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Team USA’s Olympic dominance and depth evident in the sports that matter to them

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PARIS — After narrowly defeating Serbia in a surprising semifinal on Thursday, U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr was asked how the United States pulled a rabbit out of a hat and overcame a 17-point deficit to win 95-91.

“I think for 40 minutes or so our talent wore them down,” Kerr said. “They were brilliant, but we always feel we have the deepest team, we have the best players. Other countries, they all have great players now, but we have the best players.”

That’s the U.S. Olympic team in a nutshell: excellent resources.

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That was the theme of those games. In the sports they care about — in the pool, on the court, on the track — the United States still has a deep bench of talent.

The Americans defeated France in the gold-medal game Saturday, 98-87, to win their fifth straight Olympic gold medal. The American women, much more dominant than the men, are favorites to win an eighth Olympic gold medal.

The women’s gymnastics team, led by sensational Simone Biles, showed its dominance, winning gold in the team final and then winning a combined seven medals in the individual events. But greater than per week after the competition ended, Team USA suffered an apparent significant setback when the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed the appeal that had catapulted Jordan Chiles from fifth place to bronze. In a unprecedented decision, the CAS restored the starting order, with Romanian Ana Barbosu taking bronze, her teammate Sabrina Maneca-Voinea in fourth and Chiles fifth.

In the pool, the United States won eight gold medals, its lowest total since the 1988 Seoul Games. Of the seven relays, the United States won three, while its men won only one individual medal. The women won 4 individual events, the same as Australia.

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The remainder of the world remains to be trying to catch up.

The biggest display of muscle got here on the track, where the United States put in its best effort since the 1984 Olympics, winning 34 track and field medals, 14 of which were gold. The women’s 4 × 400 relay team finished with eight consecutive gold medals in the event. Relay runners Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas won their second and third gold medals, respectively. Thomas became the second U.S. runner since Allyson Felix to win three gold medals at the Olympics.

From left to right: Team USA players Kevin Durant, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis and Stephen Curry rejoice during the men’s basketball semifinal game against Serbia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Bercy Arena on August 8 in Paris.

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

The biggest muscular spectacle took place on the track, where the United States had won 19 medals through Friday, including six gold.

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McLaughlin-Levrone, the most dominant athlete on the track, broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles. She said an enormous a part of her inspiration was the presence of friends and family in the stadium. For a lot of the Olympians, who competed in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where fans weren’t allowed, the Games were fueled by the energy provided by the fans.

McLaughlin-Levrone said her 2021 Olympic performance was greatly impacted by the absence of an audience due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“It’s special to know that your people are here,” she said. “Just having those moments to look back on when you’re done running, having those pictures with your family and friends, no matter the outcome, that’s one of the things I’ve missed. Rio (2016), I didn’t win a medal, and in Tokyo there was no one. Those were my first real Olympics.”

But she also warned that despite her dominance, the world is gaining.

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“The event is getting faster and faster,” she said. “That depth always keeps me on my toes, makes me want to find ways to improve and get better at the race. I love being able to improve.”

On Wednesday, Thomas won gold in the 200 meters, beating 100-meter champion Julien Alfred of St. Lucia. Thomas’ teammate Brittany Brown finished third, winning bronze. On Friday, the women’s 4×100 relay team, led by lightning-fast Sha’Carri Richardson, won its twelfth gold medal and third in 4 Olympics.

As heavy rain fell, Team USA endured a failed rally between Twanisha Terry and Thomas, but Richardson made up for it by chasing down two runners and ending together with her signature kick. The kick had come up short two days earlier when Richardson lost the gold medal match to Alfred.

Richardson closed operations on Friday.

“I just trusted Gabby and knew she was going to give me a hard time no matter what,” Richardson said later.

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Team USA hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone celebrates winning the gold medal and setting a brand new world record after competing in the women’s 400-meter hurdles final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Stade de France on August 8 in Paris.

Julian Finney/Getty Images

The U.S. men weren’t so lucky. For the fifth straight Olympics, the men botched their transition and were disqualified. Canada took gold, South Africa silver, and Great Britain bronze.

The men’s performance was so woeful that it drew criticism from Olympic sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis, who won nine gold medals in the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties. Lewis slammed Team USA coaches on X, formerly generally known as Twitter.

Missing from the relay was sprinter Noah Lyles, who won gold in an electrifying 100-meter dash on Monday and bronze in the 200-meter dash on Thursday; he later revealed he had tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.

