Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 395
August 8, 2024
Olympics TV schedule for Friday, Aug. 9
Here is the Paris Olympics TV schedule for Friday, Aug. 9.
Highlights include men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relays in track and field, women’s basketball semifinals (U.S. vs. Australia 8:30 a.m. on Peacock) and U.S. men’s water polo vs. Serbia (5:30 a.m. on E!).
ARTISTIC SWIMMING12:45 p.m.
E! — Duet: Technical RoutineBASKETBALL3 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Basketball8:30 a.m
Peacock — Women’s Semifinal: U.S. vs. AustraliaNoon
UNIVERSO —Women’s Semifinal: France vs. Belgium3 p.m.
USA — Women’s Semifinal – (encore)5 p.m.
USA — Women’s Semifinal – (encore)BEACH VOLLEYBALLNoon
USA — Women’s Bronze Final1:30 p.m.
NBC — Women’s Gold Final8 p.m.
NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 9)BOXING4:45 a.m.
USA — Boxing, TaekwondoBREAKING7 a.m.
E! — Women’s Qualification11 a.m.
E! — Women’s FinalNoon
UNIVERSO — Baloncesto8 p.m.
NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 9)CANOEING11:35 p.m.
NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 8)4:15 a.m.
E! — Sprint: Canoe, Kayak FinalsCYCLING12:30 a.m.
USA — Women’s Keirin, Men’s Omnium10 a.m.
E! — Men’s Sprint, Women’s MadisonDIVING1 a.m.
E! — Men’s 10m Platform Preliminary11 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — cos PaClavadosFIELD HOCKEY8 a.m.
USA — Women’s Bronze Final6:30 p.m.
USA — Women’s Gold FinalGOLFMidnight
GOLF — Women’s Round 3: Part 14 a.m.
GOLF — Women’s Round 3: Part 2HANDBALL7:30 p.m.
USA — Men’s Semifinal8:30 p.m.
USA — Men’s SemifinalRHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS5 a.m.
E! — Group Qualification9 a.m.
UNIVERSO — Rythmic Gymnastics1 p.m.
NBC — Individual All-Around FinalSOCCER6 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Women’s Bronze Final – Germany vs. SpainUSA — Women’s Bronze Final – Germany vs. Spain9 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — Men’s Gold Final – France vs. SpainUSA — Men’s Gold Final – France vs. SpainSPORT CLIMBING11:35 p.m.
NBC — NBC Late Night (Aug. 8)3:40 a.m.
E! — Men’s Combined: FinalSWIMMING10:30 p.m.
USA — Men’s 10km Open Water5 a.m.
TELEMUNDO — SwimmingTABLE TENNIS9:15 a.m.
E! — Men’s Team: Bronze Final1 p.m.
USA — Men’s Team: Gold FinalTAEKWONDO4:45 a.m.
USA — Boxing, TaekwondoTRACK & FIELD1 a.m.
USA — Heats: Men’s & Women’s 4x400m & more10:30 a.m.
NBC — Finals: Men’s & Women’s 4x100m & more8 p.m.
NBC — Primetime in Paris (Aug. 9)VOLLEYBALL11 a.m.
USA — Men’s Bronze FinalWATER POLO5:30 a.m.
E! — Water Polo & more – U.S. vs. Serbia2 p.m.
E! — Men’s SemifinalWEIGHTLIFTING4:15 a.m.
USA — Men’s 73kg, Women’s 59kg FinalsWRESTLING5:30 a.m.
USA — M 74kg, 125kg, W 62kg Freestyle Eliminations2 p.m.
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After rain delays, Melvin’s ejection, SF Giants clinch series win over Nationals
The stakes were so high for the Giants’ series finale Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C., that manager Bob Melvin couldn’t have intended to get tossed when he started barking at home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater from the third-base dugout after the fifth batter of the game.
Scheurwater’s called strike three on Mark Canha was just that egregious.
It wasn’t just that the 2-2 changeup started high and outside and never came close to the strike zone, or that it came out of the unpredictable left hand of the Nationals’ starter, DJ Herz, who had already missed the zone 18 of his first 31 pitches.
The Giants were primed to strike early and open an important lead with storms looming and the game threatening to be called at any moment. The bases were juiced with one out and a 23-year-old rookie was on the ropes.
They got one run out of the situation — when, get this, Herz walked the next batter, Jerar Encarnacion, on four pitches — but then needed to wait another five hours, through multiple rain delays and maybe even more heart attacks, to eventually clinch their fourth straight series win, 9-5, in 10 innings over the Nationals.
