data-mm-id=”_nv8ft5fj7″>While most people are paying very close attention to the Iowa State Fair, there's another Midwestern gathering going on at the neighboring Illinois State Fair. While Ron DeSantis and other Republican presidential hopefuls are in Iowa, Illinois has to settle for Governor J.B. Pritzker who was nice enough to stop and sign a baseball for Dick Bigger Jr., of Biggsville, Illinois. Gov. J. B. Pritzker signs baseballs for Dick Bigger Jr., of Biggsville, during Governors Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. Bigger has politicians sign baseballs every year he attends the fair and has a ball signed by fmr. President Obama. pic.twitter.com/tHExRwJGZn— Trent Sprague (@tspraguephoto) August 16, 2023If that name sounds familiar, congratulations. Or perhaps you just remember him from the last election cycle when he appeared in a campaign ad for Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Bigger Jr. caught the attention of the late night shows back in November. It is no surprise that a larger-than-life character like Dick Bigger Jr. has captured the world's attention previously. And while his name remains double-take worthy whenever it pops up, his hobby remains just as noteworthy. While he didn't mention getting autographs in the Comptroller ad, you have to assume he's got a Mendoza ball on his shelf at home. It also begs the question – is a baseball the best thing to get signed? Obama's autograph on a napkin or piece of paper off a notepad would be kind of boring. Sure, a signed campaign poster or yard sign would be neat, but those take up a lot of space on the wall. But you put that signature on a baseball and properly display it kind of makes perfect sense. Maybe politicians should start carrying around baseballs to sign for voters. It could certainly wrap up the Sandlot voters.
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Jurgen Klopp was delighted for Jordan Henderson after the Liverpool captain continued to silence critics by winning the Champions League.
Henderson helped Klopp s men to a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the Champions League final in Madrid on Saturday.
The England midfielder has been the subject of criticism during his time at Anfield, where he arrived in 2011, and Klopp was thrilled for the 28-year-old.
I m happy for the boys. You know what people said about a couple of players of this team, he told a news conference.
Jordan Henderson is captain of the Champions League winner 2019 – that s satisfying actually.
CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
That Millie [James Milner] did it at the age of 33. They are all very impo…
Barcelona vice president Jordi Mestre has resigned amid reports he is unhappy about the apparently imminent dismissal of sporting director Pep Segura.
Mestre had been a director since 2010 and became vice president four years later but it has been claimed his departure is a show of solidarity to Segura, who is under pressure.
Local media in Barcelona reported on Wednesday that Mestre had refused to join fellow directors for a meeting purportedly planned to discuss the potential sacking of Segura.
Barca s sporting director has received significant criticism during his two years in the role, with the club s transfer business in that period generally underwhelming and often expensive.
Sport claim there has also been specific concern over Segura s work with…
Spanish veteran striker David Villa has announced his plans to leave the MLS after four seasons with New York City FC.
The World Cup winner is nearing the end of his contract with the American side and will leave New York on 1st January 2019.
Villa scored whopping 80 goals in 124 MLS appearances for the Boys in Blue, becoming the club’s first captain in the process.
David Villa has expressed his plans to continue playing. The 36-year-old forward has yet to reveal his plans in detail but reports coming from Spain indicate David Villa could move to Japan.
Joining compatriots Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres as a third big Spanish attraction in the J.League is a possibility for Villa, who is at the moment being linked with Yokohama F. Marinos.
…
According to a recent report from Sky Sports News, Aston Villa are interested in the possibility of trying to sign Leicester City forward Islam Slimani. The striker is currently on loan at French club Monaco, but with Villa doing everything in their power to try and bring in a few new faces to the club, Slimani could get the call – alongside Mbwana Samatta who is set to undergo a medical with the club ahead of a proposed move from Genk.
In regards to Slimani, though, the deal is a little bit more complicated than that. The loan at Monaco means that Villa would need an agreement from both teams in order for a loan deal to be officially sanctioned.
