It’s been a little bit of an eventual first day for The First Descendant. The free shooter launched earlier with a colossal variety of gamers diving in, however there’s been a sting within the tail for the title. Gamers aren’t totally pleased with what they’re discovering as soon as they’re in-game with Steam evaluations reflecting that dissatisfaction – presently hovering simply above the “Principally Unfavourable” classification.

We all the time suspected it wouldn’t fairly shake the pillars of gaming. Our The First Descendant preview explains how this isn’t a revolutionary title that’s going to alter the face of the style ceaselessly. As an alternative, the free PC recreation is a stable shooter expertise that appears good for unwinding with mates, blasting some foes, and grabbing some loot. Sadly for The First Descendant, there have been a number of points which have impacted the neighborhood’s skill to benefit from the recreation.

The biggest of those appears to revolve across the recreation’s method to financial transactions, with most adverse Steam evaluations calling it out for a perceived pay to win method. “This recreation launched with extra actual cash purchasable gadgets than precise gameplay mechanics,” reads one evaluation by Steam consumer FzySideUp. “Whereas the sport is free the mircotransactions [sic] appear extremely expensive. The “final bundle” for any character is only a straight 100$,” reads one other by consumer DrewishDude. Along with these criticisms, actual cash transactions have been hit by delays all through the day. This has since been resolved, however some evaluations proceed to reference the difficulty.

Different gamers draw parallels between The First Descendant and titles like Future 2 and Warframe. “That is actually Warframe and Future mixed in a single recreation, and it’s worse than each is [sic] principally each side,” one evaluation from consumer Zardoz states. “Simply play Future 2 or Warframe,” Steam consumer XeoShock writes.

It’s not all unhealthy information for the sport, nevertheless. As we earlier reported, The First Descendant has rocketed up the participant charts, with 170,000 gamers within the first two hours and a 24 hour peak of 229,257. As well as, evaluations do seem to have stabilized considerably – sitting at 43% constructive on the time of writing.

When you’d prefer to make up your personal thoughts, The First Descendant is out now and you may play without spending a dime on Steam. When you want a hand together with your journey, why not check out our information to all The First Descendant characters or our detailed have a look at The First Descendant crossplay.

You may also observe us on Google Information for every day PC video games information, evaluations, and guides, or seize our PCGN offers tracker to web your self some bargains.

On the cash. Each time.

There’s one thing about the way in which James Rodriguez floats in a set piece – strolling up the ball, flicking his foot to ship it spinning in the direction of the six-yard field, however hanging it within the air simply lengthy sufficient to maintain the goalkeeper at bay – that makes it extremely exhausting to withstand.

He has created seven probabilities from set items already on the Copa America; solely three gamers have created extra alternatives of any variety, full-stop. And he would have had a 3rd dead-ball help in an enthralling first half in opposition to Brazil if it weren’t for the ruthless geometry of VAR. You’ll typically see him trotting from one aspect of the pitch to the opposite to take consecutive corners, however the followers are completely satisfied to attend.

There’s selection in Rodriguez’s set-piece armoury too. After eight minutes, the 32-year-old despatched a depraved free kick careering in the direction of aim, just for it to look off the crossbar and out of play. It’s a disgrace it was overshadowed by Raphinha’s effort barely 5 minutes on.

Then, from a crossing place, he all of a sudden switches approach; shortly closing his physique to attempt to catch Alisson out. After all, he very almost did.

Even when he has misplaced a yard of tempo, Rodriguez all the time appears like he’s a step forward. Drifting round behind the 2 strikers – doing, primarily, no matter he likes – he makes this wonderful Colombia aspect tick.

