Lionel Messi Named Finalist for Major League Soccer’s 2024 MLS MVP Award

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Lionel Messi is in the running for Major League Soccer’s highest player award.

The 37-year-old Argentine professional footballer has been named a finalist for the 2024 MLS MVP award, joining his Inter Miami CF teammate Luis Suárez, as well as Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández, Portland Timbers’ Evander and D.C. United’s Christian Benteke on the list.Lionel Messi Each player met the new qualifying regulations that require a minimum of 1,000 minutes played in the regular season campaign.

Messi earned his second nomination for the award since joining MLS in July 2023. Though the forward failed to win the award last season, he’s being considered the leading candidate in 2024 after contributing 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 games. 

Despite concerns over his lack of participation throughout the 34-match campaign, playing only 55% of games, teammate Jordi Alba has insisted that Messi must win MVP.

“Regarding Leo, I repeat myself, every time you ask me, I think he deserves all the awards they can give him, I think he is the best player in the world, with a lot of intensity compared to the rest and until he retires,” he said on Friday. “I’m sure he’ll win the MVP and if he doesn’t win it, well, it’s no longer anyone’s decision, it’s the people who vote but hey, for me he’s the best.”

Messi’s contributions in 2024 propelled Inter Miami to lift the Supporters’ Shield and set the new league record for most points recorded in a single season.

Suárez, on the other hand, has recorded 20 goals and nine assists in 27 games in his first MLS season after joining Inter Miami in December 2023. He also stands as a finalist for Newcomer of the Year.

The forward adjusted quickly, tying for second place on the Golden Boot rankings with Messi and Dénis Bouanga. Together, Messi and Suárez account for 40 of the team’s 79 goals this season.

Benteke won the Golden Boot with 23 goals this season, but his D.C. United team failed to make the MLS Playoffs, while Evander impressed in the Western Conference with15 goals and 19 assists before the Timbers fell 5-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps in Wednesday’s wild-card match.

Hernández, the reigning MLS Cup MVP, propelled the Columbus Crew to second place on the Eastern Conference table with 19 goals and 14 assists.

Other award finalists include: Chris Armas (Colorado Rapids), Gerardo “Tata” Martino (Inter Miami CF) and Wilfried Nancy (Columbus Crew) for Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year.

Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati), Gabriel Pec (LA Galaxy) and Suárez (Inter Miami CF) were announced for MLS Newcomer of the Year, and Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew) and Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders FC) for Defender of the Year.

Carlos Torres to Make World Series Debut as Member of Umpire Crew

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Carlos Torres is preparing to make his World Series debut…

The 46-year-old Venezuelan professional umpire, who made his Major League Baseball debut in 2015 as a fill-in umpire, will work his first-ever Fall Classic.

Carlos TorresTorres will be joined by Mark Carlson, who has been named the World Series umpire crew chief, Andy Fletcher and Mark Ripperger.

Torres will work the plate for the opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium, MLB officials said Thursday.

Carlson will be at first base for Game 1 on Friday night, joined by Doug Eddings at second, Ripperger at third, Chad Fairchild in left and Todd Tichenor in right. Fletcher will be the reserve umpire.

All nine umpires worked in the Division Series.

Torres previously worked the MLB All-Star Game in 2022 and the World Baseball Classic in 2023, among other special assignments.

New York Yankees to Start Lefty Carlos Rodon for Game 2 of the World Series

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Carlos Rodon is getting a (fresh) start

The New York Yankees will start the 31-year-old Cuban American left-handed pitcher for Game 2 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

Carlos RodonRodon has started three games this postseason including Games 1 and 5 against the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Championship Series.

Overall, he’s 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA in 14⅓ innings in October.

He gave up just three runs in 10⅔ innings against Cleveland in the ALCS.

During the regular season, Rodon was better at home than on the road, posting a 4.69 mark away from Yankees Stadium compared to a 3.11 ERA in New York.

Righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto will oppose Rodon in Game 2.

Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole face each other in Game 1 on Friday at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles Dodgers to Honor Fernando Valenzuela with Special Patch During World Series

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to honor franchise great Fernando Valenzuela.

The team will honor the late Mexican-American professional baseball pitcher with a jersey patch in the World Series and during the 2025 season.

Fernando Valenzuela,The Dodgers unveiled the patch on Thursday — a circular design with a black background, his name in white and a large No. 34 in Dodger Blue.

