Signs posted around the Olympic venues urge extreme caution. Nine hundred troops stream into the area to help. Worried organizers sequester 1 Kody Clark Capitals Jersey ,200 people in their rooms.
Officials are scrambling on the eve of the biggest planned event in South Korea in years – not because of anything related to North Korea and national security, but in an attempt to arrest the spread of norovirus at the Pyeongchang Games.
Local media are fretting over a ”virus panic.” South Koreans, always quick to air their views online, have poured scorn on the government’s response and preparations. Are the games hygienic? What will people think about South Korea? Could this spread to the athletes?
Norovirus fears may turn out to be much ado about nothing. But with a national reputation on the line, officials are scrambling to contain its spread. No one here wants these games associated more with disease than athletics in the manner that Zika, a mosquito-borne disease linked to a rare birth defect, loomed over the Rio Olympics in 2016.
According to Olympics organizers, the norovirus spread began Sunday when private security workers staying in the Jinbu area of Pyeongchang started complaining of headaches, stomach pain and diarrhea.
NFL
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Josh McDaniels has backed out of a deal to become the Indianapolis’ Colts new coach, a decision that shocked the franchise hours after it announced his hiring.
The Colts confirmed McDaniels’ decision in a statement Tuesday night after reports emerged that the Patriots’ offensive coordinator had opted to stay in New England with coach Bill Belichick.
McDaniels had agreed to contract terms with the Colts to replace the fired Chuck Pagano. A news conference had been scheduled for Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Colts said McDaniels informed them Tuesday evening that he would not sign the deal.
”Although we are surprised and disappointed, we will resume our head coaching search immediately and find the right fit to lead our team and organization on and off the field,” the Colts said in the statement.
The Patriots and McDaniels’ agent, Bob LaMont, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
By spurning the Colts after they waited 22 days to hire him, McDaniels leaves the reeling franchise as the only one without a coach. New England defensive coordinator Matt Patricia left Belichick’s staff a day after the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to become coach of the Detroit Lions.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) – New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski can be heard on a 911 call calmly telling a dispatcher that his home was burglarized while he was at the Super Bowl.
Police in Foxborough, Massachusetts, released a portion of the call on Tuesday.
He can be heard telling the dispatcher on Monday: ”This is Rob Gronkowski calling, and while I was gone my whole house got robbed, while on the Super Bowl trip. And I just got back.”
The police report redacted all details of what was taken.
The report says Gronkowski lives with two roommates, both of whom reported items stolen.
BASKETBALL
NEW YORK (AP) – Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis has torn the ACL in his left knee.
Porzingis was hurt in the second quarter of New York’s loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday night. He dunked with 8:46 left in the half and landed awkwardly, crashing to the court and holding his left knee. He was eventually helped up and taken to the locker room.
He left the arena for an MRI exam that revealed the injury. Porzingis had scored 10 points before he was hurt. He was selected last month for his first All-Star appearance.
NEW YORK (AP) – The Los Angeles Lakers have been fined $50,000 for violating the NBA’s tampering rule again.
League officials made the announcement Tuesday in response to an interview team president Earvin ”Magic” Johnson did with ESPN.
Johnson was discussing the skills of Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo and said the Greek native would put the Bucks ”on the map” and bring them an NBA title.
It’s the third time in less than 12 months the Lakers have been disciplined for tampering.
The team was fined $500,000 last summer after the league found general manager Rob Pelinka had been communicating with Paul George’s agent while George was with the Indiana Pacers. Previously, the NBA issued a warning to the team after Johnson winked at George during a television interview.
WNBA
NEW YORK (AP) – The New York Liberty are remaining under the control of New York Knicks owner James Dolan and Madison Square Garden for now.
The WNBA team was put up for sale in November. An MSG executive confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that Dolan’s group has decided to keep the Liberty at this time.
New York will move most of its games out of the Garden this season and into an arena in suburban Westchester County, two people familiar with the situation told the AP. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made.
The Liberty were one of the WNBA’s original franchises and have been owned by Dolan and Madison Square Garden since the league was founded in 1996.
