KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. had two homers, a double and four RBIs as the
Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4 Wednesday night and
salvaged the final game of a three-game series. Witt had his fourth
multi-homer game of the season, getting the Royals on the scoreboard
in the first with his 21st homer. Witt’s second homer of the game
was a 421-foot blast to center field in the sixth inning. He also
added a two-run double. The Royals have homered in 13 consecutive
games, tied for the second-longest streak in club history. Cole
Ragans (9-7) allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits in 6 1/3
innings, striking out seven and walking two.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Nolan Arenado and Alec Burleson each had two hits and drove in two
runs to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on
Wednesday night. Erick Fedde (8-5) pitched five innings for the
victory. Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn also had two hits apiece
for the Cardinals. After a rocky debut after being acquired from the
Chicago White Sox, Fedde rebounded in his first start at home. He
allowed a run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Ryan
Helsley pitched the ninth for his majors-leading 36th save in 39
opportunities. Josh Lowe had two hits for the Rays and scored a run.

LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Kyle Schwarber homered three times and tied a career high with seven
RBIs in the Philadelphia Phillies' 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles
Dodgers on Wednesday night. Schwarber hit his 27th homer of the
season leading off the ninth against Michael Grove. It was his second
career three-run homer game, the last coming in 2021. The seven RBIs
are the most by a Phillies player since Carlos Ruiz had that many
against Atlanta in 2012. Schwarber had a three-run blast in the sixth
that gave Philadelphia an 8-4 lead. He led off the game with a
two-strike shot off Gavin Stone.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP)
— Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs are sticking to their
routine for preseason games when the Super Bowl champs take the field
Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. “Ones for a quarter,
twos in the second quarter, threes the third quarter, the fours in
the fourth quarter,” Reid said Wednesday on how he plans to split
up playing time against the Jaguars. “We’ll just keep with that.”

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP)
— Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker said Wednesday he was
“very intentional” in the comments he made during a polarizing
college commencement speech in May and that he stands behind what he
said then. During the speech at a private Catholic liberal arts
school in Atchison, Kansas, the three-time Super Bowl champion told
the graduating class that most of the women receiving degrees were
probably more excited about getting married and having children, and
that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender
ideologies onto the youth of America.” Butker also assailed Pride
month and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.
(AP) — The debate about whether the NFL will expand the regular
season once again seems to have been resolved and now it’s a matter
of how soon the league adds an 18th game. Commissioner Roger Goodell
has talked openly about it, union chief Lloyd Howell recently told
the Washington Post that the NFLPA is open to doing it before the
current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2030
season. Players seem resigned to the inevitability no matter how they
might personally feel. The bigger question now might be what
concessions can players get to agree to a longer season.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.
(AP) — The NCAA says former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh had
impermissible contact with recruits and players while access was
restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has handed him a
four-year show-cause order if he wants to return to college coaching.
The NCAA says Harbaugh engaged in unethical conduct, failed to
promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach
responsibility obligations. Harbaugh left the national-championship
winning Wolverines to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. The NCAA has
already given Michigan three years of probation, a fine and
recruiting limits in the same case.


PARIS (AP) — U.S. men's basketball coach Steve Kerr knows something
unexpected is going to happen when his team plays against Serbia in
the semifinals of the Paris Olympics. Maybe Serbia will change its
lineup. Maybe Nikola Jokic will play the entire game. Or maybe the
surprise will be that there’s no surprise at all. Whatever the
case, Kerr knows the Americans have to be ready for anything. The
U.S. will look to reach the gold-medal game for the 18th time in its
20 Olympic appearances when it faces Serbia in the semifinals of the
Paris Games on Thursday night. France will play Germany in the other
semifinal.


SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Quincy Hall became the latest American
to electrify Olympic track and field with an out-of-nowhere comeback,
sprinting from far behind in the 400 meters to reel in three runners
and capture the gold medal. Hall, buried in fourth place as the
runners rounded the last bend, outran the runner on his outside, then
two more to the inside to cross the line in 43.40 seconds, the
fourth-fastest time ever. Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith finished
second and Muzala Samukonga of Zambia finished third. Hall is the
first American since LaShawn Merritt in 2008 to win the one-lap race.
His victory came an evening after American Cole Hocker came from
behind late to beat the favorites in the men’s 1500.


SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Who was that masked person? It was Raven
Saunders, of course — the theatrical American shot put standout who
uses the pronouns they and them and brings their own distinctive
style to every meet they attend. Saunders was throwing Thursday at
the Olympics, wearing a full-faced black mask and bronze sunglasses
and their hair dyed neon green on one side and purple on the other.
Saunders refers to this as the “Hulk” look, one that helps them
feel like a superhero getting ready to hurl that 8.8-pound hunk of
metal. They recorded a throw of 18.62 meters on their final attempt
to secure a spot for Friday’s final.


PARIS (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Jackie Young added
15 points to help the U.S. beat Nigeria 88-74 in the quarterfinals,
extending its record winning streak to 59 consecutive Olympic wins.
Breanna Stewart also had 13 for the Americans, who haven’t lost
since the 1992 Barcelona Games and are now two victories away from an
unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal. They will face a
familiar foe in Australia in the semifinals on Friday night. The
Opals routed Serbia 85-67. The other medal round game will feature
host France playing Belgium.


PARIS (AP) — Boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan has advanced to the
gold-medal bout in the women’s featherweight division at the Paris
Olympics. She beat Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkey 5:0 for her third
consecutive victory in the tournament while dealing with widespread
scrutiny regarding misconceptions about her gender. Both Lin and
Imane Khelif have responded to the scrutiny generated by the
International Boxing Association's decision to disqualify them from
last year's world championships by going on two of the best runs of
their careers in Paris. Lin again used her superior height and
technique to beat the more physical Kahraman. Lin will fight for gold
on Saturday, taking on Julia Szeremeta of Poland.


