Austin FC vs. LAFC game postponed as Texas flooding death count rises
The league decided to postpone the game due to the 'severe weather impacting the safety of travel in central Texas,' according to a statement released by Austin FC.
The league worked with local authorities upon making the decision.
As of Saturday evening, flooding in Texas has caused the death of 32 people while state officials now are bracing for a "long, toilsome" recovery.
'Austin FC extends its heartfelt sympathy to those who have been impacted by the devastating flooding across central Texas. Our hearts go out to the families, friends and neighbors who have lost their lives - and we urge those that are able to find their way to safety,' the club said in its statement.
The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLS postpones game between Austin FC and LAFC due to Texas flooding
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
De Smith's upcoming book takes shots at Roger Goodell, Jerry Jones, Jeff Pash
Turf Wars, the upcoming book from former NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith, contains several blunt characterizations regarding some of the management folks with whom he did battle during his years on the job. Via Daniel Kaplan of the book has choice words for three of the folks he dealt with. Advertisement Smith describes Commissioner Roger Goodell as a "cold, dark void." As to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Smith says this: 'If Jerry Jones saw a dollar bill on the ground, I truly believe he'd stop and pick it up.' Then there's former NFL general counsel Jeff Pash. Smith calls Pash "definitely the most unscrupulous." "In a corporation filled with ruthless people, Pash has everyone else beat," Smith said. Ruthless or not, Pash gave life to the collusion grievance that was resolved earlier this year via a 61-page ruling by putting in writing things he should have discussed with Goodell verbally. The paper trail of emails from Pash to Goodell and Goodell to Pash made it clear that the NFL and the Management Council wanted the teams to collude when it comes to limiting guarantees in player contracts. Advertisement Turf Wars will be released on August 5. If/when we get an advance copy, we'll likely have plenty more to say about the contents of a book that seems to be far closer to scorched earth than smooched ass.
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cowboys Have Young 'Building Block' For Brian Schottenheimer
Cowboys Have Young 'Building Block' For Brian Schottenheimer originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When Cooper Beebe won the Dallas Cowboys' starting center role from Brock Hoffman last offseason, many were unsure how the guard would transition to being "the" guy along the offensive line. Advertisement Well, he was just fine. In fact, he is better than fine as Beebe handled everything thrown at him with aplomb, and now, with Brian Schottenheimer as the leading voice behind what we think will be a run-first offense, Beebe is expected to continue his ascension as part of his new-look, youthful offensive line. As such, Bleacher Report has named Beebe as Dallas' promising building block. "As a rookie last year, Beebe earned the starting job," Bleacher Report writes. "All-Pro guard Zack Martin retired. So, Dallas has a young trio on the interior of its offensive line. Tyler Smith is an established two-time Pro Bowler who can also line up at left tackle if Tyler Guyton continues to struggle as a starter. Tyler Booker is a rookie first-rounder who has to showcase his potential this year. Beebe could be the all-important centerpiece of that triumvirate." Advertisement (Scott Galvin-Imagn Images) We don't have to look back too far to see the benefits of having a foundational center being at the top of their game and how it helps the offense run, with Travis Frederick the main one who comes to mind (recently), so too Tyler Biadasz. Is Cooper the next one in line? Yeah, we think so. What's thrilling about where the Dallas O-line can go here is that while Beebe is a fine pick ... did we mention that Smith is a young All-Pro? Did we mention that Booker projects to be right there with him? But as for the center? After being so calm and steady in his rookie season, handling the checks at the line of scrimmage with Dak Prescott and then Cooper Rush, Beebe showed he could be the heartbeat of the offensive line. Advertisement And when you are that, you can be a franchise building block, which is exactly what we think Cooper has the potential to be. Related: Dak 'Jeopardy' Prediction Exposed as Cowboys Haters Gone Wild Related: Cowboys Dak 'Worst QB' and 'Job In Jeopardy' Claims Hyperbolic Report This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
24 minutes ago
- Forbes
Musk's AI Tool Implicates DOGE Data Cuts In Texas Flood Deaths
