Dagmara Wozniak helps lead U.S. fencing team to Bronze medal

The U.S. women's fencing contingent came into the Olympic team sabre event Saturday with a chip on their shoulders after coming away relatively disappointed in the individual competitions. But as team, they found reason to celebrate after winning the bronze medal, beating Italy 45-30 and matching the 2008 bronze-medal finish in Beijing.

Led by a duo of determined Olympic veterans Dagmara Wozniak — the purple-haired St. John's alum who earned her first Olympic medal after being an alternate in Beijing and placing eighth individually in London — and Mariel Zagunis — who was on the 2008 team and now adds a fourth Olympic medal to her collection. They were joined by Ibtihaj Muhammad and Monica Aksamit, both appearing in their first Olympic Games.

Muhammad, who became the first U.S. Olympian to wear a hijab during competition earlier this week, can now proudly bring a bronze medal back home to New Jersey with her.

After losing a close semifinals match, 45-42, against eventual Gold medal winner Russia, team USA built up a lead against Italy before Muhammad started to lose ground against her Italian opponent, Irene Vecchi, in the third bout.

 Zagunis, the most decorated U.S. fencer of all time, yelled support “It’s OK, it’s OK” from behind the piste and Muhammad ended the third bout in a 5-5 tie with Team USA still in the lead at 15-11.

While the Italians drew closer in the seventh bout, winning for the first time 8-5, it was Wozniak who extended the lead again to 40-27 overall. Zagunis anchored the team, closing out with a 5-3 bout, and leading the team in a well deserved group hug after the victory.

For St. John's, that means two former Red Storm fencers went home with medals in Rio.

Daryl Homer took home a Silver earlier in the week. Homer, a 26-year-old from the Bronx, born in the Virgin Islands, became the first American to win a silver medal in men’s individual sabre in 112 years.

Tyler Austin and Aaron Judge hit historic back-to-back homers in Yankees debut (VIDEO)

A-Rod who?

Alex Rodriguez's tears hadn't even dried on the infield of Yankee Stadium when the Bombers' two newest members started a fresh era of power with historic back-to-back home runs Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin showed fans that the future looks bright for the Yankees — and put the drama of the controversial slugger firmly in the rear view mirror after hitting the dingers in both players' first at-bats.

Just a day ago Judge and Austin were taking swings as top prospects with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and now, less than 14 hours after A-Rod's going away party, the two new outfielders helped the Yankees win their fourth straight game with an 8-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Welcome to The Show boys.

The behemoth Judge (he's 6'7" and 230 lbs.) blasted this 446-foot shot over the center field wall and was still able to get the ball back.

Aaron Judge's first career homer was an absolute bomb. He too got the baseball back #HereComesTheJudge pic.twitter.com/y2N5SDv90E

— Bronx Bombers (@BronxBomberBlog) August 13, 2016

Here's Austin's jack which got things started:

Tyler Austin's first career homer in his first career at-bat. He got the baseball back! #AustinPowers pic.twitter.com/lNb9kugCFb

— Bronx Bombers (@BronxBomberBlog) August 13, 2016

Suddenly that $27 million tab the Yankees owe Rodriguez doesn't seem to hurt as much.

Derek Jeter reaches out to A-Rod, gets silence from former teammate

Alex Rodriguez, appearing on Michael Kay's ESPN Radio show before his final game at Fenway Park on Thursday, was asked if he had talked with “Derek” since the 41-year-old A-Rod announced that Friday would be his last day as a Yankees player.

“With who?” Rodriguez said.

“Derek Jeter,” he was told.

“About what?” Rodriguez responded to what came across like a diss towards the Yankee icon.

It seemed more likely that Rodriguez didn't hear the question clearly and acknowledged Jeter had reached out to him, but his “inbox is completely full,” so he didn't get back to his one-time BFF.

The two were close friends when they were rookie shortstops more than 20 years ago, but the relationship soured over the years even after Rodriguez bumped himself to third base in deference to Jeter when he joined the Yankees via a trade from the Rangers in 2004.

Still, A-Rod is managing to get a little love in the unlikeliest of places.

Red Sox fans sarcastically serenaded the soon-to-be-gone Yankee with a chant of "We want A-Rod" before they turned it into a chorus of boos when he finally got up to the plate.

"We want A-Rod!" #Yankees #RedSox pic.twitter.com/a5CuaSI2Sv

— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) August 10, 2016

It is not exactly clear what Rodriguez will do after abruptly ending his career when the Yankees release him from his contract following Friday's game against the Rays at Yankee Stadium, but, surprisingly, he wasn't granted a start at third base for his final game.

“CC [Sabathia] is on the mound [Friday],” Rodriguez said after manager Joe Girardi bluntly said no to A-Rod's request to play the hot corner one last time. 

“There’s a lot of history there, and I thought it would be a fun way to go out. The fans of New York remember me more as third baseman. … I can at least make routine plays. That would’ve been fun for me and our fans.”

It would be fun to see A-Rod at third one last time. Just don't expect Jeets.

Red Sox dump 'offensive,' 'racially insensitive' David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway just hours before game

The Red Sox canceled a David Ortiz bobblehead giveaway at Fenway Park five hours before their game against the Yankees on Tuesday night because the figurines were considered "offensive" and "racially offensive" by the team’s president.