Taylor Rogers was required to record the final three outs after Camilo Doval blew his fifth save of the season in soul-crushing fashion. Handed a hard-fought three-run lead, Doval walked the first two batters he faced and served up a two-out, two-strike home run to Luis Garcia, who went above the strike zone with just enough force to push the 97 mph cutter over the left-field wall, tying the score at 5.
Rather than deflating their flight home, it only pushed back their arrival time back in San Francisco following a successful 5-2 road trip.
The controversial called strike three that got his manager ejected proved to be the only time Canha made an out until extra innings, but the biggest of his four hits no doubt came with two strikes and two outs in the top of the ninth.
Poking a two-strike fastball from closer Kyle Finnegan down the right field line, the Giants’ trade deadline acquisition delivered only their second hit in 12 opportunities with runners in scoring position, clearing the bases after Tyler Fitzgerald lined a single and Heliot Ramos and Michael Conforto each worked their ways back from 0-2 counts to draw back-to-back walks.
Ramos and Conforto’s free passes were the Giants’ sixth and seventh of the game, but they had failed to capitalize on the previous five. They put the leadoff man on base in five innings but broke through for only a single run two times.
Even when Mike Yastrzemski laced a line drive into left-center field gap with two on in the third inning, they plated only one when the ball bounced over the wall and — who else? — Canha was forced to stop at third.
The missed opportunities loomed large as the game remained tied throughout 2 hours and 2 minutes of rain, field maintenance and waiting for a window to play. If either team held a lead after five innings, it could have been called.
But it was tied, so they waited.
By the time the first delay that lasted 50 minutes arrived in the top of the third, Melvin already had plenty of time to settle in to his chair in the manager’s office. He was ejected for the fifth time this season — the 64th of his career — and the second time by Scheurwater, who appeared to have a short leash, tossing Melvin before he even made it out of the dugout.
In part of their exchange picked up by the NBC Sports Bay Area telecast, Melvin can be heard telling Scheurwater, “I couldn’t hear you; I was standing up for my player. You think I could hear you? Come on, that’s (expletive) (expletive), throwing me out of that game. That’s (expletive), throwing me out of that game. Make a decent call. Make a decent call.”
Scheurwater also tossed Melvin and third-base coach Matt Williams from their April 21 game against the Diamondbacks after he mistakenly ruled a swinging strike three a foul tip, allowing Arizona to pad its ninth-inning lead.
Melvin’s ejection meant bench coach Ryan Christenson was tasked with handling the in-game strategy for a contest their club couldn’t afford to lose as they attempt to build momentum and keep pace with their red-hot foes in the National League wild card race.
Winning nine of their past 12 games, the Giants had a chance Thursday to go to sleep with a winning record for the first time since they were 29-28 after the game on May 29. But they pulled only two games closer to playoff position — and gained no ground on the top two wild card spots — as the Padres have gone 8-2 and the Diamondbacks 10-2 over the same stretch.
The win allowed them to claim their fourth straight series — their first against the Nationals since 2022 — and take a 5-2 record on the road trip home to Oracle Park, where they have played much better baseball. Ten of their next 12 games, including a crucial four-game set against the Braves, come in San Francisco, where they have gone 33-23 this season.
Christenson came out with the hook for Kyle Harrison with two outs in the fifth inning after the Nationals tied the score at 2, ensuring the Giants wouldn’t have a chance to claim victory in a weather-condensed affair.
After being tagged for six runs in the Giants’ only loss in Cincinnati, Harrison wasn’t able to complete five innings for his second straight start but limited the damage to a bloop base hit and a sacrifice bunt-sacrifice fly combo.
Harrison’s velocity was down again, with seven more sub-90 mph fastballs, but allowed only three pieces of hard contact and didn’t issue any walks for his first time in six starts, dating back to June 10. He was at only 61 pitches when he was relieved by Sean Hjelle with the first right-handed batter in the Nationals lineup coming to bat for a third time and two outs in the fifth inning.
The last batter Harrison faced, C.J. Abrams, stroked a sacrifice fly that tied the score at 2 and paid dividends on the Nationals’ small-ball strategy. Luis Garcia Jr. started the inning with a single, swiped second base with their third steal of the game and was bunted over to third base by the nine-hole hitter, Jacob Young.
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The Giants visited the two most aggressive teams on the base paths on this road trip and surrendered 11 stolen bases on 12 attempts after throwing out 13 of their previous 20 attempted base stealers dating back to the start of July.
After Erik Miller forced Ryan Walker to get out of his jam in the seventh inning of their win Wednesday, he was thanking Michael Conforto for saving him a day later in the same inning. The second pitch out of Miller’s hand was sent by Ildemaro Vargas on a trajectory that looked like it would deliver the Nationals a late lead, but Conforto traced it to the wall, leaped and came down with the ball.
