Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 139

May 5, 2025

SF Giants’ Harrison talks promotion, transition to bullpen

CHICAGO — Kyle Harrison was never himself during spring training, tasked with recovering from both a nagging shoulder injury and an illness-induced weight loss. Thus, he didn’t make the team out of spring training. But a month into the season, Harrison is back up with the Giants.

As a reliever.

“Definitely something new, but I’m going to embrace it,” Harrison said. “I’m here for a reason. I want to help this team win. They thought this is the best way I could help this team win and I agree right now. We’re going to go have fun in the bullpen and get guys out.”

Harrison, who was recalled after Sunday’s 9-3 win, begins his his time as a reliever with almost no bullpen experience as a professional. The left-hander has never pitched out of the bullpen in the majors and has only done so three times in the minors, all three appearances coming in 2022. Manager Bob Melvin said Harrison won’t have a specific role and that “anything’s kind of on the table for him.”

“If we need him for an inning, it’s going to be an inning. If we need him for three, it’s going to be three. He’s open to all that,” Melvin said. “We haven’t told him any specifics about, ‘This is when you’re going to be in the game’ basically like we did with Hayden (Birdsong). There could be some of that. It just depends on what the bullpen looks like on a particular day.”

Harrison isn’t the only 23-year-old starter who’s currently in San Francisco’s bullpen.

Birdsong, who started 16 games last season as a rookie, cracked the Opening Day roster as a reliever and dominated in the role, posting a 1.00 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 18 innings. Melvin described having two young starters in the bullpen as “very unusual,” adding that Birdsong’s success was a factor in Harrison’s promotion.

“I’ve been in his ear here and there,” Harrison said of Birdsong.

Harrison entered spring training with incumbent status after ranking second on the Giants last season in starts (24) and innings (124 ⅓), but he was never truly in the competition for the final rotation.

Along with trying to fully recover from last year’s left shoulder injury — an ailment that impacted his mechanics in conjunction with an ankle injury — Harrison got sick a week before spring training and lost roughly 15 pounds. The Giants, in response, delayed Harrison’s spring debut.

When Harrison did take the mound, he allowed eight runs over 6 2/3 innings of Cactus League play, his velocity noticeably dipping in the process. The Giants optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento in late-March, saying he was behind in his build up.

With the River Cats, Harrison found the success that eluded him in spring training. Over six starts with Triple-A Sacramento, Harrison posted a 3.46 ERA and 2.95 FIP (fielding independent pitching) over 26 innings. Harrison’s strikeout rate spiked as well. At the time of his promotion, his 38 strikeouts led the Pacific Coast League, one ahead of teammate Carson Seymour.

Along with the results, Harrison has regained the lost weight and strengthened his shoulder. That improved health has been most apparent in his velocity, which has ticked up from the low-90s during spring training to the mid-90s in April:

March 29: 93.4 mphApril 4: 93.7 mphApril 12: 93.7 mphApril 18: 93.8 mphApril 23: 94.4 mphApril: 30: 95.5 mph

Along with the velocity, Harrison has gotten more vertical movement on his four-seam fastball by raising his arm angle.

“It’s great to see. I haven’t seen that in a while,” Harrison said. “Going back to the shoulder thing, that was the frustrating thing where I just couldn’t get over that hump. Mechanics were bad. Just really took that month and change in Sacramento to feel right and implement those routines and get the arm height up.”

Added Melvin: “Spring training was kind of uneven for him. Now, you’re looking up (at the scoreboard) and not seeing the numbers that you want to see. He was very understanding and patient with the fact that it was probably going to take a little while for it to come back. The last few times out, it has.”

To make room for Harrison, the Giants designated reliever Lou Trivino for assignment, the first non-injury roster move they’ve made this season. Trivino allowed eight earned runs over 12 1/3 innings (5.84 ERA), his numbers being a bit skewed given that he allowed five earned runs in one outing against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Melvin expressed confidence that Trivino, who he managed with the Oakland A’s, will likely have better opportunities with other teams. Considering San Francisco’s bullpen features Ryan Walker, Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval, Melvin said Trivino wasn’t “pitching in the type of roles that he used to.”

“These guys have high-end stuff,” Melvin said of Birdsong and Harrison. “You’re always trying to make yourself incrementally better. The need for a second lefty and someone who could give us some length kind of ruled the day as far as that (decision) went. With Buster (Posey) here, it’s about performing well and giving yourself an opportunity to pitch in the big leagues because of performance.”

Injury updates

Jerar Encarnacion (left hand fracture) could start rehab games this weekend. He’s continuing his hitting progress this week.Casey Schmitt (left oblique strain) has progressed to baseball activities.Tyler Fitzgerald (left rib fracture) is doing light activity and rehab work.

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Published on May 05, 2025 16:32

Hegseth directs 20% cut to top military leadership positions

By TARA COPP, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday directed the active duty military to shed 20% of its four-star general officers as the Trump administration moves forward with deep cuts that it says will promote efficiency but that critics worry could result in a more politicized force.

