Meanwhile, college basketball teams consider using the NBA's "bubble" approach. In other news, collegiate runners fight back against body shaming and abuse.

AP:Virus-Proofing NFL Facilities Is A Tall, Masked TaskThere are so many steps along the way. Youve got to fill out your questionnaire on our app when you wake up in the morning, Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said. Then when you come in, you sanitize your hands, do your temperature check, get your COVID tests, put on your lanyard, grab your tracker. So theres just a lot of things that have now been added to your routine. (Campbell, 8/13)

The Washington Post:Washingtons NFL Team To Play Home Games Without Fans This SeasonNFL games at FedEx Field this season will be played without fans in the stands, the Washington Football Team announced Wednesday morning. Throughout the novel coronavirus pandemic, the team had been hoping to have some fans at its home games this fall, but after working with Maryland and Prince George's County officials to come up with a health and safety plan for the teams games at the stadium, a decision was made to play in an empty stadium out of an abundance of caution, the team said in a statement. (Carpenter, 8/12)

Also

Los Angeles Times:Bubbles? May Madness? A Delayed College Basketball Season Could Require BothOne day after learning that his season would be pushed back at least two months because of the relentless novel coronavirus pandemic, UCLA coach Mick Cronin suggested that the limited use of a bubble environment similar to the one that has protected NBA players could help Pac-12 Conference teams safely compete. Cronin proposed the possibility of using a bubble in Las Vegas for challenge games between conferences, the Pac-12 tournament or the NCAA tournament, noting that it was feasible because players were completing virtually all of their schoolwork online and wouldnt have to be yanked out of classes. (Bolch and Kartje, 8/12)

The New York Times:Fat Talks, An Investigation, And A Reckoning: How Collegiate Runners Forced ReformIn early March, 36 Wesleyan University track and cross-country alumni signed a letter describing a culture of rampant body shaming and eating disorders within the program that they said a prominent coach had fostered. In pleading for major changes, the athletes said the coach, John Crooke, had held fat talks with runners, telling them to lose weight to run faster. He told them to keep food diaries and check in with him to review their logs, they said in interviews. Athletes were told to not discuss those meetings with other runners. (Minsberg, 8/12)

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For NFL, Keeping Teams Safe From COVID Is Hard To Tackle - Kaiser Health News

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. For a year-and-a-half, the fiercest competition J.R. Smith had was with his brothers not on the court, but on wheels.

It was at the start of the pandemic when the 34-year-old bought a bike, looking for a way to safely get out of the house and lose weight. Hed ride up and down Venice Boulevard. Hed ride through the Pacific Palisades. Hed ride to Manhattan Beach.

Always hungry for a contest, the Smith family tracked their biking miles on an app that they checked every day. Earl Smith Jr., J.R.s father, saw his sons Demetrius and Chris peddling along at about 12 miles a day; J.R. would hit 20 miles: After a while, Earl said, it wasnt even close.

With practice, J.R. said, he found his mind would simply settle as he rode.

It was a lot, but its funny, he said. Because once youre on a bike, and youre cruising, you dont really think about it too much until you gotta turn around and go back.

So yes, J.R. Smiths return to the NBA for the first time since November 2018 is like riding a bike.

Everyone is getting used to the strangeness of playing out the season in the Disney bubble, but returning to the structure the practices, the film sessions, the team dinners has felt easy for Smith, a 15-year veteran who has spent almost half his life in the NBA.

Even though he is the most recent Laker newcomer after signing in June, he has some of the most robust and complex handshakes with teammates that he executes at introductions before every game. He hasnt played much during the restart, only 54 minutes in five games, but that hasnt mattered as much as simply being in the league again.

When did it feel like Smith had blended into the Lakers locker room?

The first day he got here: Everybodys known him, said Danny Green, who came up in the same Northeast hoop circles as Smith. Weve all played against him for years. Hes played with most of these guys here. Theyve all known him, shown love, grew up in the same area with the guy, so first day he was himself, and he was happy and excited. And it was like, hes here, so hes just a part of the group.

By his own admission, Smiths comeback from the pits of a depressed state is a fairly remarkable one.

In his last year with the Cavaliers in the 2018-19 season, the franchise began to pivot to a rebuild after LeBron James moved on and was set to reduce his minutes. Smith pushed back. He publicly accused the franchise of tanking, after which Smith and the Cavs agreed to split, with Smith on his own away from the team while a trade could be worked out. The trade never materialized, and he was waived in July 2019, at which point he began to realize getting back in the NBA might be harder than he thought.

