Macintosh: Euro 2016 Heroes and Villains

Cristiano Ronaldo le quita de un tirón un micrófono a un periodista y lo lanza a un lago
ESPN FC"s Craig Burley reflects on Iceland qualifying for the round of 16.

With Euro 2016 reaching the business end of the tournament, there"s been plenty to look back on. While heroes and potential match-winners have emerged in France, there"s been plenty of flops and villains too.

Here"s a look back at the winners and losers, starting with the good guys ...

Heroes

So much for diluting the quality. The success stories of the so-called minnows have been the highlight of the tournament. The incredible Iceland side, drawn from a pittance of a population. The wonderful Welsh, at their first tournament since 1958. The Irish and the Northern Irish, roared on by their incredible supporters. The redoubtable Hungarians, who never give up. And a word for poor Albania, whose gallantry against the odds will live long in the memory. There are still issues with the tournament"s expansion to 24 teams, but quality isn"t one of them.

Andres Iniesta gets better and better. An excellent performance in Spain"s 3-0 win against Turkey was capped with a sensational evasive manoeuvre that kids all over the world will be trying in the park. Surrounded by onrushing Turkish midfielders, Iniesta simply took the ball out of the equation by flicking it straight up in the air and taking a step sideways. Then, with adequate space duly created, Iniesta simply brought the falling ball back under control and nudged it out to Juanfran. Magnificent.

There"s 102 seconds left. France, favourites to win the European Championships in their own back yard, have a problem. They"ve allowed Romania back into the game and for all their available talent, they can"t find a way through. A 1-1 draw would give Switzerland a good chance to win the group, shutting the door on the pre-planned soft route to the semifinals. And then the ball falls to Dimitri Payet, surrounded by Romanian defenders, just outside the penalty area. He takes a touch with his right foot and then unleashes a thunderbolt with his left. France 2-1 Romania. Problem solved.

How many heroes have really turned up in France? Not many. But Gareth Bale has been everything that Wales required him to be and more. There"s no trace of ego, there"s no sense that he has taken a higher orbit than his teammates. He"s scored in every game, and you wouldn"t want to bet against him continuing that record for a while longer yet. And those free-kicks ... Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane may have a very tricky decision to make next season.

Gareth Bale"s goals have propelled Wales to the round of 16.

Yes, there have been obvious exceptions, but out here in France it"s impossible not to be swept up by the euphoria of the supporters. All across the country, people from every nation have celebrated, commiserated and in many cases, become wildly inebriated with each other. The hope now is that it will continue into the latter stages and that the competition will be seen as a sign of what unites Europe, rather than a reminder of the ugliness that can divide it.

Villains

This was a profoundly miserable tournament for Russia. If Iceland, with their climate and tiny population of around 300,000, can fix their national team, the largest nation on earth really has no excuse. Leonid Slutsky brought an over-matured, painfully slow team to France and they were fortunate only to be thrashed once, as Wales thumped them 3-0. There are few positives that can be drawn from this. A dramatic and lightning fast overhaul is required if they"re to have any hope of avoiding humiliation in 2018 when they host the World Cup. And we haven"t even mentioned theproblems off the pitch ...

There was something very sad about Ukraine"s dismal showing. A nation beset by issues far more serious than football might have united in an inspirational display of national pride. But it really didn"t work out like that. There were worries in the camp already, feuds between key players and serious disciplinary problems. There were faint signs in their 2-0 loss to Germany that they might be able to overcome it all, but their display in the 2-0 defeat against Northern Ireland was absolutely pitiful. They leave not just without a point, but without even a single goal.

Dark horses? No chance. Austria were a pantomime horse. Not a real horse at all, just some sweaty men in a costume doing their best not to fall over in front of everyone. There was more than enough talent in that team to facilitate a run to the latter stages, but they lost their way in the first game against Hungary, the opening exchanges of which they dominated, and never came back. This could have been the summer when one of the grand old powers of European football reasserted itself for the first time in decades. Well, actually it was. It was just a different grand old power.

David Alaba had a tournament to forget as Austria were eliminated in the group stages.

