently get pressure up front. It’s impossible to cover forever, so if the guys up front can create some heat, this is a secondary that can make plays." Christian: "I'm not really sure how to quantify it, so I'll look at NFL potential. D.J. James and Nehemiah Pritchett could both be drafted after this year at cornerback, Keionte Scott could go to the NFL from the nickel and Jaylin Simpson could do the same at safety. I still have some questions about where Zion Puckett fits in and the two-deep will be filled with a lot of youth, but they're all talented players that should be able to figure it out." Nathan: "As much talent and experience as the Tigers have at defensive back, they'll likely be put in poor positions if Auburn can't generate a consistent pass rush. Still, I think this can be Auburn's best secondary since maybe the 2019 season, when it had NFL players at cornerback (Noah Igbinoghene and Roger McCreary) and another at safety (Daniel Thomas). This group could be even better if Scott becomes the kind of player at nickel Auburn believes he can be, and if Simpson continues to grow in his first full season at safety." 5. HOW CAN AUBURN REPLACE ITS LOST NFL TALENT UP FRONT? Jason: "That’s the ultimate measure of this Auburn defense. Jones, Rogers or both have to be really good this season. Those are the bigger bodies for a defensive front that is going to count on them in the middle. If Jones or Rogers or both play well, then the front seven will go places." Christian: "That's the million-dollar question. McLeod and Sings are totally different players, but together should be able to make up for most of what you lost in Hall. The big mystery for me is who replaces Colby Wooden. Marcus Harris is a solid player, but I'm not fully sure he can fill what Wooden did for that Auburn defense. It all goes back to my answer in the second question and concerns about stopping the run." Nathan: "And that's the question of the season for this unit. Wooden was as dynamic a defensive tackle as you'd find in the SEC, while Hall was clearly an NFL-ready pass-rusher. Owen Pappoe had his inconsistencies but still was a superb athlete at linebacker. I feel a bit more confident about the linebacking corps' ability to improve by committee thanks to the transfer additions of Austin Keys and Nixon, and Asante's emergence. But as we mentioned previously, names other than Harris and Faulk need to step up as playmakers along the D-line, or it could be another long year for Auburn's run defense." *** Subscribe to Auburn Undercover for the latest news and intel, podcasts, recruiting coverage and more ***

yardbarker.com Auburn Briefing: Payton Thorne named to Golden Arm Watch List Zac Blackerby ~2 minutes Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne found his name on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. He made the list a year ago when he was leading the Michigan State Spartans. After being named the starter for Auburn's season opener against UMass, he's been named to the Golden Arm Award Watch List with eight other SEC quarterbacks. Those listed are Jayden Daniels of LSU, Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss, KJ Jefferson of Arkansas, Devin Leary of Kentucky, Graham Mertz of Florida, Joe Milton of Tennessee, Spencer Rattler of South Carolina, and Will Rogers of Mississippi State. Former Auburn and current Oregon quarterback Bo Nix also made the list. What's happening today Media will meet with punter Oscar Chapman, wide receiver Jay Fair, offensive lineman Avery Jones, defensive back Nehemiah Pritchett, linebacker Cam Riley, and quarterback Payton Thorne. We wrote it Josh Collins wrote an article on Hugh Freeze and his adjustments regarding accountability on the Plains. It is looking to be a new day on the practice field at Auburn as Coach Hugh Freeze begins to “Call Up” players in response to their performances on the field as the opening kickoff for the 2023 season will quickly be upon us. Coach Freeze has frequently commented about the “loafing” and “lack of explosiveness” being displayed by numerous players on Auburn’s roster throughout fall camp thus far. Recognizing the need for increased accountability on and off the field, Coach Freeze has felt the need to return to being the “practice jerk,” as he called it this past Saturday in his press conference with the media.

