Buss Sports Capital, which was started in September by Jesse and Joey Buss, joins a Padres ownership group that includes husband-and-wife controlling owners José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones. Although neither the team nor the firm supplied financial details of the deal, multiple media outlets are reporting that the Buss brothers’ stake in the Padres is around 5%.
“We are honored to join Kwanza and José and have the opportunity to contribute to the future of a team that Jesse and I have loved since we were kids growing up in San Diego,” Joey Buss, 41, said in a statement. “Sports have always been a part of our family’s story, and great organizations have a unique ability to bring people together and create a lasting sense of community. …
“The Padres are on the cusp of something special, and through Buss Sports Capital, we look forward to bringing our experience and perspective to the ownership group and doing our part to build on the strong foundation already in place.”
Like their four older siblings, Jesse and Joey Buss took part in the family business of running the Lakers. When the Buss family sold the controlling stake to Mark Walter for $10 billion last year, team controlling governor Jeanie Buss told ESPN, the siblings were told their roles with the team wouldn’t change for five years.
In November, however, Jesse and Joey Buss, as well as the rest of their siblings except for Jeanie, were let go by the Lakers. At the time of their dismissal, Jesse had been the team’s assistant general manager and Joey was vice president of research and development.
The Padres are the first major acquisition for the brothers’ investment firm.
“Joey and I had the privilege of learning from our father and then spending nearly two decades building our own careers in professional basketball operations,” Jesse Buss, 38, said. “We saw firsthand what it takes to build a championship organization, and throughout our careers have applied those lessons across talent evaluation, roster construction, player development and long-term organizational planning. While every sport is different, we believe the principles behind building sustained success are universal. …
“We look forward to bringing that experience to the ownership group, supporting Kwanza and José’s vision for the Padres and doing everything we can to help bring a World Series championship to San Diego.”
There are so many boys, girls, men and women with the name Rex living in Southern California that they could form their own football team.
“We have like 28 cousins,” said San Clemente High strong safety/receiver Jaxson Rex.
Every Christmas, the Rex adults and their children, ranging in age from 4 to 28, come together but the family football games have been put on hold.
“We don’t play football anymore because everyone will get hurt and the dads try too hard,” Jaxson said.
There were eight Rex siblings who grew up first in Hawaii, then Bellflower. All are married. The most famous is Bryon, who was an All-American tight end at Brigham Young and is Jaxson’s uncle. Byron’s son, Isaac, played tight end at San Clemente and BYU, and another son, Preston, is a senior running back at BYU.
Jaxson will follow the family tradition of playing at Brigham Young, committing during the summer despite a strong bid by UCLA’s new coaching staff to pull him away. “I loved how UCLA’s new coaching staff is,” he said.
Jaxson is so talented there isn’t a position he can’t play in emergency except on the line. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound senior was recruited by several schools to be a receiver but sees himself as a strong safety.
“What I’ve enjoyed is the physicality in football,” he said. “I grew up playing basketball and football and realized I wasn’t going to be 7-foot tall, so I tried to focus on football once I hit eighth grade.”
A motivational moment came when he was in sixth grade and moved from Long Beach to San Clemente. He ended up playing against seventh- and eight-graders, which meant he hardly played.
“I never want to be not on the field,” he told himself.
Jaxson doesn’t leave the field for San Clemente (2-0), returning punts and kickoffs besides catching passes and making tackles and interceptions on defense. If you like someone who creates turnovers, that’s Jaxson. He’s always trying to take the ball away from running backs, quarterbacks and receivers.
Last season he had five interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and 68 tackles. He also caught 10 touchdown passes. He averaged close to 30 yards on kickoff returns. He had 12 solo tackles in the Southern Section Division 2 final loss to Los Alamitos.
“He does everything and then some,” coach Jaime Ortiz said. “He has a high football IQ. He’s tenacious.”
Former NFL tight end Dennis Pitta, an assistant coach with the Tritons, said, “He’s as hard of a worker and as good as an athlete you could ask for.”
Jaxson calls living in San Clemente “paradise.”
“We always have an ocean breeze, not too hot, not too cold,” he said. “I can always work out any time of the day.”
The end of the summer practices for San Clemente involves jogging from campus 1.8 miles to the San Clemente Pier.
“Everyone is honking their horn while we’re going,” Jaxson said.
Imagine if 28 Rex cousins were participating. The noise would be so loud the town might think a parade was taking place.
Jaxson has an 11-year-old brother learning to play safety.
As long as players named Rex keep coming through San Clemente, the football team will be more than fine.
The force said that in the early hours of Saturday, and the previous night, it had received multiple reports of two cars driving dangerously around the town and a Volvo XC60, believed to be linked to the Passat, was seen ramming properties.
There is no suggestion Worthy’s father was involved in criminal activity.
PC Tom Clough, 38, and PC Matthew Blades, 37, died in the crash, as did Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jacob Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, Theo Rae, 17, and Worthy.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said officers had been pursuing the Passat for almost seven minutes after it was connected to earlier alleged criminal activity, but the pursuit was abandoned 10 seconds before the crash when it turned on to the dual carriageway.
Both vehicles were operating with cloned number plates but were picked up by automated number plate recognition technology.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly moving back across the pond, six years after their dramatic exit from the Royal family stunned Americans and Britons and exposed scandal in Buckingham Palace.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will return to British soil along with their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for an extended period starting this month, People reported last week. While the pair’s decision may be unsurprising to some, Prince Harry and Meghan made clear in 2020 that their personal Brexit was because of several factors, ranging from severe scrutiny by the British media to alleged racism and bullying from the royal family.
Meghan, during the couple’s memorable tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, spoke plainly of her experience among the royals: “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. And that was very clear and real and frightening.”
King Charles III is aware of the plans for his son and Meghan‘s U.K. return and “welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity,” People reported. The spouses are also said to retain their property in the affluent Santa Barbara enclave of Montecito, and vacation home in Portugal while also making a “private, non-royal” home in Britain. This retrospective tracks the early years of the highly scrutinized pair’s relationship, the fallout from their royal exit, their media ventures and more.
When Harry met Meghan
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend a Wheelchair Tennis match during the Invictus Games 2017 at Nathan Philips Square in Toronto, Canada.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)
“Personally, I love a great love story.”
That’s what Meghan Markle, formerly of “Suits” fame, told Vanity Fair in October 2017. By then, more than a year of media speculation and rumors surrounded the L.A.-raised actor and activist’s romance with Britain’s Prince Harry, younger brother to Prince William and the second son of Charles and the late Princess Diana, who was killed at age 36 in 1997 after the car she was in crashed while fleeing paparazzi in Paris.
Meghan and Prince Harry kindled a romance in 2016 at that year’s edition of his veteran-centered Invictus Games, held in Orlando. Markle quickly found herself in the beloved “bad boy” Royal’s orbit — including the tireless swarm of tabloids and paparazzi who have captured almost his every move from childhood. The pair was already subject to media frenzy early in their relationship, prompting Harry via Buckingham Palace to plead with reporters to respect his then-girlfriend’s privacy and to condemn the “outright sexism and racism” in online comments. Markle had also remarked early on that she was disheartened that so much coverage of her romance focused on her ethnicity.
News of their engagement in 2017 further raised eyebrows among the public and even more so with established British tabloids, including the Daily Mail, which had once described the pair’s relationship as a “VERY unlikely romance.” In the context of the longstanding (and almost exclusively white) British monarchy, Meghan was an outsider: American, mixed-race (she is half white and half Black), an outspoken public figure and a divorcée (she was previously married to film producer Trevor Engelson).
