jm77777 com login Quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase are in a rare class of QB-WR duos who got to ply their trade together in college and in the pros. But just because they’re buddies doesn’t mean they don’t have little nagging habits that bother the other. Chase spoke about one of his habits—using copious amounts of “warm skin lotion”—to help him stay warm in the freezing Cincinnati cold. However, this habit has always been part of his routine, even in college, and it’s something that pushes his QB to the edge. Chase was smirking throughout the presser, so the lotion is clearly nothing more than an inside joke. However, Bengals fans were surely laughing nervously and feeling a bit uneasy when they heard Chase say that Burrow would withhold the ball from the superstar receiver. But it seems to be all in good fun. Chase recalled a time in college when Burrow made him remove the ointment after seeing how “shiny” the wideout became with it before the game. Burrow and Chase played together at LSU from 2018 to 2019, winning a National Championship in that final year. The Cincinnati Bengals then drafted Burrow No. 1 overall in 2020. The next year, the same team nabbed Chase at No. 5 overall. The Chase-Burrow connection has been working like gang-busters for Cincinnati this year if you look strictly at the box score—but if you take a gander up at the scoreboard, the combo has not been getting it done. Burrow leads the league in passing TDs and is top five in yards, passer rating, and INT rate. Ja’Marr Chase leads the league in both receiving yards and TDs, and is just short of the receptions lead too. And yet, the Bengals have stumbled out to a 4-7 record in 2024. That’s their worst start to a season since 2020, when they went 4-11-1 in Burrow’s rookie year. They still have designs on the postseason in 2024, however. A tough divisional matchup with the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, who are sitting at 8-3, is on the horizon this Sunday. With temperatures expected to be in the 20s and 30s degrees Fahrenheit, Chase will need the “warm skin lotion”. Burrow might just have to deal with his WR1 being a little shiny on Sunday.

( MENAFN - PR Newswire) SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- YOUNGLIMWON SOFTLAB, a leading ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software company, announced that its in-house venture team, Flextudio Team, will participate in CES 2025 in Las Vegas to unveil its low-code enterprise application development platform, Flextudio. Flextudio empowers businesses to rapidly and efficiently develop custom applications with its user-friendly interface and powerful features, maximizing development productivity. This innovative platform enables businesses to quickly adapt to evolving market trends and internal needs by facilitating the swift deployment and maintenance of tailored applications. "We are excited to showcase Flextudio's innovative technology and differentiated value to the global market at CES 2025," said Kwon Olim, Director at YOUNGLIMWON SOFTLAB and Team Leader of Flextudio Team. "This is a key step in our strategy to expand our presence internationally and empower businesses worldwide to enhance their agility and competitiveness." With a strong track record of serving over 3,000 enterprise customers since its establishment in 1993, YOUNGLIMWON SOFTLAB formed the Flextudio Team in 2021 to address the growing need for businesses to respond swiftly to dynamic business environments. The platform is designed to accelerate business process innovation and digital transformation by streamlining application development and deployment. YOUNGLIMWON SOFTLAB plans to further enhance Flextudio by integrating AI and other advanced technologies to actively support its customers' digital transformation journeys. Flextudio will be showcased at the YOUNGLIMWON SOFTLAB booth in the Eureka Park Tech West area, within the AI/Enterprise section. About YOUNGLIMWON SOFT LAB YOUNGLIMWON SOFT LAB is a leading provider of ERP solutions, dedicated to helping businesses optimize their operations and achieve sustainable growth. With a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, YOUNGLIMWON SOFT LAB delivers comprehensive and reliable ERP systems tailored to meet the unique needs of diverse industries. Full name: Son Nikki, Email address: [email protected] , Telephone number: 821059162591 Flextudio is a development platform designed to help build custom business software with low - code. You can download our press kit about our company and product. Press kit : Click here for more details about our booth at: SOURCE Younglimwon Softlab MENAFN17122024003732001241ID1109005270 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, others attend Shyam Benegal's memorial event in Mumbai

