newyorkpost--2020-09-09--New Jersey struck by 3.1 magnitude earthquake in rare event

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake struck East Freehold , New Jersey , early Wednesday – rousing residents who took to social media to express their alarm at the rare event , according to a report .
The temblor shook up the area a little more than a mile southeast of the community just after 2 a.m. , the US Geological Survey said on its Earthquake Hazards Program website , NJ.com reported .
The National Weather Service ’ s Mount Holly office said on Twitter that the quake was felt “ in much of central New Jersey.
” New Yorkers in Queens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground shake , according to NJ.com .
“ It sounded like a dump truck being dropped from a few stories up , but about 4-5 blocks away , ” a Matawan , New Jersey , resident said on a temblor-tracking website run by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre in Paris .
“ It rumbled the floor for about 5 seconds .
I could feel from my feet on the floor and through the seat of the chair , ” the resident added .
The EMSC uses an app called LastQuake to gather witness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several seconds at 2 a.m. , ” an East Brunswick resident said , NJ.com reported .
“ Initially thought it may have been a low flying aircraft or helicopter , but none in the area.
” Another resident wrote : “ Everyone woke up including the dog .
I thought a car hit the garage.
” On Aug. 23 , 2011 , a 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Virginia shook buildings in New Jersey .
No major damage was reported in the Garden State at that time , but some buildings were evacuated .

A magnitude-3.1 earthquake struck East Freehold, New Jersey, early Wednesday — rousing residents who took to social media to express their alarm at the rare event, according to a report.
The temblor shook up the area a little more than a mile southeast of the community just after 2 a.m., the US Geological Survey said on its Earthquake Hazards Program website, NJ.com reported.
The National Weather Service’s Mount Holly office said on Twitter that the quake was felt “in much of central New Jersey.”
New Yorkers in Queens and on Staten Island also reported feeling the ground shake, according to NJ.com.
“It sounded like a dump truck being dropped from a few stories up, but about four, five blocks away,” a Matawan, New Jersey, resident said on a temblor-tracking website run by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre in Paris.
“It rumbled the floor for about 5 seconds. I could feel from my feet on the floor and through the seat of the chair,” the resident added.
The EMSC uses an app called LastQuake to gather witness reports.
“Whole house shook for several seconds at 2 a.m.,” an East Brunswick resident said, NJ.com reported. “Initially thought it may have been a low-flying aircraft or helicopter, but none in the area.”
Another resident wrote: “Everyone woke up including the dog. I thought a car hit the garage.”
On Aug. 23, 2011, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in Virginia shook buildings in New Jersey.
No major damage was reported in the Garden State at that time, but some buildings were evacuated.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Dog walks upright and backwards like a human

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This talented dog not only walks on his hind legs — he can do it backwards, too. See how Henry, an 8-year-old border collie in Stavanger, Norway, has earned plenty of treats with the remarkable trick he learned when he was a puppy.
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newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Danish convicted submarine killer admits to murdering journalist Kim Wall

How did a team that won nine of its first ...

A Danish inventor who is serving a life sentence in the murder of a Swedish journalist aboard his homemade submarine has admitted to the crime for the first time in a new documentary, saying, “I committed the crime,” according to reports.
Peter Madsen, 49, answered “yes” during a phone conversation with a reporter who asked him whether he had killed Kim Wall in August 2017 after he invited her on board his 60-foot UC3 Nautilus for an interview, Agence France-Presse reported.
The inventor delivered his mea culpa in the first episode of the series “The Secret Recordings With Peter Madsen,” which Discovery Networks Denmark aired Wednesday, the Danish news outlet jyllands-posten.dk reported.
“There is only one who is guilty, and that is me,” Madsen added in the documentary.
Previous 1 of 9 Next Advertisement Danish rocket enthusiast and submarine owner Peter Madsen ZUMAPRESS.com Ingrid Wall, mother of murdered Swedish journalist Kim Wall, during the commemoration marathon for her daughter in her home village Getty Images Advertisement Madsen's submarine Nautilus sits on dry land in Copenhagen, Denmark. picture alliance via Getty Image A court drawing of Peter Madsen when his verdict was announced in 2018 AFP via Getty Images A silent auction with Kim Wall's photographs on display at the inaugural grant ceremony for the Kim Wall Memorial Fund AFP via Getty Images Advertisement The head and legs of Kim Wall are recovered by divers in 2017. ZUMAPRESS.com Advertisement
In April 2018, Judge Anette Burkoe and two jurors also found him guilty of sexual assault and defilement of a corpse.
Wall was last seen waving to her boyfriend after boarding the vessel to report on a story about Madsen, well known in Denmark for raising money to build rockets and subs.
Her dismembered torso was found days later at sea off Copenhagen and other body parts were found in weighted bags in October.
Madsen had admitted to dismembering Wall but his story flip-flopped as to how she died. On the stand, he claimed the journalist died from breathing toxic fumes that had built up in the sub.
During the trial, prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen accused Madsen of torturing Wall as part of his violent sexual fantasies.
In the new documentary, Madsen does not elaborate on how Wall was killed — but offers his first clear admission of guilt.
“It was nobody else’s fault. It’s my fault she died. And it’s my fault because I committed the crime. It’s all my fault,” Madsen tells interviewer Kristian Linnemann during one of their phone conversations, the Copenhagen Post reported.
But he offers a puzzling explanation of what transpired in the submersible, saying only that Wall “hits some things.”
“So this is what triggered you, and this is the moment when everything goes wrong?”Linnemann asks, the CPH Post reported. “Instead of hitting yourself, you end up killing her.”
Madsen then answers in the affirmative.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Breaking down five reasons for this Yankees’ disaster

Brian Cashman planned on traveling to Buffalo for the Yankees ’ ...

How did a team that won nine of its first 11 games in a season limited to 60 dates and led the AL East by four lengths on Aug. 8 wake up Wednesday in Buffalo at 21-21 and playing for its postseason life?
Well, losing 15 of 20 has a way of quickly turning an Audi into a used Pacer. But why did the Yankees suddenly look so awful after giving off the vibe that they were clearly the best team in the AL?
Here is a look at several reasons the Yankees face a critical 18-game stretch to finish the season, following Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field.
When the Yankees needed him most, he turned into a ghost.
Giancarlo Stanton went down on Aug. 8 with a left hamstring problem and hasn’t resurfaced. Aaron Judge has played one game since Aug. 11 due to a right calf issue. That left two big holes in the Yankees’ lineup, which became three when Sanchez became an automatic out at the plate.
On Sunday, Aaron Boone removed Sanchez’s dead bat from the lineup Sunday and Monday, didn’t play him Monday and returned Sanchez to the lineup Tuesday hoping two days of working on his swing rhythm with hitting coach Marcus Thames had helped. It hadn’t — he was 0-for-4.
Among the 219 big-league hitters who had at least 100 at-bats, Sanchez’s .130 average entering Tuesday ranked last.
“Tough for me to not be able to get the rhythm I would like [in the] box. A lot of injuries and a lot of my teammates have been down for a while and not being able to contribute and help the team [in] the box, it has been hard and tough,” Sanchez said Tuesday.
Sanchez isn’t alone in the blame game. Brett Gardner, Aaron Hicks, Gleyber Torres and Mike Tauchman haven’t played as well as expected. Still, what is now a .125 batting average, after Tuesday’s game, from a two-time All Star is hard to believe.
Players win, managers lose
Ever hear of 25 players getting axed? Sports is a results-orientated business. The manager gets the brunt of the criticism, so when a team goes south, the manager gets blamed.
Boone has been around the game for a long time and understands the manager gets criticized. He has had his bullpen decisions second-guessed, but only when they blow up. Monday was a perfect example. With the Yankees leading by four runs in the sixth inning, Boone had Chad Green, Adam Ottavino, Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman lined up. Then Green and Ottavino gave up 10 runs in the sixth. Everything was in place for a win that didn’t happen.
Boone also draws criticism about not being critical of his players, but this is his third year and by now everybody should know that he isn’t going down that road.
Injuries
Stanton was hitting .293 with three homers, seven RBIs and a 1.038 OPS in 14 games when injured. Judge was at .292 with nine homers, 20 RBIs and a 1.081 OPS in 18 games.
They are the headliners on the injured list but not the only names. Luis Severino hasn’t pitched at all due to Tommy John surgery. James Paxton has been limited to five starts because of a left flexor strain. Tommy Kahnle worked one game and required Tommy John surgery. Torres was out from Aug. 21 to Sept. 5 with a hamstring issue. Britton was on the IL with a left hamstring injury. And Chapman has missed time, or the entire season.
That is a lot of big names, but every team in every sport suffers injuries. And remember, Stanton played in 18 games last season and Judge in 102, and the Yankees won 103 games.
No moves at trade deadline
GM Brian Cashman attempted to do something, but he said if he had agreed to what other teams wanted in return, it would have made the Yankees worse than they have been lately.
“The players we tried to import certainly could have been impactful for us. They did not get traded elsewhere. … The price tags would have taken away some people who are positively impacting this team,” Cashman said Tuesday. “I think we would be worse off, not better off despite how we are playing right now.”
Bullpen woes
Before Kahnle was lost, the Yankees’ bullpen was considered by many to be the best in baseball. Even before Monday night’s meltdown, that hadn’t been the case. The bullpen’s 4.63 ERA entering Tuesday was 13th among the 30 teams.
Ottavino has been the biggest culprit with Chapman a close second. Ottavino had a 7.82 ERA in 17 games and was 0-for-2 in save chances. Chapman’s ERA was 7.20 in six games, and he flushed two of three save chances.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize following Israel-UAE accord

WASHINGTON — President Trump blasted Joe Biden for trying to ...

President Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for helping broker a peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, according to a report.
Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament and chairman of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, submitted the nomination, Fox News reported.
“For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees,” Tybring-Gjedde told Fox News.
In his letter to the Nobel Committee, Tybring-Gjedde wrote that the Trump administration has played a key role in the establishment of relations between the two nations.
“As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game-changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity,” he wrote, Fox News reported.
Tybring-Gjedde also cited Trump’s “key role in facilitating contact between conflicting parties and … creating new dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan, and the conflict between North and South Korea, as well as dealing with the nuclear capabilities of North Korea.”
And he lauded the president for withdrawing a large number of forces from the Middle East.
“Indeed, Trump has broken a 39-year-old streak of American Presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict. The last president to avoid doing so was Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter,” he wrote.
The president last month made the announcement of the historic peace agreement that would pave the way for full normalization of relations between Israel and the UAE.
With the agreement, the UAE becomes the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan, to have full diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, who is married to first daughter Ivanka Trump, helped orchestrate the deal.
Since the deal was made public, Israel signaled that it is willing to explore business opportunities with the UAE, specifically in the areas of commercial space and high tech.
Trump allies have previously suggested the possibility of a Nobel in response to his negotiations with North Korea.
The president also has grumbled about the prize, noting that his predecessor, Barack Obama, had won it.
“They gave it to Obama. He didn’t even know what he got it for. He was there for about 15 seconds and he got the Nobel Prize. He said, ‘Oh, what did I get it for?’” Trump said in February 2019. “With me, I probably will never get it.”
Tybring-Gjedde also submitted a Nobel nomination for Trump along with another Norwegian official in 2018 after the president’s Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has also nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after receiving a request from the US government to do so, according to reports.
According to the official Nobel website, there were 318 candidates for the 2020 Peace Prize. The winner of the prize for 2021 will not be announced until October of next year.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is composed of five members appointed by the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament. “The committee’s composition reflects the relative strengths of the political parties in the Storting, and is assisted by specially appointed expert advisers,” according to the Nobel Prize web site.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Gary Sanchez’s return to Yankees lineup was a dud

Aaron Boone and his coaching staff decided late Monday night that two days of Gary Sanchez working with hitting coach Marcus Thames was enough to end the two-game benching for the ice-cold catcher .
“ Just feel like having a couple of days off now I was considering this before [ Monday night ’ s ] game and decided , ‘ Let ’ s get him back in there , ’ ” Boone said before a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field in Buffalo .
Sanchez went 0-for-4 and is hitting .125 .
He also dropped a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good at-bats .
He hit the ball hard to third his last time up and smoked a ball to left .
I thought he did a better job laying off some secondary stuff .
I thought he got off some good swings but didn ’ t get results , ’ ’ Boone said .
Sanchez landed on the bench due to a .130 batting average that included 48 strikeouts compared to 13 hits in 100 at-bats .
Even before he was removed from the lineup Sanchez showed Boone no signs of slacking off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been good .
The next step is translating it to where we start see some results in the game results in the game , ’ ’ Boone said .
“ We know he is capable of going on a good run .
The biggest thing for him is to be in position to dominate the fastball and you are getting your best swing off against a good fastball.
’ ’ Boone said Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton had “ a few good days here ’ ’ but didn ’ t offer a timetable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured list .
Boone also said pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga will go for tests on Wednesday .
He is on the IL with an undisclosed medical condition that is not COVID-related .
Boone said Loaisiga has been throwing the last couple of days and is doing better .
The Yankees haven ’ t received word when Aroldis Chapman ’ s appeal of his three-game suspension stemming from a Sept. 1 incident against the Rays will be heard .
The Yankees ’ closer buzzed Mike Brosseau ’ s head with a 101 mph fastball that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against COVID-19 protocols .
GM Brian Cashman said the issue is between MLB and the players association .
With Brennan Miller behind the plate on Tuesday night , Boone said he didn ’ t feel a need to talk to the umpire .
Last season Boone yelled at the then rookie umpire that his team was “ Savages in the box ’ ’ after being unhappy with Miller ’ s strike zone .
Boone said he called Miller after the incident and offered an apology and said , “ We had a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement regarding former AL president Dr. Gene Budig , who died Tuesday at age 81 .
No cause was givein .
“ Dr .
Budig was a cherished friend of our family and someone my father respected immensely for his character , intellect and profound career accomplishments in higher education , ” said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner .
“ Over the last decade , I had the opportunity to work with him in establishing and growing the New Era Pinstripe Bowl , and quickly discovered why my father held him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply in his loss and will always be grateful for his efforts in creating a permanent landmark for the Yankees , New York City and student-athletes from around the country.
” “ Dr .
Budig was a cherished friend of our family and someone my father respected immensely for his character , intellect and profound career accomplishments in higher education , ” said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner .
“ Over the last decade , I had the opportunity to work with him in establishing and growing the New Era Pinstripe Bowl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held him in such high regard .
We personally share deeply in his loss and will always be grateful for his efforts in creating a permanent landmark for the Yankees , New York City and student-athletes from around the country .
”

Aaron Boone and his coaching staff decided late Monday night that two days of Gary Sanchez working with hitting coach Marcus Thames was enough to end the two-game benching for the ice-cold catcher.
“Just feel like having a couple of days off now I was considering this before [Monday night’s] game and decided, ‘Let’s get him back in there,’ ” Boone said before a 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field in Buffalo.
Sanchez went 0-for-4 and is hitting .125. He also dropped a pop-up.
“I thought he had good at-bats. He hit the ball hard to third his last time up and smoked a ball to left. I thought he did a better job laying off some secondary stuff. I thought he got off some good swings but didn’t get results,’’ Boone said.
Sanchez landed on the bench due to a .130 batting average that included 48 strikeouts compared to 13 hits in 100 at-bats. Even before he was removed from the lineup Sanchez showed Boone no signs of slacking off during workouts.
“The work has been good. The next step is translating it to where we start see some results in the game results in the game,’’ Boone said. “We know he is capable of going on a good run. The biggest thing for him is to be in position to dominate the fastball and you are getting your best swing off against a good fastball.’’
Boone said Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton had “a few good days here’’ but didn’t offer a timetable for either’s return from the injured list. Boone also said pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga will go for tests on Wednesday. He is on the IL with an undisclosed medical condition that is not COVID-related. Boone said Loaisiga has been throwing the last couple of days and is doing better.
The Yankees haven’t received word when Aroldis Chapman’s appeal of his three-game suspension stemming from a Sept. 1 incident against the Rays will be heard. The Yankees’ closer buzzed Mike Brosseau’s head with a 101 mph fastball that resulted in the dugouts clearing which is against COVID-19 protocols.
GM Brian Cashman said the issue is between MLB and the players association.
With Brennan Miller behind the plate on Tuesday night, Boone said he didn’t feel a need to talk to the umpire. Last season Boone yelled at the then rookie umpire that his team was “Savages in the box’’ after being unhappy with Miller’s strike zone.
Boone said he called Miller after the incident and offered an apology and said, “We had a good conversation.’’
The Yankees released a statement regarding former AL president Dr. Gene Budig, who died Tuesday at age 81. No cause was givein.
“Dr. Budig was a cherished friend of our family and someone my father respected immensely for his character, intellect and profound career accomplishments in higher education,” said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. “Over the last decade, I had the opportunity to work with him in establishing and growing the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and quickly discovered why my father held him in such high regard. We personally share deeply in his loss and will always be grateful for his efforts in creating a permanent landmark for the Yankees, New York City and student-athletes from around the country.”
“Dr. Budig was a cherished friend of our family and someone my father respected immensely for his character, intellect and profound career accomplishments in higher education,” said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. “Over the last decade, I had the opportunity to work with him in establishing and growing the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, and quickly discovered why my father held him in such high regard. We personally share deeply in his loss and will always be grateful for his efforts in creating a permanent landmark for the Yankees, New York City and student-athletes from around the country.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Mets changing Jacob deGrom plan for stretch run

The Mets have left themselves little margin for error in their attempt to make the postseason , so their plan to give Jacob deGrom extra rest by taking advantage of off days is over , at least for now .
DeGrom is slated to start again Friday , five days after his last outing .
For much of the abbreviated season , the Mets preferred to have the right-hander pitch every fifth game .
Before the Mets ’ 11-2 loss to the Orioles at Citi Field , manager Luis Rojas said the plan “ as of now ” was to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going Friday following Thursday ’ s off day .
Seth Lugo would go Saturday .
If the Mets stick with that plan , which was hatched , according to Rojas , by deGrom and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner , the ace would still start four more times during the regular season .
But it makes sense to try to make sure those outings count for something , with the Mets on the fringes of the postseason .
It ’ s no surprise the Mets want the right-hander on the mound as often as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conversation for NL Cy Young .
“ That ’ s one of the reasons in it , ’ ’ Rojas said of the decision to start deGrom Friday instead of Saturday .
“ Jake is one of the best — if not the best — pitchers in the world.
” The move also allows deGrom to stay in his preferred rest .
“ He can keep his routine , ’ ’ Rojas said .
“ He wants to keep his routine and his routine is every five days .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing it , too.
” There ’ s also the fact the Mets ’ rotation , once expected to be the team ’ s strong point , is a wreck , so there ’ s no one exactly forcing his way into making more starts .
The list of disappointments is long , from Noah Syndergaard ’ s spring Tommy John surgery , to Marcus Stroman opting out of the season due to COVID concerns , to Michael Wacha and Porcello disappointing as free-agent signings .
After his previous start , when deGrom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one run over seven innings on Sunday , he said he was “ prepared ” to go every fifth day the remainder of the season .
DeGrom said there was going to be a “ conversation ” regarding how often he was used — and he noted he would still make the same amount of starts , but it “ would probably be what happens.
” The Mets have won six of his eight starts this year and he ’ s allowed more than two runs just once in those outings — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those was earned .
Most of his numbers have been even better in 2020 than in his Cy Young campaigns , with a WHIP of 0.875 and a strikeout rate of 13.1 per nine innings — both of which would be career-bests , albeit with an asterisk .
As the offense tries to finally find its footing , the Mets still had a rotation ERA of 5.13 heading into Tuesday ’ s game , according to Fangraphs .
As for deGrom ’ s effectiveness , he ’ s been dominant no matter how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s given .
He ’ s also thrown more than 100 pitches in each of his past three starts .
Following the last one , deGrom said he felt good from the first pitch until his final one to complete the seventh inning .
Though deGrom can ’ t get the Mets to the playoffs on his own , it seems the team is ready to make sure it gets everything out of him that it can .