According to Statcast, the fly ball would have been a home run in 20 of 30 MLB parks — but not in Washington.
Man charged with sex trafficking minor, after minor escapes, calls 911
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced that Marcus Carter, 41, from Antioch, pleaded no contest to a felony charge of human trafficking a minor for purposes of commercial sex acts.
At the time of his plea, the district office said Carter was advised and agreed that his current conviction of human trafficking a minor was another “strike” under California law and would require him to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Carter will be sentenced to 24 years in state prison on Sept. 4.
On April 10, 2021, Jane Doe escaped to a gas station around Kern Street in Salinas and called 911. Salinas Police Officer Johnathan Tuiolosgea responded and met with Jane Doe, noticing that she had two black eyes and a swollen jaw. At the time she had just turned 13 years old.
Jane Doe reported that Carter had taken her from Stockton and forced her to engage in commercial sex acts with buyers throughout California, and in Reno, Nevada for about one to two weeks. Through their investigation, police corroborated her story. Police found that she was taken on April 3, 2021 and was forced to engage in sex acts in Antitoch, Pittsburgh, San Jose, Salinas, Reno and other cities.
Jane Doe told police that Carter and his associates, two adult females, were in the area and listed possible cars they could be driving in.
Police found one of the cars with Carter inside, and arrested him on the scene. The evidence collected from Jane Doe, local motels, the female associates, the vehicles described, and Carter, including his cell phone activity helped police confirm Jane Doe’s story. Jane Doe was supported through this process by Victim Witness Program Manager Alma Sanchez.
If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in commercial sex work, or some other type of labor, call 911 or reach out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
Stolen property from agricultural fields recovered
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Ag Crimes Unit has recovered stolen property after multiple agricultural businesses were hit with burglaries and stolen equipment over the last two weeks.
On July 17, a custom fertilizer trailer was reported stolen from the 1500-block of San Juan Road in Monterey County. Patrol deputies and ag crime detectives investigated multiple leads and were directed to a field in the 14,000-block of Blackie Road. While searching, they located and recovered the trailer. Police said the suspects were believed to have tried to conceal the trailer with spray paint. The owners were contacted and the property was returned to them.
On July 24, a small utility trailer was stolen from an agricultural field near Molera Road near Highway 1. After a search, police found the trailer near Highway 1 and Watsonville Road, and returned the trailer to its owner.
“Our deputies and Ag crime detectives are committed to working with our local ag companies to help reduce theft and resolve crimes related to the largest industry in Monterey County,” said Sheriff Tina Nieto in a press statement.
The investigations remain ongoing and anyone with information related to these crimes or other agricultural theft are encouraged to contact Detective Jesus Reyes at (831) 755-3805 or Detective-Sergeant Nicholas Kennedy at (831) 755-3773. You can remain anonymous when providing information.
Steph Curry lifts Team USA to thrilling comeback over Serbia in Olympic semifinal
Team USA was 10 minutes away from utter failure. Trailing by 13 entering the fourth quarter, the team many have regarded as the most talented since the 1992 Dream Team faced the prospect of possibly the biggest disappointment in program history.
So the Americans turned to Steph Curry.
Related: Complete coverage of the Summer Olympics
Curry, who kept the U.S. offense afloat as it got stagnant against Serbia’s zone, gave the Americans their first lead since the first quarter with a 3-pointer off the catch. He added a steal and layup with 1:41 left and sank the game-sealing free throws with 8.2 seconds remaining to survive.
“That was a godlike performance,” Kevin Durant said of Curry, via the Associated Press.
Curry finished with a game-high 36 points on 12-for-19 shooting, carrying Team USA to the gold medal round. Nikola Jokic (17 points, 11 assists) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (20 points) gave the U.S. by far its biggest scare, leading by as much as 17 and controlling most of the game, but in the end, the Americans’ superior talent won out in a thrilling 95-91 comeback victory.
“Serbia was brilliant today and I’m really humbled to have been a part of this game,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters postgame. “It’s one of the greatest basketball games I’ve ever been a part of. They were perfect. They played a perfect game.”
Despite being stagnant against Serbia’s zone, constantly losing track of their 3-point shooters and committing 10 turnovers, Team USA is set to face the hosting nation France in the championship.
Curry’s first Olympics haven’t gone as well as anyone imagined, at least on the court. He logged point totals of 11, three, eight and seven before the semifinals. Even with the familiarity of Kerr as his coach, Curry’s teammates weren’t used to his frenetic off-ball relocation and movement.
