Celebrities born on at the present time: Amanda Peet, 53; Mary J. Blige, 54; Kim Coles, 63; Phyllis Logan, 69.

Happy Birthday: Use your charm, intelligence and determination to get ahead. A change of location or direction promotes success and a greater lifestyle once you say no to temptation and refuse to let emotional matters result in indulgence or empty guarantees. Use your creative imagination when coping with friends, family, and joint ventures, and also you'll outshine anyone who tries to get in your way. Romance and commitment are preferred. Their numbers are 1, 8, 12, 23, 30, 33, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Get motivated and get moving. Look for higher opportunities and a likelihood to attach with people who find themselves heading in the same direction. Pay attention to money, expenses and unique ways to make use of your skills to earn more money. Don't let what others say stop you from following your dreams. 4 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): If you would like a change or distraction, make it occur. Procrastinating won't make your dreams come true, but acting in your gut will allow you to exceed your expectations. Put your energy into getting things done and having fun with your successes. Improving your surroundings will comfort you. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Be careful when sharing information. Gossip will lead to bother. Focus on learning, self-improvement, and participating in something exciting. Set a budget, avoid temptation, and avoid indulgent people and situations. A gesture you or another person makes results in pretense. Choose your words rigorously. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Set standards and priorities and switch your vision into reality. Be creative and use persuasive tactics to persuade others to affix in and allow you to construct something unique. A change results in more intense interaction with like-minded people and private satisfaction with what you have got achieved. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-August 22): Keep the momentum flowing and control what you need to accomplish. You gain traction once you attend an event that provides insight into how you possibly can make a difference or get entangled in something you think in or want to alter in your community. 4 stars

VIRGO (August 23-September 22): You're being pulled in too many directions. Choose what’s most relevant to you or your circumstances and focus your energy directly on achieving the outcomes that meet your needs. A partnership is not going to be equal; Someone will exaggerate what they should offer. Proceed with caution. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Mental stimulation will allow you to change your perspective. It permits you to try latest things, meet exciting people, and construct a foundation that gives insight into what’s most affirming to you. Be a pacesetter; Follow the trail that beckons you and you may gain confidence and peace of mind. Learn as you go. 5 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You can stabilize your property situation by keeping your guarantees. Think outside the box, be modern and use your skills and expertise for private growth, self-improvement and the happiness of your family members. A friendly gesture helps improve mood and encourage reciprocity. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21): It's best to simplify your life, minimize your spending and provides yourself time to think before you act. Overreacting, indulging and promising the not possible leads to private vulnerability. Do not go into situations or places that pose a health risk. Protect yourself, your property and your livelihood. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Jump in, make a move, do your thing and reap the rewards. Don't back down or let anyone get in your way. Use your charm to get to the highest of your game. Focus on personal and financial improvement. Love and romance are written in the celebs. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don't let changes in your community disrupt your day or your decisions. Stay near home and avoid places that pose a health or safety risk. Take the time to update time-sensitive documents or secure your property and possessions. Ask relevant questions before donating to a cause that affects you. 5 stars

PISCES (February 19-March 20): Venture into your community. Take an energetic role, network, socialize and attend events. New contacts result in exciting adventures and latest opportunities, allowing you to make use of your time, skills and experience to enhance your profile and earning potential. Romance is written in the celebs. 2 stars

Birthday Girl: You are friendly, persuasive and energetic. They are organized and modern.

1 star: avoid conflict; Work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can achieve something, but don't depend on others. 3 stars: Focus and you may achieve your goals. 4 stars: High goals; start latest projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; Get gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com or follow Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Patriots

For the second time this month, Mac Jones improved his former team's possibilities of landing one among the highest picks within the 2025 NFL Draft.

Even though New England lost to the Bills on Sunday, their 24-21 loss in Buffalo kept the Patriots within the running for a top-three spot within the upcoming draft.

But Jones – currently the Jaguars' starting quarterback after Trevor Lawrence's shoulder injury – helped New England clinch one other spot within the draft order on Sunday.

Jones and the Jaguars fell 19-14 to the Raiders on Sunday, giving Las Vegas its first win since Sept. 29 against the Browns.

As a result, the Patriots have overtaken the Raiders within the rankings and at the moment are ranked No. 2 overall within the draft order, behind only the 2-13 New York Giants.

