Latest news with #takeaways
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
The Packers' ‘Ball King': How coach involves a siren, WWE belt and fun in camp
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jeff Hafley wanted to find a way to emphasize the importance of takeaways before his second training camp as Packers defensive coordinator. In Hafley's debut season, the Packers ranked fourth in the NFL with 31 takeaways, up from tied for 23rd with 18 takeaways in 2023, Joe Barry's final season calling the defense. Advertisement Green Bay tied for third with 17 interceptions last season and slotted third alone with 14 fumble recoveries. In terms of forced fumbles, however, the Packers' 16 ranked tied for eighth. That wasn't good enough for Hafley. 'The No. 1 emphasis this training camp over everything is, one, playstyle … how hard we're gonna play, how physical we're gonna play, how we run to the ball. That's non-negotiable.' Hafley said. 'Two, we have to force more fumbles. … We want to lead the league in forced fumbles. We are going to have to work at it, and that's very important to us.' To ascend even higher than the Packers did in the takeaways department last season, Hafley devised a plan. Enter 'Ball King,' aka defensive quality control coach Wendel Davis. Here's the lowdown: the Packers' defense is split into three teams with three general managers, safety Xavier McKinney, defensive end Rashan Gary and linebacker Quay Walker. There's a points system involved, with forced fumbles and defensive touchdowns in training camp practices earning the most points. Players can lose points, too, and Davis will call out guys who, for example, are in position to punch at the ball but don't or don't punch at the ball hard enough. Each week, the team within the Packers' defense with the most points wins an award. 'This week, we have like a little WWE Packers belt that we got, and I was actually the MVP of the team that was winning this week, so I was wearing it over my shoulders all week, strutting around the facility and all that,' safety Evan Williams said. 'You see somebody walking around with that, you're like, 'OK, I want that. I want to be the guy that's making a name for myself in that matter.' So yeah, definitely, it's a healthy competition and I feel like everybody's buying into it, for real.' Advertisement Hafley lets Davis start the post-practice meeting with the entire defense because, he said, the ball is most important. Davis puts a chart in front of the room and tallies the points from that day's practice after watching film. Each time the film shows a defensive player registering a forced fumble, pass breakup or interception, they say, 'Sound the horn,' and Davis presses a button that sets off a siren attached to the ceiling. Like a real siren? 'A big-ass one,' cornerback Bo Melton said. 'Everybody gets a little turnt,' Williams said. 'It's a fun little deal.' The Packers aren't just emphasizing takeaways in these meetings. How do players respond when a teammate intercepts a pass? Are players scooping the ball off the ground even on incomplete passes? Williams said a mantra in the defensive room is 'leaving no meat on the bone.' Hafley is trying to instill a mentality more than just establish a new statistical watermark. Whether it's Williams reaching around tight end Tucker Kraft after the catch for a sideline punch-out, linebacker Isaiah Simmons tipping a Malik Willis pass that cornerback Carrington Valentine picked off, or McKinney scooping a punch-out by nickel Javon Bullard on Kraft well after the play, Hafley's defense has been swarming. On Tuesday, coach Matt LaFleur said he criticized his offense in a team meeting for exposing the football too much. LaFleur is leading his seventh training camp in Green Bay and said the defense is attacking the ball better than in any of his prior six seasons in charge. On the flip side, he credited Davis, in his sixth season as a Packers quality control coach, for getting the defense to buy into what he's preaching with unique methods. 'They're not allowed to call him Wendel Davis anymore,' Hafley said. 'He's the 'Ball King,' so if you see him, please refer to him as 'BK' or 'Ball King.'' Advertisement Davis, 36, played linebacker at Arkansas and served as a team captain in 2009. He intercepted only two passes and forced one fumble over 47 career games, but Hafley said Davis is a 'really good football coach' en route to becoming a position coach after his QC days are over. 'It's over with,' Melton said of Davis' real name. 'He said he changed his name to 'Ball King.'' Melton and Hafley both even referred to the coach as 'Wendel' during interviews this week before correcting themselves. 'He lit,' the Packers' wideout-turned-cornerback said of 'Ball King.' 'It gets live. Everybody laughing, having a good time. … People out there running hard to the ball, trying to punch it out so they could be on that tape, the 'Ball King' tape.' Davis' presentations and the competition they breed provide levity during the dog days of summer in Green Bay. That's needed, Hafley said, when coaches are constantly hard on players. However, the core message amid the fun could prove integral in the Packers' pursuit of a long-awaited championship. 