Latest news with #Wyman
Winnipeg Free Press
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Journalist, father, friend
The notes of a familiar Blue Rodeo or Tragically Hip song would often fill the dining room, Ted Wyman's fingers gliding on the guitar strings, a warm smile spreading across his face as he sang along with his long-term partner Kim Fedick. For Wyman, these intimate musical moments, shared with loved ones, were the essence of a life lived richly. 'We'd finish up a great meal and then he'd just go grab his guitar and start playing something I loved,' Fedick said. 'Then we'd just sing together for hours. That's what I think about the most.' SUPPLIED Wyman loved to play the guitar and sing with family and friends. Wyman, the longtime sports editor of the Winnipeg Sun who died last November after a brief battle with cancer, was the guy who brought a smile to everyone's face whenever he entered a room. While he didn't want to be the life of the party, Wyman brought life to every gathering he ever showed up at, offering a familiar and safe space for people to be themselves and share their stories. For 58 years, Wyman packed a remarkable amount of living into his time, touching countless lives with his infectious spirit, boundless curiosity and a superpower for forging meaningful connections. He was a dedicated father, a passionate journalist, an avid traveller and a talented musician. 'A lot of it was just that he loved people, he respected people and he wanted to rise up to the level of the people he admired,' Chris Wyman, Ted's son, said. SUPPLIED Winnipeg Sun Sports editor Ted Wyman died in November after a brief battle with cancer. 'I don't know that he ever knew this, but he had already gotten there, as other people were looking up to him.' Born Edward Bryce Archibald Wyman in Brandon on June 11, 1966, and raised in Winnipeg, Wyman grew up on Elm Street in River Heights, graduating from Kelvin High School. While his younger years were filled more with discovery than popularity, this experience fostered a deep empathy that would define his later inclusive nature. His childhood included family trips to Europe, where his mother Anna encouraged him to journal, nurturing an adventurous spirit that would stay with him. Indeed, his path seemed set early on; at just 11 years old, inspired by local sports media legends like Jack Wells and Jack Matheson, Wyman declared his ambition to become a sports writer. Supplied Ted as a young boy After graduating from RRC Polytech, Wyman began his professional journey at the Interlake Spectator, working out of a dilapidated cabin his father, Herbert, provided him with. From there, he headed back to his birthplace to work for the Brandon Sun, then the Moose Jaw Times-Herald, gaining foundational knowledge and solidifying the passion that would drive his career. Wyman's arrival at the Winnipeg Sun in 2003 marked a significant chapter. He rose to sports editor in just three years, becoming a respected figure in Canadian sports journalism. Co-workers marvelled at his ability to pack so much into a day, his quick wit and his encyclopedic knowledge of sports. Colleagues recalled on numerous occasions him effortlessly rattling off stats from the WHA Jets or a full Blue Bombers' roster from decades past. 'When he had to write a story, that guy could focus like a laser,' said Wyman's brother, Jeff Wyman, noting the intense dedication he had to his craft. SUPPLIED Wyman (left) and a media contingent at the old Canad Inns Stadium. 'He would absolutely just block everything out in the entire world.' His brilliance extended beyond sports. Wyman could get every question right on Jeopardy, Fedick said, and even crafted intricate crossword puzzles for her enjoyment. His journalism was always about more than just scores and statistics. 'He had such a passion for what he did, but it was always about the people he met along the way,' said Wyman's sister, Alison Marantz. 'Whenever he visited me in Calgary during one of his work trips, it was always, 'Oh, yeah, I met up with my buddy so-and-so.'' SUPPLIED From left: Siblings Jeff, Mike, Alison and Wyman. Wyman was the youngest of the four siblings. Wyman's interview style was conversational and fair, earning him respect from athletes and colleagues alike. He was staunch in his journalistic principles, refraining from cheering at sporting events when with family and friends. Wyman's book, Ice Gold, which offered an insider's view of Canada's double-gold-medal curling feat at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, exemplified this approach, focusing on the stories behind the triumph. He firmly believed the inclusion of box scores in the sports section was the hallmark of a real paper and he fiercely advocated for his staff. As his close friend Jay Bell, a former Free