Morgan Wallen’s never straightforwardly said that he’s sober, but we’re not too surprised to hear his dad use the word ‘sobriety’ to describe his situation. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Day: April 16, 2026
Morgan Wallen’s never straightforwardly said that he’s sober, but we’re not too surprised to hear his dad use the word ‘sobriety’ to describe his situation. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
Your favorite soccer player’s favorite soccer player? There’s a good chance that he might be one of the greatest midfielders to ever step on the pitch, Clarence Seedorf. The iconic Netherlands playmaker — who had a storied club career at Ajax, Real Madrid and AC Milan — joins FOX Sports as an analyst for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Oranje legend previously served as an analyst for FOX Sports at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. “I’m excited to be back with FOX,” said Seedorf. “I look forward to sharing my perspective on the game — bringing football fans closer to what happens beyond the surface, combining tactical aspects and personal insights to connect with what they will see during this amazing tournament.” Seedorf won more than 20 club titles, and his storied playing career spanned more than 1,000 matches across 23 years. He is the only player in history to have won four UEFA Champions League titles with three different teams — Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998) and AC Milan (2003 and 2007). He made 87 appearances for the Netherlands national team and represented the Dutch at the UEFA European Championships in 1996. He also played at the 2000 and 2004 editions of the Euros and at the 1998 World Cup in France, reaching the semifinals in all three tournaments. After his playing career, Seedorf had a distinguished coaching career — including at AC Milan, Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña in Spain and the Cameroon national team. He has been included in the FIFA 100, the list of the greatest living footballers selected by Pelé. Seedorf is one of the six people ever named Legacy Champion by Nelson Mandela to carry his legacy worldwide. Seedorf is the latest international legend to join FOX Sports’ broadcast team for the summer. Earlier this month, Mexico’s all-time leading scorer Javier Hernández announced he will join FOX Sports for the World Cup. In March, global icon Zlatan Ibrahimović announced he will also be an analyst for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. France legend and World Cup winner Thierry Henry, who made his FOX Sports debut at the FIFA World Cup draw in December, will also be part of the network’s broadcast crew this summer. Award-winning presenter and celebrated broadcaster Rebecca Lowe will make her FOX Sports debut this summer as one of the network’s hosts for the FIFA World Cup. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch From June 11 through July 19, 2026, FOX Sports presents its largest World Cup production and broadcast slate to date featuring all 104 matches live across FOX (69) and FS1 (35) with every match live-streaming on FOX One and the FOX Sports App. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
We all know Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza will be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson might join him in the first round. But the national draft discussion has focused almost exclusively on those two quarterbacks, leading many to instantly write off the other QBs in this year’s class. That overlooks an intriguing and largely unproven prospect in North Dakota State’s Cole Payton, a dual-threat quarterback with more touchdowns rushing than passing. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound left-hander had only one year as a college starter, but his plus size and athleticism might mean he gets picked sooner than you think. “We’re thinking Day 2,” Payton told me by phone last week, referencing the second or third round of the draft. “Obviously, there are some teams that have higher grades on you, some teams that have lower grades on you, so you really never know at the end of the day. But that’s what we’re planning on. … This has been a blast. It’s what you dream about as a kid.” North Dakota State is a small-school powerhouse, with two FBS national titles in the past five years, and it’s been a surprising pipeline for quarterbacks in the draft. Over the past decade, only three colleges have had four or more quarterbacks drafted, and when Simpson and Payton are selected, Alabama and NDSU will join Ohio State with five since 2016, the most of any college. Payton wants to follow the path that Carson Wentz (2016), Easton Stick (2019), Trey Lance (2021) and Cam Miller (2025) paved, as all are still on NFL rosters. “It’s a big reason I came to NDSU and stuck it out,” Payton said. “To be a part of that pipeline here at NDSU, it’s been really cool.” Payton was a backup to Miller for four seasons with the Bison, played in special packages in 2023, rushing 84 times and scoring 13 touchdowns. At a time when few college quarterbacks stay long as a backup, Payton said he never had serious thoughts of transferring. “It’s not like schools were knocking at the door,” he admitted. But Payton was patient. He didn’t get to be a starter until 2025, when he led NDSU to a 12-1 record and completed 72% of his passes, throwing for 2,719 yards and 16 touchdowns against four interceptions. He finished third in voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive player in FBS. “It’s always been what I’ve been working for and preparing for, even as a backup quarterback,” Payton said. “I knew I had one shot, and I don’t know if it’s hit me yet, but I expected to be here, to be honest. It’s pretty cool.” While Payton’s stats might not jump off the page, some in the NFL rate him highly. “He’s the best dual-threat quarterback in the draft,” a scout recently told our Ralph Vacchiano and Eric D. Williams. “He might need three years to develop. But have you seen some of