Austin Peay defensive back William Hardrick dies at the age of 22
The university said the 22-year-old Hardrick died Tuesday but did not provide details regarding a cause or location.
Hardrick 'was an exceptional young man, and our team is heartbroken by his loss,' Austin Peay coach Jeff Faris said. 'He made everyone around him better and has made a real impact both on and off the field. We lift up the Hardrick family in prayer as we grieve this tragic loss with them.'
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Forbes
30 minutes ago
- Forbes
Johnny McDermott: America's Forgotten US Open Champion
After sixteen long years, the United States would finally claim a win by a native-born player, ending a long streak of foreign-born winners at the U.S. Open. The first U.S.-born winner of the U.S. Open has a complex history and a golf résumé that reads more like a work of fiction than a true story, an epic rise and fall fit for the silver screen. Johnny McDermott came from humble beginnings. Born to a West Philadelphia mailman, he learned the game of golf while caddying at Aronimink Golf Club and would go on to become the first U.S.-born winner of the U.S. Open and, to this day, remains the youngest winner in the tournament's history. McDermott's early years were tumultuous. His father, McDermott Sr., was quick to anger, and by age six, McDermott Jr. was living part-time with his maternal grandmother. This may have benefited his golf game, as her home was next to a new nine-hole course. At age nine, McDermott began caddying at Aronimink Golf Club. It was said he would go for weeks at a time in immaculately clean, polished clothing, full of spunk and ego, then spend a week wearing the same poorly washed, crumpled clothes, withdrawn and reclusive. It's presumed he was in one of his high phases when he marched into the Aronimink clubhouse and demanded a caddying position, announcing he would be 'the best caddy they would ever hire.' He quickly found beauty in the golf swing. With guidance from club professional Walter Reynolds, McDermott learned to swing, grasped the strategy of the game, and even began manufacturing his own clubs. In 1906, at age 15 and under orders from his father, McDermott left school to join the workforce. Urged to work the docks and 'earn an honest living,' he instead became the assistant professional at Camden Country Club in New Jersey. He began competing in money matches, common at the time, where club members financially backed their pros. Still relatively unknown, McDermott pushed for more recognition and sought a position at a more prestigious club. From the writings of A.W. Tillinghast: 'One day a little fellow came up to me and recalled that he had caddied for me on a number of occasions and that he had become the head pro at a small nine-hole club in Merchantville, South Jersey. He yearned for better things and asked me to help him get the vacancy at Philadelphia Country Club. The suggestion, coming from an utterly unknown, staggered me. When I told him I had already placed former champion Willie Anderson there, he said it was a shame, as he could beat Anderson for red apples or green money. This supreme egoism left me quite cold. I regarded McDermott merely as a bumptious youth who needed a good trimming to show him his place.' Three years later, at age 18, McDermott played in his first U.S. Open. Unlike Francis Ouimet, McDermott faced less resistance entering the tournament as an established professional. However, professionals were still considered socially and morally inferior to their amateur counterparts. He finished 49th. Standing only 5'6' and weighing 130 pounds, McDermott was small even by the standards of the day. But his personality loomed large. Following his debut, he placed ads in New York newspapers challenging anyone to $500 matches (equivalent to over $13,000 today). His arrogance became public at the 1910 U.S. Open, where he finished second after a loss in the playoff. Afterward, he told winner Alex Smith, 'I'll get you next time, you big tramp.' McDermott's game and bravado soon carried him to victory at the Philadelphia Open. That win helped him move from the small nine-hole club to the prestigious Atlantic City Country Club, where he began playing money matches for $1,000. At the 1911 U.S. Open at Chicago Golf Club, McDermott arrived as t he American favorite. His fast, athletic swing, grimacing expressions, large hands, and the audible thwack of ball-on-club distinguished him. He started with a shaky 81 but rebounded in rounds 2, 3 and 4 to tie for the lead. In a playoff, he triumphed, despite rain and wind, thanks to his powerful, aggressive game and swing. At just 19, McDermott became (and still remains) the youngest winner of the U.S. Open. The following year, he defended his title at the Country Club of Buffalo, shooting two under par and winning by two strokes, the first under-par finish in U.S. Open history. Later that year, he placed fifth in his first Open Championship in Britain. British journalists, known for their bluntness, dubbed him the 'Little American Boy.' Shortly after returning, McDermott won the Shawnee Open by eight shots against a field that included Harry Vardon. In his post-round speech, McDermott famously said: 'We hope our foreign visitors had a good time, but we don't think they did, and we are sure they won't win the National Open.' The comment nearly ended his career. The USGA was furious, and despite his two U.S. Open wins and status as the only American-born champion, they considered banning him. His brash behavior, coupled with his status as a professional (rather than an amateur 'gentleman'), alienated many. In 1913, at The Country Club in Brookline, McDermott returned to defend his title. Rattled by