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Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UCF tackle Paul Rubelt a perfect ‘ambassador' for the Knights
For a brief moment, it felt as though time had come to a standstill. Three oranges hovered in the air, nearly in sync, thanks to the efforts of UCF's Paul Rubelt, who was attempting to juggle the fruit. But just as quickly as they danced along their intended arcs, the oranges slipped from the grasp of the 6-foot-11, 330-pound offensive lineman, bouncing to the floor below. The laughter that erupted was unmistakably Rubelt's, accompanied by a wide, beaming smile stretching across his face. This juggling act took place on the field at The Star during Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas, on July 8. In many respects, it marked a significant milestone for the fifth-year senior, who was making his debut at the media event. 'I get to represent UCF, and I value that and it's awesome. It's a positive experience,' Rubelt told the Orlando Sentinel. His trademark positivity is always on display, whether it's juggling fruit or talking about football. 'I like being a kind person. People are too serious sometimes. There's a time and place and I can be serious, but why not laugh? Life's too short to have a frown on your face,' Rubelt said. Rubelt was one of four seniors in attendance for media days, along with running back Myles Montgomery, linebacker Keli Lawson and defensive end Nyjalik Kelly. The group of Knights spent much of their time speaking to the media about the expectations facing a team that features more than 70 new faces to start the season. While Montgomery, Lawson and Kelly are relative newcomers to the program, Rubelt has been the one constant, having played for three different coaches: Josh Heupel, Gus Malzahn and now Scott Frost. 'I liked Coach Malzahn and I love Coach Frost,' Rubelt explains. 'He's an awesome guy who is very personable.' Despite having only known Rubelt for a short seven months, Frost has nothing but kind words for his starting tackle. 'He's almost like an ambassador for UCF,' Frost said during media days. 'He has been here six years. He's a great human being. He's fun to be around every day. I love everything he stands for, and I've seen him improve even more than he was last year during my short time at UCF.' Rubelt's time at UCF has been one filled with patience. Born in Frankfurt-Oder, Germany, Rubelt wasn't naturally drawn to American football. After 11 years of competitive swimming, he lost his passion for the sport but soon discovered a new interest: football. 'Football is where I really flourish,' Rubelt said. 'It doesn't matter your body size or appearance; everyone has a role, and I fit in really well.' After attending several football camps in the U.S., Rubelt was encouraged to pursue the sport. 'People suggested I email coaches, but I didn't consider it. I'm from Germany and not a lifelong competitor like American kids. However, after trying it at a camp, a coach encouraged me to give it a try. I gave it a shot, and eventually, I got picked up by UCF.' After arriving in Orlando in 2020, Rubelt quickly found himself balancing multiple roles on the offensive line and special teams. During this time, he worked hard to deepen his understanding of the game. 'I struggled a lot with football, learning the schematics. I had a very small football IQ, I would say, and that has drastically increased and improved,' he said. During his inaugural season, he formed a close friendship with teammate McKenzie Milton, who was recovering from a severe knee injury that nearly cost him his leg. After multiple surgeries and extensive rehab, Milton returned to lead the scout team as quarterback. It was in this setting that Rubelt and Milton's friendship took root. 'I remember his last day before he transferred [to Florida State], I walked up to him and asked, 'Hey, dude, can I get an autograph on my helmet?'' Rubelt recalled. 'I knew McKenzie was the guy at UCF from when Frost was here. He was always kind to me.' Five years later, the two would once again reunite with Milton returning to take over as quarterbacks coach under Frost. 'I always have to remind myself, he's my coach,' Rubelt said with a smile. 'But he's always KZ to me.' 