WASHINGTON   By the standards of Robert S. Mueller III, the government's most prominent ascetic, Wednesday's nearly 10 -minute statement in a seventh-floor conference room of the Justice Department was a circus. There were dozens of cameras, harsh lighting and live cut-ins on network television. For the first time in his two-year job as special counsel   and fittingly, on the day he announced his retirement   Mr. Mueller tried explaining himself . His performance revealed just how far Mr. Mueller was willing to stray from his highly practiced restraint . Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter "Bob Mueller would have wanted to write a letter of resignation that was three sentences long, stepping down," said Anne Milgram, the former New Jersey attorney general and a law professor at New York University, where she works with Andrew Weissmann, one of Mr. Mueller's top prosecutors. "He's kind of a 1950s guy in a 2019 world, where everyone wants him on TV, everyone wants him before the cameras in Congress." Mr. Mueller made clear on Wednesday how reluctant he was to repeat his performance. "I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner," he said, a reference to calls from Democrats in Congress for his testimony. "I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter." For what amounted to his retirement ceremony, Mr. Mueller wore his unofficial uniform: a pinstripe suit, a white shirt with a soft collar and a navy patterned tie, tilted slightly. The outfit became a part of Mr. Mueller's lore as special counsel. Andrew D. Goldstein, a prosecutor on the team, told a friend that Mr. Mueller asked for white shirts and "no flashy suits," the same kind of sartorial regimen he enforced when he was the director at the F.B.I. Like so much else in his investigation, Mr. Mueller's brief appearance was carefully choreographed and notice of it was tightly held. Word did not leak out after the White House and Mr. Barr heard about it on Tuesday night, and reporters in the Justice Department's press room were surprised when the news hit their inboxes at 9:30 a.m. In keeping with his past silence, Mr. Mueller alluded to the idea that his indictments were "speaking" ones that offered extensive detail. Mr. Mueller encouraged the public on Wednesday to return to those texts and not to expect more from him. "The report is my testimony," he said. Mr. Mueller often stood apart from his own investigation, a recluse even to those involved in it. During the day he could be found alone in his master office, but he met with more of his staff around 5 p.m. every day in a larger conference room. He would occasionally slip into the windowless conference rooms where witnesses were interviewed, to say hello or sit quietly in a corner. The style of Wednesday's statement mimicked Mr. Mueller's approach even in private. Glenn Kirschner, who in the 1990s worked alongside Mr. Mueller as a homicide prosecutor in Washington, said it reminded him of how Mr. Mueller controlled 15-minute daily staff meetings. "It was factual, it was brief," Mr. Kirschner said. "There's an economy of language." What Mr. Mueller will do with his liberation from the special counsel's work is unclear. If he returns to private law practice in Washington at the firm WilmerHale, where he worked out of a 12th-floor corner office, he would take on a similar role defending corporate clients, said Jamie S. Gorelick, a partner there. Mr. Mueller, who liked to eat lunch at a Greek restaurant on K Street, would often advise younger lawyers at his firm. After Mr. Mueller left the Justice Department on Wednesday, he returned to the same rented, bare office space that he used as special counsel, near tourists pouring into the Museum of the Bible, two blocks south of the National Mall. Several members of Mr. Mueller's team met him there for a formal goodbye. The offices are considered a "sensitive compartmented information facility," secure and safe for classified material and therefore without personal electronics, which must be deposited in small lockers. It was a suitable final moment in the most secretive government investigation in a generation. The team would not have been allowed to carry in personal cellphones to film or photograph it. Katie Benner contributed reporting.


A Miami-Dade police officer was charged this week for forcefully arresting a woman, and then allegedly making false statements about what happened, in an incident that sparked outrage after video of the incident went viral. Police bodycam footage and a cell phone video recorded by the woman's friend showed the officer, Alejandro Giraldo, pushing Dyma Loving against a fence before grabbing her by the neck and pulling her to the ground. Giraldo had been responding to a 911 call made by Loving's friend, Adrianna Green, to report that a neighbor had threatened them with a shotgun. An internal police investigation later found there was no basis for arresting Loving. (MORE: 'Disappointed and disgusted': Police release bodycam video of Alabama woman's arrest) Giraldo was arrested on Thursday and charged with official misconduct, a felony, for allegedly making false statements in official reports. He was also charged with battery. "After taking the sworn statements...and reviewing all the known video evidence, we believe that there is sufficient evidence to charge a violation of Florida's criminal statutes," the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office said in a statement. On the morning of March 5, Green called 911 to say that her neighbor had been hurling racist insults at her, and that he had pulled out a shotgun and threatened to shoot her. Four officers reported to the scene and interviewed Green and Loving about the incident before going to the neighbor's home to interview him about the allegations. They told Loving and Green "not to go anywhere," the warrant said. (MORE: 19-year-old woman arrested for allegedly shooting a Chicago police officer during raid) It was at this point that Giraldo and a sixth officer, Juan Calderon, arrived at the scene and arrested Green. Giraldo said he made the arrest because Loving "would not obey commands," was "uncooperative," and was "screaming at us, causing a scene in a residential neighborhood," according to the police report. None of these statements, however, could be backed by evidence, officials said. In sworn statements, each of the officers said that Loving did not in fact speak aggressively or act in a way that could have been perceived as a threat to the officers' safety, the police report said. Loving's attorney, Justin Moore, said that Loving had "expressed relief" over Giraldo's arrest, and applauded prosecutors for moving forward with the case. But he said that other officers should also face charges for their role in the incident. "The fact is that the other officers involved in Dyma's arrest assisted Officer Giraldo and drafted police reports detailing the incident," Moore said. "It is more than reasonable that they meet the same scrutiny that Officer Giraldo has received." (MORE: Bodycam shows Florida officer punching man handcuffed to hospital bed) Miami-Dade Police Department Director Juan Perez called Giraldo's arrest disappointing and said it "overshadows the hard work of the dedicated men and women of law enforcement, who strive daily to serve and protect our community," according to a statement. "This particular case underscores our commitment to cooperate and work together with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office in our continued effort to hold ourselves accountable," the statement said. Andre Rouviere, Giraldo's defense attorney, expressed concerns regarding the nature in which the case was brought about in a statement provided to ABC News. "Of the 35 body worn cameras and videos that were available, the media was shown only a small handful in which to present to the public," he said, claiming that the State Attorney's Office succumbed to "the pressure of a signature gathering campaign pushing for the filing of charges against Officer Giraldo." "As a result of the pressure and rush to judgement, Officer Giraldo has already been convicted by the state attorney's office, his own Police Department, the media and the public," Rouviere said. "One would hope by the time the matter goes to court, Officer Giraldo will, as any accused, be cloaked in a presumption of innocence." Giraldo has since been released from jail, according to ABC Miami affiliate WPLG .


Newly released records show that Connor Betts, the 24-year-old gunman in Sunday morning's mass shooting in Dayton's Oregon District, had previously been a student at Wright State University. His younger sister, Megan Betts, 22, who was a victim in the mass shooting, was also a Wright State University student. Connor Betts withdrew from the university in 2014 after a few months due to a lack of "maturity," according to an email sent by Betts himself. "I write to inform you that I must withdraw from Wright State," he wrote in an email to his academic advisor, "as I do not yet have the maturity to handle college." More: His Dayton home was hit by a tornado. Then his father died in the Oregon District shooting More: Teens lead anti-gun violence rally; Dayton girl quotes survivor: 'There's nowhere safe' More: What we know about the victims of the Dayton shooting Betts was enrolled in the psychology department, according to his unofficial transcript. His fall schedule included an introduction to psychology class and an introduction to sociology class, which it appears he took before withdrawing in the spring of 2014. His transcript also states that he was on academic probation at the end of his fall semester. Police said Betts killed nine people before responding officers killed him. Dayton and FBI officials said Tuesday they have found evidence Betts demonstrated an interest in "violent ideology." Officials would not get into specifics about the evidence or the "violent ideology." USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why Dayton shooter withdrew from college due to lack of 'maturity'


BOSTON   If the St. Louis Blues beat the Boston Bruins in Game 7, perhaps Steve Hatze Petros should get his name on the Stanley Cup. He is the NHL schedule-maker , making him the most responsible for a January-March stretch when the Blues didn't play more than one consecutive home game at a time. It was a virtual 70-day road trip that forced a team with a half-dozen new faces to come together under coach Craig Berube. It also helped them put up a 9-3 road record in the playoffs and it is a big reason the Blues say they feel totally at home playing for the Cup in Boston on Wednesday night. "It was a time for us to get to know each other better," center Ryan O'Reilly said. "We got out and got away, got the chance to go to the rink together every day, eat together every day. It just kind of brought us together. I think that's where we found our identity and came together. As you can see throughout the course of the playoffs, we're confident in the room. We find it easier to get to our game and have success." Whichever team gets to its style of game faster and more effectively wins. That has been the story of this hard-fought series between evenly matched teams that like to play different ways. Boston wants to skate and use its talent to score goals and grab momentum. St. Louis prefers to get pucks deep in the attacking zone, make defenders turn around and then deliver body blows whenever possible. The Blues front office has tried to replicate life on the road by having players stay in a hotel at home, but they are just 6-7 in St. Louis in the playoffs. "I think when you're at home, you're maybe trying to play a little differently at times," Berube said. The opening minutes of a 5-1 loss in Game 6 exemplified that. Players abandoned their straightforward approach and got fancy by trying to razzle-dazzle the puck past the Bruins, and when a goal didn't materialize in the first 10 minutes, momentum went the other way. That's exactly how the Bruins like it. "We came out pretty well," Boston defenseman Brandon Carlo said. "We've had good starts on the forecheck early, playing assertive, being aggressive and staying right on top of them, not backing down from anything, keeping our gaps tight, forwards are doing a great job on the forecheck and kind of asserting the pace out there." Who sets the pace could win Game 7. If it is fast and up and down the ice, advantage Bruins. "I think we're a better skating team, and if we're playing to our pace both skating and moving the puck, I think we've taken over a little bit and created more chances, playing better defensively," Bruins forward Joakim Nordstrom said. "When we're skating, we're getting back on pucks better. It obviously helps our D to break the puck out. Same thing goes up ice. We get on the forecheck a little bit quicker." The Blues' whole game is based on their forecheck   how they put pressure on opposing defensemen and wear them down over the course of a game and a series. "We're definitely built to sustain pressure," Blues winger David Perron said. "When we do that, we can really back off teams and hopefully slow down the crowd a little bit." Quieting what should be a raucous crowd on hand for the first Stanley Cup Final Game 7 in Boston is easier said than done. St. Louis did that in Game 2 to tie the series and is brimming with confidence, unfazed by the lack of home-ice advantage in the final game of the season. "We're excited and we're happy to get back on the road," winger Patrick Maroon said. "I think this where we jell the best." The Bruins have won seven of 12 home games in the playoffs. Coach Bruce Cassidy said playing for home-ice advantage all season is for a situation just like this, but the road warrior Blues don't seem concerned. "We just seem to like it," defenseman Carl Gunnarsson said. "We just keep putting up good results on the road. I don't know why, but it seems to be working for us. We'll try to keep that going." ___ Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno ___ More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Related slideshow: 2019 Stanley Cup Final (Provided by imagn)


