aubiefifty

Auburn AD John Cohen discusses coaching search, deadline for making a hire Published: Nov. 18, 2022, 7:28 p.m. 5–6 minutes John Cohen wants to know if a coach if right- or left-handed. That’s just one of the 58 items on his detailed checklist of questions and criteria to sort through during the process of identifying Auburn’s next head football coach. Why is that important for him to ask? As a left-hander and former coach, Cohen had to train himself to think like a right-handed player when working with middle infielders during his baseball coaching career. Read more Auburn football: Updating Auburn’s football coaching search Auburn hopes to do right by star-crossed senior class in home finale against WKU The story behind Cadillac Williams’ dapper gameday suit “Coaches who have to demonstrate to kids who are right-handed who are left-handed, they have to act right-handed, right?” Cohen said during an in-house interview with Voice of the Auburn Tigers Andy Burcham. “So, it’s just one of the many questions that we’ve asked.” Cohen detailed a few of the other criteria included on that handy 58-item list he first held up during his introductory press conference on the Plains last week. It included family background, relationships, recruiting prowess, social media presence and connectivity with not only a city and state, but an ability to connect with the Auburn base. Again, as he mentioned during that press conference, fit is important to consider. “Not one of those things is the factor, but it certainly is a factor,” Cohen said. “You got to get to the bottom of all of it.” During his sitdown with Burcham, Cohen provided a little more insight and a peek behind the curtains of Auburn’s ongoing coaching search. Auburn parted ways with then-coach Bryan Harsin on Halloween, less than two years into his contract and just hours before Cohen was officially named athletics director, and elevated Cadillac Williams to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The search for the Tigers’ next full-time coach is in full swing, and while Cohen didn’t divulge too many specifics — or discuss any potential candidates — he went a little more into his process and a deadline for making a hire. “Well, it’s an information-gathering process, and it takes a while,” Cohen said. “We don’t have a long period of time… but it’s important that you’re not overwhelmed by a deadline. Having done this before, it’s important you’re not in a speed race; you’re after the right person. You can get into recruiting deadlines and things of that nature, especially now with the transfer portal, but the most important thing is to get the right person. “Obviously, there’s the basic three—there’s the X’s and O’s, there’s the recruiting and there’s the culture piece the head coach brings, then there’s a variety of other things you have to find out as well. Especially coaches that have a long, long track record, getting to the bottom of everything they’ve ever accomplished is an important thing also.” As he previously stated, Cohen has enlisted a search firm to help with the process, particularly from a logistics standpoint. The firm isn’t identifying candidates, but it is being used for background checks and to help facilitate meetings between Cohen and candidates. “This isn’t all about secrecy, but at the same time, while you’re going through this process, it’s important for it to stay small until it gets big,” Cohen said. “If we can get that accomplished, that’ll be a big part of the success of this.” Though Cohen is being judicious with the process, he also understands the looming deadline and need for urgency. The transfer portal opens on Dec. 5, and the early signing period is just more than a month away, beginning Dec. 21. That timeline has made the search Cohen’s top priority, with other athletics department personnel decisions and any facility matters being pushed to the side until a coaching hire is made. This process is dominating Cohen’s schedule, 24/7, he said. “We’re going to work expeditiously, but the tick, tick, tick isn’t going to rule what we’re doing, but we’re going to move quickly,” he said. Auburn has used in-house committees to assist with coaching searches in the past, including during the 2020 search that led to the hiring of Harsin from Boise State, but that isn’t the case this time around. Cohen is running point on the search, with the assistance of deputy athletics director Rich McGlynn, thus keeping information close to the vest. That hasn’t stopped him from seeking input from other sources during the process, however. “I will have some input from some former players, I’ll have some input from some former coaches, I’ll have some input from our administration,” Cohen said. “I want that information, but at the end of the day, this is going to be a John Cohen hire.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.

