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☆ June Is the Month When Olympic Dreams Die
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Before the Olympics even begin, there is always heartbreak. And June may be the hardest month of all. Caitlin Clark, the ascendant star of women’s basketball, just found out that she won’t be going to Paris. So did Bill May, whose hopes of becoming the first man to compete at the Olympics in the sport of artistic swimming were dashed by the U.S. selection committee. That’s because the U.S. trials in sports like swimming, gymnastics and track and field might just be the fiercest crucibles of all, with a ruthless requirement for Olympic berths: Perform well, or you’re staying home.

Persons: Caitlin Clark, Bill May Organizations: U.S, Team U.S.A, Paris Locations: Paris

☆ Reebok Isn’t a ‘Hobby’ for Shaquille O’Neal
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Krinsky told his audience that Shaquille O’Neal, the new president of Reebok’s soon-to-be-resuscitated basketball division, had been hoping to attend. But in lieu of being there in person, Mr. O’Neal had sent along a prerecorded video message. But as soon as the video ended, Mr. O’Neal appeared in person — surprise! He greeted the crowd and soon joined Mr. Krinsky for a Q. and A. that the chief executive figured would be light and breezy. But Mr. O’Neal, as he often does, had other plans.

Persons: Todd Krinsky, Krinsky, Shaquille O’Neal, Reebok’s, O’Neal Organizations: Reebok, Artists, Humanity Locations: Boston, Atlanta

Mera Caulfield was watching television a couple of months ago when the screen suddenly erupted with characters doing their best evil laughs. Ms. Caulfield turned to her two roommates, Alixandra Matos and Megan Mandrachio. “I was like, ‘That’s literally us,’ ” Ms. Caulfield said. Their apartment in Queens was soon filled with a cacophony of evil laughs. By her own admission, Ms. Caulfield, 25, who subsidizes her nascent career in comedy by waitressing and being a nanny, was disappointed in her performance.

Persons: Mera Caulfield, Ms, Caulfield, Alixandra Matos, Megan Mandrachio, “, That’s, ’, waitressing, ” Locations: Queens, Brooklyn, Nighthorse, Greenpoint

☆ N.F.L. Player Draws Rebukes (and Trolling) for Graduation Speech
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Scott Cacciola | Benjamin Hoffman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Harrison Butker of the Kansas City Chiefs is one of the best place-kickers in the N.F.L. solidly in its off-season, Mr. Butker found himself at the center of a great deal of vitriol on social media, and it had nothing to do with his job. On Saturday, Mr. Butker delivered a 20-minute commencement address to the graduates of Benedictine College, a conservative Catholic school in Atchison, Kan., about 50 miles northwest of Kansas City. “I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,” Mr. Butker said. “I’m on this stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation.”

Persons: Harrison Butker, Butker, ”, Biden, “, Isabelle, ” Mr Organizations: Kansas City Chiefs, Benedictine College, Catholic, Kansas City Locations: Atchison, Kan, Kansas

☆ Have the Brands Gone Too Far? Boston Marathoners Think So.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Cathy Connor loves the Boston Marathon. She loves the mystique of the event, which dates to 1897 as the world’s oldest annual marathon. Ms. Connor, 58, loves the Boston Marathon so much that she has raced in it nine times. “It was kind of a letdown when I saw the picture,” Ms. Connor, a graphic designer from Pittsburgh, said in a telephone interview. This isn’t a turkey trot.”

Persons: Cathy Connor, Kathrine Switzer, Meb Keflezighi, Des Linden, Ms, Connor, ” Ms Organizations: Boston Marathon Locations: Pittsburgh

☆ Intrigue, Ink and Drama Grip the Fountain Pen Community
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Lamy, a German pen manufacturer, made a recent splash when it quietly rereleased Dark Lilac, a much-celebrated color of ink. A lush purple with a golden sheen, Dark Lilac, despite its popularity, had been produced only once before — as a limited edition in 2016. Its reappearance a couple of weeks ago was so unexpected that the fountain pen community, which makes up a small but passionate corner of the office supplies market, was agog. “There is drama in the fountain pen community,” Aidan Bernal, a 23-year-old fountain pen enthusiast, said at the start of a recent TikTok in which he did his best to explain the saga — one that has involved conflicting company statements, amateur sleuthing and an elusive shade of purple. Long overshadowed by its ballpoint, gel and felt-tip rivals, the regal fountain pen, which has an internal reservoir for refillable ink, has enjoyed a modest resurgence in recent years.

