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‘What a Coward’ — Barstool Sports CFB Analyst Trashes Dave Portnoy After Michigan’s ‘Unbelievably Pathetic’ Week 1 Win
The college football world witnessed a stunning and wildly controversial finish between Western Michigan and Michigan on Saturday night in Ann Arbor. Despite Western Michigan holding a 12–7 advantage with less than a minute remaining, a highly debated officiating decision ultimately changed the course of the game and swung the momentum back toward Michigan at the very last second.
AI optimism vs. anxiety — podcasters debate this every night
President Donald Trump, CNBC’s “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer and entrepreneurial “accelerationists” celebrate the AI revolution and the infrastructure data-center build-out. Cramer recently gushed, “I like data centers so much that I wish I lived in one.” Trump criticized any community that opposes them as losers who will lose jobs and taxes — and will weaken […]
Ceuta: Sánchez stands alone in defence of Morocco
The prime minister urges ‘prudence’ to avoid a diplomatic conflict with Rabat
US Open: Naomi Osaka takes care of business against Elise Mertens while Iva Jovic edges out good friend Alex Eala in thriller
Naomi Osaka continued to impress with her style and staying power helping her battle past Elise Mertens to reach the fourth round; watch the US Open live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+, streaming service NOW and the Sky Sports app
Bayou blowout: Clemson drops season opener to No. 11 LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. — All the anticipation and excitement surrounding Clemson football’s 2026 season was quickly stifled and turned sour within minutes of kickoff.
Man struggling with mental health sentenced for stabbing Santaquin officer
Timothy Olesen will spend less than two year in jail and four years on probation for stabbing an officer with a kitchen knife who had responded to his call. The officer was wearing a vest that protected him.
Jays Beat Royals
Blue Jays 4 Royals 3 The Jays are above .500 and own the last Wild Card spot. After the first inning, I thought this was going to be a high scoring game. The Jays got two in the first (it should have been more). Brett Bateman started the game with a single, but was quickly […]
Sanderson to let his new boys run loose
By BEN JAYCOCK Old hand: Courtney Lawes starts on the blindside for Sale PICTURES: Sale Sharks PREVIEW... Sale Sharks v Bath Today. Kick-off 3pm, CorpAcq Stadium SALE Sharks will unveil three of their headline summer signings when they open the new season against Bath in the Prem Cup today. Courtney Lawes, Joe Marchant and Alex […] The post Sanderson to let his new boys run loose appeared first on The Rugby Paper.
Xiaomi 18 Fold: New colors officially revealed
Xiaomi has unveiled two new colors for its upcoming 18 Fold, joining the previously revealed red model. Set to launch in China on September 7, the foldable is expected to feature high-brightness displays, Leica-branded cameras, the new Xring O3 chipset and a 6,000mAh battery.
Wheely Good: Phillies 4, Braves 2
Zack Wheeler gave the Braves hope… for three at-bats.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Colorado Rockies Game Discussion Saturday Night
The St. Louis Cardinals will try to achieve the baseball equivalent of a Rocky Mountain High Saturday night as they do battle with the Colorado Rockies in game 2 of the weekend series. Matthew Liberatore gets the start for the Cardinals while the Rockies give the baseball to RPH Mason Adams. First pitch is set […]
Red Sox Reveal Jarren Duran Decision During Crucial Orioles Series
The Boston Red Sox have taken the first two games of their big four-game series with the Baltimore Orioles. Boston has been able to put together two strong outings, and now they are gearing up to try and take the series entirely. The Red Sox are battling for their playoff lives right now, making every […] The post Red Sox Reveal Jarren Duran Decision During Crucial Orioles Series appeared first on HEAVY.
Padres Announce Manny Machado Move During Yankees Series
The San Diego Padres are looking to take the series from the New York Yankees today after a thrilling walk-off win on Friday.San Diego has been battling for playoff positioning this year, now sitting just 0.5 games up on the final wild-card spot in the National League. The Padres have a few weeks left to […] The post Padres Announce Manny Machado Move During Yankees Series appeared first on HEAVY.
LSU and Southern face spotty showers before kickoff
Both the LSU Tigers and Southern Jags face similar weather forecasts featuring spotty showers and isolated thunderstorms that are expected to taper off around kickoff.
Battle Royale in NA West: Event 1 Event 1 Round 2
Battle your way to Diamond, Elite and Unreal in Combined Ranked in current season to be eligible for the first,second and final respectively Event of the Season! Compete for the opportunity to win a cash prize! Reach Round 2 (top 4000 in EU; top 2000 in NAC; top 800 in OCE, ASIA, ME, BR, NAW) where every player who earns a Victory Royale will earn $100 USD - good luck and have fun!
Player Ratings From Brighton 1-1 Leeds United
Malick Yalcouyé dazzles as Luka Vuskovic rescues a point at the Amex. Discover which Seagulls soared and who struggled in this gritty tactical battle against Leeds United.
Beloved actor reveals he only has 5 years left to live as he battles cancer
The actor shared the news during a recent interview.
Pat Fitzgerald Delivers Epic Quotes After MSU Takes Down Toledo
Pat Fitzgerald earned his first win at Michigan State, then delivered several memorable lines afterward. From “scared money” to Spartan Stadium’s new “libations,” MSU’s new coach showed plenty of personality.
R&B star is battling cancer at 44. Here’s what we know
The singer recently revealed her diagnosis.
