Morning sports update

James White urged patience towards Jerod Mayo: After the Patriots' 1-6 begin to the season – and the Jerod Mayo era – a former Super Bowl hero has thrown his support behind the embattled head coach.

Mayo called his team “soft” after a 32-16 loss to the Jaguars in London in Week 7, during which New England gave up greater than 170 rushing yards for the third straight game.

His comments sparked polarizing reactions and even prompted a dissenting response from former Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Mayo has since clarified that he specifically described his team as playing softly.

But speculation about his skilled status has by some means begun lower than a yr into his tenure in New England.

In response to the dramatic backlash against Mayo and his comments, former Patriots running back James White recently tried to strike a more measured tone Interview with Taylor Kyles of CLNS.

“I mean, when you're 1-6, things aren't going right, you can't score on offense, teams are overrunning you on defense, people are going to notice that every little thing you do is working too. Be that Wrong ones and they want you to do the opposite of what you’re doing,” he explained.

White tried to get fans to step back and think in regards to the circumstances for a moment.

“I just think everything is under the microscope at the moment and that's what happens when you lose football games. I think Mayo is doing a good job,” he said. He noted that the brand new coach simply has a distinct style than his predecessor.

“I just think it’s different. People aren't used to it. He’s going to be himself,” White said of Mayo. “He can’t be in the media Bill. Come on, let's just call it that. He won't be less talkative or less descriptive. Maybe he'll get to that point at some point, I don't know. He’s just trying to be himself and I just think people aren’t really open to that right now because they’re not winning.”

New England is off to its worst start since 1993, when the Patriots opened the season 1-11.

White said rebuilding will take time and require patience, even whether it is difficult to muster.

“We have to let things flow,” he said. “It’s just the nature of the game. When you're losing in the NFL, you're going to hear all sorts of things about what you have to do and what you shouldn't do. That’s exactly what it takes.”

As for advice for Patriots fans, the three-time Super Bowl winner emphasized that he tries to see the larger picture.

“Just manage your expectations,” White said. “Most of you probably assumed from the start that we wouldn't win many football games. And now that we are in the situation, everyone is ready to abandon ship. Fire this guy, fire this guy, trade this guy, get rid of this guy. That's not how this whole operation works.

“It’s Mayo’s first year as head coach. Let him learn and grow throughout the year. Let these players learn and grow together. You have a rookie quarterback. It looks like his future is bright. Let it grow all year round.”

While staying among the many league's elite is difficult within the context of New England's decades-long track record, White believes Patriots fans need to search out something to be optimistic about despite the loss.

“Just find the positive,” White said. “It can be difficult to find the positive in what you see out there every weekend.”

“I really believe these guys are going to continue to compete,” he added, “and they're going to compete harder as the year goes on. “It's hard, it's not fun. I'm telling you, as a player, it's no fun going into that constructing after losses, especially after six losses in a row. I mean, I’ve never been on this predicament myself, but I can only imagine it.”

And as for calls to fireside Mayo so quickly initially of his first head coaching job, White warned fans and pundits to pump the brakes.

“There is obviously outside noise. There will also be some noise inside the building. I think Mayo will do a good job keeping these guys together,” White concluded. “As fans, when we watch, there is nothing wrong with being a harsh critic. That's fine, but when it comes to saying, “Fire this guy, trade him,” I don't think we need to achieve that goal. This is the first year of this operation. It will take some time.”

Interesting facts: As a senior at Wisconsin, James White combined for 3,053 rushing yards with which future NFL first-round pick?

(Answer below).

Note: This player was drafted by the Chargers.

Scores and schedules:

Tonight the Celtics face the Wizards in Washington at 7 p.m

The Bruins can even host the celebrities at TD Garden tonight (at 7 p.m.).

More from Boston.com:

A more in-depth have a look at the rings: The Celtics shared a video showing step-by-step how the team's championship rings were forged.

On today: In 2004, the Red Sox won Game 2 of the World Series 6-2 against the Cardinals to take a 2-0 lead. Curt Schilling, still bothered by his ankle injury, managed to last six innings, allowing only one unearned run. As a testament to the team's strength, Boston won despite David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez going just 1-7 overall on the night.

Jason Varitek's triple gave the Red Sox an early lead in the underside of the primary, and extra clutch hits from Mark Bellhorn and Orlando Cabrera each scored two runs. Although Bill Mueller made three errors at third base, he also managed to step up his defense at times and help Schilling escape several jams.

Daily highlight: Vancouver forward Ryan Gauld scored an impressive chip within the MLS Western Conference wild card match on Wednesday. The Whitecaps advanced with a 5-0 win over Portland.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Ariel Henry resigned as Haiti's prime minister on Thursday, clearing the best way for the formation of a brand new government within the Caribbean country rocked by gang violence that has killed or injured greater than 2,500 people were January to March.

