Latest news with #American-raised
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tough Work, Tight Margins: How Cattle Branding Is Evolving in Nebraska
On the Burdick Ranch, nestled in Nebraska's Sandhills, spring cattle branding is an annual act of community. The sheer scale of gathering, roping, vaccinating, and marking 900 calves with the family brand requires the work of roughly 60 volunteers, primarily family members and other cattle ranchers from the area. But it also requires hired help: local high school wrestlers who are paid for the rough, dirty task of toppling the calves and pinning them to the ground to be branded. Byron Burdick, 41, who manages operations for his family's midsize ranch, remembers a time when hiring help wasn't necessary, before the steady departure of young people from Cherry County in pursuit of city jobs and opportunities. 'When I was little, nobody paid anybody,' he recalled. Neighbors would bring their children to wrestle and hold the calves. 'Now we don't have the families.' Branding season represents the year's most significant expense for the Burdicks. The wages for the wrestlers, combined with the cost of the post-branding lunch, totals about $6,000—equivalent to the price of about four heifers. Over the eight decades the Burdicks have worked this land, their Black Angus herd has steadily grown in number and physical size, a result of modern equipment and evolving agricultural practices. Yet profit margins remain slim. 'We're not going broke by any means, but we're not getting rich. You have to love the lifestyle to continue doing it,' Burdick said. Burdick says he has seen increasing consumer demand for American-raised, grass-fed beef. And he hopes the Trump administration's tariffs will mean consumers will be less likely to buy imported meat at the grocery store. In the coming weeks and months, the Burdick family will load their horses into trailers and drive down gravel roads to the ranches of those same neighbors who offered their help. They will gather eight more times over the course of a year to rope and brand the calves of their peers, who are also, in a sense, their competitors.
Time Out
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The Surfer
Never get between Nicolas Cage and his family. The lesson most us learned from Con Air, Face/Off and a few other Cage classics seems to elude the bullying surf posse in this lurid and enjoyably batty beach western. Cage plays an Aussie-born, American-raised finance schleb – referred to only as 'The Surfer' in a script fond of cult-movie grammar – who just wants to take his teenage son surfing on the enticing Aussie beach where he once rode waves as a kid. His Lexus, crisp work attire, and a planned deal to buy back the beachfront home where he grew up all speak of a man who has everything together – even if his boy finds the nostalgic outing a bit as Irish director Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium) charts with fish-eyed lenses and ramping intensity, it doesn't take much for it all to fall apart spectacularly. The gang of intimidating surf bros, led by the charismatic, guru-like Scally (Julian McMahon), block him and his son from the surf – he's not a real local – then they steal his surfboard. 'Dude… that's my board,' growls Cage, 'and I want it back'. It's not quite 'put the bunny back in the box!' in the actor's pantheon of quotes, but they're still the words of a man with a game plan. Only, not so much: Cage's thwarted white-collar joe instead retreats to the beachside car park and slowly sheds his belongings, and his sanity, under the baking Australian sun. It's a lurid psychological horror that'll thrill midnight movie crowds Genre classics like Wake in Fright and Falling Down feel like blueprints here – cackling kookaburras, the rantings of a local homeless man, and composer François Tétaz's retro-kitsch soundscape the surreal wig-out – and Cage throws himself into it with his customary commitment. Puddles are slurped, dead rodents gnawed on, bins rifled through. Yet, as fun as it is to watch Cage yelling 'Eat the rat!' as random passers-by shepherd their children away, a sense of drift does kick in. The Surfer 's exploration of the thin line that separates man from beast is like a slap of factor 50 on a sunburnt back – bracing, if hardly subtle. And if you're hoping for a gnarly vengeance quest against McMahon's toxic surf guru and his punchable acolytes, that's not this film. But it's a lurid psychological horror that'll thrill midnight movie crowds and another leftfield entry in its lead's recent purple patch. Post-studio-era Cage is picking roles with real bite.
