At least two people are in serious condition in Hong Kong hospitals after a long day and night of violence between police and protesters. An estimated 5,000 riot police fired tear gas, pepper spray, rubber bullets and bean bags at tens of thousands of protesters as they forcibly cleared streets around the city's Legislative Council in Admiralty. Confrontations went late into Wednesday night as crowds of mostly young, college-aged protesters were pushed back from the Legislative Council complex towards the city's Central district. At least 79 people were injured in the violence, with two remaining in serious condition, according to a spokesman for Hong Kong's information bureau. At a press conference Thursday evening, Hong Kong Police Commissioner Steven Lo Wai-chung said 11 people had been arrested over the course of Wednesday's protests on charges of disorderly conduct in a public place, unlawful assembly, and assaulting a police officer. He said 22 police sustained injuries during the protests, although it is not clear whether the 79 injured includes the number of police who were hurt. Lo said that protestors acted violently in an organized manner using bricks and sharpened metal poles to attack police. "We had no choice but to escalate the use of force," Lo said. "We strongly condemn the violent behavior of the rioters." Speaking in English, his second language, Lo stressed that police were in control of the situation and would "definitely not" seek additional assistance from the Chinese People's liberation Army "at the moment." According to Lo, police fired 150 tear gas canisters, a "few" rubber bullets and around 20 bean bag rounds. Debate postponed In a series of statements Thursday, the Legislative Council said no meeting to discuss the extradition bill would be held on Thursday or Friday -- a partial victory for protesters and opposition lawmakers, who have been calling for it to be postponed or dropped altogether. "Announcement will be made once the President determines the time of the meeting," a statement said. Central government offices next door to the legislature would also closed be Thursday and Friday, according to a statement. There was an extremely heavy police presence around the Legislative Council building and the city's Admiralty area Thursday. Dozens of protesters were also in the area, though their presence was very small compared to the previous day. Photos and videos on social media showed protesters cleaning up litter and debris leftover from Wednesday's clashes . Although Hong Kong is part of China, it has separate laws that follow a UK-style system and no capital punishment, unlike mainland China. Many people fear that the proposed extradition law means they could be taken from Hong Kong by Chinese authorities for political or inadvertent business offenses. Speaking Thursday, opposition lawmakers accused the police of overreaction and likened the violence to scenes more typically associated with mainland China. "The protesters joined the rally with Hong Kong's best interests at heart," pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Yiu-chung said at a presser. "The government has no heart at all." Sudden violent turn Police and authorities were completely wrong-footed Wednesday morning as protesters ran into roads around the legislature and blocked them. Within an hour, the crowd was in full control of Harcourt and Lung Wo roads, two main traffic arteries in central Hong Kong. Scenes around midday were highly reminiscent of the Hong Kong's previous mass protest in 2014, known as the Umbrella Movement . Opposition lawmakers congratulated the young protesters for their success in blocking off the Legislative Council and preventing the day's scheduled debate from going forward. "(This) boils down to a display of people power in Hong Kong, a display in particular of young people power," lawmaker Claudia Mo told the tens of thousands who had gathered outside the Legislative Council building. "At the end of the Umbrella Movement, didn't we say, 'we will be back'? And now, we are back!" Thousands of protesters sat around chatting happily, occasionally joining in with triumphant chants. As it reached midday, they were joined by many office workers from nearby buildings in Admiralty. That happy atmosphere took a dark turn as protesters continued to push their lines forward and met heavy police resistance around the central government offices on Tim Wa Avenue. After briefly seizing control of that road, protesters were forced back by repeated police tear gas barrages, pepper spray and baton charges. Police in heavy riot gear then cleared the street. From there, everything descended into chaos as a huge police deployment moved towards the main Harcourt Road protest camp from multiple directions, eventually forcing protesters onto roads leading towards Central and Wan Chai. As violent clashes erupted between protesters and the authorities late Wednesday afternoon local time, Hong Kong Police Commissioner Steven Lo Wai-chung said the demonstration was being considered a "riot." Under Hong Kong law, rioting is considered a serious offense, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Protest groups accused police of using excessive force, and videos posted on social media showed officers beating unarmed protesters and firing rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at point blank range. On Thursday, Lo confirmed that police had received 19 complaints relating to police behavior, including allegations of assault. He said police would investigate. 'Hong Kong people are furious' The extradition bill has been met with widespread opposition since it was first mooted, including from the city's traditionally conservative business community. Wednesday's protests came three days after a march in which organizers said more than a million people took part -- or roughly one in seven Hong Kong residents. Police gave a lower figure of 240,000 but the peaceful protest was by most independent measures the largest since the city's handover from British to Chinese control in 1997. Despite the mass demonstrations, the government, led by Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, has refused to withdraw the extradition bill, saying it is needed to plug loopholes to prevent the city from becoming a haven for mainland fugitives. On Monday, Lam said safeguards had been added to the bill to protect human rights and had received no instruction from Beijing to push it forward. Hong Kong's lawmakers had planned to dedicate 66 hours across five days to debating the bill. "Hong Kong people are furious," senior Democratic Party lawmaker James To said Tuesday. "Our chief executive just ignored the people's voice, despite the peaceful rally of a million Hong Kong people."


From walruses to narwhals to elephants, these tusked animals use their overgrown teeth as multi-purpose tools to survive in their habitats.


Every day, Motorsport.com invites you to rediscover a milestone edition of the greatest endurance race in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours. Today, it's the turn of the jaw-dropping 1999 event. Five major manufacturers   Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan and Toyota   battled out the 67th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For Mercedes, the race weekend becomes a nightmare. Mark Webber flips twice, during qualifying and the warm-up, at the wheel of CLR #4. In the race, Peter Dumbreck also takes off as he battled for the lead in CLR #5. Amazingly, neither driver suffers a major injury, but Mercedes is forced to withdraw to avoid further calamity. Out front, the battle rages between Toyota and BMW. The Toyotas are faster, but suffer multiple puncture misfortune. Then BMW loses its leading car when JJ Lehto crashes out less than four hours from the finish due to a jammed throttle. The sister car   driven by Joachim Winkelhock, Pierluigi Martini and Yannick Dalmas   takes control of the race, but is under pressure from the last surviving Toyota in the hands of Ukyo Katayama. He then suffers a puncture, which paves the way for BMW glory. Audi finishes third on its debut, which is a signal of things to come… From the editor, also read: Le Mans legends: Watch how Jaguar beat Porsche in 1988 Le Mans legends: Watch how Graham Hill completed the Triple Crown Le Mans legends: Watch how Ford beat Ferrari in 1966 The complete version of this race, and all the archives of the 24 Hours of Le Mans   including official films and Allan McNish's personal selections   are available on Motorsport.tv. Subscribe now to Motorsport.tv (free trial, then €3.50 per month or €33.99 per year): https://www.motorsport.tv/join .


The first training camp of the Zac Taylor era for the Cincinnati Bengals starts Saturday, July 27 in Dayton. As a way to help the NFL celebrate its 100th season, the Bengals will start camp in Dayton at Welcome Stadium, one of the league's 13 "Original Towns." These are the camp practices open to the public, which are free and usually at the practice fields next to Paul Brown Stadium: Saturday, July 27 2:30 p.m. Welcome Stadium | Dayton, OH Gates open at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, July 28 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 29 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 30 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Friday, August 2 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, August 3 3 p.m. Game Field | Paul Brown Stadium Family DEY, Gates open at 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 6 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 7 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, August 8 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. Monday, August 12 3 p.m. Practice Fields | Paul Brown Stadium Gates open at 2:30 p.m. These practices will have a different feel simply for the fact a new coaching staff will run the proceedings. But Taylor plans to place a major emphasis on player rest and health, too. MORE: The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes Lakers' Quinn Cook Q&A: 'It feels like this team has been together a while' Heading into training camp: Dispelling national narratives


