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Many of us are moving away from traditional downspouts. They clog with leaves and they can be unsightly. Instead, lots of homeowners are embracing rain chains and rain barrels as alternative methods of water management. However, it isn't clear which is best for your yard. Rain chains look good, but they can't always handle a lot of water, and while rain barrels are practical, they can be pretty ugly. This is all you need to know about the pros and cons of the two systems of water management - and whether or not you should combine the two into one effective method of collecting rainwater. Benefits of a rain chain Rain chains were invented in Japan as a kind of earthquake-proof pipe. Instead of a hollow pipe, the chain uses water's surface tension to move it from a roof to the ground. Where downspouts made of metal or PVC can warp and crack in an earthquake, rain chains sway with the tremors, so they won't break. This also makes rain chains a good option in high winds, because debris flying into the chain won't break or damage it. Cheap rain barrels made out of PVC can easily crack and warp. Rain chains are also much less maintenance than downspouts because they can't clog with leaves or other debris. On top of that, rain chains look a lot better than downpipes and most rain barrels. They make a relaxing sound in the rain and they can be stylized to suit your garden aesthetic in a way that a boring white PVC downspout can't match. This is a a simple, modern rain chain. Made of weather-proof aluminum, this chain is perfect for more contemporary homes. More bohemian homes might prefer this copper chain, designed to look like little umbrellas. The copper will oxidize over time, developing a beautiful blue patina. This simple chain works well for most homes; sleek enough for modern homes but unobtrusive enough that it won't look out of place for more traditional exteriors. Drawbacks of a rain chain Rain chains are poor at handling large amounts of water, so while they're good in light rain and high winds, they're bad at handling heavy rain storms. Part of the reason why they're poor in storms is because they aren't efficient - they create a lot of splashback because the water isn't contained in a single pipe. This can spill on a patio and create a slip hazard or saturate the ground with too much water. Like downspouts and rain barrels, rain chains have other drawbacks in cold climates. Rain chains can freeze solid if wet weather is followed by freezing temperatures, and while this is often fine, the weight of the ice can pull the chain out of its fixings and damage your gutters or walls. On top of that, backed-up ice can stop water from flowing down from the roof, which can be dangerous. Because rain chains don't direct water into gutters and away from your home, they can cause minor damage to walls and patios. The repeated splashback can cause algae to bloom on PVC siding, or warp the material. Benefits of a rain barrel Every dedicated gardener will benefit from a rain barrel. They offer a reliable, convenient water supply that's perfect for your plants. After the initial installation, they're free to run, providing free water that can lower your utility bills. This water isn't treated with any chemicals, so if you live somewhere where you can't trust the municipal water, the rain barrels will provide chemical-free water. Even if you can trust the water, rain barrels are a good backup. Barrels with downspouts can also be an aesthetic improvement on simple downspouts. The best are made to look like rustic barrels for a more traditional look, while more modern barrels can be sculptural vase shapes. Most are topped with a planter too, so you can hide necessary but ugly features like a downspout amongst beautiful flowers. This clever rain barrel looks more like a neat piece of pottery than a water container. It also has a planter on the top to further disguise it. This barrel is a good way to maintain a rustic look. It appears to be an old-fashioned whiskey barrel, but it's made of plastic, so it's far cheaper than buying a true wood rain barrel. If you have polyrattan furniture, try this batrrel. It's printed with a wicker effect so it will match the furniture on your patio. Drawbacks of a rain barrel Rain barrels are more regulated than rain chains. Some HOAs have rules about rain chains but they're usually allowed. Many HOAs outright ban rain chains, and more importantly, some municipalities regulate them too. There are restrictions on rainwater harvesting in California, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas, and in some counties, you need a permit to harvest rainwater. Rain barrels need a lot of maintenance, and if you live somewhere that sees freezing temperatures you need to winterize your rain barrel . If you don't, the rain barrel will crack and break. Rain barrels are better are coping with storms than rain chains, but can still overflow. In summer, rain barrels can be the perfect breeding ground for mosquitos, so you might see a lot of bug bites. The stagnant water is also a magnet for algae, which can create a gross smell that stops you from hosting guests on your patio. Can you combine the two? A good way to get the best of both worlds is to combine the two. You can run a rain chain into a rain barrel - and it's actually easier to install a rain barrel this way than to collect water from a downspout. Rachel Bull, Head of Gardens at H&G, says 'Unlike a downspout, where you have to saw off chunks of the pipe and fit a diverter, you can just put a barrel underneath a rain chain and the water will flow straight in, and unlike a traditional rain barrel, there's no danger of debris from the roof ending up in the barrel.' However, all of the above drawbacks hold true here, too. This is a less efficient way of collecting rainwater than a rain barrel connected to a traditional downspout, so you'll collect less water than you could. Rachel is a gardening editor, flower grower and floral designer. Her journalism career began on Country Living magazine, sparking a love of container gardening and wild planting. After more than a decade writing for and editing a range of consumer, business and special interest titles, Rachel became editor of floral art magazine The Flower Arranger . She then trained and worked as a floral designer and stylist in London for six years, before joining the Homes & Gardens team. In the end, rain chains and rain barrels are good options for gardeners with relatively low levels of rain water. But neither option is perfect - there's a host of rain chain mistakes to avoid as you set one up.UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Aston Villa plays out goalless draw against depleted Juventus
Potato cultivation expands as prices rise
NoneNoneFinding the perfect gift can be daunting. The only way to truly ensure you get it right would be to ask the recipient what they want, but that wouldn’t be much fun for either of you. Luckily, there’s another tactic to help you earn a “gift whisperer” reputation: seeking out unique, practical, game-changing gifts that will truly surprise and delight. But that’s about as easy as it sounds, which is to say it’s not easy at all. So, we’ve done the legwork for you. Start making your list with this compilation of some of the most innovative, functional and fun gifts of 2024. There’s something for every budget. This image provided by FinaMill shows the FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder Set. The new FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Bear with me: The new FinaMill Ultimate Spice Grinder set elevates the pedestrian pepper and spice mill in both function and style. Available in three colors (Sangria Red, Midnight Black and Soft Cream), the rechargeable-battery unit grinds with a light touch rather than hand-tiring twists. That’s easier for everyone and especially helpful for those experiencing hand or wrist issues such as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis. And it’s fun to use. The set includes a stackable storage tray and four pods that can be easily swapped as needed: The GT microplane grater for hard spices, nuts and chocolate; the MAX for large spices and dried herbs; the ProPlus for smaller and oily spices; and the Pepper Pod for, well, pepper. $110. This image provided by Pull Start Fire shows the matchless fire igniter in use. Made of 89% recycled materials, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Campers and backyard firepit lovers who have experienced the heartbreak of wet wood will appreciate having a three-pack of Pull Start Fire on hand. Made of 89% recycled materials, including sanding dust, wax and flint, the food-safe, eco-friendly, 3-by-2-by-1-inch fire starters will light a fire quickly without matches, lighters or kindling. Just loop the attached green string around a log, incorporate it into a wood stack, and pull the attached red string to ignite. Each windproof, rainproof block burns for 30 minutes. $29.99. This image provided by Souper Cubes shows No Mess Utensils held upright on pot edges. The No Mess Utensil lives up to its name. The utensils, a serving spoon and a ladle, have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot. The No Mess Utensil Set from Souper Cubes , a company known for its portioned, silicone freezer trays, lives up to its name. The utensils — a serving spoon and a ladle — have innovative, S-shaped handles designed to rest on the edge of a pot, keeping them upright so they won’t slip in. The design also eliminates the need for a spoon rest or, worse, placing dirty utensils on the kitchen counter or stovetop between stirs. A silicone coating in a choice of Aqua, Charcoal, Cranberry or Blueberry keeps handles cool to the touch. $24.99. This image provided by FeatherSnap shows a female cardinal bird perched on a FeatherSnap Wi-Fi Solar Powered Camera Smart Bird Feeder. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. The FeatherSnap Wi-Fi smart bird feeder could turn anyone into an avid birdwatcher. Equipped with an HD camera, the dual-chamber feeder enables up-close livestreaming of avian visitors, as well as species-logging via the free mobile app. An optional premium subscription ($59.99 annually or $6.99 monthly) includes unlimited photo and video storage, AI identification with species-specific details, and the opportunity to earn badges for logging new visitors. Turn on notifications to get alerts sent to your phone whenever there’s activity at the feeder. $179.99. This image provided by FUJIFILM North America Corporation and FUJIFILM Corporation Tokyo shows a smartphone printer. Fujifilm Instax's Mini Link 3 smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the printer with film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. Fujifilm's Instax Mini Link 3 smartphone printer offers a touch of nostalgia without sacrificing technology. Just load the 4.9-by-3.5-by-1.3-inch printer with Instax Mini instant film and connect it to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth to print wallet-size photos. If you want to get fancy, you can adjust brightness, contrast and saturation, or apply filters, including 3D augmented-reality effects, via the free Instax Mini Link app. It can also make collages of up to six images, or animate photos to share on social media. Available in Rose Pink, Clay White and Sage Green. $99.95. This image provided by easyplant shows a Marxii Calathea plant in a small, beige, self-watering pot. The appropriately named easyplant is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. The appropriately named easyplant is one of the best gifts you can give your houseplant-loving friends, regardless of their experience level. Select a pot color, size and plant (or get recommendations based on sunlight requirements, pet friendliness and other attributes) and fill the self-watering container’s built-in reservoir roughly once a month. Moisture will permeate the soil from the bottom as needed, eliminating the often-fatal consequences of over- or under-watering. It’s also a literal lifesaver come vacation time. $49-$259. This image provided by Nama shows the M1 plant-based milk maker. If you've got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid unnecessary ingredients like sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. If you’ve got a no-dairy friend on your list, a plant-based milk maker could save them money while allowing them to avoid sugar, stabilizers, thickeners and preservatives. The Nama M1 appliance both blends and strains ingredients, converting nuts, seeds, grains or oats into velvety-smooth milk in just one minute, with zero grit. And for zero waste, the pasty leftover pulp can be used in other recipes for added nutrients. The device also makes infused oils, flavored waters and soups. And, importantly, cleanup is easy. Available in white and black. $400. This image provided by QelviQ shows a wine bottle chiller. For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the QelviQ personal sommelier uses "smart" technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. For friends who prefer stronger beverages, the QelviQ personal sommelier uses “smart” technology to ensure wine is served at its ideal temperature. Unlike traditional wine refrigerators, this device doesn’t take up any floor space. It also doesn’t chill wine to just one or two temperatures based on its color. Instead — paired with the free QelviQ app — the tabletop chiller relies on a database of more than 350,000 wines to bring a bottle to its specific recommended serving temperature in as little as 20 minutes. It also suggests food-wine and wine-food pairings. Plus, the appliance serves as a great icebreaker to inspire dinnertime conversation. Available in Exciting Red, Dashing Black and Dreamy White. $495. This image provided by Uncommon Goods shows a 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set. Uncommon Good's 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. Grilling food after dark — and ascertaining its doneness — can prove challenging without outdoor lighting, and it’s nearly impossible to cook while holding a flashlight. But as is often the case, the simplest of solutions can make the biggest of impacts: Uncommon Good’s 2-piece LED Grilling Tool Set puts illumination into the handles of its stainless-steel spatula and tongs. After use, the lights can be removed and the utensils run through the dishwasher. $40. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.
