The readers of the USA Today newspaper have voted on the best car shows in America, ranging from classics to vans. Here are the results… 10 LA Auto Show The Los Angeles Convention Centre and its 760,000 square feet of space means there is a ridiculous variety of machinery at the LA Auto Show . Its brief goes beyond cars, and sometimes teeters towards sci-fi in its displays for personal transport of the future. 9 Capitola Classic Car Show Dedicated to customised vehicles and hot rods, Capitola's Californian coastline location means spectators can see the cars drive to their positions for the weekend. Its early June date also guarantees good weather; handy when there's a beach opposite. Read More Crazy Modified Cars Out In Force At Classic Show 8 Radwood at Hooptiecon Already referred to as the 'ComicCon of cars', HooptieCon was created this year as a way of getting more spectators to 'lemons' race events. The Radwood element also sees owners of 1970s and '80s cars donning period dress. Held at Sonoma Raceway, the 200-strong line-up is truly odd, and having a race track at hand means some fairly unsuited cars will be tackling corners they have no right to. With the event having already gained much acclaim, the second edition of HooptieCon in 2019 should be even bigger. 7 Grand National Roadster Show The world's longest-running indoor car show still pulls in huge crowds. The 2018 edition of the Grand National Roadster Show attracted nearly 1000 custom roadsters, hot rods, muscle cars and historic vehicles   one of the largest line-ups in the show's 69-year history. A selection of those compete to be crowned America's Most Beautiful Roadster. This year's winner was a 1931 Ford Roadster. 6 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Situated on Fernandina Beach, this concours for vintage and collectible vehicles supports charities along Florida's First Coast. A 1929 Duesenberg J/SJ Convertible and 1963 Ferrari 250/275P won Best in Show this year, with Formula 1 and IndyCar champion Emerson Fittipaldi acting as honouree. Le Mans legend Jacky Ickx will take up the role next. 5 EyesOn Design The 87.5-acre Edsel and Eleanor Ford House estate hosts EyesOn Design 's themed, invitation-only meeting. The theme changes annually, most recently to Design Inspiration and Influences. The judging panel is made up of retired designers from the automotive business. Other exhibits feature cars from the previous year's show circuit. 4 Iola Car Show This event is set in a big field and features a lot of cars   many of which are for sale. There is an emphasis on swapping for enthusiasts, and at 2018's show there was a lust for vehicles seen on film and television or in military service. Not all of the 1000s of cars are pristine   unsurprising when some of them have traversed the world's most dangerous terrain. 3 Van Nationals 'Van Stans' have been flocking to Rensselaer, Indiana for 46 years. The celebrations last a week, and every year there is something new for van enthusiasts to enjoy. In 2019 the show will be carnival themed. It's going to be popular, so get your tickets in advance… 2 Back to the '50s There's no requirement for period dress, but Back to the '50s certainly takes St Paul, Minnesota back several decades every summer. The show has history itself, having started back in 1963. There are musical accompaniments, too, but it's dropped down the USA Today standings. 1 Cruisin' the Coast A 30-mile stretch of highway is closed along the Mississippi Gulf Coast for 'America's largest block party', a week-long festival celebrating historic and hot rod vehicles, nostalgic music and more. Unusually it takes place in autumn, which means you can still catch this year's event on September 30-October 7.


Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole is currently on pace to join the prestigious 300-strikeout club , a group with no shortage of Hall of Fame-level talent. Cole leads the majors with a dazzling 13.11 strikeouts per nine innings, whereas Athletics left-hander Brett Anderson resides on the opposite end of the spectrum. Anderson places dead last among qualified starters in K/9 at 4.56. His K/BB ratio (1.58) ranks a similarly unappealing fourth-worst in the game. Nevertheless, in a season filled with setbacks for the A's rotation, Anderson has been one of the unit's few stabilizing forces. The 31-year-old Anderson's 2019 success has come at a nominal fee. After Anderson inked a minor league deal entering 2018 and helped pitch the Athletics to the playoffs, he re-signed on an MLB pact worth $1.5M during the offseason. Now, for the second year in a row, Anderson may aid in a postseason berth for Oakland. Injuries have been an all-too-common occurrence for Anderson, who began his career with the Athletics in 2009 and later spent time with the Rockies, Dodgers, Cubs and Blue Jays before circling back to the A's a year ago. This season, though, Anderson has stayed healthy in a season chock-full of poor fortune for Oakland's pitching staff. Not only haven't the A's gotten a single inning from the injured quartet of Sean Manaea , Jesus Luzardo , A.J. Puk , Jharel Cotton , but they lost their ace, Frankie Montas , to an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension June 21. Anderson's first start after Montas' ban   a three-inning, seven-run performance in a June 23 loss to the Rays   was a nightmare. However, since then, Anderson has yielded a meager two earned runs on seven hits over 14 innings in a pair of starts   both wins for a playoff-contending A's team that needs every victory it can get. Anderson now owns an above-average 3.86 ERA through 102 2/3 frames on the season. Known throughout his majors tenure for inducing ground balls, Anderson has done so at a 53.1 percent clip this year. As always, Anderson's worm-burning tendencies have enabled him to limit home runs to a respectable extent. The average starter has surrendered HRs on 15.2 percent of fly balls in 2019, but Anderson's at just 11.1. Despite the laundry list of injuries Anderson has contended with throughout his time in the majors, his velocity remains in line with career figures. He's averaging approximately 90 mph on his four-seam fastball and sinker, and has thrown the latter pitch 10% more than he did last season, according to Statcast . The results haven't been great, though, as hitters have posted a .353 weighted on-base average/.382 expected wOBA against it. Anderson has stifled hitters with his slider, on the other hand, though his usage of it has decreased by 6% since 2018. In the 19.8% of the time Anderson has leaned on the pitch this year, batters have logged a non-threatening .286 wOBA/.298 xwOBA against it. Perhaps Anderson would be well-served to turn to his slider more often, especially considering he has benefited from quite a bit of luck with his overall arsenal thus far. Anderson's expected wOBA (.350) portends trouble compared to his real wOBA (.302). The same applies to Anderson's 4.54 FIP   which ranks 21st from the bottom among qualified starters. Likewise, Anderson's .268 batting average on balls in play against may be tough to maintain for someone who has surrendered a .309 BABIP during his major league career. For now, the A's are enjoying the inexpensive ride with Anderson, who might be on his way to another major league contract in the offseason. But while the strikeout-happy Cole could score $200M-plus in free agency over the winter, the contact-heavy Anderson may be fortunate to net much more than the sub-$2M guarantee he secured coming into the season.


