New Mexico Sen. John D. Pinto, a former World War II Navajo Code Talker, died Friday morning, according to a statement from his family. Pinto was 94 and was the longest-serving senator in New Mexico, where he had been serving since 1977, according to New Mexico's Senate website . "He dedicated his life to public service. He worked tirelessly throughout his lifetime to serve the Diné people," the Pinto family's statement read. Diné is a Navajo term meaning people. "The family would like to express their gratitude to his constituents and fellow legislators for allowing him to serve, it is what truly made him happy." Pinto was a member of the Indian and Cultural Affairs Committee and the Senate Education Committee, according to the Senate's website. A look through the bills he sponsored shows Pinto sponsoring legislation to benefit the Navajo people. One of the bills he sponsored in both 2018 and 2019 looked at allocating $1 million to a Navajo Code Talkers Museum and Veterans Center. Pinto served as a Navajo Code Talker in the US Marines before becoming a teacher, according to CNN affiliate KRQE-TV . Code Talkers were Marines who spoke Navajo, a native American language they used to create a spoken code that Japanese code breakers were never able to decipher. It was used to send information on tactics, troop movements and orders over the radio and telephone. The code was a key factor in the American military victories at Iwo Jima, Saipan, and several other major battles in the Pacific theater. More than 400 Navajo had learned the code by the end of the war. None of the original 29 code talkers who invented the language are still alive. Chester Nez, the last surviving member of the original 29, died in 2014 . The program wasn't declassified by the military until 1968, and it would take several more decades before the story received wider recognition. In 2001, President George W. Bush presented the 29 original Navajo Code Talkers with the Congressional Gold Medal. Navajo Nation and politicians react to Pinto's death Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said "words cannot express the sadness we feel for the loss of a great Diné warrior." "He dedicated his life to helping others and he changed the lives of so many people for the better," Nez said. "We will miss his smile, his humor, and his love and compassion for the Navajo people." New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered all state flags to fly at half-staff effective immediately, according to a joint news release from the senator's family, the governor's office and the Navajo Nation. "John Pinto's towering legacy stretches far beyond the borders of New Mexico, and his loss will be felt across not only this nation but the world," Grisham said. "He was a New Mexico icon and an American hero." Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said when he and Pinto served as senators together, Pinto was the oldest at 83 and he was the youngest at 29. "Today our state lost a legend, & I lost an old friend. Senator John Pinto and I became very close during the time we served together in the Senate. At 29, I was the youngest senator, & at 83, he was the oldest. We often ate together and worked together over the next six years," Keller said on Twitter. Navajo Nation Council Speaker Seth Damon said Pinto's contributions to the Navajo people and New Mexico citizens are "too numerous to list." "The impact he made in the soul of the Navajo People and New Mexico citizens as a leader will continue for generations," Damon said.


White House hopeful Pete Buttigieg (D) hammered President Trump on Wednesday over his plans to have a military display during this year's July Fourth parade in Washington, DC., saying it makes America "look smaller." "We've always been bigger than that. We've also been the kind of country that respects our military enough not to use them as props," the South Bend, Ind., mayor said on CNN. "Think about the strongest, toughest person you know. It's probably not a person who goes around talking about how strong or tough they are." "I think the president's trying to honor himself, and, again, my worry is it ultimately makes us look smaller," he added. Buttigieg, an Afghanistan War veteran, said the president is using the military as "ornaments for his ego or for his agenda," citing the Pentagon's deployment of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to try to deter illegal crossings. "The whole idea of civilian control of the military is that there's going to be some kind of separation, and trying to enlist people in uniform to decorate his political agenda just diminishes the military that so many serve in without regard to politics or favor," he said. Democrats have also expressed concerns that displays of tanks and military planes will echo those of leaders who seek to boost their support by flexing their military might. "This is the stuff of authoritarian regimes, exactly what patriotic Americans were fighting against in 1776. Congressional Republicans who shrug at this will be complicit when Trump takes his authoritarian ambitions to the next level," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). Democrats have also come out swinging against the parade over its reported $2.5 million price tag, hundreds of thousands of dollars of which is expected to account for the military equipment featured at the event. "These fees are not a slush fund for this administration to use at will. They are meant to improve our national parks, keep them safe and protected for Americans to enjoy, and are clearly not to be used for a political rally," Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees Interior Department spending, said in a statement Wednesday. Trump has defended the event, saying the cost "will be very little compared to what it is worth." The cost of our great Salute to America tomorrow will be very little compared to what it is worth. We own the planes, we have the pilots, the airport is right next door (Andrews), all we need is the fuel. We own the tanks and all. Fireworks are donated by two of the greats. Nice! - Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 3, 2019


The idea of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) is great. When it comes to the most competitive and high-stakes moments in soccer, FIFA should use the available technology to correct missed calls. As simple as that sounds, FIFA has found a way to monumentally screw that up. And because of that, Scotland's run at the Women's World Cup is done in the group stages. During Wednesday's Group D match against Argentina, Scotland went up by three goals before Argentina came storming back within a goal. Argentina had a chance to tie the match with a penalty in stoppage time, but a clutch save from Scotland goalkeeper Lee Alexander appeared to put an end to that scare. Then, VAR stepped in and ruined it all. After a VAR review, it was determined that Alexander came off her line early by maybe six inches. She was given a yellow card, and Argentina's Florencia Bonsegundo had another shot at the penalty. This time, she converted to draw level at 3-3. MORE VAR DRAMA! VAR awards another penalty retake and Argentina tie the game to end Scotland's #FIFAWWC campaign! pic.twitter.com/ojniD2UaOz - FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 19, 2019 That score would hold, which put Scotland from a potential advancing third-place position to last place in the group (and eliminated). This particular application of VAR has been THE controversy of the Women's World Cup . The rule was applied with little notice, giving goalkeepers who have trained a certain way their entire lives no time to adjust. It takes thousands of reps for muscle memory to take effect under pressure, so it was unfair of FIFA to expect an adjustment to happen for this World Cup. France beat Nigeria this week by the same dumb ruling . Plus, it goes against the very spirit of VAR. The system should be used to fix obvious, game-changing errors. If you have to slow down a replay and zoom in to see that a goalkeeper left her line by a few inches, that's using technology to hurt the game - not help it. Baseball deals with the same issue when it comes to players leaving the bag while tagged for a millisecond . Is it a correct call by the rule? I guess, technically. Is it dumb and the wrong use of replay? YES. Tears of joy for Argentina. Inconsolable heartbreak for Scotland. @kelly_smith10 , @enialu , @AriHingst and @HeatherOReilly react to what we just witnessed. #FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/0qKlP2OptW - FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 19, 2019 Stop this, FIFA. You're messing up everything. MORE: Kenan Thompson zinged the Lightning at NHL Awards show and the players seemed annoyed Four potential Kawhi Leonard landing spots in free agency Rob Pelinka May Not Have Known the Cap Rules for Anthony Davis Trade Plays like the Eagles 'Philly Special' could start to be ran on regular basis Raiders DE Clelin Ferrell signs contract, offers message to fans


Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, says the upturn in the Formula 1 team's fortunes this year enabled the decision to expand into IndyCar, and added that the implications of F1's 2021 reboot will influence any potential decision to return to Le Mans. McLaren finished 2018   its first season with Renault engines   only sixth in the F1 constructors' championship, and with barely more than half the number of points of the works Renault team. Yet in 2019, new signings have regularly qualified and raced in the top 10, McLaren lies fourth in the constructors' table, it already has 20 more points than last year despite being just 12 races into a 21-race championship, and it has accrued more than double the number of points of the Renault team. Brown said that without such a turnaround, he probably wouldn't have considered approaching the McLaren board members or commercial partners about joining forces with the Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team and returning to IndyCar racing full-time in 2020. "We've definitely made progress but we've a long way to go," he said. "Number 1 on the checklist when deciding when or if we go IndyCar racing is that it cannot be a distraction from Formula 1. We need to have the Formula 1 [team] on a strong foundation. "Put aside commercial partners… If I didn't feel that Formula 1 was going in the right direction and I had all my leadership in place   Andreas Seidl [team principal], James Key [technical director], etc.   I wouldn't have brought IndyCar forward if I didn't feel the two could run in parallel, complement each other commercially, but have zero distractions to each other's program from an on-track point of view. "If this was 2018, I don't think [IndyCar] would have been something I even brought forward because I would have felt we weren't ready to take on another project." By a similar token, Brown said that McLaren's future participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans   a race won by a McLaren F1 GTR in 1995   would hinge on "resource allocation" following F1's heavily revised technical package for 2021, and that certainly the marque would not be in WEC from the start of the Hypercar formula in 2020, nor even the first Le Mans race to run with Hypercars in 2021. Said Brown: "Le Mans is something much like Indy that we want to go and do and we think it's great for our automotive business. It's more about the road car. "We like the rules. It's not inexpensive, but there's a longer lead time to get into design and manufacture the cars. "I wouldn't say necessarily it's on the backburner; it just moves at a slower pace because it's more complicated in that we need to align it with our automotive business. I think we've already stated that we definitely wouldn't be there in the first season [of the new Hypercar rules] and making sure we're not biting off more than we can chew is a big element of when and if we go. "And the [F1] cost cap   we really need to take that into consideration when we get into resource allocation for the future. "So we really need to know what the future of Formula 1 looks like to finish our analysis of a potential WEC program."


