Meet the Maker: Nate Baranowski
Why it matters: Nate Baranowski's 24-foot piece will debut this summer in time to welcome scores of fans to the Circle City for the sellout 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in July.
What he's saying:"Tamika Catchings is a magnetic personality and an amazing force for good to those around her and in her community," Baranowski said in a statement. "She is not just a legendary basketball player, but also an entrepreneur, activist, broadcaster, volunteer, mentor and motivational speaker. I wanted my design to reflect this high-energy force surrounding her."
Zoom in: Baranowski was one of 98 artists who responded to an international call from the Indy Arts Council and WNBA All-Star 2025 Host Committee.
Baranowski — a University of Illinois grad with a degree in fine arts and a passion for street painting — has experience with large chalk murals, painted murals, acrylic on canvas and various forms of digital painting.
He was the only Indiana creator to make the final four.
The inspo: The selection committee said Baranowski best captured Catchings' bright personality, basketball legacy and impact on Indy.
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USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Lionel Messi MLS All-Star Game debacle is ugly own goal for everybody
Lionel Messi, Inter Miami and Major League Soccer experienced the worst week in their two years together, collectively mishandling his 2025 All-Star Game absence. Messi and Jordi Alba were disciplined by MLS commissioner Don Garber for skipping the All-Star Game, causing them to miss a marquee matchup against first-place FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 26. Soccer fans won't see Messi, the 2024 MLS MVP, on a grand stage against Cincinnati's Evander, a rising Brazilian who captained the MLS All-Stars in Messi's place and is in the conversation with him for 2025 MVP. Instead, there will be numerous shots of Messi stewing in an on-field suite, likely sitting next to Inter Miami's newest signee, Argentina World Cup-winning teammate Rodrigo De Paul. The situation marks lowest point of the Messi era in this the league's 30th season – all while he's been in ongoing contract negotiations to continue his career with Inter Miami. 'He's very upset,' Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said of Messi during a Zoom press conference. 'I'm hopeful it doesn't have an impact long term.' Messi, Inter Miami and MLS should have collectively agreed on him missing the All-Star Game. Garber could have granted Messi an excused absence. And Messi should be on the pitch Saturday doing what he does best. This matter should have been resolved before All-Star Week, offering the spotlight to the MLS players who played in the showcase instead of the shadow cast by Messi's whereabouts and whether he would be disciplined. 'I hope they respect the decision I made, and I understand they're going to be disappointed by that decision,' Garber told USA TODAY Sports. 'I hope that Leo's commitment to our league, and the journey he's been on and we've been on growing Major League Soccer is as important to him going forward as it has been in the past.' What went wrong? There was miscommunication from a series of phone calls exchanged between Inter Miami and MLS. There was no formal meeting on the matter, or a request from the club for Messi to miss the All-Star Game in Austin, Texas. Mas spoke to the league on July 21 and 22, while some around the league expected Messi and Alba to show the day of the All-Star Game on July 23. Mas believed Messi would be exempt from attending – and the one-game suspension – because of his workload. Messi played every minute in 22 of 23 matches since April 2, logging more than 2,000 minutes during the span. His last game off was April 27. He recently set an MLS record scoring two goals in five straight matches, and six of his last seven in the regular season. 'Load management is on Lionel Messi,' Mas said. 'When he steps on the pitch, he will step off when the final whistle blows.' The All-Star Game fell four days after Messi completed nine matches in 35 days, which included representing MLS on a global stage in the FIFA Club World Cup. Inter Miami didn't want Messi and Alba to travel to Texas, following road trips to face Cincinnati and the New York Red Bulls in New Jersey, with their second match with Cincinnati starting another stretch of 10 games in 34 days. 'He's played more games than any player this year, and their schedule has him wanting to take a break. It was based on his commitment to his club, and I understand and respect his decision,' Garber said. 'But we have a long-standing policy that is related to All-Star participation for all players. And unfortunately, I had to enforce the policy. It was a difficult decision to make.' The MLS All-Star policy was first initiated in 2015 after players used 'phantom injuries' to avoid the exhibition in previous years. Zlatan Ibrahimović was suspended when he played for the LA Galaxy for skipping the event in 2018, criticizing the rule at the time for being 'ridiculous.' Messi missing the All-Star Game, however, is a different story. 'From the league's perspective, this is really frustrating,' analyst and former U.S. men's national team star Landon Donovan said on social media. 'You have your best player. Your partners want him there. The owners want him there. The sponsors want him there. The fans want him there. The other guys on the MLS All-Star team want the chance to play with Messi. That's a dream for them. So, this becomes a really challenging situation.' Lionel Messi is 'different' for MLS Messi isn't entirely blameless in this, either. He could have jumped on a plane for the day, signed autographs and posed for photos with fellow players, waved at the fans, and even played a half so MLS could have a moment to celebrate having him in the league. But Messi has done everything asked of him since he joined MLS in July 2023 – outside of playing in this All-Star Game, of course. 'Obviously, Lionel Messi is Lionel Messi. He is different. He has completely changed the economics of this league for every single club, every team, every sponsor, the league, media, etc.,' Mas said. 'He's important … But at the end of the day, league corporate sponsors are already taking advantage of Lionel Messi's presence in the league.' Messi has the best-selling jersey around the world and brought international attention to MLS. He's provided awe-inspiring highlight plays and historic moments that make you wonder "how is this guy still doing this at 38 years old?" Mas said Inter Miami's Club World Cup loss to UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain was viewed globally by more than 30 million people. 'I know Leo Messi loves this league. I don't think there's been a player, or frankly just about anyone, who has done for MLS than Leo Messi has,' Garber said. 'His games are special moments. Every one of them is a must-see match, and it's that commitment what he does on the field that makes this decision so complicated.' Messi stayed in Miami this week while his wife and three sons went to Italy on vacation. He practiced Friday, thinking he would be able to play against Cincinnati. After practice, Messi reunited with De Paul on Inter Miami's training fields. Then, he signed hundreds of autographs and posed for photos with kids attending Inter Miami's summer camp before he received Garber's decision. 'This whole Messi MLS All-Star game mess was avoidable,' analyst and former U.S. men's national team standout Alexi Lalas said on social media. 'Now, he can have a rest.'
