Pop star and recreational astronaut Katy Perry has found a new flame in former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in an unexpected romance that feels like a “Mad Libs” page come to life.
The “California Gurls” hitmaker and the longtime politician publicly debuted their relationship over the weekend, shutting down months of speculation. Perry, 41, and Trudeau, 53, were photographed holding hands during a date night in Paris on Saturday.
The singer, in a red body-hugging dress, and Trudeau in a black suit were seen exiting cabaret club Crazy Horse Paris, where they celebrated Perry’s birthday. Video shared by Backgrid shows Perry accepting a rose from a bystander and Trudeau placing his hand on her back as they walk to their SUV.
Perry and Trudeau first sparked relationship rumors in late July, when they were seen sharing a meal and some good conversation at an upscale restaurant in Montreal. They met up for their rendezvous, captured by TMZ, a month after Perry and “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Lord of the Rings” star Orlando Bloom ended their engagement. The former couple welcomed a daughter in 2020 and continue to co-parent.
At the time, the split with Bloom was the latest blow to Perry’s public image. Prior to their separation, the Grammy-nominated singer’s album “143” faced backlash and scathing reviews, her participation in Blue Origin‘s flashy all-female crew flight was subject to scrutiny and her Lifetimes world tour proveddivisive. Trudeau seemed to be all smiles at the latter in late July.
Fans spotted the former Canadian leader, who resigned in January after nearly a decade in power, dancing and singing at Perry’s tour stop in Montreal. Earlier this month paparazzi snapped pictures of the then-rumored couple packing on the PDA on the singer’s yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara, Perry’s hometown.
Trudeau began his romance with Perry after he and ex-wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau announced their separation in 2023. The Trudeaus were married for 18 years and share three children. Though they are legally separated, their divorce is not yet final.
Neither Trudeau nor Perry has publicly addressed their relationship, save for one cheeky comment the singer made during a concert in London this month. When a fan tried shooting his shot and proposed to the singer, she responded, “You know you really should have asked me about 48 hours ago,” seemingly referring to her yacht outing with her new beau.
Perry continues the European leg of her Lifetimes tour Monday, performing at the MVM Dome in Budapest. Information about her remaining tour stops and future gigs can be found on her website.
In four days, the Chargers’ defense went from rattled to relentless.
The Minnesota Vikings were the victims, unable to move the ball Thursday night against a unit that looked shaky and unsure of itself in a humbling loss to Indianapolis the previous Sunday.
That, along with the consistently excellent play of quarterback Justin Herbert and a solid ground attack, paved the way for a 37-10 victory by the Chargers before a national audience.
The game marked the first time the Chargers scored 30 points or more. They didn’t punt all game, something that hadn’t happened since Week 16 of 2021. They had 29 first downs to 12 by the Vikings.
The performance looked much closer to one the Chargers might have turned in last season, when they led the AFC by allowing just 18.5 points per game. In the previous three games, the Chargers had allowed an average of 30.6.
The Chargers turned in the defensive gem without the services of All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr., the team’s leading tackler who left in the first half with an ankle injury. His backup, Tony Jefferson, was hobbled by a hamstring injury, leaving the duties to rookie R.J. Mickens, who had an interception early in the fourth quarter.
The decisive victory propels the Chargers into their mini-bye on a high note, washing away some of the bad taste of three losses in the previous four weeks. Their next game is at the one-win Tennessee Titans on Nov. 2.
That means the Chargers will have more time to heal, vital for a team so banged up.
The Chargers rushed for 207 yards, the most since coach Jim Harbaugh’s first two games with the team last season. Running back Kimani Vidal ran for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert throws during the second half against the Vikings on Thursday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
The emphasis on the run was far more Harbaugh’s style than the 55 pass attempts Sunday in the 38-24 loss to the Colts, when the Chargers spent all game trying to claw their way out of a ditch.
Herbert threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns.
Minnesota was hurting at quarterback with Carson Wentz playing with a brace on his left, non-throwing shoulder. At various times, he was holding his limp arm and wincing on the sideline. He was under near-constant pressure from the Chargers’ pass rush.
Late in the fourth quarter, Wentz was leveled from the blindside by blitzers Cam Hart and Troy Dye. The quarterback lay on the ground in what looked to be excruciating pain for a moment, got up, ran to the sideline and flung his helmet in frustration.
Rookie quarterback Max Brosmer finished the game for the Vikings, who dropped to 3-4. J.J. McCarthy is nursing an injured ankle but is likely to return at quarterback soon.
Chargers safety R.J. Mickens (27) shows his excitement after intercepting a pass from Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz in the second half Thursday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Khalil Mack, wearing a brace on his injured elbow, was a nightmare for Vikings blockers and spent much of his time in the Minnesota backfield.
As well as the Chargers played, they got off to a terrible start. On their second snap, Herbert threw a short pass to his left that apparently was intercepted by diving cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and returned for an 18-yard touchdown.
The play was nullified, however, when replays showed the football move when Rodgers hit the ground before climbing to his feet.
Having survived that scare, the Chargers took advantage of their new life with a 14-play drive capped by an eight-yard touchdown reception by rookie Oronde Gadsden II.
Herbert has been pressured and hit more than any NFL quarterback, yet he got much better protection Thursday night, thanks in no small part to the return of left tackle Joe Alt.
Also key was the ball carrying of Vidal, promoted from the practice squad in Week 6 because of injuries to the top two Chargers running backs, Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton. Herbert got some big yardage on scrambles as well.
Vidal would score a touchdown in the second quarter, as would Ladd McConkey, and the Chargers had a 21-3 lead at halftime.
In a bit of near-synchronicity, this came four days after the Chargers trailed Indianapolis, 23-3, at halftime.
Just about everything went well for the home team in the first two quarters, with Herbert completing 14 of 18 passes for 191 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The only blemish was an errant 49-yard attempt by kicker Cameron Dicker, his first miss of the season.
Every team needs a punt or two and Kluivert is one.
The Dutchman started his first game of the season last week and you’d expect him to be a first-choice player moving forward.
I’m backing his form from last season here, where he was FPL gold with 12 goals and six assists – as well as the juicy match-up
He should still be Bournemouth’s penalty taker too.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, £8.9m – Brighton (h)
It’s interesting to see that Fernandes has dropped in price and it’s probably because FPL managers lost faith when he missed his second penalty of the season at Brentford.
But Fernandes doesn’t normally miss those and, had he scored both, he’d be the clear second-highest midfield points scorer this season behind Semenyo.
Ifs and buts, of course, but every weekend he has so many paths to points.
Fernandes has made 22 key passes – five more than any other player – has taken 18 shots, four big chances and missed out on defcon twice by just a point.
Cody Gakpo, Liverpool, £7.5m – Brentford (a)
With Mohamed Salah underperforming, Gakpo is much cheaper and just as effective as a route into the Liverpool attack.
He could have had a hat-trick on Sunday against Manchester United and, if you are a fan of underlying data like me, look at these stats.
