Moon Unit Zappa, the daughter of musician Frank Zappa, says she was “conditioned” to believe a bizarre date she once had with Woody Harrelson was “perfectly normal.”
The pair, who went on a handful of dates after being set up by Michael J. Fox in 1989, were out for a meal when Harrelson used her finger to remove food stuck between his teeth.
Moon described being a human toothpick in her new memoir, “Earth to Moon,” but exclusively tells Page Six she wasn’t at all bothered by the unsanitary behavior.
Moon Unit Zappa, pictured here in with Woody Harrelson in 1989, once had a very strange date with the actor. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
According to Moon, Harrelson once used her finger to remove food from between his teeth. WireImage
The pair went on a few dates during Harrelson’s stint on “Cheers” in the late ’80s. Getty Images
Moon says growing up with her famous father — who was known for his bohemian lifestyle — made her think the unusual moment was just “what quirky artists did.”
She adds that on one of their first dates, her father blew his nose into her mother’s skirt.
“I was conditioned to think that was perfectly normal,” she explains.
A rep for Harrelson, 63, did not immediately return our request for comment.
Moon, who described the date in her new memoir, tells Page Six she wasn’t bothered by the bizarre moment. AP
Moon, the daughter of famous musician Frank Zappa, became an instant star at 14 when she appeared on her father’s song “Valley Girl.” Getty Images
Moon, 56, became a star at age 14 when she appeared on her father’s hit single “Valley Girl.” The song featured Moon’s “valley speak,” popularizing expressions like “grody to the max” and “gag me with a spoon.”
Her book briefly mentions the hoopla around the novelty song, but mostly centers on her dysfunctional childhood and often-fraught relationships with her parents and siblings, Dweezil, Ahmet, and Diva.
“This really is a story about feeling like a fish out of water in your home and in the world and I think it’s a chance for women to examine their projections,” she explains to us.
Her memoir details her tumultuous childhood with her father and mother, Gail Zappa. Getty Images
Moon wrote about her mother changing Frank’s final wishes regarding his estate. Getty Images
Moon wrote in her memoir, which came out Aug. 20, that following her father’s death in 1993 at the age of 52 from prostate cancer, her mother, Gail, disregarded Frank’s final wishes regarding his estate.
Instead of it being split up evenly, Gail gave Ahmet and Diva control of the Zappa family trust with shares of 30 percent each, while Moon and Dweezil were each given 20 percent.
“I could never reconcile the actions that were taken in the name of my father but not doing his wishes,” she tells Page Six.
“The thing is it’s not the money,” Moon explains. “It’s not the stuff, it’s that I had a mother that at the end of her life, she wished two of her children well and two not so much.
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“I had a mother that at the end of her life, she wished two of her children well and two not so much,” Moon tells Page Six. Getty Images
Moon remains estranged from her siblings, but has recently started speaking to her brother Ahmet again. WireImage
“That is something as a parent that I cannot comprehend and it’s taken me a long time to get bigger than her final word.”
Gail died in 2015 at the age of 70.
Moon, who shares a daughter with ex-husband Paul Doucette, has been estranged from her siblings for many years but says that the “door is always open,” although relations seem to be improving with Ahmet.
“We just did a podcast and he actually read the book and he really loved it,” she happily adds.
Moon is doing a Q&A with Molly Jong-Fast at Oaks Church in Brooklyn on Sept 5.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks on a campaign stop at Laborfest in Milwaukee on Monday, Sept. 2.
AP
The House Education and Workforce Committee is yet again doing the job the media won’t, by holding Dem VP hopeful Tim Walz accountable for his atrocious record as Minnesota governor — this time over an infamous, massive episode of COVID fraud.
Quick recap:A Minnesota charity, Feeding Our Future, took advantage of pandemic-era rules that let student-meal programs cooperate off school grounds to run as many as 250 utterly fake meal-assistance sites to siphon off close to a cool $250 million in federal aid funds.
That was spent not on feeding kids but on things like luxury cars and high-end real estate; per Attorney General Merrick Garland, it was the single biggest pandemic scam for which charges have yet been brought.
And it all happened on Walz’s watch, as his Department of Education was supposed to be providing oversight.
Now, Walz faces a big-time document subpoena from the committee, chaired by indefatigable Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) — in service of digging up answers to the hard questions around the fraud.