Prince Harry and Meghan married in May 2018 and were named Duke and Duchess of Sussex. At the time, Prince Harry was sixth in line to the British throne. During the wedding ceremony, the Rev. Michael Bruce Curry heralded the pair’s union with calls for justice and equality — amid the country’s early steps into leaving the European Union — and made references to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“When love is the way, there’s plenty of room for all of God’s children,” Curry said during the ceremony. “When love is the way, we actually treat each other — well, like we are actually family.”
Between the newlyweds and the British royals, family ties proved only so strong.
Buckingham Palace faces a new era of controversy
As new parents, the Duchess and Duke of Sussex pose with their newborn son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, at Windsor Castle on May 8, 2019 in England.
(WPA pool / Getty Images)
Marrying into British royalty did not shield Meghan from criticism, speculation and attacks by the press — it appeared to have the opposite effect. Sound familiar?
British tabloids and several media personalities continued taking aim at Meghan, portraying her as a rude “trailer trash” personality amid a rumored riff with Princess Kate and using racist imagery to mock the arrival of her firstborn son, Archie, in 2019. The public ridicule remained ceaseless, but alleged tension was also brewing behind palace walls.
Less than a year after their first heir’s arrival, the Duke and Duchess announced in a shocking personal statement in 2020 that they would step down as senior members of the royal family and would work to become financially independent. They also announced at the time that they would split their time between the U.K. and North America. A year later, the spouses announced they would not return to royal duties. Shortly after, they memorably shed light on their decision in a bombshell CBS interview with Oprah Winfrey, unleashing a disturbing look into their life as members of the royal family.
Meghan claimed that while pregnant with Archie, she and her husband were informed their son would not have the title of prince or princess, which she said deviated from longtime protocol, and would not be entitled to security. The actor also implied that during discussions about her son’s title, there were “also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
“They were concerned that if he were too brown, that that would be a problem?” Winfrey asked.
“If that’s the assumption you’re making,” Meghan replied, “I think that’s a pretty safe one.” She did not identify the person who made the remarks: “I think that would be very damaging to them.”
Winfrey later clarified that Harry said neither his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II or his grandfather Prince Philip “were a part of those conversations.”
Meghan also spoke about her struggles with her mental health while part of the royal family. She revealed that she was suicidal while pregnant with Archie, citing isolation and helplessness amid ceaseless attacks by the press.
“I just didn’t want to be alive anymore. And that was a very clear and real and frightening constant thought,” she said, adding that she went to the palace’s corporate institution for help. “I was told that I couldn’t, that it wouldn’t be good for the institution.” At the time of the interview, Harry and Meghan revealed they were expecting a baby girl. Lilibet was born June 2021.
“The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement responding to the spouses’ interview. “The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.”
Royal fallout
Prince Harry with Meghan, standing behind Prince William and Kate, during the funeral service for Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
(WPA pool / Getty Images)
In addition to Harry and Meghan’s self-demotion, Buckingham Palace faced tragedy and additional criticism in the following years. Prince Philip died in April 2021 and long-reigning Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022 at age 96. Prince Harry and Meghan both attended the queen’s funeral, but under close watch by the British media.
Charles ascended to the throne after Queen Elizabeth’s death, marginally moving up Harry and his children with Meghan — the children later received their royal titles of prince and princess. — in the line of succession to the British throne.
When 2023 arrived, so did a fresh batch of revelations about the Windsors. Prince Harry published his memoir, “Spare,” providing readers an unflinching look at his family but an even more unforgiving description of the paparazzi. In the book he recalled needing to ask his grandmother’s permission to propose to Meghan, wrote that older brother Prince William had “been pretty discouraging about my even dating Meg” and accused queen consort Camilla of making shady deals with the press.
Months after the memoir’s publication, Prince Harry and Meghan were asked to vacate their British home of Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Reportedly, King Charles began the eviction process the day after his son published the memoir.
Meghan, left, and Chrissy Teigen in an episode of Netflix’s “With Love, Meghan.”
(Jake Rosenberg / Netflix)
As Meghan and Harry moved to separate themselves from the royal family and from life in the U.K., they settled down in California in the affluent neighborhood of Montecito and into new business ventures. Among their earliest post-palace endeavors was the creation of multimedia company Archewell Productions, which in September 2020 inked a multiyear deal with Netflix to produce series, docuseries, documentaries and other programming.
For Netflix, the spouses have put forward numerous projects, including documentary series and reality shows “Harry & Meghan,” “Heart of Invictus” and cooking show “With Love, Meghan.” The pair opted last year to maintain its relationship with the streaming giant, signing another multiyear, first-look deal.
Additionally the ex-royals’ Archewell Audio inked a multiyear deal with Spotify to produce podcasts and shows for the platform in a deal that was reportedly worth $20 million. Archewell Audio released a 30-minute holiday special in 2020 and one audio series — “Archetypes” — hosted by Meghan in August 2022. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s podcasting endeavor at Spotify ended in 2023.
Unsurprisingly, Prince Harry and Meghan, who have also busied themselves with various philanthropic causes, faced backlash for their Spotify departure. Meghan was also accused of faking some “Archetypes” interviews.
In addition to big-swing media ventures, Meghan launched a lifestyle and food business that had undergone multiple name changes. She initially launched her brand under the moniker American Riviera Orchard, specializing in artisan jams she notably gifted to celebs, including Kris Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and Mindy Kaling. She later rebranded the line to As Ever, following a minor roadblock with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“I was figuring it out in real time,” she told People of the naming debacle in 2025. She also said she now sees herself “as an entrepreneur and a female founder.”
According to recent reporting, Meghan can add “actor” back into that description. She is reportedly in talks to join the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series “The Gentleman.” That would be her first acting gig since the end of “Suits” and marrying into the royal family.
DANIELLE Lloyd has opened up to fans after her son Ronnie was unexpectedly rushed to hospital.
The model, 42, revealed the news on social media following a ‘heavy night’ but reassured that he was now on the mend.
Danielle Lloyd rushes son Ronnie to hospital and opens up on ‘heavy night’Credit: Instagram/missdlloydThe model revealed the news on social media and reassured fans that he was now on the mendCredit: Instagram/missdlloyd
The mum-of-five took to her Instagram Stories to share a photo of her eight-year-old son laying asleep in a hospital bed.
Danielle captioned the post: “Well that was a heavy night!
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“Thanks for all your messages Ronnie is out and feeling a lot better (heart emoji)”
After reassuring fans of Ronnie’s recovery, a later snap uploaded by Danielle showed the model all smiles as she posed alongside her daughter and nephew.
Danielle shares sons Archie, George, and Harry with ex-husband Jamie O’Hara, while she and Michael O’Neill are parents to Ronnie and Autumn Rose.
The star had previously gone through her own health scare after being diagnosed with amelanoma last year.
Danielle, who is now cancer free, had admitted to The Sun at the time: “Being a mum, I was trying to put a brave face on for everyone, but inside I’ve been crumbling.
Danielle shares sons Archie, George, and Harry with ex-husband while she and Michael O’Neill are parents to Ronnie and Autumn RoseCredit: InstagramDanielle had previously gone through her own health scare after being diagnosed with a melanoma last yearCredit: Getty
She had an operation to remove a cancerous patch from just above her collarbone, after spotting a change in a small freckle.
She said the freckle was “smaller than a five pence coin” but had started to raise alarm bells after she saw how much it had evolved over time.
She responded to a fan in her comments: “Mine was melanoma which was sun damage x”.
Danielle admitted she believed her tanned skin tone gave her some protection from cancer.
