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Blake Lively Files Complaint Against Justin Baldoni Over Alleged Sexual Harassment and Smear Campaign

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Actress Blake Lively has filed a legal complaint alleging that “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni and his crew mounted a smear campaign after she voiced her concerns about “repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior” on set by him and a producer.

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auto

Toyota Halts Shipments Of Vehicles Amid Auto Safety Scandal In Japan 

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Toyota Motor and Mazda have halted shipments of some of their vehicles amid a safety test scandal currently occurring in Japan. Japan’s transport ministry has found irregularities in safety applications to certify certain models, according to reports from CNN.

The ministry said that the irregularities in the applications were found from Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha Motor. When these automakers applied for safety certification for their vehicles, it was found that they had submitted “incorrect or manipulated safety test data.”

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Japan’s transport ministry initially wanted automakers to investigate certification applications in January. They made this decision because last year, Toyota’s Daihatsu compact car units experienced a safety test scandal. 

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, advisory firms, are recommending that Toyota shareholders vote to not re-elect Akio Toyoda as the chairman during Toyota’s annual general meeting which will be taking place later this month. 

ISS emphasized a “spate of certification irregularities” at the Toyota Group. Toyoda is the grandson of the founder of Toyota. CNN reported that he recently spoke to journalists regarding these recent developments:

 “As the person in charge of the Toyota Group, I would like to sincerely apologize to our customers, to car fans, and all stakeholders for this.”

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Toyota stated that they have temporarily halted shipments of three car models that are made in Japan. 

Government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayahi said that the misconduct occurring within these automakers is “regrettable,” as the scandals are reflecting poorly on the Japanese government and their relationship with investors and corporate reforms. 

Toyota stated that their “wrongdoing had occurred during six different tests conducted in 2014, 2015, and 2020. The Corolla Fielder, Corolla Axio, and Yaris Cross were the models being affected.

Mazda has also suspended their shipments of the Roadster RF sports car and the Mazda2 hatchback after the automaker found out workers had modified engine control software test results. 

Atenza and Axela models from Mazda also had crash tests that have been tampered with. The airbags in the models had been tampered with so they would go off after a timer, instead of relying on on-board sensors which are meant to detect a crash. The two models are no longer in production.

lawsuit

Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde’s Former Nanny Files Lawsuit Alleging Wrongful Termination

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Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde’s former nanny has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the pair after they abruptly fired her when she sought a three-day medical leave for depression and anxiety caused by their tumultuous breakup.

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nbc

SNL Faces Backlash After ‘Try Guys’ Cheating Scandal Skit

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This weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” episode featured a comedy skit about the Try Guys cheating incident. The skit is receiving backlash for minimizing the relationship between a boss and a subordinate as internet drama.

Ned Fulmer, a now ex-member of the YouTube sensation, had an affair with one of his employees. The group, which consisted of four members, parted ways with Fulmer after “an internal review” of what he described as a “consensual workplace relationship.”

Fans knew Fulmer as the “wife guy” because he often mentioned his wife during channel videos.

In the skit, Ego Nwodim plays a CNN anchor, and Brendan Gleeson, who was hosting the show, plays a correspondent. SNL cast members Mikey Day, Andrew Dismukes and Bowen Yang played Try Guys Zach Kornfeld, Keith Habersberger, and Eugene Lee Yang.

While reporting from in front of the White House, Gleeson’s character gets interrupted by the news that the remaining three Try Guys have released a statement in response to the controversy.

“CNN can confirm that the Try Guys have released an official YouTube video clapping back at ex–Try Guy, the wife-guy Try Guy. He disrespected the brand by making out with one of the Food Babies at the Harry Styles concert,” his character says.

Like many others who came across the Try Guys story, Nwodim’s “CNN anchor” did not fully grasp the nature of the controversy or identify the Try Guys. Gleeson’s “correspondent” then tries to explain the situation as Nwodim’s “anchor” tries to understand.

