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The Bears’ plan for this season is perfect — as long as everything goes exactly right.

Like a wild, multi-team parlay in Las Vegas, it’s more hopeful than prudent. That’s why Vegas, by the way, gives them the same odds of winning the Super Bowl as the Atlanta Falcons at 50-to-1.

When players report to Halas Hall for training camp Tuesday, it’ll be much different than two years ago when they rolled into Bourbonnais talking about a dynasty. The tone will be more measured, but it’s a given that general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy will open camp by telling everyone they feel “really good” about the team they’ve built.

The truth is, this is a bridge season to Justin Fields taking over as full-time starting quarterback in 2022. And while the Bears don’t want to waste this season altogether, especially when they don’t have a first-round pick next year, they’ll need all their dreams to come true in order to make the playoffs.

That starts with quarterback Andy Dalton, the consolation prize after the Bears weren’t able to trade for Russell Wilson or any of the other big names who were thought to be available in the offseason.

Dalton, 33, is a household name because he has been in the NFL a long time, not because he’s a star. The Bengals spent nine years trying to decide whether he was good enough.

Nobody pounced on him to be their starter when they cut him after the 2019 season, and in 11 games for the Cowboys when Dak Prescott was injured, he had a lower passer rating (87.3), touchdown-to-interception ratio (1.8) and yards-per-game average (197.3) than Mitch Trubisky. Their career numbers are remarkably similar, too.

Nagy has raved about Dalton’s accuracy and ability to read defenses — two major frustrations for Trubisky — but Pro Football Reference charted him at 78% on-target passes last season and 72% in 2019. Trubisky and Nick Foles were both at 76% last season.

So the Bears’ bet is that, four seasons removed from his last Pro Bowl, they can squeeze playoff-caliber football out of a quarterback who has been adequate most of his career and looks like he’s close to retirement.

And that’s assuming they’ve solved their offensive line, where they’ll likely turn to rookies Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom at left and right tackle, respectively.

It also assumes they’ll supply Dalton with enough threats despite Allen Robinson being the only sure thing at wide receiver, tight end Cole Kmet being unproven and running back David Montgomery still developing.

Lately, the Bears’ overwhelming defense has offset the offensive shortfalls. The thinking inside Halas Hall has been that if the offense can be merely league-average, the defense can make the Bears a contender. But that’s no longer a certainty, and the team is taking significant risks on that side of the ball.

The Bears are still a good defense, but this blueprint requires them to be great. The defense must be what it was in 2018, when it allowed the fewest points in the NFL, forced the most turnovers and were third in sacks. The Bears haven’t had that level of ferocity since.

The decline was most noticeable against the pass last season, and the Bears took a step backward by releasing star cornerback Kyle Fuller for salary-cap reasons. Now they’re banking on second-year player Jaylon Johnson to take over as their No. 1 corner.

That’s fine. He’s ready for it. But there are vacancies at the other outside corner and at nickel, and the options are shaky. Desmond Trufant is 30 and hasn’t played a full season since 2018. Duke Shelley played just 19% of the defense snaps last season, and Kindle Vildor played 13%. Artie Burns is coming off a torn ACL.

That group would look better if the Bears got their pass rush rolling, but that’s another wild card. Pace signed Robert Quinn to a $70 million contract last year and he began his Bears career with two sacks in 548 snaps. He was out during minicamp last month because of a back injury. The Bears are counting on not only production from him, but the ripple effect of Quinn drawing attention away from Khalil Mack.

Some of what the Bears sketched out as a best-case scenario surely will materialize this season, but it’s awfully ambitious to expect all of it to break their way. And that’s probably what they’ll need.

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SAITAMA, Japan — Time would solve many problems for the U.S. men’s basketball team right now. A few practices to develop chemistry and figure out exactly how these roster pieces fit together would do wonders.

It’s not happening.

There is no time. Or, more accurately, this is the time. The U.S. men have two games left in group play at the Tokyo Olympics — Wednesday against Iran and Saturday against the Czech Republic — to figure whatever needs to be figured out. An opening loss to France on Sunday didn’t seem to surprise the French much, and in a more ominous sign, didn’t seem to surprise the Americans that much either.

“This is the time for us to really hone in, lock in,” U.S. center Bam Adebayo said after the 83-76 defeat at the hands of the French.

He’s right. The game against Iran — FanDuel says the Americans are 37.5-point favorites — on Wednesday should be a way to build some momentum, going into what could very easily be a win-or-go-home game against the Czechs.

