08302016 sports by tribune242

SPORTS SECTION E

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Beach Soccer

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Shaunae tops IAAF rankings By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net ollowing the completion of the 2016 Olympic Games, the International Amateur Athletic Federation has released its current rankings and a number of Bahamians are featured in the top 10 in their respective events. Shaunae Miller’s personal best of 49.44 seconds for the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has her sitting on top of the women’s 400 metres. American Allyson Felix follows with her silver medal run of 49.51.

Between the two, they share the top six times posted this year. In the 200m, which many people were hoping she would have gone for the double in Rio, Miller has dropped to fourth with her season’s best of 22.05, the new Bahamian national record she established in Kingston, Jamaica, on June 11. Jamaican double sprint champion Elaine Thompson holds onto the top spot with her Olympic run of 21.78. Ty’Nia Gaither, a semifinalist at the Olympics, is ranked at No.23 with 22.54 that she ran at the NCAA Championships in Eugene,

PEDRYA SEYMOUR

DONALD THOMAS

TY’NIA GAITHER

STEVEN GARDINER

Oregon, on June 11 as well. Miller, by the way, is tied with Gaither with 11.19 for 55th place in the 100m. The time was an Olympic qualifier, but only Gaither contested the event in Rio. In lowering her national record to 12.64 to qualify for the final of the women’s 100m hurdles in Rio, Pedrya Seymour produced the most improved performance as she finished sixth. She is now ranked at No.11 on the list that is led by American Kendra Harrison, who didn’t compete at the Olympics but went on to set a world record in London with 12.20 on July 22. Despite falling short of qualifying for the final, Bianca Stuart is tied with two others for No.83 in the women’s long jump with her best of 6.52m that she did in Baie Mahault on May 14. On the men’s side, Donald Thomas remained consistent and is sitting tied for 4th place with his best of 2.37m that he did at the Székesfehérvár (Sóstói Stadion) on July 28. Thomas also had two jumps at 2.31m at Baie Mahault on May 14 and Monaco on July 15 to lead the field of two other competitors. Jamal Wilson is 15th at 2.30m at the BAAA Odd Distance Meet on January 9 to qualify for Rio. Trevor Barry, the other member of the Olympic team, is tied for 18th with 2.29m. Both Thomas and Barry made it to the final in Rio, finishing sixth and 11th respectively. Wilson missed out on making it a triple affair. Although he didn’t make it out of the semi-final of the men’s 400m, Steven Gardiner is tied with 10 others

GOLDEN GIRL: Shaunae Miller’s personal best of 49.44 seconds for the Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has her sitting on top of the women’s 400 metres. American Allyson Felix follows with her silver medal run of 49.51. for ninth in the men’s 400m with his time of 44.46 at the BAAA Nationals on June 25. The next best performance this year came from Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell with 45.25 that he ran to finish as the runner-up to Gardiner at the BAAA Nationals, qualifying for Rio where he got eliminat-

ed in the first round. He is pegged at No.42. Michael Mathieu, who only did relay duties in Rio, is 59th with 45.42 in Montverde, Florida and veteran Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown, who completed his fifth Olympic appearance by falling short of getting out of the first round, is 79th with his SB’s of 45.56 in Rio.

The two highest ranked male sprinters were Adrian Griffith at 79th with 10.11 from Montverde, Florida and Jamial Rolle, 113th with 10.16 in Clermont, Florida. They both had subpar performances, finishing eighth in their respective heats in Rio. Demetrius Pinder, who had a false start in the men’s 200m in Rio, tied for 92nd in the men’s 200m. Shavez Hart, who contested the sprint double in his Olympic debut, is 147th at 20.57 behind Griffith’s 123th place with 20.52 and Mathieu’s 127th place with 20.53. Latario Collie-Minns, who fouled out of the qualifying round of the men’s triple jump in his debut in Rio, is tied for 22nd with 16.97m that he did in winning the NCAA title, while Leevan ‘Superman’ Sands’ return to the Olympics fell short of a qualifying spot in the final - he was 66th overall with 16.63m. National record holder Jeffery Gibson, who had an injury prone Olympics where he didn’t get out of the first round, is tied for 24th in the men’s 400m hurdles with his best of 48.96 that he did in Kingston, Jamaica on May 7. And with their bronze medal performance in the final, the men’s 4 x 400m relay team of Alonzo Russell, Michael Mathieu, Steven Gardiner and Chris Brown completed the chart with a third place showing behind gold medallist USA and silver medallist Jamaica. Stephen Newbold can also take comfort in the fact that he ran in the heats instead of Mathieu to help the Bahamas to qualify for the final.

JONES AND SUN PULL OFF 84-80 UPSET OVER DEFENDING CHAMPION LYNX By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net JONQUEL Jones and her Connecticut Sun returned from the league-wide Olympic break, continuing the momentum they gathered in late July. In their first game back, the Sun (9-17) - ranked 6th in the WNBA’s Eastern Conference - pulled off the 84-80 upset over the league’s top ranked team and defending champion, the Minnesota Lynx (22-5). Jones finished with six points, two steals and three blocked shots. Jasmine Thomas scored the go ahead basket for the Sun with 15.2 seconds left to play to send the team to their third straight win. Alyssa Thomas led Connecticut with 15 points, while Alex Bentley, Courtney Williams and Jasmine Thomas each finished

with 12. Sylvia Fowles and Lindsay Whalen led the Lynx with 16 apiece while Seimone Augustus finished with 11. WNBA fourth leading scorer Maya Moore finished with just eight. The win streak for the Sun ended at three when they dropped the second game of the back-to-back with an 87-73 loss to the Atlanta Dream (14-13) on Sunday night. Jones finished with four points, four rebounds one blocked shot. Chiney Ogwumike led the Sun with 24 points and Courtney Williams scored 13. The Dream pulled away with an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter and led by no less than 10 after scoring six straight early in the fourth. Layshia Clarendon and Angel McCoughtry scored 19 points each to lead the Dream while Tiffany Hayes added 17 points and Elizabeth Williams scored 16. Once the season is completed in

