Latest news with #Osa
USA Today
28-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cowboys Headlines: McMillan's volleyball past; Aggies' 'freakish' DE; Osa's tax woes
Cowboys Headlines: McMillan's volleyball past; Aggies' 'freakish' DE; Osa's tax woes With nearly a month to go before the NFL draft, the same names are starting to surface again and again for individual teams. In this news roundup, we'll look at a few of the Cowboys' likely targets, including one tantalizing wide receiver who could be bringing to the NFL a skillset gained from a rather unusual dual-sport past. We'll also get to know two Texas A&M defenders who could be in the mix, and a Texas Longhorn who says he's the best at one position of need. Plus, what about trading down in the first round? Elsewhere, a three-round mock draft fills several holes in Dallas, one mathematical model says the Cowboys are over three touchdowns worse than they were when 2024 ended, we check out which Cowboy apparently has "one of the worst" contracts in sports, and another Cowboy fresh off signing a life-changing deal gets a rude awakening about the tax bite about to be taken out of his bottom line. Apex predator: Why Tetairoa McMillan's volleyball past makes him a fit for the Dallas Cowboys :: All DLLS Link The NFL is loaded with players who also ran track or played basketball or even wrestled. But McMillan has a dual-sports past that includes a heavy dose of volleyball. And one of the keys to the 6-foot-4-incher's contested-catch ability may come from the four-step approach to getting maximum height that attackers in that sport must perfect to get up over the net. NFL Draft 2025: Ranking Cowboys' top five options in Round 1, including potentially trading down :: CBS Sports Link The need for a legitimate WR2 is real. In this ranking of the Cowboys' five best options with the 12th overall pick, three of them are wide receivers. Arizona's McMillan is the first choice here, followed by Matthew Golden out of Texas. Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is behind Door No. 3, while Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka comes in at 4. If all four of those players are gone? Trade down in the first round and just take the best player available regardless of position. Cowboys grab OT, RB, DB in new 3-round mock draft :: Cowboys Wire Link Pro Football & Sports Network is officially aboard the Armand Membou train, sending the mammoth offensive lineman to Dallas in this mock exercise. The Missouri Tiger just turned 21 on Thursday and brings an "intense physicality and a mauling mentality" to go with athletic prowess that made him a star at the combine. The outlet also sends Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins and Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts to the Cowboys in the second and third rounds, respectively. ESPN projects 3 teams who could want Cowboys' No. 12 slot in 2025 NFL Draft :: Cowboys Wire Link The Cowboys have needs, and the 12th overall pick would sure help address one of them. But trading that pick away would provide even more draft capital and help them fill even more roster holes. The Packers, Seahawks, and Lions may be potential trade partners; a deal with any of them would give Dallas more swings at the plate, either this year or next. Could these Texas A&M prospects be the Cowboys' replacement for DeMarcus Lawrence? :: Dallas Morning News Link Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, vice president of player personnel Will McClay, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton all attended Texas A&M's pro day on Thursday. They may well have been looking at defensive ends Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton. Stewart is a first-round prospect, is better in the run game than as a pass rusher, and will be a 30 visit in Dallas. Scourton should last until the second round but is considered by some to actually be more polished. He impressed during drills with his extremely violent hands. Dallas Cowboys named great fit for 'freakish' NFL Draft edge prospect :: Link One noted analyst says the Aggies' Stewart would be an ideal fit in the new Dallas defense. "Matt Eberflus is a coach who goes four-down linemen more than almost anybody," said Dalton Wasserman. "So you need big, strong defensive ends to defend the run. [Stewart] can even reduce down and play inside like he did at Texas A&M a little bit, right over the tackle, or even as a seven on the tight end as well." Wasserman went on to call Stewart "a guy who can take a game over." Texas' Jahdae Barron 'most definitely' believes he's the best corner in the draft :: The Mothership Link Cornerback is a need for the Cowboys, either on the outside opposite Trevon Diggs/DaRon Bland or in the nickel to fill the void left by Jourdan Lewis. The Longhorns star feels he can do it all, anywhere in the secondary. The 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner and first-team All-American would likely require using the 12th pick if Dallas is to get him. ESPN ranks Cowboys in the middle of the pack for their 2025 offseason moves :: Cowboys Wire Link That the Dallas front office did anything at all during free agency is a plus. Ben Solak likes the move to re-sign Osa Odighizuwa and says the team has added low-risk, high-reward pieces to fill in around their stars. But not having Micah Parsons already locked up on a new deal is baffling and brings the Cowboys' overall free agency power ranking down to No. 18. NFL projection model: Raiders, Commanders winning the offseason; 49ers, Cowboys slipping :: The Athletic Link The list of personnel changes in Dallas this offseason is already long. But how will those comings and goings translate to points on the scoreboard during the 2025 season? One mathematical model calculated it for every team in the league. The numbers say the Cowboys are 25.7 points worse now than they were at the end of the 2024 season. Only three teams have dug deeper holes. These signings by division rivals will have major impact on Cowboys' draft, '25 season :: Cowboys Wire Link By signing both Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson, the Giants could now shift their first-round draft-day attention away from a quarterback... and to a position player that Dallas might have been eyeing. It also creates a potential shakeup from the third overall pick all the way down to 12th as other teams could sense an opportunity to jockey their way up to get the player they want. Either way, with their new signal-callers, the Cowboys' two games versus the Giants just got more difficult. Every NFL team's most overpaid player following peak 2025 free agency :: Bleacher Report Link The outlet doesn't pull any punches when it comes to Dak Prescott's four-year, $240 million contract, calling it "one of the worst in sports." As evidence, they point to just two career playoff wins, major absences due to injury in three of his past five seasons, and struggles last year even when he was healthy. 'I guess I'm a bad person' Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa is quickly learning the downside of signing an $80 million deal :: A to Z Sports Link Somebody must have talked to Odighizuwa about the tax implications of his new contract that will pay him $22.25 million in 2025, along with a $20 million signing bonus. "When I was in high school I used to think people were bad for not wanting to pay taxes," he wrote on social media. "I guess I'm a bad person," he hilariously added. Texas is famously a tax-friendly state, but Odighizuwa will still have a big bite taken out.