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Eventually, CNN gets the “Try Guys” on the line, and Yang, playing Eugene, angrily says Fulmer “committed the heinous act of having a consensual kiss and not telling us, his friends.”

Nwodin’s “anchor” later says, “wow, so the full story is that your friend had a side chick, and you fired him?”

Internet users are upset by how the SNL writers framed the situation, as it seemed like the skit was ridiculing the remaining three members for their emotional response to the affair. Others pointed out how the skit does not meaningfully acknowledge the power dynamics and legal repercussions of a boss’s relationship with his employee.

One Twitter user called out the writers for mocking the three remaining members instead of Fulmer.

“CEO of a company cheats on his wife with a subordinate, is fired because of the power imbalance/workplace harassment, and his colleagues get emotional discussing it.

SNL: Let’s roast those guys and not the CEO – no big deal! All men cheat! Beyonce got cheated on too!”

In a previous episode of a podcast run by the Try Guys, Fulmer had mentioned that he had a friend who worked as a writer at SNL, prompting many to suspect his friend helped skew the narrative in his favor.

Keith Habersberger’s wife, Becky Habersberger, also pointed this out in a tweet.

“Anyone remember the Trypod episode where he talks about his Yale friend who writes for SNL…asking for a friend.”

A commenter under a YouTube video of the skit, named Max Ride, noted that the company has “20 non-millionaire employees that could lose their jobs if the company gets sued.” The video instead mainly characterized the three men as having an unwarranted overreaction to the situation.

“After the other three guys found out about this, they went through a three-week internal review with lawyers because Ned opened up the company to a shit ton of legal issues. They terminated his contract as well as their seven-year friendship with him (this was before the internet found out).”

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Summarizing the leadup to the media attention, he said that “they didn’t want it to be a big deal, but the internet figured out that they had edited him out of videos, and the texts of him cheating got leaked, so it became more public than they originally expected.”

“The reason for the shock is because his entire online persona was about loving his wife, so the internet felt blindsided. However, and this is important to note, he didn’t get fired because he cheated; he got fired because he slept with his employee. The reason they have to edit him out of all the videos was because they couldn’t ‘profit’ off of his image after he was fired as this would, again, open them up to a shit ton of legal issues. Overall this entire scandal boils down to an asshole making an incredibly stupid decision, not even trying to hide it, and potentially blowing up the hard work of 20+ people, including his own.”

part ways

The Try Guys Part Ways With ‘Wife Guy’ Ned Fulmer After Workplace Affair

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The Try Guys announced on Tuesday that they are cutting ties with one of their members, Ned Fulmer, after he admitted to cheating on his wife with one of his employees. Fulmer was known by fans to be the “wife guy” and even wrote a cookbook titled “The Date Night Cookbook” with his wife, Ariel Fulmer.

The viral YouTube group had four members: Zach Kornfeld, Keith Habersberger, Eugene Lee Yang and Fulmer. The group created content together while at Buzzfeed, where they were former employees. Eventually, they left the platform in 2018 to pursue their own production company and YouTube channel, which has more than 7.8 million subscribers.

Ned confirmed the cheating allegations with a statement on Instagram.

“Family should have always been my priority, but I lost focus and had a consensual workplace relationship. I’m sorry for any pain that my actions may have caused to the guys and the fans but most of all to Ariel. The only thing that matters right now is my marriage and my children, and that’s where I am going to focus my attention.”

The other woman is rumored to be Try Guy’s associate producer Alexandria Herring.

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Fans of the series started to feel that something was wrong when Fulmer was missing from the channel’s last three videos. Members of the series’ subreddit shared photos of stills from finished video shoots containing Fulmer, causing them to speculate that he had been getting edited out of the videos. Fulmer was present in a photo from the group’s filming of an episode where Habersberger tried the entire Caesars Palace menu in Las Vegas. The final video did not contain Fulmer at all.

Ariel Fulmer, who hosts a podcast called “You Can’t Sit With Us” with the other partners of the group’s members, was absent from its previous two episodes. Fans noted how the timing coincided with an announcement from the group last week that they would only be releasing one episode per week instead of their usual two until the end of October.