The Mets have left themselves little margin for error in their attempt to make the postseason, so their plan to give Jacob deGrom extra rest by taking advantage of off days is over, at least for now.
DeGrom is slated to start again Friday, five days after his last outing. For much of the abbreviated season, the Mets preferred to have the right-hander pitch every fifth game.
Before the Mets’ 11-2 loss to the Orioles at Citi Field, manager Luis Rojas said the plan “as of now” was to start Rick Porcello Wednesday, with deGrom going Friday following Thursday’s off day. Seth Lugo would go Saturday.
If the Mets stick with that plan, which was hatched, according to Rojas, by deGrom and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, the ace would still start four more times during the regular season. But it makes sense to try to make sure those outings count for something, with the Mets on the fringes of the postseason.
It’s no surprise the Mets want the right-hander on the mound as often as possible, with deGrom once again in the conversation for NL Cy Young.
“That’s one of the reasons in it,’’ Rojas said of the decision to start deGrom Friday instead of Saturday. “Jake is one of the best — if not the best — pitchers in the world.”
The move also allows deGrom to stay in his preferred rest.
“He can keep his routine,’’ Rojas said. “He wants to keep his routine and his routine is every five days. That’s one of the reasons we’re doing it, too.”
There’s also the fact the Mets’ rotation, once expected to be the team’s strong point, is a wreck, so there’s no one exactly forcing his way into making more starts.
The list of disappointments is long, from Noah Syndergaard’s spring Tommy John surgery, to Marcus Stroman opting out of the season due to COVID concerns, to Michael Wacha and Porcello disappointing as free-agent signings.
After his previous start, when deGrom was again excellent in limiting the Phillies to one run over seven innings on Sunday, he said he was “prepared” to go every fifth day the remainder of the season.
DeGrom said there was going to be a “conversation” regarding how often he was used — and he noted he would still make the same amount of starts, but it “would probably be what happens.”
The Mets have won six of his eight starts this year and he’s allowed more than two runs just once in those outings — and even then, only one of those was earned.
Most of his numbers have been even better in 2020 than in his Cy Young campaigns, with a WHIP of 0.875 and a strikeout rate of 13.1 per nine innings — both of which would be career-bests, albeit with an asterisk.
As the offense tries to finally find its footing, the Mets still had a rotation ERA of 5.13 heading into Tuesday’s game, according to Fangraphs.
As for deGrom’s effectiveness, he’s been dominant no matter how much — or little — time off he’s given. He’s also thrown more than 100 pitches in each of his past three starts.
Following the last one, deGrom said he felt good from the first pitch until his final one to complete the seventh inning.
Though deGrom can’t get the Mets to the playoffs on his own, it seems the team is ready to make sure it gets everything out of him that it can.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the Bucks? ‘It’s not happening’

Giannis Antetokounmpo may have just disappointed the rest of the NBA teams looking for a franchise-changing superstar .
The 25-year-old Antetokounmpo , who is slated to be a free agent after the 2020-21 season , emphatically said after the Bucks ’ season-ending 103-94 loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday that he is planning to remain with the Bucks for the long-term .
The 6-foot-11 forward , who didn ’ t play because of a sprained ankle he suffered in Game 3 , said he ’ s not going to hold the league hostage regarding his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening .
That ’ s not happening , ” Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports .
“ Some see a wall and go in [ another direction ] .
I plow through it .
We just have to get better as a team , individually and get right back at it next season.
” Though Antetokounmpo is disappointed the Bucks ’ season is over , the Milwaukee star said he is confident the team can win a championship in the future .
“ If winning a championship was easy , everyone would have one , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We lost .
Everyone saw that we lost .
It ’ s disappointing , but what are we going to do ?
We ’ re going to keep working .
I ’ ve got confidence in my teammates.
” The Bucks can make a move to lock up Antetokounmpo when free agency begins , possibly as early as October .
According to the Associated Press , such a deal would kick in for the 2021-22 season , and the math before the pandemic hit said it would have been worth around $ 247 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward takes a hit because of the amount of revenue the league and its teams lost this season , it likely would hurt Antetokounmpo ’ s next deal .
But even if that ’ s the case , he still will be set for life .
Antetokounmpo , who is under contract for $ 27.5 million next season , is averaging 29.5 points , 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists and is widely expected to win the MVP award for a second consecutive season .
Antetokounmpo said he wanted to play , but respected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best long-term interests at heart .
“ At the end of the day , the organization put my health over Game 5 , ” Antetokounmpo said .
“ That ’ s big .
’ ’

Giannis Antetokounmpo may have just disappointed the rest of the NBA teams looking for a franchise-changing superstar.
The 25-year-old Antetokounmpo, who is slated to be a free agent after the 2020-21 season, emphatically said after the Bucks’ season-ending 103-94 loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday that he is planning to remain with the Bucks for the long-term.
The 6-foot-11 forward, who didn’t play because of a sprained ankle he suffered in Game 3, said he’s not going to hold the league hostage regarding his future.
“It’s not happening. That’s not happening,” Antetokounmpo told Yahoo Sports. “Some see a wall and go in [another direction]. I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season.”
Though Antetokounmpo is disappointed the Bucks’ season is over, the Milwaukee star said he is confident the team can win a championship in the future.
“If winning a championship was easy, everyone would have one,” Antetokounmpo told the website. “We lost. Everyone saw that we lost. It’s disappointing, but what are we going to do? We’re going to keep working. I’ve got confidence in my teammates.”
The Bucks can make a move to lock up Antetokounmpo when free agency begins, possibly as early as October.
According to the Associated Press, such a deal would kick in for the 2021-22 season, and the math before the pandemic hit said it would have been worth around $247 million. If the salary cap going forward takes a hit because of the amount of revenue the league and its teams lost this season, it likely would hurt Antetokounmpo’s next deal.
But even if that’s the case, he still will be set for life.
Antetokounmpo, who is under contract for $27.5 million next season, is averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists and is widely expected to win the MVP award for a second consecutive season.
Antetokounmpo said he wanted to play, but respected the fact that the Bucks had his best long-term interests at heart.
“At the end of the day, the organization put my health over Game 5,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s big.’’


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals agree to two-year, $54.5 million extension

TEMPE , Ariz. — DeAndre Hopkins is one of the NFL ’ s best players .
Someday , he ’ d like to run one of the game ’ s best organizations .
So during the past few weeks , the 28-year-old receiver has spent lots of late nights studying the terminology of contracts and the art of negotiation .
Considering he wants to be responsible for making bold front-office deals in the future , he might as well start with his own .
Hopkins and the Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract extension on Tuesday that will keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season .
Terms weren ’ t disclosed , but the NFL Network reported that the extension is worth $ 54.5 million over two years .
The receiver is guaranteed $ 42.75 million .
Hopkins said he worked on about 90 percent of the deal and had some help from advisers .
Cardinals GM Steve Keim said “ it was a great process ” and he got to know the receiver even better during negotiations .
“ Throughout the process , everything was positive with the organization , ” Hopkins said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just on the field , but off the field.
” His new deal has a no-trade clause and no-franchise tag clause .
Arizona hopes Hopkins will be one of the cornerstones of an offense that includes second-year quarterback Kyler Murray , running back Kenyan Drake and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk .
The Cardinals open the season on Sunday with a road game against the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers .
The Cardinals landed the 6-foot-1 , 212-pound receiver in a surprising trade with the Texans during the offseason , sending veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s been one of the NFL ’ s most consistent and productive pass catchers in recent years , with at least 1,100 yards receiving in five of the past six seasons .
Hopkins has seemed rejuvenated by the mid-career move and is hopeful the Cardinals can become a playoff contender after finishing with a 5-10-1 record in 2019 .
He has been impressed by Murray , who was the No .
1 overall pick in 2019 .
“ Kyler has an arm , ” Hopkins said earlier in the preseason .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a quarterback like that who can make any throw anywhere on the field and has the confidence to do it .
Just from what I ’ ve seen , we ’ re going to have a good time playing together.
” Hopkins still had three years remaining on a five-year , $ 81 million deal he signed in 2017 , but Keim made it known that the team was trying to work on an extension after the trade .
The GM said the only other player he ’ s negotiated with directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fitzgerald .
“ It was our goal all along to get ( Hopkins ) extended , ” Keim said .
“ So today ’ s signing is extremely exciting for us .
It ’ s probably one of the most unique negotiations that I ’ ve been through.
” Hopkins had 104 catches for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns last season .
He was the 27th overall pick in the 2013 draft after playing college ball at Clemson .
Second-year coach Kliff Kingsbury said Hopkins has been a great teammate since arriving in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been fantastic , ” Kingsbury said in August .
“ That rubs off on other players when you have a guy like that who has done what he ’ s done , focused and locked in .
It ’ s been great.
” Hopkins has plenty of respect for Kingsbury ’ s offensive mind .
The receiver said he doesn ’ t watch much football besides studying game film but was so intrigued by the Cardinals that he turned on a game last season to see what the offense looked like .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away impressed .
“ I was like , man , if I could be in this offense , a pass-first offense one day , the sky ’ s the limit , ” Hopkins said .
“ I guess I spoke that into existence.
” Hopkins is the only active NFL player to have at least 100 catches , 1,500 yards receiving and 11 touchdown catches in multiple seasons , which happened in 2015 and 2018 .
The only three former players to do it are Jerry Rice , Marvin Harrison and Brandon Marshall @