'Turnovers change games,' Gary said. 'So yeah, it makes it fun having the siren. It makes it fun seeing guys having success at getting the ball out being recognized. … But all that's really important is what comes down in the season. That's really what we're prepping for.' 1. Wide receiver Jayden Reed (undisclosed injury) dropped out during Thursday's practice and rode an exercise bike alongside fellow receiver Dontayvion Wicks (calf), who returned in a limited capacity after missing practice No. 6. It's possible Reed suffered an injury before Thursday's practice and was already on a pitch count entering the day. Left guard Aaron Banks (back) appeared limited in 11-on-11s, an improvement in participation after he missed the majority of Tuesday's practice. Rookie wideout Savion Williams (concussion) also appeared to return in a limited capacity after dropping out of Tuesday's practice. Wide receiver Sam Brown Jr., a rookie undrafted free agent who has flashed in camp, dropped out of Thursday's practice. Wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) is still sidelined but was cutting sharply and running quite quickly on the sideline at Thursday's practice. Running back MarShawn Lloyd (groin) won't practice the remainder of this week, LaFleur said, but won't be out long term. Rookie offensive lineman John Williams (back) and defensive end Collin Oliver (hamstring) have yet to make their camp debuts. Doubs said GIMME DAT 🗣️@emplifybellin — Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 31, 2025 2. Brandon McManus finally missed a kick. After hitting from 45 and 47 yards with a mild wind in his face, McManus drifted wide right from 49. He responded with three consecutive makes from 51, 53 and 33 yards to bring his total to 28-for-29 during team periods over four kicking practices. 'That might have been the best kick I've had all training camp and it didn't go in,' McManus said. 'That's the nature of this business. Today was more of a Green Bay day with how windy it was.' Advertisement The Packers are still unable to kick every practice because Irish kicker Mark McNamee, whom the Packers signed on July 22, has yet to arrive in Green Bay over a visa complication and McManus kicks every other practice. General manager Brian Gutekunst said the Packers knew when they signed McNamee that it would take him five to 14 days to arrive, and Thursday is the nine-day mark. 3. I wrote down five players in my notebook who stood out during one-on-ones between pass catchers and defensive backs on Thursday: wide receiver Mecole Hardman, wide receiver Cornelius Johnson, cornerback Kamal Hadden, McKinney and Melton. After hardly creating any separation during Tuesday's one-on-ones, Hardman cooked cornerback Kalen King on a comeback route for his first catch and found enough space against Bullard near the left sideline for another slick grab. Johnson hauled in two deep balls down the left sideline, one against cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. and one against cornerback Micah Robinson. Hadden forced two incompletions on three reps against wide receiver Malik Heath and let people hear about it, too. McKinney was his normal self, forcing incompletions against three tight ends, Tucker Kraft, Luke Musgrave and Ben Sims. Melton, who I think is a safe bet to make the initial 53-man roster after switching positions, in part because of his special teams prowess, took two reps against wideouts Romeo Doubs and Will Sheppard and broke up both passes. 4. Musgrave made two great catches during 11-on-11s. One came on a corner route with McKinney draped on him after a perfect ball from quarterback Jordan Love. McKinney complimented the catch while talking to himself after his momentum took him out of bounds past reporters. Musgrave then came back on a corner route on the opposite side to grab another Love pass near the ground with Valentine on him. If Musgrave can become the downfield threat in Year 3 that he looked primed to be as a rookie before significant injuries interrupted his first two seasons, he and Kraft could form a tantalizing duo for an already deep Packers aerial attack. 'I think both balls were delivered exactly where they needed to be for the defense,' Musgrave said. 'So I think all that goes to Jordan. All that — spectacular.' 5. We'll give today's quote of the day to Musgrave: 'My wife's a pilates instructor, so she works Club Pilates in the new Packers gym. She has me sometimes go and experiment or, I don't know, I'm not the person to experiment on because I'm not great at pilates. But she's taken me through some workouts and they're really hard.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Interactive map shows best and worst boroughs for restaurant and takeaway food hygiene — as London gets lowest ranking in UK
