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New York Post
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Deion Sanders jumps into Mel Kiper-Mario Cristobal feud after Shedeur draft fallout
Deion Sanders has entered the chat. The Colorado Buffaloes coach showed love for ESPN star and vocal Shedeur Sanders proponent Mel Kiper Jr. on Thursday after the draft analyst's war of words with Miami football coach Mario Cristobal boiled over this week. 'But I Love u my man! You stood on the desk with great balance 10 toes down and said what u doggone said & didn't flinch. You knew what time it was my man & we're blessed to be right where God wanted us to be. 'With OPPORTUNITY' they forgot I was in the tv/entertainment business for 20 years before coaching,' Sanders posted on X. 6 Deion Sanders, the father of new Browns QB Shedeur Sanders, posted a supportive message on X to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper. AP 6 Mel Kiper Jr., a vocal proponent of Shedeur Sanders, focused much of his draft commentary on the former Buffaloes QB. ESPN/X The 57-year-old Sanders was responding to a fiery message written Wednesday by Kiper, who hit back at Cristobal for comments made about the 2025 NFL Draft process, in which the coach said he spoke with an estimated 'million people' about former Miami quarterback Cam Ward — the No. 1 overall selection by the Titans — but the ESPN personality was not one of them. 'Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn't speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher (6th on my Big Board) than any of the other draft experts. Interesting isn't it. And oh by the way, I didn't speak to Deion about Shedeur either. I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense,' Kiper wrote. 6 Miami football coach Mario Cristobal said he didn't converse with Mel Kiper Jr. about Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con 6 Ward is now under center with the Titans. Getty Images Kiper's passion for the 23-year-old Shedeur was on full display during last month's NFL draft, when the polarizing prospect stunningly slid to the fifth round and was selected No. 144 overall by the Browns. Although Ward landing with the Titans had long been a lock, much of Kiper's draft commentary was centered on Shedeur, even after the Giants — who had done the most homework on Sanders' son — traded back into the first round to select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart at No. 25 overall. 'Surprised he went ahead of Shedeur, not shocked, because [coach Brian] Daboll wants mobility,' Kiper said at the time. 6 Shedeur Sanders was drafted in the fifth round by the Browns in April 2025. AP In the days following the draft, Kiper said he wasn't privy to the online chatter centered on his Shedeur-heavy commentary. 'I didn't even know about it,' Kiper said on 'The Adam Schefter Podcast' in late April. 'I was told, [ESPN vice president and executive producer] Seth Markman comes in and says, 'Mel, you're trending on Twitter.' I don't know what they said, I kind of believe it wasn't nice, but I didn't read one of them, but I was told I was trending over Shedeur Sanders.' 6 He joins a crowded QB room that includes fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Getty Images With the late-round addition of Shedeur, the Browns entered spring practices with five quarterbacks — four if you omit ailing starter Deshaun Watson, who is recovering from an Achilles injury, putting his 2025 availability into question. He'll compete for the starting job alongside Joe Flacco, now on his second stint in Cleveland, former Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, taken No. 94 overall by the Browns in the third round. 'I feel like the Browns fans they just want something to hope for and they've been wanting it so long and long,' Shedeur recently said. 'And finally, I'm here to change that, I'm here to actually get what they want.' Shedeur will likely see some preseason action this summer before the Browns' opener on Sept. 7, when Cleveland hosts AFC North rival Cincinnati.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders Sends Strong Message to Mel Kiper Jr. After Shedeur Sanders' Surprise Fall
Few NFL draft analysts were more surprised at the fall of former Colorado star quarterback Shedeur Sanders than ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Even fewer were more vocal than Kiper at calling out NFL teams for passing on the superstar quarterback and son of legendary player Deion Sanders. Kiper, who had Sanders as the No. 1 quarterback prospect, believed he should have been the first quarterback off the board instead of Cam Ward, who went to the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 pick. Advertisement A few weeks after the draft, Miami coach Mario Cristobal said he spoke to "a million people" about Ward, but Kiper wasn't one of them. 'Never heard from him,' Cristobal said, via Brett McMurphy. 