Video posts on Twitter could become a source of income for college athletes. | Matt Rourke/AP
Opendorse’s deal with Twitter will give college athletes at schools that use its service the opportunity to start earning money from content they create and tweet.
A company that has partnered with dozens of college athletic departments on name, image and likeness programming announced a deal with Twitter on Thursday that will allow athletes to monetize video posts on the social media platform.
In less than a month, several state laws will go into effect that will make it possible for college athletes to be paid for endorsements, sponsorship deals and personal appearances.
The NCAA is also hoping to have new rules in place by the end of June to govern all Division I athletes and NIL compensation from third parties.
Opendorse’s deal with Twitter will give college athletes at schools that use its service the opportunity to start earning money from content they create and tweet with just a few taps on a smart phone.
Blake Lawrence, the co-founder of Opendorse and a former Nebraska football player, said the deal with Twitter will ensure that college athletes align with approved advertisers and videos published are compliant with NCAA rules and various state laws.
Among the schools that have deals with Opendorse are Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State, LSU, Indiana and BYU.
Opendorse also partners with several professional sports league players’ associations, including the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.
“We’ve built a system that allows the activities of an NBA player to be evaluated differently from that of an NFL player,” Lawrence said. “So that same approach you can bring to the collegiate space.”
He said if there is a state-by-state approach to NIL legislation, the company is equipped to evaluate activities differently for an athlete in Florida, for example, as opposed to one in Mississippi.
The video athletes can monetize cannot come from the schools and broadcast partners. They must be independently produced.
“This fall when a college sports fan is scrolling through Twitter, they’re going to see a video from their favorite student-athlete and that video could be that athlete providing a post-game recap. Their thoughts on the game they just played,” Lawrence said. “The fan hits play on that video and they will see a five- to 15- to 30-second advertisement before the video plays.
“The difference between that video this fall and that video today is that video this fall will result in compensation directly to that student-athlete.”
The athlete will be paid based on engagement with the video and number of followers.
A 14-year-old girl was shot June 2, 2021, in Back of the Yards. | Anthony Vazquez / Sun-Times
“You can’t come out walking at nights because there is shooting everywhere,’ said Jessica Martinez, 38. “I’m scared to take my babies to the park.”
Maria Medina was on her way to tend to her backyard when she saw a young teen walking her dog with her boyfriend.
She recognized the 14-year-old girl, her family were nice people from the same Back of the Yards neighborhood where Medina has lived for over 30 years. From the back of her house Medina heard two gunshots and, when she thought it safe, ventured to the front to find paramedics trying to save the seventh-grader’s life.
“It’s so sad,” Medina, 76, said in Spanish.
The teen and her boyfriend had just bought snacks from a store at the corner of Wood and 48th streets around 6 p.m. Wednesday when they were confronted by three young gunmen, according to police and the alderman of the ward.
They asked if she was in a gang and she said she wasn’t, at which point the three chased her half-way down the block and opened fire, according to Ald. Ray Lopez (15th), who said he got the details from police.
The gunmen jumped into an SUV and sped off. The girl was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. She underwent surgery Wednesday night.
No one was in custody.
Anthony Vázquez / Sun-TimesPolice investigate the scene were a 14-year-old girl was shot and critically wounded June 2, 2021 in the 1700 block of West 48th Street.
A classmate of the girl said she is outgoing and always befriending new people. She is an avid drawer and part of their school’s art club.
“She could talk to anyone and make you feel so comfortable,” the classmate said. “And she really loved her dog.”
A young boy walking with his mom Thursday said he knew the girl and was hurt by what had happened.
“I wasn’t her friend or anything like that, but this is really sad,” he said. “I can’t believe this happened.”
Police have said little publicly about what led to the confrontation. Medina said that, in all her years living in the neighborhood, she’s never seen anything like it.
The Back of the Yards neighborhood has been a hotspot for homicides over the years, but within the last year they have significantly dropped. In 2020, the New City community area — which includes Back of the Yards and Canaryville — had 11 homicides. It has seen only 3 this year so far.
Even so, some residents say shootings have gotten worse recently.