Questions that should have been asked by every journo in America the day his name was pulled out of the veepstakes hat.
Above all: How can Americans now trust you in the second-highest office in the land?
The COVID scam was public and appalling — it literally stole food from the mouths of hungry kids — and he was the man in charge of the state where it happened.
Yet in general, Americans heard only the most muted response to this Walz scandal from the press.
As we have on his drunk-driving lies, his lies about his service,his disastrous delay in deploying the National Guard during the Floyd riots and on and on and on.
If the legacy media had its way, Walz would waltz into office with zero scrutiny.
So kudos to Foxx & Co. — but it’s still beyond pathetic Congress has to do the actual journalism these days.
China’s consul general in New York left his post as scheduled after completing his posting last month, the State Department said on Wednesday, hours after New York’s governor said she asked for his expulsion in the aftermath of the arrest of a former aide who was accused of secretly acting as a Chinese agent.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters that Consul General Huang Ping “was not expelled.”
“Our understanding is that the consul general reached the end of a regular scheduled rotation in August, and so rotated out of the position, but was not expelled,” Miller said.
“But of course, when it comes to the status of particular employees of a foreign mission, I would refer you to the foreign country to speak to it. But there was no expulsion action.”
China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Huang Ping’s status.
Governor asked for envoy’s expulsion
Earlier on Wednesday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul told an event that she spoke by phone at the request of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to a high-ranking State Department official “and I had conveyed my desire to have the consul general from the People’s Republic of China in the New York mission expelled.”
“And I’ve been informed that the consul general is no longer in the New York mission,” she said.
Miller said Hochul had spoken on Wednesday to Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
Asked by an audience member if she had been interviewed by investigators, including the FBI, Hochul said: “They asked me one question.”
“I’m not able to talk about it but it had something to do with identifying whether or not something was my signature and that was it,” she said.
Former aide charged
Linda Sun, 41, a former aide to Hochul, was charged on Tuesday with secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government in exchange for millions of dollars in compensation and gifts, including meals of gourmet duck.
Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, 40, pleaded not guilty to criminal charges before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo in Brooklyn, after being arrested on Tuesday morning.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said that while working in state government, Sun blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with officials and sought to arrange for a high-level New York state official to visit China. In exchange, Chinese government representatives allegedly arranged for millions of dollars in transactions for Hu, who had business activities in China.
Prosecutors said Sun and Hu used the money to buy a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car, as well as property on New York’s Long Island and in Honolulu worth about $6 million.
Hochul was not accused of any wrongdoing. Her office fired Sun in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct and reported Sun’s actions immediately to authorities. Her office also has assisted law enforcement throughout the process, a spokesperson for the governor said.
According to the website of China’s consulate in New York, Huang Ping had been the consul general since November 2018. Prior to that, Huang, 61, served as a Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe and did stints as an official at the embassy in Washington and China’s consulate in Chicago.
Ukraine faces wildly different prospects under a potential Donald Trump or Kamala Harris U.S. presidency. But as their campaigns race to the finish line, neither candidate has laid out exactly how they plan to deal with Russia’s war on Ukraine. Experts say in that same space of time, the battlefield in Ukraine has itself radically changed, giving more power to Ukraine in determining its own fate. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington.
When the U.S. State Department recently offered up to $2.5 million for information leading to the arrest of alleged cyber-fraudster Volodymyr Kadariya, it marked another turn in a saga that saw the man transform from suspected criminal to political dissident and back.
For 15 years, Kadariya has been wanted in his native Belarus on cybercrime charges.
American prosecutors accuse him of involvement in a scheme to transmit malicious malware to U.S. computers. Millions of internet users reportedly fell victim to the scheme.
But Kadariya has been particularly elusive.
After coming under suspicion in Belarus, he fled the country and lived abroad for many years. During this time, he managed to obtain asylum and eventually citizenship in Ukraine, according to multiple media reports and official government statements from the United States and Belarus.
When he was detained in Kyrgyzstan in 2022 on the Belarusian charges, he claimed to be facing political persecution. Even United Nations officials spoke out against his extradition.
Today, as the United States seeks his arrest, it is unclear whether Kadariya is even at liberty.
Volodymyr Kadariya’s photographs and biographical information, as published on the U.S. Secret Service website.
