Michael Vick Calls Out Brett Favre for Ongoing Welfare Scandal and Says the System Is 'Rigged'New Foto - Michael Vick Calls Out Brett Favre for Ongoing Welfare Scandal and Says the System Is 'Rigged'

Cindy Ord/Getty;Tasos Katopodis/Getty Michael Vick is speaking out against Brett Favre The former NFL quarterback seemingly says inUNTOLD: The Fall of Favrethat Favre is "untouchable" regarding his welfare scandal Favre has not been charged in the Mississippi welfare scandal Former quarterbackMichael Vickis among those who speak out againstBrett Favrein a new Netflix documentary that follows the "fall" of the three-time NFL MVP quarterback, who has been accused of sexual harassment and stealing money from the poor. Favre's off-the-field controversies are at the center ofUNTOLD: The Fall of Favre, which began streaming Tuesday on Netflix. The hourlong doc follows Favre's rise as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Green Bay Packers to his tumultuous exit from the league, his 2010 sexting scandal and the more recent allegations that he took part in a multimillion dollar plot to siphon money from Mississippi's welfare funds. Favre, 55, has long denied the allegations and refused to be interviewed for the Netflix documentary. Vick, 44, however, speaks out about what it's like to be an NFL quarterback and how some players are offered exemptions based on who they are. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback, who once spent548 daysin prison for charges related to a Virginia dog-fighting ring, seemingly says in the doc that Favre is "untouchable" while discussingFavre's role in the Mississippi welfare scandal. "People go to jail for stealing money everyday," Vick says. "If it's that important, the right institutions can get involved. But, you know, some people are untouchable in certain ways and that's just the way it is. I just think that's kinda how the system is rigged. You know, some situations have to be played out in court. Some have to be played out in the public." Favre has not been charged in the Mississippi welfare scandal, despite texts to state officials discussing whether he could get in trouble if "the media" finds out where the money came from. State officials are alleged to have redirectedupwards of $77 millionto Favre and his pet projects, including building a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter played volleyball. Favre was called to testify in front of the U.S. Congress House Ways and Means Committee in September 2024. Clips of the testimony are shown in the doc, and show some of lawmakers fawning over his football skills during the congressional appearance while other attendees asking for the quarterback's autograph afterwards. Kevin Dietsch/Getty "Brett Favre, with his name, ID, and reputation, could have done a lot of good for a state like Mississippi," Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson says in the documentary. "But he didn't. He took advantage of the people who were on that path and struggling." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The new Netflix doc juxtaposes fans' idolization of Favre alongside the allegations that have clouded him, especially in his home state of Mississippi. The documentary includes interviews with reporters, Mississippi lawmakers, sports columnists and former players who address the treatment Favre has received in response to both the 2010 sexting scandal and the ongoing welfare scandal. "If you are perceived as a superstar and you're white, in many instances you get a pass," Thompson says. "Brett Favre is getting a pass." He adds: "In certain circles, he's still an icon. That doesn't mean that he can't do wrong. He did do wrong. I don't know how he sleeps at night." Read the original article onPeople

Michael Vick Calls Out Brett Favre for Ongoing Welfare Scandal and Says the System Is 'Rigged’

Michael Vick Calls Out Brett Favre for Ongoing Welfare Scandal and Says the System Is 'Rigged' Cindy Ord/Getty;Tasos Katopodis/Getty...
Clash of the clowns: How two of England's worst teams made it to a European soccer finalNew Foto - Clash of the clowns: How two of England's worst teams made it to a European soccer final