Press sports editor, put it, 'There was nothing disingenuous about Ted Wyman. He had a way of making you feel very comfortable… he freaking knew everybody.' Wyman's profound impact on the sports world was recognized with his induction into the Manitoba Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association Media Roll of Honour, and posthumously with CurlManitoba's Honourary Life Membership and Curling Canada's Paul McLean Award. SUPPLIED Ted Wyman at the 2014 launch of Ice Gold: Canada's Curling Champions at McNally Robinson. This lasting commitment to the field is further represented by the Ted Wyman Memorial Scholarship, established in his memory for journalism students at RRC Polytech. Beyond the newsroom, Wyman was a dedicated father to his daughter Emily and son Chris. Emily remembers his unwavering excitement and his desire for them to have as beautiful a childhood as he did. 'He was always the cool, fun dad. He would always joke that he stopped aging at 10 years old,' Emily said. 'But he also taught us to be honest and upfront with our feelings and to never assume that your love is felt as much as you are putting it out there. 'He thought if you were happy, you were the most successful and richest person alive.' Wyman was a consistent presence in his children's lives, often meeting them for lunch breaks at school while working the night sports desk at the Sun. SUPPLIED Wyman with his beloved children, daughter Emily and son Chris. His children were a source of immense pride and he consistently showed up for them, never missing a musical or an important moment. Wyman also instilled a love of reading in Chris; they devoured the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series together. Music was another passion. A self-taught musician, Wyman could pick up a guitar and learn songs in an evening. He was never shy to perform one of his favourite Tom Petty songs for an audience and frequently hosted lively jam sessions in his basement. His love for music was a joyful expression of his soul. Wyman's adventurous spirit took him around the world, covering major events from Grey Cups to Olympic Games. But what truly defined these travels was his unparalleled ability to connect with people; he made friends everywhere he went, possessing an almost uncanny ability for turning strangers into companions. SUPPLIED Wyman in Mexico, one of his favourite places to visit. His childhood family trips to Europe sparked a lifelong wanderlust in his children, too; Emily recently visited Antarctica, completing travels to all seven continents. For Wyman, these shared journeys were a cornerstone of his belief in the importance of maintaining family traditions. 'His joy was contagious,' said Bronwyn Berry, a longtime friend. 'He embraced everything. Just look at Wyman and his T-shirts! He used these beer T-shirts to meet people and start up conversations. Next thing you knew, they're the best of buds.' Berry described this as a 'childhood wonderment' that Wyman never lost, driving his desire to know every story, every best place to eat and every beach with a breathtaking sunset. His non-judgmental nature meant 'everybody was his friend,' as Dave Martens, another close pal, attested. Berry and Martens, among many others, gravitated to Wyman because they were similar in that they wore their hearts on their sleeves. SUPPLIED Wyman and his dog Titan. Their bond was only strengthened by the deep conversations they shared. Wyman's smart sense of humour never came at anyone's expense; he simply loved bringing people together. Summers were particularly cherished by Wyman, often spent in Gimli, making lasting memories around the campfire at Loni Beach. This was truly his happy place. 'I want people to remember Ted for how passionate he was about life and how great he was about life,' Martens said. 'Because that guy packed a lot of life into 58 years, more than most people.' SUPPLIED Wyman and his long-time partner Kim Fedick. SUPPLIED Wyman early into his cancer treatment. SUPPLIED Wyman and Free Press sports reporter Jeff Hamilton. Jeff HamiltonMultimedia producer Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University's journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff. Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas nonprofit launches campaign to keep food cold and families fed