Axios
23-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Digital Green Book fights misinformation targeting Black communities
As the erasure of Black history intensified — through book bans, assaults on diversity, and digital disinformation — Atlanta-based technologist and strategist Esosa Osa observed it unfold and decided to take action. Why it matters: Instead of just calling it out, Osa built The Digital Green Book — an AI-powered platform designed to help Black communities spot misinformation, protect their data, and access trusted, culturally informed content. The big picture: Osa was concerned that Black voices were being suppressed, diversity initiatives were under attack, "woke" was being weaponized, and book bans were raising barriers to historical knowledge. The Digital Green Book is a roadmap for digital empowerment. Flashback: The name is a deliberate nod to the Negro Motorist Green Book, the Jim Crow-era guide that helped Black Americans navigate safely through a hostile country. "We needed a name that instantly communicated to Black folks: this is for you; this has your best interests at heart," Osa, founder and CEO of Onyx Impact, told Axios. Zoom in: Launched this month, Onyx Impact's platform provides tools to combat misinformation and navigate a challenging digital landscape. Osa, a former political strategist and financial analyst, founded the organization after working at Fair Fight Action, BlackRock and Morgan Stanley. Friction point: Researchers and critics have documented how AI systems often reinforce the very stereotypes Black Americans have spent generations trying to dismantle. Last year, the Congressional Black Caucus warned that without intentional design, AI will deepen racial inequities in hiring, housing, education, and finance — a phenomenon experts call "algorithmic redlining." A 2023 study by linguist Sharese King found that AI consistently assigned Black language speakers to low-prestige jobs and imposed harsher sentences in hypothetical cases — further entrenching bias. Yes, and: Osa notes that social platforms don't just reflect public opinion — they shape it. Right now, they're: But the problem went deeper. "We are not built to see the same headline 20 times, then the responses, then the reactions to those responses," she says. She realized the problem wasn't just misinformation—the sheer volume of manipulated content created a false sense of consensus and urgency. "We've got to tell people—this isn't real life," Osa said. "Forty-two percent of your online content might be bad bots." Zoom out: The Digital Green Book is designed to cut through the noise and give Black communities control over their digital lives. What it offers Misinformation detection – Assists users in recognizing digital manipulation and disinformation in real time. Data control guidance – Offers clear steps to curate social media feeds and regain ownership of online spaces. Child safety tools – Empower parents with strategies to shield children from the dangers of social media while fostering digital literacy. AI-powered knowledge base – A groundbreaking tool trained on Black media and historical sources to provide unbiased answers to questions. State of play: Osa's team fed the model vetted Black media, historical context, and trusted sources like the NAACP and the Legal Defense Fund. "You don't want AI to 'figure out' what it means to be Black from the internet—you'll get a horrible product." The goal: lower the barriers to discernment, making it easier to identify misinformation. Unlike traditional AI tools that pull from the open web, this system prioritizes Black-led sources and historically accurate information to prevent distortion. What's next: Osa's vision includes The Digital Green Book and Onyx Impact's initiatives to boost access to Black-led news, enhance digital literacy, and protect users from manipulation. "We are fundamentally in an information war—and we're losing. We need to understand how to navigate mass propaganda and misinformation now more than ever."
Forbes
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Ukraine Fires Soviet Dogfighting Missiles From All Available Launchers
The 3rd Assault Brigade's new R-73 launcher. Maksym Zaichenko photo Ukraine inherited a substantial stock of R-73 air-to-air missiles when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Normally fired in mid-air by Ukraine's fleet of Soviet-made Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 fighters, the 230-pound, infrared-guided R-73 chases the heat signatures of hot jet engines out to a distance of up to 19 miles. Like many air-to-air missiles, the R-73 also works from the ground. So when Ukraine's inventory of purpose-made heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles—in particular, 9M33s for Osa wheeled launchers—began to run low, it turned to all those leftover R-73s. Now Ukraine has at least three different ground-based launchers for R-73s: the Gravehawk truck launcher cobbled together by British engineers, as well as a modified Osa launcher and what appears to be a second truck launcher. The British began building 17 Gravehawks for Ukraine last year. The first R-73-slinging Osa showed up in 2023. The new truck launcher entered the inventory of the Ukrainian army's 3rd Assault Brigade as recently as this month. 'Despite the respectable age of the tools and limitations of tactical and technical characteristics, we find opportunities to modernize and implement the latest approaches,' 3rd Assault Brigade trooper Maksym Zaichenko wrote. He's right—the R-73 isn't exactly new. It entered service in the early 1980s. But he's also right that modernization is possible. It's especially possible in Ukraine. That's because, in the early 2000s, the Kyiv Arsenal Central Design Bureau developed a new seeker head for the R-73 during a period when Russian and Ukrainian industry routinely cooperated on munitions production. The MM-2000 seeker was more sensitive and less susceptible to jamming than the R-73's existing seekers. It's unclear whether the R-73s Ukraine is firing from its Gravehawks, modded Osas and other platforms feature an improved seeker. But an improved seeker exists in Ukraine, at least in blueprints. It'd be surprising if Ukrainian forces didn't take advantage of it as they continue adapting to fill air-defense gaps over the front line.
