PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that Jinger Duggar is engaged to former professional soccer player Jeremy Vuolo.
"So excited to share this news that we are now engaged," the pair tell PEOPLE. "From both of us, thank you all for the countless well-wishes we"ve received during the courtship. We are so excited to take this next step in spending our lives together. We are so grateful for how the Lord has brought us together. It has been an incredible journey so far and we are excited about serving Christ together in the coming days."
The news of their engagement comes just a month after Duggar and Vuolo announced they were officially courting (the only Duggar-approved way of dating), but the couple actually met last May.
"I was initially friends with Ben Seewald and Jessa (Duggar) Seewald, and it was through them that I got to meet Jinger," says Vuolo.
The two then "had the opportunity to go on a missions trip together," adds Jinger. "It was there that I really saw his heart and really admired his character."
Vuolo studied at Syracuse University and played for Major League Soccer club the New York Red Bulls before stepping away from the game to pursue ministry. He later signed with the San Antonio Scorpions in the North American Soccer League in 2014 after completing a missionary trip for relief aid in the Philippines.
"We are very excited to begin this journey together," says Vuolo of his bride-to-be.
The couple"s courtship will be a big part of the new season of Counting On when it returns to TLC Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. ET. Check out an exclusive clip above!
Jinger Duggar Is Engaged! The Counting On Star Said "Yes" to Jeremy Vuolo| Engagements, Marriage, 19 Kids and Counting, TV News, The Duggars
Negative buzz and bad weather surrounded Monday nights screenings of Batman: The Killing Joke, the highest-selling event in distributor Fathom Events history. Variety reports that Fathom has booked 1,075 screens for the companys biggest release to date, while Comic Book Resources adds that Fathom has expanded its initial one-night-only release to include a second evening Tuesday, July 26. But early ticket sales for the screenings preceded controversy surrounding the films adult content, particularly a s*x scene between Bruce Batman Wayne and Barbara Batgirl Gordon.
The film is based on Alan Moore and Brian Bollands brutal graphic novella The Killing Joke, one of DCs top sellers since its release in 1988. In the comic, Moore explores the origins of psychopathic Batman villain the Joker via a grim story that leaves Barbara Gordon shot in the stomach and paralyzed below the waist. That trauma is meant to shock Police Commissioner James Gordon, Barbaras father, into going insane, thereby proving the Jokers point that anyone is one bad day away from becoming just like him. Aside from that traumatic moment, Barbara is barely featured in Moore and Bollands comic.
In the film, howeverwritten by comics writer Brian AzzarelloBarbara has a romantic relationship with Batman prior to her paralysis. In fact, the two characters have s*x while still wearing their costumes. This addition to Moore and Bollands comic doesnt sit well with some fans, given how much older Bruce Batman Wayne is from Barbara in most Bat stories. At last weekends San Diego Comic-Con, Azzarello took the criticism head-on, insisting that Barbara is stronger than the men in her life in this story. Bleeding Cools Jeremy Konrad scoffed at Azzarellos claim from the safety of the peanut gallery: Yeah, by using s*x, and then pining for Bruce. Azzarello yelled back: Wanna say that again? p***y?
And Konrads not the only one who finds The Killing Joke unsettling. In a 1990 interview conducted by The Comics Journals Gary Groth, Moore insisted that he was uneasy with his storys dark content. He attributed his discomfort to his general ambivalence toward the adventure genre, a comic mode that he applauded Frank Miller for mining in his equally influential The Dark Knight Returns. Moore has since said that he thinks The Killing Joke doesnt say anything very interesting, and that he regrets both The Killing Joke and Watchmens influence on contemporary superhero comics. [Superhero comics] have lost a lot of their original innocence, and they cant get that back, Moore said in 2009. And, theyre stuck, it seems, in this kind of depressive ghetto of grimness and psychosis. Im not too proud of being the author of that regrettable trend.
