JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jaguars moved another step closer to purging Tom Coughlin’s tumultuous tenure in Jacksonville.
The team waived running back Leonard Fournette on Monday, a stunning decision many outsiders view as the latest in a series of head scratchers that could help the franchise tank the season and get the No. 1 draft pick.
“If that’s the case, then the realization is if that happens, then I’m not going to be here,” coach Doug Marrone said. “At the end of the day, if I don’t win enough games or do enough with this team, I don’t foresee me still being employed. I’m doing everything I can to make sure we have the best team to make sure we win football games. That’s as simple as I can be on it.”
Coughlin wanted Fournette as the centerpiece of his old-school, run-first philosophy. It worked in 2017, although it became clear that Fournette needed to be a better pro. He was fined repeatedly for being late and skipping mandatory functions.
The Jaguars spent months trying to trade Fournette, the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft who’s coming off a career year. He was on the block during the NFL draft and again over the summer.
“We couldn’t get anything, a fifth, a sixth, anything,” Marrone said.
So they dumped the 25-year-old former LSU star one day after trading former Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to Minnesota in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2021 and a conditional fifth-rounder in 2020. Jacksonville also traded Jalen Ramsey, fellow cornerback A.J. Bouye and defensive end Calais Campbell in the last 10 months.
“It’s going to fall to me as to who those best players are,” Marrone said. “At the end of the day, I’ve got to be able to field a team that I believe gives us the best chance to win. That’s what my role is and that’s what I’m doing.”
Still, no one expected Jacksonville to part ways with Fournette less than two weeks before the opener.
He is due $4.17 million in guaranteed salary this season if someone claims him. If he clears waivers, he would become a free agent.
Jacksonville voided all the remaining guarantees in his rookie deal in December 2018, so Fournette would need to file a grievance to get any money from the Jags in 2020.
Fournette’s time in Jacksonville took a turn in 2018, which ended up being the worst season of his football life. He was injured, suspended and on the bench in crunch time. He was fined, criticized and admittedly not in ideal shape late in the year.
The Jaguars voided his guarantees following his one-game suspension for fighting with Buffalo linebacker Shaq Lawson, and Coughlin ripped him for being “disrespectful” and “selfish” for sitting on the bench — while injured and inactive — during the season finale. Adding to the chaos, Fournette was arrested in April 2019 for driving with a suspended license.
He bounced back last year with his best season. He topped 1,600 yards from scrimmage in 15 games, carrying 265 times for 1,152 yards and catching 76 passes for 522 yards. He scored only three touchdowns. He also fumbled just once in 341 touches.
Fournette has 2,631 yards rushing, 1,009 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns in three seasons since he was now-fired personnel chief Coughlin’s first draft pick since returning to Jacksonville. But with Coughlin gone, general manager Dave Caldwell put Fournette on the block and declined to pick up the fifth-year option in his rookie deal.
Marrone insisted Fournette did nothing to prompt his release, instead pointing to his fit in coordinator Jay Gruden’s new scheme.
“It strictly has to do with on the field,” Marrone said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a “Hoya Paranoia” powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men’s basketball championship, has died. He was 78.
His death was announced in a family statement Monday. No details were disclosed.
“More than a legend, he was the voice in our ear everyday,” the statement said. “We will miss him but are grounded in the assurance that we carry his faith and determination in us.”
One of the most celebrated and polarizing figures in his sport, Thompson took over a moribund Georgetown program in the 1970s and molded it in his unique style into a perennial contender, culminating with a national championship team anchored by center Patrick Ewing in 1984.
At 6-foot-10, with an ever-present white towel slung over his shoulder, Thompson literally and figuratively towered over the Hoyas for decades, becoming a patriarch of sorts after he quit coaching in 1999.
One of his sons, John Thompson III, was hired as Georgetown’s coach in 2004. When the son was fired in 2017, the elder Thompson -- known affectionately as “Big John” or “Pops” to many -- was at the news conference announcing Ewing as the successor.
