To anyone hoping for impartial coverage of the abortion debate, these are not promising signs
Karl du Fresne 28 May 2018Family First Comment: Some refreshing commentary on the media bias in NZ – in this case, Radio NZ!“On Morning Report…Susie Ferguson questioned Abortion Law Reform New Zealand president Terry Bellamak about the implications of the Irish referendum result. That was a soft interview too, although Morning Report professes to be a hard current affairs show… Earlier, Ferguson had tried repeatedly to corner National leader Simon Bridges with the same “Why should women have to lie to get an abortion?” question, clearly implying that the law is bad and should be overturned. I wonder, what prospect is there of the abortion debate getting fair and impartial coverage from Radio New Zealand when the presenter of its top-rating current affairs show so plainly displays her personal feelings on the issue?… As far as I can tell, Morning Report carried no comment from anti-abortion groups on the Irish result and its implications, if any, for New Zealand. Why go to one side and not the other?”Well said, Karl. Time the media were called out.This afternoon on National Radio I heard Jesse Mulligan interview a spokeswoman for a group of Irish Wellingtonians who backed the “yes” vote in Ireland’s abortion referendum.It was a soft interview, as you might expect of a light, chatty afternoon show. The interviewee told how her group gathered at a Wellington bar on Saturday night to watch the referendum result come in. There were heart-warming scenes of joy and happiness, she said, when the “no” campaigners – the people who opposed liberalisation of Ireland’s strict abortion laws – conceded defeat.The tone of the conversation was celebratory. A visitor from a distant galaxy would have had no trouble concluding that the right side had won the argument.(As an aside, I accept that the referendum result was greeted as a triumph for women’s rights. Nonetheless I find it grotesque that people should rejoice at the prospect of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of unborn babies having their lives snuffed out. It strikes me as a triumph of warped ideology over humanity – but that’s just me.)Mulligan stopped short (just) of congratulating his guest on the outcome, but he did feed her an obliging cue by effectively inviting her to say that New Zealand now lagged behind Ireland in terms of restrictions on abortion – the implication being that we should get our skates on if we want to catch up.This followed an interview earlier in the day on Morning Report in which Susie Ferguson questioned Abortion Law Reform New Zealand president Terry Bellamak about the implications of the Irish referendum result. That was a soft interview too, although Morning Report professes to be a hard current affairs show.Like her afternoon colleague, Ferguson fed her guest a sympathetic question (“Is it acceptable that you have to lie to get an abortion?”) which seemed to give a pretty clear idea of her own position on the issue. And like Mulligan’s guest, Bellamak seized on the Irish result as an argument for reform of New Zealand’s own abortion laws. After all, who wants the embarrassment of having the most conservative abortion regime in the English-speaking world? We can expect this to become a recurring theme from pro-abortion activists as pressure mounts for repeal of the abortion provisions in the 40-year-old Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act. It’s a weak argument (after all, the fact that other countries have wide-open abortion laws doesn’t make them right), but that won’t stop them.Earlier, Ferguson had tried repeatedly to corner National leader Simon Bridges with the same “Why should women have to lie to get an abortion?” question, clearly implying that the law is bad and should be overturned. I wonder, what prospect is there of the abortion debate getting fair and impartial coverage from Radio New Zealand when the presenter of its top-rating current affairs show so plainly displays her personal feelings on the issue?This is no idle question. Abortion liberalisation is likely to be on the Labour-led government’s legislative agenda next year, and those old enough to remember the turbulent passage of the 1977 legislation will know how bitter and divisive the debate could be. In that case Radio New Zealand will be expected to report the issue fairly and impartially – an expectation made all the weightier because it’s a state-owned broadcaster with a special duty of neutrality. But I wonder what the prospects are of that happening, given what I heard today.As far as I can tell, Morning Report carried no comment from anti-abortion groups on the Irish result and its implications, if any, for New Zealand. Why go to one side and not the other?READ MORE: http://karldufresne.blogspot.com/2018/05/to-anyone-hoping-for-impartial-coverage.html