You want to lose weight fast   is it possible to crash diet safely? Dietitian Christy Brissette reveals how you can without harming your metabolism. Load up on non-starchy veggies Face it, if you want to lose weight over the long haul, your best bet is to make sustainable, long-term lifestyle changes. But sometimes life comes at you fast and you need a fast solution. One smart lifestyle change is to eat plenty of veggies. Vegetables are nutrient-packed and provide plenty of filling fiber with hardly any calories. Plus, non-starchy veggies have a high water content, so they hydrate you while filling you up   the perfect combination for weight loss. Shedding those pounds means shedding old habits, check out the nine simple changes this woman made to lose 45 pounds and keep them off . Starchy veggies (like potatoes) and processed whole grains (like whole-wheat bread) are foods I'd normally recommend eating in moderation, since they provide plenty of nutrients, fiber, and healthy carbs. However, high-carb foods aren't your best friend when you're looking to drop water weight. Essentially, when your body stores excess carbs, it stores them with water. So replacing carb-heavy foods with non-starchy veggies that still provide filling fiber without as much water retention is the way to go. For a week before your event, you can swap out the starchy carbs for more non-starchy vegetables to lose some water weight. Aim for filling at least half of your plate with non-starchy veggies like asparagus, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, spinach, kale, cucumbers, and more. Swap the salt for herbs and spices Another healthy change that will help you look better is to cut back on salt. Sodium causes your body to hold onto excess water, so eating a high-salt diet means you're likely storing more water weight than necessary. If you're in a rush to lose weight fast, cut out added salt as much as possible. That means keep ditching the salt shaker and avoiding processed and packaged foods, where added salt is pretty much inevitable. Try making food from scratch rather than eating out before your big event to further limit sodium and fight bloat. Even at healthier restaurants, sodium levels tend to be through the roof. Avoiding salt doesn't mean your food has to be bland. Experiment with using different herbs and spices. Try adding fresh cilantro and cumin to grilled fish, lemon and rosemary to chicken, or ginger and Chinese five spice to tempeh or beef. Pick up some spice blends from your local market to help add more spice to your life... just read the ingredients and make sure there's no salt added. It's hard to ditch salt, but these weight-loss motivation mantras will help you through the salt-less desert and into weight loss. Drink lots of water before meals It seems counterintuitive to drink lots of water when you're looking to lose weight fast especially water weight but staying hydrated is one of the most important steps you can take to lose weight. People often mistake thirst for hunger, so staying hydrated allows you to be more in touch with the times when you are actually hungry, rather than just thirsty. Plus, a lot of good things happen to your body when you drink enough fluids . Downing a glass of water before a meal has also been shown to lead to increased weight loss by decreasing the amount you eat at meals. It's hard for your eyes to be bigger than your stomach when you're already full from downing plenty of water! Staying hydrated also promotes good digestion, so you're less likely to end up backed up and bloated. Keep a water bottle with you at all times and aim for drinking eight-plus cups a day. Eliminate sugary beverages like soda, juice, or sweetened coffee or tea since they're calorie bombs without much nutritional benefit. Throw in lemon slices or chopped fruit and herbs to your water to add flavor it will encourage you to drink more! Avoid gas-forming foods Want to know how to lose weight fast and reduce bloating instantly? Avoid gas-forming foods leading up to your big event. When you chew gum, you swallow more often than you would without a piece of gum in your mouth. Some of what you swallow is air, and that can get trapped, making you feel bloated. Most sugar-free gums are made with sugar alcohols, which can cause gas in some people as well. Soda and diet soda often have gas-forming sugars or sugar alcohols plus, they're carbonated. Those bubbles trapped in liquid can leave you feeling bloated. Everyone's body is different when it comes to digesting some gas-forming foods, but there are a few you should be wary of: It's best to avoid beans and cruciferous veggies (think cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli) for a couple of days if you want to look slimmer. Choose lean proteins like chicken and fish or, if you're vegetarian, go for small amounts of nuts and seeds for protein. Pair with non-gassy vegetables like asparagus, spinach, and cucumber to help prevent bloat. Ditch the packaged foods Processed, packaged foods are often loaded with more salt, sugar, and refined carbs than you'd put in the foods you cook for yourself. When you're looking to drop weight fast, avoid foods that come in packages and stick to whole, unprocessed foods. Build your plates with non-starchy veggies, unprocessed whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, and season with spices, not salt. Rather than snacking on chips and granola bars, grab a piece of produce and a source of protein to stay fueled. Need some ideas? Here's what that could look like: Carrot sticks and a hard-boiled egg for a snack An apple and a handful of raw almonds for a snack Romaine lettuce topped with tomatoes, diced peppers, brown rice, shredded chicken, and avocado for lunch For dinner, try roasted broccoli, spinach salad, quinoa, and salmon seasoned with lemon and dill Make sure you're getting enough protein Protein is key for keeping you full and satiated , even when you're eating fewer calories. Studies have shown that eating a high-protein breakfast can help you reduce caloric intake throughout the day by starting you off full and fueled. Protein is also important for preserving muscle mass as you lose weight. If you cut back dramatically on calories and drop weight too fast, your muscles can suffer. Your body starts pulling from lean tissue like muscles and organs to fuel itself, and your metabolism slows to conserve energy. That's why super restrictive diets that have you dropping weight fast aren't healthy over the long run. Getting enough protein every day, whether you're in a quick-fix or long-term mindset is important for keeping your muscles and metabolism healthy throughout weight loss. Make sure you're having some chicken breast, lean ground turkey, fish, seafood or tempeh that's the size of a deck of cards at every meal. When snacking, have 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of nuts, or 3/4 cup of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to meet your protein needs and stay full and feel slim. Get plenty of sleep Aim to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Why? Ever notice how you start to crave donuts and drive-thru breakfasts when you're exhausted? When you don't get enough sleep, your hormones are thrown out of balance. Running on no sleep can actually drive up the hormones that make you want to eat, while pushing down the hormones that signal for fullness and that's a recipe for weight gain. When you're well-rested, it's much easier to make healthy decisions and stay on track. Keep meals lighter in the evening Research demonstrates that eating later can actually lead to slower weight loss , while eating a larger meal at breakfast and smaller meals throughout the day can help you lose more weight ! And while we're not going to tell you to restrict yourself to no food after 6 p.m, it's important to consider what time of day you struggle most with temptation. For many people, late-night fridge raids are a downfall, leading to overeating and unnecessary calories. If you wake up motivated to eat healthy, but lose steam by the end of the day and end up with a big takeout order, sidestep the problem by planning evening meals ahead of time. If you do feel like you want to eat in the evening, ask yourself if you're really hungry or eating out of habit or boredom. Find out how to stop emotional eating with seven mind tricks that really work . HIIT the gym HIIT stands for high intensity interval training, and it's a great way to build muscle without spending hours in the gym. The idea is to go all out for a short period of time, followed by a slower pace that allows you to recover. Think of jogging or sprinting all out for 30 seconds, followed by a minute or two of rest, then repeat. Short bursts of high-intensity exercises keep your heart rate up while adding lean muscle. More muscle mass equals calories burned on a daily basis. Also, the more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism is. Focusing on cardio workouts like running or biking are great for your heart health, but make sure you do weight training workouts as well, to complement your muscle growth. These 9 inspirational weight-loss stories might spark motivation, too. Call for backup Drastic weight loss from a quick-fix diet is usually due mostly to losing water weight. At best a crash diet could help you drop a few pounds. At worst, it could leave you feeling weak and tired and make you sick. Before you jump on the latest crash diet that promises drastic results, think twice about the impact on your physical and mental health. For weight loss that lasts, you'll want to continue making sustainable changes long after that special event has passed. Meet with a registered dietitian to get nutrition advice that's specific to you and your goals. Pass on the pounds with these 42 easy ways to lose weight, and fast.


A college-educated, 43-year-old woman who is traveling for leisure and has a household income of more than $100,000 is the typical passenger traveling through Sky Harbor International Airport. That's the result of a survey conducted by KPI Aviation Marketing Solutions of passengers traveling through the Phoenix airport. It was presented to the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board on Thursday afternoon. The city commissioned the survey two years ago to get better information about the nearly 45 million passengers who use the airport each year. KPI started conducting the surveys in January 2018 and surveyed more than 25,000 passengers in all of the gate areas throughout the day. Of those passengers surveyed, 80% were beginning or ending their trips in Phoenix  yet only 44% were Arizona residents. These "origin-and-destination" passengers, as they're called in the aviation industry, also were the most likely to shop at the airport. They spent an average of $16 each at Sky Harbor stores . Connecting passengers were the most likely to eat at Sky Harbor restaurants and spent an average of $18 each. Of business travelers, 41% said they had purchased food and beverages at the airport, compared to 38% of leisure travelers. Want more stories about the best things to do, eat and see in the Valley? Subscribe to azcentral.com for guides, reviews and expert advice. The airport will use the information to help guide decisions about air-service planning, marketing, communications, and business planning. More statistics about Phoenix passengers Of the 25,000 passengers surveyed: 54% were female and 46% were male. 68% have a bachelor's degree. 52% had an annual household income greater than $100,000 yearly, 24% earned less, and 24% did not answer. 69% were traveling on leisure and 31% were on business. 36% were 18-35 years old, 38% were 36-55, and 24% were 56 or older. Two percent did not answer. You can connect with Melissa through email at melissa.yeager@azcentral.com . You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram . Support local journalism like this story by subscribing today. Things to do, eat and see in Arizona This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: This is the typical passenger at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport


Liverpool are reported to have informed out of contract stars Daniel Sturridge and Alberto Moreno over their futures at the club, with an announcement expected over the next two weeks. The duo are among a host of fringe players widely expected to leave the club this summer, with manager Jurgen Klopp expected to trim the squad that took Manchester City to within a point of the Premier League title, and booked a place in the Champions League final against Tottenham next month. With a match of that magnitude on the agenda, you can forgive Liverpool for keeping announcements over squad upheaval to a minimum, but the Liverpool Echo report that it is 'likely' both Sturridge and Moreno have been informed over their futures. The local newspaper leads with the headline that Liverpool have 'made a decision' over the pair, explaining that the Premier League requires full 'released and retained' lists to be submitted by the third Saturday in May. Given that deadline passed on May 18th, it is understood that Liverpool will have told Sturridge and Moreno whether they will be released from the club upon the expiry of their contracts at the end of June. Both players have been used fleetingly this season, and it would come as a surprise if they were retained, but they have both been included in Klopp's 26-man squad for their pre-Champions League training camp in Marbella next month, so it seems the story isn't quite over for either just yet. Training squad for Marbella: Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Brewster, Fabinho, Firmino, Gomez, Henderson, Jones, Keita, Kelleher, Lallana, Lovren, Mane, Matip, Mignolet, Milner, Moreno, Origi, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Robertson, Salah, Shaqiri, Sturridge, Van Dijk, Wijnaldum, Woodburn.   DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) May 20, 2019 June also marks the expiry of Divock Origi's contract, but he too has been included in the squad for the training camp after his dramatic upturn in form in the absence of Roberto Firmino - scoring the winner against Newcastle and then a match-winning brace against Barcelona - and he is expected to be offered fresh terms. In the case of each of the trio, it seems likely that we can expect official announcements shortly after the Champions League final concludes on 1st June.


Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane claims that he's been left "hurt" after suffering a defeat in the Champions League final, then being knocked out of the UEFA Nations League five days later. The 25-year-old was a major injury doubt for both club and country following a collision with Manchester City's Fabian Delph during the Champions League quarter-finals, but he returned in time for Tottenham's eventual loss to Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitano last week. Kane was also a half-time substitute as Gareth Southgate's England side lost to the Netherlands on Thursday, and the Tottenham star has admitted that these back-to-back defeats are likely going to be playing on his mind throughout the summer. " It hurts, it hurts a lot," Kane said, quoted by Sky Sports . "Of course, this week could have been so different and as a professional athlete that is all you dream about, you dream about lifting trophies and winning games. "So it will hurt over the summer, it isn't something you can just clear out of your mind but I think it is important, not just for me but the lads who have had tough years, to refresh as much as possible with their mind and their body. "Then, of course, it comes thick and fast and before you know it we will be in the Premier League again and we will be talking again. "But it hurts, there is nothing else I can say. I want to win and the boys want to win and the Spurs boys want to win but it wasn't our week. As an athlete, you have to take that on the chin and the only thing you can do is learn from it." Didn't go our way last night but so many positives to take from our Nations League campaign. We'll look to finish it off well on Sunday. 🦁🦁🦁 pic.twitter.com/52ZwArD1ku   Harry Kane (@HKane) June 7, 2019 Before breaking for the summer, however, Kane will first be involved with England in a third-place play-off match against Switzerland in the Nations League.


