Archive October 2, 2025

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Are undefeated Bills and Eagles destined to meet in Super Bowl?

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Week four of the NFL 2025 season

Although we don’t want to criticize it too soon, I did consider this to be a Super Bowl matchup.

In fact, NFL analyst Phoebe Schecter foresaw the Buffalo Bills’ clash with the Philadelphia Eagles in the title game.

The only teams with a 100% record still in play are Buffalo and the defending champions Philadelphia, who were not on the outside looking in 2025.

Why might Bills’ year be the “storybook year”?

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Josh Allen, the most valuable player of the last season, leads Buffalo, and while they have been more convincing thus far, Philly have had a tougher schedule.

Before claiming comfortable victories over the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, and New Orleans Saints, the Bills defeated Baltimore Ravens with a field goal as time expired.

This team has evolved over the past few years, according to Schecter, a former Bills assistant coach. Their quarterback, Josh Allen, is in charge of everything. He is the engine in all.

The Bills’ offensive line is also fantastic, she said. It allows [running back] James Cook to be that guy, but what makes these teams so great is how well they handle the football. Both of them do incredibly well in that regard.

In their final regular-season game at Highmark Stadium, the Bills will face them in a potential Super Bowl dress rehearsal in Week 17. Both teams have given the ball away just once this year, and they will meet in that situation before the Bills move to their new stadium.

With this final appearance at Highmark Stadium, the Bills may think, “let’s just stay healthy and see where this goes,” but there are always those who think, “let’s just stay healthy and see where this goes,” said Schecter.

How do Eagles find winning strategies?

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Philly fans are still not getting carried away at this point. First, because they are familiar with winning two of the previous three Super Bowls, which gave the Kansas City Chiefs a three-peat in February.

The Eagles haven’t been at their best on offense or defense, but they do tend to have the fewest turnovers each week and are usually the team that wins the game.

The Eagles play a conservative style of offence because they have won 20 of their previous 21 games and [they have had] 42 takeaways and only nine giveaways, according to Eagles reporter Andrew DiCecco.

The Eagles are finding ways to win, despite the offence not yet meeting expectations. Simply put, their DNA is strong. You have to wonder, “How sustainable is that? Because they’re winning games in an unconventional way? ” But I believe that demonstrates just how diverse this team is.

The Philadelphia Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers all lost to Philly, but they were all one-score games.

Although the Eagles’ special teams unit has had quiet starts this year, it has been a difficult two weeks for them to stop three straight kicks and return two for touchdowns.

DiCecco praised Michael Clay, the Eagles’ special teams coordinator, as one of the best in the industry.

Every year, unlike offence and defense, where there is more consistency, players are assigned to special teams. Starting players for the Eagles compete on special teams. You can go out there and make plays because there is a collective buy-in and a vested interest from these players.

How the “Tush Push” is evolving

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The “Tush Push” play, a variation of the traditional quarterback sneak, was created by Philly’s head coach Nick Sirianni, where players assist in pushing the quarterback for a short-yardage touchdown in short-yardage situations.

Although 22 team owners voted against the play being banned in May, the Eagles have mastered it, so it was insufficient to ban the Tush Push.

However, Philly are now producing “fake Tush Push” plays that start out similar but turn out to be different. Jalen Hurts returned the ball for Barkley to score a walk-in touchdown on one of these plays on Sunday.

Teams are attempting to sell out, according to DiCecco. However, the plays the Eagles are able to now escape cause a lot more options and makes defenses compelled to defend themselves knowing they have other plays to take into account.”

It’s fantastic, I think. It forces you to engage in various game-planning strategies, Schecter continued.

Teams are keeping their heels defensively on their heels by adding those little tidbits to the Tush Push. They are asking themselves, “Will they actually go up the middle?” Will they give it away? Will it be a play in progress? This is the NFL’s genius with its tactics, I mean.

Buffalo host New England on Sunday, while Denver will be the next team to attempt to stop the Tush Push.

When you get to the fifth week, you really get a good sense of a team’s identity on both sides of the ball, DiCecco said.

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Weekly sports quiz: What’s special about Kane’s 100 Bayern goals?

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In the past seven days, Harry Kane scored twice, Red Roses were successful, and Ryder Cup heroics have all been recorded.

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US government shutdown continues, as Trump cuts funds for Democratic states

Republicans and Democrats have blocked rival stopgap spending bills for a second straight day, which has hindered progress made by US lawmakers in putting an end to the partial shutdown of the government.

The US Senate on Wednesday rejected the duelling proposals by margins, which were ineffective and mirrored similar efforts the day before.

