Latest news with #TheCaptain
USA Today
20 hours ago
- Business
- USA Today
Popular deal: Stream ESPN+ for $4.99 per month for three months
Popular deal: Stream ESPN+ for $4.99 per month for three months Can't get enough sports? Well, you're in luck: ESPN just dropped the price of ESPN+ for a limited time. From now until June 20, new and eligible returning subscribers can get their first three months of the service for $4.99/month, which is a whopping 58% off the usual $11.99/month price. That's a boat load of savings that'll get you access to everything ESPN+ has to offer—whether its live sports, original shows or archived events. ESPN+ has countless hours of content readily available to those who subscribe. So, if you're ready to save big and enjoy some of your favorite sports, now is the time to act as that deal disappears on June 20. Here's how you can subscribe today and start enjoying ESPN+. Subscribe and save over 50% on ESPN+ How to get over 50% off on ESPN+ What is ESPN+? ESPN+ is ESPN's streaming service that gives fans access to countless games, shows and events across multiple different sports. Some of the leagues ESPN+ airs includes NHL, MLB, Formula 1, UFC, LaLiga, PGA Tour, NBA G League, NLL, PLL, collegiate sports and more. Original shows are a large part of ESPN+, with the likes of The Last Dance, The Captain, Tom Brady's Man in The Arena, Shohei Ohtani: Beyond the Dream among the many available on ESPN+. How much is ESPN+? From now until June 20, ESPN+ is $4.99/month for the first three months for new and eligible returning subscribers. However, ESPN+ is typically $11.99/month or $119.99/year, which saves customers 15%. You can also bundle ESPN+ with Hulu and Disney+ (all with ads) for $16.99/month. Start streaming ESPN+
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Nicholas Loeb, Sofia Vergara's ex, claims director conned him over failed Mona Lisa flick
Sofia Vergara's ex — who spent years feuding with the 'Modern Family' actress over custody rights of their frozen embryos — was allegedly scammed by a German director into shelling out nearly $40,000 on a movie project that went nowhere. Nicholas Loeb, an actor and entrepreneur, was hoping to snag Robert Schwentke to helm a flick called the 'Art of the Con,' which he described in a lawsuit against the director as 'a historically inspired heist film dramatizing the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in the early 20th century.' Schwentke, 57, who directed the 2017 film 'The Captain,' allegedly agreed to take the project on in 2022 but only if his preferred writer, Matthew Wilder, took a crack at the screenplay, Loeb claimed in a Manhattan Supreme Court filing. Loeb has fought with ex-Sofia Vergara for years in court over their embryos. Getty Images Loeb shelled out $25,000 to Wilder to rewrite the script, based on Schwentke's promise, then another $12,500 in January 2023 after the director demanded a second rewrite. Even though he didn't want to hire the screenwriter, Loeb 'agreed to retain Wilder solely for the purpose of securing Schwentke as director,' according to the litigation. Schwentke even voiced enthusiasm for the project, Loeb alleged. He imagined that 'directing a Lubitsch-style elegant heist-comedy … would be one of the great joys of [his] career,' he told Loeb, according to the lawsuit. The director allegedly stopped responding for months, then 'resurfaced' in August 2023?]] demanding a third rewrite 'again to be performed by Wilder and again for a $25,000 fee,' Loeb claimed. Director Robert Schwentke allegedly claimed he would sign on to help Loeb's project, then backed out. dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images Schwentke then ditched the project in March, leaving Loeb on the hook for more than $37,000 in expenses, he claimed. 'Mr. Loeb believes he was swindled by Schwentke in collusion with his friend, costing him millions,' said attorney Andrew B. Smith, who reps Loeb. Loeb is seeking unspecified damages 'in an amount sufficient to punish' the pair for their 'willful, malicious, and fraudulent conduct.' The Westchester-based Loeb spent nearly a decade in a high-profile legal battle with Vergara over the fate of their remaining embryos created by in vitro fertilization, after their bid to have children failed. Vergara won in court, preventing Loeb from bringing their embryos to term using a surrogate. Wilder and Schwentke did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL Power Rankings: The playoff teams 1-16, plus — who is stepping up?