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Walmart is reportedly giving some of its workers body cameras to wear as a way to increase their safety. The move is part of a pilot program in some stores across the United States, CBNC reported on Tuesday, noting it was not clear how many stores were taking part during the Christmas season. However, according to witnesses and images shared online, some of the locations display signs stating “body-worn cameras in-use” at store entrances. In June, Breitbart News reported that the parent company of T.J. Maxx was giving its workers body cameras to try and stop shoplifters. According to the CNBC article, a Walmart spokesperson said, “While we don’t talk about the specifics of our security measures, we are always looking at new and innovative technology used across the retail industry. This is a pilot we are testing in one market, and we will evaluate the results before making any longer-term decisions.” Walmart is mimicking smaller retailers who implemented body cameras in their stores. Walmart reportedly wants to use the devices to keep workers safe. The CNBC report continued: In a document titled “Providing great customer service while creating a safer environment,” staff are instructed on how to use the devices, according to a photo of the document posted on an online forum for Walmart employees and customers. It instructs employees to “record an event if an interaction with a customer is escalating” and to not wear the devices in employee break areas and bathrooms. After an incident occurs, staffers are told, they are to discuss it with another team member, who can help them log the event in the “ethics and compliance app,” according to the document. In October 2023, Walmart workers complained of more “safety issues” linked to encounters with shoplifters, Breitbart News reported at the time. A few months later, the outlet said retailers were rethinking their self-checkout systems due to theft incidents plaguing the industry.Beyoncé‘s Mom Hits Back at Halftime Show Haters

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MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

It’s official: Dodgers sign Blake Snell for 5 years, $182 millionPoulin has game winner as Montreal Victoire tops Minnesota Frost 3-2 for 3rd straight winNone

LONDON (AP) — A woman who claimed mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday by a civil court jury in Ireland. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekIt has been nearly a full year and a half since the University of Colorado announced its intention to join the Big 12 Conference. One of the many perks of the move, beyond the financial, was that the Buffaloes would be joining the premier men’s basketball conference in the nation. After 17 months of anticipation, that time has finally arrived. Although the Buffs received a Big 12 primer last month at the Maui Invitational with a lopsided loss against Iowa State, they make their official return to Big 12 men’s basketball with a rematch against the third-ranked Cyclones on Monday night at the CU Events Center (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network). Excluding last month’s loss against Iowa State, which was played as a nonconference affair, Monday’s battle will mark CU’s first Big 12 game since bolting for the Pac-12 following a loss against Kansas on March 11, 2011 in the Big 12 tournament semifinals. It will be the first Big 12 game at the Events Center since CU topped Nebraska in the 2010-11 regular season finale on March 5, 2011. CU head coach Tad Boyle, who played in the Big Eight (which later expanded to the Big 12) during his college days at Kansas, knows there will not be any easy wins in the 20-game league slate. And it will be a far more physically challenging schedule than any of the 13 seasons in the Pac-12. “I just know it’s a very physical league, there’s no doubt about that,” Boyle said. “The coaches and the programs are different, other than Utah, Arizona and Arizona State,” Boyle said. “The personnel is different. Playing against a TJ Otzelberger-coached team is different than playing against a Dana Altman-coached team. Both really good coaches. Both really good programs. It’s just different styles. Adjusting to those styles we’ll take on a game-by-game basis. The great thing about the Big 12 is you don’t have the quick turnaround like you do in the Pac-12. You usually have two days of prep time. Which is helpful as a staff playing against new coaches and new programs.” As of Friday, 14 of the Big 12’s 16 teams were in the top 81 of the NET rankings. Six were in the top 20, tying the SEC for the most in the country. Fifteen Big 12 teams began Friday in the top 90 at KenPom.com, including three in the top eight and five of the top 20. It’s a similar story in the Associated Press Top 25. Iowa State leads the Big 12 rankings, with Kansas (No. 7), Houston (No. 15), Cincinnati (No. 17) and Baylor (No. 25) also landing spots in this week’s poll. West Virginia, Arizona State and Texas Tech all received votes. Colorado has hosted just eight ranked opponents over the past six seasons combined. CU may not quite reached that total over the next two months, but it will be close. The early results have done nothing to diminish the Big 12’s stature nationally. West Virginia and Arizona State, both of which visit the Events Center in January, have been the league’s pleasant surprises while the expected front-runners, like Kansas and Iowa State, have flashed their Final Four potential. “It’s an exciting moment for sure,” CU graduate transfer Trevor Baskin said. “It’s a very big welcome to the Big 12, playing the third-ranked team in the country. It’s fitting and I’m excited for it. This is the start of our second season now and our goal is to go 1-0.”Global stocks end mostly up with DAX crossing 20,000 for 1st time

