DieBruderschaft.com

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Shaking to samba and sharing reflections in uniquely Brazilian ways, Olympians and fans said goodbye to the Rio Games with one last big bash that was both revelatory and a sigh of relief.The Rio Games, the first in South America, were a 16-day spectacle that combined numerous highlight reel moments with ugly and even bizarre episodes that sometimes overshadowed the competitions. And Rio residents, known as Cariocas, were not about to let sporadic rains and strong wind gusts get in the way of a final hurrah.These were marvelous Olympic Games in the `marvelous city, said International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, playing off the cidade maravilhosa nickname of Brazils postcard city of inviting coastlines, year-round sun and lush tropical vegetation.While the stadium erupted in applause at that designation, a few minutes later there were boos of sadness when he announced: I declare the Games of the XXXI Olympiad closed.The closing ceremony in iconic Maracana Stadium was also meant to take care of some business -- formally signaling the transition to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.But Sundays party was all about Brazil, designed to be more low-key than the opening, which focused heavily on Rio.The ceremony featured original footage of Alberto Santos Dumont, the man that Brazilians recognize as the inventor of the airplane. The theme, Brazilians can do with their bare hands, was a nod to the emerging economy of the worlds fifth most populous nation.Dressed in colorful feathers, dozens of dancers formed in the shape of the arches of Lapa, a popular area of Rio akin to Roman ruins, then morphed to make the shape of iconic Sugarloaf before quickly changing again, this time to the official 2016 symbol.Samba legend Martinho da Vila, whose tunes make their way into many popular telenovelas, sang Carinhoso, or Affectionate.The athletes poured in under light rain, waving their flags while many shook their bodies to samba-infused pop that made the stadium feel like a Carnival parade. Britains athletes wore shoes with soles that lit up in changing colors of red, white and blue, while Tongan taekwondo athlete Pita Taufatofua danced onstage in a grass skirt as a DJ performed, reprising a moment that captured attention when he carried the flag for his country during the opening ceremony.The show widened its lens to greater Brazil, a massive country with a land mass slightly larger than the continental United States. There was a tribute to cave paintings of some of the first inhabitants of the Americas, in Serra da Capivara, in Northeastern Brazil, today the nations poorest region.Spectators got to see performers shake it to frevo, a frenetic dance that -- if its even possible -- makes high-octane samba seem like a staid ballroom affair. Holding small umbrellas, dancers jumped and marched while performing acrobatics.They shook it to Vassourinhas, which means small brooms, a popular song that was also the name of a famous club in the northeastern city of Recife.The show also built performances around saudade, which means anything from longing for someone to sadness to remembering good times. It is one of the most important words in Brazilian Portuguese. Lights flashed translations for the word in many languages, and a group of women sang Mulher Rendeira, or Lace-making Woman, a nod to the countrys African heritage. Brazil was the last country in the Americas to outlaw slavery, in 1888.The games had many memorable moments, both for Brazilian competitors at home and athletes from around the world.Soccer-crazed Brazil got partial payback against Germany, winning gold two years after a 7-1 World Cup semifinal shellacking that left many in Latin Americas largest nation fuming. American gymnast Simone Biles asserted her dominance with four golds, swimmer Michael Phelps added five more to up his staggering total to 23 and the worlds fastest man, Usain Bolt, put on his usual show with three golds just days before turning 30 years old.But there were also ugly episodes, like American swimmer Ryan Lochtes fabricated story about a harrowing robbery that was actually an intoxicated-fueled vandalism of a gas station bathroom, and bizarre issues like Olympic diving pools going from crystal blue to gunky, algae green -- at a time when Rios water quality in open waters is one of the biggest local environmental issues.Theres widespread expectation that the games in Tokyo, one of the worlds richest, most recognizable, cosmopolitan cities, will run more smoothly than they have in Rio. But theres also worry in Japan over whether the Olympics will eventually further drag down an economy that has been struggling for decades.The governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, accepted the flag from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, signaling the transition.Many people, from Brazilians to IOC members, will analyze how things went for the Rio Games in the months ahead. But on Sunday, one strong sentiment was relief -- that despite some problems, overall the games went well.That wasnt a given going in. The Zika virus scared away some competitors and tourists, rampant street crime in Rio and recent extremist attacks around the world raised fears about safety and Brazils political crisis, and the economic angst behind it, threatened to cast a pall over the competitions.We are very resilient, we didnt leave anything important unaddressed, said Augusta Porto, 36, a translator and Rio resident. We can welcome people despite the serious problems that we have faced in the recent past.