The NWSL is where Sam Kerr solidified her status as one of the greatest forwards in the history of women’s soccer.

Kerr made her debut in the league’s inaugural season back in 2013 as a teenager, played three seasons with Gotham FC, previously known as Sky Blue, and left the United States in 2019 boasting two MVP titles and holding the record as the league’s top scorer. She then elevated her global career by becoming a standout player for England’s Chelsea and representing Australia on the international stage.

On the first day of a new contract she signed with Gotham, which extends until 2030, the 32-year-old revealed her long-held wish to return to the NWSL. “It was always something I wanted,” she confided Thursday, pointing out that when she decided to exit Chelsea this summer, “The NWSL was the only league where I envisioned myself continuing my career.”

Although it seemed straightforward, Kerr mentioned she was courted by multiple teams within the NWSL. She described the recruitment journey as “really difficult” and indicated it was the smaller, yet important, details that eventually swayed her decision.

“Sam had the option to play for any club worldwide, yet she chose Gotham,” noted Yael Averbuch West, the president of soccer operations.

So why Gotham? Let’s fire off some reasons, like so many shots on goal from the striker who will be eligible to debut in the team’s July 15 match at Citi Field:

— The team’s ambitions. “Gotham is probably the most similar club to Chelsea in their desires and what they want from a season,” Kerr said, describing the 2023 and 2025 NWSL champions and inaugural CONCACAF W Champions Cup winners as “a club that is always aspiring to win something, win the game, win whatever trophy they can.”

— The roster. “It helps that they have some of the best players in the league,” Kerr said. She called star midfielder Rose Lavelle “one of the key players I thought that I would love to play with.” Averbuch West said there have been meetings to discuss how Kerr will fit with incumbent center forward Esther González.

— The coach. Kerr “heard really good things” about Juan Carlos Amorós. “When I spoke to him, he impressed me tactically,” she said. “When you play in a team that creates a lot of goal-scoring opportunities, as a nine [striker], that’s the No. 1 thing that you want.”

— The GM’s pitch. “A lot of credit has to go to Yael because she did a lot of work to get me here,” Kerr said. Averbuch West described nearly six months of “a lot of phone calls with me and her agent.”

— The wife’s reference. Kerr is married to former USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis, who left Gotham in 2023 after two seasons. “It is important that Kristie played here and knows us and had a really good experience,” Averbuch West said.

— The money, of course. Last month, Gotham added to its cache of allocation money, which can be used on salaries above the NWSL’s hard cap, by trading promising young defender Lilly Reale to expansion Boston. “It’s about making an offer that shows respect to the player and also getting creative about what we do,” Averbuch West said.

— The location. Kerr briefly and accurately referred to the chance to “live in the best city in the world.”

Wes Watson, a prominent figure in the fitness influencer community, admitted to aggravated battery charges on Thursday following a dispute at a gym in Miami-Dade County. This plea finalizes the legal process ahead of his sentencing later this month.

In a Miami-Dade County courtroom, the 42-year-old influencer accepted the plea deal arranged with prosecutors. The agreement suggests a prison term of 21 months, recognizing time served, to be succeeded by a seven-year probation period and mandatory mental health care imposed by the court.

The sentencing has been scheduled for July 17.

Watson, who transformed his life post-incarceration to become a fitness and motivational icon, faced charges due to an incident on December 29, 2024, at Elevation Fitness located within Miami-Dade County.

He has amassed millions of followers across social media, where he shares content focused on fitness, discipline, entrepreneurship and his life after prison.

According to an arrest affidavit, Watson told responding officers he was working out when the victim approached him and said he wanted to fight. Investigators said surveillance footage showed Watson striking the man with a weightlifting belt during the confrontation.

During Thursday’s hearing, Watson’s attorney argued the circumstances surrounding the incident were unusual, saying the alleged victim intentionally sought out his client because of Watson’s online notoriety.

“There’s been a lot that’s been argued in this case about stand your ground,” defense attorney Eric Clayman said, according to Local 10.