Black Cloud CEO and D-Block artist, Tony Moxberg, connects with Sheek Louch and Nino to drop off an official music video for his new single titled "Big Money."
This is off of Tony's "Beautiful Struggle 2" EP. Available now on all streaming platforms.
In this episode of People's Party, Talib Kweli and Jasmin Leigh sit down with singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor -- Miguel.
The extensive conversation covers a multitude of topics. All beginning with talk of how he navigated growing up in LA with a Black/Mexican mixed heritage. He goes on to talk about his childhood friendship with rapper Blu, they draw comparisons of Miguel to Marvin Gaye in how they evolved as artists, they discuss Miguel's love for hip hop, his sampling of J-Dilla's 'Crushing', J Cole being accused of misogynistic statements, as well Miguel's infamous accidental leg drop/kick on two women during his performance at the Billboard Awards.
They go on to discuss his song/video for 'Get Your Hands Up', and how he's evolved as an artist since those early days, as well as the process and learning experiences while making his album 'Wild Heart'. They also talk about Miguel's work in the movie 'Live By Night' directed by Ben Affleck, he talks about what it was like being on tour with singer Sia, his work in activism with the 'School-to-Prison pipeline', why felt to come so political on his album 'War & Leisure', his collaboration with D Smoke on 'Rhythm + Flow', the importance of meditation to mental health, and Miguel outlines his love for the classic rock classic 'Hotel California'.
OBH and Goonie Gang are in good hands with Lik Moss in command while his brothers Ar-Ab and Mullaz are away. The Philadelphia native has always delivered quality music and will continue to give OBH fans the kind of music they have come to expect with assistance from members of the team, Razor OBH, Breeze Begets, Guy Fisher, OBH Pretty Flock and others.
With that in mind, check out the official music video for Lik's collaboration with Razor titled "Love Me."
Kentucky's Attorney General says his office has finally received the ballistics report he's been waiting for in the Breonna Taylor case ... but he says it's not conclusive and it seems there's still no end in sight.
Daniel Cameron revealed Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" that he's now gotten hold of a crucial FBI ballistics report he's been saying for weeks was one of the last things he needed before deciding if he'll bring charges against the cops that shot and killed her. He said the report was not "the end-all, be-all," though he would not elaborate.
Cameron made it seem like he was still a ways away from coming to any sort of conclusion. He says he still needs to meet with the FBI to review the report, on top of going through further witness testimony and other analysis ... with no clear end in sight.
Cameron did say he and his team will be meeting with the FBI this upcoming week but didn't indicate how long it would take to review the ballistics, or anything else that might follow. It's been 5 months now since Breonna was killed, and yet ... the waiting continues.
Her family's attorney, Ben Crump, said Sunday ... word of Cameron receiving the ballistics report was welcome news, but he also made it clear, he's expecting this to come to an end with a final decision sooner than later, adding Cameron's hyped up this report as damn near the last piece of the puzzle.
Cameron says he wants to do a thorough investigation before any announcement on possible charges. Just recently, Breonna's family told us they were reassured to Cameron's commitment to resolving her case and getting justice after finally meeting with him.
Unclear how they might feel now that he's saying he's actually not all that close after all.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - About 200 children are missing right now in Northeast Ohio.
They may be in danger and they need our help, and a task force is making progress tracking them down.
Operation Safety Net recovered 25 missing children in its first two weeks, and the sting is continuing right now.
The task force, led by U.S. Marshals, is working with local partners to get endangered kids to safety.
“These are kids that have been abused, neglected. Some involved in human trafficking,” said U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott.
Elliott has seen the nightmares many missing children have suffered.
“Sometimes the situations they—they go to, believe it or not, may be better than the situations they left from,” Elliott said.
“We’ve had some cases where the mother and or father, or both, may have been prostituting their own child,” he said.
