SANDY, Utah (AP) Sophie Schmidt scored on an early penalty kick and Shea Groom added a stoppage-time goal to give the Houston Dash the Challenge Cup tournament title with a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday.

The month-long tournament was National Women's Soccer League re-boot after the regular season was shut down by the coronavirus outbreak. Houston, in its seventh year in the league, had never previously made the playoffs.

The Red Stars went to the NWSL championship game last season, but were routed 4-0 by the North Carolina Courage.

Houston was aggressive from the start. Kristie Mewis was on the run when she was fouled by Kayla Sharples for a Dash penalty kick. Schmidt nailed the PK in the fifth minute. It was the tournament's first penalty kick in regulation.

The Red Stars nearly drew even in the 15th, but Savannah McCaskill's header off a rebound hit the post.

McCaskill had another chance from distance in the 67th minute, but Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell tipped it up and over the crossbar.

The Dash took a hit in the 29th minute when Mewis had to come out of the game with a hamstring injury. She sobbed as she was subbed out of the game.

The NWSL was the first professional team sport to return in the United States. Eight of the leagues nine teams have been sequestered in Utah for the duration of the tournament, which started on June 27.

The leagues ninth team, the Orlando Pride, withdrew shortly before the start because of positive COVID-19 tests. But there were no positive tests in the so-called bubble in Utah for the duration of the event.

The Red Stars were the tournaments sixth seed going into the knockout round. They advanced to the semifinals on penalties after a scoreless draw with OL Reign, then held off Sky Blue 3-2 on Wednesday.

Chicago had just two total goals in the tournament before the outburst against Sky Blue.

The Dash are the upstart underdogs of the Challenge Cup, after finishing seventh in the NWSL last season. English national Rachel Daly led Houston with three goals in the tournament and was the Challenge Cups most valuable player.

Daly had a chance to increase Houston's lead in the 73rd minute, but couldn't quite get set after a cross from Nichelle Prince and the shot went wide.

Daly assisted on Groom's goal in the 91st minute. It was Groom's third goal of the tournament.

Sundays game at Rio Tinto Stadium, home of the NWSLs Utah Royals and Major League Soccers Real Salt Lake, was broadcast nationally on CBS, the leagues new television partner this season.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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Upstart Dash win the Challenge Cup 2-0 over the Red Stars - Taiwan News

Kermode bears, also known as spirit bears, are incredibly elusive. They live only in one section of British Columbias central coast, and a new study indicates the gene that turns their fur white is even rarer than previously thought. Well talk to two researchers from the study about the quest to protect and preserve the Great Bear Rainforest.

Doug Neasloss, director of the Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation Stewardship Authority. Former chief councilor of the Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation. (@DNeasloss)

Christina Service, science coordinator and wildlife biologist for Kitasoo/Xai'xais First Nation Stewardship Authority. (@CN_Service)

On the unique beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest

Doug Neasloss: I would say this place is quite a magical place. I mean, this is one of the only places left where you'll get old-growth and ancient-growth forests, large biodiversity in the wildlife there. Some of these trees can be quite a few meters wide, and up to two to three hundred meters tall. So you can get some really big trees up there.

Christina Service: It's remarkably rare. I mean, I think often when people say rainforest, you think of the Amazon in the tropics. But the temperate rainforests are just as magical. There's so much diversity, so many shades of green than you could even imagine with the lichens and, as Doug mentioned, these ginormous old cedars and spruces. The forest is something that almost everyone should witness at some point in their lives.

"I think often when people say rainforest, you think of the Amazon in the tropics. But the temperate rainforests are just as magical."

On where the spirit bears name comes from

Doug Neasloss: I think people have always had a healthy respect for just the rarity. They're just extremely rare animals, only found in this part of the world. And it's kind of neat when you're in this dark green forest, you know, and you see this bright white bear come walking out, you know, it just has this spiritual presence about it. And so that's how it was coined, the name spirit bear. It was also actually a big campaign as well to protect this part of the world in the early 90s, when it was under threat from forest companies. They wanted to develop, and that was a name that we used for the spirit bear to help protect this region.

On what gives the spirit bears their white fur

Christina Service: They're not albinos, they have pigment. In contrast, albinos would have, you know, sort of the typical pink eyes and things you would associate with that. They're actually, in many ways, closer to redheads in humans. So it's actually the same gene that controls the white coat in spirit bears as redheads and red hair in humans. And so they have the same pigment [as black bears]. But as Doug said, shockingly, in this forest, in this ecosystem, they're pure white from tip to tail.

In our culture, our elders have always said everything is connected. If you take one thing out, it affects everything else... I think it's really important that we look at things from a bit of a holistic perspective and look at protecting quite large regions and protecting all the biodiversity in these areas.

On the challenges facing the Great Bear Rainforest

Doug Neasloss: I would say forestry is certainly an ongoing issue and loss of habitat. I would say global warming is certainly another major issue. But as ocean temperatures are rising. Major decline in salmon numbers. Historically, some of our rivers used to have about 80000 salmon. Some of those same systems now are down to about four or five thousand salmon. So we're continuing to monitor some of these issues and trying to do what we can in terms of protection In our culture, our elders have always said everything is connected. If you take one thing out, it affects everything else. And so, for instance, if you lose salmon thats going to affect the forest, that's going to affect the bears. So, yeah, I mean, I think it's really important that we look at things from a bit of a holistic perspective and look at protecting quite large regions and protect all the biodiversity in these areas.

On the spirit bears role in conserving the rainforest

Doug Neasloss: I believe the spirit bear is basically the face of the Great Bear Rainforest. I know back in the 90s, this area was all slated to be cut. It was all on the chopping block. And the government had given all of these permits to all the forest companies and they were going to knock it all down, and it was because of First Nations communities and environmental groups that really came together and coined the term Great Bear Rainforest, and there was a big surge to protect a lot of this region. And certainly, the spirit bear was a catalyst, because this is the only part of the world that you will find a spirit bear.

"The spirit bear is basically the face of the Great Bear Rainforest."

On the pandemics impact on their conservation work and research

Doug Neasloss: Our community has gone into complete lockdown. Nobody coming in, nobody going out. And that's been affecting a lot of our work, and then some of our projects. And luckily, we actually do have more local people So we were out there for quite a few weeks continuing on with the study, which has been great. And I should say it's had some positive effects. I mean, the fact that theres no tourism this year was a window to see if bears will behave a bit differently and allow us to get out there and develop management plans accordingly. So, kind of an opportunity in some ways.

Trailer for the film "Great Bear Rainforest: Land of the Spirit Bear.," from MacGillivray Freeman Films.

Smithsonian:"This Rare, White Bear May Be the Key to Saving a Canadian Rainforest""Very quietly we paddle to shore in a raft from the research vessel, which has stopped at the mouth of a small river cascading into the Pacific, one of more than a hundred salmon-bearing rivers in the 1,500-square-mile territory of the Kitasoo/Xaixais people. Were halfway up the coast of British Columbia, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, in one of the largest unspoiled temperate rainforests on earth. We climb out and sit on boulders in the intertidal zone, in front of a meadow. Behind it is primeval forest, a solid wall of trees western red cedar, Sitka spruce, alder, hemlock, Douglas fir."

National Geographic:"First Nations Fight to Protect the Rare Spirit Bear from Hunters" "There are stories about the white bears that hide in the deep forest of British Columbias coast. Old stories, handed down from one generation to the next for thousands of years, since the last Ice Age gripped the world, and glaciers licked the edge of the rain forest. One tale, told by the Kitasoo/XaiXais Nation, says that as the sheets of ice began to retreat, Raventhe creator of all thingsmade the animal known as the spirit bear to remind him of the ice and snow. Its a story that speaks not only to First Nations connection with wildlife but also to their deep roots in the Great Bear Rainforest, an area the size of Switzerland thats home to some 20,000 First Nations people."

The New York Times:"Hair From Ghostly Bears Reveals New Genetic Secrets" "Douglas Neasloss was skeptical that Spirit bears existed. A member of the Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation in Canada, he had heard the stories of white-furred bears that roamed British Columbias rainforest. But Mr. Neasloss, a former tour leader and cultural interpreter, had never seen one until 2005, when he experienced one of the most magical moments of his guiding career. During a hike, he caught sight of a cinnamon-tinged white bear as it walked out ahead of him, then lay down 50 feet away to munch on a freshly caught salmon."

Terrace Standard:"Terrace conservation officers relocate Spirit bear" "Terrace conservation officers relocated a Spirit bear far into the wilderness to keep it away from human residential areas. The bear got into a freezer situated outside a cabin in Rosswood, said Tracy Walbauer of the Terrace Conservation Officer Service. 'Im not sure if he actually fed on anything in the freezer, but there was fish in the freezer and then we intervened immediately,' he said. Conservation officers moved the bear about 50 km further into the wilderness."

Link:

The Rare, Elusive Spirit Bears Of British Columbia - WBUR

The former England star became one of the most hated men in the country after kicking out at Diego Simeone in the round of 16 loss to Argentina

David Beckham has spoken about the importance of being open about your mental stateafter recalling the vilification he went through after the 1998 World Cup.

England were eliminated at the last-16 stage by Argentina, after Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone after being fouled by the now-Atletico Madrid manager.

