Rondale Moore had greatness and humility, a winning combination in any walk of life

Ten years ago — not almost 10 years ago … exactly 10 years ago — Rondale Moore posted a tweet and pinned it to the top of his Twitter page.It read:

Note to self: Be patient.

That was Feb. 21, 2016.

Ten years later — not almost 10 years later … exactly 10 years later —Rondale Moore died.A suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the New Albany (Ind.) Police Department. He was 25.

More:Rondale Moore's Purdue legacy of relentless strength will endure

For people all over Indiana, that news — it broke Saturday night and spread across social media, becoming one of Twitter's most-discussed topics in the country — was stunning, tragic. Moore grew up in New Albany and while he graduated from Trinity High in Louisville, he played as a sophomore on New Albany's Class 2016 state championship basketball team.

A teammate on that championship team, one of his best friends — a teammate on youth football and basketball teams, anda neighbor who lived five houses down the street— was future Boston Celtics lottery pick Romeo Langford.

In 2018 Moore arrived as a freshman receiver on thePurdue footballteam, and needed exactly one game to set a team record for all-purpose yards in a game. As a true freshman he was a first-team All-American and the winner of the 2018 Paul Hornung Award, given to the most versatile player in the country. Two years later Moore entered the 2021 NFL Draft and was selected in the second round by the Arizona Cardinals with the 49thoverall pick.

Moore was quiet, reserved. Shy, you could call him. He didn't enjoy talking with reporters, and not because he was surly. He just knew reporters were going to ask him about a topic he'd prefer not to discuss: Rondale Moore. He had greatness and he had humility, a winning combination in any walk of life. Before the first game of his sophomore 2019 season, I went to a Purdue practice to ask Moore about his next step at Purdue — and to ask, essentially, if it was fair for anyone to expect him to put up better numbers.

Moore recast the question,turning it away from himself.It's what he did.

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"There is no 'next step,' personally," he said. "It's what I can do to help this team win, and help guys get better. Get into a better bowl game. Compete for a national championship. That's the next step for all of us."

He continued.

"As far as putting up 'better numbers,'" he said, "that doesn't define me as a football player. It's how I can work and how I'm treating my teammates. That's something I value more so than myself."

Moore was an old soul, 19 going on forever, the world laid out before him like a red carpet, but sometimes that carpet bunches up, snags your feet, knocks you down.

Moore's time in the NFL, like his time at Purdue, was frontloaded with success. Moore missed most of that sophomore 2019 season at Purduewith a pulled hamstring,then missed three games of the COVID-shortened 2020 college football season with another hamstring injury. In the NFL, his best season was his first — 54 catches, 435 yards in 2021 — but he missed 12 games in 2022 with hamstring and groin injuries, and wasn't as effective in 2023 (40 catches, 352 yards).

Moore was traded to Atlanta for the 2024 season, but missed it with a knee injury. He signed with Minnesota for the 2025 season, but missed it with another knee injury.

Moore wasn't in the news again until Saturday — Feb. 21, 2026 — when his body was discovered inside a garage in New Albany, Indiana. He was taken to the Floyd County coroner.

He left behind so much shock and sadness, and that same message pinned to the top of his Twitter page:

Note to self: Be patient.

Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel onThreads, or onBlueSkyand Twitter at@GreggDoyelStar, or atwww.facebook.com/greggdoyelstar. Subscribe to the free weeklyDoyel on Demandnewsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Rondale Moore dead at 25. Former Purdue star WR was shy, humble

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February 23, 2026

Rondale Moore had greatness and humility, a winning combination in any walk of life

Ten years ago — not almost 10 years ago … exactly 10 years ago — Rondale Moore posted a tweet and pinned it to the top o...

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Guy Fieri, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay and More Stars Get Cooking at the 2026 South Beach Wine & Food Festival: See Highlights

Jason Koerner/Getty; Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty

TheSouth Beach Wine & Food Festivalcelebrated 25 years in style.

