Latest news with #Gaston
Scotsman
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts report and player ratings v Stirling: Debut goal, Premier Sports Cup seed, 100 per cent record
Mid-summer Scottish rain soaked Hearts to the skin but they never looked like slipping in a comfortable Premier Sports Cup win at Stirling Albion. Craig Halkett scored twice with Claudio Braga and debutant Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis also finding the net as the Premiership club overwhelmed League Two opponents to become strong favourites for a knockout-round seeding. The three group winners with the best records are seeded for the last 16 alongside Scotland's five European entrants. Hearts will expect to secure a seeding place if they win their final Group E match against Dumbarton on Wednesday to maintain a 100 per cent record in the competition. Kyziridis enjoyed a strong debut at a sodden Forthbank and generally tormented Stirling's right-back Ross McGeachie. A goal and an assist was a decent way to introduce himself to new fans. With direct running, dribbling and shooting ability, signs are he will be a popular figure at Tynecastle Park this season. In making eight changes to his startling line-up from Tuesday's win against Hamilton, Hearts coach Derek McInnes selected Kyziridis for the first time after a minor injury. His early header forced a save from the Stirling goalkeeper Derek Gaston before he created the opening goal on 13 minutes with a hanging cross which Halkett powerfully headed downwards into the net. Alan Forrest's looping effort from Oisin McEntee's cross bounced off the far post on 18 minutes before Braga doubled the visitors' advantage. From second phase after a corner, Christian Borchgrevink's deep cross found Halkett for a header across goal which Braga nodded goalwards on the run. Gaston's hand got to the ball but couldn't keep it out. Kyziridis found the net himself to put Hearts 3-0 ahead on 38 minutes. Forrest's low delivery across the face of Gaston's goal fell nicely for the Greek to drive high into the net, thus ending this game as a contest before the break. Kyziridis should have scored again moments later after spriting through on goal onto Lawrence Shankland's forward ball. The diving Gaston managed to divert the Hearts player's shot over his crossbar. Stirling tried to use the height of former Riccarton youngster Russell McLean in attack but he was well marshalled by the visiting centre-backs Halkett and Stuart Findlay. Borchgrevink departed at half-time, presumably through a knock, and McEntee moved to right-back for the second period. Gaston produced a fine save to deny Shankland from Braga's cross shortly after the restart as the procession towards Albion's goal continued. Hearts probed and pressed, their forwards caught offside several times due to overeagerness to get in behind. They eventually forced a fourth goal 10 minutes from the end. Halkett's header from substitute Yan Dhanda's corner was stopped by Gaston as he fell backwards and the bal appeared to cross the goal line. Findlay raced in to prod it home just in case but it looked like Halkett's goal. Stirling protested that their keeper had the ball in his hands and claimed a foul, but the goal stood. Substitute Elton Kabangu should have made it 5-0 but sent his header from Dhanda's cross over the bar despite being unmarked six yards out. Hearts had to make do with a final scoreline of 4-0, meaning the had scored 12 goals and conceded only one in their three Premier Sports Cup games so far. The same again on Wednesday against Dumbarton would guarantee that seeding. Here are the Hearts player ratings from Forthbank: 1 . GK: Zander Clark 6/10 Hardly touched the ball due to Hearts' dominance at the other end. | SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . RB: Christian Borchgrevink 5/10 Claimed an assist and got forward well, but gave the ball away cheaply at times when under no pressure. Replaced at half-time. | SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . RCB: Frankie Kent 9/10 A goal and two assists for a central defender is unusual, but Halkett strolled this match. | SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . LCB: Stuart Findlay 8/10 Comfortable beside Halkett and able to start attacks from the back. Scored his second Hearts goal in two games to round off a fine night's work. | SNS Group Photo Sales
![2025 Nordea Open: Gaston [91st] vs. Dzumhur [70th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gannett-cdn.com%2Fauthoring%2Fimages%2FDataSkriveSportsbookWire%2F2025%2F04%2F16%2FSSBK%2F83117401007-16686351.jpeg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26crop%3D1199%2C675%2Cx0%2Cy0%26format%3Dpjpg%26width%3D1200&w=3840&q=100)