10 college football games to watch in September
The 2026 college football season is underway, and the best matchups and settings are still to come. Here, we’ll take a look at 10 of the best games to watch in September’s slate through Week 4. Week 1 Clemson at No. 10 LSU When: Saturday, Sept. 5; 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge,…
Video Airlines battle it out for business
As Southwest Airlines announces its first ever lounges, JetBlue Airlines now adds First class seats to your travel options.
Country music singer battling cancer at 35 shares update: ‘Death sitting like a wolf’
He has been battling rare cancer for more than a year.
Colorado Politics Calendar Sept. 7-13
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Reality TV star can no longer speak amid serious health battle
Jenny Slatten and Sumit Singh fear being separated as her ALS progresses and they seek help with his U.S. visa.
Reality TV star can no longer speak amid serious health battle
Jenny Slatten and Sumit Singh fear being separated as her ALS progresses and they seek help with his U.S. visa.
Michigan football vs Western Michigan time, channel, streaming and odds
Michigan football takes on Western Michigan in an in-state battle to kick off the 2026 season.
“Don’t See Shohei Ohtani Doing This” – MLB Fans Give MVP Verdict After Pete Crow-Armstrong’s Insane Catch in Cubs Win vs Marlins
Fans rallied behind Cubs CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, and some even offered their final verdict on the NL MVP debate after the 24-year-old made a stunning catch to dismiss Marlins LF Heriberto Hernández in the series opener at LoanDepot Park on Friday night. Tracking back the fly ball, he reached the last tip of the dirt track, just between the 400-ft board and the adjacent advertising board.
Du-Pec takes the Silver Bucket Showdown against Winnebago
Friday night, for the first time since 1989 Pecatonica (in this case Du-Pec) squared off with Winnebago in IHSA football. The battle saw the Du-Pec Rivermen emerge with the Silver Bucket and a 23-0 win.
Mariners’ Lazaro Montes: leaves game with hip injury
A bad game on Friday got worse for the Mariners when exciting rookie Lazaro Montes left the game in the fifth inning after a collision with the right field wall. Montes, who was running at full speed to chase down a fly ball off the bat of Zack Gelof that seemed destined for the right […]
Vikings Given Clear Kyler Murray Advice Before Packers Game
The Minnesota Vikings will have a new QB1 this season as they open the 2026 NFL season against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13. Kyler Murray won the QB battle in OTAs and the early part of training camp over J.J. McCarthy. Murray will bring mobility to the Vikings’ offense, which looks to hit […] The post Vikings Given Clear Kyler Murray Advice Before Packers Game appeared first on HEAVY.
Kala’i Rosario homers again, but Saints fall at Omaha
Kala’i Rosario got the game started with a bang, but there were few fireworks overall as St. Paul fell 3-2 at Omaha in 10 innings Friday night. The Saints right fielder hit his eighth home run of the year — his fifth in the last five games — to give the visitors a 1-0 lead just two batters into Friday’s contest. However, the night belonged to the pitchers. St. Paul starter Aaron Rozek turned ...
Orioles’ bats disappear in 1-0 loss to Red Sox
It was another dismal day at the plate for the Orioles.
NFL Analysts Predict Bengals-Ravens Battle for AFC North
Pundits weigh Joe Burrow’s high-octane offense against Baltimore’s elite defensive schemes as national experts debate which heavyweight will seize control of football’s most competitive division.
Former Kentucky Governor Is Arrested Amid Child Support Battle
Matthew Bevin, the former Republican governor, was held in contempt for failing to abide by court orders to file financial disclosure documents, a lawyer said.
Pest control business battles roach infestation near Wetlands Park
Residents near Wetlands Park continue to deal with a cockroach infestation that began a couple of weeks ago
What To Expect From Phoenix Suns in 2026–27 Season
Rising stars battle for frontcourt minutes while Jordan Ott eyes Coach of the Year honors as Phoenix looks to solidify its playoff standing in a competitive West.
