The defending World Cup champions are in action on Tuesday night, and new users at Fanatics Sportsbook can enter the promo code NYPOST at registration to claim a welcome offer for this intriguing contest between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Algeria.
Argentina are four years removed from their triumph in Qatar, and they’re expected to be in the thick of the action as they try to repeat in North America.
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What our Post expert thinks about Algeria vs. Argentina
Messi is the star man for Argentina still, but it will be the defense that decides how far La Albiceleste goes in this tournament.
Argentina shouldn’t have too many issues with Algeria, but Riyad Mahrez and Les Fennecs should not be overlooked in this contest.
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Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
From civic records to cultural keepsakes, a literal ton of American history is almost ready for burial in Philadelphia.
Ahead of the nation’s historic 250th birthday, “Fox & Friends” got an exclusive look at the final contents of the America250 time capsule — a 900-pound, stainless steel, waterproof vessel housing nearly 200 contributions from across the nation.
“The contents of the time capsule [are] amazing,” America250 Chair Rosie Rios shared Monday.
“We wanted to make sure that all three branches of government [were] represented. All 56 parts of our country [are] also represented, so the 50 states, D.C., and the five territories and, of course, everyday Americans are part of this as well.”
Capped with a 1,100-pound lid, the waterproof vessel will weigh roughly a ton when it is buried in Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park on July 4, safeguarding a collection of artifacts meant to capture America at this year’s milestone anniversary.
The America250 time capsule and bell jar, created at NIST. Rich Press/NISTA group of men and women from the NIST Fabrication Technology Office stand with the America250 time capsule. Rich Press/NIST
Rios described the City of Brotherly Love as a natural choice for the final resting place of the capsule, which will be reopened in 2276.
“It’s the birthplace of our country and everyone knows that, in 250 years, that’s where you’re going to go to have this unburied,” she said.
A pocket Constitution signed by Supreme Court Justices. Fox NewsSeveral contributions were highlighted, like this crystal from the New years eve ball. Fox News
Rios highlighted several contributions, including a pocket Constitution signed by the Supreme Court justices, a crystal from the 2026 New Year’s Eve ball in Times Square, a message in a bottle from Coca-Cola, an American flag flown at the 2026 Rose Parade and an NFL America250 commemorative coin.
Rios said a capstone and artifacts will be on display in Philadelphia as a reminder that history lies waiting for future Americans.
“We can hope that our great-great-great-great-grandchildren will be able to enjoy this,” Rios said.
Scientists have long known about the link between our stomachs and our brains, warning that our diets and gut health have a large impact on mood and mental health.
And a new study published Monday may have found a way to flush the brain fog and attention issues that accompany depression down the toilet.
New research has found a potential solution from a laxative for brain fog and attention issues that come with depression. Goffkein – stock.adobe.com
Cognition issues are common with depression and mental disorders, including trouble with thinking, planning tasks, and both short- and long-term memory.
Those who took the laxative performed better and faster on cognitive tests to measure focus, attention span, planning, balancing multiple tasks, short- and long-term memory and emotional cognition tasks.
Fifty patients between the ages of 18 and 40 with a history of depressive episodes were recruited to take either a 2 milligram dose of the laxative — the amount used for chronic constipation — or a placebo for seven to ten days.
Both before and after taking the drug, participants took a variety of tests that included a working memory task, an auditory verbal learning and memory task and a task on attention and processing speed.
Prucalopride works by gently stimulating bowel movements, but it also activates a serotonin receptor in the gut and brain known as the fourth serotonin receptor, or 5HT4.
A medication for constipation, prucalopride, also works on 5HT4, a serotonin receptor that affects mood and memory. Nadzeya – stock.adobe.com
These receptors work both to increase gut motility and how fast the bowels empty, and are heavily involved with learning, memory, mood and anxiety.
According to researchers, the medication could help an often overlooked effect of depression.
“For many people, recovery from depression is incomplete because difficulties with memory and concentration persist,” senior author Professor Susannah Murphy said in a press release.
“This study provides early evidence that 5HT4 receptor agonists could help restore aspects of cognitive function, opening an exciting new direction for treatment development,” she added.
This study follows previous research from 2024 that also showed 5HT4 receptor agonists used for constipation may also reduce the risk of depression in those with no history of the illness.
Another study found that experiencing depressive symptoms could lead to worsened memory and thinking skills when hitting middle age.
And what we eat can play a role in brain health, especially as we age.
“Evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may influence inflammation, metabolism, and brain function through the gut-brain axis,” Dr. Randy D’Amico, director of the Brain and Spine Metastasis Program of Neurosurgery at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, previously told The Post.
On May 16 — exactly one week after the “Dumb Blonde” podcast host and the country music star’s date of separation — Bunnie, born Alisa Carter, shared a cryptic video on Instagram of herself walking past two trash cans.
In the clip, the former sex worker — who rocked a black tube top and matching flared spandex pants — walked out of a garage and down the driveway as the camera zoomed past her to capture the nearby blue garbage cans.
Bunnie Xo (seen above) threw shade at her exes days after she and Jelly Roll separated. Instagram/xomgitsbunnieOne week after the “Dumb Blonde” podcast host and the country music star separated on May 9, Bunnie posted a video of herself walking past two trash cans (as seen above). Instagram/xomgitsbunnie
“I hate when my exes ruin a good shot,” she wrote atop the video, which was set to the tune of Star Monster’s 2025 song “Come Together Flip.”
Bunnie, 46, simply captioned the post with a trash emoji.
Two days after the video was shared, her husband, Jelly — born Jason DeFord — quietly filed for divorce in Williamson County, Tennessee, after 10 years of marriage.
The Grammy winner, 41, cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason behind their split.
The clip zoomed in on the blue garbage cans (as seen above). Instagram/xomgitsbunnie“I hate when my exes ruin a good shot,” she wrote atop the video (as seen above). Instagram/xomgitsbunnie
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Per court docs obtained by Page Six, the exes are planning to file an agreement dividing their assets and debts.
After news of their divorce surfaced, movers were spotted outside of Bunnie and Jelly’s Tennessee residence on Monday.
The three-time Grammy winner and the podcaster had been dropping hints about their split before it made headlines.
Two days after his filing, Bunnie posted a cryptic TikTok video about “women’s intuition.”
Two days after the video was shared, Jelly (seen above with Bunnie in 2024) quietly filed for divorce in Tennessee after 10 years of marriage. Variety via Getty ImagesThe country star (seen above with Bunnie in 2025) cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason behind their split. Penske Media via Getty Images
“Women’s intuition when that s–t don’t add up,” she wrote atop the footage of herself looking around suspiciously.
Per court doc obtained by Page Six, Jelly and Bunnie (both seen above at the Grammys 2026) are planning to divide their assets and debts. Getty Images for The Recording AcademyThe exes (seen above in a selfie) had been dropping hints about their split before it made headlines. xomgitsbunnie/Instagram
The couple tied the knot in Las Vegas in 2016.
Though the pair briefly separated in 2018 after the “Son of a Sinner” singer had a months-long affair, Bunnie and Jelly later reconciled and renewed their vows in August 2023.
Bunnie previously shared that she contemplated suicide after finding out about her husband’s affair.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration Tuesday claiming it rigged the bids on an $11 billion Medicaid homecare program — allowing a handpicked company to siphon off millions in taxpayer money.
State Health Commissioner James McDonald and Medicaid Director Amir Bassiri are both named in the lawsuit which lays out startling new allegations that claim Hochul’s administration schemed to consolidate payroll services for nearly 250,000 homecare recipients under Public Partnerships LLC and moved forward with the disastrous transition despite clear warning signs of the coming chaos.
“New York’s failure to police a favored vendor that unlawfully siphoned millions of dollars of Medicaid funding is egregious and betrays the public trust,” Brett A. Shumate, assistant attorney general for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, wrote in a statement.
New York State is accused of failing to stop a vendor who fleeced taxpayers. Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
“The Justice Department is acting to ensure that federal laws regarding truthful statements and fair dealing in federal health care programs are upheld and to prevent additional harm from being exacted against the public by PPL and New York,” Shumate added.
Hochul is not directly accused of wrongdoing in the 55-page complaint filed in US District Court Eastern District of New York but snippets of emails between her office, the health department and PPL uncovered by federal investigators show she was actively involved in not only the transition process, but also the awarding of the bid to the company.
“As late as Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Defendant BASSIRI was part of last-minute email exchanges with DOH’s counterparts in other states in which DOH officials stated that under ‘pressure from our Governor’s Office,’ they were trying to determine whether other bidders—at least one of whom ended up being a qualified bidder—were actually performing FI services in other states and were therefore qualified bidders,” the lawsuit notes.
Several months later, after PPL had been awarded the bid, the company’s own reps proposed to DOH that it extend the timeframe needed to transition CDPAP recipients and caregivers to its own platform from three months to nine months as it rushed to hire staff.
