'Thank you Daniel': Golf legend Phil Mickelson shows support for Daniel Penny for 'protecting' citizens



Three-time Masters Tournament champion Phil Mickelson gave a surprise endorsement of Daniel Penny, a man on trial in New York City for subduing a man on the subway who later died.

Mickelson is a longtime professional golfer who has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour (and then LIV Tour) since the early 1990s. Now 54 years old, "Lefty" has increasingly found his voice, sharing political stories while still generally remaining quiet publicly.

On Friday, Mickelson made a statement about Penny just hours before a manslaughter charge against him was dropped, with the jury unable to come to a decision.

'Thank you Daniel for serving your country ...'

The golfer was responding to a post on X that called Penny "a model citizen who should be praised by the city of New York."

The post also said Penny "is the person you hope is around if your loved ones' lives are being threatened" and finished by calling him a "hero."

Mickelson said he agreed with the sentiment and thanked Penny for his actions.

"Thank you Daniel for serving your country and for protecting the many passengers whose lives were threatened by this violent and deranged individual."

Then late Sunday night, Mickelson shared some "random thoughts," which included sentiments about football commentators, a TV show, and another statement regarding Penny.

"Random thoughts[.] Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth are great in the booth. Day of the Jackal is an incredible show. If a deranged individual threatens to kill you let’s hope there's a Daniel Penny around."

— (@)

Mickelson has also shared posts about mass immigration and even commented on the presidential debate in late June.

"After watching the debate last night, I feel it never got personal until they started talking golf handicaps and who hits the longest drives. As a golfer, I get it," he joked.

— (@)

As for Penny, the 26-year-old former Marine was arrested after he got into an altercation with a man named Jordan Neely on an NYC subway. Videos showed Penny subduing the man with a chokehold. Neely later died.

According to Fox News, Neely had an active arrest warrant at the time of the altercation, and he was high on K2, a synthetic marijuana drug. The man also had a lengthy criminal record that included an assault on a 67-year-old woman at a subway station in 2021.

Witnesses also reported the man was making death threats against passengers.

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Bengals QB Joe Burrow bought a fully functional Batmobile for $3 million and wants to drive it to every game



Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow surprised his teammates by revealing he bought an actual Batmobile.

The vehicle, nicknamed the Tumbler, is inspired by the Batmobile that first appeared in the 2005 film "Batman Begins" and retails for a reported $3 million with just 10 of the fully operational cars available.

During an episode of HBO's "Hard Knocks," Burrow told his teammates at practice about his lavish purchase.

"Have I told you I bought a Batmobile?" Burrow casually told wide receiver Tee Higgins. "I don't get it for, like, a year, but I bought it."

"Oh, the real one? That thing gonna be crazy," Higgins replied.

'What if I wore it to every game?'

Burrow then explained his hope to now buy an expensive Batman bat-suit replica and arrive at every Bengals game in full costume and be seen exiting the Batmobile.

"What if I wore it to every game? I just wore the full bat suit, Batmobile to every game. I'd go crazy on Halloween," Burrow laughed. "500 [yards], seven touchdowns," he predicted.

The Batmobile at the European premiere of 'Batman Begins' at the Odeon Leicester Square on June 12, 2005, in London, England. Photo by MJ Kim/Getty Images

Unfortunately, it might not be possible for Burrow to make his movie-inspired appearances at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.

According to Sawyer Merrit, who reported on the sale of the Batmobile replicas in November, the vehicles are operational but not street legal.

"Not street legal, but if you have private land or a track, you can use it," Merrit claimed.

The specs of the vehicle are quite impressive, and the Tumbler's paneling would rival almost any vehicle on the market in terms of durability.

The body is made of a combination of carbon, Kevlar, fiberglass, and metal panels. It has a steel tube frame, 6.2 liter V8 engine, and a whopping 525 horsepower. Along with plenty of torque, the Batmobile includes many of the amazing features that made it so cool in the movies.

This includes the ability to drop smoke screens, one-way mirrored glass windows, a "simulated jet engine," and, of course, imitation gun turrets.

After Higgins said he would wear the bat suit to the club, teammate Ja'Marr Chase jokingly expressed concern that he’d be invisible to the public he was seemingly trying to impress.

"You'll get lost in there. [The suit] is so dark," Higgins suggested.

However, maybe that's exactly what Batman/Burrow would want.