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In a 55-45 vote, the Republican proposal to extend government funding ended on November 21.

The bill was supported on Tuesday by two Democrats, one of whom is an independent, Angus King of Maine, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.

The Democrats’ bill, which sets up new healthcare spending at $1.5 trillion, received 53 votes for and 47 against, with all Republicans once more opposed.

Donald Trump’s victory came as US President Donald Trump kept his promise to start cutting costs to Democrats as a result of the shutdown, which has halted some government services and forced essential employees to report to work without pay on the back of the promise of being paid later.

The administration will freeze $ 26 billion in infrastructure funding earmarked for Democratic-run states, according to Russell T. Vought, the budget director of the White House.

Vought alleged that conservatives have harshly criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which have been subject to the conservatives’ harsh criticism of $ 18 billion for transportation projects in New York City.

Vought reported that 16 states, including California, Washington, and Hawaii, had also received $ 8 billion in “Green New Scam funding.”

Trump’s administration officials also gave the president a hint that he would follow through on his earlier threat to use the shutdown to start a mass layoff.

US Vice President JD Vance stated at a White House press briefing that “we will have to lay off people.”

“We’re going to have to save money in some places to prevent other places from providing essential services.”

The economy is already being harmed by the shutdown, according to Stephanie Leiser, a lecturer in public policy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

We need to keep in mind that the uncertainty is already putting us at risk in terms of delayed investment/spending, higher borrowing costs, depletion of reserves, and administrative burdens, Leiser said.

Instead of making plans for the future, everyone spends all of their time making up scenarios and worrying about the upcoming weeks and months.

Republicans and Democrats appeared to be reluctant to compromise as the shutdown passed its second day.

Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Senate Minority, claimed that Trump “threatening pain on the country as blackmail” and that he had lied to Americans about how he handled them.

He claimed that the public’s demands were reflected in Democrats’ efforts to repeal and replace the Medicaid cuts contained in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Nothing more, please. Nothing less. They want us to convene to discuss a real solution that removes this enormous burden from their shoulders, Schumer&nbsp said.

Democrats were to blame, according to Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

In a post on X, Thune wrote, “They have lost all reason when it comes to their hatred for President Trump.”

11 Black designers who have been overlooked in telling of fashion history

Fashion history is often told through a narrow lens, but the likes of Gabrielle Chanel, Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain are not the only ones who have shaped the industry

Fashion history is far too frequently recounted through a restrictive perspective. The names of Gabrielle Chanel, Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain are lauded for their creativity – yet there’s considerably more to fashion history than Parisian couturiers.

Interwoven throughout every period of style revolution are the concepts, craftsmanship and bravery of black designers who propelled the industry onwards.

From London’s streetwear trailblazers to the haute couture establishments of Paris and New York, their contributions have transformed not merely how garments appear but what they represent.

As Black History Month encourages us to rediscover forgotten legends, here are 11 black designers who have helped mould fashion history.

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Willi Smith

Regarded by the fashion industry as the creator of streetwear, Willi Smith merged reasonably-priced clothing with luxury, altering the course of American fashion throughout the 20th century.

Smith established his legendary brand WilliWear Ltd. in 1976 and earned over $25 million (£18.5 million) in sales by 1986, proving the appeal of his creations, which captured a cheerful and relaxed approach to fashion.

From the beginning, he aimed to create garments that were accessible, gender-neutral and grounded in what individuals were already sporting on the streets.

His vision was egalitarian. As he expressed it, “I don’t design clothes for the Queen, but for the people who wave at her as she goes by.” Though Smith passed away in 1987 aged just 39, his influence remains substantial today.

He might not always be the initial name that springs to mind when considering streetwear or sportswear, but his drive to democratise fashion and integrate style into everyday existence proved revolutionary.

Stephen Burrows

During the early Seventies, Stephen Burrows emerged as the dazzling young talent of American fashion.

Operating from a modest workshop in New York before establishing his own boutique at Henri Bendel, he transformed soft jersey into vibrant colour-blocked garments featuring his now-iconic “lettuce hem” that fluttered as the wearer moved.

His designs embodied Seventies nightlife culture: effortless, seductive and exuberant, crafted for a generation embracing liberation on the dance floor.

Burrows’ crowning achievement arrived in 1973, when he became the youngest amongst five Americans selected to present at the Battle of Versailles, the cross-Atlantic competition that established US sportswear’s reputation.

Whilst French couture remained rooted in convention, Burrows’ flowing shapes and striking colours appeared revolutionary. The ovation that evening established him as amongst the first black designers to achieve such worldwide recognition.

