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Riding high after a wave of Clark-mania that accompanied the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, Caitlin Clark has signed a megabucks shoe contract with Nike.
The eight-year deal will be worth up to $28 million, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources it did not name. The Journal summed it up as the “most lucrative and attractive shoe deal in women’s basketball—and yet another record for her collection.”
The endorsement deal dwarfs the controversial contract Clark signed with the WNBA team the Indiana Fever, which will pay her over $330,000 over four years.
Nike had Clark under contract in a deal that expired at the end of the season, but as she was climbing the pinnacle of achievement in an unrivaled spotlight, in the shadows there was some hard bargaining taking place.
The Journal report said that on Feb. 15, after Clark poured in 49 points, her agents were raising the stakes with Nike, Adidas, Under Armour and Puma.
Country star Tim McGraw dons Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey at concert in Indianapolis https://t.co/eIullFWi3p
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 21, 2024
Their proposal: Nothing under $3 million a year.
“Some of the brand reps were shocked by the number. It was a huge sum for a women’s basketball player, few of whom ever receive deals worth more than six figures,” the Journal reported.
Amid the bargaining, some shoe company executives were conditioning deals on Clark staying in college another year on the grounds that as a college phenomenon, she was more attractive to consumers than as a professional, the Journal reported.
Clark is set to graduate May 14, according to CNN. However, she has an extra year of college ball eligibility under an NCAA COVID exemptions, according to The Sporting News.
But Clark changed the conversation as she soared to new levels of achievement – and ratings.
“She played herself into a position where it wasn’t even contingent on staying in college,” a source told the Journal. “People just wanted her.”
Not Puma. It dropped out.
Adidas had its turn.
“While some athletes let their agents ask the questions or wade through details, this was one more area where Clark, an honors student in marketing at Iowa’s business school, liked to have the ball in her hands. Adidas executives were surprised by how engaged, curious and well-prepared she was on the call,” the Journal wrote.
The offer clanged on the rim: $6 million for four years.
Under Armour offered $16 million over four years along with a signature shoe. Close, but not enough.
Nike started with $3.5 million per year. The deal would last through the next three Olympic Games. But it took one more piece — a signature shoe – to close the deal, the Journal reported.
Diana Taurisi, the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, said all the hype has been fun, but it is in the past.
The Women’s NBA season begins next month, and Clark is expected to see playing time right off the bat, according to USA Today, but the game she’ll be playing could be much different from her college competitions.
“You look superhuman playing against some 18-year-olds, but you’re going to come play with some grown women that have been playing professional basketball for a long time,” Taurasi told sports columnist Jay Mariotti for a Substack post.
“There’s a period of grace that you have to give rookies when they get to the league. We’ve had some of the greats to ever play basketball, and it takes two or three years to get used to a different game (against) the best players in the world. As long as everyone has expectations that are realistic, they should be fine,” she said.
But WNBA analyst Rebecca Lobo said judging Clark by anyone else’s norms sells her short.
“There’s no comparison that I can find on the women’s side, and I’ve been in this league since the very beginning,” she said.
“We haven’t seen a player drive ticket sales like this. We haven’t seen a player drive ratings like this. Look at the ratings, the last four or five games she played. I’ve never seen anything to this degree, and to me, what’s special is that she’s staying in the Midwest and going to Indiana. It’s such a perfect fit,” she said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Caitlin Clark Lands Historic Nike Shoe Deal Worth Millions Just Before Her Rookie Season Kicks Off appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
President Joe Biden was caught Monday with a sheet of instructions as he met in the Oval Office Monday with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’a Al-Sudani.
The latest in a long string of episodes in which Biden is instructed where to stand and what to say led to him being dubbed “commander-in-cheat” by the New York Post.
The Post report said Biden turned to his script often to check on what he was supposed to say concerning the attack on Israel by Iran, as well as to pause so an interpreter could translate his words.
Biden cheat sheet for Iraq PM meeting caught on camera — including instructions to ‘pause’ https://t.co/WJ950tZRiO pic.twitter.com/ix4qwll3PX
— New York Post (@nypost) April 15, 2024
“As you know, Iran launched an unprecedented aerial attack against Israel, and we mounted an unprecedented military effort to defend Israel. Together with our partners, we defeated that attack,” Biden said, according to the White House.
“We’re also committed to the security of our personnel and partners in the region, including Iraq. The partnership between Iraq and the United States is critical. We’ve seen over the last decade as our troops have served side by side to help defeat ISIS, and we’ve seen this in our Strategic Framework Agreement as well,” Biden said.
Joe Biden checks his watch again. This time with the Prime Minister of Iraq. pic.twitter.com/IjiefoiCUW
— The American Girl (@TheAmericanGrl) April 15, 2024
But members of the Republican Study Committee were not happy that the meeting was held at all, according to Fox News.