The 9000-mile rally put this race-prepared Japanese classic to the test We've all encountered project cars that hang around far longer than intended. Sometimes it takes a vision to provide the drive and end-goal for that rather rusty classic in the garage. Petrolicious' latest film tells the story of a father-son pairing who restored a Datsun 240Z, and entered the gruelling Peking to Paris rally. More on Nissan: - Nissan's Iconic RB26 Engine Returns To Production - How Margaret Thatcher Brought Nissan To The UK Originally found on Craigslist, this rusty wreck of a 240Z was bought by Chris Bury as a project car, and stored in his parent's garage. It served as a toy for entertaining canyon drives, but when it broke down one day, it was somewhat forgotten about. Inevitably, Chris' pattens started to get sick of the car taking up space at their home, that's when his dad had the idea to use the car for the Peaking to Paris event. A magazine Tjerk Bury was reading highlighted that one of the best cars to do the rally in was a 240Z. A call to his son later, he bought the car and work began on restoring the classic Japanese sports model. The clock started ticking on the project when Tjerk signed up for the 9000-mile event. The 240Z has a history of success in rallying with the period Nissan works team. Paying tribute to the car's history in the East Africa Rally events, a two-tone colour scheme was chosen for the Peaking to Paris project. It's not a homage to the original rally racer as the colours differ, but the dark blue, silver, and pinstripe colour scheme mimic the format. A series s of modifications had to be made to the 240Z, but the standard SU carburetor remained as it performed better at altitude. Rugged tires, hardy suspension, and underbody protection were essential for tackling a wide variety of terrain. A special low-compression engine was another addition as it allowed the car to deal with the poor quality fuels it would encounter. Tjerk highlights that while 110 cars were competing in the event, there's a sense of community on the rally, with everyone lending a hand when needed. The 240Z finished the race and was commended for its reliability. Chris and Tjerk will be entering the next Peaking to Paris event to do it all over again. Source: YouTube


Here are three primary observations about the Vikings' 34-25 win over the Saints on Friday night. Kirk Cousins looked as sharp as he'll need to be all season. Kirk Cousins was a perfect passer against the Saints in the preseason opener. Perhaps offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski is onto something. (Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports) Through his career as a starter, Kirk Cousins has been an estimable stat-collector-he's thrown for more than 4,000 yards and at least 25 touchdowns in each of the last four seasons-but he's generally fallen short when big plays are needed, especially outside structure when he's asked to think outside the box. That doesn't automatically mean the Vikings will never ascend to the top of the NFL with him as their quarterback, but it does mean that offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski and his staff will have to create opportunities for Cousins to make big plays in a comfort zone. In Cousins' only drive of this game, he completed all four of the passes he attempted for 65 yards and a touchdown. And there was this 34-yard pass to Adam Thielen in which Thielen displayed his typically ridiculous athleticism and catch radius. Adam Thielen! #Playmaker #MINvsNO pic.twitter.com/ql9P3oLAux - PFF (@PFF) August 10, 2019 That splash play aside, Cousins also hit tight end Kyle Rudolph for 20 yards on a TE Throwback concept, where he was able to use play action and his rushing ability to divert the defense away from Rudolph and create an easy big play. Last season, per Pro Football Focus, Cousins completed 77.1% of his play-action passes for 1,125 yards, 8.6 yards per attempt, and eight touchdowns to just two picks. Using more of it in 2019 would make a ton of sense. Teddy Bridgewater is still a guy to watch. Teddy Bridgewater's comeback from a severe knee injury is one of the NFL's most inspiring recent stories. (Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports) Selected 32 nd overall by the Vikings in the 2014 draft, Teddy Bridgewater was supposed to be Minnesota's future franchise quarterback. He appeared to be on that path when he made the Pro Bowl in 2015, but a gruesome knee injury cost him the entire 2016 season and made many-including the Vikings' front office-wonder if he had a future in the NFL at all. Minnesota declined his fifth-year option, Bridgewater became a free agent after the 2017 season, and the Jets-who originally signed him-traded him to New Orleans in August of 2018. He obviously saw limited action with the Saints last season (that Drew Brees guy is still pretty good), but in preseason action against his former team, Bridgewater excelled, completing 14 of 19 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown pass. This back-shoulder throw to receiver Cyril Grayson, Jr. was particularly outstanding. "Mr. Grayson, I have a perfect back-shoulder throw from Mr. Bridgewater. Would you like to accept it?" "Why, yes. Yes, I will." pic.twitter.com/4iEk5YDCQe - Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) August 10, 2019 If Bridgewater can keep this going through the preseason, he'll land on the list for other NFL teams in need of a quality quarterback. The Saints signed him to a one-year, $7.25 million deal in March that's fully guaranteed, but one never knows what may happen down the road-in New Orleans or elsewhere. Mike Boone had the play of the game. Mike Boone was looking to turn heads in his second NFL preseason. Mission accomplished. (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports) In his rookie season of 2018, undrafted Vikings running back Mike Boone gained 47 yards on 11 rushing attempts. The Cincinnati alum endeavored to do more than that in Minnesota's preseason opener, which led to this outstanding exhibition of smashmouth football as Boone scampered for a 64-yard touchdown that put the game away for the Vikings. Mike Boone 64-yard touchdown (broken open by Khari Blasingame at FB) pic.twitter.com/kmmawltgIm - Arif Hasan (@ArifHasanNFL) August 10, 2019 Fullback Khari Blasingame, who blew things open on this play, also caught a two-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter from backup Kyle Sloter. MORE: Browns mob touchdown scorer who slept outside a gym during tryouts Packers LT David Bakhtiari pokes fun at Texans CB Lonnie Johnson D'Angelo Russell Q&A: Warriors' new backcourt is 'like a video game' Earl Watson explains the 'perfect marriage' of Westbrook, Harden Three takeaways from the Steelers-Buccaneers game


MIAMI (CBSMiami)   A South Florida middle school student was honored Thursday for thwarting a possible school shooting in Ohio. For Attucks Middle School student Audrey Stone 'see something, say something' was more than words. It was a chance to prevent another school tragedy. A week and a half ago, Audrey told local law enforcement about an Ohio student's plan to shoot up a school. Audrey told authorities she had met the Ohio student on social media three years ago. We are #BCPSProud of @AttucksMS student AudreyAnna Stone, for her heroic efforts to #SeeSomethingSaySomething ! https://t.co/oZoaiKICPy   Broward Schools (@browardschools) May 30, 2019 "When I asked him what school he went to, he wouldn't tell me so I talked to one of his friends and he gave me the school info." Acting on that information, Ohio authorities made contact with the student and Audrey's information turned out to be one hundred percent accurate. "They were able to find the list that was made. They were able to find the gun that he took a picture with and they were able to make contact with the parents and go further into their investigation," said Hollywood Police Major Derik Alexander. Everything Audrey had told them checked out. Audrey was given the Hollywood Police Chief's Special Recognition Award, during her school's 8th-grade graduation, along with the gratitude of Ohio police and hundreds of parents and students. Her message to everyone is simple when they think there is a chance of violence, "Don't think twice, do something about it." As the saying goes, "See something, say something." Police said the Ohio student has been detained and remains in police custody.