Here's a take a look at the present top 10 order, per tankathon:

• New York Giants (2-13, .554)
• New England Patriots (3-12, .463)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12, .480)
• Tennessee Titans (3-12, .512)
• Cleveland Browns (3-12, .530)
• Las Vegas Raiders (3-12, .545)
• Carolina Panthers (4-11, .500)
• New York Jets (4-11, .502)
• Chicago Bears (4-11, .557)
• New Orleans Saints (5-9, .506)

All in all, Jones didn't have a foul performance for the Jaguars; He accomplished 25 of 39 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown. But Jacksonville still wasn't capable of beat Vegas' lackluster squad, with each Tank Bigsby and Brenton Strange ejected for fumbles.

Jones and the Jags tried to prepare a late-game rally with lower than two minutes left, but Jones couldn't reap the benefits of a 4th-and-11 play to maneuver the chains – completing an 8-yard pass to D 'Ernest Johnson to force a turnover on downs.

New England passing on the Raiders should put them in a chief position to either select a blue-chip prospect like Travis Hunter or potentially trade for a ton of picks, especially for a team in desperate need of a QB just like the Raiders or Titans.

President-elect Donald Trump disagrees with those that predicted that Melania Trump is not going to accompany him to Washington, DC when he takes office again in January.

In his interview with Time Magazine for him Person of the Year AwardTrump said “Oh yeah” when asked if his wife would join him on the White House.

“She was very, she actually became very active toward the end, as you could see in interviews,” Trump said somewhat incoherently. He appears to be referring to his wife's activity level toward the tip of his first term, which resulted in early 2021 after he lost the 2020 election. The latest president continued by claiming that his wife does interviews “well,” “people are really watching” and “she's very popular with people.”

“No, she will be — she will be active when she needs to be,” Trump told Time, leaving open the likelihood that she can be picky about when she will likely be “active.”

Trump also appeared to defend his wife for her lack of presence during his 2024 campaign, attending only just a few events, resembling the last day of the Republican National Convention in July. Trump and Melania, his third wife, were also photographed together on Thursday visiting the New York Stock Exchange after he was named Time Person of the Year. He rang the opening bell within the trading room.

Trump told Time that individuals “like the fact that it's not in your face all the time for a lot of reasons.” …But she really, they really like her. They really love her. In fact, after I give speeches, we love our First Lady in some ways.”

Trump's comments may or may not settle questions on his wife's visibility in his upcoming term. People near the Slovenia-born former model and one in every of her biographers have previously said in reports that she disliked certain elements of life in Washington and its social/political scene during her husband's first term.

Those people said they expected she would likely keep her own “apartment” within the White House, but would only stay there when performing required ceremonial duties.

“She obviously hated being in Washington,” Kate Andersen Brower, creator of several books concerning the White House, told Axios in June.

“If Melania becomes first lady again, people will naturally expect her to move into the White House and carry out related duties,” a social source near the Trumps told People magazine last month. “Melania knows what to do, but still has a mind of her own.”

More likely, these people expected Melania Trump to separate her time between Trump Tower in New York City and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. In fact, they said she would probably spend most of her time in New York City because her son Barron is a freshman at New York University and lives in Trump Tower. She told Fox News in September, “I can't say I'm an empty nester.”

“As much as Melania loves Mar-a-Lago and her life in Palm Beach, she will be spending more time in New York with her son, who is more important to her than anything else,” a source told People.

When Trump first took office in January 2017, it was clear that his wife, a former model and immigrant from Slovenia, would never be a standard first lady if there ever was one, her biographers noted. From the beginning, she refused to affix Trump in Washington, as a substitute staying in New York City – again due to Barron, it was reported. At the age of 10 he had to complete his school 12 months there.

But as much as Trump said his wife can be an “active” first lady — “if she needs to be” — that's not the impression she gave from 2017 to 2021. Melania Trump barely entered the East Wing, the normal base of operations for first ladies, in response to “American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden” by Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.

According to Rogers, Melania Trump wasn't considered the hardest-working first lady either. She “avoided being overscheduled, and sometimes she avoided being overscheduled at all,” Rogers also said.

Her coworkers were sometimes capable of persuade her to host multiple events on days after they knew she could possibly be “camera ready, with a full designer ensemble, dewy makeup, and flawless makeup.” But they were only successful about “half the time,” Rogers said.

According to Rogers, if Melania Trump had her way, she would spend her days in her gown on the White House residence. Rogers wrote in her book that Melania was particularly drawn to “wearing elegant gowns around the clock” on the residence in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

Melania Trump achieved lots as First Lady, Rogers reported. Like all first ladies, Melania launched an initiative to supposedly improve the lives of a certain segment of the American public. Melania's Be Best initiative was intended to advertise children's well-being and curb bullying.

