Latest news with #Horseshoe
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
ESPN power ranks mascots. Where is Ohio State mascot Brutus?
There aren't too many college mascots more beloved than Ohio State mascot, Brutus. He's an iconic one and has been around a long, long time, even becoming beloved by longtime ESPN College GameDay host, Lee Corso. In fact, Corso has put the Brutus head on more than any other college mascot. Brutus has evolved over the years to the current appearance of wearing a uniform with a Buckeye Nut head that's much, much smaller than it was when first introduced in 1965. Either way, there aren't too many mascots that are as recognizable as Brutus is across college athletics. He's not a fearsome mascot, but a fun, wildly popular, high energy one that interacts with fans. But where would Brutus fit if power ranking mascots? That is, of course, a subjective question, but one that ESPN's Ryan McGee set out to answer. He published a piece last week power ranking mascots across different divisions, and Brutus was featured in the "Costume Divison." McGee only identified the top five and had Brutus at the No. 2 spot, right behind the Oregon Duck at No. 1. "As hard as it is to believe, before 1965 there was no mascot in Columbus," McGee said. "After flirting with the idea of bringing a live buck onto the sidelines of the Horseshoe, a student vote settled on Buckeyes, honoring the official state tree of Ohio, and the name Brutus. "Over the years, Brutus generally has been considered the template for the "person in clothes but with a huge plastic head" model for modern mascot business. Thankfully, Brutus has experienced some extreme cranial makeovers -- and shrinkage -- through the ages. The O.G. O-H-I-O Buckeye looked more like a chocolate bonbon bowling ball than a fearsome football foe." So, what other costumed mascots made the top five? Behind Brutus and the Duck were Big Red of Western Kentucky (3), the Stanford Tree (4), and Keggy the Keg of Dartmouth at No. 4 (I have to admit I didn't know that was a thing, but brownie points for being creative). Now, being an Ohio State website, of course, many aren't going to like Brutus finishing behind the Oregon Duck, but the Duck does get cool points for coming out on a motorcycle and trolling other schools in a lighthearted way. Let's call it 1A and 1B, shall we? You can get a look at the other divisions and rankings of the mascot power rankings by visiting and taking a look at a fun list to look at during the offseason. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Opposing Big Ten quarterback calls Ohio State toughest place he's played
As big as Ohio Stadium is, it can sometimes get a bad rap for how quiet it can be when things aren't going Ohio State's way. And while there is definitely some truth to it that Athletic Director Ross Bjork is working on, there are times when the Horseshoe can be about as loud as any venue in the country. If you don't believe me, maybe listen to opposing players, say like Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola. But first, a quick recap of Railoa and how he made it to Nebraska. He was originally verbally committed to Ohio State, then flipped to Georgia and even enrolled in a high school in the state before flipping again and committing to the Cornhuskers. He has family ties there, so it's no surprise that heading to Nebraska eventually won out. Still, there is some familiarity there between Ryan Day, Raiola, and Ohio State. Back to the big 'ole Horseshoe and how loud it can be, Raiola was asked about the toughest of the six or seven Big Ten stadiums he's played in so far, and he answered without hesitation. "Ohio State -- not even close. You and me wouldn't even be able to talk (speaking from right next to the interviewer)," Raiola said ... "We couldn't talk like this (again pointing directly right next to the question) -- I'd have to be screaming at you." That wasn't the end of the praise from Raiola. He went on to praise the environment even further when talking at Big Ten football media days. Nebraska even had the Buckeyes on the ropes, but couldn't pull it out, with Ohio State coming back to win 21-17 in Columbus in a game that was much closer than anyone thought. 'I was on the opposite sideline than I really had planned on,' Raiola told reporters. 'It was a great environment -- everything I expected. From the hype to how loud they were, to how hard Ohio State was gonna play, we knew exactly what we were getting into, and I'm proud of our team for that and how we fought. So we just got to get used to playing in more games like that.' Ohio State and Nebraska aren't scheduled to play this fall, so Raiola will have to wait to play against the team he was originally committed to in order to make good on showing he can lead his team past the same type of game and environment. He will lead his team against Michigan in Lincoln and on the road against Penn State, so there will be opportunities. Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Sun shines on owner of Glasgow's famous Horseshoe Bar