While the format is set for the 2020 Olympics, the Forecaddie thinks it's never too early to beat the drum for change. (Or pray for a last-minute addition.) Justin Thomas says it's hard to argue with the format given that Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar earned medals on the men's side. The three female medalists - Inbee Park, Lydia Ko and Shanshan Feng - were equally legit. "I would say the fact that those three finished in order, three of the best players, it speaks for itself," Thomas told The Man Out Front. "You don't need to do anything crazy, it's just golf. Let us go out there and play." But what about adding to what's already there? "I think the Olympics is all about country and team," said Australia's Minjee Lee. "Just like tennis does individual and doubles, you just play your own game and then two people's aggregate score becomes your team score." Brooke Henderson agrees, noting that swimming gives out multiple medals every night. Why can't golf have more than three per gender over the course of four days? For those players who are out of the individual medal race, Ko said having a team event gives them something else to play for deep in the competition. "I would love if there was a team format," the Kiwi told TMOF. "Whether it might be an extra couple days or match play or just combined, I don't really know." Recent Arkansas grad Maria Fassi revels in a team environment more than flying solo. "I actually played in the Youth Olympics and we had a mixed team event, which was even cooler," said Fassi. In that case, the men's and women's event followed the individual tournament. At the Tokyo Games next summer, the men's tournament begins July 30 - 53 weeks from Tuesday - at Kasumigaseki Country Club and the women begin their competition Aug. 5. Lee went so far as to say that a team competition is more in line with the Olympic spirit. If you think about it, few sports go without it. Gwk ( Note : This story appears in the July issue of Golfweek .) https://compass.pressekompass.net/compasses/golfweek/open-course-you-want-to-play_golfweek MORE: The 21 dumbest ideas in NFL history The Twins pulled off a beautiful triple play against the Yankees and fans loved it Stephen A. Smith Is Hearing a Potential Uncle Dennis-Kawhi Leonard Bombshell Could Drop NBA trade rumor rankings: What's up with CP3? Tim Duncan is returning to the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr is here for the jokes


FARMINGDALE, N.Y.   The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers. OK, now that we've been reminded of the peril this week by the famous warning sign at No. 1, let's head out to Bethpage Black for the PGA Championship. Plan to arrive early. The first tee times Thursday are 6:45 a.m. Here's your scorecard. Well, not exactly a scorecard, but lots of numbers. 5   Golf courses at Bethpage State Park. Everyone's concerned with Bethpage Black at the moment, but there are its four less famous brothers   Red, Green, Yellow and Blue. You can play Green, Yellow or Blue for $38. Playing the Black will run you $130, if you're a non-resident of New York. But not this weekend. PGA CHAMPIONSHIP 2019: Leaderboard | Tee Times | Highlights | How to watch | Course Tour 8   "Eight acres of sand on a golf course is an incredible amount of sand," PGA of America chief executive officer Seth Waugh said the other day. Bethpage Black has more bunkers   78, count 'em, 78   than you can shake a sand wedge at. Plus lots of hills. Plus lots of length. But water on only one hole. You don't get wet here, just worn down. "That warning sign is for real," Waugh said. "It's a big ol' golf course, and you've got to be ready for it. It's tackle football, both playing it and walking it. "The interesting thing is, nobody ever says it's unfair. They say it's a great test. And it's a happy place. It is hard, but it's fair, and it's in front of you and you understand it." Francesco Molinari had three things to say Wednesday about how the course has been playing: "Long, very long, and extremely long." Or as Padraig Harrington described, "If you lose a shot or two out there, you don't feel like you're going to get it back. I think that's the intimidation factor of Bethpage Black . . . It just gives up nothing." 32   When Tiger Woods tees off Thursday, it'll be 32 days since he put on the green jacket in Augusta. Not a lot of time to decompress and recover from one of the game's landmark moments. RECAP: Tiger won the 2019 Masters. Here's how it all went down 28   Years since John Daly's remarkable Cinderella coming out story at the 1991 PGA Championship. He'll be the one in a cart this week because of an arthritic knee. By rule, he has to drive the cart, with no bags, no nothing. Just him. The runaway winner for most tweeted pre-tournament quote was Woods' comment on that, referring to his own 2008 U.S. Open. "As far as J.D. taking a cart, well, I walked with a broken leg, so . . . " Daly later reportedly said he wished Woods knew all the facts. 156   Players in the field. If that sounds like a thick crowd of competitors to get through, listen to defending champion Brooks Koepka, polishing up an idea Jack Nicklaus used to forward about how a large percentage of the field at a major will shoot itself out of contention on its own. Koepka broke down his task simply. "What is there, 156 in the field. So you figure at least 80 of them, I'm just going to beat. You figure half of them won't play well from there, so you're down to about maybe 35. And then from 35, some of them   pressure is going to get to them. It only leaves you with a few more, and you've just got to beat those guys." Gee, that doesn't sound so hard. Look out for the defending #PGAChamp at Bethpage. pic.twitter.com/rME8QTDl2g   PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 15, 2019 0   Men who have been two-time defending champions in two majors at the same time. Koepka, coming off two U.S. Opens and the 2018 PGA, would be the first   if his math and his game are good enough by Sunday evening. 70   Yeah, that's par at Bethpage Black, but this is something else. It's a number that proves how hard it can be to win this tournament. Those are the combined PGA Championship starts of Arnold Palmer (37) and Tom Watson (33). Neither ever won. The best total scores relative to par among those to play in the last four majors: Brooks Koepka (-25), Tiger Woods (-22), Francesco Molinari (-17), Xander Schauffele (-16) and Webb Simpson (-14). pic.twitter.com/2HcsRX7RkX   PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 15, 2019 6   European-born PGA champions. Europe has cleaned up in the British Open (49 winners), done well in the U.S. Open (23) and Masters (10). And let's don't even get started about the Ryder Cup lately. But the PGA has been a tough one. Europe went 78 years   from Tommy Armour in 1930 to Padraig Harrington in 2008   without winning it once. 3   This will be the third year in a row Dustin Johnson was ranked No. 1 in the world heading into the PGA. The past two times, he finished tied for 13 th and tied for 27 th . For all his recent dominance in the rankings, the 2016 U.S. Open remains his only major title. Disappointed? "Disappointed, I wouldn't go with, but a little frustrated sometimes," he said, "just because I've had quite a few chances and I've felt like a few of them, I really didn't do anything (wrong). I played well. But that's just how it is. It's hard to win majors. If it was easy, a lot of guys would have a lot more than they do." 21   Jordan Spieth's highest finish in a golf tournament this season. He hasn't won since 2017. He blames a lot of the inconsistency on driver problems, but said Wednesday that was getting better. And about the media wondering about the pain of his slump . . . "I didn't like, go away from the game for five years. I just happened to not win in the last year and a half or so. I don't want the use the word negativity, but the questioning and the wording that's used to describe me by media or whatever the last year has only come up because of the amount of success I've had. So it actually could be looked at positively as well, because if I didn't have the success I've had . . . you'd be actually looking at the progression of the game instead of the comparisons constantly to when someone was at their best, which I think is unfair to anybody in any field. "It's just one of those things where you've just got to block out the noise and stay the course and believe in yourself." Let's go LIVE with the 3-time Major Champion, Jordan Spieth! #PGAChamp https://t.co/BaixETlFOn   PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 15, 2019 19   Being at the top of the third-round leaderboard means a lot in the PGA. Nineteen of the past 21 champions played in the final pairing on Sunday. 10   Here's another list Tiger Woods is climbing. Should Woods win this week   besides turning this sport even more on its head   he would become the 10 th oldest major champion at 43 years, four months and 20 days, and the oldest since Hale Irwin's U.S. Open 29 years ago. By the way, Woods needs four majors to pass Jack Nicklaus, meaning he would have to accomplish four times at his age what only nine men in history have done once. That's a hard hill to climb. But the golf world has come to Bethpage Black keeping count again. Is it Thursday yet? #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/g8wn51lfek   PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 15, 2019


