MANCHESTER UNITED are weighing up a cash-spinning mid-season friendly in Saudi Arabia.
A trip to the Middle East could reunite the Red Devils with Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford on bitter terms to join Al-Nassr in 2022.
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Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr from Man Utd three years agoCredit: Reuters
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is looking at ways United can raise extra cashCredit: Alamy
United are holding early-stage talks with stakeholders while looking into possible dates and opponents.
But a face-off with CR7 would be the most lucrative prospect at a time when they’re crying out for funds.
United could stage midweek friendlies this season after failing to qualify for any European competition.
Losing May’s Europa League final to Tottenham meant a £100million reward fell by the wayside.
And with roughly £750m worth of debt weighing on Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s shoulders, United are being forced to get creative.
Their schedule thinned out even more with defeat to Grimsby Town in round two of the Carabao Cup.
SunSport exclusively revealed last month that AC Milan, RB Leipzig, Lazio and Sevilla – four big clubs who missed out on Europe – have also been scouted out as potential friendly opponents.
United’s new plan comes after they scrapped the idea of a fly-on-the-wall documentary, which could have earned them millions.
IT was the Autumn equinox on Monday – which means the days are about to get a lot shorter.
Before you know it, it will be dark when you get home from work and when you get up in the morning.
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Plant crocus’s now to get gorgeous colour over WinterCredit: Getty
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Pansies and violas are available in garden centres and supermarkets now.Credit: Getty
And although that means less gardening time – there’s still loads you can get in the ground or your greenhouse.
In fact, Autumn is a great time to get planting – simply because the soil is still warm but the weather is cooler – which means roots can establish well before Winter.
Whether it’s for produce or colour before Christmas – or flowers after – I’ve put together a guide on what can go in the ground now.
FLOWERS
You can always tell from what’s on sale in your local garden centre or supermarket as to what will bring you colour in the run up before Christmas.
But staples like container grown Geums, Cyclamen, Astor, Japanese Anenome, and Chrysanthemums can be bought in flower and planted now.
Plus racks of bedding plants like pansies, viola and primroses are filling supermarket shelves.
I managed to find three packs of eight viola plugs from Asda for just a fiver last weekend – which means each of the 24 plugs are only 20p.
Plus the gorgeous colour combinations will fill your garden with rainbows of colour.
And a lot of the garden centres are offering Winter Bedding packs – which takes the decision of what to buy out of your hands – and provides you with a lovely rainbow of colours for your outside space.=
Seeds-wise – you can plant sweetpea, poppies, calendula, cornflower, nemesia, forget-me-nots, and lavender under cover.
BULBS
Daffodils, crocus, alliums and grape hyacinth bulbs are good to go in September and October – as well as the more unusual large Fritalliaries and Camassia – which look really like bluebells.
Gardener shares ‘genius’ bulb planting hack that will give your months of spring flowers & it takes seconds to do
But hold fire until November until you plant your tulip bulbs – they love the colder weather.
If you put them in too early, you’ll risk the change of Tulip Fire, which is a fungal disease that causes distorted leaves and spots – that look like scorch marks – on the tulips themselves.
A lot of online garden centres have big bulb sales on at the moment, so it’s worth shopping around.
Suttons Seeds are offering Sun Gardening readers an exclusive link to get 80 per cent off their bulb sales right now.
Butterhead and Lamb’s lettuce actually like the colder weather – so under a cloche or cold frame, or in a greenhouse – sow the seeds thinly, about 1.5cm deep. Sow every 2-3 weeks for a continuous supply.
Overwintering cauliflower seeds like ‘All The Year Round’ and ‘Autumn Giant’ can be planted now – under protection.
Plus onion seeds, winter greens, garlic, pak choi, spinach and kale.
There’s a lot of fruit you can grow in pots – including cherries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.
Then wait until November for bare root season
Also in Veronica’s Column this week…
Gardening news, top tips, Plant of the Week plus a chance to win a £200 Gardening Express voucher.
Fore more gardening content and competitions follow me @biros_and_bloom
NEWS! Did you know that 22 billion carrot seeds are sown each year in the UK, and we eat our way through 700,000 tonnes of carrots annually? This works out to be around 100 per person, and laid out end to end they would stretch 1.4 million miles – two and a half trips to the moon. And as British growers provide 97 per cent of the carrots consumers buy in the UK, there is almost no need to buy imported carrots. They’re also worth £290m to the UK Economy yet are one of the cheapest vegetables – with loads of nutritional benefits. The incredible stats have been released in time for British Carrot Day on Friday – which celebrates the UK carrot growing and encourages people to buy, get creative, eat, and cook with carrots. For more information visitwww.britishcarrots.co.uk
NEWS! A whopping leaf four metres long has been grown at the Eden Project, Cornwall. Lodoicea maldivica, more commonly known as coco de mer, is native to the islands of the Seychelles and is famous for producing the world’s largest and heaviest seed. The mature leaf has taken around ten years to develop to this stage. And over the next decade, it could reach a massive eight to ten metres. A coco de mer can live for up to 800 years, reaching up to 112 feet tall.