She revealed she rarely wore sunscreen with a high SPF, saying: “Honestly, if I did, it was very low factor as I go so brown very quickly. I never thought my skin tone could get skin cancer and if I did anyone can”.
The mum also said she had ditched sunbeds for the first time in her life.
Posting the update to her fans, Danielle urged others to be vigilant about any skin changes, especially those that may seem minor at first glance.
She said in the comments: “I used to be a total sun worshiper, never really thinking about the risk of skin cancer.
“Sunbeds before holidays? Absolutely! But now, I’ve decided it’s better to fake the glow because my health and being there for my kids are what truly matter.”
THE 15-year-old son of former Real Housewives star Kim Zolciak and NFL player Kroy Biermann has been arrested for alleged sex crimes against a girl in a gym.
Kroy Biermann Jr. was taken into custody on August 17 in Alpharetta, Georgia, and was hit with felony charges of aggravated sodomy and aggravated sexual battery.
Kroy Biermann Jr., 15, the son of ex-NFL player Kroy Biermann and former Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak has been arrested for alleged sodomy and sexual assaultCredit: Alpharetta Police DepartmentThe teenager remains in custody and has been charged as an adultCredit: Getty
The teen is accused of leading a 15-year-old female acquaintance into a family changing room at a Life Time Fitness location before physically restraining her and forcing her to engage in sexual acts on April 23.
After the alleged attack, the girl went to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where she was examined by a nurse and a sexual assault kit was taken.
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The Alpharetta Police Department confirmed he has been charged as an adult.
His father Kroy Biermann played for the Atlanta Falcons while his mom Kim starred in the Real Housewives of Atlanta.
On Friday his mom, who starred in the show between 2008 and 2012 issued a statement to US Weekly regarding the accusations.
“The allegations being made against my son are nothing short of reckless and deeply troubling,” she said.
“He categorically denies ever being involved with this woman or engaging in the conduct she has alleged.”
“My son voluntarily took a polygraph examination regarding these allegations and passed.”
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She claimed that no DNA belonging to her son was found on the alleged victim and highlighted that “false accusations can have devastating consequences” for both the accused and survivors of such crimes.
The teenager is next due to appear at Fulton County Superior Court on September 8 and remains in custody at the Metro Regional Youth Detention Center with no bond set.
Biermann Jr. is the eldest of four children Zolciak shares with former Atlanta Falcon Biermann.
The pair filed for divorce in August 2023 after 12 years of marriage.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Dave Bautista will take over as the lead in the Amazon Prime live-action TV series based on the widely revered video game franchise of the same name.
“Sons of Anarchy” alum Ryan Hurst had initially landed the role of one of the most famous dads in video game history, but in June he suffered an injury on-set while performing a stunt.
Hurst was announced as Kratos in January, and in a social media post he said that he used to play as Kratos. “Now I get to be him,” he wrote. “Grateful to pick up the axe, and honored by the fans who made this story legendary.”
Hurst needed surgery after severely tearing his bicep, and the recovery time would push production into 2027, which reportedly conflicted with filming schedules. Earlier this year, Hurst completed filming on four episodes of the first season of the highly anticipated show, but those will be scrapped and reshot with Bautista stepping in, and production resuming in the fall.
“God of War,” based on PlayStation’s ancient-mythology themed video game, follows Kratos — a Spartan by birth who later becomes the Greek god of war — and his son, Atreus, as they set off on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Along the way, Kratos tries to help mold his son into a better god, and Atreus teaches his dad how to be a better man.
Bautista, a WWE wrestling champ turned movie star of Greek and Filipino descent, will join a cast that includes Callum Vinson as Atreus, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Danny Woodburn as Brok, Sonya Walger as Freya, Island Austin as Thrud, Ben Chapple as Magni, Louis Cunningham as Modi, and Evelyn Miller as Gna.
Emmy-winning director Frederick E.O. Toye, known for “Shōgun,” “The Boys” and “Fallout,” is helming the first two episodes of the forthcoming series.
The sunset of his NFL playing career came almost 30 years ago.
So what is Bucky Brooks doing before sunrise, unlocking the gate outside the Granada Hills High football field?
He’s getting in touch with his roots the way dozens of former NFL players are from coast to coast, teaching the game he loves to the latest generation.
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Granada Hills football coach Bucky Brooks, a former NFL player, talks about why he coaches high school football and why it attracts many former NFL players. (Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times)
“There’s nothing like it,” said Brooks, 55, of coaching high school football. “The athletic part of you dies when we retire. There’s nothing that gives you that same feel of being the gladiator in the ring. But this is the closest thing. Even though you’re not playing, you live vicariously through their experiences.”
“I’m where I need to be,” said Palmer, whose son, Fletch, is a quarterback and junior on this season’s team. “I missed so much when I was playing because I was so involved in so much.”
After retiring in 2018, he contemplated going the route of a lot of former players and working NFL games as a color analyst.
“I almost signed a contract doing TV stuff,” said Palmer, whose daughter, Bries, is a freshman at the school. “I wouldn’t be around when my kids come by my office at lunchtime, or when somebody has a stomachache and needs to take a class period to take a nap on my couch. I love that.”
Santa Margarita will open the season Friday by playing host to Jones High of Orlando, Fla. — a team coached by former Atlanta Falcons defensive back Elijah Williams.
“The standard’s been set, the culture’s been built, and now you’ve just got to carry it on,” Palmer said.
“This class that we have right now has done a phenomenal job. We’re running more stuff than we were last year, just because it’s these kids’ second year in the program.” He added the receivers, in particular, are playing with confidence because of their detailed route work — precise depths, footwork, releases that are “NFL routes” as opposed to “seven-on-seven stuff.”
If you’re an up-and-coming quarterback, there has to be an extra layer of pressure and expectation if your father played the position at an elite level. Philip Rivers understands that. His son, Gunner, a four-star quarterback in the class of 2027 who plays for his dad at St. Michael Catholic High in Fairhope, Ala. The younger Rivers will be headed to North Carolina State, following in the sizable footsteps of his father.
Likewise, Philip Rivers followed his own dad, Steve, a legendary Alabama high school coach.
Granada Hills coach Bucky Brooks watches his players run drills during a recent practice.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
“I grew up wanting to be my dad’s quarterback, and now I’m getting to coach my son and relive it all again 30 years later,” said Philip Rivers, who also has a younger son, Pete, on the team. “Everything goes too dang fast. There’s some long days throughout the years, but it all goes too fast. You wish you could slow it all down.”
All of this gives Philip a better understanding of his own father.
“My dad’s in the state Hall of Fame,” he said, “but he never won a state championship. His championship trophies were in his desk drawer, the letters players had written him over the years. We want them to be better men for having been in our football program. That’s the mission.”
Almost three years ago, former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck was hired as varsity football coach at Ensworth High in Nashville. He gave up his job as primary game analyst for “ACC Primetime Football” in part to coach his son, Taylor, now a quarterback at Wyoming.
Granada Hills coach Bucky Brooks huddles with defensive players during a recent practice in preparation for the 2026 high school football season.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Coaching high school football became a family affair, with parents Don and Mary Beth selling their Boston house of 50 years and moving to Tennessee, and Don — the former NFL tight end who died last year — joining his son’s staff. Matt Hasselbeck, Tim’s brother and a former Super Bowl quarterback, came on board as well as Ensworth’s offensive coordinator.
“We all had coaches who made an incredible impact on our lives,” Matt said. “And we probably had coaches who had a negative impact as well. … I didn’t seek out coaching. I said I’d do a three-day clinic. I just don’t remember stopping.”
