Greek rising star Stefanos Tsitsipas reached a career-high ranking of sixth on Monday after his run to the Italian Open semi-finals last week. The 20-year-old failed to repeat his Madrid last-four win over Rafael Nadal, as the 17-time Grand Slam champion went on to lift his ninth Rome title. Nadal remains second in the rankings, a long way adrift of Novak Djokovic, with the pair facing a possible final clash at Roland Garros in three weeks' time. The Spaniard beat Djokovic on Sunday in the Italian Open final. Roger Federer's return to Paris will see the 2009 champion arrive as the third seed. Argentinian Diego Schwartzman jumped four spots to break back into the top 20 on Monday after also reaching the semi-finals in Rome. ATP top 20 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 12,355 pts 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 7,945 3. Roger Federer (SUI) 5,950 4. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 4,845 5. Alexander Zverev (GER) 4,155 6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,080 (+1) 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 3,860 (-1) 8. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 3,745 9. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) 3,235 10. John Isner (USA) 2,940 (+1) 11. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,830 (+1) 12. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 2,800 (+1) 13. Marin Cilic (CRO) 2,710 (-3) 14. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 2,625 15. Borna Coric (CRO) 2,525 16. Gael Monfils (FRA) 1,965 17. Milos Raonic (CAN) 1,960 18. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 1,925 19. Marco Cecchinato (ITA) 1,840 20. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 1,755 (+4)


Pasadena residents and city leaders are mourning the passing of a former city councilwoman. At about 11 a.m. Monday, police were called to the parking lot of Macroplaza Mall where a woman was hit by a car. A white Chevrolet truck allegedly hit the woman as she crossed the crosswalk as she left Palais Royal. The woman was airlifted to the hospital where she later died. Police later identified the woman as former Pasadena councilwoman Pat Riley. Riley served as the District E councilwoman from 1991-1999 and as Mayor Pro Tem from 1998-1999. She was also an active member of the Pasadena Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Association and regularly attended city council meetings. Police said the driver who hit her stayed on scene and is cooperating with investigators. ALSO POPULAR ON KHOU.COM: Cause of death released for deputy who suffered medical crisis at stabbing scene Sulfuric acid spill closes northbound lanes of Highway 6 and Glenn Lakes Remembering the police officers killed in downtown Dallas ambush


Some states and cities have a message for women seeking abortions who live in places where it is becoming increasingly restricted: We're here for you. New York City and Illinois   spurred by a slew of states that have passed laws recently to limit or ban abortion   are taking action to provide women from out of state with financial and other assistance for easier access to abortions. Last month, the New York City Council approved $250,000 for abortions for poor women who live in, or who have traveled to, the city specifically to receive the procedure   the first-ever time, experts told NBC News, that a municipality has directly allocated money for abortion that could be explicitly used for residents from other locales. The $250,000 will be given to the New York Abortion Access Fund , a volunteer network helping women seeking abortion access. The funds can be used toward abortion care for anyone in New York City or anyone who has traveled there, said NYAAF board member Janna Oberdorf. The money will cover the cost of the procedure   but not travel or lodging, although NYAAF is plugged into a nationwide network of other advocacy groups that help raise travel funds for women who can't afford to get to states and cities that offer legal abortions. Costs for abortion care vary widely, but the total could cover up to 500 procedures, Oberdorf said. Women who are traveling to New York City for abortion care will likely have found out about NYAAF through abortion rights groups and activists in their own states or even just via a Google search, Oberdorf said. Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, signed into law a bill last month making abortion a "fundamental right" in the state, codifying Roe v. Wade into state law, striking down a handful of anti-abortion provisions that had been on the books for decades (like spousal consent, waiting periods and felony penalties for doctors performing the procedure), and requiring nearly all insurance plans, both public and private, to cover abortion. In strengthening the state's abortion law, Illinois lawmakers are inviting women from other states to come for abortions. Illinois shares a border with three states which have in recent months put into place restrictive anti-abortion laws, and the new law   the Illinois Reproductive Health Act   is designed to send a message to women from those states that they are welcome to travel to Illinois for abortion care. "Should you live in a state that has restricted your right to a safe and legal abortion, we want to make sure you know that Illinois is a place where it is safe and legal," Democratic state Sen. Melinda Bush, who sponsored the bill, told NBC News. "We want it to be clear that Illinois is a beacon for women's reproductive rights." Women from next-door Missouri   which currently has only one abortion clinic operating in the state   have been traveling to Illinois for abortion care in recent years in increasing numbers, but experts say the new law will have an even more powerful influence on that trend. "Illinois is surrounded by very conservative states, so protecting access in Illinois means you're protecting access not just in Illinois but for people from those states who may need to travel," explained Elizabeth Nash, a state policy analyst at the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that studies reproductive health rights. Abortion rights advocates across the U.S. are lauding New York City's funding and Illinois' new law as creating "islands of access" for women in need, in anticipation that Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion nationally, could be struck down. "It's so important   now and as we head into an uncertain future   that there be these kinds of islands of access, so that even if there are places that are putting up significant roadblocks for abortion, that there are at least places that can be a refuge and provide that access for women who need it," said Kristin Ford, the communications director for NARAL Pro-Choice America. At least five other states have also taken action this year to expand access to abortion care, although those measures aren't expected to necessarily have the welcoming impact for women from other states that the New York City and Illinois measures have. Maine's Democratic governor, for example, signed into law last month a measure requiring public and private insurance in the state to cover abortion care and another bill that allowed nurse practitioners and other medical professionals other than doctors to perform abortions. Vermont's Republican governor, meanwhile, signed a bill in June also making abortion a "fundamental right" in the state, while Nevada has a new law that eliminated several roadblocks for women seeking an abortion, including a requirement that doctors ask for a patient's marital status and age before performing the procedure. On the other hand, at least nine states have, in 2019, have passed restrictive abortion laws intended to strike at Roe v. Wade, although many face legal challenges. Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, Georgia and Louisiana all passed bills prohibiting abortion when a fetal heartbeat can be detected   which can be as early as the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women even know they're pregnant. Alabama's governor signed a law in May making performing an abortion at any stage of a pregnancy a felony punishable by 10 to 99 years or life in prison. And Missouri   whose governor signed a bill in May prohibiting abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy   is dangerously close to seeing its only remaining abortion clinic close . If it closes, Missouri will become the first state since Roe v. Wade to not have a single abortion clinic. This makes measures like the ones Illinois and New York City more important than ever, said Nash, of the Guttmacher Institute. "The message in these places is that we are creating a safe place for people to come and travel here for abortion," she said. "Which is really important, given the concerns surrounding the state legislatures in 2019 that have tried to ban or restrict abortion."