Mitchells & Butlers, the industry giant which owns Glasgow's famous Horseshoe bar and brands such as All Bar One, Harvester, and O'Neill's, declared today that profits for this year would come in at the top end of guidance. This came as the company reported a strong performance for the first half during which sales remained 'well ahead of the market', benefiting from Easter and the recent sunny weather. Like-for-like sales were up 5% in the third quarter and increased by 4.5% over the 42 weeks ended July 19. The company noted that despite the challenges of 'well publicised cost inflation' – which included the recent rises in employer national insurance contributions and national living and minimum wage – it is 'encouraged by the continued strong performance of the business, which remains well ahead of the market'. Read more: 'We are confident that this will lead to an outturn result for the current year at the top end of consensus expectations,' it told the stock market. Phil Urban, chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers, said: 'The business continues to perform strongly, enabling us to meet the cost challenges facing the sector with confidence. We will remain focused on our Ignite programme of initiatives and our successful capital investment programme, driving cost efficiencies and increasing sales. With the unique strengths of our business, including a diverse portfolio of established brands, value proposition and enviable estate locations, we believe we are positioned to continue to grow profitability and market share.' The update from Mitchells & Butlers came hot on the heels of a similarly upbeat trading statement from JD Wetherspoon on Wednesday. Wetherspoon's outspoken chairman, Tim Martin, singled out the impact of sunny weather and standout performances by Villa Maria wine from New Zealand, Prosecco from Italy, and Guinness, as well as 'clucking good' chicken sales, as it reported that like-for-like sales had increased by 5.1% in the 12 weeks to July 20. Sales for the year to date were up by the same amount. Mr Martin said: 'The company has benefitted from favourable weather in the fourth quarter, so that profits are anticipated to be in line with market expectations, notwithstanding the high tax and labour increases for the hospitality industry, which have been widely reported.'
Fashion Network
14-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Burberry investors welcome early signs of recovery under Josh Schulman
A year after Josh Schulman became Burberry 's CEO with a mandate to turn the British luxury brand around, investors say they're pleased with early signs of recovery — even though sales are still falling. Burberry, known for its trademark trench coats and check pattern scarves, is in the early stages of a reboot as Schulman works to reverse years of underperformance and return both sales and profit to growth. Analysts expect the group to report on Friday that comparable retail sales fell 3% in the April–June quarter from a year earlier, according to a consensus provided by Burberry. That would mark an improvement from a 6% fall in the January–March period. Burberry issued a string of profit warnings under former CEO Jonathan Akeroyd. After taking over, Schulman said the brand had lost focus on outerwear and recognizable British references, veering too far into a 'niche aesthetic.' Its shares are up around 63% since Schulman took the helm, outperforming luxury peers. Analysts have grown more optimistic in recent weeks, with HSBC stating Burberry has the opportunity to gain market share from rivals. 'We are seeing the improvement in terms of the product range, pricing, marketing, and there are early signs that are leading to a pickup in sales — but it's early days still,' said Dan Carter, a member of the investment team at Phoenix Asset Management Partners in London. Burberry's marketing under Schulman has drawn on its association with British heritage, but with a more contemporary lens, Carter added. Burberry typically generates more of its revenue in the autumn/winter season. However, it has been aiming to tap into major British summer events, with its recent 'Burberry Festival' campaign timed to coincide with the Glastonbury music festival. The campaign featured hip-hop artist Loyle Carner and music producer Goldie, alongside model Cara Delevingne sitting in a pit of mud in Burberry rain boots — a nod to Glastonbury's unpredictable weather. 'They're a brand that is focusing on outerwear and protection against the weather... so to try and stretch that through the year makes sense,' said Carter. As part of its turnaround strategy, Burberry announced in May that it would cut 20% of its global workforce — a bold cost-cutting move welcomed by investors. Less expensive bags, more high-end trenches The brand has shifted away from ultra-high-priced bags and introduced more accessible models such as its recently launched Cotswold range, priced between 1,490 pounds and 1,890 pounds ($2,012.99 to $2,553.39), and the 850-pound Horseshoe crossbody bag — driving its average bag price down by 9% since October last year, according to pricing analysis by Luxurynsight. 