Latest news with #NCAAWomen'sBasketballTournamentFinalFour
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Barack Obama's Tradition From First Campaign He Still Maintains Today
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. Former President Barack Obama still maintains a tradition from his first presidential campaign, according to his wife, Michelle Obama. During Wednesday's new episode of her podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson—which she co-hosts with her older brother, Craig Robinson—the former first lady shared details about her husband's "lucky charms." Newsweek reached out to Barack Obama's representative for comment on Friday via email outside regular working hours. Barack Obama addresses a press conference after a rally at Kingstree Senior High in Kingstree, South Carolina, on January 24, 2008. Barack Obama addresses a press conference after a rally at Kingstree Senior High in Kingstree, South Carolina, on January 24, 2008. EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images Why It Matters Barack Obama served as the 44th president of the United States for two terms from 2009 until 2017. He and Michelle Obama got married in 1992, and they share two daughters: 27-year-old Malia Obama and 24-year-old Sasha Obama. Earlier this year, the couple endured divorce rumors after Michelle Obama chose to not attend former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral and President Donald Trump's inauguration. Meghan McCain also said on her Citizen McCain podcast that she heard the pair were splitting up "by reputable people." Both Barack and Michelle Obama have dismissed the speculation. What To Know On the most recent episode of IMO, Michelle Obama and Robinson spoke with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach and former player Dawn Staley. At one point during the discussion, the conversation turned to the meaning behind Staley's signature necklaces and bracelets. The Gamecocks won the national championship in 2022 and shortly afterward, she met a young girl with pediatric cancer who made the two necklaces for her. "I wore it ever since. Because of strength," Staley explained. "We were sitting together, and she has cancer—you would never know, like you would never know the strength that she set with that cancer." South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley wears her signature necklaces while looking on during an open practice ahead of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on... South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley wears her signature necklaces while looking on during an open practice ahead of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on April 3, 2025. MoreAs for her bracelets, she said they're often gifted to her with words like "grit" and "uncommon favor," seemingly referring to her new book Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three. "I wear it until it pops," Staley said. Michelle Obama shared that Barack Obama was often gifted things, too. "Over the course of his first campaign, people would come and give him their lucky charms—it could be a rabbit's foot, a little Buddha, whatever it was—but so many people were praying for him and would give something precious to him, and he kept all those things." "He has a drawer full of them," the Becoming author added, noting: "And even to this day now, he takes a few of them every day and puts them in his pocket, just in the same way. It's perspective and it's a blessing." What People Are Saying In the comments underneath the podcast on YouTube, fans praised Staley's interview. @epochchange6803 wrote: "Thank you Dawn Staley for doing this interview. You are a bright light for SC [South Carolina] and the Nation! Thank you Michelle and Craig for a great podcast!" @loxsochic said: "Dawn Staley = G.O.A.T. status. She's been one of my faves since her days on the court. Love you, Dawn!!!!" @travelone753 shared: "Hi Michelle and Craig!!! Your guest Dawn Staley was so women have, can, will, and do great things!!!" @blkyogi999 added: "We love you here in SC and all your sacrifices... love seeing you Coach." @tanyafulcher2968 chimed in: "Great advice from great leaders helps me to fine tune my own leadership skills. Great guest!!!! I've always been inspired by Dawn Staley. IMO is the best podcast for people wanting to level up in various areas of life." What Happens Next IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson airs new episodes on Wednesdays on platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
New York Post
20-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Caitlin Clark's former coach calls for WNBA rule changes after shoving drama
