Now that he’s stepped back into the role of being a starter, Dalton Risner is working tirelessly to make sure he’s at his best for the Vikings. ADVERTISEMENT That could be easier said than done in the short term. After starting exclusively at left guard since entering the NFL, Risner got the start at right guard for the first time last weekend with the Vikings playing the Tennessee Titans. Though he said he was extremely grateful for the opportunity, Risner also admitted there’s a learning curve now playing a new position. Not that he’s complaining about his place on the offensive line. “It was awesome,” Risner said. “I’m really happy with how I played. A few things to clean up. I think I’ll only continue to get better.” ADVERTISEMENT After rewatching the game, head coach Kevin O’Connell praised Risner for the way he competed in the trenches. “He showed some of that veteran moxie to win some downs that were some hard downs,” O’Connell said. “There are some things he’ll continue to improve with the speed and physicality of it as he finds his groove.” The biggest hurdle for Risner is getting his mind to think in reverse. He has spent so much time at left guard throughout his career that switching over to right guard has forced him out of his comfort zone. “All of it is flip-flopped,” Risner said. “It’s not an easy process.” ADVERTISEMENT It was made even more difficult last weekend with Risner going up against the combination of star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and rookie defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat. “That’s about as good of a pair as we’re going to find in the NFL,” offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. “We knew it was going to be a challenge up front with those guys. There are some things we could’ve done better from a technique perspective. We expect these guys to respond.” That includes Risner as the Vikings prepare for the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. As he gains more experience at his new position, his hope is that it becomes second nature to him at some point soon. ADVERTISEMENT “I don’t know how many reps it’ll be or how many games it’ll be,” Risner said. I know I’ll consistently get more and more comfortable there.” Briefly The only player listed as a non-participant on the injury report was tight end Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle). He hasn’t practiced at all this week, so his availability for this weekend is very much up in the air. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .To this day, the "13 Points in 35 Seconds" game remains a defining moment in Tracy McGrady's career and a shining example of his unparalleled talent. It is a story of resilience, of determination, and of the enduring spirit of a true competitor. The legend of T-Mac and his remarkable feat will forever be enshrined in the hearts of basketball fans around the world.TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Running with the nation's best, three members of the Central College cross country teams competed at the NCAA Division III Championships Saturday. Saturday's national meet was held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. The University of Wisconsin – La Crosse was the men's team champion and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology won the women's race. In the women's 6,000-meter race, Addison Parrott (senior, Danville) was 49th in a time of 21 minutes and 56 seconds and Peyton Steffen (junior, Marion) finished 101st in 22:22.7. Derek Webster (senior, Norwalk placed 202nd in the men's 8,000-meter race after crossing the line in 25:48.1. "Anytime you qualify for the NCAA championships that's a very special thing," coach Joe Dunham said. "I was proud of all three of our athletes today and their competitiveness. While the results weren't entirely what we were hoping for, I couldn't be more proud of the effort they put in today and throughout the whole season.” Faith Duncan of Wilmington College (Ohio) was the individual women's winner in 20:16.5. Christian Patzka of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater was the men's individual winner in 24:01.6 Parrott, Steffen and Webster will turn their attention to the indoor track and field season, which for distance runners begins with the Dutch Holiday Preview on December 13 in Central's H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse. "They have put themselves into great position for the indoor track and field season coming up," Dunham said. "I'm excited to see what they do on the track.
In midfield, AS predicts a combination of Casemiro, Luka Modric, and Fede Valverde to provide stability and creativity in the middle of the park. This midfield trio has been instrumental in Real Madrid's recent success and will be pivotal in controlling the flow of the game against Atalanta.
By BEN FINLEY The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Related Articles National News | Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights National News | Prosecutors withdraw appeal of dismissed case against Alec Baldwin in fatal movie set shooting National News | Bill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says National News | Why Finland is vaccinating farmers against bird flu — but California isn't National News | Bluesky finds with growth comes growing pains — and bots Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about Santa’s location. Millions more follow online in nine languages , from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD is scanning the heavens for potential threats , such as last year’s Chinese spy balloon . But on Christmas Eve, volunteers in Colorado Springs are fielding questions like, “When is Santa coming to my house?” and, “Am I on the naughty or nice list?” “There are screams and giggles and laughter,” said Bob Sommers, 63, a civilian contractor and NORAD volunteer. Sommers often says on the call that everyone must be asleep before Santa arrives, prompting parents to say, “Do you hear what he said? We got to go to bed early.” NORAD’s annual tracking of Santa has endured since the Cold War , predating ugly sweater parties and Mariah Carey classics . The tradition continues regardless of government shutdowns, such as the one in 2018 , and this year . Here’s how it began and why the phones keep ringing. The origin story is Hollywood-esque It started with a child’s accidental phone call in 1955. The Colorado Springs newspaper printed a Sears advertisement that encouraged children to call Santa, listing a phone number. A boy called. But he reached the Continental Air Defense Command, now NORAD, a joint U.S. and Canadian effort to spot potential enemy attacks. Tensions were growing with the Soviet Union, along with anxieties about nuclear war. Air Force Col. Harry W. Shoup picked up an emergency-only “red phone” and was greeted by a tiny voice that began to recite a Christmas wish list. “He went on a little bit, and he takes a breath, then says, ‘Hey, you’re not Santa,’” Shoup told The Associated Press in 1999. Realizing an explanation would be lost on the