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NRL preliminary final preview and prediction: North Queensland Cowboys vs Parramatta Eels

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The North Queensland cowboys will seek proceed with their staggering season for one more week when they have a starter last in Townsville against the Parramatta Eels, who have gone past the semi-finals after three failures in a row.

The Eels finals record has been one of the key arguments encompassing the current year’s finals series.

Brad Arthur’s group could have decisively shot up the stepping stool to make the semi-finals without precedent for 2019, however from that point forward, it has been a threesome of Week 2 finals exits.

It’s a record they were at last ready to snap last end of the week however, with the blue and gold finding a far beyond the Canberra Thieves in what was an uneven barrage at CommBank Stadium.

It’s hard to know precisely the amount to add something extra to that apparatus however, given the Bandits completed in eighth spot on the table and to be honest, played what might be compared to their amazing last the prior week when they had the option to thump the Melbourne Tempest out in an end last away from home.

Scraping into the finals characterized the Marauders this season, however bounty more should characterize the Eels in what is possibly the last season their prevalence window is open, with a large group of ability set to set out toward the takeoff doors toward the finish of the time and a lot of inquiries looming over the eventual fate of different stars in blue and gold.

The Eels actually have a lot of inquiries encompassing their degree of consistency, and it could again be what shapes this game.

At the point when the Eels are at their best, they are near superb. They have demonstrated it endlessly time again this season, being the main group to beat the Penrith Jaguars at the foot of the mountains in very nearly two full seasons, before likewise bringing down the Melbourne Tempest in a crunch installation late in the season.

However at that point they dished up a sad last part in the main week qualifying last guarantee they would need to do things the most difficult way possible by playing the Marauders last week.

Consistency in that game dropped off from the initial 40 minutes to the second 40 minutes, and on the off chance that the pattern of not having the option to string exhibitions – not to mention 80 minutes – together on the run go on for the blue and gold then they are just never going to get through for a prevalence to break a dry spell which haunts supporters.

On the opposite side of the coin, the ascent of the Cowboys this season has been fleeting.

Out of literally nothing, a group who were tipped for the scrapheap have ascended to the penthouse and presently are only 80 minutes from a grand final.

There is a long history in the NRL of the groups in the fundamental finals going into the fabulous last in the wake of having seven days off and holding facilitating privileges.

It doesn’t necessarily in every case occur, however it’s difficult to contend the week off to mend wounds and recuperate from a 93-minute long distance race in the passing last against the Cronulla Sharks won’t help Todd Payten’s side.

What is clear however is that they should be preferable over they were against the men dressed in dark, white and blue a fortnight prior.

Guard was basically non-existent. The familiar adage sounds valid encompassing protection winning finals, and in the principal week, that was valid in three out of four games.

Last weekend, it didn’t occur for the Eels, yet it’s very clear this will be a far nearer game, played in the Townsville intensity and stickiness with summer around the corner.

At the hour of composing, the temperature is supposed to top out at 30 degrees in Townsville on Friday, with a high humidity reading to boot.

It’s something most teams – Cowboys rejected – will not have encountered since the pre-season when they were preparing in the intensity, and keeping in mind that that temperature will decrease away a tad by start off, 25 degrees at 9pm is still on the estimate, meaning this could turn into a conflict of steady loss and the week off will prove valuable.

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Caitlin Clark declined a larger offer and invested in the team ownership bid despite earning a five-figure WNBA salary

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The investment group for FC Cincinnati stated that Caitlin Clark is contributing to a bid for a Cincinnati-based National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team.

“The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing women’s professional soccer to our city,” the announcement read.

“Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women’s sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region and influence as an athlete and a role model for women and girls around the world make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL.”

Cincinnati joins Cleveland and Denver as the third finalist for an expansion bid.

The amount that Clark contributed to the proposal has not been made public.

According to 2024 Sportico data, the average NWSL team is worth $104 million. At $250 million, Los Angeles’ Angel City FC is the league’s most valuable team, while the Chicago Red Stars are the least valuable at $53 million.

