Social Media
Jonathan Owens' wife Simone Biles and Riley Gaines engage in fierce debate over …
Gymnastics legend Simone Biles publicly criticized former NCAA swimmer and conservative commentator Riley Gaines for her relentless campaign against transgender inclusion in women’s sports. The Olympic champion took to social media Friday after Gaines targeted a Minnesota high school softball team that recently secured a state championship, led by a transgender pitcher, Marissa Rothenberger. Heated […]

Gymnastics legend Simone Biles publicly criticized former NCAA swimmer and conservative commentator Riley Gaines for her relentless campaign against transgender inclusion in women’s sports. The Olympic champion took to social media Friday after Gaines targeted a Minnesota high school softball team that recently secured a state championship, led by a transgender pitcher, Marissa Rothenberger.
Heated war of words erupts between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines over transgender athletes in women’s sports
Riley Gaines, who has built a controversial media presence since tying for fifth place with trans swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA Championships, quote-tweeted a celebratory post from the Minnesota State High School League. The league had shared a photo of Champlin Park High School’s victorious softball team on X (formerly Twitter), but comments had been disabled. Gaines sarcastically remarked, “Comments off lol. To be expected when your star player is a boy.”
That jab didn’t sit well with Biles.
The seven-time Olympic medalist and longtime advocate for athlete mental health and safety didn’t mince words. “You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,” Biles wrote in a direct quote tweet aimed at Gaines. “Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive or creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Instead… you bully them. One thing’s for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!”
Biles’ message struck a chord with many, reinforcing the stark contrast between the two athletes—not just in terms of achievements but also in how they choose to use their platforms. While Gaines has positioned herself as a central figure in the conservative battle against transgender inclusion, Biles has spent years advocating for safer and more supportive environments in sports, especially for women and marginalized groups.
Riley Gaines didn’t back down. She fired back, calling Biles a “male-apologist at the expense of young girls’ dreams,” and went on to suggest that the gymnastics icon should compete in men’s events if she supports transgender athletes. “Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028,” Gaines quipped.
In another post, Biles added, “bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.”
“This is actually so disappointing. It’s not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women’s sports with YOUR platform. Men don’t belong in women’s sports and I say that with my full chest,” Gaines responded.
Gaines’ transformation from a competitive swimmer to a full-time activist has been marked by a steady rise in right-wing media circles. Despite achieving only modest success as an athlete, she has testified before Congress, aligned with political figures like Donald Trump, and founded an advocacy center that claims to fight for fairness in women’s sports.
Her rhetoric, however, increasingly targets not just elite trans athletes but also children and teens who participate in girls’ sports. To many observers, this shift has taken her beyond advocacy and into the realm of bullying—a point Biles made loud and clear.
Simone Biles, meanwhile, continues to exemplify what it means to use fame responsibly. Following her headline-making withdrawal from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics due to ‘The Twisties,’ Biles brought much-needed attention to mental health in elite athletics. Her voice carries weight, especially as a survivor of the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar—a trauma she’s used to push for systemic change and accountability.
The clash between Biles and Gaines underscores a larger cultural battle within sports today: one between inclusion and exclusion, between empathy and hostility. Where Gaines seeks to build walls, Biles continues to champion bridges, insisting on compassion and fairness for all athletes, regardless of gender identity.
Meanwhile, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens have officially moved into their stunning $3 million custom-built lakefront mansion in Spring, Texas—a dream home they began building together in early 2023.
Also Read: Is Xavier Legette’s steamy kiss with GloRilla a PR stunt or a real love story in the making?
Get IPL 2025 match schedules, squads, points table, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Social Media
Breaking Down WNBA Players' CBA Demand After All
The WNBA’s best players made a powerful statement before Saturday night’s All-Star game when they put together a show of solidarity by wearing pregame warm-up shirts with one simple demand to the league: “Pay us what you owe us.” The message comes amid the players’ union’s ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations with the WNBA, […]