As Kawhi Leonard hung in the air figuratively this time anybody who cares about pro basketball wondered where he would land . The Clippers, as it turns out, with Paul George joining him , and this is lousy news for the Raptors but fantastic news for the NBA. We can now say, for sure, that the race for next year's championship is wide open. A super team may emerge, but it will be the way the pre-Kevin Durant Warriors emerged: out of a pack of contenders. At least 10 teams realistically believe they can win the 2019-20 title, and an 11th, the Brooklyn Nets, is primed to win in 2020-21. (The 10, in no particular order: Bucks, Rockets, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Jazz, Clippers, Lakers, 76ers, Celtics, Warriors. Yes, we can argue about this, and we will. But the dream is not crazy for any of them.) Kawhi to the Clippers is great largely because it means Kawhi is not going to the Lakers. Leonard, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis on the same team… really, other than Lakers fans, who wanted to see that? What would that have done for anybody? In an historical sense, James is competing against one person, Michael Jordan. Would winning a title with Davis and Leonard really get him closer? People would scream, fairly or not, that he was the third-best player on his own team. Video by Radio.com Leonard has already won two championships. He just made his case as the best player in the league and a fiercely independent player who just wants to work and win. Joining James and Davis with the most glamorous franchise in the league felt like a strange and completely unnecessary move. Davis lobbied his way out of New Orleans for a chance to win but does he want the perception he is only a champion because he is playing with James and Leonard? You can say none of this matters that a championship is a championship is a championship, and everything else is just media blather. But how you win a championship does matter. Look at Durant. He won a title with a superteam in Golden State and realized it wasn't nearly as fulfilling as he expected. He won another and had the same feeling. There was a reason that, when last season began, anybody paying attention thought Durant was leaving: he could only get what he really wanted by winning somewhere else. The Warriors were too stacked for the good of the league or themselves. During this spring's playoffs, there was a lot of talk that the Warriors were better off without Durant, which was of course asinine. Durant could make any team in basketball history better. He is an all-time great. But the offense was prettier without Durant not better, just prettier and the Warriors played like they knew they had to maximize their talent. That's what we want to see out of a champion, isn't it? Durant and Kyrie Irving will have a title chance in Brooklyn, but that's all it is: a chance. They have to make it work. The famously thin-skinned Durant has a year to get used to the New York media, and to realize most people actually find him extremely likeable. Irving has a year to learn from the Boston debacle, earn the trust and admiration of his teammates, and clear the runway for Durant. And if they pull it off, it will mean more to both of them than their previous championships. And in the meantime, any of those 10 teams can win next year and any of the 10 could disappoint. Leonard and Paul George should be a frightening combination on both ends. Put them on the floor with bulldog point guard Patrick Beverley, and the Clippers' defense should be scary. But will the Clippers even be the best team in L.A.? The Lakers are perhaps the most fascinating of the 10. Frank Vogel has LeBron James on his team, Jason Kidd on his bench, Rich Paul potentially in his ear and Rob Pelinka in his front office. Vogel should hire a food taster. But that team could win a title. Milwaukee has the reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and most of a club that had the league's best record. The Blazers have played together and just got better; the Jazz could take a leap with Mike Conley; Denver is lurking. The young Celtics still have one of the game's great coaches, Brad Stevens, and a desire to prove last year was all Kyrie's fault, whether it was or not. The 76ers just swapped a mercurial star, Jimmy Butler, for a stable one, Al Horford , though they will miss J.J. Redick. The Rockets may have one season before Chris Paul is too old. But that team is as close to a title as any on the list. When teams fall short for several years in a row, we tend to assume they can't win, instead of simply acknowledging they haven't. It's easy to make that mistake with the Rockets now, especially after their relatively quiet summer. And then there are the Warriors. They would probably be three-time defending champions if Durant had been healthy this spring. Now, incredibly, people are acting like they will be on sabbatical for a year. Well, we'll see. Klay Thompson's ACL injury is not like Durant's Achilles; he should be back sometime next season. There will be issues: a short bench, a questionable fit with D'Angelo Russell . But the last team built around Thompson, Steph Curry and Draymond Green won 73 games. Green may be playing for his next contract, and I suspect they will all be playing to remind us they were champions before Durant showed up. There are so many teams in contention that the champion may be decided by midseason acquisitions, health, and luck. It will be fun to find out. The summer of 2019 set up the spring of 2020 awfully, awfully well. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA offseason moves (Provided by imagn)


As members of the 2016 draft begin to sign extensions, 2014's No. 1 overall pick is set to play another season without a long-term deal. And there will be drama over Jadeveon Clowney 's 2019 salary. The NFL Players' Associattion is expected to file a grievance against the Houston Texans regarding Clowney's franchise tag figure, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets . The Texans tagged Clowney as a linebacker, and that price comes in at $15.967M   $1.698M less than Clowney would have received on the defensive end tag. The Texans paid Clowney just more than $1M this year to resolve a dispute about what position he was classified as for fifth-year option salary purposes. Houston deploys Clowney as a stand-up linebacker in base sets, but the college defensive lineman spends more time in three-point stances in sub-packages as a pro. This has turned into quite the year for the Texans, who have fired their GM   the one who was on board with a Clowney extension   and will not replace him until 2020. Clowney has hovered in extension limbo with the Texans for well over a year.


Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero has praised his manager Frank Lampard as the Blues boss attempts to map out his plans for the season. With the Europa League winners finishing their pre-season tour in Dublin on Saturday afternoon, the backup goalkeeper has outlined how impressed he has been by the positive impact Lampard has made on the squad. "It's been superb with Frank so far," he told Chelsea's official website . "The way he spoke to us on the first day was amazing and he's been great so far. "He told us how he wants us to play, his ideas, how he wants us to train and how much work we must put in to be successful. He explained what it means to play for Chelsea and we are all excited to work for him." Lampard is preparing to embark on his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge following a long career mostly spent in the heart of Chelsea's midfield, where he became the club's all-time leading goalscorer. During his twilight years, as Caballero remembers, he spent a season at Manchester City in the summer of 2014. "I played with Frank for a season at Man City and even then you could see that he had those leadership skills in his character," Caballero said. "During my time at City, I often spoke with Pablo Zabaleta and we would say that English teams needed big players who have won a lot of things in their career to become coaches here. So I think it's fantastic that Lampard is now our head coach, it's fantastic for him and also for Chelsea." Caballero was involved in one of the most controversial moments of Lampard's predecessor Maurizio Sarri's short-lived Chelsea career, when Kepa Arrizabalaga refused to be substituted at the climax of the League Cup final against Manchester City. But it appears the goalkeeping unit at Chelsea has not suffered any breakdown in a relationship. "It's been great working alongside [Henrique] Hilario [Lampard's new goalkeeping coach] and we've been training really hard," Caballero continued. "We have three goalkeepers here, myself, Kepa and Jamie [Cumming] and we work on specific-goalkeeper drills, while the rest of the players work with the other coaches."


The unlikely way huge discoveries were made The unlikely way huge discoveries were made Many amazing inventions took decades of hard work, but a surprising number of major breakthroughs were discovered completely by accident. Click ahead for a rundown of some of the biggest fluke discoveries, looking at how they happened and how they went on to shape the modern world. Matches   1826 John Walker was a pharmacist by day at his shop in Stockton-on-Tees, northern England, but in his spare time he often carried out experiments at home. He mixed chemicals in the hope of making a combustible paste for guns, however one day in 1826 he accidentally scraped his mixing stick on his hearth. The stick suddenly erupted into a flame, becoming the world's first "match." Matches   1826 The moment revolutionized how fires could be started, as previously it had been much harder to set anything alight. Walker was selling his  Friction Light  matches within a year, packaging them in boxes with sandpaper strips. Sadly he failed to patent his invention   and within a few years, rival matchmakers had knocked his own company out of business. The unfortunate inventor has a statue in his hometown, but the Northern Echo reported recently that it was based on the wrong man. Synthetic rubber   1839 Natural rubber proved popular when products first went on sale in the 1830s, but mania for the waterproof Brazilian gum rapidly evaporated. People hated its fatal flaw   it turned rock-solid in the cold, and melted and stank in the heat. Yet continued experiments by one American, Charles Goodyear, and a stroke of luck would turn it into a staple of modern life, used everywhere from tires to shoes. Synthetic rubber   1839 The story goes that Goodyear, from Philadelphia, was in the middle of showing off the smoothness of his new rubber product when he made a much bigger breakthrough. He reportedly dropped the rubber by accident while waving it in the air, and it landed on a stove. The resulting substance miraculously did not melt, and rubber as we know it was born. Goodyear s limited business skills saw him die in huge debt, but his legacy was honored by the tire company that adopted his name. Potato chips   1853 The inventor of potato chips never wanted them to be a hit. American chef George Crum had prepared French fries for a customer at the New York restaurant at which he worked in the 1850s. The guest kept complaining they were not crispy enough   so Crum sought subtle revenge by slicing them into implausibly thin shreds, frying them excessively and sending them back to the table. Potato chips   1853 Crum was stunned to discover that not only did the customer love the frazzled potatoes, but other guests also began asking for them. The chef embraced the craze, setting up his own restaurant with potato chips on every table, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Companies began selling them in bags only much later in the 1920s, but they rapidly became the phenomenally popular snack they are today. Synthetic dyes   1856 Englishman William Henry Perkin was just 18 when he invented the world s first synthetic dye, although he was actually trying to make the medicine quinine. The budding scientist noticed the brown sludge he had created turned a remarkable purple when he cleaned it out of a beaker with alcohol after one of his home experiments. He later tested the mixture on silk, and was so impressed by the dye he decided to start selling it. Synthetic dyes   1856 The mauve dye Perkin had chanced on was much more effective and cheap to produce than natural dyes. He wisely patented his product and set up a factory to manufacture it in bulk, and before long it had stormed the fashion world. Other companies and an unprecedented variety of colors followed, turning synthetic dyes into big business and earning Perkin a knighthood from the queen. Read more: Historic secrets of the world's best inventions Coca-Cola   1885 American chemist John Pemberton initially intended his French Wine Cola as a cure for headaches. The temperance movement of the 1880s in his native Atlanta forced him to reluctantly tweak the recipe of the wine and coca syrup, however, removing the banned alcohol. The substance now had to be diluted, but when it was first tested with soda water Pemberton realized he was onto a winner. Coca-Cola   1885 Coca-Cola says the chemist s bookkeeper and business partner Frank Robinson came up with the name of the drink, as well as its distinctive logo. Pemberton died just two years after making his invention, but the product eventually became the world s best-selling fizzy drink. More than a century later, the company sells almost two billion Cokes a year. X-rays   1895 X-rays were uncovered by chance in 1895, when German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen was studying the effect of electric currents on gases. As he experimented with an electron-discharge tube, he noticed a glow coming from a fluorescent screen he happened to have nearby. Strangely, he found no material could block out the glow and dug out a sheet of film to observe its impact. The sheet was imprinted with an image of his hand behind it   the world's first X-ray. X-rays   1895 Dr. Roentgen took this image of his wife s hand   wedding ring included   not long afterward.  I have seen my death,  she reportedly said on seeing it, and he excitedly sent it to colleagues. The medical world quickly realized the enormous potential of the X-ray, and the first hospital radiology department opened within a year. Corn flakes   1898 American brothers John and Will Kellogg were unlikely cereal entrepreneurs. John worked at a Michigan sanitarium run by Seventh-Day Adventists in the 1890s, and the pair were trying to create a more easily digestible form of bread for his patients. They overboiled their wheat by mistake and, rather than dough, it formed into dry flakes. It was surprisingly tasty, and they decided to go ahead and feed it to patients anyway. Corn flakes   1898 Patients enjoyed the snack so much that the pair kept trying to finesse the recipe, making the first corn flakes from toasted maize in 1898. John took some persuading to go into business, but eight years later the brothers launched what was then called the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company. Fast forward over a century, and Kellogg's says it now sells corn flakes in more than 180 countries worldwide. Plastic   1907 Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland was trying to create a better type of resin, used in adhesives and coatings, when he ended up inventing plastic as we know it. His mix of chemicals heated in a giant cooker failed to take off as a resin, but Baekeland saw wider potential in the malleable substance. He called his product Bakelite, and in the early 20th century it became a vital component in radios and cars. Plastic   1907 Baekeland called his plastic  the material of 1,000 uses," but it ended up having far more than that. Bakelite and other plastics that followed went global, transforming how countless products and tools that shape our lives are made. Fears of devastating consequences for the environment mean not everyone welcomes the plastic boom, however. Penicillin   1928 Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming made one of the most famous accidental discoveries of all time when he developed penicillin in 1928. When he returned home after a holiday, he noticed mold had somehow contaminated a Petri dish of the staphylococcus bacterium he had been studying. The mold culture had miraculously created a germ-free circle around itself, stopping the bacterium's growth. Penicillin   1928 Fleming realized the substance s potential, but it was over a decade before Oxford University scientists Howard Florey and Ernst Chain turned it into a safe and usable wonder drug. Developed during World War II, penicillin could not come soon enough. It swiftly began saving countless lives, preventing wounded soldiers and civilians from developing potentially fatal infections. Microwave   1945 U.S. physicist Percy Spencer was a leading expert in radar use in the 1940s, helping to improve a technology vital to the Allies  efforts to win World War II. One day, while experimenting with a radar device, he was amazed to find the chocolate bar in his pocket had melted. By 1947 he and his employers, Raytheon, had produced the first microwave, a giant machine like the one pictured. Microwave   1945 Maine-born Spencer was an unlikely inventor. Having left school in his early teens, he taught himself everything he knew about science. Restaurants, airlines and other companies quickly embraced the technology he had pioneered. By the 1970s, the now-smaller microwave had made its way into millions of homes. Velcro   1955 A walk with his dog set Swiss engineer George de Mestral on his journey to inventing Velcro in the 1950s. Annoyed but curious about the way plants stuck to his dog's fur, he examined both under a microscope. He realized the plants contained thousands of tiny hooks that nestled in tiny hoops in the fur. The creative inventor then began trying to make hooks and hoops of his own from fabric to bond things together, and Velcro was born. Velcro   1955 De Mestral tried out different fabrics to find the strongest fastener, eventually settling on Nylon to make Velcro. The fashion world was unimpressed when it was first unveiled at a 1959 show. But its later use in space by Apollo astronauts dramatically increased its appeal, with footwear companies such as Puma starting to use it in the late 1960s.