TOP TIP! September is the start of baby hedgehog (hoglet) season, and you may find that they need your help. Autumn Juvenile hedgehogs are old enough to be away from their mums, but often too small to hibernate successfully. Guidance from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society says that “if the hedgehog is a regular visitor to your garden, is only seen at night, appears active and you are prepared to feed it every night then it can be left in the wild. But if the hedgehog goes off its food, wobbles and staggers or starts coming out in the day, then it needs extra help as soon as possible. The best way to ensure wild hedgehogs are well-fed is to create organic wild spaces, leafy corners and log piles where they can forage for natural foods, like grubs and insects. To supplement their diet in the wild, you can offer hedgehogs a good quality meaty hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food or dry biscuits for cats.
NEWS! If you fancy turning your hand to growing houseplants, Unwins have launched a brand new Houseplant Seed Collection, a curated range of eight varieties that have been specially selected and bred to flourish in UK and Irish homes. Including Asparagus Ferns, Sempervivum, Bird of Paradise and Dichondra Silver Surfer, the packs are available now in your local garden centre. Natasha Lane, Head of Seed, for Unwins, commented: “We’re very excited to be launching a collection of houseplant seeds for the first time. It now means that it’s easier than ever to create your very own indoor jungle. Whether you’re looking to enhance wellbeing, purify the air, or simply add style to your space, our houseplant seeds are ready to grow with you.”
WIN! One lucky reader can win a £200 Gardening Express voucher to spend online. To enter, visit www.thesun.co.uk/EXPRESSVOUCHER or write to Sun Gardening Express competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. October 11, 2025. T&Cs apply
PLANT OF THE WEEK! Japanese Anemone. Blooming now, they’re graceful and tall with long stalks and single or double flowers – great for brightening up shady corners, but prefer a bit of sun. Spread by rhizomes.
JOB OF THE WEEK! If you’ve got a pond it’s time to get it ready for winter – net it before leaves start to fall and trim back any overgrown pond plants. Put a tennis ball in to help prevent freezing.
Watch: Key moments from Charlie Kirk’s memorial service
US President Donald Trump hailed the conservative activist Charlie Kirk as a “great American hero” and “martyr” during a speech to tens of thousands of mourners at a memorial service in Arizona.
Trump was the headline speaker at the packed event on Sunday, which saw top officials from his administration, including Vice-President JD Vance, praise Kirk’s political legacy after he was shot dead on 10 September.
“He was assassinated because he lived bravely, he lived boldly and he argued brilliantly,” Trump told the crowd at the State Farm Stadium near Phoenix.
Kirk’s wife, Erika, also delivered a tearful speech in which she said she had forgiven her husband’s alleged killer.
“My husband, Charlie, he wanted to save young men, just like the one who took his life,” she said, adding: “I forgive him because it is what Christ did. The answer to hate is not hate.”
Tens of thousands of people queued for hours outside the stadium before the event, with some even camping out the night before to secure their spot. Many wore Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats, other Trump-branded items and red, white and blue outfits.
Inside the stadium, the mood and atmosphere resembled a raucous political rally or megachurch service with music beforehand from Christian bands who prompted singalongs and prayer from the crowd of almost 100,000.
The list of speakers included members of Kirk’s organisation, Turning Point USA, which focuses on conservative activism on college campuses, well-known figures in the conservative movement, Trump administration officials and those who said they had been shaped by Kirk’s work and right-wing Christian worldview.
They stressed the need to continue the 31-year-old’s activism and emphasised his deep faith throughout the five-hour service. Kirk, who was debating students at a university in Utah when he was shot dead, was repeatedly described as a martyr and cast as a historic figure for the conservative movement.
EPA
Tens of thousands gathered inside the stadium for the memorial to Kirk
Several speakers said they believed his death would further revitalise the conservative moment in America, which is already in a powerful position given Trump’s hold of the White House and the Republican control of Congress.
“The day that Charlie died, angels wept, but those tears have been turned into fire in our hearts,” said Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff. “Our enemies cannot comprehend our strength.”