The WNBA’s best players made a powerful statement before Saturday night’s All-Star game when they put together a show of solidarity by wearing pregame warm-up shirts with one simple demand to the league: “Pay us what you owe us.”
The message comes amid the players’ union’s ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations with the WNBA, with their current CBA set to expire at the end of the season. Many on social media have shared mixed reactions to the blunt message, as some seem confused as to how the players could be demanding more money when the WNBA is still unprofitable in 2025.
Let’s clear up one thing to start: the WNBA players are not lobbying for the same salaries as their NBA counterparts.
Instead, they are lobbying for a fairer percentage of the league’s shared revenue. WNBA vet and Los Angeles Sparks star Kelsey Plum said it best back in 2022: “We’re not asking to get paid what the men get paid,” she said. “We’re asking to get paid the same percentage of revenue shared.”
Over in the NBA, revenue (TV deals, ticket and merchandise sales, etc.) is split evenly between players and owners—players receive between 49% and 51% of basketball-related income.
In the WNBA, players reportedly only receive 9.3% of league revenue, per Market Watch. That single-digit percentage is much lower than what other athletes in professional sports leagues earn (NFL and NHL players also get roughly half of all revenue).
Timberwolves and Lynx beat reporter Andrew Dukowitz broke down the numbers to more precisely explain WNBA players’ gripes toward the league. Here’s the gist of Dukowitz’s post on X (formerly known as Twitter):
“Now yes, the WNBA did lose 40 million dollars in 2024, but this is in large part due to the TV deal they are currently signed to, which in 2026 goes from roughly 45 Million annually to 200 Million annually.
This will result in essence result in the league making money over night from losing 40 to a net gain of 115M just on the TV deal alone. Even if the game and tickets sales were to stop growing, and merch stopped selling, it would still be in the green.
The current CBA would amount to players going from 1.507M in salary cap to just 4.0 M… a substantial raise however it would cost the league just 2.5 M out of that 115M TV deal profits.
If the players got 40%, that’s just 17.204M as a salary cap… a 11x raise over their current salaries, and still in the grand scheme of things less than 1 Jaden McDaniels(24.393M)”
I know this will be a firestorm topic
WNBA players currently receive just 9.3% of the leagues revenue(this includes ticket sales, merch, TV deals) for reference their male counterparts in the NBA is 50.0%.
This resulted in their salary cap being set at just 1.507 million for… https://t.co/MZ7OJSNDq2
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) July 20, 2025
Hope this helps!
More WNBA on Sports Illustrated
Social Media
14
The NFL Flag Championship has been taking place all weekend long in Canton, Ohio. And one player has stood out amongst the rest, going so viral he even caught the attention of veteran Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Future Star? Brysen Wright wows NFL with wild TD at Flag championships 14-year-old wide receiver Brysen […]


The NFL Flag Championship has been taking place all weekend long in Canton, Ohio. And one player has stood out amongst the rest, going so viral he even caught the attention of veteran Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Future Star? Brysen Wright wows NFL with wild TD at Flag championships
14-year-old wide receiver Brysen Wright stole the show, turning heads with jaw-dropping plays that went viral on ESPN and social media.
The 6′4″, 210-pound Mandarin High School star is a receiver for Jaguars Elite 14U. He made a one-handed backhand touchdown grab in triple coverage – prompting reactions from Adam Schefter and even Patrick Mahomes, who tweeted “Yooo what?”
Wright, already a four-star recruit with over 16 college offers, followed up with another acrobatic back-shoulder catch and even contributed a clutch interception on defense, helping his team, Jaguars Elite, advance to the championship round. His breakout performance has made him one of the most talked-about young athletes in the country.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Social Media
OSU Goes Viral for All the Wrong Reasons on TikTok
Oklahoma State football has found its way onto the viral radar this week — but not for anything happening on the field. A recent TikTok clip featuring several players has sparked a wave of secondhand embarrassment across social media, and it’s not the first time the Cowboys have dipped into this territory. It’s no […]

