NBA

Kobe Bryant is making the most of his retirement from basketball. On Monday he announced his partnership in a $100 million media and technology venture capital fund called BryantStibel (with partner Jeff Stibel).

In more Kobe news, Los Angeles declared 8/24 as Kobe Bryant day. 8 and 24 are the two jersey numbers Kobe wore during his 20 years and 5 NBA Championships with the Lakers. LA City Councilmember Jose Huizar stated, “For 20 years, we were all the beneficiaries of Kobe’s incredible talent and legendary work ethic, and on 8-24 we’ll gather to say, ‘Thank you, Mamba.’”

NFL

Many athletes feel it’s their responsibility to use their fame to heighten social awareness. Seattle Seahawks’ QB Russell Wilson switched the location of his wedding to singer Ciara from North Carolina to London in order to bring awareness to North Carolina’s transgender bathroom law. As a refresher, the NC law states people using restrooms in public schools and government buildings need to use the bathroom corresponding to the sex stated on their birth certificate.

OLYMPICS

Disgraced swimmer Ryan Lochte has been dropped by four of his major sponsors (Speedo, Ralph Lauren, Airweave and Gentle Hair Removal) after admitting he “exaggerated” his story of getting robbed at gunpoint after a night out at the Olympics.

FOOTBALL

NFL training camps are well under way, but after Baltimore Ravens rookie tight ends Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews missed the last five practices, Ravens coach John Harbaugh took to the media to complain. He said, “One thing I’ve noticed: Guys coming out of college aren’t as callused up as they used to be. We used to practice twice a day in full pads.”

BASEBALL

Former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow was having a successful minor league season with the New York Mets but unfortunately broke his hand and will be out for the rest of the season.

With a 7-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the Yankees are now 6 games behind the Boston Red Sox. Catcher Gary Sanchez could have saved the game but is now being vilified as he didn’t sprint to first base on a grounder which could have let Aaron Judge score the game-tying run. After the game, Sanchez admitted, “I should’ve run harder,”

SWIMMING

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte didn’t realize getting an IV infusion was against the US Doping Agency rules (unless it has to do with hospitalization) and even though no banned substances were involved, he still received a 14-month suspension.  Lochte said he was on his way to getting his life together after a 10-month ban for lying to officials during the 2016 Olympics when he falsely claimed he was robbed at a gas station. He reported to the media,  “It’s devastating to my family about this because I definitely made myself a better person after Rio, and I was back in training. I was feeling good. I was swimming fast. My son being born. Everything was happening. Everything was perfect, and then this happened. And it’s devastating.”

BASEBALL

The Toronto Blue Jays managed to stave off elimination against the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series. In the third inning, Blue Jays slugger Josh Donaldson homered to lead the Jays for the first time in the series. Prior to the game, Donaldson gave an emotional speech that fired up his team. He said, “it’s a must-win game, just go out and give everything you’ve got. You may not be able to play again.” Cleveland leads the series 3-1 with the next do-or-die game (for the Jays) scheduled today at 4:00.

Former Chicago Cub, Rich Hill led his new team, the LA Dodgers, to a 5-0 win over the Cubs to advance to a 2-1 lead in the National League Championship Series. Hill pitched six perfect innings to help the Dodgers shut out the Cubs 6-0 (the second straight shut out for Chicago). The Cubs will try and even the series tonight at 8:00 pm.

OTHER

12 time Olympic medalist and disgraced Rio swimmer, Ryan Lochte is cashing in on his “fame”. After his stint with “Dancing with the Stars”, he will appear with Sharon Stone in her new movie, “A Little Something for your Birthday”.

OLYMPICS

Ryan Lochte felt bad about inadvertently causing an incident on his new gig, “Dancing with the Stars”. Two men wearing anti-Lochte shirts rushed the stage after Lochte and his partner, Cheryl Burke, finished their fox trot routine. The show had to take a commercial break in order to deal with the altercation but no one was hurt.

FOOTBALL

The New Orleans Saints cut running back C.J. Spiller after just one week into the season. Spiller was acquired by the Saints last year during free agency but was placed on injured reserve two weeks before the end of the season. Travaris Cadet has taken Spiller’s role but C.J. stated, “It’s a first-class organization that gives the players everything they need to be successful. So, I definitely don’t have any hard feelings.”

As reported earlier, the Denver Broncos’ linebacker Brandon Marshall has lost two sponsorships for kneeling during the National Anthem. The Broncos’ organization encouraged Denver’s police chief to spend some time with Marshall discussing how the organization works and the life and death situations they face while on the job. The two met for an hour, but there’s no indication on what Marshall will continue to do during the singing of the National Anthem.

