By the 1980s, America finally publicly embraced the black athlete, looking past skin color to see athleticism and skill, rewarding stars with multimillion-dollar athletic contracts, movie deals, lucrative shoe endorsements and mansions in all-white enclaves.

Who didn’t want to be like Mike?

But those fortunate black athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods did not, for the most part, use their celebrity to speak out. Most were silent on issues like the crack epidemic, apartheid in South Africa, the racial tensions exposed by the O.J. Simpson trial and the police brutality that set off the Rodney King riots.

There were exceptions — more, perhaps, than are generally remembered. And the times and the media of those times did not necessarily lend themselves to protest. But while Jack Johnson and Muhammad Ali once stood up — and more recently, Colin Kaepernick , LeBron James, Serena Williams and others would not back down — black athletes of the ’80s and ’90s were known mostly for playing games.

“It seems to me that we need to rethink how we define ‘activism’ since black athletes certainly were involved in various social causes during that era. Anecdotally, I think about them donating to various scholarship funds and participating in ‘say no to drugs’ campaigns,” said Johnny Smith, professor of sports, society and technology at Georgia Tech University. “That’s certainly a form of activism. “However, on the whole, the most prominent black male athletes were not confrontational or outspoken.”

When Harvey Gantt took on conservative Republican Senator Jesse Helms in 1990, Jordan — the undisputed superstar athlete of his time — refused to support the black Democrat in his native North Carolina, reportedly saying Republicans buy shoes, too.

It took until 2016 for Jordan to finally speak out strongly on a social issue by condemning the killing of black men at the hands of police, writing in a column published by The Undefeated, a sports and pop culture website.

Woods said this week that throughout America’s history, blacks have struggled.

“A lot of different races have had struggles, and obviously the African-Americans here in this country have had their share of struggles,” Woods said. “Obviously has it gotten better, yes, but I still think there’s room for more improvement.”

Not everyone is an activist

The mold of the public activist — the person who is willing to lead but also willing to lose everything for a cause — doesn’t fit everyone, said Harry Edwards, a scholar of race and sports who has worked as a consultant for several U.S. pro teams.

Some people don’t want to be bothered, Edwards said, but “that has always been there. That was there during slavery. Nat Turner comes and says, ‘Hey, let’s run away. Let’s get some guns. Let’s get some machetes, and let’s fight for our freedom.’ And you always have someone say, ‘You kidding me?’ ”

Dominque Wilkins, a National Basketball Association Hall of Famer known as the “Human Highlight” for his thunderous, acrobatic dunks during the 1980s and ’90s, believes social media have amplified athletes’ voices — and the Twitter-less past did not offer sports stars the soapboxes they have now.

“We didn’t have a platform because it wasn’t that type of media around,” Wilkins said. “You had the normal, everyday media, but you didn’t have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram — you didn’t have any of that.”

Wilkins, 58, said people are completely off base when they say his generation didn’t do anything or care about what was happening in their communities and in the world.

“We grew up in a different era. We were born in the civil rights era. I remember when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated,” said Wilkins. “People who say we didn’t care don’t know what they’re talking about. … We cared. We were a part of it, so we cared.

“Our parents lived it. Our grandparents lived it. How can we not care?”

Behind-the-scenes work

The activism of the time was different, said sports historian Victoria Jackson, who works in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at Arizona State University.

Behind the scenes, superstar athletes worked in their communities and with schools — without making their activities known or asking for publicity for their time. Millions of dollars went to schools like historically black colleges and universities, as well as other deserving charities, without public acknowledgment, Jackson said.

“While we might have seen a decline in athletes voicing strong opinions publicly about systemic racism, police brutality, criminal justice and education and residential and workplace reform — and perhaps the growth of endorsements contributed to this — I would suspect, if we did a little digging, we’d find countless stories of athletes doing work in the space of social justice and that this is the constant theme in the long historical arc,” she said.

There were some who spoke loudly. Dashiki-wearing point guard Craig Hodges, Jordan’s teammate on the Chicago Bulls, presented then-President George H. W. Bush with a letter in 1991, urging more concern for African-Americans during one of the Bulls’ championship trips to the White House.

