Revenge appears to be a factor in why Gerald McCoy took less guaranteed money to sign with the Carolina Panthers. McCoy, a six-time Pro Bowler, was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers late last month. Given his status as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, McCoy had no shortage of suitors for his services . The Baltimore Ravens brought McCoy in for a visit and reportedly offered him a one-year deal. McCoy signed with the Panthers, on a deal that reportedly contained less guaranteed money than Baltimore offered. Being in the same division as the Buccaneers and the opportunity to play against them twice next season appears to be a reason McCoy is now a Panther. McCoy texted me "See you Week 2!!'' You may not hear McCoy say it, but the chance to play Tampa Bay twice…to say nothing of the #Bucs giving away his No. 93 to Ndamukong Suh, may have tipped the scales in the Panthers' favor.   Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) June 3, 2019 NFL Media's Ian Rapoport also says McCoy wanted to stay in the South and wasn't so sure about the cities of Baltimore and Cleveland. McCoy also reportedly liked the vibe from his visit with Carolina. McCoy spent the first nine seasons of his career with Tampa Bay after being selected No. 3 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He still had three years remaining on his contract at the time of his release. The Buccaneers didn't take long to seemingly find McCoy's replacement. Not only did they sign Ndamukong Suh, but Suh took McCoy's old jersey number . It's not hard to see why McCoy might have Sept. 12 and Oct. 13   the days Carolina plays against Tampa Bay   circled on his calendar.


Citywide Nothing beats dessert   and if you're in the mood to indulge in San Francisco, we've found a lineup of places that will excite your appetite. Here are the newest places to check out the next time you're in the mood for some desserts. U :Dessert Story Vintage 2120 Greenwich St., Marina U :Dessert Story Vintage provides desserts inspired by Korean, Japanese, and Thai flavors. On the menu, look for specialties like mango sticky rice bingsu, honey brick cake and chocolate matcha lava cake. There's also bubble tea, coffee and matcha tea on offer. With a 4.5-star rating out of 11 reviews on Yelp, U :Dessert Story Vintage has been getting positive attention. Yelper Melody W., who reviewed the eatery on June 17, wrote , "The decor is absolutely gorgeous, between the flower wall, the chairs, lights, etc. I came with my family and were definitely awed by how beautiful it was." And Yelper Sandy B. wrote , "It's hard to find a place that makes good food and looks good as well. The interior is so pretty and colorful." U :Dessert Story Vintage is open from 9:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. midnight daily. Uji Time Dessert 135 Fourth St., SoMa Uji Time Dessert, which also has locations in Berkeley and the Japantown mall, specializes in Japanese-style soft-serve ice cream in fish-shaped taiyaki cake cones. Flavors include black sesame, matcha and tofu, and there are also ice cream cakes available. With a four-star Yelp rating out of six reviews, Uji Time Dessert is off to a promising start. Yelper Alice W., who visited the shop on June 11, wrote , "For a little more than $8 (post tax), you can get a taiyaki with filling and two toppings. ... Overall, solid black sesame flavor (and the matcha I've had before was also good)." And Yelper Christina R. wrote , "I got a sampling of all the flavors they had available ... The black sesame and the tofu were great." Uji Time Dessert is open from 10:30 a.m. 8:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10:30 a.m. 9:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. ONE65 Patisserie & Boutique 165 O'Farrell St., Union Square ONE65 Patisserie & Boutique is a patisserie/cake shop. Part of the multi-level ONE65 dining complex, it's now serving up French pastries, breads, ice cream and chocolates. There is also coffee and wine on tap. Yelpers are generally positive about ONE65 Patisserie & Boutique, which currently holds four stars out of 39 reviews on the site. Andrew S. noted , "After a great but slow dining experience at the ONE65 Bistro, my friend and I decided that we should just pay a visit to the patisserie for dessert. The offerings here are impressive   they have truffles, macaroons, pastries, cakes, ice cream, fruit jellies and coffee/tea." And Yelper Anthony W. wrote , "One thing is certain, they don't skimp on the butter. I will certainly be returning to try their Bailey's mousse, [which] looks quite interesting." ONE65 Patisserie & Boutique is open from 7:30 a.m. 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8:30 a.m. 6 p.m. on Sunday. Teazzert 880 Geneva Ave., Outer Mission Teazzert is a spot to score desserts, coffee, tea and bubble tea. The business, which moved to the neighborhood from its original location in Alameda, states on its website that it serves Five Mountains organic teas, coffee made with Barefoot Coffee Roasters beans and fruit smoothies.For snacks, visitors can enjoy cookies, macaroons or waffles stuffed with ice cream. Teazzert currently holds four stars out of 11 reviews on Yelp, indicating good reviews. Yelper Tha C. wrote , "I was walking to get some pho and stopped by at Teazzert and so happy I did. Man, do they have the best waffles and cookies and cream sandwich ever!" Teazzert is open from 11 a.m. 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m. 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 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.


SAN ANTONIO   The San Antonio Spurs have refused to pay attention to the standings or any other team over the past month and a half, instead focusing on their own game. The rest of the Western Conference better be paying attention to the surging Spurs. Tim Duncan had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Spurs to their 11th straight victory, 107-91 over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. BOX SCORE: SPURS 107, SUNS 91 San Antonio moved into second place in the Western Conference and took a half-game lead over idle Memphis in the Southwest Division. "We are just going to play the games," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "Wherever we end up, that's what we'll do. We can only control our game." And that has resulted in the defending champions winning 21 of 24 games to vault up the standings. The Spurs, who appeared in danger of missing the playoffs after going 4-5 on their annual Rodeo Road Trip in February, are primed to host a first-round series. "I had a headache last night trying to figure out who I wanted to win or lose, or what I want the outcome of the game to be," Duncan said. "I actually sent a message to Tony (Parker) to try to figure it out, because he always knows. So, we're just going to try to win our games and whatever comes out of it comes out of it." Kawhi Leonard had 18 points and nine rebounds, Marco Belinelli added 13 points and Tony Parker had 10 points and five assists to help San Antonio improve to 55-26. Gerald Green had 23 points and Eric Bledsoe added 20 points and 10 assists for Phoenix, which was limited to eight players. Eliminated from playoff contention Wednesday night, the Suns have lost four straight and nine of 10 to drop to 39-42. "We just play hard," Bledsoe said. "That's the least we can do these last couple of games, come out and play hard and try to give teams a fight." The Spurs struggled against the short-handed Suns, failing to make a basket for 4:20 bridging the first and second quarters. They never relinquished their lead, however, and responded by going on a 15-6 run in taking a 38-24 lead midway through the second quarter. Duncan, who turns 39 on April 25, helped spark San Antonio by diving into the stands for a loose ball in the first half. "(Duncan getting injured) was not a concern, it was just admiration," Spurs guard Manu Ginobili said. "Just the fact that after the tough week we had, you know he worked a lot this week. Starting the game and doing those types of things really helps to get us all going." Duncan is ready for the playoffs. "He always seems to get excited this time of year," Popovich said. "He is steady all year long and then raises it to even another level when this time of year comes. It's remarkable on his part." RIFLING THE RIFLEMAN Spurs guard Danny Green had three 3-pointers, setting a franchise record for most 3-pointers in a season at 191. "The Rifleman," Chuck Person, held the previous record with 190 in 1996. Green finished with 12 points while shooting 3 for 6 on 3-pointers. "Both unbelievably great shooters in their time," Duncan said. "Danny is really coming into his own now. He is comfortable in his role and what he has to do and what he is allowed to do." INCOMPLETE ROSTER The Suns were assessed a technical foul at the start of the second quarter because G Jerel McNeal was not listed on their active roster. McNeal, who was signed for the remainder of the season Saturday after completing a 10-day contract, entered the game with 2:24 remaining in the first quarter in place of Bledsoe. He played the remainder of the period before the error was caught prior to the start of the second quarter. Because McNeal wasn't listed on the roster, the statisticians initially listed Knight as the player who entered the game but later gave McNeal credit. McNeal missed his only field goal attempt. TIP-INS Suns: Phoenix G Brandon Knight (left ankle sprain), G Reggie Bullock (concussion) and G Marcus Thornton (left ankle) missed the game. ... The Suns lost their final six road games to finish the season 17-24 away from home. ... Phoenix is 10-16 since trading point guards Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic on Feb. 19. Spurs: San Antonio C Tiago Splitter (tightness, right calf) missed his fifth straight game, but his absence was precautionary. Popovich said Splitter "probably would play" if Sunday was a playoff game. ... ... F/C Matt Bonner (tightness, right calf) missed his fourth game of the season due to injury. UP NEXT Suns: Host Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night. Spurs: Visit New Orleans on Wednesday night.


