CHICAGO -- Not long after the Chicago Cubs won the 2016 World Series, Theo Epstein dismissed criticism of manager Joe Maddon for another time. When it came down to winning a championship, the team president opined that only the result mattered -- not the process nor any of the controversial decision-making by the man in the dugout.

The Cubs should view Maddon's next 72 games in the same manner. No matter how sloppy his team has played, no matter how much criticism he may be due at the moment, if the Cubs win their dogfight of a division, Maddon should be rewarded.

But if his team continues its current style of play while ceding the National League Central, which Chicago leads by a mere half-game as the second half begins, Maddon should suffer the consequences.

As much as the Cubs are in it together, the final half-season of Maddon's five-year contract will be a referendum on his current managerial style. That won't take anything away from what he has accomplished -- it just means he'll join a long list of former Cubs managers who never made it past half a decade on the job. The only difference is Maddon will have a championship on his resume. The others don't.

Without saying it in as many words, Maddon's boss put the spotlight firmly on the manager in his pre-All-Star break comments.

"The sloppiness has surprised all of us," Epstein said last weekend of the 47-43 Cubs. "For many years, when we're at our best, we're playing alert, focused, prepared, heads-up baseball. ... We can't put our finger on why. It's not anyone's fault, per se. We have to shake that if we want to get where we want to go."

You're not out on a limb if you think being prepared and focused falls under the purview of the manager.

There was more.

"This group has been together a long time, so sometimes the same message isn't as effective, and it's incumbent on all of us to find, whether it's transactional, finding different combinations or as a coaching staff, giving a different message to get the most of what we're looking for," Epstein continued. "It's not easy. The last calendar year, we haven't really gotten the results in terms of the way we're playing, the way we're facing challenges."

Epstein was quick to include the front office in the "collective" issues the Cubs possess, but potentially delivering a stale message falls squarely on the manager. However, make no mistake, the front office is the main culprit when it comes to the erosion of talent and depth on the team and in the organization. That, coupled with the ascension of other teams in the division, is why the Cubs are in a five-way NL Central battle.

It also doesn't help matters that the team's position-player core -- which helped win a World Series -- hasn't reached its potential. The organization attempted to engage with its millennial group during the winter, but the problems still exist. According to sources familiar with the situation, a recent players-only meeting -- as well as a scheduled one held by Maddon -- again tried to address the issues among those players and their inability to max out as a unit.

But all of that is for another day. As the saying goes, you can't fire 25 guys -- or in this case, 12 position players -- and let's face it, general manager Jed Hoyer isn't on Epstein's hot seat. Maddon is. So, yes, the team is in this "collectively," but if/when it comes time to make a major change, we all know where the ax will fall.

"We're not playing in a way that is representative of who we are," Epstein said. "It's gone on for a while. We're all looking for answers. We're all looking for every lever we can pull to get this going in the right direction."

Maddon delivered a similar message when he closed the doors for his annual midseason team meeting during the Cubs' most recent road series, in Pittsburgh.

"I talked to them about what I thought we needed to get better at, but then I also offered some solutions," Maddon said afterward. "Sometimes you just get off track a little bit. I thought I gave what I thought were the issues and then some solutions."

And there is no problem too inconsequential, not when the top and bottom of the division are separated by 4½ games, and not after last season's division title was decided by a one-game playoff.

Additionally, the Cubs are among the league leaders in total number of one-run affairs, yet they are just 12-15 in those games. Just turn that record around, and how much better would the team and its fans feel about the first half?

So now it's our turn. Here are some of the biggest issues the Cubs are facing and some potential fixes that the manager can control:

The Cubs have been reckless on the bases.

The Cubs have made the most outs (37) on the basepaths in all of baseball (excluding pickoffs, force outs and being caught stealing).

Included in that ugly stat is 13 outs made at home and 10 more at third base. Those rank first and second, respectively, among the 30 teams. So the Cubs were within 90 feet -- or less -- of scoring 23 more times. How would scoring those runs translate in the win/loss column?

