Browsing: Sports

Local athletes prepare to make their journey to compete in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. The athletes will compete in venues without fans, undergo numerous COVID-19 tests before and after arriving in Japan and have their whereabouts monitored by GPS and promise to stay off public transportation for the first 14 days. (Brian Cassella)

“The Japanese people have a right to feel the way they do. After all, it’s a heavy influx of people to their home country and it’s scary,” said rhythmic gymnast Evita Griskenas, an Orland Park resident who will compete in the individual all-around event. “But as far as Team USA goes, I’d say the majority of us are vaccinated, which I think helps. And taking a look at all the testing and all the protocols we have to follow in Japan, I think it will be handled very safely.”

Let’s get this out of the way: The lake can be cold. You snap on a pair of water shoes on a warm summer day and step gingerly into the clear Lake Superior waters of Madeline Island’s Big Bay. Edging ever deeper, though, is a process. You inhale sharply with every step, advancing to your waist, your chest, your shoulders — and finally, full submersion. But once your body adjusts to the shock, the feeling is completely invigorating. Curative. As summer vacation returns with a vengeance, the Midwest’s best beaches will provide a no-frills escape this year. These aren’t the Gulf Stream waters, and this certainly isn’t the Caribbean. But from the Great Lakes to the 10,000 Lakes, the best beaches of the “North Coast” are collectively like our Caribbean. So don’t let the coastal elites tell you that the Midwest has no beaches. They have no idea. Here, we share 12 of our favorites. By Simon Peter Groebner and Kerri Westenberg, Star Tribune Jun 28, 2021

“In this league, when you play long enough, you have to have a short memory,” Paul said. “You can’t dwell on it, win or lose. If you win by 20, if you lose by 20, you start back over 0-0. You go from there. That’s sort of always been the mindset.”

Mukhtar scored in the 10th, 13th and 16th minutes, the fastest hat trick in MLS history. C.J. Sapong made it 4-0 for Nashville (5-1-7) in the 39th minute with a putback off the rebound of Randall Leal’s shot off the post. Brian Anunga capped the scoring in the 62nd.

“To beat a ballclub like that, that’s a pretty good ballclub,” said Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, who was a triple shy of the cycle. “To blow them out, that’s definitely a positive on our end. Now we know what we can do, so now we’ve got to keep pushing and have that same focus moving forward.”

“Being a catcher, it’s tough to go night game to a day game, and he’s been doing this the whole year,” Chirinos said of Contreras. “Catching the most innings in the big leagues, that’s not easy to do, especially performing the way he’s been doing, awesome.”

Spectators stand in the visiting team dugout during a stoppage in play due to an incident near the ballpark in the sixth inning of a game between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres on Saturday, July 17, 2021, in Washington. (Nick Wass/AP Photo)

Happ continues to walk despite his struggles; his 12.5% walk rate leads the Cubs and is above the league average. He also has been a little unlucky with a .233 Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP), well below his .327 career mark. His strikeout rate is slightly up from the previous two years, though lower than career-high levels, while his contact rate is nearly 5% higher than in 2020 and the second-best of his career. Happ knows the quality of contact must improve, however.

“My biggest fear is not trying something that you have an opportunity to do because you might fail or embarrass yourself,” La Russa said. “You’re better off trying it and embarrassing yourself and failing. I knew the two or three major reasons why I left the (Cardinals) job in 2011, and energy and stamina was not on the list.