BRADENTON, FL   Sunday Real Estate takes you to George Steinbrenner's former home, a lakefront estate in Coral Gables that boasts a formal garden and a Sarasota home with an eye-catching backyard pool. We also visit an historic home built by Thomas Rowe, a rustic 5-acre estate in Dade City and a boater's paradise in Bradenton. You can find all of these great homes and more on Realtor.com. $5.7 Million Estate Owned By Late George Steinbrenner For Sale TAMPA, FL   This gated estate, one of the largest on the Palma Ceia Golf Course, belonged to the late George Steinbrenner, owner of the New York Yankees. Address:... Read more Lakefront Estate In Coral Gables Boasts Eye-Catching Garden CORAL GABLES, FL   This elegant lakefront estate in Coral Gables features a formal garden synonymous with old world charm. Priced at $6.9 million, the six-bedroom home features a movie room... Read more Historic Home Of Don Cesar Hotel Builder Hits The Market ST PETE BEACH, FL   This historic home was built by Thomas Rowe, the builder of the Don Cesar Hotel, who could watch the construction of his Pink Palace from his front porch. 3215 W Maritana... Read more Mediterranean Home In Sarasota Features Stunning Backyard Pool SARASOTA, FL   This striking Mediterranean home in Sarasota features a stunning backyard swimming pool that includes a dramatic fountain."This residence embraces modern Mediterranean architecture... Read more Rustic Old World-Style Estate Sits On 5 Acres In Dade City DADE CITY, FL   This Old World-style home owned by lifelong Dade City resident and Brooksville attorney Glen Greenfelder sits on five acres in Dade City. Address:... Read more Exclusive Boater's Estate Home In Bradenton BRADENTON, FL   This exclusive boater's estate home in Bradenton boasts open access to a saltwater escape from daily life. "A Boater's paradise on saltwater with direct open water access.... Read more


The Chicago Bears and general manager Ryan Pace have constructed a roster with Super Bowl aspirations. It's loaded on both sides of the ball and has depth players who are capable of stepping in and starting at a high level. But who is the most important of the bunch? Here's a power ranking of the top-25 Bears entering this summer's training camp. MORE: NHL fans weren't impressed with Mike Milbury's questions for Pam from 'The Office' Sleeping on Patriots WR Demaryius Thomas would be a huge mistake WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling impressing staff going into Packers minicamp Bears believe Clinton-Dix is an upgrade over Amos Roundup: Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger Get Married, Chicago Poop Vandal, Johnny Manziel Talks XFL


Clive Petgrave awoke Saturday to Orlando police knocking at his door. Officers were notifying him of a shocking discovery made on the doorstep of his Willow Key apartment   a one-day-old baby boy. "I was surprised, because, you know, something happened right at my door," Petgrave said, gesturing to the stoop outside his second-floor apartment. Petgrave didn't see the baby   police had already taken him away when they knocked on his door   but he said a neighbor heard the infant crying while she was making breakfast and called 911. "[Police] asked me if... I had seen anyone that was pregnant. I said no," Petgrave said. Authorities were called just after 10 a.m. to the apartments at 5566 Arnold Palmer Drive, where the one-day old baby was found "wrapped in a t-shirt and appeared to be in good health," Orlando police wrote in an email. The boy was taken to Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Police are investigating and reported the incident to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the email states. Another baby was left at the same complex in October 2017 . The girl was left with a note urging whoever found her to take her to a fire station under Florida's Safe Haven law. Police say she was fully clothed and was in good health. It's not known if police ever found the girl's parents. Kimberley Williams, who lives in the apartment complex, said she hadn't heard about the incident until later Saturday afternoon. She also recalled the 2017 incident. "This is crazy," she said. "This is really really crazy. Why do they keep leaving these babies like this?" Police noted that under Florida's Safe Haven Law, a baby up to one-week old who is not wanted can be brought to a hospital or fire station without the guardian risking criminal charges. Since its inception in 1999, over 2,000 babies nationwide are known to have been positively impacted by the Baby Safe Haven program, according to its website. Anyone with information on the incident can call OPD at 321-235-5300.     ©2019 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) Visit The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) at www.OrlandoSentinel.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Let me preface this by saying that the Los Angeles Lakers would be nowhere without Klutch Sports. But Saturday morning's bombshell of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George teaming up with the Los Angeles Clippers, a situation reportedly orchestrated by Leonard's recruitment , it showed that there will always be things even the invisible hand of Klutch cannot control. In fact, the fact that Klutch moves with such loud audacity may have hurt their chances in the Leonard sweepstakes. Although Kawhi Leonard has always been lauded for his on-court abilities, he could play with the big boys off the court too. His shrewdness in how he handled this free agency shows that he does not need Klutch to make Klutch-like moves. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne , Leonard made advances towards George after Kevin Durant eventually decided to team up with Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan on the Nets. There was a little bit of shrewd game-playing on his part with how he communicated to the Lakers, reportedly asking them to hold off a day for the Anthony Davis trade . And here, we see a slight drawback with how Klutch does business. Anybody with brain can see Klutch's moves coming, especially when a client signs with Rich Paul. They make their moves loudly and with a big stick. But with Kawhi Leonard and his team moving independently of an operation such as Klutch, the ability to bring in someone like George in such stealth fashion becomes infinitely more possible. Perhaps it was this public way of doing business, the Klutch way and the Lakers way, that could have done in their chances to bring in Leonard to form the NBA's most formidable super team. Coupled with the very public target on Klutch's back, Magic Johnson told both ESPN and the L.A. Times about talking to Leonard, including what details were discussed in their conversations, such as Leonard wanting a say in hiring team personnel . It still almost worked, had it not been for Leonard's recruitment and the assets at the Clippers disposal to execute a trade that has more draft picks involved than the Lakers trade for Anthony Davis. The radio silence from Leonard's camp throughout the process ultimately worked to their favor, while the Lakers and Klutch telegraphing their moves through the national media may have done them in. And Leonard showed he didn't have to do things the Klutch way to make a big splash, completely changing the league. The Lakers are not out of this, but building a team with the remaining crop of free agents will be difficult, LeBron James and Anthony Davis or not. LeBron has been through enough eras with subpar teammates to know this himself. What could have been a slam dunk for a championship becomes much more like a contested midrange shot. Now Leonard and George will spark a true rivalry with the Lakers in a way that has never existed before. And the Western Conference at large, teams such as the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers, are all licking their chops at this wide open title race. But none of this happens if Leonard doesn't get the ball rolling as a recruiter, something nobody expected or saw coming. Klutch may be too big to fail now, but the size and scope of their operation, as well as the company they've chosen to work with, may have come at the expense of their biggest client. 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 Kendrick Perkins confirms report about Kevin Durant's ending in OKC How does Kawhi Leonard's decision effect the Boston Celtics


EAST HARTFORD -- State police said a Pennsylvania man and a South Windsor woman were killed in Monday's fiery crash in East Hartford. Police said two tractor-trailers and a school bus were stopped on I-84 west in East Hartford in the center lane. According to police, another tractor-trailer driven by 52-year-old Norman Bliss, of Etters, Pennsylvania, was driving on I-84 west, about to collide with the back of the school bus. The bus was driven by 67-year-old Verlean Douglas, of South Windsor. Police said that Bliss tried to take evasive actions, and tried to brake and steer to the left, partially entering the left lane of the highway. Bliss was unable to stop in time. The front of Bliss' truck collided into the back of the bus, which pushed the bus into the tractor-trailer in front of them, causing a chain reaction. Bliss's truck jack-knifed and then caught fire. The fire then spread to the bus and the other two tractor trailers. Bliss and Douglas were both killed in the crash. The other occupants of the trucks were uninjured, according to police. State police said the cause of the collision is still under investigation.     ©2019 WTIC-TV, Hartford Visit WTIC-TV, Hartford at www.fox61.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


In case you missed it, the nutrition-conscious folks over at the FDA have proven themselves to have a pretty whacked-out definition of the word "healthy." Case in point: The agency attacked Kind bars a snack made mostly of good-for-you nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for using the claim when it technically shouldn't have. Because believe it or not, any food that packs more than 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat cannot, by law, call itself healthy . So, according to the government, Kind bars are out. Almond butter and olive oil are out. Even avocados and salmon, which are widely considered to be two of the healthiest foods you can possibly eat, are out. It's so insane that Kind decided to fight back by issuing a petition calling for the FDA to pull its definition of healthyout of the 1980s and into the 21st century. Hopefully it works, but until then, we're stuck with some pretty weird healthy by government standards foods. Take a look at this list. (And no, there isn't something wrong with your monitor.) 1. Frosted Breakfast Pastries Think a pastry made with refined flour, filled with neon colored goo, and topped with icing and sprinkles is the stuff that healthy breakfasts are made of? So does the FDA. At just 190 empty calories, 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, and more than 4 teaspoons of sugar, these babies are clearly a health nut's dream. 2. Sugar-Free, Fat-Free Chocolate Pudding Who cares if it's made of modified cornstarch, maltodextrin, and aspartame? This delectable dessert has zero grams of fat and saturated fat and only 13 percent of your daily sodium. Eat it for a treat or heck, maybe you should have it instead of that fat-laden salmon for dinner. 3. Sugary Breakfast Cereals You should probably start your day with a bowl of refined flour based loops or flakes that pack 10 grams or more of sugar per serving. Because they're really low in fat and sodium and are fortified with nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamin C that you could never find in real food. 4. Frozen Bagels At 230 calories of purely empty carbs, this is about as wholesome as you can get. Just don't ruin the thing by slathering on any fatty peanut butter or almond butter so you actually stay full for more than five minutes. Because then it won't be healthy anymore. 5. Fat-Free Strawberry Milk Whole milk packs 8 grams of fat and 5 grams of saturated fat per 8-ounce glass, so it's clearly not healthy. But fat-free strawberry milk, which delivers 5 teaspoons of sugar per serving, totally is. FDA, you're blowing our minds. 6. Chewy Fruit Snacks Leathers, gummies, you name it. As long as they contain at least 10 percent of your daily vitamin C, these babies are healthy. The fact that they also contain nearly 2 teaspoons of sugar per serving along with a generous dose of artificial colors? Irrelevant. So you definitely shouldn't feel bad about picking these over actual fruit. More on MSN 5 vitamins and minerals you don't need to take