Two of England's worst-performing soccer teams have somehow found themselves in a high-stakes European tournament final. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who've served up shambolic displays in the English Premier League all year, will square off in the Europa League final Wednesday in Bilbao, Spain. The winner clinches automatic qualification for the prestigious European Champions League and the multimillion-dollar payout that comes with it. It's difficult to overstate how abysmal these iconic soccer teams have been in the English Premier League this season. Manchester United is 16th in the table, barely above the relegation zone. Its much-maligned Cameroonian goalkeeper, Andre Onana, has been prone to calamitous mistakes. And its forward line, spearheaded by Danish striker Rasmus Højlund, has been largely impotent. The entire team has scored only 42 goals in 37 league games throughout the entire season. "I always had this feeling of frustration for the season," Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said Friday after his team's 18th defeat of the Premier League season. The young Portuguese coach acknowledged that winning the Europa League on Wednesday wouldn't compensate for the shocking performances fans have been subjected to all year. "Europa League is not enough," he said bluntly. One of the few teams actually below Manchester United in the league table? Tottenham Hotspur, colloquially known as "Spurs." The London team sits 17th, one position away from relegation to a lower league. Spurs' malfunctioning midfield and a slew of injuries haven't helped their dismal league position. Their captain, Heung-min Son, has underwhelmed. The South Korean star has failed to fill the goal vacuum left by England captain Harry Kane, who departed for German giant Bayern Munich two seasons ago. And Spurs have lost more than half of their games this season. In contrast to Amorim, who has conceded his coaching hasn't been up to snuff, Tottenham's Australian manager, Ange Postecoglou, has talked more glowingly about his performance despite leading Tottenham to its worst Premier League finish in history. "I don't think there'd be another manager who gets to a European final that's had their ability to manage questioned as much as I have," he said defensively in an interview with TNT Sports last week. Postecoglou said he and Amorim are experiencing similar judgments ahead of the final. "For both of us, this is a significant game, because it can really salvage what many will look at as either a disastrous year or, I think, in our perspective, certainly a historic year," he said. Despite their poor play in the Premier League, both squads have risen to the occasion in the Europa League. Manchester United hasn't lost a match on its way to the final, brushing past Spanish club Athletic Bilbao and French club Lyon en route. Tottenham has also been impressive, defeating German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt, Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and the breakout team of the tournament, Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt. European soccer elitists turn up their noses at the Europa League because of its second-rate status. The Europa League is considered junior varsity compared with the Champions League. The latter features soccer royalty like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The Europa League tournament's appeal lies in the fact that the winner automatically qualifiesintothe Champions League, club soccer's most prestigious tournament with the highest caliber of play. Playing in the Champions League also means revenue generated by television rights, sponsorships and ticket sales. Every team in the Champions League gets about $20.8 million from the governing body, UEFA. Plus, there's prize money, with each win in the tournament garnering an additional $2.3 million andeven bigger paydaysfor making it to the latter stages. Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur could use that injection of cash to buy new players and overhaul their squads over the summer. Without it, they could be left languishing in the league table yet again next season. "How much money you make is not why you get into the Champions League; it is what you do with that money," Postecoglou said at a news conference in April. "I've always said it's not just about having money; it's how you spend it." 'Best time ever to be a New Yorker': Spike Lee, Fat Joe and others reflect on an iconic Knicks run Journalism shows heart, resilience to win the Preakness Stakes — just like the Altadena community he represents WNBA probes alleged racist fan remarks during Indiana Fever's home win over Chicago Sky Meanwhile, Amorim is hoping more cash can fund a cultural reset among the Manchester United squad and return the team to a winning mentality. "The culture in the team ... we need to change that. We need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave," he said at a news conference this month when he was asked about new players coming in. How Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur found themselves in this final despite dreadful performances this season is a mystery to many. Some argue it's the financial might of the Premier League that allows even its worst teams to go far in European competition. Others say it's a freakish anomaly. What can't be squabbled over is how important a win Wednesday would be for both fan bases. Fans of Manchester United, one of the most widely supported teams on the globe, are the butt of world soccer's joke. The club's gradual demise after the retirement of their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013 has led to snickering from fans and jeering by rivals. A trophy at the end of the season should quiet the haters, at least for the summer. For Tottenham Hotspur, a victory would bring a welcome trophy for its dusty silverware cabinet. The club hasn't won a major competition since 2008, losing in four different finals. Postecoglou, a journeyman manager who has been successful in previous stints in Australia, Japan and Scotland, confidently declared that "I always win things in my second year" in a postmatch interview in September. A win Wednesday would prove him right. Tottenham has beaten Manchester United all three times they have played each other this season. But Manchester United's players have found it within them to roll back the years in cup finals, shocking the world by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final last season and picking up the English League Cup trophy the year before. Who caps a season filled with despair and dread with delight is anyone's guess. Both fan bases will be hoping for a reprieve from the ridicule.