Persons: Lamy, ” Aidan Bernal, Mr, Bernal, Long, Brian Goulet, Goulet Locations: Richmond , Va

☆ Can a Vegas Legend Get Super Bowl Tickets? (Asking for Carrot Top.)
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Ahead of an afternoon full of appearances on Radio Row, which is the mecca for sports talk radio stations during Super Bowl week, Mr. Thompson was reflecting on the game’s effect on Las Vegas. “I think this is the biggest event we’ve ever had,” Mr. Thompson said. Yes, even Carrot Top has had trouble scoring tickets to the game on Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. “That’s what everyone says: ‘You’re Carrot Top! You own this town!’” Mr. Thompson said.

Persons: Scott Thompson, Thompson, ” Mr, “, Mr, ” Organizations: Super, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers Locations: Luxor, Casino, Las Vegas

☆ Will Taylor Swift Cry if Kansas City Loses? You Can Bet on It.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Will she cry if the Kansas City Chiefs lose to the San Francisco 49ers? For some much-needed assistance, Mr. Burns turned to a reliable source: his teenage daughter. “Friends are like, ‘Come on over and watch the game with us,’” Mr. Burns said in a telephone interview from his home in Montreal. I have to watch Taylor Swift. But I’ll know how many times Taylor Swift was shown on TV.”Ms.

Persons: Adam Burns, Taylor Swift, Burns, “, ’, Mr, Ms, Swift, Travis Kelce, — Organizations: CBS, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers Locations: Las Vegas, Montreal, Travis Kelce , Kansas

☆ You Saw Jason Kelce. This Guy Saw ‘The Feast of Bacchus.’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

LJ Rader tries to be online as much as possible during big sporting events, but he missed the first half of last Sunday’s N.F.L. playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs because of a dinner engagement. After he left the restaurant, Mr. Rader checked his phone and saw an unusual request: The N.F.L. had tagged him on X, formerly known as Twitter, hoping he would deliver one of his signature creations. “I would’ve been so mad if I was still eating and had missed this,” Mr. Rader said.

Persons: Rader, N.F.L, Mr, Rader’s, Jason Kelce, Travis Organizations: Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Twitter, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City

☆ With an Artist’s Help, Paddington Can Go Anywhere
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Scott Cacciola | More About Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mr. Chou pulled off the freeway and found a cinema, which happened to be showing “Paddington 2.” The woman at the concessions stand told him that he would love it. Mr. Chou had no idea that Paddington’s escapades would affect him so profoundly. Throughout the film, Paddington remains his bighearted, accident-prone self even as those around him change — and change for the better, often because of their interactions with him. “But he just keeps doing his thing,” Mr. Chou said. I just felt so happy at the end.”A few years later, with free time during the pandemic, Mr. Chou was a regular visitor to Reddit.

Persons: I’ll, ”, Chou, Mr, Kong ” Organizations: Paddington Locations: Southern California

It was hard to miss Mark Aaron Polger, Alexi Pappas and Masashi Kondo at the New York City Marathon on Sunday. With energy gels and bodega coffees in hand, the crowd made its way to Fort Wadsworth, where thousands of runners congregate each year before running the New York City Marathon. Speed demons wearing Nike Vaporflys and short-shorts mingled with casual runners wearing “Monsters, Inc.” onesies. That’s the record I’m going for. Running is therapeutic, even though I’m going to be running really, really slowly.

Persons: Mark Aaron Polger, Alexi Pappas, Masashi Kondo, ”, “, Adam Tjolle, Simon Waterhouse, Malina Roberts, we’ll, they’re, they’ve, Stephen Zachensky, Marlinda Francisco, Mika Shaw, Maansi Srivastava, It’s, I’ve Organizations: New York City Marathon, Nike, Inc, New York Times, York Locations: Fort Wadsworth, Edinburgh, Scotland, Newmarket, England, Brooklyn, York City, Tokyo, Berlin, New York, Westchester, N.Y, How’d, New York Times Tucson, Ariz, Ogden , Utah, Japan, Los Angeles, Manhattan

Walk up to Lafayette Avenue between Fulton Street and Bedford Avenue for one of the best parties along the course. You can also catch runners at several points in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, along Bedford Avenue between Lafayette Avenue and Nassau Avenue. Take the L train to Bedford Avenue, the M or J train to Marcy Avenue or the G train to Nassau Avenue or Greenpoint Avenue. The Q subway line stops at several points along this stretch. North of 96th Street, use the 6 subway line to get to this part of the course.

