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Its been a long time between drinks: Paspaleys White Luncheon in 2019.Credit:Kara Rosenlund

Winning has also enlisted three of Oatleys former crewmen, who have effectively jumped ship from the Wild Oats family to join their old rivals, including sailing superstar and tactician, Iain Murray.

Winning says: Sailing is a pretty small world. Its not unusual for crews to change, for sailors to go on different boats throughout their career, but theres no bad blood in that, its just the way it is.

Winnings good friend, Nicky Oatley, concurs, saying the family has nothing but love for the big fella, the term of endearment she uses for Murray, an Americas Cup and Sydney to Hobart veteran.

Nicky Oatley says the family has nothing but love for the big fella, Iain Murray.

Meanwhile, the race to the champagne bar on Hamilton Island this year is shaping up to be an interesting one too. A gaggle of Sydneys red carpet regulars is en route including Kate Waterhouse and Luke Ricketson, Deborah Symond and Ned ONeil, Nadia Fairfax and former US InStyle editor Laura Brown, who is spending time in her homeland following her all-star wedding.

No doubt theyll be match-fit for the hectic round of cocktail parties and banquets culminating in the exclusive Paspaley White Luncheon on Friday, when millions of dollars worth of South Sea pearls will be unveiled.

Lachlan Murdochs award-winning Istros, a 1954 classic superyacht heading for Hamilton Island.Credit:Boat International/Guillaume Plisson

PS also hears one eye-catching boat, not competing, is also steaming its way to Hamilton Island, in the form of Lachlan and Sarah Murdochs newly acquired classic cruiser Istros.

No word on who will be on board, though Murdoch jetted back into Sydney on Wednesday, and is a keen yachtie himself.

Feted as the darlings of Sydney hospitality since opening Palm Beachs Boathouse in 2008, only to then weather one of the industrys biggest storms, Andrew and Pip Goldsmith have quietly left the business that has become one of the hottest players in town.

The Boathouses original owners, Andrew and Pip Goldsmith.

Their exit comes three years after the Boathouse Group dining empire collapsed owing 500 creditors a staggering $21.5 million. The group eventually fought its way back and under new ownership continued to expand, opening the historic Manly Pavilion site in a multimillion-dollar deal earlier this year and lodging plans for an ambitious new project in Dural, where landscaper-turned-restaurateur Andrew Goldsmith grew up.

In August 2019, it emerged Sydney property developer brothers Ben and Jono Isaac had become part owners of parent company Palm Group Holdings, in a syndicate with Sydneys Sorensen family, and which previously included Pip Goldsmiths father, former trade minister Andrew Robb and his wife Maureen, though they appear to have left the business last year according to ASIC records.

The syndicate stepped in to save the chain of popular seaside eateries after mounting debts and a wind-up action by the Australian Tax Office forced original owners Andrew and Pip Goldsmith to look for outside investors.

Ben and Jono Isaac in 2019 when they stepped in to save the Boathouse group of restaurants. Credit:Nick Moir

Andrew Goldsmith declared himself bankrupt in May 2020 but remained in a senior management position with the group, telling PS a year ago: It has been a challenging two years for the hospitality industry. However, in the same breath, we are excited to have something positive for our team to work on.

In a joint statement to their customers, the Goldsmiths said: Our words and appreciation for our guests, supporters, friends and families, will never be enough. And to all of the team members we have worked alongside you were our inspiration and we are lucky to have shared the journey with so many of you.

Clearly, cactus was never going to cut it when it came to creating a floral tribute inspired by the one and only Kylie Minogue, one of 15 installations paying homage to trailblazing women unveiled yesterday at the Royal Botanic Gardens Calyx greenhouse.

The floral tribute to Kylie Minogue at The Calyx in the Royal Botanic Gardens.Credit:Wolter Peeters

The tributes are part of the international Fleurs de Villes installation, which has been held around the world since 2015, and is now making its debut in Sydney.

The Jenny Kee tribute installation at The Calyx in the Royal Botanic Gardens.Credit:Wolter Peeters

For Kylie, the team at Don de LAmour Bespoke Blooms fashioned the tribute out of delicate vanda orchids, tiki fern, Singapore orchids and pieris.