Smith declined to discuss the specific challenges of getting back into the league with the Southern California News Group, but he told the Inside the Green Room podcast that he believed persistent off-court rumors about his character were to blame which he and his family have said were unfair.

Smith has a reputation as an NBA wild card: His tenure with the Cavaliers included a famous anecdote of him throwing a bowl of soup at assistant coach Damon Jones, and he also was memed for a Game 1 mistake in 2018 when he allowed the game with the Warriors to go to overtime rather than taking a final shot. More seriously, in May, he was filmed in a fight with a man whom he accused of vandalizing his truck during a George Floyd protest in Los Angeles.

While Smith acknowledges these past incidents, he also wishes equal weight were given to his track record as an NBA veteran and key player on several title-contending teams.

It is what it is, honestly, he said. People are going to have that perception of me. Im convinced of it. Theres nothing I can really do to change that except just come every day and dedicate myself, and just be consistent.

But its hard to be consistent when the professional life youve known falls out from under you. Without basketball, Smith came unmoored living with his family in Warren, N.J. He stopped playing basketball, stopped watching basketball, stopped even playing basketball-themed video games. He gained weight. He became less interested in hearing from his agent, Rich Paul, if anyone wanted him because the news was increasingly grim. He got to spend a lot of time with his four daughters, but that was a silver lining as his career slowly kept drifting away.

One of the loudest voices in his corner was Earl Jr., who told his namesake son that his career wasnt over. Smith is close with his dad and listens my dad is probably right 90 percent of the time, but dont tell him that, he said and Earls message was some serious tough love.

If you aint gonna play, now you gotta find something to do, Earl said he told his son. I thought, Get your ass in shape, go to L.A. Do your thing. Go make some goddamn money for those little girls.

Smith made the difficult decision to relocate to Los Angeles, where he would have better access to training. Especially during the NBA hiatus, the combination of biking and a vegan diet made him lose 20 pounds in a show of support, Earl Jr. went vegan for a few months, too.

Without this renewed dedication, Smith said, he wouldnt have been physically ready to play when the Lakers came calling in June to swap him in for Avery Bradley.

The weight I was at, how my body would have had to respond to recovering to playing, I dont think it would have happened, he said. My body wouldnt have been able to handle it. At the end of the day, just thank God you have the opportunity to play this game again. Be thankful, be humble, and take it in stride.

Smith has undoubtedly been rusty in the restart. He said its also been difficult being away from his family again: He estimates he spends up to six hours a day on FaceTime with his daughters even the youngest at 2 years old brings the phone to her mother, eager to call Dad.

Earl Jr., like any sports father, thinks his son could benefit from a few more touches. But more importantly, he sees his J.R. fulfilled back on the job.

This is the happiest Ive seen J.R. in years the happiest Ive seen him since he won the championship, Earl Jr. said. It was depressing for a while. Every man cries for a reason, and he had a reason. But when J.R. is in something and committed to it, hes in it 110 percent.

Excerpt from:
Lakers JR Smith took fatherly advice on his way back to the NBA - OCRegister

By ClarksvilleNow.com August 11, 2020 11:57 am

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) The Clarksville Police Department has charged a man with reckless homicide in the April 10 shooting death of 17-year-old Justin Neves.

Dominic Miceli, 22, was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 11, and charged with reckless homicide and aggravated assault. Micelli will be booked into the Montgomery County Jail.

Justins mother, Jillian Neves, had been frustrated that no charges had been filed in the three months after the shooting.

We all have anger, she told Clarksville Now in an interview. Im devastated, that I will never see him grow into the man he was becoming. I will never see my son get married, have babies, graduate his milestones were stolen from me.

Justin was a junior at Northwest High School. He was in the EMT program and ran track for the schools team.

Detective Michael Ulrey, with the Clarksville Police Homicide Unit has been working extensively on the case. The investigation revealed that Justin was accidentally killed by Miceli, who was recklessly handling a firearm, according to a CPD news release.

In cases of accidental deaths where the suspect is cooperative, and there is no danger to the public, investigative techniques can differ, the release said. These cases allow time for a full forensic medical exam to be completed and reviewed to verify or disprove the suspects version of events. These cases are often then presented to the Montgomery County Grand Jury for their final decision on the appropriate charge based on the evidence.