Patrick Kelly

An acclaimed African-American fashion designer who rose to prominence in France during the mid-Eighties, Mississippi-born Patrick Kelly became the first American admitted into the esteemed Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Kelly’s creations are celebrated for their incredibly vibrant, playful nature, drawing heavily from pop culture and black heritage.

During the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, Kelly’s reputation gained prominence through The Kelly Initiative, a collective of black industry professionals campaigning for fair employment prospects for black talent within the sector.

Growing up surrounded by quilts, buttons and his grandmother’s sewing tuition, Kelly channelled that deep-rooted connection into dynamic designs after establishing himself in Paris.

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His creations – jersey frocks in brilliant colours, decorated with clashing buttons and bows – are celebrated for their incredibly vibrant, playful nature, drawing heavily from folklore and black heritage.

By 1988, Kelly’s catwalk presentations showcased everything from flawless tailoring to extravagant showmanship – sharp flannel one moment, dramatic gardenia-adorned plunging necklines the next. However, it was his belief that fashion could simultaneously be daring, amusing and haute couture that ensured his impact endured well beyond his premature death in 1990.

READ MORE: Molly-Mae Hague walks Paris runway alongside Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne

Dapper Dan

Daniel “Dapper Dan” Day transformed Eighties storefront tailoring into something remarkable.

In 1982, he launched Dapper Dan’s Boutique on 125th Street in Manhattan – a venue where high-end brands and hip-hop culture merged. Using screen-printed versions of Gucci, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and other high-end logos on leather bombers, tracksuits and custom gowns, he remixed exclusivity into the vernacular of street style, giving power back to a community that’d long been shut out of runway rooms.

His shop became a destination for the stars of hip-hop: Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, Mike Tyson, Bobby Brown – people who weren’t just wearing fashion but embodying it.

Dapper Dan’s bold use of logos and his playful confrontation with copyright sparked legal fights, counterfeiting raids and ultimately the closure of his original shop in 1992.

Decades later, the tables turned. In a striking move, Gucci acknowledged his influence in 2017, opening a partnership and even a new atelier in Harlem in 2018.

Today, Dapper Dan stands not as an outlaw but as a founding father of luxury streetwear: someone whose audacity reshaped how fashion, status and identity intertwine.

Ozwald Boateng

In the mid-Nineties, Ozwald Boateng emerged from north London with something that felt both timeless and electric. Born in Muswell Hill to Ghanaian parents, he grew up watching his father in immaculate suits; his mother’s sewing machine taught him discipline, colour and shape.

By his early 20s he’d sold his first collection in Covent Garden, and in 1994 became the first tailor to show in Paris Fashion Week – presenting bespoke menswear in sharp, slim cuts and his signature unexpected palette.

Boateng’s suits embodied a fresh take on formal attire for a new generation. Then, in 1995, he made history by becoming the youngest tailor to open a shop on the iconic Savile Row, infusing its time-honoured traditions with his youthful energy and vibrant colours.

He masterfully blended the meticulous art of British tailoring with elements that paid homage to his roots. Over time, he dressed Hollywood celebrities, designed uniforms, collaborated with Givenchy, and showcased retrospectives in museums.

In doing so, he reinvigorated Savile Row not as a relic of the past, but as a crossroads between tradition and identity – leaving behind a style legacy that continues to echo today.

Tracy Reese

After honing her skills at the esteemed Parsons Fashion School in New York, Tracy Reese launched her eponymous collection in 1998, quickly gaining recognition for her exuberant prints, bright hues, and vintage-inspired femininity.

Her designs weren’t merely aesthetic; they carried a personal touch, encouraging women to move, mix, and celebrate their individuality and narrative.

Alongside her main line, Reese introduced diffusion lines like Plenty and Frock! to extend her design influence to broader markets. Her creations found their way into the closets of notable figures, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, which helped redefine expectations for American ready-to-wear.

In the 2010s, Reese started to reconsider how fashion could be more considerate towards the environment. She decided to shut down her larger operations and returned to Detroit, where she launched Hope for Flowers, a more sustainable venture that focuses on local production, ethical materials and community engagement.

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Virgil Abloh

Born in Chicago, designer, entrepreneur, stylist and DJ Virgil Abloh was raised in suburban Illinois by Ghanaian parents. He initially trained as an architect before transitioning into fashion through his love for music, art and a friendship with rapper Kanye West.

His unique design elements such as quotation marks, zip ties and industrial straps quickly became the go-to symbols for a generation seeking both irony and aspiration in their fashion choices. This led to the creation of Off-White in 2013.