Win both, and the U.S. is headed to the quarterfinals and with a very real chance to win the whole thing. Lose one of the next two, and this almost certainly will go down as the worst showing ever for a nation that has never gone to the Olympics and not won a medal.

“I think that’s just what the expectations are when you play for Team USA,” guard Damian Lillard said after the Americans wasted a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter in the loss Sunday. “I think we have a history of dominance and, maybe not always blowing people out, but we have a history of winning. It’s not often that you see Team USA go out there and lose, especially to start.”

He added, “I think that’s why a lot of people make it seem like the end of the world.”

Losing to France wasn’t the end of the world. The U.S. still has time to get things right. And there is reason for hope that things will get better for the Americans.

Khris Middleton, the second-best player on the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, played only 5-1/2 minutes on Sunday and missed both of his shots. Devin Booker went 1 for 6. In both cases, it’s reasonable to say that flying 6,600 miles the day before just to get to Tokyo after the NBA Finals probably had some sort of effect on their performance.

Lillard shot 3 for 10. Kevin Durant shot 4 for 12. The Americans shot only 31% from 3-point range. They overpassed on some possessions, turning down layups and shooting 3’s instead. There didn’t seem to be a ton of interest in defense at certain times; Jrue Holiday was a clear exception to that rule, picking up full court even after being on that long flight with Milddleton and Booker.

They’re better than this. They should play better than this.

“If we put together some good possessions down the road, we’ll be fine,” Durant said.

Thing is, there’s been that sense — “we’ll be fine” — since the exhibition losses to Nigeria and Australia. They’re not fine. This team has been together, in full, for exactly one game. The chemistry isn’t there. It’s a bunch of highly talented individuals who know each other and like each other, but if they were a band they would just be making sounds right now in jam sessions. Music isn’t happening.

“I think we are more than capable of doing it,” said Lillard, who knows a thing or two about how to make music. “I think our No. 1 challenge has been taking a group of talented individuals and turning into a team, in a short amount of time.”

They’ve been saying that for a while now.

And yes, it’s clear that the experience other nations have is an advantage for those teams. France’s core has played together for years. Spain, Argentina and Australia, too. They all smell blood. They all think the U.S. is vulnerable, and the U.S. is doing nothing to dispel that notion.

“You can definitely tell they’re tired of the USA winning,” Adebayo said. “Everybody wants that feeling of getting that gold medal. And we can’t rely on talent all the time to just bring us home.”

Adebayo said the Americans know their backs are against the wall now.

It’s time. Or else.

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Meanstreets vs. Illinois Wolves.

Let’s play it out.

After a full July of grassroots basketball, where dozens and dozens of club basketball programs from Illinois traveled across the country, two teams stood out from the rest. Both the Meanstreets and Illinois Wolves club basketball programs shined this past month.

Unfortunately, the two elite 17U teams never faced one another on the court. Not in April, not in May and certainly not in July when the two teams played exclusively on their shoe-sponsored circuits.

The Illinois Wolves played in the Under Armour Association with three “live” evaluation weekends in Atlanta, Dallas and Indianapolis. Meanstreets played on Nike’s EYBL (Elite Youth Basketball League) circuit which culminated with an appearance in the prestigious Peach Jam Tournament this past weekend.

With college coaches at all levels watching and national evaluators eyeballing their players, these two teams were pretty spectacular throughout the month. They should be celebrated, competing, producing and winning at the highest levels of grassroots basketball.

The Illinois Wolves do have talent. There are high-major prospects leading the way and Division I prospects coming off the bench. But this year’s Wolves team was also kind of the antithesis of AAU basketball — or at least the perception of what AAU basketball is and what it’s often criticized for being.

Illinois Wolves coach and founder Mike Mullins has been at this since starting the program with his then grade school son, Bryan Mullins, now the head coach at Southern Illinois, just over two decades ago. Mike Mullins has had talented groups of teams over the years, but this one was special in that it was a group of unselfish players — from the stars right on down to the last man on the bench.

Together this Illinois Wolves team bought into roles and a winning mentality in a short period of time. They played a disciplined, fun, altruistic brand of basketball at both ends of the floor.

Yes, Yorkville Christian’s Jaden Schutt and Glenbard West’s Braden Huff are high-major players and can play just about anywhere they want at the next level. That’s a great start. But in club basketball the very best teams all have stars destined to play high-major basketball.