London eateries have the lowest average food hygiene rating compared to other regions in the UK, according to a study, with Waltham Forest the worst borough. The average food hygiene rating across the capital was 4.38, when a score was taken from all 36,383 food —premises operating in the capital, a report from online training provider High Speed Training found. Just over one in five (22.1%) of takeaways and sandwich shops in London had a hygiene rating of three or below, while 923 premises had a score of rating of One or Zero. The report, which marked 15 years since the introduction of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, found that Kensington and Chelsea had the highest average rating of London's boroughs. The average score from Kensington and Chelsea was 4.79 from over 1,000 premises, placing it joint seventh in the national ranking for towns and cities. Meanwhile, Kingston Upon Thames and Barking and Dagenham both saw their ratings improve by an average of 0.16 compared to last year. But, Newham saw its ratings drop by 0.15, with the average hygiene rating for the borough sitting at 4.02. The report added that if London boroughs were counted as separate towns, several would be near the bottom of the national rankings, including Ealing (3.93) and Waltham Forest (3.89), which had the lowest average rating in London. High Speed Training's report also found that 83.1% of premises held a hygiene rating of Four or Five. Over 93% of Hotels, B&Bs and guest houses, and 83.6% of restaurants and cafes scored a Four or Five in the capital. A Ghanaian takeaway in Croydon was forced to shut down in May after food hygiene inspectors uncovered a 'significant infestation' of cockroaches and 'strong smell of urine' in the restaurant. The former operator of a Notting Hill celebrity restaurant, Beach Blanket Babylon, was also fined more than £30,000 after a series of inspections uncovered infestations of cockroaches, mice, and rats. Last month, A Budgens next to Paddington station was given the lowest food hygiene rating available after inspectors found mouse droppings on shelves. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme was launched across the country in 2010 and aims to provide hygiene information clearly and more effectively. Ratings are determined by the standard of food handling hygiene, the physical condition of the premises and facilities, and food safety management practices. Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training, said: 'Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses, and to the customers who use them. 'Fifteen years have passed since the launch of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, and its place in the industry is as vital as ever. 'These ratings are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates, and we urge businesses and customers to take them seriously. 'For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, which ultimately have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.'
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jeff Daniels issues pointed seven-word message for Trump voters
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Actor Jeff Daniels has again lashed out at President Donald Trump's supporters, this time with a seven-word message. The 70-year-old Emmy-winning actor, who on numerous occasions has criticized Trump and the GOP, spoke to MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on the latest episode of her The Best People podcast about the current political climate under the Trump administration, including tariffs and the state of the Republican party. 'When Mitch [McConnell] started stacking the courts 25 years ago, I said it on your show once, they can see it coming,' Daniels told the host. 'And Mitch and company could see it coming. They were going to be the minority, so they just started and then here we are, and now you got it.' Issuing a pointed seven-word message to Trump supporters 'who thought this would be ok,' Daniels said: 'I hope you're losing tons of money.' Wallace responded in agreement. 'I mean, the tariffs are going to hurt your neighbors.' Jeff Daniels (left) said he hopes Trump supporters are 'losing tons of money' (Getty) Daniels further concurred, saying: 'Which I think, at the end of the day, that's what's going to do it. 'Wait a minute, the grocery bill is what? $180 more? I can't get that car that we have to have unless I pay another $8,000. What? Who do I blame for that? Who do I see about that?' One person.' When approached for comment, White House Spokesman Kush Desai told The Independent: 'Wow, another washed up, out-of-touch left-wing Hollywood clown is wishing harm on everyday Americans because they disagree with his opinions. Unfortunately for Jeff and fortunately for the American people, under President Trump bond and stock markets are rallying, Joe Biden's inflation crisis is over, and real wages are rising.' Elsewhere in the episode, Wallace opined that America has experienced a 'loss' in decency over the desire for more affordable goods. 