Issuu

SPORTS ‘Run in heats or there is no final’ NAUGHTY’S

SECTION E

TUESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2017

NFL PREVIEW E3

PAULINE Davis-Thompson

DAVIS-THOMPSON: SOME ATHLETES SELFISH AND SELF-CENTRED By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net LONDON, England: Pauline Davis-Thompson was busy with her duties as a Councilwoman for the International Amateur Athletic Federation at the 16th IAAF World Championships. But it didn’t stop her from checking in on Team Bahamas’ performances – and being highly critical of some of the athletes. The Bahamas finished tied for 30th on the medal chart with a silver from Steven Gardiner in the men’s 400 metres and a bronze from Shaunae Miller-Uibo in the women’s 200m. The Bahamas also ended up tied with three others for 22nd overall. “I expected that we would have done better, truth be told,” said Davis-Thompson, a former Golden Girl for the Bahamas at the championships. “Yes, we won a silver medal and a bronze medal, but I expected more from our team. “We’ve had outstanding athletes in the past and I feel like these athletes of today are more gifted than we were and more talented. They don’t seemed to be as focused. It seemed as if they lack focus. They have the ability, but they are not focused.” As one of the proudest athletes to wear the word Bahamas on the chest of her aquamarine, gold and black uniform, Davis-Thompson said she’s noticed that the athletes of today are “selfish” and “self-centered”. “They seemed to think that it is a right to be on the Bahamian team instead of it being a privilege,” she stressed. “It’s a privilege to compete for your country and to put on the colours of your country. I just was a bit disappointed in some of our athletes.” Davis-Thompson didn’t pinpoint anyone in particular, but she said that over the last few years, there’s been an issue of some of the elite athletes on the team not being fully prepared to represent the Bahamas, especially when it comes down to the relays, the most exciting events in any games or championships. Based on what she’s seen, Davis-Thompson said the Bahamas Government should take another look at how the money is spent on the athletes who are subvented and go to a reward system instead. “In other words, I think the subvention should reviewed in whatever event the government deemed to be important by putting a price tag on it,” she said. “If you come to the trials and you make the national team, you get x-amount of money. It should be performance based. “No longer should you get money or collect subvention and the athletes are not performing up to par. It should be performance based. I also don’t believe that because you are put on a relay team SEE PAGE E3

Head coach Dianne Woodside-Johnson responds to Gardiner relay controversy By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net HEAD coach Dianne Woodside-Johnson said it was her responsibility to put out the best team possible to represent the Bahamas at the 16th International Amateur Athletic Federation World Championship in London, England last week. As a result, she took exception to remarks by national record holder Steven Gardiner, who defied her orders to run in the heats of the men’s 4 x 400 metre relay on Saturday, more than three days after he opened the country’s medal account at the event. In giving his side of the story after it was reported in the media that he “refused” to run in the relay, Gardiner said he had informed Woodside-Johnson that he was still recuperating from running a blistering 43.89 seconds to lower his national record in the individual 400m semifinal and booked his lane in the final. Gardiner, 21, said he was also recovering from the flu, but claimed none of that was taken into consideration when he was told by

ABOVE: Head coach Dianne Woodside-Johnson and relay coordinator Rupert Gardiner overlook the women’s 4 x 100m relay practice before the World Championships. Woodside-Johnson that he had to run the heats to ensure that the team got into the final. Back home from the championships and reviewing Gardiner’s comments, Johnson-Woodside said she will provide a full report to the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations on what really transpired. But she didn’t mince her words on responding to certain things that Gardiner had to say. “I don’t wish to play this out in the media. It will be detailed in my report,” she said. “But I thought it was quite interesting about what he had to say. When I did the interview, I told the ath-

LEFT: Silver medal winner Steven Gardiner. lete that if he had not run in Michael Mathieu, Ojay Ferthe heat, it was highly un- guson and Ramon Miller likely that there would have ran a season’s best of three been a final. minutes and 03.04 for sev“That’s when he refused enth place in their heat and to run. He said I disliked 11th overall, denying the him because I don’t coach Bahamas a chance to comhim, but everybody knows pete in the final. that I am an educator for “The truth was he reall of his lifetime and I love fused to run in the heat,” all kids. I am a professional Woodside-Johnson said. and I love all kids. It doesn’t She also noted that whatmatter who I coach, every ever changes were made to athlete can attest to the fact the relay teams were disthat I don’t favour anyone.” cussed with the coaching She said it seemed as if staff, including relay coorthis was Gardiner’s way of dinator Rupert Gardiner, trying to cover up the rea- the day before and they son why he chose not to run then advised the athletes. in the heats, in favour of “The only change on running in the final if the the morning of the day the team qualified. relay took place, we disWithout Gardiner, the cussed the order and eveteam of Alonzo Russell, rybody agreed, except for

one, which was Anthonique Strachan, who really wanted to run the 4 x 1, but we needed her for the 4 x 4,” Woodside-Johnson said. “That was the only change. “Kendrick Thompson, who was mentioned in the article, his name was never considered for any relay, which was discussed by the coaches. I think the truth will come out, everyone will have their say and they will let you exactly what happened. “That is as much as I would like to say in the media at this time. All of the other things that he (Gardiner) said, which I feel were disrespectful, I won’t respond to them at this time.”

PREPARING FOR CENTROBASKET: The Bahamas Basketball Federation Junior Women’s National Basketball team.