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A few weeks prior,  a post titled “Ned,” authored by user “hamilton390,” had appeared on the Try Guys subreddit on Sept. 3, alleging that “multiple people have seen Ned around NYC this week making out with women at the local bars.” The post received only a few comments, all skeptical of the claim. One commenter wrote, “source: I made it up.” In response, “hamilton390” sent one of the commenters a series of screenshots of Instagram direct messages. It was later revealed that “hamilton390” was Herring’s fiancé Will Thayer.

In the screenshots, Thayer received a message from someone who saw Herring kissing Fulmer in a dive bar near NYU in New York City. The message read that the user “saw her making out with ned from the try guys,” and the timing of the sighting aligned with dates when Fulmer and Herring were known to have been in NYC. The user also sent Thayer some blurry videos for proof. Thayer thanked the sender and replied, “just spoke to Ariel for an hour.” Thayer scrubbed his Instagram of photos of Herring before unfollowing her. Fulmer and Herring also unfollowed each other, reinforcing fans’ suspicion that Herring was the woman in the videos.

The Try Guys confirmed that they removed Fulmer from the group with a short message.

“Ned Fulmer is no longer working with The Try Guys. As a result of a thorough internal review, we do not see a path forward together. We thank you for your support as we navigate this change.

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Maroon 5’s Adam Levine Accused of Cheating on Pregnant Wife

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Maroon 5’s lead singer Adam Levine is facing allegations that he cheated on his wife. One woman claims to have dated him for a year, while three others allege Levine privately sent them inappropriate messages.

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Hockey Stadium

Chicago Blackhawks Owner Wants Sex Offender Off Cup Following Abuse Scandal Report

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Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz has reached out to the Hockey Hall of Fame through a letter, asking for them to remove former video coach Brad Aldrich’s name off of the Stanley Cup due to his role in the Blackhawk’s 2010 sexual abuse scandal.

In the letter, which was obtained by ESPN, Wirtz “asks the Hall to ‘consider x-ing out’ Aldrich’s name because ‘while nothing can undo what he did, leaving his name on the most prestigious trophy in sports seems wrong.'”

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Wirtz asked for the removal out of respect for every Blackhawks player that “sacrificed to earn their place in history,” while also noting that having Aldrich remain on the trophy would go against Chicago’s moral beliefs.

In his letter, Wirtz recalled that the NHL has previously removed names from the Stanley Cup – specifically in the case of former Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington, who put his father’s name on the trophy despite having no connection with the team or their victory.

The stem of this scandal goes back over a decade ago to 2010, when the 52-win Blackhawks were enjoying a playoff run that would result in their first Stanley Cup victory since 1960-61. That May, during the Western Conference finals, former Chicago center Kyle Beach and Aldrich “engaged in a sexual encounter,” that Beach claimed was non-consensual. Aldrich also told Beach he would never play in the NHL or “walk again” if he didn’t enjoy the encounter.

Following this, Beach confided the assault to his skills coach, who then alerted higher-ups. In a meeting that consisted of head coach Joel Quennville, general manager Stan Bowman, president John McDonough, executive vice president Jay Blunk, and others, the team decided to brush off the incident until a later time in order to focus on the championship push and limit distractions.

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After their championship, Aldrich was given a forced resignation, but still received severance and a championship ring. Years later, Aldrich would go on to commit additional sexual assaults at new positions, and eventually faced jail time.

In May 2021, Beach — who was known up until a few days ago as “John Doe 1” — filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks for failing to punish Aldrich for his actions back in 2010. The independent investigation that followed the lawsuit, which had its 107-page report released on Oct. 26, found that the Blackhawks disregarded their sexual harassment policy by waiting three weeks before taking action.

After revealing he was the John Doe, Beach said he felt he “didn’t exist” after the Blackhawks’ inactions. “To be honest, I was scared mostly,” Beach said. “I was fearful. I had my career threatened,” noting he felt dark and alone.