In the past 20 days, U.S. Marshals have worked with Cleveland, East Cleveland and Newburgh Heights police departments to find just over two dozen missing children between 13 and 18 years old.
One in four of those teens they recovered are victims of human trafficking.
“Some we found in Miami, Fla. We have Bedford, Bedford Heights, West Side, East Side, Akron, Mansfield and so on,” Elliott said.
“We’re trying to do our part. A number of these children have gone to the hospital after we’ve recovered them to get checked out, so again this is something we take very seriously,” Elliott said.
Operation Safety Net is focusing on Cleveland and its surrounding cities, but they’re covering all of northern Ohio too with help from the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force.
It’s made up of about 350 men and women from 125 different departments across the state.
“I’ll tell you this, it will be something we’ll be doing every year. This is our first time we have done this, it’s been uncharted territory for us, but we’ve had great success,” Elliott said.
Operation Safety Net will continue for several more weeks.
ElCamino is preparing to soon bless his fans with a new album titled "Sacred Psalms." The lead single off of it is the 38 Spesh-produced gem "The Avenue."
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — One person was shot and killed in Portland, Oregon, as a large caravan of President Donald Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters clashed in the streets, police said.
It wasn’t clear if the shooting late Saturday was linked to fights that broke out as a caravan of about 600 vehicles was confronted by counterdemonstrators in the city’s downtown.
Police said the caravan had left the area around 8:30 p.m., and officers heard gunshots around 15 minutes later, according to a statement. Officers arrived at the shooting scene “within a minute,” police said, but the man who was shot did not survive.
An Associated Press freelance photographer heard three gunshots and then observed police medics attending to the victim, who appeared to be a white man. The freelancer said the man was wearing a hat bearing the insignia of Patriot Prayer, a right-wing group whose members have frequently clashed with protesters in Portland in the past.
Police said the man was shot in the chest. He was not immediately identified. It’s unclear who shot him.
Homicide detectives were looking for more evidence, acknowledging that several images and videos had been posted on social media.
“It is important for detectives get a full and accurate picture of what happened before, during, and after the shooting,” a police statement said. “If anyone was a witness, has video, or has information about the homicide, they’re asked to contact the primary detectives.”
“This violence is completely unacceptable and we are working diligently to find and apprehend the individual or individuals responsible,” Chief Chuck Lovell said.
Portland has been the site of nightly protests for more than three months since the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Many of them end in vandalism and violence, and hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested by local and federal law enforcement since late May.
In the two hours following the shooting, protesters gathered downtown and there was sporadic fighting and vandalism, police said. Some gave speeches in Lownsdale Square Park before the protest petered out. Ten people were arrested, police said.
The caravan had arrived downtown just as a planned protest was getting underway. The chaotic scene came two days after Trump invoked Portland as a liberal city overrun with violence in a speech at the Republican National Convention as part of his “law and order” re-election campaign theme. The caravan marked the third Saturday in a row that Trump supporters have rallied in the city.
On Sunday, Trump issued a flurry of tweets and retweets including several that blamed Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler for the death and one in which the president appeared to be encouraging his supporters to move into Portland.
“GREAT PATRIOTS!” Trump wrote as he shared video of his supporters driving into Portland to confront the protesters.
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf blamed local officials for failing “to protect their communities.”
“I’m asking Portland officials, so that’s the mayor, that’s the governor and that’s local law enforcement, to do their job to address any violent activity that is occurring in their streets,” Wolf told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Trump and other speakers at last week’s Republican convention evoked a violent, dystopian future if Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden wins in November and pointed to Portland as a cautionary tale for what would be in store for Americans.
The pro-Trump rally’s organizer, who recently coordinated a similar caravan in Boise, Idaho, said in a video posted on Twitter Saturday afternoon that attendees should only carry concealed weapons and the route was being kept secret for safety reasons.