Sydney Morning Herald
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
The AFL wants more tall talent, so it's sending recruiters to America
The AFL is working with RDK Sports International to identify and invite athletes who fit the criteria. Club list management sources, who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity, were sceptical of the league's decision to target US talent again, at a time they would prefer more money was spent on keeping home-grown tall prospects who may instead choose to play US college sports. One source said American athletes effectively needed a 'personal coach' to be developed properly. NBA prospect Alex Condon, from Western Australia, committed to the Magpies as a category B recruit, but only if his basketball dream was extinguished. Condon played his way into NBA draft contention with Florida this past college season, and is set to make the leap this year or next. Another source referenced Richmond's Mate Colina, who is Australian and pursued an AFL career after playing division-one college basketball for the University of Hawaii. Loading The Tigers signed 211cm Colina – who is the cousin of their key defender Noah Balta – in September 2020, but he is yet to play an AFL game and has taken significant time to develop. Recruiters would like to invest in Colina-types, given the dearth of tall prospects in Australia, but want more list flexibility. The AFL has wedged this year's US combine in a gap during the under-18 national championships on days when no boys matches are scheduled. The itinerary for the trip includes professional development opportunities with the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and FC Dallas. The combine will include athletes being measured for height and weight, medically assessed, and introduced to the sport and given game education. Other Americans in the AFL – excluding West Coast's Don Pyke, who was born there but grew up in Australia – were Sanford Wheeler (43 games for Sydney, from 1989-94) and Jason Holmes (five for St Kilda, from 2015-16). The first American-raised athlete to attempt to play in the AFL was Dwayne Armstrong, who made it onto Essendon's supplementary list under Kevin Sheedy but never played a senior match. Mid-season draft contenders Richmond VFL utility Tom McCarthy continues to strengthen his case as the potential No.1 pick in this month's AFL mid-season draft, while ex-Kangaroo Charlie Lazzaro could earn a career lifeline. McCarthy, 24, has played various roles for the Tigers' reserves, but predominantly in the midfield and across half-back. He is averaging 22 disposals, eight contested possessions and three tackles this season, with his neat foot skills catching recruiters' eyes. West Coast are in pole position to pick first in the mid-season draft, on May 28, for the third time in four years, after selecting current Demon Jai Culley in 2022 and Ryan Maric in 2023. North Melbourne used the No.1 selection on Tasmania's Geordie Payne last year. Loading Among the mid-season draft success stories are Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe, Sun and ex-Pie John Noble, Essendon's Sam Durham, Hawk and former Bomber Massimo D'Ambrosio, Crow and ex-Giant James Peatling, Maric, St Kilda's Cooper Sharman, and former Tiger Marlion Pickett. Lazzaro, who is averaging 27 disposals and four clearances for Port Melbourne, is not the only ex-AFL footballer on the radar. Former Cat Brandan Parfitt's blistering WAFL form for Perth has him in the mix, too. Recruiting sources said tall swingman Nathan Kreuger, who played 15 games for Geelong and Collingwood, was also capable of filling a role, but Melbourne are not expected to pursue him despite being linked. Others in contention include McCarthy's Richmond teammates, 171cm midfielder-forward Massimo Raso and 184cm forward Sam Toner, Collingwood VFL forward Riley Mason – who kicked nine goals across a two-game stretch – and GWV Rebels' 199cm forward-ruck Floyd Burmeister. Calder Cannons midfielder Cooper Herbert and Eastern Ranges defender Rod Ali, a 19-year-old African late-bloomer and former basketballer, are also turning heads. Frankston forwards Corey Ellison and Matt Johnson have fans, as do their teammates, ex-AFL players Tom Murphy and Will Hamill. Toner, 19, booted four goals in both Young Guns matches, while 195cm Mason, 23, came through the Cannons factory and kicked 72 goals for Seymour in the Goulburn Valley league seniors last year. Burmeister, 19, is uber-athletic; a former high jumper who placed in the top 10 in the standing and running vertical jump tests at last year's AFL combine. His father, Matt, is a world under-20s athletics bronze medallist, while his mother, Sybil, represented Australia in equestrian. Essendon could recruit a ruckman, given the season-ending injuries to Sam Draper and Nick Bryan, and have three selections available if they choose to use them. Loading The Bombers, who are still settling on their strategy ahead of the mid-season draft, are impressed with rookie ruckman Vigo Visentini's recent VFL form. Unfortunately, Coburg ruckman Cooper Keogh (16 disposals, seven clearances and nine hitouts-to-advantage) suffered a Lisfranc injury at the weekend, in a huge setback for his chances of being drafted. East Fremantle's Lachlan Blakiston (18 disposals, five tackles and three hitouts-to-advantage) is considered one of the few big men worth selecting. Southport's ex-Sun Brayden Crossley is another possible ruck addition. Sun switches representation Gippsland-raised Gold Coast midfielder Sam Flanders is the latest player to switch management companies, crossing