Takeaways from No. 13 Auburn’s 72-56 win against Texas Southern Updated: Nov. 18, 2022, 10:08 p.m.|Published: Nov. 18, 2022, 9:07 p.m. 7–9 minutes Tempers flared early in the second half at Neville Arena after K.D. Johnson drew a hard foul on a fastbreak. A Texas Southern player stood over Johnson while he remained down on the floor. Then Auburn assistant Steven Pearl stepped onto the court to try to defuse the situation as Allen Flanigan came racing in, prepared to defend his teammate. When things finally settled down, Texas Southern’s Zytarious Mortle was tagged with a flagrant foul, sending Johnson to the line for two shots plus possession. Johnson split the free throws, but in the end, it was he and Auburn who got the last laugh in a 72-56 win Friday night. The heated sequence with the flagrant foul came at the tail end of a 14-2 Auburn run that saw it claim its first double-digit lead of the night after Texas Southern grabbed a lead early in the second half, as Bruce Pearl’s team never looked back on its way to its fourth straight win to open the season. Just minutes after that exchange, Johnson drilled a 3-pointer, then followed it up with a steal and an off-the-backboard lob to Allen Flanigan for a reverse dunk that put Auburn in front by 13. “When it did get elevated, our guys definitely responded, and that was a bit of a turning point,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “...I thought our guys definitely responded to the physicality and all the talk.” Johnson finished with a team-high 16, while Jaylin Williams and Chris Moore scored 14 apiece for Auburn, which finished off its four-game season-opening homestand with its undefeated record intact as it heads to Mexico next week for the Cancun Challenge. “I just think we did what we needed to do in this four-game homestand,” Pearl said. “I do think we’ve gotten better. I do think we’ve learned, and we’ll go from there.” Here are AL.com’s key takeaways from Friday’s action: Johni Broome’s absence was felt, but Jaylin Williams stepped up Johni Broome had his best game in an Auburn uniform on Tuesday against Winthrop, dominating the Eagles with an 18-point, 13-rebound, five-block effort. Auburn didn’t have the luxury of his presence down low against Texas Southern, as he was sidelined after banging his knee against Winthrop and was only available in an emergency scenario. Broome’s absence meant an altered rotation at the five for Auburn, with Dylan Cardwell drawing the start, and freshman Yohan Traore and Stretch Akingbola working into the rotation. Traore has mostly played the four to this point, but he signed with Auburn as a “combo forward” who could play multiple spots in the frontcourt. Auburn was also forced to go to a small-ball lineup late in the first half, with Jaylin Williams at the five after Traore picked up his second foul. Of Auburn’s big men, it was Williams who stepped up most against Texas Southern. The senior finished with 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks. Williams led Auburn in rebounds, assists and steals on the night. “Four steals?,” Williams said, looking down at the box score. “Looks like I was on 2K.” Cardwell was efficient in his start, finishing with six points on 3-of-3 shooting and adding three blocks, as he has blocked at least three shots in each of Auburn’s four games to open the year. Cardwell also finished a team-best plus-27 for the game. Traore struggled, as the freshman was scoreless, committed four fouls and turned the ball over three times in 12 minutes. Akingbola was also scoreless, going 0-for-3 from the floor in eight minutes off the bench. Broome’s absence was most felt in the paint, though, as Texas Southern matched Auburn in points in the paint, with 36 on the night, and scored 16 second-chance points at Neville Arena. “I thought Jaylin played well,” Pearl said. “I didn’t think his first rotation was good. Same thing with Dylan. I think they both needed to play better earlier when your starting center is out. It just took a little while for those guys to get going. But, the sum of our parts, that’s our greatest strength.” Inconsistent shooting, turnovers a problem Auburn’s shooting woes continued Friday, as the team’s slow start to the season continued in that aspect. Auburn finished the game against Texas Southern shooting 17-of-25 on dunks and layups but just 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) on the rest of its shot attempts, that included just 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) from 3-point range, with three of those makes coming from Chris Moore, who was 3-of-4 from deep. Auburn’s first-half shooting, combined with turnovers (more on those in a second) allowed Texas Southern to keep it close at the break. Pearl’s team was 7-of-14 on dunks and layups in the first half but just 