TEMPE, Ariz. — DeAndre Hopkins is one of the NFL’s best players. Someday, he’d like to run one of the game’s best organizations.
So during the past few weeks, the 28-year-old receiver has spent lots of late nights studying the terminology of contracts and the art of negotiation. Considering he wants to be responsible for making bold front-office deals in the future, he might as well start with his own.
Hopkins and the Cardinals agreed to a two-year contract extension on Tuesday that will keep the three-time All-Pro in Arizona through the 2024 season. Terms weren’t disclosed, but the NFL Network reported that the extension is worth $54.5 million over two years. The receiver is guaranteed $42.75 million.
Hopkins said he worked on about 90 percent of the deal and had some help from advisers. Cardinals GM Steve Keim said “it was a great process” and he got to know the receiver even better during negotiations.
“Throughout the process, everything was positive with the organization,” Hopkins said. “I’ve learned a lot, not just on the field, but off the field.”
His new deal has a no-trade clause and no-franchise tag clause.
Arizona hopes Hopkins will be one of the cornerstones of an offense that includes second-year quarterback Kyler Murray, running back Kenyan Drake and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk. The Cardinals open the season on Sunday with a road game against the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.
The Cardinals landed the 6-foot-1, 212-pound receiver in a surprising trade with the Texans during the offseason, sending veteran running back David Johnson to Houston. He’s been one of the NFL’s most consistent and productive pass catchers in recent years, with at least 1,100 yards receiving in five of the past six seasons.
Hopkins has seemed rejuvenated by the mid-career move and is hopeful the Cardinals can become a playoff contender after finishing with a 5-10-1 record in 2019. He has been impressed by Murray, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2019.
“Kyler has an arm,” Hopkins said earlier in the preseason. “I’m thankful to play with a quarterback like that who can make any throw anywhere on the field and has the confidence to do it. Just from what I’ve seen, we’re going to have a good time playing together.”
Hopkins still had three years remaining on a five-year, $81 million deal he signed in 2017, but Keim made it known that the team was trying to work on an extension after the trade. The GM said the only other player he’s negotiated with directly during his eight years in Arizona is Fitzgerald.
“It was our goal all along to get (Hopkins) extended,” Keim said. “So today’s signing is extremely exciting for us. It’s probably one of the most unique negotiations that I’ve been through.”
Hopkins had 104 catches for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He was the 27th overall pick in the 2013 draft after playing college ball at Clemson.
Second-year coach Kliff Kingsbury said Hopkins has been a great teammate since arriving in the desert.
“It’s been fantastic,” Kingsbury said in August. “That rubs off on other players when you have a guy like that who has done what he’s done, focused and locked in. It’s been great.”
Hopkins has plenty of respect for Kingsbury’s offensive mind. The receiver said he doesn’t watch much football besides studying game film but was so intrigued by the Cardinals that he turned on a game last season to see what the offense looked like.
It didn’t take long to come away impressed.
“I was like, man, if I could be in this offense, a pass-first offense one day, the sky’s the limit,” Hopkins said. “I guess I spoke that into existence.”
Hopkins is the only active NFL player to have at least 100 catches, 1,500 yards receiving and 11 touchdown catches in multiple seasons, which happened in 2015 and 2018. The only three former players to do it are Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison and Brandon Marshall.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Robert Gsellman exits with strained oblique after return to bullpen

Easiest takeaway ever from Citi Field on Tuesday night .
From ...

Robert Gsellman went back to the bullpen Tuesday and it couldn’t have gone much worse. He exited with a left oblique strain in the eighth inning, but not before giving up six runs in 3²/₃ innings in relief of Michael Wacha in an 11-2 loss to the Orioles.
Gsellman threw 76 pitches out of the pen, 24 more than he had in his last appearance in his ill-fated time as a starter and 19 more than any other outing this season.
Manager Luis Rojas said he didn’t believe the added workload caused the injury, saying Gsellman was stretched out for the role.
He had to be helped off the field with two outs in the eighth, but Rojas said Gsellman seemed better following the game.
“It was a scary moment, watching him walk off the mound in pain,’’ Rojas said. “We’ll see what we can find out [Wednesday].”
Amed Rosario was the shortstop again after four days on the bench. Rojas insisted Rosario’s return wasn’t simply because the Orioles had left-hander John Means on the mound.
Regardless, each of Rosario’s last four starts have come against southpaws and lefty-swinging Andres Gimenez shifted from short to second base.
“I’m not seeing it as that,’’ Rojas said when asked if it was a platoon at short. “We’re putting together the best lineup each day.”
“He’s working,” Rojas said of Rosario. “He’s taking his extra ground balls and he’s locked in. He wanted to be ready whenever he was going to get the chance again.”
With Dom Smith sitting against the lefty Means, Pete Alonso was back at first base after three games as the DH.
Rojas said Alonso and Robinson Cano would get the majority of time at DH time the rest of the season.
And that might not be bad news for Alonso and the Mets.
Entering Tuesday, Alonso had a .988 OPS in 35 plate appearances at DH and a .751 OPS in 136 plate appearances while at first base. And that was before Alonso went hitless against the Orioles.
“I do pay attention to how guys are in the DH spot,’’ Rojas said before the game. “For some of those guys on an NL team, they’re used to being out on the field and Alonso and Cano like being on the field. They are the DH more than other guys.”
Rojas said he was not aware of Alonso’s numbers as the DH and said he would keep a bit of a rotation with Smith and J.D. Davis — who was the DH Tuesday — in the mix.
Cano, meanwhile, wasn’t in Tuesday’s lineup. He entered hitless in his previous 17 at-bats, including 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Smith has hit all kinds of pitching this year, but is significantly better versus righties than lefties. Still, in his previous four games, the lefty-swinging Smith was 8-for-18 with four doubles and six RBIs.
Jeff McNeil homered for a third consecutive game. It’s the second time he’s done so in his career. … Brad Brach tied a career-high with four strikeouts.
Wilson Ramos, who had struck out in six of his previous eight at-bats, got the start behind the plate Tuesday because of his success against left-handed pitching and a familiarity with Tuesday’s starter, Michael Wacha, but Rojas said Robinson Chirinos has also impressed since his arrival.
Rojas said both backstops have shown an ability to “steal strikes” on low pitches, which is important with a pitching staff that has plenty of pitchers that like to pitch down in the zone.
Chironos, according to Rojas, is “a little more athletic” behind the plate and that he’s “been diligent” about learning the staff since being traded from the Rangers.
“He told me that was his mission,’’ Rojas said of Chirinos learning the staff.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Olympian apologizes for Instagram photo about shopping without a mask

US Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings apologized Tuesday for boasting on Instagram about her decision to go shopping without a mask , lauding the move as an “ exercise in being brave.
” “ I read a quote the other day that shook me – – THIS HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCED , IT ’ S BEEN CONSENTED TO , ” she wrote , referring to widespread mask-wearing in public spaces .
“ I had a little exercise in being brave yesterday & I ’ m still a bit edgy about it .
I went shopping without a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fans for her comments .
“ Going out in public without a mask isn ’ t “ bravery ” , it ’ s endangering others and their family members who are doing all that they can to stay safe while thousands of Americans are dying , ” wrote @ zoenlodge “ It ’ s literally human decency to wear one as almost 200,000 ppl have died from corona already , ” added @ khimberlyy Walsh Jennings posted a follow-up on Monday , apologizing for the brazen post .
“ To those who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from , I appreciate your openness and civility .
To those in agreement , I appreciate you expressing your views , ” she wrote .
“ To those calling me dumb , selfish , privileged , bigoted , and racist and telling me that ‘ you are better than this , ’ I fully acknowledge that addressing such an emotional , layered , nuanced and polarizing topic on social media was not the smartest thing.
” Jennings ’ decision to forego a mask while in public goes against guidelines the Centers for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help limit the spread of the coronavirus .
“ We know now there ’ s scientific evidence that masks both keep you from infecting others but may also partially protect you from getting infected , ” Deborah Brix , the White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator , said to CNN in June .
Walsh Jennings also announced Sunday that she will be leaving California , which has over 741,726 confirmed COVID-19 cases as well as a statewide mask mandate .
According to Johns Hopkins University , the U.S. has more than 6 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 190,00 people in the country have died from the illness .

US Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings apologized Tuesday for boasting on Instagram about her decision to go shopping without a mask, lauding the move as an “exercise in being brave.”
“I read a quote the other day that shook me – – THIS HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCED, IT’S BEEN CONSENTED TO,” she wrote, referring to widespread mask-wearing in public spaces.
“I had a little exercise in being brave yesterday & I’m still a bit edgy about it. I went shopping without a mask on.”
Walsh Jennings faced backlash from fans for her comments.
“Going out in public without a mask isn’t “bravery”, it’s endangering others and their family members who are doing all that they can to stay safe while thousands of Americans are dying,” wrote @zoenlodge
“It’s literally human decency to wear one as almost 200,000 ppl have died from corona already,” added @khimberlyy
Walsh Jennings posted a follow-up on Monday, apologizing for the brazen post.
“To those who are open to hearing where I am coming from, I appreciate your openness and civility. To those in agreement, I appreciate you expressing your views,” she wrote.
“To those calling me dumb, selfish, privileged, bigoted, and racist and telling me that ‘you are better than this,’ I fully acknowledge that addressing such an emotional, layered, nuanced and polarizing topic on social media was not the smartest thing.”
Jennings’ decision to forego a mask while in public goes against guidelines the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has suggested to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.
“We know now there’s scientific evidence that masks both keep you from infecting others but may also partially protect you from getting infected,” Deborah Brix, the White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator, said to CNN in June.
Walsh Jennings also announced Sunday that she will be leaving California, which has over 741,726 confirmed COVID-19 cases as well as a statewide mask mandate.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. has more than 6 million confirmed cases of the coronavirus. More than 190,00 people in the country have died from the illness.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Jessica Krug once called brutal killing of Bronx teen a ‘radical moment’