After spending a 3-day delay in Istanbul, victorious Nigerian wrestling team to the 2020 African Championships held in Algiers, Algeria are back in the country. The team that won 14 medals (7gold, 5silver and 2bronze) at the championship arrived at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos Friday night after spending extra three days in Turkey due to bad weather during their stopover in Istanbul. Loading… In a chat with Sportinglife.ng on arrival, Secretary General of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Umar Lambu said the team will now shift focus the African/Oceania Wrestling Olympic Qualification Tournament billed to hold in El Jadida, Morocco from March 13–15, 2020. World number one, Odunayo Adekuoroye is the only Nigerian wrestler that has qualified Tokyo Games following her bronze-winning performance at the 2019 World Championships in Nur Sultan, Kazakhstan and Lambo said the federation will try as much as possible to have more athletes qualify for the event. “It was a huge experience, our athletes defended their titles. The girls and boys did well. We prepared them to defend their titles which they did. They even surpassed the last outing. After spending three days in Istanbul, thank God we are here today.Advertisement “The level of competition was so tough but our athletes tried, particularly John Emmanuel in the 74kg. He had a very strict competition but we thank God he won gold medal, likewise others too. Read Also: 2021 AFCON Race: Eagles, Leone Stars to clash in Asaba “This competition is a partway for our qualification series which will take place in March in Morocco. So if you don’t attend this one, you will not be able to attend the qualifier. “Thank God they went and they have done wonderfully well. “Right now we are focusing on the qualifier and we hope to have more athIetes qualify in Morocco,” Lambu told Sportinglife.ng. FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 Promoted ContentCouples Who Celebrated Their Union In A Unique, Unforgettable Way7 Truly Incredible Facts About Black Holes8 Things To Expect If An Asteroid Hits Our PlanetYou’ve Only Seen Such Colorful Hairdos In A Handful Of Anime6 Most Breathtaking Bridges In The World11 Most Immersive Game To Play On Your Table TopThese TV Characters Proved That Any 2 People Can Bury The HatchetTop 10 TV Friends Who Used To Be EnemiesThe Most Exciting Cities In The World To VisitCan Playing Too Many Video Games Hurt Your Body?7 Black Hole Facts That Will Change Your View Of The UniverseThe Very Last Bitcoin Will Be Mined Around 2140. Read More
The NASA-led international “hackathon”is being conducted simultaneously in different cities in the world. Allen Blauuw has offered his time andskills to be one of the minds aiming to address the challenges on Earth andspace. Keener, meanwhile, said the support ofthe DOST for the NASA space apps challenge and its hosting of the InnovateIloilo proved their commitment to preparing young minds for the future. “I was encouraged by my dad. I foundthe workshop interesting because I learned about NASA and space,” Blauuw said. The United States (US) Embassy in thePhilippines, with the Central Philippine University, has brought the NASA spaceapps challenge from Friday to Sunday. ILOILO City – A nine-year-old boy fromBacolod City was the youngest among the participants in this year’s NationalAeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) space apps challenge here. Dr. Emelyn Flores, assistant regionaldirector for technical operations of the DOST-6, said the challenge has openedthe doors of science and technology to young people like Blauuw. “At the end of the event, they willcome up with solutions, prototypes that they will present to a panel of judges.But the idea is really to teach them how to work collaboratively, how to reallyfocus on using science and technology for problem-solving, applications toreal-world challenges,” Keener said. At his young age, Blauuw dreams of“becoming a programmer” and help develop applications useful for addressingproblems on climate and the environment. “I think the best way that we can dois to continue to invest in things like this, issues like this, to continue toinvest in youth and its education and continue to develop the entirecommunity,” added Keener.(With a reportfrom PNA/PN) “At this stage, they will be aware ofwhat is happening in our Earth and space. They will be encouraged to doresearch if they will encounter problems, they can come up with solutions,”Flores said. Matt Keener, Cultural Attaché of theUS Embassy, said on Friday Iloilo was chosen to host the challenge as it is“investing in its youth in its science and technology and education.” Nine-year-old Allen Blauuw (2nd from left) participates in a team activity during the National Aeronautics and Space Administration space apps challenge at the Central Philippine University on Friday. He added the NASA will provide datathat “the challengers will work upon.” Keener said that the apps challengewas supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). He added the winners of the NASA spaceapps challenge will get the chance to compete in the Global Apps Challenge withtwo selected teams in the city locations, saying that the winner of the saidchallenge in Iloilo will be announced on Sunday. “This is a part of our one-weekcelebration of Innovation Expo 2019 that will be more on technology and scienceweek celebration,” she added.