yardbarker.com Auburn Athletics introducing WarEagle+, a new way to stream Tigers' sports content Lance Dawe 4–5 minutes AUBURN, Ala.— Auburn fans, get ready for more premium video content and original storytelling. Launching this fall, WarEagle+ is a new streaming video and content platform for Auburn Athletics, offering fans an insider’s look into the student-athletes and coaches on The Plains. Think of it as the chance to sit on your couch, turn on your TV or grab your phone or tablet and open a dedicated app to stream exclusive Auburn videos, shows, and vault and feature content – as opposed to that next great rom-com you might be about to watch. WarEagle+ content will be produced in partnership with Sport & Story, the leading provider of storytelling video in college athletics and the agency behind the Emmy award winning series, The Journey: Auburn Football. WarEagle+ will add to the incredible content already being created by the War Eagle Productions and Creative teams, to provide Tiger fans with even more original content covering all of Auburn’s sports programs. This will include behind-the-scenes access, captivating interviews, never-before-seen archival material and historical documentary films, as well as news and information. On To Victory has partnered with Auburn Sports Properties and Sport & Story to provide WarEagle+ for FREE to each of their existing and new monthly subscribers through the introduction of the new On To Victory Bundle available for only $14.99 per month. This bundle provides Auburn fans with the opportunity to both support Auburn student athletes and enjoy a complimentary WarEagle+ subscription. Not an On To Victory member? You can register today at ontovictory.com/wareagleplus to take advantage of this new opportunity. On To Victory has multiple subscription levels with a variety of additional membership benefits. Learn more about their different offerings at ontovictory.com. The new platform is expected to officially launch soon after kick-off of the 2023 Auburn Football season and will feature an inside look at Hugh Freeze’s first training camp with the Auburn Tigers and will give you a look inside each game week throughout the 2023 season. Fans not interested in becoming an On To Victory member will be able to choose between monthly or annual subscription offerings for WarEagle+ directly at WarEaglePlus.com. Those interested in this option may register at WarEaglePlus.com to be the first-to-know when subscription registration launches. Those packages will start at $14.99 per month. “We are thrilled to announce the launch of WarEagle+ to expand on the incredible content already being produced by our War Eagle Creative team.” Said Rhett Hobart, Auburn Deputy Athletics Director for External Affairs, “This partnership will provide Auburn fans with even more original storytelling, interviews, and behind-the-scenes content to take our fans inside our programs and allow them to get to know our athletes and coaches even better.” WarEagle+ will be consumable anywhere Auburn fans typically watch video content, including web and mobile upon launch and soon to be on all major OTT (“over-the-top”) streaming apps like AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, Roku, and Android. In addition to the exclusive video content, Auburn fans can sign up to receive The Bodda Getta Brew – presented by On To Victory – a daily email newsletter keeping fans up to date with new content, events, and everything you need to know about Auburn Athletics. Sign up for free by clicking here. “We are beyond excited to partner with Auburn and work together to launch a new and innovative content platform for Tiger fans,” said Sport & Story President, Victor Vitarelli. “Auburn has amazing stories to tell, and fans will now be able to get even closer to the student-athletes, coaches, and athletic programs they love.” Additionally, industry-leading design and engineering firm WMT Digital led the build for the new platform and user experience. Fans interested in purchasing memberships in bulk for a group can learn more at auburntigers.com/wareagleplus. Group pricing is available for groups of 100, 500, and 1,000 or more. For information regarding WarEagle+ sponsorship opportunities, contact Ben Harling with Auburn Sports Properties at ben.harling@playfly.com.