Hours after Joe Biden launched his 2020 campaign by attacking President Trump for his response to a deadly white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, the president began to spin a yarn. The August 2017 demonstration was actually just a group of "neighborhood" folks from the local University of Virginia community who simply "wanted to protest the fact that they want to take down the statue of Robert E. Lee," Trump said in an interview with conservative radio host Mark Levin in late April. Trump himself had merely been supporting those same purportedly peaceful protesters when he said there were "very fine people on both sides," he continued. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post Lee was "one of the great generals," Trump told reporters the next day on the South Lawn of the White House. "People were there protesting the taking down of the monument of Robert E. Lee. Everybody knows that." In fact, the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville   which left one woman dead and 19 injured   was explicitly organized by a group of white supremacists and neo-Nazis as a celebration of white nationalism. The official event was presaged by a nighttime parade in which rallygoers held tiki torches aloft while chanting, "Jews will not replace us!" and "Blood and soil," a reference to a nationalist slogan used in Nazi Germany. "It is a misrepresentation of what was happening in Charlottesville to say it was a statue protest that went wrong," said Nicole Hemmer, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia's Miller Center who lives in Charlottesville and attended the rally as an observer. "Anyone who was there that day would have walked into a park of people waving Nazi flags and people who were Klansmen. It was not a secret who put that rally on that day." For Trump, his recasting of Charlottesville is just the latest version of a story he has been altering and embellishing over the past 21 months in defense of one of the lowest points of his presidency, when he attracted bipartisan opprobrium for his seeming reluctance to forcefully condemn white supremacy. Even in his revisionist retelling, the president's decision to lavish praise on Lee   a slave owner who led Confederate troops in defense of human bondage   leaves in place a level of ambiguity for those in his political base sympathetic to alt-right causes. His approach to Charlottesville highlights a number of recurring themes in Trump's responses to controversy: his refusal to apologize or admit error; his defiance in the face of critics; his willingness to view facts as malleable in the service of self-preservation; and his ability to speak abstrusely in a way that provides fodder for defenders and detractors alike. White House officials reject any suggestion that Trump has been equivocal on white supremacists. "President Trump and the entire Administration have and will continue to condemn racism, bigotry, and violence in all forms   and any claim to the contrary is false, disgusting, and a slanderous attempt to sew division in America," spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement, citing the administration's relationship with Israel and historically low unemployment rates for blacks, Latinos and Asian Americans. But Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, said Trump's continued reticence to confront white supremacists "is not a dog whistle picked up by the alt-right   it's a bullhorn the whole country can hear." According to the ADL's most recent annual report, white supremacists were responsible for 39 of the 50 extremist-related murders the group counted in 2018, an increase from the previous year, when 18 of 34 such crimes were committed by white supremacists. A report in February by the Southern Poverty Law Center identified a record 1,020 hate groups operating across the country in 2018. It also found that the number of deaths linked to the radical right had increased: In the United States and Canada, at least 40 people have been killed by white supremacists. "It has emboldened extremists," Greenblatt said of Trump's ambivalent posturing. "How do we know this? Because they say so. It's spurred this new, nativistic nationalism that's playing out on college campuses and social media and now cities across the country." 'Very fine people on both sides' The president's response to the Charlottesville rally   three whiplash statements over four days   seemed to encapsulate his uncertainty over how strongly to condemn the white-supremacist groups behind the event. On Aug. 12, 2017, after an avowed neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer, Trump offered a brief initial statement from his private golf resort in Bedminster, N.J. He denounced "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides"   repeating "on many sides" a second time for emphasis. The statement was widely condemned as creating a false equivalency between the two groups and for not going far enough. Back at the White House two days later   urged on by worried aides   the president delivered a more forceful, scripted statement in a hastily arranged news conference. "Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups," he said. Those remarks, however, left Trump frustrated. The president told aides in the stately Diplomatic Reception Room that his mea culpa was the "worst speech I've ever given" and "the biggest f-----g mistake I've made," according to accounts the journalist Bob Woodward provided in his book "Fear," about the Trump presidency. The next day, during a news conference ostensibly about infrastructure at Trump Tower in New York, the president unleashed a freewheeling riff on the violence at the rally. In one breath, he said, "I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis or the white nationalists because they should be condemned totally"   a statement his allies have latched on to in defense of his handling of the issue to claim the president was always clear in his denunciations of bigotry and hate-fueled violence. Yet, in the next breath, Trump asserted, "there's blame on both sides . . . very fine people on both sides." The last of his three statements was classic Trump   raw, visceral, unfiltered   and, in the eyes of many, his most honest response. The tableau of Trump blaming both sides as John F. Kelly, his chief of staff at the time, stood by grim-faced, was a reflection of "a president who is very frustrated at being told what to say, and who reverts back to his genuine reaction, that there were very fine people on both sides," Hemmer said. In his initial remarks about Charlottesville, and his recent ones praising Lee, Trump was relying on the rhetorical tools he frequently deploys during controversy   making contradictory or murky statements that allow him and his defenders to claim whatever benefits them in the moment. Despite his brief condemnation of neo-Nazis and white nationalists, for example, members of those same groups heard in Trump's comments support for their ideology when he blamed both sides. "What he's signaling to his base   including those that are explicitly racist or with implicit racial bias   is: 'I'm your guy,' " said C. Shawn McGuffey, a sociology professor and the director of African diaspora studies at Boston College. "He can say all he wants that, 'I'm not a racist, I'm not a white nationalist,' but when white nationalists call you a white nationalist, you're clearly signaling something." David Duke, the former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, illustrates the president's Rorschach messaging. The day of the rally, Duke praised Trump, enthusing that the march represented "a turning point for the people of this country." "We are determined to take our country back," he said. "We're going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump." But after Trump disavowed hatred and violence in a tweet, Duke responded angrily on social media, writing, "I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidency, not radical leftists." An unsuccessful presidential candidate who endorsed Trump in 2016, Duke's feelings toward the president now are mixed. "He's still giving some decent rhetoric, but he's not keeping his promises," Duke said in an interview last week , citing Trump's tough talk on immigration and his vow to enact middle-class tax relief. At the same time, Duke expressed an appreciation for some of Trump's language on Charlottesville. "He was the only person in the entirety of the U.S. government who pointed out that all the fault was not with the people who came there to defend the Robert E. Lee statue, and those who came to defend the right and heritage of white people," Duke said. 'Concocting a phony story' The launch of Biden's 2020 presidential campaign on April 25 brought the white-supremacist rally back into the national discussion and immediately put Trump on the defensive. The president had largely avoided commentary on Charlottesville over the past year, save for an anniversary statement in August condemning the "riots," which made no mention of white supremacists. Biden's announcement video featured footage of the rallygoers, dressed in makeshift riot gear, as he described "their crazed faces illuminated by torches, veins bulging and bearing the fangs of racism." Calling Charlottesville "a defining moment for this nation in the last few years," Biden criticized Trump for praising the "very fine people on both sides" and portrayed his candidacy as part of a moral battle for the soul of the nation. Leon Panetta, a former secretary of defense, CIA director and White House chief of staff, said delving back into Charlottesville is perilous territory for the president. "It brings attention to probably one of his worst failings, which is his inability to acknowledge when he says something stupid," Panetta said. "It's probably one of the worst things he has said during his presidency." But Trump couldn't help but respond, and he did so by distorting his initial reaction. He repeatedly praised Lee   a line of defense largely absent from his rhetoric in the aftermath of the 2017 event. He said he was never condoning white supremacy but simply defending the rights of peaceful protesters who did not want the Lee statue taken down. The defense left many unconvinced. Biden accused Trump of "concocting a phony story." "The very rally was advertised   advertised   as a white-supremacist rally," Biden told a crowd April 30, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa . "Anti-Semitic chants were clear. Hatred was on the march, and he knew it." McGuffey said in an era of news micro-cycles, Trump is "trying to rewrite history, he's trying to clean it up." "He's had almost two years now to do that, and this is his latest version," he said. Trump's defenders, however, argue the president has been consistent in his outspokenness about hatred since the beginning. Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" on April 28, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Trump's response to Charlottesville "was twisted for many years" and was "darn near perfection." "I think anytime a president is willing to condemn people who hate other people based on their race of their religion it's a great day for America, and that's what he did," Conway said. Another White House official also argued it is unfair to suggest Trump is sympathetic toward neo-Nazis or other extremists given his record on condemning anti-Semitism, including after the recent shooting at the Chabad of Poway synagogue in California. In focusing on Lee, Trump also managed to plunge the nation into a semi-academic debate about the legacy of the Confederate general while obscuring his original response. On ABC's "This Week," House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), a veteran civil rights activist, called Lee "a great tactician" before excoriating him as "a brutal slave master" and a "loser." Greenblatt said the discussion about Lee allows Trump to defend himself while signaling to the alt-right members of his base that he tacitly agrees with them. "When you say you're against white supremacy but then you praise Robert E. Lee, the general who led us in the war in favor of white supremacy, I think it's safe to say these are contradictory messages," he said. Trump's latest remarks, Greenblatt added, should be viewed as part of a troubling broader arc, from Charlottesville to the white-supremacist shootings at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and at the Poway, Calif., synagogue. "These aren't outliers on a scatter plot," Greenblatt said. "These are data points on a trend line." ashley.parker@washpost.com


Visiting Central Business District, or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know this Pittsburgh neighborhood by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a cocktail bar to a Korean and Asian fusion restaurant. Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in Central Business District, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of neighborhood businesses. Read on for the results. 1. Täkō Topping the list is New American and Mexican spot täkō . Located at 214 Sixth St., it's the most popular business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 1,290 reviews on Yelp. On the menu , expect tacos with octopus, carnitas, chicken, mushrooms, shrimp tempura, steak and fish, as well as a poke bowl (tuna, avocado, spicy soy dressing and sesame mayo), ceviche (shrimp, chipotle aguachile, avocado, radish and orange oil) and roasted squash (goat cheese, morita vinaigrette and candied seeds). Wash it all down with signature cocktails, margaritas, sangria, frozen options and Mexican beer. 2. Butcher And The Rye Next up is butcher, cocktail bar and New American spot Butcher and the Rye , situated at 212 Sixth St. With 4.5 stars out of 893 reviews on Yelp, it's proven to be a local favorite. The restaurant boasts an extensive whiskey collection, which is available to sample with flights, as well as a full bar to tag along with a unique menu . Entrees include grilled filet with roasted potatoes, pan seared halibut and buttermilk fried rabbit. 3. The Carlton Diner and steakhouse The Carlton , which offers seafood and more, is another top choice. Yelpers give the business, located at 500 Grant St., BNY Mellon Center, four stars out of 106 reviews. Look for fish, seafood and steak dishes like crab and shrimp pasta, Chilean sea bass, the Carlton surf and turf (prime rib and sautéed Cajun barbecue shrimp) as well as braised short ribs (click here to view the menu). 4. Bae Bae's Kitchen Bae Bae's Kitchen , a Korean and Asian fusion spot that offers salads and more, is another much-loved neighborhood go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 286 Yelp reviews. Head over to 951 Liberty Ave. to see for yourself. Bae Bae's Kitchen serves healthy, organic, local Korean-inspired cuisine that changes seasonally. Expect rice and noodle bowls with ribeye, fried chicken or tofu as well as sides like kimchi and vegetable tempura (sweet potato, broccoli, onions and more). Daily specials include Korean chicken wings, KimBap and Dukbokki. The drink menu offers boba tea, Vietnamese coffee and Kombucha tea. (Click here to view the menu.) 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.