“As members of the Republican Study Committee, we write to express our deep concern with your decision to host Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to the White House and your overall Iraqi policy,” the letter from Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina and Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern of Oklahoma said.
“Despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent in Iraq over two decades and countless lost American treasure, Iraq is now solidly in Iran’s hands,” the letter said.
Two questions Biden should have asked Iran’s puppet in Baghdad:
“So why did you let Iran use your airspace, and why did you try to deny our use of our bases in Iraq to defend Israel?”
“Why don’t you use your U.S. trained ISOF units to target Iran’s Iraqi militias firing at… pic.twitter.com/Bno7Xkp2lf
— Michael P Pregent (@MPPregent) April 15, 2024
“This is evident across Iraq’s institutions and within Prime Minster Sudani’s own government, which includes two U.S.-designated terrorist groups,” the letter continued, adding, “On Saturday Iranian-backed militias in Iraq joined Iran in directly attacking Israel.”
“In essence, the U.S. has effectively overseen China, Russia and Iran dominate Iraq, despite our overwhelming financial and human commitment to Iraq’s latest chapter,” the letter said.
Biden has been roundly mocked for his use of cheat sheets, including one in November that included pictures of the reporters he was told by his staff to call upon.
Q cards with pre-selected reporters and the answers to their questions. It was plain as day.
— Rob Allen (@RobMAllen1971) November 16, 2023
In November, he publicly apologized for forgetting the name of a CBS reporter he had been instructed to have lob him a question.
Last April, Biden was caught with a notecard bearing the name of Los Angeles Times journalist Courtney Subramanian under “Question #1,” along with a pre-written question, according to the Post.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Camera Catches Biden’s Cheat Sheet for Meeting with Iraq PM, Shows Embarrassing Directions to Guide Him appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
In the aftermath of Iran’s attack on Israel Saturday night, President Joe Biden said he will meet with allies on Sunday to consider what to do.
Biden said he will meet with G7 nations to craft a unified response, according to Reuters.
Biden said that during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks — sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.”
“Tomorrow, I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack,” he said. The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Great Britain.
On Saturday, Israel said Iran sent 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles towards Israel, according to the Independent. Almost all of the weapons were intercepted before they reached Israel.
On Sunday, John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, avoiding escalation is uppermost in Biden’s mind.
“Every decision, every discussion that he’s had is all designed to not let this become a broad regional war, and that’s where his head still is,” Kirby said on Fox News, The New York Times reported.
Israel’s War Cabinet is meeting Sunday afternoon to craft Israel’s response.
Some experts said they do not believe Iran wants escalation.
“Iran’s government appears to have concluded that the Damascus strike was a strategic inflection point, where failure to retaliate would carry more downsides than benefits,” Ali Vaez, the Iran director of the International Crisis Group, said.
“But in doing so, the shadow war it has been waging with Israel for years now threatens to turn into a very real and very damaging conflict,” one that could drag in the United States, he added.
Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, said Iran “made a choice to call Israel’s bluff, and they felt they needed to do so, because they see the last six months as a persistent effort to set them back across the region.”
“I think Tehran saw a need to draw this red line and make it clear to Israel that Iran does have red lines and would not continue to tolerate the slow degradation of its position,” she said.
The Times reported that Israel was considering a retaliatory strike last night, but the strike was called off after damage from the Iranian attack proved minimal.
Iran’s drone strikes show us President Biden’s approach with Iran and the Middle East is backwards. Now as we risk entering WWIII, the U.S. must stand by Israel’s commitment to democracy. The president must stand firm, and stop coddling Iran immediately.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 13, 2024
In a post on X, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina urged a strong American response.
“Iran’s drone strikes show us President Biden’s approach with Iran and the Middle East is backwards. Now as we risk entering WWIII, the U.S. must stand by Israel’s commitment to democracy. The president must stand firm, and stop coddling Iran immediately,” she posted.
We stand with the people of Israel against this brazen and callous attack. Iran hates democracy, Freedom, and basic human rights — making them an enemy of Israel and the United States. I expect the Biden Administration to stand up for these shared principles and hold Iran…
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) April 13, 2024
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who has been mentioned as a possible running mate for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, urged action.
“We stand with the people of Israel against this brazen and callous attack. Iran hates democracy, Freedom, and basic human rights — making them an enemy of Israel and the United States. I expect the Biden Administration to stand up for these shared principles and hold Iran accountable,” she posted.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post US Calls to Convene G7 for a United Response Against Iran appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
As Missouri teen Kaylee Gain struggles to recover from a March beating, the high school she and her alleged attacker attend is accused of refusing to release records requested by state Attorney General Andrew Bailey.
Bailey is considering charging the teen as an adult, according to the Daily Mail.