By Archie Manning’s count, about 30,000 high school players have been enrolled in the 30 years of the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodeaux, La. The weeklong camp focuses on quarterbacks and receivers, and college players from around the country serve as counselors, as do brothers Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning.
“I tell Peyton and Eli, ‘Listen, when these kids get home, their granddaddy is going to ask them, ‘Did you meet Peyton and Eli?’” said Archie of his two NFL quarterback sons. “And I want them to say, ‘Yes.’ OK, so get your butt around to everyone. They try to get in front of every kid.
“The kids we deal with are just so eager and excited, and that’s what makes it so fun.”
Back at Granada Hills, where he has coached since 2019, Brooks is looking to instill in his players some of the lessons he learned from the all-star cast of NFL coaches he played for as a defensive back — among them Marv Levy, Mike Holmgren, Tony Dungy, Marty Schottenheimer and Jon Gruden.
“We all feel an obligation to give back,” Brooks said. “Your Pop Warner coach, your high school coach, your college coach. … I want to take those same lessons people gave me and give it to the next people.”
Granada Hills coach Bucky Brooks talks to his players before practice.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
That requires sacrifice. Brooks has worked as a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated and analyst for NFL Network. Now, he’s a commentator for the Jacksonville Jaguars’ TV Network, meaning he finishes a high school game and flies to where the Jaguars are playing.
Sometimes, that means hopping on a plane to London after coaching a Friday night game. His assistant coaches, mostly a group of his former Granada Hills players, have to pick up the slack sometimes with the subsequent practices early in the following week.
“It’s been a great leadership lesson for me,” Brooks said. “I’ve learned to delegate and let other people take over.”
HER reality star romance with Joey Essex failed to flourish — but Love Island’s Jessy Potts is now smitten with the son of a controversial Real Housewife.
The villa beauty, 27, is dating Innis Jenkins, 26, whose mum multimillionaire mum Diana, 52, appeared in the Beverly Hills version of the franchise.
Jessy Potts is in a relationship with Innis JenkinsCredit: jessypotts/InstagramThe couple recently enjoyed a romantic holiday together in ItalyCredit: jessypotts/Instagram
Jessy has shared a number of loved-up pics with Innis from their holiday in Sorrento, Italy, without sharing his name.
She also posed with a beaming smile beside Innis and Diana on the businesswoman’s Instagram account, before it was swiftly deleted overnight.
The Sun has contacted a rep for Jessy for comment.
Entrepreneur Diana, who is worth an estimated $300m, made headlines for the wrong reasons earlier this year when she was wrongly linked to a shocking story in the late actress Hayden Panettierre‘s memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.
Jessy and Innis made tiramisu in picturesque SorrentoCredit: jessypotts/InstagramInnis’ mum Diana Jenkins was a star of Real Housewives of Beverly HillsCredit: GettyJessy smiles with Innis and his mum DianaCredit: InstagramLate actress Hayden Panettiere was friends with DianaCredit: Getty
Reading the passage on the podcast, Hayden said: “She physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous… My hair stood on end, and I became ferocious. I was like, ‘This is not happening.’
“I had nowhere to hide. I bolted, and I hid wherever I could think of to hide on a boat. There was no jumping off and swimming away… and I realised that there was nobody who was going to be empathetic to my situation, that this was nothing new to them.”
Though Hayden didn’t name the socialite, rumours began spreading online that it was Diana, leading the Real Housewife to vehemently deny any involvement.
Diana was forced to deny she put Hayden in bed with a Brit music starCredit: BravoJessy was previously in a relationship with Joey Essex after meeting him on Love IslandCredit: Getty
In a statement to TMZ, her rep said: “Diana has had to deal with false online rumors before, and sadly this is just another example of that.
“So let me be 100 per cent clear about this: It most certainly is not Diana, and anyone who claims it is her will be sued.”
Diana’s connection to Hayden goes back at least 16 years when the Sarajevo-born businesswoman released a coffee table book called Room 23 that featured provocative and intimate shots depicting Beverly Hills life and featured an array of stars including Lindsay Lohan and George Clooney.
At the time of her involvement, Hayden was 20 and riding high in superhero drama Heroes.
Hayden wrote of their friendship in her book, stating: “It was a weird friendship for sure, but as I stretched into my newfound adulthood, I had to see which relationships suited me, on my own terms. At that moment, Diana seemed like she could give me everything I needed.”
Innis grew up in LA and attended a posh private school. He is said to be an entrepreneur but keeps a low profile publicly with no posts on his own social media page.
He has made cameo appearances in the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills over the years but was very much a background figure.
His dad is Brit banker Roger Jenkins, who divorced Diana in 2011.
In the early noughties he was said to be the highest paid banker in London, coining in a reported £40m a year.
He was dragged to the Old Bailey in 2019 for a high-profile fraud case dating back to the 2008 financial crisis and his involvement in Barclays’ emergency £11bn capital raise to avoid being nationalised.
Roger was one of three men acquitted in 2020. He is now reportedly worth close to $100m.
Before dating Jessy, Innis had a relationship with Ava Dash, the daughter of Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Damon Dash.
Jessy appeared in the Love Island villa in series 11 as a bombshell. She hit it off with Towie star Joey Essex, who had started the series as one of the original villa boys, turning his head away from ex-girlfriend Grace Jackson who was also in the villa.
The pair narrowly missed the series final, and their relationship was short-lived in the outside world.
Opening up on Love Island All Stars, Jessy said: “It only lasted about a couple of months afterwards. It was just, we’re definitely different people, so when you leave here and it’s like, ‘Oh, s***!’
“He’d done TV before, so he already had a lot of people who had opinions about him anyway. And it just wasn’t, it wasn’t for me.”
EMILIE Kiser has addressed the controversy that surrounded her after her young son was pictured without a life jacket.
The 27-year-old influencer‘s son, 16 months, was pictured on a boat without a life jacket – and fans were left completely enraged.
Emilie Kiser has spoken out after the controversyCredit: @emiliekiser/ TikTokShe also released a statement about the backlashCredit: Instagram/@emiliekiser
In a video posted on Friday, Emilie acknowledged that she and her husband, Brady Kiser, 29, made a mistake for not putting a life jacket on their son and apologized for the incident.
“I understand this conversation.
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“I think it is important. It holds people accountable, and I know that I am not perfect.
“I know that we make mistakes, and all I can say is that I’m sorry, and that I know we made a mistake,” Emilie said.
She captioned the video, “Thanks for listening. Hope you all have a safe and good weekend.”
Emilie also shared a statement which read: “Our child should have been in his life jacket for the entirety of that boat ride, not even for the few moments that he was out of it.
“We are painfully aware that in a matter of seconds, your entire life can change, and we should have done better.
“We recognize and appreciate the genuine care that people have for our children.
“There has also been a deep level of anger and hurt directed toward our family, and we understand the basis of those feelings as well.
“It comes from the belief that Trigg should still be here, and we share that same belief more than can be expressed. He was only three years old, and should have lived a lifetime more. That reality lives with us every moment of every single day.
“We will continue to do better, advocate for better and, as hard as we try to avoid them, still make mistakes. We can only promise that we will never stop learning from them and continue loving our children with everything we have.”
The footage of Teddy was captured during a June family trip to Mallorca, Spain.
The footage was shared by fellow influencer Madi Curtis in a now-deleted upload.
Teddy could briefly be seen sitting on the boat with Brady without a life jacket.
This comes just a year their son Trigg died after falling into the family’s pool.
Arizona police alleged Brady was watching an NBA playoff game while Trigg, 3, fell into the water and was alone for over nine minutes.