October, whether or not they are in the playoffs, Jones will have an added incentive to continue her professional career, having been drafted by Woori BankHansae Chuncheon to play in the Korean League, starting in November. “It’s been different at first. Coming out of high school in Maryland where we ranked nationally and we didn’t lose that many games and transferring to GW where we rarely lose that many games, it showed me that there’s going to be a process,” said Jones about her stint in the WNBA so far. “We have a lot of young talent, but it’s going to take some time for us to develop because we have to learn to play together and we have to grow together. “We started to come together right before the half, winning our last two games. So we are buying into what the coach is telling us and so I believe that we will only get better.”

JONQUEL JONES, of the Bahamas, and the Connecticut Sun pulled off an 84-80 upset over the league’s top ranked team and defending champion, the Minnesota Lynx. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) After coming off the bench at the start of the season, Jones was moved into the starting line-up, but she prefers to take the initial role on the team. “I feel more comfortable coming off the bench because I didn’t feel I was ready yet to be a start-

er,” she said. “I was put back on the bench and I was really able to contribute more to the team, so I think it was a really good call.” On the season, Jones is averaging 5.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in just over 13 minutes per game.

Seymour makes immediate impact with Rome Braves By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net ANFERNEE Seymour has looked comfortable in his new surroundings with the Rome Braves and has had an immediate impact with the club since he was traded earlier this month. Seymour recently scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning as the Braves closed out a successful three-game sweep with a 2-1 win over the Kannapolis Intimidators in Class A (Full) South Atlantic League play. Seymour scored the game-winning run after he reached base on a walk, stole second and then went to third on an error.

He was brought home on a sacrifice fly from RayPatrick Didder as Rome improved to 5-1 against Kannapolis this season. Seymour and the Braves are currently in the midst of a three-game series with the Augusta Green Jackets, the former club of fellow Bahamian Lucius Fox who was also involved in a trade this summer. In game one, Seymour finished 1-1 with two runs scored and one RBI in a 2-1 win for the Braves. In game two he finished 1-3 in a 5-3 loss. In 18 games with the Braves thus far, Seymour is hitting .258 with four RBI, an OBP of .296, an OPS of .569 with six stolen bases. Seymour was traded from

ANFERNEE Seymour recently scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning as the Braves closed out a successful three-game sweep with a 2-1 win over the Kannapolis Intimidators. the Miami Marlins to the Atlanta Braves in a threeplayer deal which also saw the Braves acquire pitcher Michael Mader in exchange for relief pitcher Hunter

Cervenka. He entered the Braves’ lists of prospects ranked at No.19 according to MLB. com’s 2016 Prospect Watch. He is ranked fourth among

shortstops after No.1 overall prospect Dansby Swanson, No.2 Ozzie Albies and No.8 Kevin Maitan. Seymour was ranked No.8 in the Marlins farm system but goes to a Braves organisation known for its deep talent pool in the minors. Seymour was having a productive season for the Greensboro Grasshoppers in the Class A (Full) South Atlantic League. In 122 games this year, Seymour hit .255 with 70 runs scored, 43 stolen bases and 30 RBI. He has recorded a slugging percentage of .303, an on-base percentage of .295 and an OPS of .599 and 145 total bases. The 5’11” 165-pound Seymour was taken by the-

Marlins with the 197th pick in round seven of the 2014 MLB Draft. The highly touted prospect received an over-slot signing bonus from the Marlins worth twice his slot value of just over $200,000. Seymour, who starred for the rookie Batavia Muckdogs in the Gulf Coast League last season where he played in 64 games at shortstop with a batting average of .273, was called up in April to the Grasshoppers. The 21-year-old previously reached a career milestone against the Braves this season when he blasted the first home run of his professional career, a 10-7 win for the Grasshoppers back on June 11.

PAGE 2, Tuesday, August 30, 2016

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National beach soccer team gets a warm welcome home

WELCOME HOME: The Bahamas men’s national beach soccer team got a warm welcome home on their arrival at the airport last week. The squad was in Europe for a six-week training camp and a series of tournaments in preparation for the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Sixteen countries are expected to compete in the prestigious 11-day tournament slated for April 27 to May 7 in New Providence. Members of the team include Valin Bodie, Lamar Cancino, Gavin Christie, Dwight Darling, Christopher Davis, Torin Ferguson, Dwayne Forbes, Ehren Hanna, Jared Higgs, Nesley Jean, Timothy Munnings, Lesley St Fleur and Kyle Williams. While in Europe, Team Bahamas also secured victories against Estonia and No.5 ranked beach soccer powerhouse Tahiti. Photos courtesy of www.bahamaslocal.com

MAKING HISTORY: The Bahamas defeated the No.15 ranked USA men’s national team in beach soccer - for the first time in the country’s history - in a nail-biting match in Spiez, Switzerland, on August 20. It was a close matchup, but the Bahamas came out on top, defeating the soccer powerhouse by one point with a final score of 5-4. “This is a great day in Bahamian football history,” said Fred Lunn, general secretary of the Bahamas Football Association (BFA). “This is a victory not only for the team, but more importantly, for the country. We are ecstatic about this win, but we won’t get comfortable. Our focus goes back to preparing for next year’s World Cup where we plan to make the country proud on home sand.”