JUNIOR WOMEN’S TEAM TIPS OFF AGAINST COSTA RICA By RENALDO DORSETT Tribune Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Centrobasket gets underway in Puerto Rico

THE Bahamas Basketball Federation Junior Women’s National Basketball team will continue their path toward qualification to more prestigious tournaments in the region, beginning with this year’s Centrobasket. The team tips off play today in the FIBA Americas Centrobasket Under-17 Women’s Championship, to be hosted August 15-19 in Aguada, Puerto Rico. Participating teams include the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Suriname. “We are looking forward to having excellent results in this tournament. We believe we put together a

strong team and we also have a strong coaching staff. BTC and the Omni Financial group allowed us to have some of the ammenities we may not have been afforded and asissted with travel, sneakers, bags and the like so we have to thank them for the support they have rendered to the BBF,” said BBF Treasurer and Chief de Mission - Simone Beneby. The Bahamas was placed in Group B along with Suriname, Costa Rica, and the hosts Puerto Rico. They will face Costa Rica today at 1pm local time in the tournament opener. “We anticipate that that will be one of the more challenging teams in our bracket, but we anticipate that

we will fare well, but the most challenigng team will be the host team Puerto RIco who we face on Thursday,” Beneby said, “With our team, this is one of our better talent pools we have had. The cutting process was that difficult and began with about 50 girls. The chemistry between the girls is good and the girls work out their challenges so this is a good strong unified group headed into Puerto Rico.” Group A includes El Salvador, the British Virgin Islands, Guatemala and Mexico. The top-three teams from the tournament will qualify to FIBA Under-18 Women’s Americas Championship 2018.

Varel Clarke-Davis serves as the head coach with Terrence McSweeney and Devynn Johnson as assistant coaches. “We have a very talented group of ladies with high expectations. Most of them are new but we have some girls who were here from the last time we won the gold medal,” Johnson said, “We are looking forward to a great time and competing again for gold. These girls have worked hard, and they put in the work. Now its time to represent the flag and represent it well. It wont be easy but we have prepared and these girls will do their best.”

SEE PAGE E3

PAGE 2, Tuesday, August 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

LEASHJA GRANT JOINS LAKEHEAD THUNDERWOLVES

By RENALDO DORSETT  Tribune Sports Reporter  rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL team standout Leashja Grant will continue her collegiate career in Ontario, Canada with the Lakehead Thunderwolves. After playing at the JuCo and NCAA Division I levels, US Visa issues periodically stalled her athletic and academic progression last season, but she now joins a programme looking to contend in the Ontario University Association. Thunder head coach Jon Kriener said it was an amazing signing for his programme, a team that reached the Ontario Universities Association Final Four last season. “Wow,” Kreiner said “She’s a legit NCAA Division I post. “She’s undersized by NCAA Division I standards, but oversized with respect to her rebounding ability. She’s a beast inside and the type of player that we’ve been looking for to complement our shooters and the talent we already

“I hope to accomplish a lot both on and off the court and I have confidence that will happen at Lakehead U. I am looking forward to a great first year at Lakehead with a fresh start.”

Leashja Grant

have. Her strengths are going to be controlling the paint at both ends of the floor. She’s a big-time rebounder and kind of gives our shooters a little bit more leeway to let loose a little bit. Also we’ll look at getting the ball inside and playing that inside game.” She will have two years of eligibility remaining for the Thunderwolves

“Canada, on the whole, was an amazing experience. “I really enjoyed the environment and people I met in Thunder Bay and in the Thunderdome,” she said in a release issued by the school’s athletic department. “The coaching staff and teammates all showed me what Lakehead was about,

nothing but greatness and the chance to accomplish goals. “I hope to accomplish a lot both on and off the court and I have confidence that will happen at Lakehead U. I am looking forward to a great first year at Lakehead with a fresh start.” Grant last played collegiately for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 at the NCAA Division I level during the 2015-16 season She averaged 7.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Red Raiders in her lone season in Lubbock, Texas. Visa issues prevented Grant from returning to the Red Raiders for a second season and forced her

to sit out. Fellow Bahamian Donnathon Moss, currently the assistant coach for the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Ooks in Northern Alberta, Canada facilitated the networking between Grant and Lakehead. Moss has recruited several Bahamians to the programme, most notably Jackson Jacobs who led the Ooks to a national championship. She spent the past offseason with a noteworthy appearance on the Women’s Senior National team for the second time. Despite a 5th place finish at this year’s Women’s Centrobasket Championships, Grant led the Bahamas and averaged a double double with 15.6 points and

10.6 rebounds per game. Prior to her time with Texas Tech, Grant played at the junior college level with the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals. In her sophomore and final season with the Cardinals, Grant averaged a double double with 12.1 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. Her highlight of the season came when she grabbed 31 rebounds to become the school’s single game leader and broke Portia Hill’s 27-year-old record. Grant helped the Cardinals to claim an eighth straight Region XIV championship and national tournament berth. She posted 23 double doubles in 34 games, including six games with at least 18 rebounds or more She is the daughter of longtime CR Walker Knights head basketball coach Trevor Grant. Her brother, Trevon Grant, is also a collegiate basketball player at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.