Gakpo is top or joint-top among Liverpool players for:
Shots (21)
Shots in the box (15)
Goals (3)
xG (2.86)
Assists (2)
Key passes (17)
Expected assists (1.43)
At some point Liverpool will click, and Gakpo is likely to play a part when they do.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Chargers leaned on a lot of backups Sunday, but with the game against the Miami Dolphins on the line, they turned to Mr. Reliable.
Cameron Dicker kicked a 35-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to lift his team to a 29-27 win, the final points in a game that included six lead changes.
It was the fifth field goal of the day for Dicker, who has never missed from 40 yards or closer.
Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. clinched the win with an interception on the final play, Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s third pick of the day.
The sparse crowd had erupted minutes earlier when Tagovailoa hit Darren Waller for a seven-yard touchdown, reclaiming the lead with 46 seconds on the clock.
But Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert answered with a lightning-quick drive downfield to set up the winning field goal.
The Chargers, ravaged by injuries, effectively leaned on their reserves to help pave the way for their first victory in three weeks.
Reserve running back Kimani Vidal rushed for 124 yards and turned a short pass into a touchdown. He was promoted from the practice squad last Wednesday after the Chargers lost rookie first-round pick Omarion Hampton to an ankle injury. Earlier this season, the team lost veteran running back Najee Harris to a torn Achilles tendon.
Chargers running back Kimani Vidal scores a touchdown in the third quarter Sunday against the Dolphins.
(Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
The performance marked the first 100-yard game by Vidal, drafted in the sixth round out of Troy University by the Chargers in 2024.
It was the second consecutive week the 1-5 Dolphins were burned by a little-known running back, as Carolina’s Rico Dowdle trampled them for 206 yards in Week 5. Miami came into the game with the NFL’s worst run defense.
On Sunday, the Chargers made seven trips to the red zone but failed to make the most of those, with two touchdowns and five field goals.
Giving the visiting defense all it could handle was Miami’s De’Von Archane, who had a 49-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a four-yarder in the fourth. The Dolphins repeatedly fed him the ball down the stretch and scored on the touchdown catch by Waller, but they couldn’t hold off Herbert’s final drive.
Stopping the run has been an issue for the Chargers, too, as Washington’s Jacory Croskey-Merritt ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns against them the week before.
The Chargers won their first three games of the season, running the table against AFC West opponents, but lost the next two games at the New York Giants and home against the Washington Commanders.
Not only had the Chargers lost their two top running backs, but they have had to reshuffle their offensive line multiple times because of injuries. They have designed their offense to get the ball out of Justin Herbert’s hands quickly, as he has been hit more than any quarterback in the league this season.
That was the case in the first half of Sunday’s game as well, as Herbert was hit four times — and sacked once — by the Dolphins, who registered just 18 quarterback hits in the first five games combined.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambles during the second half against the Dolphins.
(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
But the Chargers came alive in the second half, overcoming a 13-9 halftime deficit, with a five-yard touchdown reception by Ladd McConkey, a seven-yard scoring catch by Vidal, and a fourth field goal by Dicker.
The Chargers, without injured receiver Quentin Johnston, leaned more heavily into rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II, whose father played receiver for the Dolphins for six seasons.
The younger Gadsden caught seven passes Sunday but also had a fumble that set up Achane’s first touchdown.
The Washington Commanders barged into SoFi Stadium on Sunday and handed the Chargers their second consecutive defeat — a 27-10 spirit crusher — coming on the heels of an upset of coach Jim Harbaugh’s team by the winless New York Giants a week before.
The visitors iced the win with a 13-play, 99-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard, blitz-beating touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Deebo Samuel. That had thousands of blue-clad fans streaming for the exits.
The game had been decided before that. A pivotal play came with 7 minutes, 40 seconds remaining and the Chargers looking to cut into Washington’s 10-point lead.
On third-and-goal from the 4, Justin Herbert dropped back and fired a pass for the sure-handed Keenan Allen. The ball was tipped by Jer’Zhan Newton and intercepted at the goal line by cornerback Mike Sainristil. Threat neutralized.
That blunted a drive that started with a masterful defensive play, a tackle by Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart, who pried the ball loose from Washington running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt — who was having a tremendous game — then recovered the fumble.
The play hinted at a dramatic comeback by the lurching Chargers (3-2), a team still looking to find its groove. Much like their season so far, the Chargers started strong then faded.
Washington wide receiver Deebo Samuel scores on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels in the fourth quarter of the Commanders’ 27-10 win Sunday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
They jumped out to a 10-0 lead against the Commanders before surrendering 27 unanswered points with the game torturously slipping away from the Chargers in the second half.
Their kryptonite was rookie Croskey-Merritt, who tore off some gains longer than his last name. The seventh-round pick from Arizona finished with a combined 150 yards in 14 carries and two catches.
He had touchdown runs of 15 and five yards around the left side that befuddled a Chargers defense that had played so well to this point. This was a Commanders offense missing star receiver Terry McLaurin, and with Daniels ostensibly limited by a sprained knee and bulky brace.
Daniels did some scrambling, however, and mobile quarterbacks historically have given this defense problems. The onetime star from Cajon High in San Bernardino threw for 231 yards and ran for 39.
Heading into the game, the primary concern of the Chargers offense was protecting Herbert, who was pressured on 46 drop backs in the first four games, more than any quarterback in the NFL, according to TruMedia. He was facing a defense Sunday that includes future Hall of Famers Von Miller and Bobby Wagner.
Washington players celebrate after cornerback Mike Sainristil intercepts a pass intended for Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen in the fourth quarter Sunday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Herbert creates problems for defenses with his arm and legs. On the third play from scrimmage, he broke loose on a run up the middle and picked up 41 yards.
The opening drive appeared to end with a 29-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker, but the Chargers got new life with an offsides call on Washington. That afforded the Chargers a first-and-goal at the six, and two plays later, Herbert found Ladd McConkey with a two-yard pass for a touchdown.
Allen caught five passes, becoming the 16th receiver in NFL history to accumulate 1,000 career receptions. He came into Sunday’s game needing two catches to hit that milestone, and he did that in fewer games than anyone (159), compared with the prior record-holder Marvin Harrison (167).
Herbert is playing behind a patchwork offensive line, as the team lost left tackle Rashawn Slater in training camp — 10 days after making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in history — then lost replacement Joe Alt to a high-ankle sprain in the first quarter of a Week 4 loss at the Giants.
Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey celebrates after scoring his first touchdown of the season in the first quarter Sunday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Right guard Mekhi Becton returned from a concussion that sidelined him for the Giants game, but Sunday sustained a hand injury. What’s more, right tackle Trey Pipkins III hobbled off the field in the second quarter with a banged-up knee. It was a true MASH unit.
This has been a roller coaster season for the Chargers, a microcosm of which happened at the end of the first half.
The Commanders were punting from their own end zone and put the ball in the hands of Chargers returner McConkey, who weaved his way to the end zone for an apparent touchdown.
That jubilation didn’t last long for the Chargers, as they were flagged for roughing the punter, giving the visitors a first down. No sooner did the defense get back onto the field than Daniels connected on a 50-yard heave to Luke McCaffrey, younger brother of San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey.