Andrew McCabe, the acting FBI director who authorized an investigation into President Trump for ties to Russia and possible obstruction of justice, filed a lawsuit against the bureau and the Justice Department on Wednesday, alleging he was illegally demoted and fired as part of a plot by Trump to remove those who were not politically loyal to him. McCabe asked that a federal judge declare his termination a "legal nullity" and essentially allow him to retire from the FBI as planned, with all the benefits that would have afforded him. He was fired from the bureau in March 2018, just hours before he was set to retire, costing him significant retirement benefits. The termination came after the Justice Department inspector general found that McCabe made an unauthorized disclosure to the media, then lied to investigators about it. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post "It was Trump's unconstitutional plan and scheme to discredit and remove DOJ and FBI employees who were deemed to be his partisan opponents because they were not politically loyal to him," the lawsuit alleges, adding that McCabe's firing "was a critical element of Trump's plan and scheme." Justice Department and FBI spokeswomen declined to comment. White House officials did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The inspector general referred McCabe's case to the U.S. attorney's office in Washington, which has been using a grand jury to determine whether McCabe should also be charged criminally. McCabe has long asserted that he did nothing wrong and that his termination, ordered by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, was a politically motivated effort by Trump to undermine the FBI's work. Trump had criticized McCabe even before he was removed. The suit is the second this week by former FBI officials who say they were wrongly removed from their positions for political reasons. On Tuesday, former FBI agent Peter Strzok, who also played a key role in the Russia probe, sued the Justice Department and FBI for reinstatement and back pay , arguing he was unfairly terminated for criticizing Trump. Strzok was found to have sent anti-Trump text messages, which FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said called into question the bureau's decisions in the Russia probe and the separate investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state. McCabe's lawsuit is notable for its forcefulness, alleging that Trump enlisted the highest-ranking members of the federal law enforcement apparatus in a scheme to stifle dissent. The suit singles out Sessions and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, who it claims "knowingly acted in furtherance of Trump's plan and scheme, with knowledge that they were implementing Trump's unconstitutional motivations for removing Plaintiff from the civil service." "Trump demanded Plaintiff's personal allegiance, he sought retaliation when Plaintiff refused to give it, and Sessions, Wray, and others served as Trump's personal enforcers rather than the nation's highest law enforcement officials, catering to Trump's unlawful whims instead of honoring their oaths to uphold the Constitution," the lawsuit alleges. "Plaintiff" refers to McCabe, who filed the suit. The lawsuit traces the origins and evolution of McCabe and Trump's relationship, starting when the FBI in 2016 publicly recommended closing its investigation into Clinton's private email server. Soon after, the suit alleges, then-candidate Trump began to attack McCabe, taking aim at political donations McCabe's wife received when she made a failed run for a state Senate seat in Virginia from a group controlled by a prominent Clinton supporter. The suit claims that even though Trump ultimately won the election, he remained fearful that he was in political peril due to his "loss of the popular vote and his campaign's acceptance of Russian assistance during the presidential election." "Once in office," the suit alleges, "Trump began to purge the DOJ and FBI of officials whom he perceived as his partisan opponents rather than Trump loyalists, and as affiliated with the Democrats because of their support for the Russia investigation." The suit claims Trump pressured Sessions, then-Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein and others to bend to his political will, and that he keyed in on McCabe and then-FBI Director James B. Comey, whom Trump fired May 9, 2017. The lawsuit does not identify others it claims were purged, though Trump also removed Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates days into his administration. Trump cited the Russia investigation as a reason for firing Comey. McCabe alleged there was an effort to get him ousted from the case as well. In one meeting just days after Rosenstein appointed Robert S. Mueller III to lead the Russia investigation, the suit alleges, Rosenstein broached McCabe's wife's political campaign and asked him to consider recusing himself. The suit alleges Rosenstein referenced a photo of McCabe wearing a campaign T-shirt, suggesting it could create a credibility issue and cause "unspecified others to complain about Plaintiff's involvement in the Russia investigation." McCabe was then the acting FBI director, but he told Rosenstein and Sessions he intended to retire the following March when he became eligible, the suit alleges. He was soon replaced by Wray and returned to his post as the bureau's No. 2 official. "Plaintiff understood Rosenstein's concern about unspecified third parties' complaints to include the only officials who outranked Rosenstein in the DOJ chain of command: Trump and Sessions," the suit alleges. Neither Rosenstein nor a spokeswoman for Sessions addressed requests for comment. Trump continued to attack McCabe publicly in the months that followed with a clear implication: He wanted McCabe gone. In August 2017, the suit alleges, Sessions asked Wray   at Trump's urging   to fire McCabe, but Wray refused and "suggested that he would resign if Sessions continued to apply such pressure." Meanwhile, the inspector general was investigating McCabe for the media disclosure, and in December 2017, told Wray of a forthcoming report. The next month, citing that investigation, Wray gave McCabe a choice, the suit alleges: transition to a lesser role of his choosing and falsely announce he was stepping down voluntarily, or be reassigned to a lesser role of Wray's choosing. McCabe said he'd go on terminal leave until eligible to retire but "would not lie to the FBI workforce about the circumstances of his departure," the suit alleges. On March 7, 2018, the FBI's assistant director of the Office of Professional Responsibility, Candice Will, recommended McCabe be fired over the inspector general's findings. The lawsuit alleges that she seemed to be aware of top officials' desire to remove McCabe before his expected retirement date that month because she attached a handwritten note to her recommendation saying, "It seems unlikely that [the proposed termination] will reach final resolution before Mr. McCabe's March 18 retirement date, but that is up to the DAG." The lawsuit alleges officials expedited the process so that McCabe's team had limited time to review the evidence against him, and that one Justice Department official conceded: "We're making it up as we go along." The suit alleges McCabe learned from the media he was being fired , and notes that Trump celebrated the move on Twitter . It claims McCabe's constitutional rights were violated. After he was fired, McCabe wrote a book about his time in the FBI, which detailed his uncomfortable and unusual interactions with Trump and Sessions. He also raised more than $538,000 on a GoFundMe page set up for his legal defense. matt.zapotosky@washpost.com


All-Star players have a special ability to deliver a jaw-dropping moment on any given play, and that's exactly what Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez did on Saturday to seal the win. Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Kevin Newman drilled a ball up the middle for what seemed certain to be a base hit. Suddenly there was Baez, making the perfect dive to take away a hit then making a glove flip to Addison Russell in a single motion to help turn the game-ending double play. A little magic to end it. ✨ pic.twitter.com/FBfperRUwY   Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 13, 2019 It would have been a remarkable play if Baez just kept the ball in the infield with the diving stop, but that wasn't enough for him. He managed to execute the perfect glove flip to Russell and put him in position to get the out at second then throw to first for the final out. Baez is just a remarkable player both offensively and defensively. A two-hit performance raised his batting average to .290, and Chicago's star infielder is halfway through another phenomenal season. Related slideshow: Best of the 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


When Adam Gase agreed to become the new Jets head coach in January, he cited the presence of quarterback Sam Darnold as one of the biggest reasons why he wanted the job. That feeling has not diminished over the first months of their working relationship. Gase said he thinks Darnold is throwing the ball with more velocity than he did last season and that the quarterback's overall skill set is making it easy for him to do his job. "I think what it's allowed me to do is, it's easy for me to call plays," Gase said at a Monday press conference. "You don't worry about, if you have a negative play you're ready to call the next one. He's not the kind of quarterback you're looking to protect. You're kind of looking at it in terms of, let him work the offense and get on the ball and use the running game to help him. There's no limitations on him and it's fun as a play caller." Gase didn't say whether he will be calling plays for Darnold against the Giants on Thursday night, but it's clear he's looking forward to getting that part of the program up and running.


For up-to-date information on the potent winter storm, please visit the live blog . After blasting the southern Plains over the weekend, the danger of severe weather will shift to the central Gulf Coast and Tennessee Valley on Monday. The line of severe thunderstorms will continue to march across the central Gulf Coast on Monday. The violent thunderstorms will sweep in a west-to-east fashion across Mississippi, Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Tennessee and Kentucky on Monday. Texas tornado swirls ominously as lightning strikes After departing Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans early in the morning, the thunderstorms will take aim at Tupelo and Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama; Nashville; and Louisville, Kentucky. The strongest thunderstorms will be capable of producing damaging winds and blinding downpours, which will reduce visibility and heighten the risk of vehicles hydroplaning at highway speeds. "A cold front will keep a squall line going in an area where considerable wind shear is present, leading to concern for a few isolated tornadoes," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Frank Strait. Wind shear relates to the amount of twisting motion is present in the atmosphere, which helps to spin up tornadoes. A tornado threat is the last thing those still cleaning up from the tornadoes this Christmas week want to hear. "This is probably going to be a situation where tornadoes spin up quickly and dissipate quickly," added Strait. "People will want to stay alert for threatening weather conditions and have a way to get warnings for their area." Residents and anyone traveling in Monday's threat zone is urged to monitor AccuWeather MinuteCast® , weather radios and other media outlets to hear these vital warnings. Monday's severe weather will erupt as a cold front slices into the record-challenging warmth that will send temperatures soaring into the 70s throughout most of the Southeast. While downpours will remain, the severe weather danger will wane as the thunderstorms reach Atlanta and the southern Appalachians and cooler air filters over places to the west Monday night.


