Men's Journal's Blog, page 104

Tyrese Haliburton's Girlfriend Sends Clear Shot After Pacers Comeback Win Over Knicks

Tyrese Haliburton helped the Indiana Pacers steal momentum in their playoff series with the Knicks, and his girlfriend let New York know it.

Following Indiana’s 138-135 comeback win at Madison Square Garden, Haliburton’s girlfriend, Jade Jones, posted a photo on Instagram with a caption that seemed aimed squarely at Knicks fans: "Finally got to see the ball drop in NYC."

The line, paired with photos of her courtside, was a clear reference to both New Year’s Eve in Times Square and the Knicks’ second-half collapse.

Fans instantly expressed their love of the light-hearted jab. "That’s the best caption I’ve seen in awhile!!" wrote one.

Another chimed in, "This caption is the GOAT!!"

At least one Knicks fan let Jones know she'd hit the mark. "As a Knicks fan… I can honestly say that caption hurts so deeply."

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A post shared by Jade (@jadeeejones)

Haliburton, who’s emerged as one of the breakout stars of this postseason, had an all-around performance that helped fuel Indiana’s road victory and even the series. The Pacers overcame a sluggish first half to stun the home crowd with their late-game poise, outplaying the Knicks down the stretch.

The win didn’t just shift the tone of the series. It also gave Haliburton a bit of personal redemption after being held in check during the opening games. And for those watching closely, Jones’s Instagram post seemed to mirror that energy: confident, a little cocky, and perfectly timed.

Haliburton and Jones, a former Iowa State cheerleader, have been dating since college. While she’s kept a relatively low profile throughout his rise in the NBA, this playful jab was enough to catch fans’ attention and add a little extra spark to a suddenly heated series.

The Pacers return home next, with momentum, and a bit of social media swagger, on their side.

Related: Popular ESPN Personality Abruptly Retires

McDonald's Announces Big Change to Nationwide Hours

McDonald’s is expanding its hours of operation once more and will now be offering late-night dining hours at a “vast majority” of restaurant locations across the U.S., a spokesperson for the company announced on Wednesday. 

Restaurants nationwide will soon be open past midnight, while others will remain open 24/7 to compete with other industry competitors. The extension excludes most of the company's non-traditional restaurants located in airports, shopping malls or other areas that prohibit extended operating hours, the spokesperson reports.

“Our fans know there’s no better way to end an unforgettable night than by feasting on your favorite McDonald’s order,” the company spokesperson reported. “That’s why, as the summer season kicks off, we’re excited to offer up more ways for customers to satisfy their late-night cravings with more choices and expanded hours at more restaurants. Now fans can snag our brand-new McCrispy Strips and Creamy Chili Dip or another one of their faves like the Quarter Pounder or Chicken McNuggets, whenever their cravings strike.”

According to QSR, street teams will be at various concerts in New York, Los Angeles, and Detroit on Saturday giving away free merchandise, coupons and gift cards for the chicken strips. Kendrick Lamar and SZA perform in Los Angeles, Beyoncé performs at MetLife Stadium, and the Weeknd performs in Detroit. The brand will also be giving away 1,000 virtual gift cards for free McCrispy Strips on Instagram.

The announcement comes not long after the chain announced plans to hire 375,000 workers, its largest hiring push in years. The burger chain also plans to open an additional 900 locations by 2027.

TSA Reminds Passengers About REAL ID

As of May 7, the TSA began requiring all passengers over the age of 18 to have REAL ID-compliant identification in order to fly domestically. While those without compliant IDs will still be accommodated, the TSA is still is reminding everyone that the requirement is still in place.

In an announcement on Wednesday ahead of what is expected to be a busy Memorial Day Weekend for travel, the TSA issued a reminder to everyone that the new standards are in place and "is the law of the land moving forward."

“TSA has been very pleased with the high rate of compliance with REAL ID requirements among travelers. We have seen little to no disruption in our security operations since REAL ID enforcement started on May 7,” said TSA Federal Security Director for Idaho James Spies in statement. “As we approach the busy summer travel season, we continue to remind travelers that REAL ID enforcement is the law of the land moving forward. Travelers 18 and older should plan now for the type of photo identification they will use during the TSA identity verification process.” 

The TSA warned that those without REAL ID-compliant identification "may experience delays and receive additional screening when they arrive at the TSA security checkpoint."