Bradyfound him unconscious, and Triggdiedsix days later in the hospitalon May 18, 2025.
Just last month, Emilie revealed she’s expecting another child.
Taking to social media in July, Emilie penned: “As I stated last year, my family’s privacy will always be my priority.
“Because of that, I’m not sure how much I will be sharing about this pregnancy and next phase of life, but I appreciate your understanding as I navigate those boundaries.”
She added: “This baby has already brought so much hope and joy into our home, and we are treasuring every moment of it together.
“Thank you in advance for all of the love, well wishes, and support as we navigate this next chapter of our growing family.”
“Losing a child really shows you, in the scariest, most real way possible, just how quickly life can change and how quickly life can literally be taken away,” she said.
“And I think that really scared me with Teddy [her youngest son].”
Emilie revealed there were times she was “so angry” at her husband and was unsure if she could ever forgive him.
The US has not confirmed the revocation, which comes amid crackdown on Mexican politicians with alleged ties to cartels.
The son of former Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has accused the United States of revoking his visa in a politically motivated manoeuvre.
Andres Manuel Lopez Beltran made the allegation late on Thursday in a public letter addressed to US President Donald Trump and posted on social media.
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He accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his deputy, Christopher Landau, of ordering the visa revocation.
“There is no reason whatsoever to justify such an arrogant action,” Lopez Beltran wrote to Trump. “It is worth emphasising that these officials have no evidence against me regarding any immoral or criminal act.”
The US State Department has not publicly responded to his claim.
His letter comes as part of a trend of visa revocations from the US. Several Mexican officials, across the political spectrum, have had their visas cancelled, as part of what the Trump administration characterises as a broad crackdown on individuals linked to drug cartels.
Who is Lopez Beltran?
The 39-year-old Lopez Beltran is a prominent politician in Mexico, having recently stepped down from the leadership of the left-wing Morena party.
His father founded the party in 2011 and went on to govern Mexico as its president from 2018 to 2024.
Currently, another Morena politician, Claudia Sheinbaum, holds the presidency, and Morena boasts decisive majorities in both chambers of Mexico’s Congress.
Lopez Beltran is expected to run for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies next year.
For much of his father’s presidency, Lopez Beltran stayed out of party politics, instead focusing on his chocolate business.
However, he was elected Morena’s secretary of organisation in September 2024, just weeks before his father left office.
In his letter, Lopez Beltran called the revocation “a crude and perverse act”, saying US officials target Mexican politicians by falsely labelling them as “communists”, “threats to US security” or “narco-terrorists”.
Sheinbaum reacts to letter
On Friday, Sheinbaum said she was unaware of any investigations by Mexican prosecutors into Lopez Beltran.
“This amounts to interference in Mexican politics,” Sheinbaum said at her morning news briefing. “I see no other reason for it.”
Sheinbaum has also walked a careful line in responding to the Trump administration’s hardline approach to cartels and cross-border crime, pledging to cooperate.
But she has also said she would protect Mexico’s sovereignty from any foreign interference, and while she has welcomed collaboration with US intelligence, she has reportedly declined Trump’s offers of US military action on Mexican soil.
Last month, she also rejected a statement by the head of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that her government has ties to organised crime, a frequent Trump talking point.
In April, she decried the US’s decision to charge Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha, another Morena party official, with drug trafficking and weapons-related offences.
She has argued that the indictment lacks evidence and that such investigations should be left to Mexican prosecutors.
The Trump administration has accused Rocha’s campaign of having worked with the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, the criminal organisation it considers a “foreign terrorist organisation”.
Rocha announced in May that he would take a temporary leave of absence from his position as governor to defend himself from the charges.
FORMER glamour model Katie Price was seen putting on a very cosy display with Wayne Lineker as she took her son Harvey to party at O Beach in Ibiza.
The reality TV star looked as though she was having the time of her life on the party isle as she got behind the DJ decks.
Harvey looked on top of the world at O Beach in IbizaCredit: Instagram/thereallouroyHarvey, 24, partied alongside his mum Katie PriceCredit: Instagram/thereallouroy
The O Beach girls even surprised Harvey, 24, in matching swimsuits, holding up the letters of his name.
Harvey looked over-the-moon and threw his hands up in the air with joy.
Katie and O Beach owner Wayne Lineker looked very cosyCredit: Instagram/thereallouroyFormer glamour model Katie and her pal Lou posed up next to WayneCredit: Instagram/thereallouroy
Elsewhere, club owner Wayne wrapped his arms around Katie’s waist as she whispered in his ear.
Wayne gave a cheeky grin as the mum-of-five got up close and personal in her skimpy mint-coloured bikini.
She paired the tiny two-piece that barely covered her modesty, with a sheer white cover-up.
In another snap, Wayne, 63, was sandwiched in between Katie and her pal as they smiled for the camera.
Katie, 48, rested her head on Wayne’s shoulder as she took a brief break from tearing up the dance floor.
While the podcast host and party legend Wayne certainly looked cosy the pair are old pals.
They move in similar celebrity circles and she often visits Wayne at his famous Ibiza club.
Aug. 10 (UPI) — Authorities in Colorado on Monday announced the arrest of Tyler Boebert, the 21-year-old son of Rep. Lauren Boebert, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and other offenses.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office announced Tyler Boebert’s arrest in a statement, saying he was taken into police custody Sunday following an investigation and a felony review process by the 9th Judicial Distric Attorney’s Office.
Tyler Boebert faces three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, The Denver Gazette reported.
Bond was set at $10,000. Tyler Boebert was bonded out of the Garfield County Jail the day of his arrest, authorities said.
According to the affidavit, the charges stem from a sexually explicit video made in early 2024 allegedly of Tyler Boebert, then 18, and a a 17-year-old girl, The Gazette reported.
He is accused of producing, possessing and distributing sexually exploitative material, Colorado Public Radio reported.
The document states the investigation began following a report about an Instagram account that posted videos of teens ranging from 14 to 18 engaging in sexual activity, CPR reported, adding that one of the videos was allegedly of Tyler and the 17-year-old girl.
“I love my son,” Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said in a statement to media on Monday.
“We take allegations very seriously and pray for everyone affected during this challenging time.”
This is at least the third time Tyler Boebert has been arrested.
In July 2025, he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor child abuse in connection with an incident involving his son. He entered a guilty plea and is scheduled to be sentenced next month, CPR reported.
In February 2024, he was arrested on multiple felony charges on accusations of stealing money with the use of credit and bank cards stolen from vehicles in Colorado. He pleaded guilty and received a deferred sentence plus community service and probation. CPR reported that a complaint for revocation of probation was filed in the case last year, and a sentencing hearing was also scheduled for September.
President Donald Trump hosts Olympic and Paralympic medal-winning athletes during a reception for Team USA in the East Room of the White House on Thursday. The reception honored the team’s medal achievements during this year’s Winter Games, where American athletes earned 57 total medals, including 25 gold. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo
AARON Chalmers’ ex Talia Oatway has revealed she’s had to rush her son Oakley to hospital after he was left vomiting blood and “green liquid”.
The four-year-old was born with Apert syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes the bones in the skull, hands and feet to fuse together.
Talia Oatway has revealed she had to rush her son Oakley to hospitalCredit: TikTok/TaliaOatwayOakley was born with Apert syndrome and is in and out of hospitalCredit: Instagram/Talia.oatway
As a result, he lives with complex medical needs and is regularly in and out of hospital.
Worried mum Talia, 34, took to TikTok from the hospital to share news of the scary incident with her followers.
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She began: “What a bloody day we’ve had. So two o’clock this morning, Oakley’s been vomiting since.