And lest you think that's the price of being an aggressive team, the price is too steep: The Cubs have a negative runs-above-average rating based on their baserunning, which ranks in the bottom third of the league, according to FanGraphs. While the team is often praised for its first-to-third prowess, that's a product of their hitters going to right field as much as anything else. For example, their right-handed batters rank third in opposite-field hits this season.

So why can't the Cubs be smart and aggressive on the basepaths? Here's Maddon's philosophy, which he has stated many times over the years:

"You have to be careful when talking to the guys, when you get too harsh about it, then all of a sudden they become station-to-station," Maddon said. "That's not what we're looking for. When a guy makes a mistake on the bases, I prefer just talking to him about it. ... I like aggressive baserunning. I want us to look for the extra base, but you don't want to make foolish outs on the bases."

Of course, no one wants to make bad outs on the bases. When a team continually does so, isn't it incumbent on the manager to put a stop to it? Maddon has been here before. In his first spring training with the Cubs, in 2015, he told his players he wanted them to be aggressive on the basepaths. Perhaps in an effort to impress their new manager, players ran wild on the bases early in spring games. Eventually, Maddon laid down the law.

"We're not good at fundamentals in the game," Maddon said after his team began that spring 0-6-1. "We have not done the little things right that permit you to win. The wins will happen if we get the fundamentals. The wins will never happen if you don't get the fundamentals."

It was one of the more stern moments in Maddon's time in Chicago -- and it came mere weeks into his tenure. The Cubs could use some of that Maddon now. More than anything, the team needs to realize how much the game has changed since 2015. In a day and age when everyone is hitting home runs, is it really worth it to potentially eliminate a baserunner while adding an out to your inning, taking away a chance at a multirun homer? The answer is no, and Maddon should act accordingly. Station-to-station isn't all that bad in 2019.

"We're not good enough to give four outs or make careless mistakes on the basepaths," Epstein said.

The Cubs don't have their best on-base guys at the top of the lineup.

Maddon changed up his lineup recently, but other than batting Kris Bryant third -- where he's more comfortable -- it still doesn't feel right. Yes, the Cubs won two games with Kyle Schwarber hitting leadoff and Javy Baez second, but that streak ended quickly in the Cubs' last game before the break, a 3-1 loss to the White Sox.

"We're not playing in a way that is representative of who we are. It's gone on for a while. We're all looking for answers." Cubs president Theo Epstein

How many teams, let alone contenders, begin games with a .320 on-base guy followed by a .324 player? Moving Bryant to third was a smart move. It needs to be followed up by putting on-base threats in front of him. That could be anyone from Anthony Rizzo or even catcher Willson Contreras. Since Bryant himself is an on-base machine, Baez should bat fourth or fifth to clean up all those guys who are good at getting on.

On a team that hits just .249 with runners in scoring position, why would a .317 hitter in that category hit second? In Maddon's defense, he said he wasn't married to the lineup, but the sooner he changes it, the better.

Side note: It wouldn't hurt if the front office found a better on-base threat from outside the organization. While many are focused on Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield, he'll carry a hefty price tag. A player like Toronto Blue Jays infielder Eric Sogard won't. The Cubs were interested in him during the offseason, according to sources, but signed Daniel Descalso instead. Sogard has a .372 on-base percentage in the leadoff spot this season after signing a minor league deal this past winter. He'd be worth a flier and shouldn't cost nearly as much as Merrifield.

The Cubs have the second-worst fielding percentage in the NL.

We all know fielding percentage can be a misleading stat, but the Cubs have made way too many sloppy errors -- not to mention mental mistakes as well. And sometimes the mental ones lead to physical ones. Here's Epstein's wish for the second half:

"Playing good baseball, playing heads-up baseball, eliminating some of the sloppiness. Playing in a way all the guys can be proud of. If we start playing that way, the results will take care of themselves."

This is, and should be, a Maddon strength: creating an environment where players can just play without feeling the pressure to do too much. It's the only answer in regards to talented players when it comes to the sloppiness. Trying to make two outs instead of one, overthrowing a cutoff man, making outs on the basepaths. These are traits of players who are pressing. That's on the manager to relieve.

