Because T-bones and porterhouses consist of two different muscles, grilling them perfectly can be tricky – but this charcoal setup levels the playing field.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
Month: March 2026
Could you imagine what the 2026 NFL Draft would look like if all college football players were eligible to be picked? Would Arch Manning be the first quarterback taken? Would the Las Vegas Raiders dare to make Jeremiah Smith the No. 1 overall pick? Well, there’s no need for you to imagine, because we’re going to find the answers to those questions in our All-College Football Mock Draft. The premise is simple: Every player who played in college football this past season is eligible to be selected in the NFL Draft. So, stars like Smith wouldn’t have to wait another year to enter the NFL. Let’s take a look at how I think the first round would play out in our All-College Football Mock Draft. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana We know the Raiders still need a quarterback in this exercise. But is there a quarterback who played in college last year you’d take over Mendoza? The answer’s no. You would still take Mendoza at No. 1 in this. It might be tempting to go with a guy like Arch Manning — could you imagine Tom Brady drafting a Manning? It’s a fascinating discussion, but Mendoza should still be the pick. 2. New York Jets: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon The Jets also need a quarterback, and the discussion here would be between Moore and Manning. If you watched the tape, Moore was the better player of the two last season. I think he would win out in the evaluation process as a result. Even this year, when Moore was making his decision whether to enter the draft or not, he was the consensus No. 2 quarterback to Mendoza. Moore’s an elite talent and can further boost his draft stock in 2026. 3. Arizona Cardinals: Arch Manning, QB, Texas The Cardinals also need a quarterback, and luckily for them, this exercise provides them with plenty of talented quarterback options. It would be hard to pass up on Manning with the third pick here, even with the struggles he had early last season. His traits are just too tantalizing at this point, and he’s a Manning. If you’re the owner of the Cardinals, aren’t you sitting there and thinking, “He adds value to our organization immediately.” I also think that as Manning gains experience, he’ll become an even better player. Arch didn’t have the best season in 2025, but he improved as the year went along and the upside is still high. 4. Tennessee Titans: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State Don’t the Titans need the best offensive player available? That’s what Smith would be at this point in the draft. The Titans get to give quarterback Cam Ward the best threat possible in this hypothetical. Even though Smith still has another year to play in college, I think he’s going to immediately be one of the best receivers in the NFL the moment he enters the league. I think he can also be one of the better receivers we’ve had this generation. 5. New York Giants: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame The Giants can finally get their Saquon Barkley replacement. I really love this idea, though, for head coach John Harbaugh, who you know wants to establish the run game. Cam Skattebo might not be the longterm answer for the Giants at running back, especially after that gruesome ankle injury. But pairing Love with quarterback Jaxson Dart and wide receiver Malik Nabers as the centerpieces of your offense for the future is a really exciting idea. 6. Cleveland Browns: Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU The Browns have a glaring need at left tackle, but even in this exercise, there isn’t a prototypical left tackle prospect that you would put in this spot. I had the Browns taking Georgia left tackle Monroe Freeling in my most recent mock draft, which some might view as a reach. But Seaton’s play has gone a bit under the radar. He was really good as a pass blocker at Colorado the last two years before transferring to LSU this offseason. 7. Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State There are a lot of great wide receivers the Commanders could potentially pick from here. I think Tate would be the second-best wide receiver in this, so Washington takes him to pair with quarterback Jayden Daniels. Tate was overshadowed a bit because of Jeremiah Smith, but he’s a great route runner who has good length and separation ability. Every Ohio State receiver that enters the NFL produces right away, and I think Washington would take that. 8. New Orleans Saints: Makai Lemon, WR, USC I actually had the Saints taking Lemon in my most recent mock draft because the fit for him in New Orleans with quarterback Tyler Shough was too good to pass on. That’s why I think the Saints should take Lemon at No. 8 in this exercise as well. I love the idea of putting him in head coach Kellen Moore’s offense. He’s a magician in space. He had the best feel for space among all college football wide receivers this past season, especially in the interior. 