This hot ride is ready to be shown off. Plenty of attention gets heaped on the larger American performance cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s, but there are some amazing compact cars from that period. A perfect example is this 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger , which provided cheap yet explosive performance. It's been amazingly well-preserved and is ready to impress. Smoky Mountain Traders is selling this Mopar classic to someone lucky. Nestled under that hood is a smoking hot 340ci V8 and a four-speed manual transmission, making this car a real performance machine. All that power channels to a Sure Grip 8 ¾-inch rear with 3.23 gears. Flow Master mufflers have been added to the exhaust system. Power steering and disc brakes for the front are included. Of course, this Dart Swinger is good-looking as well. From the factory it was black, so you're getting an authentic look with that sultry, glass-like finish. The white bumble-bee tail stripe is absolutely iconic, like a calling card for other enthusiasts. It matches the white roof quite nicely, which also is in just fantastic shape. On close inspection, you'll see the body panels are straight and the panel gaps are consistent, which is exactly what you want on a car like this. Each piece of trim and all the chrome is also in excellent condition. Finally, there are 14-inch steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps, plus Firestone Red Line tires, making for a tight package. Matching the outside is a black interior, complete with vinyl upholstery and a bench front seat. Everything from the headliner to the carpet, plus both door panels look fantastic. All the factory gauges and controls are present, so you could definitely enter this ride into some competitive shows. Factory air conditioning is included. Dodge created the Dart Swinger in 1969 as a low-cost, high-performance car in response to competitors doing the same, undercutting the previously popular Dart GTS. A facelift for 1970 made the Dart look more like its larger siblings, helping to boost popularity. This car has become a thing of legend, which is always good for values later, so investing in this classic would be a wise move. More Classic Cars Real, Unrestored, and Rare 1967 Ford Mustang GTA This 1996 Chevrolet Impala SS is One Sinister Sedan Time Capsule 1974 Oldsmobile Toronado Is An Amazing Survivor 1950 Ford Custom Deluxe Country Squire Woody Wagon Promises To Put A Smile On Your Face


"Everything that we think of as modern today was at one point contemporary," John Boyer, director and curator at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art in Charlotte, North Carolina, tells AD PRO. "The lines are undoubtably blurry." Nomadic Murals: Tapestries of the Modern Era , an exhibition opening at the museum today, makes that relationship clear, thanks to its 40 tapestries by modern and contemporary makers best known for their work in non-woven media. (Notably, five newly conserved works by Alexander Calder, Diego Giacometti, Fernand Léger, Roy Lichtenstein, and Pablo Picasso are included.) In addition to exploring the visual connections among tapestries across several decades, the show highlights the evolution of production processes and the sweep of approach and subject. Perhaps most interesting, the exhibition demonstrates why designers are continuing to explore the craft today. Historically, tapestries were a practical necessity as well as a decorative accent, providing warmth and sound dampening to stone-walled homes as early as the 15th century. Because of their high cost, however, they were a status symbol a luxury item composed of narrative textile images. In the 19th century, according to Boyer, their "functional role shifted to become one of purely aesthetic purpose." When French modernists rediscovered the artistic medium in the 1930s, it was with a more definite use: to amplify the contrast between the latest architectural trend then-pared-down volumes of the International Style. At the time, "a wide variety of artists elected to engage with another medium," Boyer says, citing the modernist Le Corbusier as an example. From his scale-drawing maquette of a tapestry, Le Corbusier would engage professional weavers to finish his design, allowing him to expand his exploration of ideas in a 2D plane. Though historians are quick to silo a designer within his or her most well-known medium, the history of modern tapestries proves that the artistic boundaries between disciplines are far more fluid. Says Boyer, "We should be thinking of people like Le Corbusier not just as a modernist but as a natural extension of the Arts and Crafts movement." Today, too, designers elect to expand their creative palettes. While visual artist Ebony G. Patterson follows the traditional route of making her mixed-media tapestries by hand (often introducing jewels, objects, and hair as well), artist Jeff Sanders works with Oakland-based printmaking workshop Magnolia Studios to attain photorealistic results via computer algorithms. In the same modernist vein, a contemporary maker's expansion into weaving may require collaboration with craft experts, something Boyer has seen as a "delight and challenge." Though historically overlooked in the design canon (in some circles, "craft" and "decorative art" are used pejoratively), tapestries are as important as any other visual art. Boyer hopes he has curated a show that is a "reminder of the seriousness in which great artists explored media." As he says, "The artist doesn't differentiate" between tapestry and other art forms, so why should we? As multidisciplinary work grows in popularity, the lines are increasingly blurred between art, design, and what has traditionally been thought of as craft. In the same spirit, within the world of decorative arts, tapestries are as relevant as ever before


Here's what an albino gator looks like.


The Golden State Warriors have gone through a tumultuous offseason. They will be without two of their starters from last season (Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins) and two of their main bench core pieces (Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston). Quinn Cook and Jordan Bell have also left the team through free agency. While the Warriors lost Durant to the Brooklyn Nets, they received an All-Star in return: D'Angelo Russell. Russell is listed as a point guard but with Klay Thompson out indefinitely following ACL surgery, look for Russell to slide into the Warriors' backcourt with two-time MVP Stephen Curry. It is unclear how the dynamic will work between the two point guards - a matter that has led to speculation of Russell being traded when Thompson returns from his ACL injury. On Monday, Warriors general manager Bob Myers addressed this issue with The Athletic's Anthony Slater , saying that the Warriors did not "sign (Russell) with the intention of trading him." Myers wants to see how this team jells with Russell without Thompson on the court. He also wants to see how Russell and Thompson coexist when he returns to the starting lineup. Bob Myers on D'Angelo Russell: "We didn't sign him with the intention of trading him" pic.twitter.com/ST9YNg6XTm - Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) July 15, 2019 It makes sense that there'd be speculation about dealing Russell because starting three guards is usually not a recipe for championship success. The Rockets may be the only team in the league that applied this method with James Harden, Eric Gordon and Chris Paul … and they were not able to beat to the Warriors. There is also speculation about a deal because each player is making the max. It might help the Warriors in the future if they could flip Russell for a couple of key role players to strengthen their team. The Minnesota Timberwolves could be a likely spot for Russell because their current point guard, Jeff Teague, is in the final year of his deal. The Timberwolves will need a point guard in the 2020-21 season and there had been rumors that they were looking at Russell to replace Teague. If that were to happen, Robert Covington and Gorgui Dieng could be the likely pieces that could return to Golden State. This could all happen at the trade deadline or next offseason. It is a definite possibility. Still, if Russell plays the best basketball of his career, the Warriors could keep Russell and form the best three-guard lineup in the game. There are a ton of possibilities but we will not know anything until this season starts in October. Either way, Warriors' fans should be excited about next season. It is a new era. Hopefully, the addition of Russell brings more success to this team. MORE: Michael Bisping's cageside reaction to Urijah Faber's stunning KO was too good Trysten Hill may be crowning point on Cowboys star-studded defense Four Potential Landing Spots for Jadeveon Clowney Eagles were involved in two of the Top-5 most-watched sporting events of 2019 Madden NFL 20 ratings for 49ers offense


Does the 2016 model hold up against the original 1965? Recently, V8TV took a comparative look at the original 1965 Shelby GT350R, a race car that ruled the tracks during the muscle car golden age, and the 2016 Shelby GT350R. Despite these two vehicles sharing a nameplate, there's a lot that's different about them. How exactly do they stack up? The results may surprise you. Shelby ditched pretty much everything it could to shed weight on the 1965 car, using plexiglass for windows, dumping the heater, and not including a radio, to name a few things. Shedding that weight freed up the blue-printed 289ci V8 to pull hard on straightaways with about 315-horsepower. The car gained a roll cage, racing seat, harness, and performance gauges for track use. Bigger and heavier than the 1965 model, the 2016 Shelby GT350R has some big shoes to fill. There's no denying its capabilities. It packs some serious heat with an aluminum flat-plane 5.2-liter V8, putting 526-horsepower to the wheels. The exhaust note sounds raw and exotic, but it's different in sound from the original racer and not nearly as loud. What you get with the modern GT350R is reliability. You can actually use the 2016 model on the daily basis, driving through the city, something the 1965 would not do well at in the least. Also, the newer model is actually pretty plus on the inside, while the old-school snake is stripped-down to ditch any extra weight. While the 1965 Shelby GT350R is a real racer, it comes with all the real racer needs. The car isn't exactly easy to drive, plus you need a trailer to get it to the track. On top of that, to keep that engine running smoothly you'll need an experienced pit crew. With the 2016 model, pretty much anyone can handle the car, thanks to the wizardry of onboard electronics and other modern aids. Ultimately, both cars use the same philosophy of upgrading the street version of the GT350 with track-proven methods, resulting in a highly-capable racer. But which will get you around the track faster? That's the true question. Research the Ford Mustang on MSN Autos | Find a Ford Mustang near you


Ask casual golf fans about Kevin Na, and his name will likely draw a certain level of recognition. Some might reference his reputation for slow play . Others could recall his issues pulling the trigger at The Players in 2012, while his antics chasing after putts alongside Tiger Woods at the same course this year would surely draw a few mentions. But what might not get as much attention is the calling card of what has been a lucrative professional career: consistency. At age 35, Na has spent nearly half his life playing for pay, and his win Sunday at the Charles Schwab Challenge sent him over $30 million in career earnings. In an era when even decorated Tour pros struggle to keep up for certain stretches, Na has been inside the top 100 in the world rankings every week since March 2014. It's a strong list of credentials, one befitting a player of his talent. But as his close at Colonial demonstrated, Na is transforming that consistency into wins - plural. When Na broke through for victory last summer at The Greenbrier, it was an emotional watershed. He had at that point just one PGA Tour win to his credit, that coming in Las Vegas in 2011, and since had endured a number of close calls while becoming an easily-accessed example of a player whose talent exceeded his trophy haul. But that all ended in the West Virginia mountains, where Na turned a close battle into a five-shot win with a closing 64. Full-field scores from the Charles Schwab Challenge Charles Schwab Challenge: Articles, photos and videos It was a similar story Sunday at Colonial, where Na has had plenty of prior success and where he vaulted into contention with a second-round 62. Prior to teeing off with a two-shot lead over five players, Na took a moment to admire the wall of champions that sits just off the opening tee box and serves as a monument to the iconic club's history. "When I was standing on the first tee, I looked at that wall and in my head I engraved my name on it," Na said. About four hours later, he closed out a clinical performance on a demanding track with a 12-foot birdie putt on the final green, clinching a four-shot win and ensuring that the tournament folks would take care of the engraving. While Na was alone atop the 54-hole leaderboard, a significant amount of attention went to the players in close pursuit: Jordan Spieth, a winner in 2016, Jim Furyk and Tony Finau. But instead it was Na who erased any lingering doubt with a strong start to his final round, turning in a 4-under 66 to slip into the coveted plaid jacket that has eluded him in years past. "I think me winning Greenbrier last year has obviously taken a lot of pressure off," Na told reporters. "There is always pressure, but it's taken a lot of a load off, weight off my shoulders. I think it helped today." Na turned some heads with his candid comments earlier this week, lamenting a missed cut at Bethpage Black on a course where he felt he couldn't contend and instead identifying Colonial as one of the seven or eight courses where he arrived with the belief that a win was possible. And while the stats bear out that this is one of his most fertile hunting grounds, Na may have sold short his abilities with that quip. After all, a handful of favorable courses aren't enough to make it to the Tour Championship in six of the last 10 years, as he has. Na's game has translated into success throughout a number of seasons and on a variety of courses. Colonial just happened to be the place where his confidence bubbled to the surface. No longer burdened by questions over a victory drought, Na leaned on that confidence Sunday and left the field in his wake. It's another victory for a player who might not be done turning years of consistency into emphatic victories. "Took me a while to get my first win, and the second win I had so many close calls," Na said. "People said, 'You're going to win, you're going to win,' but until it happens, you just never know. After I won Greenbrier I knew that it wasn't going to be too long until I got my third one."