'Well, I think at the end of the day it would be about just the price of eggs, did it go up or down, because that's what he told me he was going to lower the price of eggs or my grocery bill,' The Newsroom alum replied, branding the president a 'snake oil salesman.' Daniels also lamented Kamala Harris's loss in the 2024 presidential election, admitting he still thinks about her and how 'she would have been a good choice. I don't care what they say, because she would have done what [Abraham] Lincoln did.' Explaining how exactly he thought the former Vice President would have governed like Lincoln, Daniels said Lincoln 'surrounded himself with the people who would disagree with him, not the people who would, you know, take a knee and go, 'Yeah, more tariffs, sir, more.'' Daniels shot to fame for his leading role in 1994's cult classic comedy, Dumb and Dumber, and its 2014 sequel, Dumb and Dumber To. He's additionally featured in the beloved family comedy Because of Winn-Dixie (2005), George Clooney's 2005 political drama, Good Night, and Good Luck, and 2016's Allegiant, the final film in the Divergent dystopian trilogy. Besides film, he's also starred in numerous TV shows, including HBO's The Newsroom, The Looming Tower, and Godless. His work in all three earned him a total of five Emmy nominations, of which he won two. He received his first Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2013 for The Newsroom, and his second in 2018 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie for Godless.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dad so big he couldn't go to bed for 3 years loses 8st after trip to dentist
A dad who weighed 25 stone and spent more than £5,000 a year on takeaways has revealed the mortifying moment that changed his life. Simon Furness says his food addiction became so bad he couldn't even walk to his bed and slept upright on his living room chair for three years. But his wake-up call finally came when a chair he was sitting on at the dentist snapped beneath him, leaving him feeling 'embarrassed and disgusted'. 'I got into a rut where I just gave up and I never went out the house or anything,' said Simon, 57. 'I didn't go to bed for three years - I was sleeping in my chair. I was depressed. All the money I had was all going on food, on takeaways. It was at least £20 a night, £100 a week. I would get them five times a week. They were so easy. READ MORE: New Marks and Spencer Outlet store opens with 50% off original prices READ MORE: Go in to this house and you'll be arrested 'Because I wasn't going out anywhere, I would sit in the chair and order off my phone to get them delivered. I was addicted to Chinese takeaways – I'd always have a special curry with special fried rice plus a big portion of chips. I'd probably have a starter too. Whenever I see old videos and pictures of myself, it repulses me.' At his heaviest, Simon tipped the scales at 25 stone and could fit into 5XL T-shirts. But it wasn't just his mental health that suffered. The 57 year old's unhealthy habits led to serious health issues, including type 2 diabetes and severe sleep apnea where he stopped breathing 104 times an hour. Alongside his five takeaways a week, his typical daily diet included half a loaf of bread alongside two large tins of soup, kebab meat, a 12in pizza and three packs of Haribo. But his much-needed reality check came during a routine visit to the dentist. Simon, from Marston, Northwich, said: 'I was sat in the waiting room and the chair I was sitting on collapsed. I trapped my finger – that was so embarrassing. It made me feel terrible. I was disgusted; I just felt so low. The doctor even put me on antidepressants. 'Doctors even said I had one of the worst sleep apnea cases they had ever seen. It all affected me that badly with my kids and grandkids – I was no good to them at all.' Simon says his unhealthy lifestyle finally changed when his wife joined a local slimming group, Beeweighed, and encouraged him to try it too. The former Morrison's truck loader said: 'I tried Slimming World, Weight Watchers, tried everything but just couldn't get on with it. 'With this one, for some reason, it just sunk in. Lynda, the owner, was so encouraging. The talks she gives are amazing and it really got through to me and opened my eyes. She's made me think about what I eat, before I eat it. 'It's just been a total diet change. I signed up in October 2024 and the rest is history.' Simon has gone on to lose eight stone – and reversed his sleep apnoea. Now weighing 17st 1lb, he hopes to reach his target weight of 16 stone soon. Simon said: 'Before, I couldn't move out of my chair. Now I go on days out with my seven grandkids – proper things like a grandad should do. I'm loving it. 'I know everyone needs a little treat every now and again – I do myself on a Friday. But in the past, I just ate whatever I wanted and I paid for it. It's brilliant. I've given away all my old clothes to the charity shop. I feel like a new person.'