PARIS (AP) — Every single thing Simone Biles has done at the Paris
Olympics has been spotlighted. She won four medals, had an online
feud with a former teammate and a social media post that appeared to
take a swipe at presidential candidate Donald Trump. Her TikToks
regularly draw millions of views and her revelation that she’d
gotten Botox made headlines. Biles is the most decorated gymnast of
all-time and America’s golden girl. She has a unique ability to
retain her staying power beyond Olympic cycles, in part because of
her remarkable career achievements. But it is also her authenticity
that has made her relatable, inspirational and liked by millions
around the world.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718617262520.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. had two homers, a double and four RBIs as the
Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 8-4 Wednesday night and
salvaged the final game of a three-game series. Witt had his fourth
multi-homer game of the season, getting the Royals on the scoreboard
in the first with his 21st homer. Witt’s second homer of the game
was a 421-foot blast to center field in the sixth inning. He also
added a two-run double. The Royals have homered in 13 consecutive
games, tied for the second-longest streak in club history. Cole
Ragans (9-7) allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits in 6 1/3
innings, striking out seven and walking two.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Nolan Arenado and Alec Burleson each had two hits and drove in two
runs to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2 on
Wednesday night. Erick Fedde (8-5) pitched five innings for the
victory. Willson Contreras and Masyn Winn also had two hits apiece
for the Cardinals. After a rocky debut after being acquired from the
Chicago White Sox, Fedde rebounded in his first start at home. He
allowed a run on four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Ryan
Helsley pitched the ninth for his majors-leading 36th save in 39
opportunities. Josh Lowe had two hits for the Rays and scored a run.LOS ANGELES (AP) —
Kyle Schwarber homered three times and tied a career high with seven
RBIs in the Philadelphia Phillies' 9-4 victory over the Los Angeles
Dodgers on Wednesday night. Schwarber hit his 27th homer of the
season leading off the ninth against Michael Grove. It was his second
career three-run homer game, the last coming in 2021. The seven RBIs
are the most by a Phillies player since Carlos Ruiz had that many
against Atlanta in 2012. Schwarber had a three-run blast in the sixth
that gave Philadelphia an 8-4 lead. He led off the game with a
two-strike shot off Gavin Stone.ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP)
— Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs are sticking to their
routine for preseason games when the Super Bowl champs take the field
Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. “Ones for a quarter,
twos in the second quarter, threes the third quarter, the fours in
the fourth quarter,” Reid said Wednesday on how he plans to split
up playing time against the Jaguars. “We’ll just keep with that.”ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP)
— Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker said Wednesday he was
“very intentional” in the comments he made during a polarizing
college commencement speech in May and that he stands behind what he
said then. During the speech at a private Catholic liberal arts
school in Atchison, Kansas, the three-time Super Bowl champion told
the graduating class that most of the women receiving degrees were
probably more excited about getting married and having children, and
that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender
ideologies onto the youth of America.” Butker also assailed Pride
month and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.SANTA CLARA, Calif.
(AP) — The debate about whether the NFL will expand the regular
season once again seems to have been resolved and now it’s a matter
of how soon the league adds an 18th game. Commissioner Roger Goodell
has talked openly about it, union chief Lloyd Howell recently told
the Washington Post that the NFLPA is open to doing it before the
current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2030
season. Players seem resigned to the inevitability no matter how they
might personally feel. The bigger question now might be what
concessions can players get to agree to a longer season.ANN ARBOR, Mich.
(AP) — The NCAA says former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh had
impermissible contact with recruits and players while access was
restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has handed him a
four-year show-cause order if he wants to return to college coaching.
The NCAA says Harbaugh engaged in unethical conduct, failed to
promote an atmosphere of compliance and violated head coach
responsibility obligations. Harbaugh left the national-championship
winning Wolverines to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. The NCAA has
already given Michigan three years of probation, a fine and
recruiting limits in the same case.OLYMPICS
PARIS (AP) — U.S. men's basketball coach Steve Kerr knows something
unexpected is going to happen when his team plays against Serbia in
the semifinals of the Paris Olympics. Maybe Serbia will change its
lineup. Maybe Nikola Jokic will play the entire game. Or maybe the
surprise will be that there’s no surprise at all. Whatever the
case, Kerr knows the Americans have to be ready for anything. The
U.S. will look to reach the gold-medal game for the 18th time in its
20 Olympic appearances when it faces Serbia in the semifinals of the
Paris Games on Thursday night. France will play Germany in the other
semifinal.
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Quincy Hall became the latest American
to electrify Olympic track and field with an out-of-nowhere comeback,
sprinting from far behind in the 400 meters to reel in three runners
and capture the gold medal. Hall, buried in fourth place as the
runners rounded the last bend, outran the runner on his outside, then
two more to the inside to cross the line in 43.40 seconds, the
fourth-fastest time ever. Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith finished
second and Muzala Samukonga of Zambia finished third. Hall is the
first American since LaShawn Merritt in 2008 to win the one-lap race.
His victory came an evening after American Cole Hocker came from
behind late to beat the favorites in the men’s 1500.
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Who was that masked person? It was Raven
Saunders, of course — the theatrical American shot put standout who
uses the pronouns they and them and brings their own distinctive
style to every meet they attend. Saunders was throwing Thursday at
the Olympics, wearing a full-faced black mask and bronze sunglasses
and their hair dyed neon green on one side and purple on the other.
Saunders refers to this as the “Hulk” look, one that helps them
feel like a superhero getting ready to hurl that 8.8-pound hunk of
metal. They recorded a throw of 18.62 meters on their final attempt
to secure a spot for Friday’s final.
PARIS (AP) — A’ja Wilson scored 20 points and Jackie Young added
15 points to help the U.S. beat Nigeria 88-74 in the quarterfinals,
extending its record winning streak to 59 consecutive Olympic wins.
Breanna Stewart also had 13 for the Americans, who haven’t lost
since the 1992 Barcelona Games and are now two victories away from an
unprecedented eighth consecutive gold medal. They will face a
familiar foe in Australia in the semifinals on Friday night. The
Opals routed Serbia 85-67. The other medal round game will feature
host France playing Belgium.
PARIS (AP) — Boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan has advanced to the
gold-medal bout in the women’s featherweight division at the Paris
Olympics. She beat Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkey 5:0 for her third
consecutive victory in the tournament while dealing with widespread
scrutiny regarding misconceptions about her gender. Both Lin and
Imane Khelif have responded to the scrutiny generated by the
International Boxing Association's decision to disqualify them from
last year's world championships by going on two of the best runs of
their careers in Paris. Lin again used her superior height and
technique to beat the more physical Kahraman. Lin will fight for gold
on Saturday, taking on Julia Szeremeta of Poland.
PARIS (AP) — Every single thing Simone Biles has done at the Paris
Olympics has been spotlighted. She won four medals, had an online
feud with a former teammate and a social media post that appeared to
take a swipe at presidential candidate Donald Trump. Her TikToks
regularly draw millions of views and her revelation that she’d
gotten Botox made headlines. Biles is the most decorated gymnast of
all-time and America’s golden girl. She has a unique ability to
retain her staying power beyond Olympic cycles, in part because of
her remarkable career achievements. But it is also her authenticity
that has made her relatable, inspirational and liked by millions
around the world.WEDNESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUE
Final	Arizona	7	Cleveland	3	
Final	Chicago Cubs	8	Minnesota	2	
Final	Arizona	5	Cleveland	3	
Final	St. Louis	5	Tampa Bay	2	AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final	Houston	6	Texas	4	
Final	Oakland	3	Chicago White Sox	2	
Final	N.Y. Yankees	5	L.A. Angels	2	
Final	Baltimore	7	Toronto	3	
Final	L.A. Angels	8	N.Y. Yankees	2	
Final	Kansas City	8	Boston	4	
Final	Detroit	6	Seattle	2	NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final	San Francisco	7	Washington	4	
Final	Miami	6	Cincinnati	4	
Final	Milwaukee	8	Atlanta	5	
Final	San Diego	9	Pittsburgh	8	
Final	N.Y. Mets	5	Colorado	3

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

By The Associated
Press (All times Eastern)

Schedule subject
to change and/or blackouts

11:30 p.m. USA —
Men's Semifinal (Taped)

11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 8)

10 a.m. USA —
Men’s Middle, Light Finals &amp; more (Taped)

7 a.m. E! —
Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Semi, Finals

4 a.m. E! —
Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal

9 a.m. E! — Men’s
3m Springboard Final

1 p.m. NBC —
Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal (Taped)

5 p.m. E! — Field
Hockey, Women’s Kite Final (Taped)

9:30 p.m. USA —
Men’s Gold Final (Taped)

3 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 2: Part 1

7 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 2: Part 2

8 a.m. E! —
Individual All Around Qualification (Taped)

Noon E! —
Individual All Around: Qualification (Taped)

5 p.m. E! — Field
Hockey, Women’s Kite Final

5:45 a.m. E! —
Men’s Speed, Women’s Combined

1:30 a.m. USA —
Women’s 10km Open Water

3:35 a.m. USA —
M&amp;W Team: Quarterfinals (Taped)

7 a.m. USA — Men’s
Team: Semifinals (Taped)

10:30 a.m. USA — W
49kg, M 58kg Bronze/Gold Finals (Taped)

4 a.m. USA —
Heats: Men’s &amp; Women’s 4x100m &amp; more

1:35 p.m. NBC —
Finals: Men’s 200m &amp; more

6 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinal (Taped)

8 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinal (Taped)

8:30 a.m. USA —
Water Polo, Weightlifting

10:30 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinal (Taped)

11 a.m. USA — M
57kg, W 57kg Freestyle Eliminations (Taped)

By The Associated
Press (All times Eastern)Schedule subject
to change and/or blackoutsThursday, Aug. 8BASKETBALL11:30 a.m. USA —
Men’s Semifinal2:45 p.m. USA —
Men’s Semifinal11:30 p.m. USA —
Men's Semifinal (Taped)BEACH VOLLEYBALL11 a.m. E! —
SemifinalNoon NBC — Men’s
Semifinal3 p.m. E! —
Semifinal4 p.m. NBC —
Women’s Semifinal11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 8)BOXING10 a.m. USA —
Men’s Middle, Light Finals &amp; more (Taped)CANOE &amp; KAYAK7 a.m. E! —
Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Semi, FinalsDIVING4 a.m. E! —
Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal9 a.m. E! — Men’s
3m Springboard Final1 p.m. NBC —
Women’s 3m Springboard Semifinal (Taped)11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 8)FIELD HOCKEY5 p.m. E! — Field
Hockey, Women’s Kite Final (Taped)9:30 p.m. USA —
Men’s Gold Final (Taped)GOLF3 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 2: Part 17 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 2: Part 2HANDBALL4 p.m. E! —
Women’s SemifinalKITE FLYING5 p.m. E! — Field
Hockey, Women’s Kite Final (Taped)RHYTHMIC
GYMNASTICS8 a.m. E! —
Individual All Around Qualification (Taped)Noon E! —
Individual All Around: Qualification (Taped)SAILING5 p.m. E! — Field
Hockey, Women’s Kite FinalSKATEBOARDING2:35 a.m. NBC —
NBC Late Night (Aug 7)SPORT CLIMBING2:35 a.m. NBC —
NBC Late Night (Aug 7)5:45 a.m. E! —
Men’s Speed, Women’s Combined10:30 a.m. E! —
Men’s Speed: FinalSWIMMING1:30 a.m. USA —
Women’s 10km Open WaterTABLE TENNIS3:35 a.m. USA —
M&amp;W Team: Quarterfinals (Taped)7 a.m. USA — Men’s
Team: Semifinals (Taped)TAEKWONDO10:30 a.m. USA — W
49kg, M 58kg Bronze/Gold Finals (Taped)TRACK FIELD4 a.m. USA —
Heats: Men’s &amp; Women’s 4x100m &amp; more1:35 p.m. NBC —
Finals: Men’s 200m &amp; more11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 8)VOLLEYBALL10 a.m. NBC —
Women’s Semifinal6 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinal (Taped)8 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinal (Taped)WATER POLO8:30 a.m. USA —
Water Polo, Weightlifting1:30 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinals5 p.m. NBC —
Women’s Semifinal10:30 p.m. USA —
Women’s Semifinal (Taped)WEIGHTLIFTING8:30 a.m. USA —
Water Polo, WeightliftingWRESTLING11 a.m. USA — M
57kg, W 57kg Freestyle Eliminations (Taped)

