Clan-Members » since the 2004 Olympics.While it is an

The Chicago Cubs are relieved to escape New York after a humiliating four-game sweep by the Mets.It was terrible, it was bad, said Cubs catcher Miguel Montero following Sundays 14-3 loss at Citi Field. They outplayed us. Simple as that. We didnt play good enough. We didnt hit good enough. We didnt pitch good enough. I mean, overall, we were sloppy.Chicago has not been swept in a four-game series in New York since June 17-20, 1985 at Shea Stadium.But the Cubs (51-30) now return to friendlier turf for the Fourth of July. Theyre 25-11 this season at Wrigley Field and face an opponent theyve recently beaten up on with Mondays opener of a three-game Wrigley Field series against the Cincinnati Reds (30-53). A Thursday makeup against Atlanta follows.The Cubs swept three games at Great American Ballpark before running into a Mets buzz saw last weekend.Its been arguably the seasons roughest stretch for a team that sprinted to one of the best starts in franchise history and had the major leagues best record most of the way.But the four-game series that concluded on Sunday featured two one-run games and two Mets blowouts, including rough outings by ace pitchers Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, named National League pitcher of the month for June just two days earlier.Lester, who was rocked for eight runs on nine hits in 1 1/3 innings of work on Sunday, insists theres no cause for panic.We werent going to be on that pace that we were on for the entire season, he said. Thats 162 games. Its a long year, six months. Theres a lot of things that can happen. And you guys are seeing it now. Were a little banged up, two big key components of our bullpen are not here right now. Dex (Dexter Fowler), which makes the offense go it seems like a lot, is still rehabbing.Chicago still leads the National League Central by a comfortable eight games over second-place St. Louis and 10 1/2 games in front of third-place Pittsburgh.The Cubs are 22 games in front of last-place Cincinnati, which has dropped eight of its last 10 including Sundays 12-1 loss to Washington. That game featured 6 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball from Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg.Its tough. Its not fun, at all, Reds outfielder Jay Bruce told reporters on Sunday. I dont think anyone here is having much fun. We just have to get better. It is a grind.The Reds send left-hander Cody Reed (0-2, 9.00 ERA) against Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks (6-6, 2.76).Reed makes his fourth career appearance and second against the Cubs. He took the loss in a 9-2 decision on June 29. On June 18 he became Cincinnatis 26th pitcher and 12th starter this season.Hendricks is 2-1 with a 4.04 ERA in six all-time starts against the Reds.Cheap Yeezy 350 Citrin .C. at the helm of the top team in the Eastern Conference. His tenure as the GM in Vancouver was all too brief. Though he led the Canucks to what was then a franchise record-shattering campaign in just his second season, Nonis was gone and replaced one year later. Yeezy 350 v2 Static Reflective Replica . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. http://www.yeezys350cheap.com/fake-yeezy-350-white-wholesale.html . - Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie never doubted he would bring back coach Dennis Allen for a third year despite back-to-back 4-12 records. Wholesale Yeezy 350 v2 Clay . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Semi Frozen Yellow/Raw-Steel Red . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston.RIO DE JANEIRO -- After Travis Stevens lost his championship match in judo to Russias Khasan Khalmurzaev on Tuesday evening, the two athletes embraced in a warm hug. They did so, Stevens said, because there is a brotherhood among the athletes in judo.Judo is a different sport than most, Stevens said. We train together worldwide. The Russian team has been really kind to me over the years. They invited me to their national training camps. I stayed there for two weeks here and there. So I have a bond with everybody I compete with. We bleed together, sweat together, train together. We go through all the trials and tribulations to be an Olympian.Stevens knows about those trials and tribulations all too well. A year ago, he suffered from a variety of illnesses -- a staph infection, cellulitis, etc. -- that caused one leg to swell to approximately twice its normal size. He still managed to compete at the world championships in Kazakhstan last August, only to learn back home in the States that if he had returned a day or two later, his condition would have been so bad the leg likely would have to have been amputated.He was hospitalized and underwent months of home care, during which time he wondered whether his judo career was over.It was definitely a scary moment, said Stevens, 30. And you tend to question what this moment in time is worth.dddddddddddd I can tell you, it was worth every sacrifice I can make.It was. Stevens took silver in the 81kg class, the first medal by an American man in judo since the 2004 Olympics.While it is an honor for the U.S. team, Stevens also gives credit to the international camaraderie in the sport.Ive trained with the Russians, the Japanese, the Germans, the British, Stevens said. We get together, I would say, eight times a year for international camps. The best people in the world show up and we just work out.Its more of a brotherhood. We want to make sure every one of us is at the best shape we can be, and who better to train us than the people we compete against. Were the best in the world. ... If you dont train with the people you compete with, Im almost at a loss for words as to why not because the better guy is going to come out ahead anyway.It may be an international brotherhood, but Stevens still will be rooting on the U.S. the rest of the way.Right now, the next step is to enjoy the Olympic Games and the Olympic spirit and hopefully get to watch Team USA win a few more medals in more sports. ' ' '