Latest news with #NLI
Dominion Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: Here's the blueprint to how college athletes will one day become trade bait
MORGANTOWN — We are just mere weeks away from the beginning of a new landscape in college athletics. As of July 1, the revenue sharing program stemming from the House settlement will allow universities to begin paying their athletes directly out of a capped pool of roughly $20.5 million for their services. Now, this is not to be confused with Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money, which college athletes have already been earning. Basically, the House settlement was a decision that saw just how much conferences and their individual schools were earning through ever-growing TV deals, ticket sales and the likes and the courts ruled that college athletes deserved a cut. Much like the NFL salary cap, that $20.5 million pool will continually grow over time, as TV deals continue to get larger, as do ticket sales, radio broadcasting rights and such. And it basically opens up a new era of college athletes being official employees of their school. Some will fight against that statement, but the bottom line is college athletes will be handed a paycheck. On that paycheck will likely be the school's logo and official name. It will be signed by the school's athletic director or president or someone in the finance office or some other higher-up from that school. If that's not being considered an employee of the school, well, we all know what it looks like. The bigger question to be asked is whether or not college athletes are now professionals? True, they're not earning anything close to NFL or NBA salaries, but they are earning a salary nonetheless. We are here to tell you today there is but one threshold to cross before we can truly refer to college athletes as professionals. And that day is likely coming. Let's take the example of an NFL player. He's paid a salary, so, too, are college athletes beginning July 1. That player has the right to free agency, so do college athletes with the transfer portal. He has the option to hold out for more money. Well, we all remember the story of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who held himself out of spring drills earlier this year, because he was dissatisfied with his NIL money that was reportedly worth $2.4 million. He ended up transferring to UCLA after Tennessee basically told him not to let the door hit him on the way out. Ladies and gentlemen, the only experience remaining that a pro athlete can undergo that a college athlete can't is being traded. And if that sounds corny, too far-fetched or simply impossible, I want to see a show of hands of how many of us would have thought 20 years ago that college athletes would be earning actual paychecks from their schools. My hand isn't raised. I'm guessing your hand isn't raised, either. You may fire back that there are contracts involved between a player and the school. Beyond that, there are ethics. Let's talk about the contract, which used to be the National Letter of Intent (NLI), which binded an athlete to the school and the school to the athlete for one year. The NLI was eliminated in 2024, in part because officials saw what was coming down the road with NIL and revenue sharing. It's basically a grant-in-aid agreement now that serves as that binding contract, which still comes in the form of a scholarship. The guess from here is that future grant-in-aids will also spell out in more detail the percentages said athlete will earn from revenue sharing and the expectations that will follow in order for the athlete to earn the money. All it would take to officially allow the trading of college athletes is the approval from the NCAA or the NCAA's Division I Council to reword those grant-in-aids. That's it. No congressional hearings. No emergency summits where all the conferences meet at some discreet location to debate the topic. Just the NCAA's approval and some lawyer writing a trade clause into the grant-in-aid agreement. It's more difficult to pay your personal property taxes online than it would be to allow the trading of college athletes from one school to another. Which brings us to the ethical stance. As of right now, public sentiment is rather neutral on paying college athletes. Most fan bases would agree that athletes deserve their cut. The biggest worry right now is how their favorite school is going to afford the payments and compete with everyone else. Trust me, that's going to change over time. As those caps continue to grow and the prices of tickets, hot dogs and beers grow right along with it, public sentiment is going to change. As NIL deals continue to grow to the point where more than just a handful of college athletes earn more money than their coaches or college presidents, public sentiment is going to change. As more and more stories like Iamaleava's become more common in college sports, public sentiment will change. Right now, everyone knows college sports is a big business, but the general feeling is sort of like, 'Well, it's not that big of a business.' That's going to change, believe me. And when that five-star quarterback who made more money as a freshman in college than most of us will earn in our lifetimes suddenly turns into a bust, ethics be damned. If your school could get a starting safety and right tackle for that bum, you pull that trigger in a heartbeat. Because these are no longer just college kids. That may have been the proper thing to call them since the 1950s up until about two or three years ago. But a handful of them are no more just college kids any more than the wishbone offense is innovative. Texas Tech softball pitcher NiJaree Canady will earn $1.2 million next season in NIL money. That's on top of whatever the school will pay her in revenue sharing. Come on, is she just a college kid now? They are paid professionals now. Sure, in some cases, they are still 19- and 20-year olds, but some will become 19- and 20-year olds who can afford things at 21 that most of us could never dream of affording in our lives. That's not the proper definition of a college kid. It may not only be unethical, but also against the rules, to even consider trading a college athlete right now, but it may not always be that way. The view from here is that day is coming sooner than you think.