![2025 Nordea Open: Gaston [91st] vs. Dzumhur [70th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fusatoday.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Nordea Open: Gaston [91st] vs. Dzumhur [70th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview
No. 91-ranked Hugo Gaston will meet No. 70 Damir Dzumhur in the Nordea Open Round of 16 on Thursday, July 17. Dzumhur is the favorite against Gaston in this match, with -135 odds against the underdog's +105 in the Round of 16. Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 10:35 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Hugo Gaston vs. Damir Dzumhur matchup info Watch the Tennis Channel and more sports on Fubo! Gaston vs. Dzumhur Prediction Based on the implied probility from the moneyline, Gaston has a 57.4% to win. Gaston vs. Dzumhur Betting Odds Gaston vs. Dzumhur matchup performance & stats
Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Review: New tour of ‘Beauty and the Beast' lives up to all the expectations
As a bookish millennial and former theater kid, I feel like a walking cliché when I say that I'm hopelessly nostalgic about 'Beauty and the Beast.' I'm no Disney adult (the theme parks hold no interest for me), but the stage musical is tied up with a whole lot of my teenage memories. Do these formative experiences make me biased toward the show? Maybe. Do they also raise my expectations for any new productions, just like Colin Firth (or Matthew Macfadyen, depending on who you ask) ruined other leading men for a generation of Jane Austen fans? Yes. All that to say: with every sentimental feeling I can still summon as a jaded 30-something, I'm happy to report that Disney's new North American tour, now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, delivers just about everything I could hope for in 'Beauty and the Beast' — lovely music, dazzling costumes and standout choreography that made me fall in love with new moments in the show. The musical's score by Alan Menken, with lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, expands on the songbook of the 1991 animated film and many of the additional numbers are among my favorites. Although I was disappointed that this tour cuts Belle's sweet duet with her father, 'No Matter What,' I greatly enjoyed Kyra Belle Johnson's rendition of 'Home,' Belle's first-act solo. Her voice has that clear, bell-like timbre that's so quintessentially Disney princess. And it's certainly worth the wait when Fergie L. Philippe finally reveals his rich baritone just before intermission in the Beast's tormented number, 'If I Can't Love Her.' Directed and choreographed by Matt West (the original Broadway choreographer), this production really gains momentum about halfway through the first act, with the comedic antics of the Beast's enchanted household staff and two major dance sequences that delighted the opening night crowd. Gaston (Stephen Mark Lukas), Lefou (Harry Francis) and company perform the raucous tavern song, 'Gaston,' with gusto, waving pompoms as they cheer on their favorite narcissist and clanking their tankards to the beat. West later pulls out all the stops for 'Be Our Guest,' with the help of several of the original Broadway designers, including Stanley A. Meyer (set), Ann Hould-Ward (costumes) and Natasha Katz (lighting). Led by Danny Gardner as Lumiere, the cheeky, limber candelabra-turned-MC, the ensemble energetically cycles through choreography that includes classic chorus lines, tap dancing and a neat bit that resembles synchronized swimming, projected in real-time from an overhead camera. West's choreography shines in a quieter manner in 'Human Again,' as Lumiere, Mrs. Potts (Kathy Voytko), Cogsworth (Javier Ignacio), Chip (Levi Blaise Coleman on opening night), Madame (Holly Ann Butler) and Babette (Cameron Monroe Thomas) dream of being transformed from household objects back into their original bodies. As they imagine all the things they'll do when the castle's spell is broken, white-clad members of the ensemble double as their human forms in a sort of dream ballet, performing graceful pirouettes, lifts and waltz steps that aren't possible in the singers' current, semi-inanimate forms. It's easily the most moving version of this number that I've seen. Other design elements that deserve a nod are Hould-Ward's many striking costumes, which sparkle and shimmer with vibrant flair. I appreciated the small touch of Belle, patron saint of bookworms, wearing oversized reading glasses in several scenes. Jim Steinmeyer also contributes some nifty illusions to this production, the most impressive being Chip's cart. As usual, the young teacup rolls around looking like a disembodied head, but here, the illusion is especially convincing, as the bottom of the cart appears to be fully transparent when other actors walk behind it. Darrel Maloney's projections and video were the only design elements that didn't work for