But Hochul’s office refused to extend the timeline, according to internal emails from a “DOH principal” included in the complaint.
“I wanted to give you a heads up that Chamber is coming in hard on the SFI [Statewide Fiscal Intermediary] launch, they really aren’t entertaining options to move off of a path that gets this done by 4/1. We will not be advancing statutory or regulatory changes [to extend the CDPAP transition timeframe] at this time,” the DOH staffer wrote.
Over the next few months, Hochul’s office was actively involved in downplaying the seriousness of the transition disaster as thousands of disabled New Yorkers spent hours dealing with horrible customer service problems as they tried to keep their caregivers paid.
On Jan. 13, 2025, a week after the transition window opened, only 43 of the 214,000 people in PPL’s system had completed, per PPL records unveiled in the lawsuits.
Three days later, McDonald wrote in a statement saying “the facts and data show that the transition is proceeding efficiently and effectively.”
“New York’s backroom deal with PPL has cost taxpayers millions of dollars and cast countless Medicaid patients to the curb,” Colin McDonald, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division, wrote.
“Today’s action is the latest reminder that the Justice Department is mobilizing every available tool to protect taxpayer-funded programs from fraud and corruption,” he added.
“The situation has taken a toll on the entire family, and Victoria is gutted for her children,” a source exclusively told Page Six.
“Victoria and David knew Harper was going to Brooklyn’s,” the insider continued. “The kids have had nannies and security their whole lives and have traveled on their own plenty of times, so there was nothing unusual about her going there [without her parents].”
Victoria Beckham is feeling devastated as the family’s ongoing rift with son Brooklyn Beckham continues to take a toll on her children. Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock“The situation has taken a toll on the entire family, and Victoria is gutted for her children,” a source exclusively told Page Six.
As Page Six previously reported, Harper, 14, was photographed arriving at Brooklyn’s Los Angeles home — where he lives with his wife Nicola Peltz — shortly after she celebrated her father receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But sadly, her efforts were to no avail, as sources told us Harper left the premises no sooner than she’d arrived without seeing the Cloud23 Hot Sauce founder. The insider added that Brooklyn and his wife were unavailable.
The chef, 27, later shared via his Instagram Stories that he was in New York at the time of his sister’s appearance.
Still, a rep for the couple told Page Six, “That photographers were in place as the letter was hand delivered says it all — this was choreographed for the cameras.”
Harper was photographed arriving at Brooklyn’s Los Angeles home — where he lives with his wife Nicola Peltz — shortly after she celebrated her father receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 12. Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock“David and Victoria would never intentionally come between any of their children and the people they love,” the insider said. (Seen above in October 2025) Dave Benett/WireImage
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Meanwhile, a source insisted there was nothing orchestrated about Harper’s visit despite speculation that it had been staged.
“David and Victoria would never intentionally come between any of their children and the people they love,” the insider said. “You can see that in the relationships they have with their other sons’ girlfriends.”
“That’s why this has been so incredibly painful and confusing for them. They honestly don’t know where things went wrong or how the relationship got to this point.”
The soccer pro, 51, and the Spice Girls alum, 52, also share sons Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21. Romeo is dating model and DJ Kim Turnbull, while Cruz is dating Brazilian-German singer and songwriter Jackie Apostel.
According to the insider, David and Victoria are “worried things might never fully get back to how they once were with Brooklyn.”
The source explained that David and Victoria have close relationships with Romeo girlfriend, DJ Kim Turnbull, and Cruz’s girlfriend (top right), Brazilian-German singer and songwriter Jackie Apostel (bottom right). Instagram/victoriabeckhamAccording to the insider, David and Victoria are “worried things might never fully get back to how they once were with Brooklyn.” (Seen above in January 2020) Dave Benett/Getty Images
“They love him unconditionally and will never stop hoping for a reconciliation. No matter how difficult things have become, he’s their son and that will never change,” the source said. “But David and Victoria are terrified because they feel like they’ve lost their son and they feel like there’s a wall between them and Brooklyn that they just can’t seem to get through.”
In the commercial, Brooklyn referenced his “complicated” relationship with his parents and siblings in a DoorDash ad shared on his Instagram Monday.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home,” he said in the video while sitting on his couch wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. “It’s a long story,” he said with a laugh as he tossed World Cup tickets onto his coffee table.
