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Belfast Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Deadline nears in Antrim's search for McEntee successor
When Meath man Andy McEntee stepped down from the position earlier in the year, Antrim officials knew they faced into a difficult situation. With the county having been relegated to Division Four of the Allianz League along with Leitrim, there is a strong feeling within the county that it will take a huge effort if the team are to regain their status. In the Allianz League earlier this year, Antrim lost five of their seven games and won only two. But the fact McEntee was forced to do without a ration of experienced players certainly did not help the team's cause. Conor Stewart, Adam Loughran, Ryan Murray, Peter Healy and Conhuir Johnston were among absentees, some of them for protracted spells. McEntee had hoped to see the team turn the corner but difficult circumstances rendered his task more trying than had been anticipated. Yet the timing of the closing date for applications for the managerial post could in one sense scarcely be more appropriate. The opening matches in the Antrim Senior Football Championship are due to take place over the course of this week-end starting on Friday, and while unlikely the appointment will be made by then, potential candidates will have an opportunity to run their eye over the current consignment of talent within the county should they choose to do so. If, as expected, a greater array of players is available for the 2026 season, there is the possibility of a bid for promotion. Antrim county board officials are keen to see a new manager in situ and the aim is the appointee will surround himself with a strong backroom team that could hopefully play a part in attaining some level of progress next year.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Saturday morning heroism in a world fit for Jetsons
The Fantastic Four: First Steps, is not a flashy or over-the-top special effects extravaganza, the type we've become used to over 36 previous Marvel entries. Rather, it feels intimate in its own way, which is surprising considering its villain is a colossal being who devours planets whole and wants to consume Earth and then move forward on his path of intergalactic destruction. The gang of Four is led by Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who goes by Mister Fantastic, a supergenius scientist who, due to an incident in outer space, can now stretch his body like Silly Putty. He's so low-key and dialled down in the role that it's a running joke that people around him are always yawning when he's talking. In terms of Marvel, where personality is a superpower, he leaves a bit to be desired. Same goes for his three fellow partners, his wife, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who has the ability to make herself invisible; his best friend Ben Grimm (The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bachrach, in a mostly motion capture performance), who is made of rocks and possesses super strength; and hot-shot Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who can fly and has the ability to set himself ablaze. First Steps takes place in a Jetsons vision of the future-past, where it's simultaneously 1960 and 2060, where midcentury modern design meets flying cars and friendly service robots. It's this loving production design and the warmth of the world that gives First Steps its pizzazz, far more than any of its performances. About this planet-eating business: Galactus (voiced by the gravelly Ralph Ineson) is a consumer of entire globes, and he has a hunger for Earth. The only thing that can stop him is Reed and Sue's newborn baby boy. Director Matt Shakman (WandaVision), working from a script credited to four writers, sets First Steps in motion and lets it move at its own pace. It's a nimble, fleet-footed piece of entertainment, which never feels any weightier than a Saturday morning cartoon. In that sense, it feels like a win, or at least the first steps towards a much needed smaller, more manageable world of superhero film-making. — TCA
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Purdue football found Midwestern mountain men, made them 2026 recruiting priority
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue football director of recruiting Brad Odom noticed a change in topography when moving from UNLV to West Lafayette. He and the rest of his brother Barry's staff left behind the mountains of the Nevada desert. In Indiana, though, they found more mountainous men. 'We struggled to find bigger guys in Nevada,' Brad Odom said. 'Here, we were shocked at the size of guys in the '26 and '27 class. Big people who can run fast — they're hard to find.' That conclusion may be more anecdotal than factual. It cannot be denied, though, that Purdue's staff prioritized offensive and defensive line recruiting for a crucial 2026 recruiting class. As of Monday, the trenches account for essentially half of the 19 commitments in the class. That includes five defensive tackles or edge rushers and four offensive linemen. Per the On3/Rivals industry rankings, Purdue's four highest-rated commits are linemen. (Prior to four-star defensive lineman Josiah Hope's flip to Louisville last week, they comprised the top five.) That may become an annual trend. "Offensive line and defensive line have to be a priority every year,' said Jason Simmons, Purdue's director of high school recruiting. 