Mystery man
There is little publicly available information about Volodymyr — or, alternately, Vladimir Kadariya. That may not even be his real name.
Kadariya, 38, is a native of Belarus. Around 2008, he came under suspicion of stealing large sums of money “by modifying computer information,” according to the country’s investigative committee.
Kadariya allegedly purchased stolen bank card information on the “darknet,” encoded it onto dummy cards, and used them to withdraw money.
Belarusian investigators say citizens of the United States, Poland, France and Britain fell victim to the scheme.
They also claim that, in 2016, Kadariya applied for refugee status in Ukraine. Later, he likely obtained Ukrainian citizenship.
Equally, little is known about Kadariya’s life in Ukraine. According to open databases, someone with his rare name was previously among the beneficiaries of two Ukrainian companies: Cosmo Medical and Digital Med.
Kadariya also shows up in a photo from IT Nature Party International, a 2018 party held on the outskirts of Kyiv.
Arrest and extradition
According to Belarusian investigators, in 2022, they learned that Kadariya had been living for some time in Spain. After he flew to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, he was detained that September. Minsk requested his extradition.
Kadariya claimed he was being persecuted for political reasons in his homeland. Whether or not that claim was true, it likely sounded plausible.
After the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, which the United States deemed fraudulent, a wave of protests struck the country. Security forces arrested thousands of people. There are still more than 1,500 political prisoners in Belarus.
Some estimates suggest that up to half a million Belarusians left the country in the wake of the crackdown.
In Kyrgyzstan, Kadariya claimed he was a Belarusian citizen originally named Andrei Kovalev. He received refugee status in Ukraine in 2017. Later, when receiving citizenship, he changed his name, his Kyrgyz lawyer told RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service in March 2023.
In a March 2023 interview with Current Time, a Russian-language TV and digital network led by RFE/RL in partnership with VOA, Kadariya claimed he had worked as the administrator of an opposition website in Minsk that published articles about corruption. He said that Belarusian security forces detained him in 2008 and seized his laptop, but due to data encryption, they could not confirm his connection to the opposition. After being released in 2008, Kadariya immediately left the country.
The Kyrgyz Prosecutor General’s Office did not find any political motives in the charges against Kadariya and a court soon approved his extradition.
Kadariya tried to appeal. His lawyer said that his extradition would violate Kyrgyzstan’s obligations to international organizations.
After the court rejected Kadariya’s appeal, the United Nations weighed in. In a letter to the Kyrgyz prosecutor general, representatives of the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Kadariya should not be deported because he had requested asylum in Kyrgyzstan. According to them, the court’s decision to extradite him violated the U.N. Refugee Convention and local legislation, Current Time reported.
Kadariya penned an appeal to President Sadyr Japarov asking the Kyrgyz leader to prevent his deportation.
In March 2023, he was extradited back to Belarus.
In a video published that month by Belarusian investigators on the Telegram messenger, Kadariya states that he has no connections to the opposition and had never been involved in politics.
Dmytro Mazurok, a Ukrainian lawyer based in Kyiv who specializes in migration, says he would not trust a statement given in the presence of Belarusian investigators.
“They have a harsh system of coercion,” he said.
At the same time, it’s not unfathomable that Kadariya could have received asylum in Ukraine on false grounds — particularly at the time he applied.
“I can say for sure that obtaining refugee status and, subsequently, citizenship for a person with money is not a problem,” Mazurok told VOA.
American accusations
On August 12, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Maksim Silnikau, the alleged leader of a cybercriminal group, was extradited from Poland to the U.S.
American prosecutors allege that he worked together with Kadariya and one other alleged cybercriminal, Russian citizen Andrei Tarasov. Like Kadariya, Silnikau holds both Belarusian and Ukrainian citizenships.
According to a New Jersey indictment, from 2013 to 2022 the three men used so-called malvertising on the internet to infect Americans’ computers with malicious software, including one called “Angler Exploit Kit.”
Among the ways they allegedly profited from this scheme was by selling stolen user information and access to infected devices to other cybercriminals.
To promote their scheme, the three accomplices created domains to host malware and posed as legitimate advertisers, the indictment states. It describes Kadariya as a “malicious advertiser.”
If found guilty, each man could face 27 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 years for conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and 20 years for each count of wire fraud.
In Kadariya’s case, one important question remains: Is he at large?
VOA was unable to contact Kadariya for comment or confirm his whereabouts.