“Basically the back story is, Oakley had some PH testing done in hospital where they put a little device, attach it to the esophagus and you have to follow him around for two days with his bag.
“You can’t be more than two metres away from him.”
She went on to reveal that the device should have come out through him when the procedure happened three weeks ago.
“In the morning, he was covered in green sick and I found this little device in his bed,” Talia explained.
“So I phoned the hospital and they told me I need to bring him down, so I brought him down, he’s been vomiting ever since we got here.
“Oakley’s got a feeding tube in the belly, they attach a bag to the tube so instead of him vomiting orally, it’ll come out through the bag and through his belly and it was just pure green and blood. It was horrific.”
Talia said that Oakley was taken for an x-ray because the device could have damaged a part of his bowels.
However, he was required to have another x-ray to investigate further before they consider taking the surgery route.
Talia held her hand over her face and expressed: “I just don’t know what’s going on, it’s just horrific.
Talia revealed Oakley was vomiting blood and green liquidCredit: TikTok/TaliaOatwayThe worried mum updated her TikTok followers about what was going onCredit: Instsgram
“I just feel like it’s one thing after another for this baby and I feel so sorry for him. It’s just awful.”
It comes after his previous hospital dash last month which resulted in him having to have the device put inside him initially.
Speaking previously, the brave mum said: “Every hospital admission. Every surgery. It never gets easier. The fear, the waiting, the helplessness – it never goes away.
“But you keep going because your child needs you to be strong when they can’t be.”
Talia is also mum to three other children – Oakley’s siblings.
She shares Oakley, Romeo, six, and Maddox, four, with formerGeordie Shore star Aaron. She also has an older daughter from a previous relationship.
She said: “Oakley’s here every single night, he has been for over a year and the fact that this person can just go online and start talking about his medical care when he doesn’t attend any appointments, doesn’t attend hospital, is mind-blowing.”
The son of former Manchester United footballer Mark Hughes died from sudden adult death syndrome, a coroner has found.
Alex Hughes was found collapsed at his home in Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 19 June by his two sons.
The 38-year-old, who followed his ex-Wales international father into football and held roles in recruitment at Grimsby Town, Manchester City and other clubs, could not be revived by paramedics, his inquest heard.
Following his death, Mark Hughes and his wife Jill said they were “totally heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son”.
Sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) – also known as sudden arrhythmic syndrome – is diagnosed when the cause of death cannot be explained in a post-mortem examination because the structure of the heart appears normal.
It affects about 500 people in the UK every year.
The British Heart Foundation said SADS “usually happens when a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm goes untreated and leads to a cardiac arrest”.
The foundation added that inherited heart conditions are “often the cause of SADS if the person who has it doesn’t know they do”.
KATIE Price will watch her son Junior Andre performing later this month after he banned her from attending his gigs.
The star is gearing up to re-launch his music career after two years of professional setbacks with an epic comeback performance.
Katie Price will watch her son perform later this month – after he banned her from his gigsCredit: Louis WoodJunior Andre will be taking to the stage at the Hair and Beauty AwardsCredit: Getty
Now, The Sun can reveal that Katie will be front and centre to see her son belt out his comeback track.
Junior will be taking to the stage in Manchester at the AO Arena to perform at the Hair and Beauty Awards later this month.
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And mum Katie has been signed up to hand out one of the event’s top prizes.
An insider told The Sun: “Junior is super excited about getting back on the stage after a few years.
Katie will be presenting at the same event that he is booked to perform atCredit: PA:Press AssociationIt marks a huge return to music for JuniorCredit: Getty
“Katie had previously not had a chance to see him sing but this is a fantastic opportunity to finally see her son in action.
“Princess is also going to be at the event so it will be a real family affair.
“They are all super looking forward too it and cannot wait for the big night!”
Junior had previously admitted on The Princess Diaries that he had had to forego having his mum watch his gigs in order to avoid run-ins with his dad Peter.
Junior’s comeback performance is marking a huge turning point for the star after he faced a string of musical setbacks following the release of his debut single, Slide.
At the event, he is on the bill alongside a series of noughties music legends – joining the company of Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder and Dappy.
Organisers say the bookings are designed to give the 2026 awards a more ‘live entertainment’ feel, blending industry recognition with a full-scale show.
Sophie Lux, founder and CEO of the UK Hair and Beauty Awards, said: “We wanted to bring back that feeling of songs everyone knows every word to. These are artists who were on the radio constantly, who soundtracked people’s lives, and it just felt like the right energy for Manchester.
“The HBAs has always been about celebration, but this year we’re really turning it into a full night out. It’s about entertainment, performance, and creating moments people remember.”
Returning once again as host of the main ceremony is I’m A Celebrity star Jake Quickenden, who fronted last year’s event and will lead the night’s awards and performances.
Maurice Jones-Drew will forever be etched into the memories of the Bruin faithful.
Whether it was his 322 rushing yard and five-touchdown performance against Washington in 2004.
Or his electrifying punt returns — boasting a career average of 23.2 yards per return which ranks second in NCAA history.
Or his unanimous All-American selection as an all-purpose back and returner in 2005.
The tailback captured the hearts and eyes of everyone who watched.
And while the current generation of Bruins never saw the three-time Pro Bowler play in the blue and gold, they will see the same surname stitched on the back of a UCLA jersey in 2027 with three-star recruit Duece Jones-Drew, who committed to his father’s alma mater on May 3.
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Despite Maurice’s affinity for the place he once called home, he hoped that his son would not follow his footsteps to Southern California.
“I wanted to push him away from UCLA as much as possible because I wanted him to go there because he wanted to go there,” Maurice said. “I wasn’t really involved in the recruitment as much because I wanted him to enjoy and go through this process like I did. I wanted him to go to a school that he wanted to go to because it’s his football career. It’s his life. It’s going to be his journey, and I wanted him to feel comfortable wherever he went.”
So the 2017 UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee stuck to his word.
Duece talked to all the coaches. The 5-foot-8 De La Salle running back visited other schools without his father to eliminate any bias or influence. He even drove down by himself from the Bay Area to Los Angeles for UCLA’s Junior Day.
And initially, it looked like Duece was going to stay away from his father’s alma mater after the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster and the potential exit of running backs coach AJ Steward.
But new head coach Bob Chesney retained Steward and the running backs coach encouraged Duece to attend Junior Day.
And shortly after Duece visited UCLA, he knew where he wanted to play — so much so that his parents had to stop him from committing too early.
“Coach Chesney came in and he really changed my mind on what UCLA was, and coach Steward really was on me about getting to campus and experiencing what the new coaching staff was like,” Duece said. “I went there for the Junior Day in January and I fell in love. I love what they believe in and how they compete every day to be the best version of themselves.”
Despite the urge to commit on the spot, the three-star prospect heeded his parents’ advice and took his final visits to the other schools on his list, which included California, Arizona and Utah.
And after juxtaposing his experiences on all his other visits to his experience in Westwood, he had a clear decision.
“My parents always taught me to be myself, and I knew that UCLA was the best school for me, education-wise, and having my dad be there and be such a great player there as well,” Duece said. “I wanted to commit when I went down there in January, but I listened and waited, and I feel like that was the best decision for me. To go visit other schools and see where UCLA stood on my board, and they stood leaps and bounds above Cal and Arizona.”
Throughout the recruitment process, Maurice worried that it would be easy for people to assume that his son only got offered by UCLA because of his legacy there or that he pushed him to commit to the Bruins.
But despite all of the encouragement he gave his son to not hastily pick UCLA, when Duece made his commitment official, there was no one more ecstatic.