Say what you want about Moores takeaway, but hes not wrong about The Killing Jokes influence. Early promotional material used for Warner Bros.s upcoming Suicide Squad movie introduced fans to Jared Letos version of the Joker using photographs modeled after Bollands now-iconic Killing Joke artwork. The Killing Joke is also now considered to be the Jokers canonical origin story, as well as a turning point for Barbara in numerous Bat comics (she remains paralyzed in almost all contemporary Bat stories). Moore and Bollands interpretation of the Joker is also probably the only common influence shared by Bat directors Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan.
But what do fans think? Not even a torrent of rain could stop ticket-holders from filling up a cavernous auditorium in Manhattans Union Square 14 theater. Many moviegoers knew nothing about the film going into it. Ed, a 38-year-old Manhattanite, had heard mostly positive feedback about The Killing Joke, and was eager to see-slash-hear Batman: The Animated Series voice actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as Batman and Joker, respectively.
Not every ticket-holder was as optimistic as Ed. Ive heard scary, terrible things, said Mara, a 34-year-old Queens native, referring to Barbara and Bruces romantic relationship. Its just not right. That shouldnt happen except in fan [fiction].
Maras onto something. Theres a palpable unease surrounding Batman: The Killing Jokes big s*x scene. This sequence isnt explicit, but we do see Batman grabbing Batgirls hips right before she takes her top off (shes wearing a bra). The scene was met with bewildered laughs Monday, right up until the intentionally funny capper: a shot of a stone gargoyle overlooking the two heroes.
Audience members also laughed heartily at a scene where Batman warns Batgirl that small-time crook Paris Franz (yes, really) is only objectifying [her]. The s*x scenes ending is supposed to lighten things up; Batmans admonition, though, is an over-serious stab at making a comic-book character sound adult and self-aware.
Azzarello tries to give Barbara a meaningful role, but The Killing Joke can only really be taken seriously during scenes in which Hamill sells Jokers metaphysical spiel about the relativity of good and evil. Director Sam Liu doesnt always know how to film the Jokers more long-winded speeches, but Hamill single-handedly elevates his scenes. Some fans didnt care for the Jokers dialogue, much of which is taken verbatim from Moores original comic. One anonymous viewer complained that the screenwriters were trying to cram in as many SAT words as possible.
Still, I tend to agree with Maras take on Batgirl and Batmans relationship. Azzarello may be trying to give his version of Barbara more agency, but it doesnt quite work given how many of her choices are reactions to Batmans decisions. None of these decisions appear in Moores original comic, which suggests that Azzarello and executive producer Bruce Timm were uncomfortable having a major heroine like Barbara get tortured without at least giving her a little backstory first. So in this version of the story, Barbara realizes that shes addicted to the thrill of fightingand that scares her. Batman sees this in Barbara and tries to mansplain her own personality to her. He gives her orders, and she responds accordingly. The net gain of all that backstory is negligible.
In fact, the only times Barbara steps out of Bruces shadow are, first, when she chooses to have s*x with him, and, second, when she decidesbefore shes shot in the stomachto step away from crime fighting. These choices make it harder to see Barbara as a strong, independent heroine. Your enjoyment of Batman: The Killing Joke ultimately depends on how you take Barbaras storyand like it or not, the Joker didnt get the last laugh Monday.
X
Jack Nicholson re-created the psychotic whimsy of one of his most celebrated roles in Vanity Fairs May 1989 issue, just ahead of the films debut.
Photograph by Murray Close.
Val Kilmerposing here for photographer Herb Rittsreplaced Michael Keaton in the third installment of Tim Burtons Batman films, Batman Forever.
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
Jim Carreyon the heels of his success in The Mask, Dumb & Dumber, and Ace Venture: Pet Detectiveaptly played the Riddler.
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
Tommy Lee Jones as D.A.-turned-madman Two-Face.
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
Thankfully predating the bromance genre, Batman finally got some crime-fighting help in the form of Robin, played by Chris ODonnell.
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
George Clooney and Chris ODonnell in the suits that launched a million nipple jokes. (April 1997)
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Mr. Freeze, the franchises pun-iest bad guy to date.