Milwaukee's first art-centric hotel   Saint Kate   installed its first work of art Thursday as renovations wrap up before the hotel's opening next month. Saint Kate, a 219-room independent hotel from Marcus Hotels & Resorts Inc., takes the place of the former InterContinental Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave. Saint Kate is expected to open June 4. Art will be hung, displayed and performed throughout the hotel. The elevators are even equipped with monitors to display digital artwork. Rotating exhibitions will be installed in Saint Kate's four gallery spaces, and live performances will take place on its stages. One of the galleries will be operated by the Museum of Wisconsin Art. The galleries will be free and open to the public daily. Before its opening, around 100 works will be installed in the hotel, part of what Curator Maureen Ragalie calls Saint Kate's "seed collection." The plan is for the hotel to continue to acquire new works while temporarily showcasing others in its gallery spaces. Ragalie said the idea behind the artwork is twofold   make visitors, and Milwaukeeans, pay attention to the art scene here. "I don't want the Milwaukee art world to continue to be so insular," Ragalie said. While the hotel's business is welcoming visitors, most of whom won't live nearby, Ragalie said she envisions Saint Kate as a convener for the arts community in the city where the cross-pollination of ideas can take place. "The art identity adds a lot of value to the experience of being here as well as the value of supporting the arts in a community," Ragalie said. "Communities that have a thriving arts community tend to do better and be places people want to visit and live." Subscribe to get the BusinessWatch email newsletter twice daily. The work hung Thursday from the domed ceiling using colored fishing line   its working title is "Nimbus"   comes from Pennsylvania-based artist Caroline Lathan-Stiefel. The sculptural, textile installation of more than a dozen sections is made from materials from her daily life, such as plastic from milk jugs. About half of the collection's works come from artists outside the region. The other half will come from Milwaukee's backyard. One of Tom Bamberger 's signature landscape panoramas will be hung at the top of the staircase. Michelle Grabner cast a crochet blanket in bronze for her work to be installed near the gallery. A piece from John Riepenhoff's "Handler" series   a pair of legs dressed in Riepenhoff's clothing designed to hold another artists work   will take a spot on the main floor. All are Milwaukee-based artists with national reputations. The hotel will also be home to several places to grab a drink or a meal : an all-day restaurant, a Neapolitan-style pizza spot, a Champagne bar and a lobby bar with entertainment. Sarah Hauer can be reached at shauer@journalsentinel.com or on Instagram @HauerSarah and Twitter @SarahHauer . Subscribe to her weekly newsletter Be MKE at jsonline.com/bemke . Our subscribers make this coverage possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal. Top Headlines from Business: Northwestern Mutual's John Schlifske pushing to improve Milwaukee Menomonee Valley buildings, including City Lights Brewing, being sold to Zimmerman Architectural Studios Bars in Old World Third Street area continue to thrive despite new competition from Bucks entertainment plaza FOLLOW JS BUSINESS: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Art installation begins at Saint Kate, Milwaukee's first arts hotel


Reliever Trevor Rosenthal , designated for assignment Wednesday by the Tigers, has cleared waivers and elected free agency, the club reports. Rosenthal began his disastrous 2019 campaign in Washington after signing a one-year deal that guaranteed him $7M. The longtime St. Louis relief ace, who'd seen his command yo-yo between shaky and adequate in his six-year Cardinals tenure, suddenly couldn't find the plate at all in his first appearances after a return from Tommy John. The 29-year-old walked a frightening 15 men in just 12 appearances (6 1/3 IP) for the club, many of which were cut short before even an out was recorded. Another free-market go-round ended swiftly in late June when the righty agreed to a minor league pact with Detroit. Despite six hardly propitious outings at Triple-A Toledo, the Tigers added Rosenthal to their post All-Star bullpen in hopes of a rebound. His first few outings were promising   Rosenthal walked just three and set down five in four one-inning appearances   but the wild hairs regrew as the weeks passed: The 2015 All-Star walked multiple batters in four different outings for the Tigers before his dismissal on Wednesday. Rosenthal's 98.0 mph average fastball velocity is actually the second-highest of his career, though his bat-missing ways have mostly been teased out, at least compared to the sky-high rates of years bygone. There may still be a team or two out there who believes it can fix the righty this season, though perhaps it's in the best interest of all involved to delay such a project 'til the outset of the 2020 campaign.


In 2017, the Lakers signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a one-year, $17,745,894 contract. He was already facing a two-game suspension for DUI. Then, during the season, he violated terms of his probation and spent nearly a month at a detention center . His work-release program allowed him to play in Lakers home games and practices, but he couldn't leave the state and missed a few games. Why did the Lakers put up with so much with Caldwell-Pope? One possible reason : He shares an agent, Rich Paul, with LeBron James   whom the Lakers wanted to court (and ultimately signed) the following summer. In the meantime, Caldwell-Pope's interrupted job status caused plenty of resentment. Baxter Holmes of ESPN : "Anybody [else] would have put him on personal leave or suspended him," one coaching staff member said. "I had a major problem with that," a Lakers front-office executive said. When asked why Caldwell-Pope played during this time, a Lakers spokesperson said they were simply following the judge's work-release ruling. Staffers within the organization and sources close to the team say they believe it was because the Lakers were trying to curry favor with Klutch in their efforts to sign James the following summer in free agency. Another possible reason the Lakers played Caldwell-Pope through his incarceration: He was one of their best players that season. They'd also already traded their first-round pick, effectively eliminating the incentive to tank. Why not use a helpful player who's available? Plus, Caldwell-Pope already served his league-mandated suspension for the DUI. Extra punishment from the Lakers could have received pushback from the union. And Caldwell-Pope's sentence allowed him to work, a rehabilitative aspect of the court's ruling. Do these Lakers staffers generally want criminals to face the more punitive sentences? Or just Caldwell-Pope? That people within the organization were so bothered by Caldwell-Pope playing is indicative of dysfunction under Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka . Employees clearly didn't understand/believe in the plan. That's the environment LeBron walked into. So, when his camp expressed desire for Luke Walton to get fired… when LeBron openly pushed for the Lakers to trade for Anthony Davis , who's also represented by Paul… it felt as if LeBron had major power to make those things happen. That contributed to LeBron's teammates being wary of LeBron trying to trade them. It might have contributed to Johnson dressing down Walton early in the season. I doubt the perception of LeBron running things has changed. I recommend reading Holmes' full story for more examples of people close to LeBron getting special treatment   or the perception of special treatment. So, LeBron can insist he's taking a hands-off approach , and I believe he sometimes wants to leave all this up to others. But when everyone thinks he's in control has been even before he arrived, LeBron has little choice but to deal with that responsibility.


