Washington
You’re Nuts Unpopular Opinion: What non-Ohio State B1G team would you want to win a CFP title?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about our Unreasonable Expectations. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our Unreasonable Expectations here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: What B1G team would you want to win the national title other than Ohio State?
Jami’s Take: Washington Huskies
I tend to be a traditionalist where college football is concerned. For as much as I am a proponent of the College Football Playoff practically speaking, I also long for the days when the Rose Bowl was played in a traditional Big Ten versus Pac-10/Pac-12 format, for example. I am against the inevitable superconferences we’re heading toward. I believe we should preserve and respect historic rivalries. What can I say, I’m a nostalgic person, and nostalgia breeds traditionalism.
And while I’m thrilled, as a current Angeleno, that the Buckeyes will play in my backyard more regularly with so many former Pac-12 teams joining the Big Ten starting this fall, I can’t help but feel a pang of longing for what used to be.
This desire to preserve the old way of doing things (coupled with my deep-rooted hatred of Michigan, see aforementioned “Respecting historic rivalries”) led me to cheer for Washington in last year’s national championship so loudly you’d have thought I was a Huskie myself.
“Do it for the Pac-12. End this chapter with a victory! A win for Washington is a win for the conference alignments of old!”
Of course, I didn’t get my wish. But if the Huskies were to win this year instead, the sentiment still stands. And it comes with a healthy dose of revenge since it was ultimately a Big Ten powerhouse that took the title from them last year.
“Do it for the Pac-12, may she rest in peace.” Washington is a Big Ten team now, but it would make a statement for them to win the title in their first year with the conference—they’re here to shake things up. It’s about to get interesting. OSU and Michigan can’t rest on their laurels when there are new kids in town.
To be clear, I’m not saying I want Washington to win over the Buckeyes. Of course, I want Ohio State to take it all. But if the National Championship isn’t in the cards for the Buckeyes this year, then I hope the Huskies take it.
If things are going to change—and it seems like they are whether we like it or not— then we should embrace the change.
Besides, if the Huskies win it all, it means Michigan can’t. And no matter how much change comes to the Big Ten conference, we’ll always have our hatred for Michigan as a constant.
Matt’s Take: Iowa Hawkeyes
I came at this question from as pragmatic a position as possible. As I scoured the new 18-team conference, I decided that I would pick a team that had a legitimate shot to at least make the College Football Playoff — where’s the “unpopular” part of picking Northwestern when I have a better shot of winning a national title than that program does?
So, if I am only going to pick from the upper echelon of teams in the Big Ten, I have to find the school that has the best chance to pull it off, but won’t immediately become a powerhouse program for years to come with a national title bump.
Therefore, the only school that really seems to fit that profile is Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa routinely is found hanging out around the outside of the playoff into November, but has its playoff dreams busted by late-season losses. However, now, with the expanded CFP, it is not out of the realm of possibility for them to sneak in with two — or even three — losses in the Big Ten.
From there, with Kirk’s always stout defense, anything — theoretically — can happen. While I would never put money on Iowa being able to out-score Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas, Alabama, et al., it is possible that the Hawkeyes could catch lightning in a bottle and pull it off.
But even if they do, does anyone really think that would all of a sudden make Iowa City a major recruiting destination? Is Kirk Ferentz going to start signing five-star quarterbacks and wide receivers? Would a title really push them from an annoying conference opponent with a stellar defense to a well-rounded perennial national champion favorite?
I don’t think so. I believe it would be looked at similarly to how Michigan’s 2023 title will be in five years: the culmination of a multi-year strategy that defied the odds (and in TTUN’s case, NCAA rules), but ultimately is seen as an aberration.
I don’t think that the same would be said for the likes of the aforementioned Corn and Blue, Penn State, Washington, Oregon, or USC. I think CFP titles for any of those schools would automatically move them up the ladder of the B1G hierarchy, potentially jeopardizing Ohio State’s status in the conference.
So, if someone other than the Buckeyes has to win the College Football Playoff title, I want it to be someone who is unlikely to rise above its station anytime in the near future, so, Iowa Hawkeyes, you get the call.
Let us know who you are agreeing with:
Poll
Who has the right answer to today’s question?
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36%
Jami: Washington
(7 votes)
19 votes total
Vote Now
Washington
Brothers shot Park Police officer who arrested one of them the day before, documents say
Charging documents reveal the U.S. Park Police officer who was shot Monday in Southeast D.C. had arrested one of the suspects the day before and was following that suspect at the time.
The suspects are brothers, 22-year-old Asheile Foster and 21-year-old Darren Foster, of Southeast. They appeared in federal court Wednesday afternoon.
Court documents state the Park Police officer who was shot had arrested Asheile Foster on Sunday on suspicion of dealing drugs. The officer said he followed Foster after he was released from jail on Monday and came to Park Police headquarters to get his personal belongings.
According to prosecutors, Foster told police he knew he was being followed by a white Tesla, and he confronted the officer on Queens Stroll Place SE, jumping out in front of the Tesla before the officer swerved around him.