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl, in the characters firstand so far, onlyappearance in a major feature film. (With three different actresses playing Catwoman in recent years, were due for a Batgirl comeback, right?)
Photograph by Herb Ritts.
Uma Thurman as Poison Ivyone of the all-time best eco-friendly villains.
Becca Tilley Weighs In on JoJo Fletcher"s "Bachelorette" Gig
Source: ABC
In the blink of an eye it seems that JoJo Fletchers season as the Bachelorette is almost over as she narrows down her group of guys from six to four. The final four is a big step on the show as audiences get a very good idea of who she is really connecting with, and perhaps who will be the next Bachelor. Regardless, fans are as anxious ever to find out who JoJo ends ups with and trusty spoiler master Reality Steve has all of the answers we need! So get your glass of wine, and settle in, because this is going to be good!
Reality Steve Bachelorette Spoilers 2016: Who Does JoJo Pick In The End?
After narrowing her final four down to Chase McNary, Luke Pell, Jordan Rodgers, and Robby Hayes, the four guys get to take JoJo on the fan-favorite hometown dates. After spending time in Castle Rock, Colorado with Chase, St.Augustine, Florida with Robby, Burnet, Texas with Luke, and Chico, California with Jordan, JoJo says goodbye to Luke. The remaining three and JoJo then jet off to Thailand for their romantic Fantasy Suite overnight dates which then sees Chase eliminated at the rose ceremony, leaving Robby and Jordan as the final two!
In the end, despite all of the questions about his motives and character, JoJo chooses Jordan leaving Robby heartbroken. To top it off Reality Steve is also reporting that the two get engaged!
Dr. Jill Stein Interview With The Young Turks" Cenk Uygur
Protesters in Philadelphia have found a glimmer of hope: Dr. Jill Stein.
Though Stein has been running as the Green Partys presumptive presidential candidate for 13 months now, here in the City of Brotherly Love shes had something of a bump in public opinion.
At a protest with a few hundred people today near City Hall, there were several rounds of chants for Jill Not Hill and signs lining Stein up with Sanders as the progressive alternative to Clinton.
Bernie was the opening act and now were going to enter the main event, said Ben Nettwiss, who was selling Stein buttons at the protest. In many ways shes better than Bernie, but she doesnt have the gravitas. She doesnt have the credentials, but well get them for her between now and November.
Moments earlier, Stein had been sitting in a coffee shop about a mile down the road, not drinking coffee. The 66-year-old former doctor prefers a snack of strawberries and blueberries to caffeine because they give me the same kind of lift without the crash, she told ABC.
Her campaign has been on the upswing as well. While she hasnt broken into the double digits, shes remaining optimistic about the difference that her campaign can make on the American political landscape.
Theres clearly a lot of interest in our campaign and were up against a really steep hill, she said.
This is how you build political movements - you have to gain trust and you have to work together and that"s what you can do in the course of a political campaign. You can test the waters and those waters right now are feeling very warm and welcoming, she told ABC.
This is Steins second time through the presidential campaign process. She feels that this time, Sanders has helped her campaign, even though she says the Green Party has been asking to meet with him for years with no response.
Meet the Other Woman Running for President
Its quite different [this time]. In 2012, we were really ahead of the curve. This year, the curve caught up to us and we have Bernie Sanders who lifted up our agenda and it found incredible resonance in the polls among people who are activists, she said.
The concern that a third party candidate would be more harmful for the major party candidate hasnt stopped Stein and her supporters from being vocal in their joint criticism of Clinton.
When asked what she would think of a Trump presidency, Stein said she wouldn"t wish that on anyone, nor would I wish Hillary on anyone. Hillary is a proven danger and Trump is a terrifying danger.
Theres no love lost between Stein and Clinton. Stein is quick to point out that, while Clinton will be making history by being officially nominated as the first female presidential candidate for one of the main parties, Stein is the woman who has earned the most presidential votes in the history of U.S. politics to date.
You can be sure that Hillary Clinton does not look favorably on another woman candidate who is actually progressive in the race, Stein said. We are a very inconvenient truth.