He may be in custody in Belarus, where he was extradited a year-and-a-half ago, but the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs did not respond to a request for comment.
The State Department and DOJ also did not answer VOA’s questions about Kadariya’s whereabouts.
Notably, the State Department announced August 26 that it is offering the $2.5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction “in any country.”
Venezuela has detained a U.S. Navy sailor who was visiting the country while on personal travel, U.S. officials have confirmed to VOA.
The reason for the detention is unknown.
A defense official who spoke to VOA on condition of anonymity because of international sensitivities said the sailor was detained “on or about August 30, 2024, by Venezuelan law enforcement authorities while on personal travel to Venezuela.”
“The U.S. Navy is looking into this and working closely with the State Department,” the defense official added.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. was tracking the detention closely and was seeking additional information.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby added that the U.S. was “obviously in touch” with Venezuelan authorities.
The tension in the U.S.-Venezuela relationship has been further stretched since Venezuela held elections earlier this year.
The Biden administration has questioned the results that kept Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in power, stating last month that “Maduro and his representatives have tampered with the results of that election, falsely claimed victory and carried out widespread repression to maintain power.”
Earlier this week, the U.S. seized Maduro’s plane over alleged sanctions violations.
Guita Mirsaeedi and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Haiti and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, marking his first visits to both Caribbean nations as the top U.S. diplomat.
Blinken’s visit to Port-au-Prince underscores U.S. support for Haiti, with additional humanitarian assistance anticipated as the country grapples with gang violence. His trip to Santo Domingo follows the start of Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader’s second term in mid-August.
A senior State Department official told reporters on Wednesday that the United States is prioritizing efforts with its international partners to set up a structure that ensures “a reliable source of financing and staffing” for a security mission in Haiti.
U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is reportedly considering the possibility of transitioning a largely U.S.-funded multinational security force into a traditional United Nations peacekeeping operation.
“A formal PKO (peacekeeping operation) is one of the ways that we could accomplish that, but we’re looking at multiple ways to do that,” said Brian Nichols, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.
With about a month left in the mandate of the U.N.-ratified, Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti, progress has been limited, and many pledges remain unfulfilled.
“The one-year anniversary of the mission is October 2, and we’re going to work to ensure that it’s poised for success and renewal of its mandate in whatever form that takes,” Nichols told VOA on Wednesday.
Multinational security support
Gang-related violence and drug trafficking have fueled political instability and insecurity in Haiti, leading to an unbearable living situation for the Haitian people.
Police officers patrol after dissipating demonstrators after gangs set several houses on fire, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Aug.19, 2024.
In October 2022, Haiti requested the deployment of an international force to assist the Haitian National Police in combating heavily armed gangs and facilitating humanitarian aid. In October 2023, the United Nations Security Council authorized the MSS.
The United States and Canada are the top funders of the MSS in Haiti. The estimated first-year cost for the mission is $589 million. The U.S. has already provided $309 million — $200 million toward the MSS mission base and $109 million in financial support.
During a visit to Haiti in July, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced an additional $60 million in humanitarian assistance for the Haitian people, along with providing armored vehicles for the national police.
While in Haiti, Blinken will review the progress made toward improving security and encourage efforts to appoint the provisional electoral council so Haiti can move toward elections, according to the State Department.
Blinken will hold talks with Edgard Leblanc Fils, president of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, and Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille. Blinken also will meet with MSS head Godfrey Otunge and Normil Rameau, head of the Haitian National Police.
At least 80% of Port-au-Prince is no longer under the control of the Haitian authorities, with violence spreading to other parts of the country.
In the past year, displacement in Haiti has tripled as gang violence grips the Caribbean nation. The United Nations reports that at least 578,000 people have been displaced due to violence, including murders, kidnappings and rapes.
FILE – A woman carrying a child walks away with food from the World Food Program (WFP) at the Jean Marie Vincent High School in the Tabarre neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 25, 2024. The school has been turned into a shelter for families displaced by gang violence.
The situation is further exacerbated by widespread hunger, with nearly half of the 11.7 million population facing acute food insecurity.
Gangs, some aligned with political elites, accumulated their control over territory and illicit markets during the tenure of the deeply unpopular former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who took office after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Henry resigned in April 2024 following the formation of a Transitional Presidential Council.