Promoted ContentBest & Worst Celebrity Endorsed Games Ever Made11 Most Immersive Game To Play On Your Table Top7 Universities In The World With The Highest Market ValueBirds Enjoy Living In A Gallery Space Created For Them8 Superfoods For Growing Hair Back And Stimulating Its GrowthWho Is The Most Powerful Woman On Earth?7 Universities In The World Where Education Costs Too MuchWho Earns More Than Ronaldo?6 Interesting Ways To Make Money With A Drone8 Fascinating Facts About CoffeeThe Very Last Bitcoin Will Be Mined Around 2140. Read More8 Amazing Facts About Ancient Egypt Loading… Referee: Daniele Orsato (Italy) read also:JUST-IN: Bayern thrash Lyon 3-0, to face PSG in UCL finalAssistants: Lorenzo Manganelli, Alessandro Giallatini (both from Italy)Fourth official: Ovidiu Hațegan (Romania)VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)VAR Assistant: Marco Guida (Italy)Offside VAR: Roberto Diaz Pérez del Palomar (Spain)VAR Support: Alejandro Hernández Hernández (Spain) FacebookTwitterWhatsAppEmail分享 
In what should be a fascinating match-up, Daniele Orsato will lead the referee crew as Bayern Munich and PSG battle for Champions League supremacy. UEFA released the officiating crew for the Champions League finale on Sunday that will feature Bayern Munich facing off against Paris Saint-Germain. Daniele Orsato will referee the contest. Orsato, a 44-year-old Italian, has officiated eight matches in the Champions League this season, including Real Madrid’s first leg against Manchester City in the round of 16 back in February. Orsato will be joined by countrymen Lorenzo Manganelli and Alessandro Giallatini. The fourth official will be Ovidiu Hațegan from Romania. The full list of officials is below:Advertisement
Tags: CBA/J-DF-Mice hockey Now the Fayetteville-Manlius ice hockey team finds itself just where it was 12 months ago, with a spot for the Section III Division I semifinals and bound for Shove Park to challenge West Genesee.To get there, the no. 3 seed Hornets first had to get past no. 6 seed Rome Free Academy in last Thursday night’s sectional quarterfinal at Cicero Twin Rinks.And it didn’t prove easy, F-M stymied throughout the game’s late stages, but leaning on its own defense to hang on and get a 2-1 victory over the Black Knights. They had met just two weeks earlier, on Feb. 4, and F-M had prevailed there 3-1. It quickly got a two-goal edge here, too.Less than seven minutes into the game, Jackson Denton scored off a feed from Will Duncanson, and on the power play Spencer Sasenbury made it 2-0, his goal assisted by John Manzi.RFA countered in the second period with a goal by Joey Gulla to move within one, and it would give itself a chance to catch up thanks to a superb effort in the net by Isaiah Nebush, who turned back 45 of F-M’s 47 shots.