“What’s unique is you have an alleged victim that sought somebody out because of his presence online. This guy bought a plane ticket, came through New Jersey, showed up at the gym for the sole purpose of confronting Mr. Watson. That turned into something else.”

The Miami-Dade case is separate from multiple pending felony cases Watson faces in neighboring Broward County. Prosecutors there have charged him with felony battery, aggravated assault, witness tampering and charges related to an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend. Those charges remain pending.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for additional comment.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds seen hundreds of miles from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding festivities

DEKALB, Ill. (WLS) — Authorities in DeKalb, Illinois, apprehended a man who was unclothed and implicated in the physical and sexual assault of at least three women in the downtown district, according to police reports.

Officers were dispatched to the DeKalb Public Library at 329 Oak Street around 1:15 p.m. on Thursday after receiving reports of a man attacking a woman physically and sexually.

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As police arrived, additional emergency communications came in, indicating another attack was occurring near the DeKalb Farmer’s Market.

Authorities soon identified a suspect in the downtown area who had disrobed, apprehending him while he was nude, officials stated.

In total, law enforcement officers discovered three women in the vicinity who had been assaulted either sexually or physically. Two of these victims were hospitalized for injuries that were not life-threatening, as reported by the police.

The suspect who was arrested was taken to a hospital for a “narcotic medical evaluation,” officials said.

Officials identified the suspect as 33-year-old Maurice Kemp II

The DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charge for Kemp, including Attempt Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault, two counts of Attempt Criminal Sexual Assault, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse and two counts of Criminal Sexual Abuse.

No further information was immediately available.

The Democratic Party is facing a significant image challenge that requires immediate attention, according to Rep. Tom Suozzi. In a recent op-ed, Suozzi underscored the urgent need to address the widespread notion that Democrats lack patriotism.

In a compelling article for The Wall Street Journal, Suozzi (D-NY) expressed, “I love America. Dishearteningly, as we commemorate our country’s 250th anniversary, far too many Americans connect those words solely with Republicans.”

“Democrats must work to alter this perception,” he asserted.

Suozzi also highlighted a range of criticisms towards President Trump and expressed concerns about the “current direction” of the United States.

He elaborated, “Under President Trump, we have not adequately addressed income inequality. There have been instances where masked agents have clashed with U.S. citizens. Moreover, our electoral process and voting rights are under siege, while misinformation spreads unchecked amid rising bigotry, extremism, and political violence,” he stated.

The congressman, however, urged those frustrated with the country’s direction not to let their concerns dampen their patriotism.

“Despite all this, we should remain fiercely proud of the American system,” Suozzi continued. “It has enabled the quest for ‘a more perfect union’, making possible the abolition of slavery, the rights of women and black Americans to vote, the protection of civil rights, the confrontation of religious, ethnic and racial bigotry and so much more.”

He said patriotism doesn’t ask Americans “to whitewash the country’s shortcomings,” but to confront them while recognizing the ability “to correct our mistakes” in the US democratic system to make America better.

“Democrats have long believed that America is great not because it is perfect, but because it has the capacity to become better. We must reclaim the language of patriotism, because our history teaches us that the most American thing any of us can do is help our great nation live up to the ideals charted by our Founders 250 years ago: liberty, equality, democracy and the rule of law.,” Suozzi wrote.

“Patriotism,” the congressman added, “means recognizing that America has been a force for good.”

Suozzi cited the American Revolution and how it “fueled struggles for independence, democracy and self-determination from Europe to Latin America.”

“Two and a half centuries later, America is still a beacon,” he said.

“Patriotism doesn’t demand blind loyalty,” Suozzi argued. “It demands faith that our country is worth improving and confidence that our ideals are worth defending.”

Some recent surveys show that Democrats are less patriotic than Republicans.

Just 18% of self-described Democrats said they felt “proud” to be an American compared to 68% of Republicans, according to an Elon University poll released last month.

