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Cole Anthony thrived in new role for Magic ahead of important summer

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

Cole Anthony knew changes were needed going into his third season with the Orlando Magic.He knew he’d have to become stronger and more efficient as a scorer and shooter offensively — which he kept in mind for his offseason work leading into 2022-23.Anthony knew his role with the team would be different compared to 2021-22, when he led Orlando in scoring, assists and usage rate.The Magic’s personnel changed with Markelle Fultz retaking a starting spot in the backcourt after two injury-impacted seasons, Orlando drafting the eventual Rookie of the Year in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner being expected to carry a more significant offensive load as a second-year player.Anthony embraced and adapted to the changes, including playing as a reserve after starting in 99 of 112 games in his first two seasons.He thrived coming off the bench, putting together his most efficient season.“I work my tail off every day. I try to do what I can for this team,” Anthony said....

NFL Draft prospects for Gators, Knights, Seminoles

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

FloridaQB Anthony Richardson, 6-4, 244Prediction: Round 1Buzz: Blessed with singular physical tools but saddled with an inconsistent track ultimate, Richardson is the draft’s ultimate risk-reward pick at the toughest position in sports. A team is sure to take chance, perhaps even with the No. 1 pick, to find out how good the 20-year-old can become.G O’Cyrus Torrence 6-5, 330Prediction: Rounds 1-2Buzz: A textbook road grader in the run game who also did not yield a sack during 3,048 snaps in 48 games, 47 of them starts. Experienced, agile and tenacious, Torrence could be the first guard selected.DL Gervon Dexter 6-6, 318Prediction: Rounds 2-3Buzz: Given his size, speed (4.88 in 40) and versatility, teams will choose potential over production (10.5 tackles for loss in three seasons). UF’s lack of interior depth forced Dexter to average more than 60 snaps in 2022, but a sluggish first step and tendency to play high are areas to improve.WR Justin Shorter, 6-4, 229Predi...

Guregian: Pitching a first-round draft plan for the Patriots

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

Aaron Rodgers is officially a member of the Jets. The Bills are still the Bills. And the Dolphins have the Patriots number.Needless to say, the Patriots, now considered the cellar-dwellers in the AFC East, need help.The NFL draft is one place to find it.How chief decision-maker Bill Belichick and personnel head Matt Groh ultimately handle the first round and beyond will go a long way toward rising up from the basement.Focusing on the first round, the Patriots have choices to make, sitting just outside the top 10.Basically, there’s three scenarios that could play out Thursday night.Stand pat at No. 14 with the hope a stud will still be there when they’re on the clock. Move up to assure getting the sure-fire blue chip prospect they most desire. Or move down the board, trading with another team to collect an additional pick closer to the sweet spot in the draft.The most likely scenario for the Patriots?That’s easy. Trade down. When it comes to the first round, Belichick has rarely met ...

How a ‘unique’ toe tap unlocked Jorge Mateo’s swing and turned the Orioles’ speedster into a valuable slugger

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

One of the best games of Jorge Mateo’s career is what, ironically, led him to change his swing.In August, Mateo recorded the first five-hit game of his career, but it was his final at-bat against the Tampa Bay Rays that later piqued the interest of Baltimore’s hitting coaches.Facing a position player who was pitching in a blowout, Mateo instinctively incorporated a toe tap into his swing as infielder Yu Chang lobbed a 40.4 mph pitch into the zone. Almost like a slow-pitch softball hitter, Mateo waited as the pitch floated in the air, tapped his toe as he loaded and lined a single into left-center field.No one knew it at the time, but that single — and the toe tap that preceded it — was the origin for a swing that has, so far this season, transformed Mateo into an impact bat in the Orioles’ lineup.“He’s always believed that he has the skills and has the tools, and I think we all have as well,” Orioles co-hitting coach Matt Borgschulte s...

