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MLB Buys Stake in Jomboy Media, Partners for Digital Content

Jimmy “Jomboy” O’Brien has made it to the big leagues. O’Brien’s Jomboy Media has inked a strategic pact with Major League Baseball, under which MLB is acquiring a minority stake in his baseball-centered media company. Financial terms of the deal aren’t being disclosed. The partnership will see Jomboy Media and MLB collaborate on content activations […]

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Jimmy “Jomboy” O’Brien has made it to the big leagues.

O’Brien’s Jomboy Media has inked a strategic pact with Major League Baseball, under which MLB is acquiring a minority stake in his baseball-centered media company. Financial terms of the deal aren’t being disclosed.

The partnership will see Jomboy Media and MLB collaborate on content activations around tentpole moments like the MLB All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby. Under the pact, Jomboy Media also will gain access to intellectual property from MLB and individual clubs, to be integrated across “new apparel, home goods and more” that will be sold on Jomboy’s ecommerce site and other distribution channels.

The investment also is aimed at growing Jomboy Media’s stable of intellectual property, including podcasts “Talkin’ Baseball” and “Talkin’ Yanks” and the Warehouse Games, a kind of baseball-cricket hybrid indoor league “where backyard and back-alley sports meets high-end production.” MLB plans to work with Jomboy Media to have pro baseball stars, as well as the league’s media and celebrity partners, appear in the Warehouse Games. Per Jomboy, the Warehouse Games is nearing 400 million all-time views.

“Our community is the reason we’ve been able to turn this from ‘just a hobby’ into something bigger than we ever could’ve imagined,” said O’Brien, 36, who founded the company in 2017 with his friend Jake Storiale. “Partnering with MLB marks a huge moment for Jomboy Media, and through this partnership, we’ll be able to give back to our community with storytelling that’s deeper than ever before.”

Noah Garden, MLB’s deputy commissioner for business and media, said the league has “long admired the passionate fandom of Jimmy O’Brien and his unique ability to connect with baseball fans.” The partnership “will ensure that Jomboy Media will have the resources and access to MLB intellectual property necessary to help it continue to grow,” Garden said. “We are looking forward to bringing baseball fans more entertaining content to help further expand baseball’s online presence and deeper the connection between our sport and its fans.”

New York-based Jomboy Media currently has 54 employees. The company has several million followers across Instagram, X, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In 2024, Jomboy Media generated more than 93 million engagements on social media, the company claims.

The partnership was the result of months of negotiations between MLB and Jomboy Media, led on Jomboy’s side by CEO Courtney Hirsch. “We’ve always believed that deep storytelling and our unique approach to content and community can grow the game — and now we’re excited to do that alongside the league itself,” said Hirsch.

Two of Jomboy Media’s investors and board members — producer and entrepreneur Jack Davis and Adam Friedman of Connect Ventures — played key roles in landing the MLB deal, the company said. (Connect Ventures is a joint investment partnership between CAA and venture-capital firm NEA.) Other investors include Patrick Schwarzenegger, Eli Roth, Cameron Fuller, WWE, Quinn Cook, Billy Crystal, Josh Hader, Gabrielle Union, Dwyane Wade, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, current and former MLB players Christian Yelich, CC Sabathia, Noah Syndergaard and Trea Turner, and NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns.

Jomboy has longtime sponsorship deals with DraftKings and SeatGeek, each in their fifth consecutive years as partners, as well as with DirecTV, T-Mobile, Corona and Best Western.

(Pictured above: Jimmy O’Brien)



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Stingers Defend Victory Against Italy

The Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers have continued their winning run at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a four goal victory over Italy. After matching up against them only days ago in the Tri Nations Test Match Series in Perth, the Stingers took some extra confidence in the game having claimed the earlier win on […]

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The Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers have continued their winning run at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships with a four goal victory over Italy.

After matching up against them only days ago in the Tri Nations Test Match Series in Perth, the Stingers took some extra confidence in the game having claimed the earlier win on home soil.

Team captain and New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Bronte Halligan led from the front, scoring the first goal of the game to set up an early lead for the Stingers. It was a lead they managed to hold on to from start to finish, with fellow NSWIS athlete Hayley Ballesty scoring the last goal of the game to close it out, 19-15.

With five goals of her own, Abby Andrews was named Player of the Match.