Bogus-black college professor Jessica Krug once denigrated the death of 15-year-old Lesandro “ Junior ” Guzman-Feliz , who was murdered by machete-wielding gang members at a Bronx bodega .
Krug , speaking on a Columbia University panel in 2019 , implied that Guzman was attacked because he was collaborating against his community as a member of NYPD ’ s Youth Explorer Program , according to a since-deleted clip of her remarks obtained by the Daily Mail .
“ That kind of violence against people who are collaborating or working against their communities we have to consider a radical moment in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hack apart a 15-year-old boy who ’ s working with the police , ” Krug told the audience .
Guzman-Feliz was killed in June 2018 by a group of Trinitarios gang members who mistakenly identified him for a gang rival .
“ When I think about this politics of silence that I ’ m talking about in the archives and about how silence can be a really radical presence historically , I think it ’ s a radical presence today when people talk about snitches get stitches , or when we think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Africa and necklacing , ” Krug continued .
Necklacing was the practice of execution by setting on fire a gas-filled tire around the chest of alleged apartheid collaborators .
Krug — a George Washington University professor of African history — will not be teaching next semester and is facing calls to resign after she outed herself last week as a liar about her race .
Critics say she came clean because she was found out .
In her Columbia remarks , Krug was also critical of the media “ narrative ” surrounding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The way the story about his innocence and the inherent violence about the people who hacked him apart become the narrative we tell , ” she said .
“ And it ’ s so much more difficult to understand what kind of freedom could we achieve by being willing to confront those within the community who are working against the interests of the community as a whole at the end of a machete .
”

Bogus-black college professor Jessica Krug once denigrated the death of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, who was murdered by machete-wielding gang members at a Bronx bodega.
Krug, speaking on a Columbia University panel in 2019, implied that Guzman was attacked because he was collaborating against his community as a member of NYPD’s Youth Explorer Program, according to a since-deleted clip first revealed by Countere Magazine.
“That kind of violence against people who are collaborating or working against their communities we have to consider a radical moment in 2018 in which people are using machetes to hack apart a 15-year-old boy who’s working with the police,” Krug told the audience.
Guzman-Feliz was killed in June 2018 by a group of Trinitarios gang members who mistakenly identified him for a gang rival.
“When I think about this politics of silence that I’m talking about in the archives and about how silence can be a really radical presence historically, I think it’s a radical presence today when people talk about snitches get stitches, or when we think about a history of anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa and necklacing,” Krug continued.
Necklacing was the practice of execution by setting on fire a gas-filled tire around the chest of alleged apartheid collaborators.
Krug — a George Washington University professor of African history — will not be teaching next semester and is facing calls to resign after she outed herself last week as a liar about her race.
Critics say she came clean because she was found out.
In her Columbia remarks, Krug was also critical of the media “narrative” surrounding the killing of Guzman- Feliz.
“The way the story about his innocence and the inherent violence about the people who hacked him apart become the narrative we tell,” she said.
“And it’s so much more difficult to understand what kind of freedom could we achieve by being willing to confront those within the community who are working against the interests of the community as a whole at the end of a machete.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Here are the most popular boy and girl baby names of 2019

Liams and Olivias are taking over .
The Social Security Administration has deemed Liam and Olivia the most popular male @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , according to its list released this week .
The top ten names for @ @ @ @ @ Noah , Emma , Oliver , Ava , William , Sophia , Elijah and Isabella @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t changed much from the prior year .
Liam took top billing for @ @ @ @ @ 2017 .
Olivia had placed second in those years , just behind Emma .
It @ @ @ @ @ decade for Noahs and Liams , which respectively rank as the top two boys ’ @ @ @ @ @ Emma and Oliva have taken the top spots for girls this decade .
Parents seeking @ @ @ @ @ Jedd or Maddock , which were among the least popular of the year .

Liams and Olivias are taking over.
The Social Security Administration has deemed Liam and Olivia the most popular male and female baby names in 2019, according to its list released this week.
The top ten names for boys and girls also included Noah, Emma, Oliver, Ava, William, Sophia, Elijah and Isabella.
The list for 2019 wasn’t changed much from the prior year. Liam took top billing for boys in both 2018 and 2017. Olivia had placed second in those years, just behind Emma.
It’s been a big decade for Noahs and Liams, which respectively rank as the top two boys’ names of the 2010s. Emma and Oliva have taken the top spots for girls this decade.
Parents seeking originality should try names like Jedd or Maddock, which were among the least popular of the year.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--AFC West preview and predictions: Chiefs show no signs of slowing down soon

Tyrod Taylor has been here before .
The 31-year-old veteran once ...

Ryan Dunleavy previews the AFC West as The Post gives division-by-division breakdowns ahead of the 2020 NFL season.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Coach: Andy Reid
2019 record: 12-4
O/U wins: 11 1/2
Key additions: OT Mike Remmers, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, DE Taco Charlton
Key losses: OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, CB Kendall Fuller, DE Emmanuel Ogbah, RB Damien Williams, LB Reggie Ragland
First-and-goal: The Chiefs followed their Super Bowl win by winning the offseason, extending the contracts of Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones and Travis Kelce despite only $177 (yes, that’s right) in cap space at one point. The Chiefs return 18 of 22 starters — a number that would’ve been higher if not for Duvernay-Tardif and Williams opting out due to COVID-19. Edwards-Helaire was the first running back drafted and is poised for a huge rookie season in this track-speed offense, led by Tyreek Hill. Sammy Watkins tested the open market, but re-signed — a sign this band doesn’t want to break up before repeating.
Fourth-and-long: What’s not to like? Well, the depth took a hit as Fuller, Ogbah and Cameron Erving all took opportunities to start elsewhere rather than remain in a rotation. Talk about nitpicking. Maybe the Chiefs get complacent after ending a 50-year Super Bowl drought and getting their beloved coach his overdue first ring? The 2003-04 Patriots were the last repeat winners.
Dunleavy’s Decision: 13-3. The makings of a dynasty are in place. What jaw-dropping thing will Mahomes do next?
2. Denver Broncos
Coach: Vic Fangio
2019 record: 7-9
O/U wins: 7 1/2
Key additions: DE Jurrell Casey, CB A.J. Bouye, C Graham Glasgow, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Jerry Jeudy
Key losses: QB Joe Flacco, C Connor McGovern, CB Chris Harris Jr., DE Derek Wolfe, RT Ja’Wuan James
Dunleavy’s Decision: 8-8. For the first time since Peyton Manning retired, the Broncos have a reason to believe at quarterback.
First-and-goal: Pat Shurmur got an unexpectedly short two-year stint as Giants head coach, but there are not many better situations he could’ve wound up in than as offensive coordinator for the Broncos. A motivated Gordon, 27, counts as old in this electric group of young playmakers, with fellow 1,000-yard rusher Philip Lindsay, receivers Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, Jeudy and K.J. Hamler and tight end Noah Fant. Much depends on the development of QB Drew Lock, who went 4-1 as a rookie starter after he unexpectedly slipped into the middle of the second round. A front-seven including Bradley Chubb, Casey and Shelby Harris is intimidating.
Fourth-and-long: While the interior offensive line looks steady with Glasgow subbing in for McGovern, these four words have ruined many young quarterbacks: Tackle is a major concern. First-rounder Garrett Bowles has underachieved in his three seasons and there is no suitable replace for James on the other side. This was going to be a big year for Von Miller to prove he hasn’t lost a step after his eight sacks in 2019 were his lowest total since 2013. Then he suffered a season-ending injury on the final play of practice a few days before the opener. Ask the Texans and J.J. Watt how hard it is to survive an injury like that even with depth.
Dunleavy’s Decision: 9-7. For the first time since Peyton Manning retired, the Broncos have a reason to believe at quarterback.
3. Las Vegas Raiders
Coach: Jon Gruden
2019 record: 7-9
O/U wins: 7 1/2
Key additions: ILB Cory Littleton, QB Marcus Mariota, OLB Carl Nassib, ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, DT Maliek Collins, TE Jason Witten, CB Damon Arnette
Key losses: LB Tahir Whitehead, S Karl Joseph, CB Daryl Worley, DE Benson Mayowa
First-and-goal: The Raiders began last season with uncertainty at running back, tight end and slot receiver. They begin this season with a weapon at each position in Josh Jacobs, Daren Waller and Hunter Renfrow, respectively. The young core got even dreamier with the addition of receivers Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards. All are playing behind maybe the NFL’s best offensive line. So, maybe Gruden can finally just outscore his opponent every week. Or he could rely on the influx of veteran free-agent talent to greatly boost the defensive front-seven, especially taking pressure off young cornerbacks Trayvon Mullen and Arnette.
Fourth-and-long: The COVID-19 pandemic has been dominating NFL headlines for so long that the move to Las Vegas has been overshadowed. The Antonio Brown disaster hung over the Raiders all training camp and then a temporarily overachieving team showed its true colors with a 1-5 finish. Brown is long gone and enigmatic quarterback Derek Carr has one more chance not to follow him out the door. Mariota reportedly struggled in camp, but he wasn’t signed to a two-year, $17 million contract to sit through Carr’s struggles. He will get a chance because Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock both loved him in previous careers as draft analysts.
Dunleavy’s Decision: 7-9. Gruden’s 10-year contract will keep him off the hot seat as the team develops.
4. Los Angeles Chargers
Coach: Anthony Lynn
2019 record: 5-11
O/U wins: 7 ¹/₂
Key additions: QB Justin Herbert, OG Trai Turner, OT Bryan Bulaga, CB Chris Harris Jr., DT Linval Joseph, ILB Kenneth Murray
Key losses: QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, OT Russell Okung, FB Derek Watt, S Adrian Phillips
First-and-goal: It’s not easy for an offense with Austin Ekeler, Keenan Allen and Hunter Henry to be overshadowed. But what’s not to like about one of the best defenses in the NFL? Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram running free off the edge is scary, and now they have Joseph in the middle to eat up blocks. Two-thirds of what would have been a trio of All-Pros in the secondary — Desmond King and Chris Harris Jr. — is intact after Derwin James’ season-ending knee injury. Cornerback Casey Hayward is underrated, too. The Chargers were 2-9 in one-score games last season and analytics say that math is bound to even out.
Fourth-and-long: So, the Chargers went from runners-up in the Tom Brady sweepstakes to … starting Tyrod Taylor. Something is missing, like making a run at free agent Cam Newton or a trade for Nick Foles. Taylor is 23-21-1 as a starter, but shouldn’t be under too much pressure early because the smart move is to let Herbert develop from the bench. Still, be careful what you wish for by parting ways with Rivers after 15 non-Super Bowl-winning seasons. Lynn might be a star of “Hard Knocks,” but he is among the coaches with the hottest seat.
Dunleavy’s Decision: 6-10. It feels like the Chargers have been wasting rosters with elite talent for two decades.
Check out the other NFL division breakdowns from The Post for the 2020 season:
AFC East preview
AFC North preview
AFC South preview
NFC East preview
NFC North preview
NFC South preview
NFC West preview