Even on a budget, you can create a home that looks straight from of a luxury magazine. Treat Each Room as a Blank Slate Take note of the preexisting features in your home you can highlight. Architectural details such as crown molding , wooden beams, hardwood floors , built-in bookshelves , and mosaic-tile backsplashes are all worth focusing on. These details don't just look expensive; they are expensive. Make them as prominent as possible keep them clean, clutter free, and the focal point of the room. For example, don't splurge on an expensive painting just to have it compete with a showstopping fireplace. Add a Pop of Color "Paint is extremely inexpensive and makes a big difference," says Keysha Jillian, lead interior designer and owner of K. Jillian Designs , based in Tampa, Florida. "Whether you need to tone down a color or add a bold color to liven up your space, color is great for changing the overall feel of a room." A nice wash of color might only cost around $31.99 for a gallon. If you're selling your home, you might want to paint it this color to net an additional $5,000 . Pick Towels You're Actually Excited to Use It's time to get rid of those dingy old bath towels discolored whites and bleach-stained colors make your space look dirty and cheap. "Proudly display crisp white, fluffy towels like the kind you would find in a fancy hotel or spa," says Drew Henry, founder of design firm Design Dudes . "This will immediately trigger a feeling for your guests, and they will have a more luxurious feeling towards the space." Steal these other 16 decorating tricks hotel rooms use to feel luxurious . Swap Out Your Throw Pillows Throw pillows are an easy way to accessorize and brighten a room, whether you buy them or make your own. Jillian says homeowners should throw out their older throw pillows and replace them with bright, fuller pillows or just buy crisp new pillow covers. "Mix and match colors and textures, and blend different groupings," she says. But more is not better. "There can be too many pillows, so make sure you don't go overboard." Add Molding If your walls are bare besides the occasional artwork, consider adding molding to the baseboard, chair rail, or ceiling. "It doesn't even have to be a gaudy, Victorian-style molding a simple and single-shape, single-depth piece of molding will do the trick," says interior designer Erica Leigh Reiner, owner of E. Leigh Designs . Hang Art On the Walls From family photos to DIY art, framed works can make a house feel like a home. Before mounting any work, homeowners should figure out where everything should be placed and the proper way to hang it. "Make sure the art you select is the right size and scale for the wall you're decorating, and remember you don't need artwork on every empty wall," says Jillian. "If you feel creative, a great way to get inexpensive artwork is to create your own. Head to your local craft store and you can find everything you need to create a beautiful canvas or framed custom artwork." Here's the best way to hang picture frames perfectly straight. Accent with Accessories Magazines are a great source of home decorating ideas and inspiration for how to accessorize a room. However, homeowners should expect to shop around for a budget-friendly version of anything they see in a design magazine. "Accessories vary significantly in cost, but if you're looking for a great deal there are plenty of discount home stores that offer stupendous finds, says Jillian. "My 'go-to' store for a lot of home design items (especially for clients on a budget) is HomeGoods." Create DIY "Built-In" Structures The key to making any piece from bookshelves to kitchen cabinets look custom is to have them fit into your home perfectly. The easiest way to achieve this look is to have them extend all the way from floor to ceiling. A bookshelf that spans an entire wall will almost always look more expensive than one that stands alone. Luckily, with a bit of forward planning, this project can be tackled in one or two weekends. Save money with these other Here are 50 incredible DIY projects you need to try. Update Old Fixtures A quick and easy way to decorate on a dime is to update old fixtures, especially in the kitchen. Knobs, handles, drawer pulls, and light switch plates are small, inexpensive details that give your home a high-end sheen. Throw a Backsplash On It A DIY backsplash is great for jazzing up a kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room without breaking the bank. This Majestic Ocean Mini Brick backsplash costs less than $10 for a square foot of crystallized glass, which come with mesh backing for an easy installation. If tiling a backsplash is too intimidating, consider creating an accent wall with a bright color paint. Give the Illusion of Higher Ceilings If you can't raise your roof, literally, you might consider raising your window treatments. Jillian suggests raising window panels to create an illusion of height and give it a grander feel. "Window treatment is often underrated and clients commonly overlook the impact it has on a space," she says. "An inexpensive way to achieve this tip is to simply add fabric to your existing panels. Once you find the perfect complimentary fabric, simply take it to your local seamstress to have him/her add the fabric at the top, middle, or end of the fabric." Add Visual Space with a Mirror or Two Your eyes and potential buyers' eyes will be tricked into thinking a space is larger than it actually is with some sneaky mirror placement. Large mirrors will reflect the room back, making it appear more spacious even twice its actual size. It's also one of 15 ideas to make a small room look bigger. Get Rid of Something Super Old or Ugly If a dated light fixture or piece of furniture constantly makes you groan, get rid of it. (These are 50 things you should toss now.) The project doesn't have to break the budget: Drab wall colors can easily be painted, and outdated knobs and hardware can be inexpensively replaced. Even dated kitchen cabinets can be painted white and instantly brought out of the '80s. Use Bookshelves for More Than Books Lines of books have to look like a stuffy library. "Intersperse with a few framed photos and interesting book ends," says Ana Cummings , design expert on CTV's Homes & Lifestyles Canada . "Make sure it is neat and tidy that alone speaks volumes." Find out how to expertly decorate a bookshelf . Add an Area Rug Area rugs can really transform a space. "Area rugs help ground furniture groupings, define rooms, and add more interest to an area," Jillian says. "It is recommended that all of your furniture sit on the area rug, but at the very least, make sure the feet of your furniture are touching a portion of the rug." Make Walls Shine Lustrous wallpaper adds dimension to an otherwise flat area. Go for just a hint of shine with a semi-gloss or luster sheen to keep it classy, not gaudy, says Reiner. "Stick to simple neutral or semi-neutral colors, but look for a paper with a hint of a shine the light can bounce off of," she says. Stick to Classic Neutral Walls When in doubt on paint color, choose a classic neutral. Colors like beige, gray, greige, and yellow will always look fresh and on trend. What's more, they pair well with everything. Limit bold accent colors to accessories, and you'll never have to repaint an entire room because a bright color choice got to be too much. Here are expert tips for picking perfect paint colors. Choose Deep Colors If neutral colors aren't your thing, bold colors can scream "elegant" with a bigger punch, says interior designer Douglas Graneto . "Deep hues with shiny finishes are the way to go," he says. "For example, a deep navy wall with gold and purple contrast within the decor can exude a glamorous energy that for sure can feel luxurious." Don't Match Finishes Perfectly, Coordinate Them Certain stains and finishes play well with others (for example, cherry wood marries well with oak, and hickory blends tend to work well with almost everything), but the vast majority do not. If you're looking to match your floor to your cabinets, or your faucets to your doorknobs, go for an exact match, or make a real contrast; aim for at least three shades darker or lighter. An almost match has the tendency to look cheap. Splurge on Statement Pieces Dining room tables, stand-out rugs, chandeliers, and sofas all have the ability to upgrade a home's sense of luxury. Identify a few key pieces that you see and use often (especially if they're ones that are visible from several other rooms) and decide if it makes sense to budget for a splurge. If you decide it's a go, choose colors and fabrics that are easily cleaned and not easily stained or destroyed. Light Up the Room Natural lighting and source lighting is very important to a room. "Make sure you don't block windows, and also be sure to add table and floor lamps throughout your space for a huge statement," Jillian says. Big box stores sell light fixtures for about $50, but the look of a bigger room is priceless. Any pricey light fixtures might be better suited for your wedding registry. These tips will help dress up an ugly window . Personalize Your Towels Find plain white towels too ho-hum? Add a simple DIY detailing to basic towels to show off your signature style, suggests luxury interior designer Charmaine Wynter . "Just select a coordinating ribbon color and pull out your sewing machine," she says. Mix Up Your Bedroom Set The easiest option won't always pack the biggest punch. "If you have a dresser in a bedroom with a matching mirror, it makes the room much more interesting if you hang a different mirror over the dresser," says Myrf Bowry, interior designer and cofounder of Decorum Inc . No need to throw that matching mirror out, she says; just hang it in another room. Add Voluminous Accessories Expensive items tend to have weight and volume to them (that's why heavier gold bangles appear more luxurious than lighter ones that feel like and possibly are made of plastic). Avoid flimsiness at all costs: add an extra panel of curtains to your curtain rod, and search for quality carpets and throw blankets that great to the touch. Additionally, accessorize with weighty accent pieces; vases, picture frames, and ornaments should all feel like they've got something to them. Opt for Custom-Fitted Blinds "Any badly fitting blind within the recess looks cheap if not sized correctly to the window," says Nicola Croughan, lead interior designer and stylist at Blinds Direct . Spending just a little more on a made-to-measure style is much more elegant, she says. She recommends picking plush Roman blinds and wide-slat wood blinds, and says to pick a water-resistant roller blind for bathrooms and kitchens to prevent mold. Find out which 8 decorating mistakes make your home look messy . Create Your Own Statement Artwork If your room lacks a preexisting focal point, create one using artwork. One option is to create a multi-panel piece (one picture blown up and printed onto three panels hung next to each other) or a gallery-type display of frames. Keep Your Home Clean Follow the rule of threes (objects look best when organized in odd numbers, especially threes) and leave a generous amount of white space on your walls and surfaces. When it comes to looking luxe, less is always more. File paperwork out of sight, find a home for everything, and clear the clutter. Try these clutter-busting strategies for every room. Up Your Thread Count No matter what your bedding style, increasing the thread count for your sheets will instantly make your sleep space more luxe, says Wynter. Your home won't just look expensive it will feel it. Don't miss these other ways to make your bed 10 times cozier . Add a Centerpiece No need to wait for a dinner party to elevate your usual table setting. Something as simple as fresh-cut flowers can make it seem like you've put time and effort into your dinner table, says Henry. Try one of these 12 brilliant centerpiece ideas. Hunt for Real Stone Real granite and limestone countertops look much more luxe than your typical acrylic, but unfortunately their prices usually reflect that. If you're willing to do a bit of hunting, though, you might be able to slash the price tag, says Bowry. "You can sometimes find a great deal on a real stone top at your local stone yard, in the remnant section," she says. Check out these other 12 projects that add value to your home. Focus On Faucets If you only have room in the budget for one high-end bathroom feature, make it a quality tap. Pairing it with plain, wallet-friendly tiles will actually highlight the money spent, says interior designer René Dekker . "If you look in the window of any high-end jewelry store, you will see that the finely crafted items, the gold and diamonds, are always displayed against plain neutral backgrounds which show them off much better … the same concept will work in your bathroom," he says. Just skip these 32 home upgrades that are a huge waste of money . Look Entertaining-Ready If you have a dining room table you don't use unless company is visiting, keep the settings there to fake your way to looking like a master host. "A staged tablescape will make the space feel more elegant," says Henry. Don't Put Form Above Function A gorgeous new couch won't look chic when kids and pets ruin it. That said, durable doesn't have to be drab. Kelly Barnett, lead designer for Jillian O'Neill Collective in Chicago, recommends indoor/outdoor Sunbrella fabrics and Restoration Hardware's Perennials line for attractive pieces that can withstand some wear and tear. "I've cleaned red wine off of my West Elm performance velvet swivel chairs with a baby wipe," she says. "These fabrics are extremely durable and give upholstered pieces a much higher-end look than the old microfibers." Check out these cleaning secrets from the pros. Pick Basic Bedding You might think deep-hued satins would be key to an expensive-looking bedding set, but keeping it simple will make the room seem bigger since the bed takes up so much space. "Keep the duvet covers white and you'll instantly feel the lightness of the room," says Isobel McKenzie, editor of interior design site NONAGON.style . Bonus: Whites can handle hotter temperatures, so that deep clean will make sheets look extra-crisp, she says. Check out these other 34 important things to do when planning to sell your home. Give Boring Products a Worthy Home Even cleaning products deserve luxury treatment. "Ditch your plastic Dawn bottle and pour your favorite dish soap into a glass hand soap dispenser," says Wynter. "Voila! Instant luxe." Up the Fluff Factor An inexpensive throw pillow will seem so much more luxurious when you replace the original insides with a feather insert. "They just look and feel so much better than foam," says Cummings. Ditch the Old Toothbrush Holder Upgrading your toothbrush holder and soap dish is a low-cost way to add flair to your bathroom. Pick a sleek, modern set that matches the rest of your décor, suggests interior designer Dayna Hairston, founder of Dayziner . Also, try these 13 budget-friendly bathroom makeovers . Pick Basic Dishes Shelling out on fine china isn't the only way to create a stunning table setting. "White dishes … have a low price tag with a high impact," says Henry. Pair them with gold flatware for a trendy, high-brow look. Keep Toys to a Minimum It's easy to let toys take over the whole house, so Barnett has a rule that big toys need to stay in bedrooms and the basement. Once those are out of sight, board games and crayons won't seem so obtrusive especially if they stay in their homes. Seek Out Softness "Velvet or velour has both a luxurious feel and look," says Croughan. "In fact, most soft-to-touch fabrics work best." Go bold with a deep jewel tone or pair a neutral color scheme with pastel "ice cream shades" like mint green or blush, she says. Here's how to create a stunning color scheme in your home. Shed Some Light Quit making lighting a second thought, says McKenzie. "Very often in luxury homes and apartments, you'll find that the lighting is subtly done but brings your attention to certain areas," she says. Installing warm LED strip lighting on top of a bookshelf or under a mirror adds interest and dimension. Hunt Around for New Options When you find a bed or couch you love, you might be tempted to buy the whole set to guarantee a good match, but that can look cheap, says Bowry. "All homes are much more interesting if things coordinate but are not all matchy-matchy," she says. Go Big Hiking up the size of your décor creates a big impression, even if the pieces aren't too pricy, says Yael Meromy of design firm Studio D . "We love to use large-scale art and décor, like a massive canvas that takes up an entire wall or a well-oversized thick-framed mirror that leans against the wall instead of hanging, to create a space that's impactful, memorable and grand," she says. Create a Gallery Wall "A well composed gallery wall will exude elegance, thoughtfulness and will stand out to visitors," says interior designer Jillian O'Neill . A gallery wall can pack a big punch and highlight the effort you put into your décor, but they can look like a mish-mosh if they aren't designed well. To create a cohesive look with minimal effort, choose frames that work together. Picking two or three colors like black and gold or silver and white will help the display look coordinated, even if the pictures inside don't match as much, says O'Neill. Don't Go Overboard On Color Sprinkling just one or two accent colors throughout the home will add a pop that looks cohesive without going over the top. "Adding too much color will immediately make it feel shabby chic or Boho, which is nice but a very different vibe than luxe," says Henry. Avoid these decorating mistakes that make your home look immature . Brighten Up the Laundry Room Don't ignore design in your laundry room just because you don't love spending time there. "Laundry rooms are a great room to paint a fun color that you may be scared to use other places," says Bowry. "Rugs and artwork also make the room more inviting." She recommends parents hang their kids' artwork there. Your little ones will feel special with their art displayed proudly, but you can keep your pricier pieces in the rooms guests see. Here are 25 laundry room upgrades you can make on your own for cheap. Refresh Instead of Replacing A fresh coat of paint isn't the only DIY you can use to liven up a drab space. Staining your kitchen cabinets will give them a whole new look and won't set your budget back by much, says interior designer Blima Ehrentreu, CEO of The Designers Group . "We often like to two-tone our kitchen design," she says. "It adds a unique quality to the cabinetry." Check out these 5 brilliant IKEA hacks. Add Interest to a Bathroom Living rooms aren't the only rooms that can benefit from a statement wall. Creating one in the bathroom will create a big impact where guests won't expect it. "By changing up a wall with a different color or tile, it gives the space a subtle and distinctive design element," says Ehrentreu. Pay Attention to Details Your furniture and appliance choices might be the first things people notice, but giving details special attention makes it seem like you spent even more time and money creating your space. "Switching out small fixtures and hardware in the home for more thoughtful pieces can make the design of the home feel more intentional, which, in turn, makes it feel more expensive," says designer Justina Blakenly, founder of Jungalow . Replace a dated flush mount light with a modern style, or swap plastic wall plates for metal, she suggests. Create a Vignette Otherwise "dead space" can be dressed up to make the whole room look more styled. "Areas like coffee tables, consoles, empty corners of a kitchen counter … are all prime real estate for a well dressed vignette," says Cummings. Harmonize with Color Creating the perfect color palette is more complicated than grabbing three of your favorite colors, but taking the time to perfect your color scheme will make your home look worthy of a catalogue. "I advise my clients to focus on a color family, or to pick hues that complement each other not contrast," says designer Gil Greenwash, author of Gil Walsh Interiors: A Case for Color . "Too many bold colors or a soft palette that lacks depth tends to fall flat." Show Off Wood Floors Replace carpeting with hardwood floors to make your space feel bigger, suggests Hairston. "Carpet tends to trap in dust and particulates and absorbs moisture which can leave an odor," she says. "Hard surface flooring is easier to clean, is allergy-friendly, and can provide a more updated and modern look to your home." Layered area rugs will add more visual interest than floor-to-floor carpeting. Here are the best bang for your buck home improvements .