Jillian Neves said news of the arrest brought an array of feelings.

I feel relief that Justins voice has been heard and something is finally happening, Neves said Tuesday. Im also anxious that (Dominic) will be bonded out and will be free until his trial, if there is a trial. Justins story still needs to be told, its not finished yet.

Justin left for work on April 10 to work with Miceli doing home improvement and appraisals, Neves said.

Minutes before Justins 9:30 p.m. curfew, Neves got a call saying there had been an accident with a gun.

Neves sped to Micelis home on Danielle Drive and was stopped by a police officer as she tried to run into the house.

I told him I needed to see my son. The cop said, Im sorry to tell you your son is dead.

A Clarksville Police incident report previously obtained by Clarksville Now said that at 9:22 that night, police responded to a shooting that had already occurred.

Justin death certificate, obtained by Clarksville Now, lists his manner of death as a homicide and the cause as gunshot wound to the head. It also states his body was sent for an autopsy.

MORE: After teenage son was killed by gunshot to the head, mother seeks answers and justice

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Clarksville man charged with reckless homicide in shooting of 17-year-old - Clarksville Now

How the cheapest, undercover, world-class sport is surviving coronavirus

By Melanie Peck

In the rolling hills above Sun Valley the views are extraordinary; to the south, the chutes at Mt. Rose ski area, to the west, Peavine Peak, and in every direction rock outcrops dot the sage-covered landscape. Nestled in the areas regional park, which itself is a hidden gem, is Lizard Peak Disc Golf Course, a 27-hole, championship course replete with a pitch and putt area for beginners or practice.

Its windy at the beginning of summer, which adds a level of frustration to the game, says Skot Meyer, whos been the president of the Reno Disc Golf Association off and on since 2011.

But wind shouldnt be a deterrent to playing.

If youre a tournament player, you should be out in the wind, Meyer says, noting that varying environmental conditions are just part of the fun of the game. Disc golf, he adds, is a sport for all levels of players, all ages, and all genders. Its multigenerational. The whole family can play together. The game is also open to all economic levels, unlike pricey ball golf, as disc golfers call regular golf.

You can play with ten dollars, says Maximus Meyer, Skots 19-year-old son, who is a full-time touring pro when the pandemic isnt shutting down events. The cost of just one disc lets you play, as it typically costs nothing, or little, to play the courses. In Reno, the courses, which are on county land, are paid for, built and maintained by volunteers from the disc golf club.

There are three top-notch courses in the Truckee Meadows. In addition to Lizard Peak at Sun Valley Regional Park, there is The Ranch, an 18-hole course above Rancho San Rafael Park, and The Wedge, a 9-hole course off Wedge Parkway at South Valleys Regional Park.

Beginners take note: The Wedge is a very good course for beginners, according to Ashlee Conley, RDGA board member and a 3rd place world champion in the advanced ladies masters division, a title she holds among numerous others. Not a lot of hiking. Easy to find the holes.

A combination of frisbee, basketball, and golf, players send a frisbee-like disc sailing toward a hoop-like chain basket and cover a multi-basket course during play, like in golf.

Players tee off toward a targetthe chain basket, which they also call the holeand try to make their shot in as few strokes, or throws, as possible. Each consecutive throw must be made from the location where the previous throw landed.

As players progress down the fairway, they thrill at birdies and despair if they shank their disc into a tree. Like golf, the joys and frustrations of playing are what make disc golf exciting.

In northern Nevada, the sagebrush, thin air, and wind can complicate the game, but also make it a challenging and fun competition.

Like golf, the game is played outdoors, which can be stunning, according to Conley. There are beautiful courses in this area, she says, not just in Reno, but in Dayton, Carson City, at Stampede Reservoir, South Lake Tahoe, Incline Village, Truckee, and Donner Lake, to name a few.

Whats really, really cool about disc golf, she adds, is that you get some awesome exercise.

Skot Meyer notes that disc golf is a great way to lose weight and get and stay in shape. The health benefits are amazing. He knows of two Vietnam veterans, both 70 to 80 pounds overweight, one with a drinking dependency. Both started playing disc golf and both lost all the weight, and the one stopped drinking.

