Monthly Archives: March 2017

As Manchester United embark on a hectic 11-day travel mission, we take a look at their travel plans for the next few days. Antonio Conte plays down the idea of a rift between him and Jose Mourinho after Chelsea's win over Man United in October.

Since winning at Chelsea in October 2012, on the way to a 20th league title, Manchester United's record at Stamford Bridge is abysmal: no wins and only one draw in six subsequent games. Their most recent visit was the worst of all, a 4-0 hammering last October that was the low point of Jose Mourinho's time in charge so far.

As if history doesn't make Monday's FA Cup quarterfinal daunting enough, Mourinho and his men head to London following a 4,500-mile round trip to Russia for last Thursday's Europa League round-of-32 first leg vs. Rostov. Chelsea, by contrast, haven't had a game since their 22-mile round trip to West Ham last Monday.

Further, United will be missing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, their player of the season so far, a one-man goal factory whose tally of 26 in all competitions is almost three times that of the next top scorer, Juan Mata. Ibrahimovic will serve the first of a three-match suspension after he accepted a violent conduct charge for elbowing Bournemouth's Tyrone Mings in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

United are used to being favourites in almost every game they play but, despite not having lost in 17 league outings since their last visit to Chelsea, they will be underdogs as they face the best team in England this season.

(It's not like United can hold out for a draw either, as FA Cup sixth-round replays have been abolished. The move pleased Mourinho when he was asked about it earlier this season; he may revise that view if it's 1-1 after 88 minutes.)

Mourinho wants to win a treble this season, or a treble-and-a-half since he counts the Community Shield as half a trophy. He's already won the EFL Cup and his side are well placed to reached the last eight of the Europa League, ahead of Thursday's second leg at home vs. Rostov.

While Ibrahimovic has been the key man overall, he's only played 28 minutes of FA Cup football: A substitute cameo in the last round at Blackburn Rovers, in which he scored the winning goal. In Europe, the only two games that United have lost were the two in which Ibrahimovic didn't start, defeats at Feyenoord and Fenerbahce.

Apart from a game vs. Arsenal in November, when he was suspended, Ibrahimovic has played every single minute of every league game this season. Only Paul Pogba, who needs to step up on Monday after some indifferent displays, has played as much.

Marcus Rashford filled in as United's lead striker against Arsenal, but failed to have the same impact as in the equivalent fixture last season, when he scored twice. The 19-year-old's favourite United goal came come in an FA Cup sixth round replay at West Ham a year ago but Rashford, often played in a wide-left role, has been less prolific this season with seven goals from 36 games.

He could get a chance to lead the line in Ibrahimovic's absence, possibly in a 4-3-3 formation with Anthony Martial to his left and Juan Mata on the right, though Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been among United's best performers in recent months and deserves a chance to play against a side of Chelsea's pedigree.

The Armenian midfielder was not involved in that October game, when Mourinho went for a five-man midfield featuring Rashford, Pogba, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini and Jesse Lingard. Fellaini was brought off at half-time but could make up for Ibrahimovic's absent physical threat. Lingard, who is admired by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, was replaced by Martial that day. Michael Carrick, meanwhile, didn't get off the bench.

United played with an uncustomary three at the back in Rostov and the alignment didn't convince, albeit in difficult conditions. Was it kidology from Mourinho or preparation to match Chelsea's successful formation? United's defence is a concern and Chris Smalling had possibly his poorest game in a United shirt the last time the sides met, when the hosts took the lead after just 26 seconds.

When asked about Monday's game against the club he led to three league titles, Mourinho said he won't field a "Nicky Butt team," referring to the former United midfielder's current role as United academy director. Mourinho sees talent in some youngsters at the club but doesn't trust them enough to start at Stamford Bridge. Instead, he'll go with a strong team, partly because he's vengeful, but chiefly because he wants United to retain the FA Cup for the first time in their history.

The manager does not have priorities; he wants to win every trophy on offer and has a large squad with no injuries, even if there's clearly room for improvement, with a second striker and a left-back he fully trusts among the main areas of focus.

