ESPN blacks out volleyball ‘cis rights movement’ to protect Kamala Harris



The “BOYcott” will not be televised. Not on ESPN anyway.

As it relates to a growing list of women’s volleyball teams refusing to compete against a team led by a man, the “Worldwide Leader in Sports” is channeling its inner Gil Scott-Heron.

Scott-Heron, a 1970s jazz poet, famously stated over conga drums that “the revolution will not be televised.” Scott-Heron’s song referred to an overthrow of the government and the so-called liberation of black Americans.

You will not be able to stay home, brother
You will not be able to plug in, turn on, and cop out
You will not be able to lose yourself on skag and
Skip out for beer during commercials
Because the revolution will not be televised ...

On Monday, a fifth collegiate volleyball team — the University of Nevada, Reno — announced its intention to forfeit a match against San Jose State University, a Division I member of the Mountain West Conference. The Spartans’ best player is a young man, Brayden Fleming, who changed his name to Blaire. He played the previous two years on the San Jose State team while the university concealed his biological sex.

In March, one of his teammates, Brooke Slusser, joined a lawsuit suing the NCAA for violating Title IX by allowing biological men to compete against women. Slusser, at one point, was one of Fleming’s roommates.

“It was a really hard pill to swallow, because I couldn’t comprehend the fact that there was a man on the team, and it was almost as if I was in denial for a really long time that this was happening,” Slusser told OutKick.com in an exclusive interview. “So it was just really hard for me to wrap my head around. And then, it still being a topic we weren’t really allowed to talk about. It was just kind of whispers behind closed doors that this is what’s happening, but no one’s really talked about it or addressed it.”

This is an amazing moment. Teammates are pitted against each other. Universities are pitted against their athletes.

Slusser’s experience sounds exactly like what’s going on at ESPN, a mature media institution born in 1979. Slusser is a child. She’s supposed to be confused and wishy-washy. A genuine worldwide leader would be exploring this controversial topic and providing Slusser and others the information and insight to make an informed decision on gender identity.

Forty-five-year-old ESPN is a scared child. Disney won’t allow its broadcasters to address the most important issue in all of sports. I’m sure they whisper about it behind closed doors.

But in front of cameras, Stephen A. Smith, Pat McAfee, Ryan Clark, Shannon Sharpe, and all the other talking heads are silent. It’s quite the contrast, the difference between how ESPN handles racial conflict and gender conflict.

Two years ago, a black Duke volleyball player claimed a BYU fan called her a racial slur during a match. Smith and Sharpe launched loud, on-camera defenses of Rachel Richardson. Dawn Staley, the head basketball coach at South Carolina, canceled a basketball game at BYU, claiming her players wouldn’t feel safe. ESPN.com ran several front-page stories about the incident and Staley’s reaction.

BYU conducted an extensive investigation, trying to identify the alleged perpetrator. The investigation concluded the alleged verbal attack did not happen. The allegation never made sense. A group of college kids in a closed environment shouting the “N-word” with smartphones everywhere? Come on.

But here is something real, important, and traumatic happening in the world of volleyball and sports. ESPN has nothing to say.

Nevada, Southern Utah, Boise State, Wyoming, and Utah State have all announced they won’t play against “Blaire” Fleming and San Jose State. Hours after the Nevada team made its announcement, the administration at the school contradicted the young women on its team.

“The players’ decision and statement were made independently, and without consultation with the University or athletic department. The players’ decision also does not represent the position of the University,” the administration said in a statement.

The statement concluded: “The University intends to move forward with the match as scheduled, and the players may choose not to participate in the match on the day of the contest. No players will be subject to any disciplinary action for their decision not to participate in the match.”

This is an amazing moment, an incredible story highlighting a consequential inflection point in this nation’s history and culture. Teammates are pitted against each other. Universities are pitted against their athletes.

Is gender a state of mind or a state of body?

The answer is obvious. The confusion is a byproduct of a lack of public debate. It’s not debated because the people who prefer “state of mind” realize they would be slaughtered in public debate. Their public silence and not-so-private bullying have sparked an un-televised revolution.

I call it the "cis rights movement." It’s led by former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines. She publicly complained three years ago when William “Lia” Thomas invaded women’s swimming and stole an NCAA medal from a woman. Gaines is the Rosa Parks for female athletes. Her courage has spawned the courage we’re seeing from volleyball players at Nevada, Wyoming, Boise State, Southern Utah, and Utah State.

This week, the women at Utah State started wearing “BOYcott” T-shirts. They want boys out of their locker rooms and out of their sports. They understand that women excel in athletic competition when they’re left to compete among themselves.

That’s a message progressives don’t want to spread. Leftists believe in androgyny. They believe men and women are the same. They reject the word of God written in the book of Genesis. They reject common sense.

Defending their positions publicly would expose their hostility to God and common sense.