During the 1995-96 season, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf began stretching or staying in the locker room during the national anthem. Abdul-Rauf was suspended for one game.

But at season’s end, despite averaging 19.2 points and 6.8 assists, he was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Sacramento Kings. And when his contract expired two years later, he couldn’t get a tryout and was out of the league at age 29.

Efforts in boardrooms

Those protests, some say, may not represent the most radical actions of black athletes of the time, which were in the boardrooms, not on the streets.

Jordan built a brand that turned him into a Nike powerhouse, where he brought African-American businessmen and women up the ladder with him, before becoming the first black sports billionaire with his ownership of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets.

Magic Johnson, in addition to building a business empire, spoke out passionately about the HIV/AIDS crisis after contracting the disease. The NFL’s Man of the Year award was long named for Walter Payton, who pushed organ donation into the public limelight in his native Chicago and around the country through his foundation while advocating for minority ownership in professional football.

Mike Glenn, who played in the NBA from 1977 to 1987 and is a member of the National Basketball Retired Players Association board of directors, believes how those first black millionaires went about their business helped build the foundation that allows athletes to speak out today.

“I think all of them were aware of backlash,” said Glenn, a collector of documents on African-American history and culture. “They were aware that if you say certain things it may hurt your brand, or may hurt your ability to do things or that maybe even the league would take a different look at you. I think it was an insecurity of their position regardless of how much success they had.”

Jordan and other iconic athletes of that period established the power of individual sports brands, a transitional platform Glenn believes athletes benefit from today.

“LeBron has took what Michael had,” Glenn said, “and taken it a step further.”
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We’re on the move with the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending Feb. 17, 2018.

Our musical deck gets shuffled this week, but no new songs manage to break into the charmed circle.

Number 5: Post Malone Featuring 21 Savage “Rockstar”

Former champs Post Malone and 21 Savage back off a slot to No. 5 with “Rockstar.”

21 Savage loves his shoes … and he went online to prove it. He posted a sales receipt from the high-end Barney’s department store in New York City, totaling $13,913. Among the items was a pair of Adidas black high-top sneakers costing $320.

Number 4: Camila Cabello Featuring Young Thug  “Havana”

Also falling a slot this week are Camila Cabello and Young Thug, with “Havana.”

Camila has apparently found a new boyfriend. E News reports that the 20-year-old singer is dating 30-year-old Matthew Hussey. It should be smooth sailing, because Matthew is a dating coach. The two were photographed frolicking on a beach in Mexico.

Number 3: Bruno Mars & Cardi B “Finesse”

Bruno Mars and Cardi B jump two notches to third place with their remix of “Finesse.” Bruno has added a final 23 dates to the North American leg of his 24 K Magic World Tour … and Cardi B will be his special guest.

On February 12, Bruno announced the dates — it all starts September 7 in Denver, Colorado, and ends October 27 in Los Angeles.

Number 2: Ed Sheeran “Perfect”

Ed Sheeran remains your runner-up with “Perfect.”

Speaking on a podcast with fellow artist George Ezra, Ed said that due to social media, he felt pressure to lose weight early in his career. He says he compared himself unfavorably to his peers, such as Justin Bieber and One Direction. These days, Ed says he eats a more sensible diet and works out every day.

Number 1: Drake “God’s Plan”

Drake remains your Hot 100 champ for a second week with “God’s Plan.”

Earlier this month, he stopped by a supermarket in Miami, Florida, where he bought groceries for all the shoppers. It set him back about $50,000. He also gave a local student a $50,000 scholarship to attend the University of Miami, and donated $50,000 to a local shelter for homeless women and children.

With gifts like that, Drake deserves another week at the top. Join me in seven days and we’ll see how he does!
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A termination agreement between embattled casino mogul Steve Wynn and the company bearing his name shows that he won’t receive any compensation and can’t be involved in any competing gambling business for two years.

The terms of the agreement were released Friday by Wynn Resorts. Wynn resigned as CEO earlier this month amid sexual misconduct allegations.

The billionaire has vehemently denied the allegations, which he attributes to a campaign led by his ex-wife.