Hindsight shows how things have changed since the start of the season, when right-back was considered a bigger problem than the opposite flank and, in Ibrahimovic, Rashford, Martial and Wayne Rooney, United hardly looked short of goalscorers.

There are too many games at present for Mourinho to feel satisfied with his side's preparation, but that's because United have been successful in non-league competitions this term: Monday will be the 20th cup tie, with up to eight more to follow.

The fans are certainly up for the trip to Chelsea and the increased 5,685 ticket allocation was oversubscribed by 3,000, even though the game is on a Monday evening. The atmosphere will be rocking in the away end at Stamford Bridge, with supporters keen to see if perceived improvement since their last visit is genuine and whether the Reds are closer to being able to go toe-to-toe with the best.

Chelsea's official website mocked United's recent league form last week when an article said it has "lifted them all the way from sixth to sixth." Actually, United were seventh after the 4-0 but it is true that the improvement in league position has been marginal. Winning at Chelsea, though, would send a powerful signal that Mourinho and Co. have not stood still.

Andy Mitten is a freelance writer and the founder and editor of United We Stand. Follow him on Twitter: @AndyMitten.

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Visit to Chelsea will show United's progress - ESPN FC (blog)

On Saturday night, people at more than 2,200 events around the nation tuned in for the inaugural event of People Power, a new platform harnessing nationwide grassroots resistance to the Trump administrations assault on our Constitution and our values. At the event, we announced Freedom Cities, a campaign that provides a concrete plan for the People Power team to play offense in cities and towns across the country.

Watch the Recording

Even before Freedom Cities, our grassroots activism has borne fruit, as evidenced by the incredible protests around the country that brought defeat to President Trumps first attempt to ban Muslims and refugees. We will resist with equal strength Muslim Ban 2.0, along with any other unconstitutional and un-American policies that flow from the White House.

While we resist, however, we must also play offense, and work to paint a picture of the type of country we want to be. More than 170,000 people have already signed up on the People Power platform ready to lead the movement we need. And the Freedom Cities campaign provides a playbook for tackling some of Trumps most harmful policies.

Freedom Cities encourages and supports grassroots activism aimed at driving policy change at the local level. It allows individuals and groups to come together to actively shape how we treat vulnerable communities, how we cherish and safeguard fundamental freedoms, and how we respond as a society to the needs of our families, friends, and neighbors.

Make the place you live and work a Freedom City, or a Freedom Town, or maybe a Freedom County. In doing so, you can help win the fight to protect our civil liberties and promote equality and justice in the age of Trump one neighborhood at a time.

Freedom Cities is a sustained, multi-issue campaign that strives to generate tangible and lasting policy change change that reaffirms our values and counters backward ideas that undermine the Constitution and American values. Freedom Cities will help advance issues we hold dear, like the protection of LGBT communities, equal pay and fair housing, and policing reform.

The first issue the Freedom Cities campaign will tackle is immigration.

President Trump has already caused massive harm through his immigration policies. He has outlined, through executive orders issued his first week in office, a blueprint for a mass deportation machine, which will pull families apart and uproot hard-working, law-abiding individuals who have lived here for decades. The impact of this agenda is plastered in our newspapers daily, whether through the detention of a father of five U.S. citizen children who has only worked hard and obeyed the law since his arrival 15years ago, or a domestic violence victim in Texas, who sought protection through our judicial system, but fell prey to Trumps henchmen apparently based on a tip provided by her abuser.

The Freedom Cities campaign will allow us to make American communities welcoming again.

Building on the work of countless groups around the country who have labored for years on these issues, and with the guidance of law enforcement leaders who are committed to smart policing and placing local communities first, we have developed model local policies that we hope to see adopted in every city and town nationwide. Instead of scrambling to react to each outrage that sees our neighbor hauled away to a privately run detention camp, we will systematically work to disable Trumps deportation machine. Some of these model policies and rules are already on the books in certain places around the country, yet there are plenty of ways for most cities, towns, and counties to become more immigrant-friendly. And even once a community has adopted the full set of rules, activists will have additional opportunities to lend a hand on related issues or in neighboring communities.

