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USA Today
a day ago
- Business
- USA Today
No Progress: Cowboys' HC expects Micah Parsons at minicamp despite lack of new extension
No Progress: Cowboys' HC expects Micah Parsons at minicamp despite lack of new extension Organized team activities are winding down for the 2025 Cowboys, and that means things will be heating up soon. After Tuesday's voluntary session and then one more on Thursday, attendance will become mandatory for players beginning next week. And that's when the presence (or absence) of superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons- who is waiting for a contract extension that should make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history- will escalate from mild curiosity to full-blown obsession for offseason observers of the team. But new Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer isn't worried and believes the four-time Pro Bowler will be there when the roll is called. "I would assume," he told reporters on Tuesday before the day's practice. "Micah and I talked a couple days ago. Again, he's doing a little bit of traveling. But everything he and I have talked about, I expect he will be here." That optimism does not, however, mean a new contract is being finalized. Or even worked on. According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, team EVP Stephen Jones says there has been "nothing moving" on the Parsons contract talks. The game of chicken regarding a new deal has become an annual tradition, it seems, for the Cowboys and their top players. Last year it was wide receiver CeeDee Lamb holding out all summer and racking up seven digits worth of fines before finally coming to terms 13 days before the season opener. Dak Prescott didn't put pen to paper until just hours before that Week 1 kickoff. But at least he was around for training camp. Schottenheimer points out that Parsons, who was present at the first week of OTAs this spring, hasn't gone completely off the grid either. "'Being present' doesn't necessarily mean 'being here' all the time," he said. "It doesn't necessarily mean having to practice. It means being present, being around the guys. We all don't see the things that some of these guys do away from here. There's a lot of work being done away from here, whether it's with other players in the NFL, our guys, things like that. The thing that I know about Micah is Micah wants to be here. He's excited about what we're building. He's been a big proponent of that. You can lead a lot of different ways." Parsons has previously said he won't hold out as he awaits a new deal. But that was months ago, when it seemed like a record-breaking extension was imminent. The just-turned-26-year-old Parsons is set to make just over $24 million on his fifth-year option, but will find himself in the $40 million-per-year neighborhood with his next pact. The big question is whether that deal will come this summer from Jones and the Cowboys or from another team next March. That latter option- letting Parsons leave to go to the highest bidder- seems downright crazy. But every day that Parsons does not have a guarantee on paper from Dallas is another day that fans are holding their breath, another day the long-term future of the mega-talented defender becomes a little more uncertain. But the unflappable Schottenheimer insists he isn't among that crowd. "This is a business, and they're working through the business part of this deal," the coach said of Parsons on Tuesday. "But everything that I've asked him to do- no different from everybody that's here- he's been great with. So that gets me excited. I'm a big fan of Micah." The Cowboys faithful are, too. But they'll be even bigger fans of having him in the building and contractually secured beyond 2025. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
Eater
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Tom Cruise Went to Pecan Lodge and All We Got Was a Confounding Instagram Post
It happened. Tom Cruise promised the world he would eat barbecue in Dallas, and he did. While in town to promote his forthcoming Mission: Impossible movie, he performed an extremely possible mission and got his buns over to Pecan Lodge in Deep Ellum. While Pecan Lodge is a solid choice — it's one of the longstanding barbecue spots in Dallas and still has a place on Eater's barbecue map —it wasn't on our list of suggestions for Cruise. What we're really disappointed by is that in the era of Keith Lee food reviews, there was no follow-up video of Cruise eating and telling us his thoughts. . Almost everything we know is third-hand: or example, the Dallas Morning News reported that a spokesperson (it's unclear if they were speaking on behalf of the actor or the restaurant) said that Cruise said the beef ribs were the star of the show. What does that even mean? It implies that he ate and enjoyed the beef ribs, but it doesn't explicitly say that. Slightly more satisfying proof comes from Tribal All Day Cafe's Instagram, of all places. Its founder was there when Cruise stopped by (tipped off by the restaurant owner network, we assume), and so we have actual confirmation that Cruise was in Pecan Lodge. What we can see is that there is food on the table beside Cruise, which may or may not be where he sat to eat. That includes a tray with a grease stain, indicating some food must have been eaten off it by someone, at some point. Still on the tray is what appears to be brisket or a rib with a heavy bark. Directly behind Cruise is a paper plate with lots of wadded-up napkins on top and a little bit of this same bark-covered meat. So if this was Cruise's seat, he got his hands dirty digging in. But still, there are questions. Why is Cruise wearing sunglasses inside? Why is everyone else in this photo half a foot behind him? There is a mostly empty to-go container of mac and cheese at the end of the table — did Cruise eat that, too? What was the whole order? Did he only eat beef ribs, and is that because of a specific dietary regimen? Our apologies to Cruise and his spokesperson, but we're going to need a full video review, or this never happened. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kumar Rocker Set to Begin Rehab Assignment in Frisco
After missing the last month due to injury, Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker is set to begin building his pitch count back up in hopes of returning to a starting role. According to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, Rocker will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Frisco on Friday. Advertisement Grant also notes that, with the Rangers' bullpen facing a "bind in the bullpen", Rocker's return could be accelerated if he's brought back as a reliever. While Rocker does have one relief appearance during his rehab from elbow surgery, Grant points out that he's never been viewed as a reliever. Apr 17, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker (80) delivers a pitch to the Los Angeles Angels during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images© Jim Cowsert-Imagn Images However, his reliance on a slider-sinker combo could make him more effective in the short term out of the bullpen. The Rangers' bullpen owns a 4.02 ERA, which ranks 17th in the majors. The unit has compiled a 1.280 WHIP with 149 strikeouts, 63 walks and a .239 opponents batting average. While not among the league's elite, the bullpen has held steady in the middle of the pack. Advertisement Before the injury, Rocker posted an 8.10 ERA with 16 strikeouts and 5 walks in 20 innings. Rocker was drafted third overall by Texas in 2022, a year after concerns over a physical led him to going unsigned by the New York Mets as the 10th pick. Related: Rangers Announce Jonah Heim News After Leaving Yankees Game Kumar Rocker Set to Begin Rehab Assignment in Frisco first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
