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si.com Auburn’s 2023 Position Battles: 2nd Team Safeties Joshua Collins 7–9 minutes Back once more with another installment of our Auburn football position battles series, we look this time to the defensive back room, specifically targeting the safety position group. With the Tigers touting the reputation and moniker of “DB University” the Auburn fanbase has come to expect loaded out defensive back recruitment year over year. Coach Hugh Freeze & Co. haven’t disappointed this year picking up some serious talent on the high school recruiting trail, crediting most of the 2023 recruiting class to this current coaching staff. In echoing the majority opinion of other major media outlets who have been touting that returning seniors Jaylen Simpson and Zion Puckett will likely be the starters this upcoming 2023 season, thus the battle for starting safety reps is presumably over. That being said, this position battle poses the question as to who on the Auburn roster could earn valuable developmental reps as the 2nd team safeties this upcoming 2023 season? We make the case for six talented young men to earn 2nd team reps for Auburn football this upcoming 2023 season. Whom under the watchful eyes of Coaches Zac Ethridge and Wesley McGriff will hopefully develop into quality starting and possibly NFL draftable talent in the coming years. The Case for Marquise Gilbert: Kicking off our list is returning junior Marquise Gilbert. The 6-foot-2 186-pound Daytona Beach, Florida native has had an eventful career up to this point, playing for his third team thus far in his collegiate career. Gilbert committed to the Auburn Tigers in December of 2021 as a highly rated JUCO transfer from Hutchinson Community College where he had played two seasons. Marquise has appeared in a total of 24 games throughout his college career boasting 41 total tackles and 2 interceptions. This young man has great field vision and discipline, knowing when to put the brakes on and be patient. Gilbert also has some explosive speed during his pursuit and attack on the ball carrier. These traits alongside additional development over the fall could place Gilbert in prime position to compete for meaningful reps this upcoming 2023 season. The Case for Caleb Wooden: The next young man on our list is returning sophomore Caleb Wooden. A 6-foot-1 188-pound Lawrenceville, Georgia native committed to Auburn in July of 2021. Wooden appeared in 5 games during the 2022 season, boasting respectable numbers as true freshman, putting 9 total tackles during his time on the field. As a high school recruit Caleb presented with great speed ability as he was often utilized as a punt returner. Caleb is also a decent tackler in the open field, making sure to wrap up his opponent to secure the stop. Although Wooden may not have the reps that some of his other peers may have, he has the size intangibles that the current coaching staff is looking for in the safety position. I imagine with some special attention being paid to this young man’s development will prove to be a solid investment for the Auburn Tigers, helping to produce a dangerous talent within the secondary in the near future. The Case for Donovan Kaufman: Continuing with yet another familiar face on the plains is returning junior Donovan Kaufman. Donovan came to the plains via the transfer portal in May of 2021 after putting in one season of play with Vanderbilt in 2020. The 5-foot-10 204-pound safety has appeared in 22 total games his collegiate career, boasting a total of 87 tackles and 3 forced fumbles. Kaufman is a physical safety and is a violent and smart tackler in the open field as he frequently attempts to strip the ball during his tackles. Donovan also has great speed off the snap with decent hands and excellent ball pursuit skills. Arguably Kaufman possesses starting quality skills, yet he will likely be battling for 2nd team reps this fall. Donovan makes a strong case for himself being first off the bench when the ones need a rest. The Case for Terrance Love: Rounding out the top four contenders is the newly minted freshman plainsmen, Terrance Love. The 6-foot-2 211-pound Fairburn, Georgia native played his senior season with Langston Hughes High School. Love committed to the Auburn 2023 recruiting class earlier than most of his fellow 2023 teammates, closing down his recruitment in April of 2022. Love fits the size profile that the current coaching staff is looking for in the safety position, lengthy and ranged on the defensive field. Terrance has decent speed and solid field vision; however, he could look to be more consistently explosive off the ball. With essentially five years of eligibility remaining this young man could develop into a top tier SEC safety under the watchful and skillful eyes of both Coach Etheridge and Coach McGriff. He is definitely a player to look out for this upcoming fall camp to make his mark on this retooled Auburn football roster. The Case for anyone else on the roster: Touching once more on the reputation the Auburn football program has for producing quality defensive backs, it is often easy to overlook some solid talent coming in to such a loaded room. In an effort to highlight some additional players on Coach Hugh Freeze & Co.’s inaugural roster and high school recruiting class, both Sylvester Smith and C.J. Johnson have earned mentions. Sylvester Smith comes to the plains out of Munford, Alabama having played his senior season with Munford High School. The 5-foot-11 186-pound safety joined the plains with a bang on National Signing Day having flipped from his Tennessee Volunteer commitment. This young man has decent field vision and is likely one of the most violent open field tacklers out of this year’s freshman defensive back class. C.J. Johnson comes to the plains hailing from the Lone Star state where he calls Katy, Texas home. The 6-foot-2 202-pound safety played his senior season with Paetow High School and helped lead them to a state title as a parting gift. Johnson is a physical safety with decent hands and solid first step off the ball. He could be more explosive in his pursuit of the ball carrier; however, this is a skill set he can learn with time. It is important to note that it is unsure whether Johnson will take the field as a safety or as a corner back. This question will assuredly be answered with the progression of fall camp. All in all, the Auburn coaching staff have done a remarkable job thus far in maintaining the “DB University” reputation, adding some quality talent to the room this recruiting cycle. The Auburn fanbase should be in for some exciting performances this 2023 season from the secondary, hopefully living up to the standard we fans have come to expect.