Caitlin Clark was at the center of the WNBA conversation again after the fracas between the Fever and Sun that saw the second-year guard get knocked to the court. One of Clark's former coaches believes that for the WNBA to make any substantive changes to the physical nature of play, there would need to be significant tweaks to the way games are called by officials. Former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder, who led Clark for four seasons with the Hawkeyes, believes that would mean calling more fouls. 'I think there needs to be more freedom of movement in our game,' she told TMZ on Thursday. 'Which means, yes, calling more fouls, which people don't like, but people will adjust. The players will adjust. Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever falls to the floor after being pushed by Marina Mabrey of the Connecticut Sun during an altercation in the third quarter at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 17, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images 'If we start calling more fouls and emphasize the rules, the players will adjust, 'cause they want to be on the floor.' Bluder emphasized to the outlet that she didn't think Clark was being 'targeted,' but teams were playing more physically against her because it's the best way to defend the Fever star. On Tuesday, Clark was poked in the eye by the Sun's Jacy Sheldon before the two got physical after the whistle. Clark gave Sheldon a shove, causing Connecticut's Tina Charles and Marina Mabrey to step in, with the latter shoving Clark to the ground. Lisa Bluder of the Iowa Hawkeyes is seen during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. Getty Images After things were sorted out, Clark, Charles and Mabrey all received technical fouls, while Sheldon — who was later ejected from the game in a separate scuffle with the Fever's Sophie Cunningham — was hit with a flagrant 1. Mabrey, upon league review, saw the foul get upgraded to a flagrant 2, and she was also fined. In the immediate aftermath of the game, Fever head coach Stephanie White called out the officials for not getting a handle on what became a tense game. 'When the officials don't get control of the ballgame, when they allow stuff to happen, and it's been happening all season long … this is what happens,' White said. 'You've got competitive women, who are the best in the world at what they do, right? And when you allow them to play physical, and you allow these things to happen, they're going to compete, and they're going to have their teammates' backs.'
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
South Carolina's Dawn Staley Reveals Surprising Team Who Pursued Hiring Her
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. The South Carolina Gamecocks' women's basketball program has been among the nation's best since head coach Dawn Staley took over the program. Staley originally became South Carolina's head coach back in the 2008-09 season. Before that, she had been the head coach for the Temple Owls from the 2000-01 season to the 2007-08 campaign. Landing Staley has completely changed the Gamecocks. She has led the program to three national championships and has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game against the NC State Wolfpack at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April... Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts in the second half during the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game against the NC State Wolfpack at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 05, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. More Photo byWhile South Carolina's hiring of Staley changed everything for them, the budding legendary head coach was pursued by another school first. Read more: WNBA Fans React to Paige Bueckers' Massive Unrivaled Contract Recently, Staley opened up and shared that the Alabama Crimson Tide tried to hire her when she was still coaching Temple back in 2005. "Alabama came after me first in 2005," Staley wrote. "I visited the campus. I liked the athletic director. But I couldn't see myself living in Alabama." That was a stroke of good luck for the Gamecocks. She went on to open up about wanting to coach South Carolina and why the job gave her so much intrigue. "I was drawn to the fact that USC was part of the SEC and its storied legacy in women's basketball," Staley wrote. "Pat Summitt was in this league, Andy Landers, Melanie Balcomb, all these legendary coaches. I was looking to refine my skills, rise to compete with the best. The cherry on top was that my parents were originally from South Carolina." Things could easily have been much different. Had Staley decided to take the Alabama job, there is a good chance that she would have never come to the Gamecocks. The entire landscape of women's college basketball could be different. Read more: Mystics HC Sends Warning About Fever Without Caitlin Clark Since taking the South Carolina job, Staley has compiled an eye-opening 475-110 record, which is good enough for an 81.2 win percentage. Last season, the Gamecocks finished the year with a 35-4 record. They made a run in the NCAA Tournament and made it all the way to the national championship game. Unfortunately, they ran into Paige Bueckers, Geno Auriemma, and the UConn Huskies and lost by a final score of 82-59. Despite the disappointing championship game loss, South Carolina is expected to be right back in contention during the upcoming 2025-26 women's college basketball season. With Staley leading the way, the Gamecocks are always going to be a contender. For more women's college basketball news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