Beckham turned from media darling to one of the most hated men in England. He received death threats, an image of a Beckham effigy hanging outside a pub found infamy, while the Mirrors headline of 10 Heroic Lions, One Stupid Boy was followed by a David Beckham dartboard.

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Then at Manchester United, Beckham recovered his reputation to once again become one of the worlds most popular sports stars,butlooking back, he is grateful social media hadnt yet been invented to amplify the experience.

I made a mistake in 98 and the reaction at the time was pretty brutal, Beckham said as part of the Mentally Healthy Football declaration from the Heads Up campaign.

If social media was around when I was going through that time, it would have been a whole different story, but I was lucky, I had a support system within Manchester United, the manager, and obviously family.

Did I feel it was ok at the time to go to someone and say I need help? No, because it was a different era, and I just felt that I had to keep it all in and deal with it myself. Whereas now Im the one preaching to my kids and to other kids that I talk to out there that its really important to talk.

We all know now that its ok not to be ok, and its ok to say that. Its ok to come out and say, I need help.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti is also part of the Heads Up campaign, and he says he has seen welcome signs of change from players in recent years.

He said: In my experience, it is really rare that players come to you and say, Mentally Im not good.

Its changing in the past few years. I hope that this is going to [continue to] change because it is a really important aspect.

It is really important for the relationship you are able to build with the players. Its really important the club is able to build an environment where the players feel comfortable, safe and feel they can explain their thoughts without a problem.

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'The reaction was brutal' - Beckham thankful social media was not around after 1998 World Cup red card - Goal.com

HEAD coach Anthony McGrath is delighted the Bob Willis Trophy fixtures present Essex with three of their five games in the one-off, red-ball mini-series at 'Fortress Chelmsford'.

The double champions of 2019 kick-off the truncated season with back-to-back home games, starting when they entertain Kent at The Cloudfm County Ground on Saturday, followed by the visits of Surrey a week later and Middlesex in the final Southern Group match in early September.

To have three of the games at home, given that we won all seven in the Championship here last year, will suit our attack, especially when youve got Simon Harmer and the seamers, said McGrath.

We werent sure which way it would go with an odd number of matches, so were happy with our lot.

"I think youd prefer to be around your home surroundings rather then going away in the first couple of games.

Hopefully with us having been practising at Chelmsford for the last three weeks, it will give us a little bit of one up on the opposition.

But given the circumstances, were just fortunate weve got some cricket; a few months ago we didnt think wed have anything.

"Everyone is excited to get going on Saturday and we dont really mind where were playing as long as theres some cricket.

The Bob Willis Trophy named in memory of the former England captain who died in December replaces the Specsavers County Championship as the four-day format for this summer.

It is split into three regions - North, South and Central - with the two group winners with the most points advancing to a final over five days, starting on October 1.

This unprecedented season will be augmented by ten Vitality Blast T20 group games from August 27 the five home, five away fixtures will be announced in due course with both competitions set to be played behind closed doors.

I feel very sad for the fans, admitted McGrath.

"Its their club as well.

"We want fans to be able to come and enjoy it and create an atmosphere; thats what we all play for.

Its going to be surreal without fans.

"Weve chatted about it during practice days and told the players have a look around. This is what its going to be like on a match day.

"Weve been trying to get their heads around it.

"But, as I say, were just happy to be playing this season and well put up with it.

Its a shame for the cricket-lovers but we want them to be safe.

"However, if there is a way to tune in, whether thats on a radio or via our live streaming service on the website, hopefully they can get their cricket fix that way.

"Fingers crossed by next season well be back to normal and the crowds can return.

There is a certain irony that Kent should be Essexs first competitive opponents since they also provide the opposition for the two-day pre-season friendly which was due to start at Canterbury yesterday.

These type of coincidences tend to happen, dont they? said McGrath.

But it doesnt really matter; its just more practice.

"Were going to take a squad of 14 to 15 to Kent and weve agreed that, weather permitting, well bat one day, theyll bat the other.

"Well try and get as many players on the field and rotate, so bowlers can have a bowl and batters can have a bat.

"Then well see how the guys are before the final selection of the XI a few days later.

The Bob Willis Trophy campaign also includes back-to-back trips to Sussex, first to face the eponymous county at Hove, then on to Arundel to meet Hampshire at their temporary base while the Ageas Bowl provides a bio-secure environment for England matches.

The ECB also confirmed on Friday morning that a regionalised women's domestic competition will be played this summer, featuring the eight teams from the new Women's Elite Domestic Structure.

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McGrath is delighted to have three fixtures at 'Fortress Chelmsford' - Gazette

Remember Friday night, when it seemed like the Red Sox had it all figured out. Well, they didn't. Far from it, in fact.

This isn't a reactionary take from watching this team lose two straight to the Orioles, with Sunday's 7-4 defeat serving as the most recent 2.7-game (prorated) slap in the face.

The discomfort stemmed from how Ron Roenicke and his team landed with this 1-2 record. In a nutshell, the Red Sox really, really didn't seem like a group that had gotten their heads around what they're dealing with. You can point to the woe-as-us riteof passage that comes with not having Chris Sale and now Eduardo Rodriguez, leaving the Sox with Nathan Eovaldi and a lot of finger-crossing. But a lot of the misery that we witnessed at Fenway Park was avoidable, even with the roster's current lot in life.

"Yes. No doubt," said Roenicke when asked if these games felt more important now than in normal season. "Its more important now than saying you had a regular season and you know you have six months and maybe you dont play that well for the first month. You know youre still in it. You just need to get hot at some point. Now up through the first month you really cant be down that much. Hopefully well have a good series against the Mets and head out on the road."

The easy first place to point is at Martin Perez and Ryan Weber, the two starters who put the Red Sox in holes they never could dig out from. Perhaps both go on and figure out what ailed them in getting whacked round Saturday and Sunday. Maybe Perez stops nervously pacingin the back of the mound on every pitch with a runner on base. And there is a chance Weber starts putting balls on the ground instead of in the air closer to the clip that won him the No. 3 job.

But the mentality that has gone into constructing this semblance of a starting rotation is at the top of the heap when it comes to the aforementioned discomfort. At some point you have to prioritize track record and stop banking on the whole "if we make an adjustment here and a tweak there we're going to make everyone forget that guy had the highest WHIP in the majors last year" mentality. Sure, you might hit on a few. This is how the likes of Marcus Walden and Ryan Brasier found their way. But the process of uncovering diamonds in the rough doesn't have to take place in the most important stretches of an every-game-counts-a lot season.

When Roenicke sent in Dylan Covey to keep the game within a three-run deficit Saturday it represented a microcosm of this dynamic.

Because of his contractual arrangement, the Red Sox needed to keep Covey on the roster to begin the season even though he hadn't thrown a pitch for his new team in Spring Training 2.0. Chaim Bloom was plucking the pitcher off the waiver wire as one of his many "you-never-knows" even after the pitcherhad done nothing to earn a spot on the team and was coming off an 18-appearance 2019 with the White Sox that resulted in a 7.98 ERA. OK. We get it. Even though Brian Johnson has had major league results when not injured or sick, and had thrown the ball fairly well in both spring trainings,the Red Sox wanted to prioritize the promise of the former first-round pick.

But bringing Covey (who had already beendetermined by the Sox to be sent down well before he stepped on the field Saturday)in when there was still a chance and you had a bullpen chock full of proven commodities? The Red Sox approached this like Spring Training 3.0. There was no other way to look at it.

And then there was the overallapproach taken during these two losses.

Here is the reality: You can't treat these games like ones played in a 162-game season.

For instance ...

- If you have an opportunity to pinch-hit or pinch-run for Kevin Plawecki with two other catchers on the bench, you take that opportunity. Saturday, Roenicke chose not to.

- When the starting pitcher is clearly not missing any bats and note exhibitinggood-enough command while watching the pitch count pile up, you take him out sooner rather than later. Instead with the Red Sox trailing by two heading into the fourth, Weber was left in to surrender a game-changing three-run homer off the bat of Anthony Santander with a boatload of relievers at the ready in the hosts' bullpen. This season, and with these 30-man rosters, you simply can't wait around.

- Rule of thumb: When a player hits a home run -- as Mitch Moreland did Saturday -- he should automatically be in the lineup the next day, regardless of who is pitching. Teams have to prioritize hot streaks over analytics. The Red Sox didn't,sending out Michael Chavis at first base for another series of uncomfortable at-bats while leaving Moreland in the on-deck circle to end the game.And, no, thisisn't apples to apples when Alex Cora expertly rested the likes of Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts in days after they hit homers early in the 2018 season. Completely different dynamic and calendar.

- You can't afford to worry about saving pitchers, even if an opener represents the next day's starter. It was striking to not see anyone warming up when Marcus Walden put runners on first and third in the seventh inning and the Red Sox only railing by two. Walden got out of the jam by striking out Renato Nunez to end the inning, but if Nunez had extended the inning you would have had a pitcher on mound trying to still keep things close, living life in a very uncomfortable pitch count and with no sign of a replacement because of the bullpen's inactivity.