The Seattle Seahawks have announced 12 training camp practices will be open to the public in 2019. Beginning July 25, 11 practices will be held at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton. On Aug. 3, one special session will be held at Pop Keeney Stadium in Bothell. The practice will also include performances by the Seahawks Dancers and Blue Thunder drum line as well as photo opportunities with team mascots Blitz and Boom. To attend any of the open practices, fans must register ahead of time on the Seahawks website, Seahawks.com/trainingcamp. Registration will open a 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 20. The final day of practice - Aug. 15 - will be reserved for Seahawks season ticket holders only, who will be emailed a special registration invite to attend. 2019 Training Camp info is here! The dates, the deets, and more » https://t.co/NNgInxE247 pic.twitter.com/bCVdZ853Nu - Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) June 17, 2019 Although all practices are free, a $10 transportation fee will be charged for shuttle service to and from each venue. Fans attending the VMAC practices will be required to park offsite at the The Landing Shopping Center. Information related to parking for the Pop Keeney practice will be released at a later date. For more information and to view open practice dates before registration opens, visit Seahawks.com/trainingcamp . MORE: LaVar Ball made a tasteless mid-interview remark to ESPN's Molly Qerim Roundup: US Sending 1,000 More Troops to Iran; Recalls; Dallas Gunman Shot Dead Adding context to audible issue between Aaron Rodgers, Matt LaFleur Report indicates Matthew Stafford played with a broken back in 2018 NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players


The embattled governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rossello has announced that he will not seek reelection in November 2020. Rossello will step down as the president of the New Progressive Party. He said he will serve out his term as governor and allow for his successor to be democratically elected. "Apologizing is not enough," Rossello said in the Facebook Live announcement, adding that he is prepared to take on the process that could lead to his impeachment. The announcement comes after a week of protest precipitated by the release of explosive text messages between the governor and his top aides and advisers. Large protests are expected for Monday with protesters planning to gather on a major highway leading to San Juan. The governor has faced mounting pressure to resign since private online chat messages on the Telegram app were leaked earlier this month in which he and his top aides allegedly made homophobic, misogynistic and sexist comments against opponents and critics, and mocked victims of Hurricane Maria. Tens of thousands of protesters are expected to descend Monday on a major highway leading to San Juan. On Wednesday, police fired pepper spray to disperse a demonstration near the governor's mansion in San Juan. Celebrities with Puerto Rican roots such as singer Ricky Martin, "Hamilton" playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda and the Puerto Rican rapper Benito Martinez, known by his stage name Bad Bunny, have participated in the protests in Puerto Rico and New York. Rossello, 40, the second youngest governor in Puerto Rican history and the son of former Gov. Pedro Rossello, was sworn in as governor of the U.S. territory on Jan. 2, 2017, amid turmoil over a debt crisis and 13 straight years of recession. Just eight months after his election, Hurricane Maria hit the island and killed an estimated 2,975 people, caused widespread destruction, and sent Puerto Rico deeper into financial turmoil. Rossello, a Democrat who was swept into office on a pro-statehood platform, began to see his support erode in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria as his administration was accused of mismanagement in handling recovery efforts from the devastating storm. On July 10, Rossello's administration was plunged into a scandal when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested the governor's former Education Secretary Julia Keleher, and the former head of Puerto Rico's Health Insurance Administration Angela Avila Marrero, on charges of steering federal money to unqualified, politically-connected contractors. In a 32-count indictment, Keleher and Marrero were accused of fraud involving $15.5 million in federal funds issued between 2017 and 2019. On the heels of the indictment came the explosive publication on July 13 by the Puerto Rico Center for Investigative Journalism, which included nearly 900 pages of conversations between Rossello and his top male aides, advisers and at least one lobbyist using vulgar language to disparage political opponents, critics and even members of their own party while communicating via a Telegram app chat group. (MORE: Amid protests, Puerto Rico governor says he will not resign) Among the messages leaked was one by Rossello referring to former New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito as a "w---e" after she slammed Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez for supporting statehood for Puerto Rico. "A person who uses that language against a woman, whether a public figure or not, should not govern Puerto Rico," Mark-Viverito responded in a statement in Spanish that she posted on Twitter . (MORE: Trump tweets about Puerto Rico being 'under siege' amid violent protests) Rossello was also caught making fun of an overweight man whom he posed with for a photo. The leaked chat room conversations also captured Christian Sobrino, a top economic adviser to Rossello, making homophobic remarks about Ricky Martin and saying San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz was "off her meds" and that he was "salivating to shoot" her. Cruz is expected to run against Rossello in the 2020 gubernatorial election. (MORE: Trump tweets about Puerto Rico being 'under siege' amid violent protests) Rossello also used profanities when discussing the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, created in 2016 by U.S. federal law to oversee Puerto Rico's debt restructuring. Other members of the chat group used emojis with the middle finger to express their disdain for the oversight board. Members of the group also joked about the corpses that piled up after Hurricane Maria. Sobrino and Rossello's secretary of state, Luis Rivera Marin, resigned once the chat messages were leaked. (MORE: Police in Puerto Rico use tear gas after protesters toss fireworks) "I'm not proud of what I did," Rossello said in a statement last week. "Those were merely comments, but they were hurtful comments. And I apologize for what I've done. But, I need to move forward, continue on with the work I'm doing for Puerto Rico. I will continue in my job." Rossello added, "I have not committed any illegal acts or corrupt acts. I committed an improper act." President Donald Trump has issued several tweets about the upheaval in Puerto Rico, saying in one that "a lot of bad things are happening there." But Trump has aimed his remarks more at Cruz than at Rossello. Cruz has strongly criticized the Trump administration's response to Hurricane Maria. The President tweeted that Cruz is "a despicable and incompetent person who I wouldn't trust under any circumstance." Cruz responded in a statement on Facebook Thursday, saying, "President Trump you never got it; and you never will." "This is not about you; this is about the dignity of the Puerto Rican people," Cruz said in her statement. "What is happening in Puerto Rico is that a people united by a profound sense of dignity are on the streets protesting corruption and a misogynist, homophobic, two-faced governor."


Real Madrid defender Marcelo has admitted that he'd like to link up Brazil international Neymar in the Spanish capital, with Paris Saint-Germain's poster boy continuing to be linked with a move away from Ligue 1 this summer. It's expected that Neymar will return to his former club Barcelona if he does leave Paris ahead of the new season, with club captain Lionel Messi believed to be pressuring the club into making the move a reality. But Marcelo has insisted that his international teammate could be a perfect fit at Real Madrid , and the 31-year-old even risked upsetting people at the Santiago Bernabéu by claiming that Neymar is a better player than the club's new marquee signing  Eden Hazard . "Neymar's an unpredictable player," Marcelo said, quoted by Marca . "When a defender has anticipated something, he's already thought of something else and he's impossible to defend. "Having Neymar at Real Madrid would be a huge pleasure. Madrid have to do everything to sign the best players in the world and his past at Barcelona wouldn't be a problem." "Eden's a top player," he added. "A player of high quality and, like Neymar, he has the quality to be in the top five. He's impressive. You can't compare them, but Neymar is better for me." Lake District for West Ham? Have they even seen a map? 若 https://t.co/egNCRYV2vq   90min (@90min_Football) July 18, 2019 Former Chelsea talisman Hazard is just one of Real Madrid's six - soon to be seven following their agreement to sign Real Zaragoza star Alberto Soro - new arrivals this summer. But the club have already splashed over €300m on new players ahead of the new season, making any move for Neymar largely just a pipe dream due to restrictions from Financial Fair Play.


Looking for something to do this week? From a free museum day to a home-buyers' seminar, here are some solid options to help you get off the couch and out into the world. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Free Museum Day From the event description: Experience an interactive exhibition for all ages that connects the brain, the senses and the literary experience across three centuries of unique materials. When: Saturday, June 29, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Where: Rare Book Department, 1901 Vine St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Financial wellness workshop From the event description: Check out a financial workshop where you'll learn how to protect and secure your income, eliminate debt faster, increase your funds and more. When: Saturday, June 29, 1-2:30 p.m. Where: Sturgis Recreation Center, 200 W. 65th Ave. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets First-time home-buyers' experience From the event description: Enjoy an informal discussion on the home-buying process while you mingle and meet new professionals in your area. We will be providing complimentary appetizers from Moonshine Restaurant and sangria from Jet Set Wine Bar. When: Saturday, June 29, 2-4 p.m. Where: 1331 Bainbridge St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Death and The Wellness Industry From the event description: Join Dr. Rachel Oristano for an in-depth discussion on the intersection of death and the wellness industry. This talk will include a critical look at anti-aging and how that relates to death denial, the cultural obsession with youth and ethics in treating potentially terminal illnesses. When: Sunday, June 30, 6-9 p.m. Where: The Bike Stop, 206 S. Quince St. Admission: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Parking in Philadelphia can be tough, especially during popular events. To find free or cheap parking and to book parking in advance, see this map of Philadelphia parking from SpotAngels. And to get there by public transportation, check SEPTA's website for nearby stations and schedules. This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


U.S. Open officials are doing everything they can to get Cori "Coco" Gauff into next month's tournament. Officials are planning to give a wildcard to the 15-year-old sensation that caught everyone's attention when she played at Wimbledon, according to the New York Post , which cited unidentified sources. The only problem is they have to work around the WTA's age restrictions for 15 year olds. A player can use a maximum of three wildcards when they are 15, but Gauff has already accepted her three as she attended the Miami Open, the French Open qualifiers and the Wimbledon qualifiers. "We would expect to see Coco in the main draw of the US Open,'' USTA director of communications Chris Widmaier told The Post. "She certainly won the hearts of tennis fans in our country with her Wimbledon performance. It's not every day an athlete of her age becomes water-cooler talk.'' Widmaier added that he believes the Open will be "exempt," while an anonymous WTA spokesperson explained to the Post that they don't believe the governing body will intervene. "The US Open, as a Grand Slam, reserves the right to not align with the Age Eligibility Rule and offer a player a Wild Card in excess of her limit per the Age Eligibility Rule,'' WTA spokesperson said. The Post notes that Gauff can only play 10 pro events from when she turns 15 until her 16th birthday under the age-eligibility bylaws. Gauff is still eligible to play 12 more pro tournaments before her birthday on March 13. She's played seven pro tournaments since she turned 15, but received a merit bonus of two extra events. MORE : Wimbledon 2019: 7 crazy facts from historic Novak Djokovic-Roger Federer match | Wimbledon 2019: Roger Federer unfazed by prospect of Novak Djokovic taking his Grand Slam record | Wimbledon 2019: Novak Djokovic relies on mental strength after 'most demanding' match of his career "She went from being not on the radar in women's tennis to being their biggest star," tennis historian and former USTA staffer Randy Walker said. "She's box office. The Open fans are going to go cuckoo for Coco." Gauff entered Wimbledon ranked No. 313 in the world and jumped up an impressive 172 spots. She's now No. 141 after making it to the fourth round at the All England Club.