Valenzuela, who sparked a fan phenomenon known as “Fernandomania” as a rookie and became a Dodgers legend, died Tuesday evening at age 63.

No cause of death was given.

Valenzuela pitched for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990, then had stints with the Los Angeles Angels (1991), Baltimore Orioles (1993), Philadelphia Phillies (1994), San Diego Padres (1995-97) and St. Louis Cardinals (1997).

Fernando Valenzuela World Series PatchHe finished with a 173-153 record, a 3.54 ERA and 2,074 strikeouts in 2,930 innings over 453 games (424 starts).

He riveted Southern California in 1981, when as a 20-year-old from Mexico he went 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA in 25 starts, throwing 11 complete games — eight of them shutouts — to win both Rookie of the Year and the National League Cy Young Award.

The Dodgers won the World Series against the New York Yankees that season — their opponent in this year’s World Series — and Valenzuela was 3-1 with a 2.21 ERA in five starts in that postseason.

After pitching in the majors for 17 seasons, Valenzuela served as a Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers, starting in 2003. He had stepped away from his broadcasting duties before the start of these playoffs to “focus on his health,” the team said.

Netflix Releases New Trailer for Season 6, Part 2 of Xolo Maridueña’s “Cobra Kai”

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Xolo Maridueña is preparing for a final karate chop…

Netflix has released he new trailer for the second half of the sixth and final season of Cobra Kai, starring the 23-year-old Mexican, Cuban and Ecuadorian American actor.

Xolo MaridueñaIn Season 6, Part 2, which will consist of five episodes that will all be available to binge on November 15, the cast goes international as the series arrives in Barcelona for the Sekai Taikai.

From creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg, Cobra Kai takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament from The Karate Kid with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka).

In the penultimate installment of the hit series, Miyagi-Do faces new challenges and old enemies as they fight to become world champions — can they stay united as internal rivalries bubble back to the surface?

There will be an ultimate face-off between Johnny and John Kreese (Martin Kove), at least for OG The Karate Kid fans. Sensei Kreese has been unable to give up the dream of reuniting with his former student Johnny, who the former considers as the one who got away. Kreese has attempted and failed to find a suitable replacement for Johnny in his Cobra Kai-focused life, and it’s about time Johnny proves that the student has not only surpassed his sensei but is a much better person for it.

Kreese may find it warm and cozy on the dark side, but Johnny has found love, friendship and fulfillment are part of the perks of basking in the light. He even mended fences and became basically a brother to his longtime nemesis, Daniel, a situation which may have shocked longtime fans more than the characters themselves. What will become of Kreese is only one of the major mysteries that will stress out viewers until there’s a resolution. Whether that will transpire in Part 2 or 3 is as yet unknown.

New players are joining the fold including Lewis Tan as “Sensei Wolf;” Patrick Luwis as “Axel Kovacevic” and Rayna Vallandingham as “Zara Malik.”

Part 2’s trailer reveals more about their characters and whether or not they’re involved in the Sekai Taikai. It’s worth noting Tan is a real-life martial arts expert.

A different recently released photo of the show reveals an awkward face-off between Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto) and Kim Da-eun (Alicia Hannah-Kim) is ahead. Looking at their faces there’s an uncomfortable tension and connection that makes me shiver. Is it love? Is it hate? I’m not even sure I want to know…

Even with all of the above, the core kids including Miguel (Maridueña), Robby (Tanner Buchanan), Samantha (Mary Mouser), Hawk (Jacob Bertrand), Tory (Peyton List), Kenny (Dallas Dupree Young) and Demetri (Gianni DeCenzo), to name a few, still have a lot of blood, sweat and tears in their immediate future. Kiai!

Seasons 1-6 Part 1 are currently available to stream via Netflix.

Sony Pictures Classics to Premiere Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door” in New York & Los Angeles This December

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Pedro Almodóvar’s highly acclaimed English debut film will opening in the U.S. in December.

Sony Pictures Classics has announced the release date for the 75-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning filmmaker’s acclaimed festival title, The Room Next Door, which premiered in Venice.

Pedro AlmodóvarWritten and directed by Almodóvar, who has long been in business with the studio, The Room Next Door will be released in New York and Los Angeles theaters on December 20 and expand to select cities on January 10 before opening nationwide on January 17.