Against Serbia, it clicked. Curry scored 11 of Team USA’s first 12 points, hitting jumper after jumper.
On a wide-open 3 in the corner in transition, Curry turned to look at his bench before the ball inevitably dropped in.
It took Curry less than four minutes to set a new personal high at the Olympics.
Kerr kept Curry on the court when the second unit checked in, adjusting from his traditional platoon subbing pattern. Right away, Curry rewarded his coach’s decision by shaking a defender out of his shoes and dropping off a pass to Anthony Davis for free throws.
STEPHEN. CURRY. TEAM USA LEADS.#ParisOlympics |
NBC, USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/C4MUUl1v78
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024
Then Curry drilled another 3 off a pump fake, giving him 17 first-quarter points. As he jogged back on defense, Curry shook his head. Even as Curry broke out, Serbia couldn’t miss.
Serbia earned a 31-23 lead with a balanced offensive effort. Jokic notched six points and five assists in the opening quarter — Serbia’s highest-scoring quarter of the tournament.
A 3 even banked in for the Serbians continued to pour it on in the second quarter, expanding their lead to 14. Team USA, which had rolled to victories of 35, 26, 17 and 21, faced by far its biggest test.
Jokic blocked LeBron James at the rim and scored an and-1 layup on the other end, pushing Serbia’s advantage to 42-25. The U.S. defeated Serbia twice before the semis — once in group stage and the other in an exhibition — but the best player in the world can do a lot to bridge the talent gap.
Jokic’s personal rival, Joel Embiid, hit a 3 to get America back within 10. But the U.S. botched a 3-on-2 fast break — with Curry missing a clean look from 3 instead of the US getting a layup — and Bogdan Bogdanovic nailed a 3 on the other end.
The biggest deficit the U.S. faced before the semis was eight; the Americans trailed by double digits for nearly the entire semifinal. The U.S. went into halftime down 54-43 despite Curry’s 20.
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With 30 seconds left in the third quarter, Marko Guduric converted a four-point play, erasing all the work the U.S. did to shave the Serbian lead. The U.S. entered the most intense 10 minutes of Olympic basketball this group has faced trailing by 13.
“They played the perfect game,” Kerr told reporters. “And they forced us to reach the highest level of competition that we could find. And our guys were incredible in that fourth quarter, and they got it done.”
Curry, Kevin Durant and James — who notched a triple-double — shared the court and made a push. An officiating quirk made back-to-back 3s from Durant and Devin Booker possible, and Serbia’s offense tightened up.
The U.S. ran much of its crunch-time offense through Embiid in the post, and he came through. He scored seven straight points before James finished inside to tie the game at 84 with 3:39 left. A minute later, Curry’s ninth 3 gave the U.S. the lead.
Then came Curry’s steal-and-score. And after a vintage Durant isolation jumper, Curry made both foul shots to clinch the win — and avoid a colossal shock.
America’s biggest three buckets were poetic: Curry’s 3, James trucking to the rim in transition, and Durant sinking a midrange pull-up. When the moment was brightest, the three players who have defined the past 15 years rose up.
“I’ve seen a lot of Team USA basketball,” Curry said. “And that was a special one.”
When do airlines give vouchers for delays?
Scott Laird | TravelPulse (TNS)
If you travel by air enough, delays are inevitable. However, how airlines handle delays can vary depending on the circumstances of the delay, including the reason, city and even the passenger’s frequent flier status.
In Europe, the question of passenger compensation for delays and cancellations is straightforward: the European Union has consumer protection laws that require airlines to compensate passengers in cash for delays within the airline’s control.
Unlike in the European Union, the U.S. has no standard for what airlines must provide passengers in case of a delay or cancellation. In the United States, each carrier decides how to accommodate passengers affected by what the airlines call “irregular operations,” and the Department of Transportation (DOT) oversees its efforts.
That virtually never includes cash compensation, although some airlines, like Alaska, will issue travel credit for delays over three hours for circumstances within their control. The DOT has said airlines should cover passenger expenses for lengthy delays within the airlines’ control, but each airline has its own criteria for handling such requests.
Types of delaysThe first consideration for airlines deciding whether to offer a voucher for meals or hotels will be what caused the delay. Most airlines do not provide vouchers or expense reimbursements for delays they term uncontrollable, such as those related to weather, air traffic control, or catastrophic events like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Another uncontrollable delay cause is what’s known as force majeure, which could be like a general strike, riot or coup that would compromise safe airline operations.