Other tributes in the show, which runs until August 28, include Carla Zampatti (Lisianthus, staticespray, chrysanthemums and sago), Jenny Kee (Geraldton waxflowers, banksias, Cymbidium orchids and wattle), Olivia Newton-John (blanca roses, statice, double tulips and carnations), Nicole Kidman (Banksia coccinea, magnolia and Cymbidium orchids), Ash Barty (Geraldton waxflower, kangaroo paw, daisies and octagon flowers) and Nancy Bird Walton (Everlasting daisies, cordyline, Spanish moss and delphiniums).

Finishing touches being applied to the Nancy Bird Walton floral tribute on show at The Calyx in the Royal Botanic Gardens.Credit:Wolter Peeters

The recently installed US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has fast become Sydneys most coveted dinner party guest.

Ambassador Caroline Kennedy greets the press at Sydney International Airport in July before taking up her post.Credit:Brook Mitchell

On Monday, Kennedy met University of NSW leaders, researchers and students at the Randwick campus and attended the graduation ceremony of her friend and alumna Dr Melissa Chiu.

Art collector Danny Goldberg. Credit:NIC WALKER

Chiu is director of the Smithsonians Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, which includes international modern and contemporary art, based in Washington DC.

Her friends, leading Sydney art collector and executive chairman of private equity firm Dakota Capital, Danny Goldberg and wife Lisa, hosted an intimate dinner at their Vaucluse home afterwards, at which Kennedy was among the guests.

PS hears guests were particularly enamoured with Kennedy confirming that she was the inspiration for Neil Diamonds Sweet Caroline, which the showman wrote after seeing a photograph of her when she was a nine-year-old girl.

Endless charity committees, gala dinners, red carpets, boutique openings, a month on the Amalfi ... life in Sydneys pointy end sounds exhausting. So, who could blame the Real Housewives of Vaucluse for wanting to let off a bit of steam?

The real housewives of Vaucluse from left: Marly Boyd, Alina Barlow, Sarah Carroll, Terry Biviano, Maree Andrews, Sophie CurtisCredit:Instagram

Thats precisely what they did when party planner Maree Andrews threw her fancy dress Dark, Dangerous and Decadent themed 40th last weekend in the carport at Darling Points Swifts mansion, which she had ambitiously renamed Chateau M for the dimly lit, Eyes Wide Shut soire.

The gals clearly pulled out all the stops as a fleet of limos disgorged the society types wearing lacy lingerie, diamonds, heels and not much else on a particularly chilly night. Bizarrely, their husbands turned up in blazers and chinos.

Andrews herself appeared to be channelling both Cher and Celine Dion in her homage to the Rankin Sisters, while veteran social fixture Barbara Coombs had clearly been busy plucking chooks for her giant feathered wings she flapped about in.

No wonder the neighbours were hot on the phone to PS wondering what the likes of Russian heiress and Sydney FC owner Alina Barlow, in a racy onesie, retired WAG Terry Biviano, in her Cirque du Soleil cast-off, Sophie Curtis, wearing a glorified lace hanky, and PS regular, Double Bay eyebrow technician Kristin Rio Fisher, stuffed into a rubber dress, were getting up to inside. Bow chikka wow wow.

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Installation image of Joyce Campbell's The Sunken City at Bartley & Company Art.

Photography today is, like clouds of digital vapour, literally everywhere. Yet predictions that such ubiquity might lead to a mass watering down of the photograph and photographers value have, you could say, evaporated.

This weekend - just as photo-sharing app BeReal spreads virally to phones, setting a new radical visual culture low bar - Wellington events demonstrate that photography, in a myriad of physical formats, has never been better cared for as a fine art.

At Te Papa all of daylight Saturday and at a clutch of surrounding galleries Sunday, the festival Photobook/NZ is providing one of the best visual art public programmes of the year. Associated are an interesting suite of photography exhibitions across galleries. Included are Russ Flatts bold response to Christian homophobia, Hell Bent at The Engine Room at Massey University, new Mori photobooks by fine art students and grads, M Wai R at Photospace and Peter Hannken in the Bowen Galleries window.

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Work (L-to-R) by Gavin Hipkins, Peter Peryer and Edith Amituanai in It's Personal at Webb's.