KERRVILLE, TEXAS - JULY 04: Kerrville resident Leighton Sterling watches flood waters along the ... More Guadalupe River on July 4, 2025 in Kerrville, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Photo by) Getty Images Earlier last year I published a warning about Trump administration data-related deletions that would restrict access to or manipulate publicly available information critical to citizen health and safety. While certain historical government data has been preserved by various organizations, some important real-time information is now in short supply. And in a tragically ironic twist, Elon Musk's own generative AI tool, Grok 3, implicates the Trump/DOGE cuts to the US National Weather Service and NOAA in contributing to the dozens of Texas flood deaths on July 4: "The cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration significantly impaired the agency's ability to provide accurate and timely forecasts, which likely contributed to the severity of the Texas flood disaster on July 4, 2025. Here's how these cuts played a role: Staffing Reductions: The NWS lost approximately 560–600 employees in early 2025 due to DOGE-initiated cuts, reducing its workforce by nearly 20%. Key positions, such as the warning coordination meteorologist at the Austin/San Antonio office and the meteorologist-in-charge at the San Angelo office, were vacant due to early retirement incentives. These roles are critical for coordinating with local emergency managers to ensure effective warning dissemination and response planning. The absence of these personnel likely hindered communication and coordination with local officials and camps like Camp Mystic, delaying critical evacuation efforts. Degraded Forecasting Capabilities: The cuts led to "degraded" forecasting services, as noted in an internal NWS document from April 2025. The NWS forecast for the Texas Hill Country predicted 3–6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4–8 inches in the Hill Country, significantly underestimating the actual 10–15 inches that fell. Experts warned that staff shortages and reduced resources, including the cessation of some weather balloon launches critical for collecting atmospheric data, compromised forecast accuracy. This underestimation meant that local officials and camp organizers did not anticipate the catastrophic scale of the flooding, which saw the Guadalupe River rise over 20 feet in less than two hours. Warning Dissemination Issues: Although the NWS issued timely flood watches and warnings, including a flash flood emergency at 1:14 a.m. on July 4, the lack of key staff and a robust local warning system in Kerr County delayed public notifications. For example, the Kerrville Police Department's first public warning on Facebook came at 6:16 a.m., hours after the NWS alert and when the river was already rising rapidly. The absence of a warning coordination meteorologist likely exacerbated this gap, as this role facilitates direct communication with local emergency services. Systemic Vulnerabilities: The cuts were part of a broader reduction in NOAA's budget and operations, including the elimination of weather research labs and climate research programs, which further weakened the NWS's ability to predict extreme weather events. Posts on X and expert analyses highlighted concerns that these cuts, driven by DOGE's cost-saving measures, prioritized budget reductions over public safety, with warnings as early as February 2025 that such actions could lead to deadly consequences. Conclusion: The consensus among critics, including Texas officials and experts, is that the understaffing and reduced resources likely contributed to the forecast's underestimation of rainfall and the delayed local response. This was particularly critical in a region known for flash flooding, where timely and accurate warnings could have prompted earlier evacuations at Camp Mystic and other vulnerable areas, potentially reducing the death toll of at least 43, including 15 children. The staffing shortages and reduced forecasting capabilities likely amplified the challenges of preparing for and responding to the disaster, contributing to the tragic outcome." Data Is Everybody's Business This is a cautionary tale for business leaders as well, not just individuals. Executives should be keenly aware of how the disappearance of public or other data sources could affect their organization's own health and survival. For many types of valuable information, alternative sources exist among the dozens of social media platforms, hundreds of private organizations, and thousands of syndicated data providers. Unfortunately, most organizations have entire departments dedicated to procuring office supplies, sourcing raw materials, and hiring individuals—but not a single person dedicated to identifying and curating external data sources.
