PARIS — Warriors guard Steph Curry has a longstanding friendship with American vice president Kamala Harris and on Thursday at the U.S. men’s basketball opening news conference at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 10-time All-Star and greatest shooter in NBA history said he plans to lean into that relationship going into the 2024 election. 

That was true before president Joe Biden announced he was withdrawing from the election and endorsing Harris, who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee. But with Harris, a longtime Warriors fan, now at the top of the ticket, Curry is even more excited.

“Interesting times in our country right now,” said Curry, who will make his Olympic debut Sunday when the Americans take on Serbia in their first game of pool play. “Hopefully with her on the ticket, we’re winning the election. It’s a big deal, to say the least.”

Harris was born in Oakland, and the former Attorney General of California and U.S. Senator has talked frequently about her lifelong love of the Warriors, saying the team has “been a constant source of joy and pride for me.” As AG, she once jumped out of her vehicle and headed for public transit with a traffic jam threatened to keep her from tip-off of a big Golden State game. It was, she joked, to the dismay of her security detail that she did that. 

Given this, it’s no surprise Curry wants to help Harris any way he can. 

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

“She represents the Bay Area and is a big support of us, and we’re gonna give that energy right back to her,” Curry said, adding that is a “monumental next couple months for our country and the direction we’re headed.” 

Curry knows that sport, particularly one as global as basketball, has the power to bring people together and he’s hoping the Americans’ play over the next couple weeks can “continue to unify the country.” 

Despite how divided the U.S. feels right now, Curry said he’s thinking a lot about all the positive energy he and Team USA can bring to each other, their fellow Americans and, if called upon, to the Harris campaign directly. 

“Knowing what’s ahead, it’s all about positive energy and optimism,” Curry said. “I’m just excited for the journey ahead for her.” 

The vice president visited with the men’s team at training camp in Las Vegas earlier in July.

“It’s an incredible thrill to be able to have conversations with world leaders,” U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr said. “I’ve met her a few times so I call her Kamala. If she wins, I need to adjust that. I can’t call her by her first name. But I think President Biden, admirably, knows it’s time to step down and Kamala Harris is a great candidate and I’ll support her. That’s exciting.”

NEW YORK – Gerrit Cole faltered badly, the Subway Series was a complete loss and the New York Yankees’ crisis deepened Wednesday night before an angry full house at Yankee Stadium.

“We’re (ticked) off. We’ve got to play better,’’ said manager Aaron Boone, after a devastating 12-3 loss to the New York Mets. “This has gone on long enough.’’

Soon enough, we were fully transported back to Aug. 20, 2022, when Boone emphasized how “it’s right in front of us’’ by slamming his right hand on a table.

At that point, the Yankees had gone 12-25 after a 61-23 start, but still led the AL East by seven games.

These 2024 Yankees are now 10-22 since a 50-22 start, but they still lead the AL wild card and only trail the division-leading Orioles by 1.5 games – due to Baltimore’s shaky second half.

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Once more, Boone repeated that “we’ve got it right in front of us,’’ his voice rising, his language punctuated with a few rare postgame expletives.

“We’re getting our teeth kicked in and we’ve got to change it,’’ said Boone, confident they would. “We’re a really good team that’s played (lousy) of late. We need to be better.

“We’re (ticked) off in there, we’ve got a lot of pride in there, we’ve got a lot of expectations,’’ said Boone. “I also know we’re competing our (butts) off.

“No one’s going to pull us out of this but us.’’

Shades of the disappointing 2022 Yankees’ season

The 2022 Yankees had Cole and AL MVP Aaron Judge, and a team that was ultimately swept out of the AL Championship Series by the Houston Astros.

These 2024 Yankees now have Cole, seven starts off the injured list (with a 5.40 ERA), another MVP-type season from Judge, the immensely talented Juan Soto, and a subpar cast since mid-June.

“It comes down to what we’re doing on the field, and it’s not great right now,’’ said Judge, emphasizing the need to stay confident, while admitting “there’s certain times we’re hanging our head a little bit.

“And you just need a little kick in the butt,’’ said Judge. “We’ve got the guys in this room to flip the switch and get us back to where we need to be.

“Don’t overthink it, don’t panic. But it comes down to we’ve got to do our job and we’re not doing it right now.’’

At a moment when they needed a stopper, Cole gave up three homers and ended any momentum from Gleyber Torres’ leadoff homer and Juan Soto’s 443-foot solo blast off lefty Sean Manaea.

In all four Subway Series wins, the Mets used lefty starters, further exposing a Yankee weakness, and the Yanks went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position (they’re batting .163 in that category over the last 13 games).

“I think the effort is there, but this is the big leagues,’’ said Cole. “You’ve got to perform.’’

Aaron Boone: ‘We’re in control of the story”

Meanwhile, the Orioles’ serious rotation issues are catching up; they’ve lost eight of their last 11 games (including Wednesday against the woeful Marlins).

And the third place Red Sox have dropped five of their last six (including Wednesday against the woeful Rockies).

“We don’t even worry about the Orioles,’’ said Soto. “We worry about what we’ve got in here.’’

Five days away from MLB’s trade deadline, the Yankees have a pressing need for a corner infield bat, bullpen help and the presence of rehabbing hitters Giancarlo Stanton and Jasson Dominguez.

Boosting this club is GM Brian Cashman’s job, while Boone is responsible for making “sure we’re walking through those doors every day with an edge and an expectation that today’s the day we can get it rolling.

“We hold the pen, we’re in control of the story,’’ said Boone. “That hasn’t changed. But we’ve got to play better or it doesn’t matter.’’

Former British marathon world champion Paula Radcliffe apologized for her words in wishing Netherlands beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl, the ‘best of luck.’

In 2016, van de Velde was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of three counts of rape against a child. He only served 12 months of that sentence and just last month was selected to be a member of the Olympic team for the Netherlands.

‘I am mortified that I expressed it so badly and didn’t condemn the rape out loud,’ Radcliffe said.

But on Wednesday, Radcliffe appeared on radio station LBC and was asked about athletes being banned from the Olympics for doping before turning her attention to van de Velde.

‘To ban someone, as I understand it, he was 19 at the time, and he’s served his jail time, and it’s a long time to carry on paying for that mistake for the rest of your life,’ Radcliffe said. ‘I think it’s a tough thing to do to punish him twice and if he’s managed to successfully turn his life around after being sent to prison, and to qualify and to be playing sport at the highest level, then I actually wish him the best of luck.’

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

After backlash, Radcliffe, who has competed at four Olympic games and has won the New York City marathon three times, issued an apology on social media.

‘I do believe in second chances after serving punishment but think the Olympics should be for those who uphold the ideals − that’s why I poorly brought the doping comparison in,’ she wrote.

‘I myself am shocked and disappointed at how I expressed this so badly. I am very sorry and should have done much better. I by no means meant to overlook the crime and meant to say those who don’t uphold ideals should be excluded but can’t be.

‘I profoundly apologize and am deeply shocked and disappointed in myself and can’t understand how I managed to convey it so badly.’

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The Jacksonville Jaguars unveiled another twist to their uniform catalog Thursday morning, revealing white alternate helmets.

The all-matte white helmet will debut in Week 10, a home matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at EverBank Stadium. “Shell White” features a matte white finish, black facemask and the Jaguars current logo.

The helmet will be paired with black jerseys.

The announcement was made on social media Thursday morning, the second day of training camp. The team teased the alternate helmets the night before on social media at 9:04 p.m., a hat tip to Duval County’s area code.

The social media post listed three reasons for the choice in colors:

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The Beach: ‘Our beaches, adorned with shells, symbolize shared adventure and teamwork. As locals and visitors explore our coastal landscape, these shells remind us of the unity that enriches our experience in Duval and its surrounding counties.

The Military: ‘Each shell embodies the courage and sacrifice of our military personnel. Like the protective armor worn in battle, shells symbolize the unwavering dedication of our armed forces.’

The Game: ‘Shells, reminiscent of the gear worn by players, symbolize our team’s resilience and unwavering spirit. Just as shells protect and endure, our team stands strong and united, facing every challenge with determination.’

This will be the first alternate helmet ever worn by the Jaguars.

The reveal comes just a week after the team announced the ‘Prowler Throwbacks,’ a uniform combo based on the team’s original 1995 expansion uniforms featuring teal tops, white bottoms and a helmet based on the team’s original logo on the side of the helmet used from 1995 until 2013.

The all-white helmet has become popular alternative headwear in the NFL over the last few years.

In 2022, the NFL changed its uniform policy to allow a second helmet shell color. The league requires teams to sport the alternate color helmet with a specific optional uniform. The league does not allow for the alternate helmets to be mixed and matched with primary uniforms, and they cannot be mixed and matched with another optional uniform.

The Jaguars are not alone in having white alternate helmets. The Bengals introduced theirs in 2022, the Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos did so in 2023, while the Minnesota Vikings unveiled white helmets alongside their ‘Winter Warrior’ uniforms in June.

NFL teams with alternate helmet designs

The Jaguars are certainly not the first team to introduce white helmets, nor are they the first to introduce an alternate helmet design in recent years.

Quickly after the league updated its uniform policy in 2022, 13 teams took advantage of the rule, including the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans.

In 2023, the Browns, Lions and Broncos introduced their alternate helmets.

A slew of teams are doing so again in 2024, including the Jaguars as the latest fashion trend for the league.

Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics includes some of the most well-known American Olympians who are poised to move up the all-time medals table, including star swimmer Katie Ledecky and otherworldly gymnast Simone Biles. 

So, naturally, the question of who are the most decorated Olympians of all-time will be asked throughout these Summer Games. Here are the answers, using data compiled by OlyMadMen.com.

Who has won most Summer Olympic medals?

Most decorated U.S. athlete all time, regardless of sport: Michael Phelps, swimming, 28 total, 23 gold
Most medals by an athlete at a single Summer Olympics: Michael Phelps, swimming, 8, 2004 + 2008
Most gold medals by an athlete at a single Summer Olympics: Michael Phelps, swimming, 8, 2008
Most decorated Olympic athlete of all time: Michael Phelps, swimming, 28 total
Most gold medals by an Olympic athlete, all time: Michael Phelps, swimming, 23 golds

Who has won most gymnastics Olympic medals of all time?

Most decorated women’s olympic gymnast, all time: Larisa Latynina, 18 total
Most decorated women’s gymnast, gold medals, all time: Larisa Latynina, 9 golds
Most gold medals by a women’s gymnast, single olympics: USA’s Simone Biles (4, 2016 Olympics) is the only woman to achieve this feat in the last 40 years. She joins Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo (1984 Olympics), Czechoslovakia’s Věra Čáslavská (1968 Olympics), Hungary’s Ágnes Keleti (1956 Olympics), Soviet Union’s Larisa Latynina (1956 Olympics) as the only female gymnasts to capture four golds in a single Olympics.

Meet Team USA: See which athletes made the U.S. Olympic team and where they are from

Who has won most swimming Olympic medals of all time?

Most gold medals by a swimmer, all time: Michael Phelps, 23 golds
Most decorated olympic swimmer, all time: Michael Phelps, 28 medals, 23 gold
Most decorated olympic swimmer, single games: Michael Phelps, twice, 2008 and 2004
Most gold medals by a male swimmer, single olympics: Michael Phelps, 2008, 8 golds. After Phelps are Mark Spitz (7, 1972 Olympics), Michael Phelps (6, 2006 Olympics), USA’s Caeleb Dressel (5, 2020 Olympics), Michael Phelps (5, 2016 Olympics), Matt Biondi (5, 1988 Olympics).
Most decorated women’s swimmer, all time: Jenny Thompson, Dara Torres, Natalie Coughlin, 12 medals each
Most decorated women’s swimmer, single olympics: Australia’s Emma McKeon (7, 2020 Olympics)
Most gold medals by a women swimmer, all time: Jenny Thompson, 8
Most gold medals by a woman swimmer, single olympics: Germany’s Kristin Otto (6, 1988 Olympics). After Otto are Australia’s Emma KcKeon (4, 2020 Olympics), USA’s Katie Ledecky (4, 2016 Olympics), USA’s Missy Franklin (4, 2012 Olympics), USA’s Amy Van Dyken (4, 1996 Olympics), Germany’s Kornelia Ender (4, 1976 Olympics).

Who has won most track and field Olympic medals of all time?

Most decorated women’s track & field athlete, all time: Allyson Felix, 11 total
Most gold medals by a women’s track & field athlete, all time: Allyson Felix, 7 golds
Most gold medals by a women’s track & field athlete, single Olympics: Fanny Blankers-Koen, 1948 London Games, 100m, 200m, 80m hurdles, 4x100m relay
Most decorated women’s track & field athlete, single Olympics (1960-present): Florence Griffith Joyner, 1988 games, 4 medals (3 gold)
Most decorated men’s track & field athlete, all time: Paavo Nurmi (long distance runner), 12 total
Most gold medals by a men’s track & field athlete, all time: Carl Lewis (sprinter) and Paavo Nurmi (long distance runner), nine each
Most gold medals by a men’s track & field athlete, single Olympics: In the modern Olympics era, Carl Lewis’ four golds from the 1984 Olympics is untouched, Usain Bolt the only modern athlete close to Lewis’ record with three golds each in Rio and London. The rest of the list reached three gold medals at a single games prior to 1956.
Most decorated men’s track & field athlete, single Olympics: In the modern era, Carl Lewis’ four medals from the 1984 Games is untouched. Every other athlete who earned at least four medals at a single games did so before 1936.

Who has most basketball Olympic medals of all time?

With a gold medal win, Diana Taursi would become the most decorated U.S. basketball Olympian of all time with six gold medals, breaking a tie with the now-retired Sue Bird.