After giving starting pitcher Chris Paddack some time off at Single-A Lake Elsinore to preserve his innings, the San Diego Padres welcomed back one of their top pitchers on Saturday. The Padres sent Paddack down in early June in an effort to keep him under their planned innings limit, and it also allowed the organization to limit his service time. Now he'll rejoin the team's rotation as it pushes to stay in the hunt for a wild-card spot. The #Padres have recalled RHP Chris Paddack from Single-A Lake Elsinore and optioned RHP Gerardo Reyes to Triple-A El Paso.   San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 22, 2019 Paddack caught fire out of the gate in his rookie season with a 1.55 ERA, 10.18 K/9 and 3-1 record in his first seven starts. However, he hit a rough patch recently with a 5.76 ERA with eight home runs allowed in his past five starts. A little time off to rest and work on his mechanics should hopefully provide a nice reset for the Padres. If Paddack can return to his early form and the combination of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. can heat up, San Diego could be a sleeper contender to watch in the second half. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman couldn't simply stand and listen while trash talk rained down for Odell Beckham Jr. While NFL stars Edelman, Beckham and Saquon Barkley left the 2019 Met Gala on Monday night, a group of fans began heckling. One yelled at Beckham: "Hey Odell, the Giants fans are inept." Clearly spotting Barkley, the Giants' starting running back, the fan quickly added: "Oh Saquon, sorry buddy. Jets fan." Edelman responded: "I'm a Jets fan too. Every time we play them, we win." Oof. MORE: Liverpool vs Barcelona Live Stream, Lineups, How to Watch Champions League Semifinals Online, US TV Channel, Live Stream Which Packers rookies are most likely to start in 2019? Bears K Eddy Pineiro has the leg and 'mental edge' to succeed NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Quandre Diggs believes Tracy Walker can be the 'total package' at safety