The winner of Group D in Copa America, to no person’s shock, will come right down to the ultimate matchday between Brazil and Colombia on Tuesday as they meet at 9 p.m. ET. It is win the match and win the group as Colombia are excellent on six factors whereas Brazil bounced again from a draw with Costa Rica to brush apart Paraguay. It is necessary to win the group because the winner will seemingly keep away from Uruguay within the quarterfinals. Vinicius Junior versus Luis Diaz is kind of a matchup however that is additionally a conflict that reveals the shifting tides of South American soccer. Colombia are unbeaten of their final 25 matches whereas Brazil have solely received two of their final 5 matches, and profitable this group would assist present why Los Cafteros are one of many favorites to win all the event. 

Listed here are our storylines, how one can watch the match and extra:

Find out how to watch and odds

• Date: Tuesday, July 2 | Time: 9 p.m. ET
• Location: Levi’s Stadium — Santa Clara, California
• TV: FS1  | Dwell stream: Fubo (Strive without spending a dime)
• Odds: Brazil -115; Draw +205; Colombia +320

Eventualities

Brazil should win the sport to win the group, organising a date with Panama within the quarterfinals. A Colombia win or draw books first place for them. Brazil must lose significantly to not make the subsequent spherical and see Costa Rica beat Paraguay. A draw might be sufficient for Brazil to punch their ticket to the subsequent spherical. 

Storylines

Brazil: Hoping to see extra of the Vini Jr. that carved aside Paraguay and fewer of the man who has traditionally performed for Brazil. He stepped up when it mattered however this staff wants him to be the man in each match. Rodrygo struggled to place photographs on track which may name for a lineup change from Dorival Junior, however the expectation is for Brazil to maintain working with an identical XI.

Colombia: Regardless of solely taking part in two matches, Colombia are tied for scoring the third most targets of any staff within the event and can like their probabilities towards a poor Brazil protection. Ruthless on the counter, Los Cafteros know who they’re and what they need to do whereas James Rodriguez turning again the clock has elevated the staff to a distinct stage. 

Official beginning lineups

Brazil: Alisson, Wendell, Marquinhos, Eder Militao, Danilo, Joao Gomes, Bruno Guimares, Vinicus Junior, Lucas Paqueta, Raphinha, Rodrygo

Colombia: Camilo Vargas, Daniel Munoz, Davidson Sanchez, Carlos Cuesta, Deiver Machado, Richard Rios, Jefferson Lerma, Jhon Arias, James Rodriguez, Jhon Cordoba, Luis Diaz

Prediction

As Colombia solely wants a draw to win the group, they’re going to just do sufficient to include Brazil whereas conducting that purpose because the contenders march on. Decide: Brazil 1, Colombia 1

Editor’s notice: This story initially revealed in 2023.

As Coco Gauff wows the tennis world and stirs delight in her Delray Seashore hometown, it is truthful to say she stands on the shoulders of her grandmother, who had a big function within the city and the nation’s historical past a long time in the past.

On the similar age Gauff turned professional, Yvonne Lee was breaking down the limitations of segregation. It was 1961. Lee was well-liked and sensible, had been named to the upcoming homecoming court docket and appeared ahead to being captain of the basketball crew at her all-Black Carver Excessive. However then the 15-year-old was given a frightening project.

Headed into the subsequent fall, she was to be the primary Black scholar to attend Delray Seashore’s all-white Seacrest Excessive Faculty.

Gauff has talked about her grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, and her expertise because the tennis star spoke out on points reminiscent of Black Lives Matter.

Coco Gauff performs Wimbledon 2024: 8 issues to find out about Delray Seashore tennis star

How did U.S. Open, Wimbledon tennis star Coco Gauff’s grandmother develop into the primary Black scholar at Delray Seashore’s Seacrest Excessive?

That first day Lee went to Seacrest — Sept. 25, 1961 — safety was tight, for good purpose.

The U.S. Supreme Court docket had dominated in 1954 in Brown v. Board of Schooling that segregated faculties have been unconstitutional. Within the wake of the ruling, the NAACP started looking for Black college students who could be good candidates to attend all-white faculties.