“You can’t come out walking at nights because there is shooting everywhere,’ said Jessica Martinez, 38. “I’m scared to take my babies to the park that’s nearby, and I don’t understand what’s going on.”
Lopez tweeted that he heard shots near a grade school as he watched police work the scene where the girl was shot.
“What the hell is going on tonight?” he asked. “I’m still on scene for the gang shooting in Back of the Yards and now 17 rounds fired off in front of Shields Elementary School in Brighton Park.”
Others at the scene were clearly on edge.
Mariah McClinton, 20, said she heard two gunshots and ran to the window to see what was going on. The shooters had already left, but she saw a crowd gathering near the girl and shouting that one of the gunmen had run into her apartment building – which wasn’t true.
“This guy, I don’t know who he was, but he ran up in our building and he started banging on my door,” McClinton said. “I was terrified because he was banging on the door so loud and kicking it that I thought he was going to break it down. I didn’t know if he was one of the shooters trying to hide or who he was. I thought me and my daughter were going to get shot.”
McClinton was alone in the apartment with her 3-year-old daughter. As the banging grew more intense, she pushed her refrigerator in front of the door.
“I called the police telling them there is some man banging on my door, that they need to send someone to stop him,” McClinton said. “But the operator just said it might be the police since they are investigating an incident nearby and I should probably answer the door.
“I knew it wasn’t the cops,” she said. “After what seemed like forever, officers came and stopped the man.”
McClinton said her landlord just informed her that her rent is going from $500 a month to $1,200, but after Wednesday’s shooting she is preparing to move.
“I get they are trying to make this neighborhood more high-end because it has gotten somewhat better in terms of crime, but there is still too much of it here,” McClinton said.
Lopez said a new gang in the area has been recruiting from neighborhood schools – focusing on kids 15 years and younger. He blamed the glorification of gang culture for violence in his ward.
“This elevation of gang life has to come to an end. It’s not cute. It only comes to one outcome, what we saw last night,” he told the Sun-Times.
The girl’s classmate, who is in eighth grade, said the new gang had been encroaching on the block, with members in both high school and middle school. The classmate once saw them on the block talking to young people.
“She was friends with everyone and tried to be if she could, even people who were affiliated with the old and the new gang,” the classmate said. “I think it’s related to that, and I just want police to know this information.”
Meanwhile, community activist Andrew Holmes urged neighbors who may have cameras on their homes to give footage to the Chicago Police Department.
“These streets belong to the children, the parks belong to the children,” Holmes said Wednesday outside Comer Hospital. “Give our city back to our youth.”
Since last week Thursday, at least 10 people 18 or younger have been shot in the city.
Through the end of May, 1,386 people were shot in Chicago, a jump from 1,116 during the same time in 2020. Murders have risen 5% compared to 2020, with the department reporting 252 murders so far this year.
Anyone with a tip can call Area 1 detectives at (312) 747-8384.
Chicago’s downtown, as viewed from the 31st Street bridge over Lake Shore Drive. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.
Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.
This afternoon will be sunny with a high near 86 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 67. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny with a high near 89.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot today abandoned her July 4 timetable for a full reopening and said Chicago is ready to join the rest of the state in lifting all capacity restrictions on June 11.
She made the announcement that bars, restaurants and hotels have been waiting for on the Facebook live show that Chicago Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady has been hosting during the pandemic.
“The numbers are looking great. Better than they’ve been, I think, through the entirety of the pandemic,” the mayor said, pointing to the 135 cases-a-day in Chicago and to the city’s 2% test positivity rate.
Face masks will still be required in schools, in health care settings, on public transit and in some businesses. Anyone who is not vaccinated should continue to wear a mask.
Now is the time, if you haven’t been vaccinated, to get the shot, Arwady said.
After a year hiatus due to the pandemic, the parade will return to the South Side for the 92nd time on Saturday, Aug. 14. The typically annual event attracts tens of thousands of spectators and marchers to Washington Park.