Warriors forward Kevin Durant will have his strained right calf re-evaluated Thursday, a league source told The Chronicle. Durant will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday and is unlikely to play Game 2 on Thursday. There is a better chance of him returning for Game 3 on Saturday. Durant suffered the injury in the third quarter of Game 5 of the conference semifinals on a jumper. Through 11 postseason games, he is averaging 34.2 points on 51.3 percent shooting (41.6 percent from 3-point range), 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists. With Durant watching from his Bay Area home on Friday, the Warriors mined contributions from their rotation, escaping Houston with a series-clinching win in Game 6. Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com . Twitter: @Con_Chron Related slideshow: Best of the 2019 NBA playoffs (Provided by imagn)


Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys head into Sunday's game against the Colts leading the NFC East and on the verge of a playoff berth. A ton of the credit for that should go to head coach Jason Garrett's assistants. Garrett's the one thought to be on the hot seat entering the season. He's the one who has owner Jerry Jones whisper in his ear on the sideline. And he's the one who's likely to receive plenty of praise from fans if the Cowboys do return to the postseason for the first time since 2009. Truth is, Garrett has become little more than a caretaker for Dallas (10-4). It's the folks working under him who are steering a team that was supposed to be an also-ran to respectability - and their contributions are about as underappreciated as it gets in today's NFL. ''I feel really good about where our coordinators are in running their different units and how our position coaches are coaching,'' Garrett said. ''It's my job to oversee it and create an environment for them where they can be successful.'' Last offseason's shuffle is working. Coming off three consecutive 8-8 finishes, Dallas demoted defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin and removed Bill Callahan as play caller. Now Scott Linehan calls plays (something Garrett used to do), helping turn running back DeMarco Murray into a star. Callahan, meanwhile, has thrived while focusing on what is probably the league's top offensive line. New defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli has overseen significant improvement, while linebackers coach Matt Eberflus has produced a pretty good group despite the loss of Sean Lee and others to injury. In general, assistant coaches do not get a lot of publicity or kudos - this season, for the first time, the AP NFL awards will include one for top assistant - but Dallas' group deserves both. Here's a look at some other underappreciated - and overblown - aspects of the NFL: UNDERAPPRECIATED: BUFFALO'S DEFENSE: Presumably, Mario Williams & Co. will finally start to get the wide acclaim they deserve after holding Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers to a combined zero touchdown passes and four interceptions over the past two weeks. BOBBY WAGNER: With the linebacker back from a right foot injury, the Seahawks are 4-0 and allowing 6.75 points per game. Asked about his five-game absence hurting his cause for awards or recognition, Wagner replied: ''That's fine. Who has been the best `backer on the field when he's been on the field?'' ARIZONA'S HOME EDGE: That New England, Denver and Green Bay are unbeaten at home should surprise no one. That Arizona takes a 7-0 home mark into its showdown with Seattle on Sunday night? Now that's remarkable. DENVER'S DEFENSIVE DUO: A lot of attention was paid when the Broncos added Aqib Talib, DeMarcus Ware and T.J. Ward. Less-known Chris Harris Jr. and Brandon Marshall (aka the ''other'' Brandon Marshall) have been a big part of Denver's success, even if fans aren't racing to vote them into the Pro Bowl. REDSKINS' CAPACITY FOR DYSFUNCTION: Seemingly boundless. OVERBLOWN: PATRIOTS' DEMISE: That 41-14 loss at Kansas City in Week 4, the one that had folks wondering when Tom Brady would retire and whether Bill Belichick's magic was gone, sure seems long ago now, doesn't it? JOHNNY FOOTBALL: OK, it's only one game, but Johnny Manziel's NFL debut as a starting quarterback for the Browns was a doozy: 80 yards passing, two interceptions, three sacks, and zero points. Certainly not the stuff that justifies his hype. But he deserves time, of course. NEW COACHES: When Lovie Smith was introduced as Tampa Bay's head coach, he averred, ''It's time for us to become a relevant team again.'' So much for the idea that a new coach can help things improve right away. The Bucs are 2-12; even worse, Ken Whisenhunt's Titans are 2-13. Jay Gruden's Redskins are 3-11 (see above). On the other hand, Jim Caldwell (Detroit) and Bill O'Brien (Houston) have done a fine job in Year 1. CAM NEWTON, COLIN KAEPERNICK, ROBERT GRIFFIN III: The toast of the NFL not too long ago, none of that trio of QBs looks ready for prime time lately. SAINTS' HOME EDGE: New Orleans was unbeaten at home for more than a season before the current 0-4 rut in its dome heading into Sunday against Atlanta. --- AP Sports Writers Schuyler Dixon in Irving, Texas, and Tim Booth in Renton, Washington, contributed to this report. --- Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich --- Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL


Spending time in East Bank-Nicollet Island? Get to know this Minneapolis neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a pizza place to a vegan spot. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in East Bank-Nicollet Island, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Gorkha Palace Topping the list is Himalayan/Nepalese and Indian spot Gorkha Palace . Located at 23 Fourth St. NE, it's the highest rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 367 reviews on Yelp. On the menu, which features many organic ingredients, look for the veggie samosa, chicken curry or lamb chili with peppers and onions. 2. Punch Neapolitan Pizza Next up is Italian spot Punch Neapolitan Pizza , which offers pizza and more, situated at 210 E. Hennepin Ave. With 4.5 stars out of 220 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. On the menu, look for one of the classics with mozzarella and crushed tomatoes or try the pizza bianco with no crushed tomatoes. Guests can also build their own pizza with their choice of spice and toppings. 3. PinKU Japanese Street Food Sushi bar and Japanese spot PinKU Japanese Street Food , which offers seafood and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 20 University Ave. NE, 4.5 stars out of 201 reviews. Think Japanese street food in a fine-casual restaurant. On the menu, look for the crispy shrimp rice with spicy mayo and radish, seared salmon rice cake with wasabi and micro greens or the spicy tuna roll. 4. The Herbivorous Butcher The Herbivorous Butcher , a health market, butcher and vegan spot, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 159 Yelp reviews. Head over to 507 First Ave. NE to see for yourself. The Herbivorous Butcher specializes in meat-free meats and cheese-free cheeses made in-house. Everything on the menu is vegan. Try the turkey and dill havarti sandwich, Sriracha brat or the bacon grilled cheese. 5. I Like You Check out I Like You , which has earned 4.5 stars out of 146 reviews on Yelp. You can find the gift shop, which offers jewelry and more, at 501 First Ave. NE. Looking for a unique gift? The shop offers everything from hats and t-shirts to beauty products and wall decor. 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.