SHAQUILLE CLEARE HEADS TO SWISS LEAGUE

By RENALDO DORSETT  Tribune Sports Reporter  rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Texas Longhorn Shaquille Cleare is prepared to elevate his basketball career to the professional level in Europe.  Cleare signed with BBC Lausanne of Championnat LNB League, the second-tier of pro basketball in Switzerland.  The national league is divided into two championships, the LNA and the LNB, with a system of promotion and relegation between them.  Cleare is expected to anchor the frontcourt of a team that reached the league quarterfinals last season, but were eliminated in a three

game series against Monthey.  In his senior season with the Longhorns, Cleare missed the opportunity to get back into the NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament but he posted his best individual numbers of his collegiate career.  Cleare, a 6-foot-8-inch, 275-pound forward, ended up averaging 8.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game as he helped the Longhorns, coached by Shaka Smart, to an 11-22 win-loss record that placed them 10th in the Big 12.  He entered his senior season listed at 275 pounds, 10 pounds fewer than his playing weight as junior of 285.  He posted a career high 23

points in an 84-83 win over the Oklahoma Sooners and a career high nine rebounds in a loss at Baylor.  Following the season and graduation in April, Cleare spent time working on his conditioning and preparing for his opportunities on the pro circuit.  Cleare averaged 3.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game as a junior, his first with the Longhorns after transferring from Maryland. He spent the previous season as a redshirt, but worked out with the Longhorns and went through twoa-day practices routinely.  Cleare joined the Terrapins’ programme as a highly touted recruit out of the Village School in Houston, Texas, where he aver-

aged 26.5 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks per game.  He was listed as the No.30 overall prospect by ESPN and No.53 by Rivals.com for the Class of 2012.  Following his stellar high school career, Cleare appeared in 37 of 38 games for the Terps, including eight starts. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 12 minutes per game as the team finished 25-13, 8-10 in the ACC.  After a promising freshman year, Cleare was pegged as a starter by head coach Mark Turgeon, but eventually split minutes and lost time to reserve forward Charles Mitchell.  As a sophomore, Cleare averaged three points and 2.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game

while appearing in all 32 games with 20 starts.  In addition to pro basketball, Shaquille’s father, Brian Cleare, also said his son has his sights on a long awaited national team debut.  “Now he’s indeed poised to represent the Bahamas on the national team. He always wanted to do that but because of insurance and his commitment to the school programme during the summer, he was unable to represent the Bahamas in the past,” he told the Tribune in March.  Cleare said he heard about the plans for the national basketball team and he would certainly like to come back home and be a part of the run to qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games.

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 15, 2017, PAGE 3

ALL EYES WILL BE ON BEARS’ QB TRUBISKY

PRESEASON BREAKDOWN OF NFC NORTH AS WE edge closer to real football, and the start of the NFL season, we continue our division by division camp preview. This week we take a look at the NFC NORTH. • C HICAGO BEARS Training camp report dates: rookies (July 19) and veterans (July 26). Location: Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Illinois. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP WR. The Bears enter training camp with a host of second-fiddle wideouts. Former first-round pick Kevin White has the talent to be the go-to target, but he needs to stay healthy, having appeared in just four games through two years in the NFL. A receiver that was a steal for me in Fantasy Football last season, Cameron Meredith is a sleeper. He proved last year he’s a capable weapon (888 yards, four touchdowns, 13.5 yards per catch), but he’s not someone defences fear. Beyond that, the Bears have a host of veteran retreads and young, low-upside players. Markus Wheaton, Victor Cruz, Kendall Wright, Rueben Randle, Deonte Thompson and Josh Bellamy are all battling for a roster spot. Look for Wheaton to make it, with Cruz and Wright battling for the last spot, the rest will be cut! BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION - First round pick QB Mitchell Trubisky. Duh. The Bears will play Mike Glennon initially, however from Day 1 of camp, all eyes will be on Trubisky. If he is lights-out it will be a story. If he is hitting offensive linemen in the head with passes and tossing wormburners, it will be a story. For better or worse, Trubisky is the future under centre for the Bears.

THE

PRESS BOX ZELAYA

BY INIGO ‘NAUGHTY’ ZENICA

With jobs on the line for the coaching staff, it’s sink or swim with the first rounder. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK - The Secondary. The Bears attempted to upgrade a mediocre secondary by adding Prince Amukamara and Marcus Cooper at corner and Quintin Demps at safety. The secondary needs to see vast improvement for the Bears’ defence to have any chance in 2017. • DETROIT LIONS Training camp report dates: rookies (July 24) and veterans (July 29). Location: Lions Training Facility, Allen Park, Michigan. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP Offensive Line, LT. In all honesty, losing left tackle Taylor Decker to a torn labrum was about the worst thing that could have happened to the Lions’ offence. An offensive line that looked to be a rebuilt strength heading into 2017 now has a glaring hole on Stafford’s blind side?????? BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION - LB Jarad Davis. The first-round pick out of Florida is slated to start immediately in the middle of Detroit’s defence. Davis was already calling the Lions’ defensive alignments during offseason workouts. His progress and work ethic through camp and the preseason will be worth watching for a Detroit defence sorely needing the tackling and

athleticism he can provide. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK The Secondary. The Lions head to training camp set for a battle for the nickel corner spot. Free agent D.J. Hayden could have the inside track, but Quandre Diggs will get a shot at the job after recovering from a pectoral injury. Is rookie Teez Tabor ready to step into a role opposite Darius Slay? • G REEN BAY PACKERS Training camp report dates: rookies and veterans (July 26). Location: St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP - We know Montgomery is slated for the bulk of the backfield duties heading into the 2017 season. Can any of the young tailbacks cut into the former receiver’s snaps? Fourth-round pick Jamaal Williams enters camp as the most likely to carve out a role as an earlydown runner. Fifth-round pick Aaron Jones owns big-play ability and could see the field as a passcatching back. If either of the rookies display consistency in camp, he could serve a major role in 2017. BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION - TE Martellus Bennett. Bennett is an upgrade over last year’s free-agent signee at tight end, Jared Cook, in the passing game and as a run-blocker. At 6-foot-6, Bennett should feast in the red zone for this diverse pass-