A separate recent Reuters/Ipsos survey found 64% of Republicans said they would display an American flag or flag bunting outside their home this July 4, compared with just 27% of Democrats.

Meanwhile, Dariliaza Avila Chevaier, the socialist who won the Democratic primary in House District 13 covering northern Manhattan and The Bronx, once boasted on social media, “I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me.”

Suozzi, a former Nassau County executive and gubernatorial candidate who represents the swing 3rd district covering parts of Long Island and Queens, faces a tough re-election battle from Republican Michael Lipetri, a former state assemblyman.

It’s a rematch. Suozzi defeated Lipetri by only 3 percentage points in 2024, when President Trump carried the district over Democrat Kamala Harris, the former vice president.

Lipetri told The Post that Suozzi is trying to desperately distance himself from “American-hating communists” in his own party, and his own voting record, by talking about patriotism.

“Talk is cheap. This is just another example of Tom Suozzi saying whatever it takes to save himself,” Lipetri said.

“Whether it’s voter ID, mass amnesty and open borders, keeping boys in girls’ sports, or tax increases, he flips and votes exactly with the America-hating communists in his own party.”

Suozzi quit Congress in 2022 to run governor, losing to Kathy Hochul in the Democratic primary.

But he won the seat back in a special election in Feburary 2024 after convicted fraudster, Republlican Rep. George Santos, was expelled from Congress. He won re-election that fall against Lipetri in a squeaker.

“We should reject both the politics of resentment on the right and ideological purity on the left,” Suozzi’s op-ed continued. “Americans are looking for practical solutions, not endless culture wars or litmus tests.”

According to the congressman, “the choice Democrats face is clear.”

“We can allow patriotism to become a partisan label, or we can reclaim a tradition that rightly belongs to every American.”

A city in Massachusetts, known for housing one of the largest Cape Verdean communities in the United States, has set a temporary curfew in anticipation of Friday’s significant World Cup match between the West African nation and Argentina.

This curfew will be enforced in Brockton, which is located just south of Boston, running from 10 p.m. on Friday evening until 5 a.m. Saturday morning.

City leaders explained that this measure comes in response to recent World Cup events where celebrations escalated into risky and illegal actions.

According to city officials, past World Cup festivities have resulted in several incidents, including reckless driving, unauthorized street congregations, vandalism, assaults, illegal fireworks, disorderly behavior, and other criminal offenses.

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

Brockton is home to one of the largest Cape Verdean communities in the United States, with nearly one in four residents identifying as Cape Verdean, according to local outlet The Enterprise.

Friday’s match was expected to draw large celebrations, as the 2026 tournament marks the first time the African island nation has qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Following previous World Cup matches, Brockton police said several people were injured in shootings that erupted during postgame celebrations, according to local outlet Boston 25 News — prompting city officials to impose the temporary curfew ahead of Friday’s matchup. 

FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE

Under the curfew order, no one will be permitted to enter establishments serving alcohol after 7 p.m.

Patrons already inside will be allowed to remain until 10 p.m., but “last calls” for alcoholic beverages must end by 9:30 p.m. 

The city said only limited exceptions to the curfew will be permitted.

Such cases include law enforcement officers and other first responders, individuals traveling directly to or from lawful employment, those seeking medical care, and those responding to emergencies. 

Brockton officials described the measure as a public safety measure intended to preserve public order. 

“The purpose of this curfew is to protect public safety, reduce criminal activity associated with post-match celebrations, and enable police, fire, and emergency personnel to effectively maintain order and respond to emergencies,” the city said. 

“Residents and visitors are urged to celebrate responsibly, obey all laws, avoid unlawful gatherings, and cooperate with public safety officials to ensure that all World Cup celebrations remain peaceful and safe.” 

An event once heralded as the American equivalent of a royal wedding has swiftly morphed into a lucrative opportunity.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, criticized for their ‘tacky’ choice of Madison Square Garden for their wedding celebration, are leveraging the occasion to boost podcasts and create fresh content for their devoted fans.