NEW YORK — Several of President-elect Donald Trump 's Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and "swatting attacks," Trump's transition said Wednesday. "Last night and this morning, several of President Trump's Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. She said the attacks "ranged from bomb threats to 'swatting.' In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action." President-elect Donald Trump arrives to speak at a meeting of the House GOP conference, followed by Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Swatting entails generating an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses. The FBI said in a statement that it is "aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement." Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is seated before President-elect Donald Trump arrives at a meeting of the House GOP conference, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Her office said that, Wednesday morning, she, her husband, and their 3-year-old son were driving home from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence in Saratoga County. "New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism," her office said in a statement. "We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7." In Florida, meanwhile, the Okaloosa County sheriff's office said in an advisory posted on Facebook that it "received notification of a bomb threat referencing former Congressman Matt Gaetz's supposed mailbox at a home in the Niceville area around 9 a.m. this morning." While a family member resides at the address, they said "former Congressman Gaetz is NOT a resident. "The mailbox however was cleared and no devices were located. The immediate area was also searched with negative results." Gaetz was Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general, but he withdrew from consideration amid allegations that he paid women for sex and slept with underage women. Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and said last year that a Justice Department investigation into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls had ended with no federal charges against him. The threats follow a political campaign marked by unusual violence. In July, a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the then-candidate in the ear with a bullet and killing one of his supporters. The U.S. Secret Service later thwarted a subsequent assassination attempt at Trump's West Palm Beach, Florida, golf course when an agent spotted the barrel of a gun poking through a perimeter fence while Trump was golfing. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer and Eric Tucker contributed to this report from Washington. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
BERWYN, Pa. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Envestnet, Inc. (the " Company "), yesterday announced that, pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 11, 2024 , by and among the Company, BCPE Pequod Buyer, Inc. (" Parent "), a Delaware corporation, and BCPE Pequod Merger Sub, Inc. (" Merger Sub "), a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Merger Agreement"), Merger Sub merged with and into the Company (the " Merger "), with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation. At the effective time of the Merger, each share of common stock, par value $0.005 per share, of the Company (the " Common Shares ") (other than any Common Shares (i) owned by Parent (or any of its affiliates), Merger Sub or the Company or any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Parent (or any of its affiliates), Merger Sub or the Company, (ii) that are Rollover Shares (as defined in the Merger Agreement), (iii) held in treasury of the Company, and (iv) as to which appraisal rights have been properly exercised in accordance with Delaware law) was automatically cancelled, extinguished and converted into the right to receive $63.15 in cash per one Common Share. As a result, a Share Exchange Event and a Make-Whole Fundamental Change occurred under each of the Indenture, dated as of August 20, 2020 , among the Company, the guarantor party thereto and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as successor in interest to U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the " Trustee "), which governs the Company's 0.75% Convertible Notes due 2025 (the " 2025 Notes ") (such indenture, the " 2025 Indenture ") and the Indenture, dated of November 17, 2022 , among the Company, the guarantor party thereto and the Trustee, which governs the Company's 2.625% Convertible Notes due 2027 (the " 2027 Notes ", and together with the 2025 Notes, collectively and individually, the " Notes ") (such indenture, the " 2027 Indenture ", and together with the 2025 Indenture, collectively, the " Indentures ", and each, an " Indenture ", as applicable), triggering the adjustments to the conversion rights as described below. The effective date of the Share Exchange Event and Make-Whole Fundamental Change was November 25, 2024 (the " Effective Date "). Capitalized terms used and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the applicable Indenture. The Company announced that, pursuant to the terms of the respective Indenture, in connection with the consummation of the Merger which constitutes a Share Exchange Event under each Indenture, the Company and the Trustee entered into supplemental indentures to each Indenture providing that, following the effective date of the Merger, the right to convert each $1,000 principal amount of Notes into shares of common stock of the Company at the then applicable conversion rate shall be changed into a right to convert such principal amount of Notes solely into a number of units of Reference Property in an aggregate amount equal to the applicable conversion rate in effect on the conversion date (as may be increased by any Additional Shares), multiplied by $63.15 , the price paid per share of Common Stock in the Merger. Because the Merger constituted a Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the Notes are convertible, at the option of the Holder, at any time from the Effective Date until 5:00 p.m. , New York City time, on the business day immediately preceding the Fundamental Change Purchase Date to be determined by the Company and separately announced to the Holders in accordance with the terms of the Indentures as a result of the Merger (the " Conversion Period "). Also because the Merger constituted a Make-Whole Fundamental Change, the conversion rate for the 2027 Notes will be temporarily increased during the Conversion Period. Such conversion rate per $1,000 principal amount of the 2027 Notes increased by 3.2973 units of Reference Property from 13.6304 units of Reference Property to 16.9277 units of Reference Property. The Company's conversion obligation with respect to Notes that are converted prior to the end of the Conversion Period will be fixed at an amount in cash equal to $591.602 per $1,000 principal amount of the 2025 Notes validly surrendered for conversion, and $1,068.984 per $1,000 principal amount of the 2027 Notes validly surrendered for conversion. The right of the Holders to convert their Notes is separate from the right, at the Holder's option, to submit their Notes for purchase upon a Fundamental Change. If a Holder submits a Fundamental Change Purchase Notice, such Holder may not surrender such Notes for conversion unless the Holder validly withdraws such Fundamental Change Purchase Notice prior to the Fundamental Change Expiration Time. Holders should review the applicable Indenture carefully and should consult with their own financial and tax advisors. None of the Company, Merger Sub, Parent or any of their respective affiliates, or any of its or their respective boards of directors, employees, advisors or representatives or U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, in its capacity as trustee, paying agent or conversion agent with respect to the Notes, is making any representation or recommendation to any Holder as to whether or not to surrender or convert that Holder's Notes. The Trustee, Paying Agent and Conversion Agent is: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Corporate Actions 111 Fillmore Avenue St. Paul, MN 55107-1402 Telephone: (800) 934-6802 Email: cts.specfinance@usbank.com Any questions or requests for assistance in connection with the conversion of the Notes may be directed to U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, in accordance with the contact information listed above, or the Company. About Envestnet Envestnet is helping to lead the growth of wealth managers and transforming the way financial advice is delivered through its ecosystem of connected technology, advanced insights, and comprehensive solutions – backed by industry-leading service and support. Serving the wealth management industry for 25 years with more than $6.5 trillion in platform assets—more than 111,000 advisors, 17 of the 20 largest U.S. banks, 48 of the 50 largest wealth management and brokerage firms, more than 500 of the largest RIAs -- thousands of companies, depend on Envestnet technology and services to help drive business growth and productivity, and better outcomes for their clients. Data as of 9/30/24. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/envestnet-inc-announces-make-whole-fundamental-change-and-supplemental-indentures-under-its-0-75-convertible-notes-due-2025-and-2-625-convertible-notes-due-2027--302317032.html SOURCE Envestnet, Inc.