Newsweek
14-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Man Who Speaks Dozens of Languages Gives Speech in Gen Alpha Slang
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Capturing the attention of an audience of high-school students can be tricky, but the linguist and polyglot, Xiaoma found a clever way around it. Taking his "skibidi rizz," to the highest level, he was invited to a high school to give a speech about the importance of languages. Which he did, entirely in Gen A slang, much to the delight of his audience. Newsweek has reached out to Xiaoma via email for comment. Why It Matters According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 78.3 percent of individuals aged 5 and older speak only English, and around 20 percent of the U.S. population is either bilingual or multilingual, meaning they can speak more than two languages. Stock image of students in a classroom. Stock image of students in a classroom. MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images As of 2024, 21 percent of adults in the U.S. were found to be illiterate, with 54 percent of adults having a literacy rate below a sixth-grade level, according to the National Literacy Institute (NLI). Low literacy costs the country up to $2.2 trillion a year, according to the NLI. What To Know Xiaoma is a polyglot and linguist who not only speaks dozens of languages, but has built up a significant online following (he has 6.6 million subscribers on YouTube), where he creates content about languages. That content has racked up millions of views online, and he has seen him surprising strangers in different languages. He has even gotten a free pint of Guinness in Ireland when he orders in Irish (Gaeilge). In a video viewed over 1.1 million times as of reporting, Xiaoma visited Westtown School, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he delivered his speech. "Your school invited me to give a guest lecture about the importance of learning languages," Xiaoma he told the audience of high schoolers. "But it occurred to me that all of you are already in some sense multilingual, whether you realize it or not." Xiaoma, who describes himself to the audience as an "aging millennial," explained that he had spent "weeks" immersed in videos on TikTok to try to learn the dialect. He then tells the children that he will try to deliver the speech in Gen-Alpha slang, to which the audience bursts into laughter, and then applauds. Luckily for older generations, he included a standard English subtitle in the video. "It's low-key a huge w to be vibing here [It's genuinely a tremendous honor to be here]," he said. "Now, I know it's giving delulu for this cheugy millennial to speak in such skibidi brain rot [Now, I know it seems ridiculous for this outdated millennial to speak in such bizarre slang]." He continued, telling the students that "Language evolves because you're constantly cooking new ways to pass the vibe check, [Language evolves because you're constantly innovating new ways to express yourselves]." "Languages aren't just suss grammar rules fam [Languages aren't just a bunch of confusing grammar rules, friends], they're the ultimate rizz for becoming a real one everywhere you pull up [They're the ultimate social tool for genuinely connecting wherever you go]." And Xiaoma didn't stop there either—he took his new dialect expertise to a college graduation ceremony, and delivered a formal commencement speech in Gen Alpha dialect. What People Are Saying Xiaoma, in his speech to students: "No cap, I was deadass pressed about understanding this language, but I has to absorb the drip so I wouldn't get aired by your generation. High-key people think Gen Alpha slang is just memes and brainrot, but on God it's giving linguistic glow-up core happening IRL. [Honestly, I was really stressed about trying to understand this language, but I had to learn it so I wouldn't get ignored by your generation. Seriously, people assume Gen Alpha slang is just memes and nonsense, but honestly it's a linguistic revolution happening right before our eyes]." What's Next Xiaoma may well continue to cause a stir with his unconventional content and approach to getting people interested in language and linguistics.