TOKYO   Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, appeared in a Japanese courtroom Thursday for a hearing ahead of his trial on accusations of financial misconduct. It was the first of a series of hearings to iron out logistics for Ghosn's actual trial. The trial date has not been set, and experts say it could be months away. Ghosn, who led the Japanese automaker for two decades, was arrested in November and charged with underreporting his income and breach of trust. He was released on bail in March, rearrested in April on fresh accusations and then released again on bail on April 25. Ghosn insists he is innocent and says he was targeted in a "conspiracy" by others at Nissan Motor Co. Nissan, which is allied with Renault SA of France, has seen profits nose-dive amid the fallout from Ghosn's arrest. Ghosn has hired a strong legal team as he fights to clear his name. One of his top lawyers, Junichiro Hironaka, was seen walking into the courtroom Thursday with Ghosn. One of the conditions of Ghosn's release on bail is that he is forbidden to contact his wife. Prosecutors say that's to prevent evidence tampering. Ghosn's lawyers challenged that restriction, saying it is a violation of human rights, but the Supreme Court rejected their appeal Tuesday. The lawyers can appeal again to have the restriction removed. In a briefing Thursday, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Shin Kukimoto welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. "For married people to be together is important, but I feel there was enough reason for the Supreme Court to support us in this restriction," he said. Kukimoto declined comment on the hearing, which was closed to reporters and the public. Kukimoto also said the maximum penalty upon conviction of all 15 counts of the charges Ghosn is facing is 15 years in prison and a fine of 150 million yen ($1.4 million). ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en


According to rental site Zumper , median rents for a one-bedroom in Atlanta are hovering around $1,495. But how does the low-end pricing on an Atlanta rental look these days   and what might you get for the price? We took a look at local listings for studios and one-bedroom apartments from Zumper and Apartment Guide to find out what price-conscious apartment seekers can expect to find. Take a look at the cheapest listings available right now, below. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. Plaza Lane SW Listed at $540/month, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom address, located at Plaza Lane SW in Campbellton Road, is 63.9% less than the median rent for a one bedroom in Atlanta, which is currently estimated at around $1,495/month. The building offers on-site laundry. In the unit, which comes furnished, you can expect central heating and air conditioning. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. Per Walk Score ratings, this location is car-dependent, is somewhat bikeable and has some transit options. (See the complete listing here .) 64 Willis Mill Road SW Then there's this 500-square-foot apartment with one bedroom and one bathroom at 64 Willis Mill Road SW in Florida Heights, listed at $725/month. The apartment has hardwood flooring and in-unit laundry. Neither cats nor dogs are allowed. Secured entry is listed as a building amenity. Be prepared for a $75.00 application fee. According to Walk Score, the area around this address is somewhat walkable, is bikeable and is a haven for transit riders. (See the listing here .) 1093 West Ave. SW Next up is this 549-square-foot studio apartment, located at 1093 West Ave. SW in Pittsburgh and listed for $850/month. Building amenities include on-site laundry and a fitness center. You can also expect hardwood flooring and vaulted ceilings in the studio. Good news for animal lovers: Both dogs and cats are welcome here. Expect a $250 pet fee. According to Walk Score's assessment, this location is somewhat walkable, is relatively bikeable and has some transit options. (Here's the listing .) 1751 Marietta Road NW Over at 1751 Marietta Road NW in Hills Park, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom rental, going for $950/month. When it comes to building amenities, expect additional storage space and on-site laundry. Pets are not allowed. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. Walk Score indicates that this location requires a car for most errands, isn't particularly bikeable and has some transit options. (View the listing here .) This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The embattled National Rifle Association reported some good news to its supporters earlier this year: Revenue from membership dues jumped 33% last year to $170 million. But that picture -- outlined in its 2018 annual report circulated to supporters and analyzed by Bloomberg News -- may not be as rosy as those numbers suggest, as factors other than growing member rolls may have contributed to the revenue increase. For one thing, the NRA increased annual dues twice in two years. The group also booked much of the revenue from multiyear memberships in the first year, according to financial statements. Such an accounting tactic is permissible, but it leaves open the possibility that receipts could fall if multiyear membership numbers don't keep pace. "The NRA is increasingly reliant on selling long-term memberships" and counting much of the revenue the first year, said Brian Mittendorf , an Ohio State University accounting professor who has looked closely at the NRA's finances. "A very conservative approach with a five-year membership would be to record one-fifth in the current year and defer the rest." An NRA spokesman, Andrew Arulanandam, said it was more effective to secure long-term memberships than to pursue renewals year after year. "Simultaneously, longer-term commitments also provide the member with significant savings over annual renewals," he said. Arulanandam didn't respond to detailed queries about the NRA's membership and accounting practices. The annual report covers the NRA and its affiliates, providing a snapshot of the group's health in 2018. That was before a spate of ugly battles among its leadership prompted anti-NRA vitriol and boycotts by once-loyal pro-gun blogs. Internal Turmoil On Monday, an influential Second Amendment supporter called on members to "de-fund" the gun-rights group by contributing the minimum possible to maintain their voting rights until the NRA replaces Wayne LaPierre, its top official. "NRA members should be expressing themselves in the only way left that's sure to get management's attention -- by starving it of cash," Dan Zimmerman, managing editor of The Truth About Guns , wrote. Wayne LaPierre The internal battles spilled into public view in recent months with the departure of the NRA's unpaid president, Oliver North, and its chief lobbyist, Chris Cox, after the group accused them of plotting to remove LaPierre. The NRA's marketing firm for nearly four decades, Ackerman McQueen Inc., cut ties after LaPierre accused it of breach of contract. Meanwhile, litigation costs are mounting. The NRA is the subject of an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James into its finances, and the group claims in a lawsuit that the state illegally discouraged banks and insurers from doing business with it. The NRA is also suing North and Ackerman McQueen. The firm, which produced the now-defunct NRATV, has countersued. Bills related to the New York investigation and other legal matters were running $2.9 million a month, North wrote in April in a leaked internal memo . The NRA also continues to spend more money than it takes in. Last year, expenses for the gun-rights group and its affiliates exceeded revenue by $11 million, following a $1 million deficit in 2017, according to the annual report. The NRA's long-formidable political power also faces challenges. After spending an unparalleled $30 million to support Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, the NRA is entering the 2020 election cycle without the marketing or lobbying power that made it such an effective force for Trump in 2016. Under Threat The NRA has implored its members to come to its aid by warning that the Second Amendment and their way of life are under threat, even as it has played down its financial troubles. "On August 1, 2018, NRA membership dues will increase for only the second time in more than 20 years," the group said in a membership letter last year. Without the higher dues, the NRA warned, it wouldn't be able to compete in the fall election "where not only our Second Amendment rights but every freedom we cherish is at stake." It didn't mention that the August dues increase would be the second in as many years. All told, the increases, to $45, have pushed up the cost of a one-year NRA membership by 28% since early 2016. The NRA doesn't officially disclose its membership, though LaPierre said in April 2018 that it had reached a record of close to 6 million. For outsiders, it's difficult to translate the NRA's reported membership revenue directly into membership rolls because the group offers various packages. In addition to a one-year membership, there are discounted two-, three- and five-year packages. A lifetime membership costs $1,500. While accounting rules urge for-profit businesses to book revenues only at the time they provide a good or service in return, nonprofits have more latitude with contributions, Mittendorf said. He noted that the NRA has received a clean bill of health from its auditor, RSM US LLP. This isn't the first time that the NRA has front-loaded its revenue. In 2007, it started counting the revenue for multiyear memberships in the first year, minus the cost of providing benefits, like its magazines. As a result, 2007 dues revenue jumped to $229 million from $72 million the year before, according to a financial statement filed with the New York attorney general's office. Doubling Down The NRA has been accounting for its long-term memberships in the same way ever since, its financial statements from the later years show. Last year, deferred revenue -- which includes money to send out magazines in the future -- increased nearly 50% to $47 million. The fact that deferred revenue is growing faster than member dues suggests that long-term memberships may be playing a growing role, Mittendorf said. Rylance Lord, a retired pharmacist in Springfield, Ohio, joined the NRA three years ago because he supports its mission and political candidates. But after receiving repeated calls from NRA solicitors pushing him to extend his one-year membership, he'd had enough. "I was annoyed that they wanted to add on years," said Lord, 76. "I told them I'm not into the hard sell, so please don't call me. When they persisted, I said 'I'm not going to do this. Please take my name off your list.'" Ultimately, Lord canceled his membership.


OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Russell Westbrook picked up right where he left off at the All-Star Game. In his first outing since being voted All-Star Game MVP, Westbrook had 34 points and 10 assists to help the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the Dallas Mavericks 104-89 on Thursday night. BOX SCORE: THUNDER 104, MAVERICKS 89 "Just trying to find my spots, just trying to find a way to be aggressive at all times, in attack mode." he said. "Keep putting pressure on the defense. That's my job." Serge Ibaka had 21 points and a career-high 22 rebounds and reserve guard Anthony Morrow added 16 points for the Thunder, who won for the sixth time in seven games. They moved into a tie with Phoenix for eighth place in the Western Conference. "We can't look at the standings after every win, after every loss," Thunder forward Kevin Durant said. "We've just got to keep playing. We've got 28 games left. We've just got to focus on those. Just continue to trust in the process and everything will be all right." The Thunder rolled despite getting just 12 points from Durant in 37 minutes. He continues to have pain in the right foot he injured earlier in the season. "It's tough, but I'll figure it out," he said. "I've just got to get through it, just keep getting treatment. Talk to the trainers tomorrow and see what we can do to make it better. We'll see." Dirk Nowitzki had 14 points and Tyson Chandler added 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, who shot a season-low 36.3 percent from the field. Dallas point guard Rajon Rondo returned after missing six games with broken bones in his face. He finished with five points and six assists in 30 minutes. Oklahoma City outrebounded Dallas 62-39. "I feel like for us, we've got to walk away with games feeling good about them, win or loss, and I don't feel good about this loss," Chandler said. The Thunder remained focused after a whirlwind day of trades. They sent talented backup point guard Reggie Jackson to Detroit and acquired Utah center Enes Kanter, among other moves. Morrow's long 2-pointer from the left corner as time expired in the first half gave the Thunder a 52-36 lead. He scored 14 points in the first half and made 6 of 11 shots. Oklahoma City held Dallas to 29 percent shooting before the break and forced 13 turnovers. Dallas barely avoided its lowest-scoring half of the season. Westbrook had 26 points and nine assists by the end of the third quarter to help the Thunder take an 83-65 lead. Dallas closed the gap to 10 on a 3-pointer by Al Farouq-Aminu early in the fourth quarter, but the Mavericks never got closer. "We started arguing a little bit too much with ourselves instead of just playing and competing," Nowitzki said. "Coming out of the break, sometimes, it's tough. I just felt like we were just sloppy." TIP-INS Mavericks: Newly acquired F Amare Stoudemire did not play. The team said he likely won't play until Sunday. ... Chandler returned after missing the last game before the break with a left ankle injury. ... Dallas matched a season-low for a second quarter with 17 points. Thunder: The team was short at the center position. Steven Adams did not play because of an injured right hand, and Kendrick Perkins was traded earlier in the day. Nick Collison started and finished with two points and nine rebounds. ... Andre Roberson matched a career high with 12 rebounds. PIVOTAL MOMENT Dallas cut Oklahoma City's lead to 10 with 3:23 left in the fourth quarter, but Westbrook found Collison for a layup, then Westbrook drove for back-to-back layups to push the lead back up to 16. "Westbrook was great there in the fourth," Nowitzki said. "Getting to the rim a couple times and getting layups -- that really sealed the deal." STAT LINES Westbrook went 14 for 14 from the line. It was the sixth time this season he has made at least 12 free throws in a game without a miss. ... Oklahoma City committed 25 turnovers. UP NEXT Mavericks: Host Houston on Friday. Thunder: At Charlotte on Saturday.