As part of the agreement, Wynn also agreed to cooperate with any investigation or lawsuits involving his time with the company. He can have his attorney present. Wynn Resorts created a committee to investigate the sexual misconduct allegations.

As fallout from the allegations, Wynn also resigned as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee.
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Highlights from media coverage of the Pyeongchang Olympics:

BEING THERE: Sometimes the secret to good reporting is simply being there, even if you’d rather not. Alpine skiing reporter Steve Porino was right near American Mikaela Shiffrin as she vomited before heading out on her first slalom run Friday in South Korea. Fortunately, he didn’t have a camera. Was it nerves? Was Shiffrin coming down with something at the worst possible time? Not clear. In a high-flying sport decided by split seconds, though, her condition is valuable information. (Later, after finishing in fourth place, she admitted to anxiety that made her sick.) Analyst Bode Miller is full of insight from being a recent top competitor on the ski circuit. He even has his own tales of throwing up before major races, and the pressure that can literally make you sick.

​SHARP WORK: Listen to the work of Leigh Diffey and Bree Schaaf as they called the skeleton competition won handily by Yun Sung-Bin. They bring excitement and historical sweep to their calls, explaining the technicalities without getting lost in them. “This is one of those moments that just makes your heart feel like it’s going to explode,” Schaaf said over the replay of the South Korean’s final run. “His form, his expression. I am blown away by not just this race but the entire season by Yun Sung-Bin.” Similarly, cross-country ski analyst Chad Salmela made the women’s 10-kilometer freestyle race easier to understand, despite its complexities. He captured the thrill as he and viewers tried to will Jessica Diggins over the finish line to earn the USA’s first Olympic medal in the sport. She fell less than four seconds short in a 25-minute race.

TRYING AGAIN: NBC prepared a strong feature on American snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis, a four-time Olympian sadly known best to many for falling while making an unnecessary jump at the end of a race she was dominating, costing her a sure gold medal in the 2006 Turin Games. Unfortunately, producers aired it around 1 a.m. Eastern on Thursday on the East Coast, right before a men’s qualifying round in snowboarding. Time constraints probably prevented NBC from showing it before Jacobellis competed Friday (she finished fourth) and that’s a shame, because anyone who saw the story would have rooted hard for her.

​PRIME TIME PLUS: NBC decided this year to air its Olympic telecast at the same time across the country, and that paid off for West Coast viewers in the U.S. with Thursday’s competition in Korea. They were able to see Shiffrin win her giant slalom gold medal live in a prime viewing window, right before 10 p.m. Pacific on Wednesday. In past years, West Coast viewers were stuck watching reruns of an East Coast feed that aired three hours earlier.

COORDINATION: On a busy night Thursday, NBC seemed to use the extra space of its NBCSN cable network wisely. Producers showed a wider sweep of Olympic events on the network, while letting people who wanted to see an extended look at figure skating have the chance on cable. One area to improve upon: keeping viewers better informed of their options.

RATINGS: If the ratings were an Olympic race, NBC slipped a few seconds off its pace on Wednesday. The Nielsen company said 19.2 million people watched competition in prime time on NBC, the cable network NBCSN and through streaming services, down 8 percent from the 20.8 million who watched NBC for the corresponding night at the Sochi Olympics four years ago. An estimated 17.2 million watched NBC alone, or 17 percent off Sochi.
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Facial hair is trendy worldwide these days, but in Jerusalem beards have never gone out of style, projecting religious mysticism, nationalism and ideals of masculinity.

 

For men of all faiths in the holy city, a beard can be an important statement of religious devotion, connecting past generations to God through the tangled strands of history. Facial hair also reflects social mores in many communities. In some cases, it can even reflect one’s political views.

 

Nowhere is this more visible than in Jerusalem’s Old City, where bearded ultra-Orthodox Jews, Christian clerics and devout Muslims all come into contact in a densely packed mix of some of the world’s most sensitive holy sites.

 

For Eitan Press, 40, growing a beard is a spiritual journey that embodies ancient concepts of Jewish mysticism while challenging modern perceptions of masculinity.