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Tuesday, August 30, 2016, PAGE 3

Odell Beckham Jr hits the top note among my fantasy studs and duds SPORTING

MISCHIEF

& MAYHEM BY INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’

ZENICAZELAYA

THIS week my Fantasy Football focus continues with a look at some must keep ‘Fantasy Studs’ and some to avoid like the plague - ‘Fantasy Duds’. If you’ve been playing fantasy for a while, don’t over think it, go with the best proven player available who’s on the board. STUD Andrew Luck QB Colts After missing nine games last season, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck appears geared up for a monster 2016. Luck has got the everdynamic T Y Hilton as his top pass-catcher. On Thursday, the quarterback called Hilton the “best player” at training camp. Luck also has the rapidly improving Donte Moncrief as well as second-year speedster Phillip Dorsett (Renaldo’s cousin). In the backfield is Frank Gore, who is not the star he once was but is still serviceable. As a fantasy owner, don’t be scared off by concerns that Luck has had an “uneven” camp, which was reported by Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star. Luck takes his chances. He throws picks. He makes what appear to be boneheaded plays more than his coaches would like. However to his credit, many of those chances result in explosive plays and, in turn, fantasy points. Expect a healthy Luck to finish in the same conversation as top fantasy QBs like Cam Newton, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. DUD Marcus Mariota QB Titans While I think he will end up having a decent career, I don’t see Mariota avoiding the ‘sophomore jinx’. Mariota possesses gamebreaking speed as a runner, but that wasn’t always a factor in the Tennessee Titans’ game plan. Worsening his fantasy production was painful inconsistency. There were four different outings in which Super Mario tossed three-plus touchdowns, but there were five with zero (buyer beware). The 22-year-old is hit-ormiss. And given his limited weapons aside from DeMarco Murray and DelanieWalker, it’s tough to give Mariota a roster spot for more than single weeks at a time. Mariota is usable in some matchups, but he’s not someone you’ll want to draft and rely on. Don’t believe the hype ... Murray and Henry, two behemoths in the backfield, indicate the Titans are going to run the ball ad nauseam, clearly establishing a ground and pound smash mouth identity. Not too much passing necessary in this equation. STUD David Johnson RB Cardinals Don’t let some analysts try and sell you on the idea that Johnson is a one year

STUD - ANDREW LUCK

THE ‘Freddie Mercury’ (singer at right) of the NFL, Odell Beckham Jr (left) is also on the Stud radar in Fantasy Football.

DUD - MARCUS MARIOTA

STUD - DAVID JOHNSON

DUD - ISAIAH CROWELL

DUD - KELVIN BENJAMIN

wonder a la C J Anderson in Denver. The Cardinals seem genuinely all-in on the Northern Iowa product. With just five starts, Johnson racked up 581 yards on the ground (eight touchdowns) and 457 through the air (36 catches, four scores). Head coach Bruce Arians often used the burly running back as a receiver in the red zone, which created all types of mismatches that quarterback Carson Palmer easily exploited. Believe the hype ... after the top three receivers (Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr and Julio Jones) are off the board, David Johnson should be in play as the first back selected.

is the obvious choice. But even in standard, Duke’s ceiling is immensely higher. He’s a second-year breakout candidate ... like I told you all last week!

a fantasy stud during his rookie season, totalling 73 grabs, 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns. Benjamin lost his second year in the league to an ACL injury, landing him on IR (Injured Reserve). Cam Newton put forth an MVP effort without his top target from the year prior. Now, it’s been assumed that upon his return, Benjamin will immediately reclaim

his role as the undisputed No.1. Wait a second, I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. You know what happens when one assumes? Yes, Benjamin is going to be a featured part of the passing attack. He’s a mammoth target at 6ft 5in, 240 pounds. In the red zone, he’s undeniable. However the Panthers learnt how to survive without their big

DUD Isaiah Crowell RB Browns Though billed a first- and second-down back, Crowell is in danger of losing carries to second-year teammate Duke Johnson (remember Duke from last week’s column. Huge sleeper, don’t forget I told you so). Crowell will still be involved, of course. With Head Coach Hue Jackson now manning the Cleveland Browns sidelines, it would be shocking to see either Crowell or Johnson become a three-down, clear-cut workhorse. Keep in mind that this is the same coach who wielded the league’s best backfield combination in Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard with the Cincinnati Bengals. Look for Crowell to fill Hill’s bruising role while Johnson acts as the passingdown back, like Gio Bernard. After all, Johnson led all rookie running backs with 61 receptions. He was second among first-year players, trailing only Oakland Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper. According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, both Crowell and Johnson could be used on the field at the same time. This bodes well for Johnson, not so much for Crowell. In PPR leagues, Johnson

