Die Macht » learning and he is the man to take this club forw

RIO DE JANIERO -- Its the phrase thats uttered at the start of every Olympics and consists of just four little words -- Let the Games begin. But Friday night, even more than usual, they felt like four of the most potent words in the vocabulary of sports because of what they signaled.Finally, blessedly, and not a moment too soon for Rio de Janeiro, its 2016 Summer Olympic Games have been officially handed off to the athletes now -- not the stumbling organizers and their bumbling contractors, not the IOC fat cats who are too busy picking shrimp cocktail from their teeth to ban all the drug cheats. Or the rock-throwing protesters who bedeviled the running of Brazils Olympic torch relay and showed up by the hundreds again Friday night, prompting security forces to disperse them with tear gas less than a mile from where teams from a record 207 nations marched onto the floor of Maracana Stadium to take part in a rousing opening ceremony.Despite down-to-the-bone budget cuts that left producers of Friday nights show joking We cried -- in fear as they studied more extravagantly funded opening ceremonies, the first Olympic Games held in South America kicked off with a joyous show. It delivered on its planners promise to make up for their relatively modest budget with ingenuity, energy, stirring samples of some of the countrys best indigenous music, and some lighthearted touches that were meant to acknowledge life might not be perfect in Brazil, but theres a lot to love and marvel about here if you suspend judgement and lean in closely enough.From Brazilian recording star Luiz Melodias rendition of Aquele Abraco, the farewell song penned by his legendary countryman Gilberto Gil, to the shows evocation of Brazils ethnic diversity and status as the biggest garden on the planet (this is the home of the Amazon rain forest, after all), the ceremony gave these Games an unmistakable sense of time and place.There were symbolic pleas for peace and tolerance -- a nod to world events beyond Brazil. There were beat-driven Samba, funk carioca, and bossa nova songs that pulled people to their feet and had them dancing in place. In the wide-open spirit of Carnival, Brazils most famous supermodel (Gisele Bundchen) and its most famous transgender model (Lea T) took star turns. There was a street-dancing performance meant to evoke the art that springs from the miserably poor tin-roofed favelas that go staggering up the hills and valleys around Rio like makeshift Lego cities, one red-blocked unit stacked atop another; the segment was intended to be a reminder that beauty and wonder live even in the most unlikeliest and challenging places.Pele, now 75 years old and still the most famous sports star this soccer-crazed country has produced, grew up in one such slum. His absence here Friday because of ill health was felt.But hundreds of other notable athletes did show. Swimmer Michael Phelps, the 22-time Olympic medalist, carried the flag for the American team, which arrived earlier in the lineup than usual because Estados Unidos is the Portuguese spelling of United States. The first-ever Refugee Olympic Team, which this year is composed of 10 athletes from strife-torn South Sudan, Syria, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, marched in under the five-ring Olympic flag. Sprinter Etimoni Timuani, the only athlete from the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu, strode in rocking a ribboned sarong, the Austrians wore lederhosen, the Micronesian team wore head wreaths that appeared woven from palm fronds and Chinas team acknowledged their hosts by waving little Brazilian flags as well as their own.Brazilians have understandably been of two minds about hosting these Olympics because of the economic crises and political upheaval that have developed since the IOC awarded Rio these Games in 2008. Times were far better then. Theyre more fractious now. Crime has spiked. The Zika virus remains a concern. Promises that the Games would leave an improved infrastructure and cleaned-up waterways around Rio have not been kept, making the estimated $4.6 billion price of these Olympics (it spikes to $20 billion counting infrastructure costs) feel unconscionable to many.Brazil also has two sitting presidents at the moment because one, Dilma Rousseff, is scheduled to go to trial at the end of this month in impeachment proceedings, which opened the way for the other -- interim pick Michel Temer -- to preside Friday night.