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“It’s time to blow up this system” Lewis wrote“This continues to be completely unacceptable. It’s clear that EVERYONE at @usatf is more interested in relationships than winning. No athlete should get on the track and run another relay until this program is changed from top to bottom.”

However, there have been also positive results.

Rai Benjamin won his first Olympic gold medal Friday in the 400-meter hurdles. Grant Holloway won gold in the 110-meter hurdles. Cole Hocker pulled off a surprise in the 1,500 meters in an Olympic-record time and Quincy Hall made a spectacular comeback to win gold in the 400 meters. Hall became the first American to win gold in the 400 meters since 2008.

And on Friday, Quincy Wilson, the 16-year-old phenom, became the youngest athlete to run for Team USA when he ran the first leg of the men’s 4×400 relay in the first heat. Wilson didn’t run well, and the U.S. simply had to hustle to qualify for the final. But the experience was invaluable to the young sprinter, and perhaps an indication of the depth of the U.S. bench. With Wilson in the stands Saturday, Team USA won the gold medal in the 4×400 relay.

But the world remains to be playing catch-up, and the query is whether or not the depth we took without any consideration is being undermined. At the end of Saturday’s competition, the United States was one behind China in gold medals, with 37, but led the overall standings with 121 medals, while China had 89. Through Saturday, the Americans had won 24 gold medals, to China’s 17; the Chinese had 17 gold medals, to the United States’ 12.

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We can all the time nitpick. The United States has never won a medal in badminton, table tennis, handball, trampoline, or rhythmic gymnastics. On the other hand, in cycling, the U.S. women’s pursuit team won its first gold medal in 12 years. Team USA won its first medal in artistic swimming in 20 years and won its first men’s Olympic weightlifting medal in 40 years.

The lesson learned from these Olympics is that in the sports that matter to the United States — swimming, basketball, gymnastics and track and field — dominance continues.

The query is, for a way long.

William C. Rhoden is a columnist at Andscape and the writer of Forty Million Dollar Slaves: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Black Athlete. He directs Rhoden Fellows, a training program for aspiring journalists at HBCUs.

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“I did not know that this is a message” – Ryan Clark replies to critics “tries to call him because of his bare daughter

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The Rgiii Saga versus Ryan Clark continues, and in this case it seems that Michelle Obama’s infamous approach “When he fails, you go at a high level”, is clearly outside the window.

After Clark called, like Robert Griffin III (often known as Rgia), dating and the history of marriage played a role in his recent high -profile comments about Angel Reese, some social media users studied Clark’s dating history. This investigation meant that users noticed that Clark’s eldest daughter, Jaden, is Biracial.

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But did it create the moment of “Gotch” they were counting on?

In response to critics, Clark began to social media to cope with the growing comments against his daughter’s racial background.

“I didn’t know it was a message, but since other people want to talk about her … This is my first, Jaden. My God, she is beautiful. I all fell in love her, I saw her for the first time, and since then I loved her every day,” he wrote on x AND Instagram Sharing photos of his and his daughter. “Maybe the news in the light of this week is that it is biracial. So it is a great part of my God, which was given experience, and the sum of these experiences makes me who I am!”

Now Attacks on each Clark And Rgia’s personal life is due to the Rgia’s tweet, which shared under the next foul Angel Reese and Caitlain Clark through the WNBA season opener.

By adding much more fuel to the hearth, the sports commentator shared “evidence” to support his hot shot reese YouTube movie, In the actual fact that his wife was awkward within the background when he spent almost 22 minutes discrediting Reese.

“One thing we know about Rgia is that he does not talk in his home about what black women must endure in this country … About what young black women and athletes, such as Angel Reese, were dealing with,” said Clark in response to Rgia’s comment about Reese on his podcast. “So now, if you are Rgia, when the last time, at your home, you talked about what (Angel Reese) is dealing with? You were not able to do it because in both marriages you were married to white women.”

What Rgia answered, saying that a colleague sports commentator and a former colleague from the NFL team “traveled next to” the road, transforming a comment, which he thinks was rooted in basketball into a personal problem. While sport commentators are still fighting for Foul Wnba, Reese has gone from the situation.

“Basketball plays. Refs is right. Go.” she said Press conferenceAfter playing.
“My thoughts are exactly what the players say. Let’s do nothing that is not and go on”, Echo commentator Espn Ari Chambers appeared in SportsCenter.

