Les Miles may not have many more steps left to tread as coach of the Louisiana State University Tigers. Rogelio V Solis / AP Photo
Les Miles may not have many more steps left to tread as coach of the Louisiana State University Tigers. Rogelio V Solis / AP Photo

Les Miles at Louisiana State just the latest example of SEC coaches facing unyielding pressure to win



Louisiana State coach Les Miles will not read papers or watch television this week preparing for Texas A&M.

Everyone else will, trying to see if Miles’ 11-year run with the Tigers is finally over.

Coaching is a result-oriented business, and maybe more so than anywhere else in American college football, pressure from Southeastern Conference fans and administrators is rooted in “What have you done for me lately?”

Prior successes are often forgotten, and no one is exempt. Not Nick Saban or Steve Spurrier.

Miles has re-discovered that now.

The one-time national championship coach had the Tigers rolling and ranked No 2 in the initial College Football Play-off rankings early this month. Three straight losses later and Miles’ hold on the programme seems all but done.

“I don’t want to go there,” the coach said earlier this week. “I would be not doing my job as the head coach at LSU, one that I’ve enjoyed doing.”

And Baton Rouge is not the only place a successful leader’s hold on the job has been challenged.

Georgia coach Mark Richt seems to be under constant scrutiny, and it has intensified since the Bulldogs (8-3) were knocked out of the title chase by rival Florida.

Richt fended off questions on his future this week, the normally affable coach threatening to end his news conference.

“Are you going to ask the same one?” Richt asked of a reporter. “We can end this thing as fast as you want. I’m here to talk about the game” against Georgia Tech on Saturday.”

That tact does not make the uncertainty go away.

Spurrier did not stick around to take such questions, quitting in mid-October with his Gamecocks 0-4 in the SEC. Things have not improved much under interim coach Shawn Elliott, as the Gamecocks (3-8) have lost four straight and face No 1 Clemson on Saturday.

The only SEC jobs currently open are Spurrier’s and Gary Pinkel’s at Missouri. And Pinkel resigned for health reasons.

SEC Network commentator Paul Finebaum was in Columbia, South Carolina, for the Gamecocks’ 23-22 loss to Football Championship Subdivision opponent Citadel – their first loss to a lower division club in 25 years.

“I heard some things on the way to my car in the parking lot [from fans] that made me think Spurrier, if he had not stepped down, wouldn’t have made it back to his car,” Finebaum said.

Wins in college football are frequently taken for granted by SEC fans accustomed to the league’s decade of dominance. Saban pointed out after a loss to Mississippi this year that some wrote off his Alabama programme.

The Crimson Tide was part of the SEC’s seven straight national crowns from 2006 through 2012, forging a standard of success that lures top recruits to the conference – but a standard that also can weigh like an anvil around a failing coach’s neck.

Gene Chizik was the toast of Auburn after the Tigers’ 2010 national championship, yet was out of the job by the end of 2012.

Will Muschamp led Florida to an 11-2 season in 2012. He, too, was let go two years later.

“You sign up to be a coach, that’s part of the deal,” said Muschamp, Auburn’s defensive coordinator. “You want to be at a place where there are high expectations. That means you’ve got a chance to win a championship.”

Money is rarely an object to parting with a coach.

Chizik, North Carolina’s defensive coordinator, was owed US$7.5 million (Dh27.5m) by Auburn and Muschamp $6.3 million by Florida. Miles’ contract calls for a buyout of $15 million, a mind-blowing sum to pay someone not to coach.

“I don’t think it’s always been like this,” Finebaum said.

SEC coaches typically got the chance to develop recruits over four or five years before the pitchforks came out from fans, Finebaum said.

Blogs and social media sites, Finebaum believes, have shortened a coach’s shelf life. The immediacy of a fan base’s fury spreads so quickly and deeply that administrators must listen.

“There are no filters, no checks, no balances,” Finebaum said.

There also is very little time allotted for coaches attempting to turn around slipping programs or reawaken past giants.

Butch Jones is in his third season with the Tennessee (7-4). He accepts the intensity needed to succeed in the SEC, saying every day is “fourth-and-one for the national championship”.

“Everything is contested,” he said.

Elliott, South Carolina’s interim coach, was angered about a phony post on social media stating he had resigned after the Citadel loss.

SEC jobs, he said, are too coveted to simply surrender.

“They’re going to have to kick me out of here and tell me I didn’t get it or I’ve been reassigned or I’ve got to do something else before I just give up on anything,” he said.

The way Elliott will not get kicked out is to not fail – it is the only approach that guarantees longevity in the SEC.

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Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.

Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.

For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae

 

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Brief scores:

Manchester United 4

Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'

Fulham 1

Kamara 67' (pen),

Red card: Anguissa (68')

Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
PAKISTAN SQUAD

Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah. 

Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla

Verdict:  Three stars 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

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Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

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Company%20profile
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Blah

Started: 2018

Founder: Aliyah Al Abbar and Hend Al Marri

Based: Dubai

Industry: Technology and talent management

Initial investment: Dh20,000

Investors: Self-funded

Total customers: 40

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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UAE central contracts

Full time contracts

Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid

Part time contracts

Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma

Copa del Rey

Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Letswork%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOmar%20Almheiri%2C%20Hamza%20Khan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20co-working%20spaces%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.1%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20with%20investors%20including%20500%20Global%2C%20The%20Space%2C%20DTEC%20Ventures%20and%20other%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2020%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
South Africa World Cup squad

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia

What is Genes in Space?

Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.

It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration. 

FIXTURES (all times UAE)

Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)

Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)