'Paul is like a 10th-year senior, isn't he?' Milton joked earlier this year. Rubelt's career continued to flourish, stepping into the starting right tackle role last season. He took part in 815 snaps, tied for the most on the team with Adrian Medley and Amari Kight. As the only returning starter this season, Rubelt figures to play a prominent role in the offense. When not on the football field or in the classroom, where he is working towards his second degree in kinesiology, Rubelt can be found working on his car, a white 2010 Crown Victoria that he purchased from a police auction in Hillsborough County. He takes regular trips to junkyards across Central Florida, searching for parts to help maintain the sedan. While he enjoys his time with his teammates and friends, Rubelt especially enjoys the solitude that he can find under the hood of his car. The start of fall camp next week is another reminder that Rubelt's time at UCF is slowly winding down. 'Every time, I've been thinking that this is my last winter conditioning. This is my last spring ball. It's a little bit emotional, especially when you have great teammates and you're not going to be able to play with them next year. That's unfortunate, but I'm taking as much in as possible,' he said. Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@ Sign up for the Sentinel's Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch This 'Terrifyingly Sexy' 'America's Got Talent' Danger Act Win a Golden Buzzer Their Second Time Around
Watch This 'Terrifyingly Sexy' 'America's Got Talent' Danger Act Win a Golden Buzzer Their Second Time Around originally appeared on Parade. After not making it to the finale on America's Got Talent in 2019, the Messoudi Brothers went home and developed a new danger act, so they could return to the AGT stage just in time for the show's landmark 20th season with its new composite of judges: Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, Mel B and Sofia Vergara. Their initial Messoudi Brothers act was a balancing act, not knives, and this time around only two of the three brothers competed -- Karim and Soffien, while brother Yassin remained at home. 'There are still three of us,' Soffien explained, 'We left our brother at home. He decided to sit this one out because he has two children at home and he does some time off every now and then. We still work together but we are trying something new that's quite a lot more dangerous than what we did last time.' 🎬 🎬 The new act consisted of juggling knives that the brothers threw at each other but also stripping down to their skivvies while juggling and then getting dressed again. 'It was breathtaking,' Simon said. 'That may have been the only time I liked a juggling act. I'm being serious. It felt different and we always say, this show relies on moments and that's what I call a moment. Big time.' 'It's incredibly dangerous,' Howie said. 'I ripped a hole in my jacket,' Karim told him. 'That's why I couldn't get my arm back in.' Related: 'This act was spectacular, no?' Sofia said. 'And to see how hard it was because I felt you had a little bit of trouble trying. That made it even better. We realized how hard it is.' "Well, can I just say, having seen you before, I didn't think you'd be able to top it,' Mel B said. Then she joked, "It was really frightening to watch you take [your clothes] off, which has never happened before that I've been scared of that, but then I was that scared for you to put them back on." She then jumped up and said, 'I do want to say one thing to you,' when she was interrupted by Sofia shouting, "No!" But Mel B went on, 'I think you are perfect,' and she hit the Golden Buzzer, sending the Messoudi Brothers directly to the Live Shows. Related: While everyone cheered, Sofia told Simon, 'I was going to do it.' Backstage, Mel B told host Terry Crews that the brothers act was "terrifyingly sexy." Meanwhile Sofia was still complaining, 'I was going to do it. That was my Golden Buzzer.' When asked by Simon why she didn't get there earlier, Sofia explained, 'She did it out of nowhere. She took it away.' America's Got Talent airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Streams next day on This 'Terrifyingly Sexy' 'America's Got Talent' Danger Act Win a Golden Buzzer Their Second Time Around first appeared on Parade on Jun 4, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I've visited EVERY country in the world… here are the ones I would NEVER go back to