Hegseth also told the National Guard to shed 20% of its top positions and directed the military to cut an additional 10% of its general and flag officers across the force, which could include any one-star or above or officer of equivalent Navy rank.

The cuts are on top of more than a half-dozen top general officers that President Donald Trump or Hegseth have fired since January, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. CQ Brown Jr. They also have fired the only two women serving as four-star officers, as well as a disproportionate number of other senior female officers.

In the earlier rounds of firing, Hegseth said the eliminations were “a reflection of the president wanting the right people around him to execute the national security approach we want to take.”

As Pentagon chief, Hegseth has touted his efforts to root out any programming or leadership that endorses diversity in the ranks, tried to terminate transgender service members and begun sweeping changes to enforce a uniform fitness standard for combat positions.

In a memo announcing the cuts Monday, Hegseth said they would remove “redundant force structure to optimize and streamline leadership.” He said the aim was to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers.”

Adding to the turmoil in the Pentagon, Hegseth in recent weeks has dismissed or transferred multiple close advisers, tightly narrowing his inner circle. He also has been facing questions from both Democrats and Republicans about his handling of sensitive information and use of the Signal messaging app.

There are about 800 general officers in the military, but only 44 of those are four-star general or flag officers. The Army has the largest number of general officers, with 219, including eight four-star generals.

The number of general officer positions in the military is set by law. Members of Congress were not provided with the advance notification they normally would receive on the cuts but were given a “very brief alert” this afternoon, according to a congressional staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not made public.

The cuts were first reported by CNN.

The Pentagon is under pressure to slash spending and personnel as part of the broader federal government cuts pushed by Trump and ally Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

Hegseth last week ordered a sweeping transformation of the Army to “build a leaner, more lethal force,” including merging or closing headquarters, dumping outdated vehicles and aircraft, slashing as many as 1,000 headquarters staff in the Pentagon and shifting personnel to units in the field.

Also last week the Army confirmed that there will be a military parade on Trump’s birthday in June, as part of the celebration around the service’s 250th birthday. Officials say it will cost tens of millions of dollars.

Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report.

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Published on May 05, 2025 16:22

Warriors coach Steve Kerr details history with Anthony Edwards before Timberwolves series

While the two teams have never met in the postseason, there is no shortage of history between the Warriors and Timberwolves. It’s a return to the second market Jimmy Butler III finagled his way out of, as well as another episode in the long-running feud between Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert.

On the lighter side, the matchup also reunites coach Steve Kerr with Minnesota’s young superstar, Anthony Edwards, who has spoken to the impact the Warriors coach had on his career even before they teamed up for Team USA in Paris last summer.

“He was amazing to coach,” Kerr said on a conference call Monday afternoon, reclining on his hotel bed in Minneapolis shortly after the Warriors’ arrival. “I love his energy. I love his infectious enthusiasm for the game. There’s a reason why the Wolves are where they are right now … They are where they are because Ant is a superstar.”

Edwards, now 23, has repeatedly credited Kerr with helping him understand what it took to get to that level when they worked him out leading up to the 2020 draft.

The Warriors would eventually select James Wiseman with the No. 2 pick after Edwards went first overall to the Timberwolves. But before that played out, Kerr, then-general manager Bob Myers and owner Joe Lacob flew to Atlanta, where they were unimpressed with the young prospect’s work ethic and told him as much.

“Before he came, I thought I was working hard,” Edwards told reporters in 2023. “When he came, I was going through the drills and he kept stopping them, like, ‘That’s all you got? That’s all you got?’ I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m going as hard as you want me to go. What do you want me to do?’ …

“Me and my trainer ran home after and we were just talking, like, ‘Bro, we gotta pick it up. I don’t know how, I don’t know what we gotta do, but we gotta pick it up. I think after that, I became a madman in the gym.”

According to Kerr, there was plenty of room for improvement. He went into detail about what he saw during the private session.

“We’re the only five people in the whole gym (with Edwards and his trainer), and after 15 minutes of just watching him lazily shoot 15-footers, I thought, ‘When’s the workout gonna start?’ It turned out that was the workout,” Kerr said with a chuckle. “I just went down there and said, ‘Hey, can we see something more?’ I think he was kind of surprised.”

The group went to dinner after the workout, where both sides remember regaling stories of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant. As Kerr recalled Monday, Edwards was “genuinely captivated” by the conversation. The Timberwolves star seemed to come away believing there was a theme to the tales.

“He was like, ‘Man, you’ve gotta see Steph and Klay and KD work out,” Edwards said in 2023. “We went to dinner that night and they still was continuously telling me, ‘Man, you didn’t work hard enough. If we had the No. 1 pick, we wouldn’t take you.’”

Of course, it never came to that. And, according to Kerr, Edwards won over the Warriors during a second workout two weeks later that was “way better.” He admitted the Warriors “weren’t sure” after the first workout. “After the second one, we were sure,” Kerr said. “You could see he was just exploding with talent and charisma.”