Clark’s investment would certainly surpass her whole yearly WNBA pay if it were even close to 1% of the average franchise’s total worth.

The Impact Of Caitlin Clark On Men’s Basketball In Detail

In the first year of her rookie deal with the WNBA, Clark earned $76,535 in salary. She will earn $78,066 next year.

Joining the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, which will take place during the WNBA summer, gave Clark the opportunity to augment her basketball revenue. Clark was apparently being offered more than $1 million by Unrivaled. Clark, however, declined. Like other WNBA players, she declined chances to play professional basketball in Europe.

This offseason, Clark played a little amateur golf, but she has mostly been going to Taylor Swift concerts and other athletic events, such as Butler University college basketball games, which are coached by her boyfriend.

It will be April 2025 before she reports to training camp for her second WNBA season.

Clark is thought to have numerous more sources of income from endorsement deals, though.

Over the course of eight years, Clark’s endorsement contract with Nike is worth roughly $28 million. This contract covers Nike marketing initiatives, product endorsements, and promotional appearances.

She also has agreements with Goldman Sachs, Wilson Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Bose, State Farm, Buick, H&R Block, Topps, and Shoot-A-Way.

Hy-Vee even makes a cereal that she calls “Caitlin’s Crunch Time.”

Since Clark keeps her spending habits under wraps, not much else is known about her lifestyle. However, if the city wins the expansion franchise, everyone will know if she is responsible for her investment in the Cincinnati FC proposal. Clark’s involvement as an investor might influence the choice.

Swift and Clark were recently featured on the cover of Time magazine’s Inspiring Women special edition issue, which highlighted eight women in leadership roles, including several athletes.

Clark appeared in all 15 of the WNBA’s most watched games from the previous season.

The willingness of Cincinnati residents to support a professional women’s soccer club might therefore have a significant impact on her financial future if that secures her investment group the NWSL team.

In 2023, Cincinnati’s median household income was $54,314. In 2022, the median household income in the Cincinnati metro region was $75,062, which is somewhat higher than the median for the entire country. Women make up more than half of Cincinnati’s population.

The WNBA does not have a team in Cincinnati. It does, however, have FC Cincinnati, a men’s professional soccer team in Major League Soccer. The city’s only professional sports teams are the Reds of Major League Baseball and the Bengals of the NFL.

Since turning pro, Clark’s fiercest WNBA competitor has already acknowledged having financial difficulties.

In an October social media post, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese acknowledged that she is unable to use her WNBA earnings to cover her rent. Reese earned $73,439 as a rookie with the Sky, but her annual rent of $8,000 is $96,000.

Reese said to her audience, “I just hope y’all know,” that “the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally. I’m trying to think of my rent for where I stay at. Let me do the math real quick.”

“I’m living beyond my means!” Reese said with a laugh after realizing her pay and what she was paying.

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Some ‘telekinesis’ helps the Utah Jazz defeat the Mavericks 115-113 for their first home victory

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To be honest, after the 3-pointer he had just made, that was the only suitable reaction. Clarkson almost double-dribbled, almost ran out of time, and then almost committed a backcourt violation. His shaky running 3-pointer from the wing instead went in.

At the end, he could have done the same.

To be honest, after the 3-pointer he had just made, that was the only suitable reaction. Clarkson almost double-dribbled, almost ran out of time, and then almost committed a backcourt violation. His shaky running 3-pointer from the wing instead went in.

After catching Dallas in a preswitch, Clarkson zipped a pass under the rim to a wide-open John Collins. With 6.4 seconds left, he made an uncontested two-handed slam that proved to be the game-winning basket as Utah defeated the Mavericks 115-113.

During that last possession, Luka Doncic was on Collins down low. Doncic had his sights set on the corner, and Quentin Grimes started to cheat up the wing to meet Collins, who seemed to be expecting him to run up to set a pick for Clarkson.

The issue? He was left alone in the most hazardous area of the court when Collins chose not to go up.