STUD Odell Beckham Jr WR Giants If I’m thinking ‘bathhouse’ antics on viral videos all over social media, then OBJ is a stud. The ‘Freddie Mercury’ of the NFL (Mercury sang and danced better) Beckham is also on the Stud radar in Fantasy Football. Beckham finished his sophomore season with no jinx. Finishing third in receiving yards (1,450), eighth in receptions (96) and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (13). OBJ did all this even while missing Week 16 due to suspension - a painful memory for many who were fighting for a fantasy championship. Believe the hype ... Beckham is elite; that’s not changing. His connection with Eli Manning is unshakeable, and now the Giants figure to actually have some help opposite Beckham this season. Rookie Sterling Shepard has drawn rave reviews - No.13 is among his vocal supporters - and flashed that potential in NYG’s first pre-season game before leaving with a minor groin injury. Throw in the fact that Victor Cruz returns, and could also play for the first time since 2014. Factor in what should be an improved running game reliant on Rashad Jennings instead of a dysfunctional four-headed attack, and you’ve got the makings of an offensive boost in New York. Benefiting from all of this the most, you guessed it, OBJ. Grab him in the top third of your draft with confidence. DUD Kelvin Benjamin WR Panthers Kelvin Benjamin

was

NEW PROVIDENCE OLD TIMERS SOFTBALL REGULAR SEASON ACTION RESULTS of games played at the Archdeacon William Thompson Softball Park: KC Construction 19, BTC Vibes 8: Kelson Armbrister went 4-for-5 with two home runs, drove in five runs batted in and scored four more. Johnny Armbrister got the win on the mound over Thomas Sears. Dozer Pros 24, All-Star Truckers 2: Alfred ‘Skater’ Munnings was the winning pitcher and Kermit ‘Shaft’ Mackey got tagged with the loss. Corner Boys 13, Q-Club Divers 1: Dumont Charlow had a perfect 2-for-2 day with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored to lead the winners. Gilbert Simmons was the winning pitcher and Baccus Rolle suf-

fered the loss. DKS Crusaders 26, Coors Light 12: Dencil Clarke went 4-for-5 with two homers, six RBI and four runs scored in leading the winners. Don Dean was the winning pitcher and Gaye Knowles got tagged with the loss. Dozer Pros 18, Home Boys 14: Nat Porter went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored in the win. Roberto Goodman was the winning pitcher and Shorn Higgs got the loss. Home Boys 20, Doc Stallions 16: Randy Anderson went 3-for-4 with two homers, seven RBI and three runs scored in the win. David Brown was the winning pitcher and Warren Butler got tagged with the loss.

target last season. Cam Newton spread the wealth last season and didn’t consistently lock in on any one target aside from tight end Greg Olsen, making choosing a Panthers receiver a nightmare for fantasy owners. But it earned the Panthers a dream trip to the Super Bowl. Expect a strong season from Benjamin, but think of him more of an explosive WR2 than a week-to-week WR1. Until next week, may all your field goals be long and good, right through the centre of the uprights! _________________ • Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1. Comments and questions to naughty@ tribunemedia.net

PAGE 4, Tuesday, August 30, 2016

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‘Worn out’ Ortiz still producing in last year with the Red Sox By KEN POWTAK Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — In what’s become a regular scene, David Ortiz stepped into the dugout, preparing for batting practice, when a team staff member asked if he was ready. Not far away, a group of fans waited to be brought

in, eager to chat briefly with the 40-year-old Ortiz, take a photo and wish him well. In Big Papi’s final season, everyone who comes to Fenway Park wants their chance to say goodbye — and it’s taking a toll on Boston’s larger-than-life designated hitter. “Very busy. Kind of tired of it, a little worn out,” the

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STANDINGS

Red Sox star told The Associated Press before the Kansas City Royals beat the Red Sox 10-4 on Sunday night. Nearing the last month of his 20th regular season, Ortiz at times wishes he didn’t pronounce this his final year. The baseball season is long and hard enough, and this goodbye grind is more than he anticipated. “My job is kind of tiring,” he said. “Adding more things to it is a lot. ... I’m really busy and not getting to enjoy things.” Of course, no one would know that by the way he’s hitting. Ortiz hit his 534th homer on Sunday, a solo shot that tied him with Jimmie Foxx for 18th on the career list. He’s batting .319 and leads the Red Sox with 31 homers and 101 RBIs, reaching 30/100 for a clubrecord 10th time — Hall of Famer Ted Williams is next on the list with seven. His season has been so good, many around the majors have said the slugger should come back for a 21st year. At last month’s All-Star Game in San Diego, Angels star Mike Trout said, “I don’t think Big Papi is going to retire. I keep telling him that. With those numbers, I wouldn’t.” This month, during an on-field ceremony honouring Ortiz in Detroit, Tigers star Miguel Cabrera, speaking in Spanish, pleaded with Ortiz to play another season. Ortiz laughs at those comments. “That’s great, man,” he said. “I have a great relationship with them. Being older, I’ve kind of been like a mentor to them. I know

BOSTON Red Sox’s David Ortiz, right, watches his solo home run in front of Diamondbacks’ Tuffy Gosewisch during the seventh inning of a game in Boston on August 12. It seems like everybody wants their chance to say goodbye to Boston’s beloved Big Papi. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) they really appreciate everything, all the talk and all the stuff that we ask a veteran to do with them. “I guess when you have somebody that is good with you — that does good things with you — you definitely want to have them around.” Ortiz doesn’t save mentorship for teammates. He often chats with opponents on the field during batting practice and takes pride in others cherishing his advice. “I always talk to them. We have that relationship through the years,” he said. “It’s because those guys always come to us for advice. Whenever someone can

give you advice, you turn to them as your mentor, somehow, some way.” So maybe it’s no surprise how Big Papi wants to be remembered as a player. “Just a friendly person,” he said. “Terribly friendly with everyone.” Ortiz shows up for work hours before each game, getting the treatment he needs to prepare his aching feet and legs. The club has monitored his playing time, giving him planned rest and taking him out in lopsided games. “I have to get lined up to different things and I try to be here very early so I’m not in anybody’s way,” he said.