The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic will host the 2025 Summit of the Americas, where Western Hemisphere leaders will address shared challenges and policy issues facing the region.
“In the Dominican Republic, we will reinforce our shared priorities such as promoting democratic governance, supporting free and fair elections in the region, and fighting corruption,” Nichols told reporters.
On August 16, President Luis Abinader was inaugurated for a second four-year term. He has vowed to boost security by training more police over the next four years. His administration has barred migrants from neighboring Haiti.
“We certainly hope to see more normal relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti,” Nichols said. “The countries are inexorably linked, and we certainly will have those conversations with leaders on both sides of the border.”
The U.S. and the Dominican Republic signed a historic Open Skies agreement on August 2. Once in effect, the agreement will expand opportunities for airlines, travel companies and people-to-people exchanges. More than 4 million U.S. citizens visit the Dominican Republic each year.
The Dominican Republic is a crucial partner for the U.S. in hemispheric affairs, due to its position as the second-largest economy in the Caribbean, after Cuba, and the third-largest country by population, behind Cuba and Haiti. The U.S. is its primary trading partner.
Additionally, the Dominican Republic is home to Pueblo Viejo, one of the world’s largest gold mines, and serves as a major global supplier of ferronickel.
The United States said it will continue robust collaboration with the Dominican Republic to advance inclusive economic growth, bolster democratic institutions, uphold human rights, and enhance governance and security.
The Dominican Republic and the United States, along with five Central American countries, are parties to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA-DR. This agreement enhances economic opportunities by eliminating tariffs, opening markets, reducing barriers to services and promoting transparency.
The U.S. Agency for International Development is investing more than $9.5 million to strengthen the Dominican Republic’s existing justice system and to reduce crime and violence.
The Times’ NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week’s matchups. Lines according to FanDuel Sportsbook (O/U=over/under). Last season’s record 162-110 (.596). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer had predicted, his record against the spread would have been 130-135-7 (.491). Team records from last season. TV channels are for Los Angeles area. All times Pacific.
RAVENS (13-4) at CHIEFS (11-6)
A national TV audience will be looking at Derrick Henry (22) in a Ravens uniform for the first time. (Nick Wass / Associated Press)
Tonight, 5:20 p.m. TV: Channel 4
Line: Chiefs by 3. O/U: 46½
Patrick Mahomes might have his best collection of receivers, and that will more than offset the step back for Kansas City on defense. Derrick Henry gives Baltimore another boost. Close game.
Pick: Chiefs 27, Ravens 23
PACKERS (9-8) VS. EAGLES (11-6)
Saquon Barkley (26) will make his Philadelphia Eagles debut in Brazil. (Terrance Williams / Associated Press)
Friday in Brazil, 5:15 p.m. TV: Peacock
Line: Eagles by 2½. O/U: 48½.
Saquon Barkley is a huge addition to the Eagles, and adding Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator makes a difference too. Packers figure to be a work in progress early on.
Pick: Eagles 31, Packers 24
STEELERS (10-7) AT FALCONS (7-10)
Quarterback Russell Wilson hopes to fit in better with the Pittsburgh Steelers than he did with the Denver Broncos. (Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: Channel 11
Line: Falcons by 3½. O/U: 42½.
The Falcons have some potent weapons on offense and their safety tandem could be scary. Stopping the run won’t be easy against the Steelers. As for Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation, we’ll see.
Pick: Falcons 24, Steelers 20
CARDINALS (4-13) AT BILLS (11-6)
Quarterback Josh Allen aims to lead the Buffalo Bills deeper into the playoffs this season. (Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Bills by 6½. O/U: 48½.
The Bills have a lot to prove but Josh Allen is up to the challenge. They should be able to take care of business at home against the improved but not-quite-there Cardinals, who play hard for Jonathan Gannon.
Pick: Bills 28, Cardinals 21
TITANS (6-11) AT BEARS (7-10)
No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams gets to make his NFL debut in Chicago. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Bears by 4½. O/U: 44½.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is coming into a really good situation, especially with those receivers. He’ll make some mistakes but Bears can score. Titans could struggle mightily this season.
Pick: Bears 27, Titans 17
PATRIOTS (4-13) AT BENGALS (9-8)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) has plenty of targets on offense. (Jeff Dean / Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Bengals by7½. O/U: 40½.