His beard balm company, “Aleph Male,” is more than a clever word play on the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. He says it expresses Jewish values that stand in sharp contrast to the tough Alpha Male narrative often associated with facial hair.

 

“Rather than being a man at the top of the pyramid, it’s the image of a man who is lifting his brothers up,” said Press, who has a majestic, full red beard.

“When a man grows a beard, it is incumbent upon him to act with greater kindness, compassion and sensitivity toward the world because he is now wearing on his face a divine quality,” he said.

At Jerusalem’s bustling Mahane Yehuda market, he demonstrated his unique blends on a recent day, “anointing” bearded shoppers with balms inspired by Jewish festivals and rites.

 

One conjures up the citrus notes of Sukkot, the autumn festival that commemorates the desert wandering of the Jews during the Exodus. Items like myrtle branches and the etrog, a fruit resembling a lemon, are used in ceremonies.  

 

Another blend has aromas of clove and cinnamon, spices used in Havdalah, the ritual marking the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the new week.

 

“Jewish beard culture is literally thousands of years old. Moses had a beard. King David had a beard,” he said. “The custom for Jewish men to anoint their hair and beards with sacred oil goes back to the Bible.”

 

The custom of religious Jews wearing beards is rooted in a passage in the Biblical book of Leviticus that forbids “destroying” beard edges and prohibits shaving with a blade. While Jewish law permits the use of electric razors or scissors to trim beards, some sects don’t shave at all.

 

‘Channel of divinity’

Michael Silber, a Hebrew University professor who has researched beards, said that some Orthodox Jewish communities, leaning on Jewish mystical texts, consider facial hair so holy that men refrain from even combing their beards, fearing they will pull hair out. Strands that fall out naturally are sometimes placed in prayer books for preservation, he said.

For the pious that follow such teachings “beards are a channel of divinity” connecting them to God, he said.

 

Beards cross religious lines.

 

Zuheir Dubai, an Islamic scholar and imam in the West Bank city of Nablus, said that while Muslim men grow beards for religious reasons, moustaches are rooted in popular culture.

 

Some grow moustaches to emulate powerful leaders, like Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, he said. Some autocratic governments in the Mideast were known to shave off a prisoner’s mustache as a form of humiliation, Dubai said.

 

In Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, some men swear by their mustache, putting their hand on it to convince people to accept their word, Dubai said.

 

Muslim beard traditions stem from the time of the Prophet Muhammad, who in the 7th century urged his followers to wear beards and “shorten the mustache as a sign of modesty.” They regained popularity in modern times with the rise of political Islam about three decades ago. Some Muslims tint their beards orange with henna, which may have been used by the prophet, Dubai said.

 

Among Orthodox Christian priests, long bushy beards are as common a sight as their long, flowing robes on the narrow, winding cobblestone streets of Jerusalem’s ancient Old City.  They see a beard as a sign of devotion to God and homage to Jesus – traditionally portrayed with a beard.

In Jerusalem wearing a beard can also reflect political sentiments. “In the 1980s religion begins to be intertwined with political orientations and this is reflected with the rise of the beard among the more right-wing oriented and religiously oriented, both Jews and Muslims,” Silber said.

 

Many bearded men, of course, often have simpler motives and just like the style.

 

Tal Johnson, a barber in the Israeli city of Holon, said growing one is not as easy as it looks.

 

“You can’t eat with it … there are lots of things that are terrible, like hummus … or fried egg that is runny, and you need to wash it afterward, all of this, it’s very complicated. Eating soup is awful,” he said.

 

For Heath Loftis, an American visiting Jerusalem, it has a different meaning altogether.

 

“I grew the beard after my time in the Marine Corps,” he said. “We always had to keep our face shaved. So I grow it out now as a freedom, but also as a tribute to that time in the Marine Corps.”

 
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Pakistan, which has sent athletes to previous Winter Olympics, this year sends a two-man delegation — an uncle and his nephew — to compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Muhammad Karim, 22, and his nephew Syed Human, 26, are both from the Naltar Valley, a village located in Gilgit Baltistan, the northernmost region of the country.