“Everybody has to do things and get ready. It’s not just David Ortiz.” But still much of it falls on Ortiz’s shoulders. On Sunday, before he stepped onto the field for batting practice, a woman stopped him to ask a question: “What are you going to do after you retire?” “Take a long vacation,” Big Papi replied. He then posed for a photo with the mom, dad and two children before going out to take his swings. When he returned, another group of fans waited eagerly for their personal farewell.

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Tuesday, August 30, 2016, PAGE 5

Rafael Nadal’s wrist needs ‘a little more time’ at US Open By HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

RAFAEL NADAL, of Spain, reacts after beating Denis Istomin, of Uzbekistan, during the first round of the US Open tennis tournament yesterday in New York. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

RAIDERS LOOK TO SHORE UP RUN DEFENCE BEFORE START OF THE SEASON By JOSH DUBOW AP Sports Writer ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — After watching DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry run through his first-team defence with relative ease during the third exhibition game, Oakland Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said he took those struggles personally as a former NFL linebacker who prides himself on having a stout defence. Del Rio wasn’t as outwardly concerned yesterday after the team’s first practice following the preseason game against Tennessee, confident that the problems of players lining up in the wrong spots, staying in their gaps and not trying to do too much will be easily fixed before the games start counting for real on September 11 in New Orleans. “You can work on these things,” Del Rio said. “You get these opportunities during the preseason to tighten

these things up. I expect we’ll be ready to roll when the regular season gets here.” The Titans had few problems moving the ball on the ground against the Raiders starting defence on Saturday night. Murray ran for 40 yards on eight carries in the first half, scoring one touchdown. He exploited the Raiders a few times with cutbacks into open lanes vacated by overaggressive defenders. Henry, a more bruising rookie running back, also had success with 12 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Marcus Mariota also managed to beat the Raiders to the outside on an option run as Tennessee had three runs for more than 15 yards in their first 19 offensive plays. “We just had a lot of misfits, guys just wanting to do too much rather than just play within the defence,”

defensive tackle Dan Williams said. “Everyone was just trying to shed blocks too fast or jump gaps. DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry did a great job finding holes. When we got out of our gap, they made us pay for it.” That comes after the Raiders allowed three long runs in the first half against Arizona in the exhibition opener and struggled to contain Eddie Lacy the following week in Green Bay. After fortifying the defence in the offseason by rebuilding the secondary and adding linebacker Bruce Irvin, the Raiders are counting on having a defence that won’t be so easily pushed around. “We’re very young,” Williams said. “We’re just learning how to play with each other. We have a lot of good pieces. Especially when you have guys from new teams you have to learn a new language.”

TENNESSEE Titans running back Derrick Henry runs with the ball for a touchdown past Oakland Raiders strong safety Nate Allen (20) during the first half of an NFL preseason game on Saturday. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

NEW YORK (AP) — As Rafael Nadal stood near the net at the US Open after winning his first Grand Slam match in three months yesterday, he unravelled the thick wrap of white tape protecting his all-important left wrist and then clutched at that arm with his right hand. Sure, there were matches that provided more drama or surprises on Day 1 at Flushing Meadows. There was 20th-seeded John Isner’s comeback from two sets down to edge 18-year-old Frances Tiafoe before a rowdy, standingroom-only crowd at the new Grandstand. A first-round loss by Rio Olympics gold medallist Monica Puig. French Open champion Garbine Muguruza’s complaints about having trouble breathing after dropping the first set of a match she would go on to win in three. Nothing, though, was as meaningful when it comes to what could go on over the next two weeks as how 14-time major champion Nadal’s wrist felt during and after a relatively straightforward 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Denis Istomin. The match was played at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the new $150 million retractable roof remained open under a blue sky, but still offered some extra shade on a day when the temperature reached 90 degrees. The good news, Nadal said afterward, is that the pain is gone from the part of his body that whips

those violent, topspinheavy forehands that are the key to his success — 14 of his 21 winners came off that wing. The bad news for Nadal? He still is working on feeling comfortable hitting down-the-line forehands, in particular, after sitting out — not just zero real matches, but barely any practice, either — from his withdrawal at the French Open in late May to the Olympics this month. “Not easy to go 2½ months out of competition, in the middle of the season, without hitting a forehand,” Nadal said. “I need to have the confidence again with my wrist.” Both Nadal and his coach, Uncle Toni, described the way Rafael changed the way he hits a forehand during the Rio Games to try to avoid pain. Both said things are improving. But as Toni noted: “We need a little time.” Istomin, who is from Uzbekistan and is ranked 107th, was not exactly likely to give Nadal much of a test. He entered the day 0-4 against the two-time US Open champion, having dropped 10 of the 11 sets they’d played. He had lost his past 20 matches against top-10 opponents. Plus, he’s been dealing with an injured right hamstring lately. So what did he think of Nadal’s play Monday? “For the first set, I was feeling that he was not hitting hard,” Istomin said. “A lot of short balls.” Nadal’s summation of his day: “Not very good; not very bad.” Uncle Toni’s take? “I hope every day we can play