But Rogers also quoted Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania's former adviser and good friend – with whom she had a famous falling out – as saying that “Be Best” meant little greater than just a few public appearances and “a brochure.”

Her “most lasting contributions” as first lady involved overseeing upgrades to White House facilities and amenities that almost all Americans would never see in person, Rogers said. These projects included a redesign of the Rose Garden and an upgrade of the White House Tennis Pavilion. However, each efforts were met with criticism, as were Melania's annual holiday decoration decisions, which resulted in her being caught on video telling Winston Wolkoff, “Who gives a (swear word) about the Christmas stuff and the Christmas decorations?”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A specific element of the Chiefs' offense this season has left coach Andy Reid smiling and laughing several times.

“He’s been doing this for a few years,” Reid said Monday of tight end Travis Kelce. “We do it every day in practice. This isn't just something we throw out on game day. This is something we do. There’s nothing wrong with that – as long as you lock it.”

Kelce, a Twelfth-year veteran, has a fairly unassailable resume. He is a future Hall of Famer, a three-time Super Bowl champion and a good end who holds the record for many touchdown receptions in Chiefs history (76, tied with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez).

This season, nevertheless, Kelce has added one other twist to his game: He has perfected the cross pass.

In the Chiefs' victory over the rival Las Vegas Raiders on Friday, Kelce's most memorable highlight was when he evaded a tackle in the midst of the sphere by throwing the ball backwards to running back Samaje Perine, who then scored an important first down.

“Yeah, man, right place, right time,” Kelce said on Wednesday’s episode of “New Heights,” the podcast he co-hosts along with his brother Jason. “I'm glad it worked. … That’s just an instinct I had, and I’m glad we were able to pull off another string of losses.”

Kelce hasn't had any trouble with Reid this season as he successfully accomplished each of his lateral attempts, throwing the ball to Perine every time to assist the Chiefs reach the red zone.

“It started as kind of a joke,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of Kelce’s combination of skill and boldness. “Now it has happened. As long as he can do it, Coach will continue to let him do it.”

THE RETURN OF THE SIDE!! pic.twitter.com/tdHOScHOLH

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 29, 2024

That helped the Chiefs rating their only touchdown against the Raiders within the second quarter, just before the two-minute warning. On third-and-10 just outside the red zone, Mahomes accomplished a brief pass to Kelce, who immediately made eye contact with Perine, who fired out of the backfield into the flat. In an unusual move, Kelce leaped forward and threw a pass as if he were Mahomes, an ideal spiral to Perine.

The crowd at Arrowhead Stadium cheered as Perine finished the play with a 15-yard gain. Perine acknowledged Kelce by pointing at him the best way an NBA player would acknowledge his point guard after an assist on a quick break.

“Don’t forget, he was a (high school) quarterback,” Amazon Prime analyst Kirk Herbstreit said of Kelce after the highlight. “This is a no-look (pass). That's just a feeling. It's something you experiment with in training and it becomes so enjoyable that you can suddenly reveal it and do it in a game. The ball was thrown perfectly.”

Three plays later, Mahomes threw an ideal lob pass to receiver Justin Watson for a six-yard touchdown.

After the sport, some analysts and fans wondered whether Kelce's lateral attack was a planned a part of the Chiefs' play-calling.

“It’s not designed at all,” Mahomes said. “(Kelce) is the one one who would try this. I do know sometimes it looks like it's planned, however it's more because he's just been on this offense for therefore long that he knows where guys are that go other ways.”

Mahomes said he hoped Kelce would gain at least eight yards on the play so he could convince Reid to leave the offense on the field for fourth down.

A similar scenario occurred in the Chiefs' win over the New Orleans Saints in early October. In the second quarter, the Chiefs faced a third-and-21 snap. Mahomes threw a short pass to Kelce, who lured three defenders to the middle of the field before making an underhand throw to Perine.

Kelce with the pitch on third and twenty second

: #NOvsKC on ESPN
: Keep streaming #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/PW8dXNhIrx

– NFL (@NFL) October 8, 2024

“I saw it and thought it,” right guard Trey Smith said after that game. “That’s classic Kelce, just making a play when the team needs it. It was really awesome, man. Any time you see something like that, it’s really cool.”