"We're also engaged with Joe and the coaching staff, trying to find ways to get more out of this group and play better," Epstein said.

The shaky bullpen hasn't been helped by usage decisions.

Like any manager, Maddon is often second-guessed for his bullpen decisions, but his issues don't involve when to pull a starter and when not to -- a popular topic on social media and sports talk radio. All managers are rolling the dice with those decisions. It's more important to understand who his best relievers are and to deploy them accordingly. The Cubs have no margin for error here.

For example, Maddon's misuse of righty Brandon Kintzler has cost the team games. Kintzler's performance across all situations has been fantastic, leading to a 1.98 ERA while stranding inherited runners 91% of the time. But until somewhat recently, he has been used as just another reliever -- pitching in low-leverage situations just as often as Brad Brach, who has a 6.11 ERA.

Maddon may claim he's put Kintzler in situations to succeed, but he doesn't have the luxury of picking and choosing when to use a reliever who is pitching that well, especially considering his bullpen isn't as deep as it once was. Making sure his top relievers are available, on as many days as the Cubs need them, should be a priority for Maddon in the second half.

It all comes down to Joe.

The front office can claim they're all in it together, but how much can they really do? They aren't going to meddle inside the clubhouse. Hoyer and Epstein know better than to approach a player about his poor play. They'll do that with the coaches, but it's up to the manager to right the ship.

Of course, there are other factors at play here, as the times the Cubs have played their worst baseball in recent years are when they've been forced to play the most. Even in their championship 2016 season, the Cubs stunk up the place during a stretch of 24 games without a day off from June 17 to July 10. Late last season, they reported to the park 30 consecutive days, and they subsequently squandered their division lead. These are facts, not opinions.

This season, the Cubs just finished a string of 50 games in 52 days, which included 29 games in June. They were the only National League team to play that many. A lighter schedule -- the Cubs open the second half at home with nine games in 10 days, for example -- should help make Maddon's job easier.

But he has to do the rest, beginning with the understanding that he's not leading the 2016 Cubs. As Epstein noted, the team just isn't good enough to overcome sloppy play. Armed with that information, Maddon needs to manage them accordingly.

His job depends on it.

Otherwise, the end will come just a few floors above his new restaurant, Maddon's Post, where Epstein's and Hoyer's offices sit. They'll eventually have a decision to make on Maddon. He needs to make it a harder one. He has 72 games to do it.

"If we start playing our style of baseball, a heads-up style of baseball that we play when we're at our best, then things should take care of themselves," Epstein said.

The ultra runner was pelted with stones and had a knife pulled on him during gruelling training runs in Ethiopia but the altitude camp proved perfect preparation for tackling his first 100-miler

British runner Tom Evans became the fastest non-American to complete the Western States 100 last month. His time of 14 hours, 59 minutes and 44 seconds also made him the fifth quickest athlete in history on the iconic ultra-distance course in California as he finished third in a race won in spectacular style by Jim Walmsley.

It was Evans’ debut 100-mile race but he took it in his stride after spending two months at a gruelling 2700m high altitude camp in Ethiopia where during some training runs he was pelted with stones and even had a knife pulled on him at one stage by a wary local.

“I’d do long runs typically on Wednesday and Thursday,” he says, on his training in East Africa. “I got up to doing two six-hour back-to-back, so 12 hours in two days. And I did an eight-hour long run at just under 3000m elevation.”

“I had a knife pulled out on me when I was running. You’re on your own and it is tough and a warrior environment. I picked up my pace and ran even harder”

Surely it was difficult to complete an eight-hour run at altitude and know that on race day in late June that length of time would only be just over halfway. “Yep, pretty depressing,” he agrees. “On that eight-hour run I had Zane Robertson (New Zealand marathon record-holder with 2:08:19) pacing me for the first two-and-a-half hours, which was awesome, and it was 96km in total and I was dead afterwards. In fact I was worried afterwards that my fitness wasn’t where it should be although I think that was just the altitude talking.”

