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New York Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Cubs are open to negotiating extension for Pete Crow-Armstrong even in-season
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs haven't closed the door on a long-term contract extension for Pete Crow-Armstrong, the dynamic center fielder whose breakout performance is already putting his name in the National League MVP conversation. After exchanging proposals around the season-opening Tokyo Series, the two sides agreed to table those discussions. When reports on the extension talks surfaced last month, Crow-Armstrong declared: 'I'm here to play baseball.' Advertisement Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer later echoed that talking point, saying the club would let Crow-Armstrong focus on the season, which is now turning into a long 'PCA' highlight reel. While Hoyer will defer to Crow-Armstrong's preferences, the Cubs do not have a strict organizational policy against in-season negotiations. 'Not talking during the season, to me, that's a player-focused thing,' Hoyer said Tuesday at Wrigley Field. 'I'm not playing. I've got time to negotiate if they want.' Crow-Armstrong is represented by Creative Artists Agency, which worked with the Arizona Diamondbacks to finalize Corbin Carroll's eight-year, $111 million contract extension during spring training in 2023. Another reference point arrived shortly after this season's Opening Day, when the San Diego Padres announced a nine-year, $135 million contract extension for Jackson Merrill, a young center fielder who signed what was generally viewed as a team-friendly deal, which includes a club option for 2035. Crow-Armstrong, 23, is currently under club control through the 2030 season, meaning there isn't an overwhelming sense of urgency. 'There's been a general understanding that we're not going to let it be a distraction throughout this year,' Crow-Armstrong said last month. Since those comments, Crow-Armstrong has hit 14 home runs while continuing to play Gold Glove-caliber defense and cause havoc on the bases, showing his full potential as one of the sport's most exciting talents. Crow-Armstrong is doing all this for a first-place team, in a city that holds a deep connection for his family. The outline of the initial report — a contract extension for Crow-Armstrong potentially worth around $75 million — has been characterized as inaccurate. Both sides also described the discussions as amicable. Advertisement 'We hadn't talked in a couple weeks when it leaked out,' Hoyer said. 'In general, it's just easier to negotiate if it's not out in the media. People aren't speculating on numbers and things like that. Even the number that came out about that wasn't right. The more we can keep things under wraps, the better. 'For a player, if it's going to mess with their head, if it's going to distract them or make them feel different, then you shouldn't do it. To me, not negotiating in-season, that's a player thing. Not specifically a team thing. But I totally respect guys who feel like they don't want to deal with it in-season, because they feel like it messes with their performance. I get that.'
Los Angeles Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
In ‘Motorheads,' Michael Cimino taps into his inner speedster
From the moment Michael Cimino heard about 'Motorheads,' a new coming-of-age drama set in a small town against the backdrop of street racing, he knew he had to be a part of it. The young actor, best known as the lead in Hulu's 'Love, Victor,' had long been looking for something just like it. 'Literally, since I first signed with CAA [Creative Artists Agency],' Cimino shares excitedly over Zoom. 'I was like, 'You guys, I would love to do a project that combines my passion for cars and film and TV.' Then I came across this script and I was like, 'This is the one.' I just knew it. Not in a cocky way. I just knew this is my role. Like, this is for me.' The series, which premieres on Prime Video on May 20, is set amid junkyards and repair shops, gangs and high school cliques. Set in the fictional town of Ironwood, 'Motorheads' is equal parts 'Grease' and 'Fast & the Furious' (but with a hint of YA shows like 'Riverdale'). At its heart are twins Zac and Caitlyn (Cimino and Melissa Collazo), whose return to Ironwood with their mom dredges up their connection to their estranged father, a street-racing legend Zac soon becomes obsessed with emulating. With his signature bashful looks, tousled black curly hair and just an added dash of playful risk-taking, Cimino's Zac sits right alongside the actor's growing repertoire of swoon-worthy guys. That includes not just his breakout role as Victor but also Ethan in 'Never Have I Ever' and, most recently, Cole in the romantic fantasy 'Girl Haunts Boy.' As the new kid in town, Zac is soon pulled into navigating long-standing high school rivalries — especially once he realizes the girl he's most interested in is dating the school's best-known bully, a kid who settles scores with exhilarating street races in his dad's Corvette and sometimes in his own Porsche. In conversation, Cimino is giddy with excitement, speaking a mile a minute as if he were on a racetrack hitting the gas — especially when he gets to talking about his long-running interest in car culture. 