Smalltalk

Phillies Manager Rob Thomson 'Proud' Nick Castellanos Admitted Beer Incident

  • Nick Castellanos was released after angrily bringing a beer into the dugout when pulled from a game; he posted a handwritten letter apologizing for the incident.
  • The Phillies will still pay the $20 million owed on his final contract year, saying his role change and falling production were the real reasons for the split.
  • Teammates and management wished him well, and Philly signed Adolis García as an outfield replacement.

Travis Kelce Playing, Taylor Swift Rumors Spike Pebble Beach Ticket Sales $60K

  • Rumors Taylor Swift might watch fiancé Travis Kelce at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am boosted sales — organizers sold more than $60,000 in tickets within 12 hours of Kelce’s entry (about $21,000 for the second round overnight).
  • Swift didn’t show up, but over 1,000 fans — many in Chiefs gear — followed Kelce’s group around the course as he played with pros like Keith Mitchell.
  • Tournament staff had extra security, transportation plans and a secure suite ready in case Swift appeared, adding to the event’s buzz even without her.

Caught red-handed! NASCAR busts Gragson for sticking hand out window during Daytona 500 qualifying

  • Noah Gragson was the first driver penalized under NASCAR’s new rule after sticking his hand out the window during Daytona 500 qualifying, costing him his lap and a shot at the pole.
  • Gragson owned up—“I feel like an idiot”—and the incident drew laughs from the garage, including quips from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chase Briscoe.
  • Kyle Busch won the pole, and the Daytona 500 starting lineup will now be set by Thursday night qualifying races.

Trump's Harvard move reflects one of his go-to tactics: Lawsuits

  • Donald Trump has long been a prolific litigant — suing and threatening lawsuits across his business, media and political life.
  • Recently he’s targeted Harvard and comedian Trevor Noah, and scored multimillion-dollar settlements from ABC and Paramount that he’s tied to a future presidential library.
  • He’s suing the IRS for $10 billion over published tax stories — a claim that, if successful, would be paid by taxpayers.

Daytona 500 Honorary Starter Bart Simpson Will Wave NASCAR's Green Flag

  • Bart Simpson — the mascot, not voice actor Nancy Cartwright — will be the honorary starter, waving the green flag to open the 68th Daytona 500 this Sunday.
  • The move ties into The Simpsons’ 800th episode, which airs on FOX the same night at 8 p.m. ET.
  • Kyle Busch starts on the pole, and the race airs Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX (pre-race NASCAR RaceDay at 12:30 p.m.).

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