It was up to the Hornets’ back line to make sure the Black Knights didn’t pull even, and it broke up numerous attacks throughout the closing stages. They protected Konrad Walburger, who only had to make 17 saves.Now it was on to face West Genesee – who, last Friday night, had put an end to the sectional championship aspirations of CBA/Jamesville-DeWitt when the Brothers lost 5-0 to the Wildcats in its sectional quarterfinal.Just getting to this game required CBA/J-D to first knock off no. 10 seed Cazenovia in last Tuesday’s opening-round game at Onondaga Nation Arena, and with patience and pressure, it put away the Lakers 5-1.Having knocked off Cazenovia 6-2 when the two teams met in December, the Brothers did not get discouraged when Lakers goalie Cy McCrink turned away all 20 shots he faced in a scoreless first period.Instead, CBA/J-D kept firing and scored twice in the second period, negating Forrest Ives’ lone goal for Cazenovia, and then found the net three more times in the final period to get away.Five different players – Isaiah Raby, Tanner Burns, Matt Walker, Simon Lesser and John Greenwood – had those five goals.Kodi Dotterer and Seamus Nicholson each got two assits. Burns, Lesser, Ty Parker, Dylan Drury and Logan McDougal each had one assist as Joe Salvador turned away 19 of Cazenovia’s 20 shots.Now the Brothers went to Shove Park, remembering that, two weeks earlier, it had nearly got to overtime against West Genesee before a goal in the final second of regulation allowed the Wildcats to escape 2-1.WG topped its total from that first meeting early in the playoff rematch, Joe McLaughlin, Jeremy Keyes and James Schneid each scoring in the first 11 minutes as CBA/J-D trailed 2-0 after one period.Things settled down, but that didn’t help the Brothers, who kept the Wildcats off the board in the second period, yet could not get on the board.Then WG sealed it with late goals by Jack Mellen and Liam Burns, setting up the semifinal where, again, F-M would try to conquer the Wildcats and earn a spot in next Monday’s sectional final against Syracuse or Baldwinsville.Share this:FacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditComment on this Story 
With Syracuse’s season opener against Rhode Island just hours away from kickoff, it’s time to look at five keys to the game.For the rest of The Daily Orange’s coverage of Syracuse-Rhode Island, click here.5. Picking on PaulRhode Island starting quarterback Paul Mroz is set to make his Division-I debut after transferring from Victor Valley (California) College. Despite his pedigree originally coming from Brockton, Massachusetts, Syracuse should be able to feast on defense. While Mroz leads URI for the first time, the Rams’ offensive line returns four starters. Syracuse’s defensive line includes four first- or second-year players on the two-deep depth chart, potentially neutralizing the mismatch of a Power Five school vs. an FCS one. Thus, whether SU can make Mroz uncomfortable or not is a key aspect to watch.4. Something specialAdvertisementThis is placeholder textThe Rams are coming off a 1-11 season in which they allowed about 230 yards rushing per game. There’s a significant disparity in talent between Syracuse and Rhode Island, so one of the only ways URI can make it interesting is dominating special teams. In last year’s season opener, Villanova’s Poppy Livers returned a punt for a touchdown in the third quarter, which cut SU’s lead from 10 to three. Though Syracuse won, it was special teams that kept VU in a game against a much talented team. If the Rams could do something similar, they might actually be able to compete.3. PlaymakersSteve Ishmael led all Orange receivers last year with three touchdowns. He was a true freshman then and no one else on the team had more than one. SU’s running backs combined for a total of two rushing touchdowns all of last season as Syracuse’s playmakers weren’t putting the ball in the endzone. High hopes surround Ishmael and his roommate, sophomore hybrid Ervin Philips, but for expectations to become reality, they need to score points and there’s no better opponent to do it against than one that allowed 34.1 points per game last year.2. Staying HealthyThe worst possible thing that could happen to Syracuse would be if one of its players sustained a significant injury. In what is presumed to be a blowout, the Orange must get out to an early lead so starters can rest and nicked up players like Ron Thompson aren’t needed. At the start of training camp, head coach Scott Shafer said last year was “one hell of a freakish year of injuries.” This year, Shafer gave starters less reps in practice during training camp to help with conditioning. Syracuse’s best chance to rack up wins is in September so players would be better off if they can be saved for bigger games like next week vs. Wake Forest.1. Terrel HuntTerrel Hunt’s legacy has yet to be defined. Seventeen games played at quarterback, 12 interceptions and 11 touchdowns. He enters 2015 with a new outlook and Friday night is his first chance back on the field since fracturing the fibula in his right leg. In last year’s season opener, Hunt was ejected for punching a Villanova defender. After spending time watching his teammates play while he rehabbed, he says he’s more mature and Friday will be the first opportunity in a real game fans get to see him since the injury. Comments Published on September 4, 2015 at 11:31 am Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds Facebook Twitter Google+
