Dein erstes Forum » a show.Defending Olympic cham

BOSTON -- The Red Sox sent David Ortiz off before his final regular-season game with a promise that he will return.This week, in the playoffs, when he goes for his fourth World Series title.And next year, when they hang his No. 34 from the Fenway facade among the teams retired numbers.During a pregame ceremony Sunday attended by Red Sox greats like Carl Yastrzemski and teammates from Ortizs three World Series championships, the ballclub honored the soon-to-retire slugger by draping a Dominican flag over the Green Monster and bringing out his father -- Big Papis real Papi -- to join him on the diamond.Ortiz broke into tears when he mentioned his late mother before gathering himself to thank his teammates and members of the organization from owner John Henry to clubhouse attendant Pookie Jackson. He also thanked the fans -- dropping to one knee and tipping his cap to the crowd -- along with the media, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina, who were both in attendance.He changed the Red Sox, Manfred said before the game. He was a key part of the amazing three wins here. It changed the course of the franchise.But I also think that he changed the city. He became a symbol of the strength of the city and will always be remembered for that.Ortiz announced in November on his 40th birthday that this would be his final year, setting up a season-long farewell tour around the major leagues.As the home team, the Red Sox get to go last.Here are some other sights and sounds from Ortizs farewell:THE GAMEOrtiz had a chance to tie the game in the ninth, when he came up with one out and nobody on and the Red Sox trailing by one. He hit a weak nubber in front of the plate.In all, he was hitless in four at-bats as Toronto won 2-1 and clinched the ALs top wild-card berth.Im exhausted. Im not going to lie to you, he said. This past week caught up to me. Im so happy that its over so I can focus on whats coming up next -- the playoffs.Losses in five of their last six games cost the Red Sox a chance at home-field advantage when their AL Division Series against Cleveland begins on Thursday. Boston will instead host Game 3 on Sunday and Game 4 on Monday, if necessary.DECKED OUTThe Green Monster scoreboard read: Thanks, Big Papi. Banners hung from the light stanchions above. And Ortizs image was mowed into the center-field grass, as it has been for the entire season-ending series against the Blue Jays.Fans in the right-field bleachers held up cards that formed Ortizs No. 34 during the ceremony. During the game, the cards revealed the message: Thanks, Papi.And of course there were the three World Series championship banners behind home plate, all thanks in part to Ortiz. During the ceremony, Mike Lowell, Pedro Martinez and Jonny Gomes carried out the World Series trophies.Mary J. Blige sang the Star-Spangled Banner, as she did before Game 1 of the 2013 Series. The Red Sox also played the Dominican national anthem in Ortizs honor, and Medina threw out a ceremonial first pitch.THE DARK CLOUDManfred was at Fenway Park on the day several playoff positions were still to be determined and defended Ortiz from a report -- without confirming it -- that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug a decade ago.The New York Times reported in 2009 that Ortiz was among those who tested positive in a 2003 survey test designed to determine the degree of steroids use in baseball. Ortiz has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, but neither the union nor the commissioners office has explained the report.Players and management successfully fought a legal battle to keep the list and samples secret after federal agents seized them.Manfred said on Sunday there were at least 10 names on the list whose inclusion could be doubted for legitimate scientific reasons.Even if you were on that list, it was entirely possible that you were not a positive, the commissioner said.Asked if there was anything baseball could do to help Ortiz clear his name, Manfred said the results have been destroyed.Since Ortiz did not violate baseballs rules, the only damage from the report is to Ortizs legacy and his Hall of Fame candidacy when he reaches the ballot in five years. Manfred said it was up to the voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America whether to induct players who have formally tested positive for steroids.But Ortizs case is different, he said.In situations where it is leaked, that is unfair to the player, Manfred said. And I think it would be wrong to exclude them.COMMISSIONER PAPI?Manfred said Ortiz stopped by his office last offseason to say he planned to retire. The Red Sox slugger again went to the commissioners office when the team was in New York last week; this time, he asked to use a conference room, where he met with beneficiaries of the David Ortiz Childrens Fund and other members of the community.I got the biggest kick out of just watching