Latest news with #MountainWest
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ivanka Trump sparks uproar for controversial fashion choice during Wyoming trip
Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner recently went West - with the first daughter sharing a carousel of pictures from the recent trip to Wyoming. The 43-year-old donned a series of western-themed outfits for her time in the Mountain West sub region - but one item of clothing in particular has sparked a furious response. In two of the snapshots shared by the mom-of-three, she was seen wearing a short mini skirt which featured a Native American print and tassels, sparking outrage from fans over apparent cultural appropriation. 'The skirt I'm sure was inspired by indigenous people something you and your family have no respect for,' criticized one horrified user. 'That outfit looks ridiculous on you... really,' one user slammed. 'Cultural appropriation!' admonished someone else. Another chimed in that the 'indigenous outfit is cultural appropriation.' 'Are these Halloween outfits? Incredible,' joked another. Ivanka had paired the skirt with white cowgirl boots and a black sleeveless shirt in one snap. And, in another picture shared, she accessorized with a denim jacket and small brown bag as she cuddled up and posed next to her 44-year-old husband. As per Native Blog, cultural appropriation of Native fashion in the United States has suggests not only that Native American life and cultures existed only in the past, but also that Native clothing is mere costuming, primitive, warlike or only for mascots. According to Travel Wyoming, the state has been home to many Plains Indian tribes, including the Arapaho, Arikara, Bannock, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kiowa, Nez Perce, Sheep Eater, Sioux, Shoshone and Ute tribes. Today, both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho reside on Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation, the site noted. In another snapshot from the trip, Ivanka wore a sage green dress with long sleeves and a long, flowing skirt. She paired it with a boho disco belt on her hips and her white cowgirl boots. It is not known when the pictures were taken, with Ivanka adding a simple caption that read: 'A couple summer Fridays ago…' It is not the first time the husband and wife have visited the western state, spending a remote July 4th weekend there in 2020, as well as attending her brother-in-law Joshua Kushner's star-studded Western-themed second wedding to model Karlie Kloss in 2019. In another snapshot from the trip, Ivanka wore a sage green dress with long sleeves and a long, flowing skirt. She paired it with a boho disco belt on her hips and her white cowgirl boots Just last month, Ivanka and her family - Jared, plus their three kids - Arabella, 13, Joseph, 10, and Theodore, eight, were seen in Venice for pals Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos' wedding. The family were seen doing some exploring around Venice before the festivities officially kicked off - with Donald Trump's grandkids all smiles for the outing. Since then, Ivanka was also spotted at 'billionaire summer camp' - also known as Allen & Co.'s annual leadership retreat - in Sun Valley, Idaho. The summer retreat included some laid-back activities like biking and hiking, per The Observer, but most importantly, the moguls were there for business. Also on the agenda were 'high-level meetings and private lectures,' the outlet reported, many of which are confidential and closed off to the public and media.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Stephen Colbert cancellation opens a door for college football and CBS
The cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert signals the end of late-night talk shows as we have known them. There are many ways in which one can assign meaning to the news which grabbed headlines on Thursday, but the bigger overall reality is that late-night talk just isn't hitting the sweet spot for CBS and other networks. Maybe it's simply a case of today's personalities not being as good or as funny as Johnny Carson or David Letterman, but regardless, the late-night talk-show concept seems to be on the way out. This does open the door for college football in the media landscape, particularly at CBS. Before continuing with this article, stop and realize how dramatically different college football has become in just the past few years. Oklahoma and Texas have moved to the SEC. Four West Coast schools moved to the Big Ten. Colorado, Utah, Arizona State, and Arizona moved to the Big 12. The Pac-12 as we knew it is gone. The College Football Playoff moved from four teams to 12. This is enough change for 20 years. It has been squeezed into four years. If you think that doing something different -- making a big change -- is disorienting or somehow inappropriate, stop and realize how much change you have already had to digest in just a few years. One more big change isn't going to hurt anything, and as you will soon find out, it might be really enjoyable: CBS programming CBS Sports has media rights deals with the Pac-12 and the Mountain West. We are not going to say or imply these are major or "power" conferences. They're