“We’ve matched up a lot with Italy this year, and we know they’ve got really great shooters as well as a strong centre forward,” Andrews said. “They got some great shots, but I think we stamped the pressure really early on in the game and we were able to consistently build off that momentum.

“They came back a little bit but I think we held them out well in the end – we had great assists, great passing and some good execution,” she said.

The team includes multiple NSWIS scholarship holders such as Hayley Ballesty, Sienna Green, Bronte Halligan, Sienna Hearn, Dani Jackovich, Tilly Kearns, Alexie Lambert, Gen Longman, and Olivia Mitchell, as well as NSWIS staff – Senior Sports Physiotherapist Bernie Petzel and Sport Performance Analyst Joshua Dipple.

The Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers will now play trans tasman rivals New Zealand in their final pool match on Tuesday 15 July at 7:35pm AEST. Watch LIVE and FREE on 9Now.

Water Polo Australia





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Community remembers through volleyball – Gazette News

ROAMING SHORES – Jason Scribben and his friends loved volleyball and spending time on the lake in Roaming Shores.After Scribben, 18, died in a Fourth of July accident on the lake in 1998, his friends took it upon themselves to try and keep their favorite holiday as positive as possible in creating the Jason Scribben […]

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ROAMING SHORES – Jason Scribben and his friends loved volleyball and spending time on the lake in Roaming Shores.
After Scribben, 18, died in a Fourth of July accident on the lake in 1998, his friends took it upon themselves to try and keep their favorite holiday as positive as possible in creating the Jason Scribben Memorial Volleyball Tournament at the Roaming Shores Main Clubhouse.
“I started this in 1999,” Maureen O’Keefe, a friend of Jason Scribben, said. “Jason died in 1998 and he loved playing volleyball. He would show up at the clubhouse. He’d be sitting there with the ball, wanting somebody to play. We just knew the Fourth of July would be hard for all of us, so in ’99 we started this.
The tournament, held on July 5, is hosted on the Jason Scribben Memorial Court.
“As a group of kids who were growing up with Jason and coming here, all we did was play volleyball all the time,” O’Keefe continued. “We hung out on the lake. That’s what we loved to do, and so the Fourth of July was our favorite holiday just to come and hang out. (The holiday) is going to be scarred every year. It’s hard to put it in words, but it’s cool to see that after all these years, it’s still going. It was my senior year when everything happened, and then I was in college when I started this, but then I moved away. It’s just cool to come back and see that it’s still going and now my 16-year-old son is playing in it.”
Josh Scribben was just 13 years old when his brother passed away. The volleyball court was built near the pavilion and dedicated to Jason Scribben and a large rock with a plaque also serves as a memorial.
“This is why we have the tournament,” Josh Scribben said. “He died just right out here. He got killed on the lake. I came all the way from North Carolina to be here on my brother’s death anniversary.”
The tournament has been a good way to remember Jason Scribben.
“We used to have the volleyball court on the beach and there was a group of them that all played, and they ended up having a tournament for one of our anniversaries,” Rosemary Scribben, Jason’s mom, said. “They were volleyball all the time because we moved here when Jason was 2, so the kids were always on the volleyball court.”
The tournament serves as a reunion every bit as much as a memorial.
“For me, it’s the camaraderie,” Limestoll said. “John (Snyder, Josh Scribben’s brother-in-law) comes from North Carolina. Josh comes from North Carolina. There’s people who come from all over that I only get to see one time a year. I’ve been here, this is 26 straight years here. I’m actually the longest-tenured player here. This year was the first I’ve ever missed in 25 years. I’ve been a staple here. (I love) seeing everyone.”
There were 29 teams entered in the 2025 edition of the tournament.
“We used to have 10 or 11 teams,” Rosemary Scribben said. “There’s 29 teams here today. It’s awesome. My family supports all of this. We buy all the trophies through Fairway Plumbing and do everything, and we just love to have everybody come.”
The children of people who have participated in the tournament for years are now participating in it.
“(Jason’s) friends come back, now they’ve got their children, and there’s all these young people, I don’t even know half of these kids, and they’re here and they’re having fun, and it soothes me on this weekend,” Rosemary Scribben said. I know Jason, he would love this. He’s probably looking down at us right now and saying, ‘Awesome!’”