Two plays later, Samuel picked up 22 yards on a reception for Washington (3-2), setting up a field goal that forged a 10-10 tie the teams took into halftime.
The Commanders carried that momentum into the third quarter when, with a combination of receptions and runs by Croskey-Merritt, they worked their way downfield for the go-ahead touchdown.
What started as musical chairs is beginning to sound like a sad trombone.
There’s only so many times you can reshuffle an offensive line before it has a ripple effect on the entire football team. The Chargers are reminded of that now as they head into Sunday’s game with the Washington Commanders hoping — as opposed to knowing — they can provide adequate protection for quarterback Justin Herbert.
After reaching a comfortable cruising altitude with victories over three consecutive AFC West foes, the team is headed for a patch of severe turbulence.
The outstanding Joe Alt, who stepped in at left tackle after Rashawn Slater’s season-ending knee injury, is nursing a high ankle sprain and will not play against Washington. Right guard Mekhi Becton is coming off a concussion and is listed as questionable. So they’re a month into the season and the offensive line is a stitched-together hodgepodge that couldn’t handle the defensive front of the New York Giants last week.
“It’s like the Cinderella story at some point,” said Duke Manyweather, widely respected offensive line expert. “You know when that clock hits midnight that carriage is going to turn into a pumpkin. You don’t have an answer. You kind of saw that against New York.”
That’s not to say the situation is hopeless. Teams have lost key offensive linemen before, and there are different ways to compensate for that. But it’s a quandary for Jim Harbaugh, maybe the biggest since taking over as coach before last season. Heading into training camp this summer, the offensive line was a strength of the team, with Slater at left tackle and Alt on the right.
The Chargers didn’t do a lot to upgrade the interior of their line, a liability in January’s playoff loss at Houston, but signing Becton was a step in the right direction. He was a solid run blocker for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles last season.
Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt (76) will not play on Sunday because of a high ankle sprain. It’s unclear when he might return.
(Al Bello / Getty Images)
Becton sustained a concussion in the Week 3 win over Denver and missed the Giants game. He remained in the concussion protocol this week, and his status for Sunday’s game is unclear. He was back at practice Wednesday wearing a yellow no-contact jersey as a precaution.
Communication among the linemen is key.
“Especially with new guys, you have to speak it out for a while before you get to that point of unspoken communication,” right tackle Trey Pipkins III said. “Once you’ve played next to someone for a long time, you know what they want and what they’re going to do. Until then, it’s about over-communicating everything at the line so everybody’s on the same page.”
It’s unclear when Alt might return after the second-year player was carted off to the locker room against the Giants and watched the second half on the sideline in street clothes and a walking boot. The tackle wore that boot all week.
The Chargers are on their third left tackle in Austin Deculus, who bounced around the league and started one game in the past three seasons, second right tackle and second right guard.
Chargers offensive linemen, including Jamaree Salyer (68) and Bradley Bozeman (75), stand on the field during a win over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 21.
(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
“At some point you’re starting to play people you haven’t even prepared to really be in there, much less their physical talents,” said Andrew Whitworth, retired All-Pro left tackle and now an analyst for Amazon’s “Thursday Night Football.” “They’re still trying to figure out the offense, the terminology, and they’ve never played beside the guy they’re next to. The war of attrition really starts to take its toll.”
What that does is test the creativity of Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman to devise ways to fortify the line and protect Herbert without whittling away too many offensive options. They can keep a running back in the backfield to help out with protection, for instance, or add an extra tight end for blocking. But that also handcuffs what the offense can do.
“Sure, you can chip with a back or keep an H-back in there,” Whitworth said. “But then you’ve got fewer guys in the route, you’re holding the ball longer, and now the interior linemen are under even more pressure. You can get by for a few snaps, but you can’t live there.”
In the past two games, Herbert has been pressured in 46 dropbacks, more than any quarterback in the league, according to TruMedia.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked during a win over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 21.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Herbert expressed confidence this week in some of the lesser-known players blocking for him.
“They’re guys that have seen big football games and guys that played in national championships and huge games like that,” he said. “Maybe it’s new to them for the NFL, but they’ve played in big football games before.”
It’s easy to get carried away with what all of this means. The Chargers are 3-1 and atop their division, and are coming off a 21-18 defeat to the previously winless Giants, whose pass rush is a strength of their team. What’s more, the Chargers had to make those line adjustments in the heat of the action, as opposed to having a week of practice to work with the reconfigured line.
The season is young. Teams have overcome these types of challenges before. The Rams had to reshuffle their line on multiple occasions last season and wound up coming close to knocking off the Eagles and advancing to the NFC championship game.
Still, the next few weeks will be illuminating for the Chargers.
“We’re going to learn about the depth of this team,” said Manyweather, founder of OL Masterminds, which trains offensive linemen of all levels.
“We’re going to learn about the coaching. And we’re probably going to learn even more about Justin Herbert and his ability to create and carry the team.”
We’ll also learn if a pumpkin can turn back into a carriage.
Times writer Benjamin Royer contributed to this report.
Deaves picked up from where he left off last season, impressing in Ospreys’ opening round defeat to Bulls in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
And Jones believes that continued good form has put him in Wales contention.
“I’d be surprised if he [Deaves] is not in the international conversation right now,” said Jones.
“If you look at his post-contact metres, he’s the highest in our squad. He beats defenders and wins collisions in his own way, not just with brute force.
“He’s got a good skillset and is super aggressive. They’re all the traits you associate with an international player.”
Deaves, who still coaches at his hometown club of Pontyclun, said a Wales call would be reward for defying the odds during his early career.
“I was a late developer and playing in a tough position, always being called too small and stuff like that,” said 5ft 11in (1.80m) Deaves.
“The size of my heart had to take over sometimes and I’d like to say that still carries on now.
“It’s about making my village proud, I love representing my village and giving back to my family. [But] I just need to focus on where I am right now.”
Surprise! The 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival lineup is out and it’s topped by pop stars.
Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G will headline the twin weekends of the festival, which return to the Empire Polo Club in Indio April 10-12 and 17-19, 2026.
Other notable acts include elder statesmen such as Iggy Pop, David Byrne and Devo, rock acts including the Strokes and Turnstile, pop star Addison Rae, Laufey, EDM superstar Kaskade, rapper Young Thug and dozens of others.
The bottom of the festival poster also announces something called “The Bunker Debut of Radiohead Kid A Mnesia.” The British rock band Radiohead recently announced European tour dates.
Also at the bottom of the poster, which has become a place for the festival to announce special engagements, is the world premiere of Anyma’s “Æden.” Anyma, the project of producer and artist Matteo Miller, was the first electronic act to headline Sphere in Las Vegas.
At the top of the poster for Friday, listed between the XX and Disclosure is an act called Nine Inch Noize. German producer Boys Noize joined Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails’ on the band’s recent tour and also labeled a live collaboration as Nine Inch Noize System on Instagram.
Since its inception in 1999, Coachella has included a diverse range of musical styles, but also less-than-expected acts, such as the colorful monsters of the show Yo Gabba Gabba! and the L.A. Phil earlier this year. For 2026, another beloved L.A. institution is on the bill: Bob Baker Marionettes, of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, are listed on the poster for Friday.