You can leave your umbrella at home for today, but rain is in the forecast for Dallas starting on Saturday, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Saturday's forecast shows the greatest possibility of rain at 85 percent, with predicted rainfall of 0.04 inches. Also expect hot temperatures through Saturday. Temperatures will reach a high of 98 degrees on Wednesday, and remain hot through Thursday. Skies will be partly cloudy today and cloudy on Sunday. Winds will reach a modest high of 14 mph on Thursday, while today will be quieter. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Lena Gonzalez's election to the California Senate is being hailed as a milestone by advocates for women in politics, adding historical flair to a predictable win for a Democratic candidate in Los Angeles County. "It's a resounding victory," said Valery McGinty, president of Fund Her, a political action committee that raises money to elect progressive women to California state offices. McGinty was speaking Wednesday about Gonzalez's 69%-31% margin of victory the night before over Republican Jack Guerrero in the 33rd Senate District special-election runoff   and what it means for the composition of the state Legislature. Once Gonzalez, a Long Beach city councilwoman, is sworn in to the Senate (probably next week), women will for the first time hold more than 30% of seats in the two houses in Sacramento. Most of those women are Democrats; 11 of the 14 women in the 40-member state Senate and 21 of the 23 women in the 80-member Assembly. A daughter of a Mexico-born mother and a U.S.-born father, Gonzalez will be the fifth Latina in the state Senate, which had zero Latinas before the November 2018 victories by Susan Rubio of Baldwin Park, Maria Elena Durazo of Los Angeles, Ana Caballero of Salinas and Melissa Hurtado of Sanger. All are Democrats. McGinty said it's important that Gonzalez, 38 years old and a mother of three, will be an additional voice for equal pay and other issues of particular interest to women. Gonzalez replaces Democrat Ricardo Lara, who had two years left in his Senate term when he was elected California Insurance Commissioner last November. Thinking about the rapid rise of Hispanic women in the state capitol gave her "chills," Gonzalez said in a phone interview Wednesday. "In the state of California, we're always the lowest on the totem pole when it comes to pay equity (and) work conditions. It's great to have the representation in Sacramento," Gonzalez said, promising to run "a very pro-woman agenda" and help to elect more women to local and state offices. The win by Gonzalez, in the district that covers most of Long Beach and smaller cities along the 710 Freeway, is meaningful because it solidifies Democrats' two-thirds supermajority in the California Legislature and because it continues the upward trend for women there, said Justin Levitt, a political science professor at Cal State Long Beach. Levitt said the growing role of women   especially Latinas   in state politics is an upshot of a "systematic" effort by Democrats to increase their numbers on city councils and school boards. Gonzalez is in her second term representing the 1st District on the Long Beach City Council. The city is expected to hold a special election in November to replace her, but hasn't announced details. She said she planned to travel to Sacramento Thursday and Friday for training on ethics and such niceties as how to cast votes on the Senate floor. Joining the Senate in mid-term, she won't be able to introduce her own legislation for a few months. Gonzalez's first major vote could be on the state budget; the deadline for passage is June 15. In the current Senate, she will be the only member with a tech-industry background, and she looks forward to joining the Legislature's Technology and Innovation Caucus, Gonzalez said. She'll also be in the Latino Caucus, which is being jokingly referred to as the "Latina Caucus" because it's mostly women. Guerrero, the Cudahy city councilman whom Gonzalez defeated Tuesday, sounded less interested in discussing the rise of women in Sacramento. "Diversity is a nice feature of the Legislature to the extent that it reflects the broader population, but what matters most is the interests of the people of California," Guerrero said in a phone interview Wednesday. Blaming his defeat on Gonzalez's edge in fundraising, Guerrero said he's afraid the result means "the status quo gets to be perpetuated a little longer" in a state he says faces a fiscal crisis. Analysts expected the Democrat's victory in a district where voter registration ran 54.7% Democratic and 11.5% Republican. But Guerrero said his percentage of the vote "exceeded expectations." He concluded: "That means the message is starting to get out there." The 45-year-old, who lost races for Assembly in 2012 and state treasurer in 2018, didn't rule out future runs for office. L.A. County election officials have counted 38,178 votes. That's 8.8% of registered voters in the 33rd Senate District. The turnout percentage will rise as more mail-in and provisional ballots are counted. The county is scheduled to certify the results June 14. With her victory not in doubt, Gonzalez said she expects to be sworn into office June 12 or 13.


Joe Biden revealed Monday that his campaign may have raised nearly $20 million since the former vice president entered the 2020 race - a figure that would surpass the amount raised by any of the Democratic presidential candidates in the first fundraising quarter. Biden told attendees at a New York City fundraiser Monday evening that 360,000 donors have given to his campaign with an average contribution of $55, which would total $19.8 million. Biden told his supporters they have "allowed me to be able to compete in a way that I've never been able to before. We've raised a great deal of money." The Biden campaign declined to comment further on his fundraising numbers. The campaign had previously revealed the former vice president raised $6.3 million in his first 24 hours as a presidential candidate. If accurate, Biden's fundraising haul since he entered the race in April would put him ahead of the amounts raised by his Democratic opponents during the first fundraising quarter. Bernie Sanders led the field with $18.2 million in the first 41 days of his campaign. He was followed by Kamala Harris at $12 million , Beto O'Rourke at $9.4 million and Pete Buttigieg at $7.1 million. With the second fundraising quarter wrapping up at the end of June, Biden has devoted a substantial amount of time to fundraising since he entered the race. As of Monday night, he has held 17 fundraisers across the country with three more slated in New York on Tuesday and a West Coast swing planned at the end of the month. Buttigieg is also expected to announce a successful second-quarter fundraising haul. A host of top Buttigieg donors who have been in regular contact with the campaign tell CNN that they expect the mayor to raise more than $15 million in the second quarter.


Cam Talbot says last year was an outlier in his career and that he's looking forward to having a stout defense in front of him this season in Calgary. All it took was a few-hour drive down the road ( and a one-year contract worth $2.75 million ), away from the Edmonton Oilers and a season where he only started 29 games (winning just 10 of them) and had a career-worst .893 save percentage. It's a far cry from the 42 wins he put up in 73 starts two seasons prior. Then, the Oilers, as a whole, were a good team. This past season they were anything but. Talbot lost his starting job to Mikko Koskinen and the Oilers gave the Finn a big money deal based on not a whole lot. As such, Talbot was traded at the deadline to the Philadelphia Flyers. Behind Carter Hart , Talbot barely played and was just as ineffective when he did. "Last year was an outlier in my career," Talbot said on Saturday after being introduced to the media. "Just take everything in stride. Any time you have a season like that, it puts things in perspective. Things aren't always going to go your way. It's how you can battle back and make yourself better in the long-run." Talbot said he has to come in refreshed and let last year slide. "Have a short-term memory," he said. "I think it's easier said than done sometimes. I just want to come in here and prove that I still have a lot of hockey left in me." He'll get to do so under Bill Peters, who coached Talbot at the World Hockey Championships. Talbot said he feels comfortable in the system, one that is defense-first and includes the reigning Norris winner in Mark Giordano . "It's exciting for myself," Talbot said. "It's a very deep team." [ ProHockeyTalk's 2019 NHL free agency tracker ] David Rittich is the started in Calgary, but he split time with the outgoing Mike Smith (ironically, he's gone to Edmonton) last season and Smith took the crease for the playoffs. Still, Talbot realizes he's 1(b), if not the backup heading into next season. "He's a good, young goaltender… took his game to another level last year, had a heck of a season," Talbot said. "I'm just coming in here trying to compete and pushing each other to be better." Flames general manager Brad Treliving said the expectations for Talbot are rather simple. "Come in an stop the puck," he said .   Scott Billeck is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @scottbilleck.