'I had Hot Wheels growing up,' he recalls. 'My dad and I, when I was a kid, used to build little racetracks with them. I always remembered loving it. And as I got older, my dad and I used to play [the video game] 'Forza' together. And my uncles used to drag race. So I heard a lot about drag racing and street racing when I was a kid. And my grandfather, who taught me how to work on cars, he used to rebuild engines. I've just always been into it.' More recently, he's been hoping to show off the auto work he's been doing to his fans. 'I built a '02 Miata that's supercharged,' he shared. 'I have a whole little TikTok series that I've been editing together, of me building it with my friend, Justin, and my cousin that I'm gonna start posting pretty soon.' All of that enthusiasm came particularly in handy when he began jockeying for a part on the show. During one Zoom session with executive producers John A. Norris and Jason Seagraves, Cimino remembers trying to make clear just how much Zac and this story felt in line with his own interests. 'We got a lot of auditions of people doing car stuff,' Norris says. 'A lot of people pretend that they know stuff to get the part. And so when he did it, Jason and I were kind of rolling our eyes at first. Because I'm like, 'Oh, he's just pretending.' Because he said he was hooking up a car and he was going to build it. And I said, 'Can we see the car?' And he had his phone, and he went around and he had this car on a trailer behind him that he was bringing back to L.A.' That's when Norris and Seagraves realized Cimino was very much enmeshed in the world 'Motorheads' depicts. 'Michael is just a joy,' Norris adds. 'And that energy is real. Every bit about him is. There's nothing phony there. He's just like an 8-year-old, always with a smile on his face.' Even after all these years, Cimino keeps finding new reasons why this beloved hobby resonates with himself and others all over the world. 'I went to this really big car show called Tokyo Auto Salon, which happens every year,' Cimino shares. 'It's amazing. I wound up connecting with a lot of people out there, kind of seeing the underground scene of how people connect to it. And I just understood for the first time how much bigger it is than just cars and racing and having a good time. It's such a signifier of self-expression. It can be such a thing of rebellion too.' That's precisely what happens with Zac. After befriending Marcel (Nicolas Cantu), an awkward, uncool kid at school who dreams of designing cars, Zac finds a purpose he hadn't had before. 'I think Zac always felt like an outsider,' Cimino explains. 'When he comes to Ironwood and kind of discovers his passion for racing, it's like a light in his life. Finally, he's like, 'Oh my gosh, I can be good at something. I can amount to something.'' But he cannot really do it alone. A driver is only as good as his car, and cars in Ironwood are well-crafted machines assembled by a loving crew. For Zac, that team ends up including his sister Caitlyn, of course, but also Marcel and Curtis (Uriah Shelton), another outsider who's trying to steer clear of the gang life his older brother lives and breathes. Thankfully for Cimino, the car family at the heart of 'Motorheads' was as tight-knit offscreen as it looks onscreen. 'Mel and I are both Puerto Rican and Sicilian, weirdly enough,' Cimino adds. 'We have the same mix, which is obviously great because she's playing my twin sister. We just kind of instantly clicked. We understood each other. We understood each other's culture. And Uriah is super into motorcycles and cars. He understands that world, so we had that bond. And Nicholas is just so talented and just so thoughtful and sweet and kind, man. We'd play 'Smash Bros.' together and stuff. We all bonded over different things.' The irony, of course, is that compared to these newfound friends, and even his uncle Logan (played by Ryan Phillippe), Zac is the least experienced one when it comes to repairing, let alone driving cars. But once he tastes the thrill of a race, Zac becomes intent on being an even better driver than his father ever was. But don't think for a moment that it's Cimino in the driver's seat in those head-spinning racing sequences that punctuate every episode. 'That was 100% my stunt driver,' Cimino admits, adding that 'Amazon was very much focused on making sure everyone was safe.' The actor, however, has set his sights on a new goal — he recently got his stunt-driving certificate. 'I'm hoping that one day I can pull a Tom Cruise and do some of my own stunts,' he said. 'Until that moment arises, I'm preparing for it.' But to be on set those days and to watch those scenes come to life was the kind of experience he's not about to take for granted. 'This show is just such a spectacle,' Cimino says. 'Even if I wasn't involved in this project, I would still be a huge fan of it. It's so well done. The stunts are amazing. It was honestly really freaking cool just witnessing something that I would have loved to watch when I was a kid. Being a part of it is so insane. It really feels like one of the most surreal moments of my life. To be honest, it feels like, 'Wow, my dreams really did come true.''
