maren morris has already won one ACM Award this year: it was announced that she is the winner of Best New Female Vocalist. Shes also up for Best Female Vocalist, Single Record of the Year (for My Church) and Album of the Year (for Hero).
Hero has yielded a pair of hit singlesMy Church and 80s Mercedesbut the album is filled with great songs, including How Its Done. And, as she recently toldRadio.com, to get the song done, she had to press her producer to let her finish it. Happily, her intuition won the day.
I had this line, Let me show you how its done. And I wanted it to be sort of a love song, but a sexy love song and not take itself too seriously. But my friend and co-writer Natalie Hembyshes amazingwe were downstairs at her publishing house one day and we just had this crappy organ sound going, and we wrote the verse and the hook of the chorus, essentially, and we ran out of time that day. And I was saying I was going to LA next week, and Im gonna be writing with [producer] busbee, who were both friends with, and I was like, Do you mind if I show him this song and maybe we finish it out there? And she was like, Go ahead. I would love that."
I brought it to busbee, and he was like, Yeah, this is cool. Lets start something new though." And that was the wrong call.
I was like, Actually, I would really love just give me one hour on this song and play around with it, and I feel like it could be really, really cool and big and just like R&B-sounding, but still have this country-structured lyric and say a very confident statement.
And I loved that perspective because I dont think its shown enough: the girls sort of taking charge. Its always the dude in the song thats like, Ill pick you up when you fall, and blah, blah, blah. Its like sometimes they need a woman to come in and save them.
Related: Maren Morris Finds Her Church at the Ryman
So I was glad that he humored me. And we finished the song, and I remember he said, we were listening back to it and he was like, Yeah, you were right. Im glad that we hammered on this." In other words, she showed him how its done.
See if Morris wins any more trophies at this years ACM Awards this Sunday night at 8:00 pm on CBS.
Before the Tar Heels play Oregon in the Final Four, news has broken out that North Carolina will be losing one of their coaches for the 2017 season. Just like the football team has lost several of their staff in the offseason, the basketball team will soon be without assistant coach C.B. McGrath. The long-time coach is reportedly in agreement to be the next head coach of the UNC Wilmington Seahawks.
McGrath has gone everywhere Roy Williams has gone for the last 20 years. After playing under Williams for Kansas from 1994-1998, he joined the coaching staff there through the 2003 season. When Roy Williams was hired by North Carolina, he made the leap to Chapel Hill alongside his former coach.
This move became possible after NC State fired head coach Matt Gottfried after six seasons without much hope in sight for the program. UNC Wilmington head coach Kevin Keatts was hire to fill the vacancy earlier this month. Now McGrath is shifting over to replace Keatts.
In his time with UNC, McGrath has assisted in recruiting and scouting, while also providing bench coaching duties. He oversaw the teams coaches clinic and the autographed basketball program, which supported local charities. McGrath was a big part of Carolina basketball, and he will certainly be missed.
Not only will North Carolina be losing a strong coach, but they have lost one of their best recruiters. McGrath built himself a reputation as a strong recruiter after working with stars like Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson, Joel Berry, Kennedy Meeks, and Isaiah Hicks. He also helped to bring in guys like Luke Maye and Seventh Woods, who have bright futures ahead of them.
This is probably not the greatest time for the news to come out, since the team is in the middle of a run at the National Championship. The players will have to look past something like this, which can create unwanted distractions, in order to overcome the Ducks and whoever they might face next.
News you can use! Part 2 of the short anime comedy series World Fool News is coming to Crunchyroll for the new season of anime. Read on for full details!
World Fool News Part II launches Sunday, April 2, at 4:00am PST and will be available to users worldwide except Asia.
About World Fool News Part II
This short comedy anime illustrates the sorts of things that happen all the time (?!) in the day-to-day dealings of a local TV station. In part 2, the staff has powered up further to bring even more excitement! Life has been relatively peaceful (?!) for the staff of World Fool News since the addition of the new newscaster, Ichitaro Takahashi. But now, a new crisis is upon them...