a little bit better.” There were other folks feeling that way, too, for varying reasons. Isner, for one, had to be rather relieved to escape with a 3-6, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (3) victory over Tiafoe in their all-American matchup. Tiafoe first built his big lead, let it slip away, then served for the match after breaking Isner for a 5-3 lead in the fifth set. But Isner broke there. “Probably played the best return game I played all match,” Isner said. “Even though I was pretty haggard out there, I got a jolt of energy when I got it back to 5-4.” And then the winner of the longest match in tennis history — 70-68 in the fifth set at Wimbledon in 2010 — took advantage of the US Open’s fifth-set tiebreaker to close it out in about 3½ hours. Afterward, an exhausted Tiafoe leaned into Isner’s chest when they met at the net. “The last thing I heard him say is, ‘Don’t let this get you down,’” Tiafoe recalled. Puig was seeded at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, at No. 32, and was back on court a little more than two weeks after becoming the first athlete representing Puerto Rico to earn a gold medal in any sport at any Olympics. “A lot of pressure,” she said. “A lot of expectation.” She exited the US Open quickly, beaten 6-4, 6-2 by Zheng Saisai of China. “You know what?” Puig said afterward. “This isn’t going to be the last of me.”

PAGE 6, Tuesday, August 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Broncos name Trevor Siemian starting quarterback By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Trevor Siemian couldn’t be rattled. Not by the knee injury that ended his college career at Northwestern and scared away everyone but the Denver Broncos, who made him the 250th overall pick in last year’s draft. Not by his six-month audition for the Broncos’ starting QB job that began with him as the dark horse against veteran Mark Sanchez and first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch. He wasn’t even unnerved yesterday when coach Gary Kubiak informed him he’d won the job — making him the only QB with no passing attempts to take over a defending Super Bowl champion in Week 1. “I feel like it’s the right decision,” said Kubiak, whose team opens against Carolina on September 8 in a title game rematch. “I believe in this kid and what he can do for our football team.” Siemian was just as calm after the announcement as he’s been every other day during his remarkable rise from part-time college

starter to Peyton Manning’s surprise successor. “I’m not trying to be Peyton. I could probably get in a lot of trouble trying to be a first ballot Hall of Famer,” Siemian said. “So, those shoes are way too big to fill. I’m just trying to be the best man I can be every day, be the best teammate and take it from there.” He has no plans to hit up Manning’s phone, either. “No, I’m sure he’s pretty busy,” Siemian said. “He’s probably got some commercials to shoot or something.” Siemian says he pays no mind to the stress of the job. And he has no designs on changing his understated style, no plans to switch from the quiet, leader-byexample type to one who’s more vocal. “I don’t think I want to change who I am or who I am in the locker room. I think we’re really fortunate here we’ve got a lot of great leadership here in the locker room,” Siemian said. Siemian realises a lot of NFL fans are asking who he is. “That’s a tough question,” Siemian said. “I like playing football. I try to be a good teammate, work every day, put my head down and

BRONCOS quarterback Trevor Siemian, left, looks on with quarterback Mark Sanchez during the team’s practice at the Broncos’ headquarters yesterday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) be the best guy I can be.” Siemian learned Kubiak’s West Coast offence last year when he had a birds-eye view of the Broncos’ QB conundrum that required the coach to gather his team every Monday from midNovember on to inform the players whether Manning or Brock Osweiler would start.

Kubiak said he won’t pare the playbook for Siemian despite his inexperience — his only NFL snap was a kneel-down last year. “If there’s one thing that is a big strength of Trevor’s is how much he can handle,” Kubiak said. Two things that impressed receiver Emmanuel Sanders about Siemian was

his slow heartbeat and his lightning bolt of a right arm. “He’s very poised, even when he comes into the huddle, he’s always the same guy,” Sanders said. “I remember when he first came in, I said, ‘You remind me a lot of Aaron Rodgers’ in the way that he goes about his business and is always having fun, and even in the way he slings the football around. He’s kind of that backyard football kind of guy. But yet he’s still loose. “I know everyone in the huddle enjoys when he comes in there because he’s always cool, calm and collected.” Siemian was an afterthought even after Manning’s retirement and Osweiler departed in free agency. GM John Elway traded for Sanchez and tried to woo Colin Kaepernick, a quest he abandoned after drafting Lynch. Meanwhile, Siemian was out to prove Elway had his man in Denver all along. “Last year I got a chance to learn a lot and I was starting to get comfortable in the system, but I hadn’t taken a lot of reps,” Siemian said. “So, coming back I got a chance to do that in OTAs and I think that’s

when I got a chance to grow a little more and pick things up and get comfortable with the guys and the scheme.” Also invaluable to his development was running the scout team last year against Denver’s dizzying defence. “Yeah, it was an unbelievable challenge,” Siemian said. “You’re forced to use your imagination a little bit against our guys, and you’re right, I think going against them every day and getting your butt kicked a lot helped.” Kubiak said Lynch will play the entire preseason finale at Arizona on Thursday night. He didn’t say if Sanchez has a future in Denver. The Broncos would save $3.5 million and a conditional seventh-round draft pick if they cut him. Sanchez hurt his chances with two red-zone fumbles against San Francisco, but Kubiak said it was more of what Siemian did that won him the job. “He’s earned the right to be our guy,” Kubiak said. “Is it a lot to ask of a young kid? Yes, it is. But it’s not a lot to ask of our team. And I believe in our team. It’s going to be about how we play as a group, not about one guy.”