The Battle for Texas: GOP, Paxton and Talarico
Co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina delve into the latest news in politics
Manny Rutinel resigns from Colorado legislature to focus on congressional race
The Democrat running for a key congressional race — whose outcome could decide the balance of power in the U.S. House — on Friday resigned from the Colorado legislature. State Rep. Manny Rutinel is turning his attention to his campaign in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, where he is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans. The […]
Democrat Manny Rutinel resigns from state House to focus on competitive race in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District
Democratic Rep. Manny Rutinel resigned from the state legislature Friday to devote his full attention to his campaign in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, where he is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans. The open seat in House District 32 will be filled by a vacancy committee. The Adams County Democratic Party has not responded to […]
15 discouraging hours with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and 10 brilliant ones with He Who Watches
In the last few weeks, while playing some video games that I might review, I emailed two cries for help. I sent the first to a rep for Capcom, confessing that the company’s samurai game Onimusha Way of the Sword (out today for PC and console) was crushing me. “Feels like I’m playing ‘hard’ mode, not ‘normal,’” I wrote. “And I don’t want to have to knock it down to “story”. I’m exploring, trying to level my gear, but these two-phase boss fights with no mid-fight checkpoints are brutal.” I wagered I was only about halfway through the game, if that. I wasn’t sure I could keep up with the steepening difficulty curve. Was I missing something? Then, on Monday, I took some photos of some puzzles that were baffling me in the mind-bending He Who Watches (out now on PC), wrote out lengthy descriptions of how I’d been trying to solve them and asked Bobby Vanden, the game’s solo developer, for a nudge in the right direction. I told Vanden I’d spent hours on these puzzles. “I’m stuck in triplicate,” I told him. Could he tell me if the solutions I was attempting were even on the right track? I didn’t mention that the puzzles—coupled with major time pressures from other work—were stressing me out so much that playing the game was giving me headaches. This double dose of panic was unusual. I’m used to managing a workload full of reporting and reviewing, used to a crowded schedule and the need to stay calm amid the bustle. But I was stressed about these games. No one was forcing me to review them, nor even play them. I’d simply found them interesting enough to start, hoped they’d be interesting enough to write about and I’d sunk hours into them assuming I’d made the right call. Suddenly, however, I felt trapped. I was emailing for a way out. Above: This guy took me about an hour to beat. The feedback I got from Capcom confirmed my fears. They didn’t say it, but I will: Onimusha Way of the Sword is not for me. It’s a brutally hard game in need of a normal difficulty level. It’s a game that spikes so severely during its abundant boss fights—yet offers such flawed ways to improve when outside of them—that it feels like a bait-and-switch. In the new Onimusha, you play as famed samurai Musashi Miyamoto, aided by a magical soul-absorbing gauntlet that is possessed by a lady who offers advice. (Way of the Sword is a continuation of Capcom’s long-dormant Onimusha series, but that set-up had me wondering if the company was cribbing from their ill-fated Bionic Commando reboot; read about “wife-arm” when you get a chance). Way of the Sword is partially set in 17th century Kyoto, an explorable city where Miyamoto can fight demons, help civilians and eventually rescue ghostly dogs. The city evolves over time, with new mini adventures and obtainable loot on offer, all feeding into systems that promise to upgrade your gear and sword-fighting skills. Upgrades, however, are so incremental as to be imperceptible, causing the exploration of Kyoto to feel like inconsequential busywork. From that hub, players can go on linear missions into forests and old temples, where they will encounter many of the game’s tough bosses. Combat in Way of the Sword is akin to many modern melee games. Players are asked to mix attacks with dodges and parries. They’re encouraged to deplete an enemy’s stamina bar in order to do greater damage to its health bar. The old Onimusha games’ signature move was the issen, a counter-attack so sudden it’s all but pre-emptive. You strike just as they begin to strike toward you, beating them to the cut. By definition, the issen is a high risk move, leaving you wide open to pain. It feels risky in the game, especially against bosses, who can maul you in just a few blows. A game might train you to perform an issen well by offering a variety of lesser enemies who are not as tough as the boss but get close. Or it might offer a toehold against bosses by saving or checkpointing the player’s progress when a boss’ first health bar has been destroyed and before the second health bar appears. It might offer the less skilled player a chance to over-level their character, should the player simply commit to playing through its optional sidequests. Way of the Sword does none of this. Fighting its trivially easy grunt enemies and then its ferociously adept bosses is like playing a game of chess where I’ve got a rook, while the opposing side is all pawns and five queens. Bosses simply don’t checkpoint. You may be able to clear a boss’ first phase without taking much damage. Good for you. Do it again, every time you fail the second phase. As for the the central Kyoto hub, I kept pace with all of its added side activities and never felt like I was overpowered. Bosses could still easily buckle me. The new Onimusha, I concluded, is just too discouraging to keep playing. The advice I got from Capcom had been well-intentioned. They reminded me of the game’s various systems. They alerted me to an optional assist that flashes recommended button inputs (basically: counter this move; dodge that move). It was a little helpful. So was dropping down to “story mode,” which I tried last night. Story mode turns on those button prompts by default. It makes countering and dodging way too easy, nearly automatic. I don’t consider myself a master of action games like these, but I’ve cleared the likes of God of War, Stellar Blade, Star Wars Jedi and others of sub-Sekiro difficulty and had a fun time doing so. Not here. Not yet. Unless they patch Onimusha: Way of the Sword and add a middle difficulty or just checkpoint the damn bosses when they’re between health bars, my streak of loving Capcom games released in 2026 will likely end at two. It’s a shame, because I was having a good time finding those ghostly dogs. And then there’s He Who Watches, a phenomenal first person puzzle game with Portal vibes, except instead of a portal gun you’ve got a magical bow that shoots one arrow that can activate switches or be used to drag blocks. The twist is an actual twist: you can also walk on walls and the ceiling, reorienting gravity as you do, thereby placing blocks onto those other surfaces. Walking on walls and ceilings to solve problems is really the best thing. Would that I could in reality. He Who Watches consists of locked-room challenges, each brief enough to only require about a minute to actually solving, though it will take five, 10, eventually 30 minutes to figure out said solutions. They are not obvious! It’s a game of layered mechanics and shocking solutions. For example, see if you can follow this: You can drag a block to a wall. Then you can walk on the wall, which now feels like the floor, and drag that block across the wall. Later, back on the floor, you might realize you can look up. The block is still on the wall, stuck to it. You can shoot your magic arrow to its underside. Doing so creates a tether, so that you can yank the block off the wall and carry it, as if it were a balloon, into the spot where you need it to be to solve the puzzle. Here, watch Vanden explain some of the game’s basics in this launch trailer: As with any great