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nj.com •

N.J. school district to cut all junior varsity middle school sports amid $2.2 million budget deficit

Facing a multi-year budget deficit, the Robbinsville Township school district has approved plans to eliminate all junior varsity sports at the middle school level — a change that will affect more than 200 middle school athletes. At the high school level, golf and swim programs, along with several coaching positions, will also be cut.The Robbinsville Board of Education approved the 2026-27 budget on April 28 to address a $2.2 million shortfall driven by declining state aid and New Jersey’s 2% cap...
nj.com •

Security guards grab 10,000 ‘anti-Trump’ red cards from World Cup protest group

A coalition of artists, organizers and advocacy organizations was set to distribute 50,000 red cards to fans headed to MetLife Stadium for the World Cup final on Sunday to stage an in-stadium protest of FIFA and President Donald Trump.The plan was for fans to hold up the red cards following the Spain-Argentina match when Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented the championship trophy to the winning team. But security guards outside the American Dream mall disrupted part of the plan.O...
nj.com •

The first FIFA World Cup halftime show was a rushed sampler hoping to be the Super Bowl

The first FIFA World Cup halftime show made me feel like I was walking through a mall food court. You peruse each booth as workers entice you with free samples, hoping to get you to buy a full meal. Ultimately, I’ll probably end up going home to get something I already have. Instead of quenching hunger or thirst, Coldplay frontman and the show’s artistic curator, Chris Martin, treated the show like a Spotify playlist. For 11 minutes, fans got a taste of good music and artistry in a rushed and ch...
nj.com •

The World Cup has been an incredible melting pot for N.J. It exists in a state of contradiction.

The sound of a loud bass drum announced the arrival of dozens of French soccer fans as they marched through the exit gates of MetLife Stadium. Minutes after their country’s masterful 3-1 World Cup victory against Sweden, they sang and danced right through into the FIFA Fan Zone in East Rutherford. Behind them, a sea of blue French flags and jerseys collided with the yellow of the sunset.The scene was energizing. “Sha la la la la la la, Allez les Bleus!” (meaning “come on the Blues”) they chanted...
nj.com •

After years of fierce debate, N.J. basketball is finally getting a shot clock — and coaches are worried

After years of heated debate, the shot clock is finally coming to New Jersey high school basketball.But the long-awaited change has reignited debate among coaches and school officials who fear the added costs could further strain already-shrinking budgets, increase blowouts, and make it even harder for weaker teams to compete.In a narrow 170-166 vote on May 4, the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association membership agreed to become the 33rd state to adopt a 35-second shot clock begi...
nj.com •

This N.J. district almost eliminated middle school sports due to budget difficulties. The community stepped up to restore them.

Parents of students in the Tabernacle School District succeeded with a spirited grassroots effort to save middle school sports after they were grudgingly cut from the 2026-27 budget before the fall. Tabernacle residents approved a proposal on June 15 to increase sports fees to $160 per sport, closing the minimal portion of the $14,000 gap needed to restore funding for middle school sports. Becky Skare, a district parent and member of Tabernacle Home and School Association, said at the June board...
nj.com •

A witch doctor promised to lift a curse on this World Cup striker. His response was legendary.

Mother Nature mostly spared MetLife Stadium for the first three World Cup games in East Rutherford. On Saturday, she decided to spice things up. Steady rain and comfortably humid mid-70-degree temperatures didn’t dampen the loud and lively sold-out crowd of 80,633 English and Panamanian fans or the play on the field. England, which had already punched its ticket into the round of 32, didn’t let its foot off the gas with a 2-0 victory over Panama - grabbing seven points and first place in Group L...
nj.com •

Ecuador hadn’t scored a single goal in two World Cup matches. Everything changed against Germany in N.J.