the backups in this league? This kid might be worth the time.” Still, Payton’s limited time as a starter will be a concern for many NFL teams. Of the eight quarterbacks ranked in FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang’s top 150 prospects list, six of them threw at least 1,000 passes in college. The lone exceptions are Simpson, who had 523 as a one-year starter at Alabama, and Payton, who had just 282 in his five years at NDSU. “You can kind of flip the script on them, because there’s guys who have started 50 games in college that don’t have success in the league,” Payton said. “I don’t think that’s the one thing you should be able to point out. Every case is different, every story’s different. It’s a knock because you want to have more starts, but I can’t do anything about that. I’ll be as prepared as possible and continue to make the most of the opportunities I’m given, even with the lack of starts.” NDSU head coach Tim Polasek said scouts hadn’t looked at Payton as an NFL quarterback until midway through last season. Prior to that, teams were looking at him to potentially play another position on offense or even become a special-teams player at the next level, according to Polasek. Payton’s ability to run a complex pro-style offense as well as he did last season had scouts seeing his potential as a pro passer, even with limited starting experience. Polasek can remember when Wentz was questioned because he had only 23 college starts, but he’s now in his 10th NFL season with 100 career pro starts. “Cole is a big, explosive guy. That’s just the bottom line,” Polasek said. “He’s not afraid of physicality. There’s a foundation laid down in special teams from skills and drills, from a fundamentals and technique standpoint that he’s really comfortable with if that ever does come up for him in his career.” Former NDSU quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg said Payton grew throughout his time in college, learning even when he wasn’t getting on the field, and his physical abilities are matched by his knowledge and awareness as a passer. “He’s got tremendous power in his lower half,” Hedberg said. “He has great arm strength and he’s able to layer the ball in the second and third levels, which he’s worked on. He just kept getting better and better. He’s been a winner since high school, won a state championship his senior year in Nebraska at Omaha West High School.” Payton helped himself with a solid week at the Senior Bowl, throwing for 72 yards and rushing for another 22 as one of the better quarterbacks in the showcase game. “I get that stigma of being the smaller-school kid, but at the Senior Bowl, I’m against guys wearing Alabama helmets, Georgia helmets, Ohio State helmets, and succeeding, kind of proving that stigma wrong,” Payton said. “It’s been cool to get to know some of those guys and build relationships with other prospects around the country. It’s given me a lot of confidence in my abilities.” At the combine, Payton’s measurables were impressive, running the 40 in 4.56 seconds and recording a 40-inch vertical leap. He’d never run track, so working with speed coaches this spring to improve his form as a sprinter helped him hit a great time for his size. He’s also made it a priority to develop as a passer, to show he can make it in the NFL with his arm and not just his legs. “To continue to prove that I’m a quarterback,” Payton said. “I’m able to throw from the pocket, I’m able to make all the throws. That’s been the focus.” A longtime NFL scout told Vacchiano and Williams that although Payton’s experience is limited, his potential will make him a compelling draft pick. “I think he has an upside to him,” the scout said. “He can drive the ball down the field. [He’s got] poise and calmness in the pocket and in his play. He’s good rolling out left with accuracy. He can extend plays, a good scrambler. He’s a strong, up-field runner with contact power. And he’s nifty and shifty as a runner.” An assistant general manager, meanwhile, made an even bolder claim about Payton. “If he played at almost any [FBS] school, we’d all have him rated higher than Ty Simpson,” the assistant GM told Vacchiano and Williams. Payton will be back home in Omaha, Nebraska, for the draft, and he’s had official visits with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Indianapolis Colts and other private workouts. His unique skill set as a passer and runner — as an athlete — means he could play on special teams as a backup quarterback, as he did at NDSU. Some have compared him to the New Orleans Saints’ versatile Taysom Hill, who has played quarterback, receiver, tight end and special teams during his nine NFL seasons. Asked if there’s an NFL quarterback he models himself after as a passer who can also run, Payton chooses one of the league’s best at doing both. “I love watching Josh Allen, the way he plays the game,” Payton said. “He’s able to make every single throw with a heck of an arm, but he’s able to create and extend plays with his legs. He’s big and strong, he’s going over people and through people, so I like to model my game after Josh Allen.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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It’s been nearly six years since Prince Harry stepped down as a working royal.
And based on his latest comments about that decision, he still has no regrets.
Harry and wife Meghan Markle are currently touring Australia, and the Duke made some surprisingly candid remarks about family, grief, and duty at one recent stop.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want this role — wherever this is headed, I don’t like it,’” Harry told a crowd at the InterEdge Summit during the third day of his tour.
“I was very much against it, and I stuck my head in the sand for years and years,” he continued (via Page Six), adding:
“And also, what would my mum want me to do? And that really changed my own perspective.”
“In my experience, loss is disorienting at any age. Grief does not disappear because we ignore it.”