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
We live on the most deprived high street in the UK – people defecate on the road & gangs leave it a no-go zone after 6pm
IT was once the pride of the community, bustling with shoppers stocking up at the local butcher and grocer before grabbing a cuppa at a nearby cafe. Parliament Road in Middlesbrough was at the heart of a working-class community, in a town once famous for its iron and steelworks. 9 9 But this former thriving stretch is now a shadow of its former self as our high streets slowly turn into ghost towns. A startling new report reveals the extent to which the country's traditional shops have been replaced with takeaways, vape and betting outlets, while banks, department stores and even public toilets disappear. Across the UK, vape shops have surged by an astonishing 1,200 per cent since 2014, while the number of takeaways has risen by 24 per cent. In the half-mile stretch of Parliament Road, The Sun counted 15 fast food outlets, from those selling fish and chips to shawarma and Chinese food, plus two betting units, three corner shops flogging vapes and four shuttered stores. One shopper said: 'It used to be beautiful here, but it all started to go downhill in the 2000s.' Unhealthy lifestyles It's a picture repeated across the UK, as out-of-town shopping centres, discount outlets and online giants kill off the high street. The pandemic was the final nail in the coffin, with many local stores forced to shut their doors for good. Experts also point to a country-wide divide, with three times the number of pawnbrokers and twice the number of vape shops in the north compared to the south. One in ten department stores has vanished in some northern towns, compared with a 12 per cent rise in the south. Inside Britain's WORST benefit blackspot with 'Victorian' poverty levels & drug gangs running riot More than two in ten supermarkets have shut in Yorkshire and the Humber, and poorer northern areas have up to three times more bookies. Authors of the Ghost Town report, compiled by Health Equity North, warn that the state of Britain's high streets is promoting unhealthy life- styles in towns already blighted by unemployment and deprivation. The research team, led by academics from Newcastle and Manchester universities, wants the Government to regulate the number of takeaways, off-licences, vape shops and bookies in high streets — and step in to protect pubs, community centres and libraries where locals can meet. 9 9 Middlesbrough was last year dubbed 'Britain's sickest town', with nearly a third of 16 to 24-year-olds jobless. Local council figures revealed that 71 per cent of over-18s in the area were overweight or obese, while 25 per cent of reception class age children were classed as too heavy. Parliament Road is at the centre of a residential area, with rows of terraced houses shooting off the main thoroughfare. Locals say the once tight-knit community has disintegrated over the years as local shops have vanished. In March this year alone, 23 crimes were reported in the area — ten were violent or sexual offences. Shopper Elizabeth Gray, 40, a carer who lives nearby, told how the area started its decline before Covid. She said: 'I've seen people defecating on the street. It's so run down. 'The street started to decline a while ago, well before Covid, and it's all takeaways and charity shops now. 'It used to be beautiful here. 'There was a butcher's shop, a pram store and a florist. 'Crime is rife now, too. I was burgled and reported it to the police. I've seen people defecating on the street, it's so run down. Elizabeth Grey 'I started spotting kids wearing my children's clothes and saw my ornaments in other people's homes. But the police said they couldn't do anything about it.' Saqib Anwar, who works at the local Food Maestro fast food shop, says some restaurants are shifting up to 500 takeaways a day. The 26-year-old explained: 'It used to be a treat, but now it's all the time. Families are ordering takeaways every single day — for breakfast, lunch and dinner.' Retired barman Brian Mahony, 66, said Parliament Road once had so many shops that locals did not need to go into town. He added: 'It was like a community. We had a butcher and a fruit shop, and you could buy anything you wanted. Now it's takeaways and vape shops. "We were tight-knit here, but there's been a lot of immigration issues and we have gangs of men who stand on the street, chew on sunflower seeds and spit them out on the pavement. 