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Why the Oakland A’s on-field struggles could last for years

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

The A’s were historically bad this season while winding up with a hideous 50-112 record after losing Sunday’s season finale. Even worse, there’s little reason to believe things will get a lot better over the next few years.The stench of losing like this won’t go away overnight.History has shown it’s extremely difficult for a team to lose 112 or more games in a season. Somehow, John Fisher’s A’s made it look relatively easy for much of the year — at least for those who could bear to watch — while becoming just the eighth team in MLB’s 121-year-old Modern Era to lose 112 or more games.As such, the A’s were one of the teams who experienced a clinching game this week. While the others celebrated division titles or playoff berths, there were no champagne bottles passed out when the A’s clinched the worst record in the majors for just the second time in their 55 years in Oakland – joining their 97-loss ’97 team.Signs of trouble this season f...

Draymond’s health and Chris Paul’s role among 4 hot topics to follow heading into Warriors’ media day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

The Warriors are heading into preseason determined to right what went wrong in a failed title defense.“We need to have a good training camp,” coach Steve Kerr said last week. “It’s imperative that we get off to a better start this year not just in terms of our record but in terms of our preparation.”A long offseason after a disappointing loss in the Western Conference semifinals forced the Warriors to give themselves a hard look in the mirror. Months have passed; the roster has undergone some major changes as the Warriors depart from their two-timeline plan and are in a win-now mode.Kerr did some self-reflecting during his summer away and acknowledged he needs to be better, too.“It’s a lot easier for me to come in as a coach and be more demanding,” he said. “I think the players will expect that, too.”Buckle up, it all starts this week.Camp officially opens Tuesday, but the Warriors will hold media day on Monday. There will be plenty of storylines to fol...

49ers report card: McCaffrey’s scoring spree, Purdy’s precision key win

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Here is how the 49ers (4-0) graded in Sunday’s 35-16 home win over the Arizona Cardinals (1-3):San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy (13) hugs San Francisco 49ers’ Jake Brendel (64) on the sidelines during their game against the Arizona Cardinals late in the fourth quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group) PASS OFFENSE: A+Brock Purdy was 21-of-22 (franchise-record 95.2 completion percentage) and, although he was mad about his third-and-long incompletion out of field-goal range, he got help en route to that 283-yard, 134.6-rating day. In particular was pass No. 8 amid a 13-of-13 start: a 42-yard “opportunity ball,” as described by Purdy who himself was astonished how Brandon Aiyuk torqued his body to grab it in double coverage. “It was just amazing to see B.A. change trajectory, basically a 40-degree turn to get to the ball,” center Ja...

Twin Cities Marathon canceled due to heat and humidity — but some still ran

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

Sunday’s Twin Cities Marathon was canceled because of hot and humid weather, which organizers said would be dangerous for runners.Some runners had already headed to the start line in downtown Minneapolis when they received the cancellation announcement, which organizers say they sent shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Sunday; the  26.2-mile race was set to start at 8 a.m. The 10-miler, to start at 7:15, was also canceled.More than 20,000 people were registered for the marathon and 10-mile race.The decision marks the first time the marathon has been canceled since it began in 1982 (it was held virtually at the start of the pandemic in 2020).“The latest weather forecast update projects record-setting heat conditions that do not allow a safe event for runners, supporters and volunteers,” Twin Cities In Motion, the nonprofit that organizes the event, said in a statement early Sunday.The decision to cancel was made with data — and a meteorologist.“Not a staff member, but one was dedicated...

VAR was supposed to cut out errors. Now the integrity of the Premier League is in question

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — VAR was supposed to put an end to all of this.The fallout from Luis Diaz’s wrongly-disallowed goal in Liverpool’s 2-1 loss at Tottenham on Saturday resulted in the Merseyside club issuing a statement, saying it would “explore the range of options available given the clear need for escalation and resolution.”It is not clear what those “options” are and The Associated Press has contacted Liverpool and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the referees’ governing body, for clarification. But the tone of Liverpool’s statement on Sunday revealed the club’s frustration after Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Darren England failed to award Diaz’ goal, despite replays clearly showing the forward was onside.The PGMOL later acknowledged the mistake was a case of “significant human error” and England and his assistant Dan Cook were stood down from further duty over the weekend.Diaz’s goal would have put Liverpool 1-0 u...

