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This program is intended for a print-impaired audience and is brought to you by the Georgia Radio Reading Service, GaRRS. Welcome to our reading of the USA Today. I’m Omar King for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Today is Thursday, May 16, 2024. Our First article comes to us from The front page.
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This program is intended for a print-impaired audience and is brought to you by the Georgia Radio Reading Service, GaRRS. Welcome to our reading of the USA Today. I’m Omar King for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Today is Thursday, May 16, 2024. Our First article comes to us from The front page.
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Guinness World Records tracks thousands of records, including bizarre and specific ones, to stay relevant in the online world and make money. The company operates as a consulting business, helping companies break records for publicity. They received over 57,000 applications in 2023. The company started as a promotion for Guinness beer and has grown into a global brand. Record holders receive certificates and bragging rights, but not all records are broken by unique individuals. Businesses can pay for Guinness World Records' services, starting at around $13,000. Some record holders have grievances with the company and have started their own record-keeping brands. Other companies track superlatives, but Guinness World Records remains the most prestigious. This program is intended for print and period audience and is brought to you by the Georgia Radio Reading Service, GARS. Welcome to our reading of the USA Today. I'm Omar King for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Today is Thursday, May 16, 2024. Our first article comes to us from the front page. When setting records, the weirder the better. For Guinness, it's big business too. By Kayla Jimenez of the USA Today, Guinness World Records has declared Sultan Khozan the tallest living man in the world, 8 feet 2.8 inches, Bilal Ilyas Jahandir the best at identifying Taylor Swift songs in a minute or less, 34 songs, and a team at a 2017 Adidas event, the top distance traveler on a treadmill in an hour while carrying a 20-pound backpack, 36.6 miles. They're among the roughly 65,000 records tracked by the company, so many in fact that the famous annually printed Guinness World Records books doesn't include them all. You might not realize it, but that book started out as an offshoot of Guinness beer to settle pub bets about seven decades ago, but now Guinness World Records also tracks lots and lots of dreamed-up superlatives, and those records seem to keep getting more specific and at times, bizarre. Today's records include the most people in a floating line, unassisted, most people in a digging relay, most prolific beat-em-up video game soundtrack composer, and most people lifted and thrown in two minutes, female. The company says the massive list of records helps keep Guinness World Records relevant in an online world, granting superlatives for whimsical topics, person to hug up the most trees in an hour, person with the most matches held in the nose, person with the fastest time to visit every location on the London Monopoly board by bicycle is a part of the brand's appeal, said Craig Glendale, the company's editor-in-chief, but staffers at Guinness World Records also acknowledge that a large collection of niche records is a part of how the organization makes money. It now operates as a consulting business that helps match paying companies with records that can break to generate publicity. Nearly half of the company's total sales came from the consulting service in 2022, said Amanda Marcus, a spokesperson for Guinness World Records. Meanwhile, 43% of its total sales came from publishing and 8% came from its digital, TV, and entertainment service. The end result? Very specific, sometimes oddly specific, records that benefit both Guinness World Records and the company that break those records. Guinness World Records is in a unique global position. It has a virtual monopoly on superlatives in the public imagination and answers to no governing body or advisory board, but the company says it works with experts from various disciplines, including dendrologists, trees, gerontologists, aging, and phlenobolists, tightrope walking, and has a team overseeing records to assess evidence and verify the success or failure of record attempts. Here's how Guinness World Records became famous and held its popularity for tracking records, even the ones it made up. Guinness Brewery's managing director, Sir Hugh Beaver, created the company in the early 1950s in Ireland. According to the company, Beaver attended a party there. He and his host argued about the fastest game bird in Europe and failed to find an answer in any reference book. At the party, Sir Hugh had the idea for a Guinness promotion based on the idea of settling pub arguments and invited the twins, Norris and Ross McWhirter, who were fact-finding researchers from Fleet Street, to compile a book of facts and figures, according to the Guinness World Records website. McWhirter founded Guinness Superlatives Ltd. and published the first now annual Guinness Book of World Records in 1955. The brand sold 187,000 books after four reprints within a year. In 1964, book sales across all editions and languages peaked to one million copies, according to the company's website. First published in 1955, the annual Guinness World Records book has become one of the biggest selling copyright titles of all time, selling 120 million copies to date in 22 languages and in more than 100 countries, according to the company. Today, the company says it tracks roughly 65,000 records and there's plenty of interest in breaking them. Guinness World Records received more than 57,400 applicants in 2023, said spokesperson Kylie Galloway. That's a jump from the 38,000 applications they received in 2014. The company grants awards based on actions that are measurable, breakable, able