In 2018, Abloh made history as the first black artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton, making his debut with a rainbow-coloured runway that put black models and streetwear codes at the forefront within one of the world’s oldest luxury houses. His shows were a fusion of music, art and activism, positioning designers as cultural conductors rather than just dressmakers.

Abloh’s untimely death in 2021 at the age of 41 brought a promising career to a sudden halt. However, his impact remains indelible, and he is remembered by many as one of the most brilliant creative minds of recent times.

Pharrell Williams

While you may know him for his music, Pharrell Williams also made waves in the fashion industry when he was appointed as the creative director of menswear at Louis Vuitton in 2023 – stepping into the role once held by his friend Virgil Abloh.

Fashion has always been a part of Williams’ life. During the peak of his music duo Neptunes fame in the early 2000s, he co-founded Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream with Kenzo’s artistic director Nigo, introducing Japanese streetwear concepts and skate graphics to the American mainstream.

His fashion influence saw oversized trucker hats, jewel-toned hoodies and diamond-printed trainers become integral elements of hip-hop’s new visual language – a fusion of luxury, pop culture and fun.

Williams’ debut show for Louis Vuitton transformed Paris’s Pont Neuf into a golden stage, featuring gospel choirs, superstar guests and a collection that drew on both Vuitton’s heritage and Williams’ long-standing preference for bold colour, texture and optimism.

His career demonstrates that mainstream celebrity and high-craft couture no longer exist in separate spheres: they intermingle, remix and, under his guidance, radiate happiness.

Olivier Rousteing

When Olivier Rousteing assumed control of Balmain in 2011 at the tender age of 25, it caused quite a stir across Paris. He was the youngest creative director in Paris since Yves Saint Laurent.

The Bordeaux-born designer, who was adopted as an infant by a French couple, had honed his skills at Roberto Cavalli and then within Balmain’s studio. Suddenly, he was the youngest creative director at a major French house, and one of the very few black designers to lead a historic couture brand.

His vision merged Balmain’s military-meets-glamour DNA with a modern aesthetic – crisp shoulders, beaded mini-dresses, sequinned tailoring – Rousteing perfected the craft of appealing to the digital generation: epitomised in Kim Kardashian’s viral 2016 Met Gala gown.

Rousteing constructed what he termed the “Balmain Army”: models, musicians and friends including Rihanna, Beyoncé and the Kardashians, whose presence in his campaigns and front rows provided the label with a pop-cultural energy no Paris house had witnessed before.

Well before “influencer marketing” became a buzzword, he was transforming Instagram into a catwalk and making Balmain’s elaborate pieces part of mainstream celebrity wardrobes. A decade later, Rousteing’s tale reads like a pivotal moment.

He helped steer Paris fashion away from distant tradition and towards inclusivity, diversity and digital connectivity – demonstrating how an established house could flourish in a fresh era.

Grace Wales Bonner

Primarily recognised day-to-day for her groundbreaking collaboration with Adidas that sparked the Samba trend of the 2020s, Grace Wales Bonner is renowned for adopting a heartfelt approach to tracksuit tailoring, with striking prints, textures and colours not typically found in sportswear.

Raised in South London with Jamaican and English roots, she absorbed multiple layers of culture through music, literature and Windrush narratives, which she has credited with inspiring the foundations of her work. Wales Bonner secured early acclaim, scooping the Emerging Menswear Designer gong at the British Fashion Awards in 2015 and claiming the LVMH Young Designer Prize in 2016.

Yet it’s her exhibitions, partnerships and research-driven collections that make the most profound impact. ‘A Time for New Dreams’ at the Serpentine Gallery in 2019 intertwined sound, ritual and spiritual yearning.

Her collaborations with Adidas, Dior and her curatorial endeavours haven’t merely expanded what fashion achieves but transformed who fashion serves, what heritage might represent and how identity could be woven into beauty.

Priya Ahluwalia

In 2018 Priya Ahluwalia emerged onto London’s fashion landscape, anchored in Tooting yet drawing inspiration from across the globe. Armed with Nigerian-Indian roots, she established her eponymous brand Ahluwalia straight after completing her MA in menswear, weaving heritage, narrative and sustainability into every stitch.

Surplus fabrics, vintage materials, Indian craftsmanship and Lagos influences – her design philosophy merges the intimate with the international.

“Blackness has never been authentically reflected in fashion in the West,” Ahluwalia told GQ in 2021. “European brands presented costume and it was beautiful, but none of those designers were black or brown.”

Ahluwalia’s brand quickly evolved into a channel for identity, displacement and remembrance. Her spring/summer 2021 range ‘Liberation’ featured bold prints drawn from archives and activism, and proudly referenced Black Lives Matter, Lagos culture and Bollywood/Nollywood visuals.