By November of that 12 months, the primary, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges, and her mom have been met with crowds yelling viscious slurs as they have been escorted by 4 federal marshals right into a New Orleans elementary college. New Orleans required Black college students to go an examination. Ruby did. Norman Rockwell in 1964 would have fun her braveness with a portray titled “The Drawback We All Stay With.”

Lee’s father, the late Rev. R.M. Lee, pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Boynton Seashore, thought his daughter was a fantastic candidate — she was gifted in teachers in addition to sports activities.

“We have been attempting to get the highest children so they may not say we have been dumb,” he stated.

Lee had attended all-Black Carver Highschool her freshman 12 months. (Carver and Seacrest would later merge to develop into Atlantic Excessive Faculty for the 1970-71 college 12 months.) Lee was the primary scholar to combine a college in southern Palm Seashore County. When her Carver classmates discovered the place she could be going, they inspired her.

“We want you to do that,” they informed her.

Extra: Coco Gauff Q & A: ‘Hometown hero’ talks Billie Jean Cup, Grand Slams, residing in Delray Seashore

What occurred to Coco Grauff’s grandmother on the primary day at Seacrest Excessive?

Whereas college integration was prime information of the day, Lee downplayed the potential drama.

“I used to be simply going to high school,” she later informed The Palm Seashore Publish. “I wasn’t afraid. In the event that they informed me to combine, I used to be going to combine.”

She arrived at 10 a.m. when the opposite 1,000 college students have been already in school. Site visitors had been blocked outdoors. She met her scholar “buddy,” Paula Adams, who walked her to class hand-in-hand. Lee additionally spoke with principal Robert Fulton within the school lounge. He was a “good man,” she informed the Boca Information in 2002.

Right this moment, Fulton’s title adorns the college district headquarters, the Fulton-Holland Instructional Providers Middle. Sharing that billing with Fulton is Black legal professional Invoice Holland, who filed a lawsuit in 1956 when a West Palm Seashore elementary college refused to let his son attend.

Lee stated apart from college students gawking, her first day was uneventful. “They have been well mannered however apprehensive. This was the unknown.”

Extra: Coco Gauff, teen professional tennis star, speaks out towards Florida’s ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ invoice

At Carver, Lee had been chosen to guide the basketball crew, by coach C. Spencer Pompey. However at Seacrest, she agreed to not play any sports activities or trip the college bus resulting from security considerations — although her absence from sports activities did not final.

When Seacrest officers additionally directed her to make use of the lavatory within the school lounge, she refused.

After college that day, she stated, one scholar referred to as her the n-word.

Yvonne Lee Odom’s profitable profession in schooling, which she would go on to her kids

By the point Lee graduated in 1964, she had 4 Black classmates. She would go on to earn a level in elementary schooling from Florida Atlantic College and a grasp’s in studying from Nova College. She taught math at Carver Center Faculty and married her high-school sweetheart from Carver Excessive, Eddie Odom Jr. A number of of her kids additionally turned academics, together with Coco Gauff’s mother, Candi.

Her son, Eddie Odom III, turned down a draft decide from the Seattle Mariners to pursue a university schooling.

Extra: Palm Seashore County sports activities 50 historic moments: Cardinal Newman-Kennedy performed first built-in sport

Yvonne Odom and her husband based the Delray Seashore American Little League to increase the game to children in principally Black neighborhoods not lined by the opposite league.

“I discovered so much about her tales,” Gauff informed the Miami Herald in 2020.

Yvonne Lee Odom says she, too, discovered from her personal expertise.

“By attending Seacrest for 3 years, I discovered that persons are individuals, it doesn’t matter what. You’ve got obtained the nice, unhealthy and ugly, whatever the race.”

Editor’s notice: A earlier model of this story had the inaccurate 12 months of the Brown v. Board of Schooling determination.

Holly Baltz is the investigations editor at The Palm Seashore Publish. You possibly can attain her at hbaltz@pbpost.com.