to be standardized, verifiable, based on one variable, and the best in the world, according to the company's website. Guinness Superlatives changed its name to Guinness Publishing Ltd. in 1990. Guinness Publishing Ltd. changed to Guinness World Records and the Guinness Book of World Records was renamed to Guinness World Records in 1999, reflecting its evolved business. The company also expanded from mostly publishing books to other ventures, including a TV show in the United States called Guinness World Records Prime Time and a museum of its records in Hollywood. Its current owners, Canadian conglomerate Jim Patterson Group, purchased the company in 2009. A world record for Guinness World Records routinely garners international media coverage and has inspired some incredible feats. Ashrita Furman of Queens, New York, holds the most Guinness World Records. He has set hundreds of records and holds 159 of them, Galloway said. Furman earned his first Guinness World Record in 1979 by completing 27,000 jumping jacks. As a kid, I had a huge fascination with the exotic places and people listed in the Guinness Book of Records, but being a non-athlete, I never imagined ever actually getting a world record myself, Furman's website says. The Guinness World Record holders don't receive money or trophies from the company. Some may end up in record books or websites. Award winners are guaranteed only a certificate and bragging rights, Galloway said, but not every record is broken by a unique or talented person. Some records are broken as part of an elaborate public relations service used by brands. In 2009, the company launched Guinness World Record Consultancy, a service offered to businesses, corporations, and influencers who want to win a superlative to promote or market their brand or product. The company works with major corporations, influencers, and non-profits to help them break records, according to a written statement from Mackenzie Berry, head of the consultancy service for Guinness World Records America. Our consultancy business started organically over a decade ago when organizations and individuals were showing interest in receiving additional support across all stages of record breaking, Berry wrote in an email. Fees vary depending on what services are requested, but the company's services tend to start at around $13,000, Marcus said. Businesses or individuals can pay for advice from a Guinness World Records staffer to create a new record title or break an existing one, to plan an attempt to have an adjudicator attend the world record attempt, and to use Guinness World Records branding to promote a world record, among other services, Berry wrote in an email. We work with everyone from globally recognized brands like Adidas, LG, and Panasonic to influencers like Nikki DiGiovanni, Mr. Beast, and Air Rack, to small non-profits looking to raise funds and engage with their communities, according to a written statement from Berry. They are required to actually complete the record themselves, Berry said. Dean Gould and David Adamovich hold several Guinness World Records. Gould holds records for licking the most stamps in five minutes and snatching the most drink coasters, among others. Adamovich holds a variety of knife-throwing records, including for throwing the most knives alternatively to both sides of two human targets in one minute and throwing the most knives around a human target in one minute. They told USA Today they had some good feelings about Guinness World Records, but weren't fully happy about their experience. Galloway said three of Gould's records were featured in the annual books, but Gould was frustrated with the amount of promotion they received. There's only enough space in the book to feature about 4,000 records each year, Galloway said. The book's editorial team decides which of more than 65,000 records the company tracks is featured in each book, Galloway said. She said Guinness World Records features as many as possible online. In his frustration, Gould launched Record Holders Republic, his own global record-keeping brand. The company tracks about 4,000 records, he said in an email. Gould holds several records within his own company. Despite more than two decades in business, it's difficult to reach the level of fame Guinness World Records holds, Gould said, but he's determined to challenge the brand. The difference between us and Guinness is we only specialize in human achievement, Gould said. Guinness has awards for music, the animal kingdom, literature, and all different sorts of topics. Adamovich, who is known as the Great Throdini, is president of the U.S. chapter of Record Holders Republic. He said he has many grievances about Guinness World Records, including a disagreement with an adjudicator over an attempted knife-throwing record. I hear more often than not from disgruntled people trying to go down the Guinness path, Adamovich said. We understand what it's like to want to win, achieve, and hold a world record. Several other companies track superlatives, including India's World Records. Glenday doesn't consider them challengers to Guinness World Records. People in those books really want to be in the Guinness World Records book, Glenday said. There is a downside to a growing number of records, some of which are being used as advertisement for brands. A superlative for Guinness World Records isn't what it used to be, or at least that's the opinion of some critics. In an emailed interview, Anna Nichols, a former adjudicator and PR representative for the Guinness World Records, who said she worked at Guinness Records for two and a half years from 1987 to 1990, noted the company's main product today is a far cry from the book I worked on. The company used to publish only records that were newsworthy and stopped at pure sensationalism, she said. Now the company acknowledges some records are used to drum up publicity. At the end of the day, the book was fun, but regarded by many as a serious reference source, which meant that there was an element of propriety, Nichols said. Intellectual