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A Little Rock-based nonprofit is taking bold steps to fight food waste and hunger at the same time. Potluck Food Rescue, a longtime leader in salvaging surplus food from grocery stores, restaurants, and caterers, is now facing a new challenge: keeping all that food fresh in the upcoming Arkansas heat. Central Arkansas nonprofit combating food insecurity sees rise in demand Now, they're launching a new campaign, Cool-Aid: Breaking Down Barriers to Cold Storage, to call on the community for help. 'A working refrigerator or freezer may not seem like much,' said Chris Wyman, Executive Director of Potluck Food Rescue, 'but for food rescue groups across the state, it can mean the difference between feeding a family and throwing away a meal.' In 2024, Potluck rescued more than one million pounds of edible food, transforming what would have been waste into over 800,000 meals and saving its nonprofit partners more than $2 million in food costs. Arkansas nonprofit launches new app to combat food insecurity in the state But now, demand is higher than ever. And many of the 115 organizations Potluck partners with simply don't have enough cold storage to safely handle the volume of food being rescued. 'We have a lot of agencies that just don't have that capacity,' Wyman said. 'That's a barrier. So the whole idea of Cool-Aid is to break that barrier.' Wyman says more than 20 new nonprofits have reached out for food assistance just in the past month. But without more refrigerators and freezers to store perishable items like produce, dairy, and meat, that food risks spoiling before it reaches the people who need it most. 'We want to help our recipient agencies to get refrigeration, to get freezers, so they can take more stuff from us,' Wyman said. Potluck Food Rescue in North Little Rock receives $90,000 Blue and You Foundation grant to launch rapid food recovery app According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Food prices are up 2.8 percent since this time last year, adding pressure on both struggling families and the organizations trying to support them. Meanwhile, the country continues to throw away billions of pounds of edible food annually. 'We are a country of surplus,' Wyman said. 'It's not waste at that point, but it's being treated as such, and it ends up in a dumpster. Someone pays a dumpster fee, and someone else doesn't get fed.' Through the 'Cool-Aid' campaign, Potluck is seeking donations of working refrigerators and freezers, or financial support to purchase new units, for its partners across Arkansas. For many families facing empty pantries this summer, a cold fridge could mean a hot meal. To learn more or contribute to the campaign, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Central Arkansas nonprofit combating food insecurity sees rise in demand
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While hunger rises across the state, one Arkansas nonprofit is working daily to fight it, one rescued meal at a time. Potluck Food Rescue, a central Arkansas nonprofit that diverts surplus food from landfills to community organizations, has seen a dramatic rise in demand. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs food insecurity executive order, calls for action The number of organizations requesting food has surged, with 20 new partners reaching out just in the last few weeks alone. 'The last thing people need to worry about is where their next meal is coming from, no one should ever have to worry about that,' said Chris Wyman, executive director of Potluck Food Rescue. While Potluck doesn't serve consumers directly, it supplies food to nearly 115 partner organizations that do, including shelters, schools, and community kitchens. Its mission tackles two problems at once: hunger and food waste. Every day, thousands of pounds of edible food are discarded in Central Arkansas. Potluck steps in before that happens. 'Those numbers are important,' Wyman said. 'You know, when we see those—we see people.' According to Wyman, a mix of inflation, SNAP benefit cuts, and newly imposed tariffs is driving more families into food insecurity and sending more organizations to Potluck's doorstep for help. 'That's going to lead to a lot of price spikes at places like our local grocers,' Wyman explained. 'What that ends up leading to—and with budget cuts to SNAP as well—is that people simply can't afford these prices.' 'And you know,' he added, 'our paychecks haven't matched inflation in decades.' Wyman believes this crisis will only deepen in the coming months as even more food becomes unaffordable, and ultimately, more surplus food is left behind by stores and suppliers. Potluck is preparing to respond. 'We want to be there to take that surplus,' he said. 'Because at one point, the shelf life is done for the grocery store, but it's not done for human consumption. We take that and get it to the people who need it.' In 2024, Potluck Food Rescue brought in more than 1 million pounds of rescued food—enough to create over 800,000 meals. That effort saved partner organizations more than $2 million in food costs. 'Money they can use toward their programming, rather than food,' Wyman said. 'And just imagine what their food costs are now.' Arkansas nonprofit launches new app to combat food insecurity in the state Looking ahead, the team at Potluck knows the road won't be easy. 'We are small but mighty,' Wyman said with a determined smile. For more information or to support Potluck Food Rescue's mission, visit Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