Fans often ask what on-site activities Formula 1 races offer beyond the flagship racing event. So Motorsport Live explains what else there is to keep everyone entertained throughout the packed three-day schedule through an-depth look at what the French GP is doing to make the event more than just a race. Track action Formula 1 will be the focus of attention throughout the weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard, as the venue hosts the next instalment of the title fight between Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. But as Entertainment & Global Mobility Director, Ludovic Arnault explains, Circuit Paul Ricard is going the extra mile to give spectators the ultimate grand prix experience. If you want to join in on an action-packed French Grand Prix weekend in the French Riviera then check out Motorsport Live's range of ticketing options. Jean-Pierre Jabouille, Renault RS01 Photo by: LAT Images "As well as Formula 1there will be F2, F3 and the Renault Clio Cup," explains Arnault, with the junior categories shining a light on those striving to reach the pinnacle of motorsport. "We will also have on both Saturday and Sunday a Renault parade lap, including the 1977 Renault Formula 1 car of Jean-Pierre Jabouille. And fans will also be able to watch the official F1 Drivers' parade, hosted on both classic cars and the F1 truck." Formula 2 and Formula 3 are where you get to see the stars of the future. Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and Charles Leclerc are former champions, and among the next generation trying to impress the F1 team bosses is Mick Schumacher, son of the legendry seven-time champion, Michael who has already tested for Ferrari this year. But Mick won't have it easy as Williams reserve driver Nicolas Latifi and ex-McLaren protégé Nyck de Vries lead the way in the standings. The stars of F3   of which Bottas is a former champ   are a season or two away from the big-time   also has some famous names in the shape of Pedro Piquet, son of triple world champion Nelson, but there it's Robert Schwartzman who leads the way after the open round of the championship. Mick Schumacher, Prema Racing Photo by: FIA Formula 2 Robert Shwartzman, PREMA Racing Photo by: FIA F3 It's unlikely that any of the Renault Clio Cup drivers will be getting an F1 call-up, but that won't make the racing any less fun or frantic, as the drivers swap paint and bang door handles through every corner. Renault changed the game in Formula 1 when it introduced turbo-charging in 1977, and it was Jabouille who was entrusted with the ground-breaking car. Initially it was seen as something of a joke, but once its reliability problems were sorted Renault's 1.5-litre turbo-charged motor demonstrated a clear power advantage over its normally aspirated rivals. So getting to see Jabouille and the 'yellow tea pot' re-united is not to be missed. Off-track activities Action isn't just confined to the track. "We will host one concert after each day, starting 6:30pm Saturday and 7pm Sunday," confirms Arnault. "DJs du Mistral will be playing on Friday evening, with Bob Sinclar on Saturday and Martin Solveig on Sunday after the race. The concert area will be located towards the north area of the racetrack, with a stage set up near to the chicane. Franky Zapatta is coming back with his flyboard to entertain the crowd with a dedicated show before the race, and we are also expecting the Patrouille de France [where French fighter jets fly above the circuit displaying the famous tri-color of the French flag], and few helicopters to fly over the racetrack." Clio Cup action Photo by: Renault Sport Fans at the Fan Zone Photo by: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images Organisers of the French Grand Prix have also gone the extra mile to ensure that there are a wealth of activities elsewhere. "As we did last year we are building a 'village Sud' that is based on the iconic look of our local villages," explains Arnault. "You will be able to find local food, wine and stands from local sellers. Compared to last year there will also be a much wider range of food and beverage options, with food trucks, restaurants and general snacking areas available. "We are also this year building a village called 'back to the future' and that will host an area featuring an Esports arena, a dynamic movie theater, and stands from companies working on new technologies, as well as an outdoor museum. In this museum, we will display classic Renault cars and pieces from motorsport history. All of this will be free to access for anyone who attends the French Grand Prix." Drivers in the eSports arena Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images Spectators will also have the opportunity to get involved with all of the social media action and, as usual, there will be the chance to get up close and personal with the Formula 1 drivers, courtesy of stage appearances and autograph sessions. "Fans will also be able to take selfies with a giant hashtag (#GPFRANCEF1)," adds Arnault. "And all through the weekend they will be entertained by a band of around 30 people that will do small shows around the racetrack and in the grandstands. "We will have the official F1 Fanzone, which will host the official F1 shop, and there will also be driver appearances on the main stage." If you want to join in on an action-packed French Grand Prix weekend in the French Riviera then check out Motorsport Live's range of ticketing options.


Summer in the NBA is a time for rest, relaxation, and the development of young talent into veterans. The Portland Trail Blazers are already missing one of its most important players in Jusuf Nurkic , who is unlikely to play until 2020. Portland has tried to fortify its a big man lineup by adding both Hassan Whiteside and Pau Gasol this offseason. Zach Collins will also be expected to make a leap in his third year in the NBA. For now, Collins' development has taken a step back. According to Dwight Jaynes of NBC Sports Northwest, Collins' sprained his ankle and is now in a walking boot. He has a mild tear of a ligament in his ankle that did not require surgery. Via NBCSNW : Portland Trail Blazer center-forward Zach Collins is recovering at his home in Las Vegas after sustaining a grade 2 sprain in his right ankle during a workout. Collins suffered the sprain and a torn ligament during a workout a couple of weeks ago, as confirmed by the Trail Blazers Wednesday. … He has been on crutches and in a walking boot but is expected to be ready to play by the opening of the team's training camp It's good news for Blazers fans that Collins didn't need surgery and that he should be back in time for the regular season. Hopefully he is still working on the things he needs to get better at   most notably making his defensive rotations a little bit crisper and shot selection. Time spent healing up should also aid Collins, whose thumb on his shooting hand was banged up in the playoffs last year. Collins will be an integral force on both offense and defense for Portland's frontline, and they need him as healthy as he can be moving forward.


There were a lot of storylines out of Game 5. The Warriors had a massive win and a devastating loss all in one game. Kawhi Leonard looked limited until he suddenly didn't and took over for a stretch of the fourth. There were injuries and huge shots and drama for a full 48 minutes. We finally had a great NBA Finals game. However, what decided this game was far more straightforward: Three-pointers. No advanced stats needed for this: One team knocked down their threes, the other did not. The Warriors hit 20 on 47.6 percent shooting and could not miss on the long threes above the break. The Raptors hit eight on 25 percent shooting. If you prefer, he are the shooting charts for the Warriors and Raptors. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined to shoot 12-of-27 from three (44.4 percent) and the rest of the team shot 8-of-15. "I think the fact that Steph and Klay were able to get off 14 and 13 threes is too many," Kyle Lowry said. "They got off way too many threes. For guys like them, they're going to make   you give them that many threes, they're going to make some. So we let them get too many threes off." On the flip side, Danny Green was 0-of-4, Lowry 1-of-6, and even Kawhi Leonard 2-of-7 from beyond the arc. Those core shooters simply have to better next game, or they will have another chance in Game 7. Because we know Curry and Thompson will keep shooting.


Frank Lampard was hired as the first English manager of Chelsea in 23 years on Thursday, making a return to the club where he is the all-time record scorer from his trophy-laden 13 years as a player. The appointment of the 41-year-old Lampard is something of a gamble   he has had just one year in senior management at second-tier Derby last season   and he is walking into a club that is under a year-long transfer embargo and has slipped well behind Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League pecking order. Chelsea also recently sold its best player, Eden Hazard, to Real Madrid. But it is a sentimental move Lampard and Chelsea just couldn't resist. "Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared," Lampard said after Chelsea announced his widely expected arrival on a three-year contract. "I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get started." Lampard is a Chelsea great after scoring 211 goals from central midfield from 2001-14, during which he won every major honor at the club including three Premier League titles and the Champions League. He is associated with some of the best moments in the club's history, and admired for his work ethic and making the most of his talent. Lampard left Derby, where he came close to securing promotion to the Premier League in his first season in management, to become Chelsea's 12th coach in 16 years under Roman Abramovich's ownership (from 2003). He is the first English coach to manage Chelsea on a full-time basis since Glenn Hoddle in 1996. As a replacement for Maurizio Sarri, who lasted only one tumultuous year at Chelsea before returning to his homeland in Italy to coach Juventus, Lampard returns to a club that will be in the Champions League and will look to close a gap of 26 points to City, the Premier League champion for a second straight season. Chelsea finished third in the league, and also won the Europa League. Lampard will have to contend with an inability to strengthen the squad because Chelsea is subject to a transfer ban covering the two trading periods across the upcoming season. United States winger Christian Pulisic and Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic have been signed up in advance but they will be the only offseason arrivals at Stamford Bridge, meaning Lampard might have to call upon Chelsea's talented crop of youth-team players during the early part of his tenure   something previous managers have often been reluctant to do. "I want to work with those players. I want to dangle the carrot: Can you work hard, can you compete, can you get in the team?" Lampard said in a message to Chelsea's youngsters, two of which   midfielder Mason Mount and defender Fikayo Tomori   he had on loan at Derby last season. "I will always have my eye on the academy. I was that young player a long time ago and the one thing you want is the feeling that you can get in the first team, that the road that divides the academy and the main building is a road you can cross." In its statement welcoming Lampard, Chelsea praised his "dedication to improvement, versatility and reading of the game." "Frank possesses fantastic knowledge and understanding of the club and last season he demonstrated he is one of the most talented young coaches in the game," said Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia. "After 13 years with us as a player, where he became a club legend and our record goalscorer, we believe this is the perfect time for him to return and are delighted he has done so." The last former Chelsea player to take over as coach was Roberto di Matteo, who won the Champions League and FA Cup in 2012 with Lampard in his squad. He was fired after only eight months in charge. Lampard's first two competitive games as Chelsea manager will be at Manchester United, on Aug. 11 in the opening weekend of the Premier League, and Liverpool, in the UEFA Super Cup on Aug. 14 in Istanbul. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/apf-Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports ___ Steve Douglas is at www.twitter.com/sdouglas80


After selecting 11 players in the 2019 NFL draft , the Seattle Seahawks completed the first wave of contract negotiations, signing four of their picks to four-year rookie contracts based on the NFL's rookie wage scale. The four rookies who are now under contract are safety Marquise Blair, defensive back Ugo Amadi, guard Phil Haynes and linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven. Over the Cap lists the slot value of those four contracts to be: Blair - $6.24 million Haynes - $3.21 million Amadi - $3.17 million Burr-Kirven - $2.86 million Even with those four contracts taken care of, that still leaves seven draft picks, including first-rounder L.J. Collier and second rounder DK Metcalf, unsigned. Collier will command roughly $10.8 million, and Metcalf about $4.5 million, according to Spotrac . The Seahawks will eventually reach contracts with each of their 11 draft picks, at which point they can be expected to turn their attention toward contract extensions for two defensive stalwarts: linebacker Bobby Wagner and defensive tackle Jarran Reed. MORE: Most bizarre and incredible catches by fishermen in past decade Bears K Eddy Pineiro has the leg and 'mental edge' to succeed John Dorsey explains why he loved Greedy Williams in the draft Roundup: Met Gala Photos; Royal Baby; Joe Biden's Lead Over Bernie Sanders; Chernobyl Four potential Ricky Rubio landing spots in free agency