Tackling such long training runs in Ethiopia brought with it various risks too. “I was going way off the beaten track to find new trails and good hills,” he says. “I had lots of stones thrown at me. I had a knife pulled out on me when I was running. You’re on your own and it is tough and a warrior environment. I picked up my pace and ran even harder.”

What happened when the knife was pulled? Did he square up to the man or start running? “I just increased my pace!” says Evans. “I don’t think he was planning on using it but it was kind of him saying ‘get out of here we don’t want you here’, which I can kind of understand but when you’re running and trying to better yourself then it makes the environment way more stressful.”

Ethiopia did have its benefits, though. “I stayed at Yaya Village (on the outskirts of Addis Ababa) and the rolling nature of Ethiopia with the elevation was perfect to prepare for Western States and no ultra runner has ever been to Ethiopia to prepare for a race like this,” adds the 27-year-old, whose all-round running ability was shown when he finished ninth in the Inter-Counties Cross Country Champs earlier this year.

The hard work at the Ethiopian camp culminated in a fine performance at Western States in a growing list of impressive achievements that includes victory in the 2018 ‘CCC’ 101km race at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc week in France.

“Western States was my first 100-mile race in the most iconic and original 100 miler,” he says. “To run the fifth quickest time in the history of the race and the fastest international runner is great. I was never planning to run sub-14:30 like Jim (Walmsley, the winner) or Jared (Hazen, runner-up). The goal was always 15 hours. With only two years of running in my legs, to be able to mix it with guys who have been running for 10 years competitively, I’m over the moon and incredibly excited about the future.”

Shot putter Nana Gyedu wins hat-trick of English Schools titles as she breaks the championship record in Birmingham on Friday

Nana Gyedu sealed her third English Schools shot put title on the first day of the New Balance English Schools Championships at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham. The London athlete threw 15.06m to win inter girls’ gold by more than a metre as she beat Divine Oladipo’s championship record of 14.92m.

It was one of the leading performances on an opening day of the 89^th English Schools Championships which was dominated by field events finals. “It feels good and it’s extra pleasing to break the championship record,” Gyedu beamed.

Cleo Agyepong also smashed a shot put championship record in the junior girls’ age group. The Kent athlete threw 13.19m to beat Hannah Molyneaux’s 2014 mark of 12.85m.

In pleasant but blustery conditions the jumpers were thwarted in their attempts to break records due to gusts of wind. They included Sam Brereton, who took his third English Schools title with 2.10m in the inter boys’ age group but did not manage to clear a 2.13m height that would have consigned Femi Abejide’s 2.12m championship record to the history books.

“It helps if the wind is behind, or none at all, but here it was a pretty bad headwind,” said the Cornwall athlete, who added that he’s given up playing in goal as a footballer in recent months in order to focus on athletics.

Sam Brereton of Cornwall wins his third #EnglishSchools high jump title with 2.10m but windy weather scuppers his chances of breaking the inter boys champs record of 2.12m held by Femi Abejide since 1981. pic.twitter.com/jokMYcDAY3

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) July 12, 2019

Elsewhere, winners included Sophie Ashurst, the daughter of 1986 Commonwealth champion Andy Ashurst, who took the inter girls’ pole vault with 3.80m in similarly blustery conditions on the back straight.

The feature on Daniel Falode in the current issue of AW magazine was well timed too as the London athlete won the inter boys’ triple jump gold by more than a metre with 15.27m into a headwind.

Further winners on this ‘field finals Friday’ included javelin thrower Lizzie Korczak, who threw 47.70m to win her third consecutive title as she beat Harriet Mortlock in a close inter girls’ contest, while Sam Mace took the senior boys’ hammer with 63.12m, Charlotte Payne the senior girls’ hammer by three metres with 57.53m and Serena Vincent won the senior girls’ shot by half a metre with 14.55m.