DAVIS-THOMPSON: SOME ATHLETES SELFISH, SELF-CENTRED FROM PAGE E1

that you should be put on subvention.” Davis-Thompson said all athletes should perform to earn the right to be paid. She reflected on the era when she competed with the Golden Girls - Savatheda Fynes, Chandra Sturrup, Eldece Clarke and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie. She noted that they performed first and then the government rewarded them for their efforts. “The older I get and the more I see the young people perform today, the more I am proud of my Golden Girls,” she stated. “We had issues, but it was never no doubt that we would have gone out there and put on a show for the country. “We always felt blessed, first of all, to be Bahamians, secondly to go out there and to represent our country and all Bahamians. I was proud of us then, but I am more and more proud of us now because I know how hard we worked to bring honour to our country.” The talented group of young ladies represented the Bahamas at every level from the Carifta Games to the World Championships and the Olympic Games, not only winning medals of every colour as a team, but individually. “What I see happening with our team right now really saddens me,” she said. “For the lack of respect, I cannot comprehend or understand how you teach Bahamian pride. How do you teach Bahamian sportsmanship and Bahamian pride to these young people?” she asked. “Obviously, something is amiss, something is wrong. The older athletes, we were Bahamians to our core, but these younger athletes, it’s all about me, me, me and this self-centered, selfish attitude that they have. Some of them are not performing up to par and they expect to be continuing to collect the Bahamian money.” Looking back at the championships, Davis-Thompson said the performances were unpredictable, not only for the Bahamas, but for a lot of the countries, including Jamaica,

the United States and host Great Britain. “It saddens me to see our great one Usain Bolt go out the way he did, but he’s still the greatest,” she stressed. “I would have love to see him out with a victory, but it’s not going to take anything away from what he’s accomplished over the years. “It won’t change because what he’s done for our sport, how he has transcended it, I don’t think we will ever be able to pay him in dollar figure, but I hope that he understands how much our sport truly loves him and how we respect him for what he has done, unblemished as the consummate showman.” Before and during the championships, Davis-Thompson had duties to perform as a member of the IAAF. One of them was to serve as a presenter, giving out awards to the deserving athletes at the medal presentation. She would have done about four presentations, but DavisThompson said the ones that stood out the most were to those athletes who collected re-classification medals from previous World Championships as a result of others testing positive for banned substances. “When I joined the IAAF, I was very adamant about getting those athletes who were denied the opportunity to receive their medals as a result of persons who would have cheated to get their medals,” said DavisThompson, who was eventually elevated from silver to gold in the women’s 200m at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sidney, Australia, the same year that the Golden Girls won the women’s 4 x 100m title. “I was so glad that they got this opportunity to do so in front of all those people in the stadium. It was such a honour for them and I was glad that the IAAF gave me a chance to present some of them because I was one who really pushed for them to get them.” Davis-Thompson, 51, also won two World Championships, the first coming in Seville, Spain in 1999 when the Golden Girls won the women’s 4 x 100m relay. The other came in 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden when she secured the silver in the women’s 200m.

CHICAGO Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (10) scrambles during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

ing attack. Bennett will also thrive when Rodgers vamps and extends plays. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK - The Secondary. This seems to be a theme in this division, everybody’s secondary sucks. So please no more referring to the alleged weak secondary in Dallas. Green Bay’s pass defence was painful to watch in 2016. The unit routinely made third-andlong a pitch-and-catch prospect for opposing offences. GM Ted Thompson brought veteran Davon House - who spent the past two seasons in Jacksonville after starting his career in Green Bay - back into the mix. He also used secondround picks on cornerbacks Kevin King and Josh Jones. • MINNESOTA VIKINGS Training camp report

dates: rookies (July 23) and veterans (July 26). Location: Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota. HOTTEST POSITION BATTLE IN CAMP Running back. Secondround pick Dalvin Cook enters camp ahead of veteran addition Latavius Murray for the featureback role in Minnesota -Murray missing offseason workouts following ankle surgery gave the multipurpose Cook the lead heading into camp. Will the rookie hold onto the gig? BIGGEST OFFSEASON ADDITION - Offensive Line, the signings of Offensive Linemen Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers. The Vikings deployed one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last season, which nearly got quarterback Sam Bradford killed.

Reiff and Remmers are major question marks after average play with the Lions and Panthers, respectively. Reiff was moved to right tackle in Detroit but will swing back to left tackle in Minnesota. BIGGEST CAMP QUESTION MARK WR Laquon Treadwell The first-round pick in 2016 barely saw the field as a rookie. His 80 offensive snaps last year were four fewer than Adrian Peterson (who played just three games) and six more than backup QB Shaun Hill. He won’t pass Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen on the depth chart, but he should battle Jarius Wright and Michael Floyd (suspended for four games) for the No. 3 gig. Until next week, be safe, I’m off to stock up on tailgate essentials early!!

JUNIOR WOMEN’S TEAM TIPS OFF AGAINST COSTA RICA FROM PAGE E1 The competition system of the tournament consists of two phases. In the Group Phase, the eight (8) participating teams will be divided into two groups of four teams. Teams will play in a round-robin format for three days. The best two teams from each group will advance to the next phase, where the first place of Group A will play against the second place in Group B and vice versa. The winners of the Semi-Finals will advance to the Gold Medal Match, while the losers will play for the bronze of the continental event. The Bahamas qualified for the Centrobasket 2017 tournament after they claimed the 2016 Caribbean Basketball Confederation’s Under-16 title. The Bahamas won the title with a 5550 win over Suriname in the title game at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, Guyana. Tanea Bowleg capped an MVP performance for the Bahamas with 19 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Bowleg led the Bahamas with 15.7 points per game over the course of the tournament while Valicia Demeritte scored 15 per game and Briontae Riley scored 9.7 per game. The Bahamas opened with a 59-54 win over Surinam, followed by an 89-36 win over Trinidad and Tobago and qualified for the final with a 55-26 win over Antigua and Barbuda. Many of the players from that team have returned for this year’s squad, including Bowleg and Riley. “I expcect it to be a tough tournament because our coaches tell us the difference in the level from CBC and moving up. All we can do is play hard to come up with wins and move on,” Bowleg said, “Practices have