According to rental site Zumper , median rents for a one bedroom in Greater Uptown are hovering around $1,200, which is on par with the one-bedroom median for Houston as a whole. So how does the low-end pricing on a Greater Uptown rental look these days   and what might you get for the price? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments from Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find in the neighborhood, which, according to Walk Score ratings , is quite walkable, is bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 5331 Beverly Hill St. This one-bedroom, one-bathroom space, situated at 5331 Beverly Hill St., is listed for $732/month for its 510 square feet. The residence offers a dishwasher, hardwood flooring and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include on-site laundry. Both cats and dogs are welcome. (See the complete listing here .) 6403 Del Monte Drive Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom living space at 6403 Del Monte Drive, which, at 650 square feet, is going for $745/month. The building boats on-site laundry. In the unit, expect a dishwasher, hardwood flooring and in-unit laundry. Good news for animal lovers: both dogs and cats are permitted here. (See the full listing here .) 5219 Richmond Ave. Then there's this 725-square-foot rental with one bedroom and one bathroom at 5219 Richmond Ave., listed at $780/month. The residence comes with a dishwasher and in-unit laundry. Pet lovers are in luck: cats and dogs are allowed. The building boasts assigned parking. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (See the listing here .) 1950 Winrock Blvd. And here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at 1950 Winrock Blvd., which, with 630 square feet, is going for $819/month. The building offers a fitness center and on-site laundry. The apartment also comes with large windows and internet access. Pet owners, take heed: cats and dogs are welcome. Expect a $300 pet fee, $150 pet fee. (Check out the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Take a look at the drivers currently fighting for a spot in the 2019 NASCAR Playoffs in advance of this weekend's race at Michigan. Michigan. Bristol. Darlington. Indianapolis. There are four races left in the regular season and for those without a win thus far in the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, every stage point, every track, every finish is beyond crucial in the hunt for the playoffs. Let's take a dive into the playoff bubble and analyze the drivers currently in and currently out. William Byron +60 points above cutline Where he stands … William Byron currently sits 12th in the standings despite his 21st-place finish. He accumulated enough stage points to ease the sting of that finish to not hurt him in the playoff picture. Byron is sitting pretty on points right now but he has to continue executing and making smart moves. Mission Michigan: Michigan is not a great track for the young Hendrick Motorsports driver. In his three starts, he's finished 13th, 36th and 18th, respectively. He did lead two laps at the track earlier this season en route to his 18th-place finish but his focus should remain on stage points come Sunday. Erik Jones +54 points above cutline Where he stands … Erik Jones' fourth-place finish at Watkins Glen gave him exactly what he needed -- more points. He doubled the distance from the 16th spot that he had entering The Glen and now has a more comfortable cushion heading into this weekend. Mission Michigan: Sunday's race will mark Jones' sixth start at his home track of Michigan -- but it hasn't always been a warm welcome for the driver of the No. 20. He has one top 10 at the 2-mile track (a fifth-place showing). Earlier this season, he was 31st at Michigan. Expect him to also play the stage point game and strive to be mistake free. Kyle Larson +46 points above cutline Where he stands … Michigan International Speedway is a track that Kyle Larson should be looking forward to as it's one of his strongest. He is also coming off of an eighth-place finish at Watkins Glen and has given himself a little bit more leeway when it comes to points. It would be no surprise to see Larson in contention for a win at Michigan again. Mission Michigan: With 11 starts under his belt, Larson has three wins, four top fives, five top 10s and one pole. He's also led 150 laps. His most recent starts at the track aren't as strong (average finish of 19.7 in last three races) but he's still one to watch. Clint Bowyer +12 points above cutline Where he stands … Clint Bowyer is currently 15th in the driver standings with only a 12-point advantage over Jimmie Johnson in 16th. Bowyer finished 20th last weekend at Watkins Glen and will surely be searching for a better result at Michigan. Mission Michigan: In Bowyer's 27 starts at Michigan, he has one win (2018), two top fives and 12 top 10s. He was 35th at the track earlier this season after starting fifth and being involved in a wreck. But, his familiarity and recent win could give him a little extra push. Bowyer needs a clean race with stage points and a top-10 finish. Jimmie Johnson +0 points above cutline Where he stands … Right now, Jimmie Johnson is sitting in the 16th and final spot of the projected 2019 NASCAR Playoffs field. He had a promising day at Watkins Glen last weekend but a final stage spin -- hello, Ryan Blaney -- resulted in a 19th-place finish. With Johnson rare anger after Sunday's race, it would be surprising if he didn't race his heart out this weekend at Michigan. Mission Michigan: Johnson has 35 starts at Michigan with one win, five top fives and 13 top 10s. He's led 700 laps at the 2-mile track. His most recent finish earlier this season was 15th. Johnson and his new crew chief will likely be on the hunt for more stage points and a solid finish, striving for a better finish than the 15th he had at the season's first stop at the track. Ryan Newman +0 points above cutline Where he stands … Ryan Newman's season-worst 25th-place Watkins Glen finish did not help in his playoff push. After a blown tire during Sunday's race, Newman ended up falling to 17th in the standings, one spot out of the 16-driver playoff field. Mission Michigan: Newman's playoff chances are far from gone, regardless of his finish last weekend. He is tied for the 16th spot and heading to Michigan is a good thing for the driver of the No. 6. Newman has 36 starts there with two wins, six top fives and 10 top 10s. Expect Newman's strategy to find a way to maximize points. Daniel Suarez -23 points below cutline Where he stands … Daniel Suarez is probably getting pretty nervous about making the playoffs. After a 17th-place finish at Watkins Glen, Suarez remains below the cutline in 18th. Without a win, it's getting tougher and tougher for the driver of the No. 41 to secure a playoff berth. Mission Michigan: Suarez heads into this weekend at Michigan with a fourth-place finish earlier this season in the rearview mirror. He has five starts at the 2-mile track with one top five. He undoubtedly will look to mimic his earlier finish this season. Paul Menard -61 points below cutline Where he stands … Paul Menard is not sitting comfortably in 19th in the standings. His points situation -- 61 below the cutline -- is starting to make the playoffs seem out of reach. His strategy should be stage points and solid finishes for the next four races. But, if it comes down to it, aggression might come into play if a win is in reaching distance. Mission Michigan: Menard heads back to Michigan after a 13th-place finish at the track earlier this season. He has 26 starts with five top fives and seven top 10s. Another strong finish is crucial for the No. 21 -- but nothing can top a victory -- and this is one of Menard's best tracks. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -78 points below cutline Where he stands … Ricky Stenhouse Jr. needs a win to make his way into the playoffs. With only four races left to secure a spot, Stenhouse's numbers are just too far off. Last weekend at Watkins Glen, the driver of the No. 17 finished 15th, which didn't help much. Mission Michigan: Stenhouse finished 19th at Michigan earlier this season and needs to do much better this weekend. He has 13 starts there with only one top 10.


While they don't share Joe Gibbs Racing's win totals, Team Penske is having a really good year so far in the Cup Series. Team Penske has four wins between Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano through 14 races. That's the team's best pace at this point in a season since Rusty Wallace opened the 1994 campaign with five wins in 14 races, including winning the 14th race. The year before he won four of the first eight races on his way to 10 wins. In 2019, Keselowski has three wins (Atlanta, Martinsville and Kansas) while Logano won at Las Vegas. But Team Penske has missed out on a handful of chances to make more visits to Victory Lane than any other Cup organization this season. Sunday's race at Pocono saw Keselowski and his No. 2 team use pit strategy to help garner a second-place finish to Kyle Busch. "We wanted a little bit more to be able to pass everybody but you had to be so much faster that you just try to execute the best you can and hope things fall the right way," Keselowski said. "They fell decent, just not good enough to win today." While it was only Keselowski's second runner-up finish, it was the fifth overall for Penske. One of those results has an asterisk, as Keselowski was the driver Logano held off for his Las Vegas win. Logano claimed the other three second-place finishes. He failed to chase down Martin Truex Jr. at Richmond and two weeks ago in the Coca-Cola 600. He'll also go down as the answer to the trivia question "Who finished second to Kyle Busch at Auto Club Speedway when Busch earned his 200th national series win?" Obviously, missing from Penske's fun time at the front of the field is Ryan Blaney . The driver of the No. 12 Ford has four top fives   with a best result of third at Phoenix   but he hasn't finished better than 12th in the last six races. While JGR has nine wins, it has the third most runner-up finishes with three. The runner-up in the runner-up stat column goes to Hendrick Motorsports with four. That number is helped by Alex Bowman 's streak of back-to-back-to-back runner-up finishes (Talladega, Dover and Kansas). Talladega saw Bowman finish second to teammate Chase Elliott , the owner of the fourth runner-up (Martinsville). Only two other teams have finished second this year, with Stewart-Haas Racing ( Clint Bowyer at Texas) and Chip Ganassi Racing ( Kurt Busch at Bristol) claiming the distinction. Follow @DanielMcFadin and on Facebook


