Dein erstes Forum » countrymen. He believes Paul Pogba is a world-class

RIO DE JANEIRO -- On a corner outside the athletes village, a soldier carrying an automatic weapon tried his best to keep from smiling as he posed for a cameraman trying to put a face on security at the Olympics.All is not quite fun and games just yet in Rio, though beleaguered organizers are hoping that changes soon. Most competitions begin Saturday and, barring a potential disaster, the discussion may actually turn from the problems of Rio to sports from badminton to basketball in an extravaganza that only the worlds biggest sporting event can bring.It will happen in a city of astonishing beauty and incredible poverty. It will happen despite worries about everything from virus-carrying mosquitoes to gun-toting criminals.And it will happen with some athletes eyeing each other carefully, not knowing if the playing field is truly level.The Rio Olympics open with a lot more at stake than gold medals and national pride. Not since Los Angeles rescued the troubled movement with a stripped-down version of the games in 1984 has there been more trepidation about the future of the massive sporting event.Some issues, like the Zika mosquitoes, were out of the control of the International Olympic Committee. Others were things they simply failed to control, like the rampant dopers who have made a mockery of the Olympic movement itself.Bowing down to Vladimir Putin and allowing Russian athletes to remain in the games may have prevented a full-blown Cold War from breaking out among Olympic nations. But it also highlighted a schism between Olympic officials and those running the World Anti-Doping Agency, bringing into question their commitment to clean sport.It also exposed the IOC as a spineless organization more bent on self-preservation than on ensuring cheaters are not allowed in any Olympic sport.Disappointing, but hardly surprising.These are the same people, you might remember, who awarded the first Olympics in South America to Rio in 2009, buying without question the promise that in seven years Rio would somehow clean up waters long polluted by raw sewage and build mass transportation systems to whisk people around town.Instead, the citys highways are a logjam and on Saturday athletes will row their way through the slimy and dangerous waters of Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, where hastily erected barricades and garbage collection boats will be on duty so that television viewers from around the world wont have to see just how filthy the water really is.Its enough to make some of the stuffed shirts at the IOC a bit unsettled.How worried should we be? Prince Albert of Monaco asked his fellow IOC members this week.Plenty worried, though about seven years too late. Every Olympics has its issues -- few thought Athens would ever be able to pull off the 2004 Games -- but there are so many facing Rio that there will be a collective sigh of relief if everything has gone off mostly as planned when the Olympics end in just over two weeks.Indeed, IOC President Thomas Bach envisions clear sailing for the Olympic movement if that happens.If this model stands such a stress test like it had to here in Brazil, then you can see that this model is more than robust, Bach said.NBC for one isnt worried. The Olympics have long been little more than a long-running prime-time summer TV show and the network that paid $1.2 billion for the games says it will make money on this edition.Rather than cutting into ad sales, the stories about crime, Zika and Brazils economic and political woes have actually increased them. And the backdrop for these games will be a directors dream, with stunning views from venues around the city, including beach volleyball on the famed Copacabana Beach.The billions in TV revenue have padded the IOC coffers and increased its appetite for adding sports to an already bloated program that for some incomprehensible reason now includes golf. The newest for Tokyo will be sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding, efforts to lure younger viewers into the games while traditional track and field and other sports are in decline.It may turn out that Bach is right. Barring a terrorist attack or mass illness of rowers and sailors, Rio -- for all its myriad of problems -- may be remembered as a success.Proof that no matter how incompetently theyre managed, the Olympics are simply too big to fail.----Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or http://twitter.com/timdahlberg Giants Jerseys 2019 . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. San Francisco Giants Shirts . Varlamov made 33 saves and Ryan OReilly had a goal and scored in the shootout as the Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 2-1 on Thursday night. https://www.cheapjerseysgiants.us/ . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. Cheap Giants Jerseys . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. Wholesale Giants Jerseys . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville.Robert Pires met with Geoff Shreeves for his first full interview in English ahead of Arsenals trip to Old Trafford on Saturday. The Frenchman talks about Arsenals title chances, the magic of Mesut Ozil and what he used to do when things got feisty against Manchester United... When Robert Pires invites me into his home for a chat Im struck as to how similar resident and property are. Tall, elegant and probably older than they look! But then again that is no surprise with Pires. The man is still training, and holding his own with Arsenals first team at the age of 43! He chuckles when I ask him about it, explaining how Arsene Wenger invites him to train occasionally, and on international weeks like this one its useful to have a body to make up the numbers. Pires carefully explains that he does not coach at Arsenal and has not been asked to by Wenger in any capacity. However, his former boss is very happy for him to pass on his experience to the current young Gunners. Pires in action for Arsenal during his playing days That said, Pires feels this season Arsenal have more experience to mount a genuine title challenge. That is one factor, the other is Mesut Ozil. His eyes light up as he speaks of the German genius. Pires desperately tries to avoid comparisons with former players, but when pushed he cant help himself and admits he does see something of former team-mate Dennis Bergkamp in Ozil. Given Bergkamps god-like status within Arsenal folklore there is no higher praise. Pires says Ozil has always had the ability to read and play the game effortlessly at a superior level, but the key ingredient is that the Germany international has now added goals to his game. Pires wants to see him comfortably enter double figures for goals every season. When pushed further, he says Ozil is potentially the key component to Arsenal winning the title. Pires compared Mesut Ozil to Dennis Bergkamp But what about their mental strength? Pires again points to the levels of experience within the squad, which should bring character and resilience with it.dddddddddddd. On that note, he says the upcoming game at Old Trafford will be a good test for Arsenals momentum, which they have gathered since losing on the opening day against Liverpool. On the subject of Manchester United, he offers an opinion on two of his fellow countrymen. He believes Paul Pogba is a world-class player and simply needs time to settle into the pace of the Premier League, while Anthony Martials best position is up top. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price When we recall the likes of Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Ray Parlour and Nicky Butt, and the physical battles that occured on the pitch, Pires says its natural to be physical when two giants collide. Where was Pires when things got feisty? Hiding in the dressing room, he says. Paul Scholes of Manchester United clashes with Robert Pires of Arsenal Stay tuned across all Sky Sports platforms to see Geoff Shreeves full interview with Arsenal legend Robert Pires ahead of his former sides trip to Manchester United this weekend.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Arsenals travel trouble The importance of Carrick Evolution of Ronaldo Ozil Arsenals new Bergkamp ' ' '