Change is a constant in the NFL. Every offseason brings personnel adjustments whether due to retirement, releases, signings, trades, or drafts. Nonetheless, it is still weird for cornerback Johnathan Joseph to not see fellow defensive back Kareem Jackson during Houston Texans organized team activities. "Oh yeah, absolutely [it is weird]," Joseph told reporters Wednesday during the second week of OTAs. "You have to get used to it." The Texans took Jackson in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft from Alabama. The next offseason, Houston signed Joseph during free agency after he had spent the first five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. Though quarterbacks, coaches, coordinators, and even general managers have come and gone since 2011, one thing remained constant: Joseph and Jackson in the secondary. Even though Joseph knows that Jackson is with the Denver Broncos, unconsciously, he is expecting to see him when he arrives at team facilities. Said Joseph: "Time and time again, when I pull into the parking lot, I always look around at the cars in the parking lot and think about how most of the time we pull up around the same time or we're walking in and talking." Not anymore. Jackson signed with the Broncos after the Texans decided to let the veteran, who would be entering his 10th NFL season, walk. Splitting up the duo of Joseph and Jackson was just part of the business of pro football. "At the end of the day, I understand that it's a business and that part is gone," Joseph said. Now, the 35-year-old will have to form new bonds with teammate Bradley Roby, who incidentally was a Broncos cornerback until this offseason, and rookies Lonnie Johnson and Xavier Crawford. MORE: Five potential Chris Paul trade destinations This 'Jeopardy' contestant failing to beat James Holzhauer to buzzer sums up his epic run Belichick felt fortunate Harry fell to Pats in draft Roundup: NFL Owners Want 18-Game Season Again, Alex Trebek Cancer Near Remission, Israel Redoing Election James Daniels is embracing his move to center


Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is said to have informed the club of his wish to leave Old Trafford this summer. Whilst away on international duty with Belgium, Lukaku hinted that it may be time for him to leave the club this summer, with Inter thought to be incredibly eager to bring him to the club as part of Antonio Conte's summer overhaul. Now, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness ), Lukaku has spoken to United chiefs and "officially" told them of his desire to leave the club. His struggles to hold down a permanent position in the starting lineup under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is said to be one of Lukaku's main reasons for wanting to quit United, having seen Marcus Rashford overtake him in the pecking order at Old Trafford. Lukaku did not start a Premier League game under Solskjaer until January, in Solskjaer's seventh game in charge. He struggled to retain his place in the lineup, which quickly sparked talk of a potential exit. The Red Devils' failure to qualify for the Champions League also has not helped raise Lukaku's spirits, and a move to Inter , who sealed their place in Europe's top competition on the final day of the Serie A season, could be exactly what he needs. However, they do note that the two sides are a long way from agreeing a deal to take Lukaku to San Siro, with the future of Mauro Icardi likely proving to be a stumbling block. The Argentine is expected to return to Inter for pre-season, which could delay Lukaku's potential arrival. If he can be sold, then things may speed up but, as it stands, that is not the case. La Gazzetta dello Sport also point to the upcoming friendly between United and Inter on July 20, adding that it is not yet clear which side Lukaku will represent when the time comes.


Manchester City are on the verge of making history, with the club on course to secure England's first ever domestic treble. The League Cup was successfully defended in March, the Citizens retaining the trophy with a tense penalty shootout victory over Chelsea. Pep Guardiola's side also have an FA Cup final date with Watford on 18 May and became the first team in a decade to claim back-to-back Premier League titles with a win over Brighton on Sunday. The final hurdle   #mancity pic.twitter.com/Yn9uKUg6Xw   Manchester City (@ManCity) May 10, 2019 Despite their glorious form in domestic competition, City once again flattered to deceive in the Champions League as Tottenham Hotspur sent them crashing out at the quarter final stage. That result proves nothing if not that the squad needs some tweaking and reinforcement in order to deliver the trophy that the club hierarchy so desperately want. So, here's how the Sky Blues could lineup in 2019/20. Ederson (GK) City have taken the term 'deep-lying playmaker' to new levels with their extraordinary goalkeeper Ederson. The Brazilian has a remarkable ability with the ball at his feet, just as capable at launching 70-yard lofted passes to his forwards as he is with neat interplay with the backline. Nevertheless, he is also a magnificent shot-stopper, pulling off some vital saves during his career at the Etihad Stadium. In fact, his sterling efforts this campaign were rewarded with a spot in the PFA Team of the Year. Kyle Walker (RB) No, he is not the most defensively sound full-back in the Premier League and yes, he is prone to lapses in concentration. However, Walker is perfect for the brand of football Guardiola prides himself on. Fleet of foot and superb in a more advanced role, the England international provides an excellent outlet down the right flank for this trailblazing team. Matthijs de Ligt (CB) Have you ever seen such a mature teenager before? De Ligt is Ajax's youngest ever captain and one of their top performers at the tender age of just 19. With Nicolas Otamendi seemingly on his way out , Vincent Kompany in the twilight of his playing career and John Stones struggling for consistency, the club could join the race to sign this colossal Dutch centre-back. Aymeric Laporte (CB) Since arriving from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018, the Frenchman has become a crucial component in the heart of the Citizens defence. Passion? Tick. Footballing nous and ball-playing ability? Absolutely. Leadership? You bet. He is the archetypal Guardiola defender, looking ever-assured and maintaining strong form all campaign long. Laporte could well be the man the former Barcelona coach builds his team around. Ben Chilwell (LB) Speculation linking Leicester City's mercurial left-back with a switch to the champions has rumbled on for months. With Benjamin Mendy spending more time on the treatment table than on the pitch, Chilwell could be brought in as a replacement. Five assists in all competitions is a fine return for the 22-year-old, who has been a shining light for the Foxes in what has been a somewhat frustrating season. Tanguy Ndombele (CDM) When the Sky Blues battled Lyon in the Champions League group stages they found the flow of their attack regularly disturbed by Ndombele. It may have been beneficial at the time for the Ligue 1 outfit, but it also showcased the midfielder's supreme talent to the City hierarchy. Cut from the same cloth as the club's current destroyer Fernandinho, he is more than a decade the Brazilian's junior. How advantageous it would be if Fernandinho were to guide Ndombele and help him develop into their new midfield enforcer. Kevin De Bruyne (RCM) Football has been the biggest loser after De Bruyne's injury woes in 2018/19. Suffering four separate fitness set-backs since the World Cup in Russia, the Belgian truly has had a torrid time. Of course, that does not detract from the eminence of the ex- Chelsea man in the slightest. A delight to watch with his masterful orchestration of Citizens attacks, no other player in England has quite the same blend of skills that De Bruyne possesses. Phil Foden (LCM) David Silva has etched his name into City folklore during his nine years at the club. Unfortunately, his powers are gradually subsiding and a new face has emerged to claim his throne. Foden has been handed an opportunity to showcase his abilities in recent times, starting and impressing in critical crunch matches with Spurs and Leicester. The sky is the limit for this thrilling young prospect. Bernardo Silva (RW) If there was an accolade for the most improved player this season, Bernardo would surely be amongst the favourites to win it. He was hardly peripheral last term, but was often overlooked for key fixtures. Things are different now. With his unique blend of dogged off-the-ball determination and marvellous technique on it, Silva is simply irreplaceable. Nominations for both Player and Young Player of the Year at the PFA awards demonstrate what a spectacular rise his has been. Raheem Sterling (LW) Selected by the Football Writers' Association as the standout performer of this Premier League campaign, Sterling has enjoyed a fabulous time of late. The forward has racked up a grand total of 23 goals this year, while also providing a splendid 17 assists. That continues the trend for Sterling at City, though he has also become a role model for anyone and everyone in the last 12 months. He has been fighting against discrimination in the game and making heartfelt gestures for those less fortunate when off the field; what can't this man do? Sergio Aguero (ST) Aguero ages like fine wine. As the years roll by, the Argentine marksman continues to develop, incessantly adding more and more strings to his bow. 31 goals in all competitions is a stunning total, but he is so much more than a mere goalscorer. Able to drop deep and help with build-up play, he has become the player that Guardiola knew he could be. He is a modern City legend.


Patriots quarterback Tom Brady 's new contract with the Patriots allows the team to move on after the 2019 season, if the team so chooses. Brady says he's fine with that. Brady said today that the vast majority of NFL players go through life knowing they could get cut at any time, and that's a part of being an NFL player that he's willing to accept. "It's the reality for most guys in the NFL. I don't want to think I'm any different from everyone else. Football's a tough business. It's a production business. I'm ready to go this year, and that's really what matters, and that's where my focus is. It's a unique situation I'm in. It's my 20th year with the same team and I'm 42 years old," Brady said. "I'm really not worried about it. I'm secure for this year   I think, at least, I got some first-team reps out there." The reality for Brady is that he's a legend in New England, and he's as close to Patriots owner Robert Kraft as any player is with any other owner. It's probably safe to say the Patriots aren't going to dump him before he's ready to retire. But contractually, the Patriots could choose to move on. And Brady is OK with that.


Kyle Busch just became the third-youngest Cup Series driver to eclipse the 55-win mark. Take a look at how Busch stacks up against some of NASCAR's legends. Kyle Busch picked up his 55th Cup Series win Sunday, making him the third-fastest to ever reach the mark. Take a look at how the current star compares to some of NASCAR's greatest legends, with stats provided by our partners at Racing Insights. 10. Rusty Wallace -- 47 years, eight months and four days. 9. Dale Earnhardt -- 42 years, one month and one day. 8. Bobby Allison -- 41 years, six months and seven days. 7. Cale Yarborough -- 39 years, four months and 30 days. 6. Darrell Waltrip -- 36 years, three months and 16 days. 5. Jimmie Johnson -- 36 years and 22 days. 4. David Pearson -- 34 years, six months and 28 days. 3. Kyle Busch -- 34 years and one month. 2. Richard Petty -- 29 years, 10 month and 11 days. 1. Jeff Gordon -- 29 years, 10 months and six days.