She has also placed sustainability at the heart of her work – upcycling, mindful sourcing, revamping instead of replacing and transforming surplus into something fresh.

Although Ahluwalia is still in the early stages of her career, she has already redefined what fashion can represent – not just a style but a story that carries accountability for its message.

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‘Ten days in Lionesses’ den and I wanted to stay forever’

Images courtesy of Getty

Wow was Liv Tchine’s first impression.

Can I stay here forever, she asked.

She added, “This will be all we own in the future.”

Although England’s prolific goal-scorer Tchine and her team-mates recently toured a top-tier sporting promised land, netball’s kingdom is modest.

These Roses players are aiming for World Cup glory in 2027 and gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2026.

They are among the top three million netball players in England who compete at least once a year, making them the vanguard of the sport’s professional era. Men play as well, but the majority of the players are women.

Instead of lamenting encroachment on netball’s ancestor’s legacy, Tchine and co. draw inspiration from the World Cup-winning Red Roses and Lionesses.

Similar to football’s Women’s Super League in the mid-2010s, the Netball Super League is now officially licensed, but funds are tight.

Players are informed of potential rewards in the future. Although not always, those rewards seem like a million miles away.

The “wow” moment for Tchine, a standout for the London Pulse side that won their first Super League title this season, occurred at the Lionesses’ luxury hangout.

In a remote, unobservable area of Derbyshire countryside, St George’s Park is located. A modest private drive off a hedge-lined B road opens the door to a world that most sportspeople would not otherwise dream of.

“Imagine if netball had this kind of facilities,” Do you realize how ill-fated that would be?

Tchine was reacting to his first visit to the Football Association’s state-of-the-art national team training facility, according to his Instagram video diary. The green, green grass of England’s home, the recovery rooms, and the gym.

Before the autumn series against Jamaica and New Zealand, England’s netball players spent a week there preparing for the game.

Tchine tells BBC Sport, “I would happily move if we could just stay here forever.”

“So, so good. For ten days, we were there. Truly, the facilities were incredible.

We were just like, “One day netball could definitely have something like this,” I thought the entire time.

2026 games will be announced this week, which will mark the second season since the relaunch of Super League.

According to Tchine, Pulse are in “the best position we’ve ever been in.”

The competition is expanding. Attendance increases by 42% in 2025 from the previous year’s average of about 1,500. In contrast, the first Women’s Super League football season, which was followed by a reboot in 2014, attracted average crowds of 728 (up from 562 in 2013).

Tens of thousands of women’s football fans are now almost commonplace, but that didn’t just happen overnight.

Tchine, a 24-year-old south Londoner, was enthralled by the portraits of England’s football players lined St George’s Park corridors.

She says, “I sincerely hope that if I’m still playing in ten years, we’ll be playing at the same level as the Lionesses and the Red Roses.”

Both of them did a fantastic job of getting results this summer, and they were both absolutely fantastic. It’s encouraging to see women’s sport reaching levels they’ve never before.

Where is netball at when “focus on football would be detrimental”?

England's Liv Tchine, surrounded by team-mates, lifts the Taini Jamison Series trophy after the Roses beat New Zealand in 2024Images courtesy of Getty

Although women and girls are drawn to football, rugby, and cricket, Netball England trumpets participation numbers.

More girls under the age of 18 played football (16%) than netball (15.4%), according to Sport England figures released by The Times in November 2024.

Football has increased by 2%, while netball has stagnated for the previous five years.

England Netball’s executive Fran Connolly warned a parliamentary committee that any “disproportionate focus on growing football… will have a detrimental impact on other women’s sports, especially those that do not have the financial backing of a male counterpart,” when the effects of the Lionesses’ Euros triumph in 2022 became clear.

England Netball is now chaired by Baroness Sue Campbell, who successfully advocated for more female participation while serving as the FA’s director of women’s football.

Moments are important. Within months of England winning gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, according to YouGov figures, 130, 700 women started playing netball or playing more frequently.

What has changed for Super League in 2026?

  • Simply put, the Dragons of Cardiff have been transformed. Both Liverpool and the capital of Wales will host them.

Important dates for the NSL season 2026

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Sheffield Arena, February 21: Super Cup

27 February: The Netball Super League debuts

Introducing equipment:

  • London Pulse vs. Manchester Thunder on February 27.
  • 28 February: Loughborough Lightning, Leeds Rhinos, Birmingham Panthers, Loughborough Lightning, and London Mavericks face Nottingham Forest.

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