NoneENVESTNET INC. ANNOUNCES MAKE-WHOLE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE AND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES UNDER ITS 0.75% CONVERTIBLE NOTES DUE 2025 AND 2.625% CONVERTIBLE NOTES DUE 2027
CLEVELAND, Ohio — It’s time for the Thanksgiving week episode of the Terry’s Talkin’ podcast, featuring cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto and host David Campbell. On this week’s pod, we discuss how we’d rank the top five players on the Cavs right now, and how the Cavs are faring in the 3-point-happy NBA. Also we weigh in on the 3-8 Browns , what Thursday’s win over the Steelers means, and what the Cleveland 2025 quarterback room might look like, including one draftable player to keep an eye on. What was your favorite Cleveland sports moment of 2024? And what are your Cleveland sports predictions for 2025? Send them in via email to us at sports@cleveland.com and put “Terry’s Talkin’” in the subject line, and we’ll feature the best responses in an upcoming podcast. Highlights: We invite listeners to email us with their favorite Cleveland sports moment of 2024, and their Cleveland sports predictions for 2025. Send them to our usual address, sports@cleveland.com , and put “Terry’s Talkin’” in the subject line. We rank the five best Cavs players right now; Why the Cavs keep winning; Is the 3-point crazy NBA good for the NBA? Terry’s thoughts on some changes he’d like to see; A look at whether the Cavs’ franchise record for wins in a season could be in jeopardy; What we learned about the Browns in the snowy Thursday night win over Pittsburgh; Will Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry retain their jobs after this season? What the Browns’ 2025 quarterback room might look like, and whether Jameis Winston should be in it; The Browns need to draft a developmental QB with high potential. Here’s one name that could the bill; A reader emails: How does Shane Bieber’s rehab work? Daniyal Robinson has a new contract as Cleveland State’s men’s basketball coach. What the numbers say, both on and off the court; What we’re thankful for this Thanksgiving week. Here’s the podcast for this week: If the player above doesn’t work, you can listen to this week’s podcast here . If you have a question or a topic you’d like to see included on the podcast, email it to sports@cleveland.com , and put “Terry’s Talkin’” in the subject line. You can find previous podcasts below. The transcript below was generated by a computer, and so it contains many spelling and grammar errors. Stories by Terry Pluto What is coach Daniyal Robinson’s new contract with Cleveland State basketball? – Terry Pluto Special Streakin’ Cavs Edition: Lots of thoughts, scribbles and fun – Terry Pluto Why Browns need the heart, soul & yes, the arm of Jameis Winston – Terry Pluto Check out Terry's new weekly newsletter that he's writing exclusively for subscribers. Learn more and sign up here. David Campbell (00:44.398) Hey, welcome to the Thanksgiving week edition of the Terry’s talking podcast featuring Mr. Terry Pluto. I’m your host David Campbell. It’s Tuesday afternoon on Thanksgiving week. How’s it going, Terry? Hey, I was just looking at our calendar for it’s almost December already, man. it looks like we’re going to have podcasts the next few weeks. I was thinking we would take off on Christmasy, but I had an idea since we’re going to be putting a podcast up like around or maybe right before new year’s Eve. Terry (01:01.173) I’m doing well. David Campbell (01:17.742) What would you think of having listeners send in their 2025 Cleveland sports predictions? Things that people see happening with the Browns, Cavs, Guardians, about players, what the teams are going to do, anything that’s on your mind you think would make a good prediction. What do you think? Terry (01:31.809) Well, why not? I make predictions that look stupid. They could do it. I don’t mean that, but mean that’s what you’re always sure. David Campbell (01:34.766) I’ve made more than my share as well. Yeah, so do this if you want to send one in and we’ll take them for the next few weeks You can just send those all to sports at cleveland.com our usual email address Terry (01:45.473) And how about also your favorite sports moment in 24? David Campbell (01:51.146) I like that. OK, so send in either and or either one or both your favorite 2024 sports moment and your prediction or predictions for 2025. Send those to sports at cleveland.com . Email us. Put Terry’s talking in the subject line and we’ll have some really good things to get into here as we get closer to the end of the year. So all right, Terry, real quick. You do have an appearance coming up on December 3rd, which is next week already, man. It’s next Tuesday. Terry (02:17.793) Mm-hmm, yep. David Campbell (02:18.7) that is going to be at the Willoughby Hills Library, right? Terry (02:21.505) Yes, it’s at 630. Yep. And it’s, it’s filling up pretty good. So that I was glad to see that. And, you know, just come on out. Oftentimes when you go to register on the library thing and it says it’s full, but you know, it’s like most things where 20 % don’t show up and then others get in. But I hope that I know it’s a pretty big room. So I hope that people will come. And besides that, that double your money back guarantee still holds. David Campbell (02:23.167) It is at 630. David Campbell (02:50.99) That’s right. And if you wanted to learn more about the event, it’s at we247.org It’s we247.org . You can sign up and learn more. all right So we got to start with the Cavaliers today, Terry Are you at all blown away? I mean, you’ve been following this team and covering them for a long time Do you ever just kind of stop and say? What is going on here? This is this is amazing. I mean, does it hit you what they’re doing yet? Or is it just kind of? Terry (03:04.0) Yes. David Campbell (03:19.106) You thought they might have a chance to do this with the talent they had. Terry (03:21.139) No, I mean who has a chance to win was it is a 17 out of 18 now? Yeah At any point in the season to win 17 out of 18 is remarkable much less to start it and also start it because that was the thing that it really didn’t strike me until Atkinson said it twice when they were 16 and 1 they played 17 games in 29 days, know, that’s usually a midseason schedule rather than early David Campbell (03:23.982) 17 to 1, yeah. Terry (03:51.195) And to watch them go through that and not have a couple nights where they just looked like they weren’t all together. Cause they are good enough that even when they say they have a night where they don’t defend very well or something, seem to still have enough, not seem to, they do, they have enough to overcome it. Whether it’s Ty Jerome gets hot or they’ve had big games with Caris Levert along with the stars stepping up when they should. So it’s remarkable. It’s fun to watch the chemistry is there of course when you’re winning you have chemistry, but One of the things if you’ve watched this team really from the start when JB got them going the first year They made the play on tournament all the way through they’ve never really turned on each other or any of that stuff David Campbell (04:58.062) So Terry, the Cavs are winning at a 94 % clip, which is insane to think about. And they’re on pace to go like 77 and five right now, which isn’t going to happen. Like you were just talking about this and NBA season is a long grind. There’s going to be injuries. The guys get sick every once in a while. Like it’s just crazy to even think about that, but it’s feasible that the Cavs franchise record for. Terry (05:04.609) Okay. Terry (05:14.934) Mm-hmm. David Campbell (05:25.006) wins in a season could be in jeopardy, right? think it was the 2008, 2009 team that went 66 and 16 and that’s doable, I think, right? Terry (05:35.404) Boy, I forgot all about that team and that was, they had like Ben Wallace on that team, know, LeBron naturally was on it. I think Sasha Pavlovich, it’s hard to remember who was even on that group. It was not a tremendous collection of talent. And I don’t remember that they were going for this. I think they finished wrong to get there. I think they got knocked out in the second round or something like that in the playoffs. David Campbell (06:08.45) I’ll check that. Yeah, they lost in the Eastern Conference finals, I think, to Orlando that season. Is that right? Does that sound right to you? Yeah, they beat Detroit in the playoffs in four games. Then they beat Atlanta in the playoffs in four games. And then they lost to Orlando in six. Yeah. Terry (06:17.101) Yeah. That’s right. They slept through the internal Lando. That’s correct. And Orlando now it’s coming back to me. Orlando had a tough seven game series that they won the seventh game. Then right away they faced Cleveland and they came into Cleveland and knocked them off in the first game. It just seemed like the cows were chasing him the rest of the time all the way through. And that was when, Dwight Howard, I believe was playing for Orlando then. And the cats had trouble defending the post. Which then led the following year for them to go and bring in Shaquille O’Neal. You know, I’m here to bring a ring for the king. I remember that. You know, he was totally out of shape. He played, don’t know, 50 or 60 games and that great matchup that they’re trying to do to take out Orlando Dwight Howard. They didn’t even get that far. yeah, I forgot that team won 66 games though. goodness. And they blew through the first two rounds. David Campbell (07:14.86) Yeah, it’s crazy to think about some of the, some of the other guys on that, some of the guys in that Orlando team, Terry, Richard Lewis, Dwight Howard, as you mentioned, Jamir Nelson, Keith Bogans, Taran Lu and JJ Reddick. There’s some names for you. Terry (07:18.402) Yeah. Terry (07:28.578) Yeah. Terry (07:32.97) Yeah, they did. what was the cast team? Who was playing on that team? David Campbell (07:38.092) Yeah, let me get the full roster up here. can see who was what, but I think you named some of the key players. Daniel Gibson, JJ Hickson, Zydrunas Olgouskas. Yeah. You mentioned Sasha Pavlovich. Joe Smith, Wally Serbiak, Anderson Verizov, Ben Wallace, Delante West. Terry (07:40.162) Yeah. Terry (07:48.696) JJ Hickson, boy, I forgot about him. Forward, Yeah, Z was on the team. Sasha. VZerbyak David Campbell (08:05.179) Mo Williams and Lorenzen Wright. some of the names on that team. Terry (08:07.64) Not a bad team, but not a team to expect to go 66 and 16. Mo Williams, picked up, he might’ve made the All-Star team that year. Delante West, poor Delante’s battled a lot of mental illness and problems in his career. He was pretty good that year. And I remember it was a smaller back court they had with him and Mo Williams, Zerbiak I think came off the bench some. It was a nice team. They played together, they really defended. But 66 and 16, my goodness. David Campbell (08:40.747) Yeah, that was Mo Williams’ All-Star year and actually LeBron won MVP and he was also second and defensive player of the year voting that year, which is interesting. Well, anyway, do you think this record is in jeopardy? Terry, 66 and 16. Terry (08:47.097) yeah, he was great, so... Terry (08:55.008) I’m say no, that’s a lot of games to win and has no disrespect to these guys, but you have to, know, first of all, they shouldn’t be chasing 66 wins or 70 wins. They should be doing it what they’ve been doing so far, which is they’ve been using their bench, watching the minutes on the key guys and having your eye really on being ready for the middle of April when the whole playoff thing starts. So if they do that, I know the year that in 2016, that was the year that Golden State started 24 and 0. I think that’s one of those, I believe Steve Kerr has said that in retrospect, he began to push it to keep the streak going and wishes he hadn’t. He thought it took a little too much out of his guys. So, who else to the calves? Yep. David Campbell (09:48.398) that was when they lost to the Cavs in 2016. All right. So Terry, you kind of shot me an email this morning about some things you were thinking about. this is a really interesting one. You said you wanted to rate the best five Cavs players in order. How they’re playing right now. I struggled with this. Terry (09:59.874) Mm-hmm. Terry (10:03.65) how they’re playing right now. This season, not overall. Yeah, I did too. David Campbell (10:10.552) So I’m gonna throw out who I had number one, which is Donovan Mitchell. Do you have him number one on your list? Okay. Terry (10:16.882) Yeah, yeah, because you could tell what he wants to be number one. just is. Okay. David Campbell (10:20.802) Yes. All right, who do you have number two? Terry (10:24.63) Granted it’s I’m biased in that direction. So who do you think it would be? Who do I love Jared Allen? David Campbell (10:30.446) Jared Allen? I had him number two also. Very interesting, yes. And I was interested in, I was looking up stats per 100 possessions, all right? And I found this really interesting. Jared Allen has the highest offensive rating on the team per 100 possessions, 143, which is, think the next highest is Isaac Okorah at 140. Terry (10:34.338) Did you really? Okay. Terry (10:44.555) Okay. Terry (10:52.536) Wow Terry (10:58.648) Yeah. David Campbell (10:58.702) Jared Allen also has the best defensive rating on the team for the guys who play at 107 and per per 100 possessions. And that’s a pretty stark discrepancy, 143 offense, 107 defense. So I put them at number two and you had them there too. Very interesting. Terry (11:02.296) in here. Better than mobile then, huh? Terry (11:13.238) Yeah. Yeah, I just have, I like his game and just to see, I mean, he made a play the other night. He blocked a shot and then ran all the way down and got the outlet pass and dunked it. And just that’s vintage Jared and Aladdin is best. okay. Who’d you have third? I struggled. I did too, but I almost put Garland there though, because I mean, Garland was playing great. David Campbell (11:33.792) I have Evan, I have Evan Mobley number three. Really? Okay. Terry (11:43.044) And they go, yeah, the game they lost, shot three for 20. Okay, fine. Mobley, his stats actually are not that much better than they were the year before. But it seems like he’s playing better. David Campbell (12:03.342) I have, yeah, give me a second here. I have him number three. And so this kind of pairs with what I was going to say at number four. Who do you have at number four? You said, okay, you just said Garland. I have Ty Jerome number four. And I’m going to tell you why it’s, it’s just something interesting that I found. So I was looking at the best lineups in the NBA. And I know you talk about this pretty frequently, Terry, but the Cavs have the number five. Terry (12:03.416) Can you check those? Terry (12:11.062) Yeah. Well, I got Garland. Terry (12:16.811) Okay. Terry (12:23.904) Okay. Mm-hmm. David Campbell (12:29.312) most effective lineup, the number eight effective lineup and the number 15 most effective lineup in terms of plus minus. And again, it’s not a lot of minutes because we’re still fairly early in the season, but the number five lineup, the number eight lineup and the number 15 lineup have two guys in common. And the two guys are Evan Mobley and Jerome. They’re in all three of those units. They’re the only two guys. Terry (12:35.073) Okay. Terry (12:38.967) Yeah. Terry (12:53.889) Really? David Campbell (12:58.754) that are in all three of those units. And it goes back to what you’ve been writing, Terry, about Ty Jerome doing, and it’s what our Cavs reporter, Chris Feet on Ethan’s stand has been writing too. Like he comes in and he looks and sees like, what do we need? And he does different things every night, but he’s leading the NBA in three point shooting for crying out loud, Like over, what is it, 55 %? 54%, 54%. Terry (13:07.063) Yes. Terry (13:11.884) Mm-hmm. Terry (13:18.539) Yeah. Terry (13:21.912) I mean, a guy’s 38 % for a career. Just, yeah, that’s crazy. David Campbell (13:27.758) I had a hard time to choose between Ty Jerome at number four and Darius Garland at number five. The Boston game kind of did make me put him at number five, but I thought this was an interesting stat that Kenny Atkinson pointed out the other day that I think Darius Garland has run the 10th most mileage in the entire NBA this season. Yeah. Terry (13:31.724) Mm-hmm. Terry (13:43.584) Yeah, I try to find that somewhere. I could not find that online. I mean, I’m sure there are people with spat stat cast or whatever they do measures. Everything has that, but, David Campbell (13:56.504) So you have Garland at number four, and who’s your number five? OK, so we have them switched. Interesting. All right. Terry (13:58.41) Yeah, tie. Yeah. Yeah, we did the same five because really the fifth spot they’ve been alternating between because you don’t have screws. They’ve been alternating between O’Coro and Laverte. Laverte was playing really well until recently. the nice thing is we could look at these guys and it isn’t like you go, boy, one guy’s just been carrying this team. They have one guy that can carry the team when needed, which is Mitchell, but he hasn’t had to carry the team. David Campbell (14:34.572) Which goes back to what you’re talking about, about not wearing your guys out in the regular season. Terry (14:37.618) Right. And then when he rolled back to that 66 and 16 team, mean, that was, I mean, really it was LeBron James and guys, nice role players, you know, starters, but Mo Williams made the team primarily that your All-Star team because he was playing with LeBron. And where this group, you’re back to like four of those guys can make an All-Star team. know, Garland continues to play well. My guess is Allen and Mobley probably won’t, probably one of them will. And were you able to check on where Mobley’s stats were compared to? David Campbell (15:18.638) Yeah, I didn’t check on compared to last year, but I have this year’s he’s averaging in 17 games. He’s 17.6 points per game, points per game, 56.3 % from the field, 35.5 % from three. And he is averaging 8.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 blocks. Terry (15:21.506) Yeah. Terry (15:38.72) That’s about that’s very that’s very similar to a year ago shooting percentage is a little higher So you roll all that together the great thing is what the team keeps shooting 42 % Excuse me 52 % from the field and 42 on threes I wrote a long if you didn’t read it. I wrote a long story for the weekend kind of a All calves thing rarely do I take for example page two? Other what if you ever to see the print edition? And dedicated all to one team, but I started doing all this calf stuff and I just kept going and going. So, after 1800 words, I just told them, we’ll just slap this all and make it page two. Cause it was everything from, Jalen Tyson coming off the bench to looking well to Garland running 10 miles, whatever that means. just, and the big thing was the 17 games in 29 days, winning 16 of those without. beating your guys up in terms of minutes. that is a thing that we should be really impressed with and also impressed with how Kenny Atkinson continues to stay pretty true to his promise of playing 10 guys most nights. And you could look at this and Sam Merrill is not shooting as well as I think he would hope he would. Coral has been in and out of the lineup. Well, Coral’s making quite a few shots. The challenge for a Coral, if you look last year, I think he shot about 38 % on threes, was in the playoffs he struggled. So that will be his next mountain to climb. David Campbell (17:20.814) Yeah, I just looking up his three point shooting percentage. 47.4 this season. Terry (17:30.498) Mm-hmm. David Campbell (17:34.478) So how are they doing this, Because they, well, they didn’t make any big moves, right? And they pretty much invested in what they had going and the new coach kind of elevating the whole operation. And things could not be going any better, but NBA fans love the off season because they like to pick and pick pieces and see how they would plug in. The Cavs didn’t really add much of anything except for having a healthy Ty Jerome and just changing the way they play, right? Terry (17:37.472) What do you say? Terry (17:41.069) Mm-hmm. Terry (18:03.008) Exactly. And also it’s kind of like a guard. They’re at the sort of the guardian stage. I mean, we all know here comes the winner. It’s going to be boring for the guardians. They might make a couple of moves as, as, Kobe Alton talked about maybe making moves on the margin. He didn’t even do that. and. But the way Jerome has played, which he’s never played with before, this would be like getting a premium six man. I’m for example, I got it. Levert got a contract for I believe a 17.5 million. Let’s round it off to 18 million That is a two-year 36 million. I remember what he signed out a good friend of mine is an agent a top agent and he said to me he said Levert he goes actually I could have gotten Levert He wasn’t trying to steal and he goes I could have gotten him probably 50 to 60 million over three He says he really did the cast a favor. He must really have wanted to play there, which is what he said He said, because a guy that caliber coming off the bench who can start some, you know, he’s a 15 to $20 million player. And he said on a team like Cleveland, you could push it up to 20. Ty Jerome. If he goes this whole year like this, Mr. Jerome’s going to be doing very well. And the other thing that you noticed about Jerome, because he played it Virginia under Tony Bennett, it was a very defensive minded share the ball, just a tough coach there. you see that in, the game of tie Jerome, Hunter who plays for Atlanta. think he’s still with them. He was a player I like. He was a Virginia player too. sometimes they say. Terry (19:44.588) The Virginia players got to watch draft and I’m high because they play so well together as a unit. They don’t, kind of hide each other’s flaws and, and don’t play quite as well in the NBA, but this is the year of Tyrone tied Jerome. What do you think? David Campbell (19:59.63) Let’s call it that. That’s great. It makes a good t-shirt. Terry (20:01.142) Just let’s go what it is. Let’s just say it. Ty Jerome owns the NBA. All right. I’m even going a little farther. I am old enough to see Jerry West flight. I’m not comparing in the Jerry West. All right. But the way he kind of cocks his wrist and shoots the ball like that, almost a little flat footed more than a jumper. That’s the logo. That’s how Jerry West shot the ball. And this year he’s shooting it like Jerry West shot the ball. Now. David Campbell (20:06.574) you Terry (20:31.16) Had Jerry West played in the era of the three point line or whatever would be fascinating. Look at his stats sometime and stats in the finals. remember I interviewed Jerry West for my book, Tall Tales. And we talked for quite a while on different things that, you know, he grew up in Cabin Creek, West Virginia, which is just down the road from Charleston. And he said to me, you know, if I grew up saying a more affluent area or whatever, he goes, I would have been a golfer. And I’m like. David Campbell (20:34.736) man. Terry (21:01.596) Well, why Jerry? said, I was, I’m a, he goes, that could be a real solitary person. And he used to, there was apparently just some gravel area where he just went out and it was a basket, but it w you know, you used to imagine it. looked like West Virginia, you know, just this type of thing. This, bent rim against a wooden backboard and he’s on the gravel and he’s just shooting with, with no net or a stringy net. And he just did hour after hour after hour. And that’s how he, you know, became a great shooter. but he just mentioned that he, as he got older, he loved to play golf too. by the way, for a while, I don’t know if he still did, he had a condo right around the Greenbrier. Yeah. He also plays in LA, but, and, and then also he just. David Campbell (21:47.566) really? Terry (21:53.016) talked about how he was just so tormented by losing to the Celtics all the time. I forgot how many times they lost in the finals, six or seven or something like that. Fascinating guy. And I remember he talked to some of the writers one of the years when LeBron was in the playoffs, but like maybe go into the finals with the Cavs. He hadn’t won a title yet, whenever that was. So it must’ve been maybe around... that San Antonio series when he was here the first time saying that he understood how LeBron felt frustrated in this and the over emphasis on did you win a title to be a great player? David Campbell (22:34.028) Yeah, it’s not fair sometimes and. Terry (22:35.36) Yep. Cause he kept going, this young man is carrying that team. So I’m pretty sure it was the whole Sasha Pavel that’s group, you know, that went in, seven and, that, so he was a fascinating guy. And just remember when you’re seeing Tyrone, Ty Jerome shoot just the form now, nothing else. Well, of course it’s going in like Jerry West shot it too. That’s Jerry West, how he shot the ball. David Campbell (23:01.228) I Jerry West just passed away a few months ago, right? Yeah, yeah. And when you were talking about Jerry West, I was thinking about that All-Star game here a couple years ago, the 75th and the 75 all-time greatest players like that. When you lose people like Jerry West as time goes on, like those nights and the fact that that was in Cleveland, it’s something that was so special. And I think NBA fans who were watching and were there that night really just appreciate all the greatness that was in. Terry (23:03.094) Yes, he did. Terry (23:21.612) Yeah. David Campbell (23:30.092) field house that night and how cool that was. Terry (23:30.456) Here’s a strange thing happening as you know as I’ve gotten older and that where I would have people to call and say, know, is my memory right about Jerry West and how he shot the ball or whatever? But most of them I know are not with us anymore. So I’m relying on my memory and it’s possible it’s wrong from when I was a kid and you would just see these games in on the weekends and black and white TV and that kind of stuff. So. David Campbell (24:02.254) So imagining Jerry West shooting with the modern NBA three pointer would have been crazy, Terry, but the game has changed so much and there’s more three pointers being taken than ever. And for a basketball purist like you, wanted to, do you like the way the game is going right