---This story has been corrected to reflect that Brazil lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup semifinal, not final.---AP Summer Games website: http://summergames.ap.org---Peter Prengaman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/peterprengamanMauricio Savarese on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MSavarese Wholesale Adidas Nmd .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Cheap Fake Air Max 95 .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. http://www.outletsneakersclearance.com/ . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Vapormax China Paypal .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Cyber Monday Vans Shoes . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. MILWAUKEE -- For a team that leads the major leagues in stolen bases, the Milwaukee Brewers looked pretty powerful at the plate Monday night.I think we were kind of due for a night like that, manager Craig Counsell said.Martin Maldonado hit a three-run homer and Milwaukee went deep four times, spoiling the major league debut of Arizona pitching prospect Braden Shipley in a 7-2 victory over the Diamondbacks.Maldys home run was the play of the game, for sure. Thats the spot where we got some breathing room, Counsell said. It was a back-breaker for them.Maldonados drive chased Shipley. The backup catcher said he saw multiple curveballs in his first two at-bats and was sitting on a first-pitch curve in the sixth, which he hammered over the left-field fence.Hittings about timing, Maldonado said.Scooter Gennett, Jonathan Villar and pinch-hitter Andy Wilkins also connected for the Brewers in the opener of a four-game series. Chase Anderson went five innings to beat his former team for his first win since June 8.Acquired from the Diamondbacks in the offseason, Anderson (5-10) hadnt made it through five innings in any of his previous five starts. This time, he gave up two runs and seven hits.I had more conviction behind the pitches. I think my focus was where it needed to be, Anderson said.Gennett hit a 437-foot homer to straightaway center field off Shipley (0-1) with one out in the first to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. The right-hander was selected 15th overall by Arizona in the 2013 amateur draft.Shipley helped his cause when he led off the third with a stand-up double, narrowly missing a home run. He later scored on a single by Jean Segura.Villar put the Brewers back in front with a home run leading off the third. The Diamondbacks pulled even in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Yasmany Tomas.In the fifth, Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a run-scoring single, putting Milwaukee ahead 3-2.Wilkins followed Maldonados three-run shot in the sixth with his first career home run -- he had been 0 for 9 since getting called up ffrom Triple-A Colorado Springs this month.ddddddddddddMAKE ROOMThe Diamondbacks selected the contract of Shipley, rated their top prospect, from Triple-A Reno. RHP Silvino Bracho was optioned to Reno.MOMENT TO REMEMBERWilkins wife and young son were in the stands to share in the celebration of his first round-tripper. As soon as I hit it, I looked up and saw (my wife), so it was awesome, said Wilkins, who has been used almost exclusively as a pinch-hitter. This is an incredible moment and something that my wife and son, we will enjoy it forever.RETURN TO MILWAUKEEJean Segura and Rickie Weeks, once key players for the Brewers, returned to Miller Park as teammates on the Diamondbacks. We knew, when we traded for Jean, the talent that he had, Arizona manager Chip Hale said. Hes just been a godsend for us. Rickie is a veteran with a dangerous bat. Hes been a stabilizer in the clubhouse.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke, on the disabled list since June 29 with a left oblique strain, is likely to pitch a simulated game with the Diamondbacks or a minor league rehab game on Friday, Hale said.Brewers: INF Will Middlebrooks (lower right leg strain) was placed on the 15-day DL. I think were too early to know exactly how long hell be out. Its a pretty significant strain, Counsell said. OF Keon Broxton was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... OF Domingo Santana (right elbow) has been shut down from a rehabilitation assignment at Class A Wisconsin. Its a big setback. I dont have a timetable, Counsell said. Well have to get another doctors opinion and see if that sheds any light on anything.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (4-9, 5.23 ERA) is 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA in his career against Milwaukee.Brewers: Matt Garza (1-4, 5.94) has lost his last four starts while posting an 8.41 ERA. Milwaukee is 1-6 in his outings. Garza is 5-2 with a 2.70 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) against the Diamondbacks. ' ' '