Rachael Ray,Brooklyn Peltz Beckham,Guy Fieri,Bobby Flay,Sofía Vergara,Ashley Grahamand other stars gathered in Miami for SOBEWFF, which ran from Feb. 19 to 22.

Culinary competitions, live versions of Food Network favorites, beachside tastings and music performances were all part of this year's mix.

Here were some of the highlights from the four-day festival, which featured more than 105 events.

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On Thursday, Feb. 19, Ray and Beckhamteamed upto co-host Mike's Amazing Burger Bash.

"Brooklyn is amazing," Ray told PEOPLE, noting that he's "warm" and "takes time with every person at every station" at the walk-around tasting event. She also called him "a very thoughtful, smart, kind person."

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Graham, Gayle King and Bert Kreischer were among the judges at the meaty competition, which saw La Birra Bar take the People's Choice award for favorite burger.

On Friday, Feb. 20, Fieri hosted a live version ofTournament of Champions,in which five teams led by past winners Brooke Williamson, Maneet Chauhan, Tiffani Faison, Mei Lin and Antonia Lofaso went head to head, with Lofaso taking top honors.

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Fieri told PEOPLE his favorite part of the festival was "to see all the young chefs that are aspiring to go to the next level, to see here and to celebrate them and to see them get their moment onstage, their moment in time to be recognized by the world."

Williamson dished on who she was most excited to hang out with during the festival.

"So many of my closest friends are here, and I've seen a big handful of them, obviously, in the last couple of days," she told PEOPLE.

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"I mean, Antonia [Lofaso] obviously is like my evil twin, my bosom buddy," she said. "My friend Casey Thompson is here, who I don't get to see very often. Shirley Chung is here. All of theTOCchamps, they're some of my closest girlfriends, and it's like a girls' night out tonight, which is super fun."

"And I get to be here with my adorable boyfriend, so that's fun, too," she added of Flay.

Brooke Williamson/Instagram

Williamson shared a photo with Flay and her fellowBobby's Triple Threattitans, Michael Voltaggio and Ayesha Nurdjaja. "Thank you @sobewff for another spectacular family reunion 💛🌴," she wrote.

On Saturday, Feb. 21, Goya Foods' Grand Tasting Village offered live cooking demos from Food Network personalities, including Flay.

TheBeat Bobby Flaystar told PEOPLE he enjoys "so many different parts" of the festival.

"This year, I did a Table of Ten 10-course dinner, which was really fun because it was very intimate," he said. "I got to talk to everybody all night long and cook for them, so that was fun."

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"I do like the demos because it really ... I think it encompasses what the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is all about. It's on the beach. People are lively. I usually do mine before one o'clock, before people get completely intoxicated with all the beautiful wine on the beach."

Jason Koerner/Getty

Vergara and her son, Manolo, shared hosting duties for the marquee event, in honor of their empanada brand Toma and Vergara's Dios Mío! Coffee.

On Saturday night, Tyler Florence brought back his Masters of Fire event for a flavorful evening of grilling and barbecue.

Jason Koerner/Getty

The annual festival also serves a good cause. Proceeds from ticket sales benefitFlorida International University(FIU) and its students preparing to work in the hospitality industry. Past years have already raised more than $45 million total for the school.

Read the original article onPeople

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February 23, 2026

Guy Fieri, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay and More Stars Get Cooking at the 2026 South Beach Wine & Food Festival: See Highlights

Jason Koerner/Getty; Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty TheSouth Beach Wine & Food Festivalcelebrated 25 years in...

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UCLA rolls past Wisconsin 80-60, celebrates first outright Big Ten title with 21st win in a row

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lauren Betts had 19 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, and No. 2 UCLA defeated Wisconsin 80-60 for its 21st consecutive victory on Sunday, when the Bruins celebrated the program's first outright Big Ten championship.

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The Bruins (27-1, 17-0) are close to completing the first undefeated league season since 2014-15, when Maryland went 18-0. They finished 14-0 at home and have one road game remaining.