The Chiefs gained 20 yards on the play, which led to Reid keeping the offense on the sphere and converting a fourth-and-1 snap to proceed the drive.

“It wasn’t scripted, I’ll tell you that,” Perine said, smiling. “I saw him do it a few times in training. I stayed (ready) just in case. In fact, I saw him switch the ball (to his right hand) and pull his arm back. I was ready for it.”

The first time Kelce attempted a lateral was through the Chiefs' 2019 championship season of their comeback win over the Detroit Lions. With the Chiefs near midfield, Mahomes rolled to his right early within the fourth quarter before connecting with Kelce, who caught the ball in the midst of the sphere. Kelce, realizing he was about to be tackled before he could gain yards after his reception, turned the ball back to running back LeSean McCoy, who gained one other 23 yards for a 33-yard rating. The Chiefs ended the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

According to TruMedia, Kelce has passed the ball to a teammate five times for the reason that start of the 2019 season, ignoring desperation at the top of the sport. Other than the Chiefs, only six teams have had more offensive side plays than Kelce himself during that period. And only 4 teams have more in the primary half than Kelce's 4.

“It’s the most underused rule in the game,” Kelce said of the lateral on his podcast. “I think I heard (NFL Network broadcaster) Rich Eisen mention that early in my career. I thought: This is what football used to be like.”

Kelce knows the most effective scenarios to unleash his trick. He has enough experience to predict when opposing defenses will play soft zone coverage. He has also caught enough passes in midfield throughout his profession to predict where certain defenders needs to be and what the gap needs to be between them and his teammates.

“Or you catch them in man-to-man (coverage) and beat your defender, and now all of a sudden you know there's only one man for every other route around you,” Kelce said on the podcast. “That ironically happened last year (against) Buffalo.”

It didn't count, but Kelce's lateral effort late within the fourth quarter in a loss to the Bills last season was probably his biggest assist of the sport.

Kelce surprised everyone at Arrowhead when he threw a cross ball across the sphere to receiver Kadarius Toney, who appeared to attain the go-ahead touchdown as fans set free unbridled cheers. However, the viral climax was marred by a penalty: Toney was offside early in the sport when he lined up within the neutral zone.

“Honestly, man, it was such a bang-bang decision,” Kelce said on the podcast a couple of days after the sport. “I caught (the ball), turned up, saw the single-high safety and knew it was man coverage and knew I had broken the containment angle of the guy chasing me.

“When I broke the safety angle, I knew there was only one (defender) left on that side of the field. I knew (Toney) was over there because he had walked the distance and I saw him out of the corner of my eye in a sideways position. I knew if I could get him the ball, I knew he would have room to score a touchdown.”

TRAVIS KELCE SIDE TO TONEY IS CALLED BACK

(above @NFL)
https://t.co/KIYYNAopAy

– Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 11, 2023

The next time Kelce attempted a lateral was in late July during training camp. During team periods, Kelce experimented with arm angles — underhand, an over-the-top pitch and a two-handed chest pass — for his lateral attacks on running back Isiah Pacheco.

Perine, a seventh-year veteran, joined the Chiefs on Aug. 30, lower than every week before the team played its season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. In his first practice with the Chiefs, Perine was stunned when Kelce passed the ball to his side.

“He plays backyard soccer,” Perine said, smiling. “Just experiencing it firsthand, it was crazy. But it’s fun.”

Florian Wirtz is a gem of German football and played a central role in Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten double last season, winning the Bundesliga Player of the Year award. Alongside FC Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala, he can be the good hope of Julian Nagelsmann's national team and can be crucial to Germany's challenge on the 2026 World Cup.

His contract runs until 2027, so there isn’t a obligation to sell, but given his close relationship with in-demand head coach Xabi Alonso, there’ll come some extent when Wirtz, who joined Leverkusen from Cologne in 2020, could look elsewhere.

He belongs at the highest of the sport, but his path is determined by which club is willing to pay Leverkusen's €150 million (£125 million; $159 million) price tag. They won't get that, however the number shows how highly Wirtz is valued.

Fernando Carro, the club's CEO, believes he could stay beyond this season.

What else do I want to learn about him?

There is a mysterious silence inside him. He is understandably laconic given the eye he receives within the German media, but can be very talked-about within the Leverkusen dressing room and is fashion-conscious off the pitch, too, looking like someone on the best way back from a Stone Roses gig .