The caravan had gathered earlier in the day at a suburban mall and drove as a group to the heart of Portland. As they arrived in the city, protesters attempted to stop them by standing in the street and blocking bridges.
Videos from the scene showed sporadic fighting, as well as Trump supporters firing paintball pellets at opponents and using bear spray as counter-protesters threw things at the Trump caravan.
The Black Lives Matter demonstrations usually target police buildings and federal buildings. Some protesters have called for reductions in police budgets while the city’s mayor and some in the Black community have decried the violence, saying it’s counterproductive.
Early Saturday morning, fires set outside a police union building that is a frequent site for protests prompted police to declare a riot.
An accelerant was used to ignite a mattress and other debris that was laid against the door of the Portland Police Association building, police said in a statement. At least one dumpster had also been set on fire in the street nearby.
The commotion followed a sit-in in the lobby of the Portland mayor’s condominium building Friday night.
Chadwick Boseman was doing more than just putting on a brave face during his 4-year battle with cancer -- the guy was actively visiting and inspiring kids while privately suffering from the same disease.
St. Jude Children's Hospital paid tribute to the fallen star, reminding folks he popped into their facility in 2018 to meet with patients ... bringing gifts and words of inspiration for the kids.
They write, "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our friend Chadwick Boseman. Two years ago, Chadwick visited the St. Jude campus and brought with him not only toys for our patients but also joy, courage and inspiration." The organization sang his praises, adding ... "He was an incredible role model for our patients and children from all around the world. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."
At the time, St. Jude's posted more photos from the face-to-face ... and it's clear the guy made the rounds and met with a bunch of kids who couldn't have looked more overjoyed to meet a Marvel superhero. The fact he was right in the thick of his own cancer battle just makes this gesture all the more heartbreaking, especially considering he didn't utter a word about his battle.
Chadwick discussed meeting some of these kids and how much of an impact it had on him -- he even broke down during the Sirius XM interview while talking about two terminally ill children who passed before the next Marvel movie could come out. Dude was a true saint.
As we reported ... Chadwick succumbed to his illness and died Friday, shocking the entertainment world -- scratch that, shocking the entire world. He was just 43 years old.
AP - Cliff Robinson guided UConn out from the bottom and almost helped take the Portland Trail Blazers to the top.
He was one of the NBA’s best sixth men, a versatile player who became a predecessor of the modern center.
Not bad for a guy who was warned he might not even get a second season in Storrs.
“He averaged five points as a freshman and I remember I told him, ’You have two choices: I can kick you out if you keep doing what you do, or I’m going to watch you play a lot of years in the NBA,’” former UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “He chose the latter, which was good.”
Robinson died Saturday at 53, remembered as much for his personality as his skills by the teams he played for during an 18-year career.
“His personality and energy were unmatched, and his contributions on the court were unmistakable, helping the Trail Blazers into the playoffs each of his eight seasons with the team,” the Blazers said.
“His streak of 461 consecutive games played with the Trail Blazers still stands as a franchise record, which is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the team. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Cliff’s family and loved ones. Uncle Cliffy will be greatly missed by the Trail Blazers and all of Rip City.”
No cause of death was given, though Calhoun said Robinson had a stroke 2 1/2 years ago.
“It’s really sad to hear of this, because he was one of my kids, my players, a guy I watched grow into a man,” Calhoun said. “It’s not an easy thing.”
Robinson helped the Blazers reach the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. He not only never missed the postseason in Portland but hardly missed any games at all, playing all 82 in each of his first five seasons and never appearing in fewer than 75.
“RIP Clifford Robinson - some of my earliest memories of NBA basketball were of you as the lifeblood to those early/mid 90’s Blazers teams. The Memorial Coliseum days!! RIP to a Portland legend,” tweeted Cleveland star Kevin Love, who grew up in Oregon.
