Latest news with #Hooker
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Dan Hooker targets Arman Tsarukyan for UFC return: 'I'd just like to kick his teeth in'
Dan Hooker wants that Arman Tsarukyan smoke. LAS VEGAS – Good news for MMA fans: Dan Hooker has a timeline for his octagon return. The fan-favorite UFC lightweight is recovering well from his hand injury and expects to be fighting again sometime in October or November, Hooker told MMA Junkie Radio at UFC X. Hooker was scheduled to fight Justin Gaethje earlier this year at UFC 313 in March, but he fractured his hand in training and was forced to withdraw from the bout. Hokker is almost in the clear, and is eager to fight again. "I think I'll be good to go in October, November," Hooker said. "I think Gaethje is just going to sit and wait for another title shot. It would be silly to come and fight another contender, but that's what's so interesting about the division now. The title is moving, and over the next couple of months there's going to be a lot of movement in the division. It's good." Hooker expects Gaethje to sit out and campaign for a title shot against the newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, making the re-booking of their fight unlikely, at least for the time being. Ideally, Hooker woould like to fight Arman Tsarukyan, also a top contender in the division. "Arman has been calling me out, and that's the No. 1 contender," Hooker said. "No one likes the guy, so I'd just like to kick his teeth in." Tsarukyan is one of the tougher fights in the division, and considered by many the best grappler in the weight class. When asked why he'd want such a tough stylistic matchup, and likely less exciting than the Gaethje fight, Hooker had quite the response. "I don't give a f*ck," Hooker said. "Mine was exciting, the (Mateusz) Gamrot fight, because I was able to get up. If they can just hold you down and make it a boring fight, then that's my fault. But because my counter-wrestling is of that level and people just can't hold me down, and I'm able to scramble up to my feet, that's what makes the fight exciting."
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Feds want nearly 5 years in prison for ex-ComEd exec John Hooker, say he ‘corrupted the highest levels of state government'
Federal prosecutors are asking for nearly five years in prison for former ComEd executive John Hooker, saying in a filing Monday he 'corrupted the highest levels of state government' in a scheme to funnel more than $1.3 million in do-nothing payments to associates of then-House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for the speaker's help with legislation in Springfield. The 52-page filing is the first sentencing request in the so-called 'ComEd Four' case and comes as Hooker and his three co-defendants are finally nearing sentencing more than two years after they were convicted at trial. Hooker's attorneys are scheduled to file a memo of their own later Monday. His sentencing is July 14. In asking for a 56-month prison term, prosecutors wrote that Hooker, a top internal lobbyist at ComEd known for his quippy 'Hookerisms' like: 'That which is understood need not be mentioned,' was instrumental in devising the plan to funnel the payments to ghost 'subcontractors' who were actually Madigan's 13th Ward cronies. Hooker was even captured on an FBI wiretap bragging about the arrangement with Michael McClain, Madigan's longtime confidant who was also convicted at trial. 'We came up with this plan and between him, our friend, and, uh, Tim (Mapes), and the alderman (Frank Olivo), they thought it was great,' Hooker told McClain on the recording. 'Hooker's criminal conduct, designed to give ComEd an improper 'leg up' in its legislation, is extremely serious, as he deceived internal auditors, rate payers and shareholders and abused the highest levels of state government,' wrote Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Streicker, Diane MacArthur and Julia Schwartz. Prosecutors also said that Hooker repeatedly perjured himself when he testified in his own defense at trial, including when he told the jury that he hired Madigan's 13th Ward associates for their 'value' to ComEd. 'They had no relevant experience and were not needed by the company,' the prosecution memo stated. 