Airlines have, in the past, unsuccessfully argued that some situations, like the most recent IT outages that affected many U.S. airlines, were force majeure, but regulators have largely disagreed and considered those controllable delays, which also include reasons such as crew scheduling, aircraft availability, unscheduled maintenance and other things within an airline’s control.
Some airlines will list the reason for a delay on their app or website, while others will make announcements. It’s worth noting that not all carriers are forthcoming on the reasons for delays. American Airlines, for example, doesn’t give reasons for delays in their app or on their website, while United typically explains on their flight status page.
When to ask for a voucherU.S. carriers vary on the circumstances under which they’ll issue a voucher to cover a meal or a hotel overnight stay. In a delay situation, the first place to look would be the airline’s Customer Service Commitment, which is normally posted on its website. That document typically outlines the situations under which an airline will issue a voucher.
Generally speaking, a delay must be significant — several hours or more — and controllable for an airline to issue a voucher. Some, like United, will automatically send vouchers to passengers via text or through their mobile app if their reservation contains an eligible flight delay. Other times, passengers may need to inquire if a voucher applies to their situation — American’s Customer Service Commitment states that these accommodations are available “on request.”
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Many airlines will also reimburse “reasonable” expenses if they cannot issue vouchers or if issuing a voucher would be difficult (for example, if the line to speak to an agent is so long, it would cut into half an available hotel night). This generally means meals for meal periods during the delay, and if a delay is overnight, a nearby hotel, plus transportation between the airport and the hotel. Airlines typically allow passengers to submit receipts post-travel for reimbursement.
Terminology mattersUsing the right words can save time and frustration when speaking with airline staff, either at the airport or in post-travel correspondence. Many travelers tend to use the terms reimbursement and refund interchangeably, but they mean different things in the context of air travel.
A refund means returning the money you paid for the plane ticket. Airlines will typically only refund a nonrefundable ticket if the flight is delayed or canceled and they’re ultimately unable to get passengers to the destination on their ticket. Refunding a flown ticket is rare because the service the passenger paid for was provided, albeit delayed.
A reimbursement means returning the money you paid for expenses related to your delay, other than your original plane ticket. Suppose you incur expenses for meals, transportation and lodging during a controllable delay, and the airline could not (but didn’t refuse to) issue a voucher. In that case, a reimbursement is what you’re requesting, not a refund.
©2024 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at travelpulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
‘Mr. Throwback’ review: The NBA’s Steph Curry stars in this mockumentary about hangers-on
A six-episode mockumentary on Peacock, “Mr. Throwback,” stars Adam Pally as a sports memorabilia dealer named Danny who, desperate for money, seeks out his old childhood friend-turned-NBA star Steph Curry. The show comes from Pally and David Caspe, the latter of whom created the vastly superior “Happy Endings,” which also starred Pally. But Curry (whose production company is producing the series) is presumably the ringer whose presence will draw curious audiences. Too bad there’s so little here to recommend.
If there’s a reason to watch, it’s Tracy Letts’ performance as Mitch, Danny’s down-and-out father, who gets some funny and meaty moments halfway through the series. Otherwise, the series is a tremendous slog.
Danny carries a legacy of shame rooted in his time as basketball phenom in junior high. He and Curry were coached by Danny’s less-than-supportive dad, who was lying about his son’s age. Turns out the kid was really 14 and not 12 and everything fell apart when the truth was revealed. Mitch remembers being ripped to shreds: “They were saying things to me that I can’t even say on Peacock. This is Peacock, right? Do I get Peacock?” But at least the guy feels somewhat bad for ruining Danny’s life: “No excuses,” he says. “Except I was an addict at the time. Alcohol. Narcotics. Gambling. Pornos.”
Now middle-aged, Danny is divorced, professionally unfulfilled and looking for the kind of fast cash that a game-worn jersey from Curry can get on the open market. So he reconnects with Curry and their mutual childhood friend, the no-nonsense Kimberly (“Saturday Night Live’s” Ego Nwodim), who handles Curry’s business opportunities: “That man’s schedule is a house of cards built on a Jenga tower,” she says of Curry’s commitments. Nwodim is terrific as the woefully under-appreciated badass of the trio.
From left: Ego Nwodim as Kimberly, Adam Pally as Danny, Stephen Curry as himself in “Mr. Throwback.” (David Moir/Peacock/TNS)Danny is forever toggling between sloppy hubris and a golden retriever-like outlook on life, which is how he finds himself lying about his preteen daughter, claiming she has a fatal disease. This is how he garners sympathy and worms his way into Curry’s multimillion-dollar inner circle. The guilt and anxiety that he (and eventually his ex) feels about the inevitable exposure — remember, Danny’s lived through this kind of thing before — is the primary tension driving the first few episodes. And though Danny has been estranged from his father for years, circumstances will conspire for them to reunite, which becomes a tantalizing narrative thread thanks to Letts.