flywareagle.com Auburn newcomer reveals lofty goal for his career Andrew Hughes 3–4 minutes Auburn football newcomer and recently-named starting quarterback Payton Thorne revealed the lofty goal he has for his Tigers career: being remembered on the Plains whenever it’s all said and done. “When you win, people remember you,” Thorne said (h/t Rivals). “When you win a lot of games, people really remember you. Doing everything I can to put myself in a good position for success, which ultimately helps our team succeed. You leave a legacy by doing things the right way, by working hard. And so that’s what I’m focused on, and I believe that if I can accomplish that, then good things will come from that. “My goal is just to win as many games as we can and to expect to win every time we walk out there, and I believe that starts with preparation. So that goes to the daily and the weekly goals of being prepared every week for when we step on the field, and for me personally when I take that snap behind center, knowing that I’ve done everything I can to be best prepared for that game, mentally, physically, emotionally, all that stuff.” Payton Thorne on responsibility of being the starting QB for Auburn football Thorne spoke with great reverence when discussing what he needs to bring to the Auburn football QB1 role during the 2023 season; assuring that he’s going to do everything he can to be the best he can be as well as not being consumed by the pressure. “Obviously, it’s a big responsibility,” Thorne said. “We have a huge fan base. We have a lot of people that put a lot of time into this football program; a lot of people that care a lot about us. I take that responsibility very seriously, and I care about it more than anybody. “I definitely understand the position that I’m in, and I’m blessed and thankful for that. And I think the best way to deal with that pressure is just to, for me and what I believe in, is I believe that my Heavenly Father’s in control and if I turn everything over to him, then I’ll be at peace with whatever happens as long as I do everything I can. I’m going to work as hard as I can.” Payton Thorne is confident he can master Philip Montgomery’s Auburn football offensive sets As Rivals’ Bryan Matthews points out, Thorne feels he can do a good job in first-year Auburn football offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery’s offense. “Thorne believes he has the accuracy and quick-thinking ability to thrive in Auburn’s up-tempo, RPO offense led by head coach Hugh Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery,” Matthews wrote. Montgomery’s offense may actually be better-suited for Robby Ashford’s skillset, but it sounds as though Thorne is deadset on proving that he is the one who will have the playbook mastered in his mind and in being executed properly on the field. Published on 08/23/2023 at 5:20 PM EDT Last updated on 08/23/2023 at 5:20 PM EDT

al.com Auburn football announces sellout for home opener against UMass Updated: Aug. 23, 2023, 6:03 p.m.|Published: Aug. 23, 2023, 6:00 p.m. 2–3 minutes Hugh Freeze on Auburn's second fall scrimmage The first domino fell back in July, when Auburn announced it had sold out of season tickets for the 2023 football season. After having sold 63,500 season tickets, Auburn football eclipsed its previous program record of 62,900 season tickets sold — a record that was set ahead of the Tigers’ 2014 campaign. “Obviously, we’re humbled that we’ve sold more season tickets than — I don’t want to say something that’s wrong, but more season tickets in the history of the program,” first-year head coach Hugh Freeze said during SEC Media Days in July. “I think that just speaks to the passion our fans have, not to mention students when they get in there, too, and I’m really excited about experiencing that from the home sideline.” At that point, Auburn’s home game against the two-time defending national champions in the Georgia Bulldogs on Sept. 30 was also sold out, while tickets to this year’s edition of the Iron Bowl against Alabama were dwindling down at a rapid pace. Since then, the Tigers’ rivalry game against the Crimson Tide has been listed as a sellout, as well as Auburn’s home games against Samford, Ole Miss and — as of Wednesday — Kickoff on The Plains against UMass. Auburn’s season opener against UMass on Sept. 2 was announced a sellout Wednesday evening.\ Tickets to Auburn’s sellouts are only available via SeatGeek as resale options. Meanwhile, single game tickets to the Mississippi State and New Mexico State games are still available through the Auburn ticket office. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