If you’re a SF 49er fan and heading to a game, there’s no need to panic about running out of food or beverages at a tailgate party anymore. The San Francisco 49ers have teamed up with Amazon to deliver items directly to fans’ parking spots before a game. The service is called Amazon Prime Now and is free if delivered within two hours but costs $7.99 if delivered within the hour.

BASEBALL

The New York Mets signed former QB Tim Tebow to a minor league contract. 29 year old Tebow played baseball in high school, and has claimed his dream was to be a quarterback and hit a baseball. Now that his football career is over, he is attempting to fulfill the second part of his dream. Best of luck to Tebow. Hope your dreams come true!

OLYMPICS

Olympic swimmer and 12 time Gold medal winner, Ryan Lochte, finally got his punishment for exaggerating getting held up at gunpoint in Rio. The Olympic Committee suspended Lochte for 10 months and won’t allow him to compete in the 2017 World Championships. Lochte won’t be completely bored, however, as he’ll be competing in this season’s “Dancing with the Stars”.

GOLF

Tiger Woods says he’ll get back on the golf course to compete in the Safeway Open in October.  Woods, golf’s iconic superstar, has suffered back and hip injuries over the years and has had to pull out of many tournaments.  Woods stated:“It was difficult missing tournaments that are important to me, but this time I was smart about my recovery and didn’t rush it. It was great spending time with my children Sam and Charlie, and also working on a lot of projects including golf-course design, the upcoming 20th anniversary of my foundation and my book about the 1997 Masters. But I missed competing. I want to thank all the fans for their kindness and concern. I’ve been a pro about 20 years, and their support has never waned.”

FOOTBALL

The NFL season officially begins tonight with the Carolina Panthers at the Denver Broncos!!!

OLYMPICS

Apparently the whole Ryan Lochte story isn’t exactly what’s been reported. According to new reports, Lochte didn’t ransack a gas station. He and his posse did urinate in the bushes and destroy a poster, but that’s all. Two security guards at the station, pulled guns and took $50 in cash, but their previous claim they were held up by fake policemen was false. Lochte’s reputation may never be the same after his “exaggeration”, but he may have a chance to redeem himself this Fall. According to news outlets, Lochte will appear in the next rendition of Dancing with the Stars airing on Sept. 12th.

Goalie Hope Solo was suspended for six months by US Soccer for calling Sweden “a bunch of cowards”. At 35 years old, Solo also had her contract terminated by the US National Team. US Soccer President stated: “Taking into consideration the past incidents involving Hope, as well as the private conversations we’ve had requiring her to conduct herself in a manner befitting a U.S. national team member, U.S. Soccer determined this is the appropriate disciplinary action.”

FOOTBALL

Coaches try all sorts of motivating tactics but Ole Miss’ football coach took an unusual route. He faked his own funeral to show his players what he would want said about him when the time comes. We’ll see how well this strategy worked when the season begins.

In NFL news, the San Diego Chargers pulled their offer to first round draft pick Joey Bosa. Bosa, a defensive end from Ohio State, was the #3 pick in the 2016 draft. If he had agreed to the contract with the Team, he would have received (according to the Chargers) a signing bonus larger than any rookie in the last two years. According to reports, one point of contention was Bosa wanted 100% of his $17 million signing bonus while the Chargers wanted to grant him 85% at signing and the rest in March. NFL rules state Bosa can not be traded to another team at this point as he would have had to sign his contract with the Chargers by August 8th in order for San Diego to trade him.  Looks like Bosa didn’t anticipate the Chargers tough stance!

OLYMPICS

The bizarre story of swimmer Ryan Lochte and three other teammates getting robbed at gunpoint by fake police now appears to be fabricated. Lochte’s teammates, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, recanted the story after they were pulled from their flight back to the US. The police also found video from the gas station where the swimmers claimed they were held up, showing Lochte and friends trashing the bathroom and refusing to pay the damages. The swimmers haven’t been formally indicted yet but this story was an embarrassment for the Rio police and for the reputation of the US Team. For more on Ryan Lochte’s self-absorption and bad behavior, read Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins piece.

In more uplifting news, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt cemented his legacy as the greatest sprinter of all time by winning the 200 meter gold medal on Thursday night. With eight Olympic Gold medals, no one has come close to his legacy on the track. Andre De Grasse of Canada (who brought home the Silver) pushed Bolt a bit in the semi’s but didn’t challenge him in the final. Bolt has now won Gold in the 100 and 200 meters in the last three Olympics. Truly a stunning feat!

Winning the Olympic Decathlon signifies all-around athletic greatness but winning 2 years in a row as the United States’ Ashton Eaton did, is certainly an incredible accomplishment. The Decathlon consists of 10 different track and field events and the winner is considered the “worlds greatest athlete”.

