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Former Olympics gymnastics coach John Geddert commits suicide after sexual assault charges [Video]

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WHAT’S BEING CLAIMED:

  • John Geddert, former Olympics gymnastics coach, was charged for human trafficking, racketeering and sexual assault, Thursday morning.
  • Hours after the judge-issued warrant, Geddert, 63, was found dead due to suicide.
  • Chris Bergstrom, attorney for the 63-year-old coach, did not respond to requests for comment.

Former Olympics gymnastics coach John Geddert took his own life hours after charged — 20 counts of human trafficking and forced labor, one count each of first-degree sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, racketeering and lying to a police officer.

The suicide happened on Thursday afternoon and his body was found at a rest area along eastbound Interstate 96 in Clinton County, Michigan, about 3:24 PM ET. On that day, the coach was expected to turn himself in for arraignment.

The Michigan State Police is investigating the case. Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a written statement, “My office has been notified that the body of John Geddert was found late this afternoon after taking his own life. This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved.”

Geddert, 63, was the former owner of Twistars gymnastics club in Dimondale, Michigan, where he also used to coach.

Hundreds of his clients, women and girls, said convicted sex offender Larry Nassar sexually abused them. Nassar had regularly treated young athletes in a back room at Twistars and many claimed that Geddert knew about it.

Before the death was discovered, Nessel said in a Thursday news conference that Geddert was accused of using force, fraud and coercion. His athletes were forced to train extremely despite an injury. Nessel added that this caused athletes to attempt suicide, harm themselves and suffer from eating disorders.

Allegedly, the trafficking charges involving minors occurred from 2008 to 2018, with a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison upon conviction.

According to Assistant Attorney General Danielle Hagaman-Clark, the coach’s only charge related to Nassar was lying to police. Authorities suspected that Geddert knew about Nassar’s sexual abuse but failed to take action. He even lied to police when probed, saying that he never heard complaints about Nassar and that males were not allowed in the female locker room.

“These charges against Mr. Geddert are for his actions and his alone,” Hagaman-Clark said at the news conference. “(The charges are about) his behavior in his gym related to his coaching.”

Geddert’s two sexual assault charges involving a young teen athlete carry a maximum penalty of up to life in prison once convicted.

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On his racketeering charge, Geddert was alleged to have trafficked 15 athletes.

Chris Bergstrom, an attorney for the 63-year-old coach, did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Angie Povilaitis, the lead prosecutor, tweeted about Geddert’s death. “A lot of folks may not realize how heavy & hard today’s news of John Geddert’s suicide is (on many victims and former gymnasts). Speaking to them directly: HE made his decisions & choices-ALL OF THEM. None of the weight of his choices or burdens should be yours to (bear).”

Source: USA Today

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Conor McGregor Accidentally KO’s Miami Heat Mascot in Skit Gone Wrong [Video]

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In a Nutshell:

  • Ex-UFC champion Conor McGregor participated in an unexpected boxing stunt with Miami Heat’s mascot, Burnie, during a promotional event in the middle of an NBA Finals game.
  • McGregor knocked down Burnie with a left hook, leading to the mascot requiring medical attention and pain medication. The identity of the man inside the mascot suit has not been revealed.
  • McGregor was at the game to promote a pain-relief spray, and his antic of punching the mascot and then attempting to ‘heal’ him with the spray drew boos from the crowd.

The arena buzzed with excitement during the third-quarter stoppage of Game 4 of the NBA Finals, but not for the usual reasons.

It wasn’t a slam dunk, a three-pointer, or even a dramatic foul that had the crowd gasping – it was the sight of ex-UFC champion Conor McGregor, landing a left hook on Burnie, the Miami Heat’s lovable mascot.

The flame-faced mascot found himself in an unexpected ring match during a promotional skit that took a wrong turn.

Burnie, donned in oversized boxing gloves and a robe reminiscent of a fighter’s pre-match ensemble, received a one-two combo from McGregor that would make an experienced UFC fighter grimace.

After McGregor landed a left hook that knocked Burnie to the floor, he delivered another punch for good measure.

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It’s the kind of dramatic scene you’d expect in a UFC octagon, but not the hardwood court of an NBA game.

The crowd response was a medley of boos and gasps even before the bizarre bit started.

McGregor, who was at the game to promote a pain-relief spray, had already piqued the crowd’s ire before his ill-advised spar with the mascot.

Once the mascot was down, McGregor attempted to ‘heal’ the damage done by spraying the pain-relief product on Burnie.

Meanwhile, members of the Heat’s in-game promotional team had the unexpected task of dragging the battered Burnie off the court.

The man inside Burnie’s costume, whose identity was not revealed, had to seek medical attention following the unexpected showdown.

The Heat confirmed on Saturday that he was recuperating at home, aided by pain medication.

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As for McGregor, this stunt marks another bizarre event in a rather quiet period of his career.