Then, dozens of gunshots went off, the officer told police. He said in charging documents he was shot in the shoulder as he kept driving several blocks to the intersection of Benning Road and Southern Avenue SE, where police found him. A helicopter then took him to a hospital. According to charging documents, the officer was treated and released the same night as the shooting.
A U.S. Park Police officer who was shot in Southeast D.C. on Monday is recovering from what authorities say was likely a targeted attack. Multiple law enforcement sources tell News4’s Mark Segraves that when the officer was shot, he was investigating a shooting that occurred in Anacostia Park on Friday.
Photos in the charging documents show the brothers firing at the officer’s Tesla, according to prosecutors.
The shooting drew a massive police presence to the Southeast neighborhood near the D.C-Maryland border Monday night.
Shell casings littered the middle of the street. Police said they recovered two weapons: a Glock 9 with an extended magazine and an AR-15.
Prosecutors said that when the officer was shot, he was investigating a shooting that occurred in Anacostia Park on Friday. No one was injured in that shooting.
Darren Foster was located and stopped shortly after the shooting, D.C. police said. Asheile Foster was found on Tuesday.
The brothers were charged with assault on a federal officer, assault with intent to kill and weapons charges. They could face up to 60 years in prison if they’re convicted.
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Washington
Washington passes new AI laws to crack down on misinformation, protect minors
Washington just became the latest state to regulate artificial intelligence.
Under a pair of bills signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson Tuesday, companies like OpenAI and Anthropic will have to include new disclosures in their popular chatbots for Washington users.
Ferguson asked legislators to craft House Bill 1170 to crack down on AI-generated misinformation. When content is substantially modified using generative AI, that information will now have to be traceable using watermarks or metadata. The new law applies to large AI companies more than 1 million monthly subscribers.
“ I’m confident I’m not the only Washingtonian who often sees something on my phone and wondering to myself, ‘Is that AI or is it real?’ And I feel like I’m a reasonably discerning person,” Ferguson said during the bill signing. “It is virtually impossible these days.”
RELATED: WA Gov. Bob Ferguson calls for regulations on AI chatbot companions
House Bill 2225 establishes new guard rails for AI chatbots that act like friends or companions. It applies to services like ChatGPT and Claude, but excludes more narrowly tailored chatbots, like the customer service windows that pop up when visiting a corporate website.
Chatbots that fit the bill will have to disclose to users that they are not human at the start of every conversation, and every three hours in an ongoing chat. The tools will also be barred from pretending to be human in conversation with users.
The rules go further if the user is a minor. Companies that operate chatbots will have to disclose that the tools are not human every hour, rather than every three hours, if the user is under 18. The bill forbids AI companions from having sexually explicit conversations with underage users. It also bans “manipulative engagement techniques.” For example, a chatbot is not allowed to guilt or pressure a minor into staying in a conversation or keeping information from parents.
“AI has incredible potential to transform society,” Ferguson said. “At the same time, of course, there are risks that we must mitigate as a state, especially to young people. So I speak partly as a governor, but also as the father of teenage twins who grapple with this as a lot of parents do every single day.”
Under the law, AI chatbots will not be allowed to encourage or provide information on suicide or self-harm, including eating disorders. The companies behind these tools will be required to come up with a protocol for flagging conversations that reference self-harm and connecting users with mental health services.
The regulations come in the wake of several high-profile instances of teenage suicide following prolonged interactions with AI companions that showed warning signs. Many more AI users of all ages have reported mental health issues and psychosis after heavy use of the technology.
Washington
Washington faces Utah, aims to stop 16-game skid
Washington Wizards (16-55, 14th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (21-51, 14th in the Western Conference)
Salt Lake City; Wednesday, 9 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Washington heads into the matchup with Utah after losing 16 in a row.
The Jazz have gone 13-24 in home games. Utah ranks second in the Western Conference with 16.6 fast break points per game led by Lauri Markkanen averaging 3.3.
The Wizards are 5-29 in road games. Washington is 9-10 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents and averages 15.3 turnovers per game.
The Jazz score 117.4 points per game, 6.7 fewer points than the 124.1 the Wizards give up. The Wizards’ 46.1% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.9 percentage points lower than the Jazz have allowed to their opponents (49.0%).
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Jazz won the last meeting 122-112 on March 6, with Ace Bailey scoring 32 points in the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Filipowski is averaging 10.5 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Jazz. Brice Sensabaugh is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Alex Sarr is averaging 16.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and two blocks for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 14.4 points over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 3-7, averaging 116.4 points, 43.3 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 9.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.7 points per game.
Wizards: 0-10, averaging 114.3 points, 37.4 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 6.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 130.6 points.
INJURIES: Jazz: Lauri Markkanen: out (hip), Isaiah Collier: out (hamstring), Keyonte George: out (leg), Cody Williams: out (shoulder), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder), Jusuf Nurkic: out for season (nose), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee).
Wizards: Anthony Davis: out (finger), Tristan Vukcevic: day to day (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Alex Sarr: day to day (toe), Tre Johnson: day to day (foot), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D’Angelo Russell: out (not injury related), Trae Young: out (quad).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
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