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A severe outbreak of norovirus, the stomach flu, is surging across the United States as it has reached its highest levels for this time of year in over a decade, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ). Newsweek has reached out to the CDC via email for comment. Why It Matters Norovirus, the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., is a highly contagious virus responsible for nearly 58 percent of foodborne infections annually, according to the CDC. A tiny dose of just 10 viral particles can make a person ill, making it one of the most easily transmissible pathogens. In addition, there are about 2,500 norovirus outbreaks reported annually in the U.S. The infection manifests suddenly, with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, headaches, body aches, and fever. While most people recover within one to three days, the virus takes a significant toll, leading to an estimated 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths annually in the U.S., particularly among older adults and young children. What To Know According to the CDC, during the week of December 5 alone, 91 outbreaks were reported—an alarming increase from the 69 recorded in late November. This rise surpasses previous seasonal records, which topped out at 65 outbreaks during the same period in recent years. This marks the largest number of cases during this period since at least 2012. This data, sourced from only 15 states, also suggests prevalence may be even higher. Outbreaks typically occur from November to April, peaking in winter months, and are often seen in high-density settings like cruise ships, nursing homes, jails, and schools. However, experts attribute this spike partly to more states participating in the monitoring program and increased social interactions after years of pandemic restrictions. How Does It Spread? Norovirus spreads through direct contact with infected individuals or through contaminated food, water, and surfaces. Shared eating utensils and close-contact settings further accelerate transmission, further highlighting the virus's capacity to quickly spark widespread outbreaks. Who Is Most at Risk? While anyone can contract norovirus, the most vulnerable groups include young children, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Dehydration, caused by persistent vomiting and diarrhea, is a primary concern. Symptoms of severe dehydration include reduced urination, dry mouth, dizziness, and, in children, increased fussiness and tearless crying. Immediate medical attention is recommended for those experiencing these symptoms. How to Treat Norovirus While the number of norovirus cases across the U.S continue, the CDC emphasizes frequent and thorough handwashing as the most effective defense. Scrub your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially before meals and after using the bathroom. Additionally, disinfecting surfaces with household cleaners can reduce the risk of viral spread. What People Are Saying Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville , Tennesse , told Fortune earlier this month that norovirus' nicknames include "winter vomiting disease" and "the cruise ship virus," as it easily spreads among those in close quarters. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association , also told Fortune earlier this month, "It doesn't take a lot to get people pretty sick. That's the main reason it's so infectious." What Happens Next Although there is no specific vaccine to treat norovirus, Moderna has begun trials for a potential vaccine. Health experts advise individuals to be up to date on annual flu shots and for those already experiencing symptoms of norovirus to stay hydrated.

The drubbing Democrats took in Pennsylvania in this year's election has prompted predictable vows to rebound, but it has also sowed doubts about whether Pennsylvania might be leaving the ranks of up-for-grabs swing states for a right-leaning existence more like Ohio's. The introspection over voters' rejection of Democrats comes amid growing speculation about Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as a contender for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. Widely expected to seek reelection in the 2026 mid-terms, Shapiro was considered a rising star in the party even before he garnered heavy national attention for making Vice President Kamala Harris' shortlist of candidates for running mates. Some Pennsylvania Democrats say 2024’s losses are, at least in part, attributable to voters motivated specifically by President-elect Donald Trump . Many of those voters won't show up if Trump isn't on the ballot, the theory goes, leaving Pennsylvania's status as the ultimate swing state intact. “I don’t think it’s an indicator for Pennsylvania,” said Jamie Perrapato, executive director of Turn PA Blue, which helps organize and train campaign volunteers. “I’ll believe it when these people come out and vote in any elections but for the presidency.” Pennsylvania's status as the nation's premier battleground state in 2024 was unmistakable: political campaigns dropped more money on campaign ads than in any other state, according to data from ad-tracking firm AdImpact. Plenty of that money was spent by Democrats, but their defeat was across the board. Democrats in Pennsylvania lost its 19 presidential electoral votes, a U.S. Senate seat, three other statewide races, two congressional seats and what was once a reassuring advantage in voter registration. Some of those losses were particularly notable: Democrats hadn’t lost Pennsylvania's electoral votes and a Senate incumbent in the same year since 1880. The defeat of three-term Sen. Bob Casey is especially a gut-punch for Democrats: the son of a former governor has served in statewide office since 1997. An echo of what happened everywhere The same debate that Democrats are having nationally over Harris’ decisive loss is playing out in Pennsylvania, with no agreement on what caused them to be