Posted on Monday, July 1, 2024 by Polk Newsroom

Polk State Faculty might be closed from July 4 by way of July 7 for the Independence Day vacation. Open registration will proceed to happen within the Polk Portal for the Fall 2024 Semester.

The Faculty will reopen on July 8. Fall lessons begin on August 12.

College students who’re presently enrolled at Polk State can register for lessons within the Polk Portal. The Polk Portal replaces Passport; nonetheless, all college students nonetheless have entry to Passport, which can be utilized to overview diploma audits.

Potential college students ought to submit a free, on-line software to Polk State at www.polk.edu/admission-aid.

People who want help could e-mail:

Extra details about the Polk Portal and registration for the Fall 2024 Semester is on the market by clicking right here.

 

On the opening day of NBA free company, The San Antonio Spurs made waves after they signed Chris Paul to a one-year deal. It may very well be the primary transfer in a busy offseason, as they’ll nonetheless make strikes to enhance the roster from a disappointing 22-60 document final season. The newest rumors point out San Antonio may very well be trying so as to add a frontcourt star to pair with Victor Wembanyama.

On The Hoop Collective Podcast, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that rival executives consider the Utah Jazz will commerce star ahead, Lauri Markkanen. He mentioned that the Spurs and Golden State Warriors are among the many groups displaying curiosity within the massive man. Jazz, normal supervisor, Danny Ainge, has been conversing with groups about dealing Markkanen, and indicators point out he’s critical about making a transfer.

Markkanen is the one piece standing between the Jazz and a full rebuild. With a loaded 2025 NBA Draft Class coming into the league subsequent yr, some groups will likely be motivated to get a excessive choose within the upcoming draft. The Jazz maintain two first-round picks within the 2025 draft from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers. Any deal for the all-star ahead would probably embody draft capital for 2025 and past.

San Antonio has been hoarding draft property for just a few seasons now. They most not too long ago moved the eighth choose within the 2024 NBA Draft for an unprotected 2031 first-rounder and 2030 choose swap from the Wolves. The Spurs maintain 15 first-round picks within the subsequent seven drafts, together with 4 potential firsts within the 2025 draft. If San Antonio actually desires to make a transfer for Markkanen, they’ll have the property to outbid almost any workforce.

The New York Knicks not too long ago acquired Mikal Bridges for 5 first-round picks. Markkanen would probably draw an identical price ticket. The ahead was the NBA’s Most Improved Participant within the 2022-23 season and made the all-star workforce that yr. Final season he took a slight step again however was nonetheless very productive. Markkanen averaged 23.2 factors and eight.2 rebounds whereas capturing 48% from the sector, 39.9% from three and 89.9% on free throws. The large man is a flexible participant who can play inside and outside. He’d present a scoring pop subsequent to Wembanyama.

Markkanen is getting into the ultimate yr of his contract by which he’ll make $18 million. He’s set to hit unrestricted free company in the summertime of 2025 if an extension isn’t met. If the Spurs had been to commerce its draft capital for Markkanen, it will probably be underneath the expectation that he would re-sign with San Antonio. Markkanen has been linked to the Spurs going again so far as 2021 when he was almost part of the DeMar DeRozan deal.

Rumors point out that the Spurs are prioritizing the summer time of 2025 to make main adjustments to its roster. In keeping with the San Antonio Specific-Information beat author, Jeff McDonald, the entrance workplace is on the lookout for 1-year stop-gaps this summer time and can take massive swings subsequent yr. A transfer for Markkanen can be a sooner-than-expected transfer towards competition. San Antonio might wait to signal the massive man outright subsequent summer time, however that places danger in him signing an extension elsewhere.

Markkanen can be an ideal slot in a Spurs offense centered on ball motion and flexibility. Wembanyama might cowl up his defensive shortcomings together with his rim safety. Markkanen would area the ground and create his personal shot, taking some defensive consideration off Wembanyama. The basketball match makes numerous sense. It will likely be as much as Spurs normal supervisor, Brian Wright and the remainder of the entrance workplace to evaluate whether or not the value is value it.