18-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Ranking the 2026 FIFA World Cup city posters: The best, worst of all the hosts
Lance Wyman is an icon of graphic design. The 88-year old's work has been part of the American collective consciousness for decades, whether it's known or not. Maps, signs and cityscapes across the country bear his work. His style — bold, beautiful and simple — has been emulated by younger designers for a half-century. Advertisement Wyman, who started his career in the early 60s, produced his most noteworthy work early on. In 1966, he traveled to Mexico, tasked with designing the graphic identity of the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Wyman spent months in the city, studying its culture. He worked with local designers, picking their brains for ideas and input. Heavily influenced by the Op Art movement of the 1960s and the pre-Columbian art of the host country, Wyman's identity for the 1968 games is widely considered among the finest pieces of sports design ever created. The lettering for the games alone — the hypnotic, parallel lines and concentric circles — has been displayed in museums and has ended up on countless 'mood boards,' still emulated to this day. Two years later, that lettering was used on what some would consider the most iconic piece of World Cup design in history, the trophy aside: the poster for the 1970 tournament in Mexico. Wyman designed a series of stamps and worked with organizers on other design elements for the tournament. Reached last year for comment not long after the logo for the 2026 World Cup was released, he was not impressed. 'I don't think it's that effective,' Wyman told The Athletic then. 'Nothing about it really says 'soccer' and it's not so identifiable when it goes small, so that's going to be a problem. I imagine when it's used a lot it'll be more widely known — but initially, no, it's not quite a good design, I'd say.' Wyman's designs for the Olympics and the World Cup in Mexico are timeless and representative, in a way, of the grand visual thinking that went behind the tournament before it became a far more corporate, soulless affair. The Art Deco-inspired works of 1930 and 1934; the poster for the 1954 tournament in Switzerland, and the accompanying agony of the goalkeeper featured on it; the incredible work of the 1982 tournament in Spain, where the country leaned on some of its greatest-ever artists to get the job done; or the '94 tournament in the U.S., where legendary Pop artist Peter Max got the nod. Advertisement Things are a lot different nowadays. We haven't yet seen the 2026 tournament's official poster, but over the last month, FIFA has rolled out posters for each of the tournament's 16 host cities, with varying degrees of success. Some are spectacular, others are forgettable and others seem to miss the mark entirely. Art, of course, is entirely subjective, and there's always room for disagreement, but we're going to rate the current crop of World Cup host city posters anyway: 🍁🎨 @FWC26Toronto's Official Host City Poster for #FIFAWorldCup 26 is here!#WeAre26 — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 28, 2025 Toronto is rich and multicultural and diverse, and it's long been the home of Italian immigrants. Only a handful of cities, globally, have a larger population of residents of Italian descent, and those immigrants brought a strong appreciation of football with them. Local amateur and semi-professional leagues have long felt the influence of the Italian game. Diego Maradona, who spent a legendary stretch at Serie A side Napoli, once featured for a team in Toronto. The poster, designed by local artist Dave Murray, seems to borrow heavily from the Futurism movement of the early 20th century, which originated and flourished in Italy. Futurist works of that time have a similar palette to Murray's work and often celebrated speed and movement, an ideal fit for a work like this. Gerardo Dottori's work – Partida de Calcio – comes to mind. Fun fact: Dottori, an Italian, was a competitor in the art events at the Summer Olympics in 1930 and 1934. Yes, art used to be an event at the Olympics. Murray's work is spectacular on its own, but FIFA has provided an accompanying explainer paragraph, if you're interested. You'll recognize the basic structure of this drivel from literally every design explainer ever published in the last 10 years: 'The dynamic design emphasizes the magnitude of the FIFA World Cup, its impact worldwide and soccer's incredible