The latest setback comes a day after Brooklyn appeared to take a jab at his parents in a DoorDash World Cup advertisement. DoorDashWhile the ad went viral, the source said the commercial itself hit home for the Beckhams in more ways than one. DoorDash
While the ad went viral, the source said the commercial itself hit home for the Beckhams in more ways than one.
“It’s disappointing, but at this point it goes beyond a commercial,” the insider said. “It’s not really about the ad itself. For David and Victoria, it’s another example of private family matters becoming public, and that’s what’s upsetting.”
Brooklyn and Peltz, 31, tied the knot in a lavish wedding ceremony in April 2022 in Palm Beach, Fla.
In a bombshell statement posted to Instagram in January, Brooklyn accused his parents of controlling the family’s public image and leaking stories to the press about him and Peltz.
Brooklyn and Peltz tied the knot in a lavish wedding ceremony in April 2022 in Palm Beach, Fla. brooklynpeltzbeckham/InstagramIn a bombshell statement posted to Instagram in January, Brooklyn accused his parents of controlling the family’s public image and leaking stories to the press about him and Peltz. (Seen above in September 2019) Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images
“I do not want to reconcile with my family,” he wrote, adding, “For my entire life, my parents have controlled the narrative in the press about our family.”
The eldest son of David and Victoria also claimed they had been “trying endlessly to ruin” his relationship with Peltz since before their 2022 wedding. He alleged Victoria canceled plans to make Peltz’s wedding dress at the last minute and said family members told him before the ceremony that Peltz was “not blood” and “not family.”
Brooklyn accused his parents of prioritizing “Brand Beckham” over family relationships, writing that “family ‘love’ is decided by how much you post on social media.”
He also pushed back against speculation that Peltz controls him, insisting, “I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”
The possibility of LeBron James finishing his career alongside Stephen Curry continues to gain traction, and one prominent NBA voice believes the Golden State Warriors may now be the favorite to land the future Hall of Famer.
Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, Bill Simmons made a bold prediction about James’ future as the NBA offseason begins.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers NBAE via Getty Images
“Before we get to Giannis, LeBron, what happens with that is a good one,” Simmons said. “This one is a really fun one because the Warriors are really in play now, like for real. I really feel like if I had to bet my life on a team, I’d think I would bet on them.”
While Simmons offered no direct reporting, his comments echo a rumor that has lingered for years, fueled by repeated indications that Warriors owner Joe Lacob and the front office have explored the possibility of bringing James to the Bay Area.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court Corey Sipkin for NY Post
The four-time NBA champion is entering free agency after completing his eighth season with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although many around the league still expect James to either return to Los Angeles or potentially finish his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Warriors have emerged as a legitimate dark-horse contender.
James and Curry have developed a strong relationship through multiple All-Star appearances and their time together with Team USA, most recently helping lead the Americans to Olympic gold under the coaching of Warriors coach Steve Kerr
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently gave the Lakers a slight edge in the race to retain James, estimating a 51 percent chance he remains in Los Angeles. However, Windhorst also identified Golden State as the team to watch if James decides to leave.
“I’d watch Golden State,” Windhorst said on The Pat McAfee Show. “He played with Steph Curry and Steve Kerr in the Olympics. You know he’s close with Draymond Green.”
Bill Simmons believes the Warriors are a real contender to land LeBron James this offseason. Getty Images
The challenge, of course, is making the finances work.
Golden State already has significant money committed to Curry and Jimmy Butler, making it difficult to add another max-level contract without substantial roster changes. That reality may be that James would need to accept a significant pay cut if he hopes to join the Warriors.
No public indication has emerged from either James or his longtime representative Rich Paul regarding his offseason plans, but Windhorst reported that James is not expected to simply accept a discounted deal, with the Lakers needing to justify any offer below the maximum salary.
The Warriors may need to make a similar pitch to attract the 41 year old, where they have a big advantage While the Lakers have fully and publically turned their attention to building around Luka Doncic for the future, the Warriors are making a significant push to get Curry his fifth championship ring.
For now, a Curry-James partnership remains speculation. But with Simmons publicly predicting Golden State as the most likely destination, one of the NBA’s longest-running will-they-won’t-they continues to gain momentum.
Season 3 of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders starts a little differently from the first two seasons, because the series has made the squad so popular that they went out on a tour across Texas. But the show soon settles into the same format of the previous two seasons.
Opening Shot: In a darkened theater, we see a woman in a sparkly dance outfit breathe and start her routine.