BROWNS’ PAUL KRUGER CALLS HIS RELEASE ‘WRONG DECISION’ By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — On his way out the door, Paul Kruger lowered his helmet and drilled the Browns. Andy Lee simply got booted. The Browns began the final week of the preseason in tumultuous fashion as Kruger, a veteran linebacker and one of the team’s leaders was released, Lee was traded to Carolina after failing to attempt a tackle in Tampa Bay, and the team waived defensive back K’Waun Williams, recently suspended in a dispute over an injury. Talk about a manic Monday.

Kruger’s departure stunned several of his teammates, who are still coming to grips with the team’s new front office overhauling the roster with younger players. “It was a shock, but this business, it never surprises you,” said cornerback Joe Haden. “There’s one or two every year that you kind of scratch your head on. It’s a dude that you thought was going to be part of the change.” “It just shows guys you’ve got to be making plays. It’s a what-haveyou-done-for-me-lately business,” he said. Following his release, the 30-year-old Kruger blasted the organisation on Twitter for a “wrong decision.”

Kruger, who spent three seasons with the Browns, Kruger thanked owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam and the team’s “relentless” fans before expressing his disappointment. Kruger said his release was mishandled and called it “unfortunate and absolutely the wrong decision.” Although his production dropped from 11 sacks in 2014 to just 2 1/2 last season, Kruger brought savvy and leadership to Cleveland’s young defence. He had worked with the Browns’ starting defence throughout training camp and preseason. Just last week, Sashi Brown, the team’s executive vice president of football

operations, said the team valued its veterans. Following practice, Browns coach Hue Jackson declined to elaborate on the move. “The decision is an organisational decision,” he said. “It’s what we thought was best to do, so we move forward.” Kruger started 46 games and made 18 sacks in three seasons for Cleveland, which signed him as a free agent in 2013 after he helped Baltimore win the Super Bowl. The Browns, who played poorly in a 30-13 loss to the Buccaneers on Friday, began their youth movement during the offseason by releasing linebacker Karlos Dansby, safety Donte Whitner and others. Kruger acknowledged

his relief in surviving those initial cuts and wondered how long he might remain with Cleveland. Now that Kruger’s gone, second-year player Nate Orchard is the only outside linebacker remaining who has recorded a sack in an NFL regular-season game. “We’ve got to grow up real fast,” Orchard said. Kruger’s departure has fuelled opinion the Browns are already looking toward 2017. Jackson said he’s not concerned about outside judgments. “Let me say this about anybody that we let go,” he said. “We let people go because there is a performance that we want, it’s not just him, I’m saying everybody.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 30, 2016, PAGE 7

MESSI HURTS HAMSTRING, DOUBTFUL FOR ARGENTINA’S WCUP MATCHES

Rooney remains captain, back as forward for England By STEVE DOUGLAS AP Sports Writer WAYNE Rooney will remain England captain but his midfield experiment with the national team is over, with the Manchester United veteran set to revert to playing as a deep-lying forward under new coach Sam Allardyce. “Wayne has been an excellent captain for England and the manner in which he has fulfilled the role made it an easy decision for me to ask him to continue,” Allardyce said yesterday. Rooney finished last season playing as a central midfielder for United under Louis van Gaal, and played there for England during its European Championship campaign that ended with an embarrassing last-16 loss to Iceland. New United manager Jose Mourinho has returned Rooney to the No. 10 role behind the striker, and Allardyce also thinks that’s his best position. “Wayne’s position has changed at Manchester United,” Allardyce said, “and that’s the sort of position I’d be looking for him to be playing in.” The player most affected by that positional tweak is Ross Barkley, who was dropped on Sunday by

Allardyce in his first squad announcement since replacing Roy Hodgson as England coach. Barkley plays in the same position as United captain Rooney at Everton, and has started the season in good form for his club with two goals in four games. With Dele Alli included in England’s squad, it appears there was no room for another attacking playmaker. “We have had to make some very difficult decisions, none more so than obviously I would think Ross Barkley,” Allardyce said. “But you have to make these decisions. The door will always be open for Ross, but at this moment I felt the squad I picked is the right one.” Looking to put his own stamp on the national team, Allardyce has recalled winger Theo Walcott and also picked an uncapped wide player in Michail Antonio of West Ham. It would suggest Allardyce is looking to play with more width than England did under Hodgson. Antonio’s rise to the national team is being compared to that of Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, in that he started out in non-league football — with Tooting and Mitcham, a club in south London — rather than in an academy of a big club.

ENGLAND soccer team manager Sam Allardyce during a press conference at St George’s Park, Burton central England yesterday. (AP) He had spells on loan at lowly clubs before joining Sheffield Wednesday and then Nottingham Forest. Antonio moved to West Ham last year and has impressed as a right-sided midfielder, especially in the air. He has scored eight headed goals since the start of last season — including one in each of his last two league games. “His journey is something that

deserves to be in this squad and me to have a look at as a potential player going forward,” Allardyce said. “It’s a bit similar to Jamie Vardy — it shows if you have got guts and determination and desire, how much it means. “He goes forward, creates a career for himself and finally ends up in the Premier League and with us in this squad. I’m looking forward to meeting him.” Marcus Rashford wasn’t included by Allardyce, despite going on as a substitute to score United’s injury-time winner against Hull in the Premier League on Saturday in his first appearance of the season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has displaced 18-year-old Rashford up front at United. Rashford will instead play for England under-21s this week to get some game time. “Having international experience with the under-21s will be invaluable for us later down the line,” Allardyce said. “If he plays for Manchester United on a regular basis, he would certainly — if he is breaking into the Manchester United team — be in my squad. “He made a massive impact last season, yes, but he’s only a young man, let’s not heap too much pressure on him just yet.”