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) on the rest of its shot attempts in the opening 20 minutes. That included a 3-of-15 start from beyond the arc. On the turnover front, Auburn committed 20 on Friday, which led to 25 Texas Southern points. Eleven of those turnovers came in the first half, including three from Wendell Green Jr., who was coming off a performance against Winthrop in which he had five assists without committing a turnover. Those 11 turnovers in the first half led to 14 Texas Southern points, as the visiting Tigers were able to keep it a two-point game going into halftime, with Auburn ahead 29-27. Green finished with a team-high five turnovers against just three assists, to go along with four points and four rebounds. “I think, obviously, from a scouting standpoint, Wendell had been playing so well in our first three games that Johnny just wasn’t going to let Wendell beat us, and so they doubled him a lot in those ball-screens, and it bothered him,” Pearl said. “But that’s what your teammates are for. I thought that we had a bunch of guys respond.” A strong start for Chris Moore Chris Moore has adjusted well to his starting role at the three to open the year, and Friday was his best game to date this season. Moore finished with a season-high 14 points, shooting 4-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-4 from deep. Eleven of his points came in the second half, and he finished two points shy of matching his career high of 16, which he set last season against ULM. That was Moore’s only double-digit game last season, and the only other one during his career prior to Friday night was an 11-point effort against Missouri as a freshman. “It was just being aggressive,” Moore said of his second half. “I don’t know if y’all see on the sidelines, Coach goes crazy when I don’t score the ball this year. I ain’t ever played for a coach who gets on me for not scoring the ball. So it was just being confident, just trusting in my abilities and my coach’s belief.” Along with his scoring outburst, Moore pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists while adding a steal and a block. The junior has settled in well early this season now that he’s fully healthy. He played last season with a stress fracture in his shin, and he underwent surgery in the spring that sidelined him for three months. “He was a beast,” Pearl said. “I love his physicality.” Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. 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5 takeaways from Auburn's 72-56 win over Texas Southern Nathan King 7–9 minutes AUBURN, Alabama — For the second straight Friday, Auburn slogged through early turnovers, then used its depth to pull away in front of an energetic home crowd. The Tigers brushed off 11 first-half turnovers and got production from several spots in their lineup, as they closed out a four-game home stand to start the season with a 72-56 win over Texas Southern on Friday night. “We beat a good team tonight," Bruce Pearl said. "Beat a team that’s got a chance to win the SWAC and be an NCAA tournament team." Here are Auburn Undercover's immediate takeaways. First-half turnover frenzy Neither team found a consistent offensive flow in the first because, well, they weren’t holding onto the ball much. Each team had 11 turnovers in the first half, with Auburn and Texas Southern turning it over on a near-even 32.4 percent and 31.4 percent of their total offensive possessions, respectively. "We were sloppy with the ball, and that was an issue for us," Pearl said. "... That was a problem.” Auburn had success in the paint but struggled to find its shooting stroke, missing its first six 3-pointers of the game before a make by K.D. Johnson. The home Tigers missed nine of their first 10 looks from downtown. Texas Southern made four of its last five shots heading into the break, though, and were only down 29-27 at halftime. Senior delivers for thin frontcourt Auburn was without starting center Johni Broome due to a bone bruise suffered in the win over Winthrop on Wednesday, giving fellow junior Dylan Cardwell his first career start. And without Broome, who dominated with 18 points and 13 rebounds Tuesday, Auburn’s most experienced big man stepped up in a big way. Jaylin Williams delivered with 14 points, his most in a game since last January in a home win over Florida (18 points), plus a team-high eight rebounds. The 6-foot-9 power forward was just as effective on the defensive end, too, with three steals and two blocks in the first half and a team-high 95.8% percent stop rate for the game. Senior center Stretch Akingbola played his most minutes of the season (eight) in Broome’s absence, and struggled severely. He went 0-of-3 from the field, including an airballed hook shot, and was beaten on defense for a Texas Southern