been intense but to win you have to win to put in that hard work. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Riley and fellow national team member Diondrea Nixon participated in Basketball Without Borders this summer and competed against some of the same athletes that will be present at the Centrobasket. “I expect us to do well, I think that we are one of the better teams and we are capable of bringing home a medal,” she said, “I told my team that the girls at BWB were really good so we cannot underestimate any teams, even the teams we beat at CBC because this tournament is different.” The Bahamas will face Suriname on Wednesday 2pm and Puerto Rico on Thurday 6pm to complete the group stage. With the focus of the region now shifting to Puerto Rico after the boys event in the Dominican Republic last month, the mayor of Aguada said his city is ready to host the top national team programmes, their fans and supporters. “I feel privileged and honoured that Aguada is selected as the venue for these games nationwide,” said the Mayor of Aguada, Manuel “Gabina” Santiago. “We have seen how our people have been an alternative to the development of the Puerto Rican sport. “We have excellent facilities, with human resources specialised in sports and more than anything else the will and commitment to the sports development of our people. “And an example of this is our team of Santeros, who enjoy having one of the best fan bases of all Puerto Rico. “As we have supported that team we will also support this event, and are looking forward to the month of July to welcome all the participants.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 15, 2017, PAGE 5

DOLPHINS’ POUNCEY SAYS RETURN TO CONTACT DRILLS FEELS GOOD

HALL OF FAMER JERRY RICE TAKES PART IN 49ERS PRACTICE

By STEVEN WINE, AP Sports Writer DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins centre Mike Pouncey’s left arm briefly went numb when he collided in practice Monday with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. It felt good, Pouncey said. “I miss those hits,” he said with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Golly, I miss that feeling.’ It was good to have it back.” The feeling’s coming back for Pouncey, and not just in his left arm. He missed 12 games last year because of hip issues, and is gradually being phased into the routine in training camp. The Dolphins want to limit Pouncey’s exposure to contact to reduce the risk of re-injury, so he joined contact drills for the first time Saturday. He’s practicing every other day and will likely play in one exhibition game, perhaps Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens. “We’re just sticking to the plan of one day on, one day off, and it has been working so far,” Pouncey said. “Physically I feel great. I feel like we have a great plan, a great schedule that I’m going to stick to throughout this whole camp.” Coach Adam Gase said Pouncey doesn’t need much practice to be ready for the season. “I just want him to follow what our plan is, and I don’t want him to try to sneak in two extra reps,” Gase said. “He’s not one for just standing on the sideline and watching.” Pouncey, 28, is a threetime Pro Bowler who hasn’t played a full season since 2012. He has had surgery on both hips, and last year he wondered aloud how long he would be able to continue to play. But he said an offseason of rehabilitation has allowed him to believe he can stay healthy this year. “I wouldn’t be out here taking reps if I didn’t,” he said. “You don’t want to be a guy that’s secondguessing yourself, because any time you do, you’re going to cause injury. I’m a guy that’s full out or full nothing. I’ve been going full out every day, and it hasn’t been an issue.”

AP SOURCE: DOLPHINS ADD TREY GRIFFEY, SON OF KEN GRIFFEY JR. MIAMI (AP) — A person familiar with the deal says the Miami Dolphins have signed undrafted free agent receiver Trey Griffey, the son of Hall of Fame baseball player Ken Griffey Jr. The person confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the Dolphins had not announced the signing or contract terms. Griffey had 79 catches for 1,241 yards and six touchdowns in four seasons at Arizona. A center fielder in baseball, he was drafted in the 24th round of the 2016 draft by the Seattle Mariners but opted to stay with football. The Indianapolis Colts signed Griffey after the April draft, but he was waived-injured in June. At least five Dolphins receivers — none of them starters — have been slowed by injuries during training camp.

FORMER San Francisco 49ers player Jerry Rice waves to the crowd at Candlestick Park after an NFL football game between the 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons in San Francisco in 2013. Rice put on the cleats and took part in practice with the 49ers on Monday, running patterns and doing stretches in individual drills, dishing out tips to young receivers and even shadowing the wideouts during team drills. (AP) By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football Writer SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers made a big-time acquisition at wide receiver — at least for one practice. Hall of Famer Jerry Rice put on the cleats and took part in practice with the 49ers on Monday, running patterns and doing stretches in individual drills, dishing out tips to young receivers and even shadowing the wideouts during team drills. “Oh man, that was pretty exciting,” undrafted rookie Kendrick Bourne said. “Kind of had me kind of nervous but definitely very excited. Being out here practising with him and seeing how much older he is and he can still move well. It was good learning. I learned a lot from him.” Rice has plenty of knowledge from a 20-year career that featured NFL records with 1,549 catches, 22,895 yards receiving, 208 total touchdowns and three Super Bowl titles.

“Oh man, that was pretty exciting. Kind of had me kind of nervous but definitely very excited. Being out here practising with him and seeing how much older he is and he can still move well. It was good learning. I learned a lot from him.” Undrafted rookie Kendrick Bourne He even showed he still has some moves at age 54, nearly 13 years removed from his final game, with the way he ran patterns during individual drills. “It’s definitely inspiring,” Bourne said. “It just tells you how hard you can go and you can push your body to limits that you didn’t know you could go.”