Wearing white title caps, the Bruins gathered at center court in a group hug and posed with the trophy.

UCLA had already clinched the title by the time it took the court, thanks to No. 13 Iowa's 62-44 victory over sixth-ranked Michigan earlier in the day. Both Michigan and Iowa are tied for second with three losses each.

Gabriela Jaquez had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Bruins, who had five players in double figures.

Dorja Zaja scored 16 points and Lily Krahn added 13 for the Badgers (13-15, 5-12). They lost their eighth in a row and fell to 2-9 on the road.

Wisconsin struck for two quick baskets to open the third and get within seven. Destiny Howell scored and Ronnie Porter hit a 3-pointer.

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But the Bruins took over, outscoring Wisconsin 24-15 to take a 65-49 lead into the fourth.

The Bruins led by 14 points on Jaquez's 3-pointer early in the second quarter. The Badgers twice cut their deficit to eight points before trailing 41-29 at halftime.

On Senior Day, the Bruins honored Betts, Kiki Rice, Jaquez, Charlisse Leger-Walker, Gianna Kneepkens and Angela Dugalic with flowers before the game. Rice and Jaquez have spent their entire four-year careers at UCLA; the others transferred to Westwood.

Up next

Wisconsin: Hosts No. 13 Iowa on March 1 to end regular season.

UCLA: Visits crosstown rival USC in regular-season finale on March 1.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women's college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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February 23, 2026

UCLA rolls past Wisconsin 80-60, celebrates first outright Big Ten title with 21st win in a row

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lauren Betts had 19 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, and No. 2 UCLA defeated Wisconsin 80-60 for...

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Former WNBA All-Star Kara Braxton dies, league announces

Kara Braxton, a former WNBA All-Star who played 10 years in the league, has died, the league announced on social media. The cause of death was not given. She was 43.

Martin Chivers, soccer, 1945-2026

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Sports figures we lost in 2026

"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the passing of 2x WNBA Champion Kara Braxton. A 10-season veteran, Kara played with the Detroit Shock, Tulsa Shock, Phoenix Mercury, and New York Liberty. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and former teammates at this time," the WNBA shared on X.

Braxton was drafted No. 7 overall in the 2005 WNBA Draft by the Detroit Shock. She was named to the WNBA All-Rookie team after averaging 6.9 points and 3.0 rebounds. A 6-foot-6 power forward, she would go on to win championships in 2006 and '08 with Detroit.

She played in Tulsa, when the Shock relocated, and also spent time with the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty. Braxton also played overseas in Poland, Turkey, China and Italy through the 2017-18 season.

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Born in Jackson, Michigan, on Feb. 18, 1983, Braxton attended high school there her freshman year before transferring to Westview High School in Portland, Oregon. She was named Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior. She played college basketball at Georgia for two-and-a-half seasons before being dismissed from the team by then-coach Andy Landers for undisclosed reasons.

Braxton worked for Nike in Oregon after her retirement from professional basketball before moving to the Atlanta area. Her son, Jelani Thurman, was on the 2024 Ohio State national championship football team. He played tight end.

Braxton is survived by her husband, Jarvis Jackson, and her two sons, Thurman and Jream Jackson.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Former WNBA All-Star Kara Braxton dies at 43, league announces

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February 23, 2026

Former WNBA All-Star Kara Braxton dies, league announces

Kara Braxton, a former WNBA All-Star who played 10 years in the league, has died, the league announced on social med...

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Jacob Bridgeman cruises to first win at Genesis Invitational

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- After hanging around on the porch for much of the past year, Jacob Bridgeman stormed through the front door Sunday, earning his first career PGA Tour victory by holding on for a one-shot win in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club.

Bridgeman played it safe, shooting 1-over-par 72 in the final round to finish 18-under 266 at the finale of the season-opening West Coast Swing. After holding a seven-shot lead at one point early in his final round, he needed a 3-foot putt at 18 to make the win official.

