BALTIMORE (AP) A comeback victory in a game that appeared to be lost enabled the Boston Red Sox to stroll out of Camden Yards feeling quite satisfied about where they stand at this point in the season. Rafael Devers led off the 10th inning with a home run after Marco Hernandez tied it with a solo shot in the ninth, and Boston beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-6 Sunday to move a season-high five games over .500. ''Obviously we need to keep rolling and keep extending that,'' winning pitcher Brandon Workman said. ''We set that goal for ourselves, and we were able to get it.'' The Red Sox opened defense of their World Series title by losing their first four games this season and were 9-15 on April 23. Now they're 39-34 and within striking distance of the first-place Yankees in the AL East. ''There's a good vibe,'' manager Alex Cora said. ''We didn't come out of the blocks the way we wanted, but it's still a long race. We're still in the hunt.'' After winning the first two games of the series in blowout fashion, the Red Sox used some late heroics to complete the sweep and extend their winning streak to five. Boston trailed 3-2 in the ninth before Hernandez connected off Mychal Givens, who avoided further damage by getting two straight strikeouts following a triple by Mookie Betts. In the 10th, however, Givens (0-4) served up a 1-0 pitch that Devers slammed far over the center-field wall. Betts and Christian Vazquez added two-out, two-run singles off David Hess, who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after the game. ''It was one of those that it was going to be an ugly loss, whatever, but now it's a great win,'' Cora said. Brandon Workman (5-1) worked the ninth for the Red Sox. Boston's eighth pitcher, Josh Smith, gave up a two-run homer to Stevie Wilkerson and a bases-empty drive to Trey Mancini in the 10th before sealing the win. ''Everybody kind of stepped up and did their job throughout the game,'' Workman said. ''Offense kept grinding out at bats and we were able to take the lead and win it.'' Orioles manager Brandon Hyde was ejected in the fourth inning after arguing a call that cost Baltimore a run. Keon Broxton was called out for running in the baseline after laying down a successful squeeze bunt, which by rule sent Anthony Santander back to third base. Richie Martin subsequently struck out to end the inning, leaving the Orioles down 2-1. The score stayed that way until the eighth. Baltimore was 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position when Jonathan Villar drew a leadoff walk from Marcus Walden. Villar stole second, then stole third as Chris Davis expressed his displeasure over a called third strike and Vazquez looped his throw from behind the plate to the mound. Villar scored on a wild pitch before Wilkerson greeted right-hander Travis Lakins with a pinch-hit triple and came home on a single by Hanser Alberto . The lead didn't last long. ''Very strange game, but in the end it's a really tough loss,'' Mancini said. ''Good clubs win those games, and hopefully soon, we'll do a better job of finishing games off.'' Baltimore has lost five straight, is 9-28 at home and owns the worst record in the majors (21-50). ''We've had our fair share of tough losses this year. I've never seen a club go through so much in the first few months of the season,'' Hyde said. ''But I really liked the way we played today. We battled back twice. Johnny Villar made things happen, tied the game for us. A lot of good things happened in today's game. It just didn't end well.'' TRAINER'S ROOM Red Sox: Andrew Benintendi sat out the game with a sore quad. ''Nothing serious,'' Cora said. ... 1B Steve Pearce (back) emerged unscathed from his first two rehabilitation games. ''He felt good, moving around well. At the plate, he feels a lot better,'' Cora said. Orioles: Dwight Smith Jr. (7-day concussion protocol) is ''progressing very, very well'' but will likely need to play a couple of rehab games before returning, Hyde said. ... RHP Alex Cobb is on the mend after undergoing successful season-ending hip surgery. UP NEXT Red Sox: Rick Porcello (4-6, 4.69 ERA) helps Boston open a three-game series on Monday night against the host Minnesota Twins, who lead the AL Central. Orioles: Andrew Cashner (6-2, 4.73) hopes a lingering blister won't be a problem when he faces the Oakland Athletics on the road Monday night. The right-hander missed his scheduled start Friday night. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


The Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago Cubs co-owner and Republican/Trump fundraiser Todd Ricketts is in some hot water over property taxes. He and his wife bought an old 2,500 square foot house several years ago, knocked it down and built a new, much larger house on the lot. Due to what appears to be some governmental inefficiency, the county department which gave Ricketts the permit to build his larger house did not forward the paperwork to the tax assessor, so Ricketts kept being assessed at the lower rate for many years. Which, hey, that happens. And even as a bleedin' lefty commie, I can acknowledge that that's on the government. There's a law that requires people to say when they think their assessment should go up but, c'mon, people really should not be expected to run downtown and say "wait, I think I owe you more money!" Ricketts would have no recourse if the county figured it out and asked him for back taxes, of course, but I think we all agree that we'd probably wait to be told that our tax bill was going up if we were in his shoes. Except there was one additional problem here. Ricketts, through his lawyer, later tried to get his tax reduced even more by claiming that he still had the old, smaller house : In 2013, Ricketts' attorney had a chance to tell Cook County tax officials about the new home during a property tax appeal but instead sought a reduction based on the age and size of the old house, according to documents the Tribune obtained through an open-records request. The paperwork included a photo of the century-old home that had been demolished. Say what you want about Todd Ricketts and his lawyer, but they are not lacking in chutzpah. Now, of course, they're likely not lacking in an investigation as to whether they've committed tax fraud or something like it. At the very least the lawyer is going to be in hot water, ethically speaking. As the Tribune notes, Ricketts, his siblings and his father, who co-own the Cubs together, are not new to the "taxes for thee but not for me" game: [The Ricketts] family that secured an $8.5 million county historic renovation property tax break for its rehab of Wrigley Field. That project also is in line to receive more than $100 million in federal tax credits. Those are fine, presumably, as those taxes are apparently being paid by other people. Follow @craigcalcaterra Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Take a look at Sunday's Gander RV 400 starting lineup for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Pocono Raceway (3 p.m. ET, NBCSN). Kevin Harvick will unofficially start on the pole in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Crew chief: Rodney Childers Spotter: Tim Fedewa Joey Logano will start second in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Crew chief: Todd Gordon. Spotter: T.J. Majors Aric Almirola will start third in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Crew chief: John Klausmeier Spotter: Joel Edmonds Erik Jones will start fourth in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Crew chief: Chris Gayle Spotter: Rick Carelli Austin Dillon will start fifth in the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Danny Stockman Jr. Spotter: Andy Houston Jimmie Johnson will start sixth in the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Kevin Meendering Spotter: Earl Barban Kyle Busch will start seventh in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Crew chief: Adam Stevens Spotter: Tony Hirschman William Byron will start eighth in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Chad Knaus Spotter: Tab Boyd Kurt Busch will start ninth in the No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Matt McCall Spotter: Tyler Green Daniel Suarez will start 10th in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Crew chief: Billy Scott Spotter: Tony Raines Martin Truex Jr. will start 11th in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Crew chief: Cole Pearn Spotter: Clayton Hughes Denny Hamlin will start 12th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Crew chief: Chris Gabehart Spotter: Chris Lambert Matt DiBenedetto will start 13th in the No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Toyota. Crew chief: Michael Wheeler Spotter: Doug Campbell Brad Keselowski will start 14th in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford. Crew chief: Paul Wolfe Spotter: Coleman Pressley Alex Bowman will start 15th in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Greg Ives Spotter: Kevin Hamlin Clint Bowyer will start 16th in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Crew chief: Mike Bugarewicz Spotter: Brett Griffin Michael McDowell will start 17th in the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. Crew chief: Drew Blickensderfer Spotter: Frank Deiny Jr. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start 18th in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. Crew chief: Brian Pattie Spotter: Mike Herman Jr. David Ragan will start 19th in the No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford. Crew chief: Seth Barbour Spotter: Rocky Ryan Ryan Blaney will start 20th in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford. Crew chief: Jeremy Bullins Spotter: Josh Williams Paul Menard will start 21st in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Crew chief: Greg Erwin Spotter: Joey Meier Daniel Hemric will start 22nd in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Luke Lambert Spotter: Branden Lines Chase Elliott will start 23rd in the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Alan Gustafson Spotter: Eddy D'Hondt Ryan Newman will start 24th in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. Crew chief: Scott Graves Spotter: Jason Jarrett Ryan Preece will start 25th in the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Tristan Smith Spotter: Stevie Reeves Bubba Wallace will start 26th in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Derek Stamets Spotter: Freddie Kraft Matt Tifft will start 27th in the No. 36 Front Row Motorsports Ford. Crew chief: Michael Kelley Spotter: Chris Monez Chris Buescher will start 28th in the No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Trent Owens Spotter: Brandon Benesch Kyle Larson will start 29th in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Chad Johnston Spotter: Derek Kneeland Corey LaJoie will start 30th in the No. 32 GO FAS Racing Ford. Crew chief: Randy Cox Spotter: David Pepper Landon Cassill will start 31st in the No. 00 StarCom Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Joe Williams Jr. Spotter: Tom Legeman Ty Dillon will start 32nd in the No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Matt Borland Spotter: Billy O'Dea Josh Bilicki will start 33rd in the No. 53 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet. Crew chief: Jason Houghtaling Spotter: Steve Barkdoll BJ McLeod will start 34th in the No. 51 Petty Ware Racing Ford. Crew chief: Michael Hillman Spotter: Tyler Monn Ross Chastain will start 35th in the No. 15 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Patrick Tryson Spotter: Randy Bradshaw Reed Sorenson will start 36th in the No. 27 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Jeremy Labretone Spotter: Carl Miller Quin Houff will start 37th in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. Crew chief: Peter Sospenzo Spotter: Joe Campbell Austin Theriault will start 38th in the No. 52 Rick Ware Racing Ford. Crew chief: Lee Leslie Spotter: Tony Micale


You got the Save The Date, now you need something to wear. We've rounded up the prettiest dresses to wear to a spring wedding. Tahari Floral Print Swiss Dot Maxi Dress Re:named Remy Polka Day Dress Likely Packard One-Shoulder Dress OPT Bryant Dress Isabel Marant Etoile Esther Dress Topshop Midi Dress Aidan Mattox Illusion Scuba Crepe Dress Vince Camuto Side Ruched Off-the-Shoulder Gown Theory Helaina Shift Dress BB Dakota Floral Attire Chiffon Dress