Gain, 16, suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed that put her in a coma for two weeks after the March 8 incident. Gain, who is white, and her alleged attacker, who is black, are students at Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis; the attack took place about a mile from the school amid a fight between two groups of teens.
Bailey has said the incident was spawned in the school’s DEI-obsessed culture.
The assaulter’s name is Maurnice DeClue. Don’t let her get away with this https://t.co/BA92QltqHa
— Redeemed Zoomer (@redeemed_zoomer) April 3, 2024
Bailey said that the school district made “egregious errors” about the incident and said the district is violating the law by not promptly sharing the records he has requested.
“Instead of directing your ire at a date reference or making ad-hominem attacks, you should follow Missouri law and do so immediately,” Bailey said.
Cindy Reeds Ownsby, an attorney representing the school district, wrote in a recent email that Bailey is the problem.
“It is disappointing to have an attorney general that intentionally disrespects public school district administrators and elected officials by sending error-filled correspondence to intimidate and threaten their leadership,” she wrote.
Ownsby said the records would be provided by April 15.
Last week, a judge ruled that a certification hearing will be held on May 10 to determine whether the alleged attacker will be tried as an adult, according to USA Today.
County attorneys sought the delay to accumulate information on the attacker’s social and family life.
“Our position is that she should not be certified,” defense attorney Greg Smith said.
“We understand that the law says that there has to be a certification hearing based on what she has been charged with. That’s non-negotiable but our position is she should not be certified. Everything is out there, about her being an honor student, she has taken AP courses, she has no history with the juvenile court. She has been the victim of bullying. There are other facts that we are going to save for court,” he said.
Video of the incident is graphic and could be disturbing for some viewers.
Kaylee Gain is alive and awake 3 weeks after Maurnice DeClue went too far in this fight near their St. Louis, Missouri high school
Kaylee suffered a skull fracture and brain damage. She can only walk with assistance and has limited conversation abilityhttps://t.co/09d3PZH9sD
— Brendan (@BrendanMcInnis) March 30, 2024
Gain family lawyer Bryan Kaemmerer will argue the attacker should be tried as an adult.
Kaemmerer revealed: “Kaylee is still showing signs of significant cognitive impairment during the limited conversations that she is able to have, and she tends to reiterate the same short sentences over and over. Although Kaylee seems to realize she is in hospital, she does not understand why she is there,” he said, according to the Mirror.
“Given the particularly violent nature of this assault, and also taking into account the devastating injuries that Kaylee has incurred, it is difficult to imagine a more appropriate case for a juvenile to be certified as an adult,” Kaemmerer said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Kaylee Gain’s School Refuses to Turn Over Records After State AG Says He Wants Alleged Attacker Charged as an Adult appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
More than three months after the murder of a high-profile art dealer who flew in the same partying circles as former first lady Michelle Obama, the art dealer’s former husband is facing extradition to Brazil in connection with the crime.
Daniel Garcia Carrera, 53, has been accused in a murder-for-hire scheme that led to the Jan. 15 death of Brent Sikkema, 75, who was found stabbed to death in his Rio de Janeiro home, according to the New York Post.
The murder came just before Sikkema was planning to return to the U.S.
To extradite Garcia Carrera, Brazil must make a formal request to U.S. authorities. A hearing on the extradition request will be held on June 3.
Murder suspect claims Brent Sikkema’s ex offered him $200K to kill the NYC art dealer https://t.co/EQwfCP8sky pic.twitter.com/f3TUQAZSQ5
— New York Post (@nypost) February 9, 2024
Garcia Carrera was arrested by FBI on March 20 in New York City, according to the New York Post.
At the time, he was labeled a suspect in Sikkema’s death.
The FBI also alleged that Garcia Carrera was planning to leave the country with Lucas Sikkema, 13, who Garcia Carrera and Sikkema were raising as their son.
Brent Sikkema and Garcia Carrera had been a couple for 15 years but were going through a messy custody battle over the teenager at the time of Sikkema’s murder.
Authorities claimed that Garcia Carrera was planning to flee to his native Cuba.
Garcia Carrera was released on a $1 million bond but was also required to wear an ankle monitor, court documents say.
A report in The New York Times said $40,000 was stolen from Sikkema’s Brazilian home at the time of his murder.
Alejandro Triana Prevez was later arrested after surveillance footage showed him at the home near the time of Sikkema’s death.
Gregorio Andrade, an attorney for Prevez, said Prevez has accused Garcia Carrera of offering him $200,000 to perform the killing.
“He manipulated my client,” Andrade said.
Fabiana Marques, an attorney for Garcia Carrera, said her client is innocent.
“It’s important to note that Daniel was not given an opportunity to be heard by police, despite proactively offering himself for questioning via email,” she said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Artist with Michelle Obama Connection Stabbed to Death Just Before Returning to US appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
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