al.com 5 things to expect on Day 2 of SEC Media Days 2023 Published: Jul. 17, 2023, 5:30 p.m. 4–5 minutes Georgia football coach Kirby Smart will make his annual appearance at SEC Media Days on Tuesday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)AP By Creg Stephenson | cstephenson@al.com SEC Media Days heads into Day 2 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Nashville on Tuesday. John McDaid, the SEC coordinator of officials, will take the podium for his annual talk about the new rules and points of emphasis in the league this season. Also scheduled to appear are coaches and players from four SEC schools: Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Here’s a quick guide for what to expect on Day 2 of SEC Media Days 2023: 1. A breakdown of the new college football rules Day 2 opens with SEC coordinator of officials John McDaid breaking down the new college football rules and taking questions from the media. There are three major rule changes, the biggest being that the clock no longer stops after first downs except in the final two minutes of a half. It’s a move to shorten games, and McDaid will no doubt have plenty of data about how much time will be shaved off in 2023 and beyond. Other rules changes are that (1) teams cannot call consecutive timeouts; (2) and penalties on the final play of the first or third quarter will carry over to the next quarter. 2. Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea will be asked about every team but his own Coaching the Commodores is a pretty thankless job, and frankly there’s not a ton of interest among the general public regarding the 2023 depth chart or the schedule. Thus, it’s likely that Lea will be asked a lot of big picture questions about off-field issues facing college football, and probably his opinion on how good the various teams on his schedule are likely to be this season. It’s usually an awkward situation. 3. Georgia’s Kirby Smart will have plenty to address off the field The Bulldogs are coming off back-to-back national championships and are the (mostly) unquestioned kings of college football at this point. But with that spotlight has come increased scrutiny, with a number of off-field controversies dominating the offseason. Smart will likely spend as much time addressing issues of reckless driving and accusations of sexual assault within his program as he will about his depth chart. Georgia has a new quarterback this year, but not a ton of other questions on the field. And the schedule is such that the Bulldogs are nearly a cinch to go 12-0. 4. Auburn’s Hugh Freeze might provide some clarity on Jarquez Hunter Freeze is making his first SEC Media Days appearance since 2017, when he was the embattled coach at Ole Miss and conducted a 16-minute filibuster in order to avoid questions about the lawsuit brought against him by Houston Nutt, which had dropped that morning. Freeze has a bit more job security this time around but has plenty to discuss on his roster. Chief among those subjects is the unsettled status of Hunter, the star running back who may or may not be suspended currently. 5. Mississippi State’s Zach Arnett will have a tough act to follow The late Mike Leach was a Media Days legend who always had something interesting to say, whether about football or a completely unrelated subject. He also continually had the shortest opening statement of any coach in attendance (seven words, for those keeping score). Arnett is a first-year head coach with a lot to live up to, both on the field and at the podium. We’ll see what he has to say when he steps up to the mic in Nashville, but he’s got a high bar to clear. Creg Stephenson is a sports writer for AL.com. He has covered college football for a variety of publications since 1994. Contact him at cstephenson@al.com or follow him on Twitter at @CregStephenson. 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.