al.com Why Auburn? Quarterback Payton Thorne weighs in on transfer decision Updated: Aug. 23, 2023, 4:06 p.m.|Published: Aug. 23, 2023, 3:55 p.m. 5–6 minutes Payton Thorne is approaching being Auburn’s starting quarterback like he approaches being a guest at the dinner table. “You always want to leave a place better than you found it,” Thorne told reporters Wednesday. “Whether that’s when you sit down and eat at a table, or when you show up and play football games.” Thorne admitted to reporters Wednesday that his transfer out of Michigan State came without much warning. Everything happened so quick that had you asked Thorne about leaving East Lansing a week before he entered the portal, he might’ve looked at you like you had three heads. But after talking with Auburn’s first-year head coach Hugh Freeze, coming to Auburn was a “no-brainer” for Thorne. Will Hewlett, Thorne’s private quarterback trainer, alluded to such comments in a recent interview with AL.com. “I don’t know necessarily that he wasn’t going to be the starter at Michigan State,” Hewlett told AL.com. “But I think he just needed a fresh start and kind of a different environment.” A different environment meant coming south to a town of less than 80,000 people. It was a step up from East Lansing, which is home to just less than 47,000 people. But both places, however, are significantly smaller than Thorne’s hometown of Naperville, Ill, which sits just west of Chicago with nearly 150,000 residents. Thorne says he and his family frequently vacationed along Florida’s Emerald Coast, which meant driving through Alabama. Those experiences are about all Thorne had in the Yellowhammer State. Nonetheless, Thorne has felt at home at Auburn — a place that makes it easy for one to get a hearty helping of southern hospitality. Auburn’s newly named starting quarterback had got a taste of that firsthand. “I love it down here, this is my kind of place, my kind of people down here. Everyone’s been very welcoming and just good people. People are just nicer down here,” Thorne said. “A lot of people say that and it feels like everybody is friendly, feels like everybody goes to church, which is what I believe in. It’s been great.” Obviously, for a guy like Thorne, who has his sights set on a career in the NFL, the community in which he’s living in is just a small part of the big picture. If we’re calling it like it is, Auburn fans don’t care a ton about what Thorne thinks about the town. They know his time in an Auburn uniform is limited. And the good news is Thorne knows that too. “It revolves around winning. And there’s a lot of things that go into winning,” Thorne said. “But when you win, people remember you. When you win a lot of games, people really remember you.” Again, with the goal of leaving a place better than he found it, Thorne is looking to win a lot of games in his time with the Tigers, who have suffered back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Fortunately for Auburn fans, Thorne immediately saw the potential to win on The Plains. When Thorne and his father, who is a highly regarded college football coach in the Division III ranks, visited Auburn, they stayed for nine hours, Thorne said. “A lot of that was watching film and talking through the offense,” Thorne said. “Seeing the players that we have and that was all very encouraging.” But playing for offensive minds like Freeze and first-year offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery was attractive in its own right. Thorne isn’t ignorant to the fact that Freeze, at one point last fall, was down to his fourth string quarterback at Liberty. But still, he and the Flames still managed to find their way into the win column. Meanwhile, between his time at Baylor and then at Tulsa, Montgomery was at the helm of some explosive offenses. It all mattered to Thorne as he weighed his options out of the transfer portal. “It’s fun for me to play for an offensive head coach and to have a lot of people devoted to quarterback and quarterback development and all that stuff,” Thorne said. Such wasn’t the case at Michigan State under a defensive-minded guy like Mel Tucker. As such, playing for a guy like Freeze is enough to leave a quarterback salivating. But that doesn’t mean Thorne isn’t aware of or is turning a cheek to the expectations of him. “It’s a big responsibility. We have a huge fan base. We have a lot of people that put a lot of time into this football program; a lot of people that care a lot about us. I take that responsibility very seriously, and I care about it more than anybody,” Thorne said Thursday. “I definitely understand the position that I’m in, and I’m blessed and thankful for that. And I think the best way to deal with that pressure is just to, for me and what I believe in, is I believe that my Heavenly Father’s in control and if I turn everything over to him, then I’ll be at peace with whatever happens as long as I do everything I can. I’m going to work as hard as I can.” And of course, the hope is that, like the dinner table, Thorne leaves the Auburn football program better than he found it. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.