The problems with “Mr. Throwback” are pretty straightforward. The show isn’t funny, or even interesting in an uncomfortable way. Pally has yet to find a role that leverages his talents and charm the way “Happy Endings” did, and Curry is too wooden to make any of his scenes work. (Even so, it’s interesting to see NBA players make inroads in Hollywood in ways other professional athletes just haven’t, including the many projects from LeBron James, as well as Apple TV+’s underwatched “Swagger,” based on the formative experiences of Kevin Durant. Notably, both players are off-camera, which is probably the wise choice.)
Tonally, “Mr. Throwback” is aiming for something like “Entourage” but with sports, mashed up with a boastful but decent-hearted loser typically dreamed up by Danny McBride (“Eastbound and Down,” “The Righteous Gemstones”) but the show never finds its voice or point of view.
Only Letts, plus a couple of Chicago improvisors in David Pasquesi and Brooke Breit, manage to generate real comedy. Now sober, Mitch is part of a performance trio that travels to high schools warning kids about the dangers of drugs, which is as wonderfully absurd as you’d expect. Watching Letts-as-Mitch struggle with a costume is funnier than it should be, but more pointedly there’s an undercurrent of comedic pathos in everything he does. The show is aiming for that across the board, but only Letts really nails it.
“Mr. Throwback” — 2 stars (out of 4)
Where to watch: Peacock
Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.
From left: Adam Pally as Danny, Tracy Letts as Mitch in “Mr. Throwback.” (George Burns Jr/Peacock/NBC)
Horoscopes Aug. 8, 2024: Dustin Hoffman, make room for what matters
CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Guy Burnet, 41; Countess Vaughn, 46; Joely Collins, 52; Dustin Hoffman, 87.
Happy Birthday: Conversations will shape how your year unfolds. Surround yourself with people you trust to tell you the truth. Stick to basics and simplify your life to make room for what matters. Search for the path and projects that make you feel good about yourself and your accomplishments. Hard work, discipline and common sense will achieve the desired success and rewards. Your numbers are 2, 12, 19, 27, 35, 39, 44.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Become a ringleader and set the stage for success. Let your action lead the way, and opportunity will follow. Enlist complementary groups or organizations that can help further your cause. Socialize with people who share your concerns. 3 stars
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take care of errands and responsibilities, and focus on details that will accentuate your talents. Your associates will recognize and support you if you are energetic and reliable. Don’t limit what you can do; set goals and enjoy the moment. 3 stars
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Think twice before you commit to changes. Hasty decisions will complicate your life, causing uncertainty or financial burdens. Reinforce what is possible, and take a wait-and-see approach to matters that require more thought and promise. 2 stars
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Opportunities are within reach, and your intuition is on target. Don’t let insecurity stand between you and what you want. Take the plunge and do what you do best. Timing is everything; don’t skip a beat. 4 stars
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Participation will lead to mixed messages. Weigh the pros and cons before signing up for something that wastes too much time or money. Get the lowdown on anything you are considering before you make promises you regret. Generosity will lead to trouble. Put yourself first. 3 stars
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do your due diligence before you sign up for something you know little about. Believe in yourself instead of following someone else’s lead. Discovery is golden and will set your mind at ease and point you in a direction that fortifies your beliefs. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Procrastination will lead to a could have, should have, would have mentality. Step up and be the one to initiate change instead of letting someone control your fate. There is power in taking charge and satisfaction in change that makes your life function better. 3 stars
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Tune into what’s necessary and follow through without hesitation. Taking the initiative will make others take notice, opening doors to exciting opportunities. You’ll attract offers from sources that need you more than you need them. 3 stars
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Learn through observation. If you are too revealing, you’ll allow someone to outmaneuver you. Partnerships are favored, but only if equality prevails. Keep the playing field level by divulging only what’s necessary until you reach an agreement. 4 stars
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Reiterate your position, beliefs and desires before you proceed with negotiations or sign up for something that might offer insight into how to go about achieving your goal. Listen attentively, ask questions and adjust what’s essential. A discussion with someone special will alter your plans. 2 stars
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Focus on home and family; you’ll make headway emotionally and financially. The plans you initiate will positively impact you and help you achieve a stress-free lifestyle. Choose quality over quantity and live and enjoy the moment. A partnership requires attention and adjustments. 5 stars
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Sit back and wait. The more information you gather, the easier it is to make good decisions. Walk away from temptation and those full of bluster and hype. It is best to forgo partnerships and invest more time and effort in promoting yourself. 3 stars
Birthday Baby: You are friendly, helpful and generous. You are thoughtful and intuitive.