'I don't think I've ever talked to him," he added before going on to discuss if Ward was disappointed that Kiper "stepped" on his draft night by talking about Sanders after he was drafted by the Titans. "The only reason I would be disappointed, was if Cam was," he said, "but knowing Cam, he just wanted to hear the name and exactly where he was going and get to work' It didn't take long for McMurphy's conversation with Cristobal to hit social media and eventually catch the attention of Kiper, who responded with a clear statement of his own. "Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn't speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher (6th on my Big Board) than any of the other draft experts. Interesting isn't it. And oh by the way, I didn't speak to Deion about Shedeur either. I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense," Kiper said in response on social media. Advertisement Kiper's message caught the attention of Deion Sanders, who offered love and support for the ESPN analyst after his defense of his quarterback son as he was falling in the draft. "But I Love u my man! You stood on the desk with great balance 10 toes down and said what u doggone said & didn't flinch. You knew what time it was my man & we're blessed to be right where God wanted us to be. 'With OPPORTUNITY' they forgot I was in the tv/entertainment business for 20 years before coaching," Sanders said in response to the love from Kiper to his son on draft night. The Cleveland Browns eventually traded up in the fifth round to select Sanders. Related: Olivia Dunne Turns Heads With Major Personal Announcement
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
ESPN star fires back at criticism over Cam Ward NFL Draft coverage
Print Close By Ryan Gaydos Published May 15, 2025 ESPN's NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. and Miami Hurricanes football coach Mario Cristobal were in a war of words on Wednesday over coverage of quarterback Cam Ward. The Tennessee Titans selected the one-time Heisman Trophy contender with the No. 1 overall pick of the draft last month. It was the easiest selection the Titans could have made, and it arguably went under-covered as Shedeur Sanders' draft slide began as the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Kiper faced criticism during the three days of the draft as he harped on the surprise of Sanders' fall and even had an on-air tiff with Rece Davis once the Browns eventually selected the quarterback in the fifth round. Cristobal said neither he nor offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson spoke to Kiper about Ward, even though he spoke to a "million people," according to The Action Network. "Never heard from him," the coach said. "I don't think I've ever talked to him." Cristobal added that he was not "disappointed" and would only be if Ward was upset. He expressed confidence that Ward just wanted to hear his name called and get to work. FOOTBALL LEGEND LOU HOLTZ CALLS ON CATHOLICS TO 'DEFEND AND ENCOURAGE' POPE LEO XIV Kiper fired back at Cristobal. "Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn't speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher (6th on my Big Board) than any of the other draft experts. Interesting isn't it," he wrote on X. "And oh by the way, I didn't speak to Deion about Shedeur either. I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense." It was Kiper's first post on the social media platform since April 23, and it appeared Sanders' fall still stuck with him. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Ward will likely be the starting quarterback once the Titans' season begins. Tennessee learned it will take on the Denver Broncos to begin the 2025 season on Sept. 7. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Print Close URL
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Moore signs Chesapeake Bay bill as federal cuts loom large
Nia Nyamweya, founder of Beauty Bloom Farms in Montgomery County, presents Gov. Wes Moore (D) a basket of greens from her farm for the signing of the Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act, one of 171 bills signed into law Tuesday. (Photo by Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters) Gov. Wes Moore (D) signed what he called 'the most comprehensive piece of Chesapeake Bay legislation that Maryland has seen in years,' at a time when federal cuts threaten environmental programs for the estuary. The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act was signed Tuesday, one of 171 bills signed into law if the fourth and next to last bill signing ceremony following the 2025 legislative session. The wide-ranging Legacy Act allots 'up to $900,000 per year' to a new certification program for farmers who use sustainable practices that decrease runoff into the bay, establishes a water quality monitoring program to unify current testing efforts and aims to streamline oyster aquaculture leasing, among other provisions. 'At a time when we see how our federal administration has stepped back from protecting our air and our water, Maryland is stepping up,' Moore said. The governor also signed an abortion grant program that will help fund abortion services for uninsured and underinsured individuals, and a bill allowing individuals with autism and other nonapparent conditions to add an identifying symbol to their state IDs. That, and Tuesday saw the approval of a new state mineral, chromite, and a new state cocktail, the Orange Crush. President Donald Trump (R) and his Department of Government Efficiency have already cut positions at the Chesapeake Bay Program, which administers the bay cleanup, as well as at agencies whose work touches the bay, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. DOGE also threw environmental grant programs into chaos by freezing funds, some of which were later unlocked. But advocates say Trump's proposed 'skinny' budget for fiscal 2026 would go considerably further, and 'devastate' efforts to clean up the estuary, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. A 'chrometastic' finish for one state symbol bill The bill would hack $5 billion from the EPA, including $2.46 billion in cuts that would 'cripple' programs that help sewage treatment plants reduce pollution into waterways like the bay, according to CBF. Trump's proposal would also slash $1.3 billion in grants and research programs at NOAA and $564 million at the U.S. Geological Survey, eliminating climate-related work to 'focus on achieving dominance in energy and critical minerals.' Allison Colden, the bay foundation's Maryland executive director, said the federal losses make Maryland's Bay Legacy law even more important. 