These are not the Patriots of old. Cincinnati should win this handily. The Bengals pass rush will create all sorts of problems for New England, and Joe Burrow & Co. should be fine.
Pick: Bengals 31, Patriots 13
TEXANS (10-7) AT COLTS (9-8)
Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson didn’t get to play much of his rookie season because of injury. (Michael Conroy / Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Texans by 2½. O/U: 48½.
Lots of hype for Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who does not have much NFL experience. C.J. Stroud is coming off a historic season. Houston could cool a bit this year, but still a solid team.
Pick: Texans 23, Colts 20
JAGUARS (9-8) AT DOLPHINS (11-6)
The combination of coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) has improved the Jacksonville Jaguars. (Chris O’Meara / Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Dolphins by 3½. O/U: 48½.
Not a lot of buzz about Jacksonville, but that’s a talented team that could do some damage. The Dolphins have the offense and need a defense to match. Could be an exciting game.
Pick: Jaguars 31, Dolphins 28
PANTHERS (2-15) AT SAINTS (9-8)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick of the 2023 NFL draft, had a rocky rookie season. (Jacob Kupferman / Associated Press)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Saints by 3½. O/U: 41½.
The Saints are better and they’re at home. Hard to know what to expect from the Panthers and their new coach. Carolina needs to improve in so many areas after last year, it’s dicey to take them in this matchup.
Pick: Saints 27, Panthers 17
VIKINGS (7-10) AT GIANTS (6-11)
The Giants went downhill once quarterback Daniel Jones went down with an injury last season. (Getty Images)
Sunday, 10 a.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Vikings by 1½. O/U: 41½.
Daniel Jones is under pressure and those Giants receivers are promising but untested. Defensively they’re pretty good. Maybe Sam Arnold gets it done, but I like the home team.
Pick: Giants 24, Vikings 20
RAIDERS (8-9) AT CHARGERS (5-12)
Jim Harbaugh makes his debut as Chargers coach with a home game at SoFi Stadium. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. TV: Channel 2
Line: Chargers by 3. O/U: 40½.
Jim Harbaugh’s team is going to be tougher than last season and will be more balanced with an enhanced ground game. Which receiver will step up? Raiders are OK at quarterback but working out kinks.
Pick: Chargers 24, Raiders 18
BRONCOS (8-9) AT SEAHAWKS (9-8)
Rookie Bo Nix has won the starting quarterback job for the Denver Broncos. (Jack Dempsey / Associated Press)
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Seahawks by 5½. O/U: 41½.
Tough place for Broncos quarterback Bo Nix to make his NFL debut, even though the Seahawks aren’t the group they once were. Seattle has the firepower to move the ball this season.
Pick: Seahawks 27, Broncos 21
COWBOYS (12-5) AT BROWNS (11-6)
Deshaun Watson could be a difference maker for the Cleveland Browns. (Ron Schwane / Associated Press)
Sunday, 1:25 p.m. TV: Channel 11
Line: Browns by 2½. O/U: 41½.
Cleveland’s defense leads the way for the Browns, and Deshaun Watson is better than he’s been of late. Doesn’t help the Cowboys that CeeDee Lamb missed camp, and losing corner DaRon Bland is big.
Pick: Browns 27, Cowboys 24
COMMANDERS (4-13) AT BUCCANEERS (9-8)
Baker Mayfield led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the NFC divisional playoffs last season. (Peter Joneleit / Associated Press)
Sunday, 1:25 p.m. TV: NFL Ticket
Line: Bucanners by 3½. O/U: 43½.
The Commanders are going to be better than they’ve been, although Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles has a great record against rookie quarterbacks. Tampa Bay has a lot of confidence in Baker Mayfield.
Pick: Buccaneers 24, Commanders 20
RAMS (10-7) AT LIONS (12-5)
Rams coach Sean McVay has the comfort of having veteran Matthew Stafford under center. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Sunday, 5:20 p.m. TV: Channel 4
Line: Lions by 3½ O/U: 51½.
Energy should be supercharged for this rematch, and both teams figure to be serious playoff contenders. Matthew Stafford will be sharp, but Rams defense will need time to come together without Aaron Donald.
Pick: Lions 28, Rams 24
JETS (7-10) AT 49ERS (12-5)
Aaron Rodgers only played in one game with the New York Jets last season. (Adam Hunger / Associated Press)
Monday, 5:15 p.m. TV: ESPN
Line: 49ers by 4½. O/U: 43½.