Roadside attractions can be corny, but some of them are just intriguing enough to make you hungry for discovering a little more about them (or at least about the destination they're in). Get a Taste for These Great American Food-Themed Attractions Roadside attractions can be corny, but some of them are just intriguing enough to make you hungry for discovering a little more about them (or at least about the destination they re in). Some tall-standing items relate to real-life agricultural ties, others reflect public or personal achievements or personal marketing claims, and others result from invention. Then, there are those that make for a great publicity photo (or these days, a nice Instagram pic). And if your mouth starts watering, you ll be glad to find out that there might just be actual food onsite, as many of these food-based attractions are a part of a shop or restaurant. The World's Largest Artichoke WHERE: Giant Artichoke Restaurant, Castroville, Calif. Artichokes are a big deal in this agricultural town between Monterey and Santa Cruz so much that its slogan is the  Artichoke Capital of the World.  One location to honor this thistle flower is at this restaurant complex with a 20-foot tall concrete and rebar replica built in 1963. Here, visitors can purchase these green pieces of goodness from a fresh produce store or dine inside the restaurant from a menu featuring over 15 different servings of artichokes. The restaurant s best-seller is their deep-fried artichokes made from a 1930s recipe and paired with a dipping sauce in flavor options ranging from an in-house made ranch dressing, to a chipotle, garlic or lemon pepper aioli. World's Largest Orange WHERE: Florida Orange World, Kissimmee, Fla. Atop this kitschy retail shop sits a 60-foot-high fiberglass orange dome that s been halved on there since 1984. Opened in 1971, this souvenir store along Highway 192 has a citrus theme where visitors can shop for bushels of honeybell tangelos, oranges, red ruby grapefruits, and other Floridian fruit, along with old school merchandise that reflect a different era. Some product examples are a melted Florida snowman, lime jelly, orange blossom perfume, and items related to a certain mouse and his magical land. Along with being a fun off-highway stop, Orange World has gotten some screen time too: the building has cameos in the films,  The Florida Project  and  Marvin s Room.  World's Largest Popcorn Ball WHERE: Sac City Museum Village, Sac City, Iowa This Iowa town keeps its love for popcorn poppin , as this large puffy treat is in its fourth incarnation over its 20-year existence. Originating in 1995, as a way to celebrate Iowa s Sac County popcorn industry, the first ball weighed 2,225 pounds. Yet, there was a problem with being stored in a popcorn plant s warehouse, the manager had to leave work to let visitors be able to see it. The 2004 version got moldy and became animal feed. Plus, over time, Sac City faced serious corn competition. In 2013, a rival popcorn ball at the Indiana State Fair surpassed the 2009 winner, a 5,000 pound-version of the Iowan star, at 6,510 pounds. This version also began to deteriorate, so it was decided that next, even bigger one should have a holder; an Iowan plastics company constructed a  bowl  to help hold its shape. In June 2016, popcorn ball number four resulted from a recipe involving 2,300 pounds of popcorn, 2,500 pounds of dry syrup mix and 4,900 pounds of sugar with just enough lecithin additive to make it stick. These days, this over 12-foot, 9,370-pound ball doubles as a popular photo backdrop. World's Largest Ketchup Bottle WHERE: Collinsville, Illinois Built in 1949 for the G.S. Suppiger ketchup bottling plant, as a direct water supply, this 170-foot-tall water tower along Route 159, south of downtown Collinsville, has a history just as tangy as their condiment, Brooks Old Original Rich and Tangy Ketchup. The tower was constructed for practical reasons (running the plant and powering a new fire protection sprinkler system) but the company president suggested that the structure be built in the shape of their ketchup bottles. It could hold up to 100,000 gallons of water, but it s not known what the ketchup equivalent would be. In the 1960s, the need for the tower got bottled up due to a company merger and bottling operations being moved to Indiana. When this property went up for sale in 1993, a Ketchup Bottle Preservation Group stepped in to save the water tower from possible demolition and raised $80,000 for its needed restoration through a nationwide  Paint It!  campaign; the work was completed in June of 1995. In August of 2002, the bottle/water tower was named to the National Register of Historic Places. World's Largest Egg WHERE: Mentrone, Indiana This Northeastern Indiana town is referred to as  The Egg Basket of the Midwest  due to it being a major commercial egg producer. It also has laid claim to having the largest egg in the world a manmade object that is ten feet in height and weighs 3,000 pounds. And it s an organic egg, so to speak, in that it was made of concrete that is said to contain limestone aggregate (which can be found in Indiana). Located on the southeast corner of E. Main and S. Morgan streets, this egg came to be in 1946 by a man named Ed Ward, who was also the manager of the Northern Indiana CO-OP Association and area egg farmers. When the concrete egg was completed, it was placed on a truck by twelve men and was used, initially, to promote an egg show. The egg has an outlined shape of Indiana and a basket of other eggs on it, and serves as a reminder of the annual egg festival, which, this year, is set for the end of May, 2019. World's Largest Blueberry WHERE: Wild Blueberry Land, Columbia Falls, Maine This farm stand and amusement attraction along coastal Maine is a bright blue piece of Columbia Falls  legacy as an abundant natural source of this indigenous wild fruit. Along with shopping for berry-related baked goodies and gifts, Wild Blueberry Land has a special blueberry that stays ripe all year round: a large dome atop its building. Currently owned and operated by Dell and Marie Emerson, the wooden rooftop blueberry was built with some help from their relatives. It measures 50-by-26 feet and was built to bring more attention not only to this native North American fruit but also to the local growers who raise and sell them. Along with this fun roof decor, Wild Blueberry Land also has a wild blueberry themed mini-golf course. Enjoy the fruits of the Emersons  labor too, as Dell is the farmer, while Marie handles baking duties. World's Largest Cherry Pie Pan WHERE: Traverse City and Charlevoix, Michigan Like Charles Dickens  novel,  A Tale of Two Cities,  Michigan has a tale of two world s largest cherry pies with their tins being about a 50-mile distance from each other. This is the story of how two roadside attractions in two separate locations within the state with both of them being a cherry pie pan became the subject of a size claim battle. First, Charlevoix set up a world record for this type of pie in May 1976, when a man named Dave Phillips convinced city officials to make such a grand pie in timing with their annual cherry festival. Their major public event led to the baking of a dessert weighing a grand total of 17,420 pounds with a giant tin built for the occasion. The record stood sweetly until July 1987 when Traverse City decided to make a recipe for a cherry pie to top the Charlevoix record, with a similar public baking event of their own. This pie and its respective pan beat Charlevoix s pie by creating a concoction that exceeded 28,000 pounds. Both Michigan pies would go to eventually lose the title to another victor   the city of Oliver, British Columbia, when THEY created a 37,713-pound cherry pie in 1990. Back in Michigan, the pies may be gone but the tins are still on display. World's Largest Ear of Corn WHERE: Memorial Park, Olivia, Minnesota Renville County is considered to be Minnesota s top-producing corn county, with 2018 records indicating that county farmers planted 236,000 acres of corn, yielded 207.8 bushels per acre and a whopping 48.9 million bushels of corn. Over 40 years before this feat, in 1973, in the village of Olivia, in Minnesota s Renville County, a 75-foot corn statue was erected atop a gazebo in Memorial Park to reflect Olivia s stance as Minnesota s  Corn Capital.  Information panels at the base of this statue tell more history of how this rural Minnesota community earned this official this designation by the 1993 Minnesota Legislature. Yet, along with being a sign of accomplishment, the shucked corn statue has is a sign of respect to Bob Rauenhorst, owner of the Trojan Seed Company who was a major leader in Olivia s seed-producing history and came up with the idea for this display. Rauenhorst and five other people were killed in a July 1978 plane crash. His legacy also lives on through the annual Olivia Corn Capital Days happening in July. World's Largest Pistachio WHERE: PistachioLand: McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch - Arena Blanca Winery, Alamogordo, New Mexico Run by the McGinn family, this 111-acre complex in Southern New Mexico not only has a pistachio tree farm and vineyard, but it s also graced with a 30-foot-tall pistachio. It was built in 2008 in honor of Thomas McGinn, the farm s founder. His son, Timothy McGinn, had this really big nut constructed as a simple way to honor his father. Comprised of steel and concrete, this cashew gets a lot of attention from highway drivers and they have daily motorized farm tours onsite, taking visitors around the orchards and vineyards. At their country store, find pistachios in burlap gift bags or in shells or as kernels. World's Largest Pancake Griddle WHERE: Birkett Mills, Penn Yan, New York Based in New York State s Finger Lakes region, the village of Penn Yan once held a claim to fame as the cooking site of the world s largest pancake in September of 1987. During that year, at its Buckwheat Festival, the buckwheat flour manufacturer/festival organizers Birkett Mills oversaw the flipping of a record-breaking 28-foot, 4,050-pound flapjack covered on an open fire. This massive meal was also reported to be covered with 60 pounds of butter and 15 gallons of syrup. Sadly, this Guinness Book World Record has gone cold since been claimed by another pancake creation, happening in 1994 in Manchester, England, and the Buckwheat Festival had its last feast in 1999. However, visitors to Penn Yan can see a visual reminder of the 27-foot steel pancake griddle that cooked this breakfast behemoth over three decades ago based along Birkett Mills  exterior wall. World's Largest Corndog WHERE: The Original Pronto Pup, Rockaway Beach, Oregon Fans of this cornmeal coated sausage on a stick can trek to the destination created as the birthplace of this deep-fried treat. In the 1930s, George and Versa Boyington ran a hotdog stand on Rockaway Beach and kept seeing their hotdog buns get very soggy from coastal rain. So, the married couple decided to combat this weather-related issue with a doughy alternative   a pancake-based batter containing cornmeal that gets applied to the hotdogs instead of placing them in a roll. They named their creation  Pronto Pup.  The Boyingtons would then give their  Pronto Pup  an even bigger debut by selling it from the window of their fountain shop in Portland, Oregon. Public awareness about the Pup also grew through being handed out at the 1941 Pacific International Livestock Exposition; it s said that over 15,000 were eaten at the event. Nowadays, The Pronto Pup, a seasonally-opened restaurant in Rockaway Beach, slings out this label s stick impaled snacks, with a 30-foot fiberglass corn dog replica adorning the roof. World's Largest Big Mac WHERE: Big Mac Museum Restaurant, North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania Wondering why a McDonald s flagship menu item has its own museum right outside of downtown Pittsburgh? The answer: It s because this well-known double-decker hamburger was introduced to the public at a McDonald s franchise in the Greater Pittsburgh area in 1967 before being served at other McDonald s nationwide a year later. This franchise was owned and operated by Jim  MJ  Delligatti who also has been acknowledged as the inventor of this culinary piece of pop culture. This Western Pennsylvania McDonald s franchise is still in operation, with a partial conversion into a museum in 2007. There, it holds a 14-by-12- foot Big Mac sculpture along with fast food memorabilia and a children s PlayPlace. World's Largest Sweet Tea WHERE: Summerville Town Hall, Summerville, South Carolina The central figure in Summerville s status of having the World s Largest Sweet Tea is  Mason,  a beloved mason jar standing over 15-feet tall. In June 2016, Mason earned serious cred from the Guinness Book of World Records in achieving this record by holding up to 2,524 gallons of this sugary beverage. Of course, the tea itself had its part in making this record possible; the 210-pound amount came from Charleston Tea Plantation, which is based in South Carolina s Lowcountry. Then, 1,700 pounds of sugar was provided by Dixie Crystals. The idea for setting this record came about due to Summerville being the first acknowledged location for cultivating tea in the United States the practice dates to the 1770s when tea plants were brought to America by a French botanist and an 1890 receipt for an old soldiers  reunion includes iced tea and sugar and Summerville officials wanted to celebrate National Iced Tea Day, which falls on June 10. World's Largest Pecan Sculpture WHERE: Various locations, Seguin, Texas Pecans are a major industry in Texas, so much that crops can reach up to three million pounds in Guadalupe County. Erected in 1962, the original World s Largest Pecan sits in front of the Guadalupe County Courthouse, to honor this county s major Texas pecan producing status. However, in the eighties, the Seguin statue became shell-shocked when a larger version was built at a pecan farm in Brunswick, Missouri. Nonetheless, Seguin would reclaim their title in July 2011 with the construction of a new fiberglass pecan, measuring 16 X 8 feet and located at the Big Red Barn at the Texas Agricultural Education & Heritage Center. Then there are two other pecans of this kind in Seguin at the Pape Pecan House has a 10-foot-long metal pecan on wheels and then a styrofoam replica of original one within the Visitor Center. World's Largest Apple WHERE: Kimberly's, Winchester, Virginia Winchester is touted as an "Apple Capital" due to its vast producing orchards within rural areas outside of this metropolitan area. Every spring, it welcomes with the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, which started as a parade in 1925 and has blossomed from being a one-day happening to a full nine days of festivities. And apparently, the inaugural event introduced another longstanding fixture: a large stationary apple. Built in mind for that first-ever parade as part of an Elks Club float, the well-received paper-mâché apple began to rot due to the elements but would be replaced with a concrete version two years later. This tougher apple still stands today permanently out in front of an antebellum mansion that now is the location for an upscale boutique store.