If you love live music, there's no time like the present when it comes to getting out and about in Minneapolis. From a video viewing party to a bluegrass band, here are the local shows worth checking out this week. Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 7AE "Nervous" Video Viewing Party From the event description: Minnesota, we're headed your way to show you the first showing of 7AE's new video for "Nervous." You know we had to do something special for this one! Come see the official video July 19. When: Friday, July 19, 6-9 p.m. Where: H. White Men's Room, 1500 N. 44th Ave. Price: Free Click here for more details, and to get your tickets White Water Ramble and Feed The Dog From the event description: White Water Ramble and Feed The Dog come to The Cabooze in Minneapolis, July 20! WhiteWater Ramble is High Octane Rocky Mountain Dance-Grass - One of Denver Westwords 10 best Colorado Bluegrass Bands. When: Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m.-midnight Where: The Cabooze, 917 Cedar Ave. South Price: $12 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets La Misa Negra and Dos Santos From the event description: Oakland-based La Misa Negra and Chicago-based Dos Santos both create cutting edge music reflecting their Afro-Latinx roots and surrounding local communities. Fusing cumbia influences with psychedelic, Latin jazz, and punk threads, both bands' hard rock stage energy will have you moving your feet and your body to the groove. When: Friday, July 19, 8 p.m. Where: The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. South Price: $9 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets Freaque with Lena Elizabeth, Charles Rodreick, and Danny Akah From the event description: The musical project of Gabriel Rodreick after his spinal cord injury, Freaque is a story of triumph and defiance against a society that tells us we are not enough. Lena Elizabeth will share her gritty blues voice and baritone ukulele and Charles Rodreick and Danny Akah will open with a few songs. When: Saturday, July 20, 8 p.m. Where: The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. South Price: $6 Click here for more details, and to get your tickets This story was created automatically using local event data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Jazz have made it official, announcing in a press release that they've signed Bojan Bogdanovic. The Jazz agreed to a four-year, $73 million deal with Bogdanovic on June 30. Bogdanovic scored a career-high 18 points per game last season with Indiana, also holding career-best shooting marks of 49.7% from the field and 42.5% from 3-point range. The Jazz have agreed to trade veteran forward Derrick Favors   who has a $17.65 million non-guaranteed salary   to New Orleans to clear space for the incoming forward. Utah plans to add Bogdanovic, a talented offensive option on the wing, to a roster that already includes the likes of Mike Conley , Donovan Mitchell , Joe Ingles and Rudy Gobert . In addition to Bogdanovic, the Jazz also agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with free agent forward Ed Davis . As for the Pacers, they pivoted away from Bogdanovic   and many of their other free agents   by agreeing to acquire T.J. Warren , Malcolm Brogdon , and Jeremy Lamb .


(Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Thursday it had completed a software update for its 737 MAX jets, which have been grounded worldwide since March after they were involved in two fatal crashes. The airplane manufacturer said it was providing additional information to address requests from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that includes details on how pilots interact with controls and displays in different flight scenarios. Once the requests are addressed, Boeing will work with the FAA to schedule its certification test flight and submit final certification documentation, the company said. The FAA is planning a meeting on May 23 in Fort Worth, Texas, with air regulators from around the world to update them on reviews of Boeing's software fix and new pilot training. The aviation regulator said Boeing had not yet submitted its final software package to the agency for approval. On Wednesday, acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell said he expected Boeing to make its formal submission for its software update in the next week or so. The 737 MAX was grounded following a fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed all 157 on board just five months after a similar crash of a Lion Air flight killed 189 people. The company hopes the software upgrade and associated pilot training will add layers of protection to prevent erroneous data from triggering a system called MCAS, which activated in both crashes. Boeing said it has completed associated simulator testing and its engineering test flight and developed training and education materials that are now being reviewed by the FAA, global regulators and airline customers so that the jets can be returned to service. To date, Boeing has flown the 737 MAX with updated software, for more than 360 hours on 207 flights, the company said https://boeing.mediaroom.com/news-releases-statements?item=130434. Boeing shares rose 2.4% to $354.33. (Reporting by Tamara Mathias in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)


• Blues defenseman Vince Dunn was injured midway through the first period when he was struck in the mouth by the puck and he couldn't return . • San Jose had a 2-0 lead through 20 minutes and later led by 3-1, but the Blues rallied to a 4-3 lead that they took into the third period. • The Sharks battled back to tie it with just 1:01 remaining in regulation time then Erik Karlsson scored the game-winner due to a missed call. San Jose Sharks 5, St. Louis Blues 4 (OT) (Sharks lead 2-1) While the game was ultimately defined by a controversial goal, this was otherwise an excellent, back-and-forth contest. The Sharks took an early 2-0 lead thanks to Erik Karlsson's first goal of the 2019 playoffs and Joe Thornton taking advantage of a rebound. That early deficit, coupled with Vince Dunn leaving the game after being struck by the puck made it entirely possible that this could have been a blowout win for the Sharks. Instead, the Blues battled back. They scored four goals in the second period, including back-to-back markers by David Perron in the span of just 2:39 minutes to give St. Louis a 4-3 lead. The Blues came so close to carrying that lead to the finish line and almost won the contest on an empty netter that instead hit the post. With just 1:01 remaining, Logan Couture capitalized on a rebound in front of the net to tie the game. Erik Karlsson went on to score the overtime winner at 5:23, but not before Timo Meier made a hand pass that was missed by the referees. Three Stars 1. Erik Karlsson, San Jose Sharks. So Karlsson's second goal was obviously marred in controversy, but that doesn't change the fact that he had an amazing game. He still scored twice while logging an incredible 27:51 minutes. The Sharks acquired Karlsson before the start of the season in the hopes that he might be the missing piece needed to push them to a championship. He's had to battle injury and probably is playing hurt now, but he's still managed to be a major factor. 2. David Perron, St. Louis Blues. The second period started with a flurry of goals that left the Blues down 3-2. The game settled for a while after that until Perron got a wrister up and past Martin Jones at 16:03 of the second frame. With the contest tied, Perron blasted a shot just 2:39 minutes later to put the Blues up 4-3. 3. Colton Parayko , St. Louis Blues. With Vince Dunn out from the middle of the first period onward, the rest of the Blues' defensemen had to step up. Not only did Parayko log 29:49 minutes, but he also contributed three assists. That came after he was held off the scoresheet in the first two games of the Western Conference Final. Highlights of the Night Joe Thornton had a great game and both of his goals were in part thanks to him being in the right place at the right time. That's not to suggest that they weren't high-skill goals though. Thornton did an amazing job both creating opportunities and capitalizing on them, as you can see with his second goal of the game. The missed call Of course, this is the moment most will remember from the game. Erik Karlsson scored after Timo Meier made a hand pass. It was a missed call, but it couldn't be reviewed, so that was the game. Needless to say that the Blues and their fans were understandably very upset. That said, Blues coach Craig Berube declined to comment on the issue after the game. Here is @StLouisBlues ' Craig Berube's response to the end of #SJSvsSTL . pic.twitter.com/1dx3ds5X2O   #StanleyCup on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 16, 2019 Factoids Logan Couture already has 14 goals in 17 games. His latest marker tied the Sharks' franchise record for most goals in a single postseason. [ NHL PR ] With Erik Karlsson's two-goal effort, the Sharks now have three different defensemen who have had multi-goal games in the 2019 playoffs. The only other team to match that feat were the 1982-83 Boston Bruins. [ StatsCentre ] Due to Dunn's injury, St. Louis had three different defensemen record at least 27 minutes of ice time. They were: Jay Bouwmeester (27:51), Colton Parayko (29:49), and Alex Pietrangelo (31:57). The Blues scored their most goals in a single playoff period (four) since the 2000 Conference Quarterfinals. [ NHL PR ] Thursday's Schedule Game 3: Boston Bruins at Carolina Hurricanes, 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN   Ryan Dadoun is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @RyanDadoun .