'Instead, their true 'value' was to Madigan.' Prosecutors also asked U.S. District Judge Manish Shah to impose a $650,000 fine. Hooker, McClain, and co-defendants Anne Pramaggiore, the former CEO of ComEd, and Jay Doherty, a consultant and former head of the City Club of Chicago, were convicted on all counts after a two month trial. Shah later tossed some of those counts due to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year, but denied defense requests to delay the sentencing hearings any further. Pramaggiore is set for sentencing on July 21, while McClain's sentencing is scheduled for three days later. Doherty is the last, with his sentencing hearing set for Aug. 5. Madigan, meanwhile, was convicted in a separate trial of an array of schemes that included the ComEd bribery payments. He was sentenced earlier this month to 7 1/2 years in prison. In addition to the scheme to pay Madigan-related subcontractors, prosecutors alleged ComEd also hired a clouted law firm run by political operative Victor Reyes, distributed numerous college internships within Madigan's 13th Ward fiefdom, and backed former McPier chief Juan Ochoa, the friend of a Madigan ally, for an $80,000-a-year seat on the utility's board of directors, the indictment alleged. In return, prosecutors alleged, Madigan used his influence over the General Assembly to help ComEd score a series of huge legislative victories that not only rescued the company from financial instability but led to record-breaking, billion-dollar profits. Among them was the 2011 smart grid bill that set a built-in formula for the rates ComEd could charge customers, avoiding battles with the Illinois Commerce Commission, according to the charges. ComEd also leaned on Madigan's office to help pass the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2016, which kept the formula rate in place and also rescued two nuclear plants run by an affiliated company, Exelon Generation. Defense attorneys argued over and over that the government is seeking to criminalize legal lobbying and job recommendations that are at the center of the state's legitimate political system. They ripped the government's star witness, former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez, as a liar and opportunist who was so terrified when FBI agents confronted him in January 2019 that he flipped without even consulting a lawyer and agreed to secretly record his friends. Marquez testified in March 2023 that the roster of 'subcontractors' hired by ComEd was curated by McClain and read like a who's who of Madigan's vaunted political operation, including two legendary precinct captains, a former assistant majority leader in the House and two former Chicago aldermen at the center of Madigan's Southwest Side base of power. Over the course of eight years, ComEd paid them hundreds of thousands of dollars, even though they had no particular expertise and ultimately did virtually no work for the utility. Some seemed to be downright incompetent, Marquez told the jury. On cross-examination, Marquez, who pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing, acknowledged that there was 'no guarantee' that Madigan was going to help pass ComEd bills, but added that the company still tried to make him happy because 'not doing it would cause us to be negatively looked on by' the speaker. He also admitted that he initially told the FBI he didn't believe any of it was bribery. 'I know that they were brought on as a favor to Michael Madigan,' Marquez testified on direct examination. 'For Madigan to see ComEd positively. So that he could perhaps be helpful for our legislative agenda in Springfield.' Hooker, meanwhile, took a huge risk and testified in his own defense. Under questioning by McClain's attorney, Patrick Cotter, he agreed that the scheme as alleged by prosecutors sounded preposterous. 'In all your years of experience, did you ever think for one minute that Mike Madigan would risk his speakership and his power to get a few more people some jobs at ComEd?' Cotter asked, his voice rising to a shout. 'Some summer interns? … Anybody?' 'No, I did not,' Hooker answered. 'It's a crazy idea, isn't it?' Cotter shot back. 'It's a bad idea,' Hooker agreed. Hooker also was taken line by line through transcripts of the wiretapped recordings at the center of the case, explaining what he meant down to the word, even why he laughed at certain points in the calls. In one of the recordings, McClain told Hooker, 'We had to hire these guys because Mike Madigan came to us. It's that simple.' Hooker testified he didn't believe it was true that they 'had' to hire anyone. 'To me that's just me and McClain joshing around,' he said. Prosecutors singled out that statement in their memo Monday, saying it was obviously a lie. 'Hooker verbally agreed with (McClain) when he thought nobody was listening,' prosecutors wrote. 'His agreement is consistent with the behavior of the conspirators who continued to advocate for the payment of the subcontractors to prevent Madigan from taking retributive action against ComEd.'