Karim was the sole athlete from Pakistan at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.

“It feels very good. Before I was alone, and now, God willing, we have a team,” Karim told VOA in Urdu.

He said he has been able to give his nephew Human tips about preparing for the Olympics as well as how to stay relaxed at this level of competition.

​Alpine, cross-country skiing

Although the two are participating in different events, he said they support each other. Karim will compete in the Alpine skiing competition and Human in cross-country skiing.

As a child, Karim started skiing for fun and took part in competitions that were organized for kids. He then joined the Shah Khan School, a ski school that was set up in Naltar Valley. In 2007, he first visited South Korea for a junior championship. Afterward, he was sent to Austria for training.

Now, Karim has returned to South Korea, this time for the Olympics. He is participating in two Alpine skiing events: giant slalom and slalom, scheduled for Feb. 18 and 22, respectively.

Coming from a rural valley, Karim said it makes him very happy and proud to now represent the country on an international level.

Human echoed that sentiment. He is in the Pakistan Army and is a member of its skiing team. He competes in the men’s 15km free cross-country skiing event on Friday.

Like his uncle, Human’s interest in skiing started at home, in the Naltar Valley.

The Ski Federation of Pakistan opened a school in his village. He was inspired to join after watching others train. Showing a talent for cross-country skiing, he was sent abroad to train. Later, he began competing at a national level, and now internationally.

“After the Ski Federation of Pakistan sent me abroad for training in 2010-2011, it was on my mind and became my mission to represent Pakistan in cross-country skiing at the Olympics,” he said, adding that dream has come true now in South Korea.

While Naltar Valley is a remote valley and a difficult area to access, it has been central to the development of skiing in Pakistan.

​Future of Pakistan winter sports

Shahid Nadeem, secretary general of the Ski Federation of Pakistan, said the first ski resort was opened in Naltar Valley in 1958, to provide training to the Pakistan air force pilots. It later allowed civilians to train.

In 1990, the Ski Federation of Pakistan was created. Twenty years later, Pakistan participated for the first time at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The sole athlete was Muhammad Abbas, also from Naltar Valley.

Back in Pakistan, the families of Karim and Human are praying for and supporting the two men.

“They are hopeful that we will return to Pakistan having given a great performance, InshAllah, we will keep this hope alive and try to give our best performance,” Karim said.

In Pyeongchang, they were given a warm welcome by the Pakistani embassy and Korean students, whom Karim said made him feel at home. The two men practice on the ski slopes every day, as well as in the gym, they said.

Nadeem, of the Ski Federation, accompanied Karim and Human to Pyeongchang. He said he believes Pakistan, home to some of the world’s highest mountains, has a lot of potential for growth in winter sports.

By the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, Nadeem said he hopes Pakistan will be represented in even more events.

He said his organization is trying to develop athletes in other winter sports, including ice skating, ice hockey and snowboarding. They are also focusing on female participation, with the hope to have a woman qualify for alpine skiing at the Beijing Winter Games.
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Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are separating after two and a half years of marriage.

The couple said Thursday in a statement to The Associated Press released through a publicist that the decision to split “was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year.”

The couple said they are making the announcement publicly “in an effort to reduce any further speculation.”

“Normally we would do this privately, but given that the gossip industry cannot resist an opportunity to speculate and invent, we wanted to convey the truth directly,” they said in the statement released by Aniston’s longtime publicist, Stephen Huvane. “Whatever else is printed about us that is not directly from us, is someone else’s fictional narrative. Above all, we are determined to maintain the deep respect and love that we have for one another.”

Aniston and Theroux were engaged in August of 2012 and married in August of 2015. They have no children.

The two worked together on 2012’s Wanderlust, in which she starred.

They said they are “two best friends who have decided to part ways as a couple, but look forward to continuing our cherished friendship.”

Theroux, 46, had a small role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and has several films slated for release this year, including Netflix’s Mute out this month. His writing credits include Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2 and Zoolander 2.

Theroux said in an interview earlier this week that he and Aniston were not together on her Feb. 11 birthday, and he would not be spending Valentine’s Day with her.