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New Tigard volleyball coach looks to hit summer running

Tigard’s Kara Gross bumps during a game at Cook Park, where the team recently finished out a three-week summer beach volleyball program. Adam Littman/Tigard Life – Advertisement – Summer means trips to the beach for plenty of people, and the Tigard volleyball program is no different.  Shortly after the end of the school year, the […]

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Tigard’s Kara Gross bumps during a game at Cook Park, where the team recently finished out a three-week summer beach volleyball program. Adam Littman/Tigard Life

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Summer means trips to the beach for plenty of people, and the Tigard volleyball program is no different. 

Shortly after the end of the school year, the volleyball team held its summer beach program for three weeks, during which players could work on their skills while playing on sand courts at Cook Park. 

“Beach is great for a lot of reasons,” said Tigard Head Coach Rainey Shriver. “You move a lot slower in the sand. It’s harder to jump because there is more holding you down. It can help players move quicker on their feet. A lot of people end up improving.”

The beach program was especially important this year, as Shriver is taking over as head coach of the program. It gave her a chance to see her new team up close and see how they work together. 

Shriver came to Tigard from Lincoln High School, where she spent the last three years as the school’s assistant athletic director while also coaching in the school’s volleyball program. She served as a JV coach, JV2 coach, and assistant coach for the varsity team. Shriver also coaches club volleyball, and grew up in Central Oregon, graduating from Ridgeview High School in Redmond. 

With Lincoln, Shriver saw Tigard twice last season, with the Tigers winning both matchups. 

“What I remember from playing them was their effort,” she said. “You could see how hard they played, and how hard they played for each other. It felt like they really loved their teammates and were pushing each other to be the best they could.”

Shriver is confident that effort and passion will continue, especially since there is so much continuity on the coaching staff beyond herself, and with the roster. 

“Having that group of coaches and players to ease the transition and know what’s important to them as players helped me know it was a good fit for me as coach,” she said. “When you interview, it’s about them finding out if it’s a good fit for them, but you also want to make sure it’s a good fit for you as a coach.

“Tigard was the one job I really wanted. The culture is so strong. Everyone supports everyone.”

Shriver saw that support from the players and their families as soon as she came on board as coach. She said the returning seniors let her know they’d like to do the summer beach season, so they made sure it happened. 

A group of seniors – Hailey Gustafson, Addy Witt, Brooklynn Peer, Ainsley Snider, and Jacquelyn Godard – took home the summer beach season title. Shriver said they were all instrumental in getting the season set up, as well. 

Shriver credited former Tigard Coach Jesse Abell for how involved the players are. 

“He did a great job building the program and putting this kind of culture in place,” Shriver said. 

Abell, who started the summer beach season eight years ago as an assistant coach, stepped down as coach but remains at the school as a teacher. 

Shriver also said they had such a big turnout for beach season that they switched to quad teams to let more girls play. 

While it’s still a couple of months from the start of the school year, Shriver anticipates a large turnout for the program’s summer programs and once the school year gets going. She said in July, they have open gym two days a week, and then there are positional camps and youth camps coming up. Then, once the school year starts, there are tryouts, and the season really kicks into gear. 

“I’m very excited to see what we can do when we really put the work in at the gym,” she said

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New Tigard volleyball coach looks to hit summer running

Tigard’s Kara Gross bumps during a game at Cook Park, where the team recently finished out a three-week summer beach volleyball program. Adam Littman/Tigard Life – Advertisement – Summer means trips to the beach for plenty of people, and the Tigard volleyball program is no different.  Shortly after the end of the school year, the […]

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Tigard’s Kara Gross bumps during a game at Cook Park, where the team recently finished out a three-week summer beach volleyball program. Adam Littman/Tigard Life

– Advertisement –

Summer means trips to the beach for plenty of people, and the Tigard volleyball program is no different. 

Shortly after the end of the school year, the volleyball team held its summer beach program for three weeks, during which players could work on their skills while playing on sand courts at Cook Park. 

“Beach is great for a lot of reasons,” said Tigard Head Coach Rainey Shriver. “You move a lot slower in the sand. It’s harder to jump because there is more holding you down. It can help players move quicker on their feet. A lot of people end up improving.”

The beach program was especially important this year, as Shriver is taking over as head coach of the program. It gave her a chance to see her new team up close and see how they work together. 