PHOENIX - With a bank of cameras focused on him, Bill Belichick sauntered to his seat as media day began Tuesday at US Airways Arena. Dressed in a blue hooded sweatshirt, jeans and flip flops, Belichick smiled as he settled behind the microphone. If he was apprehensive about managing more talk about deflated footballs, Belichick wasn't showing it. Sure enough, the first question was about the media coverage of the story. Calmly, Belichick answered. "We're just focused on Seattle this week," Belichick said. 'It's all about Seattle, it's all about us getting ready to play Sunday and that's where all of our attention is. I'm not really worried about the rest of that." He didn't seem to have too many worries as he sat through the NFL's annual performance art show. There would be more questions about the controversy and Belichick skillfully swatted them away, always saying that he was focused on Seattle. The Patriots didn't engage in discussions about football air pressure, so the questions dissipated and it became just another media day. The arena floor was packed with former NFL players, entertainment reporters, guys in costumes, folks with puppets and women in cheerleading outfits. It was, as always, Fellini meets football and there was little news value. Quarterback Tom Brady was asked early in his session about the challenge of handling the air pressure issue and he managed to provide an answer without addressing specifics. "There's always different things to overcome and I think as an athlete you have to have mental toughness and you have to be able to compartmentalize things," Brady said. "It's challenging at times because, you know, you're a human, you have emotions. But regardless of what people say, good or bad, you also understand the people that are in your corner and to have a lot of support and love, is a great thing." Later, Brady was asked if he saw the "Saturday Night Live" skit that featured him. He has not. "I'm sure it was pretty good," Brady said. "I guess people watched it and liked it. They're pretty good over there." There were plenty of football questions for the Patriots, who will face the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday. Players were asked to evaluate their opponent and talk X's and O's. But this day was more about personality and absurdity. Rob Gronkowski was asked who is the worst (Julian Edelman) and best (himself) dancer on the team. He was also asked for a Super Bowl guarantee. "The game will be on Sunday," Gronkowski said. Edelman was asked about Gronkowski. "A big goofball, a big baby," Edelman said. And Belichick, the guy who reveals so little about himself, happily answered the question about the past three movies he has seen. "'Unbroken,' 'American Sniper,'" Belichick said. "Those two for sure. I think back to what I saw in the summer, but those two for sure." His favorite movie starring Joe Pesci? "'Home Alone,'" Belichick said. "Definitely 'Home Alone.' No question about that. 'Home Alone' and 'Home Alone 2' ... [and] 'My Cousin Vinny.' Put them all in there." Belichick, of course, referenced "My Cousin Vinny" during the Saturday press conference in which he attempted to explain the ball-deflation issue. This time, he was smiling. Other players were asked about owner Robert Kraft's Monday night defense of his team and about the issue causing a distraction. "I've tried to ignore it," Shane Vereen said. "I've paid special attention to my TV and my TV channels and I've stayed away from a lot of the ESPN and a lot of the sports channels, but we've done a good job as a team to stay focused and just keeping our eyes and our head on the prize." The arena floor was full of ex-NFL players working for media outlets, including Willie McGinest, Kurt Warner, Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin. Comedian J.B. Smoove was in one corner of the room, a guy dressed as a super hero in another corner. Olympic commentators Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, in town as NBC's tailgating correspondents, were roaming and asking fashion questions. They also declared their love for the Patriots and Brady. Players were asked to sing, read from books and pose for selfies. There were questions about facial hair and their choice of numbers. Brady was asked where his wife, Gisele Bundchen, was. "Home with the kids," he said. Belichick was asked by Jerod Mayo's daughter - of course it was Jerod Mayo's daughter - what his favorite stuffed animal is. "I like a little puppet that you can kind of put your fingers in - it's a little monkey - and then he can talk and move his fingers and nod its head," Belichick said. "So he can kind of talk back to you." Brandon Browner later said he doesn't like talking to the media, so he was apprehensive about media day. "But I've enjoyed it," Browner said. The Seahawks availability was highlighted by running back Marshawn Lynch's five minutes at the microphone. Wearing a hat and sunglasses, he fielded 29 questions and offered the same answer for each. "I'm here so I won't get fined," he repeated, again and again. But other Seahawks happily participated. Coach Pete Carroll took on all questions, quarterback Russell Wilson was his usual smiling self and other players answered one request after another. For Brady, his sixth Super Bowl appearance and media day is simply part of the drill. It beat not being in the Super Bowl. "This is pretty awesome," Brady said. "This is special. This is a great experience for these players. It means we're doing something pretty special and to get a chance to play in a big game, to play in the Super Bowl, is all of our dreams growing up."


Video by NFL.com Baker Mayfield's comments about Duke Johnson's trade request apparently didn't go over too well in the locker room. Several veteran Browns players approached Mayfield about his comments and expressed their displeasure with how he handled the situation, according to NFL Network. The group hashed out their differences surrounding the situation and the team has apparently moved on. As I just stated on @nflnetwork : According to multiple sources, several veteran Browns players approached Baker Mayfield in the locker room after the young QB's critical comments about RB Duke Johnson to register their displeasure, and they hashed out their differences.   Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) June 13, 2019 Mayfield's comments about Johnson's request were not, by any, means neutral. "It's not awkward. It's self-inflicted," Mayfield told reporters. "I hope he does his job." He continued: "If we have guys that want to be here, they'll show that, they'll voice that. Obviously, he's going to handle his stuff how he wants, but you're either on this train or you're not, it's moving. You can get out of the way or you can join us.'' Johnson has requested a trade from the Browns after the team picked up free agent running back Kareem Hunt this offseason. According to Johnson, the team put his name on the block and were searching for suitors to take the running back. MORE : Browns' Baker Mayfield to Duke Johnson: 'You can get out of the way or you can join us' He says he then requested a trade because he felt unwanted. Related slideshow: 2019 NFL draft: The top picks (Provided by imagn)


PORTSMOUTH, Va.  Perched in the cab of a crane roughly 15 stories above the ground, Bobby Rascoe toggled a black joystick and zoomed out over the Elizabeth River and the East Coast's third-largest port. These towering Chinese cranes are the only models that can reach far enough and high enough to handle the world's largest seagoing cargo carriers. Operators like Rascoe maneuver six-ton steel claws suspended beneath their air-conditioned command posts to lift more than 20,000 shipping containers from a single vessel. "It's like the Cadillac of cranes," said Rascoe, 44, of Virginia Beach. "It's very smooth." It also may be among the last ones installed here, depending upon the results of President Trump's meeting late Friday night Washington time with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 summit in Japan. Trump has said he will impose 25 percent tariffs on roughly $300 billion in additional Chinese products   including future shipments of these cranes   if the two men can't agree to revive stalled trade talks. On Wednesday as he prepared to leave the White House, the president said Chinese goods were "ripe for the taxing," though perhaps with a 10 percent levy. Along with dealing a fresh blow to China's economy, the tariffs would mean unexpected cost increases for vital port modernization projects around the United States, damaging local economies and imperiling U.S. hopes of keeping pace with foreign rivals. Subscribe to the Post's Must Reads newsletter: Compelling stories you can't afford to miss The crane episode also illustrates how Trump's attempts to pressure Beijing can spill beyond U.S.-China trade to exact a broader economic toll. In Virginia, the tariffs would add nearly $6 million to the tab for the two cranes that John Reinhart, the Port of Virginia's chief executive, ordered last month. At least one dozen ports in places such as Baltimore, New Orleans, Seattle and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which together have ordered more than 20 of these cranes, also face multimillion-dollar tariff bills if the president proceeds. Officials from those ports testified before officials of the U.S. Trade Representative's office (USTR) in hearings that ended Tuesday, in hopes of getting the cranes exempted. Reinhart's crane order is part of an ambitious expansion designed for a trading environment that looks a lot like the last two decades of globalization   not the "America First" vision of a president who employs tariffs with greater frequency than any U.S. chief executive since Herbert Hoover. "Trade is always going to continue," Reinhart said over a box lunch in a conference room overlooking the sprawling port. "With the evolution of the ship sizes, if you don't make the capital investments, you will be marginalized because those ships won't be able to call on you." Related video: Many products Americans love are made in China. Can that change? (provided by The Wall Street Journal) Evidence of ongoing improvements is visible from the conference room window. To the right, optical camera readers scrutinize trucks entering and leaving, instantly registering their contents. Straight ahead, new lanes for stacks of containers and the rolling cranes that move them from the dock to waiting trucks. And to the left, an expanded rail yard with a platoon of smaller, swiveling cranes, controlled remotely by operators on the other side of the terminal. Two years ago, Reinhart broke ground on a modernization program that has added a slew of cranes and berth space for larger vessels. By the end of next year, his two main terminals will be able to handle 40 percent more shipping containers. Dredging work to deepen and widen the waterway linking the port to the open sea   to permit two-way traffic for the largest container ships   will begin in January, using federal funding approved by Trump. Officials also have taken the first steps to create 600 acres of land with dredged material, providing space for a new terminal that will accommodate expected growth beyond the 2020s. Keeping this facility competitive is critical for Virginia's economy but also the nation's. More than one-third of the freight that lands on these docks moves by rail to heartland states such as Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Missouri. The U.S. military moves meals, clothes and parts through the port. Reinhart, who took the top job in 2014 when the port was losing $78,000 a day on operations and lagging more modern rivals, said that population growth and the spread of consumer culture in the developing world justifies the investment. "In the last 60 years, everyone has always said [trade] is over," he said. "Other than '07, '08, it's continued to grow. I still see trade growing." The view is different from certain quarters of the White House, where influential advisers like Peter Navarro, director of the office of trade and manufacturing policy, want to shrink global supply chains to fit inside U.S. borders. The president's embrace of protectionism, and the retaliation it has triggered by American trading partners, have aggravated the post-financial-crisis slowdown in cross-border commerce. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to the eve of the 2008 financial crisis   as corporations moved production to capitalize on inexpensive developing world labor   trade grew about twice as fast as world output. In recent years, it has grown only as much as the global economy or roughly half as fast as the quarter-century that marked globalization's heyday, according to the World Trade Organization. In Norfolk, the nation's sixth-largest port, total tonnage in the five years ending in 2017 grew by about one-third, less than half as fast as during a similar period before the financial crisis, according to U.S. Maritime Administration figures. Trump's tariffs have plunged shipping companies into uncertainty and disturbed traditional trade flows. Last year, the port saw a rush of imports as companies tried to get ahead of the president's tariff plans. That later led to a lull, with shippers canceling scheduled stops, Reinhart said. "The president likes to use chaos as a negotiating tool," he said. "Chaos is the antithesis of good business." This week's meeting could be a turning point . Trump began hitting China with tariffs last year in a dispute over China's coercive technology transfer policies and discriminatory treatment of foreign companies. But if additional tariffs are imposed, raising the cost of Chinese cranes by 25 percent, Reinhart said he may be forced to find savings elsewhere by eliminating spending that is budgeted for American-made equipment or construction services from U.S. contractors, or by delaying a shift from diesel power to lower-emissions electric. To avoid those cuts, he's directed the port's legal team to look into potential challenges to the proposed tariffs. "We're still fighting," he said. "We've got some time to plan." Rinehart, 65, ordered two more of the $12 million ship-to-shore (STS) cranes in May just before Trump issued the tariff threat. The administration had agreed last year to exclude the massive cranes from its tariff hit list after port operators complained, so Reinhart did not expect any difficulties with his latest order. No U.S. company in decades has manufactured cranes like these, which are needed to keep pace with the needs of shipping industry customers who are increasingly moving to ever larger vessels in a drive for greater efficiency, lower costs and reduced emissions. Reinhart's expansion plans hinge on new port cranes made by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. (ZPMC), a state-owned Chinese manufacturer. "If you don't have the big ship-to-shore cranes, then you don't need all this other stuff," he said, gesturing toward the cargo vehicles and smaller cranes populating the dock, "because you won't be able to get the big ships." Reinhart's plans are being replicated at ports around the country, as operators essentially make massive bets that world trade will survive the Trump era. The largest U.S. marine terminal operator, Ports America, has ordered four STS cranes for Baltimore and plans the same number for the Port of New Orleans. Only two of New Orleans' six STS cranes can handle the largest ships, the company told USTR in recent testimony. To Reinhart, ZPMC was the only company that could produce what he needs to keep his port competitive. Only two other companies even responded to the port's bidding announcement for the cranes: an Italian company that had no experience making such large machines and a Finnish producer that builds its cranes in China. But to the president, ZPMC is an example of the problems with China's state-led economy. State-owned companies generally enjoy access to cheap financing from state banks, and manufacturers like ZPMC also can capitalize on China's excess steelmaking capacity, which makes their raw material costs hard to beat. The tariffs will depress ZPMC's U.S. sales. But they will also hurt American companies. Walking through the engine room atop the giant Chinese crane, Reinhart pointed out American-made gear by companies such as Hitran Corp. of Flemington, N.J.; Avtron of Cleveland; and Comtrol of Irwin, Pa. These are among the domestic manufacturers that the president says his trade policy will benefit. But at least in this case, they are likely to be collateral damage. Back in the crane cab, Rascoe can see the dock and water by looking down between his legs. To the right, the MSC Roma, a Liberian-flagged vessel that transited the Panama Canal on its way to Virginia, is tied up at the pier. Out in the channel, dolphins frolic. Experienced hands like Rascoe can pick up a container and put it down somewhere else about once every two minutes. As he demonstrates the crane for visitors, he was asked how it compares to earlier generations. "Anything new is always better," he said with a smile. david.lynch@washpost.com


