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A high school girls basketball coach was fired after antisemitic slurs were hurled while he was coaching against a Jewish school.
Bryan Williams was coaching Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, N.Y., when a player on his team yelled “Free Palestine” toward an opponent playing for The Leffell School, an investigation found.
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Williams, in his third year as the coach, says he’s the school’s “scapegoat” for what happened.
Brian Williams was fired for “poor management” after at least one player from his team hurled antisemitic slurs at Jewish opponents.(iStock)
“It puts me in a bad light and makes people that don’t know me think that I’m a monster, or I don’t like Jewish people or I can’t navigate in a multicultural world and that’s a lie. A total lie,” Williams told News 12 Westchester.
Williams said he was told he was let go because of “poor management skills,” but he says there wasn’t much he could do regarding the player’s actions.
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“I had nothing to do with it. I just coach my team. I can’t control what somebody says on the court and most coaches can’t,” he said.
Yonkers interim superintendent Luis Rodriguez said “the fact that the coach was separated from employment with the Yonkers Public School District in no way even infer[s] that he was participating or that he condoned or that he acquiesced to any form of antisemitism.”
A Wilson basketball during a game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Dallas Wings July 22, 2023, at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. (Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images)
The game between the two schools Thursday ended in the third quarter after Roosevelt players used antisemitic slurs toward their opponents. Some of those slurs allegedly included “I support Hamas, you f—ing Jew.”
Roosevelt players allegedly continued to have words with Leffell players during a timeout, to the point security stepped in and eventually escorted Leffell players off the court. Roosevelt voluntarily forfeited the contest.
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According to Leffell player Robin Bosworth, who wrote about the incident in the school newspaper for which she serves as editor-in-chief, the first half was a “somewhat hostile environment, with substantially more jabs and comments thrown at the players on our team than what I have experienced in the past.”
Williams said he does not condone such language “at all.”
A basketball hoop, net and backboard during the Desert Classic between the Florida Atlantic Owls and the Arizona Wildcats at T-Mobile Arena Dec. 23, 2023, in Las Vegas.(Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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“Players of mine and people that know me know I don’t believe in that and never have,” Williams, a former correctional officer of nearly 30 years, said.
Bosworth said both teams lined up to shake hands at the premature end of the game.
“Despite our conflicting feelings about his practice, every member of my team acted with respect and class and lined up to shake their hands,” she wrote. “However, being forced to shake hands with and say, ‘Good game’ to people who had expressed such hatred did not sit right with me afterwards.”
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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BOSTON (WHDH) – Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum responded to the team’s shocking trade of forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, reflecting on the near decade they spent together in Boston.
Tatum posted a tribute to Brown on his Instagram story Friday afternoon, writing, “9 years! Forever grateful for all that we accomplished together, for pushing me to be a better player. From first round exits to winning a chip together I’m thankful for it all. Nothing but love and respect for you as a player and as a person! Looking forward to see how you attack this next chapter of your career and wish you nothing but the best for you! Continue to be special.”
The trade will become official Monday once the league-wide moratorium is lifted. The Celtics will welcome nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George, who they received from the 76ers, as well as new signings Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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We break down when Pittsburgh fireworks cross from fun into illegal
In Pennsylvania, it’s easier than ever to buy consumer fireworks, but using them inside Pittsburgh city limits is where the law tightens up.
In Pennsylvania, it’s easier than ever to buy consumer fireworks, but using them inside Pittsburgh city limits is where the law tightens up. For this week’s “Is It Legal?” series, the key distinction is that purchase and possession are generally allowed under state law, while where and how you launch them is restricted by local rules and safety regulations.
In Pittsburgh, residents can’t legally set off fireworks in public spaces like streets, sidewalks, parks or right-of-way areas. They’re also not supposed to launch them near buildings or vehicles, or in any way that directs fireworks toward people or property.
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In rowhouse neighborhoods and dense blocks, that effectively rules out most front yards, alleys and tight backyards, because they sit too close to homes and parked cars to meet the distance and safety requirements. On top of that, noise and nuisance ordinances can come into play, especially late at night, giving police grounds to respond when fireworks are reported as a disturbance or hazard.
Officials stress that fireworks are explosives, not toys, and point to common risks: injuries from misfires, fires on roofs or in yards, and the impact on pets, older neighbors and veterans with PTSD. That’s why they consistently urge residents to skip DIY backyard launches and attend permitted, professional shows instead, where licensed operators, fire crews and safety plans are already in place.
More: Is it legal? Boating rules on Pittsburgh’s three rivers
More: Is it legal? What boaters can and can’t do on Pittsburgh’s rivers
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More: Is it legal? Exploring ‘The Pittsburgh Left’
So, when viewers ask “Is it legal?” the answer is nuanced: Buying fireworks is broadly legal under state law, but setting them off in most Pittsburgh neighborhoods — especially in public spaces or close to buildings — is often not, and can quickly lead to citations or police visits rather than a celebration.
This article by Gabby Sartori was created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
The AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut is now available in a new vitola, one that also comes in a metal tube.
It’s the second different toro for the line, though it will be difficult to confuse the two cigars. The AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut Toro, the existing cigar, is a 6 1/4 x 52 box-pressed toro. The new AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut Tubo is a 6 x 52 round toro. Blend-wise, the line uses an Ecuadorian Connecticut-seed wrapper over Nicaraguan tobaccos grown by AGANORSA. The line is made at the company’s factory in Nicaragua.
The AGANORSA Leaf Aniversario Connecticut Tubo has an MSRP of $19.99 and comes in boxes of 10 cigars.
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“The Aniversario Connecticut Tubo offers a perfect combination of elegance, convenience, and flavor,” said Terence Reilly, vp of sales & marketing for AGANORSA Leaf, in a press release when the cigar was announced in March. “It’s an ideal cigar for both longtime fans of the brand and smokers discovering Aganorsa for the first time.”
Charlie Minato
I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. Previously, I started TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors blogs of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry since 2010, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. Beyond writing, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff from weighing cigars to coordinating the tech. Outside of work, I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.