The rest is history, and Kerr now faces the task of game planning for the dynamic scoring threat over the course of a best-of-seven series. Since entering the league at age 19, the high-flying 6-foot-4 shooting guard has averaged 23.9 points per game and took it to a new high in his fifth season, scoring 27.6 per game while adding another option to his toolkit, shooting a career-best 39.5% from beyond the arc.

Kerr got an up-close look at Edwards this summer as a young pup on a veteran-laden national team but as far as game-planning goes, “The main insight I have is that he’s really damn good, so I don’t know how that helps us prepare,” he said. The circumstances led to Edwards taking a back seat to Curry, Durant and LeBron James, but that didn’t stop him from showing off his true self — or slow his swagger — at practice.

“They’d have these shooting contests and he’d be right in the middle of it, talking all kinds of trash,” Kerr said. “It’s such a big part of who he is. His love for the game, his love for competition. But it’s all in a really good-spirited way. There’s never anything malicious about the trash talk. He loves what he does and loves to compete. The guys around him really enjoy the banter too because it’s always in a humorous fashion.”

Little did he know that day in Atlanta five years ago would ignite all this.

Edwards dethroned Durant in last year’s playoffs. He eliminated James in five games last round. Now he’s coming for Curry, Kerr and the Warriors.

“I didn’t really think much of it at the time,” Kerr said. “I didn’t really realize it was that big of a deal, but it was pretty cool that he said that. I think it shows that he’s a young guy that wants to learn, wants to be great.”

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Published on May 05, 2025 16:14

Trump has threatened a 100% tariff on movies made outside the US. Here’s what we know

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is eyeing Hollywood for his next round of tariffs, threatening to levy all films produced outside the U.S. at a steep rate of 100%.

Over the weekend, Trump accused other countries of “stealing the movie-making capabilities” of the U.S. and said that he had authorized the Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative to immediately begin the process of implementing this new import tax on all foreign-made films. But further specifics or dates weren’t provided. And the White House confirmed that no final decisions had been made as of Monday.

Trump later said that he would meet with industry executives about the proposal but a lot remains unclear about how an import tax on complex, international productions could even be implemented.

If imposed, experts warn that such a tariff would dramatically hike the costs of making movies today. That uncertainty could put filmmakers in limbo, much like other industries that have recently been caught in the crosshairs of today’s ongoing trade wars.

Unlike other sectors that have recently been targeted by tariffs, however, movies go beyond physical goods, bringing larger intellectual property ramifications into question. Here’s what we know.

Why is Trump threatening this steep movie tariff?

Trump is citing national security concerns, a justification he’s similarly used to impose import taxes on certain countries and a range of sector-specific goods.

In a Sunday night post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that the American movie industry is “DYING to a very fast death” as other countries offer “all sorts of incentives” to draw filmmaking away from the U.S.

Trump has previously voiced concern about movie production moving overseas. And in recent years, U.S. film and television production has been hampered between setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hollywood guild strikes of 2023 and the recent wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Incentive programs have also long-influenced where movies are shot both abroad and within the U.S., with more production leaving California to states like Georgia and New Mexico — as well as countries like Canada.

But unlike other sectors targeted by Trump’s recently-imposed tariffs, the American film industry currently holds a trade deficit that’s in the U.S.’s favor.

In movie theaters, American-produced movies overwhelmingly dominate the domestic marketplace. Data from the Motion Picture Association also shows that American films made $22.6 billion in exports and $15.3 billion in trade surplus in 2023 — with a recent report noting that these films “generated a positive balance of trade in every major market in the world” for the U.S.

Last year, international markets accounted for over 70% of Hollywood’s total box office revenue, notes Heeyon Kim, an assistant professor of strategy at Cornell University. She warns that tariffs and potential retaliation from other countries impacting this industry could result in billions of dollars in lost earnings and thousands of jobs.

“To me, (this) makes just no sense,” she said, adding that such tariffs could “undermine otherwise a thriving part of the U.S. economy.”

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which represents behind-the-scenes entertainment workers across the U.S. and Canada, said in a statement Monday that Trump had “correctly recognized” the “urgent threat from international competition” that the American film and television industry faces today. But the union said it instead recommended the administration implement a federal production tax incentive and other provisions to “level the playing field” while not harming the industry overall.

How could a tax on foreign-made movies work?

That’s anyone’s guess.

“Traditional tariffs apply to physical imports crossing borders, but film production primarily involves digital services — shooting, editing and post-production work that happens electronically,” notes Ann Koppuzha, a lawyer and business law lecturer at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.

Koppuzha said that film production is more like an applied service that can be taxed, not tariffed. But taxes require Congressional approval, which could be a challenge even with a Republican majority.

Making a movie is also an incredibly complex — and international — process. It’s common for both large and small films to include production in the U.S. and in other countries. Big-budget movies like the upcoming “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning,” for instance, are shot around the world.

U.S. studios frequently shoot abroad because tax incentives can aid production costs. But a blanket tariff across the board could discourage that or limit options, Kim said — hurting both Hollywood films and the global industry that helps create them.