potential for growth not only in Toronto but across the (greater Toronto area), Ontario and Canada. The grid behind the player represents our city streets and lines on a pitch, as well as the idea of a quilt to symbolize the collection of diverse people and neighbourhoods that come together to make our city special.' Advertisement I'd wondered if the Mexican posters would directly emulate Wyman's work, but they chose not to – and to great effect. The three compliment each other incredibly well, hitting that sweet spot between modern and classic design to perfection. Like so many other pieces of design, you discover new facets to this poster every time you look at it. Mexico City is among my favorite places on earth and the artist, Cuemanche, incorporated a ton of iconic pieces of design into this poster. Popocatépetl, the volcano that looms large over the city, crowns the poster, while other smaller details dot the design: a street vendor, a Lucha Libre wrestler and a traditional Aztec warrior all make appearances, as does the Angel of Independence, a prominent downtown monument. The central focus of the poster, though, is the Azteca, among the world's most iconic football stadiums, and a football pitch. Wyman, by the way, isn't entirely absent here: Cuemanche worked in the city's massive, beautiful subway system into his poster. Wyman himself did all the wayfinding and signage in that system. Can't escape him if you try. The posters for Guadalajara and Monterrey follow a similar theme. It's not hard to see these three displayed together on the wall of a sports bar, or even a living room. They are just fantastic. 🐋🏔️ Introducing the Official #WeAre26 Host City Poster for @FWC26Seattle! #FIFAWorldCup — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 4, 2025 This one just squeaks in, in my view. It's so wonderfully composed, and the artist, Shogo Ota, has such a unique style of line art. It feels in a lot of ways almost like a woodcut print. What throws me off are the competing styles of hand here — while the waves, whale tail and other elements feel aligned, the soccer ball and mountain in the background feel a little like clip art. This is still a really, really fantastic effort, and I'm sure there's someone (maybe the artist himself) who could convince me otherwise. 🖌️🖼️ The Official #FIFAWorldCup 26 Poster for @FWC26Atlanta is here!#WeAre26 — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 22, 2025 There are some things to like here — it's a colorful, bold design, and the artist takes some chances, which I far prefer to some of the truly bland stuff that follows. In the end, though, there's just way too much going on. It does feel representative of the city, at least, and certainly incorporates a lot of the city and state's notable iconography — it felt obvious enough we'd see a peach here, but maybe not 43 of them. Advertisement 🇺🇸🖼️ The Official #FIFAWorldCup 26 Host City Poster for @FWC26Philly is here!#WeAre26 — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 18, 2025 I don't love this one but couldn't figure out why, so I turned the reins over to Maggie Famiglietti, a Chicago-based designer who has done dozens of wonderful posters. 'This is pretty clean work,' she wrote. 'But it's hyper boring. I can't say a bad single thing about it — and yet also I hate it. It looks like corporate subway art.' We can blame the 'clean' aesthetic for the deluge of white kits and bland logo redesigns that permeate modern sports design. Gone are the insane designs of yesteryear, replaced by something that feels a lot more corporate. This poster certainly fits that bill. It does, however, win the award for 'most unhinged poster reveal.' Feast your eyes on the 'Philadelphia Flower Show' version of the poster. It's here! The Official NYNJ Poster. 🙌#NYNJPoster #FIFAWorldCup #WeAreNYNJ — FIFA World Cup 26™ New York New Jersey (@FWC26NYNJ) April 15, 2025 FIFA tapped N.J.-born and Brooklyn-residing artist Rich Tu to design this one, and he did a pretty serviceable job. New York City has no shortage of signature elements, and Tu went with maybe the most obvious of all, the Statue of Liberty. Tu offered a glimpse into his design process at the unveiling of the poster. FIFA billed the whole host city poster process as a 'competition' of sorts, but any ideas you might have about an artist holed up in his studio creating his own personal vision of a poster go out the window when you pull the curtain back a bit. 'They did the thing that a lot of clients do, which is they showed me things that they liked about my work,' Tu told The Athletic's Melanie Anizdei. 