Aleister Black debuts in NXT: NXT TakeOver: Orlando (WWE Network Exclusive)
When No Way Jose became the latest victim of SAnitY this morning at Axxess, Tye Dillinger, Ruby Riot and Roderick Strong again found themselves outnumbered heading into TakeOver: Orlando.
But faced with another handicap match against Eric Young, Nikki Cross, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe, the Perfect Ten did some recruiting. Luckily there was a big name with no match booked for the night before WrestleMania in Orlando...
Ohno immediately made his presence felt, but the villains got the best of Roddy when he was brought in shortly after the bell. From there it was the kind of wild, frenetic melee youd expect -
- and to answer the million dollar question, no it was not intergender. Ruby and Nikki had to tag out if a man became legal, but that didnt stop them from locking up with the dudes on occassion.
Many thought this would be the night Dillinger began to move up the card, but it was not to be. He did get EY alone, but Dain saved SAnitYs leader. Ruby and Nikki cancelled one another out, Tye was caught with Ulster Plantation, and the big Irishman pinned the Perfect Ten as another TakeOver ended in disappointment for the fan favorite.
For a complete rundown of the show with all of the match results, head over to the live blog here.
Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones will regret releasing Tony Romo | SPEAK FOR YOURSELF
Former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez spent 17 seasons in the NFL. But the soon-to-be Hall of Famer is leaving his role as a studio analyst on The NFL Today at CBS after just three seasons.
I have had an incredible and rewarding three years at CBS and wish it could be more, but traveling to New York each week during the season is not what is best for my family at this time, Gonzalez said in a statement. Sports Illustrated"s Richard Deitsch was first to report the news.
Gonzalez, who lives in Los Angeles, hopes to remain in broadcasting. He was hired back in February 2014 along with former linebacker Bart Scott as part of a shake-up at CBS that also saw the exit of Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe.
CBS isnt the only network that is messing with the lineup on its Sunday NFL pre-game show. Over at ESPN, Sam Ponder is replacing Chris Berman as the host of Sunday NFL Countdown, where she"ll be joined by former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan.
As far as a replacement goes, CBS hasnt made any announcements, though one name that seems to be getting a fair amount of attention is former Oakland Raiders CEO Amy Trask, who was a regular on That Other Pregame Show, which aired on Sundays on the CBS Sports Network.
Another name thats being floated around is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who has quickly become the more coveted free agent in broadcasting, though its unlikely he would take a studio job if he decided to retire from the NFL.
The NFL Networks Ian Rapoport reported that CBS is actually trying to entice the 36-year-old quarterbackto its booth with a big-time job opportunity replacing former Giants quarterback Phil Simms as its top anchor for the networks NFL game coverage.
CBS has not responded to a request for comment, though a source indicates the network"s interest in Romo is real.
Its unclear what would happen to Simms if CBS successfully landed romo. would romo start out in a less visible position and work his way up as Simms successor? Would Simms be demoted to a lesser role or leave the network? What role would Simms" long-time partner Jim Nantz play?
One thing is for certain: Simms is a weekly target of critics and is often mocked by fans on social media during games. The @philsimmsquotes Twitter account has amassed nearly 41,000 followers by pointing out his flubs and mistakes in realtime during games.
CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus has long defended Simms, and thinks he remains one of the best on-air talents in broadcasting.
"I think Phil is vastly under-appreciated and part of that is the overreaction to social media," McManus said going into last season. "I would just suggest that if people listen to Jim and Phil with an open mind, I think they would recognize what a good job they are doing.
One aspect that may complicate any deal is the fact that CBS has the NFLs lackluster Thursday night package for the first half of the 2017 season. Romo doesnt have any broadcasting experience, so the idea of throwing an untested rookie into a prominent role twice a week to start seems unlikely.
CBS isn"t the only network that"s shown interest in acquiring Romo.
