Monzanator

Nothing is set in stone let alone rules about not hosting the Games in November. Let's get real. Most of the wealthy Western Europe bids probably won't happen due to local population objections. Hosting SOG only loses money and most people prefer the money to be spend on them rather than a two week sporting event. Montreal paid off the 1976 debt for like 40 years? I don't see them hosting another Games anytime soon. The Winter Games became so exclusive they had to give it to China who isn't exactly well known as a winter nation. If IOC stays true to their diversification & inclusive nonsense they will have to pick an Asian vernue sooner or later. This probably means a return to China or Qatar as the obvious Middle East candidate. London will not get another SOG after only 24 years again, Budapest, Istanbul and Russia don't sit well with the liberal values of the Wester world, Germany already rejected the WOG bid for Munich/Ga-Pa due to local protests, I don't see them hosting SOG either. Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world and a complete unknown when it comes to hosting global events of any kind (unlike Doha). They went ahead with the Games in Rio de Janeiro despite objections about humidity & corruption. When there is so much money involved things can change fast. And nothing devalues faster than a word "game-changer". These rules you cite could become irrelevant anytime between today and Brisbane OG.

Money always talks and Qatar doesn't have to host the SOG in November or December. Besides IOC rules can always change - and Qatar will keep bidding for those SOG. You can't host them in USA, Australia or Western Europe all the time to deny Qatar their wish. IOC has buckled down to Chinese money already, they will do so to Qatar as well. It's only a matter of time.

Starting pichers for wild card games: Red Sox (Eovaldi) vs Yankees (G. Cole) and Dodgers (Scherzer) vs Cardinals (Wainwright).

UEFA is raising the stakes. They pulled the gender equality card to stop the biennial World Cup idea Yeah, so much for them being outvoted by CAF or AFC members like @Orangehair43 believes. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58794784

Indian Wells MD is out. If Simona Halep & Emma Raducanu win their first match they will meet in R3 for the ultimate Romanian supremacy

Handing the Olympics to Brisbane won't stop the Gulf sheiks from chasing that Doha ticket. Unless IOC openly says Qatar is banned from hosting the SOG in the future, that one won't be denied.

Arizona Cardinals beat LA Rams 37-20 to suggest they are maybe the team to watch in NFC (4-0 start). Tom Brady's homecoming game vs New England starts in ca. 60 minutes.

All over. Red Sox vs Yankees in the AL wild card. Blue Jays will rue those late two losses vs Twins in particular.

Red Sox hit a two-run HR in top of the 9th to lead Nationals 7-5! Blue Jays will be sick if this is the decider.

Aryna Sabalenka tested positived for covid and won't take part in Indian Wells where she was supposed to be #1 seed.

I assume Scherzer gets the wild card start then? I haven't paid too much attention to Rays this season, after letting Snell walk and trading Adames at the deadline I thought they won't be a viable WS contender anymore. Guess they are still doing something right

Clayton Kershaw left the game last night with an arm issue but given his post-season struggles over the years it's perhaps not bad for the Dodgers he might be limited in October? He wasn't supposed to pitch in the probable wild card game anyway.

So, UK lacks lorry drivers to deliver fuel? Good luck in those intended three month visas for drivers from Europe Brexit kicked out solving the problem. Guess Brits don't want to drive lorries after all https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58766648

[hide] Knockout Round Third-Place Match Date & Time (GMT +3) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 October 3rd 2021, h. 18:00 Brazil 3 2 Kazakhstan Final Date & Time (GMT +3) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 October 3rd 2021, h. 20:00 Argentina 2 1 Portugal [/hide]

Karolina Piton said she will retire after the upcoming season. She was merely depth member of the squad in the last decade, never scored a single point at the World Cup level (PB is 44th in Nove Mesto pursuit back in 2015).

Cincinnati Bengals beat Jacksonville Jaguars 24-21 on Thursday night and go 3-1 in what is their best start since 2015 IIRC. Meanwhile Jaguars suffer their 19th defeat in a row dating back to Week 2 of last season

Red Sox lost two of three vs Orioles and drop to a tie with Mariners for the second AL wild card. Three game series left, Red Sox vs Nationals and Mariners vs Angels!

Because FIFA wants money. However if UEFA and CONMEBOL are against it, that will never happen.

Osaka has no business playing tennis right now as she rides the mental health martyr train, Barty pulled out due to crazy COVID protocols at home, if she played IW, her preparations for Australian Open would be affected. The real mystery is Sofia Kenin who has hardly played this season as well.

Cardinals won 17th game in a row and eliminated Cincinnati Reds from NL wild card competition. Meanwhile Red Sox lost to the lowly Orioles and suddenly Mariners vs Athletics series looms very large indeed.

[hide] Knockout Round September 22nd - Ocotber 3rd, 2021 4 Nations, the Winners of each Semifinal will qualify for the Final, the Losers will play the Third-place Match Semifinals Date & Time (GMT +3) Nation 1 T1 T2 Nation 2 September 29th 2021, h. 20:00 Brazil 1 2 Argentina September 30th 2021, h. 20:00 Kazakhstan 2 3 Portugal [/hide]

Hmm.. I wonder if this decision was influenced by NHL approving return of their players to WOG? I mean IOC could be fine with China playing against non-NHL rosters but now that the best guys are set to come, this could get ugly.

@phelps I kinda know Italians still didn't forget about that OG final where Cammarelle should have won?

Yeah, I was fearing a decision shade in favor of Joshua but thankfully it didn't happen. Terrible gameplan from him, he was never going to outbox Usyk, maybe they thought Usyk will run out of gas and be an easy target in the latter rounds but it was Usyk was won the last three in convincing fashion. 8:4 in rounds was the fair split. AJ won rounds 5-6, 8-9 and even if you gave him the 4th it was never good enough.

Our Greek friend is silent so you probably can guess Anett Kontaveit won the Ostrava tournament