“When you make these sort of blanket rules, you’re missing some of the nuance of how production works,” added Steven Schiffman, a longtime industry veteran and adjunct professor at Georgetown University. “Sometimes you just need to go to the location, because frankly it’s way too expensive just to try to create in a soundstage”

Schiffman points to popular titles filmed outside the U.S. — such as Warner Bros’ “Harry Potter” series, which was almost entirely shot in the U.K. “The cost to have done that would have like literally double to produce those movies under this proposed tariff,” he said.

Could movie tariffs have repercussions on other intellectual property?

Overall, experts warn that the prospect of tariffing foreign-made movies ventures into uncharted waters.

“There’s simply no precedent or sense for applying tariffs to these types of creative services,” Koppuzha said. And while the Trump administration could extend similar threats to other forms of intellectual property, like music, “they’d encounter the same practical hurdles.”

But if successful, some also warn of potential retaliation. Kim points to “quotas” that some countries have had to help boost their domestic films by ensuring they get a portion of theater screens, for example. Many have reduced or suspended such quotas over the years in the name of open trade — but if the U.S. places a sweeping tariff on all foreign-made films, these kinds of quotas could come back, “which would hurt Hollywood film or any of the U.S.-made intellectual property,” Kim said.

And while U.S. dominance in film means “there are fewer substitutes” for retaliation, Schiffman notes that other forms of entertainment — like game development — could see related impacts down the road.

Others stress the potential consequences of hampering international collaboration overall.

“Creative content distribution requires thoughtful economic approaches that recognize how modern storytelling flows across borders,” notes Frank Albarella, U.S. media and telecommunications sector leader at KPMG. “The question hanging over every screen: Might we better nurture American storytelling through smart, targeted incentives, or could we inadvertently force audiences to pay more for what could become a narrower creative landscape?”

AP Writers Jake Coyle and Jill Colvin in New York, Aamer Madhani in Palm Beach, Florida and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

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Published on May 05, 2025 15:57

Clipboard: Iconic group of runners continue legacy at Big Sur Marathon

They are known as the Grizzled Vets, a group of runners who have completed every Big Sur International Marathon since its inception in 1986.

The group is now down to six – five men and one woman – after last month’s 38th running of one of the world’s iconic marathons.

Competing in their 38th Big Sur Marathon were Donna Troyna, Pierre D’Avenas, Bob Utley, Manny Ramirez, Jake McGuire and Mike Suchomel.

The significant six have the distinction of claiming they have run in the hottest, coldest, wettest and windiest Big Sur Marathons.

The 71-year-old Troyna completed her race in just over six hours, finishing fifth in her age category.

The 63-year-old Ramirez dipped under five hours, while the 72-year-old D’Avenas, a Carmel resident, finished in 5:52.27.

Utley, 68, covered 26.2 miles in 5 hours, 14 minutes and 16 seconds, with McGuire finishing a few strides behind in 5:28.38. Suchomel was just over six hours.

Montano invited to N.Y. Giants camp

Former Alisal High and Hartnell College kicker Abraham Montano has been extended an invitation to the New York Giants rookie minicamp, slated for Friday and Saturday.

The left-footed Montano, who originally was granted a waiver for an extra year of eligibility to former junior college players, but later denied by the NCAA, went undrafted in last week’s NFL draft.

Montano put together one of the best single seasons by a kicker in New Mexico State history last fall, connecting on 78.3 percent of his field goal attempts.

The 22-year-old put himself in the New Mexico State and Conference USA record books with a 59-yard field goal in his final game against UTEP.

Montana led the conference in field goals (18), with his percentage being second in Conference USA. He was seventh in the conference in scoring at 6.3 points a game.

A member of Alisal’s Northern California Division III title-winning soccer team in 2019, Montano was 7-of-7 inside 40 yards and connected on 5-of-8 from beyond 50 yards.

The 6-foot, 200-pounder didn’t miss an extra point and produced 34 touchbacks on kickoffs for New Mexico State.

After kicking a school record 50-yard field goal for Hartnell in 2019, Montano spent three years at Fresno State, converting 12-of-19 field goals and 45-49 extra points over 16 games before transferring to New Mexico State.

Montano is the first kicker in the county to be extended an NFL invitation since former Carmel kicker Andrew Franks spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins in 2015-16.

Salinas’ White coaching at San Francisco State

With San Francisco State slated to cut its baseball program at the end of the season, former Salinas High catcher Nick White could be coaching his last games for the Gators.

Arriving in 2023, White is the pitching coach and catching coordinator for San Francisco State, which is headed to the CCAA tournament along with CSUMB.

Administrators for San Francisco State announced last month that they were cutting the baseball program because of financial restraints.

White has also served as the head coach for the Menlo Park Legends of the Bay Area Collegiate Baseball League since 2021.

Having played at Oklahoma Wesleyan, where he helped lead the program to the College World Series in 2013, White also helped College of San Mateo reach the Junior College World Series.