KERMIT, W. Va.   It was a startling spectacle in the heart of Trump country: At least a dozen supporters of the president   some wearing MAGA stickers   nodding their heads, at times even clapping, for liberal firebrand Elizabeth Warren. The sighting alone of a Democratic presidential candidate in this town of fewer than 400 people   in a county where more than four in five voters cast their ballot for Trump in 2016   was unusual. Warren's team was apprehensive about how she'd be received. About 150 people gathered at the Kermit Fire & Rescue Headquarters Station to hear the Massachusetts senator and former Harvard professor talk about what she wants to do to fight the opioid epidemic. Trump-supporting college students in baggy t-shirts, housewives in pearls, and the fire chief dressed in uniform joined liberal retirees wearing rainbow "Persist" shirts and teachers with six-figure student loan debt. Kermit is one of the epicenters of the opioid addiction epidemic. The toll is visible. The community center is shuttered. Fire trucks are decades old. When Warren asked people at the beginning of the event to raise their hands if they knew somebody who's been "caught in the grips of addiction," most hands went up. "That's why I'm here today," she said. Warren entered the room from behind a large American flag draped in the station. Roving around a circle of people seated in fold-out chairs, she tried to strike a tone equal parts empathy and fury, while avoiding pity. She went full prarie populist, telling people their pain and suffering was caused by predatory pharmaceutical barons. The 63-year-old fire chief, Wilburn "Tommy" Preece, warned Warren and her team beforehand that the area was "Trump country" and to not necessarily expect a friendly reception. But he also told her that the town would welcome anyone, of any party, who wanted to address the opioid crisis. Preece was the first responder to a reported overdose two years ago only to discover that the victim was his younger brother Timmy, who died. Preece said after the event that he voted for Trump and that the president has revitalized the area economically. But he gave Warren props for showing up. "She done good," he said. Others agreed. LeeAnn Blankenship, a 38-year-old coach and supervisor at a home visitation company who grew up in Kermit and wore a sharp pink suit, said she may now support Warren in 2020 after voting for Trump in 2016. "She's a good ol' country girl like anyone else," she said of Warren, who grew up in Oklahoma. "She's earned where she is, it wasn't given to her. I respect that." But Warren didn't come to rural West Virginia primarily in search of votes. The tiny state likely won't decide the nomination, and is all but certain to back Trump in the general election. Instead, Warren was here to try to send a message that she's serious about tackling the problems of remote communities like this one. The "opioid war" is a medical problem rather than a behavioral or law enforcement one, Warren argued. Her plan is modeled on the government's response in 1990 to the HIV/AIDS crisis, as she explained in a Medium post earlier this week. "But we got a second problem in this country and it's greed," she said. "People didn't get addicted all on their own, they got a lot of corporate help. They got a lot of help from corporations that made big money off getting people addicted and keeping them addicted." Kermit was a subject of a Pulitzer Prize winning series in 2016 that found drug wholesalers provided a single pharmacy in the 392-person town with 9 million hydrocodone pills over just two years. Warren's plan would dole out $100 billion over the next decade to states, cities, and nonprofits, with extra money going to cities and counties with the highest levels of overdoses. "Right here in Mingo County, people are on the front lines of this opioid epidemic and this is a way to draw attention to the urgency of the moment," she told reporters after the town hall. Warren's four-stop tour Friday and Saturday took her from the small towns of Kermit and Chillicothe, Ohio to Columbus, Ohio and Cincinnati. The latter's narcotics problem is so bad that the local paper assigned a reporter to the heroin beat. Warren's approach to the opioid crisis   which calls for treating victims and punishing perpetrators   largely mirrors her response to the financial crisis, when she called for jailing bankers and providing mass assistance for homeowners. Her trip is the latest iteration of her campaign strategy to distinguish as the most substantive and well-prepared candidate in the sprawling Democratic field. Each time Warren rolls out a policy proposal   almost invariably with the theme of curbing corporate power and Washington corruption   her team schedules on-the-ground events to draw further attention. When she announced her plan to break up big technology companies, Warren went to the South by Southwest tech conference and then to Long Island City, New York where Amazon had planned to build a headquarters. She whistle-stopped through Tennessee, Alabama, and the Mississippi delta after she unveiled a housing proposal aimed at closing the racial wealth gap. A Republican protest   or "Trump support rally"   was organized a few hundred yards away from Warren's event in Kermit. But inside the fire station was remarkably devoid of partisanship, even if the topic was political. Asked late Friday what stuck with her from the visit, Warren said it was the moment when she asked who had been personally affected by the opioid crisis and almost everyone's hands went up. "I was in the town where the pain of that decision by the government to not interfere was felt hard," she said. As Warren posed for selfies after the town hall, several people pressed notes into her hand that she read later in the car. "Help our town of Kermit, West Virginia any way you can to help us be able to reduce the drug abuse," read one letter. "A lot of people told me,'You're in the reddest of the red here,'" Warren said. But "I like being here."