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LPGA adds 'female at birth' policy, admits men have 'competitive advantages in golf'



The Ladies Professional Golf Association has changed its gender policy in attempt to ensure fairness for women in the sport.

The tour announced that effective in 2025, athletes who are "assigned female at birth" are eligible for competitions, including the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and all other "elite LPGA competitions."

With its careful use of language, the LPGA has not completely ruled out transgender athletes, carving out a caveat that allows those whose parents had them undergo gender-related procedures to compete.

"Players assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty are not eligible to compete in the aforementioned events," the tour wrote.

As such, the rules center around whether or not a child went through puberty as a boy or a girl, implying males could go through some sort of female puberty.

'... the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf.'

The LPGA said it informed its policy through consulting top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance, and gender policy law. This included input from an "array of stakeholders" in order to prioritize competitive integrity in women's tournaments, the tour claimed. According to ESPN, the LPGA spent a year in this research phase.

The tour also admitted that males have advantages in the sport but leaned on the fact that its "working group" advised that this is the case.

"This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty."

LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan called the policy "science-based and inclusive," while adding that it represents a continued commitment to ensuring all competitors "feel welcome."

The most notable golfer affected by these changes is likely Hailey Davidson, a man posing as women who missed qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Women's Open by a single shot. Davidson reportedly began hormone treatments in his early 20s in 2015 and had "gender reassignment surgery" in 2021 to adhere with previous policy.

Davidson complained about the new rules on his Instagram page, blaming others for remaining "neutral" on the subject.

"Can't say I didn’t see this coming. Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay 'neutral' thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence."

He added, "What a great birthday present for 2024. Having the greatest achievement I've earned in my life taken from me."

Davidson then complained that although he was "outdriven by every player" at an event, he is still considered to have "an advantage" and got banned.

He concluded with complaints that he was not consulted in any of the studies for the women's sport, despite being the "only active golfer who is actually effected [sic] by these policy changes."

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NFL players can now smoke twice the amount of marijuana without fines but can't post about their drug tests on social media



The NFL and its players association have agreed to new substance-abuse guidelines that include an increase in tolerance for THC levels in an athlete's blood.

NFL reporter Tom Pelissero reported on the new agreement, posting a summary that was forwarded to athletes' agents.

Under changes to the Substances of Abuse Policy, the level of allowable THC levels (the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) in the blood increased from 150 nanograms per milliliter to 350 nanograms per milliliter. This means if the athlete's blood tests over 350 ng/ml, he would officially test positive.

While this increase of more than 2x seems significant, the odds of a person breaching the old threshold was likely rare; but perhaps the change was made for a reason.

According to website NCIDS.org, a study involving six subjects reported peak THC levels in blood between 46-188 ng/ml within the first 10 minutes of smoking.

This means that unless an athlete had literally just used marijuana right before their drug test, it is highly unlikely they would test positive under the new rules. It would still be difficult if the athlete had smoked within the last hour, as well.

'Can I post screenshots of text messages with my drug tester?'

Another portion of the updated policy included posting about drug tests or the results on social media. The NFLPA and the NFL agreed to terms that would fine a player $15,000 for "recording and posting [the] collection process" on their personal channels.

Pelissero also posted an image of a hilariously blunt FAQ sheet that was sent out by the players association.

The first question listed asked, "Can I post a photo or video of the white slip notifying me of a drug test?"

"No," was the answer, alluding to a pattern.

"Can I post screenshots of text messages with my drug tester?" the second question asked.

"No," was again the answer.

"Can I post a photo, video, or audio from inside the drug testing room during collection?" also received a "no" from the league.

The end of the page added a reminder, answering "yes" to the question, "Was it previously against the rules to publicly post such content?"

The NFLPA admitted there previously was "no clearly defined" disciplinary framework around this subject, which meant the league "had the discretion to impose fines that could have exceeded $15,000."

Those fines now appear to be limited to the $15,000 mark.

Other new updates to the policy included mandatory fentanyl testing. The tests carry no penalty if positive, but refusing the test is a $15,000 fine. A second missed test would increase the fine to $45,000, which is a change from the previous policy of a one-game suspension.

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Mike Tyson reportedly offered $700 million for Jake Paul rematch — with one huge catch



After Mike Tyson lost to Jake Paul by a decision in November, a government executive from Saudi Arabia reportedly offered Tyson $700 million to take have a rematch.

