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Archives for July 8, 2023

Brady Lost $30 Million in FTX Collapse

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady lost millions in the collapse of cryptocurrency company FTX, for which he served as an ambassador, The New York Times reported Friday. Under an agreement the retired NFL quarterback made with FTX in 2021, he received $30 million in now-worthless stock for his work pitching the company in television ads and at its conference. In step with him at the time was his then-wife, Gisele Bundchen, who received $18 million in stock, per the report.

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FTX filed for bankruptcy last November. Its former CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, is facing federal fraud-related charges.

And Brady, who won seven Super Bowl titles in his career, also faces legal peril on top of the financial losses. Both Brady and Bundchen, who officially divorced last October, are being sued by FTX investors who want repayment from celebrity endorsers. Basketball Hall of Fame member Shaquille O’Neal also has been sued in the FTX case, as have Larry David of “Seinfeld” fame, tennis player Naomi Osaka and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.

“None of these defendants performed any due diligence prior to marketing these FTX products to the public,” according to the lawsuit, obtained by the Times. It was filed in federal court in Florida.

Before the collapse of FTX, it was valued at $32 billion, including $48 million in shares held by Brady and Bundchen, per the Times. Now, it has no value.

Brady, 45, ranked No. 50 on Forbes’ 2023 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes with earnings of $45.2 million in football salary and endorsements.

Sox Reinstate Rodriguez, Drop Garza

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BOSTON – Before Saturday’s game, the Red Sox reinstated left-handed pitcher Joely Rodriguez from the 15-Day Injured List. To make room for Rodriguez on the active Major League roster, the club optioned right-handed pitcher Justin Garza to Triple-A Worcester following Friday night’s game against the Oakland Athletics. Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

Rodriguez, 31, was placed on the Injured List on June 4 due to left shoulder inflammation. The left-handed made five rehab appearances with Worcester (three games) and Double-A Portland (two), posting a 4.15 ERA (2 ER/4.1 IP) with six strikeouts. Signed by Boston as a free agent on November 23, 2022, Rodriguez has allowed eight runs in 4.0 innings pitched over five outings with the Red Sox this season, and owns a 4.92 ERA (82 ER/150.0 IP) in 162 career games with the Philadelphia Phillies (2016-17), Texas Rangers (2020-21), New York Yankees (2021), New York Mets (2022), and Red Sox (2023).

Garza, 29, has pitched in 16 games (one start) for the Red Sox this season, posting a 6.11 ERA (12 ER/17.2 IP). The right-hander also owns a 3.38 ERA (2 ER/5.1 IP) in four appearances for Worcester. Claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on April 28, Garza has pitched to a 5.24 ERA (27 ER/46.1 IP) in 37 career Major League games (one start) with the Cleveland Guardians (2021) and Red Sox (2023).

Cam Young in a Great Place

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NOTE: Due to anticipated Saturday morning thunderstorms, third-round tee times will be approximately 9:55/10:55am (CT/ET) to 11:55am/12:55pm (CT/ET) in groups of three off tees Nos. 1 and 10.

SILVIS – Seeking his first title on the Tour, Cameron Young holds the 36-hole lead/co-lead for the first time during his PGA Tour career.

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Adam Schenk and William Mouw are the only players bogey-free through 36 holes.

With a win, Garrick Higgo could join Brian Harman as the only left-handers to win at TPC Deere Run.

Three-time winner Brendon Todd is the only multiple PGA Tour winner at 9-under or better while Tour rookie Ludvig Aberg carded his low round on Tour (64) thus far.

J.T. Poston sits T-18 at 7-under in a bid to become the fourth player to successfully defend a John Deere Classic title.

Starting on the back nine, first-round leader Jonas Blixt (T-18/-7) posted nine straight pars on the same nine holes he carded the first sub-30 nine-hole score of his PGA Tour career on Thursday (29). Of the players who made the cut, Blixt is the only player to shoot an over-par score (73) in the second round.

There’s some youth in the air at Deere Run. Ages of the leaders:

Young (26), Schenk (31), Higgo (24), Todd (37), Aberg (23), Mouw (22), McCarthy (30), Roy (33).

John Deere Classic Leaderboard | After 36 Holes

Cameron Young 65-64—129 (-13)

Adam Schenk 65-66—131 (-11)

Garrick Higgo 65-66—131 (-11)

Brendon Todd 66-65—131 (-11)

Ludvig Aberg 68-64—132 (-10)

William Mouw 66-66—132 (-10)

Denny McCarthy 68-64—132 (-10)

Kevin Roy 69-63—132 (-10)

Full Leaderboard: (link)

Red Sox Defeat Lowly A’s

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BOSTON – A five-run second inning gave the surging Red Sox all the offense they needed en route to a 7-3 win over the visiting Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

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Jarren Duran, Justin Turner and Alex Verdugo all went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Boston, while recently activated SS Yu Chang drove in two runs.

Boston’s Nick Pivetta (5-5) allowed two earned runs in five innings to earn the win following a strong starting effort of opener Brennan Bernardino.

Seth Brown homered and scored twice for Oakland in the losing effort.

The Red Sox offense rallied for its second big inning in as many nights, scoring five runs while batting around in the bottom of the second.

After Verdugo and Enrique Hernandez singled and Triston Casas walked to load the bases, A’s opener Sam Long (0-1) was pulled in favor of Luis Medina, who allowed three straight one-out singles that produced the opening runs.

Chang hit a ground ball single into center field to bring in the first two runs. After Medina uncorked a wild pitch, Duran and Turner laced back-to-back base hits to increase the Boston lead to 4-0. Rafael Devers finished the scoring in the inning with an RBI fielder’s choice.

Oakland got on the board with Tony Kemp’s two-out single in the fifth. Kemp was able to advance on a subsequent throwing error by Devers, but Pivetta got out of the jam with a popup.

Brown added to the Oakland offense with a one-out homer to right-center following Shea Langeliers’ double in the seventh