Harry went on to explain that he was forever changed by the experience of mourning his mother with the eyes of the world watching his every move.
“Experiencing that as a kid while in a goldfish bowl under constant surveillance, yes, that will have its challenges. And without purpose, it can break you,” he said.
The Duke of Sussex added that he’s felt “lost, betrayed or completely powerless” many times since, but his sense of purpose has remained with him.
This, of course, is not the first time that Harry has spoken publicly about the grief he endured in the wake of his mother’s passing.
In 2017, Harry gave an interview to The Telegraph that he nearly had a “complete breakdown” years after Diana’s death.
“I can safely say that losing my mom at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well,” he said at the time.
As for stepping away from royal work, Harry has suggested in the past that the decision was made somewhat easier by the fact that as younger brother to the heir, he had no expectation of ever ascending to the throne.
“I took no offense, I felt nothing about it, any of it,” he wrote in his 2023 memoir.
“Every boy and girl, at least once, imagines themselves as a prince or a princess. Therefore, Spare or no Spare, it wasn’t half bad to actually be one.”
Clearly, Harry has come along way in the years since he left the UK. And to the chagrin of many of his harshest critics, it appears that he’s still confident that he made the right choice.
Prince Harry Says Royal Work ‘Killed My Mom’ In Shocking Speech was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip
By: Corinne Smith, Alaska Beacon
The Alaska House of Representatives on Monday rejected a bill passed by the Senate that would have applied state corporate income taxes to privately owned oil and gas companies that currently do not pay them. Supporters said the bill would have generated up to $100 million in new revenue for Alaska.
The proposal would have required companies licensed as S corporations or as limited liability companies to pay state corporate income taxes for profits earned in the state, which they currently do not pay. The largest company affected would have been Hilcorp, a privately run Texas-based company that operates the Prudhoe Bay oil fields as well as most of the oil and gas operations in Cook Inlet.
The state does not levy a tax on income earned by S corporations and LLCs because their profits go to owners or shareholders. In many states, those people would pay personal income tax on the money, but Alaska does not have a personal income tax, so such companies avoid taxation on profits. Traditional corporations, or C corporations, are publicly traded and already subject to existing state tax law.
Four members of the multipartisan House majority caucus objected to the proposal, and split to join the all-Republican minority members to reject the Senate’s version of House Bill 194 by a 23 to 17 vote.
House Majority Leader Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, was among those to oppose the bill.
“This policy creates uncertainty at the exact moment Alaska needs more energy development,” Kopp said on Monday on the House floor. “These are the people that are actually keeping our energy crisis at bay right now.”
Kopp argued the change would potentially hamper new oil and gas development. “It’s been a cold winter in Southcentral and along the Railbelt, and this is at the same time we’re asking these folks to drill more, to produce and store more gas, to explore more and to sign long term gas contracts. So it seems shortsighted to hamstring gas producers when we need them to invest a lot more right now, just to keep our schools warm, our homes heated and our businesses going,” he said.
Anchorage Independent Rep. Alyse Galvin, and Democratic Reps. Carolyn Hall of Anchorage and Robyn Frier of Utqiagvik also joined the minority caucus to oppose the bill on Monday.
Anchorage Democrat Sen. Forrest Dunbar sponsored the amendment to levy the corporate tax on privately owned oil and gas companies on a bill that would have been a routine renewal of a state oil royalty lease agreement, which passed the Senate last month.
Dunbar criticized the House decision in a Wednesday interview, saying it was a missed opportunity to bring in revenues for Alaska.
“They took potentially $100 million or more and rather than put it towards schools or the state of Alaska, they hand it to a billionaire in Texas. I think that was a mistake,” Dunbar said. “This is some of the lowest of low hanging fruit.”
“So I’m very disappointed in their actions,” he added. “And frankly, I’m surprised that some of the members of my party voted the way they did.”
On Monday, Big Lake Republican Rep. Kevin McCabe argued against the bill saying a tax focused on specific corporations that could result in lawsuits against the state. “I would suspect that this will lead directly to the courts,” he said. “This is just plain wrong. We shouldn’t be doing this.”
Galvin, a member of the multipartisan majority caucus, said she opposed that the measure was added to the underlying bill, but said she sees the need for more revenue. “I do think that it’s confusing when we add one bill to another, and haven’t properly vetted (it),” she said.
Galvin said she has proposed legislation, House Bill 152, which would include the corporate income tax provision, as well as a 4% state income tax on individuals earning more than $150,000 and an annual $150 tax per Alaskan to help pay for state services like education. It’s now being considered by the House Finance Committee.
“In a bill that I’m working on, I’m certainly careful to not call out one company,” she said. “But we do need to look at fairness also in all of our taxation. And I think that there is a place for us to address this.”