9. Kansas City Chiefs: Arvell Reese, edge rusher, Ohio State I know the Chiers need a cornerback, and LSU’s Mansoor Delane or Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore would be strong picks at No. 9. But you could also get one of the best players in this year’s draft class instead. Do you think the Chiefs would pass on Reese at No. 9? Reese could be, and don’t roll your eyes at this, the Chiefs’ next Derrick Thomas with his athleticism and explosion. 10. Cincinnati Bengals: David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech Just like with the Chiefs and Reese, the Bengals get a great edge rusher prospect to fall to them in this exercise. I love Bailey. He was a production monster for the Red Raiders this past season. 11. Miami Dolphins: Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State You really think that if the Dolphins could draft anyone in college football that they wouldn’t take a quarterback? They would absolutely take a quarterback. I don’t think Malik Willis is the longterm answer in Miami. Sayin should, at least, be highly considered with this pick. He was the most accurate passer in college football this past season. He’s very smart and throws the ball down the field much better than you would anticipate, even though he’s not the biggest guy on the field. I know he didn’t play great down the stretch, but Ohio State’s offensive line was a sieve in front of him, particularly against Indiana and Miami (Fla.). 12. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State The Cowboys have got to fix their pass defense. Just like in my regular mock draft, arguably the best defensive player available drops to the Cowboys at No. 12. Downs’ size might make him fall to No. 12 in this exercise and in the real draft, but I don’t think the Cowboys would pass up on him, at least they shouldn’t. They had too many problems stopping the pass last season, and Downs makes you better everywhere. This is a guy who makes you better right away. He’s the smartest defensive player that I’ve covered in my college football broadcasting career. 13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Styles has rocketed up draft boards after arguably having the best combine performance ever. He’s a great leader with tremendous intangibles. He’s also got some versatility, making the move from safety to off-ball linebacker during his time at Ohio State. He can defend the pass and he’s a great run stuffer. He fits what the Rams need as they look to make a Super Bowl push. 14. Baltimore Ravens: Dylan Stewart, edge rusher, South Carolina This is where it gets a bit interesting because I’m going to have a lot of guys who are still in college starting to come off the board. Even after signing Trey Hendrickson, the Ravens could still use some pass-rushing help. So, if I’m Baltimore, I’m saying, “Sign me up for Stewart.” He was a freshman All-American in 2024 and backed that up with a really solid campaign in 2025. I think he’s going to be one of the top picks in the 2027 draft. He’s a really good player. 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Colin Simmons, edge rusher, Texas The Buccaneers also need an edge rusher, and this exercise provides a lot of depth at that position. Simmons has really high upside. He’s a pure pass rusher who can impact the game right away. 16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts): Cam Coleman, WR, Texas The Jets got their quarterback at No. 2. Now, it’s time to give Dante Moore some help. So, why not go with Coleman? He’s an elite player. When he came out of high school, everyone was talking about how good he and Jeremiah Smith could be in college. Coleman wasn’t able to shine as much, though, because of Auburn’s struggles at quarterback. Physically, Coleman has all the tools and will be catching balls from Arch Manning this upcoming season. I think he can have a really great 2026 season and possibly be a top six or seven pick in the 2027 draft. 17. Detroit Lions: Rueben Bain Jr., edge rusher, Miami (Fla.) I think the Lions could really use another pass rusher, even if they already have Aidan Hutchinson. Putting Bain with Hutchinson would give Detroit two members on the All-Motor Team. They would wear offensive tackles out. How would opposing teams shift their protections? One of them would get a one-on-one matchup that they would win. 18. Minnesota Vikings: Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame Minnesota could use some help at multiple positions on its defense. Moore can solidify the outside of its defense, and I think he’s the top candidate for the Thorpe Award entering the 2026 season. 19. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon Bryce Young could use some help, and the Panthers have an option to help alleviate some of the pressure off their young quarterback’s shoulders in the red zone with this pick. Sadiq is a game-changing tight end in the middle of the field and would be paired with Tetairoa McMillan, who is a really good outside wide receiver. But Sadiq would really help provide some balance to Carolina’s offense with his elite blocking ability. 20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Delane is my top cornerback in the 2026 draft, so this would give the Cowboys great value at a position of need. Downs and Delane would really fix that pass defense. Jerry Jones would be all for the all-college football draft. 