New York Post
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jake Tapper's bombshell book on Biden mental decline could be made into a movie
A high-stakes bidding war is brewing in Hollywood over the rights to the upcoming political exposé by CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios reporter Alex Thompson detailing the decline of Joe Biden, according to a report. With the release set for May 20, Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Endeavor — representing Tapper and Thompson respectively — have begun quietly circulating the manuscript to select producers, according to the Status newsletter. But while the talent agencies angle to sell the screen rights, the book's explosive claims and the timing of its release are drawing fierce criticism against the authors and other journalists for failing to aggressively cover the evident signs of Biden's deterioration. 4 Then-President Joe Biden and then-First Lady Jill Biden talk to CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash following a debate on June 27. Getty Images The book, 'Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,' paints a bleak picture of Biden's final years in office. The authors wrote in the book that senior White House aides seriously considered placing Biden in a wheelchair, took deliberate steps to prevent him from falling in public and actively concealed the extent of his decline from even his own staff. Aides reportedly outfitted Biden with sneakers, arranged pre-event briefings and mapped out shorter walking routes to minimize the risk of public stumbles, according to the book. His physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, privately warned that a serious fall could leave Biden wheelchair-bound and quipped that while staff were 'trying to kill him,' he was 'trying to keep him alive.' One excerpt from the book described how Biden failed to recognize Hollywood icon George Clooney at a Los Angeles fundraiser last year. The book is based on over 200 interviews, many with top Democratic insiders. 4 Tapper is co-author of 'Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.' Penguin Press 'We attempted to shield him from his own staff so many people didn't realize the extent of the decline beginning in 2023,' one aide admitted, according to the book. Early excerpts published Tuesday in Axios and The New Yorker helped propel the book to No. 4 on Amazon's bestseller list. But along with buzz has come backlash. Critics accuse Tapper and Thompson of cashing in on Biden's struggles for personal gain while also helping the administration cover up the then-president's condition. The backlash against Tapper has been especially fierce. Social media users labeled him a 'hypocrite' for profiting off Biden's decline after years of defending the president publicly. 4 The book details the lengths to which Biden aides went to conceal his condition. REUTERS 'Jake Tapper covered Biden's ass the entire time. And is now running to the other side and throwing his reporter hat on,' one critic wrote. Another added, 'Tapper smeared and attacked people who brought up Biden's decline, including Democrats.' Fox News hosts John Roberts and Joe Concha also slammed Tapper, accusing him and other liberal media figures of 'tying themselves in knots' to shield Biden from scrutiny. 4 Talent agencies Creative Artists Agency and William Morris Endeavor — representing Tapper and Alex Thompson respectively — have begun quietly circulating the manuscript to select producers, according to a report. logoboom – 'It is just patently insulting that Jake Tapper is trying to rewrite history while lining his own pockets in the process,' Concha said. Tapper addressed the criticism during a broadcast of his CNN show 'The Lead' earlier this year, telling his viewers: 'I've been covering the concerns about President Biden's age and health for years. I literally asked him about it in October 2022, and we've challenged Democrats and White House officials about it.' Tapper said that he and Thompson 'have spent the last several months talking to more than 200 insiders, officials, and donors — people who were more willing to talk post-election — to explain the last couple of years in politics and how we, as a country, got here.'