For some Sanders supporters, that truth looks like it could be their salvation.
Jeremy Dolan, 24, traveled to Philadelphia from St. Petersburg, Florida and was spotted today holding a pro-Sanders poster near the protest but said that hes already open to switching to Stein.
Ive already donated $1,000 to her campaign, he told ABC.
If Bernie doesnt make it past the convention with the nomination, well support Jill Stein, he said.
Jill Stein Appeared on Fox News, Made Their Heads Explode
Imagine this. Imagine being in a party where everyone is progressive. Imagine creating a party platform with millions of other like-minded souls who want to see the same reforms as you. Who want to look after people like you do, with a decent living wage and good healthcare for all. Who want to see an end to the gruesome military interventions that are spawning terrorist organizations. Who want to stop giving welfare to Walmart, and instead give it to people who need it. Take a moment to imagine that.
And imagine this too imagine being able to freely sell and enact this platform.
There are no closet Republicans or bribed and corrupted senators or pundits inside your party trying to mess with your agenda.
No one undermining your message and campaign from within.
A party free from inertia and corruption itself. Yes, there will be push-back from the opposition parties, but your party is streamlined, with everyone collaborating in the highest interest.
Well, this could happen, and it could happen in this election cycle.
#GirlIGuessImWithHer Jill Stein arrested in Philadelphia to protest bank housing foreclosures. pic.twitter.com/eQk8XqgW0y
#JillNotHill (@ryder7189) June 8, 2016
If the Green Party can get 15 percent of respondents in opinion polls, then their candidate will be invited into the presidential debates.
This 15 percent must by necessity come from social media awareness. The mainstream media will not be interested in giving airtime to a third party, so it is up to the internet to get the first 15 percent.
The Bernie Sanders campaign, all online and crowd-sourced, proved that this is well within the range of possibility. A third party option in the presidential debate will be enough to make the mainstream viewing audience sit up and listen.
The DNC/Clinton camp are desperate for you not to know that. Thats why theyve continued this smug game of domination even after the evidence of their corruption and collusion has been extensively revealed.
They will continue to run the fear campaign on a Trump presidency, while subtly goading the progressives with their abusive tactics. They are sure that the fear of a Trump presidency means well be forced to get okay with their lies, manipulations and blatant Wall Street cronyism, and vote for their candidate anyway.
They are mistaken.
I"m not okay with Trump or Clinton as President. I"m not okay with a warmonger or a corporatist. We deserve better.https://t.co/HMkqtppbau
Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) July 18, 2016
American politics can be summed up quite nicely in a single sentence: Since the fears of urban-dwelling citizens are typically different from the fears of rural-dwelling citizens, politicians and pundits can pit those fears against each other to ensure that the populace is always voting from fear, instead of voting for what they want.
Keep us afraid and you can keep us begging for protection, instead of demanding more from our government.
Thats really all there is to it. People who live in smaller communities tend to be more fearful of outsiders, foreigners, government intrusion and a disruption of their belief systems, whereas people who live in more densely-populated areas tend to be more afraid of guns, violence, religious zealotry and corporate oppression. America has succeeded in perpetuating one of the most stable governmental systems in the history of human civilization not because of any particular founding principles, but because theres always been a nice, even split between areas with a large urban population and areas with a large rural population.
Theyve kept us in line by keeping us voting from fear, and this presidential cycle is no different. Donald Trump is saying, Ill protect you from those scary Muslims and immigrants, and Hillary Clinton is saying, Ill protect you from Donald Trump.
And until about two days ago, enough liberal voters were buying it. Fine Hillary, I can forgive your warmongering, your corporate cronyism, your lies and manipulations, just protect me from that scary orange man!
Then Clinton announced shed be doing as Wall Street donors instructed and selecting a shill for the one percent as her running mate, then came the Wikileaks debacle proving that those kooky Bernie conspiracy theorists had been right all along about the rigged primaries. Then she hired the woman responsible for this impropriety to help with her campaign, thumbing her nose at the outraged Berners and progressives by releasing a statement saying that Wasserman Schultz would continue to serve as a surrogate for my campaign nationally, proudly and openly acknowledging that the scandal-immersed DNC chair had been in her pocket all along.