Those issues shouldn’t be impossible to overcome, but it’s certainly still an obstacle of some description. <…
West Ham 2-0 Manchester United: Rashford limps off as lacklustre visitors fall to defeat at London S
Manchester United s mini revival was ended by West Ham as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at the London Stadium.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s men had won back-to-back matches in all competitions heading into Sunday s Premier League clash but were beaten by goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Cresswell late in both halves.
Yarmolenko scored the breakthrough goal 44 minutes in and Cresswell converted a free-kick six minutes from time to kill off United, who ended the match without a recognised striker after losing Marcus Rashford to injury.
Victory for the visitors would have lifted them into third place but it is West Ham who leap up the table, Manuel Pellegrini s men moving into the top four thanks to their third win of the season.
We ve done it again.
Edinson Cavani is in line to start Paris Saint-Germain s Ligue 1 clash with Brest on Saturday, head coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed.
The French club s all-time leading scorer is out of contract at the end of the season and has cut a frustrated figure since returning from a hip injury last month.
He was an unused sub in the wins over Nice and Club Brugge last month and has been restricted to appearances off the bench in PSG s three most recent matches.
However, in-form striker Mauro Icardi is a fitness doubt with a foot injury sustained in Wednesday s 1-0 win against Club Brugge, opening the door for Cavani to make his first start since August 25.
4 goals in 4 matches for in the
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English)
It is…
Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in signing Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria, according to . Zakaria is out of contract at Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2022 and has already decided to leave the German club on a free transfer. However, the Bundesliga club would prefer to sell the 25-year-old defensive midfielder in the January transfer window and are looking for €6-7m.
Premier League giants Manchester United have already made an offer for Zakaria, but Arsenal are also interested in the Switzerland international. Both the Red Devils and the Gunners are looking to finish in the top four of the Premier League table this season.
Zakaria has been on the books of Mönchengladbach since 2017 and is rated as one of the better defensive midfie…
Joachim Low has dropped a heavy hint that Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz will earn their maiden Germany call-ups for this month s World Cup qualifiers.
Musiala has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Bayern Munich and last month the 18-year-old attacking midfielder pledged his allegiance to Germany, having also represented England at youth level.
Having become the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history when he netted for Bayer Leverkusen in June last year, Wirtz has scored seven times in 30 appearances across all competitions this season.
His participation in Germany s games against Iceland, Romania and North Macedonia will depend upon him recovering from a positive coronavirus test at the start of this month, but Low is keen to involve both highly rated youn…
Verdict: Juventus and over 2.5 goals
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
Cristiano Ronaldo will get another chance to score against his former club as Juventus and Manchester United face off in Turin on Wednesday night.
Juventus
Starting with the hosts, enjoying yet another very bright season both in Europe and in Serie A, many have Juventus tipped as one of the leading contenders in this year s Champions League. Winning all three of their opening games in Europe, The Old Lady have already booked their spot in the knockout stage and Massimiliano Allegri s side appear to be going from strength to strength. Picking up a 3-1 win over Cagliari in their last outing, Juve are unbeaten in their 14 matches across all competitions this season, winning 13 of those appearan…
Kasper Schmeichel lauded Leicester City s undescribable FA Cup final triumph as a 1-0 win over Chelsea gave them the trophy for the first time.
Youri Tielemans hit the only goal in the rain at Wembley on Saturday, allowing the Foxes to celebrate with their returning fans under the arch.
That was Leicester s only shot on target, though, and the rest of the drama was reserved for the opposite end of the pitch in the closing stages.
A Wes Morgan own goal was ruled out by the VAR as Ben Chilwell strayed offside, but Schmeichel had twice brilliantly denied Chelsea before that incident.
The Leicester goalkeeper made only three saves yet crucially lunged after a downward Chilwell header and then denied Mason Mount.
Schmeichel became the first keeper sinc…