Latest news with #MiramarBeach
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gators coach Billy Napier says Tre Wilson looks like ‘a million bucks'
MIRAMAR BEACH — Before bolting Wednesday from the SEC meetings, where portal windows and playoff formats have dominated talks, Gators football coach Billy Napier sat down with two in-state reporters to discuss topics more indigenous to his fan base. Such as the fate of cornerback Dijon Johnson, the progress of receiver Tre Wilson, and the potential of heralded freshman pass catcher Dallas Wilson. For good measure, we tossed in Napier's thoughts on the playoff models and possible play-in games being pondered by the SEC. Advertisement Here are excerpts from the conversation (edited for brevity and clarity). On cornerback Dijon Johnson (the Wharton High alumnus arrested in early May on two felonies): 'We'll handle all the discipline internally. We're gonna let things take their course. We started some of that process with (Dijon) in-house already. (Dijon's) back in summer school and he's working with our team. He's got good representation, and we'll let it take its course.' Is there a level of disappointment? 'I think there's some lessons to be learned, and we'll keep it at that. ... I think that hopefully it will be a teachable moment not only for him but for the entire team and for young people in general.' Advertisement On receiver (and Gaither alumnus) Tre Wilson's progress this spring following knee surgery and a procedure to correct a genetic hip issue: 'Tre did great. He did practice quite a bit. Black jersey, we kept him out of contact, and I think he did everything to some degree. We just kept him out of contact. He looked like a million bucks. It was a daily reminder like, 'Forgot about that guy.' 'He's one of the best players that we have this year. ... He's also a really good work ethic, practice player; rubs off on the other players. He's hungry to get back. It's unfortunate the situation he had, but he'll be back. That's one of the story lines nobody's talking about.' On Wilson's role as a freshman (in 2023) and how it will evolve in 2025: 'Trying to get him touches. You're trying to make it simple for him (as a rookie), keep him involved when he's young. Look, the guy, he can run the full route tree. He'll be a player as long as he's working the way that he has been working. And he is healthy. We'll be intentional about his involvement, for sure.' Advertisement On freshman receiver (and Tampa Bay Tech alum) Dallas Wilson's huge spring game and his potential impact in 2025: 'I think being a mid-year (enrollee) helps you. And I think in college football, systematically, you better be able to get a first-year player ready to go, whether it's portal or an incoming freshman. Nowadays, you got skill players, they better be able to contribute to your team if they're good enough. 'So, obviously, Dallas had a great spring and a big summer coming up for him to take the next step. But one thing about Dallas is, his motor runs hot. He's working. He's durable. He really handled the practice load. He was one of those rookies where he handled it well. That was what was impressive to me, was the toughness, the ability to keep going.' Can he be in the elite class of freshman pass catchers we saw in 2024, such as Alabama's Ryan Williams and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith? 'Yeah, I think I'm going to stick with what you said earlier, not play the comparison game. But I do think there's a difference between spring practice, the spring game, and then, OK hey, now it's time to go compete against the best players in the world. Advertisement 'That's essentially what he's getting ready to do this fall. So I always talk to those guys like, 'Can you win a matchup against the best corners in the world?' That's what we're asking him to do.' On the Gators' organized team activities schedule: 'Tuesday, Thursday, essentially, and then we do some voluntary work on Saturdays. But for the most part, we do 14 of them throughout the summer. Some of that is player-run, some of that is summer access with the players. We've been doing that for years. The format has changed, so now it's a little bit more coordinated than it has been in the past, but it's still a critical time for your team in terms of leadership, the development of roles, guys finding their voice amongst the team.' On the proposed 16-team playoff model and the proposed play-in model (in which six to eight SEC teams would have play-in games to determine the league's playoff spots): 'To me, you have two variables that are important. No. 1, we need to create more revenue. How do you do that? Is that a ninth regular-season (SEC) game? Is that the play-in model? Is that a partnership with the Big Ten? Who knows? I think a lot of things contribute to that. Advertisement 'But ... from an athletic department perspective, given revenue share, where do we go to create more funds? That's No. 1. And then No. 2, how do we get as many teams as possible into the playoff as a conference? So it's a Catch-22 there to some degree. So I think that's what we're looking for.' On whether he expects quarterback DJ Lagway to be 100% by the season opener: 'Yeah, confident he will be.' • • • Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida. Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports. Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.
CBC
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Alanis Morissette and Brandi Carlile pay tribute to Olivia Newton-John with Grease classic
Alanis Morissette headlined the second night of Brandi Carlile's three-day Mothership Weekend in Miramar Beach, Fla., and fans were treated with an unexpected duet when Carlile joined Morissette onstage to pay tribute to Olivia Newton-John. "I was obsessed with Olivia since I was three," Morissette said to the crowd. "I saw her movie [ Grease ] in French in Avignon, France, and I was instantly besotted and my whole life's trajectory changed. Using a nail polish bottle as a microphone." Morissette also revealed that her friend is working on a documentary about the late Grease star, and that in the middle of the documentary "Pink and a bunch of epic women are singing Hopelessly Devoted to You" — which inspired the acoustic duet. WATCH | Alanis Morissette and Brandi Carlile perform Hopelessly Devoted to You: It's a beautiful moment between the two singers, and was prefaced by a moving acoustic performance of the Canadian singer's 1998 single That I Would Be Good, off her fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. Violinist Chauntee Ross brought a special sparkle to the hit. WATCH | Alanis Morissette and Brandi Carlile perform That I Would Be Good: Carlile launched her Mothership Weekend for Mother's Day in 2023 as an annual way to celebrate "the impact-makers, and the people who love you 'like a mother,'" as she posted on Instagram ahead of the inaugural event. Morissette headlined the second night of the weekend, while Carlile headlined the other two. Morissette recently announced that she is headed to Las Vegas for a new concert residency, which starts on Oct. 15.
Wall Street Journal
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
How ‘Mom Rock' Became Big Business
Americana musician Brandi Carlile's third annual Mothership Weekend music festival, held Mother's Day weekend in Miramar Beach, Fla., will be filled with 'mom-ents.' Guests will sip 'Mom-osas' and do 'Mamaste' yoga on the beach. For the Saturday theme night, they're encouraged to 'dress like a mother.' The festival is a vibrant celebration for the underserved fans of an often overlooked genre: 'mom rock.'