Aaron Rodgers should have a far more positive experience in this opener, but making a cross-country trip against San Francisco’s defense is not easy chore. Defensive struggle.
Pick: 49ers 21, Jets 16
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kings guard Ellis reveals which NBA player is toughest to defend originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Keon Ellis is known and cherished for his defensive prowess, but even the young Kings guard has endured challenges on that end of the floor in the NBA.
After emerging in Sacramento’s rotation and eventually the starting lineup during the back end of the 2023-24 season, Ellis oftentimes was tasked with defending the opposing team’s best player. While there’s no stopping some of the game’s greatest stars, Ellis did his best to limit what the world knows they’re capable of on the hardwood.
But amongst the flurry of superstars the 24-year-old has had to face, whom does he believe is the toughest to defend? Before NBC Sports California’s Deuce Mason could get the full question off, Ellis didn’t hesitate to reveal his answer.
“Kyrie Irving is probably the toughest to guard,” Ellis said on a recent “The Deuce & Mo Podcast” appearance. “Because for me, I am the most worried about guarding guys who can shoot it from deep. If you can shoot the 3 at a high clip, it’s like, damn, because now I have to press up and I can’t use my wingspan.”
Ellis continued to explain how other explosive players, such as Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, can affect the game in several different ways, but they don’t necessarily rely on the 3-ball as much, making it slightly easier to defend them.
Not with players such as Irving, though, who can score on all three levels.
“But a guy like [Jalen] Brunson or [Steph] Curry, [Damian Lillard], you have to be in their airspace because any little bit of room, it’s going up, and we know how those guys can get it going,” Ellis continued. “But Kyrie, he can shoot it from 3, but he can also get to his spot in the mid-range. He’ll do something that you ain’t ever seen. You’ll think you have him, and he’ll just throw something up with the left hand, and it’ll hit nothing but net.”
The NBA has enjoyed the privilege of watching the cheat code that is Kyrie Irving for more than a decade now. His handles alone elevate his game to a level where very few in the history of the game reside.
While Ellis acknowledges the nightmare that is defending Irving, he won’t ever forget the time he almost — almost — picked his pocket once.
“His handles are just so tight that he knows what he’s doing, he knows how to get to his spots,” Ellis said. “I almost stole it from him one time — almost. He hit a crossover, and I plucked it and it might’ve went out of bounds, but he thought I kicked it. He was like, ‘You kicked it?’ I was like ‘Nah, I almost stole that one.’
“If I would’ve stole that one, that would’ve been a core memory for me.”
Luckily for Ellis, he’ll have plenty more opportunities with the 2024-25 NBA season right around the corner.
NFL Kickoff night has arrived and a new season is about to get underway. Speaking of new things, we are ecstatic to debut ‘Fantasy Film Room’ with Matt Harmon and Nate Tice. Throughout the season on Thursdays, Harmon and Tice will mege trending fantasy topics with hard hitting analysis from their film study. All of this is an effort to make you a smarter and better fantasy manager.
For the first episode, Harmon discusses the growing trend of NFL offenses using heavier formations with more TEs and less WRs. Tice explains why this is a reaction to the way defenses have shifted over the years. Both believe this shift could help raise the floor of TEs in fantasy and maximize target opportunities for top end WRs.
In the second segment, Tice shares what he’s nerding out about heading into Week 1 and dissects two run games that are not being talked about enough. To end the show, Harmon and Tice preview Ravens-Chiefs and Packers-Eagles and provide their favorite prop bets in each:
(2:00) – The debut of Fantasy Film Room
(7:05) – Matt’s trending fantasy topic: NFL offenses are getting heavier
(34:15) – Nate’s nerding out about this: The Bills ‘spread bully’ run game
(46:50) – Nate wants you to care about this: The Patriots offense isn’t as bad as you think
(52:40) – Previewing and providing prop bets for Ravens-Chiefs and Packers-Eagles
NFL Kickoff night has arrived and a new season is about to get underway. Speaking of new things, we are ecstatic to debut ‘Fantasy Film Room’ with Matt Harmon and Nate Tice. Throughout the season on Thursdays, Harmon and Tice will mege trending fantasy topics with hard hitting analysis from their film study. (Credit: Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube
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