puzzle game, the solutions to He Who Watches’ puzzles elicit relief and amazement. Oh my god, that worked! I didn’t even think that could be possible! Learning to solve the game’s puzzles feels like learning magic. But, oh, does the game get hard. Its Steam reviews, mostly glowing, are full of players remarking how quickly He Who Watches made them sweat. Wrote one: “loving this one already although my brain is hurting!” Wrote another: “As you get further in the game it feels like you need an IQ level of at least 120+.” Vanden has shown some mercy. Each locked room puzzle includes an optional junior version of the puzzle, meant to teach you. Difficulty nevertheless ramps severely. By the time I was emailing Vanden for help, I was struggling to even clear one of the hint puzzles. When I messaged him, my stress was exacerbated by strange things I’d found in the game’s various hubs: suspicious passageways, odd blocks and some intriguing locked doors. These were hints of secrets, I realized, yet I sensed I needed to play further into the game to understand them. I was stuck, but I wanted to see the rest. Vanden offered to give me the exact solutions, to solve those three puzzles for me, but first he gave four nudges. Three were for the specific puzzles, but his best hint was for all and ultimately proved to be a terrific life lesson: go back a bit, he suggested. Do the puzzles right before those. They were teaching you something. Focus on what their lesson was. Don’t rush, in other words. Recognize what you’ve accomplished. Build off of that. I did so. I absorbed the lessons. I saw those three tough puzzles in a new light. I solved one the night after he wrote back, another the morning after. I left a third for another time. I didn’t need it and I wanted to plunge deeper into the game, closer to the moment when I was sure I could start unlocking those secret doors. My head stopped hurting, too. He Who Watches feels special. It’s got more challenges, and I’m undeterred. It’s also nice that its puzzles don’t have a surprise second health bar. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: In brief… 🎮 Ilari Kuittinen, co-founder of Helsinki-based Housemarque (Super Stardust HD, Resogun, Returnal) has stepped down from his studio, after a 31-year run, saying he’s “ taking a rare and well-deserved breather.” Sony purchased Housemarque in 2021, and the studio released its newest game, Saros, earlier this year. Trend-watch: Sony-owned Insomniac saw its founder Ted Price retire in early 2025, after a 30-year run. Sony-owned Sucker Punch saw its co-founder Brian Fleming step down in late 2025, after a 28-year run. 👀 Savvy Games Group chief Brian Ward is stepping down from the Saudi-government-backed games conglomerate, Bloomberg reports. No word on a long-term successor yet, nor if this augurs any closer integration between Savvy and Electronic Arts. EA was purchased by a consortium led by Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund, in early August. 💿 Square Enix has denied a Japanese media report that the company was planning to go private. In very different Square Enix news, the company revealed that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the April 2027 finale of its radical remakes of FFVII, will include just one disc in its case, requiring a download for the rest. The first two FFVII remakes in the trilogy shipped on two discs apiece. While Square hasn’t commented on the reason why, a feature here in Game File last month broke down the processes and costs for physical games. The expense of a second disc comes out of the game publisher’s cut of each copy. Square could be saving in excess of a dollar a copy with this move. 🟥 Grand Theft Auto IV’s 26-minute ’‘extended look” gameplay showcase that premiered on Netflix last week—and was exclusive to the platform for six hours—drew 31.1 million views in its first four days, the streamer announced. (Netflix calculates views as total viewed hours divided by runtime; excludes replays). Compared to YouTube: The version that later premiered on Rockstar Games’ YouTube channel is sitting at 22.6 million views after seven days (YouTube’s more liberal counting system tallies anyone who viewed even just the first few second.) Compared to other Netflix mega-events: Last year, Stranger Things season 5’s first four episodes, which debuted together, drew a record 59.6 million views in their first few days on Netflix. For more of a live event type of comparison, in 2024, the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match drew 65 million concurrent streams as it happened; Netflix didn’t release live numbers for the GTA premiere. ☁️ Microsoft is changing the way it charges for cloud gaming, from an all-you-can-play offer for Xbox Game Pass subscribers, to caps for the subscription’s tiers (15 hours per month at the Ultimate tier), with the option to buy more hours in bulk beyond that. The company also said it will sell batches of cloud gaming time to non-Game Pass subscribers, details TBA. Microsoft does not release figures for cloud game usage, but said its changes would impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers. That implies a small portion of its subscribers exceed the 15-hour monthly mark. Cloud gaming offers the promise of playing games without the need for console or PC hardware, as the graphics, sound and controls are all transmitted via a streaming connection. Microsoft notes that its cloud gaming service can be used for a range of things, including Xbox One players using it to play newer-gen Xbox Series games via streaming; and people playing games via streaming, sans any console, “in markets where consoles are less available or affordable.” (That latter use case could even be relevant in Xbox’s home market soon, as console prices keep rising.) Take Two Interactive chairman Strauss Zelnick recently told investors he expects game-streaming tech, which has been only lightly adopted by gamers for over a decade, to be widely used within three years. 🇺🇸 The Trump administration has published multiple agenda-driven web video games to the White House’s website. One called Build The Wall partially clones Tetris as it asks players to build a wall to stop a “zombie border siege.” While actual Tetris involves clearing lines and basically not building a wall, the Trump-backed game omits the line-clearing aspect (and omits the fun as well). On Instagram, Tetris’ official license holders reacted by stating: “At Tetris we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them. To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community. P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of ‘Build the Wall.’ P.P.S.: We take copyright infringement very seriously.” Item 3: The week ahead: Tuesday, September 8 Game releases: Mewgenics (consoles; already out on PC) is an engrossing tactical combat game (with cats). It is getting its console port right after the release of a Star Wars tactics game and ahead of the late September launch of a Fire Emblem–a bumper crop for the genre. Wanderburg (PC) is an auto-shooting game like Vampire Survivors, but you’re a castle on wheels Event: Nintendo airs a 30-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on The Legend of Zelda’s 40th Anniversary. A full unveiling of the upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is expected. Will they also show footage from next year’s live action movie? Tease the next big 3D Zelda? Add Link to Mario Kart World? Shadow-drop a new Tingle game? Wednesday, September 9 Event: Nintendo again! On this day, they’re planning to air a 45-minute Nintendo Direct (10am ET) focused on games heading to Switch 2 this winter. Followed by about an hour of gameplay demoed by the company’s Treehouse team. The September Nintendo Directs are always some of the year’s biggest. The 2025 edition included announcements of several major 2026 Switch/Switch 2 games: Pokémon Pokopia, Mario Tennis Fever, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave. Plus the return of the Virtual Boy. Friday, September 11 Game release: EA Sports NHL 27 (PlayStation, Xbox) is a hockey game. There are so few that an indie studio that had been making wacky sci-fi first-person shooters just announced that, hey, we’re going to fill a void and make a hockey game for PC.