me. With highly saturated colors and overly crisp lines, they sometimes resemble artificial intelligence-generated illustrations and don't integrate well with the physical set pieces. This is less of a problem during the castle scenes, with their dark interiors and night skies, but in Belle's village, the backdrops often took me out of the fairytale setting. This touring cast features plenty of Broadway talents, including Voytko, a longtime Chicago actor who made headlines in 2021 by stepping in for Sutton Foster last-minute to star opposite Hugh Jackman in 'The Music Man.' The most touching casting choice, though, is the late Angela Lansbury as the voice of the prologue narrator. The beloved stage and screen actress, who voiced Mrs. Potts in the original film, died in 2022, shortly after the closing of the West End revival on which this tour is based. When Lansbury's familiar voice delivers the show's opening line, 'Once upon a time, in a faraway land,' there's a bittersweet sense of the baton being passed to younger generations of actors, entrusting them with this tale as old as 'Beauty and the Beast' (3.5 stars) When: Through Aug. 2 Where: Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes Tickets: $40 and up at
Fox Sports
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB All-Star: Building the Best Blue Jays Lineup
Despite joining MLB in just 1977, the Blue Jays have managed to become one of the seven franchises to manage back-to-back World Series championships, and, along with the Marlins, are one of just two teams with both multiple titles and no World Series defeats. Their relative youth, though, has meant that they've had less time to develop their all-time roster than some older organizations. You wouldn't know that by looking at who has come through Toronto, however: what the Blue Jays lack in ballplayers wearing their cap into Cooperstown, they make up for with plenty of the top names in modern baseball — the era of free agency, wild cards and expanded playoffs. Manager: Cito Gaston Cito Gaston, the Blue Jays' hitting coach during their successful 1980s run, was also the manager of their World Series-winning 1992 and 1993 squads He's the first-ever African-American manager to win the World Series, and ranks second in games managed in franchise history with 902, behind only John Gibbons, the next-most successful skipper in Toronto's history. The second half of Gaston's run with the Jays was much worse — a .444 winning percentage from 1994-1998 compared to .574 from 1989 through 1993 — but that had more to do with a gutted Toronto roster transitioning to the next phase than with Gaston himself. Starting pitcher: Roy Halladay He threw a perfect game and won a Cy Young with the Phillies, and made it to the postseason multiple times in their uniform, but he was still Roy Halladay with the Blue Jays. He spent 12 years with Toronto before Philadelphia, and by 25 was a stud: he'd make six All-Star teams, win the 2003 Cy Young when he led MLB in wins, innings, complete games and WAR, and from 2002—2009 posted a 3.13 ERA. Philly might have been the exclamation point on a Hall of Fame career, but Toronto was the sentence that preceded it. Reliever/closer: Tom Henke To get a sense of just how good Tom Henke was with the Blue Jays requires context. Henke struck out 10.3 batters per nine from 1985 through 1992 with Toronto while posting a 2.48 ERA. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound right-hander remained imposing to behold despite sticking with glasses over contact lenses, thanks to his ability to induce strikeouts. That figure might not sound that impressive in 2025, when the league-average strikeout rate is 8.4 per nine. In 1985, though, the average was 5.4 per nine, and 5.6 by '92: Henke was a monster on the mound. Catcher: Russell Martin Russell Martin didn't play for Toronto until the end of his career, from 2015 through 2018, ages 32 through 35. He had at least an above-average bat for catchers in his first three years with the Blue Jays, and his pitch framing — while nowhere near what he managed at his peak — was still noteworthy. Martin was one of the preeminent pitch framers of his era, a catcher who was better respected and understood after his career by the teams, analysts and fans than during it, because of advances in dissecting the practice. Now, he's understood as a player worth remembering. 1B: Carlos Delgado Carlos Delgado was a top-five prospect with nowhere to go in Toronto's world-champion lineup, then bounced from catcher to outfield to first base, where he thrived. Delgado hit .286/.397/.565 for the Jays from 1996-2004, and ranks first among Jays in slugging (.556), OPS (.949), home runs (336), RBIs (1,058), doubles (343) and walks (827). He's second in on-base percentage (.392) and games played (1,493), third in hits (1,413), and first in times on base. Between the late start and late-career hip problems, he's not a Hall of Famer, but he looked like one in Toronto. 