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas A&M faces backcourt uncertainty as Duke Miles re-enters transfer portal
Texas A&M faces backcourt uncertainty as Duke Miles re-enters transfer portal Texas A&M basketball faces another shake-up as Oklahoma transfer guard Duke Miles re-enters the NCAA transfer portal, just over a week after committing to the Aggies. Miles, who was expected to compete for a starting role under new head coach Bucky McMillan, has officially submitted paperwork to be released from his National Letter of Intent (NLI). This marks his second decommitment of the transfer cycle, following his earlier decision to back out of a commitment to Virginia. The reason behind Miles' departure remains unclear, but speculation suggests Texas A&M's pursuit of another guard may have influenced his decision. Whether the Aggies were proactively seeking additional backcourt talent or Miles reacted to the news of another potential addition, his exit leaves a gap in McMillan's roster-building efforts. With the Aggies actively reshaping their lineup through the transfer portal, McMillan and his staff will now look to secure another guard to bolster their roster for the upcoming season. Texas A&M's aggressive approach in the portal continues to shape the future of Aggies basketball, as they aim to build a competitive squad for SEC play. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.
San Francisco Chronicle
28-04-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cal, Stanford football both hit hard by spring transfer portal losses
The transfer portal affords college athletes an unprecedented level of freedom to find a better fit, particularly in football. The sport's primary transfer window takes place during bowl season in December, followed by another 10-day football-only portal period in April that facilitates a second wave of player movement after spring practices conclude. It's common for a program to work through spring ball with two-deep talent that won't be around by preseason camp in August. Even cornerstone pieces can be lost to this cycle, as Cal experienced first-hand earlier this month when former All-Pac-12 first-team running back Jaydn Ott and his backup, Jaivian Thomas – who rushed for 626 yards and seven touchdowns on an impressive 6.3 yards per carry in an elevated role last season – entered the transfer portal with days of one another once the spring portal opened on April 16. Stanford's 10-day window effectively tripled after the school fired head coach Troy Taylor for alleged mistreatment of staffers in late March. After any head-coaching change, a team's players have up to 30 days to enter the transfer portal. Per 247Sports, a recruiting service that invests in a network of websites dedicated to coverage of major college athletics programs, four-star edge rusher David Bailey was among the seven Cardinal players who entered the transfer portal after Taylor's dismissal. 'You can't name a team right now that doesn't have a player that they wish didn't go into this,' Cal general manager Ron Rivera said in a virtual press conference on April 21. With the transfer portal now closed, how did Cal and Stanford do with roster turnover? Cal Bears Cal has received 25 verbal transfer commitments – which among Atlantic Coast Conference schools trails Wake Forest (31), North Carolina (30), Virginia (26) and Louisville (26) in terms of total pledges. The group was ranked eighth in 247Sports' transfer class rankings for the 17-team ACC. Transfers, unlike high school and junior college recruits who sign a national letter of intent (NLI), are not bound to a given school until they enroll in their first class, so a few transfers the Bears welcomed during the December cycle have since re-entered the portal. Of their 25 incoming transfers, 13 are offensive players. An exodus of 23 outgoing transfers on that side of the ball comes in the wake of significant changes to the offensive coaching staff following a fourth consecutive season with a record under .500. Starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza headlined Cal's departures along with Ott and wide receiver Nyziah Hunter. The abrupt loss of five running backs to the portal, including Ott and Thomas, was an unexpected development this offseason. Rivera had relished the promise