There's nothing like playoff hockey. After one week, that point remains as obvious as ever. The first round is always a guarantee to deliver, with the best of the best still healthy enough to put it all on display. The start of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs has not disappointed on that front. What often makes the playoffs so electric is seeing the league's best soar to new heights on hockey's biggest stage, elevating their games when it matters most. It's still way too early to know who will add 'big game player' to their narrative this season, but we've got a few early candidates, plus a few more who are adding to their resumes. The rankings themselves, meanwhile, are probably a bit more vibe-based than usual. For tie-breakers, we flipped a coin. Very scientific. Sean: 1 Dom: 1 It was fair to wonder how Matthew Tkachuk would look after about two months on the shelf with a groin injury. Didn't take long to get our answer: pretty good! In the second period of Game 1, he scored a pair of power-play goals in a five-minute span to put Florida up 5-1. It wasn't quite him calling 'game over,' but it felt close enough. Advertisement Tkachuk was less impactful in Game 2 but saw his ice time increase a bit to 13:31 and the Panthers went up 2-0 on the Lightning. Concern over Aleksander Barkov aside, a successful evening. The Panthers are still the champs, and Tkachuk is still one-of-one. Sean: 3 Dom: 3 Believe it or not, there are a lot of choices for at a team on the verge of their first series sweep in over two decades. BGM (that's Big Game Mitch)? The Captain? The Carpenter? Playoff Mo'? The Amazing Amulet? Willy Styles? All perfectly correct choices. The top guys have all delivered so far, all it took was facing an extremely mid team instead of one of the best teams in the league with a superstar goalie. Who knew? Amidst all the star power, how do you not go with Simon Benoit, the man who pulled a rabbit out of an overtime hat twice this week? First, there was the steal and end-to-end rush before feeding Max Domi in Game 2. Then, there was the face-off clapper to seal the deal in Game 3, his seventh career goal. Benoit's magic is exactly what this team needed: a depth contributor stepping up in the clutch. Now, they're one win away from the second round. Sean: 4 Dom: 2 One of the reasons the Jets came into the playoffs as legitimate contenders: the resurgence of Mark Scheifele. His commitment to shoring up his defensive game has been noticeable all season and he parlayed that into more time attacking, leading to a career-high 87 points. For the first time in a while, Scheifele looked like the type of No. 1 forward a team can win with. Now, he's cementing that status. Through the first three games, Scheifele has two goals and five points and the Jets have outscored the Blues 4-3 with him on the ice at five-on-five. With injuries to Nikolaj Ehlers and Gabriel Vilardi, plus a mid start for Connor Hellebuyck (.897, minus-1.1 GSAx — and that was before a Game 3 meltdown), Scheifele has come through when the Jets have needed him most. Even if Game 3 was a night to forget. Advertisement Sean: 2 Dom: 6 Two games in, it's clear that the Kings have more than enough offensive juice to run with the Oilers. Just ask Stuart Skinner. Adrian Kempe — a born shooter and chance generator — is an enormous part of that success. At the start of Thursday night, with every player on equal footing, he led the league with seven points, was tied for first in goals with three and had the highest average Game Score (3.71). Kempe has been good for a while, but it feels like he's in the middle of a moment. Sean: 5 Dom: 4 It seems like everyone wrote off the Miro Heiskanen-less and Jason Robertson-less Stars before the series started. Now look at them: up 2-1 and controlling the run of play for two straight games. This is the Stars team many of us expected to contend for the Cup before a disastrous end-of-season finish soured the vibe. The key: Thomas Harley showing why many believe he's up next as one of the game's best and brightest defensemen. He was top 10 in value this season and he's carried that over to the playoffs with three points in three games, all while tilting the ice in heavy minutes. Harley's dominance is a big reason the Stars are not only surviving without Heiskanen but thriving. Sean: 7 Dom: 5 There are always a lot of questions surrounding Carolina's goalies, but it's hard to deny that when Frederik Andersen is on, he can still look like one of the best in the world. Andersen has a .956 save percentage so far to lead all goalies and has saved 4.9 goals above expected in just two games, second only to Mackenzie Blackwood. The Hurricanes haven't needed elite goaltending against the Devils, but it is nice to know they have it in their back pocket. Doubt Freddie at your own peril. Advertisement Sean: 6 Dom: 7 It'd be easy to pick