bucket on two straight possessions in the first half. Cardwell, who entered the game second nationally at 4.97 blocks per game, had an efficient night, making all three of his shots and tallying three blocks. Five-star freshman Yohan Traore got into early foul trouble and saw little usage, attempting just one shot and playing only 12 minutes, with three turnovers and four fouls. Broome's defensive presence was missed, too, as both teams had 36 points in the paint. Pearl elaborated on Broome's injury postgame: He "banged knees" with a Winthrop player Tuesday. Pearl said Broome should be available for the Tigers' next two games in Cancun. The gravity of K.D. Johnson There was a sequence midway through the second half where the entire building felt as if it would bend to K.D. Johnson’s will. Having his best game of the season already, Johnson drilled a 3-pointer to put Auburn up by 11. The energetic guard then grabbed a steal near midcourt and had no defenders anywhere near him. He chose to lob it off the backboard to Allen Flanigan for a slam, as Auburn’s student section went ballistic. The visiting Tigers traveled on their next possession, prompting the under-12 media timeout, which Johnson celebrated right in front of Texas Southern’s bench. A few TSU coaches took offense, and Johnson, unsurprisingly, jawed right back. An unintimidated Texas Southern squad attempt to challenge Johnson’s energy, and the junior responded with Auburn’s best scoring performance of the game. With 16 points off the bench, Johnson paced Auburn’s offense right out of the gate, with 8 points in the first 7 minutes. "He was still intense, he was still aggressive, but he was under control," Pearl said of Johnson. "He did it with purpose. He's been working really hard to do that, to letting us coach him. He was obviously really effective out there." Auburn pulls away in transition Starting point guard Wendell Green Jr. didn’t score until 17:10 left in the second half — but his bucket, plus Williams’ second 3-pointer of the night, an offensive rebound for the senior forward, and a forced turnover by Flanigan on a routine inbound pass were as part of an 11-0 run for Auburn go up by 9 points, the Tigers’ largest lead of the game to that point. Following a chippy flagrant foul that led to assistant coach Steven Pearl and Texas Southern forward Joirdon Karl Nicholas exchanging words on the floor, it was a 14-2 run for Auburn to go up 10. Texas Southern was a veteran and physical bunch, and Pearl told his players as much heading into the game. He was glad for the wake-up call, though, and for the way his team responded when they were trailing early in the second half. "I think that surprised my kids when I said, 'No, this is going to come down — it's going to be fairly close,'" Pearl said. "I just think they've been kind of able to just blow people out. When it did get elevated, our guys definitely responded, and that was a bit of a turning point." The home Tigers pulled away by stringing together several defensive stops and converting them into transition buckets. Auburn had 16 fastbreak points in the second half and 28 for the game. "The key to that was the rebounding," Pearl said of transition scoring. "The key to that was the fact that Jaylin or Chris or whoever it was, Al, got on the boards. Wendell had four defensive rebounds. Al had four defensive rebounds. We got out and we went. That was really key. That easy offense made a big difference, but it started with defending and rebounding and then we got those outlets and really hurt them in transition." Moore's strong start continues Pearl continues to start junior Chris Moore at the 3 spot over the more experienced Flanigan. And continues to produce. Making 3-of-4 attempts from beyond the arc, Moore had 11 points of his 14 points in the second half, plus seven rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal in the victory. It was Moore's first game scoring double digits since his career-high 16 points in the second game of last season against Louisiana Monroe. "It was just being aggressive," Moore said. "I don't know if y'all see on the sidelines, Coach goes crazy when I don't score the ball this year. I ain't ever played for a coach who gets on me for not scoring the ball. So it was just being confident, just trusting in my abilities and my coach's belief." With Williams logging some extra minutes at the 5 to make up for Broome's absence, Moore had to moonlight some at the 4 spot. 4COMMENTS "Obviously, Chris Moore played really well," Pearl said. He's a team favorite, fan favorite—just because he's a great kid and works so hard and has been so unselfish kind of waiting his turn. It’s good to see him play with confidence." Auburn has now had three double-digit scorers (Johnson, Williams and Moore on Friday) in three of four games.