READ MORE:* Culture in the capital: The best museums and galleries to explore in Wellington* Te Hkoi Toi: Stop making sense with abstract relief* Te Hkoi Toi: Cruel boundaries

A contemporary counter to snap-happy ubiquity is the work of the late Peter Peryer. With such keen care and formal focus he found both gorgeousness and surreal humour in mundanity. Taking up digital colour photography in his 60s, Peryer proved with a camera phone that a critical passionate eye for the way objects vibrate in space was still something worth selling, beyond Instagram.

A small survey exhibition of colour photographs from his last 12 years, 2006-2018 at Hamish McKay Gallery in Jessie St puts it beyond doubt. These are prints made in editions ranging between 10 and 25 by the photographer before he died. There will be no more. There are familiar stone warm classics - the rose, the meat carcass, the dropped melted ice cream cone - mixed in with what to me are the lesser known. A remarkable, gently animated camellia from Peryers last year, has all the structural intrigue of the Fibonnaci golden spiral.

supplied

Peter Peryer's Ice Cream 2007 at Hamish McKay Gallery.

Together they demonstrate Peryers mix with the eye of exactness and adventure, with a love of pattern in finding new geometric lines on the disappearing picture plane, and a late blooming appreciation for the complexity of colour. Peryer is not afraid to push for refinement with even the most banal of objects. While his flowers reveal new worlds, his orange pumpkin - surely destined for a hipster eatery close by - is a step too far for even me.

With pathos Peryer draws us into scenes which often speak to me obliquely to our sometimes unsettled cultural relationship with the world. Take Newell Oamaru. I teeter woozily on a landing at the top of a steep old domestic staircase before a wooden picket gate. Im taken off my feet by a churning spatial arrangement of clashing floral carpet and wallpaper-clad walls and ceiling - tripping on the precipice before I risk descend into some mixed-up colonial hell.

Like a partner suite, a set of Peryers earlier black and white hits (the dead cow! The sand shark!) are at Webbs auction house galleries on Marion St as part of Its Personal, a generous selection of work from photography collectors, former ad man Howard Grieve and photographer Gabrielle McKone (a Photobook/NZ organiser). In surveying the range of contemporary photography its a show the envy of any public gallery. Indeed, no work is for sale, and its curated by ex City Gallery senior curator Robert Leonard.

CHESKA BROWN/Supplied

A wall of Yvonne Todd's work in It's Personal at Webb's.

Its Personal is testament to the special long-game role the major private collector has had for photography over the decades. In that way theres public good also mixed into their collecting habits. The show is marked by its diversity of approaches and formats, and a mix of surprises (the quiet poetic 80s polaroids of Janet Bayly) and more familiar works.

McKone and Grieve have also clearly had an eye for keeping up with some artists practice. A big wall of Yvonne Todds provides a strong Gothic-suburban mini survey. Often Todds portraits have a pregnant power (in one self-portrait, literally) in making you question darkly what behind the studied pose a person has done, or theyre likely to do when they walk away in the future.

Joyce Campbell provides remarkable meditations on our relationship to the mysterious unseen in the environment through the radical employment of historical photographic technology at Webbs, in photobooks at the festival and in a stunning new installation at Bartley and Company The Sunken City. Its an exhibition notable for how the internal underwater architectural abstraction of her big photographs (akin to big modernist painting) are in quiet dialogue with a more didactic but very eloquent words in a handmade book on display, and wonderful prints if Piranesi from the 18th century of futuristic prisons, of moving cogs, chains and staircases from the artists own collection.

CHESKA BROWN

Work by Joyce Campbell in It's Personal at Webb's.

In this majestic but oblique conversation between mental interiors, Im drawn into considering the prisons our economic systems place on our expectations of being able to enact positive change. And the way Campbells moving shards suggest we have the mechanisms within us to make those shifts. As Campbell writes, with the global economy in a medically induced coma, we contemplated restarting the machine piecing it all back together.

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Te Hkoi Toi: Finding the fine art in photography - Stuff

The most important takeaway from this week's saga involving a state legislator, quoting an infamous Nazi to make some sort of point, had little to do with the politician himself.