controversy, he finished eighth. His reign ended as another American emerged, Francis Ouimet, a mild-mannered amateur who defeated Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff. The media embraced Ouimet. Like McDermott, he had caddied and taught himself the game. But unlike McDermott, he was seen as noble, humble, and deserving. While Ouimet became America's Cinderella story, McDermott was cast aside. His attempted comeback unraveled tragically. After arriving late for the 1914 Open Championship, his ferry having collided with another ship, McDermott withdrew. The incident, though minor, seemed to mentally shatter him. In October 1914, McDermott suffered a major mental breakdown. Today, his behavior might be diagnosed as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Voluntarily institutionalized, he became a patient at Norristown State Hospital but was occasionally allowed to play golf. He frequented Atlantic City Country Club and often played the hospital's modest six-hole course. Walter Hagen, a golf legend of the era, would visit and sometimes play with McDermott. Sitting with Hagen one day, McDermott repeatedly said: 'I don't think I ever saw a more beautiful view than from here. I think it is fine. Tell the boys I'm doing well.' Despite his mental decline, McDermott appeared to find some comfort. Norristown offered early occupational therapy, and patients engaged in making wicker baskets, leather goods, and rugs. However, treatments at the time also included digitalis, electroshock therapy, opioids, binding, and bloodletting. In his later years, McDermott suffered memory and speech loss, often mumbling incoherently and failing to recognize friends and family. In one final indignity, McDermott was removed from a tournament clubhouse for wearing shabby clothing. Arnold Palmer, witnessing the incident, ensured he was allowed to stay and acknowledged his immense contribution to American golf. McDermott died later that year. Johnny McDermott was a remarkable figure in American sports. His meteoric rise placed enormous pressure on his young mind, which eventually collapsed under the strain. He was a pioneer, his swing bold, his voice louder still. But his mind pushed too far, and he spent the majority of his life institutionalized. A boy from humble beginnings who conquered the golf world before being consumed by it, McDermott is a tragic American hero. He reached the summit of golf greatness, but the price of that pursuit was everything else
New York Times
35 minutes ago
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How did the Thunder bounce back in Game 2 of the NBA Finals?
After a gut-wrenching loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals — sealed by Tyrese Haliburton's last-second game-winning shot — the Oklahoma City Thunder responded as expected and evened the series with a dominant 123-107 win in Game 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed his 38-point performance in Game 1 with 34 points Sunday night. His 72 total points are the most ever by a player in his first two career NBA Finals games. Advertisement While the Thunder have largely controlled the series, the Pacers head back to Indianapolis with the split they wanted and home-court advantage for the next two games. On the latest episode of 'The Athletic NBA Daily,' Zena Keita and Es Baraheni broke down how Oklahoma City's size wore down Indiana, Gilgeous-Alexander's continued offensive dominance, Tyrese Haliburton's quiet first three quarters and why Pascal Siakam needs to be more aggressive as a scorer. Later in the show, Dave DuFour and Andrew Schlecht joined live from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City to reflect on Game 2. They discussed how the Thunder's double-big lineup got them going after a nervous start, the key bench contributions from Aaron Wiggins and Kenrich Williams, how Oklahoma City constantly attacked Indiana's bigs on defense and the palpable tension in the arena throughout the night. They also looked at the importance of both teams getting into the paint to create open looks, how Lu Dort and the Thunder kept Haliburton in check for most of the game and why winning the 3-point shooting battle will be crucial for the Pacers moving forward. Watch the full episode of 'The Athletic NBA Daily' below or on the YouTube channel, or via 'The Athletic NBA Daily' podcast feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
After his viral moment, Cecilio Waterman and Panama still have much to celebrate
This article is part of our Finding Fútbol series, a special feature produced by The Athletic to chronicle how the U.S.'s Hispanic communities celebrate and enrich the beautiful game. Cecilio Waterman isn't tired of any of it. It has been three months since that moment when a friend's joke changed his life. Everyone laughs, but like all the best jokes, it's funny because there's some truth behind it. Before Waterman scored a dramatic, stoppage-time winner for Panama against the U.S. men's national team, then jumped over the advertising boards, climbed onto a TV network's stage and celebrated with his idol, he was not exactly a household name. He got buzz, he got attention, but Waterman insists it was never about going viral or anything to do with social media, though his profiles got a boost. Advertisement 'I didn't do it for marketing. It simply came to me in the moment,' Waterman said this month. As part of the pre-Nations League media day, he'd been asked who his idol was growing up and selected Thierry Henry, not knowing the Arsenal legend would be watching Panama's Concacaf Nations League semifinal against the U.S. pitch-side as part of CBS Sports' coverage. 