2023 NFL mock draft (Version 3.0): 4 trades, 5 QBs and one last projection for first round

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

It’s finally draft day.After months of scouting and speculation, the first round will begin Thursday night in Kansas City when the Carolina Panthers make the first overall selection. While a clear betting favorite has emerged to go No. 1, there’s no consensus on the 30 picks that will follow before the night is over. That makes for an interesting draft.Here are The Baltimore Sun’s projections for the first round, including three mock trades (Note: The Miami Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick after a league investigation for tampering):1. Carolina Panthers (via Chicago): Bryce Young, QB, AlabamaAll signs point to Young being the pick for Carolina, which is betting he can overcome his 5-foot-10, 204-pound frame and become a franchise cornerstone. Young’s size is an outlier among first-round quarterbacks, but he showed an incredible feel for eluding pressure and hitting open targets that’s drawn comparisons to Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burr...

Stock market today: Global shares up ahead of US GDP update

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly higher Thursday ahead of the release of data that are expected to show the world’s biggest economy slowing in the first quarter of the year. Shares rose in Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai but fell in London and Sydney. U.S. futures and oil prices were higher. The U.S. economy stood firm last year but is expected to weaken and slip into a recession in coming months. Worries over the impact of higher interest rates aimed at vanquishing high inflation are detracting from relatively strong earnings reports for many companies. However there are signs of resilience in the world economy: The German government doubled its growth forecast this year for Europe’s largest economy after the country made it through the winter without major energy problems. In early trading Thursday, France’s CAC 40 added 0.4% to 7,496.69, while Germany’s DAX edged up 0.1% to 15,814.15. Britain’s FTSE 100 was at 7,844.87, down 0.1%. The futur...

Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand coming to South St. Anthony Park; pre-opening dinner tickets available

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

A new farm-focused restaurant called Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand is coming to South St. Anthony Park — and before they officially open, they’re holding a series of tasting-menu dinners.Jorg and Angie Pierach are remodeling the onetime Herbst Food Market grocery store on Raymond Avenue, and they’re connecting it to the building next door, which will become a small market. The Pierachs have kept many details private so far, including an official opening date.But in the meantime, tickets are available for a series of pre-opening meals. The dinners are taking place this week and next, with two seating times available per night: 5:30 and 8 p.m., though some slots are already sold out. Seats run $95 per person, with add-ons like wine pairings available.From April 26 to 28, the menu includes blistered sugar snap peas, a spaghetti dish, and lamb steak with anchovy and hickory nut pesto. From May 3 to 5, the menu includes spinach and corned lamb tongue; grilled cuttlefish with eggplan...

Kim Gardner faces second contempt of court hearing

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

ST. LOUIS - For the second time this week, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner faces the prospect of being held in contempt of court.Judge Michael Noble requested that Gardner appear in his courtroom Thursday to "show cause" why she shouldn't be held in contempt. If Gardner fails to appear or show cause, then Noble could levy a fine against the city’s chief prosecutor, put her in jail, or both.This latest contempt of court hearing is the result of an assistant circuit attorney missing an April 10 court date over a shooting case. Our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch report prosecutor Chris Desilets had another attorney pass a note to Judge Noble, explaining that Desilets had to miss court for a doctor's appointment.Noble asked Desilets to appear in court on April 24 with proof of the doctor's appointment and to reschedule the start of trial. However, Desilets no-showed that hearing as well, prompting Noble to summon Gardner.The shooting case is about an Oct. 2020 incid...

New EU sanctions on Russia no earlier than 'deep into May' - Poland

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

A new round of European Union sanctions against Russia is being discussed, but the adoption of this package is unlikely to happen before "deep into May", said Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau late on Monday.The Polish state-run PAP news agency quoted Rau as saying that it would be unrealistic to anticipate anything earlier."All this is still in the discussions phase," Rau said. "I believe the matter won't be resolved until May. You can't anticipate anything earlier."This month Poland proposed new sanctions against Russia. These included a ban on the import of diamonds and pipeline oil. The proposal was the first salvo of what will be a long and complicated negotiation among the 27 members.Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin called a "special operation", 14 months ago, the EU has adopted ten sanctions packages against Russian companies and individuals, inflicting financial and making funding the war more difficult.

Word Game: April 27, 2023

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:15:08 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — WRATHFUL (WRATHFUL: RATH-ful: Irate.)Average mark 20 wordsTime limit 35 minutesCan you find 26 or more words in WRATHFUL? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — HEROICS heir hero heroic hers hire hoer horse hose echo rice rich riches rise rose ocher cero choir chore chose coheir coir core cosier cries score shier shire shoe shore sire soreTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].