Prior to arriving at San Francisco State, White had coaching stints at Menlo College and San Jose State.

Schreiber a spot starter

Alisal gra Sebastian Schreiber has made eight appearances for the Santa Clara University baseball team – five of which have been starts.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound left-handed hurler put together his best outing earlier this year against Cal, striking out eight in four shutout innings.

Schreiber, who is still looking for his first win, has thrown 14.1 innings overall for the Broncos with 17 strikeouts. He has rotated in and out of the rotation in his last four appearances.

A former Alisal hurler, Schreiber returned from an arm injury in 2023 at Hartnell College, where he struck out 75 hitters in 65 innings of work, including a collegiate career high 10.

Stevenson sailors in state championships

Two Stevenson sailing teams among 29 pairs grabbed 11 Top 10 finishes in the Silver Division to place fourth at the Pacific Coast State Championships at the Oakland Estuary.

Patrick O’Hara and Marc Cheug earned seven top 10 finishes, while Claire Lee and Liah Yamamura earned four top 10 places to put the Pirates within a point of a podium finish.

Both teams, who have been among the top regatta teams in the state all season, were taking part in the “A” Fleet Division in the biggest high school sailing event of the season.

Point Loma High won the title. Teams from Carmel and Pacific Grove also took part in the prestigious event.

Johnson-Toney Football Camp

The Boys and Girls Club of Monterey County will showcase the 13th annual Johnson-Toney free football camp.

The camp — boys and girls ages 9-14 — will be staged June 24-27 at the Cal State Monterey Bay soccer fields, with boys and girls ages 15-17, slated for July 22-25 at Rabobank Stadium.

Ron Johnson and Anthony Toney, who both played for the Philadelphia Eagles, have been a part of the camp since its inception when it was called the Herm Edwards Football Camp.

The camp is non-contact, mirroring the NFL Play 60 Character Camp. Coaches will teach basic football skills, as well as gratefulness, self-control, loyalty, honor, truthfulness and integrity.

The youth camp is limited to 300 participants, with the high school portion in July limited to 100 kids. Deadline to register is June 23. Register online at bgcmpc.org

Coaches needed

Salinas is looking for a boys and girls cross country coach, a girls volleyball coach and a girls water polo coach for this coming fall. Go to art.hunsdorfer@salinasuhsd.org

Marina is looking for varsity, JV and freshman head coaches this coming fall for girls’ volleyball. Go to edjoin.org

Officials needed

Peninsula Sports Incorporate is looking for high school and middle school officials for all sports this season. Varsity officials are paid $100 a game.

There is an immediate need for officials in the fall for football, flag football, water polo, field hockey and volleyball. Training is provided. Call Tom Emery at (831) 241-1101.

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Published on May 05, 2025 15:38

49ers’ Lynch provides update on ‘positive’ Purdy talks, how draft could have detoured

SANTA CLARA — As the 49ers enter Phase 2 of their voluntary offseason program, Brock Purdy keeps showing up as his contract talks persist.

“We’re having really good, positive discussions,” general manager John Lynch said Monday on Chris Simms’ “Unbuttoned” podcast. “When it gets done? I’m not sure. Hope sooner than later, but hope is not a strategy. So we’re making progress. We’ve had good discussions.”

Purdy and almost all 49ers have taken part in the offseason program that began two weeks ago. Rookie minicamp is this Friday and Saturday for the 49ers’ 11-man draft class, their six undrafted free agents who’ve signed, and others invited to audition such as Wake Forest quarterback Hank Bachmeier.

Purdy is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is expected to fetch 10 times more than his slated salary of $5.3 million. Purdy’s agent, Kyle Strongin, has not commented publicly on the contract negotiations, and he did not immediately return a message Monday from this news organization.

“I’m looking (at the practice field) because our players are starting to arrive for their day of work, and Brock is out there doing a tremendous job, as are all our players,” Lynch added. “After a year like (last season’s 6-11, last-place showing), it was important (to attend). Kyle (Shanahan) did a great job saying, ‘Guys when we built this thing, when we had our success, we had 99 percent of our guys here in the offseason. It’s voluntary. We can’t make you come. But it would be cool if everybody came. We had everybody but one player here when we kicked off.”

“Brock being here reinforces that because everybody knows who Brock is and he is a very social person in the locker room,” tight end George Kittle told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan. “His being around, getting to meet everybody, is just good for our team chemistry.”

Purdy also joined dozens of teammates at last weekend’s Golden Getaway fundraiser in Carmel Valley. He has not commented on his contract since the 49ers cleaned out their lockers four months ago.

The 49ers’ brass has insisted publicly all offseason that paying Purdy is their intention. Although they’ve committed the third-fewest dollars in free agency the past two months, Lynch noted: “At the end of this offseason we may be a top-two spending team.”

Last week, Kittle signed a four-year extension worth $19.1 million annually.