Originally introduced with the REAL ID Act of 2005 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the new, more secure ID card adheres to stricter standards and is identifiable by a gold star in the upper right corner of the card.

Implementation of the act was repeatedly delayed for nearly two decades, but the May 7 deadline was the final deadline, and all passengers are expected to comply with the new identification standards going forward.

Kirk Cousins Reacts to Travis Kelce Body Hair, Praises Taylor Swift

This week, a shirtless photo of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce went viral on social media as fans commented on the amount of body hair on his back. Now, one veteran NFL quarterback is weighing in with a message to Kelce's girlfriend, Taylor Swift.

During a recent interview with E! News, longtime NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins was asked about the shirtless photo and Kelce's back hair, and he had a pretty clear message to Taylor Swift in response.

"God bless Taylor Swift for being good with that," Kirk told E! News cohost Keltie Knight. "That's awesome. Good for her."

Cousins revealed that the back hair is not something that he personally deals with, but he's been around enough players to know that it is common.

"Thankfully, I don't have to deal with that, but I'm in a locker room a lot," he said in the interview. "That's just a part of life. It is what it is."

Kelce addressed his body hair himself during the most recent episode of his New Heights podcast.

"I'm a furry son of a [expletive]," he said on the May 21 episode of his New Heights podcast, explaining why he was wearing two shirts while recording the episode. "Me and heat just don't do well together."

Clearly, Taylor does not seem bothered by it, and Kelce does not seem to have any problem embracing it.

Is the Final 'Mission: Impossible' Really Worth Your Time and Money?

You may have heard that Tom Cruise is retiring from impossible missions. After the release of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, the movie series that began in 1996 has come to an end. But, with a massive runtime of almost three hours, is this epic Mission: Impossible worth your hard-earned time and money? The short answer is yes and no. Yes, because it's incredible to look at, and unlike any action movie you'll see this year. And no, because the story requires you to reinvest in some random plot point from two decades ago, most of which hardly make sense, and all add to a climax that ironically feels like the middle, rather than the end.

Here's the good, the bad, and the impossible for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and why fans of big, popcorn movies should see it on the biggest IMAX screen possible, while those who love subtle spy thrillers can probably wait for streaming. No major spoilers ahead.

The first thing to know about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is that the movie expects you to sort of nod knowingly every time a random detail is mentioned from previous Mission: Impossible movies. Do you remember what Ethan Hunt (Cruise) had to steal in the 2006 movie Mission: Impossible 3? If not, just pretend that you do. Ditto with the entire plot of the previous film, 2023's Dead Reckoning: Part 1, which, although absolutely crucial for the set-up of this movie, doesn't require a rewatch ahead of time. The paradox of The Final Reckoning is that it's a movie about information, with a lot of information stuffed into it, and ultimately, a movie in which most people will almost certainly not retain any of this information. 

The best way to enjoy The Final Reckoning is to accept that it's almost a spoof of itself, that the over-the-top action sequences of the movie justify themselves. Because if you think too hard about why any of this is happening, you'll have less fun. This trick is hard, to be clear, because much of the first hour of the movie is spent on a ton of technobabble and exposition that would make even hardcore sci-fi fans blush. Many moviegoers won't have a hard time buying the AI villain known as "the Entity," though the menace of this antagonist was somewhat more interesting in the previous film, in which its powers were more theoretical and ethereal. 

In Dead Reckoning, Part 1, you got the sense that the whole thing that made the Entity scary was that it could manipulate information, and basically erase truth. But in The Final Reckoning, it's just a mad computer program with the keys to all the nukes on planet Earth. 

Basically, The Final Reckoning pits Ethan Hunt and the gang against a cyber version of a Bond villain, and tries to convince us this is the engame to the entire film series, because of retroactive revelations that tie back to the first movie, and oddly, very prominently to the third movie, the aforementioned 2006 J.J. Abrams-directed Mission: Impossible 3. Again, you don't need to rewatch this movie to more deeply understand The Final Reckoning. And that's because the galaxy brain take on this movie is that it's beyond deep understanding. The deeper and more profound The Final Reckoning tries to get with its commentary on technology, the more dated and kinda of old-fashioned it becomes.