Olympics on TV for Thursday, Aug. 8

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - After some offseason troubles, there were questions among Chiefs fans if wide receiver Rashee Rice would be with the team at the start of training camp.

With the threat of a suspension, Rice being able to focus on football at camp is very important.

"Just because I get to be out here and still be a part of my team and we get to dominate and focus on our goal this year," Rice tells reporters.

Rice's potential suspension by the NFL is a dark cloud looming over Chiefs camp, but Rice would not comment on that.

"It's a legal process and my team is handling it off the field for me," Rice says.

Rice knows through it all though he has one man in his corner, his quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"He's been very important, he's there for me whenever I need him, on or off the field, he's only a call away and he's always going to pick up my call, so I got him," Rice says.

The Chiefs have been spending this week of training camp beginning to fully gear up for their first preseason game this weekend.

Kansas City still has a few players injured, that may not play Saturday, and a slew of young guys working to prove they deserve to be on the 53-man roster.

Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says he's excited to see the chemistry between some of those young players in the first preseason game.

"Who will communicate in the heat of battle, you know sometimes it's controlled here but kind of getting into a real game atmosphere," Spagnuolo tells reporters following practice. "Biggest thing is I want to see guys that are unknown to me from their toughness and tackling, those are gonna be the two biggest things."

Several young players in the Chiefs secondary have been working hard during training camp at Missouri Western, hoping to make an impact on the team.

Spagnuolo is ready to see some of those young players step up in the first preseason game on Saturday.

"Jaden (Hicks), all of them, Kamal (Hadden), even guys, Ekow (Boye-Doe) didn't play a lot back there last year right, guys that haven't had a lot of time back there, I'd like to see those guys," Spagnuolo says.

Spagnulo says he's ready to see some of the toughness from players in an actual game, as he determines whose "tough tough" and whose "fake tough."

The Chiefs have one more practice at Missouri Western Wednesday before they depart for Jacksonville. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723053236343.jpeg" alt="Rashee Rice catches a pass during Chiefs Training Camp in St. Joseph/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>Rashee Rice catches a pass during Chiefs Training Camp in St. Joseph/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph PostST. JOSEPH, Mo. - After some offseason troubles, there were questions among Chiefs fans if wide receiver Rashee Rice would be with the team at the start of training camp.With the threat of a suspension, Rice being able to focus on football at camp is very important."Just because I get to be out here and still be a part of my team and we get to dominate and focus on our goal this year," Rice tells reporters.Rice's potential suspension by the NFL is a dark cloud looming over Chiefs camp, but Rice would not comment on that."It's a legal process and my team is handling it off the field for me," Rice says.Rice knows through it all though he has one man in his corner, his quarterback Patrick Mahomes."He's been very important, he's there for me whenever I need him, on or off the field, he's only a call away and he's always going to pick up my call, so I got him," Rice says.The Chiefs have been spending this week of training camp beginning to fully gear up for their first preseason game this weekend.Kansas City still has a few players injured, that may not play Saturday, and a slew of young guys working to prove they deserve to be on the 53-man roster.Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo says he's excited to see the chemistry between some of those young players in the first preseason game."Who will communicate in the heat of battle, you know sometimes it's controlled here but kind of getting into a real game atmosphere," Spagnuolo tells reporters following practice. "Biggest thing is I want to see guys that are unknown to me from their toughness and tackling, those are gonna be the two biggest things."Several young players in the Chiefs secondary have been working hard during training camp at Missouri Western, hoping to make an impact on the team.Spagnuolo is ready to see some of those young players step up in the first preseason game on Saturday."Jaden (Hicks), all of them, Kamal (Hadden), even guys, Ekow (Boye-Doe) didn't play a lot back there last year right, guys that haven't had a lot of time back there, I'd like to see those guys," Spagnuolo says.Spagnulo says he's ready to see some of the toughness from players in an actual game, as he determines whose "tough tough" and whose "fake tough."The Chiefs have one more practice at Missouri Western Wednesday before they depart for Jacksonville.

Chiefs' Rice trying to focus on football; potential suspension unknown

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jim Kearney was a Chiefs Legend, a Super Bowl Champion, and a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame" Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said Tuesday, after learning of his death.

"During his nine-year career in Kansas City, Jim was part of an AFL Championship team and helped lead the Chiefs defense to a 23-7 victory in Super Bowl IV. Jim first appeared in a Chiefs uniform in 1967, and for the next eight years, he never missed a game. And yet, the most impressive parts of Jim's life happened off the field. After his playing days, he became a high school teacher and coach. He mentored hundreds of children in the Kansas City area, and he will be remembered as a great player, a great teacher and a great man. My family and I send our deepest condolences to Shirley and the entire Kearney family."

Kansas City ChiefsKANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jim Kearney was a Chiefs Legend, a Super Bowl Champion, and a member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame" Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said Tuesday, after learning of his death."During his nine-year career in Kansas City, Jim was part of an AFL Championship team and helped lead the Chiefs defense to a 23-7 victory in Super Bowl IV. Jim first appeared in a Chiefs uniform in 1967, and for the next eight years, he never missed a game. And yet, the most impressive parts of Jim's life happened off the field. After his playing days, he became a high school teacher and coach. He mentored hundreds of children in the Kansas City area, and he will be remembered as a great player, a great teacher and a great man. My family and I send our deepest condolences to Shirley and the entire Kearney family."

Chiefs mourn the passing of former safety Jim Kearney

Kansas was announced as the favorite in the 2024 Big 12 volleyball preseason poll, while TCU’s Melanie Parra was selected as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year and KU’s Zoey Burgess was honored as the Conference’s Preseason Freshman of the Year.

The poll and awards were determined by Big 12 head coaches who could not vote for their team.

It marks the first time the Jayhawks have been designated in the top spot and Burgess is the third KU player in the last five seasons to be named Preseason Freshman of the Year. Burgess hails from Alpine, Utah where the middle blocker was a four-time state champion and the 6A MVP.

Parra is the first Horned Frog to secure Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year honors. In 2023, the native of Sinaloa, Mexico was named an AVCA Third Team All-American and was a unanimous First Team All-Big 12 selection. The outside hitter became the first player in TCU history to have two 34-kill matches and her 4.38 kills per set and 5.17 points per set are the highest among returning league players. 

This year’s preseason team was expanded to 18 members and includes student-athletes from 11 schools. Kansas leads with three selections.

The 2024 season marks the debut of Arizona, Arizona State and Utah into the league while Colorado rejoins the Conference. Teams will play 18 league matches over 10 weeks while playing 10 teams once and four teams twice.

The Big 12 finished the 2023 season with five ranked teams, the most for the league since 2009 and tied for the most in Big 12 history. The Conference had seven teams selected to the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, the second time in the last three years the Big 12 has placed seven teams into the tournament.

The season begins Aug. 30 with non-conference play while league play commences Wednesday, Sept. 25. The full schedule can be found at Big12Sports.com.

2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Poll

2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Player of the Year

2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Freshman of the Year

2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Team

Nayeli Gonzalez, Iowa State, OH, So.* # !