The offensive line is the most overlooked group in football although stellar play at the line of scrimmage can lead to some explosive gains both passing and rushing. The value of a quality offensive line cannot be understated. With how booming the passing game has been in recent years, protecting the quarterback remains a football team's biggest priority. Finding ways to measure the effectiveness of an offensive line can be a difficult task for football fans. The nuances of playing the position are often highlighted by watching game film, and learning the technical aspects, the things you don't see on the television. It is impossible for fans to see the full contributions of an offensive line by glancing at the stat-sheet. But all is not lost, as it turns out, there are metrics that can help identify good offensive line play across the NFL. According to these numbers, all signs are pointing upward for the Dallas Cowboys' offensive line. The Cowboys have long been at the mountain top with their offensive line personnel. All-Pro players like Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick have shouldered the load, but over the past season the state of the team's most dominant position group has been in flux due to injuries to all three. Finding metrics that measure offensive line efficiency Throughout the 2018 season, ESPN relied on their own Pass Block Win Rate metric . Thanks to player tracking data from Next Gen Stats, ESPN was able to test how well an offensive line blocked within a span of 2.5 seconds (the average time for a quarterback to throw the football). The player tracking data reveals that there is a correlation between Pass Block Win Rate and win percentage. Ultimately, the teams that were the best in terms of PBWR were also Super Bowl contenders. In particular the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots were ranked No.1 (62%) and No. 4 (59%) respectively. The Cowboys were ranked No. 12 with a PBWR of 51%, an impressive feat considering all they had to endure. Without their leading man at center the team still managed to surprise with their pass blocking. When taking PBWR into account the Cowboys' NFC East leading 10-6 record in 2018 makes a lot of sense. Gauging a team's pass blocking capabilities with player tracking data is one way to measure offensive line efficiency. Another way is by looking at Pro Football Focus' player grades. PFF's offensive line grades are a lens to analyze offensive line play. In 2018 the Cowboys received a pass block grade of 75.5 which is considered above average, and had a run block grade of 59.6 which is considered average. According to PFF, Smith and Martin were some of the highest rated players at their positions. Smith received a grade of 78.9, ranking No. 10 among offensive tackles. Martin received the second-highest grade among guards (80.5) trailing only Shaq Mason of the Patriots. Despite some quality play from their brightest stars the Cowboys' offensive line were no longer the juggernaut they used to be. The absence of Frederick might have played a major role in the team's dip in play, as well as the revolving door at left guard between not-strong-enough Connor Williams and not-good-enough Xavier Su'a-Filo. How good is Frederick? To put things into perspective, he has finished in the top-10 among centers in pass-blocking efficiency in four out of his five years in the NFL. The last sack that he surrendered was back in Week 9 of the 2014 season. Frederick's interior blocking prowess was sorely missed, according to PFF, Dak Prescott was pressured on 108 dropbacks in 2018 (with only seven teams garnering a worse mark). In Frederick's stead, backup center Joe Looney performed admirably, but there is just no substitute for arguably the best center in the league. Closing Thoughts AP Photo/Ron Jenkins The bottom line is simple. The Cowboys are a favorable offensive line when taking metrics such as ESPN's Pass Block Win Rate or PFF's team and player grades into account. The team has since reloaded over the off-season, selecting the versatile Connor McGovern out of Penn State, who can play both tackle and guard positions. And after a full year of NFL experience (and an offseason of severe weight training) under his belt Williams looks to take the next step in his game. With La'el Collins' future with the team in question, Williams could become a worthy successor. All things considered, the youth on the Cowboys' offensive line is promising, and players like Smith and Martin will always be a force. The biggest factor in the team's future might ride on the availability of Frederick. He has made it apparent that he is very close to being his former self. If he can pick up where he left off, then the Cowboys' offense could take a major step forward. MORE: Most bizarre and incredible catches by fishermen in past decade Packers rookie CB Ka'dar Hollman impressing early with press coverage Report: Celtics don't want to keep all of their first-round picks Watch as judge declares mistrial on remaining 8 charges against Kellen Winslow Jr. 2019 aggregate mock draft 9.0: First look after withdrawal deadline


In the heat of the build-up for 2019 NBA free agency, a report surfaced indicating the Oklahoma City Thunder broadcast would look a little different in 2019-20. Thunder fans had already lost Fox Sports reporter and host Lesley McCaslin and were about to lose "ThunderLive!" analyst Antonio Daniels to the New Orleans Pelicans broadcast. The former Seattle Supersonic took to Twitter on Thursday to thank Thunder fans for their support: I was truly blessed and honored to be a part of Thunder Live for the past 4 seasons. I can't thank the OKC fan base enough for allowing me to be me and for your continued support and encouragement. The amount of love over the past few days has been overwhelming and appreciated. After that, Daniels confirmed he was, in fact, leaving for New Orleans: My time in OKC has come to an end. I am SO excited and looking forward to the next chapter in New Orleans as a member of their broadcast team. After thanking his colleagues who cover Oklahoma City, he thanked the fans once more as part of his goodbye: @royceyoung @BDawsonWrites @ErikHorneOK @maddie_m_lee @FredKatz @AndrewKSchlecht @GabeIkard @FranchiseOK @FOXSportsOK @okcthunder and the OKC fans. From the bottom of my ❤ THANK YOU it was my honor to work alongside and with you all. God Bless - Antonio Daniels (@adaniels33) June 27, 2019 MORE: LeBron James fans who bought No. 23 Lakers jerseys are now being mocked NBA trade rumor rankings: The latest on Bradley Beal Past Packers draft picks entering training camp on the roster bubble Kemba Walker Reportedly Set To Join Boston Celtics News: Taco doesn't want recognition while Cooper, Elliott want smoke


Man shot while delivering newspapers.


When your dad is David Frankel, an Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning director, it's got to be tough to make a name for yourself. Jake Beber-Frankel appears to be well on his way to doing just that, but it's not the movie business he's chosen as his path. The 17-year-old from Miami chose golf, and it's already looking like the right decision. Beber-Frankel, who sports a look straight out of Troy Polamalu's playbook , flirted with 59 on Wednesday at the 44th Boys Junior PGA Championship, which is being played at Keney Park Golf Course in Hartford, Conn. After reaching nine under par with a birdie on the par-3 sixth hole, his 15th, Beber-Frankel needed two birdies on his final three holes for a sub-60 round (Keney Park is a par 70). He got one on the eighth hole, but had to settle for par on his final hole, the par-4 ninth, giving him a 10-under 60. The remarkable round set a number of records, including the Keney Park course record, which he eclipsed by two strokes. It was also the lowest second-round score in the championship's history and, perhaps most impressive of all, it is also the lowest score in the championship's history. That record was previously held by Akshay Bhatia, who shot a 61 at the Country Club of St. Albans, outside St. Louis, in 2017. Bhatia, who will turn pro this fall at the Safeway Open, still holds the record in relation to par because his 61 came on a par 72. Though Beber-Frankel has not received near the fanfare of Bhatia, he could be on a similar path as the left-hander, at least based on his play this week. After shooting a three-under 67 with a double bogey and a bogey in his opening round, Beber-Frankel, who'll be a senior in high school this fall, made four birdies in his first five holes on Wednesday. "I knew right then that it could be a good day," he said. He was able to add only one more birdie on the final four holes of his opening nine, giving him a five-under 30. But once he made back-to-back birdies on Keney Park's first and second holes, which were his 10th and 11th, he knew it was officially on. "I actually thought of a 59 on my 10th or 11th hole," he said. Before Wednesday, his low round was a 63. His 60 put him into second place. He has begun his third round on Thursday, starting with a birdie on the opening hole to get to 14 under and into a tie for first. Beber-Frankel's 36-hole total of 127 puts him position to go after another record held by Bhatia: the tournament 54-hole scoring record of 199. Bhatia's three-round total in 2017 made him the only player in Boys Junior PGA history to break 200. To match Bhatia, all Beber-Frankel needs is a two-over 72, and a one-over 71 will give him the record. Based on the way he began his final round, the Stanford commit seems intent on shattering the record. Beber-Frankel's father, David, directed well-known films such as "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Marley & Me," and has directed episodes of hit HBO series like "Band of Brothers," "Sex in the City" and "Entourage." He won the Academy Award for Best Short Film (Live Action) for his 1997 film "Dear Diary," and he also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special for his work on "Band of Brothers" in 2002.