247sports.com PMARSHONAU NIL state politics a toxic mixture for college athletics Phillip Marshall 4–5 minutes Not a discouraging word from coaches who benefit from state NIL laws NASHVILLE, Tennessee - Hours after SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s impassioned push for congressional action, after he said the current NIL status quo, complete with legislatures passing laws whose only purpose is give to give programs in their state competitive advantages, puts the future viability of college athletics at risk, coaches on the Media Days program did little to back him up. More succinctly, they did nothing. Two of the coaches – Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz and Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher – are from states with laws that basically allow pretty much anything when it comes to NIL. Texas A&M athletics director Ross Bjork has already said bluntly that the Aggies would be guided by state law and not by the NCAA. Fisher skated around the issue, saying that was for others to deal with it. Drinkwitz started out that way, but he quickly veered away. He praised every Missouri politician he could think of. “I'm going to let the administration and the presidents and the ADs and the commissioner work together on that side of it,” Drinkwitz said. “All I know is what I'm responsible for right now, and what the state law is right now for the University of Missouri, and that's what's going to affect us currently, and that's what I'm going to operate on.” From there, Drinkwitz thanked politicians, lots of them, for “working really hard to try to do what they can that's in the best interest of our student-athletes at the University of Missouri and providing them the opportunity to utilize their name, image, and likeness to the best of their benefit, and there you go.” In the states that have such laws – and more will be coming – don’t look for a coach or administrator to express any discomfort. Those programs have worked hand-in-hand with politicians to pass these laws. Don’t be deluded into thinking politicians just want what is best for student-athletes or that they even know what is best for student-athletes. What they know is that such laws will be popular in their states, and they can take credit. That, they hope, translates into votes. And that is where college athletics is with the 2023 football season just more than a month away. No one – no coach, no administrator, no commissioner - believes NIL is going away. It’s not. What they want is some common-sense rules that apply to everyone. State legislatures ought not have the power to affect competitive balance, but it seems they do. Sankey provided little hope Monday that the NCAA or conferences can do anything about it without the help of Congress. Maybe he will get that help, but people who know more than I are skeptical. The problems with the current broken system go beyond who gets how much money. There is no system to make sure make-believe agents can’t prey on athletes. They can and they do. There is no set of rules to prevent athletes from being lured by promises that are soon broken. That happens, too. The future is uncertain, but at least one thing is certain: Ill-advised state laws, written and passed for no other reason other than to give programs a competitive advantage, are not the answer.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 21 Brian Battie JD McCarthy 9–11 minutes Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Hugh Freeze in his first season on the Plains. Buy Tigers Tickets Up next is transfer running back Brian Battie. He is set to give Auburn a dynamic rushing attack with Jarquez Hunter and should be a valuable weapon on kick returns. Preseason Player Profile Hometown: Sarasota, Florida Height: 5-7 Weight: 170 Previous School: USF Class in 2023: Junior 247Sports Composite Ranking Three-Star / No. 245 in Florida / No. 104 RB Career Stats Year G Carries Yards YPC TDs Receptions Yards 2020 (USF) 7 46 332 7.2 1 4 35 2021 (USF) 12 58 324 5.6 1 7 67 2022 (USF) 12 176 1,186 6.7 8 14 91 PFF Grades Year Offense Runs Passing Pass Blocking Kick Return 2020 80.9 82.5 66.3 71.8 67.6 2021 74.9 73.9 75.1 47.8 90.2 2022 87.5 91.6 51.4 54.1 69.9 Depth Chart Overview Battie brings some big-play ability to Auburn’s rushing attack and should see plenty of action behind Hunter. He averaged over 6.0 yards per carry last season for a bad USF team and should be even more dynamic behind Auburn’s improved offensive line and passing attack. While he is a proven playmaker, sophomore Damari Alston and freshmen Jeremiah Cobb are both talented enough to earn playing time and will push Battie for the RB2 job. He returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in 2021 en route to being named an All-American and should bring some explosive ability to an area Auburn has been lacking over the past couple of seasons as well. Brian Battie’s Photo Gallery AUBURN, AL - 2023.03.24 - Spring Practice AUBURN, AL - March 24, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Brian Battie (#21) during spring practice… AUBURN, AL - March 24, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Brian Battie (#21) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin Perryman AUBURN, AL - 2023.03.29 - Spring Practice AUBURN, AL - March 29, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Brian Battie (#21) during spring practice… AUBURN, AL - March 29, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Brian Battie (#21) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin Perryman AUBURN, AL - 2023.03.01 - Spring Practice AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Brian Battie (#21) during spring practice… AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Running Back Brian Battie (#21) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Austin Perryman BYU South Florida Football South Florida running back Brian Battie (21) during an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday,… South Florida running back Brian Battie (21) during an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken) NCAA Football: Auburn Spring Game Apr 8, 2023; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers linebacker Wesley Steiner (32) dives to tackle running… Apr 8, 2023; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers linebacker Wesley Steiner (32) dives to tackle running back Brian Battie (21) during the annual Auburn Spring Game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) runs the ball during the A-Day spring football game… Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) runs the ball during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. NCAA Football: Auburn Spring Game Apr 8, 2023; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) breaks free from… Apr 8, 2023; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) breaks free from defenders during the annual Auburn Spring Game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) warms up during the A-Day spring football game at… Auburn Tigers running back Brian Battie (21) warms up during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. South Florida Florida Football South Florida running back Brian Battie (21) tries to get past Florida safety Trey Dean III,… South Florida running back Brian Battie (21) tries to get past Florida safety Trey Dean III, right, during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) (AP Photo/John Raoux) South Florida Florida Football South Florida running back Brian Battie, front left, runs past Florida linebacker Amari Burney (2) for… South Florida running back Brian Battie, front left, runs past Florida linebacker Amari Burney (2) for a 10-yard touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Citadel v South Florida TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: Brian Battie #21 of the South Florida Bulls rushes for 24… TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 12: Brian Battie #21 of the South Florida Bulls rushes for 24 yards on a play against the Citadel Bulldogs in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium on September 12, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Howard v USF TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 10: Brian Battie #21 of the South Florida Bulls scores a touchdown… TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 10: Brian Battie #21 of the South Florida Bulls scores a touchdown during a game against the Howard Bison at Raymond James Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) Howard v USF TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 10: Brian Battie #21 of the South Florida Bulls scores a touchdown… TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 10: Brian Battie #21 of the South Florida Bulls scores a touchdown during a game against the Howard Bison at Raymond James Stadium on September 10, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) Houston South Florida Football South Florida running back Brian Battie, left, celebrates with teammate Demarcus Gregory after scoring against Houston… South Florida running back Brian Battie, left, celebrates with teammate Demarcus Gregory after scoring against Houston during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Scott Audette) NCAA Football: South Florida at Houston Nov 14, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) runs with… Nov 14, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports NCAA Football: South Florida at Florida Sep 17, 2022; Gainesville, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) runs with… Sep 17, 2022; Gainesville, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) runs with the ball against the Florida Gators during the second quarter at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports South Florida Florida Football South Florida running back Brian Battie runs against Florida during the second half of an NCAA… South Florida running back Brian Battie runs against Florida during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Houston South Florida Football South Florida running back Brian Battie (21) heads to the end zone to score against Houston… South Florida running back Brian Battie (21) heads to the end zone to score against Houston during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Scott Audette) NCAA Football: Cincinnati at South Florida Nov 12, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) runs with… Nov 12, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) runs with the ball in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports Syndication: The Enquirer South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) scores a touchdown as Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Deshawn… South Florida Bulls running back Brian Battie (21) scores a touchdown as Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Deshawn Pace (20) attempts to stop him in the first quarter of the NCAA Football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the South Florida Bulls at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. South Florida Bulls At Cincinnati Bearcats 160