not. However, they are the two primary conferences with Pacific and Mountain time zone schools. CBS -- before even mentioning the Stephen Colbert cancellation -- was already in a position to more aggressively feature Pac-12 and Mountain West sports programming. Colbert's demise and late-night irrelevance Johnny Carson and David Lettermen both flourished in an age when there were far fewer cable channels and the media landscape wasn't nearly as fragmented. Stephen Colbert's exit from the late-night stage reflects the waning influence and cultural relevance of the late-night talk show format and concept. This is a steady erosion of a particular kind of TV programming. It's not as though CBS is likely to replace a fading talk show with another talk show. CBS needs a real alternative. The enduring power of sports on TV In an age when so many media properties and specific forms of television programming have lost their popularity and their ability to achieve cultural penetration, live sports remains an eye-grabber. Instead of scripted content, live sports offers the original version of reality TV. Sports will continue to have a meaningful place in any media universe or ecosystem. If media companies are looking for alternatives to less relevant forms of content or inventory, live sports offer a natural and ever-present answer. Not just Thursdays or Fridays Typically, the two weeknights with regular college football programming are Thursday and Friday. CBS Sports Network regularly has a Friday night Mountain West football game. Stephen Colbert's exit, and the larger overall decline of the late-night talk show, give CBS a real chance to think about using Mountain West football as a regular late-night programming option -- not just on Thursdays and Fridays. Yes, you know where this is going, but there's an important note to emphasize here. Western Maction This is the basic concept attached to CBS having a late-night Mountain West or Pac-12 football game Tuesdays through Fridays during each college football season, as a replacement for talk shows such as Stephen Colbert. ESPN has media rights for the Mid-American Conference. "Maction" has become a cult favorite among college football diehards. The MAC gets the stage to itself on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in November. CBS is in a position to basically provide Maction on a larger scale in two conferences, not just one. The Mountain West and Pac-12 can achieve more visibility for their product by stuffing the schedule with Tuesday and Wednesday games. CBS can instantly fill the yawning gap in its late-night schedule. College football fans win big In November, we could have ESPN Maction at 8 p.m. Eastern time, followed by CBS Western late-night football -- Mountain West or Pac-12 -- at 11 or 11:30 p.m. Eastern. November Group of Five Tuesday night doubleheaders? Who says no? Fans win. The future of college football scheduling With the arrival of the 12-team College Football Playoff, teams need to have more space between games. Having games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays gives teams more days between games. A team would play one game on Saturday, October 15, then its next game on Tuesday, October 25, then its next game on Saturday, November 5. Maction-style scheduling in the West gives teams more recuperation time between games in addition to increased TV exposure. The mistakes of the old Pac-12 The Pac-12 is now something completely different from the older iteration. The old Pac-12 never really pounced on the idea of playing football on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Had it done so, it might have given ESPN a little more incentive to sweeten the pot for an attractive media rights package which could have kept the league intact. The new Pac-12 and the reconfigured Mountain West need to be open to new ways of presenting themselves on TV. The cancellation of the Stephen Colbert program could give CBS some ideas. The Pac-12 and Mountain West should be on the phone with the network now. Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Mountain West addresses controversial revelations of SJSU trans athlete's misconduct probe
LAS VEGAS – EXCLUSIVE: The Mountain West Conference has addressed concerns over an investigation into alleged misconduct by former San Jose State transgender volleyball player Blaire Fleming in an exclusive statement provided to Fox News Digital. The statement also clarified a mistaken response by Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez to a question about the issue at a press conference on Wednesday. Fox News Digital reported in June that the conference hired the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher (WFG) to investigate allegations against Fleming of conspiring with an opponent to harm teammate Brooke Slusser in November. The same firm defended the Mountain West against a request for a preliminary injunction that would have ruled Fleming ineligible to compete in women's volleyball in that same month. Fox News Digital questioned Nevarez at her Mountain West Media Days press conference on the issue, asking "In November, the Mountain West launched an investigation of misconduct into a San Jose State volleyball player. Why did