As reported by several outlets including MMA Weekly, Saudi Arabian adviser and minister Turki Alalshikh offered Tyson the money if he is willing to participate in a "real" fight with Paul.

Alalshikh is the current chairman of the board of directors of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia and is widely considered to have transformed the boxing landscape, typically with large injections of cash.

'Jake Paul is a joke.'

The $700 million offer was seemingly first reported by an Instagram page called FTTV, which cited Alalshikh as saying "Jake Paul is a joke."

Alalshikh then offered the caveat that Tyson would have to knock Paul out within the first three minutes of the fight to earn the money.

"I am giving Mike Tyson $700 million if he agrees to fight Jake Paul, this time in a real fight, and wins by KO in a maximum of three minutes," Alalshikh reportedly said.

It's difficult to know whether the offer is real, given that Alalshikh hasn't made any other public comments about Tyson since he was promoting the fight online in November.

The Saudi wasn't the only person seemingly unhappy with the outcome of the Netflix bout, with many notable celebrities saying they felt duped by the result.

NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin — who sat in the second row at the event — called the event a "lie" and even theorized that there were contract stipulations preventing Tyson from throwing his preferred punches.

"That fight was a lie," Irvin claimed. "Everybody's lying. ... They had no intentions to really strap it on. If you look through that, I didn't see one patented uppercut by Mike Tyson. What did Mike Tyson win on? Uppercut."

"He couldn't body and then uppercut. Like, how can you put that in a fight contract?" Irvin said.

At the same time, the enormous offer to Tyson showcases exactly what UFC President Dana White said is wrong with the current state of boxing.

Despite Alalshikh's previous claim that he was going to "fix" a broken sport, White said in October that the current boxing model "doesn't f***ing work. ... It takes a f***ing Saudi trillionaire to make boxing work."

White's words were in response to claims that he doesn't pay fighters enough and that there is more money for athletes, particularly UFC fighters, when they transition to boxing.

"Even Saudi trillionaires get tired of f***ing bulls***. It's all a myth," White said about the pay scales.

"All the people that are trying the boxing thing, they all end up losing s***loads of money."

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UFC legend Jim Miller criticizes 'steroid vacation' after Donald Cerrone says he will unretire following testosterone use



UFC veteran Jim Miller said he doesn't believe fighters should be taking time off to use testosterone before returning to the Octagon.

Speaking specifically about former opponent Donald Cerrone, Miller said that while Cerrone has been "very, very open" about his use of testosterone replacement, it will not heal his brain from previous knockouts.

"He got knocked out quite a few times, and that's not healing from going on a little [testosterone replacement therapy] or whatever. I'm not super into it, to be 100% honest."

Cerrone initially ended his career in July 2022 when he lost his sixth straight fight with a guillotine choke from Miller. Miller was avenging a 2014 loss to Cerrone that ended in a head-kick KO.

Cerrone announced in October, however, that he wanted to return to the UFC and complete the two remaining fights on his contract.

"When I retired, I told you I was getting my hair done and getting on steroids," Cerrone said at the time. "The last two years, taking TRT and a bunch of peptides. Now we've got a protocol. For all you people that [said], 'Oh, what if you get on it and you can't ever come off?'" he said rhetorically. "Well, now I have to come off and piss clean. Fight in a few months. So watch this."

According to MMA Fighting, Cerrone is planning his comeback around his 42nd birthday in March 2025.

'I'm not a very big fan of the whole steroid vacation thing. What are we doing?'

Miller told the outlet that while he has a tough time "telling other grown men what to do," it's up to Cerrone and his team to decide "if they want him to get punched in the head again."

The 41-year-old then explained that he doesn't approve of the steroid usage before a comeback.

"I'm not a very big fan of the whole steroid vacation thing. What are we doing? But he's going to do what he wants to do."

Miller said that for himself, he would never want to retire and then feel compelled to return. "When I make that choice that it's done for me, it's done."

Miller's disapproval seemed rooted in a concern for fighters not properly taking care of themselves. He directly referred to his brother Dan, a former UFC fighter who last fought in 2015 but retired due to what Miller described as an attempted return from injury that ultimately ended his career.

"It's a tough spot [for Cerrone]. I don't like making decisions for other grown men. They get to do their own thing. Whatever he decides to do, do it and do it to the fullest."