rigor was key for many of the academic and knowledge-based records, although we of course carried a number of fun and crazy records too. Still, Nichols has fond memories of working at Guinness World Records, and said, I imagine the current owners need to do all they can to keep it profitable and viable in our current age, hence why charges and a consultancy service are probably offered. The Great Debate Over the World's Oldest Living Dog Tracking records is a mix between objective measurement and human judgment, and the process can be fraught with controversy. Guinness World Records has a team of adjudicators who make the ultimate decisions on award winners. Those officials are required to assess entries and claims with objectivity and enthusiasm and free from prejudice or bias, according to the company's values. But it's not always that simple. One high-profile example, several veterinarians challenged Guinness World Records after it awarded the superlative of the World's Oldest Dog Living and the World's Oldest Dog Ever to a 31-year-old Rufiro del Tono dog named Bobby in 2023. The company eventually revoked the title of the World's Oldest Dog Ever after adjudicators decided an investigation showed there wasn't enough evidence to prove he was in fact the oldest dog in the world. Guinness World Records says it has a team of experts who fact-check record entries for authenticity. Guinness World Records has an expertly trained records management team who undertake substantial research and verification checks to confirm whether a new record has been achieved, in addition to regularly reviewing our current record titles and creating new record titles, Galloway said, new awards and greater inclusivity, even artificial intelligence. Much of the company's success is its ability to evolve and its stance that anyone can win a record, Glendale said, that is partly why the company tracks so many superlatives. It's important we're not a nostalgic brand, he said. Everyone should have the opportunity to get in the records, whether you're a Usain Bolt or someone down the street doing handstands, Glendale said. Bolt has a superlative for Guinness World Records for being the fastest man in the world. In an interview with USA Today, Glendale said the company is looking at how artificial intelligence can help Guinness World Records with consistency. The company also is adjusting or adding awards to include transgender, non-binary people, and people with mental or physical impairments, and is trying to attract more female record breakers. The majority of superlatives' holders are men, Glendale said, and it plans to continue working with influencers and companies to use new records for marketing purposes, not so different from its origins when Sir Hugh Beaver envisioned the company of superlatives to promote Irish beer. Included in the article are several photos of records being broken. There's a photo of avocados. This spectacle at El Rio Grande Latin Market in Dallas is anything but the pits. It's 301,000 avocados, nearly 87,000 pounds of them, set a Guinness World Record this month for the largest fruit display, provided by El Rio Grande Latin Market. Included in the article is a photo of Jenny Duvander. Jenny Duvander of Portland, Oregon, forever has a claim to fame until the record is broken again, largest female tongue circumference of 5.21 inches, provided by the Duvander family. Kaitlyn Donner is shown on a track field. Kaitlyn Donner, 34, of Satellite Beach, Florida, owns the Guinness World Record for fastest one-mile run while pushing a stroller, five minutes, 11 seconds. Her 18-month-old son, Mikey, came along for the ride to glory, provided by Keith Snodgrass. This concludes our reading of the first article from the front page, When Setting Records, The Ritter, The Better, For Guinness, It's Big Business, Too, by Kayla Jimenez of the USA Today. Also from the front page of the USA Today, Biden Aims Stiff Tariffs at China, Moves Targets EVs, Chips, Batteries, and Solar Cells, by Joey Garrison of the USA Today. From Washington, President Joe Biden is raising tariffs on electric vehicles, semiconductors, and several other goods imported from China, escalating a trade war between the two world's largest economies, as the administration accuses Chinese competitors of unfair practices in industries the U.S. is trying to grow. The moves, which come amid rising tensions between the United States and China, are designed to protect American industries and clean energy that the administration has targeted with major investments to try to catch up with China. Other goods from China that will face higher tariffs include solar cells, batteries, battery materials, cranes used at ports, and certain medical supplies, as well as steel and aluminum. The Biden administration has for months accused China of unfair trade practices by flooding the global market with goods at artificially low prices, putting U.S. manufacturing of electric vehicles, microchips, and other goods at a steep disadvantage. Lael Brannard, director of the National Economic Council in the White House, said the objective of the higher tariffs is to make sure that the historic investments and jobs spurred by President Biden's actions are not undercut by a flood of unfairly underpriced exports from China. Biden, whose administration has reviewed the tariff rates over the past year, is keeping intact more than $300 billion in tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump. The tariff increases include electric vehicles from China from 25% to 100% beginning this year, semiconductors from China from 25% to 50% by 2025, lithium-ion batteries from China used in electric vehicles from 7.5% to 25% this year, solar cells imported from China from 25% to 50% this year, steel and aluminum products from 0% to 7.5% to 25% this year, ship-to-shore container cranes imported from China from 0% to 25% this year, hospital syringes and needles made in China from 0% to 50% this year. China pushed back strongly against the higher tariffs. Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the moves self-defeating, and against the consensus reached last November by Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit in San Francisco. More importantly, it will harm the world's green economic transition and climate action, Wang Wenbin said, we urge the U.S. to stop repairing and digging up the road at the same time, so to speak, and create enabling conditions for Chinese-U.S. climate cooperation and global green transition. Another ministry spokesperson said last Friday that China will take all necessary measures to defend its rights and interests. Support of Trump's Playbook The move comes as Biden courts the support of working-class voters in Midwest battleground states, including Michigan, the center of the U.S. auto industry, for the November election. Biden is borrowing from the trade playbook of Trump, the Republican presumptive nominee who routinely raised tariffs on Chinese goods during his four years in office. We have been for the last three and a half years. They should have done it a long time ago, Trump said, speaking outside a New York courtroom on the 17th day of his hush money trial, but they've also got to do it on other vehicles. They have to do it on a lot of other products, because China is eating our lunch right now. Biden has sought to differentiate his tariff approach with his predecessor's plan for new tariffs. Biden slammed Trump's campaign proposal last month as the across-the-board tariffs on all imports for all countries that could badly hurt American consumers. Trump has proposed a 60 percent or more tariff on all Chinese imports and warned that the U.S. auto industry will face a bloodbath if he loses the election in November. Biden has staked his economic agenda on reigniting a U.S. manufacturing boom centered on electric vehicles and clean energy. The Biden administration says it has helped spur more than $860 billion in private investment through legislation passed during the president's first two years in office that incentivized the manufacturing of electric vehicles, clean energy products, microchips, and other investments, leveling the playing field. Brainard said the tariff increases will ensure that American businesses and workers have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field in industries that are vital to our future, such as clean energy and semiconductors. Biden called for the tripling of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from China during a campaign speech last month before the United Steelworkers Union in Pittsburgh. Each of the tariff increases reflects the recommendation of Biden's U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who evaluated the rates as part of a required four-year review. Also included in this article are photos of President Biden boarding a jet. As President Joe Biden's administration has accused China of unfair practices in key sectors of the U.S., such as manufacturing and green energy, this image was provided by Getty Images. Also shown is a photo of a car lot with thousands of cars. Electric cars await export at the International Container Terminal of Ticayn Port in Suzhou in China's eastern Jiangsu Province, provided by Getty Images. This concludes our reading from the front page, an article titled Biden Aims Stiff Tariffs at China, Move Targets EVs, Chips, Batteries, Solar Cells by Joey Garrison of USA Today. Our first article from the money section is titled Powell Says U.S. Needs to Remain Patient on Fight-to-Cut Inflation by Paul Davidson of USA Today. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that it may take longer than expected for high interest rates to lower inflation and gave no hint that a recently slowing labor market could mean earlier rate cuts. We'll need to be patient and let restrictive policy do its work, Powell said during a session at a Foreign Bankers Association meeting in Amsterdam. It may be that high interest rates take longer than expected to do its work and bring inflation down. He also reiterated, however, that a rate hike is unlikely. His remarks largely echoed those he made at a news conference after a Fed meeting earlier this month at which officials kept their key short-term interest rate at a 23-year high of 5.25% and 5.5%. Fewer jobs were added in April, but after a recent report showed that U.S. employers added 175,000 jobs last month down from an average of 269,000 a month in the first quarter and the unemployment rate edged up 3.9%, some economists said the nascent signs of a pullback revived hopes for an earlier rate cut. On Tuesday, though, Powell called the labor market very, very strong and provided no signal that April's softer but still solid job gains raised any concern among Fed officials. At the news conference earlier this month, Powell said either a large inflation drop-off or an unexpected weakening in the labor market could coax the Fed to trim rates sooner. Most forecasters have expected job growth to gradually slow amid high interest rates and fading of a post-pandemic burst of higher rate. How many rate cuts are expected in 2024? As recently as late March, the Fed was still tentatively predicting three rate cuts this year, with the first coming in June, after inflation eased rapidly during the second half of last year. But after reports last month showed that inflation remained high in March for a third straight month, Fed officials said they likely would keep rates higher for longer. The first quarter is notable for its lack of further progress in inflation, Powell said Tuesday. What is the current inflation rate? In March, the Fed's preferred measure of annual inflation overall rose from 2.5% to 2.7%, well below a 40-year high of 7.1% in mid-2022 but above its 2% goal, a core reading that excludes volatile food and energy items, held steady at 2.8%, down from a peak of 5.6% in 2022. Also, a report Tuesday morning showed that wholesale prices increased more than expected in April. However, Powell called the report mixed, suggesting there were some encouraging downward revisions to prior months. Economists said