Columbus
The Newport Plain Talk
Bobby Grier, Pitt legend, dies at 91
Bobby Grier, a Pitt Athletics Hall of Famer who was the first Black player to play in the Sugar Bowl, died on June 30. He was 91. The university confirmed Grier's death on Sunday. In a 2023 interview, Grier said he wasn't thinking about breaking a color barrier when he played in the 1956 Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, his 23rd birthday. "I didn't think anything of it," Grier said. Pitt's Sugar Bowl opponent was Georgia Tech, and then-Georgia governor Marvin Griffin tried to keep Grier from playing in the game at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans during a time...
NCAA Football: Louisville at Pittsburgh
Oct 14, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; A Pittsburgh Panthers helmet on the sidelines against the Louisville Cardinals during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Four-star QB Tait Reynolds commits to Clemson
The Clemson Tigers secured their first commitment for the 2026 class when four-star quarterback Tait Reynolds committed Sunday. The No. 2 player in Arizona and No. 16 quarterback overall per On3 rankings is a dual-sport athlete, having previously committed to play baseball at Arizona State after prepping just down the road at Queen Creek, a suburb of Phoenix. He chose Clemson over offers from Florida State, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and others. At 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Reynolds said he hopes to play both sports at the next level, even though football has become the primary focus. --Field Level Media
NCAA Football: Clemson at Boston College
Oct 8, 2022; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; The logo of the Clemson Tigers is seen on a football helmet during the second half of the game between the Boston College Eagles and the Clemson Tigers at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Smoky Mountain All-Stars clinch historic, dramatic state tourney win
NEWPORT — At Newport City Park on Sunday, Brody Holloway stepped to the plate with a chance to make history. He did exactly that, smacking a one-out RBI single through the left side to score Journey Kyker for a 14-13 win over South Jefferson in the Little League Intermediate Division State Tournament. The victory put Smoky Mountain into the losers’ bracket finals at 4 p.m. with a chance to advance...
Smoky Mountain All-Stars clinch historic, dramatic state tourney win
NEWPORT — At Newport City Park on Sunday, Brody Holloway stepped to the plate with a chance to make history. He did exactly that, smacking a one-out RBI single through the left side to score Journey Kyker for a 14-13 win over South Jefferson in the Little League Intermediate Division State Tournament. The victory put Smoky Mountain into the losers’ bracket finals at 4 p.m. with a chance to advance...
7F7B046B-1C03-4C1A-BD90-647F6A26DE78.jpeg
Smoky Mountain batter Brody Holloway (5) is picked up by his father, Smoky Mountain assistant coach Brandon Holloway, after hitting a walk-off RBI single to clinch a 14-13 win for Smoky Mountain in Sunday’s Little League Intermediate Division State Tournament at Newport City Park. Smoky’s victory eliminated South Jefferson while also securing its first state tournament victory in six years, per head coach Blaine Hartsell.
Ohio State adds key LB to top 2025 recruiting class
Ohio State's top-ranked 2025 recruiting class continues to grow. Blue-chip prospect Riley Pettijohn from McKinney, Texas, committed Saturday to the Buckeyes. According to the 247Sports composite, he's a five-star recruit, the No. 4 overall linebacker and No. 31 player in the class. Former NFL linebacker James Laurinaitis, the position coach at his alma mater, was key to the recruitment, Pettijohn said on the 247Sports YouTube channel. "My relationship with coach Laurinaitis is top tier," Pettijohn said. "With coach Laurinaitis, being an alumni from Ohio State and a Butkus winner, it's just cool him being a position coach. He knows a lot about the game. So that's cool he can develop players good." Pettijohn took recent official visits to Columbus, as well as Southern California, Texas and Texas A&M. He said he was happy to have his decision made. "It means a lot to me and my family to know where I'm going." Per 247Sports, Ohio State is ahead of Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia and Oregon in the recruiting standings. --Field Level Media
Report: Panthers, player personnel VP Adrian Wilson split
The Carolina Panthers and Adrian Wilson, the vice president of player personnel, have parted ways after just one season, Pro Football Talk reported Sunday. "Adrian Wilson will not continue in his position as Vice President of Player Personnel for the Carolina Panthers," the team confirmed to the outlet. "Consistent with our organizational policy on employee matters, we will have no further comment." The Panthers hired Wilson, a North Carolina native, in February 2023. He went to the organization from the front office of the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent eight seasons. He rose to VP of pro personnel in 2021-22 and was named co-interim general manager late in the 2022 season. Wilson, 44, played 12 seasons with the Cardinals (2001-12) and the safety was a first-team All-Pro in 2009. The five-time Pro Bowl selection is a member of the team's Ring of Honor. --Field Level Media
Vikings 4th-round pick Khyree Jackson dies in crash
Cornerback Khyree Jackson, a fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in April's draft, was killed early Saturday in a three-car crash that left three people dead in Maryland. He was 24. According to Maryland State Police, Jackson was the front-seat passenger in a Dodge Charger that was struck by an Infiniti Q50 shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday in Prince George's County. The Infiniti was attempting to change lanes and traveling at a high rate of speed when the car hit the Charger and then struck a Chevrolet Impala. The impact sent the Charger off the right side of the road,...
July 8 deadline for 'Celebrating Faith'
Time is running out for churches to be part of “Celebrating Faith,” the Newport Plain Talk’s special, full-color keepsake publication featuring Cocke County area churches. “We have been pleasantly overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response we have received from the faith community in response to this planned publication,” said Plain Talk Managing Editor Dave Ruthenberg. “It shows the importance of faith in our area. We are proud to be able to provide this publication and, to be honest, a bit humbled by the positive comments we...
Newport Medical Center welcomes neurologist
NEWPORT — Tennova Newport Medical Center (NMC) has added a neurologist, Annette Goodman, D.O., to its staff. According to NMC CEO Scott Williams, the hospital had not had a neurologist on staff for more than a year. Dr. Goodman is a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, but had most recently practiced in the Ft. Myers, Florida, area. Goodman attended Penn State and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. She...
The Newport Plain Talk
19K+
Posts
13M+
Views
The Newport Plain Talk serves Cocke County and surrounding areas of East Tennessee.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.