- Going back to analytics and matchups ... don't. Prioritize the hot hand. Roenicke pinch-hit the struggling Andrew Benintendi -- who has now struck out in five of his 10 at-bats -- for Kevin Pillar. That was the same Pillar who was 1-for-3 on the day and is hitting .500. Meanwhile, Alex Verdugo was allowed to hit for the final at-bat of the game, which normally would make sense considering he was facing a right-handed reliever. But two innings before Verdugo could be seen seemingly in a lot of discomfort following a ground out, bending and stretching for quite a while. Roenicke said after the game it was diagnosed as cramps. Yet after watching that last at-bat -- when Verdugowas significantly tardy on three straight 93 mph fastballs, including a third and final offering which blew him away -- it hard to believe he was of enough sound body to put the Sox' best foot forward in that spot.

- Down two. Still in the game. Your closer hasn't worked all weekend. Bring him in for the ninth. Instead, Roenicke chose to go with another one of the unknownand unproven in Austin Brice despite the fact Brandon Workman had been warming up. The result was an additional run tagged on by the Orioles in the ninth. Again, this early on with this shortened seasonit would seem prudent to air on the side of some certainty while figuring out the rest in not-so-pivotal situations.

And then there isthe players' approach.

Mental performance coaches should be working overtime this season trying to get these guys' minds right. Rafael Devers is overswinging like never before, chasing Ball 4 three times before striking out to end a threat in the eighth. Benintendi? He has never looked worse. These guys have track records and should be OK. But you can discount the added pressure they are putting on themselves knowing the window to turn things around is so small.

This is perhaps the biggest work-in-progress Red Sox team we have seen, well, in many of ourlifetimes. That's why it'stime to work smarter, not harder. That would make these final 57 games a whole lot easier to digest.

Original post:

Bradford: Why it was so uncomfortable watching these Red Sox - WEEI

I describe myself as a white nationalists.

The skinhead before and probably still in.

A homeland had doesn't allow outsiders to appropriate breed To investigate what's motivating america's white national revival.

I went to las vegas.

Away from the bright lights of the strip where anything goes there's another vegas in sprawling suburbs.

And, that's where I come to me a forty six-year-old well they're named keith we agreed not to use his last name for fear of reprisals welcome tomorrow thank you very much key who spent almost a decade in prison describes himself as a prominent member of america's white nationalist movement our main agenda is just to secure the existence of our people and have a future for our children think of what we're talking about we're talking about securing the existence of your children in their future?

How can that be a negative thing do you think america is at its heart a white nation and that is at risk now it's not a white nation anymore it's a multicultural nation but I would say that this nation was founded by white man and?

We've already lost control.

And, quite frankly the statue of liberty doesn't say send us your hateful violent criminals waving their own flags.

Showed me snapshots of his vacations mostly trips to germany what he likes visiting nazi landmarks including adolf hitler's occasional home and headquarters.

The place is so sensitive authorities don't allow visitors to take pictures so won't become a shrinewhoops that's There are many people in the united states who accuse president tribe of being a white nationalist do you think is well I will agrees definitely white and I would agree he's definitely but to put the two together is suggesting that he has some kind of.

Desire to be associated with people like myself.

And, I don't believe that he Nevertheless keith is devoted to president having a national leader who makes common sense decisions that happened to be in line with your own this great.

Certainly makes you feel empowered with trump president is a good time to be a white nationalist in america think it's always a good time to be a white national everywhere.

He told me he was heading back to germany to neo-nazi rock festival very hope to meet and learn from european white action.

Three-quarters of a century ago hitler's nazis pushed across europe.

With their own brand of white nationalism.

While many germans are ashamed of their countries past today's neo-nazis.

Are inspired by the dark history?

They call this heat wrong sometimes right.

As in the nazi third.

I come to germany to see the neo-nazi scene first-hand.

And, to meet teeth just outside the entrance to the hate rock festival at a bar called the golden lion run buying and for neo-nazisare keith and made sure he was dressed vacation there is a lot of symbolism in all of this sothat sign your sock the consumer hammer, and, I got my fourteen boots on each hole represents one of the fourteen words?

The fourteen words yes we must secure the existence of our people on a future for white children would that be like the it is.

He said he likes coming here because he gets to hang out with people who think the same way he does views that have got into trouble back home I don't have those cops all over my boots by chance then somebody from kicking people fighting.

You know, scuffle in but you don't want to get any brawls today a possible absolutely it's possible you think I will have any problem no not at all because you seem civilized community in your caucasians inviting all caucasians just what about non caucasians and I would recommend them to a and that would be probably a bad idea the white nationalist here don't hold back but there are some restrictions under german law because what would happen if you don't know did the nazis so they would come immediately over and righty right it's running yes they would you like to do that I've done it many times I believe it's an open handed salute data brothers signal each other with the show that I have no weapon in my hand and you're my comrade as we ride into battle we signal each other in such a way curious to see this concert hopefully they'll be no, issues the issues there will be Entering a neo-nazi festival is complicated the police set up multiple checkpoints concert goers must pass a breathalyzer test and walk past a handful of bashes protesters.

Cameras were definitely not welcome appreciated.

Everywhere you look they were tattoos and The most popular teachers for sale from a brand called division it's all part of a uniform designed to intimidate and this year there was a new accessory that seemed familiar for giving out hats.

A make germany got that.

The man behind the hats was patrick schroeder who makes a living selling nazi theme clothing and that's with the hand like a like a drunk better but right now this is make germany eight again was our gift to everyone who comes gets the red heads we make it look like party when he was elected to make this rally that's like a donald gas inauguration reality we have a little jokes the people who see it can see we also some kind of fun we the bed versus what the pill everyone?

But, violence is never far below the surface with neo-nazi.

German law prohibits incitement of hatred it's illegal to show tattoos of swath figures so they hide them under band dates.

And, it's why by the time keith arrive he'd removed his favorite steel-toed fourteen hold So, you change.

Yeah, the books are for fight war them here they would probably arrest me and give me some kind of multi thousand-dollar fine because there seem to be weapon they are so they're not they really one, yeah, I mean you get kicked in the face with the parents feel about books what's going to happen, you know, you could kill someone theoretically right what keep it already told me he'd been in a skinhead gang and that been to prison I got it seem like the time it come to find out what he done in the name of white national.

You do have a pretty extensive criminal record idea and it was all my fault I'll lay blame on anybody else's I made the choice to do the things I did in fact he was convicted of solicitation to murder killed some I was involved in kidnapping conspiracy to murder and no, I didn't kill anybody in that particular instance in that particular instance suggests that there was another time when you killed while there's been other times one other shootings occur in about fifteen different and charge on one four separate occasions firing my weapon people at And, the died not really sure.

Keith was eager to change the subject.

And, we settled watch the show moi.

Wasn't long before our cameras were attracting attention again.

Moi and the organizers the aryan brotherhood became anxious that things could get out of hand.

It was time to leave.

Original post:

(Exclusive) Europe's neo-Nazis: Are they taking cues from America's Commander-in-Chief? - BuzzFeed zz - BuzzFeedzz

The Cincinnati Reds hired Geoff Head last offseason to oversee their health-and-performance team, a group of roughly 50 men and women divided into seven departments. He got the job in December, two months later than normal for that type of role. Three months after that, the sport shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Three months after that, on June 29, with baseball scrambling to return amid an escalating public health crisis, Head's wife, a nurse practitioner at an at-risk clinic in Mesa, Arizona, tested positive for COVID-19 and passed the virus to the couple's 8-month-old son.

Head, 35, found a Courtyard Marriott nearby and remained there for several days until his wife's symptoms -- frequent chills, excessive vomiting -- began to subside. From there, he flew to Cincinnati, quarantined in the small apartment where he will live in isolation for the rest of the season, and then, on July 12, a little less than two weeks after baseball resumed, he finally joined the rest of his staff -- a staff that was already overworked, in over its head and stretched too thin.

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Head's son quickly got over a sore throat and a raspy voice, but his wife, Zue, still hasn't recovered her sense of smell or taste. She won't join him in Cincinnati until her contract expires at the end of September. In the meantime, Head is worried about the possibility that she might contract the virus again in a hot-spot state, only this time passing it to either her young daughter or her aunt, who's in her 60s, has underlying health conditions and is staying at the house to help with child care. But Head must carry on.

An entire sport -- more accurately, a multibillion-dollar corporation -- can't exist this summer without the overexerted efforts of people like Head and the trainers and physicians they oversee. They're working long hours, taking on roles they never imagined and navigating persistent uncertainty in the face of a pandemic that has claimed nearly 150,000 American lives. Over the past 19 weeks, the Reds' health-and-performance team went through a dizzying amount of work that included accounting for hundreds of employees, reconstructing two facilities, overseeing daily testing and upholding the intricate details of an overwhelming health-and-safety protocol.

It's only the beginning -- and they're far from alone.

"In no way, shape or form was this ever a thought on my radar that something none of us had ever been through in our lifetimes, a global pandemic of this size and scale, would impact the game of baseball in a way that none of us had ever seen before," said Head, who spent the previous dozen years in a multitude of roles with the San Francisco Giants. "There's no way to be fully prepared for that. There's no crash course or formal education that any of us would have gone through specifically in these roles that we're in to be prepared for something like this. You layer that on top of everything, and it has been an incredible challenge. Some days are incredibly stressful and trying. There's a lot of emotions, a lot of highs and lows."