“Me and Brock have a lot of things in common: Two kids that came out of — no one really had high expectations for either of us, and we both exceeded those expectations,” Kittle added. “He kind of took a rocket ship a little bit faster than I did. Mine was over the course of several years. His was over the course of like six games.”

DRAFT’S CONTINGENCY PLAN

The 49ers may have used their first five draft picks on defensive players — as did the Arizona Cardinals, the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles — but they had an offensive player on deck if defensive end Mykel Williams wasn’t available at No. 11 overall.

“I don’t like talking about guys that we didn’t take, but I will tell you that, yes, we did go five consecutive defensive players,” Lynch said. “But if Mykel wasn’t there, it likely would have been an offensive player.”

Fearing that Williams might go to the New Orleans Saints at No. 9, the 49ers tried in vain to trade up to No. 8 with the Carolina Panthers.

“With Mykel, we felt there was a good chance the Saints would take him. We ran into a situation, the one player was there – Kelvin Banks, a Texas guy, an offensive tackle – he’s the one guy, if not him, they would have taken Mykel,” Lynch added. “But Banks was there and they didn’t expect him to be there.”

Would the 49ers have taken Banks? Or were their offensive eyes set on someone else? The next offensive players drafted in the top 20 were guard Tyler Booker (No. 12, Dallas Cowboys), tight end Tyler Warren (No. 14, Indianapolis Colts), guard Grey Zabel (No. 18, Seattle Seahawks) and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (No. 19, Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

Of the 10 draft picks preceding the 49ers’, eight were on offensive players: quarterback Cam Ward (No. 1, Tennessee Titans); wide receiver Travis Hunter (No. 2, Jacksonville Jaguars); offensive tackles Will Campbell (No. 4, New England Patriots), Armand Membou (No. 7, New York Jets) and Banks Jr. (No. 9, New Orleans Saints); running back Ashton Jeanty (No. 6, Las Vegas Raiders); wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8, Carolina Panthers); and tight end Colston Loveland (No. 10, Chicago Bears).

CLOSE CALL FOR COWING

Lynch, on Simms’ podcast, revealed something about the 2024 draft: the 49ers almost didn’t select wide receiver Jacob Cowing before their time expired at the end of Round 3. Lynch said Shanahan repeatedly polled the 49ers’ draft room as the final minute ticked away with them on the clock, and with either Cowing or an unidentified linebacker in their crosshairs. “It went down to 2 seconds and we got the pick in. That was the closest call we’ve ever had,” Lynch said.

Jordan Magee was the next linebacker off the 2024 draft board, going in the fourth pick of the fifth round to the Washington Commanders and Adam Peters, their first-year general manager who had just left the 49ers. Other linebackers to go that round: J.D. Bertrand (Falcons), Tommy Eichenberg (Raiders), Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (Eagles) and Edefuan Ulofoshio (Bills). The 49ers’ linebacker depth was scarce last season, while Cowing served as their primary punt returner.

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Published on May 05, 2025 15:36

Trump administration says Harvard will receive no new grants until it meets White House demands

By COLLIN BINKLEY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Harvard University will receive no new federal grants until it meets a series of demands from President Donald Trump’s administration, the Education Department announced Monday.

The action was laid out in a letter to Harvard’s president and amounts to a major escalation of Trump’s battle with the Ivy League school. The administration previously froze $2.2 billion in federal grants to Harvard, and Trump is pushing to strip the school of its tax-exempt status.

In a press call, an Education Department official said Harvard will receive no new federal grants until it “demonstrates responsible management of the university” and satisfies federal demands on a range of subjects. It applies to federal research grants and not federal financial aid students receive to help cover tuition and fees.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the decision on a call with reporters.

The official accused Harvard of “serious failures” in four areas: antisemitism, racial discrimination, abandonment of rigor and viewpoint diversity. To become eligible for new grants, Harvard would need to enter negotiations with the federal government and prove it has satisfied the administration’s demands.

Harvard’s president has previously said he will not bend to government’s demands. The university sued to halt its funding freeze last month.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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Published on May 05, 2025 15:28

Warriors-Timberwolves preview: NBA’s two hottest teams since March face off in playoffs

Anthony Edwards eliminated one Team USA teammate already, and now the Timberwolves’ rising star will get his crack at another Olympic gold-medal winner after Stephen Curry and the Warriors took care of business — at last — against the Rockets.

With a 103-89 win Sunday in Game 7, Golden State advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, where they will face Edwards and Minnesota, which needed only five games to move past Luka Doncic, LeBron James and the third-seeded Los Angeles Lakers.

The series, which tips off Tuesday (6:30 p.m., TNT) at the Target Center in Minneapolis, pits the West’s No. 6 and No. 7 teams against each other, but the Dubs and Wolves would both say they ended the season playing better basketball than their seeding indicates.

Season series: GSW 3, MIN 1

107-90 MIN* (Dec. 6)114-106 GSW (Dec. 8)113-103 GSW* (Dec. 21)116-115 GSW* (Jan. 15)* = road win

The storyline: The Warriors have never faced the Timberwolves in the postseason and, more importantly, haven’t seen them at all since acquiring Jimmy Butler III.