However, Beach has thankfully been able to express his happiness now that his story is finally out to the public. He has also urged others who have been victims of sexual abuse to come forward and tell their own accounts.

“I know I’m not the only one, male or female. And I buried this for 10 years, 11 years. And it’s destroyed me from the inside out. And I want everybody to know in the sports world and in the world that you’re not alone. That if these things happen to you, you need to speak up.”

The scandal, where immediate action could have prevented further incidents, has sent outrage, sadness and shockwaves throughout the NHL. Bowman and senior director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac both stepped down on Tuesday.

Following a meeting with Bettman on Thursday, Quennville resigned from his position as the Florida Panthers’ head coach. The NHL also fined Chicago $2 million, although the extent of the punishment has been heavily criticized by fans and media.

Washington DC

McConnell Says He Has Votes to Start Impeachment Trial Without Witnesses

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Although Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi continues to withhold the articles of impeachment from the Senate with no indication of when she plans to transfer them to the Republican-controlled half of Congress, the outlines of how the trial will proceed are beginning to take shape as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has told Republican colleagues that he has the votes to begin the trial with no guarantee that witnesses will be called. Democrats believe that their case against the president is already ironclad, but that calling additional witnesses like former national security advisor John Bolton and White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney will further bolster their case and convince the American public of the president’s wrongdoing.

Republicans, on the other hand, have not presented a defense of the president’s conduct on the merits of the case but instead have tried to shift attention to the president’s political rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter, alleging that the younger Biden’s conduct in Ukraine as a member of the board of an oil company constituted impropriety as his father was Vice President at the time. Accordingly, McConnell and Senate Republicans have announced their intention to work with the White House to ensure that the political damage the trial inflicts on Trump’s presidency is minimized. As such, Republicans are pushing for a rapid trial involving no witnesses and documents, consisting only of a presentation from the impeachment managers selected by the House and a defense from the president’s legal team followed by a vote which is all but certain to result in an acquittal, giving the president ammunition in his claim that he is being unfairly prosecuted by Democrats.

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McConnell has argued that the Senate trial should begin in accordance with the rules that governed the 1999 impeachment trial of Bill Clinton, which did not guarantee the presence of documents or witnesses but allowed senators to vote to call witnesses, who appeared virtually via videotape, as the trial proceeded. As Republicans hold a majority in the Senate and are fairly united in their opposition to the impeachment of Donald Trump, it is unlikely that they will decide during the trial to call witnesses like Bolton and Mulvaney who have firsthand knowledge of the scandal that led to the president’s impeachment, though they may push to call witnesses like Joe and Hunter Biden to testify about the unrelated, manufactured conspiracy theory that alleges without evidence misconduct on the part of Democrats.

If history is any indication, it’s only a matter of time before the full details of the administration’s conduct in connection with the scandal about Ukraine are revealed to all

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has accused McConnell and the Republicans of engaging in a cover-up by refusing to hear from Bolton and Mulvaney, among others, particularly given the magnitude of the evidence that has already been uncovered by House investigators despite the White House’s near-total obstruction, which has understandably raised additional questions about the administration’s response to the president’s request of Ukrainian President Zelensky for assistance in his domestic political campaign.

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Though the likelihood of the presence of witnesses at the president’s trial decreases by the day, John Bolton has complicated the process by saying he’d be willing to testify if he receives a subpoena from the Senate, despite his prior refusal to comply with a House subpoena on the basis of his claim that that his conflicting orders from Congress and the executive branch constituted a critical separation-of-powers issue that had to be resolved by the courts.

Political observers believe that Bolton’s announcement is not sincere, but instead strategic, as the former White House national security advisor is well within his rights to discuss what he knows about the president’s conduct in a public forum, and in fact may do so in a book that he is planning to sell. That being said, pundits disagree over the end-game of Bolton’s political strategy, which remains unclear to everyone except him and his legal team. In any event, if history is any indication, it’s only a matter of time before the full details of the administration’s conduct in connection with the scandal about Ukraine are revealed to all, whether or not witnesses are called during the forthcoming trial. 