During the March 11 event livestreamed from Miami, we provided a Freedom Cities Action Guide to the People Power team, which included a plan for activists to use in their local communities, along with useful strategic and tactical advice. This roadmap is meant to get people started, but the movement is yours. The United States has always been, and remains, what we make it.

So if you have not already joined the People Power team, the door is open. Sign up, receive the Action Guide, and take the first step in the plan. I have a hunch that a big group of people is waiting to tag team with you in your neighborhood.

Lets do this.

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The Freedom Cities Campaign: Resistance through Progress at ... - ACLU (blog)

FORT MYERS Rays RHP Alex Cobb took another step Saturday in regaining his pre-Tommy John surgery form.

"The progress I made this week going into this start versus last week's start I'll take hands down," he said after pitching 31/3 innings Saturday during a 63-pitch outing in the 2-1 loss against the Red Sox.

Cobb said early in camp that he wanted to pitch the way he did in 2013. While he returned last September after missing nearly two years, he couldn't find that rhythm.

Against the Red Sox, he impressed manager Kevin Cash with how he threw his changeup and curveball.

"I think that was a big step in the right direction for Alex and for us," Cash said. "He's continuing to make progress. I think he feels that he's close, and that's good."

How 'bout Archer

RHP Chris Archer drew rave reviews inside the Rays clubhouse after throwing four perfect innings Friday against Colombia in the WBC.

Said Cash: "It was fun to watch. I thought it was great for him, great for the Rays and great for Team USA."

Said 3B Evan Longoria: "He looked competitive. I think that's the guy we're looking forward to seeing this year."

Said CF Kevin Kiermaier: "He looks very confident right now, which you need out of your frontline guy, which is what he is for us. I think he's going to have a dominant season this year, I really do."

Hitters, too

Longoria said Cash's remarks Friday about pitchers needing to step on the gas should also apply to position players.

"I think it's just about intensity and intent," Longoria said. "There definitely comes a time where the excuse of it being March 11 or it only being spring training starts to kind of become an excuse for poor performance, essentially."

Here to compete

RHP Jumbo Diaz, claimed Friday off waivers, has a chance to earn a spot in the opening day bullpen once he joins the team after pitching for the Dominican in the WBC.

"When that day comes and he gets here we'll welcome him here and get him in the mix," Cash said.

Lights, camera, action

Alex Corddry makes her Fox Sun Sports debut this afternoon, taking over for Todd Kalas as the in-game reporter, during the first TV game of the spring. Dewyane Staats has the call. Brian Anderson is scheduled to debut this spring on March 25 vs. Boston.

Rays' Cobb optimistic about latest progress 03/11/17 [Last modified: Saturday, March 11, 2017 9:01pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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Rays' Cobb optimistic about latest progress - Tampabay.com

The White House pressed to unite House Republicans behind the ObamaCare-repeal bill Saturday, with President Trump firing off a hopeful tweet and Vice President Mike Pence glad-handing in the heartland.

We are making great progress with healthcare. ObamaCare is imploding and will only get worse. Republicans coming together to get job done! Trump tweeted as the GOPs American Health Care Act faces deep divisions in the House.

Pence talked up the plan to a crowd of about 100 at the Louisville, Ky., headquarters of an HVAC contractor as twice as many people protested outside.

The ObamaCare nightmare is about to end, Pence vowed.

Citing spiking premium costs, fewer insurers and an expanded Medicaid program, he called the state a textbook example of ObamaCares failures.

He made pleas to two conservative local congressmen whose opposition could doom the plan. He also gave a shout-out to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who did not attend the event.

After a good and vigorous debate, we know Kentucky will be there, and we will repeal and replace ObamaCare once and for all, Pence said.

He didnt mention Kentuckys junior senator, Rand Paul, who has led right-wing opposition to the GOP plan.