Clifford Robinson was born on Dec. 16, 1966, in Buffalo, New York. He was the centerpiece of Calhoun’s early teams at UConn. He played in Storrs from 1985-89, helping guide the Huskies from the bottom of the Big East to the 1988 NIT championship.
Robinson averaged just 5.6 points as a freshman but scored 20 a game as a senior before becoming a second-round pick of the Blazers.
“He was our first great player,” Calhoun said. “He gave legitimacy to the program.
“As a player coming in, here’s this guy playing on TV for the Trail Blazers, watching him play, watching UConn being mentioned. You could not pay for the exposure that he gave us.”
Robinson was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1993 and made his lone All-Star appearance the following year. At 6-foot-11, he had the size of a center but was a skilled outside shooter.
He played 1,380 games in the league, ranking in the top 15 all-time. Besides the Blazers, Robinson also played for Phoenix, Detroit, Golden State and the Nets.
“Clifford was the consummate professional who loved the game and played with an incredible sense of both joy and intensity during his outstanding 18-year career, including two seasons with the Warriors,” Golden State said.
GEORGETOWN COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A Moncks Corner man was denied bond Wednesday after a traffic incident led to a double murder and new details were released about the incident.
Ty Sheem Ha Sheem Walters, III. appeared in court Wednesday, where he was held over to circuit court for a bond hearing on the murder charge. Judge Isaac Pyatt denied any bond on the weapon charge.
His bond hearing should be scheduled in about a month, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies say an altercation occurred shortly after the crash on Monday. The fight resulted in three people being shot – two of whom later died. A third person was hit once with a bullet and struck in the head and face with the gun, but survived.
Nick Wall and his 21-year-old stepdaughter, Laura Anderson, died at the hospital – Wall died at Georgetown Hospital while Anderson died at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Walters was charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, and three counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
Walters remains in the Georgetown County Detention Center.
MELROSE, Fla. (CBS12) — A man from north Florida is accused of killing two young boys.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office arrested Mark Wilson Jr., 30, of Melrose, on two counts of first degree murder. Deputies said the murder weapons included a hammer and knife.
"He attacked these kids without mercy," said State Attorney R.J. Larizza.
On Wednesday morning, the mother of the two kids woke up and found them suffering from traumatic injuries in a common area of their home. A younger girl was home at the time. Their father was on the road as a long-distance truck driver.
By the time deputies arrived at the home, Robert Baker, 12, and Tayten Baker, 14, had died from their injuries.
Wilson is well-known to the family, the sheriff's office said.
Deputies said Wilson and his girlfriend lived in a shed on the Baker family's property. The family had moved up to the area from Polk County.
The State Attorney's Office says it will need to look at the evidence and discuss matters with the family but the death penalty in the case is under consideration.
Pounds connects with fellow Rochester, New York emcee 38 Spesh for his latest single titled "Food Savers." This is off of Pounds' forthcoming album "There Is No Mafia," dropping on September 4th.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, died Friday of cancer, his representative said. He was 43.
Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Associated Press.
Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, his family said in a statement.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more - all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”
Boseman had not spoken publicly about his diagnosis.
Born in South Carolina, Boseman graduated from Howard University and had small roles in television before his first star turn in 2013. His striking portrayal of the stoic baseball star Robinson opposite Harrison Ford in 2013′s “42” drew attention in Hollywood and made him a star.
Boseman died on a day that Major League Baseball was celebrating Jackie Robinson day.
“This is a crushing blow” actor and director Jordan Peele said on Twitter, one of many expressing shock as the news spread across social media.
“This broke me,” said actor and writer Issa Rae.
His T’Challa character was first introduced to the blockbuster Marvel movies in 2016′s “Captain America: Civil War,” and his “Wakanda Forever” salute reverberated around the world after the release of “Black Panther” two years ago.
The character was last seen standing silently dressed in a black suit at Tony Stark’s funeral in last year’s “Avengers: Endgame.”
Even at the outset of his Hollywood career, Boseman was clear-eyed about — and even skeptical of — the industry in which he would become an international star.