to TGI Sport. The star Sun, who averaged almost 31 disposals as a rebounding defender in a breakout campaign last year, previously signed a four-year deal to remain at the club until the end of 2027. He is playing a midfield-forward role this season in Gold Coast's impressive 5-2 start. Flanders, 23, follows the likes of Christian Petracca, Dan Houston and the Reid brothers, Zach and Archer, in switching management companies this year. There are more to come, too, two agents told The Age. The number of players changing representation is a talking point among managers. Petracca (2029) and Houston (2030) are locked away for years to come, too, but are considerably older than Flanders and highly unlikely to sign another long-term deal, so their motivations were different. Houston, for example, signed his new six-year contract with Collingwood before crossing to Mercury Talent Management's Jim Jarvis, who is a close friend and only months into his new venture. Jarvis also nabbed Essendon rising star Zach Reid, while Colin Young, who departed Corporate Sports Australia to launch Young Guns Sports Management, secured West Coast's Archer Reid and Richmond defender Jacob Blight. Zach is out of contract at season's end, and on track for a tidy raise, given his excellent form, whereas Archer inked a deal until the end of 2027 in September. However, one player agent, who this masthead granted anonymity to speak more freely, said management companies were willing not to get an instant reward on a fresh but contracted signing if they believed a footballer still had a potentially juicy long-term deal to come, such as in Flanders' case. Hawks keen to retain free agent Hawthorn are keen to retain restricted free agent James Worpel and remain in discussions with his management about a new contract, but are yet to put a formal offer to him for consideration. The hard-edged midfielder has been a constant and vital part of the Hawks' ever-improving on-ball brigade since an injury-interrupted 2022. Worpel, 26, was club champion in 2019 – his second season – and finished fourth in last year's best and fairest. The only time he failed to sit inside the top 10 of the club best and fairest was in 2022, when a shoulder injury restricted him to 11 games. Neither party appears in any rush, with two competition sources saying Worpel is happy for now playing good, consistent football, knowing he will be in demand if he fails to reach agreement with Hawthorn. Loading Competition sources said clubs are monitoring the situation. Geelong have been linked to him, and there will be no shortage of suitors for the 132-game Hawk. Josh Ward is also out of contract and wants to get a body of work behind him before ramping up extension talks, with Money Talks outlining the midfield squeeze at Hawthorn last month.
The Age
06-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
The AFL wants more tall talent, so it's sending recruiters to America
The AFL is working with RDK Sports International to identify and invite athletes who fit the criteria. Club list management sources, who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity, were sceptical of the league's decision to target US talent again, at a time they would prefer more money was spent on keeping home-grown tall prospects who may instead choose to play US college sports. One source said American athletes effectively needed a 'personal coach' to be developed properly. NBA prospect Alex Condon, from Western Australia, committed to the Magpies as a category B recruit, but only if his basketball dream was extinguished. Condon played his way into NBA draft contention with Florida this past college season, and is set to make the leap this year or next. Another source referenced Richmond's Mate Colina, who is Australian and pursued an AFL career after playing division-one college basketball for the University of Hawaii. Loading The Tigers signed 211cm Colina – who is the cousin of their key defender Noah Balta – in September 2020, but he is yet to play an AFL game and has taken significant time to develop. Recruiters would like to invest in Colina-types, given the dearth of tall prospects in Australia, but want more list flexibility. The AFL has wedged this year's US combine in a gap during the under-18 national championships on days when no boys matches are scheduled. The itinerary for the trip includes professional development opportunities with the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks and FC Dallas. The combine will include athletes being measured for height and weight, medically assessed, and introduced to the sport and given game education. Other Americans in the AFL – excluding West Coast's Don Pyke, who was born there but grew up in Australia – were Sanford Wheeler (43 games for Sydney, from 1989-94) and Jason Holmes (five for St Kilda, from 2015-16). The first American-raised athlete to attempt to play in the AFL was Dwayne Armstrong, who made it onto Essendon's supplementary list under Kevin Sheedy but never played a senior match. Mid-season draft contenders Richmond VFL utility Tom McCarthy continues to strengthen his case as the potential No.1 pick in this month's AFL mid-season draft, while ex-Kangaroo Charlie Lazzaro could earn a career lifeline. McCarthy, 24, has played various roles for the Tigers' reserves, but predominantly in the midfield and across half-back. He is averaging 22 disposals, eight contested possessions and three tackles this season, with his neat foot skills catching recruiters' eyes. West Coast are in pole position to pick first in the mid-season draft, on May 28, for