21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss Is anyone else tired of waiting around for Aaron Rodgers? I’m sure the Steelers are. Don’t you want a longterm situation at quarterback? I love Chambliss and his mentality and leadership. In the face of adversity with Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss right before the College Football Playoff, Chambliss played so well. He’s just scratching the surface of his potential. Remember, he transferred to Ole Miss last season after spending time at Ferris State. If he has another year like he did a year ago, his draft stock will only continue to rise. 22. Los Angeles Chargers: Vega Ioane, G, Penn State The Chargers need help on the interior of their offensive line, and Ioane was the best interior offensive lineman in college football last season. Jim Harbaugh loves players like Ioane, who is versatile, can play different positions and can even motion pre-snap. 23. Philadelphia Eagles: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.) The Eagles have to prepare for life after Lane Johnson at some point, right? Well, they have the opportunity to take the player who I think is the top offensive tackle in this year’s draft with this pick. If the Eagles could do this, general manager Howie Roseman would run to get the pick in. I love Mauigoa as a run blocker. I think he’ll continue to develop and get better as a pass blocker. 24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars): Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (Fla.) We had the Browns filling their left tackle need earlier in this draft. Now, I think they have to add another offensive threat for second-year quarterback Shedeur Sanders. This actually might be my favorite pick in this draft because Toney is an unreal talent. He nearly had one of the most incredible catches I’ve ever seen in Miami’s CFP win over Ole Miss. But the Hurricanes were really creative with how they used Toney as a freshman this past season. They tried to get him the football in different ways, especially when they needed to get the offense out of the mud. 25. Chicago Bears: David Stone, DT, Oklahoma Stone might be the top defensive tackle in next year’s draft. I’m not as impressed by the defensive tackles in this year’s class as I am with Stone, who has been a monster for Brent Venables’ defense. He’s only getting better. He was a big reason why the Sooners were one of the three best defenses in college football this past season. 26. Buffalo Bills: KJ Bolden, S, Georgia I actually had the Bills taking a safety with their first-round pick in my most recent mock draft, something that I think new defensive coordinator Jim Leonard might be pushing for. Bolden’s outstanding and has already played a ton of football as he enters his junior season for a program with a lot of NFL talent on defense. He’s got really high upside. 27. San Francisco 49ers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia This is a great example of how fit matters. I have Freeling as the top left tackle in this year’s draft, but he might be a reach to pick in the top 10, which is where I had him going in my most recent mock draft. However, Freeling being selected at No. 27 would be more appropriate and the 49ers can start to prepare for the longterm outlook of their offensive line. He can take over that left tackle spot at some point for the 49ers. 28. Houston Texans: Spener Fano, OT, Utah Fano has position versatility that the Texans could use to improve their offensive line. He can play offensive tackle or guard. More importantly, this would be a great value pick as I had Fano going in the first half of the first round in my most recent mock draft. 29. Kansas City Chiefs (via Los Angeles Rams): Ellis Robinson, CB, Georgia The Chiefs use the pick they got in the Trent McDuffie trade to replace him with another cornerback. Robinson was the No. 1 overall recruit out of high school before being named second-team All-SEC as a redshirt freshman last year. I think he’s got tremendous upside, giving Kansas City a second player with elite potential in this draft after selecting Arvell Reese. 30. Miami Dolphins (via Denver Broncos): Keldric Faulk, edge rusher, Auburn The Dolphins need help everywhere, so they have to go with the best player available with this pick. Faulk would be that player here. Faulk checks a lot of boxes. He’s got good length and athleticism and I think he might have an even better NFL career than what he showed at Auburn. 31. New England Patriots: Brandon Baker, OT, Texas It was apparent that the Patriots needed some offensive line help in the Super Bowl. Baker is a heck of a player and I remember seeing him during spring football early in his college career and I thought he would be an outstanding player for a long time. 32. Seattle Seahawks: Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri Kenneth Walker was vital to what the Seahawks did offensively. I really liked what Hardy did at Missouri this past season, leading the Power 4 in rushing yards with 1,650 yards. He forced 97 missed tackles as well, which also led the Power 4. Hardy’s in the same mold as Walker as a running back, which would be a good addition for the Seahawks at No. 32.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House of Representatives approved a resolution urging the Trump administration to waive a steep visa fee for international teachers. The vote comes amid a growing teacher shortage throughout the state.