The parade route will be shorter, though, starting at 51st Street and continuing to 55th Street, rather than launching from 39th as it has been in the past. The route has been shortened in hopes of limiting crowds, said Antawn Anderson, executive administrator and program director of the Bud Billiken Parade.
The number of parade performers, including dance troops and bands, will also be cut in half due to COVID-19 safety precautions.
James Foster/Sun-TimesThe Julian High School Marching Band in the 2017 Bud Billiken parade, Chicago, Saturday, August 12.
But bringing back the event will restore a tradition featuring dances and performances that generations of South Siders and others have enjoyed.
“It’s more than a parade, and it’s more than one day,” Anderson said. “Individual leaders and dance directors put their lives into these children. And the reality is, in our community, dance saves lives.”
At the parade’s end, the annual free community festival is set to take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.
Yesterday, we asked you: Which Chicago neighborhood has the best food? Here’s what some of you said…
“Little Village because Mexican food is the best food.” — Raulito Hernandez Jr.
“Garfield Ridge: Three bakeries and several great pizza places.” — Phyllis Schriedel
“Greektown for all their Puerto Rican food.” — Rigo Banuelos
“River North has top-notch cuisine of every type, but the prices are high!” — Jerry Goldner
“Clearing. Lithuanian, Polish, Mexican.” — Andrea Moore
“That depends on your taste! I have gotten good food from Pilsen to Cabrini and everything east to west!” — Charles E. Blalark
“Downtown and Rogers Park because there are all types of foods.” — Myrna Kar
“Andersonville, N. Clark and Foster. Three traditionally Swedish Restaurants: Svea, Tre Kronor, and Ann Sathers. Sorry, Ann Sathers closed years ago!” — Randy Johnson
“Bridgeport for three places: Connie’s Pizza, Phil’s Pizza and Ricobene’s! You can’t find better anywhere else.” — Mark Quintero
“Anywhere you go every neighborhood has its own unique foods. CHICAGO is the best!” — Deborah Betancourt
Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
White Sox outfielder-first baseman Andrew Vaughn went on the injured list Thursday. | John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times
“In compliance with MLB’s existing COVID-19 protocols, Andrew Vaughn has been placed on the injured list,” GM Rick Hahn said. “Andrew is currently asymptomatic.”
The White Sox placed rookie outfielder Andrew Vaughn on the injured list in compliance with MLB Covid protocols on Thursday.
Infielder/outfielder Gavin Sheets was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
“Andrew is currently asymptomatic and our hope is that, similar to our other IL placements of this nature, he will return shortly to the active roster,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “At this time, no other players on the roster are impacted.”
Vaughn did not play in both ends of the Sox’ doubleheader against the Indians in Cleveland on Monday and returned to the lineup Tuesday. Manager Tony La Russa said Vaughn was held out of those games because of allergies.
Vaughn is batting .226/.316/.394, four homers and a .711 OPS. A first baseman, Vaughn has successfully transitioned to left field after left fielder Eloy Jimenez suffered a long-term injury during spring training.
Sheets, 25, impressed during spring training and is batting .319/.360/.500 with four home runs and 20 RBI over 23 games with the Knights. He has played in 14 games at first base, nine in right field and one in left.
DraftKings, FanDuel aren’t the only sportsbooks pushing their way into mainstream sports media, but they’re certainly the boldest.
A trend is happening in the sports-betting world that has nothing to do with money lines, point spreads or totals.
When the Supreme Court ruled in May 2018 that states could decide whether to allow sports betting, we all expected sports radio and TV to produce content dedicated to gambling. It would cater to an underserved audience and provide advertising and sponsorship dollars.
But some surprising branches have grown from the sports-wagering tree of life. Sportsbooks aren’t merely offering facts and figures; they’re creating their own content with the purpose of competing in an already-crowded sports-media landscape.
DraftKings bought Brent Musburger’s Vegas Sports Information Network (VSiN) in March. In April, it agreed to a content and distribution deal with former ESPN Radio host Dan Le Batard’s Meadowlark Media. DraftKings and Le Batard hit the air Friday with a live 24-hour show on YouTube.