Around 22 Ecuadorian fans nervously looked up at one of the many large screens at MetLife Stadium and quickly erupted into screams and hugs. The South American team, which hadn’t scored a single goal in their first two Group C matchups of the 2026 World Cup, finally got the spark they were looking for. In the ninth minute, winger Nilson Angulo sent a beautiful ball into the bottom right-hand corner past legendary Germany goalie Manuel Neuer for a much-needed 1-1 equalizer. Do you believe in mira...
nj.com •

Travel disaster strands N.J. World Cup fans for hours: ‘It’s hard to believe we’re in America right now’

More than three hours after Brazil and Morocco ended their World Cup match in a 1-1 tie at MetLife Stadium on Saturday night, hundreds of frustrated soccer fans remained ensnarled in a travel nightmare just outside the venue in East Rutherford. UPDATE: $20 shuttle bus tickets to Tuesday’s game already sold outGridlock choked the highways and streets surrounding the stadium near midnight, and fans waited in thick crowds at the designated rideshare area at Meadowlands racetrack. Some had been in l...
nj.com •

Want to see how much the World Cup will cost you? Check out our interactive cost tool.

The renamed New York-New Jersey stadium in East Rutherford will host eight FIFA World Cup games, including the World Cup final on July 19. But it will cost you - a lot. There has been a lot of discussion about the exorbitant costs, from record-high ticket prices to the round-trip cost of mass transit. NJ.com thought it would be interesting to put the power of figuring out the tab in our readers’ hands. ‘The Price of the Cup’ is a new interactive tool that lets you select how much a FIFA World Cu...
nj.com •

20 women inside Delaney Hall met with these N.J. congressmen. Here’s the message they want heard.

Seated in the library of Newark’s Delaney Hall ICE detention center Tuesday, about 20 detained women told two visiting members of Congress they were struggling to get medical care, separated from their children and uncertain when they would see a judge again.The closed-door meeting between detainees and U.S. Reps. Donald Norcross and Herb Conaway, both Democrats, came as allegations of inhumane conditions at the ICE facility continue to mount, fueling protests, lawsuits and growing demands from...
nj.com •

N.J. school district to cut all middle school sports amidst a $13.5 million budget deficit

Facing a deepening budget crisis, the West Orange Township school district announced plans earlier this month to eliminate all middle school sports programs — a sweeping cut that would reshape athletics across the community.The West Orange Board of Education approved a controversial 2026-27 budget on May 4 aimed at addressing a $13.5 million deficit, advancing a sweeping plan that would eliminate the district’s popular middle school athletic programs. The cuts also call for the elimination of 77...
nj.com •

This N.J. college graduate’s clutch play is the center of the women’s professional hockey renaissance

Sarah Fillier knew she had to activate her clutch gene.The New York Sirens’ playoff hopes looked all but lost as they battled the Minnesota Frost April 1 at Prudential Center in Newark, staring down a two-goal deficit late in the third period.On a four-game losing streak, the young but resolute team got a much-needed energy boost from Fillier, a former Princeton University star, who shot out of the penalty box with urgency, stole an errant pass, and scored a goal on a beautiful double deke. Just...
nj.com •

He was the architect of an N.J. Pop Warner dynasty. Now he’s reshaping high school football.

It was one of the biggest wins of Nasir Gaines’ coaching career, taking down an undefeated opponent in one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the 2025 season.But it wasn’t without difficulty. After Newark’s Malcolm X Shabazz High won a hard-fought game against previously unbeaten Kinnelon 28-14 last month, Gaines gathered his Shabazz players in the end zone.“Stop being okay with being average,” he shouted, still fuming over an interception that stopped a touchdown drive late in the first...
nj.com •

N.J. sports are expanding rules to limit blowouts. Not everyone is cheering.

The final score left many New Jersey sports fans perplexed. The Cresskill High girls soccer team 12, Pompton Lakes 0.The outcome of the late September game marked one of the biggest high school soccer blowouts in recent memory. Days later, Cresskill coach Adam Khriss was suspended from coaching for one game, and league officials sent a memo emphasizing “sportsmanship” and the responsibility of coaches “to model good behavior and demonstrate integrity with your team.”The blowout also reignited de...
nj.com •

It was the most violent day ever on N.J. sports fields. Are we doing anything about it?

