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Three years ago, then-West Springfield High junior Ginny Thrasher was the 45th-best junior air rifle shooter in the U.S. On Saturday morning, the 19-year-old NCAA national champion stepped into the first medal event of the Rio Games — the women’s 10-meter air rifle finals — and did this: Continue reading Virginia native Ginny Thrasher, 19, shoots her way to first U.S. gold medal in Rio
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Donald Trump complained Friday that Hillary Clinton and her fellow Democrats were rigging this fall’s presidential debates by scheduling them alongside NFL games. That claim was easy to disprove — the debate schedule was determined almost a year ago by a private group made up of both Democrats and Republicans.
On Saturday, Trump doubled down on his grievance. In an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” the GOP presidential hopeful said the NFL voiced its dismay about the conflicting primetime slots in a letter to Trump.
“I’ll tell you what I don’t like,” Trump told George Stephanopoulos. “It’s against two NFL games. I got a letter from the NFL saying, “This is ridiculous.’”
Just one problem with that: The NFL says it never sent him a letter. CNN’s Brian Stelter approached the league about the matter and got this response: Continue reading NFL refutes Trump claim that it sent him a letter bashing debate schedule
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With J.J. Watt already sidelined due to back surgery, the Houston Texans entered training camp this week without their best defensive player. On Saturday, the Texans learned they would also be without their best offensive player.
Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins did not report to the Texans’ camp at the Houston Methodist Training Center on Saturday. The team confirmed Hopkins is holding out as he seeks a new contract. Continue reading Houston Texans’ top target Deandre Hopkins holding out of training camp
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On Friday, WNBA President Lisa Borders defended her decision to fine players for recent protests against violence, saying “we were making every effort to engage our players” during negotiations with the union.
Less than 24 hours later, Borders backtracked.
The WNBA rescinded its fines Saturday, quelling a public outcry that had mounted steadily since Borders issued her punishment Thursday. Continue reading WNBA withdraws penalties for players’ ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests
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The Chicago White Sox’ announcement that Chris Sale was being scratched from Saturday’s start for a “non-physical” clubhouse incident sent shock waves around Major League Baseball. With the MLB trade deadline just a week away, how would this affect one of the league’s most valuable pitchers, one whom the Sox were reportedly looking to deal for a big return? Had a deal been reached? How would teams interested in Sale’s services react to the incident?
More immediately, though, what exactly happened in the clubhouse before Saturday’s game against the Tigers? Was Sale just getting into some heated arguments about his pending trade?
Nah. Apparently he just didn’t dig his outfit.
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High school baseball coaches monitor their pitchers with obsessive diligence. They log every pitch, watching for any dip in mechanics that could prompt a change at the mound.
Next year, they’ll be doing the same for opposing pitchers, too. In an effort to curb mounting arm injuries among youth baseball players, the National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations announced last week that every state will be required to implement pitch-count limits before the start of the 2017 season.
Previously, all but five states limited pitchers to a certain number of innings. Now, each state athletic association will be charged with setting its own specific pitch-count restrictions. Continue reading High school baseball players will be subject to pitch counts after national mandate
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Tragedy struck the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in the early hours of Saturday morning when a rogue snowmobile drove into two dog teams about five miles from Koyukuk on the Yukon River, killing one dog and injuring three others.
While racers Aliy Zirkle and Jeff King will likely never forget the attack, the incident’s perpetrator says he can barely remember it happening at all. That’s because he was, by his own admission, blackout drunk.
On Friday night, native Alaskan Arnold Demoski hopped on his snowmobile, drove home and plopped into his bed after a night of partying with friends. On Saturday afternoon, the 26-year-old was arrested, according to the Alaska Dispatch News.
Continue reading Snowmobiler kills Iditarod dog, injures others, while blackout drunk
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Four days after Peyton Manning announced his retirement, the Denver Broncos have acquired their new quarterback. Or rather, they’ve acquired a quarterback.
The Philadelphia Eagles traded backup quarterback Mark Sanchez to the Broncos on Friday, as first reported by KUSA reporter Mike Klis.
The trade announcement comes one day after Brock Osweiler ended his four years in Denver by signing a four-year, $72 million deal with the Houston Texans. It also comes two days after the Eagles signed former Kansas City Chiefs backup Chase Daniel to a three-year, $21 million deal to back up Sam Bradford, rendering Sanchez a potential roster casualty. Continue reading Broncos acquire Mark Sanchez in trade with Eagles
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It’s over. The Irish king has been dethroned.
Heavy favorite Conor McGregor beat Nate Diaz’s face into an unrecognizable pulp as the first round bled into the second, at some points even smiling and taunting Diaz for the lopsided victory that appeared to be coming.
But with just under a minute remaining in that second round, McGregor went in for a takedown, and his underdog American opponent countered with an improbable takedown of his own.
Diaz, his bloodied, hunched-over body rendering the gruesome scene like something straight out of “Pulp Fiction,” rained punches on the fallen Dublin native and bounced off the floor with a UFC upset few saw coming. The 30-year-old Stockton, Calif., native, a last-minute fill-in for Rafael dos Anjos, injured two weeks ago, was suddenly the toast of MMA. Continue reading UFC 196: Nate Diaz upsets Conor McGregor; Miesha Tate chokes out Holly Holm
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Steph Curry is a ruthless, hyper-coordinated cyborg designed to wreak havoc on NBA teams from long distances. The latest evidence was on full display in Oklahoma City in a 121-118 Warriors win on Saturday night.
That dagger marked a fitting end to arguably the most entertaining game of this NBA season, one in which Curry went absolutely bananas from three-point land, again. The reigning MVP finished with 12 three-pointers, tying the NBA single-game record and breaking his own single-season mark in the process.
Continue reading Steph Curry uncorks game-winner, sets record, crushes Thunder’s soul
Nick Eilerson 