FanDuel reached an exclusive deal last July with NFL punter-turned-media personality Pat McAfee to carry his talk show on its platforms. Last month, it became the exclusive odds provider for the Associated Press as part of an agreement that includes content sharing.
These aren’t the only sportsbooks pushing their way into mainstream sports media, but they’re certainly the boldest. And with partnerships in place for both with professional leagues – including the NFL, which had long eschewed the mere presumption of gambling – executives say they’re only getting started.
“Leagues and media companies are seeing an unbelievable opportunity to make a lot of money,” said Bynum Jaeger, an agent at Harlan Sports Management in Chicago. “Money drives everything in business, especially coming out of a pandemic. It was an untapped resource for a long time.”
“I still do a double-take when I’m watching ‘MLB Tonight’ and on the bottom crawl now, not only do you get the score, you get the odds,” said Joe Ostrowski, who hosts “BetQL Daily” and The Score’s “Early Odds” on Saturday mornings. “I still am like, ‘Wow, it’s amazing to think that we’re there.’ ”
How did we get there so fast?
“The pace of legalization is easing companies’ policies,” said Adam Kaplan, FanDuel Group’s general manager and vice president of content. “The added benefits of operating in a legalized market are significant, creating a safer experience and more comprehensive for customers.”
“The idea of bringing that business into the regulated market that’s taxed, that creates jobs, there’s tremendous support for that,” said Matt Kalish, president of DraftKings North America and co-founder. “And then that’s branched into the media company side of things.”
That side can create stars, at least in the gambling world. Jaeger represents Sam Panayotovich, a Chicago native and Mount Carmel grad who talks sports betting at NESN in Boston and contributes to Fox Sports’ digital operation. He worked for Musburger when VSiN started in 2017.
“Sammy has become one of the go-to guys in the space,” Jaeger said. “While he was out there in Vegas, he developed relationships with insiders from all different parts of the space. Now he’s able to educate the masses and occasionally he may be able to create an edge for people.”
McAfee already had made his mark in sports media when he made his FanDuel deal, which was described as a first-of-its-kind arrangement between a sportsbook and a sports personality. Kaplan called it the company’s most prominent and successful investment.
Former ESPN 1000 program director Adam Delevitt is mining content as the director of broadcast and streaming media at Rush Street Interactive, a Chicago company that operates gaming websites and works with BetRivers, including Rivers Casino Des Plaines.
“The demos align well,” Delevitt said. “Similar demographics consuming certain sports media are also following those games the personalities watch and play. Like buying the same brand of clothes because your favorite personality is wearing them.”
Which begs the question: With sportsbooks willing to spend, could they eventually pursue a prominent mainstream media figure to drive their business?
“I don’t wanna give away too much about our future plans, but it’s a fair question to ask,” Kaplan said. “It’s not impossible that one day someone could leave a major network to be a spokesperson for a gambling company. There’s a lot of interesting talent out there, not only across the major networks but folks that are up-and-coming or have been creating content on their own.”
Kalish said he has encountered a number of people who see the momentum behind sports betting and view it as a potential next phase of their careers. Jaeger, who already has a handful of clients in the industry, said it provides a great opportunity for talent who can leverage content.
“I don’t see why mainstream network sports talent wouldn’t want to bring their game and brand to a sports-gaming company,” Delevitt said. “As more states continue to legalize, the growth in this area will be enormous. I think we are in the top of the first inning in this rise of sports content and wagering entertainment.”
Michael Williams, 30, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and felony gun charges.
A man upset with his ex-girlfriend shot her and their young son when he fired a gun through their kitchen window while trying to get into their West Side garden apartment, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.
Michael Williams, 30, faces attempted murder, aggravated battery and felony gun charges, for Tuesday night’s shooting, which took place after Williams repeatedly called and texted his 30-year-old ex, prosecutors said.
A Chicago police POD camera recorded Williams as he walked into the gangway of the woman’s building around 11:45 p.m, prosecutors said.
After, the woman heard banging on her kitchen door and saw Williams standing outside, prosecutors said.
The former couple share three children, including a 20-month-old boy who Williams’ ex-girlfriend was holding when Williams started pounding on the door, prosecutors said.