10 hours ago
Schwarber, Realmuto power Phillies to 12-5 win, dropping Yankees 5 1/2 games back of Blue Jays
NEW YORK -- Kyle Schwarber hit a pair of two-run homers and J.T. Realmuto followed the Yankees' ninth error in four games with a tiebreaking, three-run drive in a four-run seventh inning, lifting the Philadelphia Phillies over New York 12-5 on Friday night. Schwarber's tying drive in the fifth off Will Warren was his 1,000th hit and 319th homer, the most for a player reaching 1,000 — eight more than Mark McGwire. Trea Turner had his fourth four-hit game this year, including a triple, and walked for the Phillies, who scored 10 runs in the last three innings. Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Volpe hit solo homers for the Yankees, who wasted 2-0 and 3-2 leads in dropping a season-high 5 1/2 games behind AL East-leading Toronto. New York led by seven games in late May but has gone 21-27 since. The Yankees have made 14 errors in July while allowing 32 homers. After Realmuto's homer built a 6-3 lead in a four-run seventh and the Yankees closed within a run in the bottom half. Schwarber connected off Ian Hamilton in the eighth for his 36th homer and 33rd multi-homer game. Schwarber has six homers in seven games since winning the All-Star Game swing-off. New York led 3-2 when Turner singled on a sinking liner off Tim Hill (3-3) starting the seventh that right fielder Aaron Judge trapped. Schwarber singled and Luke Weaver relieved with one out. Nick Castellanos grounded sharply between first and second, where first baseman Paul Goldschmidt ranged to pick it up where the infield grass met the first. The four-time Gold Glove winner made an off-balance throw that sailed to the backstop as Turner scored on the infield single, Schwarber reached third and Castellanos took second. Realmuto drove a changeup into the left-field seats for a 6-3 lead, the seventh homer off Weaver in his last 15 outings. Realmuto has gone deep in consecutive games following a 42-game homerless streak. Volpe homered in the bottom half and Judge hit a sacrifice fly for his 84th RBI. Tanner Banks (3-2) got the final out of the sixth. Judge coming up short on Turner's liner. New York has 54 errors this season. Warren threw away a potential double-play grounder. ___
10 hours ago
Eovaldi pitches 5 scoreless innings as Rangers beat Braves 8-3
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nathan Eovaldi pitched three-hit ball over five scoreless innings in his first start since the All-Star break and the Texas Rangers beat the Atlanta Braves 8-3 on Friday night. Eovaldi (8-3) threw 53 of his 86 pitches for strikes as Texas won its fourth straight and handed Atlanta a third straight loss. He struck out seven but walked a season-high four. It was also Eovaldi's first start since the Rangers paid him a $100,000 All-Star Game bonus even though the 35-year-old wasn't selected despite a 7-3 record and a 1.58 ERA. He missed his first start after the break — a matchup with AL All-Star starter Tarik Skubal and the Tigers — with back tightness. Sam Haggerty singled leading off the first against Joey Wentz (2-2) before stealing his 10th base and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Marcus Semien for a 1-0 lead. Jonah Heim hit his ninth home run — a two-out shot in the second for a 2-0 lead. Wyatt Langford had a two-out RBI double in the fourth and Sam Haggerty doubled in a run in the fifth for a 4-0 advantage. Three singles, two walks, a hit batter and a sac fly led to four runs in the eighth. Michael Harris II hit his eighth home run — a leadoff shot off Jacob Latz in the seventh to cut it to 4-1. Wentz allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings. Corey Seager went 0 for 3 but walked twice to extend his on-base streak to 25 games for the Rangers. Austin Riley went 0 for 4 in his first game for Atlanta since suffering an abdominal strain on July 11. Texas had allowed two runs or fewer in a club-record-tying seven straight games until Caleb Boushley surrendered two in the ninth to end the run. Seager is the only player to have an on-base streak of 24-plus games in each of the last three seasons. Braves RHP Grant Holmes (4-9, 3.81) starts against Rangers rookie RHP Kumar Rocker (4-4, 5.66) on Saturday. ___