A man who has visited every country in the world has shared the ones he'd never go back to... and the hidden gems that he believes are overlooked. Luca Pferdmenges, 23, who is originally from Germany, started traveling when he was just 14 years old. An avid juggler, he would jet off to various cities in Europe to perform at juggling conventions, and along the way, he developed a fierce passion for exploring the globe. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and his juggling career came to a halt, he decided that once the world opened back up, he was going to start traveling full-time. He then made it his goal to visit every country on the planet, and just five years later, he's now spent time in all 195 of them. Now, he has broken down which countries are 'overrated' and which are hidden gems exclusively with the Daily Mail. He admitted that he wouldn't recommend 'small island destinations' that don't offer much except nice beaches and resorts because they are 'boring' to him. He also said he was not a fan of Egypt because he felt like he was 'constantly getting hassled' when he was there. 'Often, I find small island destinations quite overrated, places that have nothing besides pretty beaches,' he explained. 'I would argue that the lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean are probably the most overrated places in the world. 'They do have good parties and nice beaches, but not much more than that. 'I would make an exception for [the Caribbean island] Dominica, which is one of the most fascinating countries for me. 'Other overrated places would be the Maldives (again not much besides beaches), or Egypt (because as a visitor one constantly gets hassled).' As for places he loved that aren't that well known, he said he was impressed with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. 'They are very affordable, super hospitable, and have amazing nature,' he gushed. 'In Europe, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Estonia are underrated destinations,' added the travel pro. 'Most people don't know anything about those countries, yet they are some of the most beautiful places I have been to.' Over the course of his travels, Luca admitted that he was put into some very dangerous and even life-threatening situations. He recalled a time that he was teaching in Afghanistan in 2020 when a 'shooting' occurred on the street he was staying on. 'Luckily I was inside and nothing happened,' he added. 'Another morning, we wanted to visit a park [but] I was told that the park had been subject to a bomb attack by the Taliban.' Another 'scary' incident occurred in Papua New Guinea. 'I was walking through the streets of Port Moresby when a police jeep stopped me. He said, "Don't walk past here,"' Luca shared. 'I decided to trust him and enter his police jeep. Two minutes later, we witnessed a car robbery right where I was about to walk through. 'Being a police officer, he opened his door, took his shotgun and fired warning shots. I was very afraid in that situation. The avid traveler, who says he lives off his social media income, estimated that he's spent around $116,000 on travel expenses over the last five years 'What if the attackers opened fire at us? What if there were other people in the bush behind us? 'I was in the back of the police jeep - an obvious target - but luckily nothing happened.' In the end, he admitted that he wouldn't recommend living full-time on the road like him to others. He said, 'You're almost never home, don't see friends and family a lot and it's also a very expensive endeavor' Luca said despite the terrifying incidents he has tried to give every country a chance throughout his quest to visit all of them. 'I could not say, "I don't like the country," "I don't like the politics," or, "I'm too afraid to go,"' he explained. 'I had had to visit every single country in the world, and that's what made the mission so special.' Luca has documented his journey on Instagram and TikTok, where he's racked up more than 256,000 and 3.1 million followers respectfully. The avid traveler, who says he lives off his social media income, estimated that he's spent around $116,000 on travel expenses over the last five years. In the end, he admitted that he wouldn't recommend living full-time on the road like him to others. 'I wouldn't recommend it because one does give up a lot for [this lifestyle],' Luca said. 'You're almost never home, don't see friends and family a lot and it's also a very expensive endeavor. 'That said, I'm very grateful that I could afford the travels with social media and it does give me an insane amount of freedom.'