youngster, Shoup summoned a deep, jolly voice and replied, “Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I am Santa Claus. Have you been a good boy?” Shoup said he learned from the boy’s mother that Sears mistakenly printed the top-secret number. He hung up, but the phone soon rang again with a young girl reciting her Christmas list. Fifty calls a day followed, he said. In the pre-digital age, the agency used a 60-by-80 foot (18-by-24 meter) plexiglass map of North America to track unidentified objects. A staff member jokingly drew Santa and his sleigh over the North Pole. The tradition was born. “Note to the kiddies,” began an AP story from Colorado Springs on Dec. 23, 1955. “Santa Claus Friday was assured safe passage into the United States by the Continental Air Defense Command.” In a likely reference to the Soviets, the article noted that Santa was guarded against possible attack from “those who do not believe in Christmas.” Is the origin story humbug? Some grinchy journalists have nitpicked Shoup’s story, questioning whether a misprint or a misdial prompted the boy’s call. In 2014, tech news site Gizmodo cited an International News Service story from Dec. 1, 1955, about a child’s call to Shoup. Published in the Pasadena Independent, the article said the child reversed two digits in the Sears number. “When a childish voice asked COC commander Col. Harry Shoup, if there was a Santa Claus at the North Pole, he answered much more roughly than he should — considering the season: ‘There may be a guy called Santa Claus at the North Pole, but he’s not the one I worry about coming from that direction,’” Shoup said in the brief piece. In 2015, The Atlantic magazine doubted the flood of calls to the secret line, while noting that Shoup had a flair for public relations. Phone calls aside, Shoup was indeed media savvy. In 1986, he told the Scripps Howard News Service that he recognized an opportunity when a staff member drew Santa on the glass map in 1955. A lieutenant colonel promised to have it erased. But Shoup said, “You leave it right there,” and summoned public affairs. Shoup wanted to boost morale for the troops and public alike. “Why, it made the military look good — like we’re not all a bunch of snobs who don’t care about Santa Claus,” he said. Shoup died in 2009. His children told the StoryCorps podcast in 2014 that it was a misprinted Sears ad that prompted the phone calls. “And later in life he got letters from all over the world,” said Terri Van Keuren, a daughter. “People saying ‘Thank you, Colonel, for having, you know, this sense of humor.’” A rare addition to Santa’s story NORAD’s tradition is one of the few modern additions to the centuries-old Santa story that have endured, according to Gerry Bowler, a Canadian historian who spoke to the AP in 2010. Ad campaigns or movies try to “kidnap” Santa for commercial purposes, said Bowler, who wrote “Santa Claus: A Biography.” NORAD, by contrast, takes an essential element of Santa’s story and views it through a technological lens. In a recent interview with the AP, Air Force Lt. Gen. Case Cunningham explained that NORAD radars in Alaska and Canada —- known as the northern warning system — are the first to detect Santa. He leaves the North Pole and typically heads for the international dateline in the Pacific Ocean. From there he moves west, following the night. “That’s when the satellite systems we use to track and identify targets of interest every single day start to kick in,” Cunningham said. “A probably little-known fact is that Rudolph’s nose that glows red emanates a lot of heat. And so those satellites track (Santa) through that heat source.” NORAD has an app and website, www.noradsanta.org , that will track Santa on Christmas Eve from 4 a.m. to midnight, mountain standard time. People can call 1-877-HI-NORAD to ask live operators about Santa’s location from 6 a.m. to midnight, mountain time.
The player in question, whose name has not been disclosed to protect his privacy, was diagnosed with a heart condition that required the implantation of a defibrillator. This device is designed to monitor and regulate the player's heart rhythm, ensuring his safety while participating in high-intensity physical activities, such as professional football matches. Nova Scotia charity serving 600 free turkey dinners for Christmas
Subscribe Search Search Sort by Relevance Title Date Subscribe ALBAWABA - Following an unexpected countrywide ground halt due to a technical problem, American Airlines swiftly resumed operations on Tuesday's Christmas Eve. Also Read American Airlines imposes 17% raise to flight attendants wages in fear of strikes The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the one-hour interruption affected all US aircraft during the busiest holiday travel time, from 11:50 AM to 12:50 PM GMT, AFP reports. According to the FAA, American Airlines requested the ground stop to address the issue at hand. Citing a “vendor technology issue” as the reason, the airline said in a statement that the situation was quickly fixed. Live scenes from American Airlines... pic.twitter.com/zPYDTnrwDT — Andy Monks ✈️ (@AndythePandy_) December 24, 2024 American Airlines commented earlier saying “Your safety is our utmost priority,” offered its passengers an apology for the inconvenience, and promised to work toward resuming regular operations. On social media, travelers complained about possible holiday interruptions and delays, with some travelers complaining that they were deplaned when their aircraft returned to the gate. In an active response to online consumer inquiries, American Airlines emphasized that its workers were working nonstop to resolve the issue. Holiday travel was at an all-time high at the time of the interruption. Between December 19 and January 2, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) predicted that around 40 million passengers would transit through American airports, a 6.2% increase over the previous year, according to ABC News. December 20 and December 27 were expected to be American Airlines' busiest travel days during the holiday period. Flights continued as planned despite the brief disruption, with American Airlines informing customers that reducing delays and guaranteeing safety were their top missions. Although the airline could not provide any information on the technological problem, it did emphasize its dedication to promptly addressing operational difficulties and preserving service dependability. A passionate about the Gaming Industry with a career of over 5 years in the field, I write about current trends and news in the Game Development business and how it impact the industry and players. Laith has recently started a new position at Al Bawaba as a freelance business writer. Subscribe Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content Subscribe Now Subscribe Sign up to get Al Bawaba's exclusive celeb scoops and entertainment news Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive updates and enhanced content SubscribeIfedi starts at left tackle for Browns in prime-time matchup against AFC North-leading Steelers