According to an ESPN report, FOX would like Romo to replace John Lynch as an on-air NFL analyst. Lynch, a former safety who played in the league for 15 seasons, left the booth last month to become general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.
If Romo were interested in the job, he could be in competition with former Eagles coach Chip Kelly,who reportedly interviewed with FOX last month for the network"s open analyst position.
The NFL TV producers I"ve spoken with really love Romo"s potential, Deitsch said on Twitter earlier this month, adding they say, he"s smart, open, prepared, [and] helpful in TV production meetings.
According to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Romo"s future might not be resolved until training camp, which starts in the middle ofJuly.
Published: March 31, 2017 9:41 AM EDT
| Updated: March 31, 2017 11:48 AM EDT
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RESUMEN JAGUARES VS PUMAS LIGA MX Cruz Azul is currently in 14th place, but Paco Jemez"s swashbuckling side could sneak into the Liguilla spots.
After watching the Mexico national teamfly through the international break with six points from a possible six, domestic league action is back! Liga MX is in full swing and with the regular season more than halfway complete, we asked our experts Tom Marshall, Nayib Moran and Cesar Hernandez for their Liguilla dark horse and relegation picks and, of course, what you can"t miss in Week 12!
Which surprise contender will make the Liguilla?
Surprise Liguilla contender
Cruz Azul
I"m not sure if a team with Cruz Azul"s budget and transfer spending can or should be called a dark horse, but La Maquina is out of the playoff places in 14th position with seven matches left in the Clausura. A bit more luck in front of goal and Paco Jemez"s swashbuckling side will be in the postseason.-- Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup)
Chiapas
If Chiapas was able to get wins over Toluca, Tigres, Chivas and Club America, there"s no reason to doubt its form heading into the closing stages of the regular season. Goalkeeper Moises Munoz has been one of the best in the Clausura and could be an important leader as Chiapas works its way toward an unexpected playoff appearance.-- Nayib Moran (@nayibmoran)
Queretaro
New manager Jaime "Jimmy" Lozano has reinvigorated Los Gallos Blancos. Queretaro has taken charge in recent Liga MX matches and with the highly-talented Tiago Volpi in net, the squad -- currently sixth in the table -- will make a surprising run to the playoffs.-- Cesar Hernandez (@cesarhfutbol)
Tiago Volpi has been superb in goal for sixth-placed Queretaro, with three clean sheets so far during the 2017 Clausura.Only one relegation favorite ...
Veracruz
Prior to the international break, Los Tiburones Rojos lost five consecutive Liga MX games, failed to score in 457 minutes of play and saw their coach Carlos Reinoso step down due to ill health. The result was Veracruz slipping four points below Morelia at the foot of the relegation table. The bloated 39-player squad was hastily and haphazardly put together over the winter and bizarrely included 21 foreigners, despite a mere 10 being allowed in each matchday squad. That kind of poor planning has its consequences.-- Marshall
Juan Antonio Luna took over the Veracruz coaching job during the international break, but that doesn"t deter from the fact thatLos Tiburones Rojos have been a sinking ship since the start of the Clausura. During the offseason, the club made many personnel changes and at the moment it has 20 foreign footballers, making it incapable of finding a strong enough starting XI to compete with the league"s best.-- moran
a spot in the copa mx might bring some scheduling problems for Morelia, but I can"t see the team doing any worse than Veracruz. Los Tiburones Rojos are floundering with five losses in a row and currently sit at the bottom of the relegation table.-- Hernandez
What you can"t miss this weekend
High-flying Lozano"s return for Pachuca against Puebla
Hirving Lozano will be a huge boost for Pachuca during a busy week domestically and in CONCACAF competition.