Lawmakers are calling for the Trump administration to waive the fee for teachers hired through the H-1B visa program, which allows employers to recruit highly-skilled workers from overseas. The federal government raised the fee from $5,000 to $100,000 for each new applicant to the H-1B visa program in September.
The House passed the resolution by a 38-0 vote on Friday, with Reps. Bill Elam, R-Kenai, and David Nelson, R-Anchorage, absent.
Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage, sponsored the resolution. The former teacher said the cost is impossible for Alaska school districts.
“We know it’s a deep concern,” Galvin said on the House floor Friday. “In Alaska, in particular, in our rural areas, we are desperate for more teachers, qualified teachers in the classroom before our students. We have a true need here that can be met, and this is one tool that I hope all of us will raise our voice together and send to our federal delegation so they can use it.”
Rep. Ted Eischeid, D-Anchorage, a former science teacher, noted international teachers are also employed in urban districts like Anchorage.
”At last count, we had 66 teachers that work for the Anchorage School District providing critical education,” Edischied said, referring to the number of international teachers. “So if the most important educational reform is to have a highly qualified teacher in front of kids every day, this resolution moves us in that direction. So I support this.”
Rep. Nellie Jimmie, D-Toksook Bay, said 60% of teachers in the Kuspuk School District in her district are international hires. “The Kuspuk district cannot recruit teachers fast enough off the road system. You can’t train somebody to be a teacher overnight,” she said. “Ten teachers at a $100,000 rate visa, that’s a million dollars. Do we have a million dollars in our budget to spare for these teachers? I don’t think so.”
Jennifer Schmitz is director of the Alaska Center for Recruitment and Retention, a division of the Alaska Council for School Administrators, which supports districts in recruiting and hiring teachers and staff. After the vote, Schmitz said she was glad to hear legislators’ support because districts are hiring now.
“I’m thrilled that it passed, especially that it was unanimous,” Schmitz said. “Legislators all seem to understand that this is an issue and that they’re supportive of helping our international teachers get here more easily.”
There are nearly 600 teachers in Alaska hired through the H-1B visa program, which lasts for five years. Despite that, Schmitz said the center’s job board has over 700 job openings across the state, including for teachers, administration, para-professionals and staff.
“Special education is always at the top and then often harder to fill,” Schmitz said. “Positions can be secondary specialties like math, science, and chemistry, those higher level classes, those are often harder to fill and harder to find qualified candidates. But we have openings in every possible position.”
Schmitz said the center recently held several job fairs, including connecting University of Alaska students with education jobs as well as recruiting from around the United States and internationally.
“We are hopeful that people can find teachers from that. But we’re just really at a standstill,” she said for international hiring because of the visa fee. “And our attorney is looking at ways around that and other kinds of visas, but we just don’t know if they’re going to work… And we need to get their paperwork going now if we want them here by fall.”
The resolution now goes to the Senate where it is expected to garner support. The initiative backs federal action in the U.S. Congress, where Alaska Republican U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan are cosponsoring a bill in the Senate to waive the $100,000 visa fee for all public school employees. A similar bill in the U.S. House is urging the Trump administration to waive the visa fee for health care workers.
Texas Roadhouse is known for its menu’s great value, but according to customers, this item is the exception. Here’s why diners think the price is too steep.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Multiple women told The New York Times that Mexican American civil rights hero Cesar Chavez assaulted them decades ago, including when some were just girls, one as young as 13. Over their multiyear investigation, published on March 18, 2026, journalists at the paper found “extensive evidence” of that abuse by poring over historical records and conducting interviews with more than 60 people.
While yearslong investigations into abuse allegations are rare, silence about abuse is common.
As a clinical psychologist who studies interpersonal trauma, I’ve seen how the dynamics of abuse can lead to silence, even over decades.
This research can help answer the question many asked when they heard about the charges against Chavez: Why didn’t the women speak earlier?
Power and trust betrayed
Among the women who disclosed abuse by Chavez, Dolores Huerta described seeing him “as my boss, as my hero, as, you know, somebody that would do the impossible.” Debra Rojas said, “I had love for him … He did his grooming very well.”
When perpetrators abuse those who trust and depend on them, the betrayal adds to the harm of trauma. Betrayal trauma theory helps explain why.
AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File
Victims who depend on the people abusing them face extraordinary pressure to minimize what is happening. Disclosure can mean losing relationships or resources that are necessary for survival. Children abused by caregivers or community leaders risk relationships that they need to get their basic needs met. Adults who disclose abuse or harassment by employers risk losing their jobs and economic security.
Adding to the harm of abuse, perpetrators commonly twist reality to keep victims silent. They might directly instruct victims not to tell others what happened. They might also tell victims that they are actually the ones to blame for causing the abuse or that no one will believe them.
Victims must adapt to this untenable situation in which they depend on the very people causing harm.
For some people, betrayal results in dissociation symptoms and memory impairment for what happened. Dissociation is a common response to traumatic stress that can include amnesia, feelings that things are unreal or feeling disconnected from what is happening. Dissociation and memory impairment can help victims maintain necessary attachments in the short run.
Betrayal also contributes to more shame and self-blame, as well as more severe psychological and physical health problems.
Shame and self-blame can make it harder to disclose what happened. Not surprising, then, victims of high-betrayal traumas are less likely to disclose what happened relative to other kinds of traumas.
When betrayal-trauma survivors do speak up, delayed disclosures can be met with blame or disbelief, even from health providers. Survivors with more severe psychological symptoms are also met with more negative reactions to their disclosures.
Betrayal also makes escaping abusive relationships, including physically violent ones, difficult. Greater dependence on the perpetrator has been linked with a greater likelihood of staying with an abusive partner a year after a police report of domestic violence.
Cultural and institutional betrayal add to harm
Women told The New York Times that they stayed silent about their abuse, which for some began when they were girls, in part “for fear of tarnishing the image of a man who has become the face of the Latino civil rights movement.”
When people in marginalized groups are abused by someone from the same group, that constitutes an additional wound. Dr. Jennifer Gómez described this as “cultural betrayal trauma.”
With cultural betrayal trauma comes even greater pressure to stay silent as well as greater harm from the abuse.
When institutions such as churches, schools or unions fail to stop abuse or respond appropriately, that institutional betrayal can also add to the harm caused by the original abuse. In turn, institutional betrayal predicts greater dissociation and health problems, adding to the burden of abuse.
Anticipating disbelief and blame
Ana Murguia told The New York Times that she believed she would be blamed for the abuse.
Huerta, who was one of three co-founders, along with Chavez, of what ultimately became the United Farm Workers union, told the newspaper that she “feared that no one within the union would believe her.”
Anticipating disbelief and blame affects decisions to disclose. When researchers asked college women who were sexually victimized at some point in their lives why they kept what happened to themselves, they heard four common reasons. Women kept assaults private because they felt shame, guilt or embarrassment, minimized what happened, feared consequences of disclosing or wanted privacy.
Fears about negative reactions are unfortunately well founded. Research shows that when victims do disclose, victim blaming and other negative reactions are common. In turn, those negative social reactions add to psychological distress and the harm of abuse.
Connection and courage: Antidotes to betrayal
In the wake of the harm that betrayal trauma causes, healing is possible through connection and care.
Research shows that people can learn to respond in better ways to disclosures of abuse, such as connecting people to resources and expressing empathy. In addition, institutions that act with courage in the wake of abuse, such as by making it easy to report or taking actions to prevent future abuse, can help reduce harm to survivors.
Dolores Huerta Foundation Instagram
When survivors disclose, avoiding blame, disbelief and other negative reactions can minimize additional harm. Taking steps to offer emotional support and resources can even help open doors.
That’s what my research team found when we asked sexual assault survivors about the reactions they received from service providers, such as counselors or victim advocates. When survivors received more tangible support, they were more likely to later disclose what happened in a formal report to the police.
Anne P. DePrince has received funding from the Department of Justice, National Institutes of Health, State of Colorado, and University of Denver. She has received honoraria for giving presentations and has been paid as a consultant. She has a book with Oxford University Press. She is an Advisory Group Member of the National Crime Victim Law Institute and a Senior Advisor to the Center for Institutional Courage.
Politics + Society – The Conversation
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In recent weeks, Kelly Osbourne’s weight loss has become a topic of nonstop discourse on social media.
Now, it looks as though Kelly has managed to drop another 170 pounds by ditching her fiance, Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson.
Wilson famously proposed to Kelly backstage at her father’s final concert in July of 2025.
