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US breaking pros want to preserve Black roots, original style of hip-hop dance form at Olympics

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

As ambassadors of the country where breakdancing originated 50 years ago, members of Team USA have something to prove — and potentially to lose — when the hip-hop dance form makes its official debut at the Paris Games in 2024.That’s because for U.S. breakers like Carmarry Hall, Victor Montalvo and Jeffrey Mike Louis, it’s more than just nailing the right moves; it’s about preserving breaking’s soul.“When I started breaking, it wasn’t about competition; it was about culture, it was about Black dance,” said Hall, an African American Team USA member. “The Olympic platform is not going to appreciate the understanding. It’s structured in a certain way, and in that structure, you lose a little bit of the heart.”But it is precisely that structure that international competitors to the U.S. have zoned in on while battling for a shot at Olympic gold in head-to-head contests over the past year. And at the moment, Team USA’s squad of b-boys and b-girls, the term for male...

1 dead following shooting in Lauderhill

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Tragedy struck Lauderhill Thursday night as one person lost their life in a shooting incident near Northwest 60th Avenue and 59th Way. The incident occurred around 8:30 p.m., prompting a swift response from Lauderhill Police and Fire Rescue units.Upon arrival at 2205 N.W. 59th Way, officers discovered an adult male in the roadway, critically injured with multiple gunshot wounds. Regrettably, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) teams also responded to the scene to gather further evidence and details surrounding the incident. Please note that the information provided is preliminary and subject to change as more facts emerge.Lauderhill Police are actively investigating this tragic shooting.

Brightline’s inaugural Miami to Orlando trip commences

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

In a historic moment, Brightline is set to embark on its maiden voyage from Miami to Orlando, marking the first private US passenger rail line to link two major Florida cities at high speed in 100 years. This new travel option promises convenience and accessibility for residents and tourists alike.Starting Friday, Brightline trains will operate between Miami and Orlando, providing a unique travel experience for those looking to journey between these vibrant cities. The train service offers a convenient alternative to traditional transportation methods.The journey from Miami to Orlando will make several stops along the way, with each stop averaging just two to four minutes. Travelers can purchase a Smart Ticket starting at $79 for a one-way trip, or $158 for a round trip. For those seeking an enhanced experience, Premium Tickets start at $149 for a one-way trip, offering a round trip for nearly $300.Brightline also introduces dynamic pricing, which may result in lower ticket prices f...

Orioles CEO John Angelos said ‘everything is stacked against’ small-market MLB teams. Is he right?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

The New York Yankees — the pinstriped enemy of so many American League teams and the owner of a record 27 World Series titles — always appear to have a leg up on the competition. With the magic wave of a checkbook, they can seemingly sign free agents that many other teams do not even consider. Each year, they spend more than their rivals, and this season aside, the results are often apparent.Baseball has a unique economic structure, one that favors teams in larger markets in a way that the NFL and NBA do not. It’s something that Orioles’ CEO and Chairman John Angelos often points to.“The hardest thing to do in sports,” Angelos said in a New York Times article last month, “is be a small-market team in baseball and be competitive, because everything is stacked against you — everything.”It’s true that Baltimore is a small market — meaning there are fewer people in its metropolitan area than most other MLB cities. Based u...

Analysis: As Orioles’ player spending plunged from pre-pandemic levels, team income and value soared

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

With a playoff spot in the bag, the Orioles’ rebuild is paying dividends on the field and seemingly in the team’s finances.Earlier this year, before the O’s remarkable 2023 season began, Forbes magazine valued the Baltimore MLB franchise at $1.7 billion, up 24% from a year earlier.According to Forbes’ annual analysis, Baltimore’s ballclub generated about $150 million in operating income during the prior two seasons. That’s a significant improvement from the years before the coronavirus pandemic when the O’s often lost money.As part of the rebuild, the Orioles focused on developing younger, inexpensive talent, shrinking its player payroll by shedding more expensive players that acted as a drag on its finances. According to Forbes, the Orioles went from spending more than $160 million a year on players in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons to spending $66 million in 2021 and $83 million last year.Instead, the club has focused spending on more sus...