Toward the end of a long first day, there was also a championship record in the heats of the inter boys’ 4x100m as Essex clocked 41.58 to beat London’s 2010 best of 41.85.

Dutch star runs 4:12 as Laura Weightman just misses British best to finish runner-up at Herculis EBS meeting

The women’s mile world record was broken on an incredible evening of action at the Herculis EBS meeting in Monaco on Friday.

It’s safe to say that few expected the global mark to fall in the ‘Brave like Gabe’ mile – it seemed almost impossible when the pacemaker Olha Lyakhova led through 800m in 2:08.20, which was well down on the advertised 2:05.

Sifan Hassan, though, looked strong and buoyed by her recent European 3000m record in Stanford, she ran the third 400m in 61.93 and passed 1200m in 3:10.13.

At this stage Gudaf Tsegay was trying to hang on but she faded as the Dutch athlete powered away on the last lap and, with a strong last 100m, she took 0.23 off Svetlana Masterkova’s 4:12.56 set in Zurich in 1996.

Hassan covered the last 409m in 62.20 and her last 800m was 2:03.

“It’s amazing to run a world record that way,” she said after her 4:12.33 run. “I knew I could run fast but the first 800m was a bit slow so I was not thinking world record so I was surprised when I crossed the line. A world record gives you confidence and I want to double over 1500 and 5000 in Doha.”

Finishing fast in second was an equally delighted Laura Weightman and she ran 4:17.60 to narrowly miss Zola Budd’s 4:17.57 British record.

It comes after her own impressive 3000m performance at the Pre Classic, where she moved to No.2 on the UK all-time list with 8:26.07.

“I just thought, get your head down and run as hard as you can,” said Weightman.

“I’m absolutely delighted to run 4:17. It is a big PB and I’m over the moon for Sifan to set a world record. She’s amazing and it’s special to share with her.”

Gabriela DeBues-Stafford set a Canadian record 4:17.87 in third, while Britain’s Melissa Courtney was 12th in 4:27.76.

The men’s 1500m was a strange race in that even though pacemaker Bram Som ran a perfect first lap of 55.08, it was not fast enough for world leader Timothy Cheruiyot who pushed past and encouraged second pacemaker Michael Kibet to lead past 800m in 1:51.28.

The pace slowed on the third lap though and it was Jakob Ingebrigtsen who led through the bell and 1200m in 2:48.75.

Cheruiyot assumed control and though not looking as dominant as in Lausanne, he pulled away to win in 3:29.97 with Ingebrigtsen just missing his recent European under-23 and under-20 record with another top-class 3:30.47.

Ronald Musagala set a Ugandan record in third in 3:30.58 just ahead of a delighted Charlie Da’Vall Grice, who took three seconds off his PB with 3:30.62.

That moved him up to fourth all-time amongst Britons behind Mo Farah, Steve Cram and Sebastian Coe and ahead of fellow former Brighton resident Steve Ovett.

Only five athletes have ever broken 1:42 at 800m and Nijel Amos did it for the second time as he won in a superb 1:41.89 to break his own meeting record and take 1.7 seconds off the world lead.

The pacemaker Harun Abda blasted past 200m in around 23.5 and 400m was a staggering 48.70 with Amos close by.

The Botswanan was ahead at 600m in 75.22 and held his form well enough with a 26.6 last 200m.

Ferguson Rotich Cheruiyot set a PB 1:42.54 in second with Amel Tuka finishing fast for third in 1:43.62.

Jake Wightman was well off the excessive pace but finished well and his reward was a UK lead of 1:45.08.

The steeplechase was a cracking race and also saw a world lead and in fact the top five bettered the previous world lead.

The 1000m mark was passed in a near world record tempo of 2:37.74 but the pace slowed to a disappointing 5:24.84 at 2000m.

On the last lap Benjamin Kigen looked in control and entered the straight with a good lead but he faded and he was caught by a fierce kick from Soufiane El Bakkali who won in 8:04.82 from Kigen’s 8:05.12.

Getnet Wale lost his world lead but did improve his Ethiopian record to 8:05.51 and there was a shock Spanish record for Fernando Carro who ran 8:05.69.