Alex Ovechkin here — he scored twice in the first game, and he's Alex Ovechkin. When the puck is on his stick, he's must-see TV. True 20 years ago, true today. Logan Thompson deserves some credit, too, for returning to the lineup and regaining his late-2024 form. We're going a bit off the board, though, and saying Anthony Beauvillier. He had a few playoff moments with the Islanders, and he'd been fine this season with Pittsburgh and after the Caps acquired him. Opening the first round as the third man on a line with Ovechkin and Dylan Strome was a major assignment, though, and he's delivering. In Game 1, he scored off a slick redirection then set up Ovechkin in the paint for the game winner. In Game 2, he hit Strome streaking down the slot with a one-timer pass. Washington has four five-on-five goals thus far, and Beauvillier has been crucial to three of them. Sean: 8 Dom: 9 At the start of the series, we said the Wild's best chance — maybe their only chance — was if Kirill Kaprizov stole the show. He's in the process of doing just that, putting up two goals and three primary assists in three games. His lowest Game Score in that span is 3.40. Prime stuff. Matt Boldy deserves credit here, too, but Kaprizov is The Guy for Minnesota. Turns out having him in the lineup makes a huge difference. Who'd have thunk it? Sean: 10 Dom: 10 Poor Tomas Hertl. He's averaged one point per game and has 69 percent of the expected goals through three games, but the rest of the lineup has struggled (the top line especially). Vegas finds itself shockingly down 2-1, but that has nothing to do with Hertl. He's delivered. Sean: 9 Dom: 11 Advertisement Jesse Granger has already said plenty this week about the play of Mackenzie Blackwood (and a bunch of other goaltenders), so we'll kindly point you in that direction if you're looking for in-depth analysis. We're going to reiterate, though, just how good Blackwood has been for the Avs, saving nearly five goals above expected and helping Colorado stay in the fight against Dallas. The Stars are controlling play at five-on-five, and the Avs' best players haven't made much of an impact, but Blackwood stood on his head in Game 1 and helped give them a chance in Games 2 and 3. They need to help him out because he's doing exactly what they acquired him to do. Sean: 11 Dom: 8 Our only pregame note for the Lightning was 'wait for Game 2.' That's how uninspiring the team's Game 1 performance was for everyone involved. Unfortunately, Game 2 — another uninspiring effort where they were shut out — did not offer much insight. So, uhh, Jake Guentzel has a goal and 79 percent of the expected goals. Let's go with him. Sean: 12 Dom: 13 Before Game 3, Pavel Buchnevich was a leading candidate for one main reason: he was the only Blues player with a positive xG percentage during the first two games. Play-driving ability was always a strong part of Buchnevich's game, but it saw a drop-off this season along with his production. Buchnevich no longer looked like a big-time difference-maker. That's obviously changed this series, as he looks all the way back. On top of the strong five-on-five numbers, Buchnevich also had two assists through the first two contests. Then he followed that up with a monster game, scoring a hat trick while once again being a huge problem at five-on-five. The Blues are back in the series now and they have Buchnevich's contributions to thank for that. Advertisement Sean: 13 Dom: 12 Well, we can tell you one player it's not… Through two games, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are doing their usual bit against the Kings: lots of points, lots of zone time and lots of fear struck into the hearts of Kings fans anytime they have the puck. That duo has been great, no complaints. They almost orchestrated an improbable comeback on their own in Game 1, but alas it fell apart quickly after that. They need help. Lots of it. So if anyone else wants to step up, that would be appreciated… Sean: 14 Dom: 14 There aren't a lot of great choices for the Devils at the moment. They've looked generally outmatched against a deeper and more experienced Hurricanes team almost from the jump. On the scoreboard, though, the games have been a lot closer than they should be and that's thanks in large part to Jacob Markstrom. His .934 save percentage and 4.1 GSAx hasn't been enough to get the Devils a win, but he's still been sharp against a barrage of Hurricanes' shots. It's especially nice to see given the struggles he had down the stretch after returning from injury. His performance so far is exactly why the Devils paid so much to acquire Markstrom last summer. Sean: 15 Dom: 15 Montreal's top line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky probably has a little too much on their plate. They're the Canadiens' only reliable source of offense, but they're also playing a ton; Suzuki had been on the ice for well