Players are listed alphabetically by school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723052528308.jpeg" alt="Big12sports.com" />
 <figcaption>Big12sports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas was announced as the favorite in the 2024 Big 12 volleyball preseason poll, while TCU’s Melanie Parra was selected as the league’s Preseason Player of the Year and KU’s Zoey Burgess was honored as the Conference’s Preseason Freshman of the Year.The poll and awards were determined by Big 12 head coaches who could not vote for their team.It marks the first time the Jayhawks have been designated in the top spot and Burgess is the third KU player in the last five seasons to be named Preseason Freshman of the Year. Burgess hails from Alpine, Utah where the middle blocker was a four-time state champion and the 6A MVP.Parra is the first Horned Frog to secure Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year honors. In 2023, the native of Sinaloa, Mexico was named an AVCA Third Team All-American and was a unanimous First Team All-Big 12 selection. The outside hitter became the first player in TCU history to have two 34-kill matches and her 4.38 kills per set and 5.17 points per set are the highest among returning league players. This year’s preseason team was expanded to 18 members and includes student-athletes from 11 schools. Kansas leads with three selections.The 2024 season marks the debut of Arizona, Arizona State and Utah into the league while Colorado rejoins the Conference. Teams will play 18 league matches over 10 weeks while playing 10 teams once and four teams twice.The Big 12 finished the 2023 season with five ranked teams, the most for the league since 2009 and tied for the most in Big 12 history. The Conference had seven teams selected to the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship, the second time in the last three years the Big 12 has placed seven teams into the tournament.The season begins Aug. 30 with non-conference play while league play commences Wednesday, Sept. 25. The full schedule can be found at Big12Sports.com.2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason PollKansas (6), 173 pointsBYU (4), 168 pointsArizona State (3), 158 pointsTCU (1), 146 pointsBaylor, 144 pointsIowa State, 142 points K-State (1), 141 pointsHouston, 105 pointsUtah, 97 pointsColorado, 75 pointsUCF, 65 pointsArizona, 54 pointsCincinnati, 43 pointsWest Virginia, 33 pointsTexas Tech, 31 points First-place votes in parenthesis.2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Player of the YearMelanie Parra, TCU, OH, Sr.2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason Freshman of the YearZoey Burgess, Kansas, MB2024 Big 12 Volleyball Preseason TeamJaelyn Hodge, Arizona, OH, Fifth YearClaire Jeter, Arizona State, MB, Gr.Argentina Ung, Arizona State, S, Gr.Lauren Briseño, Baylor, L/DS, Sr. ^Elise McGhee, Baylor, OH, Sr. #Mia Lee, BYU, MB/OPP, So. !Kate Prior, BYU, OPP/MB, Jr.Taylor Simpson, Colorado, S, Sr.Kate Georgiades, Houston, L, Gr.* #Nayeli Gonzalez, Iowa State, OH, So.* # !London Davis, Kansas, OPP, Jr. ^Ayah Elnady, Kansas, OH, Jr. #Camryn Turner, Kansas, S, Jr.* #Aliyah Carter, K-State, OH, Gr. #Izzi Szulczewski, K-State, S, Sr.Jalyn Gibson, TCU, OH, Jr. ^Melanie Parra, TCU, OH, Sr.* #Lauren Jardine, Utah, OH, Sr.Players are listed alphabetically by school. * indicates unanimous selection. # - 2023 All-Big 12 First Team^ - 2023 All-Big 12 Second Team! – 2023 All-Big 12 Rookie Team

Kansas tabbed 1st in Big 12 media volleyball poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dominic Smith scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the sixth inning on a call that was overturned on a challenge, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Tuesday night.

Smith doubled to open the sixth and moved to third on a single to center field by Eric Sogard. After David Hamilton struck out looking, Smith charged home on a pitch by KC's Seth Lugo that bounced in front of the plate and got away from catcher Salvador Perez. Perez chased the ball to the backstop, wheeled and threw to Lugo, who appeared to tag a diving Smith for an apparent out.

The Red Sox challenged the call, which was overturned on review.

“Dom (Smith) wasn’t too sure,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “Mikey (Brenly, the Red Sox’s replay coordinator) right away said, ‘Challenge it. He got in.’”

Smith called his diving toward the plate a “freestyle” when asked what stroke he used.

“I tried to make a move," Smith said. "I wasn’t sure when (Royals pitcher Seth Lugo) tagged me, but when I saw (manager Alex Cora) go for the challenge, I felt good about it.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of our speedy guys (use the swim move) all year. My slide is a little bit slower than other people’s, so I might have a little more time to make a move.”

Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and two out Yoshida singled through the right side, driving in two more runs.

The Red Sox, who have won the first two games of the three-game set, trail the Royals by a half-game for the third American League wild-card spot.

Brennan Bernadino (4-3) worked a third of an inning and earned the win in relief. Kenley Jansen picked up his 21st save, striking out Bobby Witt Jr., the MLB leader in hits and batting average, to end it.

“That’s the best I’ve seen the big boy, especially in that last at bat,” Cora said of Jansen. “It was cutter, sinker, cutter. The velocity, the movement, to have him rested was very important.”

Lugo (13-6) allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in the loss.

“Another competitive outing,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “His command was a little bit off, I think. He was maybe trying to be a little too fine. We were looking up there in the sixth and we were right in the game.”

Lugo said overturning the call was the right call.

“I could tell that I didn’t get his arm and his hand got the plate,” Lugo said. “I was hoping they didn’t have a good enough video to show that.”

Boston held a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning when the Royals' MJ Melendez lined a two-run double to the wall, scoring Vinnie Pasquantino and Perez and cutting the deficit to a run.

Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. lined a one-out double in the first before Pasquantino pulled one through the right side of the infield for an RBI single.

The Red Sox answered with a pair of unearned runs in the second. Connor Wong singled. Smith hit a grounder to second, but Michael Massey failed to field it. With one out, David Hamilton bounced one over the wall, scoring Wong. Smith scored on a groundout by Ceddanne Rafaela.

Masataka Yoshida homered with one out in the third to extend the Boston lead to 3-1.

The Royals used three straight two-out hits to tie the game in the fifth. Massey launched a 434-foot home run to right center. Witt followed with a bloop single and scored on a double by Pasquantino.

Red Sox: Boston manager Alex Cora said RHP Chris Martin played catch Monday and felt good Tuesday, so it's likely he'll be activated from the injured list before Wednesday's game. He has been on the IL since July 5 (retroactive to July 4) with right elbow inflammation. ... OF Tyler O'Neill, who has been out of the lineup with an illness since Aug. 3, feels better and is also likely to return to the lineup Wednesday.

The Red Sox and Royals will conclude their three-game series Wednesday night. Boston will start RHP Brayan Bello (7-8, 3.81 ERA) against KC's LHP Cole Ragans (8-7, 3.35 ERA).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723023745529.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Boston Red Sox's Dominic Smith (2) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo to score during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Boston Red Sox's Dominic Smith (2) beats the tag by Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo to score during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Dominic Smith scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the sixth inning on a call that was overturned on a challenge, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Tuesday night.Smith doubled to open the sixth and moved to third on a single to center field by Eric Sogard. After David Hamilton struck out looking, Smith charged home on a pitch by KC's Seth Lugo that bounced in front of the plate and got away from catcher Salvador Perez. Perez chased the ball to the backstop, wheeled and threw to Lugo, who appeared to tag a diving Smith for an apparent out.The Red Sox challenged the call, which was overturned on review.“Dom (Smith) wasn’t too sure,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “Mikey (Brenly, the Red Sox’s replay coordinator) right away said, ‘Challenge it. He got in.’”Smith called his diving toward the plate a “freestyle” when asked what stroke he used.“I tried to make a move," Smith said. "I wasn’t sure when (Royals pitcher Seth Lugo) tagged me, but when I saw (manager Alex Cora) go for the challenge, I felt good about it.“I’ve been seeing a lot of our speedy guys (use the swim move) all year. My slide is a little bit slower than other people’s, so I might have a little more time to make a move.”Later in the inning, with the bases loaded and two out Yoshida singled through the right side, driving in two more runs.The Red Sox, who have won the first two games of the three-game set, trail the Royals by a half-game for the third American League wild-card spot.Brennan Bernadino (4-3) worked a third of an inning and earned the win in relief. Kenley Jansen picked up his 21st save, striking out Bobby Witt Jr., the MLB leader in hits and batting average, to end it.“That’s the best I’ve seen the big boy, especially in that last at bat,” Cora said of Jansen. “It was cutter, sinker, cutter. The velocity, the movement, to have him rested was very important.”Lugo (13-6) allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in the loss.“Another competitive outing,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “His command was a little bit off, I think. He was maybe trying to be a little too fine. We were looking up there in the sixth and we were right in the game.”Lugo said overturning the call was the right call.“I could tell that I didn’t get his arm and his hand got the plate,” Lugo said. “I was hoping they didn’t have a good enough video to show that.”Boston held a 6-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning when the Royals' MJ Melendez lined a two-run double to the wall, scoring Vinnie Pasquantino and Perez and cutting the deficit to a run.Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. lined a one-out double in the first before Pasquantino pulled one through the right side of the infield for an RBI single.The Red Sox answered with a pair of unearned runs in the second. Connor Wong singled. Smith hit a grounder to second, but Michael Massey failed to field it. With one out, David Hamilton bounced one over the wall, scoring Wong. Smith scored on a groundout by Ceddanne Rafaela.Masataka Yoshida homered with one out in the third to extend the Boston lead to 3-1.The Royals used three straight two-out hits to tie the game in the fifth. Massey launched a 434-foot home run to right center. Witt followed with a bloop single and scored on a double by Pasquantino.TRAINING ROOM:Red Sox: Boston manager Alex Cora said RHP Chris Martin played catch Monday and felt good Tuesday, so it's likely he'll be activated from the injured list before Wednesday's game. He has been on the IL since July 5 (retroactive to July 4) with right elbow inflammation. ... OF Tyler O'Neill, who has been out of the lineup with an illness since Aug. 3, feels better and is also likely to return to the lineup Wednesday.UP NEXT:The Red Sox and Royals will conclude their three-game series Wednesday night. Boston will start RHP Brayan Bello (7-8, 3.81 ERA) against KC's LHP Cole Ragans (8-7, 3.35 ERA).