so wrong. Some blamed President Joe Biden , a Pennsylvania native, for backtracking on his promise not to run for reelection. Some blamed the party’s left wing and some blamed Harris, saying she tried to woo Republican voters instead of focusing on pocketbook issues that were motivating working-class voters. In Pennsylvania, finger-pointing erupted in the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia — where Trump significantly narrowed his 2020 deficit — between the city's Democratic Party chair and a Harris campaign adviser. The nation’s sixth-most populous city is historically a driver of Democratic victories statewide, but Harris' margin there was the smallest of any Democratic presidential nominee since John Kerry's in 2004, and turnout there was well below the statewide average. Rural Democrats suggested the party left votes on the table in their regions, too. Some said Harris hurt herself by not responding forcefully enough in the nation’s No. 2 natural gas state against Trump's assertions that she would ban fracking . Ed Rendell, the former two-term governor of Pennsylvania and ex-Democratic National Committee chair, said Trump had the right message this year and that Harris didn’t have enough time on the campaign trail to counter it. Still, Rendell said Pennsylvania remains very much a swing state. “I wouldn’t go crazy over these election results,” Rendell said. “It’s still tight enough to say that in 2022 the Democrats swept everything and you would have thought that things looked pretty good for us, and this time we almost lost everything.” That year, Shapiro won the governor’s office by nearly 15%, John Fetterman was the only candidate in the nation to flip a U.S. Senate seat despite suffering a stroke in the midst of his campaign, and Democrats captured control of the state House of Representatives for the first time in a dozen years. Bethany Hallam, an Allegheny County council member who is part of a wave of progressive Democrats to win office around Pittsburgh in recent years, said the party can fix things before Pennsylvania becomes Ohio. But she cautioned against interpreting 2024 as a one-time blip, saying it would be a mistake to think Trump voters will never be heard from again. “They’re going to be more empowered to keep voting more,” Hallam said. “They came out, finally exercised their votes and the person they picked won. ... I don’t think this was a one-off thing.” The ever-changing political landscape Shapiro, assuming he seeks another term in 2026, would likely benefit from a mid-term backlash that has haunted the party in power — in this case, Republicans and Trump — in nearly every election since World War II. The political landscape never stays the same, and voters two years from now will be reacting to a new set of factors: the state of the economy, the ups and downs of Trump's presidency, events no one sees coming. Rendell predicted that Trump’s public approval ratings will be badly damaged — below 40% — even before he takes office. Democrats, meanwhile, fully expect Republicans to come after Shapiro in an effort to damage any loftier ambitions he may have. They say they’ll be ready. “He’s on the MAGA radar,” said Michelle McFall, the Westmoreland County Democratic Party chair. “He’s a wildly popular governor in what is still the most important battleground state ... and we’re going to make sure we’re in fighting shape to hold that seat.” In 2025, partisan control of the state Supreme Court will be up for grabs when three Democratic justices elected a decade ago must run to retain their seats in up-or-down elections without an opponent. Republicans have it marked on their calendars. Democrats will go into those battles with their narrowest voter registration edge in at least a half-century. What was an advantage of 1.2 million voters in 2008, the year Barack Obama won the presidency, is now a gap of fewer than 300,000. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that, since the 2020 presidential election, Republican gains weren’t because Republicans registered more new voters. Rather, the GOP’s gains were from more Democrats switching their registration to Republican, a third party or independent, as well as more inactive Democratic voters being removed from registration rolls, the researchers reported. Democrats have won more statewide elections in the past 25 years, but the parties are tied in that category in the five elections from 2020 through 2024. Daniel Hopkins, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said it is hard to predict that Pennsylvania is trending in a particular direction, since politics are evolving and parties that lose tend to adapt. Even when Democrats had larger registration advantages, Hopkins said, Republicans competed on a statewide playing field. Hopkins said Democrats should be worried that they lost young voters and Hispanic voters to Trump, although the swing toward the GOP was relatively muted in Pennsylvania. Trump’s 1.8 percentage-point victory was hardly a landslide, he noted, and it signals that Pennsylvania will be competitive moving forward. “I don’t think that the registration numbers are destiny,” Hopkins said. “That’s partly because even with Democrats losing their registration advantage, whichever party can win the unaffiliated voters by a healthy margin will carry the state.”South Korea's martial law confusion deepens caution