Taking home the top prize of the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival, The Room Next Door, starring Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton and John Turturro, marks Almodóvar’s first English-language feature.

The film follows Ingrid (Moore) and Martha (Swinton), who were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine. Ingrid went on to become an autofiction novelist while Martha became a war reporter, and they were separated by the circumstances of life. After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation.

The Late Jerry Garcia & His Grateful Dead Band Mates Named MusiCares’ 2025 Persons of the Year

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The late Jerry Garcia is getting a special posthumous honor…

The half-Spanish American singer/songwriter/guitarist and his Grateful Dead band mates have been named as the 2025 Persons of the Year by MusiCares, with the band’s original members due to be feted at the organization’s annual gala concert and dinner on January 31, two days prior to the Grammys.

Jerry GarciaThe honor will effectively kick off what may turn out to be a yearlong celebration of the 60th anniversary of the group’s founding. As always, the fundraiser for this charitable arm of the Recording Academy will culminate in a series of all-star performances covering the honoree’s catalog.

The evening will take place in its usual location in a vast ballroom at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

In the 33-year history of MusiCares events, this marks only the third time that a superstar group has been selected for the honor instead of an individual. The previous bands chosen were Fleetwood Mac in 2018 and Aerosmith in 2020.

It’s the first time that someone no longer among the living will be officially celebrated as part of the tribute. Garcia, who died in 1995 at the age of 53, will get his posthumous due during the evening, along with the four living Dead members from the original lineup — Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bobby Weir.

Grateful Dead, Jerry GarciaThe four musicians have played in spinoff groups since Garcia’s passing, with Weir and Hart continuing to be active as mainstays of Dead & Company.

That outfit officially retired from touring after a 2023 outing, but went on to play a ravenously well-received residency at Sphere in Las Vegas from May through August of this year.

Fans are hoping for a return engagement or some other live commemoration in the coming year to help mark the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead.

Don Was, who just served as musical director of last week’s Robbie Robertson tribute at the Kia Forum, will take up MD duties again for this event. Returning as producers are Lewis & Clark, a live event broadcast outfit made up of Joe Lewis and R.A. Clark.

Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares, said in a statement that the Dead’s legacy “transcends music, having built a community of fans and collaborators that embody the spirit of connection and support, something that is deeply aligned with MusiCares’ mission.

The band’s passion for the arts and philanthropy, along with their enduring commitment to social causes, has made a lasting impact that goes beyond the stage. It is a privilege to celebrate their contributions to both music and humanity.”

The Dead will be following in the footsteps of MusiCares’ 2024 honoree, Jon Bon Jovi, and a three-decade-long list of previous recipients that includes Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Bono, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Billy Joel, Sting, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Paul Simon.

Hart, Kreutzmann, Lesh and Weir collectively issued a statement that said in part, “We are deeply honored to be recognized as MusiCares Persons of the Year. This honor is truly a testament to the legacy of the music, which has always been bigger than us — it’s about the connection between us, the crew, and all those who’ve been on this long strange trip. It’s not just about what we create, but about making sure the people behind it, behind us every night, the ones who quietly make it all happen, get the support they need to keep going, no matter what life throws at them. We’re grateful to stand with MusiCares and hope everyone continues to support this vital mission to ensure music thrives in perpetuity.”

MusiCares cited the group’s charitable efforts as one reason for their selection, noting how “Garcia’s involvement with the Rex Foundation, Hart’s work in music therapy and brain health, Weir’s advocacy for addressing climate change and combating poverty, Kreutzmann’s ocean conservation efforts, and Lesh’s Unbroken Chain Foundation underscore the band’s commitment to making a difference beyond the stage.”

MusiCares’ mission is to offer musicians in need a network of preventive, emergency and recovery programs.

Natanael Cano Among Headliners for 2025 Installment of Mexico City’s Axe Ceremonia Festival

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Natanael Cano has a special axe to grind.

The 23-year-old Mexican rapper and singer will serve as one of the headlining acts for the 2025 edition of the Axe Ceremonia festival, which will take place April 5-6 at Parque Bicentenario in Mexico City, Mexico.

Natanael CanoCano is among a roster of headliners that includes Massive Attack, Tyler, the Creator, Charli XCX, Nathy Peluso, Parcels, Gesaffelstein, Fka Twigs, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Meme del Real (Café Tacvba’s keyboard player).