After breaking the glass window on the door with his hands, Williams fired multiple shots into the apartment, prosecutors said. Williams’ ex-girlfriend suffered graze wounds to a finger and her back. The toddler boy was struck multiple times in the legs. The child was still recovering at a hospital on Thursday, prosecutors said.
Williams was arrested early Wednesday while he was driving in the 7200 block of North Sheridan Road. He was bleeding from a cut on his hand when he was apprehended and blood was found on the broken glass of victims’ kitchen window. A .40-caliber handgun was also recovered from Williams’ car, prosecutors said.
While in custody, Williams allegedly admitted to detectives that he fired the shots.
Williams was sentenced to a year of conditional discharge in 2011 for endangering the life of another of the couple’s child, who was five years old at the time, prosecutors said.
Williams, a father of four, works as a general laborer for Midwest Cannabis Corp., an assistant public defender said.
Judge Mary Marubio ordered Williams held without bail Thursday.
In this March 31, 2021 file photo, Naomi Osaka, of Japan, returns to Maria Sakkari, of Greece, during the quarterfinals of the Miami Open tennis tournament in Miami Gardens, Fla. Sponsors of Osaka are sticking by the her after she withdrew from the French Open citing mental health issues relating to the press conferences required for players. Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, said Monday, May 31, she was withdrawing from the French Open for mental health issues. | AP
Osaka, who also acknowledged suffering “long bouts of depression,” received criticism by some who say the media events are just “ part of the job. “ But Nike, Sweetgreen and other sponsors put out statements in support of the 23-year-old star after she revealed her struggles.
NEW YORK — A few years ago, a star athlete dropping out of a major tennis tournament over mental health issues might have been seen as a sign of weakness.
Today, at least for Naomi Osaka’s corporate sponsors, it is being hailed as refreshingly honest.
That would explain why so many of them have stuck by Osaka after the four-time Grand Slam champion announced Monday that she was withdrawing from the French Open because she didn’t want to appear for the requisite news conferences that caused her “huge waves of anxiety.”
Osaka, who also acknowledged suffering “long bouts of depression,” received criticism by some who say the media events are just “ part of the job. “ But Nike, Sweetgreen and other sponsors put out statements in support of the 23-year-old star after she revealed her struggles.
“Our thoughts are with Naomi,” Nike said in a statement. “We support her and recognize her courage in sharing her own mental health experience.” Sweetgreen tweeted that its partnership with Osaka “is rooted in wellness in all its forms.” And Mastercard tweeted: “Naomi Osaka’s decision reminds us all how important it is to prioritize personal health and well-being.”
Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce, said that Osaka’s disclosure has made her a more authentic spokesperson — and more valuable to corporate sponsors.
“Every athlete gets a sports sponsorship because they win games or perform well,” he said. “But the best ones become true brand ambassadors when they have a broader persona. The best brand ambassadors are real people. (Osaka) is talking about an issue that is relevant to many people. Mental health is a bigger issue than winning or losing tennis.”
Reilly Opelka, a 23-year-old American tennis player seeded 32nd at the French Open who plays his third-round match Friday, told The Associated Press he’s glad Osaka “is taking time to get better.”
“She’s one of the best players in the world — she’s very influential,” Opelka said. “The sport needs her. She’s an icon. It’s bad for the sport to have one of the main attractions not around.”
Osaka, who was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, moved to the United States with her family when she was 3, and now lives in Los Angeles.
She has taken a leading role in protesting the deaths last year of George Floyd and other Black people who died at the hands of the police, wearing a mask with a different victim’s name on each match day at the 2020 U.S. Open. She was named the 2020 AP Female Athlete of the Year.
According to Forbes, Osaka is the world’s highest-paid woman athlete, earning $37 million in 2020 from blue-chip sponsors such as Tag Heuer, AirBnB, and Louis Vuitton in addition to Mastercard and Nike.
Nike has stood by sports stars after other controversies, including Tiger Woods after his 2009 sex scandal and former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick after he knelt during games to protest police brutality against Black people. But it recently dropped Brazilian soccer star Neymar after he refused to cooperate with an internal investigation into sexual assault allegations from a Nike staffer.