The Gist: The dancer is Reece, a popular member of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), especially after Season 2 of America’s Sweethearts streamed on Netflix in 2025. She’s doing the dance routine as part of a Texas-wide DCC theater tour, which senior director Kelli Finglass and choreographer Judy Trammell have planned out due to the popularity of the squad after the first two seasons of the show.
As we see the routines that the squad dances in front of full houses, the members of the 2024-25 squad talk about how now being known individually from the show is a double-edged sword. However, they all generally love that people are fans of individual squad members — especially Reece — as well as the squad as a whole. They also have the time to do a tour like this after getting a 400 percent pay raise before the ’24-25 season.
Another byproduct of the show’s popularity is that the squad has received hundreds of audition videos, from a wider swath of the country (and other countries, as we’ll explain in a bit) than before. As a way to help them sift through these worthy candidates, Finglass and Trammell invite a half a dozen rookie hopefuls to try out live, on stage, during each tour stop, and the audience gets to vote on who they like the best. The selections go on to the final auditions at Cowboys HQ in Frisco, TX.
Just like in previous seasons, both veterans and hopefuls have to audition for a spot on the 2025-26 squad. Among the veterans auditioning are Megan, who led the charge to get the squad more pay, and Kleine, who is outspoken and at times an irritant to Finglass. Among the rookie hopefuls is Dayton, the daughter of Shelly Bramhall, DCC’s associate choreographer; she’s auditioning for the third time. We also hear from Savannah, who has been taking DCC prep classes since she was 16; Faith, an Australian who is double-jointed at the hips and gained an online following as “Flexy Faith”; and Jenna, who made it all the way to the end of last year’s training camp before getting cut.
Photo: Netflix
What Shows Will It Remind You Of?America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is a sequel series of sorts to CMT’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team. The show’s director, Greg Whiteley, previously directed the Netflix docuseries Cheer.
Our Take: As with the first two seasons of America’s Sweethearts, we start with the final audition, which leads to traning camp, which leads to the finalized squad cheering at Cowboys games during the season. The wrinkle here is that we spend a large chunk of the first episode showing moments from the DCC’s Texas tour and getting insights from squad members about how the show has upped the squad’s profile as well as gained individual members new fans.
What we wished, though, was to have Whiteley spend more time on both the Texas tour and the idea that these women were now stars in their own right. It seems that Finglass has taken advantage of the squad’s newfound fame, and we would have liked to have seen more scenes where she and Trammell prepped the show and both the exhillaration and pressure the squad members felt being able to do more than just their game-centric routines.
Soon, though, we’re back in Frisco, watching the veterans and rookies prepping for the audtion. The one difference this year is that we get to see international hopefuls like Faith, who talks about the fact that if she makes training camp, her two-day trip to Texas will extend out for weeks. But, because of the larger influx of hopefuls and a large number of returing veterans, training camp is going to be more cutthroat than in previous years.
So that should be fun to watch, as well as the squad’s travails throughout the season. Hopefully, Whiteley will sprinkle some elements of what we saw in the first episode, about individual squad members dealing with their notariety from the series, as the season goes along.
Photo: Courtesy of Netflix
Performance Worth Watching: We hope Faith makes it all the way to the squad for the season, not just because she’s Australian, but because she’s flexible as hell.
Sex And Skin: Besides skimpy dancing outfits, there’s nothing.
Parting Shot: As we see veterans and hopefuls practicing before the final audition, we hear Finglass say, “I don’t want to start the year off threatening the veterans. But with these numbers, I don’t think it is safe to feel safe.”
Sleeper Star: Jenna is an intriguing hopeful because she was literally cut the day after training camp ended, leaving Cowboys HQ right before the rest of the squad celebrated making it for the season.
Most Pilot-y Line: None we could find, mainly because Whiteley does a good job of giving the show the right tone and keeping the stakes in perspective.
Our Call: STREAM IT. America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders continues to do a good job of showing how much the hopefuls and veterans work and sacrifice to make the DCC squad. We just wish the format was a little different this season.
Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Fast Company and elsewhere.
Comedian Rob Schneider has inserted himself into Major League Baseball’s latest Pride Night controversy, offering to pay any future fines for players who display Bible verses on their uniforms and accusing the league of being “anti-Christian.”
Schneider’s comments came after MLB issued warnings to San Francisco Giants pitchers Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker, who wrote references to Genesis 9:12-16 on their Pride Night caps during Friday’s game against the Chicago Cubs. Another Giants pitcher, Sam Hentges, chose not to wear the rainbow-themed cap at all, opting instead for the club’s standard black cap.