He also knows an older gentleman with arthritis who started playing pitch and putt with his 4-year-old grandson. Because he was having fun and focusing on something other than his pain, he evolved into a tournament player who now has an active lifestyle.

During the coronavirus stay-at-home order that followed Gov. Steve Sisolaks Declaration of Emergency on March 12, people kept going to the courses, says Skot Meyer.

At first, the RDGA tried to enforce social distancing rules. The organization posted signs and sent out missives via Facebook imploring players to keep groups to a maximum of four, to avoid touching baskets, and not to touch anyone elses disc. The game can be played safely since it is outdoors and not difficult to socially distance.

When theres no health consideration, Skot Meyer says, its considerate of other people to be in groups of four or less, but theres no rule about that. But after the pandemic hit some people ignored course courtesies and the health guidelines, which Meyer said shouldve been easy to follow.

But some refused to cooperate. Bad player behavior puts a strain on our [the disc golf associations] relationship with the county, he says, noting that while the county provides the land; the club pays for the equipment, builds the courses, and does the maintenance work and upkeep. This level of volunteer work is what makes Renos disc golf courses free to the public, he emphasizes.

They deliberately ignored those requests, Skot Meyer says. Bands of bros in numbers as many as 10 to a hole clogged the courses, causing players to accumulate behind them, and, in short, ruined the enjoyable outdoor activity for everyone. As a result, RDGA volunteers, in cooperation and coordination with Washoe County, took down the baskets. Washoe County, in partnership with RDGA, stored the equipment.

The RDGA is currently working with the county on building a new course and planning others. Even though we have great community support, blatantly risky behavior harms our ability to make progress on new courses, Skot Meyer says.

Now, in mid-summer, the baskets are back up, and the club is sponsoring socially distanced doubles and tag rounds (where players compete to win the lowest numbered tag), putting clinics and more.

Mike Mack, of Virginia City, an avid player who considers himself addicted, kept on playing during the quarantine, but abided by the social distancing rules. They cant stop us, he says, lightheartedly, adding that its a safe, fun game to play as long as you adhere to social distancing guidelines, which are pretty easy since the game is played outdoors.

Mack explains that the sports popularity has been growing since he began playing some seven years ago. In 2015, he joined the Professional Disc Golf Association (pdga.com) and was given the number #70493. The PDGA has given out successive numbers to its members since its inception in 1976. The last number given out at this writing is #142968, double the number of players since Mack joined.

Its no coincidence that disc golf is often referred to as Frisbee golf. In 1966, Steady Ed Headrick, invented the Frisbee while an employee at Wham-O. In 1975, he invented the Disc Golf Pole Hole, as essential to disc golf as the hoop is to basketball. Considered the Father of Disc Golf, Headricks Professional Disc Golf Association number is #001.

Mack moved to Nevada two years ago from California, and the first place he sought out was a disc golf course. Its a great place to meet people. Conley would agree. She met her husband at the Bijou course at Lake Tahoe.

For more information, find the Reno Disc Golf Association on Facebook under the Reno Disc Golfers page or renodisc.com; or look for the Professional Disc Golf Association, pdga.com, where you can search for courses all over the world.

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Disc Golf survives and thrives in Reno - ThisisReno

Local Blogs

By Diana Diamond

E-mail Diana Diamond

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I am tired of it, tired of self-confinement, tired of not seeing friends or going to restaurants, meetings or parties. You are tired too, I am sure.

So what can we do? After much thought, I decided we MUST have a national lockdown. We've washed our hands and kept our distances, worn masks and avoided people, but it hasn't stopped the spread. So the only way is to starve this virus, lock ourselves inside, close our businesses, shut down everything except grocery stores, pharmacies and very essential businesses, so this disease can be stopped. This approach has been successful in several other countries.

An op-ed in Monday's NYT (8/10), "Here's How to Crush the Virus Until the Vaccine Arrives" by Michael Osterholm, professor and director of the Center of Infectious Disease Research at the University of Minneapolis, and Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, confirmed my point of view.

"We can continue to allow the virus to spread rapidly throughout our country or we can commit to a more restrictive lockdown, state by state, for up to six weeks to crush the spread of the virus to less than one new case per 100,000 people per day," they wrote.

Of course that creates numerous economic problems, but our nation's economy is dramatically plunging now, unemployment is increasing, small businesses are going bankrupt, and all I see is downward spiral in our economy.