Perhaps only Golden State had the trajectory of its season altered more than Minnesota in the time since.

While Butler propelled the Warriors into the league’s top defense and a 26-9 record with him in the lineup, Minnesota’s pick-and-roll combo of Edwards and Julius Randle has unlocked the league’s second-best offense and a 20-5 record (including the playoffs) since March 1.

For once, the Warriors can’t claim the best player in the series. That title belongs to the 23-year-old Edwards, who took a back seat to Curry and the old guard in Paris but, like it or not, has put himself in the conversation as the next face of the league.

He averaged 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists while playing 41 minutes per game in Minnesota’s series against the Lakers. Edwards mostly kept the Timberwolves’ offensive machine rolling, averaging 117.5 points per 100 possessions after posting a 121.9 regular-season figure since March 1, second only to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

After a physical series against the Rockets, Golden State will also have to contend with the size of the Timberwolves, who start Randle (6-9, 250) alongside Rudy Gobert, the 7-foot-1 four-time defensive player of the year, and have Naz Reid (6-9, 264) coming off the bench.

Gobert, as Warriors fans may recall, is a longtime target of Draymond Green’s ire, including last season when Green put Gobert in a chokehold and drew a five-game suspension.

X factor: The Timberwolves will be operating not only with homecourt advantage but also with youth and four extra days of rest on their side.

Edwards may prove better equipped for the rigors of a playoff series than Curry (thumb) and Butler (back), who are 37 and 35 years old respectively and continue to nurse injuries. Curry logged 267 minutes in the seven-game slog against Houston — 45 in Game 7 — while Butler was forced to miss a game after taking a hard fall, as opposed to only 205 minutes of mileage in the first round on Edwards, who will go nearly a week between games.

The schedule

Game 1: Warriors at Timberwolves, Tuesday (6:30 p.m. PT, TNT)Game 2: Warriors at Timberwolves, Thursday (5:30 p.m. PT, TNT)Game 3: Timberwolves at Warriors, Saturday (time TBD, ABC)Game 4: Timberwolves at Warriors, Monday (time TBD, ESPN)Game 5: Warriors at Timberwolves, Wed. May 14 (time TBD, TNT)*Game 6: Timberwolves at Warriors, Sun. May 18 (time TBD, tv TBD)*Game 7: Warriors at Timberwolves, Tue. May 20 (5:30 p.m. PT, ESPN)**= if necessary

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Published on May 05, 2025 03:45

Horoscopes May 5, 2025: Henry Cavill, preparation is the key to a successful year

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Adele, 37; Henry Cavill, 42; Danielle Fishel, 44; Tina Yothers, 52.

Happy Birthday: Preparation is the key to a successful year. Consider implementing personal changes. However, before heading in a new direction, be honest about what you want and how to make it happen. Consider your relationships with others and who you should keep close. The aim is to improve your life by eliminating what’s holding you back and fortifying what can help you get ahead. Your numbers are 8, 15, 21, 28, 34, 42, 49.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Speak from the heart, and you’ll gain respect and support from those in charge. A physical challenge will exhilarate and motivate you to take better care of yourself and become more active in your community or group functions. Do your part, and you won’t be disappointed. Love and romance look promising. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take refuge in spaces that allow you the freedom to work without someone looking over your shoulder or criticizing everything you do. Having peace of mind is essential if you intend to get things done. Leave nothing to chance. Work alone and keep your personal and financial business to yourself. 2 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look at documents involving institutions or your possessions, assets or joint ownerships. Aim to broaden your perspective and enhance your opportunities to see every angle of whatever situation you encounter. It’s up to you to map out your journey to ensure you don’t take unnecessary detours that can be costly or misleading. 4 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Slow down. Breathe deep, consider your situation and take a pass if something appears sketchy. It’s OK to say no or to change your mind. Refuse to get entangled in someone else’s drama or poor choices. Focus inward, hone your skills and adjust your talents to accommodate what you want to pursue. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Live and learn. Concentrate on what matters to you and what you must do to fulfill your dreams. Learn new skills and associate with people who have similar interests and goals. Share your feelings and intentions and see if someone you like is on the same page as you. Update your appearance. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A change may be in order, but micromanagement is necessary to avoid excessive behavior and letting others take advantage of you. Consider what will benefit you most and how to educate yourself to ensure you can make your dreams come true. Make decisions guided by common sense, not emotions. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Hold what and who you love close and manufacture an environment around you conducive to independence and achieving your goals. Expand your knowledge and develop friendships with people who have something to offer. Build the life you want, and you won’t be disappointed. Fuel business or personal relationships with endless possibilities. Share feelings. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Settle down and settle in for the long haul. Change begins with you. Make choices that allow you to use your skills and experience extraordinarily, and you will discover a way forward that excites you. Discipline and a passionate attitude will give you the edge in competitive situations. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Leap forward. Refuse to let fear stifle your plans. Test your mental and physical attributes and push forward with strength and confidence. Invest in being your best and find a path leading to monetary rewards and self-satisfaction. Prioritize home improvements and a healthy lifestyle. 2 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Be careful what you say and do. When in doubt, step back, be reserved and pay closer attention to partnerships, joint ventures and financial and legal matters. Take care of emotional or health issues before they have a chance to wreak havoc and uncertainty on your life. Put yourself first. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Being proactive can lead to good or bad depending on your approach. Channel your thoughts, feelings and actions into gaining ground, handling financial matters smartly and being open and honest regarding your intentions. An opportunity is apparent if you network. Attend events, travel and gather information that can help you advance your interests. 3 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Making emotional decisions will backfire unless you’ve done the proper legwork to ensure your plan is solid and fair. If you embellish or take on too much, your strategy will crumble. Give yourself time and room to adapt to your environment and change what’s necessary as you move forward. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are emotional, guarded and demure. You are intelligent and thoughtful.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.
2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.
3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.
4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.
5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