Osaka’s disclosure comes as celebrities and other public figures openly address their own issues with depression and anxiety. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, shared their experiences in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey and have since teamed with her to create a mental health focused series called “The Me You Can’t See,” in which Prince Harry talks about working through anxiety and grief.
Osaka also joins a growing list of top-tier athletes speaking out about mental health. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, NBA players Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan, and the WNBA’s A’ja Wilson have all spoken very publicly about their bouts with depression, sharing both the successes and setbacks.
The four Grand Slam tournaments reacted to Osaka’s withdrawal by pledging to do more to address players’ mental health issues. The episode also could serve as a tipping point for the professional tennis tours — and leagues in other sports — to safeguard athletes’ mental, and not just physical, health, said Windy Dees, professor of sport administration at the University of Miami.
“It’s absolutely a growth opportunity for the (Women’s Tennis Association) and all leagues, there’s a lot of work to be done,” Dees said.
Marketing consultant Adamson believes Osaka’s decision to come forward will encourage many more athletes to divulge their own mental health battles. He noted that if Osaka had revealed her bouts with depression 10 years ago, her corporate sponsors likely would have stayed on the sidelines because the issue had been taboo. But, he noted, the pandemic has raised awareness around mental illness.
From August 2020 to February, the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%, according to a survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau.
The survey also found the percentage of those reporting they didn’t get the help they needed increased from 9.2% to 11.7%. Increases were largest among adults aged 18–29 years and those with less than a high school education.
Ken Duckworth, chief medical officer for the National Alliance On Mental Illness, said Osaka’s decision to go public is a positive development for all people who feel isolated.
“We are moving from mental health and mental illness as a ‘they” thing to a ‘we’ thing,” he said. “These are ordinary common human problems. And I firmly believe that isolation and shame directly contributes to people not getting help. I look at a great athlete, an exceptional athlete, as one potential role model.”
——
AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
The front of the New York Stock Exchange is shown, Monday, May 24, 2021. Stocks are opening higher on Wall Street Wednesday, May 26 as inflation fears ease and investors look ahead to data expected to show economic growth accelerating in the U.S. | AP
Markets have been wobbly all week as investors closely watch the labor markets for more signs of economic growth and consider any information that could give more clues about rising inflation.
Stocks mostly fell on Wall Street in afternoon trading Thursday as investors weighed the latest economic reports showing that unemployment claims are falling but labor costs are rising.
Markets have been wobbly all week as investors closely watch the labor markets for more signs of economic growth and consider any information that could give more clues about rising inflation. Labor costs rose at a 1.7% rate in the first quarter, up from the initial estimate that costs had fallen 0.3%. That could stoke more fears that inflation might run hotter than expected.
The S&P 500 index fell 0.2% as of 2:14 p.m. eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 14 points, or less than 0.1%, to 34,613 and the Nasdaq shed 0.8%.
The benchmark S&P 500 was roughly split between gainers and losers, and the slide has erased its gains for the week. Technology companies, whose pricey stock values make them more sensitive to inflation fears, were the biggest weight on the market. Microsoft fell 0.9% and Intel slipped 2%.
A variety of companies that rely on direct consumer spending and communications companies also had some of the biggest declines. Banks and energy companies rose.
Bond yields rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.62% from 1.59% late Wednesday.
Rising inflation is expected as the economy recovers from the pandemic’s impact, but the key question for many on Wall Street is whether it will be temporary or more permanent.
“The main concern in the markets, rightfully so, is inflation,” said Cliff Hodge, chief investment officer for Cornerstone Wealth. “Data points are beginning to confirm the view that inflation is likely to be more sticky.”
Wall Street will get more detailed data on the labor market Friday when the Labor Department releases its monthly jobs report. Economists are projecting that it will show employers added more than 650,000 jobs in May.
Expectations of a strong increase in hiring have stoked worries about inflation and how the Fed may respond to it. The concern is that the global recovery could be hampered if governments and central banks have to withdraw stimulus to combat rising prices.