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Omar Hernandez talks renamed La Boîte, social-distancing party plans

The show is over for Omar Hernandez at his private Lower East Side hot spot Omar ’ s La Boîte .
The members ’ dining club quietly reopened last month without his name , sparking buzz the nightlife impresario was ousted .
He told Page Six that he ’ s still a partner , but that the pandemic made it impossible to provide the “ Omar ’ s experience ” with a small outdoor dining space .
“ The whole concept was : We had a show , people danced and there was dinner .
There were live acts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that under these circumstances , so we ’ re just calling it La Boîte .
I ’ m a host — what I do best is offer the best hospitality , ” he said .
The supper club took over the former Happy Ending space and officially opened in January .
One of its first previews had been a big Halloween bash that brought out guests including Ellen von Unwerth and Maxwell .
Since Mayor de Blasio has extended NYC ’ s Open Restaurants program until Oct. 31 , “ We have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dream to do the biggest social-distancing Halloween block party to show we ’ re still having fun in New York .
It ’ s a tricky one , ” he said .
In the meantime , he ’ s working on a pop-up in Aspen , Colo. “ I ’ m trying to be proactive … exploring surprise Omar pop-up ideas where a lot of New Yorkers flee for winter .
It ’ s not as dense and there ’ s more space .
Social restrictions are much easier there , ” he @ @

The show is over for Omar Hernandez at his private Lower East Side hot spot Omar’s La Boîte.
The members’ dining club quietly reopened last month without his name, sparking buzz the nightlife impresario was ousted.
He told Page Six that he’s still a partner, but that the pandemic made it impossible to provide the “Omar’s experience” with a small outdoor dining space. “The whole concept was: We had a show, people danced and there was dinner. There were live acts and bands … we can’t produce that under these circumstances, so we’re just calling it La Boîte. I’m a host — what I do best is offer the best hospitality,” he said.
The supper club took over the former Happy Ending space and officially opened in January. One of its first previews had been a big Halloween bash that brought out guests including Ellen von Unwerth and Maxwell. Since Mayor de Blasio has extended NYC’s Open Restaurants program until Oct. 31, “We have the street, so it would be a dream to do the biggest social-distancing Halloween block party to show we’re still having fun in New York. It’s a tricky one,” he said.
In the meantime, he’s working on a pop-up in Aspen, Colo. “I’m trying to be proactive … exploring surprise Omar pop-up ideas where a lot of New Yorkers flee for winter. It’s not as dense and there’s more space. Social restrictions are much easier there,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Woman votes topless after getting stopped at polls wearing anti-Trump shirt

A New Hampshire woman who was rejected from voting with an anti-Trump shirt in Tuesday ’ s primary chose to take the shirt off and cast her ballot topless , a report said .
The voter , wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase , “ McCain Hero , Trump Zero , ” was first stopped before she could reach the voting booth at the Talbot Gymnasium by Executor Town Moderator Paul Scafidi , Seacoastonline.com reported .
Scafidi told the woman she had to remove the shirt containing a political candidate , ruling it constituted electioneering .
But she shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Scafidi , pointing to another nearby voter wearing an American flag T-shirt .
“ She asked why her and not me ?
” Scafidi told the news site .
“ I said she was going to have to cover her shirt and [ a shirt ] supporting the American flag was not electioneering .
That ’ s my opinion , and that was my call as the moderator.
” After his explanation , Scafidi said the woman asked him if he wanted her to remove her shirt .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not , ” Scafidi recalled .
“ But she took it off so fast , no one had time to react so the whole place just went , ‘ woah , ’ and she walked away , and I let her vote .
She could ’ ve just gone into the hallway and turned it inside-out , ” he said .
Scafidi said there were about 15 voters in the building at time , and the poll workers mainly laughed over the incident .
He added that , under the state ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police remove the woman , but opted not to .
“ I could have [ had her removed ] , but I didn ’ t want to exacerbate the whole thing , ” Scafidi said .
“ If she felt it was her right , more power to her , ” Scafidi said .
“ We all laughed about it as things were winding down , so I don ’ t know if it was a set-up , but I ’ ve never experienced anything like that , ” he said .

A New Hampshire woman who was rejected from voting with an anti-Trump shirt in Tuesday’s primary chose to take the shirt off and cast her ballot topless, a report said.
The voter, wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase, “McCain Hero, Trump Zero,” was first stopped before she could reach the voting booth at the Talbot Gymnasium by Executor Town Moderator Paul Scafidi, Seacoastonline.com reported.
Scafidi told the woman she had to remove the shirt containing a political candidate, ruling it constituted electioneering. But she shot back that she was being singled out, according to Scafidi, pointing to another nearby voter wearing an American flag T-shirt.
“She asked why her and not me?” Scafidi told the news site. “I said she was going to have to cover her shirt and [a shirt] supporting the American flag was not electioneering. That’s my opinion, and that was my call as the moderator.”
After his explanation, Scafidi said the woman asked him if he wanted her to remove her shirt. “I said, I’d rather she not,” Scafidi recalled.
“But she took it off so fast, no one had time to react so the whole place just went, ‘woah,’ and she walked away, and I let her vote. She could’ve just gone into the hallway and turned it inside-out,” he said.
Scafidi said there were about 15 voters in the building at time, and the poll workers mainly laughed over the incident. He added that, under the state’s indecency law, he could have had police remove the woman, but opted not to.
“I could have [had her removed], but I didn’t want to exacerbate the whole thing,” Scafidi said.
“If she felt it was her right, more power to her,” Scafidi said. “We all laughed about it as things were winding down, so I don’t know if it was a set-up, but I’ve never experienced anything like that,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Logan Ryan may not be big Giants’ factor in Week 1

It might be too much , too soon for Logan Ryan to play a key role for the Giants in their season opener Monday night against the Steelers .
Ryan got on the field with his new teammates for the first time Monday and two days later participated in his first real practice with the Giants .
The 29-year-old defensive back , expected to become a big part of the defensive scheme as a safety and move-around-the field piece , said he has been studying nearly around the clock to make up for the time he lost as he sat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ready in time ?
“ Right now , there is still a lot of catching up that he has to do , ’ ’ coach Joe Judge said Wednesday .
“ Obviously , he just joined us .
Whether it ’ s the alphabet in our terminology , he has to get on pace with .
We still have to make sure that we are fair to him as far as acclimating him .
He just got here , he hasn ’ t been in training camp with anybody else .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just throw him into the fire .
“ He ’ s a tremendous competitor , he ’ s a very smart player .
He did a great job training himself getting in .
As coaches , we have to put him in the right situations.
’ ’ Sounds as if Ryan could have a limited role for Week 1 .
WR Golden Tate looked fine as he participated in the individual drills early in practice .
Tate missed time last week with what appeared to be some sort of hamstring issue .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season Thursday .
At this point , they look to be a healthy team .
No player was held out on Wednesday .
It came as no surprise that Daniel Jones was selected by his teammates as one of the six team captains .
After all , Jones , 23 , is the starting quarterback .
But he is new to this , going into his second season .
“ I think being voted by your teammates is a tremendous honor , something I don ’ t take lightly at all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grateful to be in this position , to be elected .
It ’ s a serious job , something that I don ’ t think you can take lightly .
You have responsibility to your teammates and to your team to represent them and do what you can to be their voice , and lead.
’ ’ DT Dalvin Tomlinson , entering his fourth year with the Giants , is also a first-time captain .
The two defensive captains from 2019 , Alec Ogletree and Antoine Bethea , are currently not in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor to be a captain , to have my peers vote me in to be a captain , ’ ’ Tomlinson said .
“ Just to see all the other captains in the past , great players .
I always try to lead by example because I feel I can ’ t be a captain if I don ’ t go out there and give it my all each and every day .
That ’ s one of the biggest things I feel every captain has to do.
’ ’ Teams this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ squad .
The Giants protected QB Cooper Rush , OL Chad Slade , WR/ST Johnny Holton and CB Ryan Lewis .

It might be too much, too soon for Logan Ryan to play a key role for the Giants in their season opener Monday night against the Steelers.
Ryan got on the field with his new teammates for the first time Monday and two days later participated in his first real practice with the Giants. The 29-year-old defensive back, expected to become a big part of the defensive scheme as a safety and move-around-the field piece, said he has been studying nearly around the clock to make up for the time he lost as he sat on the open market.
Can he be ready in time?
“Right now, there is still a lot of catching up that he has to do,’’ coach Joe Judge said Wednesday. “Obviously, he just joined us. Whether it’s the alphabet in our terminology, he has to get on pace with. We still have to make sure that we are fair to him as far as acclimating him. He just got here, he hasn’t been in training camp with anybody else. We have to be careful about how we just throw him into the fire.
“He’s a tremendous competitor, he’s a very smart player. He did a great job training himself getting in. As coaches, we have to put him in the right situations.’’
Sounds as if Ryan could have a limited role for Week 1.
WR Golden Tate looked fine as he participated in the individual drills early in practice. Tate missed time last week with what appeared to be some sort of hamstring issue. The Giants reveal their first injury report of the season Thursday. At this point, they look to be a healthy team. No player was held out on Wednesday.
It came as no surprise that Daniel Jones was selected by his teammates as one of the six team captains. After all, Jones, 23, is the starting quarterback. But he is new to this, going into his second season.
“I think being voted by your teammates is a tremendous honor, something I don’t take lightly at all,’’ Jones said. “Certainly grateful to be in this position, to be elected. It’s a serious job, something that I don’t think you can take lightly. You have responsibility to your teammates and to your team to represent them and do what you can to be their voice, and lead.’’
DT Dalvin Tomlinson, entering his fourth year with the Giants, is also a first-time captain. The two defensive captains from 2019, Alec Ogletree and Antoine Bethea, are currently not in the league.
“It’s an honor to be a captain, to have my peers vote me in to be a captain,’’ Tomlinson said. “Just to see all the other captains in the past, great players. I always try to lead by example because I feel I can’t be a captain if I don’t go out there and give it my all each and every day. That’s one of the biggest things I feel every captain has to do.’’
Teams this season can protect four players on their practice squad. The Giants protected QB Cooper Rush, OL Chad Slade, WR/ST Johnny Holton and CB Ryan Lewis.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Horace Mann unmoved by petition to remove William Barr from alumni list