A woman who livestreamed a police standoff earlier this week had an on-again, off-again romantic relationship with the man driving the van, video obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shows. Police have said the woman was a hostage during the standoff, which occurred on an I-94 overpass earlier this week. The woman's attorney confirmed her name as Kalin Sunde, 31, of South Milwaukee. The man is Nathan Halfmann, 37, of Fond du Lac, according to two people who know him. Sunde was scheduled to appear in court Wednesday on a drug possession charge. Halfmann had been wanted on several drug charges. Both were hospitalized Wednesday after the standoff ended with Halfmann shot by police and Sunde, who stabbed a police dog, injured. Halfmann was in critical condition and Sunde was stable, police said. They remained in police custody Thursday but had not yet been charged. Negotiations with police The Journal Sentinel obtained about 90 minutes of the video that had been posted to Facebook during the five-hour-long ordeal. Authorities have not said much about the case, but the video provides a window on how a dysfunctional couple in a stolen van forced the closing of one the state's busiest interstates for 12 hours. During the negotiations, Halfmann demanded that police supply the couple with marijuana and then asked repeatedly when they would be delivering it. Police did, apparently, give the couple water and cigarettes. At one point, Halfmann got frustrated with officers for refusing to move their armored vehicles. "Move back, or Kalin gets shot," he said, cursing at a police negotiator. "I'm pretty sure that I'm the one that has a hostage, douche." Sunde told her Facebook Live viewers she had in the van what's known as "shake and bake" meth, an explosive drug mixed in soda bottles. "Well, honestly, you guys know those are very volatile, right? So if they come in, or anything, well, they get blown up, too," Sunde said, referring to police. At another point, Halfmann appears to choke Sunde. When he releases her, she pulls his arm back toward her and says, "keep it to me." A few times, Sunde quietly asked Halfmann to leave the van with her and end the standoff. She also had circular conversations with the negotiator   saying Halfmann would shoot her and asking for more water or a chance for Halfmann to call his mother. Sunde also said she was afraid of dying in the crossfire between Halfmann and police, a review of the video shows. Living in a stolen van The situation began when a state Department of Natural Resources officer approached the stolen van, the video reveals. Sunde was living in the van, believed to be parked in the Kettle Moraine State Forest. "He was young. Just assumed that I did something wrong," Sunde said of the officer. "(He) walked up and ordered me out of the car." Instead of getting out, the two drove away, beginning a five-mile police chase that ended when officers threw down a spike strip that stopped the van. Within minutes, the video shows Sunde and Halfmann hanging up sheets and tapestries to isolate themselves   indicating they were there to stay. After five hours of negotiations, police fired tear gas into the van and both occupants jumped out and ran. As they did so, Halfmann kept the gun pointed at Sunde, according to Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson. Two officers fired, hitting Halfmann several times. Sunde ran onto I-94, ignoring officers' commands to stop. She was taken into custody after a struggle, during which she stabbed a police dog, Severson said. The dog, named Justice, was treated at an animal hospital and released. A love-hate relationship Almost immediately after the van stopped, Sunde took out her phone to livestream the confrontation on Facebook. "This is live ... he has a gun. He is going to blow my brains out," she says to start the video. "Everybody, Facebook live. Record this and keep posting. … I know it's gonna be gruesome." Not long after that, Halfmann, who has a lengthy criminal record and had a warrant out for his arrest at the time of the standoff, told Sunde he would not go back to prison without a fight. "He always said he's not going back to jail and that they wouldn't take him alive," she said on the video. After Halfmann threatened to shoot her, Sunde told the few dozen people watching the stream they have a love-hate relationship. "You know I'd do anything for him, but he forces me to do things," Sunde said. "I've never done anything wrong. … I do it all for him." Sunde went back and forth with the police negotiator. At one point she said: "You're sneaky and just assumed we did something wrong ... you guys really did not try to work with me." At another point, she said: "I honestly want to live ... how are we gonna resolve this so that I can have a life and my kids can have a mom?" Why Facebook Live The two reasons for going live, Sunde explained, were for leverage over the police and to expose their wrongdoings. Sunde often asked people to share her video, saying things like, "Everybody keep posting this, to see that [the police] can't, you know, help people." "This isn't a publicity stunt. This is my real life," Halfmann said. Halfmann pleaded multiple times for Sunde to stop recording. She responded: "No, because when my head explodes ... people are recording it." She told police the video is "the only leverage we have, and I'm more than happy to have everything posted." When things got testy between Halfmann and police, he brought up the video as a way to try and gain the upper hand. "I will resolve this peaceful if you back up. But it's going to take a little time," he said. "If you rush it, bad things are going to happen, and the public will know that it is your fault." Sunde a different person The Journal Sentinel spoke to a number of Sunde's friends who asked to remain anonymous out of respect for Sunde. The sentiment was many of them didn't recognize the Sunde they knew from the past. "She seems like a whole different person than what I knew in high school, a great fun person to hang out with ... then after she was on drugs and wasn't the same person," one friend said. After graduating from Mukwonago High School, Sunde moved around a lot and struggled with addiction, according to people who knew her. Several said she had worked at strip clubs. Throughout the Facebook Live videos, Sunde talked about using drugs. Another friend of Sunde's told the Journal Sentinel, "It's really hard to have seen her fall off the deep end like this, especially because she has children. It's sad. I really wish I could help you out more, but once she turned to drugs, I had to distance myself from her." Bruce Vielmetti of the Journal Sentinel staff and Erik Hanley of Now News Group contributed to this report. Contact Keith Schubert at O: (414) 223-5451/C: (414) 839-4211 or kschubert@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @keithsch94 Stay in the know. Sign up to get NewsWatch delivered to your inbox every morning. Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Subscribe to the Journal Sentinel today and get a special offer at jsonline.com/deal. Top Headlines: On 75th anniversary of invasion, D-Day veterans recall 'all hell was breaking loose' Wisconsin Senate sends Gov. Tony Evers abortion legislation he has promised to veto Biologic medications for arthritis, psoriasis have flooded the market   and been linked to 34,000 deaths FOLLOW THE JOURNAL SENTINEL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: I-94 standoff: Couple had been in on-again, off-again relationship


PHILADELPHIA   Jason Vargas believes he's getting an unfair shake. He claims the version of events that led to him threatening to assault a reporter Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field are wrong. The lefty believes the real truth has been withheld. "It was an unfortunate confrontation. I don't think all the information is really out there. I don't think this is the time to get into that, but I think that anybody that knows me or anybody that has played with me through the duration of my career, there's never been a situation like that," Vargas said after allowing two runs in 6.1 innings in the Mets' 5-4 loss in 10 innings to the Phillies on Wednesday night. "To think that it just happened out of the blue would be foolish, For the info to be out there like that and for one side to be told, that's just not it." Vargas had the chance to explain his side of the story Wednesday, but kept it to himself. The Mets have already fined Vargas $10,000 for his actions. "It's over. Our organization made a statement," Vargas said. "We put an end to it. but I think it's pretty obvious that all the info wasn't out there." Entering Wednesday, Vargas had only spoken once Sunday's incident, issuing a 20-second statement Monday that showed a complete lack of contrition. Those actions by Vargas, and manager Mickey Callaway, who also berated the reporter following a loss to the Cubs, have kept the Mets (37-44) in the national headlines. They also have yet to win a game since that incident. It all started with a Newsday reporter telling Callaway after a 5-3 loss, "see you tomorrow, Mickey," and then being cursed out by the manager, who did not take it as the innocent greeting the reporter claimed he was making. Callaway's tirade gave way to Vargas later threatening the reporter, and having to be held back by teammates after charging the reporter. During Wednesday's game, Mets home TV announcer, Gary Cohen of SNY, offered the most pointed criticism of Vargas by anyone affiliated with the organization. "It doesn't sit well at the end of the day that somebody can physically threaten a person in his place of work and not have to feel some consequence from that action," Cohen said during the first inning. "As somebody who cares deeply about this organization and has for a long time, my fear is it leaves a strain and even more so that it gives entrée for the next player who feels in the heat of the moment he needs to vent like that to do to the same thing." Former Met Keith Hernandez echoed those sentiments. "The (young players) are going to be here as a nucleus going forward," Hernandez said. "I would hate to see any animosity between the media and these young players going forward. I'm hoping that the well hasn't been poisoned." Sunday's altercation likely won't be discussed on a daily basis all that much longer, but it will be remembered as one of the defining moments of what is shaping up to be another lost season. The Mets are trending in the wrong direction. Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen declared in the offseason that the Mets were the beat to beat in the NL East, and told the division foes to "come get us." At the midpoint of the season, the Mets have been gotten. They are a fourth-place team that is 11 games back in the NL East and on pace to win 74 games. Wednesday's loss served as a recap of the first half with the bullpen wasting a lead for the 19th time. The Mets should have escaped the seventh inning with a 4-2 lead after Scott Kingery struck out on a pitch in the dirt, but the ball bounced away from catcher Tomas Nido, allowing Kingery to reach base. Jean Segura then dumped a two-run single into center to tie the game. Three innings later, ex-Met Jay Bruce  traded to Seattle in the offseason deal that netted the Mets closer Edwin Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano   hit a walk-off double to center field off rookie reliever Stephen Nogosek. That Bruce hit the walk-off double served as a cruel reminder of just how poorly the deal for Cano and Diaz has worked out. The Mets have tried to say they're only one bounce away, but it becomes more and more clear each night that is who the Mets are. "It's another one where we had a lead with not many outs to go, and we just can't hold it," Callaway said. "If we could have done that consistently all season, we could have been there with everybody at the top. It hasn't happened yet, but we're competing. It just stings every night." Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


The Indianapolis Colts are expected to have some heavy competition at the bottom of the wide receiver depth chart once training camp begins at the end of July. Name: Zach Pascal Position: WR Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 219 Age: 24 Year Drafted: 2017 (UDFA) Background Pascal entered the league as an undrafted free agent signing with the Washington Redskins. He was waived before the season started and then spent some time with the Tennessee Titans both on their practice squad and on the active roster. The Colts signed him during the 2018 offseason after he was waived by the Titans. He played a reserve role but was solid when called upon during the 2018 season. He appeared in 16 games (four starts) recording 27 catches for 268 yards and two touchdowns. 2019 Outlook With the Colts having a crowded wide receiver room entering training camp, Pascal is likely to be battling for one of the final spots in the room. Depending on how many wide receivers the Colts wind up keeping during initial cuts, Pascal will be fighting for his roster life. Pascal was solid for the Colts when they asked him to step up. He did most of his damage against the Houston Texans in 2018 having recorded a combined 11 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the two regular-season matchups. Bottom Line The Colts have a good problem on their hands in the fact that they will have several talented wide receivers compete for the limited spots. Whether Pascal will be the one to grab one of those spots remains to be seen, but he's proven he can be a valuable commodity when called upon. MORE: Shaq got so frustrated with Ryan Hollins' basketball takes on ESPN Fierce, fiesty WR competition for Cowboys behind Top 3 roster locks Rams trading Tyler Higbee to Patriots would make sense for both teams NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players 7 non-star free agents the Lakers could pursue with their cap space


An on-line auction of 82 of the trophies and other memorabilia of bankrupt German tennis legend Boris Becker realised approximately £687,000 ($860,000), according to the company dealing with his bankruptcy. The 51-year-old six-time Grand Slam winner was declared bankrupt two years ago and his debts could total as much as £50million although that could be reduced significantly if several claims are dismissed. A replica of the 1989 US Open trophy -- when Becker beat Ivan Lendl -- realised the highest price of £150,250 in the auction which was extended by several hours due to last-minute bids. Bidders included some from people attending Wimbledon, according to Terry Madden of the auctioneers Wyles Hardy. In all there were 495 bidders from 32 different nationalities for trophies, photographs and other memorabilia, although several of the many trophies won by Becker -- including his two Australian Open wins and some from his three Wimbledon triumphs -- have yet to be found. "Following huge amounts of global attention on the auction of the trophies and memorabilia from Boris Becker's career, we are pleased to announce that it has come to a close with the total bids significantly exceeding last year," said Mark Ford, of London-based firm Smith & Williamson, lead trustee to the bankruptcy estate of Becker. "The bids received show the enduring appeal Mr Becker has with the public, and supports the trustees' decision to postpone the auction last year and to hold it again this year during the grass court tennis season." The auction had to be postponed last year when Becker, still the youngest player at 17 to have won the Wimbledon men's title in 1985, claimed diplomatic immunity due to being appointed the Central African Republic's "sporting, cultural and humanitarian attache to the European Union". Ford told AFP: "It certainly was a very unusual and probably difficult time." Becker subsequently withdrew that claim last December allowing Ford to proceed once more with the auction and it paid dividends in that last year the US Open trophy attracted a bid of just £36,000. However, Ford once again asked that those with any knowledge of where the missing trophies are to come forward. "We still hope to locate and recover the missing trophies including six relating to Mr Becker's successes at Wimbledon and his two Australian Open titles," he said. "If anyone has any information relating to these, please contact the trustees in bankruptcy." pi/dj