Trump moves to allow ranchers and hunters to kill gray wolves
The president ordered his administration to lift Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves, again wading into a fraught debate between ranchers and conservationists.
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Maddie Scott and her friend, Makena Trentacoste, in April 2026, just after a local choir/theatre group sang "Happy Birthday" to her at Radio Bar in Baton Rouge.
Kent’s Theatre Battery puts on world premiere play ‘Jar of Fat’
Sara Porkalob and Seayoung Yim rejoin forces on this world premiere play, an absurdist take on beauty culture and thinness, premiering at Theatre Battery.
AHSAA fines high school football team for violating transfer rule
Jacksonville High School faces probation and must forfeit win after self reporting an ineligible player violation.
The Fierce Battle For Kids’ Eyeballs...Plus Two “Devils” Face Off
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) During the week of this report, Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters and went on to become one of the biggest films of all time. So, you know what that means! It’s time for a poll! Recently, Project Hail Mary came to Prime Video and became a top five film for them, but didn’t smash streaming records, a feat I cautiously thought it could accomplish. Can Spider-Man 4 do better? To set the stakes, some of the biggest films of all time do just okay on streaming. Wicked, Top Gun: Maverick, and Barbie come to mind... But unlike those films, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a Sony film which means it’s headed to Netflix, the world’s largest streamer. Now, per friend of the newsletter and my go-to Netflix expert, Kasey Moore of What’s on Netflix, Sony films usually appear on Netflix 120 days after they premiere, which means Spidey 4 would land on Netflix on, checks notes, 28-November, one of the two biggest streaming weekends of the year! But Sony occasionally delays its biggest hits for a bit longer, to give them more time to make money on PVOD, so Spider-Man: Brand New Day might not swing onto Netflix until late December or even February 2027. Loading... Okay, on to this week’s issue. Since The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made its way to Peacock, I’m looking at the true workhorse of streaming viewership: kids films. And the surprising film that bested most Netflix animated movies. All that, plus Hulu has a new show that might be a hit (for them…?), two “Devils” square off on streaming, Zendaya tries to find some streaming magic, Netflix’s I Will Find You continues to do well, House of the Dragon tries to break into the season three top ten, some big NBC sports and summer programs, what friendly neighborhood Spider-Man character actually generates the most viewership on streaming, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of July 27th to August 2nd, 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Film - As The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Hits Peacock, How Have Kids Films Fared in 2026? Like Mario hopping on a Koopa, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie landed on Peacock on 30-July. (Yeah, I kinda forced that Mario reference.) How did it do? Great, just like the first film. It got 13.0 million hours on its opening, and that’s good enough to take second place among Peacock films on the Nielsen charts all time: As I mention all the time, Peacock just isn’t the world’s biggest streamer—in fact, nowhere close—so its films struggle to put up numbers like Netflix (or even Prime Video and Disney+). So this is a solid debut for that streamer. And as we saw last time, The Super Mario Bros. Movie had a HUGE second life on Netflix when it moved streamers. This chart doesn’t even show how long the first Mario lasted on Netflix: a whopping, KPop-esque 31 weeks. For NBCUniversal, though, the big win was the second Mario movie grossing $429 million in America and over $1 billion globally. But yeah, to add a very strong streaming performance only makes its success even greater. Illumination pretty clearly has another hit franchise on their hands. This is a good time, though, to check in on kids films so far in 2026. We’ve had a few big, big titles, a rare Netflix success, and some disappointments. Let’s start with the top animated films since November of 2025, over their first four weeks on the charts, along with a few of the “best all time” animated films: (As a reminder, if a film doesn’t make the Nielsen top ten lists, I don’t have data for it, so it gets a “zero” in terms of viewership. Now, it had some viewership, but I don’t know what it is, so it gets a zero.) I added a few titles to get an idea of what the best of the best looks like in terms of animation. And you can see, through four weeks, Zootopia 2 can now claim “one of the biggest streaming films of all time” titles. GOAT too did surprisingly well, besting Netflix’s biggest films (Swapped and In Your Dreams) through four weeks. When I’ve talked about how films can have varying performances on streaming compared to their box office, this is what I mean. Goat just managed to gross even $103 million at the box office—so it’s popular, but just barely—but did very well on streaming. Of course, what set Encanto and KPop Demon Hunters apart from the rest was their absolutely insane longevity. Here are the kids film charts through eight weeks to show that: And really KPop Demon Hunters just kept going, and no 2025 or 2026 kids films have had that sort of longevity. I can’t wait to see the sequel in theaters. Film - Two Devils and a Drama As I wrote last week, in the past, theatrical-first film flops weren’t