But it was also Tuscola’s Jalen Quinn steady play at point guard. It was Glenbard West’s Cade Pierce providing versatility and toughness. It was Glenbrook South’s Cooper Noard fighting for everything and hitting clutch threes. It was out-of-state import Alonas Peciulis from Tennessee adding size, athleticism and some dirty work. It was DePaul Prep’s Dylan Arnett and Hillcrest’s AaReyon Munir-Jones providing valuable depth in the frontcourt and backcourt, respectively.

They all fueled a sensational run through the month of July, which included a 16-1 record and an Under Armour Association title this past Sunday. The Illinois Wolves beat the Riverside Hawks from the East Coast in the championship of the UA Finals 32-team tournament.

Meanwhile, Meanstreets has been a club basketballs staple for 20 years under founder Tai Streets, who is also the head coach at Thornton. Meanstreets won AAU championships in the early days and captured a Peach Jam title in 2006 with Derrick Rose in the backcourt. So many greats have come through the program, including current NBA star Anthony Davis.

This year’s team was among the best in Nike’s EYBL play, reaching the semifinals of the Peach Jam Tournament, which is considered the best, highest level grassroots event in the country. Like almost all Tai Streets-coached teams, this one played extremely hard and with that attacking style Streets preaches and demands.

Plus, like the Illinois Wolves, the biggest names on the team were pretty selfless in their approach to being stars on the summer circuit.

Meanstreets featured big out-of-state prospects to be sure, but there were in-state players who more than made a name for themselves, including Buffalo Grove’s Kam Craft and Glenbrook South’s Nick Martinelli. Both Craft and Martinelli are rising seniors who have made their college choices, committing to Xavier and Elon, respectively.

Young’s AJ Casey is a high-major recruit who came into the summer as the No. 1 prospect in the state. He battled through a broken finger to help Meanstreets these past two weeks, while Oak Forest’s Robbie Avila came off the bench to provide minutes.

The average basketball fan probably doesn’t understand or even care to know the politics of shoe-sponsored club basketball in the off season.

Those diehards in the Pontiac bleachers in December and so many other passionate high school basketball fans throughout the state could give two hoots about a Peach Jam, a Meanstreet, the circuit or how Under Armour, Nike, Adidas or anyone else conducts their summer business or who wins what in July. Right now that large group of fans are just aching for an actual State Finals in Champaign and an IHSA championship to be played.

Ask the majority of high school basketball coaches in the state and most are oblivious to the inner-workings of grassroots basketball. They pay little attention to it aside from following and pulling for their own players within their program who are playing on the circuit.

But there are a small number of fans who do follow summer basketball, live and breathe it just as they do in the winter months of the high school basketball season. And those who do follow the grassroots basketball scene would love to see it: Meanstreets vs. Illinois Wolves.

Better yet would be an eight-team All-Illinois Club Basketball Tournament, highlighted of course by Meanstreets and the Illinois Wolves. Those two would be your top two seeds and a debate would rage among their ardent supporters as to who should be awarded the top seed.

The Illinois Wolves have the best record and actually won the Under Armour Association title. And unlike Meanstreets, the Illinois Wolves only have one major contributor from out of state. That scores points for me but doesn’t matter a whole lot when it comes to club basketball.

But Meanstreets, which had three starters and five of its top nine from either Indiana or Michigan, played in Nike’s EYBL. And that matters.

There has been and continues to be a different look to those EYBL teams and players when it comes to size, athleticism and pure talent. I did a recent informal poll among 22 college coaches asking them to name the best grassroots basketball circuit and the best place to evaluate. It was unanimous as all 22 said Nike’s EYBL and, specifically, the Peach Jam.

Our hypothetical tournament, however, would be featuring two of the premier teams in the country, regardless of shoe affiliation, right at the top. And it would provide a chance for so many others to get their shot at the best.

This hypothetical tournament would include these seven teams: Meanstreets, Illinois Wolves, Mac Irvin Fire, Illinois Hoopstars, Fundamental U, Team Rose and Young & Reckless. Then we would have the Southwest Illinois Jet and NJ Benson facing off against Breakaway and Ben VanderWal in a play-in game for the eighth spot.

If we go the extra mile and put together a 16U All-Illinois Tournament of eight teams, I’m going to swap in Midwest Pro Academy somewhere. That team is a must for any Illinois 16U tournament.

(All those teams that weren’t included? Sorry. But don’t worry. There is another tournament for you somewhere with some title awarded or championship given; that’s the nature and beauty of AAU basketball.)

Other Illinois programs fare well

There was a lot of talk coming out of the spring that Illinois players would be so far behind many other states due to how the state chose to handle the pandemic and high school sports, particularly basketball.

But in many cases the results from this summer would prove otherwise.