Published on November 11, 2017 at 7:15 pm Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21 A handful of Syracuse players looked up. They gazed at the Carrier Dome video board in the back of the endzone, as if hesitant to watch, yet interested in, what exactly had gone wrong. Above them, Wake Forest senior quarterback John Wolford swallowed up open ground to his left for his third touchdown in a 64-43 victory over SU.By the time Wolford had reached the five-yard line on the replay, they looked away, unable to stomach the unnerving sight: Another run-pass option read had burned Syracuse, this one giving WFU a four-point lead in the fourth quarter. By then, the path to another Syracuse loss was paved.On Wake Forest’s next touchdown minutes later, following a Zack Mahoney interception, the same defensive players didn’t bother to look up at the replay at all. Wolford had connected with tight end Cam Serigne for his third receiving touchdown, bumping Wake Forest’s (6-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast) lead to double-digits in a 64-43 victory over Syracuse (4-6, 2-4).The plays gave Wolford his fifth and sixth touchdowns, silenced the Carrier Dome crowd and shifted back in WFU’s favor any momentum it had lost on a blocked extra-point attempt and two-point conversion.“He’s so good at making the ball disappear,” SU head coach Dino Babers said of Wolford. “He’s a shifty guy. A fifth-year senior, he has all of the tricks. I just thought the game he played was, ‘Wow.’”AdvertisementThis is placeholder textIn front of an announced crowd of 38,539, Wolford and the Demon Deacons brought as balanced an offense Syracuse has run into this season, and SU’s defense was picked apart for a season-worst 64 points and 734 yards against. Save for a scoreless second quarter, Wake Forest’s spread, no-huddle offense clicked via run-pass options. Wolford entered Saturday with the highest passer efficiency rate in the ACC (161.2), with 17 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Running back Matt Colburn II had run for 100-plus yards in back-to-back games. He picked up 237 yards on the ground against SU.As Syracuse’s defense faltered, the Demon Deacons picked opportune times to pounce. Wolford elected to run or pass based on whether there was room in front of him. He accounted for six touchdowns and 499 total yards. Syracuse entered the game with the best third-down defense in the country, but Wake Forest converted on 8-for-16 third down tries — including a 77-yard touchdown to extend its lead to 20 with two minutes left — to lengthen drives and tire the Syracuse defense.“They do a good job of spreading us out,” said redshirt junior safety Rodney Williams. “We had to show things a little bit earlier than we wanted to because of the tempo … With the tempo, it’s really tough to match. On the scout team, we really can’t replicate that.”After reaching four wins in the season’s first seven games, SU has now dropped three straight. The Orange has not won since upsetting Clemson on Oct. 13. A victory Saturday would have given Syracuse five wins for the first time since 2013. A victory would have put SU just one win away from ensuring bowl eligibility, but now Syracuse must pick up wins next week at Louisville and home versus Boston College on Nov. 25 to ensure it plays in December.Humbled for the first quarter, the Syracuse defense adjusted to WFU’s no-huddle attack in the second. During his halftime interview aired on the Dome video board, head coach Dino Babers urged fans to stay for the second half. On the team’s defensive improvements, he said, “I think we just got used to the tempo, which is a little embarrassing to say.”That did not last. Syracuse did mount 24 unanswered points behind backup quarterback Zack Mahoney, who as a former junior college walk-on threw for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns by halftime. (Junior quarterback Eric Dungey did not play due to a right leg injury. He has yet to play in Week 10 or later in his career.) But the Demon Deacons exploited the SU defense for 40 second-half points.