In the last few years, cannabidiol ( CBD ) has become a darling of alternative health aficionados. And as its popularity grows, it's gaining acceptance with mainstream consumers. In March CVS announced plans to sell certain CBD products in some stores. Saks Fifth Avenue is selling CBD beauty products at its flagship New York City location. And chains like Seventh Sense CBD and Your CBD Store are setting up shop in malls and downtowns nationwide. A shortcut via the skin A lot of interest in CBD centers around edibles. "People have the tendency to think of CBD and cannabis as things which have to be smoked or eaten," says Samantha Morrison, a cannabis researcher for Glacial Wellness. But skin oils, creams, and lotions are attracting people looking for targeted treatments, especially for pain and inflammation. That makes sense, explains Ceppie Merry, a doctor based in Ireland who also holds a PhD in pharmacology. That's because when you eat or drink products containing CBD, the liver breaks down a lot of it, she says. When you apply CBD products directly to the skin, the CBD bypasses the liver and reaches the blood without being broken down, she says. With demand growing, spas and massage therapists are offering CBD massages and treatments designed to treat pain and inflammation. But do they work? What can CBD skin treatments do for you? Some research seems to indicate that applying CBD to the skin might be effective. A study of mice with arthritis found that CBD gel reduced joint swelling , and may relieve pain and inflammation. And research focused on rheumatic diseases says that using cannabis to treat joint pain should be taken seriously. Many massage therapists are convinced that CBD-based treatments bring pain relief to their clients, and a long list of spas are adding the service to their offerings. Sharon Farber, a licensed massage therapist and founder of Dragonfly Healing Arts in Connecticut, says, "I can tell you from experience that the CBDs help many of my clients and friends." She points out that massage alone also brings pain relief, so it's tough to sort out what's making the difference. But she says, "Many of my clients now use CBD on their own and tell me it helps. One client purchased CBDs to relieve his shoulder pain and no longer gets massage." Stephanie Mayhew, a licensed massage therapist for Soothe based in Warrenton, Virginia, treats fibromyalgia with massage therapy. She works on problem spots by rubbing in CBD oil, applying a hot towel, and massaging the area. Athletes are also turning to CBD for pain relief. "CBD has both anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties, and can penetrate through the skin for isolated pain management. CBD massage could also help with sports massages and possibly help to lower healing time, allowing an athlete a lower recovery time," says Maya Page, owner of CBD retailer Oilly. With interest in CBD's benefits skyrocketing, brands are adding it to beauty products such as anti-aging creams, lip balms, moisturizers, and muscle rubs, Morrison says. But CBD isn't regulated by the FDA, so it's important to find a retailer and brand that you trust. Video: CBD Products Might Not Be As Safe As You Thought (Provided by Now This News) This article originally appeared on Considerable.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.


PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland   By his admission, Justin Thomas hasn't golfed his ball with distinction in any of his previous visits to the Open Championship. Maybe the only thing the former PGA champion has so far mastered is the "false dawn." All three of his appearances in golf's oldest major have opened brightly but ended badly. The 67 Thomas shot in the opening round at Royal Troon in 2016 turned out to be only the beginning of a T-53 finish. A year later, he played Royal Birkdale in the same score, only to shoot 80 on the second day to miss the cut. And last year was a similar story: a 69 on Day 1 at Carnoustie was followed by a 77 and another early flight back to the States. So what's going on? A couple of badly timed draws weather is nearly always a factor in the Open have contributed to his failings, but so has "poor execution" in unpredictable seaside conditions not often found in Thomas' native Kentucky. Strangely, though, Thomas, 26, says he enjoys the vagaries of golf by the shore. Unlike five-time Open champion Tom Watson, who took an instant dislike to the links game and later learned to love it, Thomas relishes the challenge that has so far proved difficult for him to solve. He certainly has nothing but good things to say about Royal Portrush. "This is just a great test of golf," he said in his Tuesday press conference. "It has a little bit of everything. You're going to have some holes with short irons, and some holes with long irons. There is great variety on the par 3s, too, but an opportunity for different setups. It's just a tremendous golf course." RELATED: Spieth hopes to salvage his season at Portrush, if his swing will oblige Yes, yes, but is he better equipped to deal with all that the next few days might bring, in terms of the weather and the shot-making required? Thomas thinks he is. "I learned a lot on Friday last year," he said. "I went out with the same game plan when it was raining sideways and cold that I did when it was 65 and sunny. Understanding the situation and the weather I'm playing in means I need to reassess where I'm at. Which is different from the States, where I'm going to hit a driver off a certain hole no matter what. Over here, the same course and the same holes can be day-to-day. "I know better now. When conditions change like that, I have to change my game plan, or just attack holes differently. That's something I've taken a couple of years to learn. But I have a better understanding of how to play it. Obviously I haven't done too well to this point." What has Thomas done differently to prepare for this huge variety of potential conditions? Not much, as it turns out. "I wasn't hitting lower shots when I was home, or chipping with different clubs," he said. "I try to take it like I do every week. I have Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to get accustomed to the greens, to get accustomed around the greens. But I also played the Scottish [Open] last week [where he finished T-9] to where I don't feel like I have to do as much to get prepared for this week. So I would say it is more about me getting into the right state of mind." RELATED: In Rory McIlroy's home town of Holywood, you see traces of where the legend began As for the Royal Portrush course the Dunluce Links in local parlance Thomas was looking forward to a practice round with (fairly) local man, Rory McIlroy. He'll be paying close attention to everything the Northern Irishman does. "Even if you don't play with someone from here, it's just seeing where all the golf balls go," Thomas said. "Paying attention to every shot everybody hits, seeing where they come down, and seeing where they end up if it lands a certain distance and comes down in a certain spot, just seeing where it goes. So for me it's been helpful the last couple of days, playing with a lot of guys and seeing the different spots they get into. That way you see tendencies, where a ball feeds to on the greens or in the fairways. That's been helpful." There is just one nagging propensity Thomas would do well to jettison this week. His fast starts need to translate into equally speedy finishes. Check out Golf Digest Schools for the best in video golf instruction WATCH: GOLF DIGEST VIDEOS See the video. 7 Bets You Should Make on the Open Championship


Free agent running back Alex Collins suffered a broken leg and recently underwent surgery, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter ). Collins was waived by the Ravens several months ago immediately following an arrest on drug and gun charges. However, Rapoport says that Collins' legal issues are nearing a resolution and that he had drawn interest from multiple teams. He was expected to play this year, but now he will have to wait to get back on the field. Even before his arrest and subsequent dismissal from the team, Collins was very much on the Ravens' roster bubble. Although he was terrific for Baltimore in 2017 and entered 2018 as the club's No. 1 back, he managed just 3.6 yards per carry last season and was ultimately surpassed on the depth chart by Kenneth Dixon and UDFA Gus Edwards . He was a restricted free agent, but it was rumored that the Ravens were not going to tender Collins even at the lowest level. His arrest simply hastened his exit. Still, the 2016 fifth-round pick has plenty of upside, and given that he almost put together a 1,000-yard season in 2017 despite playing in just 12 games, it's understandable that he would be garnering some attention. However, it's unclear when he will be able to resume football activity. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com tweets that Collins' next court date is July 22. Hensley's tweet also includes Collins' Instagram post detailing his injury.


With Week One of the preseason approaching, it's time for teams to publish their unofficial depth charts. Which also means it's time for coaches to complain about publishing their unofficial depth charts. "Yeah, it's early and I was forced to make it," Washington coach Jay Gruden said regarding his team's first depth chart, which lists Colt McCoy as the first-string quarterback. "I wouldn't have made a depth chart right now; there's no reason to, it's silly. That's for the media and for me to come up and answer these questions, but really that's all it is. It's words on a piece of paper, names on a piece of paper and an order that means nothing at this point." Well, it means something at this poin. Unless the depth chart is randomly generated, it's a snapshot of how the coach views his roster as the first exhibition game looms. At least Gruden admits that he made the depth chart. Plenty of teams simply delegate the task to the P.R. department, allowing the coach to sneer at the configuration of players as the product of people who don't really know what's going on. Far less meaningless will be the manner in which Gruden uses his quarterbacks during the preseason, from when guys play to how long they play to whether they even play, much will be revealed over the next few weeks as to the manner in which Gruden regards the men who play the most important position on the roster.