Clash of the clowns: How two of England's worst teams made it to a European soccer final

Clash of the clowns: How two of England's worst teams made it to a European soccer final Two of England's worst-performing soccer te...
Inside the SEC's starting quarterback competitions ahead of 2025 college football seasonNew Foto - Inside the SEC's starting quarterback competitions ahead of 2025 college football season

Steve Sarkisiancleared up the quarterback drama at Texas in February when he announcedArch Manningas theLonghorns' starting quarterback. Just kidding — there was no drama at Texas. Sarkisian's anointment of Arch equated to saying it's hot in Texas in July. Thanks, we know. Not everyone's a Manning, but Texas' quarterback situation is more the rule than the exception this offseason. Most SEC teams feature an obvious starter. Here's an assessment of the quarterback situation at each SEC school: Some coaches won't announce their quarterback until much closer to the season opener, but I'm confident in pegging each of these as their team's starter: Coach Hugh Freeze declared Arnold, the Oklahoma transfer, as "the No. 1." If Arnold struggles like he did with the Sooners, Stanford transferAshton Danielsprovides another option with starting experience. Way back in 2021, Calzada started for Texas A&M in an upset ofAlabama. Now, he's entering his seventh season with his fourth team. He's fresh off an appearance in the FCS playoffs with Incarnate Word. Green returns as the starter following an up-and-down first season in Fayetteville after he transferred fromBoise State. A lack of proven playmakers around Green projects as a bigger issue. The Gators won four straight games to finish last season while Lagway started as a true freshman. He's a top-tier SEC quarterback. If Manning lives up to the hype, the Longhorns should have the juice to contend for a national championship. BEST OF BEST:Our ranking of college football's top 25 coaches RE-RANK:Texas leads college football NCAA 1-136 after spring The Sooners needed solutions on offense. Insert Mateer, the Washington State transfer who rushed for 826 yards last season. Nussmeier is the SEC's only returning quarterback who passed for more than 4,000 yards last season. Pavia owns two wins against Auburn and one against Alabama. He has made Vanderbilt relevant. That's no easy feat. Pribula teased some dual-threat talents in two seasons as Penn State's backup. He's a nice portal pickup for Missouri. Reed supplanted Conner Weigman as the Aggies' starter last season, and Weigman's offseason transfer to Houston means there's no lingering competition. Sellers became one of the SEC's top breakout players last season. Now, he's a proven commodity. A shoulder injury sidelined Shapen after four games last season. The good news for Mississippi State is that he's back, and its offense looked better last year with him on the field. CoachLane Kiffindescribed Simmons as having "a very high ceiling." Simmons showed a glimpse of that ceiling in a relief appearance againstGeorgialast season. Offensive coordinatorRyan Grubbsaid after the spring game that Simpson would start if Alabama's season started then. Five-star freshman Keelon Russell might be the quarterback of the future. As for the present,Simpson enjoys the edgeafter three years as an Alabama backup. Stockton retains theinside track for the jobafter starting Georgia's playoff game against Notre Dame. He showed his lead in the competition over Ryan Puglisi in Georgia's spring game. The Vols will have a new starting quarterback after Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA in April. Former Appalachian State starterJoey Aguilar will headline a competitionthat includes Jake Merklinger and George MacIntyre. Merklinger was Tennessee's third-stringer last season. MacIntyre is a true freshman, making him the long shot. Aguilar's starting experience might give him a slight edge. He must quickly learn Josh Heupel's offense after transferring this spring. Aguilar struggled with his completion rate and interceptions at App State, but he has mobility and moxie. Blake Toppmeyeris the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him atBToppmeyer@gannett.comand follow him on X@btoppmeyer. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:SEC quarterback competitions before college football season

Inside the SEC's starting quarterback competitions ahead of 2025 college football season

Inside the SEC's starting quarterback competitions ahead of 2025 college football season Steve Sarkisiancleared up the quarterback drama...
Some athletes skip Washington's pride events, wary of welcome in Trump's USNew Foto - Some athletes skip Washington's pride events, wary of welcome in Trump's US