As noted, Meanstreets and the Illinois Wolves 17U teams thrived. Plus, a few other 17U teams fared very well this past month against quality competition, including the Illinois Hoopstars and Fundamental U.

Underneath the Under Armour umbrella there is the Under Armour Association — the top 26 Under Armour teams in the country that are officially sponsored by the shoe company — and also what is called Under Armour Rise. Those are 48 teams that are provided a platform to play through Under Armour events.

The Illinois Wolves are the only Illinois-based Under Armour program. But there are several that play in what is the Under Armour Rise division, including the Illinois Hoopstars and Fundamental U.

Fundamental U had arguably the best non-shoe sponsored 17U team in Illinois. Mike Weinstein’s program featured a 17U team that was led by New Trier’s Jackson Munro, Carmel’s Bryce Moore and Niles North’s Yogi Oliff.

As a result of Fundamental U going an impressive 9-1 in Under Armour Rise play, it was rewarded with a berth in the Under Armour Association Tournament as one of six UA Rise at-large teams.

The balanced Illinois Hoopstars played in the Under Armour Rise Championship Bracket after going 8-4 in regular-season play. The Hoopstars rolled to five victories, including a 66-65 win over Dallas Showtyme in the championship, to claim its own title.

The biggest name for the Hoopstars is Normal’s Zach Cleveland, a top 15 prospect in the state who has committed to Liberty. Cleveland and recently graduated big man KJ Debrick of Springfield Lanphier were the go-to players.

But several local players made an impact, including the St. Ignatius tandem of Kolby Gilles and AJ Redd, Solorio’s Donovan Jones, Marian Catholic’s Jeremiah Jones and Class of 2021 graduate Freddie Cooper of Corliss.

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The executive board of the Fraternal Order of Police has overwhelmingly approved a new eight-year contract, setting the stage for a ratification vote by rank-and-file Chicago police officers in line for a 20% pay raise, more than half of it retroactive.

FOP President John Catanzara pegged the cost of the retroactive pay raise alone at $600 million. The retroactive pay raise for firefighters and paramedics cost taxpayers $96 million, and “we’re three times their size and we got an extra year,” he noted.

“It’s not because we’re taking ’em to the cleaners. It’s because we waited four years for the money,” Catanzara said Monday.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot, however, had continued to play cat-and-mouse about the new contract until Monday afternoon, when it was announced by City Hall — after it had been reported by the Sun-Times.

Until then, including on a New York Times podcast, she had refused even to acknowledge the existence of the tentative agreement the FOP board already has approved by a 14-to-1 vote. The union also has received a signed copy from the city and started mailing out copies for the rank-and-file to ratify.

“I think we will ultimately get there. But we’re gonna do it on a timeline that makes sense for our city, for our taxpayers, for the members” of the City Council, Lightfoot had told Kara Swisher on the New York Times’ “Sway” podcast, posted online on Monday.

“We need to make sure that the dollars that they propose make sense. We’ve obviously got to think about what are the revenue sources for that. And we’re fly-specking all of the reform measures that we’ve advocated for to make sure that we’ve gotten everything that I know that we need to be able to move forward. We’re doing our diligence.”

Catanzara said he has no idea how much money, if any, the city has squirreled away for the 10.5% portion of the pay raise that will be retroactive. Lightfoot’s 2021 budget included just $100 million for that purpose.

Asked where the money will come from, Catanzara said it’s not his problem.

“That’s on the mayor and that’s on every single alderman who didn’t pay attention when they passed a budget last October that clearly had only $100 million set aside for police back-pay, which was pretty short-sighted, since the Fire Department got the same amount,” he said.

“They have $900 million from the federal government, at least, out of $2 billion that we’re getting. … I have no idea what the guidelines are” for spending the federal relief money, Catanzara added. “I know it was OK to use to hire police officers. I know it can’t be used for pension obligations. But I don’t know that there’s a prohibition for using it for anything else other than that.”

During landmark debate last week on civilian police oversight, Catanzara told the Sun-Times the new eight-year contract includes a host of accountability reforms Lightfoot has long demanded.

The mayor referred to those disciplinary changes when asked why negotiations have dragged on for years.

“People want reform. They want accountability. So do I. And I’m determined that we’re gonna deliver it. So why this has been protracted is, the FOP president knew that the status-quo that didn’t have the kind of controls around it — that pre-dated my time as mayor — was probably the best contract he was gonna get regarding reform and accountability, because it didn’t really have any measures in it. But that’s not reality,” Lightfoot said.