"This morning I wouldn't say it's a bad thing to let myself think about winning, but I did and I thought it would be a lot easier than it was," said Bridgeman, 26. "I kind of had everything under control, especially to start the day, and I felt great throughout the day. Then some guys started making a little run. ... Yeah, it got a lot tighter than I wanted it to."

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy (4-under 67) closed with birdies on the final two holes to finish tied for second with Kurt Kitayama (64) at 17 under, while Australia's Adam Scott (63) finished fourth at 16 under. Scott, the tournament winner in 2005 and 2020 who entered on a sponsor's exemption, had two rounds of 8-under 63.

South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter (68) was alone in fifth at 15 under and Jake Knapp (66) was sixth at 13 under.

During an emotional week, as the tournament returned to the Los Angeles-area neighborhood that was devastated by a wildfire last January, Bridgeman fought back tears on the 18th green when his breakthrough was complete.

"I've seen so many guys walking up 18 with the crowd kind of behind you, the amphitheater surrounding the green is such a cool moment," Bridgeman said. "I pictured myself walking up that hole with a four-shot lead and knowing that I'd won, but unfortunately it was only a one-shot lead and it became a lot more nervous. So I kept my head down, didn't really look up until the end."

Content to play it safe after starting the day with a six-shot lead, Bridgeman was even par through 15 holes after two birdies and two bogeys. His bogey at No. 16, dropped him to 18 under and allowed Kitayama to pull within a stroke.

Nine strokes back at the start of the day, Kitayama's charge included four birdies over his first five holes of the final round. He had four more birdies on the back nine to deliver his first top-five finish since winning the 3M Open in July 2025.

"Had a dream start to the day," Kitayama said. "Didn't really go into it thinking I had a chance, just kind of plugged along, and coming down the stretch figured if I could make some birdies, add a little pressure, but overall, great day."

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It was almost one year to the date when Bridgeman started to show that his first trophy was near. He was runner-up at Cognizant Classic last February and delivered four top-five finishes in just over four months.

The run continued this season with a fourth-place finish at the Sony Open at Hawaii and a tie for eighth at Pebble Beach last week. After never holding an overnight lead since joining the PGA Tour, Bridgeman was in the top spot all four days this weekend, including a tie for first after each of the first two rounds.

Playing in the final round with McIlroy, Bridgeman held his own against the world's No. 2 player. McIlroy was merely even par on the front nine, before collecting four birdies after the turn. McIlroy made it interesting with a long birdie putt from the fringe at the final hole.

"I holed some putts on the back nine, which is nice, but I'll rue basically all 18 holes (Saturday) and then the front nine today, like 27 holes where I failed to capitalize on the chances I gave myself," McIlroy said. "But overall, a really positive week."

Bridgeman, a South Carolina native and Clemson alumnus, who reached 21-under par early in his round, finished off the victory with a pars at 17 and 18.

An infrequent visitor to the West Coast until joining the PGA Tour, Bridgeman not only earned a hefty payday, he did it while playing on the legendary Riviera layout for the first time.

For the third consecutive week, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (65) turned a poor start into a solid finish. He finished 11 under for the weekend and in a tie for 12th after scrambling to make the cut on the number.

"I think after Thursday I did some pretty good stuff," Scheffler said. "... I think I was in dead last after Thursday, battled just to make the cut and think I had two solid (rounds) over the weekend."

Collin Morikawa (65), who ended a victory drought of over two years last week at Pebble Beach, was in a group of five, along with Tommy Fleetwood and Xander Schauffele, that finished tied for seventh place at 12 under.

In the middle of a rough round, Max Greyserman had a hole-in-one at No. 14 after he was 4 over on the day to that point. He finished in a tie for 24th place at 7 under.

--Doug Padilla, Field Level Media

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February 23, 2026

Jacob Bridgeman cruises to first win at Genesis Invitational

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- After hanging around on the porch for much of the past year, Jacob Bridgeman stormed th...

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