'If you're going to win games in the Big Ten, you have to win up front.' A great summer beach read: Our book on Purdue basketball's 2024 FInal Four run Thanks to the transfer portal, if a program does not completely address a positional need in conventional recruiting, it can back-fill down the road. Yet as Purdue's staff sees it, the supply and demand realities of the transfer portal necessitate an emphasis on high school linemen. Other than quarterbacks, offensive and defensive line talent tends to cost more — name, image and likeness guarantees in the past, revenue share allotment going forward. With teams now trying to get bang for their revenue-sharing bucks, developing and retaining big bodies is more economically efficient. 'There's a ton of strategy that goes into the overall budget,' general manager Brandon Lee said. 'We have to find the correct balance of high school recruiting and hitting the portal, whether that's from a roster management standpoint or, in this language we're mentioning, a revenue share and NIL perspective.' Chicago Marist offensive lineman Rico Schreiber became the first 2026 commit Feb. 5. New Palestine's Brock Brownfield and Lawrence Central's James Williams — three-star offensive line prospects considered top 10 in-state talents regardless of position —both committed before the end of May. Insider: Why this unheralded Lawrence Central OL could have '7-year NFL career' after playing at Purdue Brad Odom said offensive line coach Vince Vice's recruiting charisma deserves a lot of that credit. Yet it's not a coincidence that the class went so heavy on linemen so early. Purdue's staff felt an urgency to strike fast at those positions. 'It's a position group that's really sped up in terms of the recruiting calendar,' Simmons said of the offensive line in particular. He said it has begun to resemble the early commitment schedule on which quarterbacks almost exclusively used to operate. "Everybody is going to take one guy and they're in a hurry to get their guy," he continued. "Offensive line is quickly becoming that way as well.' Purdue's staff did not focus on easy gets to fulfill its needs up front. It had to win real battles for some highly recruited players. For a brief period, Purdue held a commitment from Hope, a Kentuckian, over offers from Wisconsin and LSU, as well as the in-state Wildcats and Louisville. Notre Dame, Tennessee and IU were 2024 playoff teams pursuing Ohio defensive lineman Jamarcus Whyce, but he committed to the Boilermakers. Georgia edge rusher Katrell Webb picked Purdue over Florida State, Miami, Michigan and a good chunk of the SEC. Operation move: How Barry Odom established Purdue football recruiting base, priorities after 1,800 mile move Whyce and Webb are now the two highest-rated players in Purdue's class, per those On3/Rivals rankings. As with all football prospects, those recruitments will continue right up to signing day. The emphasis on lineman was not merely a numbers game, though. Odom played and coached the front seven before becoming a head coach. Offensive coordinator Josh Henson has an offensive line background. The makeup of the still-in-process 2026 recruiting class may reflect the identity of the program for years to come. 'We're going to run the football,' Brad Odom said. 'Football is a game of taking someone's body and putting it somewhere they don't want to be against their will. In order to do that, you have to have big, strong offensive linemen.'
India Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Patience, Honour, and Heart: The Joe Root blueprint for lasting success
Joe Root must be a fan of The Devil's Advocate, a mind-bending film starring Al Pacino as this over-the-top yet thought-provoking exploration of morality, ambition, and temptation, Pacino delivers a chilling piece of advice to Kevin Lomax, Keanu Reeves as a young lawyer: 'No matter how good you are, don't ever let them see you coming.' Root, England's cricketing maestro, embodies this a world full of cricketing divas, nobody saw him coming till he, like a sprinter racing in an alternate track away from limelight, burst ahead of all, bar Sachin Tendulkar. On Friday, July 25, during the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford, Root's 150-run masterclass saw him surpass Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, trailing only Tendulkar. With age and form on his side, Root is set to overhaul Tendulkar's Test yet, who would have thought just a few years ago Root would be ascending cricket's Mt Everest, the summit of batting?The Sudden Emergence of a Cricketing SupernovaRoot's rise to cricketing immortality was not a blaze of instant stardom but a quiet, smoldering glow that erupted into a supernova, catching the cricketing world off he debuted in 2012 against India in Nagpur, scoring a gritty 73 off 229 balls against a formidable spin attack, Root was a promising talent but not a pegged him as reliable, yet his early career lacked the flair of peers like Virat Kohli or Steve Smith. Before 2020, Root's 17 centuries in 89 Tests and a modest conversion rate placed him as the underdog among the Fab Four. Among his peers, Root was the quiet one, always in the shadow of Kohli's swagger, Smith's maverick mastery, and Kane Williamson's steel.'But post-2020, Root transformed, shedding the captaincy in 2022 to unleash his full potential under 'Bazball.' Since 2021, he has scored 5,586 runs in 60 Tests at an average of 56.42, with 21 centuries, converting over half his fifties into the race of cricket's Fab Four, Root is the veritable tortoise to the other hares, his steady, unassuming stride outlasting their early of the Fab FourWhile Kohli, Smith, and Williamson burst from the blocks with flamboyant brilliance. Kohli's brash charisma shone in his 2011 Test debut century, leading to high expectations, and his crowning as Tendulkar's heir. But his form faltered since 2020, with only five centuries in five years, and a sharp dip in the Test