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How toy and game companies are winning back their grown-up former customers

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

New York (CNN) — I was on vacation and hanging out quietly in the hotel room with my friend when, out of nowhere, she screamed “Zoo Pals are back!”We immediately tried to buy some. But to our misfortune, they were sold out. For days we refreshed the page to see if they were back in stock. Sure enough, I got my Zoo Pals a few weeks later.I’m almost embarrassed to share that Zoo Pals are paper plates that feature the bright, adorable faces of animals like pigs, turtles, ducks and whales. Each plate has one main section and two subsections for the animal’s ears or feet. In 2014, Hefty, the maker of Zoo Pals, discontinued them.As a child, Zoo Pals were a game-changer. That meant broccoli didn’t have to, God forbid, touch my chicken nuggets, and they also provided a special area for dipping the nuggets in ketchup. And I had an incentive to finish my plate so I could see my Zoo Pal’s face again.As an adult, I no longer have such needs. But $6.99 was a small price to pay for a walk down me...

Milroe, No. 11 Alabama stage huge second-half rally, top No. 17 Tennessee 34-20

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns, Jihaad Campbell returned a fumble for a score in the fourth quarter and No. 11 Alabama uncorked 27 straight second-half points in rallying for a 34-20 victory over No. 17 Tennessee on Saturday.With its national title hopes on the brink, Alabama (7-1, 5-0 Southeastern Conference) turned in its most dominant half of the season. And it came against a border rival who had helped end ‘Bama’s championship aspirations a year ago.The comeback was fueled by big plays from Milroe and tailback Jase McClellan and a defense that smothered Joe Milton III and the Volunteers (5-2, 2-2) after the half and even provided the decisive TD.Cambell took a scoop-and-score 24 yards midway through the fourth quarter after Chris Braswell knocked the ball loose from Milton.The loss dealt a big blow to the SEC East chances for the Vols, who had built a 20-7 halftime lead with a huge start from Milton. Their chances of a first win in Tuscaloosa in 2...

Nix sets NCAA mark for most career starts, leads No. 9 Oregon to a 38-24 win over Washington State

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 293 yards and two touchdowns while setting the NCAA record for most career starts and No. 9 Oregon rebounded from its first loss of the season with a 38-24 victory over Washington State on Saturday. Nix started in his 54th college game and the Ducks (6-1, 3-1 Pac-12) became bowl eligible after a disappointing 36-33 loss at rival Washington last weekend. Bucky Irving ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns, while also catching a scoring pass from Nix to keep Oregon undefeated at home this season. Washington State (4-3, 1-3) lost its third straight game. The Cougars were ranked as high as No. 13 in the AP Top 25 earlier this season but they lost 25-17 to UCLA in Pasadena and then fell 44-6 to Arizona in Pullman last weekend. The game was billed as a battle between two of the Pac-12’s top quarterbacks. Nix, a Heisman hopeful, went into the game averaging 299.3 yards passing a game — third in the league behind Washington’s Michael Penix and ...

Cody Schrader runs for 159 yards, 2 TD to help No. 20 Missouri beat South Carolina 34-12

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Cody Schrader ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns and No. 20 Missouri sacked Spencer Rattler six times in a 34-12 victory over South Carolina on Saturday.Missouri (7-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) has seven victories in its first eight games for the first time since 2013.Brady Cook completed 14 of 24 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score, and Luther Burden III caught four passes for 90 yards and a TD.Rattler completed 23 of 40 passes for 217 yards, and South Carolina kicker Mitch Jeter converted four of five field goals.After South Carolina (2-5, 1-4) cut it to 24-12 with 10:31 left on Jeter’s goal, Schrader sealed it with an 11-yard touchdown run with 2:46 to go.Cook capped an 87-yard drive with a 17-yard rushing touchdown, and Harrison Mevis hit a 21-yard field goal in the second quarter to give Missouri a 24-0 lead. Jeter spoiled the shutout with a 51-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the half.Schrader had 10-yard touchd...

Cooper rushes for 162 yards and TD to help Ball State snap 4-game losing streak, beating CMU 24-17

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Marquez Cooper rushed for 162 yards and a touchdown, Kiael Kelly added two rushing touchdowns and Ball State snapped a four-game losing streak with a 24-17 win over Central Michigan on Saturday.Kelly’s 1-yard score to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive extended the lead to 24-10 for the Cardinals (2-6, 1-3 Mid-American Conference) with 13 minutes to go. Marion Lukes scored from a yard out with 4:15 left to get the Chippewas (4-4, 2-2) within a touchdown. They regained possession at their 8-yard line with 2:11 to go after a 50-yard punt by Lucas Borrow but turned the ball over on downs at midfield.Cooper, who had 26 carries in averaging 6.2 yards an attempt, turned in his 15th career 100-yard game. He gave Ball State a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter with a 15-yard run. Kelly had 64 yards on 15 carries with Ball State rushing for 243 yards. Kelly threw for another 101 yards.Jase Bauer threw for 161 yards and a score for Central Michigan. ___Get alerts on the ...