RICHMOND, TX   Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls announced today that he will not be seeking a third term as sheriff in 2020. Nehls, a 24-year law enforcement veteran, was elected sheriff in 2012 after serving two terms as Fort Bend County Pct. 4 Constable. Nehls, who is originally from Wisconsin, said he is proud of his accomplishments since becoming sheriff, one of which he says is the 65 percent reduction in residential burglaries. "We aim to make you feel safe and secure in your home and when traveling around Fort Bend County," he said. "We are one of the safest counties in the greater Houston area, and I am very proud of that." Nehls said he is also proud of the county's jail education programs, and the county's efforts to give inmates a second chance when they are released back into society. "We have to set the inmates up for success, because in my opinion the criminal justice system is broken in some areas, and I think re-entry is one of them," he said. "Let's do something about educating them by affording them opportunities to keep them motivated and focused on the future." Nehls added that he has a lot to be grateful during his career law enforcement career. He has not said what he plans to do next, although he mentioned in 2018 of a run for U.S. Congress when talking about border security. Still, nothing is set in stone for Fort Bend County's most popular lawman. Send your news tips and story ideas to bryan.kirk@patch.com


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. The "Resistance" warned us that if we elected an authoritarian such as Donald Trump, eventually there would be tanks in the streets of our nation's capital. Well, on Thursday, their predictions finally came true. I'm kidding, of course, but some on the left are not. Harvard Law professor Laurence H. Tribe tweeted a photo of tanks arriving in Washington for Trump's "Salute to America" and declared "The resemblance to days before Tiananmen Square is chilling." At Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989, the Chinese regime broke up pro-democracy protests with tanks and troops in a military action that resulted in a still-uncertain number of deaths that is believed to range between several hundred and several thousand. Totally comparable situation. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post Of all the stupid freak-outs we have experienced since Trump was elected, the hyperventilation over his Fourth of July address and celebration on the Mall may be the stupidest. His critics called his decision to insert himself into the Independence Day celebrations virtually unprecedented. Sorry, but Trump is not the first U.S. president to give a major speech on the Fourth of July. Harry S. Truman once delivered an Independence Day address in front of the Washington monument. Presidents Woodrow Wilson, John F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all gave Fourth of July addresses from Independence Hall in Philadelphia. And, in 1986, Ronald Reagan delivered a Fourth of July address from the deck of an aircraft carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy, strategically placed in front of the Statue of Liberty. Trump's address took this tradition to new heights on Thursday. Democrats complained before the speech that Trump was politicizing the Fourth of July. He did nothing of the sort. In a speech reminiscent of his outstanding remarks last month at Normandy, Trump delivered a soaring presidential address   a celebration of the greatness of our country. "As we gather this evening, in the joy of freedom, we remember that we all share a truly extraordinary heritage," Trump said. "Together, we are part of one of the greatest stories ever told   the story of America." He went on tell that story   from our struggle for independence, the fight to abolish slavery and secure women's suffrage and civil rights. He called out the many great Americans who "defined our national character" from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman and Jackie Robinson. He celebrated our inventors and explorers   from Lewis and Clark to Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart and the Apollo 11 astronauts. And he vowed "we will plant the American flag on Mars" because "for Americans, nothing is impossible." He also called out modern-day heroes in the audience   such as Emil Freireich , a doctor who revolutionized the treatment of childhood leukemia, and Clarence Henderson , who helped lead the sit-in at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C. in 1960. And Trump celebrated each individual branch of the U.S. armed forces, telling stories of their heroism interspersed with dramatic flyovers by each service's aircraft. It was a stunning combined display of presidential eloquence and American military might. Millions of ordinary Americans who tuned in to watch must have been wondering what the fuss was all about. Democrats promised they would witness a partisan address. But instead, they saw the president deliver a deeply unifying speech that celebrated America's accomplishments, and the courage of our men and women in uniform. With each passing minute, the president looked larger while his critics looked increasingly petty and small. Read more : Eugene Robinson: Trump tried to make Independence Day all about him. He ended up looking small. Post Opinions Staff: Block parties, the census and women's soccer: Nine things to celebrate this July 4 The Post's View: George Washington's story is worth revisiting this Fourth of July Theresa Pierno: Trump is funding his Fourth of July stunt at the expense of our national parks


The St. Louis Blues are looking for their first Stanley Cup title while the Boston Bruins can add their name to the championships won by their city in the past year. The teams will determine which scenario comes true as the Stanley Cup Final gets underway Monday (8 p.m. ET, NBC) at Boston. The Blues are making their first appearance in the Final since 1970, when they also faced the Bruins and were swept. The Bruins won in 2011, and if they do it again, they would join the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots in holding championship parades. SUPER-PEST: Love him or hate him, Bruins star Brad Marchand always gets results IMPACT POTENTIAL?: Bruins-Blues Stanley Cup Final players ranked from 1- 40 Will the Bruins or Blues prevail? The USA TODAY Sports NHL desk makes its picks: Kevin Allen, Bruins in 6: The Blues have played inspirational hockey in this postseason. They have lived up to every challenge, but they haven't yet faced a challenge like the Bruins. Boston has displayed every attribute of a champion, including grit, scoring, defensive excellence, moxie and goaltending brilliance. No one in the postseason has played better than Boston goalie Tuukka Rask is playing. Conn Smythe winner: Rask Jimmy Hascup, Bruins in 6. The Blues have been on a spectacular run, but they have not faced a team in the West these playoffs that are as complete as the Bruins. St. Louis beat the Jets, a perennial disappointment when factoring in their talent, the Stars, a team that struggled to score, and the Sharks, an injured (and tired) group. The Bruins can wear you down with three lines that can score and a defense that moves the puck well. The X-factor is Tuukka Rask, who has a .942 save percentage in the playoffs. Conn Smythe: Brad Marchand Mike Brehm, Bruins in 7. There's concern about potential rust for the Bruins - teams that swept an opponent in this year's playoffs have gone 2-12 in the next round - but Boston has shown plenty of resilience. They overcame 2-1 series deficits in the first two rounds, and Tuukka Rask and the offense are clicking now. Expect a physical, evenly played series that will go the distance, where home ice and Rask will give the Bruins the Game 7 edge. Conn Smythe: Rask Jace Evans, Bruins in 6. What Jordan Binnington has done for the Blues this year has been special; unfortunately , they're facing a goalie playing at an even higher level. Tuukka Rask has been the backbone of the Bruins, putting up a .942 save percentage, and unlike the rookie Binnington, Rask has been on this stage before. His play has helped Boston rip off seven straight victories, and that run has afforded the Bruins extra rest   they haven't played since May 16   that should help their veteran core. Conn Smythe: Rask. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stanley Cup Final predictions: Who will win Bruins vs. Blues series?


Even the 1969 Miracle Mets could not rub off on this team, and this bullpen. It was almost a storybook ending for 29-year-old Chris Mazza, who was nine outs away from recording a win in his Major League debut. The problem for Mazza, who hurled four terrific innings of one-run ball, was the Mets' scuffling bullpen. Seth Lugo blew the Mets lead by coughing up back-to-back homers and allowing the Braves to roar back for a 5-4 win on Saturday night at Citi Field. The Mets (37-47) fell to a season-long seven-game losing streak and plunged 10 games under .500. BOX SCORE: BRAVES 5, METS 4 Lugo entered the seventh and eighth innings on a one-run Mets lead. Despite giving up a double to Dansby Swanson, Lugo stalled the Braves in the seventh. The right-hander served up a 3-0 fastball to Nick Markakis and a first-pitch slider to Austin Riley in the eighth, and just like that, Mazza kissed a victory goodbye. Mazza took the ball from Steven Matz to start the third inning following a 70-minute rain delay. Prior to the clouds opening up on Citi Field, the Mets celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1969 world championship team in a touching on-field ceremony that featured 15 players in attendance. Mazza's parents and girlfriend were in the crowd for his debut, having supported the 29-year-old throughout his unique baseball journey that included eight years in the minor leagues and two releases. "To finally get here was amazing. It was a dream come true and I'm never going to forget it for the rest of my life," Mazza said. The right-hander found out he'd start the third inning 20 minutes before he took the mound. Jacked up, he told himself he had to compete to get through the life-altering moment. Mazza struck out Freddie Freeman looking in the third inning and the ball was kept aside for safe keeping. "I mean, it was on my mind but I was going to wait for somebody else to tell me. I wasn't going to be that guy," Mazza said, who plans to give the ball to his parents. Mets relievers have allowed a run in 18 of their last 20 games and lead MLB in blown saves (21). The bullpen owns a 7.64 ERA in June, by far the highest mark in the big leagues. Overall, Mets relievers' combined 5.65 ERA ranks 28th in the majors and 14th in the National League. Last Friday, Lugo's ERA was 2.23 after pitching 10.1 scoreless innings over eight relief appearances. Following three consecutive poor outings, Lugo's ERA is 3.60. The righty has blown the Mets' lead in each of his last three outings: against the Cubs on Sunday, Phillies on Wednesday and Braves on Saturday. "I made my mistakes in different ways in each outing," Lugo said. "I don't think there was anything in common. Definitely some stuff I need to work on." The Mets matched their longest losing streak since last season, from June 19-25. Following Saturday's loss, the Mets are 13 games behind the first-place Braves and four losses away from last place in the NL East. Mets manager Mickey Callaway remained unwavering in his confidence in the Mets' chances of making the playoffs with 78 games left in the season. "I think we can [contend]," Callaway said. "There are a ton of games left. You see it every year, someone comes out of nowhere. We've put ourselves in a very difficult position, but the bottom line is we can't give up. Hopefully we'll get to our goal." Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


The Patriots signed veteran tackle Jared Veldheer as a free agent in May, but his stay with the team turned out to be a very brief one. Veldheer retired a little more than a week after signing with the Patriots and he explained the reason why he decided to walk away during an interview this week. Veldheer said he'd thought about retirement at earlier points in the offseason because of the toll injuries, including a hip issue, have taken, but decided to give playing a shot after going through treatment early in the offseason. Veldheer was feeling well at that point, but said it didn't take long before he realized that his body wasn't up to the task. "When March rolled around I thought I could give it a go, but once I went out there to do actual football stuff, the hip felt exactly how it did at the end of the season," Veldheer said, via Peter J. Wallner of MLive.com. "There was just no way I was going to put my body through that. I couldn't conceive even trying to make my body do that." Veldheer was set to join Marcus Cannon and 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn at tackle in New England. 2019 third-round pick Yodny Cajuste and Cole Croston are now behind the two of them on the Patriots depth chart.