'It was like, 'we like this, and we'd love if it did this.' And then I was off to the races, and it came together fairly quickly. It was about like, maybe a month and a half of back and forth, like, a lot of conversation about some of the specific elements within the poster – the colors and also some of the iconography within the poster, and also about the history of soccer.' Advertisement Tu's effort is a decent one, but in my view it's nothing to write home about. He certainly did get one thing right though — when asked to evaluate the other posters, he had this to say: 'I must say, my personal favorites are Toronto — and also (all of) Mexico's look amazing.' A look at Vancouver's Host City Poster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, created by local artist Jamin Zuroski.Inspired by BC's natural elements and Indigenous culture, this unique design captures Vancouver and the beautiful game. #FIFAWorldCup | #WeAre26 — TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 16, 2025 Easily the most forgettable effort, it has the exact same energy that many of FIFA's recent World Cup posters has — think of the bland efforts that came out of Qatar and South Africa. The only decent official poster to speak of in recent editions of the tournament came in 2018. The artist's representation of famed Russian 'keeper Lev Yashin — done in the country's trademark postconstructivist art style — was absolutely fantastic. It's HERE!! Dallas, this is your Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Host City Poster!!#FIFAWorldCup #WeAre26 #WeAreDallas — FIFA World Cup 26 Dallas™ (@FWC26Dallas) April 17, 2025 Not bad! It feels like a screenprinted movie poster, which I like, but it also feels poorly composed. Still,this one is easy to imagine on a wall in your den. While almost all of the explainers for these posters mention diversity, or the merging of different cultures, I'm not seeing anything in either of the Texas posters that alludes to Mexican or Latino culture, which is a miss. Celebrate soccer, art and the spirit of our region with the official FIFA World Cup 26™ Kansas City Host City Poster! ⚽ 🎨 Selected from more than 100 submissions by artists across Kansas and Missouri, we're proud to unveil 'Woven Together' by Jadie Arnett. This design… — FIFA World Cup 26 Kansas City (@FWC26KansasCity) April 6, 2025 The scarf is a really nice touch. Of any of the posters, this is the one that reads the strongest as being soccer-related. There's also a bit of storytelling here, but the actual artistic execution feels a little bland. Like Seattle's, this one straddles the line between average and good. Love the Boston poster for the 2026 World Cup (Via John Rego) — Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) April 6, 2025 Magical realism! We love magical realism! Truly, I love the illustration here. Lots of Boston details — the tall ships, the Tea Party reference, the nod to Cape Cod. I'm not sure what the Lochness Monster has to do with Massachusetts, but I don't really care. The illustration itself is pretty fantastic, maybe the best of the lot. What this effort isn't doing is reading as a poster promoting a World Cup, and that's a shame. Otherwise, it's a good one. Advertisement From print to pitch – Miami, this one's for you! ⚽🏆 Here is YOUR official FIFA World Cup 26™ Host City Poster, designed by Rubem Robierb! 🤩🎨 Mark your calendars for April 19th to secure your very own FWC26 Miami Host City Poster! 🗓️✍️ — FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami™ (@FWC26Miami) March 25, 2025 There's so much to work with in Miami, from the city's blend of art deco, mediterranean revival and neoclassical architecture to the pink and aqua that have formed the unofficial color palette of the place. The surf, the sand, the strong currents of Argentine and Cuban culture that run through the city. Also, the greatest player in the history of the game currently plays there. Instead, what we have here feels like what would happen if I fed 'flamingo playing soccer' into an AI prompt. This one is somehow simultaneously too 'on the nose' while also not telling us anything at all. There's one positive wrinkle, I guess — they gave the flamingo shin guards. I don't know exactly why, but that truly kills me. ✨ The Official @FIFAWorldCup Cup 26™ Houston Host City Poster ✨ Celebrate Houston's essence with local artist Stephanie Leal! Grab yours now: 🔗 #WeAreHouston #FIFAWorldCup — FIFA World Cup 26 Houston™ (@FWC26Houston) March 26, 2025 For our international readers, Houston is known as 'Space City USA' due to its strong ties to the U.S. space program, which is how we ended up with this motif. I have a lot of questions here. Why is there a portal to space in downtown Houston? How does one even play soccer in space, in zero gravity? How are this man's feet not imploding? Are his boots pressurized? Did you know that we've actually sent a professional soccer player to space, by the way? Former NASA astronaut Sonny Carter, who died in 1991, played as a defender for the North American Soccer League's Atlanta Chiefs in the early 70s. Want to hear something even wilder? Just like the astronaut in this poster, the guy went on a spacewalk. NASA's 'neutral buoyancy' center, where they train astronauts for spacewalks, is named in his honor. I bet the artist who designed this poster didn't know that. And neither did you. There are things to like, though, even in the worst of these efforts. The reflection of the World Cup trophy in the helmet's visor is a nice touch, as is the Texas 'lone star' on the captain's armband. In the end, though, this thing really misses the mark. Advertisement 🌁⚽️ The Official #WeAre26 Host City Poster for @SFBayArea26 is here!