The field events saw some fantastic performances too.

Poland’s Piotr Lisek dominated as he carried on his great form to win the pole vault with a 6.02m world lead and meeting record leap to go 10th all-time and he had some good attempts at 6.06m.

Seven athletes jumped 5.82m or higher with second going to European champion Armand Duplantis, who jumped 5.92m, with Olympic champion Thiago Braz matching that with his best jump for a few years.

Multi world and Olympic champion Christian Taylor won a superb triple jump with a meeting record 17.82m to gain a narrow win over world leader Will Claye who jumped 17.75m.

Sydney McLaughlin looked a future world record-setter as she destroyed the field in the women’s 400m hurdles to win in a world-leading 53.32.

Over a second back Ashley Spencer (54.46) and former world champion Zuzana Hejnova (54.55) completed the top three.

The 100m hurdles world record-holder Kendra Harrison looks to be rounding into top form as she finished strongly to win in 12.43, overhauling Danielle Williams, who ran 12.52. World leader Janeek Brown (12.40) was fourth in 12.71.

Olympic 400m champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo dominated the 200m to win in 22.09. World leader and Olympic champion Elaine Thompson was a well beaten second in 22.44 with world champion Dafne Schippers third in 22.45.

Justin Gatlin won the men’s 100m in 9.91 to surprisingly defeat Noah Lyles who ran 9.92.

Laura Muir was never really in the battle for first in the non-Diamond League 800m but she did improve her PB from 1:58.69 to 1:58.42 to go sixth all-time in the UK.

The pacemaker Chrishuna Williams went through 400m alone in 56.12 without any care on what was happening behind her with the pack around two seconds back.

Ajee’ Wilson pushed on through 600m in 87.37 but could not shake off Jamaican Natoya Goule with Muir around five metres back.

The American held her form well but only won by a metre in a season’s best 1:57.73 from Goule’s 1:57.90.

Muir battled down the straight to hold off her fellow Scot Lynsey Sharp, who easily had her best run of the year with 1:58.76.

There was a very chaotic 400m.

Kahmari Montgomery clearly false started and a recall gun went off but the outside three lanes did not hear initially and while Davide Re and Anthony Zambrano realised every one else had stopped, Jonathan Jones did not and he completed the race in a reported and unofficial 44.6.

Five minutes later the rerun happened but without an obviously very fatigued Jones and Zambrano but curiously with Montgomery as seemingly the officials were distracted and let him run.

Steven Gardiner won in 44.50 from 400m hurdles star Abderrahman Samba’s 45.00.

Andreas Hofmann continued his winning ways with a javelin victory in 87.84m while Mariya Lasitskene continued her dominance in the high jump with a 2.00m victory.

The previous evening, world leader and world champion Yulimar Rojas dominated the triple jump to win in 14.98m as Liadagmis Povea was second with 14.71m.

Results can be found here.

Rafa or Roger?

The two tennis greats prepare to meet each other at Wimbledon for the first time since 2008 in Friday's semi-final.

But how much do you REALLY know about Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer - not just on the court, but off it?

Test yourselves here with a quick-fire quiz.

Like to try some more quizzes, then give these a goes:

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – In lieu of the recent rain outs plaguing the Midwest, the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League has scheduled five new events.

The series will travel to Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., on July 26, followed by a trip to Macon (Ill.) Speedway on July 27.

Later in the year, on Oct. 4-5, the series will travel to Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway. Lastly, on Oct. 19, the tour will visit I-30 Speedway in West Memphis, Ark., for a co-sanctioned event with the POWRi Lucas Oil West Midget League.

The POWRi Engler Machine & Tool 600cc Outlaw Micro League will join the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget league on Oct. 5 at Jacksonville Speedway and Oct. 19 at I-30 Speedway.

The POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League has lost nine events this season to rainouts.

NAPLES, Maine – Pro All Stars Series President and Oxford Plains Speedway owner Tom Mayberry has announced that former Oxford Plains owner Bob Bahre will be the Grand Marshal for the Oxford 250.