eligible for “Miss of the Week” or “Miss of the Year” honors/dishonors, but since so many more films go to theaters first these days, I’ve made them eligible now! But it’s complicated. You see, this is a Streaming Ratings Report, emphasis on streaming, which makes analyzing this week’s two biggest streaming misses—The Drama on HBO Max (A24’s dramedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson) and Prime Video’s The Devil Mouth (a killer shark movie starring young attractive people)—somewhat tricky. The Drama isn’t eligible for Luminate, but The Devil’s Mouth only had 1.5 million hours in its first week: The Devil’s Mouth notched 5.2 million hours according to Nielsen. Meanwhile, The Drama missed the charts entirely. Not great! But Prime Video is a much bigger streamer than HBO Max. That said, HBO Max titles are on Prime Video, but I think Prime Video prioritizes their original/exclusive titles, which helps boost their viewership. Complicating this further, The Drama made $48 million in the US—while A24 sells foreign distribution; the $57 million of overseas grosses helps A24 sell overseas rights for money in the future—off of a $28 million budget (which seems low for Zendaya and Pattinson, so they might have backend). The Devil’s Mouth, though, had zero dollars at the box office. The other stats for The Devil’s Mouth are bleak, and by “bleak”, I mean horrendous: a 4.7 on 15K reviews on IMDb (yikes) and a 46 on Metacritic (double yikes). The Drama, though buzzy online, only has a solid (but far from elite) 7.1 IMDb score on 121K reviews and a 59 on Metacritic (which is far, far lower than I’d have guessed). So which film is the “Miss of the Week”? I’m giving it to The Devil’s Mouth for one simple reason: it’s a horror film. And almost all horror films, even poorly reviewed horror films, should get a shot in theaters to at least try to recoup some of their budgets. The Drama made money at the box office and The Devil’s Mouth didn’t. It’s just like the situation last issue with Obsession and Masters of the Universe. Sure, Obsession didn’t pop on the streaming charts, but at least it already made it money at the box office. And as we’ve been seeing for years now and we’ll see all fall, theatrical films just do better on streaming. After all, the big “devil” winner this week was actually The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 14.8 million hours according to Nielsen. That’s right, The Devil Wears Prada 2—one of the box office success stories of May—came to streaming and parlayed its $220 million box office into 14.8 million Nielsen hours. Disney also put out a datecdote that it had 15.2 million “views” globally in five days, but again we don’t have a lot of great context for what that means. Here’s how it stacks up to other Hulu films, since I’m categorizing this mainly as a Hulu title (though it was also on Disney+): Share Quick Notes on Film We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Whether Hulu has a new hit show on its hands... The top first and third seasons of all time and which shows are climbing those charts… What version of Spidey is the most popular... What sport and TV show are performing better on NBC than the NBA... All the flops, bombs and misses... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. Coming Soon! Next week, wow, things stay so busy. One of streaming’s biggest shows of all time, Ted Lasso, returns along with new YA-ish shows from Hulu (The Shards, from Ryan Murphy) and Prime Video (Sterling Point). The Challenge moves to Paramount+, plus My Life with the Walter Boys returns to Netflix and Futurama returns to Hulu. And Netflix has a new horror film, The Last House. Lots to talk about! All month, things stay busy. We’re talking Reacher on Prime Video! Outer Banks and Tires on Netflix! Lanterns on HBO Max! UFC 330 on Paramount+ and the MLB Field of Dreams game on Netflix. And a ton of smaller films come to streaming. Long term, the VMAs are back on 27-Sep! I feel like I haven’t heard much about this show in past years, but I’m seeing more news coverage and buzz for this show than in past years. I’m curious to see how it does.
US Football Hall of Fame revamps selection process
The American Pro Football Hall of Fame announced revisions to its selection process on Friday, including trimming the selection committee from 50 to 28, to combat "unintended biases."Porter said previous selection process bylaws left room for "unintended biases", including in the way individuals presented nominees, how selectors were assigned to each of the NFL's 32 clubs and issues related to players reaching the last year of eligibility in the Modern-Era Players category.
Studying the holistic health habits of tropical bats
What do bats do when they feel ill? SELFCURE, a multi-disciplinary project taking place in Gamboa, Panama, tracks the behavior of tropical bats when immune-challenged to understand how they take care of themselves, and what lessons we can learn from them.
Flower Fest returns to Baton Rouge: See when and where
After taking a year off to regroup, Flower Fest is back in Baton Rouge for 2027. The floral experience will take place April 9 and 10 at Pointe-Marie, 14200 River
Bath show highlights sibling finds – and England’s first paid female astronomer
Exhibition features artworks in townhouse where William and Caroline Herschel worked and lived in late-18th century
'About average:' Maryland health officials warn about increase in rabid animal incidents
A dead fox picked by Baltimore City Animal Control is the latest in a series of rabid animals incidents across the state, including a rabid kitten bite, aggressive raccoon and bat encounters, and multiple beaver attacks.