Cerrone seemingly already has plans beyond his two remaining fights with the UFC. He recently appeared on the comedy podcast "Kill Tony" and declared that he wanted to fight boxer Jake Paul in mixed martial arts.

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'The body just won't recover like it used to': Tiger Woods' future in golf looks grim



Tiger Woods shed light on whether or not he will continue his golfing career, explaining that his body isn't healing the way he hoped it would.

During a press conference in the Bahamas, Woods said he had a "long way to go" before he was "able to compete" against PGA Tour opponents.

Woods said last year he wanted to compete once per month in 2024 but played just five times this season and even withdrew from a tournament due to illness. He only made one cut in those five competitions; placing 60th at the Masters.

'That's part of age and part of the athlete's journey.'

While hosting the Hero World Challenge, Woods spoke to reporters for about 30 minutes on his injuries and intent to play moving forward.

"I'm not tournament-sharp yet. I'm still not there," Woods said regarding competing in the challenge; he finished 18 out of 20 in the tournament in 2023.

"These are 20 of the best players in the world, and I'm not sharp enough to compete against them at this level. When I'm ready to compete and play at this level, then I will."

Expressing his desire to continue golfing, Woods said "the fire still burns to compete."

"The difference is, the recovery of the body to do it is not what it used to be," he added.

"I still love doing it, I love competing, I love competing at anything whether it's we're playing cards or we're playing golf, and no matter what it is I love competing. That's never going to leave but, as far as the recovery process of going out there and doing it again and again and again and doing it consistently at a high level, for some reason the body just won't recover like it used to," Woods said with a shoulder shrug.

"That's part of age and part of the athlete's journey."

In mid-September, Woods went under the knife for what was believed to be his sixth back surgery, ESPN reported, an injury that also caused pain down right his leg. The pain became even worse as the 2024 season went on.

Woods has also had multiple surgeries to repair damage in his right foot and leg he suffered from a car accident in February 2021.

The 49-year-old said he didn't expect his back to go out again this year, but it was "quite painful" throughout the end of the season, which led to another procedure to alleviate the pain in his leg.

As for his future commitments, Wood said he could make new promises all over again but truly didn't know when he would recover.

"I'm just trying to rehab and still get stronger and better and feel better and really give myself the best chance I can going to next year."

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$10M prize for PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf 'Showdown' to be paid entirely in cryptocurrency



A made-for-TV golf game between the stars of the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's LIV Golf will award $10 million in cryptocurrency.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 3 Rory McIlroy will play an 18-hole prize match against No. 10-ranked Bryson DeChambeau and No. 79 Brooks Koepka.

The December 17 showdown will officially be called the "Crypto.com Showdown," with the title sponsor providing a crypto-backed purse for the first time in PGA history.

Front Office Sports reported that the $10 million prize will be paid entirely in the Crypto.com native currency, called Cronos. At the time of this writing, one Cronos is currently valued around $0.227. The $10 million equates to about 44 million Cronos.

It was not confirmed, however, how the prize would be distributed between the winning and losing teams.

Neither the PGA nor LIV are the first sports brands to integrate cryptocurrency into their winnings or payments.

The UFC added $60,000 Bitcoin bonuses voted on by fans in 2023. The "Fan Bonus of the Night" awards were in $30,000, $20,000, and $10,000 increments, paid out to fighters. Crypto.com was also the sponsor for that endeavor, as part of a 10-year, $175 million partnership with the UFC.

Karate Combat, another fight league, has fully integrated cryptocurrency into its business model.

With its own token ($KARATE), Karate Combat allows viewers to own a stake in the sport while also earning more coins through games on the platform UpOnly. This play-to-earn model allows users to gain cryptocurrency while the game designer earns revenue through licensing, ads, microtransactions, or subscriptions.

Bitcoin and cryptocurrency overall have skyrocketed since Donald Trump's election win. On the campaign trail, he pledged to end the "anti-crypto crusade" by the SEC.

Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) publicly declared his support for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency for the first time at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in July. The senator touted cryptocurrency as an opportunity for impoverished and lower-class Americans to make investments.

The PGA vs. LIV match will take place at the Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. It follows in the footsteps of previous TV golf events like the Netflix Cup and Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson.

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English soccer star warned by officials for writing 'I love Jesus' over Pride armband



Soccer player Marc Guéhi and his team received an official warning from league officials after he wrote a religious message on his arm band.