of an Ott-Thomas one-two punch in the Cal backfield less than a week before they emptied their lockers. In an offense likely to be led by four-star freshman quarterback transfer Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele, they weren't going to be easily replaced. NC State junior transfer Raphael Kendrick, who received the fourth-most carries among Wolfpack running backs last season, and UTSA junior transfer Brandon High Jr., who averaged 7.8 yards per carry with a team-high eight rushing touchdowns as a backup back, are set to join a room that returns only two scholarship players from its spring roster: sophomore Jamaal Wiley and three-star incoming freshman Anthony League. 'Did we give Jaydn Ott a great shot?' Rivera said of the staff's efforts to keep the three-year starter. 'I believe we did. … Sometimes an athlete just thinks, 'I've accomplished all I can here, and it's potentially time to move on.'' Four star: QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), RB Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma), WR Nyziah Hunter (Nebraska), WR Tobias Merriweather (uncommitted), RB Byron Cardwell Jr. (uncommitted), WR Mavin Anderson (Texas State). Three-star: RB Jaivian Thomas (UCLA), TE Jack Endries (Texas), WR Mikey Matthews (UCLA), IOL Matthew Wykoff (Houston), WR Josiah Martin (Oklahoma), TE J.T. Byrne (Georgia Tech), EDGE David Reese (Syracuse), S Ryan Yaites (uncommitted), WR Jonathan Brady (uncommitted), TE Camden Jones (uncommitted), EDGE Myles Williams (uncommitted), QB Andrew Maushardt (uncommitted), IOL Dylan Jemtegaard (uncommitted), WR Mason Sterling (San Jose State), OT Trent Ramsey (uncommitted), RB Justin Williams-Thomas (uncommitted), P Bobby Engstler (Arkansas State), S Brooklyn Cheek (Wyoming), TE Nate Rutchena (UC Davis). Two-star: EDGE John Gayer (uncommitted), K Kyle Cunanan (uncommitted). Unranked: TE Simon Mapa (uncommitted), RB Kadarius Calloway (uncommitted), QB Chandler Rogers (uncommitted), K Derek Morris (UMass), LS Caleb Johnston (uncommitted). Four star: QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (Oregon). Three-star: QB Devin Brown (Ohio State), RB Kendrick Raphael (NC State), WR Quaron Adams (South Dakota), EDGE TJ Bush (Liberty), RB Brandon High Jr. (UTSA), EDGE Chris Victor (Chattanooga), CB Quimari Shemwell (Utah), S Dru Polidore Jr. (Montana State), EDGE Jayden Wayne (Washington), WR Dazmin Jones (Arkansas), WR Jacob De Jesus (UNLV), TE Mason Mini (Idaho), IOL Tyson Ruffins (Nevada), LB Buom Jock (Colorado State), S Tristan Dunn (Washington), OT Leon Bell (Mississippi State), IOL Lamar Robinson (Georgia State), IOL Lajuan Owens (New Mexico), CB Hezekiah Masses (FIU), IOL Jordan Spasojevic-Moko (Charlotte), DL Tyson Ford (Notre Dame). Unranked: P Brook Honore (Arkansas State). Stanford Cardinal From a transfer portal standpoint, the firing of Taylor was less of a catalyst than it was confirmation that Stanford was not prepared to field a winning football program. Eighteen of its 25 outgoing transfers entered the portal before Taylor was relieved of his duties. The Cardinal finished 3–9 in both seasons under Taylor, extending its streak of 3-9 records to four. Long gone are the glory days of the David Shaw-led teams in the 2010s. Then a high-profile player also decided it was time to go. Bailey led the Cardinal in sacks back-to-back seasons with seven in 2024 and five in 2023, and left for Texas Tech as a four-star transfer. Stanford's 15 incoming transfers include no four-stars, unless you count Texas Tech sophomore interior offensive lineman transfer Nick Fattig, who was a four-star high school recruit in the 2023 class but has yet to be re-evaluated as a transfer after appearing in four games as a redshirt freshman backup left guard last season. The Cardinal ranks 11th on 247Sports' ACC transfer class rankings. It will most likely take more than one offseason with an interim head coach (Frank Reich) for first-year general manager Andrew Luck to renew Stanford football to what it was when he led the program to an Orange Bowl and a Fiesta Bowl as a two-time Heisman runner-up in 2010 and 2011. Four-star: EDGE David Bailey (Texas Tech), CB Julian Neal (Arkansas). Three-star: QB Bear Bachmeier (uncommitted), WR Emmett Mosley V (Texas), IOL Jake Maikkula (Oklahoma), WR Mudia Reuben (USF), RB