Not only was it Canada Day with ”The Big Maple”, Canadian James Paxton on the mound for the Mariners‘ 1-0 victory over the Royals, it also was Paxton Bobblehead Day at Safeco Field.
This bobblehead included a bald eagle on his shoulder, a crazy moment that actually happened while working out in the outfield before a game this season in Minnesota. The video went viral.
Paxton allowed only two hits and struck out 11 in eight innings to lead the Mariners to their season-best seventh consecutive victory.
”Paxton enjoyed the moment,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. ”It was National Pax Day. A holiday in Canada, the bobblehead and the fans were really into it.”
Paxton (8-2) had plenty of family and friends at the game from his hometown of Ladner, British Columbia.
”It was cool to pitch on Canada Day and have the bobblehead,” Paxton said. ”It felt good today. The fastball, curveball and cutter all were working.”
Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his 32nd save. The Mariners are 26-11 in one-run games this season and 22-0 when Diaz enters the game with a one-run lead.
”As far as being valuable to our team, he has to be the top of the list,” Servais said about Diaz. ”He isn’t just getting it done, it’s also the efficiency of how he’s getting it done. When his timing is right, he’s really tough to hit.”
Kansas City rookie Brad Keller (2-3) also was tough to hit. He allowed six hits in eight innings. The only extra-base hit he allowed was a double by Kyle Seager in the seventh inning.
”He’s doing everything you want a starting pitcher to do,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. ”Complete game. He was fantastic. He’s out there attacking with his fastball http://www.chiefsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-breeland-speaks-jersey , slider, throwing strikes and really commanding his pitch count.”
It was the first complete game of Keller’s career.
”After the game a few guys came up and said congratulations,” Keller said. ”I’ve never had one before and it’s pretty cool, but it’s frustrating (taking the loss). That’s tough lineup. A lot of good hitters over there. I tried to stay on the attack and not fall behind too much.”
The only run came in the second inning. Ben Gamel dropped a broken-bat single into shallow center to score Seager from second base. Seager singled to right before Ryon Healy singled to center.
That’s all Paxton needed, recording double-figure strikeouts for the seventh time this season. On his 110th pitch, his last of the game to close out the top of the eighth, his fastball was clocked at 99 mph.
”Late in the game he just dialed it up,” Servais said. ”Pax emptied the tank and let it rip. He had an overpowering fastball at the end. It’s pretty rare. There are only five to 10 guys in baseball who can do that and we’re lucky to have one of them.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy, who experienced tightness on his left side during his start Friday, had his normal throwing day in the bullpen Sunday, but Kansas City manager Ned Yost did not say whether Kennedy would make his next scheduled start. Yost said RF Jorge Soler (fractured toe and placed in the 10-day DL June 17) is still on a six-weeks-or-so recovery, so it’s likely another four weeks before he would return.
Mariners: Manager Scott Servais said they will monitor RHP Felix Hernandez and his back stiffness over the next few days. Hernandez pitched five innings Saturday night and earned the victory (three runs and six hits) but struggled with back pain and wasn’t able to sit down in the dugout between innings. ”We’ll keep an eye on it,” Servais said. ”We have the off day (Monday) so he’ll get an extra-day off between starts.” … Servais said he was hopeful RHP Hisashi Iwakuma, who underwent shoulder surgery last September, would be back by now, but Iwakuma’s throwing was shut down again last week. ”He’s frustrated by that,” Servais said. ”The doctors still are optimistic he’ll get back (this season) but I don’t have any timetable for it.”
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (5-9, 4.67) will make his 17th starts of the season Monday when the Royals return home to start a three-game series with Cleveland. Junis has allowed a major league-high 22 home runs over 96.1 innings.
Mariners: LHP Wade LeBlanc (3-0, 3.38) will make his 12th starts of the season Tuesday when Seattle starts a three-game series at home against the Angels. LeBlanc hasn’t lost a decision in his 11 starts and the Mariners are 8-3 in those games.