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Published on May 05, 2025 03:00

May 4, 2025

Buddy Hield shows up big for Warriors in first Game 7 of his career

Stephen Curry inserted the dagger with 2:55 to play and Buddy Hield twisted it in the hearts of the Houston Rockets on the next possession.

After three tries and a hard-fought Game 7, the Warriors are moving on, and while that became clear when Curry sank a step-back 3 to put them up by 17, it was only fitting that Hield was the one who put a bow on the 103-89 win Sunday night.

The corner 3 to extend the lead to 20 was Hield’s eighth of the night, and he would add one more before time expired to finish with a team-best 33 points on 9-of-11 shooting from distance.

“That’s what the game called for and he answered it,” Curry said.

“And if I didn’t throw him a grenade, he would have been 9 for 10,” added Draymond Green. “He made winning plays all night.”

True, Hield logged a season-high 37 minutes, took on defensive assignments against Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green and didn’t stop making 3s after halftime.

But in the first Game 7 of his career, Hield will be most remembered for his first half.

The Warriors entered the locker room up 51-39, mostly thanks to 22 points from a red-hot Hield. With the Rockets successfully stifling Batman (Curry) and Robin (Jimmy Butler III), Alfred knocked down six of his seven 3-point attempts before intermission.

“Buddy getting hot changed the whole game in the first half,” coach Steve Kerr said.

It’s impossible to know where the Warriors would be without Hield’s lights-out display in the first half, but Kerr said he “never wavered” over keeping him in the starting five.

The shooting bonanza came just one game after Hield was held scoreless while missing all four of his attempts from the field in a Game 6 loss. He scored four points in Game 5 and combined for seven — with one 3-pointer — in the first two games of the series.

His best game so far came off the bench, when he scored 17 in Game 3 and convinced Kerr to insert him into the starting lineup for Game 4. That combination — alongside Curry, Butler, Green and Brandin Podziemski — Kerr said, was “by far our best five-man unit of the series.”

Talking to Kevon Looney on the bench, Hield remarked on his spot in the starting lineup.

“Like, man, I’m so glad I’m starting tonight. I don’t know how it would’ve been coming off the bench because coming off the bench in a Game 7 would have been really hard,” Hield said. “So just starting and getting the jitters out. It’s a childhood dream. We all talk about Game 7, we all want to play in Game 7. But actually playing in a Game 7 and getting prepared for it, it’s one of the hardest things ever.”

This is Hield’s ninth season in the NBA but only his second taste of the playoffs. He was eliminated in four games with the Philadelphia 76ers last spring.

His first Game 7 wasn’t just one to remember, but one for the record books. His nine 3-pointers tied Donte DiVincenzo (with the Knicks last May) for the most in any Game 7 in postseason history, while his 33 points were the most by any player held scoreless the previous game.

Yet, his shooting wasn’t all his teammates cared to talk about. Hield helped contain VanVleet to just 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and Jalen Green to eight points total.

“This was not just a lights-out shooting performance from Buddy; it was a two-way performance,” Kerr said. “I thought his defense was fantastic.”

“The 33 points were great, nine 3s — incredible,” Green added. “But what he did on the defensive end was even more impressive.”

“He’s a tough cover, for sure, when he’s making shots, but he made so many right plays on the defensive side of the ball, getting the ball where it needed to go,” Butler said, paying his pal a rare compliment. “Buddy was really, really, really big for us tonight.”

The Bahamian’s easy-going personality has been a source of levity in the locker room, especially since Butler’s arrival, but he proved he was locked in for the most important game of his career. Sound familiar?

If there was such a thing as Game 6 Klay, could there be Game 7 Buddy?

“To have that shooter’s confidence that the game says shoot and let it fly and we’ll live with it. I’m happy for him because he works so hard all year,” Curry said. “Getting to know him this season, you see how much basketball means to him and knowing this is only his second playoff run, to have a game like that in a Game 7 … it’s pretty special.”

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Published on May 04, 2025 23:17

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