Batting next in the #SoxPromos lineup: The Papi Bobblehead! 💪
Be there this Tuesday: https://t.co/uQuufOJ7ez pic.twitter.com/ayeZvGw9Ym

— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) August 7, 2016

The bobblehead was a likeness of Ortiz holding a microphone, a tribute to the emotional speech he made at Fenway five days after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 where he famously proclaimed, "This is our f-ucking city."

"It was an inaccurate portrayal of David,”  Sam Kennedy said after approving of the giveaways months earlier. “It doesn’t really look like David. Number two, I personally thought it seemed to be an offensive portrayal of him and racially insensitive.

"If I was feeling this way, certainly other people would," Kennedy added. "So we pulled the plug."

Kennedy said the 15,000 bobbleheads would be returned to the manufacturer, BDA Inc., of Woodville, Wash., and a new model shipped out. Now all ticketed fans for Tuesday’s game will receive the new bobbleheads in the mail, not just the first 15,000.

“Everybody will receive one,” Kennedy said.

Ok I can see why they cancelled Ortiz bobblehead night pic.twitter.com/3E9AtWgxOy

— Connor #2019Champs (@connortheOGfam) August 9, 2016

Before the game, Ortiz said he was unaware of the situation.

“That’s supposed to be me?” he said after looking at a photo of the bobblehead with the odd white lips.

Ortiz went on to say he agreed with the team’s decision.

New Jersey public golf course turns into boozy strip joint during charity match (PHOTOS)

The greens at a New Jersey public golf course weren't the only things groomed nice and neat when a charity event sponsored by a local gentlemen's club turned the flag posts into stripper's poles.

New Jersey officials are vowing to crack down on the late July golf event that turned a tax-payer funded course into a strip club, reported NBC's I-team in New York.

The charity event at Preakness Valley Golf Course in Wayne, New Jersey, was billed as a day of golf with donations going to benefit a variety of causes — including the Orlando shooting victims and slain police officers in Dallas. The sponsor — who runs Sunrise Gentlemen’s Club — even offered cops and firefighters a discount on the $195 fee, according to NBC.

But residents and public officials were shocked to see drinks flowing and scantily clad women giving out lap dances.

NBC’s cameras caught one woman — skirt hiked to her waist, shirt pulled down to expose her chest — cavorting around a flag stick as golfers tried to focus on the game.

Hidden cameras also caught lap dances on male golfers as they rode in their carts — with plenty of drinks to go round.

In another video segment, a golfer tries to pull a golf ball out of the cleavage of one of the Sunrise dancers with his mouth — and the same dancer can later be seen touching a participant intimately.

Neighbors told NBC’s I-Team they were disgusted by the lewd display.

“I’m at a loss for words. It’s shameful. Kids are going by. Families are going by. This is on public property,” said one nearby resident.

"We’re going to look at the policies and procedures that are in place," said Passaic County Administrator Anthony De Nova, after viewing undercover I-Team video that captured nudity and raunchy behavior at the Wayne course. “My understanding is that this isn’t the first time that this tournament took place here. But I can say it’s going to be the last time.”

The owner of the Sunrise Gentlemen’s Club in Paterson — closed briefly last year after a prostitution bust — declined to speak to NBC about the event.

And let the putter jokes begin.

Paige Spiranac busts out latest trick shot (VIDEO)

Paige Spiranac's latest trick shot showed just why she’s so popular on social media despite her limited talents on the golf course.

Here's the Instagram sensation catching a golf ball on her chest, popping it out onto the turf and knocking it onto the fairway with an iron.

What would you give to be that ball! 😳 🎥 cred - @cartbarnguys @_paige.renee #GOLFGODS #golftricks #golftrickshot #golfbabes #golf

A video posted by Golf Gods (@golf_gods) on Aug 4, 2016 at 3:24am PDT

In December Spiranac failed miserably in her professional debut, missing the cut in Dubai and finishing 101st in a 107-player field.

That prompted her to say that she would be taking a break from social media — but Spiranac couldn't resist the lure of Twitter.

And we'll never watch women's golf the same way again.

Teixeira goes off on Mets and Matz after getting plunked (VIDEO)

No doubt about the fact that Mark Teixeira has been having a rough outing this season. Actually the oft-injured Yankee has been quietly limping around the Bronx for the past few years but Wednesday night the Gold Glove first baseman finally used his bat and his mouth to shut up his critics.

Tex jacked a three-run homer in the second inning off Mets starter Steven Matz before firing up his Yankees’ teammates by yelling at Matz when the lefty drilled him in the left shin the next time up at bat.

Teixeira's reaction to getting hit by Matz was punctuated by him screaming at Matz, “You’ve got to be kidding,’’ as Mets catcher Rene Rivera escorted Teixeira to first base while players from the dugouts and bullpens came out onto the field and puffed out their chests.

Tempers flare in New York, as Mark Teixeira gets plunked by Steven Matz after his 3-run homer. #Yankees #Mets pic.twitter.com/LRhWKnmZ1g

— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) August 4, 2016

Firing his shin guards into the air as Teixeira was escorted to first might have been a funny sight but maybe not as comical as the pumped up Mets bullpen standing around waiting for some action.

Teixeira's home run helped the Yankees to a 9-5 Subway Series victory over the Mets in front of a sold-out crowd of 48,339 — the largest Yankee Stadium crowd this season.