The 49ers are making a more concerted effort this season to highlight their rich history and bring former players back into the fold under new general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan, whose father Mike was offensive coordinator when Steve Young and Rice helped the team win the Super Bowl following the 1994 season. The team added a Ring of Honour to the stadium this season to honor the 27 people in the 49ers Hall of Fame and has made an effort to bring back players like Young and Rice to the facility. The two addressed the team before practice about establishing the proper culture to be a winning team, a message that resonated because of their accomplishments as players. “When you’re talking about the culture to have those guys here who won the Super Bowl and knew what it took,” safety Eric Reid said. “It’s the vibe. It’s

all about the vibe. When you walk in the building and see those faces that’s greatness right there and you ask them how they did it and they can give you little nuggets that maybe you hadn’t thought of before.” Bourne was especially eager to pick Rice’s brain about how he thrived for so long in the NFL as a receiver from a low-profile college who lacked gamebreaking speed. While Rice was a firstround pick despite a slower combine time in the 40yard dash after a career at Mississippi Valley State, Bourne went undrafted after catching 79 passes for 1,201 yards and seven TDs last year at Eastern Washington. A 4.68 time in the 40 hurt his cause but he asked Rice how to overcome that. “He told me to just focus on route running,” Bourne said. “That’s what it really comes down to in this league is separation, getting that little bit of separation.” Bourne had a strong de-

but in his first exhibition game with four catches for 88 yards and a 46-yard touchdown. He recovered from two early drops, thanks to some good advice from coaching intern Katie Sowers. “I dropped my first NFL pass and that was a bummer,” he said. “I dropped my second NFL pass too and that was a bummer. Then Katie kind of got in my ear and was just like, ‘Man you can really be good.’ She compared me to some top players and told me to take the moment in. After that I don’t know what got into me. “I got into a rhythm and got going.” Sowers’ tenure with the Niners was supposed to end after that game but she announced on her Facebook page that she is being kept for the whole season. The team has not made an official announcement. “That’s awesome,” Bourne said. “Congrats to her. I’m looking for a fulltime job.”

BROWNS KICKER PARKEY BATTLING ROOKIE DRAFT PICK FOR HIS JOB By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Kicker Cody Parkey thought he had shown the Browns he could handle anything during a topsy-turvy 2016 season. Through the highs, lows, makes and misses, he was steady. And then draft day arrived. After missing three field goals in his debut last season, Parkey, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie for Philadelphia in 2014 only to be waived two years later, rebounded and converted 20 of 22 attempts. His personal comeback was lost in the mess of the Browns’ horrendous 1-15 season. When it ended, Parkey was confident the Browns believed in him, and the 27-year-old assumed his job was secure — at least for another season. That all changed when the team selected Arizona State AllAmerican Zane Gonzalez, the most prolific kicker in college history, in the seventh round of this year’s NFL draft. “I was kind of taken aback,” Parkey said Monday. “But I was reassured that it was going to be an open competition. And it just kind of makes me want to work harder, just to prove people wrong about me.” Quarterback isn’t the only tight competition in Browns camp. The kicking battle between Parkey and Gonzalez has evolved into one of the tightest this summer, with each squib and shank analysed and graded. Parkey has been more consistent, but coach Hue Jackson indicated that the starting job remains up for grabs. “I think it is kind of close,” he said. “I am not going to say which

“I was kind of taken aback. But I was reassured that it was going to be an open competition. And it just kind of makes me want to work harder, just to prove people wrong about me.” Cody Parkey way it is.” Parkey said Gonzalez, the first kicker drafted by the Browns since 1989, has made him better. “Competition breeds success,” he said. “But at the end of the day I’m competing against myself. I’m not trying to beat Zane that day. I’m trying to beat myself.” A year ago, Parkey wasn’t even on the Browns’ radar. He was with the Eagles last summer, fighting for a job after a serious groin injury prematurely ended his 2015 season. Parkey was released in September and was looking for a tryout when Browns called him with an emergency. Kicker Patrick Murray had sustained a season-ending knee injury in practice, and the Browns needed him for their Sept. 25 game in Miami. Parkey rushed to Florida, only worked with holder Britton Colquitt and Charley Hughlett in warmups and proceeded to miss three field goals, including a potential game-winner from 46 yards at the end of regulation. The Browns lost in overtime, and it would have been easy for them to move on. Instead, they gave Parkey another chance. “They gave me another game, which was honestly awesome,”

CLEVELAND Browns kicker Cody Parkey (3), with Britton Colquitt (4) holding, boots a field goal against the Buffalo Bills during the first half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y. in 2016. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert, File)

he said. “They believed in me. I didn’t have a good first game. “There is no way to sugarcoat that. But I think the definition of a good kicker is how you respond because you are going to miss a kick here and there.” Parkey was hard on himself, but was finally able to shake the Miami meltdown. “You just gotta go out there and hit your ball and trust that you’re here for a reason,” he said. “You’re one of 32 guys in the world that’s able to do this. I’ve been to a Pro Bowl. I’ve done it all, so I just have to remind myself: “’I’m good enough to be in this league.’” Gonzalez feels the same way.

The career FBS leader with 96 field goals and 494 points, he was honoured as the Lou Groza Award winner as the nation’s top kicker last year. He didn’t understand the award’s significance until he arrived at team headquarters, located at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. and named for the Browns Hall of Famer. “It’s a pretty special feeling,” Gonzalez said. “I didn’t really realise it was that big a deal until I got here the first time and I saw Lou Groza right on the front door. It’s just awesome to look back and know that I did win that award and now I’m here.”