The seasonal flu ravaged the Reds in September of last year, prompting Head to implement a stringent wellness policy featuring many of the protocols that are now crucial to preventing the spread of COVID-19. Players exhibiting symptoms were instructed to call before reporting to the facility. Those who felt sick enough were advised to stay home; those who decided to show up were led into a quarantine room where a doctor awaited. A network of local physicians was built, and an emergency action plan was created for practically every illness.

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Head called it "a crash course in preparing us for what was about to hit us in the face."

The strict protocol helped set the tone for a three-month period when players and staff members would be on their own, relying on self-discipline to remain safe from a virus that quickly engulfed the country. Shortly after Major League Baseball canceled spring training around the middle of March, Head and his team created spreadsheets listing every Reds employee in every capacity, covering something in the neighborhood of 600 people. They divided the list, created a self-reporting questionnaire and made calls each day to ensure they were keeping tabs with everyone, including those in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

For more than three months, from March 12 to June 23, Head believes he averaged six to eight videoconferences per day, ranging from a few minutes to several hours. He and his staff reached out to numerous physicians and epidemiologists throughout the country to begin crafting plans of action. They were in touch with public health officials to get a heads-up on local restrictions in order to begin planning road travel. And they reached out to professional sports leagues in Europe and South Korea for insight on how they navigated COVID-19. There were daily health-and-performance calls, weekly tactical meetings and countless calls with MLB's medical board of advisers -- all with looming uncertainty over whether baseball was even possible in 2020.

The Reds' health-and-performance team began to treat this period like an extended offseason, which meant advising players on ways to remain in shape without access to traditional gymnasiums. Head sent one video of himself filling empty gas cans with water to create 40-pound dumbbells. On another, he rolled duct tape onto the floor of his back patio to show players an easy way to make agility ladders.

In the meantime, the league and the union were involved in contentious disputes over player compensation for a season that would presumably be staged without fans. As talks dragged on, it became clear that the window between a final agreement and the beginning of a second spring training would be too short. Teams needed as much of an advance notice as possible, and so Head and his staff began to receive rough drafts of MLB's health-and-safety plan.

They went to work as soon as possible. Travel was shut down, so Head hopped on FaceTime with local Reds employees as they walked through Great American Ball Park and potential alternate sites to work out the details. They had to designate intake and isolation rooms, plan open-air weight-training facilities and remeasure spaces to establish new occupancy limits that would reliably provide 6 feet of social distancing. Staff members drove to the Reds' minor league affiliates in Louisville, Kentucky, and Dayton, Ohio, before settling on the corporate campus of Prasco Laboratories in Mason, Ohio, a state-of-the-art facility with two fields and major-league-quality amenities.

When the union signed off on MLB's health-and-safety plan on June 23, the Reds had about 90% of the work done.

Head received the initial 101-page operations manual late on a Tuesday night, near the end of an arduous day that began at 6 in the morning on the West Coast. He printed a hard copy and stayed up past midnight running through it with a yellow highlighter and a red pen. In four and a half hours, he had whittled it all down to five and a half pages of bullet points on a Word document. He emailed the cheat sheet to his staff and planned a call for the following morning. Luckily, the final copy didn't stray too far from the earlier versions.

2 Related

"I can't imagine if we had been just taking it as downtime and kind of waiting for what the protocols were gonna look like," Head said. "But I guess it's like a reliever getting called into a game on short notice."

The next version of spring training -- eventually branded as "summer camp" -- would begin July 1. It meant seven days of preparation. Early on, Head and his staff designated an Infection Control Prevention Coordinator (ICPC), a person who, as stated in the operations manual, "will monitor and ensure compliance with MLB-mandated health and safety protocols." The task fell on Morgan Gregory, the Reds' minor league strength-and-conditioning coordinator who also boasted an impressive network of epidemiologists, doctors and local government officials. Gregory would become the main point of contact for Head and Steve Baumann, the Reds' head athletic trainer.

"This is also not something that he could've ever prepared for," Head said, "but we have so much support around him that it's not truly just his job."

One of the team's dietitians, Ashley Meuser, worked with the team's chefs to come up with individualized ordering apps because buffets were no longer allowed. All of the players' protein shakes and smoothies were individualized. Signs were placed around practically every touch point throughout the kitchen advising employees to use available sanitizers and wipes. Portable hand-washing sinks were placed next to the dugouts and within every entry point at the two sites. Trainers learned new, less invasive ways to provide daily treatment to athletes.

A lot of healthy debate went into how many members of Head's staff would make up two of the first three tiers, which are practically the only people allowed to access facilities at the field level. MLB allows a maximum of 125 people for Tiers 1 and 2, with up to 60 of them being players and many others encompassing coaches and front-office members. Head ultimately added 20 from his staff -- one ICPC, three athletic trainers, one physical therapist, two massage therapists, one Pilates instructor, two physicians, two strength-and-conditioning coaches, two team dietitians, two mental-skills coaches and four additional strength coaches and athletic trainers for the alternate site.

The approach to testing was a far more difficult dilemma.

"We had to have a lot of discussions about how much we care about our society, not just our Reds players and staff," Head said. "Your immediate concern goes to players and staff, but there's a national shortage on test kits. We did not want to be an organization that said, 'Hey, we're above any single human being on this planet and we want to commandeer and hold hostage a bunch of tests for any what-if scenarios just to protect ourselves.' So that was challenging because there's a lot of fear. There's a lot of, rightfully so, people being very anxious about potentially having something and wanting to get tested then and there. The truth of the matter was that there's people in the society, in at-risk populations in the society, that needed it so much more. So our organizational stance was paying reverence to our society more so than to ourselves."

Comprehensive Drug Testing, a third-party company being utilized by MLB this season, is tasked with collecting and shipping samples. But there have been instances when a symptomatic person emerged on a day when CDT was not scheduled to visit, prompting Reds trainers and physicians to put on personal protective equipment and administer tests themselves, essentially thrusting themselves into the front lines.

Results of PCR tests, administered every other day to asymptomatic players, are typically available on a master spreadsheet delivered via email. The Reds, Head said, have been receiving those results within about 36 hours, illustrating the prevalent threat of asymptomatic carriers inadvertently spreading the virus throughout a ballpark. It's why diligence with social distancing and mask-wearing are so vital.

"Competitive advantage for organizations is how stringent, how creative you are in health-and-safety protocols," Head said. "But then also how much buy-in and how much communication do you have from your players in that process to want to be inspired to follow those health-and-safety protocols to the T, because I think there's some variance there around the league."

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Head woke up Tuesday morning to realize that half of the Reds' test results were missing. It was 7 a.m., and players were scheduled to begin arriving at Great American Ball Park in about five hours for their first exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers. Head and his staff scrambled to call anybody they knew at the commissioner's office in New York City, who would then connect with the lab in Salt Lake City to track down the missing samples and run them as a top priority.

Through this experience, the Reds' staff learned new ways to track samples more closely. Doing so, however, required a staff member -- already working up to 14 hours a day -- waking up in the middle of the night on the East Coast to follow up. The hope is that MLB's second testing lab out of Rutgers University eliminates that need.

"I think everybody's doing as much as they can -- MLB, the labs, the teams," Head said. "It's not on anyone's plate. It's just with the enormity of this task, to pull off a healthy and safe season, something none of us have ever gone through before, there's gonna be hurdles and challenges that we all have to be in for, specifically for medical and health and performance staffs. It puts a whole lot of added stress on us."

The Reds remain in a state of controlled chaos. Their health-and-performance staff has been setting the tone for this season since before the novel coronavirus threatened to make its way into the U.S. They have worked relentlessly for more than four months, putting in countless late nights and early mornings while consistently stretching outside of their comfort zones. Their players have bought in to the protocols. And yet -- trouble always seems near, with no letup in sight.

Said Head: "It's been an immense, immense process."

Games, however unconventional they might seem, are the only respite. The first one came last Sunday, in the form of a run-of-the-mill intrasquad scrimmage. For a couple of hours, Head allowed himself to get lost in it. Suddenly, if only briefly, everything felt normal.

It offered hope.

"We had a home squad and a road squad, the players got to pick their lineups, we played eight innings, and it felt like real baseball," Head said. "The players were screaming for each other and supporting each other, really getting into the competition of it, and that was a breath of like, 'Yeah, we can do this. This is awesome.'"

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Why MLB athletic trainers are the key to keeping the 60-game season afloat - ESPN

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is waiting for the formal nod from the Indian government to "ink the final deal" with the BCCI, after receiving an official letter of intent from the Indian board for hosting the 2020 edition of the IPL.

"Should get it [the permission]," as the IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel told ESPNcricinfo recently, the two boards have "fully mobilised and have instigated discussions with the relevant authorities, including their respective internal working-committees" to host the tournament between September 19 and November 10, Mubashshir Usmani, ECB secretary-general, said in a statement on Monday.