Coachella has given a spotlight to some of the world’s biggest K-pop and J-pop acts in recent years and in 2026 acts including Bigbang, Fujii Kaze, and Taemin.
The 2026 edition is also a makeup show of sorts for FKA Twigs, who had to cancel her 2025 North American tour, including stops at Coachella, due to visa issues. Promoter Goldenvoice has traditionally released the festival’s lineup in January, three months or so before the event.
Tickets start at $649 for a three-day pass for Weekend 1 and $549 for Weekend 2. (If you buy a 4-pack of tickets you can save $10 per pass.) VIP passes for Weekend 1 start at $1,299 and are $1,199 for Weekend 2.
New for 2026 is a group camping option, which allows people who want to camp together to arrive at different times. There’s a 10-spot minimum and a 20-spot maximum. Each camping spot is $160.
Passes go on sale to the general public at 11 a.m. Pacific on Friday, Sept. 19 at www.coachella.com.
The Chargers embracing an opposite approach in play-calling — moving away from a run-heavy philosophy — left many bemused during their season-opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil.
Justin Herbert was given free rein to showcase his arm, firing pass after pass against the defending AFC champions. This approach hinged on trust; not necessarily in Herbert’s ability, but in his receivers’ capabilities.
“It’s all about having a clear mind and trust,” Quentin Johnston said. “Trusting the play call, and then trusting yourself to get open. Trusting Justin that the ball will be in the right place when you get open.”
A byproduct of learning a new system last year, with young receivers thrust into pivotal roles, Herbert and his wideouts looked out of sync at times, whether from a lack of trust, chemistry or rhythm.
With Week 1 as a litmus test, the dynamic looked much improved, thanks to another year of bonding with Johnston and Ladd McConkey and the added reliability of a returning Keenan Allen.
“We were all really close last year and bonded well, so this is just a continuation,” McConkey said. “We know the offense. We have a year under our belt with it, and now we can play more freely, be ourselves.”
A group of “regular guys,” as McConkey puts it, the bond has only grown stronger as the connection off the field has grown through beach volleyball sets, casual board game sessions and rounds of golf.
“Everybody comes in with a positive attitude,” Johnston said. “Never a dull moment with us. Always in the meeting room, just bouncing ideas off each other. I’m having fun on the field, between plays, cracking jokes.”
Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, right, celebrates with Ladd McConkey, center, and Quentin Johnston after making a touchdown catch against the Chiefs on Sept. 5.
(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)
That camaraderie has been most vivid in times of adversity.
As a rookie in 2023, Johnston was a lightning rod for ridicule on social media for his inconsistent performances — particularly drops — with many expecting more from a former first-round pick.
But after making two touchdown catches in the best prime-time performance of his three-year career in Brazil, Johnston was showered with positivity.
Herbert called Johnston a “special player” and would continue to “find ways to get him the ball, because good things happen.” McConkey added that “there’s nobody better” when Johnston is playing with confidence.
“First thing that jumps into my mind is, ‘In your face,’” said coach Jim Harbaugh, referring to Johnston’s critics. “If I were Quentin, that’s what I’d be saying, so allow me to say it for him.”
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) celebrates with Ladd McConkey (15) and Omarion Hampton after scoring a touchdown against the Chiefs on Sept. 5.
(Buda Mendes / Getty Images)
For Johnston, support from Harbaugh and his teammates means everything to him.
“These are the guys I come to work with, and go to war with every day. So to have the main dude on the team just be there, always uplift me, it feels good.”
With Johnston, McConkey and Allen, Herbert has a formidable arsenal. The trio were targeted on 26 of his 34 pass attempts and they combined for 221 yards and three touchdowns on 20 receptions.
“Those guys, especially on third down, they came in clutch,” Herbert said. “To have Q, Ladd, Keenan, those guys make plays on third down. It’s only going to help our offense.”
When the Chargers needed an opening-drive score, Johnston hauled in a pass in the back of the end zone. With the offense looking to extend the lead before the half, McConkey made an acrobatic first-down catch. And when they needed to sustain a crucial fourth-quarter drive, Allen picked up just enough yardage to keep it alive after just scoring one of his own.
All on third down.
For Allen, clutch execution has become expected, even at 33. All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. coined the phrase “Third and Keenan,” a standout soundbite from James’ mic’d-up audio during the game.
“I was trying to express to them [the young guys] what it means having a guy like that,” James said.
From what James saw during the opener, the phrase could extend beyond Allen: “It can be ‘Third and Ladd too.’ You want to double Keenan, Ladd’s gonna do the same thing.”
With a decade more experience than the next-longest-tenured wideout, Allen has been a well of knowledge.
“He’s made a big difference,” Johnston said. “He’s a Chargers legend. So, having a guy like that to look up to and bounce ideas off is always good.”
As the group continues to feed off each other, Allen gave high praise to what could be his final receiving corps.
“I’ve been in some solid receiver rooms — this one’s right up there,” Allen said.
Sept. 12 (UPI) —Taylor Swift has agreed to sit for a deposition in the legal battle between actress Blake Lively and actor and producer Justin Baldoni, according to court documents.
Swift has agreed to the request from Baldoni’s legal team but is not available until Oct. 20, which falls beyond the Sept. 30 deadline imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman.
Lawyers for Baldoni have asked for an extension from Oct. 20 to Oct. 25 to depose Swift, who will be unavailable because of “pre-existing professional obligations.”
The 35-year-old pop icon is releasing her 12th albumThe Life of Showgirl on Oct. 3 and is “unable to do so [attend a deposition]” before the court-imposed deadline at the end of the month.
Liman has yet to rule on the extension request.
Lively, 38, is suing Baldoni, her co-star in the film adaptation of Colleen Hooover’s romantic novel It Ends With Us, for alleged sexual harassment on the movie set. Lively also contends the 41-year-old and his fellow Wayfarer Studios producers launched a smear campaign against her following the accusations.
Lively has already given a deposition in the case, while Baldoni has yet to be deposed.
Swift was not involved in the film, although one of her songs was used. She was, however, close friends with Lively and her husband, Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds.
At issue in Swift’s deposition will likely be anything the pair said or wrote about conditions on the film set.
Baldoni’s legal team at one point tried to subpoena Swift, a move that was not well received by the pop star’s team. The filing was later withdrawn.
In the most recent court filing, Lively’s legal team told the judge they expect Baldoni’s lawyers to ask for a 30-day extension to the court proceedings, beyond the Sept. 30 deadline.
“Ms. Lively misleadingly implies the Wayfarer Parties seek a blanket thirty-day extension of the discovery cut-off date,” Baldoni’s lawyer wrote in the filing.
“In fact, the Wayfarer Parties requested an agreement solely to take the deposition of Taylor Swift during the week of October 20-25.”
Stratford in Ontario, Canada, may seem like a world away from the UK but it is filled with nods to British history – and is actually the birthplace of one of the biggest stars of the 21st century
Stratford in Ontario, Canada
This unassuming town in Ontario, Canada, might not feature on your travel bucket list but it boasts some rather remarkable credentials.