i kinda like tulanes head coach. i think he is in the top six all time winning coaches? i watched them and smu thursday night and they were well coached. i have no idea on recruiting or portal nil. but his team was physical and they reminded me a little of an old dye team. i am shocked he has not climbed further up the ladder to one of the big boys. i never saw him well so maybe he is too old? all i know is he has great teams and they play hard for him.

shovels or backhoe?

ok thanx. i have never caught it this early. i can listen to andy and sonny call the game. but they do slip up and show it free as i watched one before.

they are showing s tejas warming up and pre game analysis with andy and sonny. normally they just show the announcers but they can cover the whole floor. i hope this helps guys.

is on on youtube for the game. i have no idea what they will show. it could just be the announcers or maybe the game but it is showing them warming up. hope this helps some.

Kevin McCarthy promises revenge and recriminations. But first he has to become House speaker The Fresno Bee Editorial Board 5–6 minutes Having easily dispatched with his latest Democratic opponent in the Nov. 8 election, Republican Kevin McCarthy is readying for the balloting he cares most about: Winning the race to become the next speaker of the House. McCarthy cruised to victory over Marisa Wood, 67.5% to 32.5%, and earned the right to represent the newly drawn 20th District. Besides parts of Bakersfield, which is McCarthy’s hometown, the district stretches north all the way to Clovis and parts of Fresno County. On Wednesday it became official that control of the House would flip from Democrats to Republicans. That means longtime Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi will leave the post. As he readies to get 218 votes of House members to become the next speaker, McCarthy faces more formidable challengers than Wood. Hard-right members of the GOP have made clear they plan to challenge McCarthy for speaker, or else extract concessions from him for their support. For the better part of the last six months, McCarthy has been angling to make those ultra-conservative members of the Freedom Caucus happy. How has he done it? By promising revenge and recriminations for years of House control under Pelosi, the San Francisco Democrat conservatives love to hate. Next up: Recriminations and revenge McCarthy has already pledged to investigate Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department over what he calls “an intolerable state of weaponized politicization.” The threat came in the wake of FBI agents searching former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate for documents he had not returned to government keeping, as required by federal law. Opinion Nevermind Trump should never have taken anything classified or otherwise from the White House once he left it. Nevermind the Justice Department and the AG are just trying to uphold the law. To McCarthy and the GOP, it’s “weaponization.” Next, some of the harshest right-wing House members want McCarthy’s blessing to bring impeachment proceedings against President Biden. Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene has already introduced five articles of impeachment accusing Biden of abusing his power while serving as vice president to benefit his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine. Other conservatives bash Biden for losing immigration control of the border or for the disjointed withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan. According to The New York Times, a total of 10 House Republicans have either introduced or sponsored a total of 21 articles of impeachment against Biden and his top officials. Cutting government spending and reinvigorating American oil and gas exploration are other GOP priorities McCarthy wants to pursue. Cutting Social Security or Medicare would seriously hurt low-income seniors in his 20th District. To say nothing of oil and gas production that only worsens climate change and makes more air pollution in his new district, which happens to be one of the most polluted in the nation. Elections have consequences, so get ready for those unleashed by McCarthy if he becomes second in line to the presidency. As Speaker—I will take action to fix what Nancy Pelosi so badly broke. House Republicans' work begins immediately: • Deliver on our Commitment to America • Hold this Administration accountable • Stop the Biden agenda pic.twitter.com/ATYpIhOrLu — Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) November 16, 2022 Needed most: A Valley agenda “Stopping the Biden agenda,” as McCarthy promises to do, means playing lots of inside-the-Beltway politics. That requires time and attention. But how about an agenda for the San Joaquin Valley and its problems? McCarthy well knows about one major problem facing Valley farmers: having enough water. With the impacts of the ongoing California drought and a 2014 state law that put limits on how much groundwater pumping farmers could do, about 500,000 acres of farmland in the Valley may be taken out of production in the Valley in the coming decades, reports the Public Policy Institute of California. The PPIC has said that if fallowed land is not carefully planned for, blowing dust will be the result, adding to the Valley’s already bad air quality. Public health will suffer. Then there are economic impacts of any slowdown in farming. Advocates for farm workers, a group estimated to number about 170,000, worry that widespread fallowing of land will mean unemployment for these people. That, in turn, would hurt the small towns throughout the Valley with businesses that cater to field workers. This is but one example of challenges facing McCarthy’s home region. Unemployment in the counties he represents is well above the state average. The region’s young people are way behind their peers statewide for attaining a college education. And poverty, a decades-long burden on the Valley, remains as firmly entrenched as ever. As the new year beckons and McCarthy strives mightily to win enough votes for his cherished dream of becoming House speaker, he must remember the multifaceted plight of the Valley while he engages his GOP revenge mode. If all McCarthy ends up doing is keeping Taylor Greene happy, he will have failed the people of his district, and America.

no sir because trump is a known crook...................

how frigging many times ya'll gonna investigate him?

White House Responds to GOP’s Hunter Biden Probe: ‘Long-Debunked Conspiracy Theories’ Isaac Schorr 4–5 minutes The White House has responded to House Republicans’ announcement that they would be opening a probe into Joe Biden’s involvement with his son Hunter’s business interests by casting the probe as an exploration of “long-debunked conspiracy theories.” “President Biden is not going to let these political attacks distract him from focusing on Americans’ priorities, and we hope congressional Republicans will join us in tackling them instead of wasting time and resources on political revenge,” said a spokesman for the White House Counsel’s office. At a press conference held on Thursday morning, Representatives James Comer (R., Ky.) and Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) announced that House Republicans would be opening up an investigation to determine the extent of President Joe Biden’s involvement in his son Hunter’s business dealings. According to Comer and Jordan, Republicans have already gathered incriminating evidence of wire fraud, violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, and tax evasion, among other crimes allegedly committed by the Bidens. Jordan, who is expected to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee now that Republicans have secured a narrow majority in the chamber, plans to make the Biden’s overseas business dealings a central focus of the committee’s oversight efforts in the new Congress. “As part of our investigation, we have evidence that the finances, credit cards, and bank accounts of Hunter and Joe Biden were co-mingled, if not shared. And on some accounts at least, red flags were raised by banks to the account owner or owners indicating suspicious or illegal activity,” said Comer, who also noted that Hunter Biden’s business associates met with his father on numerous occasions while Biden was serving as vice president. The Bidens “flourished and became millionaires by simply offering access to the family,” said Comer. The business activity and drug use of Hunter Biden has long been a political liability for the president, who has stood by and stated that he is “proud” of his son. House Republicans followed up the press conference by releasing a report Thursday that outlines their past and future investigative efforts. “Committee Republicans’ investigation has uncovered evidence demonstrating deliberate, repeated deception of the American people, abuse of the Executive Branch for personal gain, use of government power to obstruct the investigation and prevent transparency, and potential violations of the United States Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause,” the report reads. “The President’s personal participation in his family’s global business ventures — committed through and by a complex network of relatives and associates to enrich the Biden family — has exposed the United States to national security risks that could be leveraged by our enemies to undermine the Office of the President,” the report continues. According to a Washington Post report from last month, the U.S. attorney in Delaware is currently mulling charges against Hunter Biden, who has been presented with evidence by federal investigators that Biden has committed tax evasion and lied about his drug use on a form he filled out in order to purchase a firearm. He was using crack cocaine at the time. Hallie Biden, Hunter’s late older brother Beau’s widow, and Hunter’s ex- girlfriend, hid the weapon from him because she was “scared” he would “use it.”