At one stage, Elon Musk, who had a bitter and public falling out with Trump earlier this year, sat next to the president and the pair shook hands and chatted.
Within the stands and on stage at the State Farm Stadium, Kirk was revered as an activist for free speech and a mobiliser of the youth vote for Trump. “Charlie didn’t just help, he made the winning difference, I promise you that,” White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said.
“We wouldn’t be here without him,” Vice-President JD Vance told the crowd, who at times erupted into an extended chant of “U-S-A, U-S-A”.
“We’ve got it from here,” he added, while discussing Kirk’s political legacy.
Vance was one of several key figures from the Trump administration who spoke on stage, with others including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Heath Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr.
‘I forgive him’
They were followed by Kirk’s wife, Erika, who was tearful at times as she described her relationship and vowed to continue her husband’s work. She was named the new CEO of Turning Point USA after his death.
“I saw the wound that ended his life,” she said. “I felt everything he would expect to feel. I felt shock. I felt horror, and a level of heartache that I didn’t even know existed.
“These past 10 days after Charlie’s assassination, we didn’t see violence. We didn’t see rioting. We didn’t see revolution. Instead, we saw what my husband always prayed he would see in this country, we saw revival,” Kirk told the crowd.
She then said she had forgiven her husband’s alleged killer, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson. “That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did and it is what Charlie would do,” Kirk said.
Watch: Is America divided? Charlie Kirk supporters weigh in
There was a raucous reception when President Trump took the stage after Erika Kirk. He repeatedly praised Charlie Kirk, while at times turning to his usual political talking points including crime in American cities and mocking his predecessor Joe Biden.
“He’s a martyr now for America’s freedom,” Trump said of Kirk. “I know I speak for everyone here today when I say that none of us will ever forget Charlie. And neither now will history.”
The president then said he disagreed with Kirk on one thing. “He did not hate his opponents, he wanted the best for them,” he said, prompting some laughs. “That’s where I disagree with Charlie. I hate my opponents and I don’t want what’s best for them.”
Trump also attacked what he called the “radical left” and blamed the left for violence in the country.
At the end of his address, in which he described Kirk as a “great of his generation”, Trump was joined on stage by Erika Kirk and the pair hugged as the crowd applauded.
Reuters
Trump and Erika Kirk hugged at the end of the memorial service and thanked the crowd of thousands
The deeply partisan event was reflective of how Kirk’s death has laid bare the extreme political divisions in America, with many on the right casting blame on the left for stoking political violence.
The Trump administration is seeking a crackdown on what it calls the “radical left”, which in turn has prompted accusations of government overreach and claims Kirk’s death is being used as a pretext to intrude on civil liberties.
Robinson, who has been charged with Kirk’s murder, is facing the death penalty but a motive for the killing is yet to be revealed by officials.
Kirk was 18 when he co-founded Turning Point USA, a student organisation focused on spreading conservative ideas on college campuses.
He would hold debates on campuses and became known for his combative style, inviting students to step up to the microphone and challenge his right-wing Christian worldview in front of a baying audience.
Clips of these exchanges built him a huge following – more than 5m followers on X and 7m on TikTok – that helped him mobilise the youth vote for President Trump.
While he energised young conservatives, his remarks on issues such as race and crime also routinely prompted an angry liberal backlash. He was a strong supporter of gun rights, vehemently opposed abortion, was critical of transgender rights and promoted false claims about Covid-19.
Sept. 17 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump‘s visit to England with King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Wednesday has sparked large protests in London and at Windsor.
Police estimated there were about 5,000 protesters at Parliament Square in London, and a smaller protest gathered outside of Windsor Castle.
Trump is unlikely to see the protests since most of his day and evening will be spent inside Windsor Castle. On Wednesday evening, the king and Queen Camilla will host a banquet, at which Charles and Trump are expected to give speeches. The king’s speech was written on the advice of the United Kingdom government, BBC’s Chris Mason reported.
The protests were organized by the Stop Trump Coalition, a group of more than 50 unions and charities.
Some protesters carried signs with slogans written across them, including “no to racism,” “no to Trump” and “stop arming Israel,” BBC reported. The 20-foot-tall Trump Baby blimp that greeted the president during his visit in 2019 has been made into smaller balloons that some protestors carried.
Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Louise Puddefoot said police had been in close contact with the organizers and had asked them to be “considerate to the local community” and keep disruption to a minimum.
Before the march, a spokesperson for the coalition said: “A government that will bow down to Trump and to racism is one that will open the door to fascism.”