He redeemed himself on the pitch with a fine performance in the 3-3 draw against Hungary, but Cristiano Ronaldo"scomments about Icelandwere spectacularly misjudged. It"s a tiny nation in their first ever tournament against top seeded Portugal with one of the world"s best players up front -- of course they"re going to try to defend. Ronaldo has seemed troubled this summer, snapping on Wednesday andthrowing an intrusive reporter"s microphone in a lake, later electing not to speak to the press in either his man of the match presentation or the mixed zone afterwards. Despite the schadenfreude, it"s hard not the feel sympathetic to the pressure he is under. But he hasn"t helped himself.

Amid the joy and the excitement, UEFA has some serious questions to answer about their handling of this tournament. The policy of blindly matching up games with stadia, regardless of the size of teams and security concerns, has to change. Security is supposed to be tight, but a pitch invader managed to getwithin inches of one of the world"s most famous players. Fans aresupposed to feel safe, but thousands had to flee in Marseille as Russian Ultras poured through inadequate stewarding. Checks are supposed to be thorough, but pyrotechnics, firecrackers and, in one instance a flare gun, have all made frequent appearances in France. It hasn"t been good enough.

Iain Macintosh is a writer for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @IainMacintosh.

Source: http://www.espnfc.com/european-championship/74/blog/post/2900440/bale-and-payet-euros-heroes-while-cristiano-ronaldo-is-a-villain

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Officer Found Not Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in Freddie Gray Trial

Baltimore cop acquitted in Freddie Gray"s death

Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., the third of six Baltimore police officers to stand trial for their alleged role in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, was found not guilty of second-degree murder today by Judge Barry Williams.

Goodson, who drove the police van carrying Gray, 25, faced up to 30 years in prison if he was convicted of the most serious charge, second-degree depraved-heart murder. He chose to leave his fate up to a judge instead of a jury.

Goodson and the packed courtroom sat silent throughout the judge"s reading of the verdict. Deputies had warned those in attendance against overt protests. Officer Edward Nero, who was found not guilty by the same judge last month, sat in the front row. Outside, seven brown-shirted sheriff"s deputies guarded the front door of the courthouse as protesters chanted and held signs.

The verdict comes three days after arguments wrapped up in the case. Williams was tasked with deciding when during the ride Gray sustained the injury that led to his death and whether that injury was a result of actions taken or not taken by Goodson.

Goodson was also found not guilty of manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. He pleaded not guilty on all counts.

A protester displays a sign outside a courthouse after Officer Caesar Goodson was acquitted of all charges in his trial in Baltimore, June 23, 2016.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a statement on the judge"s decision today, asking residents to remain patient in the process and to respect the ruling.

"Now that the criminal case has come to an end, Officer Goodson will face an administrative review by the Police Department. We once again ask the citizens to be patient and to allow the entire process to come to a conclusion," she said. "I am proud that we as a community have come together to move our city forward over the past year. I know that the citizens of Baltimore will continue to respect the judicial process and the ruling of the court."

SLIDESHOW: Public Reaction to Freddie Gray Trial Verdicts")

Prosecutors had to prove that Goodson acted with such wanton and reckless disregard for human life that it amounted to malice. During closing remarks Monday, Williams seemed confused by the states argument that a wide right turn taken by Goodson was part of a "rough ride," asking, "Can we not agree that taking a turn wide is less dangerous?"

A "rough ride" is police lingo for teaching someone a lesson by putting him or her in a police wagon without a seat belt and driving so jarringly that the person is thrown around, according to The Associated Press.

Protesters stand outside the courthouse during the trial of officer Caesar Goodson, one of six Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, in Baltimore, Maryland, June 23, 2016.

Williams also questioned prosecutors why Goodson stopped to check on Gray if it was the officer"s intent to give a rough ride. Obtained surveillance footage from the time of the ride shows Goodson stopping the van after the wide right turn in question, walking to the back of the vehicle, looking in, returning to the front and getting back behind the wheel before calling dispatch for backup.

A representative for the Office of the State"s Attorney for Baltimore City, Marilyn Mosby, said, "We will not be issuing any statement and will continue to respect the gag order implemented by the judge."

Goodson"s attorney Andrew Jay Graham declined to comment on today"s decision.

Baltimore City State"s Attorney Mosby Marilyn Mosby, center, exits the courthouse after a verdict was issued in the trial of officer Caesar Goodson in Baltimore, Maryland, June 23, 2016.

Gray died after suffering a severe neck and spinal cord injury. During the trial, the defense argued that the neck and spinal cord injury occurred simultaneously in a catastrophic moment before his arrival at the police station. The prosecution argued that the neck injury resulted from the alleged rough ride and progressively worsened through the remaining stops and that the officers neglected to get Gray medical care leading to his death.