now with the Celtics shooting, you know, it’s all threes and dunks and do you like what you’re seeing? What would you like to change? Terry (24:06.2) huh. Yeah. Terry (24:11.746) Mm-hmm. Terry (24:18.36) Ugh. Terry (24:26.644) No, no, I, I liked the three point shot. was always a big advocate. My goodness. wrote a book on the ABA. I love the three point shot. Yes. Yeah. Certainly online still sells this one since came out in 1989, but the, I was talking with Wayne Emory about this about a year ago and he was saying, could now he’s a big man. You know, they’d say they’re forgetting the big man or whatever. tend to agree, but this whole thing that David Campbell (24:35.596) Loose Balls, available at all your finer bookstores. Terry (24:55.714) drives you nuts, see a guy go right down the lane, he’s got to wide up a layup and throws it to the guy at the corner for a corner three. It just, I suppose maybe the analytics show that. The one thing the analytics don’t tell you, at least the ones that we find is what percentage of missed three pointers then become fast breaks down the other end of the court because they bang off the rim, those long rebounds, and you go down and take them and score. But last year, the South East led the NBA by taking 42 three-pointers a game. This year, they’re up over 50. And just, ugh. David Campbell (25:31.96) So I have the list here, Terry, because I was interested in what it is. The Celtics are over 50. They’re 50.6 three-point attempts per game, which is nuts to think about. Charlotte’s number two, 44. The Bulls are three. Golden State’s number four. Minnesota’s five. We don’t need to the whole list. The Cavs are 13th. Terry (25:33.932) Go ahead. Terry (25:39.242) Okay. Okay. Yeah. Terry (25:49.644) How many are over 40? David Campbell (25:53.454) There are one, two, three, four, five, seven teams over 40. The number seven team is the Phoenix Suns at 40.8. So I thought the Cavs might be more dramatic than this. was looking it up. Last year they shot 36.8 per game and now they’re up to 37.1. So that’s not that much different. Terry (25:56.83) Ugh. Okay. Yeah. Terry (26:09.016) It’s about what they’re shooting now, isn’t it? Yeah, because actually that was one of the things I looked up but I didn’t use in that long never ending story for the weekend because it has different things in there. All right, here’s what I would do to try and make it more interesting. I would take away the corner three. In other words, I’d have the arc go around but it would go, it could still be the same distance from, you know, straight in, straight out. But instead it would go. kind of all the way over to the baseline when it starts to go straight down the lane it would just the three point quarter three or whatever would cease to exist. David Campbell (26:52.662) be more like a true half circle than where they straighten it out along the side there for the short corner three. Okay. Terry (26:56.296) Yeah. Mm hmm. By the way, you know what else that corner in the obsession with the corners released to guys catching the ball step back and they step out of bounds. That happens about four times a game back in a hundred years ago when I was covering the NBA and this was at the old Coliseum and you’ll never see this because it was a we actually sat right next to the Cavs bench, the three beat guys, Burt Gray, the point Dior, I was at the Beacon Journal and Joe Menzer from the New Herald. And I had the seat right next to basically where Lenny Wilkins stood, because they were really there, and the trainer, Gary Briggs. Briggs, whenever a guy would step on the, know, take that and step on the line, Briggs would always look over to say, you got to understand, they just painted those lines on the court there yesterday, those guys don’t know where it is. We drove them nuts. Yeah, just drove them nuts. How could you not wear the lines in the corner? But then it was just the three point shot had been in for about, I think, five or six years by then. But they were just starting to get into a little bit of, let’s take a bunch of these. now I know they won’t do it because I think the NBA ratings are high and everything else. But the corner three is a shot. It’s about an 18 foot shot. David Campbell (27:55.406) We’re not used to it yet. Terry (28:25.044) So that’s what you get all that. And I still think that it’s fun to watch some of the big men try to operate underneath. It’s not like the 60s where you dribble it up, you throw out the chamber on the low post or whoever it is and everybody stands there. mean, not that kind of thing, but we’ve lost low post play and the ability to pass the ball to a in a low post is a lost art also. David Campbell (28:49.614) Yeah, and real quick before we move on, the Cavs have the number one, number 10, and number 16 players in the NBA this season in three-point percentage. Ty Jerome, number one at 544, number 10. You probably know who. Isaac O’Coro, 474. And then 16 is Karis Laverde at 458 is his three-point percentage. Terry (29:06.348) Yeah, it’s hard to say that, yeah. And then... Caris was having a great year before this knee acted up. Kenny said some really interesting stuff about Laverte, because remember he had Laverte as a young player. And at that point, Laverte was just trying to, dun dun, who was Laverte’s college coach? John B wine. That’s why I should have said that. Yeah, it was. he said, you know, in the past, Keris was so focused on kind of finding his way in the league that he would take the ball and just figure, I got to come off the bench and score no matter what. And while he had the ability to, help on the boards and rebound that and, and, and as it turned out, a very hidden away passing ability. He was so fixated on scoring that, we never saw the full Keris Levert. It started to come out last season. Remember that where he was almost handling the point guard or point forward sometimes. And now he says Keris is just, he’s like a total player and Kenny, that means a lot to him because he was there with Keris in the beginning. Now Keris Levert and, and, and Jared Allen also played for Kenny in the Brooklyn days. and they gave him a rousing endorsement. know that when Kobe was checking around. So there you go. David Campbell (30:33.832) Alright, well speaking of Karis Lavert, we’ll see when he’s going be back, but the Cavs have Wednesday, Friday, Sunday games coming up. They’ve got Atlanta Wednesday, Friday, and then Sunday they get the Celtics at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, which should be another fun one. We’ll see how they match up. Terry (30:49.272) I think before that game they should take away the three pointer from the corner so the Celtics can’t take a step out of bounds so they can’t just take all those shots. David Campbell (30:53.89) Yeah, or maybe take the pain off the lines. They can make them step out. Yeah. All right. Anything else on the Cavs, All right. Hey, let’s take a break right here. When we come back, I want to talk to you about how you see the 2025 Browns looking both at head coach, front office, and quarterback. We can start projecting that. Terry (31:04.022) That’ll do it on my end. David Campbell (31:19.126) and we’ll talk about what the win over Pittsburgh meant the other night. We’ll get into that and more when we return on Terry’s Talking. David Campbell (32:25.666) Hey, we’re back on Terry’s Talking. Don’t forget about Terry’s newsletter. You can sign up for it. It comes out every Wednesday. There’s some great stuff in there, behind the scenes things, topics that Terry’s thinking about, stories, things you won’t find on the website. Go to cleveland.com slash Pluto. There’s a two week free trial. Just go to the blue bar at the top of cleveland.com slash Pluto. You can sign up right there on the blue bar and you will enjoy it. So, all right, Terry, we are going to get into the Browns here. Terry (32:51.947) Mm-hmm. David Campbell (32:53.676) What did you think of that game Thursday night against Pittsburgh and the snow and Terry (32:59.448) Well, number one, well, great theater it just was for that. But I was so glad the Browns won because they showed up, they played well, know, those fans were into it. I didn’t, I was expecting the Steeler fans to take over the stadium. They didn’t. The Browns fans were there and till the end. And also you look at the fact that it was one of those same old Browns games, only it wasn’t. David Campbell (33:18.286) Till the end. Terry (33:28.6) What’s like was going to be, know, Jamis had the, the brain fart there and through that past that wrong, wrong way got picked off. And then the other time, he just, I don’t know, what did you make on the thing where he got blindsided? I was sort of hard for me to blame him on that one. Remember he went back to throw and just got belted. David Campbell (33:47.096) Yeah, was a man. was such a weird night. If you’ve never played in the snow, too, it’s a completely different animal. I don’t put a lot of stock in a lot of the stats from that game and some of the plays that happened because in the snow, things change. You can’t grip the ball right. The guys are slipping. But I thought Jameis Winston played just a really good, solid game. Terry (33:54.295) Yeah. Terry (34:00.96) No. David Campbell (34:14.766) Browns fans have to just be thinking like, geez, what if we had reasonable to good quarterback play from the beginning of the season? Would the Browns be around 500 instead of being three and eight? Terry (34:26.008) Yes is the answer to that. It’s yes. They are 500 with Jamis Winston and he’s played Baltimore, he’s played Pittsburgh, he’s played the Chargers and he’s actually played the Saints who are kind of going in the right direction but the other three are all winning teams. It’s not to make him Bernie Kozar or something but the answer is yes and that is the disturbing part. Jameis can’t help himself who still throws 200 yards for 200 yards. Well, there’s good or bad. The other guy, Watson couldn’t throw 200 yards no matter what they did. And I’m not saying that’s the ultimate stat, but it’s meaningful because at least it shows you can get it downfield. So the answer is yes, they would have. Meantime, now the question is, well, first of all, David, what do you make it when you hear a couple of these national media people going, David Campbell (35:00.974) Regardless of the weather. Terry (35:24.857) Barry and Stefanski, they’re definitely coming back and there’s never been any doubt or... David Campbell (35:31.598) Well, I, we haven’t seen any substantive reporting that they’re definitely back or any, anything else. And so I’m trying to think about what the Haslams have on their minds these days watching this. And I think last Thursday made a good case to bring everybody back. So there’s a couple of reasons, right? They just signed the guys to an extension this summer and they’re only going to be one year into it. The second thing is, is you’ve talked about this, Terry, and you’ve written about it. The Haslams have made their millions and billions by Terry (35:35.736) Yeah. Terry (35:51.224) Mm-hmm. David Campbell (36:01.41) making bold moves. And I think they’re going to respect the Watson situation as failed as it is, as a bold move that this franchise tried. these, if you’re in business, you know, you, you, you try something bold and sometimes it works brilliantly and sometimes you fall on your face. And I think they’re going to understand that this was a bold move that has been a huge failure and like, let’s just move on and start fresh. And I, that’s why I think Stefanski and Andrew Berry and everybody will be back. I don’t think the coaches are going to stay the same. think that some of the assistants are going to change definitely. Cause I think we’ve seen some drop off and some of the position groups this year. So anyway, that’s where I’m at with Stefanski and Andrew Berry and the Haslums. don’t know. What do you think of all that? Terry (36:51.16) Well, I’ll tell you this much, if I’m Kevin Stefanski, I’m certainly playing James several more games. It’s here’s what I want to show. My problem with Watson, without saying a word, we’re stuck with this. We’ve been trying for three years to make that thing work. It’s not, he’s hurt. As you mentioned, adequate quarterback play gives us a real chance to win. And the easiest way to make that case is to show it and show it in some tough games coming up at Pittsburgh, at Denver. They still have to go to Cincinnati. They still have to go to Baltimore. I forgot who else they have on the schedule, but it’s not an easy schedule. David Campbell (37:39.47) Kansas City. Terry (37:40.44) Kansas City, correct. I think Miami is at home too. Miami is not terrible either, but just saying that they’ve got a rough schedule, but if you win a few more of those games, and it shows that Jameis was able to help them do that. To me, a case closed. Now meantime, there are people saying lose them all and get the higher draft pick. David Campbell (38:07.852) I don’t even know what that means when fans say that, Terry, because we’ve seen this for a long time, right? The GM’s job is to structure the roster the way he sees fit, bringing in players, making trades. We’ve already seen the Braids, the