Rob Schneider weighed in on the MLB Pride Night cap controversy, saying he will pay the fines for any MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniform. Getty Images
“I will pay the fines for any MLB Christian player who wears a Bible verse on their uniform,” Schneider wrote on X. “MLB is ANTI-CHRISTIAN.”
The league, however, has maintained that the warning had nothing to do with religion.
The San Francisco Giants celebrate Pride Day at Oracle Park on June 7, 2025 in San Francisco, California Getty Images
“The writing on the cap violates our rules and consistent with normal practice we have warned the players about future violations,” MLB said in an initial statement.
MLB later clarified that the warning was procedural and not disciplinary. No fines have been reported
“To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,” the league said. “We respect players’ right to free expression. However, writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited.”
The league added that it has previously issued similar warnings for messages such as “Dad,” “Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom,” and names of family members.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) throws against the Chicago Cub John Hefti-Imagn Images
Roupp later explained that the Bible passage reflected his Christian faith.
“It’s just about God’s covenant and a promise that he makes to us, his faithfulness and his mercy,” Roupp said. “That’s just kind of something I believe in, and I stand firm in that.”
San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Hentges (31) throws against the Chicago Cubs IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Hentges also emphasized that his decision not to wear the Pride Night cap was not motivated by hostility toward LGBTQ people.
“It’s just something that I feel like I was forced to support when I don’t morally support it,” Hentges said. “There wasn’t hatred behind it. I think that’s kind of something that’s misinterpreted. I don’t hate the LGBTQ community. It’s just something I believed and talked with teammates and family, and they supported it.”
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher JT Brubaker throws in the sixth inning of the MLB game between the San Francisco Giants Tannen Maury/UPI/Shutterstock
During the late 1970s, a group of San Francisco players dubbed by the media as the “God Squad” became a frequent target of media scrutiny after several players, including reliever Gary Lavelle, openly discussed their Christian faith, including their views on homosexuality.
The Giants situation is also far from the first time professional athletes have objected to Pride-related initiatives.
Pride month celebration at Oracle Park Getty Images
Last season, several Tampa Bay Rays pitchers declined to wear Pride-themed jerseys, citing their Christian faith. In 2023, Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw publicly criticized the team’s decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, while stressing that his concerns were directed at the organization and not the LGBTQ community.
More recently, Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen appeared during Los Angeles’ Pride Night wearing the team’s traditional blue cap rather than the rainbow-themed version worn by most of his teammates. Treinen did not publicly explain the decision, but it quickly generated discussion across social media.
Blake Treinen #49 and Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers Getty Images
The Giants have since reaffirmed their support for Pride Night and the LGBTQ community while acknowledging that individual players may make personal decisions regarding team activations.
“We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations. We understand that the choices by individual players have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all.
“We remain grateful to our fans, partners, employees, players, and coaches who help make Pride Night a meaningful celebration.”
For now, MLB has indicated no discipline beyond the warning, but Schneider’s pledge has ensured the debate over faith, free expression and Pride Night celebrations will continue well beyond Oracle Park.
When asked by Dan “Big Cat” Katz on Fox’s “Wake Up Barstool” whether he abstained for that long, the starring Knicks role player laughed and dodged the question.
“Did anyone on the team take James Dolan’s pleas to not have sex for the entire playoff run?” Katz asked.
“Oh man. Oh, man,” Alvarado said with a giant laugh.
Katz jokingly scolded Alvarado when it appeared that he couldn’t quite abide by Dolan’s request.
“Jose! The boss told you,” Katz added, while everyone laughed with him.
Jose Alvarado laughs when asked if he did or did not have sex. Barstool Sports
“He said 10 weeks. He said sacrifice. We all sacrificed,” Alvarado eventually responded.
Dolan met with his team on April 3 before a playoff run that turned into an incredibly dominant ride in which the Knicks lost only three games and won the NBA title.
James Dolan asks his team to not have sex for 10 weeks. Roomates Show
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks,” Dolan told the Knicks before the playoffs. “You don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks, but like Spartans — do you know what Spartans are? — They denied themselves to gain an edge. Get the edge.”
Dolan’s joke was part of a 15-minute speech to the team about sacrifice.
“Go home, talk to your wives. Don’t tell them you’re not going to have sex, and don’t tell them it was my idea,” Dolan added. “But let them know what this is going to be like, what your commitment is going to be like.”
Whether the team actually abided by Dolan’s request will forever remain a mystery, but Alvarado’s response to the question is even more intriguing.