Williams also presided in the previous cases of Officers William Porter and Edward Nero. Porters trial ended with a hung jury in December, and he will be retried in September. Nero, who also opted for a bench trial by Williams, was acquitted last month.

ABC News" Jim Avila and Sarah Kolinovsky contributed to this report.

Get real-time updates as this story unfolds. To start, just "star" this story in ABC News" phone app. Download ABC News for iPhone here or ABC News for Android here.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-issue-verdict-3rd-freddie-gray-trial/story?id%3D40056378

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Indiana Pacers Trade George Hill for Jeff Teague

Jeff Teague Full Highlights 2016.02.01 vs Mavericks - 32 Pts, 8 Assists, TEAgue-TIME!

The Indiana Pacers have traded George Hill for Jeff Teague, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Rumors circled around the trade deadline that the Atlanta Hawks were looking to move on fromtheir former All-Star point guard in order to make way for the younger, 22-year-old Dennis Schrder to take over the team and start a new era. The Pacers were one destination mentioned, with reports suggesting that George Hill might be a player involved in a potential swap.

And now it is official: The Hawks have moved on, and the Pacers have gotten a point guard who team president Larry Bird has shown interest in while parting ways withthe Hometown Hero.

To sum up the deal,Teague goes to Indiana, Hill goes to Utah, and the Jazzs #12 pick goes to Atlanta.

In swapping Hill for Teague, the Pacers get a more natural point guard who isbetter playmaker and a much better scorer. He is also someone who has given rise to a #PlayoffTeague hashtag for his ability to play well in big games in the postseason.

More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds

Despitefewer minutes in the 2015-16 season, due to Schrders emergence, Teague is coming off his best scoring season ever in terms of points per 36 minutes with 19.6. He also posted a career-high 40.0% from 3-point range. In more troubling news, he just had his worst season of finishing at the rim, making a paltry 56.3% of this attempts in the restricted area.

In losing George Hill, the Pacers get worse on defense. Hill has been a stalwart at guarding his position since joining his hometown club in the summer of 2011. He was particularly fantastic in slowing down Kyle Lowry as the Pacers nearly upset the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs this year.

He is also a much more versatile player than Teague. Hill, by his own admission, is neither a point guard nor a shooting guard hes just a guard. He was able to set upthe offense or be a great knockdown shooter in the corners when Paul George, Lance Stephenson, or Monta Ellis dominated the ball.

For a team that needs more offense, however, this is likely a good move. Teague can score and the Pacers do need that, even if a three-man perimeter of Teague, Monta Ellis, and Paul George as it stands now would seem to need an extra basketball to work optimally.

This is also helpful for a team that wants to keep getting better as Paul George and Myles Turner age. Teague is just 28, two years younger than Hill, so he can stick around longer as Turner grows into the near-All-Star that many expect him to be in a few more seasons.

Both Teague and Hill have near identical contracts, with one year around $8 million left on their deals. So Indiana is not tradingsomeone locked up longterm for a rental.

Moreover, according to Wojnarowski, the Pacers are also trying to sign Teague to an extension immediately.

Indiana can have up to $34.4 million in cap room this summer, so locking in an extension now would be a crafty way to essentially not use up any of that room while also signing a free agent to a long-term deal.

Hill gave solid years to Indiana and was a key cog in a defensive-minded team that went to back-to-back Eastern Conference finals while giving the Miami Heat all they could handle.

But those days are long gone and Larry Bird wants more buckets.

Nobody can yet know if this trade will work out, but Jeff Teague is a bucket getter.

Source: http://8points9seconds.com/2016/06/22/indiana-pacers-trade-george-hill-for-jeff-teague/

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NBA trades have already started - when will the Celtics get involved?

Biggest NBA Trades That Almost Happened

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Derrick Rose, Jeff Teague, and others have been traded. Whos next?

The NBA Draft is still a day away but we had two trades of note today.

First the Hawks, Jazz, and Pacers completed a 3 team trade. Jeff Teague goes to the Pacers, George Hill goes to the Jazz, and the 12th pick goes to the Hawks.

Marc Stein noted that the Hawks are now shopping their 12th and 21st picks in an effort to convince Al Horford to stick around in free agency. If they do keep the 12th pick theyll likely target one of the bigs that are likely to be available in that range.