Those in the couple’s inner circle seized the limelight on Thursday to market their own ventures amidst the excitement on the closed-off streets of midtown Manhattan.

The groom used his social media platform to draw attention to his New Heights podcast, hinting at a ‘very special guest’ scheduled to appear on the show ‘TOMORROW’.

Reported bridesmaid Selena Gomez turned heads in a striking black feathered ballgown, while simultaneously promoting her Rare Beauty brand by applying lipstick during her journey to the event.

Swift’s longtime friend Lena Dunham was one of the only celebrities to make sure she was seen outside the heavily guarded venue, with the actress rolling down the window her blacked out SUV as she arrived at the party.

And to top to it all off, the bride confiscated phones at the event’s entrance to ensure that her cameras were the only ones rolling.

Swift and Kelce hosted a pre-party at the Infosys Theater inside arena on Thursday night, slated for just 100 guests.

Reports ran wild that the pair may already be legally married. Some sources said they intended to exchange vows in front of 100 of their nearest and dearest on Thursday, before a blowout, festival-style party tomorrow.

Neither they, nor their guests, have confirmed what happened behind the closed doors.

They hung curtains on the arena’s gargantuan windows and erected an arrivals tent which blocked the public’s view of who was there.

A sign at a security checkpoint outside the venue instructed guests to ‘have identification out, have devices ready,’ suggesting attendees were forced to give up their phones before entering.

Press were told to leave the area, with cops heard saying: ‘It’s managed access. That means unless you have a business on the block, you gotta go to the corner.’

‘Either you gotta move or they’ll start arresting people for trespassing,’ an officer told journalists who refused to go to the designated press pen.

K9 units were spotted patrolling the perimeter of the arena, with the National Guard, as well as members of Swift’s own security team, seen in the area earlier this week.

Taylor Swift’s wedding: Read all the top stories

A total of 139 officers have been assigned to oversee the monster bash, including five lieutenants and 14 sergeants, according to the Daily Mail’s sources. Over 1,000 guests are expected to attend on Friday, with celebrations running into the early hours. 

Security posts around MSG were erected earlier this week and special ‘cooling stations’ have been set up to allow cops periods of air-conditioning.

The big day is set to feature a castle being built inside the iconic stadium. Crews were also seen hauling trees and other shrubbery, as well as a box marked ‘golf.’

A full street closure will then go into effect, allowing crews to erect a ‘drive through tent’ next to a separate ‘entrance tent,’ according to a special event permit

Another notice on display outside the arena states that photography and videography will take place in and around the area from June 29 to July 3.

Swift’s crews have been setting up for her nuptials to Kelce all week, with the new notice suggesting that cameras may have been documenting the entire process.

Exclusive photographs obtained by the Daily Mail captured professional monitors, camera rigs and high-end production equipment being loaded through the arena’s loading bay in the lead up to her big day. 

The singer, who has multiple ties with Disney, is no stranger to turning her life – or her relationships – into a cinematic spectacle.

In 2020, she released her Miss Americana documentary on Netflix which offered fans intimate details of her life on and off the stage.

Then, after her record breaking Eras tour, Swift released a feature-length concert film and sic part docuseries about the tour, highlighting her dubbing romance with Kelce.

She has also debuted multiple self-produced visual albums – each one owned outright by her, released on her timeline, and monetized on her terms.

Sources say Swift turned down offers worth tens of millions of dollars from streaming giants who wanted to broadcast the ceremony live.

The wedding footage, insiders say, will be hers alone to edit, release, and profit from however and whenever she chooses.

Swift and Kelce have faced massive scrutiny over the luxurious event and the disruption it is causing to America’s largest city over the holiday weekend. 

There was a flourish of good publicity for them when it was announces they had donated $26million to various charities across the country, including many in the city they disrupted.

This is just the beginning. There will no doubt be more glamorous, self-serving selfies and opportunities for brand-pushing tomorrow as they all return to Madison Square Garden for the big event tomorrow.

And with this much grift already on display, one can only imagine what’s still to come.