Instead, the glowing upside came from the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute. The museum not only delivered a necessary and authoritative response to state Rep. Jim Lucas' provocative Facebook post, but it also beautifully fulfilled a prime facet of the facility's mission education.

Lucas initially insisted he was trying to educate others when he posted a quotation often attributed to Joseph Goebbels "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." The Goebbels quote goes on to claim "the State" must repress dissent and shield the people from the consequences of its lie, because "truth is the greatest enemy of the State."

The Republican legislator from Seymour displayed the quote from Goebbels Nazi Germany's propaganda minister under Adolf Hitler on Monday on Lucas' Facebook page. Later, after criticism on social media and from Chad Harmon, his Democratic opponent in race for the Indiana House's 69th District seat, Lucas pulled the Goebbels quote and replaced it with a quote from "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin. Lucas added a lengthy explanation, asserting he was "only attempting to educate people on how evil can begin and the possible depth of that dark path it can lead to, that history shows can know no end."

Lucas seems drawn to stirring controversy, often through inflammatory social media comments. He once posted a meme on Facebook, widely criticized as racist. Republican House Speaker Todd Huston called it "unacceptable" and removed Lucas from two interim House study committees and demoted him from vice chair of another committee to merely a member.

In this week's incident, the CANDLES museum made clear that Lucas' social media post was dangerously wrong-headed. A museum statement pointed out that Lucas' post "included a link to the site with Goebbels' name and 'The Jewish Question.'" The statement added, "We are shocked and horrified that an Indiana lawmaker would make such a statement about Hitler's chief architect and purveyor of hate speech, ultimately leading to the murder of over 6 million Jews in the Holocaust. Hate propaganda was the driving force behind the Holocaust, and these seeds of hate have been, and are being planted, today in the United States." It also rightly called on Huston to condemn Lucas' actions.

At some point, Lucas must have understood the gravity of his irresponsibility. On Thursday, he traveled to Terre Haute and visited the museum and education center. The latter part of its name proved valuable.

Education is a powerful tool.

A news release from CANDLES said, "It was a positive visit, and we shared a great conversation about the importance of Holocaust education in Indiana." Troy Fears, the museum's executive director, had addressed that subject in February while testifying to the Indiana General Assembly against an awful piece of legislation that CANDLES rightly asserted would have discouraged Indiana teachers from educating students on the Holocaust.

In the wake of Thursday's museum visit by Lucas, the museum statement said it had a better understanding of what happened and sensed an opportunity "to build stronger communities through conversations like we had today."

Along with casting typical blame on the media and critics for "hysteria" over his post, Lucas also seemed to be moved by his visit. "I spent over 2 hours touring, discussing and learning about the museum's history and purpose," he wrote, again on Facebook. "If you've never been there, I can't recommend it enough. To see and learn about the personal history of Eva Kor is truly an incredible experience."

That is 100% true. The museum on South Third Street offers a powerful message on the life and efforts of its late founder, Eva Kor, the Holocaust survivor who made Terre Haute her adopted home and educated the world in the process.

Let us hope the experience in Terre Haute causes Lucas to end his reliance on insensitivity to attract attention to his opinions. Hoosiers would be much better served.

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Tribune-Star Editorial: CANDLES again sheds light on darkness of hate speech - Terre Haute Tribune Star

Blend Labs ceo Nima Ghamsari (Illustration by Kevin Cifuentes for The Real Deal with Getty Images, Blend)

A digital mortgage firm has cut another sizable chunk of its workers in its second major round of layoffs this year.

Blend Labs eliminated 220 jobs in August, HousingWire reported. On top of 200 jobs cut in April, the company has chopped approximately 25 percent of its workforce this year.

The company said it expects to save $60 million annually after the two rounds of layoffs, though the impact wont be felt until next year.

Were operating the company prudently as if the mortgage industry origination volumes will remain at or near historic low levels through 2025, CEO Nima Ghamsari said this week in an earnings call.

The latest layoffs come as the California-based company reported a massive loss in the second quarter. After posting a $73.5 million loss in the first quarter, Blend upped that to a $478.4 million loss in the second quarter. The loss was largely attributed to a $392 million impairment stemming from an update to the value of Title365, acquired last year.