the third time in four years, after selecting current Demon Jai Culley in 2022 and Ryan Maric in 2023. North Melbourne used the No.1 selection on Tasmania's Geordie Payne last year. Loading Among the mid-season draft success stories are Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe, Sun and ex-Pie John Noble, Essendon's Sam Durham, Hawk and former Bomber Massimo D'Ambrosio, Crow and ex-Giant James Peatling, Maric, St Kilda's Cooper Sharman, and former Tiger Marlion Pickett. Lazzaro, who is averaging 27 disposals and four clearances for Port Melbourne, is not the only ex-AFL footballer on the radar. Former Cat Brandan Parfitt's blistering WAFL form for Perth has him in the mix, too. Recruiting sources said tall swingman Nathan Kreuger, who played 15 games for Geelong and Collingwood, was also capable of filling a role, but Melbourne are not expected to pursue him despite being linked. Others in contention include McCarthy's Richmond teammates, 171cm midfielder-forward Massimo Raso and 184cm forward Sam Toner, Collingwood VFL forward Riley Mason – who kicked nine goals across a two-game stretch – and GWV Rebels' 199cm forward-ruck Floyd Burmeister. Calder Cannons midfielder Cooper Herbert and Eastern Ranges defender Rod Ali, a 19-year-old African late-bloomer and former basketballer, are also turning heads. Frankston forwards Corey Ellison and Matt Johnson have fans, as do their teammates, ex-AFL players Tom Murphy and Will Hamill. Toner, 19, booted four goals in both Young Guns matches, while 195cm Mason, 23, came through the Cannons factory and kicked 72 goals for Seymour in the Goulburn Valley league seniors last year. Burmeister, 19, is uber-athletic; a former high jumper who placed in the top 10 in the standing and running vertical jump tests at last year's AFL combine. His father, Matt, is a world under-20s athletics bronze medallist, while his mother, Sybil, represented Australia in equestrian. Essendon could recruit a ruckman, given the season-ending injuries to Sam Draper and Nick Bryan, and have three selections available if they choose to use them. Loading The Bombers, who are still settling on their strategy ahead of the mid-season draft, are impressed with rookie ruckman Vigo Visentini's recent VFL form. Unfortunately, Coburg ruckman Cooper Keogh (16 disposals, seven clearances and nine hitouts-to-advantage) suffered a Lisfranc injury at the weekend, in a huge setback for his chances of being drafted. East Fremantle's Lachlan Blakiston (18 disposals, five tackles and three hitouts-to-advantage) is considered one of the few big men worth selecting. Southport's ex-Sun Brayden Crossley is another possible ruck addition. Sun switches representation Gippsland-raised Gold Coast midfielder Sam Flanders is the latest player to switch management companies, crossing to TGI Sport. The star Sun, who averaged almost 31 disposals as a rebounding defender in a breakout campaign last year, previously signed a four-year deal to remain at the club until the end of 2027. He is playing a midfield-forward role this season in Gold Coast's impressive 5-2 start. Flanders, 23, follows the likes of Christian Petracca, Dan Houston and the Reid brothers, Zach and Archer, in switching management companies this year. There are more to come, too, two agents told The Age. The number of players changing representation is a talking point among managers. Petracca (2029) and Houston (2030) are locked away for years to come, too, but are considerably older than Flanders and highly unlikely to sign another long-term deal, so their motivations were different. Houston, for example, signed his new six-year contract with Collingwood before crossing to Mercury Talent Management's Jim Jarvis, who is a close friend and only months into his new venture. Jarvis also nabbed Essendon rising star Zach Reid, while Colin Young, who departed Corporate Sports Australia to launch Young Guns Sports Management, secured West Coast's Archer Reid and Richmond defender Jacob Blight. Zach is out of contract at season's end, and on track for a tidy raise, given his excellent form, whereas Archer inked a deal until the end of 2027 in September. However, one player agent, who this masthead granted anonymity to speak more freely, said management companies were willing not to get an instant reward on a fresh but contracted signing if they believed a footballer still had a potentially juicy long-term deal to come, such as in Flanders' case. Hawks keen to retain free agent Hawthorn are keen to retain restricted free agent James Worpel and remain in discussions with his management about a new contract, but are yet to put a formal offer to him for consideration. The hard-edged midfielder has been a constant and vital part of the Hawks' ever-improving on-ball brigade since an injury-interrupted 2022. Worpel, 26, was club champion in 2019 – his second season – and finished fourth in last year's best and fairest. The only time he failed to sit inside the top 10 of the club best and fairest was in 2022, when a shoulder injury restricted him to 11 games. Neither party appears in any rush, with two competition sources saying Worpel is happy for now playing good, consistent football, knowing he will be in demand if he fails to reach agreement with Hawthorn. Loading Competition sources said clubs are monitoring the situation. Geelong have been linked to him, and there will be no shortage of suitors for the 132-game Hawk. Josh Ward is also out of contract and wants to get a body of work behind him before ramping up extension talks, with Money Talks outlining the midfield squeeze at Hawthorn last month.
