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San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
How St. Mary's baseball marched to second-ever NCAA regional with zero NIL money
St. Mary's baseball, a program whose history dates to 1872 when it was introduced as the school's first sport, has never played under the lights at home. It isn't a figure of speech. There are literally no lights at Louis Guisto Field. Gaels home games begin no later than 2 p.m. — and 3 p.m. after Daylight Saving Time. When winning seasons became the norm during Eric Valenzuela's first stint at the helm from 2014-19, opposing teams would occasionally make full use of their offensive timeouts, to which the St. Mary's dugout relentlessly exclaimed, 'We don't have lights!' Whether it was a tactic to draw the game past sundown or simply coincidental, Athletics starting pitcher and Gaels alumnus Ken Waldichuk remembers well how the team's favorite chirp emerged as the calling card for good baseball in Moraga. 'We embraced it, honestly,' Waldichuk said. 'Not having lights and being in that situation kind of brought guys together.' Valenzuela left for Long Beach State following the 2019 season after having led St. Mary's to four straight 30-win seasons, by far the most in school history, during a stretch that included the program's first NCAA regional appearance in 2016. Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes and MLB All-Star Tony Gonsolin were starting pitchers for that famed group of Gaels, whose legacy was finally matched last weekend. St. Mary's won the West Coast Conference tournament to automatically qualify for the program's second regional appearance, again under the leadership of Valenzuela, who returned as head coach in the summer of 2023 after four seasons in Long Beach. The feat seems more impressive this time around. In 2016, pay-for-play name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and a practically no-holds-barred transfer portal would not be implemented for another half decade. In 2025, success in college athletics is afforded to those with the deepest pockets. More than half of the NCAA tourney's field of 64 is made up of Power 4 teams (34). St. Mary's is one of a select group of mid-major teams included for winning its conference championship. As a result, Valenzuela and company find themselves as a four seed in a Corvallis, Ore., regional that features No. 8 national seed Oregon State, USC (Big Ten) and TCU (Big 12). It's safe to say all three programs have various levels of NIL backing. The NIL money spread across St. Mary's current roster? A whopping total of $0, Valenzuela told the Chronicle. 'There's absolutely no NIL with this current team at all,' Valenzuela said. 'We're not going to have the luxury of a lot of these programs, even in our conference, that have NIL and have a ton of it. … We're not there just yet.' All told, Valenzuela lost six of nine starters from a 2024 lineup that brought the program back above .500 last season at 34-22 (16-8 WCC) after consecutive campaigns with records of 25-26, 25-30 and 23-28 in his absence. Roster turnover heading into this season was inevitable from what was a senior-heavy team. But the Gaels also failed to retain catcher Bear Harrison (Texas A&M), who started 42 games with a .322 batting average and eight home runs as a freshman, outfielder Dalton Mashore (South Carolina), an All-WCC second-team selection, and 6-foot-11 pitcher Jason Reitz (Oregon), whom Valenzuela said would've likely been a weekend starter. Valenzuela cited internal conversations about potentially establishing an NIL budget and funding more baseball scholarships when the allowable number by the NCAA expectedly increases from 11.7 to 34 as part of the House v. NCAA settlement. What steps may be taken, while valuable, are also unlikely to make St. Mary's baseball competitive in the NIL marketplace overnight. Valenzuela knows any high school, junior college or transfer recruits who land with the Gaels won't be the ones chasing money. 'The times have totally changed,' Valenzuela said. 'You never know what a Tony Gonsolin or a Ken Waldichuk or a Corbin Burnes would have done if they were in this era.' For what it's worth, Waldichuk said he thinks he would've stayed. The development he received in three years at St. Mary's after joining as a preferred walk-on in 2017 was well worth it once the New York Yankees spent a 2019 fifth-round pick on him following his junior season. He said his cost of tuition was almost entirely covered once he was put on a partial athletic scholarship after posting a 2.00 ERA as a true freshman reliever. In his final two years, Waldichuk said he had to pay about $1,000 per semester. Every St. Mary's baseball player pays some portion of tuition, according to Valenzuela, who acknowledged maybe one or two are close to attending the school for free but that 'a lot of them are paying the majority.' Meanwhile, some starters at Power 4 programs, especially in the SEC, not only have their tuition covered — they regularly net money off of NIL deals. The independent variable in Valenzuela's success has been his staff. Associate head coach and recruiting coordinator Daniel Costanza has coached alongside Valenzuela for 12 years. And under hitting coach Jack Meggs, who was retained from the program's previous staff, the Gaels boast a top-50 batting average in the country (.301). Fueling that are All-WCC first-team first baseman Eddie Madrigal, whose average is a team-best .372 with 21 home runs and 77 RBIs, and outfielder Aiden Taurek, who is batting .336 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in his first year as a starter. 