NEWS » us who we are. And so its worth doing, and its wor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Over the next few weeks, after long days of training camp on the practice fields of Missouri Western State University, Cairo Santos will return to his dorm room and hunker down in front of a TV.He will flip the channel to the Rio Olympics and get lost in the pageantry.You see, the only Brazilian playing in the NFL is as eager as anybody to see what kind of show his country puts on this August. The kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs knows better than most the many hurdles that have been overcome and the opportunity that Brazil has on the world stage.Unfortunately, Brazil has had that image of corruption for such a long time, Santos said in an interview with The Associated Press. But we are a country that has a lot of potential to be a great country, and were a country thats fighting to be on the right track.The run-up to the Rio Olympics has been dominated by negative news: organized doping by Russian athletes, fears over the Zika virus, polluted water, the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff, venue and housing issues, a noticeable uptick in crime across the seaside city.Many of these issues, Santos said, have been part of Brazilian life long before Rio was awarded the first Olympics in South America. Its just that now the worlds attention is on the city, a glossy facade portrayed by tour operators has been pulled back to reveal a less savory underbelly.Unemployment is a problem. So is homelessness, organized crime and other social issues.Security is the main concern, said Santos, who spent time this past offseason in Rio and Sao Paulo, where his family lives and some of the Olympic soccer matches will take place.I wouldnt suggest being by yourself, at night especially, he said. The Olympic villages, near Copacabana and stuff, theres Olympic sites everywhere. Thats where the action is. Just being around there is the best place, where the police will be -- where the crowd will be.Like most Brazilians, Santos grew up playing soccer. He didnt start playing football until he moved to Florida as a foreign exchange student and his high school needed a kicker, and then he played the Madden video game so he could learn the rules.He was so good at kicking oblong balls through uprights that he earned a scholarship to Tulane.After winning the Lou Groza Award as the nations best college kicker, Santos was signed by Kansas City. The 24-year-old went to training camp in 2014 and competed against Ryan Succop, the most accurate kicker in Chiefs history, before eventually winning the starting job.In his first two seasons, he has made 55 of 67 field-goal attempts and missed just two extra points.Santoss success has quickly endeared him to Kansas City fans, but it also has made him a hero in Brazil. Very few people follow the NFL, but those who manage to catch games on satellite TV generally root for the Chiefs because of their kicker.Santos was mobbed everywhere he went during his trip home this offseason: his elementary school in Brasilia, the local TV stations where he was interviewed, his first Cairo Camp in Sao Paulo.He even hobnobbed with Brazilian mixed martial arts star Jose Aldo.Most of his trips took him to the glitzy areas of Brazil, but Santos knows well what the living conditions are like in the many slums -- called favelas -- that dot the countryside.He wonders how much of the Olympics will touch the people struggling to make ends meet.Those images probably wont show up when he flips on the TV at night at training camp. Instead, he will see the best of Rio -- Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, the panoramic vistas.Asked what he is most interested in, Santos gave a predictable answer: Im always curious about the soccer team. Theyve never gotten gold. Hopefully redeem ourselves from the World Cup fiasco (where Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany in the semifinals, then lost the third-place match to the Netherlands).But Im also excited to see how theyll deal with having the entire worlds attention on us, Santos said, and how were going to organize such a beautiful event like that. Its a good opportunity for our country to grow and change our image. Buddy Hield Kings Jersey .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. Nemanja Bjelica Jersey . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. https://www.kingslockerroom.com/Marvin-Bagley-City-Edition-Jersey/ .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Dewayne Dedmon Kings Jersey . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Vlade Divac Jersey . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night. SAN DIEGO -- After 15 years of working to get a stadium built here, the?Chargers?finally found out from San Diego city voters whether they want to build a new stadium that keeps the team in town.The answer, at least for the project as it currently stands, was a resounding no.With 100 percent of precincts reporting, the Chargers received only 43 percent approval on Measure C, the teams $1.8 billion downtown stadium and convention center annex that proposed raising hotel taxes from 12.5 percent to 16.5 percent to secure $1.15 billion in bonds to help pay for the project.The citizens ballot initiative required two-thirds of the voting public within city limits to approve the project, a high bar for the team to reach.In a letter sent late Tuesday night, Chargers chairman Dean Spanos thanked season-ticket holders and fans for their support but offered no insight into his intentions moving forward.?In terms of what comes next for the Chargers, its just too early to give you an answer, Spanos wrote. We are going to diligently explore and weigh our options, and do what is needed to maintain our options, but no decision will be announced until after the football season concludes, and no decision will be made in haste.On Wednesday, Spanos issued a statement that echoed that sentiment and reiterated that he didnt intend to make any decisions until after the regular season ends.Im eager -- as Im sure you all are -- to give the stadium debate a rest and enjoy some Chargers football, the statement read.The Chargers still have the option of being a tenant in the stadium project in Inglewood, California, which is headed up by?Rams?owner Stan Kroenke.As part of the Rams relocation agreement approved earlier this year by NFL owners, the Chargers have until Jan. 15 to decide whether they want to join the Rams in Los Angeles. The two sides agreed to terms on a deal that would bring the Chargers to Los Angeles as the second NFL team earlier this year.If the Chargers decide to stay in San Diego, the?Raiders?will have the opportunity to move south and join the Rams.However, with the Raiders focused on potentially relocating to Las Vegas, it could buy some time for the Chargers to continue to work on getting something done in San Diego.Spanos said last week that he has no meeting scheduled with Kroenke and that the NFL is supportive of whatever direction the Chargers would like to go.Theyve been great, Spanos said about the league.Last yearr, as the team partnered with the Raiders in an attempt to develop and fund a new stadium in Carson, California, the Chargers conducted what many in the city view as a scorched-earth policy that put them at odds with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer over the location and financing of a new facility.ddddddddddddHowever, this year, the Chargers committed to getting something done in San Diego after losing the race to Los Angeles to the Rams, which included Spanos working to create a better relationship with Faulconer.Spanos also changed his approach locally, getting out front more and interacting with fans and city leaders.After months of negotiations with the team, Faulconer announced three weeks ago his endorsement of the teams stadium proposal. Faulconer and the Chargers agreed to eight concessions to protect the citys financial interests and strengthen the teams ballot initiative.Its very important to work together, thats how you achieve success, Faulconer said. And as Ive said on numerous occasions, keeping the team here is in the best interest of the city.The Chargers have been here for 50 years. Part of a great American city is professional sports, just like are arts, culture and some of the other things that make us who we are. And so its worth doing, and its worth keeping focus to achieve success.Now that Faulconer and Spanos are on the same page, even with a loss at the polls, the Chargers could continue to work on improving the stadium plan, now that there appears to be some momentum toward building a new facility.It was never bad to begin with, Spanos said about his relationship with Faulconer. We had opposing views last year. Thats just part of doing business. Hes been great. Hes been supportive, and hes a very decent individual to deal with.City Councilman Chris Cate, who was called out by the Chargers because he opposed the measure, said he hopes Spanos comes to the table sooner rather than later.I understand the value of the Chargers. I was born and raised here, Cate said. I dont want them to leave. But it cant be a one-sided affair. People have to be at the table to hammer out a deal that works.Chargers quarterback?Philip Rivers?said hes trying to stay optimistic.I cant see us not here, Rivers said after practice on Wednesday.The Associated Press contributed to this report.? ' ' '