(The opening ceremony producers denied at their pre-show news conference Thursday that they had been told to create some sound effects to play if Temer was booed, which he was, when he took the podium to declare the Games open.)IOC president Thomas Bach acknowledged earlier this week that the road to the Rio Games had been long and testing, and the preparations were challenging.In one last flourish, the Olympic flame was brought into Maracana Stadium by Brazilian tennis champion Gustavo Kuerten, handed off to retired basketball star Hortencia Marcari to Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima, the marathoner who lost gold when he was attacked during the 2004 Summer Games. He lit the cauldron.We never give up, we never give up, Rio Organizing Committee president Carlos Nuzman said in a stem winder of a speech to the crowd. Lets stay together when differences challenge us.Much of Brazils troubled backstory will temporarily fade a bit into the background at daybreak Saturday, when the competitions begin in earnest with 16 sports contested and seven gold medals to be won. Over the next 16 days, the conversation will turn more to whether sprinter Usain Bolt can possibly win again, or whether Marta can lead Brazils womens soccer team to a gold medal. Would huge gold medal hauls by American gymnast Simone Biles and multievent U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky justify the talk that they already deserve to be placed among their sports greats?The best antidote for nearly everything that ails the Olympic Games has always been the transcendental contributions of the athletes themselves. There are roughly 10,500 of them here. Like Rio itself, they reliably provoke wonder. And they sure as hell know how to put on a show. Jeff Skinner Jersey . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. Miroslav Satan Jersey . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. https://www.cheapsabres.com/823v-tim-horton-jersey-sabres.html . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Larry Playfair Jersey . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Roger Crozier Jersey . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July.Kyle Walker breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Mauricio Pochettino had agreed a new Tottenham contract and insists the clubs title challenge is not over yet. Pochettino has struck a verbal agreement over a two-year extension, which will keep him at White Hart Lane until 2021 - the deal is now with the Argentinians lawyers and expected to be confirmed in the coming days.Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain had all reportedly considered Pochettino for their top jobs next season after the 44-year-old led Spurs to second in the Premier League and all-but secured Champions League qualification. Walker was being interviewed at Tottenhams training ground on Friday as Pochettino announced his new deal and when the full-back was told, his reaction was telling.Ive been waiting for someone to say that for ages now! Hes said it? Thank goodness for that. Im over the moon, Walker said.It is a relief. There is always going to be speculation. It happens all the time. Kyle Walker (L) has hailed Mauricio Pochettinos influence on Spurs after news broke he had verbally agreed to stay This player is going here, this manager is going there but I think thats not for me to talk about or for any other player to talk about. We just need to conduct ourselves professionally.Pochettino is an immensely popular figure in the Tottenham dressing room and it is understood there was a growing nervousness among the players about their head coachs future.The squads young crop are particularly loyal with the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Erik Lamela and Danny Rose, as well as Walker, all enjoying remarkable progress under his tutelage. Mauricio Pochettino explains why hes extending his contract at Tottenham. The new deal could keep there until 2021 For me, hes not just the manager on the pitch but its how he is off the pitch. That says everything for me, Walker said.Some of the managers that have come in, you know...theres young players here now and sometimes they do need an arm around them and to say, you can do this, sit them down, look at the TV screen, you can do this better, because we are still learning.We are probably not in our prime yet, most of us, so we are still learning and he is the man to take this club forward and onto new levels. Its just everytthing about him, his aura as well.dddddddddddd Its just fantastic. Guus Hiddink insists Chelseas players will take all their remaining games seriously Tottenham visit London rivals Chelsea on Monday, live on Sky Sports, knowing their title challenge could be over by the time they kick-off if Leicester beat Manchester United on Sunday, also live on Sky Sports.Even if the Foxes are not crowned champions this weekend, they only need three points from United, Everton and Chelsea to finish the job - but Walker has not given up hope.Its a difficult one because its not over until the fat lady sings, Walker said. Man United are still chasing something, Everton are not going to want to lose. Willian says the Chelsea players dont want Tottenham to win the league and will be doing their upmost to beat them There is no professional footballer who steps onto a pitch and says OK, were just going to chuck this one in. Everton, probably, have a point to prove, having not had the best of seasons.Chelsea likewise, the last game of the season at Stamford Bridge, theyll want to put out a performance for their crowd, so hopefully, theyre not easy games [for Leicester]. But first and foremost, we need to go to Stamford Bridge and win, and weve got two tough games after that. So nothing is a given. Also See: Poch wants one last twist New deal for Spurs boss Why Pochettino is key Redknapps MNF preview ' ' '