'If I'm a coach at a Power (4) school, I'm looking at schools like ours who found ways to be successful with limited resources — I'm going to try to hire those guys,' Valenzuela said. The deeper the Gaels go this postseason as the Bay Area's only chance at a College World Series berth in Omaha, Neb., the farther they'll be from home. But their future on the grounds of Louis Guisto Field at Brother Ronald Gallagher Stadium will only brighten in the years to come. The town of Moraga recently approved outdoor light fixtures to be installed at the ballpark. Gone are the days of an afternoon first pitch thrown against the backdrop of bleachers marked by the handful of parents who could get off of work early. Valenzuela said he always has believed night games could increase exposure for the program across the broader Lamorinda area, ripe with young baseball talent. To enlighten those who have been in the dark: Since 1967, St. Mary's baseball has fielded 12 teams that won at least 30 games, including the past six coached by Valenzuela. 'If you compare Coach V to probably any other coach in the country, he gets more out of what he has than just about anybody,' St. Mary's president Roger Thompson said.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
'Texas Time' Moves a Step Closer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. On Thursday the Texas Legislature approved House Bill 1393, which would make daylight saving time permanent across the state abolishing the current requirement for biannual clock changes. The bill will now go before Governor Greg Abbott who can sign it into state law, though even if this happens the change wouldn't actually take effect without changes to superseding federal legislation. Newsweek contacted Governor Abbott for comment via email on Friday outside of regular office hours. Why It Matters The current twice-yearly clock changes across the U.S. are controversial and in April President Trump gave his support to a bill that would have introduced year-round daylight-saving time. The U.S. did introduce year-round daylight saving in the early 1970s following an energy crisis but this was swiftly abandoned amid public anger at going to work, and sending children to school, in the dark. What To Know Texas House Bill 1393 was passed by the Texas Senate on Thursday with 27 votes in favor and four against according to Dallas News reporter Phil Jankowski. The bill would introduce a new statewide "Texas time," making daylight saving permanent across Texas, but only "if the United States Congress enacts legislation that becomes law that authorizes the State of Texas to observe daylight saving time year-round." This would apply across the state, both to the vast majority of Texas which currently falls under the Central Time Zone and the far western section which is part of the Mountain Time Zone. Texas Senator Ted Cruz called for biannual time changes to be ended in April during a committee appearance. A stock photo shows the Texas state flag at River Oaks Country Club in Houston on April 5, 2024. A stock photo shows the Texas state flag at River Oaks Country Club in Houston on April 5, 2024. Aaron M. Sprecher/GETTY Currently 20 states have passed laws that would abolish clock changes if they are given permission to do so by the federal government. Clock changes became a standard feature across the U.S. with the passage of the Uniform Time Act in 1966, though Hawaii and most of Arizona are exempt from observing daylight saving time. In 2022 the Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would have made daylight saving time permanent, but this stalled in the House. In a post on his Truth Social website in December 2024 then-president elect Trump said: "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation." What Time Zones Does Texas Have? Most of Texas, including the major cities of Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, are currently part of the Central Time Zone. However the western counties of El Paso and Hudspeth form part of the Mountain Time Zone. What People Are Saying Texas House Bill 1393 says: "This state, acting as authorized under federal law, shall observe daylight saving time year-round. This subsection applies to both the portion of this state using central standard time as the official standard time and the portion of this state using mountain standard time as the official standard time." Senator Paul Bettencourt, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said according to The Texas Tribune: "This is effectively a trigger bill waiting for change with the federal government." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether Governor Abbott will sign House Bill 1393 into Texas law. Even if he does, its provisions won't take effect without changes to federal legislation.