Shriver came to Tigard from Lincoln High School, where she spent the last three years as the school’s assistant athletic director while also coaching in the school’s volleyball program. She served as a JV coach, JV2 coach, and assistant coach for the varsity team. Shriver also coaches club volleyball, and grew up in Central Oregon, graduating from Ridgeview High School in Redmond. 

With Lincoln, Shriver saw Tigard twice last season, with the Tigers winning both matchups. 

“What I remember from playing them was their effort,” she said. “You could see how hard they played, and how hard they played for each other. It felt like they really loved their teammates and were pushing each other to be the best they could.”

Shriver is confident that effort and passion will continue, especially since there is so much continuity on the coaching staff beyond herself, and with the roster. 

“Having that group of coaches and players to ease the transition and know what’s important to them as players helped me know it was a good fit for me as coach,” she said. “When you interview, it’s about them finding out if it’s a good fit for them, but you also want to make sure it’s a good fit for you as a coach.

“Tigard was the one job I really wanted. The culture is so strong. Everyone supports everyone.”

Shriver saw that support from the players and their families as soon as she came on board as coach. She said the returning seniors let her know they’d like to do the summer beach season, so they made sure it happened. 

A group of seniors – Hailey Gustafson, Addy Witt, Brooklynn Peer, Ainsley Snider, and Jacquelyn Godard – took home the summer beach season title. Shriver said they were all instrumental in getting the season set up, as well. 

Shriver credited former Tigard Coach Jesse Abell for how involved the players are. 

“He did a great job building the program and putting this kind of culture in place,” Shriver said. 

Abell, who started the summer beach season eight years ago as an assistant coach, stepped down as coach but remains at the school as a teacher. 

Shriver also said they had such a big turnout for beach season that they switched to quad teams to let more girls play. 

While it’s still a couple of months from the start of the school year, Shriver anticipates a large turnout for the program’s summer programs and once the school year gets going. She said in July, they have open gym two days a week, and then there are positional camps and youth camps coming up. Then, once the school year starts, there are tryouts, and the season really kicks into gear. 

“I’m very excited to see what we can do when we really put the work in at the gym,” she said

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Wetumpka’s track and field all-state honorees | Sports

Many athletes from Wetumpka’s track and field team were recognized for their achievements on the 2025 All-State team by MileSplit.  Kymani Clary received first-team honors for triple jump. He also received third-team honors for the 400 meter dash and an honorable mention for long jump.  Elijah Bracey made third-team all-state for triple jump and honorable […]

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Many athletes from Wetumpka’s track and field team were recognized for their achievements on the 2025 All-State team by MileSplit. 

Kymani Clary received first-team honors for triple jump. He also received third-team honors for the 400 meter dash and an honorable mention for long jump. 

Elijah Bracey made third-team all-state for triple jump and honorable mention for long jump. Christian Spruill received third-team all-state honors for 110 meter hurdles. Justin Spigener also received third-team honors for the 300 meter hurdles. For pole vault, Ridley Sheets received third-team all-state recognition. Jamaria Smith made second team for her performance in the 100 meter dash as well as the 200 meter dash. Jada Walker also made second-team all-state for the 100 and 200 meter dashes. 

TJ Clary dominated events on the track and the field this season, as he made third-team for triple jump, second-team for 110 meter hurdles and first-team for high jump. Serenity Love also made second-team all-state for triple jump. 

The Indians showed out on the field events as Tremya Thomas received first-team honors for javelin and J.D. Denmark received second-team honors for shot put. 

This season Wetumpka showed real dominance in relay events. The boys 4×100 and 4×800 relays both, as well as the girls 4×800 relay got third-team all-state honors. Both the boys and girls 4×400 relay teams made second-team all-state this season. The girls 4×100 relay team was recognized as one of the best in the state, receiving first-team honors.



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How Kaelen Culpepper Has Answered His Draft Day Question Marks

Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Kaelen Culpepper) When the Twins selected Kaelen Culpepper with the 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, there were a few raised eyebrows. Sure, Culpepper had plenty of tools, but concerns about plate discipline and defensive projection gave some evaluators pause. Less than a […]

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How Kaelen Culpepper Has Answered His Draft Day Question Marks


Image courtesy of Ed Bailey, Wichita Wind Surge (photo of Kaelen Culpepper)

When the Twins selected Kaelen Culpepper with the 21st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, there were a few raised eyebrows. Sure, Culpepper had plenty of tools, but concerns about plate discipline and defensive projection gave some evaluators pause. Less than a year later, Culpepper is not only putting those concerns to rest, he’s making evaluators look like they undersold him.