Outrage has understandably ensued and continues to get louder. The Democratic elites are betting it dies down. This is the same power-corrupted cockiness thats seen so many brutes and dictators ousted over the years, and theyre dumb enough to be doing it in a country where people can vote. People are finally angry. Theyre finally looking for a way to topple the party that is so brazenly ignoring their votes and their wishes.
Watch @DrJillStein on Fox Jill Stein Appeared on Fox News, Made Their Heads Explode https://t.co/8mTGJ1IeVN
Lisa Gerrish (@GerrishLisa) July 18, 2016
Enter presumptive Green Party presidential nominee, Dr. Jill Stein. Smart, charming, witty, identical to (or in some cases even more progressive than) Sanders on all issues. For instance, Sanders doesnt have a superPAC nor accepts corporate or lobbyist money. Shes been able to hold her own talking about the issues gracefully and confidently with the reptiles on CNN and Fox News, and most importantly, she can win.
But something something Ralph Nader! you may be exclaiming at this point, to which I can only respond, Where have you been this last year?
In 2016 there is no longer any valid reason to say that an outsider candidate cannot win a major American election. In 2000 there was, absolutely. In an age with very minimal internet use, zero social media and zero easily-accessible alternative media, the billions and billions of dollars in free coverage granted to the two main parties granted them an entirely unassailable lead. But were not in the year 2000 anymore, bucko; its an entirely different world youre living in.
Bernie Sanders campaign was almost entirely crowd-funded and social media driven, and he nearly ran away with the whole thing despite media blackouts and constant sabotage from his own party at every turn, the latter of which wouldnt even be an issue for Stein.
MT If Bernie continues to promote Hilary, I will be supporting Jill Stein For https://t.co/fBOusDwu9z #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/jUfaZCvafG
The Progressive Mind (@Libertea2012) July 21, 2016
One might argue against her on the basis of her relative lack of political experience, but a glance at the total inexperience of the presumptive Republican candidate and the disgust at the corrupting political entrenchment of the Democratic presumptive candidate suggests that Americans arent terribly interested in experience this election term. The only real knock against Stein is that she could stand to take a few speaking lessons from Sanders. Sanders always speaks as if he is already president. People are going to need that kind of winners speech pattern if she is going to be the solid ground on which the country stands.
Convincing models have been made showing that Sanders could win a three-way race between himself, Clinton and Trump by taking a large chunk of the Democrat and independent votes, and if the Democratic elites are stupid enough to nominate Clinton at the convention following that sham of a parody of a primary election, people are going to start looking for another name to plug into those models. Their eyes will land on Jill Stein, and the outrage and hunger for change is getting strong enough to ensure that theyll stay there.
We dont have to be frightened into voting for something we hate just to avoid something we fear. We dont have to subject ourselves to the gruesome indignity of hoping for what we hope might be the lesser of two evils. We can vote our conscience and still elect a candidate who will care for our environment, our sick, our elderly and our poor without driving us into more senseless acts of military interventionism. We can create the world we want to see for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. We just have to call their bluff and push for what we want. Theyll either hand us Bernie or well take Jill.
Fifteen percent. Thats all. If we can get Stein polling at 15 percent by the time the general election debates start, we can thrust a Green Party representative into the mainstream spotlight, where her solid grasp of the issues and rapier wit would make mincemeat out of Clinton and Trump (and Gary Johnson if hes up there, since his new support for the TPP revealed hes nothing more than a pot-friendly Republican). In 2016, all youve got to do is get people googling, and once people know who Jill Stein is and what shes about, shell steal their hearts just like Bernie Sanders did.
And then were in control. If we can keep the momentum rolling on this thing, we might soon hear the unthinkable words, Vote for Jill! A vote for Hillary is a vote for Trump!
"For my brothers and sisters that supported Bernie Sanders (Jill) is the next progressive step." @CornelWesthttps://t.co/nlZwziWI6i
JOSH GORDON Reinstated By the NFL [Aldon Smith Allegedly Smoking Blunt in New Video]
Another day, another mock draft.