Mercedes, McLaren and Renault will undertake this year's mule car testing for 18-inch tyres, Pirelli has confirmed. Each team will take part in its own two-day session with the prototypes of the new tyre sizes towards the end of this year. Pirelli will share the data it gathers with the other seven teams. Read Also: Pirelli to debut 18-inch tyres in F2 a year before F1 All teams were offered the chance to develop a mule car from a 2018 chassis   with substantial suspension revisions obviously required   and only three responded positively. Red Bull cannot participate because its split with Renault means that it doesn't have a running 2018 car, while Ferrari says that it didn't have the resources or time to take part. Pirelli will run another and more extensive mule car test programme in 2020, when the majority of teams are expected to participate. "The intention is to have three test sessions, September, October and November," said Pirelli F1 boss Mario Isola. "We are going to offer the opportunity for a mule car again in 2020 for all the teams. It's their choice if they want to do that or not. It's the same system and procedure we are using the last few years. We offer it to everybody, teams can accept or not. "Then we make the plan according to the number of teams that accept. We have 25 days of testing next year, as it was the last few years. So we have a short development plan for 2020 in the first half of this season and then we switch from September onwards. "Everyone knows the development is not just these three sessions in 2019, so as I said the teams all the teams can decide to participate in 2020. The three teams that replied positively have been chosen, and we are planning three sessions, so it's quite easy to give one sessions each." Ferrari team principal Matta Binotto explained that the Maranello outfit had opted not to take part this year, knowing that it could so so in 2020. "We have been offered, and it has been our own choice not to participate, being short on time and resources for the programme, so as Ferrari we decided simply not to take part in this test in '19, but we are preparing ourselves to do it in 2020. I'm pretty sure that we will have the opportunity to do it." Asked if missing out on the testing might be a disadvantage Binotto said: "Certainly you cannot do everything, and you need to make your own priority at some stage. That has been again our own choice. "There is still a process where Pirelli are sharing all the data with the teams of the output and the results, of the mule car testing, so we are certainly counting on that one."