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says that Lionel Messi has hurt his left hamstring and may not play in Argentina’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Messi will travel to join the Argentina squad, but his “presence in his country’s World Cup qualifying matches will depend on how the injury develops,” Barcelona says. The club statement says the medical report confirming the injury was jointly approved by its medical staff and the Argentine football federation. Argentina hosts Uruguay September 1 and plays at Venezuela September 6. Barcelona reported the injury a day after Messi played throughout its 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league.

THe WeaTHer repOrT

5-Day Forecast

TOday

OrlandO

High: 87° F/31° C low: 75° F/24° C

Tampa

TOnIGHT

Wednesday

THursday

FrIday

saTurday

Showers and heavy thunderstorms

Mostly cloudy with a thunderstorm

Variable clouds with a thunderstorm

Times of sun and clouds

Humid with times of clouds and sun

Partly sunny with a shower in spots

High: 90°

Low: 78°

High: 92° Low: 79°

High: 91° Low: 77°

AccuWeather RealFeel

108° F

87° F

109°-90° F

113°-93° F

113°-92° F

114°-91° F

High: 89° F/32° C low: 77° F/25° C

The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.

almanac

aBaCO

High: 84° F/29° C low: 80° F/27° C

10-20 knots

WesT palm BeaCH High: 87° F/31° C low: 77° F/25° C

8-16 knots

FT. lauderdale E

FreepOrT

High: 86° F/30° C low: 77° F/25° C

High: 85° F/29° C low: 79° F/26° C

mIamI

High: 86° F/30° C low: 77° F/25° C

10-20 knots

Key WesT

High: 86° F/30° C low: 78° F/26° C

eleuTHera

nassau

High: 90° F/32° C low: 78° F/26° C

High: 85° F/29° C low: 82° F/28° C

The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.

tiDes For nassau High Today

Ht.(ft.)

Low

Ht.(ft.)

7:05 a.m. 7:32 p.m.

3.1 3.5

1:04 a.m. 1:10 p.m.

0.3 0.2

Wednesday 7:52 a.m. 8:16 p.m.

3.2 3.5

1:50 a.m. 1:58 p.m.

0.3 0.2

Thursday

8:36 a.m. 8:57 p.m.

3.2 3.5

2:32 a.m. 2:42 p.m.

0.2 0.2

Friday

9:18 a.m. 9:36 p.m.

3.2 3.4

3:11 a.m. 3:24 p.m.

0.2 0.3

Saturday

9:57 a.m. 10:14 p.m.

3.2 3.2

3:49 a.m. 4:05 p.m.

0.3 0.3

Sunday

10:36 a.m. 10:52 p.m.

3.2 3.1

4:25 a.m. 4:46 p.m.

0.3 0.4

Monday

11:16 a.m. 11:31 p.m.

3.1 2.9

5:02 a.m. 5:27 p.m.

0.4 0.6

sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset

6:50 a.m. 7:30 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

5:08 a.m. 6:25 p.m.

new

First

Full

last

sep. 1

sep. 9

sep. 16

sep. 23

CaT Island

High: 86° F/30° C low: 82° F/28° C

8-16 knots

7-14 knots Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 81° F/27° C Low .................................................... 75° F/24° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 91° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 76° F/25° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.50” Year to date ............................................... 28.32” Normal year to date ................................... 24.81”

uV inDex toDay

andrOs

san salVadOr

GreaT eXuma

High: 86° F/30° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 87° F/31° C low: 82° F/28° C

High: 88° F/31° C low: 82° F/28° C

W S

lOnG Island

insurance management tracking map

High: 87° F/31° C low: 82° F/28° C

7-14 knots

mayaGuana High: 87° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

CrOOKed Island / aCKlIns raGGed Island High: 87° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C

High: 86° F/30° C low: 81° F/27° C

GreaT InaGua High: 89° F/32° C low: 82° F/28° C

7-14 knots

6-12 knots

marine Forecast aBaCO andrOs CaT Island CrOOKed Island eleuTHera FreepOrT GreaT eXuma GreaT InaGua lOnG Island mayaGuana nassau raGGed Island san salVadOr

Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday: Today: Wednesday:

WINDS S at 8-16 Knots SSW at 8-16 Knots S at 8-16 Knots S at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 6-12 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 8-16 Knots SSE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 12-25 Knots S at 12-25 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots E at 6-12 Knots ESE at 6-12 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SE at 8-16 Knots SSE at 8-16 Knots S at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots ESE at 7-14 Knots SE at 7-14 Knots SSE at 6-12 Knots

WAVES 4-7 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-2 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 2-4 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 3-5 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-2 Feet 1-3 Feet 2-4 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 3-6 Feet 3-6 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet 1-3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 3 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 4 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 84° F 84° F 87° F 87° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F

PAGE 8, Tuesday, August 30, 2016

THE TRIBUNE

Rugby 7s: Women’s national team gets ready for Caribbean Championships

IN TRAINING: The Bahamas women’s national rugby 7s team can be seen here training with Jon Isaacs at the Winton rugby pitch as the team prepares for the Caribbean Championships in November. The Bahamas Rugby Union is scheduled to hold a series of women’s 7s events over the next few months. Photos by Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

UPCOMING EVENT: The BRU is slated to hold the Neville 7s touch rugby tournament on September 3 as part of the continuing fund-raising efforts for Damian Neville’s medical expenses.