"There are many factors which influence the operations and logistics of hosting what is the world's most exciting, popular and lucrative [cricket] tournament. This is a massive movement of people and equipment and we now need to bring in the experts to discuss all aspects of UAE hosting the IPL," Usmani said. "This includes the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah Sports Councils, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah Tourism Bodies and the respective Government entities - such as the Police Forces and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, all who have had strong, proven experience in such activities and we will work together to ascertain the best practices to support and deliver on a successful edition."

ALSO READ: IPL 2020: 'Will be slightly easier to monitor ACU activity in the UAE,' says Ajit Singh

It's not a completely new experience for the ECB, as the first 20 games of the 2014 edition were held in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah because of the Indian general elections. This time, of course, the presence of Covid-19 has added a different dimension to the organisation.

"Firstly, we are extremely pleased with how the UAE government responded to the virus, which was as early as February and we continue to see encouraging numbers across the country - in decreasing cases and increasing recoveries," Usmani said. "Secondly, we will fully support any requirements stipulated by the relevant Health Authorities in regards to Covid-19 safety measures and management.

"We have a sound, solid understanding of what is required, and to whom we need to consult and engage with from this early stage through to close of the tournament. UAE boasts some of the best practice facilities and stadia in the world across three-Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah), which we are confident will be more than adequate to support the eight-team tournament."

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IPL 2020: Emirates Cricket Board waits for India government nod to 'ink the final deal' with BCCI | ESPNcricinfo.com - ESPNcricinfo

Stuart Broad is currently bowling as well as at any time in his career, according to former England captain, Andrew Strauss.

Broad will go into the final day of the Test series against West Indies requiring one more wicket to become just the seventh man - and fourth seamer - in history to claim 500 Test wickets.

But while Broad is now aged 34 and has been omitted from the team several times in recent months, Strauss believes his competitive spirit has pushed him to new heights over the last year or two. Determined to prove he is still worth his place in England's first-choice team, Broad has produced several incisive spells, including a burst of 3 for 1 in the second Test that revived a game that appeared to be heading towards a draw, then eight wickets so far in the third - featuring a run of six in seven overs across two innings - which has given England an opportunity to win the series.

"I honestly don't believe Stuart Broad has bowled much better than this," Strauss said from Emirates Old Trafford on Monday, where rain washed out the fourth day's play. "There were a couple of years where perhaps he lost his wrist a bit and it was hard work for him bowling to right-handers. But in this series he seems to be equally potent against left- and right-handers.

"But when we look at all of his attributes. you can talk about his height and pace; it's actually his competitiveness and we have seen this year. He is at his best when he has something to prove. He's had the bit between his teeth in these last two Test matches and that has served him particularly well over the course of his career."

ALSO READ: Openers prove old virtues can work for new England

Strauss's words are largely supported by the statistics. Not only is Broad England's leading wicket-taker in this series - he's taken his 14 wickets at a cost of just 10.50 apiece - but he was also his side's leading wicket-taker in the Ashes and the series against South Africa. Over the last 12 months, his 62 Test wickets have cost 20.58 each.

While Strauss, who is currently chair of the ECB's cricket committee, admits he didn't predict quite such success when he first saw Broad, he was confident he had the qualities to enjoy a "long-term England career."

"I remember the first time I played with him was in an England Lions game," Strauss said. "He was very young at the time. Probably 20 years of age and fast making a reputation for himself in the county game.

"And I remember a T20 finals day where he bowled brilliantly at Ronnie Irani. There was obvious talent and he was comfortable on the big stage and delivering under pressure.

"When I saw him it was clear he had most of the assets you needed as a fast bowler: quick enough at 80-85 mph, obviously a lot of height and an ability to swing ball away from right-hander. He also had real knack of getting wickets with not great balls which was a good knack to have.

"But there have been so many bowlers whose star has shone for a year or two then either they have been worked out or their confidence has deserted them and they've been cast aside.

"I don't think anyone could have predicted he would take 500 Test wickets, but I do think people thought he had the potential to have a long-term England career."

Although Strauss welcomes the emergence of other viable bowling options for England, he suggested it would be an error to move on from either Broad or James Anderson prematurely.

"We write them off at our peril," Strauss said. "So let's not be in a hurry to pension them off, because they have both got a lot more to offer England. We need to savour and appreciate and enjoy every time that those two bowl together in an England shirt.

"At the same time, it's really healthy there's competition for places and some of these young guys are putting their hands up and showing they are ready to play international cricket. From a selector's points of view, it is a great position to be in."

Meanwhile, the Ruth Strauss Foundation announced that donations during the game had surpassed 650,000. The foundation was set up by Strauss in memory of his wife who died from a rare form of cancer. Strauss thanked the "entire cricket family" for its support and said he was "blown away" by the amount of money raised in such a challenging economic environment.

Anyone wanting to donate should visit: http://www.ruthstraussfoundation.com

The rest is here:

Andrew Strauss: Stuart Broad is still at the top of his game | ESPNcricinfo.com - ESPNcricinfo

Chicago Red Stars Savannah McCaskill (9) heads the ball in the direction of the goal as Houston Dashs Katie Naughton (25) defends during the first half of an NWSL Challenge Cup soccer finals match Sunday, July 26, 2020, in Sandy, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SANDY, Utah (AP) Sophie Schmidt scored on an early penalty kick and Shea Groom added a stoppage-time goal to give the Houston Dash the Challenge Cup tournament title with a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday.

The month-long tournament was National Womens Soccer League re-boot after the regular season was shut down by the coronavirus outbreak. Houston, in its seventh year in the league, had never previously made the playoffs.

The Red Stars went to the NWSL championship game last season, but were routed 4-0 by the North Carolina Courage.

Houston was aggressive from the start. Kristie Mewis was on the run when she was fouled by Kayla Sharples for a Dash penalty kick. Schmidt nailed the PK in the fifth minute. It was the tournaments first penalty kick in regulation.

The Red Stars nearly drew even in the 15th, but Savannah McCaskills header off a rebound hit the post.

McCaskill had another chance from distance in the 67th minute, but Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell tipped it up and over the crossbar.

The Dash took a hit in the 29th minute when Mewis had to come out of the game with a hamstring injury. She sobbed as she was subbed out of the game.

The NWSL was the first professional team sport to return in the United States. Eight of the leagues nine teams have been sequestered in Utah for the duration of the tournament, which started on June 27.

The leagues ninth team, the Orlando Pride, withdrew shortly before the start because of positive COVID-19 tests. But there were no positive tests in the so-called bubble in Utah for the duration of the event.

The Red Stars were the tournaments sixth seed going into the knockout round. They advanced to the semifinals on penalties after a scoreless draw with OL Reign, then held off Sky Blue 3-2 on Wednesday.

Chicago had just two total goals in the tournament before the outburst against Sky Blue.

The Dash are the upstart underdogs of the Challenge Cup, after finishing seventh in the NWSL last season. English national Rachel Daly led Houston with three goals in the tournament and was the Challenge Cups most valuable player.

Daly had a chance to increase Houstons lead in the 73rd minute, but couldnt quite get set after a cross from Nichelle Prince and the shot went wide.

Daly assisted on Grooms goal in the 91st minute. It was Grooms third goal of the tournament.

Sundays game at Rio Tinto Stadium, home of the NWSLs Utah Royals and Major League Soccers Real Salt Lake, was broadcast nationally on CBS, the leagues new television partner this season.

___

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Upstart Dash win the Challenge Cup 2-0 over the Red Stars - - KUSI

Washington Capitals (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Washington Capitals held their third intrasquad scrimmage Friday afternoon at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in what was possibly the final time on the ice in their headquarters before the team departs for Toronto on Sunday. Team Red upset Team Blue 2-1.

Team Blue consisted of a varsity lineup while the Red team was filled with players hoping to crack the playoff lineup. The first period consisted of a 20 minute period while the second and third periods were each 10 minutes.

Team Red struck first late in the opening period. Brian Pinho had a nice finish at the net off a give n go with Daniel Sprong. The goal came at 2:09 left and was redemption from an offsides call just a few minutes prior. The goal came on the power play.

That wasnt all the scoring from Team Red in the first period. Garnet Hathaway had a solid drive to the net to beat Vitek Vanecek and put the Red team up 2-0 with 57 seconds to go.

Team Reds lineup consisted of mostly Hershey Bears players but the one thing they did have that gave Team Blue fits was Braden Holtby in goal. He made a huge glove save here stopping a shot from T.J. Oshie with just over six minutes to go to keep them off the scoresheet. Holtby would later make a left pad save to help kill off a power play. 2-0 was the same score entering the final period.

Team Blue would finally get on the board with 35 seconds left in the third period with Travis Boyd deflecting in a shot from Alex Ovechkin. It helped start a comeback but it would turn out to be too late as the Red team held on for a 2-1 win.

Holtby was named MVP of the scrimmage for his performance in goal and if he plays the way he did on Friday he should be ready to go for the playoffs.

Ovechkin didnt just nearly have a goal, he also took over DJ duties in between periods.

Holtby spoke to the media after the scrimmage and thought it was a little bit better than the previous two scrimmages. He also strongly believes that the team is getting better each day and will be in good shape come playoff time when the team heads to Toronto.

Theyll depart for the six on Sunday and will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in an exhibition game on Wednesday.