“I’m just happy me and John had some, like, telekinesis action going on,” Clarkson stated. “I mean, he just read my eyes and knew what I was looking for.”

“Me and JC were just like looking at each other: ‘You gonna be open?'” Collins grinned as he spoke. “You can see JC saying (with his eyes), ‘No stay, Here you go.’ And it was just like a great play that shows our chemistry. We always had a JC-to-JC connection. JC made a great read, finished the play, and we finally got a home win.”

Collins completed a 28-point evening with the final dunk, maintaining his impressive recent play.

After it appeared that the home team was losing the game, he scored Utah’s final two baskets. Utah led by 16 points early in the fourth quarter after a solid third quarter, which has been unusual for the Jazz this season. Doncic then guided Dallas to victory.

The Dallas star finished the game with nine assists and 37 points. With 1:33 left, he helped Derrick Lively, giving the Mavericks a two-point advantage.

At that moment, Utah appeared to have no answer for a Mavericks team on the rise and was without Lauri Markkanen, who was hurt in the eye and missed the end of the game.

Collins and Clarkson supplied one.

“JC and John were unbelievable down the stretch,” Hardy stated. “Their poise really stood out. JC, made big plays. John made big plays all night. His energy is infectious for us.”

Clarkson finished a 3-point play on the other end after he was knocked down by a bucket. Then, with 36.7 seconds left, Collins dunk after rebounding a rejected Clarkson jumper to put Utah ahead 3 points.

Klay Thompson’s wing three to tie the game only served to set up the last play by Clarkson and Collins.

“They got confused on whether they were switching or not—sort of two guys went back out towards the corner and JC threw him a dart,” Hardy recalled. “But that’s JC and John understanding the moment together.”

Collin Sexton ended with 16 points and five rebounds, while Clarkson finished with 20 points and four assists. Kyle Filipowski scored 11 of his 14 points in a dominant second quarter, and Lauri Markkanen added 14 points before he left.

Six of the Jazz’s players were in double figures.

“Tonight’s not about like the X’s and O’s piece, the tactical piece. It was about the mental and the physical toughness the team showed throughout and really stuck with it against a good team tonight. That’s what we’re looking for,” Hardy stated.

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Dodgers Unveil Plans for Friday Parade and Stadium Celebration

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The Dodgers announced Wednesday night that they would celebrate their World Series victory on Friday with a parade in Downtown Los Angeles and a special ticketed event at Dodger Stadium. The full broadcast of both tournaments will be available on AM 570, local television stations, and Spectrum SportsNet LA. Fans will not be able to attend both events due to scheduling conflicts, transportation, and logistical issues.

The parade will start at Gloria Molina Grand Park on Spring Street in front of City Hall at 11 a.m. PT. The procession will begin with an official kickoff by Mayor Karen Bass and go for 45 minutes from 1st Street to Grand Avenue to 5th Street, ending at the corner of 5th and Flower Street. Dodgers players will ride double-decker buses during the parade. Due to extensive street closures and a shortage of public parking, those who desire to join the parade are strongly recommended to use public transportation.

At around 12:15 p.m., a special ticketed event at Dodger Stadium will start after the procession. The stadium’s entrance gates will open at 9 a.m., and parking gates for attendees will open at 8:30 a.m. There will be food and merchandise for sale. Before the team arrives, there will be entertainment inside the stadium, including DodgerVision scoreboards that will show the parade. This event will be subject to all Dodger Stadium policies and procedures, including the reminder that signs, bags, and other objects that are prohibited by our policies are not allowed.

At 9:30 a.m., SportsNet LA and local networks CBS 2, NBC 4, KTLA 5, ABC 7, KCAL 9, and Fox 11 will start airing coverage of every event on Friday. On AM 570, there will be radio coverage.

The Los Angeles Dodger Foundation, which is working to address the most important issues confronting Los Angeles with a mission to enhance social justice, health care, education, and homelessness for all Angelenos, will get a part of the stadium event’s earnings.

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