Our latest mock was a 12-team standard league that included a bunch of NFL Digital Media folks and some analysts from other sites that wanted in on the action. Much like the last mock I did, which was a 10-team PPR format, I was pleased with the final results. Jokingly, I can call this the "Suspension Squad" (a tribute to the "Suicide Squad" movie that"s coming out in August) as I was able to land both Tom Brady and Josh Gordon to a roster that has a whole lot of upside. You"ll also see the reason I continue to wait on quarterbacks and tight ends.
Enjoy.
Round 1, Pick 4: Todd Gurley, RB, Rams - The first three picks in this draft were wide receivers, so I landed Gurley at number four. I"ll take that all day long, as he"s the top overall player on my board. The Georgia product is a virtual lock to put up top-five fantasy totals among backs, as coach Jeff Fisher loves to run the football. Gurley will push for the NFL lead in rushing yards.
Round 2, Pick 21: Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears - Motivation can be a powerful thing in sports, and Jeffery will be playing with a lot of motivation this season as the Bears decided to franchise tag him rather than sign him to a long-term extension. As a result, he"ll be singing for his supper. In the nine games he played last season, Jeffery averaged a solid 10.4 targets and just under 90 yards.
Round 3, Pick 28: Brandin Cooks, WR, Saints - Cooks started slowly last season, but he was quite the consistent contributor in the second half en route to finishing 11th in fantasy points among wide receivers. Now in his third pro campaign, he should at least duplicate the totals he produced in 2015 with veteran Drew Brees throwing him the ball. Cooks is a nice No. 2 option for this team.
Round 4, Pick 45: Thomas Rawls, RB, Seahawks - I admit that I"m a little worried about Rawls, who is coming back from an injured ankle and might not even see preseason work. I"m not so worried about him that I wouldn"t pick him in the fourth round in a 12-team league. If he returns and puts up numbers like he did last season, this could end up being one of the steals of this mock draft.
Round 5, Pick 52: Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots - Like Rawls, there"s some cause for concern with Edelman as he returns from multiple foot surgeries. But when I saw him sitting there in the fifth round, I had to take a chance on him. After all, I have Jeffery and Cooks ahead of him and can use Edelman as a No. 3 option. I"d expect him to be a No. 2 fantasy wideout in most 12-team formats.
Round 6, Pick 69: Jeremy Langford, RB, Bears - I have modest statistical expectations for Langford, who seems destined to end up in a backfield committee under coach John Fox. On a positive note though, he does project to start the season atop the depth chart and should lead Chicago"s backfield in touches. He"ll also serve as good depth should Rawls have any issue with his ankle ailment.
Round 7, Pick 76: Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions - This is another example of adding depth to what is a thin running back position. Abdullah, who struggled to produce good totals as a rookie, comes in as the No. 4 runner for this team. He figures to lead the Lions in rush attempts with Joique Bell no longer in the mix, which makes him worth a roll of the dice at this spot in the mock draft.
Round 8, Pick 93: Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars - I have no illusions that Hurns can duplicate last season"s impressive totals in the yardage and touchdown categories, but he"s the No. 4 wideout on this team. In that scenario, Hurns is a nice add in a 12-team league. Remember, he finished just 0.30 fantasy points fewer than Demaryius Thomas in 2015. Anything close to that now makes him a steal.
Round 9, Pick 100: Tom Brady, QB, Patriots - Here"s where my strategy kicks in. After focusing on running backs and wideouts in the first nine rounds, I still landed Brady to be my quarterback once he comes back from a four-game suspension. I don"t know about you, but I think 12 games of Brady is better than 16 games from most NFL quarterbacks ... and he"ll be ticked off upon his return.
Round 10, Pick 117: Antonio Gates, TE, Chargers - I wanted Coby Fleener here, but he went one spot ahead of me (blast!). Gates might be long in the tooth, but how has his value not improved after the Chargers lost Ladarius Green to the Steelers? He wouldn"t be the first Hall-of-Famer caliber tight end to put up nice fantasy totals towards the end of his career either. Tony Gonzalez, anyone?