Oklahoma State football has found its way onto the viral radar this week — but not for anything happening on the field.
A recent TikTok clip featuring several players has sparked a wave of secondhand embarrassment across social media, and it’s not the first time the Cowboys have dipped into this territory.
It’s no secret that today’s college athletes live in a digital-first world. NIL, personal branding, and content creation are all part of the game now. But there’s a difference between building a presence and turning heads for all the wrong reasons. Oklahoma State’s latest TikTok appearance is, unfortunately, just painfully cringey.
While some schools have leaned into social media as a way to showcase personality and culture, there’s a fine line between fun and cringe. The Cowboys’ recent posts seem to blur that line in a way that hasn’t exactly resonated with the public. If anything, it’s invited the kind of attention you don’t want heading into the season.
None of this is to say that players shouldn’t express themselves. In fact, personality can go a long way in today’s college football landscape. However, when the content feels more like a distraction than anything else, it can become a little out of hand.
It’s unclear whether the coaching staff is aware of how these clips are being received, but it might be worth a conversation. Not every piece of content needs to go viral, especially when it’s for the wrong reasons.

Social Media
Marquette Kids Club raises money for student
MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – Kids in Marquette raised money for student-athletes on Wednesday. The Marquette Kids Club set up a lemonade stand on the corner of Front St. and Ridge St. in Marquette. The club is donating the money it makes to Ainsley’s HALO, a nonprofit that supports Marquette-area student-athletes and hospitals that fight against […]

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – Kids in Marquette raised money for student-athletes on Wednesday.
The Marquette Kids Club set up a lemonade stand on the corner of Front St. and Ridge St. in Marquette. The club is donating the money it makes to Ainsley’s HALO, a nonprofit that supports Marquette-area student-athletes and hospitals that fight against childhood cancer in honor of Ainsley Kargela.
Volunteers say the Marquette community is very generous.
“I think it says a lot about the people of Marquette,” said Kids Club School Age Program Lead Teacher Sam Cosio. “They’re willing to stop their cars and run across the busy road to help this great cause and talk to these kids and see what it’s all about.”
The Kids Club also said running the stand gave the kids an opportunity to learn about the service industry.
The video above will feature the TV6 livestream until staff can clip the corresponding story, if available, from broadcasts or other TV6 content. You can subscribe to our YouTube page or download TV6+ to stream the latest local news and weather.
Social Media
From ColdplayGate to stunning Mia Zelu
In the world that we live in today, there’s no escaping the prying eyes of the digital universe. Over the past seven days, several incidents have gone viral across the digital landscape. But without a shadow of a doubt, it was British band Coldplay’s concert in the United States that truly broke the internet — […]


In the world that we live in today, there’s no escaping the prying eyes of the digital universe.
Over the past seven days, several incidents have gone viral across the digital landscape. But without a shadow of a doubt, it was British band Coldplay’s concert in the United States that truly broke the internet — and not for their music.
As always, Chris Martin and company rocked the crowd in Boston, Massachusetts. But this time, it was a software company CEO who found himself in the spotlight — quite literally.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was caught on the Jumbotron camera at the Gillette Stadium with his arms around Kristin Cabot, the company’s HR head.
The incident is still racking up millions and millions of views on the internet but there were other incidents too that stole the world wide web.
Here, we bring you a round-up of the stories that went viral over the course of the week.
ColdplayGate
As the Jumbotron camera panned towards a happy and smiling couple, the pair immediately moved away and tried to hide their faces as they appeared on the big screen.
Amused by their reaction, the band’s frontman Martin quipped, “Oh look at these two… either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”

Soon enough, the couple were identified as Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR Chief Kristin Cabot. Byron is reportedly married to Megan Kerrigan Byron. The incident is now being dubbed ColdplayGate.
Influencer Mia Zelu goes viral at Wimbledon
A stunning blonde, with blue eyes, stole the limelight during one of the most-watched tennis Grand Slam of the year — Wimbledon.
The lady, who goes by the name Mia Zelu, is an influencer and has a 165,000-strong following. And Mia went viral after posting plenty of photos of herself at The Championships. Except that she isn’t real. Yes, you read it right. Mia is an AI influencer and is a product of an algorithm, with carefully curated Instagram posts involving AI-generated visuals that appear startlingly human, and cleverly crafted captions.