1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.
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August 7, 2024
No no-no for Blake Snell, but SF Giants beat Nationals with power show
As storms rolled toward the nation’s capital Wednesday evening, it was the Giants who continued to bring the thunder.
Blake Snell’s bid to join Johnny Vander Meer in the history books may have come up short, but the Giants got their 13th, 14th and 15th home runs of the road trip and smacked the Nationals, 7-4, to even their record back to .500 (58-58) and guarantee that no matter the result of Thursday’s 9:05 a.m. PT finale they will return home with a winning record on the seven-game trip.
The Nationals loaded the bases in the ninth inning, bringing the potential winning run to the plate, and manager Bob Melvin had Jordan Hicks warming quickly in the bullpen, but Camilo Doval got Alex Call to ground into a double play to end the game and record his 22nd save.
Mike Yastrzemski’s upper-deck shot to right field tied the score at 3 in the fourth inning, Heliot Ramos’ line drive over the Giants’ bullpen gave them the lead the following inning and Matt Chapman turned the spigots on with a near-identical blast two batters later.
In 110 games before Friday, the Giants had hit 109 home runs. But in six games since hitting the road against the Reds, their 15 are the most in the majors in that span. They improved to 11-1 when getting at least three in one game.
They had homered 12 times in their first five games but produced only 24 runs, a result of poor situational hitting, batting .111 in 36 opportunities with runners in scoring position. But in seven chances Wednesday, they got three hits, plus an RBI triple from Yastrzemski that drove home Tyler Fitzgerald from first base to begin a two-run sixth that extended the lead to 7-3.
The triple was Yastrzemski’s ninth of the season, one behind Corbin Carroll for most in the National League, and with his 422-foot homer knocked out the two most difficult portions of the cycle within his first three trips to the plate. But he popped out in his only other at-bat.
Of the Giants’ 15 homers in their past six games, four have come from Chapman, who added two more hits to finish a triple shy of the cycle, raising his OPS over the past 14 games to 1.263 with 13 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
His hustle out of the batter’s box in the third inning prevented an inning-ending double play (upon a successful challenge from Melvin) and allowed Ramos to score the second run of the inning, opening a 2-0 lead that would have been more than than enough the last time Snell took the mound.
In 1938, Vander Meer became the only pitcher in major-league history to throw back-to-back no-hitters, and Snell’s chances of becoming the second didn’t last long into his first start since no-hitting the Reds on 114 pitches on Friday.
After tossing the first complete game of his career, it was back to Snell’s regularly scheduled programming against the Nationals, who struggled to square him up but still ran up his pitch count enough to force him from the game after six innings.
Striking out eight while allowing three runs on four hits — two on Juan Yepez’s third-inning homer to left field — Snell lost his no-hit bid on the third batter of the game, when Yepez rolled a changeup off the end of his bat toward first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr.
The ball was struck at only 54.8 mph but resulted in the first hit Snell had allowed in 43 batters, dating back to his 15-strikeout performance against the Rockies on July 27, when he got turned around covering the bag and wasn’t able to handle Wade’s toss.
Related ArticlesSan Francisco Giants | SF Giants announce plans for Orlando Cepeda celebration of life San Francisco Giants | SF Giants fall back below .500 as Hayden Birdsong endures worst start of career San Francisco Giants | SF Giants’ Wilmer Flores out for remainder of 2024 season San Francisco Giants | Tyler Fitzgerald’s latest home run puts him in historic company as SF Giants get back to .500 San Francisco Giants | SF Giants’ Snell earns MLB honor with his no-hitterAfter Erik Miller put three men on base in the seventh, including a one-out triple to Riley Adams that started the trouble, Ryan Walker was required to walk the tightrope to escape a bases-loaded situation and ensure the offense’s effort and Snell’s quality start didn’t go to waste.
Representing the go-ahead run, Yepez stepped to the plate again with two hits already and worked a full count, looking at a backdoor sinker that just missed the outside corner for ball three. The next pitch, Walker fired a slider past his bat and into Patrick Bailey’s glove set up on the outside corner for strike three to end the inning, stranding three runners on base.
Up nextThe Giants send LHP Kyle Harrison (6-4, 3.69) to the mound against fellow southpaw DJ Herz (2-4, 4.27) in the series finale, looking to secure their second road series win in a row and their first series win against the Nationals since 2022. With inclement weather moving into the area, first pitch was moved up to 9:05 a.m. PT from the originally scheduled 1:05 p.m. PT.