The protest groups said they would demonstrate to “defeat the politics of Trumpism” and to promote “an alternative, democratic vision of the world based on peace, social justice and international cooperation.”
The march ended at Parliament Square, and several people spoke on a stage. There was a performance by singer Billy Bragg, and speakers included former Labour Party members of Parliament Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, comedian Nish Kumar and Green Party leader Zack Polanski.
Zoe Gardner, a political commentator and one of the organizers of the protest, said that the president “represents everything that we hate.”
“We want our government to show some backbone, and have a little bit of pride and represent that huge feeling of disgust at Donald Trump’s politics in the U.K.,” she said.
Auriel Dowty Glanville, a climate activist from Wimbledon, said she was demonstrating because climate change was “the biggest threat facing us on Earth.”
She said the government giving him a second state visit was “appalling,” saying, “It’s all about the trade deal.”
On Tuesday, four men were arrested for projecting large images and videos of Trump and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein on the walls of a turret at Windsor Castle. On Wednesday, as Trump toured the grounds and visited with the king, a van with a similar image was being driven around the castle, with the words, “Welcome to the U.K., Donald.” Police stopped the man and sent him on his way. He wasn’t arrested.
As the Trumps arrived via Marine One Wednesday morning, they were greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales — William and Kate — and then by Charles and Camilla.
Britain’s Ministry of Defense described the ceremonial welcome as “unprecedented.”
The delegation was then taken on a carriage ride around the grounds of the castle. Trump and Charles rode in the gilded Irish Stage Coach. It’s the coach that Queen Elizabeth II used to travel to the State Opening of Parliament. The queen and first lady followed behind in the Scottish State Coach, which was built in 1830.
After the ride around the castle grounds, they went to the Quadrangle at the Castle to inspect the British Army Guard of Honor. The group of royals and American visitors then went inside for a private lunch.
The unprecedented nature of the visit is that second-term presidents don’t usually get state visits. Instead, they are invited for lunch or tea with the monarch. Former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush were treated to the usual protocol.
“This is really special. This has never happened before. Unprecedented,” said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the White House in February. “I think that just symbolizes the strength of the relationship between us.”
British officials understand that Trump admires the royal family, so “if you have those assets, that opportunity, then why not absolutely make the most of it,” Matthew Doyle, a former communications director and adviser for Starmer, told CNN.
The president will travel on Thursday to Chequers, the prime minister’s country house in Buckinghamshire, where talks will begin. Agreements on “tech and trade” are expected to be discussed, Doyle said. Trump and Starmer will also meet with tech CEOs.
Doyle said Britain also wants to hear that Trump has a “plan to get Russia to the table,” adding that “Ukraine is clearly the biggest issue on the foreign agenda” for this meeting.
Thousands of anti-Trump protestors march through the streets of London to protest against President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom on September 17, 2025. Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo
IT’s been HOT this summer – it’s no surprise if some of your usual garden favourites are wilting somewhat.
But as the climate changes it’s worth thinking about new varieties that can cope a bit better going forward.
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Dr Emily Atlee is co-founder and CEO of wildflower company SeedballCredit: Supplied
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Coneflower or Echinacea come back every year and don’t need much wateringCredit: Roman Biernacki
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Cornflowers are annuals – but they self seed so it feels like they’r returningCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
There’s a whole host of wildflowers out there that can handle the heat and still put on a beautiful show.
Dr Emily Attlee, conservation scientist and co-founder of Seedball has shared her top picks with Sun Gardening.
CONEFLOWERS
“Not just a feast for the eyes, these are tough and reliable perennials that come back year after year. Easy to grow and adored by pollinators, coneflowers bring long-lasting colour and drought resilience to any garden.
OXEYE DAISY
“Spotted on roadside verges, the oxeye daisy is a fuss-free flower that thrives on neglect. It handles poor soil well and requires very little watering once settled in.
These cheerful self-seeders return annually and spread with ease – bringing with them rustic charm and a welcome haven for pollinators.
MEADOWHALL CRANESBILL
Although young plants may need a little more water to begin with, meadow cranesbill is a fantastic choice for dry, well-drained soil once matured.
With rich violet blooms and a place in the geranium family, this plant supports pollinators while adding definition and charm to beds and borders.
MUSK MALLOW
With soft pink flowers and a classic cottage garden appeal, musk mallow is both beautiful and hardy. Low maintenance and drought tolerant, it dies back in Autumn but reliably reappears in spring. Its vintage look and wildlife-friendly nature make it a garden favourite.