#FIFAWorldCup — FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 30, 2025 This is the most forgettable of the bunch. Truly, it looks like the type of art you'd see in an ad on a bus bench. There's an obvious counterpoint to that argument, which is that, well, that's exactly what this needs to be. In my view, this is just unimaginative and boring, end of story. The official FIFA World Cup 26 Los Angeles™ poster has arrived! Congrats to Thieb Delaporte-Richard the winner of the Los Angeles World Cup Poster Design Content! This design captures the spirit of LA by blending the excitement of the World Game with our regions' iconic energy. — FIFA World Cup 26 Los Angeles™ (@LosAngelesFWC26) March 20, 2025 It might as well be a photo, frankly, which may have been even nicer to look at. If Miami's effort felt generated by AI, this one seems generated by an artist at Rockstar Games. It feels less Los Angeles and more San Andreas, the fictional locale in the 'Grant Theft Auto' franchise meant to emulate the Angel City. I do think the composition here is clever, but this one feels entirely bereft of any human touch. It's just a little synthetic for my taste. I'm likely wrong, though, as I am about most of these. When you start looking at the judging process for these photos, you understand why. In the case of Los Angeles, FIFA says the host city committee employed a panel of five of L.A.'s 'most esteemed experts in public art and cultural exhibitions' to select the winner. I'm just a lowly soccer writer, though, and I don't like this poster. (Top photos courtesy of FIFA)
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
SEC football recruiting rankings after Georgia's recent decommitment
The Georgia Bulldogs recently suffered a decommitment from one of their top-ranked recruits in four-star cornerback Jontavius Wyman, who flipped to the Miami Hurricanes. Wyman's decommitment lowered Georgia several spots in the recruiting rankings entered a critical stage in the recruiting process. Georgia and other top SEC football programs will host numerous class of 2026 recruits on campus over the upcoming months as players begin to decide what their top school is. Advertisement Georgia's recruiting class currently ranks seventh in the SEC, but it remains too early to put much stock into recruiting class rankings. Early signing day is not until December and most players don't make commitments until the summer. The LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies are both off to strong recruiting starts and are two of four SEC schools with at least eight commitments (along with Tennessee and Arkansas). Tennessee currently holds the SEC's top commitment in five-star quarterback Faizon Brandon, who is the No. 1 recruit in the nation. Class of 2026 SEC football recruiting rankings Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs looks on during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 91st Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 02, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by) LSU Tigers (nine commits, No. 4 national ranking) Texas A&M Aggies (10 commits, No. 5 national ranking) Tennessee Volunteers (eight commits, No. 14 national ranking) Arkansas Razorbacks (11 commits, No. 15 national ranking) Auburn Tigers (seven commits, No. 17 national ranking) Mississippi State Bulldogs (seven commits, No. 23 national ranking) Georgia Bulldogs (five commits, No. 25 national ranking) South Carolina Gamecocks (five commits, No. 27 national ranking) Alabama Crimson Tide (four commits, No. 31 national ranking) Texas Longhorns (four commits, No. 35 national ranking) Oklahoma Sooners (four commits, No. 38 national ranking) Florida Gators (three commits, No. 43 national ranking) Ole Miss Rebels (three commits, No. 51 national ranking) Vanderbilt Commodores (three commits, No. 55 national ranking) Missouri Tigers (two commits, No. 65 national ranking) Kentucky Wildcats (on3 commit, No. 72 national ranking) Follow UGAWire on Instagram! This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Where is UGA football in SEC recruiting rankings after decommitment