“The biggest thing was quarterback-run play, probably,” said senior linebacker Zaire Franklin. “They were just taking advantage of us crashing in on the running back. Wolford was very decisive in the things he was doing, whether it was getting yards for himself or making good throws down the field.”The outcome on Saturday did nothing to vindicate Syracuse’s last win, which came against the defending national champions a month ago. Wake Forest entered Saturday unranked, but coming off a two-possession loss on the road to No. 3 Notre Dame, an 8-1 team in contention for the national title.Slightly more than an hour before the game, a group of tailgaters, bundled up in orange and blue, took a shot of liquor outside Archbold Gymnasium. They toasted to “a Syracuse win.” For parts of the game, that seemed possible.But with 3:54 left, Mahoney was picked off for the second time. A few players tapped his helmet to lift him up, while Wake Forest players huddled and celebrated. Syracuse’s offense walked off the field and packs of fans headed for the exits, as it became clear SU would fall to 0-6 during the month of November since Babers was hired.After the conclusion of the game, the Orange retreated to the locker room, unable to crack the WFU code and hopeful for a different result over the remaining two Saturdays.“We’re up on the cliff now,” Babers said. “There’s no more room for error.” Comments Facebook Twitter Google+
Facebook Twitter Google+ Published on October 29, 2019 at 11:42 pm Contact Mitchell: mbannon@syr.edu Every summer Logan Hicks goes back home. Every summer she sees more. More skaters at local rinks. More opportunities for players in the position she found herself just a few years ago.Hicks can see how her home state of Arizona is redefining what it means to be a traditional hockey market.A senior on the Syracuse women’s ice hockey team, Hicks is part of a growing trend of Arizona hockey players becoming collegiate, professional and Olympic hockey players. From 2013-18, Sports Illustrated reported that hockey registration in Arizona increased by 109%, the largest growth of any American state.While the face of this movement may be Auston Matthews, a moustached 22-year-old playing for the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the growth of hockey within the state is seen at the youth level. It’s found in the success of local collegiate programs and in the development of future Arizona-born players, like Hicks, who are succeeding at the highest levels across the country.“When I think about it, yeah it is pretty cool,” Hicks said. “Being from a non-traditional hockey area. But I mean, I’m just proud to be from Arizona.”AdvertisementThis is placeholder textIn 1996, a relocating Winnipeg Jets franchise found its way to Arizona with only three ice hockey rinks. While the Coyotes have no Stanley Cup banners and a lone Western Conference Finals appearance, in the more than 20 years since, their impact has carried the state into hockey relevance.Lyndsey Fry, an Arizona-born Olympic silver medalist, estimates that 10 more sheets of ice have popped up in the Phoenix area since the Coyotes were founded, including one in Chandler, where she started skating at 5 years old. Without that rink, and some inspiration from the “Mighty Ducks” film franchise, Fry may never have had the opportunity to play. Without that rink, she would not have been one of the 21 American women who earned silver at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.“When I was very first starting to play hockey, I didn’t even know what the Olympics were,” Fry said, “I thought I was going to be Shane Doan and play for the Coyotes someday.”Following the Coyotes’ first years, a dedicated and tight-knit group of Arizona hockey players began to grow. It’s common for NHL players and young hockey players to practice in the same facilities. One time, Hicks even skated with Fry. But Hicks’ hockey dreams were not inspired by an NHL team or Disney film franchise. She was born into the sport.Karleigh Merritt-Henry | Digital Design EditorFollowing Hicks’ father’s professional hockey career, where Alex Hicks played 194 NHL games for five different teams, Hicks and her family moved to Arizona in 2006. Wayne Hicks, Hicks’ grandfather, finished a professional hockey career of his own with four seasons for the WHL’s Phoenix Roadrunners, Arizona’s first professional hockey team.Lacking opportunities growing up in Germany, she and her father said, Hicks started playing in third grade once she moved to Arizona. Her dad coached her, which benefited both of them.Alex became an assistant coach at Arizona State in 2014, one year before the Sun Devils’ program was founded. ASU’s team was the fastest ever Division I men’s program to reach the NCAA tournament, and now features three local players. Phoenix native and ASU freshman defenseman Connor Stuart grew up playing road hockey with neighbors on his driveway, but it was support from the Coyotes that motivated his hockey career.But where the Coyotes failed, until recently, was the development of competitive girls’ programs. Unlike many other states, Arizona didn’t have Triple-A youth teams for girls, so Hicks had to move to St. Louis to continue advancing in the sport.“It sucks that you don’t have like the competitive girls growing up,” Hicks said. “Where you can start playing with them and practice with them every day.”Now led by Fry — a brand ambassador and special advisor to the Coyotes — Arizona has taken the next step and introduced more competitive programs to keep talented hockey players in-state through high school. Fry helped create a “Kachinas Program” for girls aged between nine and 19 with the goal of developing more Arizona female hockey stars.“If we can keep them here,” Fry said. “I think we’re going to be able to do something really special.”Twenty-three years removed from three rinks and a newly relocated NHL franchise, the seeds of hockey in Arizona are paying off and paying forward. Players like Fry are returning home, looking to give back. As long as players like Hicks continue to return and help promote the sport, hockey will continue to grow in Arizona.Said Alex: “I think the sky’s the limit.” Comments