There's a "real chance" Yankees shortstop Didi Gregorius will rejoin the Bombers during their June 7-9 series in Cleveland, manager Aaron Boone said Saturday (via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com ). Gregorius, who has been working back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent on his right elbow last October, began a minor league rehab assignment last weekend. Surprisingly, despite the absences of Gregorius and a slew of other integral players, the Yankees own the American League's second-best record at 37-19. Gleyber Torres has stepped up to man shortstop in Gregorius' place, while free-agent addition DJ LeMahieu has handled second base with aplomb and third bagger Gio Urshela has been one of the game's unexpected success stories thus far. But the Yankees are understandably excited for the arrival of the 29-year-old Gregorius, who hit .277/.326/.486 (114 wRC+) with 52 home runs and 8.7 fWAR in 1,139 plate appearances from 2017-18. Like Gregorius, outfielders Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have been among prominent wounded Yankees in 2019. They're seemingly inching closer to comebacks, though, as George A. King III of the New York Post explains. Judge, out since April 21 thanks to a left oblique strain, has begun taking fly balls. And Stanton's "probably getting close to starting that rehab assignment," according to Boone. New York sent Stanton to the IL three games into the season with a left biceps strain, but he has since suffered multiple other left side injuries (shoulder, calf) that have halted his progress. Judge and Stanton accounted for 65 home runs a year ago, but their injuries have limited them to five HRs (all from Judge) in 23 contests in 2019. While the hulking sluggers are arguably the Yankees' top two offensive players, the club has gotten by in the outfield with respectable performances from Brett Gardner , Clint Frazier , Cameron Maybin and Mike Tauchman . And although he hasn't posted good numbers so far this season, it helps that New York recently got back center fielder Aaron Hicks . The Yankees activated Hicks off the IL on May 13 after he missed the first month and a half of the year because of lower back problems.


Despite the headline, there's no need to worry Gator Nation. Probably. After being taken by Boston in the 31st round of the June MLB draft , Feleipe Franks stated that while he was flattered at being selected, he would remain in Gainesville as he's "living out my dream being the quarterback of the Florida Gators." "We're all working extremely hard this offseason and I cannot wait to hit the field this fall," Franks added. Friday, though, the Boston Globe reported that Franks has signed a contract with the Red Sox worth $40,000. That said, the overwhelming expectation is that Franks will take the field for the Gators in 2019. The Red Sox signed Franks for $40,000. He's expressed interest in exploring pro baseball with the Sox down the road, but TBD if he ever does so or if, like prior Sox draft pick/signee Jeff Driskel (also from Florida), he doesn't end up doing so.   Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 12, 2019 If Franks doesn't end up pursuing a football career, the Red Sox would have him come to spring training as a pitcher. He got on a mound for the first time in five years after being drafted and touched 94 mph.   Alex Speier (@alexspeier) July 12, 2019 It should be noted that Franks, entering his redshirt junior season, hasn't played baseball since his junior year of high school. After starting eight games in 2017, Franks started all 13 for the Gators this past season. He threw for 2,457 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions on the year, and his pass efficiency rating of 143.3 was fourth among SEC quarterbacks.


Purse-snatchings are on the rise across Puget Sound, according to Tacoma Police. Public Information Officer Loretta Cool reports more than 60 bags have been stolen outside stores this year. Cool said it's not just women's purses, "Grocery bags are being taken. Purchases are being taken." Tacoma Police don't have any reports of injuries associated with the purse-snatchings, but officers are warning shoppers and pedestrians to stay alert. "When you're loading purchases into your car, you have to kind of stay with the purchases until they're locked up," said Cool. "Not put your purse in the front seat, and then go to the back to load things... pay attention." Authorities aren't sure why there's been an uptick in bag thefts this year. Cool said, "I think once you're successful at something, you do it again. It's a lot like thefts from the porches. When they realized how quick and easy it is, then they continue to do it until they are captured." Tacoma Police shared these tips: Don't leave your purse unattended in a cart Don't leave your purse or bag inside your car while you load groceries or return a cart Pay attention to your surroundings and watch for people approaching you


Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz said last month that his back is " still getting there " in response to questions about whether he was back to full health and head coach Doug Pederson offered another update on his condition Friday. Pederson said at a press conference that Wentz has been on the field during workouts in the current phase of the offseason program, but said he would not get "too specific" about the quarterback's workload at this point. Pederson was willing to say that he was encouraged by how the quarterback is coming along. He would not say whether or not Wentz will be ready for full participation once organized team activities get underway on May 21. The 10 OTAs and June's mandatory minicamp represent the final stage of work before the Eagles take a break ahead of training camp. Back-to-back season-ending injuries for Wentz hasn't dampened the team's enthusiasm for signing him to a long-term deal, but there's still plenty of interest inside and outside the organization in seeing how he'll fare in his return from this issue.


Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee has fallen victim to the injury bug once again. The venerable captain of the Cowboys defense suffered a "minor MCL sprain" during training camp practice on Monday and the club is calling it a day-to-day injury. Lee sat out practice on Tuesday and multiple reports out of Oxnard indicate he will miss at least a few more days while recovering. Lee will likely will be handled with care when he returns, with an eye toward the bigger picture. Lee had cited a desire to play on special teams in 2019 , aiming to contribute to the team however possible, with an eye on roster limitations. The third best linebacker on just about every team in the NFL plays special teams, and Lee was expected to be no exception to the rule. With the latest in string of career long ailments, the Cowboys may look to curtail that plan. Told by a source Sean Lee has a minor MCL sprain in his right knee. Jason Garrett said Lee does not need surgery but clearly Cowboys will be cautious with Lee - Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2019 For those freaking out, a minor MCL sprain can heal in less than a week. - Burke Downer (@BurkeDowner) July 30, 2019 You can follow Burke at @BurkeDowner. MORE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. only just learned Chase Elliott's real name, thanks to Wikipedia Dee Ford, Dre Greenlaw leave 49ers practice early with injuries The Dallas Cowboys Should Trade Ezekiel Elliott 4 notes from Day 6 of Chargers training camp Observations from Lions training camp, Day 5: Jahlani Tavai makes play of the day


Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota just can't seem to catch a break this offseason. With his injury history, a number of analysts are doubting him, and he's been thrown under the bus yet again. Former Arkansas and NFL quarterback Clint Stoerner of ESPN's SEC Network recently gave a negative review - not that this analysis is even respectable enough to call it that - on Mariota as he was reviewing the Houston Texans' 2019 schedule. In his list, he claimed the signal-caller "scares no one." Texans 2019 sched is tough but let's look at it from a diff angle KC no Hill NE no Gronk Car post surgery Cam Jax Foles? X 2 Den Flacco? Tenn Mariota scares no one X2 Balt Jackson? Raiders Bucs Indy X2 NO, ATL & LA @SeanTPendergast @SethCPayne - Clint Stoerner (@ClintStoerner) July 3, 2019 In a way, Stoerner does have somewhat of a point, although he may have wanted to rephrase it in a more socially correct and unbiased manner. Mariota has struggled over late seasons with a lengthy injury history that allowed his backup to see action in eight games last year, and has never really been the vocal or bold type. In 2018, he was 228-of-331 passes for 2,528 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. On a four-season career, he's completed 1,015-of-1,605 passes for 12,004 yards with 69 touchdowns and 42 interceptions. It's also worth noting that Mariota's touchdown-to-interception ratio is a bit alarming and will be an area that needs to be fixed moving forward, as it currently stands at roughly 1:1 over the past two seasons. It will be up to Mariota to prove he's up to snuff when the regular season kicks off later this year in the fall. MORE: NBA fans had fun taking shots at Drake after hearing Kawhi Leonard will join the Clippers Russell Westbrook Chased Away Another Star Teammate NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players NBA knew about 'discontent' between Russell Westbrook, Paul George Kawhi Leonard spurs Lakers for Clippers, brings Paul George with him


Wide receiver Dontrelle Inman expressed an interest in re-signing with the Colts before free agency started, but no deal materialized in Indianapolis and he was on the market for nearly two months before signing with the Patriots a couple of weeks ago. Inman said that he was never "panicked or anything like that" by lingering in free agency that long because he knows that teams address needs at different times in the offseason. New England addressed their wide receiver needs in a few different ways, but still had an opening for Inman. There have been many veteran free agents signed and discarded in short order by the Patriots because they couldn't pick up the system, but Inman's lack of panic extends to that front. "It's a top-notch organization ," Inman said, via the Boston Herald . "Concepts are concepts. Football is football. Names change, but you're still running the same thing. Everybody in the league, it's a copycat league, everybody runs the same thing." The Patriots know what they have in Julian Edelman and Phillip Dorsett , and first-round pick N'Keal Harry isn't likely to be anywhere but on the roster as long as he's healthy. The rest of the wide receiver group is less certain as they wait to see if Demaryius Thomas bounces back from a torn Achilles, if Josh Gordon is reinstated by the league and if Inman can can get a handle on the playbook.