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) While close to 9,000 have signed a petition to have Attorney General William Barr removed from Horace Mann ’ s Distinguished Alumnus list , the elite school ’ s Alumni Board has not been swayed .
Class of 2020 students Jessica Rosberger and Kiara Royer — who began the petition in June after Barr reportedly had protesters forcibly removed in DC for a photo op @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have updated their supporters by saying , “ We write to you in disappointment , as the Alumni Council has yet to come to a decision.
” The women had a Zoom meeting with the board in July , and sent two subsequent letters .
They are now wondering if the list and council should be disbanded .
“ Their inaction has made us question the authenticity and even the purpose of the Alumni Council , ” they wrote on Medium .
The board said in July that it “ established a special @ @ @ @ @ @ @

While close to 9,000 have signed a petition to have Attorney General William Barr removed from Horace Mann’s Distinguished Alumnus list, the elite school’s Alumni Board has not been swayed.
Class of 2020 students Jessica Rosberger and Kiara Royer — who began the petition in June after Barr reportedly had protesters forcibly removed in DC for a photo op of President Trump holding a Bible — have updated their supporters by saying, “We write to you in disappointment, as the Alumni Council has yet to come to a decision.”
The women had a Zoom meeting with the board in July, and sent two subsequent letters. They are now wondering if the list and council should be disbanded.
“Their inaction has made us question the authenticity and even the purpose of the Alumni Council,” they wrote on Medium.
The board said in July that it “established a special committee to review the petition.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Naomi Osaka is everything that’s right about sports

For the third straight match , Serena Williams needed to go ...

Tuesday night on ESPN’s makeshift set by the fountain at the U.S. Tennis Center, Naomi Osaka became glassy-eyed. It was an hour after stepping off the court following a quarterfinal breeze over Shelby Rogers, after which Osaka wore a mask honoring George Floyd.
She’s worn a mask before and after each of her Open matches to honor a victim of social injustice. ESPN showed a video of Trayvon Martin’s mother and Ahmaud Arbery’s father, each thanking her for the support.
Osaka paused and choked up. If anyone is confused on why prominent athletes are taking this social justice stand, this was why.
“I feel like I’m a vessel at this point in order to spread awareness,’’ Osaka said. “It’s not going to dull the pain, but hopefully I can help with anything that they need.”
Osaka, who will play in the U.S. Open semifinals Thursday night against Jen Brady, is everything good about sport. The “N’’ in Naomi should stand for nice — on the court and off.
Osaka, whose mother is Japanese and father is Haitian, has been called quirky, but she’s acted in Flushing like she’s 22 going on 32 — mature beyond her years.
You’ll see her apologize to opponents after one of her errant ball tosses forces her to redo a serve. She’s always complimenting a player’s big shot with a clap of her racket.
On these grounds, Osaka consoled a crying Coco Gauff after routing her last year in the third round.
“She’s authentic,’’ one WTA insider said. “Nothing fake about her.’’
When she was asked about her entourage, she said, “My immediate reaction whenever I do bad is to feel sad for everyone because they travel with me and stuff, too.’’
Osaka and Serena Williams are on a collision course for the Open finals in a rematch of their historic-for-all-the-wrong-reasons 2018 finals battle.
It’s a beautiful contrast of styles. Williams is a pioneer, a legend, with a fiery will and the best women’s player of all-time because of a lethal serve. But you wouldn’t exactly call her “nice.’’ She’s so intense and wants to win so badly, sometimes she’s not the best sport. She screams after winning points, after losing points and obviously has had her controversial umpire flare-ups at the Open. She’s not so dissimilar to Jimmy Connors, and that’s why she has so many diehard fans.
The 2018 Open finals incident with Williams and umpire Carlos Ramos might have been over the top, and it actually seems to have changed Serena into gentler soul at age 38. Osaka has just seemed that way from the cradle.
The sport will need Osaka to be its face soon as Williams, who turns 39 this month, is not going to compete forever.
Osaka, who was willing to forfeit her semifinals match in the Western & Southern Open two weeks ago to support the Milwaukee Bucks as they pressed for justice in the Kenosha, Wis., shooting of Jacob Blake, was asked Tuesday what kind of world she’d like to see us in.
“What kind of world?’’ Osaka said. “Everyone just says ‘peace’ all the time. I’m not sure what the world would look like if everything was peaceful, but I would hope that people help each other in times of great need.’’
Osaka had a complicated, humble upbringing and saw prejudice in her native Japan. It was frowned upon when her mother married a Haitian man. To make it easier for Naomi, she kept her mother’s Japanese name.
“The biggest thing is I don’t want people younger than me to suffer through the things I have to suffer through,’’ Osaka said. “ If any younger player reaches out to me and has questions, for sure I’ll answer them. I’ll try to help them out because I know how tough it is to be in that position.”
Osaka moved with her family to Long Island when she was 3. Then onto Florida at 9. Under Japan’s Nationality Act, anyone with dual citizenship must choose one or the other before they turn 22. Osaka chose Japan and will play the 2021 Olympics representing the Land of the Rising Sun.
Our loss.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Enormous CBS contract puts focus squarely on Tony Romo

The Age of Reason , as Thomas Paine penned it , was ...

In the world of media excess, CBS’s Tony Romo has chosen the less-is-more approach for nearly everything, except his salary.
His three-year rise to the top of NFL analysts resulted in an out-of-this-world 10-year, $180 million contract with CBS. As a Cowboys quarterback, he made $127 million over 14 seasons, according to Spotrac.
As a broadcaster, he is scheduled to make around $900,000 per game! The NFL player minimum salary is $610,000 … for the season!
While Romo’s salary is large for his analysis and his opinions on Sundays, he mostly rejects participating in a world in which nearly everyone gives their opinion every second of the day on everything. He is not really even like the old-school lead analysts.
Whereas guys such as John Madden and Romo’s predecessor, Phil Simms, were on radio, TV and in newspapers constantly promoting their networks, Romo seldom wanders from the games.
Even for CBS, Romo basically just works his three-hour shift 20 Sundays a year. Less is more.
Romo’s insane CBS deal, after just three seasons on the job, was due to the timing of ESPN looking to score big for “Monday Night Football” and the looming negotiations of the next network NFL TV deals.
It also didn’t hurt that CBS has the Super Bowl this season. Romo had the good timing to agree to the deal right before the pandemic really hit.
The money will hereby define him in the booth. How much it does is the question. There are worse problems.
What has made Romo stick out from Day 1 is his confidence in the booth. From the first snap, he calls a game free and loose. He could be sitting next to you on the couch.
He has made himself a star and now he is minted by the money.
At 40, how will he age in the booth? While Romo was a retirement-straight-to-the-lead-booth anomaly because he was so natural, there is one distinct advantage to going right away from playing to broadcasting. He had been studying the defenses he is now analyzing for 14 years. It makes him very fluent in the current game. And it shows; especially in the big games.
His performance during the Patriots-Chiefs AFC Championship in January 2019 is one of the great sports broadcasting games of all time. His predictions of plays have garnered him publicity, but he hasn’t overdone them as a crutch.
Being the best, though, is not only about January and February — it’s about staying focused in the second quarter of a Week 5 game and digging into the minutiae that will allow him to maintain his reputation. He will have to study up to continue to stand out. He already has critics, with the biggest admonishment, espoused by Chris Russo, among others, that Romo talks too much.
The enormity of Romo’s contract to call around 20 games a season will make CBS’s games feel bigger, though it won’t impact the ratings. Troy Aikman, who does both Thursdays and Sundays for Fox, makes in the $7 million range, and it is now dwarfed by his fellow former Cowboys quarterback. No one will watch Fox less, though, of course.
Romo’s yearly salary is $17.5 million with another $500,000 divided between private travel and an assistant. With CBS having the Super Bowl this year and the possibility of Romo taking a week off when Nantz does the Masters (Can you believe it at these prices?), Romo may do exactly 20 games this year.
That means he would make $900,000 per three-hour telecast. Romo’s base of $17.5 million would be a top-50 contract for players this season and his overall deal is fully guaranteed.
Romo has dreams of playing golf professionally. That is his true passion. In the booth, he already has taken over the major title and it won’t be beaten for a long time, if ever.
No one else is making $17.5 million per season. With all the money, the focus will shift even more to him. Ours will too.
He is the $180 million man. It is good to be Tony Romo. But the contract has an unwritten clause — there will be even more focus on him.


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Steve Nash not running from Nets’ championship expectations

Steve Nash knows what folks are saying — both the ...

