Carlos valdez professional_athlete sports_figure person

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 8 HOUSTON (AP) — Houston catcher Martín Maldonado entered Thursday's game batting just .116. But with the Astros clinging to a one-run lead and the bases loaded with two outs in the eighth inning, manager Dusty Baker decided to stick with the veteran instead of using a pinch hitter. Baker's decision paid off when Maldonado hit a three-run double to give the Astros some insurance in a 5-1 win over the Texas Rangers. “Sometimes, in the right circumstance, you’ve got to give a confidence at-bat to somebody," Baker said. “It was a left-hander and fortunate for us Martín cleared the bases. You can’t hit for him all the time or else he’ll never get any confidence." Jose Altuve added a season-high four hits to back a strong start by Framber Valdez and help the Astros continue their home dominance of the Rangers. The victory extended Houston’s winning … [Read more...] about Astros continue home dominance against Rangers with win

Rick Bowness will not return as head coach of the Dallas Stars after nearly three seasons in which he led them to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final and the playoffs again this year. While Bowness was not under contract past this season, the 67-year-old coach said in a statement released by the team Friday that he was stepping away to “allow the organization the opportunity to pursue a different direction at the head coaching position.” The move doesn't necessarily mean Bowness is done coaching. General manager Jim Nill said assistant coaches John Stevens, Derek Laxdal and Todd Nelson also would not return. Bowness has been on an NHL bench for a record 2,562 regular-season games as a head coach or an assistant over nearly four decades. He was 89-62-25 as head coach in Dallas, where he was a second-year assistant before being named interim head coach in December 2019 after Jim Montgomery was fired for off-ice issues. After the Stars made the Stanley Cup Final in that pandemic-altered … [Read more...] about Rick Bowness won’t return as coach of Dallas Stars

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 NEW YORK (AP) — Convicted California lawyer Michael Avenatti wants leniency at sentencing for defrauding former client Stormy Daniels of hundreds of thousands of dollars, his lawyers say, citing a letter in which he told Daniels: “I am truly sorry.” The emailed letter, dated May 13, was included in a submission his lawyers made late Thursday in Manhattan federal court in advance of a June 2 sentencing. Avenatti, 51, should face no more than three years in prison for his latest conviction, or 4 1/2 years in all, because two convictions have destroyed his life, the lawyers said. “This sobering reality is as sufficient and powerful a punishment and deterrence as any. Worse, Mr. Avenatti’s extreme rise and fall played out on the most public of platforms, an experience he is unlikely to ever recover from reputationally,” they said. Last year, Avenatti was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in … [Read more...] about Avenatti, facing sentencing, apologizes to Stormy Daniels

When you think "bearer of wisdom," actor Charlie Day probably isn't the first name that comes to mind. The creator and star of the popular TV series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a professional goof but is more recently known for his work in Jason Orley's romantic comedy, I Want You Back, steaming on Amazon Prime Video. Written by co-screenwriters Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger and working with Jenny Slate, Gina Rodriguez, Scott Eastwood, and Manny Jacinto on the project, Charles Day surprised critics with his dimensional performance. Back in 2014, the Monsters University actor addressed graduates at his alma mater Merrimack College and the filmmaker had some very interesting advice for the students. While acknowledging that he's no Steve Jobs - "I don't know how my computer works; I don't even know how my toaster works!" he told the audience -- Day had some genuine lessons to Merrimack College grads nonetheless. He spoke about the time, fresh out of college when … [Read more...] about Charlie Day: Always Sunny in Philadelphia Creator Says You Shouldn’t Just ‘Do What Makes You Happy’