“When he picked UCLA, I was excited. I don’t know what the word would be. It’s probably more than that,” Maurice said. “But I was happy that he felt comfortable going somewhere because these next three, four years are where you’re going to make the most leaps and bounds going from a young man to a man, and to be able to pick a school and feel the same way that I felt when I picked UCLA, it was everything I thought it would be.”
Maurice also noted that his son has the same opportunity he had when he committed to former UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell in 2002 — to turn around a struggling program and create a long-lasting legacy.
But that would only be possible with the right people at the top.
And for Maurice, it felt right with Chesney.
“We preach certain things in our household, and coach Chesney preaches and practices those things,” Maurice said. “Hearing coach Chesney talk, hearing all the coaches talk, their strength staff, their training staff — everybody’s on the same page. It’s constant communication. They have a plan of how they operate, how they raise young men on and off the field. It’s a great opportunity to go to a place that needs to be put back where it needs to be.”
Above all, Maurice is looking forward to being a fan.
“I know he’s a terrific player, he’s a great student and I’m excited to see what he can do,” Maurice said of his son. “I don’t know if I still have any records, but if I do, I’m sure they’ll be broken by the time he’s out of there. I can’t wait to watch him and cheer for him and love him up and hug him and do all the stuff that dads get to do when they watch their boys.”
Time for the Bruins to go camping
UCLA preseason camp kicks off on Thursday on the UCLA campus. Chesney and his staff will lead the Bruins through workouts at Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine from Aug. 10-14. Many coaches opt to spend at least a few days away from campus during preseason workouts to promote more team bonding. UCLA will kick off Chesney’s debut season at Cal on Sept. 5.
Betts wins prestigious Honda Cup
UCLA center Lauren Betts shoots over Duke’s Toby Fournier during an Elite Eight game in Sacramento on March 29.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Former UCLA All-American Lauren Betts earned one more award to cap her successful run as a Bruin.
Betts was named 2026 Honda Cup winner at the Collegiate Women Sports awards last week, becoming the seventh Bruin and 20th basketball player to win the top award in college women’s sports. Honda awards are presented to top performers in 12 NCAA sports and they compete for the top overall prize — the Honda Cup.
Betts helped UCLA win its first women’s basketball NCAA national championship, earning the tournament’s most outstanding player award. She led UCLA in scoring (17.1) and rebounding (8.8) while averaging 27.7 minutes per game.
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
A dad whose son has been missing since 1988 told his story on ITV’s This Morning
Peter Boxell appeared on ITV’s This Morning(Image: ITV screengrab)
A father has told how his life became “a living nightmare” after his 15-year-old son vanished without a trace.
Lee Boxell was last seen on September 10, 1988 after he left his home in Sutton, south west London, to meet a friend. He was seen on the High Street in the town that day, but there have been no confirmed sightings since.
Police have theorised that Lee could have been killed after stepping in to stop or threatening to report an assault in the grounds of a church where an unofficial youth club took place.
Appearing on ITV‘s This Morning, his dad Peter Boxell shared how the family were “panic-stricken” and went through their “worst nightmare” after Lee didn’t come home that day.
“It was just like a living nightmare from then on,” he said. “I think it’s every person’s, every family member, every parent’s worst nightmare. And for us, it was a living nightmare.”
He told hosts Josie Gibson and Paddy McGuinness: “We couldn’t sleep for weeks after that. We thought, we didn’t want to miss a phone call or a knock on the door if Lee could come home.”
Paddy asked how Peter had carried on through the years, and he replied: “Well, we’ve been essentially living in limbo, not knowing what’s happened to our son, Lee. And we desperately want to know what happened to him. I mean, I’m old now. I’m 80. His mother’s a few years older than me.
“Most of Lee’s relatives have passed on. And he has a sister who desperately wants to know what happened to him. And she has her own children. So Lee’s now got a niece and a nephew. They know all about Lee. And they want to know what happened to Lee.”
Asked what he thought had happened, Peter said: “I think that the police’s theory is correct, that Lee went to the unofficial youth club at the back of the church in the graveyard at St Dunstan’s in Cheam. And I think he went there, maybe only once.
“And I think he may have seen something, some criminal activity going on. Maybe he saw somebody assaulting a child there. And he would either have gone to the aid of that child or he would have gone for help.
“And I’m only guessing. I just think that the adults who were carrying out that crime may have tried to silence Lee. They may have unintentionally killed him. I don’t know, but I think they may have killed him. That’s what I think has happened.”
Josie also read out a comment from the Met, saying: “They have said, ‘We’ve never stopped our investigation into what happened to Lee. And it remains ongoing within the Met’s cold case team.
“We would urge anyone who did not feel able to speak to police in the past to come forward and tell us what they know. If you can help, whether anonymously or otherwise, please, please, please get in touch’.”
AS the mum of a seven-year- old boy, I think the two most-used words in my household are Pokemon and Lego.
So excitement was off the scale on a trip to Legoland Windsor’s second annual Lego Festival, featuring their new Pokemon Trainer attraction.
Legoland Windsor’s second annual Lego Festival showcases live performances, including headline act Battle Of The BandsCredit: SuppliedCaroline’s son enjoys character meetsCredit: Supplied
The festival, billed as the “ultimate celebration of play’’ — has five zones across the park, where you complete activities to earn stamps on a card.
Get three of the five stamps and earn a prize at the end of the day.
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We created our own race car in the new F1 Brick Stop Challenge and added our own flower to the new garden in the Chill Zone.
But our favourite task was the Pokemon Play Zone — a 15-minute attraction where kids get their own interactive Lego Pokemon character to feed and take into battle.
At the end, you can also make your own Poke Ball out of Lego to take home.
The festival showcases live performances, including headline act Battle Of The Bands, featuring rock and pop stars.
I’m a big fan of the seasonal offerings that Legoland puts on throughout the year and the Brick Or Treat Halloween attraction is unmissable in October.
We always fit so much in that we are too knackered to fully appreciate Miniland on the way out to the car, so I’ve resolved to make the miniature towns and cities our first stop during our next visit.
The theme park’s rides are also awesome. Flying theatre ride Flight Of The Sky Lion is my favourite, and Driving School is still a must for kids, despite dating from 1996.
But what makes Legoland stand out is the attention to detail in every corner of the park.
From the moment you start up Legoland Drive, where the Lego figurines spell out a scrambled version of “Welcome’’, to the excellent Miniland countries (which a team of five maintain full-time), there is something everywhere to marvel at.
I also love the permanent creative zones around the park, designed to let kids build when they need a break from rollercoasters.
While most theme parks focus on the biggest and best rides, Legoland manages to prioritise both entertaining kids and encouraging them to entertain themselves.
That said, these are my favourite five rides for ages five to ten . . .
As I’ve said, Flight Of The Sky Lion is mindblowingly good.
If you are going to use a fast pass on anything, make it this. It is also not scary — any child aged four and over should be fine.
Caroline McGuire and her son enjoy the ridesCredit: SuppliedBecome a Pokemon Trainer at the festivalCredit: Supplied
Minifigure Speedway is a duelling rollercoaster — with two separate tracks where cars race forward and backward past each other — that is one of the park’s newest rides and aimed at pleasing tweens.
My seven-year-old still won’t go near it.
Driving School is an oldie but a goodie — kids love being given the freedom to drive themselves solo around their own road circuit.
Coastguard HQ is right next to Driving School and perfect if your child is too young to handle their own car, as this lets them drive a boat around a lake while you accompany them.