'He was there, and it came out of my heart to go hug and celebrate with him. It was totally natural,' Waterman told The Athletic. Now that he's known in Panama and beyond, everyone jibes. Things seem to be going a little more smoothly. 'When I got here with the national team, they were all reminding me of that moment, and it was just a great moment with how everything went down,' Waterman said. 'I got back to my club (Chilean side Coquimbo Unido), I became a starter again, I started scoring — everyone joked it was because of Henry. It was a really beautiful moment for me.' It wasn't just Waterman shouting in the stadium. With a population of around 4.5 million, Panama is the smallest country in Central America, aside from Belize. Unlike other countries in the region, there haven't been huge waves of immigration to the U.S., either. Yet, a small but mighty group of Panama supporters who live in the U.S. were at the Nations League semifinal in SoFi Stadium. Victor Chancay, who lives in San Diego, travels around the country to support Panama in tournaments like the Nations League and Gold Cup. His group tries to get seats in the end zone to make its support felt more strongly. As he remembers watching the Waterman goal, he says he felt like the buildup to the moment — Janpol Morales' winning the ball back, Adalberto 'Coco' Carrasquilla playing Waterman in — happened in slow motion. 'Us Panamanians just had an enormous shout, a huge cheer,' he said. 'This goal was very, very important for Panama, and we celebrated it in a way where … you just don't have the slightest idea how we celebrated that goal and the passage to the final.' Advertisement Like many TV viewers and the crew on the desk themselves, Chancay was confused at first when he paused his celebration to see Waterman in the face of the Arsenal legend. 'I saw him shouting, and Titi was like, 'Damn, is this guy crazy?'' he recalls. 'I said, 'Wow, they're going after Titi for something,' but after, on TV, I saw he was shouting, 'You're my idol, you're my idol.' From afar, I couldn't hear because all us Panamanians were cheering.' Waterman can understand the confusion, even from his countrymen. But he insists the moment was distinctly Panama, a moment when he couldn't contain his joy and expressed it unreservedly. 'It comes from our childhood. It's something cultural: having joy, having good energy, enjoying the moment,' Waterman said. 'Sometimes when we talk, you think we're shouting, but that's just how we are — we're happy. In the national team, we laugh a ton. It's a very loving country.' Though Waterman is happy to relive those moments, he also knows it's time to turn the page. Like most of the current Panama group, the journeyman attacker wasn't part of Panama's first trip to the World Cup in 2018. At age 34, the 2026 tournament in the U.S. is undoubtedly his best chance to play in a World Cup. Even as Los Canaleros made the Nations League final in March and the 2023 Gold Cup final, Panama manager Thomas Christiansen and his players have remained consistent: A continental trophy would be a remarkable achievement, but their focus is fixed on a return to the World Cup. That's why clinching a place in the third and final round of qualification this week was so important for Waterman. After that, he'll also be working to make sure he has a place in the squad. After his goal in the semifinal, Waterman earned a start in the final against Mexico. But competition among him, semifinal starter José Fajardo and other attackers remains stiff as Christiansen works to find a consistent scorer. Advertisement 'My goal is to push Panama as a group to the World Cup, do things well. In Chile, after the moment with Henry, I started to be a starter with the club. The manager there gave me confidence, I started scoring, and we're in this good moment,' Waterman said. 'Wherever you are, when you come to the national team, it's a good time. 'When I scored that goal against the United States, I started on the bench. When you come to the national team, you're open to supporting the team in whatever role as a good teammate so the country of Panama wins.' In a small country like Panama, everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction. Chancay says when Panamanian TV stations show him and his group tailgating in the parking lot before matches, he'll hear from friends in Central America. 'There are Panamians there!' Chancay imagines the TV networks are saying the same thing. Unlike many larger countries, many of those Panamanian reporters transmitting the images are happy to be seen wearing the national team's jersey. In a country with such a relatively small population, viewers would find it strange if they weren't supporting the national team. In a sense, aren't we all rooting for Panama? Waterman became a national hero in March, but he goes into this summer's Gold Cup and fall's World Cup qualification carrying the hopes and expectations of this country. Who else is going to score the goals but the guy who did it before — and received the blessing of a god of the game, to boot? His friends continue to laugh about the moment, his teammates joking about Henry's luck rubbing off on him during this stretch. Still, he'll have the last laugh. He knows exactly what he's going to do with the No. 14 Arsenal shirt Henry presented to him after the semifinal victory. 'I'm going to hang it and put it in the living room of my house,' Waterman said. 'I have several shirts, but when it's one you've wanted since you were a kid? I've got a lot of shirts from friends, but that's the top, top.' Advertisement Now, with a smile, Waterman sets out to create another joyful moment his countrymen will remember forever – and he'll never get tired of talking about. The Finding Fútbol series is sponsored by Modelo. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