Inflation worries are also butting up against the recovery seemingly shifting from a sharp rebound to a grind, which could mean more choppiness as the economy adjusts.
“When the rubber meets the road with the realities of reopening, we think we could be in for a rocky period,” Hodge said.
AMC Entertainment recovered from a sharp pullback and rose 7.7% after the movie theater operator said it would sell more shares following a huge run-up in its stock price on surge of interest from individual investors. The stock is still up about 2,800% this year.
General Motors jumped 6.3% after saying it expects earnings in the first half of the year to exceed its earlier forecasts as its efforts to manage a global computer chip shortage have worked better than expected. Rival Ford Motor rose 6.8%.
Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields (1) has been a quick learner, coach Matt Nagy said. | Nam Y. Huh/AP
The Bears want their prized rookie to serve an apprenticeship under Andy Dalton, but giving Fields second-team reps ahead of Nick Foles is a sign the Bears will give themselves a chance to see if Fields might be ready sooner than they think.
When Bears coach Matt Nagy was asked after rookie minicamp in May if quarterback Justin Fields will get a chance to prove he’s ready to start sooner than the Bears think, he basically said, “We’ll know it when we see it.”
But it didn’t answer the question: Will he give Fields the opportunity for them to see it? If Fields is buried behind Andy Dalton and Nick Foles in training camp practices and the preseason, would Fields even get the chance to open their eyes?
It’s still unlikely that Fields will be in a dogfight for the starting job in training camp — let alone the Week 1 starter. But Nagy gave the first indication he’ll be more open-minded to that possibility when he said at Wednesday’s OTA practice that Fields would get second-team reps and Foles the third-team reps in mini-camp and presumably training camp.
With the Bears concerned about pulling the rug out from under Dalton after signing him in free agency to be the starter when he had other options, Fields’ rise up the depth chart — barring an injury — is likely to be incremental, if not subtle. Getting second-team reps ahead of Foles is a significant first step.
When Mitch Trubisky was in a similar position in 2017 — expected to spend a year of apprenticeship under Mike Glennon — he was behind both Glennon and Mark Sanchez at the start of training camp. And even when Trubisky jumped ahead of Sanchez and took second-team reps in the sixth practice of camp, coach John Fox was quick to say, ‘Don’t read too much into it.’ Still, Trubisky started the season as the No. 2 quarterback and replaced Glennon in Week 5.
Nagy is just as resolute that Dalton is — and will be — the starting quarterback in Week 1. But it seems already like this will be a more fluid situation than it was with Trubisky in 2017 — that Nagy, offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo will give themselves a chance to be intrigued by the prized rookie and perhaps set the bar higher for Dalton. In 2017, Glennon only had to be standing to keep the job. If Fields shows anything in training camp, Dalton will have to actually be good.
Dalton worked with the first-team offense and Fields with the second-team offense at Wednesday’s OTA. It wasn’t revealing at all. It’s almost like the Bears are practicing just for show on media-access days during OTAs and saving the real work for Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Be that as it may, Nagy was typically and expectedly encouraged by Fields. It’ll be interesting to read between the lines as mini-camp and training camp ensue, but for now, it’s pretty standard.
“He’s done a really good job at just trying to digest everything we are teaching in this offense right now,” Nagy said of Fields. “The one thing you learn with Justin is that he does everything really well in a group setting. He listens. He observes Andy, Nick, coach Flip, Bill Lazor, myself when we are in there. But when you have one-on-one conversations with him, sometimes those settings are easier and you can be a little more specific with him — you really see him open up.”
But already, there’s a little bit of intrigue for Nagy.
“It will be cool to see him once he really starts understanding what we do in this offense, to see him continue to grow and open up and ask good questions, which he had done. Everything that we thought he was going to be when he got here with learning and being obsessed with everything that we teach him and then being able to be himself on the field — he’s doing things in a really good way.”
It’s still June. Things won’t pick up steam until training camp in late July. That’s when we’ll get a better idea of just how much Nagy is looking at this situation with open eyes and an open mind.
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