With less than a week to go before the July 31 trade deadline , the state of the league is unsettled. Separating the buyers from the sellers is no easy task, nor is figuring out what the teams in the middle should or will do. To sort it all out then, here's a look at the biggest questions as the deadline approaches. Who are the obvious buyers and sellers? Per FanGraphs' playoff odds , seven squads have postseason chances of 0.0%: the Orioles, Blue Jays, White Sox, Tigers, Royals, Mariners and Marlins. All will be looking to move players in search of a better tomorrow. To that group you can add seven more: the Angels (4.5%), Mets (3.9), Reds (3.2), Padres (3.2), Rockies (1.3), Pirates (0.9) and Rangers (0.2), who are all four games or more out of a playoff spot. On the other side of things, the contenders who have playoff odds of 75% or higher are the Dodgers (100%), Astros (99.9), Yankees (99.7), Braves (96.6), Twins (94.8), Nationals (86.8) and Cubs (80.0). They'll certainly be fishing for upgrades , particularly the teams on shakier ground like Minnesota, Washington and Chicago. So who does that leave? The Red Sox, Rays, Indians, Athletics, Phillies, Brewers, Cardinals, Giants and Diamondbacks are all floating in the middle , likely to see where the next six days take them, or perhaps both buying and selling depending on the market. It all depends on a lot of factors across the league, starting with… Are the Giants really not going to trade two of the best pitchers on the market? Thanks to their hot streak , the Giants are no longer obvious sellers, but holding onto Madison Bumgarner and Will Smith when they're set to hit free agency this winter would be a risky plan. It's fun to imagine Farhan Zaidi in his office cursing a blue streak every time his team pulls off another come-from-behind win, but San Francisco's bubble bursting would make his next week that much simpler. Madison Bumgarner has posted a 2.00 ERA and a .221 opponents average over his past six starts. Another quality start last night at @OracleParkSF . Powered by @Biofreeze : https://t.co/Cjfd3D6hWO #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/XPd0PhIhjY   San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) July 24, 2019 Ultimately, it's hard to see Zaidi passing up the opportunity to bolster the farm system and make the team younger, no matter how close to a playoff spot the Giants are. But maybe he pursues a soft sell where Smith goes but Bumgarner stays, with San Francisco recouping draft pick compensation for the latter if he leaves. If the Giants keep Bumgarner, though, that re-shapes the starting pitching market, as the best rental will be off the board, forcing contenders to sift through an expensive group of cost-controlled arms like Marcus Stroman, Matthew Boyd and Trevor Bauer. Wait, Trevor Bauer? Aren't the Indians in a playoff spot? Why would they trade Bauer? With postseason odds of 65.2%, a mere three-game deficit in the AL Central, and control of the first wild-card, you would think that Cleveland wouldn't hang a "For Sale" sign on its ace. Yet rumors of Bauer being available persist, and where there's smoke, usually you can find fire. On some level, it makes sense. Bauer is going to leave vapor trails out of Cleveland when he reaches free agency after the 2020 season, and in a market thin on starters, he'd be the best one available by a wide margin (assuming the Mets aren't shopping Noah Syndergaard ). If Bauer can return major league-ready prospects who can help now and later at a fraction of his cost (he's looking at making anywhere from $15 20 million in arbitration next season), then the Indians will likely think long and hard about pulling that trigger, even if it worsens their playoff and title chances. TB is dealing tonight in The Six. These are nasty, and, frankly, we're disgusted. #RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/723DlZd2ng   Cleveland Indians (@Indians) July 24, 2019 But on the other hand, the Indians have the pieces to win now, and the window to do so with Francisco Lindor is rapidly closing (albeit because Cleveland's ownership is slamming it shut). A rotation of Bauer, Mike Clevinger and a healthy Corey Kluber can dominate October, and with Jose Ramirez returning from the dead (.314/.324/.629 in the month of July), the lineup is trending toward average. Plus, improving the offense wouldn't cost much: Rental bats like Nicholas Castellanos, Justin Smoak or Hunter Pence should all be available for cheap. I would bet Bauer stays, barring a massive offer. So if Bumgarner and Bauer are both off the market, then what should you do if you need a starter? The pickings for rotation help are slim. Stroman and Boyd represent the best bets if you want someone good and young beyond 2019, but both can be shaky. The Rangers will probably shop veterans Mike Minor and Lance Lynn, but they're under cheap contracts through 2020, and Texas won't give them away. The Diamondbacks could deal Robbie Ray, but controllable lefties with big strikeout stuff aren't exactly cheap. For as much as they bathe in bad publicity like a pig rolling around in the mud, the Mets are likely wary of moving Syndergaard because of what the fanbase's reaction would be (read: pitchforks and torches), and his price would be gasp-inducing anyway. But there isn't much choice beyond that. The best rental starter available is Zack Wheeler , who's planning to make one final pre-deadline start after a stint on the injured list with shoulder fatigue. Beyond him, you're gambling on the unsavory likes of Jason Vargas, Jordan Lyles, or Drew Pomeranz. Is the same true for relievers? I'm afraid so. Smith is far and away the best free agent-to-be on the market, followed by fellow veteran Giants lefty Tony Watson; after them, it's a steep drop to Sergio Romo, Greg Holland, Daniel Hudson or a situational option like Jake Diekman. The latter types won't cost much, at least, but this isn't a situation where an elite closer will be available for relatively little. If Smith is off the board, teams will have to dig deep to afford Ken Giles, Shane Greene or Kirby Yates, or stomach the long-term contracts of shaky closers like Ian Kennedy or Wade Davis. So what will be available both in quantity and for cheap? Do you need a hitter this deadline? Then you're in luck, because there are plenty of useful bats that will likely cost next to nothing. Castellanos, Smoak, Pence, Freddy Galvis, Scooter Gennett, Todd Frazier, Asdrubal Cabrera, Corey Dickerson, Adam Jones, and maybe even Yasiel Puig and Jose Abreu could all be up for grabs over the next week, and none will likely cost more than a B-level prospect or two. Granted, a lot of those names aren't exactly in their prime or producing much, but if you have a hole in the lineup, you could do a lot worse than picking one of them and hoping for a two-month hot streak. Puig has apparently shaved off his mustache between innings today (??) pic.twitter.com/ANfMHCk9cG   Emma Baccellieri (@emmabaccellieri) July 24, 2019 Still, there's no Manny Machado-level player in that bunch, save perhaps Abreu, and it's unlikely any good cost-controlled hitters will change teams between now and Aug. 1. Maybe the Padres reduce their outfield surplus by dealing away one of Hunter Renfroe or Franmil Reyes, or the Rangers pull the plug on Nomar Mazara or Rougned Odor, or someone blows away the Royals with a massive offer for Whit Merrifield. But more likely than not, the hitters who'll be dealt will be short-term pickups at minimal cost. Should I be preparing for a relatively quiet deadline, then? This deadline has the feel of one that's going to have a lot of rumors but not much action. All the biggest and best names come with immense price tags, and with teams caring about years and dollars and prospects more than ever, it's hard to see how valuations are going to line up enough for a plethora of trades to take place. That's not to say nothing will happen; just that, with few quality rentals available, contenders might find themselves priced out of what they want. This week in Nine Innings, I wrote about the Diamondbacks and other wild-card contenders likely not going for it, and how baseball is supposed to be fun and not a constant exercise in cost-effective financials. https://t.co/89mPtXmLkz   Jon Tayler, Smiling Politely (@JATayler) July 23, 2019 Further potentially complicating the market is the disappearance of the August waiver trade deadline . In theory, that should result in more July 31 moves, as contenders no longer have an extra month to fill holes, nor do sellers have more time to get rid of onerous contracts. But with the playoff picture still unsettled for a lot of clubs, one deadline might lead to fewer buyers, as borderline contenders may err toward safety and decide not to spend in pursuit of an unlikely World Series run. Which team is likeliest to make the most noise, though, if things do get very loud? The Giants hold the keys to the deadline in Bumgarner and Smith, but the Blue Jays might make hay regardless. Stroman and Giles (both free agents after 2020) seem likely to move, and Smoak, Galvis, Hudson and Eric Sogard will be traded if even a half-decent offer comes across Ross Atkins's phone. Beyond Toronto, Detroit also could be a popular trade talk partner thanks to Boyd, Greene, Castellanos and Joe Jimenez. On the other side of things, the Phillies' playoff odds are a mere 28.3% as their roster has crumbled around them, but they may not have a choice but to try to buy their way back into the hunt. Philadelphia is built to win in the short-term but has no real assets to move even if it continues to slide down the standings. The problem for Matt Klentak is that his team's problems are wide-ranging. That may mean a flurry of moves for the Phillies, or it may mean a quiet week as they instead try to fix things internally. The same is true of the Red Sox, who need reinforcements across the board but don't have the prospects to afford the elite options. Dave Dombrowski is going to have to get creative to improve his team, but never rule him out of getting wild at the deadline. Related slideshow: 25 worst MLB trade deadline deals (Provided by Yardbarker)


The Wisconsin home where Jayme Closs was abducted and her parents murdered was torn down on Tuesday, according to officials. The Barron house had been empty since Oct. 15, when James and Denise Closs were fatally shot. Jayme, 13 at the time, was taken by Jake Patterson and held for three months about 70 miles away before she escaped. Patterson would plead guilty to kidnapping and two counts of murder and will spend the rest of his life in prison. "I felt safe in my home and I loved my room and all of my belongings. He took all of that," Jayme wrote in a letter that was read at Patterson's sentencing in May. The bank that owned the home arranged for the destruction of the home after conferring with Closs family members, according to the Star Tribune newspaper . Patterson, now 22, held Jayme captive at his cabin in Gordon, a heavily wooded area. He often forced her to hide under a bed when other people were present. A judge called him "the embodiment of evil" when handing out his sentence.