Kurtenbach: The Warriors missed their one shot at relevancy in 2024-25
This isn’t the beginning of the end for the Warriors.
No, that already happened.
But Lauri Markkanen represented an opportunity for the Dubs to return to the mix in the Western Conference — a chance to pull out of the downward spiral that started when, in the aftermath of the surprise 2022 NBA title, Draymond Green sucker punched Jordan Poole in a preseason practice.
But Markkanen isn’t coming to the Bay this summer. He won’t be moving at the trade deadline in February, either. Wednesday he reportedly agreed to a massive five-year extension with the Jazz. The timing of the signing was deliberate — it ensures the All-Star forward cannot be traded this upcoming season.
So where does this leave the Warriors?
At best, where they were last season.
And that best is going to be mightily hard to achieve.
The Warriors had one shot at relevancy in 2024-25: adding Markkanen. His skillset would have given the Warriors a viable No. 2 offensive option to Steph Curry, and a near-perfect compliment to Draymond Green.
And before Wednesday, he was cheap, allowing the Warriors to trade for him without including a major contract.
The Warriors might be “exploring” other options for augmenting their roster now that Markkanen is off the table, but there is no one available to Golden State today who is not only a reliable No. 2 but is also a system fit.
I don’t think that kind of player will be available in the next six months, either.
This offseason has been a disaster for Golden State. Chris Paul left for nothing — the Warriors waived him. Klay Thompson left. The Dubs struck out on three pitches with a Paul George mega-trade. And then they made unserious trade offers to the Jazz, leading to Markkanen extending in Utah.
The Dubs had to scrap fight and claw to fill out a roster that isn’t appreciably better than the one that was the No. 10 seed in the West and was blown out in the Play In Game last season.
In this day and age, we expect rises and falls to be dramatic. History tells us that they are oftentimes far slower — more drawn out. The Warriors’ rise might have seemed overnight in 2015, and it was, indeed a historic leap the team made to win the title that season, but there were growing pains along the way, going back to the 2012-13 season.
The Dubs’ downfall (from perhaps the highest high any team has ever achieved) was delayed by the 2022 title and Curry’s Game 4 performance in the NBA Finals, but it’s happening, and it’s proving to be prolonged.
In 2023, a playoff series win (behind another heroic Curry performance in Game 7 in Sacramento), but ultimately, disappointment in a second-round loss. Last year, a bit worse.
It can, absolutely, keep sliding.
The Warriors are now banking on Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski to take big steps forward in their careers. Their progress will be overall progress for the Warriors.
And while those are two good, young players, the Dubs have now burdened them with unreasonable expectations. Kuminga will need to leap to being in All-Star consideration to maximize this season for the Dubs — only the Warriors think he’s ready to do that. They’ll pay him nine figures in the coming weeks to prove it.
Forgive me for not liking a scenario where you pay big bucks for a player who hasn’t proven he’s worth it yet.
Meanwhile, Podziemski, going into his second NBA season, cannot have a sophomore slump. By not including the guard in trade offers for Markkanen, the Warriors effectively declared that they think he’ll be an All-Star soon, too.
Oh, that’s right, they didn’t infer that — they said it:
“We think we have a future All-Star. We really do,” Warriors CEO Joe Lacob said in a sideline interview during NBA Summer League.
No pressure, kids, you just have to justify the front office’s perhaps delusional belief in you from the start of the 2023-24 season. Best of luck!
But if not Kuminga and Podziemski, who else will be the No. 2 the Dubs need?
Six-points-per-game Kyle Anderson?
Buddy Watch-Me-Cook (And-Be-Cooked) Hield?
Sorry, but Andrew Wiggins isn’t flashing back to the spring of 2022 again, folks.
And Draymond Green sure is talking about retirement a lot these days. (Subtle, my man. Subtle.)
It’s Curry and a lot of hope that the Warriors can get lucky again with the kids.
No No. 2, but the Warriors have two timelines, if you will.
(Why does that term sound familiar?)
The grind of carrying this franchise is slowing down the 36-year-old guard. It was impossible to miss last season.
But because Golden State has not provided him with a viable sidekick, this entire team’s hopes remain on his shoulders.
Last season, the Warriors won 46 games with Curry playing all but eight contests — his highest game total since 2016-17.
The Western Conference is going to be tougher this season. The LA teams might have regressed, but Houston, Memphis, and perhaps even San Antonio are on the rise. Can these Warriors fend those three non-playoff teams off while holding their own hardly laudable form from last season?
It’ll take everything Curry has, and perhaps a bit more.
And even then, it’s hard to imagine that’ll be enough.