'They're kind of trying to thread the needle of being luxury while shifting the assortment down a little bit,' said Brett Sharoni, senior analyst at Pzena Investment Management in New York, which owns shares in Burberry. 'We had been engaging with Burberry for over a year before we ended up buying — and one of our big pieces of feedback to them was, you know, you don't really have a right to sell handbags for $3,000,' he said. However, Burberry has introduced some higher-priced outerwear products, including a 115,000-yuan ($16,044.65) corduroy trench coat in China, Luxurynsight reported. It has also broadened its outerwear range by 22% since October last year. Yumi Shin, chief merchandising officer at New York department store Bergdorf Goodman, said she supports the renewed emphasis on Burberry's trademark items, including its classic trench coats and winter accessories. 'We're continuing to feel optimistic about Burberry's transformation under Josh's leadership,' said Shin. 'Josh has a merchant's mindset and understands the necessity to balance fashion and function on the shop floor.' ($1 = 0.7402 pounds) ($1 = 7.1675 Chinese yuan renminbi)
Fashion Network
14-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Burberry investors welcome early signs of recovery under Josh Schulman
A year after Josh Schulman became Burberry 's CEO with a mandate to turn the British luxury brand around, investors say they're pleased with early signs of recovery — even though sales are still falling. Burberry, known for its trademark trench coats and check pattern scarves, is in the early stages of a reboot as Schulman works to reverse years of underperformance and return both sales and profit to growth. Analysts expect the group to report on Friday that comparable retail sales fell 3% in the April–June quarter from a year earlier, according to a consensus provided by Burberry. That would mark an improvement from a 6% fall in the January–March period. Burberry issued a string of profit warnings under former CEO Jonathan Akeroyd. After taking over, Schulman said the brand had lost focus on outerwear and recognizable British references, veering too far into a 'niche aesthetic.' Its shares are up around 63% since Schulman took the helm, outperforming luxury peers. Analysts have grown more optimistic in recent weeks, with HSBC stating Burberry has the opportunity to gain market share from rivals. 'We are seeing the improvement in terms of the product range, pricing, marketing, and there are early signs that are leading to a pickup in sales — but it's early days still,' said Dan Carter, a member of the investment team at Phoenix Asset Management Partners in London. Burberry's marketing under Schulman has drawn on its association with British heritage, but with a more contemporary lens, Carter added. Burberry typically generates more of its revenue in the autumn/winter season. However, it has been aiming to tap into major British summer events, with its recent 'Burberry Festival' campaign timed to coincide with the Glastonbury music festival. The campaign featured hip-hop artist Loyle Carner and music producer Goldie, alongside model Cara Delevingne sitting in a pit of mud in Burberry rain boots — a nod to Glastonbury's unpredictable weather. 'They're a brand that is focusing on outerwear and protection against the weather... so to try and stretch that through the year makes sense,' said Carter. As part of its turnaround strategy, Burberry announced in May that it would cut 20% of its global workforce — a bold cost-cutting move welcomed by investors. Less expensive bags, more high-end trenches The brand has shifted away from ultra-high-priced bags and introduced more accessible models such as its recently launched Cotswold range, priced between 1,490 pounds and 1,890 pounds ($2,012.99 to $2,553.39), and the 850-pound Horseshoe crossbody bag — driving its average bag price down by 9% since October last year, according to pricing analysis by Luxurynsight. 'They're kind of trying to thread the needle of being luxury while shifting the assortment down a little bit,' said Brett Sharoni, senior analyst at Pzena Investment Management in New York, which owns shares in Burberry. 'We had been engaging with Burberry for over a year before we ended up buying — and one of our big pieces of feedback to them was, you know, you don't really have a right to sell handbags for $3,000,' he said. However, Burberry has introduced some higher-priced outerwear products, including a 115,000-yuan ($16,044.65) corduroy trench coat in China, Luxurynsight reported. It has also broadened its outerwear range by 22% since October last year. Yumi Shin, chief merchandising officer at New York department store Bergdorf Goodman, said she supports the renewed emphasis on Burberry's trademark items, including its classic trench coats and winter accessories. 'We're continuing to feel optimistic about Burberry's transformation under Josh's leadership,' said Shin. 'Josh has a merchant's mindset and understands the necessity to balance fashion and function on the shop floor.' ($1 = 0.7402 pounds) ($1 = 7.1675 Chinese yuan renminbi)