CORNFLOWER
These eye-catching blue blooms feature open faces, frilled petals, and curly stamens. Loved by bees and other beneficial insects, cornflowers are easy going once established and thrive with minimal watering. Ideal for adding colour and texture to a dry garden.“
She added: “These are just a small selection, as most native wildflowers are naturally suited to withstand drought once they’ve taken root.
Everyone can see the sunflowers but you need 20-20 vision to spot the three hidden faces in 13 seconds
“Many have evolved over time to adapt to the UK’s unpredictable weather patterns, including long dry periods. Some even store seeds beneath the soil, ready to regenerate when conditions improve.
“So, if you’re planning for the future of your patch, wildflowers are a smart, sustainable choice.”
For more tips from Emily and the Seedball team, visit www.seedball.co.uk.
Also in Veronica’s Column this week
Top tips, news, Plant of the Week and a competition to win a Spring Bulb Bundle with 183 bulbs!!
NEWS! Multi award-winning garden designer, Pip Probert, from BBC 2’s Your Garden Made Perfect, is designing the headline feature garden at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, taking place at Audley End House and Gardens in Saffron Walden, Essex next weekend. As reported previously in Sun Gardening – the ‘Make a Metre Matter’ campaign encourages gardeners to transform a metre of outdoor space for the good of the planet. More than 13,500 eco-friendly metres have been pledged at gardenersworld.com to date, and Pip’s feature garden is brimming with meaningful metres to inspire Autumn Fair visitors to get involved. For tickets, visit www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com.
TOP TIP! If you’re thinking about attracting birds to your garden and keeping them happy in Autumn – then Honeysuckle is a win-win plant for your outside space. It will provide you with a gorgeous scent and lovely trumpet-shaped flowers, as well as being a great climber for trellis and walls. But in September it also provides lush red berries – a favourite food source for birds and other wildlife. Or consider Cotoneaster shrubs – blackbirds and thrushes absolutely love them – just check the size of the one you’re buying as you don’t want it to take over.
TOP TIP! IF you’re coming to the end of your tomato journey for this year and you’ve still got some on the vine that look like they’ve got no chance of turning red – don’t despair. Some experts suggest putting them in a bowl with a banana! The bendy yellow fruit emit ethylene – a compound that helps fruit ripen. Or you can just make green tomato chutney. Remember to chop up your vines and chuck them on the compost.
JOB OF THE WEEK! If you’re lucky to have wisteria – cut back this year’s current green shoots to five/six leaves. It will prevent it from growing too large and unwieldy.
PLANT OF THE WEEK! Spider Lillies are blooming now – and are named after the stamens resemble spider legs. Great for tropical borders, they look really exotic, best in full sun, in well drained soil and are full hardy to -5ºC
TOP TIP If your kitchen ginger has started sprouting, plant in a shallow tray with the shoot poking out – as it grows, keep topping up the soil. Keep on a sunny windowsill and you can grow year round as long as it doesn’t get too cold.
WIN! Win one of FOUR Spring Saver Bulb Bundle – 183 Bulbs WORTH £64.94 from Suttons Seeds. Featuring a variety of beloved spring-flowering bulbs to bring colour from February all the way through May, they’re ideal for beds or rockeries and can be layered in patio pots. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/SPRINGBULBS or write to Sun Spring Bulbs competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. September 6, 2025. T&Cs apply
Every man, woman and child deserves only the best fan experience at the Rose Bowl.
Too few are getting it, leading to dwindling UCLA football attendance over the last decade-plus.
The sad phenomenon is only partly attributable to mediocre teams. In 2022, the Bruins got off to a 6-0 start, rising to No. 9 in the national rankings, and still averaged just 41,593 fans for home games over the season.
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There’s an endless list of excuses for not making the drive to Pasadena. It’s too far. Traffic’s too bad. Games are too expensive. The weather’s too hot. The opponent is from the Sun Belt Conference. The Bruins are out of contention for anything meaningful. The game’s on a Friday. The game time wasn’t announced until less than a week before kickoff. The game starts too early. The game starts too late.
Since it’s not possible to move the stadium closer to campus or lower the temperature in August or September, we’re offering eight ways to make a day of Bruins football more enticing. Some of these suggestions might seem as realistic as moving the San Gabriel Mountains, but who ever imagined that UCLA would play in the Big Ten?
Give freebies: The best way to help fans stretch their entertainment dollar is to let them keep it.
Tickets are reasonably priced given they sometimes go for next to nothing on the secondary market and currently can be bought for as low as $43 for some games through UCLA, but how about offering free parking? Even if this is a cost the school has to subsidize, free parking would be a tremendous lure and goodwill gesture.