The Splash Brothers have cut up up, and the Golden State Warriors are attempting to determine what’s subsequent. The primary transfer, in accordance with Shams Charania, is signing guard De’Anthony Melton to a one-year, $12.8 million contract (i.e. the non-taxpayer mid-level exception).

Melton is a pleasant match. He is a wonderful defender, and he made 37.9% of his 3-point makes an attempt in his two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. However he is a complementary piece, and the Warriors would nonetheless like to accumulate somebody who can be greater than that. Golden State wants somebody who can take a few of the strain off of Stephen Curry, notably now that Klay Thompson is (probably) off to Texas.

How does Lauri Markkanen sound?

In line with Adrian Wojnarowski, Golden State is “making an attempt to be aggressive” on the commerce market. One in every of its targets, reportedly, is Markkanen, a 27-year-old ahead who stands 7 toes tall, made the All-Star Sport in 2023 and has averaged 24.5 factors on 63.6% true capturing in two years with the Utah Jazz.

“Utah’s undecided it needs to commerce him, however they should hear,” Wojnarowski mentioned on SportsCenter. “They have been listening. And loads of the groups who misplaced out on Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn have transferred over to making an attempt to see if they’ll land Lauri Markkanen out of Utah. Golden State is a kind of groups.”

Like Bridges, Markkanen can has proven that he can put up factors however has the type of recreation that enhances high-usage playmakers. He made 41.4% of his catch-and-shot 3s final season, and Jazz coach Will Hardy moved him all around the courtroom and put him in a number of totally different actions. The Warriors — and coach Steve Kerr particularly — would absolutely like to have a weapon like him at their disposal. However he will not be low-cost.

Additionally like Bridges, Markkanen is signed to a below-market contract. He’ll make $18 million this coming season, the final 12 months of a four-year deal that he signed (as a part of a sign-and-trade that despatched him to the Cleveland Cavaliers) after a season wherein the Chicago Bulls demoted and deemphasized him. Markkanen is eligible for an extension now, however can be eligible to signal a way more profitable deal by signing a brand new contract as a free agent subsequent summer season. For a crew like Golden State that’s hard-capped on the first apron, this represents a uncommon alternative, supplied that Utah will truly half with him: Markkanen’s present wage is low sufficient to make buying him possible, and it will possibly realistically retain him with Chook Rights a 12 months from now.

The Jazz, naturally, may simply maintain Markkanen and re-sign him themselves. However on his subsequent deal, he in all probability will not have as a lot commerce worth as he does immediately, notably if they’ll create a bidding warfare. Utah is worlds away from win-now mode, so, regardless that Markkanen is simply approaching his prime, he could possibly be price extra as any individual else’s lacking piece than the Jazz’s centerpiece. 

If there’s a Markkanen bidding warfare brewing, it is not clear whether or not or not the Warriors can win it. In concept, although, they may get themselves within the combine. Andrew Wiggins has reportedly been on the block for a while, and so they may need possibly thought-about doubtlessly together with Jonathan Kuminga of their talks with the Los Angeles Clippers about Paul George. They’ve future picks and swaps to commerce, and so they have another attention-grabbing younger gamers that they’d in all probability favor to not provide. I do not know if Golden State can truly pull this off, however Markkanen is strictly the kind of participant it ought to be searching for.

I’m having a tough time believing that the Hellboy reboot with David Harbour within the lead is 5 years previous and got here out prior to the pandemic as a result of it implies that we can’t pin its dismal $21 million home field workplace (on a $50 million finances) on COVID-19. That it flopped was not likely a fluke. It was a message from moviegoers that they weren’t .