THE TRIBUNE

Tuesday, August 15, 2017, PAGE 7

FEDERER OUT OF CINCINNATI WITH BAD BACK; NADAL TO BE NO.1 MASON, Ohio (AP) — Wimbledon champion Roger Federer withdrew from the Western & Southern Open on Monday because of a back injury. He has won the Masters series tournament seven times. The move was announced on the first full day of matches. This U.S. Open warmup has now lost five of the top six players in the men’s rankings. Federer, a 19-time major champion, said in a statement he “tweaked” his back last week at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, where he lost Sunday’s final to Alexander Zverev. The Swiss star, ranked No. 3, is sidelined along with No. 1 Andy Murray, No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, No. 5 Novak Djokovic and No. 6 Marin Cilic, the defending champion. Only No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the topseeded player, remains in the draw. Tournament officials tweeted that 21st-ranked Gael Monfils also is out because of an undisclosed illness. All the missing players except Cilic are 30 or older. “It’s just coincidence,” said Nadal, 31. “We’re not 20 years old any more. We’re not playing all the weeks. It’s part of our sport. I’ve been in their

position lots of times. I’ve missed more events than the other players. It’s part of the game. I wish them all a speedy recovery. We need them in the game. I hope they get back soon.” Federer’s withdrawal means Nadal, who lost in the third round at Montreal, will return to No. 1 when new ATP rankings are released Aug. 21. The Spaniard will be No. 1 for the first time since July 6, 2014. Nadal has spent 141 weeks at No. 1 since first ascending there after reaching the Western & Southern semifinals in 2008.

ROGER FEDERER, of Switzerland, wipes his brow during his final match against Alexander Zverev, of Germany, at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament in Montreal, Sunday. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press via AP)

6-2, 6-1 over Benoit Paire; and Feliciano Lopez, 7-6 (5), 6-1 over Hyeon Chung. In other women’s matches, Roberta Vinci knocked out Time Babos 7-5, 7-5 and Camile Giorgi ousted Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 6-2. Also, 14th-seeded Petra Kvitova rallied past Anett Kontaveit 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3; Beatriz Haddad Maia topped Lauren Davis 6-3, 6-2; and Lesia Tsurenko defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-0. Kristina Mladenovic, seeded 13th, became the first seeded player to lose, beaten by Daria Gavrilova 6-0, 7-6 (6).

Other’s men’s matches saw wild card Frances Tiafoe beat qualifier Maximilian Marterer 6-3, 7-6 (2) and qualifier Joao Sousa defeated Kyle Edmund 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. Richard Gasquet and wild card Tommy Paul advanced in straight sets. Gasquet eased past qualifier John-Patrick Smith 6-4, 6-4, and Paul beat fellow American Donald Young 6-4, 7-6 (4). Ivo Karlovic ousted Jiri Vesely 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. Also advancing in straight sets were Fabio Fognini, a 7-6 (5), 6-4 winner over Daniil Medvedev; qualifier Mitchell Krueger,

Tough “It’s been tough to get back to No. 1,” he said. “I’m happy to have the chance to be in that position.” American Sam Querry became the first seeded player to advance. The 15th seed cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over wild-card Stefan Kozlov. In women’s first-round action, 2016 Olympic singles gold medalist Monica Puig lost to fellow qualifier Taylor Townsend 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

TOP SEED: Rafael Nadal

THE WEATHER REPORT

5-Day Forecast

TODAY

ORLANDO

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 75° F/24° C

TAMPA

TONIGHT

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Some sun with a shower in spots

Mostly clear and very warm

Clouds and sun with a quick shower

A shower in the a.m.; mostly sunny

Mostly sunny

Mostly cloudy, a t‑storm in spots

High: 92°

Low: 81°

High: 93° Low: 79°

High: 92° Low: 79°

High: 93° Low: 82°

High: 91° Low: 82°

AccuWeather RealFeel

110° F

93° F

107°-91° F

110°-90° F

110°-91° F

105°-91° F

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° 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: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

4‑8 knots

WEST PALM BEACH High: 92° F/33° C Low: 78° F/26° C

4‑8 knots

FT. LAUDERDALE E

FREEPORT

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 79° F/26° C

High: 89° F/32° C Low: 80° F/27° C

MIAMI

High: 93° F/34° C Low: 80° F/27° C

3‑6 knots

KEY WEST

High: 91° F/33° C Low: 83° F/28° C

ELEUTHERA

NASSAU

High: 92° F/33° C Low: 81° F/27° C

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N E

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.)

1:52 a.m. 2:38 p.m.

2.8 3.2

8:11 a.m. 9:03 p.m.

Wednesday 2:55 a.m. 3:43 p.m.

2.8 3.3

9:12 a.m. 0.3 10:11 p.m. 0.7

Thursday

4:02 a.m. 4:47 p.m.

2.8 3.4

10:17 a.m. 0.3 11:16 p.m. 0.6

Friday

5:08 a.m. 5:48 p.m.

2.8 3.6

11:20 a.m. 0.2 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑

Saturday

6:09 a.m. 6:45 p.m.

3.0 3.7

12:16 a.m. 0.4 12:21 p.m. 0.0

Sunday

7:06 a.m. 7:38 p.m.

3.1 3.7

1:12 a.m. 1:17 p.m.

0.2 ‑0.1

Monday

8:00 a.m. 8:27 p.m.

3.2 3.7

2:03 a.m. 2:11 p.m.

0.1 ‑0.1

sun

anD

Sunrise Sunset

0.4 0.8

moon

6:44 a.m. 7:44 p.m.

Moonrise Moonset

12:42 a.m. 2:06 p.m.