USA Today
22-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Lions training camp and preseason: Early thoughts on big Detroit summer storylines
We're about a month out from the kickoff of Detroit Lions training camp. The team will have 10 camp dates open to the public beginning in late July, but the team commences practices for a few days beforehand which will have media access. I'm going through and coming up with a checklist of things I plan on watching during the weeks of training camp and preseason. Still in the organizing state and not a complete list by any means, but I thought I'd share what players and positions I hope to focus on throughout the summer for the Lions. In no particular order, this is my working checklist of things to watch in Lions training camp and preseason ahead of the quest for a three-peat atop the NFC North. Replacing Frank Ragnow The biggest question facing the Lions as they approach the 2025 season is, how does Detroit replace Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow? The heart of the offensive interior for the last several seasons, Ragnow was a bedrock piece of the Lions core. His consistency and all-around skill are not going to be easy to replace. But the Lions must try... There are several options, which we've discussed quite a bit already. Second-round rookie Tate Ratledge is the most likely long-term replacement, but he's learning center on the fly after playing right guard at Georgia. Veteran Graham Glasgow has starting experience at center in Detroit, but his play fell off badly in 2024 and he's not getting younger. Kingsley Eguakun is a player head coach Dan Campbell mentioned unprompted as a viable contender, though he's undersized entering his second season as an undrafted rookie out of Florida last year. Of course, if Ratledge or Glasgow isn't playing right guard, someone has to. Someone also has to step into the top interior reserve role, where Glasgow has thrived throughout his career; his best work at center came in injury-related relief for Ragnow and moving inside from guard. Sorting out the roles between Ratledge, Glasgow, Eguakun, fifth-round rookie Miles Frazier, vet Kayode Awosika, Netane Muti and perhaps even Colby Sorsdal and Michael Niese is going to be an arduous task for venerable OL coach Hank Fraley. Can Hendon Hooker take the next step? I've been a fairly vocal, longtime supporter and advocate for Hendon Hooker as the Lions No. 2 quarterback. I still am, but there is a lot more to prove in the summer of 2025 for the third-year QB than ever before. The Lions brought in Kyle Allen, a legit competitor for the job of backing up Jared Goff. Allen is a vet with starting experience and an interesting skillset that bridges the difference between Goff and what Hooker offers ... which to this point has proven almost entirely hypothetical. Hooker has to prove worthy of the No. QB job. It's no longer handed to him on the fact that he was a third-round pick in 2023 and a pet project of Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew, among others. Potential can only last so long, and Hooker is at the point where he needs to dmeonstrate that his considerable potential can produce real NFL results. Our looks at Hooker over the last 12 months have been a frustratingly incomplete mix of "hell yeah" and "oh no". Something has to give in the coming weeks. I'm still confident in Hooker's ability to bury Allen on the depth chart and take a big step forward, but it's time for it to happen. If not, the Lions (and my own rosy draft evaluation) probably need to rethink Hooker going forward. Marcus Davenport as EDGE2 The OTA sessions weren't padded, so it's important to not get overly excited about anything in regards to the trenches from those spring sessions. Yet it was hard not to notice just how awesome (using that term literally) Marcus Davenport looked as a first-team defensive end. Yeah, I know. The injuries. Trust me, I know. His durability, or lack thereof, is a massive wet blanket on the excitement. But after seeing him moving and just looking physically so impressive, it's easily understandable why the Lions love Davenport. He is EXACTLY what Dan Campbell and new DC Kelvin Sheppard want across from Aidan Hutchinson: big, strong, long, smart, athletic, relentlessly aggressive. Davenport is the starter in that EDGE role until proven otherwise. I don't even think it's an actual competition if Davenport is healthy. Big "if", given his rather lengthy proven inability to stay on the field. I'm fascinated to see just how good the Detroit pass rush can be with a healthy Davenport, even if it's only in joint practices and training camp. Because if the Davenport we saw in 2024 and in OTAs is in the lineup, ooh baby! WR depth roles Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are the top dogs at wideout. Both topped 1,000 receiving yards a year ago and their skills and personalities nicely play off one another. After that potent combination, Detroit has some questions. Most of the answers to those questions are likely to end up being quite positive, but they do need to get answered. Vet Kalif Raymond brings a speed element to the outside, but he's rarely been more than a subpackage player. Raymond is also a dang good return specialist, a role both he and the Lions take quite seriously. Rookie Isaac TeSlaa offers outstanding size and athleticism. The third-rounder doesn't have the production pelts on the wall as a receiver, however; he was a Wing-T quarterback in high school who is still learning the nuances of playing wideout after transitioning at Hillsdale and then Arkansas. Big Tim Patrick is back after a sure-handed debut season in Detroit. The 31-year-old caught 33 passes for the Lions after missing the prior two seasons with injuries. Those injuries are a requisite part of Patrick's story, unfortunately. There are a few newcomers who are scrapping for roster spots too. Chief among them is seventh-round rookie Dominic Lovett. As a receiver, Lovett appears eminently redundant with Raymond as an undersized outside speedster without a lot of proven variety to his game. Is there room for both? We're about to find out... Ronnie Bell, Malik Taylor, undrafted rookies Jakobie Keeney-James and Jackson Meeks and the inimitable Tom Kennedy are all in the mix, too. Kennedy gets counted out every summer, yet here he is for a sixth straight offseason. This brewing battle for (likely) practice squad spots is quietly one of the most intriguing facets of Lions camp and preseason, where these aspirants figure to get considerable opportunities to prove they can be the one who can. Contract talks It's an inevitable part of the summer for every NFL team. Some players want new deals, contract extensions or more security. That's the case with defensive captain Alex Anzalone, who skipped all the voluntary workouts in search of either more money or guaranteed money in his current deal, which pays him nothing guaranteed in salary. Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams are both kicking off Year 4 as 2022 first-round picks. Detroit picked up the fifth-year options on both, so nothing has to be done this offseason; they're each under contract through the 2026 season. Yet it's common for standouts to sign extensions at this juncture. For Hutchinson especially, the price tag only goes up with each new sack artist signing extensions around the league. Questions about the long-term fates of both figure to come up frequently. New coordinators Detroit is breaking in two new, albeit familiar, coordinators in John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard. That means changes to the schemes on both sides of the ball as Morton puts his own stamp on the offense and Sheppard imparts his vision on the defense. From what little we've seen in OTAs, the changes are not going to be radical. Casual fans might not even notice changes on the offense. I'm more intrigued by the change in coaching style and persona on both sides of the ball. Morton isn't wound nearly as tightly as his OC predecessor Ben Johnson, who was an exacting tactician who harped on minutiae. It worked very well for Johnson in Detroit. The players, notably Jared Goff, thrived with Johnson's upbeat intensity. That's not Morton's personality or approach to coaching--which isn't either good or bad, just different. On defense, Aaron Glenn is the only coordinator we've known under Dan Campbell. Sheppard has been a major presence, but he's stepping up into a bigger role. Again, different. Unknown. Watching the new coordinators and how they handle practice situations, coaching their coaches, things like that, are definitely something I hope to study in training camp. We will certainly go more in-depth on all of these topics, as well as some others that materialize, over the coming weeks. It's never too early to get ready for what's coming in Lions land.