'Lots of elderly people feel intimidated and don't leave their homes after 6pm.' Brian agreed with the report's findings of a north-south divide. 'We feel forgotten' He said: 'Down south, they put more money into high streets and make sure their local food stores keep going so people have fresh food. We feel forgotten about.' Arthur Thompson, 75, who owns The Hardware Store on the ailing street, said: 'It was a lovely high street back in the day. 'Now there are shops selling vapes to children and takeaways selling unhealthy food. We've got a small Tesco Express, but it's expensive and people can't afford to shop there. 'The council tries to support small businesses, but it's been tough since Covid. 'People no longer come to the high street because they're used to shopping online.' The report also reveals that the number of supermarkets in Britain has fallen by ten per cent nationally, while every local authority across the country has lost between nine and 34 per cent of its retail units since 2014. 9 9 9 It has been compounded by the demise of major chains such as BHS and Debenhams. Adam Todd, professor of pharmaceutical public health at Newcastle University, who helped draw up the report, said: 'For generations, the high street has been the beating heart of our towns and cities — places we can go to shop, eat, meet friends and feel part of our communities. 'Today, they feel like a shadow of themselves. Now it's takeaways and vape shops. We were tight-knit here but there's been a lot of immigration issues and we have gangs of men who stand on the street. Brian Mahony 'Community amenities and services such as banks, pharmacies and department stores are vanishing, to be replaced by unhealthy fast food takeaways, vape shops and bookmakers. 'Protecting these spaces for the next generation isn't just about restoring them to some nostalgic vision of town centres past. 'We need to respond to changing habits and offer more pedestrianised and attractive spaces — places where people will want to gather, socialise and enjoy a sense of place.' Big-name shops we have lost WH SMITH is the latest famous name to be erased from Britain's high streets. It will be rebranded TG Jones after hundreds of shops were sold in a £76million rescue deal in March this year. The 233-year-old company offloaded part of its business to Modella Capital, which owns Hobbycraft, but will continue its lucrative travel arm, with shops at airports and railway stations. And it is far from the only big name to face problems or vanish entirely from our ailing high streets over the past decade. WOOLWORTHS THE pick-n-mix giant fell into administration in 2008 and closed its 807 stores in January the following year with £385million of debt. Around 27,000 people lost their jobs. Most of the premises were bought by Poundland and Iceland. DEBENHAMS THE department store left the high street for good in 2021 after struggling to recover from the pandemic. It fell into administration first in 2019 and again the next year when Covid arrived. After initially closing 22 stores, it had hoped to continue trading and reopen some of its 142 shops but was bought out by Boohoo the following year in a £55million deal. TOYS R US THE American brand got into financial trouble in 2018 and shut all of its 100 UK shops as a result. It has now started opening concessions in WHSmith stores. WILKO AROUND 12,500 people lost their jobs when Wilko shut 400 stores in late 2023. It was bought by The Range in a £5million deal which meant shoppers could still buy goods online. THE BODY SHOP THE beauty store was rescued from administration last year after being forced to shut 82 stores. Its remaining 113 shops were bought by growth capital firm Aurea but it has since lost branches in Sheffield and Norwich. ARGOS SHUT 100 of its stores across 2023 and 2024 but has opened pick-up points in Sainsbury's. Co-author Dr Eman Zied Abozied, a research associate at Newcastle University's population health sciences institute, said: 'All over the country, our high streets are becoming less healthy and less welcoming places to visit. 'This trend is only getting worse and it's even more pronounced in traditionally deprived areas. 'The disappearance of amenities such as supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and public toilets particularly affects groups such as women, children and the elderly. 'But what we are seeing impacts all of us. 'The deterioration of our high streets makes our centres feel less safe, less inviting and, ultimately, makes us feel more disconnected as communities.'