“Luckily, our state legislature has also upped the ante by mandating certain reform measures as a matter of state law. That can’t be ignored.”

The contract calls for rank-and-file Chicago Police officers to receive a 10.5% retroactive pay raise and 9.5% more through January 2025.

The city has also agreed to increase so-called “duty availability pay” to $950-per-quarter and raise the annual uniform allowance to $1,950.

Duty availability pay will be offered “retroactively” from July 2017 to all officers whose probation period has ended after 18 months. And going forward, duty availability pay will be available after 18 months, instead of after 42 months.

On the health care front, rank-and-file police officers will be asked to absorb “only 50%” of the increase in health care contributions imposed on police sergeants and Chicago firefighters and paramedics. And the “second half” of that increase will be “postponed until July, 1, 2022 to allow members to retire under the current, 2.2% at age 55 and 0% for those 60 and over.”

The contract has two phases.

Phase One, an agreement on officer compensation, also addresses what unpaid FOP negotiator Paul Vallas has called “core accountability issues.” Phase Two will “take much more time to resolve,” presumably because it includes the most controversial disciplinary changes that “may end up in arbitration.”

“The consensus was that it was important to get the financial issues resolved and have accountability provisions that mirrored the city’s agreement with the sergeants, with some clarifications,” Vallas wrote in a Facebook post on negotiations.

Despite the $600 million tab for retro pay alone, Vallas has argued that the contract “should not require an increase in taxes. Nor should it delay the filling of police vacancies in order to have the needed financing.”

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We’ve all read the headlines, seen the news clips, and received the Twitter notifications. After major holiday weekends like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, there are the frightening statistics showing young people across our city are committing crimes at an alarming rate.

Earlier this month, Frank Harris, 18, and Dushawn Williams, 17, were accused of killing a veteran during an attempted carjacking in broad daylight at Kimbark Plaza, where my business is located.

Williams had his first run-in with the criminal justice system at the age of 12.

This case hit close to home, both literally and figuratively. It got me thinking: What investments could we have made — as individuals, as a community, and as a city — in Harris when he was a 12-year-old boy to prevent the events that unfolded in the subsequent years and led to this tragedy?

Beyond that, what could we have done just 10 years ago to set then-7-year-old Williams on the right track and prevent his encounter with law enforcement in the first place?

Alternatively, we may ask ourselves: “What investments did we choose not to make, to forego, to leave off the table, that reduced these boys’ potential so drastically?”

As both a business owner and a civic leader in my community, I see how, oftentimes, the onus is placed on the parents of troubled youth when it comes to accounting for the misbehavior of their children. And while I agree that responsibility lies with the parents, it also lies with the support systems that surround them. No parent in Chicago is raising their child in a vacuum.

The success and development of each and every young person growing up on the South and West sides — and everywhere else, for that matter — is directly correlated to the support systems and networks available to them and their families. These systems run the gamut from accessible healthcare and safe public parks to community sports leagues, engaging after-school programs and quality school instruction.

According to testimony presented by the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago to the Illinois State Board of Education in 2018, funding for after-school programs for Illinois youth does not meet demand. Despite a potential savings of $9 per every dollar invested in such programs from increasing kids’ academic and professional prospects, as well as the reduction of juvenile crime and delinquency, these crucial programs remain underfunded.

Data from The Afterschool Alliance’s 2020 report corroborates this, showing that unmet demand for afterschool programs in Illinois is at an all-time high.

Ironically, Harris — who allegedly threw the fatal punch that killed Cooper in the Hyde Park carjacking attempt — had once been involved with the violence prevention youth group Good Kids Mad City.

But GKMC was founded only in 2018. Like any investment, time is required to reap a return. And most certainly, we have the power to start making the right investments today.

Our children are valuable, and we need to see them all as worthy of investment. If we don’t, the seven- and eight-year-olds of today run the risk of becoming the unfavorable headlines of tomorrow.

Jonathan Swain is president and CEO of LINK Unlimited Scholars. He is also president and principal of Kimbark Beverage Shoppe.

Send letters to [email protected].

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TOKYO — The greatest gymnast of all time must rally Team USA for the Americans to win their third consecutive gold medal.

Simone Biles and her squad trail the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee heading into Tuesday’s women’s gymnastics team final.

Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel return to the pool and the U.S. women’s soccer team plays its final match in group stage play in Day 4 of coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.

Here are some things to watch. (all times Eastern):

GYMNASTICS

Simone Biles had a rare off day — off for her — in qualifications and the Americans head into the women’s final trailing the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee.

