LA riots, NCAA’s new era, Musk vs Trump & Simone Biles controversy | Ep. 23

This week, we’re breaking down the headlines you can’t ignore—from riots in Los Angeles to Trump’s latest shots at Musk and Newsom. Plus, a look at the NCAA’s game-changing ruling on student-athlete pay and commentary on Simone Biles vs. Riley Gaines, NBA and NHL finals action, and a tribute to writer Jon Tjarks. Join us as we tackle politics, sports, and culture with honest Christian insight!

Topics

• (01:15): Riots in LA: Police vs. Protesters
• (04:58): Political reactions and controversies
• (11:07): Christian perspective on the riots
• (16:52): NIL House vs. NCAA settlement
• (21:20): Fairness in college sports: The new NCAA ruling
• (25:39): Spiritual reflections on comparison
• (29:10): Musk vs. Trump: A social media feud
• (32:15): Hollywood legal battles: Baldoni vs. Lively
• (33:37): Simone Biles vs. Riley Gaines: Controversial tweets
• (36:11): US-China trade negotiations
• (37:49): Tune-In: Major sports events
• (38:05): NBA Finals and Jon Tjarks' legacy
• (41:48): Closing thoughts and encouragement

Resources

• Mailbag: culturebrief@denisonforum.org
• DenisonForum.org/subscribe
• Culture Brief on Instagram
• President Trump deploys the National Guard to Los Angeles
• President Biden issues “Proclamation on Securing the Border”
• Who is driving the chaos in Los Angeles and beyond?
• Politico: Playbook: Trump: ‘BRING IN THE TROOPS’
• How LA erupted over rumours of immigration raid at a hardware store
• Playbook PM: Trump says he would arrest Newsom - POLITICO
• NYT: How President Trump is changing government, the country and its politics.
• Playbook: The LA standoff Trump wanted - POLITICO
• The LA Riots Are a Trump Ad - by Ruy Teixeira
• Will Illegal Immigration Break the Nation Apart?
• Democrats Make Stephen Miller’s Day - WSJ
• Tangle: The LA Protests
• Arch Manning signs deal with Red Bull as NCAA-high NIL valuation rises to $6.6 million?
• With $2.7 billion settlement approved, college sports' big money era is officially here
• A $2.8 billion settlement will change college sports forever. Here’s how
• House v. NCAA settlement approved: Landmark decision opens door for revenue sharing in college athletics - CBSSports.com
• Judge OK's $2.8B settlement, paving way for colleges to pay athletes - ESPN
• Houston Christian is opting out of NCAA settlement but will lose $300K per year
• What does the Bible say about transgenderism?
• The NBA Draft’s Most Polarizing Prospect Is a Walking Analytics Experiment - The Ringer

About Micah Tomasella

Micah Tomasella is the Advancement Officer at Denison Ministries and co-hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. A graduate of Dallas Baptist University, Micah is married to Emily, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. With an extensive background in nonprofit work, finance, and real estate, Micah also brings experience from his years in pastoral church ministry.

About Conner Jones

Conner Jones is the Director of Performance Marketing at Denison Ministries and Co-Hosts Denison Forum's "Culture Brief" podcast. He graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 2019 with a degree in Business Management. Conner passionately follows politics, sports, pop-culture, entertainment, and current events. He enjoys fishing, movie-going, and traveling the world with his wife and son.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.