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Trump touts 'great progress' on healthcare overhaul - New York Post

The Ganassi team switched from Honda to Chevrolet for the 2014 season, but after Scott Dixon earned his fourth IndyCar title in 2015, the team suffered a relative slump in form last year, scoring just two wins to Team Penskes 10. For 2017, team owner Chip Ganassi returned to Honda Performance Development, and CGR drivers Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Max Chilton and Charlie Kimball will start the St. Petersburg season opener in second, sixth, seventh and ninth.

Hull told Motorsport.com: We had, by Chip Ganassi Racing standards, a very mediocre season last year and we had to really step up our game. We needed to look inside ourselves and figure out how to be better.

So we had a come-to-Jesus meeting with everybody and asked them to evaluate where we needed to be going forward and then we worked really hard this past winter to really improve our product. And I think whether it was the Honda product or the other [Chevrolet] product, I dont know if that was as important to us as the contribution made by everyone on the team to get us where we are today.

But were really happy with Honda as a partner because we match up well with them vocationally in all the different engineering areas and management areas. We wanted to get everything we can out of our partners and the result in qualifying and throughout the two days of practice, in fact has proved that point.

Although Honda missed out on top spot in qualifying, with Team Penske-Chevrolets Will Power claiming his seventh St. Petersburg pole position, Honda took nine of the top 12 positions on the grid. Asked if this was an indicator that an HPD-powered team could challenge for the title this year, despite Hondas aerokit being renowned for suffering greater drag than its Chevrolet equivalent, Hull replied: If you look at the Honda aerokit, you know theres going to be some racetracks where well be really good and some racetracks where we wish we had the other kit.

But I think for street racing, Honda has a good product, and they have a great engine program and great engine techs, too. They take a lot of pride in what they do and theyre so down-to-earth about telling us where we stand and how they can help us. We appreciate that very much and we try to give back. Its a good proper partnership.

As for the engines, each one has terrific advantages in certain areas. We cant make a direct comparison because we dont know where Chevrolet stand right now. All we can do is just work really hard to tune the product as best we can, and Honda will do the same.

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Hull credits Honda and Ganassi team for offseason progress - Motorsport.com, Edition: Global

Elk Crossing Nursing and Rehabilitation was recently recognized as an Oklahoma Association of Career and Technical Education (OKACTE) Partner for Progress. Red River Technology Center nominated the company for their outstanding dedication to the community and its employees.

Elk Crossing Nursing and Rehabilitation was established in Duncan, Okla., by owner and CEO Jeff Gregston, and opened its doors on Jan. 4, 2016.

The 120 bed long-term care and rehabilitation center is one-of-a-kind and is recognized as a five-star facility by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) setting it apart as a modern provider of high-quality long-term care and rehabilitation services that promotes overall health and improving quality of life.

The state-of-the-art Elk Crossing Nursing and Rehabilitation facility focuses on promoting residents rights and independence, all while creating a home-like and community atmosphere. Designed to look like a Main Street, the buildings main entryway features a chapel, ice cream store, salon, meeting room, company store, and child development center all of which allow residents the opportunity to choose from daily activities centered on their social, physical, mental, and spiritual health, and overall well-being.

Red River Technology Center collaborates with Elk Crossing Nursing and Rehabilitation to offer training to meet the increased demand for employees and continuing education needs for this facility.

Prospective and current employees train in the areas of Practical Nursing, Long-Term Care Aide, Restorative Care Aide, Certified Medication Aide, and Advanced Certified Medication Aide. RRTC also offers monthly courses of Continuing Education for Certified Medication Aide.

RRTCs education coordinators and administrators depend on the advisement of the facilities professional staff, through regular advisory committee meetings, to modify curriculum and technology according to the current trends in nursing care and rehabilitation.

The partnership between Red River Technology Center and Elk Crossing Nursing and Rehabilitation is vital to the growth of not only the local workforce, but also the continued economic development of Duncan and its surrounding communities.

For more information about Red River Technology Center and its programs, visit http://www.rrtc.edu or call 580-255-2903.

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Elk Crossing Nursing and Rehab receives Partner for Progress Award - Duncan Banner