the conference hire the same law firm that was hired to defend the player's eligibility in court to conduct that investigation, and was there any concern of a conflict of interest?" Nevarez responded, "Well, that is a question concerning active litigation, so I'm not going to comment on ongoing litigation. But the statement that the same law firm represented the school in defending the player is incorrect." Fox News Digital asked, "Why is it incorrect?" Nevarez responded, "Because, that's not, that, the lawyer that did our investigation was not representing San Jose State." Fox News Digital did not insinuate in its question nor has it ever reported that the law firm represented San Jose State. Fox News Digital immediately followed up during the press conference, saying, "It was representing the Mountain West to defend the player's eligibility in court." Nevarez did not respond, remaining silent for several seconds. Fox News Digital then asked, "Are you confident in your legal defense?" Nevarez responded, "Um, yes." Fox News Digital attempted to question Nevarez about her response shortly after her press conference ended as she spoke with other reporters, but she ignored the inquiry and walked away. A Mountain West media relations associate said, "Sir, we have to get to another interview." The Mountain West later provided its statement that claimed Nevarez "believed" the initial question was asking about the law firm representing SJSU. "Commissioner Nevarez believed you were asking about our law firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, representing both the Mountain West and San Jose State. It was clarified that you were asking about a potential conflict of interest with the lawsuit related to a conference policy and the match investigation," the statement read. The statement also claimed that WFG did not defend Fleming's eligibility in the November legal dispute. "To be clear, Willkie Farr & Gallagher is defending the Mountain West's policy regarding forfeitures, not a student-athlete's eligibility. Eligibility is determined by NCAA policy and the university, not the conference office. The investigation was focused on alleged player misconduct. The two matters in question are unrelated and thus there is no conflict of interest." Four conference opponents forfeited games to SJSU in 2024, and the status of the forfeited matches and the impact of conference seeding was challenged in the request for preliminary injunction. However, Fleming's eligibility to continue the season and play in the conference was challenged as well as a key point. WFG deleted a Nov. 27 press release from its website announcing the firm had secured a legal victory for the Mountain West against the plaintiffs, led by Slusser, seeking to keep the trans athlete out of the tournament. The page is still viewable via online archives and notes the athlete's right to play as the first issue in the dispute. "Willkie secured a high profile win for collegiate athletic conference Mountain West Conference in a suit brought by members of San Jose State University's women's volleyball team and other Mountain West teams that played against SJSU. The suit sought to (i) prohibit a transgender woman on the SJSU team from competing in the MWC's Championship," the press release read, later stating "Plaintiffs sought an order preliminarily (i) blocking the player at issue from playing in any remaining matches this season." The press release also directly referenced the Mountain West's own gender eligibility policy. "The court noted the player in question has played for SJSU since 2022, and that Mountain West's policy on transgender athletes has been in place since 2022." The WFG attorneys that represented the Mountain West argued against the request for a preliminary injunction as a whole, and made no clear distinction not to challenge the plaintiffs' request to have Fleming ruled ineligible. "Preliminary injunctions are an extraordinary remedy only granted in true emergencies. The moving plaintiffs should not be granted such an extraordinary remedy based on the fabricated sense of urgency created by their decision to hold onto their grievances until the eve of this year's conference tournament," read the Mountain West's response brief to Slusser's complaint. Slusser and the other plaintiffs argued in their complaint that "Fleming has been continuously ineligible to play women's volleyball pursuant to Title IX as Fleming's sex is male and is therefore ineligible to play in, and should not be permitted by the MWC to play in, the MWC women's volleyball tournament." The lead attorney who represented the Mountain West in November, Wesley R. Powell, repeatedly insisted that the Mountain West is not subject to Title IX, as seen in transcripts of the November hearing obtained by Fox News Digital. "Our position is that we're simply not subject to Title IX," Powell said during the status conference. "To be subject to Title IX we would have to be recipients of federal government support and the conference is not a recipient of any such support. And so from our perspective, all of the details, the expert testimony, you know, virtually everything that has been put into the record is ultimately irrelevant to us." During oral