New

First

Full

Last

Aug. 21

Aug. 29

Sep. 6

Sep. 13

CAT ISLAND

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

4‑8 knots

6‑12 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 ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 77° F/25° C Normal high ....................................... 89° F/32° C Normal low ........................................ 76° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 92° F/33° C Last year’s low ................................... 78° F/26° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.00” Year to date ............................................... 19.63” Normal year to date ................................... 22.17”

uV inDex toDay

ANDROS

SAN SALVADOR

GREAT EXUMA

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

High: 90° F/32° C Low: 82° F/28° C

W S

LONG ISLAND

insurance management tracking map

High: 88° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

6‑12 knots

MAYAGUANA High: 87° F/31° C Low: 83° F/28° 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: 82° F/28° C

GREAT INAGUA High: 90° F/32° C Low: 83° F/28° C

High: 87° F/31° C Low: 82° F/28° C

N E

E S

8‑16 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 4‑8 Knots S at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 6‑12 Knots SW at 4‑8 Knots SSE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 7‑14 Knots

WAVES 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 3‑6 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑6 Feet 3‑6 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet 2‑4 Feet 3‑5 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑3 Feet

VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 7 Miles 10 Miles 6 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 5 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles

WATER TEMPS. 89° F 89° F 87° F 87° F 86° F 86° F 83° F 83° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 87° F 87° F 85° F 85° F 87° F 87° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F 86° F

PAGE 8, Tuesday, August 15, 2017

THE TRIBUNE

‘STABILITY PLAYER’ MATIC ALREADY MAKING MAN UNITED TICK By STEVE DOUGLAS, AP Sports Writer

BRAZIL midfielder Paulinho.

BARCA TO SIGN BRAZIL MIDFIELDER PAULINHO FROM CHINESE CLUB GUANGZHOU BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona says it has reached a deal with Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande to buy Brazil midfielder Paulinho for 40 million euros ($47 million). The Spanish club says that Paulinho will sign a four-year contract after a medical exam on Thursday. He is set to be Barcelona’s first signing since Neymar left for Paris Saint-Germain for a world-record 222 million euros ($262 million) last week. The 29-year-old Paulinho played for Tottenham for two seasons before moving to Guangzhou in 2015. He has made 41 appearances for the Brazil national team.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — As Nemanja Matic was winning towering headers, intercepting passes, dribbling round opponents and generally running the midfield in his first Premier League game for Manchester United, imagine what Antonio Conte must have been thinking. The Chelsea coach didn’t want to sell Matic, particularly not to a title rival like United. But an offer of 40 million pounds ($53 million) for a 29-year-old was too good for Chelsea’s hierarchy to turn down. It could prove to be one of the most pivotal pieces of business done in the offseason. Romelu Lukaku stole the spotlight in United’s 4-0 win over West Ham on Sunday, scoring two goals, but it was Matic — a player costing around half as much this summer — who was the key to the performance. He dominated Old Trafford in his first match there as a United player, looking every inch the holding midfielder the team needs with Michael Carrick nearing the end of his time at the club. “He is a player I call a stability player,” Mourinho said of Matic. He was more than that against West Ham. In a man-of-the-match display, he made more passes (69) and covered more distance (11.41 kilometres) than anybody else on the field, while he won more tackles and had more touches (89) than any other United player. One minute Matic was beating three players with sublime skill and racing down the right touchline. The next he was scooping a pass, Karel Poborsky-style, to Paul Pogba to set up another attack. He won big headers from goal kicks and long clearances by West Ham, and read the game masterfully. Eric Bailly and Phil Jones, United’s centre backs, generally cruised through the 90 minutes with Matic in front of them. Crucially, and as has been widely predicted, Matic’s presence allowed Pogba more freedom to roam forward in central midfield.

MANCHESTER United’s Nemanja Matic, left, gets past West Ham United’s Arthur Masuaku during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford. (AP) With strikers Lukaku and Marcus Rashford stretching play with their runs and Pogba making the most of the space behind, United was so much more dangerous. Pogba scored the fourth goal from 25 metres out in the 90th minute. He hit the goal frame (10 times) more often than scoring (nine goals) last season, but this season could be different — and he could have Matic largely to thank. Mourinho cannot believe his luck that Matic is his player again, having brought the Serbia international to Chelsea from Benfica in 2014. Asked if it was a surprise that Chelsea sold Matic to United, Mourinho said: “It depends on what is happening, or what was happening behind doors. I don’t know. Only thing I know is that, of course, with Chelsea money, I brought him to Stamford Bridge because I thought he was a player with special qualities. And since I left, I always thought he could be a

perfect player for us. “But I didn’t disturb him, I didn’t disturb Chelsea. I never thought it was possible unless something special was happening, and it looked like something was happening because his agent told me, ‘You can have him; you just have to pay.’ So, we have him and we are very happy with that. He is a player that our team needs.” Chelsea needs him, too, at the moment. Conte is short on numbers after a frustrating summer in the transfer market. Tiemoue Bakayoko was signed from Monaco, to complement Matic rather than replace him. Bakayoko is currently out injured, leaving Chelsea with Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kante as central midfielders. And Fabregas is now banned after his sending-off in Chelsea’s 3-2 loss to Burnley on Saturday. “My idea was to give Bakayoko the right time to adapt in this league behind

MANCHESTER United’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring his side’s second goal of the game with Paul Pogba (top) and Nemanja Matic (right). (AP) Matic,” Conte said. “But now after the sale of Matic, we need to try to accelerate this process for Bakayoko after his injury.” Conte described the departure of Matic as a “great loss” to Chelsea and has said it was a boardroom decision. “Sometimes you must accept this crazy transfer mar-

ket,” he said. Spending 40 million pounds on a 29-year-old defensive midfielder doesn’t sound like sensible business, but the arrival of Matic has knitted things together perfectly so far for United. It could be the transfer that tips the battle for the Premier League title United’s way.