JASON COLLINS (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File) NEW YORK (AP) — NBA veteran Jason Collins became the first active male player in the four major American professional sports to come out as gay.The 34-year-old center, who has played for six teams in 12 seasons, wrote a first-person account that was posted on Sports Illustrated’s website Monday. Collins finished the season with the Washington Wizards and is now a free agent. He says he wants to keep playing.“If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,” he writes. “Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”Collins played in a Final Four for Stanford and reached two NBA Finals. His twin brother, Jarron, was also a longtime NBA center. Collins says he told his brother he was gay last summer.“Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement.White House spokesman Jay Carney called the decision courageous and former President Bill Clinton said it was “an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT community.”“I hope that everyone, particularly Jason’s colleagues in the NBA, the media and his many fans extend to him their support and the respect he has earned,” Clinton added.His daughter Chelsea, who knew the player from Stanford, tweeted: “Very proud of my friend Jason Collins for having the strength & courage to be the first openly gay player in the NBA.”Collins was also college roommates with another member of an American political dynasty: Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass. In his account, Collins wrote that he realized he needed to go public when the congressman walked in Boston’s gay pride parade last year — and Collins couldn’t join him.Kennedy tweeted Monday that “I’ve always been proud to call (Collins) a friend, and I’m even prouder to stand with him today.”Mostly a backup in his career, Collins has averaged 3.6 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics and Wizards. He was traded from Boston to Washington in February. Collins was the 18th pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft.Several NBA players voiced support, including Kobe Bryan, who tweeted that he was proud of Collins.“Don’t suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others,” his post said, followed by the words “courage” and “support.”Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld weighed in saying: “We are extremely proud of Jason and support his decision to live his life proudly and openly. He has been a leader on and off the court and an outstanding teammate throughout his NBA career. Those qualities will continue to serve him both as a player and as a positive role model for others of all sexual orientation.”Several male athletes have previously come out after they retired, including the NBA’s John Amaechi, the NFL’s Esera Tuaolo and Major League Baseball’s Billy Bean. But Collins is the first to do so while planning to keep playing.Collins wrote that he quietly made a statement for gay rights even while keeping his sexual orientation a secret. He wore the No. 98 with the Celtics and Wizards — that was the year Matthew Shepard, a gay college student in Wyoming, was killed, and the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization, was founded.” ‘Courage’ and ‘inspiration’ are words that get thrown around a lot in sports, but Jason Collins has given both ideas a brand new context,” said Aaron McQuade, who heads the sports program for the advocacy group GLAAD, “We hope that his future team will welcome him, and that fans of the NBA and sports in general will applaud him. We know that the NBA will proudly support him, and that countless young LGBT Athletes now have a new hero.”In February, former U.S. soccer national team player Robbie Rogers said he was gay — and retired at the same time. Rogers is just 25, and others have urged him to resume his career.“I feel a movement coming,” he tweeted after the Collins news broke.Female athletes have found more acceptance in coming out; Brittney Griner, one of the best women’s basketball players in the world, caused little ripple when she acknowledged earlier this month she was a lesbian. Tennis great Martina Navratilova tweeted Monday that Collins is “a brave man.”“1981 was the year for me- 2013 is the year for you,” her post added.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (17-15) will play in their first tournament championship since losing to Lamar in the 2010 title game.