si.com Brian Kelly shared his thoughts on the environment in Jordan-Hare Stadium Andrew Stefaniak 2–3 minutes Brian Kelly talked about the difficulty of playing in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Brian Kelly was asked at SEC Media Days about the difficulty of coaching in the SEC after his first season, and one of the things he said was the road environments. Kelly talked about how the environments at Auburn and Florida were some of the best he has ever coached in, which is a big compliment. This proves that the noise Auburn fans make in the stands truly affects the other team, as LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels also agreed playing in Jordan-Hare Stadium is challenging. All Auburn fans can agree that sitting in Jordan-Hare Stadium watching the Auburn Tigers go to war is one of the most exciting things possible, and the excitement is matched by lots of energy. The hire of Coach Hugh Freeze has led to a ton of excitement around the Auburn program leading to a record amount of season tickets sold. It's safe to the people will be rowdy on the Plains in 2023 as the Tigers look for a big bounce season. SEC Media Days is being hosted this year in Nashville, Tennessee for the very first time. Auburn Daily is here covering Media Days all week long. You can catch updates, quotes, predictions and more here on auburndaily.com. Daily Wire's Jake Crain predicts Auburn to finish third in SEC West The Tigers kick off the 2023 season on September 2nd at home vs UMass at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN.

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i took it the right way thus the joke..................

i am all for human decency but i cannot in good faith see this on the right. the party has been hijacked. too many crazies trying to steal elections. trump posted obama's address and of course an armed maga was arrested. the repubs need to govern and quit picking on marginalized people. until they get rid of their crazy problem i will probably never vote for another repub. lies and disinformation are bad and getting people hurt. the poor get basically spit on and they pay taxes so they should count. before clinton i would vote for whom i thought was the best for the country. not anymore. not until they get serious about governing. i understand clinton did a nono but the joy the right got out of all this turned me against them. it should have been between man and wife. and i do not care much for bill like i did but folks mad money when clinton was in office. and the fact trump does the same thing as well as paying illegal money to hush her up is mind blowing to me.