Brendon Barrow (uncommitted), WR Ismael Cisse (Arkansas), WR Ahmari Borden (uncommitted), CB Brandon Jones (uncommitted), WR Chase Ferrell (Northwestern), EDGE Aaron Armitage (FIU), S Jaden Siocum (uncommitted), WR Jackson Harris (Hawaii), S Jshawn Frausto-Ramos (Arizona), QB Ashton Daniels (Auburn), IOL Austin Uke (Maryland), WR Jayson Raines (NAU), IOL Trevor Mayberry (Mississippi State), OT Connor McLaughlin (USF), OT Luke Baklenko (Oklahoma), QB Justin Lamson (Montana State). Unranked: CB Evan Jackson (uncommitted), RB Ryan Butler (uncommitted). Incoming transfers Four-star: IOL Nick Fattig (Texas Tech). Three-star: CB Breylan Thompson (Yale), CB Sam Neely (Wake Forest), QB Dylan Rizk (UCF), LB Zach Johnson (Idaho), RB Tuna Altahir (Eastern Washington), OT Kai Greer (Georgia Tech), TE Brendan Doyle (Memphis), WR Caden High (South Carolina State), WR C.J. Williams (Wisconsin), IOL Nathan Mejia (Sacramento State), OT Niki Prongos (UCLA), WR Jordan Onovughe (Colorado), CB Jordan Washington (Dartmouth), WR David Pantelis (Yale). Recruiting stars reflect the latest 247Sports rating assigned to each player, which for some is a new re-evaluated transfer grade while others may have only their old high school ranking. Note that as-yet uncommitted players may not ultimately transfer out, though most do.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
National Library of India (NLI) celebrates 'World Book Day' with books, films & young minds
The National Library of India (NLI) marked World Book Day with diverse events promoting reading and books' societal impact KOLKATA: The National Library of India (NLI) celebrated World Book Day on Wednesday with a vibrant mix of events aimed at promoting the joy of reading and the importance of books in shaping society and culture. The celebrations included a special exhibition, a film screening , a quiz contest, and an open invitation to students to explore the library's vast treasure trove of knowledge. A key highlight of the day was a special exhibition of 100 iconic books—each representing a different year from the past century. The carefully curated display featured works from a variety of genres and periods, each marking a moment in history and literature that defined the year it belonged to. Every year on April 23, World Book Day is observed globally to encourage reading, publishing, and the love of books. Speaking on the occasion, NLI Director General Ajay Pratap Singh said, 'World Book Day is important because it promotes the love of reading, encourages literacy, and recognizes the significance of books in shaping our world. It also celebrates the role books play in connecting the past and future, and across cultures. The day also serves as a platform for advocating for copyright protection and intellectual property rights.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo As part of the celebration, NLI in collaboration with Fest5 India, a film society, organized a screening of the film 'Kitabi Masti: The Whispers of Change'. The inspiring film tells the real-life story of a young girl from the slums of Bhopal who brings about change in her community through the transformative power of books and reading. 190 students from various schools were invited to the library for the event, many of whom experienced a reading room for the very first time. 'The celebration aimed to inculcate reading habits and a love for books early in the lives of young students. For many of them, just visiting the reading room was an overwhelming and eye-opening experience,' said Siva Prasad Senapati, Principal Information and Library Officer at NLI. Following the film screening, students enthusiastically took part in an impromptu quiz contest, where the top five participants were awarded for their knowledge and quick thinking. Adding a unique touch to the day, NLI also invited readers from across the country to share one-minute videos answering: "My Favourite Book & Why I Want Others to Read It." The response was heartening. 'We are humbled and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love we received,' NLI said in a statement. 'Your passion has truly lit up our shelves.' The event successfully celebrated books not just as sources of knowledge and imagination, but also as powerful tools for connection, inspiration, and change.