Wild pitch helps Red Sox beat Royals 6-5

KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Dominic Smith scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the
sixth inning on a call that was overturned on a challenge, and the
Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5. Smith doubled to open
the sixth and moved to third on a single to center field by Eric
Sogard. After David Hamilton struck out looking, Smith charged home
on a pitch by KC’s Seth Lugo that bounced in front of the plate and
got away from catcher Salvador Perez. Perez chased the ball to the
backstop, wheeled and threw to Lugo, who appeared to tag Smith for an
apparent out. The Red Sox challenged the call, which was overturned
on review.

ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Victor Scott II and Tommy Pham each hit two-run homers, Sammy Gray
pitched seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay
Rays 4-3 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series.
Scott, who was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, hit his
first big league homer in the four-run second inning. Pham added a
double in a 2-for-4 night. Brandon Lowe hit a two-run homer in the
first inning for the Rays, who were visiting St. Louis for the first
time since Aug. 27, 2017.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)
— Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox
snapped their American League record-tying losing streak at 21 game,
beating the Oakland Athletics 5-1. Jonathan Cannon gave up one run
over six innings on Tuesday to end his personal drought while helping
the White Sox to their first victory since early July. Chicago on
Monday matched the longest losing streak since the 1988 Baltimore
Orioles lost 21 in a row, falling to the Athletics 5-1. The NL record
since 1900 is held by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 23
straight.

ARLINGTON, Texas
(AP) — Houston pitcher Framber Valdez lost a no-hitter with two
outs in the ninth inning when Texas slugger Corey Seager hit a
two-run homer in the Astros’ 4-2 victory over the Rangers. Valdez
was on the verge of his second no-hitter in just more than a year
when Seager sent the first pitch he saw in the ninth, an 85 mph
slider, into the stands in right field. It was Seager’s fourth
homer in four games. The 30-year-old left-hander cruised through
eight innings but finally began to stumble in the ninth. Valdez
Robbie Grossman before Ezequiel Duran grounded into the second Texas
double play of the game. Josh Smith kept the Rangers alive with
another walk, setting up Seager’s 24th homer.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.
(AP) — Two weeks after the San Francisco 49ers reported to training
camp there has been no change in the status of Brandon Aiyuk despite
trade rumors swirling around the star disgruntled wide receiver.
Aiyuk is still taking part in meetings but not practicing as he waits
for a long-term contract from San Francisco or a trade. His
representatives are talking to other teams to see if any that Aiyuk
wants to play for will pay him the salary he wants and give the
Niners appropriate compensation in a trade.

UNDATED (AP) —
Women’s college basketball teams are a step away from getting
financially rewarded for success in the NCAA Tournament. The Division
I Board of Directors agreed to introduce a proposal to give
performance units to teams that make March Madness. Units represent
revenue from the NCAA's lucrative media rights deal. They have long
been a part of the men's tournament. Under the new media rights deal
with ESPN, women’s basketball is valued at $65 million per
tournament — roughly 10 times more than in the contract that ends
this year. If approved in January, the plan would take effect in
2025.


PARIS (AP) — There was a moment where Brazil might have thought it
had a chance. It trailed the U.S. by only eight midway through the
second quarter. A big deficit had turned into something rather
manageable. The moment was short-lived. A 21-2 run turned things into
their predictable blowout state and for the 20th time in 20 Olympic
appearances, the U.S. will play for a medal. Devin Booker led a
balanced front with 18 points and the Americans had little trouble
with Brazil in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics, winning
122-87.


LYON, France (AP) — Sophia Smith scored in extra time and the U.S.
women's national team secured a spot in the gold medal match at the
Paris Olympics with a 1-0 victory over Germany. The Americans,
undefeated in France under new coach Emma Hayes, will be vying for
their fifth gold medal in their sixth appearance in the Olympic
women's soccer final. The United States will play the Brazil, which
defeated Spain 4-2 in the later game. Germany will play Spain for the
bronze.


SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — American Cole Hocker pulled the upset of
the Olympics on Tuesday night, outracing both favorites Jakob
Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr to the finish line in the 1,500 meters.
Hocker won the race in an Olympic record 3 minutes 27.65 seconds,
pulling from fifth to first over the final 300 meters to beat his
personal best by more than 3 seconds. He beat Kerr by .14 seconds,
while Ingebrigtsen, who set the pace through the first 1200 meters,
ended up in fourth behind American Yared Nuguse.


SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Gabby Thomas has sped to the win in the
women’s 200 meters at the 2024 Olympics. She finished in 21.83
seconds Tuesday night to add a gold to the bronze she took home in
the event from Tokyo three years ago. The 27-year-old Harvard
graduate, who has a Masters in public health, took the lead for good
at the curve and was never challenged in the final stretch. She
grabbed her head with both hands after winning. Thomas beat 100-meter
champion Julien Alfred by 0.25 seconds. Brittany Brown of the U.S.
got the bronze.


SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — A secret algorithm and a coach obsessed
with numbers are behind Italy’s recent relay success on the track.
Italy has been able to contend with the much faster Americans and the
more talented Jamaicans on a consistent basis lately because of
Filippo Di Mulo. The coach has broken down baton exchanges into a
math-based science that is all meticulously recorded in his nearly
25-year-old database. The Sicilian coached the Azzurri to 4x100 gold
in Tokyo, silver at last year’s world championships, another gold
at the recent European Championships. His team remains a contender in
Paris when the men’s 4x100 gets underway with Thursday’s heats
followed by the final on Friday.


Arizona	at	Cleveland	4:10 p.m.	(Postponed)