Johnathan Joseph has seen faces come and go in the Houston Texans secondary, and he commands a great deal of respect down in Houston. The 35-year-old has seen plenty from newly signed safety Tashaun Gipson. After all, Gipson used to be with the Jacksonville Jaguars, so, Joseph saw Gipson at least twice a season since 2016. Through two weeks of organized team activities, Gipson is earning praise from Joseph. "I think, in our defense, the safety is supposed to be versatile in our defense," the 35-year-old told reporters Wednesday. "I think he fits the mold of what we're looking for in a safety. So, I think he'll come in adjust accordingly." The former Cincinnati Bengal was well aware of Gipson and his impressive backstory prior to his arrival at NRG Stadium. "Obviously, he's been to the Pro Bowl before," said Joseph. "He's made several big plays. He's been on a winning defense over in Jacksonville. He made big plays when he was in Cleveland. He's earned his contract as a guy that's undrafted, so I think that any time you have a guy like that willing to come in, he's able to show the younger guys the ropes also and help out and be a leader also." The 28-year old undrafted former Pro Bowler joins Houston after being let go by the Jaguars this offseason. With Tyrann Mathieu gone, it is down to Gipson to fill his large shoes at safety and show youngsters Justin Reid, Lonnie Johnson, Jermaine Kelly, and Xavier Crawford the ropes. MORE: Five potential Chris Paul trade destinations This 'Jeopardy' contestant failing to beat James Holzhauer to buzzer sums up his epic run Belichick felt fortunate Harry fell to Pats in draft Seahawks Sue Former Second-Round Pick Malik McDowell Over Signing Bonus James Daniels is embracing his move to center


Though the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers have been linked to impending free agent Al Horford, the Celtics have a division rival hoping to poach the dynamic big man away from Boston this offseason. Per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, the Philadelphia 76ers - who could free up to $58.9 million dollars this offseason to build around cornerstones Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid - have interest in signing Horford . Don't be surprised if the Sixers attempt to pursue Boston's Al Horford, Milwaukee's Malcolm Brogdon, and Toronto's Danny Green among others if they don't bring all of their top free agents back. The team has some level of interest in all three players. This is particularly notable given the oft-heated battles between the Sixers and Celtics, as we as Horford and Embiid (including a number of matchups in which Horford has had Embiid's number). It's also interesting because for a man with a wife and three children, a move to Philadelphia - just five hours away from Boston - would be more practical than one to Dallas or Los Angeles. Brooklyn is just four hours away from Boston, so there's no edge for Philadelphia there. However, with All-NBA guard Kyrie Irving expected to sign with the Nets and looking to bring Kevin Durant along with him, there are serious questions about off-court chemistry and how much the Nets could offer the five-time All-Star. Signing Horford would also give Philadelphia a great chance to be the best team in the Atlantic Division next season, especially with Durant likely out for the entire 2019-20 regular season and the reality that Kawhi Leonard could leave the Toronto Raptors just months after leading the franchise to their first ever NBA championship. In between the lines, it's apparent how the spacing Horford can provide makes driving to the rim in the halfcourt easier for Simmons and gives Embiid extra opportunity to dominate on the low block. There are also likely to be a number of games Embiid misses as Philadelphia tries to lessen his physical load ("load management") and make sure he's available for the playoffs. Such games are ones where Horford would be tasked with dominating and that could be enticing for Big Al, particularly after a season in which there were too many players wanting to dominate as scorers. Quite honestly, pursuing Horford - who is also an invaluable locker room presence with his quiet leadership and work ethic - would be a wise move for the Sixers. Unfortunately for Boston, Philadelphia will have no issue outbidding them for Horford if they don't re-sign swingman Jimmy Butler or forward Tobias Harris. Of Butler and Harris, there's no certainty on where either will sign but both have been linked to multiple teams this offseason and are willing to leave the Sixers as free agents. MORE: This perfect Shaq impersonation at the NBA Awards show had fans in tears NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Los Angeles Lakers 'think they have a strong shot' at signing Kawhi Leonard according to report D'Angelo Russell and Lakers Both Interested in Reunion Play speed fuels standout offseason for Packers WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling


CLEVELAND (AP) While waiting for their two new sluggers to arrive, the Indians swung for the fences. Roberto Perez homered twice, Carlos Santana and Jason Kipnis each hit a three-run shot and Cleveland capped a power-packed day with a 10-4 win Wednesday night over the Houston Astros, who added another ace before the trade deadline. Perez hit a three-run homer in the second inning off rookie Jose Urquidy (1-1) and a solo shot in the sixth as the Indians stayed on Minnesota's heels in the AL Central. BOX SCORE: INDIANS 10, ASTROS 4 Santana connected for his 23rd homer in the fifth and Kipnis hit his ninth -- accented by a bat flip -- in the sixth as the Indians improved to 34-14 since June 4, when they trailed the Twins by 10 games. Rookie right-hander Zach Plesac (6-3) recovered after a rough few innings and won his third start in a row. The Indians' homer barrage came a few hours after the team acquired sluggers Yasiel Puig and Franmil Reyes in a three-team trade that sent starter Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati. "There aren't a whole lot of nights you get three three-run homers, especially against Houston," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "I thought all of our guys played a good game tonight. When we beat Houston, we've played a really good game because they're a really good team." Cleveland has been without a prototypical cleanup hitter all season, but Puig and Reyes will make it easier for Francona to fill out his lineup card. "Those two guys are having a good season, you know hitting home runs and I'm looking forward to meeting them, man," said Perez, who has been playing the past month on a sore right ankle. "It's this time of the year when you get new guys in and you hope they contribute to the team because we got one goal and that's to win a championship." Despite just their third loss in 13 games, it was quite a day for the Astros. They arrived at Progressive Field as news broke that the AL West leaders had pulled off the biggest deadline deal, acquiring right-hander Zack Greinke from the Arizona Diamondbacks for four prospects. The 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner, Greinke adds more star power to an already stellar Houston rotation that includes Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. With a "Big Three" unrivaled in baseball, Houston has positioned itself to perhaps win a second World Series title in three years. Cole said players were going about their pregame routines when manager AJ Hinch walked in with a beaming smile. "There was some hooting and hollering," Cole said. "We were very excited." Even afterward, the Astros were feeling great about what transpired. Greinke will join the team Friday in Houston. "It's a long day and an exciting day for us on the front end," Hinch said. "Still a big day for us, just not on the field tonight. Couldn't find a win." The Indians were equally fired up. They completed their own blockbuster, picking up Puig and Reyes along with left-handers Scott Moss and Logan Allen and 19-year-old infield prospect Victor Nova. Puig could be facing a suspension for his involvement in another Reds brawl with Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, but his arrival with Reyes has the Indians thinking big. "It's going to be fun," All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "It's two power guys and two good hitters. I'm looking forward to the whole thing." JULY SURGE The Indians went 18-6 in July, the club's most wins in the month since going 18-9 in 1995. BUSY BODIES Greinke wasn't the only addition for Houston, which also acquired right-handers Aaron Sanchez, Joe Bianini and outfielder Cal Stevenson from Toronto. They also brought back catcher Martin Maldonado from the Chicago Cubs. He played with them last season, and was recently traded to Chicago from Kansas City. Maldonado was surprised about winding up with Houston. He learned about the Greinke trade as he boarded his flight to Cleveland from St. Louis where the Cubs were playing. "I know what kind of pitcher he is," Maldonado said. "I caught him before in Milwaukee. He will go out there and compete for us. He's going to be a Hall of Famer." BOMBS AWAY It was the first time Cleveland hit three three-run homers in a game since Aug. 27, 2010. TRAINER'S ROOM Astros: RHP Ryan Pressly (sore right knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list. He was struck by a comebacker on July 18. RHP Bryan Abreu was called up from Double-A Corpus Christi and made his major league debut. Indians: RHP Corey Kluber (broken right forearm) could begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment next week. He will throw a simulated game Saturday in Cleveland against a group of Indians minor leaguers. Kluber was struck by a line drive May 1 against Miami. UP NEXT Astros: Cole (12-5, 2.94 ERA) looks to continue his dominant stretch in the series finale. He's 7-0 with a 1.88 ERA in 11 starts since June 1, piling up 100 strikeouts in 72 innings. Indians: RHP Danny Salazar makes his first major league appearance since Game 4 of the 2017 Division Series. An All-Star in 2016, he missed last season because of arm trouble and had shoulder surgery. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Hollywood giant Netflix, which has a $155 billion market cap, will "rethink" its "entire investment in Georgia" should an anti-abortion law take effect, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. "We have many women working on productions in Georgia, whose rights, along with millions of others, will be severely restricted by this law," Sarandos said. "It's why we will work with the ACLU and others to fight it in court. Given the legislation has not yet been implemented, we'll continue to film there   while also supporting partners and artists who choose not to. Should it ever come into effect, we'd rethink our entire investment in Georgia." A spokesman for Netflix declined to provide TheWrap with a tally of productions or the amount of money it currently has invested in Georgia. Series "Ozark," "Insatiable" and the movie "Holidate" are currently in production in the Peach State. Georgia is not the only state where some legislators are lobbying for laws that could limit a woman's reproductive rights   it's just the one with the largest presence of Hollywood productions. Several producers have said they will no longer film in Georgia due to the political climate there. Earlier this month, the state's governor, Brian Kemp, signed a bill that aims to outlaw abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat. Georgia is an (otherwise) attractive alternative to Hollywood due to the state's liberal tax incentives for TV and film productions. Turner is headquartered in Atlanta. The Sarandos statement was first published in Variety .