So you made it through the second set of Democratic debates . Congratulations! Ready to talk about the next ones? The Democratic National Committee has set stricter criteria for the third set of debates, which will be held on Sept. 12 and Sept. 13 in Houston. If 10 or fewer candidates qualify, the debate will take place on only one night. [ The race is fluid, and other things we learned from the July Democratic debates. ] Candidates will need to have 130,000 unique donors and register at least 2 percent support in four polls. They have until Aug. 28 to reach those benchmarks. Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter These criteria could easily halve the field: The first two sets of debates included 20 of the 24 candidates, but a New York Times analysis of polls and donor numbers shows that only 10 to 12 candidates are likely to make the third round. Seven candidates have already met both qualification thresholds and are guaranteed a spot on stage. They are: ■ Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. ■ Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey ■ Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind. ■ Senator Kamala Harris of California ■ Former Representative Beto O'Rourke of Texas ■ Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont ■ Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts Three other candidates are very close: The former housing secretary Julián Castro and the entrepreneur Andrew Yang have surpassed 130,000 donations and each have three of the four qualifying polls they need, while Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota has met the polling threshold and has about 120,000 donors. Beyond them, only three candidates have even a single qualifying poll to their name: the impeachment activist Tom Steyer (2 polls), Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii (1) and former Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado (1). Related video: Democrats watch debates, many still deciding (Associated Press) We asked all three of their campaigns to provide donor numbers so we could assess where they stood. Ms. Gabbard had just under 114,000 donors as of Wednesday night. A spokesman for Mr. Steyer said he was "on track to collect the required number of donors to make the September debate stage" but did not give a number. Mr. Hickenlooper's campaign did not respond, but Politico reported a month ago that he had only 13,000 donors. The other 11 candidates in the race have no qualifying polls to their name, and they all went into this week's debates seeking a viral moment that would attract new donors and lift them, even briefly, in the polls. The qualification rules do not require enduring support. Even a small post-debate surge could push a 1 percent candidate up to 2 percent in the small handful of polls he or she needs. But for those who have not qualified, the Aug. 28 deadline is an existential threat. Candidates like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York or Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington could be washed out of the race if they don't get momentum from this week's debates. And if you're wondering whether they're anxious, the answer is yes. Ms. Gabbard's campaign calculated at one point that she needed a new donor every minute to reach 130,000 by the Aug. 28 deadline, so if you go to her website, a timer next to the donation button begins counting down 60 seconds. Then the text changes. "🙁 Oh no!" it says. "The time expired and you didn't donate!" Related slideshow: How each candidate performed in the second Democratic debate (Reuters)


Lenny Maughan doesn't discriminate when it comes to running   he'll run on trails, on the streets or even with a group of runners who like to stop for beer along the way. But more importantly, when he runs, he makes art. Maughan creates shapes and images on the streets of San Francisco by tracking his running path on fitness apps like MapMyRun and more recently Strava . He creates anything and everything from a heart to the face of Frida Kahlo . "I guess I could just draw it on a map and say 'I'm done,' but rendering it using an app is a novel way to make art," said Maughan. A self-described "techie," he says he doesn't have much time for his artistic side and uses the runs for that, creating a unique image once a month. There isn't unity in the 53 images he's done; they're "random", "unexpected" and "quirky", coming from whatever inspires him. He sometimes will look at a map of San Francisco to see if he can find a shape, but other times he'll try to make a shape fit. Looking for work? Your next job interview might just come by text message These pieces take a lot of work   distances ranging from just a mile to a full marathon (26.2 miles) to 44 miles. However, Maughan doesn't do this to challenge himself on how far or fast he can run. "It's about the shape. The miles do, yeah, turn out to be quite long in a lot of these because it has to be to make a specific shape," he said. "The bigger you go, the more you can fit just about anything within the city streets." However, he notes, the hills in San Francisco do make it tough. Attic jackpot: Man finds pristine 1987 Nintendo game that could sell for $10,000 The challenge for him is in the creation process. In fact, he says it can take longer to map out what he wants to do than to actually run it. He has "no idea" what he will do for his August run, but promises he will get it done before the end of the month. "It's always a challenge," Maughan says. "It's not easy and it takes a lot of planning to do these and the end result makes it all worth it." Any suggestions for Lenny Maughan on what his next run should draw? Tell Madeline Purdue on Twitter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Francisco runner makes art with GPS-tracking fitness apps Strava, MapMyRun


CHARLESTON, S.C. - T ricia Nimocks opened The Greenery Florist in downtown Charleston in 1978. The sage-colored single house, built one-room wide from the street view with a double-decker side porch that's perfect for a glass of sweet tea and a warm breeze, also has been home to Tricia and her family for the past 40 years. Nimocks, who knows the roads of Charleston intimately as both a native and longtime deliverer of flowers, got behind the wheel of her Ford C-Max for the start of an hour-long tour. In the backseat, giving a running commentary on Charleston past and present, sat LPGA Hall of Famer Beth Daniel, Tricia's younger sister. "It was pretty slow and peaceful when we were growing up," said Daniel, "and we knew everybody. Now we don't know anybody." Much has changed in Charleston since Bob and Lucia Daniel were married in The Citadel's Summerall Chapel in 1950. So much of what Beth and Tricia knew growing up is gone, paved over and built up by progress. But there's a lot that hasn't changed, too. History feels alive in Charleston. The first shots of the Civil War were fired here, as Daniel points out on our afternoon drive. In fact, the most famous hole at Daniel's home course, Country Club of Charleston, site of the 74th U.S. Women's Open, is the love-it-or-loathe-it par-3 11th Redan. "The tee was a cannon mount in the Civil War," said Daniel. "They stored artillery under it; that's why it was built up like that. If you think about it, it protected the mouth of the river so they couldn't escape. They were either stuck in the harbor, or they had to go out to the ocean." Beth Daniel, left, and sister Tricia Nimocks proved to be gracious hosts. Nimocks owns the The Greenery Florist in Charleston, S.C. (Beth Ann Nichols/Golfweek) The Country Club of Charleston, the first Seth Raynor design to host a U.S. Open of any kind, is where Daniel cut her teeth. Henry Picard, winner of the 1938 Masters and 1939 PGA Championship, first came to the club as an assistant pro in 1925. He returned to the club later in life and took a shine to a youngster who showed great promise. "I was so scared of him," said the now 62-year-old Daniel of the man in the white button-down shirt and tie. Picard made a habit of saying things to Daniel like, "Tell me how to hit the ball high." If she didn't know the answer, Daniel would try to hide from Picard behind the big oak tree near the first tee. When she got it right, the man known as "Pic" would say thank you and walk away. Daniel, of course, grew up to become one of the LPGA's great ballstrikers, her precision honed on a course that demanded it. Picard's questions helped her become a shotmaker and student of the game. She'll never forget the time he secretly filled her golf bag with brand new Titleist balata balls, telling her the rock-hard variety wouldn't do. After Daniel won the first of her two U.S. Women's Amateur titles, the club commissioned a life-size portrait of the 18-year-old standing on the 12th tee that still hangs in the clubhouse. She'd go on to win 33 times on the LPGA, including the 1990 LPGA Championship, now known as the KPMG Women's PGA. Daniel's career-low round came at the Country Club of Charleston during a casual round with her father. She faced a 5-foot putt for par on the 18th to shoot 62, when out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadow move. Daniel backed off to find her dad motioning to the gallery in the 19th hole bar that a 62 was on the line. "He wanted everyone to know," Daniel said, smiling. Two and a half years ago, Daniel went out to the range one day and couldn't see the golf ball. Daniel, who is left-eye dominant, closed her right eye and saw nothing. She was diagnosed with macular hole, and while she underwent two successful surgeries, the tear went too deep. Daniel can now see out of the center of her left eye, but it's blurred and wavy vision. She says her competitive days are over. "The retina guy in Michigan told me that what happened to me is one in a million," said Daniel, who had to miss last year's inaugural U.S. Senior Women's Open because of it. The narrow streets of Charleston, S.C., provide a modern-day connection to its 17th century roots. (Beth Ann Nichols/Golfweek) Back on the road, we passed the Church of the Holy Communion, where the Daniel children were baptized and where Tricia serves as an acolyte at the 8 a.m. service. Daniel's father went into the Navy at age 17 and served in the Pacific during World War II. Her mother is a long-time volunteer at the Confederate Museum on Meeting Street above Market Hall. Every turn of the corner in Charleston evokes a memory. From kickball at the Hazel Parker Playground to Tricia's regattas at the Carolina Yacht Club. Their high school is long gone but the restaurant scene, well, it has exploded since the days when the Daniel family had about three to choose from. James Beard Award-winning chefs in Charleston specialize in everything from French and Spanish-Mediterranean to Southern farm-to-table and BBQ. Daniel is partial to Blossom on East Bay Street, a sister restaurant to the popular Magnolias. The owners are her parents' neighbors. A drive down Legare Street, where the Sword Gate House, a stately mansion once owned by Abraham Lincoln's granddaughter that's currently on the market for $15 million, eventually leads to a conversation about shutters. Back home in south Florida, Daniel has painted hers Charleston green, a green so dark it almost looks black, to remind her of home. There's a magnolia tree in the front yard, too. Daniel is honorary chair of the Women's Open along with three-time Grammy Award winner Darius Rucker, who was born in Charleston and still resides there. Daniel speaks highly of Rucker and the work he has done to raise money for the state's junior golf program. Charleston has been voted the No. 1 small city in the U.S. for eight consecutive years by Conde Nast Traveler readers. Ticket sales for the Women's Open are up after Tiger Woods won the Masters and women competed at Augusta National for the first time. Daniel has made peace with the fact her golf is now limited and purely for fun. She's proud to welcome the best in the world to her town and to her club. If you're lucky, she might even give you a tour. Gwk ( Note : This story appears in the May 2019 issue of Golfweek .) MORE: Danny Green helped Shaq extend this mind-blowing NBA Finals streak Oshane Ximines named Giants' most dangerous new weapon Ahead of Finals, Stephen Curry defends Kevin Durant against critics Rookie WR Kelvin Harmon predicted to be a gem for the Redskins Damon Harrison tired of repeated contract talks