Wirtz has been a star for a very long time. In his early teens, there have been stories about somewhat boy in Cologne who is likely to be the country's biggest talent for years. The hype was justified. What happened next, nonetheless, sparked a dispute that continues to this present day.

When he got here through Cologne's youth teams, there was a “gentlemen's agreement” between several clubs within the region – including Cologne, Leverkusen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Fortuna Düsseldorf – stipulating that they might not poach one another's youth players for the good thing about the region would .

After turning 17, Wirtz's youth contract with Cologne expired. The player's parents wanted him to finish his education and stay near home, so he moved to Leverkusen for €300,000. His latest club felt he was a good player – a senior relatively than a youth player. Cologne disagreed, claiming its local rivals had violated the agreement.

Max Eberl, Gladbach's sports director on the time (and now Bayern's sports director), criticized Leverkusen's behavior, but Carro, who stays Leverkusen's chairman, defended his club.

This could also be old news, but Bayern's transfer targets will – inevitably – include Wirtz, which might involve delicate negotiations.

Will he go there? Most likely not. Musiala's contract extension is a priority for FC Bayern. Given the strength of his relationship with Alonso and the nice form he has had under him, the smart money may very well be on them taking their next steps together.

Tell me how he plays…

On the pitch, his control, dribbling ability and inventive abilities make him one of the exciting players on the earth. He can push past defenders but additionally find teammates with one-twos, precise passes and thru balls, while his movement and positioning off the ball commonly takes him into areas where he can rating and create opportunities.

During his short senior profession he played on the front line and was number 10. This versatility allowed Nagelsmann to successfully play him and Musiala together at Euro 2024.

Wirtz's defensive work has also improved under Alonso and he was ready to present his all to steer Leverkusen's pressing. Wirtz was over the cap because he played behind the striker, but arguably hasn't reached his cap yet – greater than the rest, that's a scary prospect.

It's been a tricky yr for the defending national champions, but on Thursday the Wolverines got some great news: the nation's No. 1 recruit, quarterback Bryce Underwood – an athletic 17-year-old who stands 6-foot-10 and weighs 205 kilos – announced he would transfer his commitment from LSU to Michigan.

After being committed to the Tigers for nearly a yr, the move sent shockwaves throughout the school football recruiting world. However, football legend and Michigan alum Tom Brady might need seen it coming.

An enormous a part of Underwood's promise to the Wolverines, based on a program source, was Brady participating in multiple Zoom meetings with Underwood and becoming an ideal resource for the young quarterback.

Underwood grew up a Michigan fan and is from Belleville, Michigan, just 20 minutes outside of Ann Arbor. Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore preaches and recruits by the motto, “The best players in Michigan, go to Michigan.”

But former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh didn't seem particularly desirous about pursuing Underwood, as other top programs have. Not long after Harbaugh took the highest job with the Los Angeles Chargers in January, Sean Magee returned to Ann Arbor to turn into Michigan's general manager after working within the Chicago Bears' front office.

And Magee and Moore placed great emphasis on Underwood.

Yes, sir! The best players in Michigan, go to Michigan!! #ProcessOverPrize25 #GoBlue

– Sherrone Moore (@Coach_SMoore) November 20, 2024

The two worked for months to repair their relationship with the star QB. Things kicked into high gear this week as Underwood spent two days at Michigan and felt very comfortable with the direction this system is now headed.

The Wolverines, lower than a yr faraway from a national championship, are currently 5-5 and out of playoff contention.

“Everyone assumes we’re just handing this kid an eight-figure sum, but that’s not true,” the source said.

pic.twitter.com/owaL5uEIfP

– Bryce Jay Underwood (@BryceUnderwoo16) November 22, 2024

Now that the Wolverines have their QB of the longer term, they’ll expect to make lots more noise on the recruiting front with the early signing deadline lower than two weeks away.

Required reading

Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome announced that the team would release junior kicker Stephen Hauschka, who missed a 36-yard attempt against the Cleveland Browns hours earlier on “Monday Night Football,” citing an absence of consistency within the kicking game.

Hauschka made just 9 of 13 field goal attempts in nine games, and all of his misses got here from lower than 50 yards. The Ravens replaced him by signing free agent Billy Cundiff, who was working at a enterprise capital firm on the time.

This transaction took place in November 2009. That was the last time the Ravens made a season-long performance-based move at what is often some of the volatile positions in sports.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh made it clear Monday that he has no plans to play again, whilst his longtime kicker Justin Tucker is in essentially the most difficult stretch of his 13-year profession.

“It’s out of the question,” Harbaugh said. “You have to find that competition first, if you want to put it bluntly. Where is this competition? That would be one thing. The best option right now is to get Justin back on track because he's fully capable of doing that. (We) certainly haven’t lost any confidence in Justin Tucker.”

Harbaugh's comments got here a day after Tucker missed two shots in an 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. After entering the season as essentially the most statistically accurate kicker in NFL history, Tucker has missed 6 of twenty-two attempts this 12 months, including attempt after attempt. Two of the misses got here from lower than 50 yards, where Tucker had made 90 percent of his shots in his first 12 NFL seasons. His missed extra point was only the seventh of his profession.

“It's definitely frustrating, especially when we know in these games it's coming down to the wire, like in this case, I let a couple get away,” Tucker said after Sunday's game. “But like I said, the only thing we can do is just get back to work and focus on making the most of our next opportunity.”

Tucker has been considered one in every of the league's most unusual weapons for over a decade and has been the Ravens' most reliable player since entering the league in 2012. He is suddenly one in every of the explanation why Baltimore is so successful at losing games.

It's hard and it feels uncomfortable to say or write a few man who has been the gold standard in the game at his position for a few years, however the numbers are hard to disregard. The Ravens' 4 losses resulted in a complete of 17 points, and Tucker missed a field goal in each of those defeats, which contributed significantly to the defeats.

Tucker “has to make kicks,” Harbaugh said after Sunday’s frustrating loss in Pittsburgh. “He knows that. He makes them in practice, and later he made the long one (54-yarder), which was good to see. He is still very capable. Kick it straight, we’ll be good.”

Missing a complete of seven kicks in eleven games would give many other kickers a pink slip. That's just the character of the situation within the NFL and the skinny line between victory and defeat. Kicking problems are common across the league, and Tucker isn't alone among the many proven veterans having a troublesome time this season. The New York Jets have had 4 different kickers in as many weeks.

For the Ravens, nonetheless, kicking stability has been a continuing. Matt Stover, nicknamed “Money Matt” due to his accuracy, was the team's kicker from 1996 to 2008. Cundiff replaced Hauschka in 2009 and was the team's kicker for 3 seasons before his devastating miss within the AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots in January 2012. Tucker burst onto the scene as an undrafted free agent a couple of months later , beat Cundiff for the job and hasn't missed a game in 13 seasons.

The very idea of ​​making a decisive change in Baltimore seems blasphemous given Tucker's well-deserved status. Before Sunday's two misses in Pittsburgh, Tucker's profession field goal percentage (89.7) made him essentially the most accurate kicker in NFL history and put him within the Hall of Fame.

His success as a rookie in 2012 was instrumental within the Ravens winning their last Super Bowl. He was chosen to seven Pro Bowl teams and was named All-Pro eight times. Time and time again when the Ravens needed points, especially late in games, Tucker stepped up, performed his tried-and-true pre-kick ritual and calmly delivered. He has been the highest-paid kicker in the game so far, and for good reason.

Tucker's brilliance at kicking, along together with his charisma, outgoing personality and multitude of talents made him one in every of the faces of the team and some of the popular and well-known athletes in Baltimore. Tucker's number 9 jerseys aren't hard to seek out when the seating bowl at Ravens games.

But this season has raised long-held fears in Baltimore in regards to the kicker's performance and left a small but growing portion of Baltimore's fan base wondering why the organization hasn't moved on or at the least introduced competition for Star in an extended time.

“If you know the team, know Justin's character, yes, his past performance certainly warrants the benefit of the doubt in him,” Stover said. “But that is the NFL. It's a really immediate achievement to have. In an objective job like that of a kicker, it's a fast response for people to say, 'Hey man, what's fallacious with you?' Do we’d like to alter something?'”

Still, Stover said, “He's probably the greatest to ever do it. “Who are you going to get that you can guarantee is better?”

Bringing in one other kicker in mid-November likely means either signing a well-traveled veteran who couldn't get one other job or bringing in someone from one other team's practice squad. It's unimaginable immediately that the Ravens would trust any of those options greater than Tucker at a time after they consider themselves Super Bowl contenders.

“He’s definitely our best option and he’s going to make a lot of kicks – I really believe that,” Harbaugh said. “But it’s up to him and the guys he works with every day to make sure the balls go right. Competition right now, no, that’s not something we want for Justin.”