Bahre purchased Oxford Plains Speedway in 1964. He ran it with his brother, Dick Bahre, until they sold it in 1987.  It was under Bob Bahre’s leadership that the Oxford 250 made its debut. It began in 1974 as a 200-lap event before being expanded to 250 laps the following year.

Bob Bahre and his family made many improvements to the track under his ownership. He is known as a successful businessman in the Oxford Hills area and beyond.

“We are extremely honored that Bob will be this year’s Grand Marshal, 55 years after he took ownership of the track,” said Mayberry.

Following his time at Oxford Plains, Bahre went on to build New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.

The 46th annual Oxford 250 will be held on Aug. 23-25 and nearly 50 PASS super late models are currently entered.

LOS ANGELES -- The celebration was cut short for a member of the World Cup champion U.S. women's soccer team after she discovered someone had burglarized her hotel room in Los Angeles.

Allie Long tweeted on Thursday it happened after the team was honored at The ESPYS on Wednesday night.

Long wrote "someone stole my wedding ring, cash and the key to my favorite city." She's referring to the symbolic key that New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio gave the players following a ticker-tape parade on Wednesday.

After the @ESPYS show someone stole my wedding ring, cash and the key to my favorite city after just receiving it from my hotel room. Do you make copies @NYCMayor ? I would love a new one.

— Allie Long (@ALLIE_LONG) July 12, 2019

In the post, she asked de Blasio if they make copies because she "would love a new one." de Blasio says he will send her a replacement key to the city.

So sorry to hear it, Allie. Hang in there. Don't worry about the key. Like any good New Yorker, we keep a spare for our neighbors! We got you covered. https://t.co/B5xqZPMZnU

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) July 12, 2019

KABC-TV reports the LAPD is reviewing video from the hotel where Long was staying.

Barcelona have signed Antoine Griezmann after they deposited the Atletico Madrid forward's €120 million buyout clause with La Liga.

Griezmann, 28, is expected to arrive in Barcelona over the weekend, where he will pen a five-year contract with the Spanish champions before joining preseason training next week. The deal also includes an €800m release clause.

- When does the 2019-20 La Liga season start?

The France international becomes Barca's third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of Frenkie de Jong and Neto. Griezmann's release clause dropped from €200m on July 1 and sources told ESPN FC at the time that the Blaugrana were working on a deal for the attacker.

However, they delayed triggering the clause immediately in the hope they could negotiate a deal with Atletico which would allow them to pay the fee in instalments. The two clubs met in Madrid last Thursday but it quickly became apparent that Atletico would not accept a payment plan.

After Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed the meeting had taken place, the Rojiblancos released a strongly worded statement criticising both Barca and Griezmann's actions.

Atletico condemned Barca for approaching Griezmann while the La Liga title was still being contended between the two teams and demanded the player return to the club for training. He didn't and was subsequently fined.

The drama may not end here, however. Atletico claim they are due €200m, not €120m, because they feel the agreement between Barcelona and Griezmann pre-dates the release clause decreasing.

Sources at the Catalan club have told ESPN FC they are "relaxed" about Atletico's threats, adding Griezmann did not sign a pre-contract agreement before July and that they have not breached any of FIFA's regulations.

ESPN FC first revealed in March that Griezmann was looking to leave Atletico. Barca were reluctant to move for him initially due to the way he turned them down via a documentary called "The Decision" last summer.

Following an internal debate, though, with Bartomeu and coach Ernesto Valverde both advocates for the signing, they decided to reactivate their interest in him.

Griezmann announced in May that he would be leaving Atletico this summer but it was not until July, when his release clause dipped, that Barca confirmed they wanted to sign him.

Real Sociedad, Griezmann's former club, are in line to pocket €24m from the deal due to a 20 percent sell-on clause inserted when they sold him to Atletico in 2014.

During five years with Atletico, Griezmann, a World Cup winner with France last summer, scored 133 goals in 257 appearances. He also won the Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup in that time.