Stratford is positioned along the River Avon in Ontario, Canada, having been established by European settlers in 1832 and endearingly christened after Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace in England.
Ever since, the life and literary works of the figure many consider the English language’s finest writer have become woven into the community’s very fabric.
Located just a two-hour journey from Toronto, this frequently overlooked small city offers plenty for visitors seeking an alternative Canadian experience, reports the Mirror US.
The town is filled with the arts
Situated inland and encircled by lush landscapes save for the tranquil river flowing through its centre, it provides a perfect retreat for those eager to delve into both heritage and theatre.
The Stratford Festival, ranked as the area’s top attraction, generates the most excitement by presenting a diverse programme of stage productions honouring Shakespeare’s masterpieces.
One TripAdvisor reviewer said: “Not a bad seat in the house. It was full, but you never really got the feeling that it was overcrowded.
“Beautiful scenery all around the theater as well. We’d recommend giving it a try, and we’re already looking forward to our next show.”
Another essential destination for arts enthusiasts is the Avon Theatre, which dates back to 1901. Today, outside its famous steps sits a golden star plaque honouring pop sensation Justin Bieber, who used to busk on those exact steps as a youngster.
Footage of the singer playing his guitar and performing passionately on those steps became an internet sensation and, amongst other factors, helped catch the attention of Scooter Braun in 2008. He remains incredibly proud of his Ontario heritage and serves as a major source of inspiration for aspiring musicians in the region.
Justin Bieber was born in the town
Beyond the arts scene, Stratford boasts an array of excellent watering holes. Whilst the city has traditionally been celebrated for its thriving food culture, this has expanded considerably in recent times with the arrival of artisan breweries and independent distilleries.
With green spaces to discover, visitors can relax amidst the charming Shakespeare Gardens during their stay. One guest said on TripAdvisor: “The gardens along the water are lovely, and it’s so peaceful. During the summer, you can rent paddle boats, and I think that would be a wonderful experience!”.
Another reviewer added: “It is very small, but there is a fabulous bench hidden away with a great view of the river-perfect to sit and meditate or read a book.”
Whether you’re a Belieber seeking to indulge your fandom, or just in search of a tranquil retreat, Stratford is certainly a destination to consider. Immersing yourself in the works of Shakespeare in a town that echoes his Warwickshire origins, albeit on a different continent, promises a unique and artistic experience.
But this time the world number 20 held his nerve to take it to a third sudden-death hole with American Spaun at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
Both hit par on their first go at the 18th hole and birdied their second, before Spaun failed to follow suit after Rose claimed another birdie.
That gave Rose his 12th PGA Tour title while compatriot Tommy Fleetwood’s wait for his first win goes on after he had gone into the final round of his 162nd event on the US circuit with a one-stroke lead.
The world number 15, a seven-time winner on the European Tour, bogeyed the penultimate hole to relinquish a share of the lead and finish one adrift of Rose and Spaun.
The world number 15 lost his lead early in the third round following a double bogey at the par-five third and a bogey at the seventh.
That left Rose alone in the lead and he followed with a birdie at the seventh, but then found water at the ninth and made bogey while Fleetwood birdied the ninth to regain a share of the lead.
The 34-year-old went clear again with a 14-foot birdie putt at the 12th and claimed another birdie on the 16th.
He had a three-shot lead after 17 holes, but a bogey on the last allowed Rose to pull within one with a birdie.
Fleetwood has had five top-five finishes this season and was runner-up behind Keegan Bradley at the Travelers Championship in June.
Players who finish in the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings after Sunday’s round at TPC Southwind will advance to next week’s BMW Championship – the second of the PGA Tour’s three play-off tournaments.
As Justin Timberlake bid farewell to his Forget Tomorrow world tour, he got candid with fans about his health.
The “Mirrors” and “SexyBack” pop star, 44, on Thursday revealed in a heartfelt Instagram post that he powered through his circuit of live performances as he battled a “relentlessly debilitating” bout of Lyme disease. The singer, who faced backlash for his low-energy performances in recent weeks, said in his lengthy caption that sharing his health issues was to help him “shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes.”
The Grammy-winning singer and actor went in depth about the disease’s mental and physical toll. Although he said he was “shocked” by the diagnosis, he said it provided some clarity.
“At least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness,” he continued. “I was faced with a personal decision. Stop touring? Or, keep going and figure it out.”
The Mayo Clinic defines Lyme disease as an illness “caused by borrelia bacteria” that humans can get if they are bitten by an infected tick. Symptoms of Lyme disease can include joint stiffness, muscle aches and pains, fever and headache. Antibiotics are used to treat the disease.
Timberlake, amid the “fleeting stress my body was feeling,” said he opted to continue with his tour. “I’m so glad I kept going,” he said.
Pushing through with the tour, which began in April 2024 in Vancouver and ended Wednesday in Turkey, allowed Timberlake to prove his “mental tenacity,” he said. The singer said he would also work to be “more transparent about my struggles” with fans.
Throughout his tour, Timberlake faced a handful of personal and public obstacles. In October 2024, he announced the postponement of several shows to recover from bronchitis and laryngitis. That same month, he also abruptly called off a concert in Newark, N.J., because of an injury.
Notably, the former ‘NSYNC frontman carried on with his slate of shows last year after his DWI arrest in the Hamptons in June 2024. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of impaired driving, his driving privileges were suspended and he was sentenced in September to 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choosing. He was also required to make a public safety announcement about the dangers of impaired driving.
After sharing his health update, Timberlake reminisced on his touring experience, continuing his post in his own comments section. He thanked supporters for their “energy and love” and the crew and artists who joined him on the road. Though performing live is “sacred” to the “Suit & Tie” music star, he said the status of his stage career remains unclear.
“I honestly don’t know what my future is onstage but I’ll always cherish this run! And all of them before,” he wrote. “It’s been the stuff of LEGEND for me.”
He ended his post sending love to his actor wife Jessica Biel and their two children. His caption accompanied a carousel of behind-the-scenes photos.
Former Times staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.
Every half-decade or so, Justin Bieber sloughs off the callused skin of the pop superstar he became at age 15 to reveal the tender and quirky R&B singer he’s always been at heart. He did it in 2013 with his album “Journals,” then in 2020 with “Changes.”
Neither project did anything like the numbers of his shinier, smilier teen-idol stuff, though each seemed like a crucial reset for a guy battling the pressures of early onset celebrity. Now, at 31, he’s done it again with “Swag,” the surprise LP he dropped Thursday night just hours after revealing that it existed.
Like those earlier albums, the 21-track “Swag” comes after a period of change and tumult for Bieber: In 2022, citing the need to focus on his health, he called off a world tour behind the previous year’s “Justice” album; in 2023, he parted ways with his longtime manager, Scooter Braun; last year, he and his wife, Hailey Baldwin, had their first child together. (Somewhere in there he also sold the rights to his music catalog for a reported $200 million.) More recently, he’s been caught on video in a series of confrontations with paparazzi that got people talking about his well-being.