news.yahoo.com Alabama Scrambles to Redraw Its Voting Map After a Supreme Court Surprise Emily Cochrane and Michael Wines 7–9 minutes MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Under orders from the Supreme Court to produce a voting map that no longer illegally dilutes the power of Black voters in Alabama, the state’s lawmakers are now facing a high-stakes scramble to come up with an acceptable replacement by the end of this week. A little over a month after the court’s surprise ruling, the Alabama Legislature will convene Monday for a special five-day session, with the Republican supermajority having given little public indication of how it plans to fulfill a mandate to craft a second district that allows Black voters to elect a representative of their choice — one who could well be a Democrat. The effects of the revised map, which must be passed by Friday and approved by a federal court, could reverberate across the country, with other states in the South confronting similar voting rights challenges and Republicans looking to hold onto a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House of Representatives next year. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times The session also comes at a pivotal moment in the debate over the constitutionality of factoring race into government decisions, as conservatives have increasingly chipped away at the 1965 Voting Rights Act and other long-standing judicial protections centered on equality and race. “The eyes of the nation are looking at you,” Evan Milligan, one of several Alabama residents who had challenged the legality of the map, told lawmakers during a committee hearing in Montgomery on Thursday. “If you can cut out the noise, look within — you can look to history, you can make a mark in history that will set a standard for this country.” Alabama has a long list of bitter disputes over the enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, a landmark law born out of the civil rights movement whose key provisions were gutted by a 2013 Supreme Court decision. Litigation forced the creation of Alabama’s first majority-Black congressional district in 1992, and the seat has been represented by a Black Democrat ever since then. But the current fight stems from lawsuits filed to oppose the map drawn after the 2020 census. In a state where 27% of the population is Black, the Republican-controlled legislature packed nearly a third of the Black population into that one district. The state’s remaining six districts each elected a white Republican. There is little disagreement that voting in Alabama is highly polarized, but lawyers for the state Legislature attributed the situation to politics rather than race. (The Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that a gerrymander that discriminates against one party’s voters is a political problem, not a legal one.) “Black Alabamians’ ‘candidates of choice’ tend to lose elections in Alabama not because they are Black or because they receive Black support, but because they are Democrats,” the state’s lawyers wrote. And with about 80% of Black voters in Alabama identifying as Democrats or leaning toward Democratic candidates, according to the Pew Research Center, “that just makes them easy prey in terms of redistricting,” said Seth C. McKee, a University of Oklahoma professor who has written about political realignment in the South. “And once Republicans get control, it’s just difficult for them not to dominate.” But a federal panel of three judges unanimously said the map had most likely violated the Voting Rights Act and ordered it redrawn, four months before the 2022 primary elections. The Supreme Court, while agreeing to consider the challenge, allowed the map to go into effect before the November elections. Many experts expected the Supreme Court to say in the Alabama case what it essentially said in its decision outlawing affirmative action in education: Making allowances to remedy discrimination against one group inevitably ends up discriminating against other groups. However, in June, the court narrowly upheld Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the principal remaining clause of the law, which outlaws any election law or rule that discriminates based on race, color or language. That decision has already had ramifications elsewhere: a similar lawsuit is now moving forward in Louisiana, while voting rights advocates in Georgia have begun sparring with the state over whether the ruling affects similar lawsuits there. “We’re already showing how this opinion is going to have ripple effects,” said Abha Khanna, who represented some of the Alabama plaintiffs as the head of the Elias Law Group’s redistricting practice. She added, “You are sending a message to states and jurisdictions.” The Alabama Legislature now has until Friday to create another map that gains approval from a federal court, and has solicited public proposals. Should the Legislature fall short, the map could again be challenged, leaving open the possibility that the court would draw its own map and cut out the Legislature altogether. “It is critical that Alabama be fairly and accurately represented in Washington,” said Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, as she formally summoned the Legislature back for the special session. “Our Legislature knows our state better than the federal courts do.” But it leaves Republicans with a task that could jeopardize the electoral security of one of their own in Congress. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report now marks the once solidly Republican First and Second Congressional Districts as toss-ups, citing “the presumption that one of their seats will ultimately become a Montgomery and Mobile-based Black majority seat that comfortably elects a Democrat.” On Thursday, multiple Black Republicans spoke during the committee hearing, including Belinda Thomas, a Dale County councilwoman and Republican Party official who later described herself as “living proof” that the current map made it possible for Black candidates to succeed. Some residents and officials also raised concerns about diminishing the representation of rural communities and economic opportunity under some of the proposed maps. Democrats appeared divided over which plan to back, with some lawmakers supporting one that relies on a combination of traditionally Democratic voting blocs to create a new district in order to avoid drawing on racial lines. At least one of the plaintiffs wore a T-shirt emblazoned with their preferred map, which would enshrine the 18 counties of Alabama’s Black Belt, the stretch of historically rich soil that fueled cotton plantations worked by slave labor, into two districts with at least 50% of the Black voting population. “I want myself and my community to have a seat at the table, rather than be on the menu,” said Shalela Dowdy, a Mobile resident and one of the plaintiffs. But notably absent from the public discussion Thursday was any plan backed by the Republican supermajority. State Rep. Chris Pringle, R-Mobile, said that a final map would be shared before a committee meeting Monday, although Democrats balked at being left out of the process and at the public getting little time to review a final plan. “This is a really tortured process,” said State Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa. He added that “everybody else has been presenting the maps that they believe best represent the state of Alabama, give everybody an opportunity to be represented, but the supermajority has not.” Pringle said that the committee tasked with overseeing the creation of the new map had been overwhelmed with a number of submissions, including from as far away as France and New Zealand. A little over a dozen had been made public online or in a hearing, with England sharing a few more maps circulated among the committee on Twitter on Friday evening. “We have been pretty much overwhelmed,” Pringle said. c.2023 The New York Times Company

you just keep showing folks how dense you are son...........