“Kelly and Sid have decided to call off their engagement,” a source close to the situation tells the Daily Mail.
The insider went on to state that the breakup is at least partially a result of Kelly’s fragile mental state following the death of Ozzy Osbourne.
“Kelly has been struggling following the loss of her father. The grieving process has been incredibly difficult, and she’s been doing everything she can to cope,” said the source.
The informant added that while the split might come as a surprise to fans, Kelly and Sid were “facing challenges in their relationship for some time” and that “things were not as they appeared.”
“They tried to make it work, particularly for the sake of their child, but ultimately decided that separating is the best path forward,” the insider shared.
“Kelly has endured a great deal over the past year,” the insider explained.
“Despite everything, she remains sober and is now focusing on herself and her role as a mother moving ahead.”
Sid and Kelly first met in 1999 when Slipknot toured with the Ozzfest music festival.
They started dating in 2022. Kelly and Sid welcomed a child together that same year.
Video of Sid proposing to Kelly backstage at Ozzy’s final show went viral over the summer.
“Kelly, you know I love you more than anything in the world,” Wilson could be heard saying in the clip.
“F–k off, you’re not marrying my daughter,” Ozzy joked during the proposal.
In recent months, Kelly’s changing appearance has made tabloid headlines on a routine basis.
The 41-year-old has been rapidly losing weight, seemingly with the help of GLP-1 medications.
In social media posts, Kelly has blasted the “special kind of cruelty” that she says she’s endured as a result of her recent appearance.
She has not yet commented publicly on the rumored end of her engagement. We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Kelly Osbourne Dumps Fiance Sid Wilson Amid Rapid Weight Loss Controversy was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
Steakhouses are very popular places to have a fine dining meal. When in Atlanta, Alton Brown has a definite favorite place to get the best steak.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Here’s what’s happening this week Inside The Garage: Darlington Raceway (Darlington, S.C.) — Daniel Suarez didn’t bother to talk to Ross Chastain in the days following their argument last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He figured it wouldn’t do any good. “It’s kind of like when you make your girlfriend mad,” Suarez said with a laugh. Truth is, Suarez (driver of the Spire No. 7 car) has had plenty of “girlfriends” in the Cup garage. He has raced for five different Cup teams. So he is used to racing against drivers who, like Chastain at Trackhouse Racing, he used to call teammates. Their little dust-up brought to light that sometimes former teammates can have issues with each other on the track. While often the focus is on how teammates race each other, the way former teammates race each other is not a topic often explored. “Honestly, tell me if I’m wrong, but I’m trying to think back, and I never had any issues with any of my teammates,” Suarez told me and other reporters during the weekend at Darlington. “The thing is that last year was very, very difficult. “You guys only know 20 percent of the stuff that actually happened. And maybe one day I will write a book and you guys will find out everything that exactly how things happen. But last year was very, very difficult, definitely one of the most difficult years I have had in my career the way that things the way that things played out.” For Suarez, who has been released from a few teams, it would be normal to have some animosity and want to beat his former team. On the INDYCAR side, much is made of Andretti Global driver Will Power and whether he wants to beat the Team Penske drivers more than others. Power has insisted he isn’t focused on his former teammates. In NASCAR, drivers appear to move on relatively quickly. They can see from history that it can be for the best. Look at Joey Logano, who appeared his career might be over when he got released by Joe Gibbs Racing but then won three championships driving for Team Penske in the No. 22 car. “In the back of your mind you want to beat them, there’s no doubt, but I don’t know if I did much differently,” Logano told me. “I know I had drama with them, but I don’t think it was because of that. It was just circumstances. “You’re still just trying to prove your own career at that point. And you’re trying to prove that you belong and that you’re trying to extend your career into the next chapter.” For the last 20 years, Denny Hamlin has seen drivers come and go from JGR. “Truthfully, my relationship with my teammates always got better when we were no longer teammates,” Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 car, said in a pre-practice news conference. “That’s just factual. “We always were closer after their time was up. … It’s different for everyone, but certainly you can’t stop human nature.” One of those was Kyle Busch, who couldn’t agree to terms to remain at Hendrick Motorsports and JGR during his career. “All the Gibbs guys I’ve always gotten along well with, so none of those guys, especially Martin [Truex Jr.] for sure, but even Denny [Hamlin] we’ve always been fine,” Busch, driver of the RCR No. 8 car, told me. “Once you have issues with guys, then you kind of race in a little bit differently, like Christopher [Bell] ran over me a couple times at COTA so that didn’t go over well for a while. “When I left Hendrick, I would say you ran those guys hard because you were disappointed in not being there anymore. But you’re also running those guys hard just because of how good they are. You’re racing Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. We