arguments, Powell said, "It's only a Title IX issue if the Mountain West receives federal funds, and that is not the case." Fox News Digital reached back out to the Mountain West and to WFG for a response to the presentation of these facts as they relate to the conference's statement. No response has been provided. None of WFG's attorneys have been accused of violating any applicable rules of professional conduct. Slusser previously alleged in a bigger lawsuit against the Mountain West, signed by 10 other current or former women's college volleyball players, that Fleming and other teammates snuck out the night before an Oct. 3 game against Colorado State and met with an opposing player. The lawsuit, and a separate Title IX complaint filed by former SJSU coach Melissa Batie-Smoose, alleged that the teammates who snuck out with Fleming allegedly later told players and coaches of an alleged plan by Fleming, in conspiracy with the Colorado State player, to have Slusser spiked in the face during the game. The lawsuit and complaint alleged that the players who snuck out told other players and coaches that they saw Fleming also hand over an SJSU scouting report, with an agreement to throw the game in Colorado State's favor. Slusser was never spiked in the face during that game. Fleming led the game in errors with 10, as San Jose State lost in straight sets. The Mountain West Conference investigated the allegations in November, but concluded that "sufficient evidence" could not be found. Public records obtained by Fox News Digital show that the lead WFG attorney in the investigation, Tim Heaphy, coordinated with SJSU and California State University legal counsel Dustin May to set up interviews with at least six witnesses. SJSU head volleyball coach Todd Kress was one of the witnesses. California State University redacted the identities of the other five witnesses that corresponded with Heaphy and May during the investigation in public records provided to Fox News Digital. Emails coordinating interviews for the investigation, obtained by Fox News Digital, repeatedly incorrectly stated the game took place on Oct. 2. A letter announcing the investigation had closed without finding sufficient evidence was sent just three days after May and Heaphy's first emails to witnesses to set up interviews were sent. That letter also incorrectly dated the game Oct. 2. In February, Heaphy reached back out to May offering legal counsel in navigating a federal Title IX investigation into the situation over the trans athlete, as seen in emails obtained by Fox News Digital. May responded on Feb. 18, declining Heaphy's offer. Heaphy responded the next day, writing, "Please let me know if we can help in any way on this or other issues." May's office initially responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment after providing the public records, requesting a list of questions and background information be provided before speaking. Fox News Digital did not provide the information or list of comments, and requested a virtual or phone interview. May's office then responded with the statement, "Any speculation that the firm or attorney mentioned in your inquiry represented SJSU or the CSU is unfounded." Fox News Digital had not posed that question or any other stipulation, only an interview request, at that point. Fox News Digital later followed up with May's office requesting an interview to address other questions, and fulfilled his office's request to provide background information on what would be discussed. May's office responded saying, "He will not be available," and has not responded to request for further comment. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
The Mountain West and Pac-12 still aren't backing down from their realignment showdown
LAS VEGAS — On the 60th floor of the Circa hotel, in the exclusive Legacy Club, Mountain West coaches, athletic directors and officials conversed like it was any other of the previous media days in the 26-year history of the conference: smiles, hugs, drinks inside a casino that doesn't allow anyone under 21 years old. Even future Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty couldn't get in a year ago. Advertisement This week was not like any other Mountain West media day, however. For five of the league's 12 schools, it was their last. A year from now, they'll be in the Pac-12, as that century-old league hard-launches its new form. The split of the remaining western Football Bowl Subdivision schools outside the Power 4 into two smaller conferences still confounds people across the country, especially as the Pac-12's lofty ambitions haven't played out. Why didn't they all just merge? 'That was always on the table in the scheduling agreement, a condition to at least have a good-faith negotiation about it,' Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez told The Athletic. 