yahoo.com GOP senators rattled by radical conservative populism Alexander Bolton 8–10 minutes Republican senators say they’re worried that conservative populism, though always a part of the GOP, is beginning to take over the party, becoming more radical and threatening to cause them significant political problems heading into the 2024 election. GOP senators are saying they’re being increasingly confronted by constituents who buy into discredited conspiracy theories such as the claim that Democrats stole the 2020 presidential election or that federal agents incited the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Growing distrust with government institutions, from the FBI, CIA and Department of Justice to the Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health, make it more difficult for Republican lawmakers to govern. Republican senators believe their party has a good chance to take back control of the White House and Senate, given President Biden’s low approval ratings and the favorable map of Senate seats up for reelection, but they regularly face political headaches caused by populist members of their party who say the rest of the GOP is out of step with mainstream America. “We should be concerned about this as Republicans. I’m having more ‘rational Republicans’ coming up to me and saying, ‘I just don’t know how long I can stay in this party,’” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). “Now our party is becoming known as a group of kind of extremist, populist over-the-top [people] where no one is taking us seriously anymore. “You have people who felt some allegiance to the party that are now really questioning, ‘Why am I [in the party?]” she added. “I think it’s going to get even more interesting as we move closer to the elections and we start going through some of these primary debates. “Is it going to be a situation of who can be more outlandish than the other?” she asked. Some Senate Republicans worry the populist winds are downgrading their chances of picking up seats in 2024. “There are an astonishing number of people in my state who believe the election was stolen,” said one Republican senator who requested anonymity to talk about the growing popularity of conservative conspiracy theories at home. As an example, some Republicans point to Arizona, where Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), an independent who left the Democratic Party last year, is up for reelection. Sinema is likely to face a challenge from the left in the likely Democratic nominee Rep. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.) as well as a GOP nominee. If that nominee is former TV anchor Kari Lake, who has embraced conspiracy theories about elections and lost a gubernatorial race last year, many in the GOP think they’re in trouble. One senior Senate Republican strategist, assessing the race, lamented that “the Republican Party in Arizona is a mess.” Republican senators say they are alarmed at how many Republicans, including those with higher levels of education and income, buy the unsubstantiated claims that the last presidential election was stolen. A second Republican senator who spoke with The Hill said the growing strength of radical populism “makes it a lot more difficult to govern, it makes it difficult to talk to constituents.” “There are people who surprise me — I’m surprised they have those views. It’s amazing to me the number of people, the kind of people who think the election was stolen,” the lawmaker said. “I don’t want to use this word but it’s not just a ‘red-neck’ thing. It’s people in business, the president of a bank, a doctor.” The lawmaker, who requested anonymity to discuss the political challenge posted by surging conservative populism, accused some fellow Republicans of trying to exploit voter discontent to gain local or national prominence. “In my state there are a lot of folks who see Washington as disconnected, they see their way of life threatened. There’s something that generates discontent that elected officials take advantage of,” the senator said. Tuberville’s controversies Some of the biggest populist-linked headaches recently have come from Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R), a staunch ally of former President Trump who is now holding up more than 260 nonpolitical military promotions to protest the Defense Department’s abortion policy. Tuberville caused an uproar early last week by defending the idea of letting white nationalists serve in the military and disputing the idea that white nationalism is an inherently racist ideology. Tuberville later reversed himself after Senate Republican colleagues ranging from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) forcefully denounced white supremacy and white nationalism. GOP senators also have to regularly distance themselves from the radical proposals of populist conservatives in the House, such as House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who earlier this year proposed cutting Department of Justice and FBI funding in response to federal investigations of Trump. Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) pushed back on calls to defund the Justice Department, telling reporters: “Are we going to get rid of the Justice Department? No. I think defunding is a really bad idea.” Thune later explained to The Hill: “There are seasons, swings back and forth in politics and we’re in one now where the dominant political thinking is more populist with respect to national security, foreign policy, some domestic issues.” But he said “that stuff comes and goes and it’s built around personalities,” alluding to the broadly held view that Trump’s election to the presidency in 2016 and his lasting influence over the party has put his brand of populism at the forefront. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an advisor to the Senate Republican leadership, said bread-and-butter conservative economic ideas still resonated with voters, but he acknowledged “the cable news shows” continue to keep attention on themes that Trump likes to emphasize, such as election fraud and the “deep-state” control of the federal government. “So there are some people paying attention to that but most people are trying to just get on with their lives,” he said. “There’s a lot of distrust of Washington, and who can blame people.” “It concerns me that people lose faith in their institutions, but this has been a long story throughout our history. It’s nothing new although it’s troubling,” he said. Waving off impeachment Senate Republicans tried to wave off their House colleagues from advancing articles of impeachment authored by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) against President Biden and rolled their eyes at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) attempt to expunge Trump’s impeachment record. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) warned, “I fear that snap impeachments will become the norm, and they mustn’t.” Asked about efforts to erase Trump’s impeachment record, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) quoted the popular show “Succession”: “Logan Roy made a good point. These are not serious people.” Romney, who was the GOP nominee for president in 2012 before Trump took over the party four years later, last year called Greene and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) “morons” for speaking at a white nationalist event in Florida. Asked this week about Tuberville’s defense of white nationalism and how it reflected on the GOP, Romney said: “Our party has lots of problems, add that to the list.” The party of Reagan has transformed into the party of Trump, and to the dismay of some veteran Republican lawmakers, it doesn’t look like it’s going back to what it was anytime soon. One ascendent young conservative leader, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who supported objecting to certifying Biden’s victory on Jan. 6, 2021, thinks the Republican Party’s embrace of populism is more than a passing fad. He says the new era of politics is more than a battle between Trump allies and Trump haters, or even between Republicans and Democrats. Speaking at the National Conservatism Conference two years ago, he declared: “We have been governed by a political consensus forged by a political class that has lost touch with what binds us together as Americans. And it has lost sight of the basic requirements of liberty.” “The great divide of our time is not between Trump supporters and Trump opponents, or between suburban voters and rural ones, or between Red America and Blue America,” he said. “No, the great divide of our time is between the political agenda of the leadership elite and the great and broad middle of our society. And to answer the discontent of our time, we must end that divide.” For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.