The Hill
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Texas lawmakers move to ban legal THC, hemp amid medical marijuana expansion
Texas lawmakers have passed a ban on non-medical sales of THC, the intoxicating ingredient in cannabis, sending the measure to Gov. Greg Abbott (R). 'If it gets you high, it is not legal anymore' state Rep. Tom Oliverson (R), who sponsored the House bill, told the Dallas Morning News. In passing the ban, Texas joins a wide array of states, including Colorado, Iowa, Arizona, Hawaii and Alaska, that have banned or heavily restricted intoxicating forms of hemp, or the compounds derived from it. It comes alongside a push by Texas Republicans to significantly expand the state's medical marijauna program. Under the new ban, possession of hemp products now carries a dramatically stricter penalty than possession of up to 2 ounces of marijuana. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) had threatened to hold up the state's ability to pass a budget if the House didn't pass S.B. 3, the companion legislation in the Senate. 'We cannot in good conscious leave Austin without banning THC,' Patrick said in a video posted on Monday. 'I've been here for 17 years at the Texas Capitol — 10 years as your lieutenant governor. I've never been more passionate about anything,' he added. If signed into law, the bill would represent a 'minor earthquake for the state's economy,' the Texas Tribune reported. A study funded by the Texas hemp industry found that the hemp business generates more than $5 billion in revenue and employs more than 53,000 workers, at an average of about $40,000 per year. The Texas Hemp Business Council, which had fought for security measures such as age verification and child-resistant packaging instead of a ban, vowed to sue over the bill, which it said 'dismantles the legal hemp industry.' Since 2019, Texas has been at the forefront of a national experiment in back-door cannabis legalization, after the legislature passed a bill legalizing 'consumable hemp,' as opposed to the industrial variety used for fiber. That bill followed the 2018 passage of the Farm Bill by an the all-Republican caucus. The language of that bill inadvertently laid the foundation for cannabis legalization across the country — provided it was called hemp, rather than marijuana, which is still illegal in Texas for non-medical use. The law, however, created no guardrails, regulation or safety testing for the new industry that sprung up — something exacerbated by the Food and Drug Administration's refusal to meaningfully regulate hemp-based foods and beverages. Six years later, with pre-rolled joints and THC-infused drinks available at sleek dispensaries and run-down gas stations in the state, many conservative legislators now view that loophole as a mistake. 'What began in 2019 as a bipartisan effort to support Texas agriculture has since been hijacked by a cottage industry of unregulated THC sellers,' Oliverson said, per the Texas Tribune. For medical marijuana providers in Texas and elsewhere, the hemp industry is a wild-west competitor — not subject to the strict safety testing, sales limits or security controls that govern legal marijuana. As such, many of the states that preceded Texas in banning hemp — like Alaska, California and Colordao — have tightly regulated legal recreational and medical marijuana programs, for whom the hemp industry is a wild-west competitor. Texas's small medical cannabis industry has supported of restrictions on hemp, which its leaders say threaten to drive them out of business — and that corner of the industry stands to win big this session. In addition to a ban on its gray-market competitors, new legislation likely to pass this session would widen the number of covered conditions that can be treated with marijuana in Texas, and create licenses for nearly a dozen new dispensaries across the state. But unlike in Colorado or California, recreational users in Texas will be largely out of luck — or will turn to the black market, state Democrats argued. While bill opponents acknowledged the problem of an unregulated industry, they argued that the solution was to make sure the widespread demand for THC was met safely. 'Bans don't work,' said Dallas-area state Rep. Rafael Anchía, (D). 'We'll return to a completely unregulated black market where these products will find their way to young people today. If anybody's to blame about the state of affairs, it's us, in underregulating this marketplace.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Former Texas A&M football star Brian Williams suddenly dies after running half marathon
Former Texas A&M safety Brian Williams died over the weekend, his family has confirmed. Williams, who earned his engineering degree from the school last year, played three seasons for the Aggies from 2019-21. The former Top 100 national recruit ran a half marathon over the weekend in Texas, and sadly passed away due to a severe heat stroke he got from the event, his brother told the Dallas Morning News. 'B you are my heart,' his brother Rawleigh wrote on Instagram. 'The BEST version of us in every single way B. I don't think I can make it without you but I'm going to try for our parents and our sister. I love you brother.' Williams was a former four-star recruit out of Dallas' Bishop Dunne High School, and played in 10 games for A&M in both 2019 and 2020. Former Texas A&M player Brian Williams died over the weekend, his family has confirmed Williams is seen with his brother, former Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams III He was working in the Dallas-Fort Worth area after completing his degree, according to the Houston Chronicle. Williams' former teammate, Leon O'Neal, posted a tribute to the player on Sunday night. 'Rest easy brother B Will,' he wrote on X. Bishop Dunne assistant principal Michael Alfers also spoke out following Williams' death. 'Everybody looked up to him not only just because of his accomplishments on the field, but just from the way he carried himself and the way he treated others,' Alfers said of Williams, whom he reportedly taught in eighth grade. 'And he just always was kind of like a model student, a model young person in general.' Williams was a standout player in high school, earning first-time all-state honors and being named the Dallas Morning News' Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.