Fox News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Sam Darnold explains why Seahawks was perfect team to join in free agency: 'Special place'
For the first time in his career, Sam Darnold sat down in NFL free agency with options to be a starting quarterback. Despite a disappointing finish in the playoffs, Darnold's career-best season with the Minnesota Vikings earned him the right to get a big payday. It was just a matter of where – not if. While it is a great feeling for any player in professional sports to have that opportunity in free agency, making the right choice is not easy. There are many factors, personal and professional, that go into a player deciding to choose a different team. However, when the Seattle Seahawks traded veteran signal caller Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders, speculation began immediately. Could Darnold be heading to Seattle? He was thinking the exact same thing with his agents at Creative Artists Agency. "I was looking at my free agent options and talking with my agent about it, and then all of a sudden, we hear the news that Geno [Smith] was getting traded," Darnold explained to Fox News Digital, while discussing his work with the Lowe's Foundation for SkillsUSA National Signing Day. "And that was kind of like, 'OK, Seattle could be a potential spot.' "When I just found out about the mutual interest that both sides had in getting a deal done, that was something that was really important for me. Having somebody that also wanted me there, and to be able to have an impact as best I can." Seeing mutual interest is a main factor, but then it comes down to whether or not the player, especially a quarterback, can be successful. The Seahawks had a new head coach last season, Mike Macdonald, who came from the Baltimore Ravens. Although they did not compete in the playoffs, they just missed out with a 10-7 record – not too bad for a first-year head coach. Darnold loved what he saw when he faced the Seahawks in a 27-24 win for his Vikings. "There's great players on defense, great players on offense. I feel like Coach Macdonald's scheme on defense was really hard to go against last year, and I know coach Klint Kubiak," Darnold said. "I know him from 2023 in San Francisco, when we made that run there, so I'm pretty familiar with the system. I think all those factors combined was really the reason I fell in love with the decision to come to Seattle, and, man, I couldn't be more excited about it." Finally, while the on-field product and scheme look up to par, free agents are always looking at the team chemistry and culture. Darnold saw it right away. "Being here for the last few weeks, it's been amazing being able to meet some of my teammates and some of the coaches," he explained. "And like I referenced with Minnesota, just meeting some of the people in the building. It's just a special place, because you hear about it in the league. You hear about the good spots, the bad spots, the spots in between. "Seattle was always a place that guys love going to. They love the energy, they love the environment, and it really did exceed all my expectations. I'm so happy to be here." CELEBRATING NEXT GENERATION OF TRADE WORKERS While Darnold is getting his bearings in his new city, he made sure to stop by Lowe's Seattle store ceremony for SkillsUSA National Signing Day, which is a celebration mirroring the excitement of athletic signings but for future electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs and builders. Lowe's rolled out the blue carpet and all for students who were surprised by Seattle's newest football star. This initiative is one that hits close to home for Darnold. His father, Mike, has been a plumber for 30-plus years. "It was unbelievable," Darnold said of the experience. "I've seen the hard work that he put in his entire life to it. So, just being able to see these kids and see the hard work they've already put in, get to meet them and talk to them about the path that they're headed, and just how passionate they are about it. "I think there's so many more opportunities out there in the skill trades world, and me and my dad have talked about it, how there's not a lot of kids doing that anymore. It's a special opportunity for kids to impact their communities in ways they probably don't even know they're going to." New data from ADP shows nearly one in five workers aged 20-24 held blue-collar jobs as of May 2023. While that was a 2% rise since 2019, the U.S. faces a shortage of 439,000 construction workers. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harris to criticize Trump in first major address since leaving office
Former Vice President Kamala Harris will jab at President Trump in the keynote address at the Emerge gala on Wednesday, making her first public remarks since leaving office in January, a source told The Hill. In her remarks, the former vice president, who lost to Trump in November, is expected to offer pointed criticism of the administration, the source said. Harris is also expected to honor the organization for its role empowering women in politics and issue a call to action to combat Trump's economic policies and his push to overhaul the federal government. Emerge, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the gala, is an organization that helps recruit and train Democratic women to run for office. Harris worked with the Emerge co-founder Andrea Dew Steele on her run for district attorney of San Francisco in 2003. Harris earlier this month made a surprise appearance at a leadership summit for Black women in California and told the crowd, 'I'm not going anywhere.' She also signed on with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the entertainment firm, earlier this year. Speculation has swirled surrounding whether Harris is mulling a run for California governor in 2026, and she is expected to make a formal decision by the end of the summer. Early polling has shown that if Harris was to launch a bid, she would be the Democratic front-runner. The former vice president nabbed nearly 6 in 10 likely primary voters in a February survey from Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics/The Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