Aniston, 49, is featured on the cover of the current issue of Architectural Digest with a story about the “pure domestic bliss” of the Beverly Hills, California, home she shared with Theroux. Known as much for her style and stalwart acting career as she is for being a tabloid target, Aniston was previously married to Brad Pitt from 2000 to 2005.

Aniston denounced tabloid culture in a 2016 op-ed, saying she “has worked too hard in this life and this career to be whittled down to a sad, childless human.”

Aniston rose to fame on TV’s Friends and has appeared in such films as Horrible Bosses, Office Christmas Party, Cake and Marley & Me.
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Ryan Coogler’s superhero film Black Panther, based on the Marvel comic, is about a king of a technologically advanced African country. His superb fighting skills are enhanced by his mystical powers and unique Black Panther suit, crafted with Vibranium, a metal found only in his country. The film, which cost over $200 million to make, has created a buzz worldwide for its cinematography, special effects, great cast and especially its homage to African culture.

The story is set in Wakanda, a small fictional African nation, that hides a big secret.  Built on Vibranium, the earth’s strongest metal, Wakanda has the technology and power no other nation has ever seen.

After his father dies in a terrorist attack, T’Challah, played by Chadwick Boseman, becomes the new king and assumes the powers of the Black Panther. Filmmaker Coogler has created a contemporary African superhero. “What makes the Black Panther, the Black Panther?” he asks rhetorically. “You got the political responsibility, you got the suit, the claws, you got the strength. We got the fact that he is African. That is the thing that makes him unique.”

The film highlights the risks and benefits of an advanced country’s political isolationism. Should Wakanda share its power and technology with the rest of the world? Or hide and protect its resources from outsiders?

Black Panther’s storyline and black superhero have captivated the imagination of audiences worldwide, says Lupita Nyong’o. She plays Nakia, a Wakandan spy and T’Challah’s love interest. “We have here a Marvel universe that is unapologetically black. And to see us occupy an African country with kings and queens and warriors, and it’s so inspiring! An aspirational nation that is rejuvenating to the human spirit,” she says.

In a VOA interview, Black Panther producer Nate Moore and said everyone on the film wanted to create a movie that showcased a proud, beautiful and intelligent black culture.

“Typically in cinema, when you see Africa, it tends to be stories about poverty, and stories about resources being stripped. Here’s a country that in our world is the most technologically advanced in the world. That’s a great example to show to kids,” Moore says.

Colorful garments, created by Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth Carter, reflect African tradition and empower its characters, she says, especially the women.

“They are actual fighters, they are generals, they have weaponry. They have to wear armor, but then we did it in a beautiful way. So, the colors are enhanced, the armor looks like jewelry. Their harness is, like, straps the body in a certain way. They pay homage to their history.”

Moore says the actors and the film’s creators paid attention to every detail. ” We went to great lengths and had a lot of cultural advisers, and a lot of our cast is from Africa. Even our dialect coach, Beth MacGuire, and all of our cast members wanted to sound African. And again, at the same time, I think for African American audiences there is a lot to pull from. And hopefully, there is some inspiration again learning about the roots where African Americans came from,” he says.

At T.C. Williams, a racially diverse high school in Alexandria, Virginia, students like Jeincy Paniagua are excited about the film. “I feel like it gives the message to younger children or just our society in general that no one is born racist. And with this, you’re sort of teaching them not to be,” she says.

Her classmate Charlotte Despard observes, “I think it’s super important for not only young women but young black girls, and black individuals to see this kind of representation in the media and I think it will give them a really big sense of empowerment.”

“But also show who we are as people, adds Krishuana Andrews. “We are superheroes in our own way, and that has been proven through marches, black protests that we are not just a minority, but we are part of the majority.”

Whether it’s due to Black Panther’s messages about black pride or women’s empowerment, this highly anticipated film is also set to break the box office record in the superhero movie universe.
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Ryan Coogler’s superhero film “Black Panther,” based on the Marvel comic, is about a king of a technologically advanced African country. His superb fighting skills are enhanced by his mystical powers and Vibranium-crafted Black Panther suit. The film has created a buzz worldwide for its cinematography, special effects, great cast and especially its homage to African culture. VOA’s Penelope Poulou has more.
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The sportscaster who popularized the phrase “Let’s go to the videotape!” filed an age discrimination lawsuit on Thursday over his firing from shock jock Don Imus’ radio show.