Hirving "Chucky" Lozano is unlikely to be in Liga MX much longer and is back from the horrible-looking injury he suffered earlier this month to face La Franja on Saturday. And how Pachuca needs him. While he was out, Los Tuzoslost on the road against both FC Dallas and Queretaro and clearly lacked the outlet he provides on the wing. A win against a weak Puebla will set Lozano and Pachuca up nicely for their biggest game of the season so far on Tuesday against FC Dallas in the return leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal.-- Marshall
Toluca overcoming obstacles in centennial year
As difficult as the past few weeks have been for Toluca, with player suspensions and hard losses to Chivas and Puebla, Los Diablos Rojos are still alive and well-placed in the playoff race. Their strong start to the season has them in great position as the Liguilla looms. Players like Fernando Uribe, Pablo Barrientos, Jesus Mendez and Erbin Trejo will be vital in the coming weeks and on Sunday, Toluca must win over Necaxa, a team that"s nowhere near its great form from last campaign.-- Moran
Can Leon bounce back for late Liguilla spot?
Will Leon bounce back and earn a late spot in the Liguilla? Saturday night"s match against Tigres will provide a perfect opportunity for Los Panzas Verdes to initiate another late run to the top eight.As for Tigres, the current champions will also look to pick up some points in order to make a late playoff run of their own.-- Hernandez
Follow @ESPNFC on Twitter to keep up with the latest football updates.
Gigi posted on Instagram Saturday a photo of herself sporting short,choppy light blond hair, channeling her motherYolanda Hadid"s "do, as well as Katy Perry"s recent makeover.
Naturally, many of her followers were shocked.
"No queen, you don"t do that!" one person wrote.
Gigi, who typically has long dark blond tresses, laterwrote, "Jokes jokes .. happy april foolz fwendz."
Check out other celebrities who won April Fools" Day 2017 with their pranks:
Katy Perry: The "Chained to the Rhythm" had some fun with fans eagerly awaiting the release of her new album. She captioned this classic throwback photo, "I"m proud to announce the cover for my 4th album!"
"Happy April Fools!" she added. "Been plotting in the same type of sports bra from my IM and laminated calendar since 99"It"s all about the long game..."
Rebel Wilson: The comedienne gave everyone on the set ofPitch Perfect 3 quite a scare when she collapsed backstage. Not to worry, though! It was all a silly prank.
"Tragic accident on the set of Pitch Perfect 3...just kidding! Happy April Fools Pitches! I got you!!!" she captioned a video of the debacle.
Michael Phelps: The Olympic swimmeralmost had sports nuts fooled when he said he"d Speedo up and head back to the pool for the 2020 games in Tokyo. He quickly responded to the hoopla, "#aprilfools I"m not actually coming back sorry for getting some of yalls hopes up"
Shawn Johnson: Nope, this retired gymnast is not pregnant after all. After posting a photo featuring an undeniable baby bump, Shawn returned to social media to clear up the confusion. "My sincerest apologies. I never meant to target, offend, or come across as insensitive. I tried on a movie prop. Please forgive. #aprilfools," the Olympian tweeted.
Oops?
George takei: the website the daily buzz reported Friday that theStar Trek alum planned on running for Congress, quoting him as saying, "My hope is to challenge Davin Nunes for his seat [in California"s 22nd District] in 2018."
The 79-year-old starreceived several celebrity endorsements.
George later admitted itwasajoke. Oh myyyyyyyy...
Michael Rosenbaum: The actoris best known for playing Lex Luther onSmallville and has since moved on to star onshows such as Breaking In and Impastor and also performs gigs with his band as well as standup comedy in Los Angeles. He also recently revealed that he has a role in Guardians in the Galaxy Vol 2.
On April Fool"s Day, he made a special announcement that fooled a lot of people.
Will Arnett: TheArrested Development actor stars in Netflix"sNetflix Live, a parody of people"s live videos on social media, which consists of him sitting in a Netflix studio and commenting on literallyeverything, from office appliances (he is fascinated by toasters)to depressing cubicles to puddles of water to truly terrible parallel parkers.
The hilarious special, a blatant Netflix promo, also features cameos fromAdam Sandler andShannon Purser, aka Barb fromStranger Things.
Netflix Live was released the day before April Fools" Day and on the holiday itself, it was "cancelled." However, it is still available to stream.