this stream of people coming through, Manfred said. Each one was a better story than the last.Manfred said he planned to talk to Ortiz about serving the sport in some capacity after he retires. Major League Baseball plans to run a commercial in English and Spanish during the playoffs that ends, Thanks, Big Papi! Youre not walking away, youre walking off.ON THE STREETMassachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said the bridge over the MassPike that leads from Kenmore Square to Fenway Park would be renamed in Ortizs honor; Mayor Marty Walsh said the city would do the same for a street that leads from the ballpark to another train station.The Red Sox Foundation and the teams owners have pledged $1 million to the David Ortiz Childrens Fund. He was also given a gold-plated bat.The governor said he was surprised to find that there was a bridge left in the state that hadnt already been named for someone -- and it was right next to the ballpark. It was a natural to dub it Big Papi David Ortiz Bridge.Walsh said the weekend was bittersweet.We have great memories, he said, and there are still great memories to be made.The Red Sox begin the playoffs on Thursday in Cleveland. Dennis Maruk Jersey . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Nicklas Backstrom Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. http://www.officialcapitalspro.com/Customized/ . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. Washington Capitals Jerseys .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Dale Hunter Jersey . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital. RIO DE JANEIRO -- China is golden again, winning its fifth diving title of the Rio Olympics.Cao Yuan led throughout to win the mens 3-meter springboard with 547.60 points on Thursday. He climbed out of the water after his last dive and pumped both fists in celebration.Jack Laugher of Britain earned silver with 523.85 for his countrys first medal in the event and his second in Rio de Janeiro. He and Chris Mears won synchronized 3-meter to give Britain its first gold in diving, spoiling Chinas bid to sweep all eight golds in Brazil.Patrick Hausding of Germany rallied from 10th after the semifinals to take bronze at 498.50.The water in the diving pool was back to its usual blue color a week after turning a murky green in one of the biggest embarrassments of the games for local organizers.With four-time Olympic champion Greg Louganis looking on, Cao led all six rounds in the final. The 21-year-old Chinese finished off his performance by scoring 96.90 on his last dive, a forward 4+ somersault tuck.Hes incredible, American Kristian Ipsen said. Hes so athletic, just really, really quick. Hes fun to watch.In the fifth round, Laugher performed the same dive that Cao saved for last and received the same 96.90 total.But it was Hausding who did the difficult dive the best of anyone. He earned 98.80, the highest score of anyone in the 12-man final.Why am I not first? Hausding said, laughing. But Im totally fine with third place.The 27-year-old German overcame knee and shoulder injuries to make it to Rio. He had surgery on his knee and is taking painkillers for his shoulder.Ive had a rough season with less training. I started very badly into this competition, Hausding said. But I kept myself mentally strong. Didnt watch the scores. Just diid my thing.dddddddddddd It was the right decision in the end.Cao added gold to the bronze he won earlier in synchro 3-meter. His teammate, He Chao, didnt make it out of the preliminaries on Monday, when strong winds and cold wreaked havoc on the competition. World champion He balked on his second and third dives and scored just 27.75 on his third attempt -- the lowest score given to a Chinese diver so far in Rio.Competing in the finals by myself added a lot of pressure, Cao said through a translator. I was able to let go and really focus on putting on my performance and putting up a show.Defending Olympic champion Ilya Zakharov of Russia failed to advance out of the semifinals. He hit his feet on the board on his first dive in the prelims and then he barely topped 50 points in the next two rounds.Laugher had his own problems, barely grabbing the last spot for the final earlier in the day.Its actually my personal worst score since London, where I actually failed a dive, he said, laughing. For me, it was a bit of a shocker, literally 60 points less than what Ive scored in ages. I realized if I just did a good dive to finish, I might make the final. I had luck on my side today.Ipsen finished fifth and teammate Mike Hixon was 10th.The semifinals were held in sunny and hot conditions; the nighttime finals were in cooler weather.I actually knew going into it that it was going to be an interesting Olympics, it was going to be different than some of the others just because its an outdoor facility, Ipsen said. There are a lot more variables that you have to deal with compared to an Olympics thats indoors. ' ' '