The Dragon is an excellent starter rollercoaster for kids, with some decent drops and a few twists and turns, but it is easy enough not to terrify anyone while scary enough to make young ’uns feel they have braved something big.
Of course, most of these rides also have the biggest queues.
Fortunately, on our visit we were staying at the on-site Legoland Resort Hotel, which gave us early access to the park.
Guests can go on a number of rides, including Flight Of The Sky Lion and Coastguard HQ, from 9.30am — 30 minutes before the public opening.
The hotel lays on plenty of added extras for guests, from the Lego in the lobby to character meet-and-greets at breakfast, and evening dance parties.
Our room got full marks for fun, too, with a treasure hunt and Lego prize, along with a Lego build zone.
In fact, it is a miracle I got my son out in time for our 9.30am start.
But the lure of becoming a Pokemon Trainer was too strong.
If only I could use that trick every morning once school restarts.
GO: LEGOLAND WINDSOR
TICKETS: Lego Festival is at Legoland Windsor until August 31, tickets from £29.75 at legoland.co.uk.
STAYING THERE: One night’s B&B at the Legoland Resort Hotel is from £340, based on a family of four sharing in September.
Includes breakfast, early access to the park and day tickets.
Billy Ray Smith Jr. became embedded in the San Diego sports community as an exceptional linebacker who lived up to his billing as a first-round draft pick and played all of his 126 NFL games with the Chargers from 1983 to 1992, long before the franchise moved to Los Angeles.
Despite being Texas-raised and Arkansas-educated, Smith Jr. became synonymous with San Diego by spending the rest of his life in the sunny SoCal city as a sportscaster, radio host and big-hearted, larger-than-life personality.
Smith Jr. died Wednesday at age 64, his family saying in a statement that he “faced his long journey with dementia caused by CTE with unmatched bravery, dignity, and strength.”
“It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of our beloved Billy Ray Smith Jr., who passed away peacefully surrounded by family,” the statement said. “Billy Ray brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the world as a devoted father, husband, son, and loyal friend.”
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive brain disease characterized by mood disturbances and cognitive decline. It is linked to repeated head impacts and traumatic brain injuries, and has been found posthumously in numerous athletes in contact sports.
According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE cannot be diagnosed definitively during life. However, clinical criteria has been developed for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), symptoms that occur together and are associated with CTE.
A diagnosis of CTE requires evidence of degeneration of brain tissue that can only be seen during an autopsy. Through 2022, the Boston University CTE Center studied the brains of 376 former NFL players and diagnosed 345 with CTE, a rate of 91.7%.
The list of former NFL players diagnosed with CTE includes another legendary Chargers linebacker, Junior Seau, who died in 2012 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 43. Smith played alongside Seau from 1990-1992.
Their friendship endured after Smith Jr. retired and moved into broadcasting. He was a speaker at Seau’s public memorial service.
Smith Jr. was born Aug. 10, 1961, in Fayetteville, Ark., the son of longtime NFL defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith, and grew up in Plano, Texas. The year he was born, his father registered a career-high 13.5 sacks for the Baltimore Colts.
Smith Jr. followed his father’s footsteps to the University of Arkansas, and was twice named a unanimous All-American and voted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Chargers drafted Smith Jr. with the fifth overall pick in 1983.
He moved from defensive end to linebacker in San Diego and by 1987 was named the team’s most valuable player. Smith Jr. finished his career with 26.5 sacks, 15 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries.
He soon moved behind a microphone, teaming with Scott Kaplan on a popular radio show on the Mighty 1090, a station that went off the air in 2019.
“He loved being part of San Diego,” Kaplan told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Yeah, he was the fifth overall pick and he played 10 years and, yeah, was the face of the defense before he handed it off to Junior Seau. But he was the guy who never left San Diego.
“He was loved because people knew Billy Ray. It wasn’t like other star athletes; they knew him because they had seen his whole life, from the time he was in his early 20s, play out on local television. And he never left.”
Smith Jr. worked on TV as a sportscaster and sports director for KGTV while also making appearances on Fox Sports and local Chargers broadcasts.
He met his wife, broadcaster Kimberly Hunt, during a United Cerebral Palsy telethon while still a Chargers player. They married in 1990, had a daughter, Savannah, two years later and celebrated their 36th anniversary in June. Hunt, an Emmy Award winner, is currently in her 18th year as the KGTV news evening anchor.
“Through decades of volunteer service and charitable leadership, Billy Ray has generously supported youth programs, veterans, healthcare initiatives, and numerous nonprofit organizations, helping strengthen the fabric of the San Diego community,” the San Diego Nice Guys said earlier this year.
“Together, Kimberly Hunt and Billy Ray Smith represent the very best of San Diego —individuals whose professional excellence is matched only by their kindness, humility, and dedication to improving the lives of others.”
Smith Jr. came to San Diego as a fearsome linebacker who made two Pro Bowls, yet he transcended football through his infectious personality and devotion to his adopted city.
“He had that big smile, that huge laugh, that rip-your-arm-off handshake,” Kaplan said. “B.R. did everything right. There was not one part of him that was a lie, a secret, not one skeleton in the closet. He really, really lived a life that he could be very proud of.”
Katie Price left her son Junior mortified with a shocking revelationCredit: ITVJunior Andre was left with his head in his hands after Katie admitted she had a ‘hairy muff’Credit: ITV
Katie replied: “That’s what I mean you’re following in my footsteps.”
Speaking candidly on her mum‘s cheeky venture, Princess said in her confessional: “It’s actually really interesting to hear mum talk about starting to build her career.
“Because like if a girl did that now at 18, it would be classed as very wrong so, it’s two different lives really.”
Podcast host Katie then went on to leave her kids – specifically Junior – gobsmacked by a surprise revelation.
She announced: “I had bit of a hairy muff back then though.”
Katie didn’t stop there, she added: “It was because I had red bikini on and the ironing board cover would take it off and I had like a little triangle.”
Junior said: “Mate that I…I don’t like…”
“It’s part of your mum’s journey and after that I bought out cups with me topless on them,” added Katie.
Mortified Junior decided to remain silent as his mum opened up on her sexy merch.
The son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged under suspicion of shooting a woman who is reportedly his mother in Virginia on Sunday night.
The victim was not identified by name in a Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office news release but has been reported by multiple media outlets to be Mia Bieniemy, wife of the Chiefs’ coordinator and mother of their two adult sons. She suffered multiple gunshot wounds and has been hospitalized for treatment of serious injuries but is said to be in stable condition.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, 27, was arrested and charged under suspicion of malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside of a dwelling, the sheriff’s office said Monday. He is being held without bond at the county’s adult detention center.
This booking photo of Elijah Zion Bieniemy was released July 27 by the Loudoun County, Va., Sheriff’s Office.
(Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Via Associated Press)
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a report of a shooting at around 7:32 p.m. on Sunday. Public records show that Eric, Mia and Elijah Bieniemy currently reside at a house with an address on the block where the incident allegedly occurred.
Eric Bieniemy, who was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA in 2024, was with the Chiefs for the second day of training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., earlier Sunday but was not present for Monday’s practice.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid addressed the matter on Monday.
“Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers are with them,” Reid told reporters. “I can’t get into details on it, but things happen sometimes, and Eric will work through it. He’s got a great support group here, as does his family as needed, and then we’ll just let time take care of it from there. Mia is stable, which is a plus.”
Reid said he has known Mia Bieniemy for a long time, as her husband served on his staff from 2013 to 2022, first as the running backs coach and then as offensive coordinator, before returning this offseason.
“She’s a saint. We all know that, the people that know her,” Reid said. “One of God’s good blessings, really a special person.”