over a minute when the Caps scored to tie Game 2 at 2-2, and the trio lost its minutes overall. Still, their play in Game 1 — Suzuki's specifically — was high-level stuff. Martin St. Louis asked them to do a ton, and they delivered in a big way, culminating with a late, overtime-forcing goal. Montreal is in a hole, but it has absolutely nothing to do with what they've gotten from their No. 1 center. Advertisement Sean: 16 Dom: 16 The Senators are one game from their season ending, which makes the assignment here a little tough. Brady Tkachuk, though, has mostly delivered as promised. Many figured he'd be a big-game player after his turn at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and he showed as much with a game-tying goal in Game 3 to give the Senators a chance. Tkachuk has dominated by expected goals, is plus-one in penalty differential, and has easily been Ottawa's most impactful player. It just doesn't count for much when there are four or five players doing more on the other side. (Photo of Matthew Tkachuk: Mike Carlson / Getty Images)
Iraqi News
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Prime Minister: Martyr Harith Al-Sudani's Heroism Is a National Legacy the World Must Know
Baghdad – INA Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani affirmed that the heroism of Martyr Harith Al-Sudani is not just a story of sacrifice but a national legacy that must be documented and shared with the world, serving as a source of pride for all Iraqis. A statement from the Prime Minister's media office, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that PM Al-Sudani hosted, on Sunday evening, the family of the heroic martyr Harith Abd Ali Al-Sudani, who bravely infiltrated the ranks of the ISIS terrorist organization. The meeting also included members of the team behind the TV series Al-Naqeeb (The Captain), which portrays his story, including the lead actor, writer, director, and members of the Television Drama Support Grant Committee. The Prime Minister emphasized that Iraq's history is filled with heroic sacrifices that must be passed down to future generations. He stated that the state has a duty to highlight the sacrifices of Iraqis, whether in their fight against dictatorship before 2003 or in their battle against terrorism afterward. He stressed that the series Al-Naqeeb should be the beginning of a broader effort to document the heroism of Iraq's security forces, ensuring these sacrifices remain an integral part of the nation's memory. Al-Sudani praised the professional efforts of the Drama Support Committee and the team behind Al-Naqeeb series in bringing this heroic story to life. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to honoring the sacrifices of Iraqis from all backgrounds through state-building, strengthening security, and advancing national development across the country.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Cindric at ease with decision to downshift at Penske
The decision by Penske Racing president Tim Cindric to step back from overseeing all of Roger Penske's programs across IMSA, IndyCar and NASCAR came as a surprise last week, but he says the call wasn't made in haste, nor was it inspired by anything negative in his personal or professional life. Decades of running as many as four teams for Penske have taken a toll on Cindric, and with championships earned in IMSA and NASCAR last year, plus the earning of back-to-back Indianapolis 500 victories, the son of renowned IndyCar engine builder Carl Cindric decided the timing was right to downshift a few gears and focus solely on leading Team Penske's three-car IndyCar effort. For the California-born Cindric, who turns 57 in April, it's a return to where he began for 'The Captain.' 'A lot of people forget that where I started — I came into the team in 1999 and my title was president of the IndyCar team. I did that for five or six years, and back then, that was a two-car team,' Cindric told RACER. 'And then Roger asked me to start up an American Le Mans program (in 2005) and we did that. Then a year later, he said, 'Hey, I'd like you to head up my NASCAR team and combine it all and move it to Mooresville, North Carolina.' Then we started up the Supercars team in Australia for like six years, took that on, and just continued to try and deliver on the expectations. 'And then 25 years of my life goes by and I really haven't had any time for anything else. I completely understand how it's easy to assume that somebody in his mid-to-late 50s still has some runway left, or there's got to be something else to it, but there's no underlying thing that's been the catalyst for this. It's really down to, 'Man, if I keep up this pace forever, I won't experience a whole lot outside of racing.'' Add together all of the flights, hotel check-ins and check-outs, gathering and returning of rental cars, plus the endless number of in-person meetings, Zoom sessions, plus working dozens of races each year in open-wheel, sports cars and stock cars, and it's easy to imagine Cindric has been more of a visitor at home than a central fixture in family life. Speaking from a golf tournament he'd signed up for this weekend, the architect behind one of racing's most consistently competitive and successful teams sounded relaxed and balanced in a way that was not present before making this change. 