prices increases slowed in categories that feed into consumer inflation. Before Powell's remarks, futures markets were betting the Fed would cut rates by a quarter point in September and December. At the same time, while Powell didn't rule out a rate increase, he repeated that it's not likely. I don't think it's likely that the next move will be a rate hike, he said. It's more likely we'll be holding the policy rate where it is, until inflation resumes a swifter decline, a development that Powell said he expects. He added, my confidence in that is not as high as it was. The article also includes a photo of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Pyle as he listens during an open session of the Financial Stability Oversight Council in Washington, D.C. on Friday. The photo was provided by Getty Images. This concludes our reading of the first article from the money section of the USA Today. Powell says U.S. needs to remain patient on fight to cut inflation by Paul Davison of the USA Today. Also from the money section is a reminder of Memorial Day travel. Memorial Day travel looks to set records. If you're traveling for the Memorial Day weekend, be prepared to run into some crowds. The next holiday weekend, May 25-27, is slated to see a record 43.8 million Americans pack their bags for trips of 50 miles or more, a 4% increase from last year. Both roads and airports will be busy with a historic number of road trippers since AAA began tracking data in 2000. That's 38.4 million drivers, up 4% from last year. A predicted 3.51 million airline passengers are expected to hit the skies at 4.8% increases from 2023. From the sports section, Messi leads MLS two-minute criticism by Safeed Dean of the USA Today. Lionel Messi's disgust for Major League Soccer's new injury rule is one thing. How he openly criticized the rule is quite eye-opening. He waited impatiently on the sideline, eager to return to action for Inter-Miami CF before halftime last Sunday against CF Montreal after being treated on the field for a left leg injury. Messi looked directly toward a camera and sent a message to MLS. The sitting-out-two-minutes-before-returning-injury rule needs some work. With these types of rules, Messi said as he shook his head, the second part of Messi's statement was hard to decipher. It's going bad. We are doing badly. We are going in a bad direction. It wasn't positive or in favor of the rule, that's for sure. Messi finds himself in a camera's view of so many adoring fans on a day-to-day basis. He humbly greets them with a smile, a wave, sometimes a hug from a young fan who steals one or mostly never uttering a word during viral interactions. But in this moment, Messi sought out the camera, looked right into it and voiced his disapproval directly to MLS. You know this rule needs some work. When the greatest player in the world who rarely voices his opinion feels audacious enough to openly share his displeasure, MLS has not yet responded to a request by USA Today Sports on Monday for further comment on Messi's opposition. Why does Messi enter Miami feel slighted by injury rule? Messi and enter Miami have reason to gripe about the rule and an inherent flaw they encountered. They essentially felt penalized at a 10 versus 11 disadvantage in this instance. Messi received medical treatment on his legendary left leg after being tackled by Montreal's George Campbell who did not receive a yellow card for the sequence. While Messi was ready to return to action after walking to the sideline on his own to observe the two-minute wait, the situation left enter Miami down a man on the field. With this rule change, there are situations that need to be reviewed, enter Miami coach Tata Martino said after the game. For me, the infraction by Campbell was clear. It was a yellow card and in the end we were the ones who lost Leo for two minutes. Enter Miami needed newcomer Mateus Rojas to line up for a free kick. A kick Messi would have taken had he not been sidelined. Luckily, Rojas' kick was an impressive goal score and sparked the club's 3-2 comeback win. What is the MLS off-field treatment rule? The MLS new off-field treatment rule states if an injured player remains on the ground for more than 15 seconds and the medical staff enters the field of play, the player may be required to leave the field of play for two minutes. There are a few exceptions. If the player indicates he doesn't need medical attention, if the player removes himself from the field to receive treatment, or if the player is injured on foul that results in a yellow card or red card which Campbell didn't receive for colliding with Messi. The rule implemented last month by MLS intends to quickly resume play after a player injury and ensures a player gets adequate treatment quickly. It also aims to curtail gamesmanship by teams whose players try to milk precious time off the clock with an injury stoppage to maintain their lead and hinder opposing teams from making a comeback. Has the MLS injury rule worked? Early data shows the MLS off-field treatment rule is working. The MLS reports there have been 1.77 injury stoppages per game in the past three weeks since the rule was implemented compared to 5.25 stoppages. Further, the new data shows only 0.16 times, roughly one in six games, did an MLS player need to serve the two-minute wait on the sideline. Essentially, Messi's sideline wait was a rare occurrence based on the new MLS data since the rule was installed last month. Where does Messi's MLS injury rule go from here? The MLS could argue if Messi wanted to return to play immediately then he should have walked off the pitch on his own before being treated by trainers. It's just inconceivable for MLS teams to work around the implemented rules when a player's health comes first. The first thought when an injury occurs is the injury not getting off the field in a timely manner so one can re-enter. Cleaning up gamesmanship is one thing and appreciated but having the world's greatest player openly criticize the unintended consequences of his rule in the middle of a match is