And but, right here we’re, 5 years later, with one other reboot of the franchise in what appears like a movie made to not succeed however to retain the rights to some IP. This appears horrible. It comes from Brian Taylor, one half of the duo (together with Mark Neveldine) answerable for the catastrophic failures that the place Jonah Hex and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, back-to-back failures that clearly broke up the directing workforce and put them in directing jail for over a decade.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man won’t revive Brian Taylor’s directing profession. The minute-long trailer options Jack Kesy (The Pressure, Claws) as our new Hellboy, together with a solid that features Jefferson White (finest generally known as Jimmy in Yellowstone) and nobody else I’ve heard of. It appears laughably dangerous.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man is “coming quickly,” although I very a lot doubt anybody will put it in a movie show.

Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and its myriad spinoffs are up there as my favourite comics of all time. The combo of Gothic, cosmic, and monster horror with a serving to of gallows humor works for me so, a lot. Guillermo del Toro famously made a few Hellboy films with Ron Perlman. Whereas good in their very own GDT approach, neither of them (particularly the second) really felt like a correct adaptation of the supply materials. The 2019 Neil Marshall Hellboy film with David Harbour tailored the supply materials straight, however the film itself was very, very dangerous. Now we get Hellboy: The Crooked Man and…nicely, simply have a look. Then we’ll discuss.

First some context. The Crooked Man was a three-issue arc from Mignola and artist Richard Corben from 2008. It detailed certainly one of Hellboy’s earlier missions for the Bureau of Paranormal Analysis and Protection. In 1958 Appalachia, Hellboy encounters some witches and witch-adjacent folks and finally cross paths with the titular Crooked Man, a hanged battle profiteer from the 18th Century who has returned from Hell to behave because the area’s resident Satan. He’s fairly terrifying, particularly as Corben illustrates him.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man seems to be a really devoted (and small) adaptation of that specific story. On its face it is a good factor. One of many main points with the 2019 film is that it tailored approach, approach, approach too many tales, not least of which The Wild Hunt, the longest and most epic story within the Mignola canon. Specializing in a one-off journey and maximizing the horror is a reasonably good thought.

Nonetheless, simply it, you’ll be able to see the very low finances. You might have seen the film comes our approach from Ketchup Leisure. KETCHUP ENTERTAINMENT. Brian Taylor (of Crank franchise fame) is directing, with himself, Mignola, and Mignola’s Baltimore collaborator Christopher Golden on screenplay duties. Jack Kesy (who very briefly performed Black Tom Cassidy in Deadpool 2) portrays Hellboy and he simply sort of seems unfinished. If Harbour was TOO made up, Kesy seems like an honest newbie cosplay try.

So who is aware of! It might be good. It actually appears centered extra on the precise horror. Which is the correct course to go following the darkish fantasy mishmash of the final film. However I’m not satisfied after this wack first look. I might adore it if in the future any live-action outing correctly snags the tone of the comics. Whether or not Hellboy: The Crooked Man can do this should wait till it comes out later this 12 months.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly popular culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. Yow will discover his movie and TV critiques right here. Observe him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

Andre Drummond is about to signal a two-year, $10 million take care of the Philadelphia 76ers, sources advised ESPN, confirming a number of stories.

Philadelphia brings again Drummond, who spent the primary half of the 2021-22 season with the 76ers earlier than going to the Brooklyn Nets as a part of the James Harden commerce at that February’s commerce deadline.

Having spent the previous two seasons enjoying behind Nikola Vucevic in Chicago, Drummond provides Philadelphia an elite backup possibility behind former MVP Joel Embiid, who missed a big chunk of final season with a knee harm.

The 76ers are set to satisfy with LA Clippers ahead Paul George, the highest free agent available on the market, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, as they give the impression of being to fill out the roster round their star tandem of Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey, who is predicted to get an enormous new contract this summer time as properly, as a restricted free agent.

Drummond, who turns 31 in August, discovered his area of interest as a stable backup middle after starring with the Detroit Pistons to start his profession. He stays a prolific rebounder, averaging 9 in simply over 17 minutes final season. In his 10 begins, he averaged almost 18 rebounds.

Drummond is coming off a two-year, $6.6 million deal signed with the Bulls in 2022.