L-A Angels	at	N-Y Yankees	7:35 p.m.	(Postponed)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721294994442.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo.
(AP) — Dominic Smith scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the
sixth inning on a call that was overturned on a challenge, and the
Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5. Smith doubled to open
the sixth and moved to third on a single to center field by Eric
Sogard. After David Hamilton struck out looking, Smith charged home
on a pitch by KC’s Seth Lugo that bounced in front of the plate and
got away from catcher Salvador Perez. Perez chased the ball to the
backstop, wheeled and threw to Lugo, who appeared to tag Smith for an
apparent out. The Red Sox challenged the call, which was overturned
on review.ST. LOUIS (AP) —
Victor Scott II and Tommy Pham each hit two-run homers, Sammy Gray
pitched seven innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Tampa Bay
Rays 4-3 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series.
Scott, who was recalled from Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, hit his
first big league homer in the four-run second inning. Pham added a
double in a 2-for-4 night. Brandon Lowe hit a two-run homer in the
first inning for the Rays, who were visiting St. Louis for the first
time since Aug. 27, 2017.OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)
— Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run homer and the Chicago White Sox
snapped their American League record-tying losing streak at 21 game,
beating the Oakland Athletics 5-1. Jonathan Cannon gave up one run
over six innings on Tuesday to end his personal drought while helping
the White Sox to their first victory since early July. Chicago on
Monday matched the longest losing streak since the 1988 Baltimore
Orioles lost 21 in a row, falling to the Athletics 5-1. The NL record
since 1900 is held by the 1961 Philadelphia Phillies, who lost 23
straight.ARLINGTON, Texas
(AP) — Houston pitcher Framber Valdez lost a no-hitter with two
outs in the ninth inning when Texas slugger Corey Seager hit a
two-run homer in the Astros’ 4-2 victory over the Rangers. Valdez
was on the verge of his second no-hitter in just more than a year
when Seager sent the first pitch he saw in the ninth, an 85 mph
slider, into the stands in right field. It was Seager’s fourth
homer in four games. The 30-year-old left-hander cruised through
eight innings but finally began to stumble in the ninth. Valdez
Robbie Grossman before Ezequiel Duran grounded into the second Texas
double play of the game. Josh Smith kept the Rangers alive with
another walk, setting up Seager’s 24th homer.SANTA CLARA, Calif.
(AP) — Two weeks after the San Francisco 49ers reported to training
camp there has been no change in the status of Brandon Aiyuk despite
trade rumors swirling around the star disgruntled wide receiver.
Aiyuk is still taking part in meetings but not practicing as he waits
for a long-term contract from San Francisco or a trade. His
representatives are talking to other teams to see if any that Aiyuk
wants to play for will pay him the salary he wants and give the
Niners appropriate compensation in a trade.UNDATED (AP) —
Women’s college basketball teams are a step away from getting
financially rewarded for success in the NCAA Tournament. The Division
I Board of Directors agreed to introduce a proposal to give
performance units to teams that make March Madness. Units represent
revenue from the NCAA's lucrative media rights deal. They have long
been a part of the men's tournament. Under the new media rights deal
with ESPN, women’s basketball is valued at $65 million per
tournament — roughly 10 times more than in the contract that ends
this year. If approved in January, the plan would take effect in
2025.OLYMPICS
PARIS (AP) — There was a moment where Brazil might have thought it
had a chance. It trailed the U.S. by only eight midway through the
second quarter. A big deficit had turned into something rather
manageable. The moment was short-lived. A 21-2 run turned things into
their predictable blowout state and for the 20th time in 20 Olympic
appearances, the U.S. will play for a medal. Devin Booker led a
balanced front with 18 points and the Americans had little trouble
with Brazil in the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics, winning
122-87.
LYON, France (AP) — Sophia Smith scored in extra time and the U.S.
women's national team secured a spot in the gold medal match at the
Paris Olympics with a 1-0 victory over Germany. The Americans,
undefeated in France under new coach Emma Hayes, will be vying for
their fifth gold medal in their sixth appearance in the Olympic
women's soccer final. The United States will play the Brazil, which
defeated Spain 4-2 in the later game. Germany will play Spain for the
bronze.
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — American Cole Hocker pulled the upset of
the Olympics on Tuesday night, outracing both favorites Jakob
Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr to the finish line in the 1,500 meters.
Hocker won the race in an Olympic record 3 minutes 27.65 seconds,
pulling from fifth to first over the final 300 meters to beat his
personal best by more than 3 seconds. He beat Kerr by .14 seconds,
while Ingebrigtsen, who set the pace through the first 1200 meters,
ended up in fourth behind American Yared Nuguse.
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Gabby Thomas has sped to the win in the
women’s 200 meters at the 2024 Olympics. She finished in 21.83
seconds Tuesday night to add a gold to the bronze she took home in
the event from Tokyo three years ago. The 27-year-old Harvard
graduate, who has a Masters in public health, took the lead for good
at the curve and was never challenged in the final stretch. She
grabbed her head with both hands after winning. Thomas beat 100-meter
champion Julien Alfred by 0.25 seconds. Brittany Brown of the U.S.
got the bronze.
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — A secret algorithm and a coach obsessed
with numbers are behind Italy’s recent relay success on the track.
Italy has been able to contend with the much faster Americans and the
more talented Jamaicans on a consistent basis lately because of
Filippo Di Mulo. The coach has broken down baton exchanges into a
math-based science that is all meticulously recorded in his nearly
25-year-old database. The Sicilian coached the Azzurri to 4x100 gold
in Tokyo, silver at last year’s world championships, another gold
at the recent European Championships. His team remains a contender in
Paris when the men’s 4x100 gets underway with Thursday’s heats
followed by the final on Friday.TUESDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUE
Arizona	at	Cleveland	4:10 p.m.	(Postponed)
Final	St. Louis	4	Tampa Bay	3	
Final	Chicago Cubs	7	Minnesota	3	AMERICAN LEAGUE
L-A Angels	at	N-Y Yankees	7:35 p.m.	(Postponed)
Final	Toronto	5	Baltimore	2	
Final	Houston	4	Texas	2	
Final	Boston	6	Kansas City	5	
Final	Chicago White Sox	5	Oakland	1	
Final	Detroit	4	Seattle	2	NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final	San Diego	6	Pittsburgh	0	
Final	Cincinnati	8	Miami	2	
Final	Washington	11	San Francisco	5	
Final	Milwaukee	10	Atlanta	0	
Final	Colorado	6	N.Y. Mets	3

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post

An adjustment this NFL season for fans, players and coaches alike will be to a new kickoff rule.

People got their first look at the rule during Thursday's Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.

Chiefs Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub says he was excited to see it in action in an actual game

"Couldn't wait to see it, I was like everybody else was I was the same way," Toub tells reporters after practice. "I thought there might've been a couple bigger returns, but they kept it kind of vanilla especially in this first game, but you've got a lot more games coming up here Thursday and Friday I guess."

Preseason will be the big evaluation period for how to play into the new kickoff rules.

Toub says kicker Harrison Butker has spent a lot of time preparing for the new kickoff

"In the afternoon we're inside, we're kicking off in there, we're working kickoffs inside," Toub says. "So, he wants to kick off all the time, so we've done a lot experimenting with that, and he's got a variety of kicks."

As the Chiefs special teams unit adjusts to a new kickoff rule, they also continue to search for who could be back returning kicks and punts.

One option is third year receiver Skyy Moore who has had his struggles producing for the Chiefs since being drafted two years ago.

Moore says that he sees more opportunities to make an impact in the return game with the new kickoff rules

"I see the benefit in putting that rule in, it's definitely going to make the game more exciting, more kickoff return opportunities, so I'm excited for that for sure," Moore says.

The Chiefs begin the pre-season Saturday at Jacksonville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722965835707.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub during the first official practice in St. Joseph/ Photo by Alexis Starks" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub during the first official practice in St. Joseph/ Photo by Alexis Starks</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph PostAn adjustment this NFL season for fans, players and coaches alike will be to a new kickoff rule.People got their first look at the rule during Thursday's Hall of Fame game between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.Chiefs Special Teams Coordinator Dave Toub says he was excited to see it in action in an actual game"Couldn't wait to see it, I was like everybody else was I was the same way," Toub tells reporters after practice. "I thought there might've been a couple bigger returns, but they kept it kind of vanilla especially in this first game, but you've got a lot more games coming up here Thursday and Friday I guess."Preseason will be the big evaluation period for how to play into the new kickoff rules.Toub says kicker Harrison Butker has spent a lot of time preparing for the new kickoff"In the afternoon we're inside, we're kicking off in there, we're working kickoffs inside," Toub says. "So, he wants to kick off all the time, so we've done a lot experimenting with that, and he's got a variety of kicks."As the Chiefs special teams unit adjusts to a new kickoff rule, they also continue to search for who could be back returning kicks and punts.One option is third year receiver Skyy Moore who has had his struggles producing for the Chiefs since being drafted two years ago.Moore says that he sees more opportunities to make an impact in the return game with the new kickoff rules"I see the benefit in putting that rule in, it's definitely going to make the game more exciting, more kickoff return opportunities, so I'm excited for that for sure," Moore says.The Chiefs begin the pre-season Saturday at Jacksonville.

Chiefs Camp gives special teams unit chance to adapt to new kickoff rules

By GERARD WELLBROCK Voice of the Tigers

HAYS – The Fort Hays State football team held their first official practice of the 2024 season Monday morning at Lewis Field.

Chris Brown enters his 13th season as the Tigers head coach and was happy with what he saw in the two-plus hour workout.

“Great energy, great excitement.” Brown said. “Kids went really hard. There was great effort across the board on both sides of the ball. I was proud of them. I mean, they're good communication. You could feel the energy as each play was going on.”

“Guys were making plays on both sides of the ball as well, which is great to see, but these guys got better in the summer. You can tell there's some great leadership. You can tell there's other guys trying to step up and be leaders as well, so I'm very pleased with day one."