Related: Hannah Waddingham Just Turned the 'Mission: Impossible' Spotlight Away From Tom Cruise

But about the stunts? What about Cruise hanging off that prop plane? Well, it all looks appropriately incredible. But, be warned, you have to wade through quite a bit to get to those very cool points. There's nothing wrong per se with the movie, and criticizing its absurdity almost seems mean. 

And yet, at the end of the day, The Final Reckoning wants us to care deeply about these characters, and specifically about Ethan Hunt. But the reason to watch the movie has almost nothing to do with him. With this last Mission: Impossible, the spectacle is turned up to eleven. You'll be amazed and impressed, but rarely surprised. 

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is in theaters everywhere on May 23, 2025.

Related: 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Turns Heads With Rotten Tomatoes Score

Jeff Ulbrich Addresses Shedeur Sanders Incident

New Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich found himself involved in a high-profile incident last month when his son was involved in a prank call to Shedeur Sanders during the NFL Draft. While it wasn't exactly an ideal start to his time with the Falcons, it sounds like he's been able to move forward.

The prank call happened during the second day of the NFL Draft after Sanders surprisingly slipped out of the first round and eagerly awaited a call from an NFL team selecting him in the second or third rounds on Friday.

Ulbrich's son, Jax, had taken Sanders' number off his father's iPad and he and some of his friends called the quarterback pretending to be New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.

After an investigation into the matter, the NFL decided to fine the Falcons $250,000 and Ulbrich $100,000 for failing to secure the information.

Ulbrich broke his silence on the incident during a press conference as he made it clear that he never felt like the Falcons were considering firing him for the mistake and he has felt nothing but support from the Falcons.

“In all honesty, I never went there, but I felt nothing but support from the organization in every single way -- from the people that worked the line in the cafeteria to [team owner Arthur Blank] himself, all of them,” Ulbrich said according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN.com. “I felt great support from him. It was one of the biggest reasons, in all honesty, that I came back here, because of the organization and what I think of this building.”

Clearly, Ulbrich and the team are just ready to move on from the incident.

'Reacher' Star Alan Ritchson Shares Behind the Scenes Look Ahead of Season 4

Not that it was needed, but Alan Ritchson, face of the Reacher television series, added some fuel to an already huge fire ahead of Season 4 of the show.

As fans await updates about the new season of the popular Amazon Prime Video series, specifically when it'll be released, Ritchson offered an update of his own. In a post on Instagram, the actor posted six photos, including one with the author of the Jack Reacher novel series, Lee Child.

Ritchson also included a photo of the show's stunt work, calling Season 4 of Reacher "the most intensely physical season yet." Last but certainly not least came the biggest tease of them all.

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A post shared by Alan Ritchson (@alanritchson)

To wrap up the caption on his May 21, 2025, post, Ritchson wrote the following:

"Season 4 is right around the corner and dare I say… May be the best season yet?"

The comments from the show's star signal that updates may be on the horizon, hint at the show's filming timeline, which initially pointed to mid-2025, and, of course, add a nice tease to hype up the new season.

Based on the limited amount of information that fans do have, it appears likely that the fourth season could premiere sometime in early 2026, realistically. Time will tell, but we'll have to live through Ritchson on social media for the next few months, while also watching for potential spoilers and any new details that get released.

Related: Alan Ritchson’s Surprise ‘Reacher’ Spin-off Shoot at MLB Game Had Fans Buzzing

Dodge Pulls the Plug on Its Newest Muscle Car—After Just One Year

Dodge’s first all-electric muscle car experiment isn’t going as planned. The automaker confirmed it will discontinue the Charger Daytona R/T, its entry-level electric model, after just one model year, citing slow sales, customer apathy, and shifting priorities.

The move comes amid a broader reset for Dodge and parent company Stellantis, which appear to be pivoting back to gas-powered muscle while delaying several high-profile electric launches across brands. The Daytona R/T, a two-door EV starting at $61,590, debuted without the signature Hemi V-8, instead offering 496 horsepower in a sleek package meant to appeal to the next generation of muscle car buyers.

But Dodge loyalists didn’t bite. With more powerful versions like the Daytona Scat Pack offering 670 horsepower for not much more money, and heavily incentivized pricing now bringing both trims into similar territory, the R/T never found its footing. Many buyers, insiders say, are simply holding out for the return of the Hemi or the arrival of Dodge’s new Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six models.