'With federal cuts and rollbacks looming heavily on our state, Maryland's environmental leadership is more important than ever,' Colden said in a statement. 'This Act will help maintain forward momentum and ensure that investments in clean air, clean water, habitats, and local economies are secured.' The new law came in a challenging budget year, during which lawmakers had to correct a multibillion-dollar deficit by cutting programs and raising fees. As drafted, the bill would have allocated $2 million to the Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming, or LEEF, program, but budget-conscious lawmakers cut that to 'up to $900,000' a year. The budget reconciliation process further reduced the sum to $500,000 for next fiscal year, with some of that money contingent on the Maryland Department of Agriculture submitting a plan for program spending. 'Unfortunately, we saw less coming out of the state budget for that program than maybe we would have liked to see,' Colden said. 'But the point is, we have that program established. They have some initial seed funding.' With funding and other incentives, Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks said the LEEF program will encourage farmers not only to pursue environmentally friendly practices, but to engage the community and share information about the practices with others. 'It incentivizes them in a way that we believe farmers and the community will rally behind and will make extra progress,' Atticks said. As he signed the bill, Moore was backed by Nia Nyamweya, who brought a basket of leafy greens harvested from her Beauty Bloom Farms in Montgomery County. The produce and flower farm aims to regenerate the soils, formerly used for corn and soybean farming, with organic practices and cover cropping, according to its website. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Nyamweya leases her farm land from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Moore said. The bill codifies the practice in state law. 'That kind of partnership is rare, but the Bay Legacy Act will make these kinds of lease agreements easier,' Moore said. The bill drew some early concerns for its massive scope, touching on everything from agricultural practices to a Japanese fish processing technique called ikejime. Delmarva Fisheries Association Chairman Robert Newberry called it 'an ag bill with a side salad of fishery management and aquaculture.' He initially balked at a provision that would have removed DNR's obligation to produce its own fishery management plans for a variety of species, from white perch and blue crabs to croakers and horseshoe crabs, deferring to plans created by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. The final law requires DNR to keep producing state-level plans for blue crabs, oysters, white and yellow perch, and a few other species, but it lifts the requirement for others, such as menhaden, spot and black sea bass. In the end, Newberry supported the Bay Legacy bill. In particular, he appreciated an amendment that added specificity to an existing law preventing discrimination against groups of fishermen, adding fishing guides and charter boat captains. Newberry has been among a group of fisherman fighting rules from the Atlantic States Commission limiting charters to one rockfish per person, beginning last year. 'I wanted to have the fisheries specifically defined,' Newberry said. 'So that protects us.' Maryland will also have a new grant program that will help fund abortion services for uninsured and underinsured individuals using a stockpile of unused premium surcharges, now that Moore signed House Bill 930 and Senate Bill 848 into law. State officials, advocates fear impact of expected Medicaid cuts in House bill 'Maryland will always be a safe haven for abortion access,' Moore said. The legislation prompts the Department of Health to tap into about $25 million in premium surcharges that were required as part of the federal Affordable Care Act but have not yet been spent down. That money is the $1-a-month fee that insurers in the ACA marketplace are required to collect on every policy to fund abortion services for their policyholders. But that fund has been growing by about $3 million annually as collections have outpaced need. Moore said the legislation builds off previous efforts to expand abortion access in the state, calling it the 'next chapter in our work to protect and defend basic health care rights.' Moore also signed legislation known as 'Eric's ID Law' that will let people with nonapparent disabilities, including autism, have a butterfly icon added to their driver's licenses, to alert police officers and other officials that they are interacting with someone with a disability that may not be immediately visible. Lt. Gov Aruna Miller noted that the 'thoughtful and compassionate initiative' was inspired by Eric Carpenter-Grantham, a 20-year-old Montgomery County resident with autism, one of the nonapparent disabilities identified in House Bill 707 and Senate Bill 618. Eric's Law has been in the works for several years, in collaboration with members of the disability community, finally receiving House and Senate approval this past session, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) noted.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A ‘chrometastic' finish for one state symbol bill