German soccer club gives away tickets for crowd of 52,000 to connect with its community

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — A crowd of 52,000 watched a thrilling win for Fortuna Duesseldorf in German soccer’s second division on Saturday. And they all got in for free.Saturday’s game was the first step in a “Fortuna for Everyone” plan to give away tickets for selected games, which Fortuna hopes could revolutionize how fans relate to club soccer. In future, it says it wants to offer every one of its home games for free. The hope is to reconnect Fortuna, which last won a trophy in 1980, with its community and attract a new generation of fans. The fans certainly enjoyed Fortuna’s win, and they may have inspired it, as the home team surged back from three goals down to beat Kaiserslautern 4-3. There were also some ugly moments.When Kaiserslautern raced into a 3-0 lead by the 32nd minute, there were whistles from the home fans and one Kaiserslautern player was struck by an object thrown from the stands. As Fortuna got back into the game, the crowd got behind the tea...

Keller, Zucker score, Arizona Coyotes beat Anaheim Ducks 2-1 for their best start in eight seasons

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

TEMPE, Ariz (AP) — Clayton Keller and Jason Zucker scored goals, Karel Vejmelka made 29 saves, and the Arizona Coyotes beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in their home opener on Saturday.The Coyotes (3-2) have won three of their first five games for the first time since the 2015-16 season when they won their first three, and they won their home opener for the first time since 2016-17.Frank Vatrano tipped in a cross-ice pass from Jakob Silfverberg for his fourth goal of the season on a power play to cut the Coyotes’ lead to 2-1 at 7:47 of the third period.The Ducks pulled goaltender Lukas Dostal with two minutes remaining but could not score again in a contentious game that included 14 penalties, eight by Anaheim, and a fight between Coyotes forward Liam O’Brien and Ducks forward Ross Johnston that knocked the goal off its moorings midway through the second period. Both were given five-minute fighting penalties.Keller gave the Coyotes a 2-0 lead with a wrist shot from the top of the right ci...

Haarberg runs and passes for touchdowns, Nebraska’s defense shines in 17-9 win over Northwestern

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Heinrich Haarberg ran for a touchdown and threw for another, Nebraska sacked Brendan Sullivan eight times, and the Cornhuskers beat Northwestern 17-9 on Saturday.The Huskers (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) have won four of their last five games under first-year coach Matt Rhule and matched their 2022 win total.Haarberg scored the go-ahead touchdown on a short run late just before halftime and put the Huskers up 17-6 with a long pass to Malachi Coleman early in the fourth quarter.Jake Olsen kicked three field goals for the Wildcats (3-4, 1-3), who were held without a touchdown for the third time in 10 games.Haarberg, who was intercepted on two of his first four passes, was 8 of 17 for 85 yards. He ran 16 times for 72 yards.Emmett Johnson had 12 carries for 73 yards.Brendan Sullivan started his second straight game at quarterback in place of Ben Bryant, who suffered an upper-body injury against Penn State on Sept. 30. The Wildcats netted zero yards over their first four posses...

Jacobian Morgan’s two TDs lead Jackson State past Mississippi Valley State, 21-6

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

ITTA BENA, Miss. (AP) — Jacobian Morgan threw for one touchdown and ran for a second as Jackson State cruised to a 21-6 win over Mississippi Valley State on Saturday.The Tigers (5-3, 3-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) shut out the Delta Devils through three quarters before DePhabian Fant sprang free for a 52-yard touchdown run with 28 seconds left in the game.Desmond Moultrie scored from 11 yards out in the first quarter and Morgan capped a seven-play, 57-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter to stake Jackson State to a 14-0 halftime lead. Morgan added a 14-yard touchdown pass to Joanes Fortilien early in the fourth quarter. Fant took the Delta Devils (1-6, 1-3) 97 yards in two plays for their lone score. He broke free for a 45-yard run before his 52-yard score.Morgan completed 20 of 36 passes for 141 yards and added 10 carries for 75 yards. He fumbled four times, with Mississippi Valley State recovering two. Ty’Jarian Williams was 16 of ...

Holley scores game-winning TD in overtime to lift Eastern Illinois past Bryant 25-24

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:30:59 GMT

CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) — Quarterback Pierce Holley ran for three touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime, to give Eastern Illinois a 25-24 victory over Bryant on Saturday. Bryant struck first in the extra period when Fabrice Mukendi bullied into the end zone from a yard out. Holley completed a 17-yard pass to Justin Thomas to convert on third-and-4 before pushing up the middle for a 2-yard score. Holley then ran in for the two-point conversion to end it. Holley was 21-of-29 passing for 244 yards. His pair of short-yardage touchdown runs in the first half capped long scoring drives for Eastern Illinois (5-3, 1-2 Big South-OVC Association). Mukendi’s 13-yard touchdown run tied the game 17-all with 11:26 remaining. Zevi Eckhaus completed 19 of 36 passes for 175 yards and threw a touchdown pass for Bryant (3-4, 1-1). ___Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll...