newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Mike King and Albert Abreu struggle in Yankees’ Game 2 loss

The long day , reduced as it was , began like how ...

Entering Saturday’s doubleheader, the Rays were scuffling for runs, so they gladly accepted the multiple chances to score provided by bouts of wildness by Yankees pitchers in Game 2.
Mike King, Luis Avilan and Albert Abreu combined to issue nine walks and hit a batter, which helped the Rays bounce the Yankees, 5-3, and get a split after the Bombers won Game 1.
Two of those walks scored, as did the hit batsman.
In his first big-league start, King issued three consecutive two-out walks in the first inning when a free pass to Yoshi Tsutugo forced in a run. After settling down in the second and third frames the right-hander walked two more with two outs and the bases loaded. Avilan walked the bases full in front of Austin Meadows dumping a two-run single into left.
“I felt like I was nibbling. I was getting down 1-0 to everybody which is not a good recipe for success,’’ King said of the first inning, when he threw 32 pitches. “I am frustrated with myself. I let the umpire [Vic Carapazza] get in my head. I threw a 2-2 pitch to Willy Adames [in the fourth] which actually was a ball and I thought it was a strike, and I couldn’t get back to it.’’
It was the major league debut for Abreu, who gave up two runs, three hits, walked two and hit a batter. Abreu, The Yankees added the right-hander as the “29th man’’ for the doubleheader, was returned to the alternate site after the second game.
Gary Sanchez is also struggling, hitting just .086. (3-for-35), and shortstop Gleyber Torres, who went a combined 2-for-6 Saturday, is hitting just .146.
In the previous seven games, Giancarlo Stanton was hitting .095 (2-for-21) with a .439 OPS and had whiffed seven times. But Stanton had a solid doubleheader on Saturday, going 3-for-4 with two walks and an RBI before leaving Game 2 with a hamstring injury.
Aroldis Chapman threw a bullpen session Saturday at the alternate site in Scranton, and if he comes out of that well, the plan is for the Yankees’ closer to face live hitters this week.
Zack Britton has gone 5-for-5 in save situations filling in for Chapman, who is on the COVID-19 IL.
The Yankees placed backup catcher Kyle Higashioka on the 10-day IL with a strained right oblique and replaced him with Erik Kratz. Had Chris Iannetta reported to the Yankees’ alternate site when he was outrighted on Aug. 4, he might have gotten the call to back up Sanchez. Iannetta didn’t report and was placed on the restricted list.
Manager Aaron Boone didn’t want to get into the reason why Iannetta was on that list. A report out Saturday said Iannetta was retiring. Iannetta was on the 30-man roster and designated for assignment on Aug. 1
“No. I will leave it at that right now,’’ when asked why Iannetta was on the restricted list.
As for Higashioka, Boone hopes the Yankees aren’t looking at a lengthy stay on the IL. Higashioka is slated for an MRI on Monday.
“I knew he was having a little bit of an issue with it Thursday and then thought it was something he thought he could work through and then (Friday) it was a little tighter than we were comfortable going with as a hitter,’’ Boone said of Higashioka, who played in three games and went 2-for-9 (.222). “Hopefully we got a little bit ahead of it and we will see how the next couple of days go.’’
According to Boone there wasn’t a specific incident that caused the oblique problem.
As for the 40-year-old Kratz this is his third stint with the Yankees’ organization. He has played for nine big league teams in a 10-year career. Kratz was eligible to be put on the roster since he was on the Yankees’ taxi squad since Thursday night in Philadelphia.
“Obviously we needed a catcher and (Kratz) is the next guy up. (Kratz) is really good behind the plate. Really good commanding a pitching staff, running a game and has a ton of experience,’’ Boone said of Kratz, who started the second game and went 1-for-3 with a double. “Very comfortable with Erik coming in and being able to be a contributor.’’
The Yankees recalled infielder Thairo Estrada from the alternate site and designated reliever Nick Tropeano for assignment prior to Game 1. They then optioned Estrada to the alternate site between games and recalled pitcher Ben Heller.
Kratz has been at the Yankees’ alternate site where he has caught high-end pitching prospects Deivi Garcia and Clarke Schmidt and wasn’t coy about how the right-handers are throwing.
“They are ready to go. There is no other way of saying it. They are ready to go and there is a lot of really good arms down there,’’ Kratz said of the daily workouts being held at the Yankees’ Triple-A facility in Scranton. “What you saw in spring training is what you are going to get. They are doing the same thing down there.’’


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Traditional council frees Taliban members setting up peace talks

KABUL , Afghanistan — A traditional Afghan council concluded Sunday with hundreds of delegates agreeing to free 400 Taliban members , paving the way for an early start to negotiations between Afghanistan ’ s warring sides .
The declaration read out in both of Afghanistan ’ s official languages of Pashto and Farsi calls for an immediate start to negotiations as well as an immediate cease-fire .
The Taliban have said they were ready for talks immediately after their final prisoners were released and that a ceasefire would be one of the first items of negotiations .
The move looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closer to bringing its troops home and end its longest military engagement .
The decision to free the prisoners does not come as a surprise as delegates were urged by the U.S. at the start of the council , or jirga , on Friday to take “ this difficult action ” so negotiations could begin to bring an end to the war .
No date has been set but negotiations between Kabul ’ s political leadership and the Taliban are expected to begin as early as next week and will most likely be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Qatar , where the Taliban maintains a political office .
The Afghan negotiations were laid out in a peace deal signed by the United States and the Taliban in February .
At the time of its signing , it was touted as Afghanistan ’ s best chance at ending decades of war .
But the deal called for the government to free 5,000 prisoners and for the Taliban to free 1,000 government and military personnel in its custody as a goodwill gesture ahead of the start of negotiations .
Kabul balked at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 400 .
President Ashraf Ghani said he was not authorized to free these because of the seriousness of their crimes , and asked for the council to decide instead .
He did not detail of what the 400 were accused .
Delegates were therefore given the stark choice of either freeing the prisoners or seeing a war that has killed tens of thousands continue .
The delegates said they wanted international guarantees that the Taliban would not return to the battlefield .
Washington ’ s Peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with the Taliban to provide for the withdrawal of American soldiers after more than 19 years in Afghanistan .
The withdrawal began earlier this year but roughly 8,600 U.S. soldiers remain in Afghanistan and their return will depend on the Taliban honoring its commitment to fight against other terrorist groups and ensure Afghanistan is not again used to attack the United States or its allies .
The withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops is not dependent on the success of negotiations between Kabul ’ s political leadership and the Taliban .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it clear that Washington wants a negotiated end to the conflict , including a cease-fire .

KABUL, Afghanistan — A traditional Afghan council concluded Sunday with hundreds of delegates agreeing to free 400 Taliban members, paving the way for an early start to negotiations between Afghanistan’s warring sides.
The declaration read out in both of Afghanistan’s official languages of Pashto and Farsi calls for an immediate start to negotiations as well as an immediate cease-fire. The Taliban have said they were ready for talks immediately after their final prisoners were released and that a ceasefire would be one of the first items of negotiations.
The move looks to bring the United States a little closer to bringing its troops home and end its longest military engagement.
The decision to free the prisoners does not come as a surprise as delegates were urged by the U.S. at the start of the council, or jirga, on Friday to take “this difficult action” so negotiations could begin to bring an end to the war.
No date has been set but negotiations between Kabul’s political leadership and the Taliban are expected to begin as early as next week and will most likely be held in the middle eastern state of Qatar, where the Taliban maintains a political office.
The Afghan negotiations were laid out in a peace deal signed by the United States and the Taliban in February. At the time of its signing, it was touted as Afghanistan’s best chance at ending decades of war.
But the deal called for the government to free 5,000 prisoners and for the Taliban to free 1,000 government and military personnel in its custody as a goodwill gesture ahead of the start of negotiations.
Kabul balked at the release but eventually freed all but the last 400. President Ashraf Ghani said he was not authorized to free these because of the seriousness of their crimes, and asked for the council to decide instead. He did not detail of what the 400 were accused.
Delegates were therefore given the stark choice of either freeing the prisoners or seeing a war that has killed tens of thousands continue. The delegates said they wanted international guarantees that the Taliban would not return to the battlefield.
Washington’s Peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent more than a year and a half negotiating the deal with the Taliban to provide for the withdrawal of American soldiers after more than 19 years in Afghanistan.
The withdrawal began earlier this year but roughly 8,600 U.S. soldiers remain in Afghanistan and their return will depend on the Taliban honoring its commitment to fight against other terrorist groups and ensure Afghanistan is not again used to attack the United States or its allies.
The withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops is not dependent on the success of negotiations between Kabul’s political leadership and the Taliban. But U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made it clear that Washington wants a negotiated end to the conflict, including a cease-fire.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--New Zealand man paid $10,000 to be city’s official wizard

For decades , Christchurch , New Zealand , has employed a paid , official wizard — but at age 87 , current black-robed and pointy-hatted office-holder says he is now ready for a successor .
Since 1998 , the UK-born Ian Brackenbury has been paid $ 10,400 a year for “ wizardry , ” though he started calling himself a wizard soon after settled down in New Zealand in the 1970s , CNN reported Saturday .
At one point , his New Zealand driver ’ s license identified him as “ The Wizard , ” though he never legally changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his robe and hat , and regaling any passerby who ’ d listen with his life theories , Brackenbury became an instant icon , even boasting a trip advisory score of four out of five stars , prompting the Christchurch City Council to put him on the payroll .
“ Every day the world gets more serious , so fun is the most powerful thing in the world right now , ” Brackenbury said recently , reflecting how his job is not about casting spells , but about having fun .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who teaches guitar and fronts a psychadelic funk band — has already been spotted around town at Brackenbury ’ s side , similarly dressed in pointy hat and robes , as befitting a sorcerer ’ s apprentice .
According to the Christchurch City Council , Brakenbury ’ s official duties include promoting local events and tourism and greeting and showing dignitaries around , CNN reported .
Brackenbury was invited to accept the position through a letter from the then-Prime Minister , Mike Moore , begging him to become the first-ever Wizard .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area of spells , blessings , curses , and other supernatural matters that are beyond the competence of mere Prime Ministers , ” Moore wrote .
“ I ’ ve been the most popular man in Christchurch since then , and the most hated man by the bureaucrats , ” he says .

For decades, Christchurch, New Zealand, has employed a paid, official wizard — but at age 87, current black-robed and pointy-hatted office-holder says he is now ready for a successor.
Since 1998, the UK-born Ian Brackenbury has been paid $10,400 a year for “wizardry,” though he started calling himself a wizard soon after settled down in New Zealand in the 1970s, CNN reported Saturday.
At one point, his New Zealand driver’s license identified him as “The Wizard,” though he never legally changed his name.
Strolling the town streets in his robe and hat, and regaling any passerby who’d listen with his life theories, Brackenbury became an instant icon, even boasting a trip advisory score of four out of five stars, prompting the Christchurch City Council to put him on the payroll.
“Every day the world gets more serious, so fun is the most powerful thing in the world right now,” Brackenbury said recently, reflecting how his job is not about casting spells, but about having fun.
His likely successor – Ari Freeman, 39, who teaches guitar and fronts a psychadelic funk band — has already been spotted around town at Brackenbury’s side, similarly dressed in pointy hat and robes, as befitting a sorcerer’s apprentice.
According to the Christchurch City Council, Brakenbury’s official duties include promoting local events and tourism and greeting and showing dignitaries around, CNN reported.
Brackenbury was invited to accept the position through a letter from the then-Prime Minister, Mike Moore, begging him to become the first-ever Wizard.
“No doubt there will be implications in the area of spells, blessings, curses, and other supernatural matters that are beyond the competence of mere Prime Ministers,” Moore wrote.
“I’ve been the most popular man in Christchurch since then, and the most hated man by the bureaucrats,” he says.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Giants working to help on voter issues

Giants working to help on voter issues

The Giants , in an effort to help create real change instead of merely talking about it , are partnering @ @ @ @ @ voter education and registration .
During the 2020 season , Giants players and coaches will @ @ @ @ @ to Election Day on Nov. 3 .
The goal is to educate , engage and @ @ @ @ @ , so that the Giants community understands the importance of voting .
RISE is a @ @ @ @ @ empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination , champion social justice and improve race @ @ @ @ @ this summer , RISE will conduct a voter registration session for the team with RISE @ @ @ @ @ voter registration and education initiative to mobilize athletes to vote .
RISE to Vote held @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 , featuring guest speaker Martin Luther King III , and in 2017 moderated @ @ @ @ @ with the team and Sen. Corey Booker ( D-N.J. ) .

The Giants, in an effort to help create real change instead of merely talking about it, are partnering with RISE to help with voter education and registration.
During the 2020 season, Giants players and coaches will work with RISE leading up to Election Day on Nov. 3. The goal is to educate, engage and empower, through civic engagement, so that the Giants community understands the importance of voting.
RISE is a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.
During training camp this summer, RISE will conduct a voter registration session for the team with RISE to Vote, a nonpartisan voter registration and education initiative to mobilize athletes to vote. RISE to Vote held a session with the Giants in 2018, featuring guest speaker Martin Luther King III, and in 2017 moderated a conversation about race relations with the team and Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.).


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Tiger Woods backs up on moving day at PGA Championship

SAN FRANCISCO — The PGA of America probably couldn ’ t have ...

SAN FRANCISCO — On moving day, Tiger Woods made a move, but it was not in the right direction.
Woods began Saturday’s PGA Championship third round at Harding Park at even-par, eight shots out of the lead. He finished his round — a disappointing 2-over 72, 11 shots behind third-round leader Dustin Johnson.
At one point, Woods was 4-over for the tournament and going in the wrong direction. He managed only two birdies in his round and they came on Nos. 16 and 18. Too little too late. His round was sabotaged by a string of bogeys on Nos. 8, 11, 12 and 13 — the most difficult stretch of the course.
“Happy the way I finished,’’ Woods said. “I made some putts on the last five holes, but that’s about it. It was just a fight all day, and unfortunately just didn’t get anything going. I was frustrated that I didn’t get anything going early. I wish I would have made the putts I did at the end, at the beginning.’’
Justin Thomas began his third round playing like the No. 1-ranked player in the world he is, looking like he was about the vault himself into contention. That hope, however, faded.
Thomas, who made the cut on the number Friday at 1-over, birdied five of the first seven holes — No. 2 and then 4 through 7 — and suddenly was 4-under for the tournament, four shots out of the lead.
But he bogeyed Nos. 8 and 9 to halt his momentum. He got one back with a birdie on 10, but he bogeyed 16 and 18 to turn what could have been a magical round into a mediocre 68 to stand 1-under for the week.
“I’m pissed off, that’s really the best way to describe it,’’ Thomas said. “I let a really good round go, and really had a great opportunity to put myself in a good position going into [Sunday]. I just didn’t capitalize on the back nine. I knew being where I was that I needed to post a good round today to have a chance.’’
The bogey on 16, which is the shortest par-4 on the course, was particularly maddening for Thomas.
“The tee shot on 16 was really bad,’’ Thomas said. “That was deflating just because that felt like it took a birdie opportunity away. I felt like going into that hole 4-under for the round, I was trying to get two of those last three. I felt like I would have been in great position going into [Sunday] and did the exact opposite. So, that sucked.’’
Thomas was paired on Saturday with his friend Jordan Spieth, who is a PGA Championship victory away from completing a career Grand Slam. But Spieth struggled, shooting 76 and was in last place at 7-over when he completed his round.
“I know he’s going to be fine,’’ Thomas said. “I’m not just saying it because he’s one of my best friends. All of us go through little spurts. It’s just for him, this has just been a tough one. All it takes sometimes is one week and all your confidence gets back.’’
Thomas applauded Spieth’s birdie on No. 18 at the end of a tough day, saying, “He didn’t give up. He didn’t quit at all today. He didn’t play well. Whenever he felt like he hit a good drive, he mis-gauged the wind or just didn’t hit a good shot. He said walking off 18, ‘I’m sorry, man. I just didn’t really give you any momentum.’ That’s a good friend trying to take the blame.’’


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Mets’ Robert Gsellman comes up big in first appearance of season

Saturday night brought more of what is becoming the usual ...

Robert Gsellman immediately got tested in a high-leverage situation and emerged a bullpen hero for the Mets on Saturday.
In his first appearance since Aug. 11 of last season, the right-hander stifled the Marlins in the seventh inning — striking out two of the three batters he faced — playing a key role in the Mets’ 8-4 victory at Citi Field.
“His stuff was sharp and you could see the movement from the side, it was just nasty,” manager Luis Rojas said. “Some weird swings against him, whether it was the slider or the sinker. The sinker looked [nasty], like it was sinking at the very last moment at a high velocity.”
Gsellman’s dominance came after Jeurys Familia had walked three batters in the sixth, allowing the Marlins to score twice and pull within 5-4. Seth Lugo and Justin Wilson each pitched a scoreless inning behind Gsellman, who missed summer camp with strained triceps. He was on the injured list for the final six weeks of last season with a strained lat.
The new normal for the Mets is J.D. Davis at third base and Jeff McNeil in left field.
With McNeil in the lineup for a second straight night after missing two games in Washington with an intercostal strain, Rojas stuck with a script he crafted earlier in the week and says he plans to largely maintain that direction.
McNeil, who began the season at third base but struggled defensively, appears destined to play left field.
“We are going to lean a little bit more toward this, what we had in the last few days,” Rojas said before Saturday’s win. “J.D. has shown really good athleticism at third, obviously his arm is always going to play there and his throws have been money, and [McNeil] played good left field for us last year and right field. We are just going to maintain it as that right now.”
Rojas was asked about the Marlins’ fast start to the season, despite replacing about half the roster following a COVID-19 outbreak in the opening week.
“They always play hard — last year they played hard every game, and that is one of the thing that stands out for that team,” Rojas said. “We call it, almost ‘reckless.’ They play hard. They have athletes and they take advantage of the athletes that they have and they are going to be doing that. It’s a very good, athletic young team.”
Rojas cited the impact veteran catcher Francisco Cervelli has on the organization’s young pitchers.
Pete Alonso started at DH for a second straight night with Dominic Smith at first base. Rojas said he wanted to keep Alonso off his feet to give him something of an extended break.
Marcus Stroman threw about 80 pitches in a simulated game Thursday in Brooklyn, according to Rojas, and has shown improved mobility as he rehabs from a torn left calf. The right-hander is scheduled to throw another simulated game in the coming days before he is re-evaluated.
Brad Brach has thrown back-to-back days in simulated games, but is still building up, according to Rojas.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Pregnant woman is one of six injured in Philadelphia shooting

Six people were injured in a shooting in Philadelphia on Saturday night — including a pregnant woman whose unborn baby @ @ @ @ @ were three women , ages 59 , 24 and 18m , and three teen males @ @ @ @ @ others 18 , ABC in Philadelphia reported .
All six were in stable condition , @ @ @ @ @ There were no arrests and no weapons recovered in the shooting , which happened at @ @ @ @ @ near the Philadelphia Zoo .
“ These acts of lawlessness have no place in our @ @ @ @ @ steadfast in that we will hold accountable those individuals who seek to cause harm in @ @ @ @ @ Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a statement .

Six people were injured in a shooting in Philadelphia on Saturday night — including a pregnant woman whose unborn baby was unharmed.
The victims were three women, ages 59, 24 and 18m, and three teen males, one 17 and the others 18, ABC in Philadelphia reported.
All six were in stable condition, police told the station.
There were no arrests and no weapons recovered in the shooting, which happened at 38th and Poplar Street, near the Philadelphia Zoo.
“These acts of lawlessness have no place in our communities, and I remain steadfast in that we will hold accountable those individuals who seek to cause harm in our city,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a statement.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Where fantasy owners can go for their best tight end bargains

Hooray all !
Welcome to the 2020 fantasy football season !
Hopefully ... .

It’s August. which means welcome to draft month in fantasy football. An early look indicates running backs are at a serious premium, and both the wide receiver and quarterback positions are incredibly deep.
But the industry is split regarding the depth at tight end. Though many still consider it a throwaway outside of the top five, waiting on the position in your draft may not be so bad after all.
Drafting the top five — Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Mark Andrews, Zach Ertz and Darren Waller — routinely will cost you an early draft pick. You have to make the decision to sacrifice at either running back or wide receiver to land one of them. With the depth we are seeing among receivers, it isn’t the worst decision you could make. But a deeper look into the position gives promise throughout your draft.
Though some people will overdraft Tyler Higbee because of his 2019 performance or Rob Gronkowski because of his name, the middle tier of the position is flush with talent and targets. Austin Hooper takes his wide-body to Cleveland which keeps him viable, but those targets vacated in Atlanta go to Hayden Hurst, who is now primed for a breakout campaign. And if you understand the Chargers are playing copycat with the Ravens offensive scheme this season, you may consider Hunter Henry who could be 2020’s Mark Andrews.
Further down, Mike Gesicki remains a strong option in Miami, especially if he continues to line up in the slot. If you’re looking for completely underrated, check out Titans’ Jonnu Smith, as he could end up the second-most targeted player in that offense. And don’t sleep on Eric Ebron, He could be just as deadly a red-zone target in Pittsburgh as he was in Indianapolis.
This position is deeper than you think. Your patience could be your best move.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at Fantasy-Alarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.
Guide to Insanity
Post Fantasy Madman Drew Loftis ranks the top targets for this season’s drafts. This week: tight ends and defense/special teams.
Tight ends
1. Travis Kelce, KC
2. George Kittle, SF
3. Darren Waller, LV
4. Mark Andrews, Bal
5. Zach Ertz, Phi
6. Evan Engram, NYG
7. Austin Hooper, Cle
8. Hayden Hurst, Atl
9. Hunter Henry, LAC
10. Tyler Higbee, LAR
11. Mike Gesicki, Mia
12. Jared Cook, NO
13. Blake Jarwin, Dal
14. Rob Gronkowski, TB
15. Noah Fant, Den
16. Dallas Goedart, Phi
17. T.J. Hockenson, Det
18. Jack Doyle, Ind
19. Eric Ebron, Pit
20. Jonnu Smith, Ten
Defense/Special teams
1. 49ers, SF
2. Bills, Buf
3. Steelers, Pit
3. Vikings, Min
4. Ravens, Bal
5. Rams, LAR
6. Seahawks, Sea
7. Buccaneers, TB
8. Bears, Chi
9. Patriots, NE
10. Saints, NO
11. Broncos, Den
12. Chargers, LAC
13. Eagles, Phi
14. Chiefs, KC
15. Titans, Ten


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Chechen ruler pays thousands to kids who write poems that praise his family

Flattery will get you everywhere in Chechnya — where the country ’ s brutal , dictatorial ruler is paying thousands of dollars to kids who write poems praising his family , the BBC reports .
Ruler Ramzan Kadyrov this June awarded thousands of dollars in prizes to ten finalists who best articulated their adoration for his mother , Ayman , according to the outlet .
The first-place winner took home $ 6,700 , while the runner-up scored $ 4,000 and third place won $ 2,700 .
The next seven finalists took home smartphones .
The controversial leader of the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week for his mother ’ s 67th birthday .
He does spread the wealth — in 2017 , he challenged the country ’ s creative writers with a poetry competition praising his own ruler , Vladimir Putin .
Kadyrov is known for his virulent homophobia , human rights abuses and absurd , violent statements .
The Trump administration sanctioned him this summer for what it described as “ gross human rights abuses ” involving torture and extrajudicial killings that date back more than a decade .
In 2017 , he condoned families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings and during an HBO interview he claimed there were no gay men in Chechnya .
A year prior , he was widely mocked after asking his followers on Instagram to help find his missing cat .

Flattery will get you everywhere in Chechnya — where the country’s brutal, dictatorial ruler is paying thousands of dollars to kids who write poems praising his family, the BBC reports.
Ruler Ramzan Kadyrov this June awarded thousands of dollars in prizes to ten finalists who best articulated their adoration for his mother, Ayman, according to the outlet.
The first-place winner took home $6,700, while the runner-up scored $4,000 and third place won $2,700. The next seven finalists took home smartphones.
The controversial leader of the Russian republic is now hosting a similar contest this week for his mother’s 67th birthday.
He does spread the wealth — in 2017, he challenged the country’s creative writers with a poetry competition praising his own ruler, Vladimir Putin.
Kadyrov is known for his virulent homophobia, human rights abuses and absurd, violent statements.
The Trump administration sanctioned him this summer for what it described as “gross human rights abuses” involving torture and extrajudicial killings that date back more than a decade.
In 2017, he condoned families who murdered gay relatives in so-called honor killings and during an HBO interview he claimed there were no gay men in Chechnya.
A year prior, he was widely mocked after asking his followers on Instagram to help find his missing cat.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Homecoming king and queen marry on football field 28 years after being crowned

As college reunions go , this one is especially sweet .
New Jersey ’ s Gregory Dabice and Janet Fenner tied the knot last weekend on the same football field where they were crowned Montclair State University ’ s homecoming king and queen back in 1992 , the Bergen Record reported .
The two had known each other through Greek life on campus but were never romantically involved — and had lived separate lives until a fortuitous reconnection , via a dating app , a full two dozen years later .
“ He was the player fraternity boy and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 48 , who told the paper she was a straight-A student-athlete who was involved in sorority government .
Meanwhile , Dabice , now 50 , was a party animal back in college at Phi Alpha Psi , where he reportedly was the perennial champion of the fraternity ’ s “ kill-a-keg ” party , according to the Record .
“ I wasn ’ t right for her in any way , ” he told the Record .
“ She was too good for me and I knew it.
” After their brief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went their separate ways , each starting families with children .
They both wound up divorced in the same year , 2016 .
Soon , their paths crossed on the dating app Bumble .
Fenner swiped right on Dabice ’ s profile not even recognizing her one-time “ king ” underneath his facial hair .
“ I was stunned in so many ways , ” he said .
“ She looked the same .
I hadn ’ t even thought of her in years and there she was .
It was unreal.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in front of their children .
A procession of extended family drove up with signs on their vehicles spelling out “ Janet will you marry me yes or no ?
” according to the paper .
MSU was reportedly fully on-board with hosting a socially distant wedding on the field and worked out all the planning to make it happen .
“ There was instant trust and warmth , ” Dabice said of seeing Fenner again .
“ We just slipped right into the conversation as if we were sitting in the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to end .
”

As college reunions go, this one is especially sweet.
New Jersey’s Gregory Dabice and Janet Fenner tied the knot last weekend on the same football field where they were crowned Montclair State University’s homecoming king and queen back in 1992, the Bergen Record reported.
The two had known each other through Greek life on campus but were never romantically involved — and had lived separate lives until a fortuitous reconnection, via a dating app, a full two dozen years later.
“He was the player fraternity boy and I was the goody-goody,” recalled Fenner, 48, who told the paper she was a straight-A student-athlete who was involved in sorority government.
Meanwhile, Dabice, now 50, was a party animal back in college at Phi Alpha Psi, where he reportedly was the perennial champion of the fraternity’s “kill-a-keg” party, according to the Record.
“I wasn’t right for her in any way,” he told the Record. “She was too good for me and I knew it.”
After their brief reign as king and queen, they went their separate ways, each starting families with children. They both wound up divorced in the same year, 2016.
Soon, their paths crossed on the dating app Bumble.
Fenner swiped right on Dabice’s profile not even recognizing her one-time “king” underneath his facial hair.
“I was stunned in so many ways,” he said. “She looked the same. I hadn’t even thought of her in years and there she was. It was unreal.”
He proposed to Fenner on April 5 in front of their children. A procession of extended family drove up with signs on their vehicles spelling out “Janet will you marry me yes or no?” according to the paper.
MSU was reportedly fully on-board with hosting a socially distant wedding on the field and worked out all the planning to make it happen.
“There was instant trust and warmth,” Dabice said of seeing Fenner again. “We just slipped right into the conversation as if we were sitting in the school cafeteria. I didn’t want it to end.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Collin Morikawa is young, poised and in PGA Championship hunt

SAN FRANCISCO — For some people, life happens fast.
Collin Morikawa’s life has been happening so fast you need a police radar gun to measure its speed.
Other than Bryson DeChambeau, no one in golf has had a more eventful two months since the PGA Tour’s restart from the coronavirus pandemic pause than the 23-year-old Morikawa, who’s not much more than a year removed from carrying books to class at nearby Cal-Berkeley and carrying his own bag in college golf tournaments.
Consider Morikawa’s past two months: He lost a tournament he should have won, won a tournament he should have lost and now, entering Sunday’s PGA Championship final round at Harding Park, he’s two shots out of Dustin Johnson’s 9-under-par lead while trying to win his first major championship.
“The past two months have felt pretty fast,’’ Morikawa said Saturday after shooting 65, tying the low round of the day, to position himself beautifully for Sunday. “Over these two months, I’ve had some highs and I’ve had some lows. It’s all been a learning experience. I’ve looked back at everything and just kind of use that for [Sunday].
“Everything feels good, so why not come out [Sunday] hot out of the gates and keep that going?’’
Why not?
Whatever happens on Sunday — whether Morikawa wins his first major just a year into his PGA Tour career or whether someone beats him — this young man is not going anywhere.
He has the game to sustain.
And, as important as that, he has the mind and the demeanor for long-term success in a game that breaks wills as often as Tiger Woods used to break par back in the day.
Morikawa, in his short time on tour, has shown himself to be pretty unflappable, owning the perspective of a 33-year-old, not a 23-year-old.
He missed a 7-foot putt on the 72nd hole that would have given him the lead — and likely the victory — at the Charles Schwab Challenge in June at Colonial and then, in a playoff several minutes later, he rimmed out a 3-foot putt to lose to Daniel Berger.
Moments like those can derail players — for weeks, months, even careers.
A month later, Morikawa overcame Justin Thomas — owner of 13 PGA Tour wins, including a major and currently the No. 1-ranked player in the world — in a playoff at the Workday Charity Open at Muirfield, keeping the playoff alive by draining a 25-foot putt after Thomas appeared to have won the tournament with a 50-foot birdie bomb seconds before.
Now he’s in position to win his first career major championship.
“He played the kind of round today that I woke up thinking I’d like to play,’’ said Adam Scott, who was Morikawa’s playing partner Saturday and who played a practice round with him earlier in the week. “It was really incredibly solid. He was in complete control, really, of all parts of his game. He never was in a lot of trouble.
“He played major championship kind of golf today. It’s easy to say he’s got all the credentials, but he’s kind of proving it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes on [Sunday] and shoots another 65.’’
Evidence of Morikawa’s uncanny poise and maturity for his age lie in this statistic: He began his career by making the cut in the first 22 tournaments in which he’s played, second only to Woods’ 25.
“I like his demeanor on the golf course a lot,’’ Scott said. “I could see it in the practice round [and he] kind of confirmed to me today. It’s Saturday of a major, and he was in that same kind of demeanor out there. Nothing was really going to faze him.
“He played a beautiful round of golf today. There was no weakness. He seems to have it under control. If he doesn’t mess around with it and he keeps everything under control, he’s going to do a lot of good in his career.’’
Morikawa put an explanation point on his round with a fiery finish Saturday.
“I feel very comfortable,’’ he said. “Finishing like that with three birdies in the last four holes shows that I’ll be ready for [Sunday] morning, and hopefully the rest of the day.’’
Can you imagine?
Morikawa, already a two-time PGA Tour winner, capturing his first major in his backyard at age 23?
“It’s crazy to think back that it was only a year ago or a year and a few months that I was out here across the bridge in college,’’ Morikawa said. “But I felt ready. I think this is where I belong. I’ve been more comfortable every single day I’m out here.’’
It shows.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Colorado bear opens pickup truck door and swipes picnic bag

While the children and Norman Lott ’ s wife tried to hide , ...

This bear’s a few steps away from passing a driving test.
A startling video shows a black bear standing on its hind legs; opening the passenger door of a pickup truck and making off with a picnic bag it swiped from the back seat.
The deft bruin can be seen sniffing around the car before tossing aside a cooler of drinks and snatching the bag in its mouth.
The impressive display was filmed in Colorado from inside an adjacent building, the Daily Mail reported Saturday.
Bears have become increasingly crafty in finding food, opening doors to cars and homes in search of nourishing morsels.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife fielded more than 5,000 reports of bears rummaging in garbage, homes and cars between April 1 and Dec. 31 of last year.
Bears broke into more than 300 vehicles and 500 homes during that period, according to the agency, which in February produced a five-minute long montage of home footage of bears destroying car interiors and running off with massive garbage bins left outside homes.
The remarkable number of encounters can be attributed to an increasing number of residents moving into bear habitats as well as a scarcity of natural food resources for the animals, which can drive the bears to take risks to stay sated, according to Parks and Wildlife.
“We see reports like this go up and down based on the local food availability,” wrote Jason Clay, the department’s spokesman, earlier this year.
“In years where there are less natural food sources, there seems to be more bears that are bold enough to break into houses and vehicles.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Joe Harris giving Nets’ offense a major boost

By his own admission , Jacque Vaughn isn ’ t the same coach ...

Joe Harris may not be a star, but he’s still got plenty of gravity — enough pull to stretch defenses out of shape, and help the Nets win.
That’s never been more apparent than in this restart.
Harris scored 21 points in Friday’s playoff-clinching win over the Kings. He grabbed four rebounds, handed out four assists and shot 5 of 7 from 3-point range to disrupt Sacramento’s defense.
“Joe is Joe. He’s a 3-point champion,” center Jarrett Allen said. “As long as I’m giving him the ball and he’s shooting and getting my assists up, I’m going to be happy just seeing him shoot. Every time he goes up, I’m thinking it’s going in.
“That’s one of the greatest shooters I’ve ever seen and not only shooting but being able to have the ability to drive the ball. Defenders have to play him honest.”
And that forced honesty has made the Nets more dangerous. They handed out 30 assists against the Kings to just nine turnovers. So far in the restart, they’re second in assist-to-turnover ratio, and third in both assist percentage and assist ratio.
Much of that is due to the floor spacing of Harris, set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
“You see 30 assists, so that’s something we were disappointed in last game. This is not our first time with 30, we’ll continue to try to reach that number,” interim coach Jacque Vaughn said. “But overall, Joe makes the defense react.
“So whether it’s him having pace to shoot a pull-up 3 or his cutting ability, the defense has to honor him. You saw Jarrett got a lob after a timeout play, because the defense was sucked in to Joe. His ability to really draw the defense is huge for us.”
Playing four of the Nets’ five restart games in Orlando, Harris has shot 61.2 percent overall, and a white-hot 56 percent from behind the arc. He’s earned a raise from this year’s $7.6 million salary, but keeping him should be a Nets priority.
“Joe is drawing so much attention,” Tyler Johnson said.
Jarrett Allen (left ankle sprain), Harris (left groin contusion) and Caris LeVert (rest) are all doubtful for Sunday’s game vs. the Clippers.
Harris extended his streak of games with a 3-pointer made to 58, the second-longest streak in team history behind D’Angelo Russell’s 61-game run last season, and the second-longest streak in the league this season next to Buddy Hield.
The five 3-pointers Friday against Sacramento left Harris with 166 for the season. He passed Joe Johnson into fifth place in team single-season history, with Deron Williams up next at 169. Brooklyn has three games left: the Clippers on Sunday, Orlando on Tuesday and wrapping up with Portland.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Trump says payroll tax cuts could be permanent, won’t impact Social Security

President Trump said Sunday his plan to order payroll tax cuts via an executive order could be permanent and will have “ no impact ” on Social Security benefits .
Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One , Trump said his sweeping proposal to boost the economy through the cuts amid the coronavirus crisis , would in no way affect the longstanding federal program .
“ This will have no impact on Social Security , ” Trump said , adding the program would be replenished by the General Fund .
“ We protect Social Security.
” Trump — who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax cut to boost worker wages after widespread salary cuts — added the cuts “ may be permanent , ” but didn ’ t elaborate .
Asked about cuts to the US Postal Service — as the country gears up for a presidential election that may rely heavily on mail voting — Trump said the new postmaster general simply wants to improve it .
“ [ The Post office ] has been losing massive amounts of money , ” Trump said .
He added that postmaster general , Louis DeJoy , is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it successful.
” DeJoy , a North Carolina businessman who gave millions to the Trump campaign , eliminated overtime for thousands of workers and made other budget cuts after he took over in June .
On Sunday , Trump also said he had “ a very important call this morning with Lebanon ” to discuss giving “ substantial ” aide to the country , after its capital city of Beirut suffered a devastating explosion Tuesday .
“ A lot of things were worked out… a lot of countries are going to be @ @ @ @ @ @

President Trump said Sunday his plan to order payroll tax cuts via an executive order could be permanent and will have “no impact” on Social Security benefits.
Speaking to reporters before boarding Marine One, Trump said his sweeping proposal to boost the economy through the cuts amid the coronavirus crisis would in no way affect the longstanding federal program.
“This will have no impact on Social Security,” Trump said, adding the program would be replenished by the General Fund. “We protect Social Security.”
Trump — who said last week he may order the payroll tax cut to boost worker wages after widespread salary cuts — added the cuts “may be permanent,” but didn’t elaborate.
Asked about cuts to the US Postal Service — as the country gears up for a presidential election that may rely heavily on mail voting — Trump said the new postmaster general simply wants to improve it.
“[The post office] has been losing massive amounts of money,” Trump said. He added that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is a good man who “wants to make it successful.”
DeJoy, a North Carolina businessman who gave millions to the Trump campaign, eliminated overtime for thousands of workers and made other budget cuts after he took over in June.
On Sunday, Trump also said he had “a very important call this morning with Lebanon” to discuss giving “substantial” aid to the country after its capital city, Beirut, suffered a devastating explosion Tuesday.
“A lot of things were worked out … a lot of countries are going to be helping,” he said.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Jacob deGrom ‘hot spot’ shows how quickly it can all change for Mets: Sherman

Andres Gimenez ’ s raw talent has been on display for two ...

This season is doubling as a torture chamber for pitchers. So when a contingent of Mets, including trainer Brian Chicklo, huddled around Jacob deGrom in the second inning, you could imagine Citi Field would have been as quiet with a full house as the cardboard cutout fans were.
DeGrom literally showed Chicklo the middle finger on his right hand. The ace would say after a 4-2 Mets victory over the Marlins that he had more of a “hot spot” than a blister and would declare himself available every fifth day.
But you see how precarious this season is for the Mets — a season already more than one-quarter over if MLB is fortunate enough to complete 60 games. Early Sunday the Mets had placed Michael Wacha (shoulder inflammation) on the injured list where he joined Noah Syndergaard, who will not be coming back in 2020, and Marcus Stroman, still yet to pitch this year.
That rotation depth the Mets believed they had in spring is now like Ron Swoboda or Mookie Wilson, part of their history. It could choke you up, except if there is no crying in baseball, that is more true than ever this year and never more so than when the Marlins — or at least the guys in the Marlins uniform — are in the other dugout.
Due to a COVID-19 outbreak on their team, the Marlins did not play for eight days, have already used 45 players in 2020 (two more than the Cardinals used in 162 games last year) and currently have 17 players out with either the virus or undisclosed reasons (probably the virus). They nevertheless showed up 6-1 to Citi Field, won Friday night and pestered the Mets to the final out Saturday and Sunday.
Maybe they will have magic in this shortened, bizarre season. Or perhaps the two straight losses are the beginning of us blinking and when we next stare at the standings the Marlins will be 10-15. After all, Miami already has had nine players make their major league debuts this season and come Friday begin a stretch of 20 games in 19 days without a day off.
Of course, we have no idea who the Mets are either. They are 7-9 and if anything were to happen to deGrom, we might as well start thinking who Steve Cohen, Josh Harris or Alex Rodriguez will be spending their money on this offseason.
But there also is this: as this season has progressed, the Mets’ annually underrated player development group has provided David Peterson to help stabilize the rotation and Andres Gimenez to be an energizer bunny. Gimenez stuffs a lot of good plays into a game like Santa filling sacks with gifts. He ignited all three run-scoring innings for the Mets with his bat and legs, and used hustle and savvy to chase down a ball booted by Pete Alonso in the sixth inning.
“He does a lot on the field that helps your team win,” manager Luis Rojas said.
Also, don’t look now but the Mets bullpen is morphing from depressing to deep. The addition of Jared Hughes, the return of Robert Gsellman and a positive run for Edwin Diaz has enlarged Rojas’ circle of trust. It is needed with Stroman throwing at least one more simulated game, Wacha out and a bullpen game looming Wednesday.
It merely accentuates the importance of deGrom as stabilizer and stud. Which is why after a familiar high-octane, precise first inning, the second inning was so fraught. DeGrom walked the first two batters on eight pitches, just the second time in his career he had issued consecutive four-pitch walks. He went to a full count on the next batter, with Eddy Alvarez lashing an infield single stopped by a J.D. Davis dive to prevent a run.
Either the wildness or the constant check of the hand brought out Rojas, Chicklo and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. DeGrom convinced the trio he could persevere. But the inning cost him 32 pitches. He went down the tunnel afterward “to get my arm moving.” The ball was not coming out of his hand well. He was trying to recapture his best. But never really got there.
Jesus Aguilar hit a two-run homer in the fifth and the normally unflappable deGrom kicked a garbage can in the dugout before retreating to the clubhouse done after five innings and 98 pitches.
“It was frustrating,” deGrom acknowledged.
Frustration is fine. Fractures or sprains or strains must be limited. No season will be more about attrition than this shortest one ever as limited training and a virus attack rosters. Who can stay the healthiest?


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Jets eager to see enormous Mekhi Becton at traning camp

Scott Satterfield took over as Louisville ’ s head football coach in ...

The Jets will put helmets on this week and then progress to fully padded practices next week. There is not much debate about who the top attraction will be for the Jets players to see in action.
Everyone from the coaches to the players is eager to see rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton on the field. He has turned heads already around the Jets because of his massive size. At 6-foot-7 and 370 pounds, Becton is a large man among a group of large men.
“We’re excited to get him on the field, get him going against our defensive guys,” Jets coach Adam Gase said last week. “There’s going to be a learning curve there because once he starts seeing how these guys will do their stunts and the way that the front changes and the calls. With him playing tackle, there are less moving parts than there would be if he was playing guard or center as a rookie. A high percentage of the time he’s blocking the guy that’s in front of him. I can’t wait to see how training camp goes. I know going against Jordan [Jenkins] is going to be a great thing for him because you’re going against a veteran guy that really is going to see what he’s all about. That’s going to be very good for us and it will be great for him.”
The Jets drafted Becton with the No. 11 overall pick out of Louisville, hoping he could protect Sam Darnold’s blindside for the next decade. He is going to get a crash course in life in the NFL during this abbreviated training camp, so the Jets know to expect growing pains. Still, there is excitement over the potential of their mountain of a rookie.
“I call that rookie the Great Wall of Green,” guard Alex Lewis said. “He’s massive — 6-8, 360 — and he looks great. I’m excited to see what he can do on the field when we put pads on. I know he’s coming in and he’s quiet, as a rookie should be, but he’s a sponge, he’s soaking up everything we’re telling him. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
Becton is the cornerstone of the Jets’ rebuilt offensive line. While the others are all on short-term deals, the Jets hope Becton can buck their trend of recent first-round picks and have staying power with the Jets. The last time the team drafted an offensive lineman in the first round was 2006 when it selected both tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold. Those two were the foundation of the offensive line for a decade. The Jets can only hope for a similar run by Becton.
Even though Becton is huge, the Jets have been impressed with the shape he reported in. Photos of him posted on the Jets website make him look lean — if that is possible at his size.
“I want to say lean, but the guy is a big man,” Gase said. “He did a great job of sticking with the program that he was doing in the offseason all through the summer. At the end of the day, you’re looking at a 370-pound man. He is one of the biggest players I’ve ever been around. The way that he’s built, he’s always going to look big. He is lean but he’s a big man.”
Lewis is going to be playing next to Becton on the left side of the line. The veteran said he will do his best to help Becton develop.
“As a rookie, the game’s very fast,” Lewis said. “Everybody goes through that adjustment, the speed of the game, the speed of players. My job, I don’t want to carry an extra burden, I just want to help him along when it comes to the mental aspect. You don’t want him thinking too much and playing slow. If I could be out there dialing in all the calls so it’s not a whole lot of thinking and he can just play football, that’s what I’m going to do.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Collin Morikawa, 23, stunningly wins PGA Championship

SAN FRANCISCO — All week , the talk at this PGA Championship was about the big hitters and how much of an advantage they ’ d have at TPC Harding Park , which players were calling “ a big-boy golf course.
’ ’ All week , 23-year-old Collin Morikawa , slight of build when compared to the brutes like Brooks Koepka , Bryson DeChambeau , Dustin Johnson , Tony Finau and others , quietly kept going about his business — plodding along , dissecting the golf course , doing preciously little wrong .
And then , on a final-round Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with potential winners than freeway traffic on a Friday rush hour in the Los Angeles area where Morikawa was raised , Morikawa emerged as the winner .
He closed with a brilliant 6-under 64 , tying the lowest score posted all week , and finished on 13-under for the tournament .
A little more than a year ago , Morikawa was still in college at Cal-Berkeley .
Now he ’ s a major champion and a three-time winner on the PGA Tour , two of them having come since June .
What a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From the start of Sunday ’ s final round , this always was going to be a shootout .
Picking the winner would be an exercise in futility , a true crapshoot .
It was simply a matter of which compelling storyline was going to emerge victorious after 72 holes at what proved to be a city public course game for a major championship in TPC Harding Park .
In the end , it was Morikawa who punched the gas on the back nine and separated himself .
He snapped a seven-way tie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he chipped in for birdie on No .
14 to get to 11-under and take the lead alone .
And that was just the beginning .
Paul Casey , the 43-year-old Englishman playing in his 64th career major championship and seeking his first victory , caught Morikawa at 11-under with a birdie on the short par-4 16th hole .
Morikawa , playing in the group behind Casey , calmly answered minutes later by driving the 16th green and leaving himself seven feet for eagle .
Morikawa made the putt , true the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a two-shot lead to the 17th tee .
“ What a shot he hit on 16 , ’ ’ Casey said .
“ Awesome show .
There ’ s nothing you can do other than tip your cap to that.
’ ’ Morikawa would never look back from there .
In his wake , Morikawa left broken hearts and wills strewn all over Harding Park , beginning with Dustin Johnson , who took his fourth 54-hole lead into a major championship Sunday carrying not only 0-for-3 baggage but an aggressive bit of trolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the night before .
Johnson , who entered the day at 9-under with a one-shot lead , had taken leads into the final rounds of the 2010 , 2015 and 2018 U.S .
Opens and failed to win any of them ( finishing those T-8 , T-2 and third , respectively ) .
He was trying to avoid becoming the first player ever to go 0-for-4 when holding a 54-hole lead in a major , but did not , and now owns that dubious distinction .
The only players with as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major since 2010 were Jordan Spieth ( 6 ) and Rory McIlroy ( 5 ) .
Spieth converted 3 of 6 while McIlroy converted 4 of 5 .
Koepka , after the third round on Saturday , curiously threw shade at Johnson in several post-round interviews .
First , he said : “ A lot of the guys on the leaderboard , I don ’ t think have won , I guess DJ has only won one.
’ ’ Later , he told Golf Channel : “ DJ has been in this spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t been able to capitalize.
’ ’ If you believe in karma , then you delighted in seeing Koepka , bidding to become the first player in more than 90 years to win three consecutive PGA Championships , struggle to a final-round 74 to finish 3-under for the week .
He faded from contention quickly , with four bogeys on the front nine , making the turn in 39 .
It was a stunning fall from contention for Koepka , who ’ d sounded so cocksure all week , particularly on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counted just three major championship winners with one among the top-12 compared to him and his four majors .
Koepka , in his previous five four majors , had finished no worse than fourth .
Sunday ’ s finish put an end to that streak .
Finau , who ’ s drawn recent scrutiny for his inability to closer out tournaments , having produced a remarkable 30 Top-10 finishes since his long career PGA Tour victory in 2016 , made a game run with a final-round 66 to get to 10-under .
But @ @ @ @ @ @

SAN FRANCISCO — It was a shot Collin Morikawa will never forget.
Nor will anyone who witnessed it — especially those who were most affected by it, beginning with the 23-year-old author of the shot, who won the PGA Championship because of it, and including those whose dreams were vanquished by it.
Morikawa, tied for the lead, seized the moment by driving the green on the 294-yard par-4 16th hole, making the eagle putt to give himself a two-shot lead he would never relinquish.
“Those are shots that you’ve got to take opportunities, and that’s what really separated me,’’ Morikawa said.
“Brilliant shot … nothing I can do except tip my hat,’’ said runner-up Paul Casey, who, playing in the group in front of Morikawa, had just birdied 16 to tie for the lead.
“The shot on 16 looked like it was out of a video game,’’ Cameron Champ, who was paired with the champ, told Morikawa as they walked to the 17th tee.
“The way it came off and the way it bounced right up there, it was awesome,’’ Champ said. “He played a flawless round. I don’t think he made one mistake.’’
Actually, the only mistake Morikawa made all day came in the ceremony after the tournament when he exuberantly hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy and the top of the large silver chalice tumbled to the ground.
In a final round that featured a scintillating, see-sawing leaderboard more congested with contenders than a Friday night freeway during rush hour in LA, where Morikawa was raised, Morikawa broke from the pack.
He closed with a brilliant 6-under 64, tying the lowest score posted by anyone all week, and finished 13-under for the tournament, two shots clear of Dustin Johnson and Casey.
“It’s been a life goal since I was a kid,’’ Morikawa said. “This is what I always wanted to do. I feel very comfortable in this spot. When I woke up today, I was like, ‘This is meant to be. This is where I feel very comfortable. This is where I want to be, and I’m not scared from it.’ ’’
Fourteen months ago, Morikawa was still in college at nearby Cal-Berkeley. Now he’s a major champion and a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, two of them having come since June.
What a stunning and rapid rise to stardom.
“It’s hard to think about what this championship means,’’ he said. “This is what guys go for, especially at the end of the their career, and we’re just starting. It just gives me a little taste of what’s to come.’’
Morikawa snapped a seven-way tie at 10-under on the back nine when he chipped in for birdie on No. 14 to get to 11-under.
“There was a party of us at 10-under and someone was going to separate themselves,’’ Morikawa said.
That was just the beginning.
Casey, the 43-year-old Englishman playing in his 64th career major but still seeking his first victory, caught Morikawa at 11-under with a birdie on the 16th hole.
Morikawa, who revealed that his game plan earlier in the week for 16 was not to hit driver, drove the green, leaving himself seven feet for eagle. He made the putt, true the whole way into the jar, to take a two-shot lead to the 17th tee, and he would never look back.
In his wake, Morikawa left broken hearts and crushed wills strewn all over Harding Park, beginning with Johnson, who took his fourth 54-hole lead into a major championship Sunday carrying not only 0-for-3 baggage, but an aggressive bit of trolling from his supposed friend, Brooks Koepka, the night before.
Johnson, who entered the day at 9-under with a one-shot lead, had taken leads into the final rounds of the 2010, 2015 and 2018 U.S. Opens and failed to win any of them. He dubiously became the first player ever to go 0-for-4 when holding a 54-hole lead in a major and declined to speak to reporters after his round.
Koepka, after the third round on Saturday, curiously threw shade at Johnson, saying, “DJ has been in this spot a lot of times and he hasn’t been able to capitalize.’’
If you believe in karma, then you delighted in seeing Koepka, bidding to become the first player in more than 90 years to win three consecutive PGA Championships, struggle to a final-round 74 to finish 3-under for the week to finish tied for 29th.
It was a stunning fall from contention for Koepka, who’d sounded so cocksure all week.
“It’s my first bad round in a while in a major,’’ Koepka said. “Hey, wasn’t meant to be. Three in a row, you’re not really supposed to do two in a row looking at history.’’


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Barr: US facing new form of ‘urban guerrilla warfare’ driven by left’s ‘lust for power’

The United States is grappling with a new form of “ urban guerrilla warfare ” driven by the left ’ s “ lust for power , ” Attorney General William Barr told “ Life , Liberty & Levin ” on Sunday .
Discussing the ongoing Black Lives Matter riots rippling through several US cities , Barr told host Mark Levin that the organization — which has been characterized by the media as a fed-up activist group — is comprised of “ Bolsheviks ” with a focus on on “ some form of socialism , communism.
” “ They are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of socialism , communism .
They ’ re essentially Bolsheviks .
Their tactics are fascistic , ” he said .
Barr compared the nationwide riots organized by Antifa to “ a new form of urban guerrilla warfare.
” “ The way the guerrilla…hides out among the people as a fish in the ocean…what they do is they are essentially shielding themselves or shrouding themselves in First Amendment activity , ” he explained .
“ They go into the demonstrations , which are exercising First Amendment activity , and they insinuate themselves in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s where they swim .
And what they do is they hijack these demonstrations and they and they provoke violence.
” The group ’ s radical leanings are reflective of the Democratic Party ’ s far-left shift in recent years , Barr said .
“ The left has “ pulled away from the umbrella of classical liberal values that have undergirded ” America and made a “ secular religion ” out of seeking “ complete political victory , ” he argued .
It began the day Trump won in 2016 , “ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been the resistance , ” Barr told Levin .
“ They were trying to impeach him from Day One .
They have done everything they can..and I think it ’ s because of the desire for power that the left wants.
” Power has become a “ secular religion of the left , ” Barr asserted .
“ They want to run people ’ s lives so they can design utopia for all of us…and it ’ s the lust for power .
And they weren ’ t expecting Trump ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr later condemned the media for “ projecting a narrative ” and selling a “ lie ” to the American people in their watered-down coverage of the civil unrest .
“ You don ’ t see it on the networks .
You don ’ t see it on the other cable stations .
And yet you hear about these peaceful demonstrators .
So it ’ s you know , it ’ s just it ’ s a lie .
The American people are being told a lie by the media , ” Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely monolithic , ” he concluded , “ and it ’ s wedded in many ways to the Democratic Party .
”

The United States is grappling with a new form of “urban guerrilla warfare” driven by the left’s “lust for power,” Attorney General William Barr told “Life, Liberty & Levin” on Sunday.
Discussing the ongoing Black Lives Matter riots rippling through several US cities, Barr told host Mark Levin that the organization — which has been characterized by the media as a fed-up activist group — is comprised of “Bolsheviks” with a focus on on “some form of socialism, communism.”
“They are a revolutionary group that is interested in some form of socialism, communism. They’re essentially Bolsheviks. Their tactics are fascistic,” he said.
Barr compared the nationwide riots organized by Antifa to “a new form of urban guerrilla warfare.”
“The way the guerrilla…hides out among the people as a fish in the ocean…what they do is they are essentially shielding themselves or shrouding themselves in First Amendment activity,” he explained. “They go into the demonstrations, which are exercising First Amendment activity, and they insinuate themselves in there to shield themselves. That’s where they swim. And what they do is they hijack these demonstrations and they and they provoke violence.”
The group’s radical leanings are reflective of the Democratic Party’s far-left shift in recent years, Barr said. “The left has “pulled away from the umbrella of classical liberal values that have undergirded” America and made a “secular religion” out of seeking “complete political victory,” he argued.
It began the day Trump won in 2016, “and from that point forward, there’s been the resistance,” Barr told Levin. “They were trying to impeach him from Day One. They have done everything they can..and I think it’s because of the desire for power that the left wants.”
Power has become a “secular religion of the left,” Barr asserted. “They want to run people’s lives so they can design utopia for all of us…and it’s the lust for power. And they weren’t expecting Trump’s victory. And it outrages them.”
Barr later condemned the media for “projecting a narrative” and selling a “lie” to the American people in their watered-down coverage of the civil unrest.
“You don’t see it on the networks. You don’t see it on the other cable stations. And yet you hear about these peaceful demonstrators. So it’s you know, it’s just it’s a lie. The American people are being told a lie by the media,” Barr said.
The media has become “extremely monolithic,” he concluded, “and it’s wedded in many ways to the Democratic Party.”
Fox News’ Charles Creitz contributed to this report.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Yankees, Rays trade barbs as rivalry intensifies: ‘A little childish’

These guys need a boost .
“ I think the off day ...

Who needs a Yankees-Red Sox rivalry — currently deader than the VCR — when you have a burgeoning Yankees-Rays rivalry?
Even if Sunday saw a turndown of Saturday’s heat that saw the ejection of Yankees manager Aaron Boone and his hitting coach Marcus Thames, tranquility hardly reigned. Instead, chirping, a staredown and post-game trash talk ran a thread through the Yankees’ 4-3 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field that gave Tampa Bay the series victory, three games out of four.
“It’s pretty frustrating to have them think that you’re not able to chirp and say anything back to them. They’ve been doing it the whole time and for us to not be able to do it back, it’s a little childish,” Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said after the game. “You’ve got to wear it. If it’s going to happen, just wear it.”
Lowe hit the game-tying, seventh-inning, solo homer off Yankees starting pitcher James Paxton that prompted Boone to lift Paxton. As Paxton walked off the mound toward the visitors’ dugout on the third-base side, he stared daggers across the way at his opponents.
“I didn’t hear anything specific. I just heard some jawing back and forth,” Paxton said. “Whatever. It’s competition. The guys are fired up. It is what it is.”
“Intense series, quiet stadiums, there’s back and forth all the time,” an uncharacteristically terse Boone said.
“They’ve been chirping the whole weekend and we chirped at them once and they got upset about it,” Lowe said. “That was really the whole thing of it was, they’ve kind of been loud about everything and we did it back and they didn’t like it.”
In the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader, Boone got the heave-ho from home-plate umpire Vic Carapazza as he defended Thames, who in turn was defending his hitters after the Rays threw up and in three times to Yankees batters. After the game, Aaron Judge said that the tension was “more just about the history,” referring to 2018 and 2019 incidents involving Rays pitcher Andrew Kittredge (who pitched on Saturday, too) and former Yankees Austin Romine and CC Sabathia, among others.
“The Sabathia stuff, all that stuff, that happened last year. You’d think they would’ve moved past it as we have,” Lowe said. ”I think it’s really just the competitive nature between us two teams. … The both of us are going to be fighting for that top spot in the AL East and those competitive juices start flowing and people have some emotions.”
When asked about the Yankees’ complaints from Saturday before the game, Rays manager Kevin Cash said, “The only thing we’re mindful of is, we’re trying to compete and go out and win. I think it’s best to leave it at that. Everything that we’re doing, we’re trying to get a really good lineup out. I can respect their thoughts and I think it’s just, we’ve got to continue playing games and finding ways to win.”
— with Howie Kussoy


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Islanders draw Capitals as Barry Trotz sees ‘great challenge’

Anthony Beauvillier certainly looked like he was having fun during ...

Barry Trotz helped the Capitals win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history just three seasons ago. Now, he’ll have to get through his former team to have any chance of securing the Islanders’ fifth.
With a 2-1 win over the Bruins on Sunday afternoon, the Capitals secured the third seed in the 16-team Stanley Cup playoffs and will take on the sixth-seeded Islanders in the first round beginning Wednesday at 3 p.m.
“It’ll be a great challenge, because I know the people over there,” Trotz said on a Zoom call following the Islanders’ practice Sunday.
And does he know them well. There are 12 current Capitals players who were on the team that Trotz coached to the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals against the Golden Knights, a series Washington won in five games.
However, Trotz resigned less than two weeks after the championship parade because he and Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan couldn’t agree on a contract extension. Walking away made Trotz one of four NHL coaches in the past 40 years to not return to their team after winning the Cup.
“I think it’ll be a hell of a series,” said Trotz, who coached in Washington for four seasons before joining the Islanders in June 2018. “Both teams are well equipped to go at each other.”
Trotz acknowledged just how familiar he is with the Capitals’ arsenal, adding that being their former coach gives him “a little insight into some of their tendencies.” He mentioned that he plans to prepare his team for the Capitals’ power play and “top notch” special teams game.
“That group has a lot of pedigree, they have a lot of star power and they’ve won championships,” he said. “They’re well equipped in a lot of areas.”
Washington finished second in the Metropolitan division in Trotz’s first season with the club in 2014-15 before taking first in each of the three seasons after that. He compiled a regular season record of 205-89-34 and, along with the Cup, collected two Presidents’ Trophies and was the 2016 Jack Adams Award winner — given to the coach who contributes the most to his team’s success.
But Trotz noted that there are some new faces on the 2020 Capitals, including veteran Ilya Kovalchuk, who the Islanders were said to be interested in heading into this year’s trade deadline.
The Islanders went 2-2 against the Capitals during the 2019-20 regular season, with both teams scoring 14 total goals on one another. The Capitals finished on top of the Metro this year with 90 points, just one point shy of the Flyers, who defeated Washington 3-1 this past Thursday en route to going undefeated in round-robin play.
Trotz recalled his emotional first time back at Capital One Arena last year and the touching tribute that was played for him and his two assistants, Lane Lambert and Mitch Korn, who followed Trotz to Long Island.
But there was no noticeable soft spot in Trotz while he discussed his former team, it sounded more like determination.
“The biggest challenge is to play them even and play them hard,” Trotz said. “And they’ll do the same because I know a lot about that group.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--2-year-old Australian boy was among victims killed in Beirut blast

One of the victims killed by the massive Beirut explosion was a 2-year-old Australian boy whose family is “ heartbroken ” by the tragedy , according to a report .
Little Isaac Oehlers died when a port building in Lebanon ’ s capital blew up Tuesday evening , killing at least 160 people , according to ABC Australia .
“ We are heartbroken by the sudden and tragic loss of our beautiful boy following the disaster in Beirut , ” his family said in a statement , according to the station .
“ Isaac was two and will be deeply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added , “ The family would like to thank everyone who has offered comfort and support to us and would like to express our condolences to everyone in Lebanon who is suffering from this devastating tragedy.
” It wasn ’ t immediately clear where the toddler was during the earth-shaking blast , how he was killed or what led to his death .
The bright-eyed boy is believed to be the first confirmed Australian victim to have died in the explosion , which was fueled by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate stored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 5,000 people , caused billions of dollars in damage , and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless , according to Beirut city officials .
At least 160 people were reported dead Sunday , and 21 people were still missing .

One of the victims killed by the massive Beirut explosion was a 2-year-old Australian boy whose family is “heartbroken” by the tragedy, according to a report.
Little Isaac Oehlers died when a port building in Lebanon’s capital blew up Tuesday evening, killing at least 160 people, according to ABC Australia.
“We are heartbroken by the sudden and tragic loss of our beautiful boy following the disaster in Beirut,” his family said in a statement, according to the station. “Isaac was two and will be deeply missed by family and friends.”
It added, “The family would like to thank everyone who has offered comfort and support to us and would like to express our condolences to everyone in Lebanon who is suffering from this devastating tragedy.”
It wasn’t immediately clear where the toddler was during the earth-shaking blast, how he was killed or what led to his death.
The bright-eyed boy is believed to be the first confirmed Australian victim to have died in the explosion, which was fueled by thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse.
The disaster injured more than 5,000 people, caused billions of dollars in damage, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, according to Beirut city officials.
At least 160 people were reported dead Sunday, and 21 people were still missing.


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Fence erected at Chicago beach after mayor slams ‘reckless behavior’

Fencing was erected outside a Chicago beach to prevent people from accessing the closed area after the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ for their “ reckless behavior.
” The barrier was seen Sunday outside of Montrose Beach @ @ @ @ @ other beaches , playgrounds and pools east of Lake Shore Drive , remains closed over @ @ @ @ @ reported .
On Saturday , Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called out a gathering of mainly @ @ @ @ @ close proximity in a grassy area adjacent to Montrose Beach .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lightfoot tweeted .
“ This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will @ @ @ @ @ the parks and lakefront .
Don ’ t make us take steps backwards.
” The @ @ @ @ @ out the scene herself and said the situation was “ being addressed .
”

Fencing was erected outside a Chicago beach to prevent people from accessing the closed area after the city’s mayor blasted non-socially distant beachgoers for their “reckless behavior.”
The barrier was seen Sunday outside of Montrose Beach, which, along with other beaches, playgrounds and pools east of Lake Shore Drive, remains closed over coronavirus concerns, NBC Chicago reported.
On Saturday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called out a gathering of mainly maskless men who congregated in close proximity in a grassy area adjacent to Montrose Beach.
“It’s called a pandemic, people,” Lightfoot tweeted. “This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don’t make us take steps backwards.”
The mayor added that she checked out the scene herself and said the situation was “being addressed.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Hamptons restaurateurs feel burned after Chainsmokers concert fiasco

It ’ s been two weeks since a botched charity concert featuring The Chainsmokers drew the wrath of Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , and struggling Southampton restaurateurs say they ’ re still paying the price .
Eatery owners in the posh beach town say they ’ ve been fielding visits from an array of state and local officials as often as twice a day since July 27 , when Cuomo blasted the wealthy Hamptonites who dropped between $ 1,250 and $ 25,000 to watch the concert from their cars only to form a mosh pit — and then post the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurateurs insist they understand and even support the scrutiny , they also worry that it ’ s making the already challenging job of running a business during COVID-19 even harder .
“ The Chainsmokers concert was a black mark against the Hamptons .
Responsible restaurant owners are really pissed off , ” said restaurant consultant Don Evans , who says local officials pulled the plug on a permit for another drive-in event shortly after the Chainsmokers concert earlier this month .
For Evans , it has meant scaling back — yet again — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ festival , Dan ’ s Taste of Summer .
The event , which normally draws thousands of people across multiple days , had already been whittled down to just 500 tickets across five different events .
But with the Chainsmokers scandal still wafting through the air , Evans has decided to reduce the number of tickets per event to just 50 out of an abundance of caution , he told Side Dish .
“ We are still working out the new details , which will be announced soon , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Southampton , says he ’ s been forced to reduce his outdoor footprint from around 50 tables to 12 thanks to blowback over the concert organized by luxury services provider In The Know Experiences and production company Invisible Noise .
Although Erdem ’ s celebrity hotspot only has room for around 12 socially distant tables outside , he had been placing additional tables outside of his neighbors ’ shops with their permission since outdoor dining was OK ’ d , he said .
Inspectors have now cracked down on that .
Erdem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and DJs he ’ d hired to turn Southampton ’ s Main Street into “ Mykonos in the Hamptons ” out of fear that too many people who weren ’ t even customers would get too close to each other to watch the performances .
“ F–k the Chainsmokers .
They ruined it for everyone , ” Erdem said .
“ I went from 50 tables to 12 .
They are killing us .
The concert was such a stupid idea .
You can ’ t let people have drinks and then expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were going crazy .
They ruined the whole town .
Now state inspectors are here every day , even two times a day , all because of The Chainsmokers.
” Ian Duke , who co-owns the Union Steak & Sushi along with Union Burger Bar and the Southampton Social Club , says he ’ s been fielding regular visits from health inspectors , state liquor authority officials , state troops and local police .
Sometimes they come in separately and sometimes together .
The inspections can last from a few minutes to half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been visited by inspectors more than anyone else , and we pass with flying colors every time .
I think we genuinely get it , ” Duke said .
“ Ultimately , New York is the safest state in the country and it is that way for a reason .
The safety steps give us a chance to be here next year .
We are compliant because it will help all of us live longer .
It would be great if everyone followed the rules and we ’ d get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the case .
”