The Philadelphia Eagles have done an amazing job of getting mercurial talent and elevating them into a role that allows both the player and organization to prosper. For Treyvon Hester, a change of scenery from the Oakland Raiders proved fruitful for the young defensive tackle, whose block of a potential game-winning 43-yard field goal by Cody Parkey helped the Eagles win 16-15 and advance in the playoffs. The former seventh-round pick is now hoping to springboard a productive 2018 season into a regular role with the Eagles. The league has taken notice, and Pro Football Focus recently listed Hester a sophomore standout. Treyvon Hester, DT, Philadelphia Eagles: 2017 Overall Grade: 67.3. 2018 Overall Grade: 89.7. Whether it was the change of scenery or a player who simply needed a year to adjust to the league, Hester played much better for the Eagles as an NFL sophomore than he did during his rookie season for the Oakland Raiders. As a rookie, Hester graded out as the 63rd-best interior defender out of 131 players who logged at least 200 defensive snaps. During his second season, he graded out at 13th out of 129. As a pass rusher, his win rate jumped from 6.6% to 13.2% from Year 1 to Year 2, and his average depth of tackle in run defense dropped from 2.62 yards to 1.44 yards. To qualify for this list, a named player had to have played at least 200 offensive snaps combined defensive snaps in both 2017 and 2018, while their overall grade had to increase by at least 15.0 points from Year 1 to Year 2. Hester only saw the field in 8 games for the Eagles in 2018, but was the primary backup for Fletcher Cox during minicamp and OTAs and has a great opportunity to capitalize on the 2018 season. MORE: What Kawhi Leonard is doing with his decision should be applauded News: Cowboys who could be traded, triple-threat WRs, Eric Berry talk These are the top scorers in Vegas Summer League history The Steelers got their new Brett Keisel with Isaiah Buggs Roundup: Donald Trump's Plane Thoughts; Colin Cowherd is Unflappable; Classic Mets Stuff


If you've got sandwiches on the brain, you're in luck: we've found the freshest Dallas eateries to quell your cravings. Here are the newest places to check out the next time you're in the mood for some sandwiches. Vegan Food House 832 W. Seventh St., Oak Cliff Vegan Food House is a spot to score sandwiches, seafood, desserts and more. Vegan Food House serves up menu items from the categories of "bigs," "littles" and "sides." Starving and want to satisfy your appetite? Dive into the stuffed sausage sandwich with sausage, mixed greens, tomatoes, onions, shredded carrots, sprouts and mayo on grilled french bread. If you're just in the mood for lighter fare, try the shrimp creole nachos or the stuffed jalapenos. Yelp users are excited about Vegan Food House, which currently holds a 4.5-star rating from nine reviews on the site. Yelper Jessica F., who reviewed Vegan Food House on May 12, wrote , "The food was here was so delicious! I am not a huge fan of most vegan cheeses, but once I heard that the chef makes her own I gave it a shot... so worth it, so good!" Yelper Idris A. wrote , "I enjoyed everything I ate here. Very nice staff and beautiful restaurant setup. The wait time is a little much at the moment because they're new, but the food is worth it." Vegan Food House is open from 11:30 a.m. 3 p.m. and 5 8 p.m. on Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. 3 p.m. and 5 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and noon 6 p.m. on weekends. (It's closed on Monday and Tuesday.) Off The Cuff 2901 Elm St., Northeast Dallas Off The Cuff is a sports bar, offering cheesesteaks, burgers and more. Off The Cuff serves up a choice of six different sandwiches, all offered with chips and a beverage ranging from soda to draft beer to wine and cocktails. Try the southern cheesesteak with smoked cheddar, baby Swiss, poblano, roasted red bell peppers, onions and special Off The Cuff sauce. In the mood for something healthier? Choose the hippie wrap, made with avocado, cucumbers, lettuce, red onions, tomatoes and cilantro hummus in a spinach wrap. Off The Cuff currently holds 3.5 stars out of four reviews on Yelp, illustrating that the spot is still finding its way in the neighborhood, although it is in the early days. Yelper Sean H., who reviewed Off The Cuff on May 12, wrote , "Love the vibe at this bar. A lot of good brick and metal (industrial) throughout with awesome garage-style windows that open. Great happy hour drink and food options." Yelper Amber J. wrote , "Great atmosphere. Large open windows to create a great breezeway. Had the club sandwich with gouda, amazing." Off The Cuff is open from 5 p.m. 2 a.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. 2 a.m. on weekends. Schlotzsky's 2337 W. Mockingbird Lane, Love Field Area Schlotzsky's is a deli, offering sandwiches and more. In addition to sandwiches, Schlotzsky's provides an extensive menu of macaroni and cheese, salads, soups, sliders, flatbreads, pizzas, vegetarian fare, kids' meals and desserts, including cinnamon rolls and treats. But if it's a sandwich you're craving, choose from classic (think ham and cheese), signature (turkey and guacamole) and specialty (brisket) options. Schlotzsky's's current rating of 4.5 stars out of three reviews on Yelp indicates positive attention from users. P. J. F. noted , "As many of you may not know, Schlotzsky's has a new location here in Uptown Dallas... they're calling it Schlotzsky's Austin Eatery. It's a step up from the conventional Schlotzsky's and within walking distance from Love Field airport." Yelper Jose S. wrote , "Drove by this location and didn't realize it was here. A pleasant surprise. An even more pleasant surprise to be welcomed and assisted immediately. The staff was so helpful in answering any questions, and the food was delicious." Schlotzsky's is open from 10 a.m. 9 p.m. daily. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), the only Republican in Congress to come out in favor of starting impeachment proceedings against President Trump, broke with his party again on Wednesday with a committee vote to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt. Amash joined Democrats to vote in favor of the contempt resolution, which was in relation to subpoenaed documents on the Trump administration's addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census. Amash had also sided with Democrats in votes over which amendments to add to the contempt resolution. The Republican stepped down from the conservative Freedom Caucus this week after going public with his impeachment comments. The group is typically pro-Trump. Amash had not voted in favor of a House resolution on Tuesday that authorized House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) to go to court to enforce congressional subpoenas. The lawmaker tweeted that he opposed the resolution because it "shifts to leadership the power to authorize future enforcement lawsuits, further centralizing the House's authority and undermining the institution."


EA Sports won't release Madden 20 until August 2, but we were able to get a glimpse at how they see the first-year players as the ratings were released on Monday. Outside of the veteran players, fans are eager to be able to play with the rookies for the first time. With defensive tackle Jerry Tillery leading the pack with a No. 74 overall rating, below are the ratings of all seven players Los Angeles selected from the 2019 NFL draft. DT Jerry Tillery: 74 FS Nasir Adderley: 71 OT Trey Pipkins: 62 LB Drue Tranquill: 69 QB Easton Stick: 62 LB Emeke Egbule: 63 DT Cortez Broughton Tillery and Adderley are the two players that should be instant starters Week 1, which means that we could see their overall ratings bump up or down depending on how their performances go. MORE: Jimmy Butler's decision to sign with the Miami Heat just got super awkward What the Heck is Going On With the Jimmy Butler Sign-and-Trade? 2019 NBA Summer League Rosters It looks like the Patriots won't be doing a Super Bowl champion visit to the White House Kawhi Leonard wants LeBron-level influence in hiring personnel with Lakers


A man has been arrested in the shooting death of a 37-year-old in Over-the-Rhine last month. Lakevin Brownridge, 39, is charged with murder in the death of Jerome Young. Young was found shot on Back Street around 5 a.m. on June 27, according to investigators. He was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he was pronounced dead on arrival, police said. Officials said Brownridge was arrested Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. Brownridge has not yet been booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center. It is unclear when he will be arraigned. More: Police ID man killed in early morning shooting in Over-the-Rhine SUPPORT JOURNALISM : Subscribe today to get access to all of our coverage This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Arrest made in Over-the-Rhine killing


Arsenal managing director Vinai Venkatesham has indirectly told star duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil to make a decision on their futures - with the pair only having contracts until 2021. Aubameyang has enjoyed an outstanding first full season at the Emirates Stadium after finishing as the Premier League's joint top scorer, though Ozil has struggled to find a way into Unai Emery's side. Now, Venkatesham has insisted that the Gunners are willing to sell stars who have two years left on their contracts in a effort to avoid a repeat situation regarding midfielder Aaron Ramsey , who will join Serie A champions Juventus on a free transfer in the coming weeks. "We need to make sure we are really disciplined," Venkatesham said, as quoted by the Express . "A good example of that is senior players that aren't towards the end of their careers, we need to make sure that those players, when they've got two years left on their contract, we're making the difficult decisions. "We're either renewing those players' contracts, or we're selling those players. "So we're going to have to be brave with those decisions along the way, because we can't be in a situation where we are allowing players to walk out the door for free unless they are coming towards the end of their career." 2-3 years ago Arsenal had the opportunity to renew the Sanchez and Ozil contracts or sell them for a handsome profit yet both were allowed to run down their contracts. Poor management has led to this position! @HighburySquad @GoonerGirl1969 @leemarkjudges @LeeGunner82 @   Kevin Campbell (@1kevincampbell) January 17, 2019 The managing directors comments come ahead of a huge summer for Arsenal where transfer funds are reportedly low, but that may depend on the result of their Europa League final against Chelsea next week in Baku - the result of which will decide if the north London club will be playing Champions League football next season. 29-year-old Aubameyang has been linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, while Ozil believes that he will be staying at Arsenal for the remainder of his contract.


While Vancouver Canucks fans wait for any crumb of information on Brock Boeser 's new contract, they'll at least get some good news soon on a different restricted free agent forward. Gerry Johansson, agent for Reid Boucher , was on Sportsnet radio Tuesday with Rick Dhaliwal and explained that they are close to a deal with the Canucks. Boucher filed for arbitration last week, but apparently will avoid the process with a new deal. The 25-year-old Boucher may have played only one game for the Canucks last season, but that doesn't mean he wasn't a big part of their organization. The former New Jersey Devils prospect was one of the most effective offensive players in the entire AHL, scoring 31 goals and 62 points in just 56 games. That marked his second consecutive season scoring better than a point-per-game for the Utica Comets, while also serving as important injury insurance for the Canucks. It is unlikely that Boucher will play a huge role in the NHL next season, but re-signing him gives the team some strong minor league depth up front. In 133 career NHL games, he has recorded 42 points.