The New Zealand women's football team has emerged "from a dark place" after a bullying scandal and is determined to make its mark at next month's World Cup, striker Sarah Gregorius says. The national team, known as the Football Ferns, were in disarray last year, with many of the squad in revolt and refusing to play under coach Andreas Heraf. Heraf, who was in charge of the women's team almost as an afterthought to his main role of New Zealand Football's (NZF) technical director, was accused of creating a toxic environment of bullying, intimidation and harassment. NZF initially backed Heraf, who denied any wrongdoing, but the governing body eventually backpedalled after an independent inquiry supported claims against the Austrian. It resulted in the NZF making a formal apology to the players, with Heraf, the federation's chief executive and chairman all departing over a tumultuous four-month period. "It really highlighted that you can't get away with that any more. There's too much attention being paid now to cut corners and women's football deserves attention and respect," Gregorius told AFP. "As horrible as that situation was, that's a silver lining we can take from it." Gregorius, a pocket dynamo who has scored 33 goals in 90 appearances for New Zealand, said the difficulties had forged a determination in the team to excel at the World Cup in France. The 31-year-old said it had also swung public support behind a team that had often struggled for attention in the rugby-mad nation. "It's not so much about expectation or pressure... it's more just support, particularly off the back of what happened last year, knowing that the team has come from a bit of a dark place," she said. "This is an opportunity to really put to bed that episode in a really redemptive way." - 'We don't hide' - The veteran forward acknowledges international sporting perceptions about New Zealand are shaped by rugby union, but said women's football matches the oval-ball code in terms of grassroots participation. "The wonderful thing about New Zealand is we have so much green space and everyone's so outdoorsy," she said. "So there's plenty of sporting talent to go around, even if rugby does dominate the landscape a wee bit." At the elite level, the New Zealand women's rugby team has won five World Cups, making them even more dominant than the fabled All Blacks men's team, with three. In contrast, Gregorius said the Football Ferns' world ranking of 19 "is probably reflective of where we're at". The women's game is wholly amateur in New Zealand and Gregorius said rugby in New Zealand was ahead of football in developing a professional pathway for female players. The Football Ferns also face a similar gulf with their major international competitors in women's football, most of which have professional leagues. But the New Zealanders have been boosted after a number of senior players returned following Heraf's departure and Gregorius said they were full of confidence ahead of the World Cup. They have a dedicated mentor in Scottish coach Tom Sermanni, formerly with powerhouses the United States and Australia, who is liked and respected by the players. They are in a tough group including the Netherlands, Canada and Cameroon, but said they were familiar with all their opponents, who would underestimate them at their peril. "We're not afraid of anyone, we don't shackle ourselves and we don't hide," she said. "We might be the underdog in a lot of areas but we don't adopt that mentality. We believe we can match it with the best in the world."


Tele Santana is number 20 in 90min's Top 50 Great Managers of All Time series. Follow the rest of the series over the course of the next four weeks. If you ask fans in Brazil to name their favourite manager of all time, there's a good chance you'll hear a lot of people suggest Tele Santana. As a player, for the likes of Fluminense and Vasco da Gama, Santana was great. However, it was his transition into management in 1967 which propelled him to new heights. By the time of his death in 2006, Santana had left an outstanding legacy on Brazilian football, leading the 'Joga Bonito' movement which took over the world. All he wanted to do was play beautiful football, and he accomplished that with a number of sides. When his playing days came to an end, he cut his teeth in management with Fluminense's youth sides, enjoying three successful years at the helm of the academy before being handed his first senior job with Atletico Mineiro. Santana knew how he wanted football to be played, and he chose to drill his philosophy into his players time and time again. He would not stop until they shared his vision, but once they did, the results were outstanding. He led Atletico Mineiro to the league title in 1971 which, for many years, stood as his only competition victory. Spells with various Brazilian sides followed, and it was not until 1980 that Santana fought his way back into the limelight. The Brazilian national team came calling, which is the ultimate honour for any native. At the time, fans had grown frustrated with former boss Claudio Coutinho, who favoured results over attractive football. They needed something new, and the belief was that Santana could provide it. He got off to a challenging start, with fans booing his side off the field just 45 minutes into his reign. Fans were less than excited about his tactics, whilst his team selection often left many supporters scratching their heads. Career Honours Brazilian National Championship (Atletico Mineiro, 1971) Saudi Professional League (Al-Ahli, 1984) Brazilian Serie A (Sao Paulo, 1991) Copa Libertadores (Sao Paulo, 1992 & 1993) Recopa Sudamericana (Sao Paulo, 1993 & 1994) Intercontinental Cup (Sao Paulo, 1993 & 1994) Copa CONMEBOL (Sao Paulo, 1994) Santana called for patience from fans, and things soon turned positive. Players began to understand his desire for attacking football, and his impressive performances at the 1980 Mundialito tournament had earned him plenty of fans across the world. There was real optimism that Brazil, featuring the likes of Socrates, Zico and Falcao, would be able to win the 1982 World Cup. Their free-flowing style of football made them one of the finest international sides in history, and that was largely down to Santana. They stormed to victory in their first four games, including a dominant 3-1 win over Diego Maradona's Argentina, but shockingly came unstuck against Italy in the final game of the second group stage. Brazil simply needed a draw to progress, and they had that all but wrapped up at 2-2. However, Santana's desire to keep attacking came back to haunt him, as Brazil ultimately found themselves exposed at the back and conceded an unnecessary third which saw them crash out of the competition. Fans were furious at Santana's perceived naivety, questioning why he would leave Brazil so vulnerable defensively for no good reason, and the manager stepped down from his position soon after. A spell with Al-Ahli followed, before he was recalled to Brazil for the 1986 World Cup. He kept the core of his 1982 side, but a combination of age and injuries meant that Brazil were no longer who they once where, even if they were still one of the world's top sides. They ultimately fell to France in the quarter-finals, in a game which is widely viewed as one of the most technically impressive of all time. The two sides were utterly astonishing, but it was the French who advanced after a penalty shootout. Santana stepped down once again following the defeat and spent several years with various Brazilian sides. By the time 1990 came around, he found himself leading Sao Paulo. Teams Managed Fluminense (1969-70) Atletico Mineiro (1970-72) Sao Paulo (1973) Atletico Mineiro (1973-75) Botafogo (1976) Gremio (1976-78) Palmeiras (1979-80) Brazil (1980-82) Al-Ahli (1983-85) Brazil (1985-86) Atletico Mineiro (1987-88) Flamengo (1988-89) Fluminense (1989) Palmeiras (1990) Sao Paulo (1990-96) Sao Paulo were in disarray when they turned to Santana, and they needed the Brazilian icon to bring some of that attacking flair back to Brazilian football. With the likes of Cafu, Rai and Leonardo in his squad, Santana did just that. Over the next three years, Santana led Sao Paolo to two league titles and two Copa Libertadores triumphs, but that was only the beginning of this era of dominance. Their Copa Libertadores victories earned them a place in the Intercontinental Cup final, where they would meet the winner of the European Champions Clubs' Cup (now the Champions League ). In 1992, they stormed to a 2-1 victory over Johan Cruyff's Barcelona , before they defended their title against Fabio Capello's AC Milan the following year. Tele Santana - São Paulo pic.twitter.com/i3poFp7FCn   insta: @Diariodetorcedor ™ (@tweettorcidas) June 9, 2017 These were two of the finest teams which the world had to offer, yet Santana's Sao Paulo dominated both with ease. Their brand of football was utterly astounding, and the team managed to translate that into historic success. Sao Paulo's glory years came to an abrupt end in 1996 when Santana was forced into retirement after suffering a stroke. After years of ill health, Santana passed away in 2006, and Brazilian football came together to remember one of the most influential men in the country's glorious history. By the time he joined Brazil, attacking flair was nothing new to the Selecao. They already had three World Cup titles to their name, but the need for beautiful football was often more important. "I would rather lose playing good football than win playing mediocre stuff." Tele Santana When they weren't getting that, they turned to Santana, who helped Brazil fall back in love with football. Winning was optional, but stunning play was mandatory. He showed the word what Brazil were all about, and traces of his game can still be seen today. We often hear about Brazilian defenders only wanting to attack, and that is largely down to Santana. Number 50: Marcelo Bielsa - El Loco's Journey From Argentina to Footballing Immortality in Europe Number 49: Vic Buckingham - How an Englishman Discovered Johan Cruyff & Pioneered Total Football Number 48: Claudio Ranieri: A Ridiculed Tinkerman Who Masterminded One of Football's Greatest Ever Achievements Number 47: Bill Nicholson: Mr Tottenham Hotspur, the First Double Winning Manager of the 20th Century Number 46: Sven-Goran Eriksson: The Scudetto Winning Shagger Who Never Solved the Lampard-Gerrard Conundrum Number 45: Sir Alf Ramsey: T he Man Behind the 'Wingless Wonders' & England's Sole World Cup Triumph Number 44: Antonio Conte: An Astute Tactician Whose Perfectionist Philosophy Reinvented the 3-5-2 Wheel Number 43: Kenny Dalglish: The Beacon of Light in Liverpool's Darkest Hour Number 42: Massimiliano Allegri: The Masterful Tactician Who Won Serie A Five Times in a Row Number 41: Sir Bobby Robson: A Footballing Colossus Whose Fighting Spirit Ensured an Immortal Legacy Number 40: Luis Aragones: Spain's Most Important Manager, the Atleti Rock and the Modern Father of Tiki-Taka Number 39: Herbert Chapman: One of Football's Great Innovators & Mastermind Behind the 'W-M' Formation Number 38: Carlos Alberto Parreira: The International Specialist Who Never Shied Away From a Challenge Number 37: Franz Beckenbauer: The German Giant Whose Playing Career Overshadowed His Managerial Genius Number 36: Viktor Maslov: Soviet Pioneer of the 4-4-2 & the Innovator of Pressing Number 35: Rafa Benitez: The Conquerer of La Liga Who Masterminded That Comeback in Istanbul Number 34: Zinedine Zidane: Cataloguing the Frenchman's Transition From Midfield Magician to Managerial Maestro Number 33: Luiz Felipe Scolari: How the Enigmatic 'Big Phil' Succeeded as Much as He Failed on the Big Stage Number 32: Jupp Heynckes: The Legendary Manager Who Masterminded 'the Greatest Bayern Side Ever' Number 31: Vicente del Bosque: The Unluckiest Manager in the World Who Led Spain to Immortality Number 30: Arsene Wenger: A Pioneering Who Became Invincible at Arsenal Number 29: Udo Lattek: The Bundesliga Icon Who Shattered European Records Number 28: Jock Stein: The Man Who Guided Celtic to Historic Heights & Mentored Sir Alex Ferguson Number 27: Vittorio Pozzo: Metodo, Mussolini, Meazza & the Difficult Memory of a Two-Time World Cup Winner Number 26: Jurgen Klopp: The Early Years at Mainz 05 Where He Sealed His 'Greatest Achievement' Number 25: Mario Zagallo: Habitual World Cup Winner & Sculptor of Brazil's Joga Bonito Era Number 24: Bela Guttmann: The Dance Instructor Who Changed Football Forever (and Managed...Just Everyone) Number 23: Valeriy Lobanovskyi: The Scientist Who Dominated Football in the Soviet Union Number 22: Louis van Gaal: The Stubborn Master Who Won 15 Major Trophies at 4 of the World's Greatest Clubs Number 21: Otto Rehhagel: The 'King' Who Turned 150/1 Greek Outsiders into Champions of Europe


Real Madrid have renewed their interest in Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek - with their hopes to sign Paul Pogba seemingly dwindling by the day. Zinedine Zidane remains committed to bringing his fellow countryman, Pogba, to the Bernabeu but with Manchester United standing firm on his €150m price tag, Van de Beek has emerged as a key transfer target for the club's hierarchy. 30 - Donny van de Beek was directly involved in 30 goals in 57 appearances for Ajax last season in all competitions, scoring 17 and assisting 13. Critical. pic.twitter.com/mLvjsNEomg   OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 1, 2019 This interest in Van de Beek hasn't come out of the blue. News broke earlier in the transfer window that the Spanish giants were looking at alternatives to the hefty price tag that was being boasted by Pogba , and the Ajax man has been sitting firmly as the number one 'Plan B' ever since - even ahead of Tottenham's Christian Eriksen. According to MARCA the Dutch playmaker is very much on the radar of those in Madrid , in fact, they have claimed that all areas of the club are interested in getting a deal done for the 22-year-old. All except Zidane, that is. Zidane, however, has no intention of getting his Plan B and is said to be content with waiting until September 2 if it means getting his first choice target. And according to L'Equipe, via GFFN , Pogba himself is more than willing to wait if it means getting his much desired move. After a summer of mass spending in the Spanish capital, Los Blancos will need to look at getting the transferred duo of Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez out of the door before they even think of spending another monstrous fee on the Manchester United man. With United demanding a bare minimum of €150m, the smart option certainly looks to be the Ajax midfielder. Van de Beek boasts extremely impressive stats for a 22-year-old and at a fraction of the price, he may not be Zidane's choice but he could well be the smart one.


