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Sana Javed and Shoaib Malik’s pictures from Dubai go viral!PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley wanted to be a student in team history before he had a chance to make some with the Eagles. The running back who had just signed with Philadelphia for $26 million guaranteed took a deep dive on some of the franchise’s greats out of the backfield. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Sometimes the unpopular choice is the right one. Arizona athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois unquestionably made an unpopular choice this weekend when she committed to football coach Brent Brennan for 2025. Michael Lev is a senior writer/columnist for the Arizona Daily Star , Tucson.com and The Wildcaster . If you want to know how that went over, check out my timeline on the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter. All that’s missing are the torches and pitchforks (although Wildcat-turned-Sun Devil Jacob Kongaika might have one that you can borrow). Reed-Francois made the right choice for today and for the UA’s particular predicament. She correctly reasoned that 101⁄2 months is not enough time to accurately assess the performance of a head coach. She’s also well aware of the athletic department’s financial distress; she was brought on board to solve that very problem. It would have been extremely difficult to justify paying another coach to not work here, even if some or most of that eight-figure bill — upwards of $20 million including assistant coaches’ buyouts — came from private donations. The optics would have been terrible. (Some will argue they couldn’t be worse than they are now. They forget the truly dark days .) Arizona coach Brent Brennan gets excited as the Wildcats score a touchdown and get back into the game in the fourth quarter against Texas Tech on Oct. 5 at Arizona Stadium. Whether Reed-Francois made the right choice in the long run remains to be seen. It’s up to Brennan to prove it. He has a lot to prove. No one can dispute that Brennan didn’t get it done in 2024. He inherited a team — well, most of a team — that went 10-3 the previous year ... then crumbled under the weight of those great expectations. Picked to finish fifth in the Big 12 Conference, the 4-8 Wildcats ended in a tie for 13th. Worse, they withered down the stretch, barely competing in blowout losses to UCF and ASU. Reed-Francois didn’t hire Brennan. Who knows what she might have done had she been in charge at the time. She did know him. But she’s worked with him for less than a year. She’s been deliberate in her evaluation of coaches. She has yet to extend any current coach in any sport since she got here, no matter how deserving they might be. (Tommy Lloyd’s extension was announced Feb. 19 — the same day Reed-Francois was hired.) Arizona AD Desireé Reed-Francois, shown during her introductory news conference Feb. 20, knows how vital it is that football be successful; it generates about 64% of the athletic department's revenue. Reed-Francois told the Star that Brennan “deserves a fair chance to be successful” — and boy, let me tell you, the “fair chance” part of that statement did not sit well with fans in the social-media sphere. Their assertion: He already had a fair chance. He was handed a top-15 team that brought back its quarterback (Noah Fifita), at least two projected first-round draft picks (Tetairoa McMillan and Jonah Savaiinaea), most of the offensive line and a standout secondary. It’s a fair point. But it doesn’t paint a complete picture of what the roster actually looked like. Arizona lost massive production to the NFL, graduation and the transfer portal — especially at the skill positions and along the defensive line. It was especially challenging to replace those players with a starting point of mid-January. Last year’s fall transfer portal window ran from Dec. 4-Jan. 2. Brennan’s primary focus was on retention and that was the smart play. He kept most of the core intact . Arizona coach Brent Brennan, left, congratulates defensive back Demetrius Freeney (7) after his coverage on a punt put Colorado deep in its own territory in the fourth quarter of the Buffaloes' Big 12 victory over the Wildcats on Oct. 19 at Arizona Stadium. Many believe he’ll never have a roster as talented as this one, but that’s only true to an extent. Arizona probably won’t have multiple first-rounders at one time again if history is any indicator. But Brennan can build a team that’s deeper than this one. The Wildcats landed in the preseason Top 25 because of their top 25 or so players. Depth was always a concern, especially at key positions such as offensive tackle and cornerback. When attrition hit, the product suffered. The Never Brenters will insist he shouldn’t have been hired in the first place — that the entire situation was rushed and that his résumé didn’t warrant a promotion to the Power Four. Regarding the former, then-AD Dave Heeke had to act fast . If he didn’t, Fifita and McMillan likely would’ve been gone — and many others undoubtedly would have followed them into the portal. Regarding the latter, Brennan led San Jose State to three seven-win seasons in his final four seasons there, including a 7-1 record during the pandemic year (when the Spartans had to practice several hundred miles away from campus). From 1993-2019, SJSU had three winning seasons. Additionally, the Spartans ranked at or near the bottom of the Mountain West Conference in total football operating expenditures throughout Brennan’s tenure, per the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database . Many of us theorized that if Brennan could do more with less at SJSU, he could do more with more at Arizona. That obviously didn’t materialize in Year One. The Wildcats seem to be in a good place from a culture standpoint, something that also factored into Reed-Francois’ decision. Brennan is well-liked among players and their families. That doesn’t mean the team was well-coached. Arizona coach Brent Brennan, left, shown against BYU on Oct. 12, went 4-8 in his first season at the UA and has a lot to prove entering Year Two in Tucson. Changes are needed, especially on offense. The system never fit the personnel. An identity was never established. Reed-Francois said changes would be coming but deferred to Brennan to announce any staff firings. I asked her whether it was a mandate or something the two had agreed upon. She said they were “in alignment” on that issue. Stay tuned. Rapid turnarounds are achievable in the current iteration of college football. Look at ASU and BYU. Both went from 2-7 in conference play to 7-2. We live in a world where SMU is 11-1 in its first year in a power conference; where Indiana won 11 games for the first time in its history; where Vanderbilt has the same record as Oklahoma (both 6-6). Thanks to NIL and the portal, there’s an open invitation to college football’s parity party. The programs that have risen rapidly might very well have better coaches and support systems. Reed-Francois insists Brennan will have every resource he needs. She knows how vital it is that football be successful; it generates roughly 64% of the athletic department’s revenue. The next month will be critical. Brennan has to show he can not only retain but recruit. He has to inspire some degree of hope. What does next year have to look like for Brennan to make it to 2026? The schedule is arguably tougher than this season; progress might not be evident in the win-loss ledger. In lieu of that, the Wildcats must be more competitive. They must be tougher, sounder and smarter. Being more exciting wouldn’t hurt either. Part of Brennan’s appeal was the possibility of stability. Unlike Kevin Sumlin, Brennan wanted to be here. Unlike Jedd Fish, Brennan wouldn’t be looking for the next-best job as soon as it opened. But you have to produce to turn that ideal into a reality. Brennan hasn’t done it yet. He’s getting another chance to prove he’s the right man for the job. The clock is ticking. Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com . On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @ michaeljlev.bsky.social Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports Reporter/Columnistuser found an odd serial number on her breadstick - and the chain paid up for the mistake. In a recent video posted on , the user shared a photo of one of the chain restaurant’s famous unlimited breadsticks. “Guys why is there letters on my Olive Garden breadstick,” text across the screen read. The photo showed a half-eaten breadstick with parts of a serial number printed across it as if the TikTok user didn’t discover the number until after they started eating. The video went on to receive over four million views after first being posted on November 17. Many people were quick to turn to the comments to express their concerns or provide an explanation for why there would be various numbers and letters printed on the breadstick. “They’re from frozen bags so the label must’ve like gotten on that one,” one commenter suggested. Another commenter, who claimed to be someone who worked at Olive Garden, wrote, “It’s from the plastic bag they come in, and when they sit in the freezer for a while, that can happen.” The restaurant also left a comment telling TikToker to contact their customer service department immediately. “We are concerned to see this. Can you please send an email to social@olivegarden.com with your full name and the location you went to?” the comment read. A few days later, the user explaining what had happened after they contacted the restaurant chain. The post was a screenshot of an email from Olive Garden sharing that the user received a $100 gift card. “Thank you Olive Gardens,” the TikTok user wrote in an on-screen message. The video received over 600,000 views, with many commenters explaining that the restaurant made the right decision in handling the situation. “Now that’s good service,” one commenter wrote while another commenter agreed, writing, “Olive Garden does NOTT playyy.” has reached out to Olive Garden for comment. This isn’t the first time a restaurant has sparked concerns over a video on TikTok. In November, , but fans had noticed that something was moving in his food. Lee was reviewing FOB Sushi Bar in Seattle, Washington, when he applauded the “unique way” the food was being prepared. He then got into his car and began eating a box of nigiri and sashimi while he rated it on a scale from one to 10. At the 1:50 minute mark, however, he picked up a piece of sashimi with his chopsticks, only for fans to point out what appeared to be a “worm” moving on it just seconds before he put it in his mouth. Enough fans commented on the food, prompting the restaurant to issue a response. They posted their statement on Instagram that read: “The movement observed in the fish may result from natural elasticity or the pressure of chopsticks when applied to its structure.” “Rumors like this can harm small businesses, so we’re addressing it head-on. Thank you for trusting us and supporting FOB Sushi,” they captioned the post. The sushi restaurant has since closed indefinitely after Lee posted a follow-up video revealing that another customer was hospitalized after eating FOB sushi’s food. “I don’t believe in tearing down any business but at the same time, people’s health are on the line. If somebody’s saying they’re in the hospital and there’s something’s moving in food, I absolutely think there’s accountability that should be taken,” Lee said.
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METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Dejounte Murray plans to return to the New Orleans Pelicans ' lineup on Wednesday night for the first time since fracturing his left hand in a season-opening victory over Chicago on Oct. 23. And when Murray takes the court against the Toronto Raptors , his mother will be on his mind. After practice on Tuesday, Murray discussed his impending return and disclosed more details about the previously unspecified “personal matters” that caused him to leave the team during the final days of the preseason. His mother had a stroke, he said. “It was tough to leave and go deal with that. As she got better, she wanted me to come play,” Murray said of his last-minute decision to start against Chicago. He added that his hand injury near the end of that game was God's way of telling him, “‘Nah, you need to stay with your mom.’” “I was more concerned about my mother. That was my priority,” Murray continued. “I wasn’t really worried about my recovery.” Murray's mother has recovered well, he said, while he is “healthy and ready to help this team.” “I’m ready to hoop. Play for my mother — she’s going to be watching," Murray said. “I’m ready to compete, bring that winning spirit.” The Pelicans (4-14) certainly could use the help, having lost 14 of 16 games since opening the season with a pair of victories. Injuries have ravaged the roster. At times, all five starters have been out. Star power forward Zion Williamson has missed 12 games this season — one with an illness and 11 with a hamstring injury. Herb Jones has been sidelined by a shoulder strain and Brandon Ingram's status is in doubt after he sat out practice on Tuesday with calf soreness that also sidelined him during a loss on Monday night at Indiana. But at least two starters — Murray and fellow guard CJ McCollum — are expected to play against the Raptors. “I don’t care how many games we’ve lost. I just know every time I step on the floor I feel like we can win games,” said Murray, who had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in his lone game with the Pelicans. "That’s just my mentality, and I feel like it can carry over to a lot of guys.” AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBAChinese giant takes aim at Apple with new phone
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