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Dallas Cowboys believe Mike McCarthy is ‘a great catch’ as their new head coach

NNPA NEWSWIRE — McCarthy, who was 135-85-2 while coaching the Green Bay Packers from 2006 until he was fired on Dec. 2, 2018, following a 20-17 upset loss to the Arizona Cardinals, was introduced Wednesday as the new coach of the Cowboys. He replaces Jason Garrett, whose contract wasn’t renewed after he led the Cowboys to an 87-70 record during his nine-plus years as the team’s head coach.

Published

6 years ago

January 17, 2020

Oakland Post

New head coach of the Dallas Cowboys Mike McCarthy reminds everyone he won his first Super Bowl here in North Texas and looks forward to bringing the Boys back to the Super Bowl. (Image screenshot from Dallas Cowboys press conference recap video)

By Dwain Price, North Dallas Gazette Sports

FRISCO – Mike McCarthy was so comfortable after spending the night at the home of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last weekend that he decided to stick around for a while.

For a long time.

McCarthy, who was 135-85-2 while coaching the Green Bay Packers from 2006 until he was fired on Dec. 2, 2018, following a 20-17 upset loss to the Arizona Cardinals, was introduced Wednesday as the new coach of the Cowboys. He replaces Jason Garrett, whose contract wasn’t renewed after he led the Cowboys to an 87-70 record during his nine-plus years as the team’s head coach.

Needless to say, McCarthy, who signed a five-year contract with the Cowboys, knows he has stepped right in the middle of a Super Bowl or bust situation. And he thrives on those types of dynamics.

“The goal will never change here,” McCarthy said. “It’s about winning championships.

“But the expectation is going to be trusting the process.”

McCarthy expected to return the Cowboys back to the Bowl

Part of that trust is that Jones believes McCarthy is the coach who can get the Cowboys back to Super Bowl glory. After all, McCarthy did lead the Packers to a Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers nine years ago in a game ironically was played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

The Cowboys hope McCarthy can bring some of that magic their way – and real soon.

“I won my first Super Bowl here in North Texas at AT&T Stadium,” McCarthy said. “And I just want to tell you I am anxious and excited to get to work on winning the next Super Bowl for the Dallas Cowboys.”

By the way, when McCarthy spent the night at Jones’ home, Garrett was technically still the Cowboys’ head coach. But Jones didn’t let semantics get in the way of him finally getting the man he thoroughly thinks will lead the Cowboys to the promised land.

Of course, Jones reportedly has a history of meddling with the inner-workings of his head coach. Jones doesn’t like the criticism and added:

“Believe it or not before I got to be involved with the Dallas Cowboys – and that’s all I’m going to say about this – on my desk was, ‘If you’re willing to give others the credit you’ll conquer the world.’ Bam!

“Somehow this thing has turned me into something perceived that I don’t like about it.”

McCarthy knows a thing or two about championship quarterbacks.

Meanwhile, McCarthy has some pretty gaudy sheepskin on his resume in that he’s worked with Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana when he was the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in 2005. When he was coaching the Packers, McCarthy also coached Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Now, McCarthy gets a chance to work with quarterback Dak Prescott while also incorporating running back Ezekiel Elliott into an offense that had its problems this past season when the Cowboys finished the season with an 8-8 record.

“With Zeke, he’s going to get the football,” McCarthy said. “Let’s not make no mistake about that.

“You have to clearly understand that when you say that the offense is going to make the quarterback successful, the best way to make (Prescott) successful is a great run game. We clearly understand what we have here and how we can build off of that.”

McCarthy also began building his coaching staff, starting with hiring Mike Nolan to replace Rod Marinelli as the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator.

“In my own evaluation I’ll have an opportunity to visit with some of the coaches on the current staff, and those evaluations will play into the direction we go with the coaching staff,” McCarthy said. “Special teams will be a priority here.”

Plenty of bro love in the room

Ironically, it is Jones who thinks McCarthy is the special head coach for his team at this time.

“It’s a lightning in a bottle,” Jones said. “I think we were fortunate at this time and his time to catch that right now and get our time to do it was just an opportunity.”

An opportunity that wasn’t lost on McCarthy.

“Jerry is telling the story about the purchase of the Dallas Cowboys and at the end of the story he leans over to me and he grabs me by the forearm and reached out to shake my hand and he says, ‘And you need to be the coach of the Dallas Cowboys,’ “ McCarthy said. “So I jumped up and hugged him.

“And I’ll stop right there. We had a helluva time.”

The Cowboys haven’t won the Lombardi Trophy, aka the Super Bowl, in 24 years. Thus, a generation of kids who are now young adults has never seen the Cowboys win a Super Bowl and are personally unaware of their former dominance in the National Football League.

“Lombardi’s are hard to get a hold of, and we know that (McCarthy) has had one of his own right here,” Jones said. “To catch that right now was just an opportunity.”

McCarthy also had some fun at Wednesday’s press conference when, as the Green Bay coach in a divisional playoff game against the Cowboys some five years ago, he threw a challenge flag that led to that infamous reception by Dez Bryant being overturned via replay. A few years later, thanks to some input from Stephen Jones, who is the executive vice-president and director of player personnel for the Cowboys, the NFL changed that rule and added that Bryant did indeed make that successful catch on fourth down.

“I want to tell you exactly what happened,” McCarthy said while laughing. “That was one hell of an athletic play (by Bryant). I was impressed.

“I think it was clearly a technical rule at that time, which Stephen has since gotten changed on the (NFL) Competition Committee. I can’t tell you how many people from Dallas have told me about that play. It was a great catch, I can say now. But it wasn’t then – technically.”

The Cowboys are just delighted that they have what they perceive to be a “great catch” in Mike McCarthy.

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Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.