Disney and ESPN will not televise this revolution — especially not in an election year when the Democratic nominee hails from San Francisco, parties with drag queens, and believes children should be surgically castrated on demand.

UNLV quarterback walks off team over missing $100K NIL payment — school claims QB made illegal demands and 'implied threats'



UNLV star quarterback Matthew Sluka has left the team over an allegedly missing $100,000 name, image, and likeness payment.

Sluka made the announcement, without giving specifics, in a social media post stating that he would utilize his redshirt option for the remainder of the season.

"I have decided to utilize my redshirt year and will not be playing in any additional games this season," Sluka wrote.

A redshirt allows a football player to extend his NCAA eligibility for one year, so long as he plays in three games or less.

The UNLV Rebels are off to a 3-0 start with Sluka and ranked No. 23 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, the first time the program has ever been ranked in a major poll.

"I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled," Sluka's statement continued. "Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope for the continued success of the program."

— (@)

Sluka's side

Sluka's agent, Marcus Cromartie, and his father, Bob Sluka, both told ESPN that UNLV didn't follow through on a verbal offer of $100,000 that allegedly came from offensive coordinator Brennan Marion. Head coach Barry Odom allegedly told them in a phone call that the offer wasn't valid because it didn't come from himself.

Sluka's father and agent allege that when Sluka arrived at UNLV in the summer, he was told the money would be distributed in a payment plan. This plan was then apparently delayed, and Sluka was told payment would come after he enrolled in school and started classes.

The agent said the school and the collective that manages its NIL payments did formally offer $3,000 per month for four months, a whopping $88,000 less than what they were offered. However, Sluka only allegedly received $3,000 for moving expenses.

Programs in the NCAA use collectives to handle NIL deals; the schools do not directly deal with player deals of that nature.

— (@)

UNLV's collective, Blueprint Sports, said it paid Sluka a one-time fee of $3,000 for a summer event but was unaware of any $100,000 promises. It also stated that Sluka first contacted the collective in August but had not contacted anyone about any missing payments.

"They keep deferring — 'We don't know. You have to wait,'" Bob Sluka said. "Then it was like, 'We're going to give him game checks.' So we're like, 'OK, great.' We did not ask for a single dollar [more]. At one point, we are out of pocket for him to be there, because his expenses to live there weren't even being covered."

The father also claimed that offensive coordinator Marion, along with sports agents, agreed to a verbal deal with the family the previous winter during a recruiting visit.

"We left there understanding that we were going to get a certain dollar amount for Matt to come there on the NIL deal, not a blowout number, but a reasonable, fair number," Bob Sluka added. He noted that his son received more than 25 NIL offers from other schools.

'UNLV does not engage in such activity, nor does it respond to implied threats.'

UNLV's side

UNLV largely avoided directly addressing the claims and said Sluka's representative made financial demands in order to keep playing. The school asserted that the demands were illegal and "implied threats."

Sluka's "representative made financial demands upon the University and its NIL collective in order to continue playing," UNLV claimed.

"UNLV Athletics interpreted these demands as a violation of the NCAA pay-for-play rules, as well as Nevada state law. ... UNLV does not engage in such activity, nor does it respond to implied threats. UNLV has honored all previously agreed-upon scholarships for Matthew Sluka."

"UNLV has conducted its due diligence and will continue to operate its programs within the framework of NCAA rules and regulations, as well as Nevada state laws," the statement concluded.

The NCAA's senior vice president of external affairs, Tim Buckley, offered a different take on the ordeal, albeit not directly addressing the particular situation.

"Unfortunately there is little oversight or accountability in the NIL space and far too often promises made to student-athletes are broken," Buckley said.

He added that "positive changes" are underway as the NCAA is looking to add benefits but blamed "Congress" and "the courts" for limiting the authority the NCAA has in regulating third parties in regards to NIL transactions.

Sluka said he will work with a quarterback coach during his time off and wait for the January transfer window to find another school.

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Disgruntled professor who went on university shooting spree had target list, 150 rounds; mailed letters with white powder



A semi-retired professor carried out a cowardly attack at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas Wednesday, killing three and critically injuring a fourth victim. Campus police acted swiftly, bringing his rampage to an end and ensuring the professor's retirement was permanent.

Had it not been for the swift and unflinching intervention by police, it appears a great deal more blood would have been spilled.

New details have emerged about the attack, revealing the gunman had a lengthy kill list and 150 rounds of ammunition to see it through.

Police confirmed Thursday that the shooter was the 67-year-old academic who Blaze News previously indicated worked as an associate professor at East Carolina University in North Carolina from 2001 until 2017. Although the shooter received a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Georgia, he primarily taught business classes.

The Associated Press reported that the shooter recently had an adjunct faculty contract at Roseman University of Health Sciences in Henderson, teaching two courses in the school's now-defunct MBA program from October 2018 until June 2022.

The shooter, who cited George Soros and Karl Popper as among the "Great Minds of the Twentieth Century" on his personal website, reportedly applied for a professorship at UNLV but was unsuccessful. Officials indicated he had also been rejected from various other colleges and universities.