“It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business,” he tells a photographer in one clip that went viral last month — so viral, in fact, that Bieber excerpts it on “Swag,” which puts his luscious crooning over spacey, cooled-out grooves full of pillowy synths, twanging electric guitars and reverbed chillwave-’80s beats.
What distinguishes “Swag” from “Journals” and “Changes” is that this album feels much rawer and more improvisatory than the earlier ones; the production throughout is murky and smeared, and the record includes a couple of demo-like tracks that suggest Bieber simply AirDropped unfinished voice memos from his phone to whomever was sitting behind the computer in the recording studio. (One of them, a gorgeous little gospel-blues ditty, is titled “Glory Voice Memo.”) The idea that “Swag” puts across pretty sympathetically is that a messy life — let’s not forget that Bieber is also involved in a Christian organization that some have compared to a cult — yields messy music.
“When the money comes and the money goes / Only thing that’s left is the love we hold,” he sings in the thrumming “Butterflies,” which samples another of those paparazzi run-ins; “Walking Away,” a lightly psychedelic soul-rock jam, has him describing the challenges of his highly scrutinized marriage with an endearing frankness about his desire to wise up emotionally. (Braun, whom Bieber is said to have paid millions of dollars recently to settle an old debt, wrote on Instagram that “Swag” “is, without a doubt, the most authentically Justin Bieber album to date.”)
In un-polishing his music, the singer is also adapting to the scrappy and proudly idiosyncratic vibe of modern pop as found on records by the likes of SZA, Charli XCX, Lana Del Rey, even Drake — A-plus stars who’ve achieved domination in the streaming era not by honing a streamlined vision but by pursuing odd impulses and allowing the listener to feel like part of the journey. One of Bieber’s key collaborators here is Mk.gee, the mysterious guitar virtuoso whose 2024 debut made him perhaps the most talked-about musician’s musician of the last few years; “Swag” feels shaped by the way Mk.gee thinks about how a great pop song should balance novelty and familiarity. Other members of the creative team Bieber gathered for loose jam sessions at his home in Los Angeles include Dijon, a frequent partner of Mk.gee’s, and Carter Lang, who’s worked closely with SZA.
Given Bieber’s attentive nature and his good taste — think of his relatively ahead-of-the-curve participation in remixes of Wizkid’s “Essence” and “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee — it probably figures that in 2025 he’d make a record that imagines Phil Collins sitting in with Scritti Politti. Yet as a tinkerer luxuriating in rough edges, Bieber stands alone among his fellow white male pop stars (or at last the few of them who remain near the center of the conversation): Benson Boone is doing well-rehearsed back flips on every awards show stage that will have him, while Ed Sheeran has said his upcoming album represents a return to his old hit-seeking ways after a spell in the folky wilderness. And then there’s Morgan Wallen, whose thematically gloomy “I’m the Problem” is so sonically dialed in that you almost fear what the album’s enormous success will end up doing to the guy.
Does Bieber relish his outlier status? In one of several very cringe interludes on “Swag,” the internet comedian Druski tells the singer that, although his skin is white, his soul is Black — to which Bieber, clearly operating without the guidance of a strong manager, responds, “Thank you.” Still, you can’t argue with Druski’s assessment that he can “hear the soul” on this album: Bieber’s singing has never sounded more instinctual than in songs like the crunchy “Daisies” and the country-soul “Devotion,” and even when they’re bad, his lyrics have an awkward charm, as in “Go Baby,” in which he plugs the iPhone-case-slash-lip-gloss-holder sold by his wife’s beauty brand, and “405,” a song about flirting with Baldwin in the car that rhymes “Hit the gas” with “Spider-Man on your ass.”
Shaggy, disarming, often quite beautiful, the LP argues that swag is not something to be taught (as indeed Bieber once famously enlisted someone to do) — not a skill nor a technique to be perfected and deployed. It’s a state of mind, bro. Is that clocking to you?
Is it finally clocking to you? Justin Bieber is back.
The 31-year-old singer surprise-released a new album, “Swag,” Friday after teasing fans the previous morning with a series of billboards and social media posts. Bieber’s first album since 2021’s “Justice,” the new music prompted an online frenzy and revived a devoted community of Beliebers.
From his marriage to his paparazzi encounters, Bieber has faced incredible scrutiny over the last few months, which he addresses head-on in “Swag.” After listening to all 21 tracks, here are our biggest takeaways.
R&Bieber is back
Bieber has incorporated R&B elements in his music since early in his career and embraced the genre fully on the 2013 compilation album “Journals.” But even after coining R&Bieber in 2019, he’s struggled to be taken seriously.
When 2020’s “Changes” received a Grammy nomination for pop vocal album, Bieber expressed his confusion at not being nominated in the R&B category.
“To the Grammys I am flattered to be acknowledged and appreciated for my artistry. I am very meticulous and intentional about my music. With that being said I set out to make an R&B album. ‘Changes’ was and is an R&B album,” he wrote on Instagram. “It is not being acknowledged as an R&B album which is very strange to me. I grew up admiring R&B music and wished to make a project that would embody that sound.”
“To be clear I absolutely love Pop music,” he added. “It just wasn’t what I set out to make this time around. My gratitude for feeling respected for my work remains and I am honored to be nominated either way.”
On “Swag,” Bieber shows off his R&B chops. From opening track “All I Can Take” and the seemingly SZA-inspired “Yukon” to “Daisies” (which reportedly features Mk.gee on the guitar), he takes a more intimate approach than on previous albums. But still, longtime fans will hear hints of “Journals” and “Changes” throughout the project.
In one of the album’s unconventional moments, comedian Druski comments on Bieber’s more “soulful,” R&B-infused sound.
“I said this album kinda sound, you got some soul on this album too, bro,” he says on the interlude track “Soulful.” “Your skin white but your soul Black, Justin. I promise you, man.”
He’s not ‘Walking Away’ from his marriage
Since Justin and Hailey Bieber wed in 2018, their marriage has been under a microscope. Divorce rumors circulated within months of them tying the knot, and it didn’t help that many fans were still rooting for the singer to get back with ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez.
Bieber’s love for his wife is evident throughout his catalog — from 2020’s “All Around Me” to 2021’s “Hailey.” But in case anyone is still skeptical (they are), Bieber sets the record straight on “Swag.”
On album standout “Walking Away,” Bieber gets candid about his relationship troubles but also reaffirms that he’s committed to his marriage. “You were my diamond / Gave you a ring / I made you a promise / I told you I’d change / It’s just human nature / These growing pains / And baby, I ain’t walking away,” he sings.
Elsewhere on the album, he cheers on his wife. On “Go Baby” (which lyrically echoes 2021’s “There She Go”), he sings, “That’s my baby, she’s iconic, iPhone case, lip gloss on it” — a reference to the Rhode founder’s famous lip gloss-holder phone case.
Recently, Hailey sold her skin-care company, which she launched in 2022, to e.l.f Beauty for $1 billion. There she goes indeed.
Justin Bieber addresses scrutiny over his marriage to Hailey Bieber throughout his new album, “Swag.”
(Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
The pregnancy announcement song
The Biebers’ pregnancy announcement in May 2024 was accompanied by an unknown instrumental track. Now, fans have identified it as “Devotion” featuring Dijon.