when the left said this the right lost their mind. and let me say there were at least a couple of dozen if not more claiming it was a leftest smear against trump. like anyone ever had to make up anything about trump.

is there a candidate out there for the right that is not a crook or batsh*t crazy? i am being serious.

dude if it is not on your mind it is in your mouth. grins this was not meant as an insult just a line i have been waiting to use on here for a while. apologies if it upsets you. if i was serious i would not care what ya thought. on this anyway.

i remember him being interviewed and he said playing CB is like being on an island. i wish i could remember the rest of it.

auburnwire.usatoday.com SEC recruiting rankings following Jayln Crawford's commitment to Auburn Taylor Jones 5–6 minutes Auburn has, without a doubt, become relevant again in the recruiting scene. Over the last two weeks, Hugh Freeze has reeled in three more commitments for the 2024 cycle. Most recently, four-star cornerback Jayln Crawford joined the group as he selected Auburn over Florida and LSU. Buy Tigers Tickets How has his commitment affected Auburn’s place in the rankings? Since July 4, Auburn has jumped 11 spaces in the overall rankings, and has moved up one spot in the SEC rankings. Auburn’s SEC placement is a little lower than most fans would like to see, and it is all about “quantity over quality.” Crawford became Auburn’s sixth four-star commit of the cycle, which is impressive. However, Auburn only has 11 commits for the 2024 cycle, which is tied with Missouri for the fewest within the SEC. The addition of several quality commits will boost the Tigers even more, and are in a great condition to make that happen. Here’s a look at where Auburn stands in 247Sports’ recruiting rankings following the commitment of Jayln Crawford. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 57 11 0 2 8 148.0 James Madison II (4-star WR) Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 44 14 0 3 10 183.25 Cutter Boley (4-star QB) Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 37 11 0 9 2 191.6 Walker White (4-star QB) Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 34 21 0 2 19 199.14 Dontae Carter (3-star S) Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 28 16 0 5 11 206.5 JJ Harrell (4-star WR) Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 26 13 0 8 5 209.07 Zion Kearney (4-star WR) For more Oklahoma football news, visit Sooners Wire. Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 25 17 0 3 14 210.25 Kamron Beavers (4-star DL) Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 21 13 0 8 5 215.45 Josiah Thompson (4-star OT) Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 20 14 0 8 6 218.76 Jerrick Gibson (4-star RB) For more Texas football news, visit Longhorns Wire. Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 17 16 0 9 7 229.25 Selmon Bridges (4-star CB) For more Arkansas football news, visit Razorbacks Wire. Streeter Lecka/Getty Images National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 15 16 0 11 5 236.43 Jake Merklinger (4-star QB) For more Tennessee football news, visit Vols Wire. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 13 18 0 13 5 238.73 Trey’Dez Green (4-star TE) For more LSU football news, visit LSU Tigers Wire. Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 8 18 1 15 2 252.94 Cam Coleman (5-star WR) For more Texas A&M football news, visit Aggies Wire. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 5 14 3 8 3 256.53 Julian Sayan (5-star QB) For more Alabama football news, visit Roll Tide Wire. Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 3 20 2 11 7 275.19 DJ Lagway (4-star QB) For more Florida football news, visit Gators Wire. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports National Ranking No. of commits 5-stars 4-stars 3-stars 247Sports points Top recruit No. 1 26 3 17 6 311.68 Dylan Raiola (5-star QB) For more Georgia football news, visit UGA Wire.