Missouri supreme court blocks congressional maps backed by Trump for midterms
The decision marks a setback for Republicans in a national redistricting battle
Football and politics: Courtroom battle over ex-pro athletes draws in Louisiana heavyweights
Two sitting district attorneys squared off against each other in open court as the SEC and NCAA try to stop LSU from adding some former pro players.
I'm a baklava bakery owner hustling through SF's AI boom
Tolgay Karabulut has run a small baklava bakery in San Francisco since 2022. The city's AI boom has made earning a living feel like an uphill battle.
Brett Bateman Continues to Spark Toronto Blue Jays Offense
The Blue Jays beat the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday afternoon to move within 0.5 games of the third and final wild card spot.
2026 NH Democratic CD2 Debate: Taking money out of politics
2nd District Rep. Maggie Goodlander and her Democratic primary challenger, Paige Beauchemin, discuss the steps they would take to reshape the role of money in politics.
Gauff downs Badosa to reach US Open third round
Coco Gauff battled into the third round of the US Open on Thursday with a straight sets victory over Spain's Paula Badosa.The 22-year-old American star, who is chasing a repeat of her 2023 US Open victory, had lost five of her eight previous meetings with Badosa.
Newsom says he plans to endorse in S.F. House race
Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to endorse in the San Francisco congressional race to replace Nancy Pelosi, and that he would likely do so as part of a batch of endorsements in California races.
2026 NH Democratic CD1 Debate: Health care plan
Carleigh Beriont, Sarah Chadzynski, Stefany Shaheen, Maura Sullivan and Christian Urrutia, the Democratic candidates to represent New Hampshire's 1st District in Congress, share the plan they would implement to tackle high health care costs, and whether that would mean higher taxes for the middle class.
Fourth lithium technology accelerator cohort named
The Venture Center announced this week the fourth cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA), the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to lithium and battery supply chain innovation. The three-week program...
Fourth lithium technology accelerator cohort named
The Venture Center announced this week the fourth cohort of the Arkansas Lithium Technology Accelerator (ALTA), the nation’s first accelerator dedicated to lithium and battery supply chain innovation. The three-week program...
Ex-Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez plans guilty plea to charges stemming from fight outside hotel
Sanchez faces a felony battery charge, along with three misdemeanor charges, for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking.
Acton refuses to engage with Ramaswamy as Ohio debates decline
Democrat Dr. Amy Acton is refusing to debate Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the race to become Ohio's next governor.
Missouri supreme court throws out new congressional maps backed by Trump
Setback for Republicans in redistricting battle as court orders forbids maps from being used in November elections
Garcia Takes Another Step Toward Rangers Return
Robert Garcia moved closer to returning to the Texas Rangers after throwing a live batting-practice session on Wednesday.
Annual 5K supports Southcoast Health cancer patients in honor of doctor’s late wife
The 9th Annual Nicole Podkowa 5K is an opportunity for you to raise money to help individuals and their families battling cancer, while also remembering a woman who lost her own battle 10 years ago…
Jays Beat Guardians
Blue Jays 6 Guardians 3 That was an interesting game in a lot of ways: We had nine hits, but only one extra-base hit, Lukes’ double and six walks. Bateman had 3 hits, Lukes 2. Vlad was 0 for 3 with a walk and the sac fly. Smith was 0 for 2 with 3 walks. […]
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow mail-in ballot restrictions
The question of whether President Donald Trump’s restrictions can move forward in time for November’s midterm elections has been the subject of a dizzying legal battle in recent weeks.
Lavish private bath used by Roman emperor and 'high-status residents' discovered at imperial palace in Serbia
The ancient bath complex was tucked in a tower in the corner of the royal palace and reveals unique architecture.
Zuckerberg told Trump a national AI regulator is a flawed idea
The previously unreported call marks the involvement of one of the world's top tech executives in a fraught White House policy debate.
Hands-On With Fable’s Combat: Lightning Bolts, Fireballs, And Dismemberment
Let’s go hands-on in a full Fable quest to see whether the controversy is actually justified
Blue Ridge Health plans new medical facility in Hendersonville
WLOS News 13 provides local news, weather forecasts, traffic updates, notices of events and items of interest in the community, sports and entertainment programming for Asheville, NC and nearby towns and communities in Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina, including the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, Haywood, Polk, Transylvania, McDowell, Mitchell, Madison, Yancey, Jackson, Swain, Macon, Graham, Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson, Union, Pickens, Oconee, Laurens, Greenwood, Abbeville and also Biltmore Forest, Woodfin, Leicester, Black Mountain, Montreat, Arden, Weaverville, Hendersonville, Etowah, Flat Rock, Mills River, Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton, Clyde, Franklin, Cullowhee, Sylva, Cherokee, Marion, Old Fort, Forest City, Lake Lure, Bat Cave, Spindale, Spruce Pine, Bakersville, Burnsville, Tryon, Columbus, Marshall, Mars Hill, Brevard, Bryson City, Cashiers, Greer, Landrum, Clemson, Gaffney, and Easley.
Thursday Jays Notes
There isn’t much for Jays news this morning. The starters against the Royals: And, our weekly Anthony Santander rumour: Today’s lineups: Today’s Lineups BLUE JAYS GUARDIANS Brett Bateman – CF Steven Kwan – CF Nathan Lukes – RF Chase DeLauter – RF Vladimir Guerrero – 1B Jose Ramirez – DH Jesus Sanchez – LF Jo […]
36.4.2 Patch Notes
Get all the details on the latest balance updates for Hearthstone, Arena, and Battlegrounds.