Japan Today
30-04-2025
- Health
- Japan Today
'Gogatsu-byo': Japan's May sickness & its effect on relationships
By Hilary Keyes With all of the possible upheaval and changes that take place in April, you would think that a month that starts with a week of holidays like May would be a kinder, gentler time. But there is something sinister that may strike at any moment in May: the so-called gogatsu-byo. What Exactly Is Gogatsu-byo? 五月病 (Gogatsu-byo; 'May Sickness') is the term for a seasonal affective disorder-like psychological condition that affects many Japanese people (and directly or indirectly, us foreigners living here) once the flurry of activity in April and the relaxing Golden Week vacation has passed. Gogatsu-byo Symptoms Many believe that the number of changes that take place in April, coupled with vacations and then push back into a still-new work or school environment, causes the gogatsu-byo in the first place. Sufferers report experiencing: Insomnia Decreased or increased appetite Restlessness Nervousness Anxiety Mood swings Depression They experience a host of 'not quite feeling right' physical symptoms that many doctors struggle to diagnose. While this may seem like an unusual condition to those new to Japan, after being here for a few years, you will definitely start to notice that people behave differently in April and June compared to May. The Relationship Turmoil This uniquely Japanese condition can also cause intense turmoil in personal relationships. Looking over my diaries from years past and talking to friends from all walks of life in Japan, two distinct trends concerning relationships have appeared consistently from about May 4th to the first week of June. Here are the two biggest examples: 1. People Seem Standoffish or Overly Sensitive In general, many people are by nature afraid of change and dislike having to adjust to a new schedule. If you come from a country with Daylight Saving Time, you probably remember how drowsy and confused you felt in those first couple of days after changing the clocks. Add that to potential home, career and lifestyle changes that may have taken place in less than a month. Plus, with the haze that everyone feels after a long vacation, you have a recipe for disaster in any group of people. Friends may be less likely to come out for a drink after work; co-workers might be feeling disinclined to work or less helpful than usual, and a host of communication problems and other issues can crop up. Murphy's Law states that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. So, expect some bad days where normally friendly co-workers suddenly seem aloof, for things not to be ready on time or for deadlines to appear out of nowhere. My friend had a typically stern co-worker burst into tears because they bought the wrong kind of tea for the office. Just this very morning, I watched as a tiny, sweet-faced old woman berated the station staff with some choice words that aren't in most Japanese-English dictionaries. 2. No Relationship Is Safe With all this weirdness in the air, people may find that their romantic relationships are changing too. If you have survived the fine line between sakura and romance last month, you may find that there is a sudden chill in the relationship. It may be last-minute cancellations, fewer text messages or an overall blasé approach to the relationship. Some people even use the month as an excuse to end relationships that are heading nowhere. Click here to read more. External Link © Savvy Tokyo
Al-Ahram Weekly
24-04-2025
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt commercial venues to adopt extended summer working hours on Friday - Society
Egypt's commercial venues, cafés, restaurants, workshops, and handicraft shops will adopt extended summer working hours starting Friday, Minister of Local Development Manal Awad announced on Thursday. Related Egypt to set clock forward by 60 minutes as summertime begins on Friday The extended summer schedule, effective from the last Friday in April to the last Thursday in September each year, allows commercial shops and malls nationwide to open from 7am to 11pm. Cafés and restaurants, including those inside shopping centres, may operate from 5am to 1am. Takeaway services are exempt from time restrictions and can run around the clock. Workshops and handicraft shops in residential areas must adhere to the 8am to 7pm schedule. However, exceptions to this are those located on highways or at fuel stations. Closing times will be extended by one hour on Thursdays, Fridays, official holidays, and religious feasts. The summer timetable will not affect pharmacies, bakeries, supermarkets, fruit and vegetable vendors, poultry shops, or wholesale markets, which can remain open around the clock. Egypt first introduced seasonal business hours in June 2020, with summer operating times running nearly an hour longer than winter schedules. Officials say the measure aims to ease traffic congestion, reduce overcrowding, and minimize road obstructions in busy areas. It is also intended to support public health, lower noise levels, and protect infrastructure. The summer schedule coincides with Egypt's switching to Daylight Saving Time on Friday. The country will move clocks forward by one hour from midnight to 1am, a practice that aims to reduce energy consumption as the hot months approach. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump says he now wants daylight saving time to be permanent. The president of Save Standard Time thinks the ‘MAHA' movement can help push back