Browns make some trades this year to move guys off that are not in their long-term plans. But when it comes to game day, the coaches and the coaching staff and the players are locked in on, we are going out there to win the game. We’re going to play as hard as we can. We’re going to prepare the best we can. Terry (38:09.837) Yeah. David Campbell (38:37.294) There’s like a line, there’s a line between roster building to tank or get a better draft pick. And like we’re going out to play on Sunday at one o’clock or Monday night in the Browns case this week, the players and the coaches are paid to go out and win. Like that’s their job. And there’s a huge line in between. So when fans say, the Browns are trying to lose, like, yes, the GM can do things to make winning less probable to help long-term planning, but the players and coaches do not go out and tank. just. I don’t see that in the NFL. Terry (39:08.948) And also, James coming in being one the most unique personalities we’ve ever seen here and is never ending enthusiasm for everything. It is infectious and it does. David Campbell (39:24.418) Did you see the video from the other day of him being mic’d up, Terry? Terry (39:27.138) For 13 minutes of just, I don’t, I was exhausted by the time just watching him encouraging people and all this. And the other thing, if you look online, see if you could find this, it was the 13 minutes of Janus Winston. You also hear the thought when he gets hit on some of these balls. mean, it really, mean, my back was hurting just listening to it. David Campbell (39:48.45) Yeah. David Campbell (39:52.354) Our colleague, Irie Harris, did put a post up on cleveland.com yesterday, here, James Winston. But he’s running out of a tunnel and he’s like, we’re here playing football on a Thursday night. Like everything excites the guy. Terry (39:57.56) Ugh. Terry (40:01.624) It’s a snow. Right. It’s like, and he’s up to every single lineman, you know, you’re holding up. You can do this, you know, all this stuff. And Betonio talked about that in his press conference the other day that the enthusiasm and it’s exactly what they need. Cause there was something about Watson and maybe just because of all he’s been through and his physical stuff. To me, he like a guy going to work, David. Just going to work. David Campbell (40:31.224) Yeah. Okay. So we’ve kind of talked about the coach, the GM, the front office. You see, you see these guys coming back to right? Stefanski and Barry running back. Yes. Things change. Terry (40:41.652) as of now, but I will say this, if they lose, you got six games to go, what if they lose them all? David Campbell (40:52.44) then the discussion changes and how they lose them. Terry (40:54.872) Exactly. That’s why I’m always reluctant in these situations with this ownership group to make any predictions on this stuff. Because you know, just because they gave an extension, that doesn’t mean anything. And I’m pretty sure John Dorsey had received some kind of extension reward after the 2018 season and then turned, because he was hired late in 2017. There’s like five games to go. Sasha Brown was fired. Dorsey came in. Then he, he ran the draft and, 18 and that was a year they were two, six and one, and they fired, Jackson and, Todd Haley promoted kitchenist, offensive coordinator, Greg Williams took over and they finished five and three with those guys. And so then, the following year, that’s where I think Dorsey, I think got a raise or something. Then they went down to Freddy Kitchens Road, that whole thing fell apart. And then I remember the Kitchens got fired. And then like a or two later, Dorsey was fired. That surprised me. So that’s why you can’t just assume, because you did well the year before, and they even liked some of the players you picked or moves you made, that you’re safe. So my suggestion is to Kevin Stefanski, go win about three of these games. David Campbell (42:19.662) And beyond that, Terry, like we know when things, when coaches are holding back a team. mean, if you watch the Chicago Bears every week, and I haven’t seen them every single week, but there are plays where you’re like, what are they doing? The other day, they couldn’t decide between kicking a field goal and going for it. And they completely botched a fourth down play and that was coaching, right? So we’ll see over these last several games, if there’s coaching stuff that kind of starts raising alarm bells about whether they’re going to retain Kevin Stravinsky or not. Terry (42:24.31) Yeah. Terry (42:31.394) Mm-hmm. Ugh. Terry (42:38.68) Mm-hmm. Terry (42:45.654) I I’m just, you know, I mean, your honor, evidence of pre Watson, post Watson, put it on a board, you know, point to one point to the other. guy can throw for 200 yards. This guy can’t help but throw over 200 yards. That guy really, he just had trouble finishing off and he drives and that stuff. This guy, he go, he’ll, he’ll have both teams driving down the field, but it’s going to be. I mean, there is an entertaining element to it, but also who is lifting up those around, know, people, remember originally they were kind of deriding his line, I’m a man of increase, which is, I go to primarily an inner city church and that’s a line that’s used there a lot. You want to be a man of increase. In other words, you increase people around you with your personality, with how you are. And he’s a man of increase. It’s funny, I had somebody send me a text and said, you know, hearken back to all his problems in Tampa Bay. And there were some ugly stuff there. And, you know, he got suspended and they go, you know, the guy’s just, he’s an awful person, this and that. And so I looked up and said, why is it then that New Orleans signed him to three different contracts? The first one was a million one, cause he was coming off the Tampa Bay stuff and really just, you know, hanging by a thread. Then they signed him to a $5 million one-year contract. Then they signed him to a two-year $28 million contract with 20 million guaranteed. In the meantime, while he was there in New Orleans, he was voted by his teammates the Ed Block Courage Award, which has to do with your personality, being a great teammate, and so on. And now he’s here. The tough thing that happened with James twice, he was posed to start long-term for them. The first time, I think they were foreign one or something like that and he suffered an ACL and finished the year and then another year he opened as a quarterback suffered a significant back injury and then I think he ended up losing the job to I forgot some veteran but it doesn’t matter but he I believe right now since he’s left the Tampa Bay I believe his record is something like Terry (45:11.988) Nine and six as a starter. David Campbell (45:15.64) Well, yeah, and his interception to TD ratio, think I had that a couple of weeks ago. It’s like 30 to 16 since he’s left Tampa Bay. Yeah. All right. So, all right. So here’s what I, this is how I think the Browns could set up their quarterback room next year. So, James Winston’s contract is up after this season. I think they need to bring him back. I think he’s projected to make about 2.2 as a unrestricted free agent. I would pay him more. I think he’s someone you want to keep around. Terry (45:18.602) Yeah, yeah, it’s, he’s better. Yeah. And so let’s see him. We’ll see some more of it. Okay. And go ahead. Terry (45:31.637) Okay. Terry (45:43.19) You can’t do it Joe Flacco again. You can’t let the guy that was I know Flacco, you know, maybe you he got exposed by playing too much with the Colts or whatever. Fine. But you know one thing, if you need a good month from Joe Flacco, they could pull him off the bench now and he would give him a good two or three games. Don’t do this. David Campbell (45:45.335) Yeah. David Campbell (46:01.88) Jamis Winston is experienced, durable, good guy to have in the locker room for all the reasons you just explained. anyway, bring him back. So they’re going to do what they’re going to do with Tashaun Watson. I think it’s reasonable for them to expect them to keep him on the roster in some capacity. But here’s what I’m talking about layering quarterbacks. I think I mentioned this last week of the week before. Here’s who I think, here’s a guy I think they should look at for drafting. right. Drew Aller, the quarterback at Penn State. Medina high school standout, one of the top quarterbacks in the country coming out of high school and five star recruit goes to Penn state where offensive football players go to have their careers die. Right. They have no receivers. They, nobody gets open and drew Aller fits this profile that I think Andrew Berry looks for of former five star recruits who had something like go awry, like an injury or a bad coaching situation. Terry (46:45.1) Yeah, yeah. David Campbell (47:01.26) And the productivity maybe wasn’t there that you would see from a lot of other top draft picks, but the talent is there. just think Drew Aller, he’s finishing his third year. He’s going to be eligible for the draft. And the other thing is they, they could get him. I’ve seen everything from him going in the first round of the third round. So I don’t know how that’s going to play out, but I think he’s a guy who might be undervalued because his production has been so sporadic. And I think the Brown should find him or somebody like him. He’s he just the five star thing. Terry (47:23.0) Mm-hmm. David Campbell (47:30.58) He gets what the Browns are. think he’s got a cannon for an arm. He’s better than he’s showing at Penn State because of the people around him. And I think the Browns could get him at a reasonable place. Terry (47:38.296) I’ve not I’ve not seen enough to have an opinion to have an opinion. I like the idea though the general concept of you know, make a value pick Why not I Mean we’ll talk a lot more about Watson as it gets closer But I have real strong feelings about this there are times when you just say it didn’t work and and leaving it at that so what Yeah, yeah, that’s why I need to really get somebody to to David Campbell (47:48.75) Because they have other needs. They have other needs. David Campbell (48:02.456) Well, there might be financial reasons why they would need to keep him on the roster or whatever. Terry (48:07.448) who knows, I know some people that really do the cap well and I need them to really guide me through all the different alternatives. What have you thought in general about say just taking the last four games together? David Campbell (48:22.676) of Jameis Winston? Terry (48:23.96) Where does the team? David Campbell (48:26.03) I’m, you know, I, I like to put myself in a, in a Browns fan’s shoes. And after Thursday night, was like a joyous night. And how many times have we seen the Browns come out on a Thursday night at home? We saw it last year when Flacco was here and they play one of their best games of the season. You know, they’re on national TV. Everybody’s it’s the only game in town. They really care about that. And if I’m a Browns fan, I’m like, where is this in New Orleans and where is this when they’re on the road playing? Terry (48:33.474) Mm-hmm. Terry (48:39.266) Yeah. Terry (48:51.627) I know. David Campbell (48:54.978) you know, a not very good team on a Sunday at one, like if they could capture that intensity and that sense of purpose every week, or at least get close, who knows, right? Like that’s what I thought about. That’s what I thought about the last four games is what if they bring this prime time intensity every single time? like Miles Garrett went from having no stats one week against New Orleans to having one of his best games of the season. on Thursday night against the Steelers. So it was just kind of indicative of kind of if I’m a Browns fan, I’m thinking about this team right now. How are you feeling? Terry (49:32.664) What do you think about Chop? David Campbell (49:36.386) I think he’s going to be good to keep on the roster maybe for another year, but they need, they need to get younger at the position and a little bit more explosive, but I like Nick job. What do you think? Terry (49:46.008) yeah, we do. Well, first of all, I just think it’s a miracle he’s playing. really do. I mean, two ACL, MCL, two operations within three months. It’s just, it’s incredible. He’s on the field and he’s still, he doesn’t have the same cut or speed, but he’ll blow people up physically. You know, and you see once a... Yeah, that’s right. David Campbell (49:51.115) for sure. David Campbell (50:08.908) Yeah, and it’s another thing, he’s getting better every week, think, Terry, and let’s see at the end of the season how we feel about him. Terry (50:15.524) You’re correct. They have to look in the running back room because Ford has not been healthy and he hasn’t just been so so when he has played and so that’s that’s it for me on the Browns. David Campbell (50:28.11) All right. I do want to get to a quick email here from Mark in Florida. says, Hey, Terry Baker Mayfield should be returning to the playoffs in consecutive years with the same team after signing a big contract. Yes. The what abouts as to why Baker isn’t here and why our Legion not the smoothest of relationships to be certain. Despite that the draft evaluators who saw upside and