It’s been two weeks since a botched charity concert featuring The Chainsmokers drew the wrath of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and struggling Southampton restaurateurs say they’re still paying the price.
Eatery owners in the posh beach town say they’ve been fielding visits from an array of state and local officials as often as twice a day since July 27, when Cuomo blasted the wealthy Hamptonites who dropped between $1,250 and $25,000 to watch the concert from their cars only to form a mosh pit — and then post the evidence on social media.
And while restaurateurs insist they understand and even support the scrutiny, they also worry that it’s making the already challenging job of running a business during COVID-19 even harder.
“The Chainsmokers concert was a black mark against the Hamptons. Responsible restaurant owners are really pissed off,” said restaurant consultant Don Evans, who says local officials pulled the plug on a permit for another drive-in event shortly after the Chainsmokers concert earlier this month.
For Evans, it has meant scaling back — yet again — on his annual Southampton’s food festival, Dan’s Taste of Summer. The event, which normally draws thousands of people across multiple days, had already been whittled down to just 500 tickets across five different events.
But with the Chainsmokers scandal still wafting through the air, Evans has decided to reduce the number of tickets per event to just 50 out of an abundance of caution, he told Side Dish. “We are still working out the new details, which will be announced soon,” he said.
Zach Erdem of 75 Main, also in Southampton, says he’s been forced to reduce his outdoor footprint from around 50 tables to 12 thanks to blowback over the concert organized by luxury services provider In The Know Experiences and production company Invisible Noise.
Although Erdem’s celebrity hotspot only has room for around 12 socially distant tables outside, he had been placing additional tables outside of his neighbors’ shops with their permission since outdoor dining was OK’d, he said. Inspectors have now cracked down on that.
Erdem also pulled the plug on belly dancers and DJs he’d hired to turn Southampton’s Main Street into “Mykonos in the Hamptons” out of fear that too many people who weren’t even customers would get too close to each other to watch the performances.
“F–k the Chainsmokers. They ruined it for everyone,” Erdem said. “I went from 50 tables to 12. They are killing us. The concert was such a stupid idea. You can’t let people have drinks and then expect them not to get together. People were going crazy. They ruined the whole town. Now state inspectors are here every day, even two times a day, all because of The Chainsmokers.”
Ian Duke, who co-owns the Union Steak & Sushi along with Union Burger Bar and the Southampton Social Club, says he’s been fielding regular visits from health inspectors, state liquor authority officials, state troops and local police. Sometimes they come in separately and sometimes together. The inspections can last from a few minutes to half an hour.
“I think I have been visited by inspectors more than anyone else, and we pass with flying colors every time. I think we genuinely get it,” Duke said. “Ultimately, New York is the safest state in the country and it is that way for a reason. The safety steps give us a chance to be here next year. We are compliant because it will help all of us live longer. It would be great if everyone followed the rules and we’d get rid of this thing, but that is obviously not the case.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Goya CEO Robert Unanue saved by his sisters from getting canned

While the boss of Goya Foods defended his controversial support ...

All CEOs should have sisters like these.
Goya Foods’ President Trump-loving CEO nearly lost his job last month as members of the family-owned business sought to inject new blood into the company through a partial sale to a private equity firm.
As The Post reported on July 19, Robert Unanue beat back efforts to sell a 25 percent stake in Goya to BDT Capital Partners in a deal that would have forced him to give up the CEO role after 18 months.
The Post has since learned, however, that Bob, 66, got his way only after his three sisters — Carol Freeborn, Mary Ellen Yorio and Lisa Unanue — threatened to never again speak to certain family members if they voted for the sale.
“Bob’s sisters threatened to cut off relations if they said yes to the sale,” said one source close to the family.
“They view him as a protector,” a second family source said of the sisters’ feelings for Bob.
The alleged drama started on July 8 — the day before Bob’s controversial White House appearance — when 53 percent of the Spanish-food empire’s shares were voted in favor of the sale to BDT during a preliminary nonbinding vote, sources said.
On board with the sale were Bob’s two younger brothers: Peter Unanue, a Goya executive vice president, and Tom Unanue, who no longer works there, sources said.
The brothers voted for the sale against Bob’s wishes because they felt their big bro had broken his promise to add three nonfamily directors to Goya’s nine-member board, sources said.
The board OK’d the board expansion plan — a pet project of Peter’s — in 2018 as a way to check Bob’s power and ensure he moved the canned-beans maker toward an initial public offering or other big payday for shareholders. But Bob rejected each and every director candidate presented to him, sources said.
That led to speculation that Bob may be trying to railroad an IPO so he can turn over the reins to his son Robert Jr. — and sent his brothers into the arms of Andy Unanue, a cousin who has been on the outs with Bob for years, sources said.
In 2004, Bob and another cousin, Francisco Unanue Jr., ousted Andy from his role as chief operating officer and heir apparent in a coup that also saw Bob replace Andy’s dad, Joseph A. Unanue, as Goya’s CEO after 28 years. Andy spearheaded the BDT deal in hopes that it would help Goya expand to Mexico and in the US beyond the East Coast, sources said.
Peter, in an emailed statement, said he was “troubled by the false statements that have been anonymously attributed to me and to others, as well as by the improper spreading of inaccurate and misleading claims that were purportedly made during confidential conversations among board members.”
The day after the preliminary vote on July 9, Bob caused a firestorm by praising Trump on the White House lawn — leading to calls for a boycott from people who say Trump has used the White House to vilify immigrants from Latin America. The boycott led to a backlash from people who deemed it suppression of speech, kicking off a “buycott.”
The national controversy was echoed among the 15 members of the Goya clan who control 98 percent of the company’s stock — all offspring of the four sons of Goya’s founders, Carolina and Don Prudencio Unanue, sources said. Some of the family supported Bob and even agreed with him, while others accused him of intentionally causing a public spectacle in hopes that BDT would walk away from the deal, sources told The Post.
Yet the controversy doesn’t appear to have impacted the final vote on a sale, which ended up swinging in Bob’s favor.
What did was Bob — with help from his sisters — managing to persuade Peter and Tom to jump to their side and nix the sale, sources said.
Bob did this by giving his brothers a written pledge to add two independent directors to the nine-member board, while the sisters and their families stoked their sense of familial duty, sources said. One email, for example, warned Peter against pushing Bob to his grave by voting for the deal, a source said.
“A lot of us are not happy with what Bob did,” a family source told The Post of the White House appearance. “The entire family doesn’t back him.”
With Peter and Bob on their side, only 44 percent of Goya’s shares were cast for the sale in a final vote on July 15, sources said.
Bob, Tom and their sisters declined to comment, but one family source suggested the sisters fought for Bob because he became the de facto head of the family in 1976 when their father, Anthony, and grandfather, who founded Goya, both died.
“I’m never surprised by what the family does,” a Goya source said. “There’s a lot of pressure on the family.”


newyorkpost--2020-08-09--Curtis Sliwa, Guardian Angels tour Upper West Side amid homeless woes

At one point during the height of the coronavirus pandemic , ...

Curtis Sliwa and the Guardian Angels safety patrol toured Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Sunday amid growing concerns about hundreds of homeless recently moved into neighborhood hotels by the city.
Sliwa — the group’s founder, a 2021 mayoral contender and an Upper West Sider — took to the streets with about eight members of the red-bereted Angels, meeting with locals and observing conditions.
While many of the new arrivals are just down-on-their-luck New Yorkers, the group also includes recovering addicts and convicted pedophiles.
Since the city shuttled hundreds of vagrants from packed congregate shelters into three neighborhood hotels in a bid to stem the coronavirus, area residents have reported scenes of brazen drug-dealing and use, broad-daylight masturbation and public urination.
But Sliwa, citing a security guard at one of the three hotels, said Sunday that the scene inside the makeshift shelters is every bit as troubling.
“Once they are in their room, other than if it’s an extreme emergency, you don’t have access to them. So they are shooting up in the rooms, nickel and dime bags of heroin, very cheap, $5, $10,” Sliwa relayed of the Hotel Belleclaire. “At times they can smell the K2, they can smell the crack being smoked in the rooms.
“Once you are in your room, it’s your own little island.”
While it’s up to the city to police the halls of the hotels, Sliwa, 66, has vowed to flood the streets with some 60 Angels to restore order and a sense of public safety.
He was greeted warmly by Upper West Side residents as he distributed fliers with information on how to contact and join the Angels.