Efforts in Congress to stop the changing of clocks have so far exclusively called for a switch to daylight saving time, potentially a boon to leisure providers like golf courses. The push for standard time, however, has picked up steam with supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promised to 'Make America Healthy Again.' There's a broad agreement in Washington that changing the clocks in the spring and fall is an unnecessary nuisance. There's plenty of debate among lobbyists and special interest groups, however, about whether a permanent shift to standard or daylight saving time is the best choice for Americans' health and the nation's economy. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, appears to have changed his tune. After saying Congress should 'eliminate Daylight Saving Time' in December 2024, he called for the opposite move earlier this month, a day after a Senate hearing on the issue chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). 'The House and Senate should push hard for more Daylight at the end of a day,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'Very popular and, most importantly, no more changing of the clocks, a big inconvenience and, for our government, A VERY COSTLY EVENT!!!' Daylight saving time, which typically starts on the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November, involves setting clocks forward by one hour—resulting in more evening daylight during the warmer months of the year. Standard time, in effect during the other four months, aligns with solar time, meaning noon on the clock coincides with the sun hitting its highest point in the sky. Trump's reversal was a disappointing development for Jay Pea, the founder and president of Save Standard Time, a volunteer-run nonprofit that works with sleep medicine groups to lobby in Congress and state legislatures. 'We need to try to get him to see that golf will still happen with standard time,' Pea said in an interview with Fortune. 'And if we want to make Americans healthy again, we need standard time.' Pea said his organization's messaging has picked up steam among supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has promised to 'Make America Healthy Again.' 'We just haven't gotten through yet to the people at the top of the MAHA [movement],' Pea said. 'I'm hopeful to turn their heads soon.' Pea and other standard time advocates say it's better for peoples' circadian rhythms, or 'biological clocks,' and, therefore, public health and safety, as well as productivity. A recent Gallup poll suggests most Americans are on board, with 54% of U.S. adults saying they are ready to get rid of daylight saving time, compared to 40% who remain in favor of the practice. In a question asked of different participants, 48% of Americans said they preferred having standard time the whole year. Meanwhile, just 24% and 19% of those polled said they wanted permanent daylight saving time or a preservation of the status quo, respectively. Nonetheless, efforts in Congress to stop the changing of clocks have so far exclusively called for a switch to daylight saving time, based, in part, on the premise Americans would prefer an extra hour in the evening to spend time outdoors, shop, or otherwise enjoy the sunshine. Led by current Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the 'Sunshine Protection Act' in 2021. The bill was passed by unanimous consent, which is typically used to expedite routine and uncontroversial procedural moves, but it stalled in the House. An updated version sponsored by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was put forward in January. Eighteen states have passed legislation to institute daylight saving time permanently if Congress acts, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, but many of those same constituencies are also currently considering bills that favor standard time instead. Under current law, states only have the option to opt out of daylight saving time, which both Arizona and Hawaii did in the late 1960s. 'When I talk to Congress members, there are many who tell me that they're just sponsoring the Sunshine Act because it's the only bill they see,' Pea said. 'If someone else would file a bill for standard time, they would sponsor it also.' Besides legislative inertia, Pea said, another political challenge is the association daylight saving time enjoys with summer. 'But you cannot magically turn winter into summer,' he said. 'By changing your clock, you would only make winter more miserable, because it would be dark until 8:30 or 9 [a.m] in many states.' The U.S. briefly experimented with permanent daylight saving time in 1974, with President Richard Nixon signing a bill aimed at conserving energy usage amid the oil crisis. During the winter, however, Americans soured on getting to work or school in the dark, particularly when incidents of schoolchildren being struck and killed by vehicles became national news. By October 1974, President Gerald Ford had signed a bill to put the U.S. back on standard time for four months of the year. The offices of Scott and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), also a champion of the Sunshine Protection Act, did not immediately respond to Fortune's requests for comment. The same went for the office of Cruz, who is yet to officially express his preference. Arguments for daylight saving time year-round, however, tend to emphasize the relationship between sunshine and leisure spending. Jay Karen, the CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association, told the Senate committee eliminating daylight saving time would cost facilities an estimated $1.6 billion in green fees, or $162,000 per course. Making it permanent, meanwhile, would represent a $1 billion tailwind for the industry, he said. Rubio and Murray argued in a 2021 op-ed that economic activity fell during standard time. They referenced a study from the JPMorgan Chase Institute, which found daily card spending decreased 3.5% in Los Angeles compared to Phoenix, where clocks are not changed, in the month following the end of daylight saving time. Researchers had framed their findings differently from Rubio and Murray, however, pointing to a paltry spending jump when clocks sprang forward in the spring. 'Our unprecedented view of spending around the beginning and end of [daylight saving time] does not support consumer spending claims of DST advocates,' they wrote in 2016. Still, the current debate in Congress and state legislatures may just be getting started. This story was originally featured on