Round 11, Pick 124: Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars - I need a quarterback for the first four weeks (until Brady returns), and Bortles was the best option on the board. With that said, Matthew Stafford, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, Jay Cutler and Marcus Mariota were left undrafted ... so there"s no shortage of potential matchup-based starters for me to grab should I decide to bench Bortles.
Round 12, Pick 141: Julius Thomas, TE, Jaguars - Duval county residents must love this team, as I land a third member of the Jaguars in Thomas. While Gates is the starter for this squad on paper, I could use J.T. as an alternative should the veteran fail to post solid totals. A touchdown machine, Thomas has found the end zone a combined 29 times in his last 39 games. Not too bad, right?
Round 13, Pick 148: Josh Gordon, WR, Browns - So this draft happened before the news broke of Gordon"s reinstatement. I took a flier, and the flier took off to become one heck of a steal. The talented wideout, who led his position in fantasy points just a few seasons ago, should now be considered in the No. 3 or 4 receiver conversation. Of course, his presence hurts Corey Coleman"s stock.
Round 14, Pick 165: Darren Sproles, RB, Eagles - This was simply a "draft the best player on the board" pick. Sproles isn"t a spring chicken as far as running backs go, but you"d have to think he"ll find a decent role in the offense behind Ryan Mathews. Wendell Smallwood is also in the mix, but I prefer Sproles as the second runner to draft out of the Philadelphia backfield. At least for now.
Round 15, Pick 172: Chiefs defense - I didn"t draft a kicker in this mock because Adam Rank took Stephen Gostkowski in Round 5 (not a misprint), but I did take the Chiefs defense. This unit has been one of the best in terms of fantasy points over the last three seasons, finishing first in 2014 and second in 2016. If Kansas City takes a step back, however, I"ll just take to the waiver wire.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to @Michael_Fabiano or send a question via Facebook!
How many hoax videos or anti-Semitic memes can you share before youre out? Thats the question for Dan Scavino, Trumps director of social media.
Before there was the controversy over a tweet involving theStar of David, Hillary Clinton, and a pile of money, there were other screw-ups.
Dan Scavino, Donald Trumps social media chief, once shared a video he claimed was of Syrian refugees rallying in support of ISIS in the streets of Germany. The video was a hoax, footage of a 2012 protest that had been repurposed by the fringe right as anti-refugee propaganda.
He criticized Barack Obama for giving a televised address on the first night of Hanukkah. He suggested, instead, that the president should have done so on the previous Friday or Saturday night, during Shabbat, when a considerable portion of Jewish people forgo television and other technology.
And then he posted another video, one that implied, with no discernible evidence, that Ted Cruz had an affair with his former staffer Amanda Carpenter, a married mother of two who was forced to go out and declare, on CNN, where she now works, that she has always been faithful to her husband.
All of this was done on Twitter, one of the mediums that Dan Scavino, as director of social media for a major presidential campaign, is supposed to have mastered. But like so many aspects of Donald Trumps operation, Scavinos digital outreach is not just unorthodox but a veritable forest of dumpsters doused with gasoline and lit by a match. Scavino, who did not return a phone call, text message, or email requesting an interview, is about as skilled a director of social media as Corey Lewandowski would be a masseur.
A registered independent, Scavino couldnt even vote for his boss in the New York primary.
But to Trump, none of this matters much.
Scavino has a large, square head and close-cropped hair. His nose is permanently scrunched up, like hes smelling something awful, and his lips are permanently pressed together, like hes tasting something sour. He is everything Trump, the de facto Republican nominee, looks for in an employee: confident despite little reason to be; bright enough to take orders but not enough to question them; frankly just lucky to be there; and above allmostly due to that last thingloyal.
Is there anything he could say or do that would lead you to abandon him? Scavino was asked in April.
For the briefest moment, he looked off into spacealmost a suggestion of introspection, though he never quite got there.