'Which didn't happen.' Despite the free drinks and friendly conversations, this is not an amicable divorce. In conference realignment, it never is. On Tuesday, the day before the media event began, the Mountain West and Pac-12 announced a failure to reach a resolution after months of mediation regarding $150 million in poaching and exit fees owed to the Mountain West, which the Pac-12 and the departing MWC schools sued over. They'll go back to court in early September. The Pac-12 owes the Mountain West $55 million in poaching fees stemming from that 2024 scheduling agreement, which was forged when Oregon State and Washington State, abandoned by the rest of the old Pac-12, needed to find football games. The document contended the two leagues would discuss a possible merger. It would cost tens of millions for the two-team Pac-12 to add some Mountain West schools, but it would cost nothing to add all of them. Five jumped last fall: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State, and they owe the Mountain West another $95 million in exit fees. 'It's almost like an arranged marriage for the next year,' San Jose State athletic director Jeff Konya said of the mood. Advertisement Neither side would speak much publicly about the mediation due to the ongoing litigation, but the private sense from both was that they didn't even get close to a number. Both had stood firm in their stance. The Pac-12 says the poaching penalties were forced upon them at a vulnerable time and are 'unlawful and intended to obstruct our ability to act in the best interests of our student-athletes and member institutions.' The Mountain West says Oregon State and Washington State knew what they signed for and that the league is 'fully prepared to hold the Pac-12 accountable.' History says not to predict how college sports lawsuits will end. The schools sticking in the Mountain West feel good about their future. They're set to add UTEP, the rest of Hawaii's sports, UC Davis' non-football sports and Northern Illinois football next year. They recently announced that non-football school Grand Canyon had joined the Mountain West for this fall, a year earlier than initially planned, which caused a public rebuke last week from Boise State and San Diego State officials. The Mountain West's reply is, essentially, too bad. 'I would point to our bylaws,' Nevarez said. 'When you give your notice (to leave), you give up your board seat and your vote. It's Conference 101.' A TV deal for 2026 and beyond is also nearing completion. Nevarez wouldn't speak to specifics, but another person briefed on the situation told The Athletic that CBS will continue to be a TV partner in the next deal, countering the perception that the new Pac-12 took CBS from the Mountain West with its own recently announced TV deal. While the final numbers aren't complete, people briefed on the situation don't believe the Pac-12 will get the $12-15 million per school annually it was hoping for last fall out of its next media rights contract. The new Mountain West will likely make less than the $3.5 million per school it currently earns. TruTV was a Mountain West partner last year but will not be for this upcoming season. Both leagues continue discussions with broadcasters and could each add multiple additional partners, potentially also overlapping and splitting the available money. Advertisement Remaining Mountain West members credit Nevarez's quick work last September to keep the league intact. After four schools announced their Pac-12 move, the Mountain West put together a grant of rights and promised tens of millions from the poaching/exit fees in incentives for UNLV and Air Force, the two most likely schools to get invites elsewhere. The Mountain West held together, then added more schools and reached the NCAA-required eight full-time members before the Pac-12 did. The Mountain West will also move its headquarters from Colorado Springs to Las Vegas next July. 'The whole thing pivoted on the schools coming together to sign that document,' Konya said. 'Without that, it would've been a lot more dubious. But then we pivoted to '26. Credit the presidents, CEOs, athletic directors and Gloria for that plan.' 'Gloria's a pitbull, and I respect that,' said one person from a departing school. UNLV was the lynchpin. The Rebels weren't in the Pac-12's first wave of targets, but by the time the Pac-12 came back around after it was unable to land schools from the American Athletic Conference, the Rebels had committed to the Mountain West with that much-needed payday, and the Pac-12 later pivoted to Texas State. The exact amount UNLV and Air Force will receive is still to be determined due to the court battle, and while some wonder why UNLV didn't leave, athletic director Erick Harper said the school remains 100 percent behind the decision. 'At the end of the day, you're having a conversation and you feel you can trust that person and what they believe in,' Harper said. 'Then you have some people that are shady. You have your communications, you move forward and go from there. That was a very odd moment in the Mountain West. But we're here, and everybody's excited about the fall.' Officials from the departing schools didn't shy away from media days. Athletic directors from Boise State, Colorado State and San Diego State came to Vegas and remained cordial. Boise State's Jeramiah Dickey complimented MWC leadership and was friendly as always but stuck firm with the reasons for the Broncos leaving. He also pointed to increased ticket sales and the opening of an in-house media studio as proof of the Broncos' move already helping. 