GWANGJU, South Korea (AP)   American swimmer Lilly King lost an appeal of her disqualification from the 200-meter breaststroke preliminaries at the world championships on Thursday. FINA's jury of appeal upheld the DQ shortly before the evening finals began. It was a big blow for King, the outspoken doping critic who was aiming for a sweep of the breaststroke titles in Gwangju. She already won the 100 over Russian rival Yulia Efimova. King won the third morning heat in 2 minutes, 24.56 seconds, but was disqualified for not touching the wall with both hands at the same time in the first turn of the four-lap race, according to USA Swimming. The U.S. team filed a formal protest, which was denied by FINA's appeals process. The matter was then escalated to the jury of appeal at the Americans' request and the decision came down about seven hours later. King's time would have qualified her second-fastest for the evening semifinals behind Canada's Sydney Pickrem, who led the way in 2:24.53. King reacted with shock upon seeing "DSQ" next to her name on the video board. She said she wasn't told why she had been disqualified although she asked the officials. On-deck judges supervise each lane to observe whether swimmers are simultaneously touching the wall. Swimming in the last heat, Efimova said she was a bit nervous after seeing the DQ. "I'm actually always thinking about this because some people make some stuff and nothing happen, but I know if a Russian do something, it's always like ...," she said, making a kicking motion with her foot. King's DQ recalled a similar situation involving Aaron Peirsol in the 200 backstroke final at the 2004 Athens Olympics that had a different outcome. The American was disqualified for making an illegal turn while finishing first. The decision was overturned and he received the gold medal. ___ More AP swimming: https://apnews.com/Swimming and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


Backstreet Boys! Wait, don't leave, let me finish. As some of you may, or may not know, Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys is a die-hard Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, and even wanted his shot at the quarterback job ! And now, Carter seems to be coming to the support of Bucs tight end O.J. Howard, who recently proposed that the Buccaneers change their uniforms. Howard posted a shot of him and his teammates in a video game wearing the unis from their 2002 Super Bowl season (the perfect ones!) with the caption "We need these unis back" along with a flame emoji. And, it seems Carter is in favor of those old uniforms over the current ones. I'm with you @TheRealOjHoward Something. ANYTHING!! https://t.co/HyzkshLznY - Nick Carter (@nickcarter) June 30, 2019 Man, it seems nobody likes the current Bucs uniform. Even former Buccaneer Antonio Bryant has been on a crusade to change the unis, although he wants the team to go back to the creamsicle ones. Maybe management should consult players when designing new uniforms. So, which uniform do you guys prefer? MORE: Jimmy Butler's decision to sign with the Miami Heat just got super awkward Troy Daniels is going to hit a lot of open three-pointers for Lakers What the Heck is Going On With the Jimmy Butler Sign-and-Trade? Kawhi Leonard wants LeBron-level influence in hiring personnel with Lakers Is Raiders RB Chris Warren's roster spot 'up in the air' for 2019?


Interested in adopting a pet   or just taking a peek at some fluffy felines near you? There are dozens of endearing kittens up for adoption at animal shelters in and around Phoenix. Animal shelters work hard to care for unhoused pets and connect them to loving homes. Hoodline used data from Petfinder to power this roundup of kittens currently available for adoption. (Details like pet availability, training, vaccinations and other features are based on data provided by Petfinder and may be subject to change; contact the shelter for the latest information.) Carl, domestic shorthair mix Carl is a sweet male domestic shorthair kitten being kept at All About Animals Rescue . Carl likes to socialize, and he loves other cats. Carl has been vaccinated. Have no fear: He's already house-trained. More on Carl: Carl has grown up in a home with people and other cats. Carl is a big playful boy who loves to wrestle with his kitten friends. He is outgoing and talkative with his humans friends. Carl loves toys and laser dots. Read more about Carl on Petfinder . Mary, domestic shorthair Mary is a female domestic shorthair kitten being cared for at ABC (Animals Benefit Club of Arizona, Inc.) . Mary loves other cats. Her vaccinations are up to date. She is already house-trained. About Mary: Mary loves to play and cuddle with her brothers and would love a big sunny window where she can bask the day away. She started out a little shy, but suddenly, Mary has decided that human attention is quite nice. Read more about how to adopt Mary on Petfinder . Peter, domestic shorthair Peter is a handsome male domestic shorthair kitten being kept at ABC (Animals Benefit Club of Arizona, Inc.) . Peter plays well with others   he gets along well with other cats. He is already house-trained. He has all his shots. About Peter: Peter is a handsome guy who is looking for a home with a sunny window where he can sunbathe and snooze. He won't be the first kitty that comes to you, but once he decides you are nice, he warms up quickly. Read more about how to adopt Peter on Petfinder . Uhura, domestic shorthair mix Uhura is a sweet female domestic shorthair kitten currently residing at All About Animals Rescue . Uhura plays well with others   she loves dogs, cats and children. She's mastered her house-training etiquette. Uhura is vaccinated. More on Uhura: Uhura is a sweet, quiet little girl. She was the smallest in her litter, but what she lacks in size she makes up for in personality. She has a tiny little meow, and loves to talk to her people friends. Read more about how to adopt Uhura on Petfinder . Cobalt, domestic shorthair Cobalt is a male domestic shorthair kitten being kept at ABC (Animals Benefit Club of Arizona, Inc.) . Cobalt loves to socialize   he'll get along great with your other cats. He's already house-trained. Cobalt has all his shots. About Cobalt: Cobalt is a cute kitten with lots of love and playfulness to go around. He loves to play and nap, especially if he is able to nap while cuddling. Read more about Cobalt on Petfinder . This story was created automatically using local animal shelter data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


A long-missing letter written by America's favorite 18th-century immigrant/orphan/US Treasury secretary has been found, and the government has filed a suit in federal court to get it back. The 1780 letter from Alexander Hamilton to the Marquis De Lafeyette was stolen from the Massachussetts archives in the late 1930s or early 1940s by an employee, according to the complaint. Last year, the framed letter resurfaced at an auction house in Virginia, where a reasearcher realized it had been stolen decades before and contacted the F.B.I. in Boston. "My Dear Marquis," the letter reads , in less tightly rhymed stanzas than we might expect, "We have just received advice from New York through different channels that the enemy are making an embarkation with which they menace the French fleet and army." Hamilton signed the letter "Yr. Most Obedt, A. Hamilton, Aide to Camp." On Wednesday the attorney general filed a complaint against the letter itself, naming "Letter from Alexander Hamilton to the Marquis De Lafayette Dated July 21, 1780," as the defendant. The archives employee who allegedly stole the original documents was arrested in 1950 and probably didn't think a short letter by the $10 founding father would be of too much interest, especially compared to the rest of the loot: original papers by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere. But since Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical opened in 2015, Hamilton has become a bonafide star, with ardent fans across the country eager to see his original papers. Zoe Greenberg can be reached at zoe.greenberg@globe.com . Follow her on Twitter @zoegberg .


Former Oklahoma State and South Carolina men's basketball assistant coach Lamont Evans, who pleaded guilty to accepting $22,000 in bribes to funnel top players to agents and financial advisers, was sentenced Friday in federal court in New York to three months in prison. U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos handed down the sentence a day after another former coach, Emmanuel "Book" Richardson, formerly of the University of Arizona, also was sentenced to three months in federal prison. However, though the Jamaica-born Evans, 41, has lived most of his life in the U.S., he is not a citizen and likely faces deportation, according to Yahoo Sports . On Wednesday, former USC assistant Tony Bland avoided prison in the wide-ranging federal case stemming from a pay-for-play scandal. Bland was sentenced to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service. That leaves only Auburn assistant Chuck Person to be sentenced later this year among the four former high-profile assistant coaches who reached plea agreements in the Southern District of New York. MORE : Former USC basketball assistant avoids prison in recruiting corruption case | Former Arizona basketball assistant gets 3-month prison sentence in recruiting corruption case Evans was on Oklahoma State's staff, reportedly making $600,000 a year, when he was arrested in September 2017. His arrest, like the other assistants', was the result of being named in a far-reaching FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball recruiting that involved, among others, Adidas, several high-profile then-amateur players, runners for player agents and financial advisers. The coaches' former universities have claimed in victim-impact statements to Judge Ramos that the coaches' actions damaged the schools and athletic departments' respective reputations and could result in serious penalties from the NCAA for the universities. The judge appeared to concur with the university, saying schools, students and players were victimized by a scandal that showed that the bribes were exchanged in order to manipulate young athletes. Related slideshow: Best photos of NCAA Championship (Provided by imagn)


This week's PGA Championship at Bethpage Black will be the 31st time a major championship has been contested in the state of New York. Here's a look at every PGA and U.S. Open that has been held in the Empire State. PGA Championships [Year, site, winner] 1916   Siwanoy Country Club, Eastchester: Jim Barnes 1919   Engineers Country Club, Roslyn Harbor: Jim Barnes 1921   Inwood Country Club, Inwood: Walter Hagen 1923   Pelham Country Club, Pelham Manor: Gene Sarazen 1926   Salisbury Golf Club [Red Course], East Meadow: Walter Hagen 1930   Fresh Meadow Country Club, Queens: Tommy Armour 1934   The Park Country Club, Williamsville: Paul Runyon 1939   Pomonok Country Club, Flushing: Henry Picard 1980   Oak Hill Country Club [East Course], Rochester: Jack Nicklaus 1997   Winged Foot Golf Club [West Course], Mamaroneck: Davis Love III 2003   Oak Hill Country Club [East Course], Rochester: Shaun Micheel 2013   Oak Hill Country Club [East Course], Rochester: Jason Dufner 2019   Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale: TBD U.S. Opens [Year, site, winner] 1896   Shinnecock Hills, Shinnecock Hills: James Foulis 1902   Garden City Golf Club, Garden City: Laurie Auchterlonie 1912   Country Club of Buffalo, Buffalo: John McDermott 1923   Inwood Country Club, Inwood: Bobby Jones 1929   Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck: Bobby Jones 1932   Fresh Meadow, Great Neck: Gene Sarazen 1959   Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck: Billy Casper 1968   Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester: Lee Trevino 1974   Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck: Hale Irwin 1984   Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck: Fuzzy Zoeller 1986   Shinnecock Hills, Shinnecock Hills: Raymond Floyd 1989   Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester: Curtis Strange 1995   Shinnecock Hills, Shinnecock Hills: Corey Pavin 2002   Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale: Tiger Woods 2004   Shinnecock Hills, Shinnecock Hills: Retief Goosen 2006   Winged Foot Golf Club, Mamaroneck: Geoff Ogilvy 2009   Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale: Lucas Glover 2018   Shinnecock Hills, Shinnecock Hills: Brooks Koepka