It's no secret that Enes Kanter is an intense guy but if you had an off-court conversation with the Boston Celtics center, you would likely walk away surprised by just how gregarious and soft-spoken the Swiss big man is. So, you'd be forgiven if "professional wrestler" wasn't at the top of your list of post-NBA plans for the contentious big man. However, wrestling is indeed an interest of the former Portland Trailblazer - and not just watching it, either. Last season, before he joined the Blazers in an improbable playoff run to the Western Conference Finals, Kanter made headlines as a New York Knick after sharing his love for the sport and admitting he'd like to give it a go himself once done with his NBA career . . @EnesKanter tries his hand at professional wrestling with guidance from @WWE Hall of Famer @RealDDP . Watch 'Enes the Menace' HERE: https://t.co/gijatzqjWD pic.twitter.com/SSv1esf3Ec - theScore (@theScore) July 30, 2019 The folks over at The Score decided they'd like to give Kanter's long-term plan a push this summer, and arranged to have the league's most popular player of Turkish ancestry try his luck in the ring under the tutelage of famed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) luminary Diamond Dallas Page, which they filmed in a mini-documentary. Kanter and Page quickly proved an engaging pairing, with respect for each other's forte guiding their collaboration from choke slams to pincha mayurasana yoga poses. The former Knick is certainly blessed with the physical tools needed to be successful in the ring, but found the skills and mentality a surprising challenge early on. To his credit, Page was a willing if realistic instructor and advisor, helping Kanter to craft not just the skillset he'll need to actually make his post-basketball aspirations come true to the persona he'll require to make it engaging. Watch the documentary embedded above yourself to see if "Enes the Menace" has a future in the WWE, and if you think LeBron James will shudder - or chuckle - at the challenge laid down by Boston's newest frontcourt player. Even if you're no fan of professional wrestling, the documentary is a surprisingly fun way to get to know a player who might already be the Celtics' loudest voice, and a great way to stave off our rapidly-expanding lack of basketball to watch for good measure. MORE: Jordan Crawford says Nike still owes him $500 for his legendary dunk on LeBron Steven Jackson gets random drug test from NFL after signing 1-day contract Biggest winners from the first week of Packers training camp Winners and losers from first week of Raiders training camp MLB World Series Power Rankings Following the Trade Deadline Related slideshow: Top picks of 2019 NBA Draft (provided by imagn)


At this time last year, Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy was encouraging his young quarterback to be aggressive, take shots and not be afraid to make mistakes as he was learning this new offense. "But I've kind of figured out over the last year in this offense when is the right time to do that and when we need to take care of the football," Mitch Trubisky said before the start of camp. "Taking care of the football will be more of an emphasis this camp." Well, easier said than done. Especially when you're going up against one of the best defenses every day in practice. Through seven training camp practices, Trubisky has had his ups and downs, especially when it comes to taking care of the football. The defense has had its share of interceptions, some the result of errant throws and some just great plays by a great defense. But Trubisky looks light years ahead of where he was at this time last year, showing a better understanding of this offense and continuing to build chemistry with the array of weapons available to him. His passes are more crisp and he's showing that he has the ability to put the ball exactly where it needs to be. Trubisky's been less mistake-prone than last year as he was learning the system. It's less thinking and more reacting for the third-year quarterback. But it's been difficult for Trubisky to get into any sort of groove going up against this defense. Which shouldn't be cause for concern, given that this is probably the best defense Trubisky will face this season. "That's a part of practice," Nagy said. "You're never going to have great practices all the time. When it's kind of choppy, what I'm looking for is, how does he handle that situation? Does he mope? Does he put his head down? Or does he freaking get ready for the next play and get ready to roll? "That's where we're at right now - getting close to that point. I don't want to force it to happen. I want it to organically happen. But he's getting pretty close with that." Among the concerns surrounding Trubisky after last season was his deep ball accuracy, where he was overthrowing guys that were wide open. Who knows how many touchdowns Anthony Miller could've had last season if Trubisky had been able to connect on those deep passes? After these first seven practices, Trubisky has thrown some beautiful deep balls, finding Allen Robinson on numerous occasions, but Trubisky's had his struggles consistently throwing the deep ball, this time underthrowing his receivers. Even on some of those deep completions, receivers have had to wait or come back to the ball instead of catching it in stride, the difference between a significant gain and potential touchdown. Offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich has seen some good things from Trubisky's deep ball, but said , "we're striving for perfection, and when you're not perfect you're competing." As the Bears offense continues to face this defense day in and day out, they're only getting better. Iron sharpening iron, as they say. "It's just a challenge every single day," Trubisky said. "You've got to embrace that as a competitor. And we're just pushing each other on both sides of the ball." But much like Nagy stressed the importance of how his quarterback handles those challenges, Trubisky is learning to put those bad plays behind him and look to the next play, something that only serves to benefit him in live game action. "We know our defense is going to get us on some plays, but as an offense, if they stop us, or they have a positive play on defense, it's got to be a next-play mentality," Trubisky said. "Because we know we can bounce them or get them the next play. Or, if it's a drill, they get us one drill, and that happens. Drill behind - they won that one. Let's go and get them the next time." It's that steady incremental progress GM Ryan Pace wants to see from Trubisky, whether that's in his mentality or play on the field. So while Trubisky hasn't looked flawless in his first seven practices in training camp, it's not a reason to panic. The more he and the rest of the offense continue to battle against this defense - and make those mistakes - the more they'll be able to correct those mistakes before the regular season begins. MORE: This Patrick Mahomes throw from Chiefs practice can't be real Rookie safety Saquan Hampton standing out at Saints training camp Jay Gruden says the Redskins will choose a starting quarterback on Tuesday 49ers without 5 starters on Day 7 of training camp Giants' Alec Ogletree: B.J. Hill can be special in this league


Michael Webb is charged with aggravated kidnapping after authorities say he snatched the girl as she walked with her mother Saturday night in a residential Fort Worth neighborhood.


VANCOUVER   Friday could be an historic day for USA Hockey, and Jack Hughes will likely get the party started. The projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft ( 8 p.m. ET; NBCSN; livestream ) will be only the eighth American to be taken with the first selection in what could be a record-setting Round 1 for the U.S. program. No more than three players from the USA Hockey's National Team Development Program have been first round selections in previous drafts. There could be as many as seven this year, with Hughes leading the pack. While five NTDP players have been chosen first overall, if Hughes plays in the NHL next season he'll be the first player to go directly from the program to playing in the NHL. That achievement is something on the mind of Hughes. "Yeah, that's my goal," Hughes said during Thursday's top prospects media availability. "I want to be the first player, kind of break a barrier there, that you can go from the program to play in the NHL the following year." There were 19 NTDP skaters and goalies on NHL Central Scouting's final draft rankings this year and there is the potential of a record-setting five U.S.-born players being picked in the top 10. The 22-year-old program has pumped out top players for years, but this U18 class might be its deepest ever, headlined by Hughes. "The training we do there is second-to-none," Hughes said. "Our practices, our games, we lift two, three times a week. It's so competitive. The players you go up against, you're playing against the best players in the country in your age group on daily basis. When I go into the corner for a puck battle, I have to go against [Matthew] Boldy one time, then I'm going against [Alex] Turcotte the next time, I'm going against [Trevor] Zegras. I think that makes you a better player. "It's a really competitive environment with great people. The coaches treat us unbelievable. Coach [John Wroblewski], he couldn't have coached us better, [he] treated us really well. Credit to the people that work at the program because they really helped us out." [MORE: Rotoworld's 2019 Mock Draft ] Hughes had an historic NTDP career finishing with a record 228 points in 110 games, surpassing Clayton Keller 's 189 points. Internationally, he repped the U.S. at two U18 World Championships, winning silver and bronze, and led the tournament in scoring both times while earning MVP honors in 2018. He also helped the Americans to silver at 2019 World Junior Championship and played seven games at the World Championship this spring. That World Championship experience allowed Hughes to play with and against current NHL players, including future New Jersey Devils teammate Cory Schneider and Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane , who gave the 18-year-old forward high praise by saying, "I think he does a lot of things better than me, to be honest with you." "It was unreal for me on the ice, kind of learned some things that I'll get better at this summer," Hughes said of his time at the World Championship. "But I think the most important thing was being in a room with guys, learning how to be a pro on a daily basis. Taking things from certain players. I think that was an invaluable experience for me." Hockey has been Hughes' life. His dad Jim was an assistant coach for the Boston Bruins and served as Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. His mom Ellen played at the University of New Hampshire and was on the 1992 U.S. World Championship team that claimed silver. Older brother Quinn plays defense for the Vancouver Canucks and younger brother Luke will play for the U17 NTDP next season and is draft eligible in 2021. Along with his immediate family, Hughes said there will be about 65 people in attendance Friday night at Rogers Arena to support him. They won't have to wait long to hear his name called, which will signal the official beginning of his NHL career. "It's awesome. It's right here," Hughes said. "You look forward to it for so many years. This year it's kind of in the back of your mind every day. When you close your eyes that's what you're thinking about. Now that it's finally here I'm going to enjoy it and it should be awesome for all my family members and me, too." NBC Sports presents live, exclusive coverage of first round of the 2019 NHL Draft this Friday, June 21, at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live.      Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports . Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy .


Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Houston. Mourners gather in downtown Houston for walk to remember Maleah Davis Mourners walked from City Hall to the Harris County Jail and back Sunday morning. Read the full story on KHOU 11 News . Houston man shoots 5 attackers with AK-47 in self-defense A home invasion ended in five shot and three dead in the Magnolia Park neighborhood of Houston. Read the full story on Rare Houston . Body of 16-year-old recovered after teen drowned in river, Harris County Sheriff's Office says HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The body of a 16-year-old boy that drowned near Magnolia Garden Park was recovered, according to Harris County deputies. Read the full story on FOX 26 Houston . 4 shot in northeast Houston Officers are investigating a shooting at Liberty Road and Gregg Street in the Fifth Ward area. Read the full story on KHOU 11 News . Body of Texas police chief found in Houston Ship Channel HOUSTON (AP) - Authorities say they've recovered the body of a Texas police chief who fell out of a boat into Galveston Bay Friday. The U.S. Coast Guard says a search crew pulled Kemah Police Chief Chris Reed's body from the water of the Houston Ship Channel Sunday morning, ending a 40-hour search. Read the full story on MySanAntonio . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


As his Instagram and YouTube accounts attest, Canadian John Hawkins loves to get close to nature when traveling. So, inevitably, his visit to Komodo Island wouldn't be complete without an encounter with one of the island's native Komodo dragons. In a video Hawkins said was recorded on July 15, his phone is set down on the ground to capture a good angle of a Komodo dragon in its natural habitat. As Hawkins' video shows, he did indeed capture a good angle of the dragon, as it stomped over his phone. Komodo Island, part of the Lesser Sunda chain of Indonesian islands, is set to be closed to tourists in 2020 in an effort to protect its native wildlife. Hawkins, then, was lucky to get a glimpse of the island, and its rare inhabitants, while he still could. Credit: John Hawkins via Storyful


Christian Pulisic scored his third goal of the Bundesliga season on Saturday but it wasn't enough to give Borussia Dortmund the three points it desperately needed to keep pace with German leaders Bayern Munich. Instead, Dortmund was forced to settle for a 2-2 tie at Werder Bremen. The Black and Yellow now trails Bayern   which beat relegated Hannover earlier Saturday   by four points with two games remaining. Pulisic's strike opened the scoring. It game on a brilliant individual run just over five minutes into the contest: CHRISTIAN PULISIC!!! He scores his 3rd goal of the season and puts Dortmund on top just 6 minutes into the match 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZQAxepxTU3   FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 4, 2019 The visitors were rolling when Paco Alcacer made it 2-0 deep in the first half. But the game went sideways for BVB during a five minute spell that began in the 70th minute. Bremen manager Florian Kohfeldt looked like e genius when both of his substitutes, Kevin Mohwald and 40-year-old Claudio Pizarro, scored to even things up at two. With the clock ticking towards the final whistle and both teams going for the win, Pulisic had another golden opportunity to be the hero. This time, the American pulled a half-shot, half-cross across the face of Jiri Pavlenka's net. It was as close as Dortmund would get. Bayern is now the clear favorite to win its seventh consecutive German title. Barring a major slip up by the Bavarians in either of their last two games, at RB Leipzig and at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, Dortmund, which had a huge lead on its chief rival earlier this season, will settle for a runner-up medal for the fourth time in the last seven seasons. Dortmund meets Fortuna Dusseldorf and Borussia Monchengladbach in its last two matches. BVB was the last team to win the Bundesliga before Bayern went on its current run in 2012. Related slideshow: Lionel Messi's greatest achievements (provided by photo services)


If you're looking for a growing city with great weather to call home, there aren't many places that can top Charlotte. But if you're looking for a city that uses its resources properly, maybe that isn't the case. According to a new study from Wallethub, Charlotte ranked 103rd on its list of the 150 best-run cities in America. The study measured the effectiveness of local leadership by how taxpayer money is managed and the quality of services provided by local government. Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter Other notable North Carolina cities were Durham (fourth), Raleigh (16th), and Greensboro (17th). The best city was Nampa, Idaho. The worst? Unsurprisingly, Washington D.C. MORE WAKE UP CHARLOTTE Mecklenburg County leaders to vote on raising sales tax Nike cancels 'Betsy Ross flag' sneakers thanks to Colin Kaepernick Hot Now: Krispy Kreme launches home delivery service How Scooter Braun bought the rights to Taylor Swift's music


A dozen people were injured, including ten Chicago police officers, in a multi-vehicle crash Saturday night in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side. Around 10 p.m., two Chicago police vehicles   a van and an unmarked SUV   crashed into several vehicles on Division Street and Laramie Avenue, according to Chicago police. Ten officers were hospitalized nearby, and a man and a woman, both civilians, were transported to Norwegian American Hospital, police said. All 12 are expected to survive. Corey Jackson said he was biking east on Division when a Chicago police vehicle nearly struck him before colliding with at least one other vehicle, prompting a chain-reaction crash. Once he realized the danger he was in, he jumped off the bike and hurled himself onto the sidewalk, he said. "I was just in a state of shock," he said. "When the cop cars crashed, I snapped back into reality. I was inches from them. I could have lost my life tonight." The whole intersection of Laramie and Division was closed to traffic as officers investigated the crash. Neighbors lined the sidewalks on both streets to watch the crime scene where several ambulances had scooped up the injured. Several people worried that the crash would turn fatal. One woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said it appeared that multiple police cars were responding to a nearby incident at a high speed right before the crash. "I think this is just the worst traffic accident ever," she said. "It's just, I knew these cars were going to hit each other." Jackson waited behind the police tape after the crash, as his bike sat right in the crime scene. He said witnessing police cars speed through these streets was nothing new, but the scope of Saturday's accident was. "I've never witnessed no crash this crazy," Jackson said. "This is my first time." Chicago police have not released details on how the accident happened. ayin@chicagotribune.com Read more local breaking news »


The preseason is a chance to work out the kinks. It's also a chance for the officiating crews to get their penalty-flag throwing arms in game shape. The crew at the Los Angeles Chargers-Arizona Cardinals game was in midseason form during one play in the second quarter Thursday. Ryan Winslows's 52-yard boot led to the following infractions on a play that had a return of no yards by Artavis Scott. Bring on the flags: Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty: LA's Justice Liggins (enforced) Holding LA's Detrez Newman: declined Holding: Liggins (declined) Holding: Roderic Team (declined) After all that, a play that began at the Arizona 16 ended up with the Chargers having to start their drive at the LA 17, a total of 67 yards between the punt and penalty. In the third quarter, there was another bizarre play and penalty. First, it appeared Cardale Jones had fumbled and Arizona's Pete Robertson picked the ball out of the air and returned it for a touchdown. However, on the way to the end zone, Robertson ran past the Chargers' Mike Windt. The veteran long snapper had already been heading onto the field, expecting a punt on fourth down. In the long run, replay ruled Jones was down prior to the fumble, but Windt was still called for unsportsmanlike conduct for being on the field in the midst of the play. MORE: Watch: Top Browns highlights from the preseason win over the Redskins Winners and losers from Patriots' preseason blowout win over Lions Instant analysis of Packers' preseason-opening win over Texans A furious Chris Davis had to be held back from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde Studs and Duds from the Lions preseason 31-3 loss to the Patriots


MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Brooks Koepka's black Ford Expedition pulled into the TPC Southwind parking lot at 12:13 p.m. Sunday, just 47 minutes before he was scheduled to begin his duel with Rory McIlroy to close out the first WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. When he walked to the tee box at No. 1, he walked right past Jena Sims - his actress/model girlfriend best known for her role in the classic film "Attack of the 50-foot Cheerleader" - without even looking up. She was wearing a black Nike dress. The world's No. 1 golfer was completely in the zone. Perhaps then we should have known how Sunday would turn out, with Koepka holding the Gary Player Trophy on the 18th green as the first WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational champion. Who needs a long warm-up when you're the most intimidating man on a golf course since Tiger Woods was in his prime? That, at least, is what anyone who watched the biggest golf event in Memphis history came away thinking. And my gosh, there were a lot of you. The gallery following the superstar final pairing of Koepka and McIlroy was immense, with thousands walking the course alongside two of the top three golfers in the world from the opening tee shot, through the turn at the back nine and then coming up the 18th fairway. It was a fitting scene for a week that lived up to all the hype that accompanied the arrival of the WGC. Longtime volunteers and fans alike marveled at how many people saturated TPC Southwind every day. They don't release total attendance at this event, but records almost certainly were broken. Sunday, however, was unlike anything this city has seen, with the world's No. 1 and No. 3 golfers competing head-to-head watched by crowds that went at least 10 deep and roared with every shot. As Koepka and McIlroy approached the first tee box, a spontaneous ovation broke out. The golfers hadn't even been announced yet. Everyone was just thrilled to be there witnessing this. "Memphis deserves to have the best players here, and this is a reward for all the support over the last 60-plus years of this tournament," executive tournament director Darrell Smith said as he watched all this unfold at No. 1. "It's definitely a good day for golf, and a good day for Memphis." It didn't matter that the only bit of drama might have been whether Koepka would arrive to the course before his 1 p.m. tee time. But there he was, calm as ever. Koepka said arriving fashionably late on Sundays is part of his routine. "I don't know why everybody else is in a panic. I'm not," Koepka said. "Everybody else is stressing. I'm sure you didn't see one ounce of stress on my face." It helps explain the ruthless round of golf that followed, a round of golf made more impressive after Koepka revealed he felt under the weather all week. He had four birdies on his opening 10 holes Sunday, efficiently turning a one-shot deficit into a three-stroke lead as McIlroy faltered under the spotlight. Koepka then saved par on No. 14 and No. 15 and erased any lingering doubt with a birdie on No. 17. "He's not afraid to stand on your throat," CBS analyst Nick Faldo said at one point. "There's nothing more I would've loved than see Rory battling it out going down 18 and have somebody have to make a putt," Koepka said. "That's what I'm sure everybody here wanted to see." Instead, they were given a walk down the 18th fairway that doubled as a coronation for a 29-year-old golfer who has grabbed hold of the sport. Chants of "Gucci!" rang out from the crowd, a phrase Koepka occasionally uses after a good drive. Not long ago, he felt overlooked. Not long from now, he could be the most popular guy on the PGA Tour. Koepka broke through and won the U.S. Open in 2017. He won the U.S. Open and PGA Championship last year. He then finished in the top five of every major this year, including another win at the PGA Championship in May when he infamously didn't kiss Sims as they walked to the clubhouse before the final round. On Sunday, he became one of the richest, most popular men in Memphis. First off, he earned $1.745 million for winning the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. As a result of that victory, he will finish first in the Wyndham Rewards standings that anoint the PGA Tour's regular-season champion and pocket another $2 million. And then he also won something called the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, which meant another $1 million for his wallet. If that weren't enough, a lot of people in Tennessee are getting free beer Tuesday thanks to a Michelob Ultra promotion that went into effect courtesy of Koepka's win Sunday. "Things are going well for Brooks," PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan said. "He won this event. He's No. 1 in the FedEx Cup as we head into the FedEx Cup playoffs. He's No. 1 in the Wyndham Rewards. He's No. 1 in the world. And he's No. 1 in all of your hearts." But he's a worthy first champion not just because of his accomplishments, although those help reinforce the stature of the tournament. Koepka has been coming to this event five years running, before it was attracting all of the world's best who came through this week. He said he knows the TPC Southwind course better than any other on the PGA Tour. And he used part of his victory speech on the 18th to discuss how his visits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital "changed my life." "I love this place," Koepka said. Hearing him extol the virtue of Memphis and St. Jude and this golf course and what this golf tournament has become - and will be for years to come - this anticlimactic ending felt like the right ending. And best of all, Koepka remembered to kiss his girlfriend walking off the 18th green. On a day that began with such anticipation, it was about the only drama Koepka had to resolve. https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/golfweek/the-pga-tour-season-ends-aug-25%2033 MORE: Trevor Bauer angrily fired a baseball over the centerfield wall before being pulled from game Steelers WR Diontae Johnson off to hot start at training camp Tom Brady disobeys Bill Belichick at practice, and suffers the consequences 4 takeaways from Day 2 of Rams training camp: Gurley sits as planned Packers impressed with Rashan Gary's effort early at training camp