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Why America still makes the black fathers of sports villains

(Tagstotransate) rgiii

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Atlanta Dream and Brittney Griner they gain as a new band, despite L -Against Indiana Fever

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Atlanta Dream, Catlin Clark


Under the roof of Atlanta State Farm Arena Brittney Griner played her first game at the home from Atlanta Dream. Together together with his teammates, Brionna Jones, Te-Hina Paopao, Taylor Thierry and Shatori Walker-Kimbrough.

In the winning match in Indiana with fever, Griner welcomed welcoming shouts like a goat. Former Phoenix Mercury star, tenderly called BG, appeared “rejuvenated” in the course of the shooting before the sport and after fidgeting with son Bash. This He adapts to how he feels About Atlanta.

“I definitely have new energy in Atlanta. I feel that I am at home,” said Griner

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BG began to paint with a newly decorated court in the sector, emboldened with new news: “Give respect to women’s sports”. Atlanta Dream has established cooperation with Cashapp and Playa Society to desert this campaign, which is able to cause the right view of ladies’s work within the sports industry, if there are still doubts.

From the season of WNBA it began on May 16, the Atlanta Dream team puts this work, beating Catlin Clark and Indiana Fever 91-90 on May 20 within the away match.

Brionna Jones from Dream presented her versatile influence in her last episode of two matches against a competing team. In the primary victory, she recorded 19 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, theft and block, shooting 6-Z 12 from the sphere. While the dreams fell 81-76 on May 22, Jones managed 15 points and 11 rebounds, together with three assists and theft, doing this with zero speed in the sport and adding two three points. Jones spoke in regards to the performance of the band:

“We went through the first three games (i) we become a bit more convenient,” said Jones. “I think there is still a place to grow … play with each other, the way the crime flows. We really have to get to know each other and know where we want our places and what he wants.”

Świeżak from Atlanta Te-Hina Paopao, whom her teammates praised as a great advantage, assured an offensive spark with 11 points. Her shooting into the circuit was particularly effective because 3 out of 6 attempts from outside the arch flowed. In addition to Paopao scoring, she also threw out three assists and caught two collections for her team. She finished the night with two speed.

Brittney Griner had a relatively quiet night offensively, scoring five points in shooting 2 out of 6, but operated on boards with seven rebounds and one block. Turning was a problem for her, committing three in 24 minutes of the sport.

On the opposite hand, Rhyne Howard provided a significant offensive effort, leading a dream with 24 points in shooting from the sphere, including 3-Z 7 outside the arch. In 37 minutes of motion, she filled the statistics sheet with five rebounds, two assists, two theft and one block, transforming five of her six free throw attempts. Despite its versatile production, the dream still suffered a defeat of 81-76 with Indiana fever.

After the match, Howard released Jones’s sentiment in regards to the performance of sleep when he was asked what she could learn in the primary few matches of the season, being a new team:

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“I had different players, we have different cards, so the best thing is that we learn a new system together …” – said Howard. “We’re all on the same page at the end of the day.”

(Tagstranslate) WNBA Player

This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives the MVP award and a surprise from Chris Paul

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Oklahoma City-Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just received the NBA award the most respected player when he noticed something suspicious. Next to his wife Hailey, whom he never saw, sitting at thunder matches, a man sitting outside. Before the guard Thunder in Oklahoma City could raise his eyebrows, he realized that he had an unexpected guest: Chris Paul, his former teammate and mentor.

“It was amazing. It surprised me. I had to like a double shot. I was like:” Who is it with my wife? ” -said Gilgeous -Alexander. “I got a bit, but I saw that it was Chris. And I believed,” cool “. “

Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award after winning the title of scoring and bringing Thunder to 68 wins in the league. The day after his announcement, the NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, presented him with the MVP trophy before winning 118-103 Thunder over Minnesota Timberwolves in the match of the 2nd finals of the Western Conference on Thursday evening at Paycom Center. Gilgeous-Alexander and The Thunder will pass a 2: 0 series in match 3 on Saturday in Minneapolis.

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Paul liked to sit down outside, watching his former teammates, Gilgeous-Alexander and NBA All-Defensive First Tame Luguentz Dort, were recognized for his or her size.

“It means everything to be here,” said Paul and Scape. “You see how Lu finally creates his first defensive team. And take this game with (wife of Gilgeous-Alexander), I am happy with him.”

Gilgeous-Alexander joined other team members behind the striker Thunder Chet Holmgren during an interview after the game broadcast in China. After the interview, Gilgeous-Alexander failed under a protective field to hug and kiss his wife before he reached the smiling Paul, who apparently had his old teammate from the team, considering that he didn’t participate in the game.