Warner Wolf, who’s 80 years old, charges in a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court that he was illegally fired in 2016 because of his age and was replaced with sportscaster Sid Rosenberg, who’s three decades younger.

The lawsuit names Imus and three executives with radio station WABC and its parent company Cumulus Media as defendants. It seeks unspecified punitive and compensatory damages.

A spokesman for Imus declined to comment. A spokeswoman for Cumulus said the company wasn’t commenting.

The lawsuit says Imus once said it was time to put Wolf “out to pasture” and “shoot him with an elephant dart gun,” citing the comments as evidence of discriminatory intent. It says that, “adding insult to injury,” Cumulus refused to pay Wolf the severance he was entitled to.

“Warner is seeking to hold the individuals accountable for their unlawful actions,” Wolf’s attorney Douglas Wigdor said.

Imus and Wolf have long been broadcast fixtures in New York and nationally.

Wolf worked in the 1970s for “Monday Night Baseball,” then on ABC, and has worked for several local TV and radio stations. He frequently said “Let’s go to the videotape” while introducing sports highlights on his TV broadcasts. 

Imus, who’s 77, has long courted controversy with his irreverent and often insulting commentary. He was fired by CBS Radio in 2007 for racist and sexist comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team. He was hired by WABC eight months later.

Imus has announced that his show will go off the air on March 29.
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After finishing her fourth Winter Games in Sochi, Kikkan Randall decided: It was time to have a baby. But the cross-country skiing champion wasn’t ready to give up her Olympic goals.

 

So, at 32, she looked at the calendar and plotted her window: 2016, a gap year. No World Cup circuit and no Olympics. If things worked out as planned, Randall could get pregnant, give birth and be back in competition and qualify for Pyeongchang.

 

It’s the kind of calculation many ambitious career women are forced to make. For the three-time World Cup Sprint Champion regarded as a pioneer of American women’s skiing, there was one more challenge ahead before retirement: Pushing herself to a fifth and final Olympics after having a child.

 

“I’d worked really hard to get the pinnacle of skiing … I knew I couldn’t wait another four years to start a family,” said Randall, now 35, whose record-setting resume has earned her the nickname “Kikkanimal.”

 

“I’d had an amazing career up to that point,” Randall said. “I just felt like, in a sport like cross-country, where it takes so many years to develop to your top potential, I didn’t want to have to make the choice of career or family. I had a feeling I would be able to come back to skiing stronger, but it was definitely an unknown. If I had to pick one season to miss, it was a good one.”

 

Randall did get pregnant in 2015. Her son, Breck, was born the following spring . She is the only mother on the U.S. Olympic Team, which also has 20 fathers this year.

 

When Randall returned to competition in 2016, she wasn’t the only new mom on skis. Randall and her friend and competitor, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen of Finland, gave birth within two weeks of each other. Marit Bjoergen of Norway — regarded as the best woman in the sport — had her child four months earlier. French skiers Aurora Jean, Anouk Faivre-Picon and Caroline Hugue, and Slovenia’s Katja Visnar had new babies, too.

 

Most are competing in Pyeongchang, and have had to balance the challenges of parenthood and career with the help of fellow athletes, friends and family — and not always with the support of their workplace.

 

“It’s a sport that requires so much time,” said Randall’s husband, former Canadian race skier Jeff Ellis . “It’s impressive what they’ve done as moms.”

 

For Randall, skiing has often come first. When she married in 2008, there was training season to consider — along with the Alaska spring. She and Ellis wed at the beginning of May, shortly after both seasons began. One of her coaches officiated the ceremony.

 

After a couple of tries, Randall conceived in August 2015. She trained throughout her pregnancy, sticking to a shortened version of her twice-a-day routine, including running through her seventh month, interval training to keep her heart rate up, and weight training — which got her some funny looks in the gym as her belly grew.

 

Randall delivered Breck in April and , like many moms, was back at work after six weeks, missing only a month of the training season. She would pump breast milk between workouts, time feedings around her training, and bring Breck along in a baby jogger for hikes and runs. Easing the transition was a supportive husband, who works only in the winter, and Randall’s parents, who live close by in Anchorage.

 

“In today’s world it’s kind of the only way you can do it,” said her father, Ronn Randall, 68. “This is just a little bit on steroids here. But when she discussed it with us, I thought it was a completely natural thing to do. I knew it could have an impact on her career, but you don’t want a career to have an impact on your life, either.”

 

When Randall returned to the World Cup circuit in 2016, Breck was also in tow, along with both sets of grandparents. With several moms competing, race organizers set up a baby room at venues for breastfeeding or changing diapers. Extra credentials were made available for caretakers, who were also able to take advantage of the team rate for accommodations.

 

“It was the first time they’d ever done something like that,” Randall said.

 

There was also a new camaraderie among the ski moms, who set up a Facebook group for support and updates.

 

Randall had hoped to bring Breck to Pyeongchang for her final Games, but the cost of family housing proved too expensive. The 22-month old is with her husband’s parents in Canada.

 

Randall said she sees an opportunity for the International Olympic Committee to do more to support athletes who are also parents.

 

“I haven’t experienced it from the men’s side, but there are unique challenges when you’re a mother,” she said. “We’re not talking about 500 athletes here; we’re talking about maybe 10 mothers, more if we include fathers, and not everyone’s going to take advantage of it. It allows families to be close.”

 

IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said assistance for athletes is typically provided by their national Olympic committees.

 

Still, Ellis said after watching his wife over the past two years, it’s doable.

 

“You don’t have to choose one or the other,” he said. “If anything, she’s a more balanced athlete than she was prior to [having Breck].”

 

While she is hopeful for her Olympic prospects this year, as she heads into retirement, Randall said she already considers her decision “a really successful experiment.” She wants to encourage other women athletes who may also find themselves at this point.

 

“I’m blending the two most important things in my life: My family and my skiing,” Randall said. “It’s great to have another thing turn out so well.”

 
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American skier Mikaela Shiffrin won the gold medal in the women’s giant slalom event Thursday at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea.

Shiffrin beat Norway’s Ragnhild Mowinckel by nearly four-tenths of a second on her final run to win her second career Olympic gold medal, following her triumph in the slalom in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Italy’s Federica Brignone finished third to win the bronze medal.

Thursday’s women’s giant slalom was staged after high winds and frigid temperatures forced officials to postpone the event earlier this week.

Norwegian makes history

Elsewhere on the slopes, Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway made history twice in winning the gold medal in the men’s downhill: at 35 years old, he is the oldest Alpine skiing champion in the history of the Winter Games, and he is the first Norwegian to win the downhill event. Compatriot Kjetil Jansrud won the sliver medal, while Swiss world champion Beat Feuz finished in third.

In women’s cross-country skiing, Ragnhild Haga took home the gold in the 10,000-kilometer race, with Charlotte Kalla of Sweden taking the silver medal. Norway’s Marit Bjoergen and Krista Parmakoski finished tied for third with identical times of 25 minutes, 32.4 seconds.

On the ice

On the ice rink, Germany’s Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot won the gold in the pairs figure skating event in a brilliant, crowd-pleasing performance. The pair scored 159 points in Thursday’s free skate program, breaking their own world record in a performance that pushed them from fourth place after a shaky short program.

Chinese pair Sui Wenjing and Han Cong took home the silver, while Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford won bronze to add to the gold medals they earned in the team competition. 

France’s Pierre Vaultier won his second consecutive gold medal in the men’s snowboard cross, outdueling silver medalist Jarryd Hughes of Australia and Spain’s Regino Hernandez, who won the bronze.
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As competition day gets closer, Nigeria’s bobsled team members say they are super excited about their Winter Olympic debut in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The team, which is making history as Africa’s first bobsled team to compete in the Winter Games, is led by Nigerian-American Seun Adigun, a hurdler who represented Nigeria in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. VOA’s Mariama Diallo reports.
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