had plenty of battles where we were racing for wins, but it was always cordial.” Busch replaced Tyler Reddick, who surprised RCR by leaving for 23XI Racing. He initially signed with 23XI during the 2022 season — to not start at 23XI until 2024. RCR eventually released him to go to 23XI starting in 2023 when it was able to land Busch. “Me and Austin [Dillon] always raced each other pretty hard but fair, you know, and so nothing really has changed there,” Reddick, who has already won four races this season in the No. 45 car of team owner Michael Jordan, told me and other reporters about his former RCR teammate. “Kyle has always been respectful, too. “That was one thing about Kyle that was cool. As I was trying to make my name here from the very early days, I always raced him with respect. So he always gave me that respect right back.” Reddick indicated any beefs between ex-teammates fly more under the radar than they did between Chastain and Suarez. Brad Keselowski, who has raced at Team Penske and then for his own team at RFK Racing, said it all depends on how the relationship ended. “It’s more about how you leave than anything else,” Keselowski told me. “Some departures are easier than others. I could understand that there’s always going to be some animosity amongst teams and drivers when that happens. … Ultimately, I want to beat everybody. I don’t want to beat one car, whether it be a former teammate or not.” Keselowski and other drivers said they don’t think about it much when they are racing other drivers or if they are behind two former teammates battling for a spot. “I just assume everybody’s going to run into everybody all the time, being honest,” Keselowski said. “When you’re thinking about those things, you’re not thinking about doing your job at the highest level possible — whether that’s hitting a certain spot on the racetrack or getting the right slide in the car and all those types of pieces. So I try not to let other pieces of information enter my brain.” Like other sports, there is a dynamic of the former teammates knowing each other’s tendencies better, so they know how to potentially take advantage of their weaknesses. Michael McDowell said his former Front Row Motorsports teammates, such as Todd Gilliland, know him well. “I shared every secret of my entire life with [Gilliland],” McDowell told me and other reporters. “I thought I was staying there forever. I wish I wouldn’t have told them. “I’m being serious. I’d never planned on leaving. And so I was an open book. Everything that I’ve learned and done and approach he knows.” One specific NASCAR driver does have reason to be angry with a couple teams. Zane Smith was on loan from Trackhouse to Spire in 2024 and struggled early. He was released from Trackhouse without ever competing in a race for them. “I was definitely in an interesting spot because I was like half-pregnant with two teams,” Smith told me and other reporters. He said he has put it behind him. “I don’t care who you are. I feel like whether you’re let go from a team or whatnot, you’re going prove to them that they were wrong no matter what the situation is,” Smith said. “I think you’re seeing some of that. “Who knows how that relationship ended? You never know with any of these teams how it ended. And from the outside, there’s a lot probably people just don’t know, for both sides.” That’s what Suarez indicated in what he was saying. And he indicated he isn’t focused on his former teammates. “I’m not even thinking about any of the Trackhouse cars or any of the competitors,” Suarez said. “It’s me versus me. And I always say that I’m trying to be the best version of myself. “And it just happens that I’ve been racing, especially with the 1 [of Chastain] quite a bit, because we’ve been kind of racing together.” In The News -A couple of teams made their Indy 500 one-off entries official: Helio Castroneves will return with Meyer Shank Racing and Takuma Sato will be in a fourth car for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. That gives the Indy 500 32 confirmed entries (including the Andretti Global additional entry that is expected to go to Colton Herta). Chevrolet still has two engine packages unaccounted for that would have been used if Prema had made the grid for the 2026 season. Whether Prema could run a car in May is still to be determined. -A hearing is set for Thursday in Joe Gibbs Racing’s request to extend a temporary restraining order into a preliminary injunction against Spire Motorsports Chief Motorsports Officer Chris Gabehart. The injunction keeps Gabehart from performing similar duties to what he did as competition director at JGR. There also has been expedited discovery into Gabehart’s role and whether he shared any JGR technical info with Spire. Gabehart had taken photos of various JGR setup information and other company information. -NASCAR suspended three Big Machine Racing crew members — crew chief Patrick Donahue, car chief Dillon Bassett and engineer Morgan Olsen — for four races for ballast coming out of the Patrick Staropoli car late in the race at Las Vegas. Social Spotlight There’s no better way to start a race. Sweet Ride The best throwback scheme idea for Darlington: They Said It “I was willing to give up everything to have a shot at winning this race because I’ve wanted to win here for so, so long, so bad.” —Tyler Reddick on winning at Darlington on Sunday. In Inside The Garage, Bob Pockrass takes us behind the scenes of the motorsports world the way only he can.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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Jason Aldean’s record label and team pulled off an epic surprise for the country superstar during Country Radio Seminar (CRS) on Thursday when he was honored with a 31 No. 1 party.