Galvin also requested to be excused from the vote citing a conflict of interest, but there was an objection on the House floor and she was required to vote. She told the Anchorage Daily News her husband works for Great Bear Pantheon, an Alaska subsidiary of Pantheon Resources, a Texas-based oil and gas exploration company.
Several members argued in support of strengthening corporate income taxes to provide much-needed revenues for Alaska.
Rep. Ky Holland, I-Anchorage, supported the provision saying it was a defining moment for the Legislature to take action to address what he called the “Alaska disconnect” — being a resource rich state without capturing the economic value and benefits for residents.
“I believe this is a defining question for many of us, who I think, recognize that our state has moved past looking for the fiscal cliff and is now out beyond it,” he said. “And it’s now time for us to decide, are we willing to take some difficult votes and take some difficult action?”
Holland said failing to change the tax code could create a scenario where other businesses incorporate as S corporations or LLCs to avoid corporate income taxes. “This bill offers a way to address a point of fairness in the taxation that we have,” he said.
The amended bill now returns to the Senate, which can remove or change the provision. Those acts could result in a conference committee made up of representatives from both chambers to reach agreement on the bill.
The original legislation was introduced by the governor and passed the Alaska House last year. It would renew a three-year oil royalty agreement between the state and Marathon Petroleum Corporation, for state owned oil to be processed at its refinery in Nikiski, on the Kenai Peninsula, valued at between $4 million and $18 million in state revenue.
Several lawmakers in the House, including Kopp, said the company was no longer interested in the state contract, voiding the need for the legislation. A spokesperson for Marathon declined to comment on Wednesday, saying the company does not comment on its crude oil sourcing.
Some customers who buy prime rib at Costco have zeroed in on a quality that helps determine whether the cut will make a tasty meal or a mediocre one.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Alan Jackson has revealed plans for the final concert performance of his career. Continue reading…The Boot – Country Music News, Music Videos and Songs
Alan Jackson has revealed plans for the final concert performance of his career. Continue reading…Country Music News – Taste of Country
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After ages of clear signs of a Beckham family feud, we finally know what tore apart the UK’s (other) royal family.
Brooklyn spoke out earlier this year, accusing mom Victoria of hijacking his wedding and humiliating him. This mirrored other accounts of the wedding, which many had dismissed as too awful to be true.
Now, for the first time, Victoria is breaking her silence on the family rift.
But she’s not exactly leaping to take accountability for her actions.
She’s finally breaking her silence
In a new interview with The Wall Street Journal, Victoria spoke about the rift in her family — particularly between her and her eldest son, Brooklyn.
Though the question asked about Brooklyn Peltz Beckham specifically, she avoided using his name.
“I think that we’ve always — we love our children so much,” Victoria began.
“We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be,” she added.
Many parents say that. Sometimes, it is even true.
“And you know, we’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now,” Victoria noted.
She became a public figure in the ’90s with the debut of the Spice Girls.
Her husband, David Beckham, was apparently famous within the sports fandom — specifically for soccer — prior to his marriage, which is arguably the larger claim to fame.
“And all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children,” Victoria emphasized.
“And you know,” she concluded, “that’s all I really want to say about it.”
In case you need a refresher on what Brooklyn said
In January 2026, Brooklyn spoke out, ending the speculation about why he was beefing with some of his family.
First and foremost, he accused both of his parents of trying to strongarm him over his relationship with his wife, Nicola. He also accused them of trying to “ruin” the romance.
Some parents meddle due to personal wishes. In his mind, it seemed to be about the family branding — about “public promotion and endorsements above all else.”
Brooklyn said that Victoria and David ambushed him before his wedding, trying to get him to sign away his own rights to his own name.
And then came the accusations about Victoria’s outrageous behavior at the wedding itself.
Brooklyn wrote that his mother had “hijacked” his wedding dance — his first dance with Nicola Peltz Beckham as spouses.
This was apparently a prank — and only grew more disgusting as it progressed.
According to Brooklyn, Victoria “danced inappropriately on me.”
Accounts of the dance describe Victoria allegedly “nuzzling” her eldest son’s neck.
Understandably, he wrote that he has no “wish tor reconcile” right now. That is pretty understandable.
Why did she bother saying anything if it doesn’t really mean anything?
Brooklyn continued to speak to his mother after that, even as he and Nicola planned a small and private ceremony that his mother could not ruin.
Truth be told, remaining on speaking terms for any time after that sounds overly generous. Brooklyn said that it was only his family’s meddling in the media that prompted him to speak out.
It doesn’t sound like Victoria is ready to deny literally any of that. Or to confirm it. Or even to apologize.
One has to wonder why she chose to speak at all instead of passing on the question.
Her protestations that she’s always tried to be a good parent don’t really mean much in the face of the reality that Brooklyn has described.
Victoria Beckham Finally Speaks Out on Brooklyn’s Accusations, Claims: ‘We … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
The Hollywood Gossip