Julian Assange has been subjected to drawn-out "psychological torture", a UN rights expert said Friday, accusing the United States, Britain, Ecuador and Sweden of "collective persecution" of the WikiLeaks founder. The United Nations special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Nils Melzer, also warned that if London agrees to an extradition request from Washington, Assange risked the death penalty. Melzer visited the Australian whistleblower in a London prison on May 9, nearly a month after his arrest at Ecuador's embassy where he had been holed up for seven years. "It was obvious that Mr Assange's health has been seriously affected by the extremely hostile and arbitrary environment he has been exposed to for many years," Melzer said in a statement. "Most importantly, in addition to physical ailments, Mr Assange showed all symptoms typical for prolonged exposure to psychological torture, including extreme stress, chronic anxiety and intense psychological trauma," he said. Melzer, who was accompanied on the visit by two medical experts specialised in examining potential torture victims, said there was "overwhelming" evidence that Assange had been "deliberately exposed, for a period of several years, to progressively severe forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. "The cumulative effects," he said, "can only be described as psychological torture." Assange, 47, sought refuge at Ecuador's embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces accusations of sexual assault. He is currently serving a separate 50-week sentence at London's Belmarsh prison for skipping bail. Assange now also has an extradition request against him from the US, which has charged him with violating the US Espionage Act by publishing a huge cache of military and diplomatic files in 2010, rejecting his claim that he is a journalist. - 'Death penalty'? - Melzer warned that extraditing Assange to the US would expose him "to a real risk of serious violations of his human rights, including his freedom of expression, his right to a fair trial and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." "I am particularly alarmed at the recent announcement by the US Department of Justice of 17 new charges against Mr. Assange under the Espionage Act, which currently carry up to 175 years in prison," he said. "This may well result in a life sentence without parole, or possibly even the death penalty, if further charges were to be added in the future," he warned. Melzer voiced outrage at the "sustained and concerted effort by several states" over the past nine years to secure Assange's extradition to the US. Since 2010, "there has been a relentless and unrestrained campaign of public mobbing, intimidation and defamation against Mr. Assange, not only in the United States, but also in the United Kingdom, Sweden and, more recently, Ecuador," he said. "In 20 years of work with victims of war, violence and political persecution I have never seen a group of democratic states ganging up to deliberately isolate, demonise and abuse a single individual for such a long time and with so little regard for human dignity and the rule of law," he said. "The collective persecution of Julian Assange must end here and now!"


Lyon have denied reports of an agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of defender Ferland Mendy, as rumours continue to press that a €50m transfer is inevitable. Reports on Tuesday from L'Equipe and picked up in Spain claimed that the 23-year-old France international completed a medical with his suitors while on international duty, after Real Madrid met Lyon's asking price and agreed terms with the player. However, with many expecting that there was nothing left but an official announcement and photo op to be done, Lyon released a statement rejecting talk of an agreement. #Communiqué L'Olympique Lyonnais dément un accord avec le Real Madrid pour un éventuel transfert de son défenseur international Ferland Mendy, contrairement à ce qui peut être relayé par certains médias. pic.twitter.com/VosYPMegPc   Olympique Lyonnais (@OL) June 4, 2019 The statement on the club's official Twitter reads: "Olympique Lyonnais denies an agreement with Real Madrid for a possible transfer of its international defender Ferland Mendy, contrary to what can be relayed by some media." Mendy, who joined Lyon from Le Havre for just €5m back in 2017, became one of the most coveted full backs in world football thanks to his progress with Les Gones, attracting attention from both Barcelona and Juventus as well as Real Madrid. It was claimed that Los Blancos officials flew to France to negotiate with new Lyon director Juninho Pernambucano, as they hurried to come to a swift agreement for the player they hope will become Marcelo's successor at the Santiago Bernabeu. Regardless of Lyon's denial, most see Mendy's transfer to Madrid as a case of when not if, with Marca and AS still insisting that a deal is 'a matter of days' from being confirmed. The former claims that Mendy will sign a six-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu and cite good relations between Florentino Perez and Lyon chief Jean-Michel Aulas (an unorthodox transfer market operator) as a further reason for the deal to go through. Mendy is currently on international duty with France, who face Turkey on 8 June and Andorra on 11 June in their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign. It has been suggested that Real are eager to wrap up a deal for Mendy in order to present him together with fellow newbie Luka Jovic, possibly alongside Eden Hazard , who is gradually nearing a move from Chelsea. If completed, Mendy will become Madrid's fourth signing of the summer after Rodrygo Goes, Eder Militao and Jovic, taking the club's total transfer fee outlay to around €210m.


Aerial footage captures several sharks swimming around the waters of Daytona Beach.


Wide receiver Mike Evans converted some of his base salary into a roster bonus earlier this offseason and he's done it again in a move that gives the Buccaneers a bit more room under the cap. Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports that Evans has converted $4 million of the $17 million in remaining base salary into a bonus. The cap hit will be spread over this year and the four years left on his contract, which leaves Tampa with $3.2 million in new space this year. The Buccaneers have two draft picks left to sign from this year's class. There's room to get deals done with first-round linebacker Devin White and third-round cornerback Jamel Dean while keeping some money on hand for other needs that may arise at some time down the road. Evans signed a new deal with the Bucs in March 2018 and set a career high with 1,524 receiving yards last season.


📋 Here's how we line up for tonight's clash with @AFCWimbledon ! #CPFC pic.twitter.com/G6FxLQFxkd   Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) July 30, 2019


Adrian Wojnarowski is perhaps the most well-known basketball insider in a game that has as much fake news cluttering the news desks as any professional sports league in the nation. Frankly, even Wojnarowski isn't batting .1000 in his reports and sources but such is the nature of the business, especially for an observer who has been around the game as long as Woj. That said, during ESPN's 2019 NBA Mock Draft Special that aired on Tuesday, Wojnarowski would note that the Boston Celtics may have to "pivot" away from a trade for New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis, due to Kyrie Irving's unknown future with the organization. "There are a lot of decisions to be made in Boston about what direction they're going to go to," Wojnarowski said. "They may have to pivot if Kyrie Irving leaves in free agency." The catch here is that Wojnarowski appears to be speculating rather than reporting. On Wednesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that Irving will not opt into his $21.3 million deal for next season and will officially become a free agent this offseason. That's unsurprising, as the Brooklyn Nets have emerged as Irving's top suitor in the last month . Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant has also reportedly shown interest in signing with Brooklyn , but it's unclear whether the recent Achilles tear he incurred in Game 5 of the NBA Finals will impact Irving's decision. But make no mistake: the Celtics are the ones under duress. Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, Davis' agent, announced Thursday that the All-Star big man will enter free agency in the 2020 offseason , meaning he would be perceived as a one-year loan for any team. "They can trade for him, but it'll be for one year," Paul said, per S.L. Price of Sports Illustrated . "I mean: If the Celtics traded for Anthony Davis, we would go there and we would abide by our contractual [obligations] and we would go into free agency in 2020. I've stated that to them. But in the event that he decides to walk away and you give away assets? Don't blame Rich Paul." Even if he soon reaches one of his desired locations in the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks, he will more than likely be steadfast in his plan to test the market next summer. The Celtics are a win-now roster. They certainly have the assets to acquire Davis. That said, they need to remain conscious of what they'd be losing. Wojnarowski noted a possibility where the Celtics compile a trade package with all four of their incoming draft picks - and in this case for Davis, the Pelicans would also likely require their top young assets in wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Woj says the Celtics will probably have to pivot out of an Anthony Davis deal because of Kyrie Irving's uncertainty with the team. pic.twitter.com/jIvEHumgvb - Chris Montano (@gswchris) June 12, 2019 As of Tuesday, the Lakers are currently the betting favorites to land Davis, as their odds have improved to -500, with the Knicks trailing at +375. The Lakers are GIGANTIC favorites to get Anthony Davis (via @BR_Betting , @CaesarsPalace ) pic.twitter.com/rNjidZt5tk - Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 11, 2019 Barring anything unforeseen, the Celtics should be all but finished in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, which could wind up being a blessing in disguise. MORE: Most bizarre and incredible catches by fishermen in past decade NBA trade rumor rankings: Rockets on the move? Aaron Rodgers raves about Packers WR Jake Kumerow: 'I'm a big fan of him' News: Do Cowboys have best group of QBs across the entire league? Roundup: David Ortiz Shooting Suspect in Custody; Frozen 2; Alabama Chemical Castration Law