Stover, who’s within the Ravens' Ring of Honor, still lives within the Baltimore area and has relationships with many individuals within the constructing, including Tucker. He also understands what Tucker goes through. There were times early in his profession with Cleveland when he struggled and the Browns brought competition for his job. In 1999, the Ravens claimed kicker Joe Nedney off waivers while Stover remained on the roster.

“That was brutal. He wasn't on the practice squad. He wasn't on IR. He was in the squad,” Stover said. “It really just comes down to performance. There is no subjectivity. I got through it.

“Justin is going through a bit of a crisis. He is mentally strong. He has a great support team around him. He has a head coach who totally gets it. The fact that he did it as well as he did for 12 years says a lot about who he is and what character he has. It's the first time he's had to deal with this. I've dealt with it three or four times. It was hard and it sucks. He’ll get through it.”

Stover, who coaches young kickers, admitted he hasn't broken Tucker's mechanics, but maintains the incontrovertible fact that Tucker missed all seven kicks wide to the left is a “good thing” because that usually indicates a fixable problem. Tucker doesn't appear to have a problem with leg strength. Almost all of his kicks, except one, had the essential distance.

There has been numerous speculation as as to if his issues are attributable to snapping and/or holding issues, but Tucker and others within the Ravens facility continued to inform snapper Nick Moore and holder Jordan Stout, who are usually not recent on this or that area, to the team , do their work.

After Sunday's misses, Tucker retreated to the locker room to handle reporters and emphasized that his issues weren't a confidence issue either.

“I’m still confident that I’m going to go out there and nail every single kick,” Tucker said. “One of the ways we stay confident is by continuing to work and trusting the process, and I know I may sound like a broken record, but it's part of what makes us successful – just trusting the process and then to give a kick.” one time.”

Harbaugh, a former special teams coach, has a really close relationship with the kicker. Senior special teams coach Randy Brown has guided Tucker through every phase of his profession and is taken into account one in every of the league's top kicking gurus. Ravens assistant special teams coach Sam Koch is a former owner of Tucker and one in every of his closest confidants.

Stout has played for Tucker for 3 seasons and Moore has been within the Ravens organization since 2020. The kicking battery and training staff have a longtime routine that has produced very strong results over a few years.

“You try to attack everything as best you can across the board,” Harbaugh said. “Justin is one of the aspects we are looking at. He'll find out. We have coaches. We have technology. We'll watch the tape. He practices well. He has to do it right.”

Most of the method might be accomplished online, but completion requires a visit to a DMV office.

Who is taken into account a California resident?

For Department of Motor Vehicles purposes, you’re considered a California resident in the event you live within the state at the least six months of the 12 months or in the event you meet certain other requirements, comparable to: B. registering to vote or paying in-state tuition. You can find the total list of residency permits here.

Do I actually have to take a test?

Out-of-state drivers applying for a California driver's license must pass the knowledge test or complete the e-learning course, a compulsory option by which the applicant watches a video and answers questions. The course variant lasts approx. 40 minutes. Both the test and the course might be accomplished on a house computer.

Most drivers who hold a license from one other state should not required to take a driving test for the California driver's license, but one could also be required if there are warning signs on the license.

How do I start the net application?

Go to DMV online portal. To create an account, you will need to provide an email address and a phone number where you possibly can receive a verification call. After filling out the private information in the applying and paying the fee, you’ve gotten the choice to take the test or video course online. The video course is on the market at any time; Because the test is proctored, it have to be taken on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and requires a webcam.

What happens after that?

At the top of the applying, you’ll receive a confirmation number and shall be asked to schedule an office appointment. You may take a walking tour; the DMV site Directory of branch offices Includes a real-time wait time estimator. Bring your documents, including proof of identity and residency. At the office, you should have an eye fixed test and have your photo and thumbprint taken. Your license will then be sent to you by post.

If I received a Real ID in my previous state, will it transfer to California?

No, you’ve gotten to deploy Your documentation to California. Images might be uploaded if you submit the applying online.

Originally published: November 14, 2024 at 11:47 am PST

At his home in Oakland, inside earshot of the Coliseum sports arena and BART routes, Michale Jones said he typically sleeps just five hours each night. Added to the periodic clatter of local trains and the roar of sports fans is the intrusion of criminal activity that keeps him awake.

“I always hear a lot of gunshots, a lot of music, sideshows and a lot of other things like that at night and even every day at midnight,” Jones said.

Jones might feel some relief on Sunday, when daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. in most U.S. states and clocks move back an hour to straightforward time, allowing an extra 60 minutes to sleep in.