Seattle Seahawks linebacker Barkevious Mingo is working to transition into more of a pass rusher, a skill that will go a long way toward keeping his roster spot in 2019. "If you watched in this camp, he worked a lot with (defensive line coach) Clint (Hurtt) in the pass rush stuff," coach Pete Carroll said on the final day of mandatory minicamp. "We want to really accentuate that for him and not divide his focus. Last year it was Sam 'backer and a little bit of pass-rush stuff, and he never really got to dig in." Mingo served primarily as a Sam (strong-side) back and a special teamer last year. However, with Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Mychal Kendricks all expected to return, one of them will no doubt take over the starting Sam role. Plus, the Seahawks' addition of rookies Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven has given them more help on the special teams. With Mingo's two primary roles filled from last season, he will focus on becoming a pass rusher, a skill he demonstrated early in his career when he had five sacks his rookie season. "He can make problems for the opponent because he's so fast and so long, so we will really try to accentuate that, and we'll do that again through camp," Carroll said. "We want to really specialize him as a rusher knowing he can play the 'backer spot." Mingo has a hefty $5.3 million cap hit, and although Seattle still has plenty of cap space to work with, it is possible he gets cut if the team feels that the rookies - along with second-year pass rushers Jacob Martin and Shaquem Griffin - can adequately fill his role this season. MORE: Kawhi Leonard joked about his looming free agency decision with Kyle Lowry This is how the Golden State Warriors head into the offseason Rapoport: Broncos have picked successor to become next owner What Tim Duncan told LeBron James after Spurs beat Cavs in 2007 NBA Finals Flexible front four could be defining characteristic of 2019 Packers defense


49ers fans will have to wait a bit until they see Nick Bosa in game action. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter ) that the rookie defensive end was diagnosed with an ankle sprain. The second-overall pick had an MRI after leaving practice earlier today. Fortunately, it doesn't sound like the injury will linger into the regular season. Rapoport notes that Bosa might sit out the preseason as the team proceeds cautiously, but it doesn't sound like his status for Week 1 is in doubt. The 49ers will be counting on the Ohio State product to be an every-down player from the get-go. Meanwhile, Rapoport also reports (via Twitter ) that 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett was diagnosed with a minor ankle sprain following a MRI. The veteran is likely day-to-day. Let's check out some more notes from around the NFC… The Cowboys are eyeing some tight end depth. ESPN's Todd Archer tweets that the organization auditioned Marcus Lucas today. The 27-year-old has bounced around the NFL since going undrafted out of Missouri in 2014. Dallas cut Rico Gathers last week, but the team could be looking for a fresh body in an attempt to give Jason Witten days off. Cornerback Bene Benwikere 's one-year, $1M contract with the Vikings has an $805K base salary, tweets the Star Tribune's Ben Goessling. The deal also includes a $90K roster bonus and up to $105K in per-game bonuses, although none of the contract is guaranteed. Running back Corey Grant 's one-year deal with the Packers is worth $895K, tweets ESPN's Rob Demovsky and Jim Owczarski of the Journal Sentinel . The only guaranteed money comes via a $60K signing bonus, while Grant will have to earn an $805K base salary and ~$30K per-game roster bonuses. His cap charge is around $714K.


Candidates for governor used Kentucky's long-delayed and over-budget statewide internet project to bash Gov. Matt Bevin, following a jointly published report by the Courier Journal and ProPublica . KentuckyWired   a bipartisan plan pushed by former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and Republican Rep. Hal Rogers   promised to bring improved broadband internet connectivity to the state's farthest corners. But it is years behind schedule and more than $100 million over budget. Bevin's Democratic opponents in the governor's race laid blame with the current administration. "The governor has damaged the project with his lack of commitment to keep it on schedule," House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins , D-Sandy Hook, said in an emailed statement. "In fact, it will cost the state more to get out of the contract than if we continue. In order to go the last mile and complete this project, we need to look at successful models in other states and bring new partners to the table." Representatives for Bevin and his technology chief, Chuck Grindle , did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the report, which highlighted dissent in the Republican administration's approach to salvaging the troubled KentuckyWired project. Investigation: Kentuckians were promised internet. What they got: $1.5B information highway to nowhere Democratic candidate and former state auditor Adam Edelen , who has made improved broadband connectivity part of his platform in the governor's race, said in an emailed statement that Bevin "doesn't care" enough to fix the project. "As governor, I will prioritize building a real system to provide broadband to the hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians who still lack access, whether in the hills of Eastern Kentucky or Southern and Western Jefferson County," Edelen said. "It must be done through partnership between the public and private sector, but that doesn't mean pushing a half-baked plan that leaves taxpayers holding the bag." The campaign manager for Attorney General Andy Beshear , the son of the former governor, called for "working together across party lines." "As governor, Andy's first step will be evaluating the KentuckyWired program in a nonpartisan way focused on both its costs and potential benefits for our families," campaign manager Eric Hyers said in an email statement. "From there, he can keep what's working and change what isn't." A spokeswoman for Rogers, however, issued an email statement last week defending Bevin's stewardship. "With any public-private project of this magnitude, delays and challenges are to be expected," Rogers said in the statement. "Since Gov. Bevin inherited this project, he has worked diligently to comb through the unexpected problems and carefully balanced rising expenses with future benefits." Wednesday's joint Courier Journal-ProPublica report underscored warnings that Beshear administration officials received about likely roadblocks. Despite these, KentuckyWired moved ahead with what experts have said is an unrealistic three-year construction schedule for the project that saw the state accept most of the risk for the public-private partnership. Kentucky primary elections: Here's your complete 2019 voter guide In his statement, Rogers described KentuckyWired as the "only path" to affordable, high-speed internet for his constituents in Eastern Kentucky. But state Rep. Robert Goforth , R-East Bernstadt, a challenger to Bevin for the Republican Party's nomination for governor, disagreed. In an interview with the Courier Journal, Goforth said Bevin should have killed the project years ago. He said Bevin has much to learn from a broadband project in Jackson County, which Goforth represents. The Kentucky-based nonprofit Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative used federal stimulus money to bring high-speed fiber-optic lines within reach of every home and business in Jackson and Owsley counties, the Courier Journal and ProPublica reported . "If Jackson County can do it, the rest of Kentucky should be able to follow their example and be able to duplicate what they have done to be able to provide the fastest internet service to one of the most rural communities in Kentucky," Goforth said. "We can do this." State Rep. Lynn Bechler, R-Marion, described as "marvelous" the job Peoples Rural and other similar cooperatives and rural providers have done. He said he wished the Peoples Rural model could be followed in his area of western Kentucky, where residents such as Christy Hardison say they pay upwards of $120-a-month for unreliable satellite internet service, the only available option. Joe Gerth: KentuckyWired project leaders wouldn't talk to us. So we spoke to the mule Support local journalism Support stories like this one by becoming a subscriber today! Get unlimited digital access here! Bechler, co-chairman of the Program Review and Investigations Committee, which is probing KentuckyWired, reiterated his call for a halt to KentuckyWired. To solve the problem of poor rural broadband access, Bechler proposed the possible creation of a state incentive program to encourage more projects like the one in Jackson County. Keith Gabbard, head of the Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative, told the Courier Journal that a state-level program, similar to Tennessee's new Broadband Accessibility Grants, would encourage rural providers like his to expand service. "The state doesn't have to build their own network that way," Gabbard said. "People that have already been doing that work can do a little more of it and would have an incentive to expand into areas that, it appears, the bigger companies are not going to build fiber to." Meanwhile, longtime KentuckyWired skeptic, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Taylor Mill, said he's still waiting for the first section of the state-owned network to operate. The project's overseers said in December that the first loop, an area that includes Frankfort, Lexington Louisville and northern Kentucky, was nearly ready to be turned on . Phillip Brown, then head of the state authority in charge of KentuckyWired, promised "very good news" in the first quarter of 2019. "I'm still waiting to see the press release on that happening," McDaniel told the Courier Journal. "This thing is a mess and it's going to continue to be a mess. I don't know where it ends." Reach reporter Alfred Miller at amiller@gannett.com or (502) 582-7142. Follow him on Twitter @AlfredFMiller . Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe . This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky rural internet: Matt Bevin bashed for not addressing problems


(Reuters) - South Korea are hopeful of qualifying for the knockout stages of the women's World Cup in France next month despite being placed in a tough group, midfielder Ji So-yun has said. The Asian nation is set for its third appearance at the quadrennial event but has never gone beyond the last-16 and is pitted against higher-ranked teams in hosts France and Norway in Group A. Hosts France are ranked fourth in the world, 10 places above Korea, while Norway are 12th but without Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg, who has refused to play for the national team. Nigeria, ranked 38th, are the fourth team in the group. "Our first goal is to reach the second round," Ji said in an interview on world soccer governing body FIFA's website https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/news/soyun-i-am-a-better-player-than-four-years-ago. "I know that will be difficult, but we can reach the goal only if we believe we can. And once we reach the initial goal, we'll be hungry for more." Ji, who was injured during South Korea's 2015 World Cup campaign and watched on as France eliminated them in the last-16, said she was over that disappointment and looking forward to facing the hosts in the opening game on June 7. "I remember watching the great players of France beating us, and I'm sure they've got even better now, but so have we," the 28-year-old added. "I've grown into a better player than I was four years ago, and I've put that disappointment behind me. "Four years ago, it was the first World Cup for everybody except (goalkeeper) Kim Jung-mi, but now we've got many players who experienced the finals four years ago." Ji is coming off a good club season in which she scored eight goals for Chelsea, including a stunning free-kick in the Champions League semi-finals against eventual champions Lyon, but does not have any personal targets for the World Cup. "I always screw up whenever I set a personal goal, so I just try to play my game and play better than I did four years ago," she said. "I don't really care about the numbers, goals or assists. "It doesn't matter if I score or not. I only hope we can reach our team goal and enjoy the game." (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Jennings)