Helen Maroulis stunned Japan’s three time Olympic Gold medalist Saori Yoshida and made history by securing the first ever US Women’s Wrestling Gold.

OLYMPICS

Teen swimming sensation Missy Franklin hoped to win gold in the 100m backstroke.  Missy Franklin is just a High School student that happens to be one of the best swimmers in the world.  She has been approached by numerous brands hoping that she would endorse their products for a handsome sum.  But, Missy has declined all the offers because she wants to maintain her status as a High School athlete competing in swimming competitions around the country.  Plus, she wants to be able to be a collegiate athlete, and you can’t do that if you take money.  She just loves swimming and was very easy to root for.  And in her race, she started out neck and neck with the others, but in the end, she put out that extra hand length to capture the gold.

Elsewhere in swimming, Ryan Lochte hoped to capture another medal in the 200m freestyle.  Lochte had high hopes for these Olympics, ideally aspiring to become the new face of swimming for the U.S. (over Michael Phleps).  But to do that, you have to win medals.  In the men’s relay, Lochte had the anchor position, but lost at the very end to the ultra-fast Yannick Agnel from France.  Unfortunately for Lochte, Agnel was in this event.  Lochte got out to a decent start, but started to fade a bit.  And down the stretch, Agnel turned on the juice again and surged past the crowd to an easy gold medal victory.  This guy is simply amazing.  Bummer for Lochte, but he still has some more races to go.

And in men’s gymnastics, the United States were hoping that they could pull it together and take home gold in the team competition.  That’s when they do all six men’s events, with their top 3 in each event.  This wouldn’t prove easy, as the Chinese and Japanese were heavy favorites for the gold, but you never know what can happen.  Unfortunately for the U.S., the team just couldn’t keep it together.  They seemed rattled all night, and were losing their balance and even falling in some events.  Tears were shed by the team — it just wasn’t their night.  Even the Japanese hero Kochi Uchimura made mistakes, slipping off the pommel horse.  The Chinese performed marvelously and took home the gold, the Japanese the silver, and Great Britain performed brilliantly, and miraculously grabbed the bronze in front of their home crowd.

Get ready for Day 4!

OLYMPICS

It has finally begun:  The 2012 Olympics.

The first notable story came from swimming in the 400m medley.  Michael Phelps won an incredible 8 gold medals in 2008.  He was an American hero for the next 4 years, picking up countless endorsement deals and being renowned as one of the world’s best athletes.  But, this year, there’s a new U.S. swimmer right on his tail hoping to unseat Michael Phleps as the world’s best swimmer.  And that is Ryan Lochte.  In the 400m medley he took on Phelps, and while it was an intense competition, Lochte won the event… by a lot in the end.  Phelps finish didn’t even warrant a medal.  Is there a new hero on the horizon?

Given Lochte’s immediate new status as the best swimmer out there, the U.S. decided he should anchor in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay.  In lamens terms, that’s when the top 4 swimmers swim as fast as they can — freestyle being the easiest form of swimming that we all learned as kids.  So it’s always interesting to see who the best freestyle swimmers in the country are.  Lochte would anchor, and Phelps would go second.  But, even though the Americans are the reigning Olympic champions in this event, the Australians were the favorites in this relay.  The Americans led the whole way, and then Lochte got in the pool and in the final lap, France pushed ahead in alarming fashion (something only possible with extreme adrenaline) and won the race by less than a second.  The Americans got silver — disappointing, but not bad.

And, in basketball, Team USA finally took the court in their first official Olympic game.  They would have to take on Tony Parker and Team France.  France is a formidable opponent, but when they’re going against a team that has LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant… that’s not gonna be easy.  Kevin Durant led the way with 22 points, and LeBron James didn’t even have to try his hardest.  Team USA looks quite good, and their most difficult competitor will likely be Argentina (which has Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola).  But, as of now, Team USA looks rather sharp out there.  Team USA 98, France 71.

OLYMPICS

In a bizarre story, two US swimmers, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz,  have been detained by Brazilian authorities for discrepancies with their story about getting robbed at gunpoint while returning to the Olympic village. Teammate, Ryan Lochte would have been detained as well but had already left for the US. This story is still developing.

US Track and Field had a big night on Wednesday. For the first time in Olympic history, three teammates swept the 100 meter hurdles. The US women, Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin, took home the Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively and sent a wave of excitement through the crowd as no other Nation has accomplished this feat.

The US men’s basketball team have been heavy favorites but haven’t completely played up to their potential in the last 3 games (even though they’ve still managed to win). With a decisive 27 point victory Wednesday night against Argentina, the Team looks primed (and will need to be at their best) for the semi-final matchup with Spain on Friday night.

The US women’s basketball team continues to dominate their opponents and will head into the semi’s against France on Thursday.