Persons: It’s, Alexander, Duke Ellington, Charles A, Dana, Harlem Meer, “ Organizations: New York, Brooklyn, Barclays Center, Lafayette, Bedford, Queens, ., Dana Discovery Center, Park, Columbus, West Locations: Staten Island, Brooklyn, Staten, Bay Ridge, Sunset, Park, Flatbush, Fulton Street, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford, Lafayette Avenue, Nassau, Avenue, Vernon, Jackson, . Manhattan, Manhattan, Bronx, Harlem

☆ To Train for One Marathon, He Runs 7 Every Week
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Scott Cacciola | More About Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Sunday, Levins will tackle his first New York City Marathon as one of the favorites. He often runs 170 to 180 miles a week, which, at the top end of that range, averages out to nearly 26 miles a day. Three to four times a week, he runs three times a day — once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once at night, almost always on his own. Jim Finlayson, his coach, said it took a “unique mind-set” to train that way. “The fact that Cam can not only handle the mileage physically but handle it psychologically,” Finlayson said.

Persons: “, ” Levins, Levins, you’re, ”, Jim Finlayson, Cam, ” Finlayson, it’s Organizations: New York, Marathon, North, Tokyo Marathon Locations: New, Eugene ,, Portland ,

☆ Olympic Hopefuls Needed a Home. A Retirement Community Stepped Up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Scott Cacciola | More About Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“We’ll walk off the ice, and they’ll go, ‘Why did you play that shot?’” Mr. Sargon, 30, said. That became clear to Mr. Sargon a few weeks ago when he joined Mr. Hood at a curling tournament in Okotoks, about 25 miles south of Calgary. As soon as their match began, Mr. Sargon and Mr. And while it is hugely popular in Canada, curling does have some historical ties to New Zealand.

Persons: they’ll, Mr, Sargon, Hood, Mike McEwen, “, ”, Linda Smith, Mike McEwen could’ve Organizations: Mr, Miners Locations: Okotoks, Calgary, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland

☆ GPS Watch? No Thanks. Top Runners Are Ditching the Data.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-16 | by ( Scott Cacciola | More About Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For many, GPS watches are a remarkably useful training tool. But there are other runners, including world-class runners like Jacobs, who have a hard time understanding the fuss. “I like to focus more on the feel of everything and not worry too much about the time,” Jacobs said. Heather MacLean, an Olympic 1,500-meter runner, recalled a period of her life when she enjoyed the utility of a GPS watch. Later, as a first-year pro with Team New Balance Boston, MacLean tried to be consistent about wearing a GPS watch but was hampered by a couple of issues.

Persons: Jacobs, ” Jacobs, Heather MacLean, MacLean Organizations: GPS, University of Massachusetts, Garmin, New Balance Boston

☆ A Mongolian Marathoner’s Secret Weapon? Staying Power.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Scott Cacciola | More About Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Long before Ser-Od Bat-Ochir became one of the most prolific distance runners in the world, he planted himself on the start line of the Hong Kong Marathon in 2002. At the time, Ser-Od had never run anything longer than 20 kilometers — or about 12 miles — even in training. As he labored to the finish line, well out of contention, Ser-Od came to an important realization: Marathons are long and difficult. “But here I am.”Yes, here is Ser-Od, now 41, and there is no one else quite like him. A five-time Olympian, he has now run in 74 marathons and represented Mongolia at every major international competition since 2003.

Persons: Long, Ochir, Od, “, ”, Oyuntuya Odonsuren, moonlights Organizations: Hong Kong Marathon Locations: Mongolia, Budapest

☆ The Most Impressive World Championship Team Isn’t a Country. It’s a Brand.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Scott Cacciola | More About Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dathan Ritzenhein, the coach of On Athletics Club, was juggling a couple of jobs on a brisk morning this spring. As members of his elite distance-running team logged hard miles on some deserted back roads outside Boulder, Colo., Ritzenhein seemed determined to murder his pickup truck’s transmission. Ritzenhein grabbed several water bottles from the truck’s cargo bed. “You guys want something to drink?” he yelled as they reached for the bottles without breaking stride. “Just toss them at the next corner and I’ll pick them up!”

Persons: Dathan Ritzenhein, Ritzenhein, Max Verstappen, Olli Hoare, Joe Klecker, “ Organizations: Athletics Club Locations: Boulder, Colo

☆ The Heat Say They Love Adversity. Did They Have to Make It This Hard?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The problem, of course, is that a steady diet of adversity takes a toll, and the Nuggets are a full meal. Count the Heat out at your peril. “It just seems like we won’t quit.”They refused to quit after slipping into the playoffs as the No. They refused to quit after losing two rotation players, Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo, in their first-round series with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Herro broke his hand, and Oladipo tore a tendon in his knee.