Should the Chicago Bulls trade for Damian Lillard or Buddy Hield? Exploring the pros — and cons — of both stars.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Training camp begins soon for the Chicago Bulls — but that hasn’t slowed the NBA trade rumor mill, which continues to churn as key players seek new homes for the 2023-24 season.After two conservative seasons, should executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas and the front office make a major move?Speculation surrounding a Damian Lillard trade reignited this week after Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports reported the Bulls have entered conversations to negotiate a multi-team trade to “get into the Lillard sweepstakes.” A day later, The Athletic reported Buddy Hield is seeking a trade from the Indiana Pacers, making one of the best 3-point shooters available.Both Lillard and Hield are enticing options for the Bulls, but a path to landing either star is unclear.Let’s start with the big one: could the Bulls land Lillard?The Bulls have floated around the outskirts of the Lillard negotiations — which appears to be thoroughly ...

Orioles’ Brandon Hyde ‘without question’ should be AL Manager of the Year. Just ask his players.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

Amid the chaos of the Orioles’ post-playoff clinch celebration Sunday, outfielder Austin Hays reflected on the mayhem that preceded it.Baltimore spent the final three innings of an 11-inning victory against the Tampa Bay Rays with a pitcher in its lineup as manager Brandon Hyde abandoned the designated hitter in pursuit of a key victory. He deployed his bench again in the ninth, with speedster Jorge Mateo pinch-running for Hays and soon dashing home from first to tie the game. After further defensive shuffling, Hyde trusted slugger Ryan O’Hearn to lay down his first career sacrifice bunt, enabling Cedric Mullins to deliver a game-winning sacrifice fly.“He managed his [butt] off,” Hays said as champagne and beer sprayed around him. “For the last four innings, I’m looking up at the board and there’s a pitcher’s name in the lineup, and we’re trying to maneuver everything.“Hyder does an amazing job of just putting everybody in ...

Patriots already have NFL’s next great special teamer in Brenden Schooler

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

FOXBORO — By now you’ve seen the play, whether you were watching live on “Sunday Night Football” or caught ESPN’s Pat McAfee breaking it down on Twitter.Patriots special teamer Brenden Schooler — with a golden lion’s mane flowing out of his silver helmet — running along the line of scrimmage and turning upfield at the snap like Tyreek Hill on a wheel motion. But Schooler wasn’t motioning into a route, he was about to fling his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame at a football traveling 90 MPH off the right leg of Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders to block a field goal.BLOCKED KICK : #MIAvsNE on NBC: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/Algkk6q1IN— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2023Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Source: Patriots add third QB Will Grier, place CB Marcus Jones on IR New England Patriots | Patriots-Jets injury report: Pats defensive starter returns Thursday, O-lineman downgraded New England Patriots | Patriots ...

The most valuable airline miles might surprise you

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

By Meghan Coyle | NerdWalletGetting the most value out of travel rewards matters to a lot of frequent flyers.According to a 2023 NerdWallet survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults conducted online by The Harris Poll, 35% of travel rewards credit cardholders say they try to get the best possible value when redeeming their earned points/miles for travel.For the last four years, if you wanted to collect the most valuable airline miles among U.S. carriers, you’d probably collect Southwest Rapid Rewards points. According to NerdWallet’s valuations, Southwest Airlines points have hovered around 1.5 cents per point since 2019 (when we started collecting the data). That means travelers can usually redeem 10,000 Southwest points for a $150 award flight.Let’s put that in perspective. In 2020, Southwest Rapid Rewards points were worth a whopping 1.6 cents, while every other major U.S. airline’s points were worth only 1 to 1.1 cents. Southwest Rapid Rewards members could book more flights (or mor...

Targeted auto strikes may spread to other states and cities as noon deadline set by union nears

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 15:58:50 GMT

The nation’s biggest automakers – and car buyers everywhere — will learn Friday whether the United Auto Workers union will escalate its strike over a demand for higher wages, a shorter work week and other benefits.UAW President Shawn Fain is expected to announce whether the union will expand a weeklong strike that has so far been limited to three plants – one each at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.Fain said earlier this week he would call on workers at more plants to strike unless there was significant progress in contract negotiations with the carmakers. Bargaining continued Thursday, although neither side reported any breakthroughs, and they remained far apart on wage increases.The strike so far involves fewer than 13,000 of the union’s 146,000 members. The companies have laid off a few thousand more, saying some factories are running short on parts because of the strike.Still, the impact is not yet being felt on car lots around the country – it will probably take a few...