PARIS — Simone Biles isn’t going to be a “gold-medal token” for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team at these Olympics.

Biles has been assured she won’t have to do all four events in the women’s gymnastics team final if she doesn’t feel it’s best for her or for the Americans, Chellsie Memmel, the technical lead for the U.S. women, said Tuesday.

“If that’s what she needs to continue to be at her best for the team and for herself, that’s what we’re going to do because there are still four other members on our team,” Memmel said. “Whether she takes it or not, it’s going to be completely up to her.”

Although there is a tentative U.S. lineup, no final decisions will be made until after podium training Thursday. Qualifying is Sunday and the team final is next Tuesday.

Unlike in qualifying, when teams can drop their lowest score, only three gymnasts compete on each event in team finals and all three scores count. Biles is the best gymnast in history and doesn’t really have a bad event, but asking her to do all four with little margin of error puts a lot of pressure on her.

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Biles said last year that someone from USA Gymnastics had told her at the Tokyo Olympics that she was the team’s “gold-medal token.” That amplified anxiety she was already feeling from the massive expectations on her and the isolation of the severe COVID restrictions, and she wound up withdrawing one event into the team final in Tokyo with a case of “the twisties,” which caused her to lose her sense of where she was in the air.

Unwilling to risk her physical safety, Biles withdrew from four individual event finals before returning for the balance beam final, where she won a bronze medal with a reworked routine that didn’t require her to twist.

It took Biles months to get over the twisties and to be able to trust her gymnastics again. Even though she’s in a much better place now, thanks to weekly therapy sessions, she acknowledged having fears before the team final at last year’s world championships, the first team final she’d competed in since Tokyo.

Memmel said Biles and coach Cecile Landi had asked about not doing all four events at worlds, too, and she gave them a similar answer then. Biles did wind up doing all four events, leading the U.S. women to the gold medal.

“For her, knowing that that is a possibility, I think that helps,” Memmel said.

Biles has declined to say who made the crass “token” comment. But leadership of the program has been overhauled since Tokyo, with Memmel and fellow Beijing Olympian Alicia Sacramone Quinn taking over in 2022.

“I think she’s in a really good place. She’s excited about gymnastics, she’s enjoying it and I think she sees this is as redemption for her,” Memmel said. “And I think she’s going to go out and do an amazing job. And we’re going to support her.”

The U.S. men’s basketball team is loaded like a potato skin at TGI Friday’s, but they could be without one of their biggest stars in Paris. Phoenix Suns’ forward and former NBA MVP Kevin Durant has been dealing with a calf injury. He missed the entirety of Team USA’s five-game exhibition schedule.

Of course, Durant’s presence won’t make-or-break the United States’ chances of winning a gold medal. After all, the team went 5-0 in their pre-Olympics showcase. While a few of the games were closer than anticipated, the United States has the star power to dominate any other country on the planet, with or without Durant.

That said, Durant’s presence would certainly be welcome. Even at 35 years old, Durant remains one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. He can get a bucket from anywhere on the court, which is a skill set any team could use. However, Durant’s nagging injury could be serious enough to keep him off the court.

Here are the latest updates on Durant’s injury and his availability for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Kevin Durant injury, latest updates:

Team USA still plans on having Durant for Olympics

In a tweet from The Athletic’s Joe Vardon yesterday, Vardon explained that while Durant would not be suiting up against Germany in Team USA’s final exhibition game, he is still expected to be available for the Olympics.

Vardon also noted that Durant was only expected to miss a week initially, which likely means that the team is just playing it very, very safe with Durant, not wanting to re-agitate his injury before the games start mattering.

Head coach Steve Kerr backed this idea up after the exhibition against Germany, claiming that there was ‘no thought’ to replace Durant on the USA roster.

Kerr would likely be looking for replacements if he was not expected to play in the Olympics, but Kerr’s insistence that Durant will not be replaced is a good omen for his availability.

Durant could miss Team USA’s first game

Despite Durant’s likely availability for the Olympics as a whole, it is still a possibility that he remains sidelined for the team’s first game against Serbia.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said as much on Sportscenter yesterday.

Windhorst does note that Serbia is an ‘excellent team.’ Durant would certainly give the United States an extra advantage. However, this is the same Serbia team that the U.S. beat 105-79 during their showcase less than a week ago. That was the U.S.’s biggest win of their showcase, so hopefully Durant wouldn’t be a necessity for Team USA.

How long has Durant been dealing with this injury?

According to reports, Durant has been dealing with this calf injury since before Team USA training camp started. The star forward has had a somewhat lengthy injury history over his 17-year NBA career, but none have seemed to have an impact on his game.

Kerr still wants to see Durant put together multiple practices in a row without any setbacks before committing to his return to the court. As noted though, Kerr is very optimistic about Durant’s availability moving forward. On Monday, Kerr told reporters, ‘I talked to him today. He said he was feeling better.’

Team USA’s game against Serbia is scheduled for July 28. Their next game after that is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31 against the same South Sudan team that nearly beat the United States during their showcase.

The NFL and its players may be moving closer to adding an 18th regular season game, potentially before their current collective bargaining agreement expires.

NFL players union chief Lloyd Howell told the Washington Post on Monday that while the two sides have not held any formal negotiations on the issue, there have been discussions ‘about ‘at a very, very, very high level superficially.’

Howell said the economic, health and safety concerns regarding an 18th game will be addressed in his upcoming meetings with players.

Under the current CBA, which expires after the 2030 season, the league cannot add another regular-season game to the schedule without the approval of the Players Association. However, Howell said that wouldn’t prevent a schedule change from going into effect sooner if both sides can reach an agreement.

“The simple fact of the matter is when you have a growing enterprise and there are opportunities within that intervening period of time where progress could be made and you could tweak the existing CBA legal document, why wouldn’t you want to do that?” Howell said. “So whether it’s field surface, whether it’s the (offseason) schedule, if you want to call that formal — I call it bargaining. I call it amendments. I call it updates to what is now a living document called a CBA.’

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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has already gone on record in favor of adding an 18th game to the schedule. By extending the regular season another week, it could allow the league to have Super Bowl weekend align with Presidents’ Day weekend, which means many fans would have the Monday after the game off.

Howell did not specify what concessions the players might seek in exchange for approving an 18th game. However, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has on multiple occasions suggested a second bye week for each NFL team would be an important part of making an expanded schedule palatable to the players.

Athletes from around the globe are converging at the Olympic Village in anticipation of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This global event, the Summer Olympics, will commence on Wednesday, July 24 and conclude on Sunday, August 11, uniting the world’s top athletes in a temporary home for over two weeks of exhilarating competition.

One aspect that has been making headlines is the eco-friendly and innovative approach to sustainability in the Olympic Village. For the second consecutive Olympic Games, the organizers have provided beds with cardboard bases, a decision that not only ensures the athletes’ utmost comfort but also underscores the Olympics’ unwavering commitment to sustainability and the use of recyclable materials.

Another focal point is what is fueling the over 10,000 athletes before the competition. The dining hall, accommodating 3,500 people, will be an around-the-clock service, catering to the diverse dietary needs of both the athletes and the staff. It will feature an exciting array of cuisines and offer grab-and-go options for athletes needing a quick bite to eat.

A unique accommodation option is available for athletes taking part in water-based events such as surfing in Teahupo’o, Tahiti. They will be housed in the inaugural ‘Floating Olympic Village’ on a 230-passenger ship named Aranui 5, marking a historic concept in the Olympic Games.

Here are the exciting details of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games that have been capturing everyone’s attention on social media.

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

Cardboard beds at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Athletes’ Village

The Olympic committee has been forthcoming ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games about its focus on being environmentally friendly in its designs, including sleeping arrangements.

The cardboard beds were first introduced at the 2020 Tokyo Games and are also being used at the upcoming Olympics in Paris. The beds are made entirely of sustainable materials sourced from France and will be fully recycled after the Summer Games, thus minimizing the environmental impact.

Dining hall at the 2024 Paris Olympic Game Athletes’ Village

With over 10,000 athletes staying in the Olympic Village, there is a wide variety of preferred palettes. During the 15-day period of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, it is estimated that the dining hall will serve over 13 million meals all for free.

Athletes and their sports teams can look forward to enjoying a wide variety of creative meals that showcase cuisine from over 208 territories and nations. This will include dishes from French, Asian, Italian, and more, all in one place, providing a convenient and stress-free dining experience during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The Olympic Village also has a grocery store for anything that the athletes may need.

Tahiti Floating Olympic Village

For the water-specific events, including surfing, the unique location of Teahupo’o, Tahiti, is set to host the second consecutive Olympic Games. This one-of-a-kind location is renowned for providing the kind of waves that surfers dream of.

Situated in the South Pacific Ocean, the French Polynesia, also known as Tahiti, is a unique location for the Olympic Games. The Olympic Committee has devised an innovative housing arrangement for athletes, considering the distance they have to cover between land and the ocean.

Athletes will be housed in temporary facilities modeled after traditional Polynesian homes known as ‘farés.’ After the games, these facilities will be relocated and repurposed as social housing, a move that will significantly benefit local communities. Additionally, athletes will be staying on a 230-passenger ship named Aranui 5, which is a historic first for the Olympic Games.

BEREA, Ohio — The contract dispute between wide receiver Amari Cooper and the Cleveland Browns has come to an end before it ever made it to training camp.

Cooper and the Browns have agreed to a restructured deal that will provide him $5 million through incentives as well as guaranteeing the original $20 million base salary, a person familiar with the deal confirmed for the Beacon Journal. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz was the first to report.

There have been no additional years put on the contract, and Cooper will get half of his guaranteed salary upfront in the form of a signing bonus. He remains a potential free agent at the end of the season.

The dispute first came to a head in June, when Cooper did not show up for the team’s mandatory minicamp. The Browns’ veterans reported for training camp on Tuesday, with Cooper’s reworked contract coming out that afternoon.

There were no players who didn’t report on time for the Browns.

All things Browns: Latest Cleveland Browns news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Cooper was subject to fines of $50,000 for each missed training camp day, according to the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association. He earned more than $101,000 in fines for the three minicamp days he missed.

The only public comment Cooper made in the offseason wasn’t even in a direct question about his contract dispute. He was interviewed by the gambling company Betr in June and was asked to be interviewer to show off his speed in a foot race.

‘I’d pull a hammy or something trying to race you,’ Cooper responded. ‘I’m trying to get paid this year.’

Cooper, 30, is on the final season of a five-year deal which was originally signed while he was with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. The Browns acquired him two years into the deal, in 2022, and immediately re-structured the deal to help create cap space that season, while also creating void years in 2025 and 2026.

Under the original deal, Cooper was scheduled to make $20 million, but it wasn’t guaranteed. His cap hit for the Browns this year under the previous deal was $23.776 million — which was the second-highest on the team behind only quarterback Deshaun Watson’s nearly $64 million — due to the prorated signing bonus from the 2022 restructuring.

Cooper has been one of the Browns’ most consistent players since arriving in the trade with Dallas, which will be Cleveland’s season-opening opponent on Sept. 8. Over two seasons, he appeared in 32 of a possible 34 regular-season games as well as last season’s playoff loss, with only one of those misses being directly due to an injury, that coming due to a heel injury in Week 17 last season against the New York Jets.

Cooper became the first Browns wide receiver to post back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. He’s posted 150 catches for 2,410 yards — eighth in the league in that span — and 14 touchdowns in the last two seasons.

This past season, Cooper earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection after catching 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns. That included a franchise-record 265 yards and two touchdowns on 11 catches in a Week 16 win at the Houston Texans.

Cooper’s leverage in the contract negotiations rested with the lack of proven commodities within the Browns’ wide receiver corps. Even the ‘established’ players — Jerry Jeudy, who was acquired in a March trade with the Denver Broncos, and Elijah Moore, who was picked up from the New York Jets last offseason — at the position have dealt with plenty of questions about their true ceiling.

Jeudy, who will play this season on the fourth year of his rookie deal after being a 2021 first-round pick of the Broncos, received a three-year, $52.5 million — $41 million guaranteed, $28.01 million newly guaranteed money — extension just days after being acquired by the Browns. Moore, a 2021 second-round pick of the Jets, is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Part of the haggling was to find the right balance of paying Cooper for his production, while protecting the Browns in a way due to his age. The negotiations were compounded by the number of large deals given to various wide receivers around the league, including deals to the Minnesota Vikings’ Justin Jefferson, the Philadelphia Eagles’ A.J. Brown and the Detroit Lions’ Amon-Ra St. Brown that made them the three highest-paid wide receivers by average annual value.

Jefferson and St. Brown are 25, while Brown is 27. Cooper turned 30 on June 17, and is one of eight 30-somethings among the top 20 wide receivers by average annual value of their contract.

No. 4 Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins, 30 years old, $30 million
No. 6 Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders, 32 years old, $28 million
No. 7 Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams, 31 years old, $26.7 million
No. 14 Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans, 30 years old, $23 million
No. 15 Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans, 32 years old, $22.52 million
No. 18 Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 31 years old, $20.5 million
No. 19 Keenan Allen, Chicago Bears, 32 years old, $20.025 million

The former No. 4 overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2015 draft out of the University of Alabama has played in 140 career regular-season games between the Raiders (2015-18), Cowboys (2018-21) and Browns (2022-present) with 667 catches for 9.486 yards and 60 touchdowns. He’s added 25 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns in five career playoff games, including four catches for 59 yards in the Browns’ AFC wild card loss to the Houston Texans in January.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

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