GOP’s First Move After Winning The House: Investigating Hunter Biden Arthur Delaney 4–5 minutes WASHINGTON — In their first press conference after winning control of the House of Representatives, Republicans said they’d uncovered crimes committed by President Joe Biden’s family. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee, said Thursday that he and his colleagues have spoken to whistleblowers, reviewed a laptop owned by Biden’s son Hunter, and “received documents” reflecting previously unknown financial transactions. “What we found are business plans aimed at targets around the world based on influence peddling, including with people closely tied to foreign governments like China and Russia,” Comer said. “We also found plans based in the United States where the Biden family swindled investors of hundreds of thousands of dollars — all with Joe Biden’s participation or knowledge.” In the run-up to the midterm elections earlier this month, the GOP pitched a governing agenda focused on inflation and crime. With Democrats retaining control of the Senate and the White House, however, Republicans won’t be able to enact much of an economic plan. But they’ll soon have new power to issue subpoenas and draw attention to the Bidens, and Thursday’s press conference previewed those efforts. Comer’s allegations build on a long-standing Republican focus on Hunter Biden’s efforts to cash in on his family name, which has not yet yielded clear proof of his father’s involvement. Comer said new whistleblower evidence does prove a connection: A committee report issued Thursday states that Joe Biden met with his son’s business associates, but the document provides only circumstantial evidence of the elder Biden’s involvement in business decisions. The document also says the president has ties to the Chinese Communist Party. “Instead of working with President Biden to address issues important to the American people, like lower costs, congressional Republicans’ top priority is to go after President Biden with politically-motivated attacks chock full of long-debunked conspiracy theories,” Ian Sams, spokesman for the White House counsel’s office, said in an email. The Justice Department has been investigating Hunter Biden for tax evasion since 2018, under the supervision of a U.S. attorney appointed by then-President Donald Trump, but no charges have been filed. Comer also released a batch of letters to government agencies and associates of Hunter Biden — a not-so-subtle reminder that Republicans will soon be able to enforce their requests for information with court orders. In addition to the allegations against the Bidens, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said Republicans would investigate claims of political corruption at the Justice Department, based on allegations from a number of FBI agents-turned-whistleblowers. “One of those agents said — and this is the term he used — he said at the highest levels of the FBI, specifically the Washington field office, he said, ‘It’s rotted to the core,’” Jordan said. Among the whistleblowers is a special agent from Florida who refused to participate in any cases against people who rioted at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The agent complained to Congress that the FBI was improperly classifying them as domestic violent extremism to falsely claim a nationwide increase in such cases even though they all stemmed from one incident. Jordan told HuffPost that he didn’t have a problem with the Justice Department prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters; his gripe is merely that the FBI is “cooking the books” with the way it is labeling cases. So far, the FBI has arrested and charged about 900 rioters. “I’ve said all along if people who did wrong on Jan. 6 should be prosecuted,” Jordan said. “But we do have concerns about the political nature of the Justice Department and how things are operating across the board.” During the press conference, Comer stressed that he was speaking only for Oversight Committee Republicans and not the entire House GOP. He noted that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has said Republicans would vote on a bill to undo the boost to IRS enforcement funding that Democrats enacted earlier this year. “We’re focused on a lot of things in Congress, but from the Oversight Committee we’re in charge of investigations,” Comer said. “We feel that this is of the utmost import.”