See the rest here:

Washington Capitals: Team Red downs Team Blue in intrasquad scrimmage - Stars and Sticks

KISSIMMEE, Fla. FC Cincinnati came into the MLS is Back Tournament with few expectations. New coach Jaap Stam was even calling it more like a preseason for the team he joined in person just one month earlier, and a lopsided loss to open the tournament only affirmed that.

But, two much improved performances later, FCC is headed to the knockout stage.

The Orange and Blue topped New York Red Bulls 2-0 in their Group E finale Wednesday night at ESPN Wide World of Sports to advance to the Round of 16, where they will meet the Group F winner. That game will take place 10:30 p.m. July 28 against either Portland or Los Angeles FC.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

1. Another clean sheet

FC Cincinnati switched to a more defensive approach with the 5-3-2 formation ahead of last weeks 1-0 win over Atlanta, and it was no surprise Stam didnt veer from that against a New York team known for an effective high press and counter attack.

Once again it paid off, as FCC earned a second straight clean sheet after giving up four goals in the tournament opener against Columbus on July 11.

We needed to give everything defending wise as well to not give away too many chances or open chances and then to wait for the opportunity ourselves to come out and be decisive and score that goal, Stam said. And that's what we've done twice, which was very good.

The Orange and Blue parked the bus defensively, so to speak, and New York couldnt solve it even while possessing the ball 68 percent of the game with a lineup featuring six midfielders and no natural forwards (midfielders Daniel Royer and Florian Valot played as the front men). The Red Bulls tried going through FCCs defense in the first half unsuccessfully and then shifted to trying to go above the center backs. They finished with 44 crosses and 18 shots but only four on target as 13 were blocked. FCC won 57 of 102 duels (56 percent).

Goalie Przemyslaw Tyton recorded all four saves in the final 10-plus minutes, three within a three-minute span.

We worked really hard last weeks to know how to defend other teams, Tyton said. And we did it this day and last time. Well, I think we did a good job. I feel confident with my defenders. We didn't give up anything. ... We stuck to the plan, we won the game and we are happy we're gonna go to the next round.

2. Progress on offense

While the defense has shined in the two wins, FCC showed some progress on offense Wednesday as well.

FCC moved forward with Andrew Gutman and Joe Gyau playing deep as wingbacks for a second straight game, and usually only two or three players were involved in the attack at any one moment. Despite that, the Orange and Blue still managed two goals and looked more threatening for the most part, including a ripped shot from outside the box by Frankie Amaya that was saved in the 19th minute and an Adrien Regattin shot just wide in the 52nd minute.

New York lacked the pressure its defense has been known for, and FCC took advantage of two mistakes to get on the board. In the 43rd minute, Yuya Kubo pounced on a poor clearance by Red Bulls defender Amro Tarek, took a couple touches and then fired off a shot from outside the box past a diving David Jensen for a 1-0 lead. Then in the second half, in the 56th minute, Haris Medunjanins corner kick to the near post was deflected off the head of Valot and Jensen couldnt react quickly enough, as the ball went off his gloves and into the goal.

Kubos goal, though, was not just a stroke of good fortune being in the right place at the right time. FCC had put together an incredible possession that saw ball movement from Adrien Regattin and Joe Gyau on the right side, back to Deplagne and eventually over to Andrew Gutman, who sent the ball forward and essentially earned a hockey assist.

Medunjanins corner came after a great run and cross that was cleared out of bounds.

The key is working together, Stam said. If you have players and you have only individuals then you're never going to win the game. So you need to have cohesion between the players in the team within the roster and not only the 11 that are playing, but everybody within the roster needs to understand the plan and needs to be ready to do their part in doing that as well. That's what's very important I think for this team at the moment, and there's a lot of ability in there as well, and eventually, you know, getting the (injured players back), we can grow from this and then become even better defending wise but also going forward to be more dominant.

3. Turning heads

Both wins came against the two teams that beat FCC in March before COVID-19 shut down the season for four months, and Group E was considered one of the toughest in the tournament. Columbus remains unbeaten this season after improving its roster greatly during the offseason, and New York and Atlanta have been strong the last few years.

FCC was an underdog in the group and certainly a surprise runner-up, although a draw would have gotten the Orange and Blue into the knockout stage as a wild card third-place finisher.

At the beginning of the tournament, nobody gave us a chance, so we proved them wrong, Medunjanin said. We showed the league that we are a good team, especially when we fight each other because in our team we don't have like a star player like others. We need to do it as a team. And that's what we did today, and we show that we can play with any team in the league.

Cincinnati learned quickly from the loss to Columbus, and Stam showed he can out-coach managers more familiar with the league. His tactics were key, especially considering injuries limiting the attack with forward Jurgen Locadia out all three games with a quad injury and Allan Cruz (ankle) and Siem de Jong (groin) limited as well.

The Orange and Blue hadnt put together two wins since March 2019.

It gives us confidence to go on and go to the next phase, Stam said. If you look at the table, it gives us six points, which is very positive. In the process that we're in, we're still in like a sort of in a preseason, in week four (together). Already against these two very big teams, very good opponents, getting this success, tells you something about this team as well as the mentality that's been there."

The rest is here:

FC Cincy stuns Red Bulls, 2-0, to advance in tournament - WCPO

Essex is home for so many incredible men.

From actors to sportsmen and even reality TV stars, we have some seriously sexy men.

However, here at EssexLive we think there is way more to being sexy than just good looks.

We think intelligence, kindness and talent all play a huge part in sexiness.

We have compiled the list of the top 20 sexiest men in and from Essex.

Some of the entries have reappeared from previous lists and remained in the top selection, whereas others are new faces.

You are sure to recognise most of the men on our list, but there may be a few men you didn't even realise were from Essex.

Do you think we've covered the top men?

Essex boy Jon Clark became a favourite on season one of Love Island in 2015 where he finished as a runner up.

Shortly after Love Island Jon joined the cast of TOWIE alongside his brother Chris in 2016.

Lee Mead shot to fame on the BBCs Any Dream Will Do show in 2007 where he won the role of playing Joseph in the West End revival of Andrew Lloyd-Webbers Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat .

Born in Southend-on-Sea, Lee had previously showed his talents in other West End shows but never as the lead role.

Since Joseph, Lee has payed a main role in TV dramas such as Casulty and Holby City.

Funny man Alan Davis was born here in Essex, in Loughton.

Alan is a stand up comedian, writer and actor.

He is best know for the title role in mystery drama seriesJonathan Creek and is also the only permanent panelist on QI.

You will regularly see Alan on a whole variety of comedy shows.

Jamie Oliver has been one of the biggest names in cooking for a long time now.

Born in Clavering, Jamie is a household name, not just in Essex but across the UK.

Jamie's fame kicked of in 2005 with his controversial campaign to eliminate junk food for school meals.

Since then he has released several books and TV shows, including Jamies 15-Minute Meals a book made to encourage families to cook from scratch.

He is undoubtedly one of Essex's most successful men, he was even awarded an MBE for his service to cooking.

Olympian Max Whitlock is one of Essex's most successful sportsmen.

A five-time Olympic medalist, winning two golds for Britain, and a six-time world medallist, winning two golds and four silvers for Britain, Max is one of the world's best gymnasts.

Max's contribution to gymnastics has not gone unnoticed, he was awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours.

He is now married to Leah Hickton and they have a one year old daughter called Willow.

Model David Gandy has appeared on our most sexy list for several years now.

From Billericay, David's modelling began with winning a modelling competition on This Morning and securing a contract with Select Model Management.

Since then, David's portfolio includes work with Dolce & Gabbana, Hugo Boss, Jaguar, H&M, Banana Republic and Marks & Spencer.

To receive WhatsApp messages with the main headlines, as well as breaking news alerts, text the word 'NEWS' to us via WhatsApp at 07557 893797.

Then add the number to your phone contacts book as 'Essex Live'.

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One of David's most notable moments was when he walked the runway alongside notorious British model Kate Moss at the 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony.

Not only is David talented when it comes to modeling, he also regularly writes for British Vogue as well as contributing to Londons Evening Standard.

International actor Tom Payne was born here in Essex, in Chelmsford.

He is best known for playing the part of Paul "Jesus" Rovia in The Walking Dead'.

Before that starring role, Tom was a cast member of BBC show Waterloo road.

He has since been in American series Prodigal Son.

Most people will recognise Joe Thomas from the UK hilarious sitcom The Inbetweeners in which he played Simon.

The majority residents who have grown up in Britain can relate to the teenage comedy.

It's not only the Inbetweeneres where you may have seen Joe, he has also starred in two films based on the show as well as comedy series Fresh Meat and film The Festival.

Joe deserves a place on this list for a number of reasons, let's be honest he was the one most of us fancied out of the four Inbetweeners.

When you think of Essex boys, you can't not think of Olly Murs.

Hailing from Witham, Olly helped put Essex on the map when he finished as the runner up on The X-Factor in 2009.

As well as releasing plenty of his own music, Olly has spent a lot of time on screen, hosting spin-off show The Xtra Factor in 2011.

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Olly has also been a judge and mentor The Voice UK.

Not only is Olly nice on the eye, he is also very charming.

He has kept plenty of us entertained throughout lockdown through social media.

Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is one of the UK's most loved red-heads.

Born in Harlow, when he was younger, Rupert never intended to be an actor.

In fact, his dream was to own his own ice cream van.

However, he later grew an interest in acting, and landed the role of Ron Weasley in 2000.

Since Harry Potter, Rupert has had a whole range of roles on the screen and stage.

Everyone knows who Russell Brand is, however not everyone knows that he is from Essex.

He was born and raised in Grays, and despite having a very troubling childhood, Russell turned his life around and became one of the most famous comedians of the 21st Century.

Russell has started in many films, such as Get Him To The Greek, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Despicable Me and St. Trinians.

As well as on screen appearances, Russell also has a long list of stand-up experience, including at the 2007 Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen and Prince Phillip.

Russell deserves a place on this list due to not only how funny he is, but also his story of beating addiction and how he helps others to get clean.

Dermot O'Leary was born and raised here in Essex.

The TV personality grew up in Marks Tey and began his broadcast career at Radio Essex.

As well as his presenting work, Dermot is also famous for his contributions to charity.

He is a regular on Comic Relief, Sports Relief and Soccer Aid to name just a few.

Dermot's charm and personality is what gets him in the top 10.

EastEnders star Davood Ghadami was born and raised in Harlow.

Most known for playing the role Kush in the British soap, Davood is one of the show's heart throbs.

Davood also did very well in Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, being voted out in the quarter-finals.

His other credits include Doctor Who, Skins and Spooks.

Mark Wright has come a long way since his days on TOWIE.

Born in Buckhurst Hill, Mark has had a very successful TV career.

He came in second place in I'm a Celeb in 2011 and he also made the top four in his series of Strictly Come Dancing.

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Mark isn't just talented when it comes to TV, he also had a promising football career.

Before he found fame, Mark was a semi-professional footballer, with a youth career atWest Ham United, Arsenal, andTottenham Hotspur.

He then started his senior career withSouthend United.

Despite making his name on The X-Factor, it's not singing that Rylan does best.

Since the competition, Rylan has been all over our TV screens with his presenting work.

Rylan's infectious smile and hilarious personality makes him a firm favourite in Essex.

He is well and truly an Essex boy, coming from Stanford-le-Hope.

Rylan has had huge roles on This Morning, Big Brother and The Xtra Factor.

Starting off our top five is TV presenter Ben Shephard.

Ben was born in Epping and grew up in Chigwell, meaning he is a real Essex Boy.

He is one of the main presenters of Good Morning Britain, but also appears on lots of other shows.

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Ben hosts Tipping Point and Ninja Warrior UK as well as several other occasional appearances.

As well as TV, Ben is also a regular face at charitable events including running marathons and playing in Soccer Aid.

There is no way that 'the' Essex Boy, Joey Essex could not feature on this list.

Joey first entered our lives when he joined the cast of TOWIE in the early seasons.

With good looks and a very lovable personality, Joey has gone on to have a very successful TV career.

In 2013 he placed fourth in I'm a Celeb, Joey has also appeared on Celebs Go Dating, The Chase and The Crystal Maze to name a few.

Link:

These are the top 20 sexiest men from Essex - Essex Live

Spider-Man and Daredevil may have been BFFs once, but now they are heading for a collision if Daredevil stays on his current path.

Matt Murdock might be back in the red as Daredevil, but now he's cruising for bruising with an unlikely enemy - a not-so-friendly-neighborhood Spider-Man!

After accidentally killing a criminal, Matt Murdock relinquished the mantle of Daredevil, pressured by his own conscience as well as Spider-Man, who threatened to bring him down if he ever took to the streets in costume again. However, Hell's Kitchen had other ideas. The latest conflict with the Stromwyn twins saw the citizens of Hell's Kitchen fighting back wearing Daredevil masks. With a renewed sense of purpose, Matt donned the horned mask once again to take the supervillains threatening his neighborhood - and then turned himself in to the authorities when all was said and done. Thanks to some legal maneuvering from his best friend Foggy, however, Daredevil will be the only one on trial - not Matt Murdock. However, just as he returned home to get his full costume (he'd only been wearing a mask previously), he found Spider-Man waiting for him.

Related: Netflix's Daredevil Only Has One Story Left: How MCU Should Do It

The entire conversation is based on a non-issue. Spider-Man had declared that he would take down Daredevil if he donned the costume again, but Daredevil has already turned himself in to the police. The confused Spider-Man demands Daredevil stand down, but Daredevil not only refuses - he identifies Spider-Man as a criminal for breaking and entering and threatens to call the cops... in full costume! Spider-Man calls Daredevil a "piece of work" and hastily departs, but threatens to come back if Daredevil is lying. Daredevil heads to the courthouse, where he is ultimately arrested.

This isn't Daredevil's first confrontation with another superhero over his actions. Daredevil had a similar interaction with none other than Captain America after the events of Shadowlands, which saw Matt Murdock take over the Hand after being possessed by the Beast of the Hand. Fearing that Daredevil might break bad yet again, Captain America issued a similar warning to Daredevil, one that he had no trouble backing up.

Spider-Man makes for an interesting foil, largely due to the two characters' shared history as street-level heroes. In fact, in previous iterations, Spider-Man and Daredevil have an interesting sibling dynamic, with Daredevil often giving advice to the younger, less established Spider-Man. Such friendly pretenses are clearly off the table in this story, however. If the story has one flaw, it's that it works at the expense of Spider-Man, who seems more concerned about the implications of Daredevil's actions for the superhero community at large. It doesn't help that Spider-Man is completely befuddled when Daredevil reveals he is turning himself in. For now, Daredevil's stand-off with Spider-Man is over, but if his legal gambit doesn't pay off, he could be receiving another, far less cordial visit from the wall-crawler.

Next: Daredevil Just Won His Biggest Victory in Marvel Comics

Batman's Sidekick BLUEBIRD is Returning To DC Comics

The rest is here:

Spider-Man is Headed Towards a Face-Off With Daredevil - Screen Rant

Its budget crafting time for the city of Santa Fe. Talk about a depressing exercise, especially for the Land Use Department.

The Land Use Department, an essential function of any community experiencing growth, even mild growth like Santa Fe, is always between a rock and a hard place.

On one hand, youve got residents who believe staff members never listen to their complaints about proposed new developments. On the other, there are land developers who bemoan Byzantine rules (in their eyes) that unnecessarily delay approvals.

So it has been and so it will always be.

Unfortunately, its going to get worse before it gets better, and its been bad for too long.

In a community like Santa Fe, which has always been skeptical about the benefits of even moderate growth an attitude that often finds its way to members of the governing body the Land Use Department has been the red-headed stepchild for decades.

Whether through malicious intent or simple neglect, the department has been underfunded, understaffed and left to make do with whatever largesse is forthcoming, which has never been enough.

After the collapse of the industry in 2008 and subsequent crash of building permits, it was understandable for the department to contract somewhat. By 2014, there was a recognition that things were picking up, and funding and staff levels should be brought back to pre-2008 levels. It was promised, but it never happened.

Instead, positions were left unfilled. By February 2020, pre-pandemic, there were as many as dozen. Since then, more vacancies have come from attrition and retirement.

The consequence is a department doing triage on the emergencies that come through the door.

The departments main function is reviewing plans, issuing permits and doing inspections. Thats the triage. Whats suffering is long-range planning; stewardship of key citizen committees; updating the 1999 General Plan; exploration of new overlay districts; and modernizing Chapter 14, the citys development code, to green up multifamily and commercial buildings.

All those extra functions are on the back burner, and that burner is getting turned off.

In normal budget cycles, department and division heads submit wish lists for staffing and resources and then haggle among themselves to determine who gets what. In the current cycle, the process is turned on its head and directors are asked to submit reduction plans for staff and resources.

Its understandable. Were in a crisis with no end in sight, nor any certain relief from the federal government or the state. And yet, life goes on. Indeed, the affordable housing crisis that was on everyones front burner in February is still on a full boil and about to get worse with the end of unemployment checks and rent deferments.

The Land Use Department cannot be squeezed anymore. Key positions, like engineering and commercial plans examiner, must be filled. They havent been not for lack of trying but because the city doesnt pay enough to be competitive with other communities and industries chasing the same dwindling pool of professionals.

Eli Isaacson, who was made land use director in April after serving as the interim director when Carol Johnson departed last summer, is doing his best in a bad situation. But hes the new guy and must step cautiously.

Santa Fe is poised to see development kick into a higher gear, with Tierra Contenta, Las Soleras, the midtown campus and myriad multifamily projects in the pipeline. Can the department manage to keep up? Maybe, but it will be at the expense of all the other critical functions the city expects from the department.

We get what we pay for, and we arent paying enough. Something has to give.

Kim Shanahan is a longtime Santa Fe builder and former executive officer of the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association. Contact him at shanafe@aol.com.

More here:

Land Use Department withers, but the vine may soon be ripe - Santa Fe New Mexican

The dollar's spectacular demise is continuing into the end of the week. The greenback has even lost ground against the Japanese yen which has been holding in a consolidation range for a while. On some of the major currency pairs, the price is heading to some big levels on the weekly charts and the dollar index is no different.