Tennis is beginning to clean up the wreckage from Hurricane Gimelstob . Since pleading no contest to a violent crime on April 22, Gimelstob triggered a sort of morality inquiry within the sport that unfolded in real time. Though a California judge, Upinder S. Kalra, ruled that Gimelstob had committed a "violent, unprovoked attack in public in front of children," Gimelstob initially declined to step down from his various positions within the sport. Under mounting pressure, on May 1, he resigned from both the ATP board and Tennis Channel. But it was a moment of reckoning. While conflicts of interests are as embedded in tennis as yellow ball and it's always been thus this most recent episode, extraordinary in its unseemliness, opened a portal into the sheer depth of tennis' conflicts, as well as the ATP's questionable corporate governance. With hope or, perhaps, irrational optimism that some good could come from this ugliness, we propose that tennis use this occasion as a precipice for some soul-searching, but also some practical truth and reconciliation. Perhaps the sport could examine the flaws that enabled this situation to take hold. Perhaps we could begin to draft policy to address some of the most problematic defects in the system. I summoned my colleague Michael McCann the best sports law journalist in the business to help. I invited Mike a relative stranger to tennis, approaching this with fresh and unclouded perspective to study the situation in tennis and apply best practices from other sports. I availed myself to answer factual questions, but offered no subjective judgments. His analysis is specific to the ATP, but much of this could apply to other organizations as well. Here are his top-line conclusions...   Jon Wertheim Justin Gimelstob has long been a walking contradiction in the world of tennis. The 42-year-old former player had been a coach, broadcaster, TV show producer, governing authority and in the eyes of many, a sexist, a homophobe and a batterer. He has bid for a production contract from those he's supposed to oversee. He has broadcasted matches of players he coaches. He has enjoyed an authoritative role in the sport despite uttering boorish comments. In spite of it all, Gimelstob had, until now, faced no meaningful repercussions from the tennis community. The controversies surrounding Gimelstob are horrible from many angles, yet they go well beyond him. Many influential persons in tennis have hid behind a "hear no evil, see no evil" mentality. While facing felony charges, he, incredibly, continued serving as an ATP board member and, along with Novak Djokovic, appeared to play a leading role in pushing out the previous head of the ATP, Chris Kermode. And then the ATP board, incredibly, let Gimelstob remain even after he pleaded no contest to a violent felony. He didn't leave the board until he decided it was time to go. The silence of other board members was both deafening and predictable. The ATP Tour itself is part of the problem. It's a Delaware corporation that manages the global pro men's tennis tour. Its membership includes both labor and management namely, pro men's tennis players and the various businesses that own and operate tournaments. To that end, the ATP is governed by a seven-member board of directors. Three of those members are elected by tournament owners, three are elected by players and the last seat is occupied by the ATP chairman/president. Labor and management co-running the sport may sound appealing in the abstract, but it has often led to inertia and inaction. Board members have direct financial ties to agencies that run tournaments and represent players, just as they are connected to television contracts and decisions on match commentators. There is no independence. The ATP Tour is also constrained by Delaware laws that govern corporate boards. As explained below, these laws make it procedurally difficult to remove a board member even one with baggage as extensive as Gimelstob's. How could the sport be made more legitimate? Here are 10 non-exhaustive ideas. 1. Explore reorganizing men's tennis so it functions more like a traditional league The ATP is structured very differently from other major pro leagues. That structure significantly impacted and limited the ATP's options with Gimelstob. The ATP is incorporated in Delaware as a "not-for-profit nonstock membership corporation." This complicated phrase means that, among other things, Delaware laws for corporate boards restrict how the ATP board operates. Most importantly, these laws obligate the board to adhere to its own bylaws and interpretations of those bylaws. The board, for example, couldn't suspend Gimelstob or temporarily strip him of authority. He was a duly elected member who could only be removed upon a finding of "cause." The board has treated "cause" as requiring a finding of wrongdoing not just an allegation of wrongdoing. If the board treated Gimelstob differently, that could have provided him with grounds to sue. The board also needs an odd number of voters to ensure that votes have majorities, some of which require super majorities. For the board to effectively discharge its duties, Gimelstob had to be on the board or removed and replaced. There was no middle ground. As cogently explained by The New York Times ' David Waldstein, any attempt to remove Gimelstob would have required either unanimous consent by the five voting members on the seven-member board (by board rule, Gimelstob and Kermode were barred from voting in that matter), or support from at least six of the 10-member player council. None of this is to say the board was a prisoner of its own rules or of Delaware law. It could have voted to remove Gimelstob. In fact, it held a vote last year on Gimelstob but the vote came up short. Gimelstob maintained innocence in the face of charges that he attacked Randall Kaplan from behind and in front of Kaplan's children during an altercation on Halloween last year. He did so until pleading no contest last month to a felony that was subsequently reduced to a misdemeanor by Judge Kalra. In California, a "no contest" or "nolo contendere" plea is functionally akin to a guilty plea, and involves the defendant not wishing to contest the allegations against him or her. Had Gimelstob not "voluntarily" stepped down last week, the board would have clearly had cause to remove him. But until Gimelstob's criminal matter had been resolved, it's not certain that there was adequate "cause," as that word has been understood by the board, to remove him. Gimelstob's lasting power on the board at least in part reflected the ATP's design, which is unlike that of other major pro leagues. The NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL are joint ventures of independently owned teams (i) governed by league rules; (ii) restricted by collective bargaining agreements; and (iii) beholden to powerful commissioners who possess significant discretion. The ATP Tour, in contrast, tries to balance the often-disparate interests of both individual players, who range widely in talent and earning-power, and tournaments of varying sizes. Meanwhile, the ATP board is constrained by assorted legal restrictions related to board governance. The ATP's approach has been profitable for some, but has led to varying conflicts of interests and a board that is captive to its own rules. Could men's tennis be re-imagined so that players, as Djokovic recommends, unionize into a formalized bargaining unit? Could that union in turn negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with a pro tennis league that negotiates on behalf of itself and tournaments? Of course, executing these changes would be very difficult, if not impossible. Pro tennis has operated a certain way for a long time, and undoing the familiar is never easy. Still, given the various controversies faced by tennis, it would behoove the sport to explore potential redesigns. 2. Empower a commissioner to preserve the integrity of the sport The ATP has an executive chairman/president, but his position accords him little suasion over other board members or more importantly the sport itself. That's not to say the ATP Board's leader is irrelevant. Hardly. This executive helps generate tournament and sponsorship opportunities, plays a key role in broadcast and licensing negotiations and is instrumental to managing player rankings. But he lacks perhaps the most fundamental responsibility: maintaining moral authority. Indeed, as David Law recently noted on Twitter , Kermode had no ability to remove Gimelstob despite being the ATP's leader and despite Gimelstob facing a felony charge. Under board rules (and accompanying Delaware laws), Gimelstob could only be removed by a board vote, which itself hinged on finding adequate cause. The inability of the leader of the ATP to take action against Gimelstob is especially interesting when considering the ATP's rulebook, which contains extensive policies to address and attempt to remedy the impact of player misconduct. Indeed, a player faces possible suspension when "charged with a violation of a criminal or civil law of any jurisdiction." The suspension can last until "final determination of the criminal or civil proceeding." Gimelstob, meanwhile, was insulated by virtue of his board membership. The fact that he faced a felony charge did not have any meaningful impact on his association with the ATP. As noted above, the ATP would need to be radically changed to become more like the NBA, NFL and other major pro leagues to change the way it operates. Still, the ATP could learn from those leagues and work within the confines of Delaware law to give the ATP's leader more authority. This is particularly true in regard to how to best utilize a commissioner or similar figure. In the major leagues, the commissioner is explicitly charged with protecting the integrity of the sport and public confidence in the league. When San Francisco Giants president and CEO Larry Baer was videotaped jostling with his wife over possession of a cell phone, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred didn't turn the other way. He suspended Baer. When Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling made racist remarks about African-Americans, NBA commissioner Adam Silver didn't pretend not to hear those words. He permanently kicked Sterling out of the league. Neither Baer nor Silver was accused of criminal acts, but their acts nonetheless undermined the public's trust in the league. If something as straightforwardly disturbing as a board member facing felony charges doesn't warrant suspension by the ATP board, then it raises serious questions about why a board has been constituted at all. The commissioner in other leagues is also forbidden from possessing any financial interest direct or indirect in any professional sport. This dynamic doesn't make the commissioner entirely neutral, as some critics of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell would argue, but it goes a long way toward removing the possibility of conflicts that undermine the commissioner's credibility. We realize that the position of a commissioner might not work for pro tennis given legal restrictions related to the laws of boards. Even if the law posed no obstacle, implementing a commissioner figure would encounter some practical hurdles. Tournaments' interests, for one, are often not aligned. Owners of tournaments generally do not view themselves as engaged in a joint venture as owners of NBA teams or NFL teams do. We also know that competing tournaments joining hands in any way that impacts competition could raise antitrust concerns (though those concerns would be diminished if the net result was a more ethically centered and thus more viable pro tennis league, or if the players unionized and negotiated a CBA). We also know it's easy to raise obstacles to ideas. Whether a commissioner would work in men's tennis is a concept the ATP ought to consider. 3. Use neutral arbitrators The ATP could also increase opportunities for objective dispute resolution, provided any changes worked within the boundaries of bylaws and the law. Perhaps a panel of three arbitrators, none of whom has any interest in the outcomes of decisions, could review important questions faced by the board. Neutral arbitrators could be used for other disputes within tennis and its governing bodies. The various organizations might be yielding some power and authority, but the overall benefit to the sport would be significant. Other leagues routinely employ neutral arbitrators. The NFL, for instance, uses neutral arbitration to resolve disputes over pay issues. Colin Kaepernick's grievance played out through that process and he was provided an impartial forum to raise his arguments while the NFL could raise its defenses. A league that uses more credible means of resolving disputes is a more credible league. 4. Curb self-dealing The model of pro tennis provided by the ATP Tour has been around for 47 years. Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale's creation probably can't be blown up. It doesn't need to be, either. However, ATP board members are inclined to pursue their own interests. Gimelstob was Exhibit A for that phenomenon, as he operated in a space where he could do whatever he liked. Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal reports that the ATP paid Gimelstob's production company, Without Limit Productions, $3.56 million between 2012 and 2017, with the company producing the show ATP Uncovered. Per Kaplan, the ATP also paid Gimelstob $1.4 million during that time. The ATP Board should measures in place to stop self-dealing, or it will continue to be heavily conflicted. If a sports agency executive is a board member, he or she should not vote on decisions that impact the agency's finances. 5. Mandatory disclosures of conflicts Some conflicts of interests are unavoidable. However, they should be made known. Along those lines, it is customary for sports leagues and governing bodies to use a conflict of interest questionnaire. One sports organization, for instance, asks its board members if they are involved with any commercial entity with which the sports organization conducts business. If the board member says "yes," he or she must list those entities and related details. This organization also demands that the board member reveal whether he/she or any family member has a financial interest, or receives any remuneration or income from any commercial entity with which the sports organization conducts business. The ATP Board's bylaws and other operating documents are confidential. It's thus unclear if the board uses disclosure of conflict forms and, if so, whether any disclosures have meaningful consequences. Assuming the board's current system for disclosures is inadequate, the board should create measures that require board members to reveal, in writing, their outside activities, employment, investments, assets and other properties that might pose a conflict of interest. 6. Be transparent and make documents available The ATP is configured as a membership, non-stock corporation. It is thus private and doesn't "have to" share documents that would be of interest to the tennis community. But other private leagues do reveal those documents, and the ATP probably should as well. Take the ATP's operating bylaws, for example. A fan can't go on the ATP's website to see if Gimelstob violated the board's code of conduct or, if he didd, how a punishment would be assessed. A sports organization that seeks to be transparent and credible would make everything available. The NBA, like the ATP, is a private entity. It is a joint venture of 30 teams. Yet unlike the ATP, the NBA places online numerous documents, including its bylaws, constitution and the CBA it negotiated with players. The NBA also makes available reviews of referees' calls during game. Transparency and accountability have gone a long way in building the NBA's fan base. 7. Establish an organizational culture that doesn't tolerate crime and conflict By failing to hold Gimelstob accountable, the ATP not only enabled his conduct but also signaled to the rest of the ATP's board that even felony charges do not warrant expulsion. Those board members thus know that if they are accused of running afoul of the law in violent ways, they won't necessarily lose their seat. Similarly, by signaling that conflicts of interest are tolerable, board members are not discouraged from personally profiting from their positions. As discussed above, the board is constrained by its own bylaws and Delaware laws. But if those restrictions undermine the board itself, it may be time for the ATP to rethink the concept of a board. 8. Don't ignore perceived and potential conflicts Actual conflicts of interest aren't the only problem for the ATP board. Perceived or apparent conflicts are also problematic since they de-legitimatize the board. Many corporate boards prohibit members whose private interests could and not necessarily do influence the performance of their duties. The ATP board seems to have those types of potential conflicts. For example, a "players' side" board member, David Egdes, is a senior vice president at Tennis Channel. He is connected throughout the sport in ways that present potential conflicts. Another board member on the "tournament side," Gavin Forbes, works for the IMG agency, which represents players AND owns and operates tournaments. Even if no such conflicts actually surface, their possibility could nonetheless influence the board. It's not as if the ATP is unaware of the impact of potential conflicts. The ATP's rulebook states that officials who work at the ATP, as well as Grand Slam, ITF and WTA events "must maintain complete impartiality with respect to all players at all times and must avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interest." Such language could also apply to board members. 9. Prohibit gifts and illicit favors The ATP board should borrow a page from NCAA amateurism and lobbying laws, and disallow board members from accepting gifts (assuming the board's bylaws, which are not public, do not already contain such a policy). This measure would enhance the board's credibility, both in terms of substance and optics. 10. Require board members to supply regular financial disclosures Without access to the ATP board's bylaws, it is difficult to assess its protocols on transparency and avoidance of conflict. However, one reasonable step would be regular financial disclosures by board members. Related slideshow: Best of 2018 U.S. Open (provided by imagn)


Having an NFL team means making a lot of money and being worth a lot of money. Every single franchise is worth more than $2 billion. Forbes put together its yearly list of the top-50 most valuable franchises and all 32 NFL teams appear. The Arizona Cardinals are No. 46 on the list overall. Valued at $2.15 billion, they did not increase in value in the last year. They are ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball and three other NFL teams - the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. Considering the Bidwill family purchased the team for $50,000 originally , we can clearly see that the investment has more than paid off. Listen to the latest from Cards Wire's Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio . View embedded content MORE: The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes Lakers' Quinn Cook Q&A: 'It feels like this team has been together a while' The 21 dumbest ideas in NFL history


It's rare for any NFL superstar to change teams while he's still playing at a high level. It's even more rare for one to sign with a division rival. That's exactly what's happened with Gerald McCoy this month, though. After playing nine years for the NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers, McCoy signed a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers and so will get to face his old team twice a year. To hear McCoy tell it though, he has no bad blood for the Bucs and only has positive things to say about the organization that drafted him. Listen. On RapSheet + Friends, I was about to say goodbye to our guest, #Panthers DT Gerald McCoy. But he had more to say. #Bucs fans need to hear this from the long-time Tampa Bay star. It's pretty great. pic.twitter.com/Tb2KAtvZc7 - Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 11, 2019 MORE: How Kevin Durant's Achilles injury alters Kyrie Irving's free agency Kevin Durant breaks silence on his Game 5 Achilles injury: 'I'm hurting deep in the soul' Watch as jury convicts former NFL player Kellen Winslow Jr. of raping homeless woman News: Do Cowboys have best group of QBs across the entire league? Kevin Durant Has a $31.5 Million Player Option; Will Warriors Offer Him Supermax Contract?


Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are still in the honeymoon phase . On Saturday, the "Game of Thrones" actress posted a gorgeous photo to Instagram of her and her husband on the verge of a kiss. In the snap, the singer wears a dark green suit, while Sophie, who's draped across her man's legs, dons a white shirtdress and tall black boots She captioned the snap with a heart emoji. Joe, however, seemed mesmerized by his wife. "You are so stunning," he commented on her post, while also adding a matching red heart emoji. The photo comes after the couple's incredibly-scenic honeymoon in the Maldives, which they shared several photos from -- a honeymoon that came after the duo's second wedding ceremony . "I found happiness. 🏝😎♥#discoversoneva," he captioned several videos on photos from his aquatic paradise. He later called the trip "epic" and couldn't wait to go back. Sophie, too, posted a series of videos and photos from their honeymoon. "Days spent drinking watermelon daiquiris excessively, reading books, playing tennis and riding bikes," she captioned the social media posts. "And best of all.... #nonewsnoshoes #dicoversoneva." The couple previously vacationed at the Maldives together in February 2018. Celebrity weddings of 2019:


Looking to uncover all that North Division has to offer? Get to know this Milwaukee neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a deli to a barbecue joint. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in North Division, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Jake's Deli Topping the list is deli Jake's Deli , which offers sandwiches and more. Located at 1634 W. North Ave., it's the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting four stars out of 147 reviews on Yelp. The deli is most famous for its corned beef sandwich, and the popular Travel show "Man vs. Food" even stopped by the deli to try the Commish Challenge, a huge corned beef and pastrami sandwich. Aside from corned beef and pastramis, Jake's Deli also serves a corned beef Philly sandwich, turkey sandwich and matzo ball soup. 2. Ashleys Bar-B-Que Next up is barbecue and soul food spot Ashleys Bar-B-Que , situated at 1501 W. Center St. With four stars out of 49 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The menu includes barbecue dinners like chicken, ribs, brisket and more, as well as catfish, honey barbecue wings, peach cobbler. 3. Coffee Makes You Black Cafe Coffee Makes You Black is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 2803 N. Teutonia Ave., 4.5 stars out of 35 reviews. The restaurant, located in a former bank, serves up chicken and waffles, biscuits and gravy, omelettes, steak and eggs and, of course, coffee. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


OAKLAND -- Oakland officials took the wraps off the Bay Area's newest piece of transportation infrastructure: the new Embarcadero Bridge near Jack London Square. In addition to being seismically safe, the new span is much wider for cyclists and pedestrians exploring the Bay Trail. "It's not totally clear and hasn't been totally linked but for a family that wants a calm, protected bike ride they can actually bike on this 12-foot multi-use path," said Oakland's Transportation Director Ryan Russo. The bridge also has a wider underpass so that small boats can sail between Lake Merritt and the Oakland Estuary. While many pedestrians were excited about the new crossing, Roger Rudick, editor of the San Francisco Streets Blog, said one of the bike lanes is too narrow and too close to a metal guard rail. It could leave cyclists vulnerable to speeding vehicles, he warned. "Somebody just, you know, jinks the steering wheel a little bit and you're crushed against the barrier," said Rudick. The city says bikes are allowed on the multi-use path. The $31-million bridge cost more and took longer to build due to lead contamination in the soil and water that had to be contained.


Among the NBA scheduling updates that have leaked out is Paul George's return Oklahoma City. The wing spent two years with the Thunder, his second being the best season of his career, before requesting a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of the NBA's Free Agency Moratorium - leading the Thunder to trade Russell Westbrook. Now partnered with Kawhi Leonard, George and the Clippers will be on the national stage a significant amount in 2019-20, including their matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day. Though Thunder fans will care most about his return to Chesapeake Bay Arena. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, George will be back in Oklahoma City alongside Leonard on March 3. Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George is tentatively scheduled to make his return to Oklahoma City on March 3, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. - Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) August 2, 2019 Westbrook is set to make his return two months before George. Westbrook and ex-Thunder guard James Harden, like George, will play on Christmas Day against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. MORE: How Kawhi Leonard broke the news to Raptors coach Nick Nurse that he was leaving Five potential Jeremy Lin landing spots in free agency Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Dez Bryant: Saints will get first opportunity to sign me VIDEO: Huge Crowd Rushes to Jump Over Fence at Lollapalooza