El juicio por fraude civil contra Trump comenzará en Nueva York

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

Una demanda por fraude civil de 250 millones de dólares presentada por la oficina de la fiscal general de Nueva York contra Donald Trump, su empresa y dos de sus hijos irá a juicio el lunes en un caso que podría tener amplias implicaciones para los negocios del expresidente.Se espera que el juicio sin jurado en Manhattan dure unos tres meses y concluya el 22 de diciembre y será decidido por el juez Arthur Engoron.Recientemente, el juez se puso del lado de la oficina de la fiscal general estatal, Letitia James, al determinar que Trump cometió repetidos actos de fraude durante años que incluyeron mentir a bancos y aseguradoras al sobrevaluar y subvaluar sus activos y exagerar su patrimonio neto en miles de millones de dólares.Los argumentos de Trump para defender las declaraciones fraudulentas se basan en “un mundo de fantasía, no el mundo real”, escribió Engoron en un fallo de 35 páginas la semana pasada.El fallo, que permitió que el caso fuera a juicio esta semana, también tendrá re...

United Auto Workers union reaches a tentative contract agreement with Mack Trucks

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

The United Auto Workers union has reached a tentative contract agreement with Mack Trucks that covers about 4,000 workers in three states. Mack Trucks confirmed a tentative agreement on a five-year contract early Monday after the UAW announced the deal just before midnight Sunday. “The terms of this tentative agreement would deliver significantly increased wages and continue first-class benefits for Mack employees and their families,” Mack President Stephen Roy said. “At the same time, it would allow the company to successfully compete in the market, and continue making the necessary investments in our people, plants and products.”“Nearly 4,000 UAW members at Mack Truck in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida (UAW Region 8 & Region 9) have a tentative agreement!,” the union said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.The UAW said that more details would become available as members review the tentative deal with Mack, which is owned by Volvo Group. Mack said UAW memb...

Tropical Storm Philippe threatens heavy rains and flash floods in Leeward Islands, forecasters say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Philippe is threatening to unleash heavy rains and flash flooding in the northeastern Caribbean on Monday before eventually spinning north into the open Atlantic, where it could strengthen into a hurricane around midweek, forecasters say.The storm was about 95 miles (155 kilometers) east-southeast of Barbuda on Monday morning. Top sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph) with higher gusts, and Philippe was moving west-northwest at 7 mph (11 kph). A tropical storm watch was in effect for Antigua and Barbuda. Forecasters said people in the northern Leeward Islands should monitor the storm’s progress as the center of Philippe was forecast to pass near or just northeast of the archipelago on Monday.Philippe was forecast to turn north-northwest by late Tuesday and then north on Wednesday.Rainfall amounts expected through Tuesday include 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) for Antigua and Barbuda and 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) for...

Anscombe continues for injured Biggar for Wales vs Georgia at the Rugby World Cup

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

VERSAILLES, France (AP) — Gareth Anscombe will continue as the Wales flyhalf while Dan Biggar is injured after coach Warren Gatland named his team to play Georgia at the Rugby World Cup on Monday three days early.Wales, already through to the quarterfinals with three out of three wins, will secure first place in Pool C if it earns a minimum point against Georgia on Saturday in Nantes.Georgia has a draw and two losses and can’t rise any higher in the pool than its current fourth place.Wales changed six of the starting XV that beat Australia by a record 40-6 in Lyon on Sept. 24.Dewi Lake has come as hooker and captain, Dafydd Jenkins joins Will Rowlands in the second row, and Tommy Reffell was in the back row to give Jac Morgan a rest.Tomos Williams swapped in for Gareth Davies at scrumhalf, and Anscombe starts after replacing Biggar against Australia. Biggar injured a pectoral muscle in the 12th minute and Anscombe booted 23 points, tying Biggar’s Wales game record in Rug...

This Week: Construction spending, trade balance, nonfarm payrolls

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:11 GMT

A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week:CONSTRUCTION BELLWETHERThe Commerce Department reports its monthly tally of U.S. construction spending Monday.Construction spending has been mostly rising on a monthly basis this year after mostly declining in the back half of 2022. Spending rose 0.7% in July from the previous month, thanks in part to increased spending on single-family homes. Economists predict construction spending rose 0.5% in August.Construction spending, monthly percent change, seasonally adjusted:March 0.6 April 0.3May 2.0June 0.6July 0.7Aug. (est.) 0.5Source: FactSetOUT OF BALANCEThe Commerce Department delivers its monthly snapshot of the nation’s trade gap Thursday.The gap between the value of goods and services the U.S. sells abroad and what it buys widened in July to $65 billion from $63.7 billion the previous month. Demand for cell phones and other items helped lift imports 1.7%, while exports rose 1.6%, amid demand for ...