Now firmly entrenched in Double-A Wichita and facing older, more experienced competition, Culpepper has surged into top-100 prospect territory. His all-around game is showing up in the box score and answering every pre-draft question thrown his way.

Chasing Down the Concerns

One of the most commonly cited red flags at the time of the draft came from The Athletic’s Keith Law, who wrote, “I know some teams had him in the second round because his chase rate was high, albeit not extremely so.” That concern was fair based on his collegiate track record, but Culpepper has responded in a big way.

In his first full professional season, Culpepper has trimmed his chase rate significantly, especially against right-handed pitching. His strikeout rate currently sits under 16% for the season, and the right-handed hitter has a 16.25 K% against righties. He’s begun to show a mature ability to lay off pitches just outside the zone, something that was seen as a “maybe someday” skill on draft night and is already a present tool.

Even FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, who was skeptical on draft day, has had to take another look. “I have mixed-positive feeling about the Twins’ first day because I’m lukewarm on Kaelen Culpepper due to his chase tendencies,” Longenhagen said after the pick. But Culpepper has flipped that narrative. His walk rate is hovering around 11% during the 2025 campaign, giving him a nearly even K/BB ratio. This is no small feat for a 21-year-old adjusting to professional spin and facing older pitchers over 78% of the time. 

The Shortstop Debate? Maybe It’s Over

Defensively, there was another looming question: Could Culpepper stay at shortstop, or was a move to third inevitable? ESPN summed it up nicely: “Ultimately, his pro ceiling will likely be decided by whether he can stick at shortstop or if he moves to third base on his way to the majors.”

A year later, most evaluators are in agreement that he can stick.

Culpepper has shown above-average range, clean footwork, and a plus arm at short. His internal clock is improving, and he’s making throws from deep in the hole that only true shortstops can pull off. The Twins have continued to give him regular reps at the position with only a handful of appearances at second base. Scouts now project him to remain there long-term unless the major-league roster demands a positional shift.

That strong arm, once merely a bullet point in the scouting report, is now a calling card. In pre-draft evaluations, he was seen on the fringe between shortstop and third base. Now, he has the potential to be an impact defender as a big-league shortstop. He’s turned potential into production, and if anything, he’s separated himself from many of the other middle infielders in his draft class by staying up the middle.

Crushing the Offspeed Test

CBS Sports questioned whether Culpepper could handle spin, writing, “Can shortstop Kaelen Culpepper improve his breaking ball recognition?” It’s a valid question for any young hitter, especially one whose college profile leaned more on twitchy athleticism than polish at the plate.

But once again, Culpepper’s adjustments have been impressive. Since his promotion to Double-A, he’s actually improved his slugging percentage against offspeed and breaking pitches, showing better pitch tracking and timing. Over his last 10 games (49 PA), he is slashing .432/.490/.523 (1.013) with two extra-base hits and as many walks (5) as strikeouts (5).  He’s not just laying off the tough stuff, because he’s doing damage when pitchers hang them.

Fast Track to Target Field?

What’s most exciting is just how quickly Culpepper has acclimated to professional ball. He’s one of only a handful of 2024 draftees already playing at Double-A, and he hasn’t missed a beat. The jump from college to pro ball is steep. The jump from there to Double-A is a leap. Culpepper made both without stumbling.

It’s rare for a late first-round pick to push into top-100 territory so quickly, but Culpepper has earned it. His combination of steady defense, improved plate discipline, and surprising offensive production against older pitchers has made him one of the most exciting infield prospects in the system.

The draft-day doubts have all been addressed quickly. The Twins believed in Culpepper’s upside when they took him at 21, and in less than 12 months, they may have already found the player who could be their shortstop of the future. If the trajectory holds, Culpepper could be pushing his way to Minneapolis by mid-2026.

And when he gets there, don’t be surprised if the same evaluators who doubted the pick are suddenly talking about how obvious it was all along.

Which doubt does Culpepper still need to answer? When will he debut with the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion on one of the organization’s most exciting prospects. 

 

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