“Just the ownership of this team, holding guys accountable, making sure they're lining up properly, making sure they're playing hard, making sure they're finishing plays.” Brown said. “Right now, I think the best thing is we have some depth at all positions, and that's awesome because we haven't had that in years past. So we’ve got guys stepping up and doing what they need to do to help improve this team.”

Despite having a veteran team, Brown says all stating positions are up for grabs.

“You look at every position that we have right now, there's a competition going on to see who's going to start, and that's awesome. And that's what you've got to have to be a great football team. Those guys competing every single day to win that starting job.”

The Tigers open the 2024 season on Thursday, August 29 at home against Angelo State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722965641381.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown addresses his team after their first official practice of the 2024 season (Gerard Wellbrock photo)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Fort Hays State football coach Chris Brown addresses his team after their first official practice of the 2024 season (Gerard Wellbrock photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By GERARD WELLBROCK Voice of the TigersHAYS – The Fort Hays State football team held their first official practice of the 2024 season Monday morning at Lewis Field.Chris Brown enters his 13th season as the Tigers head coach and was happy with what he saw in the two-plus hour workout.“Great energy, great excitement.” Brown said. “Kids went really hard. There was great effort across the board on both sides of the ball. I was proud of them. I mean, they're good communication. You could feel the energy as each play was going on.”“Guys were making plays on both sides of the ball as well, which is great to see, but these guys got better in the summer. You can tell there's some great leadership. You can tell there's other guys trying to step up and be leaders as well, so I'm very pleased with day one."“Just the ownership of this team, holding guys accountable, making sure they're lining up properly, making sure they're playing hard, making sure they're finishing plays.” Brown said. “Right now, I think the best thing is we have some depth at all positions, and that's awesome because we haven't had that in years past. So we’ve got guys stepping up and doing what they need to do to help improve this team.”Despite having a veteran team, Brown says all stating positions are up for grabs.“You look at every position that we have right now, there's a competition going on to see who's going to start, and that's awesome. And that's what you've got to have to be a great football team. Those guys competing every single day to win that starting job.”The Tigers open the 2024 season on Thursday, August 29 at home against Angelo State.

FHSU holds first practice of 2024 season

By The Associated
Press (All times Eastern)

5 p.m. NBC — Team:
Acrobatic Routine (Taped)

11:30 p.m. USA —
Women’s Quarterfinal (Taped)

10 p.m. USA —
Men’s Middle, Light Finals &amp; more (Taped)

12:15 p.m. USA —
Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Heats (Taped)

4 a.m. E! — Men’s
3m Springboard Semifinal

9:10 a.m. E! —
Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary

11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 7)

3 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 1: Part 1

7 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 1: Part 2

9:30 a.m. USA —
Men’s Quarterfinal (Taped)

9 p.m. USA — Men's
Quarterfinal (Taped)

7:05 a.m. USA —
Men’s Park: Preliminary Round

5:45 a.m. E! —
Men’s Combined, Women’s Speed

7 a.m. E! — M&amp;W
Team: Quarterfinals (Taped)

4:30 a.m. USA —
Heats: Men’s 800m &amp; more

1 p.m. NBC —
Finals: Men’s 400m &amp; more

2:45 p.m. USA —
Men's Quarterfinal (Taped)

11 a.m. USA — GR
67kg, 87kg &amp; W Freestyle 53kg Eliminations (Taped)

By The Associated
Press (All times Eastern)Schedule subject
to change and/or blackoutsWednesday, Aug.,
7ARTISTIC SWIMMING1:40 p.m. E! —
Team: Acrobatic Routine5 p.m. NBC — Team:
Acrobatic Routine (Taped)BASKETBALL3:15 p.m. USA —
Women’s Quarterfinal11:30 p.m. USA —
Women’s Quarterfinal (Taped)BEACH VOLLEYBALL11 a.m. E! —
QuarterfinalNoon NBC —
Quarterfinal3 p.m. E! —
Quarterfinal4 p.m. NBC —
Quarterfinal10:30 p.m. USA —
Quarterfinal (Taped)BOXING10 p.m. USA —
Men’s Middle, Light Finals &amp; more (Taped)CANOE &amp; KAYAK12:15 p.m. USA —
Sprint: Canoe, Kayak Heats (Taped)CYCLING12 p.m. E! — Team
Pursuit FinalsDIVING4 a.m. E! — Men’s
3m Springboard Semifinal9:10 a.m. E! —
Women’s 3m Springboard Preliminary11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 7)GOLF3 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 1: Part 17 a.m. GOLF —
Women’s Round 1: Part 2FIELD HOCKEY8 p.m. USA —
Women's Semifinal (Taped)HANDBALL9:30 a.m. USA —
Men’s Quarterfinal (Taped)2:45 p.m. USA —
Men’s Quarterfinal9 p.m. USA — Men's
Quarterfinal (Taped)SKATEBOARDING2:35 a.m. NBC —
NBC Late Night (Aug 6)7:05 a.m. USA —
Men’s Park: Preliminary Round11:30 a.m. USA —
Men’s Park: FinalSPORT CLIMBING2:35 a.m. NBC —
NBC Late Night (Aug 6)5:45 a.m. E! —
Men’s Combined, Women’s SpeedTABLE TENNIS7 a.m. E! — M&amp;W
Team: Quarterfinals (Taped)TRACK FIELD1:30 a.m. USA —
Mixed Team Race Walk4:30 a.m. USA —
Heats: Men’s 800m &amp; more1 p.m. NBC —
Finals: Men’s 400m &amp; more11 p.m. NBC —
Primetime in Paris (Aug 7)VOLLEYBALL10 a.m. NBC —
Men’s Semifinal4 p.m. E! — Men’s
Semifinal (Taped)6 p.m. USA — Men's
Semifinal (Taped)WATER POLO8 a.m. E! — Men’s
Quarterfinal1 p.m. USA — Men’s
Quarterfinal2:45 p.m. USA —
Men's Quarterfinal (Taped)WEIGHTLIFTING2:15 p.m.USA — Men’s 61kg
Final (Taped)WRESTLING11 a.m. USA — GR
67kg, 87kg &amp; W Freestyle 53kg Eliminations (Taped)

Olympics on TV for Wednesday, Aug., 7

WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State and Saint Louis are set to meet in the 2024 Hall of Fame Classic, it was announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Monday morning.

The Hall of Fame Classic will showcase a college basketball doubleheader with four tradition-rich programs on November 22 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The matchups will pit Iowa against Utah State and Wichita State vs. Saint Louis, with specific game times and broadcast assignments to be announced soon.

The Shockers and Billikens will square off for the second straight season after the two met in Myrtle Beach last season. Wichita State finished the 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational with a resounding 88-69 win over Saint Louis.

Saint Louis holds a 41-24 all-time lead in the series between the two schools, but Wichita State has won six straight. This will be just the second meeting on a neutral court between the former conference rivals.

Tickets for the event will go on sale Sept. 10 via the T-Mobile Center box office and t-mobilecenter.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722965495329.jpeg" alt="WSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>WSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. - Wichita State and Saint Louis are set to meet in the 2024 Hall of Fame Classic, it was announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Monday morning.The Hall of Fame Classic will showcase a college basketball doubleheader with four tradition-rich programs on November 22 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The matchups will pit Iowa against Utah State and Wichita State vs. Saint Louis, with specific game times and broadcast assignments to be announced soon.The Shockers and Billikens will square off for the second straight season after the two met in Myrtle Beach last season. Wichita State finished the 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational with a resounding 88-69 win over Saint Louis.Saint Louis holds a 41-24 all-time lead in the series between the two schools, but Wichita State has won six straight. This will be just the second meeting on a neutral court between the former conference rivals.Tickets for the event will go on sale Sept. 10 via the T-Mobile Center box office and t-mobilecenter.com.

MBB: Wichita State-Saint Louis to meet in 2024 Hall of Fame Classic

PARIS (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Serbia surged back to beat Australia 95-90 in overtime Tuesday to reach the Olympic basketball semifinals.

Bogdan Bogdanovic added 17 for points for Serbia, which rallied from a 24-point first-half deficit to set up a meeting with either the U.S. or Brazil.

Serbia is aiming for its first Olympic medal since the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, where it took silver. That was the first Olympics for a then 21-year-old Jokic.

Bogdanovic acknowledged doubting whether they'd complete the comeback.

“Honestly, we didn't keep cool,” Bogdanovic said. “But we knew we were down and we needed to find some momentum and rhythm. ... They had the whole momentum of the game. As I said, this is the biggest pressure of the tournament. Quarterfinals. You know if you lose, you’re out.”