Mia shared photos of her Wimbledon outing, with an inspirational message: “Your time will come. Keep showing up”. Commenters agreed with her caption and engaged with her post.
Apparently, Mia even has a “sister” — Ana Zelu, who boasts 266,000 followers.
‘Aura Farming’ boat kid
A 11-year-old Indonesian boy’s boat-top dance has turned into a global trend, capturing the attention of social media and celebrities, including Travis Kelce and Wiz Khalifa.
Rayyan Arkan Dikha has now become the face of a global trend known as ‘Aura Farming.’

The short clip (circulated on social media with a trending audio), which originated from the Pacu Jalur boat racing festival in Riau, Indonesia, shows 11-year-old Rayyan in traditional attire, swaying to the rhythm with simple, composed hand gestures, his gaze steady and expression unreadable.
Aura Farming is a term born from gamer culture, where “farming” means collecting resources. In social media terms, it’s about projecting a vibe so strong, it earns you admiration, likes, reposts, and ‘aura points’.
Social Media
2 Mizzou Track and Field Athletes Earn Academic Honors
Two seniors on the Missouri track and field team were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Second Team on Wednesday — Kristi Perez-Snyman and Callan Saldutto. This honor is awarded to student-athletes who excel in both academic and athletic environments. Saldutto is the third male Tiger to earn this recognition. He is […]

Two seniors on the Missouri track and field team were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Second Team on Wednesday — Kristi Perez-Snyman and Callan Saldutto. This honor is awarded to student-athletes who excel in both academic and athletic environments.
Saldutto is the third male Tiger to earn this recognition. He is the first to accomplish it since Tyler Dailey in 2007. Perez-Snyman is the 13th woman in program history and the first since Karissa Schweizer in 2018.
Both Perez-Snyman and Saldutto earned high grade point averages, with Perez-Snyman’s 3.96 and Saldutto’s perfect 4.00. The former achieved a master’s degree in natural resources, while the latter received a master’s in accountancy.
Outside of the classroom, the two impressed in the field. Perez-Snyman competes in the women’s high jump, and she finished the outdoor season in sixth place with a distance of 1.87 meters (6-1.5). Saldutto notched a third-place finish in the men’s javelin after throwing a mark of 76.88 meters (252-3).
SEC News
Greg Sankey Says His Piece In Regards To College Football Playoff Expansion
Did you notice?
- Missouri will hold Mizzou Night on Friday. People are invited to come to Legends Field and support the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team. After the game, there will be a fireworks show.
- Missouri target Jason Crowe Jr. had a big game during the Peach Jam. Crowe is announcing his decision on where to play Friday.
Mizzou Quote of the Day
“I think that Coach [Norm] Stewart really turned me from a boy into a man. He helped me to be able to have the self-discipline to be a great basketball player, to be a good student, and also to help me decide what I was going to do with the rest of my life.”John Brown
Check out our social media…
BlueSky: @mizzouonsi.bsky.social
X (formerly known as Twitter): @MizzouSI
Instagram: MizzouOnSI
Facebook: Missouri Tigers On SI
Read more Missouri Tigers news:
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/missouri as 2 Mizzou Track and Field Athletes Earn Academic Honors: The Buzz.
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
Why a rising mid-major power with an NCAA Tournament team opted out of revenue-sharing — and advertised it
-
Motorsports3 weeks ago
Why Cosmetics are Making Up for Lost Time in Women’s Sports
-
Motorsports2 weeks ago
Team Penske names new leadership
-
Youtube2 weeks ago
🚨 BREAKING: NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signs the RICHEST annual salary in league history
-
Sports2 weeks ago
New 'Bosch' spin
-
Sports4 days ago
Volleyball Releases 2025 Schedule – Niagara University Athletics
-
Sports2 weeks ago
E.l.f Cosmetics Builds Sports Marketing Game Plan Toward Bigger Goals
-
College Sports2 weeks ago
MSU Hockey News – The Only Colors
-
College Sports1 week ago
Buford DB Tyriq Green Commits to Georgia
-
Fashion6 days ago
EA Sports College Football 26 review – They got us in the first half, not gonna lie