The Marías, Hanumankind, A.G. Cook, NSQK, The Dare, Simpson Ahuevo and Brutalism 300 are other acts announced as part of the lineup for the festival, which has established itself as a cultural celebration featuring the best and most representative bands and soloists of the local and international scene.

Tickets were made available on Ticketmaster in a presale for CITIBANAMEX cardholders on Wednesday (Oct. 23), with the general sale beginning a day later, announced promoter Eco Live, which produces the event in collaboration with the Mexican promoter Ocesa.

The Axe Ceremonia, which will be celebrating its 12th edition, has become an interesting option within the circuit of major music festivals in Mexico, providing a space for diverse voices and multi-generational sounds, offering the freshest from the global scene on its lineup.

In the words of its promoters: “AXE Ceremonia is a platform that drives creative communities, cutting-edge talent and social activists so that their projects and ideas can reach a broader audience.”

Past editions have included global music stars such as Björk, Rosalía, Kendrick Lamar, LCD Soundsystem, Travis Scott, James Blake, Wu-Tang Clan, A$AP Rocky, Aphex Twin, Snoop Dogg, Animal Collective, Underworld, Nicolas Jaar and Fuerza Regida.

Feid Earns 11th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay Chart with “Sorry 4 That Much”

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It’s Lucky No. 11 for Feid.

The 32-year-old Colombian singer, songwriter and record producer has earned his 11th No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Airplay chart, and sixth this year, as “Sorry 4 That Much” rises 2-1 to lead the October 26-dated tally.

Feid“Sorry 4 That Much” leads thanks to a 6% gain in audience impressions, to 6.6 million, earned in the U.S. during the October 11-17 tracking week, according to Luminate.

As the song lands at the summit, it ejects J Balvin and Chencho Corleone’s “Polvo de Tu Vida” from the lead, after the latter falls with an 11% dip in audience, to 5.8 million.

Of the 16 No. 1s on Latin Rhythm Airplay in 2024, only five were by a soloist, unaccompanied by any other collaborator — including “Sorry 4 That Much.”

Here’s a review of that elite group:

Artist, Title, Peak Date, Weeks at No. 1
Bad Bunny, “Monaco,” Jan. 27, one
Myke Towers, “La Falda,” Feb. 24, one
Ozuna, “Baccarat,” March 30, one
Venesti, “Es Normal,” July 27, two
Feid, “Sorry 4 That Much,” Oct. 26

“Sorry 4 That Much” takes Feid to his sixth straight No. 1 on Latin Rhythm Airplay, and all have come in 2024 — the most No. 1s of any act this year.

Elsewhere, Feid nearly misses the No. 1 on the overall Latin Airplay chart, where “Sorry 4 That Much” jumps 3-2, just behind Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” for the latter’s 14th week in the lead.

Feid’s new achievement lands on the heels of the Billboard Latin Music Awards 2024, where the Colombian became a finalist in 11 categories, including Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year.

Oscar Isaac Officially Starring in Season Two of Netflix’s “Beef” Anthology Series

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Oscar Isaac is officially beefing up his resume…

Netflix has confirmed it is moving forward with a second season of its anthology series Beef, with the 45-year-old Cuban-Guatemalan actors among the cast members for the new installment.

Oscar IsaacIsaac will be joined by Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny for the new season.

In Season 2, a young couple witnesses an alarming fight between their boss and his wife, triggering chess moves of favors and coercion in the elitist world of a country club and its Korean billionaire owner.

Further Season 2 details will be revealed at a later time.

The first season of Beef starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, premiered in 2023 and went on to win a slew of awards including eight Emmy Awards, four Critics Choice Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, two Gotham Awards, two Film Independent Spirit Awards, two SAG Awards, as well as PGA, WGA and AFI Honors.

In the first season, Yeun and Wong play two strangers whose lives collide in a strange way after they’re involved in a road rage incident. The story is based off Lee’s personal experience with a road rage incident.

The upcoming installment will consist of eight 30-minutes episodes with Lee Sung Jin returning as creator, showrunner and executive producer. Yeun, Wong and Jake Schreier also executive produce. A24 is the studio.

Isaac earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in HBO’s Scenes From a Marriage.

He recently wrapped production on Julian Schnabel’s Hand of Dante, starring opposite Jason Momoa, as well as Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein movie in which he plays Doctor Frankenstein.