On the heartwarming track, Bieber sings, “When your lips and fingernails are all mine / I promise to take my time givin’ you devotion.”
The singer also celebrates being a father to Jack Blues Bieber, born Aug. 23, 2024, on “Dadz Love.” As rapper Lil B declares we need “less hatin’” and “more love,” Bieber repeats the track title (which sounds like “that’s love”) over and over.
There’s no cure for Bieber fever
Soon after the singer announced the surprise album, fans flocked to social media to express their excitement.
“New album – bieber fever hitting like it’s 2010,” TikTok user @jennyboba posted to the will.i.am collab “#thatPOWER.”
“Justin Bieber is back… I used to pray for times like this,” singer d4vd posted on X.
Others reactivated their old X fan accounts and created group chats to celebrate the release. “We’re creating a SWAG group chat to keep up with all the updates! Like or reply so I can add you,” @statsonbieber announced in a post that’s since received almost 6,000 likes and more than 600 comments.
Bieber fever may have been latent for years, but it’s making the rounds once again.
Bieber’s ‘Standing on Business’
Bieber’s had his fair share of viral paparazzi moments over the past year. Most notable was his encounter with photographers while leaving Malibu’s SoHo House, when he declared, “It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business.”
The singer’s misuse of African American Vernacular English has turned into an internet meme, but Bieber’s in on the joke. He’s shared several fan edits of the encounter on his Instagram, including one that riffs off the hilarious “I’m a mommy” moment on “Love Island USA.” And on “Swag,” Bieber includes an interlude aptly titled “Standing on Business.”
“I like that you pronounce business. Usually, when I say, ‘Standin’ on business,’ I say, ‘Standin’ on bih’ ’ness,’ ” Druski says after the now-famous audio plays. “I think that’s why he ain’t leave right there. You were pronunciatin’ every word — you can’t pronunciate every word when you doin’ that.”
Bieber samples another paparazzi moment on “Butterflies”: “You just want money. Money, money, money, money, money, money, money. Get out of here, bro. Money, that’s all you want, you don’t care about human beings. All you want is money.”
The song then transitions into an honest reflection on money and fame: “When the money comes and the money goes / Only thing that’s left, uh, is the love we hold,” he sings.
To be clear, Bieber’s contentious exchanges with the paparazzi are nothing new. “[What] do your parents think about what you do?” he asked one in 2012. “You tell them, ‘Yeah, I stalk people for a living’?”
But recently, these encounters — coupled with his sometimes outlandish social media activity — have led to increased scrutiny and speculation about Bieber’s mental health. Many have even drawn comparisons to Britney Spears.
“People are always askin’ if I’m OK, and that starts to really weigh on me,” Bieber tells Druski on the track “Therapy Session.” “It starts to make me feel like I’m the one with issues and everyone else is perfect.”
Following her husband’s surprise album announcement, Hailey reposted the tracklist on her Instagram story with the caption, “Is it finally clocking to you f— losers?”
In the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the Kansas City Royals — a victory that clinched the weekend series and gave the club a 5-1 record on this past week’s road trip — Wrobleski continued to quietly impress as a depth pitching option for the Dodgers, pitching six scoreless innings that were short on flash but long on substance; serving as the latest productive outing in his suddenly auspicious sophomore season.
“Justin’s confidence is at an all-time high,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And he’s a confident young man already.”
Entering the game behind opener Lou Trivino at the start of the second, Wrobleski made easy work of a struggling Kansas City offense, giving up just three hits and one walk in a six-strikeout showing as the Dodgers (53-32) pulled away at the plate.
Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer in the second. Will Smith added a solo shot in the sixth. And by the time the team tacked on two more runs in the seventh, such extra insurance was already looking unneeded.
Instead, Wrobleski further raised his stock in what has been a surprise midseason rejuvenation, turning in his best career performance at the big-league level.
Over his 83-pitch outing, the Royals (39-45) only once managed to even put a runner in scoring position. They squandered all three leadoff hitters who reached base. And during their best opportunity to rally in the third, Wrobleski mowed through the heart of their order, sandwiching one strikeout of Jonathan India and fielder’s choice grounder from Vinnie Pasquantino with a statement-sending punchout of Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., getting him to whiff on a 96-mph fastball and putaway two-strike slider.
“Bobby Witt is one of the best hitters in the game,” Roberts said. “And for him to beat him with the fastball, he wasn’t doing that last year.”
Indeed, few saw Wrobleski’s surge coming this season.
Wrobleski was optioned back to the minor leagues after that, and made only one MLB appearance over the next two months: a four-inning outing in mop-up relief duty during a May 15 blowout of the Athletics.
At the start of June, however, he was called back up to make a spot start in St. Louis, turning in a decent six-inning, four-run effort. And since then, he has continued to get better each time out. In his last 20 innings — all of them coming in bulk relief — he has conceded just four earned runs while striking out 21 batters. His overall ERA in five June appearances was 2.73.
“Having that bad one in Washington, honestly, set me back in a good way,” Wrobleski said. “I had to go back down, make a few adjustments.”
And now, he joked, that D.C. start “feels like it was three years ago.”
The biggest difference with Wrobleski of late has been his fastball. In that April start against the Nationals, it averaged just 93 mph. In every outing since, it has sat around 96-97 mph, and topped out above 99 mph.
Wrobleski credited the improvement with some small mechanical tweaks, having adopted a wider base in his pre-pitch stance and incorporated a rocking motion in his delivery to help him direct his momentum toward the plate.
But also, he said he has simply found a way to throw with maximum effort more consistently — coupling it with an increased reliance on his sinker to attack the zone and induce quick outs.
“I think it just goes back to me being me,” said Wrobleski, an 11th round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2021. “That’s how I got here was doing that. I got away from it a little bit, tried to quote-unquote ‘throw strikes,’ and when you do that, it leads to results that are not desirable. But at the end of the day, [I just want to] throw my best stuff for as long as I can until they take the ball. I think that’s been a major key.”
As a result, Wrobleski’s name is quickly rising among the hierarchy of young Dodgers pitching.
The fact that he was even on this road trip was a sign of the organization’s growing confidence in his abilities.
During the team’s last homestand, fellow young talent Emmet Sheehan returned from Tommy John surgery with four sharp innings, and seemed primed to occupy an open spot in the Dodgers’ rotation moving forward. However, with Sheehan not yet fully built up, the club elected to option him back to triple A and have Wrobleski pitch twice in a six-day span this week, with a five-inning, two-run outing in Colorado on Tuesday preceding Sunday’s gem in Kansas City.
Sheehan should be back in the majors soon, having pitched six perfect innings with 13 strikeouts in a start with Oklahoma City on Wednesday (manager Dave Roberts said Sheehan’s next outing will also be with OKC, though he could still rejoin the Dodgers before the end of their upcoming homestand).
But now, he’s not the only former prospect showing flashes of being an impact option in the majors.
“He’s changed a lot,” Roberts said of the team’s evaluation of Wrobleski. “We’ve always valued him and thought a lot of him as far as the talent. But right now, he’s getting major league hitters out … And in the spirit of getting opportunities while earning them, he’s doing that.”