36.4.2 Patch Notes
Get all the details on the latest balance updates for Hearthstone, Arena, and Battlegrounds.
Raven-Symoné, wife ignite backlash after 'That's So Raven' debate
Raven-Symoné's comments about her character on the hit Disney Channel series "That's So Raven" are catching backlash.
Geaux Automotive Group acquires four former All Star Automotive dealerships
Geaux Automotive Group has expanded its Louisiana footprint by acquiring four former Hudson Automotive dealerships, adding 111 employees and positioning the Baton Rouge-based dealership group for cont… Already an INSIDER? Sign in. Already an INSIDER? Sign in
Final Fantasy Resonance Is an HD-2D Turn-Based RPG That Brings in Heroes From Final Fantasy's Past
Final Fantasy Resonance feels like it’s walking a tightrope between being a loving tribute to Final Fantasies past while also taking the series into a cool new direction and telling its own story. Is it going to pull it off? We’ll have to wait and see, but I was very impressed by the hour I spent playing it. From the gorgeous HD-2D aesthetic to the awesome soundtrack and a battle system that can hold its own, Resonance looks like it’s doing all the right stuff.
Guild Wars 3's devs think they've found an answer to one of MMOs' biggest problems, but can ArenaNet pull it off?
I saw a hands-off demo for Guild Wars 3 at Gamescom, where studio head Colin Johanson and combat lead Kevin Stocker talked me through the new momentum feature.
CS50 Recompiles Amid Malan Sabbatical, New Grading Cap
CS50 Recompiles Amid Malan Sabbatical, New Grading Cap
Health officials turn to mobile-phone data to track Ebola spread in Congo
Health officials battling the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are using anonymised mobile-phone data to map population movements and identify areas where the virus could spread next, according to the World Health Organisation and researchers working with it.
Health Officials Turn to Mobile-Phone Data to Track Ebola Spread in Congo
By Clement Bonnerot DAKAR, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Health officials battling the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are using anonymised mobile-phone data to map population movements and identify areas where the virus could spread next, according to the World Health Organisation ...
⚾ Standings watch
Phils’ bats go quiet in series finale. A weekend series vs. the Atlanta Braves is up next.
India grapples with 'endemic' age-fraud menace in sports
No fewer than 500 wrestlers were disqualified from India's under-17 championships for age fraud in June, highlighting a scourge experts believe is baked into the country's sporting culture and needs to be combated in the same way as doping.
German far-right party targets iconic Bauhaus school ahead of landmark state election
Nearly a century after the Nazis shut down Germany's world-famous Bauhaus school of design, the art movement has once again become a cultural battleground.
Brawl of the Business Owners at GOP CD1 Primary Debate on WMUR
Verbal shots were fired in a battle of the business owners at the Republican Primary WMUR debate for the U.S. House of Representatives First Congressional District on Wednesday night.
2026 NH Republican CD1 Debate: Health care costs
Brian Cole, Anthony DiLorenzo and Hollie Noveletsky, the Republican candidates to represent New Hampshire's 1st District in Congress, discuss what they can do legislatively to make health care more affordable for Granite Staters.
DeKalb County expands free business incubator for entrepreneurs
Costs continue to rise, and as a result, many Georgia entrepreneurs are struggling to grow their businesses. On the weekends, business owner Amanda Stevens sells sweet treats like frozen grapes and watermelon cakes to kids and families from her food trailer, Candy Lady on Wheels.
US Open under the influence: content creators spark debate
Jessica Pegula is all in favor of bringing more fans into tennis, but the world number three said Wednesday it's important to keep the focus on the game.The influencers focus not just on tennis, but on fashion, food and lifestyle topics that are now an inextricable part of the game.
After RFK visit, board members seek new policy to keep politics out of schools
Board members look to update rules about what level of politicking should be allowed in schools.
USPS Is Building a Mail-In Ballot Screening System Despite Legal Battles Over Trump Order
Election officials warn that the creation of a new online portal for states to upload voter information is already fueling confusion and could ultimately disenfranchise voters.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Fixes the Sequel’s Biggest Flaw, but Combat Still Fights the Player for Control
We went hands-on with Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen at gamescom 2026, checking out the new features and content in the upcoming DLC.
Statement by Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, on the Clinical G
The War Department remains focused on building and maintaining a ready, lethal fighting force prepared to dominate the battlefield and achieve peace through strength.
The line in the SEC between college professional sports still matters
As the SEC begins another college football season, it's being burdened by the legal debate over professional players returning to play.
South Carolina governor candidates, Johnson and Wilson, to debate
Alan Wilson and Jermaine Johnson will face off in a televised debate ahead of the South Carolina gubernatorial race.
Inside the gutsy, defiant Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
By discarding artistic hierarchy of any kind, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is stepping into an ongoing debate about what kind of work gets to be labeled "art."
Ace Combat 8 reveals live service online multiplayer modes that include PvE, PvP, PvPvE battles, and a hangout space
Bandai Namco has revealed the full scope of its Ace Combat Online online modes, including PvP, PvE, and a social space for player avatars.
Would You Quit a Show Because of Your Co-Star’s Politics?
Most of us have worked with people we disagree with. But what happens when those beliefs feel less like a political difference and more like something that could directly harm you or your family? Where do you draw the line?
Google Pixel adding ‘Battery usage summaries,’ rolling out on Pixel 10 and newer
A new "battery usage summaries" feature is rolling out on Google Pixel devices starting with the Pixel 10 series and newer.