He hasn’t stepped into the octagon since injuring his left leg during a match against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

His last victory dates back to January 2020.

Whether this outlandish display was a call for attention or just an ill-conceived gimmick, one thing’s for sure: Burnie might think twice before squaring up with another fighter.


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Canadian Woman Wins Annual Cheese-Rolling Race While Unconscious [Video]

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In a Nutshell:

  • Delaney Irving, a 19-year-old Canadian, has won the notoriously dangerous Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Race in the United Kingdom, a victory she only realized after waking up from unconsciousness in a medical tent.
  • The event, a peculiar annual spectacle dating back 600 years, involves participants from across the globe who race down a steep 180-meter hill in pursuit of a wheel of Gloucester cheese that can reach speeds of up to 70 mph.
  • Despite significant safety concerns due to the event’s hazardous nature, the thrill of the chase and love for cheese continues to attract and amuse participants such as Manchester resident Matt Crolla, Japanese cheese lover Ryoya Minami, and Washington’s Cooper Cummings.

In a plot twist as unexpected as cheese curds in a poutine, a courageous 19-year-old Canadian, Delaney Irving, skated to victory in the UK’s annual cheese-rolling race.

Irving’s win was anything but ordinary; the trophy was a 7lb wheel of Gloucester cheese, and the competition so fierce, she had a blackout to prove it.

After a harsh trip and tumble that left her temporarily knocked out, our heroine woke up in a medical tent, realizing that she’d wheeled herself into history.

“I still don’t really believe it, but it feels great,” she modestly confessed to the BBC.

The only thing sharper than her tumble, it seems, was her rise to victory.

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The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Race, a spectacle as intriguing as a mystery cheeseboard, is held annually in Gloucester, England.

It involves thrill-seekers chasing a wheel of cheese down a perilously steep 180-meter hill.

And it’s not just any slow roll: the cheese reaches speeds of up to 70 mph, adding a level of danger that’d make even a hard Parmesan crack.

The event, purportedly running annually for approximately 600 years, is known for drawing daredevils from around the globe.

With its steep hill and wild wheel of cheese, the event, which is more peculiar than blue cheese in a dessert, only seems to grow in its appeal with each passing year.

But Irving’s quick victory wasn’t as smooth as cream cheese.

Viral video footage shows her smacking her head before she tumbled across the finish line.

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“I remember running, then bumping my head, and then I woke up in the tent,” she recounted.

Cooper’s Hill, with its perilous slope, ensures that the cheese-rolling race has seen more participants in medical tents than an average sporting event.

Yet, it appears that danger doesn’t deter thrill-seekers and cheese enthusiasts from partaking in this annual spectacle.

Take for example, Matt Crolla, a Manchester resident, who won one of the races and conceded that participating was about “being an idiot.”

Then there’s Ryoya Minami, a dedicated cheese aficionado who traveled all the way from Japan.

When questioned about his motivation, Minami was succinct: “I love cheese.”

And let’s not forget Cooper Cummings, who journeyed from Washington, but didn’t manage to nab a wheel of cheese.

He maintained that “it was worth it simply to see the strange yearly ritual take place.”

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So if you were ever curious about how much someone might risk for cheese, these brave, albeit slightly unhinged individuals have your answer: ‘everything’.

No pain, no gain, no glory, and indeed, no cheese!


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Fowl Ball: MLB Pitcher Accidentally Hits Bird with a Pitch [Video]

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In a Nutshell:

  • Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen accidentally killed a bird with a baseball during his warm-up before a game against the Oakland Athletics. This incident was captured on video.
  • In a similar incident over 20 years ago, Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson killed a bird with a pitch during a game. These are the only known instances in MLB history of a bird being struck and killed by a pitch.
  • In contrast to these unfortunate incidents, there have been lighter moments of animal interference in sports games, including a goose causing a commotion at a Dodgers game and a praying mantis sitting atop a player’s cap during a Nationals game.

In an unlikely turn of events, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen accidentally struck and killed a bird during a pre-game warm-up, when his curveball hit the bird in mid-flight.

This unusual incident, captured on video, isn’t the first of its kind for the team; in 2001, Diamondbacks pitcher and Hall of Famer Randy Johnson similarly hit a bird with a fastball in a game against the New York Yankees.

These two occurrences are the only known instances in Major League Baseball history of a bird being killed by a pitch.

Although such tragic incidents involving birds are rare, there are numerous lighter stories of animal interference in sporting events.

For example, a game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers was interrupted when a goose got loose on the field, leading the grounds crew on a comedic chase.

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Similarly, in 2021, two separate incidents of animal invasions occurred on the same day during different games.

In a game at Yankees Stadium against the Baltimore Orioles, a wandering cat caused a halt in play, while in Washington D.C., a praying mantis chose to perch atop the baseball cap of Nationals player Victor Robles during a game against the Phillies.


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