Key Evangelical Figures Turn On Trump: 'He Used Us' Ed Mazza 2–3 minutes Evangelical figures who previously supported Donald Trump are backing off now that he’s announced his third bid for the presidency. “Donald Trump can’t save America,” Mike Evans told The Washington Post. “He can’t even save himself.” Evans was part of a group of evangelicals who met with Trump at the White House, and at one point gave him an award. Now, he says he’s done with Trump. “He used us to win the White House. We had to close our mouths and eyes when he said things that horrified us,” Evans told the newspaper. “I cannot do that anymore.” Robert Jeffress, one of Trump’s evangelical advisers during the 2016 campaign and a longtime supporter, said he’s not ready to endorse him again. “The Republican Party is headed toward a civil war that I have no desire or need to be part of,” Jeffress told Newsweek, adding that he would “happily” support Trump again if he wins the nomination. That’s not a given, considering Trump’s plunging poll numbers among Republican voters. Jeffress also seemed to subtweet Trump on the day of his 2024 announcement by urging people to buy Mike Pence’s book: Jeffress added on Twitter that he still considers Trump “a great friend and our greatest president since Reagan.” Another onetime faith adviser to Trump, James Robison of Life Outreach International, said in a speech this week that Trump’s ego is getting in the way of the agenda. “If Mr. Trump can’t stop his little petty issues, how does he expect people to stop major issues?” Robison said, according to The Washington Post. He said he told Trump: “Sir, you act like a little elementary schoolchild and you shoot yourself in the foot every morning you get up and open your mouth! The more you keep your mouth closed, the more successful you’re gonna be!” Robison did not say if he was planning to support Trump in 2024. Another evangelical figure who previously endorsed Trump was even more blunt, with Washington Times columnist Everett Piper writing that Trump cost the GOP big in the midterms and could hurt them even more in two years. “The take-home of this past week is simple: Donald Trump has to go,” Piper wrote. “If he‘s our nominee in 2024, we will get destroyed.”

Charles Barkley reveals his top candidate for the vacant Auburn job Taylor Jones 2–3 minutes It has been two-and-a-half weeks since Auburn University elected to part with head football coach Bryan Harsin. With a story of that magnitude rocking Auburn athletics, it is strange that former Auburn Basketball star and current NBA analyst Charles Barkley has stayed quiet. He finally shared his thoughts on the coaching search Thursday. As a guest on “The Next Round” hosted by Lance Taylor, Jim Dunaway, and Ryan Brown, Barkley was asked if he likes the idea of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin becoming the next head coach of Auburn Football. Barkley steered clear of Kiffin in favor of another candidate “I’m going to support whoever the coach is. I personally want Deion Sanders,” Barkley responded. He continued his response by providing two reasons for selecting his top candidate. His first reason was given in a way that only Barkley could give. “He’s gonna recruit like hell,” Barkley said. “Deion (Sanders) is going to win wherever where he goes. If you have ever been around Deion Sanders… I watched that 60 minutes interview about a month ago… I have known Deion Sanders since college, that’s the way he is. He is going to win or be successful at anything he does.” Barkley becomes the second Auburn legend to put a good word out for Deion Sanders. In an interview with Tony Anderson of USA TODAY Sports last month, former Auburn three-sport letter winner Bo Jackson said that he would welcome the idea of Sanders coaching at Auburn. “You can look at what (Sanders has) done for Jackson State and the short amount of time he’s been there,” Jackson said during an episode of Sports Seriously. He has the charisma. He has what it takes because Deion, like myself, we were coached old-school and that’s the way he’s coaching his players. You’re seeing the results.”

fellows the cubbard is bare this morning but i will check back through out the day to see if any new articles pop up.

Presley Patterson and Jaylin Williams this morning at Dufners Foundation. I love that so many of our kids give back!

Auburn vs. Texas Southern: How to watch NCAAB online, TV channel, live stream info, game time How to watch Auburn vs. Texas Southern basketball game By Scout Staff 34 mins ago • 1 min read Who's Playing Texas Southern @ No. 13 Auburn Current Records: Texas Southern 1-4; Auburn 3-0 What to Know The Texas Southern Tigers' road trip will continue as they head to Neville Arena at 8 p.m. ET Friday to face off against the #13 Auburn Tigers. Both teams looked pretty sloppy on the offensive side of the ball the last time they faced off, scoring just zero points combined. A victory for Texas Southern just wasn't in the stars on Wednesday as the squad never even grasped a temporary lead. They were pulverized by the Houston Cougars 83-48. Guard PJ Henry had a pretty forgettable game, finishing with only nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in his 26 minutes on the court. Meanwhile, Auburn made easy work of the Winthrop Eagles on Tuesday and carried off an 89-65 win. Among those leading the charge for Auburn was forward Johni Broome, who posted a double-double on 18 points and 13 rebounds in addition to five blocks. Texas Southern is the clear underdog, so they're hoping it's the size of the fight that determines this one. Now might not be the best time to take Texas Southern against the spread since they've let down bettors for the past two consecutive games. Texas Southern is now 1-4 while Auburn sits at 3-0. A couple offensive stats to keep an eye on: Texas Southern has only been able to knock down 36.90% percent of their shots, which is the 348th lowest field goal percentage in college basketball. Auburns have had an even harder time: they have only been able to knock down 40.30% percent of their shots, which is the 36th lowest field goal percentage in college basketball. It could be a slow night. How To Watch When: Friday at 8 p.m. ET Where: Neville Arena -- Auburn, Alabama TV: ESPN Plus Follow: CBS Sports App Odds The Tigers are a big 24-point favorite against the Tigers, according to the latest college basketball odds. The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 24-point spread, and stayed right there. Over/Under: -110 See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now. Series History Texas Southern and Auburn tied in their last contest. Dec 15, 2020 - Texas Southern 0 vs. Auburn 0