Video by NBC News U.S. Sen. Cory Booker scored points, at least with people on Twitter, during a showdown with former Vice President Joe Biden in the second hour of the Democratic debate on Wednesday. The two contenders for the Democratic nomination in 2020 traded barbs on immigration and criminal justice policy, but two lines that Booker delivered to Biden during the exchange are going viral. A guide to the 24 Democratic contenders who want to face Trump After Biden said that Booker employed stop-and-frisk tactics during his time as mayor of Newark, N.J., while Biden "was trying to reverse," Booker hit back . "There's a saying in my community that you're dipping into the Kool-Aid, and you don't even know the flavor," Booker said before the crowd at Detroit's Fox Theater erupted in laughter and applause. "You need to come to the city of Newark," Booker continued. "And see the [criminal justice] reforms we put in place. The New Jersey head of the ACLU has said that I embraced reforms not just in action but in deed. Sir, you are trying to shift the view from what you created. "There are people in prison for life for drug offenses, because you used that 'tough on crime' phony rhetoric that got a lot of people elected, but destroyed communities like mine." People watching the moment said that Booker's night took a turn for the better after the comments, with many saying that he scored political points for how he handled the exchange in general. And of course, there were several people who posted GIFs and photos of the Kool-Aid mascot bursting through walls. During the exchange, Biden also committed a crucial faux pas , accidentally referring to Booker as the president, and then calling him "the future president" while embracing him in an awkward moment. Also earlier in the exchange, Booker expressed incredulity that Biden would attempt to compare their records on criminal justice. "If you want to compare records, and I'm shocked that you do, I'm happy to do that," Booker warned. Maybe Biden should have heeded his warning. Drew Costley is an SFGATE editorial assistant. Email: drew.costley@sfgate.com | Twitter: @drewcostley


Our very own Cali Chief, Danilo Di Julio, is back with a new episode of the Chiefs Wire Podcast. Dan spoke with Broncos writer Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann before the 2019 NFL draft, prior to the trade for Frank Clark. They discussed the Chiefs vs. Broncos rivalry. They spoke about two quarterbacks with the same initials: Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning. They also covered some draft pick wishes. Did their wishes get answered come draft day? There's only one way to find out! Take a listen down below and share your thoughts and comments with us on Twitter and Facebook . Listen MORE: Report: Browns rookie RB L.J. Scott decides to quit NFL after just 2 days Zion Williamson still has options if he doesn't want to play for the Pelicans NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players Cowboys News: Prescott's circle of trust questioned, Kris Richard RKGs Where does Darron Lee fit among the Chiefs' linebackers?


Kurt Busch doesn't sound like he will leave Chip Ganassi Racing after this season but there's no guarantee he will be driving, either. Following Busch's wild victory over brother Kyle last weekend at Kentucky, much of the talk centered on whether the win would provide Kurt an opportunity to continue driving at CGR beyond the one-year deal he signed in off-season. On Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Busch was asked if discussions had started over the past week about next year. "It doesn't matter if I'm driving in 2020 and beyond. It would be … (trying) to make things work here for 2019 and continue to improve whether I'm driving or I'm not, to help all of Ganassi," he said. "It's just a matter of if I'm driving or I'm not. I'm still going to do my job to make sure we are progressing and pushing toward the future on what I believe is important and what they want to do to apply it and what they believe is important and what I have to listen to." Going for another championship Busch, 40, said he doesn't have "all the full answers" about his future but understands why questions arise when "everything is on a high" like after a win. "Things are all pointing in the right direction to be teamed-up together and to continue to race and to win races and to run at a championship," Busch said. "If I'm able to make a run at the championship, that could change things as well, and that wouldn't happen until the week of Thanksgiving." During his post-race press conference at Kentucky last weekend, Busch admitted he had been seriously considering retiring at the end of the 2019 season.


The Giants have held firm on the long-term aspect of rookie quarterback Daniel Jones ' development. At the same time, they know the future may have to be addressed. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com, the first-round draft pick hasn't taken a snap with the first offense yet, but coach Pat Shurmur said it " might happen ." "We have a plan for how this is all going to play out," Shurmur said. "Just let it unfold for you." Every indication is that Eli Manning is going to get one last chance to hang onto his job, but everyone realizes that clock is ticking.


The 2019 Women's World Cup Opening Game launched with France defeating South Korea 4-0.


Irvine is predicted to turn warm over the next week, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Temperatures will reach a high of 88 degrees on Saturday and Monday. There's no rain in the forecast for the coming week. Skies will remain partly cloudy through Tuesday. Winds will continue to be somewhat calm over the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Monday at just 9 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


For the final 30 days leading up to the start of Seattle Seahawks training camp, we will be counting down the 30 most important players on the roster heading into the 2019 season. Seattle's offensive line made massive strides in 2018, the first under coach Mike Solari. The addition of veteran guards J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker was instrumental, but the biggest difference was getting a full season from left tackle Duane Brown, who was acquired halfway through the 2017 season in a trade with the Texans. Brown was Seattle's best offensive lineman and ranked as one of the best left tackles in the entire league. Heading into 2019, the Seahawks are retaining four of their five starters, having replaced Sweezy with another veteran, Mike Iupati . For Seattle's offense to take another step forward this season, continued improvement will need to happen on the offensive line. The responsibility to ensure that happens falls to Brown, the veteran leader of the group. Brown has been instrumental in Germain Ifedi's growth at right tackle, and if he can continue to mentor and teach the younger players - while performing at a Pro Bowl level himself - then perhaps his prediction that Seattle's offensive line could be the best in the league will come true. MORE: Big Baller Brand's demise looks imminent with sad clearance sale at a local gym News: Cowboys' $100 million men underpaid, and more dangerous in 2019 Roundup: Hustlers Trailer, El Chapo Getting Supermax Prison, Dan Patrick on Ben Simmons Baker Mayfield believed the Patriots would trade up to draft him The top 100 players in the NFL today


If New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady values production from his receivers, he might think twice about being onboard with N'Keal Harry getting a haircut. The rookie first-round draft pick wasn't at all receptive to the idea of getting his ears lowered when the topic of rookie haircuts was broached on the set of FOX Sports' "Fair Game" with host Kristine Leahy. In a short video clip posted by SportsGossip.com , Harry looked into the camera, clasped his hands together and asked Brady and company to think of something else for him to do. "Let's just hope I don't get a rookie haircut, because if I do, the confidence is out the window and the production might go down a little bit," said Harry. "So ya'll might as well just keep the hair on the head and think of something else. Let's pray [Brady goes for this]." N'Keal Harry begging @TomBrady https://t.co/JIigyJzgFZ pic.twitter.com/D9B1rp2z4G - SportsGossip.com (@sportsgossip) July 10, 2019 If Harry has some sort of Samson-like ties to his follicles, then it might be best for the Patriots to give him a pass. Brady needs all the help he can get at receiver with tight end Rob Gronkowski retiring, Josh Gordon still suspended and Chris Hogan now catching passes from Cam Newton with the Carolina Panthers. Harry comes to the Patriots with plenty of hype after going over 1,000 yards receiving in back-to-back seasons with Arizona State. There is hope he can serve as the Patriots' new deep threat receiver, while Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman continues to work the middle of the field. Your move, Tom. MORE: Chauncey Billups had a brutally honest take on why Carmelo Anthony isn't in the NBA Roundup: Nintendo Switch Lite, Best New Restaurants in America, Shannon Elizabeth on American Pie at 20 Jeremy Hill is ready to find a new team in free agency One reason why getting rid of the franchise tag would be good for the NFL and its owners Bears' triplets rank 23rd in NFL entering 2019 season


The forecast shows Milwaukee will see a return of last week's hot temperatures, due to last through Friday, according to drone-powered weather forecasting service Saildrone . Today's high will be 90 degrees, while Friday's will be 97. The immediate forecast also includes light rainfall. Today's forecast shows the greatest likelihood of rain at 98 percent, with expected rainfall of 0.50 inches. Skies will partially clear on Friday. Winds are forecast to reach a modest high of 14 mph on Friday, while today will be calmer. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Everton are hopeful of signing Italian international Moise Kean, with the Merseyside club and Juventus in negotiations over a possible deal. The young forward has fallen down the pecking order at Juventus, following the return of Chelsea loanee Gonzalo Higuain, whilst Cristiano Ronaldo is the primary option for Maurizio Sarri's side. Everton, meanwhile, are looking to replace youngster Ademola Lookman , who left Goodison Park to join RB Leipzig on Thursday in a deal worth £22.5m - leaving just Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Cenk Tosun and the versatile Richarlison as forward options. The Toffees believe that Kean is their man to replace Lookman, but according to Sky Sports , they will have to fork out £36m for the 19-year-old. Juventus are unwilling to part with Kean without the possibility of retaining his services in the future however, and are pushing for a buy-back clause to be inserted into the deal. The young Italian scored six goals in 13 appearances for I Bianconeri last season, and has also broke through to the senior national setup - scoring twice in his opening three matches for Gli Azzurri. He was also a part of the Italy Under-21 side which surprisingly crashed out of the European Championships in the group stages this summer, though he is likely to step up and become a major part of Roberto Mancini's senior plans. Juve were also reportedly considering using Kean in a swap deal with Wolverhampton Wanderers in the hope of bringing midfielder Ruben Neves to Turin, but it appears that Everton are in pole position for the forward's signature, even though they have lodged a £55m bid for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha .