Familia de Mónica Puig canta " La Borinqueña" tras la tenista ganar oro en Río 2016 Yasiel Puig supported Monica Puig during her historic gold medal victory. (AP Photos)
Though being demoted to Triple A wasnt an ideal scenario for Yasiel Puig, it has afforded him opportunitieshe may not have otherwise had.
For example, Puig spent some time bonding with his new teammates at Oklahoma City this week by hunting Pokemon. Could you imagine Puig chasing Pokemon around Los Angeles? Highly unlikely, as were sure his schedule was typically full.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]
Heres another big advantage. While the Dodgers were playing an afternoon game on Saturday, Puig was free to watch the Olympics and cheer on his favorite tennis player, Monica Puig.
No, the two are not related, but sharing a last name can still create a bond or at least stir some emotions.Thats especially true given the historic overtones of Monica Puigs match in Rio. The 22-year-old tennis star was attempting to become the first-ever gold medalist in Puerto Ricos Olympic history when she squared off against Germanys Angelique Kerber.
How did she do?
Well let Yasiel Puig tell the story.
Go crazy, Yasiel! Go crazy.
Puig won match in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. The victory is considered a pretty big upset in the tennis ranks asPuig entered the match 34th in the world, while Kerber came in at No. 2. Youd never know that though based on Puig running away in the third set. Puig won the first five games of the third set before clinching the match.
From there, the celebration was on, with the Cuban Yasiel Puig leading the charge from Oklahoma Citys clubhouse. Monica Puig probably couldnt feel his support, but shell soon be uplifted by an entire country thats proud of her historic accomplishment.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Boricuas celebran el triunfo de Mónica Puig en Río 2016
The Olympics are continuing in Rio de Janeiro, where Stanford swimmer Simone Manuel has made history, becoming the first African-American female swimmer to win an Olympic medal in an individual event. Manuel tied Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak in the 100-meter freestyle. Both women won gold medals and set a new Olympic record. After winning, Manuel said, "It means a lot, especially with what is going on in the world today, some of the issues of police brutality. This win hopefully brings hope and change to some of the issues that are going on. My color just comes with the territory." Manuels win was only one of a number of historic Olympic events over the last week. Usain Bolt of Jamaica won the 100-meter dash in 9.81 seconds, making him the only person to ever win the 100-meter race three times. American swimmer Michael Phelps scored his 23rd gold medal when the U.S. won the mens four-by-100-meter medley relay. Phelps is now the most decorated Olympian in all of history. African-American gymnast Simone Biles scored her third gold medal when she became the first American woman to win the Olympic vault individual. And tennis player Monica Puig won Puerto Ricos first gold medal in Olympic history. Shes the first woman representing Puerto Rico to ever win an Olympic medal.
Monica Puig: "It is a huge achievement for my career. It was the biggest goal I had for my life. And it is something historic for Puerto Rico that had never happened in Puerto Ricos history."
Well have more on the Olympics later in the broadcast.
Uprisings in Milwaukee After Police Kill African-American Man
Protests are continuing in Milwaukee two days after police shot dead a 23-year-old African-American man named Sylville Smith. On Sunday, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker activated the National Guard after local residents set fire to police cars and several local businesses, including a gas station, on Saturday night. Seventeen people were arrested. Four police officers were reportedly injured. Last night, two police officers were reportedly injured, and one person was hospitalized after being shot by an unknown assailant. This is a man who said hes the brother of Sylville Smith, speaking about the uprising.
Sedan Smith: "Right now, you got a city riot going on, because, once again, the police has failed to protect us like they said they was going to do. They failed to be here for the people like they say theylike theyre sworn in to do. You know? And us as a community, were not going to protect ourselves, but if we dont have anyone to protect us, then this is what you get. You know, you get riots. You got people out here going crazy. Were losing loved ones every day to the people thats sworn in to protect us."
The Milwaukee Police Department is defending its use of force in the case of Sylville Smith. Police say he was shot while trying to flee from an officer who had stopped his car. Police Chief Edward Flynn said he had viewed video from the officers body camera, and it showed Smith had turned toward him with a gun in his hand after the traffic stop. Many local residents said the tension between their community and the police has been rising for years. Milwaukee is considered to be one of the most segregated cities in the country.
Baltimore: 12 Arrested Protesting Fraternal Order of Police Conference
Meanwhile, in Baltimore, 12 people were arrested in a protest at the opening of Marylands Fraternal Order of Police conference Sunday afternoon. Members of the group Baltimore Bloc locked themselves together using PVC pipes and chained themselves to a railing to block the escalator leading to the conference at the Hyatt. Its the latest in a series of protests in recent weeks against police unions, which activists say defend officers accused of brutality.
Clintons Earned $10.6 Million in 2015, According to Tax Returns
In news from the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton released her latest tax returns on Friday, showing she and her husband Bill Clinton earned $10.6 million in 2015. More than half the income came from speeches. They paid an effective tax rate of 35 percent. Between 2007 to 2015, the Clintons have made $150 million. Clintons running mate, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, also released his returns Friday. He and his wife made $313,000 in 2015.
"Zero Dollars": Experts Say Donald Trump May Pay No Income Taxes
This comes as Donald Trump continues to refuse to release his tax returns, citing an audit. A series of tax experts quoted in a recent New York Times piece headlined "Zero Dollars" say its possible Trump pays no income taxes at all, given the vast array of tax loopholes available to real estate developers. Trumps running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, suggested in an interview Saturday he may soon release his own returnsin what would be the latest point of disagreement between the two men.
WSJ Calls on Republican Party to "Write Off" Trump by Labor Day
Meanwhile, divisions are widening between the Republican Party and Donald Trump. Politico is reporting that Republican Party leaders are privately talking about cutting off financial support to Trump by October, if not earlier. In an editorial published Sunday, The Wall Street Journal calls on the Republican Party to "write off the nominee" if he doesnt change his behavior by Labor Day, which is less than three weeks away.
NYT: Associates Say Trump is Exhausted, Bewildered, Sullen & Erratic
A number of his associates who spoke to The New York Times have painted Trump as being exhausted, bewildered, sullen and erratic. Trump has blasted the article, calling the Times a "failing newspaper of fiction"although Trump has reportedly not asked for any retractions. A recent Reuters poll shows nearly one-fifth of registered Republicans want Trump to drop out of the race. In public, however, the Republican Party is continuing attempts to project unity. On Friday, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus made a surprise appearance at a Trump rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he introduced and hugged Trump. At this rally, Trump attempted to walk back his recent comments calling President Obama the founder of ISIS. Instead, Trump said his comments had been sarcastic"but not that sarcastic." This comes as Trump is slated to release his proposals for fighting ISIS during a speech in Ohio today. Hes also expected to further explain his plans to significantly limit immigration, which at times have included calls for a complete ban on all Muslims. His campaign is now also suggesting a test intended to vet immigrants views on issues, such as womens and gay rights.
Ukraine: Ledger Shows $12 Million in Cash for Trump Campaign Chief
Meanwhile, The New York Times has revealed new details about Trumps campaign manager Paul Manaforts political consulting work in Ukraine. The Times reports that handwritten ledgers unearthed by Ukraines newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau show $12.7 million of cash payments that were slated to go to Manafort. It is not known whether Manafort actually received the money. Manafort spent years consulting for former President Viktor Yanukovych. In the 1980s, Manafort also did political consulting work for former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
U.S. Declares Public Health Emergency in Puerto Rico over Zika
Meanwhile, the United States declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico Friday, after the island reported nearly 2,000 new cases of Zika over the last week. More than 10,000 cases of Zika infection have been reported in Puerto Rico since December.
Chicago: Muslim Mother & Daughter Assaulted, Blame Trump for Attack
Meanwhile, in Chicago, a Muslim mother and daughter report being spit on and yelled at as they were walking to their car on Thursday wearing hijabs. They say their harasser yelled repeatedly, "Youre ISIS!" Siham Zahdan blamed the attack on Donald Trump, saying her message to Trump was "to leave the Muslim people in America alone, leave us alone."
Yemen: U.S.-Backed, Saudi-Led Airstrikes Kill 19, Mostly Children
In international news, U.S.-backed, Saudi-led airstrikes killed at least 19 people in Yemen on Saturday after the bombs struck a residential area and a school. Witnesses say the majority of the victims were children. This is the father of one of the children killed.
Father: "This is a crime. My son is dead. He is now with G*d. We will now head to the front lines and take revenge for our sons."
This comes less than a week after the U.S. approved a possible $1 billion weapons deal to Saudi Arabia.
Report: Hundreds Killed in Syria Amid Heavy Fighting in Aleppo
Meanwhile, in Syria, activists say hundreds of civilians have been killed in fighting across the country in recent days. The Local Coordination Committees say nearly 200 civilians have been killed since Friday alone. The majority of the deaths have occurred in and around the city of Aleppo.
Louisiana: 5 Dead; 20,000 Rescued in Historic Flooding
In Louisiana, at least five people have died and 20,000 people have been rescued amid unprecedented flooding. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency over the weekend, calling the flooding "historic." Water levels are expected to continue rising.
California: 1,000 Evacuated from Fast-Moving Wildfire
Meanwhile, in Northern California, more than 1,000 people were forced to flee a fast-moving wildfire in the town of Lower Lake over the weekend. Authorities say Californias fire season has been worsened by the historic, climate-fueled drought.
Ohio: Transgender Woman Rae"Lynn Thomas Murdered
And in Columbus, Ohio, police are investigating the death of 28-year-old RaeLynn Thomas, a black transgender woman who was fatally shot by her mothers ex-boyfriend. Family members say the shooter, James Allen Byrd, frequently made transphobic comments to RaeLynn and sometimes called her "the devil." Human Rights Watch says at least 17 transgender people have been killed so far this year in the United States.
Boricuas celebran el triunfo de Mónica Puig en Río 2016 Yasiel Puig supported Monica Puig during her historic gold medal victory. (AP Photos)
Though being demoted to Triple A wasnt an ideal scenario for Yasiel Puig, it has afforded him opportunitieshe may not have otherwise had.
For example, Puig spent some time bonding with his new teammates at Oklahoma City this week by hunting Pokemon. Could you imagine Puig chasing Pokemon around Los Angeles? Highly unlikely, as were sure his schedule was typically full.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]
Heres another big advantage. While the Dodgers were playing an afternoon game on Saturday, Puig was free to watch the Olympics and cheer on his favorite tennis player, Monica Puig.
No, the two are not related, but sharing a last name can still create a bond or at least stir some emotions.Thats especially true given the historic overtones of Monica Puigs match in Rio. The 22-year-old tennis star was attempting to become the first-ever gold medalist in Puerto Ricos Olympic history when she squared off against Germanys Angelique Kerber.
How did she do?
Well let Yasiel Puig tell the story.
Go crazy, Yasiel! Go crazy.
Puig won match in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1. The victory is considered a pretty big upset in the tennis ranks asPuig entered the match 34th in the world, while Kerber came in at No. 2. Youd never know that though based on Puig running away in the third set. Puig won the first five games of the third set before clinching the match.
From there, the celebration was on, with the Cuban Yasiel Puig leading the charge from Oklahoma Citys clubhouse. Monica Puig probably couldnt feel his support, but shell soon be uplifted by an entire country thats proud of her historic accomplishment.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
The StewPod: A baseball podcast by Yahoo SportsSubscribe via iTunes or via RSS feed
Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
Monica Puig -- Medalla de Oro en Rio 2016 (Orgullo Boricua del Tennis) By: AP | Rio De Janeiro | Published:August 15, 2016 1:02 pm In the run-up to Rio, there was plenty of discussion about the relationship between the Olympics and tennis, which returned to the program in 1988 after a 64-year absence. (Source: Reuters)
For a sport supposedly filled with folks who dont care about the Olympics, there sure was a lot of crying during the tennis competition at the Rio de Janeiro Games. From Andy Murray, who became the first man or woman to win two singles golds. From Juan Martin del Potro, who earned the silver, losing to Murray 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the final Sunday.
From No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who surprisingly lost to del Potro in the first round, a result that elicited tears from both men, one because a gold medal is just about the only thing missing from his resume, the other because hes had such a tough road back from repeated injuries.
And from Monica Puig, whose womens singles title gave Puerto Rico its first gold in any sport in Olympic history. Puig had done her best to memorize the islands anthem after her father emailed her the lyrics, but as that song played during a medal ceremony for the first time, she couldnt get out the words.
If I wouldve stopped crying, I probably would have started singing, Puig said. But I couldnt. I was choking up the whole time.
In the run-up to Rio, there was plenty of discussion about the relationship between the Olympics and tennis, which returned to the program in 1988 after a 64-year absence.
But watching and hearing those who did participate made clear what it meant to them.
Its been a buildup of emotions over the last 10 days or so, said Murray, who began the Rio Olympics by carrying Britains flag in the opening ceremony, then ended them by walking into his champions news conference with a Union Jack draped over his shoulder, and Im just very happy that I got over the line tonight.
Here are some things to know about tennis at the 2016 Olympics:
MURRAYS FORM: His victory over del Potro stretched Murrays winning streak to a career-high 18 matches, including a second Wimbledon title. Murray has participated in the four most significant matches of the year: all three Grand Slam finals (losing to Djokovic at the Australian Open and French Open, then beating Milos Raonic at the All England Club) and the Olympic final. I need to try and keep that going, Murray said, and the U.S. Open is always the next big goal. Play begins at Flushing Meadows in two weeks.
DEL POTROS RETURN: Considered the next big thing when he stunned Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open final at age 20, the 6-foot-6 Argentine first had problems with his right wrist, then needed three operations on his left wrist. Based on how he beat Djokovic, then Rafael Nadal, del Potros powerful forehand might be better than ever. If he stays fit, Murray said, theres no reason why he cant be up at the top of the game.
DJOKOVIC AND NADAL: Djokovic was crestfallen to leave without a medal, then pulled out of next weeks Cincinnati Masters, citing a sore left wrist. He wont play again until the U.S. Open. Will he look like the guy who won four consecutive major titles or the guy who lost in the third round at Wimbledon and first round of the Olympics? After Nadal missed 2{ months with an injured left wrist _ unlike Djokovic, hes a lefty _ no one knew what to expect in Brazil. But the Spaniard earned a doubles gold and just missed a singles medal.
SERENA WILLIAMS: Its not entirely clear what went wrong for Serena Williams, who lost in the third round of singles and the first round of doubles with her sister Venus (they won gold in all three previous Olympic appearances together). Given how the younger Williams usually responds to setbacks, it wouldnt be surprising to see her in fine form at the years last Grand Slam tournament.
MEDAL COUNT: Despite what happened in singles and doubles to the Williams sisters, and even though the countrys highest-ranked man, John Isner, opted to skip the Olympics, the U.S. wound up with the best haul: one gold (Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock in mixed doubles), one silver (Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram in mixed) and one bronze (Sock and Steve Johnson in mens doubles). The only other country to win three medals was the Czech Republic, with bronzes from Petra Kvitova in singles, Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova in womens doubles, and Lucie Hradecka and Radek Stepanek in mixed doubles.