Look at what's happening locally. People at first were great at self-isolation, but we have now relaxed as more businesses have opened up (too early, in my estimation). My friend the other night had dinner for two friends at her backyard table, and they wore masks for the first five minutes. The dinner went on until 8:30 p.m. The county has mandated that only people living in the same home can sit at one table, but they didn't adhere to that regulation. Another couple had 10 people -- all without masks -- outside of their house with music and dancing! I can't think of any dances where a couple stays two yards away from each other. BTW, I was randomly checking out cable channels on Saturday night and a San Jose station had a live onscreen danceathon -- more than 50 people rotating around the room, all without masks. If there was one carrier in that room ...

Palo Alto's coronavirus rate is rapidly increasing. According to the Weekly, in the five weeks "between mid-May and late June, nine new cases were reported resulting in 86 cumulative cases as of June 23. In the six weeks since then, however, no fewer than eight residents per week. The city's COVID-19 cases totaled 174 as of Aug. 5 including 20 new ones in the prior week alone.

Nationwide, people have become careless in their coronavirus concerns. With the motorcycle mass gathering in Sturgis, S.D. that occurred last week, or the recent rallies and protests in cities in practically every state, how can we get this entire nation to stay six-feet away from others?

Only with a total rigid lockdown.

I am very concerned about people not having enough money to live on, so this is the time our government must come to the rescue -- all politics aside. It will cost a lot more money if we do nothing. As starters, maybe the government should provide interest-free no payback "loans" to small businesses, as well as $600 checks weekly to all the unemployed -- and comparable amounts to all those in need.

Where do we get the money from?

One way, out of several options, is by halting some military spending. In the current federal budget, theres $146 billion for a broad laundry list of military hardware, to include $1.87 billion for 98 F-35 aircraft, which is 20 more than the presidents request, and eight F-15EX aircraft to recapitalize the F-15C/D fleet. The U.S. recently adopted a $738 billion defense budget. Let's use some of that money to help keep Americans alive, and not let them die.

As Osterholm and Kashkari said, "There is no trade-off between health and the economy. Both require aggressively getting control of the virus."

A lockdown will be difficult for all of us. But that's a lot better than having this virus rise daily while we keep constantly coping with it for months to come.

We need your support now more than ever. Can we count on you?

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Constantly coping with the virus: We need a total lockdown now - Palo Alto Online

Being physically active and being regular at exercise is important for fitness and weight loss

When it comes to working out, spending more time in exercising does not necessarily mean that you are going to get better results. Short duration workouts like HIIT and Tabata workouts are designed in a way that it takes only a few minutes to complete them. These workouts are high in intensity and can improve your strength and stamina. Celebrity fitness trainer and mother Kayla Itsines says that it is not necessarily true that working out for longer will give you better results.

In one of recent posts on Instagram, she talks about she has designed most of her workouts under 30 minutes. Barring the ongoing scenario of lockdown and work from home, most people, especially parents find very less time to make space for full-fledged workout every day.

Also read:Do You Have A Pre-Workout Routine? Celeb Fitness Trainer Tells Why It Is So Important

What's more important is to be physically active and make room for 3-4 workouts in a week. According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity of 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, spread throughout the week, is sufficient to stay fit and healthy.

If you are trying to lose weight, a healthy diet with fewer carbs, healthy snacking, early and light dinners and regular physical activity (along with exercise) can be helpful.

For those of you find it difficult to workout without a mat, then here's a routine that can be perfect for you. The following workout, shared by Itsines on Instagram, includes a total of five exercises. All you need to do this workout is yourself, and a space equivalent to a mat.

Also read:Bloating Causes: Why Do You Feel Bloated After An Intense Workout?

Here are the five exercises in this no equipment workout:

Set a timer and complete 3 laps of the workout.

For those who find it difficult to take out time for exercising, then watch the video below. Itsines shares what she calls an "Express Workout". The workout is of 15 minutes and can be done within 15 minutes.

Complete 3 laps.

Doing the exercises with the right technique is the key to doing short-duration workouts. The workout shared above can be ideal for days you have a packed-up schedule.

Try one of these workouts for your evening workouts. Let's do this!

Also read:This All-Natural Post Workout Drink Can Also Help You With Weight Loss: Know All About It

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Weight Loss: Do Long-Duration Workouts Give Better Results? - NDTV