Video Presentation

How The Social Network Holds Up in 2019

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The Social Network, which dramatizes the rise of Facebook by depicting Mark Zuckerberg’s invention of the platform and the various lawsuits it spawned, was released in 2010 to widespread critical acclaim. But the social media landscape has transformed dramatically over the past decade, meaning today’s audiences likely have a much different view of Facebook and its controversial founder than those of the time of the movie’s release. As such, it is instructive to take a look back at this nearly ten-year-old classic to determine how the viewing experience has changed since the film initially hit theaters and whether the movie’s message about social media platforms continues to resonate. Happily, I can report that not only does the film hold up after nine years, but its message about the intersections of social media, technology, and society have never felt more prescient.

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Reviews of the film from 2010 were overwhelmingly positive; The Social Network currently boasts a 96% approval rating on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, as reviewers praised the film’s clever dialogue, immersive acting, and fast-paced direction. While some critics took issue with the accuracy of the film’s depiction of events, calling its perspective biased, they nonetheless conceded that the core dramatic elements of the narrative were expertly crafted and represented. In 2010, however, public perception of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook was very different; though the social media site had already exploded in popularity, amassing hundreds of millions of users, few could have predicted scandals like the ones involving Cambridge Analytica and Zuckerberg’s refusal to ban false political advertisements. Nine years ago, many observers had a vague understanding that social media would have a tremendous societal impact around the world, but few could predict the parameters of this impact.

The Social Network’s portrayal of the character of Mark Zuckerberg is harsh, to say the least. The film’s version of Zuckerberg is highly intelligent and ambitious, prizing upward societal advancement above all else, but nonetheless feels egotistical contempt towards existing social institutions, including his own personal relationships. Indeed, the film opens with a breakup between Zuckerberg and his girlfriend Erica Albright, who tells him, “You are probably going to be a very successful computer person. But you’re going to go through life thinking that girls don’t like you because you’re a nerd. And I want you to know, from the bottom of my heart, that that won’t be true. It’ll be because you’re an asshole.” The events of the movie explore and mostly defend this interpretation of Zuckerberg’s character, as he destroys his remaining interpersonal relationships with his smugness, contemptuousness, and derision while simultaneously building the largest social network the world has ever seen. Zuckerberg ends the film completely alone, sending a friend request to his ex-girlfriend on the platform he created, knowing the odds that she’ll accept his request are slim to none.

In a moment that bore little significance in 2010 but resonates eerily today, the film’s Zuckerberg describes the concept of “The Wall” as an element of Facebook’s design, which to modern audiences evokes images of today’s polarized political environment, characterized by resentment and hatred.

At the time, many felt that this view of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg was needlessly harsh and pessimistic, as it implied that the company is better at alienating people and empowering psychopaths than it is at facilitating connections. The film predicts the transformational impact of social networks through the character of Sean Parker, who at one point says, “we lived on farms, then we lived in cities, and now we’re going to live on the internet!” even as the film’s characters grow increasingly isolated and alienated, in large part as a result of the toxic and destructive personality of the website’s founder. Public opinion about Mark Zuckerberg and about social networks generally was largely neutral or positive in 2010, as Zuckerberg was recognized mainly for becoming the world’s youngest billionaire and for inventing an innovative and promising digital platform.

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Today, however, public opinion has turned, particularly in the aftermath of social media’s enabling of the proliferation of fake news as well as successful attempts by Russia and other countries to leverage social media platforms to influence elections, which Zuckerberg has responded to less than forcefully. As such, The Social Network’s diagnosis of the societal impact of platforms like Facebook now seems more accurate than ever, as the paradox at the heart of the story, involving a combination of technology capable of connecting human beings with one another on an unprecedented scale and widespread feelings of isolation and social alienation, comes to fruition. In a moment that bore little significance in 2010 but resonates eerily today, the film’s Zuckerberg describes the concept of “The Wall” as an element of Facebook’s design, which to modern audiences evokes images of today’s polarized political environment, characterized by resentment and hatred. Accordingly, some critics have proclaimed The Social Network to be the defining film of the decade, as its themes serve as an ever better cultural critique today than they did in 2010.