'The past 20-some years, it's been hard to really even plan for anything,' he admitted. 'People that ask you, 'Hey, would you be interested in being involved in this or that outside of racing?' And I want to learn and do other things, but at the same time, I don't want to compromise my responsibilities, and you know I want to deliver and meet the expectations that come with the Penske legacy. You look at it every year throughout the process and ask, 'How long can I keep doing this at this level?' Because I would never want to leave it in a bad place, or when there's a weakness.' Cindric worried his wish to step back from oversight of Penske's NASCAR program might rankle his personal hero and boss, but in fact he and The Captain soon agreed on a new arrangement. Michael Levitt/Motorsport Images Cindric's call with Penske — a personal hero who also happens to be his no-nonsense boss — was the next step in the process, and despite being known for his stone-face composure, there were nerves involved. 'Finally, after the holidays, I said, 'You know what, I'm breaking the ice with Roger,'' he continued. 'And that's not an easy thing to do when you're talking to somebody that you've always wanted to work for and now you're going to tell them that you don't want to work as much for him. You have to understand or be prepared for him to tell you that he doesn't want you to do anything but what you're (currently) doing. 'I sent him a note after the holidays because I didn't want to be a distraction. I wanted to finish out '24 with budgets, contracts, personnel reviews, all that stuff, and not be a distraction, and get to right after the holidays. The note was, 'Hey, I'd like to get together and meet because I'm not sure I'm the right guy to continue looking over the overall program anymore.' 'I think initially, he thought I had other plans (to join another team) and, and I'm like, 'Oh, no, Roger, just so you understand, I've only ever talked to my wife about this. I haven't talked to anybody else. Nobody's asking me to go work somewhere else. I'm not. There's no other agenda other than what I'm telling you.' And he's like, 'OK, I get it. Come up to Detroit and you and I will talk about it.' And it was a great conversation between him and I for a few hours.' The end result keeps Cindric atop Team Penske's IndyCar program where he's a minority owner in the open-wheel team, and keeps him in the same operation position on Josef Newgarden's No. 2 Chevy as head coach and strategist for the double IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner. Cindric will also retain his leadership over Penske's vast collection of historic race cars and its associated archives. 'I said, 'Look, RP, if it's all or nothing, I get it. I completely understand. I'm prepared for that,' he said. 'And he's like, 'No, what do you think would give you the flexibility you need here? Do you want to end up in this? If I can help you stay here in some way, what are you looking for?' And I said, 'I don't want to keep up with a NASCAR schedule the way it is. From the Porsche standpoint and all that, I want to be there with you when you win Le Mans. But all the things are in place in those series, and I don't feel like we're to the point now where it's going to happen with or without me.' 'I said, 'Look, with the IndyCar schedule, and, yeah, I have a minority interest in the team; I'm not looking for you to buy me out or anything like that, but if you want to go business as usual there, relative to the IndyCar team, I'll give it a shot.' I think I can find the balance with 17-20 weekends on the schedule there. And he said, 'That'd be great if you do that; we'll figure out the rest.' We have great people in the other places and we've been able to build some really good leadership there with long-term commitments. 'Then he asked me if I'd continue with the collection of cars and archives and directing traffic there, and I said, 'Yeah, it's a passion of mine. I've known your history probably as well as you have before I went to work for you.'' Like attending a golf tournament a week prior to the Daytona 500, Cindric is looking forward to taking more opportunities to enjoy life — in and out of the sport — in ways that were previously inconceivable. 'I might actually get to go to Amelia Island or Goodwood,' he said. 'Or go see and experience some of the other things in life that are out there.' Story originally appeared on Racer