These are the glory days, the indelible moments when the best high school spring sports teams in Massachusetts compete for state championships. But there are serious problems behind the scenes   financial strains and bitter divisions within the agency that manages the tournaments   that threaten to diminish the experience for thousands of student-athletes and increase demand for public funds to relieve the fiscal stress. A Globe review has found that the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, the nonprofit responsible for running the tournaments, has spent itself into trouble with multimillion-dollar investments in retirement benefits and with salary hikes for its executive director, William Gaine Jr., and his staff during a decade when revenues remained flat because of flagging tournament attendance. The spending has contributed to the worst-ever financial crunch at the MIAA, which relies on public support for 96 percent of its annual budget of $6.5 million. "The totality of the evidence suggests an organization that is hemorrhaging financially and in desperate need of remaking," said Peter Rittenburg, Brookline High School's athletic director, a MIAA committee member who has analyzed the association's finances. Rittenburg, a former track star who earned a degree in economics at Harvard, said that if the MIAA continues on its current financial course, "bankruptcy would seem inevitable within the next four to five years." Gaine, a guiding force at the MIAA for nearly 40 years, flatly rejects that prediction: "We are not in a jeopardy position by any stretch." But, Gaine said, "We do have some challenges, there's no question about it. . . . We're going to turn it around." The financial pinch has triggered unprecedented strife within the MIAA as Gaine and his staff have variously proposed sharply increasing dues and fees on the organization's 377 member schools, raising ticket prices, reducing tournament budgets, and curbing revenue sharing with schools statewide. "The burden of increased fees and costs will fall directly on the schools and towns," said Wellesley High School athletic director John Brown, who serves on an MIAA district committee. "If we have to spend more money on MIAA fees, that means less for our student-athletes and higher user fees to families." To date, the all-volunteer MIAA board of directors   made up of school committee members, superintendents, principals, and athletic directors   has largely resisted fixing the organization's finances by charging schools higher rates. But they know that something must be done. One board member, Marshfield's school superintendent, Jeff Granatino, has emerged as a voice for change and has pressed in recent months for a series of reforms, including greater oversight of the MIAA's management. Granatino, who chairs the association's finance committee and will become the board's president in July, called for an independent audit of the MIAA's books. The audit is pending. He also shepherded through a budget designed by Gaine and his staff for the next fiscal year that trims the MIAA's spending by 4.35 percent, and doesn't raise dues, fees, or ticket prices. The budget shows, Granatino said, that "we have heard the concerns brought forth by our stakeholders and we are working diligently to address them." How long can this continue? The question that looms over all is this: How long can the MIAA survive if its financial decline continues at the current pace? From 2015 to 2018, the association's available cash and investments dropped by 35 percent, to $1.2 million, its lowest balance in a decade. And, according to the MIAA's most recently available federal tax returns, the nonprofit posted a deficit of $684,000 over the last two years. All this occurred while the MIAA's payroll for 29 employees increased by 22 percent from 2015 to 2018, to $1.3 million. Such spending growth in a season of deficits has led some MIAA insiders, such as Keith Crowley, a past board president, to support greater scrutiny of the association's "internal controls in terms of cost containment." Gaine, however, says the fiscal crunch is related to shrinking attendance at high school sports tournaments rather than personnel costs. From 2010 to 2018, turnout at MIAA tournaments dropped by 20 percent, to 369,000, while the agency's income from the games sank by 67 percent, to $315,000. The drastic drop in income stemmed in part from management's decision to relocate the state basketball finals in 2016 from Worcester to Springfield   a move that proved to be a bust. Gaine said some of the new spending was essential, citing technology investments and minority hiring   the MIAA had no person of color on its staff as recently as 2014. But there has been a much costlier force in play. Since 2008, the MIAA and its sister organization, the Massachusetts School Administrators Association, have spent more than $3 million to fund a new pension plan and a trust that subsidizes health care premiums for retirees. At the same time, the associations have spent more than $1.2 million funding a previously existing retirement program, which remains in effect. The salary hikes and retirement benefits have been a boon to Gaine's four-member executive staff, which also derives income from the MSAA. From 2015 to 2018, its compensation rose 18.5 percent, to $772,000. Gaine, who serves as the executive director of both the MIAA and MSAA out of the same office, received total compensation of $291,000 last year. His base salaries were $196,000 at the MIAA and $50,000 at the MSAA. The nation's longest-serving executive of a state interscholastic sports association, Gaine, 75, said he is not overpaid. "Anybody can take a shot at what a salary package is," he said. "You see all the time that X number of firemen and policemen are making $300,000." Questions have also been raised about how much Gaine works; different reports yield very different numbers. In financial statements filed with the Massachusetts attorney general from 2014 to 2017, Gaine is listed as working 38 hours a week: 30 for the MIAA and eight for the MSAA. On federal tax returns for the same period, the associations reported Gaine working 55-hour weeks: 45 for the MIAA and 10 for the MSAA. Asked to explain the 17-hour difference, Gaine instead offered another figure: "I have done an analysis. I work at least 60 hours a week." In retirement, Gaine and his staff also will benefit substantially from the enhanced benefits program. From 1996 to 2008, the MIAA and MSAA funded retirements solely by contributing up to 12.6 percent of an employee's wages to a tax-deferred fund to supplement Social Security payments. Then the associations became more generous. Under a plan modeled after the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System, which generally provides fully eligible retirees 80 percent of their employment income, the MIAA and MSAA began guaranteeing their employees similar retirement packages by creating a multimillion-dollar pension fund. Gaine, who was the deputy executive director at the associations at the time, said the idea was that the enhanced pension program would help attract and retain talented workers from the state's public schools. The plan was approved by the boards of both organizations. Gaine himself is eligible as of 2018 to receive about $175,000 a year in retirement: a $114,000 pension from the MIAA and MSAA and the balance through a combination of tax-deferred contributions the associations made to his retirement fund since 1996 and Social Security. The beefed-up retirement benefits have prompted questions about the association's use of public funding. "Who is the MIAA actually serving?" Rittenburg said. "The state's student-athletes or MIAA executives?'' Attorney Joseph Scardino, who designed the MIAA and MSAA retirement health and pension plans, said they were funded so as not to burden the budgets. "It has been very fiscally responsible," Scardino said, noting that he was speaking as an attorney, not an accountant or an actuary. Leadership comes under fire When Gaine joined the MIAA and MSAA in 1979, the associations provided no retirement safety net. Gaine, a former seminary student who holds master's degrees in theology and counselor education, helped to manage the two nonprofits until he retired as deputy executive director in 2012. When the top job opened a year later, Gaine returned, at age 68. The MIAA and MSAA board presidents at the time   Brian McCann and Ann Knell, respectively   said his 34 years of management experience was a key to his hiring. "He will enable the two organizations to transition to a new leader without missing a beat," they said in announcing the hire. But six years later, the MIAA's leadership has never been more challenged. Rittenburg, who has shared his findings with MIAA members throughout Eastern Massachusetts, said, "I have lost confidence that current leadership has either the ability or appetite necessary to effect critical changes from within." Rittenburg says he sees the situation as one of mismanagement, not wrongdoing. Gaine accused Rittenburg and other critics of "defaming the association" by "using numbers that were very misleading and inaccurate." Rittenburg, who in March was named athletic director of the year in one of the MIAA's largest districts, said the data he relied on came directly from the MIAA. He is hardly alone in his concerns. Two influential MIAA board members   Granatino and Marilyn Slattery   said the organization might be better served if Gaine stepped away from the MSAA and fully focused on the MIAA's needs. Gaine indicated in one of several lengthy interviews that he would not fight such a request. He is under contract through 2021. "It's really up to the membership," he said. The MSAA, which provides professional support for school administrators, had long served only secondary schools. Its mission expanded last year when it began to deliver support to administrators in all K-12 schools statewide. The MSAA's budget of $2.8 million may grow, but the increased spending is expected to be offset by dues and fees paid by hundreds of new member schools The MIAA, however, faces a fundamental dilemma: How to do more with less. The organization collects about $1.5 million a year in dues and fees from member schools and funds the balance of its budget mostly through its chief mission: managing tournaments. But filling tournament seats has grown increasingly difficult for a variety of reasons, including alternative viewing options, such as live streaming. Slattery, who attended the MIAA's divisional Super Bowl football games at Gillette Stadium last fall, said, "All I saw was a sea of empty seats." Eight title games drew a combined crowd of 21,000, a record low. Turnouts were similarly light for state semifinal basketball games and hockey championships at TD Garden. "I love the premier venues we have," Slattery said. "I don't want to give them up, but I don't know if we can continue to sustain it." The MIAA governs 2,200 tournament games for 76,000 students in 34 sports, and the association's leaders see little hope of reversing the downward trend in attendance. Their immediate aim has been to recover from the crushing loss they incurred by moving the MIAA's basketball finals in 2016. Gaine and others at the MIAA hoped that by partnering with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield the events would spark greater interest. Instead, attendance sank, and the MIAA's net income from the basketball tournaments plunged by more than 56 percent, to $217,732, by far the greatest source of the organization's overall drop in tournament income. "The intent was, 'This is awesome, the home of basketball, the Hall of Fame, this is going to be huge,' " said McCann, who remains an MIAA board member. "I think it's safe to say that the results did not come close to the expectation." The blow might have stung less had the MIAA more tightly controlled its costs. But while tournament revenues dropped by 6 percent from 2008 to 2018, management increased its spending on the events by 19 percent. Gaine said costs rose in part because the MIAA added tournaments for sports such as rugby and girls' wrestling, although those expenses are relatively small. Calls for transparency As the MIAA's fiscal pinch tightened, Gaine devised a plan last year to shore up the budget in part by exacting higher fees from the so-called nonrevenue sports: cross-country, golf, gymnastics, skiing, tennis, track, and wrestling. He said the MIAA spends about $450,000 a year to subsidize its tournaments. The plan was approved by the MIAA finance committee but not formally vetted and approved by the 22-member board of directors. It was one of numerous proposals that have become official policy without the full board casting votes. "We basically have been just a rubber stamp," said a board member who asked not to be identified out of concern it would hamper his ability to work effectively with his colleagues. Others shared the board member's concern. Brown, the Wellesley athletic director, who serves on the MIAA's tournament management committee, said the association's "governance structure seems to be failing." "There needs to be further oversight by the board of directors and the finance committee," Brown said. According to the MIAA's governing document, the board of directors "is ultimately responsible and accountable for the activities of the corporation." Gaine, however, asserted that the bylaws effectively grant the finance committee the power to cast the final votes on budget, personnel, and policy matters so long as those actions are reported to the full board in at least summary fashion. He said board members who consider themselves rubber stamps have demonstrated "a void in loyalty, care, and obedience" to the association. The information is available to them, he said. All they need to do is seek it out. That's not good enough, many MIAA members said. They called for Gaine and the finance committee to become more transparent and inclusive. Gaine portrays the MIAA as governed collaboratively by 600 members who serve on 35 sports and administrative committees. To the contrary, his critics say, policies have long been shaped partly by Gaine's executive team and a small core of board members who constitute a majority on the seven-member finance committee: McCann, the principal of Case High School in Swansea; Slattery, a house principal at Malden High School; Crowley, the principal of St. John's Prep in Danvers; and David King, the assistant principal and athletic director at Athol High School. McCann, Crowley, and King each have served on the finance committee for at least eight years. "I think the perception that a select few are making all the decisions has been a major factor in the recent negative feelings that have been aimed at the association," said Jim Quatromoni, the Hingham High School athletic director, who serves on an MIAA district committee and on the board of the Massachusetts Secondary School Athletic Directors Association. McCann said he recognizes that the committee has been perceived as an "old boys network." "But I don't consider myself one of the old boys," McCann said. "I am someone who has a voice and who exercises his voice." Slattery, who is retiring June 30, said the MIAA could benefit from new faces in leadership. "It's time for some of us to give up some of our control," she said. Crowley, who represents Catholic schools, said he may relinquish his seat next year to an MIAA member from the Boston Public Schools. King did not respond to interview requests. Members significantly divided No one took greater offense at Gaine's plans for new fees and budget trims than proponents of the running sports   cross-country and track and field   whose 60,000 participants far outnumber the participants of any other sport the MIAA manages. They bridled when Gaine said the MIAA was spending $156,000 a year to subsidize cross-country and track and field tournaments. Rittenburg showed that the cost was more than offset by the $196,000 the organization charged member schools simply to field teams in those sports. Raising the stakes, the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association launched an unprecedented plan to wrest control of track and cross-country tournaments from the MIAA. Gaine pushed back, and tensions escalated until the sides reached an uneasy truce. Now, bad feelings linger, with Gaine angered by what he perceives as a revolt fomented by outsiders and the track coaches pressing for new leadership. Crowley, a former board president, said he stands by Gaine, who has been widely credited with shaping the MIAA's commitment to "educational athletics" by emphasizing student leadership, sportsmanship, and community service. "Can all of us grow as leaders and as people who contribute to this mission?" Crowley said. "Absolutely, and I think Bill would be the first to acknowledge that." Gaine also defended his performance, and he has many influential supporters. But he has never been so beset by criticism from within his own ranks. A recent informal survey by the MIAA found members are significantly divided on whether its executives and governance process are fair, open, and effective. One athletic director wrote: "The MIAA is a great organization that has always worked hard to do what's in the best interest of student-athletes." A principal stated: "The finances are in shambles and there has not been transparency around it or communication about it." Another athletic director wrote: "Our executive director has had a distinguished career serving the students of Massachusetts, but our association is in desperate need for a new perspective and some fresh ideas." In the months since the Globe began its review, Gaine and the MIAA have taken steps to address concerns about management and finances. They have rescinded the tournament budget cuts and proposed entry fees for nonrevenue teams, reduced health insurance benefits, improved communications with members, and become more transparent. But no one in leadership professes to have a solution for the MIAA's fiscal ills. Nor has anyone been able to say how the association's financial model might look in five years if tournament attendance keeps dropping and spending outpaces income. Crowley said, "The hard part is, there's no crystal ball." Bob Hohler can be reached at robert.hohler@globe.com .


Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to win, wants to make the NBA Finals. Badly. As in he could walk if the Bucks don't do that in the next couple of years. Antetokounmpo already showed he was willing to walk   he did so right out of his postgame press conference Saturday night after the Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Raptors . Giannis walked out mid press conference (via @slamonline ) pic.twitter.com/oQLLBEX6KV   The Render (@TheRenderNBA) May 26, 2019 Khris Middleton 's "you just leaving me here" face is the best part of this video. Chalk that up to frustration, on a couple of levels. The question is legitimate   how much this experience helps the Bucks grow and fuels their offseason will say a lot about where they are as a team in a year   but it's also understandable that in the moment the Greek Freak doesn't want to talk about it. Or, really, in that spot have the perspective to do the question justice. Middleton went on to say, "hopefully, we learn from this." The other part of this is that the reporter, Malika Andrews, wrote a story at ESPN about how Antetokounmpo making the Finals would play a big role in if he stays or not in Milwaukee past this contract. That is not the narrative Antetokounmpo wants out there about him, and sometimes this is how players deal with reporters who write things they don't like. Antetokounmpo is one of the league's good guys, don't expect this to become a trend.