Mike Vrabel says he's had difficult conversations after publication of photos with NFL reporter
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Mike Vrabel said Tuesday that he’s had “difficult conversations with people I care about,” including his family, his coaching staff and players, following the publication of photos of the Patriots coach and longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort. The photos were of Vrabel and Russini at a Sedona resort and were taken before the annual NFL meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29, according to the New York Post, which published the photos. Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, released written statements to the Post after the publication of the story downplaying what the photos depict. But Russini resigned from The Athletic less than a week later after the Post’s report prompted an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet.
Former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin joining NBC's pregame show, AP sources say
Mike Tomlin is going from the glare of an NFL sideline to the glare of television lights. The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach will join NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” coverage as a pregame analyst, two people briefed on the move tell The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because NBC has not announced the move. Tomlin stepped down in January after 19 seasons as Steelers coach. NBC had a studio opening as it is retooling its “Football Night in America” pregame show. Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy announced last month that he was told he would not be back after 17 years.
Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan resigns after 6 seasons
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan has resigned after six seasons, opting to step aside rather than work with a new front office. President and CEO Michael Reinsdorf made it clear after firing executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley near the end of the season that he wanted the 60-year-old Donovan to remain on the job. He said anyone who wanted to bring in a new coach was “probably not the right candidate for us.” Now, it looks like whoever the Bulls hire to run their organization will get that opportunity.
Most fashion mannequins are about a size 2. The Met Gala exhibit is making room for diverse bodies
NEW YORK (AP) — The upcoming fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art examines “the dressed body” in art over the centuries. But “Costume Art” also aims to include bodies that art has traditionally ignored. The museum has created 25 mannequins for display based on “real bodies.” Nine people modeled for the mannequins. Those include disability activist Sinéad Burke and body-positive lingerie designer Michaela Stark. Curator Andrew Bolton explains he's seeking to challenge centuries-old conceptions of beauty. The exhibit is launching with the May 4 Met Gala and opens to the public May 10. It runs until January 2027.
The Onion launches new bid to take over Alex Jones' Infowars and turn it into a parody platform
The satirical news outlet The Onion has a new plan to take over conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars platforms and turn them into parodies. Under a proposal submitted to a Texas judge on Monday, The Onion would be granted a temporary license to the intellectual property of Infowars' parent company. That would allow The Onion to post its own content on the Infowars platforms. Jones is vowing to fight the plan in court. His company is facing liquidation because of the more than $1 billion in defamation judgments he owes relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting for calling the massacre in Connecticut a hoax.
Marcel Hug claims his ninth Boston Marathon wheelchair title, Eden Rainbow-Cooper wins women's race
BOSTON (AP) — Marcel Hug of Switzerland vaulted to the front of the field and cruised to win his ninth Boston Marathon wheelchair title, claiming the victory in the 130th edition of the race in 1 hour, 16 minutes, 6 seconds. Hug’s fourth consecutive win in Boston puts him into second place all-time in Boston men’s wheelchair history, behind only South African great Ernst van Dyk’s record 10 titles between 2001 and 2014. American racer Daniel Romanchuk was second in 1:22:44, followed by Jetze Plat of the Netherlands in 1:24:13. Eden Rainbow-Cooper of Britain won the women’s wheelchair race in 1:30:51.
‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ is no match for ‘Super Mario’ or ‘Hail Mary’ at the box office
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Project Hail Mary” continue to lead the North American box office. The Mario sequel has topped the charts for three weekends, adding $35 million and reaching $747.5 million globally. “Project Hail Mary” dropped only 15% in its fifth weekend, earning $20.5 million domestically and bringing its worldwide total to $573.1 million. Meanwhile, “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” debuted in third place with $13.5 million. Despite mixed reviews, it has a worldwide total of $34 million. The overall box office is up 16% from last year, with more big releases expected soon.
Life jacket worn by a passenger who survived the Titanic auctioned off for over $900,000
LONDON (AP) — A life jacket worn by a passenger on the RMS Titanic has sold at auction for 670,000 pounds, which is more than $900,000. The flotation device was worn by Laura Mabel Francatelli, a first-class passenger, and is signed by her and other survivors. It was sold by Henry Aldridge & Son auctioneers in England to an unidentified telephone bidder. A seat cushion from one of the Titanic lifeboats also sold for 390,000 pounds. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge says these record-breaking prices show the continuing interest in the Titanic story. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg, killing about 1,500 people.
NFL is not investigating Patriots coach Mike Vrabel for behavior regarding reporter Dianna Russini
The NFL is not investigating Mike Vrabel’s behavior after published photos of the New England Patriots coach and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort prompted her resignation and an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday the league isn't looking into the matter. The Patriots didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether the team has launched its own review of Vrabel’s actions. The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the annual NFL meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29.
Natalie Portman is pregnant with her third child, her first with Tanguy Destable
Natalie Portman is expecting her third child at age 44. The actor told Harper’s Bazaar she is “very grateful” to be welcoming a child with partner Tanguy Destable. She shares two older children with ex-husband Benjamin Millepied. Portman also said she is feeling good physically, with “more energy than I thought I might.” Portman’s upcoming projects include Cathy Yan’s “The Gallerist,” about an unusual art world caper, and Lena Dunham’s “Good Sex” on Netflix. The 45-year-old Destable is a French electronic music producer known as Tepr.