Blend reported $31.9 million in revenue during the second quarter, down from $38.7 million in the previous quarter. To generate more revenue, the company said it plans on prioritizing products with a quicker return on investment and raising prices per transaction.

The digital lending platform was founded in 2012 and went public last July, sporting a valuation of $4 billion. But the company hasnt been immune to the mortgage market downturn spurred on by rising rates.

Applications for home loans last week fell another 2 percent from the previous week, bringing demand to its lowest level since 2000, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Rates were sent upwards in recent months after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates in an effort to slow down inflation.

Mortgage companies have been bearing the brunt of the destruction brought on by the reduction in demand. Sprout Mortgage went out of business, costing more than 300 employees their jobs. Texas-based First Guaranty Mortgage essentially shut down.

Other companies have significantly reduced their mortgage arms, with cuts from firms including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Mr. Cooper, Tomo, Homelight, Keller Williams, Movement Mortgage and Better.com.

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Digital mortgage firm Blend loses $478M, sheds more of workforce - The Real Deal

A recent interview at CarBuzz with Mike Sweers, executive chief engineer for the Toyota Tundra, Sequoia, Tacoma, and 4Runner programs at Toyota Motor North America, gives us some insight into Toyotas thinking not only on electric trucks, but electric vehicles in general. While I know the answers wont please BEV fanatics, there is some logic to the companys slow approach to EVs.

The short answer is that Toyota doesnt want to dive head first into the segment if it cant do the truck justice. the article says in the beginning. The long answer is a bit more complex than that, and after discussing everything from the next-gen Tacoma to how the brand sees the 4Runner taking the fight to the Ford Bronco, we discovered that the future of Toyotas approach to electrification is a fascinating one.

While automotive media has seen several electric product announcements and a commitment to electrification in the next five years from Toyota, Sweers says we shouldnt assume that means it is going all-in on fully-electric vehicles. Were taking a balanced approach to electrification, he told CarBuzz, whether its PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), BEV (battery electric vehicle), fuel cell, traditional hybrid series or parallel systems were taking a balanced approach. There isnt one offering that meets every customers needs.

Toyotas overall approach seems to be variety and diversity in its offerings. Toyota should be able to make the required changes as each sector demands them by maintaining a wide range of alternatives and powertrain solutions.

The article goes on to explain how Toyota applies this way of thinking to the truck segment. Instead of focusing only on the middle of the bell curve like most EV trucks right now, Toyota wants its electric offerings to reach out into the long tail of owner needs.

Sweers explains that with a gasoline or diesel pickup truck, you can carry an extra 10 gallons of fuel, so if you get stranded somewhere, youll have enough to reach a gas station. However, what do you do when your batteries run out? Its not like you take out the AAs and swap batteries while keeping going on foot with an EV.

Urban owners who dont get out deep into the backcountry would be happy with an electric Toyota truck, but theyd find themselves unable to do the most truck-like things you can do in a gas-powered pickup truck. This can lead to disappointment, and thats bad for Toyotas overall image and relevancy in the truck market.

One of the big takeaways was that Sweer thinks infrastructure is the big thing that needs to change before Toyota will offer a Tundra EV or any other EV truck or truck-based SUV.

Right now, we have the wild west out there. Teslas gone its own way, and its great until you have to charge your Tesla at a different supplier, Sweers told them. We have different connections, we have different safety features, we have different charging rates, we have different ways to get into the charging stations. Just finding a charging station that actually works is a difficult situation.

While I know some EV cheerleaders will try to dispute this, CarBuzz isnt the only publication that can claim to have seen the limits of infrastructure. Weve seen all sorts of truck testing and cross-country trips that didnt go great for people. Sometimes, theres a technical problem and you cant continue on your journey at all. Other times (especially towing), the time spent at charging stations along the way can be grueling.

Toyotas executive does make some great points in the interview. We cant just handwave and tell people that the EV experience is problem-free and limitation-free. While a Tesla sedan or crossover can do almost everything a gas-powered car can do, were not talking about sedans and crossovers, and were not talking about Tesla. If Toyota released a Tundra EV today, there are many things the gas Tundra would be able to do that the EV version wouldnt.