Listen to this article "I have a new rival now." Those were the words uttered by then six-time world champion Sebastien Loeb in 2010 after losing a hard-fought Rally Portugal duel to Sebastien Ogier - as the young pretender to the World Rally Championship throne claimed a breakthrough maiden victory. It was a premonition as accurate as Loeb's precision behind the wheel that would help the Frenchman record a career nine world titles and 80 rally wins to date. Portugal 2010 marked the emergence of a new world order and challenger for Loeb. It was the precursor for several intense and sometimes controversial duels, until Loeb decided to bow out as a full-time WRC driver following his ninth title-winning campaign in 2012. Twelve years and a few battle scars later, Loeb and Ogier remain perhaps the two most revered names in the WRC. Ogier picked up the WRC baton previously held by Loeb at the end of 2012 to ensure the Sebastien dominance continued, winning eight of the … [Read more...] about The epic Loeb battle that ignited Ogier’s WRC career

Listen to this article Alonso and his Alpine team were left infuriated by a post-race time addition penalty the double world champion received for cutting the Miami track’s tight chicane during the closing stages of F1’s most recent race. The stewards felt that in doing so Alonso gained a lasting advantage by running off-track, which he disputes. Ahead of this weekend’s Spanish GP, where Alonso was speaking in the pre-practice press conference, Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer had insisted his driver had "lifted twice, significantly" after cutting the Miami chicane while running ahead of Mick Schumacher . The penalty was Alonso’s second of the Miami race after he was also handed a five-second addition for hitting Pierre Gasly , with the second dropping him out of the points having finished eighth on the road. Alpine had already described the second penalty as "wholly unjust" and "difficult to accept" in strong, separate public defences of Alonso from … [Read more...] about Alonso slams “incompetent” Miami F1 stewards after penalty

Ayrton Senna spent six seasons racing for McLaren, during which time he won each three of his world championships and most of his 41 grand prix victories. During that time McLaren team principal Ron Dennis became one of his closest confidantes and allies. Senna was killed three races after he left McLaren to join Williams. Ahead of the twentieth anniversary of Senna’s death, Dennis spoke to a group of media at the McLaren Technology Centre and gave a candid account of the most famous driver who ever sat in one of his cars. Go ad-free for just £1 per month >> Find out more and sign up The first McLaren test Senna first drove a McLaren five years before he started a race for them. He earned a test in their F1 car after winning that year’s British Formula three championship. He made his mark immediately, demanding an extra run in the car after a problem on his original flying lap, then setting a scorching lap time. But Dennis had misgivings about his … [Read more...] about Ron Dennis on Ayrton Senna: “He was so awesome” – F1 Fanatic

Last year I was disappointed to learn Haynes were to cease publishing new motor racing books. As many F1 Fanatic readers will know dozens of their books have been featured here over the years and many of them were reviewed very positively . That was certainly the case for one of the last Haynes titles I received for review, Motor Sport Greats in Conversation , a collection of 24 interviews with famous motor racing figures originally conducted by Simon Taylor for MotorSport magazine. Twelve months later, here is a new book with an identical premise. Lunches with Legends compiles 20 in-depth interviews originally published in F1 Racing magazine written by another of the sport’s great chroniclers, Maurice Hamilton (author of Williams , Chequered Conflict and others). Wisely, from the three years’ worth of interviews available for Lunches with Legends, the selection chosen for this book does not overlap too closely with those of the title it bears such a conspicuous … [Read more...] about “Lunches with Legends” reviewed · RaceFans

In its first two outings, the auteur-driven, genre-defying absurdist dramedy "Atlanta" - about an aimless, upwardly immobile Princeton dropout named Earn (played by series creator Donald Glover) who remakes himself as the manager of his cousin Alfred's (Brian Tyree Henry) fledgling rap career - was one of the most acclaimed shows on television. The crown jewel of its network, the already prestige-laden FX, it boasted Emmys, star power, buzz, influence and a rare, smirking wit that seldom got its due in the countless, and fully deserved, paeans to its trenchant social commentary and boundary-pushing experimentation. Perhaps the surest sign of its success is how many shows it's inspired; it's hard to imagine critic's darlings like "Dave," "Ramy" or "Reservation Dogs" existing without it. But Season 3, which premiered this spring after a four-year hiatus, has had a more mixed reception. Much of it follows the cousins on Al's (aka Paper Boi) latest European tour, where they're joined by … [Read more...] about Why ‘Atlanta’ Season 3 was such a letdown