David Shore, with lobbyist Ashlie Bagwell (left) and Hannah Tyson Lee Byron (right), speaks with Gov. Wes Moore before the signing of a bill naming chromite the official state mineral. Byron's great-great-great-great-grandfather discovered the mineral in Baltimore County more than 200 years ago. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) A rainy Tuesday in Annapolis did little to dampen the spirits of 18-year-old David Shore. One might even say he had a 'chrometastic' day. Shore, the young mineral enthusiast who is known to sign emails 'chrometastically yours,' traveled to the State House for the signing of a law designating chromite as the state's official mineral, one of 171 measures signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Wes Moore (D). 'I'm elated,' Shore said moments before Moore signed the bill. 'It took about half my life to get this bill through. I'm glad that a story of American success is being commemorated in Maryland with this bill.' The ceremony brings to a close a nearly decade-long effort for Shore, who first testified in support of a similar bill in 2017. Shore at the time was 10 and had his own lobbyist. Ashlie Bagwell, a lobbyist with Harris Jones & Malone, re-teamed with Shore and Sen. Craig Zucker (D-Montgomery), sponsor of the 2017 bill, for this year's efforts. House Environment and Transportation Committee Chair Marc Korman (D-Montgomery) sponsored the House bill. On Tuesday, Moore signed both the House bill, adding chromite to the official list of state symbols, and the Senate bill, which was amended to make Orange Crush the official state cocktail, along with chromite as the state mineral. The new law takes effect June 1. 'It was one of the bright spots of a tough session with everything that was going on at the federal level,' Zucker said of the bill's passage. 'It was a really hard session.' When processed, chromite is a gritty, metallic charcoal-colored substance that is used in metal alloys, heat resistant materials and pigments. The mineral was first discovered in the Bare Hills area of Baltimore County in 1808 by Isaac Tyson Jr. Deposits were also found in Baltimore City and in Carroll, Cecil, Harford, Howard and Montgomery counties. Tyson founded Baltimore Chrome Works. The plant was the first in the nation to manufacture chromium chemicals. The products were used in paints and in metal alloys including stainless steel. The mineral was exported out of Fells Point. Deposits in the region produced most of the world supply of the mineral until the 1850s. South Africa is currently the world's largest producer of the mineral. Shore's effort caught the attention of Tyson descendant Hannah Tyson Lee Byron, who attended the bill signing alongside Shore. 'I'm very proud of our Tyson family history, and to see my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather recognized for his discovery of chromite and the importance it played in Maryland and throughout the country and the world,' Byron said. Chromite continues to be mined, though no longer in Maryland. But evidence of its past importance to the region remains in the names of many thoroughfares in Maryland, like Chrome Road in Cecil County and Chrome Mine Road in Montgomery County. Abandoned mines can be found in some state parks including Soldiers Delight in Baltimore County. Shore borrowed samples from Soldiers Delight Conservation Inc. to bring to the signing ceremony. Those samples get returned Wednesday, when the conservation group is scheduled to hold a small reception to congratulate Shore. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Chromite was not alone as it moved to the list of official state symbols. Thanks to some 11th hour legislative shenanigans, the House tacked on the amendment to Zucker's version of the bill that added Orange Crush as the official state cocktail. The language was not present in Korman's bill, which passed earlier. The cocktail was the subject of its own House and Senate bills that seemed destined for failure in the 2025 session. The late change is the latest volley in a squabble with Delaware over the origins of the drink. The First State named the gin-based drink its official state cocktail last year despite its origins in the Free State. Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said the House and Senate 'eventually … had a number of conversations about moving forward, about how can we make this session and find some things that everyone's going to really be proud of and take back from Delaware what was rightfully ours from the beginning.' Chromite and the Orange Crush will join 24 official state symbols. The list includes both a state sport and team sport, a state dinosaur, dog and cat, and crustacean, among others. The last state symbol added was rye whiskey in 2023. It was the first time in 15 years that a new state symbol made the list. In 2008, the legislature approved an official state exercise (walking) and official dessert (the Smith Island cake).