“For these players to have come through what they come through to have an opportunity to play…our radio guy said, ‘coach, it’s the 16th of March,” said Islanders coach Royce Chadwick. “You’re playing on the 16th of March, your team has done something right.”SFA (25-6) had one last chance to force overtime, but Makinna Serrata swiped a pass intended for Stephanie Visscher with a second on the clock to preserve the victory.Visscher pushed the Ladyjacks to within 56-55 when she knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:11 left in the game. Aiyana Johnson hit the first of two free throws to tie the score with 28 seconds left but missed the second, setting the stage for Young’s heroics.The Islanders clamped down defensively on SFA in the decisive fourth quarter, holding the Ladyjacks to 4-for-13 shooting (30.8 percent). Coach Mark Kellogg’s squad did not help their cause from the free throw line, where they finished 4-for-9.WBB: Dalesia Booth either made a mistake or a prediction, placing @IslandersWBB on the big backstage bracket champion line…Giana Wright fixed it! @IslandCampus advanced to face @ACUedu in Sunday’s title tilt. 1 pm CT on @CBSSportsNet. #ShakasUp #SouthlandStrong ?? pic.twitter.com/e1ywLlAFmT— #SouthlandStrong (@SouthlandSports) March 16, 2019 It was free throws that kept the Islanders in the game, especially in the third quarter where they hit 10-of-12 attempts from the line. The ability to get to the charity stripe offset A&M-Corpus Christi’s 20- percent shooting (2-for-10) from the field in the third quarter, allowing them to go into the fourth quarter with a 45-44 lead.The lead changed hands 13 times and the game had 11 ties. Neither team had a lead of larger than six points.SFA was unable to get into a long-range groove, hitting just 4-of-19 attempts from beyond the arc.“We just couldn’t make the shots,” said SFA guard BriAnna Mitchell, who had four points. “We had some good shots, but we just couldn’t make them.”The Islanders were able to fluster SFA’s All-Conference first team duo of Chanell Hayes and Imani Johnson, who were a combined 5-for-14 from the field. The shooting of Visscher (12 points) and reserve Aiyana Johnson, who scored a game-high 18 points, were the marks of consistency for the Ladyjacks, who shot 43.6 percent from the field.Despite the loss, Kellogg felt optimistic about SFA’s chances to bounce back from the loss and compete wherever his team is placed in the postseason on Monday night.“It’s tremendous for the program,” he said. “It’s a reward for the great regular season we had together. We’ll be excited to regroup, I can promise you that.”ACU won both regular-season games against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Wildcats triumphed at home in a 78-71 decision on January 30, before heading south to defeat the Islanders 73-64 on February 27. Box Score | Photo GalleryKATY, Texas – Emma Young had one field goal in the first 39 minutes of play on Saturday. She will never forget her second basket.The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi sophomore guard scored on a layup with :03 seconds left in the fourth quarter to lift the No.6-seed Islanders past No. 2-seed Stephen F. Austin in a 58-56 thriller at the Merrell Center on Saturday afternoon in Katy, putting the Islanders in Sunday’s championship game against No. 4-seed Abilene Christian at 1 p.m. CT (CBS Sports Network). At stake Sunday: The right to claim the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.“I flushed that all out,” said Young, who was 1-for-5 from the field before her game-winner. “I just concentrated on playing defense wanting for my moment to come, and when it did, I rose to it.”WBB: “What a great play by Emma Young!” @IslandersWBB going to the ‘ship, where they’ll face @ACUWBB. 1 pm CT Sunday on @CBSSportsNet. #ShakasUp #SouthlandStrong ?? #ChampWeek pic.twitter.com/sxuodLXz3K— #SouthlandStrong (@SouthlandSports) March 16, 2019
French-owned Connex Rail Ltd has ordered 30 four-car Class 375 ’Electrostar’ EMUs from Adtranz for £90m, to operate Connex South Eastern services from London to Dover and Hastings. The contract signed on July 16 includes options for up to 800 more cars, up to half of which could be for the neighbouring Connex South Central franchise if it is extended to 15 years. Connex has set up its own leasing arm to fund the trains, but it has yet to decide whether to involve banks, a rolling stock leasing company, or finance them from within the Générale des Eaux group. The first train must be ready for testing by February 1999, with four units in service by April, and the rest by October 2000. The 160 km/h trains will be maintained by a 60:40 joint venture of Adtranz and Connex under a deal that could be worth £50m to £60m over the 15-year franchise.The trains will be able to run on Railtrack’s 750V DC third rail network or on 25 kV 50Hz routes elsewhere – Connex says that the IGBT traction technology to be supplied from Västerås ’avoids interference problems with track circuits and signalling systems’. Aluminium bodies will be mounted on Adtranz ’generic’ bogies. At least 25% of the axles will be powered, and regenerative braking will be available. There will be 240 seats, and on-train CCTV. o