The Daily Valet. - 11/7/23, Tuesday
✔️ Something Old Yet New
Tuesday, November 7th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Remember to vote today if you've got an election in your state.
Today’s Big Story
Flag Football Comes to the Olympics
There are a number of NFL stars whose speed and agility make them ideal candidates for the sport making its debut in 2028
New Olympic sports get me excited. We tend to think only of the classic athletic disciplines when it comes to the world's greatest sporting competition, but there are always sports coming and going with each Olympiad. For instance, this summer, the Paris Games will introduce surfing and break dancing.And in 2028, when the Olympics are brought back to Los Angeles for the third time (after hosting in 1932 and '84), flag football will officially be one of five new sports added to the Olympic program, joining baseball/softball, cricket, lacrosse and squash. “The choice of these five new sports is in line with the American sports culture and will showcase iconic American sports to the world, while bringing international sports to the United States. These sports will make the Olympic Games LA28 unique,” IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement. “Their inclusion will allow the Olympic Movement to engage with new athlete and fan communities in the U.S. and globally.”As soon as the announcement was made, the sports world started talking ... would NFL players be interested in competing at the Olympics? And could they successfully play a no-contact version? What would an NFL-studded flag football roster look like in 2028?Sports Illustrated provided a quick primer: In the format under the International Federation of American Football, which will be adopted for the Olympics, teams feature 12-player rosters, and games are played five-on-five. There are no offensive or defensive lines, and quarterbacks can't rush past the line of scrimmage with the ball unless they receive a handoff. Offenses generally feature a quarterback, a center who snaps the ball and then becomes a receiver, and three wide receiver/running back types, while defenses feature a rusher, two cornerbacks and two safeties.Beloved MVP Patrick Mahomes has his sights set on that medal podium, announcing last week that he'd love to play Team USA. “But I've seen some of those guys play the flag football,” he said. “They're a little faster than I am. I know there's not like linemen blocking for you. I'll be 31, 32 years old. So if I can still move around then, I'm going to try to get out there.” Star Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons also proudly declared he would compete, and Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill and Broncos corner Patrick Surtain II indicated their willingness to form a superteam.
FYI:
Both the men’s and women’s teams won gold at the IFAF Americas Continental Flag Football Championship in July.
Trump Testifies in Civil Fraud Trial
THe Former President sparred with New York judge, denied he committed fraud and called the trial “very unfair”
On Monday, former President Donald Trump took the witness stand to answer questions over his knowledge of fraudulent financial statements filed by the Trump Organization. It marked the first time the former president is testifying on the allegations in one of his ongoing legal cases. Described as “defiant, brash, unrepentant and rambling,” his testimony prompted the judge at one point to threaten to cut his testimony short, saying “This is not a political rally.”The judge in the case has already found that Trump committed fraud by intentionally overvaluing his assets to secure more favorable financial terms. The judge has also moved to cancel Trump's business certifications in the state. The trial is to determine any additional actions the judge might take and what penalties Trump and the others could face—including $250 million in fines.On the stand, Trump claimed that there was effectively no victim here: “There was no loss of money. [The banks] made a lot of money, and everyone is trying to figure out why you're doing it.” But a prosecution witness last week testified that Trump would have paid much higher interests rates if he hadn't exaggerated his wealth, saving Trump and costing the banks about $168 million—money the Attorney General Letitia James has labeled ill-gotten gains. James' legal team plans to call Ivanka Trump, who is not a defendant, to the stand on Wednesday as their last witness after taking a break Tuesday for Election Day. After that, they plan on closing their case. Trump's legal team will begin their defense next week, with the goal of being done by mid-December.
Meanwhile:
The 14th Amendment challenges to Trump's candidacy are likely Supreme Court bound.
A “Tactical Pause”
Biden and Netanyahu discuss the possibility of a pause in Gaza for civilian safety and potential hostage releases
On Monday, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed “the possibility of tactical pauses” to allow for safe civilian departures from “areas of ongoing fighting” in Gaza, according to a statement from the White House. The goal would also be “to ensure assistance is reaching civilians in need, and to enable potential hostage releases.”So far, Netanyahu has rejected any calls for a humanitarian pause, saying any temporary ceasefire agreement must include the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. But White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that because the Biden administration believes there is value in humanitarian pauses, it will continue discussing the issue with Israeli officials.Israel's military said on Monday that its troops had encircled Gaza City, effectively splitting the Gaza Strip in half. According to the Associated Press, casualties are likely to rise sharply as the war turns to close urban combat. Already, the Palestinian death toll surpassed 10,000, the Health Ministry of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip said Monday. The ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians. Also on Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his tour of the Middle East, stopping in Turkey in hopes of preventing the war from expanding into a regional conflict while trying to shape what things may look like once the war is over.
Meanwhile:
The war is stirring up divisive conversations at work, creating stress for both workers and those in charge.
Is the Great Sriracha Shortage Over?
It appears so ... for now, anyway. But do the new bottles really taste different than the old recipe?
If reports are to be believed, our long national nightmare is over. After countless headlines over empty store shelves, California-based factory shut-downs, and bottles rising to astronomical prices on the black market, the Sriracha shortage that had left us bland and bored has shown signs of easing.The fire red sauce is being restocked on store shelves. The California-based Huy Fong told LAist that it has indeed resumed production of the sauce “about two to three months ago.” People are already celebrating and posting their enthusiasm for the return on social media. But many are now claiming that the sauce tastes different, leading many to wonder if the brand changed recipes or were forced to alter the ingredients.More recent comments on Reddit expressed similar sentiments. One user said their local supermarket is selling the old and new bottles at different prices. “This new one is more orange, sweet and spicier. The original is more red, thicker and has that OG taste,” one user described. “Definitely not the same.” One chef told LAist that they did a staff taste test with an old and new bottle and reported a change in flavor. In fact, she says she had to readjust her recipes because the sauce no longer tasted the same, and multiple dishes used the sauce in it. But none of her customers has brought up the issue—they're simply happy to have the bottles back on the table.
FYI:
If you still can’t find the rooster bottle anywhere, there are some pretty solid alternatives. Here’s a ranking of the ten best.
In Other News
Scientists say it dates back to 470 million years after the Big Bang.
Have you heard about ...
What Your Dad Really Wants
Nearly two dozen options for your old man, young dad or any father who's young at heart
Dads can be tough to shop for. They say they don't need much, right? Either they're simple creatures without many needs or they're just not the type of guys who treat themselves to whatever they want. But on the bright side, that means you could probably get him something he'd really like. You just need to think about what your father, or your partner or perhaps someone dad-like in your life likes to do and how he prefers to spend his time. From a classic sweatshirt or modern house shoes to some impressive tech and a mechanical watch, we've got a lot of your bases covered.
Clockwise, from top left to right:
Noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones, $379 / $279 by Bose; Corduroy cap, $78 by Todd Snyder; Redstone pocketknife, $89 by The James Brand and Japanese blended whisky from the barrel, $79.99 by Nikka Whisky
Clockwise, from top left to right:
Made in USA 990v4 sneaker, $209.99 by New Balance; French terry sweatshirt, $98 by Buck Mason; Ratcheting screwdriver, $19.99 by DoubleDrive and heated razor set, $150 by Gillette Labs for Art of Shaving
Want More?
Morning Motto
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