The U.S. has three gymnasts making their Olympic debuts in Suni Lee, Grace McCallum and Jordan Chiles, and the trio all had significant form breaks as the Americans fell behind. But so did Biles, who despite putting up the top score was not at her best.

Biles bounded off the mat at the end of a tumbling pass on floor and her block on her Cheng vault was crooked.

Each member of the four-person team competed in each event during qualifications with the lowest score dropped.

For the finals, the competition moves to three-up/three-count and the Americans have thrived in that format for more than a decade. Biles is scheduled to compete in all five events with coverage live at 6:45 a.m. on Peacock with an encore during primetime on NBC.

SWIMMING

Katie Ledecky is seeking a second straight gold medal in the women’s 200-meter freestyle and then later that evening will attempt to win the Olympic debut of the women’s 1,500-meter freestyle.

Caeleb Dressel, who already has one gold medal in these Games, is expected to compete alongside Rio Olympic gold medalist Townley Haas and first-time Olympian Kieran Smith in the men’s 4×200 meter freestyle relay.

Zach Harting and Gunnar Bentz are both expected to contend for Team USA in the men’s 200-meter butterfly. Five races are up for medals during NBC’s primetime coverage, with the first final set to begin at 9:40 p.m.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

The U.S. women’s soccer team can advance to the quarterfinals with either a win or a draw over Australia.

The Americans lost their opening game to Sweden but bounced back for a 6-1 victory over New Zealand. The game is the final match in group stage play and will air live at 4 a.m. on USA Network, with two encores to follow on the same channel.

SOFTBALL

The U.S. women’s softball team will play Japan for the gold medal in a rematch of the 2008 final, the previous time softball was an Olympic sport.

Japan won that game 3-1.

Monica Abbott pitched a perfect seventh in relief to advance the Americans into the gold medal game and earned her third win of the tournament. Abbott is likely to start against Japan, a game played the day before her 36th birthday. The game will be live at 7 a.m. on NBC Sports Network with a replay in primetime.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The much-maligned U.S. men’s basketball team seeks its first win of the Olympics when it plays Iran in Group A play.

The U.S. men have only two games left in group play at the Tokyo Olympics to solve its woes. An opening 83-76 loss to France snapped a 25-game Olympic winning streak.

The Americans lost for only the sixth time in 144 games at the Olympics all-time, and fell to 53-4 in the Olympics with NBA players on the roster. The 2004 team at the Athens Games lost the other three, and won bronze. The game will be streamed on Peacock at 12:40 a.m.

TYPHOON WATCH

There’s a full slate of competition scheduled Tuesday but a typhoon is scheduled to hit the Tokyo area and could disrupt much of the action.

Archery, rowing and sailing have already had schedule revisions, and all tennis not played on center court could potentially be washed out. Center court has a retractable roof.

The third round of men’s singles, the quarterfinals for women’s singles and doubles, semifinals of men’s doubles and first round of mixed doubles are all scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. on The Olympic Channel.

FOR THE LATE CROWD

The U.S. women’s water polo team continues its quest for a third consecutive gold medal in a match against Hungary, while the women’s cycling team trials both air on NBC in coverage that begins at 12:35 a.m.

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Days after Attorney General Merrick Garland came to Chicago to promote a new program to combat gun violence in part by targeting so-called straw purchasers, a federal judge handed down an eight-month prison sentence in what the feds called a “case study” in the problem.

Federal prosecutors say Eric Blackman bought a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol for someone who was underage in August 2019 from a licensed firearms dealer in Oak Forest. They said he later told investigators, “I just figured, what’s the worst that could happen?”

But the feds say that gun was ultimately linked to a Dec. 22, 2019 mass shooting on the South Side that injured 13 people in the 5700 block of South May Street. Of the 31 cartridge casings found at the home where the shooting happened, 13 came from the gun Blackman purchased.

By buying the gun, Blackman played the role of the so-called straw purchaser — using his lack of criminal history to purchase a gun for someone who wasn’t supposed to have it.

Before U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman handed the eight-month sentence to Blackman on Monday, Blackman told the judge, “It was basically a mistake that was made that I wish I could really take back.”

Blackman’s defense attorney, Michael Leonard, tried to underscore Blackman’s lack of criminal history and said that Blackman is “not the guy we’re looking for to solve the gun problem.”

But Gettleman noted that Blackman’s lack of criminal history helped him commit his crime.

The judge noted that Blackman didn’t seem to commit his crime for money — distinguishing his from other straw-purchasing cases. But Gettleman also said guns have “destroyed so many lives in our city” and “stray bullets are killing children almost every week in this community.” The judge rejected a request from Blackman’s attorney for no prison time.