In some ways, this is reminiscent of the Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday adage in the industry. A lot of people will buy a vehicle because they see the manufacturer win races on TV, but those same people arent going to take their car out racing in most cases. Its also true that premium vehicles help a brand have a better image, and this helps sell the vehicles on the bottom end. The old saying on that goes, Corvettes sell Cavaliers.

A similar phenomenon could be very real for trucks. A person might go out and buy a pickup truck with plans to commute in it, and maybe go to Home Depot once or twice a month. But, they probably have aspirations of taking it on adventures at some point. They can probably see themselves heading out to Moab for some off-roading, or they probably think theyll get a boat or a travel trailer. Having a vehicle thats great for commuting, but might not be good for those long-tail adventures could derail the sale.

On top of this, Id add the impact of battery supplies, new legislation that will make it hard to get the tax credit, and several other factors that are going to challenge EVs this decade.

While the early worm can and does get eaten by the bird, that doesnt mean it doesnt pay to be the early bird. Tesla proves that out in spades. So, its probably unwise for Toyota to be the last to offer at least some electric trucks.

When it comes to infrastructure, we also have a bit of a chicken and egg problem. If there are no EV drivers, there will be no infrastructure built to support them. So, saying theres no infrastructure may be a little bit dishonest. To get there, youve got to offer some EVs to stimulate the market and get infrastructure to be a thing for the later adopters. Toyota might think other manufacturers can do all of that stimulating, but it could cost it customers while its behind the curve.

An electric Tacoma, if offered in real numbers, could do this, but Fords approach with the F-150 Lightning shows that you dont necessarily have to start small.

Featured image by Toyota.

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Interview Sheds Light On Toyotas Thinking About EVs - CleanTechnica

Lewis Hamilton has opened up about his 2021 world title heartache and his efforts to return Mercedes to competitive ways after a difficult start to the 2022 season.

Hamilton was on course for a record-breaking eighth world title at last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when a late Safety Car, and controversial restart, turned the race on its head.

Running old, Hard tyres as the race restarted for one lap, Hamilton was overhauled by Red Bull rival Max Verstappen, who had pitted to switch to the Soft compound rubber.

Having reacted graciously to the defeat post-race, the Briton subsequently took a break from social media, returning shortly before Mercedes' 2022 car launch and pre-season testing.

Then, as the W13 took to the track, it quickly became clear that it would not be a front-running machine or one Hamilton could fight back with.

In an interview for Viaplay, Hamilton was asked about the 'double blow' of missing out on the 2021 title and returning in 2022 with an uncompetitive car.

"It was definitely tough," said Hamilton, speaking to former teammate Heikki Kovalainen.

"My winter was a lot of self-reflection... I was surrounded by my family, that was the most beautiful thing. My family really, really reacted and all came around me.

"I wasn't on my phone, I wasn't on social media... I was just playing with the kids, building snowmen. We were playing in the water, playing in the waves.

"I continued to train, because that was kind of healthy for my mindset, and a lot of thinking, kind of, 'What do I want to do next? How do I want to take this?'

"Then, to turn the negative into a positive and be like, 'Okay, I'm gonna come back and fight', and then to not have the ability to be able to fight back, and regain what I had fought for last year, has definitely been tough."

Kovalainen pointed out that Hamilton has never looked frustrated or desperate so far this season, prompting further self-reflection from the 37-year-old.

"I think it's definitely not been perfect. I've definitely not been perfect in the background," Hamilton commented.

"I definitely would say it's been a struggle, particularly off the end of last year, so it's been a real kind of odd kind of growth process.

"I've tried a lot of things with the car and experiments, and it's often caught us out. I've struggled with feeling comfortable in the car this year.

"To finally be in a place where that's not the case... I'm in a more kind of leading position with the car now, rather than it leading me. It's been good."

He added: "I think also there's people in our team that have been here for many, many years, even before our success, and then there's people that are new to the team, who have been here only with the wins, so this is a new experience for them also.

"I think for anybody, it's a good experience to have. The adversity only makes you stronger. It's the failures, I think, that truly make us strong."

Originally posted here:
Hamilton sheds fresh light on how he recovered from 'double blow' - Racingnews365.com

Theres only a week left until Saints Row releases. Yes, after almost a decade in hibernation, the high-flying tongue-in-cheek crime simulator is back with lengthy tales to tell as well.