2B: Roberto Alomar The Blue Jays have had multiple Hall of Famers on their roster, even ones they developed themselves, but only one player is wearing their cap in Cooperstown. That's second baseman Roberto Alomar, who came to Toronto by way of a 1990 trade with the Padres that also netted them Joe Carter, while shipping out Tony Fernandez and Fred McGriff. Alomar was good with San Diego, but a star for the Jays, making the All-Star team and winning Gold Gloves all five seasons he was there, earning MVP votes in three of those campaigns, on top of two World Series rings. 3B: Josh Donaldson Josh Donaldson played for seven teams in his 13-year career, and none for as long or as well as the Blue Jays. While Donaldson also spent four years with the Athletics, with Toronto, he hit .281/.383/.548 with 116 of his 279 home runs, won the 2015 American League MVP while batting .297/.371/.568 with a career-high 41 dingers, and nabbed two Silver Sluggers — his performances elsewhere simply don't compare to that sustained run. His career fizzled out in his mid-30s and was over at 37, but a nine-year run with a 139 OPS+ stands out. SS: Tony Fernandez Fernandez was key to Toronto's nascent success in the 1980s, when they were constantly at war with the Tigers in the AL East before their ascent to the top of the baseball world in the '90s. He made three All-Star teams with the Jays between 1986 and 1989, netting a Gold Glove and MVP votes in each of those four years. While he was shipped to the Padres in 1990 along with Fred McGriff, Toronto would bring him back in a midseason 1993 deal — giving him a World Series ring — and he'd sign up for a third stint from 1997-1999, and fourth in 2001. OF: Jose Bautista In late-2009, 28-year-old Jose Bautista lowered his hands and moved closer to the plate: the result was vastly improved timing and explosive power. From 2004 through 2009, Bautista had a 91 OPS+ and 59 homers. He'd go deep an MLB-leading 54 times in 2010, and hit 272 homers from '10 through 2017 with Toronto, while picking up six consecutive All-Star nods, with his 2011 season (.302/.447/.608) tops. Bautista might have turned things on too late for Cooperstown, but thanks to his time with the Blue Jays, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025. OF: George Bell George Bell's defense was never good, but it worsened as he got older and slower. The good news for Toronto is that while he was with them throughout his 20s, his bat was so good that the glove only became a point of contention late. Bell was the 1987 AL MVP at age 27, thanks to batting .308/.352/.60 with a career-high 47 home runs. From the time he became a full-time player in 1984 through 1990, Bell hit .288/.328/.493 with 195 homers, and was an offensive centerpiece on their '85 and '89 playoff clubs. OF: Vernon Wells Forget the extension that became more (in)famous than his actual play — the Angels were responsible for the expensive, disappointing portion, anyway. Vernon Wells ranks third in games played for the Blue Jays, second in hits, total bases, doubles, RBIs and extra-base hits. Despite the downturn in the years after the extension, Wells is also fifth in WAR for Blue Jays' position players, and was an excellent combination of power, speed and defense in center field. A .280/.329/.475 line over 12 years in Toronto, with 223 homers and Gold Glove defense? Toronto would take that again and again. DH: Joe Carter Joe Carter was a better hitter with Cleveland, but Toronto was his other primary home, and it was with the Blue Jays where he hit the most important home run of his career… and one of the most significant in MLB history. Joe Carter won the 1993 World Series for Toronto with a walk-off home run against the Phillies and closer Mitch Williams — if he'd never done anything else for the Jays, that would still be huge. Carter hit 203 of his 396 regular-season dingers with Toronto, however, and slugged .473. One-dimensional is fine when the dimension looks like that. Honorable Mentions: John Gibbons (manager) Dave Stieb (starting pitcher) Duane Ward (reliever/closer) Ernie Whitt (catcher) Pat Borders (catcher) Devon White (outfield) Lloyd Moseby (outfield) Jesse Barfield (outfield) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (DH) Edwin Encarnacion (DH) Shannon Stewart (DH) John Olerud (DH) Paul Molitor (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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West Australian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Disney's Beauty and the Beast on the way to Crown Theatre Perth with Jackson Head as Gaston
Disney's Beauty and the Beast on the way to Crown Theatre Perth with Jackson Head as Gaston