al.com Year 1 on The Plains: Meet Auburn transfer linebacker Austin Keys Published: Jul. 16, 2023, 8:00 a.m. 3–4 minutes AUBURN, AL - March 01, 2023 - Auburn Linebacker Austin Keys (#12) during spring practice at the Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, AL. Photo by Declan GreeneAuburn University Athletics A new coach at Auburn meant significant roster turnover would surely follow. Before Hugh Freeze’s team lines up for fall practices in a few weeks, his roster has more than three dozen new faces, including more than 20 transfers. In his first offseason back in the SEC, Freeze took advantage of the new landscape the transfer portal has made for college football to reshape the Tigers. Auburn brought in the fifth-ranked transfer class, according to 247Sports, and led the nation with 11 four-star rated transfers. Here’s a look at one of them… Mississippi linebacker Austin Keys (11) waits for a play during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)AP No. 12 Austin Keys, linebacker, junior Hometown: Taylorsville, Mississippi (Seminary High School) Previous Institution: Ole Miss Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 233 A look back at the past: Of all the transfers on Auburn’s roster, very few can even come close to matching the SEC experience Keys already has. Keys started five games for Ole Miss last season and had a total of 402 snaps. He had 39 total tackles, 3.5 for loss and two sacks. He also had a forced fumble and had a fumble recovery. Though, last season was by far the best and featuring the most game action of his college career. Keys redshirted in the 2020 season -- effectively at least, since that year didn’t count toward player eligibility. In 2021, he played in four games and had five total tackles. “He’s got the SEC experience,” Auburn defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said during spring practices. “He’s big. He’s physical. He runs exceptionally well. He’s intelligent. He’s very smart. He’s picked things up really fast.” 2023 roster outlook: Across the many season preview magazines, Keys is widely expected to start this fall. And that makes a lot of sense. Former Auburn linebacker Owen Pappoe is now in the NFL. He was Auburn’s most productive and most experienced linebacker last season. Auburn recruited linebackers heavily in the transfer portal this offseason as a result, and Keys may be the biggest name of the bunch now on campus. He certainly seems in line to make an immediate impact in the middle of Auburn’s defense. Returning linebackers Cam Riley and Wesley Steiner don’t have a significant head start on Keys either, despite their longer time on the The Plains, as they too have to learn a new scheme in Roberts defense. Finding someone who can be a vocal leader and production leader in the middle of the field is key in Roberts’ defense which focuses first on shutting down the run. It seems Auburn expects Keys to be that guy. “Austin Keys has been everything I thought he’d be,” Auburn linebackers coach Josh Aldridge said in spring practices. “He’s got to clean some detail stuff up. But I think we definitely did not miss on him by any means.” 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.

auburnwire.usatoday.com Where does Brian Battie rank among 'exciting' transfer players? Taylor Jones ~2 minutes Running back Brian Battie had an exciting career at USF, and he hopes to continue that trend at his new home on the Plains. Battie rushed for 1,841 yards and 10 touchdowns during his three-year stay at South Florida. Most of those yards came last season when he recorded 175 carries for 1,185 yards and eight scores. Buy Tigers Tickets The fun does not stop there, as Battie is just as dangerous in the return game. Over the last three seasons, Battie has accounted for 1,427 return yards. It is easy to see why Battie is a notable addition to the Tigers’ roster, and one college football analyst is excited to watch him play this fall. Joe Vitale of Athlon Sports compiled a list of ten SEC transfer players that he is excited to watch this fall. Battie checks in at No. 6 on the list due to his versatility. Battie ran for 1,186 yards at USF last year and can be a stud kick returner if Auburn chooses to use him as such. The 5-foot-7, 170-pound Battie took three kickoff returns to the house during his sophomore year alone in 2021. Several incoming transfers that made the cut include Dominic Lovett (Missouri to Georgia), Trey Knox (Arkansas to South Carolina), and Devin Leary (NC State to Kentucky). Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

it was hunter doing it and the secret service is just getting hunter out of another jam....................lol.

just keep being yourself david.

i might be guilty of that. i am the number one trump hater on the board. and let me say i delight in it and the butthurt it causes. and hey! i never have to make anything up about trump.

Never trust a preacher that tells you how to vote and never trust a politician that tells you how to pray.