another. Messi's outspoken and rare criticism should inspire MLS to further adjust. Included in the article is a photo of Messi as he encountered the two-minute criticism in his pink Inter-Miami CF. Inter-Miami CF forward Lionel Messi talks with trainers during the first half against CF Montreal on Saturday provided by David Kirok. This concludes the first article from the sports section of the USA Today. Messi leads MLS two-minute criticism by Safid Dean of the USA Today. Our second article from the sports section of the USA Today reads, At PGA, Tiger Woods will try to turn back time again from Louisville, Kentucky. In a sport beset by change, recent and unwelcome, a nostalgic comfort is found in one thing that remains familiar after all these years. There's still nothing like watching Tiger Woods hit a golf ball. This story is by Gentry Estes of the Tennessean via the USA Today network. His skill level, his talent is still just mesmerizing, said fellow PGA Tour golfer Max Houma. The big cat isn't back, not by his standards, but he's here. Woods, 48, is still teeing it up at this PGA Championship in Valhalla where he won this tournament in 2000, literally half a lifetime ago. His appearance is a rare treat for golf fans who've grown accustomed to seldom seeing him prowl the links anymore. Since July 2022, Woods has played in only five PGA Tour events, and he withdrew from two. The competitive spirit is willing, but physically? That's his question, and it isn't going away. Woods said Tuesday that his body feels okay, that he is always going to feel soreness and stiffness in my back, that he wishes his game was a little sharper because, after all, he doesn't play much. He also said that he appreciates all this the more, and all because he doesn't play much. And yet Woods said this, too, like a man who meant it. It still feels that I can win golf tournaments. I still feel I can hit the shots. I still feel like I have my hands around the greens. And I can putt. I just need to do it for all four days. For anyone old enough to remember Woods in his prime, it's odd and frankly a little sad to imagine him sitting at the site of a major tournament, having to convince anyone of his capacity to play golf at the highest level. Being a massive underdog, it doesn't suit Woods, given the unmistakable aura and massive crowds that accompany his every step on a golf course. But at the same time, it'd be truly stunning for him to repeat his previous PGA win at Valhalla. Too many of those steps on this golf course. Old baseball pitchers will tell you, years after retiring, that they'd still be capable of heating up their arm for one good vintage performance. The trouble would come with asking their aging arms to keep doing it again and again against younger competition. Woods figures to still be capable of a special shot or putt or round. But when that energy and that adrenaline wears off, either sometime Thursday or Friday, what does he have after that, said Curtis Strange, former golf-returned ESPN analyst. Last month, Woods made the cut at the Masters with rounds of 73 and 72, but he followed it with disappointing rounds of 82 and 77, to finish at 16 over par, last among those who golfed into the weekend in Augusta. Getting a round is one of the more difficulties that I face day to day, and the recovery, pushing myself either in practice or on a competitive day, Woods said. I mean, you saw it at Augusta. I was there after two days, and it didn't do very well on the weekend. The head tells you he has no chance, but the heart wants to listen to Homa, who played alongside Woods for those first two rounds at the Masters. It's always going to be crazy to think he'd win another one, Homa said, but watching him play those two days at Augusta, I very much thought he could win another golf tournament. I put nothing past him at this point. The article includes a photo of Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods walks off the Valhalla course Tuesday as play was suspended due to inclement weather during a practice round via the USA Today. This concludes the second article from the sports section of the USA Today. FPGA Tiger Woods will try to turn back time again. This article is by Gentry Estes of the Tennessean USA Today Network. The third article from the sports section of the USA Today is titled, Danger Zone. Wilson Contreras broke his arm getting hit by a swing, shining light on wrist catcher's take in the name of efficiency by Gabe Lacks of the USA Today. It is no longer a game of inches, but rather a contest of countless data points, and when the modern baseball player is armed with information, they can win them a strike, an out, a game, and ultimately a fewer, more lucrative earning years. No risk is too large, and that's largely how a small patch of dirt between batter and catcher has turned into a battle zone. When a swing from New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez fractured St. Louis catcher Wilson Contreras left forearm May 7th, the obsession with the inherent problems stemming from framing pitches and stealing strikes came into stark relief. Contreras, in the second year of a five-year $87.5 million contract, will miss about 10 weeks due to the injury, a big price for the struggling Cardinals, especially when the benefit was simply gaining one extra strike for his pitcher. The obsession with pitch framing, strike stealing, or strike preserving, depending on one's perspective, isn't going away, at least in the absence of a fully automated strike zone. Yet, Major League Baseball concerns with the problem, which predates the Contreras-Martinez incident, may prompt the league to bring the matter before its competition committee if teams and players cannot correct the rise in incidents themselves, according to a person familiar with the league's thinking who spoke to USA Today Sports on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The league has reason to act. Catcher's interference calls are at an all-time high. Through Sunday, there have been 35 violations for catcher's interference, which is called when a batter's swing strikes the catcher's glove before coming through the strike zone. With the season barely one quarter complete, 35 violations already exceed the entire 2015 season's total of 33. After that season, catcher's interference calls began a steady rise and increased 57% from 2021 to 2023. When it peaked with 74 violations, a mark that will be obliterated this year, perhaps by the All-Star break. That line of demarcation is probably no coincidence. 