But it will not be much of a break for Jones and his neighbors, whose ZIP code had the best rate of “short sleep duration” within the Bay Area at 41.2%, in accordance with the most recent study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2024 PLACES: Local Data for Better Health Report..

More than one in three American adults report not getting the advisable amount of sleep, which is at the very least seven hours an evening, in accordance with the CDC. Anne Wheaton, deputy associate director for science on the CDC's Division of Population Health, said the national average is 37%, while in California it’s 35%. Experts say the explanations can range from long commutes to health issues and noisy neighborhoods.

“Environmental noise may play a role in short sleep duration,” said Clete Kushida, a neurologist and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Center for Human Sleep Research.

Jennifer Martin, Professor of Medicine on the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and former CEO of the American Academy of Sleep Medicinesaid, “California ranks pretty high” amongst states “in terms of residents not getting enough sleep.”

“California is not the best-sleeping state in the United States, and there are many people in California who don’t get enough sleep,” Martin said.

Jones' 94621 ZIP code includes the Oakland International Airport, the Coliseum and adjoining arena, and the Coliseum BART station. Other Bay Area ZIP codes with what Wheaton said were “statistically similar” insomnia levels were in other parts of Oakland, San Francisco, Richmond, Pittsburg, Antioch and San Quentin, in accordance with the information.

So where do Bay Area residents get a very good rest? The data shows that the Portola Valley ZIP code in San Mateo County, home to wealthy investors like Vinod Khosla and future Sunset magazine publisher Bill Lane, has the bottom percentage of residents with one, at just 23.2% report short sleep duration.

Fiona Barwick, a clinical associate professor within the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, said wealthier communities like Portola Valley may be quieter and more restful.

“You don’t hear any gunshots at night. So you have a very safe and stable environment to sleep in, not just in your community, but even in your household,” Barwick said. “If you live in an unsafe, insecure and unstable environment with fewer resources, not just in your own household but in the larger community, you can't afford adequate policing or traffic lights, and then it's probably even worse .”

Wheaton said lack of sleep may be brought on by a wide range of sleep disorders, reminiscent of insomnia, in addition to poor sleep habits, including irregular sleep schedules and using electronic devices near bedtime. Martin added that one consider why many within the Bay Area don't get enough sleep is commute times to work.

“People tend to live in areas that are not particularly close to their workplace, and they often sacrifice sleep for their morning commute,” Martin said.

Jones, who has lived all his life within the Bay Area's sleepiest zip code, has many neighbors who share his distress concerning the nighttime noise.

Angel Martinez, 35, who has lived on this Oakland neighborhood along with her family all her life, said she typically sleeps six hours at night. Martinez said she will at all times hear the BART station and the planes, even though it doesn't wake her up an excessive amount of at night.

“Everyone who lives here sleeps just OK, not the best,” she said. “Unfortunately, everyone, even me, is only used to the noise when you sleep at night.”

Whether the time change on Sunday will bring somewhat relief is controversial.

Nearly 60% of California voters approved a ballot measure in 2018 that permits the state legislature to vary daylight saving time with a two-thirds majority if the changes are consistent with federal law. So if a big majority of lawmakers agree, the state could either eliminate daylight saving time or, with help from Congress, extend it year-round.

Other states have taken similar measures, including Florida, where Republican Sen. Marco Rubio has repeatedly introduced the Sunshine Protection Act to increase daylight saving time year-round. However, as of October it remained parked in committee.

But while sleep experts like the thought of ​​getting rid of the time change, they're generally in favor of keeping standard time.

“The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and all medical and scientific organizations that have spoken out on this issue believe that we should end daylight saving time and stick to standard time permanently,” Martin said. “It suits people better if we have winter time than summer time.”

However, outdoor enthusiasts and youth sports advocates have advocated for daylight saving time since it allows spring and fall teams to compete within the afternoon after school ends before it gets dark.

Kushida isn't convinced that the additional hour of sleep after daylight saving time ends will provide much relief.

“Individuals whose sleep-wake cycles are strongly linked to the circadian cycles of day and night may have difficulty adapting to daylight saving time,” Kushida said.

Jones said: “It's good to sleep an hour longer, but I definitely need a week to adjust to the time change.”

Residents of the Bay Area's sleepiest neighborhood are searching for other solutions for a peaceful rest.

“Just more housing and police patrols,” Jones said.

Originally published: November 2, 2024 at 6:00 am PST