By Vanessa Balintec and Zoe Law TORONTO (Reuters) -Ry Shissler, a 40-year old cartographer who swims the backstroke, was planning to compete internationally for the first time during the WorldPride celebrations that start this month in Washington, D.C. But the trans athlete and their team, Toronto's Purple Fins, made the difficult decision to skip the games and the Pride events in the U.S. entirely, worried about their treatment at the border and beyond. A self-described "gender free" swim club, the Purple Fins is one of several aquatics teams with bi, non-binary or transgender athletes whose members told Reuters they are not comfortable visiting the United States right now. "Are my rights gonna be respected? Can my teams' rights be respected? Are we going to be assaulted and have the authorities defend us, instead of the attacker? Those are all questions we couldn't definitively say yes to," said Shissler, who identifies as a "trans person of unspecified gender." It was a tough call for the Canadian team, said Shissler, a dual U.S. and Canadian citizen who grew up in Michigan. "We want to just be able to be ourselves and go swim and have a good time and maybe win a medal... But to say no, it's not safe for us to go have fun? That's really hard." Washington is the site of the 2025 WorldPride celebrations, a biennial flurry of cultural and sporting events, capped by a parade and, this year, a Shakira concert. Chosen before the last presidential election, organizers hoped Washington might match New York's 2019 celebrations that drew some four million visitors. But a cascade of policy changes by President Donald Trump and new laws in some U.S. states have put a chill on the events, say some. The Trump administration says it is only recognizing two unchangeable sexes, male and female, has rolled back orders combating discrimination against gay and transgender people, and is working to discharge thousands of transgender troops from the U.S. military. The White House referred questions about fears around safety and border entry to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The agency declined to make an official available, but said in a statement beliefs about sexuality don't make a foreign person inadmissible. The "World LGBTQIA+ Aquatics Championship" Shissler hoped to join have drawn somewhere between 800 and 1,000 swimmers and water polo players in the past, former and current organizers recall. Not this year. "We are definitely not seeing the numbers that we usually see, and that's unfortunate," said Rozalynd McCree, co-president of the board of IGLA+, which oversees the games. McCree says while IGLA+ is doing all it can to ensure participants' safety, it can't make any guarantees. "The athletes who do come and the athletes who are in the United States are going to show up and speak up, and we are going to fight for our community because it's important to us," she said. "We won't sit down and be quiet." But the current political climate, especially in the nation's capital, has sapped some of the expected joy from would-be participants. Stefania Bereznai, a 51-year-old who has played for the Toronto Triggerfish Water Polo team for 15 years, initially wanted to attend the IGLA+ tournament. But the U.S. has lost its appeal, said Bereznai, who identifies as non-binary. "I don't feel like I stand out as being non-binary. So, I don't worry so much about my physical safety," said Bereznai. "But I don't really want to go somewhere where other people aren't feeling comfortable, and where, on some level, I'm also absorbing the fact that I'm not welcomed as my whole self." (Reporting by Vanessa Balintec, Zoe Law and Kyaw Soe Oo in Toronto; Additional reporting by Nathan Frandino and Ted Hesson in Washington, DC; Writing by Heather Timmons; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

Some athletes skip Washington's pride events, wary of welcome in Trump's US

Some athletes skip Washington's pride events, wary of welcome in Trump's US By Vanessa Balintec and Zoe Law TORONTO (Reuters) -Ry Sh...
'No place for that in our game': Caitlin Clark supports WNBA investigation into alleged fan abuse towards Angel ReeseNew Foto - 'No place for that in our game': Caitlin Clark supports WNBA investigation into alleged fan abuse towards Angel Reese

Indiana Fever starCaitlin Clarksays she supports the WNBA'sinvestigation into allegations of racial abuse by fansdirected at Chicago Sky forwardAngel Reeseduring Saturday's game between the two teams. The WNBA said after the alleged incident that it "strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms," while the Feversaidthey are helping the league with the investigation. "There's no place for that in our game, there's no place for that in society," Clark, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, told reporters after practice on Monday. "Certainly, we want every person who comes into our arena, whether player or fan, to have a great experience. "I appreciate the league doing that (the investigation). I appreciate that the Fever organization has been at the forefront of that since day one. The investigation we'll leave up to them to find anything and take the proper action if so." With 4:38 remaining in the third quarter and the Fever up 56-42 in Saturday's game, Clark made hard contact with Reese's right arm as the Sky forward drove to the basket, knocking the Sky star to the ground. Reese, clearly upset, got straight back up to her feet and tried to confront Clark, who walked away with her back to Reese as Indiana's Aliyah Boston stepped between the two. Clark's foul was upgraded from a personal to a flagrant 1, while Reese and Boston each received technical fouls. Both players downplayed the incident afterwards and it is unclear whether the alleged racial slurs were related to the confrontation. Though Reese and Clark have both played down their rivalry, the two players have been closely linked after heated clashes in college, most notably in the 2023 NCAA women's championship game. The Fever won Saturday's season opener 93-58 with Clark posting a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Reese had 12 points and 17 rebounds. The two teams will play each other three more times during the regular season. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

‘No place for that in our game’: Caitlin Clark supports WNBA investigation into alleged fan abuse towards Angel Reese

'No place for that in our game': Caitlin Clark supports WNBA investigation into alleged fan abuse towards Angel Reese Indiana Fever ...

 

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