Newcastle United failed in a last-minute attempt to lure 18-year-old Moussa Sissako from PSG, despite agreeing a fee with the French side. The centre-back has been told by manager Thomas Tuchel that he is not part of his first-team plans this season, as he would be competing with established defenders such as Thiago Silva, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos and new arrival Abdou Diallo, who signed from Borussia Dortmund this summer. This allowed Newcastle - as well as Brighton , who also agreed a deal with PSG - to swoop in for the Frenchman, with both sides confident that they could secure his signature entering the final day of the English transfer window. According to RMC Sport journalist Loic Tanzi , however, personal terms could not be agreed between Sissako's representatives and the English clubs, who both offered four-year contracts to the highly-rated teenager. Sissako is still able to leave his hometown club this summer though, with most other major European transfer windows still open for at least two weeks yet. Other than remaining in France, he could very well end up in Spain, Italy or Germany, with numerous clubs circling. Similarly, Newcastle had agreed a deal for fellow PSG youth product Stanley Nsoki; the move failing through as a result of wage demands, with the left-back believing his value was higher than the offer extended to him. Having lost Rafa Benitez in a move that angered Tyneside, Newcastle have brought in four first team players this summer, most notably Brazilian forward Joelinton from Hoffenheim in a £40m deal, and the £20m acquisition of winger Allan Saint-Maximin from Nice. Additionally, Andy Carroll has returned to his boyhood club after eight and a half years elsewhere, singing a one-year deal on a free transfer, while Swedish international Emil Krafth was recruited at right-back. Newcastle kick off their Premier League season on Sunday at home to Arsenal , as the Magpies aim to avoid relegation.


The Smithsonian's first shot at online crowdfunding ended Wednesday after raising a hefty $719,779 to restore the spacesuit that Neil Armstrong wore when he walked on the moon. A total of 9,477 people contributed to the month-long Kickstarter "Reboot the Suit" campaign, which surpassed its $500,000 goal on July 24. The windfall means the Smithsonian will have money to spare to preserve and display a second spacesuit used by Alan Shepard, the first American in space. "It is mind-blowing," Yoonhyung Lee, the Smithsonian's director of digital philanthropy, told AFP in an interview at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in downtown Washington. "We did not really expect to both hit our goal so quickly and also to exceed our goal so dramatically. This was a huge triumph for us." It was the first time the Smithsonian has turned to crowdfunding to help cover the cost of preserving its most valuable artifacts from the ravages of time. The campaign lifted off on July 20, the 46th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing. Its conclusion coincided with National Aviation Day. With cash in hand, the Smithsonian is now aiming to have Armstrong's white spacesuit and helmet ready for public viewing by the 50th anniversary in 2019. "The suit is pretty fragile," Lisa Young, the Smithsonian curator tasked with overseeing its three-year restoration project, told AFP. "It's reaching about its 50-year lifespan right now. A lot of its materials were made for temporary use -- to get to the moon and back," she said. - Getting brittle - "We see the rubber getting a little bit brittle. The interior portions that the public doesn't see are what's really the most fragile." Layers of polymers were used to create the suit, but back in the 1960s scientists had no clear idea how long they would last, Young explained. "Natural materials tend to last longer," she said. The US government pays for the upkeep of the Smithsonian's network of 19 museums and galleries as well as the cost of safeguarding their collections. But exhibitions and restorations depend largely on private donations. Depending on how much they put in, backers of the Kickstarter appeal got rewards ranging from a NASA space mission patch to a printed 3D copy of Armstrong's space glove. Nine people who each put in the maximum contribution of $10,000 will be invited to see the moon suit at the Smithsonian's aerospace conservation lab. For Americans, such contributions are tax-deductible. Going forward, the Smithsonian is planning more crowdfunding projects this year under a partnership with Kickstarter. However, it has yet to decide what exactly those projects will be. Armstrong died in his native Ohio three years ago this month at the age of 82. But the Apollo 11 capsule in which he and two fellow astronauts traveled to the moon endures as a centerpiece of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum along the National Mall in downtown Washington. - Early space traveler - Shepard became the second person ever to travel into space, and the first American, in 1961 as an astronaut in NASA's pathbreaking Mercury program. In 1971 he became the fifth and oldest person to walk on the moon as commander of the Apollo 14 mission. He died in California in 1998 at the age of 74. The most successful Kickstarter campaign of all time raised more than $20 million for Pebble, a Taiwan-made smartwatch that went on sale this month, competing against the Apple Watch. But perhaps the best known was a 2013 effort to bankroll a feature film version of the cult US detective mystery TV series "Veronica Mars." It met its $2 million goal within 10 hours and ultimately reached $5.7 million. With an annex alongside Dulles International Airport outside Washington, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum holds the world's biggest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft.


For Premier League sides, the transfer window is closed, and that means the rumour mill is too. English sides were linked with a number of high-profile moves which failed to materialise, so what's next for those players who didn't find themselves changing clubs? Here's what the future holds for six of the top targets who didn't earn a deadline day transfer. Bruno Fernandes How is it even possible that Bruno Fernandes is still a Sporting CP player? The midfielder had been linked to both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for what felt like an eternity, and it was all for nothing. He could seal a move to another European side, but it seems increasingly likely that Fernandes will remain with Sporting for at least another six months. Fortunately, he didn't burn his bridges with club officials or the fans, so it'll likely be business as usual for Fernandes - at least until January. If he can continue his impressive form, expect the Portuguese international to be linked with a move in the January window. Spurs won't make a bid, having already signed Giovani Lo Celso, but whether United will reignite their interest will likely come down to money. If Sporting drop their asking price, or United increase their offer, then Fernandes could soon be on the move. Wilfried Zaha Wilfried Zaha faces a tricky situation at Crystal Palace . Having handed in a transfer request, he failed to seal a deadline day move to Everton , with the Eagles standing firm on their £80m asking price. Both Napoli and Bayern Munich are believed to be keen, but they will almost certainly be reluctant to spend heavily on the Ivorian, which means he will probably have to stay at Selhurst Park. He is thought to have been left devastated by the situation, whilst manager Roy Hodgson even admitted that Zaha has 'beef' with the club chairman . Even if he does return to the team, a January move seems almost certain, with Chelsea thought to be lurking if they can overturn their transfer ban. Paulo Dybala You've got to give it to Paulo Dybala . It seems like Maurizio Sarri was adamant that the Argentine has no future at Juventus , yet he opted to snub interest from United and Spurs to fight for his place in Italy. Could he be made to rue that decision? As Sarri proved at Chelsea, squad rotation isn't exactly his favourite thing. If there isn't a place for Dybala now, chances are there never will be - just ask Cesc Fabregas or Gary Cahill . A move to another European side certainly seems possible, and his £65m price tag is surprisingly reasonable in today's market. However, the interest just doesn't seem to be there. Dybala may be forced to stay in Turin and try force his way into Sarri's plans, but that is definitely not as easy as it sounds. Mario Mandzukic Similar to Dybala, Mario Mandzukic also appeared to be close to a move to the Premier League, but a move to United ultimately failed to materialise. As it stands, he is set for a frustrating season on the bench. There's no way he moves ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the pecking order, whilst he doesn't have the agility to make it as a winger under Sarri. First-team opportunities appear very, very hard to come by. Given he could be available for cheap, it seems likely that Mandzukic will leave the club in the coming weeks, but a January move certainly seems on the cards. Christian Eriksen Christian Eriksen kicked off the summer by  admitting his desire to leave Spurs , but then literally nothing happened. Real Madrid said no and so did United, so now Eriksen looks set to stay. However, given he has just one year on his current contract, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is thought to be determined to sell the Dane before the European transfer window closes in September, which certainly makes sense. Real could return after missing out on Paul Pogba , whilst cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid might even make a push after failing to capture James Rodriguez . Spurs surely won't let him run his contract down, so a move away seems the only option. Philippe Coutinho Chelsea, Arsenal , Liverpool and Spurs were all thought to have been keen on Philippe Coutinho, but he ended up staying with Barcelona , where his nightmare looks set to continue. His form saw him tumble down the pecking order last season, and Antoine Griezmann's arrival will only have made things worse for the Brazilian. He needs a change of scenery, but it doesn't look like he's going to get one. Paris Saint-Germain could surprise us all with a late bid, but that would only be to replace Neymar. Such a deal would be incredibly difficult, so it looks like Coutinho might be in for a tough year. However,Don't rule out a January loan move if Barcelona get too fed up with him.