Students also should get in free. While student attendance has been robust since athletic director Martin Jarmond and his staff implemented several initiatives, it would make sense to have even more of the stadium packed with a segment of fans who tend to make the most noise and create the best atmosphere. It would also build lifelong loyalty and help pack the Rose Bowl with alumni in future seasons.
Eliminate six-day selection: Just tell us the kickoff times already. People need to plan their lives.
As of early August, the only home games with known kickoff times are the opener against Utah on Aug. 30, which starts at 8 p.m. (yikes), and a Friday game against New Mexico on Sept. 12 that starts at 7 p.m. (good luck getting to the Rose Bowl in weekday evening traffic).
The other four home games — against Penn State, Maryland, Nebraska and Washington — all come with the dreaded TBD tag.
The uncertainty is, of course, a function of television running the sports world, waiting for the best matchups to fill prime-time slots. Fox executives don’t want to miss out on possible surprises, such as undefeated Maryland coming to the Rose Bowl in mid-October to face nationally-ranked UCLA.
Some kickoff times will be announced once it becomes clear how good the Bruins are; others won’t be known until six days before the game. The indecisiveness hurts attendance given that many fans like to plan their schedules way more than a week in advance.
No more Friday night lights: This is something else that can be blamed on greedy TV execs and conference commissioners.
Fridays should be reserved for high school football, not college games that seem out of place. And the fans seem to agree.
Recent UCLA games played on Fridays haven’t generated big crowds. Even a showdown between unbeatens when the Bruins faced Washington in 2022 drew just 41,343.
When it comes to Friday college football games, just don’t do it.
Start every game in the afternoon or early evening: Nobody wants to be getting home from the Rose Bowl after midnight.
Games that start too late also miss one of the most glorious sites in college football: sunset over the San Gabriel Mountains.
Ideal kickoff times are early to mid-afternoon, which don’t make you set an alarm clock and allow you to get home in time to watch some game involving Hawaii or Boise State.
Bring in a live bear cub mascot: How much fun would it be to have a baby bear on the sideline at the Rose Bowl?
Imagine the possibilities involving “Fuzzy,” our preferred nickname. Snuggle with Fuzzy. Get your picture taken with Fuzzy. Put your fours up with Fuzzy.
Since we can feel the outrage from animal-rights activists, let’s point out that Colorado has a massive buffalo running onto the field at its home games and that UCLA once had its own live-bear mascots for games at the Coliseum into the early 1960s.
Attacked by a bear in 1932
(Los Angeles Times)
Fuzzy could probably only stick around for a season or two until he got too big and possibly tempted to chomp on someone (which actually happened in 1932). Then it would be time to introduce Fuzzy II.
Get the towel waver back on the sideline: In more than a century of UCLA football, Ed Kezirian holds the distinction of being the school’s only unbeaten coach.
OK, so he coached just one game, taking over for the Las Vegas Bowl in 2002 after the dismissal of Bob Toledo. But Kezirian is even more widely known for waving a white towel on the sideline to get players — and fans — juiced.
It was a tradition that started in 1994, coinciding with a missed Stanford field goal and a Bruins win, and formally ending in 2007 with Kezirian’s retirement as the football team’s director of academic services. It’s time to get those towels flapping again.
Wear more alternate uniforms: Fans love this stuff.
Need we remind you of all the uniform and helmet combinations at Oregon, where the Ducks sold out 110 consecutive games between 1999 and 2016?
Partnering with Nike and Jordan Brand means that there’s no shortage of cool (and marketable) possibilities for the Bruins when it comes to getting creative. Wearing all white uniforms or Gary Beban-era throwback blues once a season isn’t enough.
Bring back Geoffrey Strand on a limited basis:
Imagine the fourth quarter of a taut game, the Bruins needing to drive 75 yards for the go-ahead score against Penn State.
That would be the perfect time to unveil a secret, deafening weapon.
“All right, I need every man, woman and child on their feet!” Strand would yell through a microphone, triggering a huge roar.
The world’s oldest cheerleader hung up his tattered blue-and-yellow sweater and newsboy cap after the 2013 season, a year after he was briefly suspended for referencing the Taliban in cheers and allegedly using a golf cart without authorization.
But no one loves UCLA more, and no one could revitalize his alma mater quite like him.
Finding a new voice
Josh Lewin, UCLA’s lead radio announcer, has gone Hollywood.
Don’t worry, not in that way; he’s just taking a cue from his environment.