Red Bulls go into MLS Cup final with distinctly Canadian flavour in front office With Marc de Grandpre as president and GM and Julian de Guzman as sporting director, the New York Red Bulls come with a distinctly Canadian flavour. Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press Dec 6, 2024 12:32 PM Dec 6, 2024 1:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message The New York Red Bulls celebrate their championship after beating Orlando City in an MLS Eastern Conference finals soccer match, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Kevin Kolczynski With Marc de Grandpre as president and GM and Julian de Guzman as sporting director, the New York Red Bulls come with a distinctly Canadian flavour. On Saturday, both will be cheering on their team as it takes on the Los Angeles Galaxy, led by former Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney, in the MLS Cup final in Carson, Calif. De Grandpre is in his second stint with the Major League Soccer club while de Guzman, a Toronto native and former Canada captain, joined the front office in February. "We're all excited. This is a big moment for the club," said de Grandpre, a Montreal native. "We haven't been here since 2008 (when the Red Bulls lost 3-1 to Columbus in their first final appearance). "This is like a Game 7 ultimately and we're going to leave it all out there and hope for the best," he added. "We're very proud of the team, the players and where we're at. (Saturday), I guess, before kickoff anxiety will kick in but we have to enjoy the moment. These are not moments that occur every year or every other year. We're lucky, fortunate and we're grateful to be here and we'll soak it all in as an organization." While the fourth-place Galaxy (19-8-7) finished 12 places and 17 points ahead of the Red Bulls (11-9-14) in the overall league standings, one can argue the New Yorkers arrive at Dignity Health Sports Park as the team of destiny. Entering the playoffs as the seventh-ranked team in the Eastern Conference, the Red Bulls are the lowest-ever seed to reach the MLS championship game. The Red Bulls started the season with just one loss in their first 10 league outings (4-1-5) and went unbeaten in their first 12 league outings at Red Bull Arena (7-0-5) before losing 2-0 to Philadelphia on Aug. 31. But they limped into the playoffs after winning just one of their last nine regular-season outings (1-5-3). The lone win (4-1) during that run came Oct. 2 at lowly Toronto. De Grandpre points to the break for the Leagues Cup, which ran July 26 to Aug. 25, for the loss of form during that run. The Red Bulls played just two Leagues Cup games, losing to Toronto and Mexico's Pachuca both on penalty kicks, with a 25-day pause before resuming MLS play. "The team managed to persevere, stay resilient and get us into the playoffs," said de Grandpre. "And they're true to the form they were showing early in the season. "It's a group of players who truly enjoy being with each other, love each (other), care for each other and have totally embraced what (German coach) Sandro (Schwarz) has brought to the table in terms of culture and the way we approach the matches. You can feel it in the room. It's a special group of people." The Red Bulls are making the most of their record 15th-straight post-season appearance. They started the playoffs with a bang, upsetting defended champion and second-seeded Columbus 1-0 on the road and then via penalty shootout in Harrison, N.J., to win the best-of-three first-round series. They went on to dispatch No. 6 New York City FC 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinal and No. 4 Orlando City 1-0 in the conference final. The Red Bulls have made sure their fans will be on hand to cheer on the team. The club bought almost 2,000 tickets for members of its supporters groups and season-ticket holders as well as for its front office, custodial and security staff from its stadium and training facility, and food and beverage partners. "We want to make sure we reward our fans and that our most important human capital is with us — our staff, the people who make it happen ever day. We want to reward them as well," said de Grandpre. Some 700 members of the Red Bulls supporters groups also each received US$300 as well as a ticket to help defray travel costs. De Grandpre started with Bauer Hockey in Montreal and then, after graduate school in the U.S., became one of the first marketing employees for Red Bull North America in late 1999. In 2006, when the Austria-based energy drink giant bought the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, de Grandpre was tasked with rebranding the franchise to the Red Bulls. He spent two years as the team's managing director before moving on to Qualcomm (wireless technology), Imax (immersive cinema) and KIND (healthy snack foods), rejoining the Red Bulls in April 2014 as GM. "Ever since then, it's been a pleasurable experience, very rewarding. I've surrounded myself and the organization with the best talent in the business," he said. "And I believe that is why we are here today. It's been a long road, but the right way to get there, that's for sure." In 2015, de Grandpre was honoured with the league's Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year award. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. Follow @NeilMDavidson on the X platform. Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National Sports T-minus-zero in Vancouver as Taylor Swift and fans prepare for final Eras Tour shows Dec 6, 2024 12:37 PM Goveia brings passion to for football to new role as Ticats GM Dec 6, 2024 12:00 PM All-star Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko returns to lineup as backup Dec 6, 2024 11:26 AM Featured Flyer