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.   Five months after a sweeping federal indictment was filed against 23 suspected members and associates of the Latin Kings in South Florida, the first sworn gang member pleaded guilty to his role in the racketeering conspiracy. Juan Alvarez, 30, aka King Juanma, pleaded guilty in federal court in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday to one count of racketeering conspiracy and using and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Alvarez admitted he was the leader or so-called "Inca" or "First Crown" of the gang's South Miami division or "tribe." When Alvarez is sentenced Jan. 8, prosecutors and the defense will recommend that U.S. District Judge James Cohn sentence him to a total of 15 years in federal prison. Handcuffed, shackled and wearing a striped-green jail jumpsuit, Alvarez said he understood what he was doing and politely answered the judge's questions in court. He said he wanted to enter into the plea agreement with prosecutors instead of going to trial. "Guilty," Alvarez said when asked how he wanted to plead. Alvarez admitted that he and a "probationary" member of the gang robbed a man at gunpoint in Miami on Sept. 28, 2014. Alvarez also admitted that he and the other suspect, Juan Vega, 22, of Homestead, who has pleaded not guilty to the indictment, carried out the robbery. Alvarez said the victim, who was selling them a pound of marijuana in their car at the time, was beaten in the face and the men pointed an Intratec .22-caliber, semi-automatic handgun at him, then stole the marijuana, his wallet, keys and cellphone. Both men were arrested later that day and were secretly video-recorded discussing the crime in a police department interview room. According to the plea agreement, the men discussed contacting the victim and returning his money and drugs as well as offering him $3,000 if he would agree to either not show up in court or tell investigators that they were not the robbers. The men then used a cellphone that Vega still had with him to contact another alleged gang member, according to court records. The other gang members, some of whose phones were secretly tapped by investigators, then took measures to try to prevent the victim from testifying against Alvarez and Vega, authorities said. "Based on this series of events, the victim was moved out of the state of Florida for his own safety," prosecutors Lawrence LaVecchio and Julia Vaglienti wrote in court records. Alvarez, who was locked up in Miami-Dade County on a related state charge since last year, is now being held in one of the Broward County jails in Pompano Beach. His attorney, Hugo Rodriguez, said Alvarez hopes that state prosecutors will dismiss the related state charge against him. If Judge Cohn follows the recommendation from both sides, Alvarez would serve eight years for the racketeering conspiracy charge, followed by seven years for the gun charge. One Latin King associate, Danielle Lucatorto, aka Cookie, 30, of Margate, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison last week after admitting her role in the conspiracy. Court records show the 21 other suspects charged in the indictment   which includes suspected members and associates from Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties   are scheduled to go to trial Feb. 1. Authorities say the Latin Kings gang is one of the largest, most well-organized gangs in the U.S., and members make their money by committing crimes including selling drugs, robbery, burglary, homicide, identity theft and assault. Investigators say the arrests of the 23 men and women named in the racketeering indictment, as well as several other suspected gang members accused of gun-related and other offenses this year, have put a major dent in the organization's operations in South Florida. Some of the male suspects held senior leadership positions in the gang, authorities said. The arrests followed a long-term undercover investigation by federal and local agencies that involved undercover officers and informants monitoring the gang's activities by following members, monitoring their phone calls and secretly filming some of their meetings. One of the videos shown at one of the early court hearings showed a punishment beating being administered to one member who was accused of breaking gang rules.


Need date night ideas? Take a look at this week's lineup of acclaimed movies showing on the big screen in and around Pittsburgh. Read on for the highest-rated films to catch, based on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes ' Tomatometer Score, which reflects the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics. (Movie descriptions courtesy The Movie Database ; showtimes via Fandango . Movie ratings and showtimes are subject to change.) Booksmart Two academic teenage superstars realize, on the eve of their high school graduation, that they should have worked less and played more. Determined to never fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night. Set to be released today, "Booksmart" already has a Tomatometer Score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes . USA Today's Brian Truitt said , "The worst thing you can say about the brilliantly zany teen comedy 'Booksmart' is you only get an hour and 45 minutes with its quirky student body," while Mick LaSalle of San Francisco Chronicle noted , "(Director Olivia) Wilde vigorously made this picture, finding the tone and teasing out the laughs and the performances with a combination of bold and subtle strokes." Catch it on the big screen at Waterworks Cinemas (923 Freeport Road) through Thursday, May 30. Click here for showtimes and tickets . Avengers: Endgame After the devastating events of "Avengers: Infinity War," the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos' actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store. With a Tomatometer Score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes , "Avengers: Endgame" has garnered plenty of praise since its release on April 26. "What you will be getting when you walk into an inevitably overstuffed movie theater is something singular that reflects our age in a way that none of the MCU films that preceded it have   indeed, very few Hollywood spectacles ever have," noted Oliver Jones of the Observer. The San Diego Reader's Matthew Lickona said , "The MCU will go on and on, but this chapter   and the American pragmatism vs. American ideals bromance that drove it   have well and truly come to their 'Excelsior! Nuff said!' moment." Catch it on the big screen at Waterworks Cinemas (923 Freeport Road) through Thursday, May 30. Click here for showtimes and tickets . Pokémon Detective Pikachu In a world where people collect pocket-size monsters (Pokémon) to do battle, a boy comes across an intelligent monster who seeks to be a detective. With a Tomatometer Score of 65% and an Audience Score of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes , "Pokémon Detective Pikachu" is well worth a watch. The Globe and Mail's Daniel Kaszor said , "'Detective Pikachu' is unrelentingly weird," and NPR's Vincent Acovino noted , "There's something admirable about a film that isn't afraid to have some fun with a property so established   and beloved   by its core audience." Catch it on the big screen at Waterworks Cinemas (923 Freeport Road) through Thursday, May 29. Click here for showtimes and tickets . This story was created automatically using local movie data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


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. Today we acknowledge the 25th anniversary of a day that explains a lot about the United States as we now know it. On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were killed by, uh, somebody   launching us into the O.J. Simpson murder trial, Simpson's shocking acquittal, his lifelong quest to "find the real killers" on golf courses around the country and a surreal, made-for-TV reality that permeates American life to this day. In other words, this is an anniversary best forgotten. Unfortunately, that will never happen. O.J. is still talking. "Life is fine," Simpson, 71, recently told the Associated Press in a phone interview . He says he is happy and healthy and living in Las Vegas, where he plays golf nearly every day. Good to know he's still on the case. He told the AP that he and his kids don't want to talk about June 12, 1994, the day his ex-wife Brown Simpson, 35, and her friend Goldman, 25, were stabbed to death at Brown Simpson's home. But then he talked about it. "We don't need to go back and relive the worst day of our lives," he said. "The subject of the moment is the subject I will never revisit again. My family and I have moved on to what we call the 'no negative zone.' We focus on the positives." O.J. SIMPSON: Discusses CTE, prison life: 'Nobody would think about screwing with me' MORE: O.J. Simpson caught on camera for first time since prison release I'm personally looking for the "no O.J. zone." To that end, let's pivot to the people we should care about on this infamous day, including Kim Goldman, Ron's sister, now 47. "I don't suffocate in my grief," she told the AP. "But every milestone that my kid hits, every milestone that I hit, you know, those are just reminders of what I'm not able to share with my brother and what he is missing out on." Kim and her father, Fred, have spent the past 25 years trying to find some kind of justice for her brother and Brown Simpson. If we want to celebrate an anniversary, let's celebrate that. After the verdict in the criminal case, they filed a civil suit against Simpson. When a jury concluded in 1997 that Simpson had been responsible for the murders, he was ordered to pay $33.5 million for the wrongful deaths of Brown Simpson and Goldman. Some of his property was seized and auctioned, but most of the judgment has never been paid. Kim Goldman told the Los Angeles Times that she and her family have collected less than one percent of that amount. One would hope that golf courses would tell him to pay what he owes the Goldmans before ever letting him set foot on their property again, but this is the O.J. Simpson case, so whatever seems fair and right likely isn't going to happen. There was that time, however, when a judge threw him in prison for nine years for robbery, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon and other charges after he attempted to steal back some of his sports memorabilia from a Las Vegas hotel room. That sentence might have been a bit over the top, but it sure was perfect. If there is any good news in this horrible saga, it's this: Kim Goldman is the vice chair of a prominent victims' rights organization and runs a project that helps troubled teens. She never uses Simpson's name, calling him "the killer," or the "murdering liar" in interviews. "He doesn't deserve more," she told the Times. Of course, she's right. So we note today's date, because it was a tragic and remarkable moment in U.S. cultural history, and of course remember where we were, but otherwise, may the rest of our lives be a "no O.J. zone." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Opinion: 'No negative zone'? May this be the start of the 'no O.J. Simpson zone'