The promise is appealing: Can the heat within spicy foods actually melt your body fat and unearth your chiseled six-pack? As a dietitian, this promise pops up every now and then with a new study touting the fat-loss benefits of hot peppers or with a new supplement marketing the belly-shrinking benefits of "capsaicin." The connection sort of makes sense: when you eat hot foods you sweat, which is also what happens when you exercise so … maybe there's a similar effect occurring in your body? Sort of. So that word, "capsaicin," refers to a compound that gives spicy peppers their heat. (It's also what makes pepper spray so awesome or awful, depending on which side of the spray you're on.) Research shows that consuming capsaicin, usually in concentrated pill form, can increase a person's metabolic rate. That said, the calories people burn from this increase often only amount to about 50 to 70 extra calories a day, and that that effect only occurred in people with a BMI of 25 or higher, according to a 2018 meta-analysis by Hungarian researchers. To give you an idea, that's the caloric equivalent of a large bite of pizza . Now some supplements will tell you that capsaicin can help you lose weight by "activating" your brown fat (the stuff that keeps you warm and burns calories) and improve your insulin control. And others still will tell you capsaicin may help reign in your appetite. But here's the big picture: "Capsaicin isn't a therapy I recommend to my patients for weight loss," says Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, head physician at renaissanceperiodization.com There may indeed be an effect, but it is too small to justify spending time and money and worrying about taking another pill." And there's a downside to capsaicin supplementation. Too much can cause stomach cramps and ulcers, as well as general gastric irritation and a burning sensation. This happens when you're consuming spicy foods, but also when you're, ahem, removing spicy foods from your body if you're picking up what I'm putting down. All this said, there's nothing wrong with hot sauce. It contains very few calories for tons of flavor. If you tolerate the stuff, go ahead and smother your eggs in Cholula. Just don't expect that doing so will also make you look hot.


It's the largest gathering of LGBTQ+ people in the nation and an excellent anchor for a trip to the Bay Area. San Francisco Pride runs June 29 and 30 this year, in the heart of the city. Beyond the centerpiece parade   1.5 miles down Market Street from Embarcadero to Civic Center on June 30   the festival offers two days of speakers and performers designed to inspire and entertain. Nearly two dozen community stages and spaces scattered around town invite you to explore the city over the weekend. Using travel site Skyscanner , we've sifted through the cheapest flights between Seattle and San Francisco, including some top-rated hotel options and other favorite local attractions. (Prices and availability are current as of publication and subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in the articles may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Cheapest San Francisco flights Currently, the cheapest flights between Seattle and San Francisco are if you leave on June 26 and return from California on June 30. Alaska Airlines currently has roundtrip tickets for $216. There are also deals to be had later in June. If you fly out of Seattle on June 28 and return from San Francisco on June 30, Spirit Airlines can get you there and back for $340 roundtrip. Top San Francisco accommodations Regarding where to stay, here are some of San Francisco's top-rated hotels, that we selected from Skyscanner's listings based on price and customer satisfaction. The Fairmont San Francisco (950 Mason St.) If you're looking to treat yourself, consider The Fairmont San Francisco . The hotel has a 4.6-star rating on Skyscanner, and rooms are currently available for $186. This Nob Hill hotel is close to Grace Cathedral, while within easy walking distance to Union Square shops and restaurants. Additional attractions include Chinatown, easily accessible by foot or via the California Cable Car line that runs just out front. The Buchanan (1800 Sutter St.) If you're looking for an inexpensive place to stay, there's The Buchanan , which has rooms for $92/night. "Located in Japantown next to a bunch of great little shops. ... Clean rooms, great amenities and the world's most comfortable bed," wrote visitor Jamie. The Hotel Vertigo (940 Sutter St.) A third option is The Hotel Vertigo . The 4.8-star hotel has rooms for $99/night. "This hotel is one of the trendiest in San Francisco that I've seen. It manages to pay homage to Alfred Hitchcock's classic film 'Vertigo', without coming across as kitschy," wrote reviewer Kate. "Several scenes from the movie were actually filmed here, so its credibility is real!" Featured San Francisco restaurants Don't miss San Francisco's food scene, with plenty of popular spots to get your fill of local cuisine. Here are a few of the top-rated eateries from Skyscanner's listings. Bi-Rite Creamery (3692 18th St.) First things first: dessert. For a popular option, check out Bi-Rite Creamery , which has an average of 4.7 stars out of 188 reviews on Skyscanner. The creamery uses Straus Family Farms organic dairy in its ice cream and strives to create unique and exciting flavors. "They attract loads of customers from the nearby Dolores Park social scene ... In this foodie city the locals are still willing to wait for an hour or more to get a scoop of Earl Grey, lavender honey, black sesame, malted vanilla and my favorite, salted caramel," wrote visitor Tracy. "If the line is daunting, try the shorter line that serves soft serve only." Gary Danko (800 N. Point St.) One of San Francisco's most popular restaurants is Gary Danko , with 4.8 stars from 61 reviews. The award-winning restaurant has consistently received a five-star Mobil rating and reviewers continue to extol its delights. "One of the top restaurants in the city," wrote Albert. "I've been here a few times and their menu is extremely well done. If you do the five-course, please get ready to eat a feast. Cocktails are a must. Reasonably priced, very kind staff and amazing aura." Nopa (560 Divisadero St.) Finally, there's Nopa , a San Francisco gathering place north of the Panhandle, that serves urban rustic food and specializes in organic wood-fired cuisine. "Hip restaurant serving gourmet comfort food," wrote diner Travis. Featured San Francisco attractions San Francisco is also full of sites to visit and explore. Here are some popular attractions to round out your trip, again from Skyscanner's listings. Golden Gate Bridge First up is the 1.7-mile Golden Gate Bridge , which opened in 1937. The name doesn't come from its color, but because the Golden Gate Strait is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The bridge is painted "international orange." "An amazing feature of modern engineering, the space surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge could not be more beautiful," wrote visitor Anna. "We went at sunset to catch the views and I was blown away with how impressive the bridge itself was." Golden Gate Park (Stanyan and Haight streets) The 1,000-acre Golden Gate Park is another popular destination. You'll find serenity with a myriad of attractions   art museums, a Japanese tea garden, a Shakespeare garden, even a buffalo paddock. You can also take part in activities such as hiking, riding horseback, archery or feeding the ducks at one of three ponds. "This is a scenic, tranquil place to go," wrote visitor Irene. "It is so calm here and a great escape from the busy city streets. There are lots of native plants here and birds to view. Nearby are several museums and the iconic bridge." California Academy of Sciences (55 Music Concourse Drive) Lastly, spend some time at the California Academy of Sciences , a research and natural history museum located in Golden Gate Park. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the academy's roof is made of grass and sculpted to look like the park's rolling hills have been lifted up and the academy slipped underneath. Beneath the roof, the building houses a full-scale aquarium, a natural history museum and a planetarium. Great for kids, there is enough to see here for a full day. This story was created automatically using flight, hotel, and local attractions data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


American racing driver Ryan Tveter will make his FIA Formula 2 debut this weekend at the Red Bull Ring, replacing Ralph Boschung at Trident. The 25-year-old was part of the Italian team's GP3 roster in the two previous seasons, scoring five podium finishes in that time. He sampled the F2 car with Trident, as well as BWT Arden, in post-season testing in Abu Dhabi in 2018, but did not wind up with a full-time drive for this year. "I am incredibly excited to be back with the Trident family again and am so grateful for the opportunity to make my debut in FIA Formula 2 this weekend in Austria," Tveter said. "Together we have achieved some pretty remarkable results over the last two seasons and I thank Trident for showing their continued confidence in me. "It's been a bit of a long wait since my first F2 test in Abu Dhabi last year, but as you can imagine, I'm beyond excited to get back out on track." GP3 race winner Boschung, who has featured on the F2 grid since the championship's rebranding in 2017, will make way for Tveter, who will line up alongside Ferrari protege Giuliano Alesi. Boschung wrote on social media earlier this month that he was "bleeding myself to be on the grid every round with the financial issues" - and has now confirmed that he was departing F2 for good. Unfortunately I will not race any longer in @FIA_F2 . It's a shame that money is the major factor in this sport. I've been fighting so hard for so long. But expect me to fight back hard. I'm not giving up just yet. Thanks to everyone for the support. I really appreciate it.   Ralph Boschung (@BoschungRalph) June 26, 2019 The Swiss driver has scored three of Trident's four points in 2019 so far, with the Italian outfit resigned to last place in the teams' standings. Tveter is the second driver confirmed to be making his F2 debut in the upcoming Austrian round, with Red Bull-backed IndyCar driver Patricio O'Ward replacing the banned Mahaveer Raghunathan at MP Motorsport. Ralph Boschung, Trident Photo by: FIA Formula 2