Henry submitted his resignation in a letter signed in Los Angeles on April 24 and released by his office on Thursday, the identical day a council tasked with selecting a brand new prime minister and cabinet for Haiti was sworn in.

Henry's remaining cabinet, meanwhile, elected Economy and Finance Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert as interim prime minister. It was not immediately clear when the transitional council would select its own interim prime minister.

In a crowded and sweaty room within the prime minister's office, Boisvert said the crisis in Haiti had lasted too long and the country was now at a crossroads. Behind him stood the members of the Transitional Council in addition to the country's highest police and military officials.

“After two long months of debate … a solution has been found,” Boisvert said. “Today is an important day in the life of our dear republic.”

He called the Transitional Council a “Haitian solution” and addressed his remarks to them. Boisvert wished them success and added: “I think the determination is there.”

After the speeches, the gentle clink of glasses echoed through the room as attendees served glasses of champagne toasted with a somber “To Haiti.”

The council was arrange early Thursday, greater than a month after Caribbean leaders announced its creation following an emergency meeting to handle the worsening crisis in Haiti. Shots heard in the course of the swearing-in of the council on the National Palace sparked concerned looks.

The nine-member council, seven of which have voting rights, can also be expected to assist set the agenda of a brand new cabinet. It may even appoint an interim electoral commission, a prerequisite for holding elections, and establish a national security council.

The Council's non-renewable mandate expires on February 7, 2026. At this point, a brand new president is scheduled to be sworn in.

Smith Augustin, a voting member of the council, said it was unclear whether the council would determine to maintain Boisvert as interim prime minister or select another person. He said it will be discussed in the approaching days. “The crisis is untenable,” he said.

Regine Abraham, a non-voting member of the Council, recalled the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, stating that “this violence had a devastating impact.”

Abraham said gangs now controlled most of Port-au-Prince, tens of hundreds of the capital's residents were displaced by violence and greater than 900 schools within the capital needed to be closed.

“The people of Port-au-Prince have literally been taken hostage,” she said.

Gangs launched coordinated attacks starting on February 29 within the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas. They set fire to police stations and hospitals, opened fire on the most important international airport, which had been closed since early March, stormed Haiti's two largest prisons and released greater than 4,000 inmates. Gangs have also blocked access to Haiti's largest port.

The attack began as Prime Minister Henry was on an official visit to Kenya to push for a United Nations-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country. He stays excluded from Haiti.

“Port-au-Prince is now almost completely sealed off due to air, sea and land blockades,” Catherine Russell, UNICEF director, said earlier this week.

The international community has called on the Council to prioritize widespread insecurity in Haiti. Even before the attacks began, gangs controlled 80% of Port-au-Prince. According to a recent UN report, the number of individuals killed in early 2024 increased by greater than 50% in comparison with the identical period last 12 months.

“One cannot overstate the increase in gang activity in Port-au-Prince and beyond, the worsening human rights situation and the deepening humanitarian crisis,” María Isabel Salvador, the UN special envoy for Haiti, said at a press conference on the UN meeting Security Council on Monday.

Dennis Haskins, the newly installed US ambassador, was also present at Boisvert's swearing-in on Thursday. He said Thursday's events were a very important step for Haiti.

“In a crisis, Haitians can do great things, which is why we are here to help them,” Haskins said. “We won’t be the solution, but hopefully we will contribute to helping those find the solution.”

As a part of that, he said the U.S. government was working to implement export controls on weapons, lots of which had found their technique to Haiti, fueling the violence.

“The fact that many of the weapons that come here come from the United States is undeniable and that has a direct impact,” Haskins said. “We recognize that this is a contributing factor to instability.”

Since the attacks began, nearly 100,000 people have fled the capital in quest of safer cities and towns. Tens of hundreds of others were left homeless after gangs burned down their homes and are actually living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters across Port-au-Prince which have only one or two toilets for a whole bunch of residents.

Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, said on the United Nations on Thursday that Haiti is affected by a security, political and humanitarian crisis that’s causing acute food insecurity for about 5 million people, or about half of the population. The UN defines this as “when a person’s inability to consume sufficient food places his or her life or livelihood in imminent danger.”

Rachel Pierre, a 39-year-old mother of 4 living in one in every of the capital's temporary shelters, said: “Even though I'm physically here, I feel like I'm dead.”

“There is not any food or water. “Sometimes I don't have anything to give the children,” she said as her 14-month-old suckled on her empty breast.

Many Haitians are indignant and exhausted about what their lives have turn out to be and blame gangs for his or her situation.

“They are the ones who sent us here,” said Chesnel Joseph, a 46-year-old math teacher whose school was closed due to violence and who has turn out to be the shelter’s informal leader. “They mistreat us. They're killing us. They are burning down our houses.”