Baker were correct. There was no one in Berea who accurately assessed how to get Baker to the playoff level that would make his fourth trip to the playoffs. since he’s been drafted. How many in his Browns draft class can say that? It’s true. Terry (51:02.006) Yeah, it’s absolutely true. And he will have done it. I would say without being on great teams, the 2020 Browns are not a great team and the Tampa Bay. This got some nice players and everything, but you know, you don’t jump up and down about those guys. It’s not like he walked into the chiefs and took over. David Campbell (51:29.592) We’re seeing what we saw here except just a more mature version. He’s still got a little edge to him and likes to rile up the fans and it’s just he’s not calling out the coaches Tampa Bay the way he did here. Yeah. Terry (51:32.61) Yeah. Terry (51:40.926) Yeah, he learned that. And that, that was one of the things that Todd Monk said he always appreciated about Jamis Winston even because he was with Monk, offensive coordinator for Baltimore. And, he mentioned in one of his interviews right before they played the Browns, cause he was with, he was with Jamis at Tampa Bay that he said, I love Jamis. He’s all about football. He never threw the coaches under the bus. That was his exact quote. And he was happy to see Jamis getting, at that point, just getting a shot. Of course, then he turns around and Jamis just beats his Baltimore Ravens. This way it’s fun. I want to see them play these. They’ve got what? All three division opponents on the road. Correct? I want to see that. It’ll help me gauge the team more, but I know there’s folks out there saying lose them all drafted high and hang them high. Which could happen if they lose them all they may be hanging some others high the way it operates in the NFL. David Campbell (52:44.088) All right, there’s the old Western movie portion of podcast. All right, let’s move to the Guardians real quick, Terry. did have Jack and Erie as a long time listener of the podcast. Jack writes in, he says, first of all, Terry, I want to thank you for your empty chair piece, which was your faith in UConn over the weekend. was just really some great material to think about around the holidays and what an empty chair can mean to us. So anyway, Jack continues, I also wanted to thank you for taking listener questions. Terry (52:47.052) Uh-huh. Terry (52:59.266) Thank you. Yeah. David Campbell (53:12.962) Many, if not most podcasts don’t do that. Happy Thanksgiving. I was thinking about Shane Bieber and that stream of consciousness extended into this. What happens to players who get injured while under contract and their contract expires? Does the union then pay for their rehab? Do they have to go to different physicians? And does it differ between leagues? Be well, Jack. So I don’t know the answer to this question, but I have an idea of how I suspect it works. right. There’s like a league year, just like there is in the NFL and, and Shane Beaver was hurt on the job. And so as long as he’s under contract with the guardians, I think they partner with him on rehab and doctors and trainers and all that. Terry (53:42.348) Mm-hmm. Terry (53:51.573) The question is what happens now though? He’s not under contract because he’s going to be a free agent now the guy that actually would know the answer to that is Matthew Boyd because remember he had been hurt he had the surgery was with Detroit then became a free agent and he remained a free agent until The Guardian signed him in July and so he was working out himself now my guess is These guys also have all these high powered agents. And if the union doesn’t have policies for them while they’re recovering, I’m sure the agents can get that or get the medical care taken care of in one way or another. But that’s a good question. I don’t know. David Campbell (54:37.132) But he’s been, you know, he had his surgery months ago. He’s rehabbing. I don’t think he’s having to pay for an operation out of his pocket or anything. I think at this point there’s doctors and trainers that he wants to work with. they’re with the guardians and his contract is up, I suspect he would just pay for those or maybe the guardians would because again, it was a work-related injury. Terry (54:40.408) Mm-hmm. Terry (54:45.448) No, no Terry (54:56.248) And also all these agencies that represent a lot of players, they have a bunch of medical people that they turn to to help their players conditioning all that stuff in the off season. So the problem is if you’re some poor guy in AA and gets hurt and get cut, maybe you have a good agent, maybe you don’t, but that’s, that’s the difficult part there. But Shane Beaver or like last year, Matthew Boyd. There’s plenty of people there to take care of them. The question is, does Bieber come back? David Campbell (55:32.866) Yeah, one of the big questions of the off season. All right, let’s hear it. It’s an early prediction to get us going. Here we go. Terry (55:37.534) I will make a prediction. think he’s going to it. Shane Bieber, that’s right. Will get a contract of at least two years. 30 million plus. David Campbell (55:51.02) Really? David Campbell (55:54.67) Okay, marking that down is the first prediction. Terry (55:56.148) Okay, yeah, let’s see, because he had, let me see, he had the surgery in April, right? Yeah, I’ll go with that. Because somebody will say, he’s a great guy, he’s in tremendous shape, even if he goes back to throwing 91, remember that, he won 15 games in the ERA around three doing that, and I’ll take a chance on him. And especially if you’re a big market team, why not? David Campbell (56:25.132) And we’ve seen the last few years, Terry, the free agent market drags on and on and on into spring training now. somebody could wait, take a look at them and get close to the season, then sign them. Yeah. Terry (56:30.674) yeah. Terry (56:34.732) them I mean that might be that were the guardians rather than jump out in front of this wait to see because I’m not giving him 30 million for two but I believe a team will David Campbell (56:45.974) All right, I’m marking that one down. So all right, Terry, you have a long history and interest writing about Northeast Ohio College sports. I did want to mention John Carroll and Mount Union are playing in the Division three football playoffs on Saturday, which should be a really good game. And also you had a column this week about Daniel Robinson, the men’s basketball coach at Cleveland State signing a new contract. Some. Terry (56:48.001) Okay. Terry (56:57.526) Yes! David Campbell (57:10.538) impressive numbers he’s been putting up not just in the win-loss column either and it’s good that he’s got a new deal and is going to be staying with the Vikings. Terry (57:17.228) Yeah, he had two years left to go on his contract. So they gave him two more. Basically about the same amount of money he was making before. but you know, he’s average get one 20, exactly 21 gains each of the last two years. And he, and he took over for Dennis Gates. And when Gates left and went to Missouri, he took two of his best players with them, the boy Hodge and Trey go million. And actually that helped his first year. Missouri, I believe they won 25 games and went to NCAA tournament. This past year, I think he was something like 10 and 24 and he went winless in the SEC. actually Gates could be a bit on the hot seat at Missouri. Meantime, Daniel Robinson came in. He had been an assistant at Kansas, Iowa State, excuse me, Iowa State. And then he, what helped him his first two years, he, a player from Iowa State who was a marginal starter. and was actually even told by the head coach there that he probably wouldn’t start, in the future. Tristan in Aruna, he came with Danielle to Cleveland state and turned in one of the best players in the Horizon league. so that helped. And then he also found a guy in the junior college ranks named Tay Williams who came in and Tay Williams and Aruna are both in the G league and they both played two years and they help them win those 21 games. He doesn’t have anybody quite like that. But, I think he’ll win, you know, probably more than he loses. Not easy at Cleveland state. was down at the building the other day when they, when they beat, Eastern Michigan. And I mean, I’ll tell you the woods, he said, or it’s just this big monster down there and it’s kind of falling apart. It’s grim. It’s a grim, grim deal. but on top of that, and this is something that Dennis Gates started, cause when Gates came in, the team GPA was barely above a 2.0 and Gates got the well up over three, about a 3.2. Then it fell under three and Dan Robinson acted like they had a 10 game losing streak. mean, he just really went after these guys and they’re back to three point over the last four semesters are at 3.18. He’s had nine seniors. They’ve all graduated. And so in other words, and the same thing that Gates did, they’re winning with Terry (59:43.704) And we just say kind of blue collar players or guys that you find at basketball rummage sales, know, Juco kids, but these are not attitude headcases and anything of that sort. So, congratulations to Danielle. Granted, I went to Cleveland State, so I pay a little extra attention to them. And to me, they’re the vintage underdog. David Campbell (01:00:04.046) Yeah. And the, know, in this era of NIL Terry where players are, you know, college quarterbacks who are coming in or getting offered millions of dollars to play. I was looking at that you had, I think you have this in your column. His incentives are not just for making the NCAA tournament. mean, if a player, yeah, if a player makes the all horizon academic team, gets a 10, the coach gets a 10,000 bonus, $10,000 bonus. And which I think is the same he gets Robinson gets if they make the NCAA tournament, which. Terry (01:00:07.298) Yeah. Terry (01:00:12.216) Yeah, isn’t that something? Terry (01:00:19.903) A of them for it, yeah. Terry (01:00:29.034) If they make the NCAA tournament. Yeah. David Campbell (01:00:33.74) Yes, Cleveland State has a couple of guys who’ve gone through and gone to the G league and making the NBA from any Horizon league team is a long shot. So I think it’s really important and cool that the incentives are grade related and academic performance. Cause some of these players might go on to be coaches or lawyers or whatever down the road. And I think that the academic part of it, I watched some of these college football teams with the schedules and the expanded playoffs. Like when did they even go to class? Like it’s crazy to think about. So. Terry (01:00:59.212) I know. Yeah. And also there’s a thing called APR, Academic Progress Report. And they’re supposed to be having, Quezon State is a 1000, which is a perfect rating. In other words, they value not just what the GPA is, but are these guys on course to graduate on time? And so that’s another good thing too with them. And I know some of the other programs are doing a good job too. I’m not saying they’re not, but. That has been one of the great things that I think the NCAA did was put in things like the academic progress report and some others put some pressure on these coaches and that to make sure that these kids do not just graduate, but hopefully graduate some with some decent courses and things that they can use later on. David Campbell (01:01:51.502) All right, and CSU is playing some games in Woodling Gym as part of their throwback games. So that seems like it’d be a great venue to see game. So head on down and see the Vikings. All right. I think we’re good, Terry. Anything else you want to mention? Terry (01:01:56.022) Mm-hmm. Terry (01:02:06.636) That’s it for me. David Campbell (01:02:08.146) All right, have a great Thanksgiving everybody. Terry, you are writing this week about how thankful you are for the readers. I don’t know if you want to talk about that for a second and what this week means to you and your faith column, which is coming out later this week. Terry (01:02:21.624) Well, I also just want to say without you, there’s no us, you being the readers, there’s no Dave Campbell or Terry or the rest of us would be doing something else. And there’s so many places now to go get material and you can, have plenty of choices and thank you for choosing us. Now it’s our job to give you reasons to continue to choose us, to give you the best coverage of Cleveland sports possible. and to do it in a way that I think isn’t always just playing to say something as they say, have a hot take, get a reaction. I think we’re pretty good at avoiding that. And we have different opinions, but not just saying stuff to sound stupid and have people react. If we sound stupid, like, it’s an honest stupid. I guess that would be the way for that. And I am very, very grateful. I’ve been doing that in this market since 1980. full-time and I just cannot be more blessed to be able to continue to do it. And also, mean, David, you’ve been a big help to me. Roberta’s been at my side for 50 years. She’s been reading my junk. How about that? Of she just turned 31 years old, so that’s how you do it, guys. She started really young. I mean, she started typing. She really did start sometimes typing final copies of things on my typewriter, whether it was papers at