The person Blackman purchased the gun for was caught with it a little more than a week after the mass shooting when officers saw him walking with what appeared to be a gun handle sticking out of his right coat pocket, according to court records. The feds say the firearm was loaded and had an obliterated serial number.

That person was not accused of participating in the shooting, the judge said during Monday’s hearing.

Jon Seidel/Sun-Times

Garland paid an overnight visit to Chicago last week to tout a new Justice Department program meant to combat gun violence in Chicago and in other cities across the country, in part by targeting straw purchasers.

Asked about people who consider straw-purchasing a “paper crime” because it involves lying on a form — Blackman pleaded guilty to lying about a firearm sale — Garland called that characterization “unfortunate.”

“We do not regard this as a minor matter,” Garland said. “We regard this as a major matter.”

Meanwhile, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Wong wrote in a recent court memo that, “The straw purchaser plays a significant role in the gun violence that has continuously troubled the city of Chicago and threatened the public safety of its residents.”

Wong called the Blackman case “representative of the harmful ripple effect that straw-purchased firearms can have,” and she wrote that Chicago “has been inundated with violence from the actions of individuals who illegally possess firearms and then use those firearms to commit crimes.”

During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Wong told the judge, “Saving this city starts by sending a message.”

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SAITAMA, Japan — The soundtrack of the NBA a generation ago has made its way to the Tokyo Olympics.

“Roundball Rock” — the iconic score composed by John Tesh about three decades ago — is being utilized again by NBC at the Tokyo Games, as the theme music for men’s and women’s basketball on their broadcasts.

Tesh’s music was the theme for the “NBA on NBC” coverage from 1990 through 2002, spanning parts of the careers of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and many others. The music started being used again on the Olympic basketball telecasts on NBC’s networks over the weekend.

Tesh once said that he came up with the theme on a trip to Europe but didn’t have a piano available to him on the trip. He called his home answering machine and sang the idea for the theme into the phone, leaving the message to himself.

It was even parodied on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in 2013 in a skit featuring, among others, Jason Sudeikis — who now stars in “Ted Lasso.”

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GamblersArea – The Best Social Casino on the iGaming Scene

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By Sponsored,
today at 12:46 pm

Are you a fan of online video slots and online social gambling? If yes, then GamblersArea is the best option available in the iGaming industry.

One of the fastest-growing industries in the world, online gambling provides players with a vast and ever-expanding selection of premium games to play for fun or to bet on with real money. When it comes to social casinos such as GamblersArea, gamers can have entertaining gambling sessions while placing bets using coins gifted to them by the website itself.

Unique Gambling Experience

GamblersArea is the latest platform in the iGaming industry for special content streaming and online social gambling. It provides the ultimate playing experience for all those players who want to play the hottest slots on the market but not spend real money. Aside from being the best platform for online social gambling, it also allows players to interact with each other and follow the streams of popular casino streamers on Twitch such as Roshtein.

Players who become GamblersArea members get access to exclusive casino offers, a generous batch of coins to start their social casino experience, and live support that’s there to help them with any problem they might have while spinning reels or claiming bonuses. At the moment, the GamblersArea platform is featuring games of well-known iGaming providers BGaming, GameArt, and TrueLabs. Their releases are famous for catchy visual and sound effects, user-friendly interface, and engaging and highly entertaining gameplay.

Generous Rewards for Loyal Players

The members of GamblersArea are going to have their accounts replenished with coins every day. The most valuable currency on the website is Diamond but it can be used to enter giveaways, buy things in the site’s shop or you can swap it for a fresh batch of coins. The most frequent players are given exciting offers & rewards and get a mention on the leaderboard.

Exciting World of Twitch Streamers

Casino streaming is one of the most popular categories of a Twitch platform. The GamblersArea has taken the whole thing a step further by allowing its members to follow their favorite streamers Roshtein, DeuceAce, VonDice, and PressPlayTTV all at the same time on a single screen. They can enjoy fun and exciting casino streams, chat with streamers and other followers and get information on the latest and hottest casino bonus offers. 

Simply put, GamblersArea as a platform is bringing together social gambling and casino streaming and spicing the whole experience with generous bonuses and hefty giveaways. It’s the ultimate online gambling experience for all players who want to spin the reels but not spend any of their hard-earned cash.   