Baseball Glove

Major League Baseball Hit With Sign Stealing Scandal

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A recent report has exploded in Major League Baseball with accusations that the Houston Astros have been involved in a cheating scandal. Claims have been made that the team were stealing signs during the 2017 World Series, helping them in their winning campaign. The shocking allegations have accused Astros pitcher Mike Fiers as one of four players illegally stealing signs.

An issue that has dogged the history of the MLB, sign stealing occurs when a player, usually on second base, decodes and relays the catcher’s signal that has been made to the batter. Although the act is regarded unfavorably among the sport, using the electronic equipment has now made it an illegal act, meaning the Astros could face severe penalties if found guilty of the claims.

The reported allegations make it clear they believe the sign stealing was pivotal in the Astros 2017 World Series win, while many other publications have reported it is still an ongoing activity.

As well as the Astros, New York Mets manager Carlos Beltran and Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora have also had allegations made against them, with claims they may have played key roles in devising the campaign when they were still working with Astros manager AJ Hinch – Beltran was a player while Cora was the bench coach at the time.

The alleged sign stealing occurred not only during the 2017 season but also throughout the playoffs, appearing to be a reason the team were so successful at home.

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Although the Astros had declined to comment before the story was published they released the following statement shortly afterwards:

‘Regarding the story posted by The Athletic earlier today, the Houston Astros organisation has begun an investigation in cooperation with Major League Baseball. It would not be appropriate to comment further on this matter at this time.’

It is claimed the Astros had set a camera up in center field, which was positioned on the opposing catcher’s signs. This was then shown on a TV monitor in the home dugout where they appeared to share the information through a rhythm of bangs on a garbage can. It is also believed that Jomboy Media’s Jimmy O’Brien has acquired examples of the sign stealing as it happened. When leaving the Astros, Fiers had informed his new teams – the Detroit Tigers and Oakland A’s – of what had happened.

Fiers made the following announcement:

“I just want the game to be cleaned up a little bit because there are guys who are losing their jobs because they’re going in there not knowing. Young guys getting hit around in the first couple of innings starting a game, and then they get sent down. It’s bulls*** on that end. It’s ruining jobs for younger guys. The guys who know are more prepared. But most people don’t. That’s why I told my team. We had a lot of young guys with Detroit (in 2018) trying to make a name and establish themselves. I wanted to help them out and say, ‘Hey, this stuff really does go on. Just be prepared’.”

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This is not the first time a sign stealing scandal was investigated. Also in 2017 the Red Sox received an undisclosed fine after they were found to be using Apple Watches to steal signals in a game against the New York Yankees, and the Yankees were also fined due to ‘improper usage of a dugout phone’.

At the time, Commissioner Rob Manfred was reported as saying that ‘future violations of this type will be subject to more serious sanctions, including the possible loss of draft picks.’

Although many have called for the Astros to concede their World Series win this is a prospect that will not likely happen and instead they will most likely pick up a penalty fine or lose draft picks.

But the issue of cheating has understandably enraged the league and has clearly harmed not only the team but the sport’s reputation as a whole.
At this week’s general managers’ meeting in Arizona Brian Cashman declined to comment specifically on the allegations, however the Yankees boss did say he felt teams should deal with the ‘consequences’ if they cheat.

“You decide to play by the rules, or you don’t. And if you don’t, there’s consequences. You’re putting yourself at risk whether it’s future employment, current employment, or sanctions or what have you. It’s not a technology question as much as how you want to operate.”

The LA Dodgers, the team the Astros beat in the 2017 World Series, have refused to comment directly on the allegations with Dodgers president Andrew Friedman saying:

‘There was scuttlebutt about it being beyond just the things at home. I don’t know the answer. This is more for Major League Baseball than it is for me. From our standpoint, being one of the teams involved, it sounds like sour grapes for us to comment too much on this.