The chart shows the index is heading to a big trendline on the weekly timeframe. This trendline spans six years and could be a support zone for the oversold dollar. Below this level, there is another key zone at the red horizontal line at 92.45 and then again lower at 90.80. The major swing low is holding at 88.25 and a break of this level would take the index to its lowest level in ten years.

The indicators are obviously in a very bearish place. The MACD histogram is firmly in the red and the signal lines are also under zero. The Relative Strength Index is heading to the oversold area but there is still some space to the downside.

See more here:

Dollar Index Price Analysis: The greenback capitulation continues into the close and heads to a massive support - FXStreet

We often think of the latest hypercars as the pinnacle of automobiles, and the manufacturers have turned to releasing eye-wateringly expensive limited-editions like the Koenigsegg Trevita ($6.7 million). However, modern cars dont hold a candle to classics when it comes to the most expensive car ever sold.

The Maybach Exelero concept car blew everyone away 15 years ago when it sold for $11 million, and while the Bugatti La Voiture Noire price was over $19 million, the most expensive car in the world is more than three times more expensive!

The most expensive Ferrari trounces the most expensive Lamborghini as the super-rare 1960s Ferrari 250 GTO race cars hold the title of the most expensive car ever sold with two examples selling for more than US$40,000,000 each. Seven of the top 10 most expensive cars ever sold at auction are classic Ferraris, and nearly all of them are racing vehicles.

The most expensive car in the world is a constantly evolving target as new machines are launched daily to push technological, luxury, and performance boundaries, while classic cars only get rarer, more desirable and more fashionable. But, in the pantheon of expensive car brands which is the top of the pops?

Rarity, desirability (was it a big car) and an attribute called provenance all combine to make up the criteria of valuing cars, and judging the car cost for expensive cars can get very complicated. You can have the coolest car or the best car in the world or even the rarest car in the world, but they might not be world expensive car.

Provenance is history that particular car had which makes it noteworthy or historically important. If it won a particular race, was owned by an important person, featured in an important moment of history, was the first of a desirable model, features in popular culture (like the Mustang from Bullitt), or has a particularly infamous element to its history (like President Kennedys Lincoln Continental), these factors all build a particular cars provenance.

Also confusing values is the rumour mill as not all cars have their sale price publicly listed and private sales can occur for huge money behind closed doors. So this list of 15 of the most expensive cars in the world are verified to the best of our abilities. We have left a few specific models out of this list as they are very similar to other cars on this list.

Read more:

Most Expensive Car in The World: The Official Top 15 - CarsGuide

The Hope probe (Al Amal) will circle Mars on a 55 day orbit, analyzing its atmosphere.

The United Arab Emirates is embarking on its first voyage to Mars. The nation has had to wait, with weather conditions forcing two delaysbut on Sunday, the UAE Space Agency and Mohammed bin Rashin Space Center will send the "Al Amal" or "Hope" probe to the red planet. The GO command has been sent, so it's happening-- and you can watch live below.

Hope had been scheduled to launch on Friday, July 17, from Tanegashima, a Japanese island in the north Pacific Ocean, within a Mitsubishi H-IIA booster. Japanhas seen heavy rain and floodingin the last week forcing the double-delay, but conditions appear to be easing.The mission team said Friday the exact launch time is now slated to happen on July 19 at 2:58 p.m. PT, depending on weather.

From the cosmos to your inbox. Get the latest space stories from CNET every week.

The probe willlaunch on a Mitsubishi H-IIA booster. The rocket isn't quite as famous as the likes ofSpaceX's Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy rockets, but it does have a great launch history, with over 40 successful launches under its belt, mostly of Japanese satellite systems.

TheMohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will carry a livestreamof the launch from Japan, which you canwatch via this link. You can also watch at YouTube below and set a reminder, if you need.

The stream will continue until around 4 p.m. PT when the Hope probe is set to separate from the booster.

Additional streams are available on the Hope Mars mission YouTube channel.

Hope is the first interplanetary mission led by an Arab, Muslim-majority country and, if successful, will add another nation to the list of Martian explorers.

"The intent was not to put a message or declaration to the world," Sarah Al Amiri, chair of the UAE Council of Scientists and deputy project manager for the Emirates Mars Mission,told CNET in March. "It was, for us, more of an internal reinforcement of what the UAE is about." The historic launch is set to be livestreamed across the globe.

The satellite will study the connections between Mars' lower and upper atmosphere and examine what causes the loss of hydrogen and oxygen into space. It'll collect data for two years after achieving its orbit around Mars in February 2021. There's an option to extend the mission to 2025.

Aboard Hope are three instruments which will enable the probe to study the Martian atmosphere more intensely. There's a high-resolution camera known as the Emirates eXploration Imager, a UV imager known as the Emirates Mars Ultraviolet Spectrometer, and a scanning infrared imager dubbed the Emirates Mars InfraRed Spectrometer.

Excerpt from:

Hope Mars probe: Watch launch live as first UAE mission heads to the red planet - CNET

The Star Trekfranchisecontinues to live long and prosper. After CBS Television Studios and Nickelodeon announced back in April of 2019 that they were developing a new CG-animated series geared for teens, weve now got some new information, including the shows title, logo, and when we can expect to see it.

Per Deadline, which first broke the news ahead of Star Trek's Comic-Con@Home panel, the new series is called Star Trek: Prodigy, and it will debut on Nickelodeon in 2021. Nickelodeon and CBS Television Studios unveiled the logo on Thursday.

Star Trek: Prodigy follows a group of unrulyteens who boldly go on adventures throughout the cosmos afterfinding an old, dilapidated Starfleet ship and commandeering it for their own purposes. Will these voyages lead these wayward teenson a path toward salvation and self-discovery? We'll just have to wait and see to find out.

Trollhunters writers Kevin and Dan Hageman are developing the series, which will be overseen by Nickelodeons executive vice president for animation production and development Ramsey Naito.

This seriesis part ofapushto havethe Star Trek franchise multiply like Tribbles. Following theCBS All Access series Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Discovery, the custodians of All Things Trekare also launching the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks as well asthe upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worldsand the development of a Section 31-based series with Discovery star Michelle Yeoh.

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox Television is developing an animated comedyabout the sons of Olympian Gods navigating teen life in Ancient Greece for Hulu.

Sources familiar with the matter confirmed to SYFY WIRE a story from Deadline that Tom Allen and JT Parr (Chad Goes Deep) have handed in a script for the currently untitled project to 20th Century Fox Television, which will produce the series on behalf of the streamer. John Chernin and Dave Chernin(The Mick) will develop the show alongsideAllen and Parr.

According to the media outlet, the show follows two anachronistic surfer dudes living in Ancient Greece and trying to show their Greek God dads that there is more than one way to be a legend. So, think Bill andTed, if they never returned to San Dimas and stayed in Ancient Greece with Socrates. And if they were animated. And the sons of gods.

Regardless, well still exclaim Excellent! while riffing on our air guitars at this development news. (Hey, we here at SYFY WIRE are easily excitable.)

If youre not documenting yourself, you dont exist.

So says Kurt, the rideshare driver-turned-killerin the dark comedy/social media satire/horror Spree. As played by Stranger Things Joe Keery, Kurt is a sociopath who desperately wants fame, and thinks he can achieve this goal by pranking his riders and livestreaming the results. And by "pranking,"we mean "murdering."

Well, hey. In Kurts words, hes creating a brand. A far cry from Steve Harrington. Check out the red-band (read: NSFW) trailer below and vow never to drink the bottled water your rideshare driver offers you ever again.

How this guy gets anything above one star is beyond us.

Directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko and written by Gene McHugh and Kotlyarenko, the film made waves at Sundance this year and was picked up by RLJE for distribution.

Spree also stars Sasheer Zamata, Mischa Barton, John DeLuca, Josh Ovalle, Lala Kent, Frankie Grande with Kyle Mooney, and David Arquette.

Spree is set for an Aug. 14 release.

Click herefor SYFY WIRE's full coverage of Comic-Con@Home 2020.

Read the original post:

WIRE Buzz: Star Trek: Prodigy heads to Nickelodeon; Stranger Things' Joe Keery goes on Spree; more - SYFY WIRE

To the Editor:

The need for blood never takes a day off, not for a holiday, the perfect beach day, or even a pandemic

The Parrot Head Club of Maine would like to thank the Bethel Inn Resort for generously providing the Conference Center for our annual July Blood Drive.

The Conference center is a perfect location for the eventthe rustic fireplace entrance, perfect for registration, with room to socially distance. The open conference area is large enough to hold all of the Red Cross staff equipment, donor tables and canteen and most importantly its all air-conditioned!

Wed also like to thank the Donors who took the time last Wednesday to donate blood! Because of their donations, we were able to collect 30 pints of blood exceeding last years collection! Thankful for the Volunteers (Parrot Heads and Red Cross Volunteer) and the outstanding Red Cross Staff that make it all happen!

Of course, the real winners are the patients in need of blood. As you know, each blood donation can help save up to three lives.

We are back next July (date to be determined) with our tropical attire at the same latitude and longitude (Bethel Inn Resort Conference Center).

Be safe, stay well and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Johannah GalgovitchOxford

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Blood drive thanks - The Bethel Citizen