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. Say what you will about Joe Biden, but you can't accuse him of pessimism. Speaking at a fundraiser on Monday, the former vice president and current Democratic front-runner said that Republicans in Congress will soon be ready to work across the aisle once again. "With Trump gone, you're going to begin to see things change. Because these folks know better. They know this isn't what they're supposed to be doing," Biden said. Yet on Tuesday, barnstorming in Iowa, Biden told audiences that Trump is "an existential threat." These ideas point to the contradiction at the heart of Biden's campaign. On the one hand, Biden is more stridently than most of his Democratic rivals running a campaign against Trump. While some of the other candidates see Trump as merely the apotheosis of long-running trends in American society toward xenophobia, isolationism, plutocracy, and kleptocracy, Biden sees Trump as aberrant. This allows Biden to offer a nostalgic campaign, which, as I have written, is itself an aberration among Democrats historically : Vote for me, and we'll put things back the way they were . [ David A. Graham: One big difference between Biden and every other recent Democratic nominee ] Biden said Monday, "Four years of this president will go down as an aberration … Eight years of Donald Trump will fundamentally change who we are in profound ways." How can it be that Trump poses an existential threat, and if he serves two terms, it would produce a profound shift in American society, but that if he serves only four years, it will be easy to return to the supposed idyll that existed before 2016? The idea beggars belief. There's no question: It's a lot easier to reverse four years of policy than it is to reverse eight years of policy, as the Trump administration has shown. Trump has managed to roll back some of Barack Obama's policies, especially those instituted through executive action during his second term. But the Affordable Care Act has proved very difficult to dislodge, despite a months-long frontal assault that consumed much of Trump's first year in office. But Biden isn't really talking about policy, is he? He's talking about the sense of despair and frustration that seems to suffuse much of the country today a spirit that animated some Trump voters to support him in 2016, and has animated many of those who voted against him ever since. It's different from policy, though it is inextricably related: You don't get family separations at the border without the cruelty-driven worldview of the administration . He's also talking about the way Republican officeholders are behaving, which is another essential ingredient to Trump enacting his agenda. Biden has previously promised that GOP members will have an "epiphany" once Trump is out of office (and, presumably, Biden is in). "This ain't your father's Republican Party," Biden said Monday. If your dad is Biden's father's age, or even Biden's age, that's true. If your father is younger, it probably isn't. As political scientists have shown, both parties have become more ideologically homogeneous and polarized in recent decades, but the Republican Party has become especially polarized . (By some measures, the process started in the late 1970s, just as Biden was finishing his first term in the Senate.) Despite the inexorable process of polarization, Democrats continue to insist that Republicans will embrace bipartisanship any moment now. Seven years ago this month, Biden's old boss told supporters at a rally that everything would work better after the 2012 election: "My expectation is that if we can break this fever, that we can invest in clean energy and energy efficiency because that's not a partisan issue." This didn't happen. The idea that it would be more likely after a Biden victory over Trump is even more far-fetched, given that the process of polarization has continued another seven years, and given the passions that Trump arouses. One needn't accept the deep historical critiques of American society leveled by Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to acknowledge that Republican polarization isn't a Trump-era phenomenon. Trump represents a culmination of the process, rather than a swerve away from it. The Republican Party will not always be the party of Trump, but it will never again be the party of Bob Dole. (Democrats back then denounced Dole as an extremist, too, of course. It's never going to be the party of Howard Baker either.) Meanwhile, Trump has catalyzed the polarization of the Democratic Party as well. This is not to say that the specific actions the president is taking won't have a lasting impact of their own. Even if Trump doesn't win reelection, his actions will reverberate for years to come, though it's difficult to predict which ones will have the greatest influence. Some of the effects are murky: No one knows what the long-term impact of Trump winking at foreign assistance to win elections, discarding conflict-of-interest rules, or knocking down any number of norms will be. Others are more concrete. Alliances that were shaken by the George W. Bush administration and haltingly rebuilt under Obama will be harder to repair after a second rupture. Trump's judicial nominees will shape American jurisprudence for a generation. The conservative media have been remade . Dozens of Republican candidates are running in different proportions on Trump's style and substance. His current aides will populate government for decades to come. (Consider how many alumni of the Reagan administration, so far away from Trump in many respects, work for him: Attorney General Bill Barr, National Security Adviser John Bolton, the Venezuela envoy Elliott Abrams.) If Biden's "existential threat" language sounds familiar, that's because Hillary Clinton mounted a similar argument against Trump in 2016. It was an attempt to meet fire with fire: Trump was campaigning by trying to spread fear, and Clinton offered her own dose of fear in response. Anat Shenker told Molly Ball that Clinton risked merely amplifying Trump's message. Can Biden have more success? Maybe he can: After all, the dangers of a Trump presidency are no longer hypothetical but concrete. That only underscores, however, how impossible a task reclaiming the old "normal" really is.


After a benches-clearing incident in April, there may be some more bad blood between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Eugenio Suárez, leading off the eighth inning at Great American Ball Park, was hit by a pitch on his left hand by Pirates reliever Clay Holmes. Manager David Bell and a trainer checked on Suárez, who walked toward the mound on his way to first base. The benches didn't clear after Suárez and Holmes exchanged some words. BOX SCORE: PIRATES 7, REDS 2 Suárez exited the game as Bell remained on the field to talk to home-plate umpire Cory Blaser. Bell walked toward the dugout once, apparently waiting for pinch-runner Tyler Mahle to enter the game, before returning to his conversation with Blaser. Bell later chatted with crew chief Jeff Nelson, the third-base umpire, and became more visibly upset. When Bell continued to argue after Nelson walked away, he was ejected for the fourth time this season. There was a benches-clearing incident between the Reds and Pirates on April 7. Derek Dietrich hit two home runs that bounced into the Allegheny River and stood in the batter's box for a few seconds to watch the ball's flight. In the at-bat following his first home run, Pirates starter Chris Archer threw a pitch behind Dietrich's butt. The pitch sparked a benches-clearing incident and led to five ejections. Archer received a five-game suspension. Bell (one game) and outfielder Yasiel Puig (two games) were suspended for their actions during the incident. Suárez was hit by a pitch from Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon on April 8, 2018, and fractured his thumb. The injury sent Suárez to the injured list and he missed 16 games. The Reds, who split their four-game series against the Pirates this week, will play Pittsburgh again on July 29-31. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds' David Bell ejected after Eugenio Suárez hit by pitch Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Andy Murray and Serena Williams' mixed doubles dream team came unstuck at Wimbledon on Wednesday when the star pairing were knocked out by the top seeds. The pair lost 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 to Bruno Soares of Brazil and Nicole Melichar of the United States, who progress to the quarter-finals. The third round match was played out on the 4,000-seater Court Two sunken bowl -- a rare appearance outside the Centre Court and Court One big show courts for the likes of multiple former champions Murray and Williams. British home favourite Murray, a former world number one, is easing his way back into tennis via the doubles after undergoing radical hip resurfacing surgery. Related Slideshow: Best of 2019 Wimbledon Championships (Provided by imagn)