Steve Nash wasn’t ready to mark his introductory appearance as Nets coach by guaranteeing a championship. But he knows that’s where they should be aiming.
Longtime friend Sean Marks has done the arduous work of tearing the worst situation in the NBA down to the studs and rebuilding it into a star-studded roster, with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and a real shot at a title. It’s a situation to which Nash — who’d been resistant to taking the coaching plunge — couldn’t say no.
“It’s a unique opportunity. It’s an incredible roster, it’s an incredible family here at the Nets,” Nash said via Zoom. “They’re obviously at an incredible point in the history of this organization, so the timing is fantastic, the opportunity is fantastic.
“I reached out to Sean at some point in the summer — I can’t remember exactly when that was — asked if this was the right time for me to throw my name in the hat and be considered for the position. That’s what got the ball rolling.”
Now Nash steps into great expectations. The Nets haven’t made an NBA Final since 2003, and Brooklyn hasn’t enjoyed a major title as a borough since 1955. But they shouldn’t be shooting for anything less.
“Well, I think that’s where we should be looking. I think we have the talent, we have the culture. The organization has a foundation that can compete for everything,” Nash said on ESPN’s “The Jump”. “I’m not Babe Ruth pointing right now, but our expectations are high.”
And Marks and Nets owner Joe Tsai are entrusting a rookie coach to meet those expectations. Yes, waiting a week could’ve given them a shot at Billy Donovan, but listen to Marks and it wouldn’t have mattered.
“There’s nobody that I’ve been around that has wanted to be pressure-tested on the spot quite like Steve,” Marks said. “He’s never shied away from a moment. So when you say first-time head coach, we’ve seen that been done before. This guy has never run from anything. He wants the ball in his hands at the end of games and his career spoke for itself. He’s made the right decision more times than not, and the experience he’ll bring here speaks volumes.”
The Nets are counting on that 18 years of experience in a Hall of Fame playing career to garner the respect of Durant and Irving.
Nash’s relationship with Durant stretches back to his playing days, introduced eight years ago by current Nets assistant Adam Harrington. That bond just solidified during Nash’s time as a Warriors consultant, often found training Durant.
“It evolved into a friendship. And we worked together in the offseason. When I retired, I continued to work with him at times in the offseason, just as a friend,” Nash said.
“When I was with Golden State and he came to Golden, obviously we got a chance to work up close and personal during the season for the first time. It’s a privilege to work with one of the greatest players to ever play the game.”
While Nash said he didn’t speak with Durant about coming to Brooklyn before he decided to take the coaching plunge, it strains credulity to think the superstar’s friendship wasn’t key in landing Nash the job.
Still, his rapport with Irving will be pivotal, both because of his position and the player’s mercurial nature.
“Kyrie’s one of my favorite players of all-time. He’s brilliant; skill level historically off the charts. Creative. Guts. Competitiveness. For me to get to coach him is really a pleasure,” Nash said. “We have a relationship going back to when he was a rookie, playing against him. Got a chance to train with him for a couple days in New York City after I retired, must’ve been five, six years ago.
“I’m excited to develop that relationship, watching him continue to show greatness on the floor and to continue to get to know him in a really meaningful way, because he’s an incredible person.”


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Inside the privileged lives of protesters busted for rioting in Manhattan

Boy , are they awfully .
.
.
pale for members of the ...

The so-called revolutionaries who were busted for rioting at a New Afrikan Black Panther Party rally took a break from their yacht club lives and modeling careers to be a part of the mayhem.
The seven “comrades” — including wealthy Upper East Sider Clara Kraebber — had their mugshots tweeted out by the NYPD early Wednesday, days after their arrests for smashing storefront windows in the Flatiron District.
They were cuffed during a protest organized by the Panthers and the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement groups condemning the death of Daniel Prude, who was killed while in custody of the Rochester Police Department in March.
Aside from Kraebber, the redhead daughter of an architect and a child psychiatrist with a second home in Connecticut, five of the others arrested appear to also come from privileged backgrounds — leading one police source to call their actions “the height of hypocrisy.”
Frank Fuhrmeister, 30, of Stuyvesant Heights, charged with rioting and possession of a graffiti instrument, is a freelance art director who’s designed ads for Joe Coffee and has also worked for Pepsi, Samsung and The Glenlivet, among other high-profile brands, his LinkedIn profile and portfolio show.
He studied fine arts with a concentration in photography at Florida State College in Jacksonville, according to his LinkedIn, and his most recent address is a stately home on Reed Island Drive in the city’s tony Beacon Hills and Harbour Neighborhood, public records show.
Calls to Fuhrmeister went unreturned.
Adi Sragovich, 20, is a student at Sarah Lawrence College from Great Neck, LI, according to police and her family.
The young activist lost her phone during the rowdy weekend protests and promptly called up her mother, who “made arrangements” to replace the cellphone right away, her mom told The Post.
“She hasn’t been terribly in touch, she’s been off doing her own thing,” said Sragovich’s mom, Susan Jacobowitz, an English professor at Queensborough Community College.
“I kept thinking I would get a call from the hospital or she’d get arrested because it seems like it’s just dangerous times right now,” Jacobowitz, who didn’t know her daughter was arrested, told The Post.
“At least she’s not on Rikers!” she said.
Before joining the protest, Sragovich was an accomplished musician who spent time performing in local theater groups and at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club, according to the Great Neck Record, which photographed her during a 2017 show.
The article quotes her teacher saying “how impressed she was” with Sragovich, who performed “from her extensive repertoire of jazz numbers.”
In 2018, while a senior at Great Neck High School, Sragovich organized a walkout at the school following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, according to The Island Now.
“It really invigorated me. I feel like my generation is finally coming into its moment,” Sragovich told the outlet at the time. “Unfortunately, that power comes from the fact we’re the ones being hunted and killed.”
Most recently, Sragovich in July was at Occupy City Hall, where she spent time fixing sandwiches and plastic bags of granola for breakfast, according to the New York Times, which interviewed her.
Sragovich has been charged with rioting and did not respond to a request for comment.
Claire Severine, 27, who lives in Washington Heights and was charged with rioting, appears to be a signed model with the We Speak agency who had the ability to jet among Montreal, Quebec and Dublin, Ireland, before settling in the Big Apple to “pursue a career in acting,” according to a modeling profile with the same name.
“Claire has always had a profound respect for nature and enjoys hiking, photographing these hikes, and trying to get other people excited about our wonderful planet!” her modeling profile gushes.
“She believes beauty can be found everywhere and in everybody, if you just look around.”
Severine, who lives on Audubon Avenue, could not be reached for comment.
Etkar Surette, a 27-year-old from Brooklyn who summered in Europe as a kid, is charged with rioting and possession of a graffiti instrument.
When approached for comment at his Prospect Park South apartment Wednesday, Surette barked, “I don’t want to talk to you. You can go away,” and slammed the door in a reporter’s face.
Elliot Rucka, a 20-year-old from Portland, Oregon, charged with rioting, is the son of famed comic book writers Greg Rucka and Jennifer Van Meter, according to his father’s online bio.
Greg penned the comic book series “The Old Guard,” which he then adapted for a Netflix film of the same name — and co-created the “Stumptown” comic series that ABC optioned into a TV show last year.
Calls to Rucka and his family went unreturned.
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Rosner


newyorkpost--2020-09-09--Kardashians’ exit from E! was mostly about business

Kanye West ’ s mental health crisis , E !
’ s finances , and a big Kardashian cash grab were all factors in the demise of “ Keeping Up With the Kardashians , ” sources say .
Insiders exclusively told Page Six that the Kardashian family has been talking about “ what the end of their show looks like ” for “ three or four years ” before dropping the bombshell this week that the series will end after 20 seasons .
“ It ’ s been a long time , coming , ” they said .
But we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a head because of a number of factors , including a West ’ s ongoing mental health struggles .
Insiders said that Kim Kardashian already had reservations about exposing West ’ s bipolar battle to the viewing public .
And she ’ s recently begged the “ media and public to have compassion and empathy ” during his latest bouts — so teeing up storylines around the illness would ’ ve rung as hypocritical .
And leaving West out of the show — as they could have done as the show ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feeling cheated .
Meanwhile , E !
’ s parent company , NBCUniversal , has been hard hit financially by COVID , and E !
just lost its other flagship show “ E !
News ” in the economic fallout .
( It ’ s been replaced by “ Daily Pop ” and “ Nightly Pop , ” and the “ E !
News ” brand remains online . )
Sources said that when the Kardashians had floated their exit in the past , E !
was able to dangle ever-larger checks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the pockets aren ’ t so deep .
As Page Six first reported , in 2017 the family renewed its contract with E !
through 2020 for $ 100 million , and we ’ re told that they wanted more to re-up , in spite of the battered economy .
At the same time , the show — which scored a high of 5.8 million viewers for a season premiere in 2010 — brought in just 1.6 million viewers for its most recent episode — perhaps reducing the network ’ s motivation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor : Sources said that for the last four years or so , the show has been more important to the family as a platform to advertise their many , many , products and draw new potential customers than as a source of income in its own right .
Plus , the family ’ s social media followings now reach many times more eyeballs than the show — so they ’ re less tied to the E !
series as a marketing machine .
Reps for E !
declined to comment and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get back to us .

Kanye West’s mental health crisis, E!’s finances, and a big Kardashian cash grab were all factors in the demise of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” sources say.
Insiders exclusively told Page Six that the Kardashian family has been talking about “what the end of their show looks like” for “three or four years” before dropping the bombshell this week that the series will end after 20 seasons. “It’s been a long time coming,” they said.
But we’re told that matters came to a head because of a number of factors, including West’s ongoing mental health struggles.
Insiders said Kim Kardashian already had reservations about exposing West’s bipolar battle to the viewing public. And she’s recently begged the “media and public to have compassion and empathy” during his latest bouts — so teeing up storylines around the illness would’ve rung as hypocritical. And leaving West out of the show — as they could have done as the show’s executive producers — would have left fans feeling cheated.
Meanwhile, E!’s parent company, NBCUniversal, has been hard hit financially by COVID, and E! just lost its other flagship show, “E! News,” in the economic fallout. (It’s been replaced by “Daily Pop” and “Nightly Pop,” and the “E! News” brand remains online.)
Sources said that when the Kardashians had floated their exit in the past, E! was able to dangle ever-larger checks to bring them back — but this time, the pockets aren’t so deep.
As Page Six first reported, in 2017 the family renewed its contract with E! through 2020 for $100 million, and we’re told that they wanted more to re-up, in spite of the battered economy.
At the same time, the show — which scored a high of 5.8 million viewers for a season premiere in 2010 — brought in just 1.6 million viewers for its most recent episode — perhaps reducing the network’s motivation to spend more hard-to-come-by cash.
Another factor: Sources said that for the last four years or so, the show has been more important to the family as a platform to advertise their many, many products and draw new potential customers than as a source of income in its own right. Plus, the family’s social media followings now reach many times more eyeballs than the show — so they’re less tied to the E! series as a marketing machine.
Reps for E! declined to comment and a rep for the Kardashians didn’t get back to us.