An interesting note from the Celtics perspective is that the Sixers were in those discussions up to the last minute - per Jonathan Givony.

If the Sixers really want a veteran PG, does that mean rumors of their interest in Dunn are overblown? Or will they now be more motivated than ever to make a move for any point guard? Complicating matters (at least in my mind) is the growing sentiment that Ben Simmons will operate mostly as a point forward anyway.

The other big news today was that Derrick Rose was traded (along with Justin Holiday and a future 2nd) to the Knicks for Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon and Jerian Grant.

Unless the Bulls are going into full blow-up mode, this would seem to indicate that they are focused on building a team around Jimmy Butler. So the Celtics might have one less star player option to pursue on draft night.

That doesnt mean that Ainge will be any less active on the phones tomorrow. He apparently hasnt gotten very close to anything as of yet, but it sounds like hes prepared for several different scenarios.

All eyes are on the Celtics as the draft approaches. My final mock draft is as follows:

Simmons

Ingram

chaos

Source: http://www.celticsblog.com/2016/6/22/12009908/nba-trades-have-already-started---when-will-the-celtics-get-involved

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The Latest: After Cleveland parade, rally for James in Akron (Jun 22, 2016)

Cleveland Cavaliers Championship Parade

CLEVELAND (AP) The Latest on the parade for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who made a historic comeback to win the NBA title (all times local):

10:50 a.m.

For LeBron James, the party won"t stop anytime soon.

The huge parade in Cleveland on Wednesday won"t be the last celebration for James and his title with the Cavaliers. He will be honored in his hometown of Akron on Thursday with a community-wide rally.

James has had a major impact with children in his hometown and last year his foundation established a scholarship that will cover tuition for city students who enroll at Akron University and maintain good grades.

James has never forgotten where he"s from and often refers to himself as ""just a kid from Akron, Ohio.""

---

10:45 a.m.

A Cleveland television station is reporting that some flights have been delayed at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport because of traffic problems as thousands of fans planning to attend the Cleveland Cavaliers victory parade and celebration went to the airport to catch trains into downtown.

WJW-TV reports (http://bit.ly/28PRmA8) that some air crews have been having problems reaching Hopkins, delaying flights. Parking lots at the airport also are full.

Hopkins officials could not be reached Monday morning.

There are also reports of long waits for trains at Hopkins.

---

10:30 a.m.

Police are struggling to handle the overflowing crowd near Mall B, the large outdoor area where the Cavaliers post-parade championship rally will take place.

Cars became stuck at intersections along Lakeside Avenue as the crowd, more than 30 deep in some spots on the sidewalk, broke through barriers and stopped traffic in downtown Cleveland.

Complicating matters, a concrete mixer was blocked and its driver needed help from officers to back down the street as pedestrians darted and dashed around him. Much of Cleveland is under construction or renovation as the city gets ready to host the Republican National Convention next month.

---

10:15 a.m.

Cleveland fans upset with the planned removal of the giant LeBron James banner across from Quicken Loans Arena can take some comfort in knowing that Sherwin-Williams Co. will put it back up this fall.

The company announced in May that it would be replace the 10-story-tall James banner with a red, white and blue one that says, ""This Land is Our Land."" A company spokesman says that banner is meant to celebrate Sherwin-Williams" 150th anniversary and to welcome visitors to the Republican National Convention.

Upset fans recently created a petition drive on Change.org urging the company not to remove the James banner after he led the Cavaliers to the city"s first major sports title in 52 years.

The spokesman says the LeBron banner will stay up until July 4, two weeks before the start of the convention. The tri-color banner will be on the wall of the paint company"s headquarters for about three months.

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9:45 a.m.

Fans of all size, shapes, colors and ages are lining downtown Cleveland streets dozens deep hours before a parade celebrating the Cavaliers" improbable NBA championship.

Twenty-nine-year-old Megan Esposito got to work early on Monday to make sure she could take a personal day. She said she recently moved back to hometown Cleveland and she"s ""never leaving again.""

Bars throughout downtown had filled by 9 a.m., and lines at coffee shops snaked out the door and onto the streets.

The open areas accessible to the public around the rally stage were jammed with people.

High-end convertibles parked in rows near Progressive Field waited to carry Cleveland"s conquering heroes past their adoring fans. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving will be riding in style in Rolls-Royce sedans.