The Citizen
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rassie confirms Ethan Hooker considered in midfield for Springboks
Exciting rising Sharks talent Ethan Hooker is set to be deployed in the midfield should he get a chance for the Springboks in their first four games of the season over the coming month. The Boks get their 2025 season under way with a non-Test against the Barbarians in Cape Town next week, before taking on Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), and Georgia in Mbombela as part of the incoming series. Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has said that he is going to use these four games to experiment a bit, give some caps to players who have less experience, and try build some winning momentum ahead of the Rugby Championship. The 22-year-old Hooker, who started off his senior career with the Sharks at centre, has been largely used on the wing over the past season and has played superbly. Erasmus, however, said Hooker would be considered as a centre. 'We don't put pressure on those guys (the unions) to play certain guys in certain positions or certain styles (of play). That's why we have the alignment camps, just to make sure the guys know what we expect at Springbok level and in the year what they will have to change,' explained Erasmus. Read more: Springboks need different mindset for Barbarians challenge: 'They can rip you apart' 'So we don't put them (the Bok squad) on the field before the physical training camp that we have now had (ahead of the start of the season). 'It's very difficult to judge a guy like Ethan Hooker who (usually) plays wing for the Sharks, and they've got a certain defence system. But we see him as a 13 and want to use him there.' De Allende link-up Springbok veteran inside centre Damian de Allende is looking forward to possibly playing alongside Hooker this season, and helping to guide a player who he believes is set to have a long career with the Boks. 'I think I can learn a lot from Ethan. The way he's played in the URC this (past) season has been incredible. I think he's been the backbone of the Sharks backline. He's always going forward and is very dominant,' said De Allende. 'I would love to train with him a bit more and obviously play with him. Just to get a good feel for him and his communication on the field. I have trained alongside him a bit, but it hasn't been that much. But (from what I have seen) he's got a good head on his shoulders and a great future ahead of him. 'So myself, Jesse (Kriel), Andre (Esterhuizen), and Lukhy (Lukhanyo Am), will do the best we can to make sure that we can give him as much knowledge as possible, so that when he does get the opportunity, he is ready and can go out there and express himself.'
The Citizen
21-06-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Ethan Hooker set for midfield role with Springboks, confirms Rassie
The Sharks man has played wing and centre this season. Ethan Hooker during a Springbok training session in Johannesburg ahead of the start of the international season next weekend. Picture: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images Exciting rising Sharks talent Ethan Hooker is set to be deployed in the midfield should he get a chance for the Springboks in their first four games of the season over the coming month. The Boks get their 2025 season under way with a non-Test against the Barbarians in Cape Town next week, before taking on Italy in Pretoria and Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), and Georgia in Mbombela as part of the incoming series. Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has said that he is going to use these four games to experiment a bit, give some caps to players who have less experience, and try build some winning momentum ahead of the Rugby Championship. The 22-year-old Hooker, who started off his senior career with the Sharks at centre, as been largely used on the wing over the past season and has played superbly. Erasmus, however, said Hooker would be considered as a centre. 'We don't put pressure on those guys (the unions) to play certain guys in certain positions or certain styles (of play). That's why we have the alignment camps, just to make sure the guys know what we expect at Springbok level and in the year what they will have to change,' explained Erasmus. 'So we don't put them (the Bok squad) on the field before the physical training camp that we have now had (ahead of the start of the season). 'It's very difficult to judge a guy like Ethan Hooker who (usually) plays wing for the Sharks, and they've got a certain defence system. But we see him as a 13 and want to use him there.' De Allende link-up Springbok veteran inside centre Damian de Allende is looking forward to possibly playing alongside Hooker this season, and helping to guide a player who he believes is set to have a long career with the Boks. 'I think I can learn a lot from Ethan. The way he's played in the URC this (past) season has been incredible. I think he's been the backbone of the Sharks backline. He's always going forward and is very dominant,' said De Allende. 'I would love to train with him a bit more and obviously play with him. Just to get a good feel for him and his communication on the field. I have trained alongside him a bit, but it hasn't been that much. But (from what I have seen) he's got a good head on his shoulders and a great future ahead of him. 'So myself, Jesse (Kriel), Andre (Esterhuizen), and Lukhy (Lukhanyo Am), will do the best we can to make sure that we can give him as much knowledge as possible, so that when he does get the opportunity, he is ready and can go out there and express himself.'