'We have to be different. We need to be more innovative,' Dickey said. 'We need to create our own opportunities. It ties into defining our own expectations. When I look at who we (Boise State) are, we wanted to be aligned with like-minded institutions that are willing to invest and put their money where their mouth is and have that bar-raiser mentality.' Advertisement The line about 'investing' irritates the remaining Mountain West schools, who point out that UNLV has reached the past two conference championship games and San Jose State has finished in at least a tie for first in two of the last five years. The departing schools are frustrated with the Mountain West for multiple reasons. Some of them are suing over the $18 million they each owe in exit fees, a suit that was also hoped to be resolved in that failed mediation. Multiple administrators said the Mountain West is also withholding $1.3 million in student-athlete assistance money from the NCAA, which goes to programs like life skills and mental health initiatives. 'That part is disappointing for us because that's not money that's tied to the conferences,' Fresno State athletic director Garrett Klassy said. 'It's a pass-through from the NCAA. Very unexpected. You go through this process not knowing how things are going to turn out, but you don't think going into these processes that the conference will make decisions that will impact mental health.' A year ago, both the Pac-12 and Mountain West came to Las Vegas. As the MWC held its usual media days, Oregon State and Washington State officials held a cocktail hour that featured mixed feelings of misery and determination to get back up. It was clear then in conversations with both sides how far apart the 'Pac-2' and MWC were in renewing their scheduling agreement for 2025. Within two months, the poaching began, the latest trickle-down from Texas and Oklahoma's SEC announcement four years ago. No one is sure how or when the legal fight will end, since the sides have been so far apart in all kinds of negotiations. Perhaps the looming threat of reaching the discovery stage of the legal process will cause someone to blink, administrators and coaches wonder. The Mountain West itself was formed as a breakaway from the WAC 26 years ago. It's no stranger to change. Nevarez says the league has always found new bellcow programs and will again. The mood from both sides is that everyone is ready to move on to their respective futures, but as other realigned leagues have gone through recently, the Mountain West has one last awkward season ahead. 'They made their decisions for their reasons, we can't control that,' Nevarez said. 'All right, let's see what we can make this into moving forward, and folks have a lot of excitement. Let's go.'
San Francisco Chronicle
7 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pac-12, Mountain West headed back to court after mediation fails over millions in 'poaching' fees
The Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences are headed back to court after failing to reach a settlement agreement in mediation over $55 million in 'poaching' fees. The conferences failed to reach an agreement by Tuesday's deadline in mediation that began in May. The Pac-12 has requested a hearing on the pending motion to dismiss on Sept. 9. 'The Pac-12 remains committed to moving forward with legal action in response to the Mountain West's attempt to impose so-called 'poaching penalties,' provisions we believe are unlawful and intended to obstruct our ability to act in the best interests of our student-athletes and member institutions," the Pac-12 said in a statement. The Pac-12 and some of the schools it is adding filed lawsuits last year, claiming the poaching clause it agreed to when it signed a scheduling agreement for its football teams for last season was invalid. The clause called for payments to the Mountain West of $10 million for the first team that left, with the amount growing by $500,000 for every additional team. That was on top of the $17 million-plus exit fees schools were responsible for as part of a different agreement. 'The Mountain West provided the Pac-12 institutions with a lifeline, offering a full football schedule for the 2024 season,' the Mountain West said in a statement. 'The Pac-12 willingly signed the scheduling agreement with full knowledge of the contractual provisions and is attempting to avoid its legal obligations. The Mountain West will aggressively protect the interests of our member institutions and is fully prepared to hold the Pac-12 accountable.' Colorado State, Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State and Boise State are all set to join the Pac-12 starting in 2026. The conference added Texas State last month to reach the eight-team minimum to be eligible for an automatic bid for its conference champion in the College Football Playoff. Oregon State and Washington State are the only remaining members following an exodus last year that threatened the conference's future. The two schools reached a scheduling agreement with the two schools so they could piece together a football schedule last season. The Mountain West has added UTEP, Hawaii and Northern Illinois for football starting in 2026. ___