“You just lied in my face,” said Gilgeous-Alexander with a smile.

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“Who?” Paul said.

Oklahoma City Thunder Watchtower Chris Paul (on the left) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (on the right) talk during training on July 10, 2020 in Orlando, Florida.

Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images

Paul is the future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer with 12-star NBA and is a member of the NBA seventy fifth anniversary team. A 20-year-old NBA veteran who finished May 40 on May 6, said and Scape that he had not yet selected his future. Paul played in all 82 matches in the regular season this season in San Antonio Spurs, but the free agent told in March and Pejzz that he would confer with his wife and two children in the season about whether he should proceed the game.

Paul was also colleagues from the team from Gilgeous-Alexander for one season from Thunder during the NBA season 2019-2020, to which Pandemia Coronavirus affected. In addition to Paweł, it was the first season of Gilgeous-Alexander from Thunder. Los Angeles Clippers was replaced by Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and five sorts of draft in the first round in Thunder on July 10, 2019 for NBA striker All-Star Paul George.

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Paweł enjoyed the mentoring of Gilgeous-Alexander and Dort. In addition to sharing the defense field, it often happened that Gilgeous-Alexander alongside Paweł during the NBA Bubble in Orlando, Florida in 2020. From this one season, Paul became not only a mentor of Gilgeous-Alexander, but a close friend. Gilgeous-Alexander is considered one of the five NBA players in the second season “Start Five” Netflix, and Paul should play a repetitive role due to their relationship.

“He was great, not only as an older brother, a mentor, but he is like a friend,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “There is all the time what you possibly can resist. He was the first guy in my life that I used to be close, who achieved things that I need to realize. And I actually resist him on advice, but not only advice in basketball – business advice, caring for body advice, coping with family after they don’t live with you.

“There are so many things that you deal with as a NBA player, especially his caliber, which go under the radar. His tips were great, not only in matters outside the pitch, not only with all mentoring, simply being there as a friend.”

The love that Paweł has for Gilgeous-Alexander is mutual.

“This is my family.” Especially such a moment. “

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Of all the councils given by Paweł Gilgeous-Alexander, the latter said that Paweł was the most respected teaching him about improving his weight-reduction plan. 26-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander said he was a restaurant junkie that loved to eat at the Cheesecake factory and fast food restaurants. Canada’s guilty pleasure was the pizza slices of domino late at night.

Paweł modified the Gilgeous-Alexander weight-reduction plan for the higher during his stay in the NBA bubble.

“When I was younger, I ate terribly,” said Gilgeous-Alexander Andcape. “He showed me how to take care of your body and eat well.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City shoots in the fourth quarter of Minnesota Timberwolves in the match of the 2nd finals of the Western Conference in Paycom Center on May 22 in Oklahoma City.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

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Paweł said that he saw the potential of Gilgeous-Alexander to the size before joining the thunder.

Gilgeous-Alexander obtained a median of 19 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his first season with Thunder next to Paul. Gilgeous-Alexander won his first of the three NBA ALL-STAR performances in 2023 and took second place behind the center of Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokic in MVP voting in 2024. But this season Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award over JOKIC.

“When he was a debutant, I was really close (sports coach Clippers) Jason Powell, even though I left. And he told me about work ethics (Gilgeous-Alexander),” said Paul.

Paul was in the two finals of the Western conference and played in a single NBA final with Phoenix Suns in 2021. Gilgeous-alexander and Thunder are participating in the first finals of the franchise conference since 2016. Since moving with Seattle in 2008, Grzmot was just once in the NBA finals, and lost to Miami Heat in 2012 in 2012. Have talent to change into the first franchise champion.

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While reality has only six wins from the first NBA title, Gilgeous-Alexander said that “quite easy” to concentrate on the match of the third finals of the Western conference.

“We had a habit throughout the season, focusing on the next game and worrying about what is ahead of us. It is not different in this situation,” said Gilgeous-Alexander. “We are aware of where we are this season. We would hurt ourselves if we directed ourselves from what we got here. And that’s what we are prioritized.”

Paul wouldn’t be surprised if a quote from his precious student and friend. Don’t be surprised if Paul returned to Oklahoma City, supporting his younger brother if he reaches the NBA finals.

“At the end of the day, everything he cares about is winning,” said Paul.

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Marc J. Spears is a senior NBA author for Andcape. Once he was capable of immerse himself at you, but he was unable for years, and his knees still hurt.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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