See every one of Jeff Gordon's Monster Energy Series wins -- all 93 of them through his illustrious career in NASCAR's top series. 93 wins places Jeff Gordon third on the all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins list and a slam-dunk choice to be the choice for the No. 24 in our Driver by Number series. Take a look back at all those Cup wins. 1. Charlotte Motor Speedway May 29, 1994 2. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 6, 1994 3. North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham) Feb. 26, 1995 4. Atlanta Motor Speedway March 12, 1995 5. Bristol Motor Speedway April 2, 1995 6. Daytona International Speedway July 1, 1995 7. New Hampshire Motor Speedway July 9, 1995 8. Darlington Raceway Sept. 3, 1995 9. Dover International Speedway Sept. 17, 1995 Note: Gordon would win the first of four championships in 1995. 10. Richmond Raceway March 3, 1996 11. Darlington Raceway March 24, 1996 12. Bristol Motor Speedway March 31, 1996 Later in 1996, Jeff Gordon enjoyed a round of golf with legend Arnold Palmer at the Tanglewood Park Golf Course in Clemmons, North Carolina. 13. Dover International Speedway June 2, 1996 14. Pocono Raceway June 16, 1996 NASCAR star Jeff Gordon also graced the cover of 'TV Guide' in June of 1996, covering the week of June 22-28. 15. Talladega Superspeedway July 28, 1996 16. Darlington Raceway Sept. 1, 1996 17. Dover International Speedway Sept. 15, 1996 18. Martinsville Speedway Sept. 22, 1996 19. North Wilkesboro Speedway Sept. 29, 1996 20. Daytona International Speedway Feb. 16, 1997 21. North Carolina Motor Speedway (Rockingham) Feb. 23, 1997 22. Bristol Motor Speedway April 13, 1997 23. Martinsville Speedway April 20, 1997 24. Charlotte Motor Speedway May 25, 1997 25. Pocono Raceway June 8, 1997 26. Auto Club Speedway June 22, 1997 27: Watkins Glen International Aug. 10, 1997 28: Darlington Raceway Aug. 31, 1997 29: New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sept. 14, 1997 Note: Gordon would also clinch the premier series title in 1997, his second. 30: North Carolina Speedway Feb. 22, 1998 31: Bristol Motor Speedway March 29, 1998 32. Charlotte Motor Speedway May 24, 1998 33. Sonoma Raceway June 28, 1998 34. Pocono Raceway July 26, 1998 35. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 1, 1998 36. Watkins Glen International Aug. 9, 1998 37. Michigan International Speedway Aug. 16, 1998 38. New Hampshire Motor Speedway Aug. 30, 1998 39. Darlington Raceway Sept. 6, 1998 40. Daytona International Speedway Oct. 17, 1998 41. North Carolina Speedway Nov. 1, 1998 42. Atlanta Motor Speedway Nov. 8, 1998 Note: Gordon would win the third of his four championships in 1998. 43. Daytona International Speedway Feb. 14, 1999 Note: This is a photo of Gordon during a practice round for 1999's Daytona 500. 44. Atlanta Motor Speedway March 14, 1999 45. Auto Club Speedway May 2, 1999 46. Sonoma Raceway June 27, 1999 47. Watkins Glen International Aug. 15, 1999 Note: This photo is not from the New York track. 48. Martinsville Speedway Oct. 3, 1999 Note: This photo is not from the Martinsville track. 49. Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 11, 1999 Note: This photo is not from the Charlotte track. 50. Talladega Superspeedway April 16, 2000 51. Sonoma Raceway June 25, 2000 52. Richmond Raceway Sept. 9, 2000 53. Las Vegas Motor Speedway March 4, 2001 54. Dover International Speedway June 3, 2001 55. Michigan International Speedway June 10, 2001 56. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 5, 2001 57. Watkins Glen International Aug. 12, 2001 58. Kansas Speedway Sept. 30, 2001 Note: Jeff Gordon's pit crew celebrates after he wins at Kansas. This year would also mark Gordon's fourth -- and final -- Monster Energy Series championship. 59. Bristol Motor Speedway Aug. 24, 2002 60. Darlington Raceway Sept. 1, 2002 61. Kansas Speedway Sept. 29, 2002 62. Martinsville Speedway April 13, 2003 63. Martinsville Speedway Oct. 19, 2003 64. Atlanta Motor Speedway Oct. 27, 2003 65. Talladega Superspeedway April 25, 2004 66. Auto Club Speedway May 2, 2004 67. Sonoma Raceway June 27, 2004 68. Daytona International Speedway July 3, 2004 69. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Aug. 8, 2004 70. Daytona International Speedway Feb. 20, 2005 71. Martinsville Speedway April 10, 2005 72. Talladega Superspeedway May 1, 2005 73. Martinsville Speedway Oct. 23, 2005 74. Sonoma Raceway June 25, 2006 75. Chicagoland Speedway July 9, 2006 Note: This picture was taken during a practice session at Texas Motor Speedway in 2006. 76. ISM Raceway at Phoenix April 21, 2007 77. Talladega Superspeedway April 29, 2007 78. Darlington Raceway May 13, 2007 79. Pocono Raceway June 10, 2007 80. Talladega Superspeedway Oct. 7, 2007 81. Charlotte Motor Speedway Oct. 13, 2007 Note: This photo was taken during testing at Charlotte. 82. Texas Motor Speedway April 5, 2009 83. ISM Raceway at Phoenix Feb. 27, 2011 84. Pocono Raceway June 12, 2011 85. Atlanta Motor Speedway Sept. 6, 2011 86. Pocono Raceway Aug. 5, 2012 87. Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 18, 2012 Note: The race winner and the newly crowned 2012 champion, Brad Keselowski, celebrate their victories. 88. Martinsville Speedway Oct. 27, 2013 89. Kansas Speedway May 10, 2014 90. Indianapolis Motor Speedway July 27, 2014 Note: Pictured are Gordon's son (Leo) and daughter (Ella) kissing the bricks -- an Indy tradition after winning. 91. Michigan International Speedway Aug. 17, 2014 92. Dover International Speedway Sept. 28, 2014 93. Martinsville Speedway Nov. 1, 2015 Note: Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jimmie Johnson, congratulates him on win No. 93.


There is a new sheriff in town and he wears a Kangol hat. Bruce Arians spent the offseason reshaping the roster to better suit his vision for the Buccaneers, setting the stage for some dramatic battles in training camp. The defense saw the most change, especially in the secondary, which is likely to start no player with more than 3 years of NFL experience. After being one of the league's worst defenses last year, the Bucs will likely have new starters at nine different positions for which several will be determined over the next several weeks. Here are the five position battles to watch during Bucs training camp: Safety There is no position with less certainty in Tampa Bay than safety. Both safety positions are up for grabs and could see at least one rookie starting Week 1. Though starter Justin Evans is returning, he was placed on the PUP list and is not yet cleared to practice. In his stead, rookie Mike Edwards is in position to shine with second-year safety Jordan Whitehead picking up wear he left off manning the box. Right Outside Linebacker Any plans the Bucs had for their edge rush no doubt changed following Jason Pierre-Paul's car accident that resulted in a fractured vertebrae and possible return date in November. Now the Bucs turn to free agent signing Shaquil Barrett and 2016 second-round draft pick Noah Spence, who may be on his last shot with the Bucs. Neither has played in a starting role for any meaningful amount of time so training camp reps will be key heading into the preseason. Right Guard Last year, the right guard position was the offense's Achilles heel as Caleb Benenoch was miscast as an interior lineman and rookie Alex Cappa was not quite ready to jump from D-II college ball to the NFL. This year, Benenoch is working as a tackle and Cappa is fighting to justify his third-round selection after the Bucs picked up veteran guard Earl Watford in the offseason. Cappa needs to show he can pass-protect well enough to keep Watford on the sidelines. Third cornerback The Bucs have drafted four cornerbacks in the past two years, an obvious sign that they were not happy with their secondary. While it Vernon Hargreaves and Carlton Davis are near-locks for the starting corner spots, a trio of draft picks are circling the increasingly vital third corner spot. Rookies Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean both have the length to compete with larger wide receivers, but second-year CB M.J. Stewart brings versatility as a run defender and blitzer that could be appealing to Todd Bowles in his aggressive defense. MORE: Trevor Bauer angrily fired a baseball over the centerfield wall before being pulled from game Roundup: Miley Cyrus Not Performing At VMAs, VICE in Talks to Buy Refinery29, Triple H Turned 50 Tom Brady disobeys Bill Belichick at practice, and suffers the consequences Packers impressed with Rashan Gary's effort early at training camp Steelers WR Diontae Johnson off to hot start at training camp


With no time to catch their breath, Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi continue a hard march down their new paths. The darlings of collegiate/amateur golf made their debuts as professionals at the U.S. Women's Open last week, on the heels of the NCAA Championships, and now they're looking to settle into the rhythms of LPGA tour life. They're both teeing it up in Friday's start to the ShopRite Classic, their first starts as pros in a regular LPGA event. "It's just been like a whirlwind," Kupcho said Thursday at Seaview Hotel and Golf Club outside Atlantic City, N.J. "So many things going on. Really, it's unbelievable all the things you have to do, all the travel plans and talking to people." Yes, there's curiosity over how quickly these young stars can turn their momentum into LPGA success, whether they can build on the excitement they generated at the Augusta National Women's Amateur in April and the NCAA Championships in May. But there's pressure making their debut on the tails of all that. They did, after all, appear together on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon after charming the world with their duel at Augusta National. Even the most established LPGA stars don't enjoy breaking out of golf's niche that spectacularly. Kupcho, the Wake Forest graduate, probably did more for her Q-Ratings winning at Augusta National than any winner of an LPGA major will this year. Fassi, the Arkansas graduate, may have lost her duel to Kupcho at the ANWA, but she built on the popularity she gained there by winning the NCAA individual championship and then claiming her second Annika Award as the outstanding female collegiate golfer. There's excitement seeing if these two can add some spice to a big LPGA summer, but as Kupcho explained, there's the reality of adjusting to new routines while competing week-in and week-out against the best players in the world. There's a transition to make, a learning curve to navigate. "I am just going to go out there and play my best," Kupcho said. "Try not to think about a whole bunch of stuff, just go play my game." Fassi says she is finding an upside to the whirlwind. "It's been kind of easy, if you will, because I haven't really had time to think about anything," she said. "It's just been so fast, just going from one tournament to the other. It just hasn't hit me yet. Full-field scores from the ShopRite LPGA Classic "I'm taking next week off, and I guess that's kind of when I'll have some time to settle in and actually realize that I'm on tour now, and that I'm playing in the big leagues, doing what I love most." Fassi said she and Kupcho would like to play as partners in the new Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational team event next month. A run at a title there would add to the excitement they've built together. "We're trying to get ourselves into that one," Fassi said. Kupcho tied for 62nd at the U.S. Women's Open. She took home a check for $11,303. She has this week and next week's Meijer Classic to secure her place in the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. She could be playing four events in a row to start her pro career. "There definitely has been some college tournaments where we turn around and go the next week," Kupcho said. "I've done that before. It will be interesting later on, farther down the road, when I'm going to my fourth tournament in a row." Fassi tied for 12th at the U.S. Women's Open, taking home $103,065 as her first professional winnings. "My golf game is where I like it to be, and I'm just very excited for the week to start," Fassi said. Those who love the collegiate game should be rooting for Kupcho and Fassi. They took a stand for their schools as seniors. After winning LPGA membership at Q-Series late last fall, they took calculated risks deferring their tour membership, so they could finish out their collegiate careers. It bodes well for future collegians who choose to do the same if Kupcho and Fassi can make the most of their shortened rookie seasons. The ShopRite Classic has other collegiate storylines this week. Virginia Elena Carta, fresh off helping Duke win the NCAA team championship, is playing on a sponsor's exemption. She was the NCAA individual champion as a freshman. She's graduated from Duke with a degree in environmental sciences and policy, but will be retaining her amateur status to pursue a master's degree in environmental policy at Cambridge this fall and next spring. She was also a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Gina Kim, a Duke teammate, who contended at the U.S. Women's Open last week, is going to caddie for Carta at ShopRite. Carta plans to play the U.S. Women's Amateur this summer and also go to LPGA Q-Series as an amateur. "I'm going to turn pro next summer," she said. "So, as soon as I'm done with Cambridge, I'm going to turn pro." If you are a college fan, the ShopRite Classic offers an intriguing addendum to a rich spring.