DURHAM, N.C.   The next wave of Duke basketball freshmen arrived on campus earlier this month amid little fanfare compared to the program's previous crew. That's no knock on Cassius Stanley's 451,000 Instagram followers. But Zion Williamson soared past the 1 million mark months before he arrived at Duke a year ago. The accounts of Stanley, Vernon Carey, Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore combined are still in six figures. Last year, Williamson, RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, Tre Jones and Joey Baker gave Duke the nation's No. 1-rated incoming class. Duke's current class, featuring five-star players Carey and Hurt and four-star recruits Stanley and Moore, comes in at No. 4. With Williamson, Barrett and Reddish off to the NBA, those four will play key roles in any success Duke has on the court this season. No one with a clear mind expects those four to approach the hype and attention Williamson and his class achieved last season. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski just wants them to mentally become part of Duke's program as they physically arrive as freshman. "Hopefully they interact with the upperclassmen," Krzyzewski said. Duke returns both its captains from last season in seniors Javin DeLaurier and Jack White. A year ago, as they became first-time captains, DeLaurier was coming off a sophomore year where he played 12.7 minutes per game. White played just 5.7 minutes on average. This summer, they come in as established contributors. DeLaurier started 16 games and averaged 16.7 minutes per game. White started just three times but played 20.5 minutes per game. Krzyzewski doesn't hide the fact that the freshmen will be counted upon heavily, though. "A lot will be expected of them," he said, uttering a sentence the has applied to every Duke class since 2013. For this group, that's especially true of the 6-foot-10 Carey and 6-9 Hurt. The 6-10 DeLaurier dabbled with turning pro but came back. His classmate, 6-11 Marques Bolden, entered the NBA draft and didn't return to school. So Cary, Hurt and DeLaurier comprise Duke's interior rotation this year. That means the two freshmen must be ready to handle 30-plus minutes a night from the opening game with Kansas on Nov. 5 to the NCAA Tournament. Carey, at 275 pounds and DeLaurier are physically equipped to play inside. Hurt weighs in at 215, and while he can contribute in the paint, his skills take him all over the court. "Matthew can really score the ball," Krzyzewski said. "He's a gifted scorer. He can shoot. He can handle. He can play inside and out. He can score from a number of different positions and he's a heck of a free throw shooter." Krzyzewski warned not to typecast Carey as simply an interior player, suggesting his skills will also help Duke on the perimeter in the five-out motion offense Duke implemented last year. Those sets spread the court to allow athletic big men   Williamson, Barrett and Reddish last year, Carey and Hurt this season   to be effective with jump shots or drives to the basket. Moore and Stanley both stand 6-5, though Moore is a bit heavier at 210 pounds to Stanley's 180. Their places in Duke's rotation will develop over the summer and perhaps even when practices get real in October. That's not a knock on their abilities but more an assessment of Duke's roster. In addition to the 6-7 White, the Blue Devils return 6-5 junior shooting guard Alex O'Connell and 6-7 sophomore small forward Joey Baker. None of those three are complete players. White's 3-point shooting slump last season cost him minutes even while he was a valuable defender and rebounder. O'Connell shot well, particularly in two games against Syracuse's zone, but was a defensive liability. Baker, who didn't see his first game action until late February, impressed the coaches with his practice work and projects as a good perimeter shooter. He has yet to prove himself defensively, though. Moore's shot is still developing but he possesses the athleticism and mindset to be a force defensively and in transition on the offensive end right away. "We're really excited about Wendell," Krzyzewski said. "He's a winner and he can play everywhere on the court." Stanley, the final addition to the class in April, arrives with explosive athleticism that will make him fun to watch in the open court. "Athletically and basketball wise, he can contribute," Krzyzewski said. Jones, back for his sophomore year while three of his classmates jumped to the NBA, will run the show at point guard. Krzyzewski wants him to shoot more, but Jones has already shown he's adept at getting everyone involved in the offense. That will especially be true with Moore and Stanley in transition situations off live-ball turnovers. Krzyzewski's first assessment of this team is they will be balanced and deep. Last season, Williamson and Barrett were such superior talents compared to the rest of Duke's roster   and college basketball as a whole   it proved impossible for the Blue Devils to be balanced. This year's Duke freshmen possess a lower ceiling, but their floor is more elevated. So while the hype is missing, they'll still have a large say in Duke's chances to repeat as ACC champions.     ©2019 The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) Visit The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) at www.newsobserver.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.


Since the dawn of the Roger Goodell era in 2006, expanding the NFL regular season to 18 games has been the white whale for the league's ownership and commissioner. The matter has come up for debate every so often in the years since, but it's when labor contracts are set to expire that the matter gets serious consideration. In fact, the 2006 collective bargaining agreement had a provision allowing ownership to expand the regular season to 18 games so long as owners provided 90 days' notice and negotiated a deal with the union regarding additional compensation. It was in 2010 , with another CBA negotiation impending, that players were presented with the first detailed proposal for an 18-game season. Union opposition to the idea was strong. The current CBA is set to expire after the 2020 NFL season. Neither side wants to go into that season with an agreement in jeopardy, so next off-season is when dealing begins in earnest. However, the seeds of that showdown are already being sown, and sure enough, the specter of an 18-game season is being raised again. Last week, The Washington Post reported that some owners are interested in either expanding the regular season to 18 games, or adding an extra playoff team to each conference, thereby creating two additional postseason games. In the proposed playoff expansion, only one team in each conference would get a bye. Wild-Card weekend would consist of 12 teams and six games. Around the same time, the NFLPA circulated a letter to agents advising them to instruct their players to save 50 percent of their earnings in advance of a potential lockout in 2021. If this sounds redolent of the last NFL lockout, that's in part because each side has to appeal to its constituency and prepare for the worst, but also because the league realizes dangling the prospect of 18 games is a useful bargaining chip, whether the realization of it would be good for the sport or not. More likely than not, and one insider seems to agree , this is preliminary saber-rattling for the larger CBA negotiation to be had. At this point, the owners have such an advantageous position over the players, there's not that much for them to reach for, and 18 games is the handiest suggestion, whether it's realistic or even practical. Just by making a demand, they can use the concession of it as a way to pry a demand away from the players union. After all, expanding the regular season, while surely an opportunity for additional revenue, would potentially serve to exacerbate already existing problems for the league. There's the risk of further oversaturating and diluting the product, both from an on-field perspective and how much significance any given NFL regular-season game holds. It would also easily lend itself to negative PR, as many would find a push for more games flies in the face for any concern for safety. But, as any long-time observer of the NFL must know, just because an idea is impractical or unpopular doesn't mean the league won't still pursue it. So it behooves anyone involved in the process to treat the matter as a potential reality, just in case. So if the league is still insistent on adding games to the season, what should the players ask for in return? Here are a few suggestions: Expanded rosters: It stands to reason that more games equals more injuries. The only way to offset what would surely be blowback for safety concerns is to expand the default NFL 53-man roster. The benefit for the union is obvious: more jobs for players. The concern for both sides, however, is what it means to the on-field product. There's a decent likelihood that additional games would feature players who only have jobs because of expanded rosters. That most likely means slightly less talented players would be on the field, solely because owners perceive more demand for the NFL brand. Given that concerns already emerge about game quality with a 16-game season, this must be weighed carefully. End marijuana testing: This is something that should be on the players radar regardless of any 18-game plans. Surging popular support for the recreational legalization of marijuana means this is ultimately a losing issue for the league. And it makes sense for the NFL in a number of ways to end marijuana testing: It sidelines exciting players for a violation the public doesn't consider serious, and it makes the league look even more inconsiderate when it comes to players trying to cope with pain. Diminished commissioner power: This being the first CBA since the Ray Rice and Deflategate debacles, one would assume Goodell's authority would be an easy target for the union. Such is the Teflon commissioner that there doesn't seem to be that much early momentum for it. Either way, it makes sense to curb Goodell. He would likely even agree to it if it meant securing the 18-game season he has long coveted. Eliminating the franchise tag: What has played out in recent years with Le'Veon Bell and Kirk Cousins has highlighted for many fans what a manner of control the franchise tag can be. That said, however unpopular, owners likely won't part with it easily. Revenue sharing on in-stadium gambling: As with marijuana testing, this is something the players union must be proactive about. Gambling will become more a part of the NFL game-day experience in the years to come -- it has been hailed as a massive resource of potential revenue for the league. The union must be ready to establish how the players will be compensated for creating this additional value to the league.


While you were away having something called "fun" this past weekend, the CFT crew was busy churning out update after update after update   after update   for your all's consumption. Here's some of what you may have missed in the wide, wild and wacky world of offseason college football: While still lagging (far) (far) ( faaarrr ) behind the Big Ten and SEC, the Big 12 distributed a record amount to its member institutions this past fiscal year. Speaking of the SEC, pop the top and belly up to the bar as that conference voted and left in-game alcohol distribution up to its member schools . An unkempt academic house has led Michigan's second-leading rusher in 2018 to be unavailable in 2019 . Another Venables commits to Clemson , is set to join defensive coordinator father and linebacker brother   and Dabo Swinney 's sons and Kirk Herbstreit 's twin sons, for that matter   with the Tigers. The highest-rated member of Bret Bielema 's last class at Arkansas is now at SMU . With no one under center standing out, TCU has pushed off naming a starting quarterback until summer camp (summer not fall, media dolts). UCLA added an FCS transfer on defense , while Western Kentucky added a Power Five graduate transfer from the same side of the ball.


WASHINGTON  The divisive issue of abortion is not only widening the gulf between Democrats and Republicans, it's also sowing division within the parties. Republicans are split over whether laws restricting abortion should make exceptions for pregnancies that result from rape or incest   a fissure brought to the fore by a new Alabama law that would make performing most abortions a felony. Kentucky , Georgia , Ohio and Mississippi have also passed bills effectively banning abortion this year. A similar measure awaits signature by the governor of Missouri . Democrats, for their part, are struggling with whether there's still a place for anti-abortion Democrats in the party as abortion rights activists vow to defeat legislators who stand in their way. INTERACTIVE MAP: Where is abortion legal? Everywhere. But ... The intraparty struggles are emerging as both sides expect to use the abortion issue to fire up their base for 2020. "What we know is that President Trump and his allies have made abortion care and reproductive rights a key issue in 2020," Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, told reporters last Wednesday as she outlined how abortion-rights groups plan to build on their mobilization efforts that helped elect supporters in the midterm elections. "We will keep this momentum going and make the wave of 2018 look like a ripple in 2020," Wen said. After Republicans' 2018 losses in the House and in state legislatures that were partially fueled by female activism, the GOP saw a chance to turn the tide at the beginning of the year when newly empowered New York Democrats passed protections that included allowing abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy if the fetus isn't viable or the women's health is threatened. In President Donald Trump's State of the Union address   the first time Trump brought up abortion in a joint address to Congress   he described the legislation as allowing a baby "to be ripped from the mother's womb moments before birth." Abortion rights advocates countered that abortions later in pregnancy represent less than 2% of procedures and usually occur when there's a serious problem with the pregnancy. Now, Democrats think they have the upper hand as states pass increasingly restrictive laws aimed at overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court's landmark 1973 decision that upheld a woman's right to abortion. 'An utter disgrace': 2020 Democrats denounce Alabama's near-total abortion ban After Alabama this month approved a near-total abortion ban, 2020 Democratic presidential candidates denounced the law. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said that if she were to be elected president, she would only nominate Supreme Court justices that will uphold Roe v. Wade. South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg denounced the law as "ignoring science" and "punishing women," while Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., sent an email to supporters directing them to a link to help fundraise for several abortion rights groups. "We will not stand for it," said Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif. In reaction to the Alabama law, Trump tweeted that he backs exceptions not included in the new law to still allow abortions in the case of rape and incest. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., likewise said he supports those exceptions, along with one to protect the life of the woman, although he incorrectly told reporters that they are included in the Republican Party's platform. Ending Roe vs. Wade: It wouldn't end abortion. Here's what would happen next A coalition of anti-abortion groups are advocating for the GOP to explicitly come out against the exceptions. The groups, led by Students for Life of America, wrote to Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel on Wednesday asking the party to "reconsider the decades-old talking points." "We understand that issues like rape and incest are difficult topics to handle," the letter said. "Nevertheless, it is our view that the value of human life is not determined by the circumstances of one's conception or birth." McDaniel, who personally favors the exceptions, said in response to the groups' letter that she welcomes "any discussion" about the issue. "This stands in direct contrast to the Democrat Party, which has stated that there is no room for pro-life voters in their ranks," she said in a statement. Democrats faced their own balancing act this week when Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos , the head of House Democrats' campaign arm, pulled out of a fundraiser for Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski, one of the few remaining anti-abortion Democrats. "I'm proud to have a 100% pro-choice voting record and I'm deeply alarmed by the rapidly escalating attacks on women's access to reproductive care in several states," Bustos said in a statement . But she also said that she will still work "to protect our big tent Democratic caucus." The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that Bustos chairs will support Lipinski just as much as it backs other incumbents, according to a DCCC aide familiar with the situation. Lipinski, in a statement, said Democrats "cannot afford to push pro-life voters out if we want to be united in defeating President Trump, expanding our House majority, and winning the Senate." Where do conservative women stand? When it comes to abortion, conservative women aren't a monolith #Stop the bans rallies: Abortion rights supporters hold rallies across the nation At a Capitol Hill rally Thursday organized by female lawmakers and members of the Pro-Choice Caucus, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., trumpeted the fact that the caucus represents a majority of House members for the first time. And Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said her organization   along with dozens of partners around the country   will keep mobilizing until "those who oppose us no longer hold their seats in Congress or the state legislatures." Meanwhile, a new poll shows most Americans aren't looking for change on the national legal landscape. About two-thirds of those surveyed by Quinnipiac University this month support Roe v. Wade. And while 40% said the Supreme Court should make it easier for a woman to get an abortion, a near-equal share of 36% said the court should make it harder. "Americans are in agreement," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the poll, "on upholding one of the country's most contentious rulings." Contributing: Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY and Brian Lyman, Montgomery Advertiser This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How the Alabama abortion law is roiling Democratic and Republican parties ahead of 2020 election


It's happened. It has finally happened. We knew this day was coming for months, but we are finally here. Eden Hazard has officially left Chelsea to join Real Madrid. They're not tears, it's just my allergies. He may have been flirting with Los Blancos for what feels like an eternity, but Chelsea fans around the world retained at least a little bit of hope that he would have a change of heart. But, he has not. Thank you, @HazardEden10 ! 💙 #ThankYouEden pic.twitter.com/6mCgZSFNJg   Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 7, 2019 In bidding goodbye to one of the club's greatest ever players, Chelsea released a video on Twitter of Hazard 's journey, from start to finish. How you can fit so much greatness into one clip is beyond me, but there are plenty of memories for us to enjoy. Opened with the words of fellow legend Didier Drogba, Hazard is described simply as amazing, but that does not even do him justice. We all remember the excitement of reading his tweet that he was signing for the Champions League winners in 2012, quivering with excitement over the possibilities with the brilliant Belgian amongst the ranks. I'm signing for the champion's league winner.   Eden Hazard (@hazardeden10) May 28, 2012 After netting his first Chelsea goal against Newcastle United , fans knew they had something special. The way he could dictate the tempo of the game, leaving defenders in awe with his speed and skill, was a sight to behold. As the video runs down his success during his seven years at Stamford Bridge, we remember just how much Chelsea owe to him. Two Premier League titles, two domestic cups and two Europa League triumphs hardly feels like enough of a haul with such a talented player, but nobody on the blue side of London will ever doubt what he has done. The time he humiliated the entire  Arsenal defence to score one of the finest solo efforts we have ever witnessed, and when he did similar against West Ham United last season, will always live long in the memories of fans and rivals alike, as he knew how to bring people together over their mutual love for football. He signed off with an outstanding performance against the Gunners to bring the Europa League trophy to Stamford Bridge, in what was truly a bittersweet moment for fans who knew this was likely the last chance to see him in Chelsea blue. "Thank you, Eden" does not seem enough. Without the Belgian genius, who knows where Chelsea Football Club would be right now. Through the ups and the downs, Hazard's stardom was always clear. Now it is time to see what the future holds for the Blues, without Hazard in the squad. Replacing a good player is never easy, but replacing one of the world's finest sounds nearly impossible. I'm not crying, you're crying.


It was obvious heading into Thursday's Game 6 of the NBA Finals that Kevin Durant would be on the minds of everyone at Oracle Arena. The Warriors star was 24 hours removed from surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles , which he tore in Monday's Game 5 win over the Raptors. The morning of the game, the Warriors unveiled Durant and Oakland-themed rally towels for Game 6. When it came time to take the floor for warmups, the Warriors were still repping their injured teammate. Quinn Cook and DeMarcus Cousins both were seen warming up in different Durant shirts. Cousins, of course, came back this season from an Achilles injury suffered with New Orleans. #StrengthInNumbers #NBAFinals @QCook323 reppin' for @KDTrey5 ! pic.twitter.com/Su8byRcfc8 - NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2019 Boogie and Quinn Cook both repping KD with different shirts Cook and KD have known each other since they were teenagers. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/zj7RWYdajS - NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 13, 2019 Jordan Bell also wore the shirt during warmups. In the last Golden State game in Oakland, the Warriors' support for Kevin Durant continues with these new "For Oakland" warm-up t-shirts. Look closely… pic.twitter.com/d0IdOyc7uA - Sam Amick (@sam_amick) June 13, 2019 The entire team is expected to sport the KD shirts before the game. On Thursday afternoon, Klay Thompson posted to Instagram about how the Warriors will try to finish off the series comeback for their injured teammate. MORE: Klay Thompson shares a heartfelt message about Kevin Durant before Game 6 Top of Packers WR depth chart takes shape following minicamp Warriors honor Oakland, Kevin Durant for final game at Oracle Arena Report: Lonzo Ball 'most important' piece of Anthony Davis deal The Top 10 NFL Head Coaches Entering 2019 Related slideshow: 2019 NBA Finals (Provided by imagn)