2015 was the first year MLB produced stat-cast data, which in concert with third-party tools such as high-speed cameras and other tech, changed the way the game is analyzed and valued and ultimately played. For catchers, it's meant creeping closer to the batter, largely aiming to stop the ball's flight before it dips below the strike zone, no matter the danger. I think at the end of the day, nothing will change because it's valued so much in terms of what you bring to the position, value to your team, and ultimately to yourself in terms of getting paid, catcher Tucker Barnhart, an 11-year veteran told USA Today Sports. It's kind of a double-edged sword. If you don't do it, you don't play, and you don't get paid. And if you don't do either of those, you're not going to be in the game very long. Barnhart made his debut in 2014 when he said framing was kind of an afterthought after blocking balls, nabbing base stealers, and then receiving abilities. Now, he says, it's the complete inverse. The tools of ignorance have given way to countless contraptions. More than a dozen teams have invested in a Trackjet Arc Pitching Machine, a robot that's loaded with stat-cast pitching data for both opponents and teammates. A catcher can test drive a pitcher's repertoire and know exactly where to set up to snag a strike or two. Advanced scouting meetings are replete with information on how to best set up a hitter, which may involve creeping closer to his stance. And there's plenty of dirt on the guys with the longest and ostensibly most dangerous swings. Hey, you have to be aware, says Baltimore Orioles veteran catcher James McCann, anyone can get you at any one time. But there are more guys that, based on their swing types, are a little more prone than other guys. One of the things we talk about before a series, this guy has multiple catcher's interference. Be aware. It doesn't mean you change anything. Just maybe don't go that far inside on him. Indeed, the book was out on Martinez, a 6'3", 230 pounder, who was particularly effective at letting the ball travel and pounding it to the opposite field. Shohei Otani, Lewis Robert, and Kyle Talker are similarly long-limbed, long-swinging sluggers who consistently rank among league leaders in reaching base via interference. But Tennessee's can run the gamut. Former Diamondback Josh Rojas is remembered by teammates for his knack to reach that way. Utility player Tommy Lastella impacted playoff games and could make an entire highlight reel of his interference proclivity. Jacoby Elsby made history. Yet even before Contreras' injury, MLB had sounded the alarm on the rise in catcher interference. Now, in the wake of the Contreras injury, it again must ponder if it must intercede if teams don't change their habits. The batter's box is mine. You see it almost every game. The lead-off batter digs into the box, and should he feel sufficiently vested in his big league time, wipes out the chalk marking the back end of the batter's box. Hey, pitchers have always thrown hard. Every millisecond of swing decision time helps. And no, it's not on the hitter to ensure his swing doesn't strike the glove when the catcher has total control of setting up. That's my zone as a hitter. I don't have to do anything to not hit the catcher, says Arizona first baseman Christian Walker. It's his job to stay out of my way. The batter's box is mine. Home plate is mine in that moment. As long as I'm in the box, that space is mine. I'm not up there thinking, how can I stay out of his way? That's on him. That's why we get the base. Just as catchers know the swing paths of hitters, their counterparts know who's best at stealing strikes. Framing statistics are now readily available, although proprietary scouting reports are probably even better at identifying the best pitchers' presenters. You could also simply sort by batting average, picking out the lightest hitting catchers and knowing why they're around. The Cleveland Guardians brought back Austin Hedgers as a backup even after he batted just .172 over the previous four seasons. Hedges is always elite, maybe the best in the league, says Walker. I remember taking some at-bats and him framing a breaking ball low and getting the call and looking down and his glove was in front of me. That's how they're doing it. They're going and getting it. If they're willing to take the chance that the hitter's not swinging the bat and want to be vulnerable and go and get the pitch, props to them. That's the classic risk-reward. It sucks that it can come at the expense of a real injury. It sucks for Contreras. It's terrible. But also, you kind of know what could happen if that's the game we're playing. Danger zone. The cat and mouse between pitcher, catcher, and batter won't be going away soon, but nobody wants to see another Contreras situation. To that end, MOV officials visited all 30 training camps this past spring and, as Arizona manager Tory Lovullo put it, clearly defined the rules of where a catcher could set up and said they were going to monitor how close that catcher was to the batter. Maybe it wasn't monitored that way and needed to be. I know Contreras getting clipped is going to reignite that, said Lovullo. He's a great player in this game. It's very unfortunate. It's going to be monitored and hopefully we can keep pushing that ball down the field. Yet, it seems either teams, managers, or catchers are not listening. The league made it a point of emphasis during sessions with all 30 managers at the winter meetings and then again during spring training, but with the rise in catcher-bat contact, the league may present catcher's interference to its competition committee as a potential safety issue. The committee would then decide whether how to legislate the issue and enforce it. The committee is comprised of six club representatives, four MLB players, association reps, and one umpire. The committee has driven forward implementation on radical game-changing mechanisms, such as the pitch clock. It would now take aim at a craft players have diligently aimed to master. Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk currently ranks number one at StatCast's catcher-framing metric, tied with Yankees Jose Trevino and Colorado's Elias Diaz in catcher-framing runs while ranking fourth with a 51.7 strike rate. His receiving ability was not innate, but rather crafted over years of diligent work and analysis with Blue Jays bullpen catcher and big league catching coordinator Luis Hurtado. We went to a lot of video, figured out how to get better, says Kirk through an interpreter. He helped me a lot to get where I am now, and there's a daily routine that we stick to. We're very conscious, for example, if a hitter has a long swing, we work on that to try to get the space in between that. Others have shorter swingers. Framing itself is also due to involve. McCann says the publicly available data has some holes in it, most notably a failure to adjust to an individual umpire's tendencies, which hurts catcher's ratings when receiving specific pitchers. Can strike stealing get more granular? Never bet against technology. But Lovolo cautions, never take for granted the dangers inherent in optimization. The game has gotten very specific, he says. Catchers do know where their pitch is going and how to get a ball to be a strike. They want to get underneath the ball and bring it up. They want to get around the ball and bring it in. It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of creativity. You have to be in the right space. But being close to the hitter is never an advantage. I think that's going to create a lot of danger. Included in the article is a photo of Cardinals catcher Wilson Contreras as he reacts after fracturing his left arm during the second inning against the Mets on May 7th at Busch Stadium. This concludes the reading of the third article from the sports section of USA Today, Danger Zone. Wilson Contreras broke his arm getting hit by a swing. Shining light on risk catchers taking in name of efficiency by Gabe Lacks of the USA Today. From the life section of the USA Today, our first article reads, How you're gonna go far became a graduation anthem. Noah Cunham song is about leaving home, but for parents and grads, it's stirring emotion. Music. Kahan's gonna go far may make you cry. The leaving home anthem speaks volumes to parents and students during graduation season. By Lisa Abella. Special to the USA Today. When I first heard the song, my youngest daughter had warned me as we were driving to school that it made her friend's mom cry. After hearing just a few bars, my throat clenched to a point where words weren't possible without the threat of a deluge of tears. Noah Cunham's you're gonna go far did that to me on a weekday morning in my pajama pants while running carpool for my eighth grader. Tucked inside the song's lyrics is a vivid reflection of my oldest daughter, a senior in high school, preparing not only for graduation, but for a new chapter that will take her away from home. Away from me. And through my speakers, one of the most popular indie folk singer songwriters was singing about this transition and the complicated emotions that come with it to me. Or so it felt. Included in the article are two photos of Cunham playing the guitar as he sings you're gonna go far. To think that there might be a generation of kids playing you're gonna go far at their graduation is an honor, says Cunham, performing during the Austin city limits on October 14, 2023. This concludes the reading of our first article from the live section of the USA Today. How you're gonna go far became graduation anthem. Noah Cunham's song is about leaving home, but for parents and grads is stirring emotion by Lisa Abelard, special to USA Today. Next from the live section, we have today's horoscope from the Horoscope Sanctuary. Aries, March 21st to April 19th. Weighing your financial options. Seek money-making advice from a professional. Taurus, April 20th through May 20th. Feeling focused? Today provides clarity and vision. Others want to hear what you've got to say. Gemini, May 21st through June 21st. Mercury's interest to Taurus brings out your introverted side for the next three weeks. Cancer, June 22nd to July 22nd. Making slow and steady progress. There will be successful group ventures, but some flexibility will be required. Leo, July 23rd through August 22nd. Need to make a point? Mercury's interest to Taurus provides the platform you need to deliver your message. Virgo, August 23rd through September 22nd. Food for thought. New ideas are provided to chew on, but some may be tough to swallow. Libra, September 23rd through October 23rd. Intense conversations. Share your take on controversial topics. Scorpio, October 24th through November 21st. Today encourages you to hash out the hard stuff with a partner. No need to rush. Sagittarius, November 22nd through December 21st. Sticking to your routine. Your motto is, if it's not broke, don't fix it. Capricorn, December 22nd through January 19th. Prioritizing what brings you joy. Favorite pastimes are better when shared. Aquarius, January 20th through February 18th. Breaking down your walls. Heart-to-hearts with loved ones are fostered. Getting something heavy off your chest. Pisces, February 19th through March 20th. Taking it all in. Mercury's stint in Taurus doesn't just prompt interesting conversations, it provides a full sensory experience. These have been the horoscope sanctuary readings for today. That concludes our reading of the USA Today. This has been Omar King for the Georgia Radio Reading Service. Thank you for listening to GARS.
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