Guéhi is the captain for Crystal Palace, a team in England's top division, the Premier League. Each team has one player on the field wear a designated captain's armband, with teams all assigned a rainbow armband to show "support for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport" last weekend.

However, Guéhi, a devout Christian, decided to write "I love Jesus" on his armband. This prompted a warning from England's Football Association about wearing religious messages on a jersey.

'He's no child, he's an adult, he has his opinion and we respect it.'

According to ESPN, the FA's uniform rules state that "the appearance on, or incorporation in, any item of clothing ... any political or religious message" is forbidden and "disciplinary action may be taken" for any breach of the rules.

The rules also state that "for any offence the player and/or the team will be sanctioned by the competition organizer, national football association or by FIFA."

While Guéhi will avoid a fine, his Crystal Palace manager was quick to reaffirm that his team stands for "integration" not "discrimination."

"Everyone now is about integration, no discrimination and Marc as well," Oliver Glasner said. "We spoke about it. He's no child, he's an adult, he has his opinion, and we respect it."

Specific rules surrounding the armbands also exist, and the guidelines state players must "wear an armband, which is simple and conforms to the requirements ... relating to slogans, statements, images and advertising."

The rainbow armband campaign comes from Stonewall, a gay English charity that says it stands for "lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere."

While it is indeed odd that the sexuality-driven campaign is not considered political or religious, Guéhi was not the only player to take a stand during the set of weekend games.

Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy, a practicing Muslim, refused to wear the rainbow armband and instead wore a typical plain black version.

Ipswich Town's Sam Morsey refused to wear a rainbow armband, while Crystal Palace's Marc Guéhi wrote 'I love Jesus' on his.Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Shockingly for Morsy's decision, the FA claimed it was a club matter and did not issue a warning.

Ipswich Town still issued a groveling statement.

"Ipswich Town Football Club is committed to being a fully inclusive club that welcomes everyone."

"At the same time, we respect the decision of our captain Sam Morsy, who has chosen not to wear the rainbow captain's armband due to his religious beliefs," the team continued.

"We will continue to grow an environment where all are valued and respected, both on and off the pitch."

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Houston Texans player blames racism and Islamophobia for outrage over hit that caused concussion; NFL issues suspension



The NFL released a fiery statement against a Houston Texans player who caused a concussion and then blamed Islamophobia and racism for some of the outrage over the hit.

Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair crashed into Trevor Lawrence as the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback began to slide after a running play in the second quarter of the game Sunday. Lawrence's head slammed into the ground, and he immediately exhibited what appeared to be an involuntary "fencing posture" indicating a traumatic brain injury.

'Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling.'

The injury to Lawrence led to a large brawl between Texans and Jaguars players on the field. Lawrence was diagnosed with a concussion and entered into concussion protocol. The team's coach said the team has not yet determined if the quarterback would return for any games or just sit out the rest of the season if he clears the protocol before season's end.

On Tuesday Jon Runyan, the vice president of policy and rules administration for the NFL, issued a letter condemning Al-Shaair for several violations of player safety rules.

"Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide," Runyan wrote. "You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact."

In an attempt to lessen the chances of brain injuries occurring, the NFL forbids players from hitting quarterbacks while they are running if they slide to stop and also forbids unnecessary hits to the head. Some have criticized the new rules as too restrictive and difficult for defenders to observe.

"Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL," Runyan added.

'You don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you.'

On Monday, Al-Shaair released a statement apologizing to Lawrence and saying he did not intend to harm him.

"I've always played the game as hard as I could. Never with the intent to harm anyone and anybody that knows me knows that. My goal is to hit you as hard as I can then I pray you're still able to get up and play the next play," he wrote.

"I genuinely didn't see [Lawrence] sliding until it was too late," he added. "And it all happens in the blink of an eye. To Trevor i [sic] genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening."

He also criticized some fans for sending him what he said were racist and Islamophobic insults over the incident.

"To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you," he added. "God knows my intentions and anyone who has been a teammate or friend of mine knows my heart."

Al-Shaair had used the "My Cause, My Cleats" NFL charity campaign to show his support for Palestinians and to criticize Israel for its military operation in the Gaza Strip.

"All Praise to Allah," he wrote.

Lawrence also issued a brief statement on Sunday.

"Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me. I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all," he wrote.

The Texans will face the Miami Dolphins, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Baltimore Ravens without Al-Shaair.

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