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I've visited EVERY country in the world… here is the travel hack that saved me THOUSANDS
A man who has visited every country in the world has shared a travel hack that has saved him thousands of dollars. Luca Pferdmenges, 23, who is originally from Germany, started traveling when he was just 14. An avid juggler, he would jet off to various cities in Europe to perform at juggling conventions, and along the way, he developed a fierce passion for exploring the globe. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and his juggling career came to a halt, he decided that once the world opened back up, he was going to start traveling full-time. He then made it his goal to visit every country on the planet, and just five years later, he's now spent time in all 195 of them. After taking hundreds of flights and staying at hotels, Airbnbs, and hostels all around the world, Luca has wracked up a slew of travel tips for making the experience easier. He's also uncovered a method that he insists has saved him a ton of money. He explained during a recent chat with the Daily Mail that he 'creates his own layovers' when he's traveling, and it's cut the cost of flights down immensely. 'Often, you can travel a lot cheaper by searching from [your location] to [all destinations] (like on a meta search engine like Skyscanner),' he explained. 'And then you go step by step through the cheapest results and try to 'connect' them to another flight. 'So maybe the cheapest flight was to Budapest, then you open another tab and search in Budapest to everywhere. 'Often you will already see connections that were previously very expensive [for much cheaper]. That was one of the best tricks that enabled me to travel very cheaply.' He also said he's saved money by traveling 'off season' and staying in 'hostels' rather than hotels. 'Often, accommodation is the biggest expense in a country,' he explained. And if you do decide to stay in a hotel and you're heading to a big city with tons of options, he said it's best to wait until last minute because they might offer you a good deal to fill up an empty room. 'Often in the big [cities] you can find last minute same-day deals. In those places, there is so much competition among good hotels,' he said. He explained during a recent chat with the Daily Mail that he 'creates his own layovers' when he's traveling, and it's cut the cost of flights down immensely Luca also recommended investing in airport lounge access, whether that means signing up for a credit card or joining an airline loyalty program 'And before a room stays empty all night, they will lower the price throughout the day. I have stayed in five-star hotels in Dubai for 20 euros per person.' Luca also recommended investing in airport lounge access, whether that means signing up for a credit card or joining an airline loyalty program. 'You effectively get a free all-you-can eat at every airport, saving a lot of money on food,' he explained. Lastly, he said it's vital to 'pack as little as possible' since checking a bag often comes with a hefty fee. 'Most of my travels I have done with one backpack only,' shared the travel pro. 'It's lighter, cheaper and more convenient. 'You will never have to wait for your luggage and you're also more flexible.' Luca has documented his journey on Instagram and TikTok, where he's racked up more than 256,000 and 3.1 million followers respectfully. The avid traveler, who says he lives off his social media income, estimated that he's spent around $116,000 on travel expenses over the last five years. In the end, he admitted that he wouldn't recommend living full-time on the road like him to others. He said, 'You're almost never home and it's also a very expensive endeavor' In the end, he admitted that he wouldn't recommend living full-time on the road like him to others. 'I wouldn't recommend it because one does give up a lot for [this lifestyle],' Luca said. 'You're almost never home, don't see friends and family a lot and it's also a very expensive endeavor. 'That said, I'm very grateful that I could afford the travels with social media and it does give me an insane amount of freedom.'
CTV News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Circus Spectacular brings international performers to Dartmouth, N.S.
Performers are pictured on stage at Canada Circus Spectacular inside the Zatzman Sportsplex in Dartmouth, N.S., on June 15, 2025. Circus performers hit the highwire in Dartmouth, N.S., this weekend. Canada Circus Spectacular was at the Zatzman Sportsplex for two shows Sunday afternoon. This was just one stop in the 90-show summer program. 'It takes a lot honestly. Early mornings and sometimes late nights. At the beginning we had to learn how to put this up and take it down faster,' says spokesperson, Aaron Ketchum. face paint A woman is pictured painting a child's face at Canada Circus Spectacular inside the Zatzman Sportsplex in Dartmouth, N.S., on June 15, 2025. The travelling show is bringing its international cast of performers to shows all over the Maritimes. 'We've got juggling, we've got clowns, we've got acrobats, we've got FMX riders, the globe of destiny, you can see there,' Ketchum says. Canada Circus Spectacular is in Bridgewater for two shows tomorrow before heading to Amherst for a single show Tuesday. The productions will then move on to its New Brunswick performances with dates across the province from June 18 to 25. juggler A juggler is pictured on stage at Canada Circus Spectacular inside the Zatzman Sportsplex in Dartmouth, N.S., on June 15, 2025. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