---

8:15 a.m.

A parade held somewhere else for more than a half-century is rolling through Cleveland.

No longer the b**t of jokes, it"s a title town again.

Hundreds of thousands of fans, some arriving Tuesday night to camp on the sidewalk for the best view, are lining the downtown streets to cheer superstar LeBron James and the Cavaliers, who made history by overcoming a 3-1 deficit to beat Golden State in the NBA Finals and end the city"s 52-year championship drought.

Cleveland fans young and old are partying like its 1964. This is the celebration James promised when he returned to his home state two years ago.

The Akron-born James was named Finals MVP, and his third title solidifies his place among the game"s greats. He was already Ohio basketball royalty - King James - and he"s now the one who stopped a half-century of sports suffering.

Source: http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/the-latest-after-cleveland-parade-rally-for-james-in-akron-062216

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WatchMojo Hacked: One Of YouTube"s Biggest Channels Compromised By Internet Trolls [VIDEO]

WatchMojo Hacked!!!!

WatchMojo, one of the most popular channels of YouTube with over 12 million subscribers, has been hacked.

WatchMojo, one of the most popular channels of YouTube with over 12 million subscribers, has been hacked. (Photo : Getty Images)

Subscribers of one of YouTube"s most popular channels, WatchMojo, were greeted with an unusual surprise on Wednesday evening, as a couple of hackers, known only as Obnoxious and Pein, hacked the lineup of the channel"s videos.

The two hackers then proceeded to rename almost all of WatchMojo"s videos with the title "HACKED BY OBNOXIOUS AND PEIN twitter.com/poodlecorp." Since the channel was compromised, the hackers have uploaded two new videos, Top 5 Facts About the Yakuza and a video about Neanderthal myths. Apart from these, however, the hackers have not touched anything else on the channel.

Though most of WatchMojo"s videos still remain hacked as of writing, the popular channel announced that it is fully aware of the hack. WatchMojo further stated that it has already contacted YouTube about the incident and that it is already starting to fix the changes to its videos.

The identity of the two hackers has not been determined so far, though the cyber attackers have been quite tame with regards to the changes they initiated to the hacked channel. Notably, when the hack went public, some internet trolls have even encouraged the hackers to delete the channel and all its videos. Thankfully, the hackers seemed to have opted for a rather harmless hack instead.

Nevertheless, the massive security breach on the popular channel has turned heads in the computer security world. After all, the hack could have easily compromised the channel"s 12 million subscribers, who could have been redirected by the hackers to websites that deliver Ransomware.

WatchMojo boasts more than 12 million subscribers on YouTube, with the channel becoming very popular due to its daily Top 10 uploads. Its signature lists tackle almost everything under and beyond the Sun, from facts about pop culture, mythology and even space.

Since its acknowledgment of the hack, WatchMojo has been pretty silent. Its videos, however, have started reverting back to their old titles. With the channel"s penchant for making Top 10 lists, however, it would not be surprising at all if this very hack makes it to a list pretty soon.

Source: http://www.enstarz.com/articles/164973/20160623/watchmojo-hacked-one-youtubes-biggest-channels-compromised-internet-trolls-video.htm

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1st Round NBA Draft Pick

*Jerian Grant 23 Points 12 Assists VS Duke* (HD) Unbelievable Game!!

Jerian Grant

ACC Champ1st Round NBA Draft Pick@NYKnicks Point Guard

Watch Jerian"s top-5 ND plays.#NDinNBA[link url="https://t.co/DUodmSmJS7" ]https://t.co/DUodmSmJS7[/link]

The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) June 16, 2016

Former Notre Dame star Jerian Grant had a lot of highlights during his career with the Fighting Irish, and on Thursday the official Fighting Irish Twitter account sent out a video with Grant"s top five highlights in his college career.

The footage included a steal and a slam, a 3-pointer inside the shamrock, a juggling jumper against Duke, an incredible game against Louisville and one of the best dunks you"ll ever see against Georgia Tech.

The first-round pick of the New York Knicks was an outstanding player for the Irish, one that is missed - even more when you watch highlights like these.

PHOTOS: Sound Mind Sound Body DetroitStart SlideShow

Source: http://notredame.247sports.com/Bolt/Throwback-Thursday-video-Jerian-Grants-top-plays-45841182

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