On Monday, publisher Deep Silver released a fresh trailer for Saints Row that goes into the story. Set in a fictional city in the American southwest called Santo Ileso, this car-jacking adventure is about a group of up-and-comers looking to make a name for their gang, The Saints, as is the tradition in these games. Therell be rival organizations to take down and a villain thats rocking one mean mustache.

Watch the new Saints Row trailer for yourself below. There arent any glaring spoilers, so dont worry about seeing too much of the plot before launch. Plus, this isnt quite something driven by its narrative.

The humor is still intact, even if its nowhere near as silly as Saints Row 4 was. Yeah, its a shame that this one wont be about fighting-off aliens as the president of the United States again.

Saints Row releases Aug. 23, 2022, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via the Epic Games Store. It was originally coming out In February but got hit with a six-month delay.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF.

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Saints Row trailer sheds light on the story - For The Win

Photo: Billy Napier; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The biggest storylines at the University of Florida may be the positive momentum on the recruiting trail or the opening of the highly anticipated state-of-the-art football training facility, but not for long.

As the college football season rapidly approaches, programs around the nation continue to ramp up their practice sessions to simulate in-game reps to the best of their ability.

Intra-team scrimmages are an integral part of that process. The Gators had their first scrimmage of the fall on Saturday, where the coaches and players got a gauge of what aspects of the game plan are clicking and the shortcomings that will need extra attention in the coming three weeks.

Head coach Billy Napier spoke to the media on Monday about the session, shedding light on what he saw. But, mostsignificantly, he said he believes the team has taken significant strides from a fundamental standpoint from the spring, a primary focus of the new regime as they attempt to rid the self-inflicted wounds present a season ago.

"I thought both sides of the ball were taking steps forward," Napier said Monday. "The film was much cleaner than maybe spring practice. I think, fundamentally, we're a lot farther along. I do think the communication's improving."

However, despite the evident progression this fall, there is still a way to go before they're ready to line up against Utah in The Swamp week one, namely on the offensive side of the football.

"I think the offensive unit first offensive unit was the only team that didn't meet the quota, didn't meet the goal for the day. I think those are all very correctable if that makes sense. Procedural-related. Outside of that, I thought it was pretty clean."

While that may appear problematic at first glance, offenses are known to operate behind the curve in the preseason and early regular season as they attempt to gel. The moving pieces going into the offensive game plan including a new scheme, a new quarterback, a new play caller and more make it challenging to find that rhythm early on.

That continues even in the era of high-octane offense. As unideal as that may be. Florida is a victim of that reality.

Napier largely credited the defense for a portion of the offensive miscues.

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"I thought the defense did a good job of limiting explosive plays," Napier said.We threw it to the defense in a couple situations where it happens: third-and-long, two-minute, nothing alarming here. Its going to happen. The good thing is our defense is creating some of that.

"Were playing well, were affecting the quarterback, were playing well on the back end. Part of our formula here is weve got to protect and affect. Weve got to protect our quarterback and affect the other quarterback. You do that lots of different ways: you push the pocket, you tip balls, you hit the quarterback, you sack the quarterback, the element of disguise."

To make those needed adjustments and grow prepared for the top ten test on September 3, execution at the helm by starting quarterback Anthony Richardson is imperative, especially when the offense is put in a position to put points on the board.

"I think that we didn't score touchdowns in the red area. That was an objective that we didn't meet on offense. Overall, we did turn it over a few times. So, the quarterback efficiency wasn't what we wanted it to be. I think a lot of things contribute to that when you're playing with a mixture of lineups, different positions and different players. It can be better. That's what I would say."

Going forward, Florida is slated to continue building toward game-ready form.

Not only will that consist of further schematic and performance adjustments for players and coaches, but Napier looks to bring in college officials as they did for the first one for their second scrimmage next Saturday.

This allows the coaching staff to further evaluate the unit's glaring issues from discipline or functional errors prior to the year.

"All college officials that had a good set of eyes on everything, told them to call it just like it was a game day," Napier said regarding scrimmage one. "We wanted to know if we'd have issues. We wanted to expose those. Next Saturday, we've got a full SEC crew coming into town for practice Friday and also the scrimmage Saturday. Putting a premium on that. We're heading in the right direction there."