The shooter had a previous criminal history in Virginia for computer trespass In 1992.

According to Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill, the shooter arrived at the campus Wednesday in a 2007 Lexus just before 11:30 a.m. and parked in a lot south of the business school. The shooter exited his car, armed with a 9mm Taurus handgun and carrying a total of eleven loaded magazines, nine of which were later found on his corpse.

Three minutes later, he entered Beam Hall, where the Lee Business School operates. While it was initially reported that he began his rampage on the fourth floor of the building, police indicated it started on the fifth floor, where a 38-year-old visiting professor was shot and left with life-threatening injuries.

The visiting professor managed to make it downstairs and was rushed by police to a community ambulance, which then took him to Sunrise Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

The bodies of two victims were discovered on the third floor, and a third victim was found on the fourth floor.

The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner released the names of two of the victims: professor Cha Jan Chang, 64, of Henderson, and assistant professor Patricia Navarro Velez, 39, of Las Vegas. The third victim has been identified, but officials are waiting to disclose the name until they've notified the victim's next of kin.

Chang taught management information systems at the UNLV Lee Business school for over 20 years. Velez began working at the university five years ago and primarily taught accounting information systems. She was also conducting research on cybersecurity disclosures and data analytics.

— (@)

Police received the first report of an active shooter around 11:45 a.m.. It appears there was no hesitation on the part of metropolitan and campus police to take quick and definitive action. UNLV Police Chief Adam Garcia indicated that the first campus police officer arrived within 78 seconds of the initial report.

Officers ultimately intercepted the gunman at 11:55 a.m. as he was exiting Beam Hall. According to officials, he "shot at the officers causing the UNLV officers to return fire." The campus police officers neutralized the threat, landing multiple shots.

Detectives found a list of possible targeted individuals on the shooter's body, which did not include those he had shot.

"None of the individuals on the target list became a victim," said McMahill.

Sheriff McMahill noted that the apparent kill list named faculty members from UNLV as well as East Carolina University in North Carolina where the shooter previously taught. Law enforcement officials have contacted all of the potential targets with the exception of one person who was on an international flight.

Upon examining the footage from the dashcam in the shooter's Lexus, detectives were also able to determine that the disgruntled professor had "dropped off 22 pieces of mail to various university personnel" across the United States with no return address.

Some of the letters reportedly contained an unknown white powder, which was later deemed harmless.

While police are still looking into possible motives, McMahill indicated that investigators found an eviction notice taped to the shooter's front door and a document "similar to a last will and testament" clearly demarcated inside the Henderson residence.

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UNLV defensive lineman, age 20, found dead; authorities investigating



A 20-year-old University of Nevada, Las Vegas athlete unexpectedly died Monday, Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

"We are devastated to have lost a member of our Rebel family," first-year UNLV football head coach Barry Odom said in a statement on the UNLV Rebels' website announcing Ryan Keeler's passing.

"While I had the honor of knowing Ryan for only a couple of months, he already stood out to our coaching staff as an incredible person, student and teammate. Our condolences and prayers go out to Ryan's family as we grieve along with them over this tremendous loss," the statement also said.

Ryan Keeler, a defensive lineman for the UNLV Rebels, was found unresponsive in bed in his studio apartment, KTNV reported Tuesday. Authorities are investigating the 6'6", 275-pound Chicago native's death, according to ESPN.

Clark County's coroner said cause and manner of death is pending. Blood and toxicology tests from the medical examiner can take several weeks, KTNV also reported.

Las Vegas police officer Robert Wicks said investigation of the unexpected death was open, and that the call was initially handled as a medical call.

The UNLV Rebels announced Keeler's passing in a post on Monday mourning the loss of the student athlete. Keeler had just completed his redshirt freshman season before he died. Keeler graduated from Nazareth Academy's high school. He had transferred to UNLV from Rutgers University last season.

Keeler was a "highly recruited player" who garnered "dozens of scholarship offers out of high school," the statement also says.

In addition to being a gifted athlete, Keeler held a 3.80 grade point average in pre-business.

"The UNLV family is in mourning today over the sudden loss of one of our own," said UNLV Director of Athletics Erick Harper. "Our hearts go out to all of Ryan's family and friends along with his Rebel teammates."

"Words are hard to come by this evening as we grieve the sudden and tragic loss of UNLV student-athlete Ryan Keeler," said UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield. "My sincere condolences are with Ryan's family, friends, loved ones, and teammates during this very difficult time."

"We are devastated to hear of Ryan’s passing. . . .We send our love and prayers to Ryan’s family and friends during this difficult time," Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano told the Daily Voice of the former Scarlet Knight.

"From getting to know him as a recruit, to actually getting to coach him, what stood out most was his passion. . . .His passion for his teammates and his passion for the game of football," Schiano also told the outlet.

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