Related: Toyota Brings Back Car It Stopped Manufacturing in 2022—With Major Change

The EV’s cool reception wasn’t just about performance. According to Dodge, tariffs and pricing confusion also played a role. Despite steep tax credits and advertised prices as low as $47,000 with incentives, enthusiasm remained low.

Going forward, the Charger Daytona Scat Pack will be the sole electric model in the lineup. Gas-powered Chargers—including new four-door versions—are still expected to roll out through 2026. 

If the message wasn’t clear already, Dodge has heard it loud and clear: buyers still want grit, growl, and gasoline—not just silent speed.

Related: Honda’s Most Popular Gen Z SUV Just Got a Tech Upgrade

Alan Ritchson Just Posted an Incredible 'Reacher' Season 4 Update

Although Reacher Season 4 does not have a release date, the next installment in the TV adventures of the Reacher universe is coming soon. As confirmed by series star Maria Sten, the Reacher spinoff, Neagley, is very happening. In fact, it seems that Alan Ritchson is already stopping by the set of Neagley to check in on his buddies. And, in doing so, Ritchson gave the world an incredible update on the progress of the Reacher spinoff. He's just posted a photo of himself and the real "Reacher himself," author Lee Child, and gave a big update on Reacher Season 4 in the process.

On May 21, Alan Ritchson dropped six photos to his Instagram account, showing him stopping by the set of Neagley, presumably, to film some scenes for the new series. 

"Stopped by the Neagley set to see my dear friend @mariasten [Maria Sten] who is absolutely crushing it," Ritchson wrote in one caption. In another caption, he wrote: "Back into stunts with Buster, Eric, and team. Season 4 [of Reacher] is going to be the most intensely physical season yet. My body is ready."

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A post shared by Alan Ritchson (@alanritchson)

Ritchson also posted a photo with Lee Child, calling the author "Reacher himself," and added, "I wish everyone had the good fortune of being best friends for life with this man like we are, because we are best friends and he is adopting me officially soon, I think."

Perhaps most interestingly, Ritchson added another Reacher Season 4 tease, saying: "Season 4 is right around the corner and dare I say… May be the best season yet."

As of this writing, Reacher Season 4 does not have a release date. The assumption is that Jack Reacher will appear in a few episodes of Neagley, and that Reacher Season 4 will be released after that spinoff series concludes.

Speaking to Men's Journal earlier this year, Ritchson and Sten both expressed their hopes for different Lee Child books to be adapted for Reacher Season 4. Sten wants Without Fail, and Ritchson wants Die Trying.

Reacher streams on Prime Video.

Related: How to Read the Jack Reacher Books in the Correct Order (Hint: It's Not What You Think)

TNT Didn't Cut Audio Despite Charles Barkley Hot Mic

On Wednesday, May 21, the Inside the NBA on TNT crew broke down the coming action between the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. 

Ahead of the contest beloved analyst Charles Barkley revealed the most underrated player in the NBA - and the true reason the Pacers have a chance at the NBA Finals. The former NBA star turned analyst thinks Pascal Siakam is the straw that stirs the drink for the Pacers.

“I like Haliburton, but I think the only reason the Pacers are here is Siakam,” he said. “I think he’s the most underrated player in the NBA. He’s the best player on their team...But he’s the most underrated player in the NBA. And me and Draymond were talking, he’s one of the few players in the NBA who you can never run a play for, and he gets you 26. His ability is just, he’s so sleek.” 

Siakam earned his flowers from Barkley, but the former league MVP wasn't too pleased with Lu Dort not making an all-defensive team just yet and he let the voters know.

“Those guys who vote on that don’t know what the f*** they’re doing," Barkley said while he thought the broadcast was on commercial. TNT didn't cut the audio in time, giving the internet plenty to take about.

Need more Charles Barkley on a hot mic. @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/17jVuTMLRB

— Robin Washut (@RobinWashut) May 21, 2025

Fans couldn't get enough of the accident from Barkley.

"Charles Barkley dropping the f bomb as Inside the Nba goes to commercial," one fan said along with six laughing emojis. 

"Charles Barkley dropping the F bomb right before commercial break lmao," added another.

"Charles Barkley thought they went to commercial and dropped an F bomb on live TV lmaoooo Chuck was referring to Lu Dort never making an All-Defensive team," offered a third.

Barkley remains a legend.

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