Patty Mills had 26 points — but just six after halftime — for Australia, which won the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo three years ago. Josh Giddey added 25 points.

“I thought we threw everything at them,” Mills said. “We’re playing against world-class individuals. World-class teams. World-class coaches. And this is why you play international basketball. It’s a different sport than any other league around the world. It brings the best out of everyone.”

Jokic put Serbia on top 91-90 with just over a minute left in overtime. Australia's Jack McVeigh then misfired on its next possession. Serbia got the ball back to Jokic, who converted again.

Australia attempted to get the ball into Mills on the inbounds, but it was knocked away and stolen by Serbia.

Serbia stormed back in the third quarter and retook the lead late, 61-60, on a jumper by Bogdanovic. The basket capped a 40-14 scoring run.

Serbia led 67-65 entering the fourth and was up 81-78 when Giddey hit a short jumper to cut the margin to a point with just over a minute to play in regulation.

Australia rebounded a Bogdanovic miss, but Mills misfired on the other end. Australia forced a Vasilije Micic error, but he was fouled on the rebound with 9.8 seconds left. He then connected on 1 of 2 free throws.

Australia got the ball into Mills, who lost his dribble, gathered and hit a fallaway jumper to send the game to an extra frame.

Franz Wagner scored 18 points and Germany overcame a sluggish start to beat Greece 76-63 and advance to the semifinals for the first time.

Dennis Schroder added 13 points and eight assists for the reigning World Cup champions, who will face the winner of France and Canada on Thursday. Germany’s previous best finish at the Olympics was seventh place in 1992.

Germany is unbeaten at the Paris Games after going 3-0 in the group stage.

“I think everybody on the team knows that we’ve got a special group, and I want to get the most out of this,” Wagner said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points for Greece, which was denied its first semifinals berth in Antetokounmpo’s first Olympics appearance.

Greece had 15 turnovers, leading to 20 points for Germany.

Wagner entered the quarterfinals averaging a team-high 22 points per game but struggled to get going.

Greece led by 12 at one point —- the first time Germany had trailed by 10 or more points in the tournament. But Germany settled in and used a big third quarter to take a seven-point lead into the fourth. Germany started the final period on a 13-5 run to increase its lead to 72-57 with 1:50 remaining.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722965263401.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Serbia's Nikola Jokic questions a call during a men's quarterfinal game against Australia at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Serbia's Nikola Jokic questions a call during a men's quarterfinal game against Australia at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)</figcaption>
 </figure>PARIS (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Serbia surged back to beat Australia 95-90 in overtime Tuesday to reach the Olympic basketball semifinals.Bogdan Bogdanovic added 17 for points for Serbia, which rallied from a 24-point first-half deficit to set up a meeting with either the U.S. or Brazil.Serbia is aiming for its first Olympic medal since the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, where it took silver. That was the first Olympics for a then 21-year-old Jokic.Bogdanovic acknowledged doubting whether they'd complete the comeback.“Honestly, we didn't keep cool,” Bogdanovic said. “But we knew we were down and we needed to find some momentum and rhythm. ... They had the whole momentum of the game. As I said, this is the biggest pressure of the tournament. Quarterfinals. You know if you lose, you’re out.”Patty Mills had 26 points — but just six after halftime — for Australia, which won the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo three years ago. Josh Giddey added 25 points.“I thought we threw everything at them,” Mills said. “We’re playing against world-class individuals. World-class teams. World-class coaches. And this is why you play international basketball. It’s a different sport than any other league around the world. It brings the best out of everyone.”Jokic put Serbia on top 91-90 with just over a minute left in overtime. Australia's Jack McVeigh then misfired on its next possession. Serbia got the ball back to Jokic, who converted again.Australia attempted to get the ball into Mills on the inbounds, but it was knocked away and stolen by Serbia.Serbia stormed back in the third quarter and retook the lead late, 61-60, on a jumper by Bogdanovic. The basket capped a 40-14 scoring run.Serbia led 67-65 entering the fourth and was up 81-78 when Giddey hit a short jumper to cut the margin to a point with just over a minute to play in regulation.Australia rebounded a Bogdanovic miss, but Mills misfired on the other end. Australia forced a Vasilije Micic error, but he was fouled on the rebound with 9.8 seconds left. He then connected on 1 of 2 free throws.Australia got the ball into Mills, who lost his dribble, gathered and hit a fallaway jumper to send the game to an extra frame.Germany 76, Greece 63Franz Wagner scored 18 points and Germany overcame a sluggish start to beat Greece 76-63 and advance to the semifinals for the first time.Dennis Schroder added 13 points and eight assists for the reigning World Cup champions, who will face the winner of France and Canada on Thursday. Germany’s previous best finish at the Olympics was seventh place in 1992.Germany is unbeaten at the Paris Games after going 3-0 in the group stage.“I think everybody on the team knows that we’ve got a special group, and I want to get the most out of this,” Wagner said.Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points for Greece, which was denied its first semifinals berth in Antetokounmpo’s first Olympics appearance.Greece had 15 turnovers, leading to 20 points for Germany.Wagner entered the quarterfinals averaging a team-high 22 points per game but struggled to get going.Greece led by 12 at one point —- the first time Germany had trailed by 10 or more points in the tournament. But Germany settled in and used a big third quarter to take a seven-point lead into the fourth. Germany started the final period on a 13-5 run to increase its lead to 72-57 with 1:50 remaining.

Serbia into Olympic semifinals; Germany also advances

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Matt Araiza concedes there were moments during the past two years when he thought the 82-yard punt he uncorked in a preseason game for the Buffalo Bills might remain his only NFL effort.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722937643753.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza (49) walks to the field at the start of an NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2024, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas City Chiefs punter Matt Araiza (49) walks to the field at the start of an NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2024, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Matt Araiza concedes there were moments during the past two years when he thought the 82-yard punt he uncorked in a preseason game for the Buffalo Bills might remain his only NFL effort.“There were times that I didn’t and there were times that I did,” Araiza said Monday. “Honestly, it kept going back and forth in my mind. But yeah, there was a lot of moments where I thought it was over, so I’m incredibly grateful to be here.”The “here” is training camp for the Kansas City Chiefs at Missouri Western State University, where Araiza aims to restart his NFL career. Two weeks after that 82-yard punt in a game against Indianapolis, a lawsuit was filed against Araiza alleging his involvement in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in 2021.The San Diego County District attorney did not file charges in the case, and in July 2023 Araiza filed a defamation lawsuit against the accuser. The parties agreed to drop their lawsuits in December with neither side admitting wrongdoing and no money was involved.Araiza said he’s trying to put the saga behind him.“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. But I think if you do your own research, I think you can come to a pretty clear conclusion,” he said.Throughout the last years, however, football has remained his focus.“I love football. I love being out here,” Araiza said. "So it was on my mind a lot. It was tough to watch Sundays for sure. Really tough.”The Chiefs signed Araiza as a free agent on Feb. 22, and he impressed special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Dave Toub during offseason workouts.“Coming in, I consider him a rookie because he really only kicked one game and preseason and he was done. So as a rookie, he’s really above the line in my opinion," Toub said. "I think he’s way ahead right now. He’s really hitting some good punts in team periods. That’s what you want to see now. I mean, that’s one thing, but now you got to see him do it in a game. That’s a whole other level. We got to see that.”The “Punt God” gets that opportunity Saturday when the Chiefs open the preseason at Jacksonville. Head coach Andy Reid offered his advice for the 24-year-old punter on Monday.“I like him. Just keep working. Consistency always as you go," Reid said. "You can see it. I mean, he’s booming the thing. Be curious to see in games, let’s see how he does there.”Araiza doesn’t care much for the “Punt God” nickname he picked up while kicking at San Diego State, but he turns more heartfelt when discussing his return to an NFL field on Saturday.“It’s going to be pretty surreal. Definitely going to take it all in," Araiza said. "Like I said, just grateful for the opportunity and grateful to get back to that moment because that’s my favorite thing is being out there in a pressure situation in a game with the rush, pads on, everything. I think that’s where I’m at my best so I can’t wait to get back out there.”NOTES: Wide receiver Kadarius Toney was a limited participant Monday in his first action since an ankle injury on July 31. … Linebacker Nick Bolton (elbow) missed his fourth practice Monday. … Defensive tackle Chris Jones sustained a shoulder stinger during practice but later returned. … Former NFL head coach Jon Gruden attended Chiefs practice Sunday and Monday. “He and I go way back 30 years, so we’ve known each other a long time,” Reid said. “So it’s good to get him up here. He’s always got good input on things, very smart, great football coach. Enjoy having him around, great energy.”