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- Daily Digit: Why are there so few African-American baseball players?
It’s been 71 years since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, but African-American participation in the MLB has sharply declined since its peak in the early ’80s. - Water pollution in Rio ahead of the Olympic Games
Just days ahead of the Olympic Games the waterways of Rio de Janeiro are as filthy as ever, contaminated with raw human sewage teeming with dangerous viruses and bacteria, according to a 16-month-long study commissioned by The Associated Press. The AP’s survey of the aquatic Olympic and Paralympic venues has revealed consistent and dangerously high levels of viruses from the pollution, a major black eye on Rio’s Olympic project that has set off alarm bells among sailors, rowers and open-water swimmers.
- The Most Stylish Players in the 2016 NBA Finals
This evening is Game 1 of the NBA Finals, where the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers will once again face off, and each team has a very stylish roster.
- How That Pro Cyclist Hid a Motor in Her Bike
"Mechanical doping" made its way into the popular culture last week when a professional bike racer got caught. - Millions Will Watch the Super Bowl — But Is the Football Generation Ending?
One NFL player after another — from former Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler, 69, who died in July 2015, to 27-year-old Giants safety Tyler Sash, who died two months after Stabler — has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated trauma. The New York Times reports that well over 100 football players, including several Pro Football Hall of Famers, have CTE so far. - Muslim Teen Defies Tradition to Become First Hijab-Wearing Ballerina
With a dream of becoming the first hijab-wearing Muslim ballerina, 14-year-old Stephanie Kurlow recently launched a fundraising page in the hopes of pulling together more than $7,000 so that she can get her certification to open a performing arts program in her native Sydney because she said, “I don’t want certain people who are discriminatory to hold anyone back from achieving their dreams and being unique.” - Cheerleading Coach Fired for Sabotaging Rival Teen
A cheering coach lost her job after allegedly tripping a cheerleader. Video shows the cheerleader backflipping and Teresa Fann sticking a leg out to stop her. - Schools No Longer Punishing Athletes Harshly for Marijuana
At least one-third of the Power Five conference schools are not punishing athletes as harshly as they were 10 years ago for testing positive for marijuana and other so-called recreational drugs, according to an investigation by The Associated Press. - World's Longest Bicycle Spans 117-Feet—Half a City Block!
Clear the streets! Dutch cycling group Mijl Van Mares Werkploeg just broke the 2016 world record for longest bicycle. At a whopping 117 feet long, the bike stretches half a city block and spans farther than the word’s longest limo, at 100 feet long. Per Guinness World Record’s requirements, it has just two wheels and is actually operable. The bike stretches half a city block. (Photo: Guinness World Records) In the video, Mara Montalbano shows us how it rides. - Why I Like It When My 8-year-old Loses at Sports
“In business, you either close a deal or you don’t — and if you don’t, you can’t just say, ‘Well, everybody tried hard, right?’” Jen Welter, a sports psychologist and the first female coach in the NFL, tells Yahoo Parenting. - Study Finds Benefit of Cheerleading
Could cheerleading be the most progressive sport in terms of gender roles? New research from the University of East Anglia indicates that the traditionally female-centered activity can help participants of both sexes challenge stereotypes about girls in sports. The study, which was published in the journal Sport in Society: Cultures, Commerce, Media, Politics, tracked the growing popularity of cheerleading in the U.K. and focused on the members of four cheerleading teams. “The participants in our study talked about flipping gender norms in cheerleading,” Dr. Amy Pressland, a co-author of the study, tells Yahoo Parenting. - Tom Brady on Coca-Cola and Frosted Flakes: 'That's Poison'
Tom Brady and wife Gisele Bundchen. (Photo: Instagram.com/gisele) A run-of-the-mill post-game radio interview with Tom Brady ended up being a lot more than that, when the Patriots quarterback took a swing at the processed food industry — calling out Coca-Cola and Frosted Flakes, specifically. Brady’s been known to stick to an extremely healthy diet — avocado “ice cream,” anyone? — but this interview revealed the passion behind his healthy habits. - When Someone You Love Spirals Out of Control, When Do You Stay and When Do You Go?
