Sundays race, Johnson could be NASCARs only multiple Cup champion in the field next year.Unless

Fidel Castro, who led his bearded rebels to victorious revolution in 1959, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of rule in Cuba, has died at age 90.With a shaking voice, President Raul Castro said on state television in Havana that his older brother died at 10:29 p.m. Friday. He ended the announcement by shouting the revolutionary slogan: Toward victory, always!Castro, who outlasted a crippling U.S. trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died 10 years after a life-threatening illness led him to turn over power to his brother and a little more than a year after Cuba and the United States resumed diplomatic relations following 50 years of Cold War hostility.The centerpiece of the détente saw U.S. President Barack Obama travel to the island nation to see the Tampa Bay Rays play a baseball game against the Cuban national team in March. It was the first time a major league team played in Cuba since 1999.Born near Birán, Cuba, on Aug. 13, 1926, to a sugar plantation owner, Castro grew up in a wealthy household and attended El Colegio de Belén in Havana, where he pitched for the schools baseball team, played basketball and ran track. After graduation, he turned his attention to politics. Castro became one of the leaders of a revolutionary movement, and in 1958 he and his guerrilla forces began a campaign to successfully overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.In February 1959, Castro became the countrys new leader and remained in power until 2008. His socialist policies and cozy relationship with the Soviet Union led to contentious relations with the United States.For decades, Castro was a source of inspiration and support to revolutionaries from Latin America to Africa, even as Cubans who fled to exile loathed him with equal measure.In 1961, a CIA-trained group of Cuban exiles launched a disastrous invasion of the Bay of Pigs, an attempt to overthrow Castro. A year later, the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a dramatic face-off over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from Florida. The conflict nearly resulted in nuclear war.His commitment to socialism was unwavering, though his power finally began to fade in mid-2006 when a gastrointestinal ailment forced him to hand over the presidency to Raul in 2008, provisionally at first and then permanently. Castros defiant image lingered long after he gave up his trademark Cohiba cigars for health reasons and his tall frame grew stooped.Socialism or death remained Castros rallying cry even as Western-style democracy swept the globe and other communist regimes in China and Vietnam embraced capitalism, leaving this island of 11 million people an economically crippled Marxist curiosity.He survived long enough to see his brother negotiate an opening with U.S. President Barack Obama on Dec. 17, 2014, when Washington and Havana announced they would move to restore diplomatic ties for the first time since they were severed in 1961. He cautiously blessed the historic deal with his lifelong enemy in a letter published after a monthlong silence.Raul has announced plans to retire as president when his current term ends on Feb. 24, 2018. Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, a relatively younger leader, is seen as a possible successor.In the Cuban capital, flags flew at half-staff at public buildings and some foreign embassies across the city Saturday. By midday, the U.S. Embassys flag had not been lowered.As Castros rivalry with the U.S. played out in diplomatic and military crises, it also played out on baseball fields, in boxing rings and on rubberized tracks.Soon after coming to power, Castro recognized the potential benefits of national excellence in athletics and Cuba eventually became one of the strongest sporting nations in the world -- despite a population only slightly greater than New York Citys.At the Olympics, Castros athletes were at their best. Cuba won no gold medals at any Games from 1906 to 1968, but all of that changed beginning in 1972. In Munich, then in Montreal and then in Moscow -- Games the United States boycotted -- Cuba was an Olympic force. Heavyweight boxer Teofilo Stevenson won three consecutive gold medals and Alberto Juantorena became the first man to win both the 400- and 800-meter races.Cuban sport was back in the international spotlight in 1991 as the nation hosted the Pan-Am Games, which, more than any athlete, Castro dominated. He seemed to be at every venue, cheering every heat and every Cuban athlete.The following year, Cuba returned to the Olympic fold just in time to win the first Olympic baseball championship, defeating the U.S. and delighting Castro. Soon thereafter, many of its top players started defecting to the United States, where, instead of earning the equivalent of a thousand dollars a year, they could sign contracts worth millions of dollars.In more recent years, baseball has provided opportunities for Cuban-American détente. In 1999, over strenuous objections from the Cuban émigré community in Florida, the Baltimore Orioles played two games against the Cuban national team. The Orioles won the first game, which was held in Havana, and the Cuban national team won the second game, which was held in Baltimore.In December 2014, Obama and Raul Castro announced a restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries. And on March 22, 2016, in Havanas Estadio Latinoamericano. the Rays defeated the Cuban national baseball team 4-1 -- a game attended by Obama, Raul Castro and Rachel Robinson, the widow of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.Fidel Castro was not in attendance. Ever the revolutionary, he castigated the United States in a column he wrote three days after the visit, saying, We dont need the empire to give us anything. Joey Bosa Jersey . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Nasir Adderley Womens Jersey . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. http://www.chargersauthenticofficialonline.com/authentic-lance-alworth-jersey.html . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. Easton Stick Jersey . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. Doug Flutie Womens Jersey . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- By Kyle Buschs standards, it has been a pretty quiet year.Sure, he got fined for blowing off media commitments after a disappointing Xfinity Series finish at Fontana, and he also incurred the wrath of NASCAR for destroying the rear fenders of his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with an over-the-top burnout after winning the spring Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.But for the most part, Busch has been a model of decorum throughout 2016. He didnt (publicly) pitch a fuss when his JGR teammate Carl Edwards moved him to steal a Cup win at Richmond, and he was contrite after accidentally knocking teammate Matt Kenseth out of the NASCAR Chase playoffs last weekend at Phoenix.The most controversy he has generated has come from his continued desire to compete in NASCARs lower ranks, where he won 10 times in 16 Xfinity Series starts while also taking two of the three Camping World Truck Series races he ran.Even though Busch hasnt often make waves in the Cup series, he put together a rock-solid regular season with four race wins and a dozen top-5s. Now hes right back where he was a year ago: among the four drivers competing for the Sprint Cup championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Last November, Busch defeated Kevin Harvick in a straight fight at Homestead to win his first Cup series championship, and he believes he is poised to repeat that result on Sunday evening even though he hasnt recently tested at the title-deciding venue.I went there last year without testing and we did pretty well, so its all about the preparation and the things that our team does behind the scenes, as well as just executing on race day, Busch said.Its nice to be able to look back on what you did, and being able to do it before, you can kind of try to follow the same format of what happened, he added. But the three other guys are different and the race cars are different this year, and the tracks going to be one more year worn out than it was last year. Out of all the variables, it doesnt seem like there are that many constants.Adam Stevens, crew chief for the No. 18 Toyota, is confident about the teams chances.Im excited to go back down there, Stevens said. I feel like we really had a great weekend down there last year. Theres no reason why we cant go do that again.Buschs formula for making it to the championship final is similar to the one he used last year. He hasnt won a race since taking his second consecutive Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in late July, but he has snatched six top-5 finishes in the Chase. His average Chase finish is 7.3 despite intentionally running at the back to wind up 30th at Talladega.By finishing in the top 10 in eight of the nine Chase races, capped by that hectic run to second place at Phoenix, Busch has positioned himself to score rare back-to-back Cup series crowns.Aside from Johnsons run of five consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010, the only other drivers in the past 30 years tto claim back-to-back Cup trophies are Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip.dddddddddddde havent showed our strength here in a few weeks, but weve showed consistency, Busch said after the race at Phoenix. We always talk about in this sport how top-10s lead to top-5s and top-5s lead to wins. Eventually were going to keep finishing in the top five and we just had three top-5s in a row.After racing Gordon for the championship in 2015, Busch downplayed the notion that beating six-time titlist Jimmie Johnson for this years honor would be any more meaningful.Edwards and Joey Logano are the other two championship finalists.I dont think Jimmie being in the final four makes it any more significant than Carl or Joey, Busch said. I think theyre all really good. Jimmie has been a six-time champion, but he hasnt done it in this format.You might also look at how guys have run in the past at Homestead, and it seems like Carl is probably one of the best on that, Busch continued. Joey has finished real well there the last few years also. This group is certainly way high up there as far as being challenging to race, and thats why I feel like it could honestly be any guys race.Busch is also content with Homestead as the venue for the championship finale. The 1.5-mile oval is a similar length to other intermediate ovals, but with a markedly different symmetrical layout.I think Homestead is one of the better tracks for us to have the last race at, he said. Youd much rather go there to a place where its kind of wide, where tires fall off and where you can race people from the bottom of the track all the way to the top of the track versus going to a place like Phoenix or Loudon, where its really hard to pass and hard to get the guy in front of you, with not too many racing grooves.With Gordon retired (again) and Tony Stewart calling it quits as a driver after Sundays race, Johnson could be NASCARs only multiple Cup champion in the field next year.Unless Busch repeats as champion, that is. At 31, in the prime of his career, he knows its important for the sport to have legacy stars for future generations to measure up to. And he knows that winning consecutive Cup titles would guarantee that kind of long-term status.You look at these younger-generation drivers that come in and youve got to stack yourself up against somebody, Busch said. I got to stack myself up against Jeff Gordon, against guys late in their career like Dale Jarrett, and Ive raced against guys like Tony Stewart and Jimmie -- a lot of guys who have been champion.Although I never raced against the likes of Richard Petty or David Pearson or guys that were champions before my time, you certainly get to understand how good they were in their day and how important they are to the sport even though you never got a chance to race them yourself. ' ' '