Chargers offensive linemen Savion Washington, left, Mekhi Becton and center Bradley Bozeman (75) participate in drills in May.
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)
Looking for answers on the offensive line, Zion Johnson and returning starting center Bradley Bozeman alternated days at center and left guard during offseason sessions. When left tackle Rashawn Slater joined the team for minicamp, the potential starting offensive line looked significantly different than the one that got steamrolled in the playoffs.
While Bozeman and Johnson continue to jockey at center and left guard, key free-agent signing Mekhi Becton has solidified the right guard position. The 6-foot-7 Super Bowl champion and 6-foot-8 tackle Joe Alt have the potential to be a dominant right-side duo.
Coaches mentioned Jamaree Salyer as someone who could still battle for a major role on the inside with Bozeman and Johnson, along with free-agent addition Andre James, who was a starting center for three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. After starting last season as the team’s No. 1 right guard, Trey Pipkins III’s role remains unclear.
Considering both a player’s contribution at an individual position and how well a specific combination works together, Harbaugh said he hopes to set the starting lineup around eight to 10 days into training camp.
“It’s always who’s playing the best [and] best combination,” Harbaugh said. “How do we know that? They play the best. It’s really that simple.”
No one in the Chargers’ locker room felt as bad as Justin Herbert. At least that’s what the quarterback said after a career-high four interceptions in January cost the Chargers an opportunity for their first playoff win since 2018.
But the disappointment that rendered Herbert motionless on the sideline in Houston had faded in his memory, he said. Offseasons tend to have that rejuvenating effect.
“If I spend any more time worrying or focusing on a loss like that, I would be doing a disservice to my teammates,” Herbert said Wednesday on the second day of Chargers minicamp. “Obviously it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, like I said at the end of the year, but you gotta move on.”
Despite the crushing wild-card loss that prolonged the Chargers’ seven-year playoff win drought, Herbert maintained that his offseason has been business as usual.
Meeting with local reporters for the first time in five months, Herbert recited the typical offseason lines with a stone-faced expression. His new teammates are picking up the offense quickly. He wants to continue mastering the scheme in his second season under the coaching staff.
Herbert instead makes stronger statements on the practice field and in the weight room, where his determined nature has earned him a spot in coach Jim Harbaugh’s “Elite Nine” club of the team’s hardest workers.
“I know it motivates me every day to get up out of bed, like I gotta rise up to his level,” Harbaugh said. “He’s doing anything and everything he can possibly do. Now it’s up to the rest of us.”
During the offseason, the Chargers focused on adding weapons around Herbert to elevate a sputtering offense that ranked 20th in the NFL in yards per game.
Even without pads, the athleticism and instincts of running back Najee Harris and rookie Omarion Hampton have impressed Herbert. Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden is showing his receiving capabilities as Syracuse’s all-time leader for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end when he had the most catches of any player during team drills Wednesday. Gadsden, a converted wide receiver, will team with free-agent acquisition Tyler Conklin, who has had at least 50 catches in each of the last four seasons, to boost the tight end position.
The biggest offseason move was the addition of a familiar name. Mike Williams, after one year away from the franchise that drafted him in 2017, returned on a one-year contract to reunite with Herbert. The 6-foot-4 receiver, who has been working primarily with trainers during minicamp practices, “changes the way you play football when he’s on your team,” Herbert said.
“50-50 balls are not quite 50-50 as we’ve seen with Mike,” the quarterback added.
The receivers could use the boost. Ladd McConkey was the group’s only consistent force last year. The former second-round pick dominated against Houston with an NFL rookie playoff-record 197 yards receiving, nine catches and one touchdown. The rest of his teammates combined for five receptions and 45 yards. Still without a playoff win in two appearances entering his sixth NFL season, Herbert completed a career-low 43.7% of his passes and was sacked four times.
Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton warms up with teammates during a workout last week.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Getting Williams and rookie receivers Tre’ Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, who were selected in the second and fifth rounds, respectively, on the field could open up a more aggressive deep passing game, offensive coordinator Greg Roman said.
The stacked room also could put more pressure on Quentin Johnston to live up to the billing of a former first-round pick. The receiver entering his third year is “owning the system now,” said Roman, who predicted another major step for Johnston this season.
The former Texas Christian star shook off a disappointing rookie season with 711 yards receiving and eight touchdowns on 55 catches last year. He torched the Las Vegas Raiders in a playoff seed-clinching Week 18 win for 13 receptions and 186 yards receiving. Even Johnston estimated that it was the best game he’d ever had at any level of football.
Yet he followed with a major disappointment in the biggest moment with no catches on five targets in the wild-card loss. Johnston went without a catch in two games last season, both coming in marquee matchups. He was also shut out against the Baltimore Ravens in a “Monday Night Football” showcase in which he also dropped a crucial third-down pass. To pile on, fellow receiver Zay Flowers, who the Ravens picked one spot behind Johnston in the 2022 draft, led Baltimore with 62 yards receiving on five catches.
Learning a second offense in as many years in the NFL, Johnston had to play “a game of catchup last season,” Roman said. But with consistent practices in organized team activities and minicamp, the coach said Johnston is “starting to come out of the other end of the tunnel.”
“Justin, he’s throwing to him a lot,” Roman said, “and Q’s answering the call.”
June 9 (UPI) — A New York judge on Monday dismissed Justin Baldoni’s $400M lawsuit against actress Blake Lively.
Federal Judge Lewis Liman of New York’s southern district accepted the motion to dismiss the multi-million-dollar counter lawsuit filed by Baldoni that alleged defamation and extortion. In addition, the judge, likewise, tossed out a $250 million defamation lawsuit against The New York Times.
“The [parties in the suit known as the] Wayfarer Parties have not alleged that Lively is responsible for any statements other than the statements in her CRD complaint, which are privileged,” Liman wrote in his 132-page ruling.
“The Wayfarer Parties’ additional claims also fail,” the judge added. “Accordingly, the Amended Complaint must be dismissed in its entirety.”
However, Liman noted that Baldoni, 41, will still have the legal option to amend his claims for breach of implied covenant and contract interference with a June 23 deadline.
The It Ends With Us director Baldoni was accused in December of sexual harassment by his co-star Lively, which Baldoni claimed was “categorically false.”
In January, Baldoni filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times over an article that “falsely” detailed Lively’s allegations during filming.
Lively, 37, claimed in her California Civil Rights Department complaint filed Dec. 20 that the harassment damaged her business and caused her family, including husband actor Ryan Reynolds, “severe emotional distress” and after the suit alleged Reynolds called Baldoni a “sexual predator.”
On Monday, lawyers for Lively — Esra Hudson and Mike Gottlieb — called the court decision a “total victory and a complete vindication.”
“As we have said from day one, this $400 million lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it,” they said in the statement, adding they look forward to the “next round,” which will be to seek attorney fees, treble and punitive damages.
Discovery+ announced plans in March to air a docuseries in Britain this month called Baldoni vs. Lively: A Hollywood Feud.
Meanwhile, the trial for Baldoni and Lively, which was scheduled for March 26, was expected to see both names testify.