Persons: “ It’s, ” Spoelstra, Spoelstra, Adebayo, won’t, ”, Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Herro, Oladipo Organizations: Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks Locations: Denver, East

☆ It Was Banned for Decades. Now the Miami Heat May Use It to Win a Title.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Murray, the Nuggets’ point guard, missed a 3-point attempt from the left corner, and the Heat raced away for a game-tying bucket. Murray and Jokic both finished with triple-doubles for Denver, which, for one game, at least, was largely unfazed by Miami’s shape-shifting defense. “We didn’t offer much resistance,” said Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra, who bemoaned his team’s lack of effort but considered it an anomaly. He added: “I think the thing that we’ve proven over and over and over is we can win and find different ways to win.”And one of those ways is with their zone defense. So, in an effort to slow the pace of play and compensate for their lack of size, the Heat are occasionally abandoning their man-to-man defense by mixing in some zone.

Persons: Murray, Miami . Murray, Jokic, ”, Erik Spoelstra Organizations: Nuggets, Heat, Denver Locations: Miami .

☆ Heat to Face Nuggets in N.B.A. Finals After Beating Celtics in Game 7
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Miami Heat stunned the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night, clinching a roller-coaster, hold-your-breath, best-of-seven series in Game 7, 103-84, to extend their remarkable postseason run. 8 seed has seemingly surprised everyone but them, will face the Denver Nuggets in the N.B.A. The Nuggets secured their first trip to the championship round by completing a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals a week ago. The Heat are just the second eighth seed, after the 1998-99 Knicks, to reach the N.B.A. “Sometimes you have to suffer for the things you really want,” Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said during the postgame trophy presentation.

☆ The Miami Heat Are in Trouble, and It’s (Mostly) Their Fault
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-28 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was a public vote of confidence after a game full of missed opportunities for the Heat. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, their two best players, combined to shoot 9 of 37 from the field. There he was in the second quarter, handling the ball at the top of the perimeter with the shot clock winding down. In the fourth quarter, for example, Adebayo grabbed the rim blocking a shot, which was against the rules and led to a 4-point possession for the Celtics. As a team, the Heat shot 35.5 percent from the field.

☆ The Heat’s Secret Weapon? Players Who Were Snubbed on Draft Night.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

He was sad to see Strus go, but he also knew that Strus was ready for his next challenge. “And who’s to say if he would be where he is today if he didn’t make that move?” Trost said. On Wednesday night, seven years after he transferred to DePaul and nearly four years after he matriculated to the N.B.A. But perhaps the oddest part about his unlikely presence was that it was not odd at all — at least not for the Heat, who have a league-high nine undrafted players on their 17-man roster. On Wednesday, three of those players — Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin — scored 15 points each while combining to shoot 16 of 27 from the field.

☆ Jayson Tatum Shines as Boston Celtics Blow Out Sixers in Game 7
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown had used his public platform ahead of Sunday afternoon’s game to deliver a clear message to Celtics fans. On Sunday, before Game 7, he urged the fans to be much louder. He got what he wanted as the Celtics beat the Sixers, 112-88, to close out the series. The fans cheered every dunk and 3-pointer, every defensive stop and offensive rebound. They cheered any time Celtics forward Jayson Tatum got the ball.

☆ James Harden Finds His Old Groove and Gets the Sixers Back on Track
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Quite frankly,” Harden said, “today was do or die.”The 76ers have been a staple of the N.B.A. playoffs over the past six seasons, making five appearances in the conference semifinals. The last time they made the conference finals was in 2001, when Allen Iverson led them past the Milwaukee Bucks and into the N.B.A. The challenge for the 76ers, of course, is that the Process was never about winning individual honors, though those are nice. The mandate now, on players like Embiid and Harden, but also on Rivers and Daryl Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations, is to vie for a championship.

☆ Stephen Curry Scores 50 Points to Knock Off Kings in Game 7
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Scott Cacciola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Coach Steve Kerr likes to stage his film sessions there when the space is available. Otherwise, he said, the team is stuck “in the dungeon down below,” outside its locker room. He was grateful for the open space, especially ahead of Sunday’s Game 7. That can make a difference.”Something else can make a difference, too: Stephen Curry. No one seemed more Zen on Sunday than Curry, who led the Warriors to a series-clinching, 120-100 victory by skewering the Kings in every conceivable way on his way to 50 points — an N.B.A.

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