The star-studded event was hosted by BMG Americas’ President, Frontline Recordings Jon Loba and BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville’s EVP, Recorded Music JoJamie Hahr, and brought together Aldean’s friends and heroes to celebrate the Georgia native’s career, which includes 13 Top 10 country albums and 31 No. 1 hits at country radio.
Blake Shelton kicked off the night with a performance of Aldean’s No. 1 hit “When She Says Baby” and later recited a self-written poem that had the entire room laughing. Later, Aldean’s all-time favorite band, Alabama, took the stage to perform one of his favorite songs, “The Closer You Get,” marking a full-circle moment as Aldean often performed the track during his early sets as a rising artist.
Travis Tritt, Aldean’s longtime friend and musical hero, also surprised the crowd with a performance of Aldean’s chart-topping hit “Night Train.” The celebration continued with a major moment when Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line reunited to perform Aldean’s No. 1 hit that they co-wrote with Morgan Wallen and Jordan Schmidt, “You Make It Easy.”
In total, 54 songwriters were celebrated for Aldean’s 31 No. 1 hits including Rhett Akins, Kurt Allison, Dylan Altman, Brent Anderson, Thomas Archer, Brett Beavers, Jaron Boyer, Will Bundy, Rodney Clawson, Jim Collins, Dallas Davidson, Chris DeStefano, Michael Dulaney, John Edwards, Jerry Flowers, Colt Ford, Andy Gibson, Brantley Gilbert, Ashley Gorley, Ben Hayslip, Tyler Hubbard, Brett James, Paul Jenkins, Brian Kelley, Tully Kennedy, Brandon Kinney, Kelley Lovelace, Tony Martin, Jim McCormick, Vicky McGehee, Jeff Middleton, Josh Mirenda, Wendell Mobley, Ashley Monroe, John Morgan, David Lee Murphy, Danny Myrick, Alex Palmer, Bobby Pinson, John Rich, Jimmy Robbins, Deric Ruttan, Jordan Schmidt, Jason Sellers, Bridgette Tatum, Josh Thompson, Neil Thrasher, Chris Tompkins, Michael Tyler, Lydia Vaughan, Morgan Wallen, Brad Warren, Brent Warren and Brian White.
Additionally, Lauren Alaina, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, HARDY, Chipper Jones, Miranda Lambert, Chase Matthew, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Willie Robertson, Darius Rucker, Bridgette Tatum, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood and Trisha Yearwood shared video tributes for Aldean, who watched alongside his wife, Brittany, and other members of his family.
A visibly stunned Jason Aldean closed out the eventful evening with a performance of his 31st chart-topping single, “How Far Does A Goodbye Go.”
“This is crazy…this is wild. I feel like this is every songwriter that’s ever written on my records. I had no idea about tonight – I thought I was coming to play one song and hang out for a minute and go home,” he admitted from the stage. “Thank you so much for being here. All the writers here tonight are why I have a career so thank you so much. Between these guys and you all at country radio, Jon Loba, and everyone at BBR, thank you for tonight and for the last twenty years. I’m blown away.”
This surprise 31 No. 1 party leads into another big moment for Aldean: the release of his new album, Songs About Us, which is set to drop on April 24.
The post Inside Jason Aldean’s Surprise 31 No. 1 Party With Performances From His Friends and Heroes appeared first on Country Now.
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