“This is L.A.” Lewin said, “and this is where creative things get made.”
Given an extended break in his schedule after calling his last Major League Baseball game in 2019, Lewin has pivoted to producing a series of soccer documentaries in his free time between the end of the Bruins men’s basketball season and the start of the football season.
His latest project, a series on Cambridge United Football Club’s attempt to extricate itself from hard times, will air its third and final segment Saturday on CBS Sports Network. It’s the sixth documentary that Lewin has produced, including others on English and American soccer.
“I’m building the airplane as I’m flying it — I mean, I never went to film school, never went to business school,” said Lewin, who earlier this year launched Josh Lewin Productions. “I really only trained to be a play-by-play guy and that’s been great, it’s made me a nice living and I love doing it, but this is just a really interesting way to learn how to connect with fans at kind of a deeper level.”
Lewin’s first project, “Five Dollar Derby,” pitted three American owners of English soccer teams against one another in a manner reminiscent of “Trading Places” — the owners placed a $5 bet among themselves to see who would fare the best. You can watch a trailer for “Five Dollar Derby” here.
When he started making documentaries, Lewin fully immersed himself in every aspect. He wrote, produced, directed, narrated and served as musical director — “everything but key grip,” he quipped — but has since ceded some of those duties to others with more experience to enhance the production quality.
“It’s been a really interesting side hustle, I guess you could call it,” Lewin said. “I’ve learned so much about soccer, England and filmmaking, three things that I really didn’t have on my plate before all this happened.”
After calling the Rams’ game against Dallas on Saturday at SoFi Stadium for Compass Media Network, Lewin will savor the airing of his soccer documentary before preparing to shift back into his usual work flow.
“That’s the perfect time to hit the pause button,” Lewin said, “because Bruins season begins exactly two weeks later and there are 19 new starters to learn about, so it’s time to shift back into Bruins mode.”
Olympic sport spotlight: Women’s soccer
UCLA women’s soccer coach Margueritte Aozasa gets water dumped on her after winning the Division I title in 2022.
(Eakin Howard / Getty Images)
Curt Cignetti, Indiana’s football coach, once said that he wins, just Google him.
Well, Margueritte Aozasa can top that.
She only wins championships, just check her assortment of trophies.
In her three seasons guiding UCLA’s women’s soccer team, Aozasa has won one NCAA championship and two conference titles, including a Big Ten tournament championship last season that made her team the first in UCLA history to take home a Big Ten title. The Bruins went on to reach the second round of the NCAA tournament.
UCLA should be back in contention for another national championship this season thanks in part to the return of skilled midfielder Emma Egizii and forward Lexi Wright, members of the 2022 national title team who were lost for much of last season because of injuries. Also returning are defender Nicki Fraser, the reigning Big Ten freshman of the year, and midfielder Val Vargas, who was a third-team all-conference selection a year ago.
Pulling it all together will be Aozasa, one of Jarmond’s best hires. Her team will be the first on campus to open the 2025-26 UCLA sports calendar when it travels to face Georgia in Athens, Ga., on Thursday.
Mount Rushmore results
Jonathan Ogden with his bust during the induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.
(David Richard / Associated Press)
A mountain of a man might be the preeminent face of UCLA football.
Jonathan Ogden was the leading vote-getter in our Mount Rushmore of UCLA football survey, the 6-foot-9, 345-pound offensive tackle named on 282 of 417 ballots. The others who made the cut were coach Terry Donahue (named on 227 ballots) and quarterbacks Troy Aikman (191) and Gary Beban (182).
The next four were safety Kenny Easley (136), linebacker Jerry Robinson (100), coach Red Sanders (93) and halfback Jackie Robinson (82).
Others named on at least five ballots: Maurice Jones-Drew, DeShaun Foster, John Lee, Marcedes Lewis, Cade McNown, Jim Mora, Ken Norton Jr., Tommy Prothro, John Sciarra, JJ Stokes, Bob Toledo, Wendell Tyler and Dick Vermeil.
Opinion time
Which UCLA football player not named Nico Iamaleava will be the team’s most important in 2025? Is it offensive tackle Courtland Ford, part of an offensive line that must protect its new quarterback? How about running back Jaivian Thomas? Wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer? Defensive tackle Gary Smith III? Linebacker Isaiah Chisom?
The last time UCLA faced Utah in a season opener, the Bruins featured a highly touted quarterback making his first start with the program.
Sound familiar?