this seems like a duplicate but it adds a little extra info. Auburn vs. Texas Southern: How to watch NCAAB online, TV channel, live stream info, game time How to watch Auburn vs. Texas Southern basketball game By Scout Staff 34 mins ago • 1 min read Who's Playing Texas Southern @ No. 13 Auburn Current Records: Texas Southern 1-4; Auburn 3-0 What to Know The Texas Southern Tigers' road trip will continue as they head to Neville Arena at 8 p.m. ET Friday to face off against the #13 Auburn Tigers. Both teams looked pretty sloppy on the offensive side of the ball the last time they faced off, scoring just zero points combined. A victory for Texas Southern just wasn't in the stars on Wednesday as the squad never even grasped a temporary lead. They were pulverized by the Houston Cougars 83-48. Guard PJ Henry had a pretty forgettable game, finishing with only nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in his 26 minutes on the court. Meanwhile, Auburn made easy work of the Winthrop Eagles on Tuesday and carried off an 89-65 win. Among those leading the charge for Auburn was forward Johni Broome, who posted a double-double on 18 points and 13 rebounds in addition to five blocks. Texas Southern is the clear underdog, so they're hoping it's the size of the fight that determines this one. Now might not be the best time to take Texas Southern against the spread since they've let down bettors for the past two consecutive games. Texas Southern is now 1-4 while Auburn sits at 3-0. A couple offensive stats to keep an eye on: Texas Southern has only been able to knock down 36.90% percent of their shots, which is the 348th lowest field goal percentage in college basketball. Auburns have had an even harder time: they have only been able to knock down 40.30% percent of their shots, which is the 36th lowest field goal percentage in college basketball. It could be a slow night. How To Watch When: Friday at 8 p.m. ET Where: Neville Arena -- Auburn, Alabama TV: ESPN Plus Follow: CBS Sports App Odds The Tigers are a big 24-point favorite against the Tigers, according to the latest college basketball odds. The oddsmakers were right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 24-point spread, and stayed right there. Over/Under: -110 See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now. Series History Texas Southern and Auburn tied in their last contest. Dec 15, 2020 - Texas Southern 0 vs. Auburn 0

How to watch the Auburn basketball game vs Texas Southern Zac Blackerby 2–3 minutes Auburn basketball is playing its fourth game in 12 days before heading to the Cancun Challenge next week. Bruce Pearl and the Tigers (3-0) will be hosting Texas Southern (1-4), who won the SWAC last season. Auburn has won 41 straight nonconference games in Neville Arena. Pearl and the Tigers will look to add to that total Friday evening. Johni Broome scored his 1,000th career point earlier this week in the game against Winthrop. The next Tigers to cross that mark should be Wendell Green with 916 and Zep Jasper who has 883. How to watch the Auburn basketball game vs Texas Southern The game will tip off at 7:00 pm CT. It can be seen on the SEC Network+. This is a streaming-only. Lyn Rollins and Joe Ciampi will have the call. The radio call will be on the Auburn sports network. Andy Burcham, Sonny Smith, and Brad Law will have the call. Series history Auburn leads 4-0. All four games have been played in Auburn. The most recent installment of the series was in December 2020 resulting in an 80-63 victory in favor of Auburn during the COVID season. The most competitive game was a one-point win by Auburn in 2014. Auburn won 61-60. Fun fact From Auburn's release, this will be the first of three Tigers vs. Tigers matchups this season next to a Holiday Hoopsgiving tilt with Memphis on Dec. 10 in Atlanta and at LSU on Jan. 18 in Baton Rouge, La.

they need a bong table just saying...............grins