A violent brawl between high school football teams that spilled off the field and into streets surrounding the stadium.A post-game melee in the handshake line that led to a high school soccer star charging after a news photographer and grabbing him by the throat.An argument among parents at a youth football game over a cowbell — yes, a cowbell — that turned physical and led to police being called.The spate of ugly incidents exploded in rapid succession across New Jersey sports fields on a single...
Substream Magazine •

Can Everybody Please Be Normal About the WNBA?

Like many others, I was excited about the WNBA opening its doors to new fandom. The 2024-2025 season is coming off the headwinds of an NCAA women’s basketball tournament that drew record-high viewership and boasted an incredible draft class with players such as Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardosa, Cameron Brink, and the highly decorated Caitlin Clark. It felt like a perfect synergy, as the WNBA was experiencing record-high ratings. With more eyes, the hope is that you get fans that follow the new playe
Substream Magazine •

Let's Use The Excitement Around The 2024 WNBA Draft To Give The League Its Deserved Investment

Even before the 2024 WNBA Draft, there was excitement about the league’s future. Preceding all of this, the Women’s NCAA Championship and Tournament broke ratings records. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert spoke of expansion and the goal of making this a 16-team league by 2028. Warner Bros Discovery expressed interest in acquiring the U.S. broadcast rights, as noted by The Atlantic. Not to mention that the WNBA was about to welcome one of their most talented draft classes, with the likes of Cait
Capitalize the B. •

The NCAA Women's Basketball Trash Talk Is Great, Actually

I've been a basketball fan for most of my life, and a particular trash-talking story always seems to circle the wagons. You know the one. Right before the 1988 NBA 3-point contest, Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird was in the locker room with his opponents and said, "Which one of you guys is playing for second?" The exact language of what he said varies, but he did say something to that effect and proceeded to go out and win. There is a 20-minute YouTube video where players and journalists recoun...
Awful Announcing •

More WNBA-NBA integration will be an asset to both leagues

Sabrina Ionescu’s 3-point battle vs. Steph Curry makes us wonder what the future could hold.

Almost a week has passed, and we still haven’t quite nailed down how to cure the lethargy around the NBA All-Star weekend. But that’s not to say that there hasn’t been a wide variety of assessments about why we got here.

If you ask Stephen A. Smith, he lays the blame for the fall of the slam dunk contest squarely at the feet of Lebron James. It would have been great for one of the greatest players to c
Awful Announcing •

Sports Illustrated's downfall is a symbol of sports journalism's ongoing erosion

When I was a teenager, there was this mall my friends and I used to go to. The space outside school and our houses was where we could just be high schoolers. We would stop by the food court and peruse the many stores inside. If one of us had money, we could buy clothes or a video game. Most importantly, there was a place where we could just be ourselves outside the watchful eyes of the adults in our lives. As I got older, that mall started to disintegrate piece by piece. First, the big retail st
Capitalize the B. •

The Pat McAfee and Aaron Rodgers song and dance flew too close to the sun

Last week, Fox Sports' Nick Wright spoke about Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and likened his thinking to being a relative at Thanksgiving: "Nobody wants to get caught in a corner with because this guy tells you the hard truths." Those "truths" have regularly found a home on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show. In this weekly segment, Rodgers made jokes about Travis Kelce and his Pfizer ads and bizarrely challenged him and Dr. Anthony Fauci to a team debate with Robert F. Kennedy. He's also used McAfee's
Capitalize the B. •

No, we don't need a Chris Benoit biopic

The Iron Claw has been out for more than a week, and naturally, people are looking forward to the next wrestling biopic. Wrestling does a unique dance between the lines of athleticism and theatrical storytelling elements. It's a natural marriage!

But something has been bothering me concerning the next name some people are championing to get the silver screen treatment. Even though it's been picked and prodded to death, there is probably a market for a "fall of WCW" miniseries on one of these st
DraftKings Network •

So, this is how the Bill Belichick era ends. With a fake spike INT

I have watched enough football in my day to know when a man is at the end of his rope and clinging to anything to drag him out of that pit of despair. When New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones threw his then league-leading 10th interception with 4:22 to go in the 4th quarter, only down four points to the Indianapolis Colts, coach Bill Belichick was at his wit's end. This is an eight-time Super Bowl champion with a tactician-like mind that can scheme to neutralize your best players on offen
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