He shook his head and he said it again.
On Saturday, a graphic was sent from Trumps personal Twitter account@realDonaldTrumpthat depicted Hillary Clinton, in black and white, before a pile of money. History Made, it read. And, within the confines of a red Star of David, Most Corrupt Candidate Ever!
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Trump added his own commentary. Crooked Hillary - - Makes History!
The graphic was apparently put together by a Twitter user who also distributed an image of a swastika made out of photos of Hillary Clintons head. From there the meme made its wayto a white supremacist message board.
Trumps criticsincluding House Speaker Paul Ryanlabeled the graphic anti-Semitic, but Trump, true to form, blamed the media for his own actions.
The social media graphic used this weekend was not created by the campaign nor was it sourced from an anti-Semitic site, Scavino said in his own statement. It was lifted from an anti-Hillary Twitter user where countless images appear. He added, The sheriffs badgewhich is available under Microsofts shapesfit with the theme of corrupt Hillary and that is why I selected it.
On Twitter, Scavino was even more defensive. For the MSM to suggest that I am antisemite is AWFUL. I proudly celebrate holidays w/ my wifes amazing Jewish family for the past 16 years [sic].
Scavino is a devoutly religious husband to a wife with what he says is chronic Lyme disease. He"s a father who twice met the pope and was named an Inspiring Catholic of 2012 by Our Sunday Visitor. But the idea that he would be down in the trenches of anti-Semitic s**t with Trump at 40 years old is not quite the surprise youd think. Trump seems to inspire a certain kind of Northeastern man to get down in just about any trench with him without a second thought.
Scavino met Trump during his freshman year as a communications major at SUNY Plattsburgh, he told Westchester magazine. Since high school, hed spent his summers caddying at what was then called Briar Hall Country Club and one day, Trump, who was considering buying it, showed up.
Ill never forget the day his limo first pulled up, Scavino told the publication. I was star-struck. I remember his first gratuity. It was two billstwo hundred-dollar bills. I said, I am never spending this money. I still have both bills.
Scavino said he remembered Trump saying, You are going to work for me one day.
Trump eventually bought the club and renamed it Trump National Golf Club Westchester, and true to Trumps alleged prediction, Scavino eventually became its managersucceeding Carolyn Kepcher, who left to join The Apprentice.
In 2008, speaking to the Aberdeen Evening Express, Scavino discussed all the big names who frequent the golf course, including Bill Clinton. Clinton comes up in the evening with eight Secret Service guys, he said. Weve got to know them pretty well.
He told HVMag that Clinton is one of the most unbelievable people Ive ever met, as far as charisma. He has a tremendous personality and h**l play with anybody. He plays with Donald and he too loves the game of golf.
Scavino, who is on the board of the Eric Trump Foundation and, according to his bio there, has committee involvement with The Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation, along with the Wounded Warrior Project, became Trumps director of social media in February 2016, after first helping to build donor lists, according to one source formerly associated with the campaign.
Scavino soon joined the campaigns traveling staff which, incidentally or by design it isnt clear, was populated, too, by politcal novices like himself. Beyond George Gigicos, the director of advance about whom little is known, there is Hope Hicks, the spokeswoman who rarely speaks; and, until very recently, Lewandowski, the campaign manager whod never run a presidential campaign before he helped Trump all-but secure the Republican nomination. (Lewandowski, who was fired on June 20, now works for CNN.)
Scavino developed a friendship with Lewandowski, with whom he shared his ferocious loyalty to their boss, but he was not similarly pushed out of Trumps orbit with the hiring of more traditional campaign operatives like Paul Manafort, an establishment lobbyist.
Unlike Lewandowski, who courted and valued power during his time with Trump, Scavino was considered harmless by the Manafort faction of the campaignhis many mistakes notwithstanding. Much like Hicks, Scavino is seen as a facilitator rather than an operator.
But how many hoax videos or anti-Semitic memes can you share before youre out? Thats the question for Scavino, as he remains in Trumps ever-professionalizing inner circle despite an apparent lack of professionalism.