Cleveland State or stories that I was submitting when I was still in college at different places. So, very, very grateful. David Campbell (01:03:41.996) Right. She started very young. David Campbell (01:04:00.248) Well, I’m thankful for you, Terry, and thankful that we’re able to do this once a week. And I really want to thank you, say thank you to the listeners. as Jack and Erie said earlier, this is the, we do the podcast, but it’s, the listeners podcast, like as much as it is something that we do. And we love to hear from you, sending your emails. We want to have you represented on here as often as we can. So, and we thank you for listening. Cause, there’s a lot of stuff going on every day. And the fact that you make time to listen to us a little bit every week really means a lot to us. So thank you. So. All right, I think that’ll do it. Everybody, that’s the official closing. Have a great, wonderful Thanksgiving, everybody. We will talk to you next week. Check out Terry’s newsletter and we’ll see you next week on Terry’s Talkin’. Terry (01:04:32.28) That’s the official closing.ATLANTA — Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden’s pardoning of his son for federal crimes, with some calling the move misguided and unwise after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law. The president pardoned Hunter Biden late Sunday evening, reversing his previous pledges with a grant of clemency that covers more than a decade of any federal crimes his son might have committed. The 82-year-old president said in a statement that his son’s prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who along with Biden and other White House officials insisted for months that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon . That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden’s reversal could make it harder to take on Trump , who has argued that multiple indictments and one conviction against him were a matter of Biden and Democrats turning the justice system against him. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden on the social media platform X. “When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” the governor continued, a reference to the president invoking fatherhood in explaining his decision. “Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on X: “This wasn’t a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers.” Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden “put personal interest ahead of duty” with a decision that “further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was “an improper use of power” that erodes faith in government and “emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests.” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon “understandable” if viewed only as the “action of a loving father.” But Biden’s status as “our nation’s Chief Executive,” the senator said, rendered the move “unwise.” Certainly, the president has Democratic defenders who note Trump’s use of presidential power to pardon a slew of his convicted aides, associates and friends, several for activities tied to Trump’s campaign and first administration. “Trump pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, as well as his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner — who he just appointed US ambassador to France,” wrote prominent Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper on X. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said there “is no standard for Donald Trump, and the highest standard for Democrats and Joe Biden.” Harrison pointed to Trump’s apparent plans to oust FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with loyalist Kash Patel and suggested the GOP’s pursuit of Hunter Biden would not have ended without clemency. “Most people will see that Joe Biden did what was right,” Harrison said. First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.” Democrats already are facing the prospects of a Republican trifecta in Washington, with voters returning Trump to the White House and giving the GOP control of the House and Senate. Part of their argument against Trump and Republican leaders is expected to be that the president-elect is violating norms with his talk of taking retribution against his enemies. Before beating Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump faced his own legal troubles, including two cases that stemmed from his efforts to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Those cases, including Trump’s sentencing after being convicted on New York state business fraud charges, have either been dismissed or indefinitely delayed since Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, forcing Democrats to recalibrate their approach to the president-elect. In June, President Biden firmly ruled out a pardon or commutation for his son, telling reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case: “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” As recently as Nov. 8, days after Trump’s victory, Jean-Pierre ruled out a pardon or clemency for the younger Biden, saying: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.” The president’s about-face came weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges. It capped a long-running legal saga for the younger Biden, who disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020 — a month after his father’s 2020 victory. The sweeping pardon covers not just the gun and tax offenses against the younger Biden, but also any other “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024.” Hunter Biden was convicted in June in Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018 when , prosecutors said, he lied on a federal form by claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He had been set to stand trial in September in a California case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. But he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges in a surprise move hours after jury selection was set to begin. In his statement Sunday, the president argued that such offenses typically are not prosecuted with the same vigor as was directed against Hunter Biden. “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said in his statement. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son. ... I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A white ex-police detective in Kansas died Monday in an apparent suicide just before the start of his criminal trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted Black women and terrorized those who tried fight back. Local police found Roger Golubski dead of a gunshot wound on the back porch of his split-level home outside Kansas City, Kansas. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said “there are no indications of foul play" in the 71-year-old's death, discovered Monday morning after a neighbor heard a gunshot. Fifty miles (80 kilometers) to the west, prosecutors and Golubski's attorneys were inside the federal courthouse in Topeka, where Golubski faced six felony counts of violating women's civil rights. Prosecutors say that, for years, Golubski preyed on female residents in poor neighborhoods, demanding sexual favors and sometimes threatening to harm or jail their relatives if they refused. He had pleaded not guilty. His death led U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse to dismiss the charges at prosecutors' request, though a second criminal case involving three other co-defendants remains. U.S. Department of Justice officials said it's “difficult” when a case cannot “be fully and fairly heard in a public trial,” but advocates for the women who accused Golubski of abusing them were angry, feeling that they and the community were denied a reckoning. “There is no justice for the victims,” said Anita Randle-Stanley, who went to court to watch jury selection. Randle-Stanley, who is not a victim in this case, said Golubski began harassing her when she was a teenager decades ago, but she always refused him. The heart of this trial focused on two women: one who said Golubski began sexually abusing her when she was a young teen in middle school, and another who said he began abusing her after her twin sons were arrested. Prosecutors said seven other women were planning to testify that Golubski abused or harassed them as well. And advocates for the women believe there are other victims who have either died or have been afraid to come forward. The allegations that Golubski preyed on women over decades with seeming impunity outraged the community and deepened its historical distrust of law enforcement. The prosecution followed earlier reports of similar abuse allegations across the country where hundreds of officers have lost their badges after allegations of sexual assaults. Some of the women and their advocates were upset that Golubski was under house arrest while he underwent kidney dialysis treatments three times a week. Cheryl Pilate, an attorney representing some of the women, said she has questions about how well the government was monitoring Golubski. “The community had an enormous interest in seeing this trial go forward,” she added. “Now, the victims, the community and justice itself have been cheated.” After Golubski failed to appear in court Monday, his lead attorney, Christopher Joseph, said his client “was despondent about the media coverage.” Joseph said he had talked to Golubski regularly, including Monday morning, and he was shocked to hear that his client had apparently killed himself. As for Golubski’s death, he said, “I don’t know the details.” This case against Golubski was part of a string of lawsuits and criminal allegations that led the county prosecutor’s office to begin a $1.7 million effort to reexamine cases Golubski worked on during his 35 years on the force. One double murder case Golubski investigated already has resulted in an exoneration , and an organization run by rapper Jay-Z is suing to obtain police records. Joseph had said lawsuits over the allegations were an “inspiration for fabrication” by his accusers. “We have to keep fighting,” said Starr Cooper, who was in the courthouse Monday to watch jury selection and said Golubski victimized her mother before her death in 1983. About 50 people had a short rally Monday morning in sub-freezing temperatures outside the federal courthouse in Topeka to show their support for the women accusing Golubski. They held signs with slogans such as, “Justice Now!” Lora McDonald, executive director of MORE2, a Kansas City-area social justice group, said participants learned that Golubski didn’t show up in court just as the rally began. They dispersed before prosecutors announced his death. They later joined Pilate in calling for an independent, outside investigation into Golubski's death. “Golubski terrorized an entire community and co-conspired with dangerous people,” McDonald said. “Our rally today was not just about Roger Golubski. Rather, it was about the department in which his criminal activity flourished." Pilate lamented that without a trial for Golubski, "In the eyes of the law he died an innocent man.” Max Seifert, a former Kansas City police officer who graduated from the police academy with Golubski in 1975, said Golubski's supporters will treat him as a martyred victim of unfair pretrial publicity. He contends the department condoned misconduct. “I feel that there is always going to be a cloud of mystery about this,” he added. Stories about Golubski remained just whispers in the neighborhoods near Kansas City’s former cattle stockyards partly because of the extreme poverty of a place where crime was abundant and some homes are boarded up. One neighborhood where Golubski worked is part of Kansas’ second-poorest zip code. Fellow officers once revered Golubski for his ability to clear cases, and he rose to the rank of captain in Kansas City before retiring there in 2010 and then working on a suburban police force for six more years. His former partner served a stint as police chief. The inquiry into Golubski stems from the case of Lamonte McIntyre, who started writing to McCloskey’s nonprofit nearly two decades ago. McIntyre was just 17 in 1994 when he was arrested and charged in connection with a double homicide, within hours of the crimes. He had an alibi; no physical evidence linked him to the killings; and an eyewitness believed the killer was an underling of a local drug dealer. In the other federal criminal case involving Golubski, that drug dealer also was charged with him, accused of running a violent sex trafficking operation. McIntyre's mother said in a 2014 affidavit that she wonders whether her refusal to grant regular sexual favors to Golubski prompted him to retaliate against her son. In 2022, the local government agreed to pay $12.5 million to McIntyre and his mother to settle a lawsuit after a deposition in which Golubski invoked his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent 555 times. The state also paid McIntyre $1.5 million. The last name of a woman who says the ex-detective harassed her for years has been corrected. She is Anita Randle-Stanley, not Randel-Stanley. Hollingsworth and Ingram reported from Edwardsville, Kansas.None
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