average. Kohli started failing against seam, and struggling against spin. After flickering for a few years, his candle flamed out, belying his early the unorthodox genius, racked up 9,685 runs in 109 Tests, his 32 centuries a hallmark of innovation, but he has looked a bit vulnerable in the last two years. Williamson, the steely technician, has 8,881 runs in 102 Tests. His consistency has been praised, but injuries and New Zealand's sparse Test schedule have slowed on the other hand, has transformed into a run machine in the second half of his career. His 150 at Old Trafford took him to 13,409 runs, surpassing Dravid (13,288), Kallis (13,289), and Ponting (13,378), leaving him 2,512 runs shy of Tendulkar's 15, English GentlemanOff the crease, Joe Root lives with a quiet humility that keeps him far from the limelight's glare. Born on December 30, 1990, in Sheffield, Root was nurtured in a cricket-mad family. His early days at Sheffield Collegiate Cricket Club, under the shadow of Michael Vaughan, saw a shy talent emerge, earning a scholarship to Worksop College at 15 and shining at the 2005 Bunbury a boy, Root spent hours perfecting his cover drive in Yorkshire's gritty nets, often biking to practice with dreams bigger than his small frame from his youth paint a picture of shyness: teammates recall a teenage Root blushing when praised for a century, preferring to let his bat speak. Impressed, his friends and fans anointed him with prophetic nickname during his college days –FEC (Future England Captain) for his quiet non-controversial career reflects this reserve—unlike peers, he's avoided scandals, with his 2019 stand against homophobia, calmly telling Shannon Gabriel, 'There's nothing wrong with being gay,' showcasing principle over Honorable Foe And A FriendRoot's character, a blend of quiet resilience and profound sportsmanship, shines brightest in moments that transcend the July 14, 2025, during the third Test at Lord's, India's chase of 193 ended in heartbreak, falling 22 runs short when Shoaib Bashir dismissed Mohammed Siraj for 4 off 30 balls. Siraj, visibly shattered, slumped over his bat, the ball having spun back with cruel overspin to dislodge his leg the roaring Lord's crowd and England's jubilation, Root was the first to rush toward Siraj, his gesture a beacon of empathy in a match marked by fiery Siraj's earlier sledging—mocking Root's 'Bazball' with taunts of 'Baz, Baz, Bazball, I want to see' on Day 1 and venting frustration after a failed DRS appeal against Root on Day 4–the England legend set aside the on-field tension. He offered a firm handshake, a gentle pat on the back, and a quiet Multan in 2024, where he scored 262, Root quietly declined a celebratory wave to the crowd, preferring to share a private nod with Harry Brook, saluting their 454-run partnership as a testament to his team-first Root Teaches UsIn a game that so often idolises the spectacular and the brash, Root's journey reminds us that true greatness is forged in patience, humility, and the relentless pursuit of quiet resilience and unwavering commitment to the team underscore a deeper truth: in sport, as in life, it is not always the loudest or the fastest who reach the summit, but those who endure, who build others up, and who play with both honor and story stands as proof that, in a world chasing fleeting success and shallow fame amplified by hype, enduring greatness is built on character and substance.- EndsMust Watch
Observer
4 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
India to face Pakistan in UAE at Asia Cup cricket
New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates will host this year's T20 Asia Cup tournament in September, organisers said on Saturday, ending the uncertainty over its fate amid spiralling tensions between India and Pakistan. The neighbours have not met on either side's soil in a bilateral series since 2012, and only play each other in international tournaments on neutral grounds as part of a compromise deal. But already-frosty relations took a turn for the worse this year when the two nuclear rivals fought an intense four-day conflict, their worst standoff in decades. More than 70 people were killed in missile, drone and artillery fire on both sides. The conflict was triggered by an April 22 attack on civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing — a charge Islamabad denies. The Asia Cup is played under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), which is currently headed by Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi. "I am delighted to confirm the dates for the ACC Men's Asia Cup 2025 in UAE," said Naqvi on X. "The prestigious tournament will take place from September 9th to 28th." Later Naqvi released the group stage fixtures with Afghanistan to take on Hong Kong in the tournament opener on September 9. India to face Pakistan in UAE at Asia Cup cricket The much-anticipated India and Pakistan will clash on a Sunday. India and Pakistan have been clubbed in group A with hosts UAE and Oman. The group stage will be followed by a Super Four stage and the final on September 28. The five full members of the ACC — Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — earned automatic qualification to the tournament. They are to be joined by Hong Kong, Oman and the UAE — the teams that secured their spots by finishing in the top three of the ACC men's Premier Cup. The previous edition of the event was in a 50-over format, but this year's tournament was scheduled as a shorter-format event in preparation for next year's T20 World Cup in India. India and Pakistan have fought three full-fledged wars since being carved out of the subcontinent's partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field. — AFP