Though the two are still legally married, Khloe Kardashian left the basketball star after five years together in 2013, reportedly over his struggle with substance abuse and, primarily, his addiction to cocaine. Odom remains in critical condition, still unconscious, with Kardashian by his side after she rushed to Las Vegas upon hearing the news. Earlier this week, University of Southern California football coach Steve Sarkisian was fired, allegedly as a result of his own struggle with alcoholism and his violation of the school’s zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol use. The 41-year-old has three children with his estranged wife. Also this week, reality TV star Scott Disick, the former boyfriend of Kourtney Kardashian and father of her children, checked into rehab to get help for his addiction problems. - As NFL Player Daniel Fells Contracts MRSA, a Look at How Serious Staph Infections Work
Daniel Fells in January 2015. “This is a serious situation that has been taken seriously from the beginning,” Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon told NFL.com. “We’re all fighting for Daniel.” But what is MRSA, exactly? “I can’t count how many MRSA infections I see. While MRSA infections have leveled off in the last few years following a rapid increase from the 1960s to mid-2000s, they have the potential to turn deadly — and do. - High School Quarterback’s Tragic Death Highlights Silent Danger of an Enlarged Spleen
A spleen can become enlarged for many reasons, including genetic diseases, William Katkov, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., tells Yahoo Health. Here’s why that’s a problem: A person may feel better and resume their normal activities, but their enlarged spleen is more susceptible to rupturing and may no longer be protected by their ribcage, leaving it incredibly vulnerable to injury. “An enlarged spleen is at an increased risk for rupture or injury in the setting of normal trauma, like a football game, diving into a pool, or minor car accident,” Katkov says. While an enlarged spleen can be asymptomatic, Katkov says a person can feel uncomfortable or have a feeling of fullness in their upper abdomen on the left side. - Novak Djokovic’s Inspiring Dad Comments: How Being a Parent Heightens Happy Moments
Novak Djokovic, who beat Roger Federer to claim the U.S. Open title on Sunday, says parenthood has made him a better player. Since then, the tennis champ has credited fatherhood with improving his game. - Little League Team’s Heartwarming Last Act for Dad and His Son
Gary Parrish, center, died on Thursday of liver cancer. Gary Parrish was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer and metastasis to the liver in June. STORY: Late Dad Makes Stunning Appearance in Photo With Widow, Baby When this year’s baseball season started, 11-year-old Ryan Parrish’s coach, Caison Whatley, who also coached him last season, noticed the boy was unusually distracted. He’s got a whole lot more on his mind than we could ever have,” Whatley told WSFA. - What We Can Learn About Sibling Rivalry From Serena and Venus Williams
Serena and Venus Williams share a hug after Serena’s victory over her big sister on Tuesday night. (Photo: Corbis Images) After Serena Williams beat her sister Venus on Tuesday night in a competitive three-set U.S. Open quarterfinals match, the two met at the net and embraced. Venus, the older Williams sibling, whispered to her sister: “I’m so happy for you.” - Michael Sam Makes Up With Dad Who Criticized Him for Being Gay
Former NFL player Michael Sam, who had been estranged from his father since coming out as gay in February 2014, tweeted this week that the two have spoken for the first time since then. (Photo: Getty Images) When former NFL player Michael Sam announced to the world that he was gay back in February 2014, he was largely praised for his bravery and honesty by fellow players, various celebrities, the NFL, and ESPN — pretty much everyone, it seemed, except his father, Michael Sam Sr., who was quoted at the time as saying, “I’m old school. I’m a man-and-a-woman type of guy.” STORY: NFL Dad Sends Powerful Message by Confiscating Kids’ ‘Trophies for Nothing’ Shortly after, Sam discussed his estrangement from his dad during a segment of Dancing With the Stars, while he was a contestant.