It was 2006, and Ben Olson, who had not started a game since his senior year at Thousand Oaks High in 2001 after making a Mormon mission, lived up to the five-star hype in shredding the Utes for 318 yards and three touchdowns. You can watch highlights from the game here. UCLA went on to finish 7-6, the season highlight coming in a 13-9 upset of second-ranked USC at the Rose Bowl.
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In Kabul’s narrow alleys and quiet courtyards, boys dressed in white caps and tunics diligently recite Quranic verses across an expanding network of madrassas – religious schools that increasingly bridge critical gaps in Afghanistan’s struggling education system.
Public schools continue to function, but their effectiveness has diminished due to resource constraints, insufficient teaching staff and the lingering effects of decades-long conflict. Consequently, families are increasingly turning to madrassas, which provide structured education grounded in Islamic teachings. The surge in enrolment is remarkable; one school north of Kabul has expanded from 35 to more than 160 students within just five years.
While most madrassas prioritise Quranic memorisation, Islamic jurisprudence, and Arabic language instruction, some have begun incorporating fundamental secular subjects such as mathematics and English. Nevertheless, many fail to meet national and international educational benchmarks, prompting concerns about their impact on students’ comprehensive development.
For girls, educational barriers are especially severe. With secondary education banned under Taliban rule, some girls attend madrassas as one of their few remaining pathways to learning, though opportunities remain restricted even within these institutions.
Critics argue that madrassas often serve as centres for religious indoctrination, and their growing prominence may significantly influence Afghanistan’s trajectory.
Yet for countless children across the country, these religious schools represent their only accessible form of education.
Campaigners hoping to convert a disused railway line into England’s longest cycle and pedestrian tunnel are challenging a government decision to fill much of the historic structure with concrete.
Earlier this month ministers decided to award several million pounds to permanently shutter the Queensbury tunnel built in the 1870s for a railway between Halifax and Keighley in West Yorkshire, despite spending £7.2m to shore up the structure less than four years ago.
The government has agreed to fund plans to infill the tunnel for safety reasons, by the roads agency, National Highways (NH), which is responsible for maintaining the historic railways estate.
A deluge of water inside the disused Queensbury tunnel. Photograph: Graeme Bickerdike/Forgotten Relics
The mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, who backed calls to reopen the 1.4-mile tunnel which was closed to railway in 1956, has expressed disappointment at the government’s decision. In 2021, while standing at the entrance of the tunnel, she described plans for a subterranean cycle path linking Bradford and Keighley to Halifax as a “great facility for our community.”
Campaigners accused the government of “investing in destruction” and ignoring the views of 8,000 planning objections to the plan to infill the tunnel. They are due to meet Lilian Greenwood, the minister for the future of roads, next week to urge her to reverse the decision.
In a letter to campaigners, Greenwood said converting the tunnel for cycling would be too costly in “the challenging fiscal environment” and that “safety risks need to be addressed.”
NH’s contractors estimate it would cost £26.4m to convert the tunnel. But campaigners have dismissed this figure as “gold-plated” and claim the tunnel could be brought back into use as a greenway for only £13.7m – not much more than the £7.2m spent to shore it up from 2018 to 2021 including at least £3.3m now required to infill the structure.
They also point to a study by the charity Sustrans published earlier this year which found the proposed route would generate £3 in social, economic and tourism benefits for every £1 spent on it.
Norah McWilliam, the leader of the Queensbury Tunnel Society, said: “The government is making and investment in destruction to satisfy the needs of a roads body that only cares about its own narrow interests. Community aspirations to bring positive benefits from our fabulous historic asset mean nothing to these spreadsheet shufflers.”
She added: “These new millions and the seven lost in a black hole four years ago could have paid for the tunnel’s repair, safeguarding it for a role at the heart of an inspiring and sustainable active travel network – something Bradford and West Yorkshire could be proud of.”
Graeme Bickerdike, the engineering coordinator for the society, said: “The minister claims that her decision is based on a ‘full view of the facts’, but the evidence seems to have come exclusively from National Highways which has a proven track record for exaggerating risk, misrepresenting condition evidence and frittering away public funds.
“There is no justification for another costly tunnel intervention at this time as the 2018-21 works have reduced what was already a low risk profile.”
An impression of how a cycle path through the disused Queensbury rail tunnel between Bradford and Halifax could look. Photograph: Graeme Bickerdike/Four by Three
Brabin said she shared the disappointment of campaigners, but said she understood the government’s decision. She said: “To ensure everyone’s safety the government had to act quickly to secure the site, and the realities of public finances meant a difficult decision needed to be made.
“We remain committed to helping support alternative routes for walking, wheeling and cycling between Bradford and Calderdale.”