All in all, Florida believes it's making the necessary steps in the right direction, and are using the limited intra-squad competition to expedite the process of getting everyone in sync.

Stay tuned to AllGators for continuous coverage of Florida Gators football, basketball and recruiting. Follow along on social media at @SI_AllGators on Twitter and Florida Gators on Sports Illustrated on Facebook.

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Gators HC Billy Napier Sheds Light On Florida's First Scrimmage of the Fall - Sports Illustrated

Kirk Herbstreits son Zak Herbstreit followed in his fathers footsteps by committing to Ohio State out of high school. Now, the younger Herbstreit is a full-fledged member of the Buckeyes.

A walk-on tight end out of high school in 2021, Zak is entering his second season in the program. On Wednesday, he ditched his black stripe ahead of the 2022 season.

First I want to appreciate all of yall for getting me better, said Herbstreit. Means a lot to me. Shout out my unit, old guys in Cade (Stover), Mitch (Rossi). Love you guys.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 243 lbs., Herbstreit is a part of a deep tight-end unit for Ohio State and likely faces a steep battle for playing time in 2022. Either way, he is now a full Buckeye, an honor that will stick with him regardless of how the season plays out.

Ohio online sports betting is officially launching on January 1, 2023. Ohio will join other Big Ten states where sports betting has become legalized such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois and more.

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Kirk Herbstreits son, walk-on TE at Ohio State, sheds black stripe - Saturday Tradition

GettyCole Custer works in the garage area at Michigan International Speedway.

There have been questions about Cole Custer throughout a 2022 season that has featured numerous struggles. Now Stewart-Haas Racing has provided some clarity about the 2020 Rookie of the Years NASCAR Cup Series future.

Greg Zipadelli, SHRs chief competition officer, met with media members ahead of the trip to Watkins Glen International. He addressed several topics, such as Kevin Harvicks recent winning streak, before facing a question about the driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang.

Right now, I believe that is what our plan is right now. Yes, Zipadelli said about keeping Custer in the No. 41. Were just looking and trying to sort out the [No.] 10 car at this particular time.

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Obviously, the statement leaves some wiggle room for Stewart-Haas Racing. The answer indicates that Custer will return, but there could also be some changes. There will still be some questions about Custer and the status of the No. 41 until the organization makes an official announcement.

GettyCole Custer waits for qualifying at Phoenix Raceway.

One reason for the question about Custer is that SHR still has to announce plans for multiple entries. This includes the No. 41 that Custer has controlled since 2020 and the No. 10 that features Aric Almirola.

Another reason for the question is a situation over at another team. Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch have not been able to reach an agreement to bring the two-time champion back to the No. 18, primarily due to the lack of sponsorship.

Busch has acknowledged to reporters that he has spoken to other teams and created questions about possible destinations. SHR has stood out as an option considering the number of sponsors on hand, the possible openings in the building, and the quality of the equipment that heads to the track each week.

If Busch became available on the market, it would make sense if he moved over to SHR and took over one of the entries. He would automatically contend for wins in whichever entry he landed.

GettyCole Custers season has featured surprising issues.

A winner at Kentucky Speedway in 2020, Custer has not returned to Victory Lane in 2021 or 2022. He has posted four total top-10 finishes, but he has also dealt with numerous issues on the track.

The list includes a 20-lap run at Michigan International Speedway when Custer dealt with three flat tires. The final blown tire caught on fire and sent the California native back to his pit stall. His day came to an end while the crew extinguished the blaze.

The most recent race on the schedule, which took place at Richmond Raceway, featured Custer lining up inside of the top 10 for the opening pace laps. He continued to race in the top 10 before securing points at the end of Stage 1.

However, the situation drastically changed for Custer. He lost all power steering in the No. 41, so he had to contend with handling issues for the remainder of the 400-lap race. He ultimately ended the day 26th overall and three laps down after showing up to the track with a fast Ford Mustang.

READ NEXT: Ryan Blaney Secures Massive NASCAR Contract Extension

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Stewart-Haas Racing Sheds Light on Cole Custer's Future - Heavy.com