“You don’t have the same exact experience as a Black actor as you do as a white actor. You don’t have the same opportunities. That’s evident and true,” he told AP while promoting “42.” “The best way to put it is: How often do you see a movie about a black hero who has a love story — with a black woman, or any woman for that matter ... he has a spirituality. He has an intellect. It’s weird to say it, but it doesn’t happen that often.”
In addition to Robinson and Brown, Boseman portrayed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in 2017′s “Marshall.“
He took on his first producing job in last year’s action thriller “21 Bridges,” in which he also starred, and was last seen on-screen in Spike Lee’s film “Da 5 Bloods” as the leader of a group of Black soldiers in the Vietnam War.
Bella Thorne is raising millions of dollars with her OnlyFans account, but she's also raising hell for sex workers, who say she's hurting their bottom line.
Here's the deal ... Bella joined the subscription-based social media platform last week, charging folks $200 for a 3-pack of sultry photos and insinuating they were nudes when they weren't. Bella says she's already banked $2 million and made the account to do research for an upcoming movie.
Some subscribers felt they were duped, became upset and requested refunds ... and now the other girls selling images of their bodies on the site say OnlyFans is changing its rules on account of Bella and making it harder for them to earn money.
Sex workers are complaining they can now only charge a maximum of $50, a steep decline from the $200 and up they and Bella were once able to charge, and they say they're being forced to wait 30 days to get paid when before it was only 7.
Lots of folks are speculating the payout change is due to OnlyFans owing Bella so much money. We reached out to OnlyFans ... so far, radio silence.
Bottom line ... sex workers say Bella's single-handedly screwed them.
So cute how Bella Thorne made her Onlyfans on a whim without doing an once of research on how it would impact the community and she immediately f*cked it up for us LOVE that!
ATLANTA (AP) — Nearly 40 missing or endangered children have been rescued by federal and state agents in Georgia, according to authorities.
Thirteen missing children were found and an additional 26 endangered children were rescued during a two-week operation in Atlanta and Macon, The U.S. Marshals Service announced Thursday.
The missing children were considered to be “some of the most at-risk and challenging recovery cases” and some were likely victims of child sex trafficking, child exploitation, abuse and had medical or mental health conditions, officials said.
Nine people were arrested on charges including sex trafficking, parental kidnapping and custodial interference, as well as registered sex offender and weapons violations.
The people arrested include:
Moradeyo Amos Bandele – Arrested in Port St Lucie, FL – Warrant for Rape out of Conyers, GA
Trayon Moore – Dekalb County – Sex Trafficking and Probation Violation warrants
James Garcia - Arrested at a Motel in Clearwater, Fl - Warrants out of Whitfield County, GA - Aggravated Child Molestation, Aggravated Sodomy and Incest with a Minor
Faye Smith – Arrested at a motel in Clearwater, Fl – Warrant for Probation Violation
Sally Garcia – Arrested at a motel in Clearwater, Fl – Interference with Child Custody
Zachary Bailey Arrested in Columbus, GA – Human trafficking, Enticing of a Minor for Indecent Purposes, and Enticement of a Minor for Solicitation
Stanson Causey – Arrested in Jasper, GA – Registered Sex Offender arrested for Probation Violation
Kirk Waters – Arrested in Newton County, GA – Felon in Possession of a Firearm
Trevonte Shareef – Arrested in Newton County, GA – Interference with custody and obstruction
Stream Toni Braxton's latest release titled "Spell My Name."
Tracklist:
1. Dance (3:52) 2. Do It (3:25) 3. Gotta Move On (4:18) 4. Fallin' (2:57) 5. Spell My Name (3:21) 6. O.V.E.Rr. (3:11) 7. Happy Without Me (3:47) 8. Saturday Night (4:02) 9. Do It (2:52) 10. Nothin' (Bonus) (3:44)