Large Casino Network & Bonus Offers

GamblersArea also has a large casino affiliate network! Players who join the platform have access to the best online casinos on the market and very generous offers. With dozens and dozens of casinos, any type of player is able to find something that fits their gaming preferences. From special deposit bonuses to free spins on some of the most popular video slots, GamblersArea has everything modern casino players look for!   

For each casino listed on the GamblersArea website the members have all the most important information and details – supported devices, languages, featured game providers, etc. This is an extremely important segment for those who are craving some real-money action and who want to try their luck on video slots, table, or live games in an online casino.

The information about different casino bonuses can be found on the Offers page of the website. Given the fact that the list of available offers is extra long (and it’s constantly expanding), members have access to filters that help them narrow their search for the best casino bonus offer. They can filter this list based on the country, bonus type, wagering required, etc.   

Aside from the chat, members also can communicate via the Forum page. There they can introduce themselves to the GamblersArea community, share news, discuss important industry events, get informed about giveaways and special casino promotions, and much more.

Latest News & Big Industry Events 

To keep members in the loop about everything industry-related, GamblersArea regularly posts news and featured articles in the ReelNews section of the website. Everything is covered, from basic casino terms newbies will appreciate to the innovative strides on the crypto gambling scene. Players can also dive deeper into the world of casino streaming, live casino gaming, and sports betting. They will never miss the hot new slot landing on the market or any change concerning betting regulations. 

Hot Spot for All The Online Gambling Fans

As the freshest online social gambling hub, GamblersArea is a perfect place for all the modern casino players. They can try out the top video slots, claim hefty bonus offers, earn coins and diamonds to enter giveaways, and get informed about all the latest industry trends. As said by the chief operating officer of GamblersArea:

“Our vision is to create an innovative social casino platform for the live streaming community and players.”      

And that’s exactly what creating an account on gambleresarea.com brings – the ultimate social gambling experience that anyone could wish for!

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Days after Attorney General Merrick Garland came to Chicago to promote a new program to combat gun violence in part by targeting so-called straw purchasers, a federal judge handed down an eight-month prison sentence in what the feds called a “case study” in the problem.

Federal prosecutors say Eric Blackman bought a 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol for someone who was underage in August 2019 from a licensed firearms dealer in Oak Forest. They said he later told investigators, “I just figured, what’s the worst that could happen?”

But the feds say that gun was ultimately linked to a Dec. 22, 2019 mass shooting on the South Side that injured 13 people. Of the 31 cartridge casings found at the home where the shooting happened, 13 came from the gun Blackman purchased.

By buying the gun, Blackman played the role of the so-called straw purchaser — using his lack of criminal history to purchase a gun for someone who wasn’t supposed to have it.

Before U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman handed the eight-month sentence to Blackman on Monday, Blackman told the judge, “It was basically a mistake that was made that I wish I could really take back.”

Blackman’s defense attorney, Michael Leonard, tried to underscore Blackman’s lack of criminal history and said that Blackman is “not the guy we’re looking for to solve the gun problem.”

But Gettleman noted that Blackman’s lack of criminal history helped him put the gun in the hands of someone who shouldn’t have it.

The judge noted that Blackman didn’t seem to commit his crime for money — distinguishing his from other straw-purchasing cases. But Gettleman also said guns have “destroyed so many lives in our city” and “stray bullets are killing children almost every week in this community.” The judge rejected a request from Blackman’s attorney for probation.

The person Blackman purchased the gun for was caught with it a little more than a week after the mass shooting when officers saw him walking with what appeared to be a gun handle sticking out of his right coat pocket, according to court records. The feds say the firearm was loaded and had an obliterated serial number.

That person was not accused of participating in the shooting, the judge said during Monday’s hearing.

Jon Seidel/Sun-Times

Garland paid an overnight visit to Chicago last week to tout a new Justice Department program meant to combat gun violence in Chicago and in other cities across the country, in part by targeting straw purchasers.

Asked about people who consider straw-purchasing a “paper crime” because it involves lying on a form — Blackman pleaded guilty to lying about a firearm sale — Garland called that characterization “unfortunate.”

“We do not regard this as a minor matter,” Garland said. “We regard this as a major matter.”

Meanwhile, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Wong wrote in a recent court memo that, “The straw purchaser plays a significant role in the gun violence that has continuously troubled the city of Chicago and threatened the public safety of its residents.”

